New Year

In just a few hours, 365 days have passed. Say hello to a new year. Wishing that this new year would be better than the last one. I hope it would be.

Wishing you a very Happy New Year!

Under that Facade

I read this blog a little while ago and it made a very very big impact on me, although this seems not to be so surprising.


Below this, in full quote, is Bambee's entry regarding the incident in her journal.

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The world has gone crazy.
Bambee dela Paz

So, I just had the worst day of my life.

At around 1:30 PM today, at Valley Golf and Country Club, Antipolo City, Mayor Nasser Pangandaman, Jr., Mayor of Masiu City, Lanao del Sur, his father, Secretary Nasser Pangandaman of the Department of Agrarian Reform, and company, beat my defenseless 56-year-old dad and my 14-year-old brother to a pulp because of some stupid misunderstanding on the golf course.

This is a golf course. I have been a golfer all my life, and I have never seen anything like this. NOTHING. This is hard to comprehend. And it happened to my own father and my own brother too. Right in front of my eyes.

My brother and I were playing golf at the South Course of Valley. We were on the 3rd hole, and we see two golf carts going past us, overtaking our flight, and setting up to tee off on the next hole. My dad goes up to them and asks them why they would do that, why they would overtake us without even asking for our permission. Golf etiquette 101. One of the guys says that they're with the flight in front of us. (So what? That doesn't give them the right to just pass us WITHOUT asking.) So, we go to the 5th hole. The flight behind us catches up with us, and asks us what caused the hold up. We said that this flight just slipped in front of our flight. So we complained to the marshall. We play the 5th hole and walk towards the next hole, where there is a teehouse, and both the flights in front of us were there, talking with the marshall. The mayor of Masiu City, Lanao del Sur talks with my dad. Things get heated up. Voices were raised. But never, in my wildest dreams, did I ever imagine that someone would pull out a punch. Apparently not. He attacks my father. His flightmates, maybe 2 or 3 of them, rush to his aid and beat up my father. My 56-year-old father. My younger brother and I could not just watch. We rushed to break the fight. My younger brother pleads to the mayor to please stop it. To not hurt my dad. To just stop. His words still ring through my head..."Sorry na po, sorry na po...tama na...tama na po..." With his hands in front of his chest in a praying position. PLEADING. The mayor socks him in the face. My brother defended himself. My dad is still on the ground getting clobbered. My brother is the same way. I try to stop the fight, but all I can do is stop one person. There were 4 or 5 of them attacking now.

Someone breaks up the fight. I thought it was all over. The mayor shouts to his caddy: "Hindi nila kami kilala! Sabihin mo nga sa kanila kung sino ako!" And believe me, I had no idea who this person was. But now I know. He's the person who, with 4 other men, beat up my 56-year-old father and my 14-year-old brother. He's the person who sacks a pleading 14-year-old kid in the face. He's a person who, I am sure, is gonna rot in hell.

I lash out, but my dad held me back. I was screaming my lungs out, shouting to this mayor, telling him about what he had done. I said: "Nakakahiya kayo. Singkwenta'y sais anyos ang tatay ko. And kapatid ko kakatorse anyos. Anong ilalaban nila sayo?"

The mayor looks at my brother, point to his face, and says, "Tatandaan kita!" And he tells me that my brother has a bad attitude and that I need to watch him. WHAT THE HELL?! So, my brother's bad for defending his father?!

We leave. We walk to the clubhouse to file a complaint. My brother asks for a doctor. My dad could barely walk. Their group comes to the clubhouse, sees my brother. Once again my brother pleads, says sorry, and is crying. He was CRYING, for crissakes. But no. The relentless mayor still punches him in the face, and then sees my dad and goes after my dad again. Him and his friend pull my dad to the ground, pulls at his feet, and steps on him like he's dirt. I run to him and try to hold him back, holding him back by his shirt, while this other guy and this girl tries to stop me. She tells me to just stop it. I scream in her face "they're beating my father up and you want me to stop?!" I pull at his shirt--I don't let go. All I can see was my dad being trampled on. I didn't even see my brother getting beat up.

People pull them away. I get my dad, and I saw my brother. His right ear was bleeding. I freaked out. I told the receptionists to bring my brother to the clinic. I pull my dad away. People were separating us.

My mom and my older brother come. I tell her Bino's right ear is bleeding. They both look like they could kill. My dad holds my brother off, I hold off my mom. When I finally got my mom under control, my older brother gets away and I hold him off. Two of the mayor's bodyguards pull out guns. I embraced my brother from the back, just holding him back, crying. The receptionists came to us, crying, hugging me, my dad, and my mom, whispering to us to just leave. "Maam, umalis na po kayo, may mga baril sila...Maam...umalis na po kayo please..."

I am pretty sure the Secretary of DAR did not take part in the fight, but he just watched all this happen. He watched two of his sons, as we figured out, the other guy was his son, too, beat up my father and my 14-year-old brother. He didn't do anything to stop it. And this person is what now? A cabinet member. A politician.

Sounds like something out of a movie, doesn't it? But this is what happened. TODAY. The day after Christmas. To my family. And all I ask for is JUSTICE. The people at Valley Golf did not seem to want to help us. None of the security guards even tried to stop the fight. Right in the clubhouse. I came back after the fight was over and talked to the receptionists. They say they did not see anything. The general manager of Valley Golf would not give us the names of the men who made my brother's ear bleed. It took him an hour. Maybe even more than that. He seemed to not want to help us. Because, we were against the SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRARIAN REFORM and the MAYOR OF MASIU CITY, LANAO DEL SUR. They were all scared.

The world has gone crazy. Two politicians beat up a defenseless 56-year-old father and his 14-year-old son. At a golf course. I swear to God, I thought golfers were decent people. You would think politicians were decent people. I guess not. I guess they gang up on 56-year-old men and beat up pleading 14-year-old kids.

Please pray for my dad, my brother and for my whole family. Please pray that we get JUSTICE. Oh God, please, give these people what they deserve.

Christmas '08

So, it's Christmas... It's 2:00am, I'm still eating the candy cane I grabbed at Auntie Phina's house and listening to iTunes...

Let me start by telling you what a tiring day it has been for me. Since I woke up, all I did was clean the house, help mom, wrap gifts and nag at my brothers. This year, we don't have an official family Christmas party, so we did a mini Christmas party with Uncle Nio and tabby and Auntie Rosali and family.

What we had for notche buena: lemon spaghetti topped with clams, adobong crab, tomato sauced shrimp, graham cake and ice cream

In fairness, it was fun preparing for guests and hosting the party even if it was tiring. I still prefer to go to a party not hosted by me because all I have to do is go there and eat. hahaha. (damn, my candy cane fell!!!)

Yesterday, I went out with Yu, Christianne, Ana and Amy who came from Cebu. Woohoo. Fun fun. We spent the whole day shopping, eating, tambay, picture picture, and enjoying each other's comapny in MOA.

The day before that was a Wii day in my house. hahaha. Wil, Je-An, Karl Yap, Oyo, Joc, Gwen and Jeric went to my house. We played Wii all day in my house. hahaha. Sakit kaya ng katawan ko sa kaka-wii. ULIT ULI!!! Wala nang uwian Gwen! hahaha. At nag bonding rin kmi ni Gwen before sila dumating (oh yea, napaprami bonding natin ah. hahaha)

Party Girl ako this week. hahaha. Bukas sa pinsan ko naman sa father side. hahaha. Good luck na lng akin. I'm dead na pag dating ng pasukan. Enjoy the break db. hahaha.

This Christmas turned out beter than the other Christmases I can remember. It's not about how expensive the gifts are, but the value and thought you put into them. My view for the Christmas season may change, may be not.

Merry Christmas from me to you

Awesome Idea

I have this GREAT idea: To start a fashion line

Well, it is not something big. I want to start by printing tees. I know someone who can print me shirts in a good price, but the catch is, he would only print if the design would be printed on 100 shirts. Actually, I wanted to make my personalized shirt, but since that would be too many, I thought that I could sell them.

I was thinking... I am going to need:

• concept- I need a solid concept that would give me an edge in the fashion business
• resources- I need to know where and how to get the things I need
• advertisement- I need to sell it baby to make profit and to achieve my dream
• models- well, I know people who could model for me for free
• photographer- I need a good one

I'm still thinking, I could sell them online (multiply). Or I could ask favors to people I know who can sell them (hopefully in 168 to the stall owners I know).

I am getting impatient.

Watcha think?

Christams Break '08

Weee~

Today is our course card distribution day! Lo and behold my grades

Subj | Grade
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vdprod | 2.0
educmgt | 2.5
scimatp | 3.5
tredtri | 3.0
probsta | 2.5
comsorg | 1.0
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I'm happy for my probsta. First math subject na hnd 1 or 1.5. wohoo.
Although sa comsorg, 1.0 lang ako and babagsak na dapt. hahaha. anyway!

I discovered something nice today! It is the China Phone!Cool right? Compared to a very expensive Nokia Phone, this China Phone is uber cheap. You can buy it at around 1k-5k depending on what model you prefer. This very cheap phone comes with a camera, mp3 player, tv and radio. (say yes to child labor. say yes to under paid people. say yes to illegal stuff... and so on)

The one we bought looks like a Nokia N70 but with TV and less megapixels. I hate the theme and you can't change it.

Khit na para sa dad ko un, hinihingi ko na nga e. hahaha. Cute eh and I want to use it. Ayaw nga lng ibigay skn. hahaha.

Another Big Balita:

No Christmas Party for out familia this year for personal reasons. So si Uncle Nio na lng tatambay sa bahay for Christmas. Kaya ako, todo Christmas party na rin with friends kasi sabog naman rin Chrismas party sa family. hahaha. Enjoy na lng while it lasts.


<----- that hat is so nice right? Saw it in S&R, we were shopping there and I want it. This one will go to my wish list. hahaha. It is a The North Face brand and it is around 400 bucks. It goes well with my cowboy look. hahaha

And while we were shopping, I saw this apple-like fruit. But it is labeled as Grapple. COOL. Looks like an apple but tastes like grape! I want to try that! Mom said we could buy it next time we go to S&R. can't wait. I want to taste it. hahaha. And it's kinda expensive. Around 300bucks for 4 pieces of grapples.

Oh, Amy will also visit Mania this holiday season. Haha. Reunion with her next week with friends.

Swimming ah! Sa Monday! wala nang magbbackout! nag pa-reserve na ako nung pool. Party time.

I'm still waiting for Gwen's blog, ako ung kayang cover girl. bwahahhaha. go gwen

HAPPY HAPPY HOLIDAYS
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Thank you portion:
I'm saying thank you to the guys that gave me gifts

• Jantzen- Thanks! ang cute nung mug! puro pusa. hahaha. cute. cute. gagamitin ko un. hahaha
• Joc- thanks sa shirt. puuuuurtttty
• Jeric- thanks ah panget sa super shiny na necklace. hahaha
  

Tonight

Tonight I want to scream
Scream until my heart's content

my Christmas sucks every year
this year, it's still going to suck even more

I need a distraction
distraction out of this season

My Drive Thru

This is by far the longest LSS I ever had. It keeps playing in my head. When I go home, I have to listen to this song.

What song am I talking about? Casablancas, Santogold (Santi White) and Williams had teamed up to create the song for Converse's centennial "Three Artists, One Song" campaign. Not only is the song great, but also I loved the MTV of this. The whole paper cutout theme is fabulous. You definitely have to watch this, download the song, put it in your player and boom instant party song. Enjoy!



Oh and one more thing, the video is shorter than the music itself so I also embeded the mp3 here so you can also download it. hahaha