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.