I am going to be a daddy!

I just got married a few months ago. Being married without a baby seems incomplete. It's like being in a girlfriend-boyfriend relationship playing house. We were planning to have a baby for months. And at last we were blessed.

I was on a graveyard shift which starts from 10 in the evening and ends 7 o'clock the succeeding day. I was tasked to wake up my wife since her work would start at seven. I was supposed to wake her up at four thirty in the morning. Before I got the chance to call her, I received a text message asking to call her immediately. It seems urgent. When I contacted her she said that she use the pregnancy test that I have purchased a few days back. One line means negative. Two lines means positive. And if there were no lines, that means the test was void.

She said that the test had the two lines but the second line seems faded. She seems a little doubtful but I could tell that she is really excited. We decided to meet after my shift to get a doctor's opinion. Even though we haven't confirmed that she was really pregnant, I had to tell someone. I was too excited to keep my happiness to myself. I told a few of my officemates about the good news. I called my parents and asked my dad a question that I have always to ask him. Are you ready to be a grandfather? They were both happy for me and like any parents, they both gave my advice.

My wife still went to work. She told me that she was disoriented and could not focus on the training that she was attending. She asked permission to go leave work early so that we may visit a doctor.

It was around twelve in the afternoon when we met somewhere near the clinic. We had lunch first before visiting the doctor. I was really sleepy then since I was up all night because of work. Good thing that the doctor did not have any clients during that time and we were accommodated immediately.

She asked a few question and had my wife examined. She was then asked to have another pregnancy test. We waited for the result to be ready. And the doctor said the words that we wanted to her. "Congratulations. It is positive!"

I was euphoric. I did not know where the energy came from, but all the sleepiness and the headache was washed away. And I couldn't help myself form grinning. We were supposed to come back after a few weeks to have the ultrasound and other test.

T minus 7 months and 3 weeks

Global warming in the Philippines

Why should Filipinos worry about Global warming? One of the effects of Global warming is rapid melting of the Polar ice caps, glaciers and land based ice-sheet. If parts of Antarctica, Greenland or Greenland melt, sea level would rise and would affect millions of people living in low-lying areas.

The Philippines is made up of 7,107 islands. Some densely populated areas are at high risk to flooding. In the National Capital region alone several Cities are located near the coastlines. Malabon, Caloocan, Valenzuela and Navotas are frequently flooded. During the typhoon season, when rain is relentless, chances are high that these cities would be flooded.

Greenpeace Southeast Asia has conducted studies that Global warming and climate change could submerge and even wipe the whole of Cebu 2020. If these studies are accurate, then God Save Cebu. It’s not only Cebu is at stake. Sulu, Palawan, Zamboanga, Northern Samar, Zamboanga Sibugay, Basilan, Davao, Bohol and Camarines Sur are all at risk to a one-meter increase in Sea level and receding coastlines.

Just imagine if this were to come true. Crops would be lost. Millions of people would be relocated. There would definitely be food and water shortage. Price of basic goods would increase. Remember typhoon Ondoy? If this sea level increase were to happen, the devastation would be far greater.

Filipinos should take serious steps to mitigate Global warming. This coming May election, we should vote for a candidate who has solid plans to protect the environment and mitigate effects of Global warming. Drastic measures should be taken. Previous environmental laws should be revised to adapt to Climate change. And most importantly, effective implementation of Environmental laws should be done.

Manny Pacquiao is the king of the ring

Economy versus the environment