Slingshot Journals

Christmas 2011

2011-12-24T20:05:00.003-05:00

I am celebrating Christmas for the first time in a far away land... Away from the usual smell of puto bungbong in the air, away from the sound of little boys and girls singing to the usual Pinoy melody, away from the Titos, Titas, Kuyas and Ates that I usually share the days with. But everything's okay because this is also the first Christmas that I will spend with my one and only.

We usually spend Christmases away from each other. While I rumble with my aunts, uncles and cousins over the microphone of the Videoke playing all night, she is with her own aunts and uncles, sharing a lot of laughs, stories, gossips, and even play games with nieces and cousins. This is the first time that we were together. And this time, it's just the two of us. :) Oh, I forgot. We are three. One is comfortably nestling in Bubbles' womb.

Even when we are miles away from home, we are happy... We are happy with each other's company, anticipating the next few weeks where we will be three. Our first and last Christmas alone. Next year, there will be three... :)

Happy Holidays!!!

On Fatherhood

2011-11-29T22:19:00.001-05:00

Less than two months to go and I am officially embarking on a new road called Fatherhood. Fatherhood, a path I kept on imagining but could not fathom. A journey too complex that no perfect formula exists to go through it smoothly. Since Bubbles conceive our little boy, never was there a day that I ask myself if I am up to the task. I sometimes ask Bub if I am up for it. I always end my reflection with a sigh and a phrase of encouragement, "Of course I can." Amidst the incomprehensible bliss and excitement for little Juancho to come, there is an underlying nervousness, often fear for the task at hand. The last time I got nervous this much was when I was graduating college, thinking about how I could succeed in the "real" world and make good money. This, I think is a hundred times more daunting. Now, a life will depend on me.

While the mother provides the love, the serenity, the order and the light, the father gives the guidance, the direction, the courage, the wisdom. This partnership among shapes the child. I sure hope I give my fair share.

Am I ready? They say that a person has some sort of an auto-responsibility mode, that when you know someone depends on you, you automatically step up. Am I up for it? Can I wake up in the middle of the night not just to take a bathroom break, but to feed my baby in 3-hour intervals?

When Juancho grows up, am I a role model? Would he be proud of me?

While his mother teaches him how to read, write and be an outstanding student, will I be able to teach him how to be a street smart, how to get things done, how to be a good leader?

Will I be able to teach him what's right and wrong? Will I be able to discipline him in the manner most effective?

Will I have the strength to wake up in the morning and take him to school? Will I have the patience to wait for him during dismissal, or fetch him when it is late and he needs a ride home?

Will I be able to provide for his tuition? Will I be able to provide for the college of his choice?

These are only few of the questions that are yet to be answered. Amidst all these concerns, there is only one thing I can promise my boy: I will try my best to give him the best, to shape him to be the best that he can be. Can I do all these? Of course I can. Am I ready for this? I am and I will be...

I have personally witnessed this daunting task successfully done. Thanks Dad! I'll make sure I emulate all the good things you and Mom have shown me with Little Juancho.

Can't wait to see you Juancho! :)

Manny Pacquiao: Still the Welterweight Champion

2011-11-16T21:51:00.001-05:00

As expected, Manny Pacquiao pulled off another thriller of a fight during November 12's Pacquiao-Marquez III. Just like any boxing rivalries old and new, the Manny Pacquiao - Juan Manuel Marquez came in three. And on the third fight, it was still a close one. Though unclear until just before the scorecards were announced, there shouldn't be any doubt after two out of three judges gave the fight to Manny. This should have ended the questions.But of course, just like any other close-call fights, many question the authenticity of the win.

View from our TV

For me, I can sum the fight up to two points why we shouldn't question the decision of the fight:

1. Two out of three judges called it a victory. One of them decided that it was a tie. Nobody decided it was Juan Manuel Marquez who won. So Marquez, why say that you have been robbed? In the first fight, judges were confused on who won, thus a tie. On the second fight, one judge saw that Marquez won. Thus, the split decision. This time, nobody saw Marquez win, and Pacquiao won by more than two points at least for the two judges. Need I say more? Why question the decision of three people who were as close to the fight as possible? I believe we have no right to question the judges' decisions, unless we were watching as close as them in the ring.

2. A counter-puncher challenger normally doesn't work. If you are the challenger, you should show that you are hungry for the championship, and not just wait for the champion to make a mistake. I agree that Marquez is a great fighter, but in this fight, he was cautious, he wasn't that hungry. He must have had a heavy lunch that dwindled his hunger for the title.

Juan Manuel Marquez is a great fighter, probably the best Manny Pacquiao has ever fought. It wasn't the most decisive of Manny's fights, but has indeed brought us another classic. In the end, Manny proved to be the more mature and better fighter, as how the judges saw it. As Dom Toretto put it in the first installment Fast and the Furious, " It doesn't matter if you win by an inch or a mile; winning's winning." Better luck next time, Marquez. That is, if there is a next time.

Hey Floyd, this was a close call. Maybe this fight will give you the ball-boost to challenge our dear Manny. :)

Fall 2011

2011-11-11T22:38:00.001-05:00

My first-ever fall seems to be the shortest season of the year. As early as October 29, snow was falling the fall skies of DC. And by now, we are experiencing a pre-winter temperature, ranging from the high-forties to the low sixties. Brrrr...

The shot above was taken in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. We went there to see its famous foliage in the fall, as the season helps shave off the leaves of the trees. But to our surprise, as we were only going on our second month of the fall, leaves have already fallen, and trees are now on winter mode. There were very few leaves left on trees, and a couple of them we see above.

Is the earth really shifting, or is it really just the time of the century where seasons change and weird things happen?

*Photo taken using Nikon D3100

Halloween Happening

2011-11-02T20:32:00.002-04:00

Bubbles and I experienced the Halloween festivities in Georgetown. It was fun to see all the people dressed in their best costumes of frightening, amusing, even funny characters, ghosts, ghouls, superheroes and even cartoon characters. The sidewalks of M Street (Georgetown side) were filled with people: bystanders, media, picture-takers, and cops. All were having fun watching the characters stroll the street, strut and frighten the kids, even adults. Here are a few pictures:

Man without a face

Their version of the white lady

Truly scary...

Me and my posse

I just noticed that there weren't too many frightening characters they portray, except for a few, most notable the guy who had the mask of Moammar Ghadafi! NOw that was freaky!

I miss the Filipino folklore characters who really give the little kids and even the old one the fear of their lives. Halloween parties in the Philippines the past few years depict these characters real good! :)

Here is a list of my favorite characters that we won't see in a Georgetown Halloween party:

1. Tiktik - I remember my yaya telling me the stories of pregnant women of their village remaining indoors especially when it is near dusk because these mythical characters hover around their village searching for fetuses to devour. To counter these baby-eaters, always keep garlic in your house. Apparently they're scared of sauteed food.

2.Manananggal - Those halflings. Literally. those women who split their bodies in two, where they leave their torso on land as half of them fly and hover around barrios searching for kids and women as food. To fight these monsters, people should find their torsos in the woods and pour salt so that their other half won't be able to reconnect to the torso. Although, folks didn't specify which salt is most effective: rock, iodized, powder, or kosher... And another thing: why aren't there male manananggals? I never did ask about that from these story-tellers.

3. Kapre - These hairy, tall guys give you the scare of your lives especially when you have a tall tree in front of your house. I was just thinking who will win in a boxing match between the kapre and basketball legend Bonnel Balingit...

4. Tikbalang - Our version of the Centaur (only that ours have the face of a horse and the body of a man), stories of these half-man, half-horse creatures are our yayas' way of keeping us indoors in the evening. I was told that these tikbalangs invite children to be with them to their world.

5. White Lady - be careful not to pass by these white women with long straight black hair. They are not Lux or Pantene commercial models. They are said to be lost spirits still hovering the streets seeking justice and peace. The most famous story of the White Lady is that of Balete Drive.

I would to see these Filipinos living here to wear such costumes of these mythical characters... I'm planning to wear the kapre costume but Police might grab me and arrest me for indicent exposure...

Happy Halloween!

The smell only Filipinos can love

2011-11-02T16:11:00.002-04:00

We were given an ample provision of dried fish from back home when we had our two-week vacation in October. We had Danggit, Squid, and Tuyo. I was hoping for a supply of anchovies, or dilis, but mom said they were out-of-stock in our local market. Dried fish has been an integral part of Filipino cuisine. Even if we are in far away countries, we still try our best to have supply of the dried stuff in our fridge, and enjoy them for breakfast, lunch or even dinner. Filipinos usually sneak in a few pounds of these dried fish and squid, cook them in places with very high ventilation and definitely away from the neighbors; or else firemen, or even policemen will come knocking at your door a few minutes after you start cooking.

Not all people smell the same. People have distinct smell depending on their places of origin, even if all people would wear the latest from Kenzo, Dolce and Gabbana, Paco Rabanne, or Brut. For example, no matter how they try, Americans would have the smell of milk. African Americans also have distinct smell. Same with Chinese, Koreans, and of course, Indians. Since we are islanders, people who smell us tell us that we Filipinos smell like fish. Not dried fish hopefully. This is primarily because of what we eat. We perspire what we eat, thus emitting the smell of our food. And it doesn’t smell too good if we work out after eating onions, garlic, and of course, dried fish… gwarrrrkkkk.

A couple of days ago we cooked the danggit that we took home from the Philippines. The danggit was soooo good, having that ultra crispy texture and salty taste. It was to die for. Our friend Aja stopped by to give us our pasalubongs from New York: no, not your traditional Yankees cap or “I heart NY” shirt, but rather two servings of Jolli-Spaghetti and 2-pc Chicken Joy from the Queens branch of the greatest Pinoy fastfood of all time, the fat funny, funky bee, Jollibee. We returned the favor by cooking dinner for her, with the best combination ever: Sinigang na Baboy and Danggit. If we were to be rated by Nigella Lawson or Ina Garten about our culinary combination, we’d be given a flat F-mark for that. But for us, it was the best. We had a hearty, plenty dinner, while leaving our kitchen, dining and living rooms heavily scented by the combination of the sinigang mix and the salty sensation of the danggit. Neither scented candle, nor Lysol can take the smell away. You need a few days for it to just be diffused into the outside air! But the heavenly taste of the danggit was all that mattered. It just gave us a portion of home. We were eating the danggit and sinigang as we listen to how John Lloyd implies that he and Shaina are now separated.

On Tuesday, I agreed that my lunch for the office is the dried squid. Bubbles woke up early that day to fry them, while I attend to my early-morning duties: sleep. I was awakened by that familiar smell, seeping through the tiny holes of our bedroom door. I thought the door was open because normally the smell of the food would not enter the bedroom. I underestimated the power of Pusit… That smell woke me up real fast, as I tried to extinguish the scent by spraying Lysol all over the place. And I was successful. I could smell both the dried squid and the Linen scent of Lysol at the same time. The freshener did not take out the smell, it just added another scent. Fantastic.

As Bubbles and I were walking to the doctor (she had gestational diabetes test this day), I smelled the familiar scent of home. I was nowhere near home but I could still smell that combination of linen and squid… Then, I realized: the smell stuck to my shirt and jacket! Luckily I was able to sneak into the office without meeting anyone or else somebody might have called the cops or fire brigade already. Knowing that the scent of the dried squid was overwhelmingly strong, I needed to do my fastest lunch break ever in our pantry. The squid is good and the smell, terrific. That is of course based on someone who was born and raised to tell that that scent was great. But for a modern American neighborhood, they would think otherwise. :) So I instantly finished my squid, washed the container and sprayed some alcohol and my tummy was satisfied. I won’t do the stunt again, in a few months again though. Probably during the summer so I can eat somewhere with proper ventilation. :)

Dried fish: it surely has that smell that only a Filipino could love. I would love to have a weekly fix of this delicious breakfast. I’ll make sure to also stack up on some fresheners just in case non-Filipino visitors come by (which is very seldom).

Ayos!

A different Christmas this year

2011-10-27T18:52:00.001-04:00

It's just a little over 60 days to go before Christmas. We're stuck at home because Bubbles is no longer allowed to travel, or even move much. She is almost due by Christmas time...

I have to get used to a new Christmas atmosphere. I have to tell myself that this is the new Christmas:

1. There will be no Christmas countdowns by local reporters.
2. There are no Christmas lights in September
3. "I'm dreaming of a White Christmas" has become a reality
4. I no longer need to shout "patatawarin!" to people singing Christmas carols in front of our gate. And for one, we have no gate!
5. I don't need to worry about what to buy for the next category of "Monito, monita."
6. I don't need to wait for All Saint's Day to put up Christmas decors. We only need to put up decors on the 24th and bring them down on the 26th...
7. I don't need to worry about new crispy 20- or 50- peso bills for our "inaanaks" knocking on our doors early Christmas day.
8. I don't have to wake up early in the morning to attempt to attend mass, only to end up not attending because I was too sleepy. whoops. :)
9. I no longer have a 10-day holiday (from the 23rd to the 2nd of January). If I don't work, I don't get paid. Period.
10. I have to forget about the rowdy noche buenas and exchange gifts of Christmas Eve for the time being.

Bubbles and I will get the first hand experience of an American Christmas. It will be a totally different experience, but at least we have each other as our permanent monito/monita to exchange gifts with. And pretty soon, little Juancho is going to be helping us open gifts from friends and family. We'll miss the Pinoy Christmas, definitely.

Advanced Merry Christmas! Ay Halloween pa pala, then Thanksgiving. :)

Vacations, vacations...

2011-10-27T16:13:00.000-04:00

The trouble with vacations is that it goes by so fast, you won’t realize it’s done until you wake up the next morning about to do your normal routine. That is how I felt a day after I took a 2-week vacation in Manila. Short and sweet: two words to describe our stay in Manila.
We have long prepared for this trip to Manila. Ticket was bought in April. Shopping for “pasalubong” began in May. Preparation took much longer than the actual trip!
With all those preparations, we almost weren’t allowed to fly. A month before the trip, Bub did the routine ultrasound/sonogram of our little baby, to find out if it’s going to be a boy or a girl! And we did find out. It’s going to be a boy! And we also found out another thing: the little boy’s placenta is lying lower than normal, or what doctors call a marginal previa. The doctor warned against strenuous activities, including TRAVEL. We told the doctor we needed this travel (to keep our sanity intact), so she advised for us to do another sonogram before we leave, which is around 3 days before departure. On October 5, we did another sonogram to check on how our little boy’s placenta is, and voila! It showed that it has migrated already, thus, we are clear to fly! Amen! Thus, on October 8, Saturday DC Time, we were on our way to the airport. Aja, our dear friend from way back in college, drove us to the airport, torturing herself into imagining that she is joining us on this trip, but only to wake up into the reality that she is just driving us there. :)
And so we flew. At 11pm on October 9 (Philippine time), we gazed at the familiar sight of the lights, that surround the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. We were home.
Days went by real fast. Bubbles and I needed to maximize our time so we decided to take time apart so we could do our individual activities. While Bubbles bonded with her sisters as they prepared for her eldest sister’s wedding, I also made up for lost time with my brother to play with his pasalubong, the Playstation 3. We played until the wee hours of the morning, as we exchanged victories one after another. Of course being an old-timer, I lost more, but that did not matter. What matters was that we were having a hell of a fun time together playing games and telling funny stories. Breakfasts with my parents all seemed so routine, just like when I was still single. Everything was a thing of the past, except of course the fact that I was 10 months married and about to be a father.
We didn’t go out much, we just stayed with our families. Bubbles stayed a couple of nights in our house so that my mom could have her share of pampering her daughter-in-law. We had a couple of homecoming parties, one with my loving aunts, uncles, and cousins, and another with my beloved colleagues from both my previous jobs. We were also able to attend the traditional Octoberfest, and as usual, it was held in my friend Mike’s place.
And of course, we spent a few nights in the hotel, to spend time with family as we celebrate our dear Ate’s wedding. It was a solemn, happy days for all of us, as we witness the much-awaited wedding our big boss, Concep, and her now bigger boss, Bogs. We were very fortunate to be part of the preparations and the actual execution, and also, the after-party. :)

Short and sweet. I never would want it any other way. No frills, just pure family, friends, food, and fun. What sucks about this vacation is waking up the day after it. I am still in the aftermath of that two-week blast. The trip just further stressed my resolve of going back very soon.

Ang Pagninilay at Pag-alala ng isang Batang Batibot

2011-08-18T10:11:00.001-04:00

Isa ako sa mga batang napasaya at napalaki ng mga aral ng Batibot. Ang Batibot: ang tambayan ng isang pagong na nagngangalang Pong at ang matsing na si Kiko, at ng kanilang mga pinakamamahal na kaibigan, kasama na sina Kuya Bodjie, Ate Shena, Kuya Mario, Kuya Dwight, Ate Isay, Kuya Ching, at marami pang iba. Sa huli ko na lamang nalaman na ang Batibot pala ay iyong mistulang silyang nakabakod sa puno sa gitna ng palaruan.

Bagamat ito’y hango sa palabas sa Amerika na Sesame Street, naituro ng Batibot ang kultura at aral Pilipino. Hindi natin maitatanggi na malaki ang naitulong ng palabas na Batibot sa mga batang manonood, hindi lamang sa larangan ng panitikan at sining na Pilipino, kundi pati na rin sa pang-araw-araw na buhay. Siguro’y sasang-ayon sa akin ang mga kapwa ko batang Batibot na hanggang ngayon ay hindi namin nakakalimutan ang mga ginintuang aral na itinuro ng palabas nito sa pamamagitan ng tula, kanta, at kuwento. Hayaan niyong magbanggit ako ng ilan sa mga hindi ko malilimutang bahagi ng Batibot:

1. Isda-da-da, isda – Sa kantang ito, tinuri sa atin ng Batibot ang bawat parte ng isang isda. Palikpik, taliptip, kaliskis, ang ilan lamang sa malalalim na salitang Pilipino na madali mo nang maituturo sa pakikinig at panonood lamang ng kantang ito. “Anong hayop ka ba? Sa tubig nakatira? May palikpik, dalawang mata, walang kamay, walang paa?

2. Balut, penoy – Sino ba naman ang makakalimot kung paano ginagawa ang balut sa Pateros? Eto ang isang yugto ng Batibot na kung saan ang “music video” ay mala-Ating Alamin ni Ka Gerry Geronimo ang dating, na kung saan sinusundan ng camera and mga itlog ng itik mulang pagkuha hanggang pagiging balut, na may background music na kinanta ng batikang mangangantang si Sylvia La Torre. “Balut, penoy, balut, bili na kayo ng itlog na balut…”

3. Mga Kuwento ni Kuya Bodjie: (Ang pamilya Ismid) – Ito ay isang kuwentong ibinahagi ni Kuya Bodjie sa isa sa kanyang mga pagkukuwento. Ang Pamilya Ismid ay isang pamilya ng mga Baboy na matapobre at hindi mahilig makipagkapwa-tao (este baboy). Ang nais lamang nila ay manatili sa bahay at pagandahin ang kanilang nagkukulutang mga buntot. Nang minsang nagkaroon ng sakuna sa kanilang baryo, nasunugan ang pamilya Ismid at doon nila natutunan kung paano makipagkapwa tao. Napakasimpleng kuwento na may ginintuang aral.

4. Ako ang kapitbahay, kapitbahay niyo – Isa na naming kantang mananatili sa iyong isipan kahit ilang oras matapos ang segment na ito sa Batibot. Ipinapakilala ditto ng Batibot ang iba’t ibang tao sa paligid ng inyong komunidad: Pulis, Metro Aide (noong panahon na wala pang MMDA), Karpintero, Tubero, Magtataho, Panadero, at kung anu-ano pa. Magpapakita ng kung anu-anong mga bagay na gamit ng taong ito upang lalo mo siyang makilala. Halimbawa sa Pulis, papakita isa-isa ang kanyang tsapa, silbato, batuta, sombrero. Para makilala mong pulis siya. “Kilala niyo ako, kilala niyo ako, ako’y isa sa kapitbahay kapitbahay ninyo!!!”

5. Pagsama-samahin ang pare-pareho – Isang simple ngunit praktikal na aral na ating nakuha sa Batibot: Ang magkakapareho, pagsamahin. Sa lahat ng bagay magagamit mo yan, hindi lang sa paglalaba o sa pagsasalansan ng gamit sa mga bodega. “Ang magkakatulad ay ating igrupo. Kay saying libangan, kay daling gawin.”

6. Tinapang bangus – Isa na namang segment sa Batibot na hinding hindi ko makalimutan. Pinakita ng Batibot sa kanilang Music Video ang paggawa ng Tinapang Bangus, at kung paano pagsaluhan itong ng mga pamilya Pilipino. Matapos ang kantang ito ay mapapabili ka talaga ng tinapang bangus sa palengke. “Tinapang bangus, tinapang bangus, masarap at masustansya.”

7. Sitsiritsit, Alibangbang – Ang magbarkadang alien na sina Sitsiritsit at Alibangbang at ang kanilang nakakahawang pagpasok sa eksena ay walang tigil na humahanap ng mga bagong kaalaman sa mundo ng mga tao. “Sitsiritsit, Alibangbang (repeat 3x).”

8. Ang bakang si Puti – Alagang alaga naming si Puti. Yan ang awit ng ilang mga batang may kaibigang baka na nagbibigay sa kanila ng tuwa’t saya. Isa na naman sa mga kantang Batibot na nagbibigay aliw at tuwa

9. Perlas na bilog, wag tutulog tulog, sabihin agad sa kin ang sagot. Ba be bi bo bu! – Sabay iilaw ang bolang Kristal ni Manang Bola at masasagot ang katanungan ng bawat batang lumalapit sa kanya. Ang kakaibang malumanay na boses ni Manag Bola ay nakatatak sa aking isipan hanggang ngayon.

10. Teatro bulilit – Ang segment na ito ay madalas kong gayahin noong ako’y bata. Nagdodrawing ako ng mukha sa aking daliri at gagawa ng kuwento at mayroon na akong munting puppet show. Napakagaling na konsepto ng pang-aliw sa mga kabataan. Sa mumunting mga daliri, marami ang natuwa sa kuwento hinahatid nila.

At paminsan-minsan, may ilang mga segment ang Batibot na nagpapakita sa ilang mga katha n gating mga kapatid na Pilipino sa iba’t ibang parte ng mundo. Halimbawa’y ang paggawa ng basket na rattan, at kung anu-ano pa…

Sinong batang Batibot nga ba ang makakalimot sa ganitong mga eksena? Isa sa mga kagalingan ng palabas na ito ay ang pagkiliti sa damdamin ng bawat batang Pilipino. Ito ay nagagawa nila sa tulong na rin ng mga tauhan at mga puppet na kumakatawan sa bawat kakatwa, minsan ay nakakainis na katangian ng mga Pilipino. Sa mga tauhang ito, may ilan din akong paborito:

1. Irma Daldal at Direk – Sinong batang Batibot ang makakalimot sa batikang aktres na palaging nagkakamali sa eksena, na kung saan sumisigaw si Direk ng “CUT!” sa bawat maling katagang sambitin ni Irma? Ipinapakita ng eksenang ito ang pagmamahal ng Pilipino sa sining ng pinilakang tabing at ang pagkahumaling natin sa mga artista. Kaya’t si Irma ang kumakatawan sa mga taong ito, na kahit ilang ulit magkamali ay minamahal ng masa.

2. Ate Ningning at Gingging – Paggalang sa kapatid ang aral na dinudulot ng magkalarong magkapatid na ito. Sa bawat suliraning kaharapin ng dalawa ay palaging nakahahanap sila ng solusyon. Ipinapakitang halimbawa ito ng dakilang pagmamahalan ng magkapatid.

3. Manang Bola – Paggalang sa matatanda ang nasi ipakita sa mga eksenang kasama si Manang Bola. Sa tuwing kokonsulta si Manang Bola sa kanyang Bolang Kristal tiyak may kasagutan siya sa bawat batang magtatanong sa kanya.

4. Kapitan Basa – Ang sikat na superhero ng Batibot, ang pangunahing misyon ni Kapitan Basa ay hikayatin ang mga bata na magbasa nang lumawak ang kanilang kaalaman.

5. Pong Pagong – Ang palaging matanong na si Pong ay ang simbolo ng isang batang pilit tinutuklas ang kanyang kapaligiran. Sa tuwing may bago siyang natututunan maririnig natin ang tunog ng kanyang pagkasabik: Wheeeeeeee!

6. Kiko Matsing – Ang makulit na si Kiko ay ang simbolo ng isang batang mapaglaro. Makulit, matanong, masayahin, tulad ng isang batang masayang sinasamsam ang kanyang kabataan.

7. Kuya Mario – Sino ba ang makakalimot sa mababang tono ng boses ni Kuya Maryo na isang jeepney driver, isang matalinong Jeepney driver. At mahilig kumanta. :)

8. Ate Isay – ang tagapagpayo ni Kiko at Pong, si Ate Isay na palaging binibiyayaan ng himig ang dalawa

9. Ate Shena – Ang isa sa mga pangunahing tauhan ng Batibot, si Ate Shena ang tagapagpayo at tagakuwento sa mga batang Batibot. Hanggang ngayon sa tuwing nakikita ko siya sa ilang mga pagkakataon ay hindi ko maiwasang mapasabi ng “uy si Ate Shena!” Ang ate ng bawat batang Batibot.

10. Kuya Bodjie – Ang pinakatumatak na kuya sa lahat. Ang tagapagpayo, tagakuwento, tagalathala, at voice over na rin ng Batibot. Isa siyang alamat para sa ming mga batang Batibot. Hindi hindi naming makakalimutan ang mga kuwento niya. Ako, hindi ko malilimutan ang kuwento niya tungkol sa pamilya Ismid.

Ilan lamang ito sa mga tumatak sa aking kaisipan nung ako’y bata pa. Masasabi kong bilang isang batang Batibot, malaki ang naitulong ng palabas na ito sa akin sa paghubog ng aking kaisipan bilang isang Pilipino. Nakalulungkot isipin na wala nang palabas na katulad nito sa Pilipinas. Ito ay dahil mas gusto ng mga network na Pilipino na kumita ng malaki kaysa tumulong sa pagpapalago ng kaisipan ng kabataan. Hindi kasi bumebenta ang palabas na pambata, at hindi pinapanood kung ito’y hindi telenovela o nagpapamigay ng pera. Nakalulungkot namang talaga.

Oras na siguro upang ibalik ang mga palabas na tulad ito nang hindi naman lumaki ang mga kabataan Pilipino na walang ibang alam kundi kantahin ang mga awitin ni Willie Revillame na madalas ay walang katuturan o hindi kinapupulutan ng aral. Panahon na upang tumulong ang Philippine media sa pagsulong ng mas malalim na kaisipan ng kabataang Pilipino. Panahon na upang magkaroon ng mga palabas na may katuturan… GMA, ABS-CBN, kayo ang pag-asa namin. Utang na loob, pahingi naman po ng mga palabas na may katuturan sa mga kabataan Pilipino! Aking nabalitaan na sinubukang buhaying ng TV-5 ang Batibot. Nawa'y mapalawig pa ang palabas na ito!

Ako po ay batang Batibot. Pinalaki ako ng mga kanta at kuwento nito at masasabi kong ito ay nakatulong sa aking paglaking maliksi at masigla…

Malamang ikaw din ay may paboritong parte ng Batibot. Maaaring magbahagi sa pamamagitan ng pagkomento. :)

Mabuhay!

“Pagmulat ng mata, langit nakatawa sa Batibot.."

Amigo: In US Theaters 2 September 2011

2011-08-17T11:05:00.000-04:00

It is a rare occasion to see Filipino movies being shown in foreign theaters. And if they happen, Filipinos must show their utmost support! That is what I do as a member of the Filipino community here in DC. Amigo, an independent film about the Philippine-American War is to be shown in Washington DC, Gaithersburg and Virginia Beach on September 2, 2011! It will also be shown in 15 other states in the US!

This movie has a cast of great actors from both the US and the Philippines, headed by one of the best Filipino actors of this generation, Mr. Joel Torre, award-winning veteran great Mr. Chris Cooper and and a roster of Filipino greats like Ronnie Lazaro, Rio Locsin, John Apacible, Pen Medina and Bembol Roco.

I was fortunate to meet Joel Torre in his presscon here in DC.

Amigo's synopsis:

AMIGO, the 17th feature film from Academy Award-nominated writer-director John Sayles, stars legendary Filipino actor Joel Torre as Rafael, a village mayor caught in the murderous crossfire of the Philippine-American War.

When U.S. troops occupy his village, Rafael comes under pressure from a tough-as-nails officer (Chris Cooper) to help the Americans in their hunt for Filipino guerilla fighters. But Rafael’s brother (Ronnie Lazaro) is the head of the local guerillas, and considers anyone who cooperates with the Americans to be a traitor. Rafael quickly finds himself forced to make the impossible, potentially deadly decisions faced by ordinary civilians in an occupied country.

A powerful drama of friendship, betrayal, romance and heartbreaking violence, AMIGO is a page torn from the untold history of the Philippines, and a mirror of today’s unresolvable conflicts.

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I sure hope Filipinos in the area watch this movie and bring with them their non-Filipino friends so that they could understand and learn what history books seldom brings out. It is for the whole world to see that our relations with the US is not entirely a bed of roses, but started out as a thorny one. At the same time, it is to show the world how Filipinos survive amidst the war, and how they cope and learn and thrive in the midst of oppression or struggle.

Kudos to John Sayles for taking this opportunity and to Joel Torre and the entire Filipino cast for masterfully braving this project. Mabuhay kayong lahat!

To know more about Amigo, visit http://www.amigomovie.com/.

God works in mysterious ways...

2011-08-05T13:38:00.000-04:00

No matter how cliché this may sound, God indeed works in mysterious ways. And I do know He is on my side and He trusts me so much. Fatherhood is one good sign that He does trust me that I can carry on my back the responsibility of becoming a parent. So does He trust my wife, to mother a child. And we are, in God’s guidance, about to embark on another journey called starting a family. As of this writing Bubbles is going on her 15th week. :)

Our unexpected gift came last May. I just started work (thank God that I was able to find work early in my stay in DC!) on May 2nd, and Bubbles was busy preparing for her big event, the annual Independence Day festivities. In the midst of the busy schedules, we would also attend receptions, and even watched a Weezer concert! We were oblivious of the fact that Bubbles is already on her way! On the 28th of May, we noticed that Bubbles’ monthly visitor hasn’t arrived yet and we were a bit “concerned” since the visitor comes regularly. Thus, we decided to take a little experiment called the “Home Pregnancy Test.” Never did we know that the little plastic stick could change our lives that day.

I went out for a few errands and Bubbles decided to stay home to finish some chores. I got back a few hours later. As usual, I knocked on the door, she opened, I entered, sorted the grocery on the table, and decided to go to the bathroom. I didn’t notice anything different except of course for having a pail, detergent, gloves and scrubs in the bathtub since Bubbles was supposed to be busy cleaning the toilet. Until I noticed a recognizable plastic stick we both a couple of days ago in a grocery nearby, and alas! I saw two pink lines crossing the two boxes! I then ran back to Bubbles and gave her a big hug as we cried and celebrated the beginning of life in her tummy.

But of course, we needed to confirm it via a visit to an Ob-gyn. That was another great adventure. We were referred by a friend some good doctors, however, their clinics were packed and they are not taking in new customers until later July. So we decided to look for other options. Bubbles then remember she had met a doctor from the Filipino community who was then practicing and knew a lot of good doctors. She called her and she referred a few. One of the names in her list responded and gave us two appointments: one, a nurse appointment to do the lab work, and another, for the doctor’s appointment which can only happen on her supposed 8th week.

And so we came for her first appointment, the nurse tests. She insisted on going there even without a doctor just to confirm her pregnancy from a person, and not just a piece of plastic stick. We went in the clinic, she filled up some papers, then waited. After a few minutes we were fetched by the clinic administrator, telling us that we had the wrong clinic since they do not honor Bubbles’ insurance card! So we went out embarrassed and looked for another doctor. We again called Bubbles’ doctor friend and asked a few more names hoping that we find one that is accredited to her health insurance. Voilah! We found one! She gave two names who are partners in a different clinic from the same hospital that we were in. We called the clinic, scheduled for an appointment, and finally, on June 20th, in the middle of her 8th week, we were able to confirm from a doctor that she is indeed pregnant! Words could not express our feelings as we walk out of the clinic. We are going to be parents! Wow!

The Sonogram day - 18 July 2011

As I said, God works in mysterious ways. My child is supposed to show sign of life on his/her 3rd month. And by a very fortunate stroke of luck, Ichi, Bubbles’ sister was to be in town on that week! And since Ichi is with us that week, Bubbles’ Auntie Chit and Uncle Noy decided to fly in on that weekend too! So my child had an audience of 5 as we listen to his/her heartbeat for the first time!

The doctor initially did a routine checkup on Bubbles as we waited on the reception area for us to be called for the sonogram. We were then called, and I was escorted by Ichi, and Auntie Chit. Uncle Noy waited in the reception area. We entered the clinic and the doctor was surprised to see a big audience for my baby. She then asked a few questions to Bubbles about her weight, and how she felt, and then she asked the doctor back with questions on what to eat and not to eat. I even cracked a joke asking the doctor on what the husband can and cannot eat, which gave her a short chuckle. After a few minutes of what seemed to be the most exciting 5 minutes of our family life, the doctor then brought out what seemd to be the baby’s microphone, and the stage was set for his/her performance. Doc stroke some gel and afterwards stuck the mic in my wife’s tummy. And in an instant, we heard it… My baby’s first signs of life… Rub, dub, rub, dub to the tune of 150beats per second. There he/she was. My baby with a heartbeat…. Tears welled Bubbles’ and Auntie Chit’s eyes, and as for me, I held back my tears but I was bursting with joy deep inside as we listened to my baby’s first one-minute performance. I am going to be a daddy! I am! Yahooo!

God works in mysterious ways. I always tell it to myself. I remember my boss mention to me that somewhere, somehow, there is a laid out plan for all of us. No matter how bizarre life gets, there is always a plan. As for me, I kept on praying that I may be able to provide for my family. I prayed everytime that I will be ready to be a father as soon as I get to be a provider. And there it was, a job, that struck me like lightning and I suddenly felt the jolt of being back to working after a 4-month "vacation." And after a few days, we found out Bubbles was pregnant. For some reason, Ichi, Auntie Chit, and Uncle Noy had a chance to be with us to share with us this joy in my baby's first sonogram. Truly amazing. Things happen and they happen for a reason. They are all part of God's grand plan for us. Truly Amazing.

I thank God for entrusting me with a child, now 15 weeks on the way. I will ensure and am very much confident that I will not let Him down. I will try my best to raise a happy, wealthy, God-loving family as we go on through this adventure called life.

The adventure continues! :)

On the road to Fatherhood

2011-08-02T13:51:00.001-04:00

It’s official! I am going to be a daddy by January! I am lost for words as to how happy I felt the day the home pregnancy test gave a two-line result (yes, it says, my wife is pregnant!). I always pray that I will be a good example to my child and I pray that I am and will always be a role model for him/her. :)

Wheeeeeee!

Happy 150, Dr. Jose Rizal!

2011-06-29T23:06:00.000-04:00

A hundred and fifty years old, that is our national hero, Jose Protacio Mercado Rizal y Alonso Realonda. To friends and family, Pepe, to us common men, Jose Rizal. On the 19th June 1861, never did any Spaniard expect that one man, a not too tall or fair one, a common-looking man, would be born to spur an oppressed nation into fighting for their freedom. Never have the Spaniards seen the potent powers of this short young man from Calamba, that he would be able to inspire millions of Filipinos from all over the nation. Pepe was truly a one-of-a-kind Filipino. The first Filipino, as the historians would say. A renaissance man, that even other Asian countries praise his various works.

After a hundred and fifty years of existence, hundreds of writings and tons of contribution to building our nation’s history, how do we take Rizal to heart? Does he still inspire Filipinos of today?

In one forum held at the Philippine Embassy here in Washington DC, one of the speakers, Trixie Herrera, who is a descendant of Narcisa, one of Pepe’s sisters, talked about her roots and how to “Rizalize” the present and the future. She did a little elaboration on how to go about it, and I agree with her in all of her examples of how to do it. After the talk, I asked myself how can I, as a regular Filipino, “Rizalize” the nation?

Rizal indeed taught us many lessons that we Filipinos could be inspired and emulate in our daily lives. I will only enumerate and elaborate on three. These three Rizal traits I believe, may be used to Rizalize our nation’s present and future.

In my early years as a student of Philippine History, I found myself amazed at how much Rizal had contributed not just in our nation’s history, but also in art, literature and science. He never ceased to want to learn. Even when in exile, he learned new things. He never stopped learning despite having mastered at least 5 languages, mastered Opthalmology, and wrote a few books. He just kept on learning. Here’s the first “Rizalizing” trait I think we Filipinos should emulate: Never cease to learn. Learning does not end in a College Degree, nor does it end in having a child. He who ceases to learn ceases to live. That is one way a Filipino can Rizalize his life.

Another way to Rizalize the nation is to strive to be the best that every Filipino can be. Rizal showed us how the brown race can be at par with any other race in the world. He was persecuted in his early days in Letran and Ateneo because of his color, but these did not stop him from being excellent. Her showed that he could be equally great in the medical profession as he studied in Spain. He showed the world that a Filipino has every right to be great with his various writings and teachings. He showed how a Filipino should stand in the grand scheme of things. Competitiveness, that is how we could further Rizalize our values.

Remember the famous Rizal quote? Who wouldn’t? Every Filipino in one way or another, has come across the saying, “Ang hindi marunong magmahal sa sariling wika, ay masahol pa sa malansang isda.” I myself am ashamed of having written this in English, but of course, the bottomline of this saying is not just the language, but the total package of being a Filipino. Rizal, for one, had many encounters where he was teased and made fun of because of his brown complexion. In his earlier days, he would often get into fights because of his color. He fought for it to the very end. He wanted equality among the white race in the Philippines. He died for it. We got it afterwards. How do we Rizalize the present then? We should be proud to be Filipinos, and continuously work to uplift our race, wherever we may be. Rizal had left the country to study abroad, and he came back to help improve the country. Our OFWs can do the same. Work abroad, learn new things, apply them in the Philippines. Work abroad, gain enough capital, invest in the Philippines, generate new jobs, teach, improve the country.

Some might say that it’s a daunting and very difficult task, but I think every Filipino, in one way or another, can od at least one of these ways to Rizalization. Rizal did it a hundred years ago, when the world was far more oppressing and difficult. In this technology age, the sky is the limit in reaching our potential.

Mabuhay ang ika-150 taon ng kaarawan ni Dr. Jose Rizal! Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

Eat Bulaga's Bayanihan of the People: A Variety Show with Sense

2011-06-27T16:56:00.000-04:00

What makes Eat Bulaga the undisputed noontime show in the Philippines? It's the dynamic trio's wits, ways, and their ability to keep on innovating to keep up with the changing times. This time, they changed from the all-fun variety show into a "bayanihan" type of sharing wealth and fun to others.

Bayanihan is an innate Filipino characteristic where a group helps each other to attain a common goal. A perfect example of Bayanihan, or in English helping hand, is the way we do our outreach programs in times of emergency or tragedy. We saw last year how we helped each other after Ondoy struck our neighborhoods. This and a lot more recent experiences have shown that the bayanihan spirit among Filipinos is still alive.

This is Eat Bulaga's latest theme in its segment "All for Juan, Juan for All." This segment not only gives tons of laughter from Tito, Vic and Joey, and their newly-formed trio of Jose, Wally and Paolo. The new trio are embedded into the communities to provide fun, laughter, and prizes and surprises as they walk in the streets of their target barangay/village. Vic Sotto selects from the raffle entries in the home studio on which house the trio will attack and give prizes to, then Jose and the gang will do their thing, giving away cash prizes and gift packs from their major sponsors. This, alongside life's lessons on how to further their lives are what jose, Wally and Paolo offers to the residents.

The segment does not stop there. Other than giving out prizes, Eat Bulaga also asks from their target barangays. They will ask each of the hopeful residents to donate at least three empty plastic bottles, while falling in a line with numbers. When the number that they were stepping on gets picked by Vic, they will instantly win cash prizes. Each of the people who lined up in numbers 1-100 will each get cash prizes. Eat Bulaga will then take the plastic bottles that they brought to the line, and give them to plastic manufacturers. These manufeacturers will then turn these bottles into monoblock armchairs that will then be claimed by Eat Bulaga to give out to schools come school day. Now this is what I call sustainable and meaningful gift-giving.

Now, after Vic Sotto's April birthday, it has since became his year-long wish for people to give him gifts of school supplies so that they could share it with the less-fortunate barangays/schools during schooltime. And since then, the outpouring of love and generosity among our brothers and sisters showered upon what used to be an all-fun variety show. Eat Bulaga instantly became the official bayanihan variety show of the country. From a simple show segment, this has turned into a successful avenue to help our countrymen improve their lives, and our children to continue their education.

May Eat Bulaga and their crusade for better education be an example to each and every variety show in the country. Never has a variety show been this meaningful. This and many other simple yet meaningful actions make me think that there is indeed hope for the Filipino people. Mabuhay ang Eat Bulaga!

As for me, I thank God that I am able to watch Eat Bulaga even when I thousands of miles away from Manila. Yahoo!

The 2011 NBA Champions: The Dallas Mavericks

2011-06-24T12:24:00.000-04:00

In the end, it is indeed a team that wins a game. This is a tough but very important lesson taught to us by the Dallas Mavericks. When everyone in the team is united towards a specific goal, that team succeeds. As for the Mavs, their eagerness (is an understatement) and longingness for an NBA Championship just simply took them to it.

Each and every Mav had this goal. That one ring to rule them all. Most, if not all of the players in the team reach as far to the playoffs, but failed until this year. Dirk and Jason Terry witnessed how Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat snatched their supposedly dominating regime in the 2006 season. Wade and the Heat came back from a 0-2 slump in the finals to win the championship in 6 games. Dirk and Terry lost almost all their comrades, including their coaching staff. What happened next for them was a series of first-round exits from 2007 to 2010, including a shameful first-round defeat to the 8th seeded Golden State Warriors a year after their championship experience. If there were two players most eager to win the ring, it was these two original Mavs.

Jason Kidd was also an epic fail to win championships. In New Jersey, he won season MVP and a slot in the Finals, but not the championship ring. He was always in a very successful, high-seeding team, but they always come short of entering the finals. He waited for 17 years. He almost joined the ranks of those called “greatest players who never won a championship.” He trusted his comrades, and they trusted his leadership and coolness. At 38, he won the championship.

The supporting cast are no stranger to failures as well. Shawn Marion witnessed how they fell many times to the domination of Kobe and the Lakers. Peja Stojakovic is also a Lakers casualty. Both West-based superstars in their prime, Marion and Peja are victims of championship dynasties. This time, it was their turn to rejoice.

The Mavericks proved that winning a championship takes not just talent, but also heart and determination. They relied on their lone-superstar and leader, Dirk Nowitzki, and when he’s slumping, the other guys stepped up and gave them the needed boost. Players knew their role when they stepped in the Mavericks team, and that role was kept and maintained, keeping the camaraderie and unity amongst comrades.

They had two star centers in Brendan Haywood and Tyson Chandler, and each respected one another so much, they looked so comfortable when subbing each other. They knew their role, they played it, and succeeded.

Jose Juan Barea proved to be a strong replacement to ageing Jason Kidd. When it is needed for him to step up, he never fails his teammates. He had his share of game-winning plays and baskets.

Despite the strength they showed in the season and the playoffs, the Miami Heat, lacked that sense of magical touch. Indeed, the camaraderie and rapport of their version of the Big three: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh was awesome and fun to watch, what they lacked was a supporting cast that could fit in their “clique.” This, coupled with lack of having a go-to-guy among the three, seemed to have contributed to their loss. In late-game situations, it seems that all three shy away from being the main man or the go-to-guy, and the result is a loss by a few points. One should have taken over, but too shy to shoot so he passes to another guy who is too shy to shoot so he hesitates, until time runs out and they lose a game by five points or less. That is one problem of having three Superstars in one team.

They had sensational players in their roster, like the streak shooting Mike Miller and dynamic point-guard Mike Bibby, however, they found it difficult to swallow the fact that they demoted themselves from star-players to role-players. It seemed like they failed to adjust their respective statuses, missing a myriad of shots, losing a few possessions, losing concentration.

Udonis Haslem was their most reliable defender and rebounder, but he can’t be the only supporting cast. Yes, Mario Chalmers had his share of good games and when he does good, they often win the game. However, Chalmers sometimes lets his great game get into his head, forgetting that he is not one of the “Big Three.” The result? Lost possessions, loss in games. And who are the other notable supporting cast? I was too busy watching the big three to recall the other John Does in the team. Oh yes, Juwan Howard is in that team as he wants to wear a Championship ring so he could brag that he’s the only member of the Michigan Fab Five to win a championship. But of course, his pep talk didn’t do much to win a championship.

The Mavericks showed that focus, teamwork and depth are all important components in winning the crown. The 2010-2011 season showed that fusion of stars is not a perfect formula, as shown by Chicago, Memphis and Oklahoma City. NBA teams should rethink their strategy.

As for LeBron, he still has plenty of years under his sleeve. He can learn from his mistakes and focus in the future. Jason Kidd patiently waited for 17 years for a championship. He could probably do the same.

For now, Dirk, Kidd, Terry, Chandler, Marion, Stevenson, Peja, Haywood, Barea and the rest of the Dallas Mavericks deserved the championship ring.

Now, Mark Cuban should stop bashing the NBA.

Pinoy: Maging Tunay Kang Henyo

2011-06-23T11:38:00.000-04:00

When does one’s love for country end? As for me, I have been away from my mother land for 5 months now, and it seems that my new home (at least for the next five months) offers the best and the brightest for me and my family. Never have I seen as much species of birds in the metropolis, ducks hovering around parks without worry of being “Pekinged,” People running and jogging in parks without worrying about their health and safety, parks and monuments free of vandalism and destruction, a totally different package from where I was raised and grew up.

It is sad to see that from where I was, it gets much worse every day. As I watch from a local channel to get updated to the news, I see the current events of a worsening nation. Fishkill, flooding, lack of school supplies and buildings, Kris Aquino quitting showbiz, and many others.

Even when I watch what is supposedly a fun lunch-time variety show, I get dismayed by the fact that kids and teens nowadays don’t know much about Philippine History and Geography anymore. In Eat Bulaga’s segment “Pinoy Henyo,” the hosts give the most mundane Filipino terms, places and people, which I think should be answered in a few seconds. But when it comes to Philippine places and heroes, Filipino kids of today are lagging behind. The Pinoy Henyo game is rather simple. A team of two persons need to guess the correct word in one’s forehead by asking the right questions to his/her partner. The partner can only answer questions with a “Yes, No,” or “Puwede (Could be?!),” until the person guesses to word using those questions. Teams were very good with pop terms like the network GMA’s artists, or even mundane objects like a belt or dipper (tabo). What’s frustrating is that when it comes to Philippine Geography, kids tend to get lost in translation. Here’s one sample:

The Term is “Bukidnon”

A: Lugar?
B: Oo
A: Sa Pilipinas?
B: Oo
A: Sa Metro Manila?
B: Hindi
A: sa Luzon?
B: Hindi!
A: Sa Visayas?
B: Hindi!
A: Sa Mindanao?
B: Hindi!

WHERE ELSE COULD IT BE?!?!?! It turns out that the kid didn’t know where Bukidnon was. Time was up and they didn’t a single cent.

This is a mere reflection of how not just Philippine politics, but even culture and tradition, has been deteriorating. So as a person from outside looking in, I am compelled not to stay where I am, where the grass is greener and the pockets are fuller, but to go back to my mother land in due time and help curb whatever is deteriorating in our system. I feel a great sense of hope and faith in our people that someday, we will once again be Southeast Asia’s Tiger Economy.

As the cliché goes, it all starts with the self. We Filipinos need to learn a lot about ourselves, because the more we learn about ourselves, the more we can brag about it and be confident. The more confident we become, the stronger mindset we will have. The stronger mindset, the farther we can proceed. The technology age has helped us bring closer information, so close that we no longer need to travel miles to visit a library and process information. It is in the palm of our hands. Scholars nowadays use IT more and more to bring information closer to the people. Information is there, all we need is to reach out for it and grab it, and learn it.

The Philippines, amidst its bad news, has plenty of good news to offer, we just need to focus more on the brighter side. For example, our economy grew by a higher-than-expected mark. Instead of criticizing where the growth is coming from, let’s use the information, sustain it, learn from it, and proceed. The Peso is strengthening. This means we should further our business domestically and start becoming self-sustaining. Transportation plans are starting to execute. Let us support it and don’t shoot it down. The more we shoot it down, the more we shoot ourselves in the foot, the more we would limp forward.

So when will I stop loving my country? I say never. I will ensure that my kids will learn and speak the Filipino language, that they would learn and honor the values of resiliency, respect for family, and nationhood, all those that make a Filipino great and unique from other nationalities. In due time, I will go back to the Philippines, apply my new learnings to my motherland, and help ensure that my motherland will be a better place for my kids and their kids.

Filipinos in other countries should do the same. Leave if you must, learn new things, be proud of your roots, go back to the Philippines, help in the most sustainable way possible. How? Retire in the Philippines, buy property, put up a business, teach in colleges, adopt a child to go to college, adopt a provincial classroom or student, respect and obey the rules, be a proud Filipino.

I am confident and hopeful that in my lifetime, I will see a better and brighter Philippines.

American Airlines Stadiums are busy!!!

2011-06-03T13:51:00.000-04:00

It's the 2006 NBA Finals all over again! Once again, the two teams whose stadiums are named after one of the US' top airlines, are back to either avange their defeat, or have a second take over the other. Dirk's Dallas are up against Wade's (or Lebron's? or Bosh's? No, not Bosh's) Miami. It's Offense of the West versus the all-out defense of the East in this year's biggest basketball spectacle.

Dwyane wants to repeat a 2006 championship experience, this time with bossom buddies Chris Bosh and LeBron James, all of which were drafted the same year in 2003. With the help of has-been guard Mike Bibby (he chose to be a has-been by joining this team), loyal Power Forward co-captain Udonis Haslem, streak-shooting Mike Miller and Mario Chalmers, and defensive-minded Joel Anthony, this team plans to gain its second championship since being an expansion draft back in the 80's. On the other hand, a roster of shooters and slashers with Dirk at the helm, 38-year old but still very reliable point guard Jason Kidd, Shawn "The Matrix" Marion, "The Jet" Jason Terry, Peja Stojackovic, DeShawn Stevenson, and JJ Barea, try to bring home its first-ever NBA championship crown.

I am supposed to be rooting for the Miami Heat for I am a D-Wade fan, but this time, I'm going to side with Dirk's Mavericks. Jason Kidd is deserving of a championship crown for his exceptional performance all these years. Having survived a career-threatening injury, Jason Kidd proved that he is one of the best point guards the NBA has to offer. He could still match up with any young point guards of today. And did you see his sticky defense against Kevin Durant? Truly an exceptional player. And for that, I am for the Mavericks.

Game one showed that Miam was a dominant force to reckon with. And this game gave Dirk a series-threatening finger injury, causing his shooting to slump to below his normal average. Miami took on game 1.

Yesterday, Dallas showed that they should always be taken seriously, even if they are down 15 points. I was about to sleep because with only 6 minutes to go in the game, Dallas was down 15 points. I thought to myself, with Miami's big three shooting big hoops this game, looks like the Mavs are going to Dallas with a 0-2 win-loss record. But lo and behold, with just 3:00, the Mavs were able to turn the game around and I found myself awestruck with the sight of the Mavs leading by three with only 26.5 seconds remaining in the ball game, after a dazzling rainbow shot by the dangerous Dirk. Miami was able to tie the game after Chalmers' surprise corner three-pointer, but Dirk once again nailed the final basket for Dallas to take home the win. Now, it's down to a best-of-five series, with Dallas hosting the next three games.

The past two games showed that these two teams will give us an exciting best-of-seven series in this year's NBA Finals. Can't wait for game three!

Moshpitting and Crowd surfing with the Nostalgic Weezer!!! - 21 May 2010

2011-06-01T23:28:00.000-04:00

What better way to jumpstart the summer heat than to enjoy artful nostalgia with the 90's rock band Weezer?! DC was fortunate to witness Weezer play their greatest hits in this year's DC Chili Cookoff sponsored by radio station DC101. The Chili Cookoff was held at the parking grounds of the RFK Stadium, the home of the Major League Soccer team DC United. Panic! at the Disco, Neon Trees, Papa Roach, Seether, Middle Class Rut, and Paper Tongues played alongside the 90s hitmakers. Of course, all the bands did not disappoint as they all played famous hits like Panic!'s "I Write Sins Not Tragedies," Neon Trees' addicting tune "Animal," and Papa Roach's "Last Resort."

The repertoire was perfect! Weezer played famous hits like "Hashpipe, Island in the Sun, Say it Ain't So, Sweater Song, Surf Wax America," and their recent hit "Beverly Hills." To cap the electric evening, they played one of their most famous hits, "Buddy Holly," and the crowd went crazy, as boys and girls ride the crowd surf, others sing along, while the rowdier ones creat mosh pits. Truly and exhilarating experience!

Despite the boring food (I don't really get why they call it a chili cookoff without the chili...) the event was fun and exciting. People, despite having been drunk in the middle of the blazing sun, enjoyed the music and magic of the whole afternoon. I even saw parent expose their children (as young as 12) to American pop culture. And that day, it felt like we were in the middle of Miami beach as we were surrounded by bikini-clad ladies!

I hope to see more bands play here. Too bad the U2 concert is in Baltimore and it happens on a weekday. I hope they play in Verizon or the RFK Stadium.

Go Weezer! Yahoo!

Here's an excerpt of Buddy Holly with the crowd surfers:

Some photos:

Neon Trees

Panic! At the Disco

Papa Roach

Awaiting the Arrival of the big W

"Say It Ain't So"

Rivers Cuomo

Taking their Bows

Couple with friend (candid)

One heck of a good time!

"And it makes me feel so fine I can't control my brain..." --Island in the Sun

"Macho Man" Randy Savage, 58

2011-05-22T17:02:00.000-04:00

The Superstar Wrestler of my youth, Macho Man Randy Savage, was killed in a car accident on May 21, 2011. He was 58. He was said to have had a heart attack episode while driving along the highway near his home in Florida. He lost control of the vehicle and it crashed to a tree.

Randy Savage's superstar days was the time when I still believed that wrestling was true. He, Hulk Hogan, and the Ultimate Warrior were my all-time wrestling idols. It's sad to hear him die a nasty death.

Osama Bin Laden - 2 May 2011

2011-05-10T22:43:00.000-04:00

It's hard not to write about one of the most significant events in world history. The person behind the series of terroristic attacks in the US and around the world, the leader of the infamous Al Qaeda, the world's public enemy number 1, Osama Bin Laden, was killed in an operation lead by the US Navy Seals. He was 54.

Osama Bin Laden claimed to be behind one of the most destructive terroristic activities in history, the September 11, 2001 strike at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. He was also behind other bombings and killings in other areas around the world. Now, he was silenced, killed in a way that he has predicted: violently.

Is the world a much safer place now? Definitely not. Are we still under threat? Indeed. So what now? We remain vigilant.

Bin Laden's death brought as much worries as relief in the international community. At one side, we are happy that he can no longer make videos of instructions to his operators of which embassy, country, or building to bomb next. On the other hand, we are also cautious and afraid of further activities from the people he left behind.

Bin Laden's death was a big leap towards quelling terrorism. President Obama scored big on this one. But still have a long way to go to wipe it all out. I wish we could just all wake up one day and forget that we are fighting one another. But of course, we do not live in a dream.

Blessed John Paul II

2011-05-01T15:27:00.000-04:00

Today marks the beatification of this generation's most-loved Pope. Karol Wojtyla from his Polish roots, Pope John Paul II was officially proclaimed by Vatican as a blessed one, and now lay people can officially pray to him. It is only just a matter of time that he will be cannonized.

Pope John Paul II was close to his Asian brethren. He visited the Philippines twice, and one of his two visits was to grace the World Youth Day in 1996, held at the Quirino Grandstand. Too bad I was not there to see him, but those who did felt like they were showered with love, grace, joy, and abundant blessings. Some of the reporters even got teary-eyed when the Pope Mobile passed by their location. This was how strong his presence was felt during his visit in the Philippines, and I'm sure the same feeling was felt by the people he visited.

Blessed John Paul II, pray for us.

The Philippines in DC

2011-04-27T11:29:00.000-04:00

Where can you not find Filipinos around the world? Much like our Indian friends, Filipinos can be seen anywhere and everywhere. A Filipino became a starting pitcher for the 2010 Major League Baseball championship. One Filipino of four Black Eyed Peas played during the US's most watched sports spectacle this year. "Just the Way You Are" has been sung many times by American Idol contestants, and this song was composed by a Filipino. President Obama's appetite is ensured to be on high by a Filipino Chef. I wouldn't be surprised if there are Filipinos invited to the Royal Wedding. A Filipino is truly emerging among many races around the world.

The Philippines and the United States have long been related in history and development. The US, after the Spaniards have inhabited the Philippines for quite some time. During the War of the Pacific, the US liberated the country from Japanese rule. The US gave the Philippines its independence on July 4, 1946. The US also gave the influence of Basketball, reality shows and Lindsay Lohan...

Washington DC is one of the many melting pot cities in the US. You can see a lot of different cultures from every corner of the city. This is why everytime I stroll the Nation's Capital, I try to see if there are any monuments, objects, signs, or sights related to my beloved hometown. And I was surprised to see that there are places and sites in DC that highlights or mentions the Philippines.

Just across the Philippine Embassy to the United States along Massachusetts Avenue, there exists two (2) streets named after two Philippine places liberated by the Americans. Beside the Embassy there is the Bataan St., while across the rotunda there is Corregidor St. Bataan is a province in Region 3 of the Philippines where the infamous Death March started. The Fall of Bataan, or better known as the Araw ng Kagitingin is still being commemorated in the Philippines until today. On the other hand, Corregidor is an island off the coast of Manila Bay, which was an American stronghold during the second World War.

We have been strong allies with the US during the Second World War. This made us worthy to have our country's name etched in one of the pillars of the World War II Memorial, which is found just across the Washington Monument.

Etched on the "Pacific" side of the WWII Memorial are some Philippine provinces were much battle took place during the war. Places mentioned were Bataan, Corregidor, Leyte Gulf, Phillippine Sea, and Manila.

The name of our country can also be seen in the Korean War Memorial, located on the left side of the Abraham Lincoln Memorial. If we recall our history right, the Philippines sent the 4th largest troop under the United Nations command. Around 7,420 Fillipinos participated in the Korean War. Former President Fidel V. Ramos was among the soldiers sent to Korea.

Various Filipino-sounding names can also be seen in the name wall of the Vietnam War Memorial. The Philippines, just like in the two previous wars, participated in the Vietnam War, which took place from 1964-1973. Around 2,000 Filipinos participated in the Vietnam War.

The Iwo Jima Memorial, or the US Marine Corps Memorial, is located in Meade Street in Arlington, Virginia, just a few miles from Downtown DC. The monument depicts the flag-raising Iwo Jima island, much made famous by the Clint Eastwood movie "Flags of Our Fathers." The US Marines participated in what the United States call the "Philippine Insurrection," a more politically correct terminology for the US regime in the Philippines.

In the Arlington Cemetery, where the famous Tomb of the Unknown Soldier can be seen, there is a museum that features military decorations from all over the world. There, the Phillippines' Medal of Valor is exhibited. I have to brag that ours is one of the most beautiful military decorations. :)

It is also exhibited in the Cemetery the several plaques of appreciation and commemoration to the Tomb of the Unkown Soldier. In 2009, then AFP Chief of Staff Narciso Abaya and Army Chief Gen. Delfin Bangit offered their respective plaques.

On matters of faith, of course the Philippines is famous for being the only Catholic country in East Asia. Here in DC, the Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception houses many chapels of images of the Virgin Mary from many countries. Of course, the Philippines has its share of image. The replica of the image of our Lady of Antipolo can be seen in the beautiful crypt church at the basement of the Basilica.

The paintings on both sides of the chapel were painted by the famous Blanco family of Rizal.

Also, thank God for stores like the Manila Oriental and Fiesta Oriental, where we buy our stock of Stik-O, Lucky Me Pancit Canton, Choc-Nut, Patis, Sinigang Mix, Tocino, and Pan de Sal, we wouldn't have to be uber-homesick after all.

Sing Forever - Bukas Palad US+Canada Concert Tour

2011-04-19T11:55:00.001-04:00

I'm so blessed to have had the opportunity to watch the soulful concert of one of my favorite choral groups, the Bukas Palad Music Ministry, who recently held a US and Canada concert tour in commemoration of their 25th anniversary. Wow, 25 years of lovely original Filipino spiritual music for us to enjoy, reflect on, and pray with. They spent their last leg of their tour in Virginia, held at The State Theatre in Falls Church.

The Bukas Palad Music Ministry is a collaboration of music lovers from Ateneo: Academicians, professionals and students, who wish to serve the Lord and the church by singing beautiful music originally composed by their members. Founded by musical geniuses Fr. Manoling Francisco, Jandi Arboleda and Norman Agatep, Bukas Palad is now on it's 25th year, alongside several volumes of CDs and music books, continuing to serve the Lord and the entire Ateneo community through its beautiful music of praise and prayer.

I was lucky to have watched them here in the Metro DC area. It made me feel so much at home. Back, in the Philippines, I attended 1st and 3rd Sunday masses at the Ateneo, and most of the time, Bukas Palad sings in those masses. Their songs give me the needed atmosphere for reflection and prayer, that is why I always loved going to mass during these days.

Bukas Palad sang around 22 of their famous hits, plus a bonus performance of the "Hotdog" medley. Their singing simply gave me a flurry of goose bumps, plus some moments of tears when Jandi and the rest of the gang sang my favorite "In Him Alone."

It felt good to be in the theatre watching Bukas Palad. For a time, I felt I was back in the Philippines. I was surrounded by Filipinos speaking the native language, and I was surrounded by Ateneans, young and old. And of course, I felt the mighty and loving presence of God through the entire show. The 2-hour event gave me the needed relief, comfort, joy. Indeed, God was watching that night.

I also had the opportunity to meet my former teacher who was part of Bukas Palad. Sir Lui Morano, it was good to see you! Bubbles was also able to meet one of her former classmates back in AJSS.

Bukas Palad also left me with a few lines to reflect on everyday:
In Omnibus, Amare (In everything, love)
In Omnibus, Servire (In everything, serve)
In Omnibus Amare et Servire Domino (In everything, love and serve the Lord).

Mabuhay, Bukas Palad! Here's to many more years of prayerful and powerful music!

Here are some pictures:

Classmates

Student and Mentor

Here's a short clip of Tanging Yaman from the concert:

The Philippine National Anthem

2011-04-18T16:25:00.001-04:00

Why do Filipinos keep on bastardizing the Philippine National Anthem? Some sing like it's R&B, some try to "balladize" it, some forget the lyrics along the way. Noypis, for the love of country, please, STOP revising the national anthem. When you sing the national anthem, always remember that the Philippine National Anthem is a MARCH. It's supposed to be happy. It's neither a Jingle nor a Ballad. It's definitely not a Novelty song. please, sing it right. Also, the title of our national anthem is LUPANG HINIRANG, and not BAYANG MAGILIW. If you guys really love your country, you need to start somewhere. And what better way to start loving your country than to begin loving the right national anthem. Don't try imitating Americans with their renditions of the Star Spangled Banner. We have our law on how the song is sung. And we have a reason why the song needed to be sung that way.

Here are two correct versions of Lupang Hinirang:

Here's a newer video, made by Filipino Channel 7:

How difficult could it be?

I just don't get it. Sorry about the rant.

The Island - Theodore Roosevelt Island, DC

2011-04-15T10:22:00.002-04:00

Another good thing about DC is that you just need to drive a little less than 4 miles from downtown and you can experience mother nature. One of DC's must-see parks is this island-park-trail named after the United States' 26th President. Runners, bikers and nature-lovers would definitely love to stop by and enjoy the natural cool of the island enveloped by the big trees and natural wildlife.

Getting there is not that difficult. Parking lot is situated along G. Washington Memorial parkway. The brown signs along the highway help bigtime. From the parking lot, you will need to walk via a foot bridge towards the island. Bikes are not allowed to enter the island so you have to leave it in your car. or in the bike racks along the parking lot.

I took a half-hour tour of the island and saw how some people would enjoy simply walking along the trails with their pets. When I went there, I saw a family taking a walk with their daughter, about 3 or 4. Perhaps they wanted their child to see how beautiful it is away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Because it is not a paved road, there are some areas where puddle accumulates so make sure you wear appropriate foot wear when you visit the place.

In the middle of the island there stands the statue of President Teddy Roosevelt, who is himself a nature-lover, and greatly appreciates and prioritizes earth-friendly policies during his Presidency.

Foot Bridge

Potomac River

Far View of Georgetown

Theodore Roosevelt Island is one of the nearest and cheapest ways to escape busy DC.

The Eastern Market

2011-04-13T11:21:00.001-04:00

For food and "tiangge" lovers like Bubbles, one will surely enjoy the weekend flea markets of the Eastern Market in downtown washington DC. The Eastern Market is located just more than a mile away from the US Capitol. The Eastern Market proper is open daily, while the weekend markets are, obviously, open on weekends only.

Inside the Eastern Market, there are food stands where one can have his lunch, meryenda, or dinner. One of Bubbles' colleagues tipped that the Market's crabcake sandwich is a winner, so we immediately tried it out. And indeed, it was the best I tasted so far. I also tried their fried shrimps and fish and they were also good. The crab cake sandwich, though, was exceptional. We're definitely going back for more!

Indeed we did go back! When my good friend Jayvee came to Washington last week, we took him to Eastern Market to buy a crab cake sandwich to go so he could have a meal on his way back to his sister in New Jersey. In just a few minutes, he already texted me and provided rave reviews about the sandwich! He mentioned that he should have bought two sandwiches. It was the epitome of the Filipino term "bitin." :)

We'll go back to Eastern Market one of these days to shop for food that we can cook at home.

A few pictures (taken using my BlackBerry Bold 9780):

Hat Sale

Posters, paintings, and all others artistic

The Happy Missus

Cheers!

Reminiscing the Happy Days

2011-04-03T13:20:00.001-04:00

I miss the goofy times with my old friends and family... Sometimes I reminisce those times when we just fool around, crack jokes about each other and about anything under the sun , enjoy good beer and cholesterol-heavy food, just plain and simple fun. When you are about to breach the 20's level, lots of things change around you, including how you handle life and its complexities. This is when maturity grabs you by the balls.

That is why kids of today should cherish the moments when life is much simpler. Take as much photos and savor as much memories so that when the time comes that life gets harder, you can go back to those happy, simple times.

Thanks to the age of online video, we get to store a few goofy moments on cam. Here's one:

We goof around with the incoming bad weather by making a weather report. We almost weren't able to ride our boats because of bad weather and rising tides. Luckily, we got home safe. :)

Here's another one, inspired by the Blair Witch Project:

C'mon, that gave you a smile now didn't you?

Now, on to the happier days of married life. :)

Booyah!

Air Force Memorial - Arlington, VA

2011-04-01T09:40:00.002-04:00

One good thing about being the the Metro DC area is that you have a monument, park or memorial in at least 5 miles of your vicinity. As for us, the towering Air Force Memorial is very visible from our place. But it's only last week that I was able to see it up close.

The structure was huge! it was said that it stands at 270 feet, and resides on the edge of the hilly area of Columbia Pike so that all the commuters and drivers from Virginia will be greeted by this structure upon entering Washington DC.

Here are some pictures (Taken using Canon Powershot A590is):

Address: Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA

www.airforcememorial.org

It Works!

2011-04-01T09:28:00.000-04:00

Once again, the GM Diet helped me cleanse my body of impurities even for a few days. And because of that I lost at least 7 pounds and I'm still on Day 4!

Bananas and Milk... Waaaaaaaahhhhh!

And this is no April Fool's...

Booyah!

3 Filipinos Executed in China

2011-03-30T11:58:00.000-04:00

My condolences to the families of the three Filipinos who were executed today for illegal drug violations. Despite the government's countless efforts to halt the execution, the Chinese government still followed their laws and did not relent. I could fully understand the Chinese government for doing this, after all they have done it several times before, with British and Australian nationals.

It is but a sad reality that those who were executed really claimed that they had nothing to do with the illegal drug trade. Just like many of the Filipinos who wish to work abroad, they were in dire need of work, thus, will do whatever the recruiter says, even carry baggages with contents unknown to them. In the eyes of the Chinese government, they are criminals. But they were, indeed, victims of the real criminals who hover the Philippine streets in the guise of decent recruitment agencies.

What the Philippine government should do next is a major crackdown of drug dens in the country, find all those recruitment agencies that victimized these three Filipinos and close them down and put the owners behind bars.

As for us, we need to strengthen our law enforcement system so that we will no longer be victims of the real criminals. We put the real criminals behind bars, and yes, if possible, subject them to the same execution as what our Filipino fall guys have suffered.

Three Filipinos have died to show that China is serious in their efforts to curtail drug trafficking in their country. But the real criminals are still out there. And I'm sure, they haven't seen even the tip of the iceberg.

Kaawaawa ang mga Pilipino. Naghahanap buhay na nga, nabibiktima pa ng ganyan. Ang sakit isipin...

The General Motors Diet - Second Try

2011-03-30T11:40:00.001-04:00

I've done this diet before and it somehow worked for me even if I cheated on one of the days. On day two, I decided to categorize peanuts as vegetable so that it could maintain my sanity. I also categorized corn as a valuable vegetable so I ate as much. :) What happened? I lost around 4.7 pounds. Good thing I maintained the loss of weight. The first three days feel strange, but it felt good afterwards because you'll feel like you cleaned up your colon. The fourth day is extremely difficult, even if I am a fan of bananas and milk. Here's the diet plan below:

GM Diet Plan

During the first seven days you must abstain from all alcohol. You must drink 10 glasses of water each day on the GM Diet

Day One All fruits except bananas. Your first day will consist of all the fruits you want. It is strongly suggested that you consume lots of melons the first day. Especially watermelon and a loupe. If you limit your fruit consumption to melons, your chances of losing three lbs. on first day are very good.

Day Two All vegetables. You are encouraged to eat until you are stuffed with all the raw or cooked vegetables of your choice. There is no limit on the amount or type. For your complex carbohydrate, you will start day two with a large baked potato for breakfast. You may top the potato with one pat of butter.

Day Three A mixture of fruits and vegetables of your choice. Any amount, any quantity. No bananas yet. No potatoes today.

Day Four Bananas and milk. Today you will eat as many as eight bananas and drink three glasses of milk. This will be combined with the special soup which may be eaten in limited quantities.

Day Five Today is feast day. You will eat beef and tomatoes. Eat two 10 oz. portions of lean beef. Hamburger is OK. Combine this with six whole tomatoes. On day five you must increase your water intake by one quart. This is to cleanse your system of the uric acid you will be producing.

Day Six Beef and vegetables. Today you may eat an unlimited amount of beef and vegetables. Eat to your hearts content.

Day Seven Today your food intake will consist of brown rice, fruit juices and all the vegetables you care to consume.

Tomorrow morning from the GM Diet you will be 10-17 lbs. lighter than one week ago. If you desire further weight loss, repeat the program again. You may repeat this program as often as you like, however, it is suggested that you are allowed two glasses of white wine in addition to the instructions on the program. You may substitute champagne for white wine. Under no circumstances are you to drink any other alcoholic beverages with the exception of beer which is allowed. Any liquor (bourbon,vodka, rum) is forbidden.

Cream drinks are especially forbidden on the GM Diet. You may have an occasional cordial such as creme de menthe or schnapps, but you must always limit yourself to two drinks.

If you wine, drink only wine that day. If you have beer, drink only beer that day, etc. Alcohol adds empty calories to your diet. However, after the first week on the GM Diet it will help your digestion and settle your stomach.

GM Wonder Soup

The following soup is intended as a supplement to your GM Diet. It can be eaten any time of the day in virtually unlimited quantities. You are encouraged to consume large quantities of this soup.

28 oz, Water, 6 Large Onions, 2 Green Peppers, Whole Tomatoes (fresh or canned), 1 Head Cabbage, 1 Bunch Celery, 4 Envelopes Lipton Onion Soup Mix, Herbs and Flavoring as desired.

GM Diet Additional Notes

Vegetables as may be taken in the form of a salad if desired. No dressing except malt, white or wine vinegar, squeezed lemon, garlic, herbs. No more than one tea spoon of oil on the GM Diet.

You have above a recipe for the wonder soup which can be eaten in unlimited quantities. This soup is a supplement while you are on the program and it should be a pleasure to eat. Not everyone likes cabbage, green peppers, celery etc. This recipe is not inflexible. You may substitute vegetables according to your taste. You may add any vegetables you like: asparagus, peas, corn, turnips, green beans, cauliflower, etc. Try to stay away from beans (lima, pinto, kidney, etc.), however, because they tend to be high in calories even though they are very good for you.

Beverages you may consume while on the GM Diet program :

1. Water (flavored with lemon/lime if desired).
2. Club Soda is OK.
3. Black Coffee. No cream or cream substitute. No sugar or sweetness.
4. Black Tea = Herb or Leaf.
5. Absolutely nothing else except the fruit juices which are part of day seven. No fruit juices before day seven.

How and Why the GM Diet Works

Day One – You are preparing your system for the upcoming program. Your only source of nutrition is fresh or canned fruits. Fruits are nature’s perfect food. They provide everything you could possibly want to sustain life except total balance and variety.

Day Two – Starts with a fix of complex carbohydrates coupled with an oil dose. This is taken in the morning for energy and balance. The rest of day two consists of vegetables which are virtually calorie free and provide essential nutrients and fibre.

Day Three – Eliminates the potato because you get your carbohydrates from the fruits. You system is now prepared to start burning excess pounds. You will still have cravings which should start to diminish by day four.

Day Four – Bananas, milk and soup sound the strangest and least desirable. You’re in for a surprise. You probably will not eat all the bananas allowed. But they are there for the potassium you have lost and the sodium you may have missed the past three days. You will notice a definite loss of desire for sweets. You will be surprised how easy this day will go.

Day Five – Beef and tomatoes. The beef is for iron and proteins, the tomatoes are for digestion and fibre. Lots and lots of water purifies your system. You should notice colorless urine today. Your allowance calls for the equivalent of five “quarter ponders”. Do not feel you have to eat all this beef. You must eat the six tomatoes.

Day Six – Similar to day five, Iron and proteins from beef, Vitamins and fibre from vegetables. By now your system is in a total weight loss inclination. There should be a noticeable difference in the way you look today, compared to day one.

Day Seven - Finished off the program like a good cigar used to finish off Victorian meals, except much healthier. You have your system under control and it should thank you for the flushing and cleaning you just gave it.

I sure hope I get better results this time. This time I have my personal nutritionist, my wife. :)

Philam Lifer for Life. :)

2011-03-29T11:07:00.000-04:00

Ten things I'm going to miss as a Philam Lifer:

10. Beautiful free concerts with the country's best choral groups every first week of December

9. Flurry of calls coming from agents and clients asking about features of a product

8. Logging in in the morning. Logging out during lunch. Logging in in the afternoon. Ooops, I missed! Override!

7. Endorsement that comes with a free tumbler!

6. Hosting jobs!!! I felt very much like a pro! Thanks for the confidence boost!

5. Dell's! no matter how they change the name of the menu, it feels and tastes quite the same. :)

4. Mang Ben and his famous fruit stand

3. The long lines in the ATM machine during paydays. Just when you think it's your turn, OFFLINE!

2. Running along Roxas Boulevard's Baywalk

1. My brothers and sisters in this happy family called Philam Life...

Once a Philam Lifer, always a Philam Lifer. If given a chance, I will surely come back.

Spring is Here!

2011-03-29T10:22:00.000-04:00

People from in and around Washington DC look forward to spring time, a season when flowers bloom the prettiest. One of the most talked about festivals in the US held during springtime is in DC: The Cherry Blossom festival.

The festival takes place from the last week of March up to the first week of April. This is when the cherry trees from the sides of the Potomac River, or what they call the Tidal Basin, bloom altogether, a beautiful sight to see for residents and tourists. The Cherry Blossom festival in DC is the closest thing to the original festival in Japan, from where the Cherry Blossom festival originated.

Since last week, the streets of DC near the Tidal Basin are clogged in traffic, people walk from faraway parking areas just to witness the cherry trees bloom. We went to the festival last weekend, and even if the trees have not fully bloomed yet, it was already a beautiful sight. I'll try to go back to when the cherry trees have fully bloomed to see how it looks like. :)

Here are some pictures:

(taken using Canon Powershot A590is)

This year, spring time is already here, but the winter temperature hasn't left! Temperature dropped from a high of 70 degrees during the 3rd week of February to 35-40 degrees in the 2nd week of March. Just when you thought you're back to normal clothing after your annual spring cleaning, you'll then wake up to find out you need to dig up your thick jackets in order to see the cherries bloom! :)

www.cherryblossom.com

I Survived! --Bale Dutung's Porky Treats - 8 January 2011

2011-03-24T15:07:00.000-04:00

Before leaving for the US, Bubbles and I were fortunate to have been able to travel to a few places, including Boracay. One of the places we were lucky to have been given time was Bale Dutung in Angeles, Pampanga, home of the world-famous Filipino architect-turned-chef Claude Tayag.

Bale Dutung, whose name is Kapampangang for "Wooden House," is a famous Filipino restaurant in Pampanga. This is by-reservation basis only, so you need to call up Claude or Mary Ann Tayag to be able to eat here.

Bale Dutung was made more famous by Anthony Bourdain, who feature Claude Tayag, Pampanga, and this restaurant in his show "No Reservations." Thanks to Petite and Concep's rave reviews of the place when they ate here last year, we decided to spend one of the post-wedding weekends with Bubbles' and my family here at Bale Dutung.

Bale Dutung has a very "homey," warm and cozy atmosphere. It feels like you're just in your very own dining table, eating with your beloved relatives. This is because the hosts, Claude and Maryann makes you feel at home at their very own house! Maryann personally welcomes guests, guides them to their seats, and personally gives them the welcome drinks juice with "muscovado ice." This hands-on treatment is part of the entire package.

There are three menu options to choose from at Bale Dutung. First is the traditional Kapampangan menu, which showcases hit Pampanga delicacies like the sisig and kare-kare. Another is the Anthony Bourdain menu, where the guests get to experience the Filipino dishes that were eaten by Anthony Bourdain when Claude hosted him at Bale. The third and our chosen menu, is the tasty, porky, cholesterol-packed 5-ways Lechon menu. Diet and health worries are put on the sidelines for this menu, as we will be placed under a flavorful, delightful, happy lineup of porky food, all meat based on the traditional national food, Pork Lechon.

What is Pork Lechon?!

Lechon, Litson, or Lichon, however way you want it spelled, is the juicy, tasty pork evenly roasted with flame or coal, by regularly turning over the pork using a long bamboo stick and putting seasoning on the skin to give it the right crisp. Lechon is the Philippines' national food and was branded by Anthony Bourdain as the world's greatest pig.

The Lechon menu in Bale Dutung is a serving of 5 different ways of cooking lechon. The 5-ways lechon, plus a flurry of tasty appetizers and capped with native coffee and sweet native dessert, make up the Lechon menu.

WARNING: This is not simply a lunch treat. This is an overall dining experience. The usual time spent for a Bale Dutung dining is around 4 hours, so if you're planning a job interview or an airport pickup after eating, forget it, you might miss it. And make sure the kids that you bring are also food enthusiasts, or better yet, ask them to bring their favorite PSP game just to make sure.

Starters

I haven't taken pictures of the first-ever appetizer served to us: crackers with 3 kinds dip. Just by eating this, I am already satisfied. But of course, this is just 2% of the experience. :)

We started off with Pako salad. Pako is an edible type of fern famous for its uniquely tasty and juicy leaves.

Afterwards, Maryann will introduce the Lumpiang Ubod sa Oriental Sauce appetizer. She branded this as one of her favorites because given that she's not much of a vegetable eater, Claude made sure that she would eat the lumpiang ubod even if it's all veggies inside. Lumpiang ubod is fried egg roll with vegetable and bamboo shoot fillings.

Maryann then served Chicken Inasal with Talangka Rice. And that is NOT part of the main course yet, despite it having a serving of rice. After this, I am already starting to get full.

Chicken Inasal is an original Bacolod delicacy, but of course grilled food is a universal way of preparing food, so they adapted it and paired it with a Pampango-famous Talangka Rice (Crab fat Rice).

We have not finished digesting the Chicken Inasal yet when Maryann got back to our place and gave us a briefing of the next delicious appetizer: Hito (Catfish) wrapped in balo-balo leaf. The taste was very good! This is another veggie-filled food that I appreciated. Like Maryann, I am not a big fan of veggies myself, but these veggies made me rethink my favorites.

The last of the starters is another adapted food from our Japanese brothers and sisters. They served the Talangka sushi, sushi, with a Filipinized flavor. They topped the usual tuna sushi (rice, nori, tuna) with crab fat, and the Japanese delicacy was never the same. Whew! Appetizer lineup is over! And now, the main dishes.

5-Ways Lechon

Note: All of these 5 dishes are made from the original roasted pig, Lechon!

#1: The Lechon Tortilla

The Five ways lechon started with the Lechon tortilla, an adaptation of the Mexican dish. The big difference from the usual tortilla is that it is stuffed with the yummy roasted pork flakes! The Lechon was made into flakes, and made a little crunchier to make it fit for the tortilla dish.

#2: The Lechon Sinigang

Pork Sinigang has been a favorite of every Filipino home. It competes with Adobo as the all-time favorite way of cooking pork in the Philippines. I am a self-confessed fan of my wife's sinigang! What if we turn some of the Lechon meat into sinigang? The answer is for you to figure out! As for me, I have experienced the sinigang zeal, the sinigang of sinigangs in Bale Dutung.

Sinigang is the Filipino version of the Hot and Sour soup. It is a mixture of vegetables and pork cooked in either sampaloc, kamias, or tomatoes. If the Thais have their Tom Yum Soup, we have our very own Sinigang.

#3: Lechon Skin in Liver Sauce

Pork Lechon is famous for its tasty, ultra-crispy skin. As for the 5-ways lechon, this is my favorite part, where Claude gets to cut the Lechon's skin, and people just binge away! You can already feel the crispiness of the skin just by looking at how Claude easily cuts away the skin from the Lechon. Yum! How's your nape, buddy? :)

The liver sauce makes the skin even tastier. This is our sweet version of the American Gravy.

#4: Inihaw na Tadyang ng Lechon with Ensaladang Talong (Grilled Spareribs with Eggplant Salsa (?!))

There's no better way to eat the Lechon's ribs but to reheat it by grilling, partner it with the healthy eggplant ensalada. The contrast in flavor gives you the emphasis of both food, which will make you want some more. By this time, I am now full, but I just couldn't stop eating. One tip in this experience is the pacing. After all, this is a 4-hour lunch.

#5: Sisig Lechon

The original Pampanga delicacy, the Pork Sisig is also one of the many favorite Filipino delights. People would go to Pampanga just to dine in karinderyas (eateries) with Sisig. Lechon sisig is the grand finale of the 5-ways lechon.

As mentioned by Claude in his briefing of the 5th way, Sisig originated in Pampanga, but has been adapted by many Filipino races, and often substituted one ingredient from another. The original sisig offers chopped pork ears, skin, liver and meat filled with pork brain. In the absence of pork brain in some places, some Pinoys resort to using substitutes, like egg or mayonnaise. In Bale Dutung, Claude cooks the bare sisig lechon, and you have the choice to make it authentic by applying pork brain filling, which I did! The sisig is never the same without the pork brain, but of course, this needs to be taken moderately. Attention, 50 years old and up. :)

Dessert

For dessert, Claude and Maryann served old-fashioned coffee, plus a plate of Paradiso, an original homemade dessert made of coconut, yam, egg and fresh milk.

The 4-hour experience is capped with Claude and Maryann's tour of their house, which is located in the 2nd floor of the restaurant. Being an architect as his original profession, Claude applied his architectural expertise in designing a house that truly represents the Filipino culture. And his penchant for antique art gives his home more of the rustic atmosphere, relaxing inside out.

Bale Dutung is truly a memorable experience for every person who gets to try it out. Anyone who loves food must try this out, not only for its good food, but because it gives our culture much more meaning, it reinvents the Filipino food character and brings it at par with the packaging of our Asian neighbors; With restaurants like Bale, we can aptly brag our hometown food, not just for its taste, but for its overall gastronomic value.

Claude and Maryann Tayag, Mabuhay kayo! I pray that people like you who appreciate the value of Filipino food would spread around the nation, and if possible around the world. I hope that next time, a similar Bale Dutung will be put up in Cebu, Negros, Davao, Bohol, Ilocos, and many other places!

I also hope that Filipinos put up decent-looking Filipino-delicacy stores around the world. Ahem, Virginia!

Some photos of the 5-ways lechon survivors*:

*All photos taken with Canon Powershot A590is

Quinito: Yummy!

The Apostol Ladies

Claude with the Lechoneros

Senior Survivor: He Gets to take home the shirt

The Ultimate Survivors

The Reyeses

The Acostas

Joaquin and Dondon

The Newlyweds with Claude

Bub and Pet with Claude and Maryann

The Duloses with Claude and Maryann

Autograph signing with Mommy Es

Roger and Friends - They surely know how to have fun!

2011-03-23T11:33:00.002-04:00

My brother and his good pal Paulo a.k.a. Raker and Roger and their group of teenage hilarious undergraduates are into the youtube entertainment industry! If you want a plain doze of endorphins in your system, don't hesitate to add these youthful comedic amateurs in your profile. Just wait till they get their groove and will soon be one with the likes of Moymoy Palaboy and Kuya Jobert!

Ika nga, "Kung san ka masaya, teh. Supurtahan taka." Kaya Supurtahan ko itong kapatid ko at ang tropang Roger and Friends.

Here's one of their funny antics. A spoof of Lucky Me's Nam-nam. Just by the sound of the soundtrack, it tells that you need very minimal action to spoof it. It is a spoof in itself.

Mabuhay Roger and Raker!

Subscribe at your own risk. The videos are habit-forming. :)
www.facebook.com/rogerandfriends
www.youtube.com/user/RogerRaker

Amen!

EDSA 25 at the Library of Congress

2011-03-23T11:07:00.003-04:00

The Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. is home to thousands of books from all over the world. It is the resting place of original signed copies of statutes, laws and resolutions from the U.S. Congress, which comes from across the street, the United States Capitol. It is also believed that underneath the two buildings is a passageway connecting the two buildings. But we'll not dwell into that.

Just last month, February 23-25, our home country celebrated 25 years of the EDSA People Power revolution. The mother of all peaceful revolutions. The inspiration of countries in Europe and the Middle East. It's been 25 years. See how time flies indeed.And to commemorate this, the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. did their share to celebrate our 25 years of freedom from dictatorship and authoritarianism.

One of the activities lined up was a photo exhibit at the Southeast Asian Section of the Library of Congress. The photos were taken by Scottish-Australian photojournalist Alfred Hardy, who was present during the bloodless revolution in EDSA, and was witness to how the seemingly bloody revolt would turn into a sharing of roses and rosaries. The exhibit ran for about a week.

On its opening ceremony, Ambassador Willy Gaa, in his speech before the guests of the opening of the exhibit, expressed how monumental EDSA Revolution has become not just to the Filipinos, but to many nations around the world. This is why the spirit of EDSA should never be forgotten and the facts and figures behind the bloodless revolt should forever be in the minds and hearts of everyone.

The opening program was attended not only by Filipinos, but also by Americans who were either in the Philippines when EDSA 1 erupted, or they knew people who knew people who were involved in the revolution.

At present, we are once again faced with another revolution. This is the revolution of the disgruntled Filipino. Now is the time for the administration to show what they were voted for. Clean up the ranks, straighten the government, show professionalism, revive the morale of the Filipinos. If we can do this in the next five years, then, maybe, just maybe, we can soar with our neighbors Singapore and Malaysia. Let's bring back the Tiger in our economy. Let's use the spirit of EDSA and be inspired to go the distance!

Mabuhay ang diwa ng EDSA magpakailanman!

Boracay Bliss, January 10-12, 2011

2011-03-21T15:38:00.002-04:00

Finally, after a flurry of failed or foiled plans to take a trip to this world-famous island, I was able to step on the powdery white sand of Boracay on January 10-12, 2011. This was our wedding gift from the Apostol sisters. Thanks very much guys!

My wish of getting in Boracay before we leave for DC came true a few days before my departure! :) I really wanted to get to this island so that I can fully perform my duties of promoting the beautiful sites of the Philippines. It will be quite ironic for me to be promoting the country's most beautiful white sand beach without having experienced going there. I could even imagine the conversations if ever I get to boast the Philippines...
Me: You should try going to the Philippines. We have plenty of beautiful beaches!
Foreigner: Yeah, I've heard a bit about Boracay Island and I heard it's really beautiful!
Me: Yeah, It's really beautiful! You should go there sometime!
Foreigner: Yeah, I will. have you been there?
Me: Hey, look, dinner is served. Let's eat, shall we (silence afterwards, then I end the conversation with a smile)?

Thank goodness this scenario will no longer happen because I can now boast the Boracay experience because I have been there! :) To my Filipino friends: For the Nth time, please don't shorten Boracay's name into Bora. As the municipal government fervently reminds us in its series of stickers and posters, "BORACAY IS NOT BORA." Respecting the name is followed with respecting the place. Amen to that!

I was lucky to be billeted in Station 1, the relatively peaceful and more quiet side of Boracay. We stayed at the Sea Wind Resort. The resort was beautiful and native-looking. I loved their slogan, "Boracay as it should be." Amen and Amen!

The powdery white sand is not an exaggeration. It really is powdery! But kikay ladies, don't try to put any of the sand in your faces. But of course it's a free country. :)

Most of the time, Bubbles and I would walk towards station 2 to eat and see the beautiful sights. We were amazed to see that the tourist population on this time of the year is higher on foreign tourists than local ones.

It's good to see that hawkers and vendors have good business, and they adjust to their market. When they see foreign tourists, they shout "Sir, you want to ride the banca, go snorkeling? how about massage, do you want massage?" And when they see local tourists, they shout in native language. When we passed by one of the restaurants, a masseuse shouted at me and said "Boss, masahe gusto mo?" And when she turned to Bubbles, she also offered her, "Ma'am do you want massage ma'am?" Ouch... Key learning is that our vendors are flexible with the type of people they meet and greet. Ouch again...

One good thing about Boracay is that it is like a beachside mall, where you get the perks of a mall, while enjoying the warm sun and the beautiful waves. You can even see a branch of the overpriced slippers of All Flip-Flops in Station 2! We ate at Mañana for lunch and Don Vito for dinner on Day 1. We missed eating liempo at beachside so we decided to eat at Gerry's for lunch on Day 2. For dinner, we ate the great Ilonggo meal, La Paz Batchoy at Deco's in Station 3. All the places we've eaten at served great food! My favorite was Deco's original La Paz Batchoy. Solb!

Boracay is also a place for lovebirds who escape from their busy routines of work. Some couples, though, want to show to the world that they ARE couples by wearing the same piece of clothing. Kudos to couples who got the guts to were his and hers clothing! But what I don't understand is how they can wear his and hers JACKET in the hot weather of Boracay?! I must write this amazing information to Ripley's.

Good thing I was able to see Boracay in time. I just hope that when I come back, the beauty of the beach and the cleanliness of the island is restored even if there is garbage accumulated everyday. I hope that Boracay will remain to be the premiere island paradise even in the years to come.

There are still a lot of places to see in the Philippines. When I come back, my journey to the other 7,000 islands will continue.

Old Town Alexandria, VA

2011-03-17T11:17:00.002-04:00

There's no better way to spend Valentine's Day than a date with your one and only? And this year, we did our first out-of-the-country date. Obviously because we ARE out of the country!!! We spent our first February 14 as a married couple in Old Town Alexandria. Not that we do celebrate Valentine's Day, but it was coincidental that that day she was free to go out that day. It was also fortunate for us because amidst the winter chill, February 14 in Virginia is extraordinarily warm. It was around 70degrees that day.

King Street Station (Blackberry Bold 9780)

Old Town Alexandria is just a few stations away from our place via Metro. After getting off at the King Street stop (also famous for the George Washington Masonic Memorial), you take a FREE trolley ride to tour the King Street. You can also decide to take a walk if you wish to experience the cobblestone sidewalks and the quaint feel. Should you decide to take the trolley, it will drive you to King Street, up until it reaches the harbor. You can sit and relax at the harbor, where you can see the beautiful view of the Potomac River and take pictures of ducks and seagulls.

Old Town Harbor (Canon Powershot A590is)

Bubbles and I stayed a few minutes at the harbor. After that, our stomachs called for our departure. We headed for King Street again to eat lunch. Old Town offers a number of restaurants, pubs, ice cream shops, antique stores (not for eating) and other places where people can shop and dine. We decided to dine in the Fish Market. Why Fish Market? We got intrigued by the Lobster Pasta in its menu. :)

Because it was Valentine's Day, most restaurants offer good-for-two packages for lunch and dinner. But we did chose not to take on those offers. So we ordered a different set of menu. We got the Neptune Salad and of course, the reason for us choosing this place, the Lobster Pasta. We split the orders so the pictures taken were just half of the size of the serving.

Neptune Salad

Lobster Pasta

The Neptune Salad was a treat and the Lobster Pasta was even better! The Neptune Salad's combination of vergetables and crab cakes were fantastic, while the Lobster Pasta's creamy sauce makes you want to ask for more. But of course, reality check would make you think twice as the cream base and the meat would definitely give you extra miles of running. :)

After lunch, we took a stroll at King Street and other side streets with old-style houses and roads. It was beautiful, the only thing lacking were horses in carriages and men in old civil war uniform.

Old Town Alexandria was witness to the American Civil War, and people and the government made sure that the structures and roads remain the same. We walked towards the visitor center, a house which was the oldest in Old Town.

We walked a few more streets and found a lot of picture-worthy structures and sights. :)

Cobblestones (Canon Powershot A590is)

River Tours (Canon Powershot A590is)

Old Gazette House

Restored Old House

My first time at Old Town was fun! Thanks to Bubbles for taking me here. We're definitely going back soon and will try the other restaurants and taverns.

Remember 031111

2011-03-16T11:16:00.002-04:00

A magnitude 9.0 earthquake will go down in history as one of this generation's strongest, most devastating earthquakes. MY hear goes out to our Japanese brothers and sisters whose houses, livelihood, lives were destroyed by the 9.0 magnitude earthquake that struck the eastern waters on March 11. I pray that you will recover fast, that the world will conspire to bring you back on your feet, that this will be the last of the flurry of strong earthquakes of the century.

Just a month back, New Zealand's Christchurch area was struck with an equally destructive earthquake. I hope Japan's is the last of the wave...

Next problem is the radiation. I hope it get;s contained in time. And doomsayers, rumor-mongers, and stupid Twitter-writers, stop making unfounded, stupid, irresponsible comments on the internet, or via text messaging. The world is already in much stress. Don't make it worse. You should just stick to rumor stories on Charlie Sheen, KC and Piolo, or President Noy's love life! Stop making baseless stories (or even jokes!) on very serious matters like this.

The video below was from www.youtube.com, a footage from the media outfit Al-Jazeera.

Following Robert Langdon's Lost Symbol

2011-03-15T10:19:00.009-04:00

Dan Brown's latest novel, The Lost Symbol, is another treat for readers who are up for another Robert Langdon action-packed mystery thriller. This is Brown's third installment to the Langdon series, following major hits Angels and Demons, and my favorite The Da Vinci Code. Both have already been turned into movies starring Tom Hanks.

Angels and Demons highlighted the beautiful Italy and Vatican City, while The Da Vinci Code focused on the beautiful sights of Paris. This time, Brown set another thriller in the Nation's Capital, Washington D.C. Thanks to my buddy, Do who urged me to read the novel because I live in DC, I am able to further appreciate this lovely city. Now, I can go to the real places where Dan Brown imagined it to have happened.

So far, I have been to some of the places. :) As I read on, I'll try to get to all the places where Langdon went. :)

Here are some of the places, sights and fixtures mentioned in the book:

The United States Capitol. I haven't seen the Rotunda though. Soon, I hope. :) (Canon Powershot A590)

George Washington as Zeus. Mentioned in Chapter 21. Can be seen at the Smithsonian Institution American History Museum (Kodak Easyshare M341)

The Library of Congress. Langdon and Capitol Architect Warren Bellamy ran to this building via an underground passageway from the US Capitol. Chapter 43. (Kodak Easyshare M341)

A specimen of an orchid located in the Jungle of the US Botanic Garden. Warren Bellamy was captured and taken to this place, just a few feet from the Capitol. (Canon Powershot A590)

The Washington National Cathedral. "A refuge containing ten stones from Mount Sinai, one from heaven itself, and one with the visage of Luke's dark father." Dean Galloway's clue for Langdon and Katherine Solomon as their meeting place for safety and sanctuary. Haven't seen Darth Vader's gargoyle because according to the Cathedral website, it is located way up the northwest tower. Chapter 79. (Canon Powershot A590)

George Washington Masonic Memorial, King Street, Alexandria, VA. Agent Simkins was tipped by the cab driver that Langdon and Solomon were to go here to look for clues in the Masonic Memorial. Chapter 78 (Blackberry Bold 9780)

I have yet to finish the book and go to the other places that were described. There are indeed a lot of things to see in DC, and the book helped me a lot in appreciating these places more.

Now, back to my reading...

The Arlington Cemetery - A Place of Heroism and Nationalism

2011-03-05T21:26:00.005-05:00

The Arlington Cemetery is one of the few famous sights to see in the District of Columbia - Virginia area. It has its own stop by Metro subway system so that travelers and tourist can easily visit the area. Entrance is free, but of course travelers with vehicles would have to settle for pay parking areas.

The Arlington Cemetery is final resting place to many heroes of all wars that the United States have fought, from the Civil War, to the First and Second World War, up to the most recent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. It is also the final resting place of former Supreme Court Justices, anden Presidents. One of the most visited burial sites in Arlington is the Kennedy's. President John F. Kennedy, former first lady Jacqueline, and Former Senators Robert and Ted all lie in Arlington Cemetery, as well as President William H. Taft. Pierre Charles L'Enfant, the famous architect of Washington, D.C. was also buried in Arlington.

Arlington House, 1864

JFK and the Eternal Flame

The Arlington Estate, Overlooking the District of Columbia

Another highlight of the Arlington tour is the hourly changing of the guard in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The Tomb of the Unknown soldier remembers Americans who fought war but were never found or identified. They may have not been identified, but their heroism, courage, nationalism and loyalty will always be remembered. On the tombstone, it is written: "Here rests in Honored Glory an American Soldier, known but to God."

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

A soldier guards the tomb all day as a sign of their eternal gratitude to the unknown soldier's courage and loyalty. The guard is changed every hour in beautiful military honors.

This is another thing that America does best. They honor greatly their beloved warriors, their freedom fighters by presenting them with great tributes, with monuments, with remembrances. Americans in the future generations will always remember how their soldiers fought for freedom, liberation, and peace, even not of their own.

It is time for us Filipinos to do the same. Our countrymen have fought and died to restore freedom and independence, from the Spanish to American to Japanese eras. And even until today, our beloved soldiers are fighting to restore peace and order in the war-torn South. It is time for us to honor their bravery just like how other nations like America values their freedom fighters. As I watch the changing of the guards in Arlington, I remember my fellow countrymen, our dear soldiers who fought and died in many of our wars, even in the wars not of our own. They fight to the death even with little or no ammunition, but their triumphs are seldom heard in the metropolis.

It is time for government to remind the Filipino people that we are safe and secure because of these uniformed men and women. This can happen in the form of a monument or shrine, but also in the form of monetary reward, like simply buying new sets of boots without "conversion" or corruption, or simply increasing the soldiers' hazard pay in battle. Or how about minimized corruption in the military? That would boost military morale and courage.

This one goes out to my Filipino brothers and sisters in the field, fighting to maintain the peace and security of the general population. You are the true heroes of the country, and not those generals living in lavish subdivisions with wives "allegedly" buying houses and lots in other parts of the world. You make us civilians proud.

Awoo!

The Subaru Forester

2011-03-02T10:16:00.004-05:00

Bubbles and I were researching the right vehicle that suits to our lifestyle and needs here in The Nation's Capital. Of course, there are a lot of things to consider in buying a new car, and for us, these are the most important:

1. Space - Since we will be expecting visitors from the Philippines, we need a big space for luggages and, possibly, balikbayan boxes with all Filipino goodies! :) This means that we need compartment space, thus we decided to go for an SUV.

2. Fuel efficiency - Despite considering an SUV, which normally consumes more gas than sedans, we are looking at a Sport Utility Vehicle with better fuel economy than luxury gas-guzzlers

3. Road Safety - In a four-season state like Virginia, there comes a time when blizzards strike, so we need a vehicle that can withstand inclement weather like 6-8 inches of snow.

4. Price - There are plenty of SUVs to choose from and of course we consider the best value for money.

5. Comfort - We want a vehicle that is warm in the cold winter and cool in the warm summer. Along with good baggage space, passenger space should also be good.

I did a lot of web browsing and reading, I even read the Special Edition of Consumer Reports Best Cars. Based on most websites, and even friends we talked with here, we needed to narrow down our choices to at most 5. So that's just what we did. From a flurry of at least 10 small SUVs, we narrowed down to 5 models: Kia Sorento, Jeep Liberty, Honda CR-V, Toyota Rav-4, and Subaru Forester. With the help of some friends, we took a look at these cars in the nearest dealers, compared prices and features, even compared agents and sellers. From the 5, we further narrowed it to three: The Forester, the CR-V and the RAV-4. Here is what car critics said about these three (based on Consumer Reports Magazine):

CR-V

The Good:

Transmission, handling, braking, rear seat, controls, access, reliability

The Bad:

Road Noise

RAV4

The Good:

Agility, fuel economy, rear-seat room, access, controls, reliability

The Bad:

Thigh support for tall drivers (ahem!), side-hinged tailgate requires lots of room to open

Forester

The Good:

Fuel economy, ride, handling, rear seat, visibility, driving position, controls, access, crash-test results, reliability

The Bad:

Driver's seat lumbar support

From the reviews, it is a three-way tie among our three choices. This means that we needed to resort to another consideration, the price. Just by comparing prices online, it seems that the RAV4 is the priciest of the three, followed by CR-V, then the Forester.

What was the tipping point in choosing the right ride? I don't really have a very clear idea. Going to the Subaru dealer just felt right, and the agent we talked with was a kababayan. With this, it seems like the Forester became the runaway winner. Of course because he was a kababayan, he gave us the best deal for the Forester.

Looking at it on a more serious note, we did consider the Forester for several reasons:

1. The Forester offers the All-wheel drive (AWD) at all trims, even the base product. The base product for the two other brands give a front wheel drive at base.

2. The Forester seems to give more of the needed baggage space. It felt more roomy inside

3. The Forester was given excellent, if not the highest remarks among small SUVs

4. It seemed that the Forested gives the greatest value for money.

After much consideration, scrutiny, and prayers, we decided to purchase the 2011 Subaru Forester 2.5x Premium, with all weather package. The all-weather package offers heated seats, wiper deicers, automatic seats, and all-weather tires and mats.

With these features, plus excellent service from the guys in Subaru, we were truly satisfied.

Automatic Transmission

Automatic light-adjustment mirrors, compass. And of course, a rosary for guidance and protection

Dash Board

Metallic Gray

Spacious

The National Mall and Smithsonian Institute

2011-02-24T08:23:00.007-05:00

Being a Filipino, I am used to the Mall that we have in the Philippines: restaurants, department stores, boutiques, gift shops, cinemas. Here in DC, the Mall is none of what we know about malls. It is a long stretch of land surrounded by Smithsonian Museums. It is in the East wing of the 4-sided sights of the DC area. On the leftmost portion of the Mall is the Washington Monument, while in the right, you will see the towering beauty of the Capitol.

View from the Mall

The Smithsonian Institution's 19 museums are the major sights to see in the mall. Whether you're fascinated in American History, art, archaeology or space, Smithsonian offers a museum that best fits your taste. So far, I have seen 4 out of its 19, and I shall try to visit all these museums in my stay here in DC.

According to the Smithsonian, before anything else, a visitor should plan his visit to the museums by visiting the Smithsonian Castle first to get the necessary maps and tourist guides.

The Smithsonian Castle

So far I have visited The American History Museum, Freer and Sackler Galleries, and Air and Space Museums. As to why I decided to tour these museums first, I have absolutely have no idea. :)

Some pictures:

The National Mall's left end: Washington Monument

The Other Side: The U.S. Capitol Building

Can Mosley survive the Pacman?

2011-02-24T08:01:00.004-05:00

No he can't. Six year ago, maybe... Now, he won't last the entire match. Unless of course our dear Manny Pacquiao the merciful will take it easier than usual because he knows that his opponent is not worth the beating. Everybody knows this, even their promoter Bob Arum.

This fight is not worth it. A lot of people know that. They don't even trash talk! The impact? Lower ticket sales, lower pay-per-view sales, but still, more money for the boxers and the promoters. Overall, a boring fight. But of course Manny will still give it his all for show and for millions of his fans in the Philippines and around the world. He will take this to heart and will once again prove that he is the greatest fighter of this generation. And of course, Floyd will keep on hiding, dodging, and will use all alibis necessary to keep away from a "1" in his loss record. I think I heard a chicken cock. :)

On to retirement, Manny. Please please please... Just train new boxers. Boxers that will give us an olympic gold.

Wedding at a Glance

2011-02-17T11:36:00.005-05:00

I just can't get over my wedding day. And so does my lovely wife. That is why I decided to edit my wedding video into a 4-minute featurette. :) I used Owl City's Fireflies as background music because somehow, this song reminds Bubbles of the beautiful 6 weeks stay in the Philippines to prepare for our wedding. Here's the video:

"I'd like to make myself believe
That planet Earth turns slowly
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay
Awake when I'm asleep
'Cause everything is never as it seems." --Fireflies

Black Eyed Peas in Super Bowl XLV

2011-02-07T09:52:00.002-05:00

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xgx3ud_black-eyed-peas-slash-usher-medley-live-superbowl-2011-bmf_music
Uploaded by BlakMusicFirst. - Explore more music videos.

Mabuhay ka Apl de Ap!

Superbowl XLV - 6 February 2010

2011-02-06T21:56:00.002-05:00

One must-see event here is the much-awaited Super Bowl event. Now on its 45th season, the Super Bowl has been the most watched sport and TV event in the US. The sport makes Americans stay home, makes advertisers spend millions more to have a slot, makes all shows get a least a word "Super Bowl" into their scripts.

For someone who has come from a country that appreciates only one team sport, basketball, I get fascinated with Americans' love for all sports, and the great American sport, their favorite. The Super Bowl's effect on roads, media and groceries, is very much similar to our craziness over Manny Pacquiao's titles fights.

Amidst the Super Bowl mania, I am proud to say that one Filipino stood in the middle of the capacity crowd, entertaining hundreds of thousands in the field, and hundreds of millions watching from around the world. The Black Eyed Peas performed during the Super Bowl half time show, which gave the crowd the needed boost of energy and excitement! Apl de Ap, we Filipinos are so proud of you! :) Mabuhay ka!

Congratulations to the Green Bay Packers fans for an entertaining Super Bowl XLV! Congrats also to the Pittsburgh Steelers for making it this far. Too bad, they came a bit short in getting the Lombardi trophy.

Now, I have to explain a bit further to my wife how American Football works...

Cheers!

Ben's Chili Bowl

2011-02-03T20:44:00.006-05:00

Another famous eatery here in Metro DC is Ben's Chili Bowl. This is just a few stations away by Metro train from where I live, located at 1213 U St, NW Washington DC. I was fortunate to have been introduced to its world-famous half-smoked chili dog.

The Half-smoked chili dog gives you the needed juiciness of the hotdog, and the spicy kick of the chili sauce! Coupled with chili cheese fries and you're up for a delicious spicy treat! You really can't eat just one hotdog! Of course, I resisted and ate just one to avoid extra calories and pounds... Whew!

Chili Cheese Fries

Half-Smoked Chili Dog

Ben's Chili has been Washington's premiere chili dog place since 1958. According to its cashier signs, Bill Cosby and the Obama family eat there for free! I wish I could be in that list. :)
http://www.benschilibowl.com/ordereze/Content/2/Summary.

Ray's Hell Burger - January 29, 2010

2011-02-02T12:02:00.007-05:00

One good thing about being in DC is that you get to eat in places where President Obama eats or has eaten!

Bubbles and I, along with our friends Jun and Kathy, were able to visit Ray's Hell Burger, a small burger joint just around the Arlington area. Ray's Hell Burger is always packed with people who want to grab a bite of this juicy, succulent, great-tasting burger. Coupled with its reasonable price, I can see the reason for the long lines.

On June 2010, President Obama treated Russian President Dimitri Medvedev to a traditional American lunch in this small burger joint during the latter's visit to the United States.

From the pictures it seemed that they both had fun eating at Ray's. :)

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/06/obama-medvedev-chow-down-at-ra.html

I ordered the usual burger, add on Mozzarella and free add ons mushroom, tomatoes and lettuce. My patty was done medium well so we needed to wait for 15-20 minutes. This "have it your way" style makes every burger individually interesting, depending on what you put on it. Unlike traditional "to go" orders, Ray's hell burger gives you the freedom to pack your own burgers to take out after they serve it to you. According to them, this is to ensure that you got the burger you wanted. They have lots of condiments, from ketchup to mayo to several kinds of mustard, to cajun.

I'll soon try other historical sites, eateries and landmarks here in Metro DC. I got plenty of time to do so. :)

Mga Pagninilay sa aking unang linggo

2011-01-31T08:27:00.004-05:00

Bilang isang Pilipino, marami na tayong nakagawian, nakasanayan at nakalakihan. Kapag ikaw ay mappadpad sa banyagang lugar tulad ng Estados Unidos, may mga bagay na maninibago ka at maiiba ang pananaw mo.

Mga nakakapanibagong bagay sa aking pangingibang bansa:

10. You're sooooo wired! - May internet kahit saan ka magpunta at mura ito! Ehem, Smart, Globe. Itigil na ang monopolistic capitalism ng Telco at tumapat na kayo sa bilis ng mundo!

9. NLEX is the normal highway - Ang normal na highway ay mukhang NLEX/SCTEX palagi. Kaya palaging mabilis ang biyahe.

8. Have it your way all the time - Karamihan sa mga fastfood ay drink all you can ang sodas at iced tea. Wala naman akong nakikita ditong mga Amerikanong nagdadala ng Coleman at pinupuno ang mga ito. Malamang kaya hindi ito naaalis sa mga fastfood hindi katulad ng Burger King sa Pinas.

7. Rewards here and there - Lahat ng department store, bookstore, appliance store, may kanya-kanyang rewards and loyalty program. Meron silang card copy, at keychain copy na kung saan yung card puwede mo ikabit sa keychain nang hindi mo makalimutan ang rewards! At ang masaya diyan, ang rewards card ay libre! Ehem, SM Advantage.

6. Pareho ang paraan ng pagbili ng Potato Chips at 40" LED TV - Paano? Hanapin ang gustong brand, ilagay sa Cart, bayaran, ilagay sa Kotse. Tapos. Testing? Ikaw magtesting sa bahay, bahala ka sa buhay mo!!!
5. Ang yebe ay nakakatuuwa lamang kung tapos na ang snow storm. Kapag na

4. Hindi banidoso ang pagkakaroon ng skin treatment process - Dati, pagkatapos ko maligo, pabango lang puwede na. Dahil sa lamig at dryness ng panahon, kailangan ko na maglagay ng oil para uminit ang likod, lotion para sa dryness, lip balm para sa chapped lips, enhancer para sa dry skin... Mula 15-minute baths, doble na ang oras ng ligo ko. hehehe

3. Mahilig sila sa Malalaking bagay! - Ang Supermarket na Costco ay isang wholesale store na nagbebenta ng mga produktong hindi mo akalain may ganung kalaking size. Dito ka makakakita ng MALAKING Tide, MALAKING Potato Chips, MALAKING tissue. Lahat MALAKI!

2. Consumer-centric ang mga tindahan dito - Pag hindi mo trip ang produktong binili mo, ibalik mo within the store's return time. At most 30 days yun. Ibabalik nila bayad mo! Hindi uso ang "NO RETURN, NO EXCHANGE" dito. :)

1. Clean as you go - Sa fastfood, hindi puwede iwan mo ang mnesa mo na marumi at may lalapit na "Equitable Manpower Services" at lilinisin ang puwesto mo. Tapat mo, linis mo!

Marami pang iba ang nakakapanibago. At lahat ito ay matuturing na "upgrade" sa nakasanayan. Mas lumawak ang kaalaman, mas lumawak ang kalayaan. Alam ko na ngayon kung bakit lahat ng tao ay gustong mapunta sa bansang ito.

Ngunit sa gitna ng karangyaan at kapangyarihan nais ibigay ng bansang ito sa bawat taong mapunta rito, hindi naman nito makakayang ibigay ang ligaya't sayang dulot ng ating nakasanayan at nakalakihan. Sa gitna ng bilis at laki ng lahat ng bagay dito, mapapatigil ka at biglaang mamimiss ang iyong mga naiwan, ang iyong mga nakagawian. Parang ngayon. Bigla kong namiss ang trapik ng EDSA. Ang ngiti at buhay na buhay na pagbati ng service crew ng McDo. Ang pagtetext ng mga kaibigan ng "Gimik 2nyt?" o "Inom tayo!" o "San ka? Kape!" Ang paghigop ng mainit na lugaw na sinamahan ng tokwa't baboy. At higit sa lahat, ang pagyakap ng iyong mga kamag-anak at magulang at kapatid sa tuwing magkikita-kita sa isang birthday party, kasal, binyag, o ano pa mang dahilan upang magkita-kita. Malamang ang mga ito, hinding hindi matutumbasan ng kahit ano pa mang bilis o laki.

Cheers!

Mabuhay ang Bagong Kasal - Disyembre 29, 2010

2011-01-26T15:31:00.012-05:00

It's good to be back on track after not having to write for more than a month. I miss typing a few words and converting them into sentences, especially that there is a lot to tell. I was so used to telling about friends getting married but I missed writing about my very own wedding. So here goes. :)

Some couples tend to be over-stressed in arranging their weddings. As for Bubbles and me, we don't see why being stressed was necessary. For us, it was supposed to be a fun and exciting event, and stress should be nowhere in the picture. The wedding turned out as expected: solemn, love-filled (as described by one of our sponsors), happy. Special thanks to Bubbles' sisters, the wedding was, as Borat would regularly utter, "Great Success!" :)

Out motif was Filipiniana. Everything was in Filipino: Save-the-date e-cards, Invitations, Ceremony, Mass Songs, entertainers, even the wine. We had to order Bignay Wine from Alberto Gonora from Federico's Bignay Wine in Bacolod and it was a major hit among the guests. Al, try selling more of it in Manila! Ichi did the Filipino invites and it was so beautiful!

My bride was beautiful. Very beautiful. Stunningly gorgeously adoring. Ok, that's too much. :) The gown was designed by her very talented sister, Ichi. Her sisters were all members of the entourage and they were all very beautiful. The moms look great in their personal choices of designs, while the men wore beautiful pina and jusi barongs. Bubbles' dear taylors, Tina and Elvis Cagungun, did the gowns and barongs.

Denise, Bea and Renan and their team made the girls even more beautiful with their hair and make up services. Although there is very little that needs to be done with our ladies, the hair and makeup surely made them more atuned with the Filipiniana motif. :)

Malate Church was well organized and helpful, while its coordinator, Dhang, was very friendly and accommodating. We had a very solemn mass because of this.

Ilustrado was equally organized, accommodating and helpful. Setup was beautiful, Ohna was friendly and accommodating, and food was GREAT! It was so good that we see people coming back and forth the buffet tables! Thanks Ilustrado! If you need a reception for any life event, don't hesitate to try out Ilustrado! (http://www.illustradorestaurant.com/)

Terry Uy shot our wedding stills beautifully, with his thousands of candid and posed shots. We couldn't help repeating the pictures again and again until today. With his co-photog Juan Escudero, they shot the important, memorable scenes and sights.

Gilbert Obispo provided a detailed eyewitness view of the wedding with his video coverage. He also gave us a one-minute complimentary teaser to show us how good he was in editing wedding videos.

Principal sponsors were Tita Leng, Auntie Chit, Ms. Remy, Ms. Berna, Tito Sig, Tito Vio, Atty. Gani and Sir Andy. They were all there to witness the event. Thanks po!

My only dear brother Jaze carried the coins while my best buddy Titan carried the rings. Bubbles' tin sister Petite was the Maid of Honor.

Bubbles' sisters Nina, Concep and Ichi were the Candle, Vail and Cord sponsors, respectively, and their partners were my dearest friends Kit, Mike and RT.

Jonathan Ramos lended his beautiful singing voice during the ceremony. LJ, Val and Mark lended their speaking voice as our readers and commentators.

The pianist Vincent and Aldwin the violinist gave the needed solemnity during the mass, while Leo and his partner gave the needed Filipino flavor in their beautiful strumming during the reception.

Special thanks to sponsors, parents, siblings, relatives and friends, our wedding was precisely what we dreamed to be. Everyday after the wedding, the memory of what transpired on December 29th bring about smiles to mine and Bubbles' faces. Thanks to all who made this beautiful night more memorable.

On with the pictures! (in no particular order)

My Beautiful Bride

Mr. Reyes

The Reyeses

The Apostols

The Twins

The Apostols

The Ladies

The Apostol Clan

The Rulla Clan

The Reyes/ Candelaria Clans

Dear Friends

Philippine Tatler Shot

Secondary Sponsors

My Dear Brother

Pang-Kalendaryo

Principal Sponsors

And Now, the couple shots:

And we'll live happily ever after...

Binondo's Ying Ying

2010-11-30T10:31:00.005-05:00

Good food with the most influential people of my life? Priceless. :)

Wanton Noodles

Ham Suy Kok and Siopao

Ying Ying

After a tiring journey to Divisoria/Quiapo to look for a decent-looking but cheaply priced barong, we decided to eat at Binondo. Being Chinese food lovers, I told myself that my family should try eating Chinese at Chinatown. After much convincing, they finally relented and off we went to Ying Ying!

Ying Ying is located at Yuchengco St. (formerly Nueva St.), Binondo, Manila. I instantly fell in love with this restaurant after Ms. Isca, our big boss in Marketing, introduced this to me a few weeks ago.

I am a big fan of dimsum and I consider Ying Ying's roster as one of my favorites. I personally like the Hakao, Lo Ma Kai, Ham Suy Kok, Beancurd Roll, and of course, the Sharksfin and Pork Siomai! Not to mention the gargantuanly tasty Siopao! Yahoo!

I'm definitely coming back. You just wait, Ying Ying! I'll try your freash seafood next time! :)

Manny Pacquiao: 8-time World Champion (November 14, 2010)

2010-11-16T09:04:00.004-05:00

Another fight, another championship. Manny Pacquiao has once again proven that despite his lack of training, he still stands as the best fighter in the Universe by beating a much bigger opponent, Antonio Margarito in what was seen to be the biggest indoor boxing crowd to date that gave Manny his 8th World Title.

People have doubted Manny's readiness for this fight because of lack of focus and lack of training. Still, he proved that he is the best there is, lasting the entire game, giving Margarito two big lumps and a terrible-looking cut, plus a fracture right cheek. Referee should have ended the fight way before round 12, but he and the doctor saw it otherwise and Margarito did not want to give up. The result was an overwhelming scoring disparity, giving Pacquiao the title and breaking his own record of 7 championships.

What was noticeable was Pacquiao's after-game look. He was all beaten up as well, with bruises in the face, a swollen pair of fists, and an aching rib cage. This showed that Margarito also put up a good fight, unlike what we saw of the previously-seen lame Joshua Clottey fight. With that, my utmost respect for Margarito.

What now for Manny Pacquiao? I'd say one more try for Mayweather. If he still chickens out, Manny doesn't need to prove anything anymore. What he needs to do is concentrate on other careers. Or better yet, he should create a stable, develop a breed of young talents, teach them how to reach what he has reached and retire an 8-time champion and count all the savings. If he does a De la Hoya in promotion, he'll make more money than what he's earning now.

Boxing is not forever. By now, at the age of 32, he should start thinking of an exit strategy from a highly successful but very physically draining career of professional boxing. He is this era's greatest fighter and there is not any more opponent who can beat him. Even Floyd Mayweather.

Next fight: I'd say give in to Floyd's whims of a drug test, beat up the guy, give him his first loss of his career, retire a champion, go into business, grow old, write memoirs. A good way to go about a vary illustrious career.

Hong Kong - 10-13 October 2010

2010-11-08T07:57:00.005-05:00

At last! A stamp in my passport! My first-ever out-of-the-country trip was a "Great Success!"

Shalani's in Wowowillieng Willie?!?!?!

2010-11-08T07:37:00.003-05:00

I don't know what's gotten into Shalani Soledad's mind that she suddenly entered the wonderful world of show business. Now, she's one of Willie's co-hosts in the early evening variety show Willieng Willie. I can't understand why, a few days after her mom shows up in the talk show Paparazzi crying her heart out, she suddenly shows up in Willie's new show. If a person commits a crime, the first thing that you ask is what is the motive? :) What could be the motive for Shalani's surprise entry into show business?

My apologies for telling this, but, Shalani needs tons of improvement. She's better off hosting a cooking show or a public service talk show like Damayan or Kapwa Ko, Mahal Ko. I'm not saying that these shows suck with their hosts, but Shalani's demeanor and manner of hosting is very calm, very relaxing. A show like Willieng Willie requires much energy and enthusiasm. Right now, she's miles away from being comfortably excited and enthusiastic. Probably it's because of stage fright or something, but something just isn't right...

She should have just stuck into politics and public service. Or if she really wanted to enter into the world of hosting, she should have chosen to host a public service program like "Ako Mismo," alongside Christ Tiu.

Well, there's still time. While Willieng Willie is not yet a major hit, she could either brush up on her hosting or she could reconsider the simpler life of not being in the limelight.

Protocol (?!)

2010-11-02T08:05:00.003-04:00

Looks like PNoy's men (women) are still not yet used to being in the limelight of politics/governance. Latest incident on Mai Mislang's miscues and utterly insensitive messages over social networking site Twitter gives the President another wake-up call on his constituents. How can a public figure, in this case, an Undersecretary, be posting unnecessary feedback on official trips and business? She violated various diplomatics and official protocols that even the simplest of career government officials know.

First and foremost, she should not have told even a single tinge of what transpired in the meeting, unless it was officially mentioned and she has the authority to do such. Second, she should NEVER, EVER give an unsolicited comment, especially about a country's culture or way of life. We should have learned from the insults that we got from Claire Danes, or even Chip Tsao in the past. Do not do unto others what you do not want done unto you. This time, we hit the first blow. It's as if our streets are much safer, or our wines much tastier.

Malacanang officials should learn more about diplomacy and public image or else the President's men will be the ones who will destroy the image of a President who projects leadership by example. If leaders like Mai thrive in Malacañang, looks like there will continuously be a disconnect between our dreams of change and reality. Such an irony for a Presidency's communications group conveying a totally misled and careless message to a venue that is closely monitored by rumor-mongers and pundits.

You can see PNoy's sense of forgiveness and it is seen that he believes in second chances. Well, we only have a pair of feet and a Presidency who keeps on shooting itself on the foot might slowly become paraplegic and useless.

My suggestion: If you can't handle the pressure of being a public figure, please do not stay under the President's wings.

Cebu: Take Two - 25 September 2010

2010-10-28T12:03:00.004-04:00

I had another chance to visit Cebu and this time, I was able to visit Sto. Niño Church and Magellan's Cross in broad daylight.

As a fan of Philippine History, I personally made sure that I visit this place again. For me, this cross is the most significant and important cross in our nation's Christian history. Because of the cross, we were introduced to the teachings and preachings of Christ. We were enlightened, we were saved.

We were also put in bondage and enslaved, but later on freed and became independent. The colonizers ruled and left, but their most precious gift is still ever present in our daily lives, with this cross as the symbol.

There are lots more to see in Cebu, and I'm definitely coming back to see them.

Barangay Elections 2010

2010-10-24T13:35:00.003-04:00

Barangay elections are looking even more glamorous lately. I could recall a few years back during barangay elections, you can only see posters of candidates near the barangay halls. Some were mere handwritten signages in Manila Paper, some printed artwork in cartolina, or painted writings in sacks. Now, times have changed. People, candidates now spend thousands of pesos printing tarpaulins, posters, calendars, flyers, etc. People spend for the barangay elections now! The question is what is their motivation for spending such money? I just hope that it is for simple and pure sense of service and nothing more.

Vote Wisely!

Busy Days are Coming

2010-10-24T13:24:00.003-04:00

Days have become busier lately. it's less than ten weeks to go before the big day! And this is on top of things coming up in work and personal. Thus, the lack of time to exhaust nerve cells in writing an entry. Thank God I was given the time, at 1:27am on Barangay Elections day, to write a few notes. For October, I was always on the go:

1. Office. I physically transferred office from one to another. Same department, though.

2. Cebu. I was able to go to the Queen City of the South for the Second Time! I, along with a few officemates held a Chinese Mooncake Festival forum sponsored by no less than Philam Life. :) Thank God I was able to see the Magellan's Cross in broad daylight!

3. Hong Kong. I experienced my first-ever Out of the county trip! It was a day to remember! 10/10/10 was the date! Ayos!

4. Batangas. I went to Batangas City for a OFW Family Day event sponsored by Philam Life. We can see the Power of We going the extra mile to reach several sectors of the society, to make them more aware of the power of insurance, and the sustained power of Philam Life.

Pictures and details to follow. :)

NBA 2k11 - October 5, 2010

2010-10-06T10:23:00.003-04:00

How can you not stop thinking about NBA 2K11 if you see ads like this:

and this:

Now why are you delayed in the Philippines, dear NBA 2K11?! Please please please launch it here now!

Can't wait to play Michael Jordan as he dunks on the faces of them young ones!

I just hope it still suits my PC's specs...

Lakers' three-peat? In 2K11, maybe not. :)

What's with the RH Bill??

2010-10-04T09:41:00.003-04:00

Why doesn't the church like families have an extra choice called the Reproductive Health Bill?? Why does the church hate it so much that even the son of an all-out devout Catholic, who had no other intentions but the welfare of his countrymen, will be subject to excommunication?

I haven't read the entire text, but as far as I have read it, there is nothing highly contentious with the bill. It simply gives the family the freedom to choose more options. What is wrong with that??

Here's the text of the bill from JLP Law:

http://jlp-law.com/blog/full-text-of-house-bill-no-5043-reproductive-health-and-population-development-act-of-2008/

And since when did we forget this particular text from the Constitution:

Article II, Section 6. The separation of Church and State shall be inviolable.

What part of this text is difficult to understand?

It's about time we start opening up our options. Time is running out. We need to make a change. Noynoy is trying to infuse some changes, and one of the major groups that pledged to support him in this change is turning against him.

So when do we pledge to start with our development?

UAAP Season 73: Ateneo's Three-peat and UP's Return

2010-10-02T00:12:00.008-04:00

Thank God I had two bets in the UAAP. Both of them stepped up to bring out the best in them. And they both were successful.

University of the Philippines Maroons showed that they are indeed the country's best cheerdance team as they took on another year as champions of the UAAP Cheerdance Competition. Thanks to them they did not bring back last year's Blue Book. :) I know that the concept is good last year, with the Blue Book and all. But if you have foreign judges who don't even know what a Blue book is, they would simply ignore the concept. Good thing they injected a few acts about festivals, some points that made us famous worldwide. nice act! See the embedded video below:

And of course, my other team, the Ateneo Blue Eagles, won their first-ever UAAP Men's Basketball 3-peat Championship! They joined the ranks of La Salle, UST, UE and FEU as one of them team that have already won grandslam championships.

It was a very difficult season for Ateneo as three of their starters, Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Nonoy Baclao, and Jai Reyes, graduated last year. But the guys stepped up as Kirk Long, Nico Salva and Ryan Buenafe took on their respective leaderships roles alongside Team Captain Eric Salamat. Salamat showed his dribbling and passing prowess, while Salva and Buenafe had their of outstanding plays. With a youthful supporting casts headed by sophomore Justin Chua, big men Jumbo Escueta, Art de la Cruz and Frank Golla, and the maturity of mainstays Bacon Austria and streak-shooting Emman Monfort, the Blue Eagles are indeed up to the challenge of bringing back home the championship and gain their first-ever three-in-a-row. They showed critics that they are really a team to beat, despite the lack in size.

FEU had their share of superstars, headed by Season 73 Most Valuable Player RR Garcia, Smart Gilas trainees JR Cawaling and Aldrech Ramos, veterans Paul Sanga and Reil Cervantes, and rookie phenom Terrence Romeo. But in the end, the team with the bigger heart and the greater will to win prevailed. And it showed in the finals season.

FEU cruised the regular season as they only registered two losses, one from Adamson and another from La Salle. But in the final four, it was a strange surprise that this team, who was perceived to be inevitable, almost lost to the 4th-seeded young squad of La Salle. They still won in the overtime. In that game, it showed that they had their weaknesses. And with the seen weaknesses, Ateneo stepped up.

Ateneo, on the other hand, showed that they wanted to go back to the finals and face the team that beat them twice in the regular season. The Blue Eagles defeated Adamson in a commanding, power-packed game. Adamson had an equally powerful cast with Lester Alvarez, Alex Nuyles, Jan Colina, Jerrick Canada, and Eric Camson. In the end, the championship experience in Ateneo prevailed.

The finals began last week, Saturday. I was in Cebu so I wasn't able to watch the entire game. Thank God to Cebu Airport's free wifi I was able to watch the final minutes of the game, with Ateneo leading by at least 23 points. The game ended 72-49. I thought maybe the FEU squad was just warming up for the finals, that's why the first game turned into a blowout.

The second game last Thursday was more intense. I thought in the first quarter that Ateneo became too confident, as they trailed 22-13. Looks like Coach Norman gave them inspiring words as the first quarter ended, and their intensity wnet back to normal, making the game a certified nailbiter. The game was not decided until the last 50 seconds or so, with Ryan Buenafe hitting the long-distance dagger from at least 1 feet away from the professional three-point line. FEU tried to come back with Reil Cervantes' long distance bomb, however, it was just 1 second away from the game. The game was decided at 65-62, with Ateneo taking home the third championship in three years! Go Ateneo!

Here's a glimpse of the final minutes of play, including Buenafe's three-point bomb. Boom!

Now, Ateneo has three years of bragging rights with its three magnificent championships, its first-ever three-peat performance.

As for UP, it needs to have major overhaul of its basketball program. I hope they get it going soon. But for the cheerdance, it has yet again redeemed the State U after having ended the basketball competition with a winless record.

As for me, Thank God I am rooting for two teams in the UAAP. And both of them became champions.

The Proposal - A short recount of events...

2010-09-26T10:26:00.007-04:00

A short but sweet recollection of my proposal:

Setting: Corregidor (in front of the Corregidor Inn, just few steps from the Philippine Flag), November 29 , 2010, 8:30pm.

After a wordy and stuttered background speech, I knelt down in front of her, under the stars and beside the Philippine flag. As I was kneeling down, I asked her: "Will you spend the rest of your life with me?"

And she uttered the teo most beautiful and memorable words of my life: "Of Course!"

And the rest is history. On November 29, 2009, I was engaged to my best friend, my dancing partner, my duet, my partner in crime, my soul mate. I thank God everyday for that day. I thank God everyday for bringing her to me. :)

Preparing for the Right Words to Say (Under the Malinta Tunnel)

After the speech, the kneeling down, the tears of joy and the "Of Course." :)

Lady of the Ring. :)

Enough cheese. :) If I was a 5-year-old kid, I'd say "Ewwwwww!" hehe

Cheers!

Gary V.: Soul in Motion - September 16, 2010, Music Museum

2010-09-18T02:03:00.007-04:00

I always admired how Mr. Pure Energy, Gary Valenciano, still does it on the dance floor. After 25 years of being onstage, the energy is still strong and very much alive! I always wanted to watch him live so that I could witness how much energy he puts in on that stage. Last Thursday, September 16, I was finally given the opportunity to watch Gary V. live at the Music Museum. The concert is called Soul in Motion, a benefit concert for three beneficiaries, which includes UNICEF and Compassion for One. The concert will run for three consecutive Thursdays and Fridays starting September 16.

Thanks to my officemate who gave me VIP passes, I was able to watch Gary V in the front row of the Music Museum! I was at least three feet away from the bassist! Whew! :) The energy of Mr. Pure Energy is very much felt throughout the stage!

Thank God he sang most of my favorite songs of him: Oldies like Take me out of the Dark, Sana Maulit Muli, Shout for Joy, and Eto na Naman. New revivals like Tayong Dalawa were also sung as a medley to reminisce the songs that were used in both TV series and Blockbuster Movies.

Special guests were his prodigy, Duncan Ramos, and one of his closest friends in showbiz, Jericho Rosales.

I had a great time singing along with his repertoire. I personally loved his rendition of Al Jarreau's "Spain!" Galinggggggggg!

In the concert, Gary V. asked for some requests if ever we wanted to hear some of his old songs. I shouted and requested for my personal favorite, Each Passing Night! He then looked down to me and pointed at me and he said, "I hear a lot of requests around, but this young man wanted me to sing an oldie. Hear goes." And he did a few lines of Each Passing Night! Thanks, Man! :)

Cheers to Mr. Pure Energy! May you have many more years of soulful and lively concerts!

Some pictures.

Tasty Dumplings' Tasty Porkchop

2010-09-13T11:59:00.005-04:00

Have you tried this sumptuous, juicy, oily, crunchy Tasty Dumplings breaded pork chop? I've been looking for porkchops similar to this but nothing matches its tastiness and its crunchiness. And for it's price, it really provides good value for your money. For less than P150, you already have a complete meal of Pork Chop, soup (comes for free), and their famous thirst-quencher Winter Melon juice.

My dad got the Hongma Rice, while my brother ordered the Spareribs Rice. All were good pork! :)

I know of two Tasty Dumplings branches, one in Binondo and another near Banawe. If you're looking for an oily afternoon of fun, crunchy pork chop, try Tasty Dumplings' breaded porkchop! For me, this is one of the best pork chops in town. :)

Ber na Ber na!

2010-09-11T01:49:00.004-04:00

Finally approaching the Ber months... As early as now, radio stations have already started playing the familiar Christmas tunes, and my dad is starting to hum them over breakfast! We are fast approaching the 100-day countdown of the world's most-awaited holiday. Time has been very cooperative and he gave me a breezing 2010, special thanks to a flurry of events that transpired this year. Now, on to the next 100 days. This will be the fastest 100 days of my life, methinks. :)

Lots of things to do, very little time. This is it! hehe

Booyah!

The Expendables (a useless review)

2010-09-04T10:07:00.003-04:00

What do you do when you see John Mclaine, The Terminator and Rambo meeting in a church about an assasination job? You'd laugh your ass off right? That's what I just did when I watched the Expendables last Monday, during the National Heroes' Day break. It was an apt time to watch my childhood heroes in one movie during our day of Heroes. :)

My brother said "The title should have been "Rambo and Friends." Precisely! How can you possibly defeat Rambo, The Transporter, Wong Fei Hong, and the Universal Soldier if they team up and ask for help from Randy Couture and Terry Crews? Even the most wicked traditional villain in Eric Roberts can't stand a chance!

Indeed, it was a waste of time, story-wise. But I sure had a lot of fun watching all those things blowing up and all those people getting killed! I missed having to watch movies without much thought so I really enjoyed this movie! The last movie I watched was Inception and it sure did F*ck up my mind, just like what the reviews have written. But Expendables? You need not bring your brain in the cinema and you'll still get satisfied. :)

I hope we get to see a similar movie in the Philippines. What do you do when you see Ronnie Ricketts, Jeric Raval, Lito Lapid, Robin Padilla, Philip Salvador, Raymart Santiago, Ace Espinosa and Dante Varona in one movie? Just like in the Expendables, I'd laugh my ass off. :)

E-kasal?!

2010-09-04T10:03:00.002-04:00

In the tradition of the electronic offshore gatherings comes:

E-kasal... Kung hindi ka makakauwi sa kasal ng iyong minamahal, Go Electronic Kasal. hehehe

Palagay ko mauuso ito pagdating ng panahon...

Cheers!

Serbia vs. Greece Friendly Basketball Turns into a Fist Fight

2010-08-26T11:00:00.004-04:00

In basketball, when players get all intense, sometimes it's very hard to stop them. And sometimes, players go too far.

In this "friendly" game between the Serbians and the Greeks held at Athens last August 19, what was supposed to be a no-bearing game turned into one of the most talked-about basketball games this year. Players from both sides hit a flurry of punches against each other. One player, Oklahoma City's Nenad Krstic, even did a John Cena and threw a chair towards an injured Greek, leaving the poor guy bloodied in the head.

You really can't easily stop a heightened level of testosterone. You just have to wait for it to subside so that all things will calm down.

The Philippines also had its share of basketbrawls. Who would forget the bitter rivalry of Crispa and Toyota that often end up in fist fights? I myself have witnessed, and even figured in a few basketball fights as well. And as always, in the end cooler heads will prevail, and the team that has more focus and less fury wins.

I never got to know who won this game and didn't care because after all, this game was just designed as a tune-up for the upcoming World Basketball Championships. It was quite funny to see high level of play happening in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Now they have to face sanctions by the FIBA.

My Pamamanhikan Story - December 12, 2009

2010-08-25T10:59:00.005-04:00

You just gotta love Filipino traditions. In every life moment, Filipinos have their way of doing it. Birthdays, baptisms, house blessings, weddings... We Filipinos have our share of traditions in our culture. This is what sets us apart from the rest.

I just had my share of tradition last December: The Pamamanhikan. I tried to look for related literature in the internet and I came across an article from www.kasal.com. I also saw a short description in wikifilipino:

Pamamanhikan

Filipinong ritwal
Nanggaling sa salitang panik, na ibig sabihin ay pataas o pumanhik sa baytang ng hagdanan
Pahintulot upang makasal sa kapareha
Paghingi ng bendisyon at pagsang-ayon bago makasal
Ang lalaking ikakasal ay inaasahang ipahayag ang kanyang intensyon na pakasalanan ang babae
Ang pamilya ng lalaki ay magtutungo sa bahay ng babae upang pormal na mag-alok ng kasal
Ang mga magulang ng ikakasal ay nag-aalok ng tulong
Ang pamilya ng lalaki ay inaasahang aako sa mga gagastusin sa kasal
Ang pamilya ng babae ay maari ding tumulong sa mga gastusin
Ang kaugaliang ito ay nanggaling pa sa mga Malay
Ito ang panahon na itinatakda ang petsa ng kasal
Nangangahulugan ng paggalang at pagrespeto sa mga magulang ng ikakasal
Ang partido ng lalaki ay nagbibigay ng pasalubong sa partido ng babae
Okasyon na ang mga magulang ng bawat partido ay magkakakilanlan
Sa kasalukuyan, ang magnobyo na ang nagbabayad sa mga gastusin para sa kasal
Ang kaugalian na ito ay sumisimbulo ng karangalan at respeto sa magulang

Other than this, I could no longer see an article that best explains how this tradition is conducted. Perhaps it has become a lost art that the virtual community can no longer write precise articles about it. :)

As for me and Bubbles, my pamamanhikan experience was truly memorable. My parents have known Bubbles since college and her mom already knows me for quite some time. Everything is a-ok, except that our parents have not formally met each other. They might have bumped into each other during graduation because Bubbles and I came from the same college, but they have never been formally introduced.

When we decided that we will hold the "Pamamanhikan" on December 12, I became a bit nervous at first since this will mark the "official" preparation stage for our wedding. I am used to being at the forefront of things but this one felt so different. It was a mixed feeling of nervousness and excitement.

December 12 came. We were complete: my parents and my brother were with me. We went to their house at around 7 pm. We brought some food, ready for a small salu-salo. Her mom, being an expert cook, insisted that she will cook some dishes as well.

When I stepped into their house, it felt so surreal. The scene of my parents shaking the hands of Bubbles' mother and greeting her sisters was like another one of my vivid dreams. I suddenly felt speechless, timid and a bit nervous. But on top of all that, I was so happy because our parents instantly clicked. Not much effort was exerted, everything went smoothly.

Then came the serious talk. Thanks to my tactless mother who initiated the wedding conversations by saying "Mukhang may sasabihin ka Jerv." I almost fell off my chair when I heard those words. That's when another lightning struck me inside and gave me a good jolt, and then I started uttering the most serious words I have ever mentioned in my life. I cracked a few jokes by acting as if we were in a Senate hearing, but of course combined with the seriousness of asking the blessing of her mom for us to live happily ever after.

Her mom's reply were the most comforting, assuring words of the night. She jokingly replied with a Senatorial tone, "That's moot and academic." Then she followed it up with a tough, resounding "Granted." The sound of a Senate gavel was the only thing lacking in that scene, and we could have come to a recess or adjourn immediately. That, my friends, was my pamamanhikan experience. Believe it or not, I could still recall every single event that transpired as if it happened yesterday. Well, I guess that is what normally happens to an event you most cherish. My pamamanhikan was truly happy and unforgettable. Thank God for Bubbles' family's acceptance when I asked her hand for marriage.

It seemed that they enjoyed each other's company that night! We ended at half past midnight, an indication that the pamamanhikan went perfect. :)

A few snapshots:

Clockwise from left: Ichi, Petite, Mom, Jazer, Bub, Dad, Me, Jam, Bub's Mom, Niña, Concep

A few more days and Bubbles and I will finally tie the knot and will be spending our lives together, happily ever after. We'll have more of these dinners but this time, I'll be less nervous and there won't be "on the spot" questions. :)

Quirino Hostage - August 23, 2010

2010-08-24T11:03:00.002-04:00

Today, August 24, as my running buddies and I were doing our usual jog around Quirino Grandstand, we stopped at what remained from a scene of one of the bloodiest hostage events in Manila. The Hong Thai bus, with its tempered glass shattered and sheets bloodied, still remained in the Quirino Grandstand as journalists and bystanders stood and reminisced how this 12-hour standoff took place and ended in a bloody manner. I saw a few Chinese journalists there, and a few in front of Manila Pavilion, the hotel where these hostages, some Hong Kong nationals, were billeted. No one could imagine how this supposedly "under control" hostage situation would end up in a bloody way.

My office is just a few blocks away from the scene. As I mentioned earlier, we do a few laps in the Grandstand at least twice a week. Never did we think that this generally peaceful tourist destination would bear witness to one of the most violent hostage situations in our nation's capital.

Whose fault is it? To me, it's everybody's fault. The media, the police, the negotiators, the ground commander. All of them contributed for this to incident to go haywire.

The media are supposed to be the bastion of truth and the bearer of all information. What the media showed yesterday are very limited, and every movement of the hostage-taker's family was sensationalized. One of the biggest reasons for this tragedy is the sight of Captain Rolando Mendoza's brother being "arrested" by the police. I place quotation marks to the word arrest because as what the police said, they did not arrest him. But because he saw a few mediamen, he acted as if he was being persecuted. What did the media people do? They approached him, bloated the scene, and delivered the wrong message. This triggered Capt. Mendoza to get hostile.

There were several negotiators involved. No one was in charge. It was every man for himself. I am not an expert in hostage situations but judging from the way this was handled, no one took this seriously and nobody headed the team. And for that, nobody thought of a way to expedite this situation.

The police obviously are not prepared for these types of crises. If it were a more insane hostage-taker, these policemen could have been killed because their movements were too slow. As me and my officemates were discussing about this today, the way the police acted yesterday was similar to a Three Stooges or your regular slapstick police sitcom. They could not break through the hydraulic door. They tried to pull the door out but the rope cut loose. They tried to throw in tear gas and flashbang, and some haven't found their way inside. One tear gas actually bounced out of the bus, leaving the policemen outside coughing because of the putrid smell. After the incident, rescuers needed to go in and out of the bus because of the smell of the tear gas. Gas masks were never found in the scene. After the situation, crowds of people were able to get near the supposedly dangerous crime scene. No cordoning took place. Obviously, a lot of work should be done by the police force in order to get smarter in situations like this. We just were not prepared at all.

However way we look at this situation, there were obvious and apparent lapses on all parts, from all persons involved. In this day and age where people have become more intelligent, thus tend to get more insane, we, the media, the police force, government, should all be prepared for crises such as this. This just showed that the real action is not within the four walls of Congress and Senate, it is in the streets where nobody pays attention to. We often take mundane things for granted only to find out that some day, one person just snaps out of it, draws out a gun and starts shooting. It's about time we wake up, face the real social problems, and deal with them head on.

To those governments who condemn this incident by issuing a travel warning, please remember that this incident is isolated and should not be received on a large scale. We are trying our best to prevent another situation to happen. It is simply unfair for you to judge us for an isolated case. I hope you reconsider.

Let us pray to the victims that they may rest in peace. Let us also pray that this will never happen again.

Give Peace a Chance

2010-08-24T10:57:00.002-04:00

If these guys can do it, so can we! :)

This photo was taken yesterday morning in front of our house. It's good to see our feline friend living harmoniously with his canine counterpart.

Good to see a dog and a cat lying together under one car. :)

Cheers!

Office Fun: TODAS!!!

2010-08-17T11:01:00.005-04:00

An effective way to bring back your smile during office weeks: Set up a weekly salu-salo with your officemate friends!

What started out as a dare now became a weekly happening in our building's third floor. It began with 5 people and now we're at 22! Talk about T.O.D.A.S. and you'll see nothing but smiles in the faces of these 22 people involved in this weekly addiction.

Tuesday's Outrageously Delightful Area Salu-Salo (TODAS) is our office's way of forgetting stress in the office. Every Tuesday lunch, a group of three to four people will bring their usual baons, but this time not just for themselves, but also for the other 18 individuals. With the name inspired by the original T.O.D.A.S. (Tuesday's Outrageously Delightful All-Star Show), this weekly salu-salo is also the haven for a myriad of jokes, stories, gossips and other mundane issues about life, love, politics, sports, and old bold stars!

Every employee deserves a break from their usual routine, especially during lunch. This weekly party just gives these 22 individuals another reason for regularly coming to office. :)

Don't say cheese, say TODAS!

Tired of your usual office lunch breaks? Why don't you try TODAS? :)

Big Boys Don't Cry (?!)

2010-08-15T11:48:00.002-04:00

Whoever said big boys don't cry is now taking it back after watching big man Karl Malone in his acceptance speech of the Basketball Hall of Fame 2010. Let's watch this:

Scottie Pippen also had his share of emotion after having received his Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame from his sparring partner, Michael Jordan.

It's truly touching to see these big guys get emotional. Most of the time, I saw these guys in a different emotion, in a furious stance during intense basketball games with their respective teams. It showed how they value and love the game of baskteball and an achievement such as being part of the Hall of Fame is simply larger than life for them.

Congratulations, Pip and Mailman. :)