My new home theater

My smile was touching my ears as I sat on my couch watching a DVD movie. Each beat of the sound that emanates from my sound system was simply fantastic. I feel good… so good and relax that I had stretched my legs while munching a basketful of sweet green grapes.



I was just lucky to hit a super bargain unit LG model LH-T6540 for $99. Hehehe… I had a beautiful brand new home theater!

A what? Republic of...?

I was browsing for good articles in the online news in the Philstar when I run across very interesting news from the Visayas. I thought, I read it wrong but a second look confirms that ... majority of the local government officials in Visayas are contemplating of creating a Republic of Visayas. Well, the way the papers reported, it is no longer in theory but work is already in progress to create a general framework for a new government.

Huh! I pause for a moment and look at the ceiling, thinking… what will happen to my beloved Philippines should this happen?

Yeah, I read the rest of the news and the reporter was articulating that the premise of this move is if Gloria is ousted through extra-constitutional means. Blah... blah... blah… what ever


That was morning!

Later after lunch, I went back online and browse more articles related to federalism, separate republics, and etc. I was shock to realize that the move for a Visayas Republic is not an isolated issue but rather a growing feeling of disappointment of what they call “breaking away from Imperial Manila”.

An opinion writer revealed that Chavit Singson had floated the idea of creating a separate state in the north and would call it Ilokoslovakia. What a nice name, indeed, hehehe. Well, the strong man in Mindanao – Davao Mayor Duterte - was way ahead of them and had promised (take note promised!) to “move” the people of Mindanao to create a separate republic. And what else? A possibility of a Bicolandia is certain.

Sus, what would I call myself then? No longer a Pinoy for sure, but what? Hmmm… I will have many choices though: my mother was hailed from Ilokos, my father from Batangas, and I was born in Davao. Tsk.. tsk.. tsk.. I cannot wait to see that day happen. Hehehe.


Evening!

Seriously, I am saddened with what is happening in my country. Few years back, my colleagues at work were asking about my nationality of which I was very proud to say “I am a Filipino”. I don’t know now, if I can still say the same words with pride.

Worst, I am afraid that one of these days I may say “I am a Mindanaoan”

Angst of a Middle Class Worker

My last blog entry expresses my disappointment on what's happening out there in my home, my country, the beloved Philippines. I thought, I had posted something that is uncharacteristic of being an nationalistic Pinoy.

But to my surprise, I received a comment telling me that I was not alone. I even got an attachment article about a Middle Class worker who expresses his angst!

Here's the attachment:

My Philippines

Have you ever been a spectator of a game that was so exciting and it fires your belly to join? Yet you hold your horses because ... basically you don't know how to play the game? And that left you staying on the sideline, wishing you had the skill and talent that could turn the game to your favor.

I am at the sideline right now, and I am not watching just a game but... I am watching the "play" that would define the destiny of my country. Yeah, am talking about the political game in the Philippines that is so exciting and colorful, it attracts attention to almost everyone.
Hey, before you ever made a conclusion... I never wish to join the "game".

I am just worried though. Lately, my colleagues had been asking me about that “circus” in my country and I don’t know, I just had this strange feeling of… how do we call it?… a bit ashamed of being a Pinoy. I never felt this before. I had been proud of my color, my race, and my Nationality and will always be.

How about you? How do you feel being a Pinoy?

London and my aching foot

My foot aches! and argh… it hurts every time I tried to walk fast.
And what a good timing indeed!

This morning, I was afraid that I might just have to cancel my plans of going to the Splanade tonight. You know, my friends had been talking that David Beckham may loiter in the area. And I have a good reason to believe they may be right. The International Olympic Committee will announce the winning city who bids for the 30th Olympics on 2012, and Beckham is one of several personalities who will grace the occasion. Should I miss to catch a sight of the famous England Football Captain, well am sure I can find some sports personalities of lesser caliber. If not, I may just have to enjoy watching beautiful girls. Oh… I heard, there are over a thousand tourist in towns and most of them are French girls.. hehehhee

But my foot really aches!

Afternoon, I went out of the City Hall MRT Station and I tried to walk towards the Splanade. But walking was just not my forte today so I decided to proceed to the Raffles City Shopping Mall instead. I thought, I would just take my dinner there and after that… go home take a rest.

But to my surprise, I found out that there were so many people at the Activity Center waiting for the announcement of the winning city for Olympics 2012. There was a huge screen showing the activity of IOC at the Splanade. The people, mostly French and Britons, packed in front of the giant screen and were cheering for their respective city. I was simply mesmerized with the energy that emanates from these people.

I tried to squeeze in to one of the groups. I first went to the circle for Paris, take a closer look at the lovely French ladies… but decided to move away. I found them too noisy and too gaudy, always jumping and screaming for their city. Gee… there was so much energy with these people. Anyway, I decided to move to the next circle which is for New York. If Paris was boisterous, NY was the exact opposite. The people were too formal and too dry. Not one person was cheering for the city. Certainly, this is not the crowd where I wanted to stay. So, I moved again to the next circle which was for London.

My foot? Yeah… it is still aching but I had ignored it. I was more interested and was excited just to be in a middle of so many beautiful girls… English girls! Hehehehe I had forgotten the French girls

I was still trying to look around when the big screen came alive and started to air the IOC Announcement. Then a wild applause filled the air and the people started to press towards the center. I was there in the middle, caught between big people and could barely move. What was in my mind? …. My foot aches! Arghh!

When the name L O N D O N was announced as the winning city, everyone on my side screamed in jubilation. On my left, there was this towering athletic guy who was very happy and when i look up at him, he simply hugged me tight! Ugh, I did not see that coming. Good thing, he released me without doing damage to my bones. Then I moved towards the right, where I bumped to a big athletic, 5 foot 10 inches English lass. She looked at me with all the smiles in her face and then hugged me! Then came another large - I meant horizontally - girl who also hugged me, then another and another, finally ending up hugging a hairy smelly guy. Hehehe… I didn't see that coming! That was a good experience, though. Hey... not the guy thing! I meant the girl hugging thing.

Minutes later, the atmosphere started to calm down. The English had enough of their celebration, and on the far side I notice the French were crying. The New Yorkers looks gloomy, and who cares? They had been gloomy since the start anyway. Few Spaniard grouped together under a pole. They looked stunned but they were silent and relatively calm. The Moscovites? Oh where were they by the way? I did know where they were!

Arghh!! My foot still aches!

I guess, I had enough for the day. I slowly moved towards the Raffles City exit and looked for a taxi cab to bring me home. What a day, indeed! Even though my foot aches! And even if it hurts every time I tried to walk fast.

MRT Trains & Singaporeans

The MRT in Singapore is one of the busiest and crowded in the world.  On busy day, you could expect thousands of commuters moving quickly along lanes, escalators, going in and out of the trains.

Despite of the crowd and volume, there is one characteristic among Singaporeans that I admire most.  They always respect private space. If you are in the Philippines, you could expect people pushing, leaning, our touching you.  We normally wouldn't mind being "mangled" because we understand that it's just natural if your in crowded places. Not in Singapore.  Everyone make sure that you don't touch each other - even if it just the clothes - they would politely move towards the center of the train to evenly distribute the space.  What a commendable attitude, I proudly say.



Yet there are exception... and that happens every Sunday and only along Red Line particularly between Dhoby Ghaut and Orchard stations. And the reason?  A large volume of noisy Filipinos who would come in droves and they would usually clump with each other as if they magnets of opposite poles.

Alone.. but not lonely!

Alone, as usual, but not lonely. Huh!

It's been quite sometime since I went home to the Philippines. I miss my friends, I miss my family, and surely I miss my love ones. And I miss the most is my Jasmine Brielle

Musta na kaya sila...? Do they still think of me?