The World of Second Chances

Maka-PAL o Makapal?

August 6, 2010

Life & Love

The resignation of seven Philippine Airlines (PAL) pilots caught media attention because of its effect: delayed flights and no flights at all for the poor passengers. Your immediate reaction could be, “Ang kakaPAL naman ng mga pilotong yan! It’s their moral responsibility to serve the country. Sa flag carrier pa mandin sila nagtatrabaho!”

What made them resign? Basta ayaw na lang? Sawa na sa PAL? Better offer sa ibang airlines? Better plane perhaps? Pero eto ang binalita kahapon. As early as January 2010, these pilots were informed that some of them would be transferred to PAL’s sister airline. This would mean a lower compensation. Parang kang na-demote kumbaga kung sahod ang pag-uusapan. At eto namang PAL pala eh pag umabot na ng 40 years old ang piloto, good-bye PAL na sila. Ganun ba kabata ang pagreretiro ng isang piloto? Is it the same policy with the other airlines? These pilots have mouths to feed. Baka nga yung iba sa kanila, wala pang ipon o sariling bahay. Some of them were informed that their tenure would end on January 2011. If you were in their position, wouldn’t you be tempted to find another employer?

Earlier, PAL contemplated of giving disciplinary (or legal?) actions to their ex-pilots. Six months kasi ang turn-over ng isang piloto ng kanyang eruplano. That’s the stick principle. Here’s the carrot principle: last night, PAL is encouraging their ex-pilots to come back to them. Their benefits will be given (at last!) and they will receive the same salary if they will be transferred to the sister airline. Kinda too late because for sure, these pilots have signed their employment contract to their new employer.

On the other side, their flight attendants have their own issues too with PAL’s management. Average salary (or is it starting salary?) is PhP 8,500. Glamorosa ka ngang tignan pero ganyan ang salary mo, baka kulang pang pambili ng make up yan unless they’re given allowances for that. But it’s good to see these two flight attendants on 24 Oras saying that despite the low compensation, they will be loyal to PAL because it’s an honor for them to be part of Philippine’s flag carrier.
Aurora Borealis

August 5, 2010

Travel

I want to see the northern lights. It looks magical. It looks romantic. Some first-timers want to see a snow. I want to see the northern lights.
To Kris and James

August 5, 2010

That’s Entertainment

May nadaanan akong nagra-rally sa MRT noong Lunes or Martes ng umaga. Panawagan nila na huwag magtaas ng singil ang MRT. Naisip kong baka applicable din yun sa uncouple na sila James at Kris.

Ewan ko ba. Bothered lang ako sa nababasa ko na Baby James is starting to ask where his papa is. Para bang ang walang muwang na bata ay naiipit sa issue ng parents nya.

Pwede kayang mag-usap muna sila Kris at James bago sila tuluyang maghiwalay? Baka naman wrong timing lang ang alitan nila at napalaki ng husto. Baka naman pwede pang ayusin pa.

2005 ng dayuhin ni Kris ang Escalante para i-meet up ang angkan ni James. Mala-Notting Hill nga ang nangyari at ako man ang bisitahin ng anak ng dating presidente at bayani, mai-starstruck ako. While Kris found it amusing na halos 3 hours palakad-lakad sa plaza ang mother ni James nung malamang parating sila, IMO parang nakakaawa nga ang nangyari. Naiisip ko lang na sa sobrang tensed ni Mrs. Yap, hindi nya ma-contain ang emotions nya at kailangan pang maglakad-lakad ng tatlong oras sa plaza.

Hindi rin naman santo si James. May ibang girls din sya before he met Kris. At nabuntis pa nga ayon sa balita. Habang buntis si Kris, may Hope Centeno din naman sya. Pero hindi ba’t nangako sya kay Kris na aayusin nya lahat?

Kris and James, marami ng masasakit na nangyari sa relationship nyo. Mahirap ngang magpatawad at mag-move on na lang ng basta. Pero pag marinig nyo ba si Baby James na naghahanap ng isa sa inyo, hindi pa ba reason yun para maging civil, magkasundo at kung papalarin, magkabalikan?

I love Baby James and he’s just so adorable. I don’t know how James treats his other children and I hope he’ll find time to bond with them, too. (sa kids lang ha? hindi sa mother nila!)
Claudine and Mark on Showbiz Central

August 5, 2010

That’s Entertainment

The transcript of Claudine and Mark’s interview is below. It’s good that they are now in good terms. Who can ever forget Mark’s dark days after Claudine broke up with him? I remember the tattoo. Claudine had Mark’s last name on her right (?) ankle. I don’t remember what’s on Mark’s tattoo. Theirs was a young love; passionate and topsy-turvy. They can only reminisce the past with a smile.

******************************************
Last Sunday, August 1, Mark Fernandez met with special guest host Claudine Barretto in Showbiz Central. It is Claudine’s first time to interview her first boyfriend and this is the first time that they met after their break-up.

Here’s the transcript:

Claudine: How are you? How do you feel?

Mark: Kinakabahan ng konti, natutuwa rin, excited. Salamat inimbitahan nyo ko rito. At salamat sa lahat ng tumangkilik sa Diva.

Claudine: Nagkaroon tayo ng tampuhan after lumipat ako rito. How do we explain that?

Mark: Ako talaga ang may mali. Nagkaroon ng miscommunication. Pero tapos na yun. Isipin na lang natin ang magandang bukas kaysa sa nakakalungkot na kahapon.

Claudine: How’s your family?

Mark: We’re okay. Mabuti kami. No problem kay Melissa (Mark’s non-showbiz wife) na ini-interview mo ako.

Claudine: Na-miss mo ba ako?

Mark: Oo naman. Na-miss kita lalo nung after kahihiwalay natin. After the movies we did, yung projects na dumating sa akin di na ganoon kaganda.

Claudine: Ako, di mo ba tatanungin?

Mark: Na-miss mo ba ako?

Claudine: Oo at natutuwa ako dahil maganda ang takbo ng career mo ngayon. Bakit ba tayo nag-break?

Mark: Priorities. May mga ibang bagay akong binigyan ng importansya ng panahong yun.

Claudine: But we had no formal closure?

Mark: Wala talaga. Parang biglang hindi na lang tayo nagkita.

Claudine: Yung tattoo mo, nandiyan pa?

Mark: Oo (Mark shows his tattoo on a leg).

Claudine: Sabay tayong nagpa-tattoo noon. Yung sa akin nabura na, sa iyo naman pinatungan.

Mark: Ang bata pa natin noon, you’re 15, I’m 16.

Claudine: Ano ka ba? Ang Aga ko naglandi. Pareho tayo ng age.”

Mark: Wala pang mga cellphone noon. Beeper pa lang.

Claudine: Meron na. I bought you your first cellphone. Ginamit mo sa pambababae mo. Ang taas ng phone bill mo. Ano ang natutuhan natin?

Mark: I learned to be more of a gentleman, kung paano magmahal ng lubos sa isang tao, and be more of a man to protect your girlfriend.

Claudine: That’s true. Very protective ka noon sa akin. Can we still be friends?

Mark: I hope so, if God permits and kung may time. But never ko naman tiningnan na di kita kaibigan. Kaibigan pa rin kita, hindi lang tayo nagkikita.

Claudine: Ano nga yung kanta mo para sa akin?… “With a Smile.”

Mark: (Proceeds to sing it for Claudine).

Claudine: Ang kanta ko sa iyo noon ay “You Are Perfect” at “You are the One.”

Mark: Ang dami ng nagbago sa akin since then. Natuto na kong kumanta.

Claudine: Pero may pamilya ka na, may pamilya na ako at pasalamat tayo sa mga asawa natin na pinayagan tayong mag-usap dito. Ngayong friends na uli tayo, what do you want to tell me?

Mark: Never akong nagkaroon ng masamang tinapay sa iyo. Alam ko lagi kitang kakampi at di kita maaaring kalimutan dahil kaibigan kita.

Claudine: Young love yung sa atin noon, at kung ano man ako ngayon, a big part of that will be yung naging tayo. If I’d live my life all over again, I would still choose you to be my first boyfriend.
My Torque Phone

July 30, 2010

Career, Finance & Product

My husband broke my Sony Ericsson phone early this year. It didn’t matter to me because we still had two spare cellphones. When my Nokia 6120C phone was damaged due to frequent droppings, I decided to buy a new cellphone because my other cellphone was old and bulky.

I was looking for a simple Nokia phone, it could still be a 6120C because I really loved its slim feature. While Sony Ericsson is my second brand when it comes to cellphone, I thought that maybe LG or Motorola would also be a good choice.

The saleslady showed me the latest Nokia models. I told her that I am not looking for a high-end phone at this time because with a baby around me, I could not promise that I could safekeep my cellphone away from him all of the time. Well, E71 seemed to be perfect for me but I was not impressed with QWERTY boards. Besides, the phone is too wide for my little hand to carry while texting.

I told her that I was just looking for a second phone or maybe a meantime phone. Then she offered me those China phones named Torque, Cherry and Myphone. I told her that I am not into the touch screen thing and QWERTY.

Miel said that the D110 Torque would work just fine with my tiny hands and fingers. So the saleslady gave me a sample of the D110 model and I carefully examined its features.

Okay, so this is not a Nokia or an Ericsson phone so don’t expect that the speaker will be that good. I am not into MP3, MP4 and MP5 (if there will be such a thing) so D110’s inferior speaker is forgivable to me.

The screen is just fine, its longer than my Nokia 6120C screen. The keyboards are made of metal and are just perfect for my little thumb when texting. It’s dual sim, a bonus, so now I can be reached through Globe and Smart. Memory is expandable; I bought a 2-GB memory card. Camera is at 1.3 megapixel only. Well, I don’t need a phone cam since I have a digicam.

I haven’t tried the internet but I wouldn’t dare to try since the phone is just 2G. You can’t add your favorite tunes on the message alert tone so you’re just limited to the built-in tunes on the phone. But you can add tunes on the ring tone, mine is from the melody feature. Yes, just like Ericsson, it has a melody maker. My daughter keyed-in the notes of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and I’m using it as alarm and ring tone.

I can charge my battery anywhere there is a laptop or desktop because the USB is removable from the phone’s battery charger. I can listen to the FM radio when not busy at work.

The price is just PhP 3,200 for the phone and an additional of PhP 400 for the memory card. It’s too early to tell that I saved much money in buying a Torque phone because the defects (whether factory defect or my fault) are not yet showing. But for a text and call feature, a Torque phone
works just right for me.

Is it by any chance that I’m attracted to Acer/Wistron products? My laptop is an Acer and Torque seems to be related to Acer, too.
The Women in Vic Sotto’s Life

July 29, 2010

That’s Entertainment

Tall, slender and possessing an animalistic appeal, that’s how women view Vic Sotto. I don’t know the many women of his life so I’ll just discuss the most unforgetable ones.

Let’s start with ex-wife Dina Bonnevie. I was a young girl when they aired their comedy sitcom, 2+2. I think Mayor Herbert Bautista was in that sitcom, too. I forgot Herbert’s loveteam though. Dina is not only beautiful, she’s also intelligent and smart. In that 1980’s sitcom, I remember that toddler Danica was also in the cast. Then came their separation and the sitcom was put to end. As a young child, I thought they were a happy couple. Dina and Vic were such a nice couple, sayang! At least they produced two beautiful kids; Danica and Oyo Boy. After her failed marriage, Dina became one of the top dramatic stars in the 1980’s and 1990’s. And who can ever forget her May-December love affair gimmick with Gary Estrada? With her beauty and personality, there’s life after Vic Sotto.

Coney Reyes seemed perfect for Vic, too. Just like Dina, Coney is articulate, intelligent, smart and beautiful. Plus point is her being a jolly person. Their relationship produced a son named Vico. I wonder why Vic did not marry Coney. I can’t remember if it was Vic’s marriage that was not yet annulled at that time or was it Coney’s? Aiza Seguerra was a witness on the Coney-Vic love story. After all, she was their “baby.” The couple was just too fond of her.

Angela Luz’ relationship with Vic was not publicized. The only time people got interested on it was when Angela gave birth to a baby girl. That girl turned out to be a golf champion. Angela was the Bilmoko Girl in the 1980’s SMB commercial. She is the sister of the late Paula Luz, a singer.

Christine Jacob and Coney Reyes both have a bubbly personality. Christine was overweight when she started in Eat Bulaga. It was the late Rio Diaz-Cojuangco who advised her to lose weight. The new Christine captivated Bosing’s heart. Fans thought that Vic finally found the “One.” After several years of going steady, Christine broke up with him as she saw that their relationship had no future. Christine is now married to a Sandejas and is happily taking care of their children.

After Christine Jacob comes Kristine Florendo. Kristine was a beauty queen and that’s all that we know about her. Vic was mum about their rumored relationship and it did not create a stir unlike the first three women that I mentioned.

Then there’s Pia Cabrera, a model, who was linked to him. Just like Kristine Florendo, Vic was mum about their rumored relationship.

I remember that Vic tried to pursue Kris Aquino, too. But Kris was just too excited to let the people know about it, the short-lived courtship ended so fast.

Pia Guanio was Mike Jacob’s fiancee. Mike is Christine Jacob’s brother and yes, Christine was Vic’s ex. Vic came to the picture after Pia and Mike broke up. Pia is cute, sexy, smart and intelligent. With Pia, Vic was very vocal about his affection; something that he never did to his past girlfriends. They seemed to be compatible and happy until we saw a crying Pia Guanio on Showbiz Central some two weeks ago. They are having problems on their relationship and fans are just too concerned about them.

Now, is it possible that Vic and Dina will reconcile and be together again? Maybe this time, things have changed. Oh well, Vic’s lovelife still makes headlines in the entertainment industry.

Update as of Jan. 11, 2013:
I should have written this a year ago when the rumors linking Vic to Pauleen Luna was at its strongest. Pauleen Luna is almost three decades his junior and she is of the same age as Paulina, Vic’s daughter courtesy of Angela Luz. From the looks of it, Oyo Boy is not very happy about his father being linked with a much much younger girl. The chapter of Vic and Dina’s love story clearly ended when the latter married a politician from the Ilocos region. A possible reconciliation with lady love Pia Guanio became a fantasy when Pia married businessman Steve Mago. Pia is now a happy wife and mother to a baby girl. If you’ve seen Pia on TV, she’s still very sexy and toned; you wouldn’t think she just gave birth. Now back to Pauleen; she was once a Little Miss Philippines contestant—you can imagine the big age gap between her and Vic. But should age matter when two people are in love?
My Parents’ Theme Song

July 27, 2010

Wedding & Family Life

Pangako
By The Flippers
Pag-ibig ko sa ‘yo
Ko lang ibibigay
Pagkat ikaw lamang
Ang tangi kong mahal
Lumayo ka man
Ako’y maghihintay
Ganyan kita kamahal …

Lumuha man ako
Nang dahil sa iyo
‘Di ko magagawang
Magalit ng totoo
Pagkat ikaw lamang
Ang tanging mahal ko
Pag-ibig ko’y sa ‘yo …

Chorus:
Ang aking buhay
Ay lagi ng masaya
Buhat ng tayo ay pinag-isa …

Pag-ibig ko sa ‘yo
Ko lang ibibigay
Pagkat ikaw lamang
Ang tangi kong mahal
Lumayo ka man
Ako’y maghihintay
Ganyan kita kamahal …

Lumuha man ako
Nang dahil sa iyo
‘Di ko magagawang
Magalit ng totoo
Pagkat ikaw lamang
Ang tanging mahal ko
Pag-ibig ko’y sa ‘yo …

Chorus:
Ang aking buhay
Ay lagi ng masaya
Buhat ng tayo ay pinag-isa …

Ang aking buhay
Ay lagi ng masaya
Buhat ng tayo ay pinag-isa …

*********************************************

I cry everytime I recall this song. This is my parents’ theme song. More than that, I was a witness to the ups and downs of their relationship. There was a time when I thought that they would separate. My mother was very patient of my father’s shortcomings. For her, a family must stay together no matter what and there is always a chance to change for the better. I am not saying that my father is a bad person. Just like any other man, he had his inferiorities. My mother was successful in her career and at one point, she was given an award for her exemplary job performance. I guess, they were not able to settle their issues early on their marriage; it just stayed there unnoticed.

I knew in my heart that no matter how many times my father made my mother cry, she was the only one in his heart. And my father is not a bad person as what other people think. We had our issues but at the end of the day, we were still together; dining together and talking about the day’s events.