Dear DOTC, LRTA & MRT, BEEP Cards, Anyare?!

Ang blog post na ito ay nasa wikang pambansa dahil gusto ko na agad i-post ng mabilis. Agad agad.

Noong nakaraang Marso 2015 habang papasok ako sa huling klase ko sa aking unibersidad sa Maynila, ay napansin ko ang sangkatutak na posters na sumisigaw at ipinagyayabang ang bagong “BEEP” stored value cards ng LRT. “Inaabangan na ang maligayang Mayo sa LRT 2!” Halos sa bawat kanto ng bawat istasyon ng LRT, LRT2 at MRT at makikita ang mga nasabing posters. Nakasaad sa posters na ngayong Mayo 2015 ay maaari ng mabili ang nasabing BEEP cards. Sa isip-isip ko, “Aba, mabuti naman at may petsa. May aasahan na kaming pagbabago bukod sa mga hindi gumaganang escalators at elevators. Sana totoo.” Kaya umasa ako na sa muling pagsakay ko ng LRT ng Mayo ay makakabili na ako at magagamit ko na ang beep cards.

BEEP Cards Posters at LRT Katipunan, 25 May 2015

Inaamin ko na natuwa at na-excite ako nung nalaman kong magkakaroon na ng standard electronic smart card ticketing system ang LRT1, LRT2 at MRT. Pero kahit alam ko din na halos lagpas isang dekada na ang teknolohiyang ito na ginagamit sa ibang bansa tulad ng Singapore, Hong-Kong o Japan, ay natuwa pa din ako dahil marami sa aking mga kababayan ang ma-iibsan, kahit papaano ang perwisyo ng bulok na kasalukuyang sistema ng mano-manong pagbili ng ticket sa tatlong linya ng tren.

Dahilan ng pagkakataon, kanina lang ulit ako nakasakay ng LRT 2 pagkatapos ng huling pagsakay ko noong Marso. Inasahan ko na bilang nasa huling linggo na ng Mayo, ay makakabili at magagamit ko na ang ipinagmamalaki ng DOTC na “BEEP” cards. Ngunit ako’y nagulat, nalungkot at nayamot nung nakita ko ang mahabang pila ng pasahero sa Katipunan station kaninang tanghali. WALA PANG LRT BEEP CARDS! Ayun, ang kawawang pinoy commuters, nakapila pa rin ng pagkahaba-haba sa dalawang ticketing windows. At ang BEEP cards machine? Ayun, may nakapaskil na “TEST In Progress”.

SVC Machines Test In Progress at LRT Recto Station, 25 May 2015

Ano po kayang nangyari sa “Maligayang Mayo”? Tila naging Malungkot at Mahabang Pila ng Mayo ang nangyari. Wala po ba talaga tayong sense of urgency DOTC? Tska napansin ko po bakit po kaya parang pang-coins lang yung SVC machines? Para pong walang pang bills? Eh kung tutuusin, mas may P20, P50 at P100 bills po ang mga pasahero ngayon. Kung coins lang po ang tatanggapin ng machines, magkakaroon na naman po ng pila sa LRT PAO para magpabarya. Dapat nga po, puro pang-bills na ang machines natin. 2015 na po. Bakit po kayo ganyan? Wala po bang nag-isip nyan? O sadyang ganyan po ang inorder nyo sa supplier para sa next na kontrata ay mayroon na naman po tayong pagkakakitaan?

Eto pa. Nagtaas na po kayo ng pamasahe mula Enero ngayong taon, pero ang escalators at elevators hindi pa din po gumagana. Bakit po kayo ganyan?

Escalators not operational. LRT Recto. 25 May 2015

Sadya po bang wala kayong paki-elam sa pubiko? Bakit po hindi nyo madaliin? Bakit po sobrang tagal ng pag-improve? Noon po ang issue nyo, nag expire na kasi kontrata ng maintenance, tapos naging lugi kasi, mababa ang pamasahe. Ngayong nagtaas, wala pa din pagbabago. Ano po ba? Okay lang po na ganyan kasi nakakapagtiis naman kami? Pwede na yan. Kasi nakakauwi pa din naman kami sa mga bahay namin. Pwede nang walang air-con ang mga tren, kasi nakakapagtiis naman, may pamaypay naman. Pwede na yan kasi nakaka-akyat naman sa hagdanan. Konti lang kasi ang pilay sa Pilipinas. Pano naman po yung mga naka wheel-chair, sila lolo at lola?

Bakit po kailangang magtiis ng publiko habang kayo po ay nagpapakasasa sa sarap at lamig ng air-con ng mga sasakyan nyo na napakalakas sa gasolina na binabayaran ng taong-bayan. Bakit po kaya?

Patapos na ang administrayong PNoy, magpapalitan na naman ng gabinete. Ano ba ang nagawa ng DOTC? 6 na taon nang ganyan ang LRT, LRT2 at MRT. Anong nangyari? Sumesweldo kayo buwan buwan, pero simpleng pagkuha ng maintenance contractors ng escalators at elevators hindi magawa? Simpleng pagbili ng tama at nararapat at sulit na SVC machines hindi magawa? Bakit po kaya? Bakit po kaya? Bakit?

Iniinsulto ako ni Nancy Binay

Iniinsulto ako ni Nancy Binay dahil siguro iniisip niya na …

 

1. ako ay isang “name-recall voter” – – siguro iniisip niya na lahat ng Pilipino ay tinitingala at bilib sa Tatay niya na dating Mayor ng Makati at ngayon ay bise-Presidente ng bansa na laging ipinagmamalaki ang kanyang mga nagawa. At siguro iniisip din niya na kapag “Binay” ang apelyido mo eh isa na itong kasiguraduhan na siya ay magiging isang Senador. Teka, dib a may asawa siya? Bakit hindi niya gamitin ang apelyido ng asawa niya? Pwede din natin tanungin ang mga tunay na taga Makati, kung ano nga ba talaga ang kalagayan ng bayan nila bago at habang nasa pwesto ang mga Binay.

 

2. ako ay “Mangmang” – – na hindi ako marunong bumasa at sumulat para siyasatin ang kanyang mga kredensyal at mga nagawa (kung meron man). O baka iniisip din niya na ang buong pamilya ko ay walang pinag-aralan at kami ay nanghuhula na lang ng iboboto tuwing eleksyon.

 

3. gustong-gusto ko ang “Campaign Ads” – – na tuwang-tuwa ako sa mga komersyal niya sa TV para makumbinsi niya akong tunay nga siyang Nanay at siya ang magsisilbing Nanay sa Senado. Sandali lang ah, kelan pa ba nagkaron ng mga sanggol sa loob ng Senado at kailangan meron magpa-dede?

 

4. ako’y uhaw na uhaw sa mabulaklaking mga salita (pangako) – – “Education to Employment.” – Kung ito ay totoo, bakit kaya hindi siya umalis sa kanyang tatay at magsimula ng sarili niya? Nakapagtapos siya ng pag-aaral, bakit hindi kaya niya gamitin ito para humanap ng sarili niyang trabaho? – – “Kay Nancy Binay, mga bata gaganda ang buhay.” –Nung huling nasa Makati ako, na-ireport ko kaagad sa DSWD yung mga batang palaboy sa kalye. Madami sila. “Nanay de Pamilya.” –nakakatawa ang linyang to, sa totoo lang.

 

5. ako’y naniniwala sa surveys – – na meron akong mentalidad na iboboto ko lang kung sino yung nasa top 12 kasi baka masayang yung boto ko kung yung iboboto ko eh nasa 13^th pababa sa surveys. Sa totoo lang, hindi ako naniniwala sa kahit anong survey na may bahid politika. Ang mga surveys ay  mayroong  maraming kadahilanan katulad ng statistics. Ang mga resulta ay pwedeng hulaan at baguhin base sa mga iba’t-ibang variables at datos na ibinibigay. Masyadong teknikal, sakto na siguro yan. Siguro iniisp din niya na nakadepende ang boto ko sa surveys, na kung sino yung gusto nung iba, yun din ang boboto ko.  Na maniniwala ako sa surveys kahit ako mismo eh ni minsan hindi napasama diyan sa mga surveys na yan.

 

6. ako’y tanga – – siguro iniisip niya na ako ay isang bobo o tanga na wala akong kapasidad na mag-isip at kumilatis ng aking mga iboboto. Eto lang, ako ay isang matalinong botante. Pakibasa yung ika-pito.

 

7. iboboto ko siya – – kasi mukhang okay naman siya. Pwede ba. Panigurado, hindi ko siya iboboto. Hinding-hindi ko iboboto ang isang kandidato na sinasabing sorbra ang pagmamalasakit niya sa mga nanay at sanggol pero hindi pabor sa RH Law. Seryoso? Sarili niya mismo di nagtutugma ang pananaw? Hindi ko din iboboto ang isang kandidato na sinasabing ayaw niya sa divorce dahil sabi niya “Makakapag-bigay ban g trabaho ang divorce? Pag may divorce ba, dadami ba ang pagkain ng tao?” Oh diba? Anong klaseng rason yan? Pagkumparahin talaga ang dalawang magkaibang issue?  Hinding-hindi ko din iboboto ang isang kandidato na hindi kayang iharap ang sarili sa mga pampublikong debate para ipamalas ang kanyang talino. Ang isang Senador ay haharap sa maraming matitinding debate. Kung hindi niya kayang makilahok, kahit isang beses lang, sa mga debate, eh ano sa tingin mo ang gagawin niya sa loob ng Senado? Ano, uupo lang sa pwesto niya habang umiinom ng mainit na tsaa? O baka naman magsasalita lang siya kapag meron siyang kodigo, ano? Lahat scripted? Pwede ba, madami nang ganitong Senador. Hindi na para madagdagan pa. Hindi ko iboboto si Nancy Binay dahil hindi siya karapat-dapat sa listahan ko ng iboboto kong Senador. Hindi niya nakamit ang mga kwalipikasyon na hinahanap ko sa isang Senador.

 

 

At para sa inyo na dumedepensa sa kanya na hindi dapat siya sisihin sa pagtakbo niya bilang Senador kasi kinumbinsi lang siya ng Tatay niya. Pwede ba, trenta’y-nuebe anyos na siya. Hindi ba niya kayang magdesisyon para sa sarili niya? Hindi niya ba kayang mag-isip para sa sarili niya? Siya ay siya. Ipinapangako nya na kaya nyang magbigay ng trabaho sa lahat, pero siya ay walang sariling trabaho. Nasasaktan siya dahil sa lahat ng batikos sa dyaryo, TV, internet? Syempre naman, masakit talgang mabatikos. Dapat binalaan siya ng tatay niya. O baka naman, masyadong kampante na si Tatay na mananalo siya. Aba, tignan natin.

 

 

@NJayMaldito 

 

Reference for the above Nancy Binay quote:

http://www.philstar.com/opinion/2013/01/31/903144/who-nancy-binay

Images from:

Rappler.com & politicallyintoxicated.blogspot.com

 

 

#NoProofread #Welcome #GrammarNazi

As one quote says:

“Sa araw ng eleksyon pinakamakapangyarihan ang tao. Ito ang panahon na kayang impluwensiyahan ang gobyerno.”

====================================

 

Original English post:

https://njaymaldito.wordpress.com/2013/05/07/nancy-binay-is-offending-me/

 

Comment? Sure! But please include your name so others can address you properly when they feel like replying. ;o)

Thank you very much for reading!

 

Bobong Botante

Ang bobong botante.

(Paalala, may mga salitang di ka nais-nais mabasa o marinig) 

Ito ay nakasulat sa wikang pambansa upang maunawaan ng mas nakakarami ang aking balak ipahiwatig. Ito ang mga sintomas na ikaw ay isang bobong botante at walang kwentang mamamayan. Pasensiya na sa mga salitang yan, pero kung tinamaan ka, di ko na problema yon.

Isa kang bobong botante kung madalas o minsan nasasabi mo ang mga ito tuwing panahon ng eleksyon:

1. “Wala namang magbabago, di na ako boboto.” –- Oo, tama ka! Walang magbabago dahil napakatamad mo, pagboto lang di mo pa magawa? Hindi mo ba alam na napakaswerte mo kung malaya at may karapatan kang bumoto? Yung mga tao sa ibang bansa, hanggang ngayon, umiiyak, nakayuko dahil wala silang kalayaang pumili kung sino ang gusto nilang iluklok sa pwesto. Tapos ikaw, sasayangin mo lang dahil pakiramdam mo walang magbabago? Simulan mong magbago ng mentalidad sa pagboto, makikita mo ang pagbabagong hangad mo.

2. “Di ko naman kilala yang mga yan, bahala na sa eleksyon.” – – Di mo kilala? Aba, eh di kilalanin mo! Marunong kang magbasa diba? Marunong kang magsulat? May kamag-anak kang nag-aaral, marunong mag surf sa internet diba? Alamin mo kung sino sa tingin mo ang karapat-dapat na umupo sa pwesto. Ipagtanong mo kung sino sila, kilatisin mo. Bakit mo sasabihing bahala na sa eleksyon, tapos pag na-badtrip ka sa binoto mo kasi walang kwenta, magrereklamo ka. May utak ka para mag-isip. Lahat tayo may kapasidad para kilatisin ang bawat isa.

3. “Boboto ko siya, mukhang mabait at matulungin eh. Gwapo/Maganda pa!” (Artista at mga kilalang personalidad) – Naks naman, ano to “Search for the most pleasing personality?” Di porke’t mukhang mabait at sa tingin mo matulungin, eh yun na yung totoong pagkato niyan. Kilatisin mo kung totoo ba talaga, na kahit wala sa pwesto, walang camera oh walang nakakakita eh talagang mabait sila. Tska, mabait nga at matulungin, magtaka ka baka pag nasa pwesto na yan, lahat ng tulong eh ibibigay sa mga kaibigan. Yung tipong hindi maka-hindi kahit alam na mali. Tska iba ang nasa TV sa totoong buhay. Maging mapanuri ka dapat.

4. “Sayang ang boto ko, di naman mananalo yan.” – Dito ko badtrip na badtrip. Oo, sayang ang boto mo kasi kung yun boto mo eh ibinigay mo dun sa karapat-dapat eh di sana puro tamang lider ang mga nasa pwesto ngayon. Bilib na bilib ka sa surveys? Eh ang bobo mo. Bakit mo itutulad yung pagiisip mo dun sa mga sumagot sa survey? Wala ka bang utak? Wala ka bang sariling isip? Susundin mo din sinabi sayo ni Pastor o ni Father o kung sino mang may awtoridad sa relihiyon mo? Sige, pero kung sa tingin mo may mali sa mga kandidatong inendorso nila, aba mag-isip isp ka. May free-will tayo. May kanya-kanya tayong utak at balota sa araw ng eleksyon. Isip isip din pag may time.

5. “Siya na lang, gusto ko kasi vision ng Nanay at Tatay niya.” – – Anong vision? Pareho sila ng mga mata? Pareho sila ng isip? Walang ganon! Di porke’t mula sila sa pamilya ng mga politiko eh sila na ang karapat-dapat. Mabahala ka kung halos lahat sila eh nasa pwesto na nang gobyerno. Di na paglilingkod-bayan yan! Pagtatakip-butas na yan. Gusto nila, sila na lang ang nasa pwesto para mapagtakpan ang anomalyang ginawa at gagawin nila. Obserbahan mo, ilampung-taon na sila sa pwesto? May nangyari ba? Pareho nga sila ng apelyido, pero may napatunayan na ba? Katulad ng isa diyan, namatay lang si Mommy, tumakbo na. Syempre yung mga bobong botante, naawa. Ayun, panalo! Tapos eto pa, yung nakulong na, aba! Nag #2 pa! Susmaryosep na mga botante to!

Wag tayong maging bobo. Lagi na lang tayong, “ay mabait yan. Uy mukhang di corrupt.” Diba pwede namang “Magaling yan! Matalino yan! Ay, talagang totoo sinasabi niyan. Sa (insert city/province), pag pumunta ka, talgang ibang iba. Napakaayos. Siya nga nagpatupad ng ganito, ganon….” Siguro pwede naman? Kaya yang mga kandidatong yan, kahit alam nilang nanloloko lang sila eh laging kasali dahil malakas ang loob nilang mananalo sila dahil sa pagkakaalam nila eh bobo tayo. Nakakbadtrip diba? Ako, di na ko papayag na ganon ang isipin nila. Hindi ako bobo. Oo, sige sabihin na nilang magaling ako, na ang yabang ko, pero sa pagkakataong ito. Di ako papa-uto sa kanila dahil hindi ako bobong botante. Ikaw, bobong botante ka ba?

O, tanong nga ni Vice Ganda: 

,

Image from: http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4poprANfJ1qhobif.jpg

by: @NJayMaldito

#NoProofread #Welcome #GrammarNazi

As one quote says:

“Election day is when citizens are most powerful. It is the day when they can influence the government.”

Nancy Binay is offending me

Nancy Binay is offending me because maybe she thinks I…

 

1. am A name-recall-voter – maybe she thinks and assumes every Filipino looks up to his Dad who happens to be the former Mayor of Makati City and now a Vice President who also kept on bragging how ‘he himself’ made Makati the way it is today. And that by having a Binay last name would automatically grant her a Senate seat. Wait, isn’t she married? Then why not use her husband’s last name? Oh, let’s ask the real people of Makati, what Makati really is like before and during the Binay regime?

2. am Illiterate – That I cannot read nor write to research her credentials and track records (if there’s any). Or maybe she thinks we are a family of illiterates who does the “pick-a-boom” selection during elections.

3. love Campaign Ads – that I will be persuaded by her TVC which shows how motherly she can be in the Senate. Excuse me, last time I checked, there’s no nursery there that badly needs breastfeeding and diapers.

4. am hungry for flowery words – “Education to Employment.” If this is true, then why not emancipate herself from her father’s arms and start having her own? She has the education, why not go out and look for her own employment? “Kay Nancy Binay, mga bata gaganda ang buhay.” Oh, last time I was in Makati, I ended up tweeting DSWD. Why? Oh yes, street children. “Nanay de Pamilya.” – this line is a joke. Seriously.

 

Click here for >>  Tagalog version

 

5. believe in surveys – that I have the mentality to only vote for those who are in the top 12 because my vote will be wasted if I will still vote for those who are in the 13^th and below spots. Guess what, I do NOT believe in any politically/campaign motivated surveys. Surveys have lots of factors and so as statistics. Results can be predicted and modified based on the different variables or data supplied. Oh well, I need not to go further.

6. am Stupid – I am under the impression that maybe she is assuming that I am stupid, idiot and a moron that I have no capacity to think who I should vote for. Well, I am not. I am a smart voter and please read number 7.

7. will vote for her – because she looks nice. Please. Of course, I will NOT vote for her. Again, I am NOT voting Nancy Binay. I am not going to vote for someone who claims that she is so concerned with the protection of the mothers and infants and at the same time is an anti-RH law. Contradicting yourself ma’am, really? I am also NOT going to vote for someone who said that she is not in favor of divorce because, and I quote: ”Will divorce give jobs? Will it mean more food for people?…” Wow! Talk about apples versus oranges. Again and again, I will NOT vote for Nancy Binay because she cannot even present herself in public debates/forums to showcase her intellect. Being in the senate will expose a person to rigid intellectual discourse. If she cannot even once, attend and participate in any debate, what will she do in the Senate then? Sit in the corner and sip a hot steaming chamomile tea? Or will she only talk when she has her notes, script? Please, we already have several senators doing it now, I don’t need another one. I am NOT going to vote for Nancy Binay simply because she is not qualified to be on my list  of Senators. She did not meet my required qualifications to become one. She simply failed.

And for those of you who keeps on defending her that she is not the one to be blamed for running because she was just convinced by her Dad, please! She’s already 39yo, can’t she decide on her own? can’t she think on her own? She is her own self. She is she. She presents herself that she can give employment to everyone when she herself doesn’t have a real job on her own. All these criticisms hurt? Oh yes, sure it does. Daddy should’ve warned her. Or maybe Daddy was very assuring that she will win. Well, let’s see.

@NJayMaldito 

 

Reference for the above Nancy Binay quote:

http://www.philstar.com/opinion/2013/01/31/903144/who-nancy-binay

Images from:

Rappler.com & politicallyintoxicated.blogspot.com

#NoProofread #Welcome #GrammarNazi

As one quote says:

“Election day is when citizens are most powerful. It is the day when they can influence the government.”

Click here for >>  Tagalog version

https://njaymaldito.wordpress.com/2013/05/10/iniinsulto-ako-ni-nancy-binay/

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Comment? Sure! But please include your name so others can address you properly when they feel like replying. ;o)

Thank you very much for reading!

Epal free? There’s a way! A looooot of ways!

 A saying says: “If there’s a will, there’s a way.” Indeed, this is true to our esteemed politicians who have utmost fondness in seeing their names and faces on almost every street corners across their districts or towns.

If one politician wants to show his very photogenic face or wants everybody to know his name, all he needs to do is call a person who knows how to do stuff on MS Paint or if there’s more funds, get a graphic artist, photographer, then do some photo shoot, layout here and there and put every greeting possible, print it in a very durable tarpaulin which can withstand even the rage of “Ondoy”. Then hang or post it anywhere so the public can see it. Voila! Instant advertisement, with free greetings. Happy Fiesta! Happy Halloween! Happy Graduation Day! Happy Birthday! Happy First Communion! Happy Sectional Blocking! Happy Checkpoint. Please slow down. Happy Free Circumcision. (Okay, the last two are exaggerations.) See, if a politician wants to use public’s funds to showcase his name and face, he can. There’s a way. In fact, there are loooooots of ways.

On the other hand, if a politician wants to just serve the public without any buzz and grandstanding (which EVERY public servant MUST voluntarily do), he absolutely can. There’s also a way. In fact, there’s a loooot of ways too.

Let me cite one example. I won’t be hiding his name because I was totally impressed on his receptiveness as a public official to his constituents’ feedback.

I am residing near Parang Elementary School in Marikina City, my place is just a few blocks away. Two years ago, a construction started for a new 3-storey building inside the school. After a few weeks, I huge green tarpaulin was posted beside it, the poster says: “Proposed New ‘Q’ 3-Storey Building.” with the politician’s smiling photogenic face which covers half the size of the tarpaulin. If my memory serves me right, that was the only thing posted there, no details on the budget, source of funds, date construction started, estimated completion date, approval of gov’t agencies or whatsoever. When I first saw it, I instantly said to myself: “Ang epal naman nito.” As a taxpaying citizen, I hate ‘epal’ politicians. I commend the fact that having a new school building is indeed a noble project and the end result will surely benefit the students. But by having a huge poster there with nothing but a smiling face and hailing it as early as ‘Q’ building, claiming it as his own puts the politician’s intention of public service questionable. Did he really propose that project to help the students or to just make his self-advertisement free and justifiable? See, these questions can linger in people’s minds. Hence, putting the politician’s integrity at risk.

 As a self-proclaimed blogger, critic, or just simply an online ‘pakielamero’, I tweeted about some of his ‘epalism’. Surprisingly, he was able to read some of my tweets and acknowledged my concern.

Anyways, last 2012 during the early months, for some unknown reason, the construction halted and it just resumed late last year. Fast forward today, the construction is still on going and to my surprise, I saw the following: 

Epal free! Isn’t it? As far as the politician’s epalism is concerned this is undoubtedly impressive!  See, if a politician wants his project to be free from any touch of epalism, it can be done! This is a great example. Trust me, the posters were not like these two years ago. Good job to the 2nd district representative of Marikina City, Cong. Miro Quimbo. Not only he is an RH Law advocate, he is now a non-epal politician and is being a 100% real public servant. Yes, being an epal can make you less of a public servant.

I have another issue. I am absolutely sure that the building’s construction started early 2011, so how come the date above shows that it just started November 2012? Maybe there were some issues before that’s why the construction was stopped for a long time.

Nevertheless, I cannot be more proud of my Congressman. I hope he can influence the representative of the 1st district of Marikina City to do the same.

We give credit to whom the credit is due. And now, I’m giving the credit to Cong. Miro Quimbo for taking a leap forward in being a public servant all the way in practicing servant leadership. You’re no longer a politician sir, and that makes a big difference.

I expect some people to criticize this blog entry for I know for a fact that it’s not well-written. Blog was published without proofreading. 

Eight Lies Of A Mother

 

This story begins when I was a child: I was born poor. Often we hadn’t enough to eat. Whenever we had some food, Mother often gave me her portion of rice. While she was transferring her rice into my bowl, she would say, “Eat this rice, son, I’m not hungry.”

This was Mother’s First Lie.

As I grew, Mother gave up her spare time to fish in a river near our house; she hoped that from the fish she caught, she could give me a little bit more nutritious food for my growth. Once she had caught just two fish, she would make fish soup. While I was eating the soup, mother would sit beside me and eat what was still left on the bone of the fish I had eaten; my heart was touched when I saw it. Once I gave the other fish to her on my chopstick but she immediately refused it and said, “Eat this fish son, I don’t really like fish.”

This was Mother’s Second Lie.

Then, in order to fund my education, Mother went to a Match Factory to bring home some used matchboxes, which she filled with fresh matchsticks. This helped her get some money to cover our needs. One wintry night I awoke to find Mother filling the matchboxes by candlelight. So I said, “Mother, go to sleep; it’s late: you can continue working tomorrow morning.” Mother smiled and said, “Go to sleep son, I’m not tired.”

This was Mother’s Third Lie.

When I had to sit my Final Examination, Mother accompanied me. After dawn, Mother waited for me for hours in the heat of the sun. When the bell rang, I ran to meet her… Mother embraced me and poured me a glass of tea that she had prepared in a thermos. The tea was not as strong as my Mother’s love. Seeing Mother covered with perspiration, I at once gave her my glass and asked her to drink too. Mother said, “Drink son, I’m not thirsty!”

This was Mother’s Fourth Lie.

After Father’s death, Mother had to play the role of a single parent. She held on to her former job; she had to fund our needs alone. Our family’s life was more complicated. We suffered from starvation. Seeing our family’s condition worsening, my kind Uncle, who lived near my house, came to help us solve our problems big and small. Our other neighbors saw that we were poverty stricken so they often advised my mother to marry again. But Mother refused to remarry saying, “I don’t need love.”

This was Mother’s Fifth Lie.

After I had finished my studies and got a job, it was time for my old Mother to retire but she carried on going to the market every morning just to sell a few vegetables. I kept sending her money but she was steadfast and even sent the money back to me. She said, “I have enough money.”

That was Mother’s Sixth Lie.

I continued my part-time studies for my Master’s Degree. Funded by the American Corporation for which I worked, I succeeded in my studies. With a big jump in my salary, I decided to bring Mother to enjoy life in America but Mother didn’t want to bother her son. She said to me, “I’m not used to high living.”

That was Mother’s Seventh Lie.

In her dotage, Mother was attacked by cancer and had to be hospitalized. Now living far across the ocean, I went home to visit Mother who was bedridden after an operation. Mother tried to smile but I was heartbroken because she was so thin and feeble but Mother said, “Don’t cry son, I’m not in pain.”

That was Mother’s Eighth Lie.

Telling me this eighth lie, she died.
YES, MOTHER WAS AN ANGEL!

M – O – T – H – E – R

“M” is for the million things she gave me,
“O” means only that she’s growing old,
“T” is for the tears she shed to save me,
“H” is for her heart of gold,
“E” is for her eyes with love-light shining in them,
“R” means right , and right she’ll always be,

Put them all together, they spell “MOTHER”

… a word that means the world to me.

 

 

 

*credits to the author who happens to be “Anonymous”

An ignored email by Mar Roxas and LRT

This was the email that I sent regarding the use of the LED TVs and yes no one replied.

Hi,

Since almost all the stations have now several LCD screens installed on the platform areas and are now showing several advertisements to the public which obviously generates extra revenue. It’s a good step for our transit industry to follow the vision of leading transport system in SEA which in this case is Singapore. Please take time to watch the video on the link I pasted below:

This video is continiously playing on all the LCD screens at all MRT stations in Singapore. Yes, they have advertisements which are good for business purposes but almost 70% of the time, the video above is being played. Why? Because they think that passengers’ safety is more important than revenues generating from advertisements. And I ultimately agree to that principle. Security and Safety has long been the number one challenge our transport system is facing, and I guess having this kind of video playing on the screens in each station will help the public be aware of the danger we might face if we ourselves are not vigilant.

Thank you.

Useless LED TVs on LRT and MRT

Most Filipinos do not own a car simply because most of them cannot afford to buy one, cannot be approved for a car loan due to their economic status, and some of them just left the idea of owning a car in their dreams. Having said that, public transportation is a big role to every Filipino, almost all Filipinos have experienced riding a jeepney, tricycle, pedicab, bus, shuttle and the MRT/LRT. These modes of public transportation help the common man to go on their daily lives. But let me just focus on one, the train system in Metro Manila or what we all call, the MRT and the LRT. The Manila LRT is the first metro rail transit system in SouthEast Asia, older by three years than Singapore MRT. It has been one of the major achievements of the Marcos Administration giving the public a new way of transportation within Metro Manila, fast and hassle-free. Fast forward today, we now have 3 major train lines; the Yellow Line which is the oldest (opened in 1984) now has 22 stations, the Purple Line (opened in 2003) with 11 stations and the MRT (opened in 1999) with 13 stations. These 3 train lines are somewhat connected to each other but not totally linked efficiently like the Singapore MRT and SBS Transit systems inSingapore.

As an everyday commuter, I ride the purple line almost 4 times a week and I can’t help but to compare our train system toSingapore’s train system (having been there several times). One is LRT/MRT ticketing system, if you ride the yellow line and need to alight at a station in the purple line, you need to buy 2 tickets, one for the yellow line and another for the purple line. And yes, you cannot buy the tickets at the same time. So you need to buy before boarding the yellow line and you need to buy another one before boarding the purple line, and you have to do it again going back. Imagine how hassle it can be, not unless you want to buy a stored-value ticket worth P100 to avoid the inconvenience, but you have to buy 3 of those, each per train line. If only our government can upgrade our ticketing system just like in Singapore’s SMRT/SBS transit wherein you can buy one ticket and you can use it in any train line (Singapore has 5 lines, 134 stations linked altogether throughout the entire city), less hassle, less time and energy, not to mention how fast their trains are.

Other issues are the trains, there are trains that I think are older than me that are still being used, LRT/MRT officers, security, cleanliness, elevators and escalators and the list goes on and on. But one thing that I want to focus on is how the LRT and MRT use their LED TVs for business and not for benefit of the public. There are around 8 to 10 LED TVs in each station showing commercial products advertisements. When I first noticed the TV, I spent time watching all the ads because I thought after 4 ads, there will be an information video about the security measures the LRT/MRT is doing and what they are expecting for the public to do as well to prevent what had happened last 2000 (Rizal Day Bombing), I was expecting something like this:

But after watching all the ads, the only information video I saw was on how to do business with them by placing ads on those LED TVs. Frustrated, after I got home, I sent an email to LRT, MRT and to the DOTC Secretary Mar Roxas suggesting to use those TVs for the benefit of the public. Surprisingly, no one replied.

I am not against placing advertisements on those TVs, what I want is to use that medium to inform the public about the different security measures everyone can do to prevent such cases from happening just like in Singapore. Sure, place 4 advertisements but after that make sure that we have this info video which will make the public realize that everyone should be vigilant.

My apologies from some grammatical errors, did not proof-read. Just ranting. LOL

There’s No Place like “Maynila La Imelda”

Livin La Vida Imelda 

I’m not really into writing stuff but let me give this a try to express my gratitude for this man who will tell and teach you how to look at Manila differently.

I have been a fan of Carlos ever since I saw him the first time inside the walls of Intramuros when I and my college friends were strolling around 4 years ago. He was in front of a group of foreigners, pointing his fingers to some historical structures and narrating some stuff as if he’s the spokesperson, it seemed fun because of his jolly aura which is very perfect in presentations. His tiny speaker hanging around his belt makes his voice vivacious which adds up to the energy of his audience. Back then, I was just a mere observer on how he does his tour and a person in the background who wished to be part of it in the future.

Fast forward, 4 years later. Being a Twitter follower of @CarlosCeldran I got a chance of taking advantage of his generosity by having Barter Tours. Given that as of this writing I don’t have the capacity to pay the tour fee, I requested two slots for the Barter Tour for me and my friend which gladly he confirmed.

So me and my friend brought our gifts for him in exchange of joining his tour for free yesterday (October 21, 2011| 14:00). The tour that we joined in was titled: “Livin La Vida Imelda”, it’s all about the former first lady of the Philippines, Imelda Romualdez Marcos, he shared some bits of her biography, tiny drops of romance here and there, her grand ambitions for Manila, her achievements and the best part, the spicy gossips about herself, her husband, her insurmountable pairs of shoes, and the undying controversies behind all the structures that was built during her reign as the “Steel Butterfly”.

The tour lasted for about 2 ½ hours. I totally enjoyed how Carlos presented it in a way that his audience literally pays attention to any word that he utters. With him is a folder with mostly pictures that I have not yet seen on Google, which serves as his secondary presentation tool next to his tiny speaker.  A portable CD/Cassette player which is really my favorite because as we “Walk this Way” (transferring to another spot inside the CCP (Cultural Center of the Philippines)  and PICC (Philippine International Convention Center)) he will play the 1970’s music which was dubbed as the “Manila Sound”, since my parents have not thought of having me yet in this world during that time, I can honestly say that I am familiar with VST & Co. songs like “Disco Fever”, “Magsayawan” and “Awitin Mo, Isasayaw Ko”. (PS: as I’ve said I was not yet born when those songs were played over the radio, but I thank my parents for having and keeping these records at home, thanks also to YouTube. LOL). For the record, Carlos was not playing these songs from a CD, he literally used cassette tapes that I find really really cool! The best part of the presentation was when he mimics the way Imelda Marcos speaks while throwing some really funny lines and yes this was partnered by Imelda’s signature of having a hankie, in this case, if my observation was correct, Carlos used the Black Nazarene of Quiapo handkerchief. And of course, who can forget his black hat that surely fits his round head. =)

Cultural Center of the Philippines

The entire tour was very educational and entertaining. I really learned a lot and there’s really some “Ah-a” moments. For a guy who really did not witness howManilawas so impressive and famous back in those days, I was really amused and surprised about the things that I saw and heard. And given the main subject of the tour, Imelda Marcos, it just made me really fascinated to know more about her. I clearly remember my late Dad who happened to be an architect once said that he was very fond of Imelda because of her great sense and appreciation in beautiful and grand architecture.

Of course in every story, it can never always be just happy times; you cannot be at the pedestal forever. The dark side of the “Steel Butterfly” was also exposed which I am sure will give you some “Oh? Really?” moments, and did I also say about some conspiracy theories about the People Power and Ninoy Aquino’s assassination? Interesting, interesting stuff. Yes, these were all covered. Although not very detailed but the idea will keep you inclined to the stories. I almost forgot, Carlos also dropped some well-known and who-is-that-again names that Google cannot tell you. (Idk, I haven’t checked but for sure there were some names that surprised me.)

The controversial ghost-inhabited Manila Film Center

Oh well, after the tour I just observed one thing. Carlos did not give us the opportunity to ask questions which I thought an important part in presentations. Lack of time perhaps? However, I realized that there’s no need to ask questions because I haven’t thought of asking anything during the tour which only means that he pretty covered if not all, most of it. And yes, we are not in a classroom setting where there’s recitation and stuff after all.

So, if you guys want to be part and enjoy it the same way I did, contact him now. I’m sure you will not regret it.

Here’s a snippet of the Livin La Vida Imelda Tour when an Al Jazeera correspondent joined and featured Carlos Celdran:

 

 

 

(I hope he liked my gift. I gave him my own copy of a book titled “The Poisonwood Bible” and I thought it’s a good read.)

Website:           http://carlosceldran.com

Twitter:             @CarlosCeldran

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/CARLOS-CELDRAN/329069471130

 

Thanks for reading!

@NJayMaldito

From another man’s suggestion: The experience will be the “bestest” (if there’s such a word) had Carlos gave away some souvenirs as a token of appreciation too. (Like a key-chain with the image of his hat or whatever just to remember that you were once a part of his journey.)

Harry Potter Blackberry Messenger Group Barcode (BBM)

Please feel free to scan this barcode and join our BBM community. Exclusively for fans who’ve read all the Harry Potter books.

Why We Love Mom

Our mothers are many times the unsung heroes of our lives. Whether it’s their endless encouragement or the example they set, our moms are crucial to every part of our lives and seldom ask for anything in return. It’s time we let mom know we appreciate all the things she has done for us.

How people are sorted?

A train hits a bus load of Catholic school girls and they all perish. At the gates of heaven, St. Peter asks the girls whether they have ever had any contact with a penis…
The first girl giggles and says she once touched the tip of one with her finger. Peter asks the girl to dip the finger into the holy water.

The next girl says she once fondled one, so sticks her hand in the holy water.

Suddenly there is a commotion and one girl pushes to the front.

‘Mary, what’s the rush?’ asks Peter.

She replies ‘I want to gargle that holy water before Kathy sticks her ass in it. ‘

HELP: STOP breast cancer

BBC Homepage Top News Story

Doctors recommend that women reduce the risk of getting breast cancer by having their breast sucked .It is said that regular sucking of the breast lowers the risk level that tends to build up breast cancer. The breast must be sucked as often as possible, help women fight breast cancer today.Men please do your part, and suck a breast now and woman please let your body free! This message is from the ministry of Health IN THE FIGHT AGAINST BREAST CANCER

Please I honestly think we should comply. My humble submission. Help save a life today, please, suck a breast today!!!Send this to all responsible men  
And ladies who are un aware of the high risk !

“I’m just a Tourist.”

***Spoiler FREE***

Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp in one scene at their Hotel room in Venice.

I’ve been waiting for this movie since December. Finally, its screening opened today! Of course, I watched it.

How much lovely Paris and Venice can be if you will see the most elegant gorgeous woman walking on its streets, Angelina Jolie. I love the first several scenes where the camera just follows Angelina while walking, her stance, her stare, her elegant gestures and I should say, her EYES & LIPS. Then, you will have the impression that this movie is more of like a game, a cat and dog chasing the cheese of a mouse between Angelina Jolie who plays Elise, Johnny Depp who plays (I would rather not disclose this *SPOILER*) and the cops.

It is not much like of an action-suspense-romance film but it’s more of like that, somehow. LOL Story starts with Angelina being chased by the police because she’s the only contact person of this man who stole lotsa lotsa money. Angelina receives these letters giving her instructions where to go and how to mislead the cops. (You gotta watch it how Angelina plays like this effortlessly.)

Over-all, the movie got lots of twists in the story and how it was twisted is the BEST. Do not expect some huge explosion and car bombings and all because again this is NOT an action film. The only thing that will keep you watching it is when you keep on asking yourself “Who the hell is Alexander Pierce?” “Who the hell sends the letter?” “Oh, that might be him…” and all those cliff-hanging ideas or assumptions in your mind. There’s no BED scene too because this is NOT Angelina Jolie’s “Original Sin” movie. No, she did not show her butt.

About Johnny and Angie’s chemistry, I must admit they lack on that corner. Although Johnny and Angie are at no doubt very brilliant actors that they can portray any role, there is still something missing between the two of them when they’re in one scene.

Above all, the end part was awesomely the best. I have not thought that it would end like that. And, I’m sure if you will think about the end part deeply, you’ll know what the  real message of the movie is all about.

Yes I did and I believe in that.

*hugs Angelina’s wax figure* LOL

I will have a full-movie review with specific details once the movie is off theaters.

Fourth ‘God’ in Harry Potter

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