Ramiele and Katherine

Yes, it is that time of the year and the show American Idol is down to the last ten hopefuls whose dreams of fame and glory rests upon the critiques of Simon, Paula and Randy and the popularity votes across the United States.

From where we sit at our Greenhome in the heart of Makati City, Chief intensely watches and listens and even critiques as each singer pursues his or her dream on television. Sometimes, I give a comment or two. But would really admire the looks and the charm of the female singers specially, Ramiele Malubay.


Comparisons are made.

According to a news feature published in Yahoo News, Ramiele is being compare to Katherine McFee (who was another favorite of mine, together with Jasmine Trias).

The 20-year old Filipina, born and raised in the US, has a powerful voice, but sometimes, takes the safe route. Personally, I find her charming and cute but still needs more power and emotion in her songs. Ramiele is being compared to Katharine McPhee from Season 5 runner-up. Taylor Hicks won during that season.

Patrick's Presence

Patrick Velez continues to make his presence in our lives. He is my first cousin, as his dad (Rene) and my dad (Hector) are brothers. In 2005, his presence was felt in HCMC, where he stayed with us for a few months. I remember, I picked him up at Tan Son Nhat Airport, brought him to McCann Erickson office to meet Cecile, then rushed back home to Tran Nhat Duat to drop his bags and shower and pack a luggage to join me for my trip to Hanoi! He was amazed with the thousands of motorbikes on the road and Vietnamese "ao dai."

Here are pictures from his Vietnam "tour of duty" from May to August 2005.


Patrick inside a music shop in Hanoi's backpackers area, where we stayed for four days that stretched through the weekend so we could go around Halong Bay, around 2 hours by bus.


Patrick with my REMBA 2 students from the Hanoi School of Business, enjoying "bia oi" in the streets of Hanoi. After beer, we even went for karaoke. And he also joined my training workshop and role-played as a client.


Going on board a boat for our trip along Halong Bay. Try riding these boats without the luxury and convenience of the "love boat." We spent a night in one of the islands while other backpackers opted to sleep on the boat... and got robbed!


And during our trip along the Mekong Delta, he played around with this snake.


Patrick helped us pack and unpack our stuff in our 1st Greenhome at 25 Tran Nhat Duat Street. Then, we transfered to Phu My Hung, where Patrick's presence continued even until the arrival of my sister, Minnie.

Around September 2005, my sister Minnie arrived in HCMC. It was her second overseas trip (after HK) and the first time (since the mid-70s) to share many experiences with Patrick. He also showed Minnie around HCMC, accompanying her on a city tour, just like a big brother. Photo taken at the Sheraton Hotel, our favorite hotel where we had breakfast after an hour of tennis at the Rex Hotel. This was uur last breakfast together before Patrick flies back to the States. Maybe, next time, they will meet each other in the East Coast?


Above is a photo taken during our first visit to New York last January 2004. Patrick is in a grey shirt. Also in photo is his mom and dad and brother, Ben and eldest sister, Renelle.


Photo shows Chief and myself, with Patrick at the center. His dad and my ninong, Tito Rene is on the right side.


Photo shows Chief and I and Patrick (right) enjoying dinner last December 2007 at the Russsian Tea Room, one of the more famous restaurants in New York City.

Today is his birthday! Happy birthday cousin and may you achieve your "half a pat" goal! And here's to more presence with us again soon.

Fr. Joe Dizon & Communal Action

Photo of Fr. Joe Dizon on a near empty stage as organizers prepare for a rally.

According to a published story in the Malaya last December 11, 2007, Fr. Joe Dizon, a convenor of the group Ecumenical Voice for Peace and Human Rights, said: "She (Arroyo) will easily surpass Marcos in violating human rights because at least Marcos had the decency to declare martial law while she is still (pretending) to follow the rule of law… she just reiterates it again and again. That is her hypocrisy," Dizon said.

But there are many other hypocrites, specially, people who stand and watch in the sidelines and wait for change to happen before their lives.

Didn't they hear the call for "communal action?"



My photo shows Fr.Joe Dizon being interviewed by a TV journalist.

I haven’t joined an anti-GMA rally in a long time, since the Sept. 21, 2006 rally in Makati City. But through these words, I join other Filipinos in search for truth and justice.





Shouldn't you be part of CBCP's call for "communal action?"

Kite Runner's Presence

Cecile and I watched this movie Tuesday night at the Powerplant Cinema at Rockwell. Olwen Abergas had given us a copy of the book and strongly urged... literally pushing us to watch this movie while we were in the States last December, but we missed it. Now, we saw it and must admit, the movie tells a very good heart-warming story. Chief was describing to me the loose ends not captured in the movie as she had finished the book.

Now, it is my turn to read and finish the book. Hopefully, while we are in Camigiun next week.

Women Presence

Today, 08 March 2008 is International Women’s Day and is a global celebration for the achievements of women.

The first IWD was observed on 28 February 1909 in the US. A couple of years later, a fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in NYC killed 140 women.

Others say, the celebration starts much earlier in 1857 when women from clothing and textile factories staged a protest on 8 March in New York City. The workers were protesting against very poor working conditions and low wages. The protesters were attacked and dispersed by police. Two years later, these women established their first labor union.

The first international women's conference was held in Copenhagen in 1910. An 'International Women's Day' was established led by a German Socialist named Clara Zetkin. Next year, celebrations attracted over a million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland.

On the eve of World War I, women across Europe held peace rallies on 8 March 1913. In the West, International Women's Day was commemorated during the 1910s and 1920s. The rise of feminism led to bigger IWD celebrations in the 60s. Remember Jane Fonda?

Photo of Russian poster on IWD from Wikipedia. The red text reads: “8th of March is the day of the rebellion of the working women against the kitchen slavery". The grey text in lower right reads: “Say NO to the oppression and Babbittry of the household work!"

Last 2005, the McCann Erickson team in Vietnam organized a special event on IWD. It was a photo exhibit of Doan Duc Minh’s photos featuring women. The Exhibit was held for one week at the agency’s offices at 429 Vo Van Tan Street, District 3, HCMC. It was a fund-raising project that raised around US$2,000 for poor Vietnamese families.


Today, celebrations are spread across the globe. IWD local events can be viewed at www.internationalwomensday.com

Plus there is a celebration in Granwood Villas, somewhere in BF Homes Quezon City as it is also the birthday of a special woman friend, Marivic Pareja (seen in photo with her husband, Cesar Pareja during the taping of Mel & Joey at home). Marivic is our good friend for many years, even back when she and Cesar were still dating while Cesar was preparing for his bar exams. She would probably remember Puerto Galera?

Cheers to all the women in the world, specially blogosphere.

Wins in Ohio and Texas

After 11 straight wins by Obama, Hillary Clinton made her presence felt and scored wins last Tuesday in Ohio and Texas. This is one of the last biggest challenges for both Obama and Clinton as they race neck to neck for the Democratic Party nomination.

No, I won’t vote in November but Chief and I have been following the US elections closely in CNN and through on-line news.

According to reports, Obama said, "We know this: No matter what happens tonight, we have nearly the same lead as we did this morning, and we are on our way to winning the nomination." Still confident.


Clinton, hoping to become the first female president in the US told backers in Ohio, "As Ohio goes, so goes the nation. Well, this nation's coming back and so is this campaign. People of Ohio have said it loudly and clearly: We're going on, we're going strong and we're going all the way." Photo by Carolyn Cole of the Los Angeles Times.

Despite the weather, voters responded and made their strong presence felt in record numbers

There is no problem on the Republican side as Arizona senator, John McCain, would surely clinch the Republican nomination. He received the endorsement of President Bush. But that could work against him specially with the war on Iraq a big issue.

Closer to home, people are slowly making their presence felt on the streets and that would be another blog.

Chief's Presence

Today is one of the most important days for the most important person in my life and our lives at our Greenhome, here in Makati City. Photo of Chief taken at Disneyland last December 2007.

But real challenge today or rather this birthday month… is finding a nice little birthday celebration for us. Yup, today is Chief’s birthday… but it is a weekday and guess, we would be tied up with agency work.

Today, am giving her a blouse which I bought from Singapore, plus a skirt made by Mai from HCMC, which I had made for Cecile last year. Am missing out of the roses this year, unlike back in Vietnam, it was easy to make a call and have roses delivered at McCann Erickson or our first Greenhome at Tran Nhat Duat.

At least we have the Camigiun vacation to look forward to!