Author Archives: Arbet Bernardo

9
Jul

Neri goes to SSS: Heaven help us

Posted by | Categories Ink | Tagged ,

This resignation of SSS President Corazon dela Paz, and the appointment of Romulo Neri as her replacement, gives me the shivers.

The official Fortress line on why she resigned was the usual health reasons, old age, and desire to go back to the private sector – those three, politically-safe reasons for resigning. But this being the Arroyo regime, a resignation is always politically suspect. While she reiterated the reasons for her resignation, dela Paz also cited “confluence of reasons,” which she’d rather keep to herself “at this point.”

Mystery, mystery.

Anyway, the Social Security System is the state-controlled pension fund for private employees. It handles billions of pesos and invests them into several revenue-generating avenues, and pays out retirement pension to its members. It also provides loans to its members.

My problem is Neri’s character. In a PR parlance, he is easy to handle. Remember how he buckled during the NBN-ZTE hearings? He already saw corruption in the eyes, and what did he do?

SSS is a good target for raiding. Remember that during Estrada’s time, Equitable Bank bought the larger PCI Bank with the help of SSS and GSIS funds. And after Estrada’s aborted impeachment trial (no thanks to conspirators), the merged Equitable PCI Bank got into hot water, seeing its stock price dive, making a paper loss to both pension funds. So when Banco de Oro broached the idea of buying EPCIB, some people balked, since both pension funds would have to sell at a price much lower than the price when these funds acquired stakes in EPCIB. And the BDO acquisition was not without controversy, with both fund playing key roles in the deal.

Neri had been director general of the National Economic Development Authority. It is a sensitive and powerful position; the position has the power to doom a big ticket project. As such, it is a prime target of opportunists. On this, Neri had failed. Now, we should expect the same thing to happen when he becomes SSS president.

Ms. dela Paz’s “confluence of reasons” is interesting. I am not ready to buy the health-and-old-age reasons. If it was the case, why did she have to say “confluence of reasons?” Maybe she had enough of Arroyo’s micromanagement skills. And here enters Neri. I will not speculate anymore; I am just afraid that my father’s and my contributions to the fund would be used for nefarious means.

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7
Jul

News break

Posted by | Categories Ink | Tagged ,

The Jester-in-Exile was once annoyed by a comment made a reporter, wherein the reporter said that the press (pertaining to the mainstream media) is the gatekeeper of information. It was said matter-of-factly, which reeked of arrogance to some people. Well, if the gatekeeper keeps on goofing up, we should look for a new gatekeeper, no?

Just take a look at this. Information about a murder, massacred by two gatekeepers.

(Click on the image to enlarge, just in case the pages are removed.)


UP prof found dead in Quiapo


High school teacher found dead in Manila apartment

The gatekeepers had just chosen to present us with conflicting information. So much for being gatekeepers.

—

And has the Roman Catholic Church changed its stance regarding family planning?

Just look at this news report. I quote (emphasis mine):

“The life of a person is important, from the moment of conception. The mother’s womb is a sanctuary of life and the mother should fight for the life of her child,” Santos said.

So it is OK to use condoms now, Father Santos?

6
Jul

Brief hands-on with HTC Touch Diamond

Posted by | Categories Byte | Tagged , , , ,

Last Thursday, HTC Southeast Asia (HTC SEA) unveiled HTC Touch Diamond to reporters and bloggers at the Renaissance Hotel in Makati. Some pundits dubbed this as HTC’s answer to Apple’s iPhone, and a reporter asked if this is HTC’s iPhone killer. Kevin Hou (pictured, right), Managing Director of HTC SEA answered this question by saying that they are not out to kill anyone or anything. HTC Touch Diamond is being differentiated from the iPhone through its impressive specifications contained within a small phone.

I had an opportunity to touch (bad pun, I know) this phone, and indeed it is small. With dimensions of 102 mm x 51 mm x 11.35 mm (LxWxT) and weight of 110 grams (with battery), it is definitely smaller, thinner, and lighter as compared to Sony Ericsson P1i (my current phone). As I had no camera that day, I wish I could have taken a picture of the two phones side by side. But trust me, it is lightweight, and it is easy to handle (another bad pun).

The back cover has geometric designs on it, shiny, and fingerprint magnet. The front is smooth, shiny, and fingerprint magnet too. The screen is bright in its glorious VGA resolution – an edge against other phones.

This phone incorporates the latest version of HTC’s Touch user interface (UI). Called TouchFLO 3D, I think it is a nice UI to supplement Windows Mobile’s UI. Some people might call the music interface of TouchFLO 3D as CoverFlow ripoff. I haven’t tried CoverFlow though I had seen it, but TouchFLO 3D is a bit different.

Speaking of the UI, it will take getting used to. I have been using touchscreen mobile phones since 2006, and no two touchscreen phones are alike. You will need some time to get used to TouchFLO 3D. It’s intuitiveness is not very apparent at first look, but once you get the hang of it, it works. There’s some lag time at certain places, like viewing a picture full screen. Also, when scrolling on the certain places (like Music or People – the phonebook), the UI seemed to be unresponsive. Maybe that’s just me, or maybe I should have used the stylus. BTW, I like the way the stylus is kept – there’s a magnetic mechanism wherein when you return the stylus, it snaps in.

Quick Specs:

Processor: Qualcomm MSM7201A 528 MHz
Operating System: Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional
Memory: ROM: 256 MB, RAM: 192 MB, Internal storage: 4 GB, no external memory slot
Network: Tri-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, dual band HSDPA/HSUPA/WCDMA
GPS: Internal GPS antenna
Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR, A2DP, AVRCP; WiFi 802.11 b/g; mini-USB port
Camera: Back: 3.2 megapixel with autofocus; Front: VGA
Battery: rechargeable Lithium-ion or Lithium-ion polymer
Talk time: up to 270 minutes for WCDMA, 330 minutes for GSM
Standby time: up to 396 hours for WCDMA, 285 hours for GSM

For such specifications, this phone is not cheap. The suggested price is Php 41,800. When asked about the price, Hou said they believe there is market for a phone like this. When someone suggested that HTC should use open source, Hou replied that they do have plans for that (HTC Dream, anyone?), but they also believe in the partnerships that they have forged through the years, and he reiterated their belief that Windows Mobile is a good operating system.

I think HTC Touch Diamond is a good phone, but it is not for your grandparents. However, I am a believer in touchscreen/QWERTY keyboard combo, so if I have the money, I’d rather wait for HTC Touch Pro. Or Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1.

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6
Jul

Renaissance food

Posted by | Categories Food | Tagged

It was my first time to be at Renaissance Hotel for the press launch of HTC Touch Diamond, and lunch was served. I think the food was great, and if you have any functions, maybe you can consider this hotel, if only for the food.

The set menu for that day was:

Freshly baked bread with butter. Nothing can go wrong with bread and butter.


Beef Goulash Soup Horseradish Potato Gnocchi. It appeared oily (look at the sides of the dish) and came from a can. The beef cubes were tender, the soup was ok despite its appearance.


Chilled Asparagus, Air-dried Ham, and Spiced Pear Chutney. I am not hot about vegetables, but this dish is good. Asparagus tastes like kamote (that’s just me), the ham was thin (heck, I first thought it was a vegetable, like a pink-colored cabbage), and the pear was sweet (tasted like sweetened white beans). I liked this dish.


Grilled and Poached Breast of Chicken on Lemon and Thyme Fondant Potatoes Spinach and Mushroom Cream Jus. The grilled chicken was heaven, and combined with the mushroom sauce, it was marvelous. It was not dry and quite tasty. If you are not a fan of spinach (it looked ugly), better eat it together with the chicken.

For the vegetarian, there was Pave of Salmon with Braised Baby Gem Lettuce, Five Spice Lentils and Bacon Sauce. Haven’t tried it; obviously you can’t have both.

Dessert is flourless chocolate cake with citrus Anglaise. As I had to go, haven’t tasted this.

If you can afford it, you should consider Renaissance Hotel. And no, this is not a sponsored post.

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1
Jul

Gloria’s dilemma

Posted by | Categories Ink | Tagged

Typhoon Frank is a PR nightmare for Gloria Arroyo.

She, together with several of her cabinet officers and congressional members went to the United States for a scheduled meeting with US President George W. Bush, plus the usual woo-the-investors and meet-Fiipino-community gabs. Unfortunately, on the eve of her departure, Frank was threatening the country. On the first part of her trip, Frank has already ravaged some parts of the Visayas – Iloilo, for example.

Many people have criticized the regime for the handling of the disaster. Everything went into a mini-frenzy with the MV Princess of the Stars incident, and the outcry over the regime’s action (or inaction) grew. The call for her and her entourage to cut short her trip intensified.

Gloria was in a bind. Should she go home, and see all the goodwill-building meetings go to waste? Or should she stay behind and appear not to care?

Her officials’ handling of the disaster, and their pronouncements, was a disaster in itself.

Just look at Jesus Dureza. He is fast proving to be better than his predecessor Toting Bunye – he can speak/lie with a straight face. The President is very hands-on, he said. Hands-on via teleconference. Yeah, we saw how that went.

That teleconference was another. Desperate to prove that she was doing her job, her publicists opened a teleconference to the media, and it was a disaster. The media had to be shown the door before the fiasco grows.

Here’s what I think. She should hire a good PR agency in the Philippines.

Seriously, she should have went home. GMA cares, remember?

This is a DigitalFilipino.com Club sponsored post.

30
Jun

Makati boy

Posted by | Categories Journal | Tagged

Being a Makati boy has its advantages and disadvantages. The biggest disadvantage is that I live in the lakes of Caloocan; travel time is at least an hour if it isn’t rush hour yet. I have to leave at 6:30 AM if I want to arrive at 8 AM. And then there’s the MRT. And then the rush home.

I had been hoping not get employed at Makati, since the cost of working here is high – the food, the travel fare, the costume, the works. So when I got a job offer here, I was consoling myself that I would be lucky enough if the company would match my salary from the previous employer. While the offer did exceed the previous one, the increase was eaten by inflation already. And the EVAT.ha

It has been a week. I think I got the hang of the travel. Mornings: take the MRT. Afternoons: take the bus. Bus is slower, but at least I get to sit, and not engage in wrestling. And smelling arm pits. Yeah, I do get bombarded by fumes, but that’s way better than smelly arm pits, IMHO. And I get to avoid entering Trinoma, which saves my wallet from impending bankruptcy.

The food is very expensive. The cheapest is fifty pesos, delivered to your building in styro. Your food choices are limited by your budget; the smaller, the limited choices you have. Good thing my mom sees the philosophy in bringing packed lunch. She’s the ultimate cheapskate, and I got that from her.

Going back to food: there’s McDonald’s, 7-11, and Mini-Stop downstairs; Starbucks several buildings away; Krispy Kreme, another McDonald’s, and another Starbucks across the street. And I have never been into any of them. Wait. I had been to McDonald’s downstairs and Starbucks several buildings away.

I don’t like smart casual. I like casual. I like going to work in shirts and pants. My morning dress up ritual is simple: just grab what’s on the cabinet. But smart casual has changed that. I should be thankful, though; unlike that rock star who always appears to be selling insurance (kidding, but you get the point).

The irony of my Makati life (so far) is that I know some bloggers who work here, but we haven’t met yet for coffee or merienda. It should be a small world, but we are separated by tall buildings and heated underpasses and US time. And also, Glorietta nor Greenbelt is my tambayan. I don’t get to tambay, since like most grunts, I join the mad rush towards home.

There’s a certain belief than when you work in Makati, you have arrived. Heaven knows what a lie it is. It is an airconditioned purgatory, where men in ties and women in heels (or vice versa) atone for their mistake of even thinking that there is glamor in Makati work.

What I like about Makati is that everywhere you go, there is a bank. Paying bills has always been a good excuse to get off the office. And Smart Tower’s just across Rufino; that’s where I had applied for Smart Bro, and that’s where I had paid my cellphone bill for last month. And The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is just a block away, so spending my GC is not a problem (how to spend it, that’s the problem).

Also, I am forced to walk. I must admit that a month of inactivity (plus eating) has led me to high blood pressure. I am glad to have my forced walk back; it is my online exercise.

Anyway, I am not sure how I will fare as a Makati boy. Indicators are not good at the moment. Seeing people go and hearing others talk about leaving, all at your first week is I think too much for my morale. But people come and go, as they say. But we’ll see.

30
Jun

My top 10 emerging influential blogs of 2008

Posted by | Categories Journal | Tagged ,

Last year, I blogged my choices for the 2007 Top Ten Emerging Influential Blogs at Arbet .LOG (formerly known as The Lonely Vampire Chronicles). I was glad that one of the blogs that I cited made it to last year’s top ten, and now look at him, everyone knows him.

Also, I noted the absence of political blogs in the top ten, and made several conclusions out of the writing project. I also noted that Manuel L. Quezon III is an influential blogger, but his top ten list came in late into the writing project, making little impact. Janette Toral made an interesting tweet, wherein she said that “if MLQ submitted earlier, blogs he cited might got more support.”

So when The 2008 Top Ten Emerging Influential Blogs writing project was announced, that twit came into my mind, and I immediately informed MLQ3 about it. So on week 1, he made his list. Looking at the overall ranking as of week 9, two of the blogs that he cited remain in the top ten. So somehow, Janette’s inference is validated in a way.

There are five more weeks into the project. There are two political blogs in the list, and it is time to add some more to it. Who will be that next influential blogger to cite political blogs?

While I will cite political blogs, I AM NOT THAT INFLUENTIAL BLOGGER. I have no illusions of being an influential blogger, but I do aspire to influence others through blogging. Perhaps Filipino Voices can weigh in? Or some other influential blogger?

Anyway, here is my list, in no particular order (and with no explanation whatsoever):

1. Filipino Voices
2. Fritzified
3. The Mount Balatucan Monitor
4. Smoke
5. The Marocharim Experiment
6. New Philippine Revolution
7. Vera Files
8. Mon Casiple
9. Food Blog for Hungry Bachelors
10. Manila Foodistas

Honorable mention: Teknostik (but it’s goners, sorry)

In case numbers 4 and 5 are disqualified, here are the replacements (in order of preference):

1. Teknostik (if it ever gets back to its feet)
2. You Got Tech
3. Davao Delicious
4. Visit Sagada

PS: If you plan to join this writing project or if your list is incomplete, can you please consider Food Blog for Hungry Bachelors? KTHXBAI

29
Jun

Pacquiao KOs Diaz in round 9

Posted by | Categories Life | Tagged , ,

Here are the news:

Pacquiao KOs Diaz in 9th round, wins fourth world title
Pacquiao stops Diaz at 9th, wins WBC belt

Chavit Singson must be happy now. And the presidential junket should go home now and attend to their constituents.

Biggest winners:

* The government officials who couldn’t cancel their trip to go home because they bought expensive tickets to the boxing fight
* Those who bet for Pacquiao – that mayor who built his fortune on betting on Pacquiao must be quite happy
* GMA 7 for the sheer number of ads
* Gloria Arroyo (I will not be surprised if one of these days, we would see Gloria and Manny touring the places devastated by Frank)
* Manny Pacquiao

Biggest losers

* The victims of typhoon Frank, who couldn’t be attended to by government officials who wouldn’t cancel their US trip, all because it was scheduled long ago, and Frank wasn’t scheduled to come
* David Diaz (better luck next time)
* Those who bet on Diaz

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29
Jun

Before us, the Coke deluge

Posted by | Categories Life | Tagged

Attended last Friday’s Buhay Coke ng Blogger’s Party at Taste Asia, which is at the SM Hypermarket, SM Mall of Asia. Before that, I took a walk, savored the cool breeze, and saw my attempts to find a network attached storage fail miserably. The tech shops at MoA were disappointing and uninviting.

One queen famously said “After us, the deluge.” Well, I dunno if there was a queen before the event, but indeed there was a deluge of Coke Zero. For the record, I had two cans that night, a personal record. I dunno, I find Coke Zero to be lacking in sweetness. Maybe that’s just me, since another blogger told me that he found Coke Zero to be sweeter than regular Coke.

Memorable moments:

* For the first time (finally), I get to be a volunteer for Marcelle‘s magic. Either I am not a good liar, or he’s a shaman.

* Shari‘s “scary moment” turned out to be an elaborate Punk’d. So says Marcelle. BTW, go read her blog post about the youth’s involvement (or non-involvement) in politics and governance.

* The Jester-in-Exile‘s attempts to appear as an angel. MONUMENTAL FAIL, translating Dra. Tess‘ comments in LOLspeak. And their attempt to make me violate my own curfew. Me=fail.

* Jeff almost slumping down, due to being awake for 24 hours. Seriously, you should see it. Like this one.

* Fritz making good his promise to be whoop-ass P&S photographer. Seriously, just take a look.

* Juned‘s bad-ass, it-could-kill lense. Which played well with his scary mask. Take a look at the casualties. Fritz is partly to blame for some of the casualties.

* The Manila Foodistas came in full force. Tiff was mighty proud of her figure. Jeff, Josh, and I saw no difference, really. Kidding!

* Loads of Bloggers Da Who moments, but I’ll leave that for AJ to chronicle.

Kudos to self-confessed Coke addict Aileen Apolo for a blast of an event. You can find other blog posts about the event listed in her blog.

29
Jun

Exercise your flash creativity

Posted by | Categories Journal | Tagged ,

Last Tuesday, June 24, bloggers trooped to The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf at Bonifacio High Street for a workshop about Flash Creativity. The workshop was divided into three topics – creative writing, photography, and short film – and bloggers were allowed to choose what topic they could attend.

The subject matter experts are all respected and known in their fields:

Dean Francis Alfar
If anybody can teach you about writing it’s Dean Alfar. With nine Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature under his belt – including the Grand Prize for his novel Salamanca as well as the Manila Critics’ Circle National Book Awards for the graphic novels Siglo: Freedom and Siglo: Passion and the Philippines Free Press Literary Award – Dean’s writing can express something truer than the truth which is the story.

Mike Cabardo
Explaining to someone what having an eye means is to show them the works of Mike Cabardo. This director, producer and owner of Salt Lab Creative – a motion picture and video production company specializing in creative broadcast video, film, animation and graphic design – is the visionary behind the lens of ADJECTIVE music videos Sabihin Mo by Hemp Republic, Kitchie Nadal’s Run and TL Ako Sa’yo as well as Drip’s In-Between Live.

Jay Tablante
His images will amaze you, but his passion will inspire you. Jay Tablante started out as a photographer tagging along his high school magazine’s editor with a throwaway camera, but now thanks to his tireless perseverance and unique style and inventiveness that suffuses his work, Jay quickly found himself an accomplished photographer that he fervently describes as someone who will live and die by the camera for the rest of his days.

After thirty minutes of lecture and iced tea, the bloggers were let loose in the Boni High Street expanse to put what they have learned in practice. Those who attended the short film workshop made funny videos using mobile phones and point-and-shoot cameras, and with little to no editing, the videos were funny and creative. Budding photographers were to take ten pictures using any camera – mobile phone, point-and-shoot, and DSLR. While the two groups were busy milling around for their shots, those who attended creative writing were seated and hunched at their tables, some staring at nowhere, trying to compose words and put them into writing.

At the end of frantic flash creativity sessions, the fruits of the bloggers’ flash creativity were read or viewed, and three written works, three photos, and all the videos were awarded prizes.

The host took this opportunity to invite everyone to join its What’s Your Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Story? contest. What’s your coffee bean and tea leaf story? Log onto www.whatsyourcoffeebeanandteafstory.com for more information.