The Proposal - A short recount of events...

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

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

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!

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)

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?!

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

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

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

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

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!