The Beginning of the End?

It was just too bad that the noble gestures of the union workers staging their noise barrage at the Ateneo gate 3 were not captured by network cameras and even by photographers. I saw no one documenting these brave folk when they sacrificed their lunch period just to ventilate their beliefs against that corrupt president by the Pasig River.

I hope to load the photo that I took of them with my handy Motorola V620 as soon as I get to solve the kinks in my cell-to-pc connection - they were truly a sight. I just finished my chat session in my elective Creative Writing and was rushing to the campus when I saw them across the street.

I felt goosebumps when I heard the dozens of cars honking their horns in solidarity with the union members' anti-PGMA protest.

As to why we were not able to cover this event, I can only surmise that there were logistical problems - with so many things happening today, our teams may have been spread out too thinly. (But I would know the answer when I report for work later).

It felt good though that the Ateneo community is making a stand, following on the heels of the other big universities in Metro Manila - UP, DLSU etc... But I heard from a lady activist whom I befriended yesterday at UP Diliman's Laban ng Masa assembly at the Bahay Alumni, that the Ateneo will just be releasing its official stand on the gloriagate scandal et al. soon.

Is the middle class now awake and ready to take the cudgels again for this long-suffering nation? Are the daily protests now a portent of things to come? Is this really it? Is this the beginning of the end? What do you think?...

NEWSFLASH: Ateneo Workers Union Join Anti-Gloria Protests

Around 30 members of the Ateneo de Manila University's Employees and Workers Union staged a noise barrage against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in solidarity with militant groups behind today's National Day of Protest.

Armed with banners, pans, cans and other noise-making materials, the university's union members vigorously staged their colorful and noisy protest rally just before the Ateneo's gate 3 area in busy Katipunan Avenue.

Motorists likewise honked their car horns in support of the group as they passed through the union members' area.

Traffic slowed to a crawl as motorists and pedestrians absorbed the more than usual situation.

Organizers said today's noise barrage is just the beginning of several activities to pressure President Arroyo to step down amid allegations of election fraud, which she has repeatedly denied.#

Back in business

I've been experiencing difficulties with my blog. But this time I'm determined to succeed in doing this at least every other day for the time being.

I'd like to thank Angelo Racoma from i.ph for patiently helping me through my difficulties in the past days.

These are anxious times and it's as good as any time to blog religiously. I've also accumulated a lot of topics, issues and memories that I want to put here. I'm done planning what to do here; this time, I'm just gonna do it.

In the words of my favorite Beatle, the immortal John Lennon:

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

Good or Evil

It's supposed to be my day-off today Tuesday (technically, its already Wednesday morning) but I was prevailed by my boss to come in due to to the House Hearing on the wiretapped tapes...

I was tasked to monitor and help track the hearing's proceedings and complement whatever our teams in Congress were getting, the reason being that I was at least familiar with it, having gone through the Senate Impeachment hearings in 2000.

I was already at the office by 12.20pm; with only water and boy bawang to get me going, I hunkered down behind the workstation of my boss and proceeded to do my task.

And so it came to pass, that from 1pm to 6pm, I tapped on the keyboard as fast as I can and tried to get the gist of everything covered in the so-called joint hearing of the 5 House committees. Every suspension of the session allowed me just enough time to upload my monitoring to the Avstar and prompt Tex for what was big tackled during the hearing.

It was in the course of doing my task when I realized that there was indeed a bigger purpose for us in life (mind you this is the nth time that I was struck with renewed inspiration as to the purpose for my being)... I quickly thought of my blog, which I have been neglecting for the past month or so... Now I realized that it has a purpose other than being the repository of my mundane musings in life... and no longer will I be neglecting it as before while balancing work, school, family and lovelife.

So back to the hearing... As I tried to keep up with its proceedings which was going crazier by the minute, I was also struck with inspiration from it, for this blog, for my career and my life. Call it a renewed sense of purpose or a sudden flash of divine perspective but I was immediately reminded of a famous quote that sums up what would happen to me or to us, if we remain contented with our petty lives.

It may be a little cliche but it was the only appropriate quote that I recalled in the situation - ‘The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing’ (with apologies and thanks to William Burke, the 18th century British Statesman readily credited to author this quotation).

For the hearing plainly showcased not just the usual political showdown between the opposition and the administration in Congress. It also turned out to be a battle between good and evil, between truth and falsehood, dark and light etc...

The hearing was after all intended to establish whether or not it was really GMA and Garcillano on the cd's; and if they where, did GMA cheated or not in the past elections?

Now having covered and witnessed the Impeachment proceedings I was more than sad to watch and hear Congressmen Zubiri and Baterina to filibuster and stall over mundane and inconsequential matters like venue and procedural rules. They sounded so puny and trivial now when they were brave and invincible then when they were Davids as against Erap's Goliath during the Impeachment trials.

I was surprised though with Congressmen Golez and Cayetano, I thought they were pro-admin; but in the hearing, they shone and helped enlighten and moved forward the proceedings with their statements and questions...

I saw Congressmen Remulla and Locsin both in a new light here; Remulla especially was smooth in handling the situation, not bad for a former broadcast journalist.

I also saw Cong. Paras, my kababayan, also in a new light; he was biting and to the point in his arguments that moved the hearing to its rightful purpose despite the stonewalling of the administration solons.

Party-List Cong. Casino shone as well; his Q and A with Bunye was painful to watch and hear; it was as if Bunye was never a Congressman to be singlehandedly upstaged by a neophyte solon...Cong. Etta Rosales taking on Zubiri was good as well; I anticipate the lady solon to lock horns with other administration solons in future hearings which I'm sure she will win.

And what of the stonewallers, the clear as sight Malacanang lackeys? Congressmen Pichay, Javier, Datumanong, Libanan, Domogan, Solis, the lady solon from Pasay, etc - you guys better try your luck next time. You are now in the same boats as that of Erap's legislators during the impeachment trial but much is the disappointment in you people because the battle now is bigger than ever and sad to say, you are all in the losing side.

How about Cong. Escudero? He was good and he will continue to shine. While the opposition has an agenda, I hope Chiz goes beyond their agenda and sees this through for what it really is - a battle to redeem the souls of the Filipino people who are being fucked all over by the very people they chose to be its leaders.

Now about Bunye... I don't know if you were just simply naive or plainly moronic but your answers sucked big time and boy were you really dumb (also Wycoco but then, he's from the NBI). You Bunye, are truly are fit for your job as Presidential Spokesman. And you had the temerity to drag my buddy Jove Francisco's name into the fray as well as the Malacanang Press Corp. I hope the MPC eats you alive for breakfast because you deserve to be roasted in hell for being a bad liar unlike your boss.

I could go on and on but I have a good DVD in line and I still have 59 pages of reading material for my elective so I'll stop for now. In the words of the famous Ahnuld - "I'll be back" to whip your asses good.

I don't know about you folks but it feels good to be alive and kicking ass(es) these days. Evil ass(es), that is.

What have I done to deserve this?

First off, I miss doing this blog - it has been frustrating and challenging as well. It seemed like an eternity since I last attended to this and as my colleague said, inaamag na nga daw ito.

What's funny is that every waking moment, I always write down something that I plan to upload later in the blog... but I never get around to doing it when I'm in front of my workstation at work. First, I have no business slacking off during my busy shift anyway... After the last newscast of the day kasi bangag na ako from the adrenaline of it all and I just want to sleep it off until my next shift...

And so it has been this way since my last post until the teambuilding seminar that the Newsroom had in Clark last weekend.

Pero ganun talaga sa trabaho na pinili ko... It keeps me young and alive anyway...

But some days are pure bliss though, despite the downsides sa trabaho, which I guess are normal ...

These days I'm simply happy for want of a stronger word. It's been a week to this day since I got news that I got accepted to the CFJ Fellowships at the AdMU's Department of Communication.

And so it came to pass that 10 years after I last attended formal schooling... I'm again attending one. I finished my registration at the Ateneo campus Thursday afternoon and I'm looking forward to everything that the academe will give to me this time... Maybe to atone for the slacker in me when I last attended school.

But then again the question of my program director still echoes... "why do I want to go back to the university when I'm already working in the number 1 network?"

Hmmm, that would be the subject of another post, definitely. As it is, I am still in awe and disbelief with the turn of events, considering that the Ateneo grant will definitely turn my life around from now on.

I can only thank the Good God above in every waking moment even as I ask what ever have I done to deserve all this...

What a weekend!

Had a good weekend!

The 1st half of the 13th month bonus was probably the reason for it hehehe.

Had drinks with regular drinking buddies Al and Eugene - for the first time in many months this time at Off the Grill. Had good pulutan there - oysters and grilled pusit!

Slept all day saturday - I needed that - and went out for some window shopping in Shangrila and SM Megamall...

Siyempre went to my fave haunts - Tower Records in Shang and Powerbooks in Mega.

Saw some prospective buys there.

Had drinks w/ Wilson & wife at Greenhouse in Matalino - puno ang Treehouse w/ Singles for Christ people. Saw JJ and another producer there... Reminds me to take JJ for a drink w/ red wine this week.

And then Sunday - Weng's wedding at Paco Park. 2nd time ko na umatend ng wedding doon and first at 8am in the hot Sunday morning... Reception was at the Old Swiss Inn - masarap ang sausage platter nila the best. Weng had a smooth wedding - nice giveaways na bagay sa weather - mga pamaypay and the coffee w/ personalized sleeves - panalo Wenggay!

After the wedding I had time to kill before my 4pm duty so I went to SM North and watched a period movie starring Charlize Theron, Penelope Cruz and Stuart Townsend. Although I forgot the title, the movie was fairly ok. More on this next post...

Have a good week people!

Liberation is at hand

Two nights to go and I'm free.

On May 16, I'll have my freedom back - well, that of a 5-day a week drone anyway - as compared to my 6-day workweek since November 2004.

To say that the almost past 6 months was an ordeal is an understatement. I'm just looking forward to getting back my normal life (or what passes for it anyway).

So, another day has passed and I'm slowly getting my rythm in maintaining this blog. Ang hirap palang disiplinahin ang sarali nang magsulat ng regular - lalo na't di ako nasanay sabihin ang totoong nasa isip ko hehehe. Well, here goes nothing.

Sa ngayon, I'm still narrowing down my list of what I'll cover in this blog, in case someone wants to know why I put this up in the first place.

I'd like to think of myself as a storyteller first and journalist second...

And so because people make the best subjects for stories, this blog will be about those whom I've met in my lifetime. I guess, first of all, I would make this blog a shrine to all the good and nice people that I've met in this world... Come to think of it, I'll even include the not so nice or even downright evil - just to dissect what makes them tick hehehe.

Next, I'll talk about the places that I've been and the places that I want to go.... Then maybe I'll cover the holy trinity that makes me tick - books, music and cinema.

I'll also talk about fitness and health, which is what I'm currently interested in - after losing weight and keeping fit for the past year already (this started after I quit smoking 6 years ago).

I'll surely talk about my wonderful family and workmates/employer too.

Maybe I'll talk about my pet too, although at the state that Princess - my 1 & 1/2 year old labrador bitch - is in, I'm probably a failing in keeping a pet (she is not eating well and has developed rashes all over her body; I've not exercised her in ages and not brought her to the vet in like months...)

One reason why I got a pet was to start having a responsibility again that won't talk back or nag and ask for my whereabouts through the cel in every freakin' minute. In short, prinapraktis ko uli magkaroon ng responsibilidad the way having a girlfriend would be.

Nope, I'm not a pervert or wierdo or something... Just your average guy who got burned from a relationship (that I may or may not have any fault at all for its failure). I figured that if I succeed in nurturing my pet, then I'm ready to go have another girlfriend, again, probably for keeps... Hmmm, let's see.

So, there you have it. This blog is basically meant to hook that elusive girl hehehe. This blog is meant to seek out that girl whom I'll be making as my empress in my universe. To this girl, I'll tell her that I'm a renaissance kind of guy who can rescue her from her oppressors and defend her from the scums in this world or something and still be a wellrounded guy whom she can be proud enough to show of to her parents despite my minimum salary and empty back account.

Okay... Gawd so I'm probably not making sense so I'm just gonna end this entry and catch up with my buddies out drinking in Off the Grill.

Until next time... Have a great weekend.