As a blogger, I’ve never been that focused on traffic. Well that statement alone can be attacked in 1001 ways but I always thought that if you’re not my target niche, then its alright if you don’t read my posts because what I write about is for a selected few and I still want to write for my niche because no one else that I know of will actively do so. Stubborn? Not really, because I’m part of the few selected and I hope someone will write for me the same way I am writing to my target niche. One of my mentors said that great ideas are born from problems. You find a problem and offer a solution. Blogging was my solution.

Palaro 2012

I have several angles I have in mind about the Palarong Pambansa which is happening currently until May 12, 2012 at Pangasinan. But I had to make this post because for the first time, I am concerned with traffic. Very concerned. But it is not just about the traffic on Special Education Philippines, its traffic for the Palarong Pambansa 2012.

On the first night I traveled to Dagupan, I witnessed how the DepEd Secretary visited different schools were athletes are staying. These are schools turned quarters for the Palaro 2012 players and their coaches to stay. If you will read my post, you can find Bro. Armin Luistro’s purpose for these visits.

On my first night at Dagupan and upon observing people closely, almost every one has eyebags but with big smiles. You can see most of the people organizing Palarong Pambansa are tired from the preparations for the big event. You see there is this unspoken dream that this Palaro will turn out to be one of the most successful and memorable Palaro the country has witnesssed. And I believe its possible. The system is not perfect “yet” but I can see people moving their personal intentions so that they can do bigger things for the athletes, for the Palarong Pambansa, and for the country.

So when I saw the “Santiago vs Tulfo” incident while watching television on the bus warning bells rang loudly in my head. Oh no! This news will take the limelight much farther away from the Palaro2012. Maybe even without the airport brawl incident there is already a slim chance the news about Palarong Pambansa 2012 will be threading first in Facebook news feeds and in Twitter but after this airport fight that slim chance just became slimmer almost non-existent. Exaggeration. Maybe. But the next day while watching a morning show at TV5 we happened to chance a short clip for Palarong Pambansa 2012. Oh great we have a spot in prime time. So what did the report say? That the budget for Palarong Pambansa 2012 is insufficient and that the financial support to the athletes is at its lowest. Same old news same old problem. Now the danger for me of hearing such news is that when you hear of the same problem several times in so many ways you get jaded about the problem. It’s like saying “What difference does it make? It will never work out. It never did it never will”. And people start thinking its hopeless. You see hope is a dangerous thing to lose. When people lose hope they lose the will to survive.

And I personally want the Palarong Pambansa to survive. That’s why I gathered my breaks to this 3 day trip to Pangasinan. I worked triple time to finish deadlines and finally I can give the time and effort it deserves. I am sick to the bones after the trip but I can’t sleep anyway until this fever breaks so I might as well make a post. A post that I feel strongly about. But I don’t want to rant or complain. That is not the intention of this post. My goal is to make people understand that if we keep on doing what we’ve always done, we will keep on getting what we’ve always received.

This is what I know, there are six bloggers who went to Pangasinan. They left to cover an event for DepEd. They are not paid. They have day jobs. They have families. They wanted to have fun as well so they ate a lot, joked a lot, teased a lot and swam at 6 am in the morning in Marcela beach so they still have time to cover the Gymnastics event before they leave Pangasinan.

There are athletes from all over the Philippines who depend on the outcome of Palaro2012 if they will still have budget to support them in their chosen sports and even their schools. The LGU of Pangasinan and different LGUs are doing everything to make this Palaro a successful event. Kudos to all of them. It is inspiring to be in the company of such people who put service first before their personal intentions.

To DepEd officials, the different secretaries and people working all together to make DepEd an honest department, the road to greatness is a road less traveled but you have made the first step. We just have to continue stepping in that direction. We may not have the numbers to make it as big as the Tulfo-Santiago news but we will soon get there. You have my support.

The Palarong Pambansa is happening until May 12, 2012. It is not finished yet. The Santiago-Tulfo brawl is also not finished yet. But we can choose which story we want to watch. Im not saying one is less important than the other but I hope everyone sees the bigger picture. Which story will take your breath away? Which one has a capacity to inspire future  generations to be better citizens for this country? Which one do you want to promote?

Palaro 2012 Opening Presentation

I know I’ve made my choice – Palarong Pambansa 2012.

How about you? If you agree with me then share one story about Palaro 2012 on your wall. It does not have to be from this website. There are lots of good news to share just check out the Palarong Pambansa 2012 Facebook fan page. Tweet and hashtag #Palaro2012 and maybe, yes maybe, there’s a slim chance Mon Tulfo, Raymart Santiago and Claudine Barretto will be able to watch the Palaro and mention it and tell people to watch it instead of their fight.