Cold New Year

For a tropical creature like me, it's frigid to be in a place with temperature of 7C which feels like 2C (according to weather.com).

Asian disasters

As of the moment the death toll of the killer tsunami brought by the 9.0 intensity earthquake in Indonesia has reached 116,000. Looks like Asia has its fair share of tragedies and disasters for the year 2004. The tsunami has killed more than 80,000 in Indonesia with deaths also recorded in Thailand, Malaysia, Burma, Bangladesh, India, Maldives and Sri Lanka.

The Philippines has just recovered from a very strong typhoon in the North as well as landslides in the South. In the middle of the year, Japan was whacked by typhoon Tokage, the strongest in a decade that killed over 60 people with packed winds of about 229 km/h. Mindulle ravaged southern Taiwan in July that killed 29 people.

Reminiscing Computer Center

My first employer is the UIC Computer Center. After graduation at UIC I thought my direct ties with the University ended there; I was moved from a student to a worker. Working at Comcen provided enough knowledge and a good training ground at the time. While employed as programmer I also did teach for Computer Science students. But after three years I decided it was time to move on and face new challenges. Leaving behind Boss Randy, Michael, Tammy, Jovy and Onat, I went to Cagayan de Oro, Manila and eventually Hong Kong.

Now after four years and four companies after UIC Computer Center, I come back to meet the old folks for a short chit chat in time for Christmas. We (Noel, Onat, Maricar, Boss, Brendon, Alden, Michael and me) gathered at Matina Town Square reminiscing about the old days (ref issue, the training center and plans for Hong Kong Disneyland visit next year). It was fun though short-lived; with families to take care, the group dispersed shortly before midnight. The meeting was worthwhile and much better than our exchanges at Yahoogroups.

Misa de Gallo 2004

It's great to hear the dawn Mass again here in Davao. My last one was before the turn of the new millenium. The last Misa de Gallo I had was in St Andrew's Parish in Makati City, while I was working for Zurich in 2000.

Attending Mass in Immaculate Conception church in my place brings back memories of my youth. When I was still in high school, I served as altar boy and would always be present in dawn masses. It was much fun then as I went to mass with many friends, unlike now that I go by my lonesome.

The church has not changed much; the old ceiling was installed shortly after I left Holy Cross of Mintal. Now the painting has been pale and the church floor is dusty. It seemed to me that the place became narrower especially the entrance leading to the church grounds.

Same as before, most of those attending are excited school folks eager to meet their sleepy eyed pals at the end of the church entrance. Not much old people there but maybe I was just seated near to those youthful faces; I don't let my eyes wander around. I never heard the songs sang for a long time. The piano accompaniment used to have guitars, banjo, flute and bass. I wonder where those instrumentalists went; I wish they're still alive and well.

I have heard masses in downtown Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Manila and Hong Kong since I left UIC and I can say those churches away from ICP were more glamorous and well-kept. But owing to the fact that I had my first communion, baptism and service as member of Knights of the Altar, Lectors Group and Legion of Mary makes the place much more meaningful to me.

I never missed the firecrackers which used to wake up sleepy souls seated inside the church. It made the celebration of Christmas in Davao City less raucous and more solemn than in the past years.

Birthday

For the first time in five years I have celebrated my birthday at home in Davao City. My movement to various places in recent years made it difficult to come home for my birthday: losing job twice, probation at work and left behind on my flight were the precise reasons.

The event was simpler than in 2002 where I had quite a number of friends from college, childhood peers and family and neighbors. As we grew older the set circle of friends seem to be wider but the problem of not making it to the party starts when family commitments become the priority; many of my friends are married as well as away from home and settled elsewhere. Which makes it difficult to gather for certain ocassions. The best gathering could have been in 2002.

Christmas homecoming

After 16 months I am again back in Davao, now for the first time to celebrate my birthday in 4 years. It has been a nice homecoming of sorts for me. Not only meet my family and friends, I also get to have a break from the frenetic Hong Kong office pace. After all it's Christmas and everyone should have a break. Too bad the holiday scheduling does not favor office workers as Christmas Day and New Year's Day falls on a weekend. Same for next year.

It is also my first time to step into the new terminal of Davao International Airport which is better looking and more spacious than the Manila Domestic. I had a sleepless night at MD while waiting for the 4:30am flight to Davao. The flight never commenced until 5:30am. That is why it is easy to justify Cebu Pacific modified its disclaimer from 'On time, all the time' to 'On time, over 95% of the time'; too bad we belonged to that less than 5% slice. The good thing is that we reached Davao safe and a lot of hours to spare for a lazy Sunday morning.

Give football a chance

I was elated inside to read the news that the Philippines finally broke the eight-year losing streak in the game of football (soccer) after it defeated Timor Leste 2-1 in a come-from-behind fashion in the on going Tiger Cup tournament. Substitute Emilio Caligdong scored both goals for the Philippines towards the endgame. A goal from Timor Leste at 59th minute put the young country in the lead.

I know for a fact that the Philippines is a perennial whipping boy in the game considered as the most popular in the world. The Philippines is a poor 193rd in the world compared to Tonga (182), Seychelles (172) and Vanuatu (144) whose population was enough to produce better national teams.

As a country growing up raving about basketball, it has been football that suffered less attention. The country used to lord over Asian counterparts in basketball in the 60s and early 70s but was falling behind the Koreans and Chinese and recently to the emerging powers from the Middle East. Requiring height and speed, Filipinos have a harder time dominating basketball as they are in football.

Quinito Henson, though obviously biased in some of his sports features, is my favorite sports journalist. Good to know he has also put more attention to the Philippine football team from his traditional stories about boxing and basketball.

Hopefully the national football team will gain more support and eventually make a name for the country. Not as an embarrassment.

Bus advertisement Hong Kong style

Every morning as I board Citybus, I come across assorted promotions as seen on television. Roadshow has the word ad inside it so it was used as an infomercial across Hong Kong's bus lines where passengers are kept busy looking at ads instead of staring at the crowded streets nor solitary lightpost outside.

I can't seem to like it in any way. Spoken in Cantonese and subtitled in traditional Chinese, a Chinese language illetrate like me has no way of understanding what a talk show host like Kawaii or Angela are talking about. Apart from those, gibberish terms from local guests, the noise it produces is definitely a nuisance. Some bus drivers are considerate enough to lower the volume; people can read the subtitle anyway.

Typical ads currently hot in the market are slimming centres. Ads show up various plump, fat women unable to catch a bus, sit on a public bench or in any forms of humiliation because of their enormous size. Then one friend advises one fat woman to go to this XXX or YYY slimming center; a few seconds of demo on how the process of defattening is done: nurses undergoing some lotion rubbing or laser treatment while the fat woman is asleep. A little later, the fat woman has been transformed into a fairly sexy lady, all smiles while brandishing her two piece suit. She reveals her waistline was down from 33 to 25.

Typical bus ads about medication products, hair growing gels, foot massages or shampoos never fail to show simulation of how the products act on someone's system. According to my ex boss Colin who is a brand expert, this is one way to attract customers into trying the products and promote the brand. Sounds funny but HK ads have been doing all sorts of tricks, most of which are corny, yet they sell and help create the image of a brand.

Fallen Hero

Just past midnight yesterday, Fernando Poe Jr, more popularly known as FPJ in the moviescreen and in the face of politics succumbed to massive stroke. He is 65.

Looking back to his illustrious career, he is a candid gentleman who often portrays the hero character in action-fantasy films. Whether a policeman, a farmer or a Muslim leader, his personality captured the hearts of common townsfolk. Couple that with his low toned, soft-spoken voice he was a shoo-in as a model for righteousness. While many male movie stars are at least linked to various women, like his good buddy Joseph Estrada. His long-time wife Susan Roces is also a respected actress in her own right.

Personally I am not a big fan of him but the fact that he is distinctive of the rest: Dolphy has been married many times, Robin Padilla got hooked to drugs, Vic Sotto is a womanizer, Edu Manzano was rumored to be a gay, Sharon Cuneta married early and divorced later which is common to celebrities. Fernando Poe Jr at least was not into those type of intrigues.

His recent participation into politics was not in his perception until the last few months before the election of 2004. He wanted to help an ailing nation and at the same time, everyone is looking for someone to formidable enough to face an opponent who cut short his pare's Presidential career. It was not his fault to run; he finally gace way to the request of the masses.

When he lost the fight, upon the prodding of his followers and campaign managers, he had to defend what he thought was an opportunity stripped of him. He protested his loss but it did not take long enough for him to give way and support the newly-inaugurated President.

For a person whose acting career spanned half a century, he is an icon of the Filipino movies and a stabilizing force in an industry often rocked by controversy. Too bad he died too soon.

OEC trouble

Yesterday I was pissed of by myself when I realized OEC was not available for processing on Fridays and Saturdays at the Bayanihan Centre in Kennedy Town. I wasted my Saturday morning which I could have used to further clean up my room and do some Christmas cards mailing.

Anyway I got it today, but not after a two-hour queue and almost missing the Couples For Christ Christmas Party at Prudential in Jordan. I would like to think about better alternatives to the current system implemented by the Consulate. Rather than complain, I would rather suggest something sensible. With a huge Filipino population here, the Philippine Consulate has its hands full regarding this matter.

Hopefully I can post it soon here.

Attended a Tagalog Mass with Weng, Mafi, Jenny, Leony and Mia this afternoon. I was wondering if the Mass was for women as I barely see males in the attendance. The priest speaks fluent Tagalog and does his singing well. It is gratifying to be in a Tagalog Mass again after a long while.

Dimebag's Dead!

I have grown up listening to rock music especially when I was in college. Toad the Wet Sprocket is my favorite. I also like REM, Radiohead, Weezer, Live, Garbage and Red Hot Chilli Peppers. One of my admired bands are Pantera whose legendary song Cemetery Gates is an easy choice for a rock anthem.

Dimebag Darrell Abbott is one of the main reasons of the success Pantera plus his brother Vinnie Paul and Phil Anselmo, the vocalist. Pantera disbanded last year and since then Dimebag became a member of a newly-formed band called Damageplan.

But just hours ago, while performing at a club in Columbus, Ohio, he was shot and killed along with a few others by a 25-year old man named Nathan Gale. Gale was subsequently killed by responding police.

I doubt he will be in the rock n roll hall of fame but at least he would have stayed on and played the music that I want to hear.

Meanwhile, Cantonese music sucks; Japanese, Thai, Korean and Filipino music is better.

NAIA Mess

As the primary airport in the country, Ninoy Aquino International Airport caters to more than 75% of all air passengers coming to the Philippines. The service is downright awful if not mediocre: Read this link and find out why: http://www.airlinequality.com/Airports/Airport_forum/mnl.htm

1. Attendants do almost everything as long as you give them tips (Stephen Fitzpatrick)
2. Slow processing at the Immigration counters (Robert Luff) )
3. In ensuring security, male security officers frisk young women vigorously (really?) while taking it far easier on the men passing by (Dave Innes)

If that is not enough, now there is a recent proposal to charge passengers for trolleys. Yikes, your trolleys even look dilapidated compared to Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok and Beijing airports I have been to. And no other airport does charge for that! It is part of the service the airport renders to incoming passengers whose airplanes they ride pay the airport fees to land; not only that, passengers themselves pay for the airport fees, unless one has an Overseas Employment Certificate that exempts you from paying. I doubt you would put toilet papers for free or at least make comfort rooms comfortable if you impose such fees. Mr Administrator think about it.

The good thing I can say is that since the airport is manned by Filipino staff, the inherent quality of hospitality is there. No matter how you describe it.

The Wedding Invitation

I got a invitation from Shasha, a former SFC sister in Hong Kong; on her wedding at the end of this month. I feel special because I am told I am the only guy in the group who got it. Unfortunately I will be in the Philippines 19-28 which means I am back in Hong Kong by the time of her wedding. Sorry Sha.

It has been three years since I lost my job at PCCW... and today's Jade Rath's birthday!

In Love with Gmail

I have more than a dozen e-mail accounts so far, Yahoo!, Hotmail, Go, BuildingBrands, Pacific Connections, etc. But when I got into Gmail, I got hooked to it. It seems e-mail has never been easier to access and more convenient to use. I open it all the day without logging into my office machine, no need to check new e-mails as the auto reload function is in place. I use Mozilla to and open one tab dedicated to it. Once I glace at Gmail - Inbox (1) in the tab it means I have one new mail. The organization of e-mail is ordered so that a history of previous messages is arranged in what I call "plates" instead of scrolling down. Most of all it has 1 gigabyte of space to spare.. Way to go.