From Sweet to Bittersweet

I just came from court this morning and while waiting for my case to be called, I got to hear the testimony of a husband in a protection order case. I was seated beside the wife in the gallery section as the lawyer's table was already full and I was able to observe her demeanour as her husband talked about their marriage that had gone sour. Her face was blank and expressionless with a grunt every now and then with what I surmised was her disbelief at what was being said on the witness stand.

They had a teen age daughter who looked very much like her father and was also present in court that day. I wonder how she felt hearing him say such unsavory things about her mother in front of so many people. Her face was also bereft of any emotion, as if it was but a stranger who was now testifying and she a mere observer and not his child. Was it a front, or was she just so used already of the usual animosity between her parents? I could only guess as I have not read the records of their case nor heard previous testimony. But it is more likely the latter as they would not have gone to this point if it was otherwise, to have the dirty linen of your private life put on display for all the people who go to court to hear.

After his testimony, I watched the husband as he got down from the stand and made his way through the gallery. He had to pass by us, me and his wife as we were seated at the edge of one of the benches. Both avoided each other's glances and if I had not known any better I would have thought they hardly knew each other. Such apathy on faces which in earlier and happier times showed so much love, I would like to imagine. For what other reasons is there for one to enter into a lifetime convenant? Yes, lifetime here in our country as divorce is not legal and judging from the influence of the Catholic Church on our political affairs, might never be, at least in the immediate future.

I was quite sad for them both and their children who had to suffer the indignities of such a public scuffle. But that is life and marriage, a series of both right and wrong choices and the children become collateral damage.

Welcome to another day of drama in Family Court.

Zumarraga, the land of broken promises

Zumarraga wharf


Old man of the sea, he steered the boat we rode for Zumarraga


Lonely fisherman

Rock formation

Two weeks ago I was asked by my boss to represent him at an event in Zumarraga, Samar. I was quite excited to do this as I have never gone there before and in my research over the Internet I learned that the island-municipality was a naturally beautiful place.

We went via Babatngon, Leyte which is a half hour trip from Tacloban, after which we then rode a motorized boat owned by the family of the mayor which was docked at the Babtngon wharf. The latter's personal secretary welcomed us aboard who proved to be a very able and amiable host. Embarking,I immediately noticed two armed camouflaged men on the boat, perhaps an indication of the bitter political rivalry that is known to exits between the local leaders of Zumarraga and Daram, both island towns that are figuratively a stone's throw from each other.

The trip from Babatngon took almost two hours and along the way we were treated to scenic sights that our host pointed out and named for us. There was the rock stone formations similar to that of Marabut, Samar; white sand beaches that looked deserted except for a few huts, and the ruins of a Spanish garrison meant to deter marauders of the sea.

The waters leading to Zumarraga is a deep emerald green and this could be the reason why the town is sometimes referred to as an emerald of the sea. Yet despite its natural bounty, the municipality has fallen way, way behind in terms of economic progress and the people trapped in a bucolic and yet stale existence. It was once the center of fishing trade in the islands of Samar and Leyte supplying the needs of Tacloban and Catbalogan. But now the fishes are not as abundant as before, the result of enviromental neglect and abuse. Dynamite fishing was said to be rampant and destroyed most of the corals that served as the homes for most of the sea life.

Yet despite the sad tale of the fishes gone elsewhere, the beauty of Zumarraga remain and the smiles on the faces of its people optimistic. Perhaps one day, the promises given would be kept and the waters would teem again with the bounty of the sea.

This One's for the Books

(Photo source)

I don't know if this guy in robes has lost his marbles, is a Weberian fanatic, or has had a particularly most rigid toilet training but this judge's ruling on ownership of stairs in an apartment building is one of the most absurd one I've read all my life. Maybe the judge was trying to be funny but one's thing for sure, if all courts were headed by someone like him, then God help us.

Be Wary of Texting and Calling Taxi Drivers

(Photo source)

I just read an article on a newspaper today that get me really disturbed. So disturbed in fact that I just had to make a post about it.

The Philippine Star, a national daily, ran a a story about a Filipino-American, a Harvard law student at that, who got robbed in the taxi he was riding from the airport by the taxi driver no less. It was his first trip here in the Philippines and I'm really sad that it had to happen then. I bet my first thousand dollars on Sponsored Reviews.com( if I ever get to earn that much) that he will think a thousand times before he makes a second trip here.

From that article, I made the following tips for would be travelers, especially those hailing a taxi from the airport:

1. Ride in airport-affiliated taxis only, more so if your all by your lonesome. It might be more expensive but in the long run its definitely worth it;

2. Keenly observe the taxi driver for any suspicious behaviour (e.g. surreptious glances in the rear view mirror) most especially if he starts calling and texting (this is what happened to the hapless Fil-Am of this post), once this happens think fast on how to get off the taxi or at least call someone for help;

3. Have the security guard at the airport take down the license plate, taxi number and ID of the driver, if the cabbie refuses to give his ID, be wary and don't ride his cab (better safe then sorry);

4. Ride only those cabs with the drivers' identification prominently displayed on the front; and

5. Finally, to be truly safe, have someone pick you up at the airport.

Stories like this truly make me sad for it drives away people who would have come to see our beautiful country if not for this bad lemons in our basically friendly basket of hospitable people. I do hope the authorities catch these bandits masquerading as cabbies.

An Afro-American in the White House

Decades ago, if I told you someone of African descent would become President of the United States, you would have laughed me off and dismissed my thoughts as pure fantasy incapable of becoming reality in the midst of the then socio-political realities. But now, I daresay AMERICA, you have come a long way from the days of segregated schools and buses as today history is being made. Hours from now as I write, Barack Obama, President-elect would become Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States of America with his inauguration at the Capitol Hill in Washington D.C.

A truly eloquent man, history will now judge you just as you made history and the whole world watches with bated breath to see if the words indeed truly fit the man and the speeches is but a peek into the action that is to come. Translated: Can he deliver the goods and lift America and with it the world from the worst economic crisis in years?

A List of Favorite Christmas Goodies to GIve Away

They say 'tis always better to give and receive and in the Season of Yuletide many Filipinos take this to heart which is why despite the economic crunch and subprime crisis in the States whose effects that has been felt all over the world, they still come up with their Christmas list stretching budgets to buy gifts for their loved ones. In the days running to D-day (Christmas day), malls are so filled with people making their last minute shopping that you think, "crisis? what crisis?". Oh well, didn't I read somewhere that shops make more on Christmas than the rest of the year combined?

Yet with all the choices available, a few still stand out as good 'ol favorites as perfect Christmas giveaways. Let me name some of them which owe their making it to this list their being timeless, popular, convenient and no-fuss wrapping and of course, with these tight time, cheap.

1. Without a doubt, the ubuquitous fruit cake. A favorite for its longevity, this cake has had the unearned (and unfair) rep of being recycled gifts. I beg to disagree, a good one lasts no more than two days on our Christmas table. I like the nuts, raisins inside and the bittersweet taste of the brandy.



2. Sweetened or Honey-Glazed Pork ham. "The star of the Noche Buena Feast" goes the tag line of a best selling brand. This has been one of my usual gifts for friends and in-laws and, tagline notwithstanding, a Noche Buena in my home is never complete without it.



3. Bakugan. Another one of those Japanese toy creations that has got our kids hooked. Its actually a ball that when rolled transforms into a robot. You get many imitations from sidewalk stores that run from P45.00 to P75.00 but the real and good ones sell for P220.00 up.



4. Vaccum-packed noche buena grocery items. These gift packs contain items that you can use for your holiday feast like fruit cocktail, cream, condensed milk, can of mushroom, spaghetti noodles and perfect no-fuss give aways as it is already beautifully packaged.



5. Novellino wines. I really like their wines, most especially the fruit-flavored ones. Its cheap and comes in lovely bottles. Help the economy and buy one as its maker is a genuine Filipino company and the wines are proudly Philippine-made.



6. Gift Certificates. Actually the most practical gifts as it gives the recipient the choice to buy what they want.

7. A year's subscription of Good Housekeeping magazine. With its practical tips and insightful articles (they were wise enough to include one of mine, hehehe) ), its the perfect reading companion for the married woman with kids; and

8. A lot of loving and goodwill which is free, abundant and enviroment-friendly.

Gone for a while...

I know I've been so silent have not posted for quite some time. It seems mundane matters have taken over my mind these days allowing no room for anything else, writing or blogging included. Am I experiencing some writer's block?

You see, usually I would be brimming with ideas on what to place here but lately everytime I sit down and open this blog, the words that previously were swirling in my head would suddenly do a disappearing act. Try as I might I cannot start the flow that should have begun once I open my laptop. I guess it happens to all of us. So let me take a break, rather let me stay on my break till somehow I have found my muse again...

A Trip Down Samar Country

I adore new places, ergo, I love to travel, with a catch...it has to be someplace which can be reached by plane or if not, by land not exceeding a travel time of one hour and a half (just the distance from work to the hubby's place). Blame it on the nausea that grips me when I'm on a moving vehicle for more than two hours. Yet despite puke bags and Bonamine becoming must-haves on my travelling bag, I managed to go to places that had me sitting on a van for hours on end all for the love of travel...and work. It was for the latter that I crossed the San Juanico bridge for the nth time to deliver a lecture about aged citizens and their rights down in Borongan City, capital of the Estehanons province.

I travelled alone and without any distractions which is why when the bus I was riding crossed the San Juanico bridge, I was able to fully appreciate the beauty of this magnificent steel structure. It remains to be one of the Imeldific's finest contribution to the islands of Leyte and Samar, something that has been greatly overshadowed by her world famous shoe collection. Said to be the longest in the Philippines, the bridge was constructed in 1969 during the Marcos regime and was finished in 1973. It connected the islands of Leyte and Samar cutting travel time to both significantly and built a gateway to Waray country for inter-island travel. I clicked away at the beautiful sights with my Nokia N70, my digital camera having been sidelined when my daughter decided to "cook" it for her teddy bear adding her Papa's cologne for spice and destroying the LCD in the process (aren't three year olds just cute?).

This bridge has seen stunts (an actor is said to have jumped from one of its steels posts), been home to urban legends (children were rumored to have been sacrificed to assuage the spirits of the seas angry from the intrusion) and has even become a favorite shooting spot for wedding albums. Together with the islets that dot the seascape, the San Juanico is indeed one picturesque view, one that makes me proud to be Waray.

By the way, saw some great pictures of this famous Waray landmark on a fellow blogger's site. You may visit it for more clearer shots of the famed bridge.

My Nokia can only do so much.

waray in the city gets published

As I've said in my other personal blog, the first is always something and it applies to everything, including getting an editor's nod for your article. You see, last night while I was buying my groceries at the local 24/7 shop, I decided to check this month's issue of the magazine to which I submitted a very short piece of mine, its not much, just your average everday musing. I browsed through it and and saw in quite large print my whole name staring back at me in one of the pages. It's not a lengthy article but seeing your byline on a national glossy for the first time drew a quite heady reaction, at least for me (last time I got a written work published, if you call it that, was way back in highschool, when my feature on graffiti got all of a one- fourth's page space in the school paper). My sister who has had her poems published before was quite amused at my really giddy reaction but I say: be it a few paragraphs, one page or ten pages, the first publication of whatever you have written is a cause for celebration. Someone, somewhere who's supposed to be the expert on this magazine thing, decides that your thoughts are worth printing and sharing to their thousands of readers. Of course, the money that you get paid for submitting the article is a much-welcome bonus (Okay, I'll be honest, the moolah was one of the reasons why I sent the piece in the first place). So indulge me dear readers just this once and take my giddiness with a touch of "gee-she's so excited-she-got-published-I understand totally-cause it's her first time" reaction. Gloating, is not my thing really, but then again, its the no. 1 homestyle magazine in the country (wink,wink, wink).

By the way, I won't be telling you where to look cause I still want to maintain my anonymity, but for those who have an eensi weensie idea already of who I am though they are not really sure, the article is the direct evidence that establishes conclusively my identity (hehehe).