The 115th Philippine Independence Day Celebration... Are We Really Free?

115th? Really? Hahaha. No, I do not want to start a debate on the topic of June 12th being the Philippine's Independence Day... I would let it pass for now and just make a post about it next year perhaps.. Haha. What I want to ask now is, are we really free?

My answer to that is just simple. As a nation, yes, the Philippines is free. But are the people free?

The concept of freedom is relative. Most of you would think you are free because of your own definition of freedom. You might argue that you can freely express yourselves and say that the President is stupid and get away with it or that you voted for your leaders who are Filipinos and not of foreign blood but does that make you free? Well, they say the proof is in the pudding but for me, I think not all Filipinos are free.

Why? Lets start with this. Are all Filipinos enjoying their political rights and civil liberties? Are Filipinos free from being controlled by religion? Oh.. Your answer is already a big NO? Game Over... Hahaha. So what is my concept of being free then?

The Filipinos can only be called free, when one is not denied justice. When our courts stop to be just for those who has money. If you think this is not true, you have to wake up!

We can only be free, when the so called economic growth we are experiencing can already be felt by the poor. As long as we do not contribute in any way to alleviate poverty, we will always be slaves. Yes, I used the term "we" and by that including you! We cannot just put this burden to our government. We should practice social responsibility and be part of the solution.

We can only be free, when Filipinos wakes up from their ignorance and stupidity! By this, I am not only referring to lack of education, but also to the apathy of a lot of Filipinos to the real problems of our society.

We can only be free when we eliminate corruption! The biggest hindrance of all to our journey to true freedom is corruption! As long as we allow ourselves to be ruled by corrupt officials, we can never be free. I must admit that even reducing corruption almost seems impossible. Corruption starts inside the families of every Filipino. Think about it. Think hard...

I could write till I am blue in the face but I would just be reaching about .1 percent of the population. Even if this is an impossible feat, I still believe we can do it. I am a dreamer... I believe that somehow, if some people would be able to get my ideas, they too can share it to a few others who can share it to maybe your friends or better yet you parents. hahaha.

I always dream of a Philippines where people are not forced to leave the country because they couldn't find opportunities here... of a Philippines where people are not hungry, of a Philippines where people do not just try to impress foreigners in order to be called beautiful... of a Philippines where people are not afraid to express themselves, of a Philippines who does not rely on foreign help to defend its land, of a Philippines where people do not consider themselves as an inferior race, of a Philippines where there is justice, of a Philippines where people are educated, of a Philippines where people care...

Going back to my original question... Are we really free??? I AM! I want you to be too...

Vanilla Cupcake Bakery: A Cupcake Wonderland Or Just Another Hype?

It has been 9 days since my last post. Time really flies. I can't believe classes already started and traffic in the Metro just got worst again.

In the 9 days that passed, there were a lot of issues that I was thinking of writing about but decided not to. Why? Because I didn't have anything positive to say. It would just be another rant that only my closest friends would care to read and talk about the next time we meet and commit the greatest lie we make these days. What lie am I talking about? Its the "Just 2 bottles" or "2 bottles only" lies. Hehe. Anyway, I decided to do away with writing about my biased opinions on current events and write about the most manly topic I could think of.... Cupcakes!

What the fuck do I know about cupcakes? If you would see me in person, you wouldn't expect me to be the cupcake lover type but I tell you, I know good cupcakes and I bake damn better than a lot of women, my girlfriend included. Hahaha.

I wanted to make a new blog to write about food but I am too lazy to do that so I'll just put it here as well. Since there aren't a lot of posts yet, I'll work on the categories later but I doubt I would have the drive to do that. Maybe after about 6 months or a year. Hehe.

So here it goes... My girlfriend and I went to Glorietta  last Wednesday to watch "The Fast and the Furious 6". Yeah I know, I watched the movie later than everybody else. Our first attempt just ended in a fancy dinner because the seats we wanted were already taken. Urg! Extra expense for me again but well worth it because It was another bonding moment for us amidst the busy schedule we both have. We met at about 7pm and the last full show was at 9:25PM so we had time to have a quick dinner. We decided to eat at Yoshinoya, I made a mistake of ordering the Power Meal which was a beef with vegetable bowl. We all know that Yoshinoya's beef bowl is the best but the vegetable in the Power Meal was simply the worst chopsuey ripoff I ever tasted. I had to order another Gyudon bowl because of that. Yeah I know I am going off topic but I didn't want to make a new post just for this. Hehe.

So after that, we decided to try the cupcakes at the Vanilla Cupcake Bakery. You would see some of the cupcake pictures below but I decided not to post the picture of the establishment itself because it kinda lures you inside. Hahaha. The place is doll house like... The kind any man would not dare step into if he is with another man or if he is alone. lol.

Red Velvet and Chocolate Decadent

I know I don't take good pictures. I simply point and click so please pardon me for the eyesores. Hehe. And no we didn't eat all of those cupcakes. My housemates loves "pasalubongs" so I always buy extra.

Cheesecake, Oreo Cheesecake, Chocolate Nutella

I didn't actually saw the Vanilla Cupcake Bakery by chance. My Facebook friends has been posting instagram pics of it since March claiming the cupcakes were sooooo gooood and that their red velvet was heavenly so I got interested to try it out myself.

Cheesecake

I am a red velvet cupcake lover so naturally, its the first one I looked for when we arrived. There was nothing on display so I asked the crew taking orders at the front (a girl who I think should be working at CDR-King instead, why? kasi malabo kausap!) if there are any red velvets coming. Here's what she did... She looked at the empty tray and said "ay sir wala na po". Being the hard headed person that I am, I asked another crew who was inside if they will refill the red velvet tray, she said it would be available in about 10 minutes. Thank God! We went to the cashier to place our orders there but the girl who was taking orders followed us. Hehe. When she asked what drinks I want, I asked what was available... I wasn't actually listening (I do not have any manners at all! blame it on my phone) but I heard her saying bottled iced tea so I asked "by bottled iced tea you mean Sola?" She said "yes sir bottled iced tea po" I smiled... See how nice I am? Then the girl at the counter interrupted and said "sir hindi po Sola" so I said I'll have that.

When we got in, my girlfriend saw the cute mixer on display and said she'd love to have one like that... I was really happy inside because I wouldn't have to think of a Christmas gift for her. Hehe. The furniture reminded me of Kamiseta, I know I saw those chairs somewhere but I am not 100% sure.

When our orders arrived, my bottled iced tea turned out to be Real Leaf from Coca Cola. It was not cold but I was given a paper cup with ice. The bottled water wasn't cold as well. I am not sure about you but I don't like putting ice on my drinks. Especially when I am not sure who supplies the ice. Call me "maarte" if you will but I think I am watching too much Imbestigador that I am a bit paranoid about the quality of everything! Hehe.

Now going to the finale... I first tasted the red velvet frosting.... It was good... I think its the pre made philly frosting... It really tasted familiar... Then the cupcake... It was to my disappointment, dry and crumbly... Far from the descriptions of my Facebook friends. Without the frosting, the cupcake is just ordinary. I mean, there I was in a place that was almost magical with my girl and my favorite cupcake flavor and then suddenly I woke up from that really nice dream.

I wanted to be back in dreamland so I quickly picked up the Nutella Chocolate. I couldn't taste a trace of Nutella in it at all. My girlfriend saw the disappointment on my face and smiled. That smile just takes away all those negative feelings... I did not lose hope, picked up the chocolate decadent and was surprised the cupcake tasted good but I couldn't finish it because the frosting was just too thick and was so sweet. We then just asked for the rest of the cupcakes to be boxed for takeaway. I asked one to be boxed separately. The packaging was cute. I now know why the cupcakes are expensive. The price of the box is already included in their cupcake pricing whether you have it there or to go... That is just my theory though. Hehe. Will I go back? I'll probably try another branch and their other cupcakes. Who knows, I might have a better experience. As for the red velvet, I would still go for my favorite House of Silvanas or J Cuppacakes. I think Vanilla Cupcake Bakery's price of php85 - 100 a cupcake is not reasonable if only for the ambiance their place has to offer... They seriously need to bake better tasting cupcakes to get clients to return.

Pnoy Arrives late at an appointment, blames traffic, reprimands MMDA chairman

photo grabbed from google

  

 Before anything else, my condolences goes to the bereaved family of the casualties in the Serendra 2  explosion in Taguig City. 

So the President is late once again. Pnoy was the guest of honor at the inauguration of the Advanced Device and Materials Testing Laboratory. He apologized at the start of his speech saying:

"Hihingi muna ako ng paumanhin sa inyo, na-late po tayo. Hindi inaasahan. Friday—ma-traffic. Hindi ko inaasahan, ma-traffic everywhere. Tinawagan ko na po si Chairman Tolentino na baka gusto niyang mag-traffic at mabawasan ang abala sa ating mga kabuhayan. Ngayon ko lang inakala na galing pong Malacañang kailangang dumaan ng Roxas Boulevard para umabot ng Taguig."

My first reaction of course was REAAALLLLYYYYYY???? You were surprised because of traffic on a FRIDAY? Are you really from the Philippines? Because what you experienced is what normal people without a convoy are experiencing every fucking day! Oooops. Sorry bout that. I will try to continue without profanities. I just can't believe this man! Calling MMDA Chairman Tolentino though (who is by the way out of the country) was a good idea. Why?..... Do you still remember Chairman Tolentino's letter to Dan Brown? Now I think its time for Chairman Tolentino to write an open letter to the President saying he is greatly disappointed by the Pnoy's inaccurate description of traffic in our beloved metropolis and that  he should've checked MMDA's website for alternate routes. Tolentino may add how displeased he is that the President suggested he himself act as a traffic enforcer. Hahaha. That would be epic!

But seriously, the President, being late again should be ashamed! He just signed a law setting Philippine Standard Time so as to change the connotation of "Filipino Time". I mean, everyone knows that driving from Malacañang to Taguig takes an hour and a half, that is if it is not rush hour. During rush hour it would be about 2-3 hours. Yes Mr. President. Welcome to the Philippines! The only time you can get there in 20 mins would be during a Pacquiao fight! So if you do not want to be late, leave early. Stop blaming traffic! 

Also, it might be a good idea to ask one of the employees of Malacañang to commute. That way you'd know what the common people or your "BOSSES" are experiencing everyday! You might be surprised by the things you'd discover about the Philippines. You might, just might, understand what the people needs.

Yeah! Its definitely More Fun in the Philippines!

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

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?

Dan Brown's letter to MMDA Chairman Tolentino

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!