Our country is experiencing non-stop rains, and has caused several areas to be flooded and declared to be in state of calamity. In our area, it has been 3 days that school was cancelled, and tonight, we got a text again from the school that there is still no classes for tomorrow and Friday. Our family is affected by flood, but it is nothing compared to what we saw in the news.

We would like to ask for your prayers.

Photo above was taken last August 1st, during the typhoon Gener. But what the country’s experiencing now (following the typhoon Gener)is called Hanging Habagat (Southwest Monsoon).

Willie Revillame announced tonight, Friday, April 8th that his show “Willing Willie” will go off air for two weeks. This was after the controversial striptease-like performance by a little boy Janjan gained so much attention and disapproval (and DSWD claims that he “abused” the boy) and several sponsors (e.g. P&G) had pulled their support from the show. During his speech, he mentioned Agot Isidro, K Brosas, Aiza Seguerra, Jim Paredes, Bianca Gonzales among others as some of his attackers on Twitter.

Much controversy is surrounding the Glee main casts on GQ cover. The actors portray high school kid roles so many parents are disturbed that they be seen in such poses. But GQ magazine targets adult audience, it should be unlikely that they are seen by kids. Thanks but no thanks to all the hype, kids can now see the controversial photos all over the internet. (I am not posting it here, sorry.) They can easily access this as it is among that tops the trending. Unlike adults, who hovers over any click here links before actually clicking, kids are prone to getting redirected somewhere while checking those photos from sites that use such as a bait. Anyway, whatever means they got to view the photos, I am just concerned that young teens “might” think that it’s ok to be promiscuous in school, inside the locker rooms, as the photos seem to suggest.

I noticed that insurance quotes these days are good compared to years back. I mean if it’s low now, isn’t it just the best time to get one?

Sometimes I wonder, on our way to the office or home, if we decide to work abroad and go back to Manila after 5 or more years, will it be too different? Will the prices of basic commodities be higher or lower? Will “this” road anyway different years from now? Will I be also looking sadly at the buildings and start my sentences with “You know, during our time…”

With our new president, I wonder, will it be just another 6 years?

Before I continue browsing for life insurance, let me just share with you my take on this one trivial issue: expiration date on marriage contracts.

First, I am not sure about the purpose of such suggestion or proposal. All I could think of is that they’ve thought about the money they’ll get from people who’d renew their contracts. I honestly think there are pros and cons on this. Because I could think of a hundred good reason for this if we’re talking about battered wives.

It’s just that this country has been pushing back the idea of divorce but now, suggesting the expiration date on marriage contracts. Quite a conflict there, in my opinion. For me, marriage is sacred, and a promise made by two people in front of the altar. (Although honestly, if it was just civil wedding, then it’s I guess it’s ok. Yeah, I’m weird. I know.)

You heard/watched it in the news. You even have your own story. I just want to share ours.

~

Last Saturday, I was awaken by an SMS from my mom. She was asking me how far we are from the creek in our area. Apparently, she and my dad are tuned in to a local radio station announcing of a possible overflow of that creek.

I thought to myself, hmmm, it wasn’t raining so hard, although it had been non stop since Friday. So I replied saying that yes, the creek is just right in front of our house. Well, actually, it is behind the houses in front of ours.

I got up and realized that indeed it was raining hard. Rainwater had started to come out where it wasn’t supposed to. Geez. That got me worried.

During lunch only did we see the flood in our street! It was waist deep! People are literally swimming in the floods, which scared my daughter so much. The current was actually scary. EVERYTHING WAS SCARY. Neighbors trooped to the store in front, all wet and immersed up to their waist waiting for the waters to recede. Different things floated by. HUsband said he saw a mini refrigerator, several pairs of shoes and breeches streaming down our street.

We had to shut down the main power switch for safety. And later on, Meralco had cut off electricity for probably the same reasons.

Then I thought to myself, if the floods were this high in our area, what more damage it could be on lower areas like Marikina. True enough, when we check on TV the next day, Sunday, the floods in that area were two stories high! Nobody was spared! Even the rich ones who live on that area had to be rescued from their rooftops.

Nothing like this has happened in the last 42 years! It was really shocking. The good news is amidst the calamity, everyone else is ready to give a helping hand, share a dry blanket and donate. I just hope that this country stay strong.

~

Donate home cooked or ready-to-eat foods, clothes, blankets, medicines and water. Drop-off points are:
- the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) center at the Batasan complex in Quezon City
- the DSWD National Capital Region (NCR) Office in Quiapo, Manila
- the DSWD National Resource Operations Center in Pasay City
- Ateneo, at the lobby of Manuel V. Pangilinan Leadership Center, the University Dormitory lobby, or the Cervini Hall lobby.

~

Those who want to help the Philippine Red Cross reach out to more victims can do so via their mobile phones. Facebook users posted on their status messages that people just have to key in RED AMOUNT and send to 2899 for Globe users or 4483 for Smart users. Amounts that can be donated are P25, P50, and P100.

Season 8 of American Idol official ended today with Kris Allen beating Adam Lambert for the title. It was claimed that there was a record breaking number of votes for this season and I cannot blame them – there are a lot of Adam fans who really want him to win. But in the end, it was Kris’ rendition of the final song that did him in I think. Adam’s voice was just screechy and he kept hitting the high notes that there is no way I would be buying his album if I had to listen to an hour of high-hitting note songs.

After the much-talked about destination wedding of Ryan and Judy Ann last April, there has been an increase of dreams among brides for destination weddings. Before, it was Caleruega in Nasugbu, Batangas which was a wedding dream (and hot) spot. Now, I can feel that pretty soon (maybe next summer in fact), Laiya, Batangas will be swamped with weddings!

I was a bride myself and I cannot help but be amazed by all the planning the wedding took – the secrecy itself was such a hard thing to do. No wonder Rita Neri is THE wedding planner

There will be 10 long holidays in 2009.

Last Christmas eve, Arroyo signed Proclamation 1699 that lays out the holiday schedule this year.

First on the holiday list is a three-day weekend before the Easter break.

The observance of Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) on April 9 (Thursday) was moved to the nearest Monday which is April 6.

This will be followed by the Easter holidays from April 9 (Maundy Thursday) until April 12 (Easter Sunday).

The other regular holidays are:

Labor Day-May 1(Friday);
Independence Day- June 12 (Friday);
National Heroes Day- August 31 (Monday);
Bonifacio Day – November 30 (Monday);
Christmas Day- December 25 (Friday); and,
Rizal Day- December 30 (Wednesday).

Arroyo declared the following as Special Non-Working Days:

Ninoy Aquino Day – August 21 (Friday);
All Saints Day – November 1 (Sunday) and All Soul’s Day – November 2 (Monday);
Christmas Eve – December 24 (Thursday); and,
New Year’s Eve – December 31 (Thursday).

The president has long been implementing holiday economics to boost domestic tourism and allow Filipinos to have more time with their families.

Holiday economics entails the transfer of some holidays to a Monday or a Friday so that Filipinos may enjoy longer weekends.

Businessmen earlier complained over the recent two-week Christmas-New Year break.

However, Malacañang maintained consultations were made with all sectors concerned, including the business community, before issuing this year’s holiday list. — With a report from Nadia Trinidad, ABS-CBN News

as of 01/07/2009 8:50 PM

You probably heard it in the news. A number of kids were hospitalized and some passed away in China because of this milk that is said to be contaminated with melamine. Now, here’s a list of products allegedly recalled (due to its melamine contamination):

1 BAIRONG GRAPE CREAM CRACKERS
2 DOVE H/NUT ALM & RAISIN CHOC
3 DOVE HAZELNUT CHOC
4 DOVE MILK CHOCOLATE
5 Dreyers Choc Cake Ice Cream 887ml
6 Dreyers Choc Cake Ice Cream 887ml
7 Dreyers Cookie & Cream Ice Cream 887ml
8 Dreyers Cookie & Cream Ice Cream 887ml
9 Dreyers Mint Chip Ice Cream 887ml
10 Dreyers Mint Chip Ice Cream 887ml
11 Dreyers Rocky Road Ice Cream 887ml
12 Dreyers Rocky Road Ice Cream 887ml
13 Dreyers Strawberry Ice Cream 887ml
14 Dreyers Strawberry Ice Cream 887ml
15 Dreyers Toast Almond Ice Cream 887ml
16 Dreyers Toast Almond Ice Cream 887ml
17 Dreyers Vanilla Ice Cream 887ml
18 Dreyers Vanilla Ice Cream 887ml
19 DUTCH LADY STER M LF BANANA
20 DUTCH LADY STER MK LF PLAIN
21 DUTCH LADY STER MK LF CHOC
22 DUTCH LADY STER MK LF SBERRY
23 DUTCH LADY STER M LF HNYDEW
24 DUTCH LADY STER M LF HNYDEW
25 DUTCH LADY STER MILK PLAIN
26 DUTCH LADY STER MK LF CHOC
27 DUTCH LADY STER MK LF SBERRY
28 DUTCH LADY STER M LF BANANA
29 FIRST CHOICE CALCIUM SESAME CRACKERS
30 FIRST CHOICE CALCIUM SALTINE CRACKERS
31 FIRST CHOICE CALCIUM S ONION CRACKERS
32 FIRST CHOICE CALCIUM SEAWEED CRACKERS
33 GINBIS PARTY ANIMAL BUTTER BISC
34 GINBIS PARTY ANIMAL SEAWEED BIS
35 GINBIS PARTY ANIMAL CNUT
36 GINBIS ANIMAL BISCUIT
37 Koala Cocoa Biscuit 40g
38 Koala Cocoa Biscuit 40g
39 KRAFT OREO WAFER STICKS 18S
40 KRAFT OREO WAFER STICKS 5S
41 KRAFT OREO W/STICK WH CHOC 18S
42 KRAFT OREO W/STICK WH CHOC 5S
43 Lotte Koala Cocoa  Funpack 210g
44 Lotte Koala Cocoa  Funpack 210g
45 M & M Chocolate Peanut 200g
46 M & M Chocolate Peanut 200g
47 M&M CHOC CANDIES PLAIN%
48 M&M CHOC CANDIES PEANUT%
49 M&M CHOC CANDIES-PLAIN
50 M&M CHOC CANDIES-PEANUTS
51 M&M FUNSIZE MILK
52 M&M FUNSIZE PEANUT
53 M&M Chocolate Candies Plain 200g
54 M&M Chocolate Candies Plain 200g
55 MEIJI UJIKINTOKI 2978
56 MEIJI UMAKABO CHOCOLATE
57 MEIJI FAMILY PACK-GREEN TEA
58 MEIJI CHESTNUT & REDBEAN
59 MENTOS BOTTLE YOGHURT PROMO PK
60 MENTOS BOTTLE YOGHURT
61 Monmilk BREAKFAST MILK MALT
62 Monmilk BREAKFAST MILK WALNUT 6S
63 Monmilk BREAKFAST MILKMALT 6S
64 Monmilk CHOCOLATE MILK 6S
65 Monmilk COFFEE MILK 6S
66 Monmilk HI CAL LOW FAT
67 Monmilk HI CAL LOW FAT MILK
68 Monmilk HI CAL LOW FAT MILK 6S
69 Monmilk HI CAL MILK
70 Monmilk HI CAL MILK 6S
71 Monmilk MILK DELUXE 12S
72 Monmilk PURE MILK
73 Monmilk PURE MILK
74 Monmilk PURE MILK 6S
75 MonmilkBREAKFAST MILK WALNUT
76 NABISCO IN A BISKIT CHICKEN
77 NESTLE NES D/STICK MINI VANILLA
78 NESTLE NES DISTICK MINI CHOCO
79 NESTLE MILK & BERRY STARS CRL
80 NO FRILLS WAFER BLUEBERRY
81 NO FRILLS WAFER CHOCOLATE
82 NO FRILLS WAFER PEANUT
83 Orion Fresh Pie 138g
84 Orion Fresh Pie 138g
85 Orion Tiramisu 138g
86 Orion Tiramisu 138g
87 PEI TIAN CREAM BISCUIT
88 Rabbit Milk Sweet 150g
89 SILANG NATURAL OAT CRACKER
90 Snicker Candies Funsize 240g
91 Snicker Candies Funsize 240g
92 SNICKERS PEANUT CHOCOLATE%
93 SNICKERS SNACKSIZE BARS PNUT 5
94 TAKE ONE BABY BITES 24S
95 TAKE ONE BABY BITE CK VG
96 TAKE ONE BABY BITE CARROT
97 Vitasoy Chocolate Drink 4s 125ml
98 Vitasoy Chocolate Drink 4s 125ml
99 Vitasoy Melon Soya Bean Milk 4s 125ml
100 Vitasoy Melon Soya Bean Milk 4s 125ml
101 Vitasoy Q Soya Milk 4s 125ml
102 Vitasoy Q Soya Milk 4s 125ml
103 WANT WANT MILK CANDY
104 Want Want Flavoured Milk 250ml
105 Yili Hi Cal Low Fat Milk 1L
106 Yili Hi Cal Low Fat Milk 6s 250ml
107 Yili Hi Cal Milk 1L
108 Yili Hi Cal Milk 6s 250ml
109 Yili Pure Milk 1L
110 Yili Pure Milk 6s 250ml
111 Youcan Masterbean Multipack
112 Youcan Passion Multipack
113 Youcan Silk Sliced and Passion Strawberry
114 Youcan Stawberry Multipack
115 Youcan Traditional Sesame Multipack 4s
116 Youcan Unusual Multipack 4s