Muslim Faithfuls Gather for Eidel Adha Prayer at Pikit Plaza

I can still recall that Cat, BME and I had mentioned about posting this event in Cat's blog 'Padayon Pikiteno' sometime mid-December, or at least days before that tragic news about her brother (Toto) came about. And so, in deference and respect to the 'mourning at the Payag', this posting was delayed on purpose; nevertheless it is hoped that its significance does not fade out as it was allowed to be overtaken by some events.

And so, here is that part of Pikit, Nort Cotabato in that Eidel Adha congregational prayer on December 28, 2008..


Facing west, towards the tennis court (as Muslims, in prayer, face towards the Holy Kaaba in Mecca), below is the left portion of the congregation..


the center portion..


and the right portion..


The event was doubly significant as Eidel Adha coincided with the feast of the Immaculate Conception - which also meant that these two major Faiths of the world (Islam and Christianity) have good reasons for the celebration and magnitude of the merry-making that was in Pikit last Dec. 8.

In my own terms, I tried to figure out what could have enticed Cat and BME (and other friends from the Payag too) to see a group of Muslim faithfuls gather in such multitude at the Pikit Municipal Plaza (which I estimated to be between 4 to 5 thousand). I surmised that the reasons for such could be the following: 1) some kind of longing to see the place; 2) seeing a multitude of Pikitenyos portrays the festive mood; 3) in such a multitude of Pikitenyos, it's good to imagine that you are one of them. 4) the people and the background, as well, give a complete sense of feeling like you are one with the people and the place, and 5) people have not gathered at the Plaza in such big number in the recent past (3 or 4 yrs. ago and beyond).

We hope it will always be like this one, or see more of this kind in the future. Well, they say that it is always better said than not at all, and so, no matter how belated it is, I say: "Happy Eidel Adha and Happy Feast of the Immaculate Conception to all."

Blogging: Is it already being threatened?

As we all know, there are four basic freedoms guaranteed by the United Nations and subscribed upon by the free world countries and societies. These are: 1. Freedom of speech or expression; 2. Freedom of religion; 3. Freedom from want or hunger; and 4. Freedom from fear. The Four Freedoms are goals famously articulated by United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the State of the Union Address he delivered to the United States Congress. In an address also known as the Four Freedoms speech, FDR proposed the four points above as fundamental freedoms humans "everywhere in the world" ought to enjoy.

I was toying over a foolish idea, after I read some restrictions on blogging in some countries by some governments, that blogging should be the fifth freedom that every citizen of the world should have access to or use at will for purposes of expressing oneself. I know this would fall under the first freedom and I also know that every freedom entails some kind of responsibility. As it has been said, your freedom ends where the freedom of others begins. You are free to swing your arms as wide as you can for as long as it does not hit the other peron's face.

It rocks the senses when you read that countries like Montenegro, a former Yugoslav republic, banned the Facebook and Youtube from being accessed and Vietnam restricts her citizens from blogging about the government or state affairs. If they are simple regulations to restrict public and private workers from accessing the internet during official time or while at work, then there is nothing to worry about. The State, as well as private firms, have the right to do that to optimize productivity of the workers.

Vietnam has tightened curbs on bloggers to ban views seen as opposing the state or undermining national security, according to a new edict which asks online service providers to provide data on users.

The Internet has given Vietnamese people a forum to express themselves that cannot be found in the traditional media, which are closely controlled by the communist authorities. It has produced a flourishing blogosphere, but the government said earlier this month it wanted closer regulation.

Paris-based media watchdog 'Reporters Without Borders' lists Vietnam as among the "enemies of the Internet" with censorship practices "almost as thorough as those of its Chinese big sister."

Vietnam courts have already jailed a number of cyber-dissidents and earlier this month upheld a prison sentence of two and a half years on a high-profile blogger.

In the face of these looming threats to the 'Fifth Freedom' we bloggers so loved, it is high time to unite in solidarity. Certainly we cannot sit idly on the wayward and watch this kind of restrictions spread across some continents. I have already joined a group that calls itself "Care2 Causes". This is an advocay group that entice people to join and express whatever critical universal issues one can post on its petition site (www.care2.com/causes). But I think that is not enough. Maybe we need a more focused group whose only concern is to stand on guard against violations or looming violations of our 'Fifth Freedom' and share information among members from across the five continents.

I am contemplating on a one-site blog or website that member-bloggers (with signed-in passwords) can report or share information of this kind. Then a local-based bloggers group, serving as country advocacy group, can lobby upon their respective governments to dramatize the issue and hope that in the short run the issue may reach the level of the UN-based human rights organizations and take appropriate actions.

I am no technical savvy yet, and so maybe someone with the skill of putting up this one blogsite or website, can initiate the building of that technical infrastructure that shall serve as our home-base. I know this is technically feasible.

We shall await for your reactions. Anyone please!

Pricelss gifts that don't cost a cent

Been pondering on what gift to give this yuletide season? Or you don't have much to spend on presents this Christmas season? These ideas cost next to nothing, but offer priceless memories, yet more often than not, they are the most forgotten ones. Now let's try them, not only because they cost nothing except little efforts, but because they are wonderful and significant.

Smile! Take a wonderful photo of your recipient's child or pet. Make a paper frame or enclose it in a pretty card.

Important tips. Volunteer the gift of a skill: Show a friend or relative how to knit, swim or use a digital camera best.

Babysitters' Club. Offer the couple down the street a free evening of looking after the kids. Or you can promise them some pet-sitting while they're on vacation.

Something from your Garden.If your garden is in season, give flowers, fruits or vegetables.

Make a Bookmarker. For the constant reader, use holiday or other cards to make bookmarks. Cut the cards into strips that show complete scenes (Santa coming down the chimney, for example). Punch a hole at the top of every strip and pull a ribbon through it.

Website Map. Give your recipient a list of off-the-beaten-path Web sites related to her interests (gardening, antiquing, computers, mobile phones, knitting, etc.). Add a brief comment for each site. For a striking holiday background to your list, download free color pages from activityvillage.co.uk. (Click on the Seasonal Pages link on the left side of the main page.)

Words of Love. Send an audio letter to a faraway relative. If you have young relatives who don't live near you, record yourself reading a children's book so you seem that much closer.

Write It Down. If you like to write, compose a poem or a very short story for your recipient. Include references to events in her life and jokes that just the two of you share.

Memorable photo. Share a copy of the most memorable phot you had with the recipient. Write a brief note about the picture and paste it at the back. You can put the picture in a transparent photo frame.

Now you see it, now you believe. There are many wonderful things that we can give this Christmas and they don't cost anything but little efforts and extra thoughtfulness. May your Christmas be merry and bright. And may the new year brings new and better opportunites for us.

Dubious Dubai's First Refrigerated Beach?

The tallest building in the world is now in Dubai - Burj Building with 160 stories and soaring up more than a half kilometer (508 meters); the highest tennis court (atop a hotel) is in Dubai; now, the first refrigerated beach in the world, if ever, is being contemplated in dubious Dubai. Is it the ultimate in construction vanity in Dubai? Maybe not, but one hotel just wants to make rest and recreation real enjoyable for the rich in Dubai.

It's hot in Dubai, averaging 40C (104F) and often hitting 50C (122F) in summer. Perhaps tourists visiting this desert locale don't check this out before they book their junket (or the rules about what you can do on the beach Green bikinis are okay, right?). Or perhaps if you can afford to stay at the new Palazzo Versace you expect nature to be bent to your will. You expect cool sand. That is what Soheil Abedian, founder of the hotel, thinks:

“We will suck the heat out of the sand to keep it cool enough to lie on,” he said. “This is the kind of luxury that top people want.”

According to Times Online, Abedian is seriously planning ways to cool the sand to try and keep visitors from burning their feet: The beach will have a network of pipes beneath the sand containing a coolant that will absorb heat from the surface.

The swimming pool will be refrigerated and there are also proposals to install giant blowers to waft a gentle breeze over the beach.

The scheme is likely to infuriate environmentalists, but nothing really surprises environmentalists about Dubai any more. As Rachel Noble of Tourism Concern, a UK group that promotes sustainable tourism, told the Times: “Dubai is like a bubble world where the things that are worrying the rest of the world, like climate change, are simply ignored so that rich people can continue their extravagant lifestyles.”

I won't be surprised the next time around I hear a skating rink in Dubai in the middle of the burning desert.

Tonight's Full Moon is Largest and Brightest of 2008

If tonight's full moon appears larger and more luminous than usual, it's not because you're loony or due for a new pair of glasses. The moon, you see, orbits Earth in an ellipse with one end closer to Earth than the other; tonight's full moon corresponds closely with the orbit's perigee, the closer end of that ellipse. (The more distant end of the ellipse is known as apogee.) What's more, tonight's perigee will bring the moon and Earth closer together than they have been at full moon since 1993. (Left photo courtesy of NASA).

That means that tonight's moon will appear 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than the usual full moons this year. While the size of the moon can be difficult to gauge in the middle of the night sky, its luminosity should be more readily apparent: the nearby moon should light up the outdoors tonight "like a cosmic floodlamp,".

I have my own shot of tonight's heavenly wonder courtesy of my mobile phone's camera(picture at right). I waited patiently for the moon to appear at its largest and brightest which was said to be at around 7:45 p.m. (Manila time zone), Saturday night, the 13th of December 2008.

A lot of stories, both fact and fiction, have been associated with full moons. The full moon has been linked to crime, suicide, mental illness, disasters, accidents, birthrates, fertility, and werewolves, among other things. Some people even buy and sell stocks according to phases of the moon, a method proven to be quite successful according to some who practice this one.

Numerous studies have tried to find lunar effects on the many aspects of human life and behavior. So far, the studies have failed to establish much of interest. Lunar effects that have been found have little or nothing to do with human behavior, e.g., the discovery of a slight effect of the moon on global temperature which in turn might have an effect on the growth of plants. Of course, there have been studies here and there that have tried to establish correlations between various phases of the moon and this or that phenomenon, but nothing significant has been replicated sufficiently to warrant claiming a probable causal relationship.

For now, we can only believe those that were proven through scientific investigations. And for the more fascinating stories link to full moons, some of them may be proven in time by science.

Hello and goodnight, full moon.

SM Mall of Asia: Largest in Southeast Asia, 7th Largest in the World

From a department store in Quiapo, Manila, SM has come to define the country's biggest and best malls. As early as the 1970's they built their branch in Makati which was then a sizable one. In 1997, they built SM Megamall, the biggest mall of that time. Cut to May 2006, and they've done it again by building the largest mall now.

The SM Mall of Asia is the largest shopping mall in the Philippines and the 7th largest shopping mall in the world. In terms of gross floor size, it is next to the South Dongguan Mall, Golden Resources Mall, Central World Plaza, Seacon Square, Runwal Arcade - Mumbai.

The name SM Mall of Asia has captured the imagination not just of Filipinos but also of tourists from around the world. The sheer size and uniqeness of it is enough to draw the day tripper's curiosity.

The numbers can be mind boggling: 600 shops, 150 restaurants, 5,000 parking spaces and an Olympic size skating rink which is described as the biggest of its kind in Southeast Asia. Two elevated walkways from the second level of the mall that extend across an avenue towards the Manila bay. The result is a clear and wide ranging view of the most spectacular sunset in the world.

One of the mall's main attractions is the first ever IMAX theater in the country, along with a Director's Club Theater for intimate screenings, a Premiere Cinema, and the CenterStage Cinema which can used for live musical concerts and theatrical performances.

The Mall of Asia is far from just being a mall, it's an extension of the Filipino home for the rest of the world to see and visit.

Post-Mortem on Pacquiao-Hoya Bout: My Faltered Forecast

Now the outcome of the Pacquiao-dela Hoya bout turned my fearless forecast into a faltered one. (Please read below).

But I had never doubted Pacman’s big heart. More than anything else, that has been his most potent weapon. On the other hand, I just thought that dela Hoya was such a formidable foe for him considering all the tales of the tape. Matter of fact, I was not alone. Many, if not all fans and followers of Pacquiao, were also as arbitrary as anyone. Proof was the betting odds (100:165) which never changed until the last minute. Manny was the underdog all the way.

Then the actual fight was a bit different. From the first to the eight round Manny was slightly ahead of dela Hoya on points (10-9 per round). Though on the last few minutes of the first round dela Hoya unleashed some few combinations which Manny skillfully evaded, though he was hit a couple of times. As expected Manny came in the aggressive fighter landing 169 punches on the first 6 rounds as against dela Hoya’s 69. Dela Hoya was trying to conserve energy by dancing around and giving occasional shots while Manny was relentlessly coming into his face and body until on the fifth round he caught up with dela Hoya on the left eye.

By the seventh round, dela Hoya had an obviously swollen face. Manny took advantage of this and continued to unleash a barrage of punches on the eight round hitting dela Hoya all over. This time, dela Hoya’s left eye seems to be badly swollen.

Then came the buzzer for the ninth round. Surprisingly, the handlers of dela Hoya threw in the towel signaling the end of the fight. They must have sensed that with a badly swollen left eye and the way Manny is attacking dela Hoya, it was safer to give up the fight that early rather than suffer humiliation by seeing their protégée fell down to the canvass. That was still a technical knockout (TKO).

This fight affirmed more than ever that the big-hearted Manny Pacquiao is the greatest Filipino fighter today and of the recent past.

Mabuhay ka Manny! Mabuhay ang Pilipino!

The Pacquiao-Dela Hoya Caper: My Fearless Forecast

Much has been said and written about the Pacquiao – Dela Hoya encounter on Sunday, December 7, 2008 (Manila time zone). And there is almost no more room for another analysis much more a fearless forecast, so-to-speak. But even then, I feel that I still have the right to assert mine, and me - never been an authority in boxing – notwithstanding.

In terms of height dela Hoya is 5-inch taller (5’11”) than Pacquiao (5”6”) but this gap shall be made even by Manny’s speed and agility.

In terms of reach dela Hoya has 6-inch advantage (73”) over Pacquiao (67”) but this will be overcome by Manny’s ability to dive in with his punches and pull away at the blink of an eye. This time, he should do a Muhammad Ali: “sting like a bee and dance like a butterfly”; and one more thing: he should heed Tyson’s unsolicited advice: “never approach dela Hoya head first, rather ride on a barrage of punches..”. Fine.

In terms of experience dela Hoya held the champ belts in six divisions while Pacquiao is king in four divisions but Pacquiao had 49-3-1 record compared to dela Hoya’s 38-5-2. By number of fights, Pacquiao had more.

Pacquiao’s only edge are his youth (7 yrs younger than dela Hoya), his speed and agility, and probably his punch power too. But we have yet to see the effect of added pounds on Pacquiao’s punch power and agility since he is climbing up a heavier weight class. To some boxers this was an advantage, but to some it turned out to be a jinx.

Dela Hoya says, they can box, counter-punch or brawl and this is the kind of fight that's gonna end in a knock-out. Pacquiao says, this is the most important fight in his boxing career.

I say that this fight is gonna end like this:

The fight shall go the distance with both men still standing up to the last round and the winner shall be declared by a split decision. In such case, nobody is real winner and loser. That will be good for both of them in their boxing career and the re-match will certainly be more exciting than this first one.

Ros-Lehtinen hangs up on Obama. Twice!

Is Ileana Ros-Lehtinen a little paranoid?

Maybe.

On Wednesday, the Republican congresswoman got a call from President-elect Barack Obama, didn't believe it was him, and hung up on him. Twice.

According to Ros-Lehtinen's flack Alex Cruz, the congresswoman received the call on her cell phone from a Chicago-based number and an aide informed her that Obama wanted to speak to her. When Obama introduced himself, Ros-Lehtinen cut him off and said, "I'm sorry but I think this is a joke from one of the South Florida radio stations known for these pranks." Then she hung up.

Moments later, Obama tried again, this time through his soon-to-be chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel.

"Ileana, I cannot believe you hung up on the President-Elect," Emanuel said. And then--yes, you know what's coming--she hung up on Emanuel saying she "didn't believe the call was legitimate."

A short time later, Ros-Lehtinen received an urgent call from Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.), the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, who informed her that she indeed hung up on Obama.

So, Obama tried again and this time he was successful. (Phew!)

"It is very funny that you have twice hung up on me," Obama said. Ros Lehtinen responded by telling Obama that radio stations in South Florida always make these sorts of jokes. Obama said similar pranksters reside in Chi-town.

"You are either very gracious to reach out in such a bipartisan manner or had run out of folks to call if you are truly calling me and Saturday Night Live could use a good Obama impersonator like you," Ros-Lehtinen joked with the president-elect.

Ros-Lehtinen then congratulated Obama on his victory and pledged to work together on behalf of all Americans. She also asked Obama to call Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Rep. Albio Sire (D-NJ) to discuss Cuba policy.

Here's hoping they don't hang up on him.

Pres. Obama's Economic Recovery Plan

With the economy in crisis, President-elect Barack Obama urged the new Congress to pass a quick economic stimulus bill, pledged help for the troubled auto industry and bless the Bush administration's bailout of the financial industry.

Even so, he conceded, "The economy is likely to get worse before it gets better," a downbeat forecast, delivered 57 days before he takes the oath of office and as Americans headed into the year-end holiday season.

Barring swift action, "most experts now believe that we could lose millions of jobs next year," he said, urging the newly elected Congress to act quickly on his plans after opening its session on Jan. 6.

At a news conference, Obama was critical of the Big Three automakers, saying he was surprised they did not have a better-thought-out plan for their future before asking Congress to approve $25 billion in emergency loans.

He said once he sees a plan, he expects "we're going to be able to shape a rescue."

Obama declined to say how large a stimulus package he wants from Congress. Democratic lawmakers speculated over the weekend that the price tag could reach $700 billion over two years as the nation struggles to emerge from a recession compounded by a credit crunch. "It's going to be costly," the president-elect said.

The stock market had been climbing before Obama spoke but then slipped during his news conference, reducing its gain from 300 points to 200. It rose higher again later. Analysts said investors were looking for more specifics of an economic stimulus plan, and also wanted Obama to state that he would set aside a plan to raise taxes on the richest Americans.

Obama made his comments as he unveiled the top members of his economic team, beginning with New York Federal Reserve President Timothy Geithner to be his treasury secretary. Geithner, 47, is a veteran of financial crises at home and overseas and has worked closely with the Bush administration in recent months.

Obama chose Lawrence Summers as director of his National Economic Council. Summers was treasury secretary under former President Bill Clinton.

Obama said his newly minted economic team offered "sound judgment and fresh thinking" at a time of economic peril.

He expressed confidence the nation would weather the crisis "because we've done it before."

Obama also announced two other members of his economic team in the making. He named Christina Romer as chair of his Council of Economic Advisers, and Melody Barnes as director of his White House Domestic Policy Council.

Obama's principal theme was urgency.

"We do not have a minute to waste," he said, citing the turmoil in the financial markets as well as the deterioration of the broader economy.

He also said he would "honor the commitments made by the current administration" to deal with the problems, signaling approval of the Bush administration's latest effort to rescue Citigroup as well as the broader $700 billion bailout designed to shore up the financial markets.

Bush said earlier in the day that the government's dramatic rescue of Citigroup was necessary to "safeguard the financial system" and help the economy recover, and he said there could be more such moves if other institutions need help.

"We have made these kind of decisions in the past. We made one last night. And if need be we will make these kind of decisions to safeguard our financial system in the future," Bush said.

As a candidate, Obama was a supporter of the $700 billion bailout measure.

Any stimulus plan would greatly exceed the $175 billion price tag Obama had suggested as a candidate.

At the news conference, he said he wanted to create 2.5 million jobs by the end of 2010. He also said he wants the legislation to incorporate his campaign ideas for new jobs in environmentally friendly technologies — the "green economy." He added that deficit concerns would have to take a back seat to the goal of reinvigorating the economy.

As a candidate, Obama called for cutting taxes for the middle class and said he wanted to eliminate Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy. In his news conference, he reaffirmed support for reducing the burden on the middle class but was equivocal on how quickly he would act on taxes affecting those who are better off. Many economists caution that raising taxes can make a recession worse, and the president-elect said he would await a recommendation from his advisers on whether to follow through on his earlier pledge.

His call for quick congressional action was welcomed by Senate Majority leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. "With the cooperation of our Republican colleagues, we intend to send a plan to the White House as soon as possible following President-elect Obama's inauguration," Reid said.

Obama spoke one day after a senior adviser, David Axelrod said, "We want to hit the ground running on Jan. 20."

Echoing that, the second-ranking House Democrat, Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, said, "We expect to have during the first couple of weeks of January a package for the president's consideration when he takes office."

While Obama and his team are focused on the work of the new Congress, they also weighed in on work pending before the current one.

Axelrod warned automakers seeking billions in government help to devise a plan to retool and restructure that they can present to Congress next month. Otherwise, he said, "there is very little taxpayers can do to help them."

The emphasis on the economy began Saturday when Obama outlined the framework to save or create 2.5 million jobs by the end of 2010.

But there were no plans to balance the tax cuts with an immediate tax increase on the wealthy. During the campaign, Obama said he would pay for increased tax relief by raising taxes on people making more than $250,000.

"There won't be any tax increases in the January package," said one Obama aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the details of the Obama package have not been fleshed out.

Obama could delay any tax increase to 2011, when current Bush administration tax cuts expire.

House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio urged Obama to make that explicit. "Why wouldn't we have the president-elect say, `I am not going to raise taxes on any American in my first two years in office?'"

Some economists have endorsed spending up to $600 billion to revive the economy. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and former labor Secretary Robert Reich, a member of Obama's economic advisory board, both suggested $500 billion to $700 billion.

Pres. Obama's first job: putting the financial turmoil in order

We all know that Barack Obama is the newly elected president. Now, that the US has a new president does it mean that he can alleviate the financial turmoil of his country?

Obama’s first job out of college was in 1983 at the corporate consulting firm Business International Corp. located in Manhattan. He started as a researcher that turns quickly to the position of financial writer. He sometimes imagine himself as a “captain of industry, barking out orders, closing the deal,” when he caught his image in the shiny elevator doors.

Though, the inconvenient twists of history are about to force President Obama into becoming that man he saw in the elevator image. He developed earnest position papers on tax policy, health-care reform and clean energy.

After being elected President of the United States and realize that his imagination is turning into reality, Obama begin his job as President to help his country and its people. He pursues to open tax breaks for small businesses and create new jobs for the big companies. He is in the position to shape the future of a fragile housing industry and its related financial markets.

Many opportunities are in store for the American citizen if President Obama will do what he says on his platform. But critics say his Democratic Congress who push for card-check legislation will only lead to higher wages and a dangerous drag on job creation.

He convened a summit on the impending financial crisis that also included Robert Rubin, former Bush Treasury chief Paul O’Neill, J.P. Morgan Chase, CEO Jamie Dimon, Google CEO Eric Schmidt, and PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, as well as top union leaders.

Most of the US Presidents are governors for the reason that they already experienced running a large, complex organization but in Obama’s case the only major organization he has ever run is his own campaign but it was an impressive enterprise.

Truly, Obama is breaking history and may he also do something new for the betterment of his country and the world as well.

Will it be McCain or Obama?

Understanding the US Election

Will it be Obama or McCain? Nothing is certain for now even as the poll surveys show John McCain is trailing behind Barack Obama. The conventional wisdom is that Barack Obama has a solid lead against John McCain. Today he's up by more than 7 points in the Real Clear Politics poll averages.

But just as some surveys were starting to write their landslide stories today, the next few days would show McCain behind by just one point. That might as well be a tie if you factor in the margin of error or then McCain could actually be a little bit ahead.

The weird thing is, these polls came out at the same time with other major polls showing Obama with a double-digit lead.

So, how do the candidates actually fare?

The short answer: The devil is in the details. This could be the most exciting presidential race in the recent history of the US. For the first time, the world is seeing a real Afro-American (or black American) up to become the first black American President. That nomer giving Bill Clinton the title of "first black American President" was just a silly metaphor. With what the polls are telling us, Obama is apparently a sure winner. But what the surveys don't tell us is how Americans could probably set aside racism and prove to the world that America is the bastion of world democracy and equality when it declared "all men are created equal". White Americans are a clear majority over the blacks. If Obama wins, it is because more Whites supported him.

Polling, of course, is not an exact science. Not even close. It's really an informed estimation game that leans on some speculation about who is showing up on Election Day. Pollsters can't ensure that they talk to a perfectly proportional representation of the people who will vote. So they weigh the responses they get to match the demographics of who they think will actually show up and pull the lever.

Since there is a week until we know who's showing up to vote, what are we poll-obsessed folks to do in the meantime? Well, the answer, as any voter in good faith would say, is to be patient and wait for Election Day.

With the U.S. Presidential election fateful day fast approaching, November 4 this year to be exact, the candidates are certainly jittery and anxious until the race will be over.

And not until all the votes are counted, tabulated and tallied, shall the winner be proclaimed. But, unlike in the Philippines, what we thought was a simple process of vote counting and tallying is not as simple at all. The U.S. presidential election is not won by the total number of votes of the population but by the total number of states that voted for a particular candidate.

Let’s make it simpler. Let’s say in California, once the total number of votes for that state has been tallied, the candidate with the most number of votes will be declared as the candidate which is voted upon or supported by California. Same procedure applies to the other states – New York, Mississippi, etc. until all the states have their own voted candidate, which are all then tallied to get the candidate with the most number of state votes.

However, not all of these different states have the same number of voting population, so it would be unfair for a state with more than five million population to have the same weight with that of a state with only more than a million population.

A good example would be California with more than 36 million people, as compared to Kansas with only over 3 million population. Ergo, California should have a bigger impact in the outcome of the votes because it has a bigger population. The question then would be how we put weights on the states so their influence on the election would be in relation to their population.



This is determined then by getting the number of districts in every state, the bigger the population, the more districts a state has. And the more districts the state has, the bigger is its influence on the election.

A state’s influence on the election is called the ‘electors’ which is the number of district in a state plus the number of senator from that state, which is always 2. Examples: North Carolina has 15 electors (13 districts + 2 senators) and California has 55 (53 + 2).

So when a candidate wins in a state, he wins the corresponding number of electors. This is how the candidate’s votes add up. By winning the election in a big population state, a candidate gets a bigger number of electors, which quantifies as his votes.

Adding up all the total number of electors from the different states, there are a total of 538 electors. Therefore to win a national election, the Presidential candidate must garner the majority of these electors or at least a total of 270. So by winning in more states (especially in big-population ones), a candidate who gets 270 electors or more wins the election.

Why the Philippines is not so badly hit by the global economic recession

IT IS disheartening to hear and read about families losing homes in the U.S., companies being denied access to credit, and retirement funds losing in value.

But here in the Philippines, it is not so bad. In the shopping malls, people milled about, going in and out of stores and lugging shopping bags with them. Agents for credit cards were still handing out application forms. Several other malls in the Metropolitan areas were also on sale this past weekend and people trooped to shop at a discount there and at village bazaars.

As JP Morgan said, the Philippines may weather the financial crisis even if it has significant exposure to an emerging global recession. This is because of internal buffers built in the system. Indeed as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has assured the public, the banking system is adequately capitalized. The only enemy is when people get carried away by speculations and start to panic. There is absolutely no reason to do so.

Butch Mossesgeld, a certified securities representative for PCCI Securities Brokers Corp., believes God has a hand in it. “You know, I observed that God spared our country from this crisis because during the Asian Crisis that started in 1997 the financial and property sector were restructuring their portfolio and capital structure to stay afloat. Fortunately it was only two years ago that they were starting to recover so they didn’t have the opportunity to invest aggressively. That’s the reason I believe we were spared,” he says.

The Presdient also announced that the government is putting up a P100 Billion contingency fund especially for the infrastructure sector to serve as buffer in case people start losing jobs due to the global financial crisis triggered by the US recession. When the construction business keeps going there are easy and accessible jobs for all types of workers.

As we see it business confidence remains high and there are concrete reasons for being so. Our economic fundamentals are strong. We have survived the Asian financial speculative attacks in 1997, we will get through with this one pretty well.

Will the Philippines Stand to Benefit from the Global Financial Crisis?

Trying to be optimistic, local business leaders say that the slowdown in the US economy would benefit the Philippines as it creates unique opportunity, our country being an attractive investment destination. This was according to Sergio Ortiz-Luis, chairman of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Ortiz-Luis also added that since labor and operating costs in the United States soars, most multinational companies are now looking for alternative business locations. He said, these multinational companies are now pulling out their investments on developed countries and are looking at setting up businesses in other countries in order to reduce costs. It could be possible but my guess is most of them will stay fighting it out to survive. Some of them will consider the significant cost of relocation, but for those who would find relocation as highly feasible or good option, they will do so.

Because of this, Ortiz-Luis advised people not to panic over the global economic turmoil. He said, developing countries like the Philippines are somewhat insulated and that developed nations are the one most likely to feel the impact.

Further, Ortiz-Luis stresses the importance that people with influence, like some politicians, to avoid making pronouncements regarding the economy which may cause undue panic. “This is a perception game. I call on politicians, if they have nothing good to say then they should keep it to themselves,” he said. Well, I really hope so that as the mudslinging game escalates between and among politicians our economy should be spared fromthe so-called 'dirty politics'.

Perception will dictate how the country will be affected by the economic crisis happening in the United States and other countries in Europe, according to Ortiz-Luis. He said the government and the private sector are already doing their part to manage the situation.

And with this beliefs, PCCI president Edgardo Lacson agreed with Ortiz-Luis, adding that it is important for people not to panic because it can lead to total collapse.

“If we panic and we do things that are hurtful to our economy then it is a self-fulfilling prophecy” Lacson said. Actions like withdrawing money from the bank even without any cause for alarm. And this mass withdrawals can cause collapse of even strong banks, as this could lead to bank run.

The bottom-line is, we should be aware but at the same time keep our optimism, if Ortiz-Luis’ analysis is correct, the Philippines stands to benefit from this crisis after all.

Henry Sy is RP's Richest Man in 2008

Bill Gates is to the world, while Henry Sy is to the Philippines. He is the Richest Man in the Philippines for 2008. Yes, topping the lists in Forbes Magazine’s list of wealthiest Filipino this year is Henry Sy of the SM mall chains. And despite the global financial crisis, Henry Sy and his family were able to increase their wealth by $1.4 billion. This officially makes him this year’s richest Filipino. According to Forbes, the 83-year old Sy and his family are now worth $3.1 billion.

Spearheaded by their holding company SM Investments Corporation, Sy managed to rise from No. 2 position last year to No. 1 this year. Their own unibank, Banco de Oro is now the country’s second largest bank, and this of course is aside from their interest in a dozen more companies in the Philippines.

Henry Sy’s wealth, however, were not actually handed to him on a silver platter. In fact, his journey towards success is an inspiring one, and definitely one that every Filipino entrepreneur must try to emulate.

From a store that sells shoes back in 1958 which was known as Shoemart, Sy was able to develop this into a multibillion-dollar empire. And now, half a century later, that humble shoe store is recognized as the name attached to the most popular malls throughout the country. And this entrepreneurial success did not stop at the Philippine’s soil, for Sy also has malls in some parts of China, making him a global Filipino entrepreneur.

Making this success even sweeter is that fact that Sy topped tobacco tycoon Lucio Tan who came in second with a net worth of $1.5 billion, and Jaime Zobel de Ayala whose net worth is pegged at $1.2 billion. Last year, Ayala was at the top of the list as the richest Filipino.

This report, which includes popular names such as property kingpin Andrew Tan, senate president Manny Villar, John Gokongwei, and Eduardo Cojuangco Jr., are all featured in the October 29 issue of Forbes Asia magazine.

Henry Sy must be doing something right, that is why in spite of the global economic recession, and his peers suffering downfalls, his success continues. Or, he just happened to be in the right business and doing it right. In any way, Henry Sy should be emulated by every Filipino entrepreneur.

Christmas Gifts Ideas

We know that the longest Christmas celebration has started at the instant the 'ber' months set in, although it officially starts on December 16 and ends on January 6 of next year. Most Filipinos already have the Christmas spirit as early as September. Yes, as soon as the first ‘ber’ month steps in people starts to have that Christmas feeling and some are already playing those Christmas carols.

Businesses are no exception to this early holiday preparations. It is a common practice for all businesses to give business holiday gifts on this festive season, that is why this early they are already starting to look for the perfect business gifts that will make the best representation for their businesses.

Corporate SNOBS.com offers unique items that would make a professional marketing promotions and collaterals. Their items are undoubtedly an excellent choice if you are looking for those personalized corporate give-aways this Christmas season.

Avoid the holiday rush, it’s never too early to scout around for the most ideal business gift ideas, and Corporate SNOBS.com can definitely help you. From bags, watches, desks and office accessories and even executive gifts for your sophisticated valued clients. They even have games and gizmos, as well as gifts for pets. Perfect for your clients who are into gadgets and stuffs, and what about that lady who loves her cat so much? Who would have thought that you will have a gift for her cat? Think about that. Sometimes, that's one way of winning her heart, mind you.

So if you are looking for the professional business gifts to best represent you, do remember Corporate SNOBS.com. Surely, you will never go wrong with them. And these should not be for the holiday seasons alone. You can contact them for product or company launching, a big marketing promotion that is being planned, or just to impress clients who are celebrating their birthdays or company anniversaries.

What about those who would want to impress upon their loved ones, close friends and siblings? Well, for those who can afford it, the latest craze in the techno world is still the best gift one can give so far. And as you know, the big names in the race for the best equipped mobile phones have come forth to suit your needs and lifestyles.

Apple's iPhone


Google's gPhone


Nokia's 5800


Consider Apples' iPhone and Google's gPhone. They were the first to come out with those impressive touchscreen phones with large display screens. But wait.. will Nokia stay idle and watch on the sideline? Definitely no. Nokia has come out with its music swashbuckling model, the Nokia 5800. All three has more or less the same features, but if you think weight matters, then Nokia 5800 at 3.6 ounces is the lightest; Apples' iPhone weighs 4.6 ounces and Google's gPhone is 5.2 ounces.

So what are you waiting for. In this rat race age, early gift shopping is always an advantage. You can do it either online or on the sideline. Whichever is more convenient for you, the thing is the earlier you do it, the better for you. Let's go gift-shopping now.

Texting and Blogging: Where do we (Filipinos) stand?

The Philippines used to be tagged as the world’s texting capital, and still is. But given the high incidence of traffic accidents attributed to texting, how did we fare on this one?

Sending text messages from your mobile phone while driving is more dangerous than driving under the influence of liquor or drugs, a study by Britain's Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) revealed.

The reaction times of people texting as they drove fell by 35 percent, while those who had consumed the legal limit of alcohol, or taken cannabis, fell by 21 percent and 12 percent respectively, according to the study. Drivers who are fond of texting were distracted by taking their hands off the wheel to use their phone by trying to read small text on the phone display and by thinking about how to write their message.

Surprisingly though, we are not number one on this folly. We are a poor third behind the U.S. and Britain. Could this be due to lack of incidence of this kind reported or documented? It could be so. It could also be due to the fact that we had learned our lessons faster than other countries. Still another probability is that the apprehending ‘authorities’ don’t really mind the cause of traffic accidents most of the time.

Well, the good thing is we (Filipinos) have graduated from one flair to another. From texting to the internet mania. But what about it? The internet offers a lot of buzz in friendster, facebook, myspace, hi5, blogging, etc. or the so-called ‘internetworking’ (short for internet social networking).

In Universal McCann’s study on social media, the Philippines had the highest penetration of social networking among Internet users at 83.1 percent, compared with the global average of 57.5 percent. This is quite high, which means that we are getting further into becoming the most internet savvy. Of course, being savvy is one thing and being the most number of users is another.

The Philippines also had the second highest incidence of blog-reading among Internet users at 90.3 percent. South Korea topped the blog readership list at 92.1 percent. The global average is 72.8 percent.

All over the world, including the Philippines and South Korea, personal blogs or diary blogs are the favorite reading fare.

About 65.8 percent of Filipino Internet users write blogs, compared with China which topped the survey at 70.3 percent. Globally, 44.8 percent of Internet users blog, mostly about themselves.

No country can possibly beat China in terms of number of internet users given its 2 billion plus population. And coming in next is amazing if not mind-boggling.

It must be noted, though, that Internet penetration in the Philippines was relatively low—around 15 percent—compared to cell phone penetration of more than 60 percent – which means there’s definitely a lot of room for growth in the internet business in the country.

Still, Universal McCann said its study indicated that blogs and social networks were becoming “mainstream” media and were a valid platform for spreading information.

The Pacquiao-De la Hoya Extravaganza!

A “Manny-making” bout that is designed for the “Oscar Awards”?

Did we hear the news right? A $100-million Pacquiao-Dela Hoya bout this coming December? Is this the ultimate in boxing hype that is imagined to drown even the heydays of the Ali-Frazier thrilla in Manila? Maybe this is one big joke or, better yet, hoax of a fight. This can be a propaganda that is part of a “Manny-making” project with the “Oscar awards” in mind.

This movie-in-the-making will be acted out by its lead stars Manny Pacquiao and Oscar de la Hoya (with the referee and the judges in supporting roles) ably directed and scripted to the “draw” unless one of the two superstars would be willing to take the role of the “vanquished” at the end of the story—for a much, much bigger take of the purse, of course, plus other obese deals on the sideline.

If indeed the fight ends in a “draw”, there is absolute certainty that the boxing fans are doped into a big fight that’s actually crafted for the ‘movies’ – a make-believe super-bout that’s all intended for the crowd and money it can draw.

Anyway, whatever happens the sharing between the two boxing superstars is already pegged at 60-40 in favor of Dela Hoya. The ‘producer’ and ‘director’ of the show knew too well that a ‘draw’ is to the advantage of the boxing career of the two fighters. So no one would be tempted to retire after the fight.. And the real fight thus takes place in the rematch in 2009 - the year when both boxers are contemplating to retire on.

Let’s see what happens or till the outcome proves us right or wrong.

So, to the boxing fans all over the world: “See you at the movies!” And this one is certainly a “blockbuster”.

Is there relationship between a nation's IQ and wealth?

Did it ever come to your mind to ponder whether a nation's level of intelligence (or Intelligence Quotient, IQ) tells us of the economic status of a certain country?

Or, in a more acadenic postulate, can the average national intelligence quotient (IQ) of a country correlate to its national or the per capita gross domestic product (GDP)?

This is what Dr. Richard Lynn and Dr. Tatu Vanhanen have been trying to prove in their controversial 2002 book IQ and the Wealth of Nations.

In the book, the authors state that IQ is an important factor contributing to differences in national wealth and rates of economic growth. The authors believe that average IQ differences between nations are due to both generic and economic factors. They also say that a low GDP can cause low IQ, and a low IQ can cause low GDP.

The authors included in the book their calculation of average IQ scores of 81 countries, based on their analysis of published reports. Their reported observation was that national IQ correlates with gross domestic product per capita 0.81 and with the rate of economic growth from 1950-1990 at 0.64

However, the authors data based it on what they believe to be the average IQs of the world nations. Because doing their own IQ studies, would be a massive and taxing project, they averaged and adjusted existing studies on these issues.

In countries where no studies are available, the authors used and estimated value by taking averages of the IQs of neighboring or comparable nations, such as the case of Guatemala and Colombia whose IQ average were based on those of El Salvador.

Different methods of obtaining figures were used for different countries. Sometimes based on different ethnic groups, sometimes on their neighboring countries and sometimes on countries that is not actually neighbors, but whose language are the same of the majority of the population of the country being studied..

The data, methodology and conclusions in the book have been criticized, but it was cited several times in the popular press, notably of the British conservative newspaper. And because Tatu Vanhanen is the father of Matti Vanhanen, the Finish Prime minister, his work has received wide publicity in Finland.

I find the study quite interesting, and really, if I can squeeze it into my routine I'd like to replicate this one on a regional scope.

(Dr. Richard Lynn is a Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland and Dr. Tatu Vanhanen is a Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.)

How TV networks maintain the ratings game

TV shows have been resorting to cheap tricks, conscious inconsistent writing and other gimmickries to keep viewers glued to them. Mostly done because of the ratings game or to salvage a poor-performing program… and obviously, with total disrespect to the intelligence of the televeiwers.

Since the two TV sets in the house are glued to GMA and ABS-CBN, I can only cite examples from them.

The top 5 of these cheap tricks are:

No. 5 – Cliffhangers… Not!

Obviously to keep viewers excited in anticipation for the next episode. The program ends with a major character in tight fix… only to be seen in the following episode unscathed and untouched even, from the cliffhangers he was left-off in the previous episode. Ex. All action-thriller soap operas.

No. 4 – Habitual on-and-off couple relationships

To generate more interest and to instill romance in the show, two main characters would suddenly find themselves falling for each other. And to add appeal to emotion, you can be very sure that one of the couples is very rich and the other one very poor! Blissful romantic scenes follows, then something happens and they would part ways. Their separate lives however would find ways to bring them back together again… only to part ways again some other time… and be back together again. It all depends really on how long the show runs. Ex. Marimar, Dyesebel (GMA), My Girl (ABS-CBN)

No. 3 – Villains on Reality Shows

No matter how real they claim to be, reality shows follow certain script. Management needs to create interest in the show for the advertisements to pour in. That is why they decide who goes out or who stays in. Ever wonder why that character that seem to be out-of-control often, the one that nobody can easily get along with, stays longer in the show? Because, they can always stir the show and create conflicts and interests, much to the delight of the management. Again, ratings game. Ex. Pinoy Idol (GMA), Pinoy Dream Academy & Pinoy Big Brother (ABS-CBN)

No. 2 – Back from the dead

People who were supposed to be dead, suddenly come back in the show. And it’s not even Halloween yet. This plot that has been widely abused by writers is happening more often than we notice. A convincingly death scene, like a fire or an accident, involving a major character, is twisted with the character being shown again, alive. More often than not, without any clear explanation. They just want it at that. Ex. Codenamed: Asero (GMA),

No. 1 – “Next Week on… “ Teaser lies

“Come back tomorrow, I’ll tell you everything” This is what those Next Week teasers is trying to say to make televiewers come back for more. Showing what seems to be an interesting scene that appears to be a great impact on show, is shown on the next week teaser. Only to be frustrated because that scene actually has no impact on the program. Ex.Most afternoon soap operas in all networks.

Ratings will always be the name of the game. This is the basis of the advertisers in putting their money on the show. And the show producers know it all too well. For the viewers, they really don't care about it. What matters are the excitements they get from the show. This type of selling TV programs and products will stay for good. It has always been the same since time immemorial.

Thoughts and Acts for Peace

This posting of the notes hereunder is one of the ways I can think of to help spread the message it brings forth which is so simple, yet so noble and significant. I came across with this message while I was reading the comments to a blog posting in one of my favorite blogites. The writer uses the monicker "deejay". You already had me among TAPs believers - Dr. Mosaid.

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“Peace has to start as an individual decision. By making a choice to focus even a small segment of my day on peace, I am taking that first step towards every rational person’s fantasy—saving the world.” —Ophelia Julien

Like Ophelia, a housewife and mother, each of us longs for a world at peace. For after all, we are by nature peaceful souls.

Like Ophelia, we want to get involved in our own simple way but oftentimes don’t know how. What can we do to create peace? Peace in Mindanao? Peace in the world?

We can “TAP” for peace. TAP is short for Thoughts and Acts of Peace.

In this connection, we are pleased to invite you to join Mothers for Peace, the Mindanao Commission on Women and other organizations all over the country in the campaign to create a Million TAPs for Peace.

The objective of the campaign is to give individuals a sense of participation in dealing with an issue that most people consider quite beyond their power to influence --- peace. The campaign will involve as many people as possible in giving minutes of peace through silence, prayer, or meditation and sharing peace by doing acts of peace. It allows people to take a break from their daily routines to think peaceful thoughts and do peaceful acts, thereby achieving inner peace and contributing to peace in Mindanao and in the rest of the world. Instead of the usual campaign for money, Million TAPS for Peace asks that individuals “donate” minutes of peace.

The nationwide campaign was launched the start of Peace Month on September 1, 2008 at "Talkback with Tina Palma" on ANC. It will culminate during the Mindanao Week of Peace on December 3.

If you agree to join the campaign, please forward this invitation to as many of your friends and family as you can. You may access the Campaign Kit from our website www.milliontapsforpeace.org.

Remember: A single thought has changed the world. How much more a million thoughts? A single act has changed the world. How much more a million acts?

Let us gather a million TAPs for peace!

What I want on the next President

Most of us would tend to shun politics as a topic at this point in time on the ground that it is too early for 2010 presidential elections. For me, politics is always relevant at any given time. Whenever something goes wrong in the way this country is being run by the politicians, we always wish that the next President is somebody different and better.

Have you ever wished how our country should be run by the next President? We can only wish something can be done by the next President of this country to make a turn-around on the economy. For me, the best indicator that any President is running any country right is still the state of the economy. This is the best indicator that governance is doing well and politicians are doing their jobs right. All the other aspects of governance like politics, social and other macro-economic concerns are products and consequences of a strong and robust economy. Still one may argue that politics is not the only factor affecting any given economy. Right. But, politics - in terms of how the President behaves and responds to any given situation, is the most critical factor. And in most cases, the market responds correspondingly to major political decisions. When the President'a approval rating goes down, business confidence in terms of pouring in more investments goes the same way.

For this purpose, one might ask: can our country be really run like an economic enterprise? I can agree that we have presidentiables who are so ‘enterprising’, but the qualities of a social and economic entrepreneur being in them is another point. Besides, for an enterprise to succeed, sometimes it needs to sacrifice some department, make unpopular decisions, and run it on an iron hand if necessary.

The Philippines being the larger enterprise, so to speak, with a diverse sector of society each wanting to be given a fair share of the pie, will take a lot of political will to be able to run it like an enterprise. With the current crop of presidentiables and wannabe’s already starting to position themselves, political will is hardly a character displayed - a sorry deficit in most of them.

That for me is the main requirement for our next president. Anybody can have many credentials… and anyone can be an entrepreneur, yes even, a social entrepreneur. But not everybody can have enough courage to go against what is popular or is willing to forego personal status to implement what is necessary.

Doing what is necessary may be different from doing what is right on the basis of its being popular – and so, political will, more than a social entrepreneur, is the leadership quality I want on the next president. While economic know-how is a plus factor, the best quality of the next president is his/her character which is best exemplified in the so-called political will.

Let's start scrutinizing the personalities and track record of the presidentiables so we will know whom to vote for come 2010. For a guide, they are, in no particular order: Mar Roxas (LP), Manny Villar (NP), Noli de Castro (Lakas-KAMPI), Ping Lacson (Ind.), Jejomar Binay (?). I hope they are not the same birds trying to show different feathers; i hope they are not the same dogs trying to wear different collars!

A Class Picture in Grade V.. and 42 years hence..

Mitzi sent this much-revered class picture to me by mail.. I had always wanted a copy as mine was lost/burnt sometime in the mid-1970s when we had to move (evacuate) so often, like the wandering Bedouins of Arabia, due to the trouble. Thank God that Mitzi was able to keep her own copy of the picture to its pristine original condition. I said, it is still crispy clear and had seemingly defied the wear and tear of time. According to Mitzi, she had it scanned in high resolution with the help of her son so I can have it like the original. That was very kind of her.

What's more significant was not the picture itself.. but the good old memories that was stuck with it.. attached with it.. and lingers with it, for as long as there are classmates left to tell the stories behind it and relate the happy, peaceful and joyful times we shared together and savored like no other.

Mitzi says.. more than 40 years of awesome memories is simply amazing.. I said, its wonderful and it gives some sense of relieving ecstasy to reminisce those rich memories of the past; when every experience was worth remembering and keeping because they are simply devoid of trouble, hatred, polarity and what bad sort of things you might say.. nothing else, but memories of peacful co-existence, harmonious relationships and sharing and caring. If I may say, that was the zenith of love and peaceful co-existence between and among Muslims and Christians in Pikit emulated to its best. I don't recall any happier times than that one.. our time, our past. The glory that once was and Pikit at its best when it truly asserted its rightful place as the pioneering town in the once empire province of Cotabato.

How I wish I have supernatural powers, so I would not only recall those happy times but bring them back to reality.. and forget about every unworthy experiences. I love to dream about it, I love to indulge in it, I wish it can happen again.. but when will that be?.. Only God knows.

From out of childish instincts and excitement, I tried to recall the faces and names of classmates one after another.. playing some kind of game of recall. There are 34 of us classmates in Grade V (18 boys and 16 girls) under the tutelage of our favorite teacher Mrs. Luz Aguilar. I was able to identify 20 (12 boys and 8 girls). Of course Bong and Mitzi supplied the rest and reminded me of some juggled first names and surnames. It was not easy recalling faces and names of 42 years ago!! Now, we are left with 10 (6 boys and 4 girls) whose faces we remember so well but whose names keep lingering at the back of our minds.

I told Mitzi and Bong that in due time we shall be able to name them all. It makes me wonder and ponder how others are so easy to recall while others are not. What could be the factors? .. something of psychology, sociology, economics? .. maybe yes, maybe no.. I just don't know.. being outstanding in class? yes.. I do recall at once all the bright ones.. must I forget myself?.. no, never.. hehehe..! But all of us are relatively bright; what are sections 1 for..?? Yes, during those days, it was not easy to belong to section 1, the creme of the crop, so-to-speak.

Back to the memories and the story behind the class picture.. Oh, i just can't tell them all in a day or two.. from Mitzi's daily routine of keeping the 'palmeras' green and healthy to my faithful and dedicated job of bringing them in and out of the classroom under Mitzi's strict supervision (a replica of Mrs. Aguilar?.. NO, but she's just as good, if not better).

If I can turn back the hands of time, I shall rewind it fast to mid-1960s (minus the gang of Datu Mantil, et al.. hahahahaha!) and keep it stuck just right in there.. never mind the future. I'd love to hear the the blazing sound of music emanating from the only moviehouse in town belting out songs of the Beatles, Gary Lewis and the Playboys and Simon and Garfunkel.

I shall reserve the rest of the story to Mitzi, Bong, Pangging and the others who might resurface in time to get in touch with the rest of the members of the family and tell their own stories.. of the class, of yesteryears escapades, or whatever good memories there may be. Yes, I love to imagine that.. that Grade V Class was and is my extended family. I love them all; I miss them all. Kudos dear classmates.. hasta la vista.. sayonara for now.. aregato gusaimas!

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Names of classmates we have identified:

Boys: Girls:

1. jose antonio yuson 1. rosenda bragais
2. dilambasen palaguyan 2. ruth tabada
3. maugan mosaid 3. ma. stella de sequera
4. mario lavarias 4. minda tecson
5. emiliano larubis 5. edith catherine santos
6. romeo manonsol 6. felma ong
7. ali sionga 7. sulaya pagadatan
8. edris modale 8. tessie dimaano
9. usop madaliday 9. evelyn ebisate
10. edward hernane 10. marlyn custodio
11. edgar sanz 11. wilma aninon
12. emmanuel ferenal 12. annie matalam

What they say about my new post..!

When confronted with some hard decisions to make, I turn to two of my top confidantes (Cat and Mitzi), who always give me some words of wisdom.. “when I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me.. speaking words of wisdom .. let it be..” and so I had it that way.

I know the others are equally capable of giving same words of wisdom but I don’t have to bother them anymore.

When I told them about my acceptance of my new post (as Municipal Administrator of Pikit), there was mix feelings of anxiety and doubts on my part; anxiety, because after mapping out all the odds and challenges, the time has come for me to indulge into it, come what may.. and doubts, not because I can’t do the job, but because when people raise their hopes so high, they get frustrated at the slightest failure, other considerations notwithstanding.

And so, without much ado, here’s what I told them, and how they responded:
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For Gladys and Mitzi:

Thanks for the compliments and good wishes.

Indeed, it was a very hard decision to make on my part.. it has been a long standing offer from the Mayor and it took me 2 yrs and 2 mos. to decide on this one. Something's lost something's gain. Who lost, who gained, it doesn't matter to me.. I know that as you enter the golden era of your life, there are things much better than material considerations that you would opt for because they make you feel happier and more fulfilled.

A lot of people, on many instances, have thought of serving home, hometown and compatriots while maintaining some sense of financial security at the same time. My three children have graduated (two have good jobs), only one is studying.. my wife has a stable job. I have factored in all of these little blessings and came to the conclusion that I already have enough of what most people don't have. I am so lucky.. yet you can only say this when you wallow in humility.. man, by his nature is insatiable.. only those who see themselves as more blessed than the less fortunate majority will have time to think it's time to plough back the dividends in terms of public service with some sense of patriotism. Ultimately, this is what most people desire to be, but it is not possible all the time.. God made it that way.. that there are more people who should be on the receiving end to test the strength of values and virtues of the few He had chosen to give more so they are better situated to sow His love and peace. I feel fulfilled to even imagine that I am one of them.

People are expecting a lot from me, but I am not a superman; I have only the heart and mind and the sincere intention to make things happen. Rome was not built overnight. With a place like Pikit ravaged by war and a people whose psyche is influenced by fear, insecurity and polarity.. it makes tall order for anyone, even with the sincerest of intentions and highest of dedication and ideals, to make a difference too soon. But setting aside the odds, I would like to feel and believe that the little sacrifice is worth the challenge. (Mrs. Aguilar-trained yata ito.. hehehe..!)

I need people like you to rally behind these efforts. Supportive friends and positive thinking can also make the difference. Your prayers and good wishes will certainly inspire me.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Mau

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From Gladys:

I am really happy when you announced your acceptance of the municipal administrator's post in Pikit. I have strong faith in your leadership and credibility. I like to fancy that I am a good judge of character and I am seeing a bright future for Pikit with you in that office. With you beside Mayor Sultan, Pikit is in good hands and heading towards the right path. You both have ties on both the people in power and the "taga sulod" so to speak. You are perfect for the post. I'm sorry about your financial loss that came with the decision to serve our town.. I know that was really a hard one considering the economy of the Philippines but it will pay off in some other ways, I really believe that. You have built yourself well with the expats through the blog and they have long been hopeful that Pikit will finally regain its rightful place and former glory.

Kabalo ba ka nga ang mga nakaila nimo diri sa U.S. especially your former classmates Boy Tordil and Mitzi are comparing you to the well respected S.K. Pendatun and Datu Udtog Matalam? They are always talking about the good old days in Pikit where the Muslims and Christians peacefully coexist under the leadership of these people. It takes a special human being to lead a highly volatile and extremely polarized town like our beloved Pikit. Every expat that I have met and talked with here in the US including Tita Igs of Sweden are very hopeful. I will pray that God will grant you the strength to lead our town out of the ditch where she's been stuck in the last four decades.

I know I'm rambling again and some of this unedited things that I'm saying won't make sense but hey, I'm just happy and excited. Weeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!

Balikan nato imong initial ugtas sa imong new position, ang kanang blow out. Mura ug mga automatic response kana sa mga tawo labi na sa gobyerno, hihihhihii, di gyud na mawala... You are not obliged to do it apan kanang mga kanahan mangluod ra ba na ug walay "blow out"!!

Ang akong suggestion, hala lutu-i ug dakong kumukunsi nga mura'g bitin nga anaconda kataas unya palinyaha matag empleyado sa munisipyo ug pagunita sa kumukunsi. Unya ug asa ka matunong didto lang ka pwede mu ingkib, tan awon tag di matagam, hehehehehe...(joke~~~)

I will continue to pray and support you. I believe you made the right decision for the sake of Pikit. You were offered a chance to make a difference and you accepted it, so thank you on behalf of the Pikitenos. It's going to be very challenging but there is no other person in that office more fit and deserving to run that Office. To him whom much is given, much is expected in return.

Sa tinuod lang no, before ka pa nag join sa blog, nakadungog na mi sa imong name diri. Dakkie imong klasmit mao man na sige ginasulti, lupig pa si John the Baptist sa pagka advance party para sa imong dramatic entrance, hehehehe. Ingon siya mura ug hayag hayag na daw ang future sa Pikit kay ang iya daw klasmit nga bright ug debater sa klase unya PhD pa gyud sa rural development ang administrator karun, charr~~~. Abi baya gyud namo ug dugay na kang municipal administrator diha!

I told your wife, my ka-friendster, nga naay mga klasmit nimo sa blog nga nangumusta sa imo like Rollie Altea, Bong Sanz, Boy Tordil, Terry Santos Nuesca, Mitzi De Sequera, Jowet Buendia, Joan Yuson, etc. That was the start of our "teamwork" which also helped bring out the Gemini in you as you acknowledge the Christines and Mae's buried deep within your subconscious, WAAAHHHHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Perteng lipaya ni,

Gladys

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From Mitzi:

hi mau,

relax mau.....you are well liked and that's why people are happy that you will be joining the Pikit force...through you we have a voice.. we realize that you cannot do it alone....and your anxiety seems to reflect that... but you listen and you offer explanations behind the scenes which is a luxury for Pikitenos...i must say you have very good insights..and is realistic..tells me your mental health is ok..hahahaha..otherwise if you think you can do miracles for Pikit.. then i'll worry about your delusional mental status.....hehehehe..

here in hawaii..the locals speak broken english which they call " pidgin " and a common phrase they say when asked to do something is " if can..can........ if no can....no can". so mau, just try if "can". :) We are proud of you mau!

mitzi

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Conclusion: I under-reacted when the offer was made and over-reacted when it was time to accept it.

What Kids Must Realize.. the earlier, the better!

Once in a father's lifetime, he would wish that someday somebody may recognize his humble efforts in making both ends meet for the family. And who would that somebody be other than your own kids. My wife? Well, I would not expect much of the same from her.. she already affirmed that when she said 'yes' to my proposal 28 years ago. Till then, we got four kids (3 boys and 1 girl; now aged 27, 25, 24 and 22 respectively).

When our kids were in their elementary days, I used to relate to them how lucky they were for being pitch to and from school by our family driver and sometimes accompanied by the maid to look at their personal grooming always and forever. Apparently, they would not understand or appreciate what I used to say as they would stare at me with blank eyes and probabaly.. blank minds also.

When I was about their age, I walk about three kms. every school day to be able to graduate from grade four. Yes, there was a primary graduation in the early 60s. And since the nearest elementary school was more or less 7 kms. away, my parents decided that I study in the poblacion. And so I enrolled at Pikit Central Elementary School and took on a harder option: that of being away from my parents at such tender age was more difficult than walking 3 kms. everyday.

I would cry silently in the middle of the night and wish that the following day is Friday so I could go home in the afternoon. It was always like that for the first few months, but as time went on, I got accustomed to it till I graduated in the elementary.

For my secondary education, I enrolled in a sectarian school. The first two years were not much a problem in terms of financial requirements. But in my third year and fourth year, when the trouble was starting to set in especially in the remote barrios, things have change quite abruptly. For moving from place to place (evacuation) my parents had to sell some working animals to make both ends meet, so-to-speak. Consequently, and not known to many, I had to resort to working while studying to be able to graduate from high school.

I would love to tell the kids this experience (or ordeal?) in the hope that it may inspire them to do better having been in a much better situation. One time, I had questioned one of the kids why he would need P100 allowance everyday when I would survive for ten pesos a week in my time. And he justified this by saying: "Well Dad, there is no point of comparison here; my father is a manager (I was then the project manager of a foreign-assisted project) while your father is just a poor subsistence farmer". Whoooaaaah huhuhu.. what a way to justify that and yet makes me dumb-founded as if my pants were falling down!!

Now in their 2os, the kids have gotten smarter, more mature and their outlook has broadened that I can comfortably talk to them and share thoughts with them on a lot of important issues. Now I fell that I don't have to make them understand, or wish that they understand, what I went through to build this family and keep it intact, and more importantly, make it safe and secure. The eldest and the second have each a child and they often tell me: "Now Dad, we understand how much you cared for us as we are beginning to step into your own shoes; how we wish that we would be as good a provider, lover and keeper as you have been and will always be.." I feel that there could not be any better complement than that.

When I was in my pre-teen and teenage days, I was exactly like my kids - I would not appreciate nor care to understand what my parents were doing to me. I thought that not having the toys I envy, especially the bicycle I was direly wishing to have, was a deprivation by choice of my parents or plain denial of what I was supposed to have. I would not take not having enough as reason for such 'deprivation'.

Thank God that I had the kind of parents, despite not having enough of resources and education, who never stopped striving to make me what I am now. It took me to have kids to understand the same.

Oh kids from anywhere and from whatever status in life: would it not be better if we realize this a little bit earlier??

My "Apo" Taught me new Shortcut on the Keyboard!

For those who had not yet experienced having an 'apo' (grandchild), let me tell you that probably the 'apo' is most naughty (or naughtiest??) at age two. My 'apo' turned two last april 5.

What would best describe a two-year old at this point? "At this age," child psychologists say, "you can expect your child to put on clothing, brush her teeth with help, stack 4 to 6 blocks, combine words, know more than 50 words, use pronouns (I, me, you, mine), follow two-step commands, know her body parts, walk up steps, kick a ball, jump up, throw a ball overhead, and her speech should be half understandable."

All true. And maybe what they didn't include in here is that a two-year old at this stage is very inquisitive, quite daring and would tinker on anything within her reach. Example: my 'apo' would try to place her fingers into a rotating electric fan, slap me when I don't listen to what she says or don't understand what she wants, sits on my lap when I am infront of my laptop, asks money from me to buy something in the nearby sari-sari store, would tend to go with anyone who gets out of the house, repeats the last word she hears from you, etc.. etc.!

Her favorite, however, whenever I leave my laptop on and go somewhere else, is to press the restart button.. and there goes everything that I had left for the computer to do.. mostly downloading some important files from the net.

One time, as I was making some comments to a blog posting (Padayon Pikiteno), I left the laptop to give way to a personal necessity at the comfort room. She must have celebrated at the sight of being alone and absolutely free to do what she wants with the laptop.

When I went back to resume my unfinished work with the computer, I found out that it was logged out. "No problem," I said, "I can easily restart the computer and do a little fixing but no files would be affected; nothing to worry.."

Then everything was fixed and soon I was back to making comments on "Padayon Pikiteno". Then, I found out that almost half of the letters on the right side of the keyboard have malfunctioned, as in when you press the letter "M" a "0" would appear, letter "J" gives "1", Letter "K" gives "2", L for 3 and so on and so forth.

I had complained to her parents to inform them that their child had done something wrong with the computer.. and most of the letters on the right side of the keyboard had malfunctioned. The father asked me what could be done. I told him it is not easy to repair a laptop. I had talked to a 'technician' before and he told me that they were not quite familiar with opening or dis-assembling the kind of laptop I have. The best that could be done, I said, is to buy an external keyboard that can be connected to the USB port.

I left the computer with a bit of frutstration, though there is no way that I should get mad with my 'apo'. She could be the worst human being on earth but she will still be the best for me. That's how 'apos' get pampered by grandparents - something that woes most, if not all, apo's parents more often or all the time. When I was in their shoes I would murmur like "kaya nga hindi na naniniwala sa amin ang mga bata e dahil ini-spoil ninyo" (That is why the children would no longer respect us because you were spoiling them.. I would address these to my parents-in-law, though I could only do that silently in my mind when I was alone).

As ususal, my son, my apo's father, would try to do something to explore for himself how the problem might get fixed by himself, either maybe accidentally or through some kind of ingenuity or trial and error, whatever..! At last he had discovered that pressing the "function" and "numlock" keys at the same have fixed the problem. And then everything that had malfunctioned on the right side of the keyboard is now in order. As if nothing wrong had happened. OK, it was just that easy.

Back to my 'apo'.. I was trying hard to imagine how a two-year old might have happened to accidentally press together the two keys: the "function" key is located on the lower left portion of the keyboard and the "numlock" key is located near the upper right hand corner.

Now, I was acting like a police SOCO (scene of the crime operative) trying to figure out every detail of how everything could have possibly happened, as if I was ready to request for a DNA test if necessary.! .. aaahh, she might had placed her left hand on the lower left hand corner of the keyboard to balance herself somehow.. and then she must have missed the switch located near the upper right hand corner and instead pressed the "numlock" key.. OK, there.. I got it.

As I said, my 'apo' just taught me a new short-cut on the keyboard. Pressing the "function" and "numlock" keys simultaneously makes the adjacent letters on the right side of the keyboard function like a separate numeric keypad.. Hehehe.. thanks dear 'apo'.. your being naughty, or let me just call it 'adventurism' and 'inquisitiveness', taught me something new and very important today.