JOURNAL | 바보

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Eight years ago, I posted this entry which in my best effort tried to express:

Today I watched the film "Babo".
My head hurts, there are many homework to do but I don't wanna do them.
Now that I listen to the music of Alanis Morisette, I feel better.

Now looking back at the way I wrote my hanggeul, I realized that it didn't really make any sense. Well, at least I tried.

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오늘 바보 여르분 이다...

내 모리 아파... 많이 숙제 하지만 나는 안 하다...

지금 아라니스 모리새드의 음악 듣다 그르고 나는 더 좋다...

JOURNAL | Things To Do After Returning To The Philippines

These are the things which I have to accomplish after returning to the Philippines,

MOVIE REVIEW | Elle le regarde

Elle le regarde

 
It may be a bit of a bias to say that as a student of the French Language for two years, I've learned to detest and love the compexities I've faced with it. Learning French is like having a new tongue as you learn how to soften your words, make them come out as smooth as possible except with the R which you need to draw out from your throat like you need to spit something. The point of the matter is that just tonight, I've watched A Very Long Engagement and I couldn't tell you enough how much I've admired this movie. It certainly measures up to my expectation after watching Amelie and Da Vinci Code which both starred Audrey Toutou.

LIFESTYLE | Inspiration

Inspiration

Gawad Plaridel 2007-07-05

In our everyday search for that one person who may lead us to believe that there is still hope for a brighter future, we often fail. When we finally meet one, no matter how rare the case may be, the spark comes alive again and the embers start to burn. We find ourselves looking up and striving to reach the ideals set by that person who inspired us to hope and dream once more.

JOURNAL | Konsepto at Imahe ng salitang 'Filipino'

Palagi na lang nababanggit ang salitang “Filipino”, “Pinoy”, “Noypi”, at marami pang iba. Madalas ginagamit na lang ang konseptong ito ng walang malalim na pagkaunawa. E kasi nga naman, bakit nga ba kelangang pag-tuunan ng pansin ang isang bagay na palasak sa ating lahat. Pero minsan, mapapaisip ka rin kung ano nga ba ang sinasabi silang “Filipino” o mas tamang itanong kung sino nga ba sila. Sa sarili ko pa lamang ay hindi ko na tiyak kung sino nga ba ako bilang Pilipino. Ang nanay ko ay Tagalog at ang tatay ko naman ay Muslim. Malamang sa malamang, dahil dito sa Luzon nagmula ang nanay ko, may dugo kaming Tsino at Espanyol. Ang tatay ko naman, dahil nagmula sa Sulu, malamang e may lahing Indonesian at Malaysian. E ano ako? Isang-kapat na tsinoy, espanyol, Indonesian at Malayo? Hay, masyado talagang magulo ang pagbibigay kahulugan sa mga pinaka-simpleng bagay.

MOVIE REVIEW | Rizal/ Bayaning Third World

Rizal/ Bayaning Third World

It is Valentines Day, a perfect time to think about loving and loving and loving still. And to discuss about Rizal’s heroism at this time seems not so appropriate. I’d say, leave it to the historians. Let us give justice to our day of hearts. After all, Valentines doesn’t come everyday. Now, as a human being Rizal had his share of Valentines Days too. As I see it, he is more romantic than we are today. With the flowery words, geniality towards women, and his smooth moves, Rizal is definitely the perfect mushy-machine (although a coin would always have its other face). Needless to say, Rizal had a lot of flings and serious relationships. I don’t think I am bound to enumerate all of these women but since we are dwelling about Bayaning Third World, then the sole woman I opted to discuss is the Irish Jospehine Bracken and some of the controversial things connected to her.

BOOK | THE DISEMBODIED LADY: Realizing the importance of our bodily functions

The Disembodied Lady

Most of the time, we take important things for granted. The small things that we do everyday have been so routinely that we tend to take them as they are without placing any effort to ask how and why they are there. The usual answer that I get when I ask how I am able to perceive the world the way I do is that, “I do not know, I just do!” And so I do not bother myself looking for the exact explanation, I just take them at face-value. Nothing wrong with accepting what has been there all along right? But after reading the “Disembodied Lady,” I realized that this should not be the case. I have come to terms that it is important to know the reason why things are there and how they play a vital role in our existence.

MOVIE REVIEW | A Comparison of the Mise-en-Scene of Amores Perros and Requiem for A Dream

A Comparison of the Mise-en-Scene of Amores Perros and Requiem for A Dream

First frame. Silence. After some second –wham, a car hits another and the narrative of Amores Perros started to unveil showing how humanity could destroy itself from its wrecked nature. Shift to another film. Funky heavy metal music enters. Then two characters appear, having some sort of argumentation having a single door separating them apart. 

MOVIE REVIEW | Tulad ng Dati (2008)

Tulad ng Dati (2008)

Filipino films nowadays as a product of popular culture continues to entertain the mass on the surface level. At face value, it seems innocent but as an instrument with covert motives, film themes serve as oppressors of many who patronize them.

JOURNAL | Inspirations and Realizations: Jose Rizal's Childhood

Wherever education is implanted there will go up a youth invigorated and strong, firmly eradicating error and broadening itself on the strength of noble ideas.
-Jose Rizal, Por La Educación Recibe Lustre La Patria
(Through Education the Fatherland Acquires Glory)

LIFESTYLE | Epistolaries of Rizal

Epistolaries of Rizal

Jose Rizal’s letters tell so much about him and how he spent his life. Looking at the correspondences of Rizal is like reading his diaries as he communicates with another person.

JOURNAL | EDSA Legacy

It was the time to commemorate the infamous People Power Revolution when President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announced Presidential Decree (PD) 1017: a declaration of a state of “national emergency” on February 24.

Many were terrified with the thought that the proclamation is but another name for a martial rule after immediate action from the armed forces took place. All permits to rally were cancelled, and peaceful gatherings were dispersed. Certain media outfits were also raided including The Daily Tribune and reports circulated that ABS-CBN was in a tight watch.

LIFESTYLE | We Still Know What’s Best for Us:A Reaction to Separation of Powers in Constitution-Making

We Still Know What’s Best for Us:A Reaction to Separation of Powers in Constitution-Making

I remember when I was a kid, my parents would bring me to the hospital whenever I get sick or feel ill. However, these rendezvous with doctors did not make me jump for joy. I’m not really crazy about the idea of seeing doctors smiling at their patients examining them with their stethoscope ordering to inhale and exhale. Afterwards, they’ll be interrogating with questions that during my age that time seemed senseless. I especially hate it when the doctors ask me about certain dates which I can’t remember. I just don’t keep track of how many glasses of water I drink a day, or when I ate this and that. Ends up, I just make up stories. Trust me when I tell that I’m a good story teller. After assessing my stories, the doctors then tell my parents that I’m sick with that and I have these symptoms, that I need to drink these medicines. What I’m driving at is that not all doctors’ diagnoses are right. They can be misleading, often relying on their inaccurate findings. In my case, it is my body and I should know better. Nevertheless, doctors are there to alleviate ailments and even if not exactly what their patients need, at least there are efforts to find cures.

LIFESTYLE | Separation of Power by John S. Baker, Ph. D

Separation of Power in Constitution-Making

February 17, 2006 CSSP-AVR

The subject that I’ll be discussing is not only of interest to Charter Change but actually it’s probably more interesting to me in academic sense. For you it’s a matter of political life and death. For me, as an observer, I get to watch and learn not only about the Philippines but actually I understand the US Constitution better now having observed the Philippines. For instance, I never thought the idea of electing senators at large and now I understand what they do(es). They create a mess.

LIFESTYLE | The Guys Rules: 101 on Men's Nature

The Guys Rules: 101 on Men's Nature

Rereading my past mail messages, I've come across this one sent by my friend Ian Laureles, and though I'm not the hard ass man you would want your boyfriend to be, this still has some truth to it and I would love the girls to read it, the man to see it, the gays to have a look at it, and lesbians to learn from it.

BOOK REVIEW | Isang Pagkukuro sa "Sagot Ng Espanya sa Hibik Ng Filipinas (Pilipinas)"

Isang pagkukuro sa "Sagot Nang Espanya sa Hibik Ng Filipinas (Pilipinas)" 

ni Marcelo Hilario del Pilar

Ang tulang “Sagot Nang Espanya sa Hibik Nang Filipinas” ay masasabi nating isang mahabang pagtuligsa sa pang-aabuso ng mga prayle at Kastila sa mga Pilipino noong mga kapanahunan ni Marcelo H. del Pilar. Kilala naman natin si del Pilar bilang isang magaling na abogado, ,manunulat at naging patnugot din siya ng pahayagan ng mga propagandista noon, ang La Solidaridad. At dahil likas sa kanya ang angking talino sa iba’t ibang larangan, naging mahusay siya sa panunudyo o panunuya sa kasamaan ng mga prayle sa Pilipinas.

MOVIE REVIEW | Surface and underground: A discussion on the themes of Our Sweet Days

Surface and underground: A discussion on the themes of Our Sweet Days

To sum it all up, I want to restate the important points. On surface level, we see a number of issues in the movie. The male leading character’s lowliness was magnified in the movie to raise the character of the girl. Through point-of-view shots, we see the world through the man’s eyes – obscured and unstable. Marriage has been a prominent theme in the movie and it would be the be and all of it. The guy chases the girl, the girl refuses, the guy strives, the girl gives in, the guy is happy, the girl dies. Although marriage in this movie has been ideal which makes it implausible, there is that sense of wonder why tradition would be juxtaposed against western influence. In addition, western influence was also noticeable in this movie from musical scoring to set design to quips on famous western people. In a deeper discussion, the sense of patriarchal society, building of nationhood and feminism were evident in the movie.

MOVIE REVIEW | Batad (2008)

Batad (2008)

BATAD is a story about Ag-ap, an Ifugao boy living amidst the traditional mountain people, who badly wanted a pair of shoes. He takes several jobs hoping to earn enough to buy the shoes he saw in the market. However, his family would ask him for money so in the end, the money he earns disappears and he was not able to buy the shoes. It was while he was guiding tourists that Ag-ap finally had his dream came true. One of the tourists gave him the shoes. 

ARTICLE | Sagot ng Espanya sa Hibik ng Pilipinas

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Sagot ng Espanya sa Hibik ng Pilipinas

isinulat ni Marcelo H. Del Pilar

Related article - 

Isang Pagkukuro sa "Sagot Ng Espanya sa Hibik Ng Filipinas (Pilipinas)"

Puso ko’y nahambal ng aking marinig

bunso, ang taghoy mo’t mapighating hibik,

wala ka, anak kong, sariling hinagpis

na hindi karamay ang in among ibig.

Wala kang dalita, walang sa kahirapan

na tinitiis kang di ko dinaramdam:

ang buhay mo’y bunga niring pagmamahal,

ang kadustaan mo’y aking kadustaan.

Pagsilang mo, bunso, sa sangmaliwanag

nang panahong ako’y di pa nagsasalat

walang inadhika ang in among liyag

kundi puspusin ka ng ginhawa’t galak.

Sa awa ng langit ikaw ay sagana

ng sukat iyamang malalagong lupa,

lahat ng pananim wala mang alaga

sa kaparangan mo’y tumutubong kusa.

Ang tabako’t kape, palay, tina’t bulak

abaka at tubo’y kailangang lahat,

sa mga lupa mo’y tantong naggugubat

itong sa sangmundo’y hirap mahagilap.