Who Moved My Chiz?

It came a bit of shock to many nang biglang nag-resign si Chiz Escudero kahapon bilang miyembro ng Nationalist People's Coalition o NPC (na pinamumunuan ng Chairman Emeritus nito na si Danding Cojuangco).

At a time when almost lahat ng tao ay inaasahan na magdedeklara siya kagabi ng pagtakbo bilang standard-bearer ng NPC sa 2010 elections, biglang nagpatawag si Chiz nang presscon sa Club Filipino, San Juan kahapon nang umaga upang i-announce na nagbitiw na siya sa NPC.

Immediately, a lot of people are clamoring for answers on why Chiz resigned. Political analyst Manolo Quezon has this to say on twitter:

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@mlq3:"chiz's big backers had been danding, lucio tan, and i think razon (enrique). w/out EC (danding), LT (tan) won't bet big. Dunno re: Razon and friends."

and to which i replied:

@joyagustin: super power pala ang mga supporters ni chiz. danding, lucio tan, and enrique razon. wow! is business synonimous to politics?
NP and NPC, is there a big possibility?

@mlq3: NP-NPC as possible as PaLaKa-NPC, maybe Gibo has patched up quarrel with uncle.
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I'll be emphasizing about BUSINESS being SYNONIMOUS to POLITICS.

Later on, political bloggers started to swarm the web and post their respective views about Chiz bolting out of NPC.

I will want to quote some important parts of the commentary of Pat Mangubat in Filipino Voices:

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1. Let’s face it—the primary reasons behind Chiz Escudero’s decision to resign from NPC are: he lacks the funds after his big-ticket financiers withdrew and he is being weakened by defections.

2. His ratings went down when Senator Noynoy Aquino entered the political fray. Two things which hurt Escudero: rumours of a merger of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) and the administration and Escudero’s association with Marcos crony, Danding Cojuangco. Signs of a merger began to percolate as early as August, after government asked the Supreme Court to convert coco levy shares at SMC from ordinary to preferred shares. With the prospects of a merger, that, surely will completely turn off progressive groups supportive of Chiz Escudero’s. Defections began to hurt Escudero’s camp, particularly that of the Osmenas who transferred to Noynoy’s camp. Osmena reportedly transferred after getting signs that Danding was half-supportive of Escudero’s bid. Osmena also took the cue from Lucio Tan about Escudero being “young” and ” still unprepared for the presidency.” That intensified defections, especially of financiers from the Filipino-Chinese community.

3. Danding Cojuangco’s last minute refusal to attend the big rally at the UP to announce his presidential bid, was more than enough signals already that the former Marcos crony was un-impressed with him.

4. Chiz has no choice but to resign from the party and declare himself a “free agent.” By doing so, Chiz hopes to re-consolidate his mass base support by positioning himself as a non-traditional politician, someone not beholden to any political party nor any big political financier.

5. Possible scenarios/results of Escudero’s resignation: 1. NPC and admin party will now have full rein for a merger. The possibility of Teodoro-Legarda tandem is now in the works. 2. The Liberal Party will move to convince Chiz to either endorse Noynoy’s bid or ask him to join the process of selecting the true People’s choice of a non-trapo candidate. 3. Should Chiz proceed as an independent candidate, he will damage Estrada’s bid, weaken Noynoy’s mass base and eventually allow Manny Villar’s victory in the 2010 polls.

Pat's full article here
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Magulo, masyadong magulo. Maraming pwedeng mangyari pa dahil malayo pa ang eleksiyon at marami pang baliktaran at alyansang mangyayari.

Business tycoons and financiers are reading the signs and looking at where the wind is blowing to see whoever they would support in the final stretch.

Basta ang naging malinaw sa akin ngayon, POLITICS IS SYNONIMOUS TO BUSINESS.

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"If you do not change, you can become extinct."

-from the book Who Moved My Cheese

Legs, Legs, Legs Mo Ay Nakakasilaw

Guessing Game Ito.

Nasa SM Makati ako last Sunday para bumili ng konting grocery at para bilhan ng bestida ang prinsesa namin. Dahil medyo nagugutom na rin, naisipan ko lang na humanap ng mabibiling mabilis na snacks.

At napadpad ako sa Brownies Store malapit doon sa may bridgeway connecting ng Glorietta at SM. Okay na rin dahil mura lang- sa halagang 37 pesos, may brewed coffee at may brownies ka na.

So doon ako umupo medyo malapit sa counter. Inuumpisahan ko nang sipsipin yung coffee nang napansin ko na yung dalawang tao sa katabing table ko eh nagbubulungan at may tinitingnan. Kaya nakiusyoso na rin ako at narinig ko na pinagtatalunan nila kung yung tao ba na malapit sa amin eh si [insert name of poging politician here].

Dahil medyo nasusubaybayan ko rin dati ang political career at ang mga sinusulat sa blog ni [insert name of poging politician here], alam kong siya nga iyon. Kasama niya ang misis niya at umupo rin sila sa isa sa mga tables sa store ng Brownies, nakapwesto malapit doon sa mga taong labas-masok sa bridgeway ng Glorietta at SM. Kung bakit doon sila pumwesto eh may opinyon ako na gusto niyang ma-exposed sa maraming tao (dahil may planong tumakbong senador itong si [insert name of poging politican here]).

Anyway, so umorder na nga ng kape at brownies si [insert name of poging politician here] at bumalik na doon sa table at umupo katapat ng misis niya. At dahil katapatan ko siya, hindi maiiwasan na tuwing hihigop ako ng kape eh natatanaw ko si [insert name of poging politician here].

Nung minsang masulyapan ko siya eh saktong humihigop din siya ng kape. Pero ano ito? Mukhang habang humihigop siya ng kape eh tutok na tutok ang paningin niya sa malapit sa lugar ko. Naisip ko dahil malapit nga ako sa counter, "ah, siguro tinitingnan niya yung mga naka-display na brownies and pastries at gusto niyang bumili".

Pero nung tinunton ko na ang pinagkakaabalahan ng mga mata ni [insert name of poging politician here] ay napagtanto ko na ang tinititigan pala niya eh yung isang customer na nakapila sa cashier. Hindi pala yung customer. Ang tinititigan pala ni [insert name of poging politician here] eh yung legs ni customer, dahil si customer eh naka nyort-nyort (short shorts).

Naisip ko lang, paano na lang kung nahuli siya ng kanyang esmi habang nakatitig kay sexy customer? Sasampalin kaya siya at aawayin ni misis?

Well, anyway, si [insert name of poging politician here] ay gwapo at mukhang malinis; dating nasa isang paksiyon ng oposisyon pero kailan lang ay lumipat sa isa pang paksiyon ng mga oposisyon at may planong tumakbong senador.

Hindi siya tunay na tiga-Luzon at hindi siya tunay na tiga-Visayas. Pero sa nakita ko, masasabi kong isa siyang tunay na mahilig (sa legs).

Love Is All Around

Hawak-kamay
Di kita iiwan sa paglakbay
Dito sa mundong walang katiyakan
Hawak-kamay
Di kita bibitawan sa paglalakbay
Sa mundo ng kawalan


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Hindi lang pala paglilibot, pagkain, at pagpapasarap ang pwede mong masumpungan sa Mindanao. May mga importanteng bagay na kung minsan ay hindi natin pinapansin o napapansin. Salamat na lamang, naging saksi kami sa isang napakagandang pagkakataon.


"Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaking suspicion... love actually is all around. "
- Prime Minister from the movie, Love Actually (Hugh Grant)

Narito ang buong kwento

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This is part 5 of our Mindanao Adventure.

Parts 1 to 4 are as follows:

1. People In Mindanao Are SMARTer

2. Diyan Lang

3. Alyas Pogi

4. For Gospel's Sake

Bakit Walang Lasa Ang Queso De Bola

Kung minsan, naiisip ko, unfair naman sa Undas.

Lagi kasing nao-overshadow siya ng Pasko. Isipin mo na lang, dahil nga ang Pasko dito sa Pilipinas eh nag-uumpisa ng September 1, para bang ni hindi masyadong nabibigyan ng malaking atensiyon ang pagdating ng Undas.

Ngayon, lagi nang ina-announce sa mga television: XX days na lang, Pasko na!

Meron ba kayong naririnig na, XX days na lang, Undas na!?.

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Kahit kapag naglibut-libot ka sa mga malls, mas prominent ang mga christmas decorations kaysa mga dekorasyong pang-halloween. In fact, kung September pa lang ay nagkakabit na ng mga christmas decors at nagpapatugtog na ng mga kanta ni Jose Mari Chan, nagkakabit lang ng mga pang halloween na decorations mga two weeks bago ang undas.

At malamang sa malamang, pagdating ng November 3 eh tanggal na lahat ng halloween decorations.

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Pagpasok sa mga grocery stores at supermarkets, makakakita ka na rin ng mga hamon at queso de bola.

Ewan ko ba kung bakit ba napaka-tempting nitong tingnan.

Siguro eh dahil malayo ka pa lang, matatanaw mo na ang mapupula at makikintab na bilog na tabi-tabing naka-display sa mga groceries.

Hindi nawawalan ng ganyan sa bahay kapag pasko. Ang nakakatuwa, yung queso de bola sa bahay eh umaabot ng hanggang Pebrero sa refrigerator.

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Mabuti pa nga ang pasko noong isang taon

Sa ating hapag mayroong keso de bola’t hamon

Baka sa gipit, happy new year mapo-postpone

At ang hamon ay mauuwi sa bagoong

(Apo Hiking Society's Tuloy na Tuloy pa rin ang Pasko)

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Hindi ko gusto ang lasa ng queso de bola. Kaya siguro umaabot ng hanggang Pebrero sa ref namin, hanggang sa tuluyan ng tumigas at mapilitan ng itapon ni Mama sa basurahan. Ewan ko ba, pero mas gusto ko pa ang lasa ng ordinary cheese kesa sa queso de bola.

At kung hanggang ngayon eh nagtataka ka kung bakit walang lasa ang queso de bola, malamang eh nagkamali ka ng kinagat na parte.

Oh My Gulay!

Nakakapagpa-high blood ba ang gulay?

Sabi kasi, para daw maiwasan ang high-blood, iwasan din ang pagkain ng mga karne (at taba) ng baboy, baka, at mga seafoods.

Sa halip, kumain daw ng gulay.

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Noong katatapos ng bagyong Ondoy, pinag-ingat din ang mga tao sa pagkain ng baboy at manok dahil baka daw double dead ang mabiling mga karne sa palengke, o baka nagkasakit ang mga ito kaya kinatay at ibinebenta.

Katunayan, sa isang parte ng Quezon City, sabi nila ay lechon daw ang usong pagkain pagkatapos ng Ondoy (kasi nga ay double dead ang mga baboy at manok dahil sa baha).

Sa halip, kumain daw ng gulay.

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Naisip ko tuloy kagabi, magluluto ako ng gulay. Kaya pumunta ako sa grocery para bumili ng ampalayang igigisa.

Pagdating sa vegetable section, limited ang choices at halos nag-uunahan ang mga tao sa pagkuha ng gulay.

Walang stock ng gulay dahil nasalanta ang Northern Luzon bunsod ng bagyong Pepeng. Epekto, maraming pananim na gulay, partikular sa Baguio at Benguet, ang nasira at hindi na pwedeng pakinabangan. Karagdagang problema ang nasira ring mga daan kaya't hindi mai-transport ang mga gulay mula Baguio papuntang Maynila.

Presyo ng isang ampalayang nabili ko, P40.00.

Sa panahon daw kasi ngayon, hindi praktikal ang gulay.

Sa halip, kumain daw ng karne.


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Ang sabi tuloy ng ilan, hindi lang daw karne ng baboy, baka at mga seafoods ang nakakapagpa high blood ngayon. Pati na rin daw gulay. Ang sabi nga sa balita kagabi, 900% daw ang itinaas ng presyo ng gulay.

Sino nga naman kasi ang hindi maha high blood?

For Gospel's Sake

"Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life." -Mark 10:29 to 30


It was a long and bumpy ride all the way from Butuan City to Gamut, Surigao.

While I personally enjoyed the sceneries of mountains and waters along the road, everyone among us would definitely say that the travel was much tiring and uncomfortable. A very big factor, of course, is the on-going construction of the highways. Why it has taken the local and national government to act on improving these farm-to-market roads, one can only speculate.

I was sitting in front of the vehicle, along with the driver, and with one of our hospitable hosts during our travel, Pastor Elmer Gaurano. Pastor Elmer, together with his equally kind wife, Sis. Nanette, is in-charge of our JLY Celebration Church in Tandag City, Surigao Del Sur.

There is really so much to talk to during the 5-hour drive. By and by, Pastor Elmer would chat with our driver in Visayan language, then converse with me in Tagalog. We did discuss about the main crops and the way of living in Mindanao. We also tackled about Mindanao's politics, and how they, from Mindanao, take their view on the coming presidential elections.

Along those casual conversations, he would even take pride on the beauty that is Mindanao. He shares how our Senior Pastor Rey Pe Benito loves to return to Surigao and swim in the clear waters of Cagwait White Beach, and Britania Island. Every guest, of course, who comes to visit them in Surigao, will get to feast on BIG crabs, shrimps, grilled blue marlin, and kinilaw na tanigue.

It is true. Who wouldn't love to come back to Surigao for a three-day vacation? We, ourselves, are witnesses of the nature's beauty in Surigao, not to mention the great hospitality that our hosts have shown to us.

But perhaps some of the things that strike the most during my conversations with Pastor Elmer were these:

"Dito rin dumadaan sila Pastor Rey kapag pumupunta sila ng Surigao. Kung minsan, doon sa shortcut, mga 3 to 4 hours lang, pero mas mahirap ang daan dahil rough road at tabi ng bundok ang dadaanan".

"Alam mo, Joy, tuwing pumupunta kami ng Manila para um-attend ng Pastoral Conference or Mission Conventions, aalis kami ng Surigao ng 1 am na naka-bus papunta ng Butuan Airport. Darating kami ng Manila ng mga 3 pm or 4 pm."

"Kaya totoo yung sinasabi nila na among the delegates sa mga conventions, kami ang pinakamalayo."

"Ubos ang halos isang araw namin pagbiyahe pa lang papunta ng Manila"

Even worth mentioning, our Regional Director, Pastor Dong Padre, travels weekly from Nasipit/Butuan to Surigao, then back again by motorcycle. Week, after week, after week, he does that, just to visit and oversee the churches.

Our Pastor in Gamut, Pastor Romy Bermudez, shares the same experiences as Pastor Dong and Pastor Elmer. It is remarkable to say that they are not just people who pastors a church just because it is the only thing that they can do for a living. Mind you, these three are all engineering graduates, one or some of them, even holds an MBA degree. But instead of taking professional jobs, they abide by their calling in the full-time ministry of pastoring churches and mentoring their flocks.

There is joy in their faces and in their hearts, even as they have decided to let go of their personal professions, and pursue the less-comforting, but definitely more enternal-rewarding calling of preaching the Gospel and sharing the love of Christ to the people.

The Mission is simple- Preach the Word!

We can only be grateful that there are people like them who chose to abide by the mission. There are a lot more boundaries and islands and nations and tribes that need to be reached out by the gospel of Christ.

And so to them, we proclaim our prayers that the Lord, who sees their labors, will greatly return unto them blessings upon blessings, even a hundredfold.



How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"
-Isaiah 52:7


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Special credits to all our other Regional Pastors- Elyn Padre, Jun Lozada, Maidz Serrano, and the other pastors, and leaders who have been a blessing to us while we were in Surigao.

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This is part 4 of our Mindanao Adventure.

Parts 1 to 3 are as follows:


1. People In Mindanao Are SMARTer

2. Diyan Lang

3. Alyas Pogi