New Math

August 31, 2009 at 10:43 am (2000s Philippines, Angst, Current Events, Humor, Random memories, The Global Crowd, The Manilenos, The Pampanguenos, Tristesse)

We were all taught that 1 + 1 = 2;  that 2 + 2 = 4;  that 4 + 4 = 8, and so on.  That’s Basic Arithmetic, Basic Mathematics.  Well, for your information my friends, none of those equations hold true anymore!!!   It doesn’t matter if you did your PostGrads [ or even UnderGrads ] at Harvard, Yale, Cambridge, Northwestern, Duke, UC Berkeley, Stanford, etc., You learned the Wrong Things!!!  According to the Powers that Be in our Philippine Government, among them those involved in electoral processes,  1 + 1 = 10,000;  2 + 2 = 200,000;  10,000 – 1 = 110,000;  1,000,000 – 20,000 = 8,000,000; and so on…!!!

The Pampanga Governorship of Among Ed Panlilio is in legal peril because of a Recount ordered by the Court at the behest of the unimaginably rich and unimaginably powerful Pinedas of Lubao, with the obvious assent of their reluctant townmate, Madame President, and the cooperation of the entire Malacanang Palace machinery.  THE Political Debts, as always.

For the first time, the helpless doctors and the nurses in the provincial hospitals of Pampanga had 70 % isopropyl alcohol, cotton balls, syringes, intravenous fluids, basic medical equipment, etc..  They say that it was never that way during the incumbencies of Lapid and even Guiao.  Among Ed certainly made good his campaign promises.    

Many of us Kapampangans are going to order a T – shirt which says:  “KAPAMPANGAN KU, MARINE KU!”  [ "I am Kapampangan and I am Ashamed!" ].

Should it happen, We will not be surprised to see a rise in the number of renegades, rebels, and lawless elements in the province as well as the entire Central Luzon.  As with Marcos, so with Arroyo.

“Kung Kalokwan mu rin, Mangandaloko ta na ngan.”  [ "Kung Lokohan din lang, e di Maglokohan na lang tayong lahat." / "If it is going to be Foolishness [ in this case, Cheating ], then we will have Foolishness all throughout.”

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Filipino Precolonial Jewelry

August 22, 2009 at 3:29 pm (1800s Filipinas, Random memories, The Cebuanos, The Davaoenos, The Global Crowd, The Ilocanos, The Ilonggos, The Laguna Tagalogs, The Manilenos, The Negrenses, The Pampanguenos, The Past, The Tarlaquenos, The Tayabenses / Quezonians)

“Please look out for UOD earrings…”  a dear lady friend of Old Cebu and Old Iloilo lineages requested.

I remembered the Great Collection of Formidable Mother…

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Filipino Colonial Jewelry

August 22, 2009 at 3:28 pm (1800s Filipinas, 1900s Philippines, 19th century Filipino Art, Random memories, The Cebuanos, The Davaoenos, The Global Crowd, The Ilocanos, The Ilonggos, The Laguna Tagalogs, The Manilenos, The Negrenses, The Pampanguenos, The Past, The Tarlaquenos, The Tayabenses / Quezonians)

“You should see the gold cuffs I inherited from Mama, Toto.”  a dear lady friend of Old Leyte lineage told me.

I have been fascinated with Filipino Colonial Jewelry for many years now…

5 Comments

The Patriarch’s House

August 22, 2009 at 3:24 pm (1900s Philippines, 2000s Philippines, Architecture, Design and Decoration, Domestic Travels, Gonzalez de Sulipan, Manila Houses, Pampanga Art, Pampanga Cuisine, Pampanga Traditions, Personal, Random memories, Religious Traditions, Rodriguez de Bacolor, The Global Crowd, The Manilenos, The Pampanguenos, The Past)

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Of established family

August 20, 2009 at 5:14 pm (1800s Filipinas, 1900s Philippines, 2000s Philippines, Random memories, The Cebuanos, The Davaoenos, The Global Crowd, The Ilocanos, The Ilonggos, The Laguna Tagalogs, The Manilenos, The Negrenses, The Pampanguenos, The Past, The Tarlaquenos, The Tayabenses / Quezonians)

Many comparisons have been drawn between the “de buena familia” good families and the “nouveau riche” of Manila, Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo, Davao, and the rest of the Philippines.   But there is one thing I have not seen discussed, and it is the clan profile of a “de buena familia” vis-a-vis that of a nouveau riche/newly prosperous one.

Very noticeable in “de buena familia” good Filipino clans is that many members [ apart from the omnipresent miscreants and bad eggs ] are interesting, productive, sometimes outstanding individuals.  The streak is noticeable in nuclear families, then the clan in general, and extends even to their allied families.  In keeping with the culture of wealth and financial savvy, the young are provided with “good education” that hopefully ensures their future,  ”good” [ read: stringent ] not only in terms of academic excellence but also “good” [ read:  well-off, if not outright rich ] in terms of classmates/peers having a similar, well-provided quality of life.  Postgraduate degrees in prestigious universities abroad, the more and the more expensive the better, are essential for the competitive edge in later professional life.  Because of generations of financial stability, even affluence, “good marriages” not unlike corporate mergers further and assure enjoyable social, and later profitable business, connections.  That is why Lolo A is Chairman of the Board of Company A, Lolo B the majority stockholder of Conglomerate B;  Lola C is President of Company C, Lola D is Chair of of the Board of Company D.  It is why Daddy is Chairman of the Board of of Company E and Mommy is the President of Company F.  And why Tito G heads Corporation G and Tita H owns Company H.  It’s All in the Family, Filipino-style.    

What is interesting in nouveaux riches/newly prosperous Filipino clans is that it is usually just one family member, or if they’re lucky then one nuclear family, who has “made it big.”  Then the relatives, by degrees of closeness, gravitate and revolve around him/her/them like moons around a planet or planets around the sun.  Thus, in such a family, it is not surprising that the housekeeper is actually a maternal aunt, the “yayas” female cousins, the drivers uncles and male cousins, the secretaries sisters, and so forth and so on.  One can certainly take the view that the successful family member has taken on the duty of uplifting everybody else in the family or clan.  Very Filipino.

What are your observations?

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Apolitical

August 16, 2009 at 7:42 pm (2000s Philippines, Angst, Personal, Random memories, The Global Crowd, The Manilenos, The Pampanguenos, Tristesse)

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had enough of Politics for a while.

Because of the various posts in this blog, People think of Toto Gonzalez as pro-GMA, anti-GMA, pro-Estrada, anti-Estrada, pro-Ramos, anti-Ramos, pro-Aquino, anti-Aquino, pro-Marcos, anti-Marcos.  I couldn’t possibly be pro-Macapagal, anti-Macapagal, pro-Garcia, anti-Garcia simply because I wasn’t born yet.

The Truth is that I am NOT pro- or anti- ANYBODY.  Being all too human, I am just too aware of the humanity — the strengths as well as the weaknesses — in everybody.  I understand what it is like for most people, in most cases.

I’m going back to the pleasures of the past, when Life was not nearly as complicated as this one…

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Filipino Business will support…

August 16, 2009 at 2:10 pm (2000s Philippines, Angst, Current Events, Humor, Random memories, The Cebuanos, The Davaoenos, The Global Crowd, The Ilocanos, The Ilonggos, The Laguna Tagalogs, The Manilenos, The Negrenses, The Pampanguenos, The Tarlaquenos, The Tayabenses / Quezonians)

“LAHAT!!!  BIGYAN ANG LAHAT… PARA WALANG ANGAL!!!  Give Everybody… so no one complains!!!”  declared Insouciant Heiress.

“LAHAT???!!!  All of them???  You can’t be serious…”

“I am.”

“Well, your dear cousin is running.  Is She included in LAHAT???” 

“Dunno.” 

“And what about You?”  I asked Powerful Lady, A Force in Philippine Business. 

“We have to get someone who is good for Business.  GMA is good for Philippine Business.  Somebody like her who knows his/her Economics…”

“Somebody like Manny?”

“Not quite.  We had difficulties with him and all those Camella Homes…” 

“Somebody like Mar?”

“Maybe.  Now Mar really knows his Economics.  But he’s marrying Korina.  She’s not popular by the looks of it.  We have nothing against her.  But she might bring him down… you know the majority of voters.”

I turned to Irascible Industrialist.  “So if Danding supports Chiz, will you support him too?”

“Depends.  Hey, somebody will have to tell Chiz to go back to school.  He doesn’t make sense.  His figures don’t make sense.  Posturing at the podium ala JFK isn’t enough!” 

“Why can’t he be more like Ralph?  Ralph went back to school and now he really knows his facts and figures.  Smart guy, that Ralph.  He’s got a brain!  Between him and Vilma, the Presidency is a breath away.  I’d vote for Ralph anytime!”   

“I agree with you about Ralph.”  interjected Powerful Lady.

“What about Gilbert?”

“That guy is great but the voters don’t know him.  He should have had more exposure these recent years.  It’s a pity his uncle Danding isn’t backing him.  Those Cojuangcos are divided:  Gilbert’s mother Ditas versus Danding.  Nikki’s beauty can be a real political asset, great for stupid voters, but those Cojuangcos have the darndest things to say about her…”       

And I turned to Taipan.  I politely asked:  “Who will you support, Sir?”  He smiled beatifically, as if he had not understood what I had asked.  “Who will you support for President next year, Sir?”  He expertly turned the question around to me:  “Who will you support?”  “Does it matter who I will support, Sir?”  He smiled and winked naughtily:  “Does it matter who I will support, my friend?”  “Of course, it matters, Sir, very much!”  “To tell you the truth,” he whispered, “I will have to support everyone who asks, but I will give more to the one I know will win.”  “How do you know who will win, Sir?”  “WE will make him win.  WE will make him win.”  And he smiled beatifically as if he had not spoken a word.  Like Buddha.

As for Toto Gonzalez, he will support himself.  Harharhar!   :P    :P    :P

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In defense of PGMA

August 15, 2009 at 3:50 pm (2000s Philippines, Current Events, Random memories, The Global Crowd, The Manilenos, The Pampanguenos)

At a recent dinner, I had the serendipity to be seated directly across a Powerful Lady long considered A Force in the Filipino business community, and She, of all people, had wonderful things to say about The President and the economic state of the nation…

“Tell me what’s happening now.  Are you pro- or anti- GMA?”

“You can’t brand me as pro-GMA.  We’re both strong women and we’ve had ‘run-ins.’  I’m ‘mataray’ and She’s ‘mataray.’  We had a shouting match in the chapel at Saint Luke’s [ Saint Luke's Medical Center in Quezon City ] when Mike was really sick.  But credit must be given where it is due.  In this case, to her.”  she qualified.     

“Do you honestly think that we could be here partying if everything had fallen apart economically???  Do you know anyone here who really got affected badly?  You… were you badly affected?  No!  See what I mean?”  she asked.

“Not seriously, Thank God.  But we’re OK now.  Could be worse, you know.”  I replied.

She nodded in agreement.  “That’s because the economic buffers are in place.  That’s why we haven’t fallen apart.  She really knows her Economics.”

“That’s her advantage over Erap.  Her expertise on Economics.  Erap is an expert on every other thing — Wine, Women, and Song — but Economics.”  I recalled.

“If we go technical, I can tell you the figures of our current [ economic ] state… They’re actually good.”  she suggested.

“Oh please, spare me the figures!”  I mock-pleaded.

She declared:  “She’s the only President who has managed to make payments on our foreign debts.  The Only One!!!  I talked to Say [ Central Bank Governor Amando Tetangco ]… ‘Where exactly are we???’  And He said:  ‘We’re out of IMF.’” [ IMF - International Monetary Fund ].

“We’re out of IMF???!!!”  I asked, incredulous.  Unbelievable because new loans from IMF were daily breakfast fare during the Marcos Era.

She continued:  “Say said:  ‘Look, I’ve announced it several times already, but Nobody’s paid attention!’ “ 

“Infrastructure is all over the place.  Roads, Bridges, the works!  I talked with Alfred [ Alfredo Romualdez Jr. ] and he said roads and bridges are coming up all over the Visayas.  The Action is outside Manila.  One has to see it to believe it!”  she explained excitedly.

“What about the supposed 40 % payment one has to make at The Malacanang Palace for a deal to be approved?”  I inquired audaciously.

“Not true!  If you know Mike [ First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo ] as well and as long as I have, you know he’s not capable of it.  Too much of a gentleman.”

“What about the vicious rumor going around chichi social circles during the First Gentleman’s hospitalization:  that the President had spent much time in the Saint Luke’s presidential suite with her laptop recording the trail of USD $$$ and EE Euro placements remembered and dictated by her ailing husband, lest he die and the whereabouts of all that money be lost?”  I asked, curious about her version of the story, of which she had none.

“Not true!  He was really sick and She was really worried.” 

“And what about the supposed 70 % cut of the Arroyos in the settlement of the Marcos USD $$$ and EE placements and properties?”  I naughtily asked.

“Not true!  Do you think they would agree?  Do you think Greggy would agree?  No way.  Not Greggy.”

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The Odd Couple

August 10, 2009 at 5:10 pm (1900s Philippines, 2000s Philippines, Angst, Random memories, The Global Crowd, The Manilenos, The Pampanguenos, Tristesse)

The seniors of any society possess real treasures in terms of memories and experiences.  And it was my privilege and honor to have sat down a few days ago with some senior Kapampangan “kabalen” — powerful, influential, and prominent politicians in their time — who regaled me with so many of their memories, among them comic but genuine recollections of the first Kapampangan president, “Cong Dadong,” and his [ second ] wife, “Ache Eva”…

“First of all, Cong Dadong was not exactly the “Poor Boy from Lubao.”  True, he was not rich in the way the old line Spanish mestizo hacenderos of Lubao, Floridablanca, and Guagua were [ like the  Arrastia, the Toledo, the Toda, the Ynfante, the Velez, and the Gonzalez { originally Bravo } were ].  But destitute, he was definitely not.  His father, Urbano Macapagal, a poet, was actually already a political leader in the town.  The distinguished philanthropist Don Honorio Ventura of Bacolor, then the Secretary of the Interior during the Quezon presidency, saw the potential of Cong Dadong and financed his law studies at the University of Santo Tomas.  That was the start of something big.”

“When Cong Dadong first ran for Representative of the First District of Pampanga in 1949 upon the urging of several local leaders to President Quirino, he earnestly requested the heiress Carmen ‘Mameng’ Angeles Buyson of Bacolor to desist from running for the office.  Mameng Buyson was a virtual shoo-in for Congresswoman because of her expensive, high education and her ‘hacendero’ family’s great wealth.  Cong Dadong reasoned to Mameng that a ‘Poor Macapagal’ from Lubao could not win against a ‘Rich Buyson’ from Bacolor.  In true ‘de buena familia’ form, Mameng graciously acceded to his request.  Cong Dadong won the seat by a landslide.”

“Well, Ache Purita, his first wife, died of sickness in 1943.  She was a sister of the handsome actor Rogelio de la Rosa.  Three years later in 1946, he married the Pangasinense, Ache Eva.  Ah, She was one difficult woman.  Basically a good woman, but a difficult one.”

“It was a ‘Chicken and Egg’ situation.  Ache Eva did not like us Capampangans because she felt that we discriminated her because she was Pangasinense, aside from the fact that she was the second wife when the first one, Ache Purita, was Capampangan and one really beautiful woman, outside and inside.”

Oh, that marriage had its share of quarrels like everyone else’s.  There was the time when his first grandchild with Ache Purita was baptized.  Cong Dadong arrived late dressed only in his “camisa chino” [ the buttoned undershirt of the "barong tagalog" ] and he seemed to be in sixes and sevens.  With obvious irritation, He explained that Ache Eva did not want him to attend, and in the ensuing argument she had torn his “barong tagalog” to shreds!  He requested liquor because he just wanted to drink.  He drank himself to stupor that night.  We all remember that well.”

“We joked him that he and Ache Eva were following in the footsteps of President Manuel Roxas and his First Lady Trinidad de Leon.  Cong Dadong just shook his head.  President Roxas and his First Lady Dona Trining were memorable for their marital squabbles, mainly because of his lady friend, Juanita MacIlvain — sometimes in plain view during functions, sometimes only the angry exchanges were heard behind the rooms.  Many of our older colleagues attested to that.”        

“One time, [ Congressman ] Francisco “Paquito” / “Quitong” Nepomuceno brought some Angeles town officials to the Malacanang Palace to meet with Cong Dadong.  The waiting room had photographs of the Presidents and their First Ladies.  When one town official peered closely at the photo of Ache Eva, Paquito warned:  “E ca lalapit caya, abe!  Quietan na ca niyan!”  [ "Don't go near her, friend! She will bite you!" ].  They all laughed.  Well, to their amusement, the joke reached Ache Eva and she was livid!”

“Imelda Romualdez-Marcos was NOT the first Philippine First Lady to have a collection of fine jewelry.  Evangelina Macaraeg-Macapagal preceded her to it.  And before Ache Eva, it was Leonila Dimataga-Garcia.  Ache Eva collected fine jewelry and she definitely preceded Imelda Marcos as a VIP client of Liding Miranda-Oledan.  Ache Eva had a very considerable collection!  Look at President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo closely during official functions, she wears beautiful jewelry which are NOT new but actually vintage.  Those are from Ache Eva and most likely purchased from Liding Oledan.  Ache Eva also bought from the other major Capampangan jewelers of the time like Tinay Gonzalez and Ache Ines Lugue-Sarmiento, the mother of Fe Sarmiento-Panlilio, who rose to the international big leagues during the Marcos years and became ‘The International Jeweller.’”

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Guess Who???

August 10, 2009 at 3:12 pm (1900s Philippines, 2000s Philippines, Angst, Current Events, Random memories, The Global Crowd, The Manilenos, The Pampanguenos, The Tarlaquenos, Tristesse)

It is the story circulating among Social Manila’s elegant dinner tables that in one lucid moment during her final days of illness at the ICU Intensive Care Unit of the Makati Medical Center, the dying Maria Corazon “Cory” Cojuangco-Aquino finally spoke about the masterminds and the assassins of her husband, Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., on that fateful day of 21 August 1983.    

The Story of Cory in the ICU cannot be verified at present.

However, The Truth about the Aquino Assassination, if and when it is finally made public, is eagerly awaited by millions and millions of Filipinos around the world.

******************************************************************* 

With the recent passing of former President Maria Corazon “Cory” Cojuangco-Aquino, and as the 26th anniversary of that fateful day of 21 August 1983 fast approaches, One Important Question still looms in the minds of millions and millions of Filipinos just like you and I, here in the Philippines and elsewhere in the world…

WHO HAD NINOY AQUINO KILLED???

OK, OK, OK, President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos said that Rolando ”Lando” Galman, whoever he was, did it.  Poor Rolando Galman.  They just fattened him for the kill, like “lechon.”  They didn’t even have the decency to fix him up for his final “One Moment in Time” press kit — no makeup artist, no hairdresser, no tailor, no society photographer.  Well, at least he had his fifteen minutes of fame, or notoriety, whichever.  I believe that Rolando Galman killed Ninoy Aquino as much as Yosemite Sam killed Daffy Duck in the “Merrie Melodies” cartoons.

But I do believe that President Ferdinand Marcos was far too intelligent, much too brilliant, and way too prescient to have ordered Ninoy Aquino’s assassination.  One must never forget that he was the Ultimate Master of the Filipino Psyche.  Unless he was having a Stupid Moment and saying “What was I thinking?” which all humans have at some points of their lives anyway. 

On the other hand, there is the persistent story that upon finally being informed of the assassination of Ninoy Aquino at the MIA Manila International Airport that afternoon, the already very ill President Ferdinand Marcos hurled an object, usually said to be a vase, towards his First Lady, Imelda Marcos.  At that time, it was said that he was not at the Malacanang Palace;  he was supposed to have been confined at the new Kidney Center of the Philippines in Quezon City.  Nurses outside the room swore that they heard a breakable object crash to the floor and invectives hurled by the very ill President at both Madame Marcos and General Ver.     

There are people, mostly anti-Marcos, who claim that if that story was true, then President Marcos, First Lady Imelda Romualdez-Marcos, and General Fabian Ver were just “play-acting”…

One of my mentors, the deliciously, wickedly, Incorruptibly Corrupt Eminence Gris, never fails to remind me that Everything boils down to MONEY.  “Pera lang yan.”  he insists.  If one has a question about anything, specially in Politics and Government, not only in the Philippines but everywhere else in the world, The Answer is Money.  Why did the USA wage war in Iraq?  Money.  Why did the USA have a financial meltdown?  Money.  Why does the USA do business with China?  Money.  Why did Communist China turn capitalist?  Money.  Why did Ferdinand Marcos remain as President of the Philippines for 21 years?  Money.  Why did the USA abandon Ferdinand Marcos and support Corazon Aquino during the EDSA Revolution?  Money.  Why do we have a never-ending Communist insurgency?  Money.  Why do we have a never-ending Islamic insurgency in Mindanao?  Money.  Why do all those candidates — Manny Villar, Mar Roxas, Gilbert Teodoro, Chiz Escudero, Loren Legarda, Jamby Madrigal, Bayani Fernando, Jejomar Binay, et. al. — want to become the President of the Philippines in 2010?  Money.

Why was Ninoy Aquino killed???  Because of Money.

In the study of this 26 year-old mystery case, the crucial question is:  Who had the Most to Lose in terms of Money — if Ninoy Aquino returned to the Philippines — before 21 August 1983???

President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos?

First Lady Imelda Romualdez-Marcos?

Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Fabian C. Ver?

Vice Chief of Staff General Fidel V. Ramos?

Defense Minister Juan Ponce-Enrile?

Multimillionaire Businessman Benjamin “Kokoy” Trinidad Romualdez, Imelda Marcos’ younger brother?

Multimillionaire Businessman Eduardo “Danding” Murphy Cojuangco Jr.?

The CIA Central Intelligence Agency of the United States of America?

The CPP Communist Party of the Philippines / The NPA New People’s Army / Jose Maria Sison?

Years ago, a top official of the Marcos administration, privy to the highest and innermost circles, and yes, almost a “crony,” told me, without revealing anything:  “You will have to wait until we are all dead, hijo.  Several are still alive and active in national politics and big business.  It was very complicated… It was not one, not two, not even three people involved, but several.  An entire cast of characters as exciting as a suspense thriller movie.  James Bond 007 had nothing to compare!  You will be surprised by who was actually involved as well as by who was actually not involved.  It was initially planned in a sports facility.  The intelligence operatives knew about it.  Even I knew it was going to happen.  I contemplated sending my family abroad.  But what could I do except wait for the moment of damnation… of all of us???”

Moment of Damnation indeed. 

And The Moment of Redemption for the Filipino People and their Nation.

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