Summer ‘78

This for all the victims of last Monday’s (23 Aug 2010) tragedy in Manila. I hope the government learn something from it, act, and not just forget about it like most cases. What happened is truly an isolated case. Hostage taking can happen anywhere in the world, but how the police responded, and the leaders of our country? That’s not an isolated case. Our country needs an overhaul..and it has to begin from the top.

To the president of our country: Please don’t let the people down, govern wisely, and prove that the nation could again stand and be proud. Tell Juan dela Cruz that he is indeed worth dying for.

I know this is a long debatable issue..but…nevermind.

About the music. This is Yann Tiersen’s Summer ‘78. It was featured in a German film Goodbye, Lenin. His works are really great, and he’s my favorite music writer of modern times.

I’ve been playing and learning Tiersen’s Summer 78 for 2 weeks. Left-hand is pretty hard at first, extremely complicated fingering, but practice makes up for it.

Monday’s Hostage Tragedy - Insight and Summary

What went wrong?

Summary. August 23rd, Monday turned the usually lazy start of the business week into a tragic hostage case that shocked the world. Ex-policeman Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza hitched on a tourist bus mainly of Hong Kong nationals and 3 Filipinos. He took them as hostages for more than 10 hours, and what seemed to be a calm hijacking ended disastrously with 9 people dead: 8 were Hong Kong nationals, and the hostage taker.

Who is the blame? Why did it end like that?

(more…)

The Nerve!

Quickly following the wang-wang embargo, Malacañanang recently announced that Pnoy’s name will not be embossed on government projects and initiatives. Moreover, he would not want his face scattered in giants ads and billboards. If my memory serves me right, the municipality of Biñan, in Laguna has its share of this exact shameful political ploy. When the mayor was someone bearing the initials MBP, I see “Maunlad Binan Pag-asa” or something like that plastered along the infrastractures, and even on street lamps! When it was the female’s mayor turn, with her initials LA, “Laguna Asenso” or anything close to that were paraded (I’m not certain for my abbreviation meaning, but I know they coined their initials to something else at very least during their term).

Back home, it is very common to see in public school buildings’ façade: “A priority project of Governor ..”, etc., or sometimes even the iron gates they put up, they’ll weld it to letters of their initials. Vanity level? Insurmountable. Is that really how much affection and adoration you have for your name?

Pnoy decided to be different. His reasoning is: government projects are funded predominantly by taxpayers money, and should not be used as popularity booster. I couldn’t agree more.

If there is one thing I enjoy in this conceited, proud country of Singapore, that would be the no tax income, or a minuscule part if any. When i was working in the Philippines, I remember paying as much as 28% of my monthly income, gone, along with the wind. As a middle-class office worker and unlike other professions where apparently a lot of hocus pocus can be done to minimize the tax, I get my monthly income slashed and clean from the levy before i could even hide it from the thieves. ‘Can’t say no.. Each month, I just think of it as another generous contribution for that congressman’s new blazing red ferrari.

Going back to the issue, today, the palace urged local officials to follow the President’s viewpoint. However, he is not requiring every single officials to do the same. As for my opinion, you have all the right to put up all combinations of your initials in your civil projects provided that every single centavo for it comes from your own pocket. If not? Then, please have enough shame.

And this issue tags along other similar things in the Philippines. First, is the naming of landmarks, more specifically of airports. Is it rational to name the main airport in Manila as Ninoy Aquino International Airport only for the reason that that person was killed in the very spot? These kinds of infrastructures should be left alone and since they represent our country to some extent, they should not be named after any people’s name.

Well, I undoubtedly believe that the previous president, proven for her impenetrable thick face, was far more ahead having her father’s name morphed into an airport in Pampanga. Not contented, she imprinted 200-peso bill with her father’s head shot on one side, and then mind you, the rest of the other side was dedicated to her, swearing in oath as the prestigious president of the country. Excellent.

First Tiersen

Momci & Achie Visit Singapore

EATG - 11

11 - Santa Prisca Church, Taxco de Alarcón, Mexico

You don’t always get what you expect.

I was doing grocery with my mom this afternoon for pansit. Surprisingly on a saturday afternoon, the store had only average number of people getting through their list, so it was quick to get around. There were a couple of free taste promotions in between the aisles: one for nutella, another for a brand of kiddie cheese, and one for a brand of instant cup noodle.

My mom and myself stopped in front of the old lady and her instant-noodle promo cart suggesting we were eager to try it. She served one tiny cup of soggy soup, handed it to my mom, and handed a tiny cup of, well, sliced kiwi fruit to me. I had a blank face as to why I’m getting the fruit instead because I know it’s not what she’s suppose to promote, and there’s no other tiny cup of kiwi fruits on her cart. She gestured her hand on her mouth and said “EAT”, and I smiled.

Unquestioning, I walked away eating the fruit.

Shut your horn Ms Horn

It is crystal clear as the Malacañang’s chandeliers that any president is a people’s president. As a highly democratic country, every Filipino knows that a President is seated upon by the mass, by the voting population. This position is undoubtedly powerful that the most influential and wealthiest men and women in our coutry aspire for it. It comes not only the resposibility to lead and govern the nation but also the authority and prerogative to appoint people who will work inside the government.

I would be lying if I say that the current system is flawless, not to mention honest. It needs a complete change, a strenous overhaul inside-out, and to be effective with it, it is important for the president to be extremely careful and wise who his allies would be. This assignment alone, if successful, is indeed a great task and a true show of being a nation’s president.

Kicking somebody out in the current administration doesn’t mean Aquino is not being a president of his foes. Because if he did kicked you out, he just exercised control over you right?

If Aquino does not feel good about people seating in his offices, it is one of his perks to choose who he wants to work for him. If his reasoning led to believe that you are not good in the current role you are taking, then you are out. It’s that plain simple.

Sometimes, when you might not want the decision of the president, you can’t just call it as not being president-like to you, because if you are mature enough, you will realize that perhaps, your time is up.

Upuan

Kayo po na naka-upo,
Subukan nyo namang tumayo,
At baka matanaw,
At baka matanaw ninyo,
Ang tunay na kalagayan ko.

(Ganito kasi ‘yun eh.)
Tao po, nandyan po ba kayo sa loob ng
malaking bahay at malawak na bakuran, mataas na pader pinapaligiran,
At naka pilang mga mamahaling sasakyan,
Mga bantay na laging bulong ng bulong,
Wala namang kasal pero marami ang nakabarong,
Lumakas man ang ulan ay walang butas ang bubong,
Mga plato’t kutsara na hindi kilala ang tutong,
At ang kanin ay simputi ng gatas na nasa kahon,
At kahit na hindi pasko sa lamesa ay may hamon,
Ang sarap sigurong manirahan sa bahay na ganyan,
Sabi pa nila dito mo rin matatagpuan,
Ang taong nagmamay-ari ng isang upuan,
Na pag may pagkakatao’y pinag-aagawan,
Kaya naman hindi niya pinakakawalan,
Kung makikita ko lamang siya ay aking sisigawan.

Kayo po na naka-upo,
Subukan nyo namang tumayo,
At baka matanaw,
At baka matanaw ninyo,
Ang tunay na kalagayan ko.

Mawalang galang na po,
Sa taong naka-upo,
Alam niyo bang pantakal ng bigas namin ay di puno,
Ang dingding ng bahay namin ay pinagtagpi-tagping yero,
Sa gabi ay sobrang init na tumutunaw ng yelo,
Na di kayang bilhin upang ilagay sa inumin,
Pinakulong tubig sa lumang takuring uling-uling
Ang gamit na panggatong na inanod lamang sa istero,
Na nagsisilbing kusina sa umaga’y aming banyo,
Ang aking inay na may kayamanan isang kaldero,
Na nagagamit kapag ang aking ama ay sumueldo,
Pero kulang na kulang parin,
Ulam na tuyo’t asin,
Ang singkwenta pesos sa maghapo’y pagkakasyahin,
Di ko alam kung talagang maraming harang,
O mataas lang ang bakod,
O nagbubulag-bulagan lamang po kayo,
Kahit sa dami ng pera nyo,
Walang doktor na makapagpapalinaw ng mata nyo kaya..

Wag kang masyadong halata
Bato-bato sa langit
Ang matamaay wag magalit
O bato-bato bato sa langit
Ang matamaan ay
Wag masyadong halata
Wag kang masyadong halata
Hehey,(Wag kang masyadong halata)
(Wag kang masyadong halata)
Yeahhey…

Fear is temporary, regret is forever.

i was laughing at myself exactly a year ago. it was the agoniest, most sorrowful birthday i had, and i just can’t believe it it’s almost humor. i remember it well because i was wide awake and working as a waiter during the epic turn from june 6 to june 7th of 2009. it was very lively in the casino, and every color of lights were blinking not because they were happy that i aged but because they were just like that naturally, every single godforsaken day. the first and in-the-nick-of-time gift i got was a neat stack of dirty plates from rahul, an indian co-worker. i did not get a single cent of tip, how nice.

i was relieved to finish my shift and walk for home by half past 4 in the morning, and slept until noon to cook something in a pity attempt to say that i’ve celebrated it. i have as a guest my 2 argentines flatmates, and 2 filipino friends, jet (and her partner) and cielo (she later on joined me in queenstown adventure).

the good thing is that i usually don’t feel my big day to be any special than the rest of the 364 or 365 (during leap) days in a year. perhaps, my friends and family are more excited and happy for me starting with the bombardment of my facebook and friendster account, and sms.

in the afternoon, i walked around the town with nico and ended in a computer shop. pathetically hoping and completely disillusioned, i checked for IT jobs, but there was none.

today, i started being 27, and thank you for the time.

PS
i’m now wandering and lost around kuala lumpur with mom and sister.