Gantimpala

Nitong nakaraang mga araw ay nabahiran ng kontrobersiya ang National Artist Award dahil sa pagtutol ng ilang mga alagad ng sining sa ilang mga napili ngayong taong ito, partikular na kay Carlo J. Caparas (Visual Arts and Film) at Cecille Guidote-Alvarez (Theater). Ayon sa mga tumututol, na kinabibilangan ng mga National Artists na sina Bienvenido Lumbera, F. Sionil Jose, Virgilio Almario at iba pa, may mga mas karapat-dapat na maging National Artists subalit nawala sa pinal na listahan. Ibinigay nilang halimbawa ang eksperto sa musika na si Dr. Ramon Santos na siyang nakakuha ng maraming boto sa “selection process” pero hindi napili.

Sa kanilang parte, iginiit nila Caparas at Alvarez na karapat-dapat sila sa karangalang iyun. Sinabi pa ni Caparas na mga “elitista” ang mga tumututol sa kanyang pagkakapili bilang National Artist at dapat siyang maging National Artist dahil sa inilapit niya ang sining sa masa sa pamamagitan ng kanyang mga komiks.

Para sa akin, ang ipinupunto naman nina G. Lumbera, et al. ay hindi ang karapatan o ang kakayanan ng mga napili, kundi ang paraan at ang “circumstances” sa likod ng pagkakapili sa kanila. Alam naman ng lahat na sina Caparas at Alvarez ay mga masugid na taga-suporta ng administrasyong Arroyo, at aminin man nila o hindi ay malaki ang papel na ginampanan ng suportang iyon sa pagkakapili sa kanila. Isa pa, bakit may naalis na kandidato para sa parangal na nakakuha naman ng maraming boto? Halatang binigyan sila ng espasyo ng pumipili ng National Artist. Sino nga ba ang namili ng mga pararangalan ngayong taong ito? Hindi ba si GMA?

Hindi ko alam kung matatawa ako o maiinis ako sa banat ni Carlo J. Caparas na elitista raw ang mga may ayaw siyang maging National Artist at karapat-dapat daw siya sa parangal dahil sa kanyang “paglalapit ng sining sa masa”. Una, kung aalamin niya ang buhay ng kanyang dalawang pinaka-mahigpit na kritiko sa usaping ito, hindi naman maituturing na mariwasa o marangya ang pinanggalingan nila. Si G. F. Sionil Jose ay nanggaling sa pamilya ng mga magsasaka sa Pangasinan samantalang si G. Bienvenido Lumbera ay naulilang lubos at inalagaan ng mga kamag-anak. Pangalawa, kung ang pagiging malapit sa masa ang magiging sukatan ng pagiging National Artist, bakit hindi pa National Artist si Dolphy? O kaya si Mars Ravelo, na mas sikat ang mga gawang komiks kaysa sa kanya? Babanat na nga lang, sablay pa. Napapatunayan lang na tama ang mga kritiko niya.

Para naman kay Gng. Alvarez, isyu ito ng delicadeza. Ikaw ang pinuno ng ahensiya ng gobyernong naatasang pag-aralan ang mga kandidato sa parangal, bakit mo ibibigay ang parangal sa sarili mo? Granted na marami po kayong naiambag para sa pagsusulong ng sining sa bansang ito, bakit hindi nyo na lang po hinintay na matapos ang termino ninyo bilang pinuno ng NCCA (National Center for Culture and the Arts) bago po kayo maghangad na maparangalan? Konting nipis lang naman po ng mukha ang hinihingi namin.

Subalit ang higit na nakalulungkot at nakakapagngitngit isipin ay ang katotohanang ang isang parangal na kasing-prestihiyoso ng National Artist Award ay para na lamang isang piraso ng karne sa ilalim ng rehimeng ito–ibinabato bilang pabuya sa mga pinakamasusugid na alagang aso. Hindi na nakuntento sa paggamit ng pera at puwesto sa gobyerno, pati mga parangal ay ginagamit na rin bilang panuhol ng administrasyon. Pero ano pa nga ba ang aasahan mo sa isang gobyernong iniluklok ng pandaraya at binubuhay ng panunuhol at panggigipit?

Kung ayaw nilang ibalik ang parangal na nakuha nila kay Gloria, ayos lang. Hayaan na lang natin silang magsaya sa nakuha nilang gantimpala sa pagpapakatuta at pagpapakaputa sa isang maruming gobyerno.

Iyun lang.

Paalam, Presidente Cory Aquino...

Habang isinusulat ko ito ay mapayapa nang namamahinga si Presidente Cory Aquino kasama ng kanyang asawa na si Senador Ninoy Aquino sa Manila Memorial Park.

Isang pahabol lamang ito sa mga naisulat ko na (sa ibang blog), dahil naramdaman kong kulang pa iyun noong nakita ko sa telebisyon ang mga tagpo kanina habang inihahatid si Presidente Cory sa kanyang huling hantungan.

Makapanindig-balahibo ang makita ang libu-libong tao na nakapila sa kalsada, hindi iniinda ang ulan, pagod at gutom, makapagbigay lamang ng respeto sa pangulong itinuturing na “Ina ng Demokrasya” at “global democracy icon”.

Nakakataba ng pusong panoorin ang mga taong nagbibigay ng mga payong, tubig, kapote at iba pang bagay sa mga nakapila sa La Salle at Manila Cathedral ng walang anumang kapalit.

Makabagbag-damdamin ang makita ang mga Pilipino mula sa iba’t ibang katayuan sa buhay–mayaman, mahirap, bata, matanda, babae, lalake–na nagsasama-sama para makita sa huling pagkakataon ang inirerespetong idolo.

Kahanga-hangang panoorin ang apat na “honor guards” na hindi pinansin ang ulan at pagod sa pagtupad sa marangal na tungkuling samahan si Tita Cory sa kanyang huling hantungan, kahit na ang ibig sabihin nito ay ang pagtayo ng mahigit 8 oras.

Sinasabi nila na nabuhay muli ang “Cory magic” at ang “diwa ng EDSA” nitong nakaraang mga araw. Siguro nga, dahil sa dinami-dami ng mga “pinuno” na dumaan sa kasaysayan ng bansang ito, si Presidente Cory lang ang nakitaan ng sinseridad at tunay na pagsasakripisyo para sa bayan.

Subalit hindi dapat dito magtapos ang kung anumang ipinakita natin nitong nakaraang mga araw.

Dapat nga eh gamitin natin ang mga aral na nakuha natin mula kay Tita Cory, gaya ng ginagawa natin sa mga aral na natutunan natin mula sa mga magulang natin. Gamitin natin ang ehemplo niya para tayo maging mas mabuting tao, mas mabuting Pilipino.

Sabi nga ng isang kaibigan ko sa kanyang blog, “Wag sana nating kalimutan ang simbolo ng dilaw na laso para sa ating mga Pilipino. Democracy lost its parents. Now, as children of democracy, we should do whatever it can to pursue the values and the principles our parents left us…”

Sabi ni Presidente Cory, “I thank the Lord for making me a Filipino, and I thank everybody for making me one of you”. Ang masasabi ko naman, I thank the Lord for making you a Filipino. And no, thank you for being one of us, Tita Cory.

Muli, ang aking pakikiramay sa pamilya Aquino at salamat, Tita Cory, sa lahat ng sakripisyo para sa bansa.

Iyun lamang po.

Perjury, Pork and Pacman

The whistleblower of the NBN-ZTE scandal, Rodolfo "Jun" Lozada, has been arrested for perjury. The complainant is former Cabinet member (but still a GMA lackey) Mike Defensor, who was implicated by Lozada in that botched abduction attempt last year. Defensor said that he "needed to clear his name" and "it was for his family". Defensor also sneaked a blatant low blow on Lozada in his press conference, going "..alam ko Jun (Lozada), may pamilya ka rin, dala-dalawa pa nga eh..." You stay classy, Mike. Wala nang sisirain pa sa pangalan mo kasi matagal nang sira ang pangalan mo bago pa sumingaw ang baho ng ZTE. Kaya nga nangulelat ka sa eleksyon, 'Tol. By the way, where's the outrage over this? Kung may dapat ikulong sa perjury, si Mike Defensor iyun, kasama ng mga gaya niyang tuta, tulad ni Jocjoc Bolante, Ben Abalos, Raul Gonzales, etc. Isama na rin ang amo nilang pinakamalaking sinungaling sa lahat. That is why I am one with those who are calling, "Free Jun Lozada!"

Let's change gears, and go to the biggest sports event this weekend, the Manny Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton match. Meron na namang dahilan ang ating mga mambubutas ng bulsa este mambabatas ng bansa na maglakwatsa at magwaldas ng pork barrel funds este personal funds nila, kesehodang may swine flu sa America at Mexico ngayon. That's why Rep. Edno Joson has filed a resolution prohibiting congressmen from leaving the country while Congress is in session. Para namang may patutunguhan iyan. That's why it's okay for me if these Congressmen want to watch the match in Las Vegas. Ayos lang sa akin ang magkandarapa silang lahat na magpunta sa Las Vegas. Basta ba mahawahan sila ng swine flu doon at hindi na makabalik pa ng Pilipinas.

Iyun lang.

Clarifications and Apologies, but still...

I would like to clarify some things in my earlier blog about this whole Calderon family soap opera (or dorama, if you fancy the Japanese version), in line of recent events.

First, it seems that the Calderons still know how to speak in Filipino, after all. In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Arlan Calderon found his mother tongue in a plea to the Philippine government to help them go back to Japan in order to be with their daughter Noriko. Mr. Calderon cited that Noriko is still young, and a woman at that, to be able to take care of herself. O-kay, so bakit kinakailangan pa iyung ganung stunt kahapon?

Second, Noriko already knows that she is a Filipino, contrary to what I wrote earlier. Mr. Calderon said in the same interview that they admitted to Noriko that she is a Filipino after Mrs. Sarah Calderon was already busted by the Japanese authorities for overstaying.

I apologize to the Calderon couple (in the off-chance that they can read this), as well as those who have read the previous blog, for whatever inconsistencies that I wrote on my blog. Perhaps it was a product of lack of research. I do not intend to make this an excuse, but it can’t be helped. I also depend on their statements to the Philippine media in order for me to write my opinions about the subject.

However, I would not retract my earlier statements criticizing them for the way they handled the situation with the press when they arrived in the Philippines. I still contend that it was an act of utter disrespect and stupidity. I also will not take back my challenge to them. Magpakatotoo nga sila kung gusto pa nilang maging Pilipino o hindi na. Para tapos na ang usapan.

Iyun lang.

Magpakatotoo nga kayo!

No, I am not addressing the title of this post to those politicians who keep on harping that they don't care about Charter Change or Cha-cha but those actions speak otherwise (they'll have their own blog post later). I am addressing it to the latest controversial figures to land on Philippine soil, Arlan and Sarah Calderon. The Calderon couple made international headlines recently for their legal battle to keep themselves in Japan for their daughter, Noriko, despite having being busted for immigration charges. It has become a cause celebre in Japan, with supporters contending that Noriko, being a minor (she's 13 years old), needs her parents to guide and care for her. But the Japanese, in keeping with their strict laws, denied the motions for the parents' continuing stay, and poor Noriko chose to stay in Japan, because she was still studying, and owing to the fact that she was born and raised in Japan, knows only Nihongo.

The Calderon couple just arrived last night, and I believe no one expected these to happen: the Calderon couple completely shunned the Philippine media, opting instead to speak only with the Japanese media in Nihongo. It's their choice, but frankly, I was shocked and pissed off at this show of utter disrespect for the Philippines.

What the f*** are they thinking? I mean WHAT THE F***? Why the hell would they do something as disrespectful as that? Is it a desperate, last-ditch ploy to shore up support for them from the Japanese media and the Japanese public? Is it a manifestation of where they feel they belong? Or is it just a way of communicating with Noriko?

Either way, what they did was tasteless, disrespectful and downright pathetic. They could have at least given the Philippine media the time to air their side, kahit hindi na sa wikang Filipino, just to have the Filipino public know their feelings about this whole thing. Or they could have, as one of my friends said, ignored everybody and went straight to the car or whatever transportation that was waiting for them. But no, they decided to give the Filipino media, and in effect the Filipino public, the finger (figuratively). Kung hindi nila kayang bigyan ng respeto ang bansang Pilipinas, binigyan na lang sana nila ng respeto ang mga sarili nila. For them to keep passing themselves off as Japanese when it has been proven that they are not, is a complete slap at the face of their motherland. It also made them complete fools. Bakayaroo, in Nihongo.

Why am I so worked up about this? Simple. I am, in some respects, a Japanophile. I love watching anime, I am interested in Japanese customs and traditions. I am also dreaming of going to Japan on vacation, to learn more about their culture and their way of life. I am also a member of an online community of Filipinos who love Japanese things. Some of the members live in Japan, and some have Japanese blood in them. But when this issue came up, many felt the same way as I did towards the Calderon couple. One of the administrators of the website, who goes by the screen name "Maneki Neko" (which is Japanese for "good luck cat"), said this; "That was very arrogant on their part. Tama si jen-san (a fellow member)...i-deny daw ba ang nationality?? Sino ba ang susuporta sa kanila dito kundi kapwa Pinoy din naman. Pano nila kakausapin ang mga yun...in Nihongo?? Nakatapak lang sa Japan ng matagal...naging Nihonjin na?? Wrong!" At least we know where our real loyalties lie. Kahit na interesado kami sa kulturang banyaga, at the end of the day, Pilipino pa rin kami.

Noriko will have to learn sooner or later that based on the laws that guide both the Philippines and Japan, she is not a Japanese but a Filipino. I doubt that her parents will admit that little piece of fact. Hopefully, she will trace back her lineage to her biological homeland. On the other hand, hindi naman natin dapat pilitin maging Pilipino ang ayaw maging Pilipino.

And so it is.

Chip Shot from an April Fool

(Blogger's Note: Ah, I'm finally back to writing for this blog, and it took a moron from Hong Kong to get me off my "creative stupor". Anyway, I felt compelled to write my piece, and what coincidence it is to fall on April Fools' Day--Chip Tsao's favorite day. Enjoy.)

There has been a huge controversy about the article below, written by a certain Chip Tsao. "The War at Home", as it is titled, states that the Philippines, as a "nation of servants", have no right to claim the Spratly Islands., among other things. Of course, it sparked a firestorm from Filipinos everywhere. (I did not bother to put Chip Tsao's picture, it'll just spoil the days of everyone who takes a peek in this humble blog)

The war at home

by Chip Tsao
HK Magazine

The Russians sank a Hong Kong freighter last month, killing the seven Chinese seamen on board. We can live with that—Lenin and Stalin were once the ideological mentors of all Chinese people. The Japanese planted a flag on Diàoyú Island. That’s no big problem—we Hong Kong Chinese love Japanese cartoons, Hello Kitty, and shopping in Shinjuku, let alone our round-the-clock obsession with karaoke.

But hold on—even the Filipinos? Manila has just claimed sovereignty over the scattered rocks in the South China Sea called the Spratly Islands, complete with a blatant threat from its congress to send gunboats to the South China Sea to defend the islands from China if necessary. This is beyond reproach. The reason: there are more than 130,000 Filipina maids working as $3,580-a-month cheap labor in Hong Kong. As a nation of servants, you don’t flex your muscles at your master, from whom you earn most of your bread and butter.
As a patriotic Chinese man, the news has made my blood boil. I summoned Louisa, my domestic assistant who holds a degree in international politics from the University of Manila, hung a map on the wall, and gave her a harsh lecture. I sternly warned her that if she wants her wages increased next year, she had better tell every one of her compatriots in Statue Square on Sunday that the entirety of the Spratly Islands belongs to China.

I summoned Louisa, my domestic assistant who holds a degree in international politics from the University of Manila, hung a map on the wall, and gave her a harsh lecture. I sternly warned her that if she wants her wages increased next year, she had better tell every one of her compatriots in Statue Square on Sunday that the entirety of the Spratly Islands belongs to China.

Oh yes. The government of the Philippines would certainly be wrong if they think we Chinese are prepared to swallow their insult and sit back and lose a Falkland Islands War in the Far East. They may have Barack Obama and the hawkish American military behind them, but we have a hostage in each of our homes in the Mid-Levels or higher. Some of my friends told me they have already declared a state of emergency at home. Their maids have been made to shout “China, Madam/Sir” loudly whenever they hear the word “Spratly.” They say the indoctrination is working as wonderfully as when we used to shout, “Long live Chairman Mao!” at the sight of a portrait of our Great Leader during the Cultural Revolution. I’m not sure if that’s going a bit too far, at least for the time being.

Of course, there are some "cooler heads" who have been saying that we Filipinos should not be at the very least affected of this article, namely because a) "totoo naman ang sinasabi niya about us being a "nation of servants", and b) it's just a satire, him being known in Hong Kong as a satirist.

I could say that they are the proverbial "cooler heads", not because they counsel restraint, but because of the lack of live grey matter in their skulls. Eh ano kung totoong marami sa ating mga kababayan ang nagtatrabaho bilang katulong, hindi lang sa Hong Kong, kundi sa ibang bansa? It doesn't give him the right to even think about using our countrymen as pawns. Satire? Well, reading the column, it was not even a poor copy of a real satire. It was chest-thumping against a smaller neighbor, coupled by a naked challenge to an economically shattered and militarily stretched America to oppose Chinese designs in the Western Pacific. But that's another subject matter.

Now, we go to answering that article...

1. Chip Tsao says, "As a nation of servants, you don’t flex your muscles at your master, from whom you earn most of your bread and butter..."

What? We might be a "nation of servants", but China ain't our master. Oh, by the way, if that's how you see it, you shouldn't be also flexing your muscles at America, since you have Chinese people who work there. So then.

2. Chip Tsao says, "I summoned Louisa, my domestic assistant who holds a degree in international politics from the University of Manila, hung a map on the wall, and gave her a harsh lecture. I sternly warned her that if she wants her wages increased next year, she had better tell every one of her compatriots in Statue Square on Sunday that the entirety of the Spratly Islands belongs to China..."

Pathetic. You're threatening your father's Filipina "domestic assistant" (Note: News reports say that "Louisa" is working for Chip Tsao's father. So we see another Chip Tsao fallacy.--mami_noodles) with withholding a wage increase just to say that Spratlys belong to China? Truly pathetic. If you really hung a map on the wall and still able to say that the Spratlys does not belong to the Philippines, then you should a) have your glasses fixed, and b) read up on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). It's very clear.

3. Chip Tsao says, "Grimly, I told her that if war breaks out between the Philippines and China, I would have to end her employment and send her straight home, because I would not risk the crime of treason for sponsoring an enemy of the state by paying her to wash my toilet and clean my windows 16 hours a day. With that money, she would pay taxes to her government, and they would fund a navy to invade our motherland and deeply hurt my feelings..."

Wait, did I just read about the Philippines invading China? Hahaha. The only invasion that is happening is his country's invasion of our territory. And we are entitled as a sovereign nation to defend our land (or waters), right? So, Chip, you don't have to worry about us hurting your feelings because we would not invade China. We'll just build a navy to shoo away "invaders", just like a person might get a flyswatter to shoo away flies on his dinner.

4. Chip Tsao says, "Oh yes. The government of the Philippines would certainly be wrong if they think we Chinese are prepared to swallow their insult and sit back and lose a Falkland Islands War in the Far East. They may have Barack Obama and the hawkish American military behind them, but we have a hostage in each of our homes in the Mid-Levels or higher..."

Do you also think that we'll just sit back and let you do that? No f-ing way. Despite the best efforts of the impostor posing as our President to give your country a pass (of course, in exchange for "loans" that has no oversight, just like what your government does in Sudan and North Korea) by having her lackeys in our Congress pass a really stupid baselines bill, you still won't have it your way. By the way, be careful with what you wish for, Chip, you just might get it and Barack Obama might just have the "hawkish American military" kick your country's a** back to common sense (or to the Ming dynasty, whichever is farther).

As a parting shot, Chip, the last time a Chinese tried to invade these islands, he failed and squirreled away using a tunnel to the sea. Just ask Limahong.

It's your day today, Chip. Happy April Fools.