The World of Second Chances

Good-bye, Viveka!

June 28, 2010

Life & Love

Sixteen years ago, Gabby Concepcion was the most sought-after leading man in Philippine showbiz. Ruffa Gutierrez’ acting was considered inferior to that of Aiko Melendez’ acting prowess. Edu was a good actor but lacked that matinee idol status. Aiko had better acting skills than Ruffa but Ruffa had better showbiz connections. If Ruffa would win, nobody would question that. Likewise with Gabby; he had Lolit Solis while Edu had June Rufino. Not that June Rufino was an inferior manager but Lolit had wider showbiz connections than her.

Viveka Babajee was involved in this high profile showbiz case when she asked Rocky Gutierrez to take (Take it! Take it!) the envelopes containing the real winners’ name, Edu and Aiko. Viveka was Ms. Mauritius 1994 and represented her country in the 1994 Ms. Universe beauty pageant held in Manila, Philippines. She could have been another Michelle Van Eimeren who turned out to be a good host or Dayanara Torres who was a well-loved dancing host/foreign actress. But after becoming involved in the Filmfest contoversy, she left the Philippines and the people remembered her as the one who connived with Lolit to swap the envelopes.

Time had been good to her. In India, she became a famous supermodel and product endorser. Her looks even improved. She found her second home next to Mauritius.

Friends claimed that she was a strong and helpful woman. They could not imagine Viveka taking that extreme step; that of taking her own life. She had 2,000 friends from her Facebook account yet not one of them really knew what was inside her mind days before she took her own life.

Beauty, success, connections, power, money—she had them all. What could be lacking in her life?

We’ll never know.

Good-bye, Viveka. Take my prayers with you wherever you’ll go in the afterlife. Take it, Viveka. Take it.
I Miss You, I’m Sorry, I Love You

June 23, 2010

Life & Love

I miss my friends. Terribly. I miss those friends whom I used to exchange life updates. I miss the small talks, the little gossips and funny chats. I miss my late mother. I miss talking with her about anything under the sun. I miss laughing at our own silly mistakes. I miss my late grandmother who taught me how to love unconditionally.

I’m sorry for not having enough time for my kids because their mom is a busy careerwoman. I’m sorry for not having enough time to visit my friends and relatives in the province. I’m sorry for being too stubborn to my husband at times.

I love you, my brothers and father. Nothing has changed when I got married. You can still count on me and you know that.

I love you, my children even if I appear too strict at times (specially to the older one).

I love you, Miel. It’s the reason why I chose you among the rest–you’re simply the kind of person who I can share my bad side with. I deleted my past in the story of my life when I decided to start my life with you.
My Mt. Pinatubo Experience (Part 1)

June 22, 2010

Filipino Culture

My youngest brother was only a week old when the first major eruption of Mt. Pinatubo occurred. I can’t remember the exact date if it was June 12. Definitely, it was June of 1991.

I was hanging the clothes at our backyard when I noticed a big mushroom-like formation in the sky. I called my mother who was then busy attending the baby. She went outside and told me that the volcano somewhere in between Zambales and Pampanga probably had a major eruption. There were news before the major eruption that Mt. Pinatubo, considered as an inactive volcano, had signs of activation. I had no idea about volcanic eruptions then. I thought, well, that was cool!

At 10:30 AM, that mushroom-like formation rapidly conquered the skies of Bataan. It didn’t look like 10:30 AM that time…well, I thought that maybe, that was just the way it should be.

“There will be an ashfall later. Get yourself prepared,” my mother said in a still very calm voice.

I sensed that it was not normal to have a dark sky at 10:30 AM even if there’s an approaching typhoon. I sensed that that ash fall could cause harm to the people. What about my youngest brother? What about us?

1:30 PM, I received a telephone call from Shellah to inform me of the little granites that were falling along with the volcanic ash. We were neighbors so we agreed to meet outside our house to witness that “spectacular” event.

Under our umbrella, we were happily chatting as if we were in the middle of a snowy field. The ashfall was just spectacular (our sunflowers wouldn’t agree as they were the first casualties of the ashfall!)

We noticed that our neighbors were sweeping the ashfall on their roof. We didn’t do the same thing. Fortunately, our roof was strong enough to hold the weight of the ashfall.

Classes were suspended afterwards. Our sunflowers died because of chemical reaction, I guess. My skin was irritated and so were my eyes. This was not fun anymore!

A lot of people lost their livelihood. Some people lost a family member. From an innocent happy experience, I became very upset about how this volcano was affecting the lives of the people in Central Luzon.

(with continuation)
There’s A Way To Be Good Again

June 22, 2010

Life & Love

I am aware that I am not as good as a person today than three years ago.

There are people that I hate now. Heck, I used to love everybody before.

There are offenses that I consider unforgivable; I even declared WAR against those offenders.

Hate…. Why do I keep hatred in my heart now?

I remember myself to be a very forgiving and broadminded person.

Could it be the bitter experiences?
Does it mean that I’m emotionally stronger now because I can bear to burn bridges with the ones that I used to love?

I don’t know.

I am not happy with what I am now. I know that there’s a way to be good again. I just have to trust the people around me—not all of them are vultures, anyway.

Yes, there’s a way to be good again.
Working Girls, The Movie

June 21, 2010

That’s Entertainment

I was a young girl when the original Working Girls was shown. Hindi pa uso ang girl power nun! Sa original na Working Girls, pinakita ang glamour ng pagtatrabaho sa Makati. Ganun naman kasi dati ang impression, basta’t sa Makati ka nagtatrabaho, sosyal ka! (Ngayon, meron ng Ortigas at Taguig at normal na lang na magtrabaho ka sa mga sosyaling lugar na ito.)

Bakit ko nasabing di pa uso ang girl power nung ipalabas ang pelikulang Working Girls? Kasi, ang mga babae nung panahon na yun ay pinaghihinto sa kanilang career ng kanilang asawa dahil kaya naman ng lalaking buhayin ang pamilya. How I wish ganyan din ang set up ngayon,no! Ngayon, double income na nga kayo pero parang andami pa ring bayarin at gastusin!

Iba ang inaasahan ko sa Working Girls na pinagbibidahan nila Ruffa Gutierrez, Eula Valdez, Eugene Domingo, Bianca King, Cristine Reyes at Jennylyn Mercado. Inaasahan ko ang mas malaman na kwento tungkol sa mga adventures at misadventures ng mga working women. Isa-isahin natin ang roles nila at kung ano ang relevance nila sa pelikula.

Ruffa Gutierrez- ano ba ang work nya sa movie? Asawa sya ng isang mayamang matandang namatay na nag-iwan sa kanya ng naluluging negosyo at limang milyong piso na tadtad ng bayarin at tax. Her husband also left her a bitchy daughter who wouldn’t stop in making her life miserable. Bukod sa pa-party-party at minsanang meeting sa kanyang corporate lawyer, wala namang substance ang pagiging CEO nya. I can’t remember of a scene na pinakitang CEO nga sya. If there will be a part 2, sana mag-focus ang story sa corporate life nya at hindi puro social life with Eula Valdes and Carmi Martin who played her socialite friends in the movie.

Eula Valdes- She’s STILL hot at forty-something! No wonder, Rocky Salumbides is head over heals in love with her. She’s my favorite characted in the film. Feeling ko, derived from Dr. Vicki Belo ang role nya.

Eugene Domingo- Sige na nga, isama na ang mga self-employed sa pelikulang ito. Her chemistry with Ricky Davao na gaya nyang street smart is good. In fact, I wish hindi na sila magkabalikan ni Antonio Aquitanias sa movie. Antonio played as her womanizing and lazy husband. I love Eugene’s role because it’s so real—mga babaeng nagsisikap para sa pamilya; her kids go to school at Ateneo! Sosyal!

Christine Reyes- The promo girl! Sana binigyan ng konting substance ang role nya. Kainis kasi sya dito at ang wish mo lang eh i-dump din sya ng lalaki gaya ng ginawa nya sa role ni Carlo Aquino.

Jennylyn Mercado- Pwedeng ibigay sa lesser star ang papel nya–that is, kung hindi naman mag-e-evolve ang kwento. Sana pinakita ang sacrifices ng mga single moms. Sana kung may sequel, ipakita na single moms can still find their Mr. Right.

Bianca King- Girl, bakit parang lagi kang galit? Hehehe…Is it just the role or what? Or nasanay lang ako sa Bawana role mo? Bianca should loosen a little; irritating minsan ang matapang na dating ng personality nya. Maybe the role calls for it.

Sa sequel, sana magkaroon ng interaction ang poor working girls na sila Eugene, Jennylyn at Cristine at ang sosyal na working girls na sila Eula at Ruffa. And please include Ms. Carmi Martin, ha! Carmi never changed—at forty-something, she’s still very attractive!
Today, I’ll Face My Goliath

June 21, 2010

Career, Finance & Product

Who is my Goliath?

—–It’s my stressful job.

But today, I’m gonna face it like what little David did.

I maybe a David in the eyes of this Goliath-like company but I am confident enough that with God’s help, I can make it through each stressful day.

Thanks, Bo Sanchez for publishing this book about how to conquer our Goliaths!

Today, I’ll face my Goliath with all my strength!
Paano?

June 19, 2010

Life & Love

Is it just me o baka pati kayo naiisip nyo ang mga tanong na ito?

– Paano pag sinipon o nagka-LBM ang isang kandidata ng Ms. Universe pageant sa mismong araw ng kompetisyon?
– Paano pag kumulo ang tyan ng isang construction worker na nakabitin sa crane?
– Paano pag nautot ang bidang babae o bidang lalaki habang kinukuhanan ang kanilang bed scene?
– Paano pag lumindol ng malakas habang ikaw ay naliligo?
– Paano pag maling topic o chapter ng libro pala ang na-review mo para sa final exams?
– Paano pag nahuli ka ng boss mo na nanonood ng porn o naglalaro o nagpe-Facebook sa harap ng PC mo?
– Paano pag nag-fund transfer ka sa maling account? Susugod ka ba agad sa bangko para i-report ang nangyari?O kuntento ka na lang na tumawag sa customer service nila?
– Paano pag nakasalubong mo ang crush mo habang gulo-gulo ang buhok mo?
– Paano pag feeling mo antaba mo na tapos nakasalubong mo ang ex mo kasama ang present nya?
– Paano pag napigtas o napunit ang swimsuit mo? Hahango ka ba sa tubig at deadma lang na rarampa?
– Paano pag ubos na ang mineral water mo at nauhaw ka sa dis-oras ng gabi. Wala kang kalan na pwedeng pakuluan ng tubig-gripo. Iinumin mo ba yung tap water?
– Paano pag nakabuntis ka ng babaeng di mo talaga type?
– Paano pag pinag-OT ka ng boss mo eh may scheduled rendezvous kayo ng dyowa mo?
– Paano pag tinetext ka ng ex-bf o ex-gf mo para lang humingi ng advise sa lovelife nya?
– Paano pag yumaman ang ex mo at biglang naging sikat? Magseselos ka ba sa magandang kapalaran nya?
– Paano pag inahas ng bestfriend mo ang dyowa mo? Patatawarin mo ba sila?
– Paano pag bading pala ang bf mo? Hihiwalayan mo ba sya?
-Paano pag napagkamalan kang bading dahil sa mukha ka naman talagang lalaking binihisan ng damit-babae? Maiinsulto ka ba?
– Paano kung di mo masabayan ang ingles ng kausap mong sosyalera? Magta-tagalog ka na lang ba o “yes” or “no” na lang para cute?
– Paano pag sinuklian ka ng 500 pesos sa halip na 200 pesos lang? Keep it na lang ba?
– Paano pag natanggal sa trabaho ang tatay mo habang nasa gitna ka ng college? Magsusumikap ka pa rin ba?
– Paano pag nahuli mo ang asawa mo o tatay mo na kachukchakan ang katulong nyo? Palalayasin mo ba ang katulong nyo?