A Splendid Kevin James Movie- Here Comes the Boom. Columbia 2012

You know the thing about ex-Saturday Night Live (SNL) comics who make it to the big screen? They have this penchant for making awkward, out of this world situation movies that they identify as comedy but which clearly escape audiences. Adam Sandler and Will Ferell typifies the genre, visibly inspired  by off the wall comedy segments of Andy Kauffman. However, the Kauffman variety are mere segments and stretching them to movies spell disaster because of limited dimension such as the Blues Brothers by Belushi and Ackroyd; Zohan by Sandler, that Will Ferell thingy and yeah a few from Ben Stiller. Surpringly some made good money, the Fockers as an example, which I thought only Jerry Lewis would like.
It comes as a great relief that comedy is back to normal with Here Comes the Boom.
For my money this is the best Kevin James flick. Written by James with Allan Loeb and Martin Sollibakke, it comments on the American school system then proceeds to take the guise of an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) movie. It works on so many levels- the situation comedy , the visual gags, the story development- although the main plot comes off as a bit of a stretch.

Once teacher of the year turned slacker, Scott Voss undertakes to save the music program of Wilkenson high from being scrapped because of budget cuts. Among the consequences of the scrapping of the music program is the lay off of  his friend Marty (Henry Wrinkler, Happy Days ABC 1974-84) who has a baby coming. His attempt at raising the school funds takes him to a job, teaching American citizen class. There Voss strikes a friendship with Niko (Bas Rutten, UFC Heavy weight, actor The Eliminator 2004 MTI home Videos) who introduces him the UFC where the idea to fight for money germinates. Voss proceeds to take on fights assisted by Marty, Niko and Mark Della Grotte (Pro Muay Thai boxer) to the consternation of principal Becher while continuing to teach biology, additionally, wooing school nurse Bella Flores (Salma Hayek Frida 2002 Miramax) and helping student Malia  (Charice Pempengco, Alvin and Chipmunks: the Squeakquel 2009 20th Century) deal with her father (Reggie Lee, Sgt. Wu of Grimm NBC). He succeeds to reach the UFC in MGM Grand through a participant fall out and endorsement of Joe Rogan. In the end, Voss gets the money and the girl as well as bringing harmony back to Wilkenson.
Frank Coraci again megs James after the Zookeeper, a movie also co- written by James. The story telling is paced just right bereft of lingering scenes that exhaust audience patience. It would be tempting to pan back and forth on the faces of James and Hayek on some scenes but I think Coraci made an effort to unhook the action from too gooey romantic sequences. Visual gags work because of timing and the reaction of real UFC fighters who didn't clown as non actors would do. On top of my list is the fight under the rain where the opponents kept slipping, a real riot. Another was when the the whole cage collapsed under the weight of James.
That scene where Voss is shown throwing up on his opponent seems like out of a Sandler movie and should have been clipped. The joke was set up too long from the car where James eats..whatever it was but doesn't really hook on anything except it was done in a fight. That Marquez punch should have been enough to propel the action.
Phil Meheux captured really nice angles in the fight scenes (better than Rocky) and visual gags. I like the opening shot of the motorcycle careening and weaving through traffic in daredevil speed. The rain fight, the trio against James, the collapsed cage and of course the Voss-Dietrich match are among the many visual gems.
Kevin James is a physical comedian in the mold of Buster Keaton and it stood well that focus of the movie was the action instead of the emotion. The table dance, the dunk mishap, the rain fight really took off.
Salma Hayek as the love interest is no stranger to comedy and action flicks displaying her fluidity in both.  She wrestles James after dinner in one sequence. Greg German (Ally McBeal 1997-2001 Fox) isn't given much to chew on but sufficiently delineates the role of a hapless principal harassed by budget cuts and an out of control biology teacher. Henry Wrinkler plays goofy Marty that shows how the Fonz would have aged had he become a music teacher. Charice Pempengco is given a lot of exposure in this movie and sufficiently showcases her wares from acting to singing. Reggie Lee who doesn't look Filipino (another actor of Chinese descent, Lucy Lui does not want to look Filipino) plays father to Charice and successfully deviates from Sgt. Wu. Gary Valentine, older brother of James plays...James' older brother. However, the surprise of the show was Bas Rutten who you have to see to appreciate. All the actors who played UFC fighters, the actual fighters and men behind the UFC Joe Rogen and Bruce buffer contributed immensely to lending reality to the film.
Overall I would give the film an eight on a scale of 1-10.
See it and have a nice laugh.

Clint Eastwood does a Matthau in Trouble with the Curve/Warner Bros/2012

I like this film because it's breezy but tight, just right for an afternoon movie fare with your 80 year old mother over tea and biscuits. The film is so linear and predictable that going to the bathroom will not be a problem.
The screenplay of Randy Brown weaves stories of  curve balls in life and the protagonists' ways of handling them at bat. The center of the action revolves around the strained relationship of a father, Gus Lobel, an aging baseball scout, with his daughter, Mickey, a  lawyer with prospects of landing partner in her firm. Their disparate lives are thrown together on a scouting sojourn. As a double play, enter Johnny Flanagan, a dead arm turned scout, out to snare his first draft into the big leagues in hope of entering baseball broadcast. However, his out pitch is reserved for Mickey.
Not really aiming to be Oscar material, it pitches some funny lines (" Get out before I die of a heart attack trying to kill you" Clint Eastwood growls at a guy in a bar harassing Amy Adams), some cutesy love scenes, interesting insider trade crafts on baseball (hands drifting at bat cannot hit a curve), a little office politics and a bit of drama, all neatly wrapped in a package. One scene had Eastwood talking to the gravestone of his wife supposedly dramatic in intention but comes off funny reminding one of the chair monologue he did in the Romney campaign. If just for this, the movie becomes worthwhile.

Ed Lauter

When Mickey Lobel (Amy Adams, Junebug 2005 Sony Pictures) joins her aging baseball scout father Gus (Eastwood) on a trip to North Carolina to spot players, The Bad News Bears (Paramount, 1976) immediately comes to mind. It doesn't help that Eastwood tries a Walter Matthau, complete with the trademark grumpiness,  slobbery and a know it all persona.
Adams for her part is fitted with a role that almost resembles that of Tatum O' Neil- smart talking, baseball savant, billiard playing, single-malt drinking lawyer, well almost. A trio of other scouts (Lauter, Ross and Thomas) sprinkles the movie with funny bits of screen nostalgia as they go about their business like how Sammy Davis should have played the Sundance kid instead of Redford (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid 1969 20th Century Fox) or Ice Cube being versatile compared to De Niro. HD actor Ed Lauter is made to sit all throughout  his scenes without a line, makes one wonder why they needed his services at all.
The strain on the relationship gets ugly as they spend the days together because Gus is unwilling and unable to discuss his desertion of his daughter when she was 6 while Mickey seemed bent on holding her father responsible for her over-long psycho therapy. Flanagan (Justine Timberlake, Friend with Benefits 2011 Screen Gems) joins the father and daughter duo in their search for baseball talents.
The focus of the scout expedition, a heavy hitter, Bo Gentry (Joe Massingil) does not impress Gus.  In turn Gus  advises Flanagan to pass on the player for the draft. Flanagan follows Gus but later discovers that Gus' group picks up Gentry (prodded by Sanderson played by Mathew Lillard, Scream 1996 Dimension Films) and feels betrayed, specially by Mickey with whom he develops a relationship. Meantime, Mickey's partnership prospect in her law firm comes to a standstill because she had now spent an inordinate time with her father in North Carolina.
Gus decides to leave Mickey on her own after explaining his desertion when she was six. Meantime Mickey chances upon Rigo Sanchez (Jay Galloway) and decides he is a better pick than Gentry. Some sequences portrayed Gentry as an asshole (together with his father) probably to push audience sentiment towards Sanchez which I thought was unnecessary.  With Pete Klein (John Goodman, King Ralph 1991 Universal Pictures) Mickey is able to showcase Rigo which results to the dropping of Gentry (I suppose), the firing of Sanderson, the patching up of Mickey and Flanagan as well as the resolution of the relationship problem of father and daughter.
The movie feels like it's made for TV except for its power house cast. The directorial debut of Robert Lorenz feels technical which is to say, it seemed he just set up the shots forgetting to leave character notes to the actors.
Tom Stern makes no attempt to jazz up the visuals even the CG of the curve ball does not make an impact which is what the film was all about, curve balls of life.
Eastwood's attempt at Matthau is hampered by the gruff  because for the character to be lovable, inspite his personality, it should have a wise- cracking, fast talking side. Amy Adam reminds one of Melissa Joan Hart with her goody-goody face. So she looks miscast as street smart Mickey even as she delineates her role clearly. She doesn't even look a bit like old Clint. Timberlake playing a washed up pitcher trying to clinch another career had his moments but if the script allowed him to sing, I'd say it would have been better.
Lillard passes for a corporate ass wipe while Robert Patrick seem to be still in the set of Terminator II with his unchange expression all through the film.
Now John Goodman is another story. Either playing the concerned friend of Eastwood in this film or the drug dispensing crony of Denzel in Flight (2012 Paramount) or the villain in another Denzel film, Fallen ( 1998 Turner) or the make up guy in Argo (2012 Warner Bros), Goodman is always able to make the characters believable through the tone of his voice or the way he walks or gestures with his hand. Also he always comes up hip.
Oh Yeah, the pick of the songs in this movie is oh so good, more specially that Hollies hit Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress.
On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give this movie a 6. Buy the DVD and enjoy a delightful afternoon with your mom or your grandmother.

The Big Burn

Philippines- I cannot blame senator Teofisto Guingona III for voting to retain Juan Ponce Enrile as senate president, although I did hope he would buck the trend. How could he? After receipt of the PhP 1.6M as additional Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE), he was 'house broken'.
Save for Sotto, Lacson, Honasan and Estrada, staunch Enrile supporters and United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) party mates, (Revilla and Lapid probably decided on the result of a coin toss) senators who voted to retain Enrile, decided not to decide against themselves. How could you have received money then denounce the distributor?

It was a master stroke alright. Enrile in his ripe age is still the cunning, highly astute politician he was 40 years ago. Paradoxical and complex, Enrile on top of the heap remains a tragedy and a blessing for  Philippine politics. No one comes remotely close. 

But back to Senator Guingona, in those days when he insisted on being addressed as 'Toots', managing a moderately successful realty company called Tierra Minerva, he struck me as an honorable man, consistent and uncompromising in his beliefs yet entirely diplomatic and conciliatory. He is a highly learned person dabbling in diverse interests, able to communicate and apply accumulated knowledge from the most simple to the complex. Above all he is a man of the people, embracing quirks of those around him, welcoming strangers and controlling the most difficult of oppositions. He is hip, stands above the crowd (towering at 6 feet two inches), contains an air of royalty yet humble and can drink beer with the best of them. For me, he is the best dude in that crowd called the 15th congress. In fact, he is presidential material. So, his decision of allegiance to the senate president comes as a big burn.

At its face, the additional MOOE seem to adhere within legal standards but not quite. Foremost, Additional MOOE is to cover budget shortfalls in expenditures, specifically in cases where needed services or materials have been procured but remain outstanding as a result of deficit spending. Most agency wait for the next budget to plug these shortfalls. Definitely additional MOOE is not to be distributed as bonuses to staff where amounts reported reached as high as P120,000 for senior officers. The glaring disparity where ordinary bureaucrats receive a measly P10,000 tells you of its immorality and illegitimacy.
Hey man, you know this better than anyone. Your pops was Commission on Audit (COA) commissioner.

Senator Angara calls it a tradition which he himself has done. Then I submit, the Filipino people have been traditionally and monumentally fucked for a long time. Definitely, it is a time for change and I don't mean a change in terms of generation or relations- Jackie from Johnny, Sonny from Ed, Cynthia from Manny, another Estrada or Binay or Marcos or Aquino or way too many Cayetanos. A change of leadership in the senate is needed to veer it away from the disaster it has inflicted on the public: the misplaced spending (pork barrel, travels, bonuses etc);  its succumbing to the carrot in the impeachment case; its non public disclosure of SALN; expensive deliberation of the RH no brainer; its overall non-performance. The senate has long been filled with people of delusions of grandeur,  stale politicians, polluticians, magicians, fools and useless eye candies. The Philippines need a change of scene.
We also need new faces in the house of representative, first to go should be the speaker, Feliciano Belmonte. These legislators stall the coming of a better Philippines.They have instead imposed coplan armado, the Bae shooting spree, calamities, everyday crimes,the pabaon of the AFP, the likes of Garcia, Reyes and Ligot among a host of debacles that continuously ruin the country.

The 15th congress of the senate maybe the strangest bedfellows based on their past and current alliances. Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and the Cayetano siblings, whose fathers were partners of Enrile at some point, seem indifferent to the senate president somehow, a cause for celebration. On the other hand,  Sotto, Drilon and Arroyo, known critics of Martial law and Enrile seemed to have a change of heart and embraced the Enrile leadership to no end. Maybe they have all forgotten what they fought for during those years of martial law. Maybe, Saguisag should remind them. Lacson, another scourge of martial law at least is standing pat as a reminder of Marcos and later Estrada.

Add to the lot Guingona, whose father had nothing but disdain for the father of martial law.

Santiago who was aligned with Enrile during Erap and probably before, as they both worked for Marcos is leading the fight against Enrile. I celebrate the challenge and woe the misplaced allegiance of Drilon, Escudero (UNA senatorial bet), Guingona; the absence during the voting of Santiago, the Cayetanos, Pangilinan, Villar and Osmena; the abstention of Arroyo.
It's been a long arduous journey to Jericho. We are at its walls, so let  the walls fall now and let it start with the senate president and the speaker of the house.

Saturn Seasons

"I'm waiting for my ship" I told the devil.

"That ship sailed a long time ago." she replied as she dragged on the last puff of the Lucky Strike she nursed until the filter. She turns looking for someplace to throw the remnant, then at last finding a nearby bin, she flips the cigarette and turns to me  for a wink before walking off the narrow alley. 

I stood dumbfounded at the remark, thinking hope is lost.
More than fifty years ago, I found her shuffling whiskey shot glasses,  high on a mountain bar where cigar smoke accumulated thicker than the fog at four in the afternoon. On the veranda, she served me a couple of shots of neat jacks. She wasn't particularly good-looking with pock marks of juvenile skin problems peppering her face but she held an air about her that indicated she did not think she belonged in menial undertaking. Neither was she coy about what she wanted, you know the type. 

Saturn seduction comes easy with sixty moons hanging on the evening sky. Saturn summers, comprising a fourth of the thirty year revolution of the planet around the sun, gives a new meaning to the phrase 'endless summer'. We didn't make any plans about the future, seeing all too well it was temporary but it went on and on and on and on like the EverReady rabbit on crack.
"Is there god?" I asked her once.
"It's a convenience we all need" she replied smiling enigmatically.
"You're the devil, you should know"
"The devil is in the eye of the beholder"
One night, on our way to Euclid, we lost our way, driving around in circles. I started to sing. Music calms the soul. I said "Should we encounter bandits just hand them the keys." Suddenly a dragon storm caught us in the middle of the street. The patter of solid methane upon the roof of the vehicle was ear splitting. We had to find shade.
It was a music lounge south of a half arc. Old men filled the club singing songs that survived the ages accompanied by an interstellar crowd pleaser. An insurance salesman hogged the stage crooning melodies from what I can only suppose were from the first millenium.
"Do you know "Is there love?" I asked the pianist on my turn at the stage
"It's a convenience we all need"
We floated our relationship. The immediate impact of lesser gravity is that floating makes carbon based entities laugh uncontrollably. It was happiness without reason, just the interaction of hydrogen and floating. It's like herbs with peanut butter sandwiches. We were laughing all the time.
Then, a sygyz occurred on the 28th year of one revolution. Mars, Earth, Jupiter, Saturn and the sun fell in a straight line. All the heavens went dark.
"Is there a soul?" I heard a shout from the back.
"Peanut butter!!" the crowd roared "Peanut butter!!""Peanut butter!!""Peanut butter!!"
The confusion dangled that made existence questionable
"Rythm, Rythm" I distinctly heard her call my name while I was in a daze.
As she walked away, I felt ambiguous. My consolation was that the first rule of striking a deal with the devil is- don't.

Expiry dates on Marriage contracts and other long overdue laws

(  1) The Provision of Expiry Dates on Marriage Contracts
Marriage contracts should contain expiry dates, like any other agreement. For my money, most would probably go for periods of not less than two (2) weeks but not to exceed two (2) months, conducted in an intense, passionate and devoted manner. Sex shall be daily, twice at the minimum, at prescribed periods with or without all parties concerned. After a period of two (2) months, parties can negotiate for another two-month (2) extension with a provision for another two more months(2).
With expiration dates on marriages, animosity between the state and the church here in the Philippines can be avoided, specially now with some nut talking about a  divorce law right after the Reproductive Health law. Also, we can skip expensive legal and church proceedings for divorces and annulments.
(  2)  A Sin Tax on Elective Positions
With the general view that politics is corrupt, elected officials can prove otherwise by paying a tax for their position. A rate of P10 for every vote sounds reasonable.
( 3) The declaration of Erap's pompadour as a national heritage.
Like a worn out pair of shoes, the bid of the former president for the mayoralty of Manila smells. His politics like his hairstyle have gone out of style and should be viewed in a museum for reference only. What would Philippine politics be without the pompadour? Probably better, nuff' said.
(  4) Outlawing of the performance of Gangnam style by elected and appointed Philippine officials with at least the equivalent rank of Undersecretary. 
The gangnam, may have made dancing accessible again to people with two left feet when it set out to trivialize the complicated dance steps and the body contortions currently in vogue. Trivialize is the operative word and didn't you cringe at the sight of DOH Usec Tayag dancing to make an all important point on safety from firecrackers.
Imagine all the bureaucrats dancing the gangnam to make a point.
(  5) A special budget provision for a translator for Manny Pacquiao 
Believe me, Manny, this hurts me as much as it would hurt your ego. Your communication represents not only a boxing champion but a whole nation as you are an elected legislative representative, a work that requires communication skills. With a speech coach, things would get better in time. Just  for now, get a translator.
(  6) A policy of stamping the word 'Disneyland' across the map on Chinese passports.
The Chinese fantasy of the nine-dash should be dashed with a dose of reality.
(  7) An administrative order to change government disbursement vouchers' tag line of "To Payment"
Who came up with this?
Description of transactions in government vouchers usually start with the phrase 'to payment' as in: to payment of purchase of dump trucks.
I don;t know how it started but it is grammatically incorrect.
( 8) Outlawing of Sleeveless shirts, Midribs,  Short-shorts, Two (2) Piece bikinis, lingerie, halter,   plunging necklines and any type of 'supposed' sex provoking clothing  on fat, wrinkled, aging women and ill-looking, cross dressers.
Imagine your grandmother in a bikini. OUCH!!! Now, hold the image and morph in the head of the fat, hairy screaming, cross-dresser down the street. This is to save children from the obscenity of desperation and avoid a shooting rampage by people with delicate sensitivities.
(  9) A ban on anti-RH bill homilies
Nuff has been sed alredi!!! One more and I would seek conversion to Mormonism. Can one seek a temporary restraining order on anti-RH homilies?
(10) Legalization of Marijuana
And the crowd goes wild!!!

O Freunde, nicht diese Tone!
Sondern labt uns angenehmere anstimmen,
und freudenvollere.

(11) The Declaration of Chief Justice Sereno's psychological test, a national secret.
It's revelation might cause our downgrade in all international rankings.

Pollutics-The Muddled Side of Philippine Governance

Dynasty

The second highest elected official of the Philippines argues against the prohibition on political dynasties. While not surprising, it behooves the VP not oppose the constitution which he swore to uphold. The 1987 Philippine constitution prohibits political dynasty as embedded in Article 2 Section 26.

Anyway, Philippine Vice-President Jejomar Binay justifies political dynasties on the merits of public clamor and solid qualifications. Yeah?I see it oh so clearly.

Because he trounced every opponent (Edu Manzano and Lito Lapid more prominenetly) for mayor in Makati for which the Binays continue to rule , he thinks that 'public clamor' can be transferred by hereditary succession. The VP sat as Mayor of Makati for 21 years succeeded by his wife and today is run by son Jejomar Jr.

Now, the VP fields reluctant daughter, Nancy,  to fill the vacancy left by the Joey De Venecia's decision to abandon the United Nationalist Alliance's (UNA) senatorial slate. Aren't we stretching things a little too far your excellency?

Reportedly, Nancy's name always made the surveys conducted by Pulse Asia and the Social Weather Station (SWS) making her the perfect choice even as she protested. But, daddy knows best. Nancy rounds up the Binay's clan bet for 2013 which includes the reelection bids of Jejomar Jr., for Makati Mayor and Abigail for district representative. A Vice President, a senator, a congressman and a mayor, the concentration of those positions in one clan sounds already lethal, if not for the whole nation, at least in Makati, the country's prime financial district. It spells immense if not absolute power and paraphrasing Lord Acton, immense power, corrupts immensely or something to that effect. Dynasty dispenses with check and balance.

Now take the case of the Angaras, a long time dynasty of Aurora province. Congressman Juan 'Sonny' Angara spews the same rhetoric of the VP and sounds even proud that their family rule Aurora as a dynasty. Taking the justification a little further, GMA news quoted the good congressman as saying while there is a constitutional provision against political dynasty, there hasn't been any law enacted. Come now your excellency, you can do better than that.

From Casiguran town in Aurora one hundred twenty (120) farmers marched 300 kilometers to protest the Aurora Eco zone project that has undermined their way of life. The project was imposed by the Angara dynasty consisting of Senator Angara, his son, representative Sonny (running for a senate seat in 2013) and sister, governor Castillo.

In some situations, dynasty spawned blood feuds amongst allies as in the case of the Maguidanao Massacre. That is exactly what immense power can bring.

In Abra province, north of Manila, near Baguio, ten families rival for political positions and remain under close watch by the Philippine National Police for two hundred (200) or so politically related deaths including that of a sitting congressman.

One hundred fifty (150) clans lord over 80 provinces, 138 cities and 1,496 municipalities, treating these political divisions as their fiefdom.

People like the Vice President contravene efforts to finally put into law the constitutional provision of anti-dynasty. Congress is filled with member of political clans who are not going to kill the goose and the senate- forget about it.

Party List

The decision of the Commission on Election (ComElec) to purge party list accreditation deserves compliment. The purge seeking to weed out non- working parties and those deemed not representing the marginalize, took a lot of political will from the current chair . However, it falls short, to my mind, of what should be done to the party-list system- it's abolition.

The Part list system is an anomaly in our political milieu where representation in the lower house is by district. Representatives craft laws to equally protect rights of all citizens; for its implementation to be applied equally and for its benefit to be for the common good. In allowing representation for a special interest in legislation, doesn't that counter the principle of the common good?

As any policy wonk knows, all laws and policies tend to contain negative effects to a certain part of the population. The trick is to ensure that only a very minute portion is negatively affected. In the party list system, the reverse is true erroneously justified by the perverse notion that there exist in law a marginalized society.

Defining 'marginalized'  validates the divide of the law between the rich and the poor; the divide between ethnicity and every form of discrimination.

Cronyism and Patronage Politics-Twin Evils

They never left with Marcos. In fact some cronies of yore, bob in and out of the palace. Eduardo Cojuanco, a known crony of the dictator Ferdinand Marcos and Joseph Estrada (both ousted) won his battle in the supreme court in his bid to declare his 20% holding of San Miguel Corporation legal and not ill-gotten. For Cojuanco to have finally put to rest questions of impropriety in the administration of his nephew after 20 years may smell a little fishy.


Jose Rene Almendras, at the Mindanao power crisis, advised Pnoy that the solution was for the consumers to pay more for stable supply. Widely criticized for the advise, Almendras was replaced as secretary of energy only to be reappointed to the now revitalized cabinet secretary which pundits attribute as the President's way of accommodating his friend.   

Belonging to the innermost of President Benigno Aquino III’s inner circle of classmates, schoolmates and buddies from Ateneo de Manila University, Almendras leads an exclusive trio in this inner circle that includes Cristino Naguiat Jr., the chair of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) and Romy Mercado, whose family used to own Red Ribbon Bakeshop until it was bought by Jollibee Foods Corp. in 2005.

Alipinas, Bansa ng Alipin na gagapi sa mga Intsik

Ang Aking Bansa ng mga alipin; mga katulong sa mga malayong lugar (nabibitay pa kung malas-malas), mga mangagawa ng karagatn (na nakikidnap sa Somalia kung malas-malas), mga manggagawa sa Saudi (pugot ulo naman), mga care-givers, mga puta dito sa sariling bansa at mga ungoy ng mga dayuhan. Ang banta ng digmaan ay nasa ating harapan. Ang mga instik ay nanggigil sa ating likas yaman  at maka-ilang pagkakataon na nagpahiwatig ng banta ng digmaan upang matapos ang hidwaan. Ang mga Americano naman, na nagsasabing tutulungan nila tayo, ay tutoong gigil sa walang humpay na paglikom ng kayamanan at kapangyarihan ng mga instik. Ang tunay na usapan ay kung sino ang maghahari sa mundo at dito nila balak idaos ang kanilang pagtutoos. Itong mga huling pangyayari kung saan dumaong ang submarino ng mga kano at sa katapusan naman ng buwan ay yun namang barko ng mga hapon, ay mga pangitain ng umaangat na kaguluhan.

Wala tayong magagawa, sakaling umangat pa ang init ng hidwaan, dito malamang magtuos ang dalawang higante ng mundo.

Tayo naman, ang ibig lang natin ay mapasa- atin ang sariling likas yaman. Umaasa tayong matakot ang mga instik sa mga Americano at maangkin natin ang pinag-hihidwaang Spratleys. Pero paki wari ko ay kung sino man ang magtagumpay, siya ang magmamay-ari nyang pinagkakaguluhang likas yaman, kano man o intski.

Para tayong hipon, tangay at alipin ng agos ng panahon.

Dahil sa katiwalian ng tambak-tambak na panahon, wala tayong maipagmamalaking hukbong sandatahan. Alipin tayo ng mga ibang bansa na inaasahan nating tutulong dahil mayroon din silang pinangngangalagaang kapakanan. Tulad na lang ng  mga Americano, na ang tunay na layunin ay mai-angkat ang sinasabing gasolina dyan sa Spratley. Ang mga ibang bansa tulad ng Vietnam, Hapon at iba na ibig ding makabahig sa biyaya, ay maaring sumaklolo, ngunit ano naman ang kabayaran?

Noong pangalawang digmaan, sinakop tayo ng mga sakang na hapon dahil tayo ay nasa ilalim ng bansang America.  Puspusan naman ang mga amerikano sa paggahasa sa ating likas yaman. Yun din ang gusto ng mga hapon, kaya lang inuna nilang ginahasa ang ating mga kababaihan. Sa pagtapos ng digmaan, tayo ay nagpatuloy na naging  tuta ng mga Americano. Nanatili tayong alipin sa matagal na panahon. Ang kahirapan ay ayaw tayong tantanan dahil ang sarili nating likas yaman ay hindi natin kayang angkatin. Kupal!

Ngayon may mga taong gumagawa ng mga hakbang upang ma-iangkat ang yaman, tulad ni Manny Pangilinan. Kaya lang ang gusto nyang kasosyo ay yung mga intsik. Maganda ba yun? Hindi ako alam. Parang hindi. Ewan ko?



Pero hindi ba kaya yan ng mga katulad nila Henry Sy at Lucio Tan?

 Hirap niyan hindi mo naman alam kung saan papanig yang sina Sy at Tan.

Aba e, may mga kalakalan sa Tsina ang dalawa na hindi baba sa $500B. Yun lang Oishi, kala mo  ay hapon, Pilipino pala, kapatid yata yan ng Bench. Dahil mayroon silang mga pagawaan sa Tsina na apatnapu hindi mo rin masabi kung intsik o Pilipino.

Tingnan mo yan. Kung ang mga salapi nila sa Intsik ay ginamit sa pagtustus ng pag-angkat ng likas yaman, aba eh baka iba ang usapan.

Hirap naman kasing mangngalakal sa Alipinas. Ngayon na lang yang mining act hindi maayus-ayos. Kupal! Yung kasing mga Buwaya at Koreano na naglipanan sa pamahalaan ay hindi kasi alam ang hatian.

Tuloy wala tayong sariling tatak. taga-benta tayo, taga-dagdag ng antas ng halaga, mga mananahi ng Levi's, taga salo ng lumang bus, tren at anu-ano pa. Noong dako 1980's bumalik ang mga hapon at dinigma tayo sa pamagitan ng kalakalan.Binomba nila tayo ng toyota, sony at aiwa. Sa galing nila noong panahon na iyon, nagapi din pati ang mga Americano. Nagsara ang ilang pagawaan ng sasakyan sa america o binili ng mga hapon. Dito, naging paraosan ng libog hapon. Ilan ang kilala mong japayuki? Yun na nga!

Eto naman ang mga instik. Nagkaluko-luko ang buhay ni GMA sa ZTE, northrail at ngayon nagbabanta pa sila ng digmaan. Ang mga instik noong dekada 70 ay hindi pa lumalakas ngunit nagkaroon na sila ng sandatang nuclear na kinatatakutan din. Sa pagdaos ng panahon, natutu ang mga instik, binuksan nila ang kanilang bansa sa makabagong pamumuhay at ngayon mai-tuturing na kasing lakas na sya ng America.

Tayo na dati'y nangguguna sa hapon sa larangan ng kalakalan at lalong malayo ang agwat sa Tsina, e napagiwanan. Ngayon ay heto, alipin ng hirap at agos ng pag iisip ng ibang bansa. 

Umaasa tayong mangibabaw ang kaayusan at hindi tumuloy ang pagputok ng digmaan. Ngunit sampung barko na ng mga instik ang nasa Scarborough Shoal parang naghahanap ng sakit sa katawan.

Ito'y hindi panahon na mga duwag.

Dasal tayo ng milagro. Malay mo, tayo pa ang gumapi sa mga intsik.

Saan ba si Manny? Tulog pa rin sa Vegas? Gisingin mo, laban sila ng volleyball ni Yao.

Nararapat lang na pag-ibayuhin ang hukbong sandatahan. Itapon na yang mga tora tora. Yung mga heneral at samu't saring mga kumag na kinurakot yung, AFP modernization fund, isauli nyo na. Maawa kayo sa bayan.

Ano nga pala nangyari sa mga kaso nila? May nalagyan na naman?


Ang salapi at mga yaman sa pagtustus ng ibayong AFP ay kunin natin sa mga dambuhalang mangagalakal . Pinag-iinitan nyo yung mga naninigarilyo at tumotoma sa kanto, hawa boy.

Huwag narin tayong mangalakal sa Tsina. Humanda tayo sa digmaan.

Ang Kuwait ay sinakup dahil naghintay sila. Ang Iraq ay parang Tsina, may lakas at handang gamitin ito dahil sa kanyang pangagailangan.

Ang Pilipnas ay isang lakas kung ihahambing sa ibang bansa.  Ang turing na lakas ay walang saysay kung magsawawalng kibo tayo. Ang mga mamamayan ay tinawag na ganoon dahil sila nag bumubuo ng lakas.

Mga kapwa alipin, may panahon ng pagtutoos sa bawat bagay na sumusulpot ang hindi pagkakaunawaan. Dumating na tayo sa panahon na iyan. Ang kahinaan ay dala ng takot at ang takot ang kalaguyu ng pagiging alipin.Pagod na ako sa pagiging alipin.