HAPPY NEW YEAR!

WHO IS LYING?

All concerned,

Thesaurus defines lying thus...

A) (Noun) Lying - the deliberate act of deviating from the truth

B) Synonyms: prevarication, fabrication

C) Related Words: falsification, misrepresentation - a willful perversion of facts

===============

Quoted from the Letter of Sir Esguerra dated 08 Oct 2008, castigating Sir Rainer Weber, 12th Paragraph:

On Sir Rizal Victoria's mudslinging of some officers of the Supreme Council and Council of Elders. Sir Rizal Victoria has accused certain officers without basis, no single proof of evidence yet you believed in unsigned and fabricated e-mail. I think that the mudslinging of Sir Victoria is not unknown to you, yet you have not conducted any inquiry which you can do "motu propio" on your own investigation and disciplinary action.

===============

Quoted from the Letter of Sir Esguerra dated 21 Apr 2007, lecturing Sir Jun Zerrudo, 2nd Paragraph:

A free expression of ideas is welcome in our organization because it is through this medium that the group is cultivated, harnessed and strengthened. Matters of great importance are crystallized and solutions to problems are taken collectively. Of course we do not tolerate vulgar and indecent words in KOR.

===============

Emphasis on this one particular sentence because this is EVIDENCE Sir Esguerra and the 2007 Supreme Council (together with some in the Council of Elders, particularly Sir Quiambao?) not only tolerated, but even EXALTED Sir Alcoba to KGOR last July 2007, Paris, France, despite the latter's "vulgar and indecent words" days/weeks/months prior to said Paris International Assembly:

"Of course we do not tolerate vulgar and indecent words in KOR."

- quoting Sir Esguerra's 21 Apr 2007 lecture to Sir Jun Zerrudo

===============

Sir Esguerra if you have a reputation or name to protect (as Supreme Commander you do have), don't lie.

If you accuse Lazir, please ENUMERATE your complaints and give him fair chance/time to respond. Same way he does allow you also some days to respond.

If Lazir could be SPECIFIC with his charges, why can't you, Sir Esguerra? You have until 31 Dec 2008 to rebut his specific accusations or reply to his questions listed here.

Lazir is sending this e-mail to prove his accusations are correct, factual and truthful. On the other hand, you accuse Lazir yet you NEVER show nor present an iota of evidence or proof to back-up your accusations! Can you then blame Lazir if he calls you INCOMPETENT, Sir Esguerra? Where is your evidence please? Do you need more time? Lazir can give you more time, but NLT (no later than) end of calendar year 2008...

===============

After reading your letters dated 21 Apr 2007 and 08 Oct 2008 (both attached), can you answer Lazir's questions one-by-one please? They are:

1. Why was Lazir issued Memo 006, Series 2008 investigating him, even if there's no case against him? Even if said investigation is carried out by somebody, other than you, it still involves you because you are in command, aren't you? How come Lazir's UNWARRANTED investigation? What did Lazir do wrong? Elaborate and enumerate please because the illustrious KOR may not be involved in any WITCH-HUNT under whoever's watch!

2. You mentioned once that KGOR exaltations are not done only by you but together with the Supreme Council ICW (in compliance with) the By-Laws. Isn't Lazir then correct for accusing you Sir Esguerra and the Supreme Council (together with Sir Quiambao) for favoritism?, exalting Sir Alcoba to KGOR, despite his "vulgar and indecent words" weeks/months before? And exalting Sirs Paras (identified to be very close to Sir Quiambao), Guansing, Nollas, Alcoba even if UNDESERVING? What EXEMPLARY deed did these four Belgian Filipinos do to warrant their KGOR exaltation/s? Lazir asked for this nomination document or minutes of meeting deliberating on this specific exaltation/s. That was Oct or Nov 2007! That's twelve months ago, yet you never responded Sir Esguerra! Why? Aren't you PROUD of people you and the 2007 Supreme Council exalted to KGOR?

3. Among the 2007 Supreme Council members during the meeting/deliberations, who voted YES, who voted NO to, who ABSTAINED in the apparently UNDESERVING exaltations of Sirs Paras, Guansing, Nollas, Alcoba to KGOR? Were the By-Laws followed to the letter? Can Lazir see the evidence please?

4. As Supreme Commander, don't you think you should be BEYOND reproach? Isn't LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE one of your most, if not THE most important function/s? How come then you say "we do not tolerate" then a few weeks/months later exalt the "vulgar" e-mail writer to KGOR? Do you want to deny having anything to do with Sir Alcoba's exaltation last July 2007, Paris, France? Do you want to say it was not YOU in Paris? ...that it was somebody else conferring the sash & trinket? Should Lazir produce photographic evidence?

5. How valid is your claim to TRUE RIZALISM? True Rizalists do not lie. Could you please answer Lazir's above questions honestly, truthfully without reservations nor remorse? Can you look your children/grandchildren straight in the eye saying so?

6. Didn't you one time claim "NO KNOWLEDGE" of Sir Alcoba's "vulgar and indecent words in KOR"? Sir Lucien sent you those e-mails of Sir Alcoba very recently. Are you saying you still do not have them! Shall we re-send?

8. Having those racistic, "vulgar and indecent" e-mails, will you now order an investigation of Sir Alcoba? If found guilty, will you really expel him? Or will you just wait till your term ends (in 2010), without asking for Sir Alcoba's investigation, preferring to AVOID a confrontation with your Tanay neighbor Sir Paras?

Dr Jose Rizal never avoided confrontation, if he knew it would ferret out the Truth, advance Justice, and promote Democracy! He was no fake!

9. Under your "leadership watch" Lazir got Memo 006, Series of 2008 for generalized charges (in your words, "mudslinging of some officers of the Supreme Council and Council of Elders"). For fairness' sake, can you please be a bit more specific and also give Lazir a chance to respond? Are you afraid of lowly Lazir?

10. Sir Jun Zerrudo got "investigated and expelled" under your watch Sir Esguerra for doing things Dr Jose Rizal himself would have done: campaign for Reforms, write clarifying letters, submitting polite protest notes,...ultimately, after having been ignored many years by KOR "leadership" despite his VALID grievances, he helped organize the 1st truly RIZALIAN Conference that KOR could but NEVER did! Is that competent of KOR to claim authority on the national hero then organize worldwide assemblies hollow, empty of RIZALISM, yet full of Fun! Fun! Fun! Including exaltations of even the UNDESERVING?

As Supreme Commander, you practically WASTE KOR funds, paying for your worldwide trips, hotel bills! Rizalian in nature???

Not all Filipinos are corrupt! Many KOR members are not corrupt either! No one has the right to take such pride from anyone! We right-minded Knights want to salvage whatever is left of our illustrious KOR and our self-respect!

The days of corrupt practices and abuse in the country are over...!

Since Lazir above presented BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT evidence of his accusations, could you do something GOOD for the KOR and its Illustrious name and do one RIGHT thing, at least once since becoming Supreme Commander?

It's every right-thinking Knight's DUTY to bring the KOR to new heights!

For country and people!

:)
Lazir
Fear the Lord, no one/nothing else!


P.S. - Sorry to disappoint some readers, but Lazir won't ask about the MISSING Euro 5,000 this time!


"The arrogant one is he who wants to be worshipped, who misleads others, and who wants his will to prevail over reason and justice." - Dr Jose P. Rizal - Message to the women of Malolos, February 1889

"My ambition is not to win honors or hold positions, but to see what is just, exact and suitable, is done in political matters." - Dr Jose P. Rizal

"No one will be corrupt if we don't let them." - Tony Meloto in his speech before Davao University graduates, 2007

"...Dare to cross boundaries in your minds and hearts! In your strength and courage! In the space inside and around you! Dare to be different! Dare what you never dared before! The highest thing that obliges you is your conscience. Act whatever good forces dictate! Then you are closer to Rizal's ideals than any policy or philosophy could ever be. What he can teach you, you will not understand without Kant's lessons..." - An excerpt of the speech Christoph S. Eberle delivered on Rizal Day in Hamburg, Dec. 2006.

"Be the Change you want to see in the World!" - Mahatma Gandhi

"Laws can embody standards; governments can enforce laws but the final task is not a task for government. It is a task for each and every one of us. Every time we turn our heads the other way when we see the law flouted, when we tolerate what we know to be wrong, when we close our eyes and ears to the corrupt because we are too busy, or too frightened, when we fail to speak up and speak out, we strike a blow against freedom and decency and justice." - Robert F. Kennedy

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

HIMALA - 2008 CNN ASIA PACIFIC FILM AWARD WINNER

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Filipino film "Himala" has been awarded the CNN APSA Viewers Choice Award for Best Asia-Pacific Film of all Time.

Thousands of CNN viewers voted on "The Screening Room" Web site to honor Ishmael Bernal's 1982 film with the accolade, which is jointly awarded by CNN and the region's prestigious Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA).

"The Screening Room's" Myleene Klass presented the award Tuesday in front of a crowd of over 700 film industry figures at a special ceremony on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

Bernal's austere tale of a young woman who goes on a healing crusade after seeing a vision of the Virgin Mary, which stars Filipino actress Nora Aunor, took the prize with 32 percent of the vote.

"Whatever the reason, I do feel we deserve this award," said "Himala" producer Bibsy Carballo, "If only as a tribute to our people who in once a great while decide to come together as one, forget their petty squabbles and divisiveness, and make a declaration of support for this troubled nation, and its tremendously talented and good-hearted if unfortunate population. Long live 'Himala!'"

www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/11/13/himala.asiapacificscreenawards

PUTANGINA, ANO BA ITO!?!

by Manuel Buencamino

Newspapers mishandled the high point of Senator Mar Roxas' speech at the recent inter-faith rally against Charter change.

The senator shouted, "Putangina, ano ba ito?!?" after he enumerated the scandals involving Mrs. Arroyo and her government.

Newspapers re-spelled "Putangina" as "P_____ina" and translated it to "SOB!" so the impact and import of the senator's rhetoric was lost.

Everybody knows s.o.b. in capital letters is an abbreviation for "son of a bitch!" so "Putangina!" is not the same as "SOB!" The Pilipino term refers to a certain type of mother while the English word refers to the male offspring of a bitch.

A "bitch," according to one definition, is a female "dog, wolf, fox or otter." In an informal and derogatory way, bitch is also "a woman whom one dislikes or considers to be malicious or unpleasant" as in: "she's the luckiest bitch around" to describe a malicious and unpleasant woman who gets away with high crimes. "Bitch" is also used for "a thing or situation that is unpleasant or difficult to deal with" as in: "Life's a bitch under this gangster regime."

The difficulty in finding an English expletive equivalent for "Putangina!" is understandable because none exists. The word is Tagalog for the Spanish exclamation, "Puta madre!" Translating it into English will produce a ridiculous oath, "whore mother" or "prostitute mother." Some words just don't translate well.

At any rate, "SOB" is the wrong term because it does not approximate what the good senator wanted to convey: his utter disgust with the Gloria Arroyo administration's crimes.

A better translation for the senator's outburst would have been "What the (your preferred curse word) is going on!?!" because it would make clear that he was not describing the mother of Charter change or characterizing Charter change as a male born of a bitch.

"Putangina, ano ba ito!?!" is actually the most logical reaction to just about anything this administration and its allies say or do.

Things have so gotten out of hand I wouldn't be surprised if some of Arroyo's most loyal henchmen are thinking what Senator Roxas said out loud.

Take the case of selective justice. An administration congressman, Bienvenido Abante, learned that National Police deputy chief for operations Geary Barias and several police superintendents went on an 11-day trip to Munich, Germany on the invitation of Rohde and Schwarz, an electronics specialist company.

Consequently, the congressman wants to know, "Was it an official trip? If it was, then the trip should have had an authorization from the Department of the Interior and Local Government and spent for by the government. If spent for by a private person, then who and for what purpose?" Abante believes the lawmen could be liable for graft if a private person or entity "with interest in the National Police" shouldered their travel expenses.

Abante also believes there was nothing wrong with Mrs. Arroyo accepting an invitation to golf and lunch with officials of ZTE, a Chinese company bidding for a huge government contract. Those poor unfortunate cops must be asking themselves, "Putangina, ano ba ito?"

Going back to Senator Roxas' speech… there is something there the Palace can legitimately bitch about: "Patayin ang Gloria-Forever Cha-cha! (Kill the Gloria-Forever Cha-cha!)"

That rallying cry is a personal attack, it goes beyond debating Charter change purely on its merits. It paints an unflattering portrait of those in the Charter change movement.

But in fairness to the senator, he has never said he is against the idea of improving the Constitution. All he said was he is against Gloria-Forever Cha-cha.

Well, who in his right mind would want Gloria to rule forever? And who would be crazy enough to entrust Charter amendments to a con-ass composed of, for lack of a polite term that does not sacrifice precision, SOBs?

"Putangina, ano ba ito!?!"

Perry Diaz

Visit www.PerryScope.org for more news, updates and to comment.

DAILY BREAD

&Daily Bread

Motto:

God appreciates it when you are humble. Your friends and co-workers don’t mind either…….

Leadership Lesson:

The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant …….

“GOD don’t need your sacrifices of flesh and blood. What GOD want from us is our true thanks. He wants us to trust him in our times of trouble, so he can rescue us, and we can give him glory.…….”

Psalms 50: 13 to 15

ANG PASKO AY SUMAPIT

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE BANGKO SENTRAL?

First, a report came in about a Bicol "development" bank which turned belly-up, leaving thousands of small depositors gypped of their precious savings. The only thing that created a stir in the region was word that a big politician lost a hundred million of his publicly-purloined wealth (where else would he have gotten such a hoard, but from the abuse of his "profession"?) in the bank. Modus operandi of this small bank is simple---offer high interest rates that people would never get from the commercial banks, nor from the rural banks that are "straight". It's again a pyramid scheme, but people never learn, their "greed" always gets the better of them.

That was about six months ago. The character behind the bank was a certain Celso de los Angeles, who at one time (2004-2005) was even conscripted into the government service by no less than the Vice-President of the Republic, who brought his "genius" into the public housing sector. Looking back, that stint in government probably gave him the cachet to enter the banking industry, who knows, perhaps even impress the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Apparently though, the Bicol caper was not his last. In November, three so-called rural banks in Cebu also declared a bank holiday. Two of them are reportedly part of the guy's financial casbah. Then this week, the Rural Bank of Paranaque followed. Again part of the De los Angeles "Legacy" empire. (His flagship enterprise is called Legacy, which used to be in another racket---the pre-need plan, where giants like CAP and Yuchengco's Pacific Plans likewise got hundreds of thousands of educational futures stranded.)

And almost simultaneously, a rural bank in Bais, Negros Oriental, another in Bacolod City, capital of Negros Occidental. And another in San Jose, Batangas, also in Calatagan. And another in San Pablo City.

How many hundreds of millions, if not billions in small depositors' money had been lost in these banks? We will not know until the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, which is tasked to supervise all banks in the benighted land, tells us, if they ever will.

It seems such a mystery that the bank which comes ever so quickly to the succor of the Philippine peso to keep it within "manageable float" in the foreign exchange market, and has been assiduously doing this every single banking day, has been hoodwinked by one smart operator who has become very big by putting up, or buying into, a string of "small" rural banks.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas was legislated into existence in the nineties after its predecessor, the Central Bank of the Philippines, had racked up so much liabilities that its existence had become "in extremis".

Those liabilities were sucked up by the Filipino taxpayer so that their government could pronounce the new entity, the Bangko Sentral, the new fiduciary trust of 90 million unfortunate souls, "clean" and well, trustworthy.

The Bangko Sentral, through the Monetary Board, also manages the state of the Philippine peso, using monetary tools, such as interest rate fixing and bank reserve requirements, in order to "stabilize" the currency as well as inflation. It seems to be doing that pretty well.

But if the string of failures exemplified by the recent bank holidays of these "small banks" is any indication, the Bangko Sentral has apparently been quite lax in the supervision of the banking industry, at the very least, in its protection of small depositors in "small" banks. How in the first place, has the Bank been unable to detect the interlocking interests of one character in a string of "development" and rural banks with such strombotic names as "Dynamic Bank"?

Sure a hundred thousand is insured with the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation, another taxpayer-owned facility that absorbs banking losses like a sponge, provided it soaks up no more than the limit provided by law for every single depositor. But what's a hundred thousand these days? The equivalent of a thousand pesos in the good old days, that's what. (In the days of Diosdado Macapagal, the minimum wage was a hundred twenty pesos a month. It is now ten thousand pesos a month, even more in the NCR, in the reign of his daughter Gloria).

Which brings me to another question---how much of the Bangko Sentral's financial base has been eaten up by its own bad loans, financial accommodations it extends to ailing banks, big or small, which have not been paid to date, or for which the BSP has been given collaterals too over-stated for the face value of their assistance?

Take one instance---the Capitol Development Bank, which has also gone under, a "victim" of the Asian recession of 1997, or so they say. The Bangko Sentral loaned out 1.5 billion pesos in an effort to "save" the said Capitol Bank in two successive tranches---1.17 billion on 22 April 1998, and two days after, another 332 million pesos. The president of the bank, a Mrs. Cynthia Villar, signed promissory notes good for six months or 180 days, at an interest rate of 14.957% per annum. The managing director in charge of the Department of Loans and Credit as well as the Asset Management Department, a certain Andres Rustia, signed for the Bangko Sentral. Upon its maturity, Capitol Development failed to pay Bangko Sentral.

Instead, they settled the loan through a dacion en pago (payment by surrender of property) of 483.97 hectares in Norzagaray, Bulacan. At the time of the dacion, the zonal value assigned by the Bureau of Internal Revenue, which is supposed to approximate actual market value, was 60 pesos per square meter or 600,000 pesos per hectare. That 484 hectares should therefore be worth 290 million pesos, but it was used to settle an account from the Bangko Sentral of 1.5 billion pesos! Can you beat that?

In fine, the fiduciary trustee of the people of the Republic of the Philippines, issuer of legal tender used by its benighted residents within the metes and bounds of the same Republic, now holds assets valued at 290 million, which"erased" liability of Capitol Development Bank worth one and a half billion, plus close to another hundred million in interest, or more than five times the value of the property now in its possession. In effect, the Bangko Sentral lost the people's money to some very, very wise guys, for and in behalf of a hopelessly bankrupt medium-sized, family-owned bank.

The deed of real estate mortgage was dated June 29, 2001 for the 483.973 hectares (484 has.) of agricultural land in Norzagaray, Bulacan which was used as payment for the P1.5 billion loan of CDB in April 1998. Funny coincidence this, but from the time the promissory notes became due and payable, Rep. Manuel B. Villar had become Speaker of the House of Representatives, by grace of newly-elected President Joseph Estrada, and then again, senator of the realm. And the main signatory for Capitol Bank, Mrs. Cynthia Aguilar Villar, had become the representative of the lone district of Las Pinas, an herencia from her husband the Speaker turned senator.

But wait, apparently, that's not the end of the story though, for the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

The land paid to the Bangko Sentral was occupied by farmers whose forebears had been continuously cultivating that huge patch of dirt, and who were granted titles to the same in 1960, after proving continuous occupation of what was then deemed public land. Now, when the BSP went to the register of lands in Malolos to transfer their newly acquired Norzagaray holdings, they presented the titles surrendered to them by Capitol Bank.

Lo and behold! The original certificate of title was issued on July 25, 1944, during the Japanese occupation, when there was no civil government in the Philippines. In fact, Commonwealth Act 141, as amended, maintained that "authorizing the issuance of sales patent was illegal and inoperative during the Japanese occupation."

Sa madaling salita, "mickey mouse" pala ang mga titulo ng lupa na ibinayad sa Bangko Sentral! Will wonders never cease? Breathtaking!

Pray ask---if the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas had accepted as collateral for 1.5 billion in loans something that had a zonal valuation of less than 300 million pesos, why should it bother to exercise any due diligence in checking the bona-fides of the titles paid to it? Tutal, pera lang naman ng bayan iyan. Happy naman si Speaker, later Senate President, at si congresswoman, hindi ba?

So what will the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas do to that smaller "fat cat", a certain Celso de los Angeles, owner of this string of failed rural banks? E, di wala.

Some are smarter than others, truly. The story of our lives in the benighted land.

In the "bad old days" of Marcos, there were behest loans left and right, to those cronies described as "smarter than others" by this Manapat researcher whom Gloria made head of the National Archives. The taxpayers ended up paying more taxes to soak up these unpaid liabilities. Charge mo sa "bayan".

We thought that throwing the dictatorship was also the end of this criminal practice of using other people's money, this "charge mo sa bayan" syndrome.

But now we know that congressmen charge to the "bayan" the egregious tongpats they squeeze from contractors for their pork barrel. And local officials also charge the "bayan" their tongpats from garbage collection contracts, as well as "mababaw na kaligayahan" projects such as giant Christmas trees and street lamps galore, along with fireworks displays---all horrendously overpriced.

We know that the "bayan" always gets royally screwed in government projects and contracts, even those funded by overseas assistance, bilateral or multilateral, in this kleptocratic reign as in others before it.

Well folks, this is the system we survive in. We always end up footing the bill, for nothing. We'd like to f-k the system, if only we could, but those who are "smarter than others" want to perpetuate it. Ha.llelujah! Hallelujah.Hallelujah! Halle.lu.jaaaah!


http://litobanayo.blogspot.com/2008/12/whats-happening-at-bangko-sentral.ht
ml

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Are we getting NEAR North KORea?

Are we getting NEAR North KORea? (UNCLASSIFIED)

Sir Raymund,

Dr Jose Rizal was one man who wouldn't quickly shoot the messenger, w/o knowing/asking for the hard facts...! That you should please remember kind Sir, if you wish to emulate the hero!

Your name has a meaning: its source is 'ragin mund', an Ancient Germanic name meaning "Protecting hands."

Lazir thinks you have courage in you...! Are you willing to answer Lazir's questions?

Lazir talks straight! KOR IHQ wouldn't answer his questions...! Why?

A CEO is not practicing GOOD LEADERSHIP if he ignores valid question/s from a (stockholder) member!

Lazir got investigated (Memo 006, series of 2008) and IHQ pushed for it, for asking VALID questions such as:

1. How come 4 Belgians (Messrs. Paras, Guansing, Alcoba, Nollas) got exalted to KGOR for no valid reasons? Why would KOR IHQ hide records about KGOR exaltations, if they are valid, correct, proper? Mr Alcoba wrote racistic e-mails early 2007... by July 2007, he was personally promoted by Mr Esguerra himself to KGOR! (Mr Quiambao was reportedly present as well!) Is it proper for leadership to just promote anyone to KGOR by virtue of friendship? The By-Laws and RA 646 prescribe the mode for KGOR exaltations! It is POOR LEADERSHIP to change these established sets of rules, just by say-so of someone!

2. Why does KOR IHQ protect Mr Alcoba, a proven racist (he asked Sir Peter Eisele about the "size of the whole in the latter's brain")?... and Mr Paras, an identified plagiarist (he claimed to have translated "Mi Ultimo Adios" to Pilipino, when it was the exact work of Andres Bonifacio!), not investigated or expelled or disciplined? Why?

3. Where's the almost Euro 5,000 donated by Mr Mushake to the KOR sometime 1999-2000? A KOR England "Souvenir Program" indicated Mr Quiambao as "supreme commander" then. Mr Esguerra wrote that this amount is NOT in the KOR IHQ books of accounts! Mr Barry Bowman last reported that the KOR IHQ bank was asked for records. It's months hence, but no more word about the MISSING Euro 5,000! Where's this money? Why is Mr Mushake preventing Lazir from asking about these, now KOR funds (AFTER the donation)???

4. Mr Quiambao's son stayed in the Paras' home in Brussels for many months. Needless to say, the former is the "Padrino" of the latter. (attached is a copy of a signed letter by Mr Paras, wrongly claiming to be President of the Philippine community, Belgium. Dr Jose Rizal would never denounce any Filipino, even his enemy!). Is that how shallow RIZALISM is, exalting Mr Paras to KGOR for hosting a son for a year?

5. Mr Quiambao is likewise identified as "Padrino" of Mr Collantes, KGOR from Canada. Mr Collantes reportedly forged the signature of his uncle, Sir Camiling Silverio on an "official" KOR document! In addition to this, Mr Collantes faces several cases in the Philippines, and is reportedly wanted by the NBI. How come Mr Collantes enjoys "protection" from KOR IHQ? Why does KOR IHQ tolerate such a person to even ORGANIZE the recently-concluded Aug-Sep 2008 Toronto Assembly? (Sir Camiling told Lazir that Mr Collantes was not invited to his wedding anniversary! This shows that Sir Camiling still has self-respect and is principled!)

6. KOR IHQ reported the results of the May 2008 elections, with Mr Esguerra as "supreme commander". Mr Esguerra claims no knowledge of the Alcoba racistic mails. When Sir Lucien furnished him copies of all the racistic e-mails, Mr Esguerra apparently clammed up, became quiet! While Mr Alcoba/Mr Paras were never disciplined, Sir Jun Zerrudo got investigated and quickly, unceremonously expelled from the Order!

7. Is the KOR run by Mr Esguerra or Mr Quiambao? Do you have the answer Sir Raymund?

8. Mr Esguerra wrote in Oct 2008 a letter to Lazir's Wilhemlsfeld-Heidelberg Chapter, addressed to its principled Chapter Commander, Sir Rainer Weber. In it, Mr Esguerra subtly pushed for the "ouster"/investigation of Lazir!

9. What good is that (souvenir) program Mr Banta is promoting, the February international assembly Mr Quiambao is organizing, when the Rizalism the present KOR banners up high is hallow and empty? Are we in the KOR brainless puppets of a "dear leader"?

Sir Jun Zerrudo promoted TRUE RIZALISM and got punished by this KOR!

Mr Paras, the SHAME of Europe and identified plagiarist, as well as Mr Alcoba, the proven racist, NEVER got investigated, nor disciplined!

Pray tell Sir Raymund, what is disturbing to you, Lazir's writings which are truthful or the way KOR IHQ is run by an INCOMPETENT ("dear"?) "leader"? Lazir wishes to get your reply as proof of your sincerity.

"Laws can embody standards; governments can enforce laws but the final task is not a task for government. It is a task for each and every one of us. Every time we turn our heads the other way when we see the law flouted, when we tolerate what we know to be wrong, when we close our eyes and ears to the corrupt because we are too busy, or too frightened, when we fail to speak up and speak out, we strike a blow against freedom and decency and justice." Robert F. Kennedy

For country and people!

:)
Lazir
Fear the Lord, no one/nothing else!


P.S. - The Spanish friars Dr Jose Rizal attacked in his Noli and Fili labored hard for the hero's "guilty as charged" sentencing, based on manipulated charges/accusations!

Lazir writes openly, but Mr Esguerra, as "supreme commander" has to HIDE the documents recommending the Belgian KGOR promotions? Normally, one is PROUD to show such a document, if well-deserved! Is that not INCOMPETENCE if not CORRUPT?

PAHAYAG NG KOALISYON KONTRA KORAPSYON

Ka Pule2 / IRENEO,

Maraming salamat po sa pagpasa ng isang kopya ng inyong pagsalin sa pambangsang wika na ang pamagat ay lalong nagbigay ng liwanag sa mga layunin at tuntunin ng "Koalisyon Kontra Korapsyon" (KKK).

Maraming salamat sa inyong pagsalin at ngayon ay lalong tumambad sa pangalan ng organisasyon ang napakabigat na dalahin para sa Mamamayang Pilipino.

Isa kayo sa mga kapwa Pilipino na aking nirerespeto ang pananaw, diwa at damdamin para sa tunay na kapakanan ng ating Inang Bayan, kahintulad ng mga miyembro ng Koalisyon Kontra Korapsyon.

Aking ikinagagalak na sa pamamagitan ng teknolohiya ay nagsisimula na ang kailangang kailangang pagkakaisa ng Mamamayang Pilipino tungo sa paglutas ng napakatagal ng walang pakundangang pang-aabuso ng mga nasa gobyerno.

Hindi maaaring tawaran ang pagmamahal sa Inang Bayan ng bawat mamamayang Pilipino na may natitira pang karangalan para labanan ang korapsyon na bantad sa ating lipunan. Bagama't iisa lamang ang tanging mithiin ng bawat isa para sa ating Inang Bayan ay hindi pa dumarating doon sa pagtugma ng mga ibat-ibang pamamaraan upang malunasan ang walang pakundangang pang-aabuso ng mga nasa gobyerno.

Kasama ako doon sa pananaw na karapatdapat lamang na iyong mga nasa gobyerno ay magsilbi ng tapat sa Inang Bayan at magpatupad ng mga reporma na kailangan.

Walang puwang sa anuman pang pagtatalo tungkol sa layunin at tuntunin para sa pangkalahatan, maski sa kasalukuyan o sa hinaharap.

Nguni't mayroong napakalaking puwang tungkol sa pamamaraan, pagdating sa kung ano ang tugma at nararapat para sa kasalukuyan. Nagkaroon tayo mga Mamamayang Pilipino ng isang maiituturing ng marami na napakalaking milagro noong Pebrero 1986.

Subali't tayo rin mga Mamamayang Pilipino ang basta na lang pinabayaan ang mga nakapwesto sa gobyerno na magawa ang mga karumaldumal na kabalbalan simula pa sa panahon ni Corazon Cojuangco Aquino. Sumunod ang mga kagarapalan sa panahon ni Fidel Valdez Ramos na hanggang ngayon ni isang kaso ay wala akong nabasa na nasa husgado. At ang pinakamalaking kahunghangan nating Mamamayang Pilipino ay noong Enero 2001, ng ang mayorya sa atin ay nagsawalang kibo lamang sa tahasang pagbasura sa ating 1987 Konstitusyon ng Pilipinas.

Kulang noon sa bilang ang mga Mamamayang Pilipino na gustong umalma sa pagkalinaw linaw na pagtayo ng isang hunyangong demokrasya sa Pilipinas, na kung tunay lang na susuriin ng mabuti ay isang diktadurya na isinampa ng AFP at PNP, na gamit ang mga mapagsamantalang nasa Malacanang, Kongreso, at sa Korte Suprema. Isa ako doon sa mga nanlumo na yung naturingang mga sangdamakmak na abugado dito sa Pilipinas ay parang lumitaw na kakutsaba rin ng diktadurya, dahil sa ni wala man lamang narinig na kumuntesto sa ginawa nina Hilario Davide Jr. na hanggang ngayon ay ni hindi pa lang kinanti: yung tinagurian na "constructive resignation". Doon ako napwersa na ituring na ang mayorya sa ating mga Mamamayang Pilipino ay sobrang mga gunggong at maling mali ang ating mga bayani na mga namatay para sa atin.

Dahil sa lumusot sila noong Enero 2001 ay inulit muli ng diktadurya ang paglibak at ang pagbasura sa 1987 Konstitusyon ng Pilipinas noong eleksyon ng Mayo 2004.

At simula noon hanggang sa araw na ito ay patuloy na ang mayorya sa ating Mamamayang Pilipino ay pumapayag sa pagpapatuloy ng diktadurya.

Maski na pa ituring na isang pag-alipusta sa kakayahan ng mga Masang Pilipino ay aking kinuha ang linya na ang pag-asa na lamang ay ang mga may natitira pang mga dangal sa hanay ng mga intelektwal at mga propesyonal.

Nawalan na ako ng tiwala sa kung sino man ang mga pulitiko sa gobyerno sa lahat ng antas at isinama ko dyan ang kung sino man sa aking pamilya at kamag-anak na sumabak sa putik ng pulitika. Nawalan na ako ng tiwala hindi sa Panginoon, kung hindi doon sa mga naturingang na mga alagad daw ng kanilang mga diyos. At lalo lamang ako nangrimarim ng mismo ang mga nasa simbahan ay nagsimulang sumawsaw at kasalukuyang nagtatampisaw sa larangan ng pulitika.

Muli lamang akong nabuhayan ng pag-asa para sa Inang Bayan at sa mga hindi pa nga ipinanganganak na Pilipino noong aking mabasa na may bagong organisasyon ang mga kabataan: ang "Team RP". Nadagdagan ang aking pag-asa noong maintindihan ko ang layunin ng "Bangon Pilipinas". At noong suyurin ko ang Internet muli ay nakita ko na napakarami na pala naman ang mga nahimasmasan na sa ating mga kapwa Pilipino. Libo libong organisasyon ng mga Pilipino na mga nagdeklara ng hangarin sa pagbabago ng ating lipunan. At aking inakala na mayroon na ring isang posibilidad tungo sa tunay na pagbabago. Lalo na noong aking maintindihan ang layunin ng "TransEd-TransPin Movement": "Transform Education, Transform the Philippines".

Subali't ako ay nanlumong muli ng aking mapagtanto na numero lamang ang nagbago ng kaunti. Sa ilalim ay ampaw pa rin ang pundasyon ng karamihan. Sa pang-ibabaw at lalo na sa salita lang ay parepareho ang angas: Patriotismo, Integridad, at Ekselensya (PIE).

Mayroon ng numerong kailangan sa mga libo libong organisasyon. Subalit hanggang ngayon simula pa noong 1896 ay naririto pa rin sa ating gitna, ang mga kanya kanya at personal na layunin at hangarin na siyang nagsisilbi pa ring balakid upang marating ang "kritikong masa" na kailangan para sa pag-alsa ng isang malawakang pagbabago. Walang pinag-iwan doon sa mga nangyari sa panahon ni Andres Bonifacio at Emilio Aguinaldo.

Parehong pareho lamang: masyadong marami pa ang gusto ay bida at hindi makapayag at makontento sa pagsuporta lamang sa paglunsad at pagsulong ng isang malawakang pagbabago para sa lahat ng Mamamayang Pilipino.

Bukod pa riyan, ang isa pang balakid ay ang hindi pagkakasundo sa ano talaga ba ang kailangang gawin ngayon, dito sa kasalukuyan, imbes na sa hinaharap na base lamang sa kung ano ba ang siyang ating gagawin ngayon. At dito nakapako ang sitwasyon. At wala mangyayaring pagbabago kapag hindi narating ang isang maliwanag na kasunduan kung ano ba talaga ang kinakailangang gawin nating mga Mamamayang Pilipino ngayon.

Tumpak ang pananaw na karapatdapat lamang na iyong mga nasa gobyerno ay magsilbi ng tapat sa Inang Bayan at magpatupad ng mga reporma na kailangan. Walang puwang sa anuman pang pagtatalo tungkol sa layunin at tuntunin para sa pangkalahatan, maski sa kasalukuyan o sa hinaharap. Subalit, iyun na nga ang pinaka-ugat ng mga problema sa ating kasalukuyan: iyun mismong mga kriminal ang nagpapatakbo ng gobyerno!

Dito ako nagdesisyon na maski na pa ako ay nag-iisa lamang ay kinakailangang ako ay makipag-batikusan doon sa mga itinuturing kong mas mga magagaling at may mga mas mataas na pinag-aralang mga propesor at mga doktor ng kung anu anong larangan. Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit ang isang napakalinaw na sitwasyon ay napakalabo ng mga pananaw. Kaya ako ay napilitan na tahasan ng makipagbalitaktakan doon sa aking mga itinuturing na mas magagaling at may mga mas mataas na pinag-aralan, subalit malinaw na nabubulagan sa pagtanaw sa sitwasyon. Maski na anung anggulo tignan ay hindi ko maintindihan ang lohika ng: hilingan ang mga kriminal na tigilan ang kanilang ginagawa!

JM

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ASKING the CRIMINALS to STOP THEMSELVES is ABSOLUTE INSANITY!

Isn't this the TIME to draw the line among us Filipino Citizens, between those who are FOR or AGAINST this TRI-PARTITE DICTATORSHIP?

Haven't we had ENOUGH of the FENCE-SITTING, the "FEAR hiding behind the Call for Peace and Constitutionalism", the Ambiguity and Equivocal Attitude of the supposed Religious Leaders with Moral Ascendancy, and the Political Posturing of the Opposition?

Haven't we had ENOUGH of the USELESS TALKS / POSTINGS about RELIGIONS or POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES?

Haven't we had ENOUGH of the CRIMINALS sowing FEAR and CONFUSION among us FILIPINO CITIZENS, for us to argue among ourselves?

Isn't the REAL ISSUE on PATRIOTISM, INTEGRITY, and EXCELLENCE among ourselves, FILIPINO CITIZENS?

Isn't there only ONE relevant QUESTION that EVERY Filipino Citizen MUST ANSWER in the HERE AND NOW, and NOT on 10 MAY 2010:

Are you FOR or AGAINST this TRI-PARTITE DICTATORSHIP?

Is there any NEED for any public declaration when this is NOT a survey or a poll?

This is a CALL to EVERY Filipino Citizen for a CATEGORICAL ANSWER to ONESELF.

Based on YOUR categorical answer, YOU know EXACTLY what YOU must do as a FILIPINO PATRIOT with INTEGRITY and EXCELLENCE.

For sure, the AFP and the PNP are WITH the TRI-PARTITE DICTATORSHIP. Accordingly, it is pointless to rely on those institutions. It will be up to the INDIVIDUAL soldiers and policemen to make their respective INDIVIDUAL answers to the SAME QUESTION:

Are you FOR or AGAINST this TRI-PARTITE DICTATORSHIP?

Those who are presently with the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches for EMPLOYMENT, regardless of the nature of the employment contract, must make your respective INDIVIDUAL answers to the SAME QUESTION:

Are you FOR or AGAINST this TRI-PARTITE DICTATORSHIP?

Based on the ANSWERS, we DRAW THE LINE between those who are FOR or AGAINST this TRIPARTITE DICTATORSHIP.

Once WE Filipino Citizens have drawn the line between those who are FOR or AGAINST this TRIPARTITE DICTATORSHIP, what happens?

Let's END this ABSOLUTE INSANITY this DECEMBER 2008!

Para sa Pilipinas! Para sa Bagong Pilipino! Tapusin natin ang Kabaliwang ito!

ANG BAYAN KONG PILIPINAS

SONG OF MARIA CLARA

Song Of Maria Clara

(Source: Rizaliana Site)
A poem, found in Rizal's book Noli me tangere, sung by
Maria Clara, which accounts for the title

Sweet are the hours in one's own Native Land,
All there is friendly o'er which the sun shines above;
Vivifying is the breeze that wafts over her fields;
Even death is gratifying and more tender is love.

Ardent kissed on a mother's lips are at play,
On her lap, upon the infant child's awakening,
The extended arms do seek her neck to entwine,
And the eyes at each other's glimpse are smiling.

It is sweet to die in one's own Native Land,
All there is friendly o'er which the sun shines above;
And deathly is the breeze for one without
A country, without a mother and without love.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2008 PRESIDENTIAL AWARDEES

2 Riyadh OFWs Bag Presidential Award
Arab News
First Posted 17:45:00 11/12/2008

JEDDAH—Two Filipinos from Riyadh are among the 31 awardees selected by the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) from Philippine expatriates all over the world to receive the 2008 Presidential Awards from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The awarding ceremony will be held at the Malacañang Palace in Manila on December 9.

Awardees Alexander Edades Asuncion is working as an executive assistant at the Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma'aden) while Joseph Magdalena is a businessman who owns the biggest Filipino supermarket in Riyadh.

Asuncion is widely lauded for his efforts in translating and explaining to fellow Filipinos in the Kingdom the new Saudi Labor Law, and encouraging Filipino workers to enhance their relationship with their employers, and be a model expatriate to the Islamic kingdom.

In 1994, he was awarded by President Fidel V. Ramos The Bagong Bayani (new hero) award as one of the outstanding Filipinos in the world.

The CFO awardees are:

Linkapil Awardees: Association of Philippine Physicians of America, New York; Enverga, Tobias Jr., Toronto; Filipino Women's Association UK, London; Stichting Kapatiran, The Hague.

Kaanib ng Bayan Awardees: Catholic Medical Mission Board, New York; Children's Chance CT, New York; Heetens Helpgood Center Philippines, The Hague; Ligier, Laurence, Paris.

Banaag Awardees: Asuncion, Alexander, Riyadh; Berberabe, Patricia, New York; Carandang, Angeles, Chicago; Casambre Sr., Mary Aida, Hongkong; Derpo, Esperanza, Abuja; Filipino Korean Spouses Association, Seoul; Garcia, Lamberto, New York; Ho, Eleanor, Taiwan; Magdalena, Joseph, Riyadh; Muzones, Santiago Jr., New York; Noblejas, Dr. Antonio, Wellington; Overs, Lilian, Toronto; Philippine Community Council of New South Wales, Sydney; Philippine Nurses Association of America, New York; Philipsen, Adelina, The Hague; United Filipino Council of Hawaii, Honolulu.

Pamana ng Pilipino: Besa, Amelita and Dorotan, Romeo, New York; De Leon, Bayani, New York; Esguerra, Carlos, New York; Hizon, Federico, Singapore; Pelayo, Libertito, New York; Ramos, Dr. Teresita, Honolulu; Villarin, Engr. Nilo, Washington. Francis Salud.

TO THE PHILIPPINE YOUTH

To the Philippine Youth
by Jose Rizal

Hold high the brow serene,
O youth, where now you stand;
Let the bright sheen
Of your grace be seen,
Fair hope of my fatherland!

Come now, thou genius grand,
And bring down inspiration;
With thy mighty hand,
Swifter than the wind's violation,
Raise the eager mind to higher station.

Come down with pleasing light
Of art and science to the fight,
O youth, and there untie
The chains that heavy lie,
Your spirit free to blight.
See how in flaming zone
Amid the shadows thrown,
The Spaniard'a holy hand
A crown's resplendent band
Proffers to this Indian land.

Thou, who now wouldst rise
On wings of rich emprise,
Seeking from Olympian skies
Songs of sweetest strain,
Softer than ambrosial rain;
Thou, whose voice divine
Rivals Philomel's refrain
And with varied line
Through the night benign
Frees mortality from pain;

Thou, who by sharp strife
Wakest thy mind to life ;
And the memory bright
Of thy genius' light
Makest immortal in its strength ;

And thou, in accents clear
Of Phoebus, to Apelles dear ;
Or by the brush's magic art
Takest from nature's store a part,
To fig it on the simple canvas' length ;

Go forth, and then the sacred fire
Of thy genius to the laurel may aspire ;
To spread around the fame,
And in victory acclaim,
Through wider spheres the human name.

Day, O happy day,
Fair Filipinas, for thy land!
So bless the Power to-day
That places in thy way
This favor and this fortune grand !

Translated by Charles Derbyshire

WHY IS THE FILIPINO SPECIAL?

By Ed Lapiz

Filipinos are brown. Their color is at the center of human racial strains. This point is not an attempt at racism, but just for many Filipinos to realize that our color should not be a source of or reason for an inferiority complex. While we pine for a fair complexion, white people are religiously tanning themselves, under the sun or artificial light, to approximate the Filipino complexion.

Filipinos are a touching people. We have lots of love and are not afraid to show it. We almost inevitably create human chains with our perennial akbay (putting an arm around another's shoulder), hawak (hold), yakap (embrace), himas(caressing stroke), kalabit (touching with the tip of the finger), kalong (sitting on someone else's lap), etc. We are always reaching out, always seeking interconnection.

Filipinos are linguists. Put a Filipino in any city, any town around the world. Give him a few months or even weeks and he will speak the local language there. Filipinos are adept at learning and speaking languages

In fact, it is not uncommon for Filipinos to speak at least three: his own local dialect, Filipino, and English. Of course, a lot speak an added language, be it Chinese, Spanish or, if he works abroad, the language of his host country.

In addition, Tagalog is not 'sexist.' While many 'conscious' and 'enlightened' people of today are just by now striving to be 'politically correct' with their language and, in the process, bend to absurd depths in coining 'gender sensitive' words, Tagalog has, since time immemorial, evolved gender-neutral words like asawa (husband or wife), anak (son or daughter),magulang (father or mother), kapatid (brother or sister),biyenan (father-in-law or mother-in-law) , manugang (son or daughter-in- bayani (hero or heroine), etc. Our languages and dialects are advanced and, indeed, sophisticated!

Filipinos are groupists. We love human interaction and company. We always surround ourselves with people and we hover over them, too. According to Dr. Patricia Licuanan, a psychologist from Ateneo and Miriam College, an average Filipino would have and know at least 300 relatives.

At work, we live bayanihan (mutual help); at play, we want a kalaro (playmate) more than laruan (toy). At socials, our invitations are open and it is more common even for guests to invite and bring in other guests. In transit, we do not want to be separated from our group. So what do we do when there is no more space in a vehicle? Kalung-kalong! (Sitting on one another). No one would ever suggest splitting a group and wait for another vehicle with more space!

Filipinos are weavers. One look at our baskets, mats, clothes, and other crafts will reveal the skill of the Filipino weaver and his inclination to weaving. This art is a metaphor of the Filipino trait. We are social weavers. We weave theirs into ours that we all become parts of one another. We place a lot of premium on pakikisama (getting along) andpakikipagkapwa (relating). Two of the worst labels, walang pakikipagkapwa (inability to relate), will be avoided by the Filipino at almost any cost.

We love to blend and harmonize with people, we like to include them in our 'tribe,' our 'family'- and we like to be included in other people's families, too. Therefore we call our friend's mother nanay or mommy; we call a friend's sisterate (eldest sister), and so on. We even call strangers tia/tita(aunt) or tio/tito (uncle), tatang (grandfather)

So extensive is our social openness and interrelations that we have specific title for extended relations like hipag (sister-in-law' s spouse), balae (child-in-law' s parents), inaanak(godchild) , ninong/ninang (godparents) kinakapatid( godparent' s child), etc.

In addition, we have the profound 'ka' institution, loosely translated as 'equal to the same kind' as in kasama (of the same company), kaisa (of the same cause), kapanalig (of the same belief), etc. In our social fiber, we treat other people as co-equals. Filipinos, because of their social 'weaving' traditions, make for excellent team workers.

Filipinos are adventurers. We have a tradition of separation. Our myths and legends speak of heroes and heroines who almost always get separated from their families and loved ones and are taken by circumstances to far-away lands where they find wealth or power.

Our Spanish colonial history is filled with separations caused by the reduccion (hamletting) , and the forced migration to build towns, churches, fortresses or galleons. American occupation enlarged the space of Filipino wandering, including America, and there is documented evidence of Filipino presence in America as far back as 1587.

Now, Filipinos compose the world's largest population of overseas workers, populating and sometimes 'threshing' major capitals, minor towns and even remote villages around the world. Filipino adventurism has made us today's citizens of the world, bringing the bagoong (salty shrimp paste),pansit (sautéed noodles), siopao (meat-filled dough), kare-kare (peanut-flavored dish), balut (unhatched duck egg), andadobo (meat vinaigrette) tabo (dipper) and tsinelas (slippers) all over the world.

Filipinos are excellent at adjustments and improvisation, managing to recreate their home, or to feel at home anywhere. Filipinos have Pakiramdam (deep feeling/discernment ) . We know how to feel what others feel, sometimes even anticipate what they will feel.

Being manhid (dense; as Gloria Arroyo is) is one of the worst labels anyone could get and will therefore, avoid at all cost. We know when a guest is hungry though the insistence on being full is assured.

We can tell if people are lovers even if they are miles apart. We know if a person is offended though he may purposely smile. We know because we feel. In our pakikipagkapwa( relating) , we get not only to wear another man's shoe but also his heart.

We have a superbly developed and honored gift of discernment, making us excellent leaders, counselors, and go-betweens. . Filipinos are very spiritual. We are transcendent. We transcend the physical world, see the unseen and hear the unheard. We have a deep sense of kaba(premonition) and kutob (hunch). A Filipino wife willinstinctively feel her husband or child is going astray, whether or not telltale signs present themselves.

Filipino spirituality makes him invoke divine presence or intervention at nearly every bend of his journey. Rightly or wrongly, Filipinos are almost always acknowledging, invoking or driving away spirits into and from their lives. Seemingly trivial or even incoherent events can take onspiritual significance and will be given such space or consideration.

The Filipino has a sophisticated, developed pakiramdam.The Filipino, though becoming more and more modern (hence, materialistic) is still very spiritual in essence. This inherent and deep spirituality makes the Filipino, once correctly Christianized, a major exponent of the faith.

Filipinos are timeless. Despite the nearly half-a-millennium encroachment of the western clock into our lives, Filipinos-unless on very formal or official functions-still measure time not with hours and minutes but with feeling. This style is ingrained deep in our psyche. Our time is diffused, not framed. Our appointments are defined by umaga (morning),tanghali (noon ), hapon (afternoon), or gabi (evening). Our most exact time reference is probably katanghaliang- tapat(high noon), which still allows many minutes of leeway. That is how Filipino meetings and occasions are timed: there is really no definite time. A Filipino event has no clear-cut beginning nor ending. We have a fiesta , but there is visperas(eve) , a day after the fiesta is still considered a good time to visit. The Filipino Christmas is not confined to December 25th; it somehow begins months before December and extends up to the first days of January.

Filipinos say good-bye to guests first at the head of the stairs, then down to the descanso (landing), to the entresuelo(mezzanin e), to the pintuan (doorway), to the trangkahan(gate) , and if the departing persons are to take public transportation, up to the bus stop or bus station.

In a way, other people's tardiness and extended stays can really be annoying, but this peculiarity is the same charm of Filipinos who, being governed by timelessness, can show how to find more time to be nice, kind, and accommodating than his prompt and exact brothers elsewhere.

Filipinos are Spaceless. As in the concept of time, the Filipino concept of space is not numerical. We will not usually express expanse of space with miles or kilometers but with feelings in how we say malayo (far)or malapit(near). Alongside with numberlessness, Filipino space is also boundless. Indigenous culture did not divide land into private lots but kept it open for all to partake of its abundance.

The Filipino has avidly remained 'spaceless' in many ways. The interior of the bahay-kubo (hut) can easily become receiving room, sleeping room, kitchen, dining room, chapel, wake parlor, etc. Depending on the time of the day or the needs of the moment.

The same is true with the bahay na bato (stone house). Space just flows into the next space that the divisions between the sala (living room), caida, comedor (dining room), or vilada may only be faintly suggested by overhead arches of filigree. In much the same way, Filipino concept of space can be so diffused that one 's party may creep into and actually expropriate the street! A family business like a sari-sari store (general store) or talyer (repair shop) may extend to the sidewalk and street. Provincial folks dry palayan (rice grain) on the highways!

Religious groups of various persuasions habitually and matter-of-factly commandeer streets for processions and parades. It is not uncommon to close a street to accommodate private functions, Filipinos eat. sleep, chat, socialize, quarrel, even urinate, or nearly everywhere or just anywhere!

'Spacelessness, ' in the face of modern, especially urban life, can be unlawful and may really be counter-productive. On the other hand, Filipino spacelessness, when viewed from his context, is just another manifestation of his spiritually and communal values. Adapted well to today's context, which may mean unstoppable urbanization, Filipino spacelessness may even be the answer and counter balance to humanity'sgreed, selfishness and isolation.

So what makes the Filipino special? Brown, spiritual, timeless, spaceless, linguists, groupists, weavers, adventurers; seldom do all these profound qualities find personification in a people. Filipinos should allow - and should be allowed to contribute their special traits to the world-wide community of men - a but first, they should know and like themselves.