The ActiveTalker

In a resolution dated April 12, 2013, the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) suddebly decided to refer to our country as “Filipinas”, instead of Pilipinas .

They said it was a “modernized” version of Filipinas, the name given by Ruy Lopez de Villalobos, in honor of then Prince Philip of Spain. It was originally called Archipelago of St. Lazaro by Fernando Magallanes (Ferdinand Magellan). Should he had not been killed by Lapu-lapu, the country would’ve been still named after St. Lazarus.

The name Philippines is supposedly an influence by the Americans who occupied the county after more than 300 years of Spanish regime. So when the country adopted the modern Filipino alphabet, the commission decided to revive the use of Filipinas instead of the Philippines we are used to using.

Although I’m not a Catholic, I prefer the name Magellan named our country, instead of Philippines named after Prince Philip of Spain.

Plus the fact if you try to google the word Filipina, whom KWF wants our country to be called, you’ll come upon porn sites or even mail order brides (except now that recently Filipna “dug mule” was executed in china.

Would you prefer to be called Pinoy or Finoy? Come on, change is inevitable, but sometimes, changing a thing you’re used to is not really a good idea.

(PS, I personally find the idea for the our country to be called Filipinas ridiculous.)

Posted from WordPress for BlackBerry.

Last June 25, while I’m at my work routine, the PA system announced we should be ready for an emergency evacuation if needed. We were instructed to remain calm and wait for further announcement if we need to evacuate the work premises. The second announcement came, we needed to evacuate the work premises, remain calm and proceed to the nearest evacuation site, away from the building and its work premises.

We did. But because of the nature of my job, I cannot bring anything inside the work premises, aside from my work and my tumbler filled with water, I calmly took some time to pass by the locker room to secure my bag. My bag is where I put my food, money, phone and other stuff.

I calmly evacuated the building along with hundreds of colleagues.

It turned out to be a
false alarm.

While at the evacuation site, I called my wife and told her I’m perfectly safe and just watch the local news for some updates. I am doing fine sitting on a curb, well away from our building.

How we all survived the scare? Being calm and composed. Part of it were the building security assuring us this is just a drill. Although I felt something wrong and even tweeted what’s happening, I still maintained my composure and stayed calm.

Being in emergencies like this, it pays that you KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON. (there is a “local version” of this British quote I saw on a shirt, Keep Calm and Carry Lang)

Thank you Lord, it was just a bomb scare.

Posted from WordPress for BlackBerry.

Have you tried Rodic’s tapsilog? I actually added a twist to their tapa, the sweet-tasting, shredded cured beef (that goes well with vinegar). Earlier this morning, I prepared sisig made of Rodic’s tapa..

I had the pan heated, put oil, threw in some chopped red onions, added the tapa, soy sauce, oyster sauce, green pepper, seasoning, pepper, and mayonnaise. Voila, tapsisig!

Today is the birthday of one of the greatest heroes of the 1896 Philippine Revolution, Andres Bonifacio. He is truly and world-class hero. He was one of the original members of the “underground” organization formed in Azcarraga St. aimed to overthrow the abusive Spanish conquistadores.

His death is still one of the longest unsloved cases in the Philippine annals. Records have it that he was killed by a fellow Filipino under the order of no other than Emilio Aguinaldo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-BUiO6gPV4

Love live the spirit of your courage Gat Andres Bonifacio! Happy birthday!

Posted from WordPress for BlackBerry.

Today, I’m grateful for my 31 years of existence.

I am grateful for having been blessed with two splendid individuals, a wonderful and loving mother and an understanding father who never gave up on me. I miss them both though, because I now have my own family.

I am also grateful for having a sister who is an all-around type who is now married to a great husband and blessed with three wonderful children. I got to live with them when I was still studying.

I am likewise grateful for having two wonderful girl in my life, my wife and daughter. I got to spend the day with them not mindful of the world. We had fun and went to places we’ve never been before as a family.

And of course, I’m grateful for this life that the Lord gave me. For without him, all what I have is not possible.

Lastly, to my friends who greeted me via SMS and Facebook. Thank you all guys, you’re wonderful and I could not ask for more.

Every Saturday, together with my classmates, I eat at one of the “hidden treasures” outside the Polytechnic University of the Philippines’ Graduate School campus in Sta. Mesa, Manila. It is a place named “Looban Eatery” or literally, an eatery in the interior area of the district.

For 40PhP (roughly 1US$), you can feast on a meal consisting of a meat and a vegetable viand and a cup of rice. But last Sunday was different, they ran out of vegetable viands so I opted for Lechon Paksiw (roasted pig cooked in vinegar, garlic and salt.) to go with my Sisig. This time, instead of the usual 40PhP, it was 59PhP as I also added an extra order of rice.

The Lechon Paksiw had a large chunk of pig fat and I can’t seem to notice the taste of the vinegar. The Sisig was good, it even had bits of crunchy pig skin. Overall, I give it 9 stars out of 10. It was good and it sure filled the hole in my tummy.