Pinoy Sounding Board

Pee for a Fee

elmot — Tue, 31 May 2011 07:32:17 +0000

I went to Manila last week. The travel was hellish, as traffic and the scorching heat combined their powers to torment travelers like me. A sound was echoing inside my head, “am I already in hell?”

When I arrived in Pasay area, I immediately looked for the nearest comfort room (yes, Filipinos use comfort room instead of rest rooms which many foreigners say is the more proper term) to relieve myself from discomfort. Actually, I was preventing myself from peeing on my pants while inside the bus.

The nearest CR that I found was in a mall.

I immediately went to get inside the CR but was prevented by a lady seated on a desk just right on the entrance. A little placard says “P5.00 for use of CR”. What duh! I grudgingly took a 5-peso coin on my purse and zoomed inside to pee.

Yeah baby! This is nirvana!

The comfort room looked decent, smell good and more importantly, it was clean. Quite a steal, told myself.

As I went out wearing a sheepish smile on my face, that same lady standing on the entrance of the comfort room offered me an alcogel in a small sachet. Got one, and then seemingly went back to my senses. I murmured, “Man, that was 5 pesos slashed off my budget.”

The operator of the mall was certainly making lots of money by operating comfort rooms alone.

But of course, that was not the last time that I looked for a comfort room in a public area that day.

Used a comfort room in a MRT station – eewwww!

Used a comfort room in a prominent university – heavenly!

I also used a comfort room inside a bus terminal before going home.

The CR was located in a tiny passageway on the left side of the bus terminal. And this time, you have to pay different prices for the use of this CR depending on what you are going to do there: P5 when you are just going to pee on a makeshift wall with flowing water and P10 when you want to drop the A-bomb on Hiroshima.

Unlike the one in the mall, this comfort room is sick, so sick! I don’t know why it was even called a comfort room, when you cannot help but close your eyes when you are peeing and feel rather an added discomfort.

Still, I peed there, and paid the one guarding the area another P5 because there is no choice; it was the only CR nearest the bus station.

Unlike the one inside the mall: there was no alcogel. Arg.

I am pretty sure that I am not the only one who experienced this one: looking for a public comfort room and then be surprised that you have to pay for its use.

Yes, there are comfort rooms inside the malls, on government offices, and many other establishments that are asking for a fee before one can use it. And that sucks man!

But choosing between using comfort rooms on these areas for a fee or peeing on those pink and blue MMDA urinals located alongside the nationals roads to be seen by the plying motorists; I would have to choose the former.

The lack of clean and decent public comfort rooms in the country is something that has been overlooked by the government that is too busy for kickbacks and looking for a wife for the President.

But if we really want to clean up this country’s mess, then I guess that also needs to be done literally.

Photo credit: webnebber.com

Rep. Manny Pacquiao Failed to do His Homework on the RH Bill

elmot — Tue, 17 May 2011 16:14:12 +0000

He may be adored by the world of sports for his power, lightning-speed and superior boxing skills, but Pacquiao proved that no one has been given the best of both worlds.

Pound-for-pound king and Saranggani Representative Manny Pacquiao sided with the Catholic Church on the controversial issue on the Reproductive Health or RH Bill. Media has covered his visit and meeting with members of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippine or CBCP as the boxing great becomes the newest face of the Catholic front against the said piece of legislation.

Unfortunately, the boxing superstar seemed clueless as to what he is fighting for though the bishops looked very much relieved that a “messiah” somewhat came to save their day. Or should I say, dismayed over the way Pacquiao defended them?

Manny Pacquiao during an interview said that he is supporting the anti-RH Bill movement because he believes that using contraceptives is against the law of God written in the Bible which says, “go forth and multiply.” Pacquiao argued that God did not say “go and just have one or two children.”

Looking at the way the revered boxing icon argue as regards the issue reveals that the lawmaker from Saranggani certainly failed to his homework; that is, reading first the piece of proposed legislation at the center of controversy at the Lower House of Congress.

Never was it mentioned in the proposed piece of legislation that the state will impose its will on the couple to limit their children to only two.

That was Rep. Pacquiao’s own straight power punch landing right into his face I guess.

The boxing champ was prodded even further by media after an article says that her wife Jinkee Pacquiao is using control pills to manage the growth of their family. To this, Manny Pacquiao said,

“You know, in reality, even if the RH (reproductive health) bill has not yet been passed, many people are already using condoms or (birth pills) so why do we still need to pass it when people are already using them?”

Pacquiao seemed lost in the issue. Unfortunately, this very same line of argumentation has also been used by many anti-RH Bill advocates.

The issue is not about availability but accessibility.

Remembering the debate on the controversial barangay ordinance passed by a posh subdivision, former Department of Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral said that it is not the problem of rich families of having lots of children, or buying pills or condoms, or having an UID, or mothers having regular check-ups at the best hospitals around town because they have the money to spend. Unfortunately, those who are living on shanties, squatter’s areas, far-flung barrios and the poorest of the poor communities cannot afford these things though empirical data from a good number of surveys reveal that these mothers and wives wanted to manage the growth of their family but restrained by financial concerns.

Therefore, the RH Bill makes all these things accessible to all couples to help them on managing their families, rich or poor. If the couple decided to have 1 or 2 children, the state will help them achieve this. If the couple decided to have 10 children because they can responsibly take care of the family, the state will help them achieve this. And if the couple decided to use natural or artificial family planning methods, that state will provide them what they need in order for the mother to get protected and the family to be responsibly managed.

With all these points that Rep. Pacquiao raised, Sen. Santiago could not help but ask the lawmaker to just shut up, and at one point even jokingly dared the boxing champ into a fist fight. She said,

“Huwag mo nang pasukan ito. E kung kaming mga senador, hindi kami pumapasok sa pagboxing pero kung gusto mo e pwede rin [Don’t get yourself involved in this anymore. We senators don’t engage into boxing but if you want, then we may].”

She also lectured,

“May I just make a point of grammar please? The Bible does not say, ‘Go out to the world.’ It sounds very much like God is encouraging us to go out and copulate in public.

God said in the Bible, ‘Go forth and multiply.’ That meant that God wanted man, not necessarily to literally multiply, but to go out to work with the rest of the human beings of this planet and to apply the stewardship theory. Meaning to say, taking care of each other, who are all in the planet living together.”

Sen. Santiago really knows how to throw educated “punch lines” with precision.

If Pacquiao trains hard for 2 months or so for a fight inside the boxing ring, punishing himself just to be on the right condition; he should exactly do the same in Congress, in particular, before lecturing the people about the RH Bill. He should read first the bill primarily because he is a lawmaker, and second, in order present sound and logical arguments and spare himself from taking jabs that comes from his own fists.

The congress is not a boxing ring. Only sound and logical arguments are admissible and popularity and fame will never save you from shame.

I am personally pissed off with Pacquiao trying to drag and use his fame and the respect people give him as a boxing great into an issue that he cannot even put up a good defense for his stand.

He is everywhere – music, clothes, perfume, shoes, restaurants, gas station, television shows, fight against poverty, fight against corruption, fight against cancer, fight against illiteracy, fight for peace and unity, promotion of tourism, and all. These are good, but as they say, take only the battles that you are prepared and you can win, lest you will look foolish if you put yourself as the savior of everything.

If Pacquiao cannot prepare himself as a lawmaker (in particular in this issue of RH Bill) the way he trains hard for a fight, then he should just follow Sen. Santiago’s advice: Shut up!

Greenbelt Mall Signage Prohibits “Poor People”? (Photo)

elmot — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 04:59:11 +0000

An online discussion is heating up as a posh mall in Makati is allegedly prohibiting “poor people” from entering its premises.

A photo of an alleged signage saying that “poor people” are not allowed to enter Greenbelt Mall is circulating online. The text on the alleged signage says;

“This is a private, controlled environment. Poor people and other disturbing realities strictly prohibited. Thank You!”

Check out the photo below:

And we can obviously see the official logo of Greenbelt mall on the signage!

The signage was so controversial that it elicited heated discussion and comments from social network users. Denise Laurel and Kyla even posted their own thoughts on Twitter saying:

“This is disgusting,” said Denise.

To which Kyla responded,

“I saw that picture just plain bad. Yeah. I hope that’s fake. Definitely a bad joke…”

Is the signage authentic?

Ayala Land which owns and manages Greenbelt Mall responded that the controversial photo was all “fake.”

In an official statement released by Ayala Land Inc. it denied any veracity to the said signage.

“This is regarding the alleged signage that has been posted today, 24 March 2011, at the Greenbelt Mall, a photo of which has been circulating online. This signage is not authorized and is not part of Greenbelt ’s official mall signage.
We would like to reassure everyone that Greenbelt is for the enjoyment of the public and the community it serves.
The Ayala Malls Management does not tolerate any pranks. We shall be coordinating with the proper authorities for corresponding actions to be taken.”

Ayala Land said that those malicious posters were discovered by their security personnel posted

Ayala Land’s head of Corporate Communications Jorge Miguel Marco told Yahoo! Southeast Asia in an interview,

“There were some posters. It was scattered. As far as we know it was put up early morning.

It was really a hoax.”

Marco added that they are already conducting their own investigation as to the people behind this incident and their motives.

Signage like this could easily be made by anyone, and then sow controversy.

This controversy made think; why not put a signage at the entrance of the Lower House of Congress:

“Crocs are strictly prohibited from entering.”

Is the Philippines Ready for a Magnitude 8 Earthquake and Monstrous Tsunami?

elmot — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:41:57 +0000

The magnitude 8.9 earthquake that had hit Japan on Friday last week sent fears down our spine as the extent of devastation is beyond anyone’s imagination.

Sendai, Japan after the massive earthquake and tsunami.

Houses were torn into many pieces, cars ended up parked on rooftops, boats and ships tossed into land, toilet bowls hanging on electrical cables and the population of a town went missing.

Tsunami waves were as high as 33 feet hit the eastern coastline of Japan and brought more damage.

The nuclear reactors in Fukushima were also damaged and a nuclear meltdown is quite imminent.

All of these happened in a country which is considerably the most prepared in terms of earthquakes. All of these happened in a country that coined the term “tsunami” and is very much prepared to face it. And all of these harrowing images struck a first world country.

Monstrous earthquakes hit many countries already in the last couple of years: Indonesia, Chile, Haiti, Australia and last Friday, Japan.

Philvocs officials say that the Philippines is already due for the “big one.” Though not even the most brilliant of geologists and famous of astrologers and psychics can predict the exact moment when an earthquake is going to happen, Filipino geologists say that the country should already brace for the worse thing to come.

They say that a magnitude 7 or so could hit the Philippines. Strong shaking of the earth and tsunami are two things that will bring devastation, but fire and damaged infrastructures will paralyze the nation and bring death.

Felino Palafox Jr. had already expressed in media for the last couple of years his concern as to the readiness of the country to such a natural occurrence. He has cited many studies made by Japan and the US as to the extent of damage that the county will have when a magnitude 7 earthquake hit the metropolis.

And the reports paint an apocalypse for the Philippines.

However, Abigail Valte, mouthpiece of President Aquino shot down the pronouncements made by the renowned urban planner, saying that he should rather stop infusing fear and panic to the people. She added that the good architect should just have sent everything in his hand to the Palace to help the government.

Unfortunate for Valte, she precisely does not know what she was talking about as Palafox revealed in a media interview later that he has been coordinating with the previous presidents up the present one about issues on the country’s readiness as regards to an occurrence of a monstrous earthquake. And everything was provided with official documents citing and proving that the government was the one who was sleeping on its watch. Even this present administration.

With the concern of the country’s readiness against the “big one”, I would rather listen to the architect who spent his life with urban planning and environmental advocacy, and helped rebuilt countries hit by different disasters than to a Malacañang spokesperson who once again proved the incompetence of this yellow tribe, that only seem to enjoy castigating the errors and misgivings of the past without exactly saying what they are going to do about it; and what had they already done about it.

Let me then pose this question to you guys.

Is the Philippines ready to face and survive the “big one”? What do you think should the government do by now in order to prepare our countrymen and the whole nation to such a natural disaster?

ShowbizRenegade.com Rocks with a New Header

elmot — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 06:52:19 +0000

My entertainment blog gets a new look; at least for its header.

If you have not visited my website Showbiz Renegade.com, you are surely missing half of your life. Just kidding.

Since I said that you are missing half your life if have not been there, I pretty sure that you have already visited it seconds ago and, you will notice that it has a new header. The header makes the over-al l look of the blog looks better.

When I started out this site, it does not have any header logo or design; plain gray background, making it quite boring and it looks like a splog.

I wanted it to have a great header; something that is simple yet elegant. A header that will tell the readers about the blog but something that will not overpower the whole site and take away the attention of visitors from the content.

And while I was contemplating on how to do it knowing my very little knowledge in web designing, lo’ and behold, my blogging buddy Fedhz offered to do the header for free, aside from giving me also a free taste of her heavenly polvoron.

The header was made by One Day Graphics according to Fedhz. My only instruction to her: a header which is simple yet elegant.

Viola, days after, I received four sets of header designs, wow! And I loved all four designs!

Check out the screenshot of my Showbiz Renegade:

The new header has given my blog a fresh look and more importantly a brand; imperative for all blogs I guess.

My thanks also to Jhong Medina for helping me out with coming up with a solid black background to make the header blend with the logo design.

So if you also need some tweaking on your blogs, approach these two bloggers and they will assist you all throughout.

Now, it seems that this post urges me to write about the importance of coming up with a blog header as my next post.

February 25, 2011, Declared a School Holiday

elmot — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 03:07:37 +0000

On February 25, 2011, the country will celebrate the silver anniversary of the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution. The people-led bloodless revolution toppled the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos and ushered in the transition to democracy of the country.

During the 25^th anniversary of EDSA Revolution, the Filipino people will commemorate the triumph of the will of the citizens to lead its very own government and denounce tyranny. Through the leadership that the Filipinos found in Corazon Aquino, widow of Sen. Benigno Aquino, the torch of democracy saw a new light; and since then continues to burn bright.

February 25 a Holiday

Good news for all students as the government announced that there will be no classes on Feb. 25, Friday; it will be a school holiday. However, workers are still going to report to work as it was not declared as a non-working holiday.

But for me who works in an educational institution, well the equation is quite clear: no classes = no reporting to work.

On the 25^th anniversary of EDSA People Power, have we really achieved true freedom? Or tyranny still continues in new guises?

Photo credit: peoplepower.e-workers.de

Makati Bus Blast and Explosion, A Slap in the Face of Pres. Aquino

elmot — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 06:32:40 +0000

Philippine police authorities reportedly have already identified the suspects behind the Makati Bus Explosion that happened on January 25. The bombing killed five passengers of the bus.

Several Philippine news sites said that authorities are pointing their fingers to the Abu Sayaff as the masterminds behind the deadly bus blast.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer in particular indicates on its report that Omar Patek, an Indonesian terrorist said to be hiding Mindanao is on top of the violent attack on civilians. Intelligence reports classified as A-1 were said to have been forwarded to authorities in the metro of a possible terrorist threat in the capital.

Their source said

“After the bombing of a church in Jolo, Sulu, we knew that explosives were brought to Metro Manila but we could not sustain the tracking. Then the bus bombing last Tuesday happened. When we learned that an 81-mm mortar was used [triggered by a cell phone]… we were certain that it was the explosive that got through.”

On other hand, the MILF denied any involvement on the Makati bombing incident. They also denounced it as “the handiwork of soul-less people who deserved to be the dwellers of hell-fire in the day hereafter.”

With five lives lost, authorities are scrambling to find the perpetrators in a situation wherein they are found to have not taken heed the call of countries that black-listed the Philippines months ago. Pres. Aquino even lambasted these calls of other countries to protect their citizens from coming to the Philippines as baseless. But now that the bombing had killed the lives of innocent people, President Aquino has to correct his own while the incident proved that the security warnings of the US, et al, are indeed true.

Raising Political Questions

elmot — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 07:06:31 +0000

Bakit si “Joker” Arroyo di marunong mag-joke, joke, joke?

Bakit ang mga nangakong magbabaril sa sarili eh,

nag-aalive alive forevermore pa rin?

Bakit si Rey “Langit” eh ang boses parang galing sa ilalim ng lupa?

Bakit si Ping Lacson, hindi pa rin ma-”ping” point ng mga pulisya ang kinalalagyan?

Bakit si P-Noy kamukha si Bart Simpson?

Ikaw, ano ang mga katanungang bumabagabag sa iyong isipan?

Corruption and Pabaon System in AFP

elmot — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 06:19:58 +0000

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is at the center of controversy after one of its men blew the whistle of the military’s long tradition of giving the top brass “pabaon” in the form of millions of cash. This cash given to the chief of staff and the generals come from the pooled funds from different AFP service units according George Rabusa, a former military budget officer.

During the Senate hearing, Rabusa opened up a can of worms and accused retired General Angelo Reyes of receiving P50 million as a pabaon. He also revealed the systematic corruption inside the Philippine military, something that I am pretty sure of, is not alien even to politicians who were investigating the issue.

The pabaon system is only one of the many corrupt practices in the military as Rabusa revealed. He also admitted that when he assumed his position, the system was already in place; corruption has already been a long tradition in the military.

“Was I greedy?” asked Reyes as he confronted his tormentor. But the question about the whole issue of corruption is not all about whether he was greedy or generous, but whether he pocketed money outside what was legally due him.

The sad part of the whole situation is that corrupt practices in the Philippine military have been there for a long time that it has become systematic and a tradition; and it was tolerated by and patronized by civilian leadership. A disease that could be scratched at the surface, but the poison is still fully alive at the core. Looking at the answer of Angelo Reyes, morality in the military (at least at the top brass) has become relative and at the discretion of the generals.

The revelation of Rabusa is not detached from the whole issue of corruption in the Philippines; it is not confined in the military alone.

The issue of General Garcia’s plea bargaining agreement paved way for this exposition of wicked ways of the defenders of the constitution. And Garcia’s case is also being connected to Gloria Arroyo, who was the commander-in-chief of the AFP that time. And if remembered, Gloria Arroyo is still hounded by the Garci tape with which she was caught talking to a Comelec commissioner during the election. Digging the issue further, she has been accused of using the military to cheat during the presidential derby against Fernando Poe Jr. And all former military generals so dear to her were given government positions here and there.

This web of corruption does not need any solid evidence; the obvious tells us that something wrong has been eating up the nation.

It is so sad, for while ordinary foot soldiers are giving their lives and their future at the front lines to defend the country from heartless terrorists and criminals, their generals are plundering the nation and living the grand life. While retired ordinary soldiers are featured every now and then on television pleading for the AFP to give them their retirement benefits, their generals are given more than what they deserve during their goodbyes to the service. And while the families of ordinary soldiers are praying everyday for safety in front of the enemies of their loved ones, generals shower their wives and children with material pleasures.

The solution is not cherry-picking. The solution to corruption is overhauling the whole system. The cure is not putting a band-aid on rotting flesh but surgery or amputation.

Photo credit: lyzius.tumblr.com

Black Nazarene Devotees Indicate Poverty Level and Hopelessness in the Philippines

elmot — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 03:21:01 +0000

Police authorities said that about 7 to 7.5 million people attended last Sunday’s Feast of the Black Nazarene. With the dramatic increase of devotees (or fanatics) from last year, also was the steep rise in reported injuries. The Philippine National Red Cross said on an official statement that 708 people were injured during the hours-long procession.

Many people were amazed by the show of “faith” of millions of Filipino Catholics during last Sunday’s feast. However, many people were unconvinced that it was indeed faith that brought millions of people pushing, shoving each other and stepping upon other devotees just for their prayers to be answered.

Was it really faith or desperation that brought millions of people to Quiapo? Was it really faith or fanaticism? Was it really faith or hopelessness?

During several interviews made by local television networks, devotees said that they were asking for miracles in their lives: healing from serious illness, getting a job, financial stability, serenity. Others were thanking the Black Nazarene for answered prayers.

Retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz said it right: “That is one of the significant messages of the devotion to the Black Nazarene, that more Filipinos are clinging to God as their last hope because of the worsening poverty in the country.”

I cannot reckon the fact that millions of people will push each other, literally step upon other devotees just for them to have the rare chance of holding on the black statue and be granted healing from some illness. One will virtually have to one way or another hurt somebody in order to get healing. I think that is totally absurd. But then again, they say that is faith.

In a nation were poverty level continually rises and societal transformation seems like a dream, people are drawn into clinging to their faith because they cannot find any solace from the government and their individual fate. Indeed, the rise in attendees and injured devotees during the feast of the Black Nazarene last Sunday are indications of rising unanswered prayers, desperate citizens and failure of the government to address the needs of the people.

Because the virtues of charity and generosity failed; because individual capacities to rise up fail were unsuccessful; because human frailty triumphed; because servant leadership was abused for personal gain; because there is no other way; people have to only look up to the heavens and cry for redemption.

Last Sunday’s feast was a classic manifestation of Karl Marx’s description of religion being the opium of the people, especially when the State and the Church conspire to hide the truth.

I do not condemn the many millions of people who joined the feast; I am saddened by the fact that what is called the bold expression of Catholic faith is now justifiably equaled to the number of desperate citizens, impoverished Filipinos and hopeless Catholics.

Last Sunday showed the real score of what is happening in the Philippines. It was the real survey of poverty level in a nation whose citizens keep on holding on, believing that someday, all shall be well.

Photo credit: Lagaluda

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