Monday, August 31, 2009

Careless Whisper

George michael - Careless whispers.mp3

get more free mp3 & video codes at www.musik-live.net



I hope it is Christmas already. And I hope that kris kringle is still being practiced, and is still as exciting as when I experienced it when I was holding office in Metro Manila.

The reason I want Christmas to be now already is because I found in the internet an exciting gift to be given to girls. Yes, to girls. And what is that gift? Remember that song? Click the 'Read More.....'


A Hayden Kho soap dispenser! Imagine how the ladies will scream at the sight and the feel of liquid soap oozing towards their palms. Yuck!@

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Thursday, August 27, 2009

Merlyn T, Section 5

I saw her in our neighborhood as the frequent companion of Bongbong C, a childhood playmate who is now blind for being a diabetic. I thought she was Bongbong's wife. She sometimes smiled at me, possibly because she knew I was her classmate. But I didn't know that we were in the same class because I had never met her in any of the class reunions.

Then Bebot D mentioned that classmate Merlyn T died. I didn't know she was referring to Bongbong's frequent companion. I only learned of this after I asked Au-au B to accompany me to the wake to deliver the mass card of the class. (So, there. Now, you know where the extra money last April reunion is going. Financial report is available with Au-au.)

Merlyn died of cancer of the intestines. She had an operation last year to remove about 12 kilos of mass from her bloated stomach. After the operation, she underwent chemotherapy. She lost some hair but she seemed to recover. A few months back, there was a relapse. Merlyn felt pain again. Later, she died.


The above were narrated to me by Bongbong. I learned from him that Merlyn was his wife's cousin and that Merlyn lived with them so that somebody coukd look after him while his wife worked as a nurse in the local hospital.

From Bongbong's house, Merlyn's body was transferred to Bgy. Tupol in his adoptive parents residence. Interment is scheduled on August 31.

Merlyn left behind a son and a grandchild.@

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Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Tinanok nga saging

I was cramming for my school exams this afternoon when I decided to have something to eat.

The ref had some unappetizing left-overs from past meals. There were some biscuits of my kids which I considered junk food.

I thought I needed to eat some healthy foods. But there was no maid to cook for me. And I thought that preparing a sandwich was too messy.

Then I saw a bunch of sab-a bananas in our kitchen. I decided to tanok some.



Tinanok nga saging, partnered with a cup of coffee, was just the right merienda for me. It was filling and cholesterol free. Bananas are a valuable source of vitamin B6, vitamin C, and potassium. In some countries, banana extracts are used as a home remedy for the treatment of jaundice and for kidney stones.

The sab-a was from our farm in Cabatuan. Every weekend, when I visit the farm, I make it a point to ask Ramy, the care taker, to tuba for me some bananas. I specifically instruct him to select a small bulig because, almost always, it is only me who eats the sab-a. One bulig with six or less sipi, can just be enough for me.



I usually take two breakfasts - first, a light one with the kids, and later, a heavy one upon my return to our house after dropping the kids in school and doing at least one hour of exercises at the Iloilo Sports Complex.

I usually have tinanok nga saging and coffee for my first breakfast. Typical Filipino. I find it a luxury as I could only have a saging breakfast in the Philippines. During the years I was living abroad, I never had a chance to eat sab-a. When we cook putsero, my wife used a banana variety from India which looked like a big latundan but somehow tasted like sab-a when cooked.




Filipinos have lately become health conscious. It is therefore common to see office employees eating tinanok nga saging or bananaque for their merienda. Vendors sell tinanok nga saging from PhP 2.00 to PhP 4.00 a piece. Last year when I applied to get my birth certificate at the National Statistics Office, vendors were selling tinanok nga saging and coffee to the early morning applicants, some already in the queue as early 3:00 am.

Banana or saging is the common name for the herbaceous plants of the genus Musa which produce the edible fruit of the same name. Banana is native to the tropical region of Southeast Asia. It is believed to have been first domesticated in Papua New Guinea. Today, banana is being cultivated throughout the tropics.

In 2008, fresh bananas were the second top export commodity of the Philippines with an export value of $397.4 million. Philippines is the third largest exporter of banana in the world. Japan is the main importer of Philippine bananas.

Ti, may tinanok man nga saging sa abroad?



Word Meaning:

bananaque - banana deep fried with brown sugar and sold in a stick, like pork barbeque
bulig - a bunch; a bulig of saging is composed of more than 1 sipi
sab-a - a variety of banana which can be eaten raw but ideally is used for cooking; also used in making banana chips
tanok - to boil
tinanok - boiled; tinanok nga saging is boiled banana
tuba - to gather banana fruits by cutting the banana trunk; pronounced as 'toobah' with accent on the 'bah'
sipi - a hand or tier; a single banana fruit is called a finger; a sipi is composed of more than 1 finger growing together. @

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Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Arroyo's role model

No doubt about it. Gloria Arroyo is extravagant. And she has a fitting role model in the person of Imelda.

Have a nice, inglorious day!

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Sunday, August 23, 2009

A wedding in Caleruega

'Rising tall and majestic in the highest point of Caleruega is the Transfiguration Chapel. From here one can behold the expanse of Caleruega and witness the glorious opus of radiant nature – a symphony of sky, trees, and the distant hills of Batulao. Like St. Peter during Jesus’ transfiguration, anyone who experiences such splendor of nature’s poetry will declare: Lord, it is good for us to be here… (Mt.17:4).'

This was how I was introduced to Caleruega – through the internet. I learned that Caleruega is in Batulao, Nasugbu, Batangas . It is a meditation haven set-up by the Dominican priests. The chapel got its name from the stained glass wall behind the altar dominated by the majestic figure of Christ and flanked by Moses and Elijah. And Caleruega? The name was given by the Dominican priests, in honor of Caleruega in Spain, the birthplace of St. Dominic de Guzman, the founder of the Dominican Order. In fact, the façade of the chapel was copied after the original Caleruega Chapel in Spain.




The chapel is small. It can sit only 150 pax. And there is no aircon, as the balmy weather may require visitors to wear thick clothing during the ‘BER’ months. But the serene ambience and the absence of the trappings of modernity in the glorious expanse of woods, sky, and the horizon obscured not by buildings but by the distant verdant hills make this chapel a perfect setting to say ‘Yes, I do.’ In fact, this place is the current IN place to get married for residents nearby and from far-off Metro Manila. Chalets, pavilions, dormitories, and function rooms are strategically tucked in the lower hills in order not to impede the view. The chapel only caters to two weddings a day – one in the morning, and another one in the afternoon – and reservations must be done one year in advance. Proof of the chapel's popularity is the numerous websites of professional photographers and/or videographers which give advices on the best angles when covering a wedding in Caleruega– the aisle is short so the groom must wait in the halfway; the celestial afternoon rays of the sun from behind the stained glass wall must be directed towards the waiting groom; the glass door with wrought iron décor must be closed and opened only for the dramatic entrance of the bride; the doves must be released outside as the white of its plumage and the bride’s outfit contrasts dramatically against the red brick façade; and don’t forget to take a shot of the couple along the winding road leading to the place to highlight the rusticity of Caleruega.

By just thinking of the place, I was forced to wonder where was Caleruega when I got married? I was married in the old Jaro Cathedral as I preferred to be married in an old church. But when I reckoned the number of by-standers, gawkers, and the mendicant settlers in the church who mingled with the entourage and guests, adding their grubby rainbow colors to the well-planned monochromatic motif, where indeed was Caleruega at that time? Maybe, it would cost more to transport the entourage and guests, but can't a marriage be solemn, private, happy and just as how the bride and groom wished it to be?

Mr Uya and wife Mrs Jesusa exchanged 'I do's ' for the second time in Caleruega. The husband was dapper in a suit, while the wife was elegant in a couture gown.


No wonder, Julian and Jesusa renewed their vows ‘to love and to cherish till death do them part’ with the hills of Caleruega as witnesses.

Julian or Uya was from the section 1. He was bright but possessed the peculiar quality of a farm lad – he was very shy, too shy to even recite in class. In fact many times teachers were tempted to pry open his mouth to verify if he really had a tongue. But what he lacked in tack, he compensated with his being very dependable. During class activities, he was always depended upon to prepare the food, carry the heavy loads, and work in the background while the town boys entertained the girls, enjoyed the food, and made sure that they didn’t smell like garlic and onions by evading the kitchen area where Uya stayed with his fellow barrio lads. Makalantaw lang ka nagasaot, enjoy na sanda. For this, Uya was voted as the Most Dependable Senior on graduation day.

Jesusa was from the section 3. She was a barrio girl – pretty, conscientious, and simple. When she walked, her back was always straight, as if it was supported with a tourniquet. She was tall and she seldom smiled – a younger version of Miss Tapia, kulang na lang eyeglasses. She was always serious and talked about topics which were interesting only to those who vowed to become old maids. Her look always meant a warning, like ‘Don’t touch my things!’ or to that effect. Boys evaded her.

It was therefore a big surprise that a shy somebody suspected of having no tongue would marry a clone of Miss Tapia. What happened?

Then I talked to Miss Tapia, ahh si Jesusa gali, over the phone. She talked confidently, her choice of words were very professional. She talked in straight English, always on the bright side, and never hinted on having been born a shy and simple barrio lass. No wonder. At the time she spoke to me, she was a Sales Training Officer of a real estate firm. Her work required her to speak daily before groups of sales executives and applicants of diverse backgrounds. Her Miss Tapia qualities really worked for her.

I have not seen Uya since high school graduation. I thought, just like any shy farm boy, he could have faded in the recesses of his elders' farm, plowing the fields and threshing the rice, and thankful that the soles of his feet were as thick as the sole of Adidas rubber shoes because he could no longer wear shoes as his corned toes were now shaped like a fan. I reckoned that because of his conservativeness, he could be chewing bettle nut (naga-mama, with accent in the 2nd ma) to scrimp on toothbrush and he could be listening to Tiya Dely and noontime drama over Bombo radio to while his time. But I was mistaken! When I inquired about him, I was informed that he finished his college degree and was seldom in his parents' home, because he had built for his own family a palatial abode in an exclusive subdivision in Manila. When I had a chance to talk to him over the phone, I was floored. His voice was familiar. But he was now lacquacious. He could talk about anything with authority, because now, he works as a Marine Engineer in a shipping firm plying the international route.

And how did he court Jesusa? With candor and in so many words. Uya really had a tongue! Di ba sa trabaho nya na-imbento ang term na sisid-marino?

And how did Jesusa answered Uya? With confidence and resignation. Di ba training officer sya? She saw in Uya the sincerity and dependableness she was looking for in an ideal subordinate, ahh husband pala.
The couple's two grown-up children bound them together with the ceremonial chord.


They were blessed with two children – the eldest is a girl who now works as a professional Pharmacist, and the second is a boy who is a BS Architecture student in the University of Sto. Tomas.

The couple celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary with a renewal of vows at the Caleruega chapel. The flowers were bought by the couple from Dangwa. Together with their kids, they lovingly worked and arranged the bridal bouquet and church decorations. The bride wore a gown by a famous couturier which she and her daughter re-sewed to fit her daring figure. Her hair and make-up were by David Saloon, which according to the bride, she and her daughter re-touched and re-touched to the point where the David Saloon work was erased and only the hefty price tag remained. The sponsors were the couples’ friends and big-time former bosses. And the motley crowd inside the chapel were only close friends and relatives. All the ladies were in gowns. And all the gentlemen were in barong or suit.


Uya and Jesusa, no longer barrio kids, but still attached to the old traditions of the barrio, like living a simple but lasting and happy married life.


Indeed, it was a far cry from the wedding in far away Bgy. Calayo in Cabatuan, where the whole population including the dogs partook of the celebration.@


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Friday, August 21, 2009

Today is August 21.

Today is a HOLIDAY in the Philippines. No work. Today is a big blessing to many who have to make quality time with their families.

But why is today a holiday? Insa?



I tried to refresh my memory of the days that made this day significant. As I juggled with my memory, I was also browsing the Facebook of somebody whom many thought was like me. And I thought I was like him when I was his age - a student leader, aware and involved with social issues, and brimming with idealism and enthusiasm. But I have not fully grasped the depth of his leanings and involvement. Maybe I was biased as I've always regarded him as a child. But seeing a picture in his Facebook jolted me.

As regards him, this was the third time I was jolted to the fact that he has grown.

First time was, when I saw hairs in his armpits. We were in Bohol then, during our annual family long travel. It was hot and we were in sleeveless shirts. It was not the first time that I saw him in similar attire. But this was the first time I saw the hairs. Astig. I always thought he was just a kid. Ngayon, puwede na makabuntis.

The second time I was jolted by this kid-turned-man, was when I heard him speak in a public forum. I knew he was a good public speaker as he was a student leader. But he had never practiced his speeches before me, if indeed he was even practicing. And I never had the opportunity to attend any activity where he spoke. But in this public forum, both of us were slated to speak. And friends who attended were ready to make comparisons. I surmised, he was a very good speaker. And, no, I didn't realize he had grown. On the contrary, for the first time I realized that I HAD grown. I had never entertained the thought of being old. But this time, yes, I felt old. Because here was a man of the next generation, who proved he was ready to take over. Yes, he was good if not better. Yes, I felt old. As many of my classmates and contemporaries looked and acted old. But age is just in the mind.

And now I was jolted again.

His Facebook was nice to read. He looked good in his pictures now that he is with his parents abroad. He looked better now as compared to the last time I saw him when, as his guardian,I accompanied him to NAIA. And I knew him more by his Facebook - his love for country, family, friends,travel. But then I saw this picture. Could he be reading my mind? Can he walk on a path untrammeled by me and still head for the same destination? That picture was of a man he had never seen as the man died before he was born. That man was not as big as Satur or Mao because that man was only big to those who had faced him and worked with him. I thought that nobody knew that man because he was not fodder to contemporary media. And it really jolted me to see THAT picture. To me, whoever in the next generation who admired Lean might have thoughts deeper than mine. Whoever thought Lean was worth emulating is destined for greater heights. Because I knew Lean. I had rubbed elbows with Lean. I'd been there before to tell the great things done by Lean. Yes, the picture I saw in the Facebook of my nephew was that of LEAN ALEJANDRO. And to me, August 21 is not only for Ninoy but also for Lean and for the many others who lighted a candle during the dark nights of the Marcos dictatorship and had died without seeing the light of a new day. @

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Monday, August 17, 2009

Getting high blood along the roads

I hate driving along the provincial roads in Iloilo. And I hate to think that I am not alone on this diabolical scheme of things. Ga-high blood dayon ako. But to calm down, I have to remind myself that Gloria Arroyo will never give a hoot to whatever serious that happens to me on the road. So there. Daw kalmado na ako.

The object of my derision is the so many billboards along the hi-way showing the faces of Gloria Arroyo and her mole and her minions announcing the good things they have done to the road that I am using and possibly the air that I breathe. Parang may passage sa bible saying that 'If you really wanted to do good, don't annouce anymore the goodness of your deeds. Just do the good quietly and without others knowing it.' (Tama ba, Aling Ruth?)

There is a move in the Senate to investigate the informercials on TV and on the radio, which are to me, really political campaigns. But why are the billboards not included? Because these were mostly featuring the mole of Gloria Arroyo? Don't we not suspect Arroyo of engineering her running again for whatever position in the 2010 elections and therefore her mole billboards are also considered premature campaigning?

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, head of the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs, summoned to a senate hearing several cabinet and other government officials to investigate the rationale and propriety of the airing of infomercials of the same government officials at the time when the election season is fast approaching. The senator suspects that the airing of informercials, passed on as advocacy campaigns, is part of premature campaigning using public funds. She therefore threatens to recommend the filing of graft and corruption charges against the said government officials, who have signified their raging intention to run in the 2010 election.

Summoned to the hearing were Vice-President Noli de Castro, Secretaries Margarito Teves of Finance, Gilbert Teodoro Jr. of Defense, Ronaldo Puno of the Interior and Local Government; Francisco Duque III of Health; Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. of Public Works and Highways; Jesli Lapus of Education; and Nasser Pangandaman of Agrarian Reform; and, Metro Manila Development Authority Chair Bayani Fernando. Other officials in the Executive branch who have infomercials invited to the Senate hearing were Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) chairman Ephraim Genuino and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) chairman Augusto Syjuco. Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, who has earlier declared his presidential bid, was also invited in the Senate hearing to explain his own infomercial.

Duda kang raku, ginpatawag ni Miriam ang dya nga hearing para ma-imbistigahan ang ana 'kaaway' nga si DILG Sec. Ronaldo Puno, nga may ana man nga infomercial parte sa nahimuan kuno kang DILG, kag ang ana hitsura ang ginpakita sa infomercial. Sa madumduman, ginapatihan ni Miriam nga si Puno ang instrumento para mapiyerdi tana ni Ramos sa 1992 Presidential election.

Kuwarta bala ni Gloria ang gingamit para magka-kuryente ang Iloilo? Kunsabagay, sarangan gani niya magpakaon sa bili nga PhP 1,000,000.00 sa New York. Pasensiya ang mga taga-Iloilo nga waay kasunod. Magsanlag na lang kamo baringon kag magkihad kamatis.
Pero insa infomercial lang sa TV kag radyo ang ginpaimbistigahan. Insa waay ginpaimbistigahan ang mga billboard nga nag-urusbong sa baid ka mga karsada? Indi ayhan premature nga pangumpanya man dya?

Halin sa Iloilo City paagto sa Iloilo Airport, hitsura nanday Gloria Arroyo ang makita. Kag kon basahon mo ang mga billboard, sin-o ang maghambal nga indi personal nga kuwarta nanday Gloria Arroyo ang anda gingastos sa mga proyekto nga ginawaragwag nanda sa baid ka dalan?

Nagdugang pa gid ang mga hitsura ni Gloria sa baid dalan kang mag-agto tana sa Iloilo para maglantaw kang ana mga proyekto.

The public would like the government officials to account for the people's money entrusted to them. Ano, magpagusto lang sanda waldas kang kuwarto ka publiko?

Ang picture sa ibabaw kuha pagtakas sa Talanghauan MIWD Reservoir. Halin sa lugar nga dya ginguba ang karsada nga hasta tulad waay pa matapos ma-konkreta. Kon mainit, sobra kayab-ok. Kon ga-uran, sobra kalaputyak. Silot gid sa mga sarakyan kag mga sumalakay.

Drive carefully kuno. Pero naisip man ayhan nanda kon traffic hazard ang anda ginahimo? Kay naga-init ang ulo ka mga motorista kon makita ang anda hitsura?
Sa Amerang Bridge, sa duha ka approaches ginpaskilan gid ka hitsura ni Gloria kag Edbane.

Siguro nami man dya nga technique. Kon waay imo mabutang ang ngaran, patindugan mo lang ngaran mo sa tupad ka ngaran ka proyekto. And presto! Daw ikaw man gihapon ang tag-iya.

Sa approach dya kang Tabucan bridge. Tanan-tanan may karatula. Waay gid patawad.
Waay man ayhan ti naaksidente kon makita ang hitsura ni Gloria Arroyo?
Pero sa bahin kang Pavia, daw waay gid ti hitsura politiko sa baid dalan. Ginpabutangan abi ni Mayor Gorriceta ti mga 'Do not Lie. Do not steal.' billboards. Gani waay ti maisog magbutang ka anda hitsura kay man-an man kon sin-o ang mga butigon. May iba pa nga bersyon ang billboard sa ibabaw. Ang 'Do not lie to the people and to your wife.' Maan kon sin-o ang ginapatup-an nanda ka dya. @

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Sunday, August 16, 2009

Lubong kag boobs

August 16, 2009. 2:00 pm. Cabatuan Roman Catholic Church. Lubong ka tatay ni Esay. Ang 2:00pm nga misa nahimo nga 2:35 pm kay ang una nga requiem mass para sa lubong ka tatay ni Noni Baldeviso nagbuhay kay raku ang picture taking. Insa nga kang lubong ni Cory waay man it picture taking?

Another social occassion para sa class as represented by Bebot, Gloria, adopted klasmet Magda, etc. Ang mga etcetera amo ran ang waay tanda it picture.

Si Gene kag Elsa pagkatapos ka misa kag picture taking. Nagasunod sanda sa lungon pa-gwa sa simbahan.

Ang darwa nga diya nga naka-itom ma-umpisa ron kuno mangumpanya. Ti nami bala ran pamatian sa lubong? Daw nagapanulay sanda nga magraku ang patay para raku man ang tinion para pangumpanya. Astig gid.



Pag-umpisa ka panaw ka lubong may nag-entra pa gid nga isa. Baw daw nagaparada tanda sa piyesta. Daw waay tanda nagakumpanyar. Halin sa simbahan asta sa patyo, waay tanda ti ginhimo kundi maghiri-hiri. Nagakasadya tanda. Ti mayad bala ran? Ang iba nga ginhagad kag waay mag-agto, ginlibak. Amo ran nga kinahanglan mag-agto kaw gid kon ginahagad ikaw. Kay kon indi gani, ikaw pagalibakon. Mirisi.

Pagkatapos lubong, masigpangita ron ka purungkuan para magkaon. Amo lang gid dya ang ginahulat nanda. Paki-click ang picture sa tuo. Amo ran ang ginlub-ngan kay Nelia Orrica - ang tambok nga baye kang elementary kag high school. Ay patay ron tana? Nadumdoman ko, nanugid tana nga ginpabusong tana ni Langlang. Diin ron gali si Langlang? Patay ron man?

Baw diya tana daring gid ang dating. I-click ang picture to enlarge. Para ma-man-an kon tunay. Pero gin-sara niya man sa sunod nga pic.@

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Saturday, August 15, 2009

What to do when you have PhP 2,000,000?

If I have PhP 2,000,000.00 (Yes, two million pesos), I will dine in Le Cirque (native French speakers say Lu Cirk, non-French speakers read it as Le Cirk) in New York. I will see to it that the bill for my dinner should hover near PhP 1,000,000.00. Bakit si Gloria Arroyo lang ba ang marunong ng tinatawag na high life? And after dining and wining in that fancy and pricey restaurant, I will hire a stretch limo with a white-gloved chauffer to drive me around New York City, and off to Washington DC where I will reserve a table overlooking the sidewalk for lunch (Barack Obama might see me as he walks to his office, and might want to have a chat with me.) in that other fancy restaurant, the Bobby Van’s Steakhouse at 15th Street. Ah, Ms. Arroyo, eat your heart out. I will splurge like no other but Gloria Arroyo.

Herewith are some clippings from Ms. Arroyo's spending habit which I plan to top. Daw siya pa ang astig! The first clipping is from the New York Post. The second one is from the Washington Post.




From: The Washington Post’s Reliable Source gossip column

by Roxanne Roberts and Amy Argetsinger

Heartburn Over Two Big Meals

President Obama and Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo talk in the Oval Office on July 30. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s visit to the White House on July 30 didn’t draw much attention, and her dinner in Washington that night got nary a mention. And that’s how it might have stayed — if not for a controversial meal in New York City.

Arroyo is under fire in her native country for a $20,000 meal at Manhattan’s Le Cirque on Aug. 2, which included caviar and several bottles of champagne. The dinner, first reported in the New York Post, has Arroyo’s critics comparing her to the extravagant Imelda Marcos.

The Reliable Source has learned that three days earlier, Arroyo and an entourage of about 65 people (including security and food tasters) had dinner at Bobby Van’s Steakhouse on 15th Street NW hours after she met with President Obama. The group took over one of the restaurant’s private rooms and dined on lobster, steak and fine wines; at the conclusion of the meal, an unidentified woman opened a handbag stuffed with cash, counted out bills and paid the $15,000 tab — which included a generous tip.

The Philippine Embassy did not return calls for comment Tuesday.
@

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Thursday, August 13, 2009

Cellphone scam

Note: I saw this email dated June 18, 2008 in my Sent box. I sent this to many of my friends and relatives. I warned them about the scam I experienced. I copied the email, without editing, for this post.

Today I became a victim of a cellphone scam. Nakakahiya!

As soon as I left our house, a male voice called my wife asking about me. He introduced his self as my relative, as we carry the same surname. As I was not around, he asked for my cp. My wife hesitated but he said it was an emergency.

Then I received a text message while driving. I ignored it as the number was not registered in my cp. When I was in school, I read the message. He gave his name and that he had a road accident in Barotac Viejo; the car he was driving hit a child. I called my cousins to inquire about the name. Unluckily, all the cp I called just rang. No answer. Then my 'relative' called my cp. He sounded calm. I asked about where he lives, and the names of his parents. He gave an address in our town and some names which were familiar. In my mind, he sounded the same as the person he claimed to be. As the talk dragged on, I asked how I can help. He asked for PhP 200 load as he will call Manila and he could not leave the place to buy load. I was relieved. He asked for a very small help. I asked somebody to buy him load. After a while he texted again that the child he hit, died. As I was slow in replying, he called my cp to convey the bad news. He said he was in the office of Mayor Myrna Tupas, negotiating with the parents; and that his lawyer Atty. Gerochi is on the way from the city. I thought to myself, bigtime ang relative ko! After sometime I asked him to keep me posted and hang up. Then he texted again that he needed more load. He'll pay in the afternoon when he reached the city. Nagpasa-load ako ng PhP60, the maximum. Then he texted that the parents were asking money. He could not leave if he could not give. He asked my help. I texted back I didn't have money. But I could negotiate with his aunt in our town.

As I was already at home, I called her purported aunt to inquire about him. His 'aunt' was the first to hint of a scam. I called the hospitals in Barotac Viejo, and the town's police station. According to them, no vehicular accident that day. I texted my 'relative' and inquired again about the names of his parents. No reply. I baited him to reply by texting I have PhP 3,000 ready for him. No reply. Maybe he thought I was smalltime! I was scammed!

Texts from far and unknown relatives asking for help is not new to me. But these are helps of where to go, whom to see, etc., etc. No one asked for money.

Anyway, it was a lesson worth PhP 260. Smalltime. But be aware.

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Saturday, August 8, 2009

Colay C, a certified widow

As a woman, Colay has come full circle – from an expectant wife, to an ecstatic mother, to a doting owaw, and now a grieving widow. She tackles her latest role like an Aquino - serene and dignified in grief like Cory, and radiant and photogenic in black like Kris. And as Colay essays this part with sweet memories of Boy V, her late husband, others look at her with envy because si Colay balo na kag sanda laon man gihapon. (OK lang kon bingkong. Pero laon as in wala gid. Baw, waay gid tanda ka-intindi kon ano sayuron ang sulat ni Shakespeare, ‘It’s beter to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.’ Insa ginpapasar tanda ni Maroma sa Literature?) What more can a woman ask (other than to have another crack at becoming a wife, this time to a foreigner, para iba naman)?

Boy V died of a lingering illness. The funeral started with a mass at 2:00pm August 8, 2009 at the Cabatuan Parish Church. Interment followed at the Cabatuan Roman Catholic Cemetery.

During the funeral, the widow and the rest, were teary-eyed but composed, sad but solemn. These could be the hallmarks of schooled (i.e. stoic) and religious (the dead goes back to his God) mourners. The wailing and the buckets of tears were reserved for the old folks of the barrios.

Indeed, gone were the days when observers would know the kin of the dead by the loudness of their wails and the severity of their cries. Long ago, it was a must that a wife should shout ‘Ilubong man nyo ako! Indi ako mabuhi kon waay ang bana ko!’ during the burial of her husband. A husband should shout ‘Ay abaw, indi na gid ako mag-asawa! Wah wah wah!’ during the burial of his wife, never mind if he was already seeing another woman from another barrio while his wife was still bedridden. And the other family members should resonate with a chorus of ‘Waaaahhhh!’ and ‘Hu huh huh huh!’, or should fall – hinimatay - like dominoes, all these timed when the coffin was being lowered unto the grave. Silence and no tears during funerals of the past meant that the dead was unloved or had left no wealth for the departed to fight over. Had anyone tried to push a wailing wife to the grave? Of course yes. And the wife, standing atop the coffin inside the grave, tersely cursed the pusher, as he could have harmed or hurt the now very angry, and not a very sad wife.





I remembered my aunt wailing as if paid handsomely to do it, when she saw me at the wake of her only daughter. ‘Baw waay na si Manang moooooooooh!’, she bawled as she embraced me. ‘Baw sin-o na lang ka diya ang iba kooooooooooo! Baw ginsilutan gid akoooo!’ I was so carried by the crying that I was about to cry myself. But she suddenly stopped. No she didn’t go into a stupor. She just whispered to my ear, ‘To, basi mag-brown out. I-prepara ang mga kandila.' Then, as suddenly as she stopped, she again went into wild wailing and thrashing for everyone to hear and see.

But today’s composed demeanor in the current Filipina mourning is comforting and remarkable. Widows are in command and very sensible, anyone in black can easily go straight to Michael Jackson’s wake, and announce to all and sundry that she is the lost mother of Michael’s third child, without raising a hint of suspicion. Nevermind if that child has a pointy nose. Anyone can always blame a botched nose job. Uso naman ang kaso against Vicky Belo, right?

Colay was consoled by her classmates.....

The classmates looked somber and condoling as the occassion was a funeral....


But the classmates actually looked more joyous than this as they stifled their laughs when reminded that they were on camera, and they should look grieving, not celebratory as if they had just won in the lotto.

Colay was consoled by her many classmates, as Colay was always present in the wakes attended by the class. It was even joked around that the social life of the ageing members of the class was going to wakes.

Wakes are for mourners. But who says you can’t have fun during wakes? Jokes are the best antidote for getting drowsy. And what were some of the jokes?


The classmates supplied strong shoulders to lean on, and empty stomachs to gorge on the pre-packed snacks for the mourners. They were too happy to have more than one pack for snacks, and more to bring home for their dinners and the next day's breakfast.

In all the activities of the class, Colay had never worn a dress twice. It was joked that she would rather miss a meal than being caught wearing the same dress twice. She was always late but nevertheless radiant on arriving, feeling as if the rains would stop because her outfit was never seen before. At least, by this observer. I pray thee, would there be a sin more mortal than being seen in the same outfit more than once? Or perhaps, Colay knew the guilt and shame Eve felt when, after having been banished from paradise, Eve grabbed for the nearest leaves to cover her naked self; and in the case of Colay, to cover her already-seen-before outfit.

Everyone too was aware of the boring outfit of the dead – in the case of the female, all lacy gowns covering the dead body from toe up to the neck. Could the outfit be more current and jazzy? With voluptuous ladies like Colay, could more skin be shown, with the cleavage and a plunging neckline? ‘Ay abaw, kon nagabatang ikaw, flat ang boobs mo. Waay it cleavage’, interjected Bebot D. But if the funeral parlors can do a respectable nose job, can it be harder to insert kilos of crumpled The Inquirer and Philippine Star to make gravity-defying mounds out of the sunken boobs? For sure, this procedure would ensure no leaks unlike the boob job done in Gloria Arroyo. And while the usual courtesies during wakes are comments like ‘Ay, daw katulog lang’, could it be too much if somebody comments ‘Ay, daw ga-sunbathing lang’ as one looks down on a voluptuous figure lying in state with tanned shoulders, legs and all inside a coffin cushioned with powder-soft Boracay sand?

Ah, grabe. I am awake already. The jokes could be more pervasive. The wakes could be more fun. But who likes to have wakes? @

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Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Of yellow dead leaves and other offerings

Former President Corazon Aquino was laid to rest today. It was a non-working holiday. I decided to start the day with a quick visit to the farm.

It was raining intermittently. It rained hard last night leaving some puddles and broken branches on the streets. PAGASA said typhoon Kiko had returned.

As I drove to the highway, I saw some bouquets of yellow flowers beside the road. I thought parang libing ni Cory. Sa Iloilo ini. But then I saw straight ahead some posts with yellow ribbons tied around them. They were few but they stood out. And yes they were there in honor of Cory Aquino. Who says that only Manila felt the loss? Carwash boys and ordinary sreet vendors gathered and arranged yellow flowers in softdrink bottles to be placed along the road. Petty things from small people, but commendable acts still.

The rains were pouring. Yellow bouquets fell on the pavement beside yellow dead leaves obviously felled by the passing storm. Wet yellow ribbons stuck to the house railings. Yellow torn plastic hang on fences. Some meant as offerings, others were plain dirt. But the Cory occasion blurred the distinction. Indeed, nature and the scum of the earth, too, could mourn with the nation.




Cory's funeral was also felt in Iloilo as shown by the above photos.

I was back home in time to watch the requiem mass on TV. It was solemn and orderly. The subsequent military tribute was worth watching. This was the first death ceremony for a former Philippine president that I had seen. Ferdinand Marcos and Diosdado Macapagal also died during my time. But Marcos was not buried but refrigerated up to today until he gets a state funeral. And Macapagal… well I was somewhere across the globe and I was really not interested.

The funeral cortege left the Manila Cathedral with thousands of people marching with the flat bed truck carrying the flag-draped coffin. It was past 11:30am.

The funeral march and services lasted over 8 hours. And it was worth watching. In the course of the funeral I had eaten a hearty lunch with the kids, some snacks of Skyflakes, and later another hearty dinner with the family. Then I realized that majority of those with the funeral had not yet eaten their lunch. They were drenched and been walking for kilometers. I was so guilty I nearly vomitted.

It was supposedly a private and not a state funeral. But all the trappings of a state funeral were there, excluding a Malacanang wake, a necro program attended by the incumbent President, the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and other government bigwigs. But the absence of these personages especially the incumbent President made Cory’s funeral more memorable and truly for the people, by the people, and of the people.

With a funeral like that, who wouldn’t like to be the one in the coffin? I like to imagine that my funeral would be like Tita Cory’s. I also like to be the son in law of Cory. Watching the TV coverages, the sons in law were regarded as Cory’s royal children even if they could have been raised in less affluent surroundings. I like to be one of the VIPs sitting near the bier especially where the TV cameras were aimed. It would have been a celebration in my impoverished barangay to see one of their own seen on national TV sitting beside those reeking with wealth and power. This feat would make me a celebrity in my barangay worthy to be namedropped, to be taken as a godfather, and to be invited as commencement speaker in the local Mababang Paaralan Ng Aming Barangay. I like to be one of the many who were actually beside the streets of Manila and witnessed history unfolding before their eyes. I like to be one of the soldiers executing with precision all the rituals given to Presidents. I like to be one of the masons in the Manila Memorial Park – that inspite of my humble job I was an important part of the funeral service, as without me the funeral would not be officially ended. And the VIPs could not go home, eat, rest and sleep in the comfort of their beds. I like to be all these.

But I didn’t like to be one of the four honor guards posted beside the coffins atop the flat bed truck. Perhaps, I could stand immobile for more than eight hours. But I was in and out of our comfort room more than 10 times during the length of the TV coverage. And the honor guards could have been inserted with catheters or had worn diapers with their uniform. Whatever way, I didn’t like to have any. I couldn’t imagine what they did after their duty. While others scampered to the nearest food stall, the four honor guards could have ran to the nearest CR. Or the nearest tree.

Astig gid.@

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