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Tired

                                                       photo: childrenbookblogs.com

I love my job, I like what I do and I like the people I work with. It’s not always a bed of roses. There are some cases that seem impossible to win and there are some clients that managed to creep out from hell, and there are some days that seem to drag on forever. These things are taken in stride. But when days like yesterday happen, I begin to question whether I should stay in my profession. Happily, days like that do not happen often– about every 3 months or so–so it’s bearable. No, I am not yet over yesterday. I am still pissed. But I know that in two or three years or so, it will pass. I just hope it comes sooner than later.And I pray that I be given more patience.

Inis pa rin

Sabi ni  Uncle Ben, “With great power comes great responsibility”. Dapat yata required ipakita ang Spiderman 1 sa mga tao kasi meron mga tao dyan na gusto ng poder pero ayaw gampanan o di kayang gampanan ang mga responsibilidad at mga alintuntunin ng kanilang posisyon.  Kung kailangan sa trabaho mo na nag-iisip ka at bobo ka, mag-aral ka naman para hindi ka kahiya-hiya. Kasi, kung hindi mo kaya, umalis ka na lang kasi nakakasagabal ka sa mga taong gusto mag-trabaho ng maayos. Plus, nakakahiya ang ginagawa mong pagkakalat.

I Will Not Vote

I will  not vote for a candidate who  promises to provide jobs, help the poor, give housing to the homeless, without saying as to how he is going to achieve these things. 

I will not vote for a candidate who merely promises that he will not steal. I need something more than that. Besides, what is the guarantee that HIS people will not steal?

I will not  vote for a candidate who is merely a pretty face. Looks are not everything.

I will not vote for a candidate who does not have any accomplishments/track record/performance prior to his running for office. How do I know how he will perform in the office he is running for now?

I will not vote for a candidate whose campaign strategy is to takedown his opponents. Play fair.

I want a candidate who is a leader, not a social worker.

I want a candidate who, when promising things to people, will also state how he will be able to achieve these promises. Money is a limited resource. You spend more for one thing, you spend less for some other things.

I want a candidate who has a clear vision of what he is to do and how he needs to achieve it. I want someone who will enjoin people to achieve his vision.

I want a candidate who will not steal the people blind and who has the guts to keep his people from stealing from the people.

I want a leader who will take a firm stand on issues and will not waver from his commitment, no matter controversial it is, so long as his stand is legal and just.

I want a leader who has shown that he can perform well, that he laws and orograms that are beneficial to the people.

I want a leader  who will choose people on the basis of their abilities and willingness to be of service to the public. Public service requires dedicationand should transcend party lines.

I want a leader who shows respect for people even if they are on opposite sides of the political spectrum.  Or if they disagree with him. Politeness and civility counts.

Are there any candidates who meet my requirements?

Signs of the Times

Seen at a dressing room in Trinoma:

messages below say:

-discrimination?

-Only Asians

At a carinderia in Quezon City:

chop souy - masabaw na chop suey?

shrims? - ano yun?

breeded chicken- chicken na sosyal- may breeding eh.

pata team? -anong laro?

In fairness, the food was great. altho the surroundings will make your skin crawl 

An Indecent Proposal

  source: mgcpuzzles.com

The proposal to impose an expiration date on  marriages is creating quite a buzz these days. As expected, people taking sides and the Church is in a near panic mode, saying that if it becomes a law there will be a higher incidence of crime as children deprived of love will be out in the streets, creating a rampage. As if. (Dear Church, with that assumption, do you think that where the parents are together and yet there is no love in the family, the children will not be going on rampage?)

For those who have high hopes for the proposal, dream no more. It is unconstitutional and will not become a law unless there is a change in the Constitution. Repeated throughout the Philippine 1987 Constitution is the phrase “[T]he State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution“. Furthermore, the proposal is discriminatory. Those who have a happy family life will suffer its effects as they will have to get married again.

Article 1 of the Family Code states:

“Article 1. Marriage is a special contract of permanent union between a man and a woman entered into in accordance with law for the establishment of conjugal and family life. It is the foundation of the family and an inviolable social institution whose nature, consequences, and incidents are governed by law and not subject to stipulation, except that marriage settlements may fix the property relations during the marriage within the limits provided by this Code.” Special means that it is unlike any other contract. Permanent means it has a lifetime effect. Not subject to stipulation means that the parties cannot by themselves, change the terms of their marriage, i.e. agree mutually to separate and to have nothing to do with each other anymore (walang pakialaman).

Even if there is a change in the Constitution, even if it is not against the law, the proposal IS a ridiculous proposal. Unlike an ordinary contract, the marriage contract produces effects  which has legal implications. It is not like a driver’s license or a visa or a contract of work or a contract of lease.  It produces long ranging effects, like children and properties. A valid marriage produces legitimate children, property relations, rights to support, parental authority, and other important issues.

1) If a marriage has an expiration date, what will happen to children who were conceived after the expiration of the contract but before the renewal of the contract? Will they still be considered as legitimate  or illegitimate? If illegitimate, they will have rights different from  their sibling who were conceived during the effectivity of the marriage contract.Will the legitimate children produced during the marriage still be considered legitimate after th expiration of the marriage, or finished contract na din sila after the expiration?

2)  Upon the expiration of the marriage, how will the conjugal properties be divided? Dividing these will entail large legal expenses, which is what the proponents are trying to avoid. If for example, Manny and Jinkee’s marriage expires, who will have the house in Cali? Will it be divided according to the legal provisions on annullment and legal separation? Supposing the former spouses have separated but their investments are still earning, what will happen to the earned improvements? Who will get that?

3)  If after the marriage has expired, are the spouses still obliged to support their minor children? Is the working former spouse still required to provide  support to the spouse who is taking care of the minor children?

4) Who will have parental authority over the children? In case of disagreements as to how the children will be raised, who will prevail? Supposing the child wants to be an artista and one parent is ok with it but the other is not,  sino masusunod?

1-ABAA, a women’s party list group who is proposing such law, says that this will further strengthen the family. How will the law achieve this when the contract which basis for the family is being reduced to an ordinary contract? Doesn’t that cheapen the concept of a family?  If they really are after the well being of the family, they should instead propose a bill requiring free or affordable marriage counselling to couples having marital trouble or as a prerequisite for annulment. Or require psychiatric examinations for couples wanting to get married so that early on, it can be determined that the couples are psychologically capacitated to marry. Or to allow divorce. 

They also say that with the proposal, families will be incurring less legal expenses and will not clog the court dockets. I do not think that they can avoid that as I have pointed out earlier, a marriage will produce legal affects which need to sorted out in the event of the end of the marriage. Couples who want to stay together will incur additional and unnecessary expenses to do so.

Personally, I think this proposal is being made to create buzz for the party list for the coming elections. Voter recall, hello. Wala na ba kayong maisip na mas matinong proposal? 

Si Kulet at ang Kanyang Pet

Kunot ang noo ng pumasok sa office kanina ang nanay ni Kulet. Problemado. Di raw nya alam kung ano ang sasabihin o gagawin sa anak. Bakit ba?, tanong ko. Eto raw nangyari sa bahay nila:

Kulet: Kelan mo ba ako Mama bibigyan ng pet? Gusto ko ng pet.
Nanay: E di ba may pet chicken ka na?
Kulet: Ayaw ko na nun. Gusto ko naman ng iba.
Nanay: O sige, anong pet ang gusto mo?
Kulet: Gorilla.

Ano kamo , may manok ang anak mo?, tanong ko. Di kaya mamaya nyan, maghahanap na yan ng tupada? Gaga, sabi ni nanay.Tsk tsk. Sabihin mo sa anak mo, hindi pwede gawing pet ang gorilla kasi malaki ito at hindi kasya sa bahay ninyo.

Uwi ngayon si nanay.

Nanay: Anak, wag na lang gorilla ang pet mo. Mahirap mag-alaga nun.
Kulet: O sige. Basta pagawa na lang kayo ng swimming pool para may pet shark ako.

Libre Ang Mangarap

Naalala ko pa nung graduation sa nursery ng pinsan ko. Siempre, mega-attend naman ako. Aliw kasi manood ng mga ganyan. Riot. Eto ngayon ang siste. Yung mga graduating students, isa-isang aakyat sa stage tapos magsasalita kung ano ang gusto nila maging paglaki nila. “When I grow up, I want to be a ….”.

As usual, marami ang gusto maging lawyer, doctor, nurse, etc. Kaklase ng pinsan ko yung dalawang anak ng kapitbahay namin. Sabi nung kuya, “When I grow up, I want to be a engineer.” Palakpakan ang mga tao. Nung umakyat na sa stage si JJ, hagalpakan sa tawa ang mga tao. Pano ba naman kasi, ang sinabi eto: “When I grow up, I want to be an NPA.”

Kaya naman pala NPA ang gusto kasi para naman daw maiba. Nung practise nila kasi, nagsabi din sya na “I want to be a doctor”. Sabi ng teacher, “Wag na nung doctor, ang dami na ng gusto ng doctor. Sabihin mo, pilot para maiba naman”.  Nagprotesta si J. “Ayaw ko nga ng pilot! Ang gusto ko, burabod!” (May elementary school dito na ang tawag, Pilot. Meron ding elementary school dito na ang tawag, Burabod.)

Angko

When my favorite sister (I only have one) went to Camarines Norte, all I asked for is for her to bring me some food treats. When she got back, among the things she brought were angko.

Found only (I think) in a certain town somewhere in Camarines Norte (either in Daet or in Vinzons, I am not sure), angko is a  thumb sized treat made of ground sticky rice. Inside, the filling is made of sweet ground peanuts, like a peanut butter. 

Update. What is fuuny-weird about this snack is that it is not well known, even to the Bicolanos. I am willing to bet that most of the Bicolanos I know have never seen this, much less tasted this goodie. Which is a bit sad because as you bite into it, the delicate blandness of the rice gives way to the sweet, nutty surprise inside. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Kinunot

One of a Bicolano’s comfort foods, kinunot is either made from stingray or baby shark. You can also use a fleshy, white fleshed fish which does not have a strong taste, but I don’t really like using it. It’s a  dish easy to make, uses simple ingredients, but is delicious. The Bicolano market usually has stingray.

To make kinunot na pagi, you will need:

pagi, about 1/2 kilo, boiled

which is then flaked

garlic,onions, sili (you can also use siling haba) 

kalamansi juice (about 10-12 fruits)

malunggay leaves

coconut milk and cream from one coconut, of course

When flaking the stingray, add also the skin part which is non-gritty. Dice it, not flake. In a pan, pour in the coconut milk, add the garlic and onions. When the coco milk is boiling, add the flaked stingray. Simmer until the liquid is reduced and oil starts to come out. Add the coconut cream (kakang gata). Throw in the sili and the malunggay. If using siling labuyo, you may slice it for added heat. When the coconut cream is reduced, add the kalamansi juice. Add salt to taste. Serve with hot rice.

If using shark meat or older stingray, it’s advisable to add some grated ginger and laurel leaves to remove the unpleasant odor/taste as some shrak and mature stingray tend to smell mapanghi. 

How To Torture Your Friends (And Look Good While At It)

Maaga kong binigay ang regalo ko kay Kulet. Kaya maaga pa din ay nangungulit na.

Kulet: Mama, pwede ko na ba buksan yung gift na bigay sa akin ni Tita Biyay?   

Mama: No, sa Christmas mo pa yan pwedeng buksan.

Kulet: Sabi ni Tita, pwede ko na daw buksan yan.                                                                 

Mama: Hindi nya sinabi yan.

Kulet: Narinig ko, sinabi nya. Tinanong ko sa kanya “Tita Biyay, pwede ko bang buksan yung regalo mo sa akin? Tapos sabi nya “Pwede na”.                                                                                           

Mama: Hay naku, basta hindi yan sinabi ni Tita mo. Wag mo na akong kulitin at baka hindi ka na makatanggap ng regalo galing sa akin.

Nakasimangot si Kulet, bitbit ang regalo at pumunta sa tatay.

Kulet: Ano kaya ang laman nito? (Sabay alog ng regalo). Naku, may nabasag yata sa loob. Papa, buksan na natin ang regalo kasi may nabasag yata.                                                                               

Tatay: (Nakialog din ng regalo) Wala naman akong naririnig ah.

Kulet: Meron. May tunog nabasag. (Alog uli ng regalo) Ayan naririnig ko nga o.  Buksan na natin papa.

Tatay: Hay kulet!

———

Note: Hindi ko po regalo yang sa pic kay Kulet. Bigay yan ni Santa sa kanya.

Palawan Getaway

I did not post this earlier in deference to Ondoy’s victims. In the face of its after effects, this was trivial and superficial.

We were in Puerto Princesa from Sept. 24-26. Our base there was Lola Itang Pension House. The place is clean, quiet, and is situated at the town center. The room I had reserved was big enough to accomodate three people and did not feel claustrophobic. It was simple enough: aircon, tv, bathroom, towels, soap… For the room size, the rate is incredibly reasonable: Php 850.

We took a walk at the town center and decided to have lunch at the Balinsasayaw Restaurant.

  From the top: ensaladang talong,fried lumpiang ubod, ukoy, inihaw na pusit and inihaw na manok

I booked us a City Tour with Topstar Tours and Travels. After lunch, they picked us up from the pension house and we were taken to the Crocodile Farm, Iwahig Penal Colony, the late Senator Mitra’s sprawling ranch, Baker’s Hill Bakery, Binuatan Creations for native, handwoven products, and the Tiange-Tiange for the souvenirs.

Mealtime at the Crocodile Farm

The Iwahig Penal Colony was interesting to me because of my job.  The place was huge. The inmates took care of rice fields, gardens, fishponds and other livelihood projects. From the moment you enter the gate, you get bombarded by inmates to buy their products. It’s like being in Divisoria., only less crowded. The items were overpriced too. The same items are being sold at the Tiange-Tiange at a cheaper price.

The next day, I booked us again a tour to the Underground River. It was a bit far as we had to go on a two hour road trip and then on a 30 minute boat ride before we get to the River. The view was spectacular, the cliffs, magnificent.

The underground river was awesome. Knowing that you were going into the belly of a mountain impressive. It also made me decide that I’m not really into caves. The eerie darkness gave me the creeps. Even the magnificent rock formations did not console me. I was really, really glad when I espied the sunlight from afar. 

On the way back to Sabang beach, heavy rains and a strong wind accompanied us as we rode a banca in the middle of the sea. It was raining so hard you could not see the shore even if you were a few miles from it. It was good that our boatmen were very good. Little did we know that at that time, Ondoy was coming in. Wet, cold and bedraggled, we decided to forgo having dinner at the touristy places in town and elected to have a hot dinner at a nearby noodle house, Pham’s Chaolong Haus. Judging from the local crowd, it was a popular place. We had beef stew chao long and a baguette sliced in a half and topped with cheese. A knockout combination! It was steaming hot, the noodles were chewy, tand he spiciness was comforting. We also bought dessert at Divine Sweets just across the street. The cakes there were very good. Dense and not too sweet. The chocolate cake was slightly bitter, just the way I like it.

The next day, the weather turned for the worse. The wind was whistling and the rains were not letting up. I was fretting that our flight back to Manila that day might be cancelled due to the rains, but was thankful that we did not book an island hopping tour that day. I was not about to repeat yesterday’s experience of being caught in a storm in the middle of the sea!  

We had breakfast in a tapa house and then rushed to the market to buy pasalubongs and bilins.  We liked last night’s dinner so much that we had lunch at what was reputedly the better chaolong place, Bona’s. 

  Beef stew and buto-buto chao long

At the airport, the atmosphere was tense. Earlier flights have already been cancelled and there were hundred of people waiting for news on their flights. News began streaming in about how Ondoy was wrecking havoc in Metro Manila. My apprehension grew. What if our plane does not arrive? Our plane arrived hours late. it did not ease my apprehension. What if the plane will not be able to leave? We boarded that plane and to my relief, it was able to take off and we landed safely at the Centennial Airport. When we arrived, this is what greeted us. Even then, we did not have an idea of how great a damage Ondoy did. It was only the following day when we realized the enormity of what happened.

Happy

Since yesterday, I’ve been grinning ear to ear. Last night, I had a big smile on my face. Even today, when i woke, I was happy. Happyhappyhappyhappy.

Second Chance

Today, December 15, is the day I celebrate what I consider to be a second extension in life.

Six years ago on this date, I was on my way to Manila, together with my two aunts and a friend. We were on aboard a pick up and somebody else was driving. While we were along Quirino Highway, the pick-up  suddenly crossed to the other lane and turned turtle twice.  Before we turned turtle, I remember asking the driver why he was crossing the other side of the road. I also remember one of my aunts screaming the driver’s name. But it was too late. It felt like we were being tossed around . Everything was going too fast. There was darkness and I felt somebody on top of me. With some difficulty, we managed to extricate our entangled limbs and we managed to get out. The pick up was in terrible shape. The windshield was shattered and the roof was caved in. People passing by would look, shake their heads and ask: “How many people died here?”.

Miraculously, no one did. Only two people were injured. I suffered a huge bump in the head and my aunt’s leg was bleeding. Somebody who lived nearby took us in and gave us breakfast and lunch while we reported the incident and had the pick-up towed. Two days later, I was buying Christmas decor somewhere in Quezon City. For a few days after that, my body was aching in parts, but that was that.  I did get a check up but all it showed was that my brain was still intact.

Until I lost my wallet, I used to keep a picture of the pick-up as it was lying on its back on a ditch. I  wanted to keep a reminder of how precious life is and how we can lose it in a blink of an eye. I vowed to be a better person after that day.

Would somebody have died in there? Maybe. I’m just thankful that I got away with a bump on the head. Has my life changed for the better after the accident?  Maybe just a little bit. I think I am now more appreciative of the people I love. And I realize now that life is indeed fleeting and precious.

What changes would you do in your life?

Kulet: We Are Family

Naruto  

Isang araw, habang kumakain sina Kulet:

Kulet: Mama, kasama ba ako sa family?

Nanay: Oo naman anak. Sa family, merong papa, mama, ate, kuya, at ikaw, ang baby namin.

Kulet: E si Ate Siony (katulong), family din ba natin sya?

Nanay: Hindi kasi meron din syang family na sarili nya.

Kulet:  Mama, pwede ba natin isama sa family natin si Naruto, ha mama? At saka pwede rin ba na si _______(kaibigan ni Naruto), isama na din sa family natin? Please, mama.

Nanay (Sabay baling sa asawa): Oy Joselito, ikaw nga ang kumausap dito sa anak mo.

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Kulet

No More Head Chiz

Open Letter To Gibo

Dear Gibo,

Before I start, let me make myself clear. I have yet to decide who I will be voting for as president of this maddeningly dear republic of mine. I have an idea of who I will not be voting for and you are not in that list. Yet.

I remember the first time I saw you. That was three years ago or so.  You were one of the many speakers at our convention. It was also the time that my group was pushing for a piece of legislation. Our minds were so numb by the lectures that we looked forward to the politicians’ speeches to relieve our boredom. It WAS that boring. You were then, I think, a congressman, unknown to us.

Politician after politician sang praises to us. We were so selfless, so dedicated,  and yes, they will do their best to pass the bill we were angling for. Yes, they said, the bill is almost good as a law. Oh, we did clap at the promises. We cheered too. But my eyebrows were raised. I was doubtful. We have heard too many promises about that bill. The promises could be empty ones. Then you stepped on the podium. You were different. You thanked us for our work and our dedication, but you did not sing allelulia. Then, you dashed our raised hopes by saying: Yes, you deserve the bill that you are moving for but you really shouldn’t expect too much as the government has other more urgent priorities and it really does not have the money your legislation needs.

Gibo, your words hurt us then. But I appreciated your honesty. You were blunt, yes. But you at least, told us the truth, not what we wanted to hear. THAT made you different.  

A few weeks ago, I saw you again. And you made another speech. The circumstances were different. I was not after something from you and you are running for president. I was watching you closely, trying to find out if you have changed.

You did not mention anything about you running, nor try to sell yourself to us. You did not even try to explain the NDCC’s delayed reaction to Ondoy victims. You did not sing praises to the people who invited you. You told us to be thankful for what we were given. You told us to improve things, to look forward. That we should  not be greedy. Oh and you spoke in our dialect. That was a nice surprise.

My point Gibo is this: I like you for your honesty, for calling a spade a spade. Thank you for not insulting our intelligence by pandering to us. i hope that you will not exchange that quality for your political ambitions.

Respectfully,

Biyay

P.S. The bill became a law a few months after the convention.