Fresh from the hypothalamus

  1. My first post for 2013. Isang taon ang nakalipas.

  2. Untitled

    Class

  3. On the Araw ng Kagitingan

    Manila

    April 9, 2012

    Monday, Araw ng Kagitingan

    Many say that we shall cry over our happy memories and laugh at the sad past. How many people do you think actually laughs about the Bataan Death March?

    In April 9, 1942, Filipino and American forces were surrendered to the Japanese forces. Subsequently, these soldiers were asked to walk their way to the Japanese camp. The Death March began. From the start of the March in Mariveles, Bataan until the soldiers reached the Camp O’Donnell in Capas, Tarlac, these soldiers experienced atrocities brought about by the tropical weather, dehydration, and diseases – and all of these wanton acts will not occur had the war did not start.

    War, although contemporarily proclaimed to be a necessity to attain peace, is meant for destruction of something. Also, war is seen as a tool which could test which side has more influence and power. (Even the Gods and Goddesses of Greco-Roman Mythology up to the Barangay Councilors could attest to that!) Last but not the least, there is ‘valor’ in war. (So does shame.) War is always seen as something negative because of modern concepts such as international recession and weapons of mass destruction. However, war occurs every other day, in every portions of the world, even in the slightest manner, when conflicts rise – and some are done for good causes. Judgments on wars should not be based simply on who the victors are, instead, these should be based on the repercussions for both sides. Weren’t the Filipino-American forces victorious then? Now, where can we find the Japanese and the Filipinos? 

    Let this Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) be a day for us, Filipinos, most specially, Artlets, to commemorate the death of our war heroes, to wish the war veterans the best of life in their last years, and for us to contemplate about the status of our nation’s war against moral degradation, lack of education, lack of livelihood, corruption, colonialism, downgrade mentality, politicking and violence resulting into bloodshed. Where are we in this war? Are we truly valorous in winning the World War II? 

    Many say that we shall cry over our happy memories and laugh at the sad past. If we find ourselves unable to laugh about the Death March, perhaps, because it isn’t part of the past. Not just yet. 

    Isang mapagpalayang Araw ng Kagitingan sa lahat!

     

  4. ARAW NG KAGITINGAN

    Message_kagitingan

  5. ABSC Easter Message


    Manila

    April 8, 2012

    Easter Sunday

     

    As this organization is cognizant to the statutes of the Republic of the Philippines and the University of Santo Tomas, as stated in the preamble of our present ABSC Constitution, in commemoration with the paschal mystery of Jesus Christ, as members of the Thomasian community, we, the Faculty of Arts and Letters Student Council, greet everyone a blessed Easter Sunday.

     

    Easter Sunday is an important day for Christians all over the world because it is symbolic of the foundation of the faith in Jesus Christ. His Resurrection reaffirms his stature as the Son of God. According to the Bible (1 Peter 1:3), God has given a new birth into a living hope through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from death.

     

    We, members of the studentry, experience hardship and challenges as students, as peers, as children, as siblings, as friends. We, sometimes, synthesize our problems inside the campus with our personal problems and it might consequently affect other parts of our lives negatively. It is even harder when, aside from your ascribed responsibilities, there are other obligations you have to pursue. This Easter Sunday, let us think of possible solutions to these problems and perform it structurally for us to attain such level of “resurrection” within ourselves as students of the faculty. As the Filipino adage goes, “Nasa Diyos ang awa, nasa tao ang gawa.” the resurrection that we shall need is always possible only if we are willing to do it.

     

    For Artlet organizations, people, and other groups with conflicts of interests resulted from varying opinions, differences in beliefs, political parties and ideologies, and other undeterminable reasons, this might be the time for all of us to ponder upon the best things which could happen to the studentry if we shall unite and resurrect the select group dubbed as the frontrunner of liberalism, vigilance, and wisdom combined in the University, and pursue true Thomasian values with communal pride and dignity, under one name – The Studentry of the Faculty of Arts and Letters.

     

    Let us start anew, Artlets.

     

     

    For a life, love, and lore brimming full,

     

    your AB Student Council 2012-2013

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

      

  6. LIPAD! (UST Students Code Movement Theme)

    Composed by: Julius Romel Fernandez

    Music by: Roman Gerard Enguero

    Arranged by: Antonio Africa

    Hinahanap ang tanglaw na siyang maggagabay

    Sa bawat puso at diwang mayroong tinataglay

    Na karunungan at lakas na babago sa ating buhay

    At sa tuwina sa atin ay aalalay

    Lumipad ka at iyong damhin ang araw

    Sa liwanag lahat iyong matatanaw

    Gintong tinig ng Tomasino ay laging mangingibabaw

    Ang nais nating matamasang kalayaan

    Kaakibat ay karapatan at kaalaman

    Sa ngalan ng Diyos at bayan ay ating makakamtan

    Hindi lalabis at lalong di’ magkukulang

    Lumipad ka at iyong damhin ang araw

    Sa liwanag lahat iyong matatanaw

    Gintong tinig ng Tomasino ay laging mangingibabaw

    Karapatan buong isisigaw

    Hindi na kaya pang pigilin

    Hinding-hindi na kayang usigin

    Hanggang langit ay kayang liparin

    ‘Pagkat bisig ay kayang pagkaisahin

    Lumipad ka at iyong damhin ang araw

    Sa liwanag, iyong matatanaw

    Gintong tinig ng Tomasino ay laging mangingibabaw

    Karapatan buong isisigaw…

  7. Moral Regeneration

    We were dismissed a bit late by Prof. Dr. Arlo Salvador a while ago. On my way home, I happen to walk with Brenda “Kap” Beleno. She is my appointed Head for the Athletic Council of AB and she wasn’t able to be at the Freshmen Orientation yesterday to present the varsity teams. The former Miss Sociology who was with her then, invited me to eat with them. I statistically calculated, had SWOT analysis, and decided that I would eat at Aling Darling’s nevertheless.

    I went to Aling Darling’s. I ordered for chicken barbecue. As I waited for my chicken barbecue to be served with two cups of rice, I watched a part of the GMA Teleserye Amaya (which I really do not regularly watch) wherein Gina Alajar entered the house of Amaya ( I do not know their names and I cannot barely heear the script because the Manila sound [noise] is dominating that moment.) with Irma Adlawan and it seems like, although, Amaya was very repulsive, Gina and Irma are very stern - antagonistically stern. Then, 5 minutes had gone, no chicken yet. So I was stuck at the tv screen. Well, Nanay Darling’s tv is not just tv. It is a 32” Samsung Series 3 Liquid Crystal Display TV. Sosyal! Going back to Amaya, the next scene showed that Amaya (Marian Rivera) is being brought to the village plaza and was given a sentence. Since she is a maharlika, she was humiliated by tearing her clothes off. At first, she subversed. But she was stomached/diaphragmed (hahaha. sinikmuraan.) and after Gina Alajar exercised her palm in Amaya’s face, Irma removed Amaya’s beautifully-weaved ancient-themed aboriginal Filipino blouse. My arrectores pilorum became active. I had cutis anserina or piloerection. I had gossebumps when the scene was shown beofre my very eyes and as I saw how Amaya cried and hatefully grieved for what was done unto her. She wasn’t touched by anyone for sexual satisfaction, but Dion Ignacio’s role, although crying for her relative, was still looking deliberately (as I can percevie the situation). It shows that even though there was a blank in her personal space, she was then, an eye-thirst quencher. 

    The scene I mentioned above made me reflect on how morality and culture have already changed, and have been changing. It made me reflect on Jose Rizal’s “Noli me Tangere” and Maria Clara. That show of skin was like burning her at stake. And now, a show of that amount skin will be graded F for showing only a little, compared to what the Viva Hot Babes have been doing on their video albums, or in comparison to the VIXENS. HAHAHA. Okay. I admit it. I am not a saint. But it wouldn’t need a Master of the Arts in Morality to classify that change in the moral standards of our society. Not just the skin. Not just Marian Rivera’s appealing ang pitiful drama. Children are now very liberal that they are forgetting responsiblity of their actions. They do not even care about virginity as long as they won’t get pregnant. They wouldn’t care about virginity as long as they will have money. What happened to “Education is the great Equalizer”? Celebrities wouldn’t care about endorsing promiscuity as long as they would still top the fame charts. Yes. Sex sells. But it is not the only thing that would sell. (Sharon’s Lucky Me [SuperAnghang] ad is totally sold, as for me. HAHA. Just a thought.)

    A while ago, I left the council office for our class. There was an observer and the people inside the council were like party animals. I went there early in the evening and still I saw a student, SOPHOMORE student who was not sitting at the couch, rather, lying down on it as if there was someone beneath him. And consider the fact that our office is like an aquarium - as if it was designed by Philip Johnson. Oh wait. That is humiliating on Johnson’s part. I wish I could actually architect the org complex itself so we can accomodate the organizations. Even better if a real architect would do such. Going back to the incident. Consider that this person is no  ordinary person. He has an official executive position in his own right as part of a pillar organization in AB. On the other room, secular music was playing, and playing loud as if he has a new car and a new component to boast upon the whole town (Why can’t he slide his windows closed and boom up the stereo and enjoy it on his own? Why does he have to share his music to people whom he doesn’t get any assurance with when it comes to their uniformity of musical taste?). What even happened to social sensitivity? I am not perfect though. I was late for my first class a while ago. I was even questioning myself why did I came late. Whatever happened to the real Filipino time? Real Filipino time is exact time. As History would tell us when synchronization in the KKK was very rampant in times of the revolution. If not exact, perhaps early. Too early. The KKK fought the Spaniards without waiting for the right moment (moment in different from time); and without the enough supply of firearms, attacked early and unhesitantly. 

    Prof. Arlo also mentioned a while ago the basis of a nation’s economic success. He said that a country’s economic success is measured by the country’s land transportation traffic. Well, I had an experience of a lifetime that I can share to relate directly the economic situation of the country and traffic. I went to Divisoria. It rained. It rained so hard that I even got pissed off. Suddenly, the drivers were already quarrelling. The pedicab drivers were already creating a different line and had kept on inviting civlians to ride even though they are not on the right lane. They have to do this for a living. The drivers of the jeepneys were fighting because a jeepney driver changed its course route because he wants to cater the civilians in the lane where the other drivers were. They have to do this for a living. His excuse was the road he has to pass in impassable. This is because of the poor sewerage systems which the government should have invested upon. Ironically, Divisoria is a place near the river. The river has current. And yet, there is a flood of a 1/4 of a foot height. 

    Regarding social classes and standards, I believe that the whole country is spending beyond its means. If we are, we wouldn’t be paying that amount of debt in the World Bank. People were blaming the Marcoses for the huge debt, but the next governments continued the spending beyond the mean - or even worse. If it was better, we wouldn’t be paying for our national debt with such gigantic percentage - whether Marcos is interred at the LNMB or at MNC. We cannot blame the Filipinos. The Americans introduced to us their products. We are very easy to adapt their crust layer culture (of discriminating BLACKS), their pattern of education (spoonfeeding), and their products (Everything. Almost.) - but not their nation’s superpowers. We classify an English-speaking middle class as “konyo” when you yourself do not understand the context, the psychological background, the lifestyle of the person who speaks English. And on the otherhand, the English-speaking person might be very well-versed in Filipino, but opts not to use it because he or she believes that English connotes a higher position in the society. Well, I am not a judge to determine what is righty and and wrong. It is because there are no such things in this contexts. But I want you to reflect on our situation.

    Whatever happened to morality? Is there even such a thing when considering actions we are to act out? If there is no such thing, what could we actually regenerate? Or vice versa. 

    Thanks to Amaya for giving me this thought. 

  8. HAPPY FATHER’S DAY

    I woke up late today and played the Luther Vandross playlist on my laptop. I was checking the updates for Monday’s work in UST. Then, suddenly, “Dance with my Father” played. And I can’t help but reminisce.

    ROMMEL TARCENA LEZADA REYES FERNANDEZ (March 3, 1960 - October 29, 2001) - a brilliant and handsome man who died at an early age of 41 due to aneurysm, a son to Emilia and Teofilo, a brother to Rosa Maria, Felipe, Dominador, Thelia, Roberto and Leonardo, a husband to Marilyn, a true friend to many, a severely funny man to a lot of audience, an economist by profession, a singer by hobby, a dedicated citizen, a father to Julie Mae and Julius Romel. And he left us only a memory to cherish. 

    My memory is very vivid when it comes to retelling the October 29 event. It has always been. But I would like to be more reminiscient of the days before that sad day. 

    I started schooling at an early age of three. I just turned three when I entered school. The school doesn’t really want to admit me becuse of my age. I remember the room where I took the entrance test. I  remember how I looked at the image of the mango and told my father that there should also be a picture of that mango colored with green. Bata pa lang, reklamador na ako. I remember when I told the principal, Mrs. Gallo, that I would not invite her to my birthday party. If my memory serves me correctly, I said “Hindi kita iinvite sa birthday ko. May lechon doon. May apple na red sa bibig.” My daddy looked at me as if I said something bad. Well, it was actually, for him. HAHA. He is a joker and at the same time a disciplinarian. Since I started schooling, Daddy showed his prowess in teaching as if he mastered in the Arts of Teaching a Super Kulit Kiddo like I am. 

    I also remember the time when my Lola Claring was hospitalized. I badly want to see my Lola there. She was in St. Luke’s then and I was not allowed to enter into a certain portion of the hospital where the cancer patients are. But my Dad, while holding my hand, went straight and I was able to see my Lola. He loves to take pictures. Unfortunately, he didn’t reach the era of DSLRs. He is also a nature-lover, perhaps because his father, Lolo Pilo, is also one. He designed our own bahay kubo in our rest house in Bulacan. He was very hands-on in constructing the bamboo rest house. He also planted trees and he love orchids. He talks to the orchids and to our dogs. I also remember the time when he goes to school to feed us our lunch. It is very rare to see a father in that place in our school wherein women, whether mothers or yayas, gather to know the latest chismis and other things. He is also a very active member of the Knights of Columbus. He was given a posthumous award which my mother and I received. He was supposed to be promoted to a higher position but he died. When my mom went to the US for an exhibit, Daddy was with me when I won the History Quiz Bee. It is my first solo champion award. But I remember his joke about my wrong answer. The question was “How do we call the first inhabitants of the Philippines who lived in Palawan?” I answered “bayani” instead of “Taong Tabon”. My dad said “Bayani pala ha.” HAHAHA. I also won Grand Prize for impersonating Isaac Newton. Imagine me explaining the Binomial Theorem at age 8. He created my script and I have to read it. HAHAHA. If my Mom was with me then, she would buy me a big box of LEGO blocks. Daddy bought me 3 sticks of banana cue. HAHAHA. When I am to join a singing contest, he bought me a wireless microphone and he taught me BeeGees and Beatles songs. Since my voice back then was higher, we have to look for Regine Velasquez’ versions of Martin Nievera songs and we would look for players with the sharp/flat options. He also bought me my remote control car toy. And we’ll play in the garage. The consequence of having it scratched is to let my sister play with it. HAHA. 

    Whoah. It would take me a whole day to tell my story with him present. The bottomline of this would be… I miss my Dad this father’s day.

    Even though Mom married Tito Charles, and I consider him as our second father, no one can ever replace my Father.

    Daddy, wherever you are now, I hope you are happy. I hope you can see where I am now. I hope you can see the seed you have planted. I hope you can still be very proud of your son, your legacy. 

     

  9. Untitled

  10. WILLING WILLIE

    Ngayon lang ako magpopost ng Willing Willie experience ko. Ang late. Loser. Pero winner na winner dahil masaya ang aming naging major sa CA - BroadComm. Dito ko naramdaman ang pagiging CA ko talaga. Salamat siyempre kay Assoc. Prof. Faye Martel Abugan, MA. HAHA. Buong-buo. Kailan ba ang PhD nito?

    Siyempre excited sila lahat. Tumitili. Sumisigaw. Nakakatuwa. Iba chill lang. Nakakatuwa na nakita ko yung mga kaibigan ko sa TV5. Si Ate Judy Joy na ikakamusta daw ako kay Kuya Wado. Picture dito at picture doon habang ang first batch ay naglilibot. Nakakatuwa ang effort ni Maam Faye na magpabalik-balik. Ilang pounds kaya ang na-lose niya doon?

    So ayun na nga. Willing Willie. Nakita ko yung bago kong crush maliban kay Ellen Adarna. Si AWESOME. I saw her sa cafeteria pa lang at nakakatuwa kasi ang simple lang niya at alam kong ka-edad ko lang siya. And confirmed by the MEN IN BLUE - 17 years old. Naku. Eto na nga ba ang sinasabi ko. Sana hindi naman ito exploitation. (Ako na lang ang ieexploit ng girlfriend kong matanda sa akin ng dalawang taon.. hahaha)

    Nakakatawa pala sa ma ganong shows kapag commercial breaks, May mga nagaganap. Doon ko naramdaman ang suporta ng UST sa akin. HAHAHAHA. Tinalo ko sila Ateng hindi pumiyok sa kantahan. Iba tlaga ang nagagawa ng Audience Impact. Pero kahit pumiyok ako ang ganda kaya ng vocal projection ko - may mga non-sablay kulot yun. Ehem. Binigyan kami ni Willie ng 10,000php. Siguro kung nagwala ako mas mataas yun. Sorry Maam Faye hindi ako nagwala ng todo kasi dala dala ko ang UST. HAHAHAHA.

    Si Shalani ay isang bathaluman. Bathalumang may 15 minute exposure sa haba ng show na WW. HAHAHA. Siya ang hindi makabasag platitong konsehal na kamukha ng bockmate naming si Issa. Kaya naman kapag nagsasalita si Issa, sabi ko “may resolution si Konsehala”. Before and after the show andoon si Maam Faye. Nakakatuwa. Ever supportive. Pero nakakaTAWA kapag tinatanong ko si Maam Faye ay sinasagot niya ako ng “hindi ko alam. hindi ko ito show.” hahahahahaha. Tanong ko sa kanya yung happier natural isasagot niya sobra pa sa ineexpect mo.

    Natuwa ako sa Willing Willie at sa BROADCOMM as a whole. At siyempre it wont be as fun, inspiring and pro-active kung hindi dahil kay MAAM FAYE “babaeng-ipinaglihi-sa-megaphone” MARTEL - ABUGAN.

    Salamat po MFAYE! Sana po kayo adviser namin next year! =)

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