Breaks anyone's heart anytime

I was looking for a photo of something "dirty" to put in a presentation on Green initiatives. I remembered shooting an estero in Quiapo two years ago. I found this photo together with those other pictures of Quiapo. 

Shot it on the way down the big underpass of Echague and Hidalgo. In sweltering heat, this 'supposed' mother and daughter are sitting on the stairs, begging. 

Why 'supposed?' You know they're most probably part of a syndicate, but you still can't help give money. Any parent would, seeing a child suffer like this. 

I remembered it also got me thinking minutes after dropping a few change. I thought that no parent would allow his or her child be pandered for money like this.You will not allow your infant child be exposed in extreme noon heat and dirt of Quiapo, aggravating probable pain the baby is already feeling. 

When I come back in the same underpass, I won't be surprised to see this woman again in the same location, with a different disabled child in tow. I won't be surprised if I forked over money again after seeing her and her prop. 

RPG Metanoia at iba pa.

Tama yung isang rebyu na nabasa ko--sa titulo pa lang, matapang na ang RPG: Metanoia. Imadyinin mo, isang anak na nagyaya...
"Tay, nood tayong RPG: Metanoia."
"Anong RPG Metanoia?"
"Yung, ano, tay..."
"ano ba yan anak bagong brand nang vetsin?"

Pero hindi, hindi ito vetsin, isa itong metikulosong tinapos na pelikula. Mahusay at kailangang tangkilikin.

Hindi pa pulido ang ibang eksenang animation, pati yung tyempo ng dubbing sa buka nang bibig nang mga karakter ay may mga mintis pa, pero pwedeng pwede na ito. Pwedeng-pwede na isabak sa mga festival, lalung-lalo na sa katarantaduhang mmff. Itong RPG Metanoia ang nanalo dapat na best picture. Saan ka pa makakakita nang pelikulang pinoy na kung saan ang bawat frame ay pinag-aralan at pinaghandaan. Nilagyan nang detalye nang dyip dito, nilagyan nang lata, nilagyan nang aso, karakter na binarungan at binigyan nang payong na tumitira. Langya, tinalo ito nang isang pelikulang may bidang malaking baba? Yun lang yun?

Ang RPG Metanoia ay tungkol sa isang batang nalulong na sa computer role-playing game. Pinapakita nito kung paano na nakakalimutan nang henerasyon ngayon ang tumbang preso, patintero, at ang ibang pang larong pinag-aaralan sa Philippine Games sa Peyups. (Aaaah Philippines Games, ang kinukuha nang estudyante kapag naubusan nang slot sa PE). Sa Amerika, pinagtatalunan na na hindi na nga nagkakaroon nang ehersisyo ang mga kabataan, nagtatabaan na lamang lahat sila dahil wala na nang mga pisikal na aktibidades. Nalulong sa sa facebook, youtube, ang mga bata. Totoo namang kayang ubusin ang bawat araw sa harap nang kompyuter nang mga bata ngayon. Paano nga naman susubukang ibalik ang mga larong ganito, lalo sa atin dahil ang mga kalye ay pinaparadahan na nang mga sasakyan na kakarag-karag? Pati ang mga sira at bulok na na di naman tumatakbo ay ayaw pang alisin sa harap nang bahay. May cover pa man din ang ilan.

Atsaka pano naman kaming mga alipin nang cubicle at miting room, puros mga daliri na lamang ang naaeensayo sa katatayp sa keyboard. Puros hintuturo ang nadidiin sa keyboard nang walang malaking kabawasan sa calorie. Aba, tama nga ang naisip ko na talagang dapat pag-itingin ang cross-posting. Ang mga nakakurbata sa main office headquarters-eklat ay dapat minsang pakawalan sa linya nang factory at gawing operator! O kaya ibalibag sa warehouse at hayaan magbanat nang buto sa pagbubuhat nang mga epektus at kontrabando.

Panoorin ang RPG Metanoia. Tangkilikin ang mga dapat tangkilikin na pelikulang pinoy. Hindi ang mga pitu-pito nang Star Cinema.(Maigi nga't nalulugi ang mga pelikula ni KC na walang kwenta).

Mabuhay ang grupong nagsikap bumuo nang RPG Metanoia.

Christmas Fiction

Dec 6, AM

“Inisyal” na monito monita (oo, may pinal na sesyon pa ng exchange gifting nekswik!), bukasan nang regalo. Ang nakuha ko ay isang tumataginting na keychain. Langya, worth 300 pesos na ba ito? Ang pinakawalang kwentang posibleng iregalo nang sinumang nag-abroad ay keychain (maigi pa ang ref. magnet). Malamang ang nagregalo nito sa akin ay natanggap lang din ang keychain sa isang kagagaling sa Beijing, nakita nyang wala syang pagagagamitan, kaya ipinasa na lang sa akin nang hudas. At siguro idinagdag sa konsiderasyon na sa Beijing lang ito nabibili, kaya maghahalagang 300 pesos na rin, ayon sa madugas na monito ko. Hindi lang ako malas sa rapol, pati sa exchange gift, wala ring bisa!

Dec 6, PM
Nag-announce nang theme sa corporate christmas party para sa biyernes. May costume-costume pa raw. Glam rock, glam rock daw. Tangina, anong glam-glam? David Bowie? Syet, mag-a-eyeliner ako? Tanginang yan. Mahalungkat na lang ang lumang Club Dredd t-shirt ko. Purong rakenrol na lang, wala nang glam-glam eklat na yan.

Dec 7, AM
Bumabanat na naman ang ka-cubicle ko na parating napakalakas makipag-usap telepano. Ang akala nya siguro nakakalakas nang signal kapag parang megaphone sa tindi magsalita patutok sa receiver ng landline. Nalalaman tuloy ang buong pinag-uusapan hanggang sa kabilang ibayo nang opis. “Merry Christmas, pamasko ko,” palahaw ng kumag. Pati dayalog ay nakakaasar sa sobrang luma. “Eto, busying-busy pa,” sabi nya mayamaya. Ulul, puros facebook lang ang inaatupag mo kanina. Gusto ko sanang sabihin: “pare, hindi ka ba napapagod magpanggap at magsinungaling? Hindi ka ba nakakapreno minsan, habang nasa gitna ka nang pagsisinungaling, at mag-isip…’teka, parang di naman ako makikinabang sa pagsisinungaling kong ito ah. Sabihin ko na lang kaya ang totoo?’”

Dec 7, PM
Merong may birthday at nag-ambag-ambag para makabili ng cake. Nang kainan na. napakatamis nang caramel sa ibabaw ng cake. Sobrang tamis! Parang sinuperconcentrate na asukal. Parang maski langgam ay maaooverdose. Pano na kaya ang QA tester neto na tumitikim sa huli nang pagawaan? Dilat na dilat na siguro maghapon magdamag dahil sa bloke-blokeng asukal na nalalaklak.

Dec8, AM
Sinusuri ang keychain, Naging pambukas man lang sana ito ng tansan, may pakinabang pa. Sinubukan kong ikabit ang susi nang oto, pero ang walang pakinabang na keychain ay bumubukol lang sa likod nang pantalon, at nasasaktan lang ang kanang pisngi nang pwet ko pag umuupo. Nilagay ko muna sa harap na bulsa.

Dec 8, PM
Habang umiihi, napagtanto ko na ang walang kwentang keychain ay nagpapaalala lang sa akin na malas ako sa rapol. Baka malasin pa rin ako sa biyernes. Tapos, parang nagmumukhang bukol nang kung ano lang ito sa harap na bulsa. Tinanggal ko ang susi na nakakabit, at itinapon ang keychain sa basurahan. Makita sana ito nang monito ko, swertehin sana ako sa rapol sa biyernes.

Dec 9. Lunch Break
Umidlip sa cubicle, mahimbing na sana ang re-charging, pero binangungot ako. Nagpepresent daw ako sa Execom pero pinahiya ako bigla nang isang regional head. Galit akong umalis nang meeting, lumabas nang conference room, pero parang bintana pala ang nalabasan ko. Bumabagsak ako mula sa 32nd floor nang magising. Pano kaya pag namatay ako sa cubicle? Anong oras kaya ako madidiskubreng dedbol na?

Dec 9, PM
Lumabas saglit para kumain ng halo-halo at nang lumamig naman ang ulo maski konti. Sinubukan ang halo-halo sa RSM Kainan. Tanginang yelo, sinlalaki nang graba. At napakatamis na naman! Nasa isip siguro nang tindera: babawiin nang kakulangan nang sarap nang kanyang halo-halo ang paglagay nang sangkatutak na asukal. Mali! Dapat sa macapuno o sa sabaw ng saging manggaling ang tamis! Isinabog ko ang ilang nanikit na mga grabang yelo sa table cloth at iniwan ang halos puno pang baso ng halo-halo.

Dec 10, AM
Habang umiihi, biglang pumasok sa isip ko na sa buong buhay, wala pa akong naiuuwi sa bahay na kahit anong bentilador, alak, o kahit anong maski consolation prize sa mga krismas party.

Dec 10, PM
Nagpaeyeliner ako at nagpa-make-up nang ala-KISS, desperadong makauwi nang premyo. Pero wala pa ring nakamit na best costume o ano. Wala ring napanalunan sa rapol. Maski plantsa, oven toaster, o payong, wala, wala, wala.

The Elegance of Jeepneys

There is no doubt that Sarao is a genius. 

Imagine the engine that are undying, just constantly overhauled, never retired. 

Our jeep's nose is the like the art deco opposite of those Jaguars and Bentley Continentals.

But when you learn how to drive the streets of Metro Manila, you begin to hate the drivers.

And then minutes after, you think about the boundaries that they have to pay.

Children that they have to send to school.

And the many wives that they have to feed.

Basta driver...

Garbage training

I am advocating a colleague's "Executive Training" at Harvard. I want this colleague to not waste any time any more on garbage courses that are being offered by companies like Macrovision Consultancy.

It's been almost ten years since Macrovision President Margel Jajurie, this person...

demonstrated the single most annoying seminar that Ive ever attended.

I hate to single out a company who's striving to earn a decent living by offering these courses, but
but Marjel Jajurie is teaching Ishikawa diagram so proudly like it is a new revolutionary tool in Quantum Mechanics. Ishikawa is just a diagrammed chart of why-why-why, that's it, youre not delivering a fresh proof from a Fields Medal scientist, madame.

More than the money spent (they range from 5000 to 8000 per head), Jajurie wasted our two days. And most of our two days are spent on our own, supposedly learning on our own... meaning on workshops. A day went this way: Jajurie will speak for 10 minutes, and then she will command that we do a workshop.

For someone who's espousing to be the expert of the 7 QC Tools (which are stupid common-sensical charts and pictureforms anyway), the lecture is sparse and uninspired. And she also had the audacity to attack one of my classmates for not listening at one point, in her same droning voice,  awkward syntax, and ungrammatical spoken english.

Im surprised to be led to this company while I was looking for good local courses, which our newbies can attend. Don't waste your time enlisting Macrovision on anything.

Monument of Marcos

This state would signify how he left the country in tatters: a government that you cannot trust, the police who are useless except in becoming the criminals themselves, and a total culture of corruption.

Too bad the Igorots chose to completely destroy the bust. It would have been perfect to leave this partially wrecked face as it is. Great for the people to see it as a meaningful monument.

Would also help people to not lose their memories too fast.

And so, how about next year?

2012 is the Year of the Dragon.

Better prepare a bigger and fireproof cage, Malabon Zoo.

Twentielebhen

Twenti-ten has a nicer ring to it, this coming one has two extra syllables added, but we can also just cal it tu-oh-wan-wan to save on one time-consuming syllable. And then wanwan has that funny connotation of a child's name, similar to joey and alma's daughter.

In any case, new year celebs's are always happier than Chrismases'.

Happy new year!

Happy 2011 !!!

Against Singapore

I know that the small-dose vitriol that I have for Singapore is due to the country's hypocrisy. I wrote this in two mini book reviews at Amazon (well i used the book review as an opportunity to hit Singapore hehe):

(Review of Lee Kwan Yew's From Third World to First)

The book is very good in its sincere attempt to deliver the story on how Singapore was built. Perhaps with an intention, on the side, to 1) lay down guidelines that other asian countries could follow, and 2) further promote Singapore to foreign investors. Lee Kwan Yew's emphasis on discipline and strict policies for the general public--that may be deemed oppressive in other countries--to jumpstart progress could be well-intentioned points as well. The reader cannot miss the pride on every passage that highlights the successes of Singapore as a small state-country. 

But not everyone can agree with Lee Kwan Yew's setting-aside, for example, of a free press. Freedom of expression is a right; the fruits of progress is not complete without it. 

An authoritarian government cannot hide, as well, the hypocrisy that is probably vital to compromise certain liberties, in exchange for a 'highway' towards progress. Sometimes one can also see how money is used in Singapore to discipline, and as a only parameter in decision. One case in point: a young professional Singaporean shared a story that Lee Kwan Yew once pompously said that as long as he is alive, there will be no casino in Singapore. Well, yes, he is still right, there are two casinoes now being built simultaneously in the Marina area! And what with the Geylang red-light district that the government has to acknowledge quasi-legally? Is the rationale for both of these is that they are still business ventures that Singapore will still profit from in the end? 

Lee's omission of his own compromises/hypocrisy in fact weakens the book's commentary and criticism of other countries' priorities. (He has tons of advise and lay downs on neigbors in southeast asia--taiwan, philippines, malaysia). Singapore is known as a good place to work at, but not to live in. 

The book is very thick. Ive concentrated most of the history on early Singapore (good read!) and some of his opinions on the state of Asian countries today. There are some repetitions and convolutions on this latter part. I think this book could have used a good editor before publishing. 

Still a good buy, but 3 stars only for not being as in-your face that I would have personally wanted. Hypocrisies that he should still acknowledge (and explain).

(Review of Lonely Planet Singapore)

The city guide is good in laying out bus routes, transportation, shopping sites, and noted restaurants, but I was counting on Lonely Planet to deliver a guide paired with an honest side-commentary, the same way that they did in their guide for Thailand (that one is really useable, highly recommended!). 

Well perhaps it's because Singapore is a not a very good place for tourism, bottom line. (Shopping, probably yes). Sentosa overall is a waste of time; even the dolphins they use in the dolphin show look tired and anemic. The presence of Geylang red-light district that government turns a blind-eye on also lacks the full acknowledgment in this book. Well, it's there in some passing notes, but for there is no comment like: "for a 'disciplined and moral' authoritarian state, Geylang is a famous hangout for the business travellers, and prostitutes are trooping that long street like gold mine." The book should have had a good commentary on the hypocritical presence of this place. 

A young professional Singaporean, a former colleague, shared a story once about how Lee Kwan Yew once pompously said that as long as he is alive, with chest-thumping, there will be no casino in Singapore. Well, yes, he is still right, there are now two casinoes being built simultaneously! I hope the next edition includes these comments. 

In exchange for the discipline that Singapore brags about, you cant deny upon your first landing that the country is an authoritarian state. And hypocrisy is prone in authoritarian states. Also undeniable: the press isnt free. Open the newspaper, and the local op-ed pieces discuss nothing, but taxi routes... Interesting national issues! These honest trivias and insights should be in the LP guide. 

This review might appear as a criticism more of the place than the book. But Im saying that the book should have highlighted these criticisms honestly. For example, in the intro, the overall warning at the start of the book should be that Singapore is for business travellers and shoppers only, not for interesting visits. 

These side comments (a la Theroux) add to the spice of any travelguide/travelogues. 

I was thankful for the bus routes and resto though, so 3 stars!

Ive been back to the country recently (after three years), and saw the greatest density of Filipino outside the Philippines today, perhaps even greater than in Hong Kong. Could the Singaporeans have accepted us? Should we be thankful?

Hhhhhmn. We need to ask some friends who've been there for at least two years.

Meri Krismas!

Although, it is late, and we're now broke, 

gardless if it has been said many times, many ways...

merry christmas everyone!