Kahalagahang Kultural ng Malong

Ang "Malong" ay bahagi na ng kulturang Pilipino,  partikular ng mga Muslim. Sa lathalaing ito, tatalakayin natin ang ilang katanungan patungkol sa Malong.

Ano ang kahulugan ng salitang Malong?

Ang salitang "Malong", katulad ng "Patajong" ng mga Bisaya at Tagalog at "Tajong" ng mga Samal, ay nangangahulugang "Mainam na Kasuotan". Katulad din ng "Sarong" ng Malaysia at "Ponong" ng Thailand.

Ano ang Malong?

Ang malong ay isang mahabang tela na may kaakit-akit na mga kulay. Ito ay may disenyong "abstract"na tila alon, mga bulak-lak at dahon at iba pang disenyong base sa Okir at Sari-Manok. Hinabi ito mula sa seda o bulak. May  itong 166cm at 170cm naman ang lapad.

Anu-ano ang Uri ng Malong?

May limang uri ng Malong, ito ay ang;

1. Landap - Ang pinakakilala sa lahat ng uri ng malong. Ito ay hinabi gamit ang tradisyunal na pamamaraan ng paghahabi at may dekorasyong "Langket". 
2. Ampik- Ito ay karaniwang malong. Ang kahulugan ng "Ampik" ay kaakit-akit
3. Andi- isang uri ng malong na ginagamit bilang flag o banner
4. Bagadat - isang uri ng malong na may disenyong guhit-guhit (stripe)
5. Bagadon - ang pinakamahalagang uri ng Malong. Nangangahulugan itong "Ibuhol o ibalot" na tumutukoy sa proseso ng paghahabi nito

Ang Malong Bilang Sining

Ang paghahabi ng Malong ay isang sining partikular sa mga T'boli at Maranao. Sa paghahabi ng malong ay napagsasanib ang mga disenyong may malalim na kaugnayan sa kanilang kultura tulad ng Okir at Sari-manok. Ang disenyong Okir ay tumutukoy sa disenyong nagpapakita ng ibat-ibang hugis na ipinakikita ng kalikasan. May dalwang uri ng disenyong Okir;

1. Ang "Okir a Dato"ay disenyo para sa mga lalaki
2. Ang "Okir a Bay" ay disenyo para sa mga babae.

Ano ang gamit ng Malong?

Ang malong ay ginagamit bilang (bahagi) ng kasuotan sa araw-araw. May mga uri ng malong na ginagamit bilang kasuotang pormal. Ginagamit din ito bilang sapin sa pananalangin.

Paano isinusuot ang Malong?

Ayon sa nakasanayan, isinusuot ng mga kababaihan ang Malong sa ibabaw ng kanilang blusa na pinapalamutian ng ginto at iba pang ornamento. Nakabalabal naman ito sa baywang ng lalaki. Ginagamit rin ito sa ulo o di kaya`y ipinapandong paminsan.

Kung isusuot ito ng babae kailangang pinapatangan nito ang blusa. 

Anu-ano ang Implikasyong Kultural ng Malong

Ang bagong silang na sanggol ng mga Maranao ay karaniwang ibinabalot sa pinaka magandang  Malong ng pamilya o kaya naman ay ginagamit ang malong bilang duyan ng sanggol.

Angmga namatay ay ibinabalot din sa malong na pinalamutian ng ginto at mga disenyong alon. Pinapabangohan ang  Malong gamit ang tradisyonal na pamamaraan bilang paggalang sa kaluluwa ng namayapa

Ang mga mamahalin o di kaya naman ay na manang malong ay pinapahalagahan at maingat na itinatabi ng mga maranao. Upang maiwasan ang pagkasira ginagamitan ito ng wax at pinapabangohan gamit ang dalawang pamamaraan:

1. pagpapabango gamit ang mga katas mula sa mga ugat at dahon ng mga halamang tinatawag na “Towa”, “Salapiin” at “Sabi”
2. paglalagay ay tinatawag na “BOROK”, kung saan ipinapatong ang malong sa ibabaw ng basket na tinatawag na “baloyan” at pinauusukan gamit ang uling at abo mula tuyong dahon at ugat ng halamang “Salapiin”

Lawrence Avillano

Recently Enacted Laws in the Philippines that are of Interest to the Public

New laws were passed in the Philippines just recently and Filipinos must be aware of these newly signed laws for it greatly affect their daily lives.  These laws cover issues on driving, dating, employment, and businesses. 

IRR of Republic Act 10909 - No Shortchanging Act of 201

 REPUBLIC ACT 10909 – NO SHORTCHANGING ACT OF 2016

An act prohibiting business establishments from giving insufficient or no change to consumers and providing penalties therefore.

This law ensures that business establishments will give the exact amount of changes to consumer without waiting for the consumer to ask for the same. The cashier or the staff clerk, or their equivalent, of business establishments shall count the change in front of the consumer and place the same in the hand of the consumer, or on the change tray, whichever is applicable. The use of price tags, issuing an official receipt or sales invoice, and posting notices that will reminds consumers of the said law is also mandated.

The law prohibits business establishments to shortchange a consumer, even if such change is a very small amount, changing in any form, other than the present currencies and ASKING THE CONSUMER FOR PERMISSION TO BE EXEMPTED FROM THE PROVISIONS OF THE ACT FOR ANY REASON.

Violators, on the first offense, will be fined Php. 500 or 3% of the gross sales of the business in the day of violation, Php. 5000 or 5% during the second offense, Php. 15,000 or 7% on the third offense with 3 month suspension, and Php. 25, 000 or 10% of the gross sales during the day of violation and the license to operate shall be revoked by the appropriate government agency.

REPUBLIC ACT 10906 ANTI-MAIL ORDER SPOUSE ACT

An Act Providing Stronger Measures against Unlawful Practices, Businesses, and Schemes of Matching and Offering Filipinos to Foreign Nationals for Purposes of Marriage or Common Law Partnership.

This law prohibits the act of matching Filipinos and Filipinas, for the purpose of marriage or common law partnership, to foreign nationals.

Any person found to be violating this law by engaging in any business or profitable schemes shall be penalized 15 years of imprisonment and a fine of, not lesser than Php. 500,000. Stiffer penalties are provided if found to be committed in a larger scale.

            Prohibited acts include, but not limited to, matching Filipinos to foreign nationals via mail-order basis, personal introduction, email or websites in the internet, exhibiting, printing, or distributing materials, which promote the mail-order spouse industry.

REPUBLIC ACT 10905 THE CLOSED CAPTION BROADCASTING TELEVISION PROGRAMS ACT

An act requiring all franchise holders or operators of television stations and producers of television programs to broadcast or present their programs with closed caption options.

This law is very important because it will give Filipinos with hearing impairment access to information from television through closed captioning, wherein television operators and program producers are mandated to provide subtitles that mostly appear at the bottom of the television screen.

Violators shall be fined, not more than,  Php. 50,000 but not less than Php. 100,000 or 6 months to 1 year imprisonment.

However, programs shown from 1:00 am to 6:00 am, public service announcement shorter than 10 minutes, programs that are textual in nature are exempted.  The law also provides exemptions when compliance would be economically burdensome.

The law shall be implemented through Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) and the National Telecommunications Commission.

REPUBLIC ACT 10913 – THE ANTI-DISTRACTED DRIVING ACT

This law prohibits drivers from using any devices for communication, computing and entertainment while driving or temporarily stopped on traffic lights, intersections, or for any other reasons. It covers all vehicles as long as it is operated by human and are driven in public highways, streets and other public thoroughfares.

The Department of Transportation and the Land Transportation Office are the main implementer of the said law. Violators will be penalized with a fine of Php. 5000 for the first  offense, Php. 10,000 for the second, Php. 15,000 for the third offense and with a three-month suspension of driver`s license. Anyone found to be violating this law beyond third offense will be fined Php. 20,000 and shall be penalized with a revocation of driver`s license.

Drivers are still allowed to use traffic navigational apps provided that it is installed in an area that cant obstruct the driver`s view of the road. Drivers are also allowed to make and receive calls in case of emergencies.

References:

SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES PORTAL: Republic Act 10905 The “Closed Caption Broadcasting of Television Programs Act” http://www.senate.gov.ph/republic_acts/ra%2010905.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF TRADES AND INDUSTRIES: IRR of Republic Act 10909 “No Short Changing act of 2016”.  http://www.dti.gov.ph/media/advisories/10040-irr-of-republic-act-no-10909-no-shortchanging-act-of-2016

SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES PORTAL: Republic Act No. 10906 - Senate of the Philippines. https://www.senate.gov.ph/republic_acts/ra%2010906.pdf

LAND TRANSPORTATION OFFICE: Republic  Act 10903 – the anti-distracted driving act.  http://www.lto.gov.ph/latest-advisory/317-republic-act-10913-or-the-anti-distracted-driving-act.html

Places Where Filipinos Can Find Jobs Online

Are you a fresh graduate, caught in the middle of graduation to employment transition, looking for a job? Are you looking for a new job near your place? Or you are simply looking for a job that offers higher salary.

Well you have to visits these websites to find jobs. These websites contains list of job openings and employers that offer jobs for Filipinos alone.

JOBTENSOR

If you have a degree in IT, Computer Science, Engineering, Natural Sciences, Mathematics and the likes, Jobtensor is the best place for you to find a job.

Jobtensor is a platform that seeks to attract employers to offer jobs truncated for the field of sciences, IT and engineering that makes job search an easy task for applicants. As a result, the job advertisements on the platform is relevant and really connected to what a job seekers on the said fields are looking for. That means you don`t have to read through a long list of job postings to find an offer that fits you.

JOBOPENINGS.PH

Is a Philippine job site that offers great benefits for job seekers and employers. Filipino job seekers can search and apply to job openings by creating an online resume. Filipino job seekers can search  jobs relevant to their skills and education. They can also search companies and mode of employment either part time or full time. It also features jobs by province, meaning you can search job openings near your location.

 WORKABROAD.PH

Is an online career resource for Filipinos who wants to work abroad. The job openings offered are legit because it passed a thorough  process and scrutiny by Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), foreign employers and licensed recruitment agencies sending Filipino Workers Abroad.



TRABAHO.COM

Trabaho.com is founded in 1996 through the efforts of Web Phil Info Comm. Inc. as they sought to improve its services as one of Philippine`s premiere Internet Business Solution Provider. Since then, Trabaho.com became the Filipino Job Seekers` partner in finding legit job openings across the country. The job portal have a wide list of local employer and companies in need of capable and skilled employer as it aims to provide Filipinos with access to limitless job opportunities.


ONLINEJOBS.PH

If you would like to work at the comfort of your own home controlling 95% of your time, then OnlineJobs,Ph is the place for you to find your dream job. This job portal is created to outsource Filipino Talents. If you are looking for a legit online job then create an account with OnlineJobs.Ph. The Job Portal offers Online Job Openings for Filipino Online Job Seekers only. Positions include Virtual Assistants, Data Entry Specialist, Online Researcher, Writer, Blogger, Social Media Marketing Specialist, Lead Generation, etc, in part time, full time, freelance or project based.

So, here it is. The places where Filipinos can find legit jobs online. What are you waiting for sign up for an account now and create your resume online. Employers are waiting for  you. Get your dream job now!

Key Terms For Understanding the Root of Conflicts in Muslim Mindanao

These are the terms that are pertinent for understanding the Conflict in Muslim Mindanao

Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) - a terrorist group, or criminal organisation founded by Abdurajak Janjalani, which largely operates in the     province of Basilan where it has its strongholds.

Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) - a breakaway faction of the MILF  opposing the peace process between the MILF and the Philippine government for it  as it seeks full independence for Muslim Mindanao rather than autonomy

Din wa Dawla - No separation of religion and state, Islam must be the holistic system of life.

Hakimiyya -  ultimate aim where Shari’ah (Islamic law) is supreme and should replace Westernized law.

Informal Land Markets - informal land markets enable land to be transferred, mortgaged, traded or sold without the monitoring or regulation of the government’s land agencies.

Jemaah Islamiyah (JI)  or Ansar Khalifah Sarangani - is a radical Islamist terrorist group operating in Southeast Asia lead by Basit Usman in the Philippines.

Lumad -  a Cebuano-Visayan   term meaning native or indigenous. Lumadas are neither Muslims nor  Christians.
Moro - a political identity distinct to the Islamised people of Mindanao and Sulu

Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) - secularist-nationalist-modernist, founded by Prof. Nur  Misuari. It aspires for the integration into the Philippine political and economic mainstream, with some access and power-sharing. Latter it split into four groups, the Council of 15 (Anti -Misuari), The Misuary Group (Break Away Group), The Islamic Command Council (ICC)

Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) - founded by Ustadz Salamat Hashim. It aims to be separated from the Philippine System and demands for a Independent Islamic State

Muslim - refers to a universal religious identity

Pagsanda - an informal credit system used by the Tausug, the largest ethnic group in Sulu, involves  the offering of collateral to a traditional 18 money lender in exchange for a loan which are not documented and regulated by the state

Rido - a Maranao term commonly used in Mindanao to refer to clan feuds. 

Shadow Economies -  illicit drug economy, illicit weapons, informal land markets, cross-border trade,   informal credit provision, and kidnapping for ransom

The Sulu Sultanate - holds jurisdiction over the areas of Sulu, Tawi-tawi, Palawan, Basilan and Zamboanga

Ummah - The Ummah refers to the community of believers who are bound solely by spiritual ties regardless of sex, status, color or residence.



These may be the key term to understanding the root conflict in Muslim Mindanao.