Digital Chain

It’s confirmed! Almost all, if not all, taxi drivers in Metro Manila are greedy SOBs! In my many trips to Manila, either for official purposes or for family gatherings, I have yet to come across a really decent and compassionate taxi driver. Of the hundreds of taxi rides I took in Manila, 9 out of 10 will attempt to rob you of your hard earned money.

Last January 25, Thea (my daughter) and I went to Manila for the send off of my wife to the USA. It just so happens my sister Sophia agreed to meet us at the bus terminal in Pasay so together we can take the 15 minute ride to my sis-in-law’s place in Paranaque. As it was late at night when we arrived, it was more convenient to take a taxi.

So we looked for a taxi. Like nails to a magnet, a group of men gravitated towards us. In one fluid motion, one grabbed hold of one our our baggages; one started “pimping” out a driver; one had his arms around my shoulder “ushering” us to his taxi. We told them our destination. And almost automatically they chorused. “Ps. 350.00, kasi matrapik!” Although we knew it was coming, my sister and I can only look at each other. Of course, we hesitated and politely declined their offer. We decided to wait for other taxis. But to my dismay, all taxis declined the “metro” and demanded the “contrata”.

I was tired and did not want to ruin the evening, I decided to talk to one “vampire” and was able to haggle a Ps.50.00 discount. As we made our way to his taxi, one of their henchmen offered to carry our bags. Since he was already clutching our luggage, I agreed. Perhaps a gesture of kindness - I was dead wrong. After putting the very light luggage in the trunk he was asking for a tip. “Kahit pang-kape lang”, he smiled. I dismissed and decided to ignore him. End of Episode One.

Episode Two. January 28, Teng, my wife, needed to go to the mall for some last minute shopping before leaving for the USA. As luck would have it, a rarity in Manila, a taxi took us to the mall using his meter. Himala! I was happy. The fare was Ps.60.00.

After the shopping, we opted to take another taxi home. We went to the designated loading bays. We entered one taxi, confident that the meter would be used. As we settled in, the driver said. “Ps. 200.00, po…” Shocked and disgusted, we got off and looked for another. D**n! When we asked another, he parroted, “Ps. 200.00 kasi ang flat rate…” What flat rate?

Finally, we decided to take the jeep. The bill? Less than Ps. 50.00.

I know there is an LTFRB rule that prohibits the “contrata”. If not the “metro” should be discontinued because it’s just a nifty gadet they attach to the taxi.

Of course, in Baguio, I can proudly say that most taxi drivers (there are a few rotten ones, I admit) are honest and won’t suck out your hard earned peso.

Just the many reasons why I love Baguio.

Horacio dela Costa, S.J. wittingly pointed out the Filipino’s lack of cultural identity, but it is in this lacking we find the Filipino’s ability to compensate.

Compared to other Asian nations, the Filipinos cannot boast of a unified culture - a culture that is naming what the Filipinos are. But what sets them apart are the differences. Filipinos may not be as unified as the Singaporeans, Malaysians or the Chinese but they do have a unique identity.

The Filipino’s diversity has enhanced its culture, nowhere in the Asian region can you find a culture that imbibed different thoughts and ways into a Filipino identity.

Filipinos have taken culture from different nations, adopting the good and learning from the not so good. An analogy would be like an excellent cook who chooses the choicest ingredients to put into his “master piece”. Only the best ingredients can make a great dish. Perhaps the Filipino identity is still in its infancy - or the stage where they are still choosing the best to integrate into an already growing brew of diversity.

It is in the diversified culture that the Filipinos are known for. It is like having the best foods chosen for your own “growth”.

It is agreed that Filipinos are culturally bounded by diversity. It is sad yet thought provoking that unity under one indigenous culture is not possible. Are the Filipinos experiencing a crisis in identity? Should the Filipino go back to the cultures of old? Yes, it is this diversity that identifies the Filipino. If he were to go back to the old culture, he risks erasing the the marks already done. Again, he will be facing a blank wall and run the risk of ridicule from his neighbors.

Some have suggested that we divest as soon as it is convenient. Going back in time is no longer an option. What must be done is to invest in these diversities and come out with an identity we can expand and improve and call THE FILIPINO IDENTITY.

Note: I got this from an e-group I belong to (Thanks Rajing). I don’t know the source of the material but it’s hilarious I gotta share it!

The buzz word in today’s business world is MARKETING. However, people
often ask for a simple explanation of “Marketing.”

Well, here it is:

1. You’re a woman and you see a handsome guy at a party. You go up to him and say, “I’m fantastic in bed.” That’s Direct Marketing.
2. You’re at a party with a bunch of friends and see a handsome guy. One of your friends goes up to him and, pointing at you, says, “She’s fantastic in bed.” That’s Advertising.
3. You see a handsome guy at a party. You go up to him and get his telephone number. The next day you call and say, “Hi, I’m fantastic in bed.” That’s Telemarketing.
4. You see a guy at a party; you straighten your dress. You walk up to him and pour him a drink. You say, “May I?” and reach up to straighten his tie, brushing your breast lightly against his arm, and then say, “By the way, I’m fantastic in bed.” That’s Public Relations.
5. You’re at a party and see a handsome guy. He walks up to you and says, “I hear you’re fantastic in bed.” That’s Brand Recognition.
6. You’re at a party and see a handsome guy. He fancies you, but you talk him into going home with your friend. That’s a Sales Rep.
7. Your friend can’t satisfy him so he calls you. That’s Tech Support.
8. You’re on your way to a party when you realize that there could be handsome men in all these houses you’re passing, so you climb onto the roof of one situated towards the center and shout at the top of our lungs, “I’m fantastic in bed!” That’s Junk Mail.
9. You are at a party, this well-built man walks up to you and grabs your ass. That’s President Clinton.
10. You like it, but twenty years later your attorney decides you were offended. That’s America .

Walang Hihingi Poster

Originally uploaded by alvinctanicala.

Click image to see the poster. I am a member of the Ehem - an anti-corruption organization. More on this later.

For this election in 2007, the Ehem anticorruption group revives the WALANG HIHINGI campaign. Our commandments:

WALANG HIHINGI!
Huwag tayong manghuthot
Sa mga kandidato,
Upang di mangurakot
Ang malalagay sa puwesto!

Help stop corruption!
Don’t ask favors from the candidates.

* Religious Groups: no solicitation please for candles or altar repairs.

* Youth Groups: no solicitation please for basketball courts or trophies.
* School Administrators: no solicitation please for yearbooks or new gates.
* Sectoral Groups: no solicitation please for projects or campaign fees.
* Neighborhood Associations: no solicitation please for waiting sheds or garbage cans.

Pag-isipan, pag-usapan:
Sampung pisong hiningi
Sampung libo ang bawi!

Recharging

Originally uploaded by alvinctanicala.
I was in Sagada, too! I saw the Sagada photos of Baguio Blogger - Sarcasm Aside and I wanted to share the enchantments, as well. I took the snap shot while we were on lunch break. How I really wanted to do the same - lie down in the grass and take a short but meaningful nap. But It was not meant to be….

On to my experience!

We did not take the tourist route - we were in a seminar and we were pressed for time. Knowing that the municipality goes to bed early, we were forced to retire early. Our city clock was just not up to the challenge but we had to adjust.

We did take early morning strolls, right before we go to our favorite pancake house. Forgot the name of the store. If you wanted more than pancakes you can buy a can of corned beef and have manang cook you a Sagada style corned beef breakfast. Coffee was the usual- aroma and richness- served in tin can cups.

Many say that the Sagada experience will not be complete if you were not introduced to “mountain tea”. The leaveas are from the nearby mountains. The local brew tasted great especially with a hint of mint during the steeping. The tea was a best seller for us city dwellers.

As there are no regular public transport - the only motorized noise I heard for the duration - save for the usual public transport- was a motorcycle. The owner was not even from Sagada.

Sagada is where you ough to go if you want to savor time and place. This is one aspect of rural life that I really adore- the luxury of time and place.

Sino Ang Dapat Iboto sa Halalan 2007?

Proverbs 29:2 — the state of a nation is reflective of its leaders’ moral
bearing.

1. God-fearing
(2 Samuel 23: 3-4)

2. Displays genuine concern and love for our nation
(Deuteronomy 17:15)

3. Has leadership abilities
(Genesis 41:37-41)

4. Manages his own family well
(1 Timothy 3:4)

5. Has integrity
(Deuteronomy 16:18-19)

6. Industrious
(Romans 12:11)

7. Righteous
(Song of Songs 89:14)

8. Generous
(Proverbs 29:4)

9. True to his words
(Proverbs 25:14)

10. Impartial
(Proverbs 31:8-9)

With 115 days to go before the Synchronized National and Local Elections and 283 days before the Synchonized Barangay and Sanggunian Kabataan Barangay Elections the PPCRV has launched the 10 Commandments for Responsible Voting in an attempt to develop a conscience in time for the polls.

I’m posting the commandments here - baka magka-conscience tayo.

The “Ten Commandments for Responsible Voting” of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) are the following:

1. Thou shalt vote according to the dictates of your conscience.

2. Thou shalt respect the decision of others in choosing their candidates.

3. Thou shalt seek to know the moral integrity, capabilities, and other personal qualities of the candidates you will vote for.

4. Thou shalt strive to understand the issues, platforms, and programs of candidates and parties seeking your vote.

5. Thou shalt not sell your vote.

6. Thou shalt not vote for candidates using guns, goons, and gold.

7. Thou shalt not vote for candidates with records of graft and corruption.

8. Thou shalt not vote for candidates just because of “utang na loob” (debt of gratitude), popularity, or “pakikisama” (camaraderie).

9. Thou shalt not vote for candidates living an immoral life.

10. Thou shalt put the welfare of the country above all else, in choosing the candidate you will vote for.

This pedestrian over-pass is their fast-food center.

Originally uploaded by alvinctanicala.
Juan dela Cruz, who managed to make ends meet in 2003, had to earn 5.1 percent more income the following year so as not to be considered poor.

This translated to the minimum annual per capita income requirement of P13,113 for 2004, of which P8,734 was intended for sustaining food needs and the balance of P4,379, for other basic needs.

With this threshold, a family of five had to have a regular source of income amounting to P65,565 for the year or P5,464 per month to be able to meet their essential needs. (Source: www.nscb.gov.ph)

Sadness

Originally uploaded by alvinctanicala.

I took this photo after the boy lost during a parlor game. He does look sad, doesn’t he?

Now for the scientific and formal definition of SADNESS.

Emotion. An unpleasant visceral feeling of sorrow, unhappiness, depression, or gloom.

Usage: Sadness shows a. in bowing postures of the body wall; b. in the cry face and lip-pout; c. in gazing-down; d. in a slumped (i.e., flexed-forward) posture of the shoulders; and e. in the audible sigh.

RESEARCH REPORTS: 1. Signs of sadness include drooping eyelids; flaccid muscles; hanging head; contracted chest; lowered lips, cheeks, and jaw (”all sink downwards from their own weight”); downward-drawn mouth corners; raised inner-ends of the eyebrows (i.e., contraction of “grief muscles”); and remaining motionless and passive (Darwin 1872:176-77). 2. Sadness shows most clearly in the eye area (Ekman, Friesen, and Tomkins 1971).

Evolution. Sadness is a mammalian feeling which stems from a. grief associated with maternal-infant separation, and b. defeat inflicted in fighting.

Anatomy. In acute sadness, muscles of the throat constrict, salivary glands release a viscous fluid, repeated swallowing occurs, the eyes close tightly, and the lacrimal glands release tears. Facial signs include a. frowning eyebrows (corrugator supercilii, occipitofrontalis, and orbicularis oculi muscles contract); b. frowning mouth (depressor anguli oris); c. pouted or compressed lips (orbicularis oris); and d. depression and eversion of the lower lip (depressor labii inferioris)–as the facial features constrict as if to seal-off contact with the outside world.

Primatology. “Gradually, over several years, he [a chimpanzee who lost his mother at age 3] developed abnormal behavior, consisting of social isolation, unusual posturing, rocking, an increase in self-grooming, and a habit of pulling out hairs and chewing them” (Hamburg et al. 1975:247).

Neuro-notes. Each of the four cranial nerves for chewing (V); moving the lips, crying, and salivating (VII); and sighing and swallowing (IX and X) originally played a gut-reactive, visceral role (see SPECIAL VISCERAL NERVE) related to the gastrointestinal tract (Goldberg, 1995:35). The sick “gut feeling” we associate with sadness is mediated by the enteric nervous system of the stomach, intestines, and colon.

How’s that for a definition! Have a nice day!

DSC00585

Originally uploaded by alvinctanicala.

“When you open a book for your child and share it in reading, you’re giving shape and dimension to the routine events of everyday life, making it possible for your child to discover the meaning of childhood.

“Books can make a favorite toy as full of life as Winnie-the-Pooh, turn a backyard into Wonderland, or a porch in Captain Hook’s pirate ship. Books place your child at the center of the world of imagination.”

—Regina Higgins, Magic Kingdoms

Research shows that avid readers:

* read better write better concentrate better
* are quicker to see subtleties
* have an easier time processing new information
* have a better chance for a successful, fulfilling adult life
* have many interests and do well in a wide variety of subjects
* develop an ability to understand how other people think and feel
* acquire the ability to sift information and to understand how unrelated facts can fit into a whole
* tend to be more flexible in their thinking and more open to new ideas
* weather personal problems better without their schoolwork being affected

And with the explosion of information in the workplace, only avid readers can stay relatively effortlessly well informed.