September 2011 – ellen tordesillas

Revisiting the almost forgotten

Published by Ellen on September 29, 2011

VERA Files first photobook,”Silenced: Extrajudicial killings and torture in the Philippines,” is an example of the power of images and words combined.

Launched yesterday, the book is a collection of images of human rights victims as sensitively captured by the talented Mario Ignacio IV.

“The two young daughters of a women’s rights advocate try to live normal lives even as they attend the trial of their mother’s murder in Tagbilaran City almost every month. A Lumad family in Davao continues to bereave the death of their patriarch while seeking ways to hold on to their ancestral land. A wife in North Cotabato wrestles with the fact that her husband is a bus bombing suspect and a victim of torture,” Mario describes three of the 14 images in the book.

In the aftermath of “Pedring”

Published by Ellen on September 27, 2011

The world is filled with stories of opportunities resulting from adversities.

There is one report that gives me hope Manila’s landscape would improve after the destruction caused by Pedring.

A Facebook entry mentioned that many of those ugly, multi-colored lamps along Roxas Blvd have been destroyed.

That means, the city government would be allotting millions of pesos again to have Roxas Boulevard lighted. I hope former Tourism secretary Gemma Cruz, who advises Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim on historical and cultural matters, recommends a better- designed lamps that reflect the beauty and character of Manila.

Buko talk

Published by Ellen on September 26, 2011

buko juice vendor — Thanks to Desi-Radio for the photo

Much as I’d like to join in the excitement of President Aquino over the interest of American businessmen in coconut water or buko juice, I have my reservations.

Upon his arrival from the United States, where he attended the official launch of the Open Government Partnership in New York – an initiative by US President Barack Obama and Brazil President Dilma Rouseff to promote transparency in governance, the President waxed ecstatic about the information that the Americans have discovered the joys of drinking buko juice, something that Filipinos have been doing since time immemorial.

“Drinking what they call coco water and what we call buko juice is a growing trend in the US. Because of its nutrients, because it is natural and environment friendly, it is becoming the new natural sports drink in America and is now a hundred-million-dollar industry,” he said.

‘Kung nahuli mo ang karelasyon mo na nagtataksil sayo, saang SM branch mo sya babarilin, and why?’

Published by Ellen on September 24, 2011

Nilagay ni Joey Reyes, direktor ng pelikula, sa kanyang Facebook wall ang natanggap niyang text tungkol sa magkasunod na barilan sa magkaibang branch ng SM at patok na patok. Ang daming nag-repost.

Ito ang nasa FB status ni Direk Joey:”Miss Universe question: Kung nahuli mo ang karelasyon mo na nagtataksil sayo, Saang SM Branch mo sya babarilin? and why?

Sumakit ang tiyan ko sa kakatawa. Pamatay talaga ang sense of humor ng Pinoy.

Hindi ko tinitingnan itong mga nakakatawang kumento na pinagtatawanan natin ang trahedya ng mga nawalan ng mahal sa buhay. Nakaka-shock ang nangyari at nakikiramay ako sa mga namatayan.

Presence of mind

Published by Ellen on September 22, 2011

Hold-up — Thanks to mylot.com for photo.

My sharing of my experience as a victim of snatching last month elicited amusing ways to deal with the petty crime which is alarming in the boldness of the criminals. They choose no time and it seems they are everywhere.

My earrings were snatched by a woman, in her thirties, who held my ears hard simultaneously from behind, while I was flagging down a bus on Taft Avenue last Aug. 19, at about 3 p.m.

I was so shocked by the incident. I had been a victim more than once of a pickpocket and it was always emotionally unpleasant, aside from the financial loss. But the experience of being touched by a criminal was more traumatic.

I was thankful though that I was not hurt. Anti-crime crusader Teresita Ang-See said a staff member of the Kaisa, an organization of Filipino-Chinese, was also a victim of earrings snatching, also along Taft Avenue, in front of the Philippine General Hospital where Kaisa members do weekly assistance to charity patients.

An afternoon of Laughter Yoga

Published by Ellen on September 18, 2011

Laughing with RRR — This was not the Laughter Yoga session. But we were laughing and having a good time.

I came across two articles on the benefits of laughter last week.

One was through e-mail about a study conducted by the University Of Maryland School Of Medicine which was presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Paris last August 28.

The article written by Rick Nauert PhD, senior news editor of psychcentral.com, it said volunteers watched segments of a funny movie, such as “There’s Something About Mary” on one day and on another day watched the violent opening segment of the stressful movie “Saving Private Ryan.”

The study revealed that when volunteers watched “Saving Private Ryan,”, their blood vessel lining developed a potentially unhealthy response called vasoconstriction, reducing blood flow. “This finding confirms previous studies, which suggested there was a link between mental stress and the narrowing of blood vessels,” the article said.

Minsan lumalabas ang katotohanan sa bibig ng sinungaling

Published by Ellen on September 18, 2011

Hindi natuwa si Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile at Sen, Jinggoy Estrada sa pasirko-sirko ni Judge Nagamura Moner ng Shariah Court tungkol sa kanyang papel sa dayaan noong 2004 eleksyun.

Noong 2005 kasi, na-interview ng Probe TV ni Cheche Lazaro si Moner at marami siyang kuwento tungkol sa ginawa niyang pandaraya sa 2004 na eleksyun sa utos ni Mike Arroyo, asawa ni Gloria Arroyo. May mga papeles pa siyang pinakita at ang isa nga doon ay sulat ng pagpapasalamat galing sa chief –of-staff ni Mike na si Juris Soliman.

Nang mag-imbistigasyun na sa Senado, aba, ay sinabi ni Moner na nagsinungaling daw siya sa Probe. Bola lang daw ang sinabi niya sa media. Wala naman daw talagang dayaan.

Tatlong salita lang –solb na!

Published by Ellen on September 17, 2011

Dennis Garcia writes for Abante every Friday. Enjoy ako sa kanyang column tungkol kay Manny Pacquiao. Minsan nanggigigil ako sa pangulo natin. Pagka’t, tapos ng…

Former Abra municipal officer takes on the powerful Luna family

Published by Ellen on September 17, 2011

One brave soul has mustered the courage to bring the powerful Luna family to court.

Bernadine S. Joson, concurrent secretary to the Sangguniang Bayan of Lagayan, Abra

and until recently municipal planning and development coordinator, filed before the Ombudsman charges of plunder, graft and corruption, technical malversation, unethical conduct, and violation of the government procurement reform act against former mayor and congresswoman Cecilia Seares-Luna and her eldest son Jendricks, who is president of the Lagayan Association of Barangay Captains.

Also charged were Mayor Purificacion Blaza Paingan, aunt of Cecilia; Vice Mayor Lara Haya Seares Luna; Marissa G. Donato, relative of the Lunas who is the municipal treasurer; Meno C. Dickenson,municipal accountant and Osborne P. Dolaoen, municipal engineer.

In the complaint, filed with counsels Harry Roque and Romel Bagares of Center Law Philippines, Joson said: “The plunder committed by mother and son take together from the years 2003 to 2010 amounts to total of at least Php133,907,142.”

Azkals play to kick breast cancer

Published by Ellen on September 13, 2011

All the more that I love the Azkals.

Not only have they brought honor to the country and revitalized football in the Philippines without depending so much on the government, we are about to experience their concern for others.

On the third week of this month, there will be a 3-team friendly soccer tournament at the Rizal Memorial Stadium featuring the Azkals, Kaya Futbol Club, and Global Futbol Club for the benefit of IcanServe Foundation, a non-stock, non-profit organization composed mostly of breast cancer survivors who are into information crusade about breast cancer and the benefits of early detection.

On Sept. 19 (Monday), it’s the Azkals vs KayaFC ; Sept. 21(Wednesday), Azkals vs GlobalFC , and on Sept. 24 (Saturday) KayaFC vs GlobalFC. The two-hour games will start at 3:00 pm.

Month: September 2011