RAIGE-O-LOGY

Presidential candidate Eddie Villanueva found himself in the hot seat during yesterday's episode of DZBB's 'Ikaw Na Ba?' series. The program, hosted by the controversial Mike Enriquez, revolves around interrogating the ten Presidential candidates for the upcoming May 2010 elections. In essence, Mike asks each candidate if they believe they are deserving of the position of the next President of the Philippines and why. It's somewhat similar to 'American Idol' where Mike Enriquez plays a rather brash version of Simon Cowell, guiding the audience in deciding which candidate to vote for. Unfortunately, like 'American Idol,' the election system in the Philippines is also often driven by popularity rather than genuine ability. Eddie Villanueva shared his plans if he were to win the Presidency, which seemed to bear uncanny similarities to the actions of the late President Ferdinand Marcos during his term (excluding the Martial Law aspect, of course). Villan...

Throughout your life, there are numerous moments that serve as deliberate reminders that you may not be in the best physical shape. Indulging in junk food takes its toll on your body, and when combined with laziness, like in my case, the impact is multiplied by three. One such moment occurred while I was taking down the outdoor Christmas decorations (yes, it's late February and the decorations are still up— that's how sluggish I can be). Even the simple task of moving a ladder here and there proved to be a struggle for my aging heart and lungs. It was at that precise moment that I realized I desperately needed some exercise. There were other signs prior to this incident that hinted at the pressing need for physical activity. These included my excessive preference for dark clothing, the complaints I received from fellow passengers on public transportation, the towering tsunamis caused by my ill-fated cannonball attempts in swimming pools, and the accumulation of loyalty cards ...

On Saturday night, the highly anticipated premiere of 'Pilipinas' Got Talent' took place. This show is a franchise of the immensely popular 'Britain's Got Talent,' which discovered opera singer Paul Potts. The premise of the show is to showcase individuals with extraordinary talents, ranging from singing to fire-breathing and everything in between. Essentially, anything goes on this show. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of talent shows. However, due to sheer boredom, curiosity, and the lack of other shows to watch, I decided to check out the pilot episode. The auditions took place in the Visayas region, which is a cluster of islands in the middle of the Philippines. The hosts for the show were Luis Manzano and Billy Crawford, while the judges consisted of Ai-Ai Delas Alas, Kris Aquino, and a prominent executive from ABS-CBN whose name escapes me at the moment. There were quite a few performances that were somewhat embarrassing to watch. Although I must commen...

Here we have another movie adaptation of a book, which seems to be the prevailing trend these days. Sometimes I ponder why anyone would bother buying a book when a movie version is soon to follow. A friend of mine has a habit of watching the movie first and then reading the book for comparison. I advised her not to bother because, more often than not, the book always surpasses the movie. Watching a movie based on a book is like witnessing someone else's interpretation of the story, and that someone has to alter the context significantly. It's understandable since Hollywood has its limitations, unlike the boundless realms of our imaginations. The film's producers can't faithfully replicate the book word for word due to constraints of budget and time. So here's my advice to you: If you're a fan of the book, stick with it. Don't expect the movie version to capture the essence of the book exactly as it is. I've been disappointed multiple times by this, parti...

February 14, 2010, marks the convergence of two occasions that, in my opinion, lack any logical significance. Please note that when I refer to "people" in the opening sentence, I deliberately exclude myself from the group of individuals who partake in these commercialized endeavors that drain funds from already depleted pockets, wallets, and bank accounts. The first occasion is the Chinese New Year. What's the deal with this? I mean, the rest of the world has already celebrated the New Year over a month ago. Why do they insist on observing it on a different date? Aren't there already enough holidays? The Chinese claim they follow the lunar calendar, but when it comes to collecting rent, they are well-versed in the standard calendar! And as if the astronomical Zodiac signs weren't enough for the Chinese, they create their own Zodiac system. This confuses me. I'm a Leo in the Zodiac, but according to the Chinese Zodiac, I'm a Dog. Aren't those two contra...

Allow me to delve further into the topic of napping. It has the ability to truncate trips by reducing the number of conscious hours spent in this reality. With two hours remaining before our departure, I succumbed to a nap, liberating myself from the tediousness of sitting on the bus and enduring the relentless efforts of the flamboyant tour guide to persuade us into purchasing more buco pies. The next thing I knew, all the passengers were aboard, the bus was in motion, and the bothersome tour guide was nowhere to be seen. I owe my gratitude to that peaceful slumber. Now that I have expended my nap card, I am unable to fall asleep again during the journey home. However, this turned out to be fortuitous. I noticed the driver growing somewhat drowsy, so I positioned myself in the seat directly behind him and engaged in conversation, ensuring his alertness. Just as we were about to enter NLEX, an incident occurred that served as a wake-up call for our driver. Some mischievous youngsters h...

One effective method to make a trip feel shorter is to doze off during the journey (as long as you're a passenger and not the driver, of course). Although it's not something I typically do, the energy drink's effects were wearing off, so I allowed my eyes to close. Before I knew it, we had arrived at the parking lot of Enchanted Kingdom. The entire amusement park was teeming with people. There were over fifty buses filled with students from various schools, all clearly on their own field trips. Not to mention the multitude of private vehicles. A sign at the entrance indicated that the average waiting time for each ride was one and a half hours. Considering we only had five hours to enjoy before returning to the bus, that left us with roughly enough time for three rides. We decided to forgo getting on any rides altogether and instead utilize the time that would have been wasted in queues for other activities, such as capturing photographs, strolling around, purchasing souven...

What could be more fitting than having lunch at the largest mall in the Philippines? We arrived at SM Mall of Asia around 1 PM. This colossal mall holds the impressive titles of being the third largest in the world, the second largest in Asia, and the largest in the Philippines. Even if you dedicated an entire day to exploring every shop within this immense structure, it would still feel insufficient. However, luck was not on our side as we were only granted an hour to dine, shop, and pursue our desires within the mall. It felt akin to watching a two-minute clip summarizing the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy. With limited time, we hurriedly found a restaurant with available tables and enjoyed our lunch. Soon after, we made our way back to the designated meeting point, where the bus would pick us up for our next destination: the Enchanted Kingdom in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

Our next stop on the itinerary is Pasig River, where we will embark on a tour via ferry boat. However, reaching the dock proved to be more challenging than anticipated, as there was a miscommunication among the bus drivers. We ended up taking a different route that led us to a narrow street under a bridge, where the bus couldn't pass. It shattered my belief that all bus drivers know the ins and outs of Manila like the back of their hands. Eventually, we managed to find an alternate route and arrived at the dock. We eagerly boarded the ferry boat, and the tour promptly commenced. Pasig River stretches from Manila Bay up to Laguna De Bay. I was so engrossed in capturing pictures that I missed some of the information the tour guide was providing. If I recall correctly, he mentioned that there are approximately fifteen (?) bridges spanning across the Pasig River. Here are a few that I can remember: MacArthur Bridge, Commonwealth Bridge, Quezon Bridge... and that's all that stuck in...

After swiftly exploring the museum, we ventured into the neighboring Crocodile Farm (and no, it's not a place where clogs are manufactured). We gathered near the entrance for a brief introduction about the farm (and I assure you, it has nothing to do with Farmville). Our tour guide then directed us to two enclosures, where murky pools of water awaited. Each pen housed around twenty crocodiles. Two brave caretakers, armed with pails of chicken meat and clad in rubber boots, entered the enclosures. It was feeding time for the Crocs! But, I couldn't help but wonder, is rubber really enough protection? The caretakers began banging the pails on the floor, and like actors following their cue, the Crocs emerged from the water. One by one, they approached the caretakers. A feeding frenzy ensued, with crocs rushing towards the caretakers, jaws wide open. Astonishingly, they stopped just a foot away from the caretakers' feet, patiently waiting for a piece of chicken meat to be thrown...

Relieved to be free from the relentless onslaught of dreadful jokes and inappropriate banter from our tour guide, we finally arrived at our first destination. Our legs eagerly stretched as we stepped out, and our ears rejoiced at the absence of unwanted chatter. The Science Entertainment Museum and Davao Crocodile Farm happened to be located right next to each other. We decided to explore the museum first. Inside, we encountered a room that demonstrated the workings of green screens in TV productions, another room filled with interactive science projects, and a separate space where we had the opportunity to voice dub a short scene from Naruto. Additionally, there was a dimly lit room where white material seemed to capture our shadows as the lights flickered on and off. However, to be honest, the museum didn't make a lasting impression on my memory, as the entire tour lasted a mere twenty minutes. It felt as though the administrators were rushing, perhaps attempting to break a world...

With a hasty breakfast from a nearby convenience store, we gathered at the rendezvous point, awaiting the arrival of the buses. Despite my sleepless night after the Bamboo concert, an energy drink had me feeling unusually energetic. As we arrived, the buses began to pull in, and we boarded bus number 6. However, we had to endure an hour of waiting for those who overslept due to malfunctioning alarm clocks before we could finally set off for Manila. Unfortunately, our bus was assigned the most irritating tour guide in the history of tour guides. He introduced himself with the lamest joke I had ever heard and proceeded to bombard the bus with trivial questions that only he seemed to know the answers to. He wore a smug smirk as everyone struggled to respond. If we had known those answers, we wouldn't have needed him standing there in the first place. Nevertheless, to be fair, he did share some interesting facts that I hadn't known before. Here are a few of them: 1. Luzon has six e...

Sometimes, as Filipinos, we tend to underestimate the value of domestic tourism, considering it a luxury. It's a curious phenomenon, likely stemming from our colonial mentality, that many of us prefer or daydream about visiting tourist destinations abroad. I find it rather absurd that some Filipinos are well-versed in international tourist attractions but know so little about the gems within our own country. That's why it's crucial for children to participate in field trips, and it's why I eagerly joined my sister's class on their recent excursion. I yearn to personally experience what the Philippines has to offer. Given my limited financial resources, traveling abroad seems like an unattainable dream. Is it a matter of national pride or simply a lack of options? Perhaps it's a combination, with the scales tipped at around 80-20. The tour itinerary includes visits to the Davao Crocodile Farm, Science Entertainment Museum, a scenic Pasig River Ferry Boat ride, an...