Major major discrimination

Until now beauty contests have minimum height to qualify.  Is is this not also discrimination?  Organizers should give consideration that as long as proportions are good to woman's height there should be no minimum height!  They're making it like a basketball team!


There are a lot of women both smart and beautiful below the minimum height.  They might just even outshine many of those taller!  It has been that way before until now it is still that way!  If women do not want to be discriminated they should include this discrimination because it will also be a career for women!

Dormitory Boom in Baguio City

Does the dormitory boom in the city of Baguio shows that student population is increasing with the cost of education?  New 3 or 4-storey, or maybe more, dorms have been constructed near the junction of upper Bonifacio and General Luna Streets!  These are the streets having very heavy traffic because of proximity to the schools and hospitals.  Aside from that, the streets are also a route for jeepney public transportation that comes from heavily populated residential areas.  Drivers of these type of public transportation do not care where they stop to unload or load a passenger.


The dormitories will cause heavier traffic because there are no sufficient sidewalks for students to walk on.  So, they will be practically walking on the narrow two-lane streets.  It used to be that students prefer to stay in dorms outside of the city business center because of much lighter traffic then.  What used to be just a 10-minute travel can be 30 to 45-minute ride!  Students too have become lazy to walk and many of them now take two rides to be at the school doorstep!  Considering the cost of two-rides, one way, might equate to the same cost of staying in a dorm at the city business center!


What used to be a real conducive place for education like Baguio City is no longer that conducive.  It's only the climate of the city that still attracts many students.  The climate though is getting a little bit warmer with more people.

Bus Hostage taking Results

The bus hostage taking results are as follows:

• 8 hostages perished
• Ground commander on indefinite leave
• Autopsies show that shots fired on hostages were fired from more than 3 feet
• Shots on Rolando Mendoza: Forehead; two near base of neck; both hands and both feet; all with traces of powder burns except for the shot in the head
• Raiding squad leader sacked
• Some other raiding members either sacked or re-assigned

Theories:

1. Rolando Mendoza knows that if he had locals as hostage - results could be whitewashed; any survivor could be threatened if anything improper is said against authorities.  Foreigners can not be threatened by authorities in the same way.  This can not be be doubted because as a police officer he knows how they work around incidents like this.
2. Those responsible were given due actions because it is somewhat like an international incident where they could not hide the facts from Interpol.  If the hostages were locals there will no international intervention and local authorities could juggle the investigation as they wish.
3. Ground commander accuses Gregorio Mendoza of encouraging his brother not to give up.  The statement can only be testified to by the negotiators and the bus driver.  Whose side are they on?

An Open Letter

We, the Filipino people, ask if not demand for change.  Our fingers point almost always point to the elected powers in our country.  The news media, especially television, cover incidents like the tourist bus hostage incident.  They see, comment and record almost all that is happening.  After all the fuss, they come up with one news choosing only one side to the story.  In spite the fact that it was seen on TV, some analytical minds interpret what they see and that's not what comes out in the newspapers and news bulletins.

Is this the result of what they call "debriefing"?  To guide witnesses and survivors to tell only what authorities want to be made known to the public?  The cover-ups, the shielding or whatever they call it, has caused many tragedies to many people.  They want to make something right out of what is wrong.  Is that the correct way of debriefing?

Maybe the best thing to do is to retire all those in authority.  Change them with people who have no relation or affinity to them.  Put brand new people in government offices.  Retire old government 'dependents' to their whims.  Whatever the cost is, it will be easily recovered by well-meaning people in government.

By the way, there many non-blood related people who are Kiss-A**!  They should be included in the list of not qualified for a government position and transact business with the government!  Lastly, let us Filipinos do away with convenience at the expense of many.  That's where corruption starts to no end.

To this, I say, "Mabuhay ang Tunay na Pilipino!"  To the "fake" Pilipinos, start licking your wounds and a**es and get back 'on stream'.  The next 'flash flood" might get you into the sewers!

Very respectfully yours,

JUAN TAMA (Tama = correct) (Tamad = lazy)

Hostage taking of a Manila Tourist Bus

This is one hostage situation that reminded me of Manila Bulletin columnist Joe Guevara’s interpolation of the SWAT acronym for the Philippine Police and military.  He said it should stand for, “Simple Weapons ‘Alang ‘(no) Tactics.  This is what exactly what the police displayed when they decided to storm the tourist bus held hostage by a lone hostage taker.  The hostage taker is a dismissed captain (chief inspector) of the police force.

The hostage taker, former police Chief Inspector Rolando Mendoza, is a respected person/officer and interviews of people who know him say he is a nice and kind person.  News coverage showed that he received many commendations and was one of top ten outstanding policemen a few years back.  So he is a Rambo-like disgruntled police officer and his only demand was to be reinstated or retired with full benefits.

The story of negotiations started with ‘expert’ negotiators.  The only thing they were able to do is provide some fuel and food as demanded by Mendoza.  With that, he released a few hostages.  Then, out of nowhere, man approached the hostage bus who the police immediately arrested.  He came out to be the brother of Rolando Mendoza, also a police officer.  They used him also in negotiations but to no avail.  Not long after, a commotion came up with the hostage takers brother running out from where he was confined with policemen.  He claimed that he was being charged as accessory to the crime and fears for his life!  A drama ensued with members of his family surrounding and embracing him so he could not be taken by the police.  All the time, the drama was being shown on television which was also being watched by the hostage taker!

Let’s say the police used this strategy because the hostage taker is a nice and kind person who would not want his brother to be in the same mess.  Authorities were looking on the soft side of the hostage taker to give up.  The problem is they did not look at the other side of Mendoza!  They should have considered there is a Rambo in him!  What he saw and watched on television was exactly the same what authorities had done to him!  Anyone, maybe just about anyone, who sees the same injustice being done to a blood relative, will be enraged!  He fired some shots but maybe not to injure or kill a hostage.  Some time after he fired the shots, the bus driver was seen running from the bus.  He claimed to have escaped because “no one was longer alive in the bus” as quoted by some reporter on television. (Belated news:  According to a survivor Mendoza went berserk but did not mention at what point it happened)

This could have been the point the police decided to storm the bus.  The scenario of police approaching the bus was ridiculous!  It simply showed they had no plans on how to gain entry and neutralize the hostage taker!  They used heavy sledge hammers to smash some windows and the bus door.  They were only able to punch holes in them!  They did not even know how to open the bus door!  It was hours before they learned that the bus door is hydraulically operated!  They even tried to pull the door open with a rope pulled by a vehicle.  The rope snapped.  In between these attempts, there some shots fired from inside the bus but there were more coming from snipers.  The event looked like “hide-and-seek” by those storming the bus.

Going back to earlier shots, if Mendoza really shot some hostages, the others would have panicked after the first ones were shot, right?  Anyone in that imminent danger would do anything – shout, wave, bang on windows – anything to save them from the onslaught!  There was no commotion at all inside the bus when shots were fired inside.  It is possible that the bus driver’s message was just a ploy by the hostage taker to make authorities aware he was not giving up in spite of what they were going to do with his brother!

With the calm and quiet in the bus, authorities presumed that all the hostages were dead and no further harm could happen to them.  It was believable, adding the message of the bus driver to that!  The televised event showed police hurling tear gas and flash bang inside the bus.  Nothing happened.  Some of them even threw those carelessly and immediately bounced back to them!  OMG!  What incompetence!  When police were able to open the emergency doors, their attempts to enter were unsuccessful.  Mendoza would give them a burst of rapid fire.  He could have easily shot and killed some of the policemen but he did not.

In the end, probably when Rolando Mendoza was overcome by tear gas, he was seen by a sniper near the front door and took him out.  The hostage taking was over and there were still some hostages that survived.  Yes, the bus driver gave a message probably relayed by Mendoza, if not, an excuse of abandoning the ship of which he is the captain.

The demands of Rolando Mendoza were simple and could have been easily arranged with him or maybe even given.  The question is: Why were tactics and strategies used without studying them?  There was no deadline to be met!  Why did not even one of the authorities know that the bus had hydraulically operated doors and had an emergency door?  Why did they punch holes in so many windows?  A single hole where tear gas and flash bang would fit is enough and the effects would be much quicker without the ventilation they created!  They had to throw in so many!

To give justice to victims as the rescue done has many questions, there should be ballistic tests done on the bullets that killed the victims.  It is possible that sniper shots, before the last one that took out Mendoza, would have hit the hostages instead.  With the accuracy of the last sniper, there is no question that the earlier snipers also hit their targets but not Mendoza.

What are the changes in education?

There are so many changes in school education and maybe those of us who are 40 years old and above, would no longer be 'current' to what is being taught in school.  This is especially true with the math, science and electronics technology subjects!

Since my four children have been going to school in 1988 to the last that went to high school in 2009, their text books change every year!  In short, does it mean that what children learned in school the past year is no longer good for those coming in that school level the following year?  Books are major costs in education every year with private schools.  Public schools, well most of them, are content with their books that are hand-me-downs or donated.

In my last year in high school that was in 1971, we were using standard books rented out by the school library.  Those who are from our generation are good.   After college, it was incumbent upon us to learn along the way in our lives.  We coped up.  So what's the difference between now and before?  That way I look at it, the difference is just the cost.  The quality before is even better than now.  Sad to say . . .

Why do we need more fluids now than before?

Before the 1990s, you hardly see anyone carrying a bottle of water or any container for hydration, to drink fluids from.  This is especially true in our city of Baguio. Except, of course, for those who have flasks with them that contains alcohol like gin, rhum, brandy or vodka. (that's more for dehydration ... hehehe)  Does this mean that people now easily get dehydrated?

During the earlier years there were soft drinks and other bottled fluids that you could easily buy almost anywhere.  They were sufficient to quench thirst or 're-hydrate' people then!  What is the difference between then and now?  Why does it seem that we need to water our mouths more now than before? 

I did not offer an answer here and that's the reason for the title of this post.  Any scientist out there to give an answer or explanation to this?  If your answer is global warming, forget about it, that's what I have in mind.

Passion Fruit - Masaflora (Pinoy)

More than 40 years ago, Baguio City had a lot of Passion fruit growing in the wild.  It is a vine fruit that did not need extra or special attention to grow.  It's almost the size and shape of a large egg.  Easy to crack open  by pressing it between the base of the palms.  For those with vivid imaginations, you might find it gross that contents of the fruit are like small eyes resembling those of chicken eyes!  Well, that's the variety we have in our city. 

To us, it has a unique taste especially before it gets fully ripe.  More on the sour side and hardly any sweet taste.  Unless there's already some purple color showing on its skin or shell, it would be quite sour.  Adding salt to the 'raw' passion fruit gives it much flavor.  Personally, I prefer it raw than fully ripe.  It also very flavorful making it into juice!


Now I don't see them anymore around the city.  It is a wonder why something so easy to plant and care for has been neglected.  I have not been in the city market for a very long time now and I don't know if they're still selling the same passion fruit.  I've seen some a long time ago for sale but they were not the variety that I am describing here.


The Passion fruit is not as hardy as the Sunflowers and Pine trees.  It is a wonder because there are no pests that harm them.  Bees visit the flowers but when it starts grow the fruit, not even ants would bother them even when ripe.

Jejomar Binay - True Oppositionist

The Philippines new vice-president Jejomar Binay in his campaign it was stressed that he is a true opposition.  Well, he took his oath of office and still stands pat at being an opposition.  The president was offering cabinet positions and he opposed all.  His convoy does not stop at traffic lights so he is still opposing what is supposed to be a good example being set by the president.  He is also opposing the fact that there is no vice-presidential home.
Maybe he was thinking the President anyway is not staying in Malacanang, it might just be offered to him.  To those who voted for him, look at what he doing now.  When he gets more power he will soon be also opposing you.

New Philippine President - Who or what should change?

A new Philippine President will be inaugurated on June 30, 2010. For my 56 years, there was no Philippine President that was truly appreciated.  To many a re-elected Philippine President cheated in one way or another.  Filipinos ask for a change in the the government.

It seems though that it is the Filipino that has not changed, no matter who the President would be.  Many criticized President Cory Aquino but when she passed away there were more praises.  This just simply shows that it is not the government but the people.

Take a look at Japan or the U.S. it is because of the people and not the government per se that changed or made improvements to their countries!  It is the people who changed for the better!

2010 Philippine Election Results

Sorry about the title, it's not about voting results.  It is about those who lost, especially in the top positions.  This is my first time to see losing candidates conceding to those leading in the race.  They did not even mention anything about being cheated!  They also gave reassuring words to help the winner.  That's more like it!  Finally, they realize they are not in a sporting world where helping the winner could mean more defeat on the losing party's end.

Maybe if Noynoy Aquino and Jejomar Binay win the two topmost positions, the losing candidates will be behind them to support the government.  In doing that, they will clearly show and display what they have been campaigning for.  They should realize that it is not only in winning the elections that they can contribute to the nation's needs.  The winning candidates should show flexibility wherein they could integrate the losing candidates' campaign promises with that of their own.


Filipinos will not mind at all if all of them will be appointed in critical positions in the government.  All of them have great ideas and objectives for the Philippines.  If they all could work on it altogether, I do not see any reason why the Philippines will still be suffering difficulties with that.  With all their campaign promises and pledges, the Filipinos need all.  It's just not possible to vote them all for a single position.

Baguio City local Candidates - May 10, 2010

The multi-party system elections is more confusing, if not more disturbing.  Baguio City is such a small city with a population that shows to be around 292,977 (as of May 2007), according to the PLDT directory for 2009-2010.  The registered voters list is around 155,000 according to a local web site.  The number of candidates for the top positions is just crazy!  Let's hope that voters in Baguio vote wisely and intelligently.  There are ten (10) running for Mayor and here's the list: 

• 01 Barcelo, Ruben Liwag "Ben"; (IND. )
• 02 Busacay-lazo, Erlinda Adan "Erlinda"; (IND. )
• 03 Domogan, Mauricio Gamsao "Morris"; (LKS-KAM )
• 04 Go, Marquez Ocampo "Mark"; (PMP )
• 05 Hernandez, Guillermo Codinera "Willie"; (IND. )
• 06 Labo, Ramon Jr Lozano "Jun"; (IND. )
• 07 Mandapat, Julius Javier "Butch"; (IND. )
• 08 Molintas, Jose Mencio "Joe"; (LP )
• 09 Puzon, Peter Dulay "Terminator"; (IND. )
• 10 Sembrano, Elaine Dominguez "Kabsat"; (PDP LABAN )

For the Congressional seat, 9 running for it and they are:

• 01 Avila, Edgar Mendoza "Ed"; (PMP )
• 02 Balisong, Rocky Thomas Aspilan "Rocky"; (NP )
• 03 Bautista, Reinaldo Asperin "Rey"; (IND. )
• 04 Bello Iii, Dwight Nicolas Advincula "Ike"; (IND. )
• 05 Quilala, Rabinrandranah Pablo "Kabagis"; (PDP LABAN )
• 06 Ramos, Felipe Tribonalo "Felipe"; (IND. )
• 07 Vergara, Bernardo Mangaoang "Bernie"; (LKS-KAM )
• 08 Yangot, Leandro Jr. Bagto "Leandro"; (LP )
• 09 Yaranon, Braulio Dacanay "Raul"; (LDP )

There are 57 candidates for the City Council and only three (3) running for Vice-Mayor!


If there are 10 candidates for Mayor and 9 for Congress, then this simply shows that each of these candidates do not believe each other for the benefit of Baguio!  Anyone who wins in those two posts will win in number or by popularity but not by majority.  The majority would have voted for someone else.  How would you let an election winner seat in an elective position who was not voted by the majority?

With the number of those running for mayor and congress it is a display that, except for the incumbents of course, the rest were not satisfied on how they served the city.  Both incumbents are now running for the other seat.  One has been a ping-pong ball on both seats while the other intends to jump to a higher seat.

Years before, I think even when the multi-party system was already in, there would be only at most, 4 candidates for each Mayoralty and Congressional seat in Baguio.  Very often, the winner wins by majority, if not real close to it.

River View Waterpark - Asin

We were at River View Resort again at Asin, Tuba yesterday, April 17, 2010.  As with the previous times we were there, it was to celebrate my youngest son's, Ace, birthday for April 23, his 18th.  The park has expanded with a lower tier of swimming pools.  Weekend accommodation there is still as full as before.  The lower part where cottages are located beside swimming pools are now only for private functions and for those staying overnight or beyond.

Our routine was the usual.  I did all the grilling of pork chops, milk fish and eggplants.  Ace and four of his buddies enjoyed the swimming, strolling and girl watching.  Ace took care of most of the food costs as a treat for his good online work income doing web designs.  Lunch time came and only then did we realize that we had prepared more food than we can consume.  It was a real native feast of  'inihaw' (grilled) food and 'kamayan' (eat with bare hands).  

After lunch and short rest, as my usual, I strolled around the park to see other improvements.  What I wanted to see again was the small park with man-made 'automated' bamboo waterfalls and the hut with a pond of large water lilies. At first, I thought I was lost.  Walking back and forth to where I know it is (or was) located, it was nowhere to be found.  It was sacrificed in exchange for improvements for parking.  Good thing I had photos and here are two photos: 

I'm not really sure if they have relocated it or not.  There was no point exploring any farther because the resort's property boundaries were already in sight from the new parking spaces.  I was simply disgusted because I intended to stay around that small park for at least half an hour.  It's good we had more than the photos above. (That's a quick before and now here for River View).

After two hours more on the resort, we were on our way back to Baguio City.  Along the way, my eldest son, Ryan,and I were talking about the circumferential road we wanted to try passing on the way back.  About 4 or 5 kilometers on the road, we spotted a monitor lizard (bayawak) leisurely crossing the road.  My family was excited because we never expected wildlife to still be around in the area.  Slowing down and stopped, we watched the lizard cross and as we passed it my son gave it a 'reverse' whistle.  The only time it scampered into the green beside the road.  Actually, Ryan wanted to get the lizard and take care of it.  It was a happy encounter with wildlife unexpectedly.

Going back to the circumferential road, we came upon a junction that pointed there.  We all agreed to take it.  Well, what do you know?  Almost exactly the same distance with the original route but with wider roads and a lot less traffic!  It was a good experience and relaxation from the hectic job we do online.  Both Ryan and I do writing articles online, full time.

Camp John Hay - Before

The Camp John Hay (CJH) Air Force Base of before was originally a United States Armed Forces military reservation.  It was not really a military camp or installation but a recreation facility for USAF men stationed in various real military bases in the Philippines.  There was no airstrip or any military equipment in the base.  It has a beautiful golf course (I don't play golf) that is a main attraction to many, locals and military personnel alike.  The course is so well designed and had an annual event every December that foreigners and locals participate in.

The Main Gate, as they call it, was practically at the tip of  the main city road, Session Road.  A very welcoming main entry to the base.  Until the early 70s, I believe, to have access to CJH, you have to apply for a gate pass as long as you're 18 years old and above.  It was such as a great recreation center that it was the main center also for night life before.

Camp John Hay had the Half-Way House that featured nightly band performers and a dance floor.  In its earlier years it had some slot machines somewhere at back part.  Not far from there, maybe half a mile, is the Mile High Bowling Center.  It had only 6-lanes of fully automated Ten-Pin facility.  Aside from that there were pinball machines, pool tables, darts, table tennis and an unforgettable snack center.  For about the same distance more into the base is the 19th Tee Golf Club to the left and the Billeting Office to the right, coming from the fork of the road.

Farther up from the golf club is the Scout Hill that has more open-air recreation facilities. A baseball field, volleyball court, tennis courts, skating rink, ice cream parlor, snack bar, a mini-golf course and a children's playground.  It is actually a park within the main circumferential road.  Across the roads are beautiful cottages where military personnel are billeted.  Across the volleyball court is an entry leading to the Ambassador's residence.  I believe the location of the residence is where General Yamashita surrendered (or yielded his Samurai) to the U.S. armed forces after World War II (I hope I'm right with this one)
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Okay, this one's getting too long - from here I'll to do a Part 2 next time - more on the surroundings of Scout Hill.  (I hope I can also get some old photos of CJH)

PLDT DSL

After three (3) long months, finally PLDT was able to resolve my DSL problems.  It really needed for their technician to come and see what's wrong.  Before coming over he checked with their Makati office.  He said that my "profile" was not updated in their system that's why it would disengage or lose connection with servers.  It seemed to have worked after my profile was updated.  It did not work very long.  The technician was as pissed off as I with the problem so he came over to check my PC internet connection.

At home, he called the Makati office to coordinate and track my connection.  He asked Makati to configure my system.  With that, my internet was able to connect with servers and access websites.  When the tech man tested the speed, he was not impressed.  It was too slow for what for the plan I subscribed to.  Finally he said he was going to replace the modem.  He said the my old modem was taking too long to find and access an IP address.  Besides the old modem is 3 years old and might have some problems.  After replacing it with their latest modem, everything worked well.

The problem could have resolved much earlier if PLDT's 172 agents knew what to look or trace for.  They should have known that we subscribed to PilTel before it was taken over by PLDT.  Being one of the top companies in the Philippines they should be able to train those people very well.