The Phenomenal Susan Boyle

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=susan+boyle

As of April 16, Susan Boyle has a phenomenal record of 1 million viewers in YouTube alone. Not to mention the blogs about her and television coverage from various countries.

Boyle caught the world's attention and affection when she wowed the audience and made the judges literally drop their jaws on her performance in Britain's got Talent. When she first appeared on stage, you can see and feel the crowd's hostility and disgust. But when she started singing, the crowd was full of awe and admiration. And later, they were teary-eyed; so touched and so moved by her voice and by the transformation.

Imagine, this simple 47-year-old, single and unemployed woman from Blackburn, Scotland is now an instant sensation and an inspiration to many all over the world. She has touched so many lives especially those who like her, is often looked down because most people cannot or refuse to see through the facade.

Here's another ugly Betty reminding the world that there is more to people than meets the eye.

I'm so happy that after 47 years this gem was given the opportunity to break through her coarse, rocky surface.

Uling For Sale

I am writing this blog as I am watching Kara David's report on iWitness "Mga Batang Inasal". It's English translation doesn't sound quite right - The barbeque children. But believe me this has nothing to do with cannibalism. This is because these kids from the province of Sipalay Negros Occidental make uling (charcoal) for a living. We use uling to grill barbeque, steaks and as a substitute for an LPG gas, we use it to cook our ulam, rice and boil water to make it safe for us to drink. These are things we so often take for granted and yet these are already considered luxuries that the Batang Inasal could only dream of tasting. They couldn't even afford to buy rice. I was taken aback when Kara asked one of the kids how often they could eat rice. The kid said they could only taste rice during weddings or birthdays. Regularly,their diet consists of bananas, crushed corn which substitues as their rice and whatever they can find around them such as leaves and even (taklong) snails.

Making uling is really hard work. these kids have to go up the mountain which involves a 3-4 hour hike. In the mountain that's where they get wood to burn. Burning the wood needs to be done carefully - if it's too hot, the wood will turn to ashes and if there's not enough heat, the wood will still be moist inside and this will not be bought. They have to stay in the mountain for a few days to finish the process. The leaves and the branches become their shelter. I am amazed at how resourceful these kids are. This is probably what they gained from a lifestyle of having to make-do with practically nothing. And they've been doing this since they were as young as 5 years old. After they have packed all the uling in the sacks ready to be sold, they have to carry these sacks on their head down to the foot of the mountain. Again, they would have to endure a 3-4 hour hike before they reach it. And after all their hard work, they go home without any cent. For all the sacks they delivered to the store are just enough to pay their debt.

So the next time I eat barbeque or chicken inasal, I'l remember the kids who labor so hard to make the uling used to cook food that they can eat only once in a blue moon. And when I say grace, I'll pray that God will supply their needs as they are also supplying the people's need.

ABS CBN's TV Patrol and Bandila turned The Buzz?

With the current crisis that TV Patrol news anchor, Ted Failon is facing, I am utterly outraged at how the ABS CBN news team is dealing with the situation.

They have been using their programs to vindicate Failon and to deliver a propaganda on his favor. I am also dumbfounded at how they easily manipulate the "news" to paint the picture that the police officers are terribly unreasonable and violent in handling this case.

I'm sorry to say this but I probably saw Korina Sanches' worst form last night, April 16 in Bandila as she was "interviewing" Kaye Etong (Failon's eldest daughter). I was bewildered at how she maneuvered the "interview" to convince their viewers that the police are the culprits in this case and she was even driving the point that the police were the ones responsible for the death of Trinidad Etong.

I have compared the news reports of ABS CBN with the reports of GMA and Philippine Daily Inquirer and I noticed there were some information that were withheld by ABS. Considering that they are the only ones granted "exclusive" coverage and interviews with Failon camp I couldn't understand why their stories lack substance and the other stations could come up with more "facts" even though they are only allowed limited acess to this story.

ABS CBN's news reports veer away from the facts and the investigation. They instead cater to the more emotional side of the story. Is this their tactic to get the public's sympathy? Because of this, they have ceased to be a news team and turned into showbiz where a strong hunch and emotion can pass off as "news".

I thought that news is supposed to be objective, without bias, and professional.

Failon thinks the police are pursuing him because of his job as a broadcaster. (Recently Failon had been very vocal with regards to his disgust at the PNP regarding the EDSA shootout). But the way I see it, Failon is expecting special treatment as a famous news anchor and he is upset that the police are not taking his word when he said that his wife commited suicide and he has nothing to do with it. The police are merely doing their job. I remember Gil Grisom (CSI Vegas) once said that everyone who happened to be at the crime scene is considered a suspect and should of course be investigated. And any suicide case is not exempted from police investigation. Which is what the police are doing. However since the Etong clan are not cooperative then the police would have to result to something more drastic. Good luck to the QCPD (Quezon City Police Deprtment) if Ted Failon wins in the 2010 Senatorial race.

While I understand that Ted Failon is their very good friend, they should not let the credibility of their programs as well as their credibility as broadcasters be compromised.

Suicide or Homicide?

The general content of the news since yesterday, April 15 is about the alleged "suicide" of Ted Failon's wife, Trinidad Etong and his suspected involvement in it.

As per Teodoro Etong's (Failon's real name) statement “Hindi ko tinapos ang aking programa sa dzMM kaninang umaga matapos kong makausap ang aking asawa sa telepono kaya umuwi ako kaagad at natagpuan kong nakakandado ang pinto ng banyo. Pinabuksan ko ang pinto at natagpuan ko ang aking asawa na duguan kung kaya’t tinakbo ko siya agad sa hospital".

However despite this statement, the police consider him as a suspect along with the other people who were in the house (Ted Failon, Pamela - Trinidad's sister, 2 helpers, the house boy and the driver) at the time of the incident. These are some of the reasons I know why the police or investigators are doubting the credibility of Failon's statement:

First of all no one reported the incident to the police. I would understand if at the sight of the dying wife they were all still dumbfounded and depressed. However as per their statement, Trinidad was brought to the hospital at 11 AM. The police only found out about the incident at 4PM (correct me if I'm wrong) when the hospital informed them. Why didn't anybody among them ever thought of reporting the incident to the police? They actually had several hours after the incident to do this.

Second, it is terribly outrageous that the household cleaned up the bathroom where the "suicide" was committed. Ted Failon, being in media for a very long time should know that one should never ever tamper with the scene of the "incident". This is crucial in the police's investigation. For this could either implicate him or clear his name. The helpers and the drivers claimed that they did this in their own volition. But somehow I believe that Failon is not unaware when the "clean up" happened.

I also couldn't understand why Failon appears to be uncooperative towards the investigation. I believe that if you're being suspected and you want to be vindicated, you should be willing to let them investigate you for this is the only way to prove your innocence.

Failon allowed himself to undergo paraffin testing where the results proved he was negative for gunpowder burns. The helpers, the house boy and the driver also came out negative.

The latest update also states that the police also conducted paraffin testing on Trinidad Etong and she was also negative for gunpowder burns. Now this is even more baffling.

So... if the person who supposed to have committed suicide is negative for gunpowder burns and so are the suspects, what really happened? Honestly, I think this will be one of the cases that will be left unsolved.

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/157157/Whodunit-Police-in-a-bind-over-shooting-of-Failons-wife

My Thoughts on Chip Tsao's Apology and Justification

The Chinese columnist Chip Tsao's article earned itself a variety of reactions from Filipinos especially. Most are of course violent, but there are also some who found justification on what he wrote. There are even some Filipino analysts and columnists who "agree" with the nasty things Tsao said about us.

Here's a link where you can read the full article (thanks to jerry Liao):

http://asia.cnet.com/blogs/infochat/post.htm?id=63009834&scid=hm_bl

According to HK magazine his infamous statement "nation of servants" is merely a satire. But no matter how much they stress that that statement was not meant literally, they could never justify the insult on that statement because Tsao made his prejudice against Filipinos more evident when he said "I summoned Louisa my domestic assistant who holds a degree in international politics from the University of Manila, hung a map on the wall, and gave her a harsh lecture. I sternly warned her that if she wants her wages increased next year, she had better tell everyone of her compatriots in Statue Square on Sunday that the entirety of the Spratly Islands belongs to China". Now tell me Chip, how could you justify this? This is clearly a manifestation of his discrimination over Filipinos. And by stating holds a degree in international politics from the University of Manila, he is all the more stressing the point that even educated Filipinos are "servants".

I read a blog and an article saying that it's funny how we Filipinos reacted harshly against Tsao's statement when it is true that a lot of Filipinos are domestic helpers. Yes, it is a stark reality that a lot of Filipinos work abroad as domestic helpers - even degree holders. It is not his statement per se that caused Filipinos in general to be furious - it is the content of what he said that we are angered about. Read between the lines of his article and you can feel his disrespect towards Filipinos. And this was published on the internet where everyone around the world can read about how he belittles us.

Tsao also said "it was never meant to hurt Filipinos". But what was he thinking when he "wrote" that article?

If we condone and justify what Chip Tsao said against us, it is like giving them the permission to insult our dignity and allowing them to exploit us. Filipinos had already been exploited since the time the Spaniards occupied our country and up to this day when we submit ourselves to cheap labor because foreigners know that as a nation, we are desperately needy.

So despite the apology I believe that a protest rally is still in order. To make known to the world that discrimination and insults will never be tolerated by "a nation of servants".

Tribute to a Local Hero

Early morning Monday, April 1st the Explosives and Ordnance Division (EOD) team of ICPO (Iloilo City Police Office) received a call from Barangay Kagawad Yolanda Cenato of East Baluarte Molo that a grenade was a thrown to her house. SPO3 Rafael Managuit together with PO1 Rocky Jimeno, Albert Sardoa and Abonjo Diaz were the ones who proceeded to the area.

The team as able to retrieve the grenade safely from the vicinity and they brought it to their headquarters. According to the narration of the surviving team members, SPO3 Managuit was already cleaning up or probably tucking away the explosive in their headquarters when suddenly they heard a clicking sound. They all knew it was going to blow. SPO3 Managuit was quick to cover the bomb with his body so as to save his comrades from the full impact of the explosion. Because of this, the Jimeno, Sardoa and Diaz only suffered wounds. The following day, while recuperating in a hospital they were presented with medals of honor. PO1 Diaz tearfully received the medal but said that he would give this medal to SPO3 Managuit to show his gratitude for saving their lives.

I was so touched by this story. I actually ate my breakfast teary-eyed that Monday morning while I was hearing the news on the radio. I distinctly remembered his interview a few months ago on a local news. He was featured because of his passion and commitment to his work. I remember him showing all the explosives he took home with him since he said there's no more room in their headquarters for proper storage of the explosives. I was just glad that the blast didn't happen there - where his family was during that fateful time. He looked really happy talking about his job.

I know SPO3 Rafael Managuit died proud and happy. I just hope his family will also feel his happiness even in his sudden demise.

In this modern world where each man lives for himself it is heartwarming and inspiring to know that there are still some people who look out for others.

http://www.bomboradyo.com/newsdetails1.asp?ID=78775