FIFA World Cup 2010: From Filipino Eyes...

Recently due to the many times I visited the Nuffnang Innit site, I've noticed that most of my fellow Nuffies were talking about the upcoming FIFA World Cup to be held in South Africa this June 11. All those posts remind me of my cousin in HK who talks too much about Rooney, Ronaldo, Cech, Beckham, etc. But most of all, it reminded me of why Filipinos don't care much about a worldwide football event.

First of all, we Filipinos don't care much about football (or soccer, however you want to call it) because it isn't famous here, like American football, baseball, cricket, etc. Philippines is more of a basketball country and we care more if the game was about Lakers vs. Suns in the Playoffs than Birmingham vs. Man. Utd. in the Premier League.

Secondly, we will only care about a game (or anything else) if a fellow Filipino is included. Think of it: Millions will watch boxing if Manny Pacquiao was on the ring, Journey wouldn't have as much fans if they didn't take Arnel Pineda, and so on and so forth...

Lastly, we will only care about an infamous game if we have a bet on the line, especially if the bet totals to a month's salary.

But the truth is some Filipinos are not like the typical stereotype that I have just described. Take me for example, I'm too much into Japan stuff (and not just the anime-watching type who even name themselves in Facebook like a jejemon-weaboo combo) and I'm a big fan of Formula 1 back when Michael Schumacher was racing for Ferrari.

In short, there are still football (or soccer) fans out there in the vast islands of the Philippine Republic. These fans will keep the spirit of the World Cup alive and will be role models of national unity (much like the boxing fans).

And besides, I'm quite tired of picking words to fit the post's topic. I'm outta here!

The President We Need: A Post-election Perspective

Election fever is finally over here in the Philippines. Even so, all eyes are on the winning presidential candidate and some problems with the automated elections system. We can finally say goodbye to the past and head on to a brighter future with the new administration.

But recently, I saw a post made by the Nuffies working at the OutComm office in the Philippine Nuffnang site titled 'The President We Need'. It was a sponsored post by volunteers of the winning candidate which, in the end, wasn't a good idea. The post made it look like the Nuffies in Nuffnang Philippines have a biased view of the elections, kinda like shattering their own image. I was quite annoyed by the post, even if they said it didn't reflect their own public view, because it reflected that Nuffnang can be made into a place of massive campaign (like spamming in their innit chatbox). Instead of making extra rage, i'll just explain what kind of president we really need.

In my perspective, the country needs a president who:

1. ...is sincere and transparent. (the likes of Noynoy Aquino)


2. ...is a leader. (the likes of Manny Villar/Erap Estrada)


3. ...has many programs settled that would benefit the multitude. (like Gibo Teodoro/J.C. delos Reyes)

But, in my perspective, there is no candidate that may satisfy all three basic criteria. I kinda think of it like a MMORPG game where you have to select the class that your character will use (e.g. swordsman, thief, archer, mage, etc.). In fact some of them have minus points like 'star power' or a smudge in the cheek from the dirt of the previous administrations.

Besides, the selection of a president for the next administration is only part of the many factors that may lead us or veer us away from corruption. Other deciding factors are the choice of cabinet and office members, newly elected senators, senators with three years left in the national senate, local government officials, and the like.

Now the election is over and the country has selected Mr.(a.) as the newly elected president, we will just have to see for ourselves on how he will lead the country.

The Big A: a Year in Review

Being fifteen years old and residing in the Republic of the Philippines meant that June is the month when all schools open for another year of fixed educational curriculum. That means more midnight crams, less gimmicks, no time with computer tweaks, and lots and lots of nosebleed (especially with the more recent El Niño). But being a High School student of Ateneo de Manila (a.k.a. 'The Big A'), it also meant that school will start in a jiffy rather than on the national opening of classes on June 15. But instead of hurrying up with preparations, I'd rather take a little stroll down Memory Lane and look back how I survived my first year in The Big A.

I transferred from Don Bosco Makati to Ateneo for Second Year of High School because of the track record that I had (and still have) with my comrades. At first, everyone was worried with my decision to transfer, most especially with my parents who thought I'll never survive. After all, Ateneo is one of the top schools here in the Philippines.

At first, I was flunking some seatworks, quizzes, and even failed my Christian Living class because I was still adjusting myself to the school's curriculum. But I got my wings back to soar a bit higher in the second and third term.

I also had my set of 'firsts': First time to become a 'somewhat crappy' mascot of a class of procrastinators, First time to lay hands on a Mac during computer class and club period, First time to see and actually read manga maintained by the school's library, First time to piss off a person who usually pisses me off, First time to get straight A's in practical arts, First time to be ranked 'class technician' and to have access to the classroom's snail-speed desktop computer, First time to have a daily 'offline meeting' with a person I've known in the web, etc.

In the end, I survived The Big A. But for me, this is just part of the challenge coming ahead. So for now, I better get prepared. Nobody wants to die in the line of duty, you know!

Just another blog, move on...

For the past two or so years, I have been making posts that (literally) suck. The first one about me and by random scribbles, etc., the second one being about giving a damn on various things that nobody cares about. Simply put, this is just another blog attempt that I will (expectedly) fail on.

But let me make a few changes. The mindf*** circus is a format-free blog. I'll type about rage against a brick wall, laughing at a fat guy across the street, or lose myself in crazy thoughts and type drunk (like what I'm doing now...), yet this intro post is very unavoidable.

So for the third time, welcome!