The ties that bind

February 4, 2011 at 8:44 am (Gonzalez de Sulipan, The Pampanguenos, The Manilenos, The Global Crowd, Pampanga Traditions, The Ilocanos, The Negrenses, The Ilonggos, The Davaoenos, The Cebuanos, The Laguna Tagalogs, The Tayabenses / Quezonians, Random memories, Family Traditions, The Tarlaquenos, Personal, 2000s Philippines, Current Events, The Batanguenos, The Cavitenos, The Bulaquenos, The Novo Ecijanos, The Pangasinenses, The Leytenos, The Bicolanos, The Cagayanons, The Samarenos)

We had a wonderful dinner last night for two dear friends, Rick and Regina, residents of Vancouver, on their annual visit to the “hometown.”  Being a well-liked couple, for the 18 days they are here, relatives and friends jockey for dinner, lunch, merienda, and breakfast slots to entertain them.  I knew this so I already requested for a dinner slot some 90 days ago when the annual Manila visit was just in the works:  I asked for 03 February 2011, Thursday.  I did not know then that it would actually be the first day of the new Chinese year of the Rabbit.

It was a cozy sitdown dinner for 36 persons at the “Gino’s dining room” of Gene’s “Cafe Ysabel” in San Juan:  Rick, Regina, Ditas, Gilbert, Nikki, Tito, Rory, Marivic, Lisa, Cindy, Chichi, Nening, Jackie, Ado, Amy, Butch, Agnes, Rose, Tess, Lulu, Tony, Marietta, Giging, Pepet, Eileen, Rookie, Ana, Noel, Vina, Tito, Patis, Serge, Salie, Martha, Edward, and I, Toto.

For starters, there was a table laden with Regina’s favorites from traditional Spanish-Filipino cuisine:  “galantina de pollo,” “rabo de toro” / “menudo Sulipena,” “jamon,” “chorizos,” “palitos” [ traditional puff pastry cheesesticks ], etc.;  the chef even added the gamey “chorizo merguez” of beef and lamb.  The guests could take their pick of any drink from the bar.  French champagne, Regina’s favorite, flowed freely.  Many bottles of “Moet & Chandon” Brut Imperial were on hand.

In true Gonzalez-Arnedo “Sulipan style,” “Croquembouches” [ cream puff trees ] of various sizes, candles, and spring flowers decorated the long tables for 20 pax, 10 pax, and 10 pax.  It was always the way the family entertained, still entertains, and will always entertain…

“On the table” were the house bread with herbed olive oil dip and truffled liver pate topped with orange confit and crackers.  The actual dinner started with “duck rillettes, roasted walnuts, & feta cheese on mesclun greens with raspberry vinaigrette”;  “roasted pumpkin soup with orange essence & black sesame puff”;  “smoked & saltcrusted ‘lapu-lapu’ with baby carrots and green beans”;  “mango & lemongrass sorbet”;  “‘cochinillo’ with cognac demiglace [ or traditional liver sauce ] with guava confit & wild rice with pine nuts & spinach”.

Dessert was “Chef Gino’s molten ‘Callebaut’ chocolate cake with raspberry sauce and homemade rum raisin ice cream”;  there was a myriad selection of coffee and tea;  Cafe Ysabel chocolate truffles and pralines made from “Callebaut” chocolate.

All the fine and interesting French, Spanish, American [ Napa ], South American, and Australian wines which accompanied the dishes were personally selected by Gene.

As a nod to Regina’s, and the genetic Lopez [ Iloilo ] sweet tooth, there was a separate dessert table that featured “Pasteleria Mallorca’s” genuine and faithful renditions of the old “Las Cibeles, Pasteleria y Salon de Te” favorites — Spanish “crocombuche” / French “croquembouche,” “tarta Madrid,” “milhojas,” “naranjas,” and “yemas” — as well as the traditional Gonzalez-Arnedo “sans rival” and large, special “ensaimadas.”

Every single guest took home a “loot bag” with “Pasteleria Mallorca’s” “argelianas,” “palillos de Milan,” and “lengua de gato,” which are the favorites of Manila’s establishment families.

Because everyone knew everybody else [ indeed, every single person had family, business, and social connections to each other ] conversation was extremely lively and that precious, high decibel level was reached — my personal barometer of a successful, even wildly successful, party.

No new people, no nouveaux riches, no arrivistes.  Just peers who knew each other, whose parents knew each other, whose grandparents knew each other, whose great grandparents knew each other…

Every single one was descended from one, two, three, or even four old Filipino families:  Araneta, Zaragoza, Teodoro, de la Fuente, de los Reyes, Cojuangco, Madrigal, Paterno, Vazquez, Earnshaw, Bayot, Tuason, Legarda, Prieto, Valdes, Roces, Lagdameo, Revilla, Zamora, Hidalgo, Padilla, Ongsiako, Gallego, Laperal, Litton, Manahan, Garcia, Casas, Cuyegkeng, Cu-Unjieng, Huang, Lopez [ Iloilo ], Ledesma, Soriano, Jalandoni, Jalbuena, Montilla, Gustilo, Rodriguez [ Bacolod ], Hizon, Rodriguez [ Pampanga ], Escaler, Gonzalez, Henson, Pamintuan, Guanzon, Valdes [ Pampanga ], Feliciano, Tinio, Gabaldon, de Santos, Aquino, Cancio, Ponce, Tesoro, Lopez [ Balayan ], Solis, Kalaw, Katigbak, Escudero [ San Pablo ], Gala, de Villa, Rivera, Fabella, Almeda, Yaptinchay, Singson y Chiong Veloso [ Cebu ], Osmena, Velez, Cuenco, Acebedo [ Leyte ], Pedrosa, Romualdez, Pelaez, et. al..

In essence, the group was a Filipino version of the old New York families of Edith Wharton’s and Henry James’ novels…

The ties that bind.  The stories of generations, the clasps secured by time.

4 Comments

Mythic creatures: Chito Madrigal

December 5, 2010 at 10:08 am (1900s Philippines, The Bicolanos, The Global Crowd, The Laguna Tagalogs, The Manilenos, The Past)

Consuelo Alejandra “Chito” Paterno Madrigal married twice:  she first became Mrs. Luis “Chichos” Earnshaw Vazquez in 19__ and then Mrs. Manuel “Manoling” Collantes in 196_.  But no other surnames could possibly encapsulate all the wealth, glamour, sophistication, and even business savvy she personified throughout her long life than her own, Madrigal, which for the last several decades has denoted immense Philippine wealth [ since the 1930s and up to the present ].

Chito Madrigal.

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There was the time when a niece complained to her Tita Chito about her brother, whom she felt was mishandling one of their family businesses.

Chito censured:  “We are Madrigal women.  We stand by our men.”

By “men,” Chito meant Madrigal brothers and nephews, not husbands or brothers-in-law.

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Brother Andrew Gonzalez F.S.C., the longtime President of De La Salle University, often related, and mimicked, these lines — about slurping soup — about Chito Madrigal, a grand Manila heiress, towards Manoling Collantes, her “pendejo” wimp of a “politico” husband, which he had witnessed on at least three social occasions…

“Honey!!!  How many times do I have to remind you not to slurp your soup… especially in public???!!!”

“If not for MY MONEY, you would have never amounted to anything!!!”  Chito declared.

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Chito, like her elder sister Pacita, reveled in politics.  She was the poster girl of the “Lakambini” who supported Diosdado Macapagal in his bid for the presidency.

Chito Madrigal supported Joseph Estrada during his campaign for the presidency in 1998.  During the inaugural dinner at the Malacanang palace on 30 June 1998, everyone was already seated on the round tables when President Joseph Estrada finally walked in, expectedly handsome in an elegant barong tagalog.  Flush with the success of her political venture, Chito quickly stood up and rushed to her longtime friend to congratulate him “Joseph!!!” with an enthusiastic, wide embrace and big smacks on both cheeks [ with her right leg raised ].  Of course, it was her unique way of showing to all and sundry just exactly who had influence with the new administration.

[ I witnessed that;  my uncle De La Salle Brother Andrew Benjamin Gonzalez, F.S.C., Secretary of Education of the Estrada administration, had taken me to the inaugural dinner at the Malacanang palace.  We were seated on the first round table to the left as one entered the hall along with taipan and Manila Bulletin chairman Emilio Yap, Chito Madrigal, her husband Manoling Collantes, and other distinguished personages.  The dinner was catered by "Elar's" and there was "lechon" galore, said to be the new president's favorite food.   ]

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When emphysema, caused by smoking, had set in during her later years, she recalled the fashion shoots of the postwar wearing beautiful dresses by couturiers Ramon Valera and Salvacion Lim-Higgins and remarked to a niece:  “I never really enjoyed smoking.  The smell.  It just… looked goooood!!!”

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The last two years of Chito Madrigal’s life were a retreat from the busy professional and social schedules that had characterized her adult years.  Not even her close friend Carmen “Chitang” Guerrero-Nakpil was able to see her.  Most surprising was that her youngest sister, Maria Luisa “Ising” Madrigal-Vazquez, one of her two surviving sisters [ the other being Maria Paz "Pacita" Madrigal-Warns-Gonzalez, who also passed away after _ months ] was also not able to see her.  She passed away on __ March 2008.

Following her passing, her estate and her last will and testament came into question.  In her three-page will [ said to have been originally fourteen pages ], she left her estate to two favorite nieces, Susana “Chuchu” Abad Santos Madrigal-Eduque 40 % and Atty. Ana Maria Gizela “Ging” Madrigal Gonzalez-Montinola 20 % and to her favorite grandnephew Vicente Gustav Warns 40 %.  Another niece, Senator Maria Ana “Jamby” Abad Santos Madrigal, a younger sister of Susana “Chuchu” Abad Santos Madrigal-Eduque, challenged the validity and authenticity of the last will and testament of her aunt Chito and sued her eldest sister Susana “Chuchu” and first cousin Gizela “Ging.”  The case is still under litigation and will likely last for years, even decades.

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After Chito’s passing, it was published in the leading newspapers that her estate was worth a disappointing, piddling Php 26 million [ specially by the standards of her extremely affluent Madrigal family ].  There was collective laughter among the people privy to her business affairs…

“Php 26 million???  That’s not even her bathroom!!!”

3 Comments

I feel the earth move!

November 10, 2010 at 3:46 pm (2000s Philippines, Angst, Current Events, Manila Houses, Personal, Random memories, The Batanguenos, The Bicolanos, The Bulaquenos, The Cagayanons, The Cavitenos, The Cebuanos, The Davaoenos, The Global Crowd, The Ilocanos, The Ilonggos, The Laguna Tagalogs, The Leytenos, The Manilenos, The Negrenses, The Novo Ecijanos, The Pampanguenos, The Pangasinenses, The Samarenos, The Tarlaquenos, The Tayabenses / Quezonians, Tristesse)

Yeah baby, the earth’s movin’, under our feet, and we better be ready for it…

7 Comments

Conversations about: Fernando Cueto Amorsolo, 1892 – 1972, painter

July 23, 2010 at 3:13 pm (1900s Philippines, Family Traditions, Filipino Art, Gonzalez de Sulipan, Manila Houses, Random memories, The Batanguenos, The Bicolanos, The Bulaquenos, The Cagayanons, The Cavitenos, The Cebuanos, The Davaoenos, The Global Crowd, The Ilocanos, The Ilonggos, The Laguna Tagalogs, The Leytenos, The Manilenos, The Negrenses, The Novo Ecijanos, The Pampanguenos, The Pangasinenses, The Past, The Samarenos, The Tarlaquenos, The Tayabenses / Quezonians)

What a laugh…  I grew up in my Lola Charing’s house which was proudly hung with oil portraits by THE Fernando Cueto Amorsolo.  Unfortunately, all of them, save for Lolo Augusto’s posthumous one from 1947, were from the 1950s, a period decried by serious collectors and scholars for mediocre works because of his deteriorating eyesight.  The one of Tito Willy looked specially sad;  Amorsolo had explained to Lola Charing that he was mimicking the style of Rembrandt.  It looked like Rembrandt on downers.  In any case, they were perfect for Disneyland’s “Haunted Mansion” ride.  Fearing that we grandchildren would neglect and eventually sell them, my uncle Brother Andrew donated the whole spooky lot to the various art gallery units of the DLSU De La Salle University.  They must be haunted by now.

So when I found myself in the houses of family friends with magnificent, blindingly lit Amorsolo genre paintings, I was surprised by how sunny and happy they looked, so unlike ours.

46 Comments

“Laing” beside you… here in Albay

June 1, 2010 at 2:36 pm (1800s Filipinas, 1900s Philippines, 2000s Philippines, Domestic Travels, Random memories, The Bicolanos, The Global Crowd, The Manilenos, The Past)

“Laing” is the signature dish of Bicolandia.  It is made from dried “gabi” leaves stewed in coconut milk seasoned with ginger and chilis.  When well done, as Bicolana cooks are wont to do, it is out of this world.  Simply delicious with a steaming mound of rice!!!  So popular is “Laing” that it is a well-known dish even in Manila restaurants and households.  And no, it has nothing to do with the 1960s actress Lilian Laing nor with the Marcos era society florist Ronnie Laing.  :P

43 Comments

The Families of Old Bicol

June 1, 2010 at 1:48 pm (19th century Filipino Art, Architecture, Design and Decoration, Domestic Travels, Family Traditions, Filipino Art, Random memories, The Bicolanos, The Global Crowd, The Manilenos)

[ I wonder if I can get dear ol' Sonny Tinio --- Filipiniana scholar par excellence Manuel Imperial Tinio Jr. --- to help me with this... ]

CENTENERA.

ESCUDERO.

FUENTEBELLA.

GARCHITORENA.

IMPERIAL.

According to the patrician historian Martin Imperial Tinio, Jr.:

“The Imperial oral tradition says that the family is descended from 2 brothers shipwrecked in the San Bernardino Strait in the early 17th century and landed in Manito. The story is probably true a most of the land in that town belongs to the Imperials. They eventually moved down to Daraga, Albay and one is said to have migrated to Baao in Camarines Sur. Luis Dato, a UP historian said that he saw a baptismal record of an Imperial in Baao Church dated 1635. When I was going to work on the Imperial Family Tree in the 1990s, the church records were no longer available as the whole church had been burned. The present records we have of the Legazpi Imperials date from the 1790s, same as that of those in Naga. I’m still working on trying to connect all the Imperials in the country, including the ones in Ilocos and Aklan. I have already connected the ones in Batanes, who were originally from Naga. Incidentally, the Imperials in all the provinces were already cabezas in the late 1700s. My great-great-grandfather, Don Sinforozo Imperial became Gobernadorcillo of Daraga in 1850 and Gobernadorcillo of Legazpi in 1852. All his sons became officials of Legazpi and Albay towns in the late 19th century, while his daughter, Theodora, married Gen. Ludovico Arejola, the commander of the revolutionary forces in Camarines Sur.”

JAUCIAN.  The Jaucian family were originally from Jaro, Iloilo.  They transferred residence to Bicol because of their increasing involvement in the “abaca” hemp export business.

According to Martin I. Tinio, Jr.:

“The Jaucian Family is descended from Domingo Jaucian a sangley cristiano who was baptized in Molo in 1801, the same year that Domingo Consing, progenitor of the Consing Family of Molo was baptized. The parish priest at that time was an Araneta, said to be the progenitor of the Araneta clan.

Domingo’s presumed grandson, Mariano,(I still haven’t really determined the connection as I haven’t completed my research of the Molo baptismal records) migrated to Daraga, Albay and married a Bicolana. Accompanying him were his cousins and in-laws who founded the Anson, Locsin and Yulo families of Albay. These families intermarried among themselves for almost a century, just as they did in Iloilo. Mariano’s grandson, Cirilo, became the richest man in Bicol at the turn-of-the-century and was called ‘The Abaca King’ of Bicol. He was the first Capitan Municipal of Guinobatan in 1894, when the title of Gobernadorcillo was changed to that upon the promulgation of the Maura Decree of 1893. In the confidential report to the Alalde Mayor or Provincial Governor of the parish priest regarding the qualifications of the candidates for the election of gobernadorcillo in the late 1880s, the current parish priest stated that Balbino Jaucian, youngest brother of Cirilo, was the richest man in Daraga. He served as gobernadorcillo for 2 terms and refused to serve another. Andres, another brother who migrated to Libmanan, Camarines Sur, also became the biggest landowner and the richest man in that town, the largest in the proince after Naga. He also became Capitan of Libmanan. The Jaucian family was the biggest landowning family in Albay and was considered the richest in Bicol until the mid-20th century.”

JORDANA.

URSUA.

Acknowledgments:  Filipiniana scholar nonpareil Martin Imperial Tinio Jr.;  former Press Secretary during the Ramos and the Estrada administrations Rodolfo “Rod” T. Reyes.

54 Comments

Merry mayhem of May

May 15, 2010 at 12:25 pm (1800s Filipinas, 1900s Philippines, 2000s Philippines, Current Events, Domestic Travels, Family Traditions, Pampanga Traditions, Personal, Random memories, Religious Traditions, The Batanguenos, The Bicolanos, The Bulaquenos, The Cagayanons, The Cavitenos, The Cebuanos, The Davaoenos, The Global Crowd, The Ilocanos, The Ilonggos, The Laguna Tagalogs, The Leytenos, The Manilenos, The Negrenses, The Novo Ecijanos, The Pampanguenos, The Pangasinenses, The Past, The Samarenos, The Tarlaquenos, The Tayabenses / Quezonians)

Understandably, the recently concluded national elections were the not-so-merry mayhem of May 2010 [ specially for the defeated ].  It’s a done deal and there’s nothing we can do about it.  So there but for the grace of God go all of us Filipinos…

Without those godawful national elections, the usual, annual, merry mayhem of May in the Philippines is the joyous, unending stream of town fiestas all over the country.  Starting on 01 May is the time-honored, traditional month-long fiesta of Antipolo in honor of the legendary and miraculous “Nuestra Senora de la Paz y Buenviaje” Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage.  There are the weekend “Santacruzan” processions commemorating Santa Elena Augusta and the finding of the “Tunay na Krus” true Holy Cross, the most popular [ and the most delightfully campy ] of which are those of Marikina City.  The 1800s “Flores de Maria” ritual is still celebrated in many Laguna and Quezon towns like Pila, Laguna.  The first Sunday of May is the feast day of the twin Holy Crosses of the towns of Bauan and Alitagtag in Batangas celebrated with the “Sublian” and “Loua” rituals in the morning and afternoon.  04 May is the feast day of Santa Monica who is the titular patron of Angat, Bulacan and Mexico, Pampanga;  her feast day is also celebrated in Minalin, Pampanga days later on 09 May.  12 May is the feast day of “Nuestra Senora de los Desamparados” Our Lady of the Abandoned who is the titular patron of both Santa Ana, Manila and Marikina City.  13 May is the feast day of Our Lady of Fatima and it is celebrated in many new parishes in Manila and the provinces.  The second Sunday of May is the traditional feast day of San Agustin in Baliuag, Bulacan.  On 15 May is the traditional feast day of the Spanish farmer San Isidro Labrador and his wife Santa Maria Toribia de la Cabeza, and every town who has him for its titular patron celebrates its fiesta — “Parada ng mga Kalabaw” in Pulilan, Bulacan; Binan, Laguna; “Pahiyas” in Lucban and “Pa-agaw” / “Agawan” in Sariaya, Quezon;  etc..  Forty days after Easter is “Piyesta ng Pag-akyat” the Feast of the Ascension of Christ, the town fiesta of San Pablo, Laguna;  the original “festejado” image [ heirloom of the Escudero-Marasigan Javier family ] is feted with traditional pomp and pageantry on that day at the Villa Escudero.  17, 18, and 19 of May every year is the famous three-day fiesta “Obando Fertility Rites” [ a Spanish Catholic adaptation of the Filipino precolonial "Kasilonawan" fertility ritual ] of Obando, Bulacan, where many couples wishing to have children participate:  17 May is the feast day of San Pascual Baylon, 18 May that of Santa Clara de Asis, and 19 May of “Nuestra Senora de Salambao.”  22 May is the feast day of Santa Rita de Cascia who is the titular patron of Santa Rita town in Pampanga;  her feast day used to be a big celebration at the San Agustin Church during PreWar.

Attending an annual fiesta in a typical Philippine town can be a lot of fun, but attending a nationally popular town fiesta — such as the “Ati-Atihan” in Kalibo, Aklan;  the “Pahiyas” in Lucban, Quezon [ 15 May ];  the “Kasilonawan” [ Obando Fertility Rites ] in Obando, Bulacan [ 17,18, 19 May ];  the “Libad” in Apalit, Pampanga [ 28, 29, 30 June ];  the “Pagoda sa Wawa” in Bocaue, Bulacan [ first Sunday of July ] — can be difficult, very difficult.  For starters, one has to leave home [ Manila ] very early, 5:00 or 6:00 a.m., armed with cash, light food, drinks in coolers, extra clothes, comfortable footwear, portable loo for the kiddies, a camera, a videocam, a laptop, etc..  [ Attendees who trooped to the "Pahiyas" in Lucban, Quezon last 15 May 2010, Saturday, left Manila at 6:00 a.m. and arrived 9 hours later in Lucban at 3:00 p.m..  :P ]

For the “Pahiyas” in Lucban, Quezon, it is ideal to leave at 12:00 midnight [ or even 10:00 p.m. of 14 May ] of 15 May to more or less ensure a 6:00 a.m. arrival in the town.  One can spend the whole day anyway admiring the “kiping” [ colored, pounded rice ] fiesta decorations, looking around the old town, and shopping for local delicacies and native crafts.  As in all Philippine fiestas, there are the “great bum stomach challenge” and the “great bathroom challenge” for everyone!!!

For the “Libad” in Apalit, Pampanga, it depends on what one wants to see…  On 28 and 30 June — when “Apung Iru” leaves for the Apalit church and when he returns to his Barangay Capalangan shrine —  it is almost impossible to enter the perimeter of the town after 9:00 a.m. when the devotees start massing for the processions.  28 June is the “Visperas” and “Apung Iru” leaves his Barangay Capalangan shrine at 11:00 a.m. for the “libad” fluvial parade in the Pampanga river on the way to the Apalit church.  29 June is the fiesta proper and there are masses the whole day at the Apalit church and a town-wide procession in the late afternoon.  30 June is the “Pabalik” and “Apung Iru” leaves the Apalit church after the morning masses for the fluvial parade and raucous procession back to his Barangay Capalangan shrine where he arrives at around 3:00 p.m..  From 22-30 June there is the traditional, big Kapampangan “tiangge” surrounding the Apalit church.  As in all Philippine fiestas, there are the “great bum stomach challenge” and the “great bathroom challenge” for everyone!!!  Ideally, one should have a contact in Apalit to arrange day accommodations [ the bathrooms!!! ], meals, boat rentals [ for those who want to join the "Libad" fluvial parade ], tour of the town, shopping destinations, buying local delicacies, etc..

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Funny story about the “great bum stomach challenge” and the “great bathroom challenge” during the “Visperas” of the Apalit fiesta years ago:

That year, my good friends antique collector and creator of the “Museo de La Salle” Jo Panlilio, multi-awarded writer, director, and megawit Floy Quintos, and a very successful and famous showbiz personality whom we shall call “dear friend” joined me for the Apalit fiesta.  After successfully and literally eating our way through several Arnedo and Espiritu relatives’ houses in Barangay Capalangan and Barangay Sulipan, we finally exited through to MacArthur Highway’s heavy traffic on our way to yet another Arnedo and Espiritu relative’s house, this time in Barangay San Juan, the “poblacion” of Apalit…

Just as we exited from Barangay Sulipan to MacArthur Highway, “dear friend,” who had eaten so much, informed us that he had to go to the bathroom.

A few minutes later, as the unwelcome vision of heavy traffic loomed leading to the Apalit “Crossing,” “dear friend,” now sweating profusely and coldly, told us that it was imperative that he go to the bathroom immediately… or disaster for us!!!

“Mamah, EVAKalawkatigbak na talaga… !!!”  “dear friend” muttered frantically, shivering from the airconditioning.  With that desperate utterance he jumped out of the SUV…

So mustering all the courage he had, “dear friend” repeatedly and noisily rang the doorbell of the house nearest to us and requested, nay begged, to use their bathroom.  They very graciously acceded and ushered him inside their neat, newish house…

The quickwitted Jo Panlilio commented dryly:  “Ah, the miracle at GA-RA-BAN-DAL…”

[ Garabandal, Spain:  the site of controversial Marian apparitions from the 1960s-70s ]

Garabandal, of all things???!!!  The sheer nostalgia for the 1970s cracked us up!!!

With his characteristic perfect timing and delivery, Floy Quintos outdid the irrepressible Jo Panlilio by comically quipping:

“What Garabandal???  ‘A-PO-CA-LYPSE NOOOW’!!!”

“Apocalypse Now” indeed!!!  Bwahahahahah!!!

My face and Jo Panlilio’s were practically torn to two laughing our heads off!!!

Harharhar!!!   :D    :D    :D

3 Comments

Serious questions, stupid answers

May 13, 2010 at 3:58 pm (2000s Philippines, Angst, Current Events, Random memories, The Batanguenos, The Bicolanos, The Bulaquenos, The Cagayanons, The Cavitenos, The Cebuanos, The Davaoenos, The Global Crowd, The Ilocanos, The Ilonggos, The Laguna Tagalogs, The Leytenos, The Manilenos, The Negrenses, The Novo Ecijanos, The Pampanguenos, The Pangasinenses, The Samarenos, The Tarlaquenos, The Tayabenses / Quezonians, Tristesse)

Yes, I foresee that this blog post will definitely stir up a political hornet’s nest in the Internet… but these are serious, very serious, questions which every Filipino must address now, or forever hold his peace.

I have no objections to the election of Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Cojuangco Aquino III as the President of the Republic of the Philippines.  Yes, I openly and frankly supported the presidential bid of his far more educated, far more accomplished, and far more capable maternal second cousin Gilberto Eduardo Gerardo “Gibo” Cojuangco Teodoro Jr..  And I will never, ever regret it.  To this day, I still maintain, and always will, that Gilberto Teodoro Jr., in the light of his myriad qualifications, should be the President of the Philippines.  But given that current impossibility, I am amenable to having Benigno Aquino III as the President.  I hold him solely responsible for upholding and honoring the heroic and altruistic legacies of his legendary father, Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Aquino Jr., and his venerable mother, Corazon “Cory” Sumulong Cojuangco.  They are very, very, very hard acts to follow, but I am sure that Benigno III is, despite all perceived shortcomings, genetically hardwired to follow in their august footsteps.

I eagerly anticipated the national elections because I knew that the results would represent the current mindset of my countrymen and the state of my nation.  I looked forward to the numerical evidences that my countrymen had finally become more educated, matured, improved, and hence have become more discerning citizens.

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DISMAL.  VERY DISMAL.  INCREDULOUSLY DISMAL.

What the numbers revealed was nothing more than a dismal reality.  It was so dismal that it blew my mind.

Juan de la Cruz… How could we???!!!  How could WE…???!!!

How could we have given that mere number of 3,500,000 votes to someone so clearly deserving of the Philippine presidency as Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro???!!!

How could we have given that mere number of votes to someone so clearly deserving of the Philippine vice-presidency, perhaps even more, as Mar Roxas???!!!

And on the distaff side…

???!!!  How could we have given all those 8,400,000 votes to the deposed Joseph “Erap” Estrada and make him the second placer for President???!!!

???!!!  How could we have given all those votes to Jejomar Binay???!!!  Yes, there are all those benefits — free birthday cake, Php 1,000.00/xx cash birthday gift, and all-you-can-watch movies for seniors [ in posh Rockwell, if one wishes ], free public grade school and high school tuition, books, school supplies, bags, uniforms for the youth, but how exactly do those come about???

How could we have given the top three slots in the Philippine Senate to movie action stars Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Revilla, and Lito Lapid???!!!  Are we finally going to shoot the ultimate Pinoy action movie???

[ Personally, I think it is the job of actors and actresses to look good, hone their craft and do it well, entertain their audiences effectively, stay behind the cameras, and remain onstage.  On the distaff side however, it is not the fault of highly-educated and accomplished politicians like Atty. Gilbert Teodoro, Ralph Recto, Atty. Adel Tamano, et. al. if they also possess matinee idol looks since they already have the great brains and the difficult training in the first place. ]

How could we have reelected all those aged pit bulls and rottweilers for the umpteenth time to the Philippine Senate???!!!  Shouldn’t we renew it with fresh blood?

Pampanga, how could we have given all those votes of the 2nd congressional district to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo???!!!  Granting the fact that she has been a workaholic, intelligent, and effective President for 10 years [ at least we had a president who used her considerable brains and worked, worked hard, and worked regular hours, plus overtime, unlike... ]… shouldn’t we give a more idealistic, younger, and newer leader a chance to prove his/her mettle just like we did PGMA?

Ilocos Norte, how could we have made all three Marcoses — Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Imelda Romualdez-Marcos, and Ma. Imelda “Imee” Marcos — win their respective positions???!!!  Of course the years 1965-1986 were the boom years for Ilocos Norte, Leyte, and Manila, but do we have any idea what it was like for everybody else???  How could we repeatedly elect the vestiges and heirs of an infamous, reviled, and hated 21-year strongman rule/dictatorship to renewed power and influence???!!!

KUNG TAYO AY NAGUGUTOM, KUNG TAYO AY WALANG TRABAHO, KUNG TAYO AY BAON SA UTANG, WALA TAYONG KARAPATANG DUMAING.  HINAYAAN NATIN ITO.  GINUSTO NATIN ITO.  MAGDUSA TAYO, PILIPINAS.  DAHIL HANGGANG DITO NA LANG TAYO.  MGA SINUMPANG KAPUSPALAD.

I point a straight, accusing finger at the Filipino electorate and populace and you can damn me all you want but I will point at you again and again and again…!!!   :(    :(    :(

OHMYGOD.

OHMYGOD.

OHMYGOD.  WE HAVE NOT LEARNED.  WE HAVE NOT LEARNED ANYTHING!!!  ANYTHING AT ALL!!!

MY GOD, MY GOD, WHAT HAVE WE DONE TO DESERVE THIS???!!!

The National Hero Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. declared:  “The Filipino is worth dying for.”  I seriously doubt that now.  I’m more inclined towards Marie Antoinette’s apocryphal “Let them eat cake!!!”

Do we finally give up at this point???  Perhaps we should.

55 Comments

Evaluation…

May 9, 2010 at 4:36 pm (2000s Philippines, Angst, Current Events, Personal, Random memories, The Batanguenos, The Bicolanos, The Bulaquenos, The Cagayanons, The Cavitenos, The Cebuanos, The Davaoenos, The Global Crowd, The Ilocanos, The Ilonggos, The Laguna Tagalogs, The Leytenos, The Manilenos, The Negrenses, The Novo Ecijanos, The Pampanguenos, The Pangasinenses, The Samarenos, The Tarlaquenos, The Tayabenses / Quezonians, Tristesse)

With the election of the new President of the Republic of the Philippines today, 10 May 2010, the administration of President Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal-Arroyo finally comes to an end.  Of course, she becomes Congresswoman of Pampanga even before she steps down as President of the Republic of the Philippines — sort of like stepping down as Miss Philippines and then becoming Miss Balo-balo atpo Burung Dalag [ Miss Fermented Shrimp Rice and Fermented Mudfish Rice --- Kapampangan savory staples ] of the Lubao Public Market — but let’s not go into that [ although when she becomes Prime Minister in a proposed parliamentary government she becomes Miss Universe ].  What I’m interested in is if we will eventually reminisce about her administration with nostalgia and longing, the same way many [ but not I :P ] are now feeling about the 21-year administration of President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos [ 1965-1986 ]…

The thing is, as an ordinary Filipino citizen with absolutely no business or blood ties to government officialdom, I saw substantial progress during her presidency [ in a way I didn't see during the Estrada presidency, not a whit ]:  new concrete roads from Luzon, Visayas, to Mindanao;  new infrastructure all over;  and best of all, a good business climate even during the recent Wall Street Crash — “due to the sound economic fundamentals of her administration” according to Vivian Yuchengco — which allowed us entrepreneurs to finally recoup the losses incurred during the Estrada administration which tragically coincided with the Asian Crash of 1997.  Although the long Arroyo presidency was less magical for me than the Ramos presidency, it was OK businesswise [ and that is what matters most!!! ].  I know it is myopic and narrow-minded of me to say so but personally, it wasn’t bad, not bad at all.

29 Comments

Juan in Green and One in Green

May 7, 2010 at 5:36 pm (2000s Philippines, Current Events, Family Traditions, Random memories, The Batanguenos, The Bicolanos, The Bulaquenos, The Cagayanons, The Cavitenos, The Cebuanos, The Davaoenos, The Global Crowd, The Ilocanos, The Ilonggos, The Laguna Tagalogs, The Leytenos, The Manilenos, The Negrenses, The Novo Ecijanos, The Pampanguenos, The Pangasinenses, The Samarenos, The Tarlaquenos, The Tayabenses / Quezonians)

Juan de la Cruz wore green today to Gibo Teodoro’s “Miting de Avance” at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

The edifying reality was there for all to witness:  for those who had long charged that Gibo Teodoro was being considered for president only by the rich and the middle class, the poor and the poorer than poor trudged cheerily into the stadium by contingents beating drums and playing other instruments — often homemade — from near and far.  The “Jejemons” and the “Jejebusters” alike were in full force [ new kinds of Filipino youth;  look up the definitions in YouTube ].  As evening came, Juan de la Cruz the true Filipino dominated the stadium’s 30,000 seats and +- 100,000 standing room, and the occasional rich and the well-represented middle class present were reduced to mere spreckles in that galaxy of Filipino economic reality.

In a stirring speech that did not promise more than what was actually possible, Gibo Teodoro again laid out his clear “roadmap” for Philippine progress:  quality education for the nation’s youth, specially for the poor;  quality medical care, specially for the poor;  fair business opportunities for all, be they rich, middle class, or poor.  In that enunciation of positive social change, he implied the destruction of the old, irrelevant, and shamelessly parasitical political order which has chained the Philippines to the cycle of poverty in all its facets — material, moral, intellectual, cultural, and others — for the longest time.

“Kay daming magagawa, kay taas nang maaaring abutin…”  [ freely translated:  "there is so much that can be done, and the heights that can possibly be reached..." ]  Without sounding messianic in the least, Gibo Teodoro imparted a message of youthful hope coupled with proactive dynamism expressed in his characteristic “can do” attitude, words, and gestures.   It moved me and not a few of us in the stadium to tears, not of sadness, but of a resolve to proactively change for the betterment of the country and our fellow Filipinos.  It shot right through to the simple, honest, and sincere yearnings of the Filipino Everyman.

In essence, the presidential campaign of Gibo Teodoro was “a voice crying out from the wilderness” for Juan de la Cruz, the Filipino, to wake up from the apathy of the decades and the centuries and to galvanize him to effectively handle, and profit from, the opportunities and challenges of the 21st century.  Gibo Teodoro effectively showed that the “Filipino as victim” was no longer a valid concept nor even a reality by simply doing away with the cult of personalities; indeed he did not even mention the inadequacies nor the shortcomings of his opponents.   He reminded us that the answer to our country’s forthcoming progress and development lay, and lay deep, in each and every “Juan” of us.   It was a call to the soul of every Filipino.  And it was a call that did not go unheard.

And so, the aspirations of the proactive realists, influenced by Gibo Teodoro, go on.  And hopefully, someday, it will finally breed a generation of Filipino leaders who will collectively take this country to the heights it has aspired, and suffered, for so long.

The Philippines will never be the same after Gibo Teodoro.

WE will never be the same.

Something great has been put to motion:  something greater than Gibo Teodoro, something greater than all of us.  A new national consciousness of integrity, steadfastness, and patriotism has finally emerged.  And like all the great countries of the world and their citizens, that national consciousness will permeate and dominate our lives and put the interests of the nation and the common good above all self-interests.  And that will finally be the time when the Philippines can take its rightful, long-deserved place of honor in the community of nations.

Godspeed.

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