Lent break

I’m going on a Lent break.

Let’s heed the call of Archbishop Fernando Capalla last Palm Sunday to read and reflect on the bible this week.

Happy Easter to all!

(7:17 a.m.)

People power fatigue?

Protest actions are in fashion again these days with renewed calls for the Malacanang Palace occupant to quit over rampant corruption scandals in government.

For the first time since I became an activist since high school, I am not taking an active part in these recent mass actions.

I fully concur with Akbayan that this fresh crisis calls for system, rather than just personality, change. What our nation need, and very badly, is a thoroughgoing system reform. Changing leaders at the top would not have a dent at all as shown by our experiences since Edsa 1 and 2. We had new leaders in Cory instead of Marcos, and Gloria instead of Erap but nothing changed because the system that breeds corruption remained.

Am I one of those afflicted with “people power fatigue?”

Well, I am actually busy building rooms for my children, and I strongly feel that this work is much more important that raising my fist again.

(7:12 a.m.)

Erratic signal

I am having erratic internet signal in my house which explains my erratic postings. I cannot access my mails too because of this problem. I apologize to those who are expecting me to reply to their emails.

In fact, I wrote the previous post on Ambassador Kenney’s visit to a MILF camp last Tuesday yet but I can only post it today due to the same weak signal.

My wife is mulling to cut this PLDT DSL connection. We are paying for a broadband service and gets slower than dial up if, luckily, there is one at all.

Hohum.

(5:02 a.m.)

Hurts the pocket

My wife Evelyn and or four children are in my heart today, Valentine’s Day. They are my Kapuso and Kapamilya.

Yet in the case of the heated TV ratings war between the two giant networks, ABS-CBN (Kapamilya) and GMA (Kapuso) my heart bleeds.

I have plenty of friends on both networks, and my wife even provides plant decors to the two studios.

I am saddened that in their recent ratings rivalry both are hurting on their pockets. Due Diligencer reports that from Jan 2, 2008 highs of P34.50 and P7.80, ABS stocks has plunged to P25; GMA went skidding to P5.90, respectively. Both suffering more than 24 percent down. This means that my friends on both side who owns stocks lost quite a sum of money.

This clearly shows that the market reacted negatively on the noise of their ratings war.

(6:35 a.m.)

Millennium Baby

Remember our search for Davao’s Millennium Baby at the start of year 2000?

Well, the baby is now an 8-year old healthy and bright boy. He was born closest after the strike of midnight on January 1 and vested five others born minutes into the new millennium.

As chair of the city’s Millennium celebration in 1999-2000, I kept track of the young boy.

When he turned 5, I asked NCCC Mall for a special gift. And so on New Year’s Day, his birthday three years ago, the mall treated him and his family to free movies, snacks and rides and games at Timezone.

When he started school, I asked the Holy Child School of Davao, one of the best in the city, for a scholarship. He’s doing good at school I am told.

Belated happy birthday to Patrick Mille Ortiz!

To-do list

Here’s my priority to-do list for this year:

1. Finish constructing our new house;

2. Advance key advocacies, i.e., participatory governance, alternative energy, consumer protection, livelihood promotion, and my other projects at the City Council;

3. Man the house. My wife Evelyn would be busy this year as she starts to sit at the board of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce & Industry;

4. Help revitalize the Liberal Party in the Davao Region

(6:10 p.m.)

2008

Happy New Year!

(7:14 a.m.)

A good year

I bid goodbye to 2007 and welcome the new year.

The year had been good to me. I got re-elected to the City Council, advanced many advocacies, stayed healthy in spite of my stomach problems, and started to build a new house.

I am hopeful for more luck in 2008.

Cheers to you all!

(6:44 a,m,)

Golden day

Today is my birthday, my golden day in my golden year. Yup I am 50 years old today!

Glad that this day is devoted as Bloggers Against Abuse Day.

My wish: Stop the abuses and liberty for the people of Myanmar.

Incidentally, today is also the founding anniversary of the National League for Democracy, the party led by Aung San Suu Kyi.

Off to Manila

I am leaving for Manila this morning to attend the conference of the Governmental Affairs Committee of Akbayan (September 5-6), the legislative workshop of members of the Davao City Council which will be held in Makati (September 6-8), and the Philippine Travel Mart (September 7-9).

Not sure really if I can post in my blog.

(4:47 a.m.)

I’m 163

My nine-year old son just woke up. This reminded me that I am 163.

That’s bantay bata for you Maria or nanny for you George.

Ha, ha, ha! You could not believe a busy person like me could be doing this task.

My wife Evelyn left for Manila, Bangkok and Shanghai for a business trip last Wednesday. So, for the next two weeks I am the housekeeper.

It’s really no problem with me. I can do all those stuff I learned from my mother when I was a teen - laundrying and ironing, cooking, washing the dishes, cleaning the house, putting the kid to bed and other house chores. I do these even if Evelyn is around. There are many occasions when she is busier than me and so I take charge of the house.

My only problem?

Teach our three teenage kids to do the same. Teens these days are different. (6:03 a.m.)

Josie San Pedro

Josie San Pedro will be laid to rest this morning.

She finally succumbed to the Big C which she courageously fought for several years now.

A contemporary of my father (who died also of cancer 20 years earlier), Tita Josie was a real inspiration to many Davaoeños.

English teacher, journalist, civic leader, government servant, and publisher. For her outstanding service, she was given the Datu Bago Awards many years ago. It is the highest honor for citizens of Davao City.

Goodbye Tita Josie!

(8:09 a.m.)