The World of Second Chances

Days of the Operator-Assisted Calls

June 10, 2011

Filipino Culture

My boss forwarded an email about a software supplier that has a branch in Singapore. I tried to avail of the trial software but the trial button was not enabled so I emailed the company to ask for assistance. They quickly replied and asked me to contact 747-xxx-xxxx so that their account manager/s can assist me. I googled Singapore’s country code and found it to be 65. So, I tried to contact the company by dialing 0065-747-xxx-xxxx. I heard an “unreachable tone” so I tried to dial again. I asked a friend who’s based in Singapore if there’s a 747 on their landline and he suggested that that number could be a “redirected” number. I was so sure that that landline was from Singapore so I mentioned to him that my boss thought that that number was from the USA. He agreed with my boss and he even showed me a link that I sent to him days back with that number written above the software company’s head office in Reno, Nevada. Ouch! I should have been more careful in perceiving things! Just because the first advertisement came from their Singapore office does not mean that the 747-xxx-xxxx is a Singapore landline number. Lesson learned.
How I miss the days when direct dialing was not yet possible and we have to be assisted by telephone operators whenever we need to place a long distance call or overseas call. I was very fond of placing a long distance call and talk with a telephone operator back then. Some operators were serious and stiff while most of them were friendly. There was even a time when one of my mother’s many godchildren was the one I was talking with.

“Uy, si Iris ba to? Saan ka tatawag? Ah sa Makati? Kumusta mo ako kay Ninang, ha?”
How sweet. =)
One of my admirers in college was bold enough to place a collect call from Baguio and he so missed me a lot; he talked with me for an hour! I knew it was a collect call and I was polite enough not to reject the call and I was also stupid enough not to end the conversation; it costed our telephone bill PhP500 for that call; back in the mid-90’s, that was a big amount for a telephone call.
I love Piltel operators and for me, they were the friendliest telephone operators; they wouldn’t show impatience if they could not connect your call to the person that you needed to call. When I was in Baguio, I had this Sunday habit to go to Piltel in Session Road after my Sunday mass at the Baguio Cathedral (I was a Catholic) to place a long distance call to my parents in Bataan. (I was teary-eyed when I passed by Piltel-Session Road in 2008. Memories, memories.)

It was sometime in 1996 when PLDT launched its direct dialing system in Balanga. This was a system enhancement and a reduction in labor cost, too because this new system would not need an operator to assist us in placing a long distance call.
Fast-forward to 2011 when having a cellphone is considered a necessity rather than a luxury. I was just thinking this afternoon; would it still be possible to get the assistance of a telephone operator even if I’m using a cellphone and not a landline phone? I guess, if that were possible, I would hear the voice from the other line saying “Ma’am, this 747-xxx-xxxx is NOT a Singapore number; let me help you place an overseas call to the US instead.”
Para Kanino Ka Ba Bumabangon?

June 3, 2011

Life & Love

Inspired by the Nescafe commercial, naisip ko lang, para kanino nga ba ako bumabangon? Bakit nga ba kelangan ko pang bumangon? Mas malalim ang kahulugan ng pagbangon sa akin. Hindi lang yan ang tipong pagbangon sa higaan tuwing umaga para pumasok sa opisina. Hindi lang yan ang pagbangon sa pagkaka-siesta para lang sumamba. Hindi lang yan ang pagbangon para magtimpla ng Nescafe (actually, Cafe Puro ang preferred local brand of coffee ko)

Dumating ako sa punto ng buhay ko na kelangan kong ibangon ang sarili ko sa pagkakadapa. Kung isasapelikula ang buhay ko, yung unang parte ay heavy drama habang ang kasalukuyan naman ay may halong comedy na. Ano ba ang pinakamabibigat na dagok sa buhay ko at paano ba ako bumangon? Naisip kong ibahagi ang mga ito para sa mga taong dumaranas ng mabibigat na pagsubok sa buhay. Hey, there is always hope!

1. Nawalan ng trabaho ang tatay ko- mula sa isang kumportableng buhay, nagising na lang kami isang araw na wala na pala kaming kapera-pera. Nasa grade 3 ako noon. Sa hindi maipaliwanag na dahilan, umayaw na lang sa pag-a-abroad ang aking ama at bigla na lang umuwi ng Pinas. Bilang bata na nasanay sa magagandang gamit, nagtaka ako kung bakit kelangang tipirin ang lahat. Bakit ganito na lang ang gamit ko sa school? Bakit pinagalitan ako ng teacher ko dahil recycled notebook ang gamit ko? Bakit tinapon ni teacher ang dala kong bulaklak dahil hindi mamahalin gaya ng dala ng iba. Yun ang first time kong nakaranas ng financial insecurity. Dun ko rin natutuhang magtipid at maging praktikal. Ito ang tinuturing kong pagbangon. Sa halip na maglakwatsa ako, inatupag ko ang pag-aaral ko kasi nangarap ako na balang araw, hindi ko na daranasin ang hirap na to. (Natural meron pang ibang kwento ng kahirapan, hindi ko na lang ishe-share no!)

2. Panay away ni ermat at erpat- Hindi ko na idedetalye pa ang away kasi ang punto ko naman, pag nag-aaway ang magulang, ang anak ang higit na nasasaktan. Dito ko naranasan ang insecurity pagdating sa relationship, be it friendship or romantic relationship. On the lighter note, dito ko rin natutuhang magpahalaga sa value ng relationship kaya nga pag mahal ko ang tao, mahal ko talaga; pag kaibigan ko ang tao, kaibigan hanggang hukay yun. I think my friends can attest to that. My family knows that I’m the type who fight for a loved one. Medyo matagal kong dinamdam ang insecurity na yan sa pag-aaway ng parents ko. Nakabangon naman ako kasi inuunaw ko sila nung kumikita na ako ng sarili kong pera. At sinabi ko sa sarili ko na hindi daranasin ng anak ko ang ganung bangayan ng tatay niya. Parents, don’t fight in front of your kids. Nakaka-trauma yun.

3. Iniwan ako sa ere ng first love ko- Aaaawwww…Hawww sadd naman! Akalain mo yun, akala mo kayo na habang-buhay. Akala mo, sya ang knight-in-shining armor mo. Akala mo, mapaninindigan ka nya. Puro akala..puro akala! Inisip ko na lang na hindi pala sapat ang pagmamahal lang para mag-survive ang relationship. There has to be a LOT of elements in it. Nakabangon naman ako kasi inintindi ko ang sarili ko. Nag-aral ako at nakatapos. Naitaguyod ko ang bunga ng pagmamahalan namin. Ang side effect nga lang nun, yung next relationship ko, pinakaingatan ko ng husto. Nasobrahan ang pag-iingat na yun at dumating din ang punto na game over na sa amin. Pero alam nyo, nakabangon pa rin naman ako. The best na may isang lalaking nagmahal talaga sa akin maging sino man ako (naks! Sharon-Robin!) at smooth-sailing ang married life ko. San ka pa! Ito yung tipong, may pumatid sa yo, sinipa ka pa, tinadyakan pero may isang kamay na nagtayo sa iyo. Hawww nice!

4. Na-outgrown ako ng tropa ko- Hahaha! Nubeh! Isang umaga nagising ako hindi na pala ako part ng social circle ng mga tinuturing kong kaibigan. Ewan ko ba.Super hurt ako that time at hindi ako magpapakaplastik na dumating sa punto na pwede na rin kaming magsolian ng kandila, litrato at pati mga tsismis na pinag-usapan. Naisip ko lang, ganun talaga ang buhay; may darating, may aalis. Para naman akong hindi IE, queieng theory lang yan, may arrival at may departure. Naisip ko lang, ganun lang ba itapon ang mga moments ng chikahan, kwentuhan, palitan ng tsismaks at hingian ng advice? Sa akin siguro, I treated the friendship as something na dapat i-treasure. Baka yun lang din ang value ko sa kanila, kasa-kasama pero hindi kaibigan. Nakabangon naman ako kasi nasubok ko at na-assess sino lang ba ang dapat kong itago sa inventory of friends ko.

5. Hindi ako na-promote- Yuck! Hindi ako na-promote at yung kakumpitensya ko pa ang napromote! Worse, yung mga kosa nya ay against na against sa akin na tipong pwede silang mag-picket pag ako ang na-promote. If there is one person who helped me get through with it, yung ex-bf ko yun. Syempre andun din ang suporta ng pamilya ko. Iyon din naman ang magandang memory ng ex ko, magaling syang mag-motivate pagdating sa career ko. Paano ba ako nakabangon sa incident na yun. Wala lang, naging sport lang ako at pinalipas ko rin ang alingasngas ng mga supporters nya. Ang lesson na natutuhan ko dun ay matutong makiramdam sa takbo ng pulitika sa opisina. Hindi ka pwedeng lumaban kung buong bayan ayaw sa iyo. Hindi pwedeng puro talino kasi may mga taong pwedeng mag-coup d’etat sa iyo. Hindi pa rin naman ako talunan kasi binigyan din ako ng magandang salary increase ng boss namin. Yehey!

O, ikaw? Para kanino ka bumabangon? Kaya mo pa bang bumangon? Kayanin mo!
Are You A Poser?

June 2, 2011

Life & Love

I came across a thread in Pinoy Exchange’s Buhay Pinoy section about a pexer’s wife revealing the identity of some three or four pexers. It happened to be her husband who had been victimizing pexers, both male and female; who had been pretending to be a person he was not. Some of the pexers got affected because some of them “hooked up” with the female alternick of the poser. It could be a case of net addiction on the poser’s part and living in his fantasy world was his way of getting even with life.

When I decided to put my real name on WordPress, I knew that my privacy would be vulnerable but I wanted to have an honest and transparent blog so that was it. I just put some regulations on my blog like being responsible and careful about my personal opinion on some hot topics. My WordPress is also very different from my blogs in the past because I do not post personal pictures here. I do not mention the real names of family and friends that I write about; I respect their privacy.

Using my real name will prevent the risk of creating a character that is not really me like age, civil status, social status and achievements. If I were using a different username, I might be tempted to pose myself as someone rich, successful and devastatingly beautiful.
In The Name of Love (Dylan’s Perspective)

May 30, 2011

That’s Entertainment

There is no question that Aga is a good actor but I guess nobody will disagree if I say that Jake Cuenca is excellent on this movie. He portrays the role of the governor’s second son; the first one (Ryan Eigenmann) is illegitimate. Dylan is the lesser evil between Homer (Ryan Eigenmann) and he. Perhaps by nature, he is soft-hearted but he needs to be like his father and half-brother (Homer) to get the former’s approval. He is his father’s bait, his father’s last chance to lord it over in the political arena of their province. Unassuming and young, he questions his father’s decision why he is being asked to run for a vice-mayoralty seat instead of the aggressive Homer. In his father’s mind, he knows that Dylan will make a better political asset than Homer. After all, the people hate them. They need someone new and charming to win the people’s heart. He has a girlfriend (Cedes/Angel Locsin) whom the masa can identify with, nevermind the rumors that she was dancer (perhaps she is even an escort girl). Cedes is the icing on their cake or maybe a deodorizer or an image booster.
In a twist of fate, he meets his fiancee’s ex-lover Emman. His friendship with Emman (Aga Muhlach) starts when the latter saved him from one assassination attempt. He realizes that Emman is smart and his suggestion on how to boost his vice-mayoralty candidacy is considered. Clueless about his fiancee’s past with Emman, he is the one who hired Emman to be Cedes’s dance instructor for the Governor’s Ball.
It is Dylan’s mother who came up with the idea about sponsoring a Governor’s Ball. The family’s image needs some cleansing .Carmi Martin’s life as a rich politician’s wife is touched at the cemetery scene with Cedes. While the two women’s life could have been parallel (Carmi as a poor provinciana got married to a rich politico), their reason for staying with their men is different. Carmi did it for money, Cedes did it for love. How can one decent woman stomach to live with a man she doesn’t love and even be made a whore by that man just to find ways on how to help her man?
Later it is unfolded that the governor and Homer had a plan to assassinate Cedes while she and Dylan would be dancing at the Governor’s Ball. Being young, uncorrupt and so much in love, they knew that losing Cedes could release the evil in Dylan by probably getting back at their political enemies or maybe, Dylan could get the public’s sympathy. Either way, it’s win-win for the family.
But the plan does not materialize because Emman arrives just in time to prevent the sniper (too bad he caught the bullet for Cedes!) The governor shows his true color by pointing the gun at Cedes, their sacrificial lamb, much to Dylan’s shock. It is out of instinct when he catches the bullet for Cedes.) A man in love will do anything for the woman he loves just like what Emman did for Cedes. Dylan dies on the spot while his ladylove is busy crying over the love of her life Emman.

Jake Cuenca did justice to his role as a young man trying to win his father’s affection and his ladylove’s heart. In the name of love, he protected Cedes from anyone who would harm her. Jake is just too perfect for the role, I forgot that for a time, I hated him for that chance encounter incident with ex-gf Roxanne Guinoo at a bar. There is something in his acting that is uniquely his. The intonation, the body language, the depth, the intensity- I wonder if his acting talent has always been there or was it polished at regular acting workshops in ABS-CBN. For a young actor to be pitted along a much veteran and talented actor like Aga Muhlach, Star Cinema made the best decision to include Jake Cuenca in the cast.
This is the best Aga Muhlach film ever. In this film, Aga is so convincing, you will forget that he is Aga Muhlach, the star. In this film, he is just Emman, an ordinary Filipino working as a dancer in Japan. He is a father estranged from his son, a middle-aged guy being stalked by a girl in her mid-20’s, a lover who will sacrifice in the name of love. That confrontation scene with Angel Locsin as Cedes is just too realistic, you will forget that this is just a film.

I am not impressed with Angel’s pole dancing but let’s not focus on that. (Hey, Ciara Sotto is the best pole dancer for me!) I like her best on the scenes where she is not speaking at all. You can feel her pain, her excitement for seeing Emman again and all her kept emotions through the years she and Emman are separated from each other.

Yes, I am writing this article from Dylan’s perspective. Isn’t it obvious that Jake Cuenca earned a fan in me?
PAGASA and The Weather

May 27, 2011

Life & Love

Some people are criticizing PAGASA for its inaccurate weather forecast. Since the time I was born and as far as I can remember, you can count on your fingers how many weather forecasts are predicted accurately per year. Is there something wrong with the way PAGASA is doing its weather forecasting? Or shall we believe their age-old alibi that it is really hard to predict the weather forecast because the weather is erratic by its very nature?

So the problem is: PAGASA cannot give us accurate weather forecast.
Why? Because the weather is erratic.
Another why? Because their equipment is not capable of accurate weather forecasting.
For the first WHY, case is closed. We can never do anything about that.
For the second WHY, there are possible solutions like purchasing and installing a more state-of-the art equipment capable of giving more accurate weather predictions at a six sigma level so that you have a 99.99966% chance of an accurate weather prediction.We can also take a look at PAGASA’s workforce. We can take a look at their competencies. Of course, this is not to say that they are not competent enough to be there. What I am saying is that, their people must be constantly trained or be updated when it comes to weather forecasting. Why? Because we do not know how a certain area will react to the intensity of the typhoon especially if that area is rarely visited by a typhoon. It’s easier to say to Batanes residents or those living near the coastal area to evacuate once a typhoon is forecasted to be coming because its the nature of their geographical location; to be visited by typhoons. Yes, PAGASA can predict the volume of water that a typhoon or a heavy rain will bring but a typhoon is not just composed of water but water PLUS strong wind.

So speaking of the latest typhoon Chedeng, PAGASA deserves commendation and NOT criticism for advising people to prepare for the typhoon. It was forecasted that Chedeng could have been another Ondoy and PAGASA gave the necessary information and warning to the people especially those living near bodies of water and landslide-prone areas. Ms. Dinky Soliman said during a TV interview on Wednesday morning that the government is aiming for a zero casualty that is why the cooperation and understanding of the people is really needed. Yes, sleeping in an evacuation center is hard but it is nothing compared to losing someone due to typhoon.

PAGASA rocked us all by telling us to prepare and we listened. Yes, the forecast is inaccurate again but isn’t it right to consider this (our place not being hit by Chedeng) as a blessing? Instead of criticizing PAGASA, why don’t we thank them for a job well done in informing us that a typhoon as strong as Ondoy COULD have hit us?
Social Climbing People

May 26, 2011

Life & Love

Duh!
Kashe ganon!
Mga taong nagiging “w” ang “r.”
Starbucks
Havaianas
Ipanema
Mga taong pilit nagpapaka-Kris Aquino sa pagsasalita.
Ano sila? Two words: SOCIAL CLIMBER

Lahat naman ng tao naroroon ang pagmamalaki pag may napupuntahang magandang lugar. Say, Boracay, Puerto Galera, Baguio…etc. Nakakairita lang pag yung tao na yun ay may feeling na siya lang ang nakapunta dun. Para bang LSS (last song syndrome) na yung screensaver, wallpaper ng cellphone at computer ay yung pictures niya sa napuntahan nya. Isama mo pa na pati profile picture sa Facebook, yung napuntahan nya. Mas nakakairita pag isang linggong iyon ang topic nya.

I go to Starbucks para lang maiba naman. Nakakasawa ng magtimpla ng sarili kong kape. Hindi naman ako masyadong naiirita sa mga social climber na naroon. Siyempre, nag-e-enjoy lang sila. Wag lang silang masyadong mapapel at pwede ba, umorder naman sila ng iba pa bukod sa kapeng tinitipid inumin.

Ang alam ko pag may speech defect ka, pwede kang pumunta sa isang speech therapist so I don’t get it bakit may mga taong ginagawang “w” ang “r.” Buti nga si Iza Calzado nawala ang speech defect nya na yun. Sino kaya therapist nya? Okay, fine, may ibang tao na talagang twisted ang dila. I am particular naman dun sa mga taong sinasadyang gawing “w” ang “r” as if cute sila. Idagdag pa dyan ang pa-Kris Aquino na mga office girls and office boys na if I know, 150 pesos lang ang laman ng wallet. Ay, bad ko! Point ko lang, kung magpapaka-social climber ka, magdala ka naman kahit isang libong piso sa wallet mo.

Masaya na ako sa Islander. Banana peel nga ang tsinelas kong pambahay eh. Yung iba kala mo bagay sa paa nila ang Ipanema at Havaianas. Okay lang isuot eh, wag lang yung pa-obvious na tinataas-taas pa ang paa para ipakita ang tatak ng tsinelas. Mapigtas sana!

Ito ang pinaka, yung lume-level o dumidikit sa mga totoong sosyal para naman maambunan ng konting kasusyalan. Mga kiss ass at mga aliping sagigilid sa mga kilalang tao sa lipunan na okay lang sa kanilang maging second class citizen sila sa mga ito, anyway pag nakita nga namang kasa-kasama mo sila ang impression ng tao ay true blue sosyal ka din. Isama mo pa dyan ang mga nagpupunta sa mga tennis club, badminton club para makasalamuha ng true blue sosyal.

Bakit ba nakakainis ang mga social climber?
1. feeling rich hindi naman
2. feeling cool hindi naman
3. feeling loaded, freeloader naman

Lesson learned: Umasta ng ayon sa kabuhayan. Wag mag-pretend na mayaman kung poor ka naman!
Calling DSWD

May 25, 2011

Life & Love

Everytime nakakakita ako ng malilit na batang hubo’t hubad habang ang mga nanay ay nasa isang gilid ng kalsada at nagsusugal lang, di ko mapigilang maawa sa mga munting batang yun. Naisip ko lang, di ba pwedeng panghimasukan ng barangay yun o ng DSWD para naman maisaayos ang buhay ng mga batang pinababayaan lang ng magulang?

Para kasing sobrang panghahamak sa karapatang pangbata na pinabayaan mo na ngang maglarong mag-isa kasehodang delikado ang kalsada, di mo pa pinakain sa oras at para makatipid ka sa labahin, hindi mo na dinamitan. Naaawa talaga ako. Kung pwede nga lang kupkupin lahat ng batang yun.

Sana makita ng DSWD sa kanilang paglilibot ang nakakalungkot na scenario na ito.