October 28th, 2004

Nadale ako ng trangkaso ngayon. Masyado lang kasi siguro akong workaholic. Actually, maayos naman ang gising, except for the fact na naunahan naman ako ng mga ka-boardmates ko sa CR kaya tuloy late na naman ako sa class. Parati na lang akong late kahit saan. Kahit sa buhay parang nalilipasan na rin ako ng panahon. I felt like being left behind in the race for life.

Take paracetamol every after meal, that's in-between six hours. Then, sabayan mo ng sinutabs, but make sure your stomach is full. Okay, okay. I'm lending you this vcd for you to have something to laugh about. ---Sweetiepie, from house next door with love.

Sinabayan din niya ng six pork barbeque sticks ang Crying Ladies starring no less than Sharon Cuneta. The film was produced by Unitel Pictures, the same team who created American Adobo. Directed by young director Mark Meily, the film is basically about three generations of ladies who have tasted life's simple and only simple living. Ah pasensya na po kayo, wala lang talaga ako sa aking matinong ulirat ngayon kaya pakibasa na lang po ang mga sumusunod. Synopsis po ito ng film, lifted from www.cryingladies.com. For the benefit na rin ng hindi pa nakapanood ng film.

Meet the last of the professional mourners of Manila's Chinatown. The street smart Stella Mate (Sharon Cuneta) who dreams of a better job to be able to get back custody of her beloved son Bong (Julio Pacheco) whom she lost to ex-husband Guido (Ricky Davao). Then there is Doray (Hilda Koronel) a.k.a. Rhodora Rivera, a bit player of the '70's whose life revolves around the glory days of her B-movies career. And religious and naive Choleng (Angel Aquino) who simply cannot resist the sexual advances of her best friend's husband. These are the crying ladies - three women who decide to accept a part-time job to be the professional mourners for a traditional Chinese funeral for the late George Washington Chua, father of Wilson Chua (Eric Quizon).The story of these three women are given life in the context of a funeral wake. A heartwarming comedy, it sheds light on the struggles and little dreams of ordinary people living in the back streets of Chinatown. Stella's struggle to survive touches the hearts of all women who are in similar situations - making ends meet, estranged husband, the other woman and the pain of being separated from a child.The stories of Doray and Choleng are stories of every person's search for acceptance and significance. In Doray, it is through a faded movie career that never really takes off. In Choleng, it is through a forbidden love affair. The movie is also a story of compassion and forgiveness. During the wake, when Wilson encounters his father's other family, he learns to accept them. And when going through his father's personal effects, he begins to truly understand his father and cries out for a lost relationship.Finally, Crying Ladies is a story of hope and triumph. Amidst all these, the women survive and emerge victorious in the many little ways that make up real life. A son learns to forgive his father and beyond that, he forgives himself. Crying Ladies will move you to tears... and laughter... but mostly it will move you.Crying Ladies is another venture of Unitel Pictures, the same company that produced the highly successful American Adobo. Based on a Palanca Award-winning script, the storyline attracted the interest of megastar Sharon Cuneta and screen legend Hilda Koronel. They are joined by outstanding actors, Eric Quizon, Angel Aquino and Ricky Davao. The movie was written and directed by Mark Meily and produced by Tony Gloria, both are well-known and recognized among the advertising circle.

The only thing that will leave viewers crying out foul is it's too much arrangements or sponsorships. The film could have been a lot better if it weren't for the exposure of this sponsorships that are exasperatingly too much to see in a film full of positive expectations. Naku, makailang beses bang i-endorse ang McDo? At yung, Alaska. In a way may relevance din ito sa film. It only proves that Pinoys are fond of joining or perhaps gambling different kinds of contests in the hope to bring home the prizes at stake.

Nakakatuwa yung scene ni Bella Flores. Sana mapanood ko ung Darna and the Giants para mapanood kong tapakan ng higante si Rhoda Rivera.

I wasn't actually aware of this until my brother suddenly notified me over the cellphone. I mean for almost four months of no talks, not even asking me if I'm still alive ('coz we're living islands apart) it really broke the silence between us, literally.

Ayun, all he was bragging me about was their world record attempt to break the world's largest human rainbow. I know everyone has already been familiar with this. At ako na utol niya at that ngayon ko lang nalaman. Pero, I can see nothing significant about that, well at least for me. But for the country that I abhored most of the times, thats indeed a great thing to be proud of. Of course nothing will beat Patricia Evangelista's winning the championship in the International Public Speaking Contest at London (at least for me).

PUP is celebrating their centennial year. That's a good jumpstart for Salvador and the PUP community. It has always been our aspiration to bring together people who have been forced to go to different countries in search of greener pastures for a grand reunion of all times. 31,000 participants, hindi nga biro yun.



Bale isa siya dun sa mga nakasuot ng red t-shirt. Astig no. Bago ko nakita itong picture na 'to, akala ko naman isa siya dun sa pitong members ng human rainbow na yun.

I learned a couple of lessons from these endeavor. Firstly, with perseverance and commitment, we can possibly flock hordes of people of different background (culture, race, tribe) if we are just steadfast with our aim to solidify our unity and concretize our being one nation. Mahirap mag-convince ng mga tao na maging part ng rainbow lalo pa't walang compensation ito. Bukod siyempre sa effort at pagod, gagastos ka rin. But they were united because of one goal: to break the world record. That's inspired and motivated them to an uncertain level. If we Filipinos were just full of motivation, perseverance to break free from the clutches of poverty, eh 'di sana naka-world record ang Philippines as world's fastest growing economy.

Secondly, puwedeng rin daanin ang controversy, away o 'di pagkakaunawaan sa ganitong uri ng endeavor. Maraming issue kasing kinakaharap ang PUP in terms of leadership, hindi raw legitimate ang pagkakaupo ni Salvador sa PUP. Ang issue rin tungkol sa substandard facilities, hindi ma-deny.

Nikon FM10 SLR Camera, always be my travel buddy.

Naku, buwisit talagang yang mga organizers ng Kabataan Sa Mindanao Encounter na yan, bad trip! Akalain mo ba namang pauwiin kami matapos naming bumyahe ng tatlong oras para lang umattend sa seminar na yan. Pagod, gutom at gastos lang napala namin sa proyekto kuno raw ng Arroyo gov't.

Apat kamin naimbitahan upang dumalo sa tatlong araw--sanang seminar na yan. Mga youth and LGU sectors from socsksargen ang invited upang makinig sa mga proyektong gagampanan kuno raw ng gobyerno. Siyempre upang maki-diyalogo na rin sa mga pinuno ng National Youth Commission ukol sa mga programang nakalaan para sa mga kabataan sa Mindanao. Siyempre dala ko pa rin ang buddy ko na Nikkon camera.

Mantakin mong may cut-off time pala yan! All-expense paid ang seminar ng NYC kaya slots ang basehan. May slot kami siyempre. Nahuli nga lang po kami ng dating dahil malayo pa ang aming pinanggalingan. At dahil huli kami at may dumating pa na iba na mas maaga pa sa amin, na-forfeit ang slots namin.

"Hindi na po puwedeng mag-extend, kulang ho sa budget." "Hindi ho ba puwedeng isali kami, malayo pa ho ang pinanggalingan namin, please po maawa naman kayo sa amin." Sorry po talaga umuwi na lang kayo!" Buwisit talaga.

Kung layunin talaga ng gobyerno mas maipaabot ang kanilang programa sa nakararami, eh di dapat hindi sila doon sa mamahaling hotel nag-conduct ng activity ng sa gayon eh makatipid sila para marami ang maka-attend!

Nauwi ang aming seminar sa beach--nagpunta na lang kami ng Tropicana Beach Resort sa General Santos City. Doon namin binuhos ang nalalabing panahon sa paliligo, inuman at kwentuhan. At siyempre, picture-taking.

Tuwing umuuwi ako ng bahay at sumasakay ng tricycle, madalas akong maka-encounter ng mga tricycle driver na hindi alam ang kanilang direksyon. Oo, may iilan pa rin tayong mga kababayang hindi nakaka
intindi ng left at right o kaliwa't kanan. Nakakatawa man (o nakakahiyang) pakinggan, subalit hindi maitatangging marami pa rin sa atin ang hindi ganap na nakakaunawa ng mga basic directions sa buhay. Katulad ng mga tricycle driver na lumiliko sa kanan imbes na sa kaliwa, tayong mga Pilipino ay madalas ding magkamali sa daang ating dapat tahakin. Marami tayong mga desisyong sa una palang ay alam nating hindi makabubuti sa atin. Ang mga taong dapat nating iwasan ay siya pa nating pinapakisamahan. Sa halip na liliko na pauwi ng bahay ay lilihis pa ng landas at makikipag-inuman sa kanto.

Oo, marami pa rin sa atin ang hindi ganap na nakakaunawa sa kung ano ang tama at kung ano ang mali. Tama man?