DU30 SONA 2016

For someone like me who has seen and heard State of the Nation Address of several Presidents before President Rodrigo Roa Duterte - DU30, this is the first one that did not refer to statistics.  The SONA 2016 of DU30 trully stated the what the nation, the Philippines, is really in.  He emphasized on what needs to be done and how it should be done. The main problems of the country on illegal drugs, criminality and corruption was clearly stated on why the country could not move on.

DU30 did not point a finger or put blame of past administrations.  He simply stated that the issues were not properly addressed making the country suffer more.  The most important part of his SONA was being able to see what exactly was happening with people applying for passports and the anguishing fishermen at Laguna de Bay.  That simply shows that he knows and recognizes the plight of the ordinary Filipino.  

The point of his SONA is what the Philippines is, how it is now and what needs to be done to move on.  He was clear on issues regarding appointment to the cabinet.  What is important to him is that the line of thinking of people working with him is the same as his.  It was a wonder why Peter Cayetano was not there.  Lilia de Lima was good not to be there.

Pinoy TV soaps making people stupid

Why are so many Filipinos so gullible when it comes to Pinoy soap operas that come up?  The reason for them to follow a TV show is the feelings they have on the stories.  They don't think and analyze anymore!  When one TV show had a star having amnesia in the plot, almost every soap that followed had stars having amnesia in the show!

Then there are the look-alike or twins where other characters are confused from one to the other.  The stories hardly happen in real life!  The latest on GMA 7 is one entitled "Temptation of Wife" that has a following at home.  Having watched it twice or thrice with them, I said the show is stupid.  They have a female star who is believed to have perished then came a look-alike girl who is also herself.

The stupid thing there is, some of the characters suspect her to be one and the same.  The show makes it so difficult for them to prove she is one and the same when it is so simple!  Lift off a fingerprint of the new girl and match it with the fingerprint the one who is supposed to be dead!  Filipino TV networks are making big money and making viewers stupid.

New Year's Luck - Filipino Style

Towards the coming of every New Year, Filipinos always look for what would be lucky for them for the coming year.  When Feng Shui became famous, Filipino-Chinese saw the opportunity of making lucky charms out of the practice.  Round objects like coins, fruits and crystals were used in given sets of numbers, said to be lucky.

Prominent TV shows in the Philippines invite people who preach or promote Feng Shui to show viewers what could be or would be lucky for them.  One presenter at the +GMA Unang Hirit show said a door was passive because it is located on the left.  On the left of what?  Then, said that seven (7) coins of various denominations should be kept in a pouch as number 7 is a lucky number.

He proceeded next to the dining table and said there should be a fruit basket that should hold eight (8) round fruits!  Saying 8 is also a lucky number.  (More Chinese, I believe, go for the number 8 as luckier than 7)

It is noticeable that every year, these so called Feng Shui "experts" change what will be needed to prepare for New Year as lucky.  Okay so the Chinese zodiac changes every year - that might be their contention.  The bottom line is, the supposedly 'lucky' things do not make them any more prosperous.

Those who did not have that much luck can ask the "experts" why.  This is where their sales talk comes in.  They will ask for the birth date and time of the unlucky person.  That's when they tell the person he or she needs this and that to get lucky.  For the gullible, they spend or buy more of what the "expert" offers.

Philippine TV Newscaster mistakes

News-casting in Philippine television has been using the Filipino language for quite some time now.  But it is so disgusting that their news writers put in some wrong words in delivering the news.  For example in English,  a news would go like, "A large residential area was burned down.  There were no reports of casualties and there was no one hurt."  In Tagalog or Filipino it is narrated as, "Malaking lugar ng kabahayan ay natupok ng apoy.  Ayon sa mga balita walang nasawi at wala ring nasugatan."  The word nasugatan means wounded.  It would be more appropriate to use the word nasaktan which directly means "got hurt".

Another is the use of the word "namataan" that means seen or spotted.  It is alright to use it for weather reporting like, "Ang bagyo ay namataan sa sa hilagang-kanluran."  A reporter used the word in reporting an earthquake that occured and said, "Ayon sa mga balita ang epicenter ng lindol ay namataan sa bandang karagatan na malapit sa Bicol."  Instead of namataan, it should have been said "ay nagmula", which means "it came from".

Sport casters have been using the word "bumubulusuk" when referring to "flying fast upwards" when the word really means "on a steep dive".  The right word for flying fast upwards is "pumapailanlang".