darn oscars

well i got 2 out of five!!! it's worse than my score last year! darn oscars...

they gave the best actress trophy to kate winslet instead of meryl
best actor to sean penn instead of my guess mickey rourke (though i'm happy with this one)
best supporting actor to heath as i predicted
best supporting actress to penelope instead of viola
and best picture to slumdog which i said was not my choice, but again sentiments ruled the voting members as i predicted.

ah well... darn oscars

last minute predictions

with barely 4 hours to go before the oscar awards are announced, i thought of testing my powers again. last year i got 3 out of 5 correct guesses(http://dantespeaks.blogspot.com/2008/02/results.html). this year, let me see if my score improves.

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and because i've seen just a couple of the oscar-nominated films, most of these predictions are again based on sentiments and what i feel the voting members of the academy thinks of the films and performances this year.

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here we go...

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Best Picture

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Frost/Nixon

Milk

The Reader

Slumdog Millionaire

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my guess : Slumdog Millionaire despite my fearless statements in my review that i didn't like the cinematic embellishments that killed a rather pure and wonderful story. but looking at the bunch, i don't think the other four nominees offer anything better. Benjamin Button's story line is far from epic while Frost/Nixon maybe a more serious material but I'm not sure if it can pull off any fight against the sentiment Slumdog has already created among the movie buffs.

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Best Actor

Richard Jenkins (for The Visitor)

Frank Langella (for Frost/Nixon)

Sean Penn (for Milk)

Brad Pitt (for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)

Mickey Rourke (for The Wrestler)

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my guess : Mickey Rourke. although i don't like this guy. he may have landed a very good role and acted well on it but i still don't like his attitude. he's arrogant, fresh and seem to be stuck in his days of drinking and going down the drain. heck, he doesn't even care to look fresh or clean when receiving awards onstage! i do hope Sean Penn gets the trophy. but knowing the oscars, they love comeback kids like Mickey. suckers.

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Best Actress

Anne Hathaway (for Rachel Getting Married)

Angelina Jolie (for Changeling)

Melissa Leo (for Frozen River)

Meryl Streep (for Doubt)

Kate Winslet (for The Reader)

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my bet: Meryl Streep. i said bet instead of guess because i've watched how this superwoman breathed life into the role (like what she always does). pundits say Kate is gonna win but i hope they are wrong. if the statuette doesn't go to Meryl this year, they are doing the lady a great injustice. Anne and Angelina should just be thankful they got nominated. and Melissa? don't ask me, this is the first time i've heard of her!

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Best Supporting Actor

Josh Brolin (for Milk)

Robert Downey Jr (for Tropic Thunder)

Philip Seymour-Hoffman (for Doubt)

Heath Ledger (for The Dark Knight)

Michael Shannon (for Revolutionary Road)

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my guess : Heath Ledger. again, oscar-voting members have this tendency to be sentimental. for that, they will give Heath a posthumous honor. but at the risk of sounding irreverent to Heath's memory, i really feel Philip should win the award. sentiments should have nothing to do with it. it's an acting award afterall. ah well...

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Best Supporting Actress

Amy Adams (for Doubt)

Penelope Cruz (for Vicky Cristina Barcelona)

Viola Davis (for Doubt)

Taraji Henson (for Benjamin Button)

Marisa Tomei (for The Wrestler)

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my bet: Viola Davis. i would really love to see this lady being awarded for a work that is so heartfelt, intense and genuine. although rumors have it that Penelope has the edge. if she wins, then lobbying really plays a great deal of role in these awards.

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there you go. by early morning tomorrow, i will see how my guessing game turned out.

the pisceans

ang mga birthday adiks po this february - ega and james - had a joint celebration last night sa beach camp ng aming company. it was a blast! daming food, masaya, magulo at maingay ang games.

here's just few of the pix - more in addicquotes.

to ega (tomorrow, 21st) and james (feb 28) - happy birthday mga friends.

ega pondering on what else could be missing from the many menus he prepared

yum, yum, yum!


chow time


the other birthday boy - james


ricky the game master, weng who was one game lady pagdating sa games
and baby sofia na hindi nakatulog dahil sa sobrang ingay



syempre mawawalan ba ng solo ang cute na bata!


ega's team who tied with our team sa overall score ng games - 2-2

at eto ang team ni ariel na nagchi-cheer.... cheer na lang kasi zero sa games! hahahaa

HAPPY BDAY EGA & JAMES

the one, the only

last december yata nag-concert yong mga 'diva' daw ng pinas. divas 4 divas yata ang title if i remember it right. natawa na lang ako nang mabasa ko kasi... ewan. siguro kinabit na lang ng mga fans nila yong title na diva don sa mga singer. siguro dahil idol na idol nila. o baka yong mga manager nila, promoter, publicist o kung sino man. but whoever did it, hindi nila na-realize that they're doing the singer more harm than good.

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of course the ladies can sing. they sold some records before, held sold-out concerts during their heydays and at one point of their singing careers eh talagang nag-feeling diva (ay parang lahat yata feeling diva pa rin! hehehe). eh sa atin pa naman pag sumikat, lalagyan na agad ng title na kung ano-ano. at pinaka-paboritong i-masaker yong diva kasi madaling sabihin at i-spell! hahaha!

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eh pano kung kinuhang guest sa ellen o kaya sa jay leno (kung lang naman) at inintroduce na the 'so and so' diva from the philippines.... tapos hindi makakanta kahit man lang in soubrette... hala! nakakahiya diva, este di ba!

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so what's a diva? eto... panoorin nyo. nessun dorma pero mani-mani lang. kung sino ang maka-abot kahit man lang nong B3 (wag na yong C6) ni lani dito, sige payag na ako!

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(sorry idol ngayon lang kita na-post dito! hahaha..... para namang bumibisita dine si lani!)

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hotnothot 4

So it's valentine's day tomorrow... hmmmm... shall I greet you Happy Valentine? Nah... that's too predictable, common and corny. Instead, makisawsaw na lang ako ulit sa mga current events! haha!

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Hothot : Mantakin mo, may Pinoy palang nag-champion sa Australian Open!? He’s 17 year old Francis Casey Alcantara from Cagayan de Oro who, along with his partner Cheng-Peng Hseih from Taipeh, won the championship in Boy’s Doubles event at the recently concluded Australian Open in Melbourne. I’m mighty proud of you Dong! Go, go, go! I hope to see more of you in the slams.

Hotnot : The Wall Street Journal article saying Call Center agents in the Philippines are difficult to understand because they are overdoing their accents. That’s unfair. I think the writer didn’t do his homework before writing such irresponsible generalization. Ok, there maybe some who would go beyond what’s decipherable to make themselves sound more ‘americanized’. But that happens anywhere, not only the Philippines. Besides, I agree with the politician who said that we (the Filipinos) are the most ‘accent-neutral’ English speaking nation in Asia. We do not have the local heavy accent that makes our spoken English a lot more comprehensible than those spoken by an Indian and even a Chinese. So to you irresponsible writer, why don’t you shove your report up your throat, put on a headset and answer some calls – and, make sure you’re speaking clear ok?

Hothot : 9-year old Lim Ding Wen from Singapore who developed Doodle Kid for iPhone. According to reports, he started using the computer at the age of 2, is fluent in 6 programming languages and currently completing 20 programming projects including another iPhone application, a science fiction game called Invader Wars. Whatta kid! One question though… did he ever had time to learn his ABCs?

Hotnot : Princess Revilla off the hook from the child abuse/physical injury case lodged against her by her 17-yr old former housemaid. Wala raw matibay na ebidensya against Princess. Really? Tell it to the marines, isama mo na ang army at air force! So what is it? A: talagang sa Pinas, justice doesn’t apply to the poor. B: money can buy everything including a place ‘above the law’. C: ikaw na ang mapabilang sa ma-impluwensiyang angkan. D: madaling takutin/bilhin ang mahihirap na nagdedemanda, afterall pera lang ang katapat nila. Your pick.

Hothot : Another Pinoy indie film making us proud in the European filmfest scenes. Andong, a short film by Milo Tolentino won the audience choice in a French film festival (di ko nakuha yong pangalan). Nagulat lang ako while watching Euronews tapos biglang pinakita ito as one of the winners. Nakaka-proud to see something like this. Apparently, this is a very good film kasi winner sya ng Best Short Film award una sa 2008 Cinemalaya then in Pusan International Film Festival in South Korea. Here’s the teaser from youtube….

who wants to be a....slumdog

This film has created quite a buzz in the western hemisphere so I have to see it and find out why. Besides, I love Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. It’s in my top ten favorite Tv game shows, remember?

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And even it's a predominantly Indian film (actors, location, story), it was made by a British team so at least I wouldn’t be rolling my eyes with the usual action-drama-dancing-singing formula Indian films are so well known for. Oh well, I was wrong about the dancing but at least it was left out in the end just to entertain you while the credits roll. Fair enough.

So was it really good? Yes. And that big yes comes from the way the story was told (not the story itself, I’ll tell you why later). The way the story was interwoven with the game show was clever. Very clever.

It’s about Salim and Jamal, two young siblings from the slums of Bombay who lost their mother at an early age. They grew up street-smart with the older Salim turning out to be the bad seed, ending up as a henchman for a wealthy crook. The younger Jamal ended up as a tea boy in a Call Center while chasing the love of his life – Latika who she met while they were still scavenging the dumpsites of what is now the thriving metropolis of Mumbai.

And it is because of Latika why Jamal joined Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, won the hearts of the Indian people, a whopping 20 million rupees and, most importantly, finally having what he wanted all his life – Latika, what else. Okay, it sounds so simple and convenient but it wasn’t. Really. There was a whole lot of action, drama and a peppering of laughter in between.

The main characters are well-acted. The extremely lucky Jamal by Dave Patel and the beautiful Latika by Freida Pinto. Anil Kapoor was also dead-on as the host of the game show whose charismatic facade hides a bit of a dark streak.

The director (Danny Boyle) did a very good job of controlling his actors, the set, the photography and the whole material. He kept me firmly glued in front of the screen for the full 1hour 50minute run time.

I would also credit the editor (Chris Dickens) who did a good job of switching back and forth in three different time frames - the game show, the investigation and the story segment being played out – without you getting lost in what could easily be a maze-like story telling.

So am I singing high praises? Hmmm.... not quite. For a few reasons.

A thread of the story reminds me of the multi-awarded Lino Brocka film Maynila sa Mga Kuko Ng Liwanag. If you’ve seen both films, I’m sure you’d agree with me. Barging into a brothel in search of the damsel in distress and running away with her after killing her pimp? Familiar, eh?

I also have a few questions about the story that are somehow bugging me.

1. Is the final question, the one worth the top prize money in that game show, really that easy? I’ve seen a whole lot of this show and I don’t recall seeing a question so easy for such a huge amount.

2. Would the game show host really have any care what amount of money a contestant will win in his game show? Maybe, if he’s also the producer. But I really find it hard to swallow why the contestant will be arrested, tortured and interrogated only because the host suspects him to be a cheat.

3. The two boys had very little education, grew up in the streets with no prior contact with foreigners and yet they easily hustled their way around Taj Majal posing as bogus tour guides dealing with English-speaking foreigners? Come on!

4. How can Jamal give away a 100 dollar to a beggar while he was just a help in a small restaurant? Even if the beggar was a colleague from the old dark days, is he really that rich to give away so much money?

Like what I always say, exaggerations for cinematic effect always kill the honesty of the story. In this case, the story line was great. But the tiny flaws killed it.

So would I give Slumdog Millionaire the Oscar Best Picture prize? Not quite. The Brits did it in the BAFTA. But I don’t think the Americans will do the same. It’s one good film alright. It deserves it’s nomination. But I really doubt if the highest award is in the offing.

baby clent

eto po ang pictures ng aking pamangkin (apo na actually hehehe) na sobrang cute po naman. taken during his binyag noong last christmas.

isang belat muna! hahahhaaa

inaantok o kagigising lang?

ang happy tatay and nanay with one ninang

binyag na... bless you little child

eto ang picture na ang dami-daming pwedeng sabihin.... or itanong ng baby

ang proud tita myles... hindi yata kilala ni clent

isang istariray na cute din! si meg... hindi na sa binyagan to! hehehe

megan with mama


si maclean... laki na ah

at ang lolo, kasama si tita

welcome to the christian world, baby clent!

doubt

The Oscar awards is just around the corner so let me do some reviews which I haven’t done for quite a while now. Let me start with the film of my perennial favorite Meryl Streep – Doubt.

If you’re looking for some slam-bang action on-screen, don’t watch Doubt. The characters don’t do any physical exertions other than talk, eat and walk. Or if you’re planning to get entertained, I don’t recommend it either. You’ll easily get bored.

Coz this film is designed not to entertain you. It wouldn’t get your heart racing or your adrenalin pumping. Rather, it would engage you in an intense play of suspicion, accusation, denial, guilt and sin using the church and the clergy as its backdrop.

The film, set in the 1964 Bronx, briefly and subtly tackles a rather delicate subject – the ‘relationship’ of a priest (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman) with his black altar boy. However, the larger part of the story revolves around the Principal of the Catholic School (Meryl Streep), an ultra-conservative nun who actively pursued her ‘doubt’ trying to prove the priest’s impropriety.

The story is very simple. There are no twists or sub-plots. That’s why I think the Director (John Patrick Shanley) did a good job of stretching it out to it’s 1 hour 40 minute running time without boring me one single second.

But the main thing in this film is its players. 2005 Oscar Best Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman battling it out on intense scenes with 2-time Oscar Best Actress Meryl Streep! Boy, I’m telling you it doesn’t get any better than this.

Though I wouldn’t dare forget to mention that genuinely authentic performance by Amy Adams as the faint-hearted, gullible history teacher. Her subdued character balances the ever-commanding screen presence of Meryl.

I also salute Viola Davis as the mother of the altar boy. Viola, an award-winning stage actress, was on screen for a mere ten minutes but she didn’t let Meryl swallow her. She held her own, delivered her lines with the most perfect timing and tone. And cried shamelessly with generous tears and a runny nose to match. That’s realism.

So the film is not up for Best Picture in the Oscars. Neither it is for Best Director. But all four actors are nominated. Philip as Best Supporting Actor, both Amy and Viola battling it out for Best Supporting Actress and of course, Meryl in her 15th Best Actress nomination, a record nobody can touch anytime soon. Which means, if only for the performances, this film is really worth watching.

And oh, by the way, since I’m a self-confessed Meryl fan, I’d bet she’d win her third statuette this year.

that one gasp of breath

life has it's cruel ways of reminding us how important family is. walang kaabog-abog, iuuntog ang ulo mo and wake you up from a your unconscious complacency.

this morning i had that scary reminder. nag-text ang ate ko, na-choke daw si Nanay habang umiinom ng tubig. hindi nila agad namalayan at hindi nila alam kung gaano na katagal na hindi na sya humihinga. mabuti at nakuha sa first-aid ni ate.

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when i called her up, maayos naman nang kausap. sabi ko na lang mag-ingat sa pagkain o pag-inom. i also reminded ate na bantayan lagi pag kumakain. mahirap nang maulit. for her age and weakening body, mahirap ma-choke ng ganon.

natakot ako sa nangyari. ang ate ko, nanghina sa nerbiyos. i guess hindi pa kami pare-parehong handa na mawalang ng ina at this point in our lives. not now, at kung pwede lang wag na lang sana. mahal namin ang aming Nanay and just the thought of losing her would be devastating.

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i thanked God at hindi pa Niya kinuha sa ganong paraan si Nanay. at lagi ko ngang sinasabi, sana, huwag muna. i've been away for so long sa kata-trabaho ko sa ibang bansa. sana maka-bawi muna ako at makasama ng matagal ang mother ko bago siya umalis. nag-bigay man ako ng kaunting ginhawa sa buhay nya but i know i have a lot of 'utang' sa matagal na panahon na hindi ko sya nakakasama ng matagal.

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nay, konting panahon na lang, makakabawi din ako sa mga utang ko sa yo.

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what crisis?

Eto na talaga, totohanan na. World economies are crashing like lego blocks. Sisinghap-singhap ang mga giant companies na dati eh mga powerful dragons breathing fire with their billions of net profit per year.

Ngayon, billions pa rin ang announcement nila pero losses na. Para na sila ngayong mga kuting na ni hindi maka-pangalmot. And the best they can afford is a barely audible ‘ngiyaw’ habang nanghihingi ng pera sa mga rescue packages ng kani-kaniyang gobyerno.

Pero matanong ko nga, sino ba talaga ang magsa-suffer sa crisis na ito? Sa Pilipinas, I think ganito ang magiging epekto nito, in degrees of severity.

Not affected at all: The billionaires of course. And there’s just a few of them in the Philippines. Pero kahit kakaunti, there are people sa atin na hindi mararamdaman ang krisis. Dahil bilyones na ang pera nila at kahit pa umabot ng sampung taon ang recession, hindi pa rin mauubos ang pera nila even if they don’t downgrade their lifestyle. They can afford to live forever in their palatial residences. They can still keep their battalions of slaves, er staff, fly around the world in their very own jets, and sunbathe naked in their luxury yachts. Walang epekto sa kanila ito.

Slightly affected: The millionaires. Dahil milyones pa lang ang pera nila and if the recession dragged on to an extended period, they will have to tone down their rather decadent lifestyle or run the risk of depleting their coffers. So bawas muna ng mga Ski trips in the Swiss Alps or mga bakasyon sa St Tropez. Palampasin muna ang winter/spring collection ni Prada. Or pass muna sa latest model na ilalabas ng Ferrari. At wala munang shopping sa Hermes or Balenciaga shops. Lalo yong mga celebrities whose definition of salvation includes an Armani suit for the men and a Louis Vuitton bag for the women. Times are hard, they have to step down for a while from their places in the constellation.

Really affected: The poor. Eto yong talagang mga poor. Those living below the poverty line including the D and E strata. Which means 90% of the Filipino population. Mga kawawang nilalang na kahit wala pang recession ay hindi na maka-afford ng isang disenteng pamumuhay. At karamihan ay mintis sa regular 3 meals a day.

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Eh bakit really affected lang at hindi sila ang pinaka-worse? Kasi, marami sa kanila hindi naman kasama sa problema ng mass lay-off sa trabaho. A lot of them didn’t have jobs to begin with. Kaya ano’ng paki nila kung may mass lay-off.

At kahit mawalan sila ng trabaho, they know how to survive than anybody else. Kasi nga sanay na sila sa hirap. Pwede silang mag-lugaw para may makain. Pwede silang mag-tiis. They know how to deal with the storm better than the others. Kaya tatawanan ka lang nila pag sinabihan mo silang krisis. Their lives are one big crisis itself. There's nothing else left to worry them. Nakaka-survive sila ke krisis o hindi.

Worst affected: The middle class- particularly those in the lower level. Ito yong mga taong may trabaho, kumikita ng malaki at nakaka-afford ng mga luxuries sa buhay kahit hindi mga milyonaryo. Naka-condo kahit rented lang, may magarang kotse, usually in a coat and tie at parang christmas tree dahil sa dami ng latest electronic gadgets na naka-kabit sa katawan. All these courtesy of a high-paying job. Kaya feeling mayaman na rin. Pa-emba-Embassy na rin pag weekends. Mataas na rin ang taste at puro branded ang gamit. Not just keeping up with the Joneses but trying to be one baga.

Eh biglang nawala si trabaho. And they had to let go of things they can no longer afford. Isang maid na lang instead of 3. Wala na munang dalaw kay Vicky Belo para magpa-puti ng singit or kili-kili. Hindi na muna ire-renew ang membership sa Southwoods golf club. Wala munang bakasyon sa Phuket.

And why are they the worst-affected? Kasi hindi lang nawala ang mga luxuries na kina-sanayan na nila. But the hugely inflated ego that goes with it. Parang na-left hook ni Pacquaio ang mga pride nila. And that’s the worst thing to deal with.

Sila yong mga taong nakatikim lang ng foi gras at red wine for dinner eh hindi na marunong magpasalamat pag pritong isda na lang ang nasa mesa. Sila yong mga tipo ng taong ang definition ng buhay ay laging may kakabit na $ sign. At kapag kumonti, worse eh nawala ang powers ng datung sa buhay nila, parang mga naputulan na ng mga paa.

That's why i'm bracing myself for the worse. Hindi naman ako worried dahil lumaki ako sa hirap (at hanggang ngayon mahirap pa rin) kaya no big deal sa akin kung alisin ko man ang kaunting luho na natutunan ko while being a dollar-earner. I still know the value of my peso. Hindi ko kailangan ng Rolex para malaman ang oras. Besides, wala naman akong pambili. At masaya na ako sa luma kong relos na may Tasnee logo. At kahit paborito ko ang grilled salmon at mushroom steak, I can go back to pritong galunggong anytime na may ngiti sa aking mga labi. Ang sarap kaya non!

i'm forever yours....

I’ve long been enamored by this song. There’s something about it that caresses my jaded heart and most importantly, gives the cynic in me some beating. Maybe it’s the melody, the lyrics or the piano. Or maybe it’s the whole package.

I’m not really into mushy love songs that promise forever (that’s the cynic part of me I mentioned) coz com’n, nothing really lasts forever, ok? But this one, heck, it’s one exception I’m glad I made. You can call me baduy, jologs or whatever for loving this one, I don’t give a hoot.

Let me share it with you, topped with some pride coz it’s our very own arnel pineda’s cover in the chile leg of journey’s worldwide conert tour last year. Feel free to close your eyes, feel the song and live through those magical moments you shared with your special someone.

And oh, by the way, consider this as my advanced valentine greeting! Love is in the air, dude. Enjoy.

parental guidance: highly recommended

Sa araw-araw na pagbabasa ko ng dyaryo, laging may news item tungkol sa isang teen-ager na babaeng na-rape. At maraming kaso na ang rapist, teen-ager din. Kadalasan, nangyari ang krimen dahil nilasing ang dalagita. Then pinagsamantalahan.

Sa lahat din halos ng kaso, the victim knows the attackers. Either kaibigan, boyfriend, kapitbahay or ka-klase. Ilan lang yong kaso ng mga dina-dampot by some total strangers at saka ginagahasa.

Whenever I read something like this, I always put the blame on the girl. Kung hindi kasi umiinom, hindi dapat nangyari. Kahit pa pilitin. Kahit pa kaibigan o boyfriend ang nagpapa-inom.

In the first place, ang pangit tingnan ng isang dalagitang tumutungga ng alak. It is so unlady-like. Pero mukhang marami na ang gumagawa nito. Siguro mahina ang pundasyon ng moral, kulang sa guidance ng magulang, iba ang paligid na kinalakihan or, ang pinakamalala at pinakamahirap na dahilan – sadyang pasaway ang bata. Rebelde. Matigas ang ulo.

Aside from the girl, gusto ko ring batukan ang mga owners ng grocery stores or kahit mga sari-sari na nagbebenta ng alak sa mga kabataan. Ke lalaki o babae, they should not sell alcohol to minors. Di ba sa states, may batas na nagbabawal nito. Sa atin kasi wala. Hindi maisip gawin ng mga lawmakers natin ang ganito. Dahil bahagi na ng kultura natin yong inuutusan ng magulang ang anak na bumili ng ganito-ganyan sa tindahan, including alak. So hindi na bago yong 5-year old kid pero may bitbit na kwatro kantos galing sa tindahan.

Of course hindi ko ina-abswelto ang mga rapist na karamihan ay kabataan din. Wala rin sa katinuan itong mga batang ito na sa halip mag-aral, alak ang inaatupag. At dahil kulang pa sila sa maturity to handle such an adult indulgence, iba ang nagiging takbo ng utak. Kaya pag lasing na, wala nang kinakatakutan.

Ang masakit nito, lives of these youth are being destroyed. Ke yong victim or yong rapist, both will suffer from the consequence of the rape. The girls will suffer the trauma, indignation and stigma that comes with being a rape victim. While the boys will bear the agony and humiliation of the punishment.

Ang nakaka-awa dito, ang mga magulang who do their best to bring up these kids properly. Sa dami ng factors na sumisira ng magagandang bagay na tinuturo nila sa kanilang mga anak, they seem to be fighting an uphill battle.

Siguradong masakit sa dibdib yong lagi kang naghihintay maka-uwi safely ang anak mo kung saan man sya galing. At siguradong halos gumuho ang mundo mo when any of your kids figure in any of these atrocities.

Sana lang ang mga batang ito ay maging mas responsible sa kanilang mga sarili. Sana maintindihan nila that whatever they are doing at the early stages of their lives greatly affect whatever they will become later on. At sana, matutunan nilang pakinggan at sundin ang kanilang mga magulang. Parental guidance is not only for the cinemas. It is the mold that makes us a better person. Ignore it and you’ll turn out otherwise.

hotnothot 3

Well, what do you know! We just blinked and January’s gone. But before you go into a very early Valentine mood, let me give you the 3rd instalment of my ‘pakikisawsaw’.

Hotnot : My favorite Roger Federer falling short of his goal to equal Sampras’ record of 14 grandslam titles when Rafael Nadal beat him today in the men’s finals of the Australian Open. Worse, he was reduced to tears while giving his speech in the awarding ceremonies. It’s a bit gauche to see someone so fierce on the tennis court sobbing like a pitiful little boy on worldwide tv. But hey, I can feel the disappointment. Darn Rafael.

Hothot : The 34-year old ‘coup’ leader in Madagascar. True, batang-bata ang nagki-claim to be the new leader of Madagascar - the country, not the film huh. Pasaway kasi ang mga Malagasy (citizens of Madagascar, in case you don’t know), riot ng riot at patayan ng patayan. Then the young mayor of Antananarivo (the country’s capital, again, in case you don’t know) Andry Rajoelina said enough is enough. Magsitigil kayo, ako na ang bagong pangulo ninyo. Kung hindi kayo kayang pasunurin ni Marc (the President), ako ang magpapatigil sa pagiging suwail ninyo!. Although hindi nire-recognize ng African Union yong claim nya. But still, he’s cool ha.

Hothot : My favorite actress – arguably the best female living actor of this generation – Meryl Streep winning the Screen Actors Guild for Best Actress in her role as a nun in the Roman Catholic drama Doubt. It also gave her a nomination in the same category at the forthcoming Oscar awards. Which makes her the most nominated actress – 14 or 15 Oscar nominations if I’m not mistaken. I hope she picks-up her third Best Actress Oscar this year.

Hotnot : The woman in the US who had 8 babies. She is now being criticized for having taken fertility drugs and giving birth to 8 tiny babies while she already had 6 children. At bakit naman sya kini-criticize? Sa kanila kasi, government gives help and subsidies lalo na sa education ng mga bata. Which means, the government will spend more taxpayer’s money on the 14 children. Unfair nga naman doon sa mga ‘responsible’ parents na nagpipigil ng husto keeping their kids na 1 o 2 lang. Malas ni Manang kasi Amerikana sya. Kung sa Pinas sya nanganak ng 8, hindi sya iki-criticize at baka sumikat pa sya kasi sasabihin ‘miracle’ yong nangyari. Yon nga lang, bahala silang mag-asawang bumuhay sa mga bata. Walang paki ang Phil government sa mga ganyan noh.

Hotnot : The worsening economic situation. Large, global brands laying-off workers by the thousands. Paanong sasabihin ng Pinas na hindi tayo masyadong maa-apektuhan eh yan at nagtatanggalan na rin ng workers sa atin. I’m particularly worried about many of my pamangkins working in the semi-conducter sector. Sana wag silang tamaan. At sana po wag nang lumala pa itong recession na ito. God help us all.

Hotnot : Another hero that I loved during the Beijing Olympics being humiliated by reports – with matching photos to wit – besmirching the demi-god status he is currently enjoying from his 14 Olympic gold medal haul in swimming. Darn cannabis, Michael Phelps had to issue an apology admitting to his misconduct. This he has to do just a couple of days after he was named Sportsman of the Year by US Olympic Committee (USOC). Ah well, as the cliché goes, it’s lonely at the top. So grab some marijuana and try to kick out the boredom.