from the radio

On the way to my dermatologist today, I was listening to the radio and particularly took interest in 2 things reported.
1) In the devastation of the torrential rains pouring down on the Philippines in the last couple of days, streets have been flooded everywhere. Despite that, Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando reports with confidence that currently the metropolitan suffers 85% less flooded streets, thanks to the effective MMDA Flood Control Project. You gotta hand it to them, Manila among others is not easy to protect from floods because the city itself is below sea level, and personally, I see the difference from when I was a kid.
2) For the third time since 2006, another part of the ceiling fell down in Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal III. At first, they open it prematurely without first making sure all equipment are installed and all airport services are operated at the very least to a minimum doable capacity, but now, another ceiling crashes down. What more will it take before the airport authority realize the need to do a make-over?

While we're on the topic: On the record, Cebu Pacific boasts of its impressive On-Time-Performance (OTP), averaging at 86.5% from Aug 8 to Sept 7, its first month of operations in its newfound home in NAIA 3. OTP is measured as the average percentage of flights leaving at most 15 minutes from its announced time of departure. European and North American airlines average percentages in the 70's.

Mt. Pinatubo

Mt. Pinatubo has one of the most outstanding statistical record in its history of the past century. Arguably, the lack of life in its surroundings is one appeal of its beauty, which will continue to disappear in the next decade or so as flora slowly as it does now reappear. Mounds of ashes from the world-renowned devastating explosion in the early 90's hardened by rain over the years form the walls of the track as small rivers, often in brown mud, green algae or yellow-orange sulfur (i'm assuming) ceaslessly flow and most occassionally change the path of trekkers. At one point, we commented that all the gray and barren land made it seem like we were in Lord of the Rings! :-)

It is a sin for the healthy able-bodied Filipino not to try this one. It is easy to reach from Metro Manila, cheap to take the trip, and very safe as the military and tourism office do their share of protecting the environment and its visitors. It one of the easiest trek I've done because it is mostly just walking under the sun with its share of crossing small rivers now and then that adds to the difficulty. The trek is 18k long with very very very few climbs so it doesn't take awefully long; it took us 3 hours with photo-taking. As you'll be crossing waters against the currents, slippers are not advised even for seasoned trekkers, just because it becomes hassle. Although because I don't like the feeling of wet socks, I used flipflops for the most part, and unexpectedly enough, they didn't break. The sharp rocks were a bit painful for thin footwear and twice rocks fell on my feet, once for each foot. The Php650 I paid was worth the view of the crater lake but the trek up and down were not worth the few minutes we stayed on top as our tour guide bugged us to make ouw way back down immediately.
For interested parties, contact Mr. Wendell Mercado at +639196084313 from whom you can rent a 4x4 good for 5 persons. From Manila, you can take a bus en route Baguio and have the driver/conductor drop you at the Capas Junction from where you can ask Wendell to pick you up for an extra charge; otherwise, you can drive your private car all the way following the precise directions he can give you. He's very easy to talk to and he's very kind (even texted me farewell after we got back to Manila) - highly recommened!
We made the trip last Sunday, 2008 September 7, just right before another typhoon came. There was perfect weather on that day! Lucky!

MidAutumn came early

There had been plans of a mid autumn celebration going around the barkada for a while. Most of the time, big reunions like this end up as ideas forgotten or too lazy to plan for, but maybe because this year marks the 4th year we've been out of high school (also means many graduate/d this year and are not engaged yet with anything else like work) it was easier to get everyone together, at least most of everyone.
Everyone had to pay 600 bucks for the game and the night's dinner. While the prizes weren't too impressive, no one minded as we were all for the fun of it! And lucky for a "guest" Dexie Sexie got the top prize, worth 2000 bucks, i think!
Mid Autumn came early for the barkada this year, and I'm glad I was able to catch up to it before I have to leave for Japan.

Foreign help in MILF problem

We'll need all the help we can get. In talking with the hard-headed MILF, many foreign governments have extended and will be extending support for the search for peace in Mindanao.

Malaysia has always been there helping us out in the peace talks. As an nation with Islam as a state religion and one that is bordering the Philippines, Malaysia plays a big role in the peace talks with our Muslim brothers and sisters down south. The U.S. as well, though indirect in political terms, have provided support to the military through the continual exercises and technological and strategic training with our local forces.

It's good that we can expect more help from other partner sovereign states, now all the way out of Asia even. Well-renowned ex-PM Tony Blair is willing to give a helping hand in the peace talks; he is a suitable authority and source of guidance in such a matter because of his previous experience in making possible the effective restoration of the devolved government of Northern Ireland. Similarly, there were divisive opinions in Northern Ireland as with a big part of southern Mindanao. Catholics and Protestants were in violent conflict as to whether Norethern Ireland should remain with the U.K. or with Ireland. A vote was made and a country within the United Kingdom finally recognized! While I am not indicating that such a similar outcome must be what we ought to come to, I think that Blair has much to offer in services in the peace process.

Sweden will also play a good role in the "aftermath" as will Brunei. Sweden will help with the part of the negotiations that has to sort of do with clean-up. In its last conference in 2005 and presented to the SecGen of the United Nations in 2006, the Stockholm Initiative on Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (SIDDR) has come up with recommendations and a more proper system of ddr programs based on the yearlong studies and evaluation of related experiences such as those in Africa and eventually, Northern Ireland.

On the other hand, the state of Brunei is extending grants to MILF combatants so that they may better learn how to incorporate the Islam religion in moderation into their lives.

I do remember a TIME article earlier this year or late last year predicting an improvement with the issue in Mindanao primarily achievable through the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain. But perhaps, the TIME article wasn't expecting that to actually be the source of the troubles now (or so the MILF claim). This is all an unfortunate predicament for all, Catholics, Muslims, Filipinos, tourists alike, and I hope it ends soon.

New Hair Color

I just got my hair dyed this morning. I've been itching to have it done for a while now, but just never got to it because either I got lazy or I was thinking of getting another haircut first. Well, I finally decided the other day that I will not get a haircut and will let it grow longer to a length that I like more. So, finally, I had no reasons not to go get it colored.

Unfortunately, the color I chose didn't turn out as fit for me as I had expected. I dunno about what others might say, but I am starting to not like the "red-ness" that my hair seems to have. Although the color really is supposed to be "burnt chestnut," I think it looks too red now. I had wanted something closer to a brownish blonde feel... that which you commonly see among Chinese, Japanese, or Korean teens.
Well, what's done is done and now I have to wait it out before I can get my hair dyed again. This is because they say that it's not healthy for the hair to be dyed repeatedly. And when I took a shower today, I did feel that even after washing off my usual shampoo, the texture was now very very different. My hair ceasecd to be silky or smooth. Too bad, but maybe if I try fixing my hair with the wax I got from China, it'll turn out fine eventually... maybe.

iPod hangs

On my way to the train station, I pulled out my iPod to put it on for the trip home as usual. Unfortunately, however, it suddenly hung right after I chose the song to start from with on the playlist. I was scared for a moment until I got frustrated because I couldn't listen to anything and it chose the worst time to go crazy on me while I got stuck in traffic on the jeepney for so long.
Eventually, thanks to the internet, I found an easy way (or two) to fix the problem.
You could do either of two things if you find your iPod hanging on you:
(1) Leave it until the battery dries up and just recharge and use it again.
(2) Press and hold the MENU and center buttons simultaneously for a few seconds and it resets.

Don't panic or hit your iPod against the wall (err... I tried that, it didn't work!) when you find your iPod not responsing to your touch pad but still displaying something on the screen.

PS: I almost forgot, I am grateful to Digital Inspiration from where I got the tip on how to fix the problem. Although, once I got to reset my iPod, it apparently had very very little battery left so I would have been able to use it eventually again.

MILF's Reactions

In the recent statement given by Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Deputy Chairman, Khaled Musa called former president Erap Estrada "a convicted criminal, a plundered, an aging womanizer." This is a reaction against Estrada's attempt to urge the current Arroyo administration to do as the former president did in his term of declaring an all-out war against the Mindanao-based separatist group. Musa also stressed some points that I agree with... why should the incumbent president have to follow the advice of her predecessor who, in the words of Musa, is a "convicted criminal - only conditionally pardoned" moreover having proven in countless decisions that he "has no brains to run this country."

I think that Estrada should just shut the fuck up and go away in his little mansions which the Ombudsman had not been able to seize in its own lack of competence. He has no further business making troublesome remarks in the current situation in the south. It is bad enough as it is.

In another statement, the MILF called the Commission on Human Rights "just another agency of the Philippine government" which they had never considered to be "an impartial human rights watch body that can be trusted to handle human rights issues especially when the adverse party is the state." More often than not, morality need not be left in the hands of any other person or group that has an official claim of authority. Human beings are different from all other creations in that we are rational thereby giving us the capability and thus responsibility to make conscentious decisions. The destruction of public and private property and the massacre of innocent people in the recent attacks in the provinces of North Cotabato, Saranggani, and Lanao are clear indications that these are terrorist attacks and nothing more. We can argue all day about nomenclature, but it remains a fact that there were innocent deaths, rights were abused, and the perpetrators have no right to have done these... they are thus criminals in the eyes of the law, morals, and people.

Shopping for Your Country

For the past four years, I've mainly been doing my grocery shopping by myself. This is not the norm among Filipino youth. The normal cases would be that the mother (or the head of the family) does the shopping or the children does it with their parents/guardians. In any case, the decisions to buy are made primarily by the parent, the one who pays for it.

That being irrelevant really, I'd like to share something about something I noticed about myself when I'm in the grocery store. When I have a little time to spare and not in a hurry to go somewhere else, which products and brands I choose to buy are influenced by a number of factors, but notably where it is made or which country it comes from. When I buy my stuff now, I usually prefer weighing the factors of price, availability of variety, and the country of origin.

I prefer getting stuff wither from the Philippines or a developing country. I find that it's the least I can do, and not like the products are really that much different! And most of the time, I prefer not buying stuff made from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and India... not that I have any bias or discrimination against them but it's just that I think they're wealthy enough and the others need a bit more pushing! :D So, are you shopping for your country?

Multimedia Entertainment and Real Life

It's amazing to come to a realization (or forcefully but successfully piecing together) the relationship that entertainment media has and/or eventually gain with real-life events. I've been thinking of writing about it from some time ago already, but have decided to put it off most of the time because it all just seemed tedious to be writing about the obvious, seeing as the "real life" were then current events in the news headlines.

Ok, first let me express gratitutde on behalf of the generations and generations of those delighted at the ideas that Miyamoto Shigeru has offered the world of entertainment. He is the mastermind behind such classic hits as Zelda and the ever-succcessful Mario; he also authored more recent masterpieces as Nintendogs and WiiFit. Nintendo obviously has the most to be thankful. It has been reported that Nintendo banned Miyamoto from talking to the public about anything outside his Nintendo-game interests as all the abovementioned games supposedly came from his daily encounter of life. For example, WiiFit came out of his obsession in weighing himself upon turning 50; Nintendogs came out when his family got a dog. [B. Silverman, Yahoo! Games]. But enough about the good stuff, what interests me the most is the intriguing darker side in this topic.

Death Note has been a hit ever since it came out - in manga, movies, or anime. But it had adverse side effects in real life too. Countless cases in the U.S. have seen young kids in possession of their own Death Notes with names of teachers, staff, and fellow students in them, ofetn times having too vivid a method of how they are supposed to die, very much in coherence with how the Death Note in the movies and manga and anime were utilized. More gruesome is the discovery of a note beside the remains of an unidentified man in Belgium. The note says "Watashiwa Kira dess" which means "I am Kira" in Japanese, referring to the antagonist in the Death Note series.

The Naruto series has been basking in its fame for years now. But a 10 year old's imitation of one of the characters in the series ended in tragic death. Just March this year, Cody Porter passed away by suffocation, buried in a sandbox head down. Such a tragedy for a young kid. There are news like these that shake the world for the facts that they deliver and then there are those that give people the scare because of the possibilities that may happen through what may seem as "predictions" of the real world, happening first in the world of entertainment.

Like the Star Trek series inspiring modern day technological inventions, the recent break of the Georgia-Russia conflict seems to have been predicted long before in a game based on Tom Clancy's bestseller Ghost Recon. In the Xbox and Playstation 2 game, the setup of the early stages are in a conflict between the Georgian government and rebels in the South Ossetia region. It subsequently grows into a more complex storyline with a Russian invasion and eventually the fall of the Georgian government. Amazingly, the imaginary events that will eventually lead into the war in the game started in August 2008.
It is sometimes a bit scary to think of the possibilities and the resemblances between entertainment media/games and real life occurences, eh?

Backpacking in China

August 16, 2008 ... I decided to create a new blog because I have not been using the old ones that I had for too long. and recently, i realized that writing (pen and paper journal) becomes difficult sometimes and doesn't entail as much advantage of putting digital attachments.

I just came back two days ago from a backpacking trip to China. All in all, it was pretty good! I was able to cover a lot of places with the 10 days I was in china - shanghai, xitang, hangzhou, huangshan... While I was able to make it to different places, I think I was exceptional in budgetting; special thanks to Bryan La for letting me into his home for the times I would spend the night in Shanghai. Throughout my journey, I never felt alone despite being actually so, because I made friends here and there, travelled with them, and received help from them esp. with the translations and explanations. The places are good, and I really see how much wealthier China really is right now... while there is much appreciation for the economy and the investment in infrastructure and transportation services, i do have to note that the one thing that really put me off were the people. I come from a Philippines of smiles and friendly people, and as such, I cannot help but feel disrespected in my encounters with the people in China. This, of course, excludes the friends that I made, the strangers who helped me, the taxi drivers I conversed with. When I finally got to the airport for the flight back to Manila, I was glad I was among filipinos; it only took literally 5 seconds before a Filipino tried to talk to me with a big smile on her face. Even as we were on the plane, it was very different to see people who walked in together but said goodbyes on the plane because apparently they weren't traveling together and sat on different parts of the plane. It wasn't a full flight, and I sat with two empty seats beside me, yet, the person sitting next to the aisle would occassionally smile at me and offer me some food and a pen to fill up the arrival card.

Then again, while the Philippines doesn't have the commercialized tourism to offer, i love the country for its people and hate the dirt on it (corruption, ignorance, indifference...) so much so that I really just want to change it! I'm glad I made this trip to China, for a step into a foreign country has yet again inspired me to be something for my country and give back to that which has shaped me.

I leave you with two pictures i took in Huangshan 黄山 (lit. Yellow Mountain) waiting for the sunrise on a cliff...