The Way Life Ought To Be

Batas o Butas?

noreply@blogger.com (wickedcurse) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:09:00 +0000

RA 6426 ang pinanghawakan nila Corona at ng SC. Sumunod naman ang Senado sa naging desisyon na huwag ipabulatlat ang dollar account ni CJ. Ang batas na ito ay sintanda ng kapatid kong babae. Panahon pa ni Marcos ito. Hindi kaya ginawa ang batas na ito para protektahan lang si Marcos dati? Hindi rin kaya ito ang dahilan kung bakit mas maraming may dollar accounts kasi mas protektado nga ng batas ang korupsiyon kung may dollar account ka?

Magkano kaya ang dollar accounts nila FG? CGMA? Ligot? Garcia at CJ? Baka naman sapat na ito para ipambayad natin sa utang panlabas ng bansa?

Marami ang nag-udyok kay CJ na magbigay na ng written consent para maisa-publiko ang kaniyang dollar account. Pero ayaw niya. Malamang kasi gagalaw na ang AMLC at mananagot ang PS Bank kung mapatunayan na di nila inalam kung paano nagkaroon ng, kung totoo, napakalaking pera si CJ.

Tayo na naman taong bayan ang natalo. Naipamukha sa atin ang batas na butas-butas... na sa interpretasyon lang ng mga abogado nagiging tama... na kahit sa paningin natin ito ay isang malaking pagkakamali.

Homily

noreply@blogger.com (wickedcurse) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:20:00 +0000

I attended the 3:30 PM mass earlier at the SNT Cathedral and personally, I don't know the priest who delivered the homily. For me, homilies or sermon should inspire, and although it tends to moralize, it should be amusing, informative and entertaining.

But this afternoon's sermon was different in some points:

1. It was politicized, to the point that the priest was praising a local government official.

2. It was doubt filled, since the priest reiterated for so many instances that "are the people in the congregation physically and mentally present" and he even came to the point of stressing that people doesn't know how to pray fervently.

3. And lastly, he pointed out that there are Catholics that replaced their altars with LCD TV screens and gadgets.

Others might say there's nothing wrong with what he said, yes I agree but considering that he expressed his opinion on politics; he doubted the members of his flock and he underestimated the faith and beliefs of the same congregation where he belongs is disturbing.

He raised his voice and he has the tendency to argue. He never inspired me, I was not amused and based on the reactions of the people around me (I observed their facial expressions), most of them were surprised on how the sermon was delivered. Too bad that the Diocese of Cabanatuan has only a few inspiring priests who could deliver the punches, in an effective and encouraging way.

Only You Can Live Your LIfe

noreply@blogger.com (wickedcurse) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:43:00 +0000

I must admit, minsan nabubuhay tayo kahit hindi natin gusto ang mundong ginagalawan natin. Minsan din ay nabubuhay tayo sa isang mundo na ibang tao ang may gawa para sa atin. Sa takot natin na masaktan ang ating mga magulang o asawa o kapatid, pinipilit nating maging masaya sa isang lugar na alam nating di para sa atin. To the point na kinakalimutan na natin ang mga pangarap, isinaisantabi ang pam-personal na kaligayahan, mapagbigyan lang ang kanilang kagustuhan para sa atin. Madaling isisi sa ibang tao ang ating kasawian, mga di naabot na pangarap lalo na't hinayaan nating maging kontrolado ng iba ang ating buhay. May halong pananakot minsan, o di kaya ay dala ng kunsiyensiya, nililimitahan na lang natin ang buhay natin sa gustong idikta ng ibang tao. Ang tingin ng iba, mabuti tayong anak o asawa o kapatid. Pero sa pananaw natin, bigo tayo sa buhay dahil hindi natin nagawa ang isang buhay na dapat ay para sa atin.

A Problem That PNOY Created

noreply@blogger.com (wickedcurse) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 03:58:00 +0000

I'm not a lawyer, politician or a respected member of the academe. Ordinaryong tao lang ako, at base sa pagkakaintindi ko sa usaping impeachment, isa itong malaking problema ng lahat na ginawa ni Pnoy, dahil sa mistulang away-bata na "ayaw ko kay CJ, di kami bati kasi kampi siya kay Gloria".
Kung tutuusin, di na dapat umarangkada ang impeachment. Hawak na ng palasyo ang RTC na nagpakulong kay Gloria. Dapat nga huminto na doon. Bakit? Kasi naman, puwede naman pabagalin ang kaso ni Gloria sa RTC di ba? At bago siya makarating sa Appelate Court o di kaya sa Supreme Court, taon ang bibilangin noon at malamang retirado na ang lahat ng appointees niya sa SC.
E away bata nga kasi, kaya ang sabi ni Pnoy, "Isusumbong kita sa mga kalaro ko CJ" ayun, ikinasa ang impeachment proceedings na nagpahinto sa lalong pagsulong ng ekonomiya ng bansa. Lahat ng investors ngayon magmamasid kung ano ang mangyayari, at kung magiging isang magulong perya na nga ba ang senado.
Nag-ugat ang lahat sa paglabas ng TRO ni Gloria. Simple nga naman, binigyan ng TRO ang HDO kasi wala naman kaso na isinampa kay Gloria. E di napagbigyan ang gustong mangyari ni Sec. De Lima at ni Pnoy, kaya sinuway ang utos ng Korte Suprema. Tapos ng tipong "ah, nakakalalaki ka na CJ ha..." nag-umpisa ng madaliin ang lahat kahit depektibo ang impeachment complaint, di maayos ang electoral sabotage na kaso kay Gloria, at hanggang humaba na nga ang usapin.
Ang tanong, ano ang problemang ginawa ni Pnoy? Ang sa akin lang, kung tumigil na nga siya sa umpisa pa lang at hinayaan na lang ang RTC na nagpakulong kay Gloria, e di sana nag-focus na siya sa ekonomiya ng bansa. E sa tagal ng pag-gulong ng batas sa ating bansa, baka nga retirado na lahat ng appointees ni Gloria di pa tapos ang kaso niya sa RTC. Ngayon, huminto ang paglago ng ekonomiya, nawawala sa focus ang administrasyon at tipong ang gustong iwan na "legacy" ni Pnoy ay naipakulong niya sa Gloria kesa napayaman niya ang mga Pilipino.
Gusto ko rin naman managot si CJ at si Gloria. Pabor naman ako kaya lang para kasing mali ang ginawa nila. Ang alam ko din, nung na impeach si Erap malinaw ang kaso, gumawa siya ng kasalanan at ito ay sa dami ng nakuha niyang pera sa ilegal na paraan. E sa impeachment ni CJ ang kaso sa kaniya hindi naka sentro sa pagkatao ni CJ kundi sa mga naging desisyon lamang ng Korte Suprema. Ang flip-flopping issue, ang TRO... lahat yun ay mga desisyon na maraming tao ang may gawa.
Kaya nga marahil dahil sa kahinaan ng administrasyon kaya napipilitan silang palabasin na hindi tugma ang SALN ni CJ sa ITR (e di ba pwede ka namang mag declare ng market value, zonal value etc ng isang property na mapapaliit ang buwis mo at kikita sa iyo ang BIR?) at ang nasa ITR naman ay basic salary lang naman at di kasama ang mga allowances?
At kapag nagalit na ang taong bayan kay CJ sa walang habas na pagtalak nila Cong. Tupas at ng buong prosekusiyon, mapipilitan ang mga senador na ma impeach si CJ dahil magagalit na ang taumbayan kapag napalusot si CJ. E malapit na ang mid-term elections.
Suma tutal, isang malaking problema para sa ating lahat ang ginawa ni Pnoy. Mahilig siyang mag-ako ng responsibilidad at kasalanan di ba, e malinaw naman na kagagawan ito lahat ng Liberal Party. Ang masakit lang, buong bansa ang magdurusa dito dahil hangga't umaandar ang perya sa senado, walang pag-unlad na magaganap sa ating bansa. Puwera na lang kung lokohin tayo ng NEDA sa mga datos ng Inflation Rate at GDP.

Priorities

noreply@blogger.com (wickedcurse) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 09:04:00 +0000

Last night I was checking the breads at Savemore supermarket when I saw an old familiar face smiling at me. I'm not good at remembering names but I knew that the lady was our regular customer at Greenwich Megacenter.

She waved and we exchanged pleasantries and in the end started talking about life's priorities. She asked me on what I do right now and I told her I'm running a small business. Since she's still working, I then asked her if she knows the whereabouts of the other Greenwich Team members that she was familiar with like Karen, since I lost contact with them. She said no but her "manugang", I forgot to ask the gender though, was working with a former manager in Canada.

I told her that some of them doesn't want to go on vacation because of the cost of the round trip plane ticket then I explained to her that I even persuaded one former colleague who's also working in Canada to re-think her position of postponing her vacation and not to regret spending dollars if she could be with her family here in Nueva Ecija.

I also explained to my former colleague that life is short and what is important is to spend ample time with her loved ones.

All of a sudden, our regular customer turned teary eyed and she said that she was asking her "manugang" to do the same, to go on annual leave and spend some time with his or her family.

But the only reply she received were balikbayan boxes with items, that she claimed, she can also buy here.

She mentioned that people lacks priorities and unfortunately families is last on the priority list of some OFW.

It's not about the money, she told me, but an OFW only saves empty promises and broken families. She doesn't understand the reasons being given to her and all she knew is that no matter how fat is the savings account of her "manugang", the exact opposite is how scarce is the love being felt by the child that was left behind.

I told her that my Area Manager in Saudi Arabia told me once, that wherever you are, even if you are living in the end of the Earth, if your mom asks you to be beside her, you must leave everything behind and be with her. I told her that's what I did and she smiled.

She said that I understood priorities. She said its not the money, but the love, companionship and family that is important. She said she never wanted to regret in the end that she was given the opportunity to share the love to her family but she spent more than half of her existence away from them. That's why she learned contentment and never left to be with her parents until their last breaths.

I know that OFW's will rationalize that the reason why they are saving is because of this or that, I uttered those words as well before but I guess I learned also that the most important thing in life is still to be with your family, with the persons who loves you.

Before we parted she said she remembered the way I greeted her each time she visits the Greenwich outlet where I am working and said she valued those moments because in the end, what she will remember are the people whom she shared her life with, and not the money that she saved and spent.

Resolutions

noreply@blogger.com (wickedcurse) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 02:19:00 +0000

1. Stop planning, start living.
2. Start living, stop whining.
3. Stop sitting, start walking.
4. Stop whining, start reading,
5. Start making friends.
6. Stop making enemies.
7. Start looking for new things to learn.
8. Stop learning things that needs not to be learned.
9. Start blogging, stop doing nothing.
10. Start living again.

So many starts and stops this New Year. I will start doing these things now.

2012

noreply@blogger.com (wickedcurse) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 02:14:00 +0000

Started January cleaning. My inbox, my wallet, my files, my planner... as they stay, we are off to a new start this New Year.

It has been a tradition to clear all the clutters of our lives once the 1st day of January sets in but there were things that at times that we wish we would retain. The love, the memories and the pain that the previous year has brought us.

Retain, yes I said retain. Other people might forget it and might say get on with life, move on and don't ever look back. But no matter how far have we moved, the pain, the memories and the love remains embedded in our mind, our heart and our system.

For me I simply let these things push me to do something different. My broken heart might be healed by time but the crack remains, my painful past can be buried deep but the scars will always serve as a reminder that a once in my life I lived in shame. Rather than living life a new, I believe that I must live with the memories, the love and the pain so I could learn not to commit the same mistakes, so that I could remind myself that I must be cautious in life and so that in the end, I can still remember all the things I've been through, but somehow viewed from a different perspective.

4th Century Assyrian Church in Saudi Arabia

noreply@blogger.com (wickedcurse) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:53:00 +0000

4th Century Assyrian Church in Saudi Arabia

I was told before when I was living in Jeddah about the existence of Churches in the Kingdom, found this article about a church in Jubail, and in the link below, the ruins of a church in Jeddah.

http://bandar.raffah.com/wp/?p=48

How Does It Feel To Be 39?

noreply@blogger.com (wickedcurse) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 09:44:00 +0000

They say life begins at 40, so I still have a year to waste before I start living my life. I'm 39, and thanks to all the high school friends who greeted me; and to the people who entered my life and left hurriedly that they failed to remember what this day means to me... thanks also!

What does it feel to be 39? Great! I must admit, I never understood at first why my mom suddenly asked me to cut short my "tour of duty" in KSA. Parang, bakit eh ang dami ko pang puwedeng gawin sa buhay. That was last December 2009 and I was depressed. May career ka na nga tapos pinilit kang pauwiin, saklap di ba?

I am not the type of person na bumabarkada. When I was in high school I had a few friends around me. Even in College or during my stay in Dubai, Jeddah and Al Khobar. I hate parties. I hate New Years. Anything na magkakaroon ng salo-salo, I try to avoid it to the point of working overnight one new year's eve in Al Khobar para sa preparation ng End Of Season Sale.

Then nung nag reingtegrate na ako sa Pinas, wow, it was hard!

2010 when I had a chance meeting with Robin and Ellen sa NE Mall and he was trying to convince me to organize our reunion, I turned it down.

Why?

Di nga ba I hate parties... but things changed when we started doing the legwork.

I connected with the people na I never had the chance knowing the real them before. Somehow, I guess God guided me along the way to get things straight before I reach the age of 40.

Ngayon parang medyo naintindihan ko na. I'm glad that I reunited with all acquaintances na puwede palang maging friends.

Imagine, I spent 38 years of my life in the same pond when God created a vast sea for me to explore. I had fears of sharing my weaknesses before pero ngayon hindi na, casual na usapan na lang natin yan sa FB or over a cup of coffee.

I had reservations when it comes to expressing my thoughts because I was cautious on not to step on sensitive toes. Pero ngayon balitaktakan na lang yan over bottle of beers... nila! Habang Iced Tea ang iniinom ko.

For 38 years I befriended myself and my books and my imagination; and now I thank God that He gave me real people to argue with, to deal with, to mess with and to be with through sickness and in lakwatsa.

It's nice that finally I am freeing myself, reuniting with the old me with these "old friends". I don't know if some of you would understand what this means to me, pero I am happy that now I'm 39, I finally found "life".

So how does it feel to be 39? Great! Really great! I have a lot of reasons to be thankful...

at 39:

wala akong sariling pamilya pero wala naman akong biyenan,

marami akong sakit pero surviving samantalang yung iba unang atake pa lang tigok na;

wala akong kayamanan pero marami naman pala akong mga kaibigan;

wala akong kasama sa buhay pero meron akong ka Facebook.

Thanks sa lahat and God bless. Remember, enjoy life, we only live once.

Again, sa lahat ng mga bumati, salamat and glad that you allowed me to be part of your lives... for 39 years and beyond!

Peregrine

noreply@blogger.com (wickedcurse) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 06:13:00 +0000

Sister Linda teased me while we were having our Camarines-Albay road trip, she said "write something about this pilgrimage".

I wasn't sure if the visit we had last September 15-18 at Our Lady of Penafrancia was really a pilgrimage, or just an ordinary trip to satisfy our senses.

We were munching our way to Naga, then to Legazpi, then to Tabaco and back to Cabanatuan.

I've tasted it all, rambutan in San Pablo (the baklasin and not the supsupin type), Puto Seko, Uraro, Polvoron, Pina, Laing, Bicol Express, Halo Halo, Chic-Boy (of all places, at Pacific Mall Legazpi), siomai and more food as we tour the Bicolandia.

During the September 18 evening mass after the fluvial procession, Bishop Legzapi asked, are we peregrines or tourists? And after the sights, sounds and taste of Bicolandia, I wondered as well... what is a peregrine? Then the bishop explained that we are pilgrims and not tourists, that we should collect experiences and not pictures during our stay in the Bicol region.

He was right after all.

I asked myself, what have I learned from our trip? Aside from my geography lessons about Mt. Mayon, Mt. Isarog, the church in Nabua, I guess I have learned valuable lessons...

1. That the Bicolanos are passionate about religion. They are not superficial. They go to church and live a life rich with Christian values. They behave inside the churches unlike the "manangs" here in the St. Nicholas Cathedral; they sing and they pray. Well a lot of the people I knew here in Nueva Ecija knows how to pray but they do not live a passionate Christian life. Seeing the Bicolanos, I realized that there are two types of Catholics: the passionate and the fanatics. The passionate Catholics don't carry their bibles and prayer books but they are behaving in a Christ like manner; a lot of Novo Ecijanos are fanatics - they have idols, bibles and prayer books and yet have disgusting attitudes.

2. I can live a simple and fulfilling life. A lot of Bicolano men often wear their boxer shorts as their everyday "pambahay" shorts; half naked from waist up of course. But it never bothered them. They wear what pleases them, eat what's available, and labor hard and don't complain. At the Daughters of Mary convent where we ate, Sister Linda shared that they never bothered if they still have stocks in the cupboard but they continue to feed the hungry. I guess I must learn from them that life can be simple and fulfilling as well.

3. Share what you have and never rule other people's lives. We have a natural tendency at times to give and share and then expect that in return, we can control the lives of these people, thinking, that the reason why we have better lives than them is that they don't know what they're doing. To the point that we'll have the tendency to manipulate them. We share what we have (not what we have in excess) but after sharing whatever blessings to others, we stop - and never wait for something in return.

I guess these are only a few lessons that I learned as a "peregrine" in Naga. I am glad that I made that trip with my cousins to see Our Lady of Penafrancia (with the Divino Rostro as well).

Ninoy

noreply@blogger.com (wickedcurse) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 09:53:00 +0000

I wish there are more Ninoy's sa Philippine Political Scene. Maraming magsasabing "The Filipino is Worth Dying For" (kasama kaya dun kapag namatay si CGMA) at handang mag sakripisyo para sa bayan.

Hindi ko lang alam kung ilan sa mga nakaupong politiko ngayon ang may ganito pang sentimyento. Kasi tingin ko naman uusad pa ang bansa basta umayos lang sila. Iwasang mamulitika at gumawa ng kung ano ang para sa bayan.

Sa lokal man na pamahalaan, maraming magagawa ang isang alkalde o gobernador kung isasaisantabi nila ang kanilang mga personal na interes, kung meron lamang silang paninindigan ng tulad ni Ninoy.

Kaso, wala na nga yata eh, walang na tayong makikitang Ninoy sa ating bansa.

Social Networking

noreply@blogger.com (wickedcurse) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 09:44:00 +0000

Confused. With the so many social networking sites I'm subscribed with, I can no longer recall the passwords, user names and my connections. I still wish we could go back to the simpler days of Friendster.

Social networking sites main purpose is to "connect us with our friends", too bad with the 600+ friends I have at my Facebook account, roughly 100 are my real acquaintances and I guess around 10 is considered to be my "friends".

With Twitter, of the 797 people I'm following, none of those are my friends since they don't have an idea on what Twitter is all about. BTW, I also have 180 followers but I don't know them at all.

The idea now of social networking is more of social spying. Trying to get into the circle of famous people, looking at what they are up to specially in the business and at least duplicating their successes or establishing your presence in the virtual world where the playing field had been leveled.

So, I guess I have to decide on what to do with my Foursquare, Linked-in, Facebook, Friendster, Twitter, Google+, Multiply, Blogger... whew...accounts; to be socially interactive with the people I don't know (share my thoughts etc) or just plainly connect with the people I know. I don't know.

Special Offer

noreply@blogger.com (wickedcurse) — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 02:36:00 +0000

Humihingal na si nanay, isang matandang babae na sa tantiya ko nasa edad 55 na o higit pa ang may sukbit na malaking bag na may lamang sabong panlaba.
Special offer yun, yung mga taong umiikot sa mga komunidad para mag alok ng sabon, pero nagtataka lang ako na sa edad niyang iyon, mas pinili pa niya na mag special offer kesa mag alaga ng apo, mag Bingo, o kaya ay magpahinga sa bahay.
Di ko alam ang kuwento ni nanay pero isa lang naman ang sasagot sa palaisipan na ito di ba? Kahirapan.
Ilang taon na lang aabot na rin ako sa edad na singkuwenta, bigla ko naisip kahapon; mag special offer din kaya ako para may makain o para may maipantustos sa mga gamot ko?

Lumingon ka lang sa paligid, marami sa ating matatanda ang naghahanapbuhay pa rin; nagtitinda ng fish ball, naglalako ng gulay sa palengke, nagta-traysikel o kaya ay nagbo-bote bakal. O ang pinaka-common na tanawin na mga matatandang nakaupo sa gilid ng simabahan para mamalimos.
At least sa Singapore nasa fastfood ang matatanda, dun sila nagtatrabaho bilang cashier-waiter o kaya cleaners. Pero isipin natin na kungn dito ka sa Pilipinas tatanda.
Walang health care facilities na maayos para sa may edad, may OSCA nga pero wala rin namang malinaw na tulong na maibigay kundi ang ID na magbibigay ng 20% discount na away pa madalas.
Pag tinitingnan ko rin ang nanay ko, matanda na rin siya. Kulubot na ang balat sa leeg at di na kayang itago ng Olay. Mahina na rin minsan ang memorya at makikita mo na sa kaniya na madali na siyang mapagod. Masuwerte lang ang nanay ko at di niya kailangang mag special offer.

Pero paano na ang katulad ni nanay na malamang naglalakad na naman ngayon sa ibang barangay para mag alok ng sabon. Wala man lang maialok ang lipunan kung paano natin aaalagaan ang henerasyon na nagdaan.

75

noreply@blogger.com (wickedcurse) — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 10:50:00 +0000

Yup, that's the magic figure. I ain't getting lighter and I'm stuck at 75 kilograms. From 91.3 kilograms last December 2010, after I was diagnosed with NIDDM, I shed a few pounds and right now is having a hard time adjusting with my wardrobe.

75 kilograms, 34 inches waistline, Medium size shirt. A dramatic improvement from my previous resume stats of 91.3 kg/36 inches/2XL.

Last Friday, my blood chemistry revealed normal results (Ha1c, Cholesterol, BUN Crea) and as my (new) doctor explained it, my weight loss can be attributed to diabetes but she said that I had normal values due to my physical activities. That's why she gave me another dose of anti-hypertensive drug to be taken at night time just to make sure that blood pressure is controlled.

Life's getting complicated that the more years I add to my life, the more pills I have to pop into my mouth.

Checking my stats at WEB MD, I'm still overweight and I guess I have to work on my diet and exercise regimen so I can be at the 60+ kilogram zone!

We Find Ways

noreply@blogger.com (wickedcurse) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 13:57:00 +0000

We are always running scared. We have so many fears and worries and we all have a tendency to be creative fatalists. Imagining things that are yet to happen; well what can we do, we were trained and reared and nurtured to be pessimists.

Di ba nung maliit tayo madalas sabihin na:

"Wag kang maglaro, baka masaktan ka..."

"Wag ka ng lumabas at gabi na baka maaksidente ka..."

"Tigilan mo na ang panonood ng TV at kumikidlat baka tamaan ka..."

Galeng di ba?

Even at our young age we were bombarded by thoughts of defeat, death and destruction. I guess our creativity is at peak while we were thinking of something bad is about to happen.

But as a kid, we always find ways (too bad that BDO couldn't find a way to improve their lousy service, e slogan nila yun).

Di ba magaling tayong tumakas, mag cutting class, sumuway sa magulang... it became our tendency to find ways to get away of all those threats.

Genius? Creativity? Ewan. Basta ang alam ko, sanay lang tayo tumakas sa takot at pangamba.

We find ways nga eh.

A Brand New (but still dark and gloomy) Day

noreply@blogger.com (wickedcurse) — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 01:32:00 +0000

Wala ng ulan. Pahupa na ang baha. Good thing that we were safe naman but this calamity is too costly for others. There are a lot of damaged crops and properties after the swollen Pampanga River inundated almost a quarter of the city. Hay, mamamahal na naman ang kangkong at pechay. Paano na staple food ko?Hinahanap ko na ang rainbow pagkatapos ng baha.

The Fierceness of the Falcon

noreply@blogger.com (wickedcurse) — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 10:59:00 +0000

I received a call from my mom at around 3:00 PM and she was asking me to come home immediately. Bumabaha na raw kila Mang Caloy. Epekto na yata iyan ng bagyong Falcon.

Told her the streets were already flooded when I left at around 9AM. Pero sabi niya bumili muna ako ng bigas bago umuwi. Bago mag 4PM nasa tricycle na ako pauwi. Paglagpas ng Central Terminal, nakita ko na lubog na ang Amihan, yung squatter colony sa ibaba ng tulay.

Ah, baha nga.

No choice ako kundi bumaba ng sasakyan. Kahit malapit ako dun sa kanto ng nagtitinda ng tilapia, di na ako puwede dumaan dun.

Saw one guy wading through water at hanggang bewang na niya dun. Mas mababa kasi ang lugar na iyon, uneven ang terrain. So I decided to walk towards Villa Ofelia, unfortunately, malakas ang agos at hanggang tuhod na ang tubig.

Too bad I was scared to take some pics. Baka mahulog cellphone ko sa baha, sayang lang. Anyway, nakauwi rin ako sa bahay; at ngayon yung nilakaran ko na hanggang tuhod kanina, lagpas bewang na ngayon.

Life Can Be Happy...

noreply@blogger.com (wickedcurse) — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 23:25:00 +0000

We were living ordinary lives. A father of 3, an ex OFW, a 24/7 mom, a med-tech, a banker, a happy-go-lucky-devil-may-care dad and a woman torn between families and personal struggles.

Until one day we were all piled up at the back of the white L300 chasing the years that went by, trying our best to reconnect with the past and establish broken links of our lives. A few weeks later we were relieved that our reunion was over.

And we thought that was the end of it.

Pagkatapos ng Brigada Eskwela, ng pag-aayos ng mga waiting shed, interview sa TV at kung anu-ano pa, it was then that we realized that things won't be the same again. Diversity interlocked our thoughts, friendship bloomed and then we were inseperable.

A few days ago, while we were trying to locate Maricar's house, I told Robin: 'dati reunion lang inaayos natin, ngayon buhay na ng ibang tao'. To the extent that Rhodelia, Ellen and Marie were discussing to a shocked mom of 7 the ugly truth (and facts) of poverty, RH Bill and Fire Prevention.

Now the question is, is the way we're living affecting others?

I guess so. Several wall posts ignited the compassion and humility of others. Funds were raised, ideas were shared, past lives were squealed and secrets were revealed. Suddenly, almost everybody signified their intention to help, to create change, to reach out and to be of service to others. We've seen the goodness in others... we've read so many comments that manifested our humane characteristics, that reflected our ideals and "nagpakita ng kahinaan natin bilang tao" while we are addressing issues like poverty.

Sa tagal nating nanahimik bilang isang batch, parang ngayon lang natin na napag isa ang ating mga isip at damdamin.

I guess by doing this, we are now doing God a favor - we are now hearing and taking action on other people's prayers and wishes and dreams.

Life can be happy - and thank you sa lahat na pinili na maging ganito ang batch natin.

"Every little move we make which is negative or positive will at some point affect our life and the lives of others. We are connected and should keep that in mind when making choices."

RH Bill

noreply@blogger.com (wickedcurse) — Sun, 22 May 2011 10:00:00 +0000

Magulo ang usaping RH Bill, ilang debate na ang napanood ko at ilang iringan na ang narinig ko. Ang ayoko lang....

1. Nagsisimba ako tapos tatawagin ng mga pari na mga Katolikong may huwad na pananampalataya ang mga naniniwala dito. Isa pala akong huwad.

2. Magsisimba ka, sa halip na salita ng Diyos ang matutunan ko; motel, sabong, sugal, aborsiyon ang isnasali sa dasal ng mga pari. Marahil habang Katoliko ako walang pari na magtuturo sa akin ng salita ng Diyos.

3. Galit na galit ang mga pari sa RH Bill pero wala silang suhestiyon sa over population. Sabi na kasing ang koleksiyon ipam pagawa na lang ng pabrika kesa ipadala sa Vatican City.

4. Bakit puro patungkol sa mga pari ang sinasabi ko? Di ako galit sa mga pari, nagkataon lang na andami nilang sinasabi pero kulang sila sa gawa. Bakit yung mga kaso ng abusadong pari sa mga parokya, yung mga gumalaw ng mga sakristan, yung nagka-casino na mga pari ayaw nilang pag usapan?

Patawa di ba?

Babalik Pa Rin!

noreply@blogger.com (wickedcurse) — Sun, 22 May 2011 09:48:00 +0000

Ang tagal kong nawala sa ere, andami kasing ginawa... andaming inayos. Mula Enero, inaayos na namin ang reunion ng Cabanatuan City Science High School (na wala na pala akong Alma Mater dahil pinalitan na ang pangalan nito), inaayos ang negosyo at ang matindi, inaayos ang buhay ko.

22o na i2

Iyan ang naging title ng 22nd year naming magkaka klase nung high school. Totoo na yan, marami ngang nangyari habang inaayos ang reunion. Pumayat ako, naiyak si Rhodelia, nasungitan sila sa akin, nagkita ulit kami ni Leilanie at naging magkaibigan ulit kami, dumating si Rhoneil at naging magkaibigan kami nila Lucky, Robin, Marie, Susafe, Ellen at Rhodelia. Siyempre marami pang ibang amuyong pero ang nakakatuwa, mukha lang kaming mga uto na hindi nagpapansinan nung high school pero ngayon nagkakalkalan ng mga personal na problema. Ganoon na nga siguro pag tumatanda, nagiging senti na, nagiging mellow ang buhay.

Negosyo

Pahirapan sa suppliers, pero okay pa naman ang takbo ng negosyo kahit medyo mahirap yata ang pera ngayon. Siyempre, kapag tumaas ang presyo ng bilihin, apektado ang budget sa pambili ng damit. Kung ngayon nga namamahalan na ako sa Lucky Me na pansit canton, e yung iba pa na uunahin pa ba ang pagbili ng damit kesa pakainin ang mga anak? Marami ang nagrereklamo na naging mahirap ang pasok ng pera... sana lang malagpasan pa rin ito.

Together Again

Natuwa naman ako na kahit sa kabila ng masaklap na paghihiwalay, naging maayos ulit kami ng isang tao na naging bahagi ng nakaraan, na mukhang magiging kasama pa yata sa kinabukasan. Di ko masasabi, di ko rin alam.

Payat

Pumayat daw ako. Pakiramdam ko nga tumataba na naman ako, pero pilit kong ma-maintain ang timbang ko ngayon. Di bale ng mukhang tutryok basta normal ang blood chemistry ko.

Ehersisyo

Nakakatamad madalas pero kailangan gawin. Sana nga maisaksak ang mga bagong genes sa katawan ko na mapipilit akong gumising ng mas ma-aga at ma enjoy ang pag exercise pero may mga tao yata talagang ipinanganak para tumakbo at isinilang sa mundo para kumain lang.

Balat Sibuyas

Magkakalahati na ang taon at ang dami ko ng nakausap na mga taong balat sibuyas. Meron ding mga tao na pilit itinatago ang tunay na asal sa pamamagitan ng relihiyon at ng mga gawang balat kayo lamang. Hay.

Aeta

noreply@blogger.com (wickedcurse) — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 09:04:00 +0000

"Basta nangarap ang anak, at sinuportahan ng pangarap ng magulang, walang imposible."

Ito yung mga huling binitiwang kataga ng isang matandang Aeta na nasalubong namin nila Susafe at Rhodelia sa Kalikid Sur habang kinakausap namin si Recy.

Bitbit ang apo, naglakad na naman siya sunong ang isang basket ng gulay sa ulo, hawak ang isang balde ng paninda at inaawat ang apong babae sa pagtakbo.

Hindi na namin nakuha ang pangalan ni ate, pero nalaman namin ang kuwento ng kaniyang buhay.

Nang pumutok ang bulkang Pinatubo ay ilan silang katutubong Aeta na nailipat sa Fort Magsaysay dito sa Nueva Ecija.

Makikita sila noong dekada nubenta sa kalye, sa plaza at sa kung saan-saan na namamalimos o kaya ay nagtitinda ng pana at mga sibat o kaya ay mga rebulto o ashtray na gawa sa lahar.

Pero iba ang gusto ni ate.

Masakit sa kaniya na ang tingin lang ng mga unat ang buhok sa kanilang mga katutubo ay mga namamalimos o nagkukutuhan lang sa isang tabi.

Hindi rin niya matiis ang buhay nila na maghapong magkukuwentuhan at pagdating ng takipsilim ay pupunta sa kapitbahay nila upang manghiram ng bigas na isasaing.

Binuhay niya ang mga pangarap sa mga anak niya. Nagtanim siya ng gulay, at nilalakad ang higit sampung kilometro tuwing may aanihin siyang gulay upang ilako sa mga karatig barangay na sakop na ng Cabanatuan.

"Pagod na ako kalalakad at di ako natutulungan ng asawa ko, pero ayaw ko mabuhay ng namamalimos."

Kaya't pinagsikapan niyang mapag-aral ang mga anak at ang dalawa ay nakapagtapos na nga at nagtuturo na ang isang anak niya sa Pampanga.

"Magtatapos din ngayon ang isang anak ko, tinutulungan naman nila ako sa gastos, pinatitigil na rin sa paglalako ng gulay pero ayaw ko pa, malakas pa ako."

Hindi daw biro para sa isang katutubo na magpa-aral ng anak.

Bagama't sa isang pampublikong kolehiyo sa Palayan nag-aral ang mga anak niya, umiiyak daw siya sa kaiisip kung saan kukuha ng pantustos din sa araw-araw na baon ng mga anak.

"Minsan nangailangan yung isang anak ko ng P 1,500, saan naman ako kukuha noon sa pagtitinda ng gulay, pero nairaos ko."

Pagkatapos bumili ni Rhodelia ng dalawang upo, muli na namang naglakad si ate. Malayo pa lalakarin niya sa buhay pero masuwerte siya, dahil sa tagal ng paglalakad niya, ilang buhay na ang kaniyang nabago.

He Had The Right Love At The Wrong Time...

noreply@blogger.com (wickedcurse) — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 02:30:00 +0000

Can't help it. Got a message from a friend unexpectedly that's why my initial reaction was, "okay what's the problem?". He quipped "why did you ask and how did you know?" I said you made the first move.

And I was right. Anyhow I spent considerable time with him in the past that's why I knew if he's up to something or if he's in deep shit.

Then he narrated what was supposed to be the sentiments of a guy who's nursing a broken heart.

I thanked God that finally he felt how it is to be in love, seriously.

He had this habit of barging into a relationship without knowing if its love or not.

Told him that love isn't finding somebody who will walk with you by the shore or who will cuddle you when you are sick.

Love is acceptance, finding that stupid person who will love you amid your imperfections.

Anyway, he lamented that he don't know what to do, can't understand the situation or what steps and measures must he take.

I explained that perhaps he had the right love but the girl is not ready yet.

There will be so many explanations and rationalizations and I urged him to make the first move. He can't.

I understand that he never felt like this before that's why he doesn't know how to handle the situation.

But that's what love is all about.

Having to deal with uncertainties all the time.

I loved without knowing until when it will last.

I loved without knowing if that person will remain the same until we parted ways.

I loved without knowing if I made the right decision but loved and enjoyed the companionship anyway.

I loved till it almost killed me.

For him, he's sure that he's in love. And said to him that if that's the case then he must learn how to accept fate with an optimist mindset - that the pain he's feeling right now will be impersonal, impermanent and impervasive.

EDSA 25

noreply@blogger.com (wickedcurse) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 06:16:00 +0000

Maraming nagbago na matapos ang EDSA I. Malaya na tayo to the point na inabuso na natin ang ating pananalita; malaya na ang media na konti na lang ang nagpa-practice ng self-censorship; binuksan ang ekonomiya at nilamon tayo ng mga international trade agreements na hindi pumabor sa ating lokal na sektor ng paggawa; malaya tayong naghalal ng mga pinunong sakim sa pera at kapangyarihan; may kalayaan na tayo na magtipon kaya nga madalas ay nababatuta, tear gas at water canon. Nakapag impeach tayo ng Presidente para mabago ang gobyerno pero di natin mabago ang ilang gawi katulad ng di maayos na pagtatapon ng basura; naging mapagpatawad tayo sa mga Marcoses, at marami ngang nagsisilbi sa simbahan na dating illegal loggers, rapist at mamamatay tao na nagbalik loob sa Diyos at tinitingala na natin ngayon.

Marami na ngang nagbago matapos ang EDSA I.

Magic Itlog at Sabaw na Lasang Karne

noreply@blogger.com (wickedcurse) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 05:57:00 +0000

Marami na siguro talagang di makakain ng normal sa Pilipinas. Paano naman ilang taon na ngayon na ang TV ads ay naka sentro sa instant mami at pancit canton, instant lomi at spaghetti.

Minanas na nga karamihan dahil sa taas ng sodium content ng mga powder mixes nito, nilagyan na ng kalamansi, sili at asukal para maging sweet-chili... parang naisip na ng mga gumagawa at yumaman sa mami at pancit canton na ito ang posibleng gawin para maibenta at miba ang lasa nito. May Shanghai style, sotanghon, nilagyan ng itlog at higit sa lahat, ipinalaman na sa tinapay.

Epektib, dahil bumagyo, lumindol at bumaha, ito ang ibinibigay sa ating mga kababayang nasa evacuation centers. Staple food ko rin ito noong nasa Saudi ako at ito na yata ang kinakain ng lahat ng estudyante (bukod sa sardinas).

Pero ngayon, iba na ang focus ng mga marketing experts! Nalaman siguro nila sa mga datos na nanawa na ang Pinoy sa kakakain ng mami at pancit kaya.... enter na ang Magic Itlog at Sabaw na Lasang Karne.

Ewan ko ba naman, matapos tayong pahigupin ng tubig na nilagyan ng chicken cubes, eto na ang naka bandera sa TV screen ngayon.

Dati nga sinabawang gulay (na naging makulay ang buhay) pero nagmahal na ang gulay kaya siguro sabaw na lang.

At ang da best, ang itlog. Nilagyan ng granules para maging magic itlog! Ano daw? Pinasarap na itlog, at may kalalabas pa lang na ads na nilagyan ng mayonnaise ang itlog.

Tuwing pasko ka na nga lang makakakita ng komersiyal na puno ang hapag kainan, na namumutiktik sa pagkain ang mga plato ng mga talents.

Pero kapag di pasko, sabaw at itog, canton at mami, at kung anu-anong herbal capsules ang naka advertise.

Ito na yata ang patunay na wala ng makain na normal ang mga Pinoy, na itlog-chicken cubes-canton-at noodles na lang ang puwedeng kainin.

Hay buhay. Siguro isang taon pa, tinapay na lasang adobo, PNOY bread na amoy fried chicken at kropeck na fortified with vitamins na ang babalandra sa mga pagmumukha natin.

By the way, isusunod na diyan ang monggo... pwedeng magic monggo, o kaya naman ay monggo na lasang lasang karne.

Sarap!

Valentine

noreply@blogger.com (wickedcurse) — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 09:00:00 +0000

Just another day for me. No dinner for two, no long stemmed red roses, and definitely no boxes of chocolates. Love died a year ago and cupid failed to resuscitate my bleeding heart. E-mails trashed, SMS deleted and pictures were hidden from my view.

Too bad can't do something about my memory, only if I could reboot myself... but its impossible.

The 14th of February would be a day filled with work but without the feelings I had for you once. No more love songs to remind me of the pain, and definitely no more looking back on how I suffered from loving you.

I'm not a jerk, I just learned to love a person who don't know how to love back, but instead... perfected the art of inflicting pain.

Valentine. Yup, the the conspicuous red heart, that reminds me of agony instead of joy, of hate rather than love.