Paano

by Gary Valenciano

Yakap, yakap ko siya
dahil luha’y dagling dadaloy
ngunit paano ko sasabihin ito.
Puso’y tiyak na masusugatan
kaya ba niyang maunawaan
paano ko sasabihin ito

Chorus:
Ayaw ko mang saktan
ang kanyang damdamin
Ngunit kailangan malaman
Puso’y kumakaba
Sana’y matapos na
di’ makapag-umpisa.
Ngunit kahit nais
ko man pilitin
‘Di na kayang ibigin
Paano ipadarama
Sa ‘yo sinta na
Puso’y ari na ng iba
wohh-wohh-wohh
wohh-wohh-wohhhh

Labis, laging nagdaramdam
Bakit sa’kin pa manggagaling
Paano ko sasabihin ito

Repeat Chorus

Bridge:
Hahhhh
Hahhhh
Pa’no, pa’no ko sasabihin
Pa’no, ko sasabihin
Pa’no…woohhh
Puso’y tiyak na masusugatan
Kaya ba niyang maunawaan
Oohh, nais mang pilitin
Di na kayang ibigin
Pa’no ko sasabihin…
Hhoohhh…

Reminiscing high school days

I've gone back to uplb this weekend just to hang out with friends from back in high school and like most of our reunions, we can't help but look back on the good old high school days and talk about the things we have been doing up until now. It's nice to think that we are indeed growing up and growing older. As Renan said, we now have our own worlds to live but when we come together, we are just like one big universe having a good time.

This shot was taken when we were just 2nd year in high school. When I look at it now and compare how we are now, the difference is obvious. We (sort of) think more maturely, dress up more maturely, and talk about mature stuff. We changed, Renan said again, but that does not mean that we should forget what we have gone through for 4 (3 years for me, Renan and Roel).

It was a fun weekend. I just wished that the people at Diliman wasn't so busy so that we can share a few hours on the bowling alley. :)

Pacman by TKO on 10th!

Manny Pacquiao WINS!!!

by Technical Knock Out on the 10th Round!

I could say that this was one of the most awaited events in the Philippines and boy it didn't lead to disappointment. The initial rounds seemed like it was a bleak quest as Morales was landing good hits on our guy except when he staggered a bit on the 2nd but the wind turned against the unfortunate Mexican on 6th round. Manny was able to land punches left and right and, in the end, Morales landed on his knees and after a few rain of punches, and another drop, the match was ended with Manny getting the hand raise!

Praises to Manny with his new American accent!!! :p

Just kidding... But honestly though, kudos to a hero in this times of untrustworthiness and lack of integrity of public figures in our country.

New year's survey

1. What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before?
I did a lot of new things in 2005. I started working! Graduated from university! woohoo! I paid income tax as well. :(

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Did I have a New Year's Resolution last year?

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No

5. What countries did you visit?
Went to a lot of good places this year with highlight on Vancouver and Toronto, Canada. :p "Business Trip"But I'm also pretty proud of having visited Baguio last summer and my solo Davao-Cotabato-Davao-Cebu trip for my 21st birthday! :p

6. What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005?
To be more assertive and someone to spend time with. :p

7. What date from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Septembet 20, 2005 - my birthday. some things are better left unsaid! :p

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Graduating from the country's best univeristy on time and getting a pretty good job

9. What was your biggest failure?
I missed SLA for December. HP pips, you know this. :(

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I'm glad I didn't. I wasted one year's worth of medical benefits though. :p

11. What was the best thing you bought?
New clothes!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Every salary day is worth celebrating!

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
could I say graduation? :p

14. Where did most of your money go?
Taxi!!!!

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Business trips! :p

16. What song will always remind you of 2005?
Noypi by Bamboo. You have to know who you are, where you come from, and be proud about it when you face the real whole wide world.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? no change
ii. thinner or fatter? hahah! fatter!
iii. richer or poorer? definitely richer

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Spent my time more wisely back in UP

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
sleeping time off

20. How did you spend Christmas?
in Cebu with my Family

22. Did you fall in love in 2005?
Maybe? :p

23. How many one-night stands?
one night stands... :-

24. What was your favourite TV program?
Rockstar: INXS but I didn't watch it on TV

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No

26. What was the best book you read?
The Alchemist

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I can do Videoke! :p

28. What did you want and get?
A good paying job

29. What did you want and not get?
a girl bestfriend. :(

30. favorite film of this year?
Highway

31. what did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Went on a 5 day 4 city hop. I'm 21.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
a girl bestfriend. :)

33. how would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005?
From T-shirt and jeans to collared shirts and slacks.

34. What kept you sane?
Good friends, family.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
no particular figure really

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
GMA cheated. So, what happens next?

37. Who did you miss?
Electron pips!

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Could I say best new set of people instead? Go BI/DW! :p

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005.
Life should be enjoyed.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.because of you

....
And I went down to the demonstrationTo get my fair share of abuseSinging, "We're gonna vent our frustrationIf we don't we're gonna blow a 50-amp fuse"Sing it to me now...
You can't always get what you wantYou can't always get what you wantYou can't always get what you wantBut if you try sometimes well you just might findYou get what you needOh baby, yeah, yeah!
....

Dancing Cha-Cha

What's wrong the the current Philippine Constitution? OK, let's admit it, its not perfect but the way things are going with regards to the discussions on charter change is simply not what needs to be changed.

Is one-chamber parliamentary system better? Would having a prime minister be better than having a president? Is there a need for terms to be defined for the incumbent elected officials if ever this change in constitution does take effect? These are what usually highlights the newspapers, and tv and radion news. This is what most politicians "intelligently" debate about or should I rather say that this is the subject most are more concerned about.

It is easy to refute each one. A one chamber system will remove the check and balance between the house or representatives and the senate. A flaw we can see is the possibility of passing mediocre laws not really relevant or beneficial.

A prime minister would be one coming from the winning political party from the elections. However, we have a week party system wherein no solid ideology exist for a party. There is also no party loyalty among politicians in a party. Every election, we see them switching sides depending who has the best offer. God, and we call them public servants! Elected posts are not supposed to be made into careers. Its service to the country; a willingness to give and contribute something good and worthwhile. Idealistic as it might seem, but if we do not determine the root purpose of a thing, I doubt that we can ever move forward.

And what is this about having the incumbent end terms by 2007 or 2010? Is this even relevant to the topic of charter change? I mean, this is a political issue that would be relevant once there exists an already ratified charter. We are wasting our salivas on pointless debate.

But the fact of the matter is that these questions would not answer the questions of the ordinary Filipino. Will I be able to eat tomorrow? Will I afford school for my kids? Will I be safe in the streets? Do I have a future in this country? I believe there is nothing wrong with the constitution even if it was built in reaction to the 1971 version to support the Marcos martial law. I believe that what is wrong is the people we continue to put in office. And I know everyone agrees with this.

Filipinos have to return to the basics; to what is more important, to what will be good for us and for our country in the future. It's not that hard to imagine that we are progressing well in all aspects. It's just a matter of focus. Just doing the right thing. Can't we just do that for once?

Holiday Vacation

New Year is a special time for my family, as any other's. OUr activities are simple actually. Every 1st of the year, we from the Lim Clan (Mother's side) get together for a mass at dusk at Lola Loring's place at Mabolo, Cebu. The fun part of the whole thing though is that I get to meet very distant relatives. Lola Loring is the cousin of my grandmother, so the cousin's I meet there would be my second and third degree cousins. I also meet my other grandparents and uncles and aunts. You can imagine how long the process of doing 'mano po' takes.

I have always been a bit withdrawn during these types of occasions as I have never really spent that much time with these relatives, considering how distant-ness our relation is. But the thing that I appreciate most about as I grew older is that these people are family as well and these occassions are meant for us to get to know each other. As always, family will always been there to support us no matter how wrong or bad or deep in shit you have gotten yourself into. Even if you score a hundred in videoke singing My Way or Only You even if you yourself know that your singin was totally out of tune, your family will be there to nudge you to try harder, and with enough support, you gain confidence in yourself as well as appreciation for the help.

Just this Christmas, we visited a couple of relatives (the husband of my grandmother's sister and my grandfather's brother) who are now in not so tiptop shape. What's so special about these visits is that my grandparents as well as my parents and my aunts and uncles care very much about them dispite their inability to move on their own (both are already bedridden). This vacation was a special reminder for me about the importance of my family.

Leaving alone can be tough and sometimes we have got to toughen ourselves in order to live through each day. Leaving alone away from your family while trying to earn enough bucks to support yourself, your lifestyle and maybe a future family can make you forget about what really matters, and that is your present family. Personally, I have already grown accustomed to living away from my family. It has been 6 years since I started living alone during my 4th year high school days.

It was difficult to leave Cebu after this vacation. I miss them already.