an archer may not hit his target all the time,but 4 sure,an eagle may not always fly high!

Animo Dynasty

noreply@blogger.com (PJ) — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 12:30:00 +0000

“La Salle- the future begins here”, this is what the college brochure stated to entice us students into entering the portals of De La Salle University (DLSU). Now I am slowly realizing that this statement is not just an advertising line but a truth. Now I really see that my future begins in this university.
DLSU is one of the best universities in the Philippines if not the best. It has its own very rich University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) history with Ren-Ren Ritualo knocking down a triple during the dying seconds of the UAAP finals against University of Santo Tomas (UST) that gave way to DLSU’s four feat championship. JV Casio, also a green archer, knocked down a high-looping three point shot during the last seconds of play of last year’s UAAP finals against heavily favored Far Eastern University (FEU).

DLSU, the most technological advance university in the country is equipped with Integrated Virtual Learning Environment (IVLE). Its version 7 IVLE system is the most advance in the country. To top this, it has the most hassle-free online enrollment, where everything is computerized. I would often hear my Ateneo-enrolled brother complaining about his enrollment, but he would never hear me complain about mine. No need to wake up early during enrollment, and no need to line up. It’s that easy.

When Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) was still applying for a level 4 PAASCU accreditation, DLSU has already been enjoying its status. The university is also a recognized Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Center of Excellence in courses such as Engineering, Computer Studies, Science, Accounting, and in Business. This simply means that the CHED has full confidence and trust in the university thus it gives DLSU full autonomy in running the school. It gives the school free reign in choosing the courses it offers to select the teachers to teach it. It allows the school to set the standards without outside intervention.

I, myself, am a student of DLSU, and I am proud to be one. Before I entered in DLSU, I was brought up by my family to think that DLSU is a university for the rich and for the elite, a class I do not belong to. No one from my family studied in DLSU. My brother is now studying at Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU). My mother is a graduate of UST, while my father is a graduate of University of East (UE). From my mother’s side, my aunts and uncles are either graduates of UST or the University of the Philippines (UP), and from my father’s side, one is either a graduate of UE or ADMU. Ateneo, my dream school, rejected my application; but DLSU accepted me as one of their few scholars, in fact a SFA scholar. I was left alone with no other choices. I was forced to study in DLSU. But now I begin to see God’s reason why.

Lasallians being dumb is only a misconception. During my first six months of study in DLSU, I had already proven DLSU to be a good university. Misconception dictates that DLSU is full of idiots and morons. I would say that all schools have their own idiots and morons. All schools also have their own geeks and nerds. All schools have their Isaac Newtons or Albert Einsteins. So what is one Juan Tamad compared to hundreds of Newtons who graduate from DLSU. There are many La Salle alumni who didn’t do well during their college years, but are extraordinary in the real world. The values they got form DLSU sure helped them a lot.

DLSU is known for accepting more students than the UP and ADMU, thus other universities laugh at it because it lowered its standard. I believe that it does accept more students during application period because it offers more courses. It also believes that grades are not the sole basis to which a student is to be judged. It believes that it can mold students to become good citizens through education. This is why it gives more students the chance to prove themselves . Also because of DLSU’s trimester system, it can accommodate more students.

Lastly, society dictates us that DLSU are only for the elite and Lasallians are slow-learners. I beg to disagree. La Salle is a university not only for the elite, but also for the people from different sectors. I know some scholars who are coming from the middle-class and some from the lower-classes. Lasallians are not slow-learners, rather they are fast learners. With our trimester system, everything is fast-paced. We learn things in as short as 14 weeks, minus two weeks for finals and midterm examinations. Compare that to five months of studying a single subject in other universities. And when our graduates took the professional board exam, the results are indeed superb as they not only pass the exam but excel in them. We produce quality graduates in less the amount of time that other schools produce their students; and that is what I call efficiency. It only proves that Lasallians are indeed fast-learners.

DLSU for me is a highly competitive school, 18 units seems a lot, but not all people can handle the pressure of a trimester system and high-caliber, demanding professors. You really need to be competitive and study hard in order to survive. Even though, DLSU accepts more students during application period, it is very difficult to stay in. You have to be studying in La Salle to know these things. Trust me; it is really hard when you are studying in DLSU-main.

Lasalle has its own identity. We must not look at one error and generalize it as a whole. Often times, we look at our green archer players as representatives of DLSU. They are not the only people enrolled in DLSU. Why look at them as representatives of DLSU? Yes, they are part of DLSU; but they are not DLSU. We may look at them as people who only plays college basketball and don’t study, but please… don’t generalize them. There are players who also do well in their respective courses. Some of them are even Dean’s Lister. I believe that La Salle isn’t all basketball, for there are basketball players who didn’t get their college diplomas. The latest controversy tells us that DLSU kicked out two players from its basketball team for faking PEPTCR test. That only proves us that DLSU has high standards academically.

I love DLSU not because of its UAAP trophies, not because of its high tech equipments, learning materials and air-conditioned room, not because of its IVLE, not because of the hassle-free online enrollment, not because of the E-purse, and not because of the models and celebrities that roam around the campus. These things are the first things we observed when we first entered La Salle, but they are not that important for me. They are good for nothing.

I love DLSU because it teaches me to become a Christian achiever for God and Country and to become a man for others. We are living in a fast-paced world where money is everything, but DLSU teaches me to still have time to reflect on God through its Saliksik and Lasallian Retreat (LASARET). It also molded me to become the person I am now. It made me realize the purpose and meaning of life. Maybe if I am not studying at DLSU, I would still be the old me.

To our INTPHIL teacher

noreply@blogger.com (PJ) — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 15:15:00 +0000

When children go off to school, you wonder what they'll learn.
You hope and pray that the troubles of the day, in the classroom are not a concern.
When a child always comes home inspired, and looking forward to each learning day.
You look to the teacher for answers, to why the child responds this way.
So teacher, to you we are grateful, for encouragement and love you have shown.
For teaching us to cherish our cultures, and respect those that aren't our own.
We thank you for being creative, for allowing your students to shine.
Through reading philosphical articles, you excited and strengthened our minds
We don't know if we will have another teacher quite like you.
But our memories of this term, will be revealed in all that we do.
And years from now with our success, this effort will redeem.
To a teacher that's the greatest gift, and our answered dream!

Source: unknown

City of God revisited

noreply@blogger.com (PJ) — Wed, 07 Dec 2005 14:33:00 +0000

It started when Rocket were already a teenager and was caught between Li’l Z gang and cops. He then narrated the story of the City of God.

The story started with the introduction of the “Tender Trio”, included are Clipper, Shaggy, and Goose. Chaos was no big deal in the City of God, it happens from time to time. The “Tender Trio” started to hold up a gas truck in front of their brothers only to get little amount of cash, during the operation, a cruel boy, thirsty for blood was there named Li’ L Dice, Li ‘l Dice decided to rob a motel together with the “Tender Trio”. He was assigned to shoot the glass incase the police arrived, The “Tender Trio” robbed all cash of the fuckers inside the motel and Li’ l Dice shot the glass so they assumed that police arrived so they escaped. Li’l Dice entered the motel and shot everyone in the room. The “Tender Trio” escaped the motel through a car and unfortunately hit a small cafeteria, Shorty then called the police to tell that the “Tender Trio” were hiding in the woods. The “Tender Trio” then separated their ways, Goose had an affair with Shorty’s wife so Shorty killed his wife, when the police arrested Shorty, they saw a member of the “Tender Trio” and killed him in front of his girlfriend. Goose was then killed by Li’l Dice because Goose is getting the share of Li’l Dice’s best friend Benny, which makes Li’l Dice angry and shot down Goose. One of the “Tender Trio” decided to repent and turns to God. That is the end of the story of the “Tender Trio”, but the story of Rocket and the City of God is far from over.

The story is narrated by Rocket, a boy who grew up in the “City of God”, he knows almost everything because he is the younger brother of Goose, one of the “Tender Trio”. Rocket’s dream and passion is to become a photographer. He then decided to involved himself to crime like his brother, but people he tries to victim seems to be “too good” for him to victim, an example is Knockout Ned and the lady in the store. Li’l Dice then grew up and he still is thirsty for power and fame, he was then known as Li’l Z. Li’l Z then killed every gang and possible competition in the City of God, except the gang of Carrot who is a good friend of his best friend Benny. He killed every competition in the City to attain peace in the City, to make the City more attractive to Rich tourist. Business in the city involves everybody, from children to adults, every person has their role in selling drugs, either one is the seller of the drug, or he is the look out for police. He wanted to avoid war or crimes happening in his territory to avoid police going to his area to avoid intervention of the police in his business. Rocket eventually grew up and he was then in love with a girl, during that time the girl had a boyfriend, but Rocket didn’t lose hope and eventually he win the heart of his girl he wanted to get laid. Rocket introduces the girl to Benny, but unfortunately because of the so called love and money, Benny got the girl from Rocket. Benny and his girl decided to leave the business and start a new life, so Benny decided to threw a party. Li’l Z was very jealous because he had everything he wants except for 1 thing, girls. He only have girl when he either uses force or he pays for it and now he doesn’t like that. He then invited a girl to the dance floor but later he was turn down by the girl. One of Carrot’s men misfired and kills Benny instead of killing Li’l Z, because of this, Lil’ Z wanted to revenged the death of his best friend. Li’l Z then raped the girl he liked and eventually turns him down in the dance floor in front of the girl’s boy friend, Knockout Ned. Ned then decided to take revenge on Li’l Z so he the join with the gang of Carrot. Li’l Z wanted to see himself in a picture but his gang doesn’t know how to use one, so they called up Rocket, a photographer to take some pictures. Rocket took some pictures of the gang and later was published in the papers, he thought he was dead meat, but later he found out that Li’l Z was very happy that his gang was on papers, he wanted to show their power and wealth. Carrot’s gang started to hold up banks, and started to collect big guns to prepare their selves for the main battle. Then the setting of the story went back from where it all began. Rocket was caught in between by Li’l Z gang and police, then Carrot’s gang appeared and the war started. Li’l Z was then caught by the police and the police got all his wealth so he need to start again from scratch, he then ordered the kids to start selling again, but the kids mutinied because Li’l Z was very cruel to the other kids. The kids used the guns given by Li’l Z to kill Li’l Z. Li’l Z is dead. Rocket took pictures of Li’l Z. The movie of City of God ended but the story of it will never end. The movie uses flash back settings, so it ended on where it all started.

Now for the reaction:

1st of all, the film is based on a true to life story, all violence and crime in the film is on a true to life basis, we might think that it is too exaggerate because kids in the film/ story holds guns and uses guns to kill people. Kids at a very young age started to sell drugs.
Chaos was no big deal in this film. Crime and violence in this film is not only for adult but for children as well. Everything that happens in the film happens because of poverty, poverty is 1 major reason why people do bad things, people sell drugs in order to buy food, people robbed each other to get what they wanted. After they stole something, they bought narcotics to ease their wants. It all happens because of poverty and we Filipinos are aware of that, but we are very blind that it doesn’t apply to very country. 1st when I watched the film. I don’t believe that there places that children uses guns to survive, students should be at school studying and not on streets playing with their gun. It is in our culture that teaches us that children should use their time studying and not loitering on streets. But their culture teaches and force the children to adapt to reality and its environment that school will not make them free from hunger instead money will free them from hunger. I cant believe that violence is very often in that place. If I were 1 of them, I would choose to die than to see blood shedding everywhere.

It is very ironic that the film is titled City of God, when I bought the DVD, I thought that it was very religious, and then when I watched the film, I was very curious on how this violent film will be connected to Christ, so I looked at the back of the DVD and read what it says. So I understand why people are lucky if they reached the age of 21, because of violence and killings happening everywhere.

Children in the film were thought how to use guns at the young age, and they were trained to have a heart of stone and they were thought the ideology that the strong shall live and the weak shall die, people in the film were not afraid of death, as if it was part of life to die. People killing people is not an issue in the film, the thirst for power and fame is very evident in the film, they kill human as if they were animals. People in the city of God do everything just to get what they want, Li’l Z killed every competition in the city to have what he want. He wants power and fame, and especially he wants to see blood. The film is a multi awarded film because of the morals it involves. It focuses more on reality and not fiction, the film is very nice but 1 thing that I hate to see but indeed true to life; violence. In the film, there are people/ characters dying every 5 minutes in the film. It is very annoying to see such film but indeed a reality. It happens in any part of the world but we are not just aware of it or I must say we are aware but we don’t take any actions from it. If that kind of violence happens in the Philippines, what will my parents do? Will I also hold a gun and shoot around people? Personally I can’t tell, it is maybe the environment or culture will teach me how to survive in this world. People hunt food in order to survive. People kills for power, killing is still used today in order to survive. Li’l Z use this ideology so that his business will continue, if he will not kill his competitors, someday it might be a threat for him also. Now, with the inventions of weapons of mass destruction, more people are more likely to die. If we use this technology to kill one another, then we can say that our mind and we are murderers as well.

Single parenthood or 2 parent household?

noreply@blogger.com (PJ) — Wed, 07 Dec 2005 14:26:00 +0000

There are very many differences in a single parent household from parenting in a two parent household. Some choose single parenting, other people choose the other way around. Each has its own pros and cons. It is in its own personal view to choose which better lifestyle is for them. There are no perfect relationships in this world, each has to choose whether to pursue the single parenting or continue the 2 parent household.

We are created by God different from each other, there are no perfect relationships in this world, and yet if people in the family don’t quarrel quite some time, the family is dead. We need to communicate and fight over things sometimes. The question is if I think that single-parent households do as a good job as 2 parent household? I think sometimes they really do as good things, and sometimes not. The situations really depend on the person if he/ she thinks can carry his/her family in his/her own ways. Personally, I prefer to have a 2 parent household, it is good to see my parents are there to support me in my life, with my career, yet it is still good that it is easier to make house rules and implement them in a single-parent household because there are no more arguments, however making rules is not easy, and it is good to have at least some adults for some consultations. In a family, there are always its strengths and weaknesses, even we prefer to have a 2 parent household, and there are some situations that a single parent household is better. It really depends on the situations. I will discuss the pros and cons of having a single parent household in the following paragraph.

In a single-parent household, children tend to have more responsibilities than children living in a 2 parent household; children run errands and do some house chores. Financial problems arise in a single-parent household because there is only 1 source of income and money. Parenting a baby is a no no for a single-parent household, because babies need 24 hours care and parents need some rest, they are not robots that can work 24 hours. Another problem arises when the children need to visit the other parent’s house every week. It is very impractical to choose between two parents. It is very impractical for the children to always accompany his/her parents always, he needs to enjoy life, and he needs companies like his age. He assumes that parents have friends too in a single parent household. For parents who are separated. It is very difficult to choose, they feel disloyal and confused. It is most important to keep children out of issues between parents. If parenting alone, it is good to have companion the same sex as your child, at least he understands what the child needs.

Parent in a single-parent household should think about that children are still children, whether you are on the north or at the south. Sharing the load of the parent shouldn’t take over. They need to play and be active in the community. They need to do the children’s games like playing, dreaming, running or simply being with friends. In visiting the other parent, children show excitement and the parent should be very considerate. Parent should allow time for their children to 'fit back into home' when they return. Some children take a few minutes, or hours, and some take days to adjust. They may feel sad about leaving the other parent and guilty about feeling this way. They may feel disloyal to you. Parent shouldn’t use their children to find their ex-partner doings. This way conflicts will be avoided.

In living in a single-parent household, parent should know that in this type of home can be positive experience for kids who often have a close and special relationship with the parent, sometimes kids will envy their friends who are living in a 2 parent household, but each household has its own ups and downs. Children in a single parent household are often mature because of the extra responsibilities they have. Parent should be proud of their children’s achievements. Children should also spend time with his friends. He cannot be loner all the time. Children too attached with a parent seem to hard for them when they are ready to leave home. They feel guilty for leaving home. The parent should be considerate that his child is no longer a baby that he is ready to have his own family wherein he will be a father soon.

There is no perfect relationship in this world. It depends on the family which is more comfortable. Each family has his ups and downs; it is impractical to compare a single-parent household to a 2 parent household. We can say that two parent household is better because both parents are there, what if both parents are busy working with their business? It is no use. It is still better to have a single parent household wherein your parent full attention is with you. What is more important is that the children know where they come from and who their parents are. Children should love both parents without feeling the guilt and the parent should be happy with his life so that the children can see that the parent is happy. Parent shouldn’t be the block to the rode of their success instead parents should be their companion, their guide and the light to their success. We should always know that we are created differently by our Creator, it is not important on whether we have a single parent household, or 2 parents household. What is important is that we should be happy on what we have for it is God who gave those to love us. Everything happens for a reason. It is still good to have a single parent caring for you, than having no parent looking after you.

Religion in the Philippines

noreply@blogger.com (PJ) — Wed, 07 Dec 2005 14:15:00 +0000

Most Filipinos are Catholics, and it is true that Philippines is the only Asian Country who is Catholic. Most Filipinos are Catholics because the first thing the Spaniards do when they landed into our lands was to teach us their religion, and that religion is Catholicism. Most of our ancestors were pagans and were believer of Bathala. As the result, the Philippines was the third largest catholic nation in the world. Images of Jesus, Virgin Mary and the Santo Nino were almost everywhere, but with all these. Can we say that our religion is strong? In general, is it getting stronger or is it declining?

I think that the religion in general is declining; it is because we are on a fast paced world, and we want things to be fast. We want things to be instant. What people can claim as a strengthening of faith are usually just last ditch efforts. We just pray on the last resort. During the year, we are not that religious. We just pray only when we need something. Religions in the Philippines nowadays are declining because we don’t even know who we worship. There is vagueness in our religion. Take the example of Catholics, you ask a common man randomly in the streets and ask who the twelve apostles are, they will get the first 3 answers like Peter, James, John, and the next three answers you will get Tito, Vic and Joey. How can a common man know the first three answers and the last three will be the famous host of a famous television programs. It is because that religion especially Catholism is declining, people nowadays just prayed if they need something, they don’t reflect and don’t go to mass regularly. Another reason why I said that Religion in the Philippines is declining is because, people now today are confused of what their religion are telling them to do, some people are too confused that they go to other religion. People started to transfer to Born Again; Jesus is Lord, Temple of the child Jesus and many other sects. Now how can you say that the religion in the Philippines is not declining? Why is it that when it is Good Friday, many people volunteered to be crucified on the cross? Does it make them less sinful? I think that it is not a good example to get rid of our sins; I think that the best way is to sacrifice our time with our Lord, Another example is when the great tsunami killed hundred of thousands of people, people just started to pray, but did they pray before making their trip? I think some did, but mostly they tend to remember God only when they needed something. As time by, we can say that there are more options to choose on what religion a person will join, there is now Rizalism, Aglipayanism, faith healers. People are very confused that they worship Rizal for the belief that Rizal will save them not only from the Spaniards but also from their sins. People created new religions for they believe that the new religion will save them from eternal damnation, but the new religions invented by people are half cooked, or meaning the wholeness and the fullness of it is incomplete.

Ang Buhay ay Parang Isang Mesa sa Cafe

noreply@blogger.com (PJ) — Mon, 05 Dec 2005 12:12:00 +0000

Sa wakas tapos na ang JPRIZAL! Grabe talaga ang klaseng iyon puro Rizal na lamang ang pinag-uusapan, napakadugo talaga. Makaalis na nga at may Filipino pa ako. Ah oo nga, wala palang Filipino ngayon. Sa halip dapat pala kaming pumunta sa cafe para magmasid. Grabe naman, sa dami ba naman ng mga lugar na puwedeng puntahan sa café pa. Eh anu naman ang makikita ko roon? Sana sa Jollibee na lang ako, o kaya sa Starbucks. Makakain pa ako ng Chicken Joy habang nagmamasid. Pero wala naman ako magagawa. Sige na nga, 30 minuto lang naman.

Umalis si PJ sa klase na masama ang loob at nagtatakang “Bakit sa café?”
Tulad rin ng ibang kainan ang café ng Z2. Wala namang naiiba rito. Madalas gawing tambayan ito ng mga taong nagpapalipas ng oras. Karaniwan na ring dito nag-aaral ang mga pangkat-pangkat ng mga mag-aaral sa kadahilanang dito puwede silang mag-ingay samantlang sa library ay mapapagalitan sila. Kapag oras na ng kainan, madalas wala ka nang mauupuan dito sa dami ng tao. Gayun na lamang ang nangyayari sa araw-araw na ginawa ng Diyos. Wala naman ang nagbabago. Anu pa ba ang kuwenta na magsayang ako ng oras rito?

Anung oras na ba? Ganap ng ika-1:45 ng hapon, kakaunti na lamang ng tao sa café. Ano ang gagawin ko rito? Makabili nga ng Teazers. Ang tagal naman ng mga kagrupo ko. Makaupo na nga nang makapagsimula na. Sana nandito yung crush ko. Si “café girl”, iyon ang binigay kong palayaw kasi madalas ko siyang makita sa may café. Sayang wala siya, kung narito sana siya, siya na lang ang pagmamasdan ko. Para malaman ko na rin kung matakaw ba at bakit laging nasa cafe. Sayang talaga wala siya. Ah iyon na lang mesa sa harap ng Nescafe booth. Iyon lang naman ang may tao.

Nagsimula nang magmasid si PJ. Hindi niya alam na kabaligtaran pala ito ng iniisip niyang “boring” na cafe.

Mayroong limang tao noong una sa mesa. Dalawa rito ay babae at mga lalake naman ang natitira. Nag-aaral sila, Math ata ang inaaral nila. Siguro Alge101 ang inaaral, hawak kasing libro ay Introduction to College Algebra, baka nag Basic Math sila. Bumagsak siguro sa qualifying exams. Parang ako, hindi kasi nag-aral. Ang sipag naman nila, nag-aaral ng Math, siguro mayroong mahabang pagsusulit. Anu ba ito mag-aaral na lang ba sila? Hindi ko naman papakinabangan ang ginagawa nilang iyan. Hindi naman magandang isulat sa papel ko ang pag-aaral ng isang grupo. Gusto ng higit pa diyan. Gusto ko naman ng aksyon. Kapag may nag-away mas maganda sa papel hindi ba?

Nagmistulang isang manunulat sa pahayagan si PJ. Naghihintay na mayroong mangyaring interisante, lumalagablab kung baga. Sabi nga ng mga pahayagan “Ang masamang balita ay mabuting balita para sa amin.”

Mukhang matalino iyong babaeng naka-lila ha. Sa kanya nagtatanong ang lahat. Matagal pa ba silang mag-aaral? Sa wakas mukhang ginutom na sila. Ayun isa-isang nagtatayuan para bumili ng pagkain. Naunang nakabalik ang babaeng naka-lila. Bumili siya ng Waffle. Siguro hilig niya talaga ang kulay na iyon. Bumalik na rin ang kaibigan niyang babae, bumili lamang ng inumin. Nakalimutan ng babaeng naka-lila bumili ng inumin kaya tumayo at umalis. Habang bumibili siya ng kanyang inumin, tinikman naman ng kanyang kaibigan ang kanyang Waffle. Sa bagay “that’s what friends are for” hindi ba? Hindi kaya siya magtaka sa pagbalik niya kung bakit bawas na ang kanyang kinakain? Ayan na rin yung mga lalaki. Mas natagalan pero wala naman masyadong dala. Lumipas lamang ang ilang minuto, nagpaalam na yung matakaw na babae. Pinalitan naman agad siya ng isang lalaki. Hindi nanaman lumipas ang mahabang panahon nagsialisan na ang mga kalalakihan maliban sa isa. Ngayon dalawa na lamang sila nung babaeng naka-lila ang damit. Ayan na ang pinakahihintay kong bahagi. Ito na siguro ang parteng magandang sulatin. Anu kaya ang gagawin nila?

Habang hinihintay ang mga susunod na pangyayari, naabala si PJ at ang kanyang grupo nang mayroon isang magandang babae ang lumapit sa mesa nila upang maylagay ng isang anunsiyo sa porma ng isang maliit na taong niyebe. Agad na pinaglaruan ang maliit na taong-niyebe at doon na nabaling ang atensiyon ng grupo.

Ayan malapit nang magtapos ang ating 30 minuto. Sa wakas makakaalis na tayo rito. O anu yun, tama ba ang nakikita ko? Nag jack en poy na yung dalawa sa mesa. Siguro nainip na sa kahihintay ng oras.

Ana buhay ay parang isang mesa sa café. Sa simula mababagot ka dahil sa walang nangyayari. Pero maghintay ka lamang at siguradong mayroong mangyayaring hindi mo inaasahan. Parang mesa din sa cafe ang buhay natin. Kapansin-pansin na ang mga tao na gumagamit sa mesa ay iba-iba. Dumarating, umaalis, mayroong nagtatagal mayroon namang saglit lang. Para baga sa buhay natin, madami tayong nakikilala, mayroong nagiging kaibigan, mayroong hindi, mayroong hanggang kakilala nalang at meron naman ang nagiging bahagi na ng iyong buhay. Sa pagtatapos ng aming pagmamasid, sumagi sa isipan namin ito “Ngayon tayo ang nagmamasid at nanghuhusga, pero malay ba natin na meron din pala ang nagmamasid, nanghuhusga at nanglalait sa atin ngayon.”

Umalis si JF na nakangiti, marahil sa kadahilanang nakita niya na naglalaro ng jack en poy ang dalawang college students. Marahil rin siguro dahil napagisip-isip niya na ang buhay pala ay parang isang mesa sa café, parehong-pareho. Halos walang pinagkaiba.

MAKITA KANG MULI

noreply@blogger.com (PJ) — Mon, 05 Dec 2005 11:32:00 +0000

SUGARFREE

Bawat sandali ng aking buhay Pagmamahal mo ang aking taglay San man mapadpad ng hangin Hindi magbabago aking pagtingin Pangako natin sa Maykapal

Na tayo lamang sa habang buhay Maghintay
Ipaglalaban ko ang ating pag-ibig Maghintay ka lamang, Ako’y darating Pagka’t sa isang taong mahal mo ng buong puso Lahat ay gagawin makita kang muli,Makita kang muli

Puso’y nagdurusa nangungulila
Iniisip ka ‘pag nag-iisaInaalala mga sandali
Nang tayo ay magkapiling
Ikaw ang gabay sa aking tuwina
Ang aking ilaw sa gabing mapanglaw
Tanging ikaw

Ipaglalaban ko ang ating pag-ibig
Maghintay ka lamang, ako’y darating
Pagka’t sa isang taong mahal mo ng buong puso
Lahat ay gagawin
Makita kang muli, makita kang muli
Makita kang muli

We all need a break!

noreply@blogger.com (PJ) — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 03:13:00 +0000

Last November 25, 2005, we had a whole day Saliksik (recollection) at the Agno house. My first thought about the recollection is that it wouldn’t be fruitful. First, the place was just there in Lasalle. Second, November28 is a holiday. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared it a special non-working holiday in commemoration of Araw ng mga Bayani. With this, it would seriously affect the participants’ will of sacrificing one of their gimmick times to go into a recollection. I was afraid that it wouldn’t be a good recollection because the participants wouldn’t have their hearts on it.

I was wrong. From the start of the recollection, I can already feel the presence of the Holy Spirit working. I was really surprised that we were even able to start on time. That is a WOW for me. Second, most participants really wanted having that retreat, and that became obvious in their attentiveness and cooperation during the retreat. The one thing I heard God telling me that day is that I worry too much. I realized that I should not dwell too much on my worries that it becomes the center of my focus. I think God was trying to tell me to trust Him and he wouldn’t let me down.

As with the title of my paper, I really needed a break so I am really a supporter of this recollection. I have been to many recollections, retreats, encounters before. I don’t really get tired of them. Though sometimes they talk of the same topics, I made it a point to treat them always as something new, an experience to be experienced all over again. This is true with this recollection. I got to learn and experience something new, which I would share in the latter part of this paper. The weeks before the recollection have been a series of hell weeks. I can really feel that I am physically and emotionally drained. What’s more I have been skipping my prayer times with God in favor of the much needed sleep. With that, I was also left spiritually drained. There even came a time that I couldn’t feel the presence of God working in my life. It is as if I, and only I who are living my life. So the timing of the retreat (right after those hell weeks) is just great. From that alone you can already see God working. Knowing that you needed Him very much during those times, He even initiated your meeting with Him, setting the time and venue.

What has been wonderful about this recollection are three things, Sir Fajardo, the confession, and the Eucharist. Kuya Fajardo was able to present God in a very lively way. This is a far cry from most other speakers who bore their participants to death. He was able to successfully bridge the gap between speaker and audience. Next is the confession. I experienced a new thing here. The Eucharist on the other hand was really fit to be a culmination event during the recollection. I offered the a line in the last prayer as my penance for my sins.

We should remember that Jesus prayed in the silence of the desert (Mark 1:13). It is in the whispers of the wind and not the noise of thunders did Elijah found God (1 Kings 19:11-14). I believe that it is the same with us. We need to get out of our everyday life, even for a short time to reorient ourselves and feel even more the presence of God. It is really good to have recollections once in a while where you simply forget all your worries and just feel the love of God.

PHOTOS: by hubert pacheco

The Mass: What is it really?

noreply@blogger.com (PJ) — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 03:02:00 +0000

I have been exposed to the Mass as early as three years of age. That is the result of having purely Catholic parents, something very uncommon in the Filipino-Chinese community. But I would not know what the Mass is then. I would simply go to the Church, and blow out every candle that was on the offering stand. At around six of age, I would go to Mass with my mother but as most kids were, was not attentive. I would keep on looking at my watch and see if it was already an hour. If it was I would be very restless until my parents would decide to go home. At around grade 2, after finishing my first Holy Communion, I started to behave well during the Mass, but that does not mean that I was listening attentively. In my grade school, and high school, we always have an anticipated Sunday Mass during Saturday afternoons. We won’t have classes for an hour. This way they could “force” students to attend the Mass, though encourage is a better word, but not in this situation. My mature outlook on the Mass only started when I am in high school. This is partly because my brother joined the Knights of the Altar Society (KAS), our school’s organization of young acolytes. He was very active with the organization, forcing me to do so, with that came my active participation of the Holy Eucharist. I would attend the chapel Masses every morning. That was the time I felt comfortable during the Mass. It is as if the Mass recharges me everyday. During my 4th year recollection, my favorite priest, Father Peterson Tieng of the Lorenzo Mission Institute gave a very comprehensive and complete lecture about the Mass. He explained every detail well and gave a lot of real-life examples to strengthen his point. It was only then that I realized the meaning and the origin of what I have been doing as an acolyte for the past years. But now, I am at my decline when it comes to the Mass. Because of my schedule, I am not able to attend any chapel Masses anymore. I needed to join a Catholic group that meets every Sunday just to keep me motivated to attend Mass every Sunday. This is such an irony, being an acolyte who should be dedicated in the celebration of the Eucharist.

What then is the Mass. The Holy Eucharist was instituted by Jesus Himself during the Last Supper.( Matthew 28: 26-30) In this verse, we see Jesus breaking the bread and sharing the wine with the words “Do this in memory of me.” This is spoken during the Breaking of the Bread in the Holy Mass. With this act, Jesus celebrated the first Eucharist. One thing I learned form the presider of the talk was that it is not right to say that Father X celebrated the Mass and Father Y concelebrated the Mass. It is because it is not only the priest who celebrates the Mass, but each one of us is with him celebrating the same Mass. The priest serves only as a presider and is not the only celebrant. I also remember the reading form the Apostles’ Creed stating that when we celebrate Mass, it is the celebration of the whole Church. By that it means that it is not only us living human beings that partake in the celebration, God is there, the angels are there, the saints are there, and our departed are also present. It is in the celebration of the Eucharist that we really gather to serve as the whole Catholic Church. The Eucharist is also the perfect and highest form of prayer. Perfect because it is already in itself a prayer of thanksgiving, contrition, petition and praise. It is the highest form of prayer because the whole Mass is dedicated to the Trinity. This is the reason why we stop the other forms of prayer when we are in the Mass. One touching thing the priest presider said last sunday is that he has been saying Mass for a very long time, sometimes as many as three Masses a day. He said that even though saying the Mass seems just a repetition, he never gets tired of it. He sees each Mass as a new experience where he can find the presence of God in his life. I hope that I would develop that kind of outlook towards the Mass in my life. I hope someday that I would see the each Mass as a new experience of God’s Grace. He made a very apt concluding statement, and that statement I will try to live out. My time wasn’t wasted after all.

ENGLICOM TEAM

noreply@blogger.com (PJ) — Sun, 27 Nov 2005 12:14:00 +0000

JERSEY # Player

1 Charlie Pua

2 Raymond He
3 Earvin Cai
4 Howard Choa
5 Marlon Reyes
6 Steve Chan
7 Benny Yao
8 Charles Ong
9 Stein Tan
10 Fico Mesina
11 Fred Uy
12 Reggie Chua
13 Masada Villa
14 Rainer Ong
15 Rommel Palanca
16 Allan Sy
17 Kenneth Ongson
18 PJ LeeHok
19 Mark Chua
20 Warner Co

say i love you 100 ways

noreply@blogger.com (PJ) — Sun, 27 Nov 2005 10:57:00 +0000

English - I love you

Afrikaans - Ek het jou lief

Albanian - Te dua

Arabic- Ana behibak (to male)

Arabic - Ana behibek (to female)

Armenian - Yes kez sirumen

Bambara - M'bi fe

Bangla - Aamee tuma ke bhalo aashi

Belarusian - Ya tabe kahayu

Bisaya - Nahigugma ako kanimo

Bulgarian - Obicham te

Cambodian - Soro lahn nhee ah

Cantonese Chinese - Ngo oiy ney a

Catalan - T'estimo

Cheyenne - Ne mohotatse

Chichewa - Ndimakukonda

Corsican - Ti tengu caru (to male)

Creol - Mi aime jou

Croatian - Volim te

Czech - Miluji te

Danish - Jeg Elsker Dig

Dutch - Ik hou van jou

Esperanto - Mi amas vin

Estonian - Ma armastan sind

Ethiopian - Afgreki'

Faroese - Eg elski teg

Farsi - Doset daram

Filipino - Mahal kita

Finnish - Mina rakastan sinua

French - Je t'aime, Je t'adore

Gaelic - Ta gra agam ort

Georgian - Mikvarhar

German - Ich liebe dich

Greek - S'agapo

Gujarati - Hoo thunay prem karoo choo

Hiligaynon - Palangga ko ikaw

Hawaiian - Aloha wau ia oi

Hebrew - Ani ohev otah (to female)

Hebrew - Ani ohev et otha (to male)

Hiligaynon - Guina higugma ko ikaw

Hindi - Hum Tumhe Pyar Karte hae

Hmong - Kuv hlub kojHopi - Nu' umi unangwa'ta

Hungarian - SzeretlekIcelandic - Eg elska tig

Ilonggo - Palangga ko ikaw

Indonesian - Saya cinta padamu

Inuit - Negligevapse

Irish - Taim i' ngra leat

Italian - Ti amo

Japanese - Aishiteru

Kannada - Naanu ninna preetisuttene

Kapampangan - Kaluguran daka

Kiswahili - Nakupenda

Konkani - Tu magel moga cho

Korean - Sarang Heyo

Latin - Te amo

Latvian - Es tevi miilu

Lebanese - Bahibak

Lithuanian - Tave myliu

Malay - Saya cintakan mu / Aku cinta padamu

Malayalam - Njan Ninne Premikunnu

Mandarin Chinese - Wo ai ni

Marathi - Me tula prem karto

Mohawk - Kanbhik

Moroccan - Ana moajaba bik

Nahuatl - Ni mits neki

Navaho - Ayor anosh'ni

Norwegian - Jeg Elsker Deg

Pandacan - Syota na kita!!

Pangasinan - Inaru Taka

Papiamento - Mi ta stimabo

Persian - Doo-set daaramPig

Latin - Iay ovlay ouyay

Polish - Kocham Ciebie

Portuguese - Eu te amo

Romanian - Te ubesk

Russian - Ya tebya liubliu

Scot Gaelic - Tha gradh agam ort

Serbian - Volim te

Setswana - Ke a go rata

Sign Language - ,\,,/ (represents position of fingers when signing'I Love You')

Sindhi - Maa tokhe pyar kendo ahyan

Sioux - TechihhilaSlovak - Lu`bim ta

Slovenian - Ljubim te

Spanish - Te quiero / Te amo

Swahili - Ninapenda wewe

Swedish - Jag alskar dig

Swiss-German - Ich lieb Di

Tagalog - Mahal kita

Taiwanese - Wa ga ei l

iTahitian - Ua Here Vau Ia Oe

Tamil - Nan unnai kathalikaraen

Telugu - Nenu ninnu premistunnanu

Thai - Chan rak khun (to male)

Thai - Phom rak khun (to female)

Turkish - Seni Seviyorum

Ukrainian - Ya tebe kahayu

Urdu - mai aap say pyaar karta hoo

Vietnamese - Anh ye^u em (to female)

Vietnamese - Em ye^u anh (to male)

Welsh - 'Rwy'n dy garuYiddish - Ikh hob dikh

Yoruba - Mo ni fe

Source: Forwarded through email

The De La Salle Case

noreply@blogger.com (PJ) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 11:15:00 +0000

MY VIEWPOINT
By Ricardo V. Puno, Jr.
The Philippine Star
11/26/2005

A five-man fact-finding committee of the UAAP board has begun its own inquiry into the eligibility scandal affecting certain senior varsity basketball players of the De la Salle University. It will be recalled that early this month, a somewhat abbreviated 2-page report submitted by University officials was found woefully incomplete by the board.

In that report, former assistant team manager Manny "Suntok-Takbo" Salgado and team statistician Raul "Awoo" Lacson were pinpointed as the persons who helped player Mark Benitez secure a fake college eligibility certification from the Department of Education. The two have disputed that finding, but there is no indication yet whether the University will vary the ruling on that issue. In addition, several team officials, including team manager Terry Capistrano and coach Franz Pumaren, tendered their resignations which reportedly have been accepted by University president Bro. Armin Luistro, FSC.

Although the media frenzy over the affair has largely died down, the fallout is still rumbling throughout the league. The consensus is that no real closure was achieved and that the matter, and all it implies for college amateur sports in the country, remains open.

Many DLSU alumni are dissatisfied with the "sanctions" meted out so far. They feel the penalties, if they can be called that, have been half-hearted and limp-wristed. A number of sports icons and hall-of-famers in the school have called for stronger punishment and, more important, definitive statements from the school administration about what they plan to do to avoid repetition of this embarrassing episode.

In the meantime, a few more interesting facts have been disclosed to us by a very reliable source in regard to the Mark Benitez saga. I have no reason to doubt the accuracy of this story. The source has no reason to misrepresent or embellish the facts. The person told it only to put the story in some context. In that he has succeeded, but the impression one is left with is that in the ruthless quest for victory, the competition in the recruitment process for promising varsity players can become so cut-throat as to disregard if not openly violate ethical and legal boundaries.

I’m sure some will say this story is somewhat self-serving, considering the actors. I’ll tell it anyway. You be the judge.

It appears that even when Mark Benitez was in the UAAP junior basketball league, a number of schools had already marked him for possible "pirating" from his alma mater Jose Rizal University. Well over six feet, he was spotted as a possible power forward or center. His father, who has emerged as a key figure in this controversy, accompanied by a well-known recruiter of college players, brought Mark to the Ateneo University sometime in September 2001 to see then senior varsity coach Joe Lipa.

Benitez, with two other applicants, were later presented to Fr. Tito Caluag, head of alumni affairs and athletic coordinator, to discuss their possible entry into Ateneo. Benitez started reviewing for the Ateneo college entrance tests during the 2001 Christmas school break and in January of 2002, actually sat for the admission tests.

However, according to our source, in March of that year, Mark sent word that JRU would not be willing to let Mark go to another school. He was apparently told that he would fail his fourth year in high school. The source is unclear if this was a threat by the school, which would obviously be improper, or if Mark was simply told that his grades wouldn’t allow him to graduate from high school.

When informed in April of 2002 that Ateneo did not as a matter of policy accept the DepEd Philippine Educational Placement Test Certificate of Rating for admission into college, Benitez replied that he would begin practicing with the University of the East team. But later that same month, he was invited by DLSU varsity team managers and coaching staff to discuss his joining the senior basketball team. In that discussion, it was supposedly concluded that the only way Mark could get into De la Salle was if he obtained the PEPTCR certificate.

The problem was that it was already April and the PEP test was administered only in March and November of each year. The source claims that there was nevertheless an attempt to "insert" his name among the March 2002 examinees, but this was allegedly "put on hold" since the DepEd was investigating reports that the PEP certifications were being "sold" for P5,000. I know that this seems on the low side but my source insists that that was the going price.

In May, Benitez sent feelers to the Ateneo that he wasn’t happy with the DLSU "arrangements," particularly the fact that he was unable to join the team for the 2002 season. Then Ateneo coach Joel Banal did not object but referred the matter back to Fr. Caluag who, in a luncheon meeting with Mark, said the latter would have to stay in high school and finish his final year. Fr. Tito reiterated that Ateneo would not accept a PEP certification. That was Ateneo’s last formal contact with Benitez.

In June 2002, the Ateneo senior basketball team had a team-building exercise in Tagaytay for that year’s season. At lunch, they coincidentally saw the De la Salle team. Mark Benitez was among the La Salle players. In November 2002 Mark took the PEP test and the rest, as my source says, is history. In the 2003 season, Mark was a proud member of the DLSU senior varsity basketball team. T

The source wonders how Mark was able to take the November PEP test. At the time, it seems, there was a DepEd regulation that the test could only be taken if the student was older than 21 years, or if he had been out of school for at least two years. In 2002, Benitez was less than 21 and was still in fourth year high school at JRU.

One can, of course, infer a lot of shenanigans in what was left out of the source’s story. But we’ll leave the fleshing out of the tale, or its total debunking, to the UAAP investigators. It may well be that all this proves, yet again, is that some are smarter than others. But if you ask me, I really doubt it.

A very emotional, well deserved win!

noreply@blogger.com (PJ) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 01:38:00 +0000

The game was once again a thriller for the Englicom team. Marlon"Scoring Machine" Reyes( 3rd ECE) and Fico Mesina once again starred for the team.The game was close from start to finish. Poliscy's 5"11 behemoth center was unstoppable from both ends,securing rebounds for his team, both offensively and defensively. As the behemoth center was pounding every englicom player assigned to him,Marlon wisely decided to enter pj leehok. pj leehok proved to be a good defender using his muscles to withstand and hold off the behemoth center off the paint

The third quarter was highlighted by pj leehok's ( 1st PSM-MMG)off the board pass to Marlon Reyes for two points on a fastbreak play.

The game went to overtime on a three point shot by Ongson.
In overtime, a player from poliscy sprained his knee.Since they just showed up 5 players,they have to continue the game in overtime with just 4 players,with 3mins and 42 seconds left in overtime.Marlon Reyes' defense secured the win for englicom as they improved to 2 wins and 1 loss record.

Next game is against ECES team,a formidable title contender,but with Marlon Reyes' spectacular plays,PJ leehok's hookshots and Fico's undeniable passes,who knows,Englicom might steal this one.Hope everyone cheer for englicom in the next game.

PHOTOS: by hubert pacheco

The Catholic Church reaches out in the Philippines to the Filipino-Chinese

noreply@blogger.com (PJ) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 01:25:00 +0000

I. Why is the Roman Catholic Church an institution?

A. It is the single largest Christian body in the world.
1. It has close to one billion members.
2. It has members on most countries.

B. The word “Catholic” means universal.

C. It regards itself as the only legitimate inheritor of the commission of Jesus Christ.
1. It has an unbroken line of episcopal successions from Peter, the first pope.

D. It has a hierarchy on its own.
1. It is headed by a pope.
a. The current pope is Pope Benedict 16.
b. The pope is infallible (Meaning he is always right in matters of faith and doctrine.)
2. The cardinals, who are the head of the archdioceses, are directly under the pope.
3. The bishops fall under the archbishop and head dioceses.
4. The priests follow next and head individual churches.
5. Deacons are the candidates for priesthood and are still undergoing study and training.

E. It has its seat of governance in Vatican City, Rome, Italy.

II. How does Vatican reach out to the Philippines?

A. The pope has his special envoy called the Papal Nuncio.
1. The current Papal Nuncio is Franco.

B. The Philippines is divided into several archdioceses to reach out to the people.
1. The most prominent archdiocese in the Philippines is the Archdiocese of Manila
a. It is headed by His Eminence, Jaime Cardinal Sin.
b. It has involved itself in the Philippine Government.
b.1. It has intervened in EDSA I
b.2. It has intervened in EDSA 2

III. How does the Catholic Church in the Philippines reach out to the Filipino-Chinese?

A. In the 1990’s Cardinal Sin realized that the Filipino-Chinese needs a special ministry.

B. He established the Lorenzo Mission Institute in Makati.
1. It serves as a seminary and an order that caters the needs of the Filipino-Chinese.
2. It reaches out to the Filipino-Chinese by saying Masses using the Chinese language.
3. It wants to focus on “Inculturation”
a. Its goal is to incorporate Chinese tradition in the Catholic faith to appeal to the Filipino-Chinese.
a.1. They use the incense stick of the Chinese.
a.2. They pay tribute to ancestors by offering foods.

IV. The Immaculate Conception Parish serves as an example.

A. It is located in Damar Village in Quezon City.
1. The village has a predominant Filipino-Chinese population.
B. It holds regular Chinese Masses.
1. They use the Chinese language in the whole Mass.
C. The Parish Priest is Father Peterson Tieng.
1. He is a part of the Lorenzo Mission Institute.
2. He is a Filipino-Chinese.

Does the end justify the means?

noreply@blogger.com (PJ) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 01:10:00 +0000

“Mr. President, look out the window, your people are fighting for you.” This is simply the best line in the movie titled Once Upon a Time in Mexico. This third installment in the Rodriguez’s trilogy is a far cry from its predecessors. Having an all-star cast is one, a huge budget is another, and lastly a good cinematography are just some of the factors that make this movie simply fly above the rest.

The plot largely centers on Antonio Banderas playing a gun-throttling mariachi. In this movie, he was hired by Sands to stop a coup d'etat sponsored by a drug lord to oust the Mexican president. Here El Mariachi found himself face-to-face with General Marquez, the very same person who killed his wife and daughter.

The movie has a very high visual rating. The special effects were great. It has to be so because this film was only other film that used the innovative special effects cameras of Star Wars Episode 2. The graphics is good, and despite a lot of gun scenes, it is good that we don’t get to see the overly used “bullet-time” of The Matrix. For gun enthusiast, this would be a good movie to watch. One would be able to see a wide variety of pistols, sub-machine guns, rifles and bazookas. One would also be able to study the different effects of bullets on the human body. One would also be able to see the tremendous firepower of the Magnum on the frail human anatomy. This film is overly exaggerated with El Mariachi killing hundreds of his enemy without sustaining a single scratch. With this violent aspect of the film, it got an R-18 rating on all continents, except of course Antarctica.

Taking into consideration the audio aspect of the film, it is simply superb. You can’t ask for anything more from a film that uses Dolby Digital for its sound. Whenever El Mariachi would be playing his guitar, one can simply feel the string vibrations emanating from the speakers of the cinema. During the massive gun fights in the film, the human heart can’t help but to alter its beating to the rhythm of the bullets flying into the Mexican landscape. The musical soundtrack of the film is also good with the revival of the all-time favorite Cucaracha. The actors simply seem to “dance” through the whole film just like a ballet production.

Now for the storyline, the film lacks a coherent story. At the middle of the story, one can’t simply ask who’s working for whom. The film was mainly created to impress and not to tell a good story. This film is like no others, for it trashes its lead actress into the sideline. That is surely a waste. Salma Hayek should have been given a more prominent role not just appearing in the flashback of El Mariachi’s past. It is just a waste to put a potential crowd-gatherer into the background. The film managed to remain fun in most of its 97 minutes. The film uses a lot of funny remarks to induce the light-hearted nature of the film. One example would be “Are you a MexiCan or a MexiCan’t.” Again, if you are going to watch this movie, watch it for everything except its story.

Another thing unique in the film is that Robert Rodriguez directs it. He is also the editor, production designer, composer, scriptwriter and cinematographer. That is what you can call multi-tasking and it only took him seven weeks to shoot. This is a Rodriguez film all the way. There should have been delegation in the job. This is to eliminate biases and to create a more coherent story. Maybe this is where cost cutting comes in an all-star cast film.

This film portrayed El Mariachi being a patriot of his country. He saved the president from the coup d’etat without even taking the pay in the end. Here the Mexicans were also portrayed being patriotic. Some of the citizens even took arms to fight a whole army under General Marquez. When the president asked who Banderas was, he simply replied “Son of Mexico.” At the end of the film, El Mariachi was shown wearing the Mexican flag around his body much like a sash and kissing it. Though the film lacks coherence, there is still some symbolism used. A boy helped Sands, being blind, defeat his enemy. This is like guidance in the darkness. It clearly showed that the youth would ultimately be the hope of any country. As for El Mariachi and his using of unlawful ways to bring back law and order. It would always be history that would tell if the end would justify the means or not, as a contradiction to Machiavelli’s “The end always justifies the means.”

If you happened to finish your finals week and simply would like some relaxation and laughter watch this film but if your looking for a good storyline, cross this film out of your choices. Once Upon a Time in Mexico merits a 6 out of 10 Lee Hok stars.

Sources: http://www.canoe.ca/JamMoviesReviewsO/onceupontimemexico-sun.html
http://www.apolloguide.com/mov_fullrev.asp
http://www.filmcritic.com/misc/emporium.nsf

The Rizal-Sun Yat-Sen Tandem: Ideals for Today

noreply@blogger.com (PJ) — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 00:56:00 +0000

I had come to know about Rizal and Sun Yat-Sen almost at the same time, in grade school. Being enrolled in a Chinese school certainly has its advantages. It offers you the study of two cultures at once. Studying in Saint Jude Catholic School introduced me to not only Rizal but Sun Yat-Sen as well.

We all know that Rizal is the national hero of the Philippines. We have been taught of that since time immemorial. We are all very familiar with his life, his works and his deeds. Numerous movies had been made to depict his life, who can forget the award-winning movie of Marilou Diaz-Abaya. In high school we spend two years for his two great novels, the Noli and the Fili, one year for each. In college we still continue to study the life of Rizal, a more detailed one including his philosophy, morals, and who can forget the controversies regarding his life. But most important of all, we study his ideals, his goal and objective. We study them because we know that he is a great man and that his ideals, though a hundred-years old still apply to our modern society. A lot of people know that the solution to our problem lies with the ideals set by Rizal. So what are these ideals? Rizal’s ideals are broad which encompass a lot of things. But let us just focus on two, nationalism, and quest for freedom. We all know that Rizal is a nationalist. In his works, he valued the the use of Tagalog, (we don’t have a committee on the national language then and it wasn’t called Filipino then). One of his famous lines is dedicated solely on language, “Ang taong hindi magmahal sa sariling wika ay mas masahol pa sa malansang isda”. He too is a scholarly man. Being a doctor, he likes the sciences and works hard in promoting them. He was a pacifist, he wanted change but in a peaceful way. But nonetheless he wanted change.

Sun Yat-Sen on the other hand is no different from Rizal. Sun Yat-Sen himself is a doctor, a physician. He is known as “the Father of the Republic”, “the Father of the Revolution” Kuo Fu as my Chinese teacher would like it to be. I came to know him in one of the stories we took up in Chinese. The story was about his childhood with the Manchu dynasty and his determination to uplift his country. He based his life’s work on three principles, nationalism, democracy, and equalization. As history will tell you, China then was not a republic. The government is centered on the huang ti having all the power. Those who do not hold office and are not with royal blood are called ping min and most certainly don’t control their lives. Sun Yat-Sen strived for equality much like what Rizal did. He stirred up the nationalistic spirit suppressed within the people. He led the famous shuang shi, Double Ten Revolution to strive for democracy.

Never even once did I compare Rizal and Sun Yat-Sen. This is the first time I saw their similarities. I had always viewed the Filipino and Chinese culture as separate and have no relation at all. I am quite surprised really that Rizal and Sun Yat-Sen have a lot in common, even their principles are people centered. It is good to commend the People who started the Jose Rizal- Sun Yat-Sen Society because they saw what no other people saw. They saw the likeness of two persons of different cultures and continue to serve by the principles they started.

We really need the ideals of two great persons now. It should not simply be left written on the pages of history books. Those principles need to be brought out and implemented. They do not only address the problems of the last century. We need the spirit of nationality more than ever especially right after our national elections. For sure the country would be in a state of unrest of undecision. We should start thinking more about the good of the country. Equality should also be addressed. Racial discrimination is a big hindrance in the prosperity of the Philippines. Let’s do away with the hua na, intsik things and use chinoy and pinoy instead. We should strive hard to maintain the freedom the both Rizal and Sun Yat-Sen fought for a century ago. We should promote the welfare of the youth for it is with them that the backbone of the country would lie in a few years time. I am sure that these principles are able to address the harsh reality we live in now, that we live in a dog-eat-dog world. Rizal and Sun Yat-Sen had already laid the foundations, all we need to do is build the walls so that a generation from now they would just simply add the furbishing.

Mang Jack 30+ years of service

noreply@blogger.com (PJ) — Thu, 24 Nov 2005 02:58:00 +0000

Jacinto Pascual a.k.a. Mang Jack, is the most senior of DLSU's discipline officers. You can say that he is an institution in the school. From what I understand, Mang Jack has long been contemplating retiring and settling down with his family especially after his son graduated from DLSU in the early 90's, but I guess you can't put a good man down so he's still there attending to the next generation of La Sallians.

From AnthonyServinio

Mang Jack is a legend in DLSU. Your stay in De Lasalle is incomplete if you don't know Mang Jack.

I believe that there would be a time wherein a building would name in memory of him.

Student1: where is your class?
Student2: MJ222
Student1: Where's that?
Student2: Mang Jack 222

GO MANG JACK!

Featured ORG in GA.NET

noreply@blogger.com (PJ) — Wed, 23 Nov 2005 12:54:00 +0000

“ENGLICOM is every La Sallian’s choice…” says its President Oscar Chuco. Yes, he’s right and no you’re wrong. ENGLICOM is not another exclusive organization for the students of COE. Ambiguous as it may seem, ENGLICOM is a socio-civic organization that is welcoming to all who bleed green! It is the only Chinese and Filipino organization that has been around the campus for 42 fortifying years. It is even older than the Council of Student Organizations (CSO) itself!

This unique fellowship aspires to bridge the gap between two immiscible yet complementary cultures of the Filipinos and Chinese.

But now, you are still wondering, why such name? Why not give a name that could easily denote the organization’s purpose? The reason solely lies on history. Before, only three colleges existed, the College of Engineering, the College of Liberal Arts and the College of Commerce. Thus, combining the first few letters of each college, the founders of this organization came up with ENG-LI-COM to express its unbounded commitment to serve!

So how do you bridge gaps between Filipinos and Chinese? Talking with their president gave me an insightful view. Emphasizing ENGLICOM as a socio-civic organization, Chuco stated its means of fulfilling its first function - its social function. He said it requires generation of several activities enriching for both cultures. True to this goal, this organization has reestablished traditions that have long enriched our way of life. Some of these activities include the Ati-Atihan gala and the Moon Cake Festival. Aside from preserving our elaborate traditions ceremoniously, this organization also uses our contemporary advancements as an approach. An example would be sponsoring the screening of movies like “The Family Stone” which strengthens both clan’s distinguishing and remarkable family values.

Secondarily, answering to ENGLICOM’s civic role is genuinely immersing. It demands sharing a common intent of uplifting one’s brethren. Engaging in the Gawad Kalinga 777 was one of their projects tendered for the underprivileged. Now, they are in apprehension of delivering more assistance and even pledging houses.

Furthermore, they are modest to assert the success of their orphanage in Tagaytay named Tahanang Vedruna. This was once located in Quezon City, but they have decided to transfer it to a more serene and hopeful place, away from the consuming city ambience. This institution provides the children with livelihood like the manufacture of goat cheese which will in time pave the way for their independence. Besides scholastic formation through tutorial sessions, equally important is that they teach these children the value of nationalism by the simple act of buying our own yields.

It can be easily inferred from the above account that ENGLICOM has achieved several milestones. One of these distinctions and the most recent was its being recognized by CSO as the best socio-civic organization for the year 2003.

But as a phenomenon to all noble deeds, their president confessed it is difficult to forge all these visions into a reality. Though should be viewed as an edge, bountiful beliefs and oversized population can also serve as an impediment, declared Chuco. Nevertheless, he granted it was worthwhile to see a smile amidst our country’s misfortunes. He even took these obstacles as providing greater fulfillment to a homely gesture of holding out a hand.

Having seen in him an astounding perception of his society made me assume of his unwavering determination since his first year in this organization. Yet he proved me otherwise, he shared his beginnings as a not-so-good Sports committee coordinator and his eventual growth as a more mature individual in his dispositions. He recalled how he was influenced by his superior co-officer to yearn for the welfare of all. Now, gaining the highest position, he wishes to be an inspiration as well to his subordinates.

With all these captivating achievements from humble beginnings, both of the president and the organization itself, one can be persuaded that ENGLICOM is truly every La Sallian’s choice.

SOURCE: http://greenarcher.yehey.com/?q=node/61

noreply@blogger.com (PJ) — Tue, 22 Nov 2005 15:26:00 +0000

il post my reactions to my previous posts not later than this week...hopefully...

ADVENT HOMILY

noreply@blogger.com (PJ) — Tue, 22 Nov 2005 15:22:00 +0000

Advent Season Homily
12 December 2004
National Shrine of the Divine Child
By Br. Provincial Dodo Fernandez

The setting is the year 1327 in a Benedictine monastery somewhere in the mountains of Italy. It is the middle ages and science and reason are only beginning to challenge superstition and tradition as the basis of man’s thought and beliefs. It is the height of the Inquisition and the Church is the only power. Monasteries are always known to be repositories of knowledge and this one houses a huge labyrinth library that is known throughout Christendom as a storehouse of the most sublime illuminated manuscripts.

But there is one particular book that the monks hunger to read and it is Aristotle’s second volume of Poetics. It is a book about laughter. But since it is considered as subversive the book has been laced with poison such as the monk reading it will get it into his system when he wet his finger to turn the page. Slowly, mysteriously and one by one, the monks who hunger for knowledge, joy and laughter die.

This is the premise and one of the themes of t Umberto Eco’s monumental, Byzantine 1980 novel The Name of the Rose.

It is a world where laughter is not allowed. A world where, to laugh is to be considered subversive. A world where the only expression of joy and happiness is a countenance that is deadpan and serious. It is a world where very little tolerance for anything other than what the authorities teach.

Today, 680 years after, thank God Gloria allows us to laugh. It is not a crime against the Arroyo government to laugh. It is not even a crime to laugh of the government.

But it seems there is very little to laugh about. Just yesterday, I read in the papers that based on Transparency International’s newly-released report, our police force is one of the world’s most corrupt. The other day as I was coming in from a trip and was passing customs, I happen to carry a luggage of the Superior General of the Agustinian Sisters. She didn’t tell me of course that she had bought hundreds of rosaries and so the customs asked me to open the bag and started asking me questions. I have never been questioned by customs people so I kind of got rattled. The main customs women upon seeing the rosaries exclaimed, “wow, how nice, can I have some?” It was of course very unprofessional but by agreeing to give her some, I probably added to the culture of corruption that is so rampant among our officials. But that is another story altogether.

With all our troubles, it is no wonder our Christmas season is the longest in the world. It is almost like an escapist novel as it allows us to forget our troubles even for just a few weeks a year. And I don’t think there is anything wrong with that.

For at least 6-8 weeks every year, we need to remember, that despite our troubles, there are still many good things around us. We need to laugh and be joyful, we need to choose to look at the good things in life, to choose to remember that we also have many things to be grateful for and be happy about.

We need to be reminded that there are many good things about us as a people. The great outpouring of help and support for the victims of the recent natural calamities is a concrete example of our goodness.

Friends, this is what advent and Christmas is all about - - - remembering the goodness of people, the love of family, the warmth of friends, the happiness, joy and laughter that life brings. So set aside your troubles this season (because it’ll come back anyway in January) and be reminded of the words of the Christmas carol that goes:

The Priesthood by a Converted Priest

noreply@blogger.com (PJ) — Tue, 22 Nov 2005 15:20:00 +0000

THE PRIESTHOOD
By Richard Bennett of Berean Beacon

Introduction

The Priesthood by a Converted Priest

A common thread that runs throughout the experiences of former priests is this: we had a great yearning to be different from those around us. We wanted to be more pure, nearer to God. We wanted to be free in conscience before God, and we sought the priesthood in which we thought we could administer salvation stage by stage to our fellow man.

The nobility and charm of the priesthood also drew us, as priests around us were signally honored with special privileges and dignity. Hearing confessions, forgiving sins, bringing Christ down upon the altar, the wonder of being "another Christ", all of these attracted us. In the words of Graham Greene's novel on the subject, we were drawn by "the power and the glory".

We did not question:

1. That there is an office of sacrificial priesthood in the New Testament.

2. That the priest's life revolves around the sacraments.

3. That we were fit subjects to be elevated to this honor. We had all worked hard at being "holy" so we took for granted that a right standing with God was something that we could merit.

1. The Office of the Priesthood
In the early 1970s we who gloried in being priests were shocked to read the word of one of our best Roman Catholic Scripture scholars, Raymond E. Brown:

When we move from the Old Testament to the New Testament, it is striking that while there are pagan priests and Jewish priests on the scene, no individual Christian is ever specifically identified as a priest. The Epistle to the Hebrews speaks of the high priesthood of Jesus by comparing his death and entry into heaven with the actions of the Jewish high priest who went into the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle once a year with a offering for himself and for the sins of his people (Hebrews 9:6-7).

But it is noteworthy that the author of Hebrews does not associate the priesthood of Jesus with the Eucharist or the Last Supper; neither does he suggest that other Christians are priests in the likeness of Jesus. In fact, the once-for-all atmosphere that surrounds the priesthood of Jesus in Hebrews 10:12-14, has been offered as an explanation of why there are no Christian priests in the New Testament period. [1]

Later in the same chapter Brown argues for a priesthood like that of the Levitical class in the Old Testament. He makes his case for the development of such a doctrine by means of tradition. Even those of us who knew very little of the Bible knew that the Pharisees counted tradition superior to the clear Word of God. Brown did more to demolish the conviction that we were indeed priests than to ease our troubled minds.

Now I see that what Brown stated in the section quoted is biblically and absolutely true. Other than the royal priesthood, which applies to all true believers in Christ, there is no office of priesthood in the New Testament. Rather, as Hebrews states so clearly of the Old Testament priests, "And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:23-25) "Unchangeable priesthood" means just that in the Greek: aparabatos means "untransferable". The reason it cannot be transferred to men is that its essence is Christ's own, ..who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens" (verse 26).

2. The Priest's Life Revolves around the Sacraments
The second presupposition was that the Roman Catholic sacraments gave, as our catechism books said, "outward signs of inward grace". Our mindset, in the words of Canon 840, was that the sacraments "...contribute in the highest degree to the establishment, strengthening and manifestation of ecclesiastical communion". [2] In fact, the sacraments themselves were for us the center of salvation and of sanctification.

For example, regarding confession to a priest, Canon 960 declared that it was "the only ordinary way by which the faithful person who is aware of serious sin is reconciled with God". Rather than proclaiming the finished work of Christ Jesus as the answer to the problem of our sinful nature and personal sin record, our lives revolved around these physical signs. Some of us were shocked to read in Dollinger (the most respected Roman Catholic historian) that the sacrament of penance (confession) was unknown in the West for 1,100 years and never known in the East.

Dollinger said, "So again with Penance. What is given as the essential form of the sacrament was unknown in the Western Church for eleven hundred years, and never known in the Greek." [3] How could this be? The bishops were declared to be high priests "first and foremost" (Canon 835). Were not we as priests also declared to be dispensers of the sacramental system? In the light of God's Word, this was magic rather than the gospel message.

The New Testament has two signs as instituted by the Lord; yet rather than the two signs, center stage in the Bible is the proclaimed message. But for us the sacraments themselves were of major importance. Every day began with Mass. Our doubts regarding the physical sacraments as central to our life with God began from experience. Many of us, priests for many years, had baptized countless infants, and had said the words, "I absolve you," over countless heads. We had anointed many aged, sick and accident victims with the words, "May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up."

Year after year we saw the children we had baptized as infants grow up as pagan as the pagans on the mission field. The myriads of people over whose heads we had pronounced absolution came up off their knees as much sinners after our words as before them. When the sick and the aged were neither saved nor "raised up", it was then that some of us dared to check the Bible. Here we discovered: "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63).

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

The verses in Ephesians shocked us most of all. Our standard definitions of sacraments defined them as "works", as in the famous Canon 8 of the Council of Trent: "If anyone says that by the sacraments of the New Law grace is not conferred ex opere operato [from the work worked], but that faith alone in the divine promise is sufficient to obtain grace, let him be anathema." [4]

It was difficult even to begin to doubt the sacraments. Much of our time was absorbed by these and other physical signs. During Lent or Holy Week, for example, we had to make arrangements for procuring and putting in order the newly blessed oils, the Pascal candle, the Pascal fire, the palms, the ashes from last year's palms, the processional cross, the thurible with its charcoals and incense, the purple, red and white vestments, and so on. How could any of us dare to hear the Lord's principle stated so clearly in John 6:63: "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing."

But hear the words we did, as these testimonies bear witness. The Father drew us, showing us our own worthlessness and the sufficiency of his Word. As Jesus said to the Father, "Thy word is truth".(John 17:17).

3. Unfit Subjects for Honor
The last presupposition was the most deeply rooted within us. As a child, before ever wanting to become a priest, I had labored at being "holy". During Lent I would "offer up" candy and sweet drinks to be a better Catholic. I visited nine churches in one day praying alternately "Our Father" six times, "Hail Mary" six times and "Glory Be" six times in each church. Some of us played at being holy by giving white peppermints to our friends when they would kneel down, as if we were the priest giving communion.

As priests, most of us were very enthusiastic about Vatican Council II. When the documents were published, some of us preached from them. One of the most popular documents was "The Church in the Modern World". But when the excitement had calmed, those of us who studied it saw the same message we had lived and preached. Paragraph. 14 states, "...Nevertheless man has been wounded by sin... When he is drawn to think about his real self he turns to those deep recesses of his being where God who probes the heart awaits him, and where he himself decides his own destiny in the sight of God." Paragraph. 17 continues, "Since human freedom has been weakened by sin it is only by the help of God's grace that man can give his actions their full and proper relationship to God." [5]

This type of modern teaching seemed very much like the old message. The old message was also contained in Vatican Council II documents in a less popular document, No. 6, Indulgentiarum Doctrina, Paragraph. 6 which states: From the most ancient times in the Church good works were also offered to God for the salvation of sinners, particularly the works which human weakness finds hard...

Indeed, the prayers and good works of holy people were regarded as of such great value that it could be asserted that the penitent was washed, cleansed and redeemed with the help of the entire Christian people." [6]

All these teachings were endorsed by messages at Lourdes and at Fatima. That many souls go to hell because there is no one to pray and to do penance for them was part of our third and biggest presupposition. Grace was, of course, presupposed; but it is you who by means of your suffering and good works merit salvation for yourself and for others.

This is the net in which all of us who lived the works gospel so intensely were most deeply entangled by Roman Catholicism. This two-fold presupposition; that we were somehow holy and right before a holy God because we had prayed and suffered, and that we would continue as holy and righteous men to practise our religion, became our biggest undoing.

Mankind's Condition Before The Holy God Christ Jesus describes man's nature. "That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man" (Mark 7:20-23). See also Jeremiah 17:9: "The heart is deceitful above all things; and desperately wicked; who can know it?

Both Old and New Testaments tell us that we are spiritually dead to God. Adam's sin brought death (Genesis 2:17). Ezekiel states, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die" (Ezekiel 18:20) and Romans 6:23 says, "The wages of sin is death." We are not simply "wounded" as Roman Catholics believe. We are spiritually dead.

The Biblical Message of Salvation We find the remedy for this situation in both Old and New Testaments. The prophet Isaiah declares: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all". Peter and John tell us: "ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from our fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot". "And he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world" (I Peter 1:18-19, I John 2:2)

The Bible clearly states that salvation was Christ's work and his alone: ". . .by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Hebrews 1:3).

Romans 3:26 says that God is "just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus". One is saved by God's work. Salvation is God's majestic, finished work. Woven through these testimonies is the same scarlet thread of God's sovereign grace. Before him, each person is dead in sin. By grace one is saved, through faith.

What the Bible has to say about priesthood becomes crystal clear in these personal testimonies of men who experienced both the false and the true priesthood (the priesthood of every believer in the once for all sacrifice of Christ Jesus).

The best summary of what happened to these men in the Roman Catholic priesthood is found in the words of Paul in II Corinthians 4:1-2: "Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God."

HARRY POTTER SATANIC?

noreply@blogger.com (PJ) — Tue, 22 Nov 2005 15:05:00 +0000

DAILY NEWS BRIEF FROM CATHOLIC WORLD NEWS
FOR JANUARY 3, 2002© Copyright 2002
Domus Enterprises

Rome's Chief Exorcist Warns Parents Against Harry Potter

NEW YORK, Jan 3, 02 (LSN.ca/CWNews.com) - In early December, the Diocese ofRome's official exorcist, Father Gabriele Amorth, warned parents against theHarry Potter book series.The priest, who is also the president of the International Association ofExorcists, said Satan is behind the works. In an interview with the ItalianANSA news agency, Father Amorth said, "Behind Harry Potter hides thesignature of the king of the darkness, the devil."

The exorcist, with his decades of experience in directly combating evil,explained that J.K. Rowling's books contain innumerable positive referencesto magic, "the satanic art." He noted that the books attempt to make a falsedistinction between black and white magic, when in fact, the distinction"does not exist, because magic is always a turn to the devil."

In the interview which was published in papers across Europe, Father Amorthalso criticized the disordered morality presented in Rowling's works, notingthat they suggest that rules can be contravened and lying is justified whenthey work to one's benefit.

Of note, the North American coverage of Father Amorth's warnings about Potter significantly downplayed the warnings. The New York Times coveragewhich was carried in many other media outlets left out most of theinformation in the European coverage which is quoted above. It only quotedFather Amorth as saying, "If children can see the movie with their parents,it's not all bad." The Times report also fails to mention that the movieversion has significantly cleaned up Harry's image, making it lesstroublesome than the books.

ENGLICOM WINS

noreply@blogger.com (PJ) — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 14:50:00 +0000

MARLON REYES, SCORING MACHINE!

Howard" Harry Potter" Choa saves the day!

This game indeed proved that marlon reyes(3rd-ECE) has a mean game. proving to be unstoppable anywhere on the floor,reyes practically schooled his defenders,from his ankle-breaking dribbling maneouvers to his 3pts rifling. just as good as his offense was his defense. he forced several turnovers from his opponents,pressing and playing hard-nosed defense to the ballhandlers. he ended the game with 26 points in 20 minutes of play.the game was almost sure for the englicom team until a player from FOCUS 2005 scored 3 straight 3pointers which broke the lead to 3pts from a high of 18pts.Howard ( harry potter)Choa ( 2nd MMG) the smallest man on the court grabs the biggest rebound of the game while pj leehok( 1st PSM-MMG) scored a crucial layup that gave the englicom team the much needed points to seal the victory.
pj leehok, a nonfactor that night in scoring, grabs 8 monstrous boards to end the game 66-63.

FINAL SCORE: 66( ENGLICOM)-63( FOCUS 2005)

Making simple things COMPLICATED

noreply@blogger.com (PJ) — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 05:44:00 +0000

LINE AB= LINE BC

UNBELIEVABLE?

STUDY your MATH lessons or

Simply MEASURE it with a RULER

noreply@blogger.com (PJ) — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 05:36:00 +0000

HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?