A pointless view

(Note: This is a plain point of view of a pointless individual. Don’t tell me I did not warn you.)

Power. Is this all about that? What with this word that everyone seems to be craving about? I don’t have to spell it out what is/are associated with power.

Here in Cebu, the historic Consultative Commission (ConCom) on Charter Change was recently held. This was believed to be a better way to address the call for a change, a change of the kind of government we have in general, in administrating it, in particular.

I got from Bobit Avila, in his column piece, that most of the representatives (from the government sector, civil groups, NGO’s, military, judiciary, media, etc) in that consultation, which by the way was recorded by the National Economic Development Authority, would go for federalism. But this does not mean an immediate shift from the presidential form of government must take place. Of course, the result of this consultation/debate, and also those in other parts of the country (in the major cities where other consultations are also set to be held), will be raised before the Congress, where the real battle whether we should embrace a federal government or retain the old one shall be fought.

This may be a good way to tell to the public that everything is under control and that the government is doing something, that its power actually emanates from the people. I sure want change but I don’t know what works for this country.

The government, as of this posting, is President Arroyo. Whether we like it or not she’ll stay there, with her full power as the chief executive of this country, until her term ends, that’s like 5 years from now (that's why they are trying to amend the Constitution as it may mean cutting short her term). And while they're still at it instead of getting soaked by water cannons of the anti-riot police why don’t we sit down and talk (or raise our voice, if need be), if we really want a Charter change or not. Sometimes democracy is taken to the limits that’s why I’m not complaining with Arroyo’s Calibrated Preemptive Response.

So far, the public, I mean the majority of the Filipino people, seems to prefer Arroyo as the President. That can be gleaned from the poor representations of many street rallies, asking for her ouster. Needless to say the people don’t want a new president, not yet. Or the people may be tired of it all (I am).

This country is left without a choice. It’s like we have to make do with what we presently have. If along with GMA is the continuing price hike of all the commodities then we have to continuously work harder for us to survive. We don’t have a country so rich that can take care of us when we are broke and hungry, and we already know that fact.

What’s happening around us is inevitable, I think. If the price of gasoline has soared high and will even soar higher when EVAT is implemented then that will be beyond us, as people. Street demonstrations no longer work here. We can’t blame the Philippines for not having its own oil deposits! And I don’t think GMA can ask the oil cartel to stop further increasing its products. Nor can GMA beg the World Bank to lend us more money to plug the country’s deficits of billions. Hence, the EVAT law was pushed. It may be unfair to the many poor people to pay for the country’s debts by way of paying more for their basic needs but that’s how it must be. A bitter pill to take, they say. There are other better ways to address these problems but unfortunately our leaders want the easy way out.

GMA may want to stay in power bec the Constitution allows her to, or bec the people want her to (no choice gani). There are groups that want to dethrone her (with her alleged rigging the last election, among many other allegations), what’s new. And these people only want what? Power.

They think they can better address the problems we have. Let us not forget they’ve been there since the start of this political game and I don’t remember they have done something apart from further ruining what is already a ruined situation.

I think this blog needs direction.

I’m out.

(So?)

hopping in Argao

Argao Church. The second oldest church of Cebu. The construction started in 1734 and was finished in 1788. its wooden doors, i bet, are still the original ones, so grand i couldn't take my eyes off them. and the frescoes were sooo magnificent! even with the obvious chips and cracks all over them.

Then there was its equally fascinating altar. There was obvious attempt to make it look like the Basilica’s (del Sto. Niño) but it still looked amazingly antique. I like it better than that in the Basilica, the restoration has made it looked modern.

Hungry for more old objects I, together with a fellow reporter, toured other Spanish-era buildings.

We went inside the municipal hall which looked like a typical house during the Spanish time. Inside was a picture of history: the big and uneven-shaped beams, the old chairs, and the floor! (Gad, I was stepping-for the first time in my life- a very old wooden floor)

Too bad they created rooms out of the entire floor making it appear like a raped virgin. Abusive people!

The place also has a museum. It was closed that day so I had to feast instead on what were left in the convento. There were three rocking chairs, I sat on the one in the middle (it felt good to feel what my ninuno did during their siesta time). There were a handful finely-carved sofas too. But they were not properly preserved (well, Church!).

I ended the tour at the hall of justice, the very reason I was there. It was also a very old building but was transformed into a modern one. Still, the past was very evident, with the capiz windows, the coral-stoned walls, etc. Chief Justice Davide, a native of Argao, said it was the very place he stood to take his elementary diploma 56 years ago. the hall of justice was actually his brainchild project.

I would have liked to continue my tour after the coverage but we were running out of time so we left without even taking home with us torta, the place's famous deli.

I really am fascinated with very old objects. Well, except for TF's battered and antique FX which was our service vehicle that day. Grrr!

la conversation parmi français-parler d'idiots

(conversation among french-speaking idiots)

Liv: je suis jasmin dit mignon
Jasmin: et liv a dit que je suis aussi
Liv: Exactement, nous sommes tout mignon par la nature. bon wengkat ?
Wengkat: Approuver, quoi que vous dites ! vous êtes le patron ici.
Jasmin: Grand ! par la façon, que faisons-nous ici ? ! !
Liv: Nah, nous sommes juste whiling loin le temps. Vous savez que nous avons à tout moment dans le monde. Richesse !
Wengkat: hou là ! mignon et riche, vous êtes ? je ne peux pas me blâmer pourquoi je suis dans votre compagnie. Hehehe

Jasmin: Hmmm. ..sad était le Dieu de jour nous avait faits les amis. maintenant, nous sommes enfoncés l'un avec l'autre, et ici dans quelqu'un blog. Grrrr
Wengkat: Hé ! nous nous avons. Nous sommes mignons et riches. ce que peut nous demandons ?
Liv: Corriger ! et nous sommes des menteurs aussi. Wahahaha

And so they left my blog.

Fiesta!

(updated)Talisay City. October 14th. at an internet cafe.

5:30pm (sir leo lastimosa is inside the cafe too writing his column for TF. he told me he was here for the live broadcast of TV Patrol from here, not in the cafe but near the Church, several meters away from here!)

outside, the vehicular and human traffic are amazing. the noise, great! well, you cant help it, it's fiesta here.

the drums are playing Viva Sta. Teresa! i guess Cardinal Vidal had just finished his holy mass and the procession is started (im itching to go out).

there are stalls of various merchandise in the sidewalks, i may check on them later.

but the bingo, aha, you wait i'll play tonight.

there's miss talisay city at 8pm, okay, i sure won't miss it.

if my friends would want it i might as well ride the horror train. i had this trauma one time when the "ghost" leaped to our train to our shock. gad!

im hungry, i have to go now to my friend's house for dinner.

be right back!

past 8pm

several minutes after the procession i went home in dumlog. and goodness just as i was on a corner i heard the drums about to get near where i was. so the procession was yet to pass at the street where i would be traversing (nagbike gani ko para madali kay traffic kayo. grrr)

so i waited for more than 10 mins.

finally, the street was cleared of the crowd of people but not of cars and trisikads.

i was back to pedaling the mountain bike i borrowed from my neighbor in poblacion (i still call them neighbors even if i dont live there anymore) when i saw my high school classmate driving a car. great! im sure she was thinking i would only be up to driving a mountain bike, never a car. ugh! i didnt even own the damn bike! (but we have 1 huh!) whatever! it's not about who's driving what but who's getting where (wait! im not getting anywhere. not yet. or not ever. waaaaah...)

at our place i exhausted what had been bothering my tummy. leche!

past 10pm

miss city of talisay 2005

my bet, candidate # 4 (she was really soooo kewl), did not even make it to the top 5 finalists.

im not gonna write about the winner, # 9. hmp!

however, the show was really great! they've got flying dancers, and other spectacular special effects. i was really entralled by all of it that when candidate # 11 collapsed i was still amazed thinking it was part of the show.

i was home at almost 1am.

what a day and an hour!

wounded

i'm still pissed off from last night's laag.

don't ask me why. my wounded pride is still under construction!

this is not a diary (trust me)

Saturday

4pm: (SM giftgate)
I-gold (meaning I arrived on time or so I thought as the two were still not around)
Jute-silver (but she actually got there first she just left to pay some bills, bootan kaayo!)
Phoebe-bronze (feeling Talisaynon!)

past 4pm: KFC
talk. talk. eat while talking and talking while eating. laughing pud diay in between.

past 5pm: (cinema 4)
getting scared (or pretending to be) by the zombies of The Land of The Dead. well, if scary lang ang estoryahan scary jud ang movie what with zombies popping out of nowhere (and eating human flesh still oozing with blood), but kalagot the director failed to explain how those dead bodies were resurrected. sakto ba na?!

8pm: (bound to phoebe's mansion in Pedro Cui)
phoebe and i were to be taken to her mansion while jute to labangon but the zombie-hearted taxi driver started complaining when we told him that. he said, when we’re near pedro cui, we're supposed to take separate cabs kono kay di pwede ang duha ka rota. huh! boot2 sad ang tawo. Irritated by his illogical reasoning, in Pedro Cui we, including jute, disembarked from his taxi (Phoebe saved the cab’s plate number for future complaint). bye nimo noy!

past 8: (at phoebe's place)
we bought barbi-q (the best-tasting bb-q I’ve ever tasted!) for dinner, and of course, two liters of coke (we only consumed one) and a beer grande, which only jute, who agreed to stay only for dinner, and I drank mixed with our coke. The phoebe, who insisted we should buy it (even suggested Red Horse) never even took a drop of it. Huh! We left it in her fridge to remind her she should consume it before expiration date, if there’s any.

It was already past 10, jute was already itching to go home (dad just phoned her eh) while the calamity girl was taking her time in the bathroom. I thought she was already preparing for bed but when I saw her in her jeans. Goodness! She was still thinking of making good her “ultimate dream” for the night: watch Bamboo live in concert.

I had no choice. I agreed to spend overnight in her place for said “ultimate dream” (and yeah for the early morning scrabble contest) so I had to go with her, against my body and will (hmp!).

Past 11pm: (standing at a corner where the taxi driver driven by a zombie-hearted driver dropped us)
Jute left in a taxi cab, of which plate number was noted by Phoebe, so like Tricia Evangelista.

The two of us still contemplating if we’d go or not. The Phoebe at this time had no idea where the concert was happening or had already happened. Goodness for the second time!

Then we had to go to her former boardmates now neighbors, whom she earlier made arrangement about the said night-out. And these boardmates, mind you, were still preparing to take a bath. What were they?!!

So we left without them, and I was glad Phoebe had already an idea where to go. I actually thought the concert was in Fuente Circle while she thought it was in JY Square. But it was actually in Banilad, but still no specific place where it really was. Goodness ( I lost count)!

And thank God, the taxi driver, this time a friendly one, knew where the event was.

We arrived at Bright School (whatever) with the band already on its 7th song. The ticket people told us they just started. So Phoebe, who really did not want the night to end without watching these people, shelled out P300 for two tickets (utang sa coz I only had P100 in my pocket, but the iyaan was soooo generous declined my bayad the next day)

There, at the football field of the school a large crowd of young people was already wild while the band was playing Noypi. We sought for a better view but it was impossible. But we had to get the value of our money so we managed to get to the front seats, thanks to my ID (hehehe).

We were already enjoying the night especially when the group played its famous hit hallelujah when after that Bamboo told the crowd the next song after it was their last. What?!!!

When the group disappeared from the stage, we were still not moving and Phoebe’s face was like “mao ra to?” so I had to tell her: “You’re not paying for the songs but for the experience.” Actually, it was my first time, and Phoebe’s too, to pay for a concert (I always get free invites).

Almost 12 midnight: (while walking aimlessly from the Bright School whatever)

Phoebe did not want to go home yet so I was thinking of bringing her to a coffee shop instead of having to mix with her boardmates, who were in NASA.

It was really an experience to walk that late with no any idea where to actually go. I was silently praying Gaisano Countrymall had at least one store opened. But luck was on our side Banilad Town Center, which I did not know was in that direction although I’ve heard of that place several times, came into view. Well, there were many people from the concert going in that direction too so the walk was kinda safe.

There was Bo’s Café there but we opted for Yellow Cab, a pizza outlet with ladies in halter tops and tubes speaking in English. I was almost tempted to ask the cashier if their customers had to speak in English but stopped myself for fear she might affirm my greatest fear: wearing tubes while speaking in English. (I don’t have tubes noh! Tee hee)

So we ate our pizza, actually just one-fourth of the 10” serving, and drank the whole contents of our coke, a can each.

We talked of people I knew but she never met, and vice versa. Then we decided to go home. I thought the time was still early 12am. Only when we got to Phoebe’s place that I learnt it was already past 2. Nyeee!

Past 2am: (inside her room)

Talking while texting. I was still talking when the Phoebe did not respond. She was already dead to the world while I was left trying to get back my “sleepiness,” which visited me before 11pm but must have felt disheartened for being uninvited as it did not return until early 4!

9am:

We consumed what remained of our pizza. With it, I had sugarless milo while the Phoebe with her ever present Coke. Well, I eventually gave in and had a glass of it too after my milo. Hehehe.

Almost 10am: (at the Cebu City Sports Center)

Phoebe had already left for Pluto via tartanilla while I, together with wengkat and sir rolex, was waiting for the rest of the scrabble players.

Past 12:

All four of us lost each of our games.

I cannot say it was because of my lack of sleep (well, maybe). We all tried our best despite wengkat’s tummy problems, jasmin’s sleeveless outfit, sir rolex’ forgetting it was timed (hehehe) and my over confidence, not of winning but because it was just a game. A game to just play. And I think we played it well. But there’s always next time to play it like a pro, di ba wengkat?

kids are us

sensya na tao lang magboot-boot.