Trillanes and Lim Camped at Manila Peninsula & Curfew

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11:45 AM– Trillanes and Lim Stage a Coup in Makati? As usual, I first heard of the breaking news , the “coup” from a Twitter message by Arbet

“Something is brewing at Makati involving Magdalo.”

This was followed by Ederic’s twit on Trillanes and Lim Walk out of Court Hearing.

Too busy with work or in denial, I ignored the news until my husband called up a few minutes ago. He said “Turn on the TV and check if there is a coup”. So here I am blogging and watching the ANC Channel who are covering the breaking news. I switch to twitter and catch Ederic’s twitter on the Panawagan sa Bayan Ng “mga miyembro ng Armed Forces of the Philippines” is in Tagalog so I am still trying to decipher their demands.

 

From what I gather in the news, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and his supporters are appealing…

“Ito po ay panawagan ng pagbabago. Ang naniniwala po na dapat tayo makaahon sa kahirapan, pumunta na po kayo sa Makati (This is a call for change. All those who believe that we should rise from poverty, join us and come here in Makati),” Trillanes told GMA News.

Trillanes is so “original”. After Oakwood Hotel, he latches on to Manila Peninsula where they are setting up a command center on the second floor. I don’t wonder anymore why anyone voted for Trillanes. I mean, wow… how noble he is to bring us out of poverty. Maybe my tolerance for pain is quite high even if I sympathize with the poor, but another coup attempt from Trillanes smacks of power hungry motives. Besides does a five star hotel and poverty mix well? Two Bishops, Former Vice President Teofisto Guingona and some civilians are some of the first supporters to join Trillanes in the hotel.

This latest coup attempt looks like it was planned beforehand. Look at their Sundalo Tagapagtanggol ng Pilipino website.

Oh dear, are they now planning a People Power Part 3? or is it Part 4?

Watch the video
Watch video from Inquirer.net

6:19 PM– Trillanes agrees to leave hotel . I’m watching the news live in News Patrol. A group of policemen escorts a handcuffed Trillanes inside a high security bus followed by ex-VP Guingona and others including media. The Technical crew of ABS-CBN are handcuffed. Wow. And is that bus inside a hotel lobby? Manila Peninsula must be in a sorry mess right now. I just don’t understand why the media men are handcuffed.

7:00PM– Reason that Media had to be processed. Police had earlier said they were taking the journalists who covered the standoff from inside the hotel to the National Capital Region Police Office in Bicutan for questioning.

7:09PM Curfew from 12 midnight to 5:00 AM. The curfew was issued “to allow law enforcement agencies to continue their follow-up operation.” The imposition of the curfew reminds me of my life during the Martial Law days. But the curfew freaked my daughter out. She cries “It’s totally destroying my social life” after I forbid her from going out for her band practice.

8:00 PM– I am glad that the Trillanes revolt was crushed. At least 101 persons were arrested inside the hotel , Philippine National Police Director General Avelino Razon said. You know, whatever the government does, their actions will be criticized. At least, the revolt didn’t last for days. Remember the coup in November 29, 1989? It lasted for 10 days because Cebu military refused to give up.

Who doesn’t want poverty to be eradicated? Who doesn’t want a government for the people, free from scandal and corruption? We have tried People Power but did it work? I can only do my share by teaching my children the proper moral values for being a good citizen of our country. Let’s start change in our family, our values and our attitudes.

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Earthquake in Manila

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A strong earthquake hit Manila at around 12:27 PM, November 27, 2007. It lasted around 5 seconds or so but it was strong. At the second floor of my home, I could see the hanging lights sway. Feeling like the world was going to collapse, I yelled at Lauren who happened to be at the phone oblivious to the earth rocking to and fro. I kept yelling “earthquake” but no she ignored me and continued yakking on the phone. Oh and as I was getting dizzy, I could hear a barrage of text message alerts spewing out of my cellphone . AJ Matela , Jeff , Marhgil and others were twittering (Aka micro-blogging) live as the earthquake shook Metro Manila.

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Best Website, Blogs Category in 10th Philippine Web Awards is….

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web-awardsMy blog , this blog, Touched by an Angel… Winning last year’s Best website award for Blogs Category in the 9th Philippine Web Awards was enough recognition. Tonight, I told my husband that I was attending the [tag]10th Philippine Web Awards[/tag] to give support to my friends who were in the Finalists. I told him to stay home because I wasn’t winning it this year.
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Thank You Day Philippines

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thank_you.jpgI have a surprise for all of you readers and visitors ….but before anything else, I want to show my gratitude for the many wonderful things that have happened in my life Everyday , I face interruptions, delays, changes and challenges. I have learned an important concept to get me through this stressful time and that is gratitude. I learn to say thank you, for all these problems and feelings. I don’t like this experience but Thank You anyway.

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A Cozy New Look

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newdesign.jpgHow is the wide wide world of the blogosphere today? Good to hear that we all agree to disagree . While everyone was busy with a new soap opera in the blogosphere, I chose to putter around and fix my blog’s theme. Introducing my blog’s spanking new layout designed by Juan Karlo Licudine of pinoyblogero.com (of course I hired his services). My angel must have guided Karlo’s hands because the header design is awesome. My instructions for the drawing were “we’re a family . I am using my macbook and Luijoe is hovering nearby”. The header depicted the way I wanted it to be and even more. I love this Karlo! He made me virtually sexy. He even captured my husband’s white hair Haha.

I’m really happy with my blog’s cozy new look.

So yes, I’ve just been through a morass of feelings. I bet you did too. The good news is good feelings are here again. Actually good feelings can become a habitual part of our lives. I don’t have to allow others to make myself miserable and I dont have to make myself miserable. A good day does not have to be calm before the storm

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Fam Pics: The Glossy Writing Table

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Every first monday of the month, Pinoy Moms Network members share photos through the Fam Pics project. This month’s theme is Glossy

writing tableA writing table for my adorable husband seemed like the perfect sanctuary for him at night. I wanted to situate it by the bay window in our bedroom so he can quietly surf with his laptop before he sleeps. My specification was Light walnut Flat finish. I paid the 50% downpayment of the list price which was 5,500 pesos at the Klapptstuhl, Inc. 3rd Level Market Market! Taguig City. The price is not bad at all. The quality of the furniture looked really fine even though I wasn’t sure if the wood is really hard wood. I could live with it though. My husband just needed a functional writing table in our bedroom.

Thirty days later, the writing table finally arrived.

I was horrified to see a glossy writing table. I demanded to know why they delivered a glossy table. The delivery man says “Madam, you said Not Flat”

“No I said Flat Finish. I find glossy finish so tacky. Let me look at the order form”

What do you know? The salesman noted my order like this:

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Love & Relationship Advice

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keypalsTwelve- year old Lauren and a couple of her keypal friends started an advice column for their club members (Keypals Club) in 1997. I was looking at the now defunct site because Lauren told me to plug her new blog. I am sure that gives a clue to her new site. Before I plug it , let me show you that advice page which was started in 1997. Aww, her advice to this I have never had a boyfriend made me smile.

The age when you should start worrying about not having a boyfriend is when you’re 20. Now there’s a problem. Don’t mind those peeps that are shocked because you don’t have a boyfriend! Besides, if you have a boyfriend this young, chances are, you will have a million more boyfriends and getting married would be difficult because boys don’t like “playgirls” or a girl who has a billion boyfriends. Enjoy your youth.

That’s Lauren as a 12 year old. Almost ten years later, she worries that she will never find The One. Despite her fears, and a broken heart, she is using this humbling experience to help others in her new blog which she co-writes with her best friend, Kristel.

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Harry Potter Book 7 Release Day

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harry potter
I promised M that I would get her the [tag]Harry Potter Book 7[/tag] ( [tag]Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows[/tag] ) at 7:00 AM on July 21, 2007 which is the same opening time as UK’s midnight release. The problem was I didn’t reserve the book. See, I never reserved Book 5 and Book 6 and still managed to get a copy on Opening day at the National Bookstore Katipunan Branch. I never believed in getting a reservation because I will get a copy of the book anyway. The thing is M wanted to get a copy by 7:00 AM even if I have to summon my “bitch” (assertive) powers. I never use my “bitch powers” if there are rules in place. I don’t think I can get a copy at that time without any reservation.

Dine comes to the rescue. While I was at the mediation yesterday afternoon, she offered to reserve a copy for me. Isn’t she sweet?

What a teamwork Dine and I are! And what moms do for the love of their daughters? Even if it means waking up at 6:00 A.M.

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Proud to be a Filipino

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Imagine the consternation on Lauren’s face when I told her that I rejected the immigration papers that Lorna, my sister sent me in 1987.

“Mom , how could you?” I explained to her my reasons.

While reviewing the requirements and the time frame for approval, I figured that in twenty
years, my papers would have been approved. My children would then have the choice of staying in our beloved country or the land of milk and honey. But I didn’t submit the immigration form and instead told my sister that I wanted my children to stay in the Philippines and continue to work for the good of the country. After all, People Power Revolution fever was still high in the air. My heart filled with hope and dreams for the Philippines through my children. As a mom, I felt that my UP student activist and idealistic days can be best transformed in educating my children towards patriotism and nationalism. Yes, “the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world” so I thought.

I was confident that if the kids chose to go to the USA after college, it would be a piece of cake since I had a lifetime US visa (it was lifetime then) and if need be, acquire American citizenship from her dad using that obscure immigration law of Filipinos born to American citizens in 1930. I missed the fact that working opportunities are not open to non-American citizens.

It’s been 20 years and now, Lauren screams Screw Nationalism

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