FOR THE SANCTITY OF THE BALLOT

Raymond Ciriaco

The tasks of being an election observer for Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) are: conduct observation missions; hold post-election follow-up meetings with relevant members, election commissions, and other stakeholders; and promote transparent and credible elections in Asian countries. Sounds simple enough. But when you get assigned to an area where security officials require you to wear a bulletproof vest and helmet for safety, this chances the picture entirely.

IT'S JOJO A... ALL THE WAY!

One of the my career's highlights in 2014 is getting the chance to interview my idol Jojo Alejar, the host and producer of the long running late night talk show The Medyo Late Night Show. It really was an awesome interview, plus the fact that we did it in his set. Awesome, right? This article of mine about him was originally published in Philippine Rotary magazine, May 2014 issue.


***

THE TALK SHOW HOST

For 10 years, Alfredo Rizalito P. Alejar , popularly known as Jojo A., has been doing his job of making TV viewers smile before they hit the sack with his witty monologues, co
medy skits, no-nonsense interviews and his signature dance moves in his program The Medyo Late Night Show with Jojo A. When asked about his secret of the longevity of his nightly talk show, his reply --passion plus prayer.

Oh, I still know that song!

I was listening to Seona Dancing’s “More To Lose” the other day, which was part of DJ Joey Alba's new wave mix, and I found my self singing the lyrics of the song.  Surprisingly, I still know the lyrics of the song. I remember, I was 14 when I got heart-struck with that new wave ballad.

“More To Lose” is a single of the British band Seona Dancing. It is composed of Ricky Gervais (Yes! He is the popular comedian nowadays) on vocals and Bill Macrae on keybords.  The song was originally released in 1983 but it flopped in the UK Singles Chart (only landing at 118). However, in 1985, the song became a massive hit in the Philippines and it became an anthem of youngsters that time.

In case you didn't know the tune, here it is:

And here’s the lyrics of the song:

MORE TO LOSE

By Seona Dancing

We used to cry

About the day when one of us might fall
Weak and blindly into another's arms
Demands are gained from jealousies
Would flow like water drowning us
But leaving us with just another
Lover's false alarm

And now it's overBoth of us free
But I feel colder

A thousand tortured lives have fallen
Wounded dying cut down by the
Questions that we've sharpened
Just to save our losing days

We thought we'd nothing more to lose
We'd tear our hearts with jagged truths
And everything we'd hung to for so long
Just slipped away

And now it's over
Both of us free
And I feel colder

I was tired of thinking that
Our love can shine your thoughts
Of our arrangements
Were really not like mine


I thought it over
And it was plain to see the love you said
You once needed
Could just not come from me

And now it's over
Both of us free
And I feel colder

And now we're moving to new beginnings
But as we move we looked once behind
To see what we might find out
Lost loves and old thoughts of our nights of winnings
That lunge, tear and grasp
At lost wanting minds

The dramatic piano riff perfectly matches the gloomy, bittersweet lyrics, that you can feel the emotions that this “break-up song” is all about. That’s why I really love this song. However, I could not entirely relate to it because I have never been in a tough “breakup” situation in my life. Hah! But this song has become a part of my playlist during my teenage years that is why it became a part of my life. As the English poet Edward Bulwer-Lytton once said, “Music, once admitted to the soul, becomes a sort of spirit, and never dies.”  

Wow Cubao!

The timing of this post is kinda late but I still want to share these happenings that I had experienced in the Cubao. Sabi nga, "Huli ma't magaling... HULI PA RIN." 

Nyakkk!

***

UNTV 37 CEO  Daniel Razon, 
the brain behind the tourney, delivering 
his opening remarks

On February 11, the second season of UNTV Cup jump-started at the legendary Araneta Coliseum. I got a couple of upper box tickets for the opening ceremonies for myself and my girlfriend.

The UNTV Cup is a charity basketball league aired on television channel UNTV 37  that aims to provide an opportunity to public servants to promote camaraderie, unity, and public service through the sport that Filipinos love-- basketball.  Each team has a partner charitable institution/agency that will benefit from the cash prize if the team makes it to the championships.

This year, the participating teams are The House of Representatives (Congress), Judiciary, Senate, Malacanang, Metro Manila Development Authority, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, Local Government Unit, and Philippine Health Insurance. 

Bro. Eli Soriano of Ang Dating Daan shares
  inspirational messages from the Bible
in relation to the charity event

What makes this  four-month basketball tourney exciting is that it is reinforced with former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) stars. One of them is Kenneth Duremdes, a former PBA Most Valuable Player, National Basketball Team member,. I was thrilled to see him in hard court action once again. Though, he’s not as athletic as before due to aging and the injuries he suffered throughout his career, I think “Captain Marbel” still got it.

UNTV Cup Season 2 opening game: Senate vs. Congress

 PBA Legend Kenneth Duremdes back in basketball action!

***

On Feb. 14, I got to see one of my crushes way back in college perform on that small stage outside Araneta Coliseum-- Lougee Basabas. 

I missed the opening part of her gig. I think she's with her band Delara. They performed Mojofly songs "Mata", "Tumatakbo", and No Doubt’s "Underneath It All", Sting’s "Englishman in New York", and U2's "Pride" (I love their rendition of this) and other rock hits.

Delara performing at Araneta Center

After the awesome performance, I grabbed the opportunity to  piktyur-piktyur with Lougee, who is still lovely and kind. She told me that her new album is set to be released this summer season.  I'm really looking forward to grab a copy of her new album.  Tapos nun, ipapa-autograph ko!

Lougee 

Dream come true! Lougee and me! Finally!
But my girlfriend is the photographer kaya di ako naka-hirit. hihi.

The Inventor

(This is a write-up of mine which was published in the January 2014 issue of the Philippine Rotary magazine. Mr. Simon, despite of his accomplishments, is one humble and nice person. He really has lots of stories that's why I enjoyed interviewing him.)

***

The Inventor

 

In 1973, the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries implemented and oil embargo that skyrocketed oil prices and disrupted oil supply worldwide. That crisis became a defining moment in the life of then-mechanical engineering student Juanito “John” Ayson Simon of Apalit town in Pampanga.

Scientist Juanito Ayson Simon

Experiencing the hardships then, Simon prayed to God to make him an instrument in finding a solution to the crisis. Putting his faith in action, he became more determined to finish his studies and, later, mastering the science of metallurgy by working in various companies in the country and abroad. Eventually, Simon landed a job in an international oil company in Houston, Texas where he was able to master tribology and lubrication science. Summoning all the knowledge he’s learned so far, Simon developed and perfected a lubricant he named Per’tua Enduring and Metal Treatment. Per’tua has been proven to prolong the chemical and physical stability of motor oil. It significantly improves engine performance through its anti-oxidant properties that reduce abrasion, heat, corrosion, oxidation, and sludge-formation in the engine, leading to huge savings. Because of his remarkable U.S.-patented invention, Simon received several honors including Most Outstanding Inventor award from the Filipino Inventors Society as well as Most Outstanding Energy Manager from the Department of Energy and the Energy Management Association of the Philippines.  

 

The 65-year-old scientist is as passionate with Rotary as he is with his profession. He joined Rotary in 1982 and eventually served as president of the Rotary Club of San Francisco del Monte in RY 2010-11. For his exemplary performance and service, RI District 3780 named Simon and his club as the Most Outstanding President and Most Outstanding Club respectively for 2010-11. Despite the accolades and recognition, Simon, a Paul Harris Fellow +3, keeps his feet grounded. “Do something without expecting anything in return from that person that you help because it is God who will reward you in the end,” he said.

One... Two... Three... PUTUKAN NA!

Photo courtesy of rappler.com

Goodbye na sa 2013 at hello 2014 na! May kasiyahan sa mga magkabi-kabilang New Year’s party, kainan, at, siyempre, hindi mawawala jan ang pagpapaputok. Kasi nga  sabi  nila, “Start the year with a bang!”

Matagal nang tradisyon nating mga Pilipino ang pagsalubong sa bagong taon na may putukan gamit ang iba’t-ibang paputok, pailaw, at fireworks tulad ng kwitis, sinturon ni Judas, lusis, fountain, at iba pa. Ayon sa history, namana ng mga Pilipino ang tradisyong ito sa mga Intsik sa paniniwalang kinakailangang mag-ingay upang mapalayas ang mga masasamang espiritu na nagdudulot daw ng kamalasan para suwertihin ang pagpasok ng bagong taon.

Pero, bakit ganun, sa tinagal-tagal nang panahon na ginagawa ng mga Pilipino ang paniniwalang ito tuwing Bagong Taon, tila marami pa ring kamalasan ang nangyayari sa bansa?  Noong 12 midnight ng January 1, 2013, nagpaputok ang mga tao pero nangyari pa rin ang Zamboanga Siege, Bohol Earthquake, Supertyphoon Yolanda, ang PDAF/Pork Barrel Scandal at ang pag-twerk ni Miley Cyrus sa MTV Video Music Awards. Nagpaputok ang mga tao ng libu-libong halaga ng paputok (kasama na ang mga illegal firecrackers gaya ng Piccolo, Watusi, Pla-pla, at ang mala-bombang Goodbye Philippines) pero nandito pa rin ang mga alagad ng kasamaan tulad ng mga mga corrupt na government officials na di na talaga naming di tinatablan ng kahihiyan ang kapal ng balat nila sa kanilang pagmumukha (PWE!) at kapit-tuko pa rin sa kani-kaniyang mga pwesto sa kabila ng mga kontrobersyang kinasangkutan  nila.

Kung titignan natin, madaming perwisyong  naidudulot ang pagpapaputok kaysa swerte sa maraming tao batay sa mga mga post-New Year celebration news reports taon-taon. Ayon sa Department of Health, nasa 804 na ang biktima ng pagpapaputok nitong New Year—793 sa mga ito ang mga naputukan ng labintador, siyam ang nasapul ng ligaw na  bala, at dalawa ang nakalulon ng firecracker. At magkahalong lungkot at asar  ang naramdaman ko nang marinig ko spollution na dulot ng mga firecrackers at fireworks. 

a balita na mayroong isang sanggol ang tinamaan ng ligaw na bala sa ulo habang natutulog ito sa bahay. Ang masaklap pa dun, malabong mahuli ang may kagagawan ng kagaguhan na iyon dahil wala naman may alam kung kaninong baril nga nanggaling ang baling iyon. At taon-taon, di nawawala ang ganitong eksena kung saan daan-daan ang napeperwisyong mga tao (mga napuputulan ng daliri, kamay, braso, nabubulag,) at ari-arian dahil sa pagpapaputok.  Dagdag pa jan ang pollution na dulot ng mga firecrackers at fireworks.

Batang naputukan (courtesy of dailytelegraph.com)

Marahil sasabihin ng iba, “Nasa paggamit lang yan”. Sa isang banda, tama din. Noong bata ako, ang tatay ko nagpapaputok ng labintador tuwing New Year pero din naman sya naputukan. Ngunit hindi naman masama na pag-isipan natin kung ang isang bagay na ginagawa natin ay talaga bang may kwenta ba o wala. After all, kahit paputukin mo ang isang kilometrong Situron ni Hudas sa New Year at magpaka-batugan at magpaka-wasted ka naman buong taon, hindi ka din

suswertehin.