Location: LRT
Circa: 2011
College Student 1: Si Diana na lang ligawan mo. Naglalaway ka kaya 'dun!
College Student 2: Si Diana? Hindi naman nagre-reply yun pag tine-text ko.
College Student 3: Ay, pag hindi nagre-reply, wala kang pag-asa dun.
College Student 2: Si Karen na lang. At least, kahit di ko itext yun, nagte-text sa akin.
College Student 1: Yun, pwede na yun! Maganda rin naman si Karen.
Dear Mr. President,
I am writing as a citizen of this country. No, you don't know me, Sir, and neither do many of our contrymen recognize me because I'm just this ordinary Filipino citizen who does an ordinary work and lives an ordinary life.
I am writing, even though I didn't vote for you (and I don't deny to anyone that I voted for an unpopular candidate), because the moment you won in the elections and took that mandate of leading this country, you became my president and I became your constituent.
Mr. President, one and a half year has passed since you assumed office. One and a half year has also passed but all I saw in my limited mind was how the government has been turned into a big prosecutor's office whose main priority is to file charges and find fault against our former president. And while there is nothing wrong with running after her misdeeds, it seems that the more pressing issues on poverty and economic development has been grossly neglected.
While some intelectual groups may argue that doing business has become better in the Philippines because corruption has lessen, the ordinary people don't care about it.
The ordinary people's simple concrens are higher salaries and lower costs of living.
Unfortunately, Mr. President, to my humble knowledge, no salary increases has been given since your term. Instead, what we have experienced are the continuous increase in oil prices, toll increase, electricity power rate hike, and a lot more increases in the common tao's daily expenses.
We carry on like this for the rest of your term, and we will see more people migrating and working abroad. We carry on like this and we will see more people getting poorer and hungrier.
But four and a half more years are still ahead. That is, to say, there is still time for change.
Mr. President, your people are waiting.
It is your time. Now is it.
I miss writing and I mean it.
I have been into a very great ordeal lately, and sadly, this has caused me to neglect my passion. But fear not, my dear passion. The time is coming and it is near.
We shall meet again.
Soon.
Make no mistake about it.
The Miss Universe 2011 Coronation Night is scheduled tommorrow night. Our bet, Binibining Pilipinas Universe Shamcey Supsup, they say, has a very good chance of winning; but whether she gets the coveted crown or not, she is definitely already a winner.
Let her come home a week or two after the event:
• and a lot of television talk shows will definitely book her for an interview.
• and ABS-CBN, GMA 7, and now, Manny Pangilinan's ABC 5 will surely entice her to join their bandwagon of talents.
• and funnyman Vic Sotto will definitely consider her to be his leading lady for the upcoming Enteng Kabisote series.
• and Willie or Manny will offer her to become co-host in their respective game shows.
• plus loads of commercial endorsements for a shampoo or a soap or whatever beauty care product.
Indeed, we are a country where entertainment, sports, fashion and politics are intertwined together, you wouldn't know which is black or which is white.
A whole loads of problems that the Philippines encounters at the moment, and what we see in the Yahoo headlines are two separate news stories about the President's love affairs.
Ikaw na!
Ikaw na ang maging binatang presidente!
Many of us may not have noticed, but a magnitude 5.9 earthquake has hit Luzon at past 1 am today, July 26, 2011.
The center, according to Phivolcs, was at 21 Kilometers soutwest of Iba, Zambales.
Aftershocks were also reported in nearby provinces in Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, including Metro Manila and the Greater Manila Area (GMA).
Is Sarangani Representative Manny Pacquiao giving a disservice to his constituents?
At the start of Jesus’ ministry on earth, he proclaimed His mission by reading the scripture: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor (Luke 4:18-19).”
The same way today, as God’s disciples, we are given that powerful anointing to proclaim that the time has now come to receive the favor of the Lord. Armed with the truth of the Gospel, we can go and share the message of God’s goodness to the poor, proclaim freedom and liberty to those who are imprisoned by sin and poverty, preach the healing power of Christ, and tell everyone about the faithfulness of our God.
The harvest is ready, and they are indeed, plenty. Let us use our anointing to reach out and take part of the Grand Harvest of Souls.
Now is the time.
We just never can question God's love for His children.
New and fresh everyday, His unconditional love allows us to go on living our lives despite the many challenges and problems that we go through. It is really amazing how He guides us and delivers us out of these undesirable situations in our lives.
The bible tells us in Psalm 46:1 that God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble.
Therefore, whatever trials, whatever testings, whatever hardships the enemy might try to inflict upon us, we are given the assurance that God Himself will be there to help us overcome.
His words will never return unto Him void. It shall definitely accomplish its task. We just have to learn to, "be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10)".
What then, does it mean to be still?
Being still means having the faith to believe that God is able and willing to help us. It means trusting that God is good, and that this goodness will surely operate in our lives in His appointed time.
He is our refuge. He is our strength. He is our ever-present help in trouble.
He is our God.
They have this old saying that smokers never grow old because they die young.
Sadly, this issue on young people getting themselves addicted to the habit of smoking has come at an alarming state here in the Philippines.
For one, I don't remember any law which sets age limits for those who can purchase cigarettes in stores (unlike liquors where only ages 18 and above are allowed to purchase). You just have to go to small sari-sari stores and stalls nearby schools and universities and you will definitely witness as young as high school students puffing smoke freely just outside the school premises.
On May 30, 2011, in celebration of the World No Tobacco Day, the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), in coordination with the various Metro Manila city governments, has committed themselves to achieve a Smoke-free Metro Manila by 2012. In Accordance with Republic Act 9211 (Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003), smoking shall be prohibited in all public arease, including bus terminals, waiting sheds, public utility vehicles, schools, hospitals, and parks.
This is a welcome act especially for the non-smokers who are grossly affected by second-hand smokes whenever smokers puff their cigars in public.
Can this be strictly implemented? Yes, indeed! But it is my hope that our law enforcers will be diligent in ensuring that the law is followed by everyone, because this is the area where we, as a nation, are poor of.
If only people will abide by the rules, and if only law enforcers will implement these rules without prejudice and favor to others, we can witness this goal Smoke-free Metro Manila in 2012.
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What could rally the Filipino people into this project? Well, if only the president will make himself as a good example.
Gising pa ang Maynila gayong lagpas alas-dose na ng madaling araw nang maghiwa-hiwalay kami galing sa isang coffee shop.
Marami pang establisimiento ang bukas at nagliliwanag sa dami ng ilaw na patuloy na nagbibigay liwanag sa mga kustomer.
Sunud-sunod pa rin ang mga sasakyan na nagpupumilit makauna sa pagbaybay sa kalsada, samantalang sa loob naman ng jeep ay nangagsisiksikan ang mga pasaherong lahat ay nagnanais na makauwi na ng kani-kanilang tahanan upang makapagpahinga.
Makalipas ang ilang minutong pagbiyahe, paglipat sa bus o sa isa pang jeep ay paniguradong may makakatabi ka nang mga tindero na patungo na sa palengke bitbit ang kani-kanilang mga kalakal.
Hindi pa man natutulog ay gising na naman ang Maynila.
Kailangan bang magbunyi sa pagkamatay ng isang nilalang?
Maluwag pa naman ang jeep kaya huminto si manong driver nang makita niyang kumakaway si Lola.
Pagtapat ng jeep sa may waiting shed na kinatatayuan ni Lola,
Lola: Dadaan kayo ng Kalayaan?
Driver: Saan ho kayo sa kalayaan?
Lola: Dadaan kayo? Sa Kalayaan sa may PNB Bank.
Driver: Yung sa malapit ho sa Quezon City Circle? Oho, dadaan ho.
Lola: Hindi, sige na, hindi ako sasakay.
Sabay lumakad na palayo si Lola habang naiwan kaming matagal na napatanga bago muling humarurot ang jeep.
Bakit parang laging kulang ang oras sa mga bagay na dapat mong tapusin sa loob ng isang araw?
For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly. (Psalm 84:10 & 11)
May we delight our God today as we arise to give our best offering of praise and thanksgiving to Him who deserves nothing less than the best.
Hallelujah!
Blessing, Glory, Honor and Power be unto our God forevermore!
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JESUS LOVES YOU CITY CHURCH
Church Service Schedule: Sunday, 10 am, Starmall Tradehall, EDSA cor Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City.
For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; But the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you (Isaiah 60:2)
The enemy may have the capacity to induce darkness thru chaos, confusion, strife, sickness, and poverty, but as children of light, we are assured that the Lord Himself will cause His glory to be seen upon us.
Therefore we need not fear nor get dismayed. Blessings, prosperity, peace, healing and restoration shall surely come upon us. This is our inheritance. This is our reward.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD strong and mighty.
The LORD mighty in battle.
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JESUS LOVES YOU CITY CHURCH
BULLETIN ISSUE: 03 APRIL 2011
Church Service Schedule: Sundays, 10 am, Starmall Tradehall, EDSA Cor. Shaw Blvd.
During the brief moment that Jesus came on earth, His ministry is evidenced by the many miraculous things He performed. The people have witnessed how the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, and even the dead are raised. ---------------------------
JESUS LOVES YOU CITY CHURCH
BULLETIN ISSUE: 27 MARCH 2011
Church Service Schedule: Sundays, 10 am, Starmall Tradehall, EDSA Cor. Shaw Blvd.
Pulse Asia has released its February 24 to March 6, 2011 Nationwide Survey on President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino's Performance and Trust Ratings.
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The latest Pulse Asia survey says that nearly 3 in 4 Filipinos (74%) approve of the performance of President Benigno Aquino III. OMG! I Am Number Four!
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The latest Pulse Asia survey says that a big majority of Filipinos (75%) trusts President Aquino. No, my friends, you're not watching Ripley's Believe it or not!
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The latest Pulse Asia survey shows a 5% drop on President Aquino's approval rating from October 2010 (79%) to March 2011 (74%). Is it possible that the 5% transferred to the famous ABC 5 Show Willing Willie (featuring Aquino's ex-girlfriend Shalani Soledad)?
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The latest Pulse Asia survey shows a 9% drop on President Aquino's approval rating to enforce the law to all, whether influential or ordinary people from October 2010 to March 2011. That is despite Undersecretary Puno missing from the limelight.
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The latest Pulse Asia survey shows an 11% drop on President Aquino's approval rating to create more jobs. Wait a minute.... have they already included Banco Filipino employees as respondents?
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The latest Pulse Asia survey shows an 8% drop on President Aquino's approval rating to improve/increase the pay of workers. But of course! Had the survey asked for the improvement/increase of gas, diesel, fare, and other basic commodity prices, the survey would have showed a very different result!
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The latest Pulse Asia survey says that a big majority of Filipinos (75%) trusts President Aquino. Asked for comment, General Ligot replied, "I invoke my right against self-incrimination, your honor"!
When Jesus was asked about the signs of His coming and of the end of the age, He answered: “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places (Matthew 24:6-7).
Being God’s chosen people who have a clear understanding of the times and the seasons, the bible tells us to watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave and be strong (1 Corinthians 16:13).
We endure to the end and continue to be steadfast in our faith, not only to be saved, but to become instruments in the proclamation of God’s saving grace to those who have not yet heard of Jesus Christ and His ultimate sacrifice at the cross.
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JESUS LOVES YOU CITY CHURCH
BULLETIN ISSUE: 20 MARCH 2011
Church Service Schedule: Sundays, 10 am, Starmall Tradehall, EDSA Cor. Shaw Blvd.
Having then received the anointing to takeover, we position ourselves on the offensive side and press forward to conquer our inheritance as God’s people.
We are neither limited by our own incapacities, nor by the hindrances that the enemy is placing in front of us, because we have a big and mighty God who is more than enough to lead us and cause us to triumph in Christ.
Let’s get ready to battle and redeem our place of dominion! We are more than conquerors!
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JESUS LOVES YOU CITY CHURCH
BULLETIN ISSUE: 13 MARCH 2011
Church Service Schedule: Sundays, 10 am, Starmall Tradehall, EDSA Cor. Shaw Blvd.
After long debates, deliberations, consultation and bickerings, the time has now come for Filipino bloggers to answer the inevitable question: Am I joining the National Bloggers' Association, or, to use spearheader Tony Cruz's specific words, "Do you want to become a founding member of the Philippines' first national bloggers organization"?
My answer is NO, and please give me the liberty to tell you why.
I created this blogsite for the sole purpose of making this site a free avenue for allowing my thoughts to be known to the web community; and giving a space for readers (if there are any) to interact and discuss the socially relevant issues for the day.
That I am able to express my opinion on anything I can think of is in itself a fulfillment of my blog. The association and affiliation to other bloggers and blogging communities are by-products. In fact, had this affiliation been my topmost priority, I should have used most of my time blog-hopping and asking for exchange links.
Please don't get me wrong- I have also affiliated and made contact with other bloggers. I've entered into a number of writing contests, and joined some meetups. I have allowed my blog to be used for cause-oriented articles. But the idea of having the necessity to affiliate myself into any organization has never yet occured in my mind (emphasis on the words "necessity" and "yet").
I would go back to the time in the early 2000s when there was so much bruhaha over the latest cellphone models in the land. While everybody else were craving to get a hold of the new 3210 and 3310 Nokia models, I did not dare ask my parents to buy me a new one; nor did I make any efforts to save my money to buy a unit. My reason: I am able to live my life without it.
But the time came when I needed a phone, and so I owned one. In fact, I would daresay today that owning a cellphone (particularly for professionals and businessmen) is indeed a necessity. We are paralyzed without it.
And so for me, the same thing goes with joining the National Bloggers' Association. Today, I am not inclined to join because, well, my blog works perfectly well without having to join an association that "could" limit my freedom to blog whatever I want; an association that could ask me to attend meetups, contribute my time and talents; an association that could require me to divulge my personal information.
To end, let me qualify my position on whether I want to become a founding member of the Philippines' First National Blogging Organization.
My final answer is Not Now. Should I feel the need to involve myself in this association in the future (and if they will allow me to become a part of it), I would do so, but not now.
After all, what privileges does a founding member enjoy that a precedent member could not have?
TAKE OVER: a. To get into one's possession by force and skill.b. To capture physically; take an enemy fortress.c. To seize with authority. The enemy has long been deceiving us by withholding the blessings that are due to the church.
Prosperity, health, harvest of souls, peace, understanding, righteousness in the government-these are just few of the things that the enemy is stealing from us.
But now that we have received the anointing to TAKE OVER, it is time for the church to arise, put on the full armor of God, subdue the enemy, and possess what really belongs to us!
JLY City Church,
The time to Take Over is Now.--------------------JESUS LOVES YOU CITY CHURCHBULLETIN ISSUE: 06 MARCH 2011 Church Service Schedule: Sundays, 10 am, Starmall Tradehall, EDSA Cor. Shaw Blvd.
Pareho nang retirado sa pagtuturo ang aking mga magulang.
Ika nga eh, boundary na, pwedeng pwedeng mag sitting pretty na lamang sa bahay at maghintay ng buwanang pensiyon. Wala na rin naman silang iintindihin dahil lahat naman kaming magkakapatid ay nakapagtapos ng kolehiyo at may kani-kanya na ring stable jobs.
Pero dahil likas sa kanila ang pagbabanat ng buto at hindi sanay na walang ginagawa, hindi mo sila makikitang nakahilata na lang maghapon sa loob ng bahay.
Mahilig silang pareho sa pagtatanim at pag-aalaga ng halaman-palibhasa ay ipinanganak, lumaki at namuhay sa probinsiya.
Halos araw-araw ay nagdidilig ng mga halaman sa labas ng bahay ang aking ina; samantalang ang aking ama naman ay nahiligang magtanim ng mga gulay sa bakanteng lote ng lupa sa labas ng bakuran ng bahay.
Nitong nakaraang linggo ay nagkaroon ako ng pagkakataon na makadalaw sa kanila sa probinsiya at nakakatuwa na nakasama ko sila sa paghahalaman.
Bago mag-alas sais pa lamang ng umaga ay gising na kami at namimitas ng mga bunga ng bataw. Ang sabi nila, araw-araw ay nakakakuha sila ng 2 kilong bataw na naipapasa naman nila sa mga tindera sa palengke.
Bawat kilo ay naibebenta nila ng P40, kaya't araw-araw ay paniguradong may kita silang P80 o higit pa.
Kung tutuusin, hindi nga naman nila kailangan ng dagdag na kitang P80 araw-araw. Mas malaki ang satisfaction na nakukuha nila sa paghahalaman kaysa sa kitang ibinibigay ng halaman.
Dahil dito, naisip ko- walang rason ang bawat tao kung bakit sila dumadaing na wala silang makain araw-araw.
Nasa ating mga sarili ang paraan upang mapaunlad natin ang ating mga sariling pamumuhay. Binigyan tayo ng Panginoon ng karunungan at kalakasan upang matustusan natin ang ating mga pansariling pangangailangan.
It was otherwise a lazy afternoon when suddenly I saw a tweet from a media outfit announcing that a bomb has just exploded inside a passenger bus along EDSA-Buendia on January 25, 2011.
Minutes later, several other tweets appeared and confirmed the incident.
I posted the bomb explosion news update on my other blog to let my (very few) followers know of what has just happened. Interestingly after several minutes, my blog post brought in a lot of traffic on my site, and the once inactive blog has got itself at least 600 visitors in just a few hours.
If there's one truth that we can get from the above situation, it is that 'blogging has evolved itself from just a personal diary into a source of important information'.
Given that, the time has come when bloggers and online article writers are now being called to become more responsible in what they write and what they put in their respective blogs.
Such same sentiment has also been the subject of intrigue, buzz and debate the previous week because of a Sunday Inquirer Article by Margaux Salcedo (Please Don't Give Blogging a Bad Name), wherein she pointed out that bloggers are now being used (knowingly or unknowingly) by PR Firms to 'extort' money from prospective clients.
A PR firm, Margaux exposes, asks money from a Restaurant owner, in exchange for either giving good reviews about the restuarant's food; or in exchange for not giving bad reviews.
Today, blogging is not just a sympathetic friend who absorbs our heartaches, rants, and thoughts about our life. Blogging has become a very powerful tool that will allow us to either say truth or lie.
The choice is ours.
May bago akong sasakyan, Starex!!!!
Ang sarap pakinggan, 'no? At hindi lang yan, may tumataginting din akong cold cash na 300,000 pesosesoses.
Ganito kasi 'yun.
Nung January 19, mga alas nuebe ng umaga, may natanggap akong text message mula sa isang taong hindi ko kilala.
Ang sabi sa message, "Congratulations! U have won 300K Pesos+Starex Van, ur Sim# as a homepartner last Nov.16, 2010 for info: Call ds no: 09324418528 Dir: Allan Yap of Phil:Com.Center."
Dahil sa sobrang tuwa, nagreply ako agad, ang sabi ko, "Yehey!"
Ayun, hindi na nagreply si mokong.
Alanganin na kami ng kapatid ko kung makakauwi pa kami sa Licab. Medyo dis-oras na kasi ng gabi at hindi namin alam kung may biyaheng jeep pa bang daraan pauwi sa aming bayan.
Madalas kaming ganoon, naghahabol sa oras. Dapat kasi'y nasa Sicsican, Talavera na kami bago pa sumapit ng 6:30 ng gabi. Kung hindi, malamang eh hindi na namin maabot ang last trip na nanggagaling sa Cabanatuan City.
Nasa dulong bayan ng Nueva Ecija ang Licab, at dahil hindi naman sadyang progresibo pa noong mga 1990's eh hindi 24 hours ang biyahe ng mga sasakyan. Katunayan, kahit ngayon na makalipas ang lagpas 20 taon ay ganoon pa rin- kapag sumapit ang alas-otso ng gabi ay halos wala nang mga taong naglipana sa kalsada.
Iniisip na rin namin na bumalik na lang sa boarding house na tinutuluyan namin sa loob ng CLSU campus at kinabukasan na lang umuwi nang may pumaradang tricycle sa aming pinag-aantayan.
"Baka me'rong tiga-Licab diyan? Sumakay na kayo dito!", sigaw ng driver ng tricycle.
Pamilyar sa amin ang mukha nung driver, miyembro ng isang kilalang sekta ng relihiyon at nangungupahan sa bahay na pinarerentahan ng kamag-anak namin.
"Ayos", sa loob-loob namin, dahil makakauwi rin kami, sa wakas.
Tatlo kaming pasaherong sumakay sa loob ng tricycle; samantalang yung asawa ng driver eh lumipat na lang sa likod na upuan ng motor.
Malayu-layo rin ang biyahe. Kung tinatakbo ng jeep ang Sicsican-Licab sa loob ng treinta minutos, sa tricycle siguro eh umabot kami ng mga kuwarenta'y singko minutos. Pero ayos lang, ang importante ay nakauwi at natutuwa kami na may mga taong katulad nila na nagmagandang-loob na isakay kami pauwi ng Licab.
"Tabi na lang po", sabi ko nang matanaw na namin ang bakod ng bahay namin.
"Salamat po", banggit ng kapatid ko matapos naming bumaba ng tricycle.
"Anong salamat?!", sabing pagalit ng driver. "Magbayad naman kayo!"
At kami'y natulala.
"Mero'ng Matino?", tanong nang driver ng jeep na nasakyan ko kaninang umaga.
Nagulat ako sa tanong at tinitingnan ko ang reaksiyon ng mga kapwa ko pasahero pero wala rin namang umiimik.
"Wala? Walang Matino?", muling tanong ng driver.
Mangani-ngani na talaga akong sumagot ng "Ako! Ako, Matino!", pero bigla kong naalala na pangalan pala ng kalye ang ibig niyang sabihin, at tinatanong niya kung may bababang pasahero sa 'Matino' Street.
Kalye sa Quezon City ang Matino Street, karatig-kalye ng Maginoo, Matapat, Matiyaga, Matimpiin, at Mapagbigay.
Sadyang creative talaga ang mga Pinoy pagdating sa pagpapangalan ng mga kalye at lugar sa bansa.
May mga kalye na nakapangalan sa mga bayani (Rizal Avenue, Boni Avenue, Aguinaldo Hi-way, Juan Luna Street).
Mayroon naman na hango sa mga tanyag na tao (Taft Ave [William Howard Taft]., Kalaw, Roxas Blvd., EDSA [Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue], Macapagal Blvd., Ortigas).
May galing sa puno, halaman at bulaklak (Lily St., Rose St., Kamias, Santol, Camia, Balete Drive).
Meron ding hango naman sa mga karakter ng nobela (Sisa, Basilio, P. Faura, P. Salvi, Ibarra, Maria Clara).
