tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14726375548412366492024-03-08T01:23:33.990-08:00The Philippines According To Citizen J.D.CThis is a blog run by the man who is content in staying in the background and watch things unfold right in front of his eyes.Citizen J.D.Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00904730629488435463noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472637554841236649.post-61246254383145648572009-01-27T18:15:00.000-08:002009-01-27T18:28:37.796-08:00<strong>Hey guys, Citizen JDC signing on. I'm sorry that it took a rather looooong time to write a new entry on this blog. As you see, there are many things that happened in my life in the later part of last year and now I am quite busy on my new job as a call center agent and I don't have a free time posting here. Now that I took advantage of my day-off I finally have the oppurtunity to release some stress and at the same time do the thing that I miss doing--blogging! Yeah, there's a crisis going on, and the risk of losing one's job is a thorn that's lodging in each and every working-class Pinoy's mind. In fact, it is a nightmare that came into reality to some who had been recently laid-off. And now I'm lucky that I have this job, but I have to fight to keep it. Oh well, I guess we're back in the stone age where the only-the-strongest-will-survive maxim prevailed. Stressful yeah, and quitting had crossed my mind, but I can't tell if I'm still very lucky to get a new job after this. Maybe can go back to blogging and posting stuff that crossed my mind regarding our beloved and bedeviled country. Oppurtunity knocks twice, my mom said, and to be honest, I slowly grasped the ins and outs of the call center, which is to everyone's delight (or dismay) the only means of employment. But I heard that even the industry is hanging on the edge with some BPO companies closing shop recently. Guess I have to hang on for a few more months, or weeks, before thinking of looking for another job apart from being an agent. I don't want to get stuck to call center, you know. I have an ambition of my own, and it's my obligation to fulfill it. But when will that time come, I guess, will just be a guess. Got to go now. See ya and keep posting! Citizen JDC signing off.</strong>Citizen J.D.Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00904730629488435463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472637554841236649.post-34606164163317823632008-04-22T00:29:00.000-07:002008-04-26T20:20:11.825-07:00For the Love(?) of Country<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Signing on</span></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />A group member in the Bobong Pinoy forums posted a short <a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bobongpinoy/message/44788">essay</a> written by a Korean student here in the Philippines about his observation about, in his own opinion, our lack of love in our country. His work may be far from being scholarly, but what snaps his work awake is that how the author parallels our current economic and political situation with that of his native South Korea years after the Korean War.<br /><a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bobongpinoy/message/44788"></a><br />This Korean jives with my point of view concerning patriotism.They, when they struggled to get on their feet again, felt that they have an obligation for their country. They had their run-ins with bad administrators and poor governance, but they brushed them aside and worked hard to help South Korea into what they are now. Some were sent abroad to work; others by their own will, but it's clear to them that they are working for their country and not just by themselves.<br /><br />It is sad to know that we Filipinos easily break under surmounting pressure of our sluggish progress, but the point is, where's the<span style="font-style: italic;"> bayaniha</span></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-style: italic;">n</span> spirit that we've been known to outsiders? Now more that ever that <span style="font-style: italic;">bayanihan</span> is needed if we ever want the Philippines to regain its former prosperity as it had half a century ago, when are are second economically to Japan. I, if given a chance, am willing to work abroad; should somebody ask me why I did that, my answer will be 'I'm doing this for family and for country'. The conjunction 'and for country' spells the difference between working abroad and coming home, and working abroad, then bringing over the rest of the family to live there permanently.<br /><br />Our government sucks, that's for sure, but we cannot leave the burden on them alone. We as citizens have to do something as well in this situation. After all, it takes two to tango. Maybe some of our officials are corrupt, maybe our social welfare services are pathetic, maybe our national security is flawed, but shouldn't we take them as challenges to show our resiliency in face of such odds?<br /><br />The writer may be just another foreigner in our land, and someone may retort "<span style="font-style: italic;">anong paki mo!?" </span>or "mind your own f@#%ing business!"<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>but his work reflects his concern on us, to the point of telling what his country went through to become an economic giant as they are. He knows that what South Korea was is what the Philippines is now. There's no difference on that part however, except for one thing--they never gave up.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Signing off</span><br /></span>Citizen J.D.Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00904730629488435463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472637554841236649.post-65689238364159936052008-04-19T03:03:00.000-07:002011-05-09T22:27:30.529-07:00The Choice to be Green<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Signing on </span></span><br /><br />Each and every one of us thought that the stunt pulled by actress Alicia Mayer would be the last that we will see. Just the other day three women, two Pinays and one foreigner walked across Plaza Miranda wearing lettuce leaves, campaigning for Filipinos to switch to vegetarian diet. They are said to be members of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).<br /><br />Personally I'm not against the idea of vegetarianism. Heck, I also eat vegetables. But at the same time I am a carnivore. I am, in my own words, a balanced eater. But the idea of totally converting to a vegan lifestyle has not yet crossed my mind, because I firmly believe that being one should be done only willingly and with full volition. But judging on how PETA reason out, I guess that I will remain the way I am. See, I couldn't help but wonder why these people think that raising cattle and poultry is harmful to the environment because they contribute to the increasing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Well, I think that's because they pass wind, and their numbers increases the chances of the emission being brought up above. Personally, I believe that they are missing some points. Number one: whether to raise animals or not, either for food or otherwise, they will still break wind. Number two: all animals fart. Cows fart. Chickens fart. Lions fart. Giraffes fart. Elephants fart. And number three: Animals aren't the only ones who passes wind. We humans do that also.<br /><br />I once saw a leaflet from PETA describing how inhumane cattle and poultry were slaughtered. But nothing is more head-shaking than what the foreigner had said; she said that cows are being flayed alive. HUH!? I once saw a pig being slaughtered, but I don't remember it being flayed alive. I guess that the proposition "claiming is one thing, proving is another thing" holds true in this case. You see, it's easier to say that that happens than to produce a concrete proof of such. It's like saying that aliens has indeed landed in Roswell, that everything written in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Da Vinci Code</span> is true, and that Elvis has left the building.<br /><br />So what's my point after all these? That after all that's been said and done, at the end of the day it's still our decisions that will make the difference. I recognize the benefits of a vegetarian diet, but I believe in free will, and I believe in choices, and I am against using ad baculum statements just for the sake of converting to a new lifestyle. I myself don't like people telling me of what I should be. And I know that we Filipinos do not entertain that idea either. We had endured three hundred and thirty-three years of Spanish occupation, fifty years under the Americans, with a four-year interegnuum under the Japanese, who did nothing but tell us what shall we do, what we shall believe, who shall we listen to, and whose authority shall we recognize. If I am to go vegetarian it is because I want to and not because they tell me to. I have the right to make choices for myself. I am a free man.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Signing off.</span><br /></span>Citizen J.D.Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00904730629488435463noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472637554841236649.post-16454930149125458622008-04-17T02:21:00.000-07:002008-04-25T00:11:59.075-07:00The P's and the F's<span style="font-style: italic;">Signing on</span><br /><br />The title has something to do on the last Binibining Pilipinas pageant wherein a candidate who stammered her way through the question and answer portion, who bagged the Bb. Pilipinas-World crown just out of sheer confidence despite the obvious nervousness and the subsequent butchering of the English language. You know, "my pamily... , my pamily... , they was". No, I'm not here to drag her down and malign her with comments like "she's dumb", "she's stupid" or "she doesn't deserve to win", no, no, no. I will not, never going to use this blog to maliciously attack anyone just because I damn want to. Well, at least we know that she's not alone in this wide world who got mixed up. Because in the Ms. Teen America pageant, we will see that even Americans commit embarrassing mistakes when answering to a rather simple question, considering that they are an English-speaking nation. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3iNxZ8Dww">Miss South Carolina</a> must've missed the question regarding American geography, or she just didn't paid attention. The whole thing even made it to YouTube. Ah, the power of the internet.<br /><br />Let's set aside if beauty pageants has lost its credibility by the candidates that they pick, the image the they project, and on how they answer to the questions that they pick themselves. Did I miss on how they pronounce words and their grammar? Hope not! Because if we watch these pageants we will see that there are candidates who are rather poor in speaking English but kept on trying to speak it, despite their accents, and being ungrammatical. But personally I would laud on others who chose to answer in their native tongue because it was through that that they could express best what they think and what they feel regarding the question the judges throws at them. I mean, why torture yourself to speak in a language that you are not familiar with? There's no existing rule that states that candidates should answers only in English, and definitely they will not be hanged when they do not. Save the practice backstage, there's room for improvement and polishing. Feel free to speak in you own language, that what interpreters are for. I hope that the incoming beauty queens will remember that. Hopefully.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Signing off</span>Citizen J.D.Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00904730629488435463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472637554841236649.post-75080631717391481162008-03-02T18:24:00.000-08:002008-03-02T19:03:43.193-08:00The Yellow Paper<em>Signing on</em><br /><br />Every morning I have the habit of taking a long walk around our subdivision. Whenever I pass a sari-sari store selling newspapers I couldn't resist on peeking at the headlines. I am inspired about writing about them not because of anything but out of my personal observation regarding the quality of their stories printed. When I was in college my Journalism professor Sir Ron (who is now a reporter on TV Patrol World) discussed in class about sensationalism in media, both on broadcast and print. In the latter, the tabloids lead the way. Such sensationalism is termed <em>Yellow Journalism</em>. The objective of adulterating facts with subjective interjections is more for commercial purposes. And it figures: headlines about murders, rapes, crimes of passion and exposés screams at the front page;pictures of bloodied cadavers printed in full color instead in black and white and on some tabloids, pictures of near naked, or naked women grace the front. ( I collected some of them ha ha ha).<br /><br />Compared to broad sheets, tabloids are more accesible to the mass market because it is cheaper, convenient, and generally understood by all since some of them are written in Filipino. With the exception of the few which are cleaner and decent, tabloids, in my opinion, is more on the business of selling than in the business of truth. The fact that they cater to patrons who digs such stories contributes much to their increase in profit. I know, I was one of them.<br /><br />Now there's a couple of tabloids on the top of the computer desk where I am currently typing this post. I have read them before I started writing. I know why it's so popular. But I decline to reason why; somebody might lynch me...<br /><br /><em>Signing off</em>Citizen J.D.Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00904730629488435463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472637554841236649.post-9983968643045130622008-02-22T21:38:00.000-08:002008-03-02T18:15:07.301-08:00The Mystery Man<em>Signing on</em><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Inside the Bahay ni Kuya each participant knows well what they are getting. Every word, every move, if they did something either good or bad, if they tripped on something, rest assured that Big Brother would know it, and if he says (in a deep bass voice) "Pumasok kayo sa confession room" will surely make their knees shudder. They fear him. They respect him. They hear him. But they can't see him.<br /><br /><br />Outside there's this fellow much like in the same vein as Kuya. But the difference is that he is a writer; his works are widely read and almost everybody knows about them. All six books under his authorship. We laughed at them. Emphatized at them. Pondered at them. But we never see him.<br /><br /><br />And he hides under the name <strong>Bob Ong.</strong><br /><br /><br />If you ask me which among his six books I consider my most favorite? A resounding <strong>Bakit Baligtad Magbasa ng Libro ang Pilipino?</strong> Why? Because it is an uncompromising book containing the foibles and the misbehavior some of us Filipinos often do but often (but sometimes, always) ignore. It is an eye-opener about the other side of the Philippines through his own words, as well as other Filipinos here and abroad who share their thoughts about being Filipinos. In my possession I own <strong>Ang Paboritong Libro ni Hudas </strong>(a book pondering philosophically about life, existence and spirituality) and <strong>Stainless Longganisa </strong>(an introspective on BO's life as a writer as well as about his books that he had written), as well as his first, <strong>ABNKKBSNPLAko!? </strong>(a narrative about the author's experience as a student, as well as his views about education and being educated) although it was borrowed. I have read <strong>Alamat ng Gubat </strong>(A sidesplitting fable of a parody of Philippine society) and <strong>MacArthur </strong>( a novel about friendship amidst the the backdrop of squalor, poverty and drugs) through my cousin, who like me, is a BO fan.<br /><br /><br />He has become a household name for his books which are mostly social commentaries laced with humor which makes them interesting reads. And the fact that he chose the Filipino language as his medium did they became comprehensible to everybody. Agree with them or disagree with them, laugh at them or barf at them, read from start to finish or read the first few pages then shut it close, the point is that you are affected. The same way that they affected me. If you have managed to read all six, or some of them then congratulations; you have met someone who dared to swim against the current of commercialism in print media. The one who dared to shake us to our senses and think about ourselves as Filipinos and our country the Philippines. <em>Kung may pagkakataon e ipagtatayo ko sya ng rebulto, kung alam ko lang ang itsura niya.</em> But it doesn't matter. The fact that we didn't know what he looks like adds mystery to his works. But rest assured BO exists.<br /><br />And he will continue to exist.<br /><br /><em>Signing off</em>Citizen J.D.Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00904730629488435463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472637554841236649.post-52557475316733670142008-02-19T21:22:00.000-08:002008-03-02T18:18:20.690-08:00(Partial) Memories of an 80's Childhood Part 4<em>Signing on</em><br /><br />"Monkey,monkey Annabel. How many monkeys did you see?"<br /><br />"Tagu-taguan maliwanag ang buwan. Tayo maglaro ng tagu-taguan"<br /><br />"Doctor Quack Quack!!!"<br /><br />Ahhh, the joy of being a kid back in those days. I would like to comment that kids back in the day are more creative in terms of entertaining themselves. I mean, internet was still a virtual unknown here, and aside from cartoons that I have mentioned in my previous posts, playing outdoors is our source of amusement, as well as an enjoyable form of exercise (no wonder we are healthier then!). When I was a kid we used to live with our aunt in Parañaque; me, my two sisters, our cousins, and other playmates would meet together every afternooon for some dose of fun and games. Read the intro? Those are some of the games that we enjoyed. Taguan is obviously hide and seek. The "taya" shoulc turn his or her back to the players, and facing the wall with eyes covered the taya must count to ten while the players scamper around for a place to hide. When all had hid the (okay, to avoid redundance I'll substitute taya with "it") it will search those who are hiding and when found the caught player must race with the it to the wall and, upon touching must shout "Save!"; if the player is unsuccesful in getting to the wall first he will be the next it. And the whole thing goes on and on until everyone is exhausted. In Doctor Quack-Quack, the it is the doc. The other players will entangle themselves and shout "Doctor Quack-Quack!" The it wll then try to untangle them. In Monkey Monkey Anabel, well, can somebody describe it to me once again. I still need to refresh my memory about how to play the game. I have also played luksong-tinik, habulan and patintero to name a few.<br /><br />Being a son of a seaman I have the privilege of having toys that I treasured. I remember owning Matchbox die-casts, a toy laser gun, robots, and a slot car set. When I was seven I received a Transformers Sharkticon as a Christmas present. How I enjoyed it then because I was dying to have one.<br /><br />Long before Sony Playstation and Nintendo Wii there was the Family Computer. When we lived in Baclaran a neighbor used to run a computer game rental business, and I must admit, it is a profitable one. I remember being one of the <em>uzis</em> who watched the game and wishing that we have one in our house. [Author's note: Hanabishi has produced their own Family Computer.] To play it a cartridge must be inserted in the slot. The selected cartridge contains a specific game. There are also cartridges that has multiple games stored inside. You know, the 5-in-i, 10-in-1 and other -in 1s. That's how it was back then.<br /><br /><em>Signing off</em>Citizen J.D.Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00904730629488435463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472637554841236649.post-65501909079077885572007-12-05T23:43:00.000-08:002008-03-02T18:19:31.694-08:00Splinters<span style="font-family:verdana;"><em>Signing</em> <em>on</em></span><br /><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;">A recently conducted survey revealed that we Filipinos are the second happiest people in the Asian region. This means despite the tumult, despite the disasters,despite the repeated cycle of economic boom and bust and despite of impoverished living lifestyle we still manage to smile and even joke about it. I bet my bottom peso the government would give credit to the so-called economic growth that president GMA boasts about. Ah, if they only know...</span></p><br /><p align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">********************************</span></p><br /><p align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></p><br /><p align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Isn't it a wonder why Magdalo would choose places like Oakwood and the Manila Peninsula to voice out their grievances and to call out everyone to rally behind them in their drive to oust GMA out of Malacañang? Crying for a<em> jologs </em>revolution from a <em>coño </em>crib: h</span><span style="font-family:verdana;">ow oxymorous......</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">*********************************</span></p><br /><p align="left"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></p><p>ABS-CBN filed a lawsuit against AGB Nielsen for an alleged anomaly in the ratings of their program after somebody spilled the beans of a manipulation pulled by another station in exchange for, the informant claim, five hundred pesos and groceries. Shortly afterwards GMA network expressed their concern about the matter saying that they too are victims of such manipulation. I smell ratings war....</p><p align="center">******************************************<br /><br /></p><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></em><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><br /></p>Citizen J.D.Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00904730629488435463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472637554841236649.post-57653990785599830882007-11-25T21:13:00.000-08:002008-03-02T18:21:50.236-08:00(Partial) Memories Of An 80's Childhood part three<em><span style="font-family:verdana;">Signing on</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></em><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The eighties have been said to be an era for local Philippine movies. I could still remember that there are only a handful of foreign movies being shown here, and most of the time Filipino movies dominate the box office. What I remember best about the movies popular in the era is what some calls the "fan movies" You know, movies with predominantly campy aesthetic, demographically catering to young audiences, always starring popular young actors and actresses of the time, formulaic in terms of plot and storylines, and most especially, with a production number before the closing credits. Today everytime I watch them I realized, did I really enjoyed them? Now I find all the singing, all the dancing, all of the theatrics at the end very annoying, very irrelevant, and very cheesy. Oh well, I guess that I'll just be thankful that it became obsolete when the 90's set it. </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">When I was a kid, and when we were still living then in the outskirts of Makati (it wasn't declared a city then), everytime we go out to watch a movie the usual place would be Makati Cinema Square along Pasong Tamo. It occupied the, hmm, let me think... Okay, my guess that is was the third floor of Plaza Fair;the other movie house which we often go is Spring Cinema. If you (yes you, the reader or visitor) are from Pasay City you would know what I am talking about. What we frequently watch is the kind that I had described above. My most favorite, and perhaps the only ones that I would want to watch, are movies of Tito, Vic and Joey.</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Now on foreign films. Remember "The Never Ending Story"? How about "Flight of the Navigator"? Man, if you did, then we're on the same league. I enjoyed them as a kid. Too bad I never had a chance to see "Santa Claus the Movie" and "Pippi Longstocking". Kids my age then were not allowed to watch actions films as they are deemed too graphically violent for our (once) young, innocent eyes. But nevermind, I was not a fan of such films; once I hit adolescence did I only manage to watch and grew to love them. Hey, guess you'll learn with age, eh?</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">(to be continued, again)</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Signing off</span></em><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span>Citizen J.D.Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00904730629488435463noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472637554841236649.post-82267682673059747542007-11-22T19:44:00.000-08:002007-11-24T20:37:07.128-08:00Watch Your Words!<em>Signing on</em><br /><em></em><br />They say that we Filipinos are the one of the most creative people to ever populate this planet. So creative that we can fashion almost anything out of an existing one. Improvise when something is lacking. Invent out of dire necessity. Be able to articulate through gestures and sometimes, giving some words in the Filipino language a whole new meaning. On the latter part though, we often put some connotations which sometimes always border on the risqué. Remember "Nakatikim Ka Na Ba Ng Kinse Años?"?. Yup, the infamous tag line scribbled on a tarpaulin billboard somewhere along Roxas Boulevard that caught the ire of moralists and conservatives for its alleged sexual content; that of having sexual liaison with a minor. Of course, those words meant to describe a brand of liquor that was aged for fifteen years. Too bad the company has chosen the wrong words to promote the beverage.<br /><br />Monay. I am hungry as I type this, so I am thinking about food right now. This is a kind of roll that was usually eaten as a merienda. But now the term used for a kind of bread is used to describe a, ahem, <ahem><ahem>a sensitive part of female anatomy used for procreation. How about this one, itlog; egg in English. What was used to describe something that will hatch into a chick soon has been used for an organ where sperm cells are being made, as well as hanging behind.... you know. [Hey, I have to be consistent with what I profess under the blog title!] Titles of soft core movies popular in the mid-90's through a few years ago often bear sexual connotations. Remember "Patikim ng Pinya"? How about "Kangkong", "Pag ang Palay Naging Bigas, May Bumayo", or "Basa sa Dagat"?<br /><br />A host of the longest running noontime variety show (we all what it is, and who it was) was suspended for uttering a word that was unfortunately was taken out of context. He was suspended again for the same offense, this time while imitating a celebrity midget with an unintelligible speech when he allegedly said something that describes a sexual act. Oh dear. Led Zeppelin was right when they sang that "sometimes words has two meanings". If this means that every word we say and write can be taken out of context, then how the heck can we express our thoughts without being misinterpreted? Sure, the Filipino vocabulary is one of the richest of them all, but what if every word becomes connotative? How can we talk to somebody without the fear of offending someone? How can we say what we want to say without the recieving end thinking that we are perverts? For me, that is the question.<br /><br />I'm thinking of an alternative. What if we play charades? Not quite. We can't just expect everybody to guess what we mean, especially the "slow" ones. Pictograms? Nah, just the same. People would look like archeologists trying to decipher hieroglyphs. How about sign language. Whoah, that could be feasible! Hey, can somebody teach me what's "tinitighiyawat ka ba sa mani" in sign language?....<br /><br /><em>Signing off</em><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><em></em>Citizen J.D.Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00904730629488435463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472637554841236649.post-64912253491444341732007-11-21T21:13:00.000-08:002008-03-02T18:23:16.666-08:00(Partial) Memories Of An 80's Childhood part two<em>Signing on</em><br /><em></em><br />Just because I was a kid doesn't mean that I do not watch shows starring material and flesh and blood actors at all. Heck, I do remember watching Iskul Bukol and was laughing at the antics of the Escalera Brothers and their latest caper that usually ends in disaster, for them at least. I also loved T.O.D.A.S ( Joey De Leon, Val Sotto, Spanky Rigor, Frieda Fonda, Maribeth Bichara and later, Jimmy Santos) especially their knock-knock jokes, gags and sketches. That show lasted for, I think 11 years before Bubble Gang broke their record just recently. How about Champoy with Subas Herrero and Noel Trinidad? I loved that show. Bet most of you remember Ora Encantada, shown every Sunday with Luz Valdez playing storytelling grandmother. Following that was Happy House, a family sitcom starring Tito Sotto, Sandy Andolong, Isabel Granada, Aga Muhlach and Laura Hermosa. Then when nine o' clock strikes it time for my all time favorite comedy show of all time: Sic O' Clock News, with "anchormen" Jimmy Fabregas and Ces Quesada, together with Junix Inocalla, Wilson Go, Rene Requiestas (deceased), Errol Dionisio (also deceased), Ching Arellano and other names I couldn't remember.<br /><br />That's Entertainment? Well, I remember that, but sorry, I'm no fan of love teams; most of my female cousins are. Eat Bulaga? Of course! Tito, Vic and Joey? they're my heroes then. Drama? Hmm, the only drama that I remembered was Lovingly Yours, Helen with the late Helen Vela. How could I forget that: my mom watches that every Sunday afternoon right after GMA Supershow. Wait! there was also Maricel Drama Special in channel 2. How could I forgot about that. Okay, hmm I think I'll mention Discovery Drama Special hosted by newscaster Angelique Lazo. You know, the show that works like a some sort of a laboratory for up and coming actors. Well, the only actor who I can still remember is Dennis Balthazar. I wonder where are the rest are doing now? Sitcoms? Aside from Iskul Bukol which I had mentioned, I remember Chicks to Chicks, Sitak ni Jack, Barrio Balimbing, Manok ni San Pedro, and... and... darn, that's all that I could recall!<br /><br />Superseryes has become a regular staple in today's TV, but to be frank, it's not a new, novel idea. Let's be honest: some of us recall Kapitan Kidlat and Darna over PTV 4. Twinbill? I'm not a Kapamilya, for your information, and I am very aware that rabid Kapusos out there will come out and lynch me for this, but as I recall ABS-CBN came up with a similar format, a short-lived one, if I recall correctly ( I hope), starring Robin Padilla ( as a superhero whose moniker I no longer remember) and Manilyn Reynes (as a dead girl turned guardian angel). Fantaseryes? Hmm, aside from Ora Encantada, most agree that Okay Ka, Fairy Ko was the prototype of the fantaserye, and I hope that I'm right. Horror Stories? Gosh, Regal Shocker (GMA) and that other show on channel 13 scared the ghost out of me (no pun intended).<br /><br />Hey, how about shows that came from the other side of the world? GMA used to air a lot of them during that time, especially on primetime. I loved watching Knight Rider just because I was amused with the talking car KITT. Punky Brewster: occasionally. A Different World, St. Elsewhere, Miami Vice, China Beach, Baby Boom, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, Knot's Landing et al. : never watched a single episode. The Cosby Show: watched once, never followed; couldn't fathom the humor. All Star Professional Wrestling:OOPS! That was on channel 13; but that was my first time that I watched grown men in their underwear "beat the hell out" of each other. That's where I was introduced to Hulk Hogan, Iron Sheik, Andre the Giant, Ricky Steamboat, Tito Santana, Ric Flair, Don Muraco, Ronnie Garvin, etc. McGyver: I wished I had his improvisational ingenuity. Imagine building an aircraft out of bamboo and motor, making bombs using common household cleaning materials, or turn a fountain pen into a gun. That's so cool.<br />(to be continued)<br /><br /><em>Signing off</em><br /><em></em><br /><em></em>Citizen J.D.Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00904730629488435463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472637554841236649.post-26208506176417636402007-11-13T22:39:00.000-08:002007-11-13T23:01:29.877-08:00Time of Turmoil<em>Signing on</em><br /><br /><em></em><br /><br />The House of Congress blast last night was perhaps can be called one of the most deliberate act of terrorism or otherwise, which resulted in multiple casualties. We are are still trying to cope from the Glorietta blast and from the Cavite blast that killed five or six people and now it is being followed by this. On the former two, investigators are certain that the blasts were human errors, not human terrors. But on the latter, it seems that it is intentional. Our country has already experienced one tragedy too many, with too many people killed, and too many lives shattered. We could only hope that everytime we leave our house for work or for pleasure, we could get home safely in one piece, or better yet, alive. I don't want to say that nobody's safe anymore, because I'm still optimistic that at the end of the tunnel we can see a way out of this turmoil we're in, and I hope it will not be long. For now, the least that we can do is pray and be vigilant. Now more than ever. For we are living in a time of turmoil.<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>Signing off.</em>Citizen J.D.Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00904730629488435463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472637554841236649.post-44974030034306235192007-10-12T21:55:00.000-07:002007-11-21T00:32:48.696-08:00(Partial) Memories Of An 80's Childhood<em><span style="font-family:verdana;">Signing on</span></em><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">There are some times when I am alone with my thoughts doing nothing, procrastinating or just engaging in my confined solliloquy, or read some books for the nth time, or snoozing; but besides all that I mentioned, there's this one pastime that I would consider my most favorite; going on a trip back memory lane. Being a nostalgic fool that I am, going for a sentimental journey has become my hobby. A trip where I don'nt have to be physically out of my house. Where my time machine is my recollection about the past and my experiences that comes with them. Where all it takes is to hop in and go with the spiral and spin, spin, and spin around, and around, and around, and around....</span></p><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;">"Pagmulat ng mata, langit nakatawa sa Batibot" Ahh, how could I forget that song. And the place. The neighborhood every kids my age wished they lived.Where they can play with the childish, hulking Pong Pagong and the gravel-voiced Kiko Matsing. Where they can listen to Kuya Bodjie'sstories. Where they can learn their abc's... or in this case, a-ba-ka-da from Ate Siena. And the puppets;the siblings Ningning and Ginging, Irma and Tikyo, the bickering aliens Sitsiritsit and Alibangbang and other crop of characters whose names I can't recall anymore. All in all, Batibot is perhaps the fondest memory every 80's kid like me has in our respective childhood. And don't forget, Batibot is shown twice a day, everyday; the morning run is aired over channel 9, the afternoon run is aired over PTV 4. Weekend kiddie variety shows means either Uncle Bob's Lucky 7 Club, Pen Pen De Sarapen or Star Smile Factory.</span><br /></p><br /><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Cartoons. There were lots of that on TV then than now. Especially during weekday afternoons. When ABS-CBN resumed broadcasting after the EDSA revolution it showed robot cartoons every, if I'm not mistaken, 4:00 o' clock in the afternoon. The daily roster is as follows: Monday, <em>Mechanda (?) Robot; </em>Tuesday, damn I forgot! But that is my most favorte among all (I know that it involves computers, that is the clue); Wednesday, <em>Daimos; </em>Thursday, <em>Voltes Five.</em> Friday, on the other hand, is for the live-action super sentai Bioman. That was also the time when there are cartoons being shown on primetime. Bet that you could remember watching The Real Ghostbusters every seven o' clock in the evening on channel 2</span></p><br /><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Weekend Saturday mornings mean <em>Saturday Fun Machine</em> on channel 9, not to mention the adventures of the Superfriends which is light and campy in demeanor ccompared to the edgy approach of the recent Justice League. Other Saturday staples include channel 7's M.A.S.K and Spiral Zone and channel 2's Pole Position and Visionaries. Channel 13, which was the dominant station of the time,had Looney Tunes, Transformers, G.I. Joe, Denver the last Dinosaur, Widget among others. When primetime comes the fun didn't stopped, rest assured that I have my fill of the Thundercats and Silver Hawks on channel 7. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;">( to be continued)</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></p><p><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Signing off</span></em></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></p>Citizen J.D.Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00904730629488435463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472637554841236649.post-57872854133107749242007-10-01T23:58:00.000-07:002007-11-21T00:08:05.706-08:00Class Days and Rainy Days<em>Signing on.</em><br /><br /><br /><br />When I was a kid whenever there is news of a coming typhoon, we already had our ears glued to the TV or the radio, expecting to hear what would be every student's best wish: suspension of classes. WAHOOO!!! That would perhaps be a break to a rather another dreary day in school. But for some reason, as if the heavens conspired with nature, the day that should've justify the early announcement by DECS didn't turn out as expected it to. Instead, it turned to be a perfectly fine day. Even the sun peeks through the clouds. Bummer! On the same token, when they announce that there are classes, the opposite happens. While inside our classrooms in the middle of discussion, all of a sudden..<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />CRASSSSHHH!!! BOOOM!!!<br /><br /><br />KA-BLAAAAM!!!<br /><br /><br /><br />Just our luck. I remember when I and my two sisters are studying in a private school in Pasay when that happened. We couldn't get a jeep, so we<em> </em>rode a tricycle and we got stranded before we could reach our home. We ended up threading through flood. Good thing the level is only knee-length, so is was okay for us to wade through. I thought that that would be the first and the last time that I will go through that. Or so I thought.<br /><br /><em>Fast forward: College</em><br /><br /><br /><br />It was Saturday and I was a sophomore then. That was just a regular day for our ROTC and the weather was not a fine one then. After the drill as I was inside the jeep heading for home rain began to fall down heavily. When I am about to board another jeep I heard that the water level has reached to chest-level because the nearby dam has released a considerable amount of water for it can no longer contain it; the road is right beside the river. Since it was the only way home, I was forced to wade through it. The current is strong but managable, as I slugged through the water for hours. It was finally nightime when I finally reached home.<br /><br /><br /><br />How I wish DepEd and CHED were accurate in announcing the suspension of classes to spare students from trouble. Just like what happened to me.<br /><br /><em>Signing off</em>Citizen J.D.Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00904730629488435463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472637554841236649.post-21169693622141082592007-09-24T01:40:00.000-07:002007-12-15T22:02:47.561-08:00Just the Beginning<em>This is a test broadcast...</em><br /><br /><br /><em></em><br /><br /><br /><em>This is a test broadcast...</em><br /><br /><br /><em></em><br /><br /><br /><em>Signing on</em><br /><br /><br /><em></em><br /><br /><br /><em></em><br /><br /><em>Hi! This is Citizen J.D.C, the blog run by someone who just passively sits by the comfort of his house as he watches history and madness unfold right on his native country The Philippines. Well, he's not that passive because if he is, he wouldn't bother just keeping quiet and not to speak out his mind. That's why he created this blog, to serve as an output to his own opinion and insights about Philippine society and everything it encompasses. He is not an authority, he's not a maven, and most especially , he's not a pundit; just a plain, average citizen who share his thoughts in the eyes of a commoner. Although he is in a community where everything is possible, especially profanities, he elects to stay away from that and keep it simple and direct that way he likes it to be. He writes the way he talks, so it's like "talking" on blog. </em><br /><br /><em></em><br /><br /><em>So anyway, there goes the introduction. If there is anything that you want to comment about, whether reaction, praises, or criticism, he is open. After all, this is a community; just cut out the hate mail, please. Thank you and see you.</em><br /><br /><em></em><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><em>Signing off</em>Citizen J.D.Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00904730629488435463noreply@blogger.com0