But I think it's a good advice after all the hullabaloo in the US market that will eventually affect third world and dependent countries like ours. I'm no economy expert (my goodness, I took Econ 11 twice during my UP days hehe) but I think Benjamin Diokno was right when he said working hard can help one weather a possible financial crisis. It's a no-brainer, actually. Work and you'll not go hungry (right? Not too sure?)

Well, I think I've fallen in love with the job again, after what seemed like weeks of frustration and confusion whether to stay or go. I think it happens to all. When you feel you're doing the same things over and over but ironically doesn't want change.

I wanted to try the corporate world because it might give me more compensation, which is damn needed nowadays. What the heck, money isn't everything but it's a necessity! Especially if you're planning to settle down soon! *wink*

Then again, I know I still have that small bit of passion to write stories which I hope could make an impact or change at least one life. Good thing it wouldn't be too smart a move for a career shift now. hehe.

Anyway, since now I am also covering the Church, I had the opportunity to see old churches in Metro Manila. It was great seeing Manila Cathedral. It looks very promising for a wedding but it's too far! There are many other pretty churches in Intramuros and in Malate and I can almost imagine my dream wedding. haha :) Most of them are just too far and I think it wouldn't be feasible to have our wedding there in 20** (guess the year).

Anyway (again) if you want to have an idea how diverse and palaboy I am nowadays, just click on the ff:

Lozada to go to SC to appeal "amparo' petition

Bishops lead prayer rally vs VAT

DFA: Ship with all-Filipino crew hijacked off Somalia

Love your job, be frugal

By Thea Alberto
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 14:18:00 09/15/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- The key witness in the national broadband network controversy is expecting the “worst,” after the Court of Appeals dismissed his petition for protection under the writ of amparo, which he called a “law without justice.”

“The worst is yet to come,” said Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada Jr. Monday, anticipating more charges to be filed against him as part of the government's move to allegedly harass him.

At the same time, Lozada said he and his lawyers would discuss whether to appeal the court decision, saying, “They may have won this battle, but they have not won the war yet.”

He also called the writ of amparo a "law without justice.”

“I cannot believe na ako pa ngayon ang lumalabas na nagsinungaling [that I am now the liar]," said Lozada, reiterating his testimony that if the media had not been determined to find him at the time that he was reported missing, he could have been dead by now.

READ FULL STORY HERE: INQUIRER.net

VIDEO here: INQUIRER.net VDO

I just want to say, I LOVE THIS PIC!

There's still life during & after war. This should serve as an inspiration/wake up call to those who live a better life.

Caption from Inquirer.net:

CATCH AS CATCH CAN Life goes on in the midst of clashes between government forces and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in the environs of Datu Piang town in the province of Maguindanao. With “bilao” in hand, children make a game of catching as many rice grains as they can to bring home while threshing is going on. Elsewhere in the conflict-affected areas, daily sales are down by much as 50 percent. RAFFY LERMA

I was reading one of the responses written about the current status in Mindanao & about it's planned separation from Philippines. Basically the person said that, if ever Mindanao is separated, he/she would choose to move there because Mindanao has a bright future & has rich resources. My question to him/her, are you a Muslim? If you are, then ignore this post. If not, have you ever wondered why they want to be separated?

This is meant to be a short post. I don't really need to discuss this topic.

Everytime you click a link that leads to this blog, it is recorded it my blog stats. I get to find out where you found my blog site.

I don't really mind you sharing my URL, but please if you're going to send my materials as an email, please inform me. Some people might take my materials differently, especially those narrow minded people.

And to those who are waiting for my replies in the comments you posted, let me find a time to write. Your comments are also sent to my email.

MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE) A tornado slammed through Los Baños, Laguna, Thursday afternoon, ripping off roofs, uprooting trees and stirring panic among residents.

Eyewitnesses told INQUIRER.net the tornado hit the town between 3 p.m. to 5 pm.

A Catholic nun said in a text message that terrified children in Franciscan Missionary-run school in Los Baños shouted "Tornado!" on seeing the forceful mass of swirling wind.

"We saw flying debris ... roofs, uprooted trees," the nun, identified only as Sister Emma, said in a text message relayed by a priest to the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

“I just can’t imagine it was happening,” the nun said. “I just sat down when the rest of the children began crying and praying ... and I said to myself... ‘God is this how my life would end?’ I was so afraid.”

FULL STORY AND VIDEOS HERE: INQUIRER.net

read story >>

MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE) Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay on Monday said the “misguided governance” and “corruption” of the Arroyo administration has led the country down the road to poverty, unemployment and higher prices.

“Millions of Filipinos are poor and hungry. That is the state of the nation today,” Binay said, delivering delivered the political opposition’s own state of the nation address (SONA) hours ahead of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s report before the joint session of Congress .

“The Arroyo administration cannot totally blame the situation on global economic conditions since misguided governance, large-scale corruption and naked politicking have contributed to the present state of our nation,” Binay, who is president of the United Opposition (UNO), said.

MORE HERE: INQUIRER.net

Learn from the experts. Two great videos from Inquirer.net which discuss personal finance matters. Happy Viewing!

 GETTING RID OF BAD FINANCIAL HABITS

WHAT IS A FINANCIAL PLANNER?

My memory started playing when I keep hearing about new generations of cars that are eco-friendly. Then suddenly, BANG! I remembered that a Filipino had a car working using only water. He was even featured on Knowledge Power, a show hosted by Ernie Baron.

I know people have heard of this invention ages ago. Some people would even say that it was a hoax. But in the show, he actually showed that the car was working. He even had the procedures on how he made it to work on water on the bonnet.

I guess this would've been the biggest invention that a Filipino man has ever invented only if it was supported by the government. Last time I remembered was that they weren't interested in helping him out. Imagine how this would have changed the world, & knowing that we Filipinos are at the front of this revolution. It could be something also that we could claim that is truly ours.

I was able to track down Daniel Dingel & his invention through Inquirer.net. This is the actual page: Revisiting the water-powered car where i was I able to find the inventor.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mr. Dingel recently has sent me a comment, he included on his comment the link of his website which is still under construction. I also added his link in my "Useful Read" links. Please visit it if you have time!

Daniel Dingel - http://danieldingel.com

In between small talks earlier this week, it was not hard to sense a lot of us actually wanted to go to Sulu to cover Drilon and to "join the action." After all, it seemed safe if we had security and going to Mindanao was like the proper thing to do. (Un)fortunately I had an option and it was to stay in Manila. What's the point of going there if one can still get the details while at the safest possible place?

Madness, as most of us would like to call it, is the reason why some journalists push themselves to the limit. Sometimes while pursuing our stories, we actually decide based on our instinct, experience, gut feel, even horoscope (no I'm just guessing at this one!).

But madness is not a bad thing, I'm telling you. It is borne out of passion, out of our need to deliver the news freshly served because it is the public's right to know; and out of our desire to experience everything first hand.

While a normal citizen would scamper during a bombing or a shootout, the journalist (photographers, cameramen as well) initially takes cover but would keep peeking his/her head into the realms of danger--searching for a story, looking for an angle, eventually forgetting that she/he is above all a daughter/son, a Mother/Father and NOT just a journalist.

This was Drilon's mistake. And we can't fully blame her; we're all just happy that she's safe and sound, even happier that she learned her lesson well. The full commitment to the job is a mistake a lot of journalists have committed at various lengths, and it is also the kind of mistake we usually repeat--without regrets.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines was right when it said we must "soberly reflect" on Drilon's case.

"We urge everyone in the industry, from correspondents to media owners, to soberly reflect on this problem and come together to address this issue. We owe it to ourselves, to our families and to our audience," the NUJP officers said."

They could not have been more right. I indeed owe it to my family, friends, and readers. Cliche as it may be, no story is truly worth dying for.

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Drilon on ordeal: A ‘sobering experience’

Negotiator in Drilon kidnapping, son questioned by police

Military, police launch offensives vs Drilon abductors

Drilon et al in Zamboanga City--PNP spokesman

MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE 3) Kidnappers of a television news team extended “indefinitely” the deadline for the release of their hostages, according to the son of one of the negotiators.

In a press conference in Sulu aired live on radio Tuesday, minutes before the noon deadline for payment of a P15 million ransom expired, Jun Isnaji, son of Indanan Mayor Alvarez Isnaji, said the abductors assured his father that they would not harm ABS-CBN’s Ces Drilon, her cameraman Jimmy Encarnacion, and Octavio Dinampo, Mindanao State University professor.

The young Isnaji said ransom was not discussed during the negotiations but that the captors asked for livelihood projects in exchange for the release of Drilon and company.

The kidnappers had threatened to behead their hostages, admitted Isnaji but added that they would no longer carry this out. FULL STORY HERE

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OTHER stories:

Gov’t mulls ‘options’ for release of Drilon et al--officials

PNP releases artist’s sketch of Drilon kidnap suspects

MANILA, Philippines -- Police said Thursday negotiators in touch with the abductors of a television news crew and their guide are awaiting so-called “proof of life,” evidence that the victims are alive and well, and also working for a possible face-to-face meeting.

Chief Superintendent Joel Goltiao, police chief for Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, said the negotiators are hopeful of getting proof ABS-CBN reporter Ces Drilon, cameramen Jimmy Encarnacion, and Angelo Valderama, and Professor Octavio Dinampo are well later in the day.

They were abducted in Sulu Sunday by what authorities say are members of the Abu Sayaff.

FULL STORY HERE: INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines -- Broadcast network ABS-CBN said on Wednesday that it is not paying any ransom for its news team, led by television reporter Ces Drilon, which was kidnapped in Sulu.

"ABS-CBN News will abide by its policy not to pay ransom because this would embolden kidnap for ransom groups to abduct other journalists, putting more lives at risk," the network said in a statement.

FULL STORY HERE: INQUIRER.net

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ABSCBN has a point. We must never tolerate such an act. Now even other reporters must take extra caution.

By Thea Alberto
Associated Press, INQUIRER.net
First Posted 05:56:00 06/10/2008

MANILA, Philippines — Well-known television reporter Ces Drilon and two of her crew have been abducted while pursuing a story in the southernmost province Sulu by armed men believed to be members of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf Group, police officials said.

ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. said in a statement that Drilon, Jimmy Encarnacion and Angelo Valderama were “missing in Sulu” and that “all efforts are underway to find them and bring them home.”

Chief Superintendent Joel Goltiao, police regional director for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said Drilon and the two crew members were intercepted Sunday in Maimbung, a township in the Sulu capital Jolo, by armed men under Albader Parad, an Abu Sayyaf leader in the area.

Goltiao said the TV news team flew to Mindanao on Saturday on the invitation of Mindanao State University Professor Octavio Dinampo "to cover a special event."

FULL STORY HERE: INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines -- Amid concern over the reportedly growing incidence of infant deaths, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay ordered the neonatal intensive care unit (ICU) of the Ospital ng Makati (Osmak) closed while an investigation is conducted.

Binay said a fact-finding team of medical practitioners will be created to look into the reported deaths at the government-run hospital and recommend the appropriate measures. The mayor has asked the Department of Health (DoH) to assist the investigation.

Joey Salgado, Makati public information officer chief, said Binay will ask former health secretary Dr. Jaime Galvez-Tan to head the investigating body.

FULL STORY HERE: INQUIRER.net

But please check out:

‘Execution survivor’ says, ‘Caloocan cops slew my 3 pals’

3 kids die in Taytay fire

(UPDATE 3) 3 killed, 2 hurt, in Tondo fire

Other '3' stories I found in the site are:

3 suspected cattle rustlers killed in Cavite shootout

3 militiamen hurt in Davao del Sur landmine blast

Suspected communist rebels torch 3 Tanduay trucks in Negros

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Terrifying threes, don't you think?

MANILA, Philippines -- Robbery with homicide charges have been filed against six persons -- three of them already in police custody -- allegedly responsible for the bloody May 16 robbery of the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) branch in Cabuyao, Laguna.

Charged were Richard Gomolon, a former Army soldier police said was positively identified by a child as one of those who first entered the bank; RCBC security guard Joel Dela Cruz; Jesus Narvaez, who authorities said surrendered; Danilo Letoquit, who allegedly arranged the procurement of the getaway vehicle; and Allan Bago, who was identified by other witnesses from a police rogues’ gallery.

FULL STORY HERE: INQUIRER.net

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I hope the PNP finally got the real suspects. I fervently hope they are not just another bunch of fall guys.

(Rey Digo finally allowed policemen to rescue one of his hostages who he earlier shot. The man however died because he was brought to the hospital too late, which was three hours after the shooting.)

I will be keeping several other photos in my laptop's and my own memory because gory images need not be here.

Anyway, here are more:

(Upper photo: Snipers are ready. There were over four around the bus) (lower photo: Supt Edwin Mangaliman , Lubao police chief, enters the bus to negotiate with Rey Digo)

(UPDATE 9) Pampanga hostage drama ends, suspect dead

Article excerpts also appeared in today's PDI.

read more | digg story |

UPDATE: Optus confirmed that it will be bringing iPhone to Australia.

For the uninitiated, what IMAX theaters do is to split the primary colors of an image in a display, usually into 3, making the screen look blurry. But once the user wears the eyepieces the colors come back together and there's a sudden depth in some of the images making them "float" out of the screen. Samsung should have tried the last "Bewoulf" film that had an IMAX-like 3D effect so the PS42A450 could have been better appreciated.

Hmn.... imagine playing video games in this TV...

According to Roma Ramirez, Samsung Philippines' product manager for widescreen TVs, this model will arrive in the Philippines. She hasn't given any figures yet but she assumes that it could be within the 100,000-peso range. I would doubt that considering that flat-panel displays beyond 37" still cost around P60,000 (it's a far cry since 32" TVs cost P120,000 in late 2006). Nevertheless, this thing will definitely fall into the hands of some filthy-rich scion... or their tech-addicted sons.

Here's my initial test of this 3D TV model. Th video is in Inquirer.net's VDO section: [gallery]

http://www.inquirer.net/vdo/player.php?vid=637&pageID=1

The following link will take you to INQUIRER.net :
‘Attendance in protest rallies progressively waning’--Palace
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20080215-119147/Attendance-in-protest-rallies-progressively-waning--Palace

I was not assigned to shoot/cover there since us web designers aren't supposed to do that -- we are encouraged, though, to contribute videos and photos. Since we were released early from office, I packed up my stuff and went down to Paseo-Ayala to take a look around.

If you're uninformed, here are details and updates on the rally prompted by the Lozada trial and NBN-ZTE Deal.

If you're informed but was unable to go downtown, check out some of the photos I've taken.