An Invitation

The Siege Malvar is inviting everyone to attend Bigkas Pilipinas Open Jam, that will be tomorrow night August 31, 2009 at Mag:Net, just beside Rustans.



Bigkas Pilipinas Open Jam is a venue for artists to showcase their talents on the art of Spoken Word and Performance Poetry. Dito, everyone's welcome to tell their stories.

Siege's advocacy is For Filipinos to cherish our freedom of expression, and Bigkas Pilipinas gives everyone this opportunity. Indiscriminate of your religious views, political affiliations, gender preference, social status, or smell, welcome ka to tell your stories sa Bigkas Pilipinas.

Friends, let's support this event. I think this is one way of expressing our individuality in an audience that believes and shares our beliefs.

So what are you waiting for. Get ready na and be there tonight. Siege and his friends will be there to share their talents and knowledge.

Don't be late ha. Filipino time is on time.

GO!

Under Repair

My dear readers, this blog is under repair.

Nag-aayos lang po ng kubo para mapaganda ulet. Nawala kasi ang ibang furnitures ng balay ko dahil bumili ako ng domain name.

Yes, bago na po ang address ko kaya paki-update na lang sa links niyo ha?

It's http://melbeckham.com

Wala akong ma-hire na mga karpintero, foreman, kargador, electrician, interior designer, architect at engineer kaya ako na lang ang nagkukumpuni ng lahat. Wala na nga akong tulog eh.

Pasensya na muna ha?

Maaayos din ito this weekend.

In the meantime, dun muna kayo sa Barrio Siete. Okay? Go!

Saved By The Bitch

Finally, the Office of the Ombudsman has decided na kasuhan na ang mga may pakana ng anomalous NBN-ZTE deal. This should’ve been good news to us but unfortunately, bitin ang desisyon. Only former NEDA Secretary and now SSS Chairman Romulo Neri and former Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos lang ang dapat kasuhan.



I mean, whaaaaat?!

What about Gloria and Mike Arroyo? Sa lagay ba na ito ay wala silang kasalanan sa kasong ito? Oh my God.

According to the Office of the Ombudsman ay kulang daw ang evidence to prove na may kinalaman ang mag-asawang nunal at dugong sa katiwaliang ito. Juice ko, sa totoo lang gusto ko ring maluha nang marinig ko kanina ang reaction ni State witness Rodolfo ‘Jun’ Lozada. Naaawa ako sa kanya. Very disappointing ang decision ng Ombudsman. The statements of Mr. Lozada and Joey De Venecia were blatantly disregarded by the said office. Matibay na ebidensiya na yun. Ano pa ba ang kelangan nilang evidence?

This is another reason why nakakawalang-gana ang justice system dito sa ating bansa. Ultimo ang ahensiyang ginawa para protektahan ang mamamayan laban sa mga nasa posisyon at gumagawa ng katiwalian ay siya mismong gumagawa nito. Nawalan nab a ng pangil an gating Ombudsman? Or sadyang nangingilala lang ito sa kanyang ‘boss’.
Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez once again disappointed the Filipino people and the justice system of this country.

I believe it is not accurate na hindi nila puedeng kasuhan si Gloria because as far as I know, the Office of the Ombudsman together with the House of Representatives can recommend na kasuhan ang isang pangulo lalo na in this instance obvious na obvious ang papel ni Gloria sa NBN-ZTE deal.

Isa pa, magkakalakas-loob kaya ang uling na si Abalos at ang malditang si Neri kung wala silang pader na sinasandalan or walang nasa mataas na posisyon ang nag-utos sa kanila. My gosh. Sinong inuuto ninyo? Akala yata ng bruhang si Gutierrez ay makakaligtas siya sa pagpuna ng naging desisyon ng opisina niya. Sana nag-resign na lang siya dahil kahiya-hiya ang ginagawa niya as Ombudsman. She is the worst person to handle that position. Dapat sa kanya ay ma-impeach.

With this decision, sana ay bantayan natin ang kilos ng mga ito. Oo, slightly victorious tayo dahil may makakasuhan na nga but this is just the beginning. The Office of the Ombudsman has a lot of options para walang mangyari sa kasong ito. Puede nila itong upuan. Puede rin nilang hanapan ng technical na kamalian para ma-dismiss eventually. We have to be watchful. Bantayan ang bruha at ang mga alaga niya.

Kung nag-aakala si Ombudsman Gutierrez na dahil matalas ang mga kuko niya ngayon ay hindi na ito mapuputol, baka nakakalimutan niya na ang taumbayan ay may hawak ding nailcutter.


photo from: ellentordesillas

Discotheque

I’m so laughing at myself.


photo credit: top gear

Mahirap pala talaga ang hindi techie noh? Wala kasi akong hilig sa mga gadgets and everything. The only electronic device that I am good at is the cellphone.
Nakakahiya man aminin ay very ignorante ako sa mga gadgets and other electronic stuff. Kahit ang napakasimpleng ipod or PSP ay kinatatakutan kong gamitin. Like last night, I was exploring my ipod touch which is a gift from my sister, gusto ko sanang ayusin ang playlist ng songs and edit the videos and movies. Juice ko para akong tanga. Huwag niyo nang itanong kung ano ang ginawa ko at masyadong shameful. Hahaha! Maging ang aking laugh tough, medyo hindi rin ako maka-relate sa ibang features nito. I have to call my bestfriends KC or Edz if I have some inquiries about certain stuff and its usage and function. Sila naman kasi ang nagpumilit sa akin na bumili ng laugh tough last year eh. Kuntento na ako sa desktop pc or sa mobile browser. In fairness, handy lang talaga siya at magaan.

Yung ibang features din ng mga new breed of cellphones, medyo hindi ko rin kabisado. Bakit ba kasi kailangan ng maraming applications eh. Tawag at text lang naman ang importante dito. Importante din pala ang pikchur-pikchur. Speaking of pikchur, pati ang mga digicam ngayon, aba nakakaloka na rin. Hindi na lang ito pakodak-kodak lang. May mga features din dito na medyo nililiparan lang ng aking utak. Ano ba yan. Tapos may mga terminologies pa na ewan ko kung anong meaning at relevance to the theme nito sa pag posing-posing. Ang importante basta’t maganda at fierce ang projection ay carry na.

Minsan kapag nag-eexchange kami ng emails with Barrio Siete people at nagkukuwento na sila about statistics, domain, hosting, at kung anu-ano pang may kinalaman sa blogging and website maintenance, juice ko, hindi ako maka-relate. Natatawa at natutuwa na lang ako sa kanilang usapan. Hindi ako makasabat ng bonggang-bongga. Hahaha! Parang they speak a whole new language. Mas complicated pa sa German at French ha, nakakaloka.

Kasalanan ko rin naman kasi eh. I don’t educate myself with these stuff. Noong college ay puro kalandian lang ang inaatupag ko tuwing Computer Science classes. Eh anong magagawa ko sobrang gwapo ng instructor namin. Maunahan pa ako ng ibang malalandi. Hahaha!

Yung mga pamangkin ko ngayon, mas alam pa nila ang mga ka-ek-ekan kapag nagda-download or upload ng files, at kung paano laruin ang mga online games. Isa pa yan sa kinatatakutan ko. Wala akong alam sa mga online games. As in Zero-wena Orejana. Clueless na clueless to the max. Kung sa online games nakasalalay ang buhay ko ay malamang ito na ang ikatitigok ko. Hahaha!

Really.

I’m not joking.

Don’t you think it’s about time that I learn these things? Oo naman. I think I have
no choice na talaga. We are living in the future and the future requires a lot of knowledge in technology. Technology that is updated every minute and every second kaya we must adapt ourselves sa mga bagay na ito para di tayo mapag-iiwanan.

I know.

Nandiyan na kayo sa 2010. Nandito pa ako sa late 90’s.

Sana makahabol pa ako.

I need my best running shoes. I mean, heels.

photo credit: haute macabre

The Presidentiables: Mar Roxas

You may think that this post is too early pa but I believe this is the right time to critique our presidentiables. Sa dinami-dami ba naman kasi ng kakandidato sa upcoming election next year ay baka umabot pa ako ng June 2010 kung hindi ko ito sisimulan ngayon.

Of course, this is just my opinion noh. Huwag niyong dibdibin kung okrayin ko man ang mga bet niyo or praises ang ibibigay ko sa mga hate niyong presidentiable. I believe I am entitled to my own opinion and if you disagree with me, feel free to comment. Walang comment moderation dito. I may respond to your comment or puede rin hindi. Minsan kasi tamad akong mag-reply lalo na kung masyadong matalino yung comment. Hahaha! If you have a highly intellectual response to my post, please contact Conrado De Quiros or Teddy Boy Locsin. If you have violent reations to whatever I write here, please contact Manny Pacquiao. Hahaha!

This will be a series. Hindi ko kasi kayang ilagay sa iisang post ang mga ito. Mahirap kasi mang-okray ng sabay-sabay.

Anyway, without further eklavoo, simulan na natin ang parade of 2010 presidentiables.
Let’s begin with:


MAR ROXAS



Dahil ka-twitter ko ang presidentiable na ito, close na kami. Kaya simula ngayon tatawagin ko na siyang Kuya Mar.
Kuya Mar first caught my attention when he was Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry. I thought this guy was very promising. Magaling makipag-communicate lalo na sa mga maliliit na negosyante at tindera. Hindi nakapagtataka nung tawagin siyang Mr. Palengke dahil he was very visible in the campaigns of his office. He was very effective in reaching out to the masses.
Fast forward to today, I still consider him one of the most hardworking senators of the current administration. Marami siyang bills at batas na inauthor. Most recently nga ay itong Cheaper Medicines Bill which I believe is a big help lalo sa mga mahihirap. I for one is a beneficiary of this bill because malaking discount ang natatamasa namin when we purchase medicines for my mother who is sick right now kaya a big thank you to him. Very keen and consistent din siya in criticising the president and her alleged corrupt practices. I admire Kuya Mar for that. Sana ipagpatuloy niya ito pati na rin yung mga pangako niya noon, sana mag-materialise na. May nagagawa nga siya para makatulong sa atin lalo na sa mga mahihirap.
Ngayon, with regards to his obvious campaign for the presidency, I think it’s becoming too over-acting. Sobra-sobrang exposure na ang ginagawa niya. That whole Wowowee appearance is very cheap ha. Talk about bad acting. Nakakapanindig-balahibo. Pati na yung tv ads niya, OMG, masyadong pilit I want to barf. Kuya Mar is a very bad actor. Gusto ko siyang awardan ng Razzie for that. It seems that this in-your-face campaign for the presidency is just too much and it’s losing focus. Lumalabas tuloy na naniniguro na ito eh hindi pa naman sure kung siya na nga ang magiging standard bearer ng Liberal Party. What if someone more ‘visible’ from the same party will decide to run for the highest position too, defying his mother’s request? Eh di napaso ka tuloy. Kuya Mar and Miss Korina’s blatant display of affection too is also turning people off. Or maybe it’s just me. Ginagawang publicity ang lahat ng events sa kanilang lovelife. Hindi na ako magtataka kung pati ang kasal nito ay magiging kasalan na rin buong bayan. You don’t want people turned away din naman ‘di ba. Using your own wedding to get the people’s attention, I say it’s kacheapan.
Well, maybe this is just part of his ambitious plan. I’m sure naka-plano na itong lahat. I just wish he won’t lose focus in the coming days. Sana malaman na natin ang kanyang plataporma. We don’t need another trapo. We want change. Kaya please lang Kuya Mar, don’t disappoint us. And no more cursing please. That is so 90’s. Hindi na effective yan. Isa pa, you suck at acting kaya it’s much better if you express yourself genuinely.

To know more Kuya Mar or you want to make Padyak with him, visit his official website, MarRoxas.com


Yan na muna. Tama na ang isang ito. Hanggang sa susunod ulet. Abangan kung sino ang susunod.


photo credit: marroxas.com

A Little Confession

I can’t believe it’s my birthday next month.

Parang kelan lang nung pinost ko dito ang pinag-gagagawa namin na kagagahan at kalandian during my last birthday which I celebrated with the gurls in Cebu.
Mag-iisang taon na pala yun. Time flies so fast. Mas fast pa kay Flash.

This year, I have not planned for anything for my birthday. Hindi ko nga napansin ang petsa eh sa sobrang busy sa work and stuff. Isa pa, hindi ko priority ngayon ang lakwatsa at byahe noh. I have a lot of deadlines to meet and 48,000 bills to pay. Sunod-sunod kasing dumating ang mga love letters from Citibank, Metrobank at HSBC. Halos sabay-sabay pa ang payment due date. Sinundan pa kanina ng notice from insurance. Due na rin pala ang lecheng leg insurance ko sa AXA. Nakaka-inez Veneracion. Wala na namang matitira sa kakarampot kong sweldo. Ubos lahat sa pambabayad-utang.

Last night, I was watching Confessions of a Shopaholic from my ipod (oh dib a may ipod na rin ako, hahaha! Salamat sa kapatid kong mabait at generous), and I can totally relate to what the character Rebecca Bloomwood played by Isla Fisher, is into.



Yun bang bumibili pero hindi naman talaga essential, tapos kapag natanggap mo na ang bill mo ay doon ka magha-hyperventilate at magpa-panic because you just realised something you did was totally wrong. And please lang ha, don’t blame impulse. Bulagsak ka lang talaga at hindi nag-iisip. Ang kapag tinawagan ka na ng collections agent ng bangkong inutangan mo ay mo ay magkukunwari kang voice recording. Hahaha!

In fairness, I’ve been there before and I don’t wanna go back. Salamat ulet sa sister ko for saving me. So ngayon, I’m happy to say that I’m in control of what I purchase. Dedma na ako sa mga sale sa mall and I stray away from my favourite places to window shop. Dinadaan ko na lang sa pagkain ng lollipop while strolling. I realised kasi that whenever you are hungry, the tendency to buy things is high. Lalo na when you do groceries. Dapat busog ka pala so that you won’t crave and lagay lang ng lagay sa cart kahit wala ito sa grocery list mo.

Proven na ito ng Science ha and it’s not just chika. Katulad na lang noong weekend, lahat ng malls ay may midnight sale. Pero guess what kung ano lang ang nabili ko. Just a pair of deconstructed khaki pants and it’s 70% off. Oh di ba, very smart na akong mamili, hindi na gaga. Hahaha!

Hindi ko na kailangan ng therapist para ma-control ang aking urge. I just channel that urge to shop to something else. Something delicious. Oo, dinadaan ko na lang sa kain. That way, hindi na sasakit ang aking bulsa, mabubusog pa ako.

Mas matimbang na sa aking ngayon ang donuts at hamburgers compared to bags or clothing.

Most likely ay makikita mo na ako ngayon sa harap ng stall ng Sasmuan or Potato Corner kesa mag-halungkat ng damit at bag sa Mango.

Yun nga lang, medyo tumataba na ako ngayon.

Kebs. Bahala na si Batman. Hahaha!



photo credit: harpers bazaar

I Think I Need Therapy

Yes, malungkot ako.

I know alam niyo na ang dahilan. I was expecting talaga that Bianca would make it to the semifinal round.

Oh well. Ganyan talaga ang buhay. You win some, you lose some. Sana hindi na lang ako umasa. Sana binoto ko na lang siya ng 48,000 times sa Photogenic award. Nakakainis. Wala man lang Asian na pumasok. Mas magaganda naman sila kesa sa ibang pumasok dun. Ang ganda kaya ni China and Thailand. At least may special award silang maiuuwi. Eh tayo, kulelat talaga. Zero. As in Zerowena Orejana. Leche!

Kaninang umaga gusto kong batuhin ang tv namin. Buti na lang at nakapag-pigil ako.

Konswelo na rin sa akin na pumasok ang aking bets na si Dominican Republic and South Africa. In fairness pretty naman at pasok sa banga ang sagot ni Stefania Fernandez. Among the 5 finalists ay ang kanyang answer ang sa tingin ko ay the best. Ayan siya sa baba.


Medyo hawig ko pala siya. Noh?

Haaay. Maghihintay na naman tayo ng susunod na taon. Pero huwag kayong mag-alala. Qualified na akong sumali next year. I’m gonna be 18 kaya ihanda niyo na ng pa-party niyo sa akin. Iuuwi ko ang korona ng Miss Universe.

Yan ay kung hindi pa ako itatanan ni boypren.

Hahaha!

Congratulations na rin kay Bianca Manalo. Kahit hindi siya panalo sa mata ng mga hurado sa Miss U, ay panalong-panalo naman siya sa ating mga puso. I'm so proud of her!


photo credit: globalbeauties.com

Save Me

photo credit: here

A close friend of mine recently decided to change religion.
At first, disappointed ako because this means we won’t be attending the same church anymore. We won’t be with the same group of people during worship. Iba na ang magiging kasama niya sa pagsamba while I will still be attending with the same group of worshippers.

I’m a little sad that this happened. I wasn’t there when he made the change. I partly blame myself because I wasn’t with him for a very long time. Most of the time, he was hanging out with these people who convinced him to attend their church. I am not convinced by his new choice of worship. I don’t know his churchmates. I’m afraid I might not get along with them. Their beliefs and actions is different from what I believe and do.

As much as I wanted to support my friend in his new religion, hindi ko talaga ma-imagine to be with him and his fellows. We may share something in common but their beliefs is not the ones I can relate to, kahit na for the sake of getting along with them. I have friends who are members of this religion but these people that my friends are with right now, I’m uncomfortable being with them. Also, I am not into their place of worship. It’s not some place that I could stay for a very long time.

For the record, I am not discriminating something here. I’m just being honest with myself. I don’t hate them. Hate is a strong word. I just don’t like these people.

They are ‘different’.

This friend of mine invited me to join them but I strongly declined. I will never ever change my choice of who to worship and what to believe. Kuntento na ako sa aking pananampalataya. I’m happy where I am now.

Eventhough I disliked my friend’s decision, I respect him for his choice. He is still my friend. I am still here for him.

Things changed for the two of us. He has changed a lot and I have to adjust myself. For now, I think I might distant myself from him because I fear that I might hurt him by saying something not nice with his newfound religion. The last thing I would do is hurt him. At least if I’m far away, no damage is done.
I still hope though that he’ll change his mind and go back to where he belong. I don’t want him there. I don’t want him to be with those people. I want him to be with us again. To be back to normal.

Am I being selfish here?

I hope not.

All I want is balance.

A square table cannot stand with only three legs.


photo credit: here

Costume National

Miss Universe 2009 is just around the corner. It's going to be live from the tropical city of Nassau, in the Bahamas on the 24th of August 2009 (Philippine time).
Meanwhile, here's my review on the Best, the Worst, the Unusual costumes and More!


THE BEST

Bolivia


Peru


Thailand



THE WORST

Croatia


France


Mauritius



THE NAKAKALOKA

Japan


Puerto Rico


USA




THE MATARAY

Venezuela


Vietnam


China




MY CHOICE for BEST IN NATIONAL COSTUME

Indonesia



THE COSTUME COMPETITION WINNER

Panama


Good luck to Bianca Manalo!

Kahit chaka ang costume mo ay sana birahin mo na lang sa gown, swimsuit and interview category. Sana MANALO ka!



Mabuhay!




photos taken from globalbeauties.com and missuniverse.com

Hairful

It’s been a long time since my last visit to the barber shop, or salon for that matter. I can no longer recall kung kelan ang huling bisita ko sa aking suking barbero. Oo noh, sa barber shop ako pumupunta para magpagupit noon. In fairness, yung barber shop ay nasa loob naman ng isang mall and very popular ito sa mga straight guys kaya dun din ako nagpapagupit. Hahaha! Nakakatuwa ang tag line ng barber shop na ito, ito raw ang “Ang barber shop ng mga tunay na lalaki.” Mga bading lang daw kasi ang pumupunta sa mga salons. Hahaha!

In terms of service ay excellent naman ang barber shop na ito kaya palaging box-office ang pila especially on Sundays and lalo na itong barber ko. Magaling kasi si Kuya.

Anyway, I’ve not been to that barber shop for a very long time because of the economy. Mahal din kasi ang magpagupit every week noh. Alam niyo naman I’m hiyang na ako sa aking no-hair look and I’m happy with it. Hindi magastos sa shampoo. Hahaha! At first, I thought makakatipid ako kapag wala nang buhok pero hindi pala. It’s just the same. Kelangan pa rin ng shampoo and conditioner noh. Yun nga lang, minimal na lang. But maintaining this look, well you gotta have it shaved every week (at least in my case) kasi mabilis humaba ang aking hair. Haircut is expensive kahit sa barber shop. And haircut sa salon is more expensive. I think. Unless sa tabi-tabi lang kayo magpagupit and doesn’t mind a little kaartehan like I do, read: hygiene and cleanliness, eh dun kayo. Yung pumupunta naman sa bahay namin na parlorista ni Mother and Ate doesn’t have a clipper kaya hindi rin ako maka-avail sa promo rates nya. Hehehe. Sa suking barber shop ko, haircut is around P120-P140. I’m not sure na if that’s still their rates ngayon. Plus tip, it can go up to P200. Mahal na yon di ba.

So instead of going there on a weekly basis, I bought myself a hair clipper, yung popular brand, recommended by a friend who works in a salon. At least ito magagamit ko everytime gustuhin ko. I won’t have to pay anybody pa. And everytime I shave my hair sa harap ng salamin feeling ko ako si Demi Moore sa “G.I. Jane” or si Robin Tunney sa “Empire Records”. Or si Sinead O’Connor sa “Nothing Compares to U” or si Dolores O’Riordan ng The Cranberries. Hahaha!

Sometimes I regret shaving my head nine years ago. Nami-miss ko rin ang aking dating long and luscious hair. Miss ko na itong iponytail or i-chignon. Feeling ko noon na naka-high ponytail ang hair ko ay para akong si Naomi Campbell na naglalakad sa catwalk. At tuwing naka-chignon naman ito feeling ko isa akong beauty queen na puputungan ng Miss Universe crown. Hahaha! Hate na hate ko kapag napupunta ang ilang strands ng buhok sa face ko. Nangangati and I was getting pimples.

Actually yun talaga ang reason why I shaved all of my hair. Allergic yata ang gorgeous face ko sa buhok. Hahaha! Nakakailang bumeso kasi nga medyo may rough portions ang aking pisngi. In fairness ngayon ay smooth na ulet ang aking rosy and kissable cheeks.

Anyway highway, I think I will maintain this kalbo look for a very long time. Hindi na ako mukhang gusgusin. Hahaha!


photo courtesy of Photofunia created by Rod from Dubai

Thanks Rod.

Hey Mickey

I've been neglecting my blog for the past days. Pasensya na mga fans. Tambak kasi ako sa trabaho. Tumatanggap na rin kasi ako ng labada you know. Charing.

Medyo busy lang sa work and personal stuff. Buti nga at meron akong ghost writer na pinapasulat for my entries sa kabilang balay. Hahaha! JK.

Honestly, nahihirapan lang talaga ako mag blog these past few days for a very valid reason. Pumunta kasi ako ng CDO last weekend. Naiwan kong naka-balandra sa office ng bodega ang cord at charger ng aking laugh tough. Pagbalik ko ng Lunes ay dun ko na nadiskubre na nginatngat ito ni Mickey Mouse. Bwiset! I channelled the electrician in me para ayusin and make it usable pa rin kasi the nearest electronics/computer store is more than an hour pa ang itatagal ng byahe. Ayoko din naman pumunta dun kasi nga scared pa akong maglabas-labas dito. In fairness, gumana naman siya for 3 days but eventually it gave up. Kaya eto ako nagtatiyagang makigamit sa 48,000 year old pc ng officina. Hahaha!

Perwisyo talaga itong si Mickey Mouse. Hindi lang niya sinira ang gamit ko. Sinira din niya pati ang social life ko.

Humanda siya. Ipakikilala ko siya kay Dora. Hindi Dora the Explorer, kundi Dora, the Rat Killer.

B & B

Nagtatampo pala ang aking bestfriend sa akin.

I admit medyo napabayaan ko nga siya because I haven’t been home for a month now. Noong last uwi ko, we did not spend quality time together. I think we just went out for a dinner and then I went home to sleep early. We did went out the night before but he stayed with his crush and his crush’ friends. I was with our two other friends but they were a couple so basically I was left alone. Mas mabuti pang umuwi at matulog nang maaga. May muta pa akong kinita kinaumagahan.

I think my BFF and I has changed. I am fast becoming a manang while he enjoys partying more than ever before. Can you blame me if I no longer enjoy staying up ‘til the wee hours of the morning? I feel tired, dirty and paunchy already when the clock strikes past 1am. Meanwhile, in my absence, he seems to enjoy the company of other people and I understand very well. I know this is just going to be a phase. Babalik din kami sa aming dating gawi. You know, ang paglalandi sa mga boys sa malls together, food tripping and window shopping.

Anyway, work is keeping me busy all day. Deadline is coming very fast. Still marami pang unfinished reports na kailangan isubmit ng maaga. Haaay, buhay alipin nga naman. Hahaha!

After office hours however, I still find the time to visit and write for my other home. You know, Barrio Siete.



If you haven’t been there, you might as well drop by and enjoy our articles. We cover everything from politics to entertainment, opinion and fiction, pati na rin ang buhay ng may buhay ay pinapakialaman namin. Hahaha! It’s one hell of a place and I’m pretty sure you’ll gonna love it there. Be sure to read my contributions too. I’m proud to say that some of them are highly read and most commented posts. I’m proud to be in the company of some of the best bloggers kaya very fulfilling kapag you receive positive comments from them and the readers. May fan mail nga akong natanggap eh. Nakakataba ng puso. Kaya nagpapasalamat ako kay Ate Reynz for inviting me and trusting in my ability to write.

So, if you happen to drop by here pero wala pang bagong post, chances are nandoon ako sa kabilang bahay at nakikiusyoso.

Sige, pasyal muna ako doon at parang magkakaroon yata ng giyera. Hahaha!

Write Right

My last entry (see previous post) has become a controversial one over at Barrio Siete. Read it here. Dito normal lang ang reception ng readers but over there it’s quite different. You know naman, my other home has much more readers than here kaya it’s not surprising if someone who doesn’t share the same opinion as mine end up in debate and further criticism.


photo credit: here

I have no problems with that. It’s a healthy thing. Ang masama ay kung agree ng agree ang mga readers or people around you. They either want to please you kahit na mali ang opinion mo and end up kissing your ass, or members kayo ng Mutual Admiration Society whose main objective is of course, pleasing each other, but most likely this ends up in tragedy.
Once in a while you need someone to snap the hell out of you in order for you to be brought back to reality.

Unfortunately, there are those whose idea of criticism is to put someone down. That makes them feel good siguro. They look for mistakes in the way you write and how you write, especially your use of grammar and everything. I am not good in writing in English and I know majority of my posts in English is flawed. Kaya minsan nagtatagalog ako if I can’t express it in English ‘perfectly’.

The important thing for me kasi is that when I write something it should be understood by you, the readers. I relay the message to you in a language that most of you will understand. Be it in English, Tagalog, gay lingo or Bisaya. Dedma na sa grammar. Unless you want to read something in perfect English, this is not the right place. I suggest political blogs or online newspapers. I’m sure 99% perfect ang English dun.

Another important thing that I consider in writing is to entertain. I don’t want you to be bored in reading my stories noh. I always inject humour and a lot of jokes because I want you to be smiling or laughing while reading at the same time naibibigay ko sa inyo ang mensahe na gusto kong ipaabot. That way, not only will I capture your attention but most likely, babalik ka dito at aabangan mo ang susunod na kabanata.

Ano ba kasi ang objective in writing. Sharing of information? Expression of oneself? Making other people affected with what you wrote?

My answer to those questions are Yes, Yes and Yes.

Is that enough para sabihin I’ve succeeded in the field?

I certainly hope so because if that ain’t enough, well, marami pa akong kakaining bigas and I’m willing to consume more. Hello? Hindi ako nagda-diet noh!

Everybody Doesn't Hate Kris

This is a post that I wrote and submitted to my other home Barrio Siete. I hope it gets published soon. I-edit ko pa sana for this blog but I'm too tamad to do it and I'm so tired of crying the whole day kaya I'm posting it the way it is.

Enjoy.


I like Kris Aquino. For the record, not everyone here in Barrio Siete likes her as much as I do. But alam niyo naman dito sa narrio namin, we practice fairness kaya this post has been permitted to be published. In short, wala silang magagawa dahil kung hindi nila ito papayagang ipost ay aawayin ko sila. You know who you are guys. Hahaha!


photo credit: inquirer.net

To begin with, I’m proud to say I’m a big fan of Kris Aquino. I worship her. I adore her more than anyone else in Philippine showbusiness. I listen to everything she says. If she likes something, I like it too. If she despises something, I will surely hate it too.

What is there to not like Ate Kris?

She’s pretty, she’s smart, she’s fashionable, she’s true to herself.

Who is Kris Aquino? Aba, kung may dugong Pinoy ka at hindi mo siya kilala ay malamang polar bear ka sa South Pole. Promise.

Lahat ng mga Filipino kilala si Kristina Bernadette as the youngest daughter of Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino and former president, our beloved angel Corazon “Cory” Aquino.

Some say, (some daw oh!) pati na yung mga detractors niya (marami kayo, I’m sure) sinasabing spoiled brat daw si Ate Kris. Hello?! Understandable kaya yun. It’s a scientific fact that majority of the youngest child turns out to be the apple of the eye of the parents. Di ba? Aminin! Kung saan ko naman nasagap ang info na yan na science-based ay ewan ko hindi ko na rin maalala. Hahaha! Kung ikaw naman ang youngest sa family, aminin feel na feel mo rin ang maging favourite child kaya minsan umaabuso ka na rin to the extent of compromising your brothers or sisters. Anyway, yung brother na sinundan ko, youngest namin ay spoiled din ng parents ko before. Buti na lang at na-realise ni mother and father na mali pala ang choice nilang favourite. Naging ako na for the simplest and most obvious reason. Ako ang pinakamaganda. Hahaha! Charing!
Back to the topic na nga! Inaamin naman ni Ate Kris that she really was spoiled as a child in comparison to Ate Ballsy, Ate Pinky, Ate Viel and Kuya Noy. Oh di ba, mukhang close na ako sa Aquino family. Charing! Even her siblings are amenable to that fact that Kris indeed was their parents’ favourite. Marahil yun nga ang dahilan na medyo naging pasaway si Ate Kris before. BEFORE.

Take for instance, yung issue niya with men. Huwag na nating i-enumerate, I’m sure kilala niyo na kung sinu-sino ang mga yun. Yun lang naman ang flaw ni Ate Kris ah! Palpak siya sa pag-ibig. Kasi naman matalino siya sa academics kaya bagsak sa pag-ibig. You can’t have it all you know. Tulad ko, maganda sana pero academically challenged, in short bobita. Hahaha!
Ate Kris is also known for her being frank and occasionally medyo tactless. OCCASIONALLY. Not all the time. Charing! Mas mabuti na rin yun noh kesa naman itinatago pa ang ibang bagay na personal eh public figure naman siya and she owes it to the public to be informed of her life. Ganun naman dapat sa showbiz. Maging transparent ka at mamahalin ka ng mga tao. Dapat no secrets.

As a fan of Kris Aquino, it hurts me if I read something not so nice about her. Especially those comments na nakakasakit na at medyo hindi naman true to the max. Ine-exaggerate pa ng iba. Grabeh! Parang tinutusok ng karayom ang puso kong sinlambot ng ensaymada sa Goldilocks. Minsan naiisip ko na kung bakit ino-okray palagi si Ate Kris eh wala naman siyang inaapakang tao, especially in her Christian Louboutin heels. Matulungin at maawain pa ito. Mabait na amo. Mabait na kapatid, tita and now, a very caring wife and mother.

Sabi nga ng saying na mas matanda pa kay Vicki Belo, “Do not judge the book by its cover”. Unfortunately, people always do that to my idol. Hindi pa nga kayo nangangalahati sa pagbabasa ng libro ay ginagawan niyo na ito ng review. Kung natapos niyo naman ang libro at hindi ito nagustuhan siyempre katakot-takot na pang-ookray ang sasabihin niyo about the said book. Why not read it again and perhaps understand the writer’s perspective and dig deeper.

Ganun si Ate Kris. Not everything you see on tv about her is accurate. The way she behaves on tv may not be the real her 24/7. Katulad mo at katulad ko. Hindi naman tayo all the time happy or serious. She’s not perfect too, like you and I. May mga pagkakamali din siya at she knows that and pinagsisisihan na niya ang mga ito. I’m sure kayo rin ay much like Ate Kris, an imperfect creature. Mas worst pa nga siguro yung mga flaws at kasalanan niyo sa parents niyo eh. Charing!
The last few days when Tita Cory was in the hospital up to now na nailibing na siya, we saw a different kind of Kris Aquino. A better one. A mature one. A sad sister. A grieving daughter.

She stood up for her family. She made a statement that I am glad to say, opened the hearts of those who hate her. Like anyone of us will do for our respective families in times of crisis and sorrow, Kris protected and defended hers. She became a strong woman and fought for their rights. We may see her as a vulnerable one because she cries a lot but that’s her weapon against further pain. And she’s just being human. Her tears brought me to tears. I’m sure you cried with her too.


photo credit: filipinasoul

I just hope that in the coming days, Kris will be true to her words. I’m counting on it. And I know I won’t be disappointed.

Hope

I’m so pissed off right now.

This morning I opened our tv so that I can be updated on Tita Cory’s funeral. Ngayong araw kasi nilipat ang kanyang katawan from La Salle Greenhills to the Manila Cathedral.

Unfortunately, our cable operator is having a problem with old decoders like the one we have kaya walang lumalabas sa monitor namin. Leche! Kung kelan pa importanteng-importante ang mga nagaganap sa ating bansa ay saka naman nagka-problema ang cable operator. Punyeta kang cable operator ka! Bwiset!

I’m so mad I called them and cancelled our subscription for good. Tinapon ko sa basurahan ang lecheng walang-silbing decoder nila. Kaya eto ako ngayon, walang kaalam-alam sa mga nangyari nitong buong araw. Gusto kong umiyak. I feel so left behind at hindi man lang ako makapag-react sa e-mails na natatanggap ko from Barrio Siete people.

Anyway, mabuti na rin lang at meron silang links na sinusupply kaya yun na lang ang pinagkakasya kong pagtiyagaan. Thank you guys. Kung wala kayo malamang para na akong mongha na hindi nasisilayan ng sinag ng araw. Hahaha!

Hindi ko rin napanood kahapon ang interview ni Boy Abunda kay Ate Kris sa The Buzz. Ate Reynz sent the ABS-CBN news article regarding the issue why the Aquino family refused the state funeral and nabasa ko rin ang interview. You can also watch the interview here.
Barrio Siete is also paying tribute to Tita Cory this whole week so abangan niyo rin dun palagi ang stories, views and our tributes to our beloved angel.


I believe the Aquino family is totally correct with their decision to reject the ‘offer’. Tama din si Ate Kris when she said that the honor should come from the people, and that is what they are receiving now kahit na hindi ito state funeral. Ano ba naman kasing ka-ek-ekan yang state funeral na iyan ng Malacanang. Ang paplastik talaga ng mga nakatira diyan sa palasyo. Noong buhay pa si Tita Cory ay tinanggalan niyo nga ng military security tapos ngayon bibgyan niyo ng honor kuno. Isaksak niyo nga yan sa dibdib ni PGMA ang honor na iyan at nang magka-honor ang katawan ng pandak nay an na bumabaha sa pagiging dishonorable. Nakakahiya!
Ngayon naman ay nagso-sorry kayo and you’re blaming the bureaucratic chuchu kung bakit pinatawag niyo ang mga guwardiya ni Tita Cory. Nanggagalaiti ako sa galit when I first read the interview. Sa sobrang galit ay napapaluha na lang ako. Damn it!

The latest update is that the Malacanang is calling the attention of congress to stop their campaign for charter change via Con-Ass as a sign of respect to the late former president. Read it here.

Sana lang totoo ang panawagan na ito at making ang mga taong nagunguna sa kampanya para palitan ang constitution. Nangunguna na diyan si Speaker Nograles na mukhang ass. Irespeto niya sana si Tita Cory. Nakakahiya ang ginagaw niya sapmu ng mga kasamahan niya na tumutulak sa Con-Ass. Sana lang ay tablan din kayo ng panawagang ito. I know that most of you have developed a skin like the crocodiles but for just this once I hope you respect what our former president was fighting for during her time. Binigyan niya ng panibagong demokrasya an gating bansa. Huwag niyo na sana itong muling angkinin, huwag maging gahaman sa kapangyarihan. Sana lang talaga, kung may mga puso pa kayong mga walanghiya kayo.

If this rejection of the Con-Ass will materialise, Tita Cory has once again played a major role in rescuing our country. Her death will become an instrument so that the democracy that she fought for for Filipino people will once again be realised.


photo credit: PCIJ

We will miss you Tita Cory. Thank you very much for everything! Even in your death, you gave us hope!

Short & Painful

Our beloved Tita Cory has left us.




She has gone to a wonderful place. A place where there is no more pain and agony.

I know she's in heaven with the angels and saints.


Goodbye Tita Cory!

You will be missed.





photo credit: pep.ph