The Day Jollibee Disappointed Me

Sometime last week, after debating much on a slight financial crisis, The Family went out to dinner. Since my parents knew I was so much into Jollibee since I was a kid, we decided to go to the Ramaniyah mall for some Langhap Sarap fix.

All the entrances of the mall was decored with this standee.

It was genuinely nice to see the red, happy bee here. It made me reminisce my childhood days eating the only Jollibee outlet in Novaliches Bayan then, the one near the Our Lady of Mercy Parish Church. We always go there when I throw tantrums after hearing mass. It's the only way to quiet me down.

The kid in me was excited that I hauled my mom immediately to the escalator, forgetting to say goodbye to my dad who was going to get a haircut first before joining us for dinner.

Disaster struck us as we entered the doors of Jollibee.

The lines! The lines were crazy long! We stood for like an hour just to have our orders taken. My dad already came back from the barber shop waiting for us and my mom and I are still talking to the cashier who initially refused us because we weren't "lining up" on the same line. All I can say is that it drove my mom crazy mad upon hearing that. It's safe to say that everyone else backed us up to the dismay of the bitchy food attendant.

We ordered the Chickenjoy bucket meal good for three people with chocolate sundaes and all. I also ordered a Jolly Spaghetti. To go. We can't possibly eat at the place since it was fully packed.

I didn't have the chance to take pictures of what we ordered. I was hungry already and my cognitive functions were already paralyzed.

Every thing tasted the same. It really did. What I didn't like though is that the crispylicious skins of the Chickenjoy in the bucket are missing. No, I didn't eat it along the way home. It was seriously nonexistent. When people got their in-house Chickenjoy orders at the mall, the skins in their Chickenjoys were intact. Ours really don't even have skins at all. That was the most gratifying part of eating Chickenjoy pa naman. Adding to insult, the gravy servings were a little small. It can be equated to two packets of ketchup per serving. They also charge you for an extra one. No way were we going to pay for the gravy.

The Jolly Spaghetti serving is big, unlike back home. I mean, the pasta noodles were overwhelmingly big but the sauce was so scarce that it didn't even covered most of the noodles. The sauce tasted the same except there was no ham and the hotdog used is probably beef.

Furthermore, the choco sundaes, though it still tasted awesome with every spoonful, the chocolate fudge fills half of the cup. I wanted mine with more vanilla ice cream than the fudge. How I wish I held back the fudge on the sundae. Jollibee's vanilla ice cream is the bestest there is from all the fast food restos in Manila. Wait, they started out as an ice cream parlor, right?

I had my fill of what Jollibee is here in Saudi and I'm really disappointed with how they handled everything. I'd probably visit the franchise next year after they figure out how to be efficient and effective. And fire that bitchy food attendant of yours, will you?

Jollibee is also available for bulk orders. They were giving out brochures and their paper-thin business cards to entertain us while waiting impatiently at the lines.

Finding the Asian-ness of Filipinos

An interesting read about finding the Asian-ness of Filipinos from BakitWhy dot com, a portal for everything on the Filipino-American lifestyle.

But - I'm Not Chinese (Are Pilipinos Really Asian?) in Bakit Why

In the broad scope of things, maybe it really isn’t such a big issue that needs heavy debating. It doesn’t make sense for us either way, for our culture has never been defined on such terms - we are a people of many colors and cultures (you can see it just by eating our food) with a long history of colonial oppression and international relations to draw from (from Spain, to Japan, to the United States). What makes us special is that amidst all the cultural amalgamation and mixing we’ve experienced as a people, we’ve still managed to come out of it holding a very clear sense of Pilipino-ness that no drop of mixed blood, mixed look, or miscategorization can take away. All I know is that at the end of the day, when I hear that accent and those F’s become P’s, when I smell that spam crackling with a good lump of white rice waiting on the side, and when I see that magic mic set and ready for an onslaught of spit and high C’s, I know that I am surely Pilipino. Bubble in all else that apply.

Keep Clean This Area - Just Outside My House, Khobar

It's obvious that I'm kind of oblivious to my own surroundings because I just saw this beside my house this morning.

The hierarchy of the morphemes are downright wrong, and is probably the reason why the area isn't litter free. I asked my one of my neighbors after the morning prayers as to who did the signage for the area. According to him, it was not a kabayan if that's what I'm ultimately worrying about. Right then and there, I let out a huge sigh of relief.

Oh, hey, Congratumalations pala, Efren. Thank You, Manny, and the rest of the expatriates for making the Pinoys back home damn proud everyday.

The Christmas Star

Cried buckets when I saw this Christmas Station ID at TFC. The music done is really catchy with its slow jam, RnB mood but the lyrics was so piercing that it's the only Station ID made me cry yet. Most station IDs I've seen made me feel giddy and proud while others are so ho-hum that my eyes can't stop rolling over and over. This is the first for me.

The ABS-CBN 2009 Christmas Station ID



A little blue bird told me that the song was written by ABS-CBN Creative Communication Management Head, Robert Labayen, and the music was done by Marcus and Amber Davis. Here's the lyrics in case you want to sing along.

STAR NG PASKO

Kung kailan pinakamadilim
Ang mga tala ay mas nagniningning
Gaano man kakapal ang ulap
Sa likod nito ay may liwanag

Ang liwanag na ito
Nasa ‘ting lahat
Mas sinag ang bawat pusong bukas
Sa init ng mga yakap
Maghihilom ang lahat ng sugat

Ang nagsindi nitong ilaw
Walang iba kundi ikaw
Salamat sa liwanag mo
Muling magkakakulay ang pasko
Salamat sa liwanag mo
Muling magkakakulay ang pasko

Tayo ang ilaw sa madilim na daan
Pagkakapit bisig ngayon higpitan
Dumaan man sa malakas na alon
Lahat tayo’s makakaahon

Ang liwanag na ito
Nasa ‘ting lahat
Mas sinag ang bawat pusong bukas
Sa init ng mga yakap
Maghihilom ang lahat ng sugat

Ang nagsindi nitong ilaw
Walang iba kundi ikaw
Salamat sa liwanag mo
Muling magkakakulay ang pasko
Salamat sa liwanag mo
Muling magkakakulay ang pasko

Kikislap ang pag-asa
Kahit kanino man
Dahil ikaw Bro, dahil ikaw Bro
Dahil ikaw Bro
Ang star ng pasko

Salamat sa liwanag mo
Muling magkakakulay ang pasko
Salamat sa liwanag mo
Muling magkakakulay ang pasko

Ang nagsindi nitong ilaw
Walang iba kundi ikaw
Salamat sa liwanag mo
Muling magkakakulay ang pasko

Ang nagsindi nitong ilaw
Walang iba kundi ikaw
Salamat sa liwanag mo
Muling magkakakulay ang pasko

Ang nagsindi nitong ilaw
Walang iba kundi ikaw
Salamat sa liwanag mo
Muling magkakakulay ang pasko

Dahil ikaw Bro, dahil ikaw Bro
Dahil ikaw Bro
Ang star ng pasko!

The Recording Session



Saka, Bro, sana matupad ang kahilingan kong makasama ang buong pamilya ko sa Pilipinas ngayong Pasko.

[spotted here and here ]

Hindi Ka Nag-IIsa

I shared this over at Plurk days ago. My parents, both of which wanted Noynoy to win in the Presidential elections next year, said it gave them goosebumps.

I love almost everything about the video, actually; however, the most disturbing parts of the video are: the singer shrieking loudly at the ending (they could've faded that part out) and Noynoy's protruding stomach. Those just stick out like a sore thumb.

Changing "Filipino Time"

Back in college, my barkada and I did a splendid public relations campaign for solving the perennial problem of Pinoys being late during meetings because it was a mutual pet peeve amongst us. (It actually garnered our group the chance to be part of the two teams that entered the first ever PR campaign contest by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines.)

After five years, voila, someone from the government finally had a similar bright idea.

'Standard time' aimed at solving 'Filipino time' by Alexander Villafania in Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines – Convinced that the meaning of “Filipino time” should be changed, Senator Edgardo Angara is pushing for a legislation that will put a Philippine Standard Time (PST) to be followed as official time.

Senate Bill 3479 will have all clocks in all government agencies, private firms, homes and schools to follow the official time set by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

Pagasa will also have large, synchronized time devices in all of their field offices across the country, to be followed by everyone.

But more than just getting Filipinos to follow one clock only, Angara explained that the purpose of the PST is to make Filipinos adapt a culture of punctuality.

“Filipinos have often been accused of tardiness, that anything we do is always delayed and we never follow schedules on time. We should start dispelling that by making the change ourselves and breeding a new culture of promptness,” according to Angara, who also heads the Congressional Committee on Science, Technology and Engineering (COMSTE).

Angara also said that European countries follow a standard time in all of their areas, thus making them effective in synchronizing their activities together.

The Philippines sits within 13 degrees 00 North, 122 degrees 00 East. It is +8 hours from the coordinated universal time.

Start Here: Artwork for Rebuilding

START HERE is a collaborative art project open to artists all over the world who want to help the survivors of Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) in the Philippines (and probably other parts of Asia as well) and inspire the rest of the world through art.

The site is accepting submissions until November 26, 2009. You can check the Start Here homepage for more details on how to submit your artwork.

Let's help rebuild and inspire the Philippines in whatever way we can. Our artwork can be one for starters.

START HERE is a collection of artwork inspired by Typhoon Ondoy relief efforts that aims, in turn, to inspire others to help in rebuilding the Philippines. The hope is that we can eventually set up an exhibit where we can sell the artworks with the proceeds donated to Ondoy relief efforts, rebuilding programs and calamity risk management programs.

Why art? It is our belief that art is made because we have something to say and this is the perfect time to say something meaningful and in our own special ways. Art moves, not just our hearts but also towards a positive direction that we can choose for ourselves.

Say something. Move with us. Share your art visions of creation and rebuilding.

Take Me to the Philippines - Apl.de.Ap

We need a break from all the news once in a while so we should all just marvel at this one.



Catchy song + stunning vector graphics = one proud music video for Pinoys.

You got to love Apl.de.Ap for pushing Pinoy pride. Woot!

The Night a Midget Kissed Our Arses

Ms. Arroyo, the reigning president of the Republic of the Philippine Islands, paid a brief visit to the OFWs working here in the Middle East after visiting London. I was one of the unlucky few who was given a torture an opportunity to be meet and greet the Prez once again. (I've met her a lot of times, but it's somehow different being an OFW.)

The day before the event, while getting the program details and the "restricted access" IDs (shown above) at the Carlton Hotel, the Labor Office told us not to bring cameras and phones so as to not "disturb" the ceremonies (having us Filipinos convene is, in fact, already a huge disturbance). Having strict parents, we obliged to the plight of the Labor Office and went there bearing only ourselves. And since I didn't have any means to document the chaos via camera, here are some of the highlights of what happened on September 20:

• We went to the International Philippine School in Al-Khobar (IPSA) around 4pm-ish. The place was already packed with fellow kababayans touting cameras and phones. WTH?! Being Pinoys, the motto generally adhered to by most when told not to bring anything is this: masarap ang bawal. The irony nga naman.

• We arrived at the banquet hall of the Movenpick Hotel before 6pm. The hall was huge. There were 11 seats per row and there were 20 rows per column and there are four columns all in all. Therefore, there are 880 seats in place and more were being added. There are reports telling us that there were over a thousand participants for this event.

• The food, drinks, and condiment area were placed on both side ends of the hall. I got overwhelmed with the numerous selection of viands and pastries that I returned three times just to enjoy all of them while wondering how much the Philippine government (or the taxpayers rather) paid for the lavish meals.

• PGMA arrived past 9pm-ish from her flight from London looking refreshed by the help of cosmetics. My dad strategically placed ourselves near the entrance of where Ms. Arroyo is going to initially pass by. Then the people created another path away from us where she was rumored to enter. Well, the lucky (sure?) me together with my parents, titos and titas, didn't go with the throng. PGMA did enter where we were situated and the fellow event goers went berserk and pushed their way into our places. We were slightly displaced, but still in the zone.

• People who shook hands with PGMA was so shocked because her hands were really soft, and you know what that means, right? It means she doesn't lift a finger to do household chores. I'm never ever going to vote for someone who doesn't know what it's like to do things inside the house.

• Another surprising revelation and this time it's from the katutubos who were in charged of the hotel: How come someone as small as a schoolgirl be president of a country? Ha! You tell us! I immediately went LOL upon hearing this.

• Ms. Arroyo told us that the OFWs in the Eastern Region send the most number of remittances (in both volume and amount) to the Philippines which helped the country waver the recession and that's one of the reasons why she wanted to visit us. She continued by saying that she wanted to protect us, and help those displaced OFWs go back to our country.

• After the pleasantries of her speech, PGMA elaborated that there was this article in The Economist (I can't find it anywhere, swear!) that there is like this "pageantry" where countries vie for. I think it was all about being a viable place for investment. She then told everyone that this trip will help us solidify our place in that pageant among different countries with emerging and developing economies. Economist much?

• As the trip helps the country boost its image as a viable country for investments, she spelled out that more investments mean more work and that this is beneficial to OFWs because once we go home, there's no more need daw to go out of the country to find a stable job that brings food (and much more) to the table.

• Like any other Filipino gathering, the whole event was packed with numerous song and dance numbers by children of various OFW communities and organizations. IMHO, only a few of the performances were praise-worthy while some are so ho-hum. But, Pinoys, having the sense of pakikipagkapwa, gave thunderous rounds of applause for the performers, whether they liked it or not.

• When we went out of the hall, all participants were flabbergasted with the security thrown in to the entire place. There were more men in military uniforms (the katutubos) than all the Filipinos who went to see Ms. Arroyo that night. It's unbelievable! Pinays summed the feeling in one word: Kakalurkei!

• Almost all participants, before boarding the buses, talked and said they believe that PGMA tanked a lot of money (as in limpak-limpak) for this visit to the Middle East. I just hope she gives it to the public and not end up in her and her alipores' pockets.

• The traffic on the way home was heavy but bearable. What took the most time before returning from IPSA to our respective homes is finding where we parked our vehicles outside the school grounds.

The verdict on the whole visit thing? She kissed our arses because she believes to never bite the hand that feeds you. (Then again, history proves her otherwise.) She made us wait for too long only to deliver empty promises. (I could've done more with my time, no.) More so, if you think you're nauseated with hearing PGMA's speech defect on television and radio, you have the power to see the truth. By all means, it's best for you to do other things than think you're helpless with the cringes you're going to get.

Okay, enough of the bickering because any Pinoy can go on and on ridiculing the midget. So, I'm going to let you in on an open-secret. Did you know that Ms. Arroyo is kabisote? With every meeting she has with her cabinet, she remembers facts and figures so well that they are secretly agitated and aroused at the same time. It's the only thing I truly I admire about her from the stories that were told to me during college days.

I just hope it's all true.

Point A to Point A.5

Filipinos Lament How Far They Haven't Come by Seth Mydans in NY Times

The Philippines, with a population of 92 million, is one of the most vibrant nations in Asia, with a flamboyantly free press and a creative, assertive body of independent organizations and interest groups.

But it has not managed to tame its Communist and Muslim insurgencies or its restive military, which seems constantly to be plotting coups. Human rights groups say abuses by the military have returned to the levels of the Marcos years.

And the political arena sometimes seems more like a form of mass entertainment than a place of governance.

Everyone wishes for someone to really start pulling our act together as a nation. This is the biggest problem with us, Filipinos. No politician is bound to save us. Little steps are incremental to the big changes we want, people. Let's ultimately start these changes within. Only then we can start saving ourselves.

Panalo, Conrado, panalo.

Ang kagila-gilalas na kuru-kuro ni Conrado de Quiros na sumasalamin sa saloobin ng lahat ng Pilipino patukoy sa kahindik-hindik na ginawa ni Gloria Macapagal Arroyo at ng kanyang mga alipores habang nasa Estados Unidos. Buti na lang at ito ay kanyang isinulat sa wikang Tagalog para maintindihan ng mga mangmang na nilalang sa ating gobyerno.

May araw din kayo by Conrado de Quiros in Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Di sapat ang Inggles para iparamdam sa inyo ang suklam na nararamdaman namin sa inyo. Di sapat ang Inggles para ipakita sa inyo ang pagkamuhi na nararamdaman namin sa inyo. Di maarok ng Inggles ang lalim ng poot na nararamdaman namin sa inyo.

Isinusuka na kayo ng taumbayan, mahirap man sumuka ang gutom.

Panalo, Conrado, panalo.