15 Days

I have just learned that a government employee is only given fifteen days to answer to queries of clients and customers.

It is stated in the Section 5 of Republic Act 6713 that “All public officials and employees shall, within fifteen (15) working days from receipt thereof, respond to letters, telegrams or other means of communications sent by the public. The reply must contain the action taken on the request.“

Anybody who fails to do it can be charged with a case in Ombudsman. That’s what you call scary!

Love: Lost and Almost Found

I was trying to fit in the crowd when an extraordinary smile beamed across the crowd, amidst the development happening in the world. That smile tried to communicate with the beat of my heart, in the strictest sense of the process. It happened in just a click… and pooff!! There goes the start of something new.

We started smoothly. She came. I came. She saw the potential in us. I saw the glowing glory between us.

We conquered boundaries.

We did things together. We were happy. We saturated our existence. I did not notice that we were already hanging on the cliff of impossibility. We tried to hang on. I tried, I know. But I realised that she might not want to hold on. I gave up… first. The moment I let go, that was the time when it came to my mind that I was too weak. Too brittle for her.

I lost her.

When I reached the ground from falling, there was a woman sitting on top of one of the stones standing beside the river. I went near to her to drink because I noticed that the water below her feet was sparkling like crystal. I sat beside her. I smiled.

I saw her. I came to know her. But she never saw me. She never wanted me near her. I never conquered the moment with her.

I woke up. I sat. It was all but a dream, a tale of love – lost and almost found.

ORIGINAL POST

PHOTO CREDIT

On Respect and Guidelines

I was given a formidable task to be the lead staff for a poster competition. Since I work in a company full of scientists and people who are mistakenly taken as hermits or ivory tower residents, I am not in the position to set the rules and regulations. They were the ones who set the guidelines, including formats. The guidelines also include the end time for submission. So I reset all my clock to be fair with everybody.

And then the deadline came like a flashing light. Everybody rushed to get in. And I could not understand why people do the submission minutes or an hour before the deadline. With almost a year as the lead time, people do not care submitting or preparing for it. This is not an ordinary event as the posters will be put under competition.

One day, after an official event, my Boss told me that I am not doing well. though she understands where I am coming from, it is not good to be very strict with deadlines. She added, “I want to be respected when I get old. So I try to be as flexible as possible.” She even used the word “obnoxious” for people she dislikes.

And I started to think about what she said. Can respect be earned from postponing schedules? A big NO! You are going to be respected if you stick with the rules. The posters are intended to compete with each other. Time is an important element of the competition because a deadline was set by the Committee who will man the screening and evaluation. And I just followed the rules. Does that make me undeserving for respect? I think, I deserve more respect!

So what will happen to the late submissions? I can still accept them, not for the competition, but for display. Of course, I will not suggest that to the committee, I might be tagged as “all-knowing.” I do not like that to happen because proving it might take my whole life. I would rather go to the mall and contemplate why people are dumb sometimes.

PHOTO CREDIT

Rats rule PHL

I saw and read an interesting story in the front page of a broadsheet today. With the Chinese New Year’s celebration coming in tomorrow, a writer inked on the zodiac of political leaders in the country.

The President, Benigno S. Aquino III, is a Metal Rat. The Senate Majority Leader, Juan Ponce Enrile, is a Wood Rat (we have the same element and sign). The House Speaker, Feliciano Belmonte Jr., is also a Rat (I do not know if it is Fire or Water). The Chief Justice, Renato Corona, who is on the hot seat now, is also a Rat persona. That sums up to four Ratties in Philippine politics.

To Work Or For Work

Do you go to the office TO WORK? Or do you go to office FOR WORK?

People from the private sector, they say, go to the office to work. Their work is synonymous with their performance and salary. If they do not work, then they do not earn.

People from the public sector, they say, go to the office for work. Even if there is no work (read: if they do not work), they still earn.

Do you agree? Comments are welcome. And yes, I work for the government.

Ang Pulis Na Marunong Mag-Listen

Medyo may hangover pa yata ang lahat sa prusisyon ng Black Nazarene na inumaga na sa kalye. Sukat akalain mong napakatindi ng pananampalataya ng mga Pinoy sa Nazareno – na ang description sa mga nabasa kong feature articles sa internet ay charred wooden statue. Pero hindi iyon ang aking paksa kundi ang nakasakay ko sa dyip kanina.

Wala na rin ang mga naghuhukay sa kalsada kaya medyo maluwag ang daloy ng trapiko kanina. Hindi naman kabilisan ang takbo ng dyip. Kumbaga, swabeng banayad, at tama lang para marinig ko ang pagkanta ng katabi kong pulis ng Listen.

Napatingin ako sa chubby na babae sa harap ko. Napangiti siya sa akin. Linsyak naman o. Naguwapuhan ba siya sa akin o may gusto siyang iparating? Well, inisip ko na lamang ay napangiti siya dahil sa kanta ni Kuyang Pulis.

At ito ang nagpa-tumbling sa akin – may papikit-pikit pa si Kuyang Pulis habang kumakanta. Pakiramdam niya siguro ay siya si Jay-Z.

So you can really escape Death?

According to pinoyfitness.com, the following are the minimum finish time to run faster than Death:

3K – 00:37:16.94
5K – 01:02:08.23
10K – 02:04:16.45
16K – 03:18:50.33
Half marathon – 04:22:11.25
Marathon – 08:44:22.5

So I have built this question in my mind: Can you really escape Death? Or was the article just plainly saying “run faster than Death?” My last record for 3k is 16 minutes (running with exhausted muscle and empty stomach). Even with that condition, does it mean that I can escape Death? Or is it just a case of big lies or hollow truths?

Enter The Dragon II: The Wood Rat

“Despite having a remarkable facade of self-confidence, deep down, Wood Rats are the least sure of themselves compared to other Rats. However, they wouldn’t dream of showing this side of themselves to anyone. Only close companions of a Wood Rat would ever suspect that he or she had such self-doubt. In fact, Wood Rats are often worried about downfall, despite their ability to find success. Well-liked, proficient, and good leaders at work, Wood Rats seem to function best when they are surrounded by family and friends. Cordial and delicate, they are usually well loved by family, friends and peers.”

Rats like:
Color Preference: Light-Blue
Gems and Stones: Diamond, Amethyst, Garnet (kahit diamond lang, okey na)
Suitable Gifts: car accessories, art books, gym memberships, geographical maps
Hobbies and Pastimes: Interior design, playing basketball, crafts, painting

Congenial business partner: Water Monkey

Compatible Friends: Dragons and Monkeys
Mortal Enemy: Horses

Dislike: Doing without things they want, strict time keeping, any routines, being at the end of the line

I Just Want You To Fight For Me

Real Steel is one of those few films that contain surprises. It was never promoted as a father-and-son movie. It was marketed as a movie on robots and boxing. Do not ask me why I love the movie even more than the Transformers 3.

The scene wherein Charlie tries to save Max from falling into the deep wasteland of abandoned robots is probably the turning point of the film (for me). After that, I was turned to a child waiting to receive lollipop. I did wait for the time when Max finally calls Charlie “Dad.” And at the near-end portion of the film after the fight with Zeus, Max finally dropped the bomb. He was yelling “Dad! Dad!” after his brief stint with the microphone.

The main reason, maybe, why it was not marketed as a father-son movie is to lure as many members of Adam tribe as possible into watching and let them realise on their own that thing called “fatherhood.”

And of course, observe yourself when watching the scene wherein Max tells Charlie, “I just want you to fight for me!” See the stars if they align towards the goodness of your heart. If you cannot feel an emotional thing-y, then try to get a knife and see if you bleed when you cut your wrist. If you can see blood, then congratulations! You still have a heart, only with no accessories.

Kapag ikinasal na ang iyong minamahal…

…hindi na ba siya puwedeng mahalin? Kahit pasikreto lang?

Nakita ko ulit siya pagkatapos nang di-mabilang na taon. Hindi naman siya kasingganda ni Anne Curtis o kasingseksi ni Angel Locsin. May asawa at anak na nga siya. Pero hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit pumintig ulit ang aking puso. May kung ano’ng nabuhay sa kaibuturan ng aking puso.

“Julian! Julian!” Napalingon ako sa magkasunod na tawag sa aking pangalan. Nang makalapit iyong tumatawag sa akin, nangumusta agad. Si Mark pala. “Sabi ni Allan, nagkita daw kayo ni Sophie kahapon. Kumusta naman?”

“Okey naman. Bakit?”

“Naitanong ko lang.”

Nakakaasar naman itong kaibigan ko. Sinusubukan siguro kung may maaaninag siyang kalungkutan. Pero sadya yatang magaling akong magtago ng nararamdaman. Pinagtibay na ako ng panahon. Matagal ko na ring alam na may-asawa siya. Gayunpaman, hindi ko maintindihan sa aking sarili kung bakit gusto ko siyang masarili. Alam ko namang mahal ko pa rin siya. Nakakaasar naman, kakapalit lang ng taon pero heto at nag-e-emo na naman ako.

Thanks to YOU.