WARHOL ::: Wow!

I opened the paper this morning and saw my write-up in the Opinion page of the Manila Standard. This was a column feed I wrote and sent in last Friday. I don't want to discuss what the article was about on this blog but you can be obligated to read it here.

Also, the Peso closed at P52.25 to the dollar. Can you believe that? Let's see if it breaches 51 before the week ends, eh?

The view from the window: it's a bright sunny beautiful day! Water's blue as the cloudless sky above it. Ganda talaga.

RIGHT BRAIN ::: Pacquiao In Da Hao

I woke up to the announcement that Manny Pacquiao had arrived. It was my father. Now that I think about it, the whole thing was so hilarious. He said it like M.P. was a relative!

The morning shows were airing live footage of "the people's champ" being crushed by frenzied local mediamen (it's impossible in that mob, believe me!) and politicians as he made his way through Terminal 2. He had the biggest smile on his face eventhough he could barely step forward. Reporters were struggling to get soundbites off him and he did not disappoint.

They later announced that he will be staying at the new Hyatt--where our office is. I got ready for work

At 7:15 am, I was on my way to Baclaran. Nothing special there except it took half an hour to get to the coastal expressway!

* * *

Since I walk towards the Hyatt Hotel Marina from the south side, I didn't really see the 'frenzy' in the area caused by the famous guest. I would have welcomed the chaos.

All throughout the day, police sirens kept blaring from the streets below. I wondered if it was Pacquiao's motorcade but it turned out his boxing glove ride did not (excuse the pun) 'float' to Ermita. But I found out that he was already on-stage at Plaza Sulayman (a block from my workplace) by 5 pm and was singing his song with the President. Make what you want of it. How Pinoy.

* * *

I felt quite accomplished today.

I had just finished the draft for a speech for one of our suits that I'd been working on since Wednesday when Boss Mike reminded me of that column feed he asked me to write, also last Wednesday, had to be sent today. So I spent all afternoon researching facts and figures and sorting them out for that article. I was almost panicking because I could not find my groove--I just didn't know where to start, nothing new for me. After tossing ideas in my head for a good half hour, I started writing. It would be another four hours before I finished the thing.

My boss went over it and told me to go ahead and send it out. Hopefully, it will see print (if they deem it worthy) some time next week.

* * *

Everywhere I went, Pacquiao's name was on people's mouths. The man is a hero alright. I didn't hear one negative comment about him and that song of his is climbing the charts. Now, that's tolerance.

Tread Lightly on a Mid-week

For two days now, mornings were met with light but consistent rain. Our Manila Bay window here at the office looks like it was covered with a giant bluish gray canvass--that's all I see. And I love it as much as the clear blue mornings, oddly enough. The calm before the storm, in a sense.

Sure enough, the torrent is about to whip me off my balance and throw me overboard.

Something Got Me Started, Again

Whenever Saturday comes around I feel like I have loads of stuff I want to do yet I don't know where to begin.

We had a Serbisyo Muna Caravan last Wednesday in Baseco which is an urban poor community on the docks. It was quite low-key compared to the past outings because the prez wasn't there. Nonetheless, people still came in droves for the free necessities. Good for them.

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There was a short power outage last night so I stepped outside for some light. I looked up and saw a moonless sky with just enough clouds to complement the stars in varying degrees of brightness. The clouds were like shreds of cotton strewn across the milky way. It really was beautiful and I'm sorry I suck at description! I wish I had a camera to capture it although I'm sure it's nothing new. Besides, it looks far better with the naked eye. These are things that never fail to leave me in awe.

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So Jason Mraz is back in town. His was the last concert I went to and that was back in '04. I was at the front row and, initially, some freeloader who assumed I wouldn't show up occupied my seat. Most folks would have thrown a fit but because I'm really a wimp, I called one of the ushers instead and pointed out the irregularity. Paolo Santos was the opening act. It was a fun show; Mraz's showmanship makes up for what he lacked in the guitar playing.

I haven't seen any major concert in a long while. Besides, it's not like any good musicians have been to town lately. Speaking of which, let me air out this bit that I've been wanting to hurl at the guilty party for the longest time.

Please! I'd rather go see Blak Dyak or Andrew E. than the Backstreet Boys, I don't care who's got a bigger production budget. At least, Blak Dyak knows how to give back to those tambays who holler up at him while he's doing his thing. BSB came here in '96 just to fluff up their portfolio so that they'll have something to show the US record execs. Then they got incredibly huge and totally forgot about Southeast Asia. A freakin' decade later, they crashland back to Manila. This time, as washed up 30-somethings still out to make big dough off them gullible Asians again. Why? Because the trend-driven teenybopper US market has 'matured' into alcoholic pansies high on x who swear on their fake boobs that they never cared for boybands.

But, you know, I would have been kinder had BSB (or N*Stink and the rest of those pathetic slobs) flown by at least once after '96 to acknowledge the blind loyalty their Asian fans have shown them at the time they were lapping up their newfound homeland recognition and didn't bother including one short stop in Manila (or S'pore, K.L., Bangkok, Jakarta, Hongkong) in their massive world tours.

Perhaps the worst part of it all is the show did generate enough revenue to make these egg-headed producers think that the concert-going public wants more boybands. The prospects of a U2 concert have never looked this grim.

EVENT COVERAGE ::: Getting Pelted

First of all, I survived Friday the 13th with nary a cut or bruise. Maybe it's because my birthday sometimes falls on a Friday the 13th, too? Like I have some kind of immunity. I don't really believe that but some people certainly had taken in more than their dues yesterday.

We held the seventh Serbisyo Muna Caravan in Navotas yesterday. The thing about these outings is it takes me to places in the metro that I've only heard about and would have no business visiting--Caloocan, Pateros, Navotas, Baseco. I say that because they're too far from Imus and I don't know anybody in those areas. The whole thing did not go without hitches, though. But I swear on my busted laptop that none of it was our fault, none!

My co-writer Raymund got himself a 'talk' from Big Dodie about the schedule of activities the former had labored over the previous day. The boss was slightly irked over some errors in another document that he thought came from our group, meaning Raymund. In truth, the one with all the errors came from this other group. The problem was the actual culprits were over at the other building and could not be bothered to face up to their responsibilities. Some kind of work ethic they got. Anyway, the boss didn't pop a vein but did make Raymund in-charge of extra things that the guilty ones were supposed to handle. The guy came back from Big Dodie's with a glum look on his face like he had been given a death sentence. He said he was fine and that it was ok with him to have to do all those other things--calling people up, site preparations for the next activity, organizing protocol--and that the boss might as well make him project manager if that would be the case. I told him all that stuff was really assigned to the other people and that we already had a full plate. Oh well, right? So if we're going to be the ones to make prior arrangements for the SMC then those who don't want to fess up to that task should write instead. Of course, they can't even make a decent slide presentation to save their lives so I'm sure certain things are going to be compromised come Monday and we'll still be the ones in the crosshair again. Next week ought to be pretty interesting so stay-tuned.

Going back to the Serbisyo Muna Caravan, this one in Navotas was well-attended. I dropped by the information and seminar rooms and quite a lot of people joined in. My assignment was the DFA's "Passport on Wheels" project wherein they process and issue passorts right on the site. I'm glad they joined the SMC because this is definitely a welcome relief to anyone who's spent a day or two lining up at the Foreign Affairs office in Pasay for the same purpose. By the way, GMA was noticeably more generous with addressing media folks that gathered around her as she toured the premises. I guess this is part of the 'be less irritable' disposition New Year's resolution she promised the country a couple weeks ago.

U2 ::: To Reiterate

Dearest, Thank you for starting a movement to save lives. Thank you for asking your friends and family to join ONE.org. Thank you for calling on the President, Congress and the heart of America to do more for the world's poor. Thank you for being one of the first 2 million of us crazy enough to say America won't stand for global AIDS and stupid poverty. And thank you to the people who joined campaigns in other countries to make their governments come to the table and do more for the world's poor. Thank you for the concrete results that came from calling on America to invest more in fighting poverty and disease in Africa and around the world. In July, the whole world heard you: the leaders of the 8 richest nations - the G8 - pledged an additional $50 billion annually to poor countries by 2010, half of it for Africa. Already our money is getting results. Thank you America for putting over half a million people on life-saving AIDS medicines and leading an effort that has provided 8 million anti-malaria bednets and treated 1 million people with TB. And thank you for pushing our governments to use this money to provide AIDS drugs to everyone who needs them and basic schooling for every child. Thank you for being part of a campaign that will cancel the crushing debts of up to 36 countries, and more to come. Thank you to the people who called on government to act and thank you to the people in government, who started to listen and who will have to make sure we keep these historic promises and build upon them. We must keep the positive pressure on our leaders if we want them to follow through. Americans must give these leaders permission to invest just a fraction more of the budget in what we know works, from $5 mosquito nets to drug treatments that cost pennies apiece. If ONE thing is certain for 2006, this campaign will keep growing, your voice will grow louder, your compassion and thirst for justice will keep saving more lives. By 2008, ONE needs to have 5 million supporters, each of us doing what we can, learning more, telling friends, calling Congress. Take one minute and ask three friends to join ONE and make the impossible possible with you in 2006. Beating AIDS and extreme, stupid poverty, this is our moon shot. This is our generation's civil rights struggle, our anti-apartheid movement. This is what the history books will remember our generation for — or blame us for, if we fail. We can't afford to fail nor will we. We've come a long way, and we've got a long way to go. Now let's really get started. Thank you, Bono P.S. I'm sorry we can't come to Manila to perform for you. It's because no promoter out there is smart enough or has the integrity to cater to you fans of true music. But take heart because your faith will bring you to us.

Ok, so that post script is an embellishment.

RIGHT BRAIN ::: Still Standing

Those libertine romps have left you feeling empty...again. Wait, that's not really what I'm here to talk about. But I did want to chide you hedonistic rich kids as a I start feeling better about my tepid life.

Yes, I know, denial has superior publicists.

On my lunch hour, I went to the bank and paid my credit card bill. (No other commercial activity induces catatonia in me like this one, really.) Although I was loath to part with my money, I just shrugged it off and decided I will need to scrimp a wee bit more--as though the last twelve months were models of extreme self indulgence. At any rate, I did manage to hand over to VISA what they would consider chump change. I was reminded of what this stand-up joked about on tv not too long ago. He mentioned those bums carrying signs that say "will work for food".

"'Will work for food'? I work for VISA! I'm still paying for a meal I ate back in 1987!" he bawled. Touché.

RIGHT BRAIN ::: Welcome, Two Double-O Six

Wow, my first entry for the new year.

That's all I'll say for now because there's still food to eat and stories to yack about. Enjoy your January 1st, everyone!

And here's a photo from last Friday's road trip: