My Sister Is Engaged

...to a stranger.

To someone I barely know. I mean, the guy never did reveal himself to us.He was simply the 'wallflower': the inanimate object sitting at our sala set with a downloaded movie stored in his flash disk or the guy sitting beside my sister during the mass. Looking back, he never did make us feel comfortable with his presence and, even today, I could not recall any meaningful conversation with the guy I'll later call my brother-in-law.

But then again, I love my sister. And I guess part of loving is trusting that your loved one has a good sense of judgment when it comes to finding a husband.

Jeepney Fare

I don't know why the LTO is obssessed with centavos.

In their fare matrix, they've deliberately placed centavos in their computation knowing full well that the passengers and the jeepney drivers can't comply with this. For one thing, virtually nobody carries around twenty cents or a denomination smaller than one peso when they travel around.

I think the jeep drivers are privately happy about this, though. For instance, the minimum fare for students is P6.40 (I think). So the drivers conveniently take P7.00 from the passenger instead simply because, as mentioned, nobody carries centavos anymore. If we Dabawenyos were less tolerant to perceived injustices like this, the LTO would have been deluged a long time ago by numerous complaints about drivers not following the LTO's matrix.

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Wedding

First time in Santa Maria, a town south of Malalag in Davao del Sur. Attended a wedding by a colleague, Weng. Just writing this post to note some traditions observed during the event.

The newlyweds giving out treats in exchange for money. Check.
The newlyweds dancing in front while various people pin money on them. Check.
Avoiding the bouquet. Check.
Avoiding the garter. Check.
Picking a couple from the audience using the garter and bouquet to, well, hopefully be the next couple. Check.
Sumptuous feast of murdered livestock. Check.
A barricade of godmothers and godfathers. Check.
An even bigger group of friends, family members, and colleagues. Check.

It's good some Pinoy traditions are here to stay.

The RH Bill 2

 Just bringing up this article from the CBCP. Below is an excerpt:

Pangasinan Rep. Kimi Cojuangco, co-sponsor of the bill (House Bill No. 4244, otherwise known as the RH bill), was interpellated by Zambales Rep. Ma. Milagros Magsaysay, at times responding with arrogance over points in which she apparently was not well-versed but swiftly making an admission that surprised even her co-RH proponents.

“Is [the RH bill] a population measure?”

“Of course.”

“Of course? It’s a population measure? To curb poverty, do you need to curb population? In your eyes?”

“Definitely.”

“In other words, you are contradicting the position of all your other co-sponsors there who said that this is not a population measure, that this is not a poverty alleviation measure.”

The Pangasinan congresswoman paused for a few seconds before saying, “Well, it’s not a population… ay, it is a population measure but it’s not population control.”

After a few more moments of silence in the hall, Cojuangco insisted, “It’s a population measure but it’s not population control.”

The article also mentions the MCW, or the Magna Carta of Women "which Magsaysay repeatedly pointed out was an existing law that already addresses the concerns Cojuangco mentioned as reasons why an RH law in her opinion was necessary, such as the need for more birthing facilities, maternal health services, to name a few."

Furthermore, the article narrates the debate that ensued between Magsaysay and Cojuangco. While Magsaysay notified the congress that there was an existing law that addressed the concerns of the RH bill, Cojuangco nevertheless insisted that the seemingly ineffective application of the law's provisions is cause enough for congress to pass the RH bill. Magsaysay had the final say though when she argued back that what was needed was a stricter implementation of the MCW by the government, not another law altogether.

In line with Magsaysay's argument, I also believe that the RH bill shouldn't be passed for the simple reason of redundancy. We have an existing law in the form of the MCW which, given enough resources and focus by the local government, is potent enough to promote and improve the reproductive health of our women brethren. By introducing the RH bill, we are setting ourselves up for double failure, with two laws, aimed at solving the same problem, scrounging for the same limited supply of resources. That's a recipe for disaster.

We're smarter than this. Or are we?

It's A Girl

This was so easy. It's my first time to embed a video in a blog post so forgive me for my ignorance.

Self-congratulatory pat-backs aside, I came across this video of an all-too-real reality in some parts of the world. It's a teaser about a documentary film reporting on 'gendercide' or the mass killing of female babies, most especially in China and India.

This is plain wrong. But what's even disturbing is that almost entire societies, save for some stalwart human rights advocates, approve of these silent murders. I'm angry right now. I just can't fathom the depravity inside the persons responsible for the killing of these innocents.

Motherhood

I wish I was a woman.

That was a point of realization. It happened when I was with my colleagues at work in a private maternity room. We were all gazing at the small bundle of innocence and bliss lying on the bed as Alex, the newly-anointed mother, narrated to us the excruciating experience of her childbirth.

She was talking to us how painful everything was. Hers was supposed to be a normal delivery, which turned out to be not so normal after all. First, she lost almost all her water and went into dry labor. Contractions then were like arrows from hell. Second, the baby got 'stressed', went into fetal distress, and she had to do a Caesarean delivery.But through it all, when she heard and saw her baby, everything was simply swept away.

Through it all, I simply wondered: what was it like? Although I could approximate, albeit barely, the entire experience, my sex limits me from living through one of life's most paradoxical, most joyous moments. Sadly, you only get to live once and delivering a baby will never be crossed out of my bucket list.

Kudos to you mothers. 

Praying The Rosary

I've been praying the rosary ever since I was young. The rosary was a staple of my family's spiritual life, especially during the month of October when the devotion was set anew.

Mama had a story about the rosary, one that involved her father, my late Lolo Lino. She was complaining about praying the rosary, claiming that it was boring and repetitive. My lolo simply pointed out an analogy of the bus' wheels. The bus is on a journey and, like any other journey, the bus has to reach a destination. In order to reach a destination, the bus' wheels had to do their thing, which is to keep turning round and round until the bus gets to the place. This is the same thing that happens with the rosary. We pray the same prayers over and over again so we can reach that special destination.

I also came to a point where I questioned the whole thing. Praying the rosary was hard work; it was a chore. What made it look uglier was that praying it was coerced. I had no choice because, as mentioned, it was the staple prayer of the family. I also did not find any meaning in praying a very "unnatural" prayer, silently citing Matthew 6:7 as proof that I was right.

But my attitude changed. All it took was a little education, of course. The rosary was, for all intents and purposes, a guide to meditation. It wasn't a prayer per se but a tool to meditate on the Mystery found in each decade. Technically, the rosary was a litany of prayers, whispered repeatedly, as one's mind transcended its verbal utterances and delved into the depths of the Mysteries of Christ's life and God's love.

However, despite this, I cannot say I'm a fan of praying the rosary. Perhaps, I prefer a different kind of prayer, one that would suit me more. Still, one cannot discount the immense power it holds on many of the faithful and how it has nourished generations of Catholics over the years.

There's Something About Boracay

I'm not an expert on Boracay or anything but I'm pretty glad we went there during the off-season (read: the "-ber" months). Otherwise, we would have to contend with traffic and lots of people. Sure, we could have had a good time ogling at the many celebrities if we went during the summer, but we also could have wrestled with the steeper prices of accommodations and rides (which is never fun).

Having been to the place, what can I say? What is there in Boracay that is so special? Well, let me first describe it by saying what it's not.

If you are every bit the eco-tourist, then Boracay is not for you. We fed the fish and saw some birds and bats but that was it. You're better off going to Palawan where the fish are bigger or to other secluded resorts in the Philippines which sport wilder varieties of fauna.

If you like the beach, Boracay's white sand coastline may suit you well (although there are many white beach resorts in the country which can boast of the same thing). Just don't go during the peak season, where all sorts of weeds reportedly spring up because of pollution.

What does make Boracay special are the many establishments that dot its shoreline. It's amazing. You can choose from so many restaurants, hotels, and bars in the area that you'll simply be bewildered by the staggering variety of choices. 

In addition, Boracay also sport several rides, which can only be found there. 

It's ironic, really. Boracay is Boracay not because of the place itself but because of the many people who have made the place something worth visiting.

Airports

Ahhh. The airport. The second home for most businessmen, right next to hotels. Just some observations I want to put out in the open: 

Why can't one bring an umbrella, especially a telescopic one, inside one's carry-on luggage? This one boggles me. Some would point out that umbrellas pose a security risk since they can be used as improvised weapons, as if only selected objects can be used as killing devices by the most determined murderer. In our trip to Iloilo, Grace requested that I keep her umbrella in my baggage since it's not allowed by airport personnel. In our return trip to Davao, I was advised by the security staff to deposit my umbrella in the baggage counter (which I promptly ignored) when they saw I was carrying it in my carry-on bag. 

My take is that maybe the airport staff are either just a bit paranoid or they don't really understand the logic behind the prohibition. The TSA or the Transport Security Administration of the United States actually allow umbrellas as carry-on baggage once they have been inspected to ensure that prohibited items are not concealed. So, if the TSA, the department tasked with overseeing post-9/11 security measures across all airports in America, can allow umbrellas as carry-on baggage provided they don't harbor any illegal or dangerous stuff, I see no reason why their Philippine counterparts have to be so rigid with regards to umbrellas. 

Second, I have finally seen another airport (Iloilo's) apart from NAIA and Davao City's Bangoy and one word summarizes what I have seen: Boring. The architecture, though sleek and reminiscent of the airplanes the building services, is quite monotonous. It's as if there was only architect commissioned to design each and every one of the country's airports. From the roofing structure down to the flooring, everything is roughly the same. I don't know if there are a set of rules governing airport design and thus dictating that they all come from the same cookie cutter. But our airports can really benefit from a dose of creativity and color should renovation be waiting around the corner. 

Finally, Kit shared his story a long time ago about one of his flights back to Manila. He was sitting beside a gay man and he was clearly troubled that this man just kept using his cellphone right before take-off. Alarmed, he told the man to shut the thing off to which the man promptly retorted that his cellphone was on flight mode. Flight mode? Apparently, Kit did the right thing by giving the man the benefit of the doubt. Flight mode is actually a setting in most advanced cellphones which disables the device's ability to place or receive calls or send or receive text messages. That was the first time I heard of such a setting. Unfortunately, my cellphone doesn't have one.

Days In Bora

Day 1 

On the way to the airport after just an hour of sleep. Grace and Henry are probably silently cursing at me. I assume both are paranoid that we won't make the flight (Flight's at 7:30 AM. It's still 5:15AM). As if I haven't been there before. Okay, we're now in the airport. Saw Ma'am Anne who is also on vacation. First time I've been back in the airport since 2009. Nothing's changed, though. Liftoff. Tried a variety of things to pass time. Read a book (but stopped because I was too sleepy. Read the inflight magazine (same thing). Settled for taking a nap. Touchdown. Iloilo. Went to the dormitory to freshen up. Deposited our luggage. Rested for awhile. Time to stroll. Breakfast at Andok's (Just like Manila eh?). Picture taking at the nearby plaza and church. Went back to the dorm to catch some more sleep. On the way to SM Iloilo. Brought with us our pasalubong for Ma'am Miren. Lunch at Punsyon based in Plazuela. First oyster (talaba) experience. Off to the Business Center. Nice office. Better than Davao's, I believe. Greeted Ma'am Miren. Had a chitchat with Sarah, their marketing assistant for Housing, over a possible collaboration on a TQ project I had in mind. Whiled away the time. Being introduced to the Operations Team. Having coffee at Coffeebreak, waiting for Ma'am Miren after office hours. Dinner with the rest of the BC team at Y2K. More oysters. Then drinking session at Lanai in Smallville. with the BC team. Then off to Aura for some music. At near dawn, we're busy sipping batchoy at Ted's. Off to the dorm once again for some shuteye. 

Day 2 

Couldn't sleep still. Woke up a shade before 3 AM. Tried waking up everyone. At 5 AM, in a van on the way to Kalibo. Almost slept through the whole trip. Breakfast at Jollibee's then it's off to Caticlan. On a boat bound for Boracay. This is it. Upon reaching the island, we went straight to B & B. Tried to recover lost sleep but had to wake up for lunch. Strolled down White Beach, gawking at the many shops and restaurants lined across the shoreline. Lunch at Mang Inasal (Grrgghh. We're here to sample food! Not visit the same restaurants you can see in Davao!). Observing Sir Ramy negotiate our rides. Off to the other side of the town. Now the sky is weeping. Great, sunburn won't be a problem. First speedboat experience. First helmet diving/reef walking experience. Nice. Couldn't wipe off my smile for the whole duration of the dive. Back to the island. A brief swim, sampling Bora's beach. Many people, despite this being the off-peak season. On to B& B for a shower. Dinner at Andok's (Aarrghghgh!). A night spent watching MYX, Bubble Gang, etc. Zzzz... 

Day 3 

Woke up early again, this time for our island hopping trip. Boatman gave us a roundabout of the nearby island before settling in on a dive spot. Then, we're off to Boca Beach, which is more pristine by the way compared to White Beach. Early lunch at a nearby restaurant. Back to civilization, after a morning of island/s touring. Onwards to riding the ATVs. Fun ride, although the guide could have given us a bit of leeway (like allowing us to overtake and do other things with the ATVs). Then another swim, this time our last. Off to shower. Took awhile since there were now seven of us for the only bathroom in our room, having checked out of our first room early that morning. Last stroll along White Beach. Had a henna tattoo, which spelled "Life" in Kanji (or so they tell me). Buffet dinner at a nearby hotel. 

Day 4

Early again for our boat ride back to Caticlan. Breakfast at a karinderya near the wharf (nice food). Then, the long trip to Iloilo. Had to stop somewhere because Sir Ramy had an emergency. Back to dorm. Slept again. Then off to church for my first Ilonggo mass. Proceeded to SM to meet up with the rest of the gang. Really late lunch/Dinner at Ocean City. Last stroll at Smallville. Listening to live music at Pirates. Back to dorm. 

Day 5

Early at the airport. Breakfast at the airport lounge. Boarding for Davao City. Met clients Sir Rommel and Ma'am Cindy, now a freshly minted couple. Visited Davao BC to drop off our pasalubong. On a trip back home with Henry and Anton. Bora trip officially over.

An Ilonggo Mass And A Flat Screen TV

There's a first time for everything. 

I finally attended an Ilonggo mass. Although I could follow the proceedings, there were still some parts when I was left hanging trying to figure out what the priest was trying to say. Still, I have to say Ilonggo is a fascinating language to learn if I only had the patience and the time.

In addition, check this out: 

The patrons of this church in Iloilo must really be wealthy. That's a flat screen TV on a pillar to guide the churchgoers on what to recite or sing during the mass. And there are at least eight of these in the entire church. Amazing, huh? My first time as well.

Iloilo

I didn't know it was there but I did feel giddy riding a jeep while people around me talked in an alien language which I alone could not understand. I was in Iloilo, of course, but I could have been in a parallel universe where people talked gibberish. It was fun overhearing those tiny murmurs, trying to decipher what they actually meant.

This was the first time I've been to Iloilo. The closest I got before was when I was in those Superferry rides bound for Manila, where the ship had to dock in Iloilo's port to load some cargo.

Our stay though was quite brief since our main itinerary was really Boracay. But we had quite a sampling of their local cuisine which, given the small sample size (I could count with one hand the restaurants we've been into) may not be quite conclusive but is nevertheless indicative of what Iloilo had to offer for the occasional food connoisseur.

First, God made oysters and God made sure anyone visiting Iloilo had them in plenty. As mentioned in a previous post, this was the first time I tasted these and they tasted great. The restaurants in Iloilo also featured dishes which, though they may be common fare in the city, are never seen in Davao (but, unfortunately, I cannot remember the names of those dishes although I fancy asking a waitress or two what we were eating exactly). 

Plus, who knew you could build a restaurant chain on a simple dish called batchoy? Hmmm...

We also caught a glimpse of the local night life, courtesy of the Iloilo business center pipz. They had this large strip of real estate where all the bars, clubs and pubs were cloistered together as opposed to Davao's night scene where the night spots are scattered all over downtown. 

Sir Tata, a resident (and someone who bore an uncanny resemblance to Hayden Kho), talked about how, given the condensed space, each establishment had to cater to a certain demographic, down from the masa up to the elite. His lecture certainly served as a classic case for market segmentation and niche specialization, that is, if he were really serious about what he explained to me.

One thing I learned still is that Ilonggos are not really into videoke. On our last night in the city, we tried to look for cheap videoke to while away the time. What we found was a high-end videoke bar. I could deduce that perhaps a.) we didn't look hard enough for a videoke that suited our budget or b.) demand for videoke was not that strong because supply sported a high price and vice versa.

Well, that's it for Iloilo, which has been very good to us. Until the next trip, hopefully soon.

Photography

By the way, I'm not the model. That's Rodel. This was taken during my trip to Boracay with my office mates. 

Anyway, this picture really got me to think of seriously pursuing photography as a hobby. I wasn't a cam-whore by any charge (that's Clinton's term for those who want to be in every picture every time. In Tagalog, mga garapal sa kamera). So I might well be a photographer, someone who is content with looking at things from the other side of the lens.

I was lucky that the sea was (and is always) a good backdrop for any photo. I remember trying to find a focal point across the entire horizon when I chanced upon Rodel looking at a boat being hauled to shore. I immediately knelt and, since the camera was a point-and-shoot type (no more tinkering), I shot this. Lighting left much to be desired (it was drizzling with clouds shrouding the sun) but I was nevertheless happy with the photo.

Now, I understood the visceral joy of being a photographer, of perfectly capturing a moment that's soon to flee.

Pinoy Horror Movies

I don't get Pinoy horror movies.

Why do they show their monsters, their aswangs, in the teaser itself?

You can liken that to someone who blurts out a secret before anyone even bothers to ask. The tactic doesn't build anticipation and doesn't create suspense.

Definitely, it won't be luring me to a cinema anytime soon.

Comedy Bar

I didn't know there were comedy bars in Davao. I thought previously that the only comedians we had where the ones who came from Manila to hold their tours here. Hence, I was a little surprised when, after Rommel's farewell party in the office, we headed out to Zigudo Resto Bar to watch a comedy gig. 

Well, what do you know? We waited for over an hour amidst the blaring disco music for the show to begin. Then, five drag queens came on stage to launch their opening salvos. After that, the jokes came out non-stop as the five actors (or actresses) battled it out on stage for the best lines.

One observation I had about the spectacle was that gay comedians were definitely better at dishing out comedy (although I bet Ellen Degeneres would have something to say about this). Most often, the jokes they talked about were green in nature, something which will obviously not work out if the comedians were, say, straight or lesbian. I'm probably giving a speculative judgment on something which I don't have any authority to speak (given my experience, or non-experience, about live comedy shows) but there you go.

Still, I had a good time (and a good laugh. My ribs were aching after). Till the next comedy show, I think.