Tag Archives: pinoy

What If Ninoy…

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With today’s commemoration on the death anniversary of Ninoy Aquino Sr., the incredible modern day Filipino hero, have you ever wondered what if Ninoy did not decide to come home to the Philippines exactly 27 years ago?  What if Ninoy chose to stay in the US, enjoy the Boston hospitality and settle for a more peaceful life with his family on American soil?

These are some of my freaking thoughts…

  1. The image of Ferdinand Marcos is on the Philippine 500 peso bill;
  2. MIA (Manila International Airport) would have not been changed to NAIA but will remain MIA but with a different denotation, i.e. Marcos International Airport
  3. Cory would have not been the 11th president of the republic but Imelda
  4. Pido Dida movie starring the late Rene Requiestas and Kris would have not been a blockbuster
  5. Noynoy would have not been the 15th president of the republic but Bong Bong
  6. Imee would be the partner host of Boy Abunda in The Buzz and the she is the present host of Pilipinas Win Na Win
  7. Cager James Yap would not be in a whirlwind situation right now and should be enjoying a life with his son whose mother is not the self-absorbed Kris
  8. Imee would have been the Queen of All Media but not the tactless, conniving and calculative kind who would do anything just to stay in the spotlight
  9. The great, crucial and momentous People Power is a non-existent type of revolution in this country
  10. I would have not been writing this blog

Ano nga kaya?

FlipTop: The Modern Day Balagtasan

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I disagree that Balagtasan – the Filipino art of publicly arguing in extemporaneous, scaled and rhymed poetry manner – is dead!  There is a new form of modern day Pinoy poetry emerging nowadays called FlipTop (Filipino Rap Battle League).  The partakers are young street-smart dudes who can be considered geniuses in the contemporary Filipino language.

It is similar to Balagtasan in which the participants compete in a free-flowing articulation of rhyming thoughts.  The extemporaneous verbalization is in “rap” form without the music which is so mind-blowing I admit that I personally will have difficulty doing such. Instead of calling themselves master poets they consider themselves Master Rappers.  The free-style rap battle is also being mediated by a moderator similar to Balagtasan’s Lakandiwa.

The challengers’ unscripted choice of words can be very rude, vulgar and screechingly obscene yet their performance is a cross between histrionic art and indigenous oral tradition of poetry they can make the audience enjoy the flavor of rhyme, brainpower and humor.  But unlike the Balagtasan in which the poet who received the loudest applause from the audience wins, the winner is determined by selected judges based on the challenger’s verbal flair, brilliant wisecracks and dynamite cleverness.  Here’s a mind-blowing example on how these reincarnated makata do it…

Shet! Ang lupet!!!

There Must Be Something In The Water

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Aside from having its distinct language, the Filipinos are so unique in living its life as compared to other dwellers of this planet.

  1. Except for the feathers, we practically eat every part of the chicken: helmet (the head), leeg (neck), balunbalunan (gizzard); betamaks ( coagulated blood), isaw (intestines), adidas (feet).
  2.  We enjoy sipping softdrinks through a plastic straw contained in a cellophane as poured and transferred from the original bottle.
  3. We eat fresh pineapples dipped into bagoong (hot and salty sauted shrimp paste)
  4. Practically almost all Pinoys have cellphones; have access to the internet; can ride airconditioned trains, buses and taxis; can have electronic bank transactions; got 24/7 convenience stores; can obtain cheap airline tickets; etc. but we have yet to hear a Pinoy being interviewed on TV admitting that life is better now than a couple of years ago.
  5. A dramatic movie is no good without the sampalan (face-slapping) scene.
  6. We have the habit of interchanging “I” and “O” to “E” and “U” respectively.  (Examples are those dirty writings on the walls of Manila: Potang Ena Mu, Bawal umehi detu! May Molta!!!)
  7. Our spaghetti’s main ingredient is hot dog and sweet banana ketchup.
  8. Shoppers cannot see the naked toes of the sales ladies though they are required wear open-toed shoes because of the stockings they are wearing.
  9. We have the inclination of adding the letter H in our name (Example: from “Berting” to “Vherto” or “Gemma” to Ghemmah”)
  10. Everybody would not want to take the last piece of food on the serving plate.  Thinking that it is so un-cool and a sign of poverty stricken life otherwise known as being “dead-hungry” (patay-gutom).
  11. Foot-bridges are practically of no use but lodging areas of solvent-intoxicated souls.
  12. We have the liking for sweat excretions being printed on our vehicles — Katas ng Saudi; Katas ng Dubai; Katas ng Oman
  13. We know that bribery is a norm and it is uncomplicated to deal with a fixer than a legitimate but pain-in-the-butt public servant.
  14. Though we do not have winter but male celebrities in live variety shows on TV are always wearing jacket even if it is swelteringly hot and humid!
  15. We often witness that the streets are sometimes transformed into makeshift memorial chapels or funeral parlors.
  16. We hate other nations when we Filipinos are being discriminated abroad but we are incautious when we call a black man “Negro” or a  no-show fellow as “nang-Indian” or a mortal with body odor being “Amoy Bombay”.

Walang kakupas kupas…

A Retail Therapy in Hong Kong

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Shopping in Hong Kong is a must!  This is especially true this particular season because it is a screaming half-the-price season now.  Armed with my stupendous haggling powers, I personally got the chance to do a little retail therapy (shopping) in this former English territory last weekend.

 My personal experience can be considered an epiphany since it confirmed that Hong Kong is one of the best shopping Mecca in the planet.   In Hong Kong, you will be besieged with signs saying “50% off”;  “Sale Only for Today”;  “Sale Happens Only Once A Year!” or “Removal Sale”.  This is not only because of the unpretentious prices but also of the efficient sales crews of the various shops.

 In Hong Kong the sales crew would delightfully encourage a buyer to offer me to bring two different sizes of the same design of clothes that I would like to fit inside the fitting room.  A sales lady actually chased me and insisted to fit a smaller size.  Unlike in Manila, sales lady would never offer such and I would usually ask permission to bring 2 sizes for me to try on.

 In Hong Kong the sales crew never forgot the moment to greet me as soon as I entered their store and never miss the chance to say thank you even if I did not purchase any item at all when I leave.  Unlike here in Manila the sales crew would give you a rude bad look if you fit on certain merchandise but leave the store without buying a single item making yourself so guilty for messing up their merchandise.

 In Hong Kong the sales crew would automatically call another branch if the item you wish to have is of different color or if the size you want is either smaller or bigger.  Unlike here in Manila, the sales lady would automatically say “wala” (“none”) even without lifting a finger or checking their storeroom or asking a colleague.

 Yun nga lang di ko maintindihan ang sinasabi ng mga Chekwa. 

No Sight of Website

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this is all you get...

Today is July 12, 2010.  It’s been 12 days that I have a new president – Benigno S. Aquino III.  However, as far as the global system of interconnected computer networks that serves billions of users worldwide, the Office of the Philippine President’s website is still closed. 

Is this a sign of poor public service ahead?  I hope I’m wrong, mistaken and incorrect.  At least his youngest freakin’ loud sister had Twitter and Facebook when she was still active in the showbiz limelight… 

With all the techies breathing the same polluted air of the country, the officials of the office of the highest post in the land doesn’t seem to tap even a single computer guru to update or at least open it.  I’m bitching because I want to be informed and it’s my right to be updated on what has been done, being done and planned to be done straight from the Commander in Chief.

 Ano ba yan?!  O baka walang signal sa Malacañang…

Borutesu Faibu

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“A generation without closure” is one label that has been associated to my generation.  This is basically linked to me and my contemporaries’ failure to realize whatever happened to the well-loved Voltes V team (Steve, Big Bert, Little John, Jamie and Mark) and the Bozanian Empire when the very popular TV show’s final five episodes were cut off the air by the Marcos regime in the late 70’s.

But because of the new technology in which almost all information is now available in the internet, I had the opportunity to finally make a closure on this long-standing delay.  Some even feel that this anime is considered to be the longest story ever told.  Thanks to Youtube and the person who uploaded the final episodes of the most adored anime series of my generation.  Hermetic seal has somewhat been achieved. 

However, there are still some silly questions that left hanging after watching the final episode:

  1.  Who did Jamie end up marrying? Will she pose sexy in the cover of FHM magazine?
  2. Did Little John outgrow the black heads on his face?  How does Little John look like as an adult?
  3. Would Big Bert agree to trim his body down as treated and sponsored by Dra. Vicky Belo?
  4. Would Mark be signed up as a Bench underwear model in its next bi-annual fashion show?
  5. Would Steve agree for a 5-picture contract with Pinoy Box Office Queen Sarah Geronimo?
  6. Are the remaining Bozanians with horns on their head dehorned by the earthlings when peace was achieved and realized in the universe?  In case they do not have horns anymore, does it mean they will never get horny for the rest of their lives?
  7. With peace being achieved in the universe and Voltes weapons are practically of no use anymore, will the Ultra Electro Magnetic Top, Laser Sword, Voltes Bazooka and Chain Knuckle be auctioned in Sotheby’s or be on display at Tokyo National Museum?
  8. Is it true about the rumor that Voltes V will do a film and their main antagonists are Celia Rodriguez, Bella Flores and (the come-back movie of)  Zenny Zabala?  There’s even a big buzz that Imelda Marcos will have a special participation at the end to relive her family’s power of killing Voltes V! 

 These questions may seem to belittle the fascinating anime of my childhood days.  But one thing remains Voltes V was able to bring a generation of Filipinos (of various social-classes) into a commonality.  It created a shared experience that really brought people together.   It captivated a Pinoy breed on a story of friendship, of brotherhood, of sacrifice, of justice and of team work.  No doubt, Voltes V will always have a reasonably huge fragment in my life and the persuasive lessons it conveyed will always be remembered.

Dahil dyan… Let’s Volt In!!!

Thanks Gibo, Congrats Noynoy

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The majority has decided and losing sucks! Gibo just conceded defeat against his cousin-rival Noynoy.  The thought of having Noynoy Aquino being my new president starting in a couple of weeks until the next 6 years of my life has yet to sink in.  It’s the same feeling when Erap won the presidential election in 1998.  I hope to get over this crazy feeling soon!

I would like to thank and personally commend Mr. Gilbert Teodoro for an excellent and different approach on campaigning.  It’s nothing but positive politics, with which the Pinoy population unfortunately is not used to.  Great job Mr. Teodoro!

 I just hope that with Noynoy’s presidency I will stop living the life of a 3rd class citizen of this planet.   I also hope that Noynoy will not disappoint the Pinoy populace and be brilliantly productive (this time) for the speedy development of country.  For sure I will cooperate and will definitely hope for the best!

Bawal ang tamad sa Malacañang!