The World When Elise was Born

This is an essay I wrote for my English 10 class. This paper is about the day when I was born. It's a report paper, I think. Enjoy reading. :D

August 15, 1993. While Analiza was in great pain, crying, shouting in a small room in Jesus Delgado Memorial Hospital, giving birth to a 6-lb baby they named Ann Elizabeth, a lot of things were happening in the big world…

August 15 was a special holiday in Korea because it signifies the end of the Japanese colonial rule in Korea (AP, 1993). 100,000 students from Hanyang University rallied for the unification of the Korean peninsula (AP, 1993). However, the students were banned to rally (AP, 1993). In the Philippines, some political organizations ask for reparation and compensation from Japan for the Filipino women who were sexually abused during the Japanese colonization.

What was happening in the world 17 years ago is not much different from what is happening in the world today. Even then, murder cases, kidnapping and hostage were eminent in the Philippine news. Two UP Los Banos students were slayed and raped on June 29 (Esplanada, 1993). A local official named Sanchez was involved in the rape and murder of the two students (Esplanada, 1993). Private armies and jueteng networks were eminent in Calauan, Laguna (Esplanada, 1993). Even in other parts of the country, people were being kidnapped and held hostage. In Agusan del Sur, 11 DENR men were held hostage (De Leon, 1993). In Basilan, another teacher was kidnapped (De Leon, 1993). Luckily, some Basilan hostages were freed by the MNLF (Feliciano, 1993).

Issues on corruption were also prominent in the Philippine government even then.  In Tiwi, a mayor filed a libel suit against a high school freshman student who wrote in her exam paper that the mayor corrupts the money of Tiwi (Calleja, 1993). Luckily, the libel suit was thrown out and instead, the student must be paid damages by the mayor (Calleja, 1993).

Ramos was planning to increase taxes from cigarette firms or what we call now as “sin tax” (Esplanada, 1993). During that time, the president was still planning on how to increase the taxes and many people were still against the increase of taxes for cigarettes.

The issue on commercialization of education is also eminent even during 1993. There was an issue in UP Visayas because the Dean planned to put rental fees on university facilities (PNF, 1993). Many students and constituents disagreed on the Dean’s plan to put rental fees on what was supposed to be free service for the students (PNF, 1993).

Pollution was also a problem even before. Many firms throw toxic wastes in the rivers, particularly the Tunasan-San Pedro River (Allegre, 1993). 30 firms faced legal cases against them because of their improper disposal of toxic wastes (Allegre, 1993).

Natural disasters and calamities troubled the people even then. There were lahar flows and ash clouds triggered by heavy rain in San Fernando, Pampanga (Jimenez, 1993). In Thailand, a high-class hotel collapsed. Royal Plaza Hotel in Korati, Thailand, collapsed on August 13, 1993 (AP, 1993). 100 or more people were trapped when the hotel collapsed (AP, 1993). The theory was that the collapse was partly caused by the addition of the three top floors because the building was still under renovation when it collapsed (AP, 1993).

After 17 years, the 6-lb baby named Ann Elizabeth was big enough to realize that the world when she was born was not much different from the world she is living in now. More students were still rallying about rights, commercialization of education, particularly in UP. Murder cases were still eminent, and it even worsened; as worse as the Maguindanao massacre. There is still no true peace between the MNLF and the government because people were still being kidnapped and hostaged. Corruption is very much a large issue. However, students are more free to write about corrupt officials now without being accused with libel. Sin tax is now large and other taxes are about to rise. Pollution is even worse with the increase of cars and smoke belchers in the country. Natural calamities also became worse because of global warming. There are floods like Ondoy, heavy rains, strong storms, earthquakes, tsunamis, and many more. In general, the world, particularly the country, is getting worse… There hasn’t been a great change that could surpass the worsening scenario of the country. 2010 is a special year. Let us hope that with the change of leaders and the citizen’s help, we could have a great change in the government and in the country.

Bibliography

Allegre, A. (1993, August 15). 30 firms face raps for toxic wastes. Malaya.

AP. (1993, August 15). 100 trapped when hotel collapsed. Philippine Daily Inquirer.

AP. (1993, August 15). Studes stage rally. Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Calleja, D. (1993, August 15). Tiwi Mayor’s libel suit against student thrown out. Philippine Daily Inquirer.

De Leon, C. (1993, August 16). 11 DENR men held hostage in Agusan Sur. Philippine Daily Inquirer.

De Leon, C. (1993, August 16). Teacher snatched in another Basilan kidnapping. Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Esplanada, J. (1993, August 15). FVR: Abusive local officials face Sanchez’ fate. Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Esplanada, J. (1993, August 15). Ramos eyes bigger takes from cigarette firms. Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Feliciano, J. (1993, August 15). Basilan hostages freed. Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Jimenez, E. (1993, August 15). Heavy rains trigger lahar flows, ash clouds in CL. Malaya.

PNF. (1993, August 15). Over rentals: UP Visayas restive too. Philippine Daily Inquirer.

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lovelovelove, eLise.

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