Alexis Chua

Moved!

2010-09-18T02:06:00.002+08:00

I have moved my personal blog to AlexisChua.com. The URL is now not as ridiculous-sounding as this one. It has long been my desire to self-host my blog, and to use Wordpress. Thanks to some generous people, I did not have to spend a single cent for a domain and hosting package!

All posts have been copied to the new blog. As of the moment, I am still tinkering with the CSS codes of my new blog, so do not be surprised if the new site looks and feels different every thirty minutes. I will not update this blog anymore. Thank you for following my rants and raves in this blog! I have had a great time blogging here for almost a year. Please update your bookmarks and blogrolls, and see you all at my new home!

Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs for 2010 Raffle

2010-09-16T16:54:00.000+08:00

I was one of the nominees in the search for the Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs for 2010, initiated by Miss Janette Toral. It was heartwarming to be nominated by friends and strangers alike to be one of the emerging new blogs in the blogosphere today. I can now thump my chest proudly because my personal blog's reason for existence - to positively influence others - is already fulfilled!

The results of the writing project has been released yesterday, and though my blog didn't make it to the top 10, I won in the raffle, belonging to the lucky 10 of almost a hundred entries! I will receive $100 from the generous sponsors of the writing contest.

If you haven't read my list yet, check it out now! Three of my nominees: Ganda Ever So Much, Kusina Maria and Get Prettified made it to the Top 10 of the nation's emerging and influential blogs! What more could a newbie blogger, like me, ask for?

Congratulations to the winners, and thank you to the sponsors for making me $100 richer! :D

The Epson LX-300

2010-09-11T09:00:00.000+08:00

I was lucky not to belong to the generation where tech specs surprise people like, "Whoah! It prints three pages a minute!", or "Gee, it prints in color with a single ribbon!"

But then, I am lucky to be in a generation to have seen the best of the world's dot-matrix printers - the Epson LX-300! Who cannot ignore the awfully annoying sound as the LX-300 prints? And who could have imagined that multiple copies can be printed using the good ol' carbon paper? An office, nowadays, isn't complete without at least one Epson LX-300 printer stinging every ear in the room.

The LX-300 beats all other printers in durability and reliability. A small paper jam is no big deal with just a slight turn of the paper feeder knob. Say bye to little clogs in the printer with a few smudges of grease and oil on the parts. Little bangs on the side (that'll break new inkjet printers) are the secret knocks to the 'Continue Printing' function. These all make every inkjet and laser printer green with envy and nod in amazement of their predecessors

I was once the 'chief mechanic' of the Epson LX-300 printers in the school publication office when I was in college. And, boy, no other printer has outlived the good old Epson LX-300 dot matrix printer and its awful, but satisfying whine.

What about you? What's your Epson LX-300 story?

GenSan's Tuna Festival Experience (UPDATED SKEDS!)

2010-09-08T21:11:00.004+08:00

The GenSan Tuna Festival Experience 2010 is set to more than please the festival gods and everybody else on September 18-26! There is something in store for each and everyone because General Santos City has all the reasons to celebrate! Here is the press release from the City Government of General Santos:

The 2010 Tuna Festival Month of September that is being handled by the Tuna Festival Council headed by Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio and the GenSan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (GSCCCII) started on a high note last week.

Guided by the theme "Go Global GenSan: We Are Ready for the World", the jam packed month-long GTx (GenSan Tunafest experience) kicked off on September 2-4, 2010 with the conduct of the 12th National Tuna Congress which broke records in terms of the # of attendees and exhibitors at its Tuna Congress Exhibit held at Family Country Convention Center.

On September 3, 2010, former Senator Mar Roxas came in behalf of Keynote Speaker President Noynoy Aquino to inspire the participants consisting of local and international tuna and fishing industry leaders and stakeholders.

The annual Karagatan Awards that honored the year’s outstanding handline fishmermen were given to the awardees at the Closing Dinner that same night at the Isla Parilla Resort in Alabel, Sarangani.

Then on Sunday, the whole city commemorated the 42nd Charter Day Anniversary with a mass at the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage Parish Church and an Ecumenical Prayer and short program at the Gen. Paulino Santos Shrine inside the Plaza Heneral Santos. This was attended by the city’s business and soci-civic leaders, government workers and officials led by Congressman Jun Acharon, Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio, Sarangani Vice-Governor Steve Chiongbian-Solon, the city councilors, among other personages.

An "Almusal Alay sa Kapwa" followed afterwards which offered free breakfast to the city's local
folks.

For the 2nd weekend of the month, on September 10, 2010, the much-awaited concert of the ASAP Sessionistas will happen at Mindanao's largest indoor air-conditioned gymnasium, the GenSan Gym in Barangay Lagao. This is one of the city's biggest gathering of famous performers from Manila and tickets are selling briskly especially now that the concert date is getting near.

The major highlights of the GTx will occur during the week of September 18-26, 2010. Expect these crowd-drawing beauty and talent search events to dazzle the generals and visitors alike:
• Search for Ginang Bariles on Sept 22
• Search for Ms. GenSan 2010 on Sept 25
• Search for Mr. GenSan 2010 (new event!) on Sept 25
• Gaisano Mall's Search for Munting Mutya ng GenSan 2010 on Sept 26

Then there are these youth-powered dance and singing competitions:
• Pasiklaban Cheer Dance Competition on Sept 18
• Campus Radio's Sayaw Sa Baybay-Kids Edition on Sept 21
• Search for GenSan Pop Idol Year 6 on Sept 22
• GenSan Pop Star Kids Competition on Sept 23
• Fishdance Hip-Hop Dance Competition on Sept 24
• Search for GenSan Band Idol on Sept 24

The GTx Month is also filled with exciting sports competitions:
• Tuna Motorbike Competition
• Beach Volleyball Competition
• Robinsons' 1st TunaBodies Body-Building Competition
• National Skim Boarding Competition
• HRM Mini-Skills Competition
• Robinsons' Inter-Tribe Tuna Cookfest
• Bombo Radyo's Bancarera

On its own, the FishFest sa Fishport will also have its own set of events for the fishermen on
September 22nd:
• Langoy-Bugsay Marathon Challenge
• 1st Lawihan Street Dancing Competition

To enliven the GTx more, there are the parties and concerts!
• Kapamilya Caravan featuring ABS-CBN stars @ KCC on Sept 18 (new!)
• Kapuso Night featuring GMA stars @ KCC on Sept 24 (new!)
• Robinsons' Praize Xtreme Concert on Sept 19
• Foam Parties @ East Asia Royale Hotel Arcade Parking Lot on Sept 24-25
• Robinsons' Al Fresco Sashimi Night featuring the Best of GenSan Bands on Sept 25
• SMART Communications Concert @ Oval Plaza Stage on Sept 25
• GLOBE Telecoms Concert @ Oval Plaza Stage on Sept 26
• San Miguel Beer Concert @ the Junction on Sept 26

And not to forget the must-see Major Highlights on Culmination Day (Sept 26, 2010):
• Tuna Float Parade Competition @ 9am
• GTX Mardi-Gras Competition (Street Dancing) @ 9m
• Splash in the Sky Fireworks Display @ 7pm

And for three weeks, these attractions will be featured at the City Oval Plaza, the main activity center:
• Tinda-Tinda sa GTx (Flea Market)
• Tuna Food Plaza
• Tuna Fiesta Carnival
• Plantuna Garden Show
• San Miguel Beer Barkada Zone

For this year's Tuna Festival Month celebration, a new Tuna Festival Theme song will be launched. Entitled "WHOA GENSAN!", this catchy and lively festival theme song commissioned by TunaFest Director and GSCCCII VP Orman Manansala, is composed by GenSan's very own "Centerpoint Band" who will first perform it LIVE to the public during the "ASAP Sessionistas Live in Concert" on September 10, 2001 where they will serve as the front act.

With all these events, activities and new attractions in store for GTX festival revelers, expect the Tuna Festival Celebration to upgrade its reputation as the 2nd Best Festival in the Philippines, an award given to the Tuna Capital by the the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (ATOP) in 2009.

Because for sure, this will be the best GenSan Tuna Festival Experience for the generals and their visitors ever making the city truly MAGANDANG GENSAN!

Here is the schedule of activities for this year's Tuna Festival Experience:

This year's Tuna Festival Experience promises to be the best and the biggest, ever! All roads will lead to General Santos City September 18 to 26, so I'll see you, then!

Hosting + Domain, FREE!

2010-09-07T08:00:00.008+08:00

Number Two on my When-I-Get-a-Job Wishlist is to have my own domain and hosting for my site. I guess I do not have to wait for a job before I complete my list! WPWebhost is holding a contest and will give away a Rookie plan with FREE domain name. Here are the contest details from the contest site.

How To Win?
1. Blog about this contest and link back to this post. You could take a banner here and insert to your post.
2. Get 7 comments for your post. (Trackback isn’t counted)
3. Submit your blog post URL through comment below, along with your name and valid email address in the provided fields.
4. Yippee! You have just won a FREE WordPress hosting plan + a domain name. We will email you further steps to claim the prize within 2 weeks.

Terms & Conditions
1. Every participant is entitled to only one prize.
2. This giveaway ends on 30 Sep 2010.
3. WPWebHost reserves the right to amend or revise the terms and conditions of this promotion without prior notice.
4. WPWebHost has the right to disqualify any participation which does not fulfil the requirements.

Join the contest NOW and get your own domain and hosted WordPress blog!

Thanks to Sir Avel for sharing the info. :)

My Top 12 iPhone/iPod Touch Apps

2010-09-06T23:05:00.002+08:00

Apple's iPod Touch is more than a media player. It is a mobile computer that makes you forget that it is an iPod! Thanks to a generous donor, I got myself an Apple iPod Touch a couple of months ago. Since then, it has transformed my mobile and online life! Of course, the reason for this are the countless apps available in Apple's App Store. Here are my Top 10 Apps, in no particular and significant order:

1. Facebook - having access to a computer and not having a Facebook account is a mortal sin. Checking Facebook updates on-the-go, plus chatting real-time is a breeze with Facebook's official app!

2. GoodReader - for bibliophiles like me, carrying a hundred books on a pocket-sized gadget is a dream. GoodReader has all the options that will make mobile reading comfortable wherever you may be. Plus, it supports more non-PDF formats than any other reader in the market. Simply said, the best mobile reader app on the planet!

3. Quickoffice - in today's world, it's hard to get away with Microsoft Office. Thank the app gods for Quickoffice. It is now possible to view, create and edit Microsoft Office documents on-the-go, and email the files on-the-spot!

4. IMDb - IMDb is undeniably the best site to be when it comes to movie and television info. In a dilemma at the cinema lobby on what to watch? Fire up the IMDb app on your iPhone or iPod Touch, check reviews and pick with confidence that you get a bang for every buck for your movie ticket!

5. SoundHound ∞ - SoundHound is the best buddy for your gadget's function to play music (right, it can play music!). You can hum, sing, or just let the app 'hear' a currently playing track on your device, and find the title, artist, album, lyrics, and other info about the song!

6. Opera Mini - slow WiFi is awful. A good workaround for this is to look for an expensive coffee shop and use their WiFi access. Better yet, use Opera Mini, simply the fastest mobile browser, even on slow connections!

7. Dunnit! - The perfect, free task & memo app on the iPhone!

8. Dictionary.com - Need I elaborate on this? The best feature is: it's FREE.

9. Guitar Hero - the planet's best rhythm app! If you have played and loved the good ol' Tap Tap Revenge 3, you'll find Guitar Hero a fantastic addition to your rhythm games. Guitar Hero is just the app to get if you're tired of boring tapping to tunes.

10. Pocket God - Be the god of your very own citizens - on your iPhone. Do whatever you want to the creatures on your island and find out what kind of god you would be!

11. Angry Birds - Sir Orman can attest to this game's addictive content. You'll find yourself thinking for hours of strategies to win over the green pigs by destroying their fortified castles! This app will make you forget that your iPod is an iPod even more!

12. Need for Speed: Shift - I don't have a ride. But at least I can drive in the realistic steering-wheel-action fashion. This game puts the iPhone's accelerometer to good use as you use your device to steer your way to the finish line.

These apps are just some of the almost 100 that I have in my device. The Apple iPhone or the iPod Touch is an investment worth every penny! Well, until a new one is released, though.

The 4th Generation of Apple's iPod Touch

2010-09-02T19:14:00.002+08:00

I still cannot get over yesterday's unveiling of the 4th generation of the iPod Touch line. I bought an Apple iPod Touch 3rd-gen around 7 months ago. Suddenly, it feels obsolete, specially that the new version had a slew of fantastic new features, all for the SAME price as its older sibling! Here are some of its new features:

1. FaceTime - Apple's answer to wireless video-calling. Only that it uses WiFi instead of the usual 3G. Which means, the new iPod Touch has a built-in front-facing camera! And, oh, an new HD camera is also slapped at the shiny, stainless steel rear of the device. In Steve Jobs' words: "iPhone without the contract."

2. Retina Display - any device's display is made up of pixels. The smaller the pixels, the sharper and clearer the display is. The new iPod Touch's display, similar to the iPhone 4's, is the displays most stunning and crispest text and images ever on a mobile device. The pixels are so small that the human eye cannot see the individual pixels.

3. HD Camera - to compliment the retina display, an HD camera that can record up to 720p videos in high-definition has been added. Footages can be edited on the spot using Apples iMovie application.

4. Game Center - Steve Jobs must have lacked the ideas to name this feature. This lamely-named feature is Apple's answer to Microsoft's Xbox Live and Sony's PlayStation Plus. The world's most popular handheld gaming device is now set to claim its share in the pie of online gaming.

5. The Size - No, this is not another of Jobs' misnamed products. The new iPod Touch is only 7.2 millimeters thin! Yet, its user may still have the confidence of not bending or breaking the device into two because of its trademark solid stainless back.

With all these features, you might even forget that the iPod Touch is an iPod!

If you have one of those old Apple iPod Touches, now might be the best time to upgrade to the new one. But, of course, owning an Apple product has its own bitter consequences. :p

The Sox Bloggers Portal Beta 1.0

2010-08-31T23:38:00.002+08:00

Being idle sometimes does have its own benefits. Late this afternoon, I tinkered with my blog and came up with an idea of creating a portal for the SOCCSKSARGEN Bloggers. What's a blogging group doing without its own blog, yes? I ended up with a kewl site with a free domain and (drumroll) hosted on Blogger! The site uses Google Docs to power its Registration Page, and the blog URLs of everyone who registers automatically appears on the Member Blogs page. Kewl, huh?

Check out the SOCCSKSARGEN Bloggers Portal at http://www.SoxBloggers.co.cc. Feel free to post comments, suggestions, and some bugs to be squashed. The site is moderated by the Big Bosses so your submitted information are in good hands. REGISTER so that your blog may be listed at our Member Blogs page. And, yes, to reach you for some fun events and activities that only the Sox Bloggers can bring you to. :)

Bitter at Second Place?

2010-08-29T05:56:00.002+08:00

The Browser Wars! Image from Choose Opera

Nowadays, the world seems to be filled with all sorts of products that are either destined to improve our lives (though unecessary in the first place), or to ruin it.

Equally, my friends, are the number of corporations claiming to be number one and creating mere assumptions that their products are the best that the world has ever seen. But the crazy problem about the market ranks game is that if there are fifty companies competing for a slice of the market for plastic bags, forty-five of them would say that they are 'number one'. That leaves the remaining five to settle for the 'number two' spot. Or if they would be humble enough, they'd go for the third, fourth, and fifth spots.
In the mobile phone market, we have Nokia and Sony Ericsson battling for the top spot. Both of them claim that their products have the best features that the other doesn't have. This question answers the matter: why are there Nokia fans and Sony Ericsson fans? Consumers are not really stupid enough to stick with an awful mobile phone model just because of their brand loyalty. Simply said, Nokia has its share of cons, and Sony Ericsson has its own too.

Even the web browser market cannot escape from this phenomenon that we will call the 'Number One' phenomenon. Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Mozilla's Firefox both claim the summit of the hill. Both IE and FF has its own share of great features good enough for bragging into the cyberspace. Which leaves Opera at the 'far' Number Two spot.

Do these numbers mean anything about quality and all? Not significant at all, actually. With the concrete example of the web browser industry, being at the bottom doesn't always mean that they are actually at the bottom when it comes to features and all sorts of stuff that consumers are looking for .

Now, for the closing remarks, what happens to the poor ones who fail to become number one? They still manage to grab a share of the very huge market and still earn good money with it. Look at the console wars between Sony and Microsoft. They manage to sell millions of the Playstation and Xbox units, leaving poor Nintendo at either Number Two or Three. But the thing is, Sony is diversified from cameras to TVs and mobile phones. Microsoft is backed with Bill Gates' billions. Nintendo, on the other hand, sells a healthy number of its Wii and still go to bed smiling with dollars. No, nobody gets bankrupt.

Being Number Two isn't that bad after all!

The Manila Hostage Drama - Blames

2010-08-25T22:06:00.003+08:00

Photo credits: Yahoo! Philippines

Monday's hostage drama that turned into a tragedy was an unprecedented blow to the Philippine government, and the nation as a whole. At least eight of tourists from Hong Kong were killed in a 10-hour hostage drama in the vicinity of Quirino Grandstand, in the tourist belt of Manila. What seems to promise a good end to the situation turned into a bloody resolution.

I join the people of Hong Kong and the People's Republic of China in mourning for the loss of its people. I join our country and its people in condemning this tragedy. I join the Filipino people in the shame for the wrongdoings of not just one, but many of my people. 我们很抱歉。

It is sad that tourists who simply wanted to see the beauty of this country have to be involved in a supposed-to-be domestic issue. Not one, but many people or groups, are taking the burdens of being blamed for Monday's tragedy. This is seen as President Aquino's first major challenge in his young administration. So, who must be blamed? It is just so annoying that blames are flying to and fro, and even some pathetic member of the opposition calls for the resignation of some cabinet officials, in an attempt to politicize the situation (read: Edcel Lagman).

PNP's admission of faults in their handling of the hostage crisis is admirable, but those who wash hands off the situation are plain cowards for not performing their duties, or overperforming (read: broadcast media) their roles. Nobody involved (the police, the Cabinet secretaries, the President, the mediamen, the 'usiseros' at Quirino Grandstand) has no business of blaming anyone without doing a self-check on what they have done (and not done). Let the blaming begin and let's see if will lead us to something significant. Let the course of fairness and order do its job and let us recover from this irreversible happening and move on for the good of the people of the two nations.

We may see all the criticisms and harsh words against the Filipino people as unfair remarks and hasty generalizations. But it is a Filipino who drew first blood. Unfair the comments may be, but a simple understanding of the emotions of a people at loss will suffice for all the pain of accepting some of the bitter truths, and many of the more bitter accusations and generalizations. After all, the Philippines is still a great nation with some of the most loving people in the world.

My Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs for 2010

2010-08-22T22:03:00.010+08:00

Forget the ampersand. I would have to do the image all over again just to remove it. :p

Blogging has indeed redefined how netizens express themselves. Through this expression of oneself through blogging, one may positively influence others. Interestingly, many new blogs have the common goal of having an good impact on others. And this entry aims to list the TOP 10 of the most positively-influencing new blogs in the blogosphere. Here are my bets for the Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs for 2010:

1. Ganda Ever So Much - The wit and humor in writing in Sir Orman Manansala's personal blog is something that most bloggers greet with joy and envy. Simply Mindanao's most kwela and influential blog. 'nuf said. :)

2. Ako Si Rabsky - This personal blog by Ravi Villanueva, a good friend, is the place to be when looking for insights that older people do not notice. This is the most personal of the personal blogs in the SOCCSKSARGEN Bloggers!

3. Plurk Designs - When looking for the coolest and great-looking layouts for Southeast Asia's Twitter, the best place to be in is in Teacher Lyle Santos' repository of his Plurk layouts. I used his fantastic 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' layout for quite sometime (until I was freakin' disappointed with the 3D movie :p).

4. A Thousand Ships - We have witnessed this blog's fast rise to the limelight. I mean, fast, that the blog started only last April, and is now making it big in Wordpress.com's lists. Sir Mandi Nicolas' writing style in certainly enviable. No bubbly, dig-the-dictionary words, but still top-notch.

5. Kusina Maria - Aside from spending hours and hours in movie theaters, another passion (read: appetite) of mine is into food. Ate Ria Jose's food and cooking blog is the food lovers' haven in cyberspace. The yummy photos and perfect words to describe food will surely catch anyone's attention and, well, appetite.

6. Kikay Much - No, I'm not into fashion and make-up. But this fashion and beauty blog by Ate Donna Mae Congson proves that looking good is not just women's business with her unexpected posts specially for men. Aside from the carefully-detailed posts, her appetite for blogging daily is indeed admirable (and I should do so myself :p).

7. Get Prettified - There's no question to Ate Brendel Balaga's beauty and kewl lifestyle, as it shows on herself and her beauty and lifestyle blog. The latest trends on beauty and lifestyle, musn't-miss sales, fashion accessories, health, name it and Get Prettified has got them all covered!

8. Digital Exposures - I've always wanted to start a photo blog. Photos from everywhere and all walks of life are simply fascinating. Doc Remo Aguilar's photo blog is the perfect blog to learn a lot from when I start my own - and buy my own DSLR.

9. Gensan Gems - Ate Gay Carillo's older blog, A Scientist in the Kitchen is a real hit with all her yummy experiments as she aims to concoct the best gastric pleasures. Her new blog deals with her life in General Santos City, along with her adorable 'Pasta', a black Labrador, and, of course, the kewlest blogging group in Southern Philippines - the SOCCSKSARGEN Bloggers!

10. Alexis Chua | The Personal Blog - My first real blog. I hope to positively influence readers with my writings. And I think it's working. :D

For sure, there are at least five new blogs that you have came across that has made a good impression on you. Why don't you put them on a list in your own entry to the Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs for 2010 Writing Project? Visit the fantastic blogs on my list and complete yours!

This project is sponsored by: Events and Corporate Video, Budget hotel in Makati, Pinoy Party Food, Copyediting Services, PR Agency Philippines, Budget Travel Philippines, Send Gifts to the Philippines, Black Friday Deals, Roomrent - units for rent, Search Profile Index, and Corporate Events Organizer.

The 'Mas Maganda Dito' Promise Delivers!

2010-08-10T22:23:00.003+08:00

Aside from being a movie buff, I am also a self-proclaimed 'mall' person. Nothing beats hanging out in the mall during hot, lazy, full-wallet days. In recent times, the people of General Santos City have been beaming with pride of the rapid rise of places to go, even surpassing many cities that were once ahead of GenSan.

As a frequent mall-goer, I have learned to see what's hot and what's not in the mall industry. Just when I thought that what the malls in General Santos have been giving to us were just enough, Robinsons Place opened its doors to the public, bringing the best of the nation's shopping experiences under one elegant roof.

Photo by Robinsons Place Gensan

Robinsons Place GenSan, aptly called 'Rob' by mall-goers, gave the people of General Santos a real reason to thump their chests about. Rob has revolutionized the mall-going scene in the city and has successfully brought out the real tastes of Generals in shopping, dining and leisure. And not just that! It has given us more that what we have expected, that Generals have tough times realizing that they no longer need to go to some metropolis to satisfy their malling desires.

Robinsons Place GenSan features an Al Fresco strip that has revived the once-thought dead nightlife of the city, a one-stop supermarket that promises easy and affordable household shopping, a department store that houses the latest in fashion trends, and more than a hundred tenants that will surely leave us asking for nothing more. Robinsons Movieworld’s cinemas are the best that the city has, including one state-of-the-art 3D screen that promises eye-popping entertainment for the industry’s lowest ticket price! All of these leave us not questioning the ‘Mas Maganda Dito’ tagline of the mall.

Photo credits: Dr. Remo Aguilar, www.hikersitch.com

And to solidify the mall's claim to the ‘Mas Maganda Dito’ promise, they even equipped the whole mall with absolutely free WiFi access – the first in the region! Rob is truly staying ahead of the times by embracing technology and letting its customers use it for free! In fact, the SOCCSKSARGEN bloggers are common sights in the mall's Food Court and Al Fresco areas where the WiFi signals are at the strongest levels (you'll know who to blame when you feel that all the bandwidth are being leeched by some laptop-dangling blogger!).

There is indeed no cooler and happier place to be in when in search for food, fun, and everything in between! Robinsons Place Gensan delivers! Rob's 'Mas Maganda Dito' promise makes the city's 'Magandang GenSan' tag more realistic than ever! By the final photo you can judge that free WiFi in General Santos City's most happening mall makes a bunch of happy bloggers! I might as well change my office address to Robinsons Place GenSan when I happen to decide to be a full time blogger. :p

Photo credits: Sir Orman Manansala, www.gandaeversomuch.com

Post Script: Thank you, Robinsons Place GenSan for the loot bag given last WiFi party and for keeping the restrooms sparkling, squeaky clean. :)

Me and the Big O

2010-08-03T23:15:00.008+08:00

The First Encounter | The Big and Nasty O

I encountered the Big O way before GandaEverSoMuch.com was born. It was during one of my 'pumapapel' stints at the Yaman Gensan 2009. The Sir Orman was one of the judges in the Business Plan competition, and I was one of the representatives of our university whose business plan was to be bashed with no mercy by the judges.

Yes, our paper was judged and critiqued to our hearts' despair. He delved into the complexities of our business plan, as we have expected and prepared for. But as the session came to an end, the Big O complained of our below-standard thickness of paper, as well as the single-spaced document that we submitted. "Wala bang matinong photocopier sa school n'yo?". My colleagues know me as someone who'll never stop defending something that we worked on for a week of bloody, sleepless nights, but instead of speaking further to defend myself, I was amused and got no words to speak anymore! (Speech cloud above me: "'T*** **a, 'di ko naisip yun ah!") 'Hell, he's right. Our school in the desert lacks a decent photocopier, and we have misunderstood the instructions for the business plan.

Sir O is someone who makes it big in almost everything that he gets his Royal Gandaness into, but this experience made me realize one thing: sometimes, our expectations are just too high, or we look for something fabulous or extraordinary in a deed, but what really matters are the basics - the tiniest details make up all the great things in the world. But, still, he is one Big and Nasty O!

Chad is one lucky doggie.

If dogs could surf the web and, by any possible means, could come across GandaEverSoMuch.com, the Big O's bedroom must be 'dog heaven' and the Big O is the master to die for. I, along with some blogger-friends, had the chance to become refugees/adopteds by the Big O in his castle. I just could not helped but be WOWed at how the Big O loves his 'son' so much, and how loyal Chad is to his Royal Gandaness. Just by looking at them having a great time cuddling in bed makes you think that his heart is indeed bigger than his waistline.

The Floor Managers

There is no way that three refugees could fit with the Big O on his huge bed in his castle. It's fine for me because I can sleep on any flat surface with a good pillow. I could not get my mind to expect for anything because I was too tired to even move. But the Queen of the House, no matter how tired he is, prepared a cozy place for us to sleep on, and even gave us nomnomables before we retired to bed. We had a sound sleep despite Chad's(?) snoring.

The morning after that night, Sir O was nowhere to be found - he went to a church event, which explains the sound of bags of coins earlier that night. By our feet, on the table, is breakfast for the two lazybones sleeping on the floor. SPEECHLESS. The Big O that everybody looks up to has just prepared us breakfast! I just felt like my mom heartily prepared breakfast for me. Despite his busy schedule (we saw him dancing with his churchmates later in the day - one big surprise!), Sir Orman did not only play host to a bunch of refugees, but also did so in a motherly way. Our treatment at the Manansala Castle was, by far, the most motherly in all of the homes-away-from-home that I've stayed in. Parting words: "At least, alam n'yo nang may matutuluyan kayo."

Sir Orman might not be who you expect to be, but this O is the cuddliest and the most lovable of all the Big Os that you could ever meet.

Posted as an entry to GandaEverSoMuch.com's Week 7 Contest Finale: Blog-Writing & Photo Contest, and as a BIG thank-you note for being the Big O with the big heart. :)

Pres. Noynoy Aquino's State-of-the-Nation Address | Full Transcript in Filipino and English

2010-07-26T17:24:00.005+08:00

President Benigno Aquino III delivering his first SONA - photo: Yahoo! Southeast Asia

See the full text of Pres. Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III's State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) 2010 below. The English version follows right after the original Filipino text. Thanks, Manolo Quezon III for the transcript.

The Reason for Existence

2010-07-25T18:20:00.004+08:00

I have been writing for over a decade and I only get a few people to read my write-ups. I’ve also been reading for over a decade already. And the writings I read are made by big and small people with equally big minds, and equally big hearts to share what their amazing minds are coughing out.

I created this blog for more people to have a piece of my mind, and as a gratitude to all the big-hearted writers for all the things I’ve read.

When someone speaks, I listen. One really stupid thing about me is that when people speak, I absorb the thoughts of their words, even if the words were not intended for me. No, I don't eavesdrop. Accidentally, maybe. Through the years, I have heard of many beautiful, and not so beautiful, words. I think that it is a must for people around me to know the wonderful thoughts of others' words (no, not the eavesdropped ones!).

I just love the feeling of knowing that there are minds out there who could churn out words of wisdom and wisdumb. These words may move us to tears, paint a picture-perfect grin on our faces, or make us laugh like hell. Whatever the effects of these may be, these words, spoken, written or simply communicated by ocular images, these are worth sharing, and the world deserves to know parts of others' minds.

So, welcome to the life of a Filipino guy who cannot live without his mobile phone and whose day can never be complete without checking his email inbox. This blog will be about anything under the sun, from new discoveries on the world wide web to rants on public officials and smelly toilets, from something that fell out of the sky to some events or stuff that people are going crazy about! And, yes, I hope I keep blogging!

My Favorite GESM Blog Post

2010-07-18T22:42:00.006+08:00

In picking my favorite post in Sir Orman's blog, GandaEverSomuch.com, I thought that it has to be something special from among the whopping 400+ posts in the blog in just under a year. But, believe it or not, there is one really recent blogpost that I have read more than once. It is the blog post entitled '21 Ways To Celebrate Happiness Today', posted the 15th of July.

1. Smile to everyone I meet

Happiness is sometimes dependent on the circumstances around us. But most of the time, happiness is a choice. By just smiling to everyone who may come our way is a simple way of telling ourselves that life is great because of the people who surround us. Sir Orman has hit the bull's eye by smiling to everyone as the top thing to do to celebrate happiness and life itself.

2. Compliment somebody

I am really good in criticizing people and stuff done by people. It sometimes feels awful to just keep within ourselves the things that we want to improve on other people's doings. But, friends, the bad things that we see are usually just those that are more visible to the eye. But the beauty of every man's work is in the miniscule details that most people fail to see. The most heart-warming things that can happen in any single day is making someone smile by admiring the beautiful details that the hearts and minds of other people has crafted like no other can.

3. Forgive somebody who has hurt you

I always remember our pastor reminding us not to take the communion when we have grudges in our hearts, or something with other people that bothers us. Right, freeing ourselves from the pain of having been hurt and the guilt of making someone's day miserable because of unforgiveness is one excellent way to free a little of the weight that we are burdened with.

4. Thank the janitor and security guards

Thanking people is one of the things that we often fail to do when people do little favors to us. Simple acts like opening the door for us, or buying a ten-peso bottle of water might be little, but a quick 'thank you' to people who do minuscule things for us is one way of celebrating happiness that people around us make life and living easier.

5. Give Peter Pilot pasalubong money

No, I do not have a driver named Peter, nor do I have a driver myself. But simply thinking that a little extra from our pockets would make a family happier on one weekend night is one thing that will paint a smile on our faces that will last even in our thoughts.

6. Enjoy a bubble bath tonight

We do not have a bath tub. So, no bubble baths for me. But the point in this is that pampering ourselves after making other people's lives a little happier does wonders to the way we think and how our mood runs throughout the day. A little satisfaction for ourselves will make us forget the problems that this crazy world is pushing hard on us, and will ultimately give us clearer thinking even for the tiniest decisions that we make in our daily lives.

7. Thank the Lord for a good day

Finally, giving thanks to the One who made everything possible in our day is the best thing to do in wrapping up our long, yet often short of hours, days. In every day, there are tons of reasons to be thankful for. The air that we breathe, the delicious food that we eat, the friends that we mingle with, all these little things that are often the most forgotten. If we had a fight with your significant other, having a significant other to discuss things over is still a thing that gives us a great deal of a reason to be thankful for. The Lord gives us reasons to be happy that we may fail to notice, and it is a matter of choice to be happy ourselves.

These are just seven of the 21 reasons presented in my most favorite post on GandaEverSoMuch. I could just imagine all the troubles of Sir Orman in dealing with his day-to-day living and, yet, he still managed to create a very insightful post of being happy despite the plethora of reasons to call a day 'ruined'. Most of the 21 points in the post are for other people, because celebrating happiness is sharing happiness. And nothing beats seeing other people smile because of the little things that we did to share our happiness.

Posted as an entry to GandaEverSoMuch.com's Week 5 Blogsary Contest: What’s Your Favorite GESM Blog Post?

Rising and Thumping our Chests About

2010-07-14T00:12:00.003+08:00

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising everytime we fall

Resilience summarizes the thought of Confucius, a great philosopher, who lived his teachings not just by mouth, but by his life.

Quit wondering why there are very few people who can manage to start and end the day with a smile despite the rising prices of commodities, including the so-called ‘ulam ng bayan’-instant noodles. Some might think that some people are just to numb to feel the ever-worsening situation of all- well, most- of the people in the tiny specks of land in the Pacific called the Philippines.

We have to admit that it is an undeniable fact that people of all sorts of life experience difficulties of all shapes and sizes. For each of these difficulties, we go through tough times, and even battles with these difficulties, and oftentimes, we battle with ourselves. Wishing that we wouldn’t have problems is good, but the wishing ends up in only one thing: still wishing for the problem-less life which nobody has ever experienced. Being great is not all about being the most problem-less person in the world. Nor is it about how we get away from the paths of difficulties, but it is about how we push through all difficulties. It is about how we learn to stand up everytime we fall. Failure is always the lamest excuse when people give up on something that is difficult, yet not impossible.

It is always a more inspiring sight to see people rising from the ashes, instead of the usual success stories that says of how a person rose and rose to success. Rags to riches stories bring more tears than fairytale endings that end with happily-ever-afters.

Rising everytime we fall is indeed the greatest triumph that we can thump our chests about, much more than mere avoidance of all the difficulties and life and learning the fewest of life’s lessons we could get along the road. By rising everytime we fall, we conquer not only our problems, but also ourselves.

Image Credits: Choose Opera

FIVE Reasons NOT to love GandaEverSoMuch.com

2010-06-29T19:00:00.005+08:00

5. You have a phobia of the Letter "O". The letter 'O' usually connotes something big and fearful. GandaEverSoMuch is indeed going big on the blogosphere, but is rather lovable. One cannot help but smile or shed a tear when reading the blog posts that range from the topics of current issues, events, and even updates of his colorful daily experiences as a banker, a blogger, a friend, a lover, and even just one of us who experience occasional emo attacks. When one visits GandaEverSoMuch.com for the first time, either or both of the following happens: the visitor clicks the 'Subscribe' button and/or the visitor shares the link on Facebook for everyone to visit. I did both! If the letter 'O' reminds you of a partner of a failed romance or something else not worth remembering, it's not yet too late to say 'O is for Orman' and it pays to follow the blog of this big and huggable O!

4. You have sensitive, err, skin (?). If you try scanning his numerous blogposts (I've been wishing to have Sir Orman's daily blogging mood, but it seems that I can't get past the once-a-week mark!), you will find write-ups of beautifully-selected words, yet so straightforward, needs no explanations, and no hints of euphemisms! If you are one over-acting and onion-skinned reader (whom I think never existed at all!), you will find yourself crying, or steaming with anger while reading his posts. But one thing is for sure: you'll keep coming back for more. It is not always that we find blogs that are made of real awesomeness. And real awesomeness, for me, means coming straight from the heart, yet maintains the astounding level of respect that one wouldn't fail to notice.

3. The Internet (for you) is made up of Google and Friendster. There is, definitely, a huge chance that you may not be reading this blog post at all. GandaEverSoMuch.com's blog posts are written in a wonderful mix of English and Filipino that Google's web crawlers have a hard time understanding Filipino and may not appear on your search engine results. I, fortunately, not being one of you, discovered GandaEverSoMuch through the network of bloggers cleverly named as the Sox Bloggers. Together with his brother, Sir Avel of the Gen. Santos News Online Mag, we look upon them as the mothers of the Sox Bloggers as they light up the cyberspace with their talents and never fail to inspire us, or even just make us laugh our hearts out.

2. You are my old professor back in college. I wouldn't worry saying her name here, because there is no possible way that she could find herself online, let alone discovering my blog and reading that she's on my Reason No. 2. But then, I say that the drying up of bodily juices is never a good excuse to stay offline. I'm not posting her name because, yes, miracles still happen. Whenever you find yourself online and looking for hope and inspiration, or even just something to give yourself a relaxing, hearty laugh, reading and subscribing to GandaEverSoMuch.com is the next smarter choice to taking yourself on a nature trip. The blog's articles are for everyone who find themselves clicking their way to little smiles in cyberspace. Events, self-help, shopping, stuff for the young ones and the young-at-heart, name it and at least one of the 491 (and counting) blog posts at the Web's most ganda-ever blog will surely be something that you can relate on.

1. You are from some unknown sitio and haven't heard of the Internet. No matter how good a blog is, if you are one who has been living in peace unaware of the existence of the Internet, this blog post, or even GandaEverSoMuch.com, would do no good for you. But if, by any chance, you find your way to modern civilization and set your hands on an internet-connected computer, visiting GandaEverSoMuch.com should be one of the sites that you should first visit. This blog is more than the entertainment that any YouTube viral video could be, and more than the fact book that Wikipedia could be. You'd sometimes be envious of the way the posts are written, but the beauty of appreciating, or maybe the usual getting-impressed with the blog, lies on the talent that no other blogger can be at par with. I'm glad that I do not have a single reason NOT to love GandaEverSoMuch.com, and I'm pretty sure that you'll never think of just one for yourself!

My When-I-Get-a-Job Wishlist

2010-06-05T22:18:00.006+08:00

Having spent the last five years of my life in a school where you'd thank the gods for failing to acquire skin cancer (from extreme heat and lack of real airconditioning) and nervous breakdown (from over-acting and self-overrating college unstructors), you just can't imagine my relief when my days as a college student were over.

I finished Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Major in Entrepreneurial Marketing. By the name of the degree conferred to me upon graduation, it is a given fact that the industry that my education would fit in is very unclear. And also, if possible, I refuse to be a second-class citizen of any country. In other words, I am unemployed, and I am an unproductive mass of life.

Don't get me wrong. I intend to land myself in a real job (which means, a job other than sitting in my mother's store and waiting for errands to wake me up from an open-eyed slumber). I have submitted an application to one of the good firms in the locality, and I think that they do not plan, in the next few decades, to respond to my application - which leaves me a lot of time to think about the real job to get. It is not all the time that monetary compensation matters in every job that we wish to be in. The satisfaction brought to us by things more valuable than money matter more, and will ultimately dictate the length of time that we will last as a worker of a firm - which is why I don't submit my application letters and CVs like promotional leaflets to every company possible. But no, now is not the time to think about the happiness factor of my future job. It's a beautiful weekend and I want to share some unimportant stuff!

Here's what I intend to buy with whatever monetary value that my yet-to-be-determined job will offer me:

A pair of eyeglasses - Ever since I learned to read in English, I have kept on reading almost anything with English text. Books, newspapers, pamphlets, product labels, user manuals, name it and it has found its way to my hands for my eyes to feast upon whenever I'm on a comfortable seat, on my bed, or the boring restroom sessions where most people just choose to stare at a blank wall while performing their daily duties in the restroom. More than a decade of tireless reading has taken its toll on my eyes. Frequent headaches while reading are not new to me anymore. With this, with my first salary, I will buy myself a good pair of prescription spectacles and - yeah, right - keep reading!
A paid domain and hosting service - My previous attempt at blogging was almost successful, until my blog died that no blog CPR could even revive it - which explains why my personal blog is hosted on free but more reliable, and bitterly unflexible Blogger.com. I plan to keep my personal blog here, and start a new one with renewed dedication and inspiration - with the hopes that it would not die a bitter death. At least with a paid domain and host, I get to blame and stab someone for my blog's (knocks on wood) death.
A pair of good earphones for my iPod Touch - I have really good ears. But sometimes, it pays to fail to hear some things not worth hearing. Just a couple of weeks ago, when I was on one of the late night bus trips going home, I overheard a couple fighting over something while on the bus. For me, it's fine. It's a matter of their personal businesses and I do not intend to write a novel out of their misfortunes in their lovelives. But, thing is, during the 45-minute ride on the huge bus less than 10 passengers on board, I somehow happened to put their quarrel on a mini-timeline in my mind and have gathered all the information necessary for a comprehensive showbiz write-up - without even intending to. It pays to leave some things unheard. I could have saved myself from hearing a love story that is not, in every possible reason, interesting at all. A good pair of earphones might just do the trick of preventing accidental eavesdropping!

These are just some of the stuff that I intend to buy first upon receiving my first paycheck. Anytime soon, I may land myself on a real job. I'm praying that it will be a good one, and a good one means way beyond monetary compensation. The old quip still works: "There are things money can't buy".

Falling in Love with Robinsons Movieworld

2010-06-01T22:35:00.005+08:00

I am a certified movie buff. When I was in college, when the cat is away and wallets were full, I always see to it that I get to watch at least one movie in a week. I always frequent the cinemas that the attendants at the ticket booths might have noticed me as one of their regular customers.

No matter how cockroachy the smell of the theaters are (not to mention the sticky floor and couples creating their own porno flicks in the dark corners of the theaters), I still love watching movies on the big screen. One cannot make me watch a Hollywood blockbuster on pirated DVD on a tiny-teeny TV set when I can wait for the movie to come to our local theaters. For me, movie-watching is all about experience. Of course, the Oscar factor of every movie that we watch definitely matters. But no matter how Oscar-winnerish a film is, if it was not watched in the beauty and splendor that its director was thinking about, the experience of watching a supposedly wonderful movie is crap.

Speaking of experience, the experience of watching a great movie does not only involve a wonderful film, but also an equally-decent theater. You just can't imagine how happy I was when Robinsons Movieworld at Robinsons Place Gensan opened its doors to the public. I was only wishing for a decent theater to watch my favorite films, but Robinsons Movieworld delivers more than the decency that any movie buff would ask for.

Its four cinemas are equipped with Dolby Digital Surround sound systems, which explains why moviegoers feel that they are right in the middle of the action in the film. Next, its has fully-carpeted floors that make walking inside the theater more comfortable, and even quieter than a cat would. The seats on every theater are some of the most comfortable seats that a modern moviehouse can get. The seats are wide, and provide more than the comfortable legroom, plus, every seat is a 'love seat'! I remember long ago when couples have to scramble inside theaters in Metro Manila because only the seats near the aisles are 'love seats', which allow them to raise the armrest and cuddle while watching the movie.

Just last 22 May, I, along with members of the SOCCSKSARGEN Bloggers, was invited to a special VIP screening of Shrek Forever After in Digital 3D. Robinsons Movieworld features the first-ever 3D cinema in General Santos City, and General Santos City as the second city in Mindanao (after Davao) to have a 3D cinema (which, of course, is another reason for us to thump our chests about). Its 3D cinema is fitted with a Dolby Digital 3D projector, which is one the 3D projection systems that are on the rise today. It eliminates the need for an expensive silver screen, and is a plus for the environment, because of its reusable (and elegant) 3D glasses worth around US$20 a pair.

Press kits containing fact sheets, a press release, Movieworld and Shrek freebies, and a Robinsons Movieworld 3D Cinema shirt were given to us as we entered the theater. The moment we put on the Dolby Digital 3D glasses and the reel starts rolling, The Shrek Forever After in 3D experience at Robinsons Movieworld has started redefining the best of moviegoing experience for the people of General Santos City and neighbouring areas. I can't help but be amazed right from the start! The countdown to the film's start, where the numbers pop out of the screen, was a visual treat! Shrek Forever After was a great film by itself. But allowing the viewers to be right in the middle of the scene (imagine horse-drawn carriages to appear like running in the middle of the theater!) made the fun and excitement that Shrek and his adventures bring even more of a great and memorable experience!

Be one of the relatively few Filipinos to be able to watch a 3D film in their very own city, Generals! Catch Shrek and friends (and enemies) in their last film in its full three-dimensional glory right where its 'Mas Maganda Dito' promise delivers - Robinsons Place Gensan!

A huge thanks to Robinsons Place Gensan for the VIP pass, the proud-to-have press kit, the Jollibee burger and fries during the film, and for showing us what every movie-going experience should be all about!

Adel Tamano is my Number 1 Senator

2010-05-06T02:35:00.002+08:00

It has been said that Filipino voters are getting smarter and smarter when it comes to choosing people who will be entrusted in running the severely-crippled government of this overly-populated nation. The thing is, in most of the people who desire to be choices in the selection of leaders, very few of them are smarter and better than the ones who were proven to be plain crap when it comes to leadership and governance. Most of the names that we can find on the lengthy ballot (not to mention the ridiculously-named party list aspirants whose stupid founders think that naming their group 111111-AAAAA would make them win) are the same people who have done nothing to save this almost God-forsaken country from severe poverty, misgovernance, and all sorts of problems that make the Filipino people think less of hope, and more of the worse.

I have had enough of seeing the Philippine Senate turn into an extravagantly-funded soap opera by getting proliferated with actors and actresses who do not have any know-how on how to run their marriages and the government, and those who act to be good but would suck when rated by a movie buff.

Atty. Adel Tamano gets my first vote for the senate, for the following simple reasons:

Adel Tamano is an advocate for the primacy of education. I have, for all of my life as a student less three years, have studied in government-run institutions, and I know how awful it is to be in public schools, not to mention the under-funded ones. Poor, but deserving students to not actually get what they deserve because their path to quality education have been compromised by the dwindling budgets for state-run colleges and universities. Adel Tamano, being an educator himself (he is the president of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, and has taught Law in several notable schools), knows what the problem of education, and knows what he can do to solve it. By setting education as a priority in the allocation of resources of the nation, as mandated by the Constitution, marvels could be done to uplift the state of education in the country.
Adel Tamano is pro-peace. Adel Tamano is the first Filipino Muslim who studied at Harvard Law School, and even managing to graduate with flying colors. This shows that no matter how people in this country see the Muslims, no religion, tribe or race is inferior to any other group of people. Not all great things are for the majority. This is one of the ideas that Filipinos have yet to realize. The stereotyping of Filipinos with Filipinos alike is what keeps peace and order elusive from Mindanao. One of the platforms of governance of Atty. Tamano is the pursuance of the peace process in Mindanao. It is time for someone from the other side of the conflicting people to stand up and represent the group.

It is high time for us to select the ones who are sensible enough and who has the most concrete of the concepts on what to do during one's term in the government. If we are indeed smarter voters, money, fame or dirty tactics should not drive our decisions on whom to vote. The education sector needs Adel Tamano. Mindanao needs Adel Tamano. The country needs Adel Tamano. I am voting for Adel Tamano for senator.

Why Watching the Michael J Tribute Concert is a Must

2010-04-30T13:47:00.005+08:00

Since time immemorial, I've been seeing Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, doing his phenomenal dance moves, get in and out of court, but still be loved by millions of fans all over the world. His untimely death last year shocked the whole world and, for one last time, Michael Jackson became a sensation over the internet and all other media. I, of course, am one of those who were saddened by the untimely demise of the 'King of Pop'.

I have always wanted to see MJ himself doing the moves that has set the bar for the world of pop. Unfortunately, the best (we thought) that we could see of MJ are his numerous music videos and the movie 'This Is It', which contains the video footages of his supposed-to-be upcoming series of concerts.

Good thing is, there is an even bigger fan- Kenny Wizz- who has mastered the King of Pop's music and moves, and he's coming to General Santos City to prove to the world that Michael Jackson's music lives forever. Right, it's the Michael Jackson Tribute Concert in GenSan! What's more? Gensan News Online Mag, the region's number one blog, is now giving us a chance to be in the concert for free! Just give reasons Why Watching the Michael J Tribute Concert a Must. Here are mine:

Kenny Wizz is the next big thing after "This Is It" - One cannot help but be amazed by how Michael Jackson's last concert series in London was carefully planned to make the concert itself a work of art. It can be remembered that Michael Jackson never fails to give his fans a great time in any concert that he has performed in. He loves his fans so much that he does all that he can for them to see the King of Pop at his best. Now that it is impossible for the millions of fans who have not even caught a single glimpse of MJ, the next best thing to see is Kenny Wizz, who has mastered the moves of MJ, and even looks like the King himself! Kenny Wizz has been impersonating MJ since his early twenties, and today, Kenny Wizz is known to be one of the best Michael Jackson tribute artists.

The Michael Jackson Tribute Concert is just one of the big concerts that's lifting General Santos City on its way to be South Central Mindanao's concert capital! The concert will take place at Mindanao's largest airconditioned gymnasium, the General Santos City Gym at Lagao. Recently, a number of big personalities have set stage in the city's "Big Dome". This is one event that we can do some chest-thumping for ourselves!

This could be that last time that we may see the someone, of amazingly close resemblance to MJ, perform the way Michael Jackson does. Come on, friends. We have missed to see Michael Jackson himself perform live (which is my dream, by the way). Would you dare to miss this chance?

For everyone who missed Michael Jackson and/or want to relive memories of performances of the late King of Pop, this is your chance to be in a close-to-MJ concert!

This concert is made possible by Digital Detours Inc. and JeTV Channel 43.

Sex and the University

2010-04-26T17:33:00.004+08:00

This write-up, by this blog's author, was published in BAGWIS, the official student publication of MSU General Santos, Volume XXV, Number 2.

Over the years, the issue of sex and its consequences in a society where it shouldn’t be an issue in the first place is increasingly becoming heard of, increasingly becoming public, and increasingly becoming the norm, as compared to the Filipino society pictured in our history books. Sleepless nights, infant formulas, the delivery room, name in and a kilometer of paper won’t be enough to list all the names of those who are ready to testify about the joy of having sex and the pain of regret of having sex the night before.

As college students in this university, many may find the pleasures of independence as fun, because no one will watch over their nasty deeds, and makes it pretty simple to perform such deeds. It’s as if they are overdoing the ‘go forth and multiply’ clause in a religious text. There is an increasing rate of pregnancies in this university amongst the students who do not even look old enough and ready enough to be mothers. A long story goes after defiling their bedrooms, boarding houses, the university’s dormitories and grass fields, even the ministry cottages in the university. The climax would be after using a home pregnancy kit from the friendly neighborhood drugstore and the cries of a newborn baby whose father is telling him that he’s not supposed to come out this year.

Enjoying the pleasure of procreation at the right time is God-given and will definitely bring joy to anyone who sees and hears about it. But enjoying it at the wrong time will make eyebrows meet and will become the talk of the neighborhood as if seeing an underage mother is not common nowadays.

With the advent of modern technology, more and more ways of fulfilling these earthly desires are becoming widely available. This is primarily the reason of the prevalence of videos showing the supposed-to-be private moments of two (at least?) people being broadcasted from Batanes to Tawi-Tawi.

More commonly known as ‘sex scandals’, these are created for who-knows-what purposes and sometimes for money. These sex scandals supposedly involve celebrities doing the thing. But the Philippine side of the story redefines it into simply a video of absolutely anybody having sex, and naming the videos after prominent schools or places in order to identify the places the videos were taken or the school where the ‘actors and actresses’ in the ‘love story’ are studying.

The widespread use of the internet propagates the sex scandals into cyberspace, where every living being on earth that has access to the internet can view it. Another way of spreading it would be through wireless technologies that allow the sharing of absolutely anything over the air. It’s an amazing, no-fuss technology misused by people who are overdosed with lust.

I’m pretty sure that the manufacturers of mobile phones were thinking about scenes of family vacations, spectacular sunsets, and friends having great quality times. But as one will surf the net and click on one of those scandals (yes, it’s as easy as that), one will see the creation of a family during vacations, love-making during sunsets, and friends enjoying the earthly pleasures of putting dirty deeds onto tape and spreading it to the world, thinking that they’d be rewarded for what they did.

Despite the prevalence of these sex scandals and the alarmingly increasing rates of teenage pregnancies, the government has been slow in addressing the ever-worsening situation that is visualized with technology that’s supposed to be used for productivity of daily human lives. To add to that, the university populace cannot see moves being undertaken by the administration to catalyze the improvement of the status quo.

Though tracing the problem and solving it from the roots may seem impossible because of man’s free will, we still need to see changes being started by the governing body doing the least it can do to solve this problem. Long gone are the days of the innocent youth.

Image: Rape by ~Flickan. Used with permission.

Thank you, Opera! (UPDATED!)

2009-12-17T22:16:00.003+08:00

I've been using Opera ever since I landed my hands on my very first PC (and Java-enabled mobile). My experience on Opera has been truly fantastic! I wouldn't use it as my exclusive browser if it weren't that great! But unexpectedly, I have received more than the best internet experience that anybody could ever have. I also received great Opera stuff, thanks to the Opera Campus Crew! Thank you, Opera Software, for the following:

A cool Opera laptop/messenger bag - my prize for being one of the most active members of the Campus Crew for the June-December 2008 semester. All I need is a laptop to use the bag!
A 'Moods of Norway and Opera' shirt - for being one of those who contributed great ideas to the last Campus Crew brainstorming chats. It's a limited edition shirt!
A black Opera Campus Crew uniform shirt
Opera pens and notepads
A bright red Opera umbrella - my prize for being one of the Campus Crew to receive 50 affiliate points when Opera 10 was released. Perfect for rainy Philippines!
A red Opera notebook - Bundled with the affiliate points contest. It's large! The thing is, I don't usually take down notes during classes.
A red Opera hooded sweater - a prize for being one of the gold members, January to June 2009.
An Opera baseball cap – still for being a Gold member
An LG Viewty KU990 Mobile phone with HSDPA and a 5.1-megapixel Schneider-Kreuznach lens- another Gold member prize. At last! A replacement for my good ol’ N70 that gives up its last breath everytime I go online for only an hour!
An Opera "Browse Me" shirt + Opera lanyard + button pins + Norwegian candy - for winning in the Christmas Quiz of My Opera
A brand-new Nintendo DSi gaming console with Opera browser- my first handheld gaming console after the brick game! A gold member prize for July to December 2009
An embossed Opera Software portfolio - perfect and beautiful for carrying documents while doing business, a gold member prize for July to December 2009
An Opera Software 2GB USB Flash Disk - every person who uses the computer daily needs a flash disk, and I have lost three of those already. Thanks, Opera! Just in time!

Thank you, Opera Software! These stuff gives me more and more reasons to love Opera!

If you are a student or an educator who is passionate in promoting web standards and Opera browsers, visit the Opera Education website and join the Campus Crew now! To check out the latest happenings in the Campus Crew, go to the Opera Campus Crew blog.

Only Opera gives you the best internet experience on any device and any platform. Get the Fastest and Most Secure Browser on Earth here.

The Real Nationalism

2009-11-04T05:45:00.000+08:00

It may have occurred to some that Filipinos are some of the most nationalistic people that this world has ever seen. Filipinos take pride of having a democratic nation that usually hits international news headlines that tells of stories of Filipinos who are willing to exchange their lives for a free nation, a nation that peace-loving people have always dreamed of. Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, Ninoy Aquino, yes, nationalistic Filipinos who exchanged their lives all in the name of the Philippines, a nation that few have loved, a nation that many have pretended to love.

The socio-economic conditions that continue to worsen by the day may be the very reasons for the rapid day-to-day decrease of Philippine nationalism. Any middle- to lower-class Filipino who may happen to be asked on what they feel about the current state of their beloved native land, an instant answer would be an answer of disappointment. It is sad to note that despite the rapid industrialization of the country, the poor become poorer, and the rich become richer. An even sadder fact is that the rich who become richer are not Filipinos, but foreigners who fill up their pockets with products of Philippine soil and Filipino sweat, and leave the poor people behind with only wages that are never enough to fill up stomachs with real food and minds with real education.

Filipinos – who supposedly love being Filipinos, are forced to take the bitter pill of serving foreigners by cleaning up foreign arses and sending hard-earned cash to their relatives in the Philippines who are also just forced to receive the products of their relative’s sweat abroad because they cannot do anything in the seemingly hopeless land called the Philippines.

Because of the declining state of the government (evidenced by the Philippine government hitting the limelight every now and then on its supposed practice of democracy), the worsening quality of education, increasing poverty (that public officials claim to have been solving), among others, make the diaspora of the some of the best and the brightest Filipinos become a sad reality. Filipinos are seemingly blinded by the lucrative salaries, and the better future that they can give for their families back home. This, in turn, they say, results to the emptying of the cream of the Philippines’ brilliant human resources and leave the nation hoping and hoping for positive transformation.

The dreams of unselfish and industrious Filipinos of providing higher standards of living for their families back home is slowly becoming a tragedy for the nation. We are, in fact, in the brink of the death of Philippine nationalism. Sad to say, some people may consider it a hypocrisy when Filipinos live being Filipinos, and yet seek for greener pastures abroad – and that loads of Filipinos fly out to seek better lives for their families. But, friends, it would be more of a hypocrisy to say that we love being Filipinos and we will die in this country in search for the real improvement in our lives, and yet we die of hunger, gunshots, and hypertension due to excessive thinking on how we can live better lives despite the bitter fact that foreigners dry up the nation of its natural and human resources. Hypocrisy becomes, this time, stupidity. Stupidity because of the denial of the fact that Filipinos will have harder times to live better lives by just staying in the Philippines, and stupidity because of the neglect of the fact that the Philippines would die if we stop sending Filipinos abroad. If we stop Filipinos from working overseas, a huge bulk of the Philippine economy would disappear, and the competition on the available employment would surge to unprecedented heights that the great nation that ‘nationalists’ dream about would even be farther from reality than anyone has ever expected. It is the status quo that were fighting against, and not the Filipinos who simply wanted better lives for themselves and their families back home.

It would also be stupidity to say that the nation’s best and brightest are all abroad. It equates to saying that all that’s left in the Philippines are the craps who are society’s burdens. But, our dear fellow Filipinos, the Philippines is still beaming pride of the outstanding Filipinos whose feet are on Philippine soil. The nation’s best and brightest are here, proving their brilliance, and making their presence known in the global arena, without even setting their feet on richer, and more technologically-advanced lands. And even being overseas doesn’t make one less Filipino. Filipinos continue on proving that they are some of the best that the world has ever seen. And besides, Filipinos who return to their native land pursue things that improve not only their lives, but also of other Filipinos.

Being nationalistic Filipinos doesn’t necessarily mean that one has to be on Philippine soil in order to be a real Filipino, in words and in deeds. It’s all about thinking for the good of the motherland, and doing deeds that will ultimately uplift the lives of Filipinos here and abroad. Nationalism is all about thinking of what’s best for the country, and not by sticking to definitions that dictionaries and hypocrites dictate. Nationalism will solve the problems that a third-world country like the Philippines faces. And nationalism will all equate to love for being Filipino, love for what is Filipino, and living a life that is worth emulating and lives that are reasons for Filipinos to be proud that they are Filipinos.

The little things that we do to demonstrate that we are Filipinos are enough to lift up the spirit of Filipinos who are down-hearted with what the nation is experiencing. Deeds like buying Filipino products, and simply being good Filipinos could mean a lot. Collectively, 80 million Filipinos saying that they love their country in works and in deeds will ultimately change the Philippines in a positive way.
If we think that nationalism will solve the Filipino problem, yes, it may solve the Filipino problem, and it simply means having a heart for the Filipino race.