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Hotnot: Mule… muli… mali. Biggest news of the day nong paalis ako last Wednesday ang pagkakabitay sa 3 kabayan natin sa China. Hindi bumigay ang gobyerno ng mga intsik sa mga pakiusap ng ating gobyerno. Mahirap naman talagang maisalba ang mga ganong kaso. We should understand the Chinese government that they have to enforce their law. At kung bibigyan nila ng pardon ang mga kabayan natin, it will be sending a very wrong message to real, hardline drug syndicates. Wag na rin nating sisihin ang gobyerno natin. At least they tried to save them kahit na alam nilang hopeless yong kaso. Tanggapin na lang natin na biktima ng sitwasyon ang mga kabayan natin. They chose to risk their lives para kumita ng pera. And all we can do is pray for their souls. And hope na sana, wala nang sumunod pa sa kanila. (Though may mahigit 60 cases pa raw ng mga kabayan ang nasa death row din sa China, I don’t know how true). At sana, wala nang magpaloko, magpa-gamit o magpa-silaw sa mga sindikatong ito. Humanap na lang tayo ng ibang paraan para kumita. Dahil kahit saang parte ng mundo ka pumunta, money from drugs always means trouble. And in most cases, a gruesome and violent death.

Hotnot: Sensationalism vs journalism. Knowing that the event is an opportunity to see who’s ahead among the tv channels, I watched and compared the news coverage ng Channel 2 at Channel 7 sa pagbitay ng tatlo nating kabayan sa China. And all I can say is that Kapuso lives up to their tagline. May puso sila sa mga ganitong balita. Wala or kakaunti ang nakita kong sensationalism sa paghahatid nila ng balita sa puntong yon (I’m talking about the reports during the mid-day broadcast, I don’t know what happened sa prime time news reports dahil nakaalis na ako ng Pinas that time). Sad to say, Channel 2 seemed to be so desperate. Parang nakatatak sa noo ni Noli de Castro, even the field reporters, ang salitang Ratings. I think Noli even crossed the line nong nag-offer sya ng unsolicited advise kay VP Binay about what needs to be done para mahuli yong mga nasa likod ng drug syndicate. Hindi porke naging VP sya, he can do that. He must remember na balik-reporter sya ng oras na yon. Another thing is that napapangiwi ako nong halos mahimatay na sa pag-iyak ang ina ng isa sa 3 binitay, tinutok pa ang camera sa mukha ng kawawang nanay. Umiiwas na si Nanay, habol pa rin si camera. Kung kamag-anak ako ng umiiyak na Nanay, baka nasapak ko ang cameraman at lahat ng nasa team nila. Journalism is respectable. Sensationalism isn’t.

Hotnot: Hindi ka na nakaka-Willie! Para awayin mo, patutsadahan at tarayan ang isang Leah Salonga na nagbigay ng napakalaking karangalan sa Pinas, you must really be a mental case. Lalo na kung ang pinag-umpisahan ay ang sarili mong kagaguhan. Okey, the tirade against Leah (though her name wasn’t singled out but was done in a more general manner addressed sa lahat ng celebrities na nag-comment sa youtube) wasn’t my main point here. Ang talagang punto ko is that kalian pa mailalagay sa tamang lugar itong si Revillame. Ang dami-dami na nyang offenses sa viewing public dahil sa mga pinag-gagagawa nya sa kanyang show. And yet nobody seem to have to power, the guts or even the balls to contain his madness. Gagawa na lang ba sya lagi ng katarantaduhan sa show nya then magso-sorry the next episode? Talaga bang he can do and say as he pleases na walang magawa ang kahit sino? Sino ba sya talaga? Aba’y ilabas nyo na ang totoo kung isa syang santong padala ng Roma na hindi pwedeng kandiin kahit nino. Para tapos na ang usapan. We’ll just leave him alone. Pero hangga’t isa syang mortal na kumukuha ng fake na lakas sa kanyang bilyones, he should still conform to the norms of the society. Though finally I heard na may mga kongresista na nagpa-file na ng motion to quell Revillame’s insanity. Sana may mangyari. Otherwise, patuloy na malalason ang utak ng masang Pilipino na sa halip na maghanap-buhay ay pinag-aaralan na lang mag-kwento, mag-drama at umiyak sa harap ng tv cameras para maabutan ng barya nitong si Revillame. And he thought he was doing these poor people some favor!

Hotnot: Ligot lagot. A couple of weeks ago I was cursing in front of the tv habang nanonood noong hearing sa Senate where Mrs Ligot played around with the Senators na nagtatanong. Dumating din sa puntong naiinis na ako sa pag-aaksaya ng mga Senator sa kanilang oras dahil wala naman silang mapiga kay Mrs Ligot. She was obviously running in circles at nagmukhang Tom and Jerry lang ang palabas. Even the smart and hard-hitting Jinggoy is no match sa drama ni misis. Kaya walang nagawa ang mga senador kungdi i-contempt ang drama queen. After a week yata, heto at pinalabas na sya sa kulungan kasama ng mister nya. Ang tanong: yon na yon? A few days in jail tapos sige laya ka na? Ok, para lang sa contempt yon. Pero kailan isasampa ang kaso sa sinasabing bilyones ng AFP na kinurakot nila? At anong mangyayari. May mangyayari ba o another Merceditas Gutierrez will face impeachment later. In the end, sino ang kawawa? Ang mga sundalong nagpapakamatay sa kakarampot na sweldo nila. Nagtitiis sa mga misyon sa bundok, walang pagkain, walang gamot at warak-warak ang combat boots. May baril pero iilan ang bala. Dahil wala daw pondo ang military. Yon pala binubulsa lang ng kung sino. Pag hindi ninyo binigyan ng linaw ang kaso ni Ligot, wag kayong magulat kung ang mga sundalo mismo kayo ang lagutin!

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Hothot: Another film making honors for Pinas. Win si Meryll Soriano sa Brussels Int’l Film Festival as Best Actress in the indie film Donor. At pati daw yong Donor itself won Best Film. Brillante Mendoza was also given a special award (Visionary something).  Laking karangalan para sa atin and we should all be proud of all these. At least pagdating sa pelikula, kahit sabihing naghihingalo na ang movie industry sa atin, we’re still reaping rewards and awards in the international scene. Such wins immediately after the heels of Brillante’s win in Cannes last year only reinforces the fact that we’re doing great in this part of the entertainment industry. Meryll, if I remember it correctly, is only the second Pinay to have won in Brussels – si Nora Aunor yata ang una noon back in the 90’s. Ang nakakatuwa pa, nasa panel of judges si Marvin Agustin this year.  The first ever Pinoy to be given that honor. Galing!  Hmmm… teka lang. Ilang local Best Actor na ba ang pinanalunan ni Marvin para makaupo doon? Ah well, it’s the organizing team’s choice so who am I to question them. At please lang, wag intrigahin na porke member si Marvin ng jury kaya nag-win si Meryll. Jurors in these international film festivals are usually a group of people na hindi nabibili, naiimpluwensyahan or napapakiusapan tulad sa mga ibang award-giving bodies sa tabi-tabi. So let’s give Meryll and the Donor team a huge salute for a job well done! Isama na rin natin si Brillante at Marvin. Kudos to you people.

Hothot: Freeing the freedom icon. I’m one of the thousands (maybe millions) of televiewers who were surely delighted when Aung San Suu Kyi was finally freed from her house arrest the other day. For me, 15 years (of the last 21) on detention is such a waste. Bad thing the Myanmar military regime wasted those 15 years of a lady who could have made a difference in their political landscape. On the hindsight, that is exactly what they were preventing when they jailed her. Because she is one popular lady viewed by many of her people as the one to bring hope, unity and change to the Burmese nation. A surefire threat to the stranglehold of the military junta on the government. Now the challenge is up to her. Because the truth is, being free to this lady doesn’t mean she can go shopping, partying and spa-hopping. She’s got a grander task ahead of her. And that is keeping the Burmese faith afloat, steering them to the right direction and hopefully give them their much-awaited change. Tough duty for a delicate and dainty lady.

Hotnot: Near miss for FB. Muntik nang na-ban ang FB dito sa KSA dahil daw sa isang FB user na gumawa ng kalokohan na kinagalit ng Saudi government. According to a local news report, somebody organized a drawing contest where the subject is the prophet Muhammad. Isa na namang walang magawa sa buhay dahil pati yong mga ganong bagay ay pinagka-abalahan. Sa dami na ng kaso at kwento tungkol sa mga ganitong kawalang-galang sa Islam, hindi pa rin ba sila natuto. As I always say, being responsible with what we do on the internet is the key. Think twice before you do anything, say anything and post anything on your site. We should be checking and censuring ourselves if what we’re putting out there is offensive to somebody else. Respeto lang naman yan eh. Not just for Islam but for other religion as well. We should all remember not to make mockery of faith. We should all respect each other’s beliefs. Otherwise, ganyan nga ang magiging epekto. Ang masama, kung natuloy yong ban, damay ang ibang FB users. Sarap kutusan nong gumawa nong kalokohan.

Hothot: Pacman Rules. Ok, so Pacman had a convincing win against the much taller Margarito. Hindi nga nya ako fan at hindi ako talaga fan ng boxing but I can’t help but be amazed sa kinalabasan ng laban. Si Margarito, unrecognizable after the match. Pero ang Pacman, parang gumuwapo pa ng kaunti! Hahaha! Kaya sige pagbibigyan ko na ang kampo nya for trumpeting him as the greatest boxer ever. Even greater than Muhammad Ali. Ok fine. Afterall, sino pa ba ang makikipag-argue with that kind of achievement. But after all the pomp and pageantry has faded, what happens next? Hindi pa raw sya magku-quit. I guess he’s feeling invincible dahil nga sa mga panalong ito. Tipong “I’m king of the world”! But somebody in his team should remind Pacman that pushing his luck a bit too far might prove fatal. Believing in Carpe Diem is okay. Pwede na ring strike while the iron is hot. But isn’t it that if you strike more than needed, it results to damage and deformation? Hihintayin pa ba nya yon? Afterall, what else is there to prove? His 8 titles cannot be easily broken, at least in his lifetime. Or is it just a case of having it all and wanting more?

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Hotnot: De Lima’s dilemma. Ewan kung sino ang mga nagmagaling noong nagbuo sila ng investigating team ng hostage crisis pero bakit nga sinama si Justice Secretary De Lima. Like what I said in my previous post (see Hotnothot #38) they just put themselves and the hapless Secretary in an awkward position. Ayan nga, nangyari na. De Lima wasn’t happy about what Malacanang did to her investigation report. I’ve read the other day that she was even mulling about resigning from her post. Isa nga namang malaking pagyurak sa kanyang judgment ang ginawang pagkatay ng Malacanang sa report. Something that Malacanang shouldn’t have done. Parang nag-announce sya (De Lima) ng hatol sa kanyang korte then somebody among the crowd shouted ‘Overruled’. Didn’t anybody think of that?

Hothot: A Nobel prize winner in our midst. I think most of the Pinoys didn’t even know that a great scientist lives amongst us, particularly in Quezon City. It was a surprise to know that someone who won this year’s Nobel prize is actually married to a Filipina and is spending his retirement years in the Philippines. Nakita ko sya somewhere in Philstar but when I went back and searched for it, hindi ko makita. Hindi ko kasi maalala ang pangalan nya and what prize he won (sensya na po, past 40 na kasi.. hehehe). Help, anybody?

Hotnot: Our fan mentality. Akoy’naiinis sa mga nababasa ko last week dahil mukhang maraming nakatutok kay PNoy but not for the right reasons. Hindi sa kung anong ginagawa nyang tama or mali sa pagpapatakbo ng bansa. Kungdi ang private life nya most particularly his love life. Pordyos naman mga kabayan, don’t you have anything better else to do at pati pagdi-date ng Pangulo pakikialaman pa ninyo. The speculations about his split-up with Miss Shalani, the dates with other girls, all trivial but still hits the headlines. Meron pa kong nabasang isang congresswoman saying something to the effect na karapatan daw nating mga Pilipino na malaman ang private/love life ni Pangulo. Ganonnn??? Ikaw na lang kaya ang maging chismosa, congresswoman, at wag mo na kaming idamay. Kelan natin titigilan ang fan mentality na yan at pati sa naka-upo sa Malacanang dinadala natin? Keep it to Marian and Dingdong, or Kim and Gerald. Wag nang isama ang Pangulo. It cheapens the highest position in the land.

Hotnot: Ang nagmamatigas na Simbahan. Para sa akin, the Church’s stance against the RH Bill comes across as imperious. There’s a tone of arrogance on their stand and statements telling the government and those who support the RH Bill to just shut up. Parang sinasabi nilang wala tayong karapatan para mag-isip at pumili ng makakabuti sa atin. Maybe because of the fact that they are still living in the dark ages. Dahil kung ano yong pinaniniwalaan nila two thousand years ago, yon pa rin ang gusto nilang i-enforce today. They have to wake up and accept the fact that the world has changed so much since Methuselah. We now have problems pervading our society that didn’t exist back then. And we have to do something about it except from reciting prayers a million times.

Hothot: What sexy really is. I’m delighted to hear that Maria Ressa, one of our local broadcast media bigwigs, is included in this year’s list of Sexiest Women Alive by Esquire. She was chosen because of her piece about Al-Qaeda. But for me, what qualifies her more is the fact that she is the epitome of the saying ‘dynamite comes in small packages’. All her achievements so far are testament to the boundless and limitless possibilities determined only by one’s intelligence and personality and not by her size or her looks. I’m glad there still are people out there who see ‘sexy’ as something beyond the diamond-peeled skin, botoxed faces and silicon-implanted pouting lips. As Maria put it, she was an ‘unorthodox’ choice’. I’d say Esquire was spot on with their choice.

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unfortunately wala akong makitang ka-hothot sa mga balita kaya puro nega tayo ngayon.  here we go...

Hotnot: The IIRC Report. Lumabas na ang investigation report ng madugong hostage taking na nangyari last month where 8 Hongkong tourists died. The report recommends filing charges against recognizable names (the first set of names include 12 and there are still 2 or 3 unnamed) including Manila Mayor Lim, Vice Mayor Ishko Moreno plus a host of police officers and media men like Raffy Tulfo. Sabi ni PNoy, ipapa-review pa raw sa Malacanang legal team ang report bago mag-file ng kaso laban sa mga na-identify. I’d say that is already moot and academic considering the fact that the head of the investigating panel is already the highest legal person – Justice Secretary De Lima herself. What if after the review, sasabihin ng team ni Pnoy na hindi dapat kasama si ganito, si ganyan. It will not only cast doubt to the credibility of the review panel dahil kung may ililibre sa mga pangalan na recommended for charging, siguradong pagdududahan sila that they’re only playing favorites. Palakasan. Bad for PNoy’s credibility. Besides, what does that make of De Lima and the team that she headed? (PS:  China daw is ok with the report but not HK. Aba at ang mga tinamaan ng magagaling!  Ano'ng gusto nitong mga ito, isama ang buong ka-Pinoyan sa kakasuhan?  OA na kayo ha! Kaya ako hinding-hindi ko kayo patitikimin ng dolyar ko.  Isaksak nyo sa baga nyo yang Disneyland nyo.  May Enchanted Kingdom ako sa labas ng bahay! Hmmppff!)   

Hotnot: Robin’s Folly. Minsan talaga if we act impulsively without thinking things over, we get into sticky situations. Look at what Robin did. Siguradong spur of the moment yong ginawa nyang wedding with Mariel with an Ibaloi priest officiating. Nakalimutan nyang may mahigpit na batas ang Islam na buong yabang niyang niyakap noong nakulong sya. Nag-react ang mga kapatid nyang Muslim. Super explain sya lalo don sa part ng dugo ng baboy na pinahid sa kanya. Nevertheless, nagalit pa rin ang mga kapatid nya sa Mindanao. Paano pa sya ngayon magiging peace negotiator kung ganyan that he has earned the ire of his brothers? Worse, ginalit pa nya ang Ibaloi priest na nagkasal sa kanila because of his denials. At kung ako ang fans nila, magagalit din ako sa palusot niya na porke part daw yon ng bagong show na gagawin nila. Sobrang cheap na non huh. Tsk, tsk, tsk. Can love really make us do stupid things even if we’ve gone past our teenage years centuries ago?

Hotnot: Weekend homework no more. Nakakatawang nakaka-inis itong DepEd natin. Sa halip na mag-focus maige kung paano mai-elevate ang quality ng education sa atin which, unfortunately, has been on a downward spiral for so many years now, ayan at may ibang gimik na naisip. Bawal na raw magbigay ang mga teacher ng homework kung weekend. Ang dahilan? Para daw makapag-bonding ang mga anak sa mga magulang! Whaaattt???? Saang tambakan ng basura nyo napulot ang idea na yan? Sigurado ba kayong kung may free time ang mga bata during weekend, kakabit sila sa Tatay at Nanay nila? Hindi kaya mas marami ang gigimik kasama ang mga barkada Friday night pa lang? Hindi ba mas magandang bonding ng parents with the kids kung magtuturuan sila ng homework during weekends kung saan most of the parents ay wala ding pasok? Tell me if I’m just too dim to comprehend your ideas. O baka naman kayo ang pinanlalabuan na ng paningin at pag-iisip kaya ganito ang pinag-gagagawa ninyo!

Hotnot: Jueteng na naman!!??? We’ve seen the fall of President Estrada dahil sa eskandalong dala ng jueteng. Eto at kabago-bago lang ni PNoy, jueteng na naman ang pinag-uusapan sa Senate. Lingayen Archbishop Cruz faced the Blue Ribbon Committee and divulged names of prominent politicians/businessmen allegedly accepting jueteng payola. Kasama si DILG Sec Puno, retired PNP Chief Versoza, Pampanga Gov Pineda, pati si Tony Boy Cojuangco kasama daw. Ang sa akin lang naman, ang tagaaaaaaaalllll-taaaagaaaalll na ng jueteng issue na yan wala naming nangyayari. Napapalitan lang ang mga pangalan, ang mga mukhang sangkot pero nandyan at nandyan pa rin (although 2nd time na nitong si Puno na mapangalanan). Hangga’t maraming Pinoy ang tumataya, hindi mawawala yan. At tataya at tataya ang mga kababayan natin for the hope of getting easy money. Sad to say, naging part na ng kultura natin yan lalo na sa mga probinsya. Hangga’t hindi nagkakaroon ng improvement ang malalang poverty level sa atin, marami pa ring Pinoy ang tataya sa jueteng na nakakapag-bigay sa kanila kahit kaunting pag-asa na makahawak ng perang mas malaki sa nahahawakan nila araw-araw. At ang mga bida sa Senado, magbabangayan lang, magda-drama sa national tv at pagkatapos ng ilang araw, wala na. Move on to another ‘hotter’ topics. Ganon lang.

Hotnot: Sheltering the prodigal host. If we are to believe entertainment reports these past few days, mukhang lilipat na nga raw si Revillame sa TV5. Ayan at may bago raw show na gagawin come Oct 10 (10.10.10 na ewan kung anong relevance sa feng shui pero para sa akin 1 lang o bokya ang magiging score nitong show na ito). So, ano’ng nangyari sa contract niya with ABS-CBN? Was he finally given a release? Ang alam ko hindi pa and in fact nag-demand pa ang company ni Mr. Lopez na bayaran sila nitong si Revillame ng almost half a billion pesos for whatever damages they said Revillame’s kahambugan brought them. Kung true itong magsu-show na si Revillame sa Ch5, ibig sabihin umaatikabong bakbakan sa korte ito. Baka kaya malakas ang loob ni Revillame dahil may backer syang Manny na maraming money? Manny Pangilinan of course na alam nating bilyon ang binuhos na pondo for TV5. So anong mangyayari, pahabaan na lang ng pisi ang mga Lopez vs Pangilinan while Revillame is laughing his way to the banks once again? Anong nangyari sa legality ngayon ng mga kontratang pinipirmahan kung madali din palang isuksok sa shredder? Pasalamat kayo at wala kayo sa Saudi. Or else nakasuhan na kayo ng paglabag sa rule ng NOC!

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Hotnot: The Sacrilegious Pastor. Terry Jones, a pastor of a tiny congregation in Florida who plans to burn a Quran could be the most hated man in the face of the earth today. Well, with his stupid idea he should be. Burning a Quran is not only sacrilegious but also totally uncalled for. It’s quite ironic to have come from someone who is supposedly an expert in the word of God. What happened to God’s commandment about loving one another? About respecting one another? Obviously he’s not living by the words of the Bible. And I can’t help but suspect that he’s one fame seeking idiot who wants to have his 15-seconds of fame. If he is, then he should realize by now that burning a Quran is definitely not the way to do it. It has wider repercussion than his pea-sized brain could ever imagine. Our Muslim brothers all over the world are already up in arms, some making their sentiments known less subtly. World leaders are already issuing statements condemning his senseless plan. But beyond the political effect it will have, I am more appalled by the fact that his selfish plan violates the basic principle of respect. I don’t want anybody burning the Bible. I, too, would be furious about it. Don’t do unto others what you don’t want others do unto you, remember? Maybe he should go back and read the Bible over again.

Hotnot: Rice gone to waste. So it’s not only a story that happens in the Philippines. Indian government is also guilty of letting tons of rice go to waste despite the fact that millions of their citizens are dying from hunger. Al-Jazeera reported that over a billion tons of food grain was wasted due to antiquated distribution system and poor warehousing conditions that led to the contamination of the grains. This volume should have been enough to feed 600,000 hungry mouths for more than 10 years. It could have made a huge difference for the 400 million poor in India who cannot even afford to buy a kilo of rice for their sustenance. Just as I commented when I heard the same case in the Philippines, heads must roll for such a waste. It should be considered as a crime against humanity.

Hothot: Miriam’s Bill 1852. She’s colorful, she’s unpredictable. But if there’s one Senator who can sponsor sensible bills, it’s Miriam Santiago. Kahit sabihin pang minsan ay ginagawa syang katatawanan dahil sa sobrang katalinuhan, we cannot deny the fact that she’s one legal brain the Philippine Senate cannot afford to lose. Ayan nga at pinalagan nya ang pagbabawal sa media na i-cover ang trial ng Maguindanao massacre. According to her, sub-judice (the rule that Philippine judges so conveniently invoke to clear his/her court of media) is a rule adapted from foreign justice system, particularly from the US, where judging was normally done by a jury. Kaya bawal ang media para ma-protektahan ang jury members who are normally common people picked for jury duty. Eh sa Pinas nga naman walang jury-jury kaya walang dapat itago sa mga nangyayari sa trial. Doon papasok yong right to information na hindi natin nakukuha kung walang media coverage. Hindi natin alam ang nangyayari lalo na sa mga kasong ganito kalaki na dapat mabantayan ng mga tao. I definitely find this bill cool. Kaya lang, dapat siguro isama ni Madam Santiago ang isang provision sa bill nya na limited to reporting ang magiging role ng media. To prevent reporters, anchors and editors drawing a different picture for the people to see. Dahil alam naman nating maraming media persons ang nagmamagaling pagdating sa mga ganyan. Crossing the lines by making their own conclusions and passing it on to their audience as if it was the truth. Mahirap lalo sa ganitong ka-sensitibong kaso.

Hotnot: The Adrianenssens report. Peter Adriaenssens, a church investigator released a harrowing report of about 300 cases of alleged sexual abuse committed by Roman Catholic clergy in Belgium. According to BBC’s report, Adriaenssens said the cases of abuse, mostly involving minors, are found in almost every diocese. It resulted to 13 victims committing suicide. The abuse dates as far back as the 1950s and were commonly committed in boarding schools. Two-thirds of the victims are boys while there are some 100 girls who also suffered. And so the report goes on and on with more revolting details. I can’t help but feel enraged about this. And this is just Belgium. I wonder how many more reports of this nature will come from somewhere. I just pray that this will be the last. Coz it definitely is disturbing. Something that could inflict irreparable damage to the institution we’ve learned to revere since the day we were born.

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Hothot: The miracle of the miners. Staying alive 700 meters below ground surface is nothing short of a miracle. The Chilean miners were shown to be in high spirits as they spoke and sang their national anthem watched by loved ones using a camera inserted through a 15-cm opening. Authorities are already preparing to dig a passage that could fit one man at a time and bring all 32 into the surface. Though they say it will take probably up to 4 months to complete that digging. I hope nothing happens between now until that time such as earthquake, torrential rain that can flood the tunnel or even an outbreak of disease among them. I sympathize with these guys as well as their family. It must be nerve-wracking to wait for them being hauled up to safety.

Hotnot: The Pakistan flood. For more than two weeks now, Pakistan is being ravaged by floods that have left more than 20 million homeless. Displaced families are already suffering from diseases not to mention the severe food crisis that is already causing riots whenever there is food distribution. What touches me most are the children. It breaks my heart to see them, all innocent and helpless, suffer from something so devastating like this. International aid agencies said they already raised billions of donations. The thing is, these donations are mostly pledges and don’t convert to hard cash, food or medicine as quickly as the situation requires. It’s something that Haiti knows so well.

Hotnot: The blame game. Nag-umpisa nang magturuan ang mga iniimbestigahan sa nangyaring hostage taking nong Lunes. Ang sinisisi ngayon ay si Mayor Lim na sya raw nagbigay ng utos na arestuhin ang kapatid ng hostage taker at yon ang nag-trigger kaya nagwala na si Rolando Mendoza. But beyond that, may mas malaking tanong na dapat sagutin ang gobyerno ni PNoy. Bakit noong tumagal na ng tumagal ang hostage crisis, parang walang nag-decide na itaas ang command responsibility at hindi pinabayaan sa kung sinong low or mid ranking officer? Kung may isang mataas na opisyal na humawak nyan, somebody who knows that to do, most likely naiba ang resulta. Hindi yang ganyan na umaani tayo ng ngitngit ng mga intsek.

Hothot: Major, major. Ayan na may bago na namang uso. Thanks to Venus Raj who was touted to be Philippine’s best bet for the Miss Universe title but stumbled on the last hurdle. Umani din ng sandamakmak na panlalait dahil sa medyo walang kwentang sagot niya sa Q&A portion na sabi ng magagaling, kung nasagot daw nya ng mabuti ay sure nang win sya. As if they actually know what would happen. What I don’t understand is that why blame Venus alone? Di ba may malaking role ang Binibining Pilipinas organization dahil sila ang nagti-train sa mga kandidata bago pakawalan sa laban? What do they train these girls for for months? Puro pagpapaganda? They should probably put more focus on the Q&A kasi dyan lagi tayo sumasabit. Miriam Quiambao had the real shot on the crown, more than Venus had. But she also gave a senseless answer kaya talo sya. Kung sa tanungan tayo lumalagpak, bakit hindi doon i-train ang mga candidate natin. They could probably review all questions used during the past pageants and discuss it with the girls. Kung wala man ng exactly the same question, at least meron sigurong malapit-lapit don na nakapag-bigay ng idea sa kandidata natin kung paano sasagutin. Matalino naman si Venus (graduated with honors daw) so she could have absorbed things like that during her months of training.

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Hotnot: Blind-folded faces in Facebook. An Israeli soldier was sacked from service and faces a possible court marshall according to news reports today. Her mistake? Taking pictures of the detainees she is guarding in a military camp and posting them in Facebook. I myself was disgusted when I saw the pictures in the Al-Jazeera report. Aside from the fact that it was an obvious violation of her work procedures, I cringed from the idea that this girl found it cool to flash a cutie smile using blind-folded prisoners as a backdrop. Facebook, just like any other communication tools we have today, is only as good as the user. If it’s as stupid as this girl, then it’s gonna bring you more haters than followers. Not to mention the fact that it can cost you your job.

Hothot: No more ‘epal’ advertisements by government officials. According to a recent directive by Malacanang, government officials should stop putting their pictures and names on billboards for government-sponsored projects like highways, public schools, and others. Di ba nakaka-irita na bawat kalsadang gagawin may billboard na nagbibidang porke project ito ni Governor o ni Mayor o ni Congressman. Tama naman ang Malacanang eh. Hindi ninyo pera ang ginagastos sa mga project na yan. Pera ng taong-bayan. Ng mga tax-payer. Ng mga tulad kong OFW na nagbubuhos ng bilyon-bilyong dolyar sa economy ng Pinas para magkaron ng mga ganyang development projects. Kaya sana sumunod kayo sa sinasabi ng Malacanang. You should realize that there are people like me who looks at those billboards and simply curse under our breath with matching ‘kapal’ flashing in our minds.

Hotnot: Miss Undress Contest. After Miss USA did a negligee photoshoot of their contestants earlier this year, Miss Univerese followed suit. Only theirs was more controversial when they had some candidates go topless for body painting. Some say it’s exploiting women. I’d say it’s one desperate move by the contest organizers to drumbeat their upcoming aug 23rd event. With it’s fledgling reputation and spiraling followers based on continually dwindling tv viewers every year, can’t blame them for resorting to cheap gimmickry like this one. They (the organizers) say that the ladies who did it (led by the American contestant and a few more others) did it on their own will. Yeah, right. Coz these women will do anything, even snatch the crown from the clutches of the devil, just to win the competition. I salute our representative Venus Raj who didn’t bow down to that cheap stunt. It only proves what the anti-Miss U activists have been chanting along for the longest time. It’s an outright exploitation of women. So what’s it gonna be next year? Pole dancing? I pray not!

Hotnot: Wowowalang katapusang press releases. Nakakasuya, nakakasawa, nakakasuka. Walang tigil sa kakadakdak itong si Revillame na porke kinukuha sya ng ganito-ganyang network. At ang latest, nag-resign daw ang mga tauhan nya sa ABS and willing to wait for him until magkaron ulit sya ng show. Susuwelduhan naman daw nya, mas mataas pa sa pinapasuweldo ng ABS-CBN ang mga taong yon kahit walang trabaho! Eh ganon ka pala kayaman bakit hindi mo na lang bilhin ang ABS-CBN? Bakit nagpupumilit ka pang ‘mag-trabaho’? Kung ako ang ganyan kayaman aba hihiga na lang ako sa pera, literally! I’m not a kapamilya (certified Kapuso po ako) but in this legal battle, I hope ABS will finally show this guy what genuine humility is. At ito namang GMA-7 sana tigilan na ang kakapatol sa taong ito. Why give him airtime? Do you really want to lose faithful followers of your network? Aba eh di sumige kayo!

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Hothot: PNoy’s first SONA. Hearing (or in my case reading) PNoy’s first State of the Nation Address is just like hearing a Senator who uses his privilege speech in the Senate to expose anomalies specially those that are perpetuated by his political foes. Dahil ginamit ni PNoy yong speech nya to expose the atrocities that Gloria’s regime left behind lalo na pagdating sa mga pondo ng gobyerno. Pero sabi ko nga sa mga kaibigan ko, these exposes are nothing but blurbs until something happens. Yong makapag-sampa sila ng matibay na kaso at may mangyayari sa bandang huli. It will be a big challenge for PNoy to come up with criminal conviction to these ‘crimes’ that the past government did. Pero hindi yon ang main hothot ko. What I find in PNoy’s speech, kahit nong inauguration niya, is that he uses Tagalog in most parts of his speech. Mas madaling maintindihan ng masa. Afterall, sa masa sya nagre-report, hindi sa mga konyo at elitist. Dahil dito, PNoy is enjoying a very high popularity rating. And if he keeps communicating directly to the masses, mas maiintindihan sya anoman ang gagawin nya sa kanyang pagka-pangulo. With that, maaring hindi sya makakuha ng negative at sadsad na rating na ilang panahon ding inani ni Gloria.

Hotnot: Ang kwento ng nabubulok na Bigas. Sa dami ng pasabog ni PNoy sa kanyang SONA, this could be the one that sent my teeth clenching. Bigas na nabubulok sa kung saang tambakan? Samantalang napakaraming tyan ang kumukulo sa Pilipinas, ke mga pulubi o mga taong nagkukumahog mag-trabaho pero kulang at kulang pa rin ang kakayahan para sayaran ng pagkain ng mga bibig. At dahil lang sa kung sinong herodes, sa kung anong kurakutan, sa kung anomang red tape, pinabayaan lang mabulok ang bigas kesa ipakain sa mga nagugutom? I find it so revolting. Para sa akin, this is criminal. Dahil hindi ninyo nararanasan ang kumalam ang sikmura, ang magutom ng ilang araw, ang mahilo at mag-hallucinate dahil walang sumasayad na pagkain sa sikmura, wala kayong pakialam. At wala kayong pakiramdam sa mga kababayan nating nagpapakamatay na lang dahil sa kawalan ng makain. You could have done something to ease their pain. Ang ipakain sa kanila ang bigas na binili rin naman ng pera ng taong bayan. Mabulok sana ang mga kaluluwa nyo kasama ng mga bigas na yan!

Hotnot: A Congressman in HK prison. One of the most scandalous events to hit the headlines lately is the arrest of Congressman Ronald Singson in HongKong for possession of illegal drugs. Despite an obvious news blackout that successfully kept the event from the press for a couple of weeks, it was his father Chavit who gave the confirmation readily followed by a public apology for what’s an obvious misdeed in the part of his son. Bumilib ako coz it showed humility on the father’s side to have done the admission and the apology. Kaya lang, bakit kailangang sundan pa ng press releases like : baka nasulsulan lang. For goodness sake, he’s already in his mid-30’s, old enough to father a high-school student himself. Or yong angle na dahil broken-hearted daw. Jeez, I’d still say the same thing – magku-kwarenta na sya and still nurses a broken heart like it’s his first? Pero ang pinaka-off na nabasa ko eh yong kwentong hindi daw talaga kay Ronald yong drugs, sa isa raw sa mga kasamahan nya. If this angle is being played out to picture the guy as a hero instead of a criminal, then mali pa rin. Dahil kung hindi talaga sa kanya at inako lang nya to save his friend, it’s still irresponsible to put the welfare of his friend above his duty to protect the integrity of the Philippine Congress. Mas malaki ang obligasyon nya sa Kongreso, sa kanyang mga constituents at lalo sa mga kabataan na pinabilib nya sa pagi-sponsor nya ng isang anti-drug law.

Hothot: Wowowee finally off the air. If it will mean bringing down Willie back to earth, it really is something hot. At least ABS-CBN is finally showing this guy who’s the boss. Ang papalit daw na noon-time show ay Pilipinas Win na Win starring Willie’s girls plus Robin and Kris. Originally, Pilipinas For The Win (FTW) ang title nong program but just a day after the station announced it, binago agad sa Win na Win. Ang sabi ng mga intrigerang showbiz writers, bistado raw kasi na yong FTW is F**k That Willie. Hahaha! But let’s forget Willie now and let him wallow in his defeat, lick the deep wounds this blow has inflicted upon his hot air-balloon-sized ego. Gusto kong saluduhan ang ABS-CBN sa ginawa nila. Not just for finally kicking Willie’s ass but most importantly for putting Robin Padilla and Kris Aquino together in a show. Matindi talaga ang eye nila for business. Alam nilang may mabubuong kontrobersya sa mga hosts na pwedeng i-capitalize ng show para sa ratings. With Robin’s charms and Kristeta’s vulnerability from her recent marital debacle, siguradong ngangawa si Mariel Rodriguez soon. Bakit? Sus magpaka-intregera din kayo paminsan-minsan!

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Hotnot: P-Noy’s Dep Ed Secretary. Nakakadismaya na hindi pa nag-iinit ang upuan ng bagong Pangulo pero heto at sangkot na agad sa isang kontrobersya ang isa sa kanyang appointed official. Ang bagong Dep Ed Secretary daw na pinatikim ng kagaspangan ng dila ang ilang mga reporter. Porke hindi raw nakakatulong ang media sa mga tanong na obviously ay hindi nya nagustuhan. Granted na hindi maganda ang tanong, granted na may mga reporter talagang nakakairita, but to get such harsh reaction from someone who heads the Education sector, is very very disappointing. Being a man who must have several diplomas under his belt, people expect nothing short of a refined, cultured person in him. Hindi isang taong umaastang walang pinagkaiba sa isang sanggano. Nag-sorry na raw si Secretary. But I guess the damage has been done. Nakita na agad ng bayan kung anong kulay nya. And it’s far from the yellow color Cory so humbly wore when she was still a President. Nagkamali yata si P-Noy sa pagpili sa kanya. Sayang. Pari pa naman.

Hotnot: The Silver Cleaner phenom. Ang ka-adik kong JunC ang nakapansin nito. Araw-araw na lang, mababasa mo sa dyaryo na may nag-suicide gamit ang silver cleaning solution. Very accessible siguro, madaling bilhin sa mga tindahan at talagang effective kaya marami ang gumagamit nito. Mahirap nga namang bumili ng insecticide lalo na kung nasa city ka, madaling pag-suspetsahan. Besides, minsan sablay pa kaya instead na matapos ang problema ng nagpapakamatay, lalong nadadagdagan. Hindi ako magugulat kung may matalino na namang kongresista na mag-file ng batas na dapat ilagay na rin sa kontrol ang pagbebenta nito. Ang punto ko, hindi ang silver cleaning liquid, hindi ang insecticide, hindi ang lubid ang dapat kontrolin. Ang tao. At maku-kontrol ang mga nagsu-suicide kung ang ugat ng problema nila ay magkakaroon ng solusyon. At base sa mga nababasa natin, lahat kahirapan ang tinuturong problema at ugat ng pagpapakamatay. Ito yong sinasabi ko sa posting ko tungkol kay P-Noy. Habang marami ang naghihirap, walang makain at nagiging desperado sa buhay, marami pa rin ang iinom ng silver cleaning solution. Dahil yon ang alam nilang solusyon sa kahirapan na unti-unti rin namang pumapatay sa kanila.

Hothot: Ang Wang-Wang ni P-Noy. I salute P-Noy for banning this highly irritable device so abusively used by jerks just to get their way through traffics. Afterall, pare-pareho lang tayong nagmamadali kung saan man tayo pupunta. And for you to use a blinker is pretty much like shouting to the top of your voice ‘tumabi kayong mga hampaslupa, dadaan ang hari’. It’s infuriating coz it’s already a public facility and yet it looks like you only have lesser right to use it than the ones who are sitting comfortably in their airconditioned, chauffeur-driven benzes armed with that wang-wang. It’s plain and simple arrogance on the part of the haves. Mabuti naman at nakita ni P-Noy ito. Though in his case, it could prove to be a problem. Ayan nga at na-late na agad sya sa isang appointment. He might want to lead by example but if it will mean missing out on important engagements, he should rethink his position. Besides, malaking problema nga sa security kung maiipit sya sa traffic ng ilang oras. Kung hindi man gumamit ng wang-wang, his security escorts should devise a plan to allow him safe, secure and speedy passage pagdating sa mga congested traffic points .

Hotnot: Another Toyota Recall. After last year’s recall of thousands (or hundreds of thousands?) of Toyota cars, I saw they issued a commercial spot which was obviously put together to regain some credibility to the brand. It shows people from various social strata and nationalities proudly showing off their car and saying ‘my toyota’. To me, that ad wants customers to feel confident and proud about the name despite the big let down. If ever that commercial spot had positive impact among the buying public, I guess it’ll all be gone by now. Coz here comes another recall from the beleaguered car giant. This time, they’re recalling their top of the line Lexus and the more ubiquitous Corona model. I wonder what the auto industry is doing about this. Shouldn’t they stop Toyota from rolling units out of the assembly plants unless everything’s tested and guaranteed roadworthy? Or is it another question of commercialism, capitalism and plain greed that stops something that is simple and so easy to solve. Your guess.

 

Hothot:  The World Cup Predicting Paul.  Don't look now but there's a star grabbing the headlines aside from the football players themselves.  It's a two-year old octopus named Paul who supposedly predicted the result of the five German games correctly.  But hey, he's not a German fan.  In the latest video shown in Euronews, he chose Spain to win over Germany in their semi-final match tomorrow.  We'll, let's see if Paul is better than Madam Auring! 

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i've got nothing hothot to say but instead puro not so hot opinions about the change of government sa ating mahal na bayan. 

Hotnot: Obama telling P-Noy he’ll help him quit smoking. I don’t know if it’s just the press who’s making an issue but I’m sure Barrack has got his two hands full at the moment. With BP offering no solution to stop the oil spill, I’m sure Mr. Obama will have no time to even think of helping someone deal with his personal issues when he, himself, is facing a humongous national issue. Besides, I don’t know why this (Noynoy’s smoking) is being stretched when in fact Fidel Ramos himself smoke tobacco while being President and got away with it. By any medical standards, tobacco was way lethal than cigarettes. Why didn’t anybody made a fuss back then?

Hotnot: Psycho Test for P-Noy.  Again!?. According to Philstar (June 15 issue), Butuan Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos is still pushing for Noynoy to undergo a psychological test. Bakit hindi na lang kaya itong Bishop na ito ang magpa-test. Baka sya ang may sayad. Tapos na ang eleksyon, nanalo na ang taong kinukwestyon ang psychological stability, saka ka pa hihirit nyan. Bakit hindi mo pinag-pilitan yan a month ago? Either you’re the nut case or you’re just one of those who love to see themselves on tv. Ito yong sinasabi kong sobrang pakikialam ng simbahan sa politics.

Hotnot: The experts and the wanna-bes. Noynoy wants his inauguration to be held in the Quezon City circle. Experts and wanna-bes say he’s exposing himself to danger. Mas madali daw syang mabaril doon. Noynoy doesn’t want to live in Malacanang. Experts and wanna-bes say his life is in danger if he chooses to live somewhere else, lalo na kung sa bahay nya sa Time St. Yan yong sinasabi kong sobrang daming matatalino sa ating dear country. Bakit hindi nyo pabayaan yong tao. If he wants to live in a shoebox, let him be. If he wants to be inaugurated in a decrepit movie house, hayaan nyo. The man wants to make his own marks. Gawin nyo lang ang trabaho nyo. Now, kung magkatotoo ang prediction ninyo at mabaril nga sya, touche! it’s his own folly. At least masasabi nyong tama ang expert analysis nyo. Pwede pang may kasamang belat!

Hotnot: P-Noy’s biting statements. Ngawa daw ng ngawa si P-Noy about the midnight appointees. Reklamo din daw ng reklamo dahil inuubos na ng mga government agencies ang pondo by issuing midnight deals bago pa sya makaupo (Abante, June 13). Kaliwa’t kanan daw ang tira at kritisismo kay Gloria samantalang paalis na yong tao (Abante, June 15). Bakit hindi na lang daw pag-isipan ang mga programang ilalatag sa pag-upo nya. Dito agree ako. Tama na nga naman ang kyaw. Mag-Nike na lang sya. Just do it. Kung kakasuhan nya si Gloria at ang kanyang mga cohorts, just do it. Sawang-sawa na ako sa reports ng media araw-araw na porke sabit si Gloria at ang mga alipores nya sa ganito-ganoong kaso. Tapos wala namang nangyayari. Ayan at inabswelto pa sya ng Ombudsman sa ZTE issue. Syempre dahil sino ba ang nag-appoint sa Ombudsman? Kaya nga maraming dapat gawin si P-Noy. He has to prove that he can actually bite more than he can issue biting statements.

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Hothot: The 16-yr old sailor. Just recently, a young Aussie girl completed sailing around the world alone and unassisted. Jessica Watson, 16 years old from Australia, finished her record-setting journey last May 15. Of course she was monitored via GPS, satellite phones and all the advanced technology fitted into her pink sailboat. But she did all the sailing by herself. What a feat for someone who would normally fuss about her nail color or her campus crush. But she’s one different girl. Brave, adventurous and an achiever at that.

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Hothot: The 13-yr old mountain climber. And they seem to get younger. This one, a boy barely out of his diapers completed the most arduous trek in the world and became the youngest to have conquered Mt Everest. And it seems like Jordan Romero, 13 years old from California, is just getting started. He plans to conquer the seven summits while he’s at it. Way to go boy! It’s a lot better than curling up the sofa with your PSP, right?

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Hothot: Revillame out. On-line polls and forums say he’s no longer welcome and should quit his Tv show. Sakit non huh. Matapos mamayagpag, mag-yabang at mag-astang hari, heto at magigising ka sa katotohanang marami na pala ang nabubwisit sa iyo. Napuno na sa mga kaangasan mo. Some of your paid writers said kami lang mga may access sa internet ang galit sa iyo. Mahal ka pa rin daw ng masa, ng mahihirap na binibigyan mo ng pera. Asa pa kayo. Walang pinag-iba sa vote buying yan. Bigyan mo ng pera, sasabihin sa iyo iboboto ka. Pagtalikod mo, mumurahin ka pa at sasabihang tanga. Which means, kahit si Bentong ang ilagay na host dyan, sisigaw pa rin sila ng ‘ang gwapo-gwapo moooo’ as long as may perang dumadapo sa palad nila. So wake up and smell your feet. Your delusion of infinite fame and power is about to end. Don’t worry, I won’t forget to thank you pag isang araw, you opened the door for me. Marangal namang trabaho ang maging doorman.

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Hotnot: The Big Oil Spill. It’s been weeks since the oil rig burned down and crude oil started seeping out of underwater pipes in the biggest disaster to hit the Gulf of Mexico. Billions of gallons of oil has covered large areas and it looks like BP has got no more ace up their sleeve to stop the spill. The US government is already fuming mad. Residents along the affected areas are almost sure to lose their source of livelihood. And that’s just above the surface. Beneath the waters, I cannot imagine how many poor and helpless marine creatures are suffering and dying right now. Along with seaweeds, corals and other marine life. The prospect of a huge ecological imbalance is so real. And this is just one oil rig. What if something like this happens to 2 or 3 more. With aging off-shore rigs scattered everywhere, it’s one big possibility.

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Hotnot: Fergie’s Folly. Remember Sarah Ferguson, the red-haired girl who, like Diana, married into England’s royal family when she became Prince Andrew’s wife? Well, that was like two decades ago. Now she’s divorced from the Prince, got two teen-age daughters and are reportedly having financial troubles. And she’ll get into deeper, stickier troubles because she was caught ‘selling access’ to Prince Andrew who is now UK’s Trade Ambassador. She can’t deny it. Even the US$ 40,000 neatly piled in front of her was caught on video. Now she’ll have a new title - her royal greaseness!

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Hotnot: Lashawn Merritt demerited. In case you’re not the sporting type and doesn’t recognize the name, he’s an American 400m sprinter who has competed and won in several international events like the World Championships and Olympics. Just a few days ago, he was given a 2-yr suspension by the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federation) for testing positive with anabolic steroids. The poor guy readily admitted guilt and has apologized saying it was a ‘foolish, immature and egotistical mistake’. Dahil inamin nya mismo na yong steroid came from a male enhancement drug na ininom nya. Male enhancement? So the guy has got some insecurities huh! I wonder if it’s got something to do with those tight body suits that athletes have to wear. Baka inaatake sya ng insecurity kapag nakikita nya ang mga kahanay nyang athletes sa starting block.

Hothot: The dollar make-over. Looking good is not just confined to the vain nowadays. Pati dollar, gusto looking good na rin sya. Coz starting February next year, we will be seeing a new, improved and better looking dollar loaded with high-tech features to make counterfeiter’s lives more difficult. What’s interesting is that the counterfeiters pala are mostly based outside the US. Kasi sa US, hindi ganon ka-popular ang gamit ng 100-dollar bill. 1, 5, 10 at malaki na ang 20 dollar bills lang okey na sa araw-araw na buhay nila. Unlike in foreign countries where transactions are mostly done via 100-dollar bills. Tulad ng sweldo natin dito sa middle east na kahit Riyals ang kita, kino-convert natin ito into US dollars bago umuwi ng Pinas. Kaya paldo-paldong 100-dollar bills ang dala tulad ng mga friends kong Edgard at Raoul. Pang-tip lang sa baggage boy o sa barker sa taxi stand ang 5-dollar bill. Hmm can't wait to see the new bill.

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Hotnot: GMA the omnipotent. Gloria is now flexing her muscles more than ever. Ayan at pati alipores nyang hardinero at manikurista ay nilagay na sa pwesto. At least yong sa gardener, medyo linya nya yong trabaho as deputy administrator of Luneta Park. Siguro he can grow miracles from gumamela seeds at kaya nyang i-improve ang Luneta based on his experience. But still, he wouldn’t get that post if not for Gloria. At yong manikurista, what qualifies her to be a board member of PAG-IBIG? Only because she does the President’s nails without some bleeding tulad nong dating nag-manicure sa akin? Though I wouldn’t put the curse on the gardener and the manicurist themselves. Willing victim lang sila. It’s Gloria who should be ashamed of herself. Nakakapagsisi talaga na naging part ako ng Edsa Revolution that put her into power. Akala ko matino yon pala mas masahol pa. So what’s next? The driver as Transportation Minister? The cook as Health Minister? And her personal bodyguard as Defence Minister? God help Pinas!

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Hotnot: India’s sanitation woes. The stench is probably the same with that of Gloria's government. Ang kaibahan lang, literal na dumi ng tao ang pinag-uusapan sa report ng Al-Jazeera about India’s lack of toilet. Malaking problema daw sa India, particularly in an over-crowded city like Mumbai ang sanitation dahil sa kakulangan ng toilet. The report (aired last Thursday) showed a whole stretch of a railroad na ginawang ebakan. Walang sinabi ang riles ng tren sa Pinas. At least sa atin, tinitirhan lang ng squatters. Ito talagang ginawang public toilet. In general, people just squat anytime, anywhere to do their thing. Wala raw kasing facilities like public toilet na tinatayo ang gobyerno. Sa isip ko lang naman, bakit sa Pinas, hindi na kailangan ng gobyerno para makagawa ng butas sa lupa at dindingnan kahit ng karton at sako. Ito yong mga bagay na primarily ay hindi gobyerno ang dapat sisihin. It’s the people themselves who obviously has no regard for sanitation, self-respect and dignity. If a man or a woman can squat in public and do what should be done in private, eh talagang sila na mismo ang may problema. What’s ironic, according to the report, is that people do not have access to toilets but almost everyone has a mobile phone!

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Hotnot: Eyjafjallokull’s wrath. Eyja… who? Sya lang naman ang bulkan sa Iceland na matapos matulog ng 200 years eh biglang nagising at nagwala. Bumuga ng katakot-takot na abo at parang sinabing walang kwenta ang Pinatubo. Dahil hindi lang isang bansa ang pinerwisyo ng ash fall nya kungdi buong Europe and even the whole world coz of the thousands of stranded passengers who couldn’t fly. Although wala silang magawa, force majeur eh. Until they found someone na mapagbuntunan ng inis. And that was the EU leaders na binakbakan ng criticism coz they did not come up with a solid stand/plan until 5 days later. Ang bagal nga naman considering na mga advanced countries sila. As for the poor passengers, I hope you guys just sit it out, grin and bear it. It’s better curling up a hard airport bench than risking your own safety.

Hotnot: The gods called Ampatuan. Multiple murder charges were dropped daw against two Ampatuans doon sa nangyaring Maguindanao massacre. Nag-aalma, nag-ngingitngit ang mga pamilya ng mga biktima. At kahit ako ay naniningkit ang mata sa pagkabuwisit sa Acting Justice Secretary Agra na bumira nitong obviously ay very tagilid na ruling na ito. Kawawa na nga yong mga biktima, ginawa pang tanga. You don’t have to be a lawyer to figure out the involvement of these two. Hindi ba dapat mas matindi ang kasalanan nila if they are proven to have plotted, planned, organized and masterminded the massacre? Tapos sasabihin mong walang involvement only because wala sila sa crime scene? Bakit, nagpapa-impress ka sa Malacanang kasi acting ka pa lang? Para matuloy na at hindi lang acting? Over –acting ka manong! O baka naman may utos ka galing sa kung saan. If that is the case, talaga palang mala-Diyos ang impluwensya nitong mga Ampatuan na ito. Kaya dapat, hindi na sa court of law ang laban dito. I-petition na lang kay San Pedro dahil siguradong matutuwa si Taning at madadagdagan ang mga kampon nya.

Hotnot: Goldman Sachs sucks. Another financial giant crushing down to its knees. Under investigation ngayon ng US SEC ang isa sa mga oldest and biggest investment banks in the world. According to reports, Goldman introduced a product which apparently tricked the investors by ‘misstating and omitting key facts’. Hindi ako financially or economically knowledgable pero ang pagkakaintindi ko, bilyones na naman ang pinag-uusapan dito at lumalabas na ang culprit ay isang VP ng Goldman Sachs. Porke sinamantala itong katatapos lang na economic recession. Natatandaan ko rin na few weeks ago, sabit din itong Goldman Sachs sa pagbagsak ng economy ng Greece. Kaya sangkatutak din ang rally ng mga Greeks dati. My point is, ano ba talaga ang role nitong mga ganitong kumpanya. They actually have nothing to sell but they do make a lot of money. At dahil sila ang expert sa pagpapaikot ng pera, sila-sila na rin mismo ang gumagawa ng kurakutan na akala nila hindi malalaman ng iba. Damn, I should have been in Wall Street instead of Jeddah Street!

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Hotnot: Venus Raj dethroned. It happened again. Another Bb Pilipinas winner na binawian ng korona. Ewan ko nga ba kung bakit sa dami na ng ganyang kaso hindi pa rin natuto itong mga organizer ng Bb Pilipinas. All the girls wanted is just a piece of that crown kaya hindi mo sila masisi if they withheld info or even deliberately falsified some details in their application form. Lulusot talaga hangga’t makakalusot. And it’s BCPI’s job to stop them. Bakit hindi imbistigahang mabuti bago iparada sa madlang pipol. Hindi yong kung kelan nakoronahan na saka babawiin. They (BPCI) should remember na hindi lang ang mga babaeng ito ang napapahiya kungdi sila mismo. As a ‘respected’ organization, parading a beauty queen who turns out to be a ‘cheat’ is just a reflection of how bad their systems are. Or, ang mas masakit, babawiin pa ang korona ng walang matibay na dahilan. Just because trip lang nila. Patay kayo ngayon papasok sa eksena si Senator Loren!

Hotnot: Adam Carolla the idiot. Ayan may nagpapansin na naman. Kulang siguro sa listeners ng radio program nya kaya nagpaka-kontrobersiyal. Dami na nilang nanglait ng lahi natin ke papangit din naman. Mga wala namang sinabi at puro nobody nobody but you din. Hindi ko na nga lang patulan dahil yon nga, ang pumatol daw sa baliw, mas baliw pa. Basta pag nakita ko itong Carolla na ito dito sa Pinas, ipapahuli ko agad sa grupo ni Liza Maza. Tingnan ko lang kung saan sya pupulutin.

Hothot: Ipad is here. There’s a warm reception from the techies for the newly launched Ipad. A larger version of the I-pod, it has more applications including a very impressive multi-touch screen plus on-line access to a host of entertainment options like cartoons and other tv channels. I’d probably get one for myself coz it’s not just very convenient (an improved laptop that you can bring any where, stow anywhere) but it’s also one gadget that does it’s part in fighting the ticking bomb of environmental destruction. Imagine the thousands of trees saved coz you’re reading an on-line newspaper or e-book instead of the usual printed copies. Cool isn’t it.

Hotnot: Gibo’s crashed party. Nabasa ko lang na nag-resign si Gibo as head of his party. Bakit kaya. To think that he needs the machinery of his party in this very critical time. He needs all the support he can get now that the election date is fast approaching. Kailangan din nyang umangat sa surveys being the perennial 3^rd behind Noynoy and Manny Villar. But whatever his reason for resigning, siguradong it’s something beyond patching up. Tama kaya ang mga kumakalat na rumors that he’s just one dummy presidentiable in the many strings of GMA’s puppet show? At dahil nagpapakita ng personal integrity si Gibo kaya humihiwalay na sya sa grand machinations ni GMA dahil alam nyang sa kangkungan sya pupulutin if he continues the association? Ahhh… politics. Nothing beats the controversies and drama behind it.

Hothot: Baby James’ innocence. The mere mention of any other presidentiable’s name amidst Noynoy’s campaign will surely earn the ire of Madam Kristeta. Siguradong magrereak at tatalak yan. At siguradong matatarayan kung sinoman ang culprit. Kaso, mismong ang cute nyang baby James ang bumanat ng Villar with matching V sign sa isang campaign sortie nila down South! Cute at nakakatawa dahil ang akala nilang Alas sa kanilang kampo turns out to be an infiltrator pala! But what will you do to something as cute as that angel? Baka nga malakas na tawanan din ang ginawa ng magkakapatid na Aquino. But one thing is for sure… siguradong lagot ang mga yaya at kasambahay ni Kristeta. Siguradong maiimbistigahan kung anong pinapanood nila at na-pik-ap ni baby James ang Villar fever.