PARADOXICAL

April 2025 Recap

It's only the middle of April and yet the news is already too much for my little brain to handle. There are way too many earth-shaking things going on at a fast clip to make sense of, especially in this unusually cruel weather.

So Sad: Kris Aquino Says She Has 9 Autoimmune Diseases

In a deeply personal update on Instagram, Kris Aquino revealed her ongoing battle with multiple autoimmune conditions, including 1. autoimmune thyroiditis, 2. lupus, 3. systemic sclerosis/scleroderma, 4. rheumatoid arthritis, 5. chronic spontaneous urticaria, 6. EGPA (eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis), 7. fibromyalgia, 8. polymyositis, and 9. mixed connective tissue disease. Poor thing! Having just one of those is tremendous suffering enough -- how much more nine? The public of course responded with an outpouring of prayers and support for her continued strength and healing, but with one advising her to seek the help of an albularyo.

Hilarious: Mistaken Identity: ICC Lawyer Mix-Up

In a bizarre twist on social media, American author Nicholas Kaufmann became an unintended target of political confusion. Supporters of former President Rodrigo Duterte bombarded Kaufmann’s accounts, mistaking him for Nicholas Kaufman—the Israeli-British lawyer defending Duterte in the ICC case. Despite Kaufmann’s repeated clarifications, the flood of messages continued, some even coming from apparent bots, according to his later posts.

Ridiculous: “Grocery Gang”: Strange Names on Government Fund Records

Ma. Ceres Doyo wrote a column article that is hilarious, a great departure from her usual serious, profound tone, but only because the incident is simply ridiculous. To paraphrase, she noted that a recent audit of confidential funds used by Vice President Sara Duterte and the Department of Education revealed highly suspicious signatories—names like Mary Grace Piattos, Jay Kamote, and Mathew Keso—sparking laughter and concern across the country. Lacking any official documentation in national databases, these names appear to be fictitious, and lawmakers are now demanding answers: who created them, and where did the money actually go? Rep. Paolo Ortega dubbed them the “team grocery” due to their food-themed aliases, while House hearings revealed that many supposed recipients had no traceable records. The fallout includes impeachment articles against Duterte and legal challenges filed with the Supreme Court.

"Comic relief or criminal deception?" she asked, and continued that, while some find humor in the audacity of the fake names, the gravity of the situation remains. Was it a sloppy cover-up or a deliberate whistleblow in disguise? The answer remains unclear, but the implications are serious. Calls for accountability are growing louder, Doyo noted.

Worrisome: A Sudden Tariff War

U.S. President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs—10% across all imports, with steeper rates for select nations and an especially over-the-top tariff for China. I had to review what tariff means and had to read several columnists and economists (Balicasan, Habito, et al.) to try to make heads and tails of it, but I am not sure if I was properly schooled in it, especially since there are widely divergent opinions on the matter. In the end, I was reduced to asking myself, "What's going on?"

Similarly, the more I read about various lawyers' take on the ICC arrest of Duterte, the more I got confused on which side to listen to.

Scary: Will China Invade Taiwan Soon?

Meanwhile, tensions rise over a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan. This cliffhanger awaits our estimated 250,000 OFWs in that island-state that courageously chose democracy over communism, yet the United Nations chose NOT to officially recognize its independence and sovereignty, or at least honor its heroism.

Looks like we need to get busier praying harder than before.

Interesting: Resurrection from the Dead

In science news, Colossal Biosciences claimed the first "de-extinction" case, that of the dire wolf—though some experts argue it's closer to a genetically modified grey wolf.

I wish that, someday, they would be able to bring back the dodo, Tasmanian wolf, and other interesting creatures that we humans have, in our collective stupidity, decimated.

On a Happy Note: A Historic Moment for Filipino Artists on Broadway

Now this is something I can understand.

Great news for long-time theater fans like myself! This month marked a groundbreaking achievement for the Filipino community in the performing arts. For the first time ever, reports Lea Salonga on FB, seven Filipino actors are starring simultaneously in four different Broadway productions—a moment of immense pride for Filipino-Americans and, of course, Filipinos. They are Nicole Scherzinger ("Sunset Boulevard”), Darren Criss ("Maybe Happy Ending”), Lea Salonga herself (in Stephen Sondheim’s “Old Friends”), Tatianna Cordoba ("Real Women Have Curves"), Eva Noblezada (“Cabaret”), Marie-Claire Hall (“Operation Mincemeat"), and Kay Sibal (“Six the Musical”). According to the Broadway legend, the milestone highlights the growing influence and exceptional talent of Filipino artists in global theater.

***

Over at YouTube, several restored Filipino film classics have been uploaded for free viewing. I am reminded of my old quest to watch all the films listed to be among the best. The long vacation ahead is perfect timing.

Food for Thought: Side Hustle Culture

How do people survive nowadays when inflation rates reach sky-high?

What I notice around me is the phenomenon of side hustles. In the halcyon days of yore, this was called "sideline" or "moonlighting."

Just looking around, I can see people moonlighting or working on the side during off hours or weekends as event host, event organizer, online seller and reseller or pasa-buy delivery person, sari-sari store operator, long-haul van driver, artist, masseur, teacher/tutor, hair and makeup artist, dancer/choreographer, vlogger, singer, writer, videographer, small resto operator...

I wonder if people in the upper echelons ever wonder how ordinary Filipinos actually make do and get by, what kind of meals they have from day to day, etc.

Under the Radar: New Pinoy Parlor Games

Last year (2024) saw a sudden spurt in the number of creative party games or parlor games. In our home last Christmas, my siblings, nephews, and nieces tried almost all of those games, to cacophonous results. Among my favorites is the one where several singers line up in front of the videoke to take turns singing lines of a usually high-register song. The game is a great opportunity for those gifted with the voice but a laughable disaster for those who are not as gifted, and that's where the fun of the game partly lies. Another favorite is the very physical yet cerebral game "Eh Ikaw?" currently made popular by the comedy group SPIT. Look it up, in case you don't know what I'm talking about.

These novel games have ushered in a, er, golden age in Philippine party games.

Cause for Dismay: Gutter-Level Campaign Utterances

Apparently, kabastusan (coarseness and vulgarity) is now the new normal. Look at these lines that the public accepted by laughing at the jokes delivered by election candidates, not by a stand-up comedian in a comedy bar:

“Minsan sa isang taon ang mga solo parent na babae na rineregla pa — Nay, malinaw na rineregla pa — at nalulungkot, minsan sa isang taon pwedeng sumiping ho sa akin (Once a year, female single parents who still have their monthly period and feel lonely, once a year you can have sex with me).” - Pasig congressional candidate (and lawyer too!) Christian Sia

“The nursing scholarship is only for women, not for men. And only for beautiful women. It is a no-no for the unattractive, because if a male patient who is already weak is attended to by an ugly nurse, what would happen to him? Their illness could get worse.” - Misamis Oriental Governor Peter Unabia

"Kung ang aking kalaban ay isang Vilma Santos lang na laos na, hindi ako takot." - Mataas na Kahoy, Batangas Vice Mayor Jay Ilagan (And I was, like, huh? I can't forget the last movie I watched with Vilma Santos in it titled "Extra".)

***

Scatter became a popular gambling game after e-sabong somewhat waned It's quite hard to believe that these big, big names in local showbiz died within weeks of each other Pilita Corrales, Nora Aunor, and Hajji Alejandro. Peruvian novelist Mario Vargas Llosa died. After spending 38 days in hospital for double pneumonia, Pope Francis suddenly died at age 88 just a day after greeting well-wishers on Easter at the Vatican grounds on his popemobile and after meeting with US Vice President JD Vance. Tributes poured in from all over the world from all walks, hailing him as a "pope for all." After the great Myanmar quake came a series of earthquakes here in the Philippines and around the world, and this tells us that these tectonic movements are interrelated. I remember a time when this relationship had been denied and laughed at by expert volcanologists. But they seem to have changed their tune in recent years. Aba, bongga! Lav Diaz had a new film, 'Magellan,' starring Gael Garcia Bernal, and to be shown in Cannes, no less. But who will watch a 10-hour film? Or even its whittled down (3-hour) version? On April 27, scores of revelers of Filipino-descent died in Vancouver, Canada after an SUV driven by a man of Chinese descent rammed through the crowd while they were celebrating Lapu-Lapu Day. In contrast, a piece of sad news for fellow cinephiles: After rescuing 240 films from permanent erasure from our collective memory, ABS-CBN shut down restoration unit, with project head Leo Katigbak reportedly describing it as “a casualty of the efforts to close down the company in 2020.”

posted by Resty Odon  # 6:25 PM 0 Comments

Why I Take Pics of Food

posted by Resty Odon  # 10:06 PM 0 Comments

 “Minsan kailangan masugatan ang ating mga mata, para mahugasan ng luha, at makita natin ang hindi natin nakikita.”

So beautiful because so true and also very spiritual.

posted by Resty Odon  # 2:54 AM 0 Comments

Another Mentally Disordered Month (December 2025 Recap)

Whew, December appears to be another mentally disordered month. In other words, crazy. But the saving grace lies in what is not in the news, in the little under-the-radar stories quietly appearing in my feeds, assuring me that it's not the end of the world yet.

***

New record: The Philippines is the world's number one plastic polluter of the ocean. Congrats, mga dugyot!

***

Ethiopian volcano erupted for the first time after 12,000 years.

***

Math/science professor and newspaper columnist Queena Lee suddenly died. I must have read maybe dozens and dozens of her insightful articles.

***

"Frank Gehry, who designed some of the most imaginative buildings ever constructed and achieved a level of worldwide acclaim seldom afforded any architect," died at age 96. I remember how his design of the Bilbao museum shocked-and-awed the world at the time.

***

The month's craziest story is one made viral by these unbelievable lines from a super-hypertensive former COMELEC commissioner, Atty. Rowena Guanzon -- "HINDI KA NAKA-ROLEX, HINDI KA NAKA-GUCCI, AKO PA PINILI MO?!" -- after an alleged Chinese couple told her to get out of a Makati mall (in posh Rockwell, it turns out) if she was sick after she coughed because the noodles or something that she was snorting was too hot and spicy for her. She even went further by filing a complaint with the Makati police even after the man's partner apologized on his behalf.

The story was one-sided because it didn't carry the alleged foul-mouthed man's side, so it was hard for me to react, but a foreigner telling me to get out of a mall in my own country would indeed shoot my BP to dangerous levels. (Turns out they are just regular Chinese-looking Filipinos.)

But to go beast mode full-on? Excessive. And to equate a person's worth in terms of Rolex and Gucci, very revealing. Her response to Ronald Llamas' response of a joke online -- heaping contempt at a widely well-regarded political analyst as "walang trabaho," "walang PhD," "pangit," and "kalbo" -- and to Atty. Jesus Falcis -- "maligo ka muna ng tatlong beses" -- further added insult to the injury. The tirades were a long series of insults as ad hominems -- funny in a way, but offensive if you are jobless, you don't believe in doctorate degrees as a measure of your educational attainment at a time when masterals and doctorates can be faked or bought, you are not as physically attractive as most people, you have thinning hair, and you don't always look fresh-from-the-onsen like, say, Joshua Garcia.

I checked her FB page and found out that that is the very brand she has been peddling: Queen of Bardagulan. No wonder. She was merely living up to it.

But wait, why does everything feel oddly familiar? Who normalized low language at the highest levels of government again? I don't know about you, but I don't think the answer is Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

***

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, "Mortal Kombat" star, died at 75. Haven't watched this movie, but I know that a lot of young people have.

***

"A study found that the Ayta Magbukon people of the Philippines carry the highest known levels of Denisovan DNA in the world, suggesting that multiple Denisovan groups once lived here in Southeast Asia and interbred with the early humans, thus reshaping current understanding of early human migration in the region."

***

"Singing can increase an immune antibody (SIGA) in the body by up to 20% in less than an hour." Tra-la-la... Do-mi-mi, Mi-sol-sol, Re-fa-fa, La-ti-tiiiii! Aherm, aherm. No wonder professional singers like me seldom get sick.

***

"Poland is one of the wonders of this world - a rising global power, an economy reaching a trillion dollars, the strongest army in Europe, the fastest-developing country in the region, and a guardian of NATO's eastern flank."

Philippines be like, "How to be you Po-land?" RP, be like Poland.

***

People are dancing a new dance craze to the tune of Taylor Swift's "Opalite." The dance looks an easy choreo to follow, and the pop tune unremarkable, one that you'd forget after a few weeks. But no worries, I won't even make an attempt. What were you thinking?

***

Wow: "Film history enthusiast and film historian Nick Deocampo uncovered a copy of "Diwata ng Karagatan" (1936), believed to be the oldest existing Filipino film, tucked away in an archive in Brussels, Belgium."

***

The internet went wild with this new 'obsession': trying to dangle from street signs and traffic lights while singing or lip-syncing to the song "Maui Wowie" by American rapper Kid Cudi, including a version by local singer Darren Espanto.

The curious line, "Goin' back to Honolulu just to get that/That Maui Wowie, that Maui Wowie," allegedly means "chasing enjoyment or a sense of escape."

Okay , but it's amazing how people could easily reveal their wiry-haired kilikili (armpits) for the whole wide world to see.

***

"The practice of making asin tibuok, the artisanal sea salt of Bohol, made it to the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding." I wonder if this development will help preserve the practice.

***

"Cold water immersion can profoundly affect your body: increase insulin sensitivity, helping you effectively turn glucose into energy; lower cortisol, the stress hormone; and increase the amount of brown fat in your body."

***

"New 'remarkably tame' tinamou species discovered in Amazon mountains may already be at risk of extinction" because it is "a mostly flightless bird with a unique dark slate-colored facial mask and cinnamon-colored underparts that was surprisingly unafraid of humans."

***

"In Japan, where isolation and emotional distance can quietly affect many lives, one man has created a gentle and unusual service—'rent-a-dad.' Through this heartfelt offering, he’s hired by people of all ages to step in as a father figure, offering warmth, support, or simply quiet presence. His clients don’t seek formal counseling—they come for hugs, someone to clap during a graduation photo, or a calm voice to talk to over lunch."

How awful that the epidemic of fatherless-ness has come to this.

***

Speaking of fatherhood... "Many people assume fathers bond through gentle moments and quiet cuddles. However, neuroscience shows the strongest connections form during active, playful chaos. Wrestling, chasing, roughhousing, and tumbling provide children with high-energy experiences that shape the brain in meaningful ways."

I have read something like this decades ago. Specifically, that fathers bond best particularly with their sons through activities that they share together like engaging in sports.

***

78-year-old Hollywood actor and director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele, were murdered in cold blood by their own flesh-and-blood, i.e., their own son Nick Reiner, who appears to be a drug-addled nutcase, according to reports. Rob Reiner is a most successful director of truly enjoyable films, such as "When Harry Met Sally...," "The Princess Bride," "A Few Good Men," "Stand by Me," etc., stuff generally referred to as "good vibes" these days, that is why there were so popular back in the day. So it is quite strange that he'd have such a progeny. Watching the son being interviewed, I get a somewhat creepy vibe, with those wide, expressionless eyes and all.

Now I need to watch a movie the father-and-son tandem co-created, "Being Charlie," because it is said to be quite autobiographical.

***

There was a shooting in Brown University, Providence, Rhode Is., USA.

***

Two Middle Eastern men -- a father-and-son -- also went on a shooting rampage in Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, apparently targeting Jews enjoying Hanukkah, a Jewish celebration. The carnage, unusual for Australia, was made even more unusual when a man, ironically a Muslim, grabbed one shooter singlehandedly and unarmed and successfully extricated the rifle from the mass murderer. Sadly, the duo is said to have undergone training somewhere in Mindanao, implicating the entire country where nothing of the sort happens, someone wise pointed out.

***

“Film historian and filmmaker Nicolas Francisco ‘Nick’ A. Deocampo has recently discovered what is now considered the oldest surviving Filipino film—the 1936 production ‘Diwata ng Karagatan’ (Diwata)—in Brussels, Belgium.”

***

A new party game trended: Blowing candles using paper plates. I don't know why, but my inner killjoy says I hate it.

***

A new exchange gift trended in office yearend/Christmas parties this year. Mechanics: Players each bring a brown bag of assorted gift items based on a pre-chosen theme (e.g., something green). The number of items should be exactly the same as the number of members. One by one, each member throws out the contents, and members scramble to get the items they prefer, each one fearing to be left with the most unwanted items (the ones that end up as useless items, except as all-year-round dust gatherer and 100% sure toe injurer). The group erupts in tumultuous shouts and laughter as a result, and the room and building develop cracks due to the volcanic explosion.

***

Never heard of this, but it's great to know: Sen. Migz Zubiri noted that it's 16 years RA 9850 was passed, a law declaring arnis as the Philippine national martial art and sport.

***

Another wait-what-happened moment: Zsa Zsa Padilla returned her Lifetime Achievement Award to Aliw Awards organizers after she wasn't given the honor or courtesy of making a speech. What a terrible gaffe. Honoring me with such an insult, even when unintended, would've deeply offended me as well.

***

The pulpit of the 300-year-old church of Maragondon, Cavite, crashed to the church floor due to "internal structural failure." The church is listed as a National Cultural Treasure.

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"The Philippines has the lowest tourism return in Southeast Asia." Heard this already before that it has become a tired refrain. When are we going to shape up?

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"New brain-imaging research shows that depression is not simply the result of a chemical imbalance but is linked to structural and functional changes in brain circuits responsible for mood, decision-making, and emotional processing. This finding challenges long-held beliefs and explains why medication alone has not worked for many patients. By recognizing depression as a disorder of complex brain networks, the study opens the way for more personalized treatments such as brain stimulation, cognitive training, and lifestyle-based interventions."

As a low-key mental health sufferer, I knew this by instinct: Depression is generally not caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, but a result of toxic thoughts, ungrieved grief, unprocessed traumas, and I think that, among the world's psychologists, it is Gabor Mate who gets these things -- depression, anxiety and panic attacks, drug addiction -- right the most.

***

"Japanese biologist Yoshinori Ohsumi was awarded the Nobel Prize for his groundbreaking discovery of how the body uses a process called autophagy to eat its own damaged cells when it doesn't receive food. This process is vital for maintaining cellular health and is a key factor in how we fight aging and disease."

***

A powerful DPWH technocrat named Catalina Cabral, a planning chief, was suddenly found dead along a river in Benguet. A very interesting development in these high-tension-wire days of Marcos Jr.'s reign.

***

I thought it's another AI prank, but an escalator in Bangladesh suddenly sped up like crazy, like an amusement park ride whose operator went loafing, expelling the poor frightened riders down the conveyor belt. Good thing it didn't end up in something more violent like what happened recently somewhere in Europe.

***
Actor and Leyte Rep. Richard Gomez was accused by a Philippine Fencing Association of “physical attack” during the fencing competitions of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, after the latter allegedly replaced an athlete without Gomez's knowledge.

***

I must have missed a number of other equally important developments, because I was preoccupied with Christmas stuff (mainly, attending parties for the first time after how many years of disability). I would appreciate your rejoinders.

posted by Resty Odon  # 2:55 AM 0 Comments

Red Flags to Watch Out for in Human Character

Some say we were all born good and kind-hearted. I don’t think so.

We didn’t start out as blank slates or tabula rasa either — we all inherited certain traits, both good and bad, from those who came before us.

Our character is ultimately shaped by a mix of things: our genes, our environment, how we were raised, and the most decisive factor of all — the personal choices we make along the way.

In my experience, people who choose to do good stand worlds apart from those who deliberately walk down a darker path.

No one wants to live in the orbit of evil, so it helps to recognize the warning signs early on — the behaviors that tell you to run for the hills.

Here are some forms of toxic or malicious behavior I’ve witnessed — or worse, personally endured:

• Borrows money and never pays it back, then ghosts you without a hint of remorse.

• Takes all the credit at work and leaves none for the team.

• Dumps their trash in the neighbor’s yard.

• Lets their dog poop in front of your house while keeping their own front yard spotless.

• Complains every single time they open their mouth.

• Sees nothing good in anyone — only faults and flaws.

• Never congratulates you on any achievement; can’t be happy for anyone else’s success earned honestly.

• Steals your belongings the moment your back is turned.

• A chronic, pathological liar.

• Believes that killing someone can be justified outside the context of true self-defense.

• Lacks humility; can’t laugh at themselves or see humor in their own imperfections.

• Rarely engages in self-reflection; refuses to acknowledge their weaknesses.

• Never apologizes for their mistakes — ever.

• Stingy in sharing knowledge that could genuinely help others (except when it involves state secrets, trade secrets, or protected proprietary information).

• Has a habit of violating personal boundaries.

What other red flags have you noticed, both in yourself and in others? 

posted by Resty Odon  # 12:11 AM 0 Comments

If the finding is true, then the study should examine all the elderly monks, priests, and bishops who actually practice what they preach if indeed all of them are now suffering from prostate cancer. Or a longitudinal and follow-up study of all the no-fap guys actively posting their experience on YouTube. And another study investigating whether all of those who had prostate cancer had a habit of religiously avoiding masturbation or sex in general. Let's see whether they have eventually developed abnormal growth in their prostrate after years of virtue. 

posted by Resty Odon  # 6:02 PM 0 Comments

 Kung mahilig ka maga-read ng signs of the times, iisipin mo talagang end of the world na. Eh bakit hanggang ngayon, biyaheng impiyerno pa rin ugali ng iba?

posted by Resty Odon  # 5:02 PM 0 Comments

 Wake Up! We are not the 51st State of America!

posted by Resty Odon  # 4:57 PM 0 Comments

My Catholic charismatic community with its various activities: worship, small group meetings, evangelization, recollections and recollections, talks...

Free church-based counseling and therapy services that a lot of people don't know about

A random eatery or resto offering a taste of authentic foreign cuisine

Bumping into a random celebrity walking casually in Glorietta, Greenbelt, or elsewhere in Makati

The great variety of goods on sale at SM Hypermart, Landmark, or any of the major supermarkets

Those little de-wart shops offering cheap locally produced 'cashew cream' dermatological therapy

Pan de Manila

posted by Resty Odon  # 3:20 AM 0 Comments

All Riled Up

I have a slightly different take on Enrile, compared with those I have read so far -- that is, the anti- or con side.

'JPE', as he lay dying at 101 years old, ceased to be young people's butt of jokes, or in today's parlance, an Internet meme for "old," as in ancient, dinosaur-age old. Even Enrile proved to be no immortal, after all. His demise a day after the announcement of his ICU confinement was immediately greeted with a flood of posts from people with sharp memory detailing his great misdeeds from a distant past: chiefly as the architect of martial law, with human rights violations galore, and the massive plundering of the country's rainforests together with Pres. Marcos Sr., not to mention direct involvement in the coco levy funds scam and the PDAF scam -- his heroism at EDSA I all but forgotten. There were even allegations of his involvement with coup d'etats against Cory Aquino -- a precarious time I lived through as a young person which failed to make me develop good feelings for and good memories of him. These recollections of great unrepented -- and very public -- sins ran laughably contrapuntal to the high hosannas issued by those at the top echelons in government and elsewhere.

Statements of condemnation from the persecuted left are only to be expected. Which make you think: If Marcos Sr. and Enrile didn't do what they did (clamp down on communist forces), would RP have become a communist state? I shudder at the thought, as the horrors of the Russian, Chinese, Vietnamese experience come to mind: the pogroms, the gulags, the bloodiness of it all, all doomed for failure.

But what do we make of roughly the same statements coming from centrist forces? Which also makes you think: How much exactly was the abuse of power committed? Where exactly did he cross the line? How many innocent people, how many brave youthful protesters of that generation who were not necessarily espousing communist belief were dragged into the 'witch hunt' needlessly?

No one seems to be discussing this when it is the biggest bone of contention and partly the reason why there are Marcos loyalists across different socioeconomic classes up to this day, even among the ruling classes, even among respected academics. In their view, dictatorship and martial rule are justified if the target are communists. I am not saying I agree 100% but if you were the president at the time, how would you have handled it? Indeed, if you see the Marcos regime as having saved the country from communism (with US's backing, of course), no negative commentary will ever convince you to reconsider your view. You would even stick to the notion that they were 'heroes' in that regard.)

(The same is true with diehard supporters of the Dutertes. In their view, Duterte introduced a style of leadership they prefer in the light of the drug menace and -- let's face it -- a set of accomplishments that had been unheard of and impossible within the limited (i.e., elitist) viewpoints of past leaders. Indeed, if you see 'Dutertismo' as a logical reaction to Pres. Noynoy's failings and his essentially Manila-centric, rich-kid view of life and governance, nothing will ever convince you to change your mind.)

What I am NOT happy about, however, is when people make blanket condemnation, with the certainty that Enrile is 100% evil and going to hell. (Enrile being a religious man suddenly comes to mind, with him seeking God's counsel in a prayer room with a gigantic Virgin Mary statue and all. This tells me that he did not exactly worship the devil but in fact believed in his heart that what he was doing was the right one.) I'd like to remind people that only God has the right to say that (assign souls to their proper placement), because only He has full knowledge of a man's heart. Besides, as others have pointed out, last-minute repentance is always possible. (That's how counter-intuitive the Christian concept of 'grace' is.)

But in a culture where it is taboo to say bad things about the recently departed, making that rare exception (from both sides of the sociopolitical fence too) says a lot about the kind of public figure he was.

I'd be happy to be rebutted, proven wrong, disproved, challenged, and refuted with this second and separate opinion.

posted by Resty Odon  # 11:35 PM 0 Comments

Emerging Weather Terminologies

posted by Resty Odon  # 2:25 PM 0 Comments

Speechless in the Aftermath

posted by Resty Odon  # 12:30 PM 0 Comments

"Secret Heart"?

Don't worry, fellow Pinoys, if you think like "bobo" kayo sa English, mali-mali rin naman mag-English ang mga pangkaraniwang Kano, which is worse kasi native language nila ito. Madalas ay pinagtatawanan namin ito ng mga katrabaho ko dati as KPO workers working as a paralegal of sorts (coding legal corporate documents, creating titles for untitled documents, and receiving communication from our offshore clients).

Ilan sa mga pinakamadalas nilang gawin:

I would of, I could of - instead of I would have... etc.

grammer - grammar

They get easily confused when it comes to using:

- there vs their vs they're
- its vs it's
- you're vs your
- his vs he's
- who's vs whose
- accept vs except
- here vs hear
- hole vs whole
- lead vs led
- lose vs loose
- peace vs piece
- principal vs principle

Parang Waterloo nila iyon: homonyms or homophones -- napansin ko lang. Siguro dahil iyon sa dami ng foreign influences ng American English kaya nakakahilo talaga.

Ilang beses ko ngang nakita yung mga ganitong nakakatawang kaso for me as Pinoy:

Secret Heart of Jesus Hospital - they mean Sacred Heart

Minsan may mga mahilig din mag-imbento kahit wala sa Webster. Ganun kataas ang kanyang level of confidence:

"Like I telephonically told you yesterday..."

***

By the way, the Europeans are the worst sa mga puti na naencounter ko over exchanges through emails:

Example:

"If you have any questions, contact to us." (Mag-imbento talaga ng sariling verb + preposition combination, 'teh?)

Naalala ko ang sabi minsan ni kuwan: "They may be bigger and taller. Doesn't mean they are better."

Cheerio!

Kayong mga nakarelate sa BPO industry, ano'ng mga napansin niyong errors nila? Di ba natawa rin kayo?

posted by Resty Odon  # 4:41 PM 0 Comments

Quezon on Our Mind

Manuel Luis Quezon is on everyone's mind these days. Unfortunately for me, I haven't read much about former Philippine president Manuel Luis Quezon, so my knowledge about him is limited to his being "Ama ng Wikang Pambansa" and that "run-like-hell" statement of his that is often quoted out of context and assumed as a national curse whose ill effects are allegedly felt by one and all up to this day. And the man who saved a lot of Jews, not to mention the man after which a capital city and an entire province was named. And a host of Quezon Blvds. around the country. And an institute for TB patients.

posted by Resty Odon  # 2:00 AM 0 Comments

November 2025 Recap: Aftershocks, Aftermaths, and Anathemas

As in happened, November 2025 became a month of aftershocks, aftermaths, and breaking of taboos, not to mention of equally disturbing suicide stories. But on a positive note, also of groundbreaking events and discoveries.

In the Netherlands, a train -- speeding like a bullet -- rammed into a huge delivery truck, crushing the behemoth instantly and sending its content flying in all directions.

***

The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) officially opened November 4, to become "the world's largest museum dedicated to an ancient civilization"... "showcasing a vast collection of artifacts from ancient Egypt."

***

"Neuroscience reveals that it’s not the passing years that make your brain slower — it’s repetition. When you live each day the same way, your brain activates the same neural circuits over and over, reinforcing familiarity but reducing flexibility. ... But the good news? Your brain can rewire itself at any age through neuroplasticity — the ability to form new neural connections. New experiences, challenges, and even learning something uncomfortable stimulate dopamine and growth factors that keep your brain active and sharp."

Wait. This basically means we should keep on scrolling on our phones for that constant dopamine boost? Guess not.

***

A giant bacterium visible to naked eye was found in New Zealand -- "challenging everything about microbiology." It is called Thiomargarita magnifica, "5,000 times bigger than typical bacteria and visible as white filaments up to 2cm long." A bacterium that big ceases to be a "microbe," technically speaking, for normal bacteria reportedly lie within 1-5 micrometers in size.

***

Someone noticed that one of Manny Pacquiao sons (the one whose surname is Bacosa) looks like Piolo Pascual, and immediately dubbed the boy as "Piolo Pacquiao," and netizens went wild, alternately laughing and gushing.

***

Former president Manuel L. Quezon's grandson Ricky Avancena caused quite a stir when he reacted strongly against the movie "Quezon." The online commentariat took opposing sides, and I found myself on the side that was unhappy with the movie, even though I had yet to see it. I blame it for the same reason why I was unhappy with how Aguinaldo, in former movie depictions, was painted as pure evil. (He was not -- certainly not 100% ha-ha.)

***

Lav Diaz's film, "Magellan," starring Gael Garcia Bernal, won as Best Picture at the Villadolid Film Festival in Spain. Makes me wanna go see the movie.

***

The last kakapo bird died? That's what one report said. Maybe it is just in one island?

The reason I am wary of extinctions is because I have studied ecology -- an eye-opening interdisciplinary course I am very grateful for, that it has become my favorite subject actually. There, under the kinda annoying prof, Gene Abedania, I learned that each species has an impact on the environment and is inter-related with other species in the same habitat. This means one little loss could result in an ecological catastrophe, so I am hoping that view is wrong. Besides, the kakapo bird (the world's largest parrot and it's flightless -- imagine that) is quite a beauty and a character.

***

"Intelligence peaks at 55 to 60 years old," a report said. This can only be good news to the likes of me. You see, youth is not always a plus point.

***

There was a report of a terrible massacre and rape of women and children in Darfur, Sudan once again. Which made me think of how we don't hear much about the horrible things happening to the people of Sudan, Nigeria, Mozambique, and other countries where there are atrocities, genocide, and persecution otherwise unimaginable to the rest of the world. But they are happening as we speak, and the rest of the outside world doesn't seem to care. Perhaps because they are... black?

***

Surprise! "Young leftist Trump foe" Zohran Mamdani was elected New York mayor." Socialism and NYC are like total opposites. New York City, as we all know, is the world capital of capitalism -- capitalism with a capital C. Will it work? Let's see.

***

Juan Ponce Enrile, as he lay dying at 101 years old, ceased to be an Internet meme for "old," as in ancient, dinosaur-age old. You might want to read about my thoughts on him in this post titled, "All Riled Up."

***

A trending post captured the tenor of November 2025 in the Philippines, as though in a nutshell: "Nakakalito na ang mga letra. May warrant daw galing sa ICC (sina Bato at Go). May rally ang INC. May imbestigasyon ang ICI. Si Enrile nasa ICU."

***

Speechless in Tino's Aftermath

Typhoon Tino inundated parts of Talisay City in Cebu and other areas, and it's like Ondoy all over again, just worse. The images coming out of not just Talisay City, but also Canlaon City, Bago City, etc. are staggering they make even the inured speechless.

Nature is so swift; human life, slow. Nature can be so cruel, indiscriminate, unforgiving; humanity, so puny, helpless, dazed and confused. I can't blame folk who ask, "Where is God?"

Apart from questions I have no answer for, what can we glean so far from the widespread destruction? Well, it looks like flood control is useless when deforestation is a problem. Plus we need to know whether the volume of precipitation is way above normal. For this reason, the technical term 'hydrology' was thrown around with frequency.

But it is clear this early how deforestation is the bigger, if not biggest, culprit.

I'd say protect and restore our mountain forests now. There is a good reason why they are sometimes called watershed. They act like our sponge.

Supposing climate change isn't the real culprit yet, blaming rampant deforestation looks like common sense, right? It's not like we've stumbled into something new and complicated, as though it's rocket science.

***

Because of Tino, actor-turned-businessman Slater Young's Monterazza mountainside luxury villa project, inspired by the Ifugao rice terraces, was under fire, judging by, uhm, online knee-jerk commentators. I am not sure about this, since the 'verdict' is not yet in.

***

For the first time in a very long time, our place got a direct hit from a super-furious typhoon, and it was named 'Uwan'/'Fung-Wong.' We residents suffered through a sleepless night, anxious over the prospect of waking up with our roofs gone and trees falling over our domicile. We distinctly remember the unusual calm -- and humidity -- before the storm. There must be a technical term for that unusual calm before the storm, but I couldn't find any, despite our ultra-rich local vocabulary.

Anyway, like everybody else, my fervent prayer was for 'Uwan' to stay away or change its course, or at least weaken a bit. It did not, on all three counts. But still we were thankful, for things could have gotten a lot worse. The aftermath was merely a day of sweeping of fallen leaves, branches, and other debris and hacking away at wayward branches in the midst of a power blackout with no internet connection. ...Plus the dilemma of how to cook all the raw food we have stored in the ref so they wouldn't go stale or turn bad. In the end, we were happy to have survived another delubyo.

***

On a personal note: I got sick November 5. I think I caught the flu virus. But I couldn't complain. A lot of people were in worse shape after losing loved ones and everything they had to flash flood. And happily, for the first time, I was able to fend off an oncoming full-on flu which I get without fail each year except when I had a flu shot (cold, cough, body malaise, physical weakness). What I did was take time off work just to be able to directly expose my skin to sunshine for hours on end. No Bioflu, no antibiotics, no artificial vitamin supplements, no appointment with the doctor. It works! Why haven't I done the same in previous years? Then again, maybe that barley supplement I had been taking worked wonders, plus I was into guava leaf tea lately as an experiment. (I eventually stopped after I noticed some side effects.) I suffered from earache and an irritable throat instead, which slowly went away, thank God.

***

I read with interest the current word war between the Baguio City government and other 'stakeholders' over the proposed renovation of the 'iconic' City Public Market. I don't know whom to side with, honestly. I love Baguio's old public market because it was so charming in that rustic mountain way and I had lots of good memories of it, especially since it was so spic-'n-span. There are some things in a city that you wish would never change, and one of that is Baguio City's unique blend of American Hill Station-Igorot architecture. But I am also for embracing modernization if it can't be helped, but hopefully never at the expense of historical and cultural heritage. How to balance these two? I have yet to figure out, but people like Palafox surely have a long time ago. What I noticed is that Baguio has through the years continuously defaced what made it attractive in the first place; it would be a cultural, aesthetic, and economic suicide to deface or erase your own selling point. Baguio would no longer be Baguio if it looked like another city in Metro Manila or anywhere else in the world.

***

The low-intensity conflict over Michelin ratings between the pros- and the antis- I found very interesting. But here's something about Filipino food that I wish I wrote because I am 100% in agreement with it: "The Michelin Guide and authentic Filipino food" by Stephen Acabado. Look it up!

***

A newly constructed 2,500 ft bridge partially collapsed into a river in China after a massive landslide occurred near the area. I somehow felt relieved that it's not only in the Philippines that this...er... engineering marvel happens.

Another horror, also in China: an ancient 8-story wooden pagoda burned down like flint or kindling, though commenters said it was a rebuild or reconstruction. Nonetheless, seeing an ancient heritage structure fall down like that is just so sad and tragic.

***

The infamous Zaldy Co issued a bombshell of a video: that BBM and Romualdez ordered him to stay put abroad and masterminded the you-know-what yada-yada. But people were not inclined to believe any of it because they had a problem with the tainted messenger and his motive.

***

Meanwhile, Kiko Barzaga compared himself to Jose Rizal. The public reaction was of course "The nerve!" and "Wait, what?" Like, have you written two authority-defying literary novels on top of a number of lyrical poetry pieces and made yourself a most wanted man because of it? Are you fluent in more than a dozen languages? Traveled around the world? Had a string of girlfriends of diverse ethnicities? Idolized by the country's revolutionary leaders of your time? Studied ophthalmology on the side? Built a little self-sustaining community on the side? Killed by firing squad after being accused of rebellion? If no, then forget about it and find someone on the lower rungs.

***

Former presidents/vice-presidents Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Joseph Estrada were seen together with VP Sara Duterte as they attended the Office of the Vice-President's 90th anniversary. It would have been interesting to observe the respective body language of the two former political arch-nemeses.

***

Rosa Rosal, glamorous actress of yesteryears and Red Cross board member, died at 97 years old. Her real name, it turns out, is Florence Lansang Danon-Gayda. Thanks to YouTube, I had been able to watch two acclaimed films she starred in: "Biyaya ng Lupa" and "Anak Dalita." So I hunted down another acclaimed title associated with her, "Badjao," which a film critic (Noel Vera) said is fortunately available on YouTube as well. What luck! I watched it and learned that it is about the evils of discrimination, and "its probably the best Filipino movie ever made."

***

At a huge Iglesia ni Kristo rally, Imee Marcos did something unthinkable, like it's straight out of a Koreanovela: rat on her brother's and sister-in-law's (and nephew's too?) supposed drug use -- a private matter of personal weakness, and in front of 650,000 people too. What an unbelievable breaking of a cultural taboo. And technically speaking, because of the private nature of the alleged transgression, it constitutes slander, whether the charge is true or not.

***

Kiko Barzaga made a fearless prediction, a cliffhanger: "Martin Romualdez will escape the country before President Marcos resigns next week." Now, the guy's playing Nostradamus.

***

Lea Salonga's daughter Nic Chien had her breast excised. And these days, commenting on it other than applause, or even using the word 'daughter,' might spell trouble.

***

On November 19, minimum wage in Pangasinan was increased from P468 to P505.

***

Wow: "A storied Gustav Klimt painting sold for $236.4 million at Sotheby’s in New York, [thus becoming] the most expensive work ever sold at Sotheby’s and the most expensive Modern artwork ever sold at block." I love Klimt's paintings! They are just so different, so original.

***

Another awful story of suicide, most likely due to depression: A young man named Ivan Cezar Ronquillo reportedly committed what is suspected to be suicide after he was wrongfully accused of killing his girlfriend, an actress and model named Gina Lima. What a waste of life, no thanks to online defamation or slander.

***

"In one of the world’s most fast-paced cultures, South Korea introduced something almost unbelievable — a real contest dedicated to sitting still, breathing slowly, and letting your mind go quiet. It’s called the Space-Out Competition, created in 2014 by artist Woopsyang as a protest against burnout. A reminder that rest isn’t laziness — it’s survival." Hmm... sloth and rest are two completely different things: one is vice, the other virtue.

***

"An 18-year-old Filipino male teenager wrote a children’s book as a gift to his longtime Filipino nanny. The money he earns from selling the book will be used to help overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Hong Kong who wish to finish their studies."

Hiyang-hiya ako sa batang ito ha. Ikaw, ako, tayo, ano na ang ambag mo, natin? Imagine if all of us are as selfless.

***

On November 19, minimum wage in Pangasinan was increased from P468 to P505.

***

Jesus Falcis: "Alice Guo was arrested and now convicted. Anti-POGO Law was passed. Li Duang Wang’s citizenship law was vetoed by BBM upon Sen. Risa Hontiveros’ plea." I am not exactly a fan of Hontiveros' politics, but these achievements are impressive.

***

Chocolate Lover Inc. closed shop after 36 years of selling chocolates, buttercream, walnuts, and other baking essentials. Owned by Annie Carmona-Lim, dubbed the “Chocolate Queen,” the shop is housed in a castle-like building which has long been an eye-catcher in Cubao for its atypical structure.

The only ones similar to such an architectural style in the country, crenellations and all (with the exception of resort structures), are the Christ the King church in E. Rodriquez and a private residence somewhere in the southern Tagalog region.

Anyway, sad business closure stories like this makes me think of how small and big businesses are a cultural treasure of a community that oftentimes make brand names synonymous to a given town or city. And if the business is not passed on to the next generation for any number of reasons, to say nothing of enrichment or expansion, it just dies a natural death and quickly forgotten (except by historians and history buffs like me).

***

Miss Mexico won the Ms. Universe but Filipinos were sore about it because they believed our bet or another one, a Ms. Côte d'Ivoire (isn't this country Ivory Cost?), deserved the title better for reasons I am not sure about. But here's a quotable quote and food for thought: "Iwan ko ba anong esperitu ang sumasanib sa mga Penoy. Kung pageant, grabi maka kelatis ng kandidata. Piru sa election, basta lang maka tanggap ng ayoda at sayawan ng budots, okay na."

***

Central Vietnam, southern Thailand, and Sri Lanka experienced Ondoy-like devastation from flood! Looks like unprecedented flash-flooding is becoming a worldwide phenomenon. Hope I am utterly wrong in my perception.

***

Solidaridad Bookshop sold to Rep. Leandro Leviste

***
"A newly discovered ant species has placed the Philippines once again on the global scientific map. The National Museum of the Philippines announced the identification of Strumigenys silangan, a species found in the eastern regions of the country, specifically in Mt. Isarog Natural Park, Camarines Sur. Its discovery adds to the Philippines’ growing list of unique and endemic wildlife, highlighting how much biodiversity still remains hidden within its forests and ecosystems. Researchers noted that the species name 'silangan,' meaning 'east,' reflects the origin of all collected specimens."

***

"A Japanese scientist earned a Nobel Prize after discovering one of the body’s most powerful self-healing mechanisms: during periods of fasting, the human body begins to consume its own damaged cells, triggering a deep cellular reset known as autophagy. This natural process acts like an internal cleanup system, breaking down old proteins, malfunctioning components, and toxic buildup that contribute to aging and disease. The discovery revealed that fasting doesn’t just change metabolism — it activates a fundamental survival program hard-wired into our biology." Must. go. hungry. often. soon.

***

Unusual this! "An outdoor electronic music event was held in front of 14th-century cathedral in Košice, Slovakia, organized by the archdiocese to celebrate the Jubilee of Young People and the 75th birthday of the local archbishop, Nov. 8. Fr. Guilherme Peixoto, a Portuguese priest who happens to be an electronic music DJ who performed at World Youth Day 2023, guided the crowd with a blend of electronic and spiritual music, sharing his belief that 'electronic music is a privileged way to build a better world.'"

Before this apparent rave party, with laser beams piercing the air in all directions, a prerecorded video of the Pope sent message to the youth, and the pope was mistaken for being part of the organizers. If I were a lot younger and I was there, I would have had the time of my life.

**

Highrise infernos

Several 32-floor highrises in an apartment complex in Hong Kong were engulfed by flames from a small fire that started from below outside the buildings. It looks like the bamboo scaffolding with green nylon netting served as the perfect kindling material that aided the quick spreading of the fire, as though to grill the poor occupants alive starting from the first floor. I remember something similar happening before somewhere in the Middle East (Dubai?). The horror. I can't imagine how the survivors, especially the elderly, PWD, and infants escaped by the skin of their teeth in the middle of such a smoldering and smoked-out scene. At least three people connected with the construction firm were arrested for "gross negligence."

***

I learned that many Indonesians have only one name. Just like pre-colonial Filipinos! I wonder how their local civil registrars deal with this practice.

***

"Gumuho ang dormitory building ng isang eskuwelahan sa Sumatra Island sa Indonesia. Nasaksihan mismo ng mga estudyante ang pagguho ng gusali sa probinsya ng Aceh dahil sa landslide at umapaw na ilog sa likod ng paaralan."

***

The DTI said a Filipino family can have noche buena for P500. This was met with massive sarcasm, with post ridiculing the claim by someone who must be living in some geological age.

***

A new font face became popular locally, called the Queen Yasmin font. The font style features a lady with a wreath of flowers on her head contorting her body and body doubles to produce different letters of the alphabet. Funny font and hard to read.

***

Trump suspended ‘Third World’ migration to US after an Afghan man killed a National Guard.

***

"Pope Leo XIV commemorated the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea on Friday, November 28, in Iznik, the Turkish city historically known as the birthplace of the Nicene Creed (Nicaea), calling Christians to overcome 'the scandal of divisions' and to renew their commitment to unity. This is the main reason that brought the pope to Türkiye (Turkey) on his first apostolic trip abroad. The pope spoke during an ecumenical prayer service held at the archaeological site of the ancient Basilica of Saint Neophytos, on the shore of Lake Iznik, southeast of Istanbul. There, Pope Leo, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, and other Christian leaders prayed together the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed in this historic setting."

***

Unbelievable and appalling piece of statistic: A scientific study claims men who masturbate at least 21 days a month tend not to develop prostate cancer.

***

I kept on reading this new term: virtue signalling. It means "the public expression of opinions or sentiments intended to demonstrate one's good character or social conscience or the moral correctness of one's position on a particular issue" instead of having genuine virtue.

***

The month ended with another rally in Manila against corruption at the highest levels of government.

***

Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan recipient Alonzo Saclag of Kalinga died, but because of his hard work, foresight, and government support, an indigenous intangible (musical) heritage didn't die out with him.

***

Whew, I want to end this crazy month's recap with a laugh: "The ability to speak several languages is an asset, but the ability to keep your mouth shut in any language is priceless."

posted by Resty Odon  # 4:13 PM 0 Comments