You will never win if you never begin. Robert Schuller
I strongly oppose to a Constituent Assembly that may practically extend the terms of our dear President and her allies in power. (read more in my entry Oppose the Constituent Assembly)
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Elections are a good deal like marriages, there’s no accounting for anyone’s taste. Every time we see a bridegroom we wonder why she ever picked him, and it’s the same with Public Officials. Will Rogers
Politics again! I know, I know…I veered way too much from my usual programming mode in this blog. It’s just that the current political situation in our country merits my attention. Don’t you think that the future of our children lies in the politicians that rule our country? I am not much of an opinion maker when it comes to politics and the only way to be informed is to actually be there and feel the pulse of these politicians. I missed the ANC Forum held last May 11 at the Ateneo de Manila Campus and I made sure I didn’t miss the second leg today held at the UP School of Economics. Sen. Francis Escudero, Sen. Richard Gordon, Sen Manuel Roxas II, Gov. Ed Panlilio and Sec. Gilberto Teodoro each took the hot seat in the first forum where they responded to a barrage of questions on their stands, issues and competence as public servants.
The following year on February 11, 1987, the 1987 Constituion of the Philippines was proclaimed and took effect, just six months before I gave birth to my second daughter, M. So full of hope and love of country, I threw the US immigration papers aside that my sister sent over to me, as I read the Preamble:
We, the sovereign Filipino people, imploring the aid of Almighty God, in order to build a just and humane society and establish a Government that shall embody our ideals and aspirations, promote the common good, conserve and develop our patrimony and secure to ourselves and our posterity the blessings of independence and democracy under the rule of law and a regime of truth, justice, freedom, love, equality, and peace, do ordain and promulgate this Constitution.
And what happened just a few hours ago? It took only a few seconds for the House of Representatives to approve a resolution that would convene Congress into a constituent assembly to amend the 1987 Constitution. (click here to read Proposed Charter Amendments).
““Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.” Emilie Buchwald
We did it!
While sipping my coffee just before 8:00 this morning, I overheard the lifting of the book blockade by our president over the radio and immediately plurked and twittered with glee:
GMA at DZMM breaking news. Orders lifting of book blockade and suspension of book import taxes.
President Arroyo directed Finance Secretary Margarito Teves to revoke Finance Department Order 17-09 which imposes duty on book importation.
Together with other bloggers, I made a stand and implored our government to break this Book Blockade and remove the imposition of import duties on books. Every voice in Twitter, Plurk, and Facebook and even prayers helped a lot. Cocoy inspired me to make a stand and for that, I thank him for being passionate about this #bookblockade cause among many others, like Manolo Quezon, Robin Hemley, Teodoro Locsin and hundreds more.
I feel victorious too and what I say will just be echoing Cocoy in his Victory!!! #bookblockade Over!
““Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of, but stigma and bias shame us all.” Bill Clinton
Perhaps my husband is right after all. Hubby says in his blog entry, Dr. Hayden Kho Needs Help that “it’s undeniable that Kho is sick and needs professional help from his peers.” Atty. Lorna Kapunan, Hayden’s feisty lawyer mentioned something about Hayden’s admitted “perversity” is a sickness of which he is undergoing ““therapy and spiritual counseling.”
Well, Miriam Santiago isn’t buying that. She says that to prove insanity, you have to prove that a person is so far removed from reality that he no longer has a clear grasp of reality as all the rest of the community sees it”.
I don’t think Hayden is pleading insanity. Is it personality disorder (which may not be the same as mental illness)?
American Psychiatric Association, defines a personality disorder as an enduring pattern of inner experience and behavior that deviates markedly from the expectation of the individual’s culture, is pervasive and inflexible, has an onset in adolescence or early adulthood, is stable over time, and leads to distress or impairment.
Based on the above definition, I encounter mild cases of personality disorders with some people every now and then. Let’s see…
Concerned over a friend who can’t seem to keep a relationship? Shrinks say it’s some kind of borderline personality disorder.
What about that stark, raving mad driver that overtook your vehicle the other gave and gave you a dirty finger? Ooh road rage! And what do you know? It’s called “Road Rage Disorder” or intermittent explosive disorder.
I’ve been sick with some kind flu since monday but never developed a fever, just a bad cough wracking my body that it now gives me splitting headaches. That would be May 18. Apparently, Health Secretary Dr. Francisco Duque III Thursday night confirmed the first case of Influenza A(H1N1) infection in the countryâ€â€in a 10-year-old Filipino girl who arrived from the United States with her parents on May 18.
““The DoH confirms today the first case of AH1N1 in the Philippines. She is a female traveler who arrived in the country on May 18 from the United States, whose throat specimen tested positive based on results from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM),” Duque said.
It is a bit worrisome now that there is one confirmed case in our country. What should one do?
The public should observe proper hygiene, strengthen resistance and do social distancingâ€â€avoid going to crowded areas if the need is not urgent. Other precautions:
1. Frequent handwashing
Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands! “Hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after touching objects, surfaces or another person’s hands can physically remove cold viruses,” Dr. Clifford W. Bassett, an assistant clinical professor of medicine at the Long Island College Hospital and faculty member of NYU School of Medicine (Read 10 ways to prevent Swine Flu)
2. Covering up coughs and sneezes,
3. Staying away from work or school if not feeling well
4. Stay away from crowded places
5. Avoid hugging and kissing at public gatherings or the beso-beso. Let’s just wave at each other instead.
Read More »Swine Flu A(H1N1) in the Philippines & Interim Care & FAQ on Swine Flu
““The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go. Dr. Seuss
My children read books since they were babies starting with picture books then moving on to books that were suitable to their age. I looked forward to the bedtime story-telling activity as my toddlers lay their heads on my arms and begged me to be read not just one book but twelve of them. I miss those days when my fingers would run through their hair, hearing their gasps and giggles after every book is read. One of their favorite book author was Dr. Seuss so well loved because of his unique style of rhyming and bizarre cartoon characters like “Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.”
Those are treasured days that every parent goes through. During those financially-challenging days, books were difficult to purchase. With sheer bargain hunting skills and patience, a supply of books always filled their bookshelves. Nothing gives me more pleasure than seeing my kids leaf through their new books and inhale the scent as if it is the most heavenly smell there is in the world. My kids had equal balance of time spread across TV, Reading, play and sports. I believe this balance made them the smart and beautiful adults they are today.
Before the advent of this Great Book Blockade of 2009, I knew how to address customs whenever a book arrived from an Amazon purchase. I never had to pay a single custom duty just because I knew that books are supposed to be duty free and VAT exempt. I found creative ways to purchase books from abroad ensuring that I never had to pay a single tax or duties on them. That’s why I could not relate immediately to this blockade issue.
I suppose I cannot exercise my bitch power anymore if I don’t break this book blockade.
Read More »STOP The Great Book Blockade of 2009, Save Our Children’s Education
Rowell Santos whipped his wallet out of his pocket, pulled out a frayed photo of his lovely daughter. He looked up at me and explained in Tagalog that “all I want is to ensure that my daughter finishes her college. She is just in her second year and I still have another child in third year high school. After they are finished, I can rest”. Glancing at Rowell, he didn’t fit my stereotype of the wild bus drivers who ply recklessly along EDSA. He looked refined and educated. He sighed, “Yes, I am a college graduate. I ended up being a bus driver. It is hard being a bus driver in the Philippines. I barely get any rest. We work more than 8 hours a day When my bus is not functional, I don’t have income.”
I saw the hopeful look of a parent who just wants the best for his children. Don’t we all? I understand, I patted his shoulder.
Me, Rowell Santos and Rochelle after our short chitchat
Read More »OFW alert: Illegal Recruitment, Human Trafficking and Fraud
If you are a facebook user and living in the Philippines, you might have received this message last month
My name is _______, I am a Thai-Chinese born and living in Bangkok, Thailand. I am now starting to expand my business branch to the Philippine market.
I am looking and searching for anyone who desires to work for or do business with Thailand, USA and virtually anywhere in Far East Asia and Europe. About the investment, there’d be no worry, since we have set up working environment facilities in Ortigas already.
There’re so many opportunities to create a future with us in the Philippines, the income opportunity here is endless.
I do not know much of any contact there, so I wish God and Facebook would help me connect with someone who have this unique and identical interest.
Our business will need a lot of travelings, mostly to the US, Europe and the Far East. Since we are an outsourced company, most trips are provided without personal expenses.
But the person must be able to speak good English with an entrepreneurship minded 🙂I’d be glad to set up an appointment with you to discuss further details when I am in Manila next month in May 2009.
Thank you so much for taking your time with my message. If you have an interest to learn more about this. Just add me, and drop me a message!
I will be living in Ortigas Center Area, Pasig City, Metro Manila at Astoria Plaza Hotel.
Maraming Salamat Po! Hope to hear from you! 🙂
God bless you!
Read More »Facebook Message From Thailand, Amway and Astoria Hotel
I’ve known Cheche Lazaro through two live interviews (here and here). It is such an honor to be interviewed by her. I am aware that most TV hosts get their research materials from their assistants but in all those interviews, she personally wrote down notes about me before airing live. She verified all the materials given to her and didn’t just take her assistants’ word for it.
So when Ricky Lim (Associate Dean of AIM who I met in a Bloggers’ Roundtable) sent me an email about her sister, I was just appalled. Cheche has been charged for wiretapping by GSIS, when her Probe Team tried to do a story on unfair compensation practices. Cheche had explicitly told GSIS that she was recording their conversation beforehand. She had offered them all the airtime to present their side of the story. In the end, because the story was negative, GSIS is now charging her with criminal offenses.
Cheche is the only one facing the wiretapping case at the moment. ““They have made it a point to singularly point me out as the person who wiretapped the whole conversation that they alleged was wiretapping. That is not true,” she said.
““I think this is intimidation of the press. They are trying to send a message to the press and using me as a sample for this kind of a message.”
Cheche Lazaro’s Statement on the wire-tapping case filed by the GSIS against her
May 8, 2009
Read More »Cheche Lazaro, PROBE and The Wire-tapping Case filed by GSIS