It started raining last Sunday. Manakanaka.
It was very difficult to get a ride from office. It turned out that some streets, including Sheik Zayed Road, were closed in connection with US President Bush’s coming Monday. I had to skip my taichi class.
Monday was declared a holiday. Good decision. It would have been chaotic.
Nampating, kailangang labhan uli ang sinampay ko.
Yesterday was terrible. It rained all day. Streets were flooded and people were stranded or stuck in traffic for hours. Parang Pilipinas.
Pumapatak na naman ang ulan sa bubong ng bahay. Ito’y hindi ko akalaing ... mangyayari pala ... sa Dubai.
It was raining again when I went to work this morning. The weather got better around 2:00 o'clock in the afternoon. The sky was still cloudy when I was going home from office but I think I caught a glimpse of the sun.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
is this Manila?
Have you been in MMDA-controlled Manila already?
I came from a Singaporean vacation last October 2007. That country was hell of a clean space. You know what I mean if you have been there?
I have lived in Singapore for two years starting from 2003. Honestly, I was impressed because the place was clean and orderly. All the things I wish my country are to be.
But lo and behold, I was surprised. In my return visit last time, I was delightfully surprised that Manila that I know to be was dirty, was now (unbelievably) pretty clean. I am looking for reasons to explain this phenomenon. It may be an election period so that roads and by-ways are clean and squeaky. It may be a something else, but the heck with it. As far as I am concerned, it is political will. And that is rare. Political will is hard to come by these days.
For example, in the San Pedro-Biñan National road, concrete establishments are demolished because they have encroached into public territory. These structures have been there since time immemorial. No public office can get them out of these public lands nor have the political will to evict these squatters of the same. At present, the Old National High-way needs to be widened. No other entity has the political will to do this except for the MMDA.
I give my kudos to the Dictator of Metro Manila (MMDA) whom political will is stronger than that of neither any of the existing political party nor the prevalent kiss-arse attitude of our times.
We need professional and strong politicians now than ever. I hope they come in our time of need. God help us.
Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!!!
I came from a Singaporean vacation last October 2007. That country was hell of a clean space. You know what I mean if you have been there?
I have lived in Singapore for two years starting from 2003. Honestly, I was impressed because the place was clean and orderly. All the things I wish my country are to be.
But lo and behold, I was surprised. In my return visit last time, I was delightfully surprised that Manila that I know to be was dirty, was now (unbelievably) pretty clean. I am looking for reasons to explain this phenomenon. It may be an election period so that roads and by-ways are clean and squeaky. It may be a something else, but the heck with it. As far as I am concerned, it is political will. And that is rare. Political will is hard to come by these days.
For example, in the San Pedro-Biñan National road, concrete establishments are demolished because they have encroached into public territory. These structures have been there since time immemorial. No public office can get them out of these public lands nor have the political will to evict these squatters of the same. At present, the Old National High-way needs to be widened. No other entity has the political will to do this except for the MMDA.
I give my kudos to the Dictator of Metro Manila (MMDA) whom political will is stronger than that of neither any of the existing political party nor the prevalent kiss-arse attitude of our times.
We need professional and strong politicians now than ever. I hope they come in our time of need. God help us.
Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!!!
Monday, January 14, 2008
our election
This is the grassroots level of democracy and fair an election should be, ideally. Popular right of suffrage was invented by the Americans and was propagated throughout the world after the Second World War. This idea was given a class room trial at the time of the Thomasites (a term for the American teachers that came into the Philippines on-board the U.S.S. Thomas). Voting for the class officers, a class of 40 pupils, after canvassing, to the shock of the Americans, found out that a total of 53 pupils have voted. Was it a deficiency in mathematics? Beats me, better ask someone else then. Though democracy came early in our shores, electioneering and rigging comes just shortly behind.
Far from being an American and similarly so as being fair, I admit that, I participated in this “barangay” election period, as biased as I can be in favor of my ex-choir friend more so when I found out that he was running for a seat in the barangay council.
Going on, I never met him when I was on a 5-week “pearl of the orient” vacation last October 2007 not until just hours after the elections. When we did, it was kinda’ arguing about the democratic contest that he has just lost. We invited him to join us in a post-election drinking spree (I drink occasionally, and this is an occasion. Hehehe!!!). Although, during the campaign period, there was an alcohol ban, (drinking is not allowed. Well, when you are caught ofcourse. He3!!!) We nevertheless have done what all devotees of the Oktoberfest would do, DRINK & be merry!!!
I remembered the time when I were in college and ran for Grad Class Vice-Preisdent. The campaign period was rather good for me, until it was finally over. The “over” part was hard to accept. I was in the losing end of the election story. It did not fare very well to my ego. So I was accusing the other side of all conceivable things to justify their win. Rubbish. It was a landslide, it was decisive, and it was a knockout. It was uncontestable. Then ego turned to grief. Most of my running-mates cried. I did not cry with them, really. I was gazing up the sky, wondered what had had happened. There we were, on our backs on weary and weathered limestone, wallowing in despair on top of the battlements of old intramuros, looking for signs in the night, that maybe, all of these talk of defeat was just a really bad dream.
I understand my friends’ loss. I really do. I can relate with the sucker that he is now. Maybe it’s because of the sucker who I really have been. So when we were giving all his lamentations to us half-drunks, we just took it and gave encouragements and expressions of support to our recently defeated/injured friend. Sigh! That’s life.
Well, back into 2007, the winners of the barangay elections were the incumbent. And, as the gossip from the grapevine suggests (from inside the FX, from the wet market shoppers, vendors and from your regular corner bums), a PhP 1,000.00 reward was offered for those who voted for favored candidates (?). Although no legal protest were filed in Court by the aggrieved parties, the bribery issues was generally accepted as truth by the population. So, nothing could be done according to the eyes of the Law. But as far as I am concerned, the maiden Law became a whore of the highest bidder. Darn….
“The people deserve its government”. There are many things to say about his, but I will abstain, for now.
If money is the root if all evil, also, money is a requirement for election victory. money is the root of all evil. Could it be deducted then, that election victory is the root of all evil?
So, the night ended in awful sorrow for our friends’ loss. But hey, let us just account what had had happened, learn the lesson in it. And then, just move on. In the end, it is a question if you are still the man you still are and you're the man you hope to be? After this struggle, I hope you held you’re balls well. It is all that you have when you face your Creator.
As for me, we hope you do your best in life and in all jovial favor I say, let us drink to that!!!!!
Far from being an American and similarly so as being fair, I admit that, I participated in this “barangay” election period, as biased as I can be in favor of my ex-choir friend more so when I found out that he was running for a seat in the barangay council.
Going on, I never met him when I was on a 5-week “pearl of the orient” vacation last October 2007 not until just hours after the elections. When we did, it was kinda’ arguing about the democratic contest that he has just lost. We invited him to join us in a post-election drinking spree (I drink occasionally, and this is an occasion. Hehehe!!!). Although, during the campaign period, there was an alcohol ban, (drinking is not allowed. Well, when you are caught ofcourse. He3!!!) We nevertheless have done what all devotees of the Oktoberfest would do, DRINK & be merry!!!
I remembered the time when I were in college and ran for Grad Class Vice-Preisdent. The campaign period was rather good for me, until it was finally over. The “over” part was hard to accept. I was in the losing end of the election story. It did not fare very well to my ego. So I was accusing the other side of all conceivable things to justify their win. Rubbish. It was a landslide, it was decisive, and it was a knockout. It was uncontestable. Then ego turned to grief. Most of my running-mates cried. I did not cry with them, really. I was gazing up the sky, wondered what had had happened. There we were, on our backs on weary and weathered limestone, wallowing in despair on top of the battlements of old intramuros, looking for signs in the night, that maybe, all of these talk of defeat was just a really bad dream.
I understand my friends’ loss. I really do. I can relate with the sucker that he is now. Maybe it’s because of the sucker who I really have been. So when we were giving all his lamentations to us half-drunks, we just took it and gave encouragements and expressions of support to our recently defeated/injured friend. Sigh! That’s life.
Well, back into 2007, the winners of the barangay elections were the incumbent. And, as the gossip from the grapevine suggests (from inside the FX, from the wet market shoppers, vendors and from your regular corner bums), a PhP 1,000.00 reward was offered for those who voted for favored candidates (?). Although no legal protest were filed in Court by the aggrieved parties, the bribery issues was generally accepted as truth by the population. So, nothing could be done according to the eyes of the Law. But as far as I am concerned, the maiden Law became a whore of the highest bidder. Darn….
“The people deserve its government”. There are many things to say about his, but I will abstain, for now.
If money is the root if all evil, also, money is a requirement for election victory. money is the root of all evil. Could it be deducted then, that election victory is the root of all evil?
So, the night ended in awful sorrow for our friends’ loss. But hey, let us just account what had had happened, learn the lesson in it. And then, just move on. In the end, it is a question if you are still the man you still are and you're the man you hope to be? After this struggle, I hope you held you’re balls well. It is all that you have when you face your Creator.
As for me, we hope you do your best in life and in all jovial favor I say, let us drink to that!!!!!
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
New Year's Eve Revelry
A concluding sequence to a series of celebrations for the year 2007 completed last night. This time to a reinvented placed where I have my Christmas Eve dinner. The flat now becomes a much comfortable placed decorated with balloons around, furnished with new sofa and audio/video cabinet.
Smiling Louie opened the door for me and was greeted by versatile Carl singing a song. Bringing a wine as share inside the kitchen, I found Mariz and Edwin about to place the palatable tokwa’t baboy in the center table in the living room.
We have our dinner earlier since we have to get out before the New Year arrive, Celso lead us into encouraging prayer before partaking the foods.
When Donald arrived from visiting some friends, we started showing all weve got, a final push for year 2007 expressions, and we sing our favorite songs. Mariz and Donald's visitor Asi, taught us choose songs easily using mediacom remote control.
Once we are short of air, we now decided to breathe some fresh one, we go out the building to feel the festivities outside. We found Elvin waiting downstairs waiting for us.
We got excited while walking to a place near the world renowned Dubai creek, to watch the welcoming of the New Year. Droves of people flock near the creek bank. At exactly 12 midnight, fireworks started to light the sky, I have to move to a nearer view to took some snapshots. Since a little bit far to our place, I decided to took a video shot instead. Then we took also of our photo while feeling a more relaxed ambience after the fireworks.
Somehow a bit energized after taking a satisfying outside view, we walked back to host’s flat and continue jamming. Elvin added some flavor for the type of music we are singing which somewhat I was able to sing. Celso and Edwin have their own dance part that concluded our celebration.
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