B*shit Carabuena

First this:
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/256132/carabuena-apologizes-to-public-will-still-face-legal-sanctions

And then this:
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/256216/carabuena-rushed-to-hospital-case-will-continue-mmda-chairman

Can you believe this guy??? Is he being mentored by the ABCs -- the Arroyos, Bolantes and Coronas?

The hospital seems to become the haven of the guilty nowadays. If you can't answer to your misdeed, pretend you're sick and you're off the hook.

And you can't even trust the doctors. Either they're guilty of immoral acts themselves (Hayden Kho), or they don't know what they're saying (Dr Roberto Anastacio, Gloria Arroyo's cardiologist). http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/252570/no-need-for-arroyo-to-leave

So, is this Carabuena for real? He looked like a puppy, compared to his bulldog act on the road that day. I'd say he's just like the rest of them, the ABCs of the Orocan world.

Bourne lacking

Last Sunday, we finally got to see the movie Bourne Legacy at the Power Plant Mall. We had expected a thinner crowd, having allowed one and a half weeks from premier day to pass before we gave in. Surprisingly, the cinema's still crowded. In Rockwell, this is rare. But then, everybody's understandably curious about the Manila action scenes in this most-awaited flick.

Anticipating the typical "hit the ground running" movie characteristic of the Bourne series, we had a hearty lunch at Cafe Mediterranean first. A full stomach for a full-speed movie, I thought.

Mel and I ordered Gyro sandwiches, Kofta for me and Grilled Lamb for him. That should be heavy enough. Marthe ordered a whole Marguerita Pizza but ended up eating about 60% of it. Fides had a combination plate of Moussaka and salad, while Jules and Olive both had Grilled Chicken Plates with mediterranean and plain rice, respectively.

My half-eaten Kofta

Marthe and I at Cafe Mediterranean, Rockwell

Fides and I

We barely had a minute to spare when we finally entered the cinema, but we realized that we misunderstood the screening time and the movie has started. We missed maybe two plot locations. Who cares, it's all talk. Not much eye candy. Except when Jeremy Renner is flashed onscreen.

While the movie dragged on and we tried to understand the story line through the conversations, Fides fidgeted in her seat, as she always does. During a critical moment in the movie, when the entire audience was straining to catch the words of the actors, Fides moved several times and the plastic bag of books in her lap created a sound loud enough to drown the conversation onscreen. An American sitting in front of her looked back a couple of times.

I snatched the bag and placed it beside me to avoid any more noises. And then the action onscreen began so for several minutes I was glued to it. I just noticed many, many scenes later that Fides was talking. "No I'm not," she said. "Yes, you are," the American in front answered. I asked her, "Were you talking?" She didn't reply.

Finally, the Manila scenes came. (spoiler alert) First of all, when Rachel Weiss first mentioned "Manila", she had to follow it up with "The Philippines." It's sad that the scriptwriter and director had to add that part, appearing to explain where Manila is. They should have just left it to the viewers to research about Manila so they'd learn the more important things about our country, instead of highlighting the fact that the Philippines is unknown to the world.

However, I'd say, the Manila scene is the heart of Bourne Legacy. This is where the action is. There were many scenes edited, though, including the one I've seen being shot along R. Magsaysay last January. I was on my way to my high school at that time for a final practice and meeting for our Silver Jubilee celebration and was caught up in traffic on the opposite lane of the shooting. I watched as pretty Rachel and hunky Jeremy rode their motorcycle back and forth, followed by another motorcycle and a taxicab. The scene was repeated several times as cameras rolled. I don't remember seeing that location in the movie, but then again maybe they've weaved it into other scenes, making it unrecognizable.

(another spoiler alert) And then the Palawan scene came and the story ends. Bitin! Personally, I think it's lacking the usual heart-pumping action of past Bourne movies. It retains, however, the series' style of unraveling bits of the story one at a time. I still like it that way.

When we got out, I asked Fides what that exchange with the American was all about. Apparently, she accidentally hit his chair when she shifted position, and the foreigner turned around and confronted her -- apparently already pissed off with her noise with the plastic bag earlier. I don't know why I didn't see that. My eyes were glued to the screen, I didn't even notice that he stood up, according to Jules. Well, I can't blame the American; Fides has that kind of problem. She can't seem to stay put. Still, he should have realized she's only a child. Maybe he didn't know she was a child coz she's tall. Well, at least, no other confrontation followed.

In the moviehouse, at least. But in the parking lot, a different confrontation happened. When we arrived in Power Plant at 2pm, we asked the attendant there to clean and wax the car. We told them specifically that we were staying in the mall for only two hours. We came out at almost 6pm (which is 4 hours after) and they have not finished washing the car. The wax was still there, it hasn't been buffed, and there was no one around! So Mel flared up, looked for the attendant and told them we're canceling everything.

What did they say? They said they'd finish it, it will just take 3 minutes. Are you kidding?!!! Wash an Innova for 3 minutes? We left without paying. Whatever preliminary cleaning they did, they can pay for it for all we care! That should serve as a lesson to them lazy workers.

And that was how our Bourne Sunday ended. Lacking. =(

Tap-taps in Diliman

I saw oblation again today, in all his naked glory, eyes toward the sky, hands extended by his sides. For over four years I'd marveled at what I imagine to be his message: "This is all I have. Take me as I am and mold me into the best I can be."

Offering what I have begins with the UPCAT. Like all the other students of my time who had high hopes for the future, I trotted to UP Diliman to take the dreaded but most anticipated college entrance test. I was one of a relative few who did end up taking my undergraduate studies in the campus. And still one of even a fewer number of iskolars ng bayan who graduated in the same campus.

Today, escorting my son as his turn came to take the UPCAT, I relived my days in UP Diliman. The walk down memory lane began with the Palma Hall steps. Jules' test venue is in one of those dimly lit classrooms with no aircon. I gave his cheek a good luck kiss at the gate and whispered a silent prayer that he would make it here.

Because I loved it here. My college days were among the happiest of my lifetime. I think I can never explain enough to someone who has not experienced UP how fulfilling life is inside.

From Palma Hall, I brought Mel and the kids to the Shopping Center to search for lunch, pointing my college haunts and former dormitories to them along the way. They found the SC shabby, as I expected, and I wondered why UP never bothered to spruce it up a little. It looked exactly the same as when I was here. Even the pharmacy is in the same spot at the end of the long low building.

The eateries were full, so we went out and trekked beyond PNB to see if Chateau Verde is still open. I haven't been back since about three years ago. Unfortunately, Chateau appears to be closed...I think, for good. The arched sign no longer exists and is covered entirely by bushes and vines. There was a little walkway by the side but when we attempted to take a peak, the gate was closed and the people inside said they were closed.

We drove back to the street behind the Main Library, parked in front of the College of Law, and took our pick of the food stalls lining the street. I chose a Rodic's tapsilog, my favorite during college, and so did Mel. The kids bought a sandwich from KFC but decided to have a takeout tapsilog for dinner. Olive preferred Ineng's barbecue.

(to be continued)

First day high

Yesterday, I was retrenched from the company I worked in for the past eight and a half years. The future is uncertain, but the package is substantial.

So today, on my first day of freedom from income-related stress, I:

- walked in the rain (under an umbrella, of course) with my husband and bought fish for dinner
- fixed a salad and had a leisurely breakfast with him
- read a few pages of Mary Higgins Clark's A Second Time Around
- slept in the middle of the day, with the book in my hand
- looked up the steamy pictures of Kristen Stewart and Rupert Sanders' cheating scandal
- read an old letter from a pen pal, to which I failed to reply
- slept again
- downloaded a Jumanji movie torrent for my kids to watch
- studied the miniature coffin of my son's dead egg project
- spent extra minutes in the shower enjoying the shampoo smell
- chatted with my mother on the phone
- opened my bedroom window and observed the neighbor

And in about an hour, after they've studied their lessons, I have an appointment with  my two girls to play scrabble.

Who says bumming around is such a boring task? I've already done tons. And it's just the first day.

Hail to the "oragons"! Hail to mothers!

I bought this shirt in Legazpi, Albay in the Bicol province. According to the text written on it, "oragon" is a slang in the local dialect referring to somebody who is determined, excitable, spirited, a fighter, principled, unafraid of consequences, and one who stands up for his principles.

In essence, the word describes a mother. Mothers are oragons, for their fearless leadership in the home and their tireless guidance of their children. It is a characteristic that will never die in true-blue responsible mothers.

So, even if I am not a bicolano -- but my husband is half-bicolano -- I am an oragon. Because I am a true-blue mother.

Happy Mother's Day to the oragons of the world!

Bicol Day 2: Vista Al Mayon and Cagsawa Ruins

Our first night in Legazpi was relatively uneventful...well, technically. We checked in at Vista Al Mayon without any hassle, as the hotel has been waiting for us since 2pm. Our rooms were clean and ready, and within 10 minutes since we parked, we were settled at the cafe waiting for our dinner.

Famished, we were not in the mood for local food yet, and ordered what looked like safe, regular dishes: fish steak for Fides, bistek tagalog for Julian, fried chicken for Marthe, shrimp sinigang for Mama, buttered chicken for me and lechon kawali for Mel. All sets came with cream of crab soup, plain rice and really delicious bananas – something that ripened naturally on the tree.

Everything was a blur after dinner. My husband Mel and I went back to our room and watched TV while the kids surfed and played in their room. We had our usual glass of wine (no corkage fee here if you take your alcohol in the room, but if you bring it to the poolside, corkage is P100 per bottle). Mel was telling a story, but I had difficulty keeping my eyes open, and was making all the wrong replies. Time for bed.

I was awakened with a start by a sound I could not place. I thought I was dreaming, but then realized my eyes were open and the room was pitch black. Then I heard a shout outside our window and some commotion. And then the loud sound of some machine began and the room lit up. I looked around, trying to understand what was happening. Mel raised his head and said, “That’s the generator. Brown out.”  Oh!

I was relieved. I looked at my mobile clock. Almost 3am, the witching hour. Were we bewitched? I don’t care. I immediately went back to sleep, and was up at about 7am to look at Mayon up close. Surprisingly, the kids were already awake, even after our long ang tiring trip.

Mt Mayon was even more majestic from this standpoint, like a queen standing in the center of her kingdom, looking over her subjects and properties. At 7am, the crater is very visible and only some clouds hovered near the top. Unfortunately, we couldn’t take our breakfast by the poolside to have an endless view of the volcano because the hotel is being used as a venue for swimming lessons for kids during the day. So there were many parents sitting in the poolside tables watching their kids learn to swim.

We took our breakfast inside the cafe. Our bill reached P600+. That’s about P100+ per person. Not bad, considering that the servings were big enough for a regular eater.

Cagsawa Church ruins

After breakfast, our first agenda was of course, the Cagsawa Church Ruins. Mel has visited the place in the 90s and he was surprised to see that it is now surrounded with souvenir shops, eateries and restrooms. Back then, he said the place was totally bare. Now, there’s already an entrance gate that collects P10 per person.

As we all know by now, the Cagsawa Church was buried in the Mayon volcano eruption of 1814, where more than 1,000 residents of Cagsawa town were killed. The whole town itself was buried in ash and lahar, and the people who took refuge inside the church died as well. After the eruption, a great part of the belfry and church facade were still visible. But today, only the roof of the nearby convent and the top arcs of the church can be seen, in addition to the belfry. Some say that they slowly crumbled during earthquakes in the 50s.

Some unthinking businessman built a resort just beside the ruins, unmindful of the sacredness of the place. The resort had no periphery walls or fences such that the swimming pool can be accessed and seen directly from the pathways of the ruins. Naturally, no one would be seen swimming in that pool with all those tourists looking at you. As a result, the pool was left to “rot”, now green with moss and algae. Another (stupid) investment down the drain.

The souvenir shops were filled with personal and home items made of local materials such as abaca. We bought a clothes hamper for the bathroom, a corner decor that can be fitted with a lamp, a pink and gray laptop bag, a katya and rope bag, three pili keychains, and two cutie hats for the girls. All these for only P1,210.

I hesitated on the pili desserts as the woman who sold us the souvenirs said the pili products are really expensive these days. The harvest has not been that good so instead of being able to offer one pack of pili for P65, the vendors now sell them for P100 or more.

Just as we were leaving, however, this man begged us to buy his packs of pili tarts. I declined but Mel, out of pity, bought 3 packs at P100 each.

It was almost lunch time, and there was nothing appetizing in sight, so we decided to make a final visit to the CR before we go. That’s P2 “donation” per visit. For maintenance purposes? I didn’t see any signs of maintenance activities in the rest room outside of the main ruins viewing area. The CR was dirty, there was water on the floor, and no water for flushing. We got a tip from one of the vendors that the restrooms inside the main viewing area are cleaner.

Next time.

As we left Cagsawa Ruins, we sampled the pili tarts. Not a single taste of pili! All flour, I knew it. We really should find an authentic pili store. 

Now, we’re off to Lignon Hill Nature Park.

Bicol jottings

Wanted to leave 5:30am but, as always, this didn't push through. Got trapped inside the house with Mel, with the screen door stuck in the frame (sometimes, you wonder how such an impossible thing can happen on a very critical moment!) and it took us about 10mins to open it. Finally we managed to get to the RDM carpark at 6:30. And, the unimaginable happened (given the situation these past days). It rained!!!

So again we had our delays, but we were off the Sto. Tomas exit by 7:30. SLEX toll fee P214. (gah!)
Gasoline in Manila - P56/liter
Had breakfast at Jollibee San Pablo, Batangas at 8:15; left 30mins later.

Gasoline in Candelaria, Quezon - P53/liter, the cheapest we've seen so far. Siempre nagpa-gas kami, Sayaang eh!
In Sariaya by 10am

Gasoline is already P59/liter in Lucena. And there we saw this school named International School for Better Beginnings. Maybe we should enroll the kids here so they can have, well, better beginnings?

Brgy Silangang Malicboy in Pagbilao, Quezon is the worst! Bad roads, forlorn houses. The only sign of a commercial activity is a sole halo-halo stand beside the road. Wonder what the ingredients are.

1pm. Officially arrived in the Bicol region in Camarines Norte. Had lunch at Pares Express in Sta. Elena, Camnor. And we thought we were near our destination...

The food was so-so, the ladies room dirty and sometimes the water flow falters, despite them asking for a P3 fee per CR visit. And although I take my hats off at them for attempting to recycle things -- such as old shoes as plant pots and used frying pans as sinks -- the overall experience was not positively memorable. Anybody who passes this way to Bicol can skip this place and go somewhere else. Buses, however, do frequent the place. Left Pares Express at 2pm.

Arrived Camarines Sur area at 3pm. Was it Ragay town? Not sure. Where on earth is Tagkawayan? We're supposed to be passing there to Sipocot Junction. The bad roads are worsening, and it has been that bad since the 90s, according to Mel, who has traveled this stretch of the notoriously famed South Road before.

At one point, we were wondering why the vehicles in front of us were stopping. Somewhere along that pock-marked highway were a series of traffic lights. Not above. On the side. So if you don't see it, good luck. That explains the numerous accidents.

Sipocot Junction at 4pm. Maybe we're near. No sign of Mt Mayon.

Arrived Naga 5pm. What the heck? Are we there yet?
Entered the town of Pili 5:23.
Left Camsur area 5:51.
Yes!!!! First glimpse of Mt Mayon from afar at 5:53.

7:51.....low batt.....we have just entered Legazpi City....am hungry....
8:10pm Arrived Vista al Mayon. We're finally checking in.

Food!!!!!

2012 Visita Iglesia: First leg

Every year, we try to go to at least eight churches, starting from UST, where we always hear the Holy Thursday mass. This time, however, our friends Rudy and Anna with their daughter, Yanna, decided to join us. They had been planning to go to Baguio for the Holy Week as they always do each year, but for some reason their minds changed. Must be because they had such a disastrous trip to Boracay last week, thanks to the incompetence of Cebu Pacific. They probably decided to stay in Manila instead.

So we decided to divide our Visita Iglesia to two legs this year: one around Manila on Holy Thursday and the second to Rizal churches on Good Friday.

Tonight, we went from UST to San Sebastian, and then San Beda and the twin churches of Loreto and St. Anthony. Then, we went back to Pandacan's Sto Nino Church and finally, Sta. Ana, which was very calming because of its mellow music filling the courtyard where the altar of repose was set up.

All in all, we visited seven churches tonight. Tomorrow, we plan to visit seven more.

Rosalie

Around this time is Rosalie Peipert's first death anniversary and I just want to post this tribute written by a co-member of the ESS Yahoogroup, Jill. Just like her, Rosalie was my beacon when I was trying to understand what LGESS is right after my surgery. Was I dying? Did I need chemo?

I'm glad I got into the group after I posted my first blog about the topic, and I've learned a lot since then. I've had Rosalie and many others like Susan and Diane assist me in my struggle for comprehension and acceptance. So when Rosalie died last year, many of us were devastated but were glad to have offered her words of consolation on her deathbed, which she read through her iPad. I think, yes, she continues to guide us from above. We still move in concordance because of her and those who have filled up her place in the group.

Thanks, Jill, for the the tribute and thanks, Diane, for sharing. Posting here the link to the article. http://www.team-sarcoma.net/everyday-heroes/4959





If sarcoma knows no borders, so does love. To my sisters in ESS, hugs and kisses!

Diggings into the night

Work has begun on whatever pipeline improvements Shell has in mind on the depot in Pandacan. An announcement posted in the elevator of our condominium building said the schedule for this should have started about a week ago but nothing happened on the supposed start date. All of a sudden, we saw perimeter lines being set up middle of last week and everything else followed. 

I woke up Saturday morning to the incredible noise of the crane and trucks, which continued till the wee hours of Sunday morning. Our living room, which used to be a nice, quiet haven on Sundays without the sound of too many cars and people passing by, has become a sound warzone. The backhoe is now competing with the PS3 game of my son, the giggling of my two girls, the boiling rice in the kitchen beside it and the washing machine in the laundry area. Good thing, our room which faces the opposite side muffles the noise a bit.

Up until last night, workers were still at it, cracking the street and digging deep – so deep, in fact, that we started wondering what they’re up to. Progress was even fast. By now they’d probably be right in front of our East window at home, about hundreds of meters from the starting point, and the rest may have been covered up.

How could progress not be fast with workers toiling on a shift. I thought they’d be resting on a Sunday but, no. They worked on and on, like call center agents. I’d assume they’re being paid double as it’s a regular non-working day. So my question is, what’s the rush? What is this all about? And is Shell giving these workers double pay and overtime fees from the massive amounts they earn from their overpriced gasoline?

The Pandacan depot is close to being removed. Most city councils have already decided on evicting them from the place for safety reasons. I believe Petron has already prepared a location in the North Harbor where they would transfer their Pandacan facilities, and Shell should do the same. But why is Shell still laying out pipes – I assume these are pipes because of the depth of the diggings – if it’s about to leave?

If these are pipes, then I’m more concerned. They are too close to a residential area. The pipelines in Magallanes which leaked and caused the temporary evacuation of some residents in a nearby condo is proof enough that things can go wrong. These pipes will be running under a frequently used street and the vibration of cars and trucks passing here can loosen pipe hinges. I pray to God nothing of that sort will happen.