"Guilty" Ayon sa Dalawampu

[caption id="attachment_2646" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="(image courtesy of gmanetwork.com)"][/caption] Limang buwan. Iyan halos ang itinagal ng pagdinig (kabilang ang recession ng senado) sa impeachment complaint na inihain laban sa punong mahistrado, si Renato Corona. Kanina, tinutukan ng sambayanan ang pagpapaliwanag ng desisyon ng dalawampu't tatlong senator-judges, kung saan nakakuha ng majority 20 votes ang nagsasabing guilty si CJ Corona sa Article 2 ng inihaing impeachment complaint--- na sumentro sa hindi umano pagdedeklara nang tama ni Corona ng kaniyang Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth o SALN. Sa dalawampng senador na nagpaliwanag ng kanilang "guilty" verdict, halos iisa lang din ang kanilang paliwanag: hindi katanggap-tanggap ang paliwanag mismo ni Corona sa hindi niya pagdeklara ng kaniyang ibang "yaman" sa kaniyang SALN, na tungkulin dapat ng lahat ng public officials. ang tatlong bumoto ng "not guilty" pabor sa punong mahistrado, ipinaliwanag na hindi napatunayan ng prosekusyon, batay sa mga inihain nilang ebidensya, na nagkasala rito si Corona. Tapos na ang pagdinig. May hatol na kay Corona. Ngayon, nakatutok ang sambayanan sa maraming bagay, pero unang-una na ang pagsunod ng iba pang public officials sa "transparency" na kanilang ipinagsisigawan. Nakakatawa lang din kaseng isipin na kung sino ang mga masigasig na umuusig sa nasakdal na punong mahistrado, sila rin ang hindi nakahanda na ipakita ang kanilang SALN o ipabusisi ang kanilang bank account/s sa ngalan ng "transparency." Tanong nga ng galit na galit na si Senador Miriam Defensor Santiago, kung lahat ng opisyal ng gobyerno ay nananawagan sa transparency, bakit lagi pa rin nasa mataas na pwesto ang Pilipinas pagdating sa listahan ng pinaka-corrupt sa buong mundo? Gaano nga ba tayo katotoo na laban tayo sa korupsyon? Isang tanong na hindi alam ni Juan kung kailan masasagot.

Pagod na sa kakaasa ang mga Pilipino. Maganda ang Pilipinas... kung tapat din sana ang gobyernong namumuno rito at naglilingkod sa mga mamamayan. hindi natin kailangang mangibang-bayan pa para lang masabing "may paraiso rin pala sa mundo, pero hindi nga lang dito." :(

When Your Body Breathes Its Last

early 2000's... i started to take time learning and eventually liking the internet. one of the first online activities which caught my interest, even before blogging, was engaging in discussions in the online community, Pinoy Exchange dot com. Then more than the active message boards/forums, PEx opened the Wireless Journal service. I got more addicted to it and didn't mind much the infotext spending per post. yup. we use our mobile phones to post online. When we log-in to our account in web, we can edit our posts or reply to somebody else's wireless journal account. In easier terms, it was the early 2000's "twitter." but the interface was simpler and posting is more orderly in the wireless journal. people who owns a wireless journal account keeps their "time lines" clean and as much as possible, "chat-free." so it is always a delight to sneak into the others' journal. stalker you may call yourself but the subject eventually becomes your online friend. This is where i met RevenanT. like most of the PExers i met online during those years, RevenanT eventually became a real-life friend of mine. I always look for him to guide me through my most dreaded place (to go)--- Makati. he lives there so it's very handy for him to be my tourist guide around his city.

fast forward to present... i received a text message from supposedly another friend of RevenanT telling me he already passed away. i was shocked. last time we talked was still online, this time thru twitter, dated October of last year. and RevenanT vouluntarily replied to a random twit-question of mine:



...yes. he was still trying to be helpful on my inquiry about directions in Makati. now, RevenanT is gone. his online accounts remain open and what we, his friends, can just do is to get back to his posts to remember him and the good old days when we got acquainted with each other.

when your body breathes its last, who would remember? is leaving your online accounts open to public, even when you're gone, a good way to make your loved ones and friends remember you for as long as the internet exists? among your hundreds of Facebook friends, who will remain on your side after you've shut your eyes for good?

Apung Ingging witnessed 35 years of me...

Mother not only to her children but to us,
her grandchildren as well

When we (cousins) were younger, we were so blessed to be under the care of our grandparents, particularly (on my dad's side) Apung Tino & his wife, Apung Ingging. My sister is their 1st apo and since her, the succeeding apos went under the care of the couple. I just find it amazing (and until now) that our lolo and lola never got tired of looking after us, when they have already finished their obligations as parents to their 7 offsprings. 5 of my adolescent years were spent with them in Minalin while my parents work in Manila. Apung Tino will be remembered (by Jon) as the "man with a few words," ever industrious and thrifty. he is the disciplinarian among our elders. i loved his values and until now, i admire them.  Apung Ingging, on the other hand, is the mother figure who selflessly gives everything for her family. She doesn't really care if nothing's left for her for as long as her children, and grand children have something for themselves. She cooks good, and her pork sinigang was my first love. She never left us in times of typhoon, the strong earthquake in 1990, the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991, and the succeeding years of endless flooding. I've witnessed how she took care of my younger cousins when their parents are far away from them. And even I never felt neglected under her care (and Apung Tino's also.) They played the parents role to some of us (cousins) who, for a time, were separated from our hardworking moms and dads.   Apung Ingging cooks a different ulam for me when she serves all the rest of the family tidtad. Coz she knows i don't eat blood. At my young age, I greatly appreciated that because she showed a lot of respect to my beliefs. She witnessed the stage of my life--- from the young Jon to the "bayung-tawu" who I came to be. And even after I left them to go to college, the couple frequently sees me as I grew older, entered my years of adulthood, got married and have a kid. I paid them a visit whenever there're occasions and it's amazing that they took under their care a new generation of family members, still, tirelessly. Apung Ingging as she gets older started to lose her voice but her mind remains alert and vibrant. More admirable when our lolo Tino got sick and bed-ridden, Apung Ingging never left his side. She was his strength. She was his loyal better-half, until he breathe his last in 2009. After his passing, I knew Apung Ingging got lonely... and who wouldn't, anyway?  Last Monday, I got this surprising news while i was driving on my way home from work... that Apung Ingging already decided to rest. She has no known illness, and she isn't that old either. So I was REALLY surprised. And to borrow the first apo's FB status when she learned of our grandma's passing, to quote, "Apung Ingging : so lovingly remembered; so sadly will be missed." Today, on my 36th birthday, she will be laid to rest. At least, Apung Ingging witnessed 35 years of me. Today, I thank GOD for bringing me to a family who really knows the very essence of the word--- FAMILY.

Labor Day, Holiday!

It's the first of May (my month) and in the Philippines, this date marks Labor Day or Araw ng mga Manggagawa. Yep, holiday is back on its original date with the incumbent President not doing the previous administration's "economic holiday"--- sandwich days are back for the working Pinoys!

It's a good day to start the month. This morning, our cheering team topped all other teams who participated in the PNK Cheering Presentation for Area 4. There were 6 teams who competed and yeah, it was sure nice to have emerged victorious after not joining so many activities in the past. the hardwork of the kids paid off. Now they have to prepare to represent the Area for the district finals, together with the Cainta team :D

Later tonight, wifey & i will be going out on a date. Got two premiere tickets to American Pie: Reunion courtesy of Pinoy Exchange dot com. The only thing I didn't like about the freebie is that, it's going to be screened in Greenbelt. I really not like driving to Makati, and commuting there isn't even an option today. And i read tweets that it's raining in some parts of the metro, including Makati so it will be a great hassle if we commute going there. Anyway, i need to cherish the rest of the holiday, and look forward to more holidays / family days!

[caption id="attachment_2625" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="the Village East PNK Cheering Team after the announcement of the Grand Champion"][/caption]

Busy Lang

Madalang na akong makapag-update. BUSY LANG. Isa sa mga pinagkakaabalahan ko sa trabaho ay ang pagsasagawa ng mga aktibidad na sponsored ng kumpanya. Maraming oras ang kinakain nito mula sa paghahanda, hanggang sa aktwal na petsa, at kung ako pa ang may hawak ng budget ng proyekto, kailangan ko pang asikasuhin ang liquidation ng budget. Maliban sa mga ito, kailangan ding isulat ang ginanap na event. BUSY LANG. Pero nakakaaliw ang trabaho. Malaking tulong din na mabait ang mga tao mo sa paligid at very supportive naman sa mga gawaing para sa kumpanya. Wala pa naman akong balak na iwan ang blogging. BUSY LANG.