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For the past five days Cory Aquino was 80% of Inquirer.net’s news items and the day she died, she was the on international news sites CNN, Time, Yahoo and more. People began showing fanaticism, appreciation, and support for her. When I was a kid I only knew her as the first woman president in the Philippines and in Asia – I didn’t even understand what happened in Edsa then. But over the past days I learned more about her and I can’t help but admire her character.

Watching Kris Aquino tell about her mother’s last days brought me back to my own experience of Mommy’s last days in the hospital. It’s true what she said – it’s very painful to watch your mother cry in pain and know that you can’t do anything. And it’s hard to pray when you don’t know if you should pray for her to survive the pain or just let God take her and end the suffering. I’m happy it’s over for her and that she’s at peace now – no doubt she’s in heaven. Watching old news files and hearing her close friends’ stories about her makes me feel honored that it was her who represented the Filipinos in the global stage during the time when the world was actually attentively tuned in.

As you’ve heard from everyone, I also wanna extend my gratitude and sadness for this loss. Thank you, President Cory.

This is all over the place now and yesterday, Boyet Fajardo’s camp released an excuse for his bullying of two Duty Free Philippines employees. The excuse? Creative outburst. The incident was a result of a fucking creative outburst! Come on! To quote it, “Figure of speech ang kanyang ginawa eh. Bilang fashion designer, artist nga, ay minsan ay nagkakaroon ng mga creative outburst dahil na rin siguro sa pagod na nafi-feel niya ng mga panahon na iyon.” said Boyet Fajardo’s spokesperson.

If you don’t know what happened, according to eyewitnesses, Boyet Fajardo was shopping in Duty Free Philippines last March 13. He was trying to use an unsigned credit card so the cashier asked him for IDs. That triggered his public ego/power tripping with words like “Mga leche kayo! Hindi niyo ako kilala? Ako si Boyet Fajardo! At itong p…ina na babaeng ito (pointing to a lady supervisor) at ang baklang ito (pointing to the cashier) ay walang kwentang mga tao! I want them fired!” And he went on to say he’d only be appeased if he would slap the cashier or the cashier would kneel in front of him in apology. The cashier knelt down and cried just to end it all.

Who’s Boyet Fajardo, you ask? Don’t worry. Many people really don’t know him. Apparently, he’s a fashion designer with RTWs distributed in different department stores under the labels Substance, Initials and Boyet Fajardo. The incident was caught by the security cameras and has been uploaded to YouTube. And now, bloggers are launching a boycott of his products.

What’s funny is, his camp even asks the people to take it easy with the boycott because of Fajardo’s rising international status. Why? They think Filipinos would be proud of someone who thinks he’s better than everybody and did mean things to humble workers?  Puta! You’re a public figure, you’d do something mean and irrational, give out a stupid excuse, and still have the nerve to ask the public for consideration of his international reputation.

I’m interested to hear his side. But the video, though inaudible, says it all. The part when he was pointing to the cashier’s face – he was “explaining something” daw and the video was misinterpreted. Yeah. Find someone who will believe that.

Boyet Fajardo still has not faced the media or issued an apology. The labor union in Duty Free Philippines is now preparing to press charges against Fajardo and has also appealed to Commission on Human Rights. I am all for supporting Filipino talents but not for any of Boyet Fajardo’s kind – mean and rude.

***

UPDATE!!!

Boyet Fajardo says Sorry. Watch the video here. Hmm… Do you consider that apology valid when he incorrectly said the person’s name?

Boyet, dear, his surname is Fernandez, not Hernandez. The name of the person you’re apologizing to is very important or else it’s like you’re saying sorry to a lamp post. Or a tree. And next time if you have a fever, haven’t eaten yet and have come from a “long overhauled” flight, go home. Do not go to Duty Free to shop. Or if shopping is your therapy, at least have a snack before doing so. Unless you’re also on a diet then you might as well take back all this crap and rewrite your apology script.

This sounds unlikely but while browsing CNN today I got really interested in this news about President Bush regretting some of the statements he made during his two-year term as president. As a Pinoy who’s totally naive about the real deal in politics, I may not really understand what about his past decisions were bad and good. All I know is he engaged in a war against terrorism which was condemned by many and it caused quite a stir on how the world lives now. But somehow I feel it was a good thing because who knows, worse things might have come had he not done that. I’m not saying that he was a good president nor was he bad. Like I said, I’m stupid when it comes to politics. It was just a lowly private’s point of view. Hehe.

Based on the interview, his exit is graceful and he’s hopeful for Obama. That’s good. Here in the Philippines, transition stage between presidents are filled with bitterness and comparison. Can’t we just help each other? Just because you’re not the president anymore it doesn’t mean that you’re no longer part of the country. Our government can learn from the maturity and dedication of the U.S.

Here’s the interview from CNN:

NEW YORK (CNN) — As his presidency nears its end, a reflective President Bush suggested Tuesday that he regrets some of his more blunt statements on the war on terrorism over the last eight years and said he wishes he had not spoken in front of a “Mission Accomplished” banner only a month after U.S. troops in Iraq were deployed.

“I regret saying some things I shouldn’t have said,” Bush told CNN’s Heidi Collins when asked to reflect on his regrets over his two terms as president. “Like ‘dead or alive’ and ‘bring ‘em on.’ My wife reminded me that, hey, as president of the United States, be careful what you say.”

The interview, aboard the USS Intrepid in New York, came after the president addressed a Veterans Day ceremony.

Shortly after the attacks of September 11, the president said of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden: “I want justice. There’s an old poster out West that said, ‘Wanted, dead or alive.’ “

Bush was also criticized in 2003 for his answer addressing insurgents in Iraq.

“There are some who feel like that the conditions are such that they can attack us there. My answer is, bring ‘em on,” he said then.

On Tuesday, the president also referenced the moment aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln on May 1, 2003, during which he declared an end to major combat operations in Iraq.

“They had a sign that said ‘Mission Accomplished.’ It was a sign aimed at the sailors on the ship, but it conveyed a broader knowledge. To some it said, well, Bush thinks the war in Iraq is over, when I didn’t think that. But nonetheless, it conveyed the wrong message.”

The president, whose legacy is sure to be hotly debated for decades, said there also is much he is proud of.

“I am proud to be the commander in chief of people who are so selfless and so courageous that they would volunteer to serve our country in a time of war,” he said. “I’m proud when I see people feed the hungry. I’m proud when I’m in Africa and see volunteers helping those citizens dying of HIV/AIDS.”

In the wide-ranging interview, the president also discussed his Monday meeting with President-elect Barack Obama and said he consulted former President Clinton before his meeting with the future commander in chief.

“I remember the conversation I had with my predecessor Bill Clinton,” Bush said. As a matter of fact, [I] called him yesterday and said, ‘Bill, I’m getting ready to meet with the new president, and I remember how gracious you were to me. I hope I can be as gracious to President-elect Obama as you were to me.’ ”

Bush described the atmosphere in his Oval Office meeting with Obama as relaxed and said he offered the future president advice on the transition process. Bush also said Obama was specifically interested in how his two young daughters would adjust to life in the White House.

“It was interesting to watch him go upstairs,” Bush said. “He wanted to see where his little girls were going to sleep. Clearly, this guy is going to bring a sense of family to the White House, and I hope Laura and I did the same thing. But I believe he will, and I know his girls are on his mind and he wants to make sure that first and foremost, he is a good dad. And I think that’s going to be an important part of his presidency.”

Bush said he plans to return to Texas after he leaves office January 20 and “may write a book” but otherwise has few plans. “No doubt I’m heading straight home. I miss Texas; I love Texas; I’ve got a lot of friends in Texas.

“I’ll probably get back and take a deep breath,” he said.

Bush said he has begun to think about an outline for the book.

“I want people to know what it was like to make some of the decisions I had to make,” he said. “In other words, what was the moment like? And I’ve had one of those presidencies where I’ve had to make some tough calls, and I want people to know the truth about what it was like sitting in the Oval Office.”

Bush expressed regret that Republican presidential nominee John McCain did not win the presidency but called the election of Obama “good for our country.”

“The election of Barack Obama is an historic moment for our country. There are a lot of people in America who did not believe they would ever see this day. It is good for our country that people have hope in the system and feel vested in the future and President-elect Obama has a great opportunity,” Bush said. “I really do wish him all the best. I am just as American as he is American, and it is good for our country that the president succeeds.”

Poverty has always been a social problem that I’ve always heard about since I started school. But it never affected me until my luxurious life was taken back and I was thrown into the cruel world to survive alone. Now I realize that my experience wasn’t even half of what others go through everyday. Some of us has to dig dirt, beg for money, or sell his/her body and soul just to survive life. And trying to look from their point of view, it’s life with nowhere to go. That’s why those who are weak just lose hope and let themselves sink deeper in the pit that they’re in.

It’s been decades and it looks like the situation is getting worse. We have asked many times: how do we end this? What can we do? And the answers have been presented. Many times. The problem is nobody’s working. Or not everyone is working. I believe that the government, the rich and the poor should do their part in order to end poverty.

1. As people who are well-off and can afford to buy things easily, it is not our fault why others don’t have anything to eat. It’s true. But as humans, it is our moral responsibility to share our wealth to those who are in need especially if we have more than enough for ourselves already. It may be weird to roam the streets, find a beggar and treat him/her to lunch (though it’s possible) but we can donate money or goods to charitable institutions so they can reach out to the poor in our behalf.
2. As a government or private institution established to help the poor, we may be in need of money too but it’s not a reason for us to use the donations for ourselves. It’s a form of stealing. There are people who are much more in need of these help than us. We’re lucky to have a job, earn at least a thousand per month and not sleep on the streets. Let’s not think of ourselves. Instead, be sincere in doing good to others and represent the institution that we are working in with honor and integrity.
3. As someone who’s poor and experiencing the effects of poverty, let’s not hate on rich people and the government. The media has over-presented corruption in our government but there are still good people left who are willing to do good to us. And on top of that, let’s help ourselves. Let’s establish a dream for ourselves to motivate us to progress even in the hardest times. Do not lose hope. Let’s not resort to criminal acts or do harm to others because it will never help us or justify the bad things happening to us. Instead, let’s find a way to be productive in a clean way and grab every opportunity to grow. There’s always hope as long as we’re alive.
4. As members of the media with the power to reach a wide range of people, let’s not present only the bad things in our society. It is perfectly right to present the facts even if they’re negative. But let’s also present the good side of things and if possible, put more emphasis to it. I don’t believe there is nothing good left in the world. Please, let’s empower the society to that we can instill hope to everyone that together we can end this poverty.

To all of us… Let’s not be greedy. It is exactly why there’s hunger and poverty. This world is gifted by God with so much for all of us to share. Only, some of us tend to get too much than what they need.

October 15th is Blog Action Day 2008. In this simple way, an hour-and-a-half left before the day ends, I hope to have expressed a significant idea that may hopefully do good to our society.

The Philippines has an oil field? I didn’t know that. I heard about the Malampaya natural gas field but certainly not this one.

From Inquirer.net

MANILA, Philippines—After numerous delays, the Galoc oil field off northwest Palawan has finally produced oil, boosting the country’s hope to become 60-percent energy self-sufficient by 2010.

First discovered in 1981 and appraised in 1988, the Galoc field was left undeveloped due to the risks associated with its development and the then low price of oil.

Delays in the delivery of the first oil mean that its operators have missed this year’s oil price rally. Global crude oil prices are now around $89 a barrel, well off highs near $150 a barrel in mid-July.

In a joint statement, Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes and Jeff Davison, chief operating officer of service contract operator Galoc Production Co. (GPC), said the first well opened at 10:45 a.m., with first oil on board the vessel by 11:20 a.m.

GPC had repeatedly missed its first oil targets this year due mainly to bad weather.

Based on the consortium’s timetable, flow testing would be conducted over the coming weeks to stabilize production. Upon stabilization, production is expected to reach 20,000 barrels a day from the two wells.

6 percent of oil demand

For the remainder of 2008, production should average around 17,000 barrels a day.

“We are expecting to get 20,000 barrels a day in the first 90 days of commercial production. That will provide for 6 percent of the daily oil demand of the country,” Reyes said.

Independent appraiser Gaffney, Cline and Associates had estimated the production rate at the Galoc field to reach 23,000 barrels a day, on average, for the first year of production.

The Galoc field, 65 km northwest of Palawan, holds oil reserves estimated at 10 million barrels.

The new crude will raise the Philippines’ domestic oil output by some 70 percent to 42,500 bpd, a welcome addition to the country, which imports nearly all of its requirements.

But Galoc’s crude, also called Palawan Light, could find it hard attracting customers as it has a higher sulphur content than most Asia-Pacific grades, at 1.64 percent.

It is also coming on stream at a time of weakening oil demand in Asia, even as Vietnam has started selling first cargoes of its new light sweet Song Doc crude.

Anyway, it’s always good news to see the country doing other things than minding its usual crazy politics and whatnots! I hope this will help improve the quality of living of Filipinos. I may speak and teach English but I’ll always be a Pinoy at heart.

I looked forward to watching the opening ceremony of Beijing Olympics last Friday but sadly I was in the office doing work until around 2AM. Searching for it online was hard because streaming video websites are removing them – maybe they’ll allow it only after the games have concluded. But based on the pictures and some of the low-quality streams I saw, it was quite a show. Even GMA gave congratulatory remarks (hopefully it was a sincere act and not just a ploy to start some politcal arrangements with them – darn I hate politcs) to the Chinese president for her “memorable” experience. 15,000 performers and $49,000,000 worth of production that took seven years to plan and prepare? It should be memorable.

I haven’t watched the entire ceremony yet. It was, I think, more than an hour before the Olympic cauldron was lighted. There was this incredible video that I saw where 2,008 drummers were pounding big LED drums and they, collectively, projected a bird’s eye countdown to the start of the show by turning their drum lights on/off on cue and then boom! Fireworks! And then there was this “footprints” fireworks around the city that made its way to the National Stadium and then another fireworks show. I wonder how Beijing smelled after the opening ceremony. So far, I only saw videos of the start of it and the lighting of the cauldron and they were very impressive and new (for me). I love it and I can’t wait to grab a copy of the entire show.

Don’t these pictures make you excited? Photos taken from random sites on the Net.

Here are some videos:

Olympics 2008 Opening Ceremony – video powered by Metacafe

2008 Beijing Olympic Opening Ceremony – The best free videos are right here

This is so sad. Another story of campus killing – a senseless act that nullifies innocent people’s dreams and everything they’ve worked for just like that. Even if it’s half-way around the world, it still bothers me that there are people, no matter how troubled they are, who can do such horrible thing. School is where you’re supposed mold your dreams and yet in this case, all of it crumbled down here. Northern Illinois University is the latest victim of campus massacre. It’s just last year when Virginia Tech. had the same incident in the hands of an angry student.

Up to now, nobody knows why the gunman did it. Thinking about it, I can feel how scary it was for those who survived to remember the scene. A classic horror movie came to life – from behind the curtains of the stage, a hooded man just open-fired. I pray for that guy’s soul. He might have been troubled or it might have been the result of his medication but this is just unfair. I still can’t find an excuse to absolve him.

I never liked violence. It would take a lot to provoke me into a brawl. And for killings to happen where you’re supposed to be safe learning the things you need to know is just scary. This has to stop. Never again should such incident happen anywhere. The guy apparently sneaked that shot-gun in a guitar case. Argh! I don’t know what to say. I just feel bad that this happened again. I pray for them. This is a challenge that nobody deserves.