reducing our carbon footprint

Buhat pa nong March 1, naki-join ang Sta Rosa sa iba pang cities and municipalities na nag-ban na ng plastic bags at iba pang non-biodegradable materials.  Last thing I heard, a bigger part of Metro Manila has been doing this for some time now.  At target yata na buong Metro Manila at iba pang lugar ay totally i-ban ang plastics in the near future. Kaya yong unang weekly grocery ko for March sa aking suking Waltermart, sa brown paper bags na nilalagay nong bag boy ang mga pinamili ko.

Of course mahirap bitbitin ang supot na papel lalo na may binili akong fish and meat.  Lalo na yong coke litro na mamasa-masa dahil galing sa malamig na freezer.  So kung ilalagay mo sa paper bag yon, kailangan yakapin mo sya or else lulusot dahil siguradong mabubutas si supot! May eco-friendly bag naman daw sabi ng cashier.  Ok. Di bale nang magbayad ng 10 pesos per bag kesa naman mabutas ang supot at sumabog ang pinamili ko sa sahig!

I really have no problem doing away with plastic bags.  Kahit ibig sabihin non eh wala na akong libreng lagayan ng basura sa bahay.  No choice kungdi bumili na rin ng itim na waste bags na plastic pa rin at hindi pa naman totally pulled out of the stores.  Walang problema kahit bumili pa ako ng apat na eco-friendly bags na 10 pesos each kung nasa Waltermart grocery ka at 35 pesos kung nasa SM ka. If this is the way I can contribute to the betterment of our ecological situation, by all means, go!

But amidst this frenzy of being eco-friendly plastic-free society, nagtanong ba tayo kung bakit kailangang gawin?

I heard from one report na ang biggest reason daw why plastics have to be banned ay dahil ang plastics ang bumabara sa mga kanal kaya nagkakaroon ng malaking pagbaha sa Metro Manila at iba pang lugar. Hindi rin daw biodegradable kaya napupuno ang mga landfill.  Masama din daw kung susunugin dahil nagko-cause ng pollution.

Fine.  Don sa last two statements, isang word lang ang sasabihin ko: RECYCLE.  At don sa unang statement, dyan tayo hahaba ang usapan!  

Bakit babara sa kanal at magba-baha dahil sa plastic?  Hindi dahil sa plastic mga kabayan.  Dahil sa UGALI nating mga Pinoy.  Dahil sa KAWALAN ng DISIPLINA! Hindi dahil sa plastic.

Paano ba mapupunta sa kanal ang plastic kung hindi natin itinapon?  Hindi naman kusang lilipad yong plastic para humanap ng kanal or imburnal or manhole at sisiksik sya doon saka magtatatalon na ‘yehey naka-bara ako sa kanal’!

Bakit sa Singapore wala tayong nababalitaan na bumaha dahil nagbara ang mga kanal?  Dahil sa kanila bawal magtapon kahit balat ng kendi sa kalsada.  Eh sa Pinas, di ba parang isang malaking basurahan ang kalsada, kanal at mga ilog?  

Which leads me back to my early days na ang slogan ni former President Marcos eh Sa Ikauunlad ng Bayan, Disiplina ang Kailangan.  Totoo naman.  Bakit noon disiplinado tayo kaya ang Pinas ang tinawag na Tiger Economy of Asia.  Eh ngayon, oo nga at nasa demokrasya tayo, we enjoy such freedom a lot of oppressed nations are dying for, and yet we’ve been left behind.  Kulelat na yata tayo sa ASEAN region kung economy ang pag-uusapan.

Kahit ang kawawang Vietnam na nilugmok ng sangkatutak na giyera, naungusan na tayo.  Their economy is now far better than Pinas. In fact, marami na sa mga kababayan natin ang ginagawa itong destination for work.  Hindi ba nakakahiya na dati kulelat sila and yet here we are, sugod na sa kanilang bansa dahil mas maraming opportunity at magandang kumita ng pera?

I’m not saying we have to go back to the martial rule that President Marcos imposed.  Ang sinasabi ko lang, let’s enjoy our freedom and at the same time, be a responsible citizen.  Tulad na lang dito sa basura.  Wag magtapon kung saan-saan. Wag magkalat.  Because in the long run, it is our lives that suffer from the consequences.  

Sige, magtapon ka at magkalat.  Pagdating ng kaunting ulan, binaha ka.  Na-Ondoy ka (ouch, i hate to use it pero naging synonymous na ang pangalan ko sa delubyo!).  Ang bahay at kotseng pinundar mo, pinaghirapan mo, nalubog sa baha.  Oh, di aatungal ka.  Kayod ka na naman para magpundar ulit.

Hindi naman siguro nagkukulang ang gobyerno sa pagpapa-alala sa atin.  Matigas lang talaga ang ulo natin.  Natural tayong pasaway.  Kaya kahit ano pang sangkatutak na legislation ang gawin ng ating mga mambabatas, kung hindi tayo susunod, walang mangyayaring pag-unlad sa ating bansa. In fact, isa na yata tayo sa bansa sa buong mundo na napakaraming batas.  And yet walang nangyayari.  It only encourages corruption.  Dahil nga maraming pasaway. Kailangan pa ba na bumalik sa authoritarian rule para lang tayo sumunod?  

I laud the think tanks who initiated this plastic-free society.  Good thinking.  Pero sana lang, sinamahan din ng mas magandang intention.  At nilinaw na hindi ang plastic ang problema.  Kungdi tayo mismo. If the change comes from within ourselves, mas magiging natural at malinaw ang gagawin ng bawat isa para maka-contribute sa kalinisan at kaligtasan ng kapaligiran.

And you think brown paper bags are better?  Think again.  Kung 200 paper bags ang magamit ko sa aking paggo-grocery sa isang taon, isn’t it that it equates to one tree being cut down somewhere?  Hindi ba’t deforestation is another demon we’re trying to combat because of the flash floods and land slides?  So kung buong Pinas ay paper bag ang gagamitin, ilang libong puno ang kailangan nating itumba?  In the end, ilang bayan ang babahain at makakaranas ng land slides?

Yon ang reason ko kung bakit kahit gumastos ako ng 10 pesos for the eco-friendly bag daw, i’d rather do it.  Dahil alam kong hindi man bumara sa kanal ang paper bags, it still means devastation of our forests.  By not patronizing the brown paper bag, i know I'm going one step further.  I'm reducing my carbon footprint even greater.  So I’m a good citizen.  Yes  I am! 

a public service para sa mga inuutong OFW

Dec 22, a few days before Christmas, bumisita sa aking lungga ang dalawang good friends  from Jubail - Jonas and Jay.  Jonas who’s on an extended bakasyon will soon be flying back on the 28^th kaya sinamahan ko sya para mag-process ng kanyang OEC. Instead of wasting precious hours and blowing his top sa POEA Ortigas (kung OFW kayo alam nyo ang ibig kong sabihin), sabi ko sasamahan ko na lang sya sa Calamba where I’ve been getting my OEC since I’ve become a Rosenan.  

Considering na peak season, siguradong by the thousands ang nagpa-process ng OEC sa Ortigas.  Eh dito sa Calamba, never ko pang naranasan, ke peak season o hindi, na pumila ng matagal.  At the most, wala pa yatang 40 persons yong inaabot kong pila.  Ang hindi lang maganda dito, POEA at OWWA lang ang magkatabi ang offices.  Philhealth and Pag-Ibig are in separate buildings at kung hindi mo alam ang flow ng proseso, magpaparo’t parito ka.  

Nevertheless, dumating kami ng Calamba around 11:45am and by 2pm, Jonas got his OEC.  Minus the 45- minute lunch we had, less than two hours lang yong buong proseso.  It could have been shorter kung  hindi kami nagpabalik-balik dahil hindi namin alam na aside from Philhealth, pati pala Pag-Ibig ay mandatory na rin.   Since July pa raw sabi nong taga POEA.

Napa-HUH??? talaga ako.  Bakit ginawa nang mandatory ito?  It’s a contribution that should only be done if – and only if – a person chooses to do so.  It should have stayed optional as it was before.  Personal choice dapat ito.  Hindi utos ng kung sinong herodes na dapat mong sundin.

Hindi kasi ako naniniwala dyan.  Kakaltasan ka ng kita mo, ilalagay daw kuno sa pondo na pwede mong kunin later on pero pag minalas ka, kukurakutin ng kung sino.  At pag nag-loan ka, pahihirapan ka ng husto bago mo makuha – kung ano-anong dokumento ang hihingin sa yo, kung sino-sinong herodes ang pupuntahan, lalapitan at susuhulan mo – para ano?  Para makakuha ka ng kapiranggot na loan?  

Sa mga tulad kong hindi mahilig sa loan – and most importantly – hindi bilib sa Pag-Ibig na yan, bakit kailangang idamay kami?  If I choose to manage my finances on my own, why impose something like this?  

Sa Philhealth hindi ako masyadong nag-react noong gawing mandatory.    That time kasi, nagagamit ni Nanay yong benefits in her frequent trips to the hospital.  Ang kaso, itataas na raw ng Philhealth ang contribution.  From 900 pesos, gagawin nang 1,200 starting this month.  And this is only in preparation for the full implementation of the new rate in July na gagawin na raw 2,400 pesos.  Aysowss!!!  

Kailangan daw protektahan ang universal health care ng lahat ng Pilipino.  Eh mga impakto pala kayo. Paano maa-afford ng masang Pinoy yan kung ganyang itataas pa ninyo ang membership?  Kami ngang kumikita ng dolyares pahirap na yan.  Besides, kapiranggot na discount din lang naman ang binibigay ninyo.  Nakakainit kayo ng uloooo!

Idagdag ko pa yang OWWA na yan.  Nago-offer naman daw ng assistance sa re-integration ng returning OFWs.  Balak ko nga sanang pumunta para naman mapakinabangan  and halos 2 decades kong contribution sa kanila.  But as soon as I found out kung magkano yong financial assistance na sinasabi, I killed the idea with a shotgun.  Ano’ng mangyayari sa 10,000 pesos?  

At huwag mag-magaling yang OWWA na yan huh.  Jay (oh kala mo extra ka lang dito?  Bida ka rin! Hehehe) after his Jubail stint, went on to Libya.  At isa sya sa mga na-apektuhan noong magkaron ng revolution doon.  At sa kwento nya, walang ginawa ang OWWA.  They were repatriated through the sole effort of their company.  Ang OWWA officials?  Dinaanan lang sila while they were at the border papasok ng Tunisia.  Yan ba ang makukuha mo sa mga binabayaran mo sa OWWA na yan?

Kaya wag nyo na kaming utuin.  Bagong Bayani?  Baka bagong gatasan.  

Eniweyssss... bago pa uminit ng husto ang ulo ko, let me just do some public service through this post.  Kung kayo po ay isang OFW na nasa CALABARZON area, I suggest na dito na lang kayo sa Calamba satellite office mag-process ng OEC ninyo.  Kung hindi nyo rin lang priority na mag-liwaliw sa Robinsons o kaya gumala at bumili ng mga imitation sa Greenhills, Calamba is the better option.

To save time, unahin na ninyong pumunta ng Philhealth, isunod ang Pag-Ibig saka tumuloy sa OWWA at POEA.  Pag dumiretso kayo ng POEA, hindi kayo ipa-process kung wala pa kayong receipts ng mga sinabi kong unahin.

You’ll have to go to Barangay Halang.  Eto po ang mga numbers gathered from their websites, in case you need to call them for any queries.

POEA – (049) 545-7361; (049) 545-7358; (049) 545-0294

OWWA - (049) 545-3746 / 502-2866

Nag-attach ako ng map.  Take note lang po mga kabayan na ang Philhealth ay lilipat daw ng location ngayong January.  Hindi ko nakuha ang exact location pero malapit daw sa Calamba Doctors Hospital.  Ang naka-indicate sa map ay ang lumang location nila.  

Sana po makatulong ito.  At maka-bawas sa inis na dadanasin ninyo.  Happy New Year mga ka-OFW! 

a priest and an ironman

i was poring through the news in gma site and came across this article which i read again kahit nakita ko yong actual interview sa televised radio program ni mike enriquez.  nakakairita kasi ang mga komento nitong father bernas na ito who's obviously pro gloria sa mga banat nya.  sabi ko nga bakit kasi pinapatulan ng gma news.  porke constitutional expert daw kuno.
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as a man of robe, i was baffled why he's meddling on political issues like this.  sabagay dami nang gumagawa non.  even cbcp laging nakikisawsaw sa mga isyung politikal.  naalala ko tuloy yong nabasa ko sa bible once (oo naman, i read the bible kahit minsan). dapat ang mga pari hands off sa mga ganitong kaso.  coz the bible said na ang simbahang nakikialam sa pulitika ay daig pa raw ang babaeng patotot (learn your tagalog dude!).
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pero ito palang si bernas, kaya pala ganyan maka-komento, may konek pala kay gloria. immediate relative pala (tiyo?) ng asawa ng isang anak ni gloria.  kaya hindi na ginalang ang abito nya at nakikisawsaw sa gloria isyu.

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pero hindi si father bernas ang subject ko dito.  i'll just pray that he sees the light in his next novena.
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what i'm blogging about is one comment i saw in that article, a comment made by ironman8888 enumerating the various scandals, scams and irregularities linked to the arroyo government.  talo pa nong listahan ni ironman8888 ang weekly grocery list ko.  ganon 'daw' kadami ang katiwalian ng arroyo government. 

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i went through the list and found most of them correct.  ito yong mga isyu na alam na natin dahil pinag-piyestahan na ng media dati pero wala namang nangyari. some points on the list however, hindi ko alam at hindi ko rin alam kung gaano katotoo.  in fact ngayon ko lang nakita at nalaman ang mga ito.  at kahit ganyan kahaba yan, may kulang pa rin dahil missing from the list is the 180 million peso loan given to Ongpin through DBP na ngayon ay iniimbistagahan pa rin ng senate.  something that smells like rotten fish na sa sobrang baho ay nag-suicide pa ang isang lawyer ng DBP.
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in the end, alam naman natin na maraming dapat sagutin si gloria.  at ke tama o hindi ang listahang ito, what's important is that gloria faces justice if she is indeed guilty in any of the counts in this 'charge sheet'.  at kung hindi naman at talagang wala syang kasalanan, she should clear her name.  otherwise she'll go down the philippine history not just as the second woman president of the philippines but also a disgraced one at that.  

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here's ironman8888 list:
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Former Pres. Arroyo govt scandals, corruption and many more..

1. NBN ZTE Scandal

2. Millions of bribe money to Congressmen and Governors (October 2007)

3. Cheating in 2004 Elections (HELLO GARCI)

4. Joc Joc Bolante Case (Fertilizer Scam, P728 Million)

5. JOSE PIDAL Bank Account (Unexplained Wealth, P200 Million)

6. NANI PEREZ Power Plant Deal ($2 Million)

7. Use of Road User's Tax for Campaigning

8. Billion Peso Macapagal Boulevard (Overprice of P532 Million)

9. Juetengate? (Illegal Numbers game kickbacks)

10. Extra Judicial Killings

11. Arroyo Moneys in Germany (Exposed by Senator Cayetano)

12. General GARCIA and Other Military Men

13. Billion Peso Poll Automation contract to(Mega Pacific) (P1.3 Billion)

14. Northrail Project($503 Million)

15.  Maguindanao Results of 2007 Elections (ZUBIRI, BEDOL)

16.  NAIA-3

17.  Venable Contract (Norberto Gonzales)

18.  Swine Scam (Exposed by? Atty. Harry Roque

19. GLORIA Arroyo son hidden assets in united states

20. EURO GENERAL'S

21. CALAMITY FUND SCANDAL.

22.  C-5 road controversy — Senator Manuel Villar

23.P550-million worth of funds from the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA).

24. P780-million LWUA funds-PROSPERO PICHAY

25. BISHOPS's SUV-Gloria Birthday gift

26. Arroyo linked in P325M lotto intelligence fund

27. Arroyo got P200M in kickbacks from govt projects-Zaldy Ampatuan

28. P200.41 billion or $4.6 billion in Malampaya royalties from 2002 to May this year.

29.LACSON ACCUSED FG MIKE ARROYO OF SELLING 3  REFURBISHED HELICOPTERS TO PNP AT P105 MILLION EACH

30. 600,000 metric tons of Rotten rice imported from India.Kishore Hemlani, an Indian trader allegedly close to Arroyo, reportedly bagged the P9.5 billion contract for the rice importation.

31. DATO ARROYO wife bought the condo unit for $570,000, 70-square-meter one-bedroom, one-bathroom unit (Unit No. 533) at the luxury high-rise, full-service Gramercy Towers located at 1177 California St. in upscale downtown San
Francisco.

32.- P50-million bribe to FG for the president's veto of two franchise bills

33. The additional funding led to a 41-percent spike in  advertising expenses, from P76.129 million in 2008 to P107.420 million in 2009, which went mostly to ads for Arroyo's achievements.

34. The report said the PIA received from the Department of Budget and Management a notice of cash allocations amounting to P344.789 million, even though only P222.488
million was appropriated for it under the national budget.

35.- Denial of pork barrel funds to Malacanang's political  enemies

36.- Praises for Jovito Palparan, alleged mastermind of extra judicial killings of militants

37.- Removal of govt bodyguards for former pres and Arroyo  critic, Cory Aquino

38.- Appointment of manicurist as a member of the board of  Pag-Ibig

39. Appointment of gardener as deputy of the Luneta Park  Administration.

40. MIDNIGHT APPOINTMENT of an Arroyo,RENATO CORONA, as SC Chief Justice

      200+ other illegal midnight appointments

41.- MIKEY ARROYO's undeclared properties in California

42.- Pardon of controversial convicted criminals like Ninoy's murderers

43.- EO 464; requiring Cabinet members to seek presidential clearance before testifying in Congress hearings

44.- Promise (on Rizal Day) to not run for the presidency in 2004

45.- "Vote Buying" by giving away Philhealth cards

46.- Taxpayers' money for her giant billboards and and PCSO tv campaign ads[/b]

47- Appointment of Ben Abalos, a staunch GMA ally, as COMELEC chair

48.- Mikey Arroyo's importation of 32 thoroughbred horses from Australia worth P384 million.

49.Former First Gentleman Mike Arroyo used 2 choppers 16 times, son Mikey 69

50.PNoy: PAGCOR spent P1 BILLION on coffee

51.Jose Miguel Arroyo owned helicopters’ all Robinson R44 Raven Is with Series Nos. 1370 to 1374
A total of $1,423,025 was paid to Lionair for the five helicopters.

52.Pagcor ‘pabaon’ to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo: P345M

53.The godmother’s ties to the Pinedas(Jueteng lord)

54. Glorietta 2 and Batasan bombings  The Glorietta 2 bombing happened during the height of the bribery case which took place in Malacañang.

55. Misuse of Balikatan funds Navy Lt. Nancy Gadian revealed an alleged malversation of funds in 2007

56. Solon: Charge Gloria Arroyo for taking P98-M from PNoy's social fund

57. 50 MILLION PABAON GENERALS   Former Armed Forces chiefs of staff Narciso Abaya, Dionisio Santiago, Generoso Senga, Hermogenes Esperon, and Alexander Yano,chiefs of staff – Angelo Reyes, Diomedio  Villanueva, and Roy Cimatu and MANY MORE..

58.Colmenares: GMA had P488 billion in 'pork.

59. P1 BILLION down the drain in Arroyo-era jatropha project—DOST chief

60. President Arroyo and her group had an outlandish dinner in Le Cirque, a French restaurant in Manhattan, New York for the cost of $20,000 or P1,000,000 as reported in the New York Post.

61. GMA lying to SC saying we have extradiction treaty with Spain.

here's the link to the article where you'll find ironman8888's comment from the many posts at the bottom

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/240694/news/nation/bernas-likens-pnoy-to-fidel-castro-for-criticizing-corona

ikaw, anong ipapaputol mo?

ayan na nag-umpisa na ang giyera.  with the arrest warrant served, ito na yong start ng labanan na matagal na nating inaantay.  and if the airport fiasco last tuesday is any indication, the filipino people is in for a ride more dizzying than the roller coaster in my neighboring enchanted kingdom. forget geneva's histrionics in survivor.  this is prime time drama at its best.

cool na cool daw at pa-smile-smile lang si GMA when she was served the warrant yesterday.  siguro talagang expected na nya.  or, sa kundisyon nga naman nya na bedridden, may contraption na nakakabit sa katawan and most of all, nanghihina from a health problem na hindi pwedeng remedyuhan itapal man ang milyones nya sa kanyang katawan, ano pa nga ba naman ang magagawa ni tita glo.  just smile and let her hordes of brilliant lawyers handle the situation.
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kaso hindi pwedeng si attorney topacio ang magpa-finger print.  hindi rin pwede si elena baustista-horn ang magpa-mug shot kahit angelic beauty pa si former ltfrb boss.  at lalong hindi pwedeng ilagay ang pangalan ni mr mike in place of her name sa docket ng pasay court. it really is her battle now.

and all the people around her can do is bark like hound dogs to protect their master.  and do some maneuvers na kung mahina-hina si sec de lima, tibag agad ang gobyerno ni PNoy sa pangako nitong panagutin si former president GMA sa mga 'atraso' nito kay juan dela cruz.  with 6 counts of plunder (na ewan naman at hanggang ngayon eh hindi pa rin maisampa sa korte) plus the monster of 'em all, electoral sabotage, talagang mababali ang gulugod ng kahit sinong haharap dito.

umpisa pa lang ng laban pero ang saya-saya na ng labo-labong nangyayari.  ang daming damay, nakikiramay at damay-damay sa gulong ito.  even the brightest script writers of tv networks will find it hard to concoct such a huge plot like this. look nyo na lang.

plot 1: itlog o hotdog?  sabi ni atty topacio nong hinarang sila sa airport, ipapaputol nya raw ang isang betlog nya pag hindi bumalik sa bansa ang former first family.  buti na lang hindi naka-alis si ate glo.  or else, mababawasan ang pagkalalki ni attorney.  ang tanong lang, may bading naman kayang mag-abang sa tapat ng hospital window where attorney will get castrated? hmmm...  eh papatalo ba naman ang administrasyon?  si majority floor leader neptali gonzales II, ipapaputol daw naman ang ulo nya pag na-impeach si PNoy.  walang masyadong nag-reak sa  statement nya.  pero kung naging mas naging specific sya kung anong ulo ang ipapaputol,  baka may pumatol pa sa sinabi nya.

plot 2: isumbong mo kay tulfo! nong nag-issue si sec de lima ng wlo against the arroyos, tumakbo sila sa supreme court.  porke uncostituional daw.  ang sc naman, without even asking doj why oh why delilah, este de lima pala, issued the tro.  oh di nakuha ng mga arroyo ang gusto nila.  sabay belat kay sec de lima.  sabi naman ni sec de lima, aba bakit, kayo lang ba ang marunong nyan?  ako naman ang magsusumbong kay judge jesus mupas. and presto, after just a few hours, hindi lang hdo ang in-issue ni judge.  arrest warrant pa!  mas malakas ang belat ni sec de lima! but wait! eto at susumbong daw ulit ang kampo ni gma sa supreme court.  at ipapa-bura ang kasong sinampa ng joint comelec-doj.  syet, kala ko di na uso ang rigodon!

plot 3 : lucky me supreme.  this is more on the supreme court.  kahit naman sa mga beauty contest or amateur singing contest, pag kabig mo ang majority ng judges, aba syempre panalo ka. and we know for a fact that 8 out of 15 in that body ay appointees ni gma.  7 justices at pang-8 ang chief justice na inihabol ni gma in the nick of time bago umupo si PNoy.  kaya talagang mahihirapan silang ipaliwanag sa madlang pipol ang ginawa nilang pag-kampi kay gma (or would they even care? dont think so).  also, they cannot claim integrity and moral high ground.  lalo yong credibility.  dahil may ilang mga palpak na rin silang ginawa before.  mga bigay-bawing decision.  most recent of which is the palea case.  anyo yon, nag-decide sila last year with finality tapos biglang binawi at mali daw yong decision na ginawa last year?  so how can you expect juan dela cruz to give you the utmost trust and respect? ang masakit nito, despite everything i've said, they still have the supreme authority on anything.  kaya ayan at kahit anong kaso ang isampa kay gma, isang takbo lang nila sa supreme court, isang sigaw ng 'unconstitutional', wag na tayong magtaka kung ano man ang kanilang maging desisyon.  do i hear gma camp singing i've got the supreme court on my side... lukcy me!?

plot 4: the biggest bullhorn. i'm sure napansin nyo rin to.  kung si gma may elena bautista-horn na sweet na sweet magsalita pero sour na sour ang mga sinasabi, meron ding cool but biting edwin lacierda ang malacanang.  nandyan din si attorney topacio na very passionate sa mga sinasabi (thus the betlog putulan statement) pero mas passionate si sec de lima pag nagsalita with matching twang and diction minus the putulan betlog statement.  at akala nyo ba yang dalawang panig lang na yan ang palakasan ng microphone, pabonggahan ng press releases at paramihan ng press con?  na-ah! dont leave sc's atty midas marquez out of the picture.  i'm sure we'll see more of him in the future. it's a battle of the loudest speaker.  and biggest, most irritating bullhorn.

plot 5:  the left, the right and the middle.  ano pa nga ba eh di kampi-kampihan na.  mga pulitiko, experts, kongresista, mga senador, at kahit sinong mahagip ng tv camera, kanya-kanyang manok na.  kanya-kanyang statement.  kanya-kanyang expert opinion kuno.  dyan hindi nagkukulang ang pilipinas.  sa dami ng mga marurunong.  ng mga geniuses.  ng mga expert.  ng mga 'authorities'.  each one claiming to have the final say pagdating sa isang issue.  pero wag ka, halata namang puro biased ang mga pinagsasabi.  epal na epal sila compared sa mga hirit ni sen miriam.  hagalpak na naman ako ng tawa sa kanyang 'i wanna commit suicide'! bwahahaa...  pero yon nga, kampihan na sa kaliwa at kanan.  pero ang nasa gitna?  ang kawawang si juan dela cruz.  coz afterall the grandstanding, the chaos and when the dust had settled, naiwan si juan dela cruz na nakatanga sa langit, wondering what in the world had happened, at wala namang kinapuntahan ang pinag-awayan.  in short, talo pa rin si juan dela cruz.  at babalik na lang sya sa kanyang barong-barong, kakain ng kaning lamig na walang ulam.  at aasang bukas ay maging mas maganda ang takbo ng pilipinas.

lima pa lang yan pero ang dami-daming notable plots sa nangyayaring gulong ito.  pero sabi ko nga sa fb wall ko, whatever happens, kahit anong maniobra ang gawin ng magkabilang panig, ang importante at gusto kong makita after all is said and done, ay hustisya para kay juan dela cruz.  parusahan ang may kasalanan.  kung ninakawan tayo ng bilyon-bilyong piso, ibalik ang perang yan.  maawa naman kayo sa mga kababayan nating namamatay araw-araw ng dilat ang mata.  manood kayo ng mga documentaries ng gma-7 para makita nyo kung gaano kalunos-lunos ang hirap ng buhay ng karamihan ng ating mga kababayan.
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at tulad nga ng sinabi ni sec de lima, tama na ang mga compa-compassion.  this is the time that we have to bring the culprit to justice. sobrang kawawa na ang inaabot ng mga pilipino.  tama na ang pang-aabuso ng ilang mga ganid sa bayan.  if they really have done the country injustice, let them face the consequences. let them be reminded that usurpers of power can never scape the claws of justice.  at ang mga swapang at diktador na tulad ni ghadafi, their stories end in gruesome fashion.  hindi papayag ang mga pinoy na lagi na lang dinadaya at tinatapakan.  only marquez do that to pacman.

bata, bata.... stay ka munang bata ha

Sa araw-araw na nakababad ako sa harap ng tv even when I’m on-line o kahit kumakain nakatutok pa rin sa tv, eto at may napansin na naman ako. Three adverts – actually four – pero I’ll concentrate on the three and tell you why I’d spare the fourth one. Eto yong mga advertisements using the storyline of young – I mean very young – flirting.

Safeguard Tawas Fresh shows a young boy na mukhang 10 or 11 yo draping his arms around a young girl na kaedad nya. Tapos pinapalabas na may B.O. si young boy. Si mommy ni young boy, pinagamit ng Safeguard si anak. In the end, nong akbayan ulit ni young boy si young girl, okey na. At si mommy, sabi nong ad, mukhang may naaamoy nang iba. Kinilig si mommy ha.

Then there’s this other pair of young boy and girl, mukhang hindi pa teeners, na dumalaw si young boy sa bahay ni young girl. Si young girl super kilig kaya sabi ni mommy sya na ang bahala. Naghanda si mommy ng spaghetti with Del Monte white sauce. Si young boy sarap na sarap. And as the little girl continues her giggling over the cute boy na nilalantakan ang carbonara ni mommy, si mommy naman tuwang-tuwa dahil nagustuhan ng future manugang nya ang spaghetti.

Itong ad ng isang milk ang mas matindi. Sa ad, siguro 7 or 8 years old ang pair of little boy and girl na bida. Super excited si little boy na inaantay ang pagdating ni little girl with her mom. Si mommy ni little boy, naghanda ng milk. Then pagdating ng mommy’s girl, hindi makita ni little boy si little girl. Yon pala, naka-hide sa likod ng mom si little girl. When shea appeared, the boy’s face lit up, sabay abot ng milk don sa little girl.

What’s wrong with these ads? Ha? Wala? Come on, think again. Really. Kasi something doesn’t sit perfectly in my ever-quizzical mind.

Cute nga yong mga ads pero bigla akong napaisip. Beneath the cuteness and linen-white cleanliness of the ads, merong mas matindi at delikadong message na dala itong mga ito. These are the kind of visuals na wala kang nakikitang violence or lewdness onscreen. But the idea it brings is far more lethal than naked bodies copulating. Lalo’t mga bata ang pinag-uusapan.

Why use these youngsters in a storyline tungkol sa love eh napakababata pa nitong mga ito? What message are we sending our youth – specially those in their very tender, highly impressive years? Na okey lang mag-flirt at that age? Na okey lang to think about crushes and puppy love instead of their homeworks, grades and memorizing the multiplication table? That mommy’s ok with it – in fact the ads show that the moms were condoning it with a smile!

Upakan ko muna yong mga ad agencies na tumira nitong mga campaign na to. Kung sino man ang nauna don sa idea, sa yo ang pinakamalaking NO from me. Don sa mga kumopya ng idea, dobleng NO NO ang ibibigay ko sa inyo. Wala na ba kayong maisip para gamitin ang ganitong istorya. Isama ko na rito kung sino man ang regulating body ng mga advertisement. Did you actually watch these ads bago nyo in-approve na i-ere? Coz if you did, I’m sure makikita nyo rin yong POV ko.

Some might say OA ako. Some might say I’m too uptight. But when it comes to protecting the kids, I’m sure parents will understand where I’m coming from.

Sinabi ko na kanina at uulitin ko – what message are we sending our very young tv audience? Sobrang distorted na ba ang social at moral values natin para hayaan natin itong mga commercials na ito na i-tamper at i-pollute ang malilinis at inosenteng pag-iisip ng ating mga kabataan? Why show them about flirting samantalang napakaraming pwede nating ipakita sa kanila na may matutunan sila. Na may mapupulot silang mabuti. Hindi yong makipag-landian ng ke babata pa. O kailangan ko pa kayong i-remind how powerful television can be pagdating sa impluwensya sa mga kabataan?

Bago ko malimutan, yong fourth ad na sinasabi ko hindi ko na isasama dito. It was the Nestea ad where a boy na mukhang 17 or 18 yo was online habang nakaupo sila sa dining table with the whole family. The boy gets a Hi and a smiley from his crush na girl. The family was ecstatic about it. Then the mom pours some Nestea into the boy’s glass sabay linya ng ‘show me some love’. Flirting pa rin.

Pero yon nga palalagpasin ko kasi talagang of age nang makipag-lablaban si bidang lalake. At sabi ko nga, hindi naman ako uptight. Kung pwede na, pwede na. But not on kids na ang dapat maging concern muna ay maglaro, mag-aral at ma-enjoy ang kanilang kabataan. Hindi ang pakikipaglandian. Tapos magtataka kayo kung bakit ang daming nag-aasawa ng bata at mataas ang teenage pregnancy sa mga kabataan ngayon?

the condom wars

Warning lang po:  I've maintained DS as GP as I can but this is the first time I'm gonna go PG sa aking posting.  Sorry but I have to do this.

There’s a war raging between PNoy’s government and the church. It’s all about condoms, contraceptives and the whole idea of birth control. Isang bagay na tinutulak ng gobyerno para tuluyang ma-implement. Na tinututulan naman ng mahigpit ng simbahan. At ako’y nauuta na naman dahil paulit-ulit na lang itong pinag-aawayan.

Actually napakadali sanang tapusin ng usapang ito dahil isa lang ang isisigaw ko – for the church to get off government’s back and let them do their thing. Pero syempre hindi pwede yon. Sa dinami-dami ng mga bagay na pinakikialaman ng simbahan sa pagpapatakbo ng bansa natin, I’d give this one to them. Dahil nga naman buhay ang pinag-uusapan dito. At sa mas malalim na pananaw, ang moralidad na mahigpit nilang binabantayan.

Sabi ng simbahan kasi, everyone’s got the right to live. Oo naman. In fact nakakahimagsik na mabalitaan na may 5th grader na namatay dahil tinamaan ng ligaw na bala dahil nagpaputok ang isang lasing. O kaya nasagasaan ng isang reckless driver ang isang graduating student, buntis na babae or isang tatay na nagta-trabaho para sa kanyang pamilya.

At mas lalong nakakainit ng dugo yong mga nagpapa-abort. Kasi buhay na talaga ang pinag-uusapan doon. May pintig na ng puso na involved. At sinuman ang kumitil ng pintig ng puso na yon, walang puso.

That is why I’m anti-abortion. But I’m pro-prevention.

Having said that, ito lang talaga ang tanong ko. Ano’ng right to live ang pinag-uusapan sa condom? Does that sticky liquid at the tip of that rubber have the slightest hint of a pulse? Does a drop of semen can actually scream ‘hey you stupid, don’t let me go to waste, I’m a future rocket scientist’? Wala naman ah. At that point, it is nothing but a natural secretion of the human anatomy. Parang jingle lang. Or pawis. So anong right to live ang pinag-uusapan doon?

Let’s take two couples for example. Yong isa gumagamit ng condom. Yong isa, hindi. But both are trying to be responsible people, preventing unwanted pregnancy knowing that they don’t have the capacity yet to bring another life into this planet. Pero kailangang mag-sex. And that is inevitable.

So, dahil yong isa ba ay gumagamit ng condom, he deserves the condemnation of the church? Eh yong isang tinapon lang ang semilya sa good morning towel? Okey lang dahil hindi sya gumamit ng condom? O baka naman pati good morning towel pag-diskitahan na rin ninyo?

Well, let me guess, ito marahil ang isasagot ng simbahan sa ganyang tanong: Pareho silang iko-condemn to hell coz they shouldn’t be practicing sex in the first place. Ay teka, mga Father, both couples po are legally married. Ayaw pa lang magka-anak dahil nagbabayad pa ng mga utang dahil sa mahal na kasalang nangyari sa simbahan ninyo!

O sige, for argument’s sake, hindi na lang kasal. Mag-BF/GF pa lang sila pareho. Sasabihin ninyo siguradong malaking kasalanan yan dahil hindi pa pala kasal nagse-sex na. Oo nga naman. Pero Father, other than that, meron pa ba kayong maipapayo to these people except praying 30 Hail Marys?

I’m sure ipapasok na ninyo yong second argument ninyo. And that is the very low morality, kung meron pa mang natitira, sa lipunan natin ngayon. Totoong-totoo naman at walang makikipag-argue dito. Kahit saan ka tumingin, kahit hindi sa aspetong sekswal, isa na ang moral values sa pinakamahirap makita sa ating society. Dahil ba sa madalang na tayong mag-simba? Dahil ba sa hindi na tayo nagdadasal? Hindi na tayo nagbabasa ng Bible. In short, we are no longer practicing our faith kaya yan, ang baba ng moral values natin.

Siguro. Pero maitanong ko lang (believe me I didn’t want to go as low as this but I wanted to drive home a point)… Ang mga pari ba na na-accuse of sexual offense, hindi sila nag-dasal araw-araw, hindi sila nag-rosary oras-oras kaya natukso pa rin sila? What I’m saying is, sila nga, people who have tried to live the life of sainthood, natutukso pa rin, bumibigay pa rin, how much more kaming araw-araw na exposed sa ‘kamunduhan ng sanglibutan’?

Sex is sex. At this day and age, kakaunti na lang ang taong may matibay na posisyon at determinasyon not to engage in it - premarital or otherwise. Kung meron man, they can hold on to it only for as long as they can. But it’s not gonna be forever.

Sakit na ito ng lipunan. Television is bombarding us with shows suggesting sex. Movies are showing it even bolder. Even printed materials are all screaming sex. And well-known people, kahit politicians are already careless about their sexual activities. Hindi na sila natatakot na makasira sa kanilang mga career ito. Or whatever effect it will have on people who look up to them. In fact, parang proud pa sila for the world to know that they have several kids to prove their infedility.

Yan ang katotohanan ngayon. The bitter, ugly truth that we have to face. Na dapat hanapan ng solusyon, hindi pikitan ng mata at ipag-pasa-Dyos na lamang. We have to do something about it. Gawan natin ng paraan. Pag may nagawa nang paraan, doon natin samahan ng dasal. (O di ko pa rin kayo nakalimutan ha!).

Inasmuch as you wanted to uphold the morality of your flocks, you have to wake up and face reality. And the truth is, hindi na ganon ka-effective ang simbahan sa pagpapalaganap ng moralidad. In fact, you have lost your grip a long time ago. At ngayon, sa pagkakaligaw ng landas ng inyong herd, they are suffering from one huge dilemma.

Poverty. Sexual diseases. Over population. Mga baby na pina-flush sa toilet. Iniiwan sa lansangan at kung saan-saan. Kahit sa eroplano.

If the church can really devise one comprehensive solution to these problems, then by all means go. Go, go, go. Pero kung wala kayong isasagot kundi ang taimtim na pagdadasal, pagro-rosary at paglalakad ng paluhod sa Quiapo church, then, sisigaw na nga ako - tantanan na ninyo ang gobyerno!!!

Let them do what they think is necessary to address these problems. Dahil sa totoo lang, napakaraming problema ang mabibigyan ng solusyon if we put population explosion at bay. May pag-asa tayong umunlad. May pag-asa tayong mabawasan ang crime rate. May pag-asa tayong mabuhay ng may kaunting dignidad.

Hindi ba kayo naaawang makita ang mga batang musmos, barely taking their first steps and yet nangangalkal ng basura para lang may makain? If you can’t do something about it, then let the government try their thing. Kung hindi man ninyo suportahan, then lay off.

Wag yong pati si Noynoy na naging sunod-sunuran sa inyo all his life, ite-threaten ninyo ng excommunication. Wag ganon. Threats are unbecoming for men of God like you. Mga sanggano at terorista lang ang gumagawa ng ganon.

Sa usaping ito, I’m giving my support to Noynoy (as if sa haba ng sinabi ko hindi pa rin malinaw yong part na yon!). Kung hindi nagawa ng ibang Pangulo dati dahil sa takot sa simbahan, I hope Noynoy can do it. It’s something that should have been implemented ages ago. It could have been more effective noong hindi pa talamak ang cancer. But late as it may be, it’s better than not happening at all. Who knows how grim the picture can be 10, 20 years from now.

a sympathy... an appeal

After the tragic hostage-taking in Manila yesterday, all fingers are now pointing towards the uniformed men of the Philippine police that handled the botched operation. PNP themselves admitted having committed a few mistakes during the 12-hour drama. Mistakes that resulted to the death of 8 innocent Hongkong tourists.

As a brother or a son, I apologize to the families of the victims and offer my deepest condolences. I can’t imagine how painful it is to lose a family member in such a senseless fashion. I share the grief and even the anger that comes with it. And I know that no amount of consolation can take away the pain these families feel right now.

But with this offering of sympathy comes an appeal.

An appeal to the Hongkong people to understand that I, like many other Filipinos, was also ashamed of the way the situation was handled by a few incompetent policemen whose actions projected a shattered image of the entire Filipino police force for the whole world to see. Though I can assure you that these men are but a few inept officers out of a generally competent law enforcement agency. And that there were other better, more qualified men in uniform who should have handled the situation and could have made a difference in the outcome. But bad luck had it that those officers were given the role that they are so ill-fitted to tackle.

I also felt the frustration you and your Chief Executive felt when it looked like nobody was taking charge of the situation. Most probably, I was also asking the same questions you were asking.  I was also feeling the dismay you must have felt as we watched the situation dragged on for hours.

I hope you’ll understand that just like you, I also feel enraged. Though for different reasons. Yours is out of the senseless killing. Mine is from the fact that a lone hostage taker can potentially bring down the good relation between our countries. With Hongkong black listing the Philippines and branding it as a place none of your citizen should step into. It’s nothing short of telling the whole world that whenever foreigners go to Manila, they will also be held hostage. But I’m sure you all know that that is not the case. And that it's an unfair retribution for one man's crime.

Manila, just like Hongkong or any other place in the world, is a modern civilization playing host not only to normal and decent citizens but to some bad seeds as well. And Mendoza’s madness is an isolated case that should not be used to generalize a population that is known not only in Asia but the whole world as warm people with wide, warmer smiles. After all the sensational headlines about Mendoza are gone, I want you and the whole world to remember that we are still the same caring and God-fearing souls you knew. And that's the way we'll always be.