PARADOXICAL

Notes to Self for the Messy Month of May 2026

There was a lot of hullabaloo about taxpayer-funded UP producing communists/militant/leftist activists. >>> There are indeed many leftists in the UP system -- I remember such prof of mine who said, "I am a leftist, so what? Everyone is biased!" and routinely assigned his class to write a reaction paper on the militant activities of the day. But to reduce the traditionally pluralistic community of UP and its alumni as communist is most laughable. In UP, in my experience, the children of military generals, say, or the owners of corporations, sit side by side the children of farm laborers. Thus it is often said as "a microcosm of Philippine society."

I am reminded of one typical small class of mine back in the day where I asked everyone what their religion was, and was surprised to learn that each one of us belonged to a different church (mostly different Christian denominations). I've even met a number of atheists, a few Buddhists, and at least one Hindu -- they were all fellow UPians. I suspect, they all chose UP precisely because of its non-sectarian environment. I believe UP education exposes you to all sorts of dissenting voices--just like in the real world, and challenges all of your beliefs and assumptions in life. If you are open-minded, you come out of such an environment with a lot of questions but also arrive at a lot of answers to those questions.

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Kornbip (from corned beef) was a word often used casually and dismissively in relation to what transpired in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso, Negros Occidental when 19 suspected communist rebels were killed in a series of clashes between the military and the suspected rebels, two of whom were UP students.

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Then there was a lot of furor generated by the 4Ps program yet again. This time, it was all about the "lifeline rate" that Meralco is offering to the beneficiaries. Apparently, the prohibitive electric bill strikes a sensitive chord among the populace.

I remember the advice of someone who has spent years helping the poor and disagrees with direct dole-outs and offering cash assistance on a silver platter because doing so denigrates the poor's sense of pride, self-respect, and dignity. She instead advocates for alternative strategies, such as making their target population pay a marginal fee for things like ukay items, so that they'd feel like they bought the items, aside from training them for livelihood projects that fit their community, etc.

This is the same reason why Gawad Kalinga and the like make their beneficiaries pay, in miniscule increments, for the house they are being awarded with.

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Wow: From anonymous to superstar in one breath: Matty Juniosa joins the cast of ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ on West End.

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"SC: Rodrigo Duterte wrongfully fired exec who probed his wealth."

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Mayon Volcano erupted, spewing ominous clouds of thick black smoke, spelling doomsday in the area.

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Museo del Galeón opened at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City, "inviting every Filipino to rediscover how the sea shaped who we are." >>> I had two separate posts re. this.

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A new frog species was discovered. Found in Mt. Guiting-Guiting in Sibuyan Island, the frog named Platymantis guiting has "barely the size of a microSD card."

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A new word emerged which is most diagnostic of the infestation of increasingly uniform-sounding one-line-paragraph AI-generated text: slop, AI slop. My repeated appeal to AI users is: Please tweak the draft text--personalize because readers can detect AI tropes from a mile away. AI-generated text all sound alike. And most of all, don't forget to delete ChatGPT's introductory and closing messages so what's suspiciously just copy-pasted won't end up in 'confirmed' territory. Haha!

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A debate erupted about scrapping of the teaching of history in college, among other humanities subjects, because CHEd wants to overhaul the GE part of the syllabus to make it more responsive to industry needs.

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There, too, raged a controversy over the Rizal Law.

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"Batuhin ng laptop" became an expression after a rumor circulated "that the VP threw a laptop to a lawyer who supposedly has claimed that her chances of surviving impeachment complaint is very narrow." The veep denied the rumor.

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A French nun was violently assaulted by a Jewish cleric in broad daylight right in Jerusalem while the nun was walking on the street all by herself. The man was later arrested by authorities. When asked to be interviewed, the nun supposedly said, "No need to make a statement." Jewish society was largely silent on the matter, which appeared to be not an isolated case--just the one caught on camera. While the rest of the world watched horrified at the CCTV footage, this singular evidence is a potent fuel for neo-anti-Semitism at such an 'auspicious' time as this.

Furthermore, on a scale of 1 to 10, how threatening could an old, doddering, and unaccompanied nun be? You'll need to harbor a red-hot kind of hatred to hate on a nun, a creature who has rejected all manner of worldliness so as not to be a threat to anybody in any way. Physically harming a nun who routinely fast and suffer all privations and mortifications, and pray for the salvation of your soul is shocking--a contemptuous act without peer.

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A band of young boys held up a jeep-load of passengers in Las Piñas using an icepick. A disturbing incident. God forbid it becomes the portent of our times, a sign of a coming dystopia where law and order has totally broken down. ...The very thing that makes a lot of our people yearn for a so-called "strongman," a populist, foul-mouthed (or straight-talking) leader who is an ageing siga sa kanto like you-know-who, and not someone perceived as a soft santo-santita, his diametric opposite.

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Sextortion

As suspected, the recent spate of video scandals involving young men was the handiwork of a sextortion gang. Capitalizing on the weakness of men (s*x, s*x, s*x), especially those with a modicum of celebrity or a name to protect, their modus is successful as a crime, with everyone taking a peep complicit in the violation of the men's right to privacy.

I wonder how the NBI could catch the perpetrators in an entrapment operation. Where would they hide all the surveillance cameras when they are butt-naked in the sanctity of a private space like somebody's bedroom.

But strangely, as other observers have noted, there was no public outcry on behalf of the victims -- precisely because they are men, with nothing to lose, and even something to gain. This only makes sense in a society where philandering and fornication among men is the norm rather than the crime, sin, scandal, or taboo they used to be like in the '50s and before that. The narrative changes when women are the victim--a puzzling double standard or reverse sexism that didn't escape the more observant among us.

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Extortion case of the year

"NBI agents arrested Franco Mabanta, founder of Peanut Gallery Media Network (PGMN), in an entrapment operation for allegedly attempting to extort ₱350 million from former House Speaker Martin Romualdez. Authorities said Mabanta demanded ₱350 million over alleged videos linking Romualdez to a flood control project, with ₱75 million reportedly paid upfront." Mabanta soon denied the charge, claiming it was all a setup. >>> Stunned, speechless here. Been following PGMN for quite some time to look for views from the DDS (diehard Duterte supporters) side and views that run counter to those I read elsewhere, i.e., the highly predictable liberal and left-leaning narratives of 'legacy' media, or at least the 'old guards.' Yes, I am not always happy or in agreement with everything I read.

Franco Mabanta had looked familiar to me all along, but I couldn't place him. Turns he went to exclusive schools (Ateneo, La Salle, PAREF), and is a former commercial model, VJ, and stage actor. I even suspect that he even wrote for the Inquirer or Star in a youth-oriented section of these broadsheets--hardly surprising since he writes well. I reviewed my old blog and found this lone entry: "That guy who's acting as the endearingly stupid 'Jasper' in Coke's series of commercials is also a stage singer/actor. His name is Franco Mabanta. I last saw him perform in the born-again version of C.S. Lewis' 'The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.'"

I can no longer remember him as actor or his performance since, of course, I was focused on the three main characters of the Trumpets Inc. production at the Meralco Theater in Pasig. He'd what you'd call at the time as a "cool dude."

Now, why would, and how could, someone with that background of privilege end up resorting to such a lowlife crime, which used to be the province of the AC/DC, the territory of the hao hsiao, fly-by-night sleazy personalities who claim to be members of legit media but are, in fact, disowned by them due to blatant malpractice?

In relation, NBI's "person of interest" CJ Hirro has impressive credentials as well. A report says she "joined PGMN as an anchor and commentator since the online channel was established in 2024. Hirro is a 2009 cum laude communications art graduate from the University of the Philippines College of Media and Communications. She joined the Miss Global Philippines beauty pageant in 2016 and won the crown. She represented the country in the Miss Global contest that year and won as first runner-up." Hardly someone you'd expect to be an extortionist either. Again, why, oh, why?

Needless to say, I have unfollowed the embarrassment that is PGMN.

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Ulam ≠ Viand

"A netizen bluntly pleaded: 'Begging Filipinos to please just use ulam in English stop using the term ‘viand’… If you use the term viand it just makes you sound insanely pretentious to me. LMAO.'” >>> Good point actually, except that I am certainly not trying to sound pretentious when using "viand." It is an attempt at translating something not so easily translatable. And the word exists, though not popular, and it can mean exactly that: an accompaniment dish, the main course paired to a staple food.

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"Filipino-American journalist Pablo Torre has won a Pulitzer Prize for audio reporting for his investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers' alleged evasion of the NBA's salary cap rules. The Pulitzer Prize was awarded for his pioneering and entertaining form of live podcast journalism, highlighting the public interest in his reporting."

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Dr. Nestor T. Castro refuted claims that the Ifugao Rice Terraces are not as old as they are thought to be. He pointed out, for one, that there are already mentions of the terraces in the ancient Ifugao epic chant "Hudhud."

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Ube and calamansi have become popular flavors worldwide, but sadly other countries have begun cashing in on the surge in demand, leaving us exporting lesser in comparison. Or so what observers say is a sad/sob story that is becoming increasingly a trend which started with the ylang-ylang story. What did we do wrong? I also wonder what we should have done right instead.

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I learned a new expression--a salitang kalye or salitang kanto--from a source that I particularly dislike, a new online basher (an unfair one) of our colleagues and local officials: "sayang ang tattoo." (She verbally maligned her target repeatedly while inside a chapel, take note!)

This is the explanation I found online: "Ang pariralang 'sayang ang tattoo' ay isang ekspresyon na madalas ginagamit sa konteksto ng relasyon o pag-ibig sa social media (partikular sa TikTok). Ito ay nangangahulugang sayang ang ginawang effort, commitment, o pagmamahal (na sinisimbolo ng tattoo) dahil hindi nagtagal o nagkahiwalay rin ang magkasintahan."

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Former actress Cita Astals trended after she admitted regretting over her decision to publicize her mental health disorder, in an interview with Susan Enriquez on how it had affected her life over the past decade.

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Nicholas Kaufman resigned as Duterte's counsel in The Hague.

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More and more independent-minded thinkers say RP should industrialize by strengthening the manufacturing sector instead of skipping it. References: Richard Heydarian, Stephen Cu-Unjieng, Marvin Tort...

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A viral video of domestic violence is extremely angering I couldn't finish it. This incident should never be condoned nor dismissed. >>> A woman and her husband (a policeman) were having a rough conversation. The guy said something that was not nice so the wife slapped her husband. The policeman's immediate response was to slap her one after another at triple the strength. Not content with it, he even hit the woman on the side and chest until she writhed in pain and fell to the floor like someone dead. The woman was slumped on the floor for a minute, and the guy did nothing but close the door. When she regained her strength, the woman stood up and slapped back even though she was clearly weak. But with every hit, she got hit twice as much. The girl was ultimately pinned to the ground, getting choked by brute force. The policeman only stopped when the girl screamed for help.

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Trump met with China's president. I wonder what these two annoying leaders talked about. I hope it is for our own good and not just theirs.

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I was about to sleep on the night of May 11, 2026, when something happened: gunshots were fired inside the Senate.

Let's see if we got the things that led to this right: Early in the day, Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa made a grand Senate comeback after playing hide-and-seek with a not-so-fun arrest warrant from the ICC for alleged murder during the drug war. Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV--I'm not sure in what capacity--arrived carrying what he claimed was an ICC warrant, vowing Ronald dela Rosa “would not leave the chamber.” But let’s just say Bato slipped in through the fire exit because who wants to be caught by agents? In true action-movie fashion, he supposedly had a minor “scuffle” — apparently, wrestling is the new cardio in the Senate. But wait, there’s more! The Senate decided it was time for a reality show-level leadership change, kicking out Tito Sotto and giving the crown to Alan Peter Cayetano, who promptly declared that only Philippine judges have the right to play judge and jury with Dela Rosa. So, Bato gets a cozy little protective custody upgrade because, who doesn't want their own exclusive VIP area when trying to dodge international law? And just for kicks, the PNP decided to serve a subpoena at his house in Davao. Because what’s a day in politics without a bit of extra chaos?

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Meanwhile, as someone said, "I pity everyone who looks like Bato--how they deal with comments like, 'Hinahanap ka ngayon!"

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So I'll remain neutral on this, I checked the DDS interpretation of events. Tiglao called the 13 DDS-aligned senators vanguards of democracy or something like that, while a number of people loyal to the brand decried the fact that a foreign judicial body was after Bato instead of a local one.

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Somewhat viral: As a couple solemnly weds in a church, a worker on top of the altar is merrily and obliviously welding away at something. The video is titled "Happy Welding!"

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Report: "When it comes to slowing down our biological aging, engaging with arts and culture is as beneficial as physical activity, a new study suggests."

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"Cultural journalist" Amadis Ma. Guerrero died. I can't count the number of top-notch travel and cultural articles he'd written that wowed me as a young reader. The only obit I could find is from a FB/web page called radar[dot]ph, and it reads: The Philippine literary and arts community bids farewell to Amadis Ma. Guerrero, whose decades-long body of work helped document, critique, and celebrate Filipino art, culture, and society. Born in Ermita, Manila in 1941, Guerrero built a distinguished career that spanned journalism, fiction, travel writing, and art criticism. From his early days at the Associated Press and Philippines Graphic to his long editorial work at Raya Media Services, he became a respected voice in Philippine media and letters. He authored acclaimed short story collections such as “Children of the City and Other Stories” and “The Mainstream and Other Stories,” while also helping shape conversations on Philippine art through landmark books like “The Struggle for Philippine Art” and “Edades: A National Artist,” co-written with Purita Kalaw-Ledesma. For generations of readers, artists, and writers, Guerrero was more than a chronicler of culture — he was one of its quiet guardians. He passed away on May 13, 2026 at the age of 85, leaving behind a legacy of intellectual rigor, artistic advocacy, and enduring love for Philippine literature and the arts.

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Awful, sad, disgusting >>> "Hulicam sa Zagreb, Croatia ang isang babaeng Croatian na pinagsusuntok ang isang turistang Pinoy. Pinagbintangan daw ang Pinoy na dudukutan ang babae. Itinanggi naman ito ng Pinoy."

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"Scott-Vincent Borba helped build one of the most famous beauty brands in America, influencing millions and creating a beauty empire that changed the industry forever. He had the money, success, luxury lifestyle, and everything most people dream of. But he chose to walk away from it all to follow a deeper calling. Now, after years in the seminary, he is set to be ordained as a priest this May — and says he has 'never been happier.' Sometimes the greatest success isn’t fame or fortune… it’s finding peace." >>> Amen.

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Looks like rotational brownouts due to fluctuating power supply are here once again, bringing us back to the dark ages called the 1980s--all because we didn't have the foresight to fully develop our own alternative fuel sources and power infrastructure.

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Viral: Mariz Umali didn't laugh when Sen. Bato casually sang the PMA Hymn during an interview. What I noticed, though, is how Bato pronounced "country." >>> Congratulations, Mariz Umali!

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Not exactly a fan of Toni Gonzaga, but I love what she said here: “Do not envy anyone, because everything that you see in someone’s life, there was a price that was paid. Again, a price was paid.” >>> Except maybe nepo babies? But, yeah, even those born with a silver spoon in their mouth got to where they are because of their parents' and ancestors' sacrifice. Maybe good fortune too, but we don't know how much was sacrificed in return because only the success part was known to the public.

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"Pacific island Nauru said it will hold a referendum to change its official name, described as a colonial relic from a time when 'foreign tongues' mangled the native language." >>> Of course, this triggered a new round of clamor for changing the name of our country. Can't blame these people. But per history, the Philippines was formed after colonization. There was no Philippines prior to it. I understand the resentment that the root word of Pilipinas is the name of a Spanish king. But as to which new name it should be apart from the Maharlika name espoused by a former president...I have no idea for now.

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I noticed kinda late that people have been into this new sport called pickleball.

And that "resibo" is being used to mean "ebidensya."

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I came across a post that lists down "Mga Kasalanan ni Digong" but turned out to be a DDS apologetics. We need to listen to and analyze this list, the very reason why the DDS refuse to change their mind. Let's see where they are coming from before reacting wild. This list--unedited typos and all--might yet reveal where the yellow and pink movement failed somewhere along the way:

"#1 ginawa libre Irrigation nilibre n mga utang Farmer. #2 dagdag 1k SSS pension. #3 nagpagawa OFW Hospital. #4 police Tinaasan sahod. #5 niligtas s bitay Ofw s Kuwait. #6 tinanggal Laglag Bala s NAIA. #7 nagpagawa Centennial gym Tarlac , #8 pinagawa Airport Clark. #9 pinagawa PNR. #10 gawa Skyway. #11 New Airport Bulakan ,#12 Gawa rehabilitation center Nueva Ecija .#13 Ayuda s Pandemic .#14 ginawa 10 years passport #15 ginawa 10 years License #16 ginawa 10 years Seaman Book #17 Nabawasan mga Adik ,#18 bawal inuman s Daan. #19 Curpew s mga kabataan ,#20 pipinalinis Boracay, #21 ppinalinis Manila Bay now dolomite beach .#22 nagpagawa hospital s mindanao #23 Free Education .#24 pinagawa Colex s Cebu Bridge .#25 Free Document s mga First timer Applicant at marami p iba ginawa Kasalanan c Du30 n Hindi nagustuhan ng mga Aktibista comunista at opposition .#26 100 Million buwan buwan bigay ni Du30 s PGH hospital allowance Isa yan s kasalanan Niya para tulungan mahirap s PGH . Tinanggal ni bbm Ang 100 Millon allowance Kya kawawa pasyente walang gamot #27 pinarehab mga addict at pinasukan #28 minahal ang mga OFW #29 Pinakulong mga druglord Sa mga uniform Men #30 Walang sawang pag mamahal at Malasakit Sa TaoNg Bayan na kamyang pinaglingkuran At marami png iba na build...."

Minor complaint: Nakalimutan yata yung lagay ng MRT prior to PPRD.

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Interesting list to this cineaste! >>> The Best and Most Beautiful Filipino Films of the 21st Century (2001–2026): 1. Rosario (2010) 2. Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral (2018) 3. Heneral Luna (12) 4. El Presidente (2015) 5. Magnifico (2003) 6. Quezon's Game (2019) 7. Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita (2004) 8. Lapu-Lapu (2002) 9. Felix Manalo (2015) 10. Baler (2008) 11. Moments of Love (2006) 12. Nasaan Ka Man (2005) 13. Bagong Buwan (2001) 14. Blue Moon (2005) 15. Quezon (2025) 16. Thy Womb (2012) 17. Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis (2016) 18. Yamashita: The Tiger’s Treasure (2001) 19. Mano Po 1 (2002) 20. The Road (2011) 21. Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo (2014) 22. Caregiver (2008) 23. Ma’ Rosa (2016) 24. Kinatay (2009) 25. Taklub (2015) 26. Ang Babaeng Humayo (2016) 27. Bwakaw (2012) 28. Ploning (2008) 29. On the Job: Missing 8 (2021) 30. Dekada ’70 (2002) 31. Norte, the End of History (2013) 32. Batang Westside (2001) 33. Green Bones (2024) 34. GomBurZa (2023) 35. Magellan (2025). Note: A total of 32 films from the 21st century have been included in the Top 100 Filipino Films of All Time, covering movies released in theaters between 2001 and 2026.

Thanks to this list, I know now which titles to prioritize watching among those I haven't chanced upon on TV or YouTube haha. (To be fair, I have watched at least four of these films the old-fashioned way:

posted by Resty Odon  # 7:37 PM