Weather Update 2: Brewing Storm Breaks

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Cebu weather-cloudy

Bus Operandi: Sukli Mo, Kupit Ko!

Malapit na ang Pasko, nakangiti na ang mga manggagantso. Eto, from an email … let’s all be forewarned.

“para sa mga madalas magcomute… pls read (sic) hindi ko na sana ikukwento kasi akala ko aksidente
lang…..

AKALA KO AKO LANG!…UNG PALA MERON PANG IBA NA
MABIBIKTIMA NG GANITONG SISTEMA…PAANO NA KUNG UN
LANG ANG NATITIRA MONG PERA AT MALAYO PA ANG
PUPUNTAHAN MO…kawawa ka naman….maglalakad ka….

(based on sender experience sa isang aircon bus….)

last september 6, 2007, 4pm ako ay nagpunta sa cubao
at bumili ng ticket (going to baguio ) sa victory
liner cubao. sumakay ako ng aircon bus from victory
liner (cubao) to robinsons galleria (going back sa
office in ortigas)

…ang pamasahe po ay P10 from cubao to robinsons
galleria… at ako po ay nagbigay ng P100 sa
kundoktor… binigyan nya ako ng ticket worth P10 at
kinuha ung 100pesos na binayad ko, sabay sabi na
sandali lang wala akong baryang panukli. So, pagdating
sa may P Tuazon (near araneta center)…pina alala ko
uli ung sukli ko sa konduktor… tinanong nya ako, “san
ka nga uli baba’?.” sumagot ako na…”sa may robinsons
galleria lang!”…… .”malayo ka pa naman eh…sandali
lang”…sabi ng kundoktor

so, pagdating ng VV Soliven… lumipat ako ng upuan
(3rows before the driver , at the right side of the
bus). Pagdating ng SEC (near ortigas ave.) kinukuha ko
na ung sukli ko…hindi kumibo ang
kundoktor… (luminga- linga lang) parang deadma ba?….

Nang patawid na ng ortigas ave. (stoplight). ..tumayo
ako at nilapitan ko ung konduktor na naka upo sa tabi
nung driver…hiningi ko ung sukli ko…

eto ang sabi nya sa’kin…”PATINGIN NGA NG TICKET
MO?.,… sabay inabot ko…

sabi ng kundoktor… “Eh WALA NAMAN AKONG SINULAT
(note) SA LIKOD NG TICKET MO ..TAPOS HIHINGI KA NG
SUKLI!!!…. todo KA PALA EH… medyo mag init
ang ulo ko sa sinabi nya… kaya sumagot ako… na
..todo KA RIN!!!…KANINA KO PA SINASABI NA
…UNG SUKLI KO SA P100 NA BINIGAY KO…

dun na kami nagkasagutan. …at may dumikit sa akin na
lalaki at sinabihan ako na ….”PRE,,WALA KA NAMAN
INAABOT NA ‘SAN DAANG PISO eH…TAPOS HIHINGI KA NG
SUKLI!!!..

tumayo ako malapit sa pinto..malapit sa driver…at
sinabi ko ung ginawa nung kundoktor nya….

eto ang sabi nung driver…. ‘ ABA ..PARE…HINDI KO
ALAM YAN…BAKA NAMAN WALA KA TALAGANG BINIBIGAY NA
P100 DUN SA KUNDOKTOR KO…(sa pagkakataong
ung…tatlo na ang nakikipagtalo sa akin… ung
kondukto,.,, ung driver at ung isang lalaki na nakaupo
sa may likuran ng driver…

Sabi ko sa sarili ko…agrabyado ako pag
nakagulo…kaya sinabihan ko ung driver na…baba na
ako. ..sabi ko…”BUKSAN MO UNG PINTO…BABABA NA
AKO..LAMLAMPAS AKO. HINDI AKO MAKIKIPAG BASAGAN NG
MUKHA SA INYO SA HALAGANG P90 PESOS (sukli)…SA INYO
NA LANG UNG SUKLI KO…(sa pagkakataong ung, …ung
bus ay nakahinto sa may tawiran sa harap ng
POEA…pero hindi nya binubuksan ung pinto…hanggan
sa umarangkada na uli ung bus..)

Sa may tapat ako ng DOLMAR BLDG (fronting POVEDA near
Ortigas MRT Station) ako ibinaba…na kung saan
eh..wala ng mga traffic aide na mapagsusumbongan ng
kalokohan hila…

So…after one month…nakalimutan ko na ung
nangyari….

Last October 30, 2007 (Tuesday) around 6:15pm…pauwi
na ako galing ortigas going to makati (guadalupe
tulay)…

May isang babae na kasakay ko sa bus….na
nagrereklamo sa kundoktor at driver….na hindi rin
binibigay ung sukli.

Sya daw ay galing sa may Timog …sya ay baba sa may
Boni….

Naalala ko ung nagyari sa’kin …nang biglang may
“LALAKI” na tumayo sa may kabilang upuan at sinabihan
ung ‘BABAE” na …

“MISS…MISS. ..SINGKWENTA PESOS LANG UNG BINIGAY MO SA
KUNDOKTOR… KITANG KITANG KO”….

Sa galit nung babae…akmang baba na sa may tapat ng
‘Jollibee Boni”…nang biglang isinara nung driver ung
pinto….at tsaka pinatakbo na matulin ung
bus…hanggan sa makarating sa may tapat ng
“PUGON”…(bilihan ng tinapay malapit na sa tulay)….

Dun ko na pag tanto ung nang yari
sa’kin…parehong- pareho ng ginawa dun sa babae…

Bago ako…bumaba sa may Guadalupe tulay
(Loyola)…tiningna n ko ung driver,,,ung kundoktor at
ung “LALAKI” na kumatig dun sa kundoktor… .

Magkaka-kilala pala sila….at nagtatawanan pa…

Akala ko ako lang ang nakapansin sa nangyari…

pag sakay ko ng jeep papuntang DELPAN….may “MAMA” na
bumati sa akin…sabi nya…”PARE, KALA KO
KANINA…TUTULUNGAN MO UNG BABAE…un hindi
sinuklian?.. . “KASI NAKITA KO UNG MGA KA-KONTSABA
NUNG DRIVER AT NUNG KONDUKTOR… .UNG ISA…HINDI
NAGSALITA PERO LUMAPIT SA MAY LIKOD MO….KAYA
AKO…LUMIPAT DIN AKO …KASI TWO YEARS AGO…NAKA
EXPERIENCE AKO NANG GANYAN SA MAY
BALINTAWAK.. .SINAKSAK UNG ISANG PASAHERO…KAWAWA
NAMAN…GANYAN ANG MODUS OPERANDI NILA SA BUS….KAYA
NGA PAG SUMASAKAY AKO NG BUS…PALAGI AKONG MAY DALANG
BARYANG PANG BAYAD…

so samakatuwid. ..hindi lang pala holdaper at snatcher
ang titinang mo sa bus….kawawa naman tayo…parehang
kung mamuhay….paano na tayo…????”

Trapped in a Coffin

Today I read the article “Car crash victim trapped in ‘coma’ for 23 years was conscious …
Paralysed patient could not move or communicate with doctors until Belgian neurologist tested new brain scanner” Kate Connolly in Berlin guardian.co.uk, Monday 23 November 2009 13.13GMT

It must really be terrible and devastating to be trapped in a motor-handicapped body not being able to communicate (in the natural way) yet conscious about everything.  I saw a movie (forgot the title) just like that, except that the monster-doctors intended the rich patient to be in a coma state. Never did they know that the man remained conscious and aware, hearing and seeing everything they did … even when they did an open heart surgery transplant. 

I was once got stuck in a delivery elevator in the middle of a basement parking lot of a prime mall in Cebu.

It was late afternoon. I got boxes with me. With two delivery boys and a company, we walked fast the cold metal box with dangling cables. I was all relaxed hopping in. Then, the elevator suddenly halted. The lights flickered. On and Off. We were midway down the basement 2. Not this time … not with me … i thought. Instantly, I knew the elevator is stuck.

Instantly, all weird things and assumptions hurriedly crawled beneath the soles of my feet to my brain … muscles and nerves in my calves rushed to stiffen … my arms froze … my shoulders paused … my eyes wandered from ceiling to the walls and floor … the insides of my belly floated … I was about to drown in a panic attack.

This is not the regular elevator for mall-goers. This is a parking lot. Passersby are just a chance. What if we are really stuck for the rest of the night … what if the cables break …. what if the light go out … what if nobody hears …. what if …. damn all the movies and stories … the fallen and the rescued …

I was angry and halfway panicky … damn the Jurassic -elevator. I could have used the stairs and meet the guys down the basement 2, but backed off the idea out of consideration to the guys.  Now what!

Instinctively, I tried to peek through the door. It was dark … we were in the middle of the shaft…. my heart was pounding … heartbeat racing …. I was feeling nauseous and suffocating … I am a bit claustrophobic.

I search for the elevator bell or a CCTV camera (no visible CCTV .. either this is a jurassic-elevator … or perhaps, the CCTV is discreetly positioned). I creeped through the buttons and managed to get a feel of the “buzzer” …. my finger rattled …. pounced on the button in a seconds interval … no answer ….. what? …. impatiently, I almost pushed the button through the cold, deafening metal walls …. now in millisecond intervals …. paused ….. then, lo and behold …. an outsiders calm voice broke the panic and suffocating anxiety … “hello, what can I do sir?” …. a  litany of lashes came out and a godly request echoed to move and open the damn doors …. The Die Hard scene was already playing in my heads … but, i know, this is reality. Not a chance.

Finally, after some flickering lights and banging cable pulls and pushes, the elevator moved … down to the basement 2.  The doors opened and the rush of carbon monoxidic fume was a breeze to my lungs … I sucked a few and it felt like heaven … I didn’t care … I was alive and breathing no longer suffocating …. I walked past cursing the damn jurassic-cold-metal-box …. never again will i ride that coffin.

 

The Devil’s Textortion!

Usually, the devil tests men?  Now, the devil ”texts” men. And he is asking for “pasa loads” and “re-loads” …. and he is in “roaming”. ahhh ….

The devil really can be in a man’s skin. And he is not just the one that makes the head spin (Linda Blair in the original “The Exorcist”) … he  texts people in a random … woe to the unassuming good souls (good, we now have the Lola Techies).  But what about those who are victims of calamities and the poor moved by the “unmoving” text messages asking for the just “Php500 text re-loads”?

Yes, i just got one … no …. two … no … THREE … in a row! huh!  ….. and the devil’s fraud-vocate says he’s (assuming he’s a man … do devils have gender?)  in a “roaming” mode …. i expect, he’ll text again to say, he’s out of load or lost or low batt or what-do-i-care?  You’re a total stranger and I’m not the kind who’d fall to such prey ….it’s an old-timers trap and a lousy scam  (oh yes, you still catch some … i know … it happens) … sorry …. got carried away ….

Anyway, pests like them … scammers like these two (yes, there are actually two different mobile numbers … the first was not persistent … the second number hit the bases … but i’m not letting him score a homerun or a inning at that) …

So, what would you do if you receive this devil’s texts? say a prayer? that the Lord of the Ringworms fill their hearts and bellies fast and furiously? (hmmm …) ….. or that the Circle of the Eyes (of Ondoy, Pepeng, Ramil, Katrina et al) shower them with all the might enough to keep them afloat pushing them as high as the farthest layer of the earth?  Or simply, a lightning bolt hit their phones shattering it to bits and pieces that all the splinters hit the retina of their eyes leaving them in the palm of darkness forever and ever?  ahhhhh …..

But those wishes are of their own devil’s skin …. i guess, i’ll just post it, share it, report the number and messages to the service provider company for them to act on it …. they have the system to trace and track the rats and pests of the mobile phone industry and the society in general …. F…. them! Go to H…! and may you have your tongues-on-fire.

BEWARE OF TEXTORTIONIST! Don’t pass your loads!

“1st :Here’s my new “ROAMING” number ….
2nd :Here’s my new “ROAMING” number ….
3rd: How are you this is ….”

How are you there this is my new “ROAMING” # always send me your text (messages thru this number) by the way i’m sending you money next week always take good care missing you all

This is just a ploy.  If one replies, say, asking when or where he’s sending the money, the TEXTORTIONIST will ask for some text loads (say, Php 500.00 worth) so he can call or send the details next time, with all the alibi that he’s going out of text load credits and there are no place near his place to buy one. If the unassuming person at the end of the line falls to the ploy, then, he’ll just send the TEXTORNIONIST the text load credits.

Php300.00 or Php500.00 load credits for some may be reasonable or nothing, but if multiplied by 10 text scam victims, it’s an easy 3 or 5 gran for the hellish TEXTORNIONIST! sadly, the news say, many still fall prey to the ploy. I remember , there’s also the “budol-budol” scam scheme taking afvantage of an unassuming, implusive, panicky, or heed-of-an -emergency …. that’ll be another topic …

 

“This is my new ROAMING number abroad how are you christmas is nearing have you decorated yet always take care godbless”

 

 

 

An Angel at 14

At 14,  she is called to be an angel today …

With cancer at her young age.  Growing up with all the little girl’s dreams and wishes.  She is the sweetest and remarkably beautiful even in sickness.  Her head may be shaved, but she has that sparkling glow in her eyes that I won’t forget; you should have seen her with her newly bought wig to wear.  She liked it as much as we did, and I didn’t even recognize her the first time I saw.  The sweet smile in her eyes  filled the room with a drawing calmic sense.  That smile and subdued joy stayed to last.

She was up (miraculously, as we believe) after a long stay in the hospital.  Out-patient in continued theraphy sessions, though carried in a wheelchair unable to walk with ease.  At last, able to be home, as she always wished.  Celebrated with the family on events and happy moments; even witnessed the joys of her sister’s passing the nursing licensure exam.  Those were moments one could wish not to have an end. But God has plans.

We heard the news tonight. The smile and sparkling glow in her eyes are now but for God to see and enjoy.  She is called to be an angel at 14. 

We met for only a few times, but she captured our hearts with her glow and drawing strength and calmic sense.  She would have grown to be a beautiful lady.  She is resting now and is in the caring arms of the Healer … no cancer, no pain … no sorrow … only smiles just divine … the smile, the glow, the sparks in her eyes … a wonderful girl … she is dear and will stay that way forever.  She is not gone, she is with us.  Dear, you are loved.

Truly, God’s ways are beyond our reason.