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Medium Rare

Medium Rare

Medium Rare

Medium Rare

Medium Rare

It is no longer true, as Chairman Mao once observed, that “women hold up half the sky.”

Thanks to the September deluge whose effects could be likened to a war minus the aerial bombardment, “people are more conscious of insurance now.”

As typhoon Ondoy’s rains fell and floodwaters rose, a mechanic who was allowed to stay overnight in his employer’s house was doing everything but being grateful.

Statistics on the actual and factual incidence of child abuse are too horrendous to gather and believe, so thank God for the government’s social workers and the private sector’s scores of foundations looking after their welfare.

With everyone now an instant (if amateur) expert on floods, lakes and leaks, on rain, rescue and relief, taming typhoon “Ramil” should be a walk in the park.

To help victims of “Ondoy,” one of the first things counselors did at the Ateneo high school was to tell their teachers and classmates, “Don’t call them victims, call them survivors.”

After watching “Julie and Julia,” the movie “based on two true stories” about two women who lived in two different time zones and periods of history, both of whom had a thing for food, Mrs. Bill Luz said she had a sudden craving for French food.

A funny thing happened on the way to the Entrepreneur of the Year awards last Thursday at the Makati Shangri-La.

Now that government people, including those in National Power Corp., have reported that enough time was given to warn residents living in the path of the waters released from certain dams at the height of typhoon Pepeng, they are admitting that what they did was an act of man rather than an act of God, as insurance companies are wont to say.

They have “proposed” solutions left and right. They have made their enlightened, enlightening “recommendations.”

How tempting to say that all hell has broken loose, when we associate hell with fire and all we get is water.

Apart from the weather bureau’s acknowledgement of the power of prayer that thwarted “Pepeng” from a direct hit at Metro Manila, the only sensible post-“Ondoy” statement I heard was Jun Palafox denying that what happened on Sept. 26 was an act of God.

No man is an island, no typhoon is local anymore.

It was the worst of times; it was the best of times.

Looking at the brighter side, the deluge of Saturday the 26th of September could not be blamed on any one person or agency except something over which we have no control.

In the Valhalla of his mind, my friend was convinced that there was basis for Hitler to believe in the supremacy of the Aryan race. “Just listen to the music of the German composers,” he said. “Beethoven. Bach. And, on top of my list, Wagner.”

How often in a concert-goer’s privileged existence does she get to watch a stellar cellist as soloist?

Like Obama, he smokes, he’s a lawyer and father of two. Like Obama, he will use the Internet and all its tentacles extensively (14 to 20 million Filipinos are computer-literate) in the election campaign. Which does not mean that he will not also resort to radio and TV.

Irene Marcos Araneta didn’t want it en grande. Perhaps she remembered her wedding... or Bagong Anyo... or little Persepolis?

Thirty years ago, would anyone have dared call a certain Imelda Marcos mad?

I will remember September as the month which featured the date 09-09-09, on the morning of which, at exactly 9 seconds 9 minutes of the 9th hour I was supposed to make a wish but overslept and woke up at 9:12!

Tough luck for Chavit Singson. This is a matriarchal society. His boss is a lady. Women run the media. The most active, the loudest sector of activists is dominated by no-longer-the-weaker-sex. For his sake, the RTC judge trying his case is hopefully neither a feminist nor a feminist-at-heart.

If Greenhills is Chinatown II, the five-star hotels in Makati have just made their city an extension of the extension without renaming it Chinatown III.

From Senator Mar Roxas’ “I seek to unite, not divide” speech at Club Filipino on Sept. 1: “Noynoy has made it clear to me that he wants to carry the torch of leadership.”

Of course Senator Mar Roxas will now “have to” be Senator Benigno Aquino III’s vice presidential running mate, or what was Mar’s R300 million (for starters) sacrifice for?

All in one night, at different tables: Henry Sy, the richest Filipino; Vivian Yuchengco of the stock exchange; Ma-an Hontiveros, guitarist and friend of the CCP.

This is the lull before the storm. And in this country, the storms are known by girls’ names.

Helmut Gaisberger has lived in the Philippines for 23 ½ years. Sometimes he is Viennese, sometimes taga-Makati, but at least two or three days during the year, I swear he’s Chinese, 100 percent.

Ten months after he became governor of Pampanga, “Among” Ed Panlilio was a guest of “Bulong Pulungan” at Sofitel hotel. We were eager to learn what sort of “governance” he ruled by and how the province was faring under him, a nontraditional politician.

You could say the brouhaha over the choice of National Artists 2009 has cost us dearly. For one, the composer Ramon Santos, whose name was stricken off the list to give way to four latecomers, underwent brain surgery the day after the controversy broke.

This early (or late?) in the day, when I read the tea leaves at the bottom of my cup, I would have to say that Adel Tamano’s defection as spokesman for President Erap and his un-United Opposition to be with Manny Villar’s Nacionalista Party sounded like a good beginning, pretty much like a silver bell calling everyone to sit down for dinner.

Bridges lighted up to rival a Roman candle, their reflection on the Pasig shining like polished onyx.

Forty NGOs are up in arms against the Department of Public Woes for killing more than 100 trees – 5,000 more to go – along the narrow but beautifully tree-lined MacArthur Highway in Pampanga and Tarlac.

I’d rather be Mayor of Manila than President of the Philippines, be king of the hill than tenant of Malacañang.

A Filipino wedding is like no other. Bride and bridegroom must have six to eight pairs of godparents at least, and it doesn’t matter that more than half of the wedding guests are unknown to the couple, because they are from an older generation, their parents’.

Senator Jamby Madrigal is not (yet) my candidate for president, but I have to take my hat off to her for (temporarily?) stopping the massacre of 5,000 trees.

Will the passing of President Aquino spell the obsolescence of Homobono Adaza?

Was Cory so well-loved because she never wanted, never aspired to be president of the Republic?

Suddenly, Bongbong Marcos is half a century old. I can’t believe it, I tell him. Neither can I, he says.

An eye-opening encounter with two election lawyers, including a look-see into what a spurious ballot looks like, was what we had at last Tuesday’s “Bulong Pulungan” at the Sofitel hotel.

With their three-times-elected Mayor SB about ready to step down, the people of Quezon City are all agog over what they see as alarming developments.

For carpenters, masons, painters, gardeners, janitors at the Batasan to work overtime and be paid for it..

Showbiz is a glamorous career that invites even toddlers to sing, dance, and emote at the drop of a hat.

At age 80-something, the energetic Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile knows what he wants and what the world needs.

Those of us who cannot join the novena masses and prayer chains offered for the intention of President Aquino’s recovery cannot help noticing that among the most frequent attendees is, surprise, Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim.

This is not an endorsement of Silvestre Bello III for any elective position in the coming political exercise, but he is one of the few Malacañang returnees just as he has been in and out of several government postings.

Mike and his family have not visited their vacation home in Silang for at least three months now.

Drop it already, guys. You’ve heard it, over and over again, GMA is “in the pink of health.” What more do you want?

Contrary to everything you’ve seen, believed or been told, “there was no hidden camera” recording those sex videos of those people.

Undersecretary Ric Blancaflor of the Department of Justice wears four hats.

We've been had.

When friends come visiting and ask, “What’s new?” what they really mean is, “Where’s new?”

As trends go, the wedding industry is worth P1 billion annually, and more women are lining up to offer their services as wedding planners/coordinators.

Between Ramon Revilla and Dolphy there are enough children to constitute a barangay

Because everything arrives late in the Philippines, we are only now being told that the recession is about to hit.

Consider as a blessing the archipelagic character of the Philippines. It’s a plus factor in the fight to contain the spread of swine flu (renamed influenza-A H1N1 after an apparent protest by pigs).

From Quezon City to Baguio during the weekend, we counted exactly 40 firetrees in bloom.

“Call All!” prompted emcee and endorser Edu Manzano. But when I told the Smart guys that I wanted to call Edu, they ignored me while Edu pretended he did not hear me. Could I call Hayden, then? Silence.

Maybe there’s a lesson to be learned from the past in considering the future of multinational companies like Unilever, which got dragged into the debate over the safety and legality of the oil depot in Pandacan.

Straight from the horse’s mouth – he was born on Nov. 11, in the Year of the Horse, 1942 – Jojo Binay will pull out of the race the moment Joseph Estrada announces his bid for the presidency.

Three ordinances, two mayors, and a long history that stretches back to 1907.

Unless you’re positioned to be the next Celso de los Angeles, banking – let alone rural banking – can be quite a bore.

Wow Pacquiao! Now Pacquiao, the best fighter in the world, pound for pound and round after round!

Of all the un-Wow-Philippines elements that you and I know about, “Filipino time” has got to be the most disparaging and least appealing.

Bayani Fernando is conducting a contest over three of his radio programs to find the most apt translation for “political will.”

Ninety percent of policemen cannot shoot straight.

If there are 60 million cellphone owners in our part of the planet, what’s it going to cost Rep. Danilo Suarez, principal author of the plan to charge a 50 centavo tax on each text message sent out in this txting capital of the world?

Julian Rodriguez is not your average young-man-on-the-go, a 22-year-old with a business of his own and bigger dreams to chase.

As of last Sunday night, more than 40 million people around the world had watched the frumpy but delightful Susan Boyle on YouTube and been touched by her delightful frumpiness.

Who doesn’t want to be exempted in the land of exemptions and exceptional people?

Overnight I have found a way to judge who my presidential candidate will be. Or should be.

Jesli Lapus, secretary of education, has just out-Blaired Blair.

The ironies of life. We are an archipelago of 7,000 islands buffeted by 26 typhoons each year and yet half of the population have no drinking water.

We plunged ourselves in darkness for one hour last Saturday in order that we may be enlightened.

The Life and Times of Emmanuel Pelaez by Nelson Navarro: “Standing for principles had cost him the NP nomination and, in all probability, the nation’s presidency itself.

I woke up with the sun last Monday to make sure I wouldn’t miss Tony Blair’s talk on leadership at the grade school auditorium of Ateneo de Manila University.

And now the good news.
 

“We have to move on,” said Romeo Jalosjos, former congressman convicted of statutory rape, on the day he was set free, just as the furor over Nicole/Smith the previous day kicked in.

FRIEND and I are bimbo and bimba when it comes to politics, the most popular national pastime after boxing/showbiz and bashing GMA.

Friend and I are bimbo and bimba when it comes to politics, the most popular national pastime after boxing/showbiz and bashing GMA.

As the saying goes, if you can’t lick ‘em, you create a committee.

HAVE they no shame?

CHARO Santos Concio, resplendent in red, reading poetry by Neruda. Tonyboy Cojuangco leading other business executives, Maan Hontiveros, Jaddy Vitug, Vince Abella, Greg Yu, in a guitar ensemble. George Yang and his favorite "La donna e mobile." Emily Abrera providing continuity as narrator.

FRANCIS Magalona was one of the bright lights of his generation. With other 40-somethings Gary Valenciano, Martin Nievera and Michael V, he shone because his talent was real, genuine, talent that he summoned with a snap of the fingers and a click of the heels. And, instantly, his creative juices would start flowing, unimpeded by ego, pressure or remuneration (or the lack of it).

THE one person who should be praying for the right of reply bill to become law is Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez. If what she tells friends and subordinates is to be believed, no one who has been following her work understands what an investigation involves, how long the process can take and why, and where those voluminous documents end up if they do not find certain personalities guilty as charged by the President’s enemies.

ON television, she looked angry, almost furious, approximating the scorned woman from you-know-where, especially when she began to recite the sins of her accusers. Her hair was not exactly neat – was she having a bad hair day? On television, one tiny hair out of place puts one in the category of bedraggled, embattled, beleaguered.

WHERE else but in the Philippines would a foreigner find a church packed to the rafters at dawn of a working day?

JOURNALISTS work under deadline pressure, and they work best during the last two minutes.

HUNDREDS of thousands of jobs are suddenly available! They were not there in good times, but now that we’re approaching bad times, they are miraculously within reach, yours and ours for the taking. The economic miracle starts now.

THE next elections are one year away, but this late in the day voters and candidates still don’t know what kind of an exercise it’s going to be – fully automated, partly automated, or back to manual counting.

FROM a rice exporting country in the ‘70s, we are now the biggest rice importer. We used to export to 14 countries; now we are at the mercy of foreign rice producers.

AL Cusi, general manager of the International Airport, is the most optimistic public servant in view right now. He has told international airlines they will move into NAIA-3 – or Terminal 3 – "starting June."

ENERGY Secretary Angelo Reyes has been boiled, broiled, baked, barbecued by all quarters – they haven’t tried crucifixion yet – for failing to supply LPG in the nick of time to harassed, unhappy bakers, cooks, homemakers in general and in particular the wives, sisters, and mothers of opinion makers.

LOVE of God. Love of country. Love your mother, your father, your neighbor.

AFTER architect of world renown Jun Palafox gave up a US$ 1 million fee late last year, he broke the news to his staff that their 2008 Christmas bonus would of necessity suffer a substantial cut.

A LOYAL follower of Education Secretary Jesli Lapus, taking exception to Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez’ top ten of corrupt government agencies based on the number of cases filed (as of 2007), said it was unfair to put the Department of Education at No. 6 because it happens to be one of the largest in the bureaucracy – 540,000 employees.

WHAT does a petition for the "recall" of an elected official mean?

FIRST, Martial Law closed down my newspaper, the original Manila Times, in 1972. Twelve years later, the Central Bank closed down my bank, Banco Filipino, in 1984.

HE’S not the next Pavarotti and he’s not going to land at La Scala anytime soon, but by George, McDonald Yang has done it!

FOR the last 18 years, February has been known as National Arts Month, thanks to the efforts of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts or NCCA (not to be confused with the NCAA of collegiate sports).

"THERE’s something about feng shui that you cannot explain–"

WALTER Euyang, the original "king of jeans" by Wrangler, was a fine gentleman. And he was my friend. In a city with too many casual people without manners or taste, he was handsome, refined, elegant in his own way (even when he swung a mean golf club). His jokes and anecdotes were never unkind, but you could tell from the spark of humor behind those twinkling eyes that he was a born bon vivant.

GUESS which government office leads all others in the corruption sweepstakes?

WHY, I asked myself, were we driving up to Baguio when it was quite chilly down here in our part of Quezon City?

"YOUR President will bring wealth to your country."

IN the republic of Lilia de Lima, aka PEZA or Philippine Export Zone Authority, the director-general writes her own rules and stands by them, come one or two or three presidents of the bigger Republic.

WHEN no one was looking, the Bureau of Immigration suddenly turned sexy. From being the cash cow of thoroughly sleazy, corrupt employees and fixers who preyed on foreigners, it is today’s leading candidate for winner of the public relations sweepstakes in the government sector.

KATYA who?

Usually, when Senator Juan Ponce Enrile talks, everybody shuts up to listen with both ears. When he wants to, he can not only be an engaging speaker, he can be mesmerizing. Even the idiots know there is something to be learned.

OSCAR de la Hoya, vanquished to his corner, head bloodied but unbowed, the second best fighter in the ring, proved to be not only a Golden Boy but also a real sport and gentleman.

IT is "impossible and improbable to amend the Constitution at this time."

aS an affecting medium, television touches lives and pulls heartstrings even without the soap-opera melodrama, even when the news is plain and simple and straight.

ON the insistence of a globetrotting journalist-friend from Europe who needed to experience a sample of Filipino spirituality, I took him to Quiapo church one evening. As I had expected, the new Quiapo is as old as the forever-Quiapo carved in stone and concrete. Nothing has changed except that the fortune-tellers and the sellers of "menstruation-inducing" medicine have grown older and grayer. But they’re still as entrepreneurial as ever.

BECAUSE the LTO chief is relatively anonymous, he gets to get away with what amounts to effecting on-the-spot arrests. It seems he enjoys catching taxi drivers in the act of negotiating fares with passengers (that’s him) or refusing a ride (him again).

He wanted to be a doctor but his father overruled him, and he became a lawyer.

Gilbert Perez was not ashamed to proclaim himself a certified "social clym-ber" (emphasis on the "b" sound) with a knack for making Manila’s most snooty socialites pose for his camera under his "choreographic" directions. And pose they did, willingly, smilingly, surprisingly even to themselves.

Instead of trying to appease jeepney drivers with her appeal to the oil companies to cut diesel prices last week, GMA was thrown brickbats this way and that.

On an ordinary working day like Tuesday the first of July, I watched the buses going by on EDSA and counted the passengers inside them.