'Going Shylock' with These Indonesians

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What happened to another blogger and her friend in Indonesia simply is outrageous! No outrageous is not enough of a term. KARUMALDUMAL!!! VERY UNACCEPTABLE!!! If you have not read, seen or heard it in the news yet, here is her blog post.

I wonder how many other Filipinos get to be treated that way in Indonesia? This branding and profiling is not something that we Filipinos should just let pass. We have to do something about this.

As if some of their countrymen have not done the same!?!?!?! Our immigration guys caught one just recently. Her name is Media Aprideri. Read the full story here. And here is another story about three Indonesian drug mules caught in our country.

I say, go and treat them the same way. For every Indonesian that goes in and out. Subject them the same respect that they've subjected our countrymen. I know this maybe harsh and maybe I am being inhumane just like their immigration guys who can't even speak good English, but my temper is boiling as of the moment.

Ahhhhhhhh!

I know, i know, we should be diplomatic and all but at times we have to act and think as Shylock did:

To bait fish withal: if it feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me, and hindered me half a million, laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies; and what's his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? Revenge! If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why, revenge! The villainy you teach me I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction.

One thing is for sure, our government must do everything possible to ensure that this kind of profiling does not happen ever again to another Filipino!

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Andrew Lloyd Webbers's "Cats" In Manila

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I met my wife as a fellow student and member of a student organization called the Thespians Guild. We basically have the same love for theater althought she has all the talents and me just all the wacky ideas. And since we are celebrating our original anniversary every July, I thought of buying tickets to watch Andrew Lloyd Webbers Cats which will have a limited run at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) beginning July 24, 2010.

And since it is said that the main cast will be led by no less than our very own Ms Lea Salonga as Grizabella, it serves a double whammy for us. My wife loves and adores everything Lea. She was even thinking of using one of her songs before as our wedding March because she really likes her. I am proud to say also that my wife was at some point in time been mistaken for Ms Lea Salonga also. I could not count anymore how many times total strangers will talk to her just to tell her that she looks like Lea.

I want my wife to love me more this July hehe so I gotta have those Cats tickets. If you guys are also interested, you can watch it on any of the following dates:

SHOW DATES (as of April 2010)
SAT July 24 Matinee
SAT July 24 Evening
SUN July 25 Matinee
SUN July 25 Evening
TUE July 27 Evening
WED July 28 Evening
THU July 29 Evening
FRI July 30 Evening
SAT July 31 Matinee
SAT July 31 Evening
SUN August 1 Matinee
SUN August 1 Evening
TUE August 3 Evening
WED August 4 Evening
THU August 5 Evening
FRI August 6 Evening
SAT August 7 Matinee
SAT August 7 Evening
SUN August 8 Matinee
SUN August 8 Evening
TUE August 10 Evening
WED August 11 Evening
THU August 12 Evening
FRI August 13 Evening
SAT August 14 Matinee
SAT August 14 Evening
SUN August 15 Matinee
SUN August 15 Evening

The following are the ticket pricess though:

Ticket Prices:

Matinee
SAT (3:00pm)
SUN (2:30pm)
PhP7000 PhP5000 PhP3500 PhP2000 PhP1000

Evenings
TUE, WED, THU (8:00pm)
SUN (7:30pm)
PhP6000 PhP4500 PhP3000 PhP1500 PhP750

Evenings
FRI, SAT (8:00pm)
PhP7000 PhP5000 PhP3500 PhP2000 Php1000

Ticket Prices are exclusive of Ticketworld fees.

Again this is to be done at the Cultural Center of the Philippines inside the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. See you there.

For more information about the event, you can visit their Facebook or Tumblr pages.

http://facebook.com/catsinmanila or http://catsinmanila.tumblr.com

Now if I can just get a ticket for free. hehehe LOL.

The Black Pencil Project

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Who does not want to be an advocate of something good for a change? Even the most dreaded criminal must be thinking of doing something good for others once in a while. I guess that is a fact. People has, even in the most unlikeliest one, a few inch of goodness in him to care for others.

I basically admire most those people who are not really powerful individuals but instead normal regular guys like us who are able to start sharing and helping in their own way. Such is the humble beggining of the advocacy group known as the Black Pencil Project.

It started when three photography hobbyist climbed Banaue primarily to get photographs of the landscape and its people. However since it is the start of the school season they brought along a bunch of black pencils to be given to the small kids that they know they will meet in the area. This small step became their initiation to better understanding their roles in the community. It was on that day, "humbled by the warm hospitality of people of Banaue, that they realized the shared value of social responsibility and vowed to continue the effort in their own little way."

Through the help of friends and different online social media, their advocacy grew from a movement of three people to a collection of different people in the society. From photgraphy clubs, to mountaineering organizations, private individuals and tourists alike.

There are a lot of ways to help. One could just literally send in a pencil and that will be counted as a great assistance already. Others tend to adopt-a-box for companies and other institutions abd be returned filled with school supplies. providing cash donations will also help. The more adventurous individuals can be sherpas that will help carry the items to be distributed to the target community. Normally the objective communities are in far flung regions so one is expected to shell out his or her own transportation fees and at least be able to walk long distances and climb steep terrain. Corporate partnerships are very much welcome.

As for me, I am reblogging this. I hope I am able to help by doing this. And I hope a lot of people will be able to read this also. Maybe this will help in making them realize that they too can do something on their own by helping the Black Pencil Project or by doing something else on their own. I am also trying to make contact with a local group in my hometown right now. Who knows, maybe we can adopt one box.

To learn more about the Black Pencil Project, you can visit their website blackpencilproject.org or click here.

The Meloto Mindset

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“I can do more for the country by not being a Cabinet official”!

Wow! And I mean another, "HUWAW"!!!

It is not every day that we will hear such statements, but yes we did! This is the exact pronouncement of Mr Tony Meloto, one of the founders of Gawad Kalinga. You see, he was offered a Cabinet post by our new President and he declined it exactly for the very reason stated above. He can do more for his country without getting a public post. Sorry, but I have to say another "WOW!!!!" to that!!!

This is in total contrast to what we always hear from our politicians. When ask why they are running for public posts, they will always exclaim that it is so that they can help the poor. I always thought that this is farce and with these kind of statements alone, I find myself rooting for them to lose. Unfortunately, that is not always the case.

Sigh... If only Pacman, and all other individuals who are already considered movers of the society can have the same state of mind, surely they will make wonders for the country. The new President himself is in that position already, given the resources that he and his family already have. But no, because in the context of Philippine politics, the child should inherit his parents political position. In this case he gave more weight to the Philippines natural political tradition : Trapoism.

This now makes me ask, Are these guys really becoming more helpful by merely taking in public posts? I tried to look for any studies regarding this but did not find one.

I tend to believe however that Mr Meloto is spot on correct on his decision. And because he declined the post and ultimately did not give in to temptation of having almost an absolute power in our society, I find him to be one of the most honorable Filipino we have in the country. Mabuhay ka Ginoong Meloto! Sana ay dumami pa ang kagaya mo!