Change

There are three things that are constant in this world : birth, death, and change. Of course you can add one, tax. But we will discuss tax in another post later.

For non-believers of karma and reincarnation, we do not choose the circumstances of our birth and our death. But for those who believe, we are 100% responsible for everything that happen to us including our birth and death. I am included in the latter group.

But our concern here is change. I guess every one agrees that nothing is really permanent in this world. Everything changes. And to believe otherwise, to hold on and not move on, is a perfect recipe of mental illness and the main reason for loneliness.

Seasons change. Our body changes. Relationship changes. Our views and philosophies change.

That is why, we have to accept change. To be sure, we have to welcome it. Or maybe, it is best to become an agent of change.

Every new year, many people make resolutions. All for change; to become new, to become better.  It is an admirable thing to do. Yet many try, only to find themselves doing the same things over and over again.  Still, in trying, one has planted the seed for change.

What about the Philippines? Well, we just hope there will be change. But instead of just merely hoping, can we not become real agents of change for our country?

And for the world? Oh, how many times have I heard that, if I change, the world changes. And that's it my friends. To change the world, let's start with our own selves. 

Special thanks http://www.fentonvillageplayers.org for the image above

Pork Barrel Funds of the Senators

In case you miss reading the newspapers, here is the list of senators and the corresponding funds they received in 2011 for their pet projects, according to the Department of Budget and Management :

1 . Edgardo Angara - P100 m
2. Jinggoy Estrada - P100 m
3. Gregorio Honasan II - P100 m
4. Manuel “Lito” Lapid - P100 m
5. Ralph Recto - P100 m
6. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. P100 m
7. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III - P100 m
8. Manuel Villar Jr. - P100 m
9. Francis “Chiz” Escudero - P99 m
10. Sergio Osmena -  P96.6 m
11. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. - P95.5
12. Loren Legarda - P89.4 m
13. Juan Ponce Enrile - P83.5
14. Miriam Santiago - P80 m
15. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan - P72 m
16. Pia Cayetano -  P71.17 m
17. Teofisto “TG” Guingona III - P46.2 m
18. Antonio Trillanes IV - P35.4 m
19. Alan Peter Cayetano - P30.5 m
20. Franklin Drilon - P19.5 m
21. Aquilino 'Koko' Pimentel - P18.6 m
22. Joker Arroyo - Zero
23. Panfilo Lacson - Zero

According to DBM, the annual PDAF allocation of each senator must not exceed the amount of P200 million.

Walang Natira by Sheng Belmonte and Gloc 9 (With lyrics and Video)

Wala nga bang natira sa ating bansa? Talk of brain drain has been around for a long long time. And yet the exodus continues with government support. 

I for one, is thinking seriously of leaving the country. I had a golden opportunity before but I thought it is better to stay here in the land of my birth. Now, I might join the nag-aabroad.

Thanks Sheng and Gloc 9 for this wonderful song. The lyrics says the right things!

 Sheng Belmonte

New Year, New Hope

Filipinos are always hopeful. Almost all people I talked to these past few days expressed hope that better days will come their way this new year 2012. Even the lowliest of people have told me  they look forward to have more blessings in the coming days or months.

I wonder where this profound hope is coming from. Is it from our Christian orientation? I just assume it is innate in our culture as a people. In fact, there have been surveys indicating we Filipinos are some of the happiest humans on earth. Yes inspite of all the hardship that majority of our people experience everyday, we still put up smiling faces!

Oh, so we choose to be hopeful and happy despite all odds.   While this attitude is admirable, many times we become complacent and sometimes overly dependent.

Take for example those families who have relatives working abroad. I know some neighbors who remain unemployed and yet they have money to spend everyday. It is because they receive monthly income from abroad. Ah if only they knew how to invest part of this money to make money!

We Filipinos are also dependent on our government leaders. We depend on our mayors, governors, congressman for many things. And now more and more of our countrymen are depending on the government cash-out program. And so instead of striving to make an honest living, many Filipinos opt to just wait for dole outs. How pitiful!

But we remain hopeful - hopeful (not daydreaming) that the daang matuwid of the present administration will lead us to a no-corruption society, hopeful that President Aquino will somehow  uplift the lives of the poor, not by statistical magic, but by providing jobs and social services, hopeful that our once notorious political leaders will be transformed or infected by President Aquino's much ballyhooed integrity, hopeful that the mighty Cojuangco-Aquino dynasty and its tentacles will finally realize the need to share their accumulated wealth with the poor and start distributing land to the landless, and finally hopeful that all Filipinos will do their share in bringing peace and prosperity for all.

  image courtesy of http://www.kaushik.net

Happy New Year

image from www.snoopy.com

2011 Metro Manila Film Fest Winners

Here are the winners/awardees of the on-going Metro Manila Film Festival ( MMFF ):

Best Picture – “Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story;”
2nd Best Picture – “Enteng Ng Ina Mo;”
3rd Best Picture – “Shake Rattle & Roll 13;”
Best Actress – Maricel Soriano (“Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow”);
Best Actor – Dingdong Dantes (“Segunda Mano”);
Best Director – Gary de La Cruz  (“Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story”);
Gatpuno Villegas Cultural Award – “Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story;”
Best Screenplay – Roy Iglesias and Ray Ventura (“Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story”);
Best Story – Chris Martinez and Marlon Rivera (“Rain, Rain, Go Away,” Shake, Rattle, and Roll 13);
Best Supporting Actress – Eugene Domingo (“My Househusband”);
Best Supporting Actor – John Regala (“Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story”);
Best Child Performer – Bugoy Cariño (“Shake Rattle and Roll 13”);
Gender Sensitivity Award – “My Househusband;”
Best Cinematography – Carlo Mendoza (“Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story”);
Best Original Theme Song – “La Paloma” by Ely Buendia (“Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story”); Best Musical Score – Jerry Lazaten (“Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story”);
Best Sound Recording – Mike Idioma (“Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story”);
Best Editing – Jason Canapay and Ryan Orduna (“Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story”);
Best Production Design – Fritz Siloria, Mona Soriano, and Ronaldo Cadapan (“Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story”);
Best Visual Effects – “Ang Panday 2” (Riot Inc.);
Best Make-Up – Florencia Penero, Niccolo Medina, Jayvee Flores (Enteng Ng Ina Mo);
Best Float – “Ang Panday 2”;

New Wave Section

Best Full-Length Film – “Pintakasi”; Best Actress – Iza Calzado (“HIV”);
Best Actor – JM de Guzman (“Pintakasi”);
Gender Sensitivity Award (Full-Length Category) – “HIV” by Neil Tan;
Gender Sensitivity Award (Student Category) – “Speechless” (Miriam College);
Best Student Film – “Payaso” (De La Salle Lipa) and “Mate” (Colegio de San Juan de Letran);
Special Jury Prize – “Biyahe Ni Barbie” by Kookai Labayen (Dela Salle College of St. Benilde);

Special Awards

Lifetime Achievement Award – Eddie Garcia; Posthumous Award – Lito Calzado;
SMDC Most Glamorous Stars – Iza Calzado and Ryan Agoncillo;
Male Face of the Night – Richard Gomez;
Female Face of the Night – Iza Calzado;
Male Celebrity Sexiest Appeal of the Night – Jeorge Estregan, Jr.;
Female Celebrity Sexiest Appeal of the Night – Judy Ann Santos;
Male Kutis Ganda Award – Ryan Agoncillo;
Female Kutis Ganda Award – Ai-Ai de las Alas

Congratulations to all the winners. I hope there will really be a revival on the Filipino Film Industry and that that industry players will come up with more relevant stories and world-class productions. 

Gratitude

As the year 2011 is about to close, it is time to take stock of what has transpired during the entire year. I wouldn't say it is the best year for me. Neither could I say it is the best year for the Philippines and the world.

Personally, the year was a so-so. Okay lang ... and shrugged.  I had many plans but only a few materialized.
On the national level, well, the economy stumbled as per information from projections that economic growth this year would be less than half of last year. P-Noy can always blame others except himself! There were also the historic calamities, i.e. floods that almost inundated Bulacan and Pampanga and killed thousands in Cagayan De oro and Iligan cities, typhoons that destroyed crops in many provinces.

Worldwide, there is the economic fall-out from the debt load of some European countries that stunted economic growth. But the Arab Spring provided a glimmer of hope that people around the world can now decide their futture in a democratic way.

And yet I must concede that not everything was gloomy this year. There is room for gratitude! And allow me to count my blessings ...

1. I am grateful because of my health and economic well-being. I have the nerve to say this even though I piled up tons of debt.
2. My online income has tripled though it is still way below expectation.
3. I still have my loving mother and siblings who are all in good health.
4. I was able to read more books and went on to finish a month's course on film-making.
5. I had more time to enjoy drinking and singing in karaoke bars and at home.
6. I bought some new clothes courtesy of credit card reward points.
7. I met new friends at the Theosophical Society and in other places.
8. I think I have grown wiser. Ha ha ha. This is one is harder to prove.

Of course the list is not complete without mentioning that I learned more from the many failures I had this year. So I say thank you dear life. Thank you universe. Thank you spiritual masters. Thank you all who are always there to help and guide and accompany me in my journey. Thank you fellow bloggers for the visits. I look forward with great hope that next year would be better!

 
 Image above is from http://cookwithabandon.wordpress.com/category/weekly-gratitude/