so...

when i get back to manila i'll have another aquino and binay in higher office. it just saddens me how pinoys choose their leaders. the result of the count showed that most choose emotion and popularity (revilla and estrada topping the senatorial race, hello!!! estrada 2nd in the presidential race, ano yan di na natuto) over credibility and track record and so the result, we allowed good things slip through our hands.

im not for gibo but if i have a second choice for president, i'll choose him. i am just moved by one supporter who wrote:

WE MISSED THE FLIGHT
but he gave us hope

the country needs strong leaders if we wanted to uplift our status from being third world. someone who believes in the potential of filipinos and who can mobilize society. i prayed hard for Gordon to win. and if not him, gibo will do.

though both of my favorites didn't make it, i like the way they accepted their defeat. they have shown how noble and fine they are and that's what real men do.

now i pray that the new leaders will serve our country well.





>>

did you know...

Dr. Romulo Virola, secretary-general of the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), said that in the year 2000, less than half of the country's population (45.7%) were married. Back in the 80s, he said 50.6% of Filipinos have exchanged "I do's."

In 2008, only 50.7% of women aged 15 to 49 were married, down from 54.4% in 1993.

"Has love become more expensive, or is it because Pinoy men of earlier generations had stronger appeal than this Piolo Pascual or Gerald Anderson?" Virola said in his column at the NSCB website.

"Whatever, for those who are looking to tie yourselves with a knot, you know your prospects have gone higher, provided of course, that you are willing to marry anyone who is unmarried," he added.

Separation, live-in relationships

On the other hand, the number of Filipinos who have ended their marriage has increased.

In the year 2000, one out of every 100 Filipinos was separated from his or her partner.

In 2008, about 3 out of every 100 Filipino women aged 15 to 49 were separated from their partners, higher than 2 per hundred in 1993.

"Does this point to the gradual disintegration of the Pinoy family as an institution? To think that family life is the most important source of happiness for many Pinoys. How sad," Virola lamented.

Aside from separations, Virola also noted a rise in common-law relationships through the years.

In 2008, 11 out of 100 Filipino women aged 15 to 49 years old were living in with their partners from only 5 out of 100 back in 1993.

"Sign of the times? But don't you think the old-fashioned pamamanhikan or kasalan sounds romantic?" Virola said.

First marriage, birth

From 1993 to 2008, more Filipino women have decided to marry later as their median age at first marriage has gone up by a year.

Virola said most urban women got married at age 23 (from 22), while majority of those situated in the rural areas tied the knot at 21 years old (from 20).

Likewise, the median age at first birth has gone slightly up. Most urban women gave birth at 24 years old in 2008 (from 23), while rural women had their first child at 22 years old (from 21).

"But this is still very young by Commission of Population standards, I am sure. On the average, women in the rural areas marry at least one year earlier than women in urban areas," he said.

-LOVE BY NUMBERS, fast facts about Filipino relationships. whole article here.

afraid...

>>

between the headlines

• on manny and krista issue. these were the golden rules of men that i heard from sir willy and sir derrick when we visited calatagan.

• the eleventh commandment: wag kang magpapahuli

• and the twelveth: pag nahuli ka, wag kang aamin.

• on maguindanao massacre
• hindi ko talaga mawari ang nasa utak ng taong may kagagawan nun. akalain mo, hindi lang nya inutos ang pagpapapatay. nandun mismo sya nung nangyari yun. nandun sya na sumalubong at nagpahinto sa unang sasakyan. andun sya na may hawak din na baril. madaling mag- utos. madaling magpakawala ng mga salita. madali ding magtago at bawiin ang mga yun pag tinutugis ka na. pero paano mo magagawa yun kung ikaw mismo ang nakita kasama ng mga armadong militar na bumaril sa mga sibilyan? ang lakas ng loob nya na ituro pa sa iba ang krimen na kanyang nagawa gayong mga witness na mismo ang nagpatotoo na nandun sya.
• ang pinaka kinasasama ng loob ko sa pangyayaring yun, ay ang pagsunod ng mga militar sa politiko na yun. di ba nila alam ang tungkulin nila? di ba nila alam na sibilyan ang dapat nilang protektahan? sana hindi sila nagpagamit. sana din, katulad ng amo nila, maparusahan din lahat ng may kagagawan sa pagpaslang, militar man o private security group ng taong yun. lahat sila dapat magdusa.
  
• at ang kapal naman nya na mag request ng hospital-arrest. wala kang sakit sa katawan. sa utak meron. mabulok ka jan sa kulungan. che!
  

>>

congratulations, Manny!

once more, manny has proved his prowess in the boxing realm. today, he has carved his name in history as he won his seventh title in seven weight classes and cement his stature as the best pound for pound fighter in the world.

galing ng pinoy!




>>

oil going gone?

another bad news. news said we will ran out of oil supplies after two weeks. the oil companies are blaming the EO released by the president to regulate the prices of basic commodities after the big flood struck manila in september. i do get the intention of the president but oil prices has gone up in the world market and the oil companies cannot anymore sustain the inflation and so this resulted. its really not good news that this is happening when it is only 44 days left before christmas. i do pray we can get pass this. i do pray that the people will not panic and start hoarding gas because this will only aggravate the situation. i do hope that the government will come up with a better solution to this problem. and i do hope we all get a happy christmas after all.




>>

Pilipinas...in the midst of the storm

leyte landslide. with this amount of earth, it's no wonder it has buried two barangays in an instant...

state of emergency... a creeping coup... greedy politicians hunger for power...

the president...

let's admit it, whether we like her or not, she's the only one who can keep the country from those hyenas who wanted power for their own interest. when they succeed in ousting her, who among them will lead us? who will be the next victim?

like you, i also hope they wont succeed...

let's pray for peace

bakit nga ba?

It was monday noon as i was having lunch alone in the cafeteria when a familiar face walked towards my table. 'oi, ba't nag- iisa ka?' i knew it was only a way of saying 'hi' to an old classmate but i can't help but get affected.

so bakit nga ba ako nag- iisa?

1. absent si ate noreen, ang nag- iisa kong kasama. actually, lagi naman syang umuuwi sa apartment nya tuwing lunch (with or without platings) so mag- isa lang ako on that precious hour of the day

2. hindi ko na classmates sina marivi and co. ang lagi kong kasama dati sa lunch, sa classroom, sa pag- uwi. hay, i really miss them. minsan, i can't help but wish na sana sana sana hindi na lang nangyari ang nangyari. can't turn back time. it's done and i'm alone.

3. hindi ko naging classmates si jho. her barkada was the first group i went with. syempre first year pa yun. things changed. people redirect their sails and moved out from med school. ayun, only the three of us were left- jho, marvin, and me. jho and i were in different sections (at dadalawa lang ang section namin. aba naman, akalain mong hindi pa kami naging mag- classmates!). at si marvin, iniwan na talaga kami. he's promoted and were not! but we still get a chance to talk to each other. classmate ko sya sa radio class which is every monday, 1 pm. last monday, i couldn't help but tell him my sentiments. aba, sabi nya, sana nga maging midyear na lang sya para makasama nya kami ulit. nakakamiss daw kasi... hay, nako marvin. if it will cost you your being regular, wag na lang. kami na lang dito.

4. walang papsi at tina. hay, obvious ba, hindi na to college at wala na kami sa PLM. hay nostalgia's setting in. wla bang background music dyan?

5. wala ako sa PLM. hay, plm i miss you. bakit nga ba hindi na lang ako sa plm nag- med. why am i here in a place where individualism is the name of the game?

hay nako. this is hopeless. mas mabuti pa, gagayahin ko na lang yung girl sa movie who said '...i'm not here to flirt...' (ano nga ba yung movie na yun?) hay nako, hala, tell it to yourself... i'm here to become a doctor. never mind if i'm alone... sigh

bakit nga ba (da 2nd)

hay nako, ang bababa ng mga platings ko. kase naman!!!! hindi ako magaling mag- memorize! darn, i can't make myself memorize a handout that i don't understand what it's all about. heck, kaya nga ako umaatend ng mga dull lectures para naman pag nagbigay sila ng handouts hindi ako mahihirapang maka- relate. well maybe this is the reason why i'm having a hard time in second year- ayokong mag- memorize!!!

wag na nga lang yan, let's move on to other things. yung masarap ikwento. let's talk about my crushes. hehehe

from politics, former colleagues Sec. Mike Defensor and Rep. Francis Escudero are now from different sides of the fence. but even with different views and opinion regarding the hello garci and the rest of the impeachment brouhaha, these two rise above all others because they have retained their diplomacy. you wouldn't see them in the news saying nasty things about each other. i must say, they were raised very well. i hope there will come a time that the two of them will be on the same side.

DENR Sec. Mike Defensor

Sorsogon Rep. Francis Escudero

Jay Perillo. he's one of the finalist in channel 2's search for a star in a million season 2. this 100% chinese is really a hearthrob and a chickboy (he already had 24 girlfriends). i like the quality of his voice. it's somewhat rusty which makes his singing more interesting and it must've also added to his appeal. mhy, but this guy is only 18! well then, he's my first crush who is younger than me.

blush*

now i feel better.

note: this entry was drafted on the posted date -hp

all under one heaven

i watched the sona yesterday. that's the true sona of the president no less. madami kaseng ambitious people who are doing their own sona just to grab attention from the public. i was actually thinking if she would resign in the middle of the speech. buti na lang hindi. i guess staying as the president, despite the call for resignation and other black propaganda against her and her family, she is already doing the 'supreme sacrifice'. i wonder if those people on the streets wanting her to resign realize the confusion it will make if she step down. the true issue here is not about honesty. no politician can claim that he is honest, i repeat, NO ONE! the true issue here is, who will take over? a lot of personalities have gone out declaring their wanting to become the next leader. pwede ba, kung si eddie gil lang din or someone like him, wag na lang po. plus, governors especially in mindanao, have declared that if gloria step down, they will have their own republic. mas magulo di ba? i don't have a personal liking for Mrs. Arroyo but i believe she is the only one suited to lead considering the present situation. i remember tuloy that chinese film, Hero. i hope one realize that even how bad the image the head has now, she is still the one person who can keep the nation as one. ironic it may seem but looking at the whole picture, that's the truth.

i hope they'll be able to make the charter change as soon as possible.

------------*

i thought i have run far enough, only to realize i was just running in circles. when will the long yearning end?

------------*

that's it. puno na ko. thanks to the person who taught me when to call it 'tama na.' i know that i can hold so much patience even though people are saying ugly things even in front of me. pati na din ugly gestures. you know me, ayoko ng gulo, kaya as much as possible, quiet na lang ako.pero, don't they realize how mean they are?por que pa silang tinawag na 'friends.' siguro, this time i have to speak it out. siguro naman may marerealize yung taong yun afterwards. i hope he will.