Adam Lambert's Album Cover

(photo courtesy of yahoo)

Here it is guys and gals. What do you think? So glam rock inspired, don't you think? He looks so dreamy, in an androgynous, makeup-wearing-guy kind of way. But then we all knew that when he was still competing in American Idol . I heart Adam!

DSWD's Statement

Lack of volunteers? Uhm, why didn't you effing say so?! Or is that an excuse because somebody caught the non-perishable goods on camera and exposed them? I am not convinced.

Personally, I am proud of the people who have brought this issue to the public's attention. This is the perfect age for Twitter and Facebook. No issue will be left unsaid, and ignored.

See the full statement here.

"S" for Swapang?

This is a repost from a popular blogger's post. I really hope DSWD releases those goods they are hoarding/"reserving". What are they going to do with these donations? Sell them perhaps? Do they feel that the victims don't deserve such comforts? Don't the victims' children deserve toys after all the trauma they went through? Losing their homes, losing their loved ones, losing everything? Pati ba naman donations ipagkait pa sa kanila? Shame on these people who think they can benefit from a disaster, at the expense of the victims and those kind-hearted individuals who made donations! I'm not one who wishes other people harm, but I can't help myself.

Please read the article below from a volunteer/whistle blower.

Aanhin pa ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo?
(A special report from a volunteer)
Oct 21st, 2009 by ella

Dear friends,

I’m asking your help to spread the word. Tulungan po ninyo akong ikalat ito. Beyond this, we should also demand action. I disabled a plugin so you can copy the photos of relief goods rotting in DSWD warehouses. You can link this post to your blogs, facebook, websites etc. You can also email the photos.
Philippine News (US based Philippine newspaper) will use this as its front page story this week. Every Filipino has the right to know where the tons of donations from the UN and other counties go. Kahit po nakakahiya sa mga nag-donate. Kung sa ganitong paraan, matutulungan natin ang mga nasalanta, then by all means, let’s do it.
For those who have the time, please try to volunteer sa DSWD warehouses. Getting in was not easy. A friend had to put in a word for us. Let’s see kung madali nang makapasok sa DSWD warehouse ang mga volunteers.
Please read on and good luck to us.

Ella


(This post was last edited Oct 22, 12:30 pm)

Kahapon, tinanong ng Philippine News si DSWD Secretary Esperanza Cabral:

Editor of Philippine News: Why are the relief goods in DSWD warehouses not moving?
DSWD Secretary Esperanza Cabral: Wala kasing volunteers.

This short interview was done over the phone. Philippine News wanted to hear her side pero ayaw niyang makipag-usap sa press. After four tries, pinasabi na lang niya ang maikling sagot na ito sa secretary niya - “Walang volunteers”.
I don’t want to accuse her of corruption but at the very least she is showing signs of being totally incompetent. We are in a state of calamity where every second counts. May namamatay araw-araw dahil sa sakit.
In my opinion, these deaths could have been prevented if Secretary Cabral had tried a little harder to do her job.

Deaths from Philippine storms nears 1,000

“Tropical Storm Ketsana left 420 dead and 37 missing when it flooded 80 percent of Manila on September 26, a disaster the government said affected 4.35 million people.
Some areas are still flooded three weeks later and 189,000 people remain in evacuation centres,
Typhoon Parma hit the northern Philippines on October 3 and lingered as a tropical storm for a week, triggering landslides that killed 438 people and leaving 51 missing mostly in mountain communities.
The government agency said Parma affected 4.16 million people, including more than 32,000 who remain at evacuation centres.”

• • •

During the first week after the storm, lumabas ang “bayanihan spirit” ng mga Pinoy. “Makatulong lang kahi’t konti,” katwiran nila.
kung walang volunteers, ano ‘to, komiks?

From Stella Arnaldo’s blog:

“At the offices of many civic groups and private organizations, hundreds of people showed up to volunteer in packing relief goods.
At the Tulong Bayan center at the Expo Centro in Cubao, Most of the volunteers were adolescents as young as 10 years old, along with their kuya or ate in high school and college.
They came in huge numbers, many of them barkadas, classmates or siblings, dressed just in their tees and shorts, wearing their Havaianas. All were just enthusiastic to do their share!

Photos by Leah Navarro


Even grade school kids pitched in to help!


Youth volunteers repack detergents for distribution


Making beds from carton boxes

GMA asked world for donations

Our government begged the world for more donations. Sumagot ang buong mundo sa ating panawagan. In less than three weeks, dumaong ang mga barko, ibinaba mula sa mga cargo planes, i-diniliver ng mga trak at container vans ang sandamakmak na relief goods. Cash donations were in the millions of dollars.
But these donations must be coursed through DSWD.
Nagpalabas ng directive ang pangulo. Individuals, private companies and other nations were ENCOURAGED to send their donations to DSWD. I blogged about it here and the video of her announcement here.
This PGMA directive sounded suspicious to me then. Now I know why. Here’s the story.
A group of eight people, your ate Ella included, went to one of DSWD warehouses to help in repacking relief goods. We know they need volunteers pero hindi namin akalaing WALANG TAO TALAGA SA LOOB NG WAREHOUSE!
As in sa isang humongous warehouse (1000++ sq.m) NA PUNONG-PUNO NG RELIEF GOODS HANGGANG BUBONG, ISANG DSWD employee lang at ISANG SECURITY GUARD ang tao!!

Kailangang magpa-register at i-schedule ang volunteering

UNICEF Registration (as a volunteer)
The warehouse can only take as much as 50 volunteers at a time or per shift. Here you will find that there is a 4-hour shift, and an option for a 6-hour shift for the volunteers to indicate their availability.

What “volunteers”? Nasaan?
Aside from the 8 of us? Nope, there was nobody there. Bakit kailangan ang scheduling? Feeling hindi ba magkamayaw at nagu-unahan ang mga volunteers?
I know somebody who wanted to volunteer many times. She was always bumped off, laging nirere-schedule kasi “there were too many volunteers” daw. At tuwing Sunday lang daw puwede. What the hell is going on here?
Nakatambak ang donations ng UNICEF sa warehouse, local and international
Mga banig na dapat ay nahihigaan ng mga nasalanta. Mga imported camp beds na hindi na yata masisilayan ng mga biktima. Mga kumot na hindi naman nakabalot sa katawan nila. At mga pagkaing hindi sumasayad sa sikmura nila.
The relief goods are not going anywhere
We arrived at about 8 am and left by midafternoon and yes, you guessed it right. Kami pa rin ang tao bukod sa isang DSWD employee sa loob ng warehouse maghapon. Walang ibang dumating.
The relief goods are not moving. By the way things look, they are not going anywhere. Hindi maglalakad mag-isa ang mga donations na ito papunta sa mga evacuation centers.

LET THE PICTURES DO THE TALKING

Note: Pinagbawalan kaming kumuha ng pictures sa loob ng warehouse. I wonder why.


“Not a creature was moving, not even a mouse.”


Parang haunted warehouse ang dating. May multo na yata.


Kahit na daig pa ang tindahan sa Divisoria sa dami ng naka-stack na kaldero


At walang katapusang kaldero pa ulit


Kahit halos natakpan na ang mga bintana sa dami ng mga kahon


Kahit umabot na hanggang kisame ang stack ng mga kahon


(Close up ng Coleman camp beds sa previous photo) Hindi ito kasama sa ni-repack naming goods. Para sa mga “special victims” kaya ito? Ire-repack kaya ang mga “imported” camp pads na ito ever?


Sabagay, may BANIG naman para sa “ordinary victims”. Ito ang kasama sa inimpake namin. Sayang ‘yung imported.


Ano kaya ang laman nito? Hindi rin pinabuksan. Pang-special victim din kaya ito? (teka, dito nga pala galing ‘yung mga kumot)


Mahiwagang mga kahon from Japan Aid.


(close up ng mahiwagang kahon) Hindi rin ito kasali, of course. Hindi namin alam kung ano ang laman nito. “Imported” are not included, we have concluded.


Marami ito, mga laruang kasinlaki ng tao. Hindi nakunan ng pic kasi nasa tabi ng sikyo.


PORK AND BEANS? Yup, you’d think kasama ito sa relief bag. Pork and beans lang ‘to, puwede na sigurong ipamigay,


Naaah! “Imported” pork and beans from Spain po ito. Sorry, hindi pa rin included

Now let’s take a look at what a victim will get from DSWD


Look Ma, sampung lata ng sardinas! How generous! Kaldero ang unang ilalagay sa sako. Sabong panglaba (bar soap) at sampung sardinas sa ilalim. Siyam na sabon sa gilid ng kaldero. Local goods lahat syempre.


Tapos papatungan ng isang tuwalya at isang pack ng sanitary napkin.


Sisiksikan ng tatlong rolyo ng kumot(?) ang blue water jug tapos ipapatong sa kaldero sa loob ng sako.


Last but not the least, lalagyan ng dalawang banig.


Sabay tatahiin na ang sako. O di ba, parang asong tinapunan ng buto ang mga nasalanta? Eniwey, busog naman sila sa SAMPUNG lata ng Mega sardinas


YOU THINK?? WTF is the matter with these people? Mag-iisang buwan na mula nang masalanta ang mga kababayan natin. ISANG BUWAN!! Do you mean “do not delay ang dati nang delayed”?? Shet.

Anong ginagawa ng mga donations na ito sa warehouse?? APAT na warehouse ang nasa loob ng compound na ‘yon! APAT na warehouse na punong-puno ng inaalikabok na relief goods! Relief goods na ayaw yata ibigay sa mga nasalanta. Halatang-halata.

Marami pang pabubulukin


Wow! May bagong shipment na naman! At the rate DSWD is moving, next year na madi-discover kung ano ang laman ng mga kahong ito.



“The first of two of the largest high-energy food shipments from the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) arrived in the country two days ago for victims of storm “Ondoy” and typhoon “Pepeng.”
The biscuits were fortified with essential vitamins and minerals for supplementary feeding to children, pregnant women and the elderly in evacuation camps. Another 100 tons of biscuits will arrive on Oct. 24, in a continuing effort to provide food assistance to flood victims.
Sige, ideretso ‘nyo ulit ‘yan sa DSWD warehouse. Para AMAG naman ang abutin ng biskwit… at sapot ng gagamba.

Conclusion

Sa maghapon namin sa warehouse,nakagawa kami ng 150 sacks of relief goods. 150 bags of relief goods lang ang lumabas sa warehouse na ‘yon that day. At nandoon pa rin sa loob ang mga imported relief goods, safe, sound and packed as the day they arrived.
Nakisakay kami palabas sa isang DSWD delivery van. Gusto sana kaming ihatid ng driver hanggang Makati pero wala raw siyang sobrang gasolina. Ibinaba na lang niya kami sa gitna ng EDSA. Millions of dollars in donations, walang extrang pang-gasolina.
Susulpot din siguro ang laman ng mga mahiwagang kahon at mapapasakamay din ng mga tao…sa ARAW NG ELEKSYON. O mabibili na nila ang mga imported goods na ‘yon sa mga puwesto sa Quiapo at Divisoria.

Suggestions lang po sa DSWD:

# Alam ‘nyo palang walang mag-volunteer sa inyo, bakit hindi kayo mag-hire ng mga tao? Bayaran ‘nyo ng arawan para mag-repack. Ang daming walang trabaho, makakatulong pa kayo. Hindi naman malaking kabawasan ‘yon sa bilyong pisong donasyon na natanggap ninyo.
# Isa pa, gaano ba karami ang mga sundalo natin? Hindi ba puwedeng ipagawa sa kanila ‘yan? Baka isang araw lang, tapos na ang problema ‘nyo
# Bakit hindi ‘nyo ibigay ang trabaho sa mga NGO, churches, private charities, TV stations? I’m sure they are more than willing to help. Time is of the essence. Huwag kayong suwapang. Obvious ba, hindi ‘nyo naman kaya.

Kung talagang gugustuhin ninyong makarating agad sa mga kawawang biktima ang mga donasyong ‘yon, nagawa ‘nyo na ‘yan. Maraming paraan…kung talagang gusto ‘nyo lang.
You are the government. You have the power, the resources and the money. You just have to really care.

Sale Loot

I was thinking of buying Christmas gifts since this weekend in Davao a lot of sales were going on. But instead, I bought stuff for me & Jacob ;-).

Here's what we bought Jacob:
(Ashbee high chair)

As you can see in the background, the high chair is not the only thing that we bought for him. We bought Ashbee stroller and walker as well. His Dad insisted on the walker. Jacob doesn't like it yet, he still needs to get used to it. The high chair he loves. We decided to buy him one after we had dinner at Bigby's restaurant. It was a relief because Jacob likes to grab stuff and watch them fall (yikes!).

(Jacob at Bigby's)
Enjoy them while you're still "tiny" nak!

Cloud over Moscow

When the first photo of this halo appeared on the internet, skeptics immediately bashed it merely as a photoshopped photo. True UFO enthusiasts call this a "true mystery". Now here's the video to prove that it's none of the above. What is that thing? A tornado waiting to form? A giant UFO the likes of which were seen in the movie Independence Day? Afraid not kids.

It is actually an optical illusion. An official spokesperson for Moscow's weather department said, "Several fronts have been passing through Moscow recently, there was an intrusion of the Arctic air too, the sun was shining from the west — this is how the effect was produced."

So there. No need to bring out your emergency kits just yet. There's no invasion happening. Yet.

The Wandering Juan Photo Contest

Win Cebu Pacific tickets with their Wandering Juan Photo Contest.

Click here for the mechanics.

Date:

Wednesday, July 1, 2009 - Saturday, October 31, 2009

Contest

source: kikay.exchange.ph

The Help

I have two housemaids at home. One watches after my son (his yaya), and the other does all the other work (cook, clean, laundry, garden). I am quite content with the quality of their work, not to mention that I get along with them fine. I can trust them not to steal, gossip, etc.

Then comes this third one.

She was a former housemaid of my mom. She worked for us since she was 14, and I was 9. She left us to get married, and for lack of any work opportunity in their province, she came back. And since my mom's house was full, she lived with us. That's when all hell broke loose.

She gossips, says bad things about my all-around helper (not clean enough, lazy,) which are not true by the way. Before, the third one used to work for me, before the first two came along. And it was not exactly paradise. She makes maktol when I give her something to do, as in bangs the doors, mumbles to herself loudly (I can hear), and has a permanent scowl on her face. Not a pretty sight. And now she comes and thinks she does a better job than anyone. Insecure much? She even told my mom on me, that I wasn't keeping an eye on the two. But thankfully, my mom brushed her off, and told her that instead of criticizing, she should help and teach my two maids.

My cousin, Astrid's theory is, maybe since we're all settled in and seem to be getting along fine since she came along, maybe she got envious of the harmony, and wanted to point out every little thing that was wrong, like the cleanliness of the house. She knew that that was her strength. Maybe she wants us to see her worth.

So, what I did, so she will not call my all-around helper unpleasant names behind her back, I assigned them their work, and I wrote it on paper, and posted it on the fridge door for all the world to see. So there will be no more pointing of fingers. I'm making a spreadsheet soon, so there will be a sense of finality.

Maybe you're wondering why I'm allowing myself to be bullied by a housemaid. Well, I'm wondering that myself. But i promised myself that everytime I see the third one do something I'm not keen on, I will call her on it, and reprimand her. Before, when I lived with my parents, I wouldn't dare reprimand her because she was older than me. But things are different now. She lives in my house, and I'm in-charge.

Two More Months

(Image: piercedhearts.org)

Time flies so fast. Only two more months and it's Christmas again. Let us think about this before splurging on Christmas gifts and Noche Buena: The displaced families of typhoon Ondoy/Ketsana, the 840,000 homeless families, the children of those families who are suddenly away from the comfort of their homes, the missing loved ones of some of the families. Heartbreaking.

Let us reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. And what we can do to somehow alleviate the dilemma of those families. What could they be looking forward to this Christmas? Are they still looking forward to Christmas? What about the children who look to Christmas as a season of giving and color, and celebration.

Let us pray that the incoming tropical storms would change directions and miss the Philippines entirely.

Let us remember that Mother Mary gave birth to Jesus in a manger. Our savior was born in a manger.