reaction to doray...

I read your blogpost, Doray, after leaving the comment. My opinion (which you may not agree):I think the opening is a little bit misleading. If people would read it first, it may strike someone else's nerve because the issue had become a gender sensitive one. Wala lang. I know that you meant well and you want it to be an introduction for your entry....but if read alone, that statement is something

Dami kong gustong i-comment. Here are my two cents (sorry medyo mahaba):

1. I think the government is the only one to blame for not having universal healthcare. Hindi lang local government because economics-wise, if we don't have a good health insurance system, hindi sya sustainable. Parang med mission lang ang mangyayari...pag Pasko lang nagkakaroon ng health care ang mahihirap.

2. Health system pa rin ang may kagagawan kung bakit walang bilib ang mga taong bayan sa isang general practitioner. They would rather go straight to a cardiologist, or any specialist for their smallest concern. Kasi, kung magbabayad na nga lang ang A and B crowd, e di sa specialista na. Hayaan na lang ang mga C and D na maghintay ng libre. My point: it's not cost efficient...would have been avoided if we have a working health system.

3. Due to lack of money, they’ve been putting of circumcision.--->Kala ko ba the Philippine College of Surgeons and the PMA are trying to veer us away from the culture of circumcision? Kasi wala namang studies/benefit and it is just a cultural thing? I wouldn't blame a patient if he doesn't want to be circumcised, or would want it at 25 years old....

4. It is hard to help our country if we are not even in it! (hehe). I disagree. I'll be writing about this government and how it sucks and that will be my contribution. My way to redeem my civil liberties and right of self-expression. I am born Filipino afterall, democracy is on my side. Hehe. I would stay if my family is uber-rich, if the Philippines would pay for the cost of treating my patient, if I will receive a paycheck that I think is fair for the amount of time I spent 10 years studying medicine for...and I don't want to be corrupted by this government and the lousy health system just to have stuff that I think I deserve.

5. THERE IS HOPE. I think there won't be a universal health care system in the country in the near future, not in the next 15-20 years. Hope is far, far away. Right now, health is not a government priority, which is a big stupidity. Right now, kanya-kanya na lang talaga tayo. Bahala ka kung kanino ka kukuha ng pampagamot mo...kung kaninong doktor ka pupunta. But when it happens, I can actually say na nagising na ang mga Pilipino. Nagtutulungan na tayo.

What's Happening With Our TV?

I usually watch TV while I eat. I don't turn it on otherwise because I think most of the TV programs are such a bunch of crap. Not just pinoy TV, mind you, but American TV shows as well. Anyway, as I was eating dinner tonight, The Good Night Show with what's-his-name-Alejar was on. He introduced his guest and I was shocked: a 2-year old kid. WTF? He can't even speak straight yet. It's 1130pm, and this guy is interviewing a 2 year old kid who can't even give a straight answer...but that's not the point....my point is HE'S A FREAKING KID!

He's supposed to be tucked in at 9pm. He needs a bed time story, as we wait for him to fall asleep. I just don't think it is right to guest a two-year old in a late night show. What the hell is happening?

Ehem, ehem...child labor laws, anyone?

What's next, when a 5 month old starts to smile you can guest the kid in Walang Tulugan? Oh please.

I Am Hooked With This Scandal

I am begginning to like Bryan G and his passion for the Philippines. He is taking all his liberties and blogging about our stinking country from Australia. He is one bad-ass writer and I agree with his rants about the Philippines 99% of the time. I think no one had redeemed democracy like this. Pinoys would rather go to friendster, facebook and to the retarted Flips Flipping Pages in Shelfari, which I really think is a waste of my time.

Thus, he writes:

"No health care for your people! TREASON.
Third rate education for your people. TREASON.
Expensive $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ medications for poor people. TREASON.
Poor housing and accommodation for the vast majority. TREASON.
NO HOUSING OR PROTECTION for many. TREASON.

I call treason on all you fat cats and fat bitches who have prospered and reaped/raped your fortunes as a result of and on the backs of your fellow countrymen."

More of this blog at: http://delfindjmontano.blogspot.com/

I totally dig this post: http://delfindjmontano.blogspot.com/2008/03/abncbn-hello.html

Gossip Girl Sounds Like A Disney Sit Com Compared To This...

http://janineislove.multiply.com/journal/item/45/THE_CELINE_LOPEZ-TIM_YAP-DJ_MONTANO_SCANDAL

Yesterday, I went out for a late lunch with Xochi and Mike in Trinoma. We were surprised to find out that there was no aircon in Italianni's and the rest of Trinoma. WHAT THE HELL? It's a new mal, supposedly. We tried calling Mark (the operations manager) but we can't get hold of him in his mobile phone. Xochi told me he's in Boracay and we immediately thought he turned off his cell phone, trying to be oblivious to the rest of the world. He shouldn't have: TriNoMa is such a mess. (Hey...now I wonder if TriNoMa stands for Triangle North of Manila and it is apparently so. Just like MoMa, which stands for something of Makati. Hihimatayin ako sa mga Pilipino talaga.)

Anyway, the conversation went to this scandal which is racking up the gossip columns right now. True enough, it's the real life version of Gossip Girl (it's a sitcom about the trashy lives of the upper west side party elite). I was reading the post and I couldn't help but snigger from the comments made against these people. I am glad this scandal happened because I don't think these people should be a role model for the youth. Tim Yap, for example, has been the "party icon" for a while. Everyone is trying to emulate his fashion sense, finding out his itinerary for the weekend and one stupid network even gave him a TV show gig. Celine Lopez have been a fashion icon in the Philippines. Her travels across the world had been one of the highlights in Star. Nobody asked her where she got the money for this but, after reading this blog/rant space and the revelation that she is actually not a Lopez, a lot of people are raising eyebrows.

Now, everything is going to the dogs for them. Thank you for doing drugs and for swindling a really upset Aussie. I hope Filipinos would turn their heads away from these false icons and start focusing in making a better Pilipinas. Sayang lang sa oras ang mga taong 'to. There are still a lot of things to do.

Caveat: US Embassy scam

I went to the embassy today for my visa interview.

Just so you know, they changed the policy about bringing cellphones and other electronic devices to the embassy. You can no longer leave them in the counter before entering the premises. If you are one ignorant bastard like me, it is ok to bring your cellphone or iPod. but you have to be ready to pay. I was shocked when manang the photographer/ballpen vendor/cedula maker offered me to hold my electronic devices for me until I am done....for the simple price of 150 pesos. Since, I don't have a choice, I gave in after scolding and reprimanding her about this abuse of opportunity.

And there's more...She had terms: the more entries you send, the more chances of paying! I handled her my iPod, and then she immediately blurted, "Naku sir, kailangan nyong magdagdag." I raised my right brow and started the usual litany about 1) being a doctor; 2) being a doctor from PGH and 3) karma. The last was a low blow, but, I had to make a point. Of course, I did not agree. I can only shell out P150 for everything and that's the only amount I could painstakingly give without strangling anyone.

Leave your electronics behind if you're coming for an interview, the 150 pesos is not worth the stress.

Thought you guys must know: I am all set to go.

Traffic is Terrible

The streets of Manila is a death trap. I wish I will never drive through the streets of Quezon Avenue and its stupid U-turn slots ever (EVER!) in my life. It's a freaking circus everyday! The fast lane suddenly becomes closed for the U-turn slot from the other side of the road; then, the FX's and jeepneys from the passenger side of the road would swerve AAALL the way to the farthest lane to make a U-turn. Swerving (and endangering the lives of others) is now becoming a totoong tradisyong Pilipino. Thank you, U-turn-stupid-slots; you have solved the country's problem of overpopulation.

Oh, and thanks to the brilliant minds of the MMDA, they closed several lanes in Quezon Ave for a U-turn slot and left the motorists with one lane to pass through. The bottlenecking is insane at that part of my freaking 2-hour trip. Araneta Ave to Welcome (that's around 100m) is a 20-minute trip. HOORAY! I am just amazed by how my fellow commuters can tolerate the traffic.

And there's more: Some imbecile made the traffic light in North Fairview switch, like once every 10 minutes and they added a green light for cars that would turn left from North Fairview. It made everything so freakishly slow. At 10:30 pm tonight, there is a
bumper-to-bumper situation which made me flip. I wanted to pull my hair out. I could have started with my nose hairs but I guess that's not good with my seatmate.

So, I have decided to rent a place in Manila which I will be occupying next week. I am fed up with the commute. I am losing 4 hours a day, 20 hours a week, 80 hours a month in this traffic. I would rather use those 20 hours a week to pester the local government and the inutil policy makers about this road inconvenience with our countrymen's daily commute. In a larger perspective, traffic sure does decrease productivity, increase stress and it indirectly harming our country's progress.

Kaya hindi umuunlad ang pilipinas, eh.

FH died yesterday.

Our flower horn (hence, FH) yesterday. Our two-year old flower horn died. My sibs and I had several differential diagnosis:

1. Swim bladder disease. His tummy grew bilateral masses on each side. We noticed this a week ago, but dismissed the idea that there might be something wrong. It might be a normal variant for these fishes. Then, he started to swim asymmetrically. He also had difficulty swimming to the surface, which never happened before. I used to put several pellets of FH food and he would rush excitedly to his meal, until 4 days ago. He was also getting paler and paler each day.

2. Dropsy. I consulted this web page about flowerhorn diseases and according to the website, you should consider dropsy if the scales are bulging outward. FH's scales are bulging out right on the tail area. Treatment should be easy with an antibiotic. But now I guess it's too late.

3. Depression. He swims alone in the 50-gallon tank we keep in our patio. I am not too serious about this consideration, though.

Yesterday, I was discussing the treatment I found out in the net. FH is becoming weaker and weaker each day. When we woke up yesterday morning, he was swimming upside down. Obviously, we should take action or lose him forever. I told my sister to buy some antiobiotics for him but it was too late. At 10:00 last night, he died. I felt really bad.:-(