Chronicling my Chronic Foibles

Buhay Lakwatsero = B- (as of 2 February 2009)

2009-02-02T22:36:00.002+08:00

Buhay Lakwatsero = B- (as of 2 February 2009)

My Lakbayan grade is B-!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.

Maruyog Mountain Resort, Brookes Point Palawan

2008-12-30T16:54:00.006+08:00

Daluyon Beach Resort

2008-12-16T20:16:00.008+08:00

Loitering on the beach...

Thinking about the Credit Transactions class I may miss the following day...

Welcome drinks definitely quench the heat off you...and retains your full energy.

Their fruit drinks always contain stuffs like this weaved from the coconut leaves. It's a grasshopper in here. They got weaved dogs, insects and other animals. Ingenuous!

From the veranda of our room...

The lawns of Daluyon 'neath the coconut trees..

This is the way to Daluyon's Reception lobby....

It was a very fine, cloudy day when we arrived...

Daluyon fetches its guests from the terminal at the wharf. Thanks to the owners of a resort under construction who blocked the road leading to Daluyon, guests now have to pass by the scenic Sabang beach... But they got a carabao cart to take guests to the resort. The resort has designed a new job description for the carabao; it is no longer merely based in the plowing fields... we decided to go on foot by the beach and let our bags ride the cart. On leaving Sabang, we couldn't resist taking the cart ride he he. The ride was soothing, I tell you.

This is the mountain range on your right going to Sabang. It clues you up that Sabang, the jump-off point to the world-famous Underground River, is just a few minutes away.

Below are photos of Sabang and the St Paul Subterranean National Park as well as of the Daluyon Resort grabbed from their website.

Ursula Island

2008-11-06T19:17:00.007+08:00

The magnificent Ursula Island

Food Poisoning in Rio Tuba

2008-10-25T09:12:00.006+08:00

Talked to Tatay over the phone just a few a minutes ago. HE mentioned the case of food poisnoing in a public elementary school yesterday where more than 300 pupils bought and ate an expired candy. "You didn't see it on TV? It was on GMA News", he said.

Well, my TV here does not have a very good Channel 7 reception, so I told him. I haven't watched Kapuso shows for like..... more than a year...err I guess. To check, I went to my trusted online Pinoy news site, inquirer.net and there it is.....

Lollipop blamed as 398 kids fall ill
By Redempto Anda
Southern Luzon Bureau
First Posted 19:21:00 10/24/2008

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Philippines—Lollipop made in Indonesia and sold by an itinerant vendor to school children in Rio Tuba, Bataraza town allegedly downed 398 children Friday morning, a local doctor said.

Dr. Reginaldo Mia, medical director of the RTN Foundation Hospital in the village of Rio Tuba, said they had admitted 23 of the affected children for closer medical monitoring but clarified that the patients were in stable condition after suffering from food poisoning.

Mia said the school children had complained of vomiting and nausea after eating lollipop with the brand name "Bonelight" and made in Indonesia.

"They were all brought to the hospital at around 9:30 a.m., apparently after their recess period. We noted in the candy wrapper that was shown to us that the product had expired last December 28, 2007," she said.

Most of the children were discharged after being given medication, while the 23 others had to be confined for further medical observation, according to Mia.

Police authorities were investigating the source of the candy, she added.

Tsk tsk..

The candies/lollipops used to be sold by Tintin, a store owned by the Leoncios, which stands at the corner of the Macadam Highway and the road leading to the Rio Tuba North Elem School. They were disposed by the store, wrapped in sacks. Now there's this garbage scavenger who found the sacks and saw profit in them. She sold the candies in her stall right outside the public school premises and the schoolchildren, during recess, purchased those expired candies.

Apparently the candies' expiry date cannot be easily noticed on their wrapper. But this does not matter anymore. The fact that the vendor merely rummaged on them from the trash definitely puts her in bad faith in selling them.

Hillary's speech at the DNC

2008-08-27T23:17:00.002+08:00

This morning, as I watched the last half of Hillary Clinton's speech before the Democrats-delegates, I was both saddened and proud of the American woman who, as of last year, was supposed to be President of her country.

She was great. She spoke eloquently and yet, forcefully.

Tonight, as I check on her speech this morning (Tuesday night in America), I found this clever and ingeniously crafted description of how she took that Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado by storm.

"Breaths were held Tuesday night for Clinton's address to the delegations. If only armpits had been squeezed to sides as well, the aroma of the room would have improved greatly, but they were continually raised in applause." (Bernie Lincicome)

She could have been Dems' great VP choice.

They want us part of the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity

2008-08-12T21:08:00.009+08:00

The Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) wanted my town, Bataraza and one more Palawan town to be part of the Expanded ARMM, where a Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE) is to take over the ancestral domain of MinSuPala's (Mindanao-Sulu-Palawan) original inhabitants -- the so-called Bangsamoros.

That is without any consultation nor notice to us Palaweños. We were caught unaware that GRP and MILF negotiators were putting us in a situation we don't want to be in precisely because we do not have any idea of the implications and consequences of integrating us into an entity which almost resembles an independent state within the republic. Had it not for the Supreme Court's TRO, they would have already signed the Memorandum of Agreement in Malaysia last week (August 5), with US Ambassador Kenney and other foreign officials witnessing.

I say that the MOA for lacking the essentials of due process, one of democracy's primordial principles, should be set aside.

Do the GRP and the MILF own a sound mind in talking about our inclusion in a juridical entity we ourselves are wary of. The Palaweños -- the present mixed inhabitants and breed of virtually all the ethnic groups in the country -- have rejected our inclusion in the ARMM in four (4) plebiscites already since the 80's. It means that the ideals and objectives of the so-called Bangsamoros do not apply to us. We do not feel threatened and discriminated. We are not living with the past but are continuing to forge ahead to that state and condition we desire. We recognize that paradigm shifts happen and it will be of narrow-mindedness if we continue to enclose oursleves in the not-so-pleasant past.

Muslims and non-Muslims, Christians and the indigenous peoples (Palawa'n, Tagbanwas, Molbogs, Bataks), natives and recent settlers of Palawan-- we all vow to continue exercising our rights and obligations as Palawenos-Filipinos. If only the panels of both the GRP and the MILF were cognizant of this, we Palaweños would not have gone out en masse, marched to, and gathered ourselves today at Puerto Princesa's freedom park, the Mendoza Park, to air our opposition to the inclusion of Bataraza and Balabac in the BJE territories.

The question that keeps popping up my mind every now and then is how dare they do this to us without even consulting or notifying us. It's not surprising to know about the scheduled signing of the MOA. It's totally enraging. Was that another of those shameful tactics of invoking the "executive privilege"?

At any rate, the MOA should be carefully studied. It should be remanded back to the negotiators because substantial constitutional considerations were not taken into account. Clearly, religion is of no issue to us. The issue is about the legal validity, ethical viability and socio-economic and political soundness of the contents of the MOA.

Watching the Pambansang Kamao at the 135 lbs Bout

2008-06-29T14:59:00.009+08:00

I watched today's match of the Pambansang Kamao at 135 lbs live at the Asturias Hotel Function Room.

Were it not for my ex who happens to be in town with her friends, I would have been happy watching the bout in my boarding house. But then, she phoned in telling me they're leaving for Manila this afternoon. We haven't had the time to see each other since they arrived. Been busy with my schooling.

So off I went to Asturias. The hotel airs another Pacman fight for P400 and that includes a buffet meal. I found **** at the pool with her ladies-friends. When she said that ******, a lawyer-friend, was upstairs (the bout was being shown at the hotel's function room at the 2nd floor), I excused myself telling the girls that as they go aswimming, I would like to see if Pareng Manny can secure another boxing championship belt by beating Diaz at 135 lbs. So i went upstairs, paid the fee and entered the function room.

I came in just as the last undercard fight was heating up. I had to hurry and dispense with whatever buffet-savviness I have to "dive" for the food. I would not be able to watch the main bout while I eat. Nor can i afford to miss the "value for my money" (read: the live coverage + the food)... So while the main fighters' national anthems were being sung, I was done with the main courses and already munching fruits in a platter. Of course, i stood up when the Lupang Hinirang was sang (while munching a slice of watermelon and then keeping the watermelon seeds in my mouth until the "Ang mamatay nang dahil sa 'yo.")

The fight lasted only up to the last minute before the 9th round ended. Diaz was KO'd when Pareng manny's lethal left hit him after bombs and bombs of left and right landed on Diaz' face. The first 8 rounds showed how strong a ring punisher the Pacman is. Diaz was just too lucky to have strong legs to keep him standing. I don;t know how he can withstand those Pacman Punches!

An Attempt to be in the Guiness Book

2008-06-24T00:39:00.007+08:00

Tonight's Baragatan Finale had been marked by rains, rains..and then the fireworks . I thought we broke the record for the world's longest grill..

Earlier at around 1800, I braved the congested Malvar Street to get the books we ordered at Josol Residence in San Pedro. Backriding with me as the rain poured was Ace, who herself had placed an order for a book whcih law students can buy only from Rex Book STores in Manila. I crisscrossed the length of the slippery thoroughfare, made sharp, quick turns just to avoid getting stuck in between vehicles, some of them16 to 18 wheelers. And then finally, we got to Glenda's house and learned they all went out to Rizal Ave, the city's main street where the longest grill was being set up. But not Mamang who was tending to her Diocel Beloved.

I asked Mamang why she didn't go. It's an important and historical undertaking, I told her. "It's ok", she said, "pwede namang kahit in spirit na lang ...".

We tahnked her bade her goodbye after she handed us the FedEx package containing the books. Again I readied myself for another driving stint with monstrous traffic situation in Malvar. Malvar is an alernative city street which parallels Rizal Ave. Since Rizal was closed for the "historical undertaking" going on there tonight, all vehicles were diverted to this alternate road. The traffic was so heavy that tricycles and multicabs, main modes of transportation here in Puerto Princesa, seemed like not moving at all. Which reminded me of EDSA and España during rush hours. Blue, another classmate who was also going to Glenda's place to get her books aboard a multicab, opted to turn back and went home instead, knowing that we're on our way there on a motorbike.

The drive going back was less stressful except that raindrops got bigger and plentier. We had to make a stop over at Legend's main entrance. The heavy downpour hit the city when we were waiting for Blue at Duchess' front yard. I wondered how's the grilling in Rizal going on...

Thank God, in a shortwhile, the rains stopped. I dropped Ace near the Provincial Capitol grounds where her group, which included her friends and a special someone leaving for Iloilo tomorrow, hanged out. Tonight's the last night of enterntainment extravaganza at the Capitol. This was the last night of live band performances, night bazaars, and food stalls, etc at the Capitol grounds.

Thereafter I went back to my boarding house, too eager to start browsing and reading my new books in Labor Law, Property and Sales. As I was checking on the pages of my books which were Fedexed all the way from Manila, I thought I heard a gunshot. And then there were two, and three..and then there were more. Fireworks! Ha ha. I've always been drawn to them. The second time I lost my cellphone, it was during that night a friend and I joined thousands who flocked to SM MoA's Promenade to watch the 2005 World Pyro Olympics.

So the fireworks which lit up Puerto skies after the rains, made me say goodbye for a while to my class' assigned readings. Bebang, Eric and I watched the fireworks from our boarding house here in Recaido. And when they asked me out, I did not respond with a single hesitation. So out to the streets we went. All three on one bike.

I was just too curious what happened to the province's attempt to be put in the Guinness Book of Records. The fireworks had come to a stop... and so did 95% of the grilling. What we happened to chance upon were a few groups still grilling, but the trucks had begun collecting and loading those grills that were earlier installed from Mendoza Park up to PEO Road. We even got to taste a forkful of grilled tuna and scallops.

Did we break the record? Yes we did. It's a new record -- the longest grill attempt that failed!

Ok, so blame it to the rains. But what happened to more than a million pesos spent for the preparation, for the media coverage and all? Where did all those sea produce go?

A meter of grill accordingly cost 5 thousand pesos and it included a mixture of seafood to be grilled. The attempt was to show the world the longest seafood grill at 3-km long. If the info I gathered was correct, trusting on my conversion skills, the organizers could have collected an astounding P15,000,000. But yeah, unfortunately it failed. How much they were able to collect I don't know. I just hope everything's well-accounted and that whatever sponsorships and financial collections the organizers had amassed would be enough to compensate the provincial budget allotted to this failed undertaking. Let's say they were able to successfully collect sponsorships for a kilometer-long grill, which as to my estimate as we walked from Rizal-Lacao to Dagomboy, was actually attained, that would still be 5M. Deduct the expenses paid up for preparation which could be at 1.5M, still a 3.5M is something.

I just hope taht whatever amount they were able to collect from this longest disappointment, they will be keeping and using for the "next attempt" as what they said. I can only wish they would be putting it in the bank....and not in their pockets. In the bank account of the provincial government not theirs. The province doesnt have to shoulder a single cent the next time they attempt the same.

To ooze away our feelings of disgust, we checked on the live band performance at the Capitol Square, did some sight seeings and ended at the Centralle Grill at the Corner of Rizal Ave and Junction 1. But the pub was another disappointment. The native and nature setting was ok but the service and the people who hang out there were weird.

Araw ng Tatay

2008-06-15T11:10:00.014+08:00

Dear Tatay,

Happy Fathers' Day, Tay!

It was just the other day when you braved the heat and the Pier-to-Capitol route of the Grand Parade for the Opening of Baragatan 2008. You danced in the streets "like there's no tomorrow", never minding the disability that has taken over the normal functioning of your legs. Paula Abdul would have been amused.

I despised the choreographer when during the rehearsals I discovered you were being given dance steps that would really pose as challenge to your condition. Much to my dismay, you let them do what they required. You eagerly followed the ethnic dance steps and religiously attended the rehearsals. And you even enjoyed -- a no-surprise to me since you always love what you're doing. You had me worrying each time you feel some pains in your legs. It's me who bore the brunt of a million and one worries each time I saw you perform.

You beat those dumbasses who do not have anything to do but sit and babble all day and accomplish nothing. They pride themselves as they who know this and that, and yet know too little. They too were required to take part in this year's Pantiguan event but they backed out days before the event. With a million and one fake reasons, those bad guys shredded off important puntos against your delegation. And yet, they got stronger legs and healthier body nourished by a SG of 20+.

A day after the punishing Pantiguan, you and utol Insoy made your way to your hometown where the body of your younger sister lies. You did not yield to your personal sorrow and grief so as not to affect your part and contribution for our town's participation in this year's Baragatan.

Risks. You always take them. There would be persona's priding themselves "eating bullets"; but you, you eat risks. Most of the time, you don't think long term. You don't imagine what the results or benefits of your actions and deeds are because you do them for the sake of doing them.We have not been affluent. And we will never be because you choose never to be. You unfailingly extend to and share with others what should have been for yourself. I find rivals in people who think you always have the means to help them -- relatives and non-relatives.

Nevertheless, I am so proud of you. I cannot find one single word to say how much I love being your son. As young Filipino-British talent Charlie Green would phrase it, I will have to use all "the good words in the dictionary" to describe the feeling.

As tribute to you, I am sharing here photos and a video to tell the world about your perseverance, your brilliance and strength that comes from within.

Have a safe and sound stay there in Samar! Great, great job in the Pantiguan!

Watch Tatay do it! Look for the super dancer with a cane.

The Cane Power! (Tatay in his Palaw'an costume.)

The Local Chief Executive admiring his belly and the beads they put on him.

When some pain and exhaustion set in...

Stopping and waiting for the parade line to move again.

With fellow street dancers and fellow parade participants.

I sneaked in with the group just in time for another shot.

Parade now about to start.

Performance finally over...waiting for his clothes.

Quenching his thirst...

Baragatan

2008-06-14T00:39:00.002+08:00

Baragatan 2008

2008-06-14T00:09:00.002+08:00

Ca sez:

2008-06-12T21:45:00.001+08:00

kasui nui (6/9/2008 5:35:12 PM): hey, eyom, i got an idea... Read somewhere that hillary clinton might be better off not running for veep. Agree na din ako ngayon, after some thought. Know why? Kc she has spent all these years getting out of her husband's shadow, I dont think she will want to get into another man's shadow again which is of course, Obama's. She has so much power and influence that she could harness all that as a member of Obama's cabinet (supposing he wins), or as a senior member of the Senate or some such thing. She should maintain all that power and influence if she is to run again in 2012, and playing 2nd fiddle to Obama might not be good in the long run. Get what i mean?.. Dont u think so?... Hmmmn... Just a thought...

Back to Puerto Princesa

2008-06-12T21:39:00.002+08:00

Just got back here in Puerto Princesa today...

Today is Philippine Independence Day and we flew the Philippine flag the entire 5 hours + trip.

Farewell, Nay Tesing.

2008-06-09T15:29:00.003+08:00

At noontime today, we received the sad news that Nanay Tesing passed away. She was in my father's hometown in Salcedo, Eastern Samar and we, here in the south-easternmost town of mainland Palawan, the country's westernmost province.

Nay Tesing was said to be the black sheep of the family. Very rebellious but was said to be the prettiest. (Tatay, of course, has to be the most handsome. Well, Tatay, indeed, is, now -- he is the only male sibling alive.)

Nay Tesing's indulgence in alcohol has been treated both with pride and disgrace. She could gulp down bottles of gin without a chaser. I remember her doing the laundry for Jhuns (my eldest male sibling) for a bottle of gin shortly before Kuya sought the "greener" deserts of KSA. Her alcoholism would turn out to be one of the main causes of her illness.

For me, I seldom saw her in my intermittent, more or less 10 years stay in Manila since 1995 when I went to college . She lived in Tondo and I resided in Quiapo, San Andres, Sampaloc and later in a dorm inside my campus.What I cannot forget and will never forget bout her was when Tatay underwent an operation at the Philippine General Hospital in July 2003. While choppers hovered over the Manila skyline, as it was the height of the Glorietta siege of the Magdalo group, Nanay Tesing was busy tending the room we occupy at the 7th Floor of the PGH. She shooed away the janitors and told em she was "in-charge' of Tatay and our room.

How can I forget you, Nay? I know you had been through a lot--- family breakdown, almost-daily-financial dillemma, pasaway na mga pinsan ko, almost all the burdens and hardships and injustices in life. My aunts and cousins have told me about it all. And yet, I haven't done a single thing for you. Now I recall, once during a semestral break that I happened to spend in Nanay Toria's house in Tondo, you came and insisted you do my laundry. I hadn't been able to sufficiently give you something in return. I was a student then. Yet when I began working and earning a little more than what I need for my self, I no longer returned and looked for you.

Nay Tesing, am back to being a student this time. I may not have anything to send for your wake and your funeral but you will always be remembered. Your kind are who I aim to be of service to if I will be given the chance to, someday...I'm persisting, Nay.

May you rest in peace.

Hillary publicly and officially ends her bid for the US Presidency.

2008-06-08T12:49:00.003+08:00

Just off the wires 50 mins ago today (Saturday in the US) is the latest news from AP about Hillary Rodham Clinton's public declaration of the end of her campaign and her rallying behind the triumphant Democratic nominee, Barack Obama.

There is definitely opposition, tears and disbelief among her avid supporters. But that is it. Party rules indeed rule as Obama gained the required number of delegates to nail the nomination.

The challenge for madame idol Hillary is to unite hers and Obama's supporters. "We may have started on separate journeys but today, our paths have merged, she said. Barack Obama's picking her as his running mate will surely go a long way. Theirs is going to be a tandem to beat.

Hillary about to admit defeat?

2008-06-03T07:56:00.007+08:00

I've batted for Hillary since the the Presidential nominations race of America's two main rivaling parties kicked off.

I've followed the Primary Contests; silently cheered every time she won and silently got disappointed each time she lost. I've mourned when, after her Super Tuesday victory, she ended up losing one state after another. I was confident she would make a comeback and that her party's superdelegates will throw a big chunk of support, enough to make her clinch the nomination. But Obama is un-stoppable. His fundraisings were awesome, and his campaign strategies absolutely working! And so Hillary Clinton trailed Barack Obama in the Dems' nomination contest since 1st week of April (?). She has never recovered and edged Barack in the race even though I all-the-more cheered and wished she'd still be able to nail it. She has made some impressive comeback's but so has Mr Obama. The delegate count needed is obvious to be first attained by him.

It's not over till its over, she says. But latest news from the wires today imply she's conceding defeat. Tsk tsk....

I wonder what Ca is thinking now. :) (Don't worry Ca the pustahan with Marc is whther it will be the Democrats this time or the Republicans still who'll capture the American presidency..)

I'm sure Barack Obama will rule over McCain. But I was sure with Hillary getting the Democratic nomination too. Until lately.

[Hillary's photo grabbed from her HillaryClintonDotCom website]

Now i'm kind of commercializing this Blog!

2008-05-30T23:39:00.004+08:00

Last night I decided to try venturing into blogging while earning a little bit. I've added AdSense into my blog page.

I think anybody would feel the same curiosity as I had. You see the Customize button in your blog page and then you discover you can add features to make your blog a little interesting and fun. Suddenly you learn that you can actually earn, however little (or unexpectingly high) it may be, as you blog. Wouldn't AdSense make sense to you then?

So there, I ended up adding this commercial element in my blog page, and my application (yes, there's some sort of an application and some waiting time) for it got approved today. You see, the ads are now running here; they're everywhere. Hehe. And i smell moolah!

The downturn? I gave up my blog's some privacy to Google AdSense team. But what the heck, Google owns Blogger. They won't do anything to steal my identity. Nor my earnings, i guess. Now, I got Google team's eyes. (Peace, guys, peace. Don't worry, I love you and I trust you.)

It's Fiesta and the President is in town..

2008-05-30T09:37:00.008+08:00

Helicopters -- Hueys and other kinds -- hovered over my hometown yesterday and early this morning. Her Excellency and party is indeed in town...

It's Feast Day of the Sacred Heart of Jesus today. I've heard GMA will be attending the mass this morning before she heads off to Balabac. Nanay & Tatay then will have the chance to see her in the church today, my oldies being regular churchgoers here. In fact, they must have been glancing at her excellency now.

Oh, if GMA only knows it's Nanay who made the flower arrangement inside the church. If she just know how Nanay and her Mother Butler cult had a hard time keeping the church polished and clean because the 'copters land and leave the Oval, which is just a few meters away from the Church, every now and then.

Suddenly, it's Year 2002 once again...GMA was alighting from a white chopper which just landed at the San Miguel Elementary School in San Miguel, Linapacan. I was among the party from the Provincial Management Staff allowed to be at the landing site an hour before she gets off........

***the SHJ photo is from this site and the 'copters are from BBC Pictures.

Philippine Entries in the Seach for Wonders of Nature now in Top 11

2008-05-28T23:38:00.007+08:00

Last update 28-MAY-2008 10:00 GMT

( ) yesterday's ranking

(1)

Ha Long Bay

VIET NAM - Asia

(2)

Cox's Bazar, Beach

BANGLADESH - Asia

(3)

Ganges, River

BANGLADESH/ INDIA - Asia

(4)

Tubbataha Reef

PHILIPPINES - Asia

(6)

Chocolate Hills

PHILIPPINES - Asia

(5)

Amazon River, River/Forest

BOLIVIA/ BRAZIL/ COLOMBIA/ ECUADOR/ PERU/ VENEZUELA - South America

(7)

Mount Everest, Mountain

NEPAL - Asia

(8)

Mount Fuji, Mountain

JAPAN - Asia

(10)

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park

PHILIPPINES - Asia

10.

(9)

Cocos Island, Island

COSTA RICA - North America

11.

(11)

Mayon Volcano

PHILIPPINES - Asia

**** From http://www.new7wonders.com/nature/en/liveranking Visited 28 May 2008 11:30 PM.

Ground-breaking of Water System in Barangay Inogbong

2008-05-28T18:08:00.004+08:00

Hours ago this afternoon, sister-companies Coral Bay Nickel Corporation (CBNC) and Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation (RTNMC) and the Municipal Government of Bataraza held the ground breaking ceremonies of the PhP26 million Water System in Barangay Inogbong.

I wonder why the big bosses of the mining companies and the local and provincial officials were there and the locales weren't? The residents should have heard and witnessed the rationale of this important project and its groundbreaking.

GMA is coming to town.

2008-05-27T22:46:00.007+08:00

The Philippine President is coming to my hometown on the 29th, that is 2 days from now. So I learned from sources -- almost everyone in town -- since last week.

This morning, we bumped into 2 truckloads of military men, all in combat wears, near Barangay Sandoval. President Arroyo's advanced party is now here, apparently to secure the place and the sites she'll be visiting.

Why the visit? I really got no idea. She was here during the inauguration of the Hyrometallurgical Processing Plant sometime in 2005. This will be her 2nd visit. I heard Rio Tuba is just a stop-over en route to Balabac, Palawan's southernmost town (an island municipality).

Well, she might just be trying to find out for herself how the HPP, which she switched on in April 2005, is operating. Also heard she'll be dropping by a mosque in Sitio Bukid-bukid.

What I don't get about this Presidential Visit is the tearing down of bahay kubos within the confines of the townsite, the mining company property. Whoever's got a brilliant mind who thought that bahay kubo's around the townsite are "eyesores" for the President and her team, and need to be tore down, must be real brilliant and true-blue Filipino. Whatever the reason is, just don't call bahay kubo an eyesore because it kinds of make one veers away from his roots and his Pinoy connection.

[ thanks to Wikipedia for the President Arroyo's photo.and to Blogtext for the bahay kubo illustration ]

Letsugas sa Bataraza ( Lettuce Garden in Bataraza, Palawan)

2008-05-26T19:36:00.007+08:00

Yes, lettuce does, and can, grow in Bataraza. Thanks to Congressman Baham Mitra's Organic Farming Project which has successfully demonstrated that high value crops and fruits can be grown in the locality.

Just take a look at this lettuce garden..

Yellow watermelon and honeydew (melon) are also proven to be growable in this part of the country. Here're the proof...

Elsie Nallos, a municipal government employee, is amazed that this variety of watermelon (said to be from Taiwan) can actually be cultivated in the soils of her town.

The Taiwanese watermelon variety, now in Bataraza.

Let's take a glimpse at the soon-to-be vegetable produce of the municipal demo farm...

Enchanted Kapangyan Falls

2008-05-26T19:13:00.008+08:00

We were looking at the videos we shot from our camera phones after our descent from the mountains and watershed of Malihud. And we discovered something extraordinary that gave us goosebumps - we had a company in Kapangyan Falls. Check this video out. (Dunno how to rotate it 90 deg to the right, so you will have to view it with your head tilted leftward. I am sorry.)

Kapangyan falls

2008-05-25T14:10:00.004+08:00

'been to Kapangyan falls yesterday!

Photos of the hike to follow.....

Two old buddies, Waraynons and the Iwahig Penal Colony.

2008-05-20T14:53:00.006+08:00

The recently-held Palarong Pambansa 2008 in Puerto Princesa has brought together two good old friends whose last inuman was decades ago, when it was only my eldest sibling (now 35) who is alive. They haven't seen each other again until the DepEd chose to hold the Palaro in Puerto Princesa last April. This good friend of Tatay is one of Eastern Samar's Delegation Officials. He took the time out to look for his long lost friend and travelled all the way from the province's capital to the southeastern-most town of mainland Palawan, with only the stories of Tatay's relatives in Samar as his "map".

And when finally they got to see each other face to face, they reminisced the past and laughed at their night outs and drinking sprees. They now grow white strands of hair and their hairlines, receding. Tatay now sports a cane, but Sir Joe Jabagat seemed to be very strong still. Two Warays, old buddies and childhood friends, were once again reunited.

Less than a month after their meeting, this Sir Joe texted Tatay that he later found out another kababayan is also in Palawan and is the current "Penal Farm Warden". He said he wasn't able to meet this Penal farm big boss during the Palaro '08, unlike his co-officials and co-delegates, because he opted to travel to our place down south to find Tatay.

Sir Joe, a principal in his district in Eastern Visayas, asked Tatay to see the warden who happened to be Tatay's childhood friend and relative. So on our way home yesterday, my good ol' man insisted we drop by Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm Colony and see Warden Francisco "Paking" Abunales, who, to Tatay's recollection, was only five years old when he last saw.

It was my first time to go inside this famous and historical penal colony in the country. I took some pictures of course and will post them here as soon as I get hold of my USB cable which I left in my boarding house in Puerto.

My Iwahig Farm Captures:

A fortuitous event in Mainland China.

2008-05-12T21:28:00.007+08:00

Was shuffling through TV channels when I caught BBC's breaking news about the earthquake death toll in China which is at 5000!

Wasn't it just yesterday (or was it the other day) when a tremor shook the world's biggest country.? And there wasn't any damage nor fatality reported.

But no, this is the latest earthquake which struck and oh no, it did crush buildings down, buried many people and killed thousands TODAY!

I quickly check the Net to find out more about the news. A Yahoo News account account which is just off the wires 5 minutes ago (it's not even one of the most read news today) confirmed the tremendous damage and destruction this 7.5 earthquake has caused.

The tremor accordingly occurred mid-afternoon in CHina today, Monday, when many schoolchildren are in school. The account which says that close to 900 children lay buried in the ground is incredibly unbelievable and disturbing.

CNN News (now, it's CNN as BBC has shifted to another news coverage) is broadcasting that rescues are underway. I hope many will still be saved.

As I scroll on my keypad, I offer a silent prayer for those who perished and injured and those who are greatly affected by the calamity.

Fortuitous events and calamities, they're everywhere. We haven't even seen Myanmar recover from the cyclone that hit the country last week. And what about the number of tornadoes which rummaged across the mid-eastern Unite States.

These should all remind us that these fortuitous events, in CHina and everywhere, are all which we cannot do something about. They catch us unaware and we are left wondering when exactly and where will they happen. Very much unlike the human-caused destruction and conflicts around the world which by understanding, broad-mindedness, cooperation and forgiveness, we can still do something about and put a stop to.

These are times we, Earthlings, should get inspired to be one and forget about the unpleasant past and differences.

God Bless this Planet!

:(

2008-03-11T13:07:00.001+08:00

Hate myself.

2008-03-10T06:22:00.002+08:00

AARRRRRGGGGGGHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Blue Colors

2008-03-09T11:32:00.004+08:00

Blue, according to Pantone, Inc. -- the world’s color authority for more than 45 years, providing design professionals with products and services for the colorful exploration and expression of creativity-- is 2008's Color of the Year.

A natural color, from the blue of the sky, blue is a universal color. The cool, calming effect of blue makes time pass more quickly and helps one sleep.

Ahhhhhh. Blue!

Sunday surfing

2008-03-02T10:21:00.005+08:00

It's Sunday morning and got of loads and loads of things to do:

1. Read
2. Study
3. Review
4. Read
5 Study
6 Review
7. And so on and on.....

But I haven't started out with any of these. Haaaaaaaahh!!

Been surfing the net for more than an hour now, getting myself abreast of what's happening around this wide, little world. While I worry for the upcoming heavy recitations this coming week, bills to pay, dwindling allowance and keeping my abdomen leveled , I also mull over:

1. who wins the battle for the Democratic nominations this Tuesday ('hope Hillary Clinton clinches Ohio and Texas to keep her going)(I have nothing against Barack Obama, it's just that I think he'll have his time) (His overwhelming and unprecedented zoom to popularity gives me a clue that this might be his time, though)

2. whether President Arroyo takes the call of the people for her to step down or let herself be ousted by yet another people uprising.

3. whether the Filipin0-American in the top 18 of this year's American idol keeps it up till the Finals.

4. whether the debris of the US satellite which was shot down (yes, the US Navy had it "direct hit" 21 Feb) will still cause damage on earth, if not on outer space where many satellites and space observatories are)

5. whether the toxic recin can be easily taken hold of by anyone and if it can be anywhere in the Philippines, too.

6. when will conflicts in Gaza, in Darfur and right here in this country end.

7. how the Sandiganbayan can speed up the case against Governor Reyes by ignoring his right to due process.

Gotta log off for now... I must be studying!

Places in Puerto Princesa I had been lately..

2008-02-26T08:50:00.003+08:00

Puerto Princesa Cathedral....The Church of Our lady of Immaculate Conception)

Palawan Crocodile Farm and Wildlife Center

Happy Monthsary.

2008-02-20T05:37:00.007+08:00

I was about to forward this message back to Mary, the leader of a group of PSU Tourism students who researched on the Palaw'an tribe in our locality last December and whom I was able to help a bit during their stay in Bataraza. But my phone screen directed me to the end of the message. I thought it was a missent. It reads:

Hi bAby! Happy mOnthsary..LUv U! mwAah..!

Reader has to scroll down, otherwise he wont get to read what follows....

Nagta2ka ka?

Nagta2ka dn
nga aq eh..

IPAsa mO sa iba
pra mgtaka dn
cla.. hEhe..

Just another one of those forwarded "panggudtaym" messages being spread out through SMS. Too good that the "Forward Message" feature of my phone defaults me to the end of the whole message. So I wasn't fooled. I wasn't surprised the first person (A.G.) who responded got a mobile phone the same as mine.

Anyway here's how the female species, whose mobile numbers are in my phonebook, responded:

A.G. : Hehehe asarn sna kta kuya jerOme e kala kO wROng snt lng. ahihihi

L.V. : Jerome wrong send ka

L.V. (hirit pa) : Ang sweet nyo naman baby pa tawag nyo

A.T. : Hoy bru, na wrong send ka. hahaha..monthsary h?

E.J. : Ha ha! ANong balita? May pasok ba?

E.L. : A good person is like a lighthouse. It doesn't ring bells nor fire guns to call attention to its luminance...it simply shines - JUST LIKE YOU (eto parang ni-reverse psych ako..ang ganda ng message sana tapos bigla ko naisip para nya na ring sinabing "Wag kang papansin." Aaaarg!)

F.M. : Akalain mo yan?

G.M. : Hahaha

E.V. : Ha3 sumbong kta kay boots.

B.B. : Naloka ako!

R. : Hehe. Bnasa k lhat kya d me ngtaka.

A.B. : MISSENT PO, PARA KNINO KYA 2? MONTHSARY? Ibig sabhn la pa isang taon? Hala!

Z.V. (via Smart i-chat) : hello there. u sent a wrong message to me. you said happy mpnthsary. ? di ko po kayo kilala.

Z.V. ulit : hahha. jerome ka pala!!! bakit happy monthsary sa akin? mali ke sweetheart mo yon eh. not sa akin.

A.T. (hirit pa :)) : Hoy mister, nahiya ka cguro na no? npakaswit nman nung na wrong send m. hehehe..

P.L. : ...guLat aq nOng una, buTi nLng ini-sCroll q.. :)

J.B. : Hehehe

M.R. : Trantado!! Wrong send ka.

W.P. : Wrong send

A.L-? : Nyaha ha ha lakas tama ah !

C.B. : I think misent mo yong mesage mo sa lab mo. Hapi monthlyvrsary.

A.C. (MD) : mukhang wrong send k. Uy..

M.E. : Ngtaka ako! Hehehe, kala k namis m nko, nyahaha..Saya sna.....

As to those who didn't bother to reply, I would assume they're making a good laugh at what I SMS'd. They might be silently ridiculing me. Monthsary pala, huh.

But hey, that wasn't my style. I don't even bother to celebrate my birthday. Nor do I remember that date honey and I first met or communicated.

Others might have thought, "nagpapapansin na naman ang mokong na to!"

Whatever they have in mind, I thank Mary for sending the "missent" message to me. Twas fun. And to those who might have been offended and aren't talking, I'm sorry.

A Satellite plunging down to our midst

2008-02-16T03:21:00.009+08:00

A week ago, or was it a week before a week ago -- that is, 2 weeks ago, I've read about an American spy satellite that has gone uncontrolled in the outer space and is on its way down to Earth! What's scary is that it's still unknown in what part of the planet will its dangerous debris fall , when exactly will it fall, and if there are indeed toxic substances with it.

So what if it hits my country? I just hope its biggest debris plunges down to Malacañang where the greediest and the liars are in full assembly.

What if it hits Palawan? I just hope it makes landfall to any of the homes of those who pretend to serve the province but are in fact selfishly serving themselves.

What if it specifically hits Recaido Road 3 where my apartment is situated and where I am helplessly sleeping or scrolling over my PC keypad just like what I'm doing right now? I just hope Divine Providence thwart it towards Sulu or South China Sea instead. (God, I want a more thrilling and meaningful departure.)

Anyway, to mitigate the harm this broken satellite poses to us Earthlings, the US Navy accordingly plans to shoot it before it re-enters the Earth's atmosphere. Good of 'em. Hope they do it with perfect accuracy since they (Americans) manufactured and sent it to outer space with total inaccuracy (accordingly it has never became operational since its launch).

[ Checking the web, inquirer.net says that if the shooting down of the satellite fails, it will enter our atmosphere on or around March 6! And yes, it does contain 1,000 lbs of toxic propellant! You and me be saved! ]

Valentine's Day?

2008-02-14T14:24:00.002+08:00

It's season of the hearts kuno. Tiba tiba na naman ang mga pakulo at negosyong may kinalaman sa puso at kay Kupido; kasama na sina Hersheys, Toble, etc...

Let them celebrate this hearts day. Let them be happy.

And me, what about me? Ahh, I'm F.I.N.E. ***

I don't know. I've been given so much freedom and yet I now miss the........

***(fed-up, insecure, neurotic and emotional)

I am _ _ + 1.

2008-02-08T20:47:00.000+08:00

I just turned _ _ + 1. Happy Birthday to me. :)

Last night, after a gruelling exam in ObliCon (Obligations and Contracts), I went straight to the new apartment we've moved into. I told myself I gotta make up for the lack of sleep I had been having since we started moving to this new place last Saturday. Had just taken dinner and ready to hit the sack when I noticed my mobile phone, set on a silent mode, getting an incoming call. It was Mards. She, along with Moore and April, were on their way to pick me up. Moore, they said is throwing out a treat (for winning several times in cockfight derbies)(aside from his sabong skills and fortunes, Moore owns the largest 24-hour supermarket in the city) . I really don't feel like going with them. It's just that they were insistent. Salubungin daw namin ang birthday ko. It's going to be my birthday and yet, got no moolah, I told em. Si Moore daw bahala.

We ended up in Kinabuch. It was pulutan galore - french fries, sinuglaw, fried beef lumpia and tamilok. Hardly do I drink without pulutans, and so I hated it that with beer and those munchies I was about to break my self-imposed diet. And break my diet, I did. I wolfed down bottles and bottles of San Mig Light and took in a good many bites and spoonfuls of pulutan! It was going to be my birthday anyway (and they were taking care of the bill ehehe). I was resigned into thinking I can always halve my food intake after this to make up for the calories I would be gaining that night.

Midnight came and we raised our bottles and drank for a happy birthday for me. Only when we were raising our bottles did I realize time is soooooooo fast that i haven't even made major accomplishments in life. At _ _ +1, I cannot feel success. As I gulped my beer down, though, I was being hopeful I'll lick success, too. Not very soon, but I will. Got to. I'll work on it. I gotta work for it. No choice but to work for it.

We stayed in Kinabuch up till a little past 1. Or was it half an hour past 1, I cannot recall. The last thing I remember was that Mards and I were in a heated argument over the issue of mining. A blue-blooded "anak ng minahan" I am, there's no way anyone can talk me out into trashing the mining industry. Moore had to mediate by telling it was time to go home.

The lack of sleep and intoxication laid me to sleep as soon as I reached the apartment.

I woke up at around 7 to see lots of greetings that piled up in my mobile phone's Inbox. Replied to each of them and dozed back to sleep. Every now and then, I'd wake up just to answer SMSes and then would go back to sleeping the day away. I planned not to go to class tonight.

Woke up again around 5:30 pm to see messages saying Judge Pe is not holding class. Perfect. I don;t have to worry about missing any discussion of my favorite professor. Besides I haven't missed a class since the first semester, so that would make me not missing any class still.

Turning the TV and surfing the net for news, I found out today is Constitution Day. (It was 8 February 1935 when the Philippine Constitutional Commission adopted our First Constitution according to Filipiniana.net) Wow. I never knew nor can recall this until today, when Senator Roxas told Mr Lozada his coming to the Senate is sort of significant as "today is Constitution Day" and that he doesn't have to be afraid... So it is not just on this day that I was born and that sexy American starlet got killed. This is also when the 1st ever recognized fundamental law of this country was born. Gotta keep this in mind.

Found out in the news, both from TV and on the web, that the day has been marked with bombs and bombs of revelations about the scrapped multimillion dollar ZTE Broadband deal. Inquirer.net has a good account of today's NBN Deal Senate Investigation. Got a strong feeling, Mike Arroyo, Abalos and their cohorts are in for a deep, deep trouble. Jun Lozada sounded so credible I can already hear the gavel banging against Arroyo, et al.

I never went out except to pick up my laundry at around 8pm. I totally turned down friends asking me out. Kahit mangantyaw pa ang iba. he he. Basta araw ko to and I am spending it just like any ordinary day. What do I have for my birthday? Pancit canton, Skyflakes crackers and Pringles, that's all!

I have aged again!!! Physically, yup......Basta, I'll never get tired of being young. Kahit sa isip lang!!!!!

Switching to the Manila Time Zone

2008-01-27T12:05:00.001+08:00

Ha ha, I've finally reconciled my time and space here to the Manila Time Zone. I used to have a Pacific Time zone here and 'didn't notice my time setting is 16 hours late to reality till I took a look at the horoscope which I last posted.

Still grasping how it is to be a full-time blogger e. Good luck to me.

I'll keep myself waiting but working...

2008-01-16T13:53:00.000+08:00

January 16, 2008

Aquarius (1/20-2/18)

Patience does not always come easy for you, but if you put in a little bit more time waiting for something, you will be much better off in the end. So don't throw a tantrum or push people to give you things you want before they're ready to give them to you. Learning takes time -- you have to hear new things and experience new things over and over again before they sink in. You want to internalize this, down to your core. Then it can inform who you really are. Just keep waiting and working.

As what my stars say according to http://cm.my.yahoo.com/. Visited 16 January 2008, 1416H.

My nephew Butchoy reading. As if he knows how to read. (Isa pang test video )

2008-01-15T16:03:00.000+08:00

Antonio Nicholas. Aka Butchoy.
Give him a book. He'll try to absorb all its contents with keenest, wanton interest. As if his 2 years of existence is such that's too gifted and advanced.
This boy's got strong legs, though. He leaps without falling and I'm talking of 2 rulers++ of height here. And he can keep on doing it all over again! Future soccer player e, just like his Papa Mmy, Papa Do and Papa Tin...
And yes, he clowns around lots of times, too. In one instance, he just sudddenly grabbed his Kuya AJ's lollipop and placed it where? --- in his armpit! (apparently imitating Tatay who would snatch his tiny ball and tease him that the ball's gone -- by squeezing it in his armpits). Kuya AJ of course was caught unaware and coludn't help but cry. Butchoy would even tease his Kuya AJ, "La na 'pop mo..." . Hah, a potential buffoon just like his Papa Yom.

Testing lang ng video posting

2008-01-15T15:46:00.000+08:00

It was a little before 11pm, December 31, '07 when I woke up to find out everyone has been to the church for the New Year's Eve Mass. But unlike on Christmas Eve, when I was sleeping all night while everyone went to church and later on enjoyed the noche buena, I woke up this time before it struck 2400H....

Then, the churchgoers were back and the dining table, inviting. This time I partook of our media noche........

And then....there were the.. Boom! Kaboom! Ksssshsh BOOM!

HAPPY and MEANINGFUL 2008 to all!!!

July 3, 2007

2007-12-11T10:41:00.000+08:00

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

In our Political Law I class last week, the Vice Governor (who has scored a reputable 85% in the Bar) brought up the issue of the constitutionality of President Arroyo’s ascent to the Presidency in January 2001 and I was asked what my view is. I wasn’t raising my hand, though, when he called me; he thought I did, anyway.

So I stood up and admitted, to the amazement of the class, that I, along with my friends and dormmates, joined Edsa Dos (which led to President Erap’s ouster and President Arroyo’s instatement to the highest office of the land). I said that the Supreme Court have legitimized President Arroyo’s ascent to the Presidency when Chief Justice Davide administered her oath as President. President Estrada had been deemed resigned when he abandoned Malacañang on that tumultuous day of protests and nationwide clamor for him to resign; and Supreme Court’s unquestionable integrity is guaranteed by the Constitution itself. (That night I went on to read about the Angara Diary which has become one of the bases of the High Court’s legitimization of the Arroyo Presidency). A classmate supplied that Congress itself confirmed the legitimacy of the Arroyo Presidency.

Ace Mana-ay, one of the brilliant, fresh Pol Sci grads in the class, would later sound like blaming me and the others who marched and rallied against President Estrada and thereafter instating the current President, who according to her, “has been causing too many problems now” and is facing a lot of controversies of anomalies in her leadership.

I defended my self when I went to EDSA in January 2001. I told the class that I was only exercising my duty to be abreast of what’s going on in the country and that I was also exercising my right to take part in voicing out our grievances to the government. As students, I told them, glancing at Ace, that we should not just confine ourselves within the four corners of the classroom but also outside of it. That when I went out and joined the other students in EDSA, I was simply being a Filipino clamoring for change amidst the irregularities, chaos and disorder in the government at that time which revealed the Jose Velarde controversy, plunder issues and other questions on President Estrada’s leadership. I told them it’s a lot better than feeling helpless that you cannot do anything about the issues of the day. Being passive and unmindful of the social issues grappling the nation doesn’t make one a true blue Filipino at all.

We also talked about political maturity with the Vice Governor complaining about countless job applicants he has in his office; and many people asking for anything, thinking of an elected official as provider of employment. For my part, I said that political maturity entails the understanding of not what the government can do for the people, but what the people can do for the government, having in mind countless constituents of my father who would ask anything from him, including even their most basic needs. Ours is not a well-off family, but I grew up with Tatay and Nanay giving out to people things and stuffs which are supposed to be ours, and for us alone. They never tired doing it. My siblings and I have long accepted, to our displeasure, the fact that our parents find joy doing it. This might be the reason why Tatay continues to occupy an elected position in our town. Their deeds never enriched us with financial and physical gains, but it enriched us with friends and followers -- from the modest and the well-to-do in the community down to those who are really unfortunate in life -- who know us and look up to us, even if we ourselves do not know them.

So much for this journal entry for now. I’m off to another class of Vice Governor Ponce de Leon tonight. I’m sure it’s going to be another dynamic class discussion.

July 2, 2007 entry

2007-12-11T10:38:00.000+08:00

Monday, July 2, 2007

In a local family compound here in Liberty Road where I currently take residence at, I occupy a two-room boarding house I share with Eric, a 3^rd Year Nursing student at HTC who is a nephew of a family friend. The house sits adjacent the house occupied by the family of Leah and Liit, the identical twin sisters who always wake me up with their tiny yet earsplitting, screals, I call them --- screams + wails. They are lovely little girls @ age 4 who go out and sport different dresses but with the same hats covering their both curly hairs. They sing together and smile exactly the same way. If not for their difference in size evident from their monikers, I could hardly distinguish who is who….

“Ang kulet, kulet mo!!”

“Aaaah! Hindi naman ako kulet!!”

“Bad ka!!!”

“Waaaaa! Mama o!! Di ba hindi ako bad?!!”

Again, they woke me up with these screals today. I didn’t even know who was saying what. I couldn’t tell who’s accusing who.

I’m beginning to get used to their screals, though. They serve as alarms for me to get up, have breakfast and start on my readings for the day. I even begin to withstand their screals while am hooked up with my readings.

God bless Leah and Liit.

A Journal Entry

2007-12-11T10:33:00.001+08:00

Sunday, July 1, 2007

Today’s the first of the following days that I will be writing a daily journal. I haven’t been doing this for quite some time now, but for the sake of complying with one of Prof. Tabang’s requirements, and maybe, of looking forward to reaping the benefits and joys of writing, notwithstanding my limited creativity (if ever I got a piece of it) and narrow flair for writing, I am scribbling with my pen now..

Well, we have elaborated in our Basic English class the usage and importance of keeping a journal. So, why not do this with gusto then? Here’s hoping I can keep it daily.

---ooOoo---

Baragatan ‘07 just came to a close. I didn’t witness any of its daytime-to-nighttime week-long spectacles. I have been pre-occupied with my reading assignments that I hardly had time to go out and see for myself the fun and colors of this year’s celebration. The celebrations in 2002 and 2003 were the only Baragatan’s I witnessed; but since then I have always looked forward to watching the street-dancing with the extravagant display of each participating town’s dances, motifs and heritage; the nightly concerts and entertainments; and dining and drinking at the capitol grounds.

More than two weeks into law schooling, I just suddenly find myself coping with a lifestyle I haven’t had for ages! Am back here in Palawan and I just missed the recent Baragatan. I also miss beer, watching movies in big screens and a 7-8 hours sleep, and a lot more things and those stuffs that singles at my age do. I gotta re-learn a scholar’s life and that includes disciplining myself and shunning gimmicks which I have become accustomed to. God, it’s going to be upsetting.

But hey, I want to be a lawyer. I need to be a real law student then. I hope though that, time permitting, I will still be able to see to it that I wont be a “dull John”. Let me put my version of that saying this way: All study without getting a break will make Eyom a dreary guy.

For Mam Tabang

2007-12-11T10:05:00.001+08:00

In my first semester in law school, I was surprised to find out that a Basic English course is on the list of subjects I needed to enroll in. PSU School of Law must be the only law school that includes this course in curriculum. It's good, though and I have nothing against it. I think it would help a lot re-learning the basics of the universal language especially since our laws and jurisprudence are written in English. And hey, the Bar Exams had never been conducted in Filipino ( Did I hear that story of a very brilliant law student, so brilliant and patriotic, that in the Bar Exams he answered in Filipino to further his clamor of "Filipinizing" our legal system? He did not make it, of course. )

One of the tasks we had in the course was journal writing. And since I really do not write, I would just take note of the subject of my journal entry each day. There were days I forgot to take note of an event or extraordinary thing that happened that I had to recall by asking my classmates. My notes for my journal entries piled up until I crammed my way into submission day.

I would like to post in here some entries of my journal. :) This is for Ma'am Ruth who's always been very understanding of her students and with whom we never had any qualms re-learning the basics of English. We had a meaningful time with you, Ma'am! We know it's going to be the same case in our Advanced English class this semester.

Testing

2007-12-11T09:10:00.002+08:00

My shot of the Provincial Capitol Grounds. December 2007.

Meri Krismas and Hapi New Year!

This is the usual greeting of us Filipinos in this time of the year. With the traditional Christmas Day approaching and of course, a New Year upcoming , this greeting is once again in the airwaves; being flaunted by our TV shows; sent to our mailboxes, snail mail or email or a quick sent to our phones' inbox; displayed conspicuously in public places; used ostentatiously by PR and Ad firms for their big time clients-companies; and oh yeah, by government officials, too! At this time of the year, no other gimmick or strategy can be more, I'll say, cost-effective...or yes, profitable (ie. what with those gifts, high and top-grossing sales, millions of pesos worth of PR mileage, constituents' approval rating) than making the most of this too-commercialized-and-politicized greeting.

I know there are still many who would say or make use of the season's greetings for the sake of reminding others of the season's real spirit and of wishing them well. To them I say, Meri Krismas and Hapi New Year! And to the others? --- Well, I say the same. :)

Yearning to be a blogger.

2007-12-11T08:10:00.000+08:00

I've started blogging in my Friendster account more than 2 years ago, I think. But for lots of factors and hundreds of reasons (or non-reasons), I wasn't able to do it, I mean to blog, with continuity. On top of 'em all, I don't consider myself a writer.

But what the heck, I want to write now. Am not a writer. But let me discover how to write. Let me be a blogger on my own.

Chronicling my Chronic Foibles

Buhay Lakwatsero = B- (as of 2 February 2009)

Maruyog Mountain Resort, Brookes Point Palawan

Daluyon Beach Resort

Ursula Island

Food Poisoning in Rio Tuba

Hillary's speech at the DNC

They want us part of the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity

Watching the Pambansang Kamao at the 135 lbs Bout

An Attempt to be in the Guiness Book

Araw ng Tatay

Baragatan

Baragatan 2008

Ca sez:

Back to Puerto Princesa

Farewell, Nay Tesing.

Hillary publicly and officially ends her bid for the US Presidency.

Hillary about to admit defeat?

Now i'm kind of commercializing this Blog!

It's Fiesta and the President is in town..

Philippine Entries in the Seach for Wonders of Nature now in Top 11

Ground-breaking of Water System in Barangay Inogbong

GMA is coming to town.

Letsugas sa Bataraza ( Lettuce Garden in Bataraza, Palawan)

Enchanted Kapangyan Falls

Kapangyan falls

Two old buddies, Waraynons and the Iwahig Penal Colony.

A fortuitous event in Mainland China.

:(

Hate myself.

Blue Colors

Sunday surfing

Places in Puerto Princesa I had been lately..

Happy Monthsary.

A Satellite plunging down to our midst

Valentine's Day?

I am _ _ + 1.

Switching to the Manila Time Zone

I'll keep myself waiting but working...

January 16, 2008

Aquarius (1/20-2/18)

My nephew Butchoy reading. As if he knows how to read. (Isa pang test video )

Testing lang ng video posting

July 3, 2007

July 2, 2007 entry

A Journal Entry

For Mam Tabang

Testing

Yearning to be a blogger.