pelicula 2013

spanish filmfest 2013 is here! 

buwaya

Raid sa Divisoria by NBI...

NBI: Fake mga bags na ito, ah !
Tindera: Hindi Sir, lokal ang mga ito!

NBI: Lokal ang YSL?
Tindera: Oo naman! "Yari Sa Laguna!"

NBI: Hmmm... Ang DKNY?
Tindera: Gawa sa "Divisoria Kanto Ng Ylaya!"

NBI: Ang GQ, local pa rin?
Tindera: Op kors! "Galing Quiapo!"

NBI: Lusot palagi ah... eh ang Lacoste?
Tindera: Hay naku Sir... 'yang buwaya? Galing Congress!

salamat sa malaking tawa sa umagang ito, taga UP Diliman group. pero siyempre di dapat tumigil sa pagbabantay sa kaban ng bayan at matamang tingnan ang galaw ng mga kawatan sa pamahalaan. ang perang pinaghirapan ay dapat mapunta sa mga proyektong kapaki-pakinabang at maging instrumento sa pangkalahatang pagbuo ng maunlad na bansa.

the voice ph

as we all know, radha, paolo onesa, morisette amon and thor all went home last night. that was 0-4 for me. what a nice record... it was as if all my favorite tennis players lost at the same day in a grand slam. myk perez is ok, i didn't mind him edging paolo although last night he sounded almost exactly as bamboo. sarah geronimo made the right choice as klarisse de guzman was the better singer in her team last night. janice javier did bring the house down but of course it would've been a lot better had thor advanced. mitoy? hmmmm... let's just say that i fully agreed with coach lea salonga's 45% score for him. she could have made it even lower as clearly, it was radha who performed better and has greater musicality.

with all my bets gone, i'll cheer for janice, klarisse and myk... in that order. enough of mitoy please. #TheVoicePH

the voice

singing contests can be considered as basic offering on philippine tv. together with teleseryes, some sitcoms and news programs, singing contests rule the primetime since time immemorial. not sure if pinoys look at music as the higher form of art but this of course has to do with our love for singing. so it’s no wonder that i also look at singing contests as one of my weekend guilty pleasures. of course, i do not follow all singing contests as there were a lot that failed big time (see philippine idol and pinoy idol), but i do watch and enjoy thevoice of the philippines.

i still don’t understand their choice of presenter. toni gonzaga just doesn’t spell class and wit/intelligence. she just doesn’t have anything to offer except that eat bulaga humor, which of course is more apt with pinoy big brother. and of course, let’s not even talk about the other gonzaga sister.

while apl de ap just doesn’t matter in the states (unlike the other members of their group), he’s pretty much ok and has so far made good choices. thor and janice are some of the best and anyone of these 2 would be a worthy winner. bamboo had some of the strangest choices but i’m happy with his final 2 artists. sarah shouldn’t have saved mommy eva but her final 2 artists are really good singers (i’m leaning more towards morisette). lea salonga and her anti-birit rants are becoming annoying as the show progresses but she has 2 outstanding artists. while mitoy is ok and makes up for a good back story, radha should take this one and do battle with morissette, paolo and thor.

apart from the blind auditions, the other thing that i really like about this show is its battle rounds ala tennis. it has that draw (like 4 quarters in a tennis tournament), where artists face each other with the loser going home and the winner advancing to the next round. as of tonight, they’re already in the quarterfinals in tennis terms... although it’s more of semifinals as the final four will be revealed tomorrow night and the winner will be proclaimed next week. how nice it would be if the winner lifts a cup in the same manner how rafa lifted his 60 trophies!

this early, i’m already looking forward to its next season. 

nothing nice

dekada

after some sessions with the doctors from healthway greenbelt, i wanted to have nice dinner. on my way to glorietta, i chanced upon dekada historic filipino cuisine and thought that it'd be nice to try a new fare. so off we went! i went for the classic favorite chicken and port adobo, which came with salted egg and tomatoes. my meal also came with leche flan (one of the best!) for dessert and dalandan juice. price was quite hefty although of course their serving is already good for two. it would be a good alternative to abe, kabisera or sentro, although as of this writing, they only have this glorietta branch.

uwak

Ang Alamat ng Uwak

Maraming maraming taon na ang nakalipas, may isang mag-asawa ang biniyayaan ng dalawang anak na babae. Masaya ang buhay ng mag-anak kahit simple lang ang pamumuhay. Ngunit maagang namatay ang asawang babae kaya’t ang lalaki lamang ang naiwan upang magpalaki sa dalawang bata.

Habang lumalaki ang mga bata mapapansin ang kaibahan nila sa isa’t isa hindi lamang sa anyo kundi pati na rin sa pag-uugali. Ang panganay na si Ria ay kayumanggi at maganda. Higit sa lahat, ito ay mabait at matulungin sa kapwa. Siya ang gumagawa ng mga gawaing bahay at madalas tumutulong sa kanilang ama upang manghuli ng isda.

Samantala ang bunso na si Uwa ay kabaliktaran ni Ria. Si Uwa ay maputi at may mahaba at mala-mais na buhok. Tiyak na higit itong maganda kaysa sa kanyang nakatatandang kapatid. Wala itong ginawa buong maghapon kundi mag-suklay at tumingin sa salamin habang humahanga sa sariling kagandahan. Hindi ito tumutulong sa gawaing bahay at lalo na sa pangingisda ng ama.

Isang katangiang namana ni Uwa sa kanilang namayapang ina ay ang husay sa pagkanta. Napakaganda ng boses nito. Lahat ng makakarinig dito ay nakakasiguro na isang diyosa ng kumakanta. Si Uwa lang ang may katangian sa pagkanta ngunit hindi naiinggit ang kapatid. Masaya si Ria para kay Uwa at sa mga paghangang tinatamo nito.

Hindi naglaon namatay din ang kanilang ama. Kinailangan nilang maghanap-buhay upang may makain. Ngunit ang panganay na si Ria lamang ang nangingisda samantalang si Uwa ay naiwan sa bahay lamang. Wala ring ginagawa sa bahay ang bunso. Hindi man lang ito malinisan ang bahay o makapagluto ng makakain ng kapatid sa pag-uwi.

Madalas nakiki-usap si Ria na sana tumulong din ang kapatid sa kanya dahil sa nahihirapan na itong mangisda. Hindi naman kasi gawain ng isang batang babae ang mangisda ngunit dahil sa kinakailangan ay ginagawa niya ito. Ang naisip na paraan ni Ria ay kumanta ang kapatid kapalit ng makakain.

Ngunit nagalit si Uwa. Hindi raw para lamang sa kung sino ang kanyang boses at lalo nang hindi daw siya ang may reponsibilidad na maghanap-buhay. Ang panganay daw ang dapat na gumawa nito. Walang nagawa ang panganay na si Ria; hindi niya mapilit ang kapatid na tumulong sa kanya.

Isang araw, may isang matandang babae ang humingi ng pagkain sa bahay ng magkapatid. Agad na pinatuloy ni Ria at binigyan ng pagkain ang matanda. Nakita ni Uwa ang matanda, pinagalitan niya ang kapatid sa pagbibigay ng pagkain sa gayong kapos sila nito. Pati ang matanda ay pinagalitan at pinagtabuyan sa bahay ni Uwa.

Ipinamalas ng matanda ang tunay nitong anyo; ito pala ay isang diwata. Nagulat ang dalawa. Humingi ng paumanhin ang nakababatang kapatid. Ngunit huli na para sa diwata ang hinihinging paumanhin. Nakita na nito ang tunay na ugali ni Uwa.

Si Ria, bilang gantimpala sa kabaitan, ay binigyan ng diwata ng magandang buhay at pinagpatuloy naman nito ang pagiging matulungin sa kapwa.

Samantala, pinarusahan ng diwata si Uwa. Ginawa niya itong isang maitim na ibon na may pagkapangit-pangit na boses. Ang ibon na iyon ay ang tinawag ngayon na uwak.

~~

“Hey," said Shadow. "Huginn or Muninn, or whoever you are."

The bird turned, head tipped, suspiciously, on one side, and it stared at him with bright eyes.

"Say 'Nevermore,'" said Shadow.

"Fuck you," said the raven.”

- Neil Gaiman

myers briggs

harry potter myers-briggs type indicator... who are you?

PDAF

Know the Facts: Excerpts from the COA Report (by Raymond Fortun)

On 16th August 2013, the Commission on Audit released its Special Audits Office Report No. 2012-03. Here are some of the notable findings:

 

 

1. The total allocations for PDAF ("soft projects") and VILP ("hard projects") for 2007-2009 amounted to Php79.878 Billion.

2. Despite the rule that each legislator has fixed allocations (Php70M for Congressmen and Php200M for Senators), a total of Seventy-Four (74) legislators exceeded their respective allocations.

3. Funds were released by implementing agencies with "no administrative and technical capabilities to implement the project."

4. Funds were released to implementing agencies "for no specific purpose or for projects outside of the agencies' mandated functions."

5. The implementing agencies used the funds without due regard to existing rules and regulations. Substantial amounts were transferred to NGO's without any appropriation law or ordinance authorising such transfer and were used for projects not eligible under the program. Worse, the reported projects were supported with questionable and/or spurious documents. Infrastructure projects were not effectively implemented as a number were found deficient or implemented in private lots, among others, which is prohibited under the law.

6. NGO recipients “were selected on the basis alone of the purported endorsement by the supporting legislators.”

7. Despite existing laws and administrative regulations, the COA Report found that the legislator's power to select the NGO came without public bidding as “required under GPPB Resolution No. 12-2007”.

8. A total of 82 releases were made to NGO's, reflecting the sum of Php6.156 Billion. In complete defiance of existing rules and regulations, the COA Report found that of these recipient NGOs, Six (6) were incorporated by the legislators themselves or their relatives.

9. Projects were not advertised and simply “awarded to suppliers identified by the legislator and/or of questionable legal and physical existence.”

10. Fifty-four (54) infrastructure projects were constructed “in private lots without any document to support the turn over of such properties to the government."

Oral arguments before the Supreme Court for the abolition of the "Pork Barrel System" is scheduled on October 8, 2013. Expect both the Executive and Legislative branches to vehemently argue for the constitutionality of this vicious practice.

Let us maintain our vigilance against the repeated and continuous plunder of taxpayers' money. Please repost so that others may be enlightened.

New York

what a win and what a season it's been so far! rafa won his 13th slam, his second title in new york's flushing meadows. with his 4-set win over novak djokovic, he's just 1 slam away from tying pete sampras' as the second player with the most grand slam titles (federer has 17). the US open 2013 is his 60th title, 10th so far this year, while also earning usd 3.6 million by topping the north american hardcourt swing.

i'm so happy. more than happy actually. here's to more success in the future. vamos rafa!!

pulpol

may isang pulpol na  nagpapalapad ng papel. wala na yata itong maisip pa kung paano magiging mas makabuluhan ang kanyang posisyon sa kabuuan ng organisasyon. di ako nagtataka kung bakit wala akong naringgan ng magandang puntos tungkol sa matandang pulpol na ito sa dinami-rami ng nakausap kong nakaupo sa singapura.

wala itong nagawang anumang konkretong bagay upang ipagtanggol ang isang pinagmalabisang tagasuri ng isang dragona. ni hindi man lang pumagitna sa pagitan ng dalawang paksyon upang pagkasunduin o pagtiyapin ang di magkakadugtong na ekspektasyon. wala siyang nagawa kundi tumiklop sa mas makapangyarihang impluwensya ng dragona. tumahimik ito at hinayaang maisakatuparan ng dragona ang pagpapalayas sa mahusay na tagasuri. para saan pa’t tinawag siyang pinuno ng pinagkukunang pantao?

nang ang dragona naman ang napalayas, naiwan sa mga kamay ng kanong pulpol na ito ang pamamahala sa paglilipat ng tanggapan. at naisulat ko na rin ang kapalpakang naganap sa prosesong ito. nagtaingang-kawali kasi ito sa mga mungkahi ng mga taong mag-oopisina sa ipinatatayo nilang tanggapan. kaya heto, palpak ang marami – mula sa mabuway na mga salaming entrepanyo, walang kuwentang sawnd prufing, nangungupas na karpet, palpak na lamesa sa silid kumperensya, at kung anu-ano pa.

ito rin ang indibidwal na nagpupumilit sa mga taong araw-araw na iuwi ang mga laptop – kahit pa nga wala namang gagawin sa bahay. ang kanyang dahilan? para raw makapagtrabaho ang mga tao sakaling bumaha at di na makapagbiyahe papuntang opisina. kundi ba naman kakarampot ang utak nito at ignorante sa mga pangyayari sa kamaynilaan... nagko-komyut ang lahat ng tao papunta’t pauwi, nakikipagsiksikan sa mrt at mga bus. dagdag pasakit lang ang laptop ng opisina kung araw-araw mo itong iuuwi.

ayon sa mga taga singapura, ang isang ito ay isang bokyang indibidwal. unang pumasok bilang tagasuri pero lagapak ang paggawa. di raw naiintindihan ang mga metodolohiya at sadyang hindi swak sa trabaho dahil nga pulpol. inilipat naman bilang tagabenta. at sa sinamang-palad, laglag ang benta at ni hindi makapagpasok ng anuman. hanggang kinailangan nila ng magaling bumasa ng mga dokumentong ligal... dito na nga nahanap ng kanong pulpol ang kanyang nitso. naatasan na tuloy siyang maging puno ng pinagkukunang pantao, bumalangkas ng mga muntaklat at pamunuan ang pamamahala sa mga opi-opisina.

ang problema, hindi talaga siya pangpinagkukunang pantao. sadyang wala siyang alam sa larangang ito dahil sa itinagal-tagal niya sa papel na ito, ang pagpapalayas lang ng tao o ng mga indibidwal na redundante ang kanyang naiambag sa kumpanya. nito ngang huli, bigla-bigla na lang umalis ang isang babaing pangpinagkukunang pantao talaga. ito ay may 15 taon na sa larangang ito at humawak sa maraming kaso ukol sa departamentong ito. pero ang sabi ng intsik na ito, ang dahilan daw ng kanyang pag-alis ay “siya ay panghetch ar at ang dakilang pulpol ay hindi”. hindi rin siya puwede sa pamamahala dahil wala siyang anumang kasanayan sa serbisyong internal. kaya naman, abut-abot ang kapalpakan sa lahat ng bagay na may kinalaman sa suporta sa lahat, mula sa paglalakbay, mga rekord na panggobyerno, sa imprastrakturang pang-elekntroniko at kung anu-ano pa.

ang pinakahuling banat ng pulpol na ito ay naging personal na. ang sabi niya sa mandaragat ay ayaw daw niya akong nauupo sa sulok na ito. walang dahilang ibinigay pero basta dapat ay wala raw ako rito. unang-una, nasubukan na ba niyang umupo sa dinisenyo niyang partisyon? kapag umupo ka roon, direkta ang ihip ng erkon sa lugar na ‘yun sa mga mata mo. manunuyo ang mga mata mo siyempre at aatake ang matinding sakit ng ulo kung patuloy kang mauupo roon. malamang kaysa hindi, lilipat ang sinumang nandoon. ano bang masama kung lumalagi ka sa sulok? wala naman. sa paulit-ulit kong sinasabi, hangga’t may naiaambag ka sa kumpanya at wala kang nilalabag na alituntunin, ang mga bagay na ito ay walang wawa.

baka siya dapat ang palayasin sa pinaghaharian niyang silid. may maganda pa siyang tanawin, eh di naman siya nag-aakyat ng pera sa kumpanya. kapal ng mukha. sana’y mawala na rin sa himpapawid ang buwisit na ito.

russian tennis

svetlana kuznetsova had just been bounced from this year’s US open. losing to flavia penetta in the third round, kuznetsova joined the 14^th seed maria kirilenko and 20^th seed nadia petrova in the early loser list at this year’s final slam. with these and the much hyped loss of form of dinara safina and shoulder injury to vera zvonareva, as well as the retirement of elena dementieva... is russian women’s tennis on the decline?

 

russia arguably helped to define women's tennis for much of the 2000s up until last year when maria sharapova lifted the roland garros trophy. 2004 was a banner year when 3 russian women lifted 3 grand slam titles. while some may argue that USA and belgium were the real powerhouses since out of the 55 slams played starting from the australian open 2000, USA (led by serena and venus williams, jennifer capriati and lindsay davenport) won a total of 26 slams while belgium (justine henin and kim clijsters) accounted for 11 titles. russia (sharapova, kuznetsova and anastasia myskina) won 7 titles during these years - not as successful as USA or belgium and just 3 slams ahead of france (amelie mauresmo, mary pierce and marion bartoli). however, russian women were a staple in the top 10, with sharapova and safina reaching the number 1 spot while myskina and zvonareva peaking at number 2 at one point in their careers. petrova and dementieva reached number 3, while anna chakvetadze was at number 4. for much of the last 13 years, russian women almost always fill up the top 10, even peaking at 5 (or more?) russian women ranked inside the top 10. zvonareva and dementieva each reached 2 slam finals and these russian players are familiar names in the second week of the slams.

however several issues hounded the russian players. injuries halted sharapova’s successful run and threatened her career altogether. lack of form caused safina’s fast decline and is now temporarily retired, while zvonareva has yet to make a return after a long layoff due to injury. dementieva officially retired while still playing well while myskina’s career was cut short prematurely in 2007. petrova and kuznetsova are still ranked inside the top 30 but have yet to find consistent results unlike in their prime years, losing to players they used to beat regularly. there are other names in the mix such as kirilenko, elena vesnina, ekaterina makarova (who’s now in the US open 2013 quarterfinals after upsetting agnieszka radwanska), anastasia pavlyunchenkova, the returning alisa kleybanova, among others. then again, none of these players have yet to make major inroads in the slams to pose serious threats in the current roster of top players. deep bench as they say but has yet to translate to considerable success in the slam stage.

these things got me to thinking... will there be another sharapova in the coming years who would banner russia and bring tennis glory? i hope so. russia has a lot of up-and-coming players. in fact, they have one of the most number of players of all countries inside the top 1000. i tend to favor spreading the wealth among deserving players and russia could very well provide major competition.

september

september, september... please be kind. 

or better... megalania, can you be at home in your extinction? no one wants you in this side of town. we all just want to have an easy breezy existence. no one needs your venomous shrieks.

happy food

is there really such a thing as happy food (or foods that make one happy)? according to delish, food can make or break our mood and at the same time, there are foods that you should eat (and avoid) to fight stress, fatigue, the blues, and more. 

the last 2 weeks of august was some of the most stressful weeks i ever had. not because there were a lot of things to do but again, because of unfortunate and sad individuals that are gifted in making things complicated. panic attack sets in and everything becomes garbled. things would have turned out better if people learn to express things in decent and more professional manner. like i always maintain, it won't hurt if anyone tries to say things nicely. it really won't. bullying others just won't cut it. everyone's busy and everyone's under some form of pressure... it's not just you. ok?

so going back to food... yup, i needed something that would make me happy. i didn't have any walnuts or spinach but i did have sampling of various vanilla cupcakes - all sweet and nice. christa also provided some chicharon from carcar, cebu. ok, not the healthiest but there's really something about chicharon that would really make one happy! arms also gave some mazapan de pili, which would always provide an upper.

but more than the food, the company you keep could also make one happy, especially during stressful times. i'm glad i have aydisi-ers such as emma, tessa, ivy, alon, royd, kr, elke, shari, cecile, jerome, pam, arms, alice, joseph, christa, duy. till next culturization!