What kind of change?

President Duterte has all the power to appoint anyone to his cabinet. Anyone in the country can be a cabinet member regardless whether or not, he/she possesses the right attitude and competency. It becomes  clearer now that President Duterte’s main qualifications are friendship and utang na loob– a contradiction to his campaign message; “Walang lugar ang kaibigan sa aking gobyerno.”

On his latest statement he said, he is busy appointing his friends and kumpadres. He has no plans yet to give VP Leni Robredo any cabinet post.

I agree with President Duterte.

VP Robredo should not be a part of his questionable cabinet.

VP Robredo should stay away from that cabinet, because that circle will soon suction every ounce of goodness from her.

President Duterte should stand on his principles. It seems that change is really coming, the question is, what kind of change?

 

Paano makakuha ng True Love sa Pasig Mega Market

May nagtext, sabi niya bakit hindi ka na nagsusulat sa brightgays. I told him, “I don’t have any inspiration to write.

Medyo napatagal ang reply niya.

“Open your FB messenger.”, reply niya.

Binuksan ko naman ito at yun, lumabas ang picture niya.

Nakita ko ang Saturn, Uranus, Neptune at Pluto. Pumasok ulit ang kapangyarihan sa aking katawan. Kaya ito na susulat na ako ulit para sa mga tagasubaybay ng Brightgays.

Kahit favourite ko yung eleksyon at mga anik-anik sa politika, I will put this on the sidelines for now. This week we will explore the mysteries of the Pasig Market and how will you find meaning and love on it. Hali ka, tuklasin natin ang Pasig Palengke, ang isa sa pinakamalaking public market sa Maynila.

Ang aking  araw ay hindi kompleto kung hindi ako makakadaan sa Pasig Palengke. Ito ay compulsory para makadating sa bahay. Bagamat naiinis minsan dahil sa masangsang nitong amoy ay may mga araw ding nasisiyahan ako.

Sino-sino ang makikita sa Pasig Palengke?

Mga bruskong lalaki sa Meat Section:

Pagpasok mo sa Palengke ay makikita mo ang nagbebenta ng karne.  Kung gusto mong makakita ng mga macho at naghuhubaran na mga kalalakihan ay ito ang section na para sa inyo. Pero walang nakabra dito. Usually, ang men to women ratio sa meat section ay 9:1. Ito ay nagpapakita lang na kung karne ang pinag-uusapan unang-una ang mga lalaki. Katulad ng pag-ibig, mag-ingat ka, dahil minsan akala mo sariwa ang karne yun pala ay double dead na, sawi, naghihintay lang ng may bibili, mura, at nakakamatay. Pero huwag kang magkamali dahil matalim ang kutsilyo ng mga lalaki sa meat section. Makamandag sila.

Mga maiingat na kamay ng mga lalaki sa vegetable section:

Dito mo makikita ang mga lalaking nagbebenta ng samot saring mga gulay. Patok na patok dito ang talong, upo, sitaw at iba pa. Kung laki at haba ang batayan mo sa pag-ibig, dito ka sa vegetable section. Sabihin mo ang laki at haba na gusto mo at ibibigay nila. Napapasaya ka ba sa haba at laki ng isang pag-iibigan? Ang mga lalaki dito ay mahinhin, ang mga kamay ay maingat dahil ayaw nilang masugatan ang mga dahon at gulay. Minsan may kamahalan lang ang mga gulay nila.

Mga matatamis na ngiti ng mga lalaki sa fruit Section:

O, ngayon, kung wala pa din kayong napupusuan ay punta na tayo sa fruit section. Ito ang isa sa mga malini sa section sa pasig. Dito yata maraming mga lalaki na nakapormada, nakapaligo at mababango. Makikilala mo sila kung nakangiti sila paparating ka pa lang. Sasabihan ka na matamis ang pag-ibig nila yun pala hilaw pa. May iba naman na sasabihan ka na special ang prutas yun pala galing lang sa bakuran lang nila. Matatamis magsalita ang mga nasa Fruit section kaya pisilin niyong mabuti at maging mabusisi sa pagpili ng mga prutas. Tandaan baka artificial ang ginamit na pampahinog dito.

Iyan ang tatlo sa mga lalaki na nakilala ko sa Pasig Mega Market. May mga myembro naman ng minority block sila ang :

mga nagtitinda ng buko juice na nagpapakitang gilas sa pagbalat ng buko, pero minsan mas maraming tubig gripo Vs tubig galing sa buko,

ang mga lalaki na nagtitinda ng damit pambabae, kahit hindi bagay at maganda sa iyo ay ipipilit talaga,

ang lalaki na nagbebenta ng bigas, maraming brand, may sticky, clingy rice, meron namang mumurahin na tumitigas habang tumatagal, may black rice, may mabangong rice,

may mga lalaki ding nagbebenta ng halo-halo na pati pawis niya ay nagiging sahog na sa paninda,

at may mga lalaki na nagbebenta ng plastic kahit pinagbabawal na.

Ngayon, ipinakita ko sa inyo ang Pasig Mega Market sa ibang perspektibo. Oo, mabaho ito pero ito ang katotohanan, ang mundo at buhay ng tao ay hindi mabango sa lahat ng panahon. We have our own taste kung ano ang nakakahiligan mong kainin.

Karne ba? Gulay? Prutas? Buko Juice? Platic?

(This article is part of Mutya Perspective- using new lenses to ordinary things and events.)

Why the Philippines will not move forward

It will only take one kilo of rice and three can of sardines to win in an election.

Every Filipino should make a tough choice for the Philippines to move forward. However, in light of developing events today, our country’s chance of moving towards total development remains in the dreams of every Filipino.  When will these dreams come to reality?

Our leaders promised to build a straight path towards progress, a path free from corruption, yet we are confronted by scandals involving even the high ranking officials in the government. “Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap, but if these corrupt officials are not placed behind bars, these words are totally useless.  Corrupt politicians kill the dream of every Filipino to a better life and this is comparable to crimes like genocide.

Some of our leaders brag their little achievement in their small municipality or city and used this to exaggerate their stories. “Ganito kami sa Jupiter, Sana ganito din sa buong Universe.” These kinds of tactics were proven effective especially when coupled with visual manipulation. These magicians and illusionist disrupt the real message. They are underestimating the Filipino’s critical thinking skill. But we cannot blame especially those who do not have food for their family, those who lack proper education and those who do not have the time to decipher between the truth and the demonic lie because they are in hurry to avoid the early morning everyday traffic.

Anyone who says “he or she will end corruption in this country” will only fail. It entails killing majority of the government officials. If not, that “clean” leader will die from assassination or will be ousted by a choreographed protest and paid mutiny.  Another EDSA revolution will come, we cannot ascertain if it will be only once, twice or thrice, it depends if how much meals and allowances these crocodiles can provide to the hungry mob.

Halika ayusin natin ang Pilipinas.” Other candidates are asking the Filipino people to fix the problems of this country. This is unfair because in the first place it is not the Filipino people who created these problems. How many more years will it take before you will realize that we need to improve our transits in Metro Manila?  How many more lives will it take for you to take into consideration the peace in Mindanao? If our officials allocated the money to where it should be spent, we are not in this uncomfortable situation.

Singing “Ama namin” is not enough. Even “dasal langmaawa ka” every day will not save us. Every Filipino should dig in and believe in their selves. Every Filipino is innately excellent and we have the capability to become great. Saying maawa ka is not acceptable and it is a sign of stubbornness. These unscrupulous politicians are afraid of an educated and wise electorate. However, despite the large budget given to education, still many could not even read and write- the happiness of crooks.

For now, I don’t have the choice but to throw little pebbles to these politicians. I am still hoping that one day, we, as a nation will vote with happiness and integrity because we believe in that leader, in his/her advocacy and in his/her vision for the entire nation. Unfortunately, since time immemorial, we vote because of the 1 kilo of rice and three pieces of sardines, the 500 pesos, the promises and the lies.

-This is a mutya_ngHardin views.

-Photo credit: http://www.todayonline.com

Friendship Series: The Mighty Charibel

WAYA would agree that Charibel or we prefer to call “Chau”, “Chaw” is the backbone of our friendship. When problems arise she is the moderator,  the banker, the treasurer, the hit man, the resource person, the cook, the event planner. She is one of the major asset of our circle, a treasure that we will not ever subject into an auction. 

Above all of these, I personally know her as “ang babaeng walang pahinga”, as one time I asked her to accompany me to buy something in Iloilo. She brought me to Iloilo downtown because merchandise are cheaper there.  From 1pm to 5pm we searched for the cheapest item. She asked me. “Kaya mo pa?” I answered. “No chaw, lets buy this one na lang.”

Now, every time that we go out together, I always bring with me two bottles of water, a chocolate and face towel because she will gonna tour you all around the area. 

Allow me to show you her super powers.

chaw zipline

#1. She is a superwoman. Despite her asthma, she still managed to defy her disease. She even outsmarts it by taking prophylaxis bronchodilator before going to extreme activities. She believes that what the mind can conceive the body can achieve and this belief brought us to greater heights, literally HEIGHTS!

chaw wonderwoman

#2 She is also a wonder woman. She can make things possible. One time, we were not able to get the votes for a certain competition. I remember clearly on how Chaw went to every internet cafe with her sexy body facing every men and women who were playing. For almost 5 minutes she was able to garner 100 votes. “Paraparaan lang yan!“, she said.

chaw tree bukari

#3. She is a woman of nature. She always wants to breathe fresh air, to witness the floating fog, to listen to insects and to take pictures with different trees. This image is taken from the highest peak in Iloilo despite the risk of having an allergic attack or worst hypoxic event due to high altitudes she still climbed the mountain, “When I’m old, I’ll join the Greenpeace.” 

chaw thailand

#4. She is a woman of culture. Well, this is one of the trait that I’m amazed with her. She even went to Thailand with empty pockets just to experience its culture. When she went home from Thailand, we were amazed on how in 5 days she was able to learn the basics of the Thai language. Now, she is studying the language of Germany. “I want to know more about Hitler.” Those words were scary coming from her.

chaw queen

#5. She is a woman fascinated with monarchy and fairy tales. She believed in “Prince Charming”, the power of the true love’s kiss, the concept of forever and eternity. When given the chance she will build her own kingdom.

chaw prom2

#6. She is a DONYA in her own unique ways. She steals the show by wearing attire that glitters, matches the theme, the curtains, the table cloths. Inside her hand bag are her life saving materials like the spray paint for those who will take advantage of her during the night.

chaw island

#7. She knows every tourist spot within her area of responsibility. Her main advocacy is marine protection. She is always present in every mangrove planting events, coral reef preservation gatherings, conventions and donation drives. When asked why is doing these, she said ” Because I am once a mermaid.”

chaw boracay

#8. She is a BORACAY ISLAND conservationist. Every year she devoted herself to visit the island. Meeting other people and telling them about the importance of tourist spot preservation is her priority. She firmly believe that Boracay if not safeguarded well will turn into a dead space in the coming years.

chaw cebu

#9. She is the only one in the group who has the passion with corals and sub marine life. In our project “tahong for life” chaw poured out her abilities for the successful implementation. Meanwhile Alfred’s passion is on mollusk having them in a team is a great opportunity. “Whats your passion”, they asked me. “Uhm the Fishermen.”, I answered then we laughed out loud until sunset.

chaw bukari

#10. She is a visionary. I never heard any negative statements from her.
“We can” “Yes” “Of course.”  She has a vision and that made her powerful.

________________________________________________________________

me and chaw

This is one of our oldest picture. Chaw has always been my backbone. From the start of our class in our freshmen year in college. I asked for a ball pen and a notebook, she provided me without hesitation, I asked for a jogging pants, the next day she gave me one, I asked for an answer in an exam, she whispered “A”, I asked for breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner, it was served, I asked for a shelter, I asked for a defender, I asked for money, I asked for a medicine, I asked everything from her like a parasite, but all her answer were CRISPY and GENUINE YES AND OK except one which I’m sure she cannot provide. whaha! 

Friendship Series: Hanna Crazy or Extraordinary?

Do you have friend whose train of thoughts always seemed to be bizarre? However, his or her ideas are valid and accurate when given the deepest attention. His or her thoughts provoke debates within the circle. Actually, if you have this kind of friend you are lucky because he or she will add spices to the team.

In my own circle, Hanna is the perfect match to this type. She is the Mother Superior, the morality rest in her, given the fact that she graduated from a Catholic school. In terms of spirituality and morality she is the adjudicator. It has been six long years, she never failed to amaze us with his wit and eloquence on top is her bizarre thinking that complimented our friendship. 

hanna pyesa

#1. Because of our bizarre thoughts I always asks her to join every declamation competition in the university. I am the scriptwriter and she is the performer. She fulfilled my dream to become a script writer. It was four straight years of performance, of laughter, of winnings. She made my writings come alive on different cultural centers. When she was about to say no, I told her: “Do not fail your number 1 fan.” Yes, I am her most avid fan since we were in Kindergarten. I never failed to attend in all her competition, I analyzed her performances. I even bet on some of her contests.

hanna skitz

#2. What on Earth was she thinking arranging her hair in this manner inside the classroom. I presumed it was her own way of stress diversion from a rigid nursing education. She is crazy, but this expression garnered several awards. There  were no boring days when she is around only crazy ones! 

hanna summer

#3 Who can forget her own dress themes? This is her summer outfit worn during December. She was months advance. According to her, Summer is the best part of the year, because she can show her real colors to men. I love her hat made from buri of the Aeta community.

hanna rocks

#4. She wears sunglasses paired with her “diamond” earrings when going to bodies of water. When asked why? Her crazy answer was “What if the ocean will carry me to different lands, the fisherman who catches me wins a diamond! Is it not a wonderful story?She would usually sit solitary on a stone and murmur words, ask hypothetical questions or speculate about love and death.

hanna graduation

#5. Her eye shadows stunned everyone during her graduation. She told us “I am here to claim the fruits of my labor then It is right and just to wear my most revolutionary make-up.” 

hanna gown

#6. She was the class bet for the Presidency position in the college. She did not gave any remarks about the issue, instead she wore what she coined the “Freedom and Liberty” gown in one of the event. She did not run for the position. The position is belittling my gown, I refuse., she said in an interview.

hanna declaim

#7. Who can question her style. She always stands out with her raffles and curtains. This is her normal look during every event in college.

hanna brown

#8. Her attires eventually shifted to shades of brown. We were shocked and puzzled. Was something wrong? She told us.

“I want to be a nun.”

hanna ang gym

#9. I asked her, are gaining muscles and body building included in the requirements to become a nun?

“No, I want to become fit. I want to become a sexy star.”

hanna and pussycat

#10. One day, she woke up with a feeling that she wanted to buy pussycats. When she showed her new favorite, we were silenced. The nun, the sexy star now becomes a child?

hanna and antique

#11. Her fascinations for stones, volcanic debris and mountains never ceased.

“I can hear their voices.”, she said. 

hanna and me

#12. We are the queen and the King of the dance floor. While others are enjoying, her we are playing our own dance, I am the bull, chasing her red cloth like a MATADOR.

hanna and sea

With all of these, It was with her craziness that supported my crazy thoughts as well. Hanna taught me to open my eyes to the things that are invisible to the naked eye, she opened my ears for me to hear the spirits of this world, she calibrated my awareness of events, she made me one hell of a human and the WAYA would agree with me on how did she influenced us to become better and crazier.

Our theme song: