Did parents ever consider the fact that 99.9% of the children population picks the pasas out of the food and throw them away?

If already intaken, they throw out the pasas. Some children may be unlucky and actually have eaten some of them.

And I am one with the children removing pasas especially in the pink gelatin.

2. Green Peas
Possible hosts: vegetable mix and ulam

Seriously, what’s the unique taste of green peas? What’s special about it except its dusty texture when you squeeze it?

3. Bell Pepper
Possible hosts: spaghetti and ulam

I remember my MILE days when we were in a challenge to come up with a ‘nutritious and tasty’ viand for Php100. We bought a bell pepper. I asked them if ‘masarap ba ang bell pepper’ because what is actually running in my mind is its special taste that ruins my sopas experience.

Some of them said “yes” with conviction in their faces, so out of respect and teamwork, I put my faith to their taste buds and didn’t argue some more.

As for my Christmas, I wish not see and taste any trace of bell pepper.

4. Pinya
Possible hosts: ulam, salad and gelatin

Who ever thought of incorporating pinya in Filipino dish? Tell me.
Who ever thought of incorporating pinya in gelatin? Tell me.

Backstabbing is probably one of the most effective tools to put someone down. Not just you can attack the person, you are assured that he is defenseless. Optimal attack. However, in too much degree and with all the knowledge of the backstabbing happening around you, it gets irritating and exceeds your tolerance.

It makes me wonder why people choose to do it? Well, honestly, I also do comment on people at times. But why do people try to put people down? Why make up assumptions and additional bandwagon-ish emotions?

Wish the world was a more peaceful place.

In the lighter note, these past few days have been really exciting. Primarily because of the up’s and down’s that unnecessarily meant stress to me. But I think this is better than becoming bum at all.

While I was slowly walking behind my lola’s casquette in the traditional “hatid”, I saw signs at the sides looking for overseas workers. The big sign was looking for Domestic Helpers.

My lola was a Domestic Helper. She served different families in HongKong for more than 10 years. The sign reminded me of my lola so much. Also, boggling my mind that time was the fact that soon, I would be finishing my undergraduate study, and some of the people I know are planning to leave the country and find the greener pasture there.

Our media brand OFW’s as ‘Heroes of the New century’. Filipinos are forced to leave the country because they can not find living here. They are either unemployed or underemployed. They choose to leave the place where they built their memories, the place where most of their loved-ones stay, where they met their first love, where they learned most of their life lessons, where they learned their values. They are leaving the place they call “home”. All of this for a better living.

I saw the sacrifice of my lola on leaving her seven children to provide them good living. While she was taking care of the children of other families, she was not there to see the growth of her children. But then, what choice did she have? All for love, you would do anything.

On the other side, are not the Filipinos staying here be branded as ‘Heroes’ also. I visualize teachers hiking the forests of our mountains to teach the unreached Filipinos. I see the workers who contribute to the GDP of the country. I see yuppies running the street at their best hopes and dreams to provide their families with good living. I see the policemen and the army wearing their best uniform in one motive to protect the country. I see the farmers harvesting the best corns and coffees available in our tables. I see construction workes providing modernization to our country. I see engineers and scientists in their relentless heart to know more and build our country. I see the social scientists, social workers, rural developers and journalists passionately devoting their time to their communities. I see Filipinos who continuously contribute to the growth of the country.

Who then deserves to be called ‘hero’? The ones who stay here or the people who work overseas? Who?

One suggestion, let us just call every working person a ‘hero’. Maybe a good idea, but the cheesiest idea. It just evens out the heroism to everyone.

But then? What is a hero? For simplicity, I would like to describe a hero as someone who ‘sacrifices his self will for the benefit of many’. No need to be brave and strong.

Instead of deciding who are to be called hero, I would like to suggest the people who are not qualified to be called hero.

They are the dirty people who make the most out of the people.

Failon, Noli, Korina

Romanticized as we consider it, it built great excitement among the watchers. Aside from the news and 3d effect featured by TV Patrol, these celebrities kept the watchers entertained.

The wrinkles of Noli de Castro, the imeldific look of Korina Sanchez, and the dominating voice of Failon intimidated me.

What I want to stress is that the integrity of the news does not rely on the people who deliver it but to the news itself, and of course to the source. The main source, no matter how much they change the news anchors, is the News department of the network. The ‘other’ station kept on proving their integrity which I think tries to prove that the network of these three anchors are questionable.

I can’t directly prove which network really has integrity, but I could say that the news industry is getting more “dramatic” and somehow entertaining.

As we were driving up the hill a few meters away from the venue, Kuya George our driver, told us to get off the van. Panicking, we ran up the hill hoping to get into the venue soon. Then we suddenly heard him shout “Bakit niyo ako iniwan?”. We flew back to him.

With all the chills and horrific ambience of the hill around us, we asked for some help. Eventually, the other van came to help us with our bags then we just walked up the hill.

Getting there, I helped out by organizing the room assignment of people and assured that everyone has a space to sleep. Rant: it was supposed to be a EnggWeek meeting. Department meetings are supposed to be done before it.

Though I still consider the PlanSem to be inefficient, I regard it as a unifying activity. Unlike the PlanSem1, dining was divided by committee. Committee division was not apparent.

Moving to the fun part, this is the only planning activity that had no junk food and merienda. There was no grocery for snacks and no one brought snacks! We were at the top of the hill so buying food at the town proper was a peculiar idea. Haha

Aside from that, we shared baso. After our Day2 lunch, we shared a single glass. The free measuring plastic glass of the ricecooker.

(Tinatamad na akong ituloy).

Getting a Facebook argument was worse.