It's Over For Now

I've been monitoring the "uprising" staged by Senator Trillanes and General Lim at the Manila Peninsula via the Inquirer website. The standoff is over as the main protagonists opted to surrender peacefully to avoid innocent civilians, journalists mostly, being hurt.

Its saddening that it had to end this way, but on a brighter note, I think that their surrender was for the good of the whole nation. The Philippines DESERVE to be what it is now, poor and hopeless and I think it will remain that way for generations to come because many of us its citizens allow the country to be treated as such. Graft and corruption, power tripping, nepotism... these will never end.

Finally as Trillanes put it, "The loser here is the Filipino nation, because Arroyo is still in power." God bless the Philippines!

Maybe It's About Time

As I write, Senator Trillanes and General Lim together with former Vice President Guingona and some Catholic Bishops are in a stand-off at the Manila Peninsula in Makati. They are calling for withdrawal of support for Gloria Arroyo. I wish them well and I hope this stand-off be resolved the soonest possible time.

I do not know... but some people can be so damn numb, they do not know when to let go! Come on, do the right thing for the country, if you still have some decency left in you! Marcos did it, Estrada did it, why can't you? The country had suffered enough. Please it's about time to step down.

Photographs And Memories

Yesterday I scanned our old family pictures which Abigail brought from the Philippines. Some of the old photos dated way back in the early 60's. Its nice to remember the good old days when we were younger. This is my ID picture when I was in grade 3, I think...
Batang bata hehehe
I also found some pictures of our rotation in Veterans when we were Junior Interns, I forgot all about those pictures already. Ako yung nasa bandang gitna... I'll upload the other pictures in my multiply account. Standing from left to right, Rene, Henry, Alvin, Me, Alice, Boots, Didi, Lilibeth. Sitting, Ferdie, Dr. and Mrs. Lazaro and Gemma.

In Detention

I haven't posted for quite a while, my fingers are becoming as lazy as my brain. Maybe this is a consequence of being under house arrest for 5 months now. (I wonder if Erap also exerienced this... hehehe) Today is my sister in law, Cynthia's birthday and later we'll dine out at Panarotti's North Parramatta.

The weather is not cooperating as well, rain is forecasted up to next week. I can't go out to jog, I can't wash our laundry and its piling up! So much for today's rant. Hopefully the next post will be a positive one!

Merry Christmas to all! Ho Ho Ho!

Australia Has A New PM

Australian Labor Party's leader Kevin Rudd is now Australia's 26th Prime Minister. Mr. Rudd defeated Prime Minister John Howard. His decisive action on climate change, education revolution, balance and fairness in workplace and fixing the hospital crisis are but some of Kevin Rudd's campaign platforms which helped him win the election by a considerable margin.

I hope he is true to his words, may he guide Australia towards a more progressive future. I wish him well...

I also take my hat off for Mr. John Howard, ever smiling and gracious even in defeat. A job well done! You deserve a big round of applause for steering this nation towards progress for more than 11 years. I hope you will enjoy the much needed rest and time with your family. Well done John!

Australia Decides On Saturday

On the 24th of November 2007, Australia will hold its federal elections. It is a race between the ruling coalition party, the Liberals and the oppositions, the Labor Party. John Howard is seeking re-election as Australia's prime minister but Labor's Kevin Rudd has the edge in all surveys up to the moment.

Elections here is very different from the Philippines, no campaign posters that make our country filthy, no vote buying, no "Hello Garci." If you are not from Australia, you won't even know that the elections is just 2 days away.

Oh well, may the best party win. I'll just be lurking from the outside, observing...

Priceless... He He He

Family reunion in the Bahamas - $5,000
Family photograph made into Christmas cards at print shop - $100
Not noticing Waldo in the upper right corner - PRICELESS




For Everything Else . . . There's Mastercard.

An Email From Harvey Keh

Thank you very much for joining our movement to support Gov. Ed Panlilio.

As of 8am today (November 17,2007), we have already received more than 3,000 emails of support for Gov. Panlilio coming from Filipinos all over the world. We have already started printing these emails and have given almost half of them to Gov. Panlilio to show him that many Filipinos still believe in his cause of transparency and promoting what is right.

The Ateneo de Manila University-School of Government led by our Dean, Dr. Antonio La Viña continues to give support to Gov. Panlilio in his programs and more importantly in his advocacies towards good government especially for the people of Pampanga. Moreover, through your support, we made it to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, you may check out the article through this link: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view_article.php?article_id=100767

We hope that you will continue to pray and support him as he continues his fight against dishonesty and corruption in our government.

Again, thank you very much for joining us in this constant search for the Truth and may you have a pleasant day! :)

Sincerely,

Harvey S. Keh
Director for Youth Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship
Ateneo de Manila-School of Government
email: harveykeh@gmail.com

Si Aida, Si Lorna At Si Fe

1987, the year that was. I just graduated with a bachelor's degree in Biology from UST, I have no other choice but to pursue Medicine knowing I will not get a job with a decent pay with a "Biology" degree. Back then, entering a Medical school is like going through the eye of a needle, so many "pre-med" graduates wanting to become doctors. Being the lazy bones I was, I only applied in 3 schools, UST, FEU and UERM. Luckily I was shortlisted in UST and FEU. Being a Thomasian, I opted to enroll in the UST Faculty of Medicine.

Summer of 1987, before the start of my first year proper, I met my first love, a lanky chinese mestiza, daughter of a prominent family in our town. We first met "on air" as I was into amateur radio back then. Our town is such a small place that almost everybody knows everybody, she happened to be the best friend of my friend's younger sister. We spent hours talking over the radio and the rest is history... We became "on" for more than six years.

Clerkship came, I was on my graduating year in Med school, the year was 1993. (I was delayed for two years as I transfered to Fatima after my first year in UST) I was doing my first rotation as a junior medical intern in Veterans Memorial Medical Center when I met a very pretty senior medical intern. She had short hair and chinky eyes and her complexion, sparkling white. First time I saw her, I knew I was in love. After weeks of hiding, I formally broke off with my first girlfriend and me my second love became lovers. Our relationship lasted for 7 years.

Everything went good between the two of us until 1991, during my pediatric residency training, I met my third love, she was my junior resident then. She was tall, caring and "chinese-looking" as well. Because we were together most of the time, I fell in love, again... That was a very tough decision in my life letting go of my "second" love, a decision for which I have no regrets up to now. My third love lasted for nearly eight years but due to personal reasons, we parted ways just this summer.

Now I am left with nobody and I accept whatever punishment the heavens is giving me. I know the law of karma is on me now. I have never been so lonely in my life knowing I caused so much heartache to three good and beautiful people. All I can say is I'm sorry, I hope you have forgiven me. I guess life must go on, if I have to travel alone, so be it. I wasted all my opportunities and I cannot do anything about it anymore. I cannot turn back the hands of time nor can I build a time machine to correct whatever I did back then.

Haaaaay.....

Pinoy BIG Briber

I chanced upon this site. Please vote for the eviction of one of the housemate. We all need your vote.

Superlative!

I thought depression is creeping in on me because I cannot find a medical job here in Australia but after reading the story of a 12 year old girl from Davao, Philippines who was forced to end her own life because of despair for her family's extreme poverty... I said to myself, mate, "you are one very lucky soul."

What more can I say, this is indeed a very good reason why most of us are leaving the country. Makes me just shake my head in pity, frustration and disgust knowing most of our kababayans are living below poverty line. Even rats are luckier they have at least something to eat.

What is more saddening is the FACT that the people entrusted with power to govern, to legislate laws and enforce these laws are the ones driving our people to be so damn filthy poor that even innocent children are forced to commit suicide. I am talking of billions of pesos lost to graft and corruption. The fertilizer scam, the NBN deal, the cash doles given to "tongressmen" and local executives... where else can you see these? Only in the Philippines!

I am not pointing fingers here, the government is not solely responsible for Mariannet's death. I think the society as a whole failed here. In the end, I thank the Lord for those Filipinos like me who were given new a chance for life. I hope someday I still have a country to go home to, a place I can really call my home... Nah maybe not!

So much for false hopes.

Melbourne Cup

Today is the first Tuesday of November and later for 3 minutes this nation will stop to watch a horse race, the famous Melbourne Cup."Master o'Rielly" is favored to win today's race.

While most Australians line up on TABs to place their bets and while most are dressed to kill in Melbourne, i'll just sleep and take a rest. Watch the race on TV.

7 Facts About The Author

1. I am the third among five siblings and the oldest "single" among all first cousins (mother and father side).

2. Yellow tops my list of colors.

3. I rarely eat fish (its forbidden in "my" religion).

4. I had my Post Graduate Internship at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center where I do most of the cooking during our Surgery rotation.

5. I was christened "Jake" during my college days.

6. I always wore jersey number 14 in all the basketball tournaments I participated except during Internship, they gave me the number 91.

7. My first car was a 76 Colt Galant with plate number NLJ 297.