Romancing Baguio

Finally! Natuloy din kami sa Baguio ng mga kaibigan at katrabaho ko from PLM. Ang original plan namin noon ay magpunta ng Sagada, pero laging na-uunsyami. Buti na lang at sa pagtatapos ng November ay long weekend na, holiday pa. Kaya wala nang atrasan. Gorabels!

First time ko umakyat ng Baguio na lakwatsa lang ang aatupagin. Dati kasi, laging may training or seminar. First time ko rin na umakyat ng Baguio na naka-sasakyan, at first time din na dumaan sa Kennon Road. Pareho lang ang fear factor nito with Marcos Highway. Pero nag-enjoy ako sa byahe dahil sa mga bagong tanawin. Ang dami naming nadaanang waterfalls. Nakakalula din ang mga bangin pero hindi naman nakakahilo yung mga zigzag na daan. But it was all worth it dahil sa wakas ay nakita ko na rin ang famous Lion's Head ng Baguio.

Lima kami sa grupo - ang super corny pero tekkie na si Kuya Glenn, ang single at mayuming choir member na si Angie, ang sexy at pretty secretary ng Presidente ng Pamantasan na si Cathy, ang super bait at kulit na si Ryan, and of course, the one and only me.

Pagdating namin ng Baguio, gutom na kami. Hinanap namin yung masarap na lugawan sa Burnham. Alas-tres na ng hapon, pero damang-dama ang lamig. Grabe! It's so good to be back! Ang daming tao, punumpuno yung park. Hindi man namin nahanap yung lugawan, nag-pyesta naman kami sa inihaw na seafoods at bulalo sa isang karinderya malapit sa park. Da best bulalo I've ever had! Kaya lang, habang kumakain kami, ang background music namin ay yung labanan ng malalakas na boses ng mga tagatawag ng kostumer ng magkakatabing karinderya. Hindi lang pala mga jeep ang may barker, hehehe.

Eto mga na-realize ko during our Baguio Getaway:

Kahit saan ka magpunta, may mga Clean Comfort Rooms na pwede mong pasukan for a price. P5.00 pag jingle, P10.00 pag jebs, P20.00 pag gusto mong maligo. Take note, clean talaga ang Clean Comfort Rooms ng Baguio. May janitor na minu-minutong naglilinis. Lagot ka pag di ka nag-flush, sisitahin ka.

Mahirap pala magsagwan ng bangka. Madaling tignan pero dusa gawin. At eto pa, pag nagbangka ka sa Burnham Park, para kang nag-bump cars. Mabubunggo ka at ay mabubunggo ka, anumang iwas ang gawin mo. P60.00 for 30 minutes ang rate ng mga bangka. Mas mahal yung mga de pedal at swan boats. Para sa akin, pare-pareho lang silang nakakatakot sakyan (hindi kasi ako marunong lumangoy at praning ako na tataob kami at malulunod ako sa kulay lumot na tubig ng Burnham, hehehe).

May mga murang tirahan pala sa Baguio na pwede mong upahan ng tatlong araw lang. Nope, hindi po Teacher's Camp o YMCA ang sinasabi ko. Yes, mga transient houses po. Sa tapat ng istasyon ng Victory Liner, sasalubungin ka ng mga bugaw ng mga bagay na magbibigay sa yo ng panandaliang aliw, hehehe. Jackpot kami sa bahay na nakuha namin. P1800.00 for two nights and two days. Dalawa ang kwarto, fully furnished ang kitchen, may tv pa at malinis na banyo.

ONE MORE CHANCE

originally posted by Migs on November 20, 2007

A friend, single and gay (and jaded?), sends me a text message one evening: "I just watched John Lloyd and Bea’s One More Chance. I shouldn’t have watched it. It just made me feel I was not really for any romance. It will never happen to me." Aba nagda-drama ang lola, I told myself. The next day an officemate was excitedly raving about his watching the same movie. Then, last night, I was reading the papers and saw an article talking about the movie getting a “B” rating from MTRCB. Wow, this buzz marketing is getting into me. So what did I do? I went straight to the moviehouse to end the buzz-inspired curiosity.

The story is simple. John Lloyd is Popoy, a well-intentioned straight-laced boyfriend to Bea’s character, an artsy-fartsy t-shirt designer cum architect named Basha. The central issue was Basha’s desire to find her individuality amidst her world that, because of her committed relationship with Popoy, had become too controlled, constricted, and thus exhausting — like a hamster running inside a fancy terrarium wheel. This pushed her to break up with poor Popoy, leaving him a dashed china, pulverized further by his big and bold dreams of married bliss that went crashing down on him as Basha severed the romance. All in the name of finding her relevance in this world.

The movie progressed by showing how Popoy and Basha lived their lives post break-up, and how their close-knit friends supported them throughout the ordeal. Of course, the ending was as expected (kaya nga One More Chance ang title noh!), but how it got there was pretty moving enough to make me enjoy the movie. Why so?

First, finding one’s relevance in this world is something I can very well relate to. I can totally understand how one can give up such big things as “romantic love” for the sake of finding one’s place in this world. Love is all great, but if you don’t know yourself and your relevance, then what a waste.

Second, I liked how the movie emphasized the value of friendship and all the ceremonies and traditions that it somehow creates. In the movie, Popoy and Basha had a barkada who met every Thursday evening for dinner. In this simple gathering, they celebrate individual milestones — and it was palpable how joy is multiplied if shared with loving people around you.

Third and last, I was blown away with how the movie portrayed love’s power — how it can be the most powerful change agent in someone’s life. And I mean not only romantic love, but also love of self, of family, and of friends.

So yes, I encourage you to watch the movie. Don’t stare too much on John Lloyd’s nipples though. There are many more and better things to lick and like in the movie than those lovely brown protrusions.

Crossing My Fingers for Week 13

I won the raffle!! Last Wednesday night, Sir Don texted me that he chose my partial treatment and I will be assigned to write Week 12 of Zaido daw. Sobrang saya ko! I will be writing something that will actually be produced and shown on national television! Mga totoong artista ang babasa ng script na gagawin ko! At higit sa lahat, kikita ako ng salapi, hahaha!

Well, it all sounds exciting. Until the writing team met last Friday.

Sabi ni Sir Don, mamo-move daw ang Christmas monster story ko to Week 13 para sumakto sa pasko or week before ng pasko. 13, unlucky. Haaay... Praning lang siguro ako. Sabi naman ni Ms. Renny, maganda daw yung treatment na sinubmit ko. Pero my headwriter doesn't seem one hundred percent pleased.

Ayoko mawala sa akin ang pagkakataong ito. Sana ay pagkatiwalaan pa rin ako ni Sir Don. Gagawin ko ang lahat para mapaganda ang Week 13.

Setting It Straight

May kumakalat na tsismis sa mga opisina ng PLM na magreresign na daw ako from the EVP Office. Nahihirapan na daw ako sa trabaho. Kaya daw sa January ay eeskapo na naman ako.

Natatawa na lang ako. Bakit ba nag-aaksaya sila ng panahon sa mga spekulasyon kung ano ang tatakbuhin ng karera ko sa PLM? Dalawang buwan pa nga lang ako sa EVP Office, parang gusto na nila akong umalis.

Well, to set the record straight (hahaha! may ganun pa...), I'm not going anywhere. Despite the fact na dalawa na ang shows ko sa GMA ay nama-manage ko pa rin nang maayos ang schedule ko. HINDI PO AKO NAHIHIRAPAN. Actually, mas nag-eenjoy nga ako sa pressure ng trabaho ko at sa mabibigat na assignments na binibigay sa akin ni EVP Maceda, ni President Tamano at ni Univ. Secretary Anenias. I welcome the challenges and, so far, I've overcome all of them.

Pero dahil sobrang persistent ng mga rumors, I felt it prudent to discuss the matter with my boss. I texted EVP Maceda about this, denied the allegations, and assured him of my commitment to work for PLM. Kasi, kahit papano, I got paranoid nung sabihin sa akin ni EVP Maceda na ire-reassign niya ako sa Office of the University Secretary. Inisip ko na kaya niya gagawin yun ay dahil nakarating sa kanya ang rumors na ayoko na or umaangal ako sa hirap ng work in his office.

Here's his very touching reply: "Marlon, it's the first time i heard of this. The only reason why you are being re-assigned is pinag-aagawan ka naming tatlo and the University Secretary needs you the most because of workload. In fact, there is no actual transfer since Univ. Sec. knows she can ask your help anytime. You were just told that so you will expect more assignments. We are happy with you so don't you worry."

Yun na.

Haaaay...

It's the dark times.

A mall gets blown up. The congress gets bombed. Plunder forgiven. Government officials bribed with cash gifts. There's no denying, the Philippines is not an ideal place to live at right now.

Vying for Week Twelve

Pang-walong linggo na ng Zaido sa primetime block ng GMA. At wow! Consistent kaming panalo sa ratings!

Paganda na ng paganda ang kwento. Right now, week twelve na ang pinagmimitingan ng writing team. Excited na naman kaming mga brainstormers dahil inopen ulit ni Sir Don sa amin ang chance na sulatin ang linggong ito. The last time he gave us a shot was in week six. Although I gave it my best, hindi ako ang napili that time. Instead, it was Renny, yung senior brainstormer namin. Pero okay lang yun. I was happy for Renny.

We didn't expect na magkakaroon ulit ng "raffle." Gusto ni Sir Don na magkaroon kami ng Christmas Monster ala Grinch for week twelve. Pinagawa niya kaming apat na brainstormers ng sequence treatment. Kung sino daw ang may pinakamagandang kwento na magagawa ang siyang magsusulat ng week twelve script.

Ang saya saya! Chance na ulit 'to! Ginalingan ko talaga at pinaganda ko nang husto yung treatment ko. I submitted it last night. Kaya eto, di na ako makapaghintay ng resulta.

Ako kaya ang mapipili? Will I finally write a script for TV? Or hindi pa rin ba ako hinog at kailangan pa uling maghintay ng susunod na pagkakataon?

Malalaman natin yan sa loob ng ilang araw. Wish me luck. I need your prayers.

Ang Kagawad sa Puso Naming Magkakapatid

Wala naman talaga sa plano ko na mag-Watcher para sa tatay ko during the Barangay Election Day. Napilit lang. Pero, naisip ko rin, I wanna do this for him. Alam ko na sobrang gusto manalo ni Papa, at mas lalakas ang confidence niya if he knows na suportado siya ng mga anak niya.

Alas-sais pa lang ay gising na kami. Alas-syete kasi ang bukas ng mga presinto sa Cecilio Apostol Elementary School. Haaay... Kay aga-aga, ni wala pang botante, pero ang gulo na kaagad. Ang sikip. Tatlong presinto sa loob ng isang classroom. Kakaunti lang ang mga silya na nagsilbing voting stations. Wala na ring lugar para sa pila sakaling magdagsaan ang mga botante.

Yung tatlong teachers na assigned sa presinto ko, mukhang baguhan lahat. Mukhang di na-orient nang mabuti sa mga gagawin nila. Bandang alas-otso, pinalabas na ang mga watchers. Nakaka-dagdag lang daw kami sa sikip sa loob ng presinto. Kaya nag-assist na lang kami ng mga botante sa labas sa paghahanap ng pangalan nila sa voter's registry lists.

Aliw ako, kasi ang gwapo nung ibang watchers na kasama namin. Sulit ang araw ko, hahaha.

Kainis yung mga taga-McDonalds, nakikigulo pa. Inilalako ang mga menu nila at paninda sa bawat kwarto. Nadidistract tuloy yung mga teachers imbes na mag-focus sa ginagawa nila.

Ang init! Walang electric fan sa loob ng classroom. Wala ring hangin na pumapasok sa mga bintana. Napapa-yosi tuloy ako, maya't-maya. Pang-tanggal din ng inip. Alas-tres pa magsasara ang botohan. Parang napaka-layo pa.

Kamusta naman ang ulam nung lunch na provided ng partido nina Papa. Bopis!!! E hindi naman ako kumakain nun no! Bumili pa tuloy ako sa sarili kong pera. Aba, wala na nga kaming sweldo, tapos di pa nila magawa ng maayos yung pagkain?! Sumosobra na sila! Hahaha.

Nung bilangan na, may umutot! Super-react ang mga tao. Hahaha. May bomb threat daw sa school, kaso di na napigilan kaya sumabog na. Hahaha. Pang-number four si Papa sa presintong binantayan namin ni Myra. Dun sa ibang presinto, mukhang pasok din siya sa Top 7.

We were all quite confident na panalo na si Papa. Nag-iisip na nga ako kung paano ako makakapag-contribute sa Victory Celebration niya. Kaso, biglang lumabo yung resulta. Hanggang sa may masagap kaming balita na may presintong hindi namin nabilang. Nalamangan na si Papa. Lumalabas na pang-walo lang siya.

Nakakalungkot ang ending ng araw ng eleksyon. I hope, hindi manliit si Papa sa pagkatalo niya. Pangalawang takbo na niya ito, at talo na naman. Buti na lang, full force kaming magkakapatid sa pagtulong sa kanya. Sana, kahit dun lang, malaman niyang panalo siya.

Inspired to Lead

A Tribute to Magwayen Elders

A Warning to All Backstabbers

Mag-iisang buwan na ako sa Pamantasan. Hindi ako nahirapang mag-adjust. Para ngang never ako umalis at all. Masarap katrabaho ang mga kasamahan ko ngayon sa Office of the President at Office of the Executive Vice President. Nag-eenjoy ako sa challenge ng trabaho ko. Si Atty. Ernest Maceda talaga ang immediate boss ko. He's the EVP. But I do a lot of correspondences din for Atty. Adel Tamano, the new PLM President. Just the other day, pinagkatiwalaan niya ako na gawan siya ng presentation for the Board of Regents' meeting. When he first asked me to do it a week ago, i was a bit scared. Pero yun ang masaya sa work ko ngayon - i get fulfillment pag nao-overcome ko lahat ng pressure at challenge ng pinapagawa sa akin.

When i hosted Sir Adel's birthday, para na rin yung public announcement na "I'm Back!!!." I'm sure maraming empleyado ang nagulat na makita akong muli. And I know they are more surprised na sa EVP-OPres ako na-assign. I hope they are happy for me. But that's wishful thinking. I know marami ang nai-inggit at pinag-iisipan ako ng masama. Haynaku. Ang ibang tao talaga. Last Thursday nga, isang AP staffer na laging nasa office namin ang sinabihan ako na Tuta ako ni Tayabas. The nerve of this girl! Pag kaharap ako ay ngingiti-ngiti sa akin, tapos behind my back pala ay kung anu-ano ang ibinibintang sa akin.

Hindi po ako tuta ni Tayabas. I am a person na may sariling pag-iisip, paninindigan at mga prinsipyo. Mabait akong tao, marunong rumespeto ng kapwa. Pero kung ang kabaitan at pakikipagkapwa ko ay aabusuhin at ako ay tatraydurin, pwes di lang ako basta tuta kundi aso na handang manakmal para lang di mayurakan ang dignidad na aking pinangangalagaan!

X Factor

This article originally appeared at the Philippine Entertainment Portal [www.pep.ph] on September 22, 2007. The review was made by Jocelyn Dimaculangan.

Watching the play Eks (X) staged by the students of the Pamatasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) is like watching an indie film. PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) was able to watch the September 20 performance of this Magwayen Creative Scholars' Guild production at the PLM campus in Intramuros.

From the moment the curtains go up until the cast members take their final bow, the influence of independent films can be felt strongly throughout the 10-part play.

First, the blackouts appearing in between segments of the play simulate the cut to black often used in indie films. Second, this Magwayen production will make the viewer think and keep track of the connections tying all the segments together. Lastly, the storytelling of the play is non-linear, much like most independent films today.

The title Eks (X) comes from the Roman numeral "X" that stands for 10, the number of segments of this play. The "X" can also stand for a cross sign that indicates forbidden acts such as rape, murder, and drug trafficking—all elements of this mature production. Or it can also stand for X-factor, something that the Magwayen cast members had an abundance of during the play. In the world of Eks (X), lives are ruined—and saved—by the game of politics. Scriptwriter Marlon Miguel takes the audience from the powerful halls of Malacañang to the guilt-ridden walls of the Bilibid prison to the chaotic slums of Manila.

The central character of the play is Tisoy (Joseph Molino), the hapless death convict whose life is being used as leverage by wily politicians and taken advantage of by an ambitious movie director. Joaquin Salgado is unable to finish his term as President of the Republic.

The First Lady, Veronica (Giselle Diane Diaz), takes matters into her own hands and pulls some strings to get herself reelected to power. Tisoy's girlfriend uses her own connections and family ties to save her loved one from the electric chair.

The manipulative First Lady is played to the hilt by Giselle, a young woman whose acting skills stand out from the rest of the cast. She's a character you'd love to hate for her shrewdness and cunning.

Alyssa Paula Tomas makes her own mark as the dutiful girlfriend and you can't help but feel embarrassed for her when she professes her love for Tisoy. Unfortunately, Joseph Molino looked expressionless while Alyssa confessed her secret crush on him.

In less than ten minutes, Michael Cayetano managed to give an intense performance as Leo, an actor-playing-an-actor within the play. Too bad he didn't have a much larger role in Eks (X).

The lighting of the play is quite poor, making it difficult to make out the facial expressions of the actors. In one scene wherein one character fires a gun at a syndicate member, the gun is fired but no sound effect is used, and the explosive moment is wasted.

Eks (X) is a finely written play that will make viewers ponder the role of politics in their lives.

On Seeing My Name at the Zaido Closing Credits

Tapos na ang pilot week ng Zaido. Mixed ang mga reviews na nasasagap ko mula sa mga tao. As part of the writing team ng Zaido, very proud ako sa show namin. Napakagaling ng cast, at maganda ang kwento. Very happy din kami sa mataas na ratings nito. Ang Zaido na ang Number 1 na programa sa primetime ngayon. Pero hindi namin sinasabing perpekto ang show na ito. We acknowledge the areas for improvement, at bukas kami sa mga opinyon at suhestyon ng mga tao, Kapuso o Kapamilya man.

On a personal note, sobrang overwhelming yung feeling when i first saw my name on the closing credits of the show. Inabangan talaga namin ng mga kapwa ko brainstormers na sina Borgy at Obej. Aba, hindi kami nabigo. Kasinglaki ng pangalan namin yung kina Ma'am Wilma at kina Direk Dom at Sir Don. Hahaha. Ang babaw ng kaligayahan namin.

Happy 37th Birthday, Sir Adel!

Si Atty. Adel Tamano ang bagong Presidente ng PLM. Ngayong October, he'll be celebrating his first birthday with the PLM Community. Mahigit isang buwan pa lamang si Sir Adel pero sobrang mahal na siya ng mga empleyado, faculty, at maging ng mga estudyante. I'm proud na isa siya sa mga boss ko ngayon. Napakatalinong tao at napakabait. Napakarami niyang magagandang visions for Pamantasan. Happy Birthday Sir Adel!

Countdown to X

"The life I touch for good or ill will touch another life, and that in turn another, until who knows where the trembling stops or in what far place my touch will be felt."

Ngayong Setyembre, isang napakalaki at napaka-kontrobersyal na proyekto ang gagawin ng Magwayen. Sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon ay magsasama-sama ang sampung premyadong direktor ng grupo upang maghatid ng sampung dula na tiyak na pag-uusapan sa buong Pamantasan.

Pinamagatang "X", ito ay maghahabi sa kwento ng iba't-ibang mukha ng buhay at sasalamin sa mga makabuluhang isyu ng lipunan.

Ilan sa mga karakter na dapat nyong paka-abangan ay si TISOY, ang deathrow convict; si MARISSA, ang anak sa labas ng Pangulo ng Pilipinas; sina NONONG at ROLAN, ang mga smoltaym na kriminal; si VERONICA, ang First Lady; at si BIANCA, ang direktor na umibig sa kapwa niya babae.

Yours Truly, A Palanca Awardee

I woke up late Monday morning nang pumasok sa kwarto ang kapatid ko. Inabot niya sa akin ang isang parcel from DHL. I was intrigued kung kanino galing yun. I read the return address, and it said Don Carlos Palanca Foundation. My heart jumped! Tumakbo kaagad sa isipan ko na nanalo ako. Pero alin dun sa tatlong entries na isinubmit ko?

I immediately opened the package. There was an envelope inside containing an invitation to the Awarding Ceremony on September 1 at the Manila Peninsula. I almost fainted! Is this a confirmation that I did win? Wait! There's also a letter inside the parcel. Sabi ko, eto na yun. This letter will answer my questions.

I read the letter and it said that I WON 2ND PRIZE IN THE SCREENPLAY CATEGORY!!!

Nanalo ang Kolono! Wow! Ang galing! I was so overwhelmed kaya nanginginig ako when I called Yay to tell him the good news. Nung magkasama kasi kami kagabi, sabi ko ay excited na ako mag-September para malaman ang results ng Palanca. I told him that I have a feeling I'd win. And now, I really did!

Back in the Game!

Kay Real ko nalaman ang tungkol sa scriptwriting contest ng Cinemanila. Nung first week of August pa yun. I got interested right away. Pwede ko kasing isali yung mga screenplay na nagawa ko na. The only thing is, kailangan may English translation yung ipapasang entry. So, I knew it wouldn't be as easy as I thought.

The deadline was August 12, Sunday, at 12:00 noon. Friday night ay hindi pa rin ako tapos mag-translate. I had to attend the Zaido meeting. Inabot na kami ng gabi kaya di na ako nakapunta sa meeting ng Magwayen na ako mismo ang nag-set, at di na rin ako nakasipot man lang sa birthday party ni Girlie na pinangakuan kong pupuntahan. Namumroblema ako dahil 20 pages pa lang ng translated script ang nata-type ko. The rest ay nasa notebook pa. I tried borrowing Boggs' laptop, pero naunang manghiram si Neth. Si Yay at Carlo naman ay gagamitin yung kanila.

I continued to work on the script nung Sabado, still quite confident na kaya ko i-beat yung deadline. Franco and the other elders were quick to point out na sana ay nagpatulong daw ako sa pagta-translate. Too late na para gawin yun ngayon. Kahit gahol na sa oras, nagpunta pa rin ako sa Magwayen in the afternoon para i-check ang progress ng mga bata sa tatlong proyektong gagawin namin ngayong August. Tapos, nung gabi, nagpunta naman ako sa Gateway para panoorin ang Parang Sirang Plaka. Short Film ito ni Yay na kasama sa walong Finalists ng Young Cinema Competition ng Cinemanila 2007. But the best thing was I finaly got to borrow Boggs' laptop.

Kahit pagod at halos wala pang tulog from Friday night, tuluy-tuloy pa rin ako ng paggawa sa English version ng KOLONO. Pero unti-unti ring nababawasan ang confidence ko. Pagsapit ng alas-otso kaninang umaga, araw ng Linggo, I finally entertained the idea of giving up. May 20 pages pa ako na hindi nata-translate at mahigit 30 pages na 'di nata-type. May usapan kami ni Yay na magkita ng 10:00 para magpaprint at sabay magpunta ng NCCA office to submit. Pero I knew in my heart na sobrang imposibleng matapos ko ito ng alas-dose ng tanghali.

But Yay texted me nung bago mag 12:00. Sabi niya, okay lang daw na hapon na magpasa. Tutulungan daw niya ako sa translation ko. Nabuhayan ako ng loob. Kahit wala pang ligo at isa't kalahating oras lang ang tulog, nagpunta ako sa SM Manila at nakipagkita kay Yay. Sa McDonalds kami nagtrabaho. Siya ang nag-translate ng last 10 pages. Nung maubusan ng battery ang mga laptop na dala namin, nagpunta kami sa isang computer shop sa likod ng SM. Pasado alas-tres na nun. Natapos kami sa translations pasado alas-singko na. Naka-95 pages ako ng script. Yung entry ni Yay, BATIBOT MULI, more than a hundred pages. Tiba-tiba ang kinita sa printing nung computer shop.

Ala-sais na natapos ipa-xerox ng tig-dalawang kopya ang mga entries namin. Nag-camp in na kami sa Copytrade at doon binutasan yung mga script. Kelangan kasi three-punched-holes. Nabugbog at nangalyo ang kamay ko sa pagbubutas. Ang sabi sa amin nung taga-Cinemanila, 8:00 pm na daw yung pinaka-last na deadline. Sa Gateway pa sa Cubao namin itatakbo yung script. Haaay.... 7:15 pm, finally, tapos na namin butasan at i-fasten ang mga scripts. Nag-taxi na kami para makarating sa Gateway on time.

Pagdating sa Gateway, nadulas pa ako sa sahig. I fell on my bottom. Lagapak talaga. Sumakit ang pwet at balakang ko pero di ko na ininda. Kelangan ma-ihabol ang mga script.

Haay.. 3 minutes bago mag alas-otso, nai-abot namin sa mga staff ng Cinemanila ang dalawang entries. Sa kabila ng lahat ng hirap at sakripisyo, nakasali pa rin kami. Alas-otso kaninang umaga, I gave up on my chances to join the contest. Alas-otso ngayong gabi, I am back in the game!

Full Circle

Finally, the results are in!

I got a text message from GMA kanina informing me that I will be engaged as Brainstormer under the Entertainment TV (ETV) Department. Any time soon, tatawagan daw ako ni Ms. Lilibeth Rasonable, Associate Vice President ng ETV, para i-discuss ang details ng employment ko. She will be the one to tell me daw kung saang program ako isasali.

But I already have an idea. Actually, di na ako na-surprise sa balita na maha-hire ako dahil last week ko pa alam.

Last Friday, nung mag-meeting kami, my headwriter Don Michael Perez told me na mananatili ako sa ZAIDO. Ang plano niya daw ay dalhin ako sa taping para maging writer on the set, doing revisions. Preparation daw ito para pag ready na ako ay pwede na ako magsulat ng actual script. He added na ganito daw siya nagsimula noon. I was overwhelmed with joy kaya di ko na nagawa mag-thank you man lang kay DMP sa tiwalang ibinigay niya sa akin.

Sobrang excited na ako for Zaido. Much has happened mula nung unang malaman namin na binili ng GMA ang rights ng SHAIDER at gagawan ito ng Pinoy version sa GMA Telebabad. From changing titles to changing casts, nag-evolve na rin ang kwento. And I am proud to say that I was there every step of the way, contributing ideas and concepts to further develop the story. Ngayon, nasa week three na kami.

It feels like I've finally come home. Home to where I truly belong.

Rain On!

Finally, dumating na rin ang ulan. Grand welcome ang ibinigay na pagtanggap kina Chedeng at Dodong. Dati ayaw natin sa bagyo, pero di na tayo pwede maging choosy dahil may krisis na sa tubig. At dahil sa walang humpay na pag-ulan, hassle gumala at gumimik. Mas masarap pang matulog. Kaya nitong nakaraang dalawang araw, sarap buhay ako. Kain, nood ng TV, tulog, telebabad, kain ulit, tapos tulog ulit. Pati pag-angat ng water level sa Anggat Dam, apektado ako. Aba, isinakripisyo ko lahat ng gimik at lakad ko para i-welcome ang pag-ulan, dapat lang na may positive result na kapalit yun. Hehehe. Nasiraan na yata ako, nagdedemand na ako sa dam.

A Fitting Finale For Harry

by DEEPTI HAJELA, Associated Press Writer

It may not be the longest book in the series, but "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" definitely packs the most punch. The drama starts on the first page and continues practically throughout the entire story.

With Book 7, Rowling brings her phenomenally successful series about the young wizard to a close. And what a close it is.

There were some complaints that Book 6 — "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" — didn't have a lot of action until the end, that its role seemed to be filling in important bits of back story and setting the stage for the final installment.

There will be no such complaints here. The pace picks up from the start, with readers thrown into a world that's much darker than any of the previous Potter books. Harry and friends Ron and Hermione are on a quest some weeks after the death of Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, and it's time to put aside familiar faces and places and get on their way.

Lord Voldemort, Harry's nemesis, seems to be everywhere, his tentacles of power reaching into every corner. It's a dangerous world they must travel, and no place or happy occasion is safe. Their journey takes them to some unexpected locations and makes them interact with a whole host of characters, including some who were merely references in other books and some who are painfully familiar faces.

Old antagonists from previous books show up — one of whom enters into a positive relationship with Harry, and another who continues to wallow in all the traits that inspired Harry's hatred.

Harry, Ron and Hermione are on the search for horcruxes, vessels that Voldemort created to hold pieces of his soul, which make it impossible to kill him as long as they exist. The search has them moving over various parts of the United Kingdom as they try to fit all the pieces together. Many secrets are finally revealed, all leading up to the ultimate confrontation between Harry and the wizard who tried to kill him so long ago.

Rowling captured many hearts with her first book, and her last is guaranteed to keep them. She is amazingly gifted, demonstrated not only by the incredibly detailed world she has created, but by the depth of feeling and complexity she writes into her characters.

It's all here: humor, courage, redemption, sadness, terror, human frailty — sometimes all in the same character. There are sections that will make readers laugh out loud, as well as scenes of such sadness that tears are inevitable.

From a boy of 11, Harry has become a young man, determined to take on quite a burden. He suffers because of his commitment, and he's not the only one. Rowling said characters would die, and she meant it. Pain and death are constant companions, and sometimes who is taken is a shocker. The deaths aren't always drawn-out, violent scenes; sometimes, you discover that someone has died at the same time Harry does.

Characters you thought you knew will surprise you. Some grow in unexpected (and not always pleasant) ways, while others have more complicated pasts than you could ever imagine. No one's life is simple — with a couple of Death Eater exceptions, many of the characters prove that you can't make assumptions about people's motivations.

Rowling rewards her faithful readers; there are numerous allusions to people, places, spells and objects that were mentioned in earlier books. It's a pleasure to see how she closes the loop she opened so many years ago with the story of a young boy who one day discovered he was a wizard.

And, of course, she answers many questions: Why did Snape kill Dumbledore? Is Snape Harry's enemy? Where are the horcruxes? What are the deathly hallows?

It's been a long, long road to get to this point (the first book was published in the United States almost a decade ago), and Rowling does herself proud. She completes her entertaining, compulsively readable series with a book that is both heartbreaking and hopeful, one that left this reader sad to say goodbye to Harry but thoroughly satisfied at how it all went.

From "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" to "Deathly Hallows," Rowling has completed an astonishing cycle of books that can only be described as a true literary classic

On Turning a Year Older

Nais kang magsabi ng Thank You sa lahat ng mga kaibigan na nakaalala at bumati sa aking Birthday nung Sabado. Salamat sa mga nag-text at tumawag. Hanggang ngayon ay naka-save pa rin sa inbox ko ang mga messages nyo. 'Di pa ako nagsasawang basahin ng paulit-ulit.

Alam nyo namang lahat na ako ay 28 years old na ngayon. During the days leading to my birthday, lagi akong nalulungkot. Totoo pala na may ganung feeling, yung kinatatakutan mo ang pagsapit ng birthday mo kasi madadagdagan ka na naman ng isang taon. Ang una ko ngang balak ay magkulong lang sa bahay at pagtaguan ang buong mundo, baka sakaling makalimutan ko na birthday ko.

Pero nung Sabado, dahil sa pagmamahal na ipinaramdam ninyo, labis ang kasiyahan ko. Wala na akong paki-alam kahit tumatanda na talaga ako. Na-realize ko, nakakatakot lang tumanda kung di mo kapiling ang mga mahal mo at ang mga taong nagmamahal sa 'yo.

Na-overcome ko na ang takot na yun. I'm now ready for the rest of my life.

DAY 110

I am past the 100 day mark of quitting cigarettes. I admit, may mga araw na bumabali ako sa resolve ko. Since I quit in March, siguro nakaka-sampung stick pa lang ako up to today. I'm not too concerned about it. I only light up a stick when there is a really important occasion. Pero, ayokong kunsintihin ang rason na ito. Hopefully, mas maging disiplinado ako in the future, may alibi man o wala.

Sobrang Okay

Last Sunday, me and three other friends decided to watch SOP live at GMA. Swerte kami kasi writer sa show ang isa pa naming kaibigan na si Yay. He assured us that, as long as we go there early, he'll get us good seats. Kaso, alas-onse na kami dumating ni Boggs. Hinihintay na kami nina Ben at Marvin sa Jamboree Gate. Ang sabi nung gwardya dun, puno na raw sa studio ng SOP. Di na raw magpapapasok.

I texted Yay agad and told him about the problem. Gagawan nya raw ng paraan. Presto! Narinig ko ang guard na tinatawag na ang pangalan ko. Ang galing! Inggit na inggit yung ibang hindi nakapasok habang kami naman ng mga kaibigan ko ay pinayagan.

Pagdating sa studio, Yay asked one of the P.A.s na ikuha kami ng chairs. Although we were at the last row sa gilid ng stage, they were still good seats. Maliit lang ksi yung studio kaya halos abot-kamay mo lang ang mga artista. Live na Live ang theme ng show that day. Ang galing ng mga production numbers. Ang lupit kumanta ni Aicelle! Naks! Schoolmate ko yan, hahaha. Natuwa rin ako sa mga bata ng Sugahpop. Sayang wala si Regine. Pero sulit pa rin dahil nandun ang the rest of the Constellation of Stars.

After ng show, hinatak kami ni Yay para makapagpa-picture sa mga artista. Tuwang-tuwa naman kaming nagpahatak. Hahaha. What a fun Sunday!

Kapusong Totoo

Bilang isang manunulat na unti-unting pinapasok ang industriya ng telebisyon, bahagi pa rin ng aking inspirasyon ang pagiging fan. I love movies. I am a TV addict. So it's only understandable that I am crazy about the stars.

Matapos ang halos sampung taon, ngayon higit kailanman ay napakalapit na ng katuparan ng aking pangarap na maging scriptwriter. At ang nagbigay sa akin ng pagkakataon ay ang nag-iisang Kapuso Network. I was never a big fan of GMA prior to the writing workshop that they offerred for free. At first, I was just thankful dahil binigyan nila ako ng break. Inevitably, however, natutunan kong mahalin ang Syete at tinanggap ko nang malugod ang transformation ko into a tue-blooded Kapuso.

Last week ay naanyayahan kaming maging bahagi ng story conference para sa bagong show na magbubukas sa September. Napakalaki ng proyektong ito. All star cast pa! Sobrang nakaka-overwhelm na sa harap ng mga iniidolo kong artista ay in-acknowledge ako ng Headwriter namin na si Don Michael Perez as part of the writing team. Wow! There's no other show I want so much to be part of except this one. Kasama kasi ako mula nung mag-umpisang buuin ang kwento nito. I am so excited about it kaya ngayon pa lang ay marami na akong ideas na naiisip for the show.

Sa primetime ito ipapalabas. Pagbibidahan ang show nina Dennis Trillo, Marky Cielo and Aljur Abrenica, na lahat ay present during the story con. Napaka-approachable ng tatlo. Sobrang dali para sa isang fan na gaya ko na magpa-picture. Si Dennis nga umakbay pa sa akin for the camera, tapos nakipag-usap pa right after. Again, nag-umapaw na naman ang galak ko. I realized na hindi fan ang tingin sa akin ni Dennis, kundi katrabaho, part of the creative staff na bubuo ng kwento ng bago niyang show. Si Aljur, bago umuwi, nag-effort pang makipag-kamay para magpaalam at itanong ang pangalan ko. Hahaha. I doubt naman kung matatandaan niya. Pero, still, it's overwhelming to receive such niceness from a TV star.

It was a memorable experience attending my first story conference. Ganun pala yun! Lahat ng artistang kasama sa show ay present. Pati mga managers nandun. Syempre, present ang Direktor, ang Producer at Program Manager, ang buong writing team at iba pang creative staff, like costume and art department. Habang pine-present ni Sir Don ang story at mga character sketches to the actors, I felt elated knowing I contributed para mabuo ang bagong kwentong aabangan ng mga manonood sa GMA Telebabad.

Eto yung pakiramdam na matagal ko nang inaasam.

Posh and Beckham

He's a sporty metrosexual, she's a Spice Girl -- together, they're ready to take over Hollywood!

Pagkatapos mag-sign ni David ng contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy last fall, siya at ang asawa niyang si Victoria ay nag- move sa isang $22 million pad sa Beverly Hills and have begun making the Hollywood rounds. Posh has even begun shooting her own NBC reality TV special, "Victoria Beckham: Coming to America," which follows their journey from Europe to La-La-Land.

In the new W interview, the couple talks about their awkward first meeting when she was still a SPICE GIRL, their matching hair (both now platinum) and why she never smiles in photos! Okay lang. Dun nga siya famous e. Pero, pag nakita nyo yung mga super hot pics nilang mag-asawa na lumabas nga sa W Magazine, e pagpapawisan talaga kayo, hahaha.

Meanwhile, the Spice Girls return! VICTORIA BECKHAM, MELANIE CHISHOLM, GERI HALLIWELL, EMMA BUNTON and MELANIE BROWN announced their reunion tour beginning December 7. Now this is great news para sa millions of fans na matagal ring hinintay na muling makumpleto ang grupo.

We haven't heard much from the girls after nung last album nila, released in 2002, and after na maging dormant ang solo careers nina Geri, Emma and Mel C. Of course, si Victoria ay ever present sa mga entertainment pages and news because of her never-ending gimmicks to attract the paparazzi. Well, feast on these other photos of Posh and Beckham.

End of Days

When I watched Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, medyo naintriga lang ako about two films na medyo apocalyptic ang tema. As a person na sobrang fan ng mga movies like Day After Tomorrow, Deep Impact and Armageddon, I researched these two films. Ang ganda ng mga premise. One is actually about the destruction of Japan, at yung isa ay may element pala ng horror.

SINKING OF JAPAN
Nagsimula nang mag-sink ang Japan sa ocean. While the U.N. predicts this will happen in a little over 40 years, a geologist named Dr. Tadokoro isn’t so sure and after conducting several tests and using a computer analysis, he comes to the horrifying revelation that Japan is set to be submerged in less than a year! He feverishly tries to convince the Japanese government to take action, but naturally no one listens.

Nung mamatay ang Prime Minister, on his way to China, dahil nag-erupt ang isang volcano under his plane, only then does the government start to take action and begin to evacuate the people of Japan. Tadokoro realizes that the only way to save Japan from is by detonating a nuclear device under the crust of the archipelago. Ang nag-direct ng pelikulang to ay si Shinji Higuchi, who has penchant for eye-popping visuals. Remake ito, actually, ng 1973 movie na Submerging of Japan.

I AM LEGEND

Si Will Smith ay si Robert Neville, ang last man aliveat kaisa-isang survivor ng isang apocalypse caused by a pandemic of a bacterium, the symptoms of which are very similar to vampirism. He busies himself with preparing for a nightly attack from the rest of the world. Korek! Ang buong mundo ay na-transform into blood-thirsty vampires.

Pero mahuhuli nila si Neville. Ang matinding twist is how monstrous he appears to these vampires. Just as vampires were regarded as legendary monsters that preyed on the vulnerable humans in their beds, Neville has become the last of a dead breed; a mythical figure that kills both vampires and the infected living while they are sleeping. He becomes a legend as the vampires once were. Kaya ganun ang title. Gets?

A Ridley Scott adaptation was scheduled for production in the late 1990s, but fell through due to an inflating budget. The film was to starArnold Scwarzenegger. Then director Rob Bowman took a crack at a smaller budget version with a rewrite from John Logan. Will Smith will now star in the film directed by Francis Lawrence (Constantine). Filming took place in New York City, and the film is scheduled to be released on December 14, 2007.

Everything's In Order

I wouldn't be surprised kung maraming mga bata ang magrereklamo na hindi nila naintindihan or hindi maganda ang latest Harry Potter film, ang Order of the Phoenix. Well, their parents who must have read the book should have realized that it was inevitable for the film to be darker than its predecessors. Nevertheless, I would count this movie as one of the better films in the series. Ang ganda ng screenplay ni Michael Goldenberg. Kahit condensed ang maraming bahagi ng book at may ilang minor revisions to suit the film, I don't think J.K. Rowling and her fans would feel betrayed. Ang nakakasorpresa ay ang magaling na direction ni David Yates. I'm sure nakaramdam siya ng pressure because the two previous directors ng series ay mga bigatin - sina Alfonso Cuaron at Mike Newell.. But Yates did a very great job.

It was a delight to see characters from the past films converge on this one. Nagbabalik sina Trelawney, Lupin, Sirius and Mad Eye Moody. Syempre, there's also Mrs Weasley and the Dursleys whom we all missed in the fourth film. At hindi rin dapat mawala si Voldemort, who we first saw ressurected in Goblet of Fire. Pero, aside from Voldemort, isa sa mga kaiinisan mong kontrabida sa Order of the Phoenix ay si Professor Umbridge, portrayed brilliantly by Imelda Staunton.

There's one scene in the film where Harry had a flashback of himself when he was 11 years old, looking at the Mirror of Erised. It's simply amazing how much Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint have grown up before our eyes through these Harry Potter films. If Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will in fact be the last of the series, that leaves just two more films to be made. I know millions of fans are hoping that the three teen-agers would reprise their roles to the very end.

But it seems na medyo nagkaka-fatigue na sila na laging yun na lang ang role na ginagampanan nila. There's also the danger of forever being stereotyped as Harry, Hermione and Ron. Kaya nga itong si Daniel Radcliffe ay "nagpakarebelde" last February when he appeared in the play EQUUS as Allan Strang. According to the Daily Mail: For Radcliffe, it was a big mental leap from portraying JK Rowling's boy wizard to taking on a character in the psychoreligious exploration of equine worship. Radcliffe could have stood on the stage and read the London telephone book and the play still would have sold out. That he took on such an intellectual theatrical challenge was brave - and he succeeded.

Nagpyesta ang mga fans ni Radcliffe when the publicity photos for Equus came out. A sexier and buff seventeen year old like we've never seen him before. Here are some of his "revealing" photos.