Ka-Blog!

Captions

I’ve been taught in all my journalism classes and workshops that picture captions should not state the obvious.

     Well, rules are sometimes broken.  So let me beg your indulgence as I wish to do so this time.

Caption 1:  “Judas comes early to betray Jesus.”

Caption 2:  “The shepherds had sheep and a goat as well.”

Caption 3:  “One of the three wise men rode on a dwarf camel on his way to Jerusalem.”

Caption 4:  “If any of the gifts are missing, you know who to blame.”

Caption 5:  “And Mary says to Baby Jesus, ‘Mary Magdalene is okey.  It’s her you have to look out for.’”

Caption 6:  “Herod was a queen, not a King.”

Caption 7:  “The one wearing trousers was a Roman Centurion out to kill babies.”

Caption 8:  Joseph—“Quick, Mary! My walking stick! A snake came slithering in!”

Caption 9: Mary—“That smiling donkey you made me ride on is an ass!”

Caption 10:  “And the devil laughed upon seeing Jesus suffering His first humiliation.”

Pick you favorites, folks!

Merry Christmas! 

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PDI pic. Click it if it's too pixelized.

Eh-men?

There is a fundamental flaw in this society when we allow persons with self-serving interests to act as our national broker to salvation.  Still, we take it as a given if we have fools who claim to have talked with God and then start his own religion or Bible-mangling group.  But we are doubly screwed if we allow the same cuckoos to be our political spokespersons.  While we allow them their metaphysical delusions, we should never allow them their political illusions.  In such a case, we end up as we always have been: fucked up while we cry to high heavens “Eh-men!”   

       Philippine society achieved a great leap when we declared a separation of church and state.  That way, we reduced our social enemies from four to three—the imperialists, the feudal lords and the traditional politicians.  Since then, we expected the church to be our ally against the social sins the three are committing against us.  To be fair, many churches try to be with the people in the issues of environment, poverty, corruption, morality, human rights, peace, justice and the like.  But time and again, we wake up to such revelations as that made by the oh-so-intelligent (pwe!) Rep. Annie Rosa Susano who boasted she can’t be criticized by the church for supporting gloria’s charter change because she just gave them four million pesos a couple of weeks back.

     What makes me angrier is the news I just heard—El Shaddai’s Mike Velarde has invited gma to the huge anti-charter change rally on Sunday, December 17. I hope it’s not true but I hear that gma is contemplating on coming.

    The rally was society’s expression of anger at gma’s shameless machinations to amend the charter to legitimize her troubled presidency and to benefit her political allies.  Velarde’s decision, if true, is not a Christian act; it is decision of an utterly stupid person.  Does he think that gma would genuinely ask forgiveness for her sins when she sees the throng assembled?  She is the person who had the gall to say sorry to an offense she still claims to have not committed just to save her burnt ass!  She is the person who praised a butcher in Maj. General Jovito S. Palparan.

     Because of what Velarde reportedly did, several questions beg to be asked.  Who asked him to invite gloria without consulting the other groups organizing the rally?  What considerations were there to compel him to do so?  Money?  Influence?  More sweetheart loans for his property projects?

     But will I be seriously surprised if he did?  After all, he is the man that he is.  He was Erap’s supporter before he changed allegiance when gloria became president.  He is the guy whose fashion sense shames Kuya Germs—fuschia colored jackets profuse with sequins.  He is the guy who asks his flock to turn their umbrellas upside down when it is raining cats and dogs, promising them of a deluge of graces from heavens. He is the guy who asks the misled faithful to jump up and down like frogs to show their faith.  He is the guy who delivers to gloria an audience while the rest of the country is virtually stupefied with the brazenness of her illegal and immoral acts.

       I apologize to those who may be offended when they read this—especially El Shaddai members (like my beloved Auntie Cena).  Understand, though, I am offended as well by Velarde’s antics when he plays traditional politics while using his followers as his horse.  More importantly, the people may yet again lose this much-needed chance to amply show the ruling elite our collective disgust at their persons and their interests.

       May the Mike Velardes of this world be forgiven.  Eh-men?

The funnies

Who did not imagine themselves as superheroes when they were kids?  I did.  I didn't care for the underwear they wore outside their tights but I dreamt of saving damsels in distress with names and faces that corresponded with whoever I had a crush on at the time.  But those were the times when comic superheroes were ordinary, unlike the new-breeds like Spawn or Andy Capp.

     In my weng-weng moments I still catch myself thinking what I would do to this country’s traditional politicians or the imperialists if I were The Flash or The Invisible Man.  But there are no toxic spiders or mutant genes to make me one, are there?

     So, like the rest of humanity, we get our kicks by reading and collecting comic books.  Through our superheroes, we live our impossible dreams and put right the wrongs of this world. 

     I did not and do not collect comic books like Ina Silverio or Nato Reyes for the simple reason that my budget then and now is just enough for Pinoy Funny Comics—you know, the local one on newsprint with Planet of the Apes as its most popular feature.  I do not have relatives to send me some like Tonyo Cruz.  What I have though is this all-color anthology I unearthed in some book sale some years ago.  It presents in a rough chronological order the last century’s most popular comics.  Wala sila nito.

     Following are what this book has listed down as the most popular comics and superheroes:

1. The Yellow Kid & Buster Brown—“It blazed the path that a century of creators followed.”
2. The Katzenjammer Kids—“…two incorrigible mishief-makers who lived to bedevil their American-German mother…”
3. Foxy Grandpa—the grandfather who “invariably outwitted them (his grandkids).”
4. Little Nemo in Slumberland—Lahlee Taguba, Vince Borneo and Mao Hermitanio’s idol; finds adventure in sleeping.
5. Mutt and Jeff—Bayang Karerista’s role models
6. Bringing Up Father—a comic strip all children with fathers can relate to.
7. Krazy Kat—before Felix, Heathcliff and Garfield, there was this cat.
8. The Gumps—started as a cartoon about a goat; pioneered the four frame strip.
9. Gasoline Alley—as old and as historical as Henry Ford’s Model T.
10. Ripley’s Believe It or Not—created when Ripley hit a slump and the deadline’s near.
11. Barney Google & Snuffy Smith—originally about a henpecked husband; nothing to do with the search engine.
12. Thimble Theatre starring Popeye—made eating vegetables and having a slang cool.
13. Winnie Winkle—about the plight of the working girl post World War I.  Post WWII, however, “working girl” had another meaning altogether.
14. Dick Tracy—because he is such a good and dashing detective, we forgive him his yellow trench coat.
15. Flash Gordon—c’mon.  sing it: “Flash!  A-haah! Savior of the Universe!”
16. Fritzi Ritz/Nancy—naalala ko si Sally Cariño.  Hahahaha!
17. Tailspin Tommy—the most popular aviation strip ever.
18. Skippy—a ten year old morose philosopher.
19. Wash Tubbs/Captain Easy—first serious strip on investigative adventure instead of humor.
20. Joe Palooka—before Manny Pacquiao, there was Joe Palooka.
21. Buck Rogers—without him, there might not have been a Flash Gordon, a Star Wars or Star Trek.
22. Tintin—a young brash reporter who rarely delivered the news (parang ako nung rumaraket ako sa dyaryo. Hahaha!)
23. Blondie—responsible for introducing the Dagwood sandwich to American culture.
24. Alley Oop—it’s not about the acrobatic basketball maneuver; it’s about a caveman who most NBA players essentially are anyway (who d’man?)
25. Mandrake the Magician—who pales grandly compared to how Tongressmen in this country pop out legal justifications for their con-ass.
26. Terry and the Pirates—far away places, adventures, pretty girls and humor.
27. Li’l Abner—“finally married Daisy Mae on March 29, 1952.”
28. Mary Worth—“a mature woman reduced by the stock market crash of 1929 to selling apples on New York streets.”
29. Little Lulu—a classic example of kid comic.
30. The Phantom—the environmentalist
31. Prince Valiant—who grew old and became a grandfather.
32. The Lone Ranger—with Tonto inspired “Brokeback Mountain.”
33. The Sandman—latest reinterpretation was by Neil Gaiman!
34. The Human Torch—originally a synthetic man.
35. The Submariner—half-human, half merman
36. The Blue Beetle—the most unkillable character in comics-dom.
37. The Shield—the first patriotic superhero
38. Hawkman—actually inspired by a bird collecting twigs to build a nest!
39. The Flash—Mercury Drug’s mascot (kahit matagal bumili ng gamot sa kanilang botika!)
40. Captain Marvel—the world mightiest mortal: Shazam!
41. The Spirit—whose precinct is located underneath his tombstone.
42. The Shadow—two guns?  Rock and Roll!
43. Brenda Starr, Reporter—soapy
44. The Justice Society of America—the first superhero team, which became the Justice League and later Superfriends.
45. Green Lantern—the good version of Frodo’s ring.
46. The Atom—a powerful five-foot hero.
47. Walt Disney’s Comics—my favorite is Donald.
48. Blackhawk—about a crack squadron
49. Plastic Man—Vic Sotto? Not!
50. Archie Andrews—the quintessential American teenager and his gang
51. The Newsboy Legion/Boy Commandos—British heroes naman, for a change.
52. Crime Does Not Pay—“All true crime stories”
53. Sad Sack Sarge—His greatest battles lay in fighting Army rules and red tape.  (My kind of hero.)
54. Young Romance—Hey, superheroes do fall in love sometimes.
55. Willie and Joe—“…revealed the grim, soul-draining reality of war.” (if soldiers fight for wars of aggression, that is.)
56. Tarzan—cheetah’s daddy-o and Jane’s papa.  (He had a son named Korak.)
57. Two-Gun Kid—the gun-toting American version of Zorro.

58. Casper The Friendly Ghost—cute, babyish.  Very unlike the Scottish Banshee.

59. Adventures into the Unknown—“Ano ang nasa dako pa roon?  Aawuuuuu!

60. Superman—yes, he with undies outside his trousers.

61. Batman—he once slugged it out with Superman in “The Dark Knight Returns.”
62. Captain America—Uncle Sam’s anti-Hitler propaganda machine for kids.
63. Wonder Woman—first woman superhero;  originally wore a star-spangled skirt
64. Pogo—its creator was anti-McCarthy. (Bravo!)
65. Strange Adventures—the original “Planet of the Apes.”
66. Bettle Bailey—everything that Lance Corporal Daniel J. Smith isn’t—the rapist!
67. Peanuts—sold lots of Hallmark cards!
68. Tales from the Crypt—very entertaining, before its tv version introduced the irritating narrator.
69. Weird Science—comics for geeks
70. Dennis the Menace—when first released in England, it had the title “The Pickle.”
71. House of Mystery—House of Representatives regarding its turon budget?
72. Two-Fisted Tales—it’s about war, not boxing
73. MAD—heheheheheheheheheheheheheheheh!
74. Richie Rich—who grew up to become Mark Jimenez?
75. Mighty Mouse—the first comics in 3-D
76. Turok—Son of Stone; not “turok para stoned, pah-reh!”
77. The Brave and the Bold—“dinosaur-fighting WWII veterans.” Huh?
78. Dondi—“Have orphan, will travel.”
79. Challengers of the Unknown—the blueprint of the later “Fantastic Four.”
80. Legion of Superheroes—featuring the also superheroes.
81. BC—cave men commenting on modern men.
82. Strange Worlds—with outlandish titles to boot (Fin Fang Foom)
83. Sgt. Rock—“…the sergeant generals want to be.”
84. The Fly—an insect superhero
85. Captain Atom—created by Spiderman’s creator
86. Asterix—who convinced the world that a French man could be funny too.
87. Metal Men—were later made human to stimulate sales.
88. The Astonishing Ant-Man—takes serum to shrink him into insect size
89. The Incredible Hulk—the pogi who becomes pangit when he becomes a superhero.
90. The Mighty Thor—whose patron saint is St.Joseph the Carpenter.
91. Little Annie Fanny—if you know who she is, you’re a naughty boy!
92. Andy Capp—comics-dom’s most politically incorrect hero.
93. Magnus, Robot Fighter—made robots look sexy.
94. Iron Man—the original cyborg.
95. Sgt. Fury and the Howling Commandos—another GI Joe rag.
96. Modesty Blaise—originally rejected as inappropriate for family newspapers.
97. The Doom Patrol—the world’s strangest superheroes team.
98. Dr. Strange—mysticism and interdimensional traveler.
99. The Avengers—first assembled to take on The Hulk (loko itong mga ito a!)
100. Daredevil—the man without fear and sight.
101. Creepy—no, JDV was not part of the group, despite his droopy look and dumbo ears.
102. Barbarella—was intentionally drawn to look like Brigitte Bardot.
103. Teen Titans—bida naman si Robin dito for a change.
104. Enemy Ace—the first anti-hero hero.
105. T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents—superheroes who were secret agents.
106. The Silver Surfer—who stands and flies on a planggana.
107. Zap Comix—the first significant underground comic book.
108. The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers—“the joker, the prankster, the fool.”
109. Zippy—Bondying!
110. Conan the Barbarian—Arnold Shwarzenneger made him yucky.
111. Doonesbury—most censored, tibak kasi.
112. The New Gods—sayang, it didn’t make money.
113. Tomb of Dracula—where “Blade” got introduced.
114. Jonah Hex—scarred freak of a gunfighter.
115. Swamp Thing—half-man, half plant (like majority of the congresspersons who keep quiet while the country is being raped).
116. The Punisher—starring Dolph Lundgren (B-movie!)
117. Metal Hurlant/Heavy Metal—revolutionized comics graphics.
118. Warlord—sword and sorcery sensation.
119. Howard the Duck—was a “fowl play at the box office” when made into a movie
120. Judge Dredd—his name was resurrected from a horror story.
121. Cerebus the Aadvark—“a funny animal in today’s world of humans.”
122. The Fantastic Four—power times four.
123. The Amazing Spiderman—too much of a super loser as a normal person.
124. The X-Men/The Uncanny X-Men—became popular when they were joined by a Canadian named Wolverine.
125. Spawn—comics’ greatest lover
126. Elfquest—Mahal and Mura’s tribe.
127. For Better or For Worse—humor and heart

128. Garfield—“He defends our right to pig out, sleep in, and be selfish.”

129. The Far Side—geeks’ favorite!
130. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles—started out as a parody to current fads.
131. Calvin and Hobbes—retired at the top in 1995. (Tama ba, Ian Dexter Marquez?)
132. Watchmen—no sequel was produced despite clamor.
133. Maus—literary masterwork.
134. Concrete—thoughtful, gentle rock giant.
135. The Crow—an immediate cult success.
136. Dilbert—scourge of American business.

     There you go.  One hundred glorious years of comic books, newspaper strips, and cartoonists.

Saying what the people feel

In the first few years of my activist life, I used to shake my head on Renato Constatino Jr thinking he was an unworthy bearer of such a revered name.  You see, he used to head the reformist grouplet Sanlakas.  He has since seen his former colleagues’ true colors and broke away from them a few years back.

       I have written briefly about RC some blogs back. I now see him as worthy of his father’s nationalist legacy.

       RC is in the news again.  Last Saturday, he dropped in on Speaker de Venecia’s press conference and spoke his mind.  He was berated by Cha-cha advocate and columnist Carmen Pedrosa and humiliated by Victor Agustin.  Agustin threw water at RC’s face when the latter was being manhandled out of the hotel.

       What exactly did RC say to de Venecia and his hated lieutenants that so riled the Cha-cha heap (the collective adjective for a pile of shit)?  RC said, “I am completely appalled by your collective gall.  You are totally bereft of principles.  That’s why you are without shame.”  He also said that the politicians are a “disgrace” to the nation.

        I do not care to hear what other people have to say about telling the country’s fourth highest official to his face.  What I know, after having witnessed how de Venecia, Villafuerte and Lagman mangled provisions of the Charter, is that they deserve it, and more. 

       Those trapos, Agustin and Pedrosa be damned.  I believe RC only articulated what majority of the people feel about them.

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Malacañang is waltzing its way out of the embarrassment it caused for postponing its hosting of the Asean and East Asian summits in Cebu this week.  But I think there are other considerations aside from the typhoon that never was—at least in Cebu.  Why, even mikee arroyo’s hangin is stronger than “Seniang’s.”

      Really, Cebu is not ready for the event.  Newspaper reports said that the much-ballyhooed Cebu International Convention Center, the centerpiece of the city’s “coming-out party,” is nowhere near completion.  The roof leaks like a sieve and areas outside of it flood at the slightest excuse.  According to Lui Tumlos, who had been inside, only briefing rooms and the media center have been completed but the plenary hall is as pretty as a construction site.

      Rumors also abound that gloria is really afraid of a “security vacuum” in Manila because of the planned mammoth rallies while the summits are ongoing.  Nobody in her pampered and lazy cabinet pointed out to her that the big rally would only happen a day after the closing ceremonies. (Swapang ka kasi sa cha-cha, madame, kaya lalong galit ang mga tao sa iyo.)

       I don’t really know how the infamously regionalistic Cebu elite are reacting to this slight.  But I would imagine they’d be smarting still.

       One thing is sure, though.  gloria has again been embarrassed in the international community.  But she must me used to it by now, being embarrassed I mean.  She has been told to her face by other heads of state that her regime’s human rights record is abominable.  Yet she obstinately clings to her immorally acquired presidency.

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By the way, as of yesterday, International Human Rights Day, there have been 797 extrajudicial killings, 192 enforced disappearances, and 47 media deaths since gloria became president.  In 2006 alone, there are four killings every week on the average.  The number of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances cases solved: 0.

       Happy Human Rights Day, madame!

The JPEPA tandem strikes again

Click this first before reading on: http://newsinfo.inq7.net/breakingnews/nation/view_article.php?article_id=37296

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We all know how the saying goes--“Birds of the same feather are the same birds.” I mean, it takes a scumbag to befriend another.

       How dare Shinzo Abe and gloria arroyo condemn another country which has not done anything against their peoples?

       Did North Korea invade East Asia, massacred millions, raped hundreds of thousands, bayoneted babies, water-cured patriots, and committed all sorts of unspeakable atrocities like Japan did just a few decades ago?

       Do 80 percent of North Koreans believe their president is a cheat and a fake? Did Kim Jong Il agree to accept tons of toxic waste in exchange for a few nursing jobs like gloria did?

       How loosely these two stooges use the word ‘terrorism.’ How completely blind they are of their own offenses and the transgressions of their imperialist master. How unkind of them to accuse just about anyone of terrorism.

       I do not see any compelling justification for their outburst against North Korea. That country exploded its nuclear device within its own borders and deep underground at that. (It wasn’t even strong enough to knock out my teeth filling out.) How come these two imperialist puppets do not condemn the only country that used a nuclear bomb in anger—against Japan, no less? How come they do not condemn the military power that left nuclear wastes in Central Luzon that are killing hapless babies with all sorts of cancer? How come they do not condemn all the other “confirmed” nuclear powers in the world?

       I am all anti-nuclear arms. I would have preferred North Korea did not feel it had to show the world it is nuclear-capable. But I burn against selective condemnation. Who the fuck does Abe and arroyo think they are? Moral virgins?

In good or bad times, leeches are leeches

Everyone’s in an uproar!  The Philippine organizing committee is at the moment announcing the 12th Asean Summit’s postponement to next year because of Typhoon Seniang.  Pahiya si gloria!

            I am actually chatting with my former Ateneo classmate and ABS-CBN Cebu journo Jun Tariman as I’m writing this.  He says the postponement could be a blessing in disguise for the Garcias.  Reportedly, while the CICC is more or less completed already, the site may flood if it rains hard.  Apparently, the drainage is still problematic as the center was built on just a reclaimed area.  This means, a few weeks’ palugit for the local dynasty.

            Jun is also saying that Cebu has changed a lot overnight because of its ex-future hosting of the summit.  Aside from the swank yet hurriedly built CICC, the city is spruced up dramatically.  There are now road islands and street lamps spaced just ten meters apart.  E di hindi na mapanghe ang Magellan’s Cross! Ahahaha!

            Pero sayang naman lahat ng naghanda, naghahanda at bumiyahe na pa-Cebu—both to attend or to denounce.  Two of my Kodao colleagues are there already.

            But what bothered me most is how Cebu’s poorest is being affected by all of these hullabaloos.  When the Cebu government announced special holidays during the duration of the summit last September, the capitalists made their casual workers work double shifts without overtime pay so they could stock up on merchandise even with the long holiday.  When all quotas have been met, these workers were terminated.  And since they only get paid if they have work, they don’t have jobs when they need it most—immediately before the Yuletide season.

            In good times, in bad times, the capitalists have it good and the workers suffer.

Circus at the House

I sit here at the media corner of the House of Reps gallery in between debates constantly interrupted by suspensions. Reportedly, the Speaker is still printing copies of the resolution--typo error and all--allowing the so-called Lower House to be convened into a Constituent Assembly to change the country’s Charter. Their explosive debates last night, punctuated by maka-laglag ngala-ngalang sigawan, dragged on until five this morning.

       They picked up from where they left off at past six tonight. I was here since three this afternoon, which means I’ve been staring at the majority members’ ugly mugs for more than five hours already. I’m bored out of my skull; I haven’t heard anything substantial from JBC, este, JDVs paid lieutenants yet. Some of them pass time gossiping about where they would spend the Yuletide recess with their queridas. A few have nodded off to sleep. I’m not alone.

       Kodao was asked to video-document the debates tonight. Should the House of Reps succeed in railroading procedures for changing the Constitution this time, our video may be used as evidence by the opposition in their planned petition to stop this travesty before the Supreme Court.

        The minority is putting up a hell of a fight. I was asked to sit in at their powwow at the Minority Floor Leader “Chiz” Escudero’s smoky office at past three this afternoon and they have a set game plan. In the majority’s haste, they may be trapped into admitting they trampled upon set rules on how to go about messing up the Charter. For example, they want the Senators in this bicameral Congress to just sit as spectators while the Senate is being extirpated as an institution by the majority of their Lower House colleagues.

       What’s glaring is this: there were only less than a dozen congresspersons in that room but they have very few equals among gloria’s minions in terms of intellect and passion for decency and due process.

       Jokingly, they said they’d be willing to give up as long as Congressman Jing Paras would be able to cobble up a grammatical sentence in defense of the majority’s position. But levity aside, they believe the majority won’t be able to do it tonight because the Speaker haven’t yet distributed Christmas “gifts” to his “boljacks.”

       So, this is where my taxes go. Sonofagun!

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The debates are suspended again.

      When opposition congressmen asked the House leadership on how many votes they want to have in order for their resolution to pass, Congressman whathisname?—oh, Davao del Sur’s Douglas “Bowwow” Cagas—rose to say that since the majority has the numbers anyway, they might as well just have a simple majority and do away with the 3/4 rule. The gallery then exploded into loud boos, to which the congressman blurted with a sweep of his hand “Aaahh! you’re not members of Congress anyway.” (He was the same asshole who earlier tonight accused the media that all they want is sensationalism.) Rep. Teddy C., quick on his feet, raised a point of order and said they are representatives of the people, elected by them, and they shouldn’t be so arrogant to be so dismissive of the public. This time, spontaneous applause filled the hall. (Nice, Teddy!)

      To avert another shouting match, the speaker banged his gavel and declared a suspension. Other congressmen rushed to the different podiums to verbalize their dismay but the speaker told them to calm down.

      The boorish members of the majority have lost brownie points from the people yet again.

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I have a splitting headache. I feel nauseous. Must be because I’m forced to look and listen to all these politicos.

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Holy s_ _ _t! I fell asleep! I missed most of Camarines’ Sur’s Luis Villafuerte’s sponsorship speech! Just as well. He’s spewing nothing but bull dung anyway.

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It’s nearly two in the morning. The way things are going here, it sure looks like this is another pa-morningan again.

       My laptop batts are about to conk out. Even my cam batts ran out. I am back at Chiz’ office to have the cam recharged. I must be able to shoot the voting if it happens this morning.

      And the circus plays on.

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P.S.

After all the sound the the fury, the brave few have been out-shouted by the despicable majority bloc in a viva voce voting.  Democracy died some more at 5:45 this morning.

       Driving out of the Batasan complex, I shared street space with the congresspersons' luxurious SUVs and tricycles disgorging students at the Batasan Hills National High School.  I asked myself if the politicians ever think of those kids' future.  But who am I kidding here?

       Kulang lang siguro ako ng tulog. 

While driving home in this country once called "gloria's Echanted Kingdom"

Here’s a scene at a gas station last night.

            While having a few liters of gas pumped into the car to get me home, a girl approaches my window.  I knew right off she’d be begging for alms.  Far more numerous than politicians in this hard-luck country are beggars—more than half of them kids.

            As always, a debate raged inside me.  Will I refuse or will I fish some coin from my pocket to hand over?

            For all the expensive tuition my parents paid, not a single school I attended gave me a satisfactory solution to this dilemma.

            My Catholic schools said that it’s wrong to give beggars money.  That would encourage their begging and keep them on the streets.

            Conversely, my public school teachers always said that when asked, one is duty bound to give.

            The government for its part says child beggars actually work for gangs who send them out early in the morning and collect the money late at night. Yes, Virginia, this is how the government in this country thinks. (And since almost all gangs in this country are either controlled or protected by politicians, the police and military, they should know.  Right?)

            Our volunteers ask us all the time which is the way to go.  I always give them the first two positions.  Never the third. To reduce the phenomenon of street begging in this Bayang magiliw, Perlas ng silanganan to that of a criminal problem is simply asinine.

            So, there I was last night, wrestling with decisions.  At first, I shook my head.  Several times.  But the kid won’t leave. 

Then I took a long look at her.  She was thin and was wearing old house clothes.  She had curly hair, a small mouth and doe eyes that tugged at my heart.

            I melted.  I dug into my pocket and found a single coin which I handed over.

            I did not know Pom was watching me all the while.  When the kid finally left, she said “You should have given her bread instead.”  Then it hit me.  How stupid I was not to have thought of giving the kid a sandwich instead.  (And another instance that showed which side has got the brains and more heart in this marriage.)

            But my stupidity was not the worst problem last night.  The real problem is that I live in a country where many angels beg on the streets while the "first couple" slept in a luxurious hospital suite.

           Such is our life in this country once called "gma's Enchanted Kingdom."      

I wonder

My profile has been getting lots of views lately from people I don’t know and from places I only read about. Someone from Mindanao’s interior is waging a campaign to have me checked out. (She’s a government employee so she must have lots of time on her hands. Hehehe!)

       Here’s the latest of the several she had to say about me:

      

       “until now i'm still gassing like mad because of what Raymund "bukaneg/kabuneg" Villanueva wrote in his blogs, entirely for me. ang ganda ko! errr...para pud sa malaybalay...

       ”friends, check my profile and scroll down to the testimonials, that one from Raymund, click on the blog thingiewhattevah and read on...

       ”FYI: si Raymund dati kong fan, nag-organize nga siya nga solid dynamic ruzanne fans club northern luzon central chapter!!! gwapo siya, he said so. Ang nanay niya, until now, tahimik sa isyung ito. hehehe.

       ”bitaw, si Raymund, naging ka-kumpetensiya ni buding and tetel sa one-night-only capitol grouds showdownof dancing, singing, redhorse and acapella rendtitions of each their alma mater's songs/hymns. Ofcourse,talunan si Raymund. sisters ko pa lang yun, huh!

       ”but most importantly, READ his BLOGS! grabe! newspaper ko ang blogs ni Raymund. it's the only thing nanapaka-honest, informative, funny, down-to-earth and all that ek-ek-ek.

       ”oi, kabuneg, punta kang malaybalay. promise, as in promise...sagot ko lahat!

       ”lahat ng mga tanong mo!

       ”hehehe!

       ”salamat, kabuneg ha! touched ako, grabe!"

       And check out her comments—four of them!—in my blog preceding this. Just because I messed up on the date of her pregnancy, she proceeded to graphically explain when she lost her cherry and when she actually got preggy. Eeewwww!

       In the interest of truth and nothing but, I have the following rejoinders to this debate on who’s had a crush on whom.

       Siya po ang may gusto noon sa akin. Wala pong Ruzanne Romo Fans Club sa North Luzon. Sa Manila lang po. Its founder and president is now a congressman, not a hard-up F1 driver wannabe who I really am. I am not a former fan; I still am (just) an active member—but card-carrying, chest-thumping, and flag-waving.

      Someone said that a person may be judged by the friends s/he keeps. If that guy is no fool, I wonder what people think of me for having Ruzanne as a friend.