The Philippine Online Chronicles

Kindness

In today’s modern and fast-paced life, people are often too busy to take a second glance at people who may seem to need help; let alone stop and lend a hand. It’s not that people are unkind. Sometimes they have so many duties and responsibilities that preoccupy their minds. They have problems to solve, deadlines to beat and things waiting to be accomplished. When overwhelmed, some people tend to focus on their own struggles. They go with their lives without noticing others. Then, without expecting it, there are people who surprise you with their altruism. It’s amazing how a simple deed of kindness can restore your faith in others and see the world in a better light.

Acts of kindness from strangers have touched the lives of many people. They become like angels to people in need. Some of these stories were shared by family and friends while others circulated online to inspire others to do the same.

Lost wallet in the mail

Bernadette lost her wallet in the supermarket. She had a hunch that someone had stolen it. The money in the wallet was least of her worries. She was more concerned about her important IDs and credit cards. Bernadette lost hope of recovering her wallet. She was forced to cancel her credit cards to prevent someone from using them.

A few days later, a courier service arrived at her office with a small parcel for her. She was so surprised when she opened it and found her lost wallet. There was a short note inside explaining that the sender found her wallet on the sidewalk. There was no one in sight so he decided to pick it up. Bernadette believes that the person who stole her wallet must have discarded it after getting the cash.

The anonymous sender explained that the wallet was devoid of cash when he found it but decided to send it to the owner because he understands how important IDs are such as driver’s license, SSS, company ID, etc. According to the sender, he found her calling card inside and used it as mailing address.

Bernadette wished she could thank the kind Samaritan but he did not leave his contact details.

A rescued button

A restroom maintenance personnel at the mall saw me desperately pulling the last thread holding the top button of my blouse.

People were coming in and out of the restroom at that time. She had a lot on her hands because it was a busy holiday weekend. The maintenance personnel could have just turned a blind eye and left me on my own.

I was surprised when she approached me and said, “Ma’am mukhang matatanggal na yung tahi ng butones ninyo. Sandali lang po, may sewing kit po ako sa aking bag. Tahiin niyo nalang po para hindi malaglag.”

She pulled her bag from a corner of the restroom and took out her mini sewing kit.
“Ma’am, pasok nalang po ulit kayo sa cubicle para matahi ninyo yung butones. Mas mabuti na yung sigurado.”

I did as suggested and sewed the loose button in place. I returned the sewing kit to the restroom maintenance and thanked her for her kindness. I offered her a tip but she politely declined.

“Naku Ma’am, thank you pero wag na po. Parati ko naman dala sa bag ko yung sewing kit. Masaya ako at nakatulong po ako sa inyo.”

I thanked her again and left. While going around the mall, I remembered the kind lady manning the restroom. I decided to buy her a small pack of pastries. I dropped by the area and gave it to her. She thanked me and said that her kids will be very happy because she has pasalubong for them.

Donut for a street child

My husband and I were parked in front of a donut shop waiting for a friend. It was one of those international franchises that sell expensive donuts. We noticed a young boy wearing sando and shorts asking for alms from people going in and out of the shop.

A lady came out with a box of donuts and a small paper bag. We saw her give the boy the paper bag and a cup of drink. The boy looked so happy. He eagerly ate the donut and gulped down the drink. Bless the lady for thinking of that boy.

Free meal in honor of a son’s memory

Today.com reported about a couple that bought a meal for a family of strangers to honor their late son. The Dunns left the family a “Love 4 Luke” wristband and a handwritten note explaining the free meal gesture. The note says …

“Our son Like would have turned 2 years old today. We lost him at 17 months to cancer. He was pure love and joy and we want to pass that on today. Hope you feel a little bit of love with your lunch. Please pay it forward.”

According to the report, that random act of kindness triggered a chain of kindness.

Return the favor

If you’ve been touched by a kind soul, why not pay it forward? You don’t have to do something big to help others. Even small random acts of kindness can make a difference to someone. You don’t have to wait for a big opportunity. You can start today. Let your motive be as simple as making a person smile. Here are some simple ways to help someone.

Hold the door open for the person behind you.
Share your umbrella to the person next to you on a rainy day.
If you see a couple or a group struggling with a “selfie,” offer to take the picture for them.
Buy a homeless person a meal the next time you pass by a fast food chain.
If the person behind you in line has a few items, offer to let him/her go before you.
When you see someone with a flat tire, stop and ask if you can be of assistance.
Buy a bouquet of flowers and give it to a random old lady.
Smile and say something nice to the person manning the elevator.
Buy an inspirational card and write encouraging words. Leave the card inside a library book, between the condiments in a restaurant, on the bench inside the church, and other random places.
Donate old books, clothes and toys to an orphanage.
Buy a bag of dog food and donate it to an animal shelter.
Create a care package and drop it off to a nearby home for the aged.

Photos from Flickr. Some rights reserved.
—————————–
Rachel Yapchiongco, also known as Rach to her friends, is a Psychology and Marketing Management graduate of De La Salle University. Rachel is a mom to a charming boy and married to an entrepreneur who has a passion for cooking. She shares parenting experiences and slices of everyday life on her personal blog called Heart of Rachel.

“Your eyes like stars, like diamonds in the sky… Your smile so sweet, like candies I can eat.”

Hango iyan sa makabagbag-damdaming tula na ipinadala ng isang masugid na manliligaw ng aking pinsan noong sila pa ay high school. Cute, di ba? Romantikong-romantiko ang dating dahil sa kaniyang kainosentehan.

“Alam mo, mula nang nakilala kita, nahulog na ang loob ko sa iyo.” Sambit naman ng isang napuwing sa akin.

Tabi-tabi po sa mga romantikong Pinoy pero di ko talaga napigilan ang pagtawa ng malakas pagkarinig ko sa kaniyang winika. Paano ba naman, di pa niya ako lubusang nakilala para magsalita siya ng ganoon. Tama na bang magsalubong kami ng tingin habang nagmimisa si Father dahil siya ang sakristan at ako naman ay reader? Husto na ba ang ilang palitan ng hi at hello tuwing nagkakasalubong kami sa sacristy at naghahawakan ng kamay sa pag-awit ng Our Father? Ang labo kaya.

Malamang nadala lang siya nang ako ay nakisilong sa kaniyang jacket dahil umuulan noong araw na iyon matapos ang gawain namin sa simbahan. Hindi ko tuloy napigilang magbiro, “Aba’y saluhin mo at baka mahulog ang loob mo sa daan.”

Makaraan ang ilang araw, nakita ko siyang may ibang kahawak-kamay sa kalye. At nahulog na nga ang loob niya sa daan. Tama lang na nakantiyawan ko ang kaniyang pagkabolero.

Bakit nga ba may sentidong bolero con romantiko ang mga Pinoy? Tila likas pa nga ito sa kanila.

Sa katunayan, noong kami’y kinder pa lamang, naalala ko ang aking pinsang si Henry kung paano niya tinatawagan sa telepono ang kaniyang crush tuwing hapon at tutugtugan niya ito sa piano. Nakakakilig, di ba? Kasi bata…

Pero sa pagtanda, may halong takot at alinlangan na sa pagtanggap ng mga ganyang estilo ng panliligaw dahil sadyang mahirap mapagsino ng isang babae kung sino talaga ang romantiko sa bolero lalo na kung ang buong pag-aakala ay tapat ang lahat ng Pinoy na mangingibig. Mabuti na lamang at may mga nabibiyayaan ng kamalditahan na nakakatulong sa pagsala ng mabuting binhi sa masamang damo.

Pero hindi mo rin masasabi na ang lahat ng romantiko ay tapat at lahat ng bolero ay manloloko. Ang kababata naming si Oliver tila lahat na lang yata ng nakapalda ay ibig habulin. Lahat na ng pamboboladas ginagawa. Lagi naman naba-busted dahil mala-pabling ang asta pero noong may kumagat sa kaniyang mga matatamis na patutsada, nagulat ang lahat na siya ay naging isang tapat na asawa at mabuting ama. At pinakamahalaga sa lahat, di na siya lumingon sa iba buhat nang dinala sa dambana ang kanilang pag-iibigan.

Heto naman si romantikong Melo, palibhasa gwapo, ang akala naman ng mga babae’y totoo siya sa kaniyang hangarin sa tuwing magbibigay ng bulaklak o magpapadala ng tsokolate. Ang kinalabasan, may babae pala siya sa bawat bayang nadadaanan sa kaniyang ruta bilang sales rep.

Marami ang katulad ni Melo na sadyang nakakaloko. Dumarating pa sa punto na kahit may asawa na, patuloy pa rin ang pagiging bolero na para bang adiksyong may kailangang patunayan sa kanilang pagkalalaki kahit ano pa man ang antas sa buhay.

Sa katunayan, may katotohanan sa kasabihang, “basta drayber, sweet lover”. Hindi naman sa nilalahat, pero marami sa aking mga kakilalang tsuper ay may number one, number two, three at four pa. Mayroon pa ngang isa na may junior sa bawat misis. Pero ang mas nakakaalarma ay marami ring mga babaeng kumakagat sa mga binibitiwang salita ng mga bolero.

Kay dalas nga nating naririnig ang maraming naggagandahang dilag na nahuhulog ang kalooban sa mga animo’y kaawa-awang drama na ” matagal na kaming may problemang mag-asawa at hindi na ako masaya sa kaniya. Handa akong hiwalayan siya basta’t ikaw ang makapiling ko sa pag-uumpisang muli.”

Sa pagbitaw ng mga matatamis na salitang yaon kasabay ang matiyagang panliligaw, may mga babaeng sadyang mapapaibig. Kahit gaano pa sila katalino’y tila nagiging mangmang at bulag sila sa pag-ibig ng mga bolero.

Hayun, sa kasamaang palad, nabuntisan at naanakan na ay di pa rin hinihiwalayan ang legal na asawa, hanggang sa ang mga matatamis na pangako ay napapako na sa masakit na katotohanan ng kaniyang pagka-illegal. Mas masakit pa niyan, kung may iba na namang nadigahan at nangibang-bahay na ang bolero.

Kung ating babalikan, tila si Francisco Baltazar o mas kilala bilang Balagtas ang pamoso sa pagiging romantiko. Sa dami ng kaniyang naisulat, pinakamatatandaan ang kaniyang linyang, “O pag-ibig na makapangyarihan, Hahamakin ang lahat masunod ka lamang” na napasikat ng obrang Florante at Laura.

Fast forward sa kasalukuyan… Sumikat ang mga linya ni Boy Pick-up ilang taon na ang nakakaraan. Matagal nang naalis ang segment niya sa patok na kwelang palabas sa telebisyon pero buhay na buhay pa rin ang mga pick up lines lalo na sa pinaka sikat na love team ngayon na Aldub. Kahit halatang boladas ang palitan nina Alden Richards at Yaya Dub, talaga namang di magkamayaw sa pagtili at kilig ang Aldub nation.

Kung iisipin nga naman… Nagpakitang-gilas muna kasi si Alden sa Lolanidora ni Yaya Dub sa pamamagitan ng pagtanggap ng mga pagsubok tulad ng pagtakbo sa kahabaan ng Aurora Boulevard dala-dala ang mga sinibak na kahoy, paglangoy sa swimming pool na makailang ulit, pag-igib ng tubig upang punan ang napakalaking sisdlan at kung anu-ano pang pahirap na inoorasan pa bago pa man niya nasilayan at nakapiling si Yaya Dub sa tamang panahon.

Romantiko o bolero nga ba ang Pinoy? Di rin ito naiiba sa tanong na tapat ba o manloloko si Juan? Maraming uri ang mga ito… Tapat na romantiko o manlolokong bolero. O manlolokong romantiko o tapat na bolero. Kasindami ng klase nila ang iba’t ibang lahi ni Adan.

Pero sa huli, ang kabusilakan ng kalooban at katapatan ng pag-ibig ang siyang magsasabi kung sino nga ang tunay na lalaki.
Image credit: www.flickr.com/photos/balladist/

#EDSA30 ORGANIZERS, BAGO MAG-FEB 25:
Walang mamumulitika sa celebration.

FEBRUARY 25:
Bumuka ang bunganga ni Boy Sisi.

Paktay.

*****

SA SPEECH NIYA SA #EDSA30 CELEBRATION,
binanatan na naman ni PNoy ang political enemies.

Nabibigla pa kayo??

*****

NAGSIMULA ANG PROGRAMA
sa paglipad ng 2 brand new fighter jets.
Tapos, 2 helicopters ang naghulog ng
dilaw na confetti.

Tuwang-tuwa ang mga naroon.
Pero mas matutuwa siguro sila
kung ang inihulog ninyo
ay ang mga buwayang mambabatas.

Pusta?

*****

NAGSIMULA SI PNOY SA PAG-QUOTE
ng linya mula sa kantang
“Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo.”

Syempre, pumalakpak ang tenga
ng composer nitong si La Ocean Deep
Jim Paredes…

na puro dilaw na ngayon ang t-shirts
at mga brip.

*****

PNOY (QUOTING FROM THE SONG):
“Ating kalayaan, kay tagal na nating mithi.
Di na papayagang mabawi muli.”

Maya-maya lang ay nagkapaluan na
ang mga pulis ang mga estudyanteng
nagra-rally at gustong iparinig
ang kanilang mga hinaing.

Awww.
Tignan mo nga naman.
Freedom of speech nga naman.

*****

PNOY ON MARTIAL LAW:
“Golden Age nga po siguro noon
para sa mga crony ni Ginoong Marcos,
at sa mga dikit sa kanya.”

Ibig mong sabihin, ser,
Golden Age din kayo ngayon
ng iyong mga KKKK??

*****

PNOY:
“Golden age din po ng paglaki ng utang ng bansa.
Nang magsimula po si Ginoong Marcos
sa katungkulan noong taong 1965,
nasa P2.4 bilyon ang utang ng gobyerno.
Sa pagtatapos ng 1985, dalawang buwan
bago siya mapatalsik sa puwesto,
nasa P192.2 billion na po ang utang natin.”

FEB. 20, 2016 NEWS ITEM:
“BS Aquino III is the biggest loan addict.”

Freedom from Debt Coalition said:
“the current administration would leave its successor
with P6.4 trillion of outstanding national government debt,
P4.16 trillion of which are borrowings
made during Aquino’s term.”

So, ano ulit ang sabi mo, Mr. President?

*****

FDC said that with the 103 million population,
each Filipino now owes P62,235.26
plus P4,251 in government-guaranteed debts.

So, thanks but no thanks, Mr. Pwesident!

*****

SABI NILA:
“Ang EDSA ay para sa lahat ng Pilipino.”

So, bakit hindi kasali sa #EDSA30
ang HINDI dilawan?

Napalitan na ba talaga ang ating bandila
ng KULAY DILAW?

Puro may hepatitis lang ang pwede?

*****

BIGLA KO TULOY NAALALA ANG ISANG
opinion piece na pinamagatang:
“Noynoy Aquino Has Become
The Most Divisive Philippine President
in History.”

Trulalu.

*****

PNOY:
“Golden age din nga po noon para sa mga
nang-abuso sa mga kapatid nating Moro.
Nauso nga po ang land-grabbing sa Mindanao;
ang rehimeng Marcos naman,
sa halip na pumanig sa mga pinagsamantalahan,
ay tila kinunsinti pa ang mga nanggigipit.”

FEB. 24 HEADLINE:
LUMAD EVACUATION CENTER SINUNOG.
At patuloy pa rin ang panggigipit, pagpatay
at pagkamkam sa lupa ng mga kapatid nating lumad.

Para ibigay sa big mining businesses.

Alam mo ‘yan, Mar Roxas!
Alam mo ‘yan, PNoy!

*****

PNOY:
Ngayon po, kung tama ang ilang mga survey
na nagsasabing dumarami ang sumusuporta
sa anak ng diktador na hindi kayang makita
ang pagkakamali ng nakaraan,
ang ibig po bang sabihin ay nalimot na natin
ang sinabing, “Tama na, sobra na, palitan na”?

Hindi po.
Pero this time, IKAW naman sinasabihan niyan.
Tama na, ser.
Sobra na, ser.
Baba ka na, ser.

*****

SINASABING “HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS” DAW
ang pumunta sa EDSA noong kalagitnaan
ng February 1986 hanggang sa umalis ang mga Marcos
noong February 25.

After 30 years, kumusta naman ang dami ng dumalo?

Mga 30 buses.
Na hakot.

*****

GASTOS SA EDSA: P35 MILLION.

Pera ng buong Pilpinas
para sa katuwaan ng iilan.

*****

MAS MARAMING KABATAAN DAW
ang dumalo sa #EDSA30.

Nang tanungin kung bakit sila dumalo,
ito ang sagot ng marami sa kanila:
“Kasi po ni-require kami.”

Toinks.

*****

HABANG ABALA SA PAGHAHANDA SA #EDSA30
ang mga dilawan,
abala naman ang mga netizens sa pag-viral
ng pictures ng isang “carrot man”
na taga Mountain Province.

Hindi lang sa Pilipinas kumalat ang pictures
kundi pati sa ibang bansa ay na-feature din ito.

In other words, natabunan ni CARROT MAN
at star ng #EDSA30, si CHAROT MAN.

*****

SI MAR ROXAS AY NAGPAKUHA NG PICS NOON
na may buhat na sako ng sibuyas, sako ng darak,
sako ng bigas, atbp.

Kung carrots kaya ang binuhat niya,
sumikat din kaya sana siya?

Umangat kaya siya kahit papaano sa surveys?

*****

MAR ROXAS THOUGHT BUBBLE
nang makita ang kasikatan ni Carrot Man:

“TANG INA PACK!!! Ba’t ‘di ko naisip ‘yun???”

*****

NANG MAKUNAN NAMAN ULIT NG PICS
si Carrot Man katabi ng mas guwapong policeman,
si pulis naman ang dinumog ng netizens!

Eh kung itabi kaya natin si pulis kay Mar,
si Mar naman kaya ang susunod na dudumugin?

Asa pa.

*****

ANG HULING ISYU NG NEWSKUPOW!
ay inilabas isang araw bago ang Pilipinas Debates,
ang una sa series ng mg adebate
ng mga tumatakbo sa pangkapangulo.

Ano nga ba ang nangyari sa debate na ‘yun?

*****

ITO ANG CONSENSUS NG MGA NAKAPANOOD:

Hindi siya debate kundi Q&A.

Parang Q&A lang sa Miss Universe.

*****

GANUN?

So, sino ang sumagot ba ng…
“I’m confidently beautiful with a heart”??

‘Yun ang panalo!

Si PNoy na naman???

*****

SABI NG ISANG NETIZEN:
That wasn’t a debate, that was speed dating.
Tell me your dreams, hopes and aspirations
and let me see if I like you.

So, sino gusto n’yong maka-date?

*****

LINGGO GINANAP ANG DEBATE,
so habang may debate,
ang iba ay de bote.

*hik*

*****

ROUND 1 OPENING STATEMENTS:

JEJOMAR: Nag-focus sa poverty.
MIRIAM: Will fight corruption.
RODY: Will fight drugs, corruption, criminality.
GRACE: Kailangan daw malasakit.

and then there’s…

MAR: Inangat ang sarili niya
(magaling daw siyang drayber)
sa pamamagitan ng PAGBATIKOS
sa mga kalaban niya.

Manang-mana.

MINI ME nga.

Tuwad na daan pa more, Boy Drayber!

*****

MAY MGA NAGLABASANG MEME
na nagpapakita na magkadikit sila Sen. Miriam
at Mayor Duterte.

At dito nga nabuo ang tambalang
DURIAM.

*****

SO, ANO BA ANG HIGHLIGHTS NG DEBATE?
Ano ang nag-stand out na mga kaganapan?

Syempere, nandiyan ang pagka-PIKON ni Mar.

At kung sinabi man niya sa kanyang ad na
“wala akong drama” —-
sa debateng ito ay napatunayang
SINUNGALING siya.

Bakit?
Nagdrama ang lolo n’yo sa closing statement.
Kulang na lang ang luha, pang-telenobela na.

*****

WAG NA NATING ISA-ISAHIN ANG MGA PUNTOS
na tinalakay sa debate,
kasi ay wala naman talagang gaanong napiga
sa mga presidentibles, sa totoo lang.

Pero, base sa emojimeter ng GMA Network,
at sa “buzz meter” ng Twitter,
nakalamang daw sina Sen. Miriam at Mayor Digong.

Sabi naman ni ng kampo ni Mar
ay siya ang lumamang.

Korek.
Lumamang sa pagbuhat ng sariling bangko.
At sako ng sibuyas.

*****

MARAMI RING QUESTIONABLE FACTS
sa mga pinagsasabi ni Mar,
kaya kahit tapos na ang debate
ay umuugong pa rin ito:
Droga sa Davao at Makati,
Laguindingan Airport na ipinagawa raw ng Pnoy govt
(kay Aling Gloria daw pala), etc.

Boy Kamkam Junior rin pala ito eh!

*****

SA CLOSING STATEMENTS,
angat din si Marimar
dahil sa pinagmayabang niyang
magandang buhay niya.

“Gusto ko maging ganito rin ang buhay nyo.
Malaya sa gutom, Malaya sa takot.
Malayang mangarap.”

At malayang umepal.

*****

OF COURSE, NAGING MABENTA RIN
ang quote na ito from Mayor Digong:

“Wala naman akong nakitang
tuwid na daan.
Puro kulubot naman ‘yan.

MIRIAM’S THOUGHT BUBBLE:
“Huwag kang titingin sa akin!!!”

*****

AT KAPANSIN-PANSIN RIN NA SI SEN. GRACE POE
ay parang si Sen. Chiz na kung magsalita!
Pareho na silang makata!

Baka totoong SIYA
ang mouthpiece (literally) ni Chiz!

*****

NAPANSIN DIN NA MAY DALANG “KODIGO” SI POE:
ang kanyang mobile phone.

Ipinagbabawal ito, so…
nandaya ba si Poe?

Gaya ng ginawa niya sa residency requirement niya?

*****

FIRST EXECUTIVE ORDER DAW NI POE:
IPASA ANG FOI.

Parang may nangako na dati ng ganyan.
Familiar, ‘no?

*****

PAHABOL:
Sa kampanya ni Mar sa Zamboanga del Sur,
pinagmalaki nito na natugunan ng Aquino govt
sa “daang matuwid” ang mga problema sa Mindanao.
At ito raw ang kanyang ipagpapatuloy.

Tapos, biglang nag-brownout.
(true story).

Tuloy pa more!!!

*****

PNOY BLAMES GLORIA AGAIN.
Sa palpak na water service naman ngayon.

Yang paninisi ay itutuloy din ni Mar.

*****

PNOY GOVT WORSE THAN GLORIA’S
IN RICE SMUGGLING

Paktay!
Sino ngayon ang sisisihin natin d’yan?

*****

MADONNA IN MANILA!

Nag-concert nga dito ang Lola Madonna n’yo!
Exciting!!!

Magkano daw ang ticket?
3,150 hanggang 57,750 lang naman.

Ganun?
Hintayin ko na lang sa dibidi dibidi.

*****

KRIS AQUINO SINABI SA INSTAGRAM POST NIYA
na tinanggihan daw niya ang paanyaya ni Madonna
na umakyat sa stage to “be her b*tch” for the night.
Hindi rin daw siya nakapanood ng concert.

Sabi ko na
may eeksena na naman eh.

Sabi ko na!!!

*****

LIPA ARCHBISHOP ON MADONNA:
“I admonish all the faithful to beware
that subtle attack of the evil one.”

Ganun??
Si Aling Madonna ay
“subtle attack of the evil one”?

Eh yung pedophile priests
na nagtatago sa simbahan?
Eh yung paring nambabatok
at nangtatadyak ng mga bata?
Ano kaya ang itatawag natin dun?

*****

HAHABULIN DAW ANG PRODUCERS NI MADONNA
dahil sa “pagyurak” daw sa ating bandila.

Habulin n’yo muna kaya yung rice smugglers,
pork smugglers, DAP / PDAF masterminds, atbp?

Kung anu-ano pinagkakaabalahan n’yo eh!

*****

SA ISANG RADIO REPORT…

MMDA LADY ENFORCER:
“Nag-historical ako sa loob ng bus.”

Eh di…
i-Artikulo Uno na ‘yan!

*****

REPORTER:
“Natagpuang patay
ang wala nang buhay na si…”

Mabibigla kami kung may buhay pa ‘yan, ser!

*****

PHOTO CREDITS:
EDSA: www.mb.com.ph
PRESIDENTIABLES: www.rappler.com
CARROT MAN: www.gmanetwork.com
MADONNA REBEL HEART TOUR POSTER: madonnaunderground.com/wordpress/

–

In Filipino folklore, the crab, or talangka, is the ultimate bad example. It’s the animal that pulls down others like it just so it can get to something, normally food. There is no respect in them for others, and there is only the question of survival, the instinct for self-preservation.

And that’s why the crab is the source of the term “crab mentality” (“utak-talangka”). It’s been observed that many people here in the Philippines would rather bring people down, than see them do better. Of course, that’s the generalization. The truth is even more uncomfortable: it isn’t really about bad habits or simply bad character development in a person. It’s about how our own history and our cultural personality has been shaped by it.

The Filipino as Juan Tamad
The Philippines is blessed with many natural resources, so it’s always been a bit of a mystery to many Pinoys why the heck crab mentality came about. After all, we had everything (relatively speaking) at arms’ reach. But therein is a possible origin for the crabby characteristic.

Spoiled
The first thing we have to realize is that culturally, we do know that we have a lot of resources, but the problem is that we also have a combination of national characteristics that make us, well, lazy. That happy-go-lucky attitude, combined with a passive, accepting nature, and then linked together by a sort of amnesia for bad things that have happened in the past makes the Pinoy susceptible to crab mentality.

Why? Because once the resources are harder to get, or the Pinoy is denied those resources, then things fall apart. Pinoys do look for the finer things in life – and if they can’t get it, that’s where the problem begins.

Lacking in fiber
Relatively recent history has had its share of making us more prone to crab mentality. Many people point to the after-effects of the Marcos era as somehow “refining” and making crab mentality a necessity for living the good life – or, at least, making sure no one else does. The uncertainty of life in those times, coupled with the sudden increase in perceived corruption, made people think that perhaps the only way to survive was to look out for themselves – be it in a communal sense of family, or really, truly for their individual selves.

This historic “training” of the Filipino psyche is something many of the younger generation do not know, since they weren’t there when the Marcos era happened.

Corruption of work; as a form of work
Another big problem that leads to crab mentality is that corruption within an already-corrupt social framework is insanely easy to give in to. After all, all you have to do is follow how things are done, and turn a blind eye to how others are negatively affected. In fact, it’s the reverse of a meritocracy, in that it’s not about actual talent or skill, it’s about who you know, and what you can offer that person.

Sadly, though, corruption isn’t even the big thing when it comes to crab mentality – if anything, it’s actually a more aloof, acceptable thing than crab mentality, because, really, crab mentality can get personal.

Envy
The big thing about crab mentality is that it’s very much about pulling more successful people down. And there’s much that is twisted in that thinking.

Enjoying other people’s failure
For many crab-minded people, it’s all about seeing other people fail. And why? Well, the thinking is, “why should that person have success that I can only dream of?” And so, when a successful person fails, or has a scandal, many people feel vindicated that they were right all along – that person is nothing special!

And even if that person remains successful with little or no issues, you can bet that there will be the snarky comment: “Maybe, that person has something wrong that we don’t see.”

Misplaced pride
If there’s one thing that Pinoys are not lacking in, it’s pride. We have big, healthy doses of it, and culturally, it’s become a liability at times. After all, there is now a fine line between “Pinoy Pride” as an encouragement for Pinoys to do better, and “Pinoy Pride” as an excuse to find anything that can make us proud.

This misplaced pride feeds the envy – if one can’t be proud for one’s self, then why should another person be proud of his or her achievements?

Take-downs
All these issues create a mindset where a person or even a community may want to see a successful individual taken down – with or without cause. Funnily enough, it can even work in a reversal, where when a person admired does something wrong, people would rather uphold the person’s wrongdoing, and then castigate the accuser. It’s still a form of crab mentality, where doing the right thing is what is sacrificed.

Addiction
Because it’s such an “empowering” action or course of action, crab-mentality take-downs make people feel good for all the wrong reasons, and sadly, that means that they’ll want to do it again, simply to prove the point, or, worse, to get the high of being proven right.

What it really can do
When you bring people down, it’s not just the target that is brought down. What happens is that crab mentality forces everyone not to excel, or be afraid of being better. This also means that it can go overboard, where social order and norms are kept, but at the cost of a certain static existence for the whole community. And as the reinforcement becomes more and more powerful, in the end, you will have a society that will spiral down into mediocrity.

So how do you stop it?
In the end, only education and personal choices can make the crab mentality go away. Suffice to say, as long as we as a country and society cannot find it in ourselves to make things better, then we shouldn’t expect that things will get better.

It all starts with people deciding to improve themselves, and not look at ways to belittle other people’s achievements. At the same time, it’s about doing the right thing, which is to always work for positive personal and social development. Once we can do that, we’ll be able to evolve into a better nation, country, and people.

“Crab Claw,” by Aurel c/o Flickr.com

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Side A of the mixtape kicked off with “Whatever We Imagine”. Somewhere in the mixtape there was SWV’s “Weak” and Madonna’s “Crazy for You”. Side B ended with “Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover”. I had just gotten my first ever mixtape. My then-suitor (and eventually-boyfriend) gave me a mixtape he made himself, handing it to me after he visited at home. As soon as he left, I ran up to my room, turned on my stereo, opened the tape deck and plugged his mixtape, wait, my mixtape in. Then the music filled my room. I remember lying down on the bed, listening to the songs bounce off the bedroom walls and send shivers up my spine. I held the cassette tape’s case on one hand, with my other hand clutching a pillow in sheer delight. Butterflies were doing dips and twirls in my stomach and I swear I knew I was falling in love. Ah, mixtapes – the musical version of a love letter before the turn of the new millennium.

A mixtape is a homemade compilation of songs. It was traditionally done onto an audio cassette tape. In the late 90s, it gradually transitioned to the CD and MP3 format. Nothing compares to the original though – that rectangular piece of plastic with the two holes that go ‘round and ‘round that you sometimes have to manually rewind with the tip of a pencil.

The songs in a mixtape can be randomly sequenced, or they can be carefully chosen so the beat and maybe even the message of the songs gradually build up. The choices of songs are also key at times if the intention is to create overlaps so one song’s ending fades into the beginning of another song. Mixtapes can be created by genre, by theme, by mood, by message. My best friend from high school totally rocked mixtapes. She loved music, especially the sentimental kind, and so the mixtapes she would share with me would usually include tracks like Boz Scaggs’ “We’re All Alone”, Steve Perry’s “Foolish Heart”, and Michael Johnson’s “And I’ll Always Love You”. Her mixtapes would range from happy, sappy sentimental songs like Clare Marlo’s “Till They Take My Heart Away“ to heartwrenching-themed ones like Christopher Cross’ “Is There Something”.

The songs would be recorded onto an audio cassette recorder. Sometimes we’d record directly from the radio, hitting the “Play” and “Record” button at the same time to begin getting a copy of a song being played on a radio station. We had to be alert because we needed to hit the “Stop” button as soon as the DJ began talking. Who wants DJ spiels on their mixtape? Not us. When we upgraded to a double cassette recorder, we could record from tape to tape. Sure, there were copyright issues, but way back then, we were young, innocent, and were just doing mixtapes for our own pleasure. Mixtapes carried the music of our highschool years – the thrilling highs, the heartbreaking lows, but consistently overly emotional, and boy, did we love it.

The best mixtape, I believe, is the one you create for another. This is a playlist you carefully picked out, curating songs from the radio or by borrowing cassette tapes from classmates. If you want an extra layer of cheese into your mixtape, you can record your voice in between songs with a personalized message for your intended recipient. That could either strike you as extra romantic or extra creepy, but intent-wise it did make the tape extra personal.

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Over the course of highschool, my best friend would create a bunch more mixtapes for me. Sometimes it would be at my request. Other times she would surprise me in school on Monday morning with a mixtape of the newest songs she got from the radio – all sappy and overly emotional of course, just how we liked our music.

As for my suitor turned boyfriend, the mixtape he gave me was a love letter. The songs ranged from the thrill of a quiet, budding romance to the more passionate declaration of that last song on Side B, which I reacted to with a mixture of disdain and flattery. Several more mixtapes followed after that, but that first one was the most special, and by far, the best mixtape I ever had. (Listen to Butch Walker’s “You Gave Me the Best Mixtape I Have.”)

Eventually cassette tapes lost their relevance as their rounder counterparts, the CDs, become more prominent. They could hold a lot more songs. We began to be introduced to software you could use to make the transitions between songs smoother. This was all new to us in the late ‘90s of course, until eventually, cassette tapes began to gather dust in living rooms and got washed away by floods, thrown into the trash, or simply lost in time.

“I made you a mixtape” holds a lot more meaning for me though than “I burned a CD for you”. True, intentions are both sincere, but there’s that raw, gritty feel of a mixtape that a sleek CD doesn’t have. Making a mixtape is an art. No sleek cuts. No mp3s. Just simple music captured through the manual pressing of a play-record button that would be difficult to do and even more difficult to undo (if that was even possible). More patience was needed for a mixtape, and so the maker of the mixtape was more involved in the process of creating it. You couldn’t help but feel super special when you got a mixtape, because you know how hard it is to create one.

I made my own mixtapes too, but the best ones were really the ones you received. If you truly wanted to impress someone back then, it was through a mixtape. What songs would you put on Side A? What would it mean if you put a song on Side A, but not on Side B? What would it mean if the song appeared on both sides? Would Side B hold a totally different rhythm? Would Side B hold a deeper message? Ah, the mixtape. Two raw sides to a movie, two different sides to a romance, two exhilarating sides to a love letter.

This piece is dedicated to one of my high school best friends, Earrl, whose mixtapes kept me believing in love even though I had never been in love, whose mixtapes made me want to cry buckets even though I had never really been heartbroken. That was before I got my first official mixtape from a boy, then I fell in love for real (and cried buckets for real). Cheers to mixtapes!

For as long as we’re breathing, we have the ability to change things. Change could be triggered by our actions, with a physical manifestation following suit. Change could also simply be a shift in our thinking, giving us a new perspective on things around uss. In the movie Dead Poets Society, English teacher John Keating (played by Robin Williams) encouraged his high school students to “sieze the day!” Carpe diem!, he told them, igniting in each student individual fires that led them to stand against a bully, pursue a once-suppressed interest in theater, or even just shout out loud and let out a barbaric yawp.

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There are things that can eat us up inside. They could be regrets – sentences that start with “If only…” or “I could have…” or “I should have…” They could be fears – brave declarations cut short by but’s. They could be passions tucked deep inside our heart, hidden by reasons known only to us. They could be dreams left as daydreams, discouraged by how we think reality will just eat it up and spit it out. They could even be simple, everyday matters. Not everything that eats us up inside is a grand dream, like wanting to become a ballerina or wishing we pursued that one great love during our teenage years. It could be the bedroom closet begging to be KonMari’d, the recipe you have bookmarked in your grandmother’s cookbook, the pile of shoes by your house door waiting to be shined.

The difference with letting this sit and possibly fester is action. It’s never too late to put aside your mobile phone, get your butt out of our seat and just act. Here are three steps to a more well-lived life, and all it takes is believing and doing that it’s not too late to make a change.

It’s never too late to learn how to ask for help. Are you resisting change or afraid of relinquishing control because things may not turn out the way you want them to? There is a lesson to be learned in vulnerability. Opening ourselves up to what others can offer can make us even stronger sometimes. But you’ll never find out unless you take the first step – drop that shield of control and surrender. Surrender to the good that others can do. Surrender to fact that you are not perfect, that you don’t have all the answers. Pride can eat us up, and it can do more damage than we think. Sometimes we’re afraid to ask for help because we think it makes us look weak and needy. Give it a change of perspective though and you’ll think yourself open and honest. It is when you trust yourself to be open and honest that you release more of yourself, show more of your vulnerability, and let other people in. It’s never too late to learn how to ask for help, and it begins with being open and honest. Vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness.

It’s never too late to commit yourself to love. This love can be an interest you are passionate in, or a person who holds a very special place in your heart. In both cases, you will be doing the pursuing. You will be making the change. What stopped you from committing yourself to these passions? Did you feel you weren’t good enough – to go after that dream of being a pianist, to see yourself as deserving of a relationship? Did you see yourself as unworthy? Committing yourself to love others begins with learning how to love yourself first. With this comes a commitment to love yourself.

“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” – Dr. Seuss

To commit yourself to love, you have to embrace your love for yourself. You are loving, you are worth loving, you are LOVE. It is only when we love ourselves sincerely that we can freely and nurturingly give love to others, leading to committing to love others too. It’s never too late to commit yourself to love, for as long as you learn how to love yourself first.

It’s never too late to create healthy relationships. You know your life is working well when you don’t have enemies, or to a lesser degree, toxic people in your life. These are the people who make you feel unworthy, make you feel insignificant. There are many reasons why this kind of relationship is in your life, but one thing is for sure — toxic relationships are best remedied, or better yet, dropped. If there’s negativity between you and a friend, settle it the soonest you can. One spat swept under the rug can build up, and before you know it, you’re hurting more than you can handle. Talk it out with your friend, and in the spirit of friendship, embrace openness and honesty. In some cases, this openness helps heal the relationship and makes it even better. In other cases, it just proves that the relationship wasn’t meant to last. When this happens, carefully think about the value of this relationship in your life. You can continue trying to create a healthy relationship. If it can’t be forced, such as you and your friend are simply growing apart, then let it be. There are moments when breaking things off is healthier for both of you. It’s never too late to create healthy relationships. This can be done by nurturing the good relationships in your life, healing the ones that are worth working on, or cutting ties with toxic ones. The most important thing? Knowing which is which and acting on it.

It’s never too late to make a change – in thought, in action. Carpe Diem! Sieze the day! Gather ye rosebuds while ye may!

Filipinos have prided themselves on having a culture and society that supposedly accept gay people – after all, we have our parloristas, and our gay comedians (even Dolphy himself put on the gay for many of his skits and characters). We have our binabae boys, who help bridge the gap between boys and girls who are – presumably – straight. We have our old queens and butches, who many times take over the role of surrogate mother and fathers for the abandoned children of their clans.

But let me ask you: do we, as a people, really “love the gay?”

Forcing the pedestal
To those who keep on talking about “babaylans” and how the older generations used to just be “discreet” about sexual shenanigans, and would have families and all, let me say this: that’s a great pedestal that I would not want to be on. Because all these roles, while rendering gay people relatively acceptable in society, also imprison them into stereotypes. How many times have emerging gay teens been bullied that all they will ever be good for is styling hair? How many butch girls have become the taxi or jeepney driver, or the taga dala ng tubig sa bahay?

If you think that’s a bit of a reach, let me remind you: Dolphy and Lolita Rodriguez were the stars of the original Jack en Jill, possibly one of the earliest Asian films about homosexuality (if not the first). But in practically every version of this movie (and there have been quite a few), the gay boy becomes a “normal” straight man. And the tomboy finally accedes to being a bit more girly, if only by finding budding love in the arms of a man. Hallelujah, it’s the Philippine version of the closet in Narnia: you can only enter a fabulous world when you go in it. Outside, it’s the real world.

The gilded cage
That’s always been the condition of being gay in the Philippines, that one has to follow a certain mold to be acceptably gay. A hard-working, masculine man in a macho job, like engineering, or law, or some other position with authority would have to be a man’s man – even if he has the heart of a woman. And, not surprisingly, it is the same the other way around, where no woman should ever be in the “man’s world” of jobs.

Does this mean that women’s rights and LGBTQ rights are intertwined? Only in so far as it is about what is acceptable. However, the bigger problem about being gay and happy is about the issue of who the LGBTQ fall in love with. While for women it may be about who is acceptable to the family (for the most part), for gay people, it is about religion, about hatred, and, sometimes, about life or death.

Crossing lines
There is nothing inherently wrong about religions forbidding gay people to be “real.” Even if it is reprehensible by modern standards, religions do have the right under law, to practice their beliefs without the law interfering. However, the big issue of the day is when people who do belong to one religion try to push their religious beliefs as law, using elected government officials who practice their religion as their chess pieces.

And this is where the Philippine LGBTQ situation becomes horribly dangerous. The culture of expectation, combined with religious issues, have combined to make gay people cardboard characters. It’s fine for them to entertain, or to do jobs that are traditionally for them, but no, they cannot get married; no, they cannot love another person in their way; and no, they cannot be accepted for what they really are – as people, as loved ones, as friends. It seems that in the Philippines, the best way for “normal people” to interact with members of the LGBTQ segment would be to simply see them as how cultural, social, and religious norms paint them to be: clowns, or people who are “assigned” certain jobs.

Where is the love?
As some people may be thinking: Where is the love? Where is the Filipino penchant for always smiling, always being generous? Well, that in itself is an explanation. The Filipino stereotype functions in the same way as local gay stereotypes do: it’s all for show, and probably a way to enforce social stability (yes, social stability through enforced LGBTQ roles sounds as bad as it reads on paper). Because, essentially, LGBTQ society functions as a shadow or an underground society in itself, it is easier for mainstream society to find ways to demonize it, make it less appealing. In fact, it’s so unappealing to the uninformed that many kids who find out they are gay go through the worst of times when finally coming to grips with what they are – these include being thrown out of their homes, being bullied by schoolmates, alienation from friends, and, ultimately, suicide.

Living normal: the dream
While many gay people prefer flamboyant lifestyles, the truth is, it’s highly probably that the majority of the gay population are just happy to have “normal lives,” sticking to their jobs, living their love lives quietly, and generally being “undetectable” to people who don’t know them. It’s a tempting offer, and one that is highly polarizing, since the choice of integration or rebellion within the LGBTQ community is by far the most divisive. For one side, it’s about finding a way to slowly be accepted into society, even if there are concessions to be made, and for the other, it’s all about winning, with no uncertain terms.

But the funny part is, in the middle of all this social, cultural, and religious conflicts, the real irony is that it is about private lives, it is about people loving each other – which really shouldn’t be anybody’s business but their own. The problem, it seems, is that other people who aren’t involved in the relationship want to impose their idea of legal rights and “proper” codes of conduct on what is essentially not their thing.

In the end, it’s incredibly stupid that all these issues are coming out because some people just can’t find it in their hearts to have compassion for others. Indeed, for some people, the LGBTQ community are worse than animals, and deserve to be killed.

To live normally, to love someone who loves you back; taken simply as that, isn’t it what everyone wants? So why can’t it be the same for the LGBTQ community?

Photo: “gay bear holding hands” by happy lab dog, c/o Flickr.com

Lovi Poe goes to prom

Dream prom come true

Kapuso actress Lovi Poe was giving a talk in her high school alma mater, Colegio de San Agustin when she decided to make a young man’s prom dream come true.

The lovely actress posted a video on her Instagram account last February 9, 2016 with the caption …

“So months ago, this guy named Kurt asked me to the prom in front of his classmates and I said I would think about it… now he asked me again in front of his batch mates….. And I said Yes.???? I guess I’m going to the prom once again!!?? See you, Kurt!!! You better show me a good time!”

True to her word, Poe went to the prom with CSA student Kurt. She posted a photo of herself wearing a burgundy Tony Evan gown on her Instagram account. She wrote, “The night I was high school again.” Her young date wore a black suit with a burgundy tie to match her gown.

The Kapuso star held out her arm so that her dashing prom date could put on the corsage. Although Poe is obviously taller than her date, they still look cute together. The gorgeous actress shared another photo of them with the caption …

“With my prom prince @kurteous5 . He is Indeed a true gentleman.”

Promposal for Ms. Universe

Promposal for Ms. Universe

It seems like Kurt is not the only teenager who wants the best prom date possible. Jerel Labra, a Fil-Am teen from Texas posted a video clip on Twitter asking Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach if she would be willing to go to the prom with him. He said on the video …

“Hi Ms. Universe. My name is Jerel Labra. I’m a 17 year old Filipino and I live here in Texas. First of all I want to say congratulations on your win. You really did make all of us Filipinos very proud.”

He continues …

“I may not be as handsome as James Franco, or as funny as Seth Rogen, or maybe as ripped as Channing Tatum, but I can say this, I’m a runner up. This is my question for you…”

Labra pauses to catch a bouquet of roses thrown by someone from the background and says, “Pia, will you go to prom with me on April 23?”

The reigning beauty queen got the teen’s attention. Wurtzbach replied with a short video saying, “Hi Jerel. I got your promposal. I’ve never had a proposal like that before so that’s definitely a first. I would love to go if my schedule permits, so we’ll see. I can’t promise anything yet right now but your message was really sweet.”

The ecstatic teen replied on Twitter, “@PiaWurtzbach @MissUniverse Thank you for your reply Pia! I hope you can make it, but please please make time for it. Excited nako!”

As of this posting, Labra’s promposal video has generated 1,824 likes and retweeted 849 times.

Rise of promposals

Soccer field promposal

In today’s modern world dominated by high speed Internet and all sorts of gadgets, it seems that teens are more gutsy and determined.

Gone are the days when moms arrange for their teen to go to the prom with their amiga’s fellow teen. Most young individuals today are capable of getting their own dates.

Asking someone to the prom is not anymore as simple as asking, “Will you be my prom date?”

More young guys (and girls) are going out of their comfort zone to arrange unique and memorable ways to ask their prospect date to go to the prom with them. Perhaps, girls nowadays are secretly hoping to get more than the usual phone call, SMS, Facebook message, or getting asked along the school corridor.

Promposals are becoming more of a public ceremony. Some teens seem to take a flair for the dramatic to ensure a more favorable response.

With all the effort put into grandiose promposals, young ladies (and even lads) are likely put on the spot and pressured to accept even if they don’t actually like the guy (or girl) or have another prom partner in mind. It may seem too much of a risk to appear cold-hearted when you decline someone in front of a crowd especially when the moment is being documented for social media sharing. Most promposals seem orchestrated to be Instagram-worthy (and other social media sites).

Teens are investing time, effort and money into their promposals. I could only imagine the pressure that kids face during prom season. Boys (and girls) are pressured to be creative in order to get a coveted yes.

Take for instance this video of a blindfolded girl being ushered by her friends to the football field. A guy walks along holding wireless speakers to provide background music while another captures the moment with his mobile phone. The person from behind documents the whole scene on video.

A group of guys holding placards wait at the end of the field. From afar, they form the name A-L-E-X. When the blindfold is removed, the girl sees the large letters that spell out her name. The boys turn the cards around to spell P-R-O-M while the main young man uses his megaphone to pop the question.

The girl walks towards the soccer ball positioned strategically in front of the soccer net with a large sign that says “Yes.” When she kicks the ball towards the goal, everyone jumps for joy. The ecstatic guy embraces his prom date and gives her a Ferrero Rocher chocolate bouquet.

In this next video, a student named Michael is seen creating a heart made from rose petals on the floor. A few paces away, the letters P-R-O-M-? have already been formed.

The prom date prospect, Kathleen walks in blindfolded. She is assisted by a classmate who leads her to the center of the heart.

Kathleen’s blindfold is removed and Michael walks towards her with a bouquet of flowers. He kneels before her and asks, “Kathleen, will you go to the prom with me?”

When Kathleen says yes, the rest of the class cheers and shouts, “Kiss! Kiss!” The couple embraces and the young gentleman plants a kiss on the girl’s forehead.

In this day and age, a young lady doesn’t have to sit and wait to get a prom proposal. It’s perfectly acceptable to do the asking herself just like in the next video.

CK creates placards in her room. She asks a bunch of friends to dance during her promposal.

Wilmer, the prom date prospect walks unsuspectingly to the grounds wearing his jersey and shorts. On cue, the couples make a curtsy and begin to slow dance while Wilmer looks on.

After the dance, one of the couples accompanies Wilmer towards the rest of the group and they circle around him. They later form a line with Wilmer at the front. Meanwhile, a group of girls reveal placards with the letters P-R-O-M and another one that says “Look Back.” They all turn around including Wilmer. CK makes her way to them and asks, “Wilmer, will you go to the prom with me?” The lad gives his consent and embraces the lovely lady in blue.

Photos: “Lovi Poe goes to prom” screencap from Lovi Poe Instagram account; “Promposal for Ms. Universe” screencap from Jerel Labra Twitter account; “Soccer field promposal” screencap from YouTube.

Videos c/o YouTube.
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Rachel Yapchiongco, also known as Rach to her friends, is a Psychology and Marketing Management graduate of De La Salle University. Rachel is a mom to a charming boy and married to an entrepreneur who has a passion for cooking. She shares parenting experiences and slices of everyday life on her personal blog called Heart of Rachel.

Ang mga lalake, mga walang kwenta talaga. Ito ang pambansang awit ng mga kababaihan. Tapos na ang buwan ng mga puso, at dahil nakuha na nila ang gusto nila mula sa inyo, ay nanlalamig na sila. Hindi sila sensitive. Hindi nila makuha ang mga hinaing ninyo, at ang nais lamang nila ay ang uminom kasama ang mga tropa. Tila ang utak ay nasa ibaba. Utak sabaw, kumbaga. Kaya nga naman si Freud, inalay ang buhay at talino sa pagsasaliksik sa kuneksyon ng labing-labing at kung papaaano tumakbo ang mundo. Ang napag-alaman niya? Labing-labing sa kama ang motibo sa lahat ng desisyon ng tao. Sa lathalang ito, iiwasan nating ipako sa krus ang mga lalaking nakatira sa kweba. Sapat na ang apatanapung hagupit ng latigo sa likuran. Semana Santa na rin naman. Ang galing lang, tapos ng Pag-ibig, Semana Santa. Biro lang.

Baka may stiff neck. Isipin ninyo, saan ba galing ang stiff neck? Diyata’t napadalas ang biglaang pagbisita ninyo sa Daang Gawing Pa-Kaliwa, at medyo masidhi ang bakbakang nagaganap sa pagitan ninyong magsing-irog. Paki-tingnan na lang kung may smiley face ang diary entry ninyo kagabi. Paki-imbentaryo na rin kung ilang smiley face mayroon ang diary ninyo sa buwan ng Pebrero. Ang solusyon rito ay simpleng-simple lang. Pumunta sa spa. Samahan ninyo ang damuho. Siyan nga pala, baka kung saang spa magpunta. Sa kabilang banda naman ng batok ang stiffneck niyan paglabas, sige kayo.

Baka naman pinagseselos ka lang. Sa tagal na ng pinagsamahan ninyo, masyado ka nang kampante na siya ay iyo, at ikaw ay kanya. Pakiramdam niya paulit-ulit na lamang ang mga kaganapan sa buhay ninyo. Mula sa pag-aaral, sa mga gimik, sa mga kaibigan, trabaho, negosyo, sa mga bata, atbp. Baka panahon na upang mamasyal, na kayo lamang dalawa. Muling sariwain ang pagkaka-kilanlan sa isa’t-isa. Kumuha ng hobby kung saan may bago kayong pagkaka-sunduan, pag-uusapan, kasasabikan, at magiging kasiya-siya. Masaya ang couple shirt, pero mas mainam ang libangan na may natututunan.

Baka may commitment issues. Sa ganitong banda, wala sa inyo ang may sala. Ang sanhi ng takot sa paghangad na maging mas seryoso ang relasyon ay ang mga dating naka-relasyon. Kung ikaw ang unang katipan, tumingin sa magulang ni Utoy. Matutong makinig. Panigurado may pahapyaw iyan kung nag-aaway parati, nambababae ang tatay, o sa kasamaang-palad, nagkahiwalay ang mga mahal na magulang. Alamin rin sa mga kapatid kung totoo ang alibi. Mahirap na. Tandaan: Walang kwenta ang mga kalalakihan. Pero swabe ka lang ha. Pag binanatan mo nang: “Ate, babaero ba tatay ninyo?,” malamang masasapak ka ng panganay na babae nila.

Baka naman naumpog na. Dati-rati kahit anong sama ng ugali mo, wala kang naririning sa kanya. Bulag na bulag nga naman ang boyfriend mo sa kagandahan mo. Ngunit may isang pangyayaring nagbago ang lahat ng ito. Ito ba iyong maka-isang daang beses na pinagdala mo siya ng 10 o higit pang shopping bags at kahon. Hindi naman talaga sa bigat, mga damit at sapatos lang naman. Iyun nga lang, napansin na niya marahil, takip ang mukha nya ng mga kahon. At lagi na lamang siyang nasa likod naglalakad. Habang ikaw, naka-login sa smartphone, panay mga lalaking kaibigan ang ka-chat. At kapag may lakad kayo ng mga bago mong kakilala, hindi siya kasama.

Siya ang gumagawa ng term paper, research paper, naggu-gupit ng art paper para art project mo. Naglalampaso ng sahig, nagluluto ng tinola, nagsasaing ng bigas, at naglalaba pa-kamay. Nagca-carwash ng pagkalaki-laki mong sasakyan. Ikaw lang naman ang laman. At iyung aso mong si “Pooch” na tunay mong kinagigiliwan, dahil kasyang-kasya sa designer bags mo — siya ang nagpapaligo at nagsusuklay sa basahang asong pagkalinggit-linggit.

Baka naman panahon na para swelduhan mo siya, kung ita-trato mo lang din naman na Personal Alalay.

Baka ayaw mo magpagalaw. Sabihin ko man o hindi, alam na ninyo ang katotohanan. Huwag na tayo maglokohan. Ang tao ay banal, ngunit tao lamang. Ang sabi nga ng isang host na napamahal na sa kaniyang mga manunuod, itago natin sa pangalang Ginoong Jacket Gibb: “Ako’y marupok lamang.”

Pero teka. Definition of terms muna tayo upang di magka-lituhan sa usaping ito. Ang mga menor de edad, 16 pababa, ay off limits. Pedopilya iyan. Gawain ni Satanas. Ang one-night-stand din ay off limits. Ang affair lalo ay off limits/it’s complicated; huwag kang pumulot ng batong iuumpog sa ulo mo.

Isa lang naman ang tumbok nitong mga ito: Ang panggagamit ng ibang tao para mapunuan ang pagnanasa ng laman ay karumal-dumal.

Ngayong nagkalinawan na tayo, mga marurupok na mga tao, tanungin natin ang ating mga sarili. Mahabagin naman, ilang taon na ba kayo magkatipan o mag-asawa?

Sa magkatipan, kung ikaw ay takot na mabuntis at madungisan ang iyong pangalan, at siya naman sa tingin mo ay namimilit, mainam na maghiwalay na lamang ng tahimik. Isa lamang ang masasabi ko riyan. May mga kaibigan akong nabuntis nang maaga, ay maayos naman ang buhay. Limitahan lang ang bilang ng anak. May condom naman, at kung mahal ka niya, papayag siya magsuot ng goma. Tandaan mo, at mamimili ka ngayon: respeto ng magulang na nagpalaki sa iyo’t nagmamahal nang walang kapalit, o pasayahin ang taong mahal mo? Marahil ito ay usapin kung ang katipan ba ng isang babae ay nakikita na niya bilang potensyal na kabiyak sa buhay. Kung hindi, pakawalan na lamang. Hayaan ninyo nang tumingin at maghanap ng iba. Paka-tandaan natin, mali ang manggamit ng ibang tao para sa pansarili nating kaligayahan.

Duon naman sa magasawa, pagod lang ang dahilan kaya hindi napagbibigyan si mister. Kung umaayaw ka dahil hindi mo lang feel, hindi ba’t napaka-sadista mo naman? Ang mga aral ni Freud ay iyong balikan.

Parating may dahilan kung kaya tumitingin ang kalalakihan sa iba. Hindi patas na parating sa lalake ang kasalanan. Ngunit alam ninyo, kung tapat naman kayong mga babaeng nagmamahal at nakikisama naman sa abot ng inyong makakaya, may isa pa talagang dahilan. Huwag ninyo na sabihin sa iba. Atin-atin na lang.

Ang inyong boypren o mister, baka naman talagang, sadyang minalas ka, dahil kups lang, hanggang kaibuturan.

Ikaw naman, ngayon, ang tumingin na sa iba.
Photo credits: From Butz.2013, flickr.com, some rights reserved

As of today, it has not been officially declared that summer has arrived. And yet, the past few weeks have been so hot that people are already planning their weekend summer getaways to escape the heat or temporarily forget it even existed.

For the few families who cannot afford to take long vacations to faraway places that they have listed in their bucket list because of the shift in the academic years, fret not, there are places near the National Capital Region that are close enough to visit for a quick weekend getaway. For those who want to have a change of scenery but have difficulty getting away for more than a weekend, there are appropriate places just waiting to be explored.

A brief note: The purpose of this article to is to list down different fun things to do this summer and where these can possibly be done. Very few specific recommendations will be mentioned. It will be up to the readers to use the key words provided (activity plus place) to research online to find exactly what they are looking for.

SWIMMING

First agenda as fun summer activity is swimming. People from the NCR need not go to great lengths to be able to find a venue for swimming. Laguna has a wide array of warm water pools that can be rented privately. Rizal province also has private pools for swimming. Bulacan has many wave pools and pools ala-theme park with slides and other gimmicks. For the beachgoers, Batangas, Bataan, Pangasinan and Zambales have shorelines that have various resorts to choose from. Laguna boasts of several lakes and waterfalls that allow swimming. All these require travel time from an hour up to four hours by land.

MUSEUMS

Rizal province has several museums that can offer respite and inspiration for those devoted to art. In some places, pottery, weaving, painting and other classes can be had to further one’s talents and art appreciation.

HISTORICAL SITES

Have you ever been to Jose Rizal’s home in Laguna? What about Emilio Aguinaldo’s house in Cavite? Have you ever seen Barasoain Church in Bulacan? These are places where history can be traced back and remembered. In Bataan, there are different places to visit that show how life was during World War 2. Summer is a good time to revisit these historical sites.

FUN FARMS, ADVENTURE CAMPS and ZOOS

There are fun farms in Laguna and in Bulacan where children can experience horse-back riding, riding on carts being pulled by carabaos, fishing, zip lining, goat milking, and other fun activities. Adventure Camps can be found in Tagaytay and Antipolo. Even corporate team-building activities can be held there because the programs are not just for children. Zoos can be found in Rizal, Cavite and Pampanga. These kid-friendly zoos have petting areas where children can interact with animals by feeding them. The Nayong Filipino has transferred from the NCR to Pampanga and it is where one can see replicas of places to visit in the Philippines. Pampanga also offers adventure places for those who like wake-boarding and being suspended on air.

TRAIL HIKING

Rizal, Laguna, Quezon, Batangas and Bulacan have trails that can be hiked. These are mountain trails, river trails or trails near the beach. The areas near Mount Pinatubo have trails that can be reached by heavy duty vehicles available on a daily basis. Nueva Ecija has a national park where visitors can hike to see a river.

SPELUNKING

Bulacan, Rizal, and Cavite have good spots to go spelunking. Spelunking is not for the faint of heart though and caution should be done at all times if this is the chosen activity.

FIESTA

Summer is the perfect time to visit nearby provinces for the colorful and fun fiesta celebrations. Not only do the visitors get to see the best products that these provinces can offer, they also learn about the history, culture and traditions of these places, meet new friends and experience Filipino hospitality.

CHURCH VISITS

Church visits or Visita Iglesia need not be confined to Holy Week. One can have a road trip visiting churches on a Sunday. The historical churches are wonderful to photograph and see up close. Laguna, Rizal, Quezon, Batangas, Bulacan and Pampanga boast of several of these churches which stood the test of time and serve as silent witnesses to the different changes happening in Philippine townships.

FOOD TRIP

A food trip road trip is a delicious way to spend summer weekends. Pampanga is best known for its cuisine while the other provinces are not far behind in making their food specialties known among tourists.

CAMPING TRIPS

In Rizal and Laguna are several places where people can go camping. The beaches in the provinces mentioned above are also good venues to pitch a tent and rough it out with nature.

Important reminders:

Though these suggestions require only a few hours of travel on land, you will do well to fully prepare before embarking on these weekend trips:

1. Plan ahead by studying the easiest routes, if you are bringing your own car. Make sure that your vehicle is in excellent condition. Bring a paper map in case you can’t connect to the Internet for your GPS and digital street maps. Plan ahead by making reservations in case you are staying somewhere overnight.
2. If you are commuting, research the time that the public utility vehicles arrive and leave. Being stranded someplace remote is not something one would want a fun day to end with.
3. Bring enough food and water. You don’t need too many clothes if you are commuting but only those that you will be needing.
4. Charge your gadgets before traveling or bring a powerbank with you. Leave other valuables behind that are not needed for the trip.
5. Let other people know your schedule and itinerary just in case you get lost.
6. Try not to complain about accommodations or the lack of it because if you have planned your trip well, you should know what to expect.
7. Be respectful of the people you meet along the way. Be respectful of the nature around you.
8. Have fun. And as they say: leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but pictures and bring nothing but memories.

Have a happy summer!

Aisa Mijeno2015
WikiPinoy Awardee
Philippine Online Chronicle image/Photograph Edd Castro, March 10, 2016

Aisa Mijeno is a Filipino engineer and a faculty member of Engineering at De La Salle University-Lipa. She is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Sustainable Alternative Lighting (SALt).
She used to be a member of Greenpeace Philippines and has traveled many places to promote environmental campaigns. During her trip to the mountains of Kalinga, she lived with the natives of the Butbut tribe for days. They relied only on kerosene lamps and moonlight to do evening chores. The foster family who let her stayed in their home is literally living on top of a mountain. She learned that they had to go down the mountain and go to the nearest town about 30km away on foot to get kerosene lamps.
That’s when the product concept was formed. The experience made her realize the need for an alternative source of light, especially in rural areas of the Philippines. She hoped “To light up the rest of the Philippines sustainably”. Mijeno emphasized that “This isn’t just a product. It’s a social movement.”

“On the Spot” Mr. Mijeno (Father of Aisa) and WikiPilipinas awardee Ms. Aisa Mijeno Philippine Online Chronicles image / photograph Edd Castro, March 10, 2016. Quezon City, Philippines.

In 2010, she gave up her NGO job and joined the De La Salle University-Lipa to teach engineering. In 2013, a technopreneurship bootcamp was held in DLSU-Lipa by a start-up incubator Ideaspace Foundation. The foundation accepted Mijeno’s proposal for the saltwater fuelled lamp and provided funds and support for her and her brother Raphael to start their company SALt.

Silhouette of Ms. Aisa Mijeno watching WikiPilipinas audio-visual presentation ‪#‎WikiPilipinasAward2016‬. Philippine Online Chronicles image photograph Edd Castro, March 10, 2016. Quezon City, Philippines.

APEC CEO Forum
Mijeno has suddenly been thrust on the world stage after being chosen to join President Barrack Obama and multi-billionaire Jack Ma to discuss climate change and renewable energy at the APEC CEO Forum. During the forum, Mijeno narrated how she was motivated by her immersion experience living with a native tribe in Kalinga.
US President Obama said that Aisa is a perfect example of young entrepreneurs coming up with leap-frog technology. Obama called Mijeno’s project a “brilliant idea” at becoming innovative in addressing climate change.
However, according to Mijeno, the challenge is to look for sources of funding to continue the project. Obama responded “I feel like I’m serving as a matchmaker here a little bit!” which made the audience laugh. He added that the government’s role is to provide tax incentives for producers of clean technology, as well as funding for research and development.
Mijeno urged the need for measures to address climate change. She shared that her ultimate goal is to power an entire island using ocean or saline water in a way to address climate change.

NAGING VIRAL ANG VIDEO
ng graduating student na si James Cubelo
na kinunan sa loob ng LRT train
mula Central Station hanggang U.N. Avenue
noong Huwebes (March 10).

Makikita sa video na tumatakbo ang tren
habang nakabukas ang pinto nito.

Parang salamin ito
ng lagay ng bansa natin ngayon:
Kailangang kumapit ka nang mabuti
kung gusto mong mabuhay.

Kapit pa more, mga boss!!

*****

IPINAPAKITA RIN NG VIDEO
ang masayahing attitude natin sa problema.
Na kaya nating tawanan ang lahat.
Kahit na nanginginig na tayo sa kaba.
(“Ang saya! Parang nasa Star City!”)

Pero ibang usapan na
kung may nahulog sa tumatakbong tren.

Hindi na nakakatawa ‘yon.

*****

PWERA NA LANG KUNG ANG NAHULOG
ay yung nangakong magpapasagasa sa tren.

‘Yun… masaya ‘yun!

******

AT GAYA NG NAKAGAWIAN,
hugas-kamay na naman ang gobyerno dito.
Sabi ni DOTC SEC. JUN ABAYA
(yes, nakaupo pa rin po siya!),
ang dapat daw sisihin ay ang
Light Rail Manila Corp (LRMC).

At gaya ng dati,
nagsimula na naman ang turuan.

*****

SEC. JUN ABAYA:
“Sinimulan na ang imbestigasyon
sa insidenteng ito.”

Ang tanong:
May mangyayari naman kaya
sa imbestigasyong iyan?

Eh, di ba matagal n’yo nang
iniimbistigahan ang mga aberya sa MRT/LRT?

Bakit patuloy pa rin ang mga kapalpakan?

*****

SABI NG ISANG TAGA-LRMC,
hindi raw alam ng driver ng LRT
na bukas ang mga pintuan
dahil hindi raw niya ito nakikita.
Baka raw nag-malfunction
ang indicator na nagsasabi kung
nakasara o nakabukas ang mga pinto.

WRONG ANSWER!

Sabi ni James Cubelo sa video caption niya:
“…sinabi ni manong guard na
kumapit nalang kami ng mabuti,
ano to! Star City lang ang peg?”

Ibig sabihin, alam ng operations people
ang problema, and yet
pinatakbo pa rin niya ang tren.

Palusot pa more!

Parang gobyerno lang natin ang peg.

*****

SAMANTALA….

MRT TUMIRIK NA NAMAN.
Noong Huwebes, March 9 din ito nangyari.
Marami ang uminit ang ulo.

Eh, sino ba naman kasi ang matutuwa, ‘no??

*****

NANG TUMIRIK ANG MRT-3 TRAIN
mga 6pm (rush hour pa naman!)
sa Guadalupe Station.
pinababa ang mga pasahero.

Pero may mga nagmatigas at hindi bumaba.
Nang sinigawan sila ng mga pasaherong
nasa labas na
(“Dagdag-perwisyo pa kayo!”)
napilitan na rin silang bumaba.

Nakakaiyak.

*****

DAPAT YATA AY ANG PERWISYONG
DOTC Secretary ang sinisigawan n’yo,
mga boss!

*****

USAPANG LRT2 NAMAN
(Ito naman ‘yung linyang Santolan-Recto)…

Na-stranded ng mga 3 oras ang mga pasahero
noong Miyerkules (March 8) din ng umaga.

Ang rason: Power cable problem.

Nakakahagulgol.

*****

ANG NAKAKATAWA,
may FREE RIDE sana para sa mga kababaihan
dahil International Women’s Day noon.

Sabi ng isang nag-tweet:

“Free trip nga sa LRT2 pero
hanggang Cubao lang naman.
Tapos every station stops for 10 minutes
due to tech problem. AYKENAT.”

WIKENAT PO.

*****

PINAKAMALAKING BALITA NOONG MARCH 8,
bukod sa International Women’s Day,
ay ang pagkakapanig ng Supreme Court
sa petition na inihain ni Sen. Grace Poe.

9 out of 15 justices ang nagsabing
eligible si Poe na tumakbo bilang pangulo.

Sa halagang?

*****

PANALO ANG PETITION NI POE
kahit malinaw pa sa sikat ng araw
na hindi pa niya nabuo ang
residency requirement.

Ang sabi ng Constitution natin ay:

No person may be elected President unless he (/she)
is a natural-born citizen… and a resident of the Philippines
for AT LEAST TEN YEARS immediately preceding such election.

Kung ang pagbabasehan (at dapat lang naman!)
ay ang COC ni Poe nang ito ay tumakbo bilang sanador
noong 2013…
pagdating ng May 2016 elections
ay NINE AND A HALF YEARS pa lang siyang resident.

So, anyare?
Hindi ba ito nakita ng mga
kagalang-galang na mahistrado?

O nagbulag-bulagan?

O may hidden agenda na hindi natin alam?

*****

SABI NI ASSOCIATE JUSTICE MARIANO DEL CASTILLO
(isa sa anim na tumutol sa pagtakbo ni Poe):

“Since [Grace Poe] took her oath of allegiance
in July 2006 and renounced her US citizenship
in October 2010, both LESS THAN 10 YEARS
prior to the May 9 elections,
she could no longer prove compliance
with the 10-year residency requirement.”

Buti pa po kayo, nakita n’yo ‘yan.

*****

DAGDAG PA NI DEL CASTILLO:

“Poe’s stay in the Philippines starting
from May 24, 2005 was not permanent
and could not be included in counting
the length of her residency because
she arrived here as an ALIEN
with a balikbayan visa,

Alien?

ALIEN!!!

*****

PERO MAY MGA NATUWA RIN
dahil pinayagan nang tumakbo si Gracia.

Baka raw kasi kapag nanalo ito eh…
maging DOLLARS na rin ang pera natin!

At saka baka magka-SNOW na rin!

GRACIA NGA!!!

*****

SO, KAPAG NANALO SI GRACIA…

American citizens ang magiging first family natin!

Sosyal!

*****

DISMAYADO RIN SI SC JUSTICE ANTONIO CARPIO:

“The election process becomes a complete mockery
since the electorate is mercilessly offered choices
which include patently ineligible candidates.
The electorate is also needlessly misled
to cast their votes, and thus waste their votes,
for an ineligible candidate.”

Tsk.

Sana pala pinayagan na rin nilang tumakbo
yung Intergalactic Ambassador
at si Archangel Lucifer.

Para todo-todo na ang saya!

*****

MAY MGA KUMALAT NA BALITA
na nagpakawala raw ng P1.8 BILLION si Pres. BS Aquino
upang pumabor ang ilang justices kay Grace Poe.

Wha…?

Ah… secret candidate nga raw pala.

Kawawa naman si Marujas!

*****

Sabi sa online report ng Bombo Radyo…

PNOY TO CRITICS:
“PA-CHECK UP KAYO SA UTAK.”

Hahaha!!!

(Teka. Di ako makahinga).

*****

P6.7 BILLION NA GINASTOS
SA PRE-CAMPAIGN ADS NG CANDIDATES
— Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism

At iyan ay BAGO magsimula ang
official campaign period ha!

Paano nila babawiin ang lahat ng iyan??

Nakakatakot isipin.

*****

LUMALABAS SA REPORT NA ANG LIBERAL PARTY
ni Pnoy at Mar ang may pinakamalaking gastos.

Pero sa report ng INQUIRER,
hindi man lang nila binanggit ito
(na LP ang pinakamalaking gastos),
bagkus ay ni-rewrite nila ang report ng PCIJ
para i-highlight na mas malaki ang
ginastos ni Binay kaysa kay Roxas.

Magkano, Inquirer???

*****

KORINA GAVE OUT CHECKS, FARM EQUIPMENT
during an event of the Dept of Agriculture (DA)

Tanong tuloy ng marami:
“Kelan pa naging empleyado ng DA si Ate Koring?”

Nagtatanim lang po ng boto.
Baka nga naman sakaling pag anihan na eh…
umangat naman kahit papaano sa survey si Mar.

******

HINDI BA VOTE BUYING AT BRIBERY
ang ginagawa ni Ate Koring?

Pikon na sagot ni Mar sa isang reporter:

“Ano ang sinasabi mo… deretsuhin mo ako, misis ko ito.
Sinasabi mo ba na ginagamit ng misis ko
['yung Department of Agriculture]?
Una, pribado ang kanyang sasakyan.
Pribadong pera ang kanyang ginagamit.
Inaanyayahan siya.
Ang sinasabi mo ba ay hindi siya pupunta
sa kung saan siya ikinukumbida?
Baka ginagawan mo lang ng issue ito
na wala namang issue.”

Ang puso mo, Marimar!!!

*****

SABI NAMAN NG KILUSANG MAGBUBUKID NG PILIPINAS:

“[Korina and Mar] are exploiting the predicament
of hapless farmers in a desperate bid to win their votes.”

Eh.. gagawin po talaga nila ang lahat to win votes.

Kahit maghalikan in public.

Eww.

*****

KRIS WILL TAKE A BREAK FROM SHOWBIZ

Na naman??

*****

SA ISANG INSTAGRAM POST
niya ipinahayag ang pamamahinga:

“Thank you, Kapamilya. Our relationship as a family
started October 28, 1996 and it will soon end.
A total of 10,354 days working for ABS-CBN,
my life’s most fulfilling professional journey
because of your love, acceptance and loyalty.”

10,354 days ka palang nagpapapansin???

In fairness…
Hindi masyadong halata.

*****

KRIS STRESSED THAT SHE IS *NOT*
RETIRING FOR GOOD.

Ayyyy….
good news na nga eh…
naging bad news pa!

For good na lang kasi eh.

Deal?!

*****

PHOTO CREDITS:
SC JUSTICES: www.rappler.com
LRT “JOY RIDE”: https://www.facebook.com
KORINA AND MAR ROXAS: new-one.org
KRIS AQUINO: push.abs-cbn.com

“Your eyes like stars, like diamonds in the sky… Your smile so sweet, like candies I can eat.”

“Alam mo, mula nang nakilala kita, nahulog na ang loob ko sa iyo.” Sambit naman ng isang napuwing sa akin.

Makaraan ang ilang araw, nakita ko siyang may ibang kahawak-kamay sa kalye. At nahulog na nga ang loob niya sa daan. Tama lang na nakantiyawan ko ang kaniyang pagkabolero.

Bakit nga ba may sentidong bolero con romantiko ang mga Pinoy? Tila likas pa nga ito sa kanila.

Pero sa huli, ang kabusilakan ng kalooban at katapatan ng pag-ibig ang siyang magsasabi kung sino nga ang tunay na lalaki.
Image credit: www.flickr.com/photos/balladist/

I lose in every election. Not as a candidate – I have never and will never put myself on the election block – but as a voter.

My choice for president in the 2010 election was defeated by now exiting bsA who six years ago won on the crest of yellow tears.

My choice for vice-mayor – a shoo-in after successful stints as congresswoman – didn’t even get to file her COC as she was allegedly ‘prevailed upon’ by the man my barber says ‘owns our city’ to give way to a kin.

Previous to 2010, the presidency went to somebody not my choice, a matinee idol who into his second year got convicted for plunder but was pardoned by the next-in-line for president, the little lady now languishing at VMC on a hospital arrest for a plunder case also languishing in court.

For reasons that baffled but didn’t surprise us hangers-on at Egay’s barbershop, my choice for Punong Barangay, a well-loved community ‘doktora,’ lost, with the number of votes for her from the rich-vote informal settlers area only as many, as the joke goes, as the number of digits of my hand and feet. This sad turn despite the fact that the ‘doktora’ has treated the residents/patients of the said area with TLC.

My losing streak in voting stretched to my choice for Congress. All those who won I did not vote for. Not the gravel-voiced big man, in appearance and clout, who can teach a chameleon a quick-change trick or two; not the three warlocks in the Senate, two of whom are trying to hex the voters into electing one of them to be bise presidente but who are sure to be shellacked by the heir to the Marcosian slit eyes and wit. And certainly not the comic who just have to utter Eat! Bulaga! to make the funding allocation for an important project disappear.

Also all this time I can’t figure how the voters out there could have missed the lady from Zambales who, on tv, talks sense on senseless things going around.

Now come the pretenders to the throne. The rich mom’s son who is pitifully swallowing his pride as he suffers the Ides of March over and over; the little dark man who may have a good run but may yet find himself in the clink one of these days; the Donald of Davao whose trumping days are over and has to throw jabs in the dark at his opponents; the grand lady who would have been president, a good one, even then if not for her health and a voting public still in showbiz mode. And the marionette in white with the cheating heart.

So I have to choose again. I have never varied with the ‘formula’ I use since I started going to the polls. Which, according to my friends at the barbershop, is a losing recipe.

I choose candidates the way I see, not perceive, them.

This is why I don’t watch or listen to candidates grow hoarse from debates. The words coming out from their mouths are not theirs but from those smarts feeding them the lines.

I don’t pore over or believe in surveys. It’s a given that these are conducted not out the ‘social obligation’ of pollsters but they are conducted for lots of money as fees you can only see in your dreams. And the results, according to my fave columnist Rigoberto, are naturally massaged, if not rigged, to bolster the egos of those paying and herd the unwitting to their side.

I think those advocacies and drives on how to vote right or to choose candidates wisely, however well-intended, have all this time just fell on deaf ears and have not gotten into the hearts and minds of voters.

Because after all the noise, the charades and costs, it all depends on the guys who are conducting the election and the sly manipulators behind.

The so-called PCOs and VCMs, or whatever they are calaled, have been exposed by those who know as nothing but robots being controlled by operators lurking in some dark corners and yet more of these machines have been bought by Andy and Co. from the smart Venezuelan sales rep. We don’t have to bang our heads into a wall to know why.

It has come to a point when I am considering to stay away from the polling booths this May and instead chow down a bowl of wanton mami and siomai at Hen Lin at Fisher Mall with the missus or swig a couple of beer with my friends at the barbershop.

For, really now, an election in our country has become just a game. And how the not-so-good guys shamelessly, I dare say, want it to be played, the Constitution, the laws and rules be damned!

Image credit: www.flickr.com/. some rights reserved

“You are one thing, or nothing at all.” — El Maestro, The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto, Mitch Albom

If you had all the money in the world, what would you do with the time given to you? Why do we ask this question? Most people would prefer to be “stable” as if there was such a thing in the world today. If we had a love that was “forever” then maybe. But there simply is no forever. As a kid, if you threw tantrums because your mommy would not buy you an abacus to train for your math quiz bee, then possibly, you were really meant to be an accountant.

In reality, most of our decisions on what we would like to be are based on money.

I had an interesting conversation with a budding musician. This was the time when I gave up everything to take care of my kids. Including writing. He was having his songs patented, and I was, well, in a band too, a houseband (house husband). He told me that I could make money with anything. If I was good at drawing, I could draw portraits, or caricatures, or whatever, and ask the people on
Facebook if they would be willing to have their portraits drawn for a fee.

I was thinking that my life was too far from my dreams. I was not writing, and I was not making money.

That reality sent me reeling to the ground, inhaling dirt and grime. I stayed down for some time.

Forgive me for making an example of my life, but I lay it here, in the hope it will help some readers who are in the dark what they want from life – what it is they were meant to do and to be.

Knowing who you are is exactly like trying to find a life partner. There is the tall, dark, and handsome young man for the ladies, and the soda-bottle bodied intellectual tigress for the young men. That is the ideal. Some get to marry the man or woman of their dreams. Most do not.

And just like with careers, some are lucky to be statesmen, actresses, flight stewards, physicians, lawyers, and company managers by their mid-twenties. The remainder drop out of college, become disillusioned with the path they’re taking, and get laid off. They do not wish to destroy their lives. They do not want to be derailed off the path to stability. They have done all that they could.

It is just that sometimes, even the best of people — the kindest, the bravest — fall.

But after losing everything, I can tell you, with all sincerity, that what comes next is discovery. After losing all your money, for example, an opportunity will present itself, so simple and easy you will be dumbstruck as to why you never thought of it before.

It just wasn’t the time.

Others are given the stable life, they need it. It is their weapon for their own journey. Take a look at Ghandi. But for the people who are left with too many options, because in reality, they have none, the beauty of their life will lie in their story. Nothing on this earth inspires more than an underdog. The girl left for dead by terrorists who became a Nobel Peace Prize winner. The man who wouldn’t amount to anything who came up with the theory of relativity. The lad who lacked imagination, who put animated pictures to life. Then the peaceful man, with the stable life, educated a lawyer, who went on hunger strike because he could not bear to hurt another being, and thus awakened the consciousness of the world as to what it really takes to be called human.

It is not what would make you happy. Because a marriage is not happy. Happiness is for children. Happiness is for lottery winners.

The question is, what is it that you cannot live without?

What is it, that after you have lost everything, that even though you have tried to give it up, to live the stable life, you just cannot forego, and forget? What is it that you try to leave behind, and after became a recluse? That is the gift of your life to you. It is a choice made by your life circumstances, and your spirit. This may sound too psychedelic, but I assure you, that it is who you are.

For me, it was writing. I succeeded in lying to myself for two months, thinking that I would not amount to anything anyway. Maybe I wasn’t humble enough. Possibly I was just a schmuck. And then maybe I just didn’t have the opportunities that I needed, that it was all just bad luck.

Then, I sat down, started typing, and thinking, and composing phrases, and looking up the ceiling, and smiling, and seeking, and finding.

What I was able to glean from that was this – from my writing stems my love for everything. The love for learning, for finding the right way my life should run, and how to make things work. I could become something else aside from a writer, because I need money. But I cannot become anything else if I should stop writing. That is the fountain from which springs who I am.

A lottery winner is ecstatic. A lottery winner can be financially stable all his life. Sadly, the lottery winner is simply that – a mere lottery winner. He does not know who he is, apart from all that money.

The reason people get married is not to be happy. The reason people have children is not to be happy. The reason people stick to their vocation is not to be happy.

It is because without their loved ones, or their particular skill set, these people who have full knowledge of who and what they are in this life would cease to function properly. They would lose all hope and meaning. Their life would be empty.

They have full knowledge of who they are.

Write down three activities that you extremely like. Then try not doing them for a long time, and see how your body will react. Depression is an excellent tool to knowing what you really want in life, as we have discussed. Listen to your inner voice. In a more practical phrasing, it is your gut feel.

If your gut tells you that you cannot let go of that one activity, then you, dear reader, have found what it is that you seek. Many people try to find this for most of their lives. Then they find that it was just under their noses. Sometimes the good Lord takes away, so that we will know that what we seek, we have already found.

Photo credits: www.commons.wikimedia.org

Family that eats together, stays together.

“The fondest memories are made gathered around the table.” – anonymous

In this fast-paced world, people are always in a hurry. A hectic schedule makes people more conscious of the time. Mornings become a blur of movements as members of the household scurry to eat their breakfast before heading out of the house. On a crazy morning, people race against time and simply skip breakfast. Many are accustomed to rushing through lunch in order to make it to an appointment or get more work done. For busy individuals, lunch has become a habit of barely chewing food and quickly swallowing in order to get back to the work place. It’s pitiful how some things have to be cut short to give way to other things. Dinner is often the only time for many modern families to eat together.

People race against time to improve their careers and achieve their work goals but at what cost? We convince ourselves that the long hours at work will ensure our families of a brighter future. Working hard for the family should not come to the point of sacrificing our personal and family’s happiness.

It is incredible how time flies. A year can pass by without us realizing it. Each year that ends, our children grow older. We can easily miss out on many important milestones in our children’s lives if we continue spending more time at work and less time with the family.

Money pays for the bills and luxuries in life but it cannot buy back lost time. No matter how demanding our jobs are, we should never neglect our loved ones.

We don’t have to give up our jobs to reconnect with our families. Begin with something as simple as family dinners. Taking time to sit down with the family and enjoy a home cooked dinner offers a myriad of benefits that many of us take for granted. Here are just some benefits of family dinners.

Making time for family dinner can help relieve stress. We all have our share of worries and problems. We constantly deal with personal and work-related issues. It’s a daily challenge to juggle responsibilities as a parent, spouse, employee, etc. After a tough day at work, it’s good to come home and eat with the family.

Eating as a family can promote better health. Family dinners encourage members of the family especially kids to eat healthier. It is a great way to teach kids to eat more healthy food like fruits and vegetables. Children who benefit from regular meal times with the family are less likely to indulge in junk food.

Based on CNN.com, some studies have shown that children who eat with their families frequently are less likely to experience depression, think of suicide, and develop an eating disorder. Studies also claim that children who benefit from regular meal times are more likely to delay engaging in early sexual encounters. Family dinners can become a form of intervention especially when a child is feeling down or depressed.

WebMD points out that kids who enjoy regular family dinners are less likely to become overweight or obese, smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, try marijuana, use illicit drugs, and abuse prescription drugs.

Eating as a family keeps everyone connected. According to research by Kelly Musick and Ann Meier, consistent meal times can “generate feelings of closeness and comfort.” Regular meal times, even though they may sometimes be disorganized can provide stability for a child.

During meal times, children feel more relaxed and open to their parents. They become more at ease to communicate their thoughts, experiences and feelings. Encourage kids to share things about school, friends, dreams, goals, and so on. Make it a point to listen without passing judgment.

Family dinner rituals can help your child get better grades in school. A family dinner is a great opportunity for conversation. Sharing ideas, feelings and experiences enhances a child’s vocabulary and builds confidence. Dinner time can be a platform for asking questions and getting valuable inputs from other members of the family.

How to organize a successful family dinner

Try to eat dinner as a family at least three times a week. You can gradually increase the frequency of shared meal times.

Eating dinner with the family may seem like a natural and simple routine for some but for others, it’s more of a challenge. Compensate missed dinners by substituting them with another shared meal time such as breakfast or lunch. On really busy days, you can enjoy evening snacks with the family.

It’s not enough that the whole family is present during dinner time. It’s vital that everyone enjoys the meal and spends quality time together. Here are some tips to help make meal times with the family something to look forward to.

It’s always great to begin each meal with a prayer. Thank the Lord for bringing your family together.
If possible, involve the family in preparing dinner. It’s a good family bonding activity. Simple things such as setting the table, chopping vegetables, dropping ingredients into the pot, mixing dips and sauces, and garnishing meals can bring the family closer to one another.
You don’t have to cook something fancy to please your family. A simple but healthy dinner will do. It’s nice to cook family favorites and introduce something new and interesting every now and then. End the meal with a delicious dessert to please everyone’s palate.
Create a relaxing atmosphere during dinner time. Avoid distractions by turning off the television, putting cell phones on silent mode, and putting away handheld gadgets.
Make dinner time special by bringing out special plates or silverware, adding some flowers on the table, lighting a candle, and so on. You can also play soothing music in the background to trigger a relaxation response.
Take a moment to appreciate your blessings. As the day comes to an end, it feels good to reflect about the positive things that happened. Express your gratitude for both big and small things. For example, you can thank the people who helped prepare and cook the meal. You can congratulate your child for a particular school achievement. There are so many things to be grateful for.
Enjoy the meal and talk about the positive highlights of the day. Refrain from talking about problems to maintain an air of cheerfulness. Avoid topics that can make kids feel uneasy such as poor grades, behavior problems, grounding issues, etc. It’s best to reserve the serious matters for another time.

Photo from Pixabay. Public domain.
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Rachel Yapchiongco, also known as Rach to her friends, is a Psychology and Marketing Management graduate of De La Salle University. Rachel is a mom to a charming boy and married to an entrepreneur who has a passion for cooking. She shares parenting experiences and slices of everyday life on her personal blog called Heart of Rachel.

With the current global issues concerning China, it’s easy to come up with negative thoughts about anyone with Chinese heritage. But before we go into full-tilt racial stereotyping, perhaps we should realize that our own culture is more “Tsinoy” than we think.

The roots of Chinese influence in our culture started in ancient (though not necessarily prehistoric times). As far as is known, some experts put the earliest contact with Chinese traders at 982 A.D., and from there, interaction grew until Chinese communities with permanent settlers were established, ostensibly to function as trading points for Chinese and Filipino goods and services.

It was only a matter of time that intermarriage would happen, and hence Chinese mestizos were already established as a part of the population by the time that the Spanish arrived at our shores.

These days, it’s thought that at least 30% of the Filipino population (28 million or so) has Chinese blood, with around 2 million having pure Chinese ancestry. And this does not include those who are still immigrating to the Philippines.

The “Chinatown” communities
The most visual aspects of Chinese culture within the Philippines are the “Chinatowns” in major cities; areas where many of the Chinese restaurants and shops oriented for Chinese products and services are located. It is here that you can find everything from the most authentic Chinese food in town, to more exotic fare such as traditional Chinese medicine, medical services, and furniture.

But these are not the only “Chinatowns” in our communities. One should also think about the residential communities as well as schools where the secondary (or even primary) culture is predominantly Chinese.

In fact, one of the best ways to see how influential Chinese culture is in a given area is to see how well they celebrate the Chinese holidays – from dragon dances and tikoy, to the burning of paper effigies during funerals, Chinese cultural influences are markedly seen during important events.

Food
When it come to our Pinoy culinary traditions, let’s just say that Chinese food is the bomb – from Peking duck to siopao, from yang chow rice to all those sweet to savory sauces and preparations, Filipino cuisine has integrated Chinese food, and even our traditionally non-Chinese preparations have certainly been informed by Chinese cooking.

Language – Lutong Macao
Our language itself has been permeated with adapted Chinese terms, from those we use to denote sibling rank by birth (Ate = Achi, Shobe = younger sister), we also have those that have been absorbed into street vernacular, such as hao siyaw / hao xiao, bakya, buwisit, tong, and a whole slew of other terms.

It’s no surprise that in places with heavier Chinese influences, one could even hear people developing dialects that are a heavy mixture of Filipino, English, Chinese and Spanish – depending on what is most useful. For example, it would be no surprise that people who are in a wet market near a Chinese community would pick up on all the marketing terms that Chinese Filipinos would use.

Oh, and yes, for many Chinese Filipinos, they do keep two names: their Chinese name, and their Filipino/English name. The tradition probably stems from a strong cultural bias, but is mostly also a sign of respect for their family traditions and cultural values.

Appearances
Even when it comes to fashion and general style, the Chinese heavily influences the Philippines. Be it in clothes that mirror traditional cheongsams in cut, to the use of Chinese motifs in interior design, like red and gold in gaudy designs, Chinese sensibilities abound in Filipino households – particularly if it’s about good luck. If you’ve seen that cat statue with the swinging arm, then congratulations, that’s Chinese culture for you. It’s even more impressive if it’s an actual cat.

The not-so-good
That’s not to say that Chinese culture doesn’t have dark moments in our history. We all know about how some Chinese Filipinos tend to speak in Chinese so that non-Chinese people won’t know what they’re saying. We also know of how the stereotypical Chinese parents who won’t let their daughters – and sons – marry Filipinos, unless they are from rich families. These, and other negative claims do have a basis in reality, but if you were Chinese-Filipino, it would be no surprise if you did at least have some amount of caution when it comes to non-Chinese people.

The Sad Truth of Being Pinoy, but not really Pinoy
When we think of Chinese-Filipinos, most Pinoys call them… chekwah, intsik, beho, all with equal parts glee and ignorance. It is rampantly unfunny, and it is even more unfunny when we try to pass it off as just being “funny” or “because they’ve always been called that.”

Think about it: Tsinoys (let’s get that term in there now-now) count among the hardest working in our population, but always, always, there is that idea that they aren’t as Pinoy as normal ones, whatever that means. Now, for some of them, cultural pride does go to the extreme, but to lump them all in as such is patently unfair. Is it any surprise, then, that those who have experienced racism at the hands of normal Pinoys would just pay the treatment forward?

Being there: Tsinoy and Pinoy
Tsinoys do, in general, have a dichotomous life. On one hand, they are part of a rich and diverse cultural background that, at best, balances creativity with a work ethic that can assure success under most situations. On the other hand, many Tsinoys are also viewed as outsiders even in their own communities – you can be a rich Tsinoy, but you’ll never get rid of the stigma that you became rich because you are Chinese.

And the irony is, this makes the Tsinoy all the more Pinoy – in fact, if you think about it, the cultural and genetic mish-mash that is the modern Pinoy probably had its roots in how ancient traders – Chinese ones among them – decided to lay down their roots on our home soil. If anything, Tsinoys can lay claim to being just as Filipino as any other Pinoy.

However, this deep connection with Pinoy culture is, at times, countered by the rather intense devotion to Chinese culture. What is important, then, is to realize that Tsinoys are Pinoys. Whatever happens, Tsinoys aren’t culture-traitors. They are an important subculture for Filipinos, and we should appreciate the Tsinoy strengths, while being mindful of minimizing the bad habits that come with their now-ingrained reactions to “full-blood” (whatever that means) Pinoys.

Photos Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chinese_draak.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pinayavatar.jpg

Ang “highlight” ng Holy Week ay ang pagpako kay Jesus Christ sa krus. Para sa mga Kristiano, dito umiinog ang doktrina ng salvation (“pagsalba ng sangkatauhan sa kasalanan”) at atonement (“panunumbalik sa Diyos sa pamamagitan ng pagkamatay at muling pagbangon ni Hesukristo”).

Dito rin – habang nakapako sa krus — sinasabing binanggit ni Hesus ang seven last words (“siyete palabras”): “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” / “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” / “Woman, behold your son. Son, behold your mother.” / “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” / “I thirst.” / “It is done.” / “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”

Binanggit rin sa Bible ang ilang supernatural events habang si Hesus ay nakapako sa Krus. Sa totoo lang, kahit hindi ka saradong Katoliko, aaminin mong ang event na ito na isinalarawan sa Bible ay “awesome!” It captures your imagination. Kaya marami ring pamahiin at tradisyon ang nagsulputan base dito sa event na ito. Nariyan ang bawal ang mag-ingay, bawal ang maligo (excused siguro kapag nangangamoy ka na, ‘no?), bawal ang kumain ng karne (sabi ng iba, kapag Good Friday at Ash Wednesday lang daw; sabi naman ng iba ay buong Holy Week), bawal magwalis, tumawa o ngumiti kapag Good Friday. Buong Holy Week, bawal din ang gumamit ng matatalim na gamit, at bawal maglakad (mamasyal). Grounded ang 80% ng populasyon ng Pilipinas!

May mga Pinoy expressions din na may Holy Week references, gaya ng “Mukha kang Biyernes Santo.” Dahil siguro maraming bawal?

Penitensya ang general term natin sa mga pagdurusang ito na kakabit ng Holy Week. Pero mayroong mga kakaibang penitenya ang iba nating kababayan na nakakabit sa Holy Week, gaya ng paghampas sa sarili (self-flaggelation), at – pagdating ng Good Friday — ang pagpapapako sa krus.

SELF FLAGELLATION AND CARRYING OF THE CROSS

May mga ilang lugar sa Pilipinas, gaya ng Pampanga, na kung saan tradisyon na kapag Holy Week ang paghahampas sa sarili (self-flagellation) at pagbuhat ng Krus habang umiikot nang nakapaa sa mga kalsada ng bayan. Sa buong Pilipinas, umaabot sa daan-daan ang bilang ng mga gumagawa nito.

Ang self-flagellation ay nakatali naman sa paglatigo kay Hesus. Sinasabing ang mga Franciscans ang nag-promote ng self-flagellation para maka-identify ang mga mananampalataya sa mga pagdurusa ni Hesus.

Ngayon, sa Pilipinas at sa Mexico na lang may gumagawa nito.

Gumagamit sila ng malilliit na latigo kung saan may nakadikit na blade sa dulo, at hinahampas ang mga likuran nila hanggang ito ay magdugo.

Ang iba naman ay, gaya ni Corazon Cabigting (oo, babae!) ay nagsusuot ng maroon na robe, tinatakpan ang mukha niya ng veil, may koronang tinik na gawa sa gawa sa matitinik na halaman (ang iba ay gawa na sa stainless steel), habang binubuhat sa balikat niya ang isang kahoy na krus na may timbang na 30 kilos. Humihinto siya sa mga gawa-gawang munting chapel sa gilid ng kalsada.

Ang iba naman ay nakatali ang mga kamay sa krus habang hinahampas ng sticks o ng latigong gawa sa abaca. Ginagawa ito habang kumakanta ang matatandang babae ng pasyon.

Ang rason nila kung bakit nila ginagawa ito? Iba’t-iba rin ang dahilan: para gumaling ang sakit nila, para mapatawad ang mga kasalanan nila, para matupad ang mga dasal at kahilingan nila, at ang iba naman ay simpleng pagpapatuloy ng tradisyong nakagisnan na mula nang malilit pa sila. Ang tradisyong ito ay sinimulan mga 60 taon na ang nakalipas.

THE “MAIN EVENT”

Pero ang pinaka-highlight ng lahat ng ito ay ang pagpapapako sa krus ng ilang mga deboto. Isa na dito ang ang karpenterong si Rolando del Campo mula sa Pampanga. Ginagawa n’ya raw ito dahil natupad ang hiling niyang mairaos ng misis niya ang isang mahirap na pagbubuntis. Ang kanya namang kabalen na si Ruben Enaje ay nagpapako na nang tatlumpung (30) beses. Ginagawa raw niya ito dahil nakaligtas siya mula sa isang aksidente nang mahulog siya mula sa tatlong palapag ng isang ginagawang building. Galing siya sa barangay ng San Pedro Cutud sa San Fernando, Pampanga na sumikat dahil sa mga pagpapapakong ito. Ngayong Good Friday, may 20 katao ang magpapapako sa San Fernando, Pampanga.

Samantalang sa Cebu City, inaabangan na rin ang pagpapapako ni Gilbert Bargayo. Pang-apat na beses n’ya na ito. This time, ginagawa n’ya raw ito para sa isang malinis na eleksyon. “Orderly, no trouble, no killings,” sabi niya. Pinasalamatan siya ng mayor ng Tuburan (kung saan gagawin ang crucifixion) dahil sa pagpili niya sa lugar nila sa taong ito. Parang nakakatawa, pero hindi po joke ‘yan.

Ang mga pakong gamit sa crucifixion ay inii-sterilize muna bago gamitin. Ang mga ito ay pinupukpok sa pagitan ng mga buto sa kamay. Ouch naman. Ang mga paa naman ay ipinapatong sa isang footrest kung saan doon ipinapako ang mga paa.

CONTROVERSY

Dahil nga sa kakaiba ang tradisyong ito, dinarayo na ng mga turista ang San Pedro Cutud tuwing Holy Week, lalo na kapag Good Friday. Nagkaroon din ng mga pagkakataon na may mga foreigners ang napapako rin sa krus. Pero sa ngayon ay hindi na pinapayagang magpapako ang mag dayuhan matapos ang isang pangyayari: Ang Japanese na si Shinichiro Kaneko ay nagpa-crucify. Matapos nito, napag-alamang ginamit niya pala ang footage ng pagpapapako niya sa isang —- pornographic movie. Aba’y matinde!

CHURCH AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT REACTION

In general, hindi kinukunsinti ng Simbahan ang mga ganitong practices (self-flagellation, crucifixion, atbp.), pero hindi rin nila pinipigilan, dahil sa hindi naman daw religious practice lang ang mga ito. Ang mga ito raw naging tradisyon na, na hindi nila pwedeng panghimasukan nang basta-basta. Hindi rin naman ito pinipigilan ng local governments dahil malaki ang pumapasok na pera sa kaban nila dahil dito.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WARNING

Kung ang simbahan ay hindi ipinagbabawal ang pagpapapako sa krus, ang Department of Health ay nagbigay na ng babala na iwasan ito at ang pagpepenitensiya dahil sa panganib na dulot nito sa kalusugan. Delikado raw ito lalo na sa mga diabetic dahil posible raw itong magdulot ng infection. Pinapayuhan din nilang magpa-anti tetanus vaccine ang mga deboto.

KABANALAN O KALOKOHAN?

Ang isyu ng paglatigo sa sarili at pagpapapako sa krus ay isyung relihiyon at ang Simbahan ang may authority para ito ay bigyan ng basbas o ipahinto ito dahil sa health concerns —- kahit pa sabihin nilang tradisyon na ito. Oo, tradisyon nga, pero tradisyong nakaugat sa relihiyon. Sa ganang akin, hindi dapat pinahihintulutan ito. Pero sino ba naman ako? Hindi naman ako authority dito.

Ikaw, kung bibigyan ka ng pagkakataong magpapako sa krus, gagawin mo ba? Palagay ko, pareho tayo ng sagot. Sabi nga ng namayapang si Elizabeth Ramsey sa isang commercial para sa isang bareta ng sabon noong araw: “Magapatuka na lang ako sa ahas!”

PHOTO CREDITS:

SELF-FLAGELLATION: www.huffingtonpost.com

CARRYING CROSS: www.huffingtonpost.com

CRUCIFIXION: www.latitudenews.com

PHOTO URLs:

SELF-FLAGELLATION:

http://i.huffpost.com/gadgets/slideshows/218972/slide_218972_845635_free.jpg

CARRYING CROSS:

http://i.huffpost.com/gadgets/slideshows/218972/slide_218972_845399_free.jpg

CRUCIFIXION:

http://latitudenews.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/PhilipinoCrux.jpg

National artist series 1: Celerio, De Leon, Jose, and De la Rama

The Order of National Artists is considered as the highest national recognition given to Filipino individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts (Music, Dance, Theater, Visual Arts, Literature, Film, Broadcast Arts, and Architecture and Allied Arts). Fernando Amorsolo, Ramon Valera and Nick Joaquin have earned their rightful places in the roster of National Artists.

Fernando Amorsolo (May 30, 1892 – April 24, 1972)

“When I came back from Spain I did nothing but paint and paint out in the open, studying the light. Maski sa Espana kung nagpipinta ako, diyan ako nagpipinta sa liwanag na liwanag. Walang akong ginawa kundi mag-observe.” – Fernando Amorsolo

Fernando Amorsolo

Portrait artist and painter Fernando C. Amorsolo is known for his excellent brushwork and skill in depicting light.

Amorsolo was born on May 30, 1892 in Paco, Manila. His father was a bookkeeper named Pedro Amorsolo who was married to Bonifacia Cueto. He had four brothers. They spent their childhood in Daet, Camarines Norte. Amorsolo and his family moved to Manila after his father’s death.

His love for art blossomed under the supervision of Philippine painter, Don Fabian de la Rosa. Amorsolo became his apprentice at the age of 13. He sold watercolor postcards to a local bookstore for 10 centavos each to help his family. His younger brother, Pablo followed his footsteps and also became a painter.

Amorsolo won several art competitions and earned numerous art distinctions while he was studying. He received medals when he graduated from the University of the Philippines in 1914. He became a part-time instructor in the same university.

A great opportunity opened up for him when Filipino businessman Enrique Zobel de Ayala gave him a grant to study at the Academia de San Fernando in Madrid, Spain. After studying abroad, Amorsolo returned to the Philippines in the 1920s. He applied the techniques that he learned including the back-lighting technique to his artworks. This technique eventually became his trademark in the art industry.

National Artist of the Philippines for Literature Nick Joaquin described Amorsolo’s back-lighting technique as “the rapture of a sensualist utterly in love with the earth, with the Philippine sun… an accurate expression of Amorsolo’s own exuberance.”

He set up his own studio when he returned to Manila. Amorsolo’s favorite subjects were the landscape of the Philippines and the Filipino people.

His major works include the following: Maiden in a Stream(1921)-GSIS collection; El Ciego (1928)-Central Bank of the Philippines collection; Dalagang Bukid (1936) – Club Filipino collection; The Mestiza (1943) – National Museum of the Philippines collection; Planting Rice (1946)-UCPB collection; Sunday Morning Going to Town (1958)-Ayala Museum Collection.

He became the country’s first National Artist in Painting in 1972.

Ramon Valera (August 31, 1912 – May 25, 1972)

Filipino designer Ramon Valera was born on August 31, 1912. He belonged to a wealthy family. His father, Melecio was a partner of the tycoon Vicente Madrigal. Valera showed interest in fashion at a young age. His mother, Pilar Oswald was often surprised to see the dolls on their piano wearing new clothes.

Imelda Marcos wearing Philippine terno

He became one of the first male fashion designers. Valera had a successful career in fashion design from 1930’s to 1960’s. Some of his elite clients included former First Lady Aurora Quezon, former First Lady Imelda Marcos and actress Gloria Romero.

Valera was noted for his strong creative influence on the Philippine terno. He gave new life to the traje de boda (which modern society refer to as Maria Clara). During the early 40s, Valera designed a single piece of clothing from a four-piece ensemble made up of a blouse, skirt, overskirt, and long scarf. He transformed the traditional baro’t saya into a “single dress with exaggerated bell sleeves, cinched at the waist, grazing the ankle, and zipped up at the back.”

The designer used his remarkable talents in embroidery and beadwork to revolutionize the national costume. He gave Philippine motifs a modern touch. His brilliant craftsmanship allowed him to sew a perfect dress without using a pattern. One of his innovations was replacing traditional hooks with zipper. Valera dropped the panuelo (the long folded scarf that covered the woman’s chest) which shocked the public. Many thought of his idea as immodest but some notable women such as Mrs. Claro M. recto and Mrs. Pimitivo Lovina supported the new look. Valera incorporated butterfly sleeves which became the terno’s defining characteristic.

Up to this day, Filipino designers use Valera’s terno as a benchmark in terms of construction, beadworks, applique, and others.

Valera died in 1972 at the age of 59.

He was proclaimed National Artist in 2006. Valera is the first National Artist in Fashion.

Nick Joaquin (4 May 1917 – 29 April 2004)

Nick Joaquin

Nick Joaquin was a renowned poet, novelist, poet, playwright, essayist, and biographer. He was born on May 4, 1917 in Paco, Manila. His father Leocadio Y. Joaquin was a lawyer and colonel during the Philippine revolution while his mother, Salome was a schoolteacher.

He dropped out from Mapa High School after three years of secondary education. He found classroom work boring. He used his spare time to read books at the National Library.

He began writing short stories, poems, and essays in 1934. Many of his literary works were published in Manila magazines. Some compositions were featured in foreign journals.

Joaquin is considered to be the best postwar author in the Philippines. Many of his works focused on the Spanish colonial period and the heritage of the Filipino people.

His first work entitled “Prose and Poems” in 1952 was declared by scholars as classics in Philippine writing and English. Many of his stories are continued to be read and adapted in various forms including film and theater.

Some of his notable works include “The Woman Who Had Two Navels” (1961), “The Portrait of the Artist as Filipino” (1966), “The Complete Poems and Plays of Jose Rizal” (1976), “Almanac for Manileños” (1979), “Manila: Sin City and Other Chronicles” (1980) , “Language of the Street and Other Essays” (1980), “Reportage on the Marcoses” (1979, 1981), and many more.

He was awarded National Artist of the Philippines for Literature in 1976.

Photos: “Fernando Amorsolo” c/o WikiPilipinas. Public domain; “Nick Joaquin” screencap from YouTube; “Imelda Marcos” screencap from YouTube.

Videos c/o YouTube.

Last Sunday our 3-member barangay Lupon heard a case involving a man and his wife. Not unusual as we get to confront marital spats quite often.

Except that this time the couple was not on a fighting mode, raring to paw each other the moment they sat down facing our panel.

Except that last Sunday’s wife didn’t do all the talking, shrieking more like it, crying out loud how she caught her husband hunkered down between the quivering gams of their kasambahay.

Except that last Sunday’s husband didn’t do the retelling of the story being peddled by the usual barangay whisperers about the wife revealing her Victoria’s Secrets to some guy everybody but the husband knows who.

Except that it was not a tug-of-war between a young pair, barely out of their teens, over who gets custody of the child that came out from their trysts at Sogo’s.

Last Sunday’s couple simply wants to separate. In words devoid of drama, they told of their contrasting lifestyles which neither is willing to compromise. Their story is of the husband being the penny pincher and the wife the big spender. The husband being the toiler, the wife the party goer.

A mismatch, it seemed, between the frugal Ilocano and the extravagant Bisayan.

But cross region pairings do not guarantee living-happily-after marriages. No stats but just looking around shows it’s more of the same feather flocking together. They marry among themselves.

If ever the Ilocanos are likely to get hitched with somebody from other regions. Always in search of greener pastures or because of their being wanderlusts, Ilocanos are not apt to stay and die in one place. Reason why they are found in every nook and corner of the archipelago.

Unlike the Bicolano who can’t leave their spicy food laden with hot pepper and drowning in cholesterol-rich coconut milk. Who has a foot into the batten door of a seminary or a convent.

Unlike the Muslims and indigenous tribes in Mindanao who do not stray from the traditional circle they are hemmed in.

Unlike the Tagalogs who stay put in their places because their region is the ‘center of cultural and commercial life.’ They bask in the richness of their farms, thrive in their commercially viable rivers. Prone, OMG! exclaimed my barber, to live with their parents or in-laws even after marriage.

The genealogical and regional walls that divide us, however, may soon crumble. A.J. Jacob, editor at large at Esquire magazine, writes of a novel and quixotic (but aren’t swell things we are enjoying now started with dreams?) ‘turbocharging’ of family trees with a ‘collaborative Wikipedia-like approach.’ An uploaded family tree into one of several websites – WikiTree, WeRelate, MyHeritage – and merged with another tree that has a ‘cousin in common’ can ‘merge and merge again’ until ‘vast webs’ of ‘hundreds of thousands, or millions cousins by blood or marriage are created.’

Mr. Jacob was probably tickled pink finding Gwyneth Paltrow his kin a ‘mere 12 steps away.’ Surely proud his great-grandfather is King David from the Bible.

Now imagine.

Exiting prez bsA a cousin of GMA just once removed.

Senate warlocks Cayetano, Pimentel and Trillanes, whisle-pfft!- blowers Bondal and Mercado, cousins of the little dark man Binay.

Mesdames Ferrer and Deles a couple of links from Igbal.

Sixto and Andy not surprisingly cousins, too, of the smart Venezuelan who has been ramming his machines down our throats.

Poe and Sereno just one link away.

Rich Mar being a cousin –what do you know! – of the just-scraping-by Yolanda survivors.

The 5 name-calling, mudslinging presidentiables finding themselves cousins pala!

Me, I wouldn’t mind or be surprised if the missus turns out to be a cousin, ha-ha.

It won’t be long, Mr. Jacob predicts, when we will have a World Family Tree ‘containing mostly all seven billion humans on Earth.’

We’ll realize then that cousins we are all. We will be family and hopefully we’ll ‘treat one another with more civility.’

Sources:

Regional Traits, https://kwentongpinas.wordpress.com/2008/5/08

‘Are you my cousin?’ by A.J. Jacob, International New York Times, Feb. 1-2, 2014

Photo credits: www.unityspiritualcenter.org

Angel deeds from strangers

Ang mga Pinoy: Romantiko o bolero?

NEWSKUPOW! Handog ng Pilipino sa mundo: Charot Man!

Isip Pinoy: How much of talangkas are we?

Love letters in a mixtape

It’s never too late to…

The tangled, mad-sad world and how LGBTQ people do or do not fit into it

Of high school proms and promposals

Kapag tumitingin sa ibang chicks ang syota/mister mo

Things to do this summer in places near NCR

2015 WikiPinoy of the year

NEWSKUPOW! Kumapit lang kayo, newskuPoe!!!

Ang mga Pinoy: Romantiko o bolero?

It’s how the game is played

Finding ourselves when there are “too many options”

Importance of family dinners

More Tsinoy than we think

Pagpapapako: Kabanalan o kahibangan?

National artist series 2: Amorsolo, Valera and Joaquin

Cousins all (Imagine we are all family)