The best things about living in the 21st century is having all these gadgets, technological advancement and amenities around us. Indeed, they make life a little bit easier. :) However, we also seem to be experiencing more dangers and risks compared with our ancestors. Perhaps such is the price that we pay for having computers, cellphones and airplanes! Indeed, the more industrialized we are, the more we are also polluting our environment. Sigh!

Opps, let’s not depress ourselves! Let us just work together so we can create healthier surroundings and practice more responsible lifestyle . With that in mind, hubby and I decided to sell two innovative products, which are very supportive of our health and wellness.  With the opening of our e-shop, Asyanna (www.asyanna.com), we have also introduced Permanet and Lifestraw. While they are not strictly ‘Asian’ (they are manufactured by a global company, Vestergaard Frandsen), we think that these can be considered as necessities already in Asia, given that we are very susceptible to malaria, dengue, and other vector-borne diseases.

As quoted from the company’s marketing materials, Permanet is a “long-lasting Insecticidal Net (LN); ready-to-use bednet pre-treated with deltamethrin and has a long-lasting killing effect on malaria and dengue mosquitoes, as well as other disease-transmitting susceptible vectors. Made of 100% polyester, it requires no re-treatment or dipping; thereby decreasing the need for repeat intervention. This is based on a superior technology of impregnation, where the bioavailability of active ingredient is controlled through a slow release process.”

Here in the Philippines, the circular-type (perfect for adding ambience to your bedrooms!) is selling at PhP 995. The rectangular type (single size) is selling at PhP 495. The sole distributor is Veepo Global Resources where hubby is a proud independent distributor. We are also selling Permanet curtains! The type that can fit most doors is priced at PhP 350 while the one that can fit most windows is priced at PhP 295. Not bad, huh, given the fact that it is much more expensive to get hospitalized these days!

On one hand, Lifestraw is a point of use (POU) water filtering device. It “eliminates risk of contamination during supply and storage of water. It filters a minimum of 700 liters of water and temoves 99.7 to 99.9 % of water borne viruses, bacteria, parasites and particles down to 15 micron. It does not need electrical power, batteries or spare parts.” And more importantly, perhaps, it does not need running water supply! This means it can work well even in homes and areas where there is no public utility-supplied water. The personal size is priced at PhP 795 only. Soon, Veepo will be selling the family size version which can be hung from your walls.

I would also recommend Lifestraw for mountaineers and travelers. This will allow them to have safe drinking water even when they are up in the mountains or simply walking around. Please do be reminded though that Lifestraw will not eliminate chemicals so if your water supply has, say, arsenic, it will remain in the water even if you use the gadget. (Correct me if I am wrong but I think none of the personal- and home-use devices available in the market can even eliminate chemicals.)

What are you waiting for? Please visit www.asyanna.com for more details about these innovative products. You may also visit www.permanet.com or www.lifestraw.com.

Stay healthy and happy!

Back when Bayani Fernando (BF) was still planning to run for President, I know that I will not be convinced to vote for him and so I was sort of relieved that he opted to run for Vice President instead (Nick Perlas is still my Presidential candidate; the reasons are in my previous blog. I just really hope that COMELEC can still change its mind about disqualifying Mr. Perlas!).

I have nothing against BF but I think he is more suitable  as VP than as President. Yes, I was relieved and even rejoiced when he announced his bid for the VP post. I can say with confidence that there is no better man for the VP post! Here are my reasons why:

1. A President needs a strong VP; not just someone who says “Yes, Ma’am!” or “Yes, Sir!” BF has long ago demonstrated his strong political will and his no-nonsense approach to governance. He is not afraid of losing votes; he is not afraid of Mayors threatening to boycott him or his policies back when he was still with MMDA. Perhaps, this may prove detrimental to his vice presidential bid because we know that in the Philippines, the padrino system is still very much alive–you scratch my back, I will scratch yours. However, I still hope that many voters will go beyond this “nakasanayan” attitude and make a strong stand too–vote for someone who is brave enough NOT to look at solutions as a way to get more votes.

2. A vice president should be a man of action. We need a President who has a long-term vision but we need a vice president who will execute the vision. I think BF is perfect for the role! He has often mentioned in interviews about his belief that there lies a hero in each person. He believes in hard work. I like a man who does hard labor under the glaring heat of the sun. Not that I don’t enjoy working in airconditioned rooms with leather (preferably, reclining) chairs (lol), but I know you’d get the drift. With BF, we know that there is a guy up there who will inspire more people to work, work, work.

3. BF stands for discipline. I liked what he did in EDSA (well, I still have to recover from the pink colors all over town but what the heck, it’s just another color!); I liked how he put some semblance of order in otherwise chaotic roads and intersections. Of course, it’s not perfect but it’s a good start. If we can have some more discipline and love for rules/ laws, I think we can be a better country. I often wonder why Filipinos in countries like Singapore are so well-behaved! In Manila, we drive like we own the roads. In Singapore, we are transformed! We actually follow traffic rules when we are in Singapore! How come we behave like idiots when driving in Manila? I think we ought to follow regulations more. Of course, the government needs to put more teeth in our laws but hey, we own 50% of the responsibility. It’s time we put more serious efforts in that 50 percent.

4. BF is a man of few words. I had the chance to meet him once last month and the rumors I had of him is true – he does not really speak much. I think I prefer a VP who has more action than words in him. I don’t mind if he is not the best communicator in town, I would rather have a VP who does more than what he speaks.This country has had enough of charlatans. We don’t need more opinions. We need more action.

5. Contrary to what others think, he is not anti-poor. He simply just wants to put order and discipline back in the streets so every one will be safe and will have equal access to public roads and highways. He does not hate vendors per se. He simply believes that the roads are for commuters and the walking public, plain and simple. I think we should appreciate the fact he is an honest man who will not coddle illegal vendors just so they will vote for him. There is a right place for selling (I agree that the government and the private sector should build more market places for small traders and entrepreneurs) just as there is a right place for walking. I have written a previous blog that is related to this topic so please do visit “Circumstantial Culture” listed here under “Politics/Social Development.” I think BF knows how to draw a line when it comes to public safety and entitlements and this is one reason I am voting for him.

I may be invited to work for him one of these days (I will not deny that slim possibility) so I am writing this piece before I become one of his paid staff or consultant. I am doing this now when I am not yet obliged to do anything for him. Otherwise, this piece will lose credibility. I am doing this because I really believe in him as a vice presidential candidate and I sincerely hope that he will win.

(If he wins, I will probably just have one request for him. I don’t

We can be a great country again. Let us choose leaders who believe in hard work and discipline.

agree with his stand on reproductive health. I hope that he will have a more open mind about it. I think we really need to address the population issue by implementing family programs that also respect couples’ rights to choose their form of contraception. I am against abortion but I think couples should be free to use artificial birth control methods.)

We have watched the “Halalan” presidentiables’ forum aired over ABS-CBN last night and here are my top three choices, my reasons for choosing them, and why the others did not even pass my ’shortlisting.’ :)

Let me first discuss my top three choices and why I think they deserve my vote.

1. Mr. Nick Perlas. He is my favorite because he has a strong platform anchored on a clear vision how to address corruption, environmental problems (such as climate change), and poverty (i.e. promoting domestic industries and agriculture). Among all the candidates, he seems to be the only one who understands structural problems and how to address them vis-a-vis poverty and inequity. More importantly, since he is not a “trapo”, I would assume that he will not be indebted to anyone nor be pushed into a situation when he would allow the growth (and even presence!) of private armies just so he can have the needed votes come election day. (Bato-bato sa langit, ang tamaan ay huwag magagalit.)

However, I also think that Mr. Nick Perlas’ main weakness is on communicating his views well. I am pretty sure he has great ideas (and track record to support the ideas) but he doesn’t seem to have the so-called “gift of gab” of say, Mr. Eddie Villanueva, or even, Sen. Dick Gordon. He has the tendency to go in circles or say too many ideas all at once instead of focusing on key ideas. He probably needs to learn how to speak more in “bullet points” particularly in public forums like that.

He also says “Po” or “Opo” too much to the detriment of the message he is trying to put forward. In situations like that, a clear delivery of message is more important particularly that he is running an alternative campaign. Lesser “Po” or “Opo” will not harm his candidacy. He needs those precious hours of media exposure in order for people to know him more. His lack in machinery may be compensated by adequate media coverage but in order to be an effective communicator, he should be clear and concise in his delivery.

One may say that a President does not need to be a good public speaker and that the most important part is to have the intelligence and the heart to govern with fairness and wisdom. True. But I also believe that communications make or break any campaign. You may be the best candidate but if you fail to deliver the reasons why people should vote you, then there lies the unfortunate irony. Sadly, we still live in a world that heavily relies on advertising, marketing campaigns, surveys and public opinion. Show the people the same products with the same price and they would likely buy the one whose endorser was clearer or wittier with his message (or maybe, cuter?).

Albeit the said ‘weaknesses’, Mr. Perlas is still the guy who tops my shortlist (at least, for now). I know he will not even win against an “Aquino” surname (unless a divine intervention happens between now and May 2010). That is another unfortunate side story. Nothing personal against Senator Aquino but I think even he himself will admit that his popularity is mainly because of his parents. He does not have the brilliance and solid platforms of Mr. Perlas or Mr. Villanueva. He does not have the political will and guts of Bayani Fernando. He does not have the solid track record of his father. Admittedly, he seems to be a nice and honest guy. But honesty is not the main requirement for sound leadership. Clearly, Mr. Perlas has the right mind and heart to enable him to lead this country towards genuine recovery but, unfortunately, he does not have the machinery, money and popularity to win an election that is mostly fueled by ‘mainstream’ ingredients: showbiz endorsements, TV ads, popular surnames, and of course, it does not hurt to have a sister /close kin who is seen on national TV every day. My unsolicited advice to Mr. Perlas? Run for a lower office such as a local executive (Mayor or Governor), or even as a Congressman, immerse himself in the ‘real’ world of Philippine politics, and then when the time is right and when the voters are really ‘awakened’ enough to understand the difference between a trapo and non-trapo, run for President.

My fearless prediction is that he will not win. I will definitely vote for him but sadly, the majority of the Filipinos will vote for Senators Aquino and Villar, and former President Estrada. But then again, miracles still happen, right? :)

2. Mr. Eddie Villanueva. Among all the participants, I think that he is the best communicator. His ideas are clear and he can deliver his messages in a very organized manner. Like Mr. Perlas, he also has a strong platform and more importantly, it is based on the importance of spirituality and faith in God. I can only agree with him. I think that we need spiritual renewal and a leader who can motivate us towards this path is probably what this country needs right now. However, and perhaps, ironically, his being a Church leader also gives me some hesitation and this is probably my main reason why he is just No. 2 in my list. I cannot put the exact words to it but I would have some hesitation voting for a parish priest, pastor or evangelist to become a President. Nothing personal against them. It is just that I think that it is better if they remain in their main vocation and do their public service through the vows that they already made. I know that people should have the right to change their minds but then again, I would also be quite uncomfortable with the idea of a religious leader who suddenly craves for political power.

But then again, our state of the nation may already need some kind of ‘divine intervention’ so that we can truly prosper? Can a religious leader be the answer?

3. Senator Dick Gordon. I have no direct knowledge of the Senator so my thoughts here will be mostly based on the few things that I know about him and how he performed in the Halalan Forum. I liked his thoughts on ‘enabling the Filipinos to believe in themselves.’ Like him, I also do not believe in “dole-out” mentality. I kind of get uncomfortable when candidates say things like, “Para sa mahihirap” or something like that. Please don’t get me wrong. I am not anti-poor. But you see, we should stop this culture that when people are poor, they must have more rights or more leeway. No, I don’t think so. We give equal rights  to all–whether rich or poor. (Please do visit my old post, “Circumstantial Culture” if you want to read more about this.)

The problem on poverty is not going to be solved by “taking care of the poor as if they are helpless babies.” Let us draw the line there. We should create jobs, we should make hospitalization more affordable, we should give free education up to high school (or even college if we can afford it), etc. but it is not the same as condoning squatting, allowing sidewalk vendors, and giving dole-out money (subsidies?) when electricity or rice prices go up. Let us stop acting as if we are the savior of the poor. We are not. We should address the root of the problems and not the symptoms. Let us empower the poor and not forever treat them as ‘helpless’ people who so badly needs our charity. Our upbringing definitely requires us to lend a helping hand to those in need but we should remember the old adage, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

And so, I saw this kind of thinking in Sen. Gordon and yes, his running mate, MMDA Chair Bayani Fernando. They believe in hard labor. They believe in instilling discipline. They believe in decency and the rule of law. I think our country needs those things and much much more.

My only problem with Sen. Gordon is that he is not strong-willed enough. Sometimes I have doubts about his political will. To me, he is still a trapo. Well, maybe a better trapo, but still, he sometimes chooses to be quiet when going otherwise will inconvenience him or his party.

Oh, if only we can combine the strengths of these presidentiables and emerge with a candidate who has the wisdom and strong platform of Mr. Perlas, the spiritual grounding of Mr. Villanueva, the discipline and love for labor of Senator Gordon, and yes, the popularity of Senator Aquino. Ahhh, if only we can!

Now that I have given you my Top Three choices, I would give you the one who ended up last in my shortlist. He is no other than -

Secretary Gilbert Teodoro. It is obvious that he is intelligent and a savvy communicator (he deserves some cheers here). However, I will definitely not vote for him for the following reasons:

1. He always says he values “loyalty” and that is why he is sticking it out with Lakas-Kampi. Can someone ask him this question, please, “Is loyalty greater and more important than integrity?” If your boss and his family are obviously associated with a lot of issues such as on corruption, over-spending, over-traveling, vote-rigging, allowing of private armies (which led to a horrible massacre of innocent lives), and so on and so forth, would you still be proud that you are “loyal” to him? When should loyalty end? Must we draw a line somewhere?

2. He is clearly a trapo. It does not mean he is terribly nightmarish-bad but it is sad that he cannot even leave the party because of another thing (I may be wrong here, of course) – the machinery it offers. There lies the brutal fact that despite the endless issues hurled against his ‘masters’, he dare not leave them…and maybe because of the ease and comfort of having a nationwide machinery for his presidential aspirations? We can only guess. To a traditional politician, a party support is still a party support. However, Mr. Teodoro should also remember that a good party is not the same as a bad party. No more debate.

3. He is  a product of political dynasty, the very same thing that eventually becomes the ‘fertility bed’ for abuses. I remember his interview with Ms. Cheche Lazaro (in “Profiles”) when he said that he went back to the Philippines after staying in the US because he was convinced by his politico-relative (if I remember correctly, Mr. Danding Cojuangco) to run for public office. As if running for public office is a DNA thing. As if having relatives in politics gives one the ‘moral’ reason to also run for public office. Why do we have this penchant for husbands and wives, fathers (and mothers!) and sons, sisters and brothers, running for public office? Can we finally put a stop to these weird habit of believing that public service runs in the blood? Sure, it’s probably ok to have two politicos in the family (although I still think that a husband-and-wife team of politicos leaves a bad after-taste) but having 3, 4, 5 and even more politicians within the same surname or lineage is definitely a sign of lack of ‘delicadeza’ or shall we say, a familial addiction to power? Again, I may be wrong but let us look at things squarely; there is no need for complicated analysis.

4. His platform does  not seem anchored on a genuine understanding of the structural problems inherent in our national woes. For example, he actually believes that we need more military and police personnel! That was how he replied when he was asked something about the huge presence of CVOs in Mindanao. Oh dear, it is as if our problems are military in nature and that the solutions also require a militaristic framework. He must talk to his former subordinates in the AFP/DND and find out more about how many of the Generals now think that our society does not need more guns but more participation in nationwide building and environmental protection. Yes, Mr. Teodoro, I have personally met Generals and Lieutenant Colonels in the AFP who are now talking about social transformation that is anchored on building communities and not on creating more private armies. Does he really think that we need more militia men to cover our 7,100++ islands instead of jobs, food security, and environmental integrity?

I still have No. 5 as a reason but this has become a very long post already so I must stop now. I hope this shortlist will help you as you ponder about our future as a nation. Let us vote wisely and not give up on this country.

Saludo pa rin ako sa Pinoy! Kaya natin ito!

Vote wisely. The future is in our hands.

(Repost from www.asyanna.com)

Asyanna opens its cyberdoor! (Visit www.asyanna.com)

Asyanna is a dream come true. The idea actually started during a shopping trip in Quiapo’s “ilalim ng tulay” where I often accompany foreign visitors/ colleagues whenever they were in Manila. I would still remember that afternoon –it was excruciatingly hot—and how the toxic-smelling fumes of Manila’s jeepneys were making me feel almost nauseous.  But never mind. It was really fun haggling with the vendors and doubly more fun seeing the happy faces of my visitors while they savor the experience of finding really exquisite crafts at really bargain prices.

The idea just struck me. These marvelous finds should be advertised and sold in the internet…people should not fly all the way to Manila, just to buy these sculptures, home decors, bags and what-have-you’s! And wait…we can sell not just products from the Philippines, right?

So the idea evolved. But one day, with just two suitcases in tow, I had to leave Manila. It was to become the most difficult decision of my life. Leaving one’s home, family, and friends is never easy. That sounds so cliché-ish but it is exactly how the experience can be summarized in plain and simple words. It was tough and meant a lot of sleepless nights and even a lot more days of stressful existence.

And so Asyanna had to wait in one corner while I try to start a new life in Phnom Penh. But as they say, everything happens for a reason. Fate brought me in a place where there are also incredible sources of artistic works and beautiful crafts. For one, Cambodia is a very rich source of silk products—from bags to home ornaments, to bedsheets and exquisite gowns. As I always tell friends who would be visiting me there, “Save enough money because you will die shopping here!” And I was not exaggerating.

So Asyanna even became ‘real’ there in Cambodia. However, as many stories of our lives would often have unexpected twists and turns, I had to go back home to Manila (and get married, too!) Asyanna then had to wait for a while – there are many stories along the way – but now, finally, beautifully, Asyanna opens her wings like a butterfly that had to go through her own metamorphosis!

And just like this beautiful creature, we will continue to grow wherever our feet will bring us.

With the support and encouragement of friends and believers in Asian arts and crafts, in the indigenous and unique products of people who toil tirelessly under the blue skies, we will be celebrating the hopes, dreams, and lives of people who have experienced wars, famine, natural disasters, and political turmoils; these same people who savor their triumphs and victories more passionately because they are intertwined with their difficult past.

Please join us in these celebrations. Come celebrate Asyanna!

P.S. Please note that a portion of the proceeds from goods sold in Asyanna will go to worthy causes. Through Asyanna, we like to be a blessing for others. :)

Crepe au chocolat chaud et chantilly. Organic mixed green salad with shrimps. Chicken breast with cepes mushrooms sauted in fresh organic Italian parsley and garlic with organic brown rice (or Battambang rice). Yoghurt stawberry ice cream (low fat). How’s that for lunch?

Well, if you are salivating now, head off to…Madeleines! However, we Manilans will have to suffer in our cravings (for now?) because Madeleines’ first-ever branch is about 2,000 kms from Manila. (Wink!) Yes, my dearies, Madeleines is in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, the place that healed my soul when I was suffering from lunacy brought about by a tear-jerking break-up.

This is no time for melodramatics so let me introduce you to Madeleines and its beautiful, wacky, sexy, sweet and strong-willed owner and executive chef and pastry connoisseur – Karen Le Calvez.

Madeleines is located in a quiet neighborhood near Sihanouk Boulevard (where Lucky Market is – for expats who are very familiar with this Phnom Penh landmark). The full contact details are below this blog. Madeleines is a dream-come-true for my close friend, Karen. She’s always wanted to have her own café-restaurant-bakery and Phnom Penh just turned out to be the perfect place to have her wishes fulfilled.

I’ve known Karen since the start of her family’s stay in Manila last 2000 (or maybe even earlier!). They stayed in the Philippines for several years and then had to relocate to Phnom Penh after staying back in Europe for a while. When I went to Cambodia last June 2007, it was time to reconnect with her again. And I realized that I missed this woman because of her funny and intelligent take on almost anything about life. She is also too ‘human’, too ‘real’, and that means, you can be very comfortable with her, warts and all. Being both expats in Phnom Penh (her country of origin is France and I am a true-blooded Pinay), we shared our dreams, expectations and struggles that usually come with being ‘strangers in a foreign land.’ It just felt like we were just taking off from the time we last talked while she was still in Manila.

Anyway, I also must thank her (and her whole family too!) for allowing me to stay in their beautiful house with their two crazy and sweet dogs, Luna and Sabbay (ok, the ‘sweet’ goes to Luna and the ‘crazy’ goes to Sabbay…haha!), while they vacationed in France and Finland for almost a month. That really gave me the much needed solace and quiet moments while I was starting a fresh chapter in my life.  It also made me an expert nanny for dogs! (I have old posts about my sojourn in Cambodia so you can view them, too).

Just about the time that I was already leaving Phnom Penh (with my newfound love and now hubby!) last December 2008, she opened Madeleines! I was too happy for her but admittedly, a little bit sad for me because then I realized that I will miss her goodies so much!!! Darn, why didn’t she open earlier?! ;D

Anyway, Karen gifted me and JR with a quiet and sweet farewell lunch party at Madeleines last December 24 (and another one on the Saturday before that where Karen also opened up bottles of exquisite French wine – or so my poor memory can serve me right now!) In that lunch party, Karen made me a special organic salad with mixed greens (among them, watercrest), and shrimps. Yummy yummy yummy, to think it was very healthy! I was so thrilled when she served it that I had to take a photo of it before I gobbled it up. See this photo on the right.

Organic mixed green salad with shrimps especially made for me! (Grab it at Madeleines!)

I asked her how would she name it and she said I can coin up a name for it. I need more time for that so for now, let’s simply call it, Organic mixed green salad with shrimps. During the dinner farewell, we had her fabulous pastries (see the photo again below). Arrgh, it’s even harder to write about these goodies because now I am really salivating! Of course, my favorite is Madeleines because it is not too sweet, just the right amount of sugar and so it makes you feel so satisfied without ever feeling that you ate too much sweets for the day. Whenever I would order a box from Karen and brings it home, I had to strictly forge an agreement with hubby to eat it only when I am around (!) because he also loves it like crazy. (Actually, I got to ‘steal’ a couple of so pieces on one of those days he was not looking…hehe!)

Sweeties at Madeleines (my fave is on the rightmost of the plate)

Yesterday, Karen sent me an email and updated me about her new ‘concoctions’ and darn it, I was ready to buy plane tickets for Phnom Penh if only I had the budget for it (haha!). Among her latest menu items are the oatmeal banana organic palm sugar cookies, yoghurt green mango ginger ice cream (she said here, “No cream and home made yoghurt, low fat …good for us!!” Tasty! My kids don’t want to eat other ice cream since I started that!”)

The new salad offerings include Nicoise salad, Greek feta mint salad, tomatoes, olive and basil salad, potato no-mayonnaise with grain mustard dressing salad, tzatziki and organic green salad with paratha bread, and fresh mint tabouleh salad.

She also added 2 hot dishes: porkchop with fresh rosemary, and sauted baby potatoes or Battambang rice and organic salad; and the one I mentioned above – chicken breast with cepes mushrooms sauted in fresh organic Italian parsley and garlic with Battambang rice.

And there are crepes, too! They are all served with organic side salads. They are: crepe with ham and emmenthal cheese with egg; crepe with eggplant, mozzarella, tomatoes and basil; and crepe with chicken, bell pepper, tomato, onion, garlic and basil. For the sweet crepes, try Karen’s crepe avec pommes caramelisees a la cannelle et chantilly, toutes les patisseries, and yup, not to be outdone, she also has white chocolate cupcake.

For sandwiches, you can have her feta mint eggplant baguette sandwich, and parma ham with rocket salad and tomatoes.

Do you still have the space for the desserts?! Don’t quit yet, you will love her fondant au chocolat with strawberry yoghurt ice cream! She also bakes homemade cookies, oatmeal, dark chocolate chips, raisins, butterscotch and birthday cakes full of candies that you (and your kids!) would also go crazy about.

After a good and quiet meal (ok, it depends on who you are with!), you can easily just relax there, perhaps read a good book and listen to your Ipod music. The place is so cozy and relaxing that you’d feel you are just home where everything feels so sweet and familiar. However, on a busy day, you might feel guilty to overstay when others are waiting to be seated so just come by another day and who knows, the place may just open another branch soon! Perhaps in Manila too?!

It's so cozy, you'd have to force yourself to leave or end up staying there the whole day!

Hurry up for reservations and be crazy over Madeleines, too! Bon appétit! Amusez-vous bien alors ! (With the help of Francis who said my first attempt for this sentence is meant for older and more formal audience. Hehe!)

Madeleines

19 CEO Street 228 Phnom Penh, Cambodia 012 988 432

Farewell lunch party at Madeleines (the beautiful owner-chef, Karen, is on the left, seated. Others in photo: Hubby JR, Idon, Ate Cel & Hanne)

I woke up at almost 2:00 pm today and I have a good excuse for that. Leonids meteors.

From 2:00 to 4:00 am, hubby and I were lying down on borrowed carton and rubber mats (thanks to students and fellow astronomy fans out there), at the viewdeck of the PAGASA Observatory in UP Diliman Campus.  It became quite cold at around 3:00 am and that’s when we realized how stupid we were not to bring anything like mats and blankets! :) (Next time, we know better!)

Anyway, the long wait was definitely worth it. We started seeing meteors every 15 or 30 minutes or so. If my count is right, I have seen about 11 of them. Not bad for a 2-hour stay. The girl beside me who started their watch at about 9:00 pm said she was already on her 25th meteor by the time we were leaving. So using simple calculation, she have seen an average of 3 to 4 hours meteor an hour. Not bad too! (I must also thank her and her other friends who kindly shared their mats with me and hubby – who are total strangers in the dark!)

My favorite meteor happened sometime around 3:30 am – it left a bluish streak of light and the ‘train’ it created was thicker than the others I have seen this morning. It appeared below the Orion star constellation (at least from my vantage point of view). I shouted and clapped my hands along with the others who would also normally applause and cheer everytime a meteor arrives. Wow, if we had seen only one meteor that night, then it would already be worth the long and chilly wait.

Photo credits: Jim & Carol Harlan from Space(dot)Com

The other meteors were equally magical, leaving reddish, yellowish and mostly whitish glow along the dark skies. One even had an almost greenish tinge! According to the NASA website, “The color of many Leonids is caused by light emitted from metal atoms from the meteoroid (blue, green, and yellow) and light emitted by atoms and molecules of the air (red). The metal atoms emit light much like in our sodium discharge lamps: sodium (Na) atoms give an orange-yellow light, iron (Fe) atoms a yellow light, magnesium (Mg) a blue green light, ionized Calcium (Ca+) atoms may add a violet hue, while molecules of atmospheric nitrogen (N2) and oxygen atoms (o) give a red light. The meteor color depends on whether the metal atom emissions or the air plasma emissions dominate.”

Photo credits: Anthony Galvin from Space(dot)com

The news articles about the meteors showers predicted that there would be about 100 meteors appearing every hour but unfortunately, I think the visible ones numbered about five per hour only. I guess one reason is that the others were not visible to the naked eye anymore because of the clouds and yes, the level of pollution in Manila. I always think that ’stars shine more brightly’ in the provinces because the air there is cleaner and therefore the skies are clearer. It makes sense because according to scientists, those ‘hazy’ skies are mostly caused by air pollution. One probable factor why we also didn’t see more meteors was the cumulative effect of city lights – I am very sure that we’d see more of the meteors had we been watching from, say, a secluded beach resort or a mountaintop. I hope we city dwellers will do something more concrete to combat air pollution, or we are doomed to a future with no more nights of stargazing and meteors-watching.

It was my first time to do stargazing again after a long while. This time, I have a husband beside me (who must have been thinking how the hell he ended up with a wife who would drag him into the dead of the night just so they can watch falling stars…hehehe). [Yes, hubby, expect more of nights and morning like that!]

I posted this in my Facebook today, “Looking at the expanse of the night skies with stars scattered all over like burning jewels, it made me think again about how mysterious, beautiful, perfect and energizing the universe is. Everything is just so perfect, the planets don’t colide, the earth just circles the sun in harmony with all the other planets, and we live, we breathe, we laugh…Ahhh, this is so full of mystery, so full of magic…”

God must really really love us all very much.

For more details about Leonid meteors and other astronomical facts, you may visithttp://leonid.arc.nasa.gov/meteor.html

I was already planning to write about Chiz Ezcudero when I chanced upon Ms. Patricia Evangelista’s column in PDI (01 Nov. 2009) titled, “Chiz Escudero 2010″. I breathed a sigh of relief that someone also saw what I saw in Chiz’s eyes.

In her article, Patricia said this, “I do not write this to defend the NPC, or to celebrate the less than admirable goals of the existing party system. I write this because I am offended by one man claiming to be a hero when he is simply a man who made a choice for himself, the same as most men, I write this because I am one of the young people he claims to represent. Mostly, I write this because, very frankly, I cannot trust a man whose mouth says one thing, and his eyes another.”

Bravo, Ms. Evangelista! Very well said. Your words captured what I truly wanted to say. In fact, I was also saddened after watching the episode on ABS-CBN’s “Profiles”, where he was the featured candidate. For one, he sounded so insincere with the way he talks to the host, Ms. Cheche Lazaro. It’s like he was talking to the wall, like Ms. Lazaro was not a real live person infront of him. It was like a well-rehearsed speech meant for a big public gathering. Of course, it was supposed to be shown in nationwide TV but even then, I have watched other people and politicos who still know how to talk “heart-to-heart” or even mind-to-mind, to the persons who are interviewing them, even if they know the show is for public consumption. Those people may also be lying but at least, their answers really come from their heart, and that the words are really directed to the person talking to them. With Chiz, you’d have the feeling that he’s just talking to people other than you…If I were Ms. Lazaro during that interview, I would probably butt in and ask, “Excuse me, Mr. Senator, with all due respect, are you still talking to me…? (Then, I would look around me, and check if there was another person he was supposed to be talking with. Maybe then, he will finally get the message.)

I have always known that there was something really “off” with the way he talks (I hope his media handlers will gently advise him to change his ‘rhetorical’ way of talking…or should it be that he should just pause and think about it for a while and realize on his own that ‘what the heck, what am I doing?’). Maybe that way of talking is fine when he is  infront of a huge crowd. But when talking to just a single person? Does he always need to do that? I wonder, does he also talk like that to his wife or even to his friends?

This might seem trivial to many. But for me (and perhaps, for Ms. Evangelista, too), these are important signs on one’s character. I know that no one is perfect but I guess we ‘ordinary’ people expect more from our so-called leaders. Because from them, we are supposed to draw inspiration and wisdom from.

I am actually relieved that he is not running for President anymore (?). This means seeing or hearing less of him…or is that too much wishful thinking?

Too bad. I actually liked him when he was just starting out his political career. But now that I am seeing his metamorphosis, well, franky speaking, too, (and to borrow the words of Ms. Evangelista), I can no longer “trust a man whose mouth says one thing, and his eyes another.”

Hubby and I are appealing for donations (better if in kind) for a cab driver who lost his home (and everything else) in Cainta during Ondoy’s floods. He is married with 4 children (I think 3 of whom are still in school). His children lost all their school supplies including their uniforms.

We met him while we were on the way to a party in Tandang Sora. He has no cellphone (it was carried by the floods also) but we can reach him through his taxi company: ABC Taxi. He didn’t ask for any help, it was hubby and I who offered to do a little something for him.

Anyway, if you have spare things that you can give to them, please PM me (mei_velas@yahoo.com) for pledges. For better organizing of the “gifts” also, we will list down all the things that they might need, so we also don’t give too much of one thing over the other.

1. Food (preferably, canned goods or those na pwedeng magtagal)

2. Clothes for him & his wife

3. Clothes for his sons & daughters (I think 2 are girls) – we were not able to ask actual sizes but we’re sure that the women are in their teens already because he mentioned about being worried to allow them to go to relief centers to ask for food because they may get harrassed (yeah, sadly, we also hear of some horror stories about women being mashed while falling in line for food).

4. Towels

5. Beddings & blankets

6. Pillows and pillow cases

7. School supplies (two already pledged on this so this so try to concentrate on the other items)

8. Toiletries like shampoo, soap, toothaste, toothbrushes

9. Slippers (shoes are better but I don’t know the sizes so hold this for a while)

10. Plates, spoons and forks, glasses

11. Laundry soap

12. Umbrellas, raincoats

13. Flashlight, candles

14. Medicines & first-aid kit (basic only like paracetamol, band-aid, betadine etc)

15. Cooking utensils like pots & pans ( I think he is planning to buy a charcoal stove na)

16. Rosary or prayer kit? (hindi ko alam if they are Catholic so baka it’s better na “inspirational” book in Tagalog?)

17. For those who have hardware stores – building materials (but hold muna kasi kukunin ko pa din ang address nya)

You can add on the  list. We might have forgotten some stuffs.

Please PM me for your pledges and how do you intend to send them over. They can be sent to our home here in Kamuning.

If you can also, please forward this blog to your trusted friends (or repost in your blogs). :)

Thank you in advance for all your kindness and support! May God bless you all!!!

Love and prayers, JR & Mei

My sites – http://www.suite101.com/writer_articles.cfm/mei_velas

also – http://www.asyanna.com and http://meivelas.wordpress.com

Aga Muhlach’s latest interview which was posted in Facebook inspired me to write this blog.

As I posted in my Facebook -

Hubby and I were just recently discussing this thought – “Being a President is a huge privilege because you have that POWER to make meaningful changes. Why waste that once-in-a-lifetime chance? Not everyone can be President. Mrs. President, you have that POWER in your hands, why squander it? And to all our government leaders – please do not waste that once-in-a-lifetime chance to make a great IMPACT to the lives of the Filipino people! Stop corruption! Stop selfishness! Stop politicking!” Go, Aga, you just expressed the sentiments of many people!

And so Aga’s outpouring of frustration reflects how most of us must probably be feeling. We are all frustrated. Some may feel helplessness. Or resignation.

For how can we change the way things are going? How loud must our voices be in order to be heard? I am sure our President and government leaders have been hearing us loud and clear. Haven’t we shouted enough? Haven’t we written enough?

When will our so-called leaders really deserve the title “Leader”? Haven’t they forgotten that the word carries a power so encompassing that it can make this country rise again? They have that one chance to lead this country towards greatness! They have the privilege to touch many lives! They have the authority to make the laws work!

But what are they doing? They travel first-class and dine in fine restaurants while millions cannot even afford three square meals a day. They launder money. They smuggle goods. They receive kickbacks in government projects. They allow tax evaders to go scot-free for a fee. They shamelessly stay in power by ensuring their sons and daughters will ‘inherit’ the positions they are leaving behind (as if they hold the exclusive rights to those positions). They plaster their names on billboards and every space available in the community after they ’sponsored’ the construction of a basketball court or a barangay hall. They pay millions of pesos on TV ads while the country’s disaster team doesn’t even have enough rubber boats to save people during strong typhoons and floods. The list is endless.

It saddens me because they have that ONE chance to make this country great again and yet, they are squandering this chance. It saddens me because even if we shout on top of our voices, they don’t seem to be bothered anymore. They call for unity. They call for cooperation. But how can we even take their calls seriously if what we see are their corrupt practices, incompetence and lack of concern?

Wake up, Mrs. President! Wake up, Senators and Congressmen! Wake up, Governors, Mayors and Barangay Chairmen! Wake up, Cabinet Members! Wake up, appointed and promoted leaders in government! You have that CHANCE to make this country rise again! You hold in your hands that very rare chance, in fact, a once-in-a-lifetime chance to make a genuine difference.

We, the Filipino people, are reminding you of that great privilege in your hands. Please do not squander it.

The clock is ticking. Every minute wasted could be one more life lost, one more tree fallen, one more river dead.

As I have written in my last post here, my husband and I became victims of Ondoy’s wrath. We are thankful that we are alive and well but also realized that like all the other victims, we were so unprepared for what is to come.

With the lessons from Ondoy, we are (hopefully) better prepared. As I type this, our personal possessions are now packed in big plastic bags, ready for evacuation in case typhoon Pepeng brings in another flood. However, before we even began packing, we already developed a good ‘emergency plan’ in case of heavy floods. I would like to share them here in the hope that it can also help others in their disaster preparedness.

1. Place big empty plastic bags (with strings) in all shelves, cabinets and other strategic areas. Make sure that everyone in the household know where they are placed. Use an easy-to-remember “location code”. For example, my hubby and I placed the bags on the left side of the cabinets/shelves only. This way, you can easily put all the stuffs inside the bag, tie it up (practice a fast way to tie up the bags), and run away with it (I swear, this will save you a lot of money in terms of not having to deal with wet clothes, linens, books, etc.)

2. Agree on priorities. My hubby and I used this as guide: (1) Money and checkbooks; (2) electronic goods; (3) books and documents; (4) food and groceries; and finally, (5) clothes. Why did we put the clothes last in the list? Simple. We realized that after the floods, clothes (and even kitchen stuffs like pots and pans) can be washed afterwards. We just spend on the laundry and even ask friends to help out. While with books, when they are soaked with floodwaters, it’s the same as bidding them goodbye. Final. Precious money (and memories!) down the drain. In my case, books are constant companions in my travels. Others are gifts from people close to me. It was really really sad for me to lose them. The sentimental value is much more important actually.

With this list of priorities, we know what to try to save first. If you have 5 minutes only, then you just try to run away with your money and checkbooks. If you have 10 minutes, then you can run away with the electronic goods, too. If you have neighbors who can help (which we luckily had!!!), then ask them to carry all the electronic goods while you rush to where your cash and checkbooks are located.

3. Divide the house into “zones” and assign each household member to each zone. For example, hubby was assigned to the living room area (still following the list of priorities in No. 2 above), and I was assigned to one half of the bedroom area (where the books are). Plan the “pathway” or traffic direction of work so that the household members will not waste time bumping into one another. In the example here, after his task in the living room, hubby will then run next to the 2nd half of the bedroom area (following a direction that will not interfere with my direction). After my task in the bedroom, I then run to the kitchen/dining area.

This way, we don’t waste time trying to find out where to run first.

4. If there is enough time (in this current case, we have always been notified about the developments of typhoon Pepeng), prepare an separate overnight bag in case you needed to temporarily stay with a relative for a day or two.  This is one reason why even if a friend (big thank you to Jaja!) offered her house for us on the first evening of Ondoy’s attack, we decided to stay in our dirty and damp flat because all our things are in separate bags/boxes and it would be difficult to prepare an overnight kit just so we can stay over in a friend’s place. We were so tired, too. With an overnight bag handy, you can just temporarily forget about your dirty house and try to have a good night’s rest because surely, you need a strong body and mind to be able to start life again after a horrible flood.

5. It’s not realistic to say, “don’t panic” but hey, we can try that mode. It’s hard not to panic. But it will definitely not help if you are going to lose your focus because you are already very panicky. Adrenaline rush helps so a certain “panic” actually helps. However, try to go easy on your nerves and believe that God and angels will help! (They always do!)

The above is a very simple emergency plan for a flood and I really hope this can help others who would be in a similar situation. I don’t like it to happen to anyone but then again, as the cliche goes, prevention is always better than cure.

Have a nice weekend everyone. Let us continue to pray for the victims of Ondoy and work and heal together as a nation.