Huwag, Koya!

In what is fast turning out to be another sick form of entertainment, people are watching Kuya's house to see how Roxy is going to humiliate Rico today. Not that I blame the girl. From what we can surmise from what ABS-CBN airs, either (1) Rico is truly, madly, deeply in love with Roxy, or (2) Rico is a numb idiot who doesn't know when to quit.

Come on, how many times does a girl have to say no? In fact, she is not merely saying no, she is saying, pleading, begging, crying no every freaking day. Somehow, you think this guy has enough sense in him to finally get it. But, of course he doesn't. It gets so utterly pathetic that last weekend, he gets half the housemates' votes. That, ladies and gentlemen, is a far better mandate than Erap's in 2001.

Getting dumped is bad enough (not that I know), but getting dumped on national television? For every single day for all voyeurs to see? It's humiliating. In fact, I am getting humiliated for him. Somebody has to stop all this. I say, ABS-CBN must show some pity and evict the man out of the house. Now.

Deja Vu All Over Again

UP Professor Florin T. Hilbay has made a curious observation regarding the text of Proclamation 1017, declaring a state of national emergency.

On Sept. 21, 1972, President Marcos issued Proclamation 1081. The first paragraph read:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines by virtue of the power vested upon me by Article VII, Sec. 10, Paragraph (2) of this Constitution, do hereby place the entire Philippines as defined in Article I, Sec. 1 of the Constitution under martial law and, in my capacity as their Commander-In-Chief, do hereby command the Armed Forces of the Philippines, to maintain law and order throughout the Philippines, prevent or suppress all forms of lawless violence as well as any act of insurrection or rebellion and to enforce obedience to all the laws and decrees, orders and regulations promulgated by me personally or upon my direction.

The italicized portion of the above quote is contained, verbatim, in Ms Arroyo's proclamation minus the declaration of martial law and the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus.

Creepy.

After the 1986 snap elections, the CBCP issued a "POST-ELECTION STATEMENT." What follows is an excerpt from that document, and sadly, it still applies after all these years.

Government Based on the Polls . According to moral principles, a government that assumes or retains power through fraudulent means has no moral basis. For such an access to power is tantamount to a forcible seizure and cannot command the allegiance of the citizenry. The most we can say then, about such a government, is that it is a government in possession of power. But admitting that, we hasten to add: Because of that very fact, that same government itself has the obligation to right the wrong it is founded on. It must respect the mandate of the people. This is precondition for any reconciliation.

Response in Faith . If such a government does not of itself freely correct the evil it has inflicted on the people then it is our serious moral obligation as a people to make it do so.

We are not going to effect the change we seek by doing nothing, by sheer apathy. If we did nothing we would be party to our own destruction as a people. We would be jointly guilty with the perpetrators of the wrong we want righted.

Twenty Years

"We Americans like to think we taught the Filipinos democracy well, tonight they are teaching the world."

- Bob Simon, an anchorman at Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Fear Factor

I just learned that classes have been suspended at all levels today, as militant groups and Marcos-era street parliamentarians are gearing up for various rallies all over Metro Manila to be held today, partly in commemoration of EDSA and partly to spite Gloria. And all this might just be a prelude to the big day tomorrow, which just happens to be the anniversary of the "People Power Revolution" which toppled the Marcos dictatorship 20 years ago.

Since Gloria and her cohorts have decided on a "low-key" commemoration of one of the greatest events in Philippine history, ratiocinating that "the real meaning of Edsa resides in the national memory and in the hearts and minds of every Filipino and not in pomp and ceremony or rhetoric," probably out of fear more than anything else, people have decided to commemorate it with all the proper fanfare that it deserves anyway, with or without the Government's participation. Later today, people will be marching down Ayala Ave from Buendia, to Ninoy's statue at the corner of Ayala and Paseo de Roxas, just outside this building, where they will hold a short program afterwards. Former President Cory Aquino will be in attendance.

We have all heard the Garci tapes. We all know what happened during the last national elections. Now they have the temerity to consider the possibility of declaring a state of emergency? What the fuck? Are you all fucking serious?

Edited to add: Gloria just declared a state of emergency on national television. I have to go hide now.

Brokeback Mountain

Unfortunately, The Judges Stole It

We call it lutong macao in the vernacular. I am no Sixer fan, but it was obvious that the judges lowballed Andre Iguodala in last night's Slam Dunk Contest.

Even though it was obvious to the crowd that Philly's swingman delivered the best dunk of the night in the first round, catching an Allen Iverson pass off the back of the glass and gliding under the backboard and rim for a reverse-slam on the other side. And then running off the court and down the tunnel as if to say it was over.

Iguodala was gracious, nevertheless. After all, it was not as if Nate Robinson, the eventual winner, did nothing to bring the house down.

That's when Nate-Rob, showing character and persistence, got himself back in the competition, walking across the court and handing Spud Webb his old Atlanta jersey No. 4. With Webb in his new duds, Robinson caught a bounce pass from the onetime dunk champ and jumped over all 5 feet, 7 inches of him for a spectacular jackknife slam, finishing in a squat that he held for effect.

But Iguodala should have won. And they should not let a contestant try and miss about 200 dunk attempts before the guy finally nails one.

The Full Monty

Well, not quite.

HAVING set off the alarm when he walked through a metal detector of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), a British passenger quickly stripped down to his boxers and socks before walking through the machine again.

It was reported that the tasteless "strip act [irked] NAIA officials." Apparently, they were neither irked enough to demonstrate to Dirk Diggler a sampling of the PNP's interrogation techniques, or evil enough to suggest that he sign a talent management contract with Jojo Veloso.

There is nothing on the record to show if the Brit is an imbecile or a moron.

Para Kay Weng

Mangyari Lamang

mangyari lamang ay tumayo
ang mga nagmamahal
nang makita ng lahat
ang kagandahan ng mukha ng pag-ibig
ipamalas ang tamis
ng malalim na pagkakaunawaan
sa mga malabo ang paningin

mangyari lamang ay tumayo rin
ang mga nagmahal at nasawi
nang makita ng lahat
ang mga sugat ng isang bayani
ipadama ang pait ng kabiguan
habang ipinagbubunyi
ang walang katulad na kagitingan
ng isang nagtataya

mangyari lamang ay tumayo
ang mga nangangambang magmahal
nang makita ng lahat
ang kilos ng isang bata
ipamalas ang katapatang damdamin
na pilit ikinukubli
ng pusong lumaki sa mga enkanto at diwata

mangyari lamang ay tumayo
ang mga nagmahal, minahal, at iniwan
ngunit handa pa ring magmahal
nang makita ng lahat ang yaman ng karanasan
ipamalas ang mga katotohanang nasaksihan
nang maging makahulugan
ang mga paghahagulgol sa dilim

at mga nanatiling nakaupo
mangyari lamang ay dahan-dahang tumalilis
papalabas sa nakangangang pinto
umuwi na kayo
at sumbatan ang mga magulang
na nagpalaki ng isang halimaw

at sa lahat ng naiwang nakatayo
mangyari lamang ay hagkan ang isa't isa
at yakapin ang mga sugatan
mabuhay tayong lahat
na nagsisikap na makabalik
sa ating pinagmulan

manatiling masaya
at higit sa lahat magpatuloy
sa pagmamahal

14 pebrero 1990
rico abelardo

Method

Here's to the nine other people who finished Method with me. That, boys and girls, means two less units to worry about in the years ahead. While that may eventually prove to be the shortest semester in what hopefully will not be a too-abbreviated (like what the appellant was wearing in People v. Aparici, 52 OG 249) stay at Malcolm, it was not exactly the least taxing. You see, there is a perfectly logical reason, why all but ten people dropped, or did not take, the course. We are optimistic though, that the professor will be more forgiving this time around (last semester, he passed a grand total of three people in the finals).

74 Dreams Crushed

So the PDI headline screamed yesterday.

I really don't know which is worse. The prevalent state of misery that would make thousands line up for three days to get a chance at a quick buck, or the utter horror of knowing that most of them are willing to literally trample upon others just to make sure they get that chance first.

In any case, there still is good news. Perhaps, more importantly, there still is hope.

Move People Better, Safer. To Their Maker.

Passengers of a Victory Liner bus on its way to Olongapo City have been victims of robbery for the second time in two months (the third bus was supposedly bound for Pasay City). Just recently, five (5) criminals boarded the bus on three (3) separate places along Olongapo-Gapan road and were able to consummate the crime, presumably after the last goon boarded the bus at Tipo, Bataan.

While this is a statement on the pathetic state of law and order in this country, it is also an illustration of either the utter stupidity, or sheer apathy to the safety of its passengers and employees, of Victory Liner management. I have no idea how many passengers or employees the company is willing to have shot at or stabbed, before they decide to stop taking in passengers outside of its terminals.

While they have token security measures in place in some of their terminals, this does not amount to anything, if the bus takes in passengers immediately after it leaves its terminals, as what happens most of the time. Any idiot who wants to mug its passengers would simply wait for the bus along EDSA and render nugatory all its feeble attempts at security. It's really that simple.

I miss my family, and I want to visit them more often than I have. But, I don't think that I am willing to risk my life doing so, more so knowing that the bus company who makes its money off its passengers doesn't even seem to be bothered at all.

Good Riddance

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright.
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light.
And, somewhere men are laughing, and little children shout,

but there is no joy in Mudville --
mighty Casey has struck out.