Nine Mornings

Just completed nine Simbang Gabi masses after a very long time. A believer of plenary indulgence, I embarked on the goal of attending all nine masses because I had a petition for God. 

Some like to call that a selfish motive but I beg to differ. Most of the time, I ask for something in exchange for a certain sacrifice and I get even more than what I pray for. That's lesson number one when you're talking about God's grace. He always gives more than what you take or ask.

So what do I have to show apart from a mild case of sleep deprivation, an acne breakout, and a new-found appreciation of the morning sun? Well, I got a renewed look at this thing called 'Christmas' and a reminder of why we're celebrating it in the first place.

Listening to a Jesuit deliver a homily is always a privilege. Listening to them nine mornings straight is a luxury. 

One thing I got from their combined homilies is that our salvation history is full of people who, far from being servile robots, wrestled with their inner selves before acceding to God's plan. Mary, the penultimate example of obedience, was also among those who fought through reluctance and fear prior to saying yes. As Catholics, we take consolation in the fact that following God's will is not an isolated incident but is something we share in common with the saints and sinners of yesteryear.

What's good about this whole 'exercise' though is that it reminded me once again why we're celebrating Christmas. Most of the time, we become inundated by the message in the media about what Christmas must be: It is about family, about presents, about giving, about Santa Claus. Frankly, it isn't.

It is and will always be about Jesus Christ and the story of how he came down to save us. 

Simple isn't it? But, most often, the simple things are the ones we usually forget.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Binay

BINAY (noun) slang.
- an act or instance of exerting one's power, authority, or influence
- a self-aggrandizing action undertaken for the pleasure of exercising control over people
- a state of mind in which an individual comes to believe that privileges are rights and are to be expected
- a person who uses public funds and programs to promote themselves
- a politician who believes that political dynasties should be the norm and that qualifications for public office are overrated

Definitions are courtesy of Dictionary, Conservapedia, Globalvoicesonline, and my own.

Where Will You Be When The Bubble Bursts?

A chilling essay from Forbes.

Main thesis below. Here's the link to the full text. Thanks to Jesse Colombo for not buying into our self-made hype.

While household debt levels are fairly low at 35 percent of GDP, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the Philippines’ central bank, has been using this as an excuse to encourage banks to lend even more aggressively to consumers and businesses in order to spur further rapid economic growth. 

Simply stated, the Philippines’ central bank is actually trying to inflate a credit bubble, which is very alarming and reminiscent of the pro-credit growth policies of the Greenspan Fed during the 2002 to 2007 credit bubble...

The Philippines’ bubble will most likely pop when China’s economic bubble pops and/or as global and local interest rates continue to rise, which are what caused the country’s credit and asset bubble in the first place. The resumption of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s QE taper plans may put pressure on the Philippines’ financial markets in the near future. Another global economic crisis (as I expect) also puts remittances at risk.

Get Real Philippines

Get real Philippines.

Get real Philippines.

I discovered this site middle of this year and I have never looked back since. One thing I liked about it is that it lives up to its name.

Get Real Philippines is a blog which features incisive essays on the political landscape of our country and more. It doesn't mince words, doesn't hide under false pretenses, doesn't strive to make friends. Its essays say it as it is, providing insightful analyses on the issues that plague this nation. 

One common accusation of the site is that it's too gloomy. But that's precisely because it aims to portray a more accurate picture of the Philippines, far from what the heavily manufactured press releases of Malacanang present and equally far from the junk being shown in the news.

Simply put, if you want to be a conscientious Filipino, you can start by adding this site among the many you visit in the internet. Peace out.

Never "Just This Once": Standing By What You Stand For All The Time

I first came across Professor Clayton M. Christensen in a Reader's Digest article entitled The Bottom Line On Happiness that came out in the publication's March 2011 issue. The article talked about "using the tools of business to create a life of fulfillment and integrity". 

The article as a whole was eye-opening but I was especially struck at a particular passage which resonated with my decision early this year to leave my second employer, BPI Family Savings Bank. 

In this excerpt, Professor Christensen talks about knowing your principles and standing by them. He acknowledges the all-too-real phenomenon of the slippery slope, which provokes professionals, especially bankers, to give in to and rationalize brazenly unethical practices both in their personal and professional lives. 

My thanks to this blogger for the transcript of the article. I got this excerpt from his site. Here goes:

Another Idiot In Congress Reveals Himself

Need I say more?

MANILA, Philippines — In coming to boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao’s defense, a colleague in the House of Representatives has proposed an unprecedented idea: Exempt him from paying income taxes for the rest of his life.

Valenzuela Rep. Magtanggol Gunigundo has filed a bill to save Pacquiao, who is also Sarangani representative, the trouble of paying income taxes for as long as he lives, for the outstanding honor and pride the “People’s Champ” has given to his countrymen. Read more...

Then another...

MANILA, Philippines—Independent lawmakers led by Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza have filed a bill that would stop the government from dipping its hands into boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao’s hard-earned winnings and those of other national athletes who win prizes and awards in international competitions.

Atienza’s bill provides tax exemptions for prizes of both amateur and professional Filipino athletes in sports competitions sanctioned by international groups or certified by the Philippine Sports Commission. Read more...

Happy New Year

For us Catholics, the new year happens today, the first Sunday of Advent. In a way, it's fitting. It's best to start the year during the month when we are most happy and when we are also renewing ourselves for the coming of the Christ.

For the employees in Philam Life, particularly their salespeople, the new year also happens today, December 1. Again, it's fitting. Since all their production this month is for next year's quota rather than this year's, the holidays are not marred by anxiety and worries over how to meet one's targets.

For me, I'm going to consider this month as my new year as well. It's fitting for the same reasons I've said above.

This post is brought to you by WLTKLMTSMWKB (Wala Lang. Trip Ko Lang Magsalita Tungkol Sa Mga Walang Kwentang Bagay).

Hamburger America

I finally saw Hamburger America in its entirety. Finally.

I first took notice of this film back when I was still in Taguig. I was browsing for a book in Fully Booked's branch in High Street when I came across this film being shown in one of their screens.

Hamburger America is the first food documentary I've watched. It features interviews of the people behind some of America's unique burgers. In fact, I've already mentioned the film in one of my previous posts.

One of the things that caught my attention was the fanfare that characterized each burger. People were willing to wait in line to have a taste of the burgers featured. Another was the sense of tradition imbued in each burger. The burger restaurants were already in the business for a long time and, as such, never saw it wise to tamper with what made their burgers so delicious.

Perhaps, if I have the time, I'll get to make my own food documentary. There must be restaurants in Davao City teeming with tradition, history, and, of course, good food.