Now listen, I know you've got to think about your image, cause image is important to you, because of course your friends are gonna dictate your actions through the rest of your lives, and I wouldn't want you to step away from them and become an individual, that would almost be too much! - Sister Mary Clarence (Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, 1993)

If you want to be somebody, if you want to go somewhere, you better wake up and pay attention. - Sister Mary Clarence (Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, 1993)

Any man with a collection like this is a man who's never set foot on a battlefield. To him a miniball from Shiloh is just an artifact. But to a combat vet, it's a hunk of metal that caused some poor bastard a world of pain. -Lt. Gen. Eugene Irwin (The Last Castle, 2001)

Zero-six, you've been shot down, life is tough. You're a combat aviator, start acting like one. Remember your training, put some angles between you and your pursuers. Evade and survive, and we will bring you home. You got that? We will bring you home. -Admiral Leslie McMahon Reigart (Behind Enemy Lines, 2001)

Yeah, I could do it. We both know you wouldn't stop me. Let's think about the logic. You create man, man suffers enormous amounts of pain, man dies. They say you rested on the seventh day, well maybe you should have spent that day on compassion. -Hunter Patch Adams (Patch Adams, 1998)

Look beyond the fingers! Now tell me how many you see.
You're focusing on the problem. If you focus on the problem, you can't see the solution. Never focus on the problem!
See what no one else sees. See what everyone chooses not to see... out of fear, conformity or laziness. See the whole world anew each day! -Arthur Mendelson (Patch Adams, 1998)

What's wrong with death sir? What are we so mortally afraid of? Why can't we treat death with a certain amount of humanity and dignity, and decency, and God forbid, maybe even humor. Death is not the enemy gentlemen. If we're going to fight a disease, let's fight one of the most terrible diseases of all, indifference. -Hunter Patch Adams (Patch Adams, 1998)

Dexter Ongpauco blogged at 7:46 PM (0) comments

Hi! Kamusta ang Midterms nyo?

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Kamusta na kayo?

Kakatapos lang ng Midterms... Kamusta naman?

Anong ang mga nangyari sa Midterm Exam nyo?

Nag-pasa na ba kayo ng mga midterm project?

Kilala nyo na ba ang mga Prof nyo?

(sana naman diba!)

Marami nang nangyari sa loob ng school, diba?
(sana napansin mo...)

Paano ba yan? 2nd Half na... mag-babagong buhay ka na ba? o ganyan ka pa rin?

Dexter Ongpauco blogged at 11:45 AM (0) comments

THE SHADOW CABINET

Monday, July 11, 2005

ECONOMIC TEAM

-Susan's thrust will be to achieve an ECONOMIC MIRACLE thatthe country missed in the 80's and 90's. Nobody is better equipped inmaking this MIRACLE happen than Nora Aunor (Himala). As NEDA Secretary,Sec. Aunor will not draw water from brooks of Kupang (Place of Himala), butwould make miracles happen by encouraging people to believe in themselves.According to the future NEDA chief. "Tayo ang gumagawa ng Himala" She will be assisted by Underscretary Madame Auring to guide the government in taking the miraculous path.

Sec. Aunor will be supported by Sec. Pepe Pimentel (Finance) and Sec.Roderick Paulate (Budget and Management). As Finance chief, Sec. Pimentelis well aware of where the "Kwarta" is. And no matter how small revenuecollection will be, the public purse will be effi! ciently handled and kept by Budget Secretary Paulate in his "Bayong" with Undersecretary Amy Perez.

Finally, the Team is completed by Trade and Industry by the tandem of Sec.Mura and Undersecretary Mahal to make sure that the basic commodities arepriced right, neither expensive (Mahal) nor cheap (Mura).


SERVICES TEAM

- True to his populist color, Susan will give more to those who have less in life. Being allied with the GMA administration, MMDA Chair Bayani Fernando will be replaced by another Bayani, New MMDA Chair BayaniAgbayani. As such he will scrap the Odd-Even scheme and implement a simpler "Ocho-Ocho" traffic program, i.e., no cars in Edsa from 8am to 8pm.

Agriculture Department will ! be headed by Sec. Vilma Santos to ensure thatfood supply will be bountiful in all seasons in all regions.

Housing, being the cornerstone of the Susan Roces Administration, will be given to an equally regal and competent person, HLURB Secretary Dolphy. As such, he will ensure that the masses get their deserved homes either along the riles (railroads) or airports. The middle class on the other hand will be helped by Undersecretary Nova Villa.

The National Youth Commission will be headed by German Moreno so that he can help develop the talents of the millions of Filipino Youth. He will be assisted by Commissioners-At-Large Jojo Veloso and Alfie Lorenzo.

Social Welfare portfolio will be given to no less than Sec. Willie Revillame. He will leave his show to prepare for government service. To fund the welfare programs, the young Lucky Manzano will be appointed to the PCSO and PAGCOR.

Finally, the Department of Health will be headed by Dr. Vicky Belo. Theprojects in line are as follows: Oplan Alis Skin Disease, Tangal taba, andLibreng Lipo sa Masa.


RESOURCES TEAM

- Susan Roce's policy is the full development of ourresources for the benefit of the people.

Department of Energy will be headed by Sec. Gary Valenciano. No more PPA, just pure energy.

The Environment portfolio will be given to Sec. Chin-Chin Gutierrez andsupported by Bureau of Forestry Director Rico J. Puno, Mines andGeosciences Directress Gretchen Barreto, and Undersecretary Jimmy Bondoc.


DEFENSE AND LAW AND ORDER TEAM

- Considering the lack of respect thecitizens have for the law of the law, Susan will implement the policy oflaw without fear or favor.

The Defense Department will be given to Sec. Annabel Rama who is feared by the devil himself. If she can handle Ernie Maceda, why not the generals of the AFP. If she can defend Ruffa's integrity despite all her shenanigans, what more the integrity of the national territory.

The Department of Interior will be headed by another fighter, Sec. Mystica who is well aware of the workings of the police after figuring in weeklybrawls ever since she entered showbiz. She will be assited by PNP Chief Paquito Diaz, an expert on mobs and thugs.


FOREIGN AFFAIRS TEAM

- Susan will continue the current government'sconstructive engagement. Among the members of the nation's new foreignservice are the following Ambassadors:

Africa Union - Susan Africa
Austria - Amy Austria
Brunei Darusalam - Cristina Gonzalez
Colombia - Ace Vergel
Germany - Baron Geisler
Israel - Dick Israel
Jordan - Jordan Herrera
Spain - Gerald Madrid
Romania - David Bunevacz
Russian Federation - Nanette Medved
Turkey - Ruffa Gutierrez-Bektas
United Kingdom - Princess Punzalan
United States - Angelica Jones

The Department of Foreign Affairs will be headed by Sec. Melanie Marquez(Miss International) who is very experienced in "international" relationships.


OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

- Lastly, to manage all the department secretaries,a function of the Executive Secretary, no less than Exec. Sec. Lily Monteverde will "manage" all of them to make sure that they work in linewith government policies. If Mother Lily can manage the whole Regal Family(plus Regal Babies), what more the nation's Official Family. She will beassisted by Presidential Management Staff Sec. Lolit Solis, another"talent" manager. To complete the roster of palace officials, theresidential Spokesperson's job will be given not to Boy Abunda nor Cristy Fermin as other have speculated, but to the reliable Sec. Rey Pumaloy(Aminin!) to ensure that the government will not hide anything from thepublic.


Kay SUSAN tayo !!!!

Dexter Ongpauco blogged at 8:41 PM (0) comments

HISTORY OF JUETENG IN THE PHILIPPINES

Thursday, July 07, 2005

From the book: "Phoenix: The Saga of the Lopez Family" Vol. 1
by Raul Rodrigo
On pp. 105 to 106:

In Iloilo in 1929, the king of jueteng was a Chinese named Luis Sane, widely known as Sualoy. He operated with impunity;his establishments were safe from raids; secured, it was said, by generous bribe money to politicians and the local police. In September 1929, Ening [Lopez] and El Tiempo began a crusade against jueteng in Iloilo and the corruption it created in local government. The winning number each day was printed in a box in boldface on page one. Ening came out with one expose after another, alleging that top politicians such as Iloilo Governor Mariano Arroyo, Iloilo City police chief Marcelo Buenaflor and his brother Congressman Tomas Buenaflor, had been bribed by Sualoy to turn a blind eye on jueteng. Ening did not choose lightweight opponents. Mariano Arroyo was the most powerful man in the province. He was the brother of the late Jose Arroyo, a Nacionalista senator and good friend of Quezon. As the public's outrage over the corruption began to mount, Arroyo issued a statement that jueteng did not exist in Iloilo. That it did and that local officials benefited from it were matters of public knowledge in the city. The question was not what needed to be done, but who had the courage to do it. As it turned out, Ening Lopez did.
In March 1930, due to the pressure created by El Tiempo, Sualoy's headquarters was finally raided; not by the do-nothing local police, but the Philippine Constabulary. Sualoy was arrested, found guilty and jailed. He was eventually deported and died in China.
With Sualoy out, the conflict had narrowed to a match between> ElTiempo and the governor. The crusade had captured the imagination of Iloilo and made El Tiempo the city's leading newspaper. In August 1930, pushed against the wall, Governor Arroyo sued El Tiempo for libel. Ening struck back by filing administrative charges against the governor. He also called in his friend and former boss Vicente Francisco to lead his defense against the libel charge. As the struggle intensified, some Lopezes sensed in it some unwelcome echoes of the political tempest that had taken the life of Ening's father (Benito Lopez) 22 years before. El Tiempo's editor, Jose Magalona, was badly beaten by a local thug who was believed to be in the employ of the governor's men. The older Lopezes were afraid that as the row grew more heated, Ening might eventually share his father's fate.
Fortunately, news of the case had reached Manila and attracted the attention of (American) Governor General Dwight F. Davis. Governor Arroyo and his cohorts came under minute scrutiny. As a result of the scandal, the Nacionalistas and Quezon began backing away from Arroyo. When Arroyo asked Quezon to recommend to Davis that he be acquitted of the administrative charges filed by Lopez, Quezon refused. Instead, Davis swiftly dispatched Judge Manuel Moran (later chief justice of the Supreme Court), to investigate the libel case. Moran established that Arroyo and the police chief were in fact heavily involved in illegal gambling. They even ran a gambling den as a means of generating money for the upcoming 1931 elections. Moran concluded that Ening and El Tiempo had not been guilty of libel. In Arroyo's trial on the administrative charges, even more damning evidence against the governor came out. Pio Sian Melliza, a boyhood friend and active supporter of the governor, testified that when he had asked his friend to finally crack down on jueteng, the governor told him: ‘Compadre, why are you so determined to get rid of jueteng gambling? Isn't it clear to you that most of the jueteng runners and sellers are our own political ward leaders? The elections are nearing, and I am running for re-election. Not including the money they are giving us for election expenses, they can hurt us in this election, because there are many of these jueteng runners in this province.”
On October 7, 1930, Governor General Dwight F. Davis ordered Governor Mariano Arroyo relieved of his post for corruption. Timoteo Consing, a friend of Ening, was named as his replacement. Iloilo Mayor Eulogio Garganera and Marcelo Buenaflor were suspended. The ex-governor staged a protest rally and attempted to make a political comeback, but his disgrace had been marked and he sank into obscurity.
Now, a postscript to history -- Don Mariano Arroyo, the disgraced governor of Iloilo who was dismissed by the American governor-general for being a jueteng protector and coddler, had a brother, Jose Arroyo y Pidal. He is the grandfather of Atty. Jose Miguel Arroyo y Tuason, the so-called First Gentleman, being the husband of the President of the Republic, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Jose Miguel, whose nickname is Mike, has a younger brother, Jose Ignacio Arroyo, who is now a congressman of Negros Occidental.

Dexter Ongpauco blogged at 10:34 PM (0) comments

I do not love you... by Pablo Neruda

I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,

or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.

I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,

in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that never blooms

but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;

thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,

risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.

I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;

so I love you because I know no other way

that this: where I does not exist, nor you,

so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,

so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.

Dexter Ongpauco blogged at 10:54 AM (0) comments