I just watched our 15th President-elect Noynoy Aquino deliver his inaugural address, and I can say it was more than what I expected. It was more concise, more clear and more specific than the speeches I heard from the previous presidents. There were also no words spoken that will make you google for the meaning, it was informal yet strong and vindictive.
It makes me marvel though if all that is said will be done. I’m sure the “NO WANGWANG” will be implemented immediately, and he’s up one point at that no doubt. Picking up from his slogan – “kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap” (If no one is corrupt, no one will be poor) – he specifically stated that he’ll eradicate corruption on Bureau of Customs, if that so happens, I’ll believe he is the one we need. Our country is ranked as the fourth most corrupt country in Southeast Asia. (Out of 16 surveyed by over 2,000 expatriate businessmen) It’s not going to be easy and he knows it but still he sounds convincing for me and I genuinely hope, he can shape things up for us.For you Noynoy, given the promises you made, I salute you, get it done – you are my president.
“Be safe!”
Here’s a copy of Noynoy Aquino’s Inaugural Address
His Excellency Jose Ramos Horta, members of the diplomatic corps, Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, former President Fidel V. Ramos, former President Joseph E. Estrada, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and other members of the Senate, House Speaker Prospero Nograles and other members of the House of Representatives, members of the Supreme Court, local government officials, distinguished guests, mga minamahal kong kababayan.
Ang pagtayo ko dito ngayon ay patunay na kayo ang aking tunay na lakas. Hindi ko inakala na darating tayo sa puntong ito, na ako’y manunumpa sa harap ninyo bilang inyong Pangulo. Hindi ko pinangarap maging tagapagtaguyod ng pag-asa at tagapagmana ng mga suliranin ng ating bayan.
Ang layunin ko sa buhay ay simple lang: maging tapat sa aking mga magulang at sa bayan bilang isang marangal na anak, mabait na kuya, at mabuting mamamayan.
Nilabanan ng aking ama ang diktadurya at ibinuwis niya ang kanyang buhay para tubusin ang ating demokrasya. Inalay ng aking ina ang kanyang buhay upang pangalagaan ang demokrasyang ito. Ilalaan ko ang aking buhay para siguraduhin na ang ating demokrasya ay kapaki-pakinabang sa bawat isa. Namuhunan na po kami ng dugo at handang gawin itong muli kung kakailanganin.
Tanyag man ang aking mga magulang at ang kanilang mga nagawa, alam ko rin ang problema ng ordinaryong mamamayan. Alam nating lahat ang pakiramdam na magkaroon ng pamahalaang bulag at bingi. Alam natin ang pakiramdam na mapagkaitan ng hustisya, na mabalewala ng mga taong pinagkatiwalaan at inatasan nating maging ating tagapagtanggol.
Kayo ba ay minsan ring nalimutan ng pamahalaang inyong iniluklok sa puwesto? Ako rin. Kayo ba ay nagtiis na sa trapiko para lamang masingitan ng isang naghahari-hariang de-wangwang sa kalsada? Ako rin. Kayo ba ay sawang-sawa na sa pamahalaang sa halip na magsilbi sa taumbayan ay kailangan pa nilang itong pagpasensiyahan at tiisin? Ako rin.
Katulad ninyo ako. Marami na sa atin ang bumoto gamit ang kanilang paa, nilisan na nila ang ating bansa sa kanilang paghahanap ng pagbabago at katahimikan. Tiniis nila ang hirap, sinugod ang panganib sa ibang bansa dahil doon may pag-asa kahit kaunti na dito sa atin ay hindi nila nakikita. Sa iilang sandali na sarili ko lang ang aking inaalala, pati ako ay napag-isip din, ‘Talaga bang hindi na mababago ang pamamahala natin dito? Hindi kaya nasa ibang bansa ang katahimikang hinahanap ko? Saan ba nakasulat na kailangang puro pagtitiis ang tadhana ng Pilipino?’
Ngayon, sa araw na ito, dito magwawakas ang pamumunong manhid sa mga daing ng taumbayan.
Hindi si Noynoy ang gumawa ng paraan, kayo ang dahilan kung bakit ngayon, magtatapos na ang pagtitiis ng sambayanan. Ito naman po ang umpisa ng kalbaryo ko. Ngunit kung marami tayong magpapasan ng krus ay kakayanin natin ito, gaano man kabigat.
Sa tulong ng wastong pamamahala sa mga darating na taon, maiibsan din ang marami nating problema. Ang tadhana ng Pilipino ay babalik sa tamang kalagyan, na sa bawat taon pabawas ng pabawas ang problema ng Pinoy, nagsusumikap at may kasiguruhan sila na magiging tuloy-tuloy na ang pagbuti ng kanilang sitwasyon.
Kami ay narito para magsilbi at hindi para maghari. Ang mandato ninyo sa amin ay pagbabago—isang malinaw na utos para ayusin ang gobyerno at lipunan mula sa pamahalaang iilan lamang ang nakikinabang tungo sa isang pamahalaang kabutihan ng mamamayan ang pinangangalagaan.
Ang mandatong ito ay isa kung saan kayo at ang inyong pangulo ay nagkasundo para sa pagbabago—isang paninindigan na ipinangako ko noong kampanya at tinanggap ninyo noong araw ng halalan.
Sigaw natin noong kampanya: “Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap.” Hindi lamang ito pang slogan o pang poster—ito ang mga prinsipyong tinatayuan at nagsisilbing batayan ng ating administrasyon.
Ang ating pangunahing tungkulin ay ang magsikap na maiangat ang bansa mula sa kahirapan, sa pamamagitan ng pagpapairal ng katapatan at mabuting pamamalakad sa pamahalaan.
Ang unang hakbang ay ang pagkakaroon ng tuwid at tapat na hanay ng mga pinuno. Magsisimula ito sa akin. Sisikapin kong maging isang mabuting ehemplo. Hinding hindi ko sasayangin ang tiwalang ipinagkaloob ninyo sa akin. Sisiguraduhin ko na ganito rin ang adhikain ng aking Gabinete at ng mga magiging kasama sa ating pamahalaan.
Naniniwala akong hindi lahat ng nagsisilbi sa gobyerno ay corrupt. Sa katunayan, mas marami sa kanila ay tapat. Pinili nilang maglingkod sa gobyerno upang gumawa ng kabutihan. Ngayon, magkakaroon na sila ng pagkakataong magpakitang-gilas. Inaasahan natin sila sa pagsupil ng korapsyon sa loob mismo ng burukrasya.
Sa mga itinalaga sa paraang labag sa batas, ito ang aking babala: sisimulan natin ang pagbabalik ng tiwala sa pamamagitan ng pag-usisa sa mga “midnight appointments.” Sana ay magsilbi itong babala sa mga nag-iisip na ipagpatuloy ang baluktot na kalakarang nakasanayan na ng marami.
Sa mga kapuspalad nating mga kababayan, ngayon, ang pamahalaan ang inyong kampeon.
Hindi natin ipagpapaliban ang mga pangangailangan ng ating mga estudyante, kaya’t sisikapin nating punan ang kakulangan sa ating mga silid-aralan.
Unti-unti din nating babawasan ang mga kakulangan sa imprastraktura para sa transportasyon, turismo at pangangalakal. Mula ngayon, hindi na puwede ang “puwede na” pagdating sa mga kalye, tulay at gusali dahil magiging responsibilidad ng mga kontratista ang panatilihing nasa mabuting kalagayan ang mga proyekto nila.
Bubuhayin natin ang programang “emergency employment” ng dating Pangulong Corazon Aquino sa pagtatayo ng mga bagong imprastraktura na ito. Ito ay magbibigay ng trabaho sa mga lokal na komunidad at makakatulong sa pagpapalago ng kanila at ng ating buong ekonomiya.
Hindi kami magiging sanhi ng inyong pasakit at perwisyo. Palalakasin natin ang koleksyon at pupuksain natin ang korapsyon sa Kawanihan ng Rentas Internas at Bureau of Customs, para mapondohan natin ang ating mga hinahangad para sa lahat, tulad ng: dekalidad na edukasyon, kabilang ang edukasyong bokasyonal para makapaghanap ng marangal na trabaho ang hindi makapag-kolehiyo;
· serbisyong pangkalusugan, tulad ng PhilHealth para sa lahat sa loob ng tatlong taon;
· tirahan sa loob ng mga ligtas na komunidad.
Palalakasin at palalaguin natin ang bilang ng ating kasundaluhan at kapulisan, hindi para tugunan ang interes ng mga naghahari-harian, ngunit para proteksyunan ang mamamayan. Itinataya nila ang kanilang buhay para mayroong pagkakataon sa katahimikan at kapayapaan sa sambayanan. Dumoble na ang populasyong kanilang binabantayan, nananatili naman sila sa bilang. Hindi tama na ang nagmamalasakit ay kinakawawa.
Kung dati ay may fertilizer scam, ngayon ay may kalinga na tunay para sa mga magsasaka. Tutulungan natin sila sa irigasyon, extension services, at sa pagbenta ng kanilang produkto sa pinakamataas na presyong maaari.
Inaatasan natin ang papasok na Kalihim Alcala na magtayo ng mga trading centers kung saan deretso na ang magsasaka sa mamimili – lalaktawan na natin ang gitna, kasama na ang kotong cop. Sa ganitong paraan, ang dating napupunta sa gitna ay maari nang paghatian ng magsasaka at mamimili.
Gagawin nating kaaya-aya sa negosyante ang ating bansa. We will cut red tape dramatically and implement stable economic policies. We will level the playing field for investors and make government an enabler, not a hindrance, to business. Sa ganitong paraan lamang natin mapupunan ang kakulangan ng trabaho para sa ating mga mamamayan.
Layunin nating paramihin ang trabaho dito sa ating bansa upang hindi na kailanganin ang mangibang-bansa para makahanap ng trabaho. Ngunit habang ito ay hindi pa natin naaabot, inaatasan ko ang mga kawani ng DFA, POEA, OWWA at iba pang mga kinauukulang ahensiya na mas lalo pang paigtingin ang pagtugon sa mga hinaing at pangangailangan ng ating overseas Filipino workers.
Papaigtingin namin ang proseso ng konsultasyon at pag-uulat sa taumbayan. Sisikapin naming isakatuparan ang nakasaad sa ating Konstitusyon na kinikilala ang karapatan ng mamamayan na magkaroon ng kaalaman ukol sa mga pampublikong alintana.
Binuhay natin ang diwa ng people power noong kampanya. Ipagpatuloy natin ito tungo sa tuwid at tapat na pamamahala. Ang naniniwala sa people power ay nakatuon sa kapwa at hindi sa sarili.
Sa mga nang-api sa akin, kaya ko kayong patawarin, at pinapatawad ko na kayo. Sa mga nang-api sa sambayanan, wala akong karapatan na limutin ang inyong mga kasalanan.
To those who are talking about reconciliation, if they mean that they would like us to simply forget about the wrongs that they have committed in the past, we have this to say: there can be no reconciliation without justice. Sa paglimot ng pagkakasala, sinisigurado kong mauulit muli ang mga pagkakasalang ito. Secretary de Lima, you have your marching orders. Begin the process of providing true and complete justice for all.
Ikinagagalak din naming ibahagi sa inyo ang pagtanggap ni dating Chief Justice Hilario Davide sa hamon ng pagtatatag at pamumuno sa isang Truth Commission na magbibigay-linaw sa maraming kahinahinalang isyu na hanggang ngayon ay walang kasagutan at resolusyon.
Ang sinumang nagkamali ay kailangang humarap sa hustisya. Hindi maaaring patuloy ang kalakaran ng walang pananagutan at tuloy na pang-aapi.
My government will be sincere in dealing with all the peoples of Mindanao. We are committed to a peaceful and just settlement of conflicts, inclusive of the interests of all—may they be Lumads, Bangsamoro or Christian.
We shall defeat the enemy by wielding the tools of justice, social reform, and equitable governance leading to a better life. Sa tamang pamamahala gaganda ang buhay ng lahat, at sa buhay na maganda, sino pa ang gugustuhing bumalik sa panahon ng pang-aapi?
Kung kasama ko kayo, maitataguyod natin ang isang bayan kung saan pantay-pantay ang pagkakataon, dahil pantay-pantay nating ginagampanan ang ating mga pananagutan.
Kamakailan lamang, ang bawat isa sa atin ay nanindigan sa presinto. Bumoto tayo ayon sa ating karapatan at konsensiya. Hindi tayo umatras sa tungkulin nating ipaglaban ang karapatang ito.
Pagkatapos ng bilangan, pinatunayan ninyo na ang tao ang tunay na lakas ng bayan.
Ito ang kahalagahan ng ating demokrasya. Ito ang pundasyon ng ating pagkakaisa. Nangampanya tayo para sa pagbabago. Dahil dito taas-noo muli ang Pilipino. Tayong lahat ay kabilang sa isang bansa kung saan maaari nang mangarap muli.
To our friends and neighbors around the world, we are ready to take our place as a reliable member of the community of nations, a nation serious about its commitments and which harmonizes its national interests with its international responsibilities.
We will be a predictable and consistent place for investment, a nation where everyone will say, “it all works.”
Inaanyayahan ko kayo ngayon na manumpa sa ating mga sarili, sa sambayanan, walang maiiwan.
Walang pangingibang-bayan at gastusan na walang wastong dahilan. Walang pagtalikod sa mga salitang binitawan noong kampanya, ngayon at hanggang sa mga susunod pang pagsubok na pagdadaanan sa loob ng anim na taon.
Walang lamangan, walang padrino, at walang pagnanakaw. Walang wang-wang, walang counterflow, walang tong. Panahon na upang tayo ay muling magkawang-gawa.
Nandito tayo ngayon dahil sama-sama tayong nanindigan at nagtiwala na may pag-asa.
The people who are behind us dared to dream. Today, the dream starts to become a reality. Sa inyong mga nag-iisip pa kung tutulong kayo sa pagpasan ng ating krus, isa lang ang aking tanong—kung kailan tayo nanalo, saka pa ba kayo susuko?
Kayo ang boss ko, kaya’t hindi maaaring hindi ako makinig sa mga utos ninyo. We will design and implement an interaction and feedback mechanism that can effectively respond to the people’s needs and aspirations.
Kayo ang nagdala sa akin sa puntong ito—ang ating mga volunteers—matanda, bata, celebrity, ordinaryong tao, na umikot sa Pilipinas para ikampanya ang pagbabago; ang aking mga kasambahay, na nag-asikaso ng lahat ng aking mga personal na mga pangangailangan; ang aking pamilya, kaibigan at katrabaho, na dumamay, nag-alaga at nagbigay ng suporta sa akin; ang ating mga abogado, na nagpuyat para bantayan ang ating mga boto at siguraduhing mabibilang ang bawat isa; ang aking mga kapartido at kaalyado na kasama kong nangahas mangarap; at ang milyun-milyong Pilipinong nagkaisa, nagtiwala at hindi nawalan ng pag-asa—nasa inyo ang aking taus-pusong pasasalamat.
Hindi ko makakayang harapin ang aking mga magulang, at kayong mga nagdala sa akin sa yugto ng buhay kong ito kung hindi ko maisasakatuparan ang aking mga binitawang salita sa araw na ito.
My parents sought nothing less and died for nothing less than democracy, peace and prosperity. I am blessed by this legacy. I shall carry the torch forward.
Layunin ko na sa pagbaba ko sa katungkulan, masasabi ng lahat na malayo na ang narating natin sa pagtahak ng tuwid na landas at mas maganda na ang kinabukasang ipapamana natin sa susunod na henerasyon. Samahan ninyo ako sa pagtatapos ng labang ito. Tayo na sa tuwid na landas.
Maraming salamat po at mabuhay ang sambayanang Pilipino!
TOYOTA, QUEZON AVENUE- WHAT A CAR DEALER SHOULDN’T BE
THE NIGHTMARE THAT WAS TOYOTA, QUEZON AVENUE
TOYOTA, QUEZON AVENUE- THE EPITOME OF POOR SERVICE
by Avalon
Unlike my good friend Lucas, I don’t have to make a survey among friends & acquaintances to know what to look for in a good car dealer for I had the unfortunate firsthand experience of knowing what a dreadful, mediocre, awful, appalling, unpleasant…… car dealer is.
Choosing the title of this article alone had me in a tizzy, so I thought what the heck I’m not in an article writing competition. Leave those titles as they are and you choose what is most appropriate after going through this nightmare of mine.To start with, I was referred by a well-meaning good friend to his uncle who is connected to this car dealership expecting I was to get a quality service. Unfortunately, not all good deeds end up as expected.
Like all deals, this one started like a dream and the nightmare started after paying the down payment.
Let me get to specifics now or should I say here’s the long & short of it…….. We chose a White Fortuner, 2×4, M/T, diesel and if I’m not mistaken a newly released model by Toyota the last quarter of 2009 hence was selling like hot cakes according to them (looking back, why did I have to trust why they told me?) so we were told to pay a queuing fee for the unit we prefer which was as described above. I explicitly implied that that was the unit we favour and would not settle for others.
It was a Monday when we were told that the unit was available but it goes with a leather seat for which we have to pay an additional fee of 49k to which we readily agreed. We were advised that faster processing and immediate release would be facilitated if down payment was to be deposited in their account that week and the car would be released the following week , and mind you, a Monday at that.
Imagine my consternation when after paying the down payment we were informed that the unit would not be available as promised since it was not available in the first place and was still in their plant. Lo & behold!!!!!!
So,we were described a phantom car? With leather seats?
Who wouldn’t blow one’s top knowing you were being played for a sucker and treated like a moron. It wouldn’t take a genius to know that you had been bumped off and adding to the despair were the lame reasons given while they were trying to lie their way out.
We may be provincial hicks but we’re no pushovers & nor are we idiots. Being assumed as such really,really stuck into my craw so… I threatened that with or without the unit I would be there at the date promised and would raise hell. I guess that brought those people to their senses that I meant business and compromised to have the unit available on a Tuesday, a day later than previously promised. Miracles still happen, we got it Tuesday.
You think that ended there? Unfortunately not!!!!! These people sure have a skewed perception of what CUSTOMER SERVICE IS OR SHOULD BE!
Here goes……… when we checked our registration at LTO we were informed that the application papers were not with them yet. What choice do we have but contact those dumb asses (pardon the language) again! Not surprisingly, we were informed the papers were overlooked and still with them. If it was not downright infuriating their incompetence would already seem comical.
Duh! What a nice word, OVERLOOKED!!! That gave me an epiphany, might not that be their favourite verb? They OVERLOOKED that they had already described the unit to us? They OVERLOKED we were informed the car was available & we can have it the following week? They OVERLOOKED they were supposed to be fair in dealing with customers?
So, all things being considered: CUSTOMER SERVICE AT TOYOTA QUEZON AVENUE SUCKS!!!!!
Would you dare deal with them too?
P.S. We got our first car at TOYOTA, OTIS and dealing with them was like a dream. No OVERLOOKING was experienced.
Do you have to go? Are you obliged to drag yourself and mingle with people you haven’t seen for 10 maybe 20 years? Is there a rule that states “you have to go?!”. There isn’t. So the question should be – do you want to go? Hmm, let’s see.
I’ve been to a few reunions lately and I’ve seen my old college and high school buddies – it was fun alright. What made my reunion worth blogging about was the experience of socializing with people I hardly talk to and suddenly I’m sharing my life story for the past 15 years in one night. It’s kind of nice and weird at the same time. I wasn’t ready to see unfamiliar faces, talking to them at one second and wondering who they are the next. I also saw pretty faces who were non existent but then grew up to be hot single mamas – if only I knew! There were also the same old people who never outgrew their shyness and people who became more successful than anyone ever expected. I can’t help but analyze myself compared to them for who, what and where I am right now – it’s kinda helpful I guess knowing where I stand in this competitive world. Therefore, what did I learn from the experience you ask. Well, it just occurred to me that I would like to share with you some things that I think you should remember before facing this threatening event in your life.If you are going :
1. Make sure you do not weigh 220 lbs. or more or else everyone will be looking at you and will be asking how you got to your weight – it’s a stupid question actually, we all know it’s because of your vast food intake obviously. (even if you are suffering from abnormal digestion or clinical sickness that prevents normal metabolism, just don’t go)
2. You are not on your last month of your pregnancy. You will be the headline of every social networking page if your water breaks there.
3. Do not expect it to be a free event. If you don’t have extra money to spend, don’t go.
4. You must not be sick. (no brainer here!)
5. If you have a war-freak wife or husband, boyfriend or girlfriend, make sure they approve of you going, you don’t want a make a scene – you don’t even want to go there girlfriend.
6. If you have a car, keep it in good shape, even for that day only. You don’t want to ask your friends for a push, you don’t want that kind of a push trust me. If you don’t trust your car, it’s better to take a cab. (don’t drink and drive)
7. don’t bring someone who doesn’t belong to the group, someone will be left out.
You must go if : (the following can supersede no. 1 and no. 7 from the list above)
1. you are now a public official
2. you have a nice expensive car
3. you can pay for everything
4. you have your own company
5. and most of all, if no one will recognize you because you look hotter
Last tip : Always bring face powder for women and for men, don’t forget a handkerchief or a small tube of facial wash. I once heard a female colleague of mine say – “Oiliness is next to ugliness…. dot dot dot … poverty.”
I am currently in the grips of an American television series called “Legend of the Seeker”, based on “The Sword of Truth” novels by Terry Goodkind. It has me glued to the set watching six straight episodes! The action, humour and wits kept me fascinated while the magic and love story twist made it even more interesting.
So I’ll create a series of posts detailing the main characters of the story. I just love them!
Kahlan (káy-lin) – Mother Confessor
Her real name is Kahlan Amnell. She has the power to make a person love her so much that she can control free will. She magnifies the love a person has within them and directs them towards her. When a confessor touches a man, (usually on the neck) their eyes turn to black and after a few seconds, the man is “confessed” which is so sad! It is a rare gift. There are not so many confessors in the story and in fact, midway in the 2nd season, Kahlan will be the last living confessor.
Kahlan is my favorite. She is ruthless in killing D’Harans (soldiers of D’Haran) and at the same time appears so feminine. She wears just two dresses, a white and a black dress usually worn with pants or long boots underneath. I noticed though that no matter how hard she fought and rolled over the ground, even killing a lot of soldiers with blood sure to squirt all over her, I never saw her white dress with even a smidgen of dirt. I liked it though because her white dress emphasizes her hotness, which makes the seeker so absorbed – or so I assume.
What makes her distinct from the other characters is her unbelievable control of her desires for the seeker. She loves the seeker and making love with him will inadvertently confess him and will make the seeker inefficient in fulfilling his destiny. It is noble and all but there were scenes that I just do not get. There is a point in the story wherein another confessor confessed the seeker and she ordered Richard (the seeker) to make love with Kahlan. When they were about to do it, Kahlan stopped Richard because she knew he was just following orders and not doing it with his own free will. And I thought, So what?! Even if he wasn’t confessed Richard still loves her anyway. Kahlan should have had for the following reasons – First, they both love each other. Second, Kahlan can get pregnant and give birth to another confessor (their kind is diminishing). Third, I just love to see them kissing each other! That was the one chance no one will get hurt and yet will reap immense benefits for both Kahlan and the midlands. The irony of it is after Richard was released from confession; they both think they should have done it! See? Well, they actually said a part of them wants it – It’s the same no matter how they rationalize. It was chance they both missed because of her feminine pride. I know women tend to make men suffer, but this case tops the chart. Women really has ways you can’t understand, Kahlan proved it here. c”,)
Anyway, Kahlan is one ruthless and hot mother confessor.
* In the second season, they were able to do it but Kahlan does not remember. Why? – she is a woman I guess. Ha ha! Watch it.




