‘Boring’ can be spelled as N-A-R-V-A-E-Z

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Philippine boxer Nonito Donaire connects with a left to Omar Narvaez of Argentina in the WBC, WBO World Bantamweight Titles bout at Madison Square Garden in New York on October 22, 2011. CHRIS TROTMAN/AFP"][/caption]

 

If there is one thing I love about Filipino boxing aside from Filipino heavyweights Pacquiao, Elorde, Velasco, Donaire, and other world-class fighters, it would be the viewers, the ordinary Juan.

An ordinary Juan watching the fight on his humble TV set can turn into an instant boxing analyst. After each fight, one can easily discuss how the fight went through or what a fighter should have done to knock the enemy out. An ordinary Juan does not need to be a Ronnie Nathanielsz, Ed Tolentino, Dyan Castillejo, or a Chino Trinidad to give a well-delivered analysis on the fight. Being a boxing aficionado nation, we are expert on that.

But one does not need to be a huge boxing fan to conclude yesterday’s much-anticipated Donaire-Narvaez fight is nothing but a boring show.

It was so boring I just decided to watch the fight of our Cebuano fighters televised on the rival network. And they proved to be more exciting and action-filled compared to this well-promoted match. So much for the hype.

Donaire is dubbed as an heir-apparent to Manny Pacquiao (though Bob Arum refuted that). Narvaez has a clean record and is undefeated. So I thought it will be an interesting punch fest.

But the challenger Omar Narvaez did a Joshua Clottey by just keeping his defensive stance and throwing an average 24 punches per round (An average bantamweight fighter throws 60 punches per round, according to ESPN’s Michael Woods) much to the disappointment of the Filipino Flash.

And the thousands of boxing fans who watched the fight at the Madison Square Gardenin New York. The crowd went wild in frustration and shouted “This is bullshit! This is bullshit!” and some of them left the theater even after the winner was declared.

Ryan Songolia of the Boxing Writers Asscoiation of America said that Donaire must have felt the pressure to perform an impressive fight having a good record of knockouts from his previous fight. On the other hand, Narvaez came only to survive and knowing that the Filipino Flash may knock him out.

But as in all boxing matches, win or lose, you still have the purse. And Narvaez may have survived the wrath of Donaire but the latter has stained his clean record. And we must still celebrate the victory of our Kababayan. this is another honor for our country.

Congratulations Nonito! See you on your next fight!

And I hope the upcoming Pacquiao-Marquez fight will be a good one and not just for “survival for the purse”.

Mabuhay ang mga Pilipinong boksingero!

Read more here:

• Donaire wins via unanimous decision versus Narvaez.


• Donaire apologizes to boxing fans after victory


• It was the fight with Clottey all over again

One Month to Two Years

Today, October 23, 2011, is the 23rd month of the infamous Ampatuan Massacre.

Most of us may have forgotten this horrible event in our history. This issue may have been overshadowed by the recent issues in our country and abroad like the deaths of Steve Jobs and Muammar Gadaffi, the proposed Hollywood-like sign on Taal Volcano, and our ambushed soldiers in Basilan and Zamboanga Sibugay (and the apparent lack of balls of our President to respond on the situation).

But by letting this event just pass us by our consciousness, we seem to be condoning the perpetrators of this crime. Or depriving justice to the victims and their families. Or allowing the culture of impunity in our country.

He who does not punish evil commands it to be done.

Justice for the victims of the Ampatuan Massacre. Never forget. Never again.

Photo courtesy of chili-icecream.deviantart.com

Henyo

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="372" caption="Pinoy Henyo"][/caption]

Kung may isa mang salita akong gagamitin upang ilarawan ang isa sa aking mga idolo at tinitingalang tao sa industriya, iyan na siguro iyon. Wala na sigurong mas akma pang salita upang ilarawan ko si Joey de Leon.

Bata pa lang ako, tuwang-tuwa na ako kapag nanonood ng mga programa ni Joey de Leon. Ibang klase ang kanyang istilo ng pagpapatawa. May pinaghuhugutan. May talino. Isa nga kasing henyo.

Hanggang ngayon, sinusubaybayan ko pa rin ang mga palabas ni Sir Joey sa telebisyon. Pauloy pa rin akong nagbabasa ng kanyang lingguhang artikulo saPhilippine Star. Patuloy pa ring pinapakinggan ang mga awiting kanyang nilikha. At hangga’t patuloy na ibinabahagi ni Sir Joey ang kanyang talento, hindi ako magsasawang sumubaybay sa kanya.

Wala akong pakialam kung hindi mo siya gusto. Wala akong pakialam kung sa tingin mo ay mas magaling si Willie Revillame sa kanya (pero mukhang “peace be with you” na sila dahil magksama na sila sa Kapatid Network). Wala akong pakialam kung hindi ka natatawa sa kanyang mga birada. Wala akong pakialam kung kinasusuklaman mo siya. May kalayaan kang pumili katulad ng kalayaan kong tingalain at hangaan ang isang Joey de Leon.

Maraming salamat Sir Joey sa ilang taong pagpapaligaya. Nawa ay ipagpatuloy mo ang pagbibigay sa amin ng saya. Mananatili akong tagahanga. Maligayang kaarawan! Padayon!

Remembering Given Grace Cebanico

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Earlier this afternoon at UPLB Carabao Park, a few minutes after the indignation rally for Given Grace Cebanico."][/caption]

 

I was on my way to my sister’s school (also inside the UPLB campus) to pay her tuition when I decided to stop by for a few minutes at the park where an indignation rally for Given Grace is being held.

I am neither a student nor an alumnus of the university but being a resident of Los Baños (plus the fact that the abduction of the victim happened in our Barangay), I joined the community in condemning this horrible event.

Gone are the days when Los Baños used to be a safe, quiet, and peaceful town. I hope that this event will never happen again.

To my fellow eLBizens, stay safe and be vigilant.

Read more here:

• Security guard na suspect sa pagpatay kay Given Grace, nahuli sa Pampanga.


• 2 suspects in killing UPLB student fall - police


• UPLB holds indignation rally for murdered student

Vindication for Christopher Lao

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgTVcvc4z6I]


Last August, Christopher Lao became an infamous internet sensation and a victim of taunts and satires by social media users when he drove his car directly into a flooded street causing it to drift in the flood. When interviewed by GMA News Reporter Jun Veneracion, who happened to be shooting within the vicinity, he told the latter the now-famous line “I should have been informed”, saying that signs should be put in the area.

In today’s social media age when information can spread faster than before, one’s mistakes or boo-boos can easily be exaggerated and then taunted and ridiculed afterwards. And Mister Lao was one of its victims.

But now, Christopher Lao is back, still with a flooded car, but starring in a commercial for BPI.

Lao plays himself repeating the same words, including the now-famous quote, “I should have been informed,” that he uttered to GMA reporter Jun Veneracion, who is played by an actor in the commercial for BPI.

“This is my way of saying yes to life,” Lao told GMA News. “Some good finally came out of this crisis. It became an opportunity. I can now pay for the tuition of my daughter.”

Lao is currently studying for the bar exam next month, but took time off to shoot the commercial last weekend.

The commercial ends with the graphic, “Nature doesn’t inform you.” BPI used Lao to pitch its auto loans that come with one year free insurance covering acts of nature. The ad is expected to air in cinemas as well as on BPI’s YouTube channel.

Karma is not always a bitch. And Christpher Lao is the perfect example that one can use his down moments in life to rise up again and make something wonderful out of it.

Christopher Lao is back! Who’s laughing now?

Elsewhere:

• Read the whole story on GMANews.TV. Yes, especially you who Laughed Out LAOd (pun intended) last August.


• Christopher Lao is on Twitter. And his description says The genuine I should have been informed driver. Cool guy.

"Noynoying"

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Nine days after the onslaught of Typhoons “Pedring” and “Quiel,” President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday finally saw for himself flood-devastated areas in three provinces."][/caption]

We live in the age of internet and social media. This is the age when new words and terms spread faster than a new strain of flu and memes are as ordinary as the everyday traffic situation at EDSA.

We’ve seen a lot. From the way jejemons type their messages to the new poses such as planking, owling, batmaning, and bakling. And now, inspired by our President’s alleged management style, there’s a new term that is about to spread (if successful) in the internet.

Noynoying.

I was drunk browsing cyber stuff last night when I came across a screen cap of a Facebook conversation supposedly coming from Overheard at UP Facebook page. According to it, noynoying is defined as a term for that idle moment na walang ginagawa pero dapat ay mayroon na.

For example, Dapat nagre-review pero noynoying muna.

Procrastination has a new name. And it was inspired by our President.

Critics have been accusing Aquino of being lax on his duty as President and having poor management skills. Recently, the Opposition slammed Aquino for not being present during the onslaught of Typhoons Pedring and Quiel.

This is not the first time that Aquino was criticized for not being present during the time of crisis. During the height of the Quirino Grandstand hostage crisis, the President was also criticized for not being present at the situation. During the height of the tragedy.

If that would always be the case, we should have picked a superhero instead as our leader. Like Bayani Fernando.

Is Noynoy Aquino really lax or not? Are you satisfied with the way the Administration deal with tragedies and calamities? (Okay, this sounds like a Teevee Patrol text poll).

Maybe. But I believe that one is immortalized when his name is used as an adjective. And a verb. Like Noynoying. Or numo-Noynoy.

Keep calm. And stop noynoying.

Be productive Pilipinas! Padayon!

Other related reads:

• Why Aquino didn’t visit flood victims sooner Read the Administration’s ‘defense’ here. It’s kinda convincing. Sort of.


• Christmas in jail for Arroyos seen Sa wakas! Mailalagay na sa kalaboso ang mga mandurugas! Merry Christmas Pilipinas! (I love the the way words rhyme.)

Francis Magalona, Filipino

I first met Francis when I was about four years old. My kuya, an artist, was busy then painting a portrait of Francis Magalona in a one-eighth illustration board at our old kubo. The face was familiar. He’s the man behind the infectious patriotic song Mga Kababayan Ko. And I have watched him on the movie Mama’s Boys with Ogie Alcasid, Michael V., and Anjo Yllana.

I saw Francis as a revolutionary young face that will achieve great heights. He challenged the conventional music style of his age. His music paved way for the unification of the then-opposing sides of Pinoy hip-hop and rock by experimenting on the merging of rap with rock music. After all, music is the language that should unite us, not divide us.

But more importantly, I saw Francis as a young man, whose heart is united with his beloved land. He redefined patriotism. He made it easier for the youth of this generation to appreciate and understand. And he showed us how great a race and nation we are.

Pride. Identity. Meaning. Perhaps, he saw that before we can shout to the world that we love our country, we must first know what it really means to be a Filipino.

I saw Mga Kababayan Ko then as an anthem which promotes Pinoy pride and identity along with the songs Ako’y Isang Pinoy by Florante and Tayo’y mga Pinoy by Heber Bartolome (and later recorded and reinvented by the Man from Manila himself). These three songs, together with our regular Monday school anthem Ako ay Pilipino, were my first inspirations to love my country, to appreciate my Pinoy identity, and to be proud of my ancestry. And this was long before Pinoy Ako by Orange and Lemons.

But he was gone too soon. Had he not died on that fateful Friday noon of March 6, 2009, he may have personally done greater things for our country and to our countrymen.

But as in all war and tragedy, life continues. He may have gone too soon but his spirit, music, and legacy still continue. Thanks to her wife Pia and the rest of the Magalonas, the Francis Magalona Foundation was born.

The Francis Magalona Foundation was established to realize in each Filipino a true sense of Filipino pride, personal integrity and a commitment to positive change through awareness campaigns and personal development and skills building programs. Its tagline, Finding a Meaning in every Filipino, is an invitation to every Filipino to ask themselves the significance of their identities as a Filipino. How is it to be a Filipino? How do I promote my pride and identity to the whole world?

He may have gone at a young age but what is more important is that he had lived his life with meaning. He has influenced a whole generation. He has inspired many with his music. And with that, he is already immortal.

On his 47th Birthday, let us remember The Man from Manila who have inspired many by his great music, who have been a good father to his children, who have been a good husband to his wife, and who have been a modern example of Filipino Patriotism.

You may have gone Francis but your legacy of music and patriotism will remain in our minds and hearts forever.

Maligayang kaarawan at maraming salamat Kiko!

Kickass photo courtesy of scarypet.deviantart.com

"Perfect Breasts"

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RH1AV635tns&w=420&h=315]

Call me a loser but I have only watched this video just now. Had I not lurked at TV-5’s Interaksyonwebsite, I would have not discovered this hilarious TV commercial of the self-proclaimed pambansang litsong manok Andok’s (of course, Mang Inasal, Sr. Pedro, Baliwag and my favorite Chooks to Go would contest the title but let’s just leave them with their delicious competition).

While the verdict is still out whether or not Andok’s latest series of commercials would rev up its sales (which was so quickly overshadowed by the juggernaut that is ‘Mang Inasal’), what is certain is that these are some of the funniest (and wittiest) in recent memory.

Part indie, part flight of fancy, Andok’s “Perfect Breast” two-minute commercial is a sleeper hit online and probably the breast, este, the best in the trilogy of chicken commercials. Check out how the hero’s addiction with breast has turned his life upside down. This is certainly one breast exposure we can’t get enough of.

The two other chicken commercials, Wings and Palong are both equally funny but this stood out among the three. It’s funny. It’s catchy. And it’s creepy.

I will never look at Andok’s chicken the same way again.