Friday, January 30, 2009
The Right to Motmot
Ni-reverse ng Supreme Court ang pag-a-uphold ng Court Appeals sa City Ordinance ni Manila Mayor Alfredo "Hirty Harry/Ako ang Batas" Lim banning short-time motmots to operate in the city. (PDI, 30 Jan 09)
Napakaganda ng quoted passages mula sa unanimous decision ng SC kasi kahit in-acknowledege nilang maaring nagiging pugad ng prostitusyon ang gayu'ng mga lugar, mas importante pa rin daw ang karapatan nating mag-motmot, isang karapatan na napakaliit na puwedeng basta-basta na lang mahamak for a "greater", "more moral" right.
"Concededly, these are not the sort of cherished rights that when proscribed would impel the people to tear up their cedulas...Still, the Bill of Rights does not shelter gravitas alone. Indeed it is those 'trivial' yet fundamental freedoms, which the people reflexively exercise any day without the impairing awareness of their constitutional consequence, that accurately reflect the degree of liberty enjoyed by the people."
Ahhh...one more reason to be proud of the Philippines, our wala-lang freedoms. We are free to do it, to check-in a motel and fuck for a short-time fee...Wala nang isip-isip kasi natural lang sa'tin ang maging malaya. Sa Singapore kahit mag-bubble gum bawal!
Napakaganda ng quoted passages mula sa unanimous decision ng SC kasi kahit in-acknowledege nilang maaring nagiging pugad ng prostitusyon ang gayu'ng mga lugar, mas importante pa rin daw ang karapatan nating mag-motmot, isang karapatan na napakaliit na puwedeng basta-basta na lang mahamak for a "greater", "more moral" right.
"Concededly, these are not the sort of cherished rights that when proscribed would impel the people to tear up their cedulas...Still, the Bill of Rights does not shelter gravitas alone. Indeed it is those 'trivial' yet fundamental freedoms, which the people reflexively exercise any day without the impairing awareness of their constitutional consequence, that accurately reflect the degree of liberty enjoyed by the people."
Ahhh...one more reason to be proud of the Philippines, our wala-lang freedoms. We are free to do it, to check-in a motel and fuck for a short-time fee...Wala nang isip-isip kasi natural lang sa'tin ang maging malaya. Sa Singapore kahit mag-bubble gum bawal!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Faith and Sunshine.
Just when I thought na malawak na ang pag-iisip ng mga tao, I meet Faith and Sunshine.
Si Sunshine matagal ko nang kaibigan, magkaibigan pa rin kami, pero a few weeks back ay na-bring-up ang pagiging Katoliko ko na para sa kanya ay nagka-clash sa pagiging bakla ko. Tila para sa kanya ang lahat ng bakla ay dapat tumiwalag sa Simbahang Katoliko dahil sa mga mapaniil nitong pananaw on homosexuality.
Let me just say that for the longest time I've refrained from writing about "gay rights", and I also don't want to turn this into a religious debate; pero ang ipinagtataka ko lang eh hindi ko naman siya pinuntirya when she turned all cool and "agnositc" or whatever shit she calls herself, tapos ngayon nakukuwestiyon ang pagiging Katoliko ko. Eh, sa ito ang gusto kong panigang Simbahan, eh, pakialam mo ba, Sunshine? Basta para sa'kin, kung magiging Kristiyano na rin lang ako, 'di du'n na'ko sa Simbahang mismong si Kristo ang nagtatag, 'di ba? (Sorry, ayoko na talaga mag-cite ng mga ganyang points at baka nga mag-trigger lang ng religious debate so please, friends, 'wag n'yo na lang patulan 'to.)
When I brought it up again with her, kasi nga talagang na-bother ako sa mga sinabi niya, sana sinabi ko na lang na I let her be, so she should let me be, too. But instead, I opened the discussion to more debate when I said I am Catholic and I vote to stay one, and be the best Catholic that I could, because I know that though I believe my Church is wrong about her teachings on homosexuality, I have hope that it will realize her mistakes someday, the same way the Church has amended her teachings on cremation, or when she apologized for persecuting Galileo, for not doing enough to stop Hitler's genocide, and for launching the Crusades.
Actually, the biggest point that I wanted to raise, is that I do not feel particularly discrimated against in my Church, as much as in the rest of the world. My community in general practically shares the Catholic Church's fears and prejudices against gay people like me, so hindi na bago 'yung sinasabi ng Simbahan about me. Sabi ko nga, "Sunshine, sa bawat isang kaibigan kong tulad mo na wala talagang problema at buung-buong natatanggap ang pagiging bakla ko, meron sigurong sampung kaibigan na may fineprint ang sinasabing PAGTANGGAP sa'kin." Alam ko na marami sa inyong nagbabasa nito ngayon ang iniisip na "OK naman si Rey KAHIT bakla siya kasi..." Fill in the blanks na lang. That's the fineprint...at OK lang 'yun sa'kin. Sapat nang so far you let me be. Hindi ko na papangaraping mawala ang deeply ingrained bigotry n'yo against people like me dahil hindi ko rin naman inaasahang magbabago ang pananaw ng Santo Papa hinggil sa gay marriage habang nabubuhay ako.
Hindi nag-iisa ang Simbahang Katoliko sa paniniil sa mga homosexuals. Ilan ba sa mga taong nagsasabing tanggap nila ako bilang kaibigan ang natutuwa na at least hindi ako 'yung tipong nagbibihis-babae? Ilan ba sa mga kaibigan kong may mataas na pinag-aralan ang boboto ng NO kung sakali, by some stroke of impossible luck, maatas sa referendum ang gay marriage sa Pilipinas? Ilan ba sa mga tunay kong kaibigan ang kapareho ng maraming Pilipino na naghahangad na makatagpo ng taong mamahalin, pakakasalan, at magkakaroon ng mga cute at malulusog na anak na sana hindi maging bakla paglaki? Hindi ko talaga gustong malaman ang sagot sa mga 'yan.
Sa bawat isang taong tulad ni Sunshine na masasabi ko nang malawak-lawak ang pananaw on homosexuality, may isang milyon pa ring katulad ng isang 17-year old UP student na nakilala ko kailan lang, si Faith. Mukha namang mabait, maganda, matalino, Kristiyano, at naniniwalang "gay people should not exist."
Si Sunshine matagal ko nang kaibigan, magkaibigan pa rin kami, pero a few weeks back ay na-bring-up ang pagiging Katoliko ko na para sa kanya ay nagka-clash sa pagiging bakla ko. Tila para sa kanya ang lahat ng bakla ay dapat tumiwalag sa Simbahang Katoliko dahil sa mga mapaniil nitong pananaw on homosexuality.
Let me just say that for the longest time I've refrained from writing about "gay rights", and I also don't want to turn this into a religious debate; pero ang ipinagtataka ko lang eh hindi ko naman siya pinuntirya when she turned all cool and "agnositc" or whatever shit she calls herself, tapos ngayon nakukuwestiyon ang pagiging Katoliko ko. Eh, sa ito ang gusto kong panigang Simbahan, eh, pakialam mo ba, Sunshine? Basta para sa'kin, kung magiging Kristiyano na rin lang ako, 'di du'n na'ko sa Simbahang mismong si Kristo ang nagtatag, 'di ba? (Sorry, ayoko na talaga mag-cite ng mga ganyang points at baka nga mag-trigger lang ng religious debate so please, friends, 'wag n'yo na lang patulan 'to.)
When I brought it up again with her, kasi nga talagang na-bother ako sa mga sinabi niya, sana sinabi ko na lang na I let her be, so she should let me be, too. But instead, I opened the discussion to more debate when I said I am Catholic and I vote to stay one, and be the best Catholic that I could, because I know that though I believe my Church is wrong about her teachings on homosexuality, I have hope that it will realize her mistakes someday, the same way the Church has amended her teachings on cremation, or when she apologized for persecuting Galileo, for not doing enough to stop Hitler's genocide, and for launching the Crusades.
Actually, the biggest point that I wanted to raise, is that I do not feel particularly discrimated against in my Church, as much as in the rest of the world. My community in general practically shares the Catholic Church's fears and prejudices against gay people like me, so hindi na bago 'yung sinasabi ng Simbahan about me. Sabi ko nga, "Sunshine, sa bawat isang kaibigan kong tulad mo na wala talagang problema at buung-buong natatanggap ang pagiging bakla ko, meron sigurong sampung kaibigan na may fineprint ang sinasabing PAGTANGGAP sa'kin." Alam ko na marami sa inyong nagbabasa nito ngayon ang iniisip na "OK naman si Rey KAHIT bakla siya kasi..." Fill in the blanks na lang. That's the fineprint...at OK lang 'yun sa'kin. Sapat nang so far you let me be. Hindi ko na papangaraping mawala ang deeply ingrained bigotry n'yo against people like me dahil hindi ko rin naman inaasahang magbabago ang pananaw ng Santo Papa hinggil sa gay marriage habang nabubuhay ako.
Hindi nag-iisa ang Simbahang Katoliko sa paniniil sa mga homosexuals. Ilan ba sa mga taong nagsasabing tanggap nila ako bilang kaibigan ang natutuwa na at least hindi ako 'yung tipong nagbibihis-babae? Ilan ba sa mga kaibigan kong may mataas na pinag-aralan ang boboto ng NO kung sakali, by some stroke of impossible luck, maatas sa referendum ang gay marriage sa Pilipinas? Ilan ba sa mga tunay kong kaibigan ang kapareho ng maraming Pilipino na naghahangad na makatagpo ng taong mamahalin, pakakasalan, at magkakaroon ng mga cute at malulusog na anak na sana hindi maging bakla paglaki? Hindi ko talaga gustong malaman ang sagot sa mga 'yan.
Sa bawat isang taong tulad ni Sunshine na masasabi ko nang malawak-lawak ang pananaw on homosexuality, may isang milyon pa ring katulad ng isang 17-year old UP student na nakilala ko kailan lang, si Faith. Mukha namang mabait, maganda, matalino, Kristiyano, at naniniwalang "gay people should not exist."
Friday, January 02, 2009
To Do this 2009
Akala ko 2010 pa ang last year of the decade, 2009 na pala! I won't call these resolutions kasi hindi ko naman ugali 'yun pero ito ang mga gusto kong mangyari this year...
1. Matutong mag-drive ng manual. Next week na next week rin mag-e-enroll ako sa driving school!
2. Kumuha ng passport. Sa tulong na rin ng pangungulit ni Adrian, at ng pamemresyur ng mga kaibiga't katrabaho na "Hindi ka pa nakakalabas ng bansa?!" sana ay magawa ko na'to...Brazil, here i come! (Brazil talaga?)
3. Maging diligent sa training - rowing for the Boracay regatta, weight training para gumanda-ganda naman ang katawan (at 30, mas mahirap nang i-lose ang holiday weight!), at triathlon for the first official Ironman 70.3 in August!
4. Maging mabuting boyfriend. Hindi agad magagalit, mas patient, magiging mas diplomatic and less rabid, mas malambing, mas sweet, less overthinking, more overloving! naks!
5. Mag-invest pa. Prepare for the predicted hard times.
6. Mag-home improvement. I realize this may conflict with number 5, since decorating will cost money, pero sana unti-unti kong ma-let go ko ang fear ko of decorating my place, and just go ahead, paint that wall!
7. Maging third Filipina Miss Universe. Diet and exercise at nang makasali sa Bb. Pilipinas 2009! Mabuhay! You know I look good in a gown, and sa question and answer e taob ko na sila. Puwede na sigurong pambawi 'yun sa average scores na makukuha ko sa Oscar dela Renta Swimsuit Competition. (Seryoso ako kala n'yo!)
1. Matutong mag-drive ng manual. Next week na next week rin mag-e-enroll ako sa driving school!
2. Kumuha ng passport. Sa tulong na rin ng pangungulit ni Adrian, at ng pamemresyur ng mga kaibiga't katrabaho na "Hindi ka pa nakakalabas ng bansa?!" sana ay magawa ko na'to...Brazil, here i come! (Brazil talaga?)
3. Maging diligent sa training - rowing for the Boracay regatta, weight training para gumanda-ganda naman ang katawan (at 30, mas mahirap nang i-lose ang holiday weight!), at triathlon for the first official Ironman 70.3 in August!
4. Maging mabuting boyfriend. Hindi agad magagalit, mas patient, magiging mas diplomatic and less rabid, mas malambing, mas sweet, less overthinking, more overloving! naks!
5. Mag-invest pa. Prepare for the predicted hard times.
6. Mag-home improvement. I realize this may conflict with number 5, since decorating will cost money, pero sana unti-unti kong ma-let go ko ang fear ko of decorating my place, and just go ahead, paint that wall!
7. Maging third Filipina Miss Universe. Diet and exercise at nang makasali sa Bb. Pilipinas 2009! Mabuhay! You know I look good in a gown, and sa question and answer e taob ko na sila. Puwede na sigurong pambawi 'yun sa average scores na makukuha ko sa Oscar dela Renta Swimsuit Competition. (Seryoso ako kala n'yo!)
Thursday, January 01, 2009
PLDT MyDSL Blocks Xtube, Other Pornsites...
How true that the country's largest internet service provider took the liberty of blocking Xtube and other more popular pornsites? Now it will take a loooong time to access the site, and even then, the page would not load properly, and the videos would not play. Even using a proxy site would not work.
I still have not called the PLDT MyDSL hotline to verify some friends' claims that PLDT MyDSL has indeed blocked XTube and other pornsites, but as soon as the holidays are over that's what I am going to do, and if they do confirm it, I will promptly ask them to unblock it at least in my account.
I could talk about freedom and all that shit, after all, the last time I checked I am still in the Philippines and not China, but this is just about for my personal pleasure that does not in any way get in your way! I pay for internet at home so I could browse anything I want, porn especially, in the privacy of my home that I pay for as well, dahil mahirap mag-jack-off to porn in an internet cafe, and in some wifi-accessible coffee shop! If PLDT MyDSL had the gall of blocking these pornsites, what would stop them from blocking any other site that they would deem offensive and inappropriate for viewing, even by adults (they know we are adults because they would require that you be at least 18 years old before you could subscribe to them)?
To quote Trekkie Monster of Avenue Q: "The internet is for porn!" at walang karapatan ang PLDT MyDSL, o sinuman, na diktahan ang isang adult na tulad ko kung ano ang puwede at hindi ko puwedeng i-browse sa internet!
I still have not called the PLDT MyDSL hotline to verify some friends' claims that PLDT MyDSL has indeed blocked XTube and other pornsites, but as soon as the holidays are over that's what I am going to do, and if they do confirm it, I will promptly ask them to unblock it at least in my account.
I could talk about freedom and all that shit, after all, the last time I checked I am still in the Philippines and not China, but this is just about for my personal pleasure that does not in any way get in your way! I pay for internet at home so I could browse anything I want, porn especially, in the privacy of my home that I pay for as well, dahil mahirap mag-jack-off to porn in an internet cafe, and in some wifi-accessible coffee shop! If PLDT MyDSL had the gall of blocking these pornsites, what would stop them from blocking any other site that they would deem offensive and inappropriate for viewing, even by adults (they know we are adults because they would require that you be at least 18 years old before you could subscribe to them)?
To quote Trekkie Monster of Avenue Q: "The internet is for porn!" at walang karapatan ang PLDT MyDSL, o sinuman, na diktahan ang isang adult na tulad ko kung ano ang puwede at hindi ko puwedeng i-browse sa internet!
