2007 Panagbenga Festival

This year's Panagbenga flower festival lacks the luster the previous ones had.

Though, there were some 37 floats parading on the second day, politicians spoiled the event which was not in the first place aimed at showcasing clowns and jogglers but an event that's supposed to depict the cultures and traditions of the Cordillerans like the Igorots. The float parade was ruined with the participation of some politicians as they disrupted the flow of the participating entries parading their well conceptualized floats. Some rode their own floats while some on horses.

Another thing is, the organizers should have made the street dancing and float parade more authintic by sticking to original concept depicting their mode of clothing, dancing movement and more likely their kind of people that they are. Not the fair skinned ones with their spaghetti strapped western-style gowns and skimpy dresses waving to the crowds. The street dancing and float parade should not be made like a pageant-type presentation. They should stick to what is Cordillera, the people, the culture and their way of life!

I understand, that this basic dance of Cordillera people has a variety of movements of the hand depending on the kind of tribe. A Kankana-ey friend from Mankayan, Benguet has explained to me that the movement of hand differs from tribe to tribe. The Kankana-eys has different hand movement than their fellow Ibalois. This is what the organizers should present to the tourists for them to appreciate and learn the dance movement and for them to understand what they see. They should not adulterate the culture with modern and western style of dancing. That is not what I intend to see when I go up to Baguio every year since 2000. The organizers should take pains in letting the audience or crowd of tourists understand what is being presented to them.

The traditional way of their clothing should not also be mixed with modern clothing. It should be authintic as it is. I think the organizers should hire creative artists who have extinsive knowledge about the local traditions and cultures of the Cordillera tribes.

2004 Senatorial Election

Candidates Total
Roxas, Mar 19,372,888
Revilla, Bong, Jr. 15,801,531
Pimentel, Aquilino Jr. 13,519,998
Madrigal, Jamby A.S. 13,253,692
Gordon, Richard J. 12,707,151
Cayetano, Pia S. 12,542,054
Defensor-Santiago, Miriam 12,187,401
Lim, Alfredo S. 11,286,428
Enrile, Juan P. 11,191,162
Estrada, Jinggoy E. 11,094,120
Lapid, Lito M. 10,970,941
Biazon, Rodolfo G. 10,635,270
Barbers, Robert Z. 10,624,585
Maceda, Ernesto M. 9,944,328
Osmeña, John R. 9,914,179
Mercado, Orlando S. 8,295,024
Jaworski, Robert S. 6,921,425
Anson-Roa, Boots C. 5,873,845
Tatad, Francisco F. 5,718,740
Alvarez, Heherson T. 4,791,085
Herrera, Ernesto F. 4,612,036
Yasay, Perfecto Jr. R. 4,408,808
Chavez, Frank I. 4,286,838
Padilla, Carlos M. 3,863,693
Escudero, Salvador III H. 3,780,469
Rasul, Amina T. 3,456,480
Sonza, Jay Y. 2,839,442
Hussin, Parouk S. 2,821,522
Dilangalen, Didagen P. 2,222,069
Mauricio, Melanio Jr. L. 1,144,279
Pilapil, Pilar V. 692,137
Joson, Eduardo Nonato N. 631,041
Ilarde, Edgar U. 527,865
Gatmaytan, Nicanor Jr. B. 453,693
Coo, Olivia G. 338,846
Lozano, Oliver O. 238,272
Almirante, Alvin Alvincent G. 206,097
Montaño , Ramon E. 159,735
Usop, Matuan A. 137,376
Rosario, Angel C. 98,932
Aparri, Ismael D. 97,430
Nueva, Norma C. 96,129
Borja, Carmen X. 95,755
Decampong, Pendatun M. 94,713
Del Mundo, Gerardo A. 88,962
Fajardo, El Cid C. 79,471
Pagunuran, Iderlina P. 59,712
Estuita, Arturo V. 39,094

Saturday Night Out

It's a boring night!

Oh, but thanks to my new friends. Actually, some great guys - Mike and Rboy. Mike's Anthony's friend and Rboy's Mike's friend. This guy Rboy plays great in billiard, like a future champion to be. You know Filipinos are great on this game, the likes of Bata Reyes and others.

So we went to Uncle Tats, because it bores me anymore and Anthony at Sarah's. The ever, gosh they don't have cold beer. Again? Don't ask that question anymore. Sarah's would never be Sarah's if it change its policy not to offer "ice." How much that cost huh?

Anyway, after a single round, off we went to Uncle Tats - my second. I couldn't remember anymore when was the last time I went here. 'Twas when I was still working at the Quezon City City Hall. This place is just a stone's throw from the city hall. We went here after a busy day in the office one night with some friends.

Revelation, but Jboy plays great in billiard. We were in fact taunting him, especially me, the usually skeptic kind of person that I am. Anthony was telling me actually that he plays good in billiard. You know all that compliment he would tell me about Jboy and Mike. They are two buddies who are billiard addict I guess. I don't know. But the way they play, they are good players - but Jboy is exceptional.

We actually got into challenge while at Sarah's, with me and Jboy going to be partner and Anthony and Mike on the opposite. The first game, was Anthony and Mike winning. Second game finished....... Me and Jboy won.

On to the third game. I am by the way not into playing billiard because it's not my sport. I'm into athletics and volleyball, always joining the Senate olympics. I have already 1 silver, 2 bronzes and 2 golds courtesy of walkathon, relay and volleyball, respectively.

So we won the third game again. That's Jboy always pushing the play at angles he likes to. He coaches me the proper way of hitting the mother ball (I don't know how they call it - the white ball) and the right angle to hit the balls. So I was learning anyway. Thanks Jboy! I wouldn't forget this evening.

So until I had enough of the game, we were winning every set. Of course, this was coupled with San Mig light. Hmmmnnnnn... I never thought it to be enjoying playing billiard.

That's my Saturday evening.

Malayang Trillanes

My reaction to the editorial of Malaya today......

The www.blogger.com which powers the blogspot.com sites is a foreign, privately-owned blogging site and therefore is not bounded by our laws. The Magdalo blog is not a website but a webpage. The difference and distinction of the two is that, a website needs to have a registered domain name while a "blogsite" is just a webpage that is part of the blogger.com website. Going back to blogspot, before a user is able to use the site, he/she has to become a member first by agreeing to the user's agreement - which is ordinarily a "contract" executed between the website owner and the user and this most common to public-users site, prior to posting or creating blogs. No one can edit, remove or shut down a blogspot site without the authority of the website master and the blog owner. However, the site can be filtered by local authorities just like what they do in China which recently made an international furor by shutting down or filtering legitimate sites the likes of Yahoo.com and others for what the Chinese authorities believed was threat to national security. National security? Government authorities who still have this kind of thinking must be confined to techshop for upgrade on their obsolete mindset. Gone are the days of national security paranoia with the advent of internet technology for everyone can now use the internet to express their freedom of expression as long as they do it responsibly. "Free speech" is a constitutionally guaranteed right. Expressing it through any kind of medium such as the world wide web or internet does not make it unlawful as long as it is not libelous or subersive. The contract between the owner of the Magdalo blogspot and Blogger.com is a private international contract, which is therefore outside of the AFP jurisdiction.

On the left leaning party-list joining the political arena and electoral contest, I predict that one day we will wake in surprise with the "communist" or "socialist" - whatever we call them, running the government. I don't care if that happens. What I care most and that my biggest concer is if that communist or socialist leader is just like the present crop of democrat leaders - corrupt. My analysis is that there are two strategies now being employed by the left, through the underground movement which is armed struggle and aboveground political action under our democratic system, to achieve socialist goal. Again, I don't whether we are socialist or democratic, although I prefer for the latter, because there is nothing significant that distinguishes one from the other but leadership, honesty and competence in serving the public.

Above ground, left leaning organizations are enjoying successes in three successive electoral contests, winning seats in congress, enjoying the "porks" for their constituents which in effect helps increase their grassroots membership thru their party-list organization. I wouldn't be surprise if one day, this party-lists will become influential political parties giving the likes of Lakas or NPC a run for their money. If these progressive party-lists will be able to organize 70% of the entire population, that's going to be a headache for mainstream politicians. This is what I believe is the military's nightmare in the making. Probably, military strategists are having increasing concerns over this thing and this is evident on direct pronouncement from the top brass urging the electorate not to vote for left leaning party-lists. The AFP should not be going to this extent lest they be accused of "electioneering." The Comelec should be the one responsible for this because they are the one responsible for churning out rules. Let's say, some party-lists are engaging in vandalism which is punishable by our laws. You can see their graffiti on walls, posts, bridges or anything they can write on or posters. Yet, come election time, they are allowed by Comelec to just get away from this offense. This maybe is one opportunity the AFP can capitalize rather than engaging itself in electioneering which is likewise an offense under our election laws and they also get away with it. Meanwhile, party-lists may continue increasing their ranks instead of doing vandals and continue their rants against shenanigans of sitting administration but it should be for the right reason. Don't just oppose the Government for the sake of opposition but rather offer alternatives for the benefit better policy-making.

For the Magdalo group and Trillanes, it is an indeed an uphill battle going against the mighty and powerful. Joining the election is one strategy to pursue your reformist idealogy and that is the freest expression. Winning is a bonus! Mabuhay!