SITEL owns city waiting sheds?

G-SPAT
Grace Bandoy

At last po, the city council finally took up the matter on SITEL-painted waiting sheds that a lot of us hate. We posted in this column reactions of Baguio citizens to the colorfully painted waiting sheds we now have around the city with SITEL stamped on these.

Ngayon lang po tayo nakakuha ng copy of the memorandum of agreement that Mayor Domogan signed with SITEL (First party po si SITEL, second party The City government of Baguio Represented by Jon. Mayor Mauricio Domogan). Here are some excerpts from the MOA (with interpretations hehehe) and judge for yourself:

“The First Party (SITEL), after a thorough dialogue and consultation with the Second Party (Hon. Domogan) and conformably with the former’s corporate social responsibility initiatives and with its abiding commitment to render meaningful and sustainable support and assistance to the community, has proposed to undertake the below-mentioned projects; (mabait daw po ang SITEL at gustong tumulong sa kanilang kapwa?)

The Second Party, recognizing the necessity of private sector participation in the affairs of governance, has assented to the First Party’s proposition; (naniniwala daw po si Mayor sa drama ng SITEL?)

The parties expressed their willingness and amenability to forge a partnership with each other in the maintenance and upkeep of various waiting sheds in Baguio City and in providing work vests to the maintenance personnel of the city involved in street sweeping and garbage collection; (in short, pipintahan at lilinisan daw ng SITEL ang ilang mga waiting sheds natin at magbibigay sila ng vests sa ating mga street sweepers and garbage collectors at nag-go! naman po si Mayor dito)

The First Party shall, at its own expense: (barya daw po ng SITEL ang gagastusin?)
cause the re-painting of waiting sheds located within the central business district and sponsor the tailoring of work vests for Baguio City street sweepers and garbage collectors.

Fifteen waiting sheds po ang covered ng MOA na ito located sa Central Business District ng city (mga strategic advertising locations, meaning maraming makakabasang mga tao)

The First Party shall be allowed by the Second Party to incorporate in the painting works its company name or brand logo, located at such portions of the waiting sheds as may readily be seen.. (lalagyan ng everything SITEL-related ang mga waiting sheds)

The First Party shall be responsible in coming up with the color and design scheme of the waiting sheds, which shall include the company or brand logo of the First Party; (design ng SITEL ang ilalagay) and present to the Second party the color and design scheme of the waiting sheds, for the approval of the latter, particularly the Head of the City Building and Architecture Office; (ipapa approve kay Mayor and sa CBAO ang design)

The First Party shall also supply all painting tools and materials; (barya ng SITEL ang gagamiting pang-paint?) and provide all the required manpower for repainting; (mga call center agents ng SITEL ang magpipinta?)

It is understood by Both Parties that the re-painting of the waiting sheds shall commence after the approval of the color and design scheme by the Second Party; (ibig sabihin na approve na po ni Domogan ang re-painting since ilang months na rin naman pong nakatiwangwang sa public ang SITEL waiting sheds na eto?!)

The Second Party guarantees that the re-painted sheds shall not be re-painted by any other private or public entities for a period of two years from the effectivity of this agreement, unless the painting works have been degraded to such extent as would defeat its purpose; (dalawang taon po nating i-me memorize ang logo at telephone number ng SITEL at wala na pong iba tayong dapat i-memorize!)

The Second Party guarantee that the immediate vicinity of the waiting sheds shall at all times be kept and maintained as a safe and clean area; (inuutusan po ng SITEL si Mayor Domogan na siguruhing malinis at ligtas ang mga SITEL waiting sheds pagkatapos mapintahan ng SITEL?)

The First Party shall sponsor the tailoring of 169 pieces of work vests for the maintenance personnel of the city of Baguio, to be distributed as follows: (169 na vests po ang kapalit ng advertisement ng SITEL sa ating 15 waiting sheds, magkano lang ang isang vest noh? Kapalit ng kanilang libreng advertisement for two years?)

The First Party shall also be responsible in coming up with the color and design scheme of the vests, which shall include the company or brand logo of the First Party; (Pati pala vests SITELized din?! Gagamitin pang walking advertisements ang ating mga street sweepers and garbage collectors?Ang suwerte naman ata ng SITEL na to di ba?!)

The Second Party shall schedule and coordinate an event in which the sponsored vests shall be presented and given to the street sweepers and garbage collectors.

For this, the Second Party shall be responsible in assuring the attendance of the recipients and of the officers of the First party for the event… (inuutusan ng SITEL si Mayor na mag schedule ng special occasion para maipakita sa madlang people ang pamimigay ng SITEL ng kanilang pinagmamalaking vests para sa ating mga street sweepers at garbage collectors?, inuutos din kay Mayor na siguruhing nandun ang mga tatanggap ng vests at mga opisyal ng SITEL para bongga ang event na ito?!)

It is hereby agreed and understood that the First Party shall have the right to unilaterally rescind this Agreement upon due notice in case of serious breach by the Second Party of any of the foregoing conditions; (Walang karapatan si mayor na i-cancel ang kanilang blood compact?, SITEL lang ang may karapatang gawin ito!)

The Second Party warrants that it is clothed with the full power and authority to enter into this contract involving the foregoing subject matters; (Sinisiguro ni Mayor na may katauhan siyang makipag friendship kay SITEL?)

Panay naman po yata ang utos ng SITEL kay Mayor dun sa kanilang MOA hindi po ba?! Para sa kapiranggot na ginamit na pintor at 169 vests lang pala ang kapalit?! Matalino naman po si Mayor and a very practical leader (?) bakit naman po siya pumayag sa ganitong ka absurd na deal?

Alam naman po nating lahat kung gaano kamahal ang mag pa advertise ngayon, lalo na po sa mga public places. Bawal pa nga po mag advertise sa mga public buildings eh! Kasama na po diyan ang ating mga waiting sheds. Pero nakalusot ang SITEL huh!

Ang latest update po neto after they took it up po sa city council last Monday (courtesy of our lady councilor Lourdes Tabanda who remains sexy and young-looking throughout the years) eh inutusan daw po ang SITEL na tanggalin ang kanilang mga ipininta at ibalik sa dating hitsura ang mga waiting sheds coz hindi daw po sila sumunod sa MOA as to ano po yung mga dapat ilagay at kung anong kulay ang gagamitin.

Hindi rin daw po ulit papayagan mag paint ang SITEL until the city council approves their Contract with the mayor and hindi rin daw po nila papayagan ang two years na Contract.

Tututukan pa rin ho natin eto and we will make sure that everybody will do the right thing. Marami po kasi ang nag vo volunteer i-paint ng maganda at artistic and walang advertisement ang mga waiting sheds na yan (at their own expense din po) at mag do donate ng mas maraming vests pa hehehe.

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I’m pro-gay

G-SPAT
Grace Bandoy

There’s nothing wrong with these people. They’re not abnormal, weird, crazy or freaky. Like us, who have our own ways of thinking and living, ganun din sila, walang pinag kaiba sa atin.

They’re not bad people as long as they’re not committing crimes or hurting other people or becoming nuisances in our society. It’s just that they choose to be in relationships with those who have the same gender as theirs.

It’s about time we open our minds to this reality. Gay people will always be here and they’re becoming as many as there are men and women on earth. Baka 30% na ng population are gays hindi lang natin alam di ba.

They should have equal rights as we heterosexuals have. Well, yung legalization ng marriage in this Catholic country of ours is medyo malayo pang mangyari siguro (because we are a Catholic country nga) but if they want to marry themselves in other ways aside from the Catholic way, well…

What is wrong with that? And they have the right to marry themselves wherever they choose! Kahit saang sulok ng mundo nila ikasal ang mga sarili nila puwede rin!

Gay marriages conducted in Baguio will even give a boost to our tourism industry, wala bang nakaisip nun? All the gay couples not only from around the country but from around the world will all come here to marry! Imagine the money it will bring to our city tutal mukhang pera naman ang mga opisyal natin dito di ba?

We will be the Gay Marriage Capital in the world – that’s not so bad di ba?!

It’s time we open our minds to all the possibilities out there, to everything that can happen in this world…wala na pong mga hindi puwedeng mangyari ngayon. Lahat ng mga naiisip ng taong bagay puwede ng mangyari, whether we like it or not.

Being gay is, I think, something that’s physiological. Hindi po sila nagkukunwari na ganyan sila. Most of them were born gay. I truly believe that God created gay people also, hindi naimpluwensiyahan ng society or ng kanilang environment, marami pong pinanganak na bakla or tomboy na.

I also believe millions of people out there are bisexual, many are even married. Sila po yung mga hindi nagladlad and followed the traditional way of living which is living as a man or a woman (but deep inside them eh they also desire yung ka – gender nila). And there’s totally nothing wrong with them, in fact, I wouldn’t mind going out with a bisexual guy.

Ako nga may mga girl crushes but I would prefer having a boyfriend and all my crushes now are mga boys lang, so what do you call me? Abnormal ba ako?

Being gay is really not appalling. Although I freaked out and threw up when I watched Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger sodomizing each other or whatever it was they did in that tent sa Brokeback Mountain (but only because it was they’re both super guwapo Hollywood actors na mga crush ko, coz yung sex scenes ni Coco Martin and Alan Paule sa Masahista is ok lang naman sa akin), gay men – cross dressers or not – are also human and they need to be respected and should be as free as the “normal” men are.

Girl to girl action (lalo na kissing) is I think sexy, and mas lalo pag parehong sexy and pretty yung mga girls hehehe. I suggest you all watch the movie “Jennifer’s Body” of Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried or the Asian super cool movie “So Close”.

Gay relationships and gay men and women are part of our society already. They are our friends and relatives, certainly all of us know someone who is gay. Let’s give them the freedom we enjoy, they’re citizens of this nation anyway and they’re human as we are…Peace!

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Vergara’s projects

G-SPAT
Grace Bandoy

I wish to acknowledge the very immediate response of Rep. Bernardo Vergara with regards po sa ating hinihinging updates of his accomplishments. Like Flash Gordon with his lightning rod speed, just days po after our request was published, he called for a press conference at eto na po ang ibinigay na updates of his accomplishments from 2010 – present:

Accomplished Projects from July to December 2010 –
Circumferential Road – Happy Hollow 30 Million – Completed
City Camp Lagoon 29 Million – 25% Complete
Gibraltar Barangay Road 2.7 Million – 100% Complete
Lower QM Drainage System P 500,000 – 100% Complete
Lighting Systems – Burnham, flyover, overpasses
and landscaping nung ilalim ng BGH flyover 35 Million – 100% Complete
Motor Cycles for Police 3 Million – under bidding process
Scholarship Program (with Domogan) 7 Million – 100% Complete
Livelihood Projects (BARP, Women’s Group, DSWD) 3 Million – on-going
Medical fund – BGH 2 Million – on – going
JICA Calamity Fund 71 Million – on- going retaining wall projects
Construction of Overpass – Abanao Street 5 Million – under bidding process
Construction of Overpass – unknown site yet 5 Million – under bidding process
Motor Vehicles Users Tax – Leonard Wood Rd. 10 Million – preparing program for bidding

Projects for 2011
Circumferential Road 140 Million
Bokawkan to Loakan Road, PMA Cut-off, Chanum St., Kennon, Outlook Drive to Magsaysay Avenue, Quezon Hill, Major Mane and Baguio – Bauang Road
Asphalting of Two National Roads 15 Million
Others
Proposed beautification of the Rose Garden
Proposed underpass if Bokawkan flyover is not approved

May nagtext po sa atin at nagsabing hindi pa daw ibinibigay ang P500,000.00 na Livelihood and Productivity Fund na na-promise po ni Cong. Vergara for the BARP group last year pa daw po eto. Dapat ibigay na po eto para magamit na po sa mabuti ng ating mga lolos and lolas sa BARP hindi po ba?

Salamat din po sa mga nag text encouraging us to research more on these projects kung saan napupunta po ang ating mga pera. There was even a text suggesting we also research where the Councilor’s funds go to, we will try po.

So well, ako po ay hindi masyadong satisfied sa report ni Congressman. Because aside po from his PDAF na binibigay ng National govt., si lolo Bernie po eh masipag din po mag-solicit ng additional funds niya from people and other groups for his projects.

Hindi po really clear sa akin where his 2011 budget went to. Magkano na po ba ang nasa kanyang kamay na budget for 2011 and saan na po ginastos ang mga eto? Tayo naman po eh nagtatanong lang, wala naman po sigurong bad if we do, hindi po ba Sir? Mr. PR Ferdie Balanag? and people from your office? (feeling ko po kasi during the press conference kung saan inimbita niyo po ako eh nanggigigil po yata kayo sa akin sa inis? hehehe). Peace po tayo!
***
High blood po ako sa mga waiting sheds natin na ginawang permanent and concrete, long-term advertisement space ng Sitel and Love Radio!

May balak naman po palang gawing concrete canvass ang ating mga waiting sheds ni Mayor Domogan eh bakit ngayon lang po ginawa? And bakit naman po ad campaign pa ang naisip ilagay? Ganun na ba kahirap ang ating city at hindi na natin kayang i-maintain ang ating mga waiting sheds? That there is a need to have them leased or rented out or whatever to commercial companies?

And how much naman po kaya ang nakuha ng ating local government in exchange for these massive, permanent, long-term ad campaign by Sitel (numerous waiting sheds) and Love Radio (Engineers Hill waiting shed, ang nakita ko pa lang hehehe)

I wish to share the comments of Baguio Citizens when I posted the Sitel Waiting Shed in my Facebook:

“Next thing you know the city of pines would be known as the city of Sitel....welcome to Sitel city!”

“Dumaan b yan sa bidding? approved by yan nang NEDA? dumaan by yan nang public consultation?..hahaha”

“OMG SITELIZATION of Baguio! So they will be preventing Baguio people to pee when needed, require EOP, forced OTs, holiday duties & work during typhoons and get breaks only when allowed by the coach?”

“hehehe pinagbawalan yung mga frats na magpintura, yung sitel pinayagan ...very logical”
“ah dapat pala me URL tsaka phone number para di ipagbawal hihihi”

“malicious mischief versus City of Baguio and co-conspirator Sitel!”

“nagtitipid ang city kaya pinapintor sa SITEL para "pro bono" ba say mo je je”

“How could they have even thought about painting over the natural color and texture of stone? purely tasteless and ugly.”

“I suggest that Sitel be given the privilege to create garbage cans with their corporate logo. Let them create 1,000 eco-friendly garbage cans with their corporate logo.”

“thats a receiving area for applicants hehehehe..”

“baka call center extension dayta! Hehehe”

“yan ang smoking area nang mga call center agents nang Sitel”

“hindi pa sinulit... sana pati bubong at ceiling inayos na din... at sinulatan.. lol..”
“Baka addan call center idiyay attic na?”

Welcome to Sitel City!

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Domogan and Vergara: Sila pa ba sa next polls?

G-SPAT
Grace Bandoy

Time flies. I’m pretty sure karamihan po sa atin eh hindi namamalayan na matatanda na pala tayo hehehe. Kung minsan eh bigla na lang natin na re-realize na may ilang years na pala ang lumipas na parang dumaang ilang araw lang.

Maya’t maya niyo eh nag pre-prepare na naman tayo for an election. It’s just two more years away, yung nakaraang two years ba eh namalayan niyo bang dumaan?! Parang hinde di ba? Kaya yang coming election na yan eh nandiyan na before we even know it, so better be ready – ready with the list of people we will put into power to run this city and our lives here.

Ang pamumuhay po natin eh nakasalalay sa mga taong hahawak sa Baguio, kaya dapat lang po na kung sinoman yung mga pauupuin natin diyan eh pinag isipan nating mabuti.
They should be people who are truly concerned for the goodness of our city and its people.

Dapat po eh yung ikabubuti ng lungsod natin and ng mga Baguio citizens ang kanilang iniisip. Those are the people we should vote for – always! And hindi mga taong iniisip lang ang kanilang sarili and mga madudugas nila.

Ngayon eh tingnan naman po natin ang “Goodness score card” ni Apo Domogan and lolo Vergara for the past months they were in power.
Domogan: ERC machines sa Irisan Dumpsite (120 million plus pesos) – gumagana ba at nakakatulong sa city of Baguio at sa ating lahat?
Answer: Go to Irisan dumpsite and see for yourself

Sinabing galit siya sa sugal. Answer(sort of): Kung true na galit siya sa sugal eh bakit super lakas pa ang jueteng in the city and ng mga ibang illegal na gambling? He is the mayor and kapatid pa niya ang isang police chief here, why can’t he do anything –

Autonomy sa Cordillera, pinipilit niya. Si Apo Domogan po ang bossing ng bagong grupo na naglalakad para mabigyan ng Autonomy ang Cordillera. Pag natuloy po ang Autonomy na eto eh allegedly ay magkakaroon lang ng isang provincial governor for Cordillera (si Domogan po siguro ito) na siyang allegedly ay hahawak ng lahat ng probinsiya dito. Ang governor na ito (baka si Domogan po eto) ay siya rin pong hahawak sa allegedly ay 10 billion pesos na magiging budget ng province.

Answer (sort of): Pag nagkakatotoo po ang lahat ng ito eh you can just imagine the power and money na mapupunta sa magiging provincial governor! Gusto niyo ba ang ganun? Huwag kalilimutan ang nangyari said autonomous na region ng Muslim Mindanao -- pinakamahirap na region and don’t you all forget the Maguindanao massacre perpetrated by the leaders there.

P92 million development fund ng city for 2011. Bantayan po nating mabuti ito kung mapupunta nga po sa mga developments ang milyones na ito for this year. Halos kalahati na po ng 2011 ang nakalipas, may development projects na ba silang ginawa? If yes, what are these and magkano kaya ang nagastos?

Answer (sort of): Anong development pa ba ang kailiangang gawin ditto sa Baguio? Hindi ba dapat preservation na lang ang gawin natin para sa mga naiiwang idle lands and trees?
Ibigan na lang and pangkabuhayang packageand P92 million sa mga masisipag at mahihirap na citizens here.

Ang Forbes Park daw ay iniligtas ni Domogan from harm sa mga unscrupulous individuals. Domogan reclaimed and hopes to maintain the Forbes Park daw po sa South Drive bilang part ng reservation area ng city natin.

Answer: Parang may nakita akong pinapatayong giant house there? Forest reservation nga bang talaga iyon sir? Baka maging ala-Busol Watershed Subdivision din yan!

Aside from those major, major issues Domogan is coupled with eh may mga iba pa ho siyang mga ginawa as mayor, check out po his website mauriciodomogan.com and see kung kayo po eh happy sa mga achievements ni lolo for his months in service. Peace!

Next column eh si lolo Vergara and ng kanyang milyones din ang ating silipin.

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Jueteng payola

G-SPAT
Grace Bandoy

BAGUIO CITY -- Still going strong ang jueteng in this city. In fact one week lang po yata nagdisappear ito and that was after naannounce to the whole wide world na ang jueteng lord in the city ay walang iba kundi itong si --- . Don’t tell me na-forget niyo ng lahat ‘yun noh?

After that was known and vehemently denied by the top official, eh medyo nawala po ang sugal na ‘yan. Pero bumalik din po agad at parang lalong lumakas pa.

Isinumpa po ng mayor na he will terminate jueteng in the city but it seems he can’t live up to that promise. That illegal game is still and will continue to be the source of illegal income ng marami.

Super laki po kasi ang nakukuhang share ng marami diyan, in fact nagsisiraan ang karamihan sa kanila para lang makakuha ng bigger share of that jueteng payola.

Ang isang sikat na AM radio station in the city is allegedly receiving P150,000 weekly para lang hindi nila banatan sa kanilang istasyon ang jueteng na yan. Biruin niyo po yan?

Just imagine na lang ang alleged na natatanggap rin ng mga mas higher officials pa like mga opisyal sa gobyerno, mga pulis, mga barangay officials, ibang media at marami pang iba!

Ang bolahan po ng jueteng eh palipat lipat kaya daw hindi sila mahuli huli. Kaya pati ang police head na brother ng ating Mayor is clueless kung saan huhulihin ang mga jueteng people na eto kahit araw araw siyang kulitin ng kanyang big brother na i-terminate nga ang jueteng na yan.

And kung sakali lang pong si Mr. opisyal nga ang jueteng operator in the city, hindi ba pangit tingnan na ang kanyang kapatid naman ang head ng isang police station dito, di po ba?

Parang teleserye ang arrive - magkasabwat ang mayor and police head hehehehehe. Pero sa teleserye lang naman po yata nangyayari ang ganung mga stories.

Anyway, back to the places kung saan binobola ang winning jueteng numbers, ang latest na sabi sabi eh dun daw po sa tabi ng Day Care Center ni barangay captain BM ang bolahan ngayon – BM as in Bad Man? Bat Man? Bag Man? Bell Man? Ay basta!

Dati daw po itong car wash area pero ngayon eh tinakpan ng mga yero ang paligid. Everyday daw po naiipon ang mga tao dun na mga kilalang mga kubrador at mga tumataya.

Hindi kaya sila makonsensiya dun eh malapit lang sila sa famous image ni Blessed Mother Mary? Baka mamaya eh tamaan sila ng kidlat dun!

Well kung P150,000 ang allegedly nakukuha ng isang radio station lang eh kayo na ang bahalang mag-imagine kung magkano naman ang binibigay sa barangay captain (at hindi nila matanggihan). Peace!

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My mama and la Aunora

G-SPAT
Grace Bandoy
(Writings from Rowe Naval Bandoy)

My mom is a huge fan of Nora Aunor, when my parents were newlyweds, my mom would go watch a Nora Aunor film, my dad on the other hand would see a Charles Bronson film and they would meet again in a restaurant after they’ve watched their preferred movies.

My mom said the only film they’ve watched together was “Banawe” (obviously because of the setting of the film that was probably the only reason my dad agreed to watch the film, the setting of the movie, Igorot pride). Later on, already with three kids, same thing, only this time it would be on three different theaters, my mom would watch her beloved idol, my dad still can’t let go of his western fantasies, and us (the kids) laugh our hearts out on Tito, Vic and Joey films.

My mom would walk us inside the theater and instruct us not to change seats; she picks us up after the film (or until she cried her out and sympathize with her idol in another theater). The only Nora Aunor film I’ve ever watched with my mom was “Mga Tinik sa Dibdib” co-star Philip Salvador and Dina Bonevie, the story as I remember is about a young couple, sharing a house with the male character’s family (including his step mom, whom he has an illicit affair with), but the dialogue “aking mga tinik sa dibdib” was towards Nora Aunor’s ailing angry dad.

It was a film of course I cannot at all relate with, I believe nor is my mom. But still she cried and cried and sympathized with Nora Aunor’s plight as a sacrificing daughter and as a wife who knows nothing of her husband’s affair with his step mom. My dad used to call her “bakya” and mom would call him dreamer of America.

At home we can only watch soap operas like “Flor de Luna” or “Anna Liza” when my dad is not at home, but in his presence we were only allowed to watch the news or “Dallas”, “Falcon Crest” or “Knots Landing”, Jay R’s (Larry Hagman) character of course is my dad’s favorite (and his prime influence in his fashion and temperament), then later on McGyver and 21 Jump Street.

Every Sunday of course is “Superstar” night co-hosted by German Moreno and Jograd de la Torre, my dad would simply go inside their bedroom and from time to time makes sarcastic comments about my mom’s idol inside their bedroom or he pretends to get a drink just so he can go out of their bedroom and make more gnarly comments on Nora Aunor.

My mom is a huge Nora Aunor defender, still sympathizing with her walk through life; when Nora Aunor’s love relationship fails, my mom blames Nora’s children and alalays for not being supportive enough; when Nora’s entrepreneurial attempts / financial status fails, my mom blames Nora’s business associates for taking advantage of her lack of education; when La Aunor lost the gubernatorial race, my mom blamed the politicians who took advantage of Nora’s stardom and was not supportive of her political ambitions; when Nora Aunor’s singing prowess died down, my mom blamed the producers who made Nora worked tirelessly; and when Nora Aunor’s career turned cold, my mom blamed the press for writing negative write ups about her.

Nora Aunor had truly battled with life’s reality from her humble beginning in Bicol to her struggle to become a star in Philippine Cinema that’s been for years pinag-harian ng mga mestizo and mestiza. The very same years when my mom struggled defending her (Nora Aunor) against my father’s westernized ideology of entertainment.

When asked why I chose to pursue my education on Philippine Studies and Philippine Literature, I give credit to my mom. My Filipinism and Igorotism were developed only in my adult life, an identity I struggled as a child and as a teenager whose life and activities revolves around John Hay, cabled television, Hollywood movies, and around people all struggling and planning to live life in the states.

My mom introduced me to Nora Aunor, the Filipino audience, to Filipino komiks, and the facts of Filipino life outside the glam of Hollywood movie screen and boob tube. My mom like many is a “bakya” fan, for me she is an educator who educated me about Philippine Literature, Philippine Sociology, Philippine Movies, the Filipino audience and Philippine Identity.

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Managers ng Beneco, milyon ang suweldo

G-SPAT
Grace Bandoy

BAGUIO CITY -- Ang mga kagalang – galang na managers po ng Benguet Electric Coop dito sa Baguio eh mga milyonaryo pala kung i to-total natin ang kanilang mga sahod in a year.

Lahat po yata ng mga managers na ito ay nakaka receive ng P50,000 or more as their salary for a month. Meaning 50,000 ang minimum monthly salary ng isang manager there. Wow grabe pala noh di po ba?! Sarap maging manager dun! Wala ka ng alalahaning problema sa buhay kung isa kang manager sa Beneco, my God! Mga masusuwerte sila dun ah!

Ewan ko lang kung bakit nag re- request pa ho ang mga millionaire managers natin there ng additional po sa kanilang mga sahod. At hindi lang po additional ang kanilang pinapadagdag ha! Doble ng kanilang sahod ang gusto nila!

So si Mr. X na pinapasahod ng taong bayan ng Baguio ng P50,000 per month eh makaka – receive na po ng 100,000 sa isang buwan, that is kung aprubahan po ng nakatataas na office ang request nilang eto.

Pinayagan po ng taong bayan ng Baguio ang additional sa sahod nilang eto nung inaprubahan po ng board of directors ng Beneco ang request nila. Let’s not forget that the Board of Directors were voted by the people of Baguio bilang kanilang mga representatives there.

When we voted for them it meant we TRUSTED them to fight for our welfare sa Beneco. Ang pag – approve po nila sa increase ng sahod ng mga managers na ito is not for the welfare of the people of Baguio at all.

Pagka gahaman na po ang ginawa nilang eto. Allegedly si pinaka big bossing sa Beneco is receiving P114,000 a month, at pag na doble pa eto eh quarter of a million na po ang sahod ni lolo sa isang buwan pa lang! No wonder may mga alleged multi-million homes ang lolo na ito sa ibang places in the Philippines.

My God! Sino ba kasi silang mga pinaka magagaling at mga genius sa Beneco na yan at sa kanila mapupunta ang income ng cooperative na yan!

Kahit sino pa ang magmamanage sa Beneco nay an eh Beneco pa rin yan at hindi magbabago noh! So please, instead of making these managers sa Beneco richer, nagsasasa na nga sila sa luxury at kaperahan ng mga tao sa opisina na yan, eh why don’t they just put up more streetlights sa mga madidilim na lugar dito sa probinsya natin ng Benguet na lang!

Or bawasan ang rates natin sa kuryente para matuwa naman tayong mga nagbabayad! Marami pa hong dapat paglagyan na mabuti sa pera ng Beneco aside from pag hati hatian lang ng mga hari’t reyna diyan sa Beneco noh!

Sa tingin ko eh wina waldas lang ng Beneco heads ang pera ng people diyan. Halos lahat sila eh provided with Beneco-paid vehicles. Libre po ang pagkain ng mga ‘yan araw araw kung sang restaurant sila kakain. Libre ang mga gasoline nila pag ginamit nila ang kanilang mga private vehicles. Etc. etc.

Nakahiga po sa comfort ng mga sangkatutak na libre ang mga bosses ng Beneco na yan! Samantalang tayo eh nahihilo na kung san natin kukunin ang pambayad sa mga electric bills natin!

This Beneco should be audited by the people of Baguio and Benguet for Christ’s sake!!

Read more...

Chivalry an endangered virtue

G-SPAT
Grace Bandoy

Scene: Bus ng Kabayan Benguet to Baguio, super standing ovation, tanghaling tapat.
Ako: Komportableng nakaupo, thank God.
Ang mga nakatayo: halo halo, mga babae and lalake, karamihan mga bata
Ang mga nakaupo: halo halo din, maraming mga lalakeng nakaupo
Isang Lola (mukhang 70 years old plus): Sumakay pero puno ang bus, kaya tumayo na lang.

Hinihintay kong may mag-offer ng seat for the lola from among the men na nakaupo pero wala man lang. Halfway through the trip nung nag stop over, I offered my seat for the lola, inisip ko lang - kung yung lola natitiis nilang pina panood nakatayo, baka pag ako ang tumayo may hindi makatiis (I looked girlie and in my high heels and all..).

Pero my God! Isang oras na akong nakatayo sa bus. Wala ni isang lalaking paupuin ako. Well of course, hindi ko naman pinagsisihan na pinaupo ko si lola, in fact it even felt good, pero ng mga kalalakihan ngayon. Akala ko uubra ako sa kanila hehehe, hindi rin pala! Pinapanood ako nakatayo!

Chivalry is dead among men. But not among us, women! Mabuhay mga kababaihan!

What is really sad about this is we see this not only sa mga standing na bus but everyday sa mga jeep, sa kalye, sa mga pila, sa mga tahanan natin kung minsan din. Wala na tayong pagalang sa mga matatand. Wala tayong pakialam sa kanila. This is bad and sad.

Nawawala na talaga sa culture natin ang ganung practice.

It seems like it has totally vanished from Philippine history! My God good luck na lang sa future generation. For us, na kinoconsider pang mahalaga ang ganun, nakakainis pag nakikita mong hindi na ginagawa! I cannot tolerate old people having a hard time.

Eh kasi bata pa kami tinuro na that dapat igalang at tulungan ang mga matatanda. Ewan ko lang kung bakit sa sarili nating parents kung minsan hindi natin laging na a-apply ito hehehehe.

Like my late mother, I’m spared from doing housework while she does all the cleaning, cooking and dishwashing hehehe but I would never let her stand sa bus! Mahuloghulog puwet niya sa jeep at hindi makaupo ng maayos, magbuhat ng super mga bigat unless wala ako, atbp. Baka naman kasi hindi na tinuturo ng mga magulang at ng mga schools ang pag galang sa matatanda ngayon!?

Or is it talagang maka sarili na lang ang karamihan sa mga tao ngayon? Chivalry – 70% dead! A vanishing virtue! Text your violent reactions: 0928-385-5611

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Excerpts from the diary of a mother

G-SPAT
Grace Bandoy

My mother has gone back to her creator, and maybe reunited with my dad and her parents in the same place where they all are now. Losing my father in 2003 was life-changing but losing a mother somehow feels like an entirely different thing.

It’s not life-changing, for me it feels like the end of a life, not only hers but also a life in me, the life I shared with her. I realized that she was my better half – having a better half doesn’t only apply to husbands and wives. I was the bad half, my mom was the better half hehehehe.

She left us with nothing but memories of her goodness, generosity, strength, understanding and all the good things a mother does to her family. She also was kind-hearted to her neighbours and friends, generous to her relatives and devoted to her prayers.

She left us with a diary that, I guess, told everything about her. She even gave her diary a title, “Memories of my dreams”. We were surprised at her brilliance in writing, considering that she only went to elementary school in far, far away Kabayan, Benguet province, where we laid her ashes on top of Quisit mountain, beside the grave of her parents, Feliza and Florentino.

That final resting place of theirs overlook the snaking river that flows down to Ambuklao Dam and the endless views of vegetable gardens farmed in Kabayan. A beautiful and peaceful resting place it is...

I wish to share some of what my mom wrote in her diary. Most of it was the unconditional love a mother has for her children, the sacrifices she made to think only of us and never of herself and the strong faith she had.

I truly wish that all the children out there realize how mothers give up everything for their children... so they may all love their mothers more....and for some mothers to think less of themselves and more of their children?

From the diary of Juliet Florentino Bandoy (August 31, 1947 – March 13, 2011):
My three kids are my very special gift from the Lord, thank You for giving them to me. They are my happiness in life. I wish I could give them a good life for their future. I will keep praying for them.
***
It was in October 30, 2003, when I became single again, a single mother of three grown-up kids. But they are no longer kids, they are adults na......
***
Ibuhos ko na lang sa mga anak ko ang buhay ko. I don’t know when Lord will take me. I just keep on praying that Lord will give me more years to live so that I can see my children have their own families......
***
I have too many projects to finish. Financial is my problem. Now that everything is expensive, I can’t buy those materials with the amount of my money.
***
Especially I always get sick. Sa gamot napupunta ang pera. It was December 5, 2008, when I felt very weak. Bigla na lang akong nanghina. I’m just pretending that I’m strong. But the truth is I am very weak. Kung kaya kong itago sa mga anak ko ang nararamdaman ko, ayaw ko kasing mag alala sila sa akin. I don’t want them to have a problem dahil sa akin. I just keep on praying na sana bigyan pa ako ni Lord ng lakas at mabuhay pa hanggang magawa ko ang mga project na gusto ko. Para may maiwanan ako sa mga anak ko.
***
Isa pang hiling ko kay Lord, na sana’y mag asawa na itong dalawang babaeng anak ko. I want to see them happy with their families para happy rin akong iwanan sila.

Kaya nga ang hiling ko kay Lord na please hindi pa ako mamatay, dahil kailangan pa ako ng aking mga anak. Bigyan mo pa ako Lord ng lakas, huwag mo pang ipahintulot na ako’y magkasakit, Amen.
***
January 3, 2009 when I was rushed to the hospital, my second atake. It was May 20, 2003 my first atake. I stayed in the hospital three days. Thank you Lord for your blessings. Making me live again. You gave me the chance to live so I can serve you. How I’d like to serve you Lord. And do something good for my family, my neighbours.
***
Little Prayer
Mama Mary please pray for us. Pray for my family. Amen. Especially for our health, for my children’s future, for our daily needs, and for our safety everywhere we are. Pray for us, my whole family, how I wish I could serve you Lord. Hope You hear my prayer every night. Please bless us and be with us. Amen.

I hope you’ll read this when I’m gone. And please don’t forget that Lord is always watching, so don’t worry my children, just keep on praying and have a strong faith in the Lord. I love you all.
***
March 7, 2010 is my third stroke so I became weaker and weaker, I want to stop taking medicines, it doesn’t work for my health anymore. I’m just waiting when Lord will take me. I’m ready for this, I surrender all to God.

No matter how I force myself to be strong, pretending that I’m healthy, hide my scare, its all over I’ll just pray to God to forgive me.

Thank you Lord for all the blessings you had given me, I want your forgiveness Lord, I’m tired of being sick all the time.

Take me Lord in your hand, I’m happy to be with you. I’m ready for it. I just want to take a rest in heaven, forgive all my mistakes, all my sins I’ve done, please forgive me Lord....
***
She was prepared. Have faith, be kind, love one another .... and these are what she taught.

Read more...

P40 taxi rate /Biking at CBD

G-SPAT
Grace Bandoy

BAGUIO CITY -- Sira ulo na lang po siguro ang sasakay ng taxi pag na-approve ang P40 na flag down rate which the taxi groups are desperately asking for from the Department of Trade and Comunications. Yung mga matters of life or death na lang most probably ang mangingiming sumakay ng taxi pag na-approve ang request na eto ng mga taxi groups dito sa city natin.

Nakakapangilabot po eto di ba?! Kung hindi ka naman mahimatay at mapa tumbling di po ba people? My God hindi ka pa nakapasok sa taxi eh 40 pesos na tumataginting na ang babayaran mo? Uray awan ag lug-lugan ti taxi!

I have no idea why they are requesting that flag down amount here, na-approve na po kasi sa Manila ang P40 flag down rate sa mga taxi and anytime soon will be implemented there. Kung hindi ba naman gago etong mga taga-Baguio at hinihingi nila ang same amount na flag down rate? Hindi ba iba talaga ang mga increases na binibigay sa Manila compared sa ibang lugar sa country natin?!

Malayo pong mas mataas ang minimum wage ng mga tao dun noh! And their standard of living for that matter. In short, mas maraming pera ang mga working people there ikumpara sa Baguio where the minimum wage is lower from that in Manila. Tapos pareho lang ang flag down rate ng taxi natin? My God common sense lang po!

Isaksak nila sa mga baga nila ang mga hinayupak na mga taxing yan pag inapprove eto dito sa Baguio!

Ang mga hindi mabilang na mga taxing yan (na pinarami po ng pinarami ni honourable Mondiguing nung kapanahunan niya) idagdag niyo pa ang mga balahurang jeeps ng Aurora Hill at Trancoville ang major contributors din lang po ng pollution and traffic dito sa Baguio noh!

Dapat eh i-exterminate ang kalahati ng mga bilang ng mga yan para luminis ang hangin and lumuwang ang mga kalsada natin! Yan lang po ang tanging solution sa worsening air pollution and traffic sa major streets natin, magkamatayan na tayo di ba?!

By now naman po siguro na-realize na natin kung gaano po kaliit ang Baguio para pagsiksikan nating lahat, and our population here is increasing by the minute. Hindi na po mababawasan ang bilang natin dito but parami po tayo ng parami, naturalmente whether we like it or not, dadami din ang mga bahay, businesses, buildings, jeeps, taxis and mga private na sasakyan.

Actually, hindi na po kayang i-contain ng Baguio ang dami natin and ng mga sasakyan. Kung makakapagsalita lang po ang mother land natin na eto eh she will tell us that she can’t take it anymore, sasabihin niyang humanap kayo ng ibang lupang matitirhan niyo noh! Sobra sobra na kayo di ko na kayo kaya!

Dapat po kasi nating problemahin ang pagiging marumi ng hangin natin dito caused by overpopulation in our city. Susunod na po kasi ang lung cancer na major cause of deaths among Filipinos, kaya kelangan po nating pangalagaan ang hangin natin dito.

And how the hell do we address this problem sa city natin?! Meron ba namang ginagawa para i-solve ito?! And kino consider bang problema ito dito sa Baguio in the first place?

Alam inyo po kasi eh pag hindi po pagkakaitaan ng pera eh hindi po talaga pinapansin ng mga binoto ninyong politicians dito sa Baguio. Ano nga ba naman ang mapapala nila sa paglinis ng hangin natin at pag-eradicate ng traffic di ba? Kay karamihan pos a kanila eh hindi po talaga pinapansin ang dilemma nating ito every day of our lives.

Well, kung common sense lang po ang ating gagamitin, yung kaisipan lang po ng mga kagaya nating mga simpleng mamamayan lang po ng Baguio, yung kahit Grade 1 po eh maintindihan niya. Dapat nap o tayong bumalik sa panahon ni kopong-kopong kung san ang mga tao po eh naglalakad at nagbibisikleta na lang kahit sa central business district po natin.

Hindi naman po ibig sabihin eh lalakarin mula city hanggang sa mga barangay kung saan tayo nakatira noh. Kaya nga po inimbento ang mga sasakyan para maging convenient po ang transportation para sa ating living in modern times.

Bawasan lang po natin ang volume ng mga sasakyan na bumi -biyahe sa ating central business district. Hindi naman po mahirap gawin eto.

Hindi na po kasi magkasya ang mga sasakyan sa mga kalsada natin. Bulky po ang mga sasakyan and malaki po ang ino-occupy nilang space sa mga lands and streets natin, ikumpara mo po sa taong naglalakad at nag ba-bike lang diyan. And don’t forget the smoke na pino-produce ng mga ito.

Ang mga ibang bansa po (mga 1st world countries), ay top of the list po ang environmental problems na ina-address ng kanilang respective governments. Pino-promote po ng halos lahat ng bansa sa mundo ang pag-protect sa environment.

Tingnan niyo na lang po ang mga kabaliwan sa weather na na e-experience natin ngayon. Climate changes, La Nina, El Nino, pagbaha sa country natin month ng January. Dahilan po yan ng pagkasira po ng ating ozone layer na sinira ng air pollution.

Kahit dito lang po sa ating munting city ng Baguio eh mabigyan naman po sana ng importance ang pangangalaga sa ating air. Let’s have clean air here again!

Bawasan po natin ang pagsakay sa mga vehicles (public or private) kahit sa central business district man lang natin di ba.

Hanggat kaya po nating lakarin ang mga pupuntahan natin ket magmagna tayo kitdin!
And it would really be great if the city clear’s the city’s major streets for bikers. Ang mga yan po eh hindi nag e-emit ng pollution and hindi rin po sila naka ka traffic. Hindi po ba maganda and masaya kung ang Session, Harrison and Magsaysay roads eh dadaanan ng mga walkers and bikers lang? Or at least give priority to them!

Huwag naman po sana mas suportahan pa ng local government natin ang mga mauusok na sasakyan na sobrang dami na dito sa Baguio.

Kagaguhan naman po kung gagawin ng mga binoto niyo ang ganito di ba? Kung sa ibang mayayamang bansa eh priority nila ang mga pedestrians and bikers sa kanilang mga kalsada, dito sa Baguio eh priority ang mauusok na sasakyan?!

Common sense naman po di ba? For violent reactions -- 0935-171-5555.

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Biking, walking, reading – New Year, old habits!

G-SPAT
Grace Bandoy

A whole lot of us have probably forgotten about this thing they call New Year’s Resolution. I haven’t had any of it for the past couple of years. But this year, with all of you reading this as witnesses, I vow to go back to reading (a real book – cover and paper pages and all), do a whole lot of walking and to learn how to ride a bike.

A lot of us, who are not going to school, very rarely read books anymore. Magbasa man tayo ng newspaper, yung favorite pages lang natin babasahin natin, we go to the horoscope first and then the Entertainment/ Tsismis section, tapos ayun na!! That’s all we read!

Why will any of us waste time reading di ba? If we can watch the news on TV anyway, and watch the movie version of our favorite novels na lang. Two hours lang natapos mo na panoorin yung nobelang babasahin mo pa ng ilang linggo. Today, reading is considered a waste of time. Isip po yan ng mga taong tamad. The last book I read from cover to cover was the Da Vinci Code some four or five years ago. Isa po ako sa mga milyon milyong tamad out there hehehehe.

I mean, really, nakakatamad magbasa promise! Masakit pa sa mata di ba!? Kaya po naging taglish ang kolum na eto coz Bulgar newspaper na lang po ang binabasa ko, I lost my teeny-weeny literary knowledge sa katamaran magbasa at matuto sa mga binabasa. Bumobobo po pala talaga tayo from making our brains idle and useless and feeding it with puro kababawan from Bulgar and The Buzz lang.

All of us should go back to reading. Everything we know in this world right now was learned from everything we read during our lifetime. Lahat po ng nalalaman natin ngayon galing sa years ng pagbabasa natin ng kung anu ano. Nakalimutan na po natin yung fact na yun. So we shouldn’t stop reading. We should continue learning.

Pinagtitiyagaan ko po tapusin basahin ang Love in the time of Cholera (stuck in my house for ten years) right now, even if I am very tempted to just watch the movie version starring the delicious Javier Bardem na lang.

Reading is fun and educational and emotionally enriching and it keeps our brains busy with imaginations. Things we all have forgotten to do – have fun, be educated, be moved by the things we read and use our imagination. So, with you as witness, I vow to read all the books I have hoarded from Book Sale for the past eight years. Also, I promise to walk more instead of riding a jeepney or a cab. Walking is healthy, except on highly polluted areas. Mas matipid pati maglakad. So let’s all walk if we can.

And, to further make this world a better place, I also promise to finally learn how to ride a bike. And while I still don’t know how to ride one, I and all of us should support all the bikers out there in their crusade to make Baguio a bike-friendly city.

Biking is healthy, except on highly polluted areas. And for Christ’s sake it is the most environment-friendly means of transportation ever invented!!

Just imagine all of us in Baguio walking and biking along Session, Magsaysay and Harrison Road. We will be the coolest city in the world. Kung hindi tayo gawing CNN Heroes di ba?!

Sira ulo na lang at mga gago ang hindi mag-support sa crusade to make Baguio more bike-friendly. Kung kelangan gawing bike lanes ang mga pina parkingan ng mga kotse diyan sa Session Road gawin natin!!! P*nyeta alangan namang mas priority pa ang mga kotseng nagbubuga ng mga poisonous smoke!

The whole world is going environmental, tanga na lang tayo kung hindi tayo sumunod. We are rapidly destroying planet earth with all our pollutions. It’s time we do the littlest part we can to undo the destruction. Ano naman po yung maglakad tayo at mag-bike. Let’s save Baguio from more pollution. And maybe we all should also plant more trees. Happy New Year po!!!!!

Read more...

SC and Vizconde /SK elections

G-SPAT
Grace Bandoy

BAGUIO CITY -- The acquittal of Webb and his gang from the brutal, unforgettable crime committed against the Vizcondes committed almost two decades ago was totally disheartening. Seeing Lauro Vizconde breaking down just tore my heart and I believe the hearts of millions of pinoys too.

As far as my generation is concerned (I’m 45 for those who are curious), that crime was probably our first taste of brutality and violence played in the media as it was highly covered in the media then. It was the Maguidanao Massacre of our time.

The country sympathized with the old but jolly-looking Lauro Vizconde. We all cried with him when he buried his family. And we cry with him still this time.

Even my six-year-old niece, who was totally clueless about what the fuss was all about, shed a tear when she saw lolo Lauro on TV wailing in agony. “Kawawa naman siya,” she said.

When the group of Webb, (spoiled, rich and bratty-looking kids), were convicted of the crime, it was some sort of victory for a lot of people. The idea of rich and influential people in our country not getting away with rape and murder was an ultimate triumph for the Filipinos (no matter how cute Hubert and some of his friends were before, hehehe).

That decision of the Supreme Court setting them free was a dream-crusher for me. But I still wish to have faith in our country’s justice system, ano na lang pong mangyayari kung pati ang mga korte natin kasing palpak ni Noynoy di ba?

Nagpapagaan na lang sa loob ko about all these is nawala ang pagka conyo ni Hubert Webb and hindi na siya papa! Taong kalye na siya magsalita ngayon, napansin ninyo? Hehehehe, at least prison humbled him yun na lang isipin natin.

I hope the Supreme Court made the right decision. But my heart just goes out to that old man -- Lauro Vizconde.
***
I have yet to see an Sangguniang Kabataan representative in the city council who has the guts and brains to battle it out with senior councilors. Hindi naman siguro makiki pagbattle, but at least someone who’s not afraid to express her thoughts and opinions about everything na pinag uusapan nila dun. Lalo na if she doesn’t agree to what the other councilors are saying.

Since time immemorial, ang ginawa lang po yata ng SK chairman sa city council ay umupo dun at magpa cute. And itaas ang kamay niya sa mga binobotong issues. There was never a “voice of the youth” there. Never!

And kung yung pa liga liga nila ang pinagmamayabang nilang ginawa nila, lokohin nila leleng nila! Millions ang budget ng SK na nasasayang lang sa pa liga na yan promise. Abolish the SK!

Nagiging source of corruption pa ho ang SK na ito sa ating lipunan kung pinapabayaan ang mga ‘youth’ na itong magpadikta and magpagamit sa senior politicians hindi po ba?!

Alam ninyo po sa city council, kung saan ang SK chairman ay umuupo bilang isang councilor, mahalaga po ang bawat pirma ng isang konsehal.

Ang mga laws and projects po ng ating city ay dumadaan po lagi sa kanilang lahat bago mapunta sa office ng mayor para sa kanyang final approval and pag sa sakatuparan ng inaprubahang item.

Pag ang isang project po ay gustong palusutin at i-implement ng lungsod natin, katakot takot na pangungumbinsi po ang kailangan mong gawin sa ating mga councilors para nila i-approve ito. Dito po allegedly ay nagkakaroon ng mga regaluhan and bigayan ng kung ano ano para po sa kanilang approval. Dito rin daw po nagkakaroon ng corruption.

Kaya ang bawat position po diyan ay pinaglalabanan ng halos patayan.Hindi po kaya ang pagkakapanalo ng ating bagong SK chairman, na anak ni dating councilor Leandro Yangot ay nabahiran rin ng impuwensiya buhat sa Timpuyog party?

God, hindi naman po sana di po ba? Sana naman po ang ating bagong SK chairman eh may sariling isip and paninindigan na gawin ang alam niya for the good of the people of Baguio and hindi para sa kanilang mga sariling pangkabutihan lang.

Mukha naman pong smart ang young lady na ito pero sana nga eh hindi mukha lang…. Peace!

Read more...

Palpak snow show / Bocaps vs Timpuyog

G-SPAT
Grace Bandoy

City councilor Joel Alangsab winning the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) presidency shows hindi hawak ng Timpuyog ang mga kapitan natin. This has elated me almost orgasmically because I think this is some ray of light and hope na ang mga kapitans po natin in the city ay hindi po marunong magpagamit and magpadikta kahit kanino.

Alam naman po nating lahat kung gaano kaimportante at kamahal ang pirma ng isang councilor sa City Council natin. Si Ginoong Alangsab po ay uupo ulit bilang isang konsehal sa ating city.

And of course alam din po natin na kung gusto pa hong manalo ng isang candidate sa next na elections eh kelangan po talagang hawak niya ang majority ng barangay captains of our city kaya napaka super important po ang recent ABC elections po na naganap.

But well, ang boto po ni Alangsab na 71 laban sa boto po ng allegedly ay manok ng Timpuyog na si Ginoong Macadangdang na 37 eh patunay po siguro na sinuway ng mga kapitans ang utos ng Timpuyog na i-vote ang pet nila di po ba?!

Here is my simple ode to them, hehehehe:
Alangsab ABC President na naman po!
Ang (mga) tuta ng Timpuyog natalo?!
Victory ito para sa ating mga taga Baguio!
Coz mga Kapitan natin may sariling isip at prinsipyo po!
Di sila magpa pa dikta kahit kanino!!
Maligaya na po ang Pasko ko dahil dito!
May snow man o wala po!!!!
Mga kapitans ng Baguio mabuhay kayo!!!!
***
Some people on the snow show along Session Road:

Yvonne, English teacher - - “To think that there was almost a stampede!! I really pity the kids who were there.. sobra pangloloko!... pati ilaw sa burnham nawala.. that day! naglakad kami to get a ride sa kisad! shokoy na bakla at ang dilim ng burnham!!! as in!! salamat sa fireworks ng SM at medyo nailawan daan namin!!.. sigarilyo nga nakasindi, makitam ngem di mo makita dyay tao!! that was how dark burnham was at that time!!”

Geraldine, housewife - - ”Ang daming nadismaya talaga, may mga taga manila pang pumunta lng d2 para makita lng ang snow show kuno, kasama ko pa anak ko para ma witness ang snow na yan, nakipagsiksikan lng para makita, pero wala nman snow. Sooooo disappointing......”
Donahue, tourist - - ” Walang kwenta!”

Rizza, IT expert - -” Tourist attraction kuma a ngem imbabain da sa met karkaro ti Baguio City!”
Yanah, 5-year-old child - - “Niloko lang nila tayo.”
***
Here is a song on the matter.
Snow, show, show!
Magtaas ng kamay lahat ng nalokow!
Sa next na snowfall, ilaglag na rin Datuin & partner niyang si Hirow!
Ating hanapin where's the fk*ng snow yo?!
Pati x'mas lights sa Session, Blue Christmas ba tayow?!
People dito dapat malaman milyones ang budget ng mga itow!
Sama sama tayo bago lahat maglahow!
Bawiin natin binabasurang pera ng Baguiow!
Utang na loob magsawa na tayong nagpapaloko sa mga kurakot na ibinotow!!

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Noynoy’s Jollibee gig in Baguio – ka-cheapan!

G-SPAT
Grace Bandoy

Our dear president of the Republic of the Philippines, the honorable Benigno Aquino III, visited Baguio to cut the ribbon of the newest Jollibee in the city – the Harrison Road branch, the 700th Jollibee branch in the country, kaya historical daw po ang event na yun para sa Jollibee corporation. Yun lang po ang ipinunta niya dito.

Official o unofficial man po ang pag-visit niyang ito sa city natin, it’s still kagaguhan for me. Kris Aquino must be furious sa ginawa ng dear brother niyang yun. Mcdonald’s po kasi ang ine-endorse ni Kris!

While it may be true that Jollibee is one of the most successful Filipino companies in the world, a president should never go out of Malacanang, spend government money and travel to some place and cut the ribbon for a Jollibee store opening. It’s totally cheap and low! Wala na ba siyang mas importante pang gagawin?!

Was that ribbon cutting so very fu*king important na hindi niya matanggihan? Hindi ba siya puwedeng magsulat ng congratulatory letter na lang at ibigay sa Jollibee?

Or mag-utos ng staff niyang mag-represent na lang sa kanya?!

The country had to spend money for his transportation and presidential security guards and other staff para lang po sa nonsense na ginawa niyang iyon. And inisnab po niya ang invitation para i-oath-taking ang mga nanalong barangay officials ng Baguio sa Athletic Bowl nung araw din na yun.

Napakalaki po siguro ng utang ng ating dear president sa mga owners ng Jollibee na yan at kahit alam niyang cheap ang ginawa niya eh go pa rin siya?!

I remember na sinumpa sumpa ni P-noy na wala siyang babayarang utang na loob kahit kanino. Well, sinungaling siya. Sobrang laki ng utang na loob niya sa Jollibee at pinatulan niya ang pag ribbon cutting na yun.

Jolibee must be getting special treatment from the government. Sobrang lakas nila sa president natin at na-invite nila siyang mag gupit ng ribbon nila!

Nakakatakot naman po yata ang mga pangyayaring ito. Abangan na lang po natin ang mga kababawan at ka-cheapan pang mga gagawin ng ating pangulo.

“.…ang mahuli ang panlasang-Pinoy, ang mabihag ang pusong-Pinoy, at ang maging bahagi sa pang-araw-araw na buhay ng mga Pinoy…,” bahagi po yan ng speech ni president sa event na yun.

Hindi rin kaya nagalit ang department of health sa kanya? Coz alam naman po nating lahat na ang mga fastfood joints po na ito ang sumira, sumisira at sisira pa sa health ng sangkabayanang Pilipino. Sa mga fastfoods po natin nakuha ang maraming sakit sa puso at kung ano-ano pa hong sakit meron tayo ngayon.

We don’t eat healthy anymore and depend on these fast foods for our daily supply of food. Kaya rin siguro mukhang very sickly ang ating president coz Jollibee kinakain niya everyday! Mag people power na kaya ulit?
***
I was extremely shocked when I learned that a Grade 6 student of one of the private schools in Baguio was kicked out of school for being allegedly five months pregnant!

This pretty elementary student allegedly had a 4th year high school boyfriend from a public school in the city.

I cannot imagine an elementary pupil na pregnant! Grabe naman!

This should come as a wake-up call for all of us na ganito na po ang nangyayari sa society natin ngayon. These realities are really what we ended up becoming as a people. It is sad. I can only feel for the parents of these kids. I know these parents did their best in bringing them up. Hindi naman po siguro sila nagkulang sa pangaral.

I want to blame the high school BF who was old enough to know what was right and wrong. He knew better than the grade 6 pupil.

How can a grade 6 pupil, 11 - 13 years old, become a mother when she’s not so far from being a baby herself!

Gusto kong pag-untugin ang ulo ng mga batang ito but I guess mas importante po siguro na kalkalin natin ang true causes ng problems ng society natin na ito. Young moms are becoming younger and younger. We are shocked to our bones when we hear of teen agers getting pregnant. Ang isang elementary student na nabubuntis is something.

Maybe we should start teaching anti-pregnancy techniques in elementary school already. Kids should already be educated about sex especially now that girls menstruate early.
Abnormal na po ang lahat ngayon. Hindi na po talaga kagaya ng dati. And we should adjust to what’s going on.

Teach our kids early of the realities of life. Yan lang po ang naiisip ko sa ngayon. And these kids should know the consequences of all their actions.

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Multi-million Vergara budget, coming soon?

G – SPAT
Grace Bandoy

BAGUIO CITY — Our lolo congressman of Baguio released his report for his 100 days in office, ala-Noynoy sans the Gloria bashing. Well, kagaya po ng madlang people, eh masyado pa hong too early para makapag-comment po tayo if your lolo did good or not sa 100 days niyang nakaupo sa trono.

Nakapag-file na daw po si lolo V ng mga bills sa Congress at nag co-author siya sa mga iba pa. Okay naman po ang mga na-file ng lolo niyo at makakatulong din po naman sa marami, maliban po sa iba na medyo sa kin po eh mukhang may personal gains ang ilan?

And ibinida po ni lolo V ang malapit nang ma-release na budgets ng kanyang mga proposed projects. Of course let’s not be shocked kung ilang millions or billions na naman po ang mga ito. Sanay na po tayo sa mga milyones ni lolo V and lolo Domogan di po ba?! Milyong projects po ang sinasabi ko ha!

Hindi po milyong napupunta sa laman ng bulsa nila? Hindi na po yata matitinag ang super friendship at Mighty Bond nilang dalawa my God, kakainggit!!! Mahirap makahanap ng ganyang klaseng partner who will stick with you through thick and thin, for better or for worse, through heaven or hell…nothing can tear them apart grabe! Hindi naman po kaya nagseselos ang kanilang respective wives sa super closeness ni V and D?

I think not, unless magkatabi pa silang natutulog sa gabi ha? They’re like Siamese twins na magkadikit sa puwet!! Always there for each other. The partnership is admirable.
Balik po tayo sa umaabot halos billion-peso budget ni lolo V, ang kaperahan pong yan ay budgeted (in terms of pesos) for the following:

- 140 million to complete the Baguio – BLIST circumferential road, 50 million para po ayusin ang City Camp lagoon at ng hindi na daw po magbaha doon, 150 million for Athletic Bowl development, 40 million for upgrading, beautification and lighting of Burnham Park and some million for construction of a Flyover at the Naguilian – Bokawkan Junction, upgrading of national roads and highways.

More: 7 million college scholarships for 1000 poor but deserving students, 2 million for livelihood assistance to indigent families and Senior citizens and some million medical assistance to poor patients, equipments and supplies for the Baguio General Hospital.

Nakakalula po ang budget ni lolo di ba?! The budget of those projects will come from the national and his PDAF kabans daw po.

Alam po natin na ang mga projects projects po na ganito ang ugat ng almost all of the corruption among politicians and everybody involved in these projects sa bansa natin. And in almost all of business transactions, nandiyan po lagi ang komisyon. Commissions make the business industry.

Dagdagan pa yan ng ibang hocus focus, ayun at 30% percent na lang ng budget ang naiwang magagastos sa project na yan. Kaya po mayayaman ang halos lahat ng contractors, politicos, mga nag approve-approve at nag refer-refer diyan because of the common na ganitong klaseng pangangalakal sa bansa natin.

Kaya dapat pong bantayan ng public ang mga transactions that involve public money. Dahil pera po natin ang ginagastos at binubulsa sa mga ganitong transactions. Kung ako lang po eh, tama na po siguro ang pag-develop sa Baguio. We should be focusing more on preserving the natural beauty that’s left in this city. Sementado na po lahat, mag-iwan naman ng lupa diyan na tutubuan ng puno!

Kung sabagay, pag-papaganda nga daw po ng Baguio ang purpose ni lolo para maibalik na top tourism destination ang ating city.

Pero hindi po kaya lalong mabuwisit ang tourists na pupunta dito kung puro flyover at kalsada ang makita nila? Dapat taniman na lang ng puno ang every available piece of land na naiwan sa Baguio! Di pa tayo gagastos di ba? Malinis pa ang hangin! Imbes pa na iskwatan ng mga gago diyan!

Ang 100 days ni lolo? – No comment. Ang projects ni lolo? Infrastructures – I hate. Pro-poor – good. Beautification – tingnan ko muna kung maganda nga.

Ang budget ni lolo – malaki. Sana nga mapunta sa totoong purpose. Bantayan natin! Peace!

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Jueteng, poker – legalize na lang, xasino, STL – Go na!

G-SPAT
Grace Bandoy

Ngayon eh alam na po nating lahat kung paano sugpuin ang illegal game na Jueteng sa ating mga lugar – ibulgar ang mga operators neto!? Hehehe. Nakakapagtaka po yata na biglang nag a-appear and disappear like a bubble ang jueteng.

As in gone, well, at least for the meantime. Parang yung poker dens lang po yan, nabulabog ang mga lolo, kaya siyempre tago tago muna sila di ba. Jueteng, the same thing happened, nabulabog ang mga super lolo na operators niyan, so of course they have to stroll, stroll muna for a while.

Like I said in my past columns, I believe legalizing the pasugalans and Jueteng or STL, and putting up casinos here are not such bad ideas. The benefits of these compared to the alleged moral implications it may bring eh mas marami po.

Pagsusugal is self-control. It is an individual thing. Depende sa taong gumagawa. Kahit sa casino ka nagtratrabaho kung hindi mo hilig ang magsugal eh hindi ka magsusugal, ganun lang po yan. Ang disiplina sa sarili eh nasa tao.

And for those na nagsusugal nga at inuubos ang pera nila dun – well, kasalanan nila yun. Matatanda na sila at pinili nilang gawin yun. Walang nag-utos sa kanilang magsugal. And what do we care anyway, pera naman nila ang inuubos nila noh. Eh di bayaan mo silang mamulubi. At least nag i-income ang gobyerno sa pagsusugal nila at nabibigyan nila ng trabaho ang maraming tao (casino employees)!

And let’s not forget the charity works the PCSO has done throughout the years. I mean, c’mon! Huwag na tayong mag sa-santo santito at santita diyan! Magsalita ang mga walang ginawang ksasalanan sa mundo!! Sige nga!

Let’s all be realistic about gambling. Mahirap lang ang bansa natin kaya isipin natin ang makakatulong sa mas nakakarami. Ang mga kabataan eh walang hilig sa pagsusugal because they don’t have the money para isugal.

Ang mga youth would rather buy techno stuff na puwede nilang ipasikat sa mga friends nila. And they would rather bumili ng GSM Blue diyan at makipag-inuman with their barkadas. Magsugal man mga yan eh mga tig-pisong tong-its lang ang afford nila and they do it with their friends.
***
What we should be really concerned with our youth ay ang pag-iinom at pakikipag gang wars nila. Marami pong namamatay na kabataan dahil diyan. Yan ang tutukan natin, kung paano sila ilayo sa pag-inom at pagiging violent.
Bawal ang minors sa mga pasugalan. Kahit saang pasugalan ka pumunta eh wala kang makikitang bata promise. The jobs it will create.

Mga may pera lang ang nagsusugal, karamihan eh mga mayayaman. Hayaan natin sila ubusin pera nila diyan noh. Ibig ba sabihin pag nagsusugal ka, immoral ka na? Masama kang tao? Anak ka ng demonyo? Wala ka ng karapatan mabuhay sa mundo? Hindi ka na puwedeng maging mabuting tao?

Pines Hotel and Hyatt Hotel dito sa Baguio eh may casino noon, mas mababa ba ang morality ng siyudad natin noon? Were we lesser of a city and Baguio citizens then? Walang pinagkaiba sa Lotto or bingo na sugal din. They will pay taxes to the government. No more bag monies na nagpapayaman sa mangilan ngilan diyan. We can easily monitor them because alam natin kung nasaan sila. We can penalize them for violations.
***
If we legalize them eh wala na po tayong mga problemang ganitong pinagtatalunan. We can focus on the other worse problems in the city like kung paano disiplinahin ang ating kabataan, ang squatters natin who are increasing by the gazillions everyday, ang pagsugpo sa mga krimen, etc.

Ang morality is a personal thing. Hindi mo puwedeng diktahan ang 94 million na tao kung ano sa kanila ang mabuti at masama. Matatalino ang mga Pilipino, we know when a thing is good or bad for us, and whatever decisions we make in our lives were borne out of our own freewill. Ang problema ng isang tao eh problema niya.

You can tell all the people of Baguio that gambling is bad for the city. Pero lokohin mo lelang mo, bababa lang mga yan sa La Union at payayamanin ang Thunderbird Casino noh. And ayun sila nakapila sa pagtaya ng lotto. And yung iba eh nandun at nakababad sa mga binggohan diyan sa malls! Sinong niloloko niyong masama ang sugal dito?

The Ortegas and La Union are progressing like crazy because of the casino there, we might as well be like them. And ibig sabihin ba niyan eh mas closer to God ang Baguio kesa mga taga La Union coz wala tayong casino dito? Sagutin niyo nga yan!
***
Ang mga traffic lights na matatagpuan po sa major thoroughfares of the central business district ay hindi po nakakatulong to control the traffic conditions of the city, in fact, its even making things worse.

Mukhang ignoramous pa ho yata ang mga taga-Baguio sa pag-follow ng traffic lights na ito, drivers and pedestrians alike. People seem not to get what the red, green and orange lights stand for.

Nakaka high-blood po tumawid ng kalsada when you’re trying to obey the traffic rules, pero ang mga sasakyan naman eh hindi sumusunod. And pag nakasakay ka naman at sumusunod ang sinasakyan mo sa rules, ang mga pedestrians na pasaway naman ang gusto mong pagsasakalin sa inis.

Ano ba mga people of Baguio!! Ang green light po is Go! Red is Stop! At ang orange po para sa mga bobong drivers out there means you have to slow down at tumigil at tatawid na kaming pedestrians any second.

Na experience ko na po a gazillion times ang sumunod sa crossing lights (tingnan ang pedestrian light sa tatawirang side, Green – tumawid ka na, Red – huwag tumawid!), pero hindi ka po makatawid because of these mga ulol na drivers ng sasakyan na ayaw tumigil at patawirin ang pedestrians!

Plus, may mga gagong drivers rin na titigil sa pedestrian lane mismo and how else can one cross the street kung nakabara ang mga sasakyan niyo sa pedestrian lane?

May mga instances naman po na ikaw ang nakasakay eh mga pedestrians namang stupid ang ma e-encounter mo. Mga tawid na lang ng tawid sa crossing at kung saan saan pa when its not their time to cross the street. They are unaware of the pedestrian lights na dapat sundin!

There should be a massive, I mean humongous, information drive to make everyone aware of these traffic rules and regulations. And those who don’t obey, whether aware sila or hindi, should be penalized! Para matuto ang mga pasaway sa mundo!

Additional income pa yan for the city of Baguio di ba people? Para magkaroon naman ng silbi ang mga pinagkagastusang millions of pesos na traffic lights na yan! Kung ganyan din lang na hindi sinusunod ang pedestrian lights na yan eh sunugin na lang mga yan!

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Raid on poker dens a cover-up for jueteng?

G-SPAT
Grace Bandoy

BAGUIO CITY -- The operation of jueteng in this city has been as open as the 24-hour doors of 7-11, and kahit bulgaran po ang operation nito eh super on-going pa rin ang kanilang activities.

I believe ka-plastikan lang po ang ginagawa ng local government natin and mga police sa pag-iimbestiga nila ng poker dens in the city.

Jueteng is illegal from every inch of the legal book there is and yet, kahit in-your-face na nagtataya at nangongobra ng jueteng ang jueteng people sa mga public places ay hindi nila ito ma-imbestiga, matinag or ma-warningan man lang.

And eto at sumusugod ang kapulisan natin para ipasara ang poker dens in the city?

Gambling is not a crime, illegal gambling is. Playing poker with money involved eh hindi pa ho malinaw sa ating batas kung ito nga po ay illegal. Jueteng on the on the other hand is definitely illegal.

Hindi po kaya inilabas ang issue ng poker dens para ma cover-up ang mas mainit, Illegal at mas malalang gambling game na Jueteng?!

National and very hot issue po sa ating bansa today ang tungkol sa Jueteng but our local government chose na patulan ang poker dens dito sa Baguio?! What the f*ck?!

It seems that pag-divert lang po yata ang poker dens ng spotlight para medyo malingat po tayo sa Jueteng at maiwasan lumabas ang issue on the alleged na pagtanggap ng ating local government officials ng Jueteng payola?

Si mayor daw po ang operator plus sampu ng kanyang councilors ay allegedly receiving jueteng money?

Dalawang female councilors lang daw po ang allegedly ay may prinsipyong matigas and chose to keep their hands clean from receiving jueteng money.

I certainly admire them kung may katotohanan po eto...

Isang alipin daw po at isang bilugin-faced ang receivers ng jueteng payola and then distributed to the other members of the Dirty Ten (councilors that is).

Kung magkano po ang alleged share ng ating mga officials from the illegal but very openly operated game of jueteng in the city ay i-imagine na lang po natin.

Pero malaki po siguro kasi very brave naman po silang allegedly tanggapin ito at i-enjoy sa pag gastos di ba? And they’re willing to sacrifice their promises to the people of good governance?

Well, sorry na lang po siguro sa ating pokerfaces in the city at sila ang ginawang sacrificial lambs para ma-bilog po ang heads ng people of Baguio, at makalimutan sandali ang issue sa jueteng na siyang dapat pagbalingan ng attention ng ating authorities.

And maaari rin na kunwaring binulabog ang poker dens sa Baguio para makahingi rin ang ating mga officials and pulises ng poker payola? My God wag naman po sana! Sobra-sobrang dirty money ang kanilang maiipon kung sakali.

Kung ako lang po eh mas mabuti na nga sigurong gawing legal na lang ang mga yan para ma-require po ang mga operators na ito to pay their taxes and secure permits. Sa ganitong paraan po eh the people of Baguio ang makikinabang.

Mahirap i-debate ang magiging moral implications nito coz sa paningin ko lang po eh nasa sa mga taong nagsusugal na po ang choices kung hanggang saan nila paaabutin ang kanilang gambling habits.

Kumbaga eh nasa personal self-control na ng isang individual ang pagsu-sugal or pag-commit ng kahit anong kasalanan or immorality for that matter.

Hindi naman po ibig sabihin na pag may pasugalan sa harap ng bahay mo eh required kang pumunta dun at magsugal di po ba?

Wala pong pinagka-iba ang mga sugalang yan sa mga left and right na inuman ng alak, gay bars at girlie bars na nagkalat sa city natin. Pugad din po ang mga ito ng immoralidad at bad influences sa ating mga kabataan.

Kaya magpakatotoo na lang po siguro tayong lahat at isipin ang makakabuti sa majority ng citizens ng Baguio. Hindi rin po malaking kawalan sa ating mga majority ng population ang legalization of those money-making gambling businesses coz ang mga taong may pera lang naman po ang pumupunta sa mga pasugalan na ito.

Ang karamihan po sa atin ay wala naman pong hilig sa gambling at walang pera kaya hindi po tayo apektado sakaling ma-legalize man ang gambling activities na ito, we will even benefit from the taxes they will be paying.

Isipin na lang po siguro natin ang makakabuti sa marami at hindi ang kabutihan ng ilang mga tao lang (ang mga tumatanggap ng Jueteng money), since ang sugal ay hindi na po yata natin masusugpo even if we die trying.
***
Katatapos lang po lumabas sa ating city ang malaking issue on poker den operations. These poker dens have been hunted down by the police and are now closed down, at least for the meantime, because I’m pretty sure nagbabakasyon lang po ang mga alleged illegal gambling operators na yan.

Kumbaga eh, rest muna ang pag po-pokerface at pasyal pasyal muna. And I’m betting ang vacation ng alleged illegal gambling operation na yan ay ilang days lang, andiyan na naman po sila mamaya lang konte ng hindi natin namamalayan, despite announcements from the police that they will be monitoring these poker dens.

Hindi raw po good para sa Baguio ang mga pasugalang ito ayon sa isang councilor na ito. Pero si anti-gambling councilor po na ito is mahjong addict daw pala in real life.

Hindi po kaya nagmamalinis lang ang bilugin-faced councilor na ito?! He could be the epitome of the saying on pointing the finger while the other fingers are pointing at you.

This councilor na allegedly eh kunwaring galit sa gambling ay expert daw pala sa Mahjong at mahilig mag-attend ng Mahjong sessions sa mga Mahjongan dens throughout the city?!

But well, baka naman po kasi hindi considered na illegal gambling ang pag ma-mahjong sa ating batas kaya okay lang po kay bilugin-faced councilor ang i-condemn ang ibang pasugalans while he engages in his mahjong habits.

How many thousands naman po kaya ang inuubos ni councilor sa allegedly ay pag a-attend niya ng Mahjong sessions niya?! Baka barya lang naman po mga friends kaya para sa kanya ay hindi gambling ang alleged hobby niyang ito.

Well, whatever, basta ang importante po eh hindi ni councilor ang ulo ng mga taga-Baguio. And maybe our laws should just require these gambling operators to pay the necessary taxes for those ‘business’ of theirs, magbayad sila ng BIR tax nila and secure the necessary business permits.

At siya pang income ng city di ba, tutal eh hindi naman po natin sila puwedeng ipa-kulong forever coz barya lang naman po sa kanila ang bail nila (P12,000) pag sila’y hinuhuli.

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5-storey house ni direk, super bongga!

G-SPAT
Grace Bandoy

BAGUIO CITY -- One of the directors of this giant co-op in Benguet recently celebrated the house blessing of his likewise giant house somewhere in the San Carlos Heights area in this city.
Sunod – sunod po yata ang pagpapa house blessing ng mga opisyal ng co-op na ito ng kanilang mga multi-million peso na mga bahay!

These house blessings just after their co-op bought a multi-million peso land na allegedly ay hindi nalaman ng madlang people who are members of their co-op. Si direk, who is also a doctor by profession, allegedly invited his closest families and friends to the said house blessing.

Those who attended the occasion were allegedly awe-struck sa mala-mansiyong house ni direk! Pati daw po ang interiors ng house are major major bongga!? Ang mga gamit sa bahay and appliances ay materyales Fuertes daw po lahat!? Wow ha!?

Ang pag di-distribute daw po ni doc/direk ng mga medical and dental pharmaceuticals ang sikreto sa kanyang biglang yaman/tagumpay kaya’t nakapagpatayo ng limang palapag na giant house?

Kung sabagay po mga kapatid, si direk ay matagal na rin pong doctor and maybe malakas nga po ang kanyang pharmaceutical distribution kaya naipatayo niya ang kanyang major major dream house di ba, let’s give him the benefit of the doubt, manigas na lang tayo sa inggit noh!
***
Speaking of this giant co-op again, ang isa nilang opisyal (hindi siya direk) na sikat na sikat sa mga media, ay may plans po yata to run for a local government position sa next elections?! Nag pra – practice na po siyang makipag shake hands sa mga taong bayan at malapit na raw po ang 2013?!

Super friends po siya sa maraming miyembro ng media and it does look like he is steadfastly preparing to fight it out for a local government position in the future. Pagsilbi naman kaya sa public ang sole purpose ng lolo na ito or baka naman pag pa-pa yaman lang ang nasa mind niya?! Kagaya ng karamihang nakaupo sa positions ngayon? Sana ay hindi naman...

Good luck na lang po sa kanya, ang pagnasa naman po sa isang posisyon sa politics ay open po sa kahit sinong nilalang sa mundo... kahit sa mga may Astrological signs na Leo...
***
Iris Eslao, the bone cancer patient from the province of Bokod, has passed away at the tender age of 10. It is so sad that countless indigent children with cancer are treated at the Baguio General Hospital almost everyday and even sadder that most of these patients don’t survive because all of them cannot afford the chemotherapy needed to treat their cancer.

There are however some lucky kids who complete the cycle of their chemo therapies through the assistance of some good-hearted individuals and groups who dedicate themselves into helping cancer-stricken indigent children so they can hopefully recover from their illnesses.

Many still do not survive despite undergoing therapies.

And for those who do not have the financial assistance needed to undergo therapies, we can only pray and do the best we can to make their last days on earth a comfortable and happy one.

Salamat po kina Capt. Jun Esguerra, Rudy Miranda and his group, Atty. Wrenolph Panganiban and his BIR officemates, Dr. Tinoyan and the other great people out there who did their part in one way or another in doing just that for Iris Eslao and her family. I hope we do not stop making people happy with Iris gone, because everyday, another Iris is admitted at our hospitals....
***
Hindi naman po yata makatarungan ang pagpigil ng City Council sa presentation ng Benguet Electric Coop. ng kanilang side on the purchase of an alleged overpriced land sa South Drive?

Hindi po na-explain ng mabuti ng reps from Beneco sa taong bayan ang kanilang reasons and processes on the purchase of the land dahil sa maiiniting ulo ng ilang members of the city council.

Paano po natin malalaman ang buong katotohanan kung puro high blood pressure ang nangingibabaw sa loob ng City Council mansion? Sometimes we get more information by keeping our mouth shut and just listening rather than ranting and violently reacting to every single word our kausap/kalabans are saying. Peace!!

Hindi kaya high blood sila because they didn’t receive a single drop of commission from the purchase of the land? Hindi naman po siguro noh? Sadya lang po sigurong may alta presyon ang mga ladies and gentlemen there. Or maybe it’s just difficult for them to have been blindsided by the alleged overpriced purchase of that p*nyetang land sa South Drive.
Round 1: Tabla!

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Major major Pinoy bloopers

G-SPAT
Grace Bandoy

My disGraces on the humiliating hostage news that made us the world’s laughing stock:

I totally believe in freedom of speech and expression and all that sh*t about media freedom but when it involves the life of a number of human beings, we should know when to take it easy and say to ourselves, “tama ba etong ginagawa ko,” that littlest doubt in yourself should already have you thinking.

So what if all the other media people are fighting it off nails and teeth over covering it live? Mas importante malinis ang konsensiya mo at ginawa mo ang tama.

Sure we’re all for media freedom but when lives are at stake, there’s no harm in taking a breather for a while and help save lives at it.

And that Rambo-crazy live coverage starring the stupidest SWAT and police officers of this beautiful country of ours is just the shi*tiest thing ever!

Wala bang nakaisip man lang na pinanonood ng buong mundo ang katangahan ng mga kapulisan natin? Someone should have pulled off the plug! Proud pa tayo inexpose sa mundo kung paano natin pinabayaan at pinagpiyestahan ang pagkakapatay nung mga Chinese hostages.

Thanks a lot to media freedom, live coverages and our insensitivities. Lahat tayo may kasalanan because we were all glued like hell to our TV sets waiting for the next bloody thing to happen.

Ayun din siguro ang ginawa ng president natin, nakatutok sa TV na parang nanonood ng sine.

I don’t know if what I’m feeling is right, but I feel for Mendoza who died. Naaawa ako sa kanya. No one should have died during that incident if only nag-isip ng matino yung mga tao dun noon.

It was all a mixture of people not thinking rationally – nag halo-halo na silang magkakasama doon! While we all watched.

Masama na kung masama ginawa ni Mendoza but the loss of lives could have been prevented kung wala lang katangahang nangyari. I am not proud to be a Filipino today. Pag tayo ang inaagrabyado sa ibang bansa ang yabang natin mag-react and sabihin na ang mga Pinoy hindi dapat inaapi, etc. Well, ngayong tayo ang nang-agrabyado sa dayuhan dito sa ating bansa, let’s just give it to the Chinese muna.

I thought Venus Raj did great. It was difficult to answer that question if you really think of it. How can you ever announce to the world the biggest mistake you did in your life?

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A manager’s P30 million house

G-SPAT
Grace Bandoy

The manager of this prominent cooperative in the city of Baguio allegedly owns a house in Antipolo worth a whopping 30 million pesos!

The house -blessing of the multi-million property was recently celebrated and supposedly attended by a few chosen guests from Baguio.

For most of us, we can only imagine and dream in our wildest dreams what a 30-million house looks like.

Hindi ko pa nga ma imagine kung gaano karami ang 30 million pesos eh! Hindi magkasya sa pulubing isip ko.

But come on, people of Baguio, baka naman super mayaman talaga ang pamilya ng manager na ito di ba, kaya afford nilang ipatayo ang mala-mansiyong bahay na yun?

Hindi naman siguro pinagkakitaan ang co-op para ipatayo ang palasyo sa Antipolo ano po? Of course not naman mga kaibigan!

Ang tanong ko lang po kung totoo man ito, bakit sa Antipolo nagpatayo ng beautiful super big house si manager? Eh nandito sa Baguio ang manager and his family?

Well, baka dun naman talaga ang province ng manager di ba friends? Or dun niya feel magpatayo ng house. Who knows why...

Maliwanag ba sa inyo ang mga tanong na ito? Haaayy! Let there be light to this issue!
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This municipality in Benguet has probably the most jurassic central police station in the whole country. As in kawawa-looking talaga ang kanilang mga police stations doon. It badly needs a makeover.

If all the other police stations in the Philippines are being modernized, ang mga police stations sa lugar na ito eh nakalimutan ata nilang nag e-exist! Nabura po yata sa mapa ng PNP ang mga kapulisan sa munisipyong ito. Pero as if their police stations are not enough turn off, natiyempuhan ko po minsan ang mga brother policemen natin na nagkakatay ng doggie just in front of their central police station!
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Okay so “legal” ang pagkain ng doggie dito sa Cordillera, but please for the sake of Buddha wag naman magkatay ng chiwawa sa premises ng government offices. Di ba?!
(((
Eto pa turn off number 3! – ang ilan sa kagalang-galang nating mga lolo police sa istasyon na yun ay naka tsinelas, naka shorts, naka sando! At (ung iba) walang suot pang itaas!

What the hell!! Kung ako lang si P-noy nung oras na yun eh fired na silang lahat! Pramis! Goodbye mga pulis sa station na yun!
On or off-duty, be decent-looking naman po tayo mga kagalang-galang na policemen there.

Turn-off number 1: Jurassic police station. We can’t seem to do anything about this kundi manawagan sa PNP na bigyan ng budget ang pag modernize sa police stations ng munisipyong ito sa Benguet.

The policemen and women assigned in these police stations can probably just maintain na lang the cleanliness and do some beautifications to the surroundings of their stations. Magtanim sila ng flowers. Or gumastos naman ng konti sa pag paint ng bright colors just to beautify their Jurassic police stations.

Turn-off number 2: Nagkatay ng doggie sa harap ng police station nila, as in sa tabing kalsada! Wag na ulitin ito pleeeaaasssee!!

I really hate to say the word barbaric! But ayun na nasabi ko na! Sorry pero yun lang talaga ang naiisip kong term! Gawin naman humane pagkatay niyo kay Bulldog. Huwag naman i-display pa sa buong mundo. May backstreet naman siguro sa opisina niyo my God!

Bawal nga kainin si Bantay sa Konstitusyon natin eh di ba mga bro! Tapos ang mga lolo police dun nagkatay sa super public place for the whole world to see!

Sa susunod po itago niyo na ang pagpatay kay Boomer (be discreet), okay lang kainin.

Turn-off number 3: Indecent display of police belly.

Please naman po mga kapatid nating pulis, ano naman po yung magsuot ng disenteng damit kahit Jurassic ang police station niyo at nagkakatay kayo ng aso sa harap ng istasyon niyo. Ayoko na po magsalita ng hindi maganda kasi mabait po talaga akong tao pramis.

Kayo po ay mga public servants to the people of that municipality. Hindi naman po siguro masyadong mahirap to act and look like one. Be an officer and a gentleman (kahit sa pananamit man lang).

Sabalian tayo metten ah ti bulok nga style tayo Apo. Peace po tayo!

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