A gathering of families

SOMETIME in the 1860s, a gentleman named Eleuterio Acuña, he of regal European bearing with the almond eyes, met then married the fair Ramona Villaruz, a native of the town of Capiz (now known as Roxas City), in the province which bears the same name.

By most accounts, Acuña was not a native of Capiz but was from Luzon who had frequently visited the town in the course of his business. There are also differing versions of what trade he had actually practiced – one being that he was a purchaser of molasses for Manila-based distilleries, the Panay region being a center for sugar plantations, or a hatmaker from Binondo, leading his descendants to believe that he may have been a Chinese mestizo.

Another version also puts him as a civil servant, having been sent by the Spanish government to supervise infrastructure projects in the town.

Or perhaps, he was all three at different times in his life, which perhaps will come as no surprise to his descendants today, many of whom are in similar pursuits - government, business, politics, as well as education, medicine and the arts.

One thing is for certain, Acuña, rose to prominence and with his wife, became one of the most respected couples in Capiz. That marriage spawned 12 children, each with his or her own unique personalities and characteristics, which are also apparent in their own progeny to this day.

There was Rosario (Roxas-Picazo), the eldest, who was dignified, strong in character and dispassionate; these traits served her well when her first husband was gunned down by two drunken guardia civil, and instead of becoming hysterical, she calmly fetched his lifeless body. She was followed by Tito the first among the siblings to be sent abroad to study medicine, and unsurprisingly, became a classmate of our national hero Jose Rizal. The second daughter of the Acuñas was Socorro (Yotoko), dubbed “La Aristocrata” for her imposing discipline, but with a flair for the arts.

Then came Josefa (Hernandez/Viterbo) who was also well-educated like her sisters, but whose main virtue was said to be her frugality. The third son was called Rafael who finished Dramatic Arts in Spain but perhaps owing to parental pressure, resumed his law studies when he returned to the Philippines. The sixth child was Paz, who married a Cebuano Manuel Valiare, but the couple died childless.

Ricarda (Arnaldo) was apparently the most headstrong among the siblings, having rebelled against her father’s wishes by marrying a rising politician Manuel Arnaldo. She was followed by Pilar (Roxas-Moreno) who is remembered most for being always optimistic and pleasant. Alejandro was the bohemian of the family, living a life of wine and other pleasures, favoring a laidback lifestyle unlike his more serious brothers.

Soledad (Sanz) was always cool as a cucumber, that people believed that the world could end the next day, yet she would still remain calm. Jovita (Barrios), lived in exotic Mindanao for a short time with her husband a lawyer then judge, which enabled her to amass interesting stories to regale her children with. Fortunato, grew up under his sisters' care after their mother Doña Ramona died while giving birth to him; although the last of the Acuña children, he was the first to own a car in Capiz, among many other “firsts”. (Source: The Acuñas of Capiz, Prems 1983 souvenir program)

* * * *
THE first time I attended our clan reunion was in April 1983 – a three-day affair, dubbed “Prems ‘83”, held by the beach in Roxas City. (“Prems” is a derivative of “primo”, the Visayan term for cousin.) It was the summer before I was about to begin my university studies, so it was the best time to goof off with impunity with my cousins and newfound relatives. Our parents were in the prime of their lives, gamely performing onstage, and leading the charge in the fun activities for each day, with our grandparents shimmying not too far behind.

Twenty-six years later, a number of those in the second and third generation have passed on, but their exuberance still lives on. This was most evident in our latest clan reunion held last Saturday, with some 500 relatives filling up the convention hall of St. Paul’s College, Pasig. (I am told there are about 300 more living abroad.) It was a massive affair due to the sheer number of people that had to be contacted; and took over a year to plan.

It was a great time to reconnect with our cousins from the other branches of the clan, especially now that many of us are much older, have families and little ones, or like some, are just visiting for the holidays, being residents of far-away lands.

While it was a much-scaled down event unlike our first Prems gathering, everyone still had a grand time. I especially enjoyed the stage performances from the little tykes who bravely shook their little butts to nobody, nobody but us. And of course, no family affair would be complete without our San Miguel beers and Coca-Colas to keep us sublimely lubricated throughout the evening.

Having not seen many of these aunts, uncles and cousins for the longest time, there is not enough time to actually catch up with all. Then again, there were those who simply did not know what to say when meeting up with a relative one had not seen in ages. How to begin the conversation?

The key to attending affairs of this nature is to just put on your widest smile, and pucker up. Kiss and say hello to everybody, whether or not you actually know him or her. It’s the right time to shake off one’s shyness and just strike a conversation with the person next to you in the buffet line.

I used to shirk away from family reunions because I found them boring and just filled with ancients who kept asking when I was going to get married. Now that I’m older, I find that such gatherings give me a sense of identity. As we share a common heritage, these social interactions provide us with positive affirmations of who we are and how we are distinctly special from other families.

In our first clan reunion, there were still no cellphones, computers, much less the Internet, so the relatives we met then were difficult to keep in touch with. With Facebook and smartphones these days, it’ll be much easier to keep abreast of what’s happening in each other’s lives.

So cheers dear cousins! Don’t be a stranger.

(This piece was originally published in the BusinessMirror, in Jan. 2010. My column Something Like Life, is published every Friday, in the Life section of the BusinessMirror.)

Reunion of the Acuña clan of Capiz. (Other photos contributed by Mary Rose Peña.)

Art appreciation

Entitled "Thrice Upon a Time: A Century of Story in the Art of the Philippines," the show — hung alongside a separate collection of modernist works on loan from the Ateneo Art Gallery in Manila — runs at the Singapore Art Museum until Jan. 31. Underscoring its importance to the Philippines' often battered image abroad, the show was opened by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo herself. In doing so, she was obliged to march briskly past one of the more cheeky exhibits: a bottled collection of pungent smells, including an essence of rotten eggs labeled PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT. (Read more in TIME.)

This is the funniest thing!

(Photo from the Noynoy Aquino Facebook page.)
EVEN supporters of Nacionalista Party presidential candidate Manny Villar are fans of Sen. Noynoy Aquino, presidential candidate of the Liberal Party! Haha! Naku, lagot kayo sa candidato nyo ;p

Rico vs Gibo (part 2)

WHAT'S this I hear that the advertising company which had commissioned Rico Blanco to compose the song 'Posible' for use in the 2005 Southeast Asian Games held in Manila, may also be issuing a press statement soon asking PaLaKa presidential candidate, Gilbert Teodoro, to cease and desist from airing his political ad w/c uses the song?

The song, w/c was actually the official SEA Games song that year, was performed by Rivermaya w/ the San Miguel Philharmonic Orchestra at the conclusion of the Games' opening ceremony at the Quirino Grandstand, in Manila. It was also used by Globe Telecoms in its SEA Games TV ad, w/c we found on the DailyMotion website.

SEA Games Globe TV Commercial feature Rivermaya POSIBLE
Uploaded by seagames. - Discover the latest sports and extreme videos.

Accdg. to the country's Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines: "178.4. In the case of a work-commissioned by a person other than an employer of the author and who pays for it and the work is made in pursuance of the commission, the person who so commissioned the work shall have ownership of work, but the copyright thereto shall remain with the creator, unless there is a written stipulation to the contrary;"

Abangan!

* * * *
MEANWHILE, the root cause of the issue between artist Rico Blanco and the Gibo campaign, really stems from the fact that Blanco's former manager when he was still with Rivermaya, Lizza Nakpil, apparently copyrighted the songs of the band. This is not an illegal act, as far as I know. Btw, Nakpil also had registered the band's name with the Intellectual Property Office. Smart girl that one, but I see her point, having had a hand in forming the band itself.

(Lizza Nakpil photo from pep.ph)

With the copyright of "Posible' in her possession, she was able to sell rights for use of the song to Dennis Garcia, formerly of the Hotdog band, who was commissioned by the Gibo camp to make a jingle for the presidentiable's ad. Talk is the amount that changed hands was about P200,000 for the song's use. And I understand Mr. Garcia's point completely that after he found who held the actual copyright of said song, he proceeded to deal with Nakpil. (Pls refer to Mr. Garcia's statement in the comments section of my earlier post on this issue.)

Now, I'm no musician nor a lawyer, just someone who is particular about my P's and Q's, so I understand also where Rico Blanco is coming from. He is, after all, the composer of the song and all Mr. Garcia had to do was pick up the phone - composer to composer, or artist to artist, if you will – and inform him about his plan to make it into a campaign jingle. For all we know, Blanco would've given his wholehearted support to this endeavor, considering that Gibo was actually in his personal shortlist of presidential candidates.

Sadly, to this day, Mr. Garcia has never even tried to contact Blanco personally to talk about the issue, accdg. to the latter's camp, and has just let Gibo's lawyers talk to Warner Music, which manages Blanco. The one who actually contacted Blanco to explain Garcia's side is the latter's nephew, Toti Dalmacion, who's a music promoter I believe. In fact, it seems that the burden of proof of ownership of the song, has been forced on Blanco, the composer. Weird ano?

So maybe there was no actual malice in Mr. Garcia's heart when he proceeded to use the song bec. he was secure in the knowledge that he had gotten all copyright permissions squared away. But the fact remains, nabastos si Blanco. And when he initially tried to inquire w/ Gibo's camp why they used his song w/o his permission, "they gave him the runaround," accdg. to Blanco's publicist Peachy Guioguio.

For Rico Blanco's press statement, click here.

Accdg. to Guioguio, Blanco is very concerned about this alleged IPR violation bec. if it can be perpetrated on a name artist like him, it can be done to even small composers who have yet to break in the industry.

"Now all that Rico wants, is for the Gibo campaign to stop airing this ad." Period. The publicist also told me that Blanco is not suing Gibo yet bec. he is giving the presidentiable's camp the time to comply w/ his request. (Baka nagpapa-IPR seminar pa sila ke VP-able Edu, hehe.)

In my personal research, this is what I found. As per the IPR law, copyright of an artistic work w/c includes musical compositions is "protected from the moment of their creation and shall include in particular: .... (f) Musical compositions, with or without words;" (Underscoring mine.)

Further in Chapter 6 of said law: "Copyright ownership shall be governed by the following rules: .... 178.5. In the case of audiovisual work, the copyright shall belong to the producer, the author of the scenario, the composer of the music, the film director, and the author of the work so adapted. However, subject to contrary or other stipulations among the creators, the producers shall exercise the copyright to an extent required for the exhibition of the work in any manner, except for the right to collect performing license fees for the performance of musical compositions, with or without words, which are incorporated into the work;"

Now this is a lesson for all you composers out there, start registering your songs w/ the proper gov't agencies like the National Museum or the IPO the minute you complete them, no matter how short or long these may be. This may save you from hassles similar to that of Rico Blanco's in the future.

New beginnings

"Like many say, the new year is just the right time to renew one’s faith in oneself, and open oneself to better prospects in life, whether it be in one’s career or romance, or the home.

It’s time to rid oneself of the negativity, ill-feelings and toxicity that poisoned most of us last year. It’s time for renewed hope, especially now that we are faced with a great opportunity for healing and change with regard to our country’s future." (Read the rest in Something Like Life. Photo from www.chemistry.com.)

Moving soon!

THIS being the season of merriment, este, the election campaign season, and seeing that this blog has now become a mish-mash of my convoluted thoughts on anything and everything, I've decided to create a totally separate blog just on politics/political topics.

I'll keep you posted on when I'm launching that blog, tentatively titled "Pulitika2010," which will not only feature my opinions on current political issues, but also the opinions of others I respect in the blogging and journalism communities. It will also try to aggregate interesting bits of news/info, facts, and data in the runup towards the May 2010 polls.

As for this blogspot, it shall remain as a repository of my column and news stories/lifestyle features which are regularly published in the country's leading business daily, BusinessMirror, and in other publications; and will often update it with my usual insane thoughts and weird view of the world. (Or should that be my thoughts and view of this insane weird world? Hmmmm...)

Anyhoo, stay tuned!

Bayan bago sarili

Oras na. Roxas na!

* * * *
BTW, I just wanted to alert everyone on the Black Ops being perpetrated by the camp of another presidentiable vs Noynoy and Mar. They labeled a can of sardine and bottled water w/ the "Operation Tulong Bayan Aquino-Roxas" and photographed via cellphone. Then they sent the photo out via Facebook, tagging columnists and his party-mates.

Operation Tulong Bayan was a movement set up in the aftermath of Typhoon Ondoy to collect donations and distribute them to the typhoon victims. Let me tell you that I was part of OTB along with hundreds of young people who selflessly volunteered their time to help our kababayan in need. We know for a fact that none of us put labels on those items w/c were distributed as it was a non-political effort. Many of them will be able to testify to this fact.

(At the OTB headquarters, in Sept. 2009: unlabeled care packages ready for distribution to typhoon victims. Photos by Stella Arnaldo)

(The kids who made Operation Tulong Bayan possible. Are you seriously accusing them of politicking?)

The entire world knows which presidential candidate labeled his Ondoy donations with his name and political colors. Just because his numbers in the surveys are still behind, he is now trying to turn the tables around, by accusing front runners Noynoy and Mar of the same. W/ all the money that this presidentiable has, he should've just use it instead to print more of his posters, bec. no one will believe this lame black ops. Besides the photo is four months late, nyeh! SMB! (Style mo bulok!)

Stupid! Heartless! Inappropriate! (UPDATED)

THE Philippines enacted Republic Act 7277 or the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons on March 24, 1992. This is why many of our malls now, for instance, have ramps for wheelchair-bound customers, and doorways in many public establishments have specific dimensions to let wheelchairs through.

The law specifically prescribes mechanisms to integrate disabled persons – whether they be mentally-challenged, physically handicapped, or psychologically impaired – into the mainstream society, and gov't must ensure the means to rehabilitate them or contribute to their development.

So it is really disgusting to read a story about an airline refusing to transport a passenger just because he is a "special child," which is apparently the airline's code-phrase for someone who is mentally-impaired. Airline officials apparently declined to be interviewed about it and only issued a press release saying that management has already apologized to the victim's family.

I thought twice about blogging about this incident, because I have some friends representing that airline. But I'm sorry guys, there are things that need to be said.

Apparently, the airline has an internal policy of allowing only one mentally-handicapped person onboard any of its flights. There was a child w/ Down's Syndrome who had boarded earlier than the victim in this incident, so the airline crew was only trying to follow company policy.

But I still don't get why there is even such a rule in that organization. Is management afraid that the mentally handicapped persons would become unruly during the flight and cause mayhem among other passengers? Are mentally-challenged persons flight risks?

Whatever the airline's reason for having such an internal policy, it is very clear that this is discriminatory. It opens up the airline to a lawsuit, because the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons clearly states:

"Sec. 34. Public Transportation. — It shall be considered discrimination for the franchisees or operators and personnel of sea, land, and air transportation facilities to charge higher fare or to refuse to convey a passenger, his orthopedic devices, personal effects, and merchandise by reason of his disability."

I can understand how humiliated the mother must have felt, esp. for her child. That is a pain that cannot easily be erased by an apology and a year's worth of free airline tickets. This was clearly more than just a misstep on the part of the airline. It was not as simple as having fumbling airline crew who didn't know how to handle the situation. It is plainly cruel and inappropriate in this day and age to have an internal policy discriminating against mentally-handicapped persons, period. I hope the airline scraps this policy once and for all.

(UPDATE 01/08/10 at 5:26 pm) Cebu Pacific sent me this press statement and attached document yesterday regarding their policy on transporting mentally-handicapped persons. In effect, it says the airline clarifies that it has no such policy that refusing carriage of those with special needs. In the interest of fairness, I am herewith publishing their side:

CEB statement on Alcantara case

Furthermore, I found Resolution 700 of the International Airline Transport Association which prescribes procedures/rules on transporting disabled persons. The rules are silent on how many disabled passengers can actually be transported on any flight:

IATA Resolution 700 (from IATA website)

Now, given CEB's statement re: admitting fault of its cabin crew, clearly management is still answerable for the lack of the flight steward's training. I just hope this issue is solved amicably, with the welfare of the victim actually as the goal of the settlement, and not the ahem, lawyer's welfare.

A lawyer who doesn't know the law (w/ 2nd update)

(Rico Blanco photo from TatayK.)

JUST read a blog about how PaLaKa presidential candidate Gilbert Teodoro used a song ("Posible") of former Rivermaya frontman Rico Blanco in his latest TV ad, without the latter's permission.

Blanco has been tweeting about this, and even gives Gibo, the benefit of the doubt, until he actually saw the ad and noticed that the singer had even tried to copy his (Blanco's) voice.

Not only have Gibo and his campaign staff broken the law by not asking permission from Blanco to use his song, they're even trying to mislead the public into believing that the artist was actually singing the song, thus, making the public think that Blanco is endorsing Gibo's presidential campaign! (Sorry, was trying to find the ad on the blogs or YouTube but it's not uploaded. Either that, or it's been removed already by the brainiacs in Gibo's campaign staff.)

(Gilbert Teodoro Jr. photo from Wowel.com.)

This reminds me of the lawsuit filed by singer Jackson Browne versus Sen. John McCain and the Republican Party after they failed to obtain the singer's permission for using his song "Running on Empty" in a McCain ad mocking Barack Obama's proposed energy policies, during the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign.

And all the while, Gibo has been boasting that he's a bar topnotcher? Yet he nor his staff can't even follow basic IPR regulations? Tsk, tsk. Galing and Talino this one.

Then again, this IPR violation is probably the least of Gibo's legal concerns, if the rumor mill is to be believed. I hear a relative has great shooting skills. Must be a fan of Dick Cheney.

* * * *
(Dennis Garcia, left, with brother Rene on the cover of Hotdog's greatest hits album. Photo from XPrezz.)

(UPDATE Jan. 8, 2010 at 1:25 a.m.) In the interest of fair play, I've published the message of Mr. Dennis Garcia, who produced the 'Posible' song for Gibo's ad, in the comments page. For those who are too young to know, Mr. Garcia, is co-founder of the Hotdog band in the 70s, and a songwriter who created such great hits like Annie Batungbakal, etc.

* * * *
(UPDATE Jan. 10, 2010 at 12:30 am) Here's the controversial Gibo 'Posible' ad:



Last night, Rico Blanco officially asked the Gibo camp to cease and desist using his Posible song in said ad bec. the artist never gave consent for its use.

Warner Music, which currently manages the artist quotes Section 178 of the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, w/c says the copyright of an audiovisual work belongs “to the producer, the author of the scenario, the composer of the music, the film director, and the author of the work."

Btw, here's Posible, originally sung by Rivermaya:

Philippine holidays in 2010

USE this to plan your weekend vacays. Thanks to Ivan Henares for sharing the info.

* Feb. 22 (Mon) - EDSA Revolution Anniversary (holiday for schools only, three-day long weekend from Feb. 20 to 22)

* April 1 (Thu) - Holy Thursday

* April 2 (Fri) - Good Friday (four-day long weekend from April 1 to 4)

* April 9 (Fri) - Araw ng Kagitingan (three-day long weekend from April 9 to 11)

* May 1 (Sat) - Labor Day

* May 10 (Mon) - National Elections (three-day long weekend from May 8 to 10) GET OUT AND VOTE!!!

* June 14 (Mon) - Independence Day (three-day long weekend from June 12 to 14)

* Aug. 23 (Mon) - Ninoy Aquino Day (three-day long weekend from Aug. 21 to 23)

* Aug. 30 (Mon) - National Heroes Day (three-day long weekend from Aug. 28 to 30)

* September - Eid'l Fitr (to be announced, calculated Sept. 10, possible three-day long weekend from Sept. 10 to 12)

* Nov. 1 (Mon) - All Saints Day (three-day long weekend from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1)

* November - Eid 'l Adha (to be announced, calculated Nov. 16)

* Nov. 29 (Mon) - Bonifacio Day (three-day long weekend from Nov. 27 to 29)

* Dec. 24 (Fri) - Christmas Eve/Non-Working Holiday

* Dec. 25 (Sat) - Christmas Day

* Dec. 27 (Mon) - Rizal Day (four-day long weekend from Dec. 24 to 27)

* Dec. 31 (Fri) - New Year's Eve/Non-Working Holiday

* Jan. 1, 2011 - (Sat) New Year's Day (three-day long weekend from Dec. 31, 2010 to Jan. 2, 2011)

Efren wuvs Angel

Aww, this is such a cute story, courtesy of ABS-CBN News and The Buzz:



Hope the video works. If not, click here.

More Christmas wishes

(My column in the BusinessMirror, continued from last week.)

I BELIEVE in the power of wishes. By placing the thought out there, we plant the seeds for hope and change. And it will be so.

From last week, here are more Christmas wishes for our dear country and kababayan:

• Ana Ines de Sequera-Ugarte, Philippine Ambassador to Spain

I wish for peaceful national elections in 2010 and a smooth transition of leadership. I pray for good governance, good example, and an honorable and optimistic leadership so our nation can press on to greater achievements and be recognized as an esteemed representative and contributor to the world stage. I pray my wish comes true.

• Guillermo “Bill” Luz, executive vice president, Ayala Foundation Inc.

Every year, I have basically the same Christmas wish for the country—that the next year will always be better than the last. But 2010 is a special year which warrants special wishes. I wish for clean and honest elections and leaders with integrity, worthy of leading our country. I also wish that we could stop all the ills which drag this country down—corruption, warlordism, hubris—and build on the traits and characteristics which can make this country great again: the bayanihan spirit, creativity and a genuine love of country.

• Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, artistic director, Ballet Manila

My Christmas wish for the Philippines is for peaceful and fair elections [this] year—and the end to the violence in Mindanao. We need to preserve and work for our country’s peace and order because living in peace makes all of us better human beings and enables us to pursue a higher quality of life.

• J. Gamboa, executive chef, Cirkulo and Milkyway Restaurant

May you only eat food worth eating (for your health, flavor and calories!) this Christmas season and in the year to come! Eat well, always...Merry Christmas!

• Alfred V. Ty, president, Federal Land Inc.

May the spirit of Christmas bring true and lasting peace to our country, and may the New Year give all of us renewed drive toward national prosperity.

• Avelino Zapanta, president, Southeast Asian Airlines

My wish is what many Filipinos are most likely wishing for.

I hope that the Philippines would overcome all the concerns of the past: the graft and corruption, the gruesome massacres, the pocket rebellions, the effects of calamities, with a caring administration that will put the welfare of the country as top priority next to God, so that it may cultivate its full potentials and show what it can really do, what it truly is without those aberrations in some of its people and some in the government.

With the grace of God, we can do it.

* * * *
Echoing the same, my Christmas wish is for all of us to let go of our uncaring attitudes and start looking out for the welfare of one another. The recent natural calamities have already shown that we can do it, that is, to give a lending hand to those in need.

I also wish for peaceful elections in 2010, intelligent leaders with a heart for the electorate, as well as honest and capable government officials who will help push this nation forward and regain its rightful place as a global leader.

Happy holidays to all, and cheers to a great New Year!

(Note: Lisa Macuja-Elizalde photo by Raymund Isaac, courtesy of Angela Ureta.)

Looking forward to 2010!

CHRISTMAS cards are meant to convey the warm wishes and joyful feelings of the holiday season.





They usually come in cheery, or funny, or spiritual types, like some of those posted on this page.



So you can just imagine how befuddled some people felt when they received a Christmas card from the government-run National Statistical Coordination Board. (For those who don't know, the NSCB is the repository of all official govt data such as the GDP, inflation, remittances, income, population, etc.)


Most of the data just show how mucht the economy sputtered in 2009 compared to 2008 (e.g. 3Q 2009 GDP growth rate was 0.5% compared to 4.6% in 3Q 2008, or the poverty rate in 2006 was 32.9% of the population compared to 30% in 2003.) Depressing di ba?

Of course we don't need NSCB's greeting card to know how poorly our country has fared over the years under the presidentita's administration. But hey, at least the academics at the NSCB managed to turn that glaring reality into a positive, and made an unforgettable Christmas card huh? With any luck, maybe under the next administration, NSCB's Christmas cards will feature much improved economic data.

With that last bitching for the year, let me wish everyone all the best for 2010!

* * * *
Whoopsie! Before I forget, check out Professional Heckler's fearless forecasts for 2010, and die laughing. Aba! Feeling Madam Auring! ;p

Fringe glass magnets

BECAUSE I always finish my Christmas shopping way ahead of December, I sometimes miss out on the latest cute stuff in the department stores. I was at Rustans ATC a couple of days before Christmas as my sister had to make an emergency purchase for a can opener (don't ask, it's a long story), and stumbled on these gorgeous Fringe refrigerator magnets.



There were also quite a few other designs like this:

(Photo from Apartment Therapy)
These babies don't come cheap, but I just couldn't resist them. So after a few days of tossing and turning in bed, I finally went to get myself a set (first photo). Okay, there goes my last frivolous purchase of the year. hehe.

Oh, and these are versatile as well. You don't have to use them only as ref magnets. As one contributor to Apartment Therapy shared, her household actually uses the magnets as small paperweights. Coolness.

More cakes from Carlo

EVERY Christmas, my sister and I obsess on what cake to serve for the family's Media Noche. Fortunately, for the past two years, we've been ordering from Carlo Estagle (aka The Cake Diva), who's luscious Torta Limone I discovered via good friend Georgia.

(Carlo's Torta Limone...so divine!)
Prompted by Georgia's recent writeup of Carlo's new creations, my sister and I decided to go a different way this Christmas and ordered his Buttermint cake.



What can I say except brilliant! This was a splendid inspired treat from Carlo -- supermoist buttery goodness with a mild kick from the mint syrup, plus the bittersweet crunch from semi-sweet chocolate chips. A slice of this and your favorite cup of java makes for a perfectly calm and quiet ending to any meal. It's like eating Andes Peppermint crunches. Terrific mouthfeel, and so evocative of all things Christmas--the cool weather and the warm toasty feelings of family. Mmmm...



While Carlo's cakes may be considered a bit on the mid- to high-end price point, they are worth every centavo. He doesn't scrimp on ingredients and on the passion he puts into each of his creation. So if you're still on the lookout for a great dessert this New Year's eve, call Carlo at 0920-955-CAKE (or 2253) and ask for his sweet list. He makes sugar-free desserts as well, and will deliver if you live around his vicinity.

Enjoy!

The forehead that dares not quiver

Dear Miss Choi 09:

I dunno who you are, but you're a blogger after my own heart. As I told a recent pro-Manny "Mr. Double Insertion" Villar" commenter in a previous post, the guy has got to find a new angle. This 'nanggaling sa mahirap" campaign is getting way too old. Nakakasawa na!

Villar may think that having someone like Wowowillie as a celebrity supporter (and who, btw, also endorses TechnoMarine watches w/c can't be afforded by the poor naman) will be a major boost to his campaign. If this were true, how come the forehead-that-dares-not-quiver is lagging a far second in surveys, after Noynoy Aquino? Tsk, tsk.

Anyhoo, let's hear it from Miss Choi:

Dear Manny Villar

First of all, I suppose congratulations are in order.

You are one hell of a salesman, good sir, and anyone who would dare claim otherwise is a liar. (Click here for the rest.)

* * * *
Speaking of TechnoMarine, it's a well-respected brand of watches created by Frank Dubarry, but w/c only a few years ago, found a new homebase in Geneva. Only 12 years old, the brand has found favor among yachtsmen, divers, and other sporty types because of its elegant masculine designs.

I especially loved one of its earlier quirky ad campaigns which went something like this:



Very slick no? Another ad had an octopus stuck to the female model's head. So I dunno what TechnoMarine was thinking when it decided to do this:


All hail the Willie Revillame watch by TechnoMarine! Well, I suppose this is what the company's local representation thinks will elevate the brand's recognition in the Philippines. Sure it may have increased awareness of the brand around these parts, but I think they just sank an international brand to an entirely new gutter level.

After this, somehow, you can't look at another TechnoMarine w/o also thinking of Willie's irritating asinine jokes, half-naked dancing girls, screaming hordes of masses, and Pokwang. Ickk! (Although to be fair, I have more respect for Pokwang esp. after reading about her personal struggles, and yet she manages to remain humble despite her success, unlike you-know-who.)

Christmas wishes for the Philippines

(My column in today's BusinessMirror.)

DESPITE the beginnings of the global economic recession late last year, we still managed to cope with the stress of the Christmas celebration. This year’s commemoration of Christ’s birth, however, appears to be more challenging, or the toughest in recent memory.

While the economic downturn has been difficult enough, we found ourselves reeling even more because of certain personal and national tragedies, like the passing of former President Corazon Aquino, and homelessness, hunger and psychological distress due to the natural calamities wrought by Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. Now, our kababayan in Bicol face an impeding disaster due to an enraged Mayon Volcano. The massacre of women and journalists in Ampatuan, Maguindanao, by a political warlord in November also continues to weigh heavily on our minds.

How can we have a merry Christmas having gone through or while facing all these adversities?

Fortunately, our national psyche is also wired in such a way, that when dealing with such trials and tribulations, we are pushed to triumph at all cost. And with the national elections coming up in May 2010, most of us have a sense of the changes that we want in government and governance. We can no longer have the same kind of laid-back attitude to life in these islands, because our future, and those of many generations after, is at stake.

So it was no surprise, that when I asked several of our friends in business, government, politics and the arts what their wish was for the Philippines, many of them expressed the same hope for true change to come, such as an enlightened citizenry who would vote for the most responsible candidates in 2010, and a radical transformation of values and attitudes to help make our country work.

Here are their thoughts:


• Alfonso Yuchengco, chairman, Yuchengco Group of Companies, and presidential adviser for foreign affairs

I wish for the Philippines a complete and meaningful freedom. I wish the Philippines would be free from poverty caused by overpopulation and lack of resources; free from corruption in government, and even in the private sector; and free from violence and any threat to peace. I wish each Filipino would be rich in happiness and love this season and always. I wish the Philippines could adopt some form of birth control.


• Corazon de la Paz-Bernardo, president of the International Social Security Association

This Christmas and every day of the year, my wish is for the Philippines to be a haven of peace, prosperity and unity, for the common good. There is a great deal of work and resources needed to strengthen our institutions and improve our infrastructure facilities to meet the demands of our ever-growing population. If we move as one, our country could make progress and provide a more sustainable and prosperous future for our people.”


• Joseph “Ace” H. Durano, secretary, Department of Tourism

I wish Filipinos would appreciate how blessed our country is and to vote for people with the character and competence to use such blessings to benefit as many Filipinos as possible.


• Erramon “Montxu” I. Aboitiz, president, Aboitiz Equity Ventures

I wish that all Filipinos will think of country over self and that we have a peaceful and successful election. I also wish that we take environmental and sustainability issues seriously.

• Ma. Lourdes “Louie” Barcelon Locsin, co-founder, Power of Nine Movement, and candidate for representative, First District of Makati City

My Christmas wish for the Philippines is that the Filipinos learn to love their country and, better yet, one another. Maybe they already love their country. But it wouldn’t hurt to love our country more. And, more important, to show that love.

Will loving each other make our country great? I think so. A country is its people, not its landscape or its quaint customs. Good people make a good country.

If you have money to spare—a lot or a little—give it. When you go to church, drop P500 in the collection plate if you can afford it and not the small bills you keep in an envelope. Do something productive in your community. Start a livelihood project, volunteer in a day-care center or a parish weekly activity.

Teach your children that giving is better fun than getting, and that making people happy is the best kind of happiness for oneself. It can be taught. In fact, it can be taught early enough as to become a way of life for future generations.

Give generous bonuses to employees, giving most to the lowest ranking and less to the big executives in the firm. Bonuses are how you bring joy to those who support you in your work and how they, in turn, bring joy to those who help them help you, like their family.

Don’t complain about corruption, especially if you have no proof that will stand up in court or are unwilling to stand up and help prosecute. If you are just going to yak about it in your Facebook account, forget it. Stop preaching about honesty if you keep company with the dishonest.

It’s not hard to be a good Filipino. Let’s all try to be better Filipinos so we can show that we mean it when we say we love the Philippines.

(To be concluded next week....)

Happy holidays everyone!

Hyatt Regency sold; to reopen as hotel-casino

(The old Hyatt Regency in Pasay City, Manila photo by Filbuild.com)

BUSINESSMAN/singer-songwriter Jose Mari Chan has sold the once-famous Hyatt Regency Hotel in Manila to the Sunwest Group of young Bicolano businessman Elizaldy Co. Sunwest owns the luxury resort Misibis Bay Raintree in Cagraray Island, Albay.

The hotel is scheduled to reopen by April 2010, as Midas Hotel and Casino, to be managed by Genesis Hotels and Resorts, a hotel-management firm headed by Miguel Cerqueda, former general manager of The Manila Hotel. (Click here for the rest.)

Give a jar of face cream? Hell yeah! ;p

Maybe because I’m at that age where I value practicality more than sentimentality, I’m a big believer in useful gifts. Also, the unusual or unexpected. I mean some of these suggestions here may sound like everyday items but, believe me, these will be most appreciated because we always need them. Even better, most of them don’t even cost an arm and a leg. (Click Practical and unusual gifts at Something Like Life.)

'No return, no exchange'

I'M a big believer in consumer rights. I will always demand for good quality or service for the amount I paid for, and am not ashamed to return stuff or exchange items when I find them defective. Unfortunately, most Filipinos are still shy about this and will just roll over, even when their rights are being trampled on.

Read this column from the BusinessMirror, regarding the seven-day exchange policy of some stores. It turns out, you can actually return defective items even after that period, especially for products bought from well known brands. (Of course, if you buy a defective item that was just smuggled, you have no avenue for redress.) So if I were you, if you buy especially big-ticket items like appliances or even a pair of shoes or bag, make sure you keep the receipt.

It is important to note that in case of hidden defects, the law prescribes a maximum of two years from the date of purchase or upon discovery of hidden defect to file a complaint or act, taking into consideration the nature of product purchased. (Click The Business of Consumers for the rest.)

Unfortunately the column doesn't say what happens if you don't have the receipt for the product purchased anymore, and what if the store doesn't want to exchange the item you bought? I've already experienced complaining to DTI's consumer action group regarding some defective product purchased but received no support from the agency at all, other than a letter stating that they forwarded the matter to the agency overseeing the product/brand. So there.

Not that I want to annoy you

But read this.

(Photo by Froilan Gallardo/Mindanews)
With that, good morning.

If you feel like resigning from your job...

Whenever friends approach me with their problems at work, I often counsel talking to their bosses or whoever is in charge. I think it helps to keep communication lines open between managers and staff. Telling your boss that you are uncomfortable in your job gives him an opportunity to help you out, or guide you in dealing with the issue at hand. (Click Something Like Life for the rest.)

Jardines to invest $1M to spruce up Mandarin Oriental

THE Hong Kong-based Jardine Matheson Group is investing “approximately $1 million” in the Philippines, primarily to freshen up its Mandarin Oriental property in Makati City.

In an exclusive interview, newly installed Mandarin Oriental Manila general manager Mark Bradford also hinted that more capital aside from the initial investment is being considered. “We’ll be investing approximately a million US dollars [P46.82 million] in the next two quarters in enhancing some areas of the hotel. But after 33 years of operation, a larger amount of money is being looked at. We’re considering it very seriously.” (Click here for the rest.)

A candidate called Code Jack

IF you haven't seen it yet, here's the complete list of those who filed their certificates of candidacy for President (99), Vice President (20), and Senator (158). With only 12 seats available, methinks the senatorial posts will even be more hotly contested than the presidential post where only two or three out of the 99 are actually the most viable candidates. But there area many senatorial candidates who I must admit, have a credible track record and are serious contenders unlike the loonies populating the presidential candidates' list.

Don't be daunted by the length of the list. You must read through it. I promise a good laugh on the nicknames alone. Aside from Code Jack, there's even one presidentiable who calls himself Lady M-Ricky. Hahahahaa!

COCs 2010 (from Comelec web site)

On his own time daw

IT'S CHAKA-TIME!

1. Da who is this Cabinet Secretary running for an elective post in May 2010, who is rarely in his government agency these days? He claims that he is doing his campaigning on "my own time", and says the agency is not spending its funds for his visits to his home province. Hay naku, sino naman ang niloloko mo ateh? In fact, it's Friday today, still a working day, and he is already there in the province, accompanied by another govt official handling a major agency.

(Libre ba yang barong mo hijo? Of course the Cabinet Secretary in question is not this gwapo.)

Oh, and we are no longer surprised why he looks well-dressed all the time. Apparently his barongs are supplied free of charge by another govt agency. Employees of that agency mutter that they hardly have a decent budget to run their projects, and here they go having to finance the Cabinet Secretary's clothing needs. Yes, fellow taxpayers...we're paying for this guys' threads. As if he can't afford to buy his own clothes. Kakahiya! Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Clue: the Cabinet Secretary's home province is synonymous to kisses.

2. DA who is the head of this newly-formed regulatory agency who is said to have hired as many as 100 consultants, some of whom are even husbands and wives? Businessmen who have to deal w/ this agency complain that there's even more corruption there than in the previous agency it had superseded.

Its inspectors, for instance, who are tasked to oversee the safety of the equipment falling under the agency's purview don't even have the skills to check said equipment's standards. So those new businessmen who want to have their equipment checked and are not aware of this, can just pay off the inpspectors to give them a passing mark. And bec. licenses and safety permits are given annually, can you just imagine the humongous amounts of money coursing through that agency under the table?!?!

Clue: The head of the agency is said to be the alaga of an ageing senator, and also of a military persuasion.

3. As early as 2005, the presidentita and the head of her transportation agency was already told of the need for Caticlan's runway to be extended by at least 200 meters more. The presidentita said, however, Boracay was already "overcrowded" and overrun by resorts. What she failed to realize however, is that Boracay is the only island saving the tourism industry of the country as even during times of economic downturns, Pinoys who can no longer afford to go on vacations abroad just go to Boracay.

Because of the shortness of the runway, however, two planes of Zest Airways were involved in crashes in January and in June this year, leading to temporary closure of the airport. (Of course, it's also due to the fact that Zest Air's Chinese-made MA60 planes aren't exactly made for short takeoffs and landings.) This led to the govt deciding to only allow Seair and lately, PAL Express to use the Caticlan runway. All other airlines have to land and takeoff in Kalibo. Consequently, most resorts and restaurants on the island have complained of a 20% drop in business, as tourists don't want to pay a premium for the convenience of landing in Caticlan, just 15 mins away from the island resort, compared to Kalibo, which is an hour and a half away.

Although the airport has been privatized and supposed to be developed by a group led by George Yang of McDonalds Phils. (Golden Arches), on our recent visit to Boracay, we didn't see any construction activity ongoing at the terminal nor the runway at all. With the recession still ongoing, and tourists not wanting to shell out more money to pay to land in Caticlan, we doubt that it would be a Merry Christmas for Boracaynons this year.

More chakahans next week!

The Martial Law debate (updated)

I DON'T necessarily agree with my former boss, Rep. Teddyboy Locsin, but here's the speech he made on the matter during the joint session of the Senate and Lower House this afternoon:

Teddyboy Locsin on Martial Law

Sen Miriam Defensor Santiago's speech urging the revocation of Martial Law in Maguindanao can be found here. (Thanks to baycas2 for the link.)

Not just pizzas at Pizza Hut

I MUST confess that I really never liked thick-crust pizzas which I think shortchanges customers. You get more of the baked dough instead of the wonderful ingredients that top the pizza; it’s like biting into a huge pandesal with the palaman on top. So this is the primary reason Pizza Hut has never really been my go-to pizza joint.

So imagine my surprise when I ended up in one of its press launches. All along I thought the event was about the Divella Pasta brand, which I’ve bought a few times before for my own “genius” pasta creations (read: taking the leftovers in the ref and making some sauce out of them). It turns out, after much guessing from the media guests on “who’s the new pasta player in town”, the answer was eventually revealed to be Pizza Hut.

“We have taken the bold step to proclaim that we are now as passionate [with pastas] the way we do our pizzas”, says Elaine Guzman, vice president for marketing. And yes, the restaurant does use the Divella pasta brand.

(The Aglio Olio. Photos courtesy of Pizza Hut)
All the while we were being asked the identity of the new pasta player in town, we were asked to taste eight different kinds of pasta dishes. It isn’t as exciting as it sounds, mind you, because by the fourth dish, I was ready to keel over from a seriously overextended tummy. But I managed to pick out few winners from the eight that were served under the restaurant’s Pasta Perfetto line.

The Aglio Olio, for instance, had the pasta perfectly coated in olive oil instead of swimming in it, like other restaurants serve it, with the garlic and pepper flakes giving it a crisp punch. The Puttanesca was also quite flavorful with the olives and capers lending it some delectable sweetness, although the dish could stand more anchovies to give it a salty counterpoint. (Of course, Pizza Hut isn't a fine-dining restaurant so ingredients aren't exactly generous as we want them to be.)

The other pastas under the creamy sauce category were adequate but seemed seriously dehydrated, with the cream forming a kind of lumpy dead crust on top. It’s not as bad as it reads; you just have to remove that top to get to the richness underneath.

(Spaghetti Puttanesca)
The winning factor is of course the pasta line’s price points as these range between P99 and P189. Other pasta creations include: Baked Mac and Cheese, Fettucine ala King, Spaghetti Bolognese with Meatballs, Baked Fettucine Alfredo, Lasagna Classico, Spaghetti Shrimp Garlic and Mushrooms, Pesto Chicken Penne, Three-Cheese Ravioli, and Seafood Supremo.

A couple of weeks after the launch of the Pasta Perfetto line, I finally took the chance and ate at a Pizza Hut restaurant, after years of shunning it. I was quite delighted to find it had pizzas under its Viva Italian line which are neither thin nor thick crust and slathered with sumptuous fresh ingredients. I especially loved Florence which featured fresh tomatoes, mushroom, black olives, anchovies and garlic topped with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, and drizzled with olive oil.

The problem is, when I tried to order the same for delivery just a week ago, the operator at the Pizza Hut’s call center said this was no longer available, as well as the other varieties in the Viva Italian line.

Also, the operator said, not all the dishes under the Pasta Perfetto line were available for delivery either. I had wanted to try the three-cheese ravioli, and after being told this couldn’t be delivered, the operator and I went through the list of items that could be delivered. We basically ended with only four of 12 varieties under this new pasta line. Needless to say, this took back the winning points the restaurant scored with me as a customer. Not so Perfetto, ey?

Perhaps this is Pizza Hut’s marketing strategy to get more people into its restaurants, but it seems to me that it is neglecting a growing number of customers who want the convenience of a food delivery service. My hapless experience, however, shouldn’t dissuade you from actually hauling yourselves to the nearest Pizza Hut branch to check out its new pastas which, in these financially-distressing times, admittedly still give some value for your money.

An evening for thanksgiving

IT was my first time to see Margie after she was felled by a cerebral aneurysm in Nov. 2008. I spoke with her at the launching of her husband Chet's book, 88 Days in India – A Pilgrimage of Faith, Hope & Love, at the Powerbooks last night and it was just so inspiring to see how far she's come in her recovery.

Although still in her wheelchair, she surprised us by walking up the steps to the second floor of Powerbooks, where the launch was to be held, albeit with the help of Chet. She asks for more prayers from all of us so she can really get back to walking unaided again.

If you are still thinking of what to give your friends and family, I think Chet's book will make a great gift. Through his daily updates via email, all of us were kept abreast of Margie's condition, of the suffering she went through, of Chet's devotion to her, and her triumph over the direst medical conditions. Readers will be moved by Chet's descriptions of Margie's battles, and of the ways he coped throughout the ordeal. But as they say, love conquers all, and his unwavering support for his wife while she lay ill, became Margie's passport to her recovery.

Here are a few photos from last night's book launch:

(Chet talks about the contents of his book, mostly email updates of Margie's condition.)

(Margie thanking everyone for their prayers and words of support.)

(With Margie, superwoman!)

GMA sings!

“First, I am not afraid
I’m not petrified
Kept thinking I could always live
with immunity by my side
Though I spent so many nights
thinking I did nothing wrong
I am strong
I learned how to carry on
(Sung to Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive)

Sing along to the presidentita's new top hit! Click The Professional Heckler for the rest of the lyrics. Me minus one pa kasama! O ha!

Celebrate life

IF you remember, my friend and press colleague Margie Quimpo-Espino of the Phil. Daily Inquirer, suffered a brain aneurysm on Nov. 29, 2008. It's been a year since that happened and Margie is now talking, texting, and baking even! The last time we chatted via Facebook (yes, she's back on it!), she said she was still having difficulty walking. But other than that, she really sounded extremely fine and grateful for everyone's prayers and continuing messages of concern.

On Monday, Dec. 7, a book on about her ordeal and triumph in the face of much suffering, will be launched at the Powerbooks Greenbelt. Entitled "88 Days in India: A pilgrimage of faith, hope and love", the book is authored by Margie's husband, former Inquirer reporter Chet Espino, and is now available at all Powerbooks branches.

Pls. get a copy of this book and be inspired with Margie and Chet's story.