Hala, ikakasal na sya..FINALLY!!!

I almost fainted while watching the Buzz last Sunday (OA). Hindi ko masyadong kinaya ang blow by blow account ng istorya ng pag-iibigang James Yap at Kris Aquino.

Tsk tsk tsk. Ang hilig talaga sa mambobola ni Kris..by mambobola I meant basketball player (Alvin Patrimonio, Joey Marquez, Rommel something..hehe..)

She looks happy naman. I'm happy for her.

Since malapit nang lumagay sa tahimik si Kris, let me start picking on someone else..and I chose The Songbird. I stongly believe that she has been undergoing liposuction. Malakas talaga ang kutob ko. She's been wearing revealing clothes lately. Super daring talaga. At, walang bilbil na lumalabas, take note. Basta I feel na nagpa-retoke nanaman yun. Anyway, siguro sanay na naman sya dun..hay, I'll shut up na.

For decades, jueteng has been a popular pastime for Filipinos. In almost every corner of the Philippines, you will find kubradors armed with their small sheets of paper and pens roaming around, secretly taking down tayas. But what “magic” does this gambling scheme have that keeps its patrons hooked?

Like any other gambling systems, jueteng involves betting, a lot of good luck, and big winnings. I think that what attracts people most is the fact that with a small amount of money, you could win big. Plus, the game is really easy. You don’t need to think of strategies in order to win. All you really need is a pair of lucky numbers. It could be your birthday, anniversary or a number that you dreamed about.

Also, you don’t need to go anywhere to make the bet. The collectors will come to you. You also don’t need to go anywhere to get the results. Through word of mouth, the news of whether you won or lost will surely reach your doorstep.

It looks like a harmless fad but since it is gambling, it comes with consequences and a lot of controversies. Everybody knows that it is illegal but surprisingly, its operation is never ceased. This is because some government officials, who were supposed to implement the law against it, are the ones behind its undertaking.

In the past years, witnesses and alleged operators came out in public to squeal about the big bosses of jueteng in their respective places.  Most were mayors and police officers but the biggest name ever mentioned was that of then president Joseph Estrada.

The confession of Gov. Chavit Singson about the alleged delivery of 130 million-peso jueteng money by Atong Ang to Estrada lead to the latter’s impeachment and his current trial. Since then more government officials have been exposed as either jueteng operators or protectors. Their business is quite rampant in provinces, probably because it is where they could be discreet while earning bigger sums of money.

But although the operators are the biggest earners, it doesn’t mean that they are the only ones who make money out of this business. Jueteng operations also need ordinary people to get the business running. These people are the ones who are really doing the hard work.

Just recently, the Arroyo administration started its campaign, which aims to completely eradicate jueteng in the Philippines. As expected, even more names of government officials have been hooked with operations in different parts of the country.

Even names connected with the administration were dropped by Boy Mayor, the alleged former jueteng operator who now stands as the star witness. It then stirred doubt on whether the government is sincere in its intention to eliminate jueteng or everything is just one big moro-moro. But whichever it is, one thing’s for sure. Many people, small people were gravely affected.

I used to think that jueteng does nothing but get Filipinos hooked on gambling and leave them without a cent at the end of the day. I used to believe that big jueteng lords are the only ones who profit big money from jueteng operations. I never realized that for some, jueteng is not a nasty industry, but a means of living.

When the president ordered to stop jueteng operations all over the country, not everybody became happy. Those involved in the operations were saddened and troubled that they will not have means to support their families anymore. Surprisingly there are families who solely relied on their jobs as kubradors and kabos of jueteng. These familes were able to survive because of jueteng.

For me, this is a very sad fact. Clearly, these people were taught to be lazy because of jueteng. The “big fish” behind each operation seemed to have taken advantage of these ordinary people’s weaknesses and poverty.

I honestly believe that whether we like it or not, jueteng is here to stay. As long as there are people who make bets, it will never be eradicated completely. And with the country’s declining economy, I doubt that people would stop betting.

A good option, in my opinion, is legalizing it and having Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) manage its operation. This way, it would be just like the casinos. The government, through the tax would also be able to benefit from it. The only challenge here now would be keeping government officials out of it and preventing corruption.

I still think that jueteng and any other gambling scheme are wrong and against the morals of the society, but we have to consider that there are people who make it their living. We have to accept that as long as poverty is here, there would be people who would rely on jueteng jut to be able to put food on their tables. 

On the part of the government, I believe that they should first focus on giving these people decent jobs and security before they can totally be successful in getting rid of jueteng. These people are losing faith in the government, which forces them to rely on jueteng. They see more hope in jueteng than in waiting for the government to do something about their pathetic situation.

The government should start acting now. Making the Philippines “jueteng free” is good but making sure that each family has something to eat is a lot better.

Remember that company where I showed up late for the exam a few entries ago? Well, it hired me. Yiipeee!!!

It was really a pleasant surprise and I still couldn't believe that I'm really working for it now. I started last week...

I came late for the exam but Vinz, the HR person, scheduled me for the next week with a short lecture on being punctual. I've learned a lesson here.

The next week came. I arrived 30 minutes early! There were about 20 applicants waiting for the guard's go signal to enter the building. The test wasn't that hard..IQ tests and personality tests. There were different sets for the different vacant positions.

*until about this time I wasn't sure what position I was applying for. I was seated at the back (as in sa pinaka likod) so I couldn't read the positions on the whiteboard.

There were two of us taking the same set of tests. We were the first ones to finish and we were allowed to leave. It was only when I was submitting the paper that I finally got to read the positions available: Programmer..Accounting Clerk..Clerk..and PR Assistant. OMG, I have been applying for this position pala! I got really excited.

Then when I was about to leave the room, Riza (the other HR person) called me and asked for me to come back the next day for an interview, with a reminder to wear business attire (I was wearing a skirt and bluse that day). I was like, totoo ba ito?

*I was having a dilemma on what to wear, again. How do you define "business attire"? In these situations, I always run to my sister's closet, hehe. Buti na lang may blouse sya na kasya pa sa'kin. (Hindi ako mataba..ayaw kong isipin..argh!!)

The next day came. I didn't know what to expect. Of couse there were nerve-wrecking thoughts: what if the interviewer is masungit? or a terror? What if it's a guy? (I'm more comfortable talking with a woman. Men interviewers make the interview harder for me. They intimidate me.)

Fortunately it was a woman. Actually, two women. The HR head and the PR head (who's now my immediate boss). They were both nice naman. I easily felt comfortable with them and with the office. It had a warm atmosphere and everyone seemed friendly.

The agony of thinking whether I got the job or not didn't stop there. I was scheduled for another Interview. With another boss. A male boss. Again I was so anxious and didn't know what to expect. Fortunately, he was also nice, even nicer that the first two who interviewed me. He was just telling stories and trying to get to know me. Sobrang kaswalan lang talaga, which was great because I was able to feel that I was welcome. He was even giving me advice on what trait I should improve. So fatherly. The next thing I knew, I was going to different government offices, getting all sorts of clearance.

And Paul was with me every step of the way.

He's really so sweet to take me to work and pick me up after. Hay, at  least we still have time for each other..

well, my work ends at 5 every friday instead of 6 hence the title..at oo, ginaya ko si abby, hehe!!!

I haven't been doing anything at work aside from browsing newspapers, looking for releases of any of our companies (our daw oh?! ano ko, stockholder?! feeling lang..hehe..

anyway, I'm not really bored, especially now that Edwin, my seatmate, is talking to me na. But still i'd like to do REAL work. feeling ko rin kasi wala pa kong silbi sa office.

Hindi ako sanay nang ganito: maaga gumising! my mom wakes me up at 5. 5 a.m.!!! feeling ko palagi pumikit lang ako sandali tapos ginigising na ko agad, argh!!! but at least i'm getting used to it. minsan ako na lang gumigising mag-isa, sabi nga ni Paul excited daw ako masyado. eh ayaw ko lang naman ma-late noh.

hay, i really hope i keep this job..

i don't have work tomorrow, yipee! i hope to spend more time with paul..maybe watch a couple of dvds..mandy moore movie marathon!!! he's such an angel to take me to work and pick me up after every single day.

I'm currently in my "ugly phase". Every now and then there is this period when I feel (and look) so ugly. Today I'm not sure if it's the bangs or the pimple on my right cheek that wouldn't leave me.

*I so want to get my hair cut, relaxed and I'd also like to try highlights. As in major make over talaga!!!

Since this is a "cycle" that I go through, I've gotten used to it. I've learned how to deal with it. I just think happy thoughts and then I feel better. I've also learned to accept and even love my imperfections. Not all of it though. I still have flaws that I despise so much.

I also keep on reminding myself that nobody's perfect. Even super skinny models have their imperfections. And some print ad models don't actually have clear skin (Cheska Garcia without make up is like a big patch of freckle with white spots, pero carry nya). It's the make up, lighting and Photoshop that make them appear smooth and clear.

"Perfection can be dull. It is our flaws that make us uniquely beautiful"   --Raya Mananquil, Top model

So true yet we have to be realistic and deal with the fact that everyone would like to get rid of his/her flaws. Some would even spend thousands of pesos to repair "inborn damages" on their faces and bodies. With todays technology, it's so easy to turn a liability into a BIG asset. Isn't that morally wrong? Don't we have to accept what the Lord has given us and be happy with it? Isn't having a nose job similar (to some extent) to having your gender changed?

Well, this is just my opinion. I respect peoples' decision to undergo surgery in the name of beauty. After all, they have the money to squander on liposuction or thermage or any other treatments.

What I'm saying is, we have to learn to accept what we are. We have to convince ourselves that we are beautiful in our own way. There is nothing wrong with getting treatments to improve our "problem areas" (like hair relax for stubborn locks) but do we really need to spend that much?

Being happy and contented with one's physical appearance is still the most effective way to be beautiful. And it's free!