Elmer Blogger

Saturday, July 30, 2005

The Horrors of Africa Should Not Happen Again

It's a rainy Hong Kong day prompted me to stay home and scan my television for any interesting programs. As I only had a handful of free channels on top of my subscription of ESPN, BBC and Star Sports, I had few options and almost half of them are broadcast in Cantonese. I picked BBC because sports channels have been filled with those boring golf tournament coverages.

I found myself watching the horrors of poverty in Africa that triggered the dramatic act dubbed as the biggest concert ever held in history. It was 1984 that the starvation in Ethiopia moved Boomtown Rats vocalist Bob Geldof to appeal to fellow artists in encouraging people to show support by donating funds. In return U2, Spandau Ballet, Madonna, David Bowie, Duran Duran, Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, Sting and many others performed trans Atlantic and generated millions of dollars in the project called Live Aid.

What I discovered was that there was a time in Europe that crops stored in European Economic Community's Belgium warehouses were rotting while Ethiopians have nothing to eat. Geldof confronted Margaret Thatcher and asked why this is happening. Indeed, poverty is a total human embarrassment when people should not be left starving to death in a world not yet in ultimate need of food that struggle to buy has become a challenge.

What is touching is that one dying little girl who was randomly picked by a Red Cross volunteer grew up to be a lovely lady and even went in front of the crowd during Madonna's performance to remember that momentous event 20 years ago. The Red Cross volunteer would even considered her superhuman effort analogous to the Auschwitz camps of the invading Germans in World War II when prisoners are picked up for execution. In Ethiopia, children had to be picked for medication since there is scarcity of supplies. Weaker children are not picked "because they will eventually die" and the healthiest in the pack becomes the luckiest as well. Too bad.

I also watched the movie "Hotel Rwanda" where I thought Don Cheadle performed an award-winning role as a hotel manager in time of the massive genocide that took place during the last decade of the millenium. As it's also a true story, I now come to realize how greed and indifference can cause destruction of unimaginable proportions. It is believed that about a million men, women and children of Tutsi and Hutu tribes perished in Rwanda in 1994. I was in college at the time tired of hearing the news about the death of thousands in a process called ethnic cleansing. (In a lesser number but of equal importance, the news about US troops killed in suicide bombers, car bombs and ambushes in Iraq is also a boring news but sooner than later I will realize the evils of war)

Why does Africa have to suffer this fate? People there are mostly poor and underprivileged. While the rich and famous are enjoying their fortunes in their luxury yachts in the Caribbean or burning their crisp bills in Las Vegas, these human beings in their think skeletal frame, begging for bread crumbs, almost unable to speak. And as this article is being prepared and as you are reading this blog, people there are dying. Niger and Sudan becomes the latest countries afflicted by this starvation curse. Diseases as cause of their death is an understatement.

It's a world far from being perfect. And I believe it's designed to work that way.

Remembering my Clark experience Part 2

When I was inside the wide sprawling green landscape, I always come to think America is such a rich country that even in territories it can't call its own, the facilities are above par. Surely, there are areas in the United States that are less appealing than Clark Development. I can see the greeneries of Mimosa Estates where very important people play their leisurely game of golf. On the far end is an airstrip (or was it the Diosdado Macapagal Airport?)

Finally I came to the described place by Toto, and less than two minutes, he emerged from somewhere and for the first time since graduation, I met my friend. As the interview will happen in the afternoon, we had time to reminisce college days with much fun: being chased by drunken retards at a hangout near the campus, my relentless pursuing of a classmate whom Toto served as a part-time "bridge", our days programming Assembly Language and welding components from dusk till dawn. (How I wish I get to talk to many of my high school, grade school and college friends at least once a month and have a hearty conversation, than be on my own most of the time in Hong Kong)

He lives in a staffhouse, a neat housing provided by the company to programmers and developers mostly from Manila and other provinces. In contrast to the crowded and chaotic Manila, Clark is where minds of geeks sensitive to noise would probably work best. Even much better than my work place at the time (I was employed at a University located next to Davao City's biggest wet market). There is a place for basketball, table tennis, plenty of space for football, test driving and anything that requires ample workspace.

While looking at the place, assuming I got the offer and took the job, I imagined how quick will I be able to adjust working away from my family for the first time. First I would have freedom to build up myself. Do the cooking, budget my salary, manage my time, etc. I would have to travel by plane for an hour and half plus three hour bus ride instead of having to ride an hour's worth of jeepney trip from UIC to home. I'd guess that's not as bad as those who work in the middle of the desert, separated not just hundreds or thousands of miles away but also four timezones away. Those who come home to their families once every three years. It must have driven me insane.

I should not backtrack. Afterall, before I took the flight I kinda thought I should pursue this, Clark or Singapore.

It's noontime and I am hungry; the early meal I had in Dau did not help much. I am still wary of eating on roadside canteens. It's not mainly on sanitation, it's more on my sensitive stomach. Toto was still on work; he must have took an hour off to meet and talk to me.

The working period is based on honesty. You come on time and you leave on time. No bells to signify it's time to get your share of meal at the school canteen, nor be reminded that recess is only for grade school and high school students.

A little later, I was called for the interview.

After looking around, I told myself I was more interested in living here, not working. I'd still feel more like a worker if I join the labor masses waiting in queue for a ride to the "sweat shops" and hang out for a drink on Friday nights.

Don't get me wrong, but entertainment wise, there's a plethora of drinking pubs in the vicinity. However, as I am not too passionate going out on Friday nights, the facility does not mean too much.

Harry Quiambao was in the office when I came in. I did not look too interviewee looking with my casual outfit and he did not mind it. We talked more about psychologically challenging topics rather than skill measurement. It was because I would be talking to the project managers in a panel discussion.

There were three people asking a variety of technical questions from interest in the web to the upcoming Millenium Bug problem. I told them I want to be part of history as an aspiring Cobol programmer trying to code as time shrinks to the last 8 months or so before Y2K was thought to jam air traffic, disrupt banking systems and render remote controls useless.

It was a rhetoric I used to jokingly impress them which I thought I never succeeded; I was told two months later that hiring has frozen because the company never got the deal with a big government project.

Tuesday, July 26, 2005

Remembering my Clark experience Part I

It was late February or early March in 1999, I can't remember the exact date. But thanks to my old reliable buddy Ronald, I get to post one of the memorable past as a jobhunter. It was the time when I also got the chance to travel far from home (the farthest yet at that time).

I wanted to be independent and challenged myself to be one. At 23, I must be prepared for it. (Listens to the song "Paalam: ..biente dos años na ako, kaya ko na mamuhay ng solo"). After all, what can a 29 year old do that a 21 year old can't. At ComCen, I got an e-mail from a certain Harry Quiambao asking me to come to SVI's Clark Office for a personal interview.

With Toto's invitation I was ready to go to Central Luzon's Angeles City, a place whose physical structure1s still bring memories of the American servicemen's heyday in the 80's.

I took Air Philippines flight for Manila with just my brother's small backpack and wild imaginations in my mind. Knowing Manila's chaotic, frenetic pace, I must be in for some adventure.

I was partial to being an adventurist, as many would-be thrill seekers end up in miserable situations. Home to many rude taxi drivers and inconsiderate citizens, a less witty visitor can often find himself duped, misled or worse, robbed. In contrary, Davao's taxi drivers are mostly corteous that I can't imagine how others still end up killed by robbers.

But to be fair with the other side of Manila, the place is haven for many things: variety of food, thrill rides, bargains, almost endless gigs in the metropolis and beautiful people.

Fellow college batchmate Raul has been working with BIR and later SUN Microsystems is often the caretaker of his "provincemate" visitors. I had to be amazed how he handles things in this city where traffic is a menace, tap water is rarely safe for drinking (when available from the faucet) and typhoons are never experienced in Davao. He manages to stay on the road late at night and wakes up early in the morning to beat the morning rush hour.

It was my first stay in Manila since our Tour '96 - the happiest days of my life. Being a newcomer once more, I get to see many things I only see on television: the MRT, jeepneys plying to places already familiar in the silver screen: Cubao, Quiapo, Kalentong and University Belt, people speaking the natural Tagalog accent; Davao's coños still sound too crude when speaking the National Language.

Raul's staffhouse is a microcosm of modern Manila's yuppy lifestyle: a housemate stuck on the phone, managing to wave hi to us; another one was in front of the television while poring over the latest tech gadget. There are clothes beside the refrigerator and the kitchen's little table was neatly divided into sections where each of the occupant places his proprietory bread, strawberry jam, cans of corned beef and a few Pringles tubes. They sleep late and wake up early on weekdays and I guess they stay in bed until 11am or later on Saturdays.

The next day I will be in Angeles aboard Victory Liner in which I will make a stop in Dau and take a jeepney to Clark Gate. After I woke up early in his beeper's ring, Raul and I did not spend an hour before going out of the house before 7am. I felt awkward as I am not used to skip breakfast. After Raul wished me well for the trip and interview, I was mixed with nostalgia and nervousness inside the bus. It was just three years ago when I was with the noisy college friends who couldn't care what the world would say as long as we have fun on this very road. I was anxious of getting the job and giving myself a break to the real world of laborers, where morning's are more challenging than singing the same alma mater song I first sang some seven years ago.

The road was less bumpy and the ride was comfortable. When I reached the mouth of the wide CDC compound, I had no idea how I can come in as the guards required company ideas of tenant companies. I pretended to be one and got away. The bus ride featured a rather patriotic song of Gary Valenciano about Pampanga.

Sunday, July 24, 2005

Anything wrong with Tagalog?

Sometimes I hear Mass at St Joseph Church in Central at 4pm on Sundays. This is celebrated in Tagalog and obviously Filipinos dominate the attendance and a Filipino priest will officiate it. I used to skip this schedule since I felt out of place by virtue of being outnumbered by the opposite sex. But I realized it's no longer an issue because I don't go to Mass and measure the ratio between men and women.

I admit I can't memorize the Apostles Creed in Tagalog; I grew up in a Mass officiated in English and Cebuano. But there's no problem comprehending the meaning at all. The homily is very well delivered by either Father Midas or Father Emil. The choir rendition is excellent. And unlike the 6pm Mass, ushers are willing to help you locate a vacant seat when available.

But a few of my friends here prefer to attend English Masses. The reason is that Tagalog is a little 'too deep'. I came to think of it. It's ironic*. When we talk in Tagalog, it's usually the Manila-based friends who come to frown/smile/feel puzzled when a term is inserted in a sentence (something I have often heard in my Filipino class with Ma'am Alejandro or Ma'am Carongay during my grade school/high school years).

As a Cebuano speaker by default, I have had those experiences when arguing is a pain because my accent is terrible and feels very promdi.

Although it's a fact that English is deteriorating in the Philippines as shown in difficulty of recruiting call center agents who speak fluent English and compose grammatically sound sentences, (As a sidebar, I felt embarrassed because our CLP poster's teaser is grammatically wrong. How many of my blog entries and SFC/Batch97 articles fall into the same category? Anyway, thanks to Junjun for pointing the mistake.) Tagalog may also be one of the languages whose principal speakers find it difficult to use. Pinoys would use 'sakit' rather than 'karamdaman' (sickness), and often substitute Filipino words with English thus the birth of Taglish language (maybe distant relative of Singlish in Singapore), the essential element of a coño culture.

Many congressmen and national leaders deliver their speeches proudly in English, often misprunouncing words to the chagrin of the press and often landing on Nestor Torre's Boob Tube Boo Boos at INQ7.

Or one tribal leader in the South who want to unite four languages/dialects by using them all in one speech.

The point I want to drive my blog is that we must not be hypocrite towards speaking/not speaking/using/not using our native tongue. And as I say this, even before I start studying Japanese from Gloria's book, I want to make sure I am well-versed with the Tagalog, English and Cebuano first.



* In the movie Reality Bites, Wynona Ryder was asked about the meaning of the word 'ironic' in a job interview and she failed. To a castaway like Ethan Hawke, defining the word was a breeze, when asked in the middle of a coffee talk. I somehow relate this scene to the entire situation I am talking about.

What if

Okay, this is not an article asking what if Steve Nash, NBA's reigning Most Valuable Player, is a Filipino.

Since I am a Filipino, and the hottest topic in the country now is about the impending impeachment, whether it will push through or not, and all the scandals surrounding the impending state of the nation address by President Arroyo.

Obviously this is a game running in circles, a gulong ng palad charade wherein when ex President Estrada was the leader of the country, his subordinates were lording over the opposition and the by the time Arroyo became the President, her subordinates took advantage of the situation. This bickering will never end, which always worry me, for many reasons.

Recently, London has been rocked by a couple of explosions in two weeks, proving that certainly a country's superpower status won't mean it's safe from terrorism; I don't know of a fight where guerillas were ultimately wiped out (see Hukbalahap, Viet Cong, Khmer Rouge, etc). Within the last 24 hours, another set of bombs detonated in Egypt where tourists and locals were among the dead. Looking back, there were bombs in Bali, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and in Manila's LRT system. A common denominator among these locations is that they belong to countries who wage war against terrorism.

What if another bombing is being planned in Manila, where crowds of people are a norm during rallies and demonstrations? One thing could lead to another but I suspect initially that if the victims were pro-GMA, the blame will be against the opposition and vice versa. While the police is busy waging its own battle against students and militant groups performing mass actions, another group may be on its way to trigger another disaster that will cost lives.

We need to be united. Experience will prove disasters unite us. But do we have to wait for a deadly bomb to explode in a crowded Manila street to get the government and critics unite? It's difficult to get away with the current situation but have a think of what might happen if my fears will come true.

Saturday, July 23, 2005

From Horny to Viewy

Microsoft recently announced a name change of its long-anticipated product line for its operating system release. Long dubbed with a code name Longhorn, it will now be officially known as 'Windows Vista'.

While the whole product will be launched in 2006, the beta version will be released in early August. Probably to have a sneak preview of what it offers and dispel critics of the notoriety of Windows as a security-deprived product, plus graphic enhancements and computing over the web. The release will be five years after the first version of Windows XP went to market in late 2001.

Despite the promising descriptions seen in the Microsoft video shown in the announcement as 'Clear. Confident. Connected', the claim remains a hypothesis until we actually get our hands on it and personally echo the statement. By then we hope the 3C's won't be 'Cluttered. Creepy. Combustible'.

Friday, July 22, 2005

Recommending "Intranet Login for Dummies"



After using our custom-made Intranet system in the office for more than two years, we launched our Sharepoint Intranet today.

Historically, the old version was built primarily to connect officemates opting to work remotely, usually at home, during the SARS crisis in Hong Kong. The benefit was obvious as a coordination among project managers, programmers and designers were somehow visible in there. Of course, one should update his entry/blog to keep track of current projects, vacation leaves or other interesting topics such as websites to visit, movies to watch and book reviews.

I liked the old one despite the limitation in what it offers. After all, it's the first Intranet system I had where my entry is read by everyone. When I was in PCCW I don't remember having to input my thoughts and ideas.

As the two companies merged to become one big interactive agency, the need for more coordination was essential and necessary. The need to facilitate workload, annual leaves, client meetings and use of laptops and boardroom bookings must come in unison.

Well, going back to that new Sharpoint intranet system, everyone was excited I guess. At least twenty more bloggers will be added in the list and updates should come all throughout the day. Previously, I can pick Marco, Angela, Marcus, Ginny and Henry the bloggers whose frequency to update their entries range from often to ocassional. I do mine about five times a month and do it in spurts.

As we got the details for logging in today, everyone was expected to log in and have a feel for the new environment. Personally I still preferred the old one at this point probably because of the features I usually refer to such as the china.com stock price, weather forecast, clickz and wired online feeds.

We use our names to log in as instructed. But someone in the office literally logged in using "firstname.lastname" and not say, "peter.wong" or "kitty.chui". Historically, it becomes the first sensational story of the new blog system. Although I was a bit taken back on making fun of that colleague, the others kept on making fun of her/him that I myself had to join the fun albeit cautious about it. It is not so funny to me but perhaps the fact that we belong to an IT company makes this colleague look like a dummy.

For fun, I would like to recommend an imaginary book from the Dummies Series. This publisher was bashed years ago with insults and pranks that the "Dummies" books won't sell. Look now, they are becoming best sellers of their honest to goodness approach in their instructional materials whose scope has a wide range from marketing to mototcycling, from indian cooking to italian language.

This book is called "Intranet Login for Dummies". It's widely available at Paddyfield or Dymocs locally or you can order used copies at Amazon.

You can find on page 126 on Chapter 7 the instruction on how to login to intranet, part a is for office workers, part b is for geeks, part c is for CEOs and managerial people. Furthermore, if the software complexity is the issue, turn to the next page and you will see a neat list of products and a detailed login instruction. Tips on how to keep your password secret (even if it's absolutely not), choice of avatars, hot topics worth posting (never post something about your chihuahua's eating habits) and other ideas that will make you the most popular blog artist without having to humble yourself. Kidding. Nonsense. Sorry.

There are times when no matter how simple things we're told to do, our minds get blocked out for a few moments and doing such thing becomes a challenge rather than a chore. So I am careful about it. We do make mistakes, but while we make fun of such mistakes, we better watch out we don't repeat it ourselves or next time we become the poster model for the book called "E-mail for Dummies", "Using the Microwave Oven for Dummies", "Calculator for Dummies" or "Washroom for Dummies".

Friday, July 15, 2005

Why The Face

Why does President Arroyo fond of putting her face in the public? Is it not enough to be a President to be recognized throughout the country?

It's not unusual to see construction projects by Public Works Department that displays her giant face, along with an equally obstructing local official if the purpose is to show how much the project costs and when will it be finished and what's the project all about. I wonder if the painting (or printing) would be better off used to paint public schools (or print textbooks).

Now look at MRT. She has the guts to put her face (or at least allow people heading the MRTA) on tickets. Same with Erap. These publicity-hungry leaders (including senators, mayors and congressmen) are more of show off (prefers to meet successful Fil-foreigners than to buckle off for work). Not too bad if you see George W Bush meets the NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs. Nothing wrong it seems, huh.

Now her face is almost scratched off from the tickets mainly because it's been longer used than that of Erap. And when MRT switched to the underused Erap tickets, Malacanang frowns. Well, Erap is not the President and does not deserve to appear in any of the publicly-owned establishments and utilities. But who the hell started it all. If GMA loses the impeachment trial and will have Noli de Castro take over, so print another ticket with Kabayan's photo? What a stupid idea. Naghangad ng kagitna, isang salop ang nawala.

Was it Fidel Ramos who initiated this "poster boy" trend? Maybe I was too young then, but I can't remember seeing Marcos and Cory did it. Correct me if I am wrong.

I read a forwarded e-mail message about the trouble these "squatters" are doing. Yes, they are promised 100 to 300 pesos to join the rally and are picked up by hired jeepneys from their shanties. They shout obscenities that the government is not working to uplift their lives. And in the e-mail I read in caps that these people don't pay tax and yet are the number one who complain. I see it as a partly valid point. Partly because, yes, they litter the roads with unwanted propaganda materials after the rally, don't seem to understand how government tried to help some of them (I heard about houses built by the government for some "squatters" not well maintained or worse, sold or leased out while the "squatters" went back to their "riles" homes, where they're more comfortable as it appears), yet provide no contribution to the country's tax collection efforts (okay, they partly pay in the form of increased prices on various VAT commodities).

But if you were in their shoes, it would be unusual to see yourself do the same. Can you just sit down and wait if you think help is not coming even to those who beg? It's somewhat a message of an insensitive person who is fed up seeing these rallies and demonstrations through the years and we got nothing but trouble. It's a matter of understanding and not sticking to one's principle and insisting it is correct. Why not the leaders of Makati Business Club meet leaders of Baseco and sort out things with less government participation. The Arroyo administration is too weak to tackle the recent scandals. Maybe not so possible because of unreconcilable differences (read: levels of understanding would not meet). I wish they will try. Or any movement that will truly promote everyone's welfare. Bayan and Migrante often utter words against the government and less praise to the government's effort (no matter how half-baked it is), regardless who is the President so I call them not so useful.

We can make a change for the better. What's bad is that we have our pride and we cannot afford to give way to others' ideas even if they are clearly correct.

Stop nepotism and government's apparent penchant for hiring unsuitable officials. Special mention to Gloria Arroyo who appoints these type of people because she owed them something in the past. You are not managing just a family, you are running a nation.

One more thing I read at Philstar: According to Raul Gonzales, FPJ does not deserve to be a President that's why God took him. Can we have a Justice Secretary whose uncalled for remarks further tarnish the government's image. That's the last thing we need in the President's Cabinet members. I pair Gonzales with Ignacio Bunye as the most undesirable officials (who keep on talking without thinking at least twice what they're gonna say).

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

And Barbie's Cradle Becomes A History

As I recall their music from my MD, from Hungry Young Poets to Barbie's Cradle, Barbie Almalbis never loses touch of the way she plays her music. And after eight years spending with bandmates, this time she prefers to stay solo and unobstructed. She may be changing manager but probably not the triumphant progressive folk music she often refers to the type of genre her former group belongs.

I guess this is not something the audience would treat as a surprise. It's in fact a long overdue event to happen. Just as Beyonce Knowles, Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Robbie Williams and Rob Thomas pursued solo careers, Barbie should deserve some break after being in equal footing with fellow bandmates.

Probably, I will keep tuning to my rickety MD or my two albums of Barbie's Cradle (Music From Buffet Table and Playing in the Fields) to imagine as if the band never separated and until she comes with a new album of her own. Till then, Barbie's Cradle will become history.

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Now I know

I have realized how difficult it is to be mute and speechless. My voice almost disappears and when I struggle to say something the more funny I become. Ask Kuya Elmer, Marcus, Ginny, Jess, Alex, Joyce, Waseem and Cissy.

My sympathy to the voiceless people, whose freedom is repressed by the despotic regimes, who cry in their sleep and unable to show their ideas.

To the physically dumb, mute and short-tongued fellows.

I know what it means to be silent.

Sunday, July 10, 2005

Fantasy Capital City

I grew up in a small yet significant barangay in Davao City called Mintal. My non-Davao City friends often ask if I live near a mental institution or at least with the psychologically challenged. Yet, names do deceive but when my excomcen pals raised the possibility of having a separate Mindanao Republic, fellow Mintal resident Omar Mercado, now in Canada, quickly lobbied that our barangay be the capital city -- not barangay -- in the new republic.

Just for fun, but consistently using realistic possibilities. I want to be called a Filipino more than a Mindanaoan. I can't stand having to visit Bohol with passports and immigration procedures attended by officers who speak the language I understood since I was born: "gunja,ahu,injo,unja,wa jamo".

But just in case, here's my addition to Omar's suggestions:

WHY MINTAL SHOULD BE THE CAPITAL

To add up to Omar's lobbying, there are more reasons why MINTAL is not
just a barangay, it's a city pretending to be a barangay.

We have a power generating plant (hopefully working and not
mothballed) for power needs (for power grabbers),

we have a rice mill, for you farmers out there
we have a cooperative bank for the bankers, not the holduppers
we have a trading district dealing with copra, bagon seeds,etc
we have a decent number of bakeries offering pandesal, ensaymada
we have wet market with fish and meat and fruits all year round,
we have holy spirit medical clinic for your wounds and heartaches,
we have smaller clinics specializing in fever, tuli, varicose veins
we have efficient transportation links
we have flower-friendly street names and no "your name here" laws
we're accessible by jeep, helicopter, taxi, habal2 & rural transit bus
we have nice housing units at elenita, and numerous boarding houses
we have extensive farm to market roads linking toril, calinan and ulas
we have rich cultural ties; the japanese built their ww2 memorial here
we have thousands of seedlings to protect environment..

What are you waiting for... lobby now and we will all be happy.. :D

www.makemintalthecapitalcityofmindanao.com - our marketing site

www.mintaltourism.gov.mi -
slogan: langoy ta sa power, tungas ta sa tacunan!

www.mintalisnotmental.com - we're not stiff, we also laugh

www.mintalismypal.com - friendly mintalians at your service

www.mintal.gov.mi - official government site (if approved)

(mi - mindanao country domain name assignment; root zone information)

Saturday, July 09, 2005

Yan ang Pinoy

Embattled Arroyo refuses to quit (read my unofficial say in this page)

I blogged in about my choice of the 2012 Olympic host. London won the bidding war but shortly after that pandemonium and jubilation in Trafalgar Square, agony swept the country and fear was sowed across the world when the morning bombing ripped several locations of central London.

But my blog will not be regarding the vulnerability of Britain as admitted by its stunned officials, let alone the Philippines whose regard for terrorism is a more serious threat than what is going on right now. I am referring to that BBC News in thick bold letters above.

We have a stubborn President.

I admit it was January 2001 when I was with Zurich in Paseo de Roxas and with the invitation of my officemates which included my crush, I joined the rally in EDSA at 11pm with all the traffic Sir Joel has to endure in her Suzuki Samurai.

The rally was aimed to pressure then-President Joseph Ejercito Estrada to step down amid the scandal he was battling. It was then the Vice President Gloria Arroyo who wasn't a big fan of Estrada, and her allies try to pry Estrada away from his Presidential chair in Malacanang. I was proud then, joining the thousands of rally goers and "usyoseros" in this history in the making.

Fast forward 2005 and the ghost of People Power returned. While Edsa Tres went pffft, it has been the appetite of Filipinos to resort to rule of mob when expressing discontent. And who wouldn't resort to it if Congressmen and Senators argue endlessly on the technicality of whether to show the film, hear the tape or not. Worse, they're late comers and overseas traveling circusmen.

There were clamors for separating Mindanao if Arroyo is removed. It becomes an interesting proposition especially that I am from Davao City. I will try another blog about that.

The Philippine press is sometimes stubborn too, eagerly focusing on the sensational issue rather than on the substance. Of course "real news" is there. If the bombing that took place in London happened in Manila or Makati or Quezon City, one staffwriter can easily create sidebar news instead of the more meaty, informative stuff.

Sample headlines would be like:
"Family of fifteen loses one sole breadwinner" story about a balut vendor who endured the second world war only to perish in a worthless death,

"Class valedictorian dreams of making it big" story about a bar topnotcher whose untiring efforts to save the tarsiers of Bohol killed while walking to buy daily necessities,

"'I want to be a nurse' -bomb victim" story about a promising college freshman with hopes to earning big bucks in UK whose quote was extracted from her diary last year.

The masses read it because it's interesting. So why concentrate on the mechanical "who-what-where-why" newswriting? They might say, "can you write something?". OK, I give up.

I wonder which servers INQ7.net or Philstar.com are hosted that with a surge in online traffic, they simply could not stand it and would resort to those plain text news generation. It was good they still provide it free for the cybervisitors to read news unlike the paying ones who buy the broadsheet from their 'suki' newsstand every morning. (Remember, Filipinos spend the third highest number of hours in reading, after the Indians and Chinese).

But they do earn from clicks, admit it. Woe to the advertisers whose fashionable, eye catching animated gifs and Flash presentations are obliterated just because they are hosted in a rickety infrastructure whose site can now only produce straight text and ads are no longer attractive. I can't remember BBC or CNN or FOX site brought down by heavy traffic. As for someone claiming to be leading in providing news online, this is a wake up call.

The Movie Called 'Before Sunrise'

I heard from Karen and Russell that the movie 'Before Sunrise' by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delphy is a wonderful movie. I never bothered to let this pass; I got my first genuine DVD from HMV since my new player arrived at my new apartment (lots of new things there, hah).

Along with another Hawke starrer in Reality Bites (I got it to reminisce the days with Lorellee in mid 90s) and Trading Places (the least popular to me, yet as a comedy movie fanatic, I took it) I felt compelled to get one as I had been brainwashed by the creators of the Simpsons; I would claim to have watched at least 100 of their 350 plus episodes spanning about fifteen years.

Now on to the movie. It's a story of a twentysomething girl (Julie) from Hungary on the way to Paris for her studies and meets a guy (Ethan) on the train and in an instant they fall into an interesting conversation that eventually made the girl abandon her trip and stayed with the guy in his travel to Vienna. The story does revolve around their conversation. What I loved in the story is that the sharings between Ethan and Julie have been revolving in my mind all these years; what if there are 100 men and only one woman on Earth? That intimate exchange of ideas don't necessarily mean love or something platonic in feeling; perhaps just a healthy talk.

And even they relate too well, they also argue on things like the way the palm reader predicts their future or the way the drifter/poem maker composed a nice liteary piece just to earn money.

I also have been in travel even before moving out of the Philippines. I used to work in Cagayan de Oro and once every two weekends I planned to go to Davao, preferring to take the evening travel across Bukidnon for a good 6 hours trip. In some daytime trips I get to meet strangers, say students of CMU or one Pharmacy student from SWU in Cebu who happens to live in Bukidnon and took a break from her reviews. Or one boat trip from Manila on one job interview, I met someone who also is from Davao. I was forced to take the cab and join her just to pretend I am her companion so that someone stalking her at the port would not follow her. I later found out that Davao Memorial Park has a little house inside its compound and she lives there.

The movie affirmed that my thoughts are also thoughts of others. What I believed on asking the 'what if..' questions is absolutely not only exclusive to me and my restless mind. How does painting that look like randomly splattered paint become an art or why we do care about someone who doesn't care about us and us never paying attention to someone who cares about us.

While it's purely conversational in a span of less than 24 hours sprinkled with little touches of kissing scenes and showing the beauty of Vienna beyond its captivating scenery. It would easily be called a low budget film because the story circulates on the conversation in the train, in the cab, the bar, on the roadside and on a green field blanketed with the stars in a summer night. But for those who pay attention to the conversation more than the number of scenes, they won't notice the time has passed the movie has to end even before Julie reaches Paris or Ethan takes that flight out of Vienna.

To me this is a classic movie not too fit to be called romantic, not worth calling comedy. It opens up the mind to a more rational thinking that seldom occurs in a motion picture where actors portray the action and gives you the reason why scenes are happening. Some will provoke your thinking but too often they end up answering the mystery just before you rise from your seat.

I am not a movie buff and admit I prefer American Pie, The Simpsons, Mr Bean and other "not so deep" ones over Lord of the Rings, Star Wars and The Matrix. Maybe it's because I never tried and had no plans to try them anytime soon. But the story of this movie made me ask why movies were not made to go beyond entertainment. Something like indoctrination or brain washing? Hmm, that sounds too far and it's definitely scary. But I hope you got what I mean.

A honest to goodness conversation can indeed go a long way.

Thursday, July 07, 2005

Do I need to explain?

A The Standard cartoonist's perception on where the country is heading.

It should have been Paris

The sight of three cities in obvious disappointment is similar to a swimming or athletics race where only one will end up winning the first place -- even if the clock registers two identical finishes.

But there's a little disappointment in me too.

Among the four competing bigtime countries battle out in PR and reputation (more competitive than the 2008 whose Beijing rivals include Toronto, Osaka, Istanbul and yes, Paris), London deserves a win but I would say Paris would have won in a thin-hair fashion. London both hosted the event twice before: Paris in 1900 and 1924 and London in 1908 and 1948.

I'd rule out Madrid because another Spanish city hosted the Olympics in 1992. Same for New York where another American city hosted in 1996 and had it won the bid, the security of the Olympics would have been unimaginable.

In the dogfight between to cross channel rivals, Paris last hosted the Games 81 years ago, London 57 years ago. And while it's impossible to have it hosted to Africa -- or perhaps Latin America -- at the moment, equality in chances must rule in terms of "whose turn is it next". France has been bidding since 1992 and had been fruitless in its efforts thus far, with this last debacle almost ending on a winning note.

I am sure there are other factors counted in. Budget, security, accessibility are a few of them. Who would want to have a repeat of the Athens construction fiasco? So this time, everyone had to make sure the winning bid won't make a repeat.

But even if any of the four cities is at least 3000 miles away from me and chances of watching live the Olympics is no better than witnessing it in Beijing, to me it should have been Paris winning the 2012 Olympic bid.

Tuesday, July 05, 2005

What a big difference

Read this: http://news.inq7.net/metro/index.php?index=1&story_id=42360

I was late from office due to a colleague's request for help. At 12.56am, Tin Hau or Fortress Hill Stations, the MTR stations closest to the office had the last trips of the previous day. And it's 1.16am in my watch.

I took the cab which I believe won't take more than 15 minutes and twenty five dollars. I hailed one near Zandro's office hoping he will immediately turn left towards Electric Road. But he turned strait ahead towards the direction of Causeway Bay and had no signs of making the opposite direction. I began to suspect he must have misunderstood "Quarry Bay" for "Causeway Bay". I seldom suspect taxi drivers of deliberately misguiding the route to jack up the cost. With his identification card, license plate and "Customer Complaint" number easily read, I see very little sense of them making the abuse. So when I asked him about the intended destination, he was a little agitated and perhaps felt sorry for he was unable to speak English.

We took the expressway which was a smooth ride, overlooking the harbour and the distant lights on the left. When I reached my place, the meter read $34. But he told me to pay only $20 and was even apologetic despite his struggle to prunounce the bill. I got the receipt and he promptly modified the payment printed.

What a big difference that in the Philippines, especially in Manila, taxi drivers are identified as mulcting crocs who are choosy, bad mannered, ill tempered, does not provide a change and even asks for tip for letting you ride their otherwise comfortable taxis. Not all are like that but many are still practicing such behavior (one taxi driver on my ride from San Andres Bukid to Manila Domestic told me the commuters don't understand why taxi drivers are like that; with the traffic, rising fuel costs and the risks of being robbed, they behaved that way). That's why a simple act of honesty, previously regarded as normal, is now revered by the masses and often carry sums of money as reward. Such attitude has almost become extinct.

In my own country I am abused by them. In this foreign land, I am never discriminated by these men behind the wheels.

Sunday, July 03, 2005

Live 8!

If street protests to lobby government officials from the world's wealthiest countries won't work then try something else. And for a change -- this approach isn't new though -- it's the musicians who are making the noise and the protesters are in their comfy couches watching the entertainment. And probably, the world leaders are doing the same.

Madonna, Destiny's Child, U2, Bon Jovi, JayZ, Bjork, Green Day, Bryan Adams, Paul McCartney, REM, UB40, Pet Shop Boys, Robbie Williams, Dido, Elton John, the list of superstars doesn't seem to end.

Hopefully this is gonna make a difference.

Saturday, July 02, 2005

"M. Arroyo was here"

Have you been to any place popular enough that you want to prove to someone that you've been there? I guess even if the place is not popular at all, you'd still want to show off your identity. I have seen them in school washrooms, boarding houses and other places not too private for outsiders to see.

Amid the political situation in Manila, First Gentleman Miguel Arroyo had a self-imposed exile to try to isolate himself from the situation, hoping to be vindicated from the accusations he is facing. Indeed this man is surrounded by controversies in his reign as the top man in the land. He was implicated in the "Jose Pidal" case; he is also alleged to have amassed millions from jueteng lords, probably, if true, used to implement a program that helps policemen smile proudly.

I am laughing to myself to learn about President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's statement about losing a doting father and grand father to his children and grandchildren, respectively. Why? To me, she does not need to mention it for every father or mother will have the instinct to feel the same. Just ask any Filipina domestic helper sitting down there in Chater Road's "Blackman". It was said to justify the trip as something they did not wish to happen and not something to do in order to avoid the Congress hearings (with some In Your Face Kulang Sa Pansin Congressmen Who Want Video Appearance) in live telecast. Sorry, I know a little about that thing called immunity.

Mike Arroyo is here in Hong Kong at the time of this writing. Hong Kong is popular, with the world's best airport, best airline lounge, best airline opening up of Hong Kong Disneyland in September among reasons to come here.

So if I would like to find a place where "M. Arroyo was here" grafitti, I'd like it to be that Hong Kong Park marker and the green The Peak Tram letters at Garden Road. Surely he will be proving to be in Hong Kong. As I failed to talk to his wife during her whirlwind travel in Hong Kong, I'd expect an even more media-shy husband this time.

You will come from the land Down Under

It's a busy day. Actually it was a continuity of yesterday's schedule which I and Ginny left the office at 3am working for JNTO project. It was raining and was really fit for sleeping when I decided to take a look at one early Simpson's espisode, "Moaning Lisa". It's rather queer since Homer's voice was different, lower toned and uncharacteristic. Anyway I slept on it. When I woke up it was past 10. It's been a long time since I woke at this time. Contrary to most of the others who stay in bed later on weekends, I wake up earlier by an hour on Saturdays and Sundays and holidays.

As much as this is a bonus for me to acomplish things like having haircut, follow up Genex cargo stalled in the warehouse in Davao and replenish household supplies -- today is SAR Establishment Day, The Handover, whatever you call it. It's also Raul Ramirez's birthday. Later today I had my household meeting with Zandro and Junjun at Zandro's place. We also met Anthony of SFC Beijing and discussed being a facilitator with him. With everybody busy for the seminar, I have no doubt things will get better in handling the event. After all, as a Team Leader I need to be accountable for everything in the activity.

We also had a despedida party for Jen who is coming to Sydney to start another phase in life.
I made a personal haiku for her the other dawn:

"The time has come to pack and head towards the Outback
To bid goodbye to dimsum, to the Peak
The MTR ride, everyday of the week.."

"So they say, life's like that
In constant motion, changes and all that.
As you'll reluctantly say farewell
To the place and people you got to know and loved well,
The memories remain, to everyone you will tell."

"We'll miss your talks, we'll miss your sharings
Your being with us in Christmas parties and Halloweens"

"You are soon welcomed by hopping kangaroos,
and the mystic beauty of the Uluru.
To the ever diverse horizons of Down Under,
We do hope they're there to ease the pains of missin' you."

"Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, you name it
The places are a wonder, they got it
While you miss the splendid Victoria Harbour
We guess Sydney's Darling is just across your door"

"Thank you Jenny for being with us
Through the tram, the ferry or the minibus.
Our friendship's always gonna be
Strong and faithful like a Sequoia Tree"

We hear you say:
"Thank you Yung Kee, thank you Gucci
Thank you ifc, and the wonderful shopping spree
It's been terrific all these years you're all here with me
Last but not the least, thank you SFC"

Later on, I joined Karen, Onin and Carol to Insomnia in Lan Kwai Fong for drinks and unwinding. The last visit to the bar was in March I guess. Although I am not a bar person, once I am invited and come along, I always enjoy feeling light during the hours of stay, gulping that Budweiser, dancing and poking fun at people who would playfully get back to us despite the incomprehensible conversations and cloud of smoke. I even saw one of my students swining to the break of dawn with a couple of her cousins flaunting in front of the band, who are their friends off the stage.

"It was 3am, and I'm still active" should be the song of one lady who seems not to get tired. And if she needs a break, the bouncer promptly disallows her to. Same for the "Ukrainian lady" who can't get enough on the dance floor.

The night was filled with fun, booze and loud music. Afterall, it's payday Friday and everyone wants to relax. But I experienced it more when I laid on my back at an hour later in my bed.

Friday, July 01, 2005

Reuniting the PCCWers

Whatever you may call it, it's a mini reunion of sorts. Mini because among the fifteen of us, only five returned for a not so nostalgic rainy night at Chili and Spice in Causeway Bay.

Nino Debonbon, Romeo 'Junjun' Olympia Jr, Edwin Macabutas and Karen Obispo and I used to gather in Starbucks at Pasay Road more than five years ago. Plus a bunch of relative strangers at the time which made the group swell into a mix of personalities and egos: Raymond Ona, Sheila Tablante, Rogelio 'Jun' Rey Jr, Leo Suyat, Ishmael Malik, Daisy Mae Jose, Christopher de Leon, Jay Redor, Martin Fernandez & Nathaniel Jay Meneses to be exact.

With one male and one female celebrity in sight, the area is indeed a magnet of the popular and the wannabes. Dripping roofing adds to the mystic structure of the not-so-crowded eating place with dim lights add up to the suspense of meeting someone you know among the crowd.

I came in late as I have been pounded with little jobs from the office since early in the week. Good thing July 1 is a holiday and it will give us enough time to recharge our batteries as we start the weekend with our SFC marketing campaign.

As usual, Onin is still the same him, with that skinned head fashion he began to adopt when he was still in Hong Kong. The feeling of meeting up again was unexpected as I only got a message from Karen last Monday. Onin now works in Malaysia as senior system analyst for Standard Chartered. It was ironic that as I was in Malaysia last year, I never met him there; I got to meet him when we're both in Bangkok while he was watching the Thai Open Tennis and I was on my cheap and nasty backpacker trip.

I could notice we were more mature now. The way we generate thoughts about something, joke on something and how we handle the conversation. Well, perhaps I am with the most mature in the group; maybe it's a coincidence that we're all in the same table after complicated permutations that took place spanning five years and counting: changing jobs, going out of hong kong, etc.

I used to remember at 7.30pm at our old house in Sai Ying Pun, Leo would be cooking the food and the 'clients' Jay and Jay would come and pay $10 for their dinner. We would snug up at the little sofa and watch the TVB Pearl news. After a while, the talks shift to something nasty that there are numerous ocassions I would lose my patience and insult a few of the guys in the house. Onin and Leo were my flatmates. Later Raymond joined in, shortly before we were counted in The Great Purge at PCCW.

As I partake of the lemongrass and pork chop, jokes circulating were entirely different from what used to be our favorite topics: strange officemate behaviors, Hong Kong people in general and shopping lists. As I need to come back to the office at 10pm, I pursued Onin for photo shoot with Karen, Edong and Junjun and after we had fun on that still camera generating machine, I headed towards the opposite direction.