Pacquiao Parade

Traffic along the streets of Espana and Quiapo on top of the scorching heat knocked me out as I made my way to Pedro Gil awhile ago. Thousands of Pacquiao's eager followers filled the streets to show their applause for the Filipino boxing sensation whose latest conquest of Miguel Cotto earned him a niche in history with seven world titles to his name in as many weight divisions. Pretty awesome!

Students and employees went out of their offices to compliment the champ. While some of the employees were overenthusiastic, I heard a shout from one of the Paulinians. The girl yelled "Babaero ka Manny!" Given how popular he is, he can't really escape from detractors focusing on his personal life. But we can't deny, he is a modern hero in the country today.

Pacquiao was seen surrounded by his security staff while riding at the back of a white pickup, which was draped with Philippine flags. He was with his wife and other people that I am not familiar with. I easily recognized ex-mayor Lito Atienza by his colorful polo shirt as always. But when Manny turned around, my eyes twinkled. I was hurriedly walking to meet my friend in Rob Manila when I just stopped and to take a picture of that moment. I don't always see celebrities. I don't recognize them most of the time when I roam around. That's probably how they describe the feeling of being startrucked.





He is the only septuple world champion in boxing history. Manny is the first boxer to win seven world titles in seven different weight divisions. In addition, he is the only boxer to win the lineal championship ("the man who beat the man") in four different weight classes. Aside from being a boxer, he has participated in politics, acting, filmmaking, and music recording. He really deserved this kind of hero's welcome. Amazing!

Bum bum bi bum

A tramp travels without working; a bum does not travel or work. I'm a bum. I stopped caring about going to the hospital. I don't have any reason to go their anymore after I was informed that we will not be given a certificate for the training. What for? For allowance that is half the amount given by my father? I grew old flying from QC to Makati every morning. I'm tired of the back-fence talk. Everytime I walk outside the station they start firing like they can't think of any good thing to talk about. I got tired of making excuses just so I can take a leave from work. It's not fair to only have one day of rest in a week. We do all the backbreaking work. Going upstairs and down to the pharmacy, ER, laboratory and billing deprived of using the elevator. Ofcourse it's our option to use the elevator, but if the chief nurse is around we are prohibited. They need to do a complete modification of their policies. Trainees like us should be trained not for the pet expo but for us to be a competent and independent nurse. I can rant all night but actually it's not really worth talking about. At present, I devote my time finding ways how to get employment abroad. I've been to different agencies. Some are desperately in need of income, they ask clients to forge an employment certificate. Like at the end of one's rope, I did it. I bought one. It's not a good thing to be proud of but it's favored by the desperate. It's been a week now I'm lovin the house already. Lovin' waking up on the wrong side of the bed. I've been contemplating on the best thing to do lately. My friend said it will not help if I will feel guilty and pressured. Down-and-out on Christmas day is not an option. It's just around the corner and I am not getting any younger either. This is so stressful. I hope to clear my end after this weekend with my lalab.

LSS

To listen to music before going out of the house, and having the last song you hear before leaving stick in your head all through your journey, and beyond is usually accompanied by subconscious humming. This syndrome is particularly dangerous when the song happens to be the most pathetic, crappy, albeit catchy song ever.

But this song is actually not bad. It has an impact on me (not that deep) that I don't want to brag about. This has been my LSS for the past 3 days. Oh Crap!


Lady GaGa
Paparazzi lyrics

Songwriters: Fusari, Rob; Germanotta, Stefani

We are the crowd,
we’re quick coming out,
got that flash on you take the picture of you its so magical.
we’d be so fantastical,
leather and jeans a watch on my wrist, not sure what it means,
but this photo of us it don`t have no trace,
ready for those flashing lights, Cause you know that baby I

Im your biggest fan I’ll follow you until you love me papa-paparazzi,
baby there’s no other superstar that know that I’ll be papa-paparazzi
promise I’ll be kind, but I won’t stop until that boy is mine
baby you’ll be famous chase you down until you love me papa-paparazzi

I’ll be a girl backstage at your show,
oh the ropes and guitars,
Yeah cause you’ll know Im styling between the sets,
I light up your cigarettes,
shadow is broked, ????????, my lashes are dry,
but when you touch that ???? don’t rub a trace,
loving you is killing me cause you know that baby I

Im your biggest fan I’ll follow you until you love me papa-paparazzi,
baby there’s no other superstar you know that I’ll be papa-paparazzi
promise I’ll be kind, but I won’t stop until that boy is mine
baby you’ll be famous chase you down until you love me papa-paparazzi

we’re gold(we’re dancing in the studio)
snap snap(that shit on the radio)
don’t stop( let it rewind)
WE’RE PLASTIC BUT WE STILL HAVE FUN

Im your biggest fan I’ll follow you until you love me papa-paparazzi,
baby there’s no other superstar you know that I’ll be papa-paparazzi
promis I’ll be kind, but i won’t stop until that boy is mine
baby you’ll be famous chase you down until you love me papa-paparazzi

All Saint's Day

It's not missing. I did not post anything for the month of October. Because of the catastrophic Ondoy, our landline and internet connection developed into an irreparable mess. We decided to just terminate the service then switch to another isp. Still trying to get a new landline, I hope to be back on business soon.

This is actually a delayed post. I ease off yesterday after spending the weekend at my bestfriend's place in Bulacan. This is about my favorite saints. The annual celebration of the Feast of La Naval de Manila was celebrated last month in Sto. Domingo church. A venerated image of Our Lady of La Naval was the center of the procession and mass. The images of the different saints can also be seen in the line-up. Here are some of the stills..























Part of my catholic life is my devotion to the lives of saints. They call it hagiography. They say imitation of the life of Christ then was the benchmark against which saints were measured, and imitation of the lives of saints was the benchmark against which the general population measured itself. I grew up wondering how do these people pass the stardards of holiness. Originally, individuals were recognized as saints without any formal process, how true that these saints will go to heaven after being canonized? I don't want to explore anything about canonization at the moment. From a person who spent her school-age days in a catholic school, I can give you a brief background.

Pope John Paul II's apostolic constitution Divinus Perfectionis Magister of 25 January 1983, and the norms issued by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints on 7 February 1983, for its implementation on diocesan level continued the work of simplification already initiated by Pope Paul VI.

"Servant of God" The process leading towards canonization begins at the diocesan level. A bishop with jurisdiction—usually the bishop of the place where the candidate died or is buried. This investigation may open no sooner than five years after the death of the person being investigated. Normally, a guild or organization to promote the cause of the candidate's sainthood is created, an exhaustive search of the candidate's writings, speeches and sermons is undertaken, a detailed biography is written and eyewitness accounts are gathered. When sufficient information has been gathered, the investigation of the candidate, who is called "Servant of God", is presented by the local bishop to the Roman Curia—the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints—where it is assigned a postulator, whose task is to gather further information about the life of the Servant of God. Religious orders who regularly deal with the congregation often have their own designated postulator generals.

"Declaration 'Non Cultus'" At some point, permission is then granted for the body of the Servant of God to be exhumed and examined, a certification ("non cultus") that no superstitious or heretical worship or improper cult has grown up around the servant or his or her tomb is made, and relics are taken.

"Venerable/Heroic in Virtue" When enough information has been gathered, the congregation will recommend to the pope that he make a proclamation of the Servant of God's heroic virtue (that is, that the servant exhibited the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity, and the cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance, to an heroic degree). From this point the one said to be "heroic in virtue" is referred to by the title "Venerable". A Venerable has as of yet no feast day, no churches may be built in his or her honor, and the church has made no statement on the person's probable or certain presence in heaven, but prayer cards and other materials may be printed to encourage the faithful to pray for a miracle wrought by his or her intercession as a sign of God's will that the person be canonized.

"Blessed" Beatification is a statement by the church that it is "worthy of belief" that the person is in heaven, having come to salvation. This step depends on whether the Venerable is a martyr or a "confessor".


"Saint" To be canonized a saint, one (or more) miracle is necessary. Canonization is a statement by the church that the person certainly enjoys the Beatific Vision. The saint is assigned a feast day which may be celebrated anywhere within the Catholic Church, although it may or may not appear on the general calendar or local calendars as an obligatory feast, parish churches may be built in his or her honor, and the faithful may freely and without restriction celebrate and honor the saint. I live in Saint Lawrence St. I work in St. Clare Medical Center. Is it a sign of something to come? hehe