Hapless workers of KSM of DCLA in Davao City and their disrespectful Chinese employers

I heard Novo also pay their workers measly. But imagine, hapless Filipino women having to work from 8 AM to 7 PM. or sometimes beyond that during Holidays, with only a total of 1 hour accumulated lunch and an snack for break periods. So needless to say, mornings don’t have snack breaks.  And are receiving only a measly P100/day…with no day off.

Are these Chines aliens, bullshitting our labor codes. I wonder how they are allowed to get away with it. Lagay ba?

I hope Davao City Mayor Duterte and the labor department will do something quick.

Victoria Plaza’s Loud Karaoke Ambience

I went to VP Mall one afternoon, and decided to have coffee in that coffee shop at the ground floor area, fronting the grocery.

I was looking for that coffee-shop ambience after a hard day’s work. The tempting bread in the bakery nearby is irresistible.

However, I heard a not-so-familiar noise in the background. Not so familiar since it’s been a while that I last sat in the same area, and the last time I never heard of this noise.

Upon query, I learned that it’s the karaoke joint located at the 2nd floor of the mall.

It was exasperating to be at a once-favorite place only to realize that the joy of staying there is no longer  existent.

I also learned that nearby stalls have also submitted their complaints but to no avail. Since the owner of that recreation area is said to be the manager of the mall…

Mmmm. I hope VP will do something…it’s just too much. We have already put in place regulations of noises and other pollutants in the environment but it seems VP management don’t consider the rest of their customers and clienteles.

Paalam, Cory Aquino

Malungkot ako sa iyong paglisan

Parang anak na iniwan

Inang mapagmahal at panatag,

Kalayaan ng bayan, ikaw ang sagisag.

Sa bawat araw na iyong inalay

Sa tao, sa bayan, sa sangkatauhan

Di inantala, takot at pangungutya

Kailanma’y di nagpabaya.

Nais ko man kapiling ka hanggang sa huli

Subali’t di rin makakayan sakit na pilit mong ikubli

Tunay kang dakila, at wagas pinagpala.

Paalam Cory, inang tagapagbuklod.

Salamat sa iyong lakas, salamat sa iyong katatagan

Higit sa lahat, salamat sa iyong pananampalataya

Mula umpisa hanggang sa iyong himlaya’y

Para kapakanan ng iba, buhay inialay.

Hayden Kho and his scandalous misdeeds

I never thought I would write about something as lame as Hayden Kho. He, of meteoric rise to fame, courtesy of erstwhile or still love partner Dr. Vicky Belo.

But with the upsurge of interests over his amateurish sex videos, one would want to look a bit deeply on the issue.

My colleagues watched ‘em, a friend dropped by my place to share the files, to her delight. I saw them too.

It’s no way better than 70’s porn but since Hayden became a man of interest to some movie fanatics, his bed ways also became an issue of  national or international curiosity and scrutiny.

I despise how he treated women. No matter their own personal issues, my interest is their own welfare as women so projected by him as mere sex objects. Who knows all of Hayden’s fratmates have already seen them all. Dr Vicky’s included. Grrr.

Some men really don’t care whether or not they have a thing to show to the public for public delight, that is, all they want to do is document  something, that is for them, another primal and carnal  conquest.

I just hope the law will be used to the fullest extent to penalize Hayden Ko and that the likes of him will ultimately be punished. That the PRC will be true to their rules and guidelines and will ultimately revoke Kho’s license to practice the medical profession. On what ground, you might ask. Well, any professional for that matter who commits moral turpitude  is a basis enough for revocation. Moral turpitude in this instance is taking a video footage of his sexual act with women who allegedly did not know that a camera has been in place to take the shots.  Any man of this nature, that is to document his sexual activities and dalliances with women is bound to be psychologically unsound, not necessarily of psychotic nature, that would free him legal liabilities by virtue of legal competence while doing the act but  the very act of perpetuating the video footage from one woman to the next may actually be a sign for a clinical disorder. I am just not sure if voyeurism vis-a-vis exhibitionism can also be considered.

Given his looks and his medical practice, it would not be difficult to lure women to his bed. The thing is, if he is allowed to go scot-free particularly without the necessary treatment, this sort of misdeed may happen again to other women, albeit a different methodology.

While this may be a presumption, certainly, it is good to look into the swarming cases of scandalous videos being passed where a number women are victimized and violated.

And certainly, these perpetrators must never be allowed to practice professionally, especially if their field is anything that has to do with caring for the health and welfare of the people.

Anyway, so much for the serious stuff.  These are  my thoughts and that of others’ I have heard of late, regarding the videos are:

1.Katrina dances very well.

2. Hayden is bad in singing

3. Hayden’s  dick  is not as proportionate to his tall frame. meaning, not long and big enough.

4. Maricar is very pretty and did not look less virginal, before the video was out.

5.   Worthy to note however, is Maricar’s prowess in bed.

6. The video with that Brazilian woman is poorly shot.

7.  The video with Katrina is dimly shot.

8. That video with Maricar is extremely lighted. Only goes to show that they must have been doing it a number of times that it became a habit. No lighting drama is required.

9. Hayden can be a giver in bed, a nice boy to be exact. He seem to know where to hit the spot, except he doesn’t know how to handle the boobs.

10. But there is something about him that makes me entertain another thought, that of sexual confusion. (why else would you need a proof of your sexual conquest?)

11. Is Hayden closet gay? Could this be a reason of his  alleged personality disorder apart from his hunger for attention?

I am a lesbian, so it’s not even an issue about homophobia, it’s just that to me, identity issue is apparent.

Just a thought.

NCCC Mall needs to do something to this ‘dispatcher’

In manila they call them barkers, but in davao we call them dispatchers.

These are individuals who eke out a living by dispatching passengers of taxicabs or jeepneys.  Sometimes they overdo this to the point of harassing passengers and drivers alike.

And I saw him again. He always situates himself at the front door of the mall. Running after passengers or taxicab. From my point of view.  He doesn’t have to convince passengers because surely these passengers, with their heavy load of grocery or shopping bags, will certainly hail a taxi for comfort.

The first time he got my attention was when he asked for loose change from a taxicab driver for seemingly taking in a passenger, even if he his effort was never given.

The second time, while I was waiting for my turn at the waiting line. Just when I was about to board the cab, he was running with a pushcart, telling the driver to allow the shopper to get a ride because the shoppers were already hungry. Come on! There were about 5 of us in the line.  I stood my ground and won.

This evening I saw him again. I was already inside the cab and the cab was already running when he wanted to put it to halt. Again, to ask for loose change. But the cab driver didn’t take heed.

My point is, a security guard with a neon-lighted vest is assigned to help passengers board a cab in order.  But it seems this security guard yields to this man. In other words, he is not doing his job but is getting paid.

At the same time, this ‘dispatcher’ continues to harass drivers and passengers alike for loose change. When at the very beginning his presence in the area is really not necessary. Effort-wise, he doesn’t contribute anything.

I wonder what the management of the NCCC mall is doing. Their security seem helpless in the face of this man.  The city mayor surely doesn’t like this.

Please just do something.

Does Manny Pacquiao’s win makes us more nationalistic or just national fanatics?

It is apparent that Filipinos worldwide converge to the boobtube of widescreens to savor Manny Pacquiao’s pound for pound bouts.  As a  nation, we roar in jubilation because once again Manny demolishes a competitor touted to be his supposed downfall.

Once more, Manny showed us grit, form, discipline and intelligence in his fight versus Ricky Hatton. Who would have thought he would down Hatton in the first round and knock him out finally in the second? First we shouted and cheered, and even pitied Hatton and his fiancee.

But everytime we say, we are proud to be Filipinos because we say how Manny demolished his opponents, just what do we mean?  Are we proud because like Manny, we are Filipinos?  Are we proud because a Filipino knocked out a foreigner?

It is no doubt, that Manny’s pride in his wins translates to a generic euphoria for all of us who are easily enamored by anything theatrics, magical or spiritual and of course, showbiz.

We stand and jump with pride, who wouldn’t?  We remember that we are Filipinos. We remember that Filipinos are underdogs in the global arena. And that any win over any caucasians, latinos, and possibly the black race in the realm of boxing is truly grand and worth a national pride.

But I noticed that our nationalism is shallow and less profound. Singers can’t even sing our anthems well. Manny don’t even stop to sing the national anthem. And quite clearly, the austerity measure of the country is defied with a growing number of legislators and other politicians swarming the arena.

It would have been a big leap if after every fight, all Filipinos will feel the pride and truly memorize “Lupang Hinirang” to begin with.  That after each fight politicians, the likes of Chavit Singson, Andal Ampatuan and others will cease going up the ring and just extinguish themselves from the limelight since they don’t have claims in it.

That the taxes paid by Manny will be used wisely, or even directly into a more concrete project like infrastructures, housing for the poor, environmental management, even perhaps  under his name so as to be more certain that his big sum of money will be poured on concrete changes and development.

Lastly, it is hoped that as proud Filipinos, we shall be made more aware of our role in the global arena.  That of change agents for global development, not just laborers seeking greener pastures in rich countries.  As Filipinos, we shall leave a mark so deserving of respect, and so devoid of discrimination by others so that as a nation we can stand as one and strong against the forces of bully countries who’s only aim is to divest us of our resources and national pride, by indiscriminate use of our natural resources and even bullying our justice system into cowardice and blind submission.

Now, have we become more nationalistic because Manny knocked down Hatton?

Why sing the national anthem correctly (post-mortem to Martin Nievera’s rendition)

Isn’t it odd that for several boxing matches in  recent decades, the Philippine National Anthem has been sung in different versions?

Yesterday’s singing by Martin Nievera, a noted ballader and performer, proved Martin’s  lack for nationalism. Time and again, it seemed that he never truly tried to even love the language by not learning it by heart.

And now this. One reader mentioned how embarrassed Filipinos who were in the arena that day, when Martin made his own improvisation of the national anthem, that seemingly, to the Britons mind, the singing Filipinos were offkey. All because Martin wanted to show off his prowess in singing.

Our national anthem is an emblem, a national identity. It is sung worldwide only during olympics, that is, if a contingent has won, but it is mostly sung during a Manny Pacquiao bout that stellar performers have been asked to sing. …but so far, none has done correctly.

So far, it’s only been Lea Salonga who was able to sing the anthem correctly. But Martin was to sing  chosen in instead. Nievera even mentioned during interviews that male singers can perform the anthem better, but of course, it’s just his opinion.

Our national anthem represents us a nation, and their not singing it right mirrors how we cannot do things right within our own territory.

Imagine, we can’t even sing together a song so expected to be familiar to all?

Martin nievera made an ugly improvisation of the Philippine National Anthem.

I only want to convey two points from my cerebral juices, where Martin Nievera’s singing the Philippine National Anthem during the Pacquiao-Hatton match, is concerned.

First, I am not even sure if he memorized the lyrics by heart. Time and again, Martin Nievera never showed the love for the language.

Second, Martin improvised his own ending of the anthem, losing all the emotions that go with the beat and the song….hahay. What was he thinking? His tempo and beat was ok but his improvisations, gosh! I even heard him comment that male singers can sing the national anthem better….haaaaaay I wish Lea Salonga will sing it once more for the whole world to really know how our Lupan Hinirang truly sounded.

If there is one song that I feel so strongly about it’s the national anthem.

The Davao Medical Center canteen.

How I wish this hospital canteen will have a washing area so that customers can wash their hands before eating. And how I wish they have a good supply of drinking water, a water fountain maybe….the management of the hospital must understand that most customers don’t have enough money to buy food, more so, bottled water.

Davao City has a good source of drinking water. Let us take advantage of that. The canteen is too crowded from the inside and out. I hope they will do something about the look and the smell inside the canteen.

Who decided with “Nicole”?

Or was it truly Nicole’s decision?

While the citizenry have differing reactions to the so-called “affidavit” of Nicole.

Only a few truly ever considered if it was really the victim’s decision to recant.

For one, it is undoubtedly a mind of a more legally-astute and eloquent being who wrote the affidavit.

And where is Nicole? Perhaps she is still in the country. No one saw her leave. Even the reasoning of the mother seem to be evasive and not uncommon.

One thing is clear. The lawyers of Smith was not thinking well, in pushing the case much deeper into the mudhole. The US and the Philippine government included.

With them around, while the affidavit was purportedly made or submitted, no one would think twice that they had a hand in it.

The lawyers of Smith knew they couldn’t win the case. They had to do something else to save his butt. Remember, just before the Supreme Court’s rule regarding Smith’s transfer to Philippine jail, somebody or some personalities sprinted Smith back to the United States. That alone is a clear sign.

And now this. Nicole’s so-called affidavit without her telling her former lawyer of her intent.

Mmmm. If one would only spend time to look at the case deeply, one can see jumbled pieces machinations if only to free a convict.

Another thing is clearer. Based on circumstantial evidences that were not refuted by Justiniano’s group, I wonder how they can come up with evidences that can support their “produced” affidavit.

If the mother of Nicole thought that they opted an easier way out and attain peace. Too bad, she is wrong. For sure, her current set of “advisers” as she mentioned, must have only thought of an “immediate” gain, not really of Nicole’s welfare.

For this is the truth. “Nicole” can never ever run away from her past. It happened, she can never turn back the hands of time. The vestiges of pain and sufferings are not blotted just because you fall in love with a new man or leave your country behind.

Healing comes from within. Forces that interrupt may only get things more clouded.

And this is another truth. Smith is convicted. Atty. Ursua won her case against Smith. The Supreme Court even upheld the rule of Judge Pozon.

Nothing can change history. Not even a well-written piece of retraction.

Smith lost. Nicole won. However, she wants to rewrite her story the verdict was handed.

And if ever she’ll be called by the courts once more to explain her retraction. She better get someone better than Ursua. Definitely it is not from Justiniano’s group.