Thursday, May 30, 2013

Civil Service Commission April 2013 Exam Results

The Civil Service Exam Results for April 2013 is out. Click the links below to view results per region.

April 2013 Civil Service Professional Exam Results :
CSC Prof – Region 1
CSC Prof – Region 2
CSC Prof – Region 3
CSC Prof – Region 4
CSC Prof – Region 5
CSC Prof – Region 6
CSC Prof – Region 7
CSC Prof – Region 8
CSC Prof – Region 9
CSC Prof – Region 10
CSC Prof – Region 11
CSC Prof – Region 12
CSC Prof – NCR
CSC Prof – CAR
CSC Prof – CARAGA
CSC Prof – ARMM
April 2013 Civil Service Sub Professional Exam Results:
CSC Sub-Prof – Region 1
CSC Sub-Prof – Region 2
CSC Sub-Prof – Region 3
CSC Sub-Prof – Region 4
CSC Sub-Prof – Region 5
CSC Sub-Prof – Region 6
CSC Sub-Prof – Region 7
CSC Sub-Prof – Region 8
CSC Sub-Prof – Region 9
CSC Sub-Prof – Region 10
CSC Sub-Prof – Region 11
CSC Sub-Prof – Region 12
CSC Sub-Prof – NCR
CSC Sub-Prof – CAR
CSC Sub-Prof – CARAGA
CSC Sub-Prof – ARMM

Congratulations to all those who passed!

Dobri Dobrev a 98 year old who inspires the world






98 year old Dobri Dobrev, a man who lost most of his hearing in the second world war, has traveled 25 kilometers every day for decades from his village in his homemade clothes and leather shoes to the city of Sofia - a trip he made by foot until recently - where he spends the day begging for money.

Though a well recognized fixture around several of the city’s churches, known for his prostrations of thanks to all donors, it was only recently discovered that he has donated every penny he has collected — over 40,000 euros — towards the restoration of decaying Bulgarian monasteries and churches and the utility bills of orphanages, living entirely off his monthly state pension of 80 euros and the kindness of others.

The first two paragraphs and the pic came from awkward situationist in tumblr. I'm bored out of my wits and browsing random blogs when I came across this. My initial reaction was, of course doubt. I don't know but I doubt things that I read in social media, especially posts in Facebook. I mean, people are making up stuff just so they can share a post in Facebook that everyone would like. So I did some more reading and found out that this is legit. And just to correct what was written in the first paragraph, he is not begging for money. He is simply collecting money for a cause.

If this story didn't touch you at all, you are heartless! I am not sure about you but I am shamed by this. I am not exactly what you can call rich but I am not poor either. Lets say I have more than enough but nothing close to those on the "rich" bracket. But thinking about it, how much have I actually shared/given to others? I know most of you reading this have a lot more than this old man but hasn't come close to thinking about reaching out to the less fortunate may it be through a charity or your own churches. I have given donations to typhoon victims constantly but that is because donating was just a text away. I wouldn't have to walk 10 kilometers to do it. And even when I give, I still enjoy drinking my beer, eating overpriced pizza and watching movies in 3D. Very few Christians understand that a life truly dedicated to Christ has no room for that 55 inch LED TV. I am a horrible Christian, but I try to do good each day. I envy those who have chosen to forgo all forms of materialism living peacefully below their means and just sharing what they have in excess. What drives man to be like this? Are some people born to be inherently good?

I am not a religious man. I do not go to church on Sundays but I believe in the Christian God. I believe that helping people in need is everyone's responsibility. Which brings me to a very important observation. People in the Philippines are now reluctant at helping others. Why? Because more often than not, people on the streets asking for help are con artists. They're everywhere and the sad thing about it is, you cannot really tell who the real people in need are. I met an old lady asking for help on her grand daughter's medical bills, I met a man with a wife suffering from cancer, A mother and child who needs money for their fare and so on. Ever had an experience where you wanted to say "Shut up and take my money" not because you are rude but because you do not want to hear about their stories of suffering? You simply cannot imagine yourself in their shoes. I get that feeling a lot and I can say, I get conned a lot.

I might sound like I am righteous but I assure you I am not. I have sinned a lot with a magnitude you won't be able to believe and for that I am not proud or worthy to be really called a Christian. My true intention in posting this here is to ask each and everyone who would be able to read this to open our hearts and share what we have. We're not all going to be like Dobri, but if everyone could just do good for themselves, their families and others, then I think we'd be better off than we are now. The Philippines is in dire need of goodness. Okay, not just us, but the whole world.

The full article on Dobri Dobrev here

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Vice Ganda's Rape Joke Offends Jessica Soho



So what's new in social media? I honestly am not sure. Hahaha. Been out for a while and haven't been able to check online for a few days. I do not know if this video getting viral is old news but tonight, or shall I say this morning because it is already past 12AM, is the first time I saw this video. Now why did I get interested in this video? It is because it again captured the attention of a lot Filipinos not only here but also those who are abroad.

If your internet is as crappy as my Smart Bro Canopy, (I keep on forgetting to write about this internet service but be ready Smart because I'm gonna do it soon)  the video above might take a year to load so let me tell you what it is about. The video shows Vice Ganda joking about Jessica Soho, if you are in the Philippines I know you would know him but if you are not here, then I'll give you a brief background. He is a gay comedian known for his rude jokes. Yes, you read it right, rude jokes. So now you ask, why is it a big deal now then? Its what's he's known for... Was it because he made fun of the known news anchor Jessica Soho? Nah.. Not really that... As Jessica herself said "this is not about me"... So what then? Well because he just pulled off a "rape" joke...

By this time, I know you are now cursing Vice Ganda and saying how much of an asshole he is. I know you would judge him right away. Why? Because his joke was offensive... Or is it really?

No do not raise your eyebrows like that. I am not siding with Vice Ganda here... I am here to simply give you a clearer view of the issue. Ready???  Okay. Lets proceed. Here in the Philippines, back in the day, the kind of jokes people laugh at are those green jokes and slapstick humor. Remember the Pork-chop Duo? Remember all those smack to the back of the head our old comedians were so fond of doing? That kind of comedy was what was funny back then. Now, when there was a comedy bar boom in the country, the jokes eventually evolved. Stand up comedy took a more westernized approach. But what was noticeable was the jokes that were making fun of other people. I've been to the comedy bars and I could personally say that the people are entertained by this kind of humor. The crowd goes to an uproar on this. So why are we reacting to this joke now?

If you would ask my opinion, I find rape jokes to be simply tasteless. Based on the video above, it looks like a lot of Filipinos actually laughed at the joke. Do I judge them for finding it funny? No.... You wanna know why? Because in a stand up comedy setting, if you are part of the audience, you get carried into the momentum. Once you start laughing, it would be hard for you to stop when an inappropriate joke gets in. Well, that is just me justifying it... Hoping the Filipinos still have taste and are not yet insensitive. Come on, prove me right on this... Fuck, I might just be wrong... That's a sad thought right there... I need a drink!

Where did I left? Oh... Forget about that. The issue here is, "was it right for Vice Ganda and his team of writers if there are, to include a rape joke in their set"? In this age of political correctness, I think they should've not included that joke. I couldn't care less about him joking on Jessica Soho's weight. That is fine with me. I mean, I have been to comedy bars in the US and I tell you, there are more awful things in the world that comedians there are joking about, but I still find it funny. An example would be the racist jokes or stereotype jokes. I admit that I laugh at some offensive humor when it is done right but in my opinion, a rape joke can't be done right! We can always find funny things in our sufferings, Filipinos are known for this but there’s a difference between comedy and shock value, for me, joking about certain taboo topics is just a cheap shot.

While my opinion on this will not change, I am not saying that this should be a law on what should be funny and what should not. I find some of the episodes of Family Guy and The Simpsons funny, the others not. So the question I have for you now is this:

Do you want to be in a culture where rape jokes are appreciated?


Saturday, May 25, 2013

Dan Brown's letter to MMDA Chairman Tolentino

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I can't help it. Its all over my Facebook page. Unfortunately, a lot of my Facebook friends are apparently more sensitive than MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino. These friends whose patriotism ignites when our boxers wins in a match or when a half-breed Filipino wins in a contest abroad!

Why does Dan Brown's depiction of Manila in his new book Inferno infuriates Filipinos so much? I'll tell you why... Because it is closer to the truth than the MMDA's description of Manila as "Heavenly". Yes my countrymen... Let us not fool ourselves. Manila is not Heavenly at all! Not if you are an ordinary citizen riding jeepneys or the LRT. Not if you are an ordinary citizen walking on the street without bodyguards! Not if you are the one driving your car! It is a different story though if you are cruising Manila in the backseat of a heavily tinted luxury car. Not noticing the thousands of common people outside then you get off at the hotel, your bodyguard opens the door for you and you dine at the gourmet restaurant spending as much as a month's wage of the common Filipino... Yeah.. Heavenly!

Now, if I am saying that Manila needs a facelift (although I think a "rebirth" is what Manila needs, I will just settle for a facelift for now. hahaha), then why are the people reacting vehemently to the truth? Well, 2 things... First is that, Filipinos are not really good at dealing with criticism. Second, because a Foreigner said it! Yes you read it right! If a Filipino author wrote about Manila and depicted it the way Dan Brown did, it wouldn't be a big deal. Filipinos are deaf when it comes to the cry of their fellow countrymen, only the opinion of the foreigners matter.

If you would read Dan Brown's novel, you would know why it was called the gates of hell. Go on, ask your friends if they have a copy of the book. I know you don't buy your own you cheapo! Hahaha. I am sure that only about 2% of the Filipinos has read the book. I am also sure that those who are posting about this on Facebook doesn't really know anything about the book before this issue... I just hope we Filipinos would focus more on building a better Philippines and changing our negative attitudes. We might not be able to change the government we have because of the stupid voters who are the majority in our democrazy nation but we can start by making a change within ourselves. There is still hope for us.

God bless the Philippines!

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Taiwan's sanctions to the Philippines, A diplomatic tool???

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           First, I would like to inform you dear reader that I am just an ordinary Filipino citizen. I am not a journalist nor a political analyst. I have biased opinions which might offend you so If you think you are too sensitive, then please stop reading. While listening to the news from my 10 year old phone, I decided I have to write something about the current Philippines and Taiwan issue. I actually planned on writing something about the just concluded elections but I think that can wait.

          By now, the trolls already wants to know my position on this issue. I will not disappoint you. I condemn any act of violence against any human of any race more so the killing of any human being! There you have it. The trolls can now stop reading and formulate mindless comments.

          If you are living in a cave and do not know the issue yet, let me give you a summary of what happened. On Thursday, the 9th of May, the Philippine Coast Guard opened fire to a Taiwanese fishing vessel resulting in the death of a 65 year old fisherman. The Taiwanese fishing vessel allegedly tried to ram the PCG's boat. Reports say more than 50 bullets hit the Taiwanese boat. From a machine gun, that would just be shooting for less than 5 seconds. Well, they are still investigating this but we will not dwell on this much because I personally think this is not important... I am seeing eyebrows raising! Why the fuck is it not important??? Because I said so! Go back to paragraph 1.

          Regardless if the Taiwanese tried to ram the PCG's armed steel boat with their unarmed fiber glass boat, the Coast Guard's action is not acceptable! I know the Philippine Coast Guard could have handled the situation better. These men are highly trained and well disciplined. Yes, you read it right. I can say about 99 percent of them are not trigger happy brown monkeys!

         So now, we are clear as to the fault of the Philippines here, let us go to what the Philippines tried to do to settle the issue diplomatically. If you do not know it yet, the Philippines already apologized to Taiwan regarding the incident through our Manila Economic and Cultural Office, Manila’s de-facto embassy in Taiwan. Why MECO and not one of the cabinet members of President Aquino? This is because the Philippines is adhering to the "One-China" policy. If you do not know the said policy better make use of our user friendly search engines to know more. I can't be educating you with all of these here! Go back to school! The Philippine Government also relieved the Coast Guard men who were involved in the incident while investigations are ongoing.

         Taiwan's President knows this. President Ma knows this is the best the Philippines can do. The Taiwanese President understands the reason why the Philippines could not give an apology at a government level. The Philippines is avoiding any conflict with China by adhering to the "one China" policy. But why did the Taiwanese President reject this apology? The answer to that is the pressure from the Taiwanese people and the opposition. President Ma is not exactly a popular President because of issues that has been thrown to him in the past so he is really being pressured to act cautiously on this issue. I think he made the right move of rejecting the first attempt of the Philippines to apologize but when President Aquino sent Amadeo Perez (MECO's Chairman) to Taipei, the Taiwanese Government should have met them and resolved the issue diplomatically. Why? Because Perez was sent and authorized by President Aquino that's why. I have to agree that the Philippine President is not a good diplomat but sending Perez to Taipei was a great move, a great opportunity for both countries.

          So now, Taiwan has issued sanctions which affected lots of innocent Filipino OFW's in Taiwan. Sanctions, are meant to punish an offending party economically and politically without the use of military force. Will these sanctions serve as a diplomatic tool to resolve this issue? I think not. Historically, sanctions only worsened diplomatic relations between countries. In Taiwan's case, issuing the sanctions has changed the view of the international community. At the start of this crisis, the international community sympathized with Taiwan but now, they seemed to have become the aggressor. The Philippines is now appearing as the injured party because of the sanctions.

       I would not suggest any resolution to this crisis as I am but a simple citizen of this country. I also wouldn't want the Coast Guard spraying bullets at my yacht or Taiwan crashing their F16's at my house in Bali. All I can say is, we all need to peacefully settle this. Condemning a violent act by acting violently is just plain stupid.

       To those fucktards hurting the Filipino OFW's in Taiwan, I know you are just a bunch of unemployed junkies posing as nationalists! I still believe most Taiwanese are rational people.

       I still have much to say but I'll have to finish this now. I feel like sleeping for a while. That damn Patron tequila really hit me hard....

        May my God and your God bless us all!

Thursday, May 2, 2013

The first step

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First, I would like to thank whoever you are for actually stopping here and reading this first line. As the title suggest this is one of the first steps that I am making. I now welcome myself as a part of the blogging world! Yay!

This is my first time to actually write anything... Well technically I'm typing this. Haha. Seriously, I haven't written anything since the last book report I made at school which was about 8 years ago or 7 years if you would consider the essay I wrote for my final exam. :)

You might be asking, "so why the hell did you decide to write now when you clearly don't have the talent?" My answer to that is simple. I now have this itch to say something... to share... to tell the world what I think which would probably give me a black eye or a hand mark on my face if I tell it to people personally.

I wanted to start by introducing myself but that would be boring.  I think it would be better If you would know me based on what I write. That way you can hate me for my ideas and not for the person that I am.

By now, I know you have noticed that I really have no idea about what I would be writing on my first post. Yes, I know I wasted your time but I am inviting you to go back here and read my next post or comment on what you want to know or want to read about and I will gladly make a post about it. Maybe you can even give me ideas which would make both our time worthwhile. After all, the internet is for sharing and it is open to everyone...

So there. I'll end it here... wait for my next post which I promise would not be as boring as this one by just a little bit.

Bye...