New Year's Resolution

I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions.  It’s a recipe for disappointment, frustration, and regression.  A year is just too long for a one-time reversal of ingrained habits. I believe the Jesuits had it right when, instead of a new year, they had a twice-daily examen: an assessment of the day’s events and also an opportunity to resolve to be better next time. 

But even I have to admit of this tradition’s allure. It’s nice to face the New Year with a hopeful resolution to change, unburdened by the past’s weight. Plus, I might as well leave it in the open if only to pressure myself to be more committed to change:

1.)    Look at other people’s eyes when they talk to you
2.)    Sleep better and exercise harder
3.)    Do at least one household chore when you’re visiting the family abode
4.)    Visit Lola Alice at least twice a month
5.)    Be angry but don’t be obvious
6.)    Be more fiscally responsible
7.)    Do the examen every day
8.)    Don’t waste time
9.)    Be more caring (I don’t know how to do that but I’m going to write it down anyway)
10.)    Write

PDA

Old and obviously married couples doing public displays of affection are nice to marvel at. Teen couples doing the same thing are not cute at all.

Forgive me for the double standard but there’s just something about young lovers doing stuff in public that makes me want to exclaim “Pwede ba?” while whacking their heads.

I remember one time I was in church and I was for awhile distracted at a couple in front of me. The guy was hopelessly enamored of his girlfriend because, for the entire duration of the mass, his hand kept massaging the girl’s upper arm (In Bisaya, that’s called “ginalugod ang libag”). One other time, this guy kept stroking his girlfriend’s hair. And the funny thing is, the girls love it or at least tolerate being treated like a puppy in public.

It’s disturbing though because my assumption is that, for boys, refraining from overt public displays of affection shows one’s discipline and one’s respect for the woman. That’s because the guy who doesn’t pet his girlfriend in public knows how to hold back and also knows that a woman’s reputation might be smeared in our polite society by a careless touch or an impatient grope.

For a married couple, I could not care less if they kiss each other in front of the masses. I guess having your wedding rings on is a kind of license for such acts. Plus, it’s sweet.

T-Mac

Last Thursday, we had dinner with the near-legendary Doctor Macario Tiu. I was with Faith, Mel, and Clari and Sir Mac spent almost the entire evening regaling us with his research exploits.

It wasn't supposed to happen but it did. On December 13, Mel texted me if I was the one she saw crossing the street to catch a jeep. I replied back that, no, that wasn't me and asked if she wanted to meet up. Then the ball rolled on. Mel said that we could meet up this Christmas, a mini-reunion so to speak, and invite Sir Mac and have dinner at his house. After that, Mel took care of everything and, as the cliche goes, the rest was history.

So there we were: listening to Sir Mac over a humble dinner in his house in Catalunan Pequeno.

As for Sir Mac, he's now a research consultant for Philippine Women's College and is quite busy with his recent research effort: documenting lumad cooking. He is also delving into indigenous knowledge systems, still under lumad studies (this should be an academic term if only to better recognize it as a legitimate branch of knowledge).

For that night, we went into flashback. We were simply students again listening to a professor's lecture. Sir Mac first talked about the many techniques that he had discovered about lumad cooking (which you'll know as soon as you buy his book when it gets published). Then, he went into why he left Ateneo (retirement and one other thing), his adventures trying to search for Mangulayon, Tumaros, and, lately, Datu Dabao, and the B'laan (the indios blancos).

In the end, he asked us what we were doing, whether we were still into writing and were interested in trying to answer the question: Who is Datu Dabao? It was as if he was trying to see if he had a protege among us, someone who could take up the fictitious cudgels that he had borne throughout his academic career.

Unfortunately for him, I think no one could ever replace a Macario Tiu, at least not among us. The one thing about Sir Mac is, despite the soft-spoken voice, every time he spoke, it always reverberated of passion for the forgotten history of the lumad. And, sadly, that's something that I, Mel, Clari, and Faith do not share with him.

But, perhaps, I do not share this passion with him just yet. Maybe in due time I will.

Year Of Travel

Last year, Boracay and Mount Apo.

This year, Marbel, Surallah, Lake Sebu.

Baganga, San Victor, Aliwagwag Falls.

Puerto Princesa, El Nido, Underground River.

Bunawan, Enchanted River, Tinuy-An Falls, Britannia.

Next year, it's going to be Cagayan De Oro, Manolo Fortich, Camiguin. Then Mount Apo and another plane trip to somewhere if I save some more.

Who knows? Maybe this year my passport's going to get stamped for the first time.

Writing Projects 2013

I never did finish what I set out to achieve in the years past.

So this time I'm writing it down. Again.

144 blog posts for the year. Same as last year.

Then, it's about time I make headway with that leaflet campaign against backyard burning.

After that, I better churn out a story or poem before year ends.

These are modest goals, I know. Let's hope it works.

Looking Back at 2012

Physically, I've added more weight. I'm also borderline hypertensive. But the waistline is still 31 inches so that's something to be grateful for.

Spiritually, I'm more reflective but the occasional outbursts still betray a lack of self-awareness or self-mastery.

Emotionally, I've become more indifferent, which is not a bad thing after all. I'm speaking like a Zen Master now or an aloof observer. Take your pick. And acting like one too.

I've moved out of the house. Enrolled in law school. In the office, Leo, Ramy, and Ma'am Q had resigned (I might be the next). Ate got married. Rayray has a girlfriend. I'm being mentored kunuhay by Bulec on programming stuff.

Life's good. Thank God.

Reunion

I'm in one of the classrooms in Saint Peter's College in Toril. I'm technically attending a reunion of the Evangelio clan and the reason it's "technically" is because I'm in the reunion venue but I'm not in the reunion.

This reunion was an idea by the elders and, every four years, the members of the clan gather together and meet up (like the Olympics, except that ours isn't an athletic meet by any reach).

This reunion is definitely for the benefit of the earlier generation. It's a chance to meet and see old faces. As for the new generation, including me, we could be forgiven if we are at best indifferent to the idea of meeting strangers posing as relatives every four years or so.

Claiming Back The Sacred

In rare occasions, Papa knew how to put me down from my proud pedestal.

Sometime ago, in Nabunturan, Papa coaxed me into dressing up for the New Year's Mass. I had insisted that I can go to church in my slippers and shorts and the Lord won't mind because He's got a sculpture of Himself only draped in a loincloth in front of the entire congregation.

He replied that that's precisely the point why I should dress up for mass. The guy in front is embarrassingly half-naked because He had given away all His clothes to His Church, so people like me could dress up decently to receive Him during the Eucharist. Looking back, Papa's statement was probably "un-theological" but it was true in so many ways.

My attitude then reflects a gradual erosion of our respect and recognition of the Sacred. We are starting to lose sight of what it means to be in the presence of the Holy One.

I now believe that the church is right every time it requests that everyone attend mass dressed in the proper attire. The presumption is that the exterior appearance one chooses to don, as exemplified by one's choice of clothing, is indicative of one's spiritual disposition, one's readiness to encounter the Divine, and, ultimately, one's regard for the One we call Most Holy.

Modern-Day Parables

A funny piece by Rev. James Martin of a Society of Jesus. Got it from here:

The Smart Samaritan

1. Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 2. Jesus said to him, "What is written in the Law? What do you read there?" He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." 3. And Jesus said to him, "You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live." 4. But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 

5. Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers. Fortunately, the man from Jerusalem was no fool and was carrying a big wooden club. So he beat the robbers senseless. Just then, a Samaritan came by to help him. 6. The man said to the Samaritan, "Don't worry. They got what they deserved." Later, though, the robbers' friends waylaid the man. Together they had four clubs, so they beat up the man from Jerusalem. 7. Immediately the Samaritan, who had now learned a lesson, ran away, and sold his field, and with the money he purchased ten clubs. 8. The Samaritan armed his entire family, including his wives, his sons, his slaves and all his cattle and sheep. Among his heavily armed family was his elder son, who was angry at his father for not treating him as well his younger brother, who had spent all his money on loose living and had returned and was given a feast." 9. "Lord, I'm getting confused," said the lawyer. "Weren't we talking about being a good neighbor?"

10. "Let me finish," said Jesus. "The father knew that his son was angry, and potentially dangerous, so the father purchased an even bigger club that he hid under his bed. 11. That night, when father was asleep, the son came to father to apologize for being envious. The father, thinking it was a robber, hit him over the head. 12. Now which of these three, do you think, was a wise person?" said Jesus. 13. The lawyer said, "Actually, none of them. If the father hadn't brought those weapons into his house, then no one would have gotten hurt." Jesus was grieved at the lawyer's blindness. 14. "You're missing the point." Jesus said. "It's a violent world out there, and my advice is to purchase as many clubs as you can." The lawyer was sad, for he was a peaceful man. 15. "Lord," he said, "are you saying I should be like the Samaritan who has a houseful of weapons?" "Yes," said Jesus. "Go and do likewise. And while you're at it, buy me a club too."

The New Sermon on the Mount

1. When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: 2. "Blessed are those who know how to defend themselves, for they will be secure. Blessed are those who arm themselves, for they will not be sorry. Blessed are those with one club, for they will be safe. 3. How much more blessed are those with two clubs, for they will be able to win a fight with those with one club. 4. Let the one who has two clubs buy four, and the one who has four buy ten. Let them increase clubs a hundredfold and a thousandfold." 4. "But woe to you with no clubs, for you are asking for trouble. Woe to you who don't arm yourselves heavily, for you're just begging for people to steal your stuff. And I say, woe to you peacemakers, for you are wasting your time." 5. The disciples were amazed. "Lord," said Nathaniel, "Did you just say 'Woe to the peacemakers?' The last time you spoke on the Mount, you said they were blessed." 6. "I changed my mind," said Jesus. "Trying to make peace is impossible. Consider the world around you. Look at the beasts of the field. Do they not fight? Do they not tear each other apart with their sharp teeth? 7. It's super dangerous. Do you think anyone can make peace? It's a waste of time." 8. The disciple whom Jesus loved said, "Lord, did you not tell us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us?" 9. "I'm re-evaluating that too," said Jesus. 10. The crowd began to murmur. 

"Quiet!" said Jesus, rebuking them with a word. "Look," said Jesus, "talking about peace and nonviolence is fine until someone asks for your cloak, which is exactly what happened to me yesterday. 11. A beggar tried to take my cloak." The disciples waited on his word. "Do you know what I did when he tried to take my cloak?" said Jesus. 13. James answered, "Lord, did you give him your cloak and some food as well?" "Are you kidding?" said Jesus, who was angry. "How long must I be with you? I beat him with my club. 14. That will teach people to try to take my clothes. That cloak cost five talents." The disciples were filled with confusion and wondered what sort of teaching this was. 15. "Lord, how can we accept this teaching? It seems a violent way to live." they said. "What about turning the other cheek?" Jesus looked at them with pity. 16. "Accept it or not," he said. "All I can say is: Don't be a wimp."

Jesus Takes Care of Business in Gethsemane

1. While Jesus was speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; with him was a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 2. Now, the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him." At once he came up to Jesus and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed him. Jesus said to him, "Friend, do what you are here to do." 3. Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested him. 4. Suddenly, one of those with Jesus put his hand on his sword, drew it, and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear. 5. Then Jesus said, "Good job! Cut off his other ear, too." The disciples were amazed. But Jesus only repeated more loudly, "Cut off his other ear!" The disciples were shocked. 6. "Lord, didn't you say, 'All who take the sword will perish by the sword'? 

7. Jesus said, "That was before I noticed that everybody else was armed to the teeth. How else will we be able to protect ourselves? Now I think that everyone needs free access to clubs, knives, swords, pretty much anything to defend themselves. 8. It's a dangerous world out there. Even this garden isn't safe." Jesus looked at the disciples with pity, for they still did not understand. 9. "Wake up," said Jesus. "Rome is corrupt and is likely to invade your houses. There are lots of brigands around too. Plus, the end of the world is coming, at least some time. That means every disciple for himself." 10. "Lord," said Peter, "you don't sound like yourself." "Well, maybe I've gotten smarter," said Jesus. "I'm tired of being a sucker." Judas smiled. 11. Jesus said, "Now, cut off his other ear." So Peter took out his sword and cut the man's ear off. Jesus said, "Finally. 12. Where can I buy more swords?"

The Roman Catholic Church And The RH Bill

So the bill has passed. Congress has approved it and the President is going to sign it after certifying it as urgent.

I haven't read yet the amended form of the bill, the one reconciled by the bicameral committee so I won't comment about that first. Needless to say, the Roman Catholic Church isn't done with its campaign. The one remaining option is to challenge the constitutionality of the newly drafted law, something that will be decided upon by the Supreme Court. The Court might render either the whole law not constitutional, or some parts not constitutional, or the entire thing valid.

So what exactly happened? How did the Church lose this battle?  Many have opinions as to what turned the tide in favor of the RH Bill. Let me share you mine, borne out of the benefit of hindsight.

Questionable Anti-RH Advocates

Let's face it. Between Tito Sotto being charged of plagiarism, Juan Enrile's attempt at whitewashing history with his memoir, and the clergy elite's irresponsible statements, the anti-RH party didn't have a good-enough poster boy (or girl) for the campaign. What they have instead are backers of questionable virtue, whose moral righteousness only came off to the public as unfounded arrogance hiding behind the face of God. 

No Women

This was a mortal sin, at least in the eyes of public opinion. What we generally saw was a male-dominated clergy lashing out at the evils of the bill through news statements. There were apparently no women involved and the nuns were frequently in the background during rallies. In a bill that purported to help women, the silence among the female laity against it was deafening.

The Bully Perception

Ultimately, what worked against the RH Bill was the perception of the Catholic Church as the bully. In this case, everything it did was confrontational, under the pretense that it was fighting the Lord's battle. The ultimate weapon was, of course, the Catholic vote which majority of Congress considered as merely a bluff. For a church which has proven to be a political force in our history, it lacked the political savvy that went along with it. The Church went solo, never augmenting its forces by reaching out to other religious organizations for support and alliance, or to intellectual heavyweights who can bolster its claims. It never did find a way to connect to the many solons who support the bill, choosing instead to burn bridges by intimidation.

The reason why these blunders must be raised and reflected upon is because the Church has tougher battles ahead of it. There's the pending divorce bill and the other bills which it must fight. Surely, the Church must be more prepared for these if it wishes to sew back whatever moral fabric is left or whatever political clout it has remaining.

Uncle Paolo

I know it's too early; my sister is just recently married. But I'm already thinking forward to what my new status in life will be once the nephew or niece comes into the picture.

I was shopping with my sister, Mrs. Eula Marie Evangelio-Te, looking for a Christmas gift,  when I noticed the bilbil (she insists it's her pus-on) she's been carrying. The first image that went to my mind was her being pregnant at that very moment (which wasn't the case however; turned out everything I saw was just fat). 

But the thought lingered on though. If I'm going to be a good uncle, then who are the role models I can pattern myself into? So I went back to memory lane and asked myself:  who among my uncles played a big part in my life? Or perhaps, who among them, gave me the best example of how to live a life? Right now, I'm still pondering on those questions.

The Christmas Party: A Post-Event Critique

Okay. Let me just take stock of whatever happened to our Business Center Christmas Party so that, in the event that I'm still here by next year, we'll do better.

Just a few observations will suffice, for now:

1.) The food was great and we didn't miss Ma'am Ellen's lechon (By the way, the lechon was a gift from her client, not from her, and it wasn't for her to withdraw it. Just saying). But we didn't take into equation that there were Muslims among us (We only had beef and chicken, no fish).

2.) The venue was okay. It did help that the Credit Card Department spruced it up quite nicely, given how little budget they had. Our estimate was correct regarding the size of the function room; it did hold all of us without appearing cramped.

3.) The theme was nice. Many dressed up for it.

Now we go to the ugly, the program:

4.) We didn't have a freakin' program director (that was supposed to be Sam's job by the way). If there was, we wouldn't have to endure minutes of mind-numbing gaps between the segments, with Ana and Beth, our dearly beloved emcees, trying to ad lib their way with a figurative "HELP!" sign on their foreheads.

5.) Really, Sar? Emo songs for your acoustic segment? Emo songs on a Christmas party? And what kind of gag show was that?

6.) As observed by Sir Ramy, the games had to be more inclusive and group-oriented. And the props need to be there even before the programs starts. And games need to be more imaginative, not the variety you commonly see in your children's party. Vine could have done better as the game director.

7.) And since I'm already pointing fingers, I'm pointing at myself. Why didn't I take a more active role? Why did I resort to my exams as an excuse to not be part of the committee? Why did I assume that all will be fine?

As it turned out, it didn't.

Anyway, enough of the self-loathing. Merry Christmas everyone.

Pablo

The trend is here. Sendong. Cagayan De Oro. Pablo. Compostela Valley. Davao Oriental. Next year? Davao City?

Welcome to the climate change era. Soon. Ocean rise. More powerful typhoons. Flash floods. Hotter summers. Crazier weather.

And still, people ask: why?

Simbang Gabi

The last time I completed nine mornings was when I was still in college.

After that, I think I lost interest in this particular Catholic tradition knowing I've already accomplished it. I had a lot of excuses then: a thesis to finish, then a day job, then the need to make up for sleep lost during the weekdays.

This year, I'm still not feeling up to it. My excuse is that I have exams to take care of and going to mass early in the morning would "cramp my style".

Simbang Gabi is an oxymoron. Its name, which literally translates to "evening mass" in English, refers to a mass held in the early hours of the morning. It's also not just one mass but nine masses spread out across nine mornings, thus negating the singular word "Simbang Gabi" ("Mga Simbang Umaga" is more grammatically apt).

But, then again, you have to hand it over to us Filipinos for observing this tradition. Despite these shallow observations, nothing could be more appropriate for the time of advent. The scene of hundreds of people emerging from the darkness of the streets to the well-lit chambers of a church or a humble chapel echoes the initial, haphazard, yet purposeful embrace of humanity of this once little-known religion called Christianity. From the darkest time of the night, the people gather and celebrate the coming as the morning sun breaks out of the horizon.

It is a scene wrapped in poetic metaphor and it is reminiscent of a passage in the Bible which remains true to this day:

"The people who lived in darkness have seen a great light; on those who live in the land of the shadow of death, a light has shone." - Matthew 4,16
 
Merry Christmas.

A Tip For Marital Bliss

Sir Kokok offered me a nugget of wisdom last night.

During our conversation, he shared that he and his wife have made it a point never to divulge their respective salaries nor even draw out a family budget.

What they do instead is list down the expenditures of the household and decide who among them gets to shoulder each one.

Should there be excess money, it doesn't go to the household but is kept as personal savings by each party (and the spouse need not know).

I asked him if it could be unfair at times, considering that the other might be shouldering a disproportionate amount of the family's expenses. Ever the fatalist sage, Sir Kokok went on explaining that, should this be the case, then if one of them dies, at least the surviving spouse will get more in the form of the deceased' bigger savings.

 The beauty of this arrangement, as Sir Kokok would put it, is the flexibility to use one's own money without the other's interference. Say, one has to give or lend money to a relative on one's side of the family; one can do so as long as the household's finances are not compromised.

In short, there are no fights over money because nothing is common.

Pretty neat, isn't it?

Ang Evangelio Ni Paolo

I'm feeling ambivalent about this blog.

Last month, my boss got wind of this through a colleague of mine and I was stunned for a few seconds, my mind furiously racing through the past asking my present if I had placed anything here that would jeopardize my relationship with my boss.

The incident left me thinking again about what this blog really is. On one hand, I want to lend some permanence into my thoughts by writing them down in this very public medium. On the other, I want these writings to be accessible only to a select group of people: strangers who don't know me and friends who don't care about what I write. I'm contradicting myself but, there you go, that's my dilemma.

The fact is that, whether I've written down something bad, gooey, or good, all of it, all of the writings on the wall, is me. There's no escaping this and whatever repercussions there be stemming from what I've written down are to be confronted and accepted (being the responsible adult that everyone thinks I am).

Better screen my stuff from now on. My boss may be glancing this blog from time to time. Peace out.

100

In the game Sims, you have this overall game objective, the lifetime wish, which your sim pursues. Your sim might find fulfillment in being a millionaire, or become a spy, and so on. In exchange for accomplishing these, you get to enjoy some perks along the way. It's nice to know that, in this sense, the game manages to capture the essence of our living: we are animated by one overriding desire or goal, without which our life would cease to have meaning.

As for me, I think I stumbled upon it already. The realization didn't come as an instant epiphany though but was a gradual unveiling through the years, like piecing together the various jigsaw puzzle pieces of my life to make a coherent picture.

However, unlike the Sims, mine aims to help others but is, in the first place, predicated on my own financial success. And it's not original too since many before me have done similar things in their lives and have watched the results.

I want to have a hundred of my scholars graduate college.

That's it.

And if, at the twilight of my years, I will have achieved this then I'll see to it that another hundred will graduate before I die. As to how I'm going to do it, I still don't know (that's the hard part actually). Yet I'm still happy that I think I know now what I'm supposed to do and what will make my life worthwhile: I want to support a hundred scholars and I want to see them march on graduation day. 

Please Lang

Dear Fr. Pabillo,

First of all, let me just say that I, as a trying-hard Catholic, is utterly dismayed over the series of shenanigans done by the clergy in its opposition to the RH Bill. 

Don't get me wrong; I am against the RH Bill for reasons I've disclosed in my past posts. 

But to compel or bully the Congress to not vote for it by playing on their fears of losing in the coming elections is nothing short of appalling. To campaign against the bill is acceptable but to openly hoodwink politicos into submission by suggestions of political sabotage is sheer manipulation. Truly, this is not the church that I know.

Now you add to my misery. Let me repeat to you what you've said.

In an article by Christine Herrera, you commented on Typhoon Pablo and its possible insinuation:

“I don’t know if that’s a coincidence or if God has a message for us that if we discuss this (RH Bill), much suffering will be brought down upon us."

You further added that tragedies happen whenever lawmakers push for the RH bill.

Oh. My. Gosh.

What kind of irresponsible statement is this? Aside from the fact that it is logically flawed, your words reek of arrogance and confidence at having triumphantly discerned God's so-called "Will": that the deliberations on the RH Bill are intimately tied with Typhoon Pablo, God's "tool for vengeance" against the enemies of the Church. 

Well then, how do you explain your statement to the thousands who are now stranded across the flooded plains of Compostela Valley? To the many theologians who are now shaking their heads at your naivety? To the many Catholics disappointingly crushed at such insolent and self-defeating remarks?

Please lang.

Shobi And Wiggles

 

Here are pictures of the family’s two dogs. Both females, the big, black one (yes, she's big) is Shobi and the small, hairy one is Wiggles. Both remind me of one 9gag post which says that all pets suffer from Stockholm syndrome. I cannot argue about that; these dogs have been locked up in the house for so long and yet they haven’t gotten around to biting us out of vengeance.

Of Political Dynasties

The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law. (Section 26, Article II, The Philippine 1987 Constitution)

Senator Enrile should have known better. But I wasn't expecting him to say anything differently, given his reputation as a trapo (traditional politician). When quizzed some more about his son's bid for the senate, he had this to say: "As I told you, I do not decide the fate of my son. It’s going to be decided by the people but it’s my duty as his father to believe in him, and go out and campaign for him".

He is, after all, a politician. 

In contrast, a statesman would have none of this (excuse me for the word) "bullshit".

Ramon "Jun" Magsaysay, son of Ramon Magsaysay, also had this to say about his father in an article featuring the book launch of the late president's new biography:

IF president Ramon Magsaysay Sr., is alive today, he would be pushing anti-political dynasty bill that is pending in Congress, according to his son, former senator Ramon “Jun” Magsaysay.

Magsaysay said that his father never encouraged the establishment of political dynasties during his seven years in public office.

“He was a two term congressman, secretary of the Defense Department and president of the Philippines, and during his seven years in public service none of his relatives dared to run for public office,” the former senator said during the launch of a book about the Philippines' most loved president on Wednesday.

Magsaysay said that his father ordered all his relatives and even the kin of his wife Luz not to seek public office.

“He was a very tough leader, very dogmatic against nepotism, against dynasty. That is the kind of leader he was,” he added.

Magsaysay shares his father’s position against political dynasties.

“It is not democratic, it distorts the inclusiveness of our democracy, so personally I think the late president would have wanted that nepotism is not granted and dynasty is not encouraged,” he said.

In fact, according to the columnist Jose Sison in his piece, one of the late president's first moves was to issue an executive order effectively banning his family from taking government posts:

Hence, this issue of political dynasty is really more of a moral than a legal issue as Senator Ramon B. Magsaysay Jr. recently pointed out. It can only be solved or answered by reforming “the moral values of the family,” the clannish culture prevalent in most Filipino families. Indeed even without any law prohibiting political dynasty, the practice can be eliminated by our political leaders and heads of political families themselves if they set the example.

And such example has already been previously set by Senator Magsaysay Jr.’s late father, President Ramon Magsaysay Sr. (RM), whose first move upon assumption into office in 1955 was to issue an Executive Order prohibiting the appointment of relatives to any government post. Apparently the prohibition had also been considered by his relatives as a restraint on them to run for any elective office during his term. Thus no relative of RM occupied any government position during his short tenure that was aborted by a plane crash in 1957. Even RM Jr., who had no political inclination at all, became a Senator only in 2001, obviously because people already missed RM and his kind of good governance.

I am against political dynasties. Our Constitution even prohibits it vehemently. But still, we cannot assert this political principle if we continue electing politicians who embrace dynasties like long-lost sons.

Gay

(Inside the office pantry)
Ma'am Alav: "Bayot ka Pao (Pao, are you gay)?"
Me: "Unfortunately, no."

It still humbles and amazes me how my perception of homosexuals has morphed over the years. I can still remember my FYCF (First Year Christian Formation) class in college when I perceived homosexuality as a deficiency in self-esteem and vigorously argued this point against my classmate, Pamela Bitang.

My argument then was that gay people were ironically unhappy about their bodies and must learn to accept their sex and the gender requirements attached to it. In hindsight, it was a classic mistake of mine, equating homosexuality with transsexualism but back then, nobody ever rebutted me about this.

Then I entered the Cheer Dance competition. Almost all of the male dancers were gay guys. Perhaps, that was the threshold that changed my opinion on homosexuality. I practiced almost every night with people I presumed to be "unhappy" and, in turn, was surprised to find out they weren't.

After my college years, I worked in Manila for a year and a month while living with, viola!, two gay guys. By then, I had already accepted homosexuality as it is, a peculiar but valid sexual orientation.

Now, I can hear my sister sometimes exclaiming out loud, "Ngano naa may mga bayot uy (Why are there gay people)?", in a frustrated, intolerant tone reminiscent of my earlier voice against "gay-ness".

My response? Well, I just smile and let her vent out. She'll learn eventually. Just as I have learned my lesson over the years.  

Thesis Library

Wouldn't it be nice if we had an online compilation of all the theses and dissertations across all universities in the Philippines? This would make all the research effort in the Philippines accessible to all.

The problem nowadays is that you have all these universities and their respective libraries. The university library, however, limits access to only those bona fide students of the university and its alumni association. As such, you only have a disparate conglomeration of isolated silos of information.

Undergraduate and post-graduate students would be the first to tell you that this situation is frustrating. Imagine trying to research on your references and related literature only to be stymied by a lack of access to the works of other people from other universities. Or second-guessing oneself, never knowing if yours is an original research or one has already done it a long time ago.

Creating an online database eliminates these barriers. But then again, we ask: are our universities capable enough to imagine this dream into reality? 

Morning Prayer

This is I usually pray during the morning. I'm sharing this because my future self might forget how it was for me when I was 25 and might be curious to know why. 

I usually start when I am already walking the length of Bonifacio Street to Quimpo Boulevard to catch a jeep. I'm a person of habits so my morning prayer always starts with this:

Morning Offering

Oh Jesus, through the immaculate heart of Mary, I offer you all my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings (with the emphasis) of this day in union with the holy sacrifice of the mass throughout the world. I offer them for all the intentions of your Sacred Heart, for the salvation of souls (more specifically mine), reparations for our sins (again, mine), the reunion of all Christians (ahhh... ecumenism. But, honestly, I prefer we don't join under one umbrella. The differences in Christian doctrines across denominations make for a more interesting search for the Truth). I offer them for all the intentions of our bishops, and all the apostles of prayer (Their intentions only? Why not include the rest of the Church?), and in particular, for the intentions of our Holy Father the Pope (Whatever those are. An end to the scandals perhaps) for this month of...(Here's the clincher. This is the part where I get to find out if I'm really paying attention to what I'm doing or not because if I'm just simply parroting the prayer in my mind, I would stop and think what month it was). 

The Lord's Prayer

Our father, who art in heaven (I prefer "who is everywhere". Makes it more personal), holy is your name ("be" sounds like you're wishfully thinking His name is holy as compared to "is" where you're confirming a fact). Your kingdom come. Your Will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread (or money) and forgive us our sins as we try (forgiving is hard, you know) to forgive those who sinned against us (and are better off in hell). Do not bring us to the test (please don't) but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is always with you. Blessed are you among all mankind (because "women" is too exclusive) and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God (Amazing. This phrase "mother of God" transcends all the other adulations, most of them nonsensical, people heave to Mary), pray for us sinners now and at the moment of our death. Amen.

Glory

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning and now and ever shall be world without end. Amen

After which, I proceed to my more personal and intimate petitions which, of course, I cannot share here. 

Future of Steam Energy

Someone just made water boil without heating.

An article from Popsci:

Today in mind-bendingly cool stuff that nanoparticles can do: A team of researchers at Rice University in Texas has demonstrated a mechanism by which they can create steam in just seconds by focusing sunlight on a mixture of water and nanoparticles. This isn’t just some artificial means of lowering boiling point either; this solar powered “boiler” can produce steam before the water even gets warm to the touch, without ever bringing the aggregate water to a boil.

***

The technology works by mixing a small amount of either carbon or gold-coated silicon dioxide nanoparticles, each just one-tenth the diameter of a single human hair, with water in a glass vessel. Their small diameters--smaller than the wavelength of visible light--means that they can absorb most of a light wave’s energy rather than scattering it. So when sunlight is focused on the vessel with a lens, the particles quickly become quite hot--hot enough to vaporize the water directly surrounding it.

This creates a bubble of steam that envelopes the nanoparticle, which is now insulated from the cooler liquid water by the steam, which allows it to grow hotter still, vaporizing more of the water immediately around it. At some point the nanoparticle and its steam envelope become large enough to grow buoyant, at which point the whole steam bubble--particle and all--floats to the surface. The steam is released into the air, the particle falls back into the cooler water and sinks back down until it begins to absorb sunlight and heat again, at which point the process starts all over.

 That's amazing. Right now, all we have to turn turbines with steam is through nuclear plants and polluting coal plants (on top of hydroelectric dams and so on). This, if it succeeds in progressing to industrial scale, is going to be the game changer of clean energy.

But then again, what if this becomes a weapon instead? Imagine the oceans evaporating themselves at a higher rate than they are evaporating now...(shudder)

TED

I don't know why it was named TED.

Anyway, it is still one of the more worthwhile websites you can visit today.

TED features videos of the presentations  of the many speakers which grace TED conferences. These speakers are often the movers and shakers of their respective industries and, in these presentations, they share something about themselves and their passions.

Some presentations are interesting, some are funny or provocative, while others are simply inspiring.

Here's the link to the site.

Self-Portrait

Here's my new face. With a new bad-ass scar above the eyebrow. Cool.

The Sermon And The Gospel

Once upon a time, I thought of doing a blog post homily every Sunday (based on the Gospel for the Day of course). I thought about it as advance practice if Divine Will should dictate that I become a priest. But, like almost every idea I can think of these days, it never materialized.

Simply put, it is hard. Coming up with a 15-minute sermon based on a 2-3 paragraph Gospel reading is not what it seemed to be.

I guess the blame points back to me. Either I didn't try hard enough or I aimed too high.

I wanted these sermons to be earth-shattering revelations full of intimate reflections and newly-found truths. I didn't want to sound like those priests I criticized way back who were content with rehashed and hackneyed homilies. In the end, I was in a state of paralysis: not wanting to start because the perfect idea for the sermon hadn't come my way just yet.

Looking back, I have a better appreciation for priests in general. It's hard to put out an inspiring message every week, let alone every day. It's doubly hard when the message had to be grounded upon a text (the Gospel) that has been around for quite some time and which has been analyzed, shared, refined, and reflected upon for so many years. Against this backdrop, even a decent homily is a great accomplishment for a priest and a great and novel homily, in turn, is a miracle.

Tito Sotto's Side Of The Story

While, for the past few weeks, everyone was busy castigating a senator for alleged plagiarism, a columnist quietly set the record straight.

Here's an excerpt from Neal H. Cruz' column last November 20, 2012:

Media reporting on the plagiarism issue was incomplete and distorted, Senate Majority Leader Tito Sotto cried at the Kapihan sa Manila at the Diamond Hotel on Monday. 

“I am not accusing media of inaccuracy,” Sotto said, “but the sound bytes were incomplete and so gave a distorted view of the controversy.” 

“I am being accused of plagiarism, that I plagiarized a speech of former President John F. Kennedy and used his words as my own in my speech in the Senate against the RH (reproductive health) bill. I did not,” he said, adding: 

“Plagiarism is when you use somebody else’s work and claim it as your own. I did not claim the Kennedy quotes as my own. On the contrary, I said the quotes—by Kennedy and by others—are not mine. I was just using them to aid my arguments against the RH bill.” 

There is speculation that it’s the fault of Sotto’s ghostwriter. The speculation goes that the ghost, pressed for time as his deadline approached, was forced to use the Kennedy quotes—forgetting to use quotation marks—to finish the speech on time, and that Sotto himself did not know that at the time. But Sotto was man enough not to use the ghostwriter as a scapegoat and accept responsibility. 

But according to Sotto, what happened was that his staff researchers had accumulated so much quotes and information on birth control that when his speech was being crafted, they did not know who said what. 

“I made a general disclaimer,” he said in Filipino. “I said: ‘These are not my words but of others in the know on the subjects—birth control, contraceptives and abortion.’ Read my speech; the disclaimer is there. I never claimed the quotes as my own.” 

So the sin is that you forgot to use quotation marks and give proper credits? a reporter asked. 

Sotto replied: “As I said, the problem was that there was a welter of quotes that it was difficult to determine who said which quotes. So I made a general disclaimer: ‘I am not saying these. Others said them.’ I disclaimed authorship of the quotes in my speech.” 

Why don’t you furnish reporters copies of your speech? 

“I did, but the reporters disregarded the disclaimer,” the senator said. “You see, they got copies of my draft speech. But I made the disclaimer during my speech in the Senate.” 

So why don’t you give them copies of the Senate Journal where your exact words are recorded? 

“I also did that,” Sotto said. “But they paid no attention to it. They are doing it because of my opposition to the RH bill, and I know who are behind the black propaganda.”

I'm not a fan of the senator (and I have no intention of voting him if he runs again) but it was good to have his side of the story come out even from a single column. I've always had this lingering thought that perhaps something was amiss during the entire new blitzkrieg that happened several weeks back. Perhaps, some reporters from an otherwise impartial media have some explaining to do why his side wasn't reported as well.

Or maybe this is another PR stunt. In that case, only the Senate Journal can tell the truth.

Fraternities

Now that the first semester of my law school life is over, the question begs itself: what do I think about fraternities in law school?

If I were to ask myself now if I'll ever join one, the answer would be an emphatic no. There's simply no point in joining at all.

Of course, one would argue that joining a fraternity can do wonders in expanding one's connections, something that will prove to be vital once one is already a lawyer, but still the act of joining a fraternity is not a necessary part of surviving law school.

Studying is admittedly a solitary activity and so is passing law school and eventually the Bar. Fraternities have nothing to do with how well you study or how well you fail.

As for the argument for "connections", a classmate has this to say: If you're smart, people will eventually gravitate towards you (actually, he spoke this in Bisaya but it sounds better in English).

At this point, let me stress that I'm not against fraternities. Some people need it. Some people don't. And for some who willingly subject themselves to humiliation through initiation (like the suckers who visit the office to perform errands for Cathy, an office mate who's a sorority senior), maybe they sincerely believe it's all worth it to be part of the clique.

Ate's Wedding

I'm really proud of my Ate.

That statement succinctly sums up my reaction to her wedding.

For the information of the general public, Eula Marie E. Bataller got married last October 20, 2012 in a wedding ceremony held at Our Lady of Fatima parish. It wasn't a lavish wedding (I was a lector for several weddings and I can say that with confidence) but it was complete. All the people that really mattered were there: family, friends, and God. Just like what my Ate wanted when she confided to me several months back.

Now, allow me to qualify why I'm so proud of my Ate.

First, she never broke my parents' trust. She and her fiance ultimately adhered to the saying, "Kasal sa, bago buntis", and proved, in these cynical times, that true love can really wait.

This might seem quite a mundane achievement to some but, for me, inundated lately with a lot of news of friends, relatives, and acquantainces getting pregnant out of wedlock, her wedding was a breath of fresh air.

Second, she saved for this event. Admittedly, putting up the money to hold a wedding was a joint effort between her and Tyrone (my brother-in-law's name), but still, she saved money. My ate, who is not exactly known as a saver, did something quite contrary to her established nature.

Third, she managed the wedding with full grace and poise. No frantic last-minute arrangements, no hang-ups, no stressed moments. Just her great smile. You could blame the wedding planner for this though. But for someone with no professional event planning skills to boast about, she did pull it off.

And did I mention she was other-worldly beautiful that day? 

Six Degrees Of Separation

Just want to get my facts straight.

I think I mumbled this up during my conversations in the office but I wasn't sure if I got it right. Basically, I tried to explain that each of us can be related, by way of actual relation or information, to just about anyone in the world through several people (I mentioned eight but the actual number is six).

I also think the Wikipedia article can do the explaining better:

Six degrees of separation is the idea that everyone is on average approximately six steps away, by way of introduction, from any other person in the world, so that a chain of "a friend of a friend" statements can be made, on average, to connect any two people in six steps. It was originally set out by Frigyes Karinthy and popularized by a play written by John Guare.

Cool, isn't it? Nowadays, some are already stipulating that all of us can now be connected by just four degrees.

Gymming

Gymming is a term I got from Kit Loma. And yes. I'm still going to the gym. Alone.

I'm writing  this post because of some habits I've observed among the gym rats. Actually, I'm annoyed with these mannerisms but since I'm not the only one paying for the use of the gym, I have to put up with these annoyances every time I go. I'm writing this down because you, reader, might be guilty of one of these and it is my hope that, now being aware, you'll stop from getting on my nerve.

1.) Dropping the dumbbells - There's this guy who, after finishing his sets, drops his dumbbells. He doesn't gently put these on the floor. He drops them from several inches up. It's annoying because it's not necessary, it's loud, and he's clearly doing it to show off.

2.) Grunting - There's also this guy who does a lot of guttural noises whenever he does push-ups. Every time he does it, I roll my eyes and wish he'll just shut up. There's no need to advertise your macho effort or your distress.

3.) Staying Too Long In An Equipment - I also understand that you need time to recover after a grueling set but if you stay for five minutes, just sitting there on the workout bench, I'm going to ask myself why you're wasting my time. Sit somewhere else. I need to use the pull-up bar.

4.) Staring At Me - I'm not flattered whenever you do that. I'll just think of you as a closet gay guy looking at me. Creepy. Stare at someone else please.

Facial

Okay.

By the time you see me again, I'll have a scar slightly above my left eyebrow. Plus, some of my eyebrow hair shall be missing. I'll be Harry Potter except that my scar wasn't brought on by malevolent forces but only by a freak accident.

Still, I think I'm cool with that. It's going to add some character to my face (as if I needed another one) and it's going to be another topic during dinner which I can talk about when I'm with my friends ("How did you get that scar? What happened? Tralalalala...")

I'm just eternally grateful it didn't get my eye or teeth. Now, that would be a tragedy.

A Book?

I was thinking of having this blog published as a book in time for this blog's fifth year anniversary next year. It's going to be self-published and I got the idea while I was perusing through a bookstore and saw Jessica Zafra's Twisted, a series of books about her columns. 

It's interesting because I never thought I'd see myself still writing in this blog after three to four years. I've always thought blogging was going to be a pastime I'd grow out of as soon as I find something new to do.

So I'm publishing a book by next year and it's going to be a physical collection of everything I wrote in this blog. Maybe, ten or five copies are enough, just so I could have an archive of sorts if ever Google goes down and takes my blog along with it (the horror).

Deja Vu

This is a picture taken last 2008. I'm with my colleagues in BayanTrade, my first company. The place is Bohol Beach Club, where we had our company summer outing.

From left: Me, Kit, Ma'am Grace, Clinton, Glenn, Pansit, Lea, Palang, Jeff, Ciara, Maricor, Criselle, Bern

Here's the same pose but with a different set of characters: my colleagues in BPI, my second company. The place is somewhere in El Nido, Palawan.

From left: Sam, Henry, Yotz, Sir Ramy, Me, Sarah, Grace, Nica

A Review Of My First Semester In Law School

My first semester went well.

I passed all my subjects. I adjusted well with my new routine.

However, to be honest, I really didn't give my 100% focus on being a law school student. I didn't finish reading my books. I missed reading some cases along the way. I skipped classes when I didn't feel like going.

In a way, my shortcomings are acceptable. I'm working and I also have other priorities in mind. But I'll try to do better next semester.

To be clear, the aim now is simply to pass law school, not become a top-notch student (this one  I cannot do given the constraints of work and time). But that's okay. I'll just have to make sure I pass the bar when the time comes.  

See You Soon Sir Ramy

That was dumb.

Only realized now that I can't post this video on Youtube or Facebook because it might be flagged for copyright violations (Blogger might flag this as well though).

But I digress. Below is our tribute/despedida video to a local icon in our office, Sir Ramy:

Good luck sir.

Note: This video is officially the second time I edited something (the first was the MTV for KFC Punta Dumalag). I'm not really fancy when it comes to execution but I make up for it by starting out with a good concept.

Quotes To Show Off

I have a new wall paper on my laptop (I now prefer spelling wallpaper as "wall paper". A personal quirk). It goes like this:

Quotes I place on my wall paper to make people think I am "deep"

Eat your veggies especially if you paid for them
Be neat and clean; it's the luxury of being civilized
Respect and honor women because your mother is one
Be heroic in your aims; it's stupid and more fun
Help people so they won't bother you again
Be a durian - hard outside, soft inside, yummy all over
Love. In the end, it's all that counts.
Look for God despite His silence
Steal other people's quotes whenever possible.

Days In Palawan: The Return

Day 1
Hovered for quite some time over, I believe, Batangas. Air traffic in NAIA. Had lunch in the airport. Had a karimadon at Ministop. Brings back old memories. Second flight now bound for Palawan. Was my siblings' first time to fly, all four of them. Amused at their nonchalant reactions to the experience. Arrived at Victoria Guest House. Nice place. Homey. Had delicious dinner then went to Iwahig River for some firefly watching. 30 minutes road trip, I believe. Slept like a baby.

Day 2
Time to visit the famous Underground river. Stopped at a souvenir shop to buy some trinkets (for me, I simply bought a shirt). Had a buffet lunch at one of the restaurants dotting the beach line. Then off we went to the actual cave entrance. Met Claudine Roa and exchanged pleasantries. Entering the underground river in 3,2,1... Okay. Nice. Was the one who held the torch light. Had pictures taken as we went out. Then we were traveling back to Puerto Princesa. Dinner at Robinson's.

Day 3
Saturday. Studying for my finals. In the afternoon, the gang went out for the city tour. Stayed at the guest house, enjoying the wifi and studying still. Raining. In the evening, had dinner at Robinson's again and watched Taken.

Day 4
Island hopping at Honda Bay. First island, Snake Island. Overheard our guide trying to flirt with my younger sister as I appeared to be napping off in the adjacent cottage. Lunch. Second stop, floating cottage in the middle of the sea. Snorkeling in the water, observing the fish. Third stop, fish feeding. Wondered if fish there could be considered obese, what will all these tourists feeding them bread every day. Then back to Puerto Princesa to wash off and go to mass. Stopped by the public market to buy some cashew nuts. Then dinner at a posh restaurant for some chicken barbecue, only to find out that the barbecue in Davao tastes better.

Day 5
Last day in Palawan. Flight is in the afternoon. Called my teacher, pleading for a special exam. Had realized to my horror that our arrival is 8PM, not 5:15PM as earlier anticipated. Had late afternoon snack in Jollibee at NAIA. Flight for Davao. Treated to a sweat shop in an Airphil aircraft (aircraft crew wouldn't turn on the aircon until the plane was rolling). Davao finally. Home sweet home.

Running In People's Park

I've been jogging at People's Park for quite some time now. A weekend warrior, I've made it a point to jog either on Saturday or Sunday. I've stuck to my routine of doing twelve laps of jogging and the thirteenth lap devoted to an all-out, lung-bursting sprint.

I guess I've moved on from joining fun runs to simply running for free.

People's Park really is a good idea. And I'm amazed at how many people have taken advantage of its proximity and ambiance to work on their health. Every weekend, it's always a crowd in the park: people going through the free aerobics class every morning, athletes shadow boxing, arnis enthusiasts dueling with their sticks, teenagers playing badminton, models doing photo shoots, and, of course, runners jogging around the oval.

It's always more encouraging when you're with a group of strangers who share the same dedication to a healthy lifestyle. Plus, there are some pretty girls out there in the park too.

Life is good.

Bed And Breakfast

I have a book at home for those willing to start a bed and breakfast business. Mama is also interested in starting one when she retires.

What's the appeal, really? Well, apart from the additional income, it's a business that brings you the best opportunity to meet new people. I'm imagining lazy breakfasts with my guests, tourists from all walks of life. That's fun, isn't it?

Cuss Words

My first cuss word was "shit". When my family was still living in Bangkal, my siblings and I belted this out a lot. Shit, shit, shit. It seemed cool; it was English and it was pretty simple to pronounce too.

Then, when I grew up, I tried to become different and succeeded. Whereas my contemporaries were content with "putang ina", "fuck", "suck it", I was privately whispering "shix" and "fricative" (an actual word, mind you) every time reality frustrated me.

Nowadays, my repertoire  of bad words includes "gulay", "shatong", the common "bwisit" and "leche", and "leche flan". If I feel like it, I might venture into uttering "pusang iring cat meow meow" (something I got from Michael Palarpalar) just to make an impression on some people.

I have to admit that, despite my daily commitment not to say bad words, I still do. It's a habit that's hard to kick. On top of that, there's something in these words which make them wickedly fun to say because, to be honest, by themselves, they cannot be considered as cuss words, just ordinary terms used in an unusual context.

Now, when it comes to cuss words, I do have some rules I adhere to. I never use "putang ina" because it's insulting to mothers (I remember posting about this some time ago). I never use "fuck" because it's too mainstream (plus, most people don't know the actual origin of the word anyway. I should probably write that down in another post). I don't use "bitch" because it's sexist and demeaning to the dogs. Most especially, I try to refrain from using "shit" nowadays because some people already consider me to be above that (I'm entertaining priesthood, remember?).

To end, I do hope that people might just be a little bit more creative when it comes to cuss words. Frankly, I'm tired of hearing the same "shit" over and over again. Really, it pays to be different.

Skinhead

I feel fresh. It's been a long time since I've cut my hair this short.

I can cite some reasons, most of them practical, why I've decided to adopt the haircut I'd had back when I was in elementary. First, it saves me on shampoo. Second, I'm too lazy to comb my hair. Third, I don't use hair gel so the crown can be a bit unruly sometimes, Third, my hairline is receding (or so I think). Short hair  should avert or at least delay the inevitable (my Papa's hairline is my crystal ball right now). Fourth, it looks astig, the sort of haircut that every man should have at least once in his lifetime. Fifth, it looks different.

I think I'll again be sporting this look from now on.

Judging

The pther friday, a text message made my day. It was from Mel:

Hi Pao! Pwede ka nako iinvite as judge sa variety show contest sa akong mga students this Oct. 15, 5-10PM? I know you probably have work, pero just giving it a shot.:)

After thirty seconds of savoring the thought (in Bisaya, "gabukad ug atay"), I promptly declined the invitation, citing that I had an exam that day (which was true) and wasn't really up to it (which was true also). Mel graciously accepted it by texting back that she's found someone else.

I didn't know what made her think that I could judge, apart from the fact that we knew each other, but I got to think how odd it must feel if I ever get to judge something. It's inherent in everyone to judge performances but one must know what is actually being performed to become a good judge.

For instance, one can never appreciate art, let alone judge, if one is not an artist to begin with. One truly appreciates paintings if one knows how skilled one must be to paint. One truly appreciates dance if one knows how freakishly hard some moves are.

Indeed, the prospect of judging must humble one to become introspective enough to ask:  am I really good enough to judge?

For me, the answer is no. But then again, I belong on the stage, not in front of it.

Echus.

Worldly Desires

I want an energy-independent house, complete with solar arrays, a roof garden, and an infinity green pool, on top of a hill, overlooking Davao City.

I want a fuel-efficient car, with variable transmission and a silhouette that looks like a Mclaren MP4-12C's.

I want a waterproof DSLR camera and its color should be neon green.

I want a city road named after me. "PRE Bataller" seems like a good name for a street.

I want  a Palanca award for a New York Times best-selling novel or a Pulitzer prize perhaps for a feel-good memoir.

I want to have bank accounts as large as the Ayala's, the Gokongwei's, the Tan's, and all those families who are filthy rich.

Haaay.

I share the dreams with all the millions around the world.

Hope springs eternal (again), don't you think?

Plankton

Uael was right, after all.

Our guide during the Iwahig river trip did some magic with his paddle. He stuck it into the river, swirled the water with it, and made the river sparkle. 

He explained it was because of bio-luminescence. The plankton in the river had chemicals inside their bodies similar to those of fireflies'. When disturbed, they let out light.

Back to Uael. He said the same thing awhile back during out trip to Anawangin. We were swimming in the night and were amazed at the water glowing every time we splashed around. He explained it was because of plankton. I, on the other hand, was convinced it was simply something to do with the water ripples refracting and magnifying ambient light.

Turned out I was wrong. Hehe.

Fireflies

It's quite funny how one barangay could build a tourism business out of lowly insects such as fireflies. But then again, it only proves that fireflies have become a rarity nowadays.

I was a tourist one night in Iwahig river. My family and I went there during our first night in Palawan. Even now, I'm still happy that the weather cooperated with us; it didn't rain and the river was calm and slow.

At first, I was expecting a lengthy walk to the area where the fireflies dwelt. So I was surprised  when we got into boats and donned life jackets instead. I was then expecting a river journey with fireflies  dancing above our heads but was disappointed to know that fireflies didn't do anything of that sort.

What we were treated instead were a few isolated mangroves sparkling in the night like Christmas trees. Fireflies, our guide said, were quite picky with the kind of trees they call home. The fireflies also weren't what I had in mind; they emitted blue light, not yellow (a fact that's commonly advertised by articles and television alike).

It was my first time to see a lot of fireflies that night. My evening forays in Nabunturan only had me seeing one or two fireflies (with green lights) darting to and fro. To be treated to this scene, a multitude of blue lights twinkling in the distance, left me feeling very grateful and at the same time disturbed that the next generation might never be rewarded such a view.

Star Gazing

From Men In Black:

K: They're beautiful, aren't they?
J: What?
K: The stars.

When was the last time I simply looked at the stars?

That was the lingering thought I had as we softly made our way upstream of the Iwahig river.

The last time I simply looked at the heavens was during our weekend escapade to Anawangin Cove  three years ago. I remember just staring at the sky chock full of stars. There was absolutely no light pollution to dim the spectacle. Suddenly, everything seemed so huge and massive and I was the observer of it all, a tiny speck of dust in the life of this galaxy.

Star gazing does that to you. It makes you watch in awe as you revel in the dark, communing with the greater universe even as you shudder at its immense beauty.

Ikaw? When was the last time you simply looked at the stars?

Letting Go Of TV Debates

This Atlantic article might be on to something.

It proposes that the US shed away these TV political debates in favor of a format that is more realistic. Conor Friedersdorf tells us that, given the nature of presidential decisions, debates favoring candidates who can sling out rapid-fire comments and counterarguments should give way to debates rewarding those who are prudent and meticulous.

Decisions by the president are not necessarily made by one man but are products of deliberations of committees and cabinets. A candidate who shows that he can sift through this mass of information, including his own personal opinion and knowledge, and find a nugget of wisdom is a good candidate. Unfortunately, TV debates often  feature the opposite of this ability, frowning on candidates who can indeed facilitate but have no oratorical acumen in favor of those who can set the stage on fire like a showbiz star.

A format that could replace TV debates, as suggested by the writer, is the text-based chat, with candidates given ample opportunity to check their facts, consult with the appropriate people, while rebutting the other candidate's arguments. 

I don't know if this idea will ever fly but it will revolutionize debates if it ever gains traction.

Heidi Mendoza

Heidi Mendoza is the underdog. Again.

But then, the good guys (or in this case, the good 'girl') always are.

That alone was evident in the Inquirer article I read about Heidi Mendoza's testimony against Elenita Binay for graft charges. The reporter, Cynthia Balana, was quite liberal in jotting down the side of Elenita Binay, as expressed in the words of Joey Salgado, the Vice President's spokesman. What was notable is the absence of the side of Heidi Mendoza, who was made to look, at least in this news article, like she was holding a grudge against the Binays when she was simply doing her job. 

Thankfully, Winnie Monsod set the record straight in her column, where she not only sympathized with Heidi Mendoza but also questioned why her COA appointment was still not confirmed by the CA.

I wish I could do more for Ma'am Heidi. But a simple gesture of support for her cause is the only thing I can give. 

Again, Heidi Mendoza is the underdog. But underdogs need not stand alone.

Hypertension

Seems like I'm going to deal with high blood pressure after all.

I tried out the new gadget Mama brought home for Papa. It was an automatic blood pressure monitor and I was surprised to find out that my BP reading is now at 130++/80++, give and take a few numbers. I was expecting something closer to 120/90, my BP reading two years ago.

Technically, I'm not yet suffering from hypertension but I'm getting there, perhaps after several months (or hopefully, years). Nevertheless, this new development is a mood-killer. Seems like being an exercise/gym rat isn't good enough after all.

And so starts my transition towards a stricter vegan diet...

Mar Roxas Again

Mar Roxas got confirmed by the Commission on Appointments (CA) as the new chief of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

As for me, all I can remember are the columns by William Esposo and Boo Chanco extolling Mar Roxas' sheer incompetency as a government bureaucrat. Indeed, Mar Roxas has done such a good job as the DOTC secretary then that NAIA 1 has zoomed to become the world's worst airport under his watch.

Which is why I cannot fathom why a lot of people in high government expect him to fare better in his new department. If he had such a mediocre time in the DOTC, then how is the DILG any different from the previous department he headed? But the president has confidence in Roxas and that surely must be enough, especially since our government is not a meritocracy anyway.

It's also quite ironic that Mar Roxas' appointment got confirmed by the CA while Jesse Robredo's was bypassed again and again. Apparently, being an accomplished public servant isn't enough to win you the CA's nod. But a good name like Roxas does.

Praying For Someone

Have you prayed for someone? Have you prayed for a person who is not a family member? Or even a close friend?

Back in college, I prayed for Denise. I prayed that she be happy. It came after her tearful sharing during our recollection concerning a personal incident which she regretted. I prayed for her for several days during my daily morning prayer. I don't know if it worked but the last time I checked she's married already and is living abroad. That must be her version of happiness but, then again, I'm being presumptuous.

I've also prayed for my crushes. But not the type of prayer you would expect from someone infatuated to the core. I simply prayed for their happiness. If that happiness involved me being part of their lives, then that's not my call. So I kept it simple: "Lord, I pray that whoever-she-is will be happy." 

Now, I'm still trying to insert a prayer for someone during my daily ritual.  It's a practice that has humbled me enough to think that it's really not about me. It's also a refreshing change of perspective; the wish for another person's happiness is something which, for me, invigorates my soul.

Have you prayed for someone lately?

(SIC)

Atty. Brion was the first to show us what the word sic (usually found in quotations) are for. I, on the other hand, always thought it was some kind of intellectual cuss word.

According to Wikipedia:

The Latin adverb sic ("thus"; in full: sic erat scriptum, "thus was it written") added immediately after a quoted word or phrase (or a longer piece of text), indicates that the quotation has been transcribed exactly as found in the original source, complete with any erroneous spelling or other nonstandard presentation. The usual purpose is to inform the reader that any errors or apparent errors in the transcribed material do not arise from transcription errors, and the errors have been repeated intentionally, i.e., that they are reproduced exactly as set down by the original writer or printer. It may also be used as a form of ridicule or as a humorous comment, drawing attention to the original writer's spelling mistakes or emphasizing his or her erroneous logic. Sic is generally placed inside square brackets, or in parentheses (round brackets), and traditionally in italic, as is customary when printing a foreign word.

There you go.

Wallpaper

Take a look.

That is what is adorning my laptop for almost a year now. It's also the wallpaper on my phone. 

I'm not bragging (or am I?) but I just realized how intrinsically me the wallpaper is.

It's quite simple really, the phrase "Ang Evangelio Ni Paolo" set against a white backdrop,  curtly adorned with simple brush strokes of blue and violet streaks.

Whereas some would go for extravagance and intricacy in their design, somehow to show how adept they are at using Photoshop or some other application, I, on the other hand, gravitate towards the idea that "less is more", practicing sophisticated restraint and simple elegance.

Take a look again.

Days In Palawan

Day 1
Went with Mama to the airport. She was going to Zamboanga and I was bound for Palawan. Spent much of the waiting time trying to read through my cases. Surprisingly, the flight was not delayed. Read some more on board the plane (Got an entire row all by myself. Laid there like I was on a queen bed). Weather in Palawan was dreary, with a slight drizzle. Picked up by the travel tour's van. Stopped by Robinsons to get some much needed fastfood. Then off we were to several hours of travel by land to reach El Nido. Roads were quite bumpy during the last stretch. Had dinner in a restaurant then rode off on motorcycles to the cottages where we were supposed to spend the night. Just tired from the travel.

Day 2
Woke up and caught first sight of the coastline. Island hopping was the menu for the day. Had breakfast and we were off to visit the islands near El Nido. Snorkeling, getting inside caves. Lunch was delicious. Then, more island visits. Fish feeding, sight seeing, pictures taken and so on. Dinner back at the cottages. Really sleepy. But had talks with Grace and Nica. Illuminating. Meaningful discussion of sorts, something I never quite had with the boys. True, women do offer a fresh perspective on things one assumes one knows.

Day 3
Early wake-up call. 4AM. Vacation is taking its toll. Miss my bed. Talked with Sir Ramy about something I really wanted to know about him (finally!). Then the arduous journey back to Puerto Princese. Breakfast along the way. Then bad news. Underground river was closed for the day. Heavy rains were the culprit. Back in Puerto, in a hotel room. Had lunch somewhere (forgot the name). Then the city tour. Rain. Then back to hotel room. Dinner along baywalk.

Day 4
Final day. Again, very early wake-up call. 5:30AM. Bad news again. No underground river. Went to Ugong cave instead. Zip line. Then off to a beach. After more than an hour travel, finally reached the beach. Had lunch by the beach. Back to Puerto. Pack bags. Take a bath. Off to airport. Back to Davao.

Love the vacation. Not bad at all.

Dalagang Filipina

Several weeks ago, I was shocked. An officemate revealed to me that she got pregnant and was now on her seventh week. It was shocking because I thought it was never in her character to engage in premarital sex. I had always been the believer of the presumption of virginity among Filipinas and I found it hard to accept that I was so naive.

On the same day, after being told of my reaction, another officemate also told me that she was also into premarital sex. And to think that she was only nineteen years old when she started!

What is wrong with the world? Or, to be more specific, what's wrong with today's Filipina?

First, I have always been a believer of sex after marriage primarily because sex has a potential to distort any given relationship and, thus, must be enjoyed only within the confines of a committed relationship, the one already sealed with a wedding ring. Second, I have always thought that if a man loves a woman, then he is willing to wait for her even it means going through the arduous process of courtship, then the girlfriend-boyfriend phase, the engagement, and finally the wedding (It's a test, get it?). Third, I have also been brought up to acknowledge that sex has to be enjoyed only when both parties are fully aware of the responsibilities entailed in the act, an awareness that cannot be logically inferred from an arrangement where both are willing to have sex but are not willing to make the sex legitimate in the eyes of society.

 Yes, I'm traditional but I also know I'm right. Filipina women, in seeking for themselves the sexual liberty that men enjoy, have lost the power that their grandmothers and mothers wielded.

The woman of yesteryears, the dalagang Filipina, knew what she wanted and knew what she possessed to help her get it. She wanted a partner in and for life. She could have that if she withheld herself from engaging in amorous relations . The power she had was inherent in her power to say no to sex without the benefit of marriage. And history would tell us that the strategy is quite good: men committed themselves to their wives and wives got committed husbands in return.

Has that lesson been lost in today's society? Or are today's Filipinas willfully relinquishing that power in return for something which is, quite sadly, ephemeral?

The Gap

Karlo, a classmate of mine, narrated to me the story of his life when he was still a law student of the Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU). In hindsight, I wished he hadn't because I finally realized why Ateneo is Ateneo and why UM is UM.

The disparity is immense. According to Karlo, if you're in Ateneo, one can never aspire to be both a law student and a professional because your studies are going to eat up all your time. His routine then consists of eight hours of reading every day because every teacher of every subject would task his or her class to read at least ten cases daily. If you can't understand that, I tell you now that's a lot of material to go through in a given day.

Add to that is the fact that the faculty of Ateneo are relentless in their efforts to trim down the herd. Presumably, about half (or is it more?) of the freshmen population are wittled down by year end. It is no wonder that a law student in ADDU is more prepared for the Bar Exam than, say, a law student in UM.

That's the gap and I can't help but feel helpless facing this stark reality. What am I to do?

Ambitious Undertaking

Okay. I'm going to do something: I'm going to make a computer application. It's going to be my project next year and the reason why it's ambitious is because I don't have the slightest idea of how I'm supposed to do it. Definitely, it's not my area of expertise. I'm not a programmer and I don't know what it takes to be one. But the reason why I'm going to do the impossible is because I want to make things better for all of us in the office. I want to somehow leave a mark and say that I did in fact make the lives of my colleagues better after I arrived at the scene. Right now, I'm not at liberty (I so love this phrase) to disclose anything but, rest assured, once I sort out my free time, I'll be hell bent in learning programming and the other stuff.

Game on.