Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 2: A Social Responsibility

It all ended last night, July 14.

It felt like fulfilling one of those unwritten social responsibilities we have today—watching Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 2 that is. (It has a gravity equal to the informally imposed rule of having to have a Facebook account.)

Well, I (and a lot of avid moviegoers) have always been compelled to watch every Harry Potter installment just to keep up with the world. And you got that right, most of the time, I had a hard time figuring out what was happening but that's what kept me intrigued. I got hooked to it anyway so there's no reason to miss Deathly Hallows at all.

I am a fan of the franchise but not really to that extent of dressing up as wizards at every Harry Potter premiere, not even near that level of classifying myself as Slytherin, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw, not also the kind that would have this conversation at the cinema after the movie:

Girl 1 (on the phone): Mommy tapos na, tapos na talaga (sobbing).

Girl 2 to another friend: Hindi ko na napigilan na umiyak nung---blah---blah? Ikaw girl, sang part ka napaiyak?  (Ha? Did I miss anything? May nakakaiyak pala 'dun? At dapat talaga may iyakan pagkatapos??)

and for the record, not even to the basic degree of finishing any of the 7 books. (I can always decide to read the books anytime but I can't stand imagining Voldemort's face, so no thanks. He scares the hell out of me.)

Anyway, there's more to the movie than just the big wand fight between Harry and Voldemort. Here are the some things that can be grasped moments after or even during scenes of Hp7 (simply put, don't be seriously immersed in the sad aura of fanatics who think it's the end of the world because the series had to end). Notice that:


1. Goblins are probably fascinated by things bigger and heavier than they are. (Gold and swords for example.) And you can't trust one. Odd enough, they run Gringotts (the bank).

2. Wands are choosy.

3. Nagini would be a bad name for a baby but still better than naming a baby "Facebook".

4. Harry and Ron seriously need some tanning. No joke.

5. Voldemort still looks like a hideous fish even on 3d.

6. Hogwarts never runs out of secret passages and stairs. (Yeah ok, who knows, a Potter geek may be able to identify each.)

7. The word "hocrux" would probably trend in Twitter and would top Google's most searched word either today or over the weekend.

8. A scene was somehow inspired by Plants vs. Zombies. (Come on, that's too obvious.)

9. Professor Snape is actually human. He passed through childhood. (What a relief!)

10. Voldemort still looks like a hideous fish.

11. Draco Malfoy's mom (yes she has a name, Google it) might be related to Cruella de Vil.

12. The students of Hogwarts did nothing else but run or stand behind Harry.

13. Hermione finally, for a change, toned down on being smart.

14. You'll try to recall who really disarmed Albus Dumbledore and it will bug you, I mean it.

15. Voldemort looks like a hideous fish.

16.  By the time you'll see flashbacks of the young Harry, Hermione and Ron, you can't help but say (or think) "Oh, cute." (I bet.) 

17. You'll realize you've missed the Harry Potter tune (Hedwig's theme.I Googled that. Don't even for a second think that I really knew what that tune's name was). And you'll be humming on your way home.

18. For a second, you'll hate Albus Dumbledore.

19.  In scenes where Harry's mom appears, you'd try to check if he really has his mom's eyes. Good luck with that.

20. Voldemort looks like a fish.

21. You would wonder what "I open at the close" means, really. I'm referring to non-readers like myself (but you can figure that out immediately anyway).

22. One or two of those seated beside at the cinema would ask: "What spell was that? What spell did Voldemort use? That’s because they only heard "kedavra".

23. That bloodied guy's name (again) is Neville Longbottom.You didn't care until he said it out loud.

24. You wouldn't want to touch any of the "flakes" (or whatever, the skin coming off) coming from Voldemort's body because the brain is so smart that it thinks it'd surely smell icky. (on 3d)

25. Voldemort is a fish.

But seriously, Hp7 offered a whole lot more. The Elder wand for example and what happened to it, posts a heavy message to those who seek invincibility. There was also an "epic" story of love (for a non-reader, that's surprising). 


To sum it up, it was a settling finale—wands were pointed, spells were cast, secrets had to be revealed, stories had to be told, some had to die, some had to show up and 19 years after, things seemed pretty well. 


The Harry Potter series has enchanted the world with magic for a decade and it will last for quite some time. It will go down in history as the best story (and set of movies) that had something to do with wizardry. It will be a standard. But above all, it will be a the new fairy tale, the new bedtime story, and might be the new school play. It will be immortalized. Exaggerated much? Well, the stories of Snow White and Cinderella still live on today and the those girls didn't even have wands.  


(Please, don’t even tempt JK to write another Potter series. Let it have a gracious ending.) 

(Mellan Mandapat and Armen Jade Simon, sorry for bugging you with my questions during the movie. And Truce, thank you for being my bookworm.)

Dear Madam President; Sincerely, Most Rev. Juan De Dios Pueblos, D.D.

Dear everyone, what do you want for your birthday? 
This letter is quite a nervy letter, well coming from a bishop.


5 February 2009

HER EXCELLENCY GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
President, Republic of the Philippines
Malacañang Palace
Manila

Dear Madam President,

I will be celebrating my 66th birthday on March 8, 2009. 
(and you should know that Madam President, tell your secretary to mark that date on your calendar.)


I know this will be a precious day and timely occasion to thank the Lord for giving me another year.
(precious day it is, for on that day I expect equally precious gifts)


After a prayerful discernment and due considerations to the existing crisis phenomenon today, I have decided not to hold a birthday party.
(great, kunwari he's being one with the country's economic situation, with austerity in his mind)


Instead, I prefer to make use of my birthday as a day with and for myself, and with God.
(and probably with the tons of gifts that I will receive)


Having been declared, awarded and honored from your good office as ‘Peace Champion of Caraga…’
(kelangan talaga i-remind para maalala ni GMA na nagbigay pala siya ng award na ganun)



I am grateful to God that He has made me an instrument of His peace, especially here in Mindanao.
(I am really God-sent, please see me as an asset for Mindanao. I have an indirect but very important role in your government.)


I know I can do more to promote and work for peace.
(father, are you applying for a cabinet position?)


It is in this view that I am asking a favor from your Excellency.
(ETO NA!!!!!! Are you ready??)


At present, I really need a brand-new car, possibly a 4 x 4, which I can use to reach the far-flung areas of Caraga.
(Take note! A brand new car! specifically a 4x4! Ayaw talaga ni father humingi ng regalo ha. Brand new Montero ok? I wont settle for less. Look at the brighter side, pasalamat ka nalang I didnt ask for a Ferrari)


I hope you will never fail to give a brand new car which would serve as your birthday gift to me.
(I know you will not fail to give me the car because you need all the support you can get from the church)


For your information, I have with me a 7-year-old car which is not anymore in good running condition.
(Therefore I need a brand new car!  Nakakahiya naman, bishop ako tapos luma na ang sasakyan no. I do not look respectable anymore)


Therefore, this needs to be replaced very soon.
(Demanding si father! The nerve!!!!!)


I am anticipating your favorable response on this regard.
(or else)


Thank you very much.
(Thank you na agad kahit wala pa 'yung regalo.)



Be assured of my constant support and sincerest prayers for your Excellency.
(and I will keep my mouth shut about all the inconsistencies I know about your government, and all the other forms of bribery that you offer to bishops and priests every now and then)

God bless you.
(God bless you, specially when everyone finds out about this and about all the corrupt practices during your term)



Sincerely,
(Huh! Sincerely ha. In other words, seryoso ako, I need that car)


Most Rev. Juan De Dios Pueblos, D.D.
Bishop of Butuan 
P.O. Box 54, 8600 Butuan City

Wow. The duct tape mom did not murder her daughter

You can kill your daughter, dump her in the woods, go partying, have tattoos, be proven indigent so you can have lawyers to defend you with taxpayers money, let the lawyers do their job, and you can get away with it!

Three years. Three years of doubtlessly convicting Casey Anthony in my head for murdering her 2-year old daughter Caylee Anthony and now came the verdict, that she is only guilty of providing false information to investigators. Wow. I immediately went speechless last night, completely speechless. (I know, I'm guilty of immediately condemning her)

Moving on, so it appears that Caylee accidentally drowned in their backyard pool and while Casey panicked, her father helped dispose of it—in the woods with freaking duct tape around her mouth to make it appear like a murder. (What?!? Why on earth didn't you just give her a funeral and tell everyone she drowned?! Period.) And the case ends there, Casey did not murder Caylee, nobody murdered poor Caylee. 

And to justify why Casey lied about the whereabouts of her daughter, why she went partying despite knowing that she was missing or was dead, why she had those tattoos, the defense simply claimed she was sexually abused by her father, hence, the inappropriate actions. 

More accurate and complete details are all over the web and TV. This blog is just to air my disbelief and that my disbelief wont change the verdict. 

You better do something good out of this Casey, you're life has been spared. You have just been given a chance to start anew. 

Transformers: Dark of the Moon didn't suck, okay? Rosie did.

If you think it did, then Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's presence must have annoyed you big time. Or if not, you must have pre-judged the movie before you even watched it based on what critics have said all over the web, the same critics who seldom praise anything at all.

Fine, let's get over with the whole Rosie buzz. See, Rosie (Carly), the Megan Fox replacement wasn't bred to act. She can strut alright but act, she can not. Its not as if Megan is the best actress in the world but come on, at least she knew how to run, run like to run for her life. For choosing Rosie, I think the audition checklist looked more or less like this:

• Can you pout?
• Can you undress and dress up in a scene for only 10 seconds?
• Can you pull off a white dress/or anything white in a near death situation?
• Will you have enough strength to rip off the foot of a Bunny stuffed-toy?
• Can you say "bitch"?
• Are you a supermodel?

Obviously Rosie answered yes to all of those. To sum it up, in the movie, she kept pouting (well even effortlessly), she said "Lurk guys" (Look guys but in her accent), she posed in front of an chaotic robot fight scene, she screamed "Sam!", and she had to deliver the most "unmoving", or shall I say most unprovocative speech in history to Megatron but then the script says Megatron had to react upset and rebellious anyway after what she said no matter how she said them. How could they have settled for her? Is there a scarcity of actresses today?  It made me wonder about Spielberg's idea of an actress.

That's about it. What else is there to hate in the movie? That they used real 1969 coverage clips? (That wasn't  bad at all.) That it seemed like it was a US war against the Decepticons? (Hasn't it always been that way?) That Patrick Dempsey was there? (He is hot and he can definitely act, what's wrong with him being there?) That Sam had to act madly in love with Carly? (LOL. Yes, that didn't work out quite well but anyway, that's forgivable because Megan is the only one who can live up to the role of Sam's girlfriend.)

You'll love the movie. Optimus is still the great Optimus. Bumblebee is still Bee. Ironhide is, well Ironehide before Sentinel got uncontrollable. Josh is still the gorgeous Josh. Tyrese is still Tyrese. It is still action-packed as before. Watch in 3D if you want to be blown away by the effects. 

Don't let negative reviews hold you back from lauding or actually enjoying a movie. Besides a good movie for a critic is one that nobody else can understand and appreciate, so that we can all say that he/she has impeccable standards. Forget about Rosie because she is basically an accessory. Period. 

Who actually wants to keep up with the Kardashians?

Photo Credit: ANDERSON/bauergriffinonline.comUs Magazine

Well, Yahoo! definitely does. Have you ever noticed how almost everyday (or how often you may be checking the site), when you feel that need to update yourself on what happened to the world overnight and Yahoo! is obviously the most popular and convenient site to browse, you'll never fail to see a Kardashian on its front page?

Kim was seen doing this, Kim was seen doing that; Kourtney wore this, Kourtney wore that; Khloe said this, Khloe said that; like come on! What else do the readers need to know about them that their show did not air yet or wont air anyway?

Oh well, whatever suits you Yahoo!. But really, do you want to keep helping them spread their cellulite stories, their break-ups, their petty cat fights, and their recent visits to their plastic surgeon and botox injections? You know better than that. 

Top 10 Reasons Why I'm not a Justin Belieber!

10. His signature hair, that freakin' non-stop hair flipping (well before he decided to don a new do) and his I-can-conquer-the-world-with-my-hair air of an attitude

9. His song, well you know, that song which mostly said Baby-Baby-Baby-oh - It has once been the most irritating song and whenever I get to against-my-will listen to it, I wish had earplugs. 

8. This ad: his lame ad for "Someday", his new perfume,  for women, (I mean girls)

7. Because at the American Music Awards last year he said this:

“I want to thank Michael Jackson because without Michael Jackson, none of us would be here.” (And this was his second speech that night, after one artist after the other paid tribute to MJ, he suddenly thought, "oh well I guess I also have to".)

6. That he thinks he can pull off a "yo-nigga" conversation and a Jay-Z status only because he hangs out with his man, Usher




5. Because he said these, either on Twitter or on interviews 


•“People write to me and say, ‘I’m giving up, you’re not talking to me.’ I just write them a simple message like, ‘Never give up,’ you know? And it changes their life.”

• Regarding deceased fashion designer Alexander McQueen: ”I think he is very original.”

• “Girls are fun to hang out with but, like, having that one steady girl … we’re constantly traveling and one girl’s not gonna really [work]. You can’t really have one girl. I don’t really have any crushes at the moment.”

And although unverified, (but it made the news anyway) he apparently said that line about him being the Kurt Cobain of "his" generation. 

4. Because he had to be the one to sing this song. 

This song is beautiful but with Justin singing it, nobody would even be moved to "Pray". He lacks the soul. This song was too big for him. 

3. Selena Gomez. Selena Gomez is currently who I think is the most adorable Disney girl. I used to watch "Wizards of Waverly Place" a lot, even reruns of it because Alex Russo is funny and so-Selena. And then he fell for Bieber and every story about her is now about him. Crap. And great, now all of the Belieber girls envy her, thus hate her to death. 

2. His bad acting. No, terrible acting.

1. That his only talent is to make girls scream and still, he expected to win a Grammy last February. (You cant just Baby-Baby-oh your way up to getting a Grammy JB. Choose your songs and they might vote for you next year.)

Peace out Beliebers. I do not hate your Justin Bieber who is by the way just 17 y/o and who's got a long way to go.  I'm just finding it hard to like him. 

Re: Same-sex Union

Link to Sunstar Article: Same-sex mass wedding shocks bishop


Bishop Carlito Cenzon on Same-Sex Marriage:

"Same-sex wedding is wrong and cannot be called a holy union. Naawa tayo sa kanila kasi nagmamahalan sila pero hindi sila pwedeng ikasal. (We pity them, they love each other but they cannot be wed.)  Wedding should involve only a woman and a man."   

 "A same-sex holy union is an insult to the Roman Catholic Church, and that local officials should not support activities like this."

What immediately came into my stirred up mind upon reading such?

1. Wrong? Says who? Yes the Bible or did it really say outright? But anyway who can debate with the Holy Bible. (And I dont want to talk about the Bible, I'm no theologian and no Manny Pacquiao.) What is so wrong about a same-sex union (keeping the Bible aside), tell me!? That it is against social norms? That it will be a threat to Filipino values?  Then again, is it wrong to go against social norms? What values are they going against with anyway? They also deserve the right to celebrate their love too as any other couple. 
2. Right, it is an insult to the Roman Catholic Church. Why does it always have to be about the Roman Catholic Church? Do you think other religious groups will care so much if you think they have insulted you for what they believe is right? Do you think they will always consider your standards? FYI, they are not Catholics, not part of you're church thus they are not obliged to go the Vatican way. If you feel insulted, try suing them, on what grounds or what crime, its for you to ponder upon. (And please don't be so quick to judge what gay people want. Realize that you have in your churches gay priests who are either slightly out in the open or completely hiding in their closets feeling stabbed in the heart for every negative remark you say about what they want to fight for )
3. And here comes the toll order: "Local officials should not support activities like this."  When will the so-called "Separation of the Church and State" ever be fully effective? If you wanted to run a country, then why didn't just choose to be politicians in the first place? 

 No, I do not have anything against the Bishop (whom I always prayed for when I used to attend masses at Saint Louis University and the Baguio Cathedral, of course the churches here in Manila are mentioning another Bishop during the intercessions). It's just that such statements will always raise questions.

I am aware that even the greater public is against same-sex unions. Well, no matter how awkward and absurd it is, the fact is, we can never eliminate their desire to be together or to be wed. You may also want to shove it down their throats that it wont be legally binding, it won't matter to them as they are not dumb not to know that there is still no law legalizing same-sex marriage in the Philippines. Nobody is forcing you to agree with their choices, but they are humans too, (they are not to be pitied upon because I think that the gay/lesbian community is empowered enough and please they have brilliant brains, they work hard, they are humans! ) and they deserve no less than the same respect we give other people and no less than the happiness we want for ourselves.

Yes this has been impulsively written and I don't think I would have said otherwise if thought about it longer. 

Normality (What is)

A list compiled by Javits Wild, a powerful film distributor who wanted to know what it meant to live a normal life and so he asked different people about it and these were their responses. You'll find this list in The Winner Stands Alone (authored by Paulo Coelho who just this morning posted the same list in his blog and thus saved me the time which I would've spent encoding these 47 items from his great book). 

1] Anything that makes us forget our true identity and our dreams and makes us only work to produce and reproduce.

2] Making rules for a war (the Geneva Convention).

3] Spending years at university and then not being able to find a job.

4] Working from nine in the morning to five in the afternoon at something that does not give us the least pleasure, so that we can retire after 30 years.

5] Retiring only to discover that we have no more energy to enjoy life, and then dying of boredom after a few years.

6] Using Botox.

7] Trying to be financially successful instead of seeking happiness.

8] Ridiculing those who seek happiness instead of money by calling them “people with no ambition”.

9] Comparing objects like cars, houses and clothes, and defining life according to these comparisons instead of really trying to find out the true reason for being alive.

10] Not talking to strangers. Saying nasty things about our neighbors.

11] Thinking that parents are always right.

12] Getting married, having children and staying together even though the love has gone, claiming that it’s for the sake of the children (who do not seem to be listening to the constant arguments).

12ª] Criticizing everybody who tries to be different.

14] Waking up with a hysterical alarm-clock at the bedside.

15] Believing in everything that is printed.

16] Wearing a piece of colored cloth wrapped around the neck, known by the pompous name “necktie”.

17] Never asking direct questions, even though the other person understands what you want to know.

18] Keeping a smile on your face when you really want to cry. And feeling sorry for those who show their own feelings.

19] Thinking that art is worth a fortune, or that it is worth absolutely nothing.

20] Always despising what was easily gained, because the “necessary sacrifice” – and therefore also the required qualities – are missing.

21] Following fashion, even though it all looks ridiculous and uncomfortable.

22] Being convinced that all the famous people have tons of money.

23] Investing a lot in exterior beauty and paying little attention to interior beauty.

24] Using all possible means to show that even though you are a normal person, you are infinitely superior to other human beings.

25] In any kind of public transport, never looking straight into the eyes of the other passengers, as this may be taken for attempting to seduce them.

26] When in an elevator, looking straight at the door and pretending you are the only person inside, however crowded it may be.

27] Never laughing out loud in a restaurant, no matter how funny the story is.

28] In the Northern hemisphere, always wearing the clothes that match the season of the year: short sleeves in springtime (however cold it may be) and a woolen jacket in the fall (no matter how warm it is).

29] In the Southern hemisphere, decorating the Christmas tree with cotton wool, even though winter has nothing to do with the birth of Christ.

30] As you grow older, thinking you are the wisest man in the world, even though not always do you have enough life experience to know what is wrong.

31] Going to a charity event and thinking that it is enough to put an end to all the social inequalities in the world.

32] Eating three times a day, even when not hungry.

33] Believing that the others are always better at everything: they are better-looking, more resourceful, richer and more intelligent. Since it’s very risky to venture beyond your own limits, it’s better to do nothing.

34] Using the car as a way to feel powerful and in control of the world.

35] Using foul language in traffic.

36] Thinking that everything your child does wrong is the fault of the company he or she is keeping.

37] Marrying the first person who offers a position in society. Love can wait.

38] Always saying “I tried”, even though you haven’t tried at all.

39] Putting off doing the most interesting things in life until you no longer have the strength to do them.

40] Avoiding depression with massive daily doses of television programs.

41] Believing that it is possible to be sure of everything you have won.

42] Thinking that women don’t like football and that men don’t like interior decoration.

43] Blaming the government for everything bad that happens.

44] Being convinced that being a good, decent and respectful person means that the others will find you weak, vulnerable and easy to manipulate.

45] Being convinced that aggressiveness and discourtesy in treating others are signs of a powerful personality.

46] Being afraid of fibroscopy (men) and childbirth (women).

47] And finally, thinking that your religion is the sole proprietor of the absolute truth, the most important, the best, and that the other human beings in this immense planet who believe in any other manifestation of God are condemned to the fires of hell.

The Purple Alien

The purple alien (who had to have purple blood in order to look alien enough) had to be badly wounded and had to crash land to a planet called, yeah, Earth. After which he had to summon his ring to search for someone worthy (who of course had to be yet another gorgeous being with a body sculpted to perfection who happened to be a pilot named Hal Jordan who was, like any other superhero, at that time struggling to overcome something in his life) to be his replacement in the intergalactic brotherhood of warriors known as the Green Lantern Corps. And yes, you have to watch the movie whether you are a fan or not.

No, I am not a Marvel or DC  fanatic and I wont pretend to be one. See, I met Thor just last month and I met the Green Lantern last night. Well, good news people, I met Captain America and his shield when I was five. All of that means, I wont talk much about any superhero's profile or history because I wont give justice to the gazillion of facts that Marvel/DC fans can recite even while asleep. In other words, no, there wont be Green Lantern specifics here (let's leave that to those who know better). Second, I wont even try to rate the movie as to how well or poor it has been made, because somebody will always try to dismiss anybody's rating claiming otherwise anyway, so why bother. But there are actually some reasons why I found the movie worth the popcorn calories and that's what I intend to list down. 

1. Ryan Reynolds (that funny guy from The Proposal) and his uber sexy bod. The scene where he was forced by his best friend to show off what the ring can do is the scene where he probably looked the hottest. Body aside, he is an adorable actor. 

2.  Getting to see Blake Lively in another movie is another good reason. She is a nothing short of stunning. 

3. What Green Lanterns can do—their superpowers. 

4. Finally, the movie was a booster. After all, we all need one once in a while.

The movie was about willpower—that anything is possible with it. With willpower, what we can do is limited to what our mind can think of, (and we all know what our mind is capable of)  but fear usually gets in the way. And when it creeps in, that's when we start to crumble because others (including that little voice in our head) will feed on our fear and will tirelessly try to eat that drive in us. 


Fear often is the reason why we hold back, why we refuse to take on something we know we could be good at and why we hesitate to do what can make us happy. It was about having the courage, enough willpower, to face our fears with the inevitable first step of admitting that we are afraid. The fact that we accept we are afraid does not mean we are weak, it means we can move on from there and come out victorious in the end. 

How many times have you said no only because you're scared? How many times did you disappoint yourself only because you're scared? How many times did you badly want to try something new but didn't only for the same reason? How many times did you want to face your fears but gave up without even trying? 

The movie can make anybody realize a thing or two because nobody can really be totally fearless.

Divorce in PHL

The Philippines, a Catholic country, seems (or rather obviously) very scared with the idea of divorce. Not that I can foresee one being successfully passed as a law in our country in a few years, but since the men in robes have started expressing their disgust about it recently, then, by all means, I'll talk about it. 

What is so threatening about divorce? Above all, this nation has been and still is very proud of its Catholicism. About 80% (please forgive me for my estimate, if you think it should be higher then I have no objections to that) of Filipinos are Roman Catholics. And the Catholic Church, I believe, has ever since been preaching about the Bible, preaching about how to live upright, preaching about moral values, preaching about what's wrong or right and have acted as our visible conscience from time to time. So what's the problem? If the church has been successful (yes it is but I think the priests are underestimating themselves) in it's role to guide and enlighten the lives of Filipinos then why be scared? Nobody would even care about the idea of divorce if they strongly adhere to what the church promotes. The question is, can't you (the church) be more vigilant, more religious, more aggressive in promoting family values so that you wont have to tremble in fear? Or have you started to doubt yourselves? Will divorce overpower the your capacity to influence your members? 

Second, the whole divorce thing has a process. You have to have valid grounds such as, ABUSE, INFIDELITY and a whole list more. It is not aimed to destroy marriages at all. It is aimed to help those whose lives were destroyed by marriage, those whose lives suffered because of marriage and those whose lives are in danger because of marriage. Count the number of couples who have opted their marriages to be annulled or who simply opted to live separately and you'll realize how common it is. Divorce will not introduce the idea of separation, it will only legalize it.  (What's the buzz about it when annulment is allowed anyway?) But then again, divorce is a tedious process. It's not like filing one today and having it ratified the next day. No. Please, divorce is not easy. Get over that! That's another motivation not to file one—the process. 

Third, divorce, I believe, will not devalue marriage. It will in fact be a means for Filipinos to ponder on the true meaning of marrying someone—one whom they can live with and face troubles with for a lifetime to avoid the dark path to divorce (I do not want to talk further about standards of choosing a partner as everyone has his/her standard). But I'm sure, women most specially would be more careful and more empowered with it. Who would marry just to get divorced anyway? (Well, yes, schemes will start coming to mind but aren't we citizens who strongly stick to our values or have you also doubted that?) I mean, if couples have married for love then by all means, let them prove it by overcoming the challenge of having to get divorced.

Am I for it or not? For it. But I doubt if that will be given due consideration in the Philippines. (Nothing is impossible though)

By the way, read the bill. http://www.gmanews.tv/story/222970/special-reports/full-text-bill-filed-in-congress-that-would-legalize-divorce.

Disclaimer: I only mentioned about the Roman Catholic Church/Roman Catholicism, it being the dominant 'church'  in the Philippines and who as expected, has expressed it's strong opposition to such bill. I am aware of the presence of other religions (as I am an Episcopalian) and that they are also equally promoting strong moral values for the welfare of Filipinos. As to the stand of each religion in this issue, I opted not to touch on as this was not about who is against it or not.  I am no expert  on the issue but that won't keep me from airing my view on that, being a citizen of this nation.

Nella Fantasia

Choi Sung-Bong  on Korea's Got Talent

This video, one of  those I would normally ignore in Facebook despite the number of posts and re-posts on walls, is a must-watch. For some reason, also known as boredom, I decided to view it expecting another Rebecca Black-sort-of-video. Ooops, exactly the opposite. This person actually knows how to sing, and there was no ''rapper to make it a real song'' (as Conan O'brien said so in his Friday parody). I do not even understand Italian (he sang Nella Fantasia, which is by the way Italian) but right from that first note he hit, tears started rolling down my cheeks and it did until even after his song. 

His story and his deeply-rooted song are so powerful that I died almost instantly. With dying I mean shrinking, loathing myself and being ashamed. All my life (and I believe you would agree that you're guilty of the same thing) I have complained pretty much about little things—from breakfasts at home that I didn't like to restaurants that didn't serve good food, pillows that were too uncomfortable, homeworks, teachers who never got tired of explaining, waking up with less than 8 hours of sleep just to be in school, people who kept flooding my inbox with generic messages—name it! There was always something to complain about. And I went speechless after watching this. That was very insensitive of me! Sung-Bong lived like a ''day-fly''—no home, probably no food at times, no parents, no friends, no one to take care of him and be responsible for him. How lonely and hard can that be?!  

It's not like it was my first time to find out that such a situation existed. I am from the Philippines, and in Manila where I am currently staying,  I see children, elderly people and even able people everyday and everywhere living a life like what Sung-Bong had for a decade. So I have been aware since time immemorial of this gruesome reality. And plenty of times, I have also been inspired by stories of some who have made it successful despite all unimaginable and unfavorable circumstances. 

Sung-Bong's story is yet another wake-up call and a reminder of how blessed and fortunate we still are—that if he was able to put up with that kind of life for 10 years and still managed to be optimistic, to be full of dreams—then all the more that we are expected to value the kind of lives we have, our relationships with the people we love and who love us and to believe that our own dreams are achievable.