First Glance: League of Legends Patch 6.22

Following the end of 2016's ranked season, Riot has finally rolled out the latest update to League of Legends in the form of Patch 6.22, with the said version of the game being released in the Philippines a couple of days ago.

The purpose of this new patch is to introduce changes that will likely become staples to the game come 2017. These changes, as stated in the patch notes, affected the jungle, masteries, runes, assassins, wards and the build path of selected items.

As an avid LoL player, I was excited to try out this new patch so I visited the nearest computer rental shop (PC bang) as soon as I had the chance.

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After two days of playing, here are some of the things I noticed with Patch 6.22.

Disclaimer: Most of the observations below are made based on eye test and my feel of the game alone. They are, in no way, based on or backed up by concrete evidence or data.

1. Power Farmers Rule
I kicked off the Patch 6.22 experience with a Normal Blind Pick game. Being a jungler main, I picked my favorite champion, Xin Zhao, and scored a victory to go along with an 11-1-5 KDA.

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I was actually surprised with the outcome of the game because I thought we were behind for the most part. I had a little trouble doing my first clear now that the Gift of the Toadstool buff granted by smiting the Gromp is gone. Having said that, I was farming most of the game and decided to come to lanes after completing Bloodrazor.

The following match, I decided to go support to check out the changes in some support items.

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For this game, I think me and the rest of my teammates, save for our AD Carry, played decently. However, the opposing team's jungler, Master Yi, snowballed out of control and gave us quite a beating.

I do not remember that player ganking a lot so I thought a few lucky picks paired with some power farming turned that Yi into a beast.

The next game, I decided to go top with Dr. Mundo and won my lane. Again, there was a Master Yi on the other team that was left unchecked and to no surprise, we lost the game.

Just like in my Nautilus game, this player did not gank a lot but it felt like he was always stronger when he shows up, deleting people including my full tank Mundo with ease.

I was not ready to give up on Mundo just yet so when it was my turn to jungle, I picked him again and focused on farming just like I did with Xin Zhao. I only came to lanes to grab the kill on some low HP laner and it resulted into a victory.

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Looking at this small sample size, despite the changes in the respawn time of some jungle monsters, I think power farmers will thrive in this patch. The changes to Krug and Raptor camps seem to allow them to earn more gold and hit power spikes faster than before.

2. Plants Are An After Thought
Summoners are without a doubt still getting used to the newest member of the jungle - plants.

In my first two days of playing with this version of League of Legends, I saw a lot of champs being blown away by the Blast Cone to the wrong direction, Scryer's Bloom being used randomly and Honeyfruit being taken by laners instead of gardeners.

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Next year, I expect people to eventually understand the proper use of these plants, but at the moment, most players are simply denying them from the enemy team.

3. League of Tanks
Season 6 somehow favored top and jungle carries over meat shields with Kennen, Jayce, Rumble, Nidalee, Elise and Graves ousting the likes of Maokai, Gnar, Gragas and Reksai.

However, with the buffs and changes on some tank items, and the introduction of Fearless and Courage of the Colossus, expect these durable dudes (and dudettes like Illaoi and Rek'Sai) alongside their beefy brethren to return to the Rift.

I tried Fearless on Nautilus, Dr. Mundo and Malphite and they were tankier than ever. Pair that with Fresh Blood and/or Battle Trance and they are dealing more damage while receiving less.

With this in mind, I expect to encounter Leona and Sejuani users to pick up Courage of the Colossus and create similar havoc in the future.

And let us not forget that people who finished the 2016 season in Gold or higher are also excited to flaunt their Victorious Maokai skin so expect to see more of him because I did.

Victorious Maokai, fabulous AF.
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4. AD Carries Are Still Screwed
For the past two seasons, more and more summoners are getting better at ganking bot lane and diving AD carries and their supports under turret. If Patch 6.22 is any indication, things are not going to get any better for all the marksmen out there.

Aside from the buffs to tanks, remember that assassins like Talon, Katarina, Leblanc and Fizz received changes in their kit so more and more people will try them out. This is bad news for ADCs since these champs can take them out instantly.

In my handful of games, the AD carries were non-factors because they were either not dealing enough damage to the tanks coming straight at them or they were getting deleted instantly by Talon or Katarina.

Despite the introduction of lethality, I think ADCs will struggle in the current patch since they will have a hard time dealing not only with tanks but assassins as well. Further, I expect them to be outclassed by top and mid laners, and some junglers to a certain extent, in terms of carrying.

5. Control Ward Frenzy
Riot was really hyping up the changes to stealth champions leading up to the release of Patch 6.22 so a good number of summoners, including myself, were worried about them and the threat they pose. I think this somehow encouraged more players to give importance to vision.

During my matches, more players were buying Control Wards, which is a good thing in my opinion. Too bad it did not reveal stealth champions the way Stealth Wards did, but hey, vision is vision.

Vision Ward R.I.P. 2009-2016
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Although Control Wards can only mess with the stealth abilities of three champions, namely Evelynn, Rengar and Twitch, it is nice to know that a growing number of players are finally realizing that vision is important in League of Legends. I hope this will be a sign of improved gameplay and experience throughout all the divisions, from Bronze up to Challenger.

Restaurant Review: Ippudo - Mall of Asia

It was a Saturday evening and I had a bad case of the sniffles, not to mention the weather is threatening to make the atmosphere chillier.

On top of most people's heads, such time is perfect for some hot liquid food. However, I was growing tired of instant noodles and soup. I was craving for something a bit more authentic and made from fresh ingredients. That is why I grabbed the opportunity to visit Ippudo when I decided to meet up with my girlfriend at SM Mall of Asia.

Upon reaching the restaurant's entrance, my girlfriend and I were greeted by one of its staff and then he made us wait for a bit as people prepared a table for us. From the entrance, I can see that the restaurant was packed with customers and I felt really lucky that we did not have to wait that long to get seated.

Now, as I was about to take my seat, I thought that if I were to write a review of Ippudo, it would be based on four (4) things: ambiance, food, price and customer service.

And since I decided to push through with the review, here is my impression of Ippudo.

AMBIANCE
The restaurant was decorated in minimalist fashion with Japanese influences found in its architecture and furniture. Instead of being cluttered with decorations and whatnots, each table has pepper, sesame seed and garlic crushers, in addition to a bowl of chopped garlic in water.

With seats being positioned close to each other, there is not a lot of room for customers to move around in Ippudo but not to the point where you will feel uncomfortable.

FOOD
It goes without saying that you come to a ramen house for the ramen, and that is what my girlfriend and I exactly did. We ordered a bowl of Shiromaru Special and Karaka Tamago with very hard noodles, as recommended by the wait staff, to go along with Ippudo's Classic Okonomiyaki.

We kicked things off with the okonomiyaki, which was served on a sizzling plate and topped with chunks of chasyu. As seen on the picture above, the dish was rich with okonomiyaki sauce and Japanese mayonnaise, which gave it a pleasantly sweet, salty and sour taste.

Further, this Japanese pancake has a crunchy outside and creamy inside. The crunchiness comes from the Japanese flour and shredded cabbage mixed in it while the egg was responsible for the creaminess.

Paired with the tasty and juicy chasyu, the okonomiyaki comes off as a tasty and great appetizer or side order.

On to the next dish, the Shiromaru Special, which came in a huge ceramic bowl. At first sight, the soup appears to be thick and rich but it is not actually the case. While delicious, the tonkotsu broth is not as I hoped it would be, especially in comparison to my experience with Ramen Nagi. Even the saltiness from the soft-boiled egg and seaweed did not help its case, but as mentioned, it is still good.

The rest of the ramen's ingredients -- pork loin, bean sprouts, kikurage and spring onions -- made the dish more interesting and gave it some crunchiness, but I still cannot get over the fact that it was not as flavorful as I hope it would be.

Then, we had the Karake Tamago, which was mildly spicier than the Shiromaru. This ramen was very fragrant thanks to the garlic oil poured into it, while the red minced meat promised a hot surprise for its consumer.

However, just like with the Shiromaru, this ramen did not meet expectations. I was hoping that the hot sensation from its spicy ingredients would clear my head and cure my sniffles, but I am afraid it was not spicy enough for me. Blame it on my Bicolano lineage or my high tolerance to spicy food, but I managed to finish my bowl of Karake Tamago without drinking water in between.

As for its taste, the Karake Tamago is slightly more flavorful than the Shiromaru but I easily got tired with its taste, or as they say in Filipino, na umay.

Still, the Karake Tamago is delicious in its own right. Although I am not very impressed with it, I believe it would earn praise in some other person's palate.

PRICE
The Shiromaru Special and Karake Tamago is priced at Php 490 and Php 430 respectively.

Do I think that is a lot for two bowls of ramen? Yes, I do.

Do I think it is worth it? Meh.

The thing is, when compared to my previous ramen experience (Ramen Nagi), the taste just does not hold up. Yeah, it is delicious but I have tasted better for almost the same price so I cannot say it is totally worth it.

However, since taste varies from person to person, there is a chance that there are people who would prefer Ippudo over Ramen Nagi, and when that is the case, spending on Ippudo can be a rewarding experience.

As for the Okonomiyaki, I would say that it is reasonably priced at Php 270 and I would even go as far as recommending it to other people because it tastes that good.

CUSTOMER SERVICE
Perhaps the best part about the Ippudo experience is the customer service. Mon, the guy who greeted us at the entrance, made sure that my girlfriend I were seated as soon as possible, while Niko constantly checked on us to make sure we were seated comfortably and had everything we need, in addition to having our food delivered as fast as he can.

Considering the presentation of our food, I think it is safe to say that the rest of the Ippudo staff at SM Mall of Asia are all hardworking people dedicated to providing quality service to their customers.

VERDICT:
In summary, Ippudo delivers good food but is just not up to my standards. That is not to say it is a terrible restaurant, on the contrary, it seems like an awesome ramen house in its own right.

The price of the food here is not exactly budget-friendly, but considering the ingredients used on them, I would say it is somehow justified.

With its topnotch customer service, I guess Ippudo can win the heart of other ramen lovers, as evidenced by numerous customers who were eating alongside my girlfriend and I during our visit.

I encourage other people to visit this ramen house and tell me how our opinions regarding Ippudo's food differ.

Rating:
3/5

RECOMMENDATIONS:
I think it would be better for Ippudo to start making small servings of their ramens at a lower cost. Think of them as samplers. This is a great way to encourage more people to try out their food without the risk of overspending.

Further, I believe they should have different levels of spiciness for their spicy food in order to cater to more people with various levels of tolerance to spiciness.

Movie Review: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

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With only so much good ideas to go around, it is not surprising for works of art and literary masterpieces to have something in common with others that came before them.

In this regard, people cannot be faulted should they compare Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children to the X-Men and Groundhog Day, as well as Back to the Future to some extent.

Based on Ransom Riggs’ debut novel, the movie tells the story of Jake Portman who wanted to uncover the mystery behind his grandfather’s death. His search for the truth eventually leads him to the titular home, which is akin to Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, and discovers that the house and its occupants are stuck in a time loop where they are repeatedly re-experiencing a specific day in September 1943.

In true Tim Burton fashion, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children kicks off by setting a dark mood and tone as it introduces key characters one after the other. Although it does not offer any mind blowing plot twists, the film keeps viewers on their toes by revealing the motivations behind some characters and making them second-guess whether they are friends or foes.

As the movie nears its end, the audience is treated to brighter lighting and colorful fight scenes, signaling that the main characters are about to resolve the film’s major conflict, but not after hinting that a sequel is highly possible especially when you consider that Jake’s adventures continue in the novel Hollow City.

Unlike other fantasy films such as Sucker Punch, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children’s seems to find the balance between having the cast play out scenes in real and computer generated locations. Further, it manages to keep the story and its characters interesting without going over the top with special effects, dialogues and background music, something that appears to be popular these days.

As for its cast, most of them including Asa Butterfield and Ella Purnell did a decent job. While the pace of the movie did not call for astounding performances, none of them did anything worth criticizing harshly. However, Eva Green is on a different level as her wardrobe, poise, facial expressions and the delivery of her lines turned her into the personification of Miss Alma LeFay Peregrine. Samuel L. Jackson, on the other hand, was underutilized in his role as Mr. Baron although he made the character a bit more interesting with the way he carried himself throughout the course of the film.

For what looks like a movie for kids (the word children is in the title after all), Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children tackles a lot of dark subjects that may be too much to handle for people ten years old and below. In addition, the movie suffers from the usual inconsistencies found in most films that delve into time travel.

Even though Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children did not receive a lot of hype and was not well marketed to Filipinos, it turns out to be surprisingly good. It managed to harmonize various elements from different source materials to give a fresh take on commonly used concepts and ideas. For those looking to catch a break from all the superhero blockbusters while still getting your dose of sci-fi and fantasy, the film is worth seeing.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

4 Reasons Why You Should Stop Bashing Alyas Robin Hood

A few days ago, GMA released the trailer for its upcoming TV show entitled Alyas Robin Hood, which starred one of its most popular actors, Dingdong Dantes.

If you have not played the video above, it shows Dantes wielding a bow and arrow in a green outfit with a hood. Now, where have I seen that before? 

Oh. Right.

Apparently, the similarities between the weapon and costume of the protagonists from both shows did not sit well with Arrow and comic book fans.

And this picture that appeared on LionhearTV only made matters worse for ARH.

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Although the above image is fan made, it somehow emphasized how much Alyas Robin Hood resembles Oliver Queen a.k.a. the Green Arrow.

Despite the similarities in outfit and weapon, Suzette Doctolero, GMA Head Writer, insists that the character Dantes' will portray is different from that of Stephen Amell. This sparked a social media war of sorts between Doctolero and Arrow/comic book fans.

Now, I am not making this blog post to defend Doctolero. In fact, I agree that Alyas Robin Hood, at the very least, was inspired by Arrow. Despite her claims that the ARH drew inspiration from the Prince of Thieves, it is very hard to deny that her brainchild was a product of the growing popularity of spandex-clad archers such as the Green Arrow and Hawkeye. 

However, Filipino netizens could be going overboard with their treatment of Doctolero and Alyas Robin Hood, especially when you consider that...

1. You Are Judging An Entire Show Based On A Trailer

Whether you are a gamer or not, you most likely heard of the game No Man's Sky in the past few days because it received so much flak for being boring and sucking so bad.

What was wrong? Well, the developers basically shot themselves in the foot when the actual game was not able to live up to the expectations set by its trailer back in E3 2014.

With reference to No Man's Sky, trailers do not tell the entire story.

Although the trailer for ARH screams Arrow, there is still a chance that it goes a different direction from what CW took with its archer. I mean, just look at Hollywood. Almost every movie has the same trailer but they do not necessarily tell the same story. Take a look.

To be honest, I do think that there will be a lot of Arrow-like elements in Alyas Robin Hood, but nothing is certain until the actual run of the show. Outside of ARH's production staff, no one has enough evidence to prove that the show will be nothing but a Pinoy version of Oliver Queen's adventures, so why not give Alyas Robin Hood and its creators a break and a chance?

Besides, a big network like GMA has a lot of reliable lawyers in its payroll. Don't you think at least one them would advise the people behind ARH if they were committing copyright infringement?

2. It Is Not The First Time We Copied Something From the West

After being colonized by the Spaniards for about 377 years and then the Americans for around 48 years, Filipinos have developed a liking from almost anything that comes from the west. This is what most people refer to as colonial mentality.

Having said that, it is not surprising that our pop culture and pop icons have been largely influenced by westerners -- Hagibis was our answer to the Village People, the Eraserheads were comparable to the Beatles, Batang X were inspired by the X-Men and Darna is akin to Wonder Woman. And let us not forget about the times Joey de Leon starred in movies as Filipino versions of Batman and Tarzan. It is things like this that earned Filipinos the reputation of being great imitators.

It may be frustrating to some that Doctolero refuses to admit the similarities between her brainchild and CW's archer, but if you put that matter aside, is there anything wrong with Alyas Robin Hood resembling Arrow?

3. The Show May Not Be Designed For You

Pictures of a conversation between Doctolero and a certain Dindo Antonio Gujelde III has recently surfaced on Facebook. In the said pictures, Doctolero described that ARH is designed for the masses, a good population of which not familiar with Arrow.

While some people would disagree with Doctolero's line of thinking, she is not entirely incorrect.

Although the Internet is now more accessible to individuals that belong to the Class D socioeconomic category thanks to the rise affordable of technology, it is not a guarantee that people will look up Arrow. And in the event that they did, who is to say that it piqued their interest?

There is a reason why shows like the Walking Dead and Supernatural are translated into Tagalog and it probably has something to do with appeal. Even if they do understand the language, it does not have the same appeal as having actors/actresses deliver dialogues in your native tongue.

In addition, the masses will most likely have a hard time relating to the cultural references (how many of us have been to the US, eh?) in Arrow, so creating a quasi-Filipino version of it in the form of Alyas Robin Hood could be more appealing to the average Juan dela Cruz.

And even if ARH is an Arrow ripoff, I bet the people who are complaining about it probably spend most of their time binge-watching foreign TV shows or movies, so I do not see how it affects them in a major way.

4. It Is An Arrow Clone... What Now?

Let me put myself in the shoes of Doctolero/Alyas Robin Hood haters right now. I have established that ARH is a ripoff of Arrow/Green Arrow, that was inspired by Robin Hood and Edgar Wallace's The Green Archer. What's next? Like seriously, what now?

I mean, people appear to be a little enthusiastic in insulting and criticizing the makers of this show that I cannot help but think that it is borderline cyberbullying. I feel like I am watching crazed Arrow/comic book fanatics frothing their mouths with the desire to take down whatever is related to Alyas Robin Hood and the show itself. Now, I am not taking GMA's side on this one. As I said, I believe Doctolero and company are blind to the similarities between ARH and Arrow. But if there is really a strong case against them, shouldn't we be hearing news about DC suing GMA over this? And yet here we are and the best we could is a comment from Amell saying Alyas Robin Hood "looks familiar".

On the other hand, the situation motivated some individuals to suggest that TV networks should attend local comic book conventions where they can draw inspiration from original works of our homegrown artists. Perhaps if more people started thinking like this, we could end up with more lemonades than lemons.

Going back to ARH, it remains to be seen. The only time we can pass judgement on it is once it starts airing. Until then, can we just allow interested parties to enjoy the show while the rest of us move on?

League of Legends: 5 Things I Did (Which I Did Not Use To Do) To Escape Gold

Since 2013, I have been playing this rage-inducing, mind-numbing and stressful video game called League of Legends because I am a masochist and I like some competition every now and then.

Even though I have been roaming around Summoner's Rift for almost almost three years now, I only started playing ranked games during season 4. And during my first two seasons of ranked play, I had the good fortune of finishing in Gold III every time.

However, I reached a new milestone in the game as I finally reached the next level yesterday, 23 August 2016: PLATINUM, BAY-BEE!

Now, I know that being Platinum V is not that big of a deal nowadays. With the creation of the Master Tier, some argue that the quality of play in Diamond Elo and below is not as good as it used to, and that Plat is the new Gold.

Still, I am proud of my accomplishment. After all, there are still thousands of players fighting their way, or in some cases, getting their accounts boosted, to where I am.

Now, some of you are probably thinking, "Meh, he is probably not that good.",  and you are right. I have seen people in lower elo, except for Bronze, that are mechanically superior than me.

So how did I escape gold?

1. I Stopped Flaming

This has been one my biggest problems when playing ranked games. Whenever a teammate feeds or makes mistakes, I cannot help but insult them because I am very passionate about winning. Despite the chat bans and constant reminders on the loading screen that flaming contributes to losses, I continued to bad-mouth people who are not performing well simply because I felt that I am giving my best while they are doing the exact opposite.

However, when I stopped chatting and started to focus on my game instead, I noticed that I started winning more. In fact, during my last few games to Plat, I usually had a teammate who fed. Still, I managed to win by simply not talking to them and focusing on how I can help us succeed.

You see, if you are constantly going to look over your shoulder and call out people for playing badly, not only are you taking your focus off the game, you are also causing your allies to do the same, and this will only make them play worse than they already are. In addition, flaming will also result into uncooperative allies, which is very problematic for a team game like LoL.

Besides, at the end of the day, you will have no control over what the other player does, so why bother wasting your time talking shit about them when you can win the game with your own efforts, right?

2. I Cared A Little Less

Do not get me wrong about this one. I am very passionate about winning. However, in the past, I think I cared way too much and that is why I flame people when they are feeding.

Sure, I still get upset when I lose. But I am not anymore as rage-y as I used to. I do not harass my teammates whenever they make a bone-headed play and I do not go thermonuclear after every loss.

Nowadays, I started taking things one game at a time. I give my 100% every match and hope for the best. If I end up victorious, I celebrate a little and contemplate whether I should quit while I am ahead or try my luck and see if can notch another win. If I lose, I briefly ponder on what I could have done to change the outcome of the game and move on. By doing so, I took the pressure of winning off my back and enjoyed League for the chaotic game that it is.

In short, I am not as emotionally invested in LoL unlike before.

3. I Kept My Champion Pool Small

Thanks to the LCS, LCK and other professional League of Legends... uhm... leagues, I became fascinated with the idea of having a huge champion pool. After all, if you can play a lot of champions, you will be able to adjust against any kind of pick and will be able to utilize different play styles.

However, I realized that expanding my champion pool required a lot of practice. And for someone like me who works on an average 10 hours a day, time is one of the many luxuries I cannot afford.

So instead of wasting my time mastering almost 20 champions, I decided to build a roster of five easy-to-use and flexible champions in the form of Xin Zhao, Dr. Mundo, Jarvan IV, Maokai and Nautilus.

True enough, my five-man champion pool paid off and my winning percentage is at 66.7% with Xin and Mundo leading the charge at 71.4% and 85.7% respectively.

You see, a smaller champion pool allows you to play a selected number of champions that you are really good at. It does not matter if they are out of the meta or have received nerfs recently. As long as you understand their strengths and weaknesses, as well as your win conditions, they will help you get a W.

4. I Flexed Pick... A Lot

In the past seasons, I did not give my picks much thought. I simply picked what I liked to play (I am looking at you Xin).

This season, however, I took advantage of the times when I got to pick first or second to confuse the enemy team. With most of my champions being viable at top, jungle and support (except for Xin), I can force the other players to counter my pick allowing my teammates to counter their pick in the process.

For example, if I get to pick first, I usually select Mundo as my jungler. Since he is a popular pick in the top lane, the opposing top laner would most likely pick a counter to him like Shyvana. A Mundo pick even forces opposing AD carries to pick Vayne sometimes. This gives my team the chance to counterpick two roles while I farm in the jungle where I will not be forced to deal with the champs that counter mine.

5. I Camped A Lot

As a jungler, I used to be pressured to camp every lane because I thought I would have a better chance of winning if all of my laners are fed.

While this is true, it is easier said than done. After all, walking to a different lane takes time. Time that would have been better spent farming and earning more experience. And should your gank fail, do not be surprised to find the enemy jungler ahead not only in CS but in level as well.

This season, whenever I forced a flash out of a champion after ganking, I make it a point to gank that lane again and make return trips while that champ's flash is on cooldown. This allows me and one of my teammates to get fed in the process.

I also make it a point to camp champions without escape abilities in their kit. AD Carry Ashe? Camped. Top Lane Nasus? Camped. Mid Lane Syndra? Camped.

And that is how I escaped gold.

Kahandaan at Pagtugon sa Sakuna, Tungkulin ng Bawat Isa

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Quickly! What do Filipinos celebrate during July aside from Filipino-American Friendship Day?

If you are scrambling for an answer to that question, you are not alone. During my elementary days, Filipino-American Friendship Day was the only occasion people bother talking about every July. Until I met my best friend, and he gave me another thing to celebrate during the seventh month of the year – his birthday.

However, in August 1999, President Joseph Ejercito Estrada, by way of Executive Order No. 137, declared July of every year as National Disaster Consciousness Month (NDCM) in the hopes of increasing the awareness of every Filipino on natural and man-made disasters for a better appreciation of the government’s disaster preparedness programs.

In observance of NDCM, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), the implementing arm of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), launched an Office-wide theme writing contest on 1 June 2016. Fortunately, I submitted an entry to the competition and won.

This year’s theme – Kahandaan at Pagtugon sa Sakuna, Tungkulin ng Bawat Isa (which roughly translates to preparing for and responding to disasters is everyone’s duty) – was inspired by Mr. Tsukasa Katsube of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) after hearing him explain how Japan dealt with the Great Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011 during his visit to the Philippines in April 2016.

According to Katsube, only a fraction (I cannot remember the exact figures. I think he said something between 10% - 20%) of the survivors were rescued by government responders. The rest of the country’s citizens managed to take care of themselves or save another person’s life. As per Katsube, this was made possible by educating the masses about the nature of disasters, as well as teaching them how to prepare and respond to such phenomenon.  

In a country situated within the Pacific Ring of Fire and the Pacific Typhoon Belt, and threatened by the possibility of the Big One, it makes a lot of sense for Filipinos to emulate the Japanese and start taking disasters more seriously. Although the government is responsible for ensuring the safety and security of the people during trying times, each individual in the Philippines should understand that the people working behind the government can and will become victims to disasters as well. And when things go bad, YOU WILL BE ON YOUR OWN.

That is why more Filipinos should start paying attention to government initiatives like the Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill to help improve the disaster resilience of the people, and ultimately, the country.

So in the spirit of National Disaster Consciousness Month, I encourage everyone to read a book, visit a website or talk to an expert regarding disasters and how to deal with them. It does not matter what action you take. In the end, all that matters is you are doing something to equip yourself with knowledge or skills that may save you or someone else's life during critical moments.

Find Out How You Can Save A Life With #Pagyanig And #MMShakeDrill

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In the last few years, the words West Valley Fault have been making a buzz throughout the archipelago.

According to studies, the West Valley Fault Line, formerly known as the Marikina Fault, is expected to cause an earthquake of epic proportions, dubbed as the "Big One", should it move in this day and age after being dormant for so long.

To mitigate the damage such catastrophic phenomenon can cause, the national government, through the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and its member agencies and partners, conduct a Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) on a quarterly basis in order to raise the public's awareness regarding the threat that the "Big One" poses, as well as to develop and maintain the skills of people from government agencies and organizations involved in disaster response and management during critical moments. And on 22 June 2016, the 2nd NSED of the year is set to happen.

On top of that, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will also conduct its Shake Drill on the same date for the same purpose. And rightfully so, especially when you consider that the seat of the Philippine government is found in Metro Manila.

However, all these efforts are exercises to futility if the rest of the country will not participate or support such initiatives.

No matter how much we pressure the government and remind it of its responsibility to the people, the harsh reality is, when disaster strikes YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN. Just because a select group of individuals swore to protect and save you during disasters, it does not mean they are immune from the negative impact of such scenarios. Just like you, they can become victims. And just like you, they might use some saving too should bad things happen.

So when the government launches activities like the NSED and Shake Drill, you better pay attention, do your own research and learn how you can increase your chances of survival should the "Big One" come along.

In line with this matter, you can help your friends and family improve their chances of survival by tweeting or posting #Pagyanig and #MMShakeDrill on social media. #Pagyanig pertains to the NSED while the #MMShakeDrill is for the MMDA Shake Drill. By tweeting or posting these words on social media, you can raise awareness for the aforementioned government initiatives, and ultimately, pique the interest of the public towards these drills, which may result into educating a good number of Filipinos regarding the effects of a strong earthquake and how to deal with it.

When you think about, it is amazing how a press of a button or a tap on a screen can save a lot of lives. For what it is worth, tweeting or posting #Pagyanig and #MMShakeDrill is definitely worth your while.

Movie Review: Captain America: Civil War

Source: Marvel Facebook Page

NERDGASMIC. AWESOME. INCREDIBLE.

These are just some of the words that I can use to describe Captain America: Civil War after seeing it yesterday at Trinoma.

Based on Marvel's Civil War comic book storyline, Captain America: Civil War revolves around the creation of a law that requires individuals with special abilities (or tech in Falcon's and Iron Man's case) to work under the supervision of a governing body and how it divides the Avengers based on the opinion of each member towards the said law.

As with most movies that take place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Captain America: Civil War makes a lot of references to previous Marvel flicks especially Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Age of Ultron. Although seeing the aforementioned movies are not pre-requisites to enjoying CA: CW, having done so will help the viewer get a better grasp of the film's conflicts.

Although based on the Civil War comics, CA: CW separates itself from its source material by using a different jumping-off point for the law that divides the Avengers. Some hardcore comic book fans might be bothered by this matter, but as someone who has read the CW comics and has some idea with the licensing and budgetary issues that Marvel has to deal with just to get this movie done, I think the jumping-off point for CA: CW was pretty clever.

Outside of comic book extremists, most movie goers would it find hard to say anything bad about CA: CW because it has everything you could ask for from a superhero movie: well-choreographed fights scenes, eye-pleasing visual effects, humor and lots of superheroes, perhaps the most in one film at the moment.

With its all-star cast, CA: CW gave us characters worth talking about for weeks. As usual, Robert Downey Jr. was a natural as Tony Stark/Iron Man and Chris Evans once again delivered as the morally upright Steve Rogers/Captain America. It is really hard to tell if all the Avengers got a fair share of the limelight, but as far as I can tell, each received the adequate screen time that their respective roles called for.

What caught me off guard were the performances of Paul Rudd and Tom Holland, Ant-Man and Spider-Man respectively, as they delivered witty and funny dialogues that had me laughing out loud along with other movie goers. I really do not remember Ant-Man being all that talkative in the comics but Rudd somehow makes it work. As for Holland, he captured the youthful exuberance and chatty nature of the Peter Parker from the comics, something we have not seen from Toby Maguire and Andrew Garfield. If Holland's performance is any indication, we can expect Marvel's Spider-Man to be another blockbuster.

In summary, Captain America: Civil War may not be a perfect superhero movie but it comes pretty close to being one. Aside from the visual spectacle, well-written script and the praise-worthy performances of its cast, the film tries to give a lesson on accountability, which is what superhero flicks are supposed to do. For those have not seen this movie yet, I encourage you to do so. I promise you that you will have one heck of a good time, plus you get to sit in an air-conditioned room for more than two hours and that is a great way to beat the summer heat.

Rating: 4.8 out of 5

I Submitted A Poem To A Literary Contest And Won

As part of its Gender and Development Program, the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP) held a Literary Contest anchoring on theme of the 2016 Women's Month, which is "Kapakanan ni Juana, Isama sa Agenda!", which roughly translates into women's rights being prioritized or talked about.

Source: NDCP Gender and Development Facebook Page

The aim of the aforementioned competition was to exhibit literary works from the defense workplace that can bring inspiration to Filipino women with five winners being chosen and rewarded with cash prizes. However, full copyright of their literary works will be surrendered to NDCP.

Being a writer, I jumped on the opportunity to take part in NDCP's Literary Contest. Although I am no stranger to these kinds of competitions, the fact that it has been a while since I participated in one made me worry a bit. The last time I received an award for a literary composition was back in 2007 for my column entitled "Lone Opinion", which is obviously where this blog got its name from.

After getting past the worrying stage, I had to decide what kind of literary piece I will be submitting for the abovementioned contest. With little time on my hands, I decided to write a poem. Fortunately, my entry entitled "Rightfully Hers" made it into the top five. The entirety of the said poem can be seen below and is being posted on Lone Opinion with consent from Ms. Joan Sayosa, Gender and Development Research Officer, NDCP.

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Rightfully Hers

Mother, daughter, sister and wife,

The very definition of a woman’s life.

Or at least that’s what it used to be,

Until the world started thinking differently.

Nowadays females can be so much more,

The passing of time opened more than one door.

Looking back, it has come a long way,

The rights of women then are different today.

In the past, some women cannot partake in elections[1],

Be it as voter or candidate, they had limitations.

There were societies where they were deprived of education[2],

And working strictly inside the house was a normal restriction.

But now, the human race has moved past such nonsense,

And realized that we underestimated a woman’s essence.

Because the jobs and tasks that can be done by males,

Can also be performed with ease by females.

In addition, education is now a must for all,

Regardless of gender, whether you’re big or small.

Aside from being able to elect their leaders,

Most women can now become presidents or rulers.

However, there are still things left undone,

And changes won’t occur if actions taken are none.

Some ladies are still discriminated,

While others are abused and violated.

And even in modern times, there are still societies,

Where women are treated as properties or commodities[3].

When talking about a woman’s rights, one thing is evident,

They may be better now but they still need improvement.

We must keep working at it though the order seems tall,

For such rights are rightfully hers after all.

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[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_suffrage_in_the_United_States

[2]https://www.nwhm.org/online-exhibits/rightsforwomen/introduction.html        

[3]http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/apr/24/women-human-beings-equal-rights-men  

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Although I did not finish in the top three, I still feel pretty good about my work since this was the first time I entered a poem to a literary contest and it won. My thanks to Ms. Sayosa and the people at NDCP for recognizing my efforts and for initiatives that promote not only women's rights but literature as well. More power to NDCP and to women around the world.

(A reminder to anyone who wants to post or share Rightfully Hers on social media, you have to seek consent from NDCP before posting it. As mentioned above, the copyright to the said poem has been surrendered to NDCP) 

Book Review: Si

Image source

It has been a while since I have gotten my hands on a Bob Ong book, and it wasn't until this year that I discovered that he released a new title... about two years ago.

Considering his popularity and the quality of his work, it does not come as a surprise that copies of "Si" sold like hotcakes, which explains why I never saw it in bookstores, causing me to become unaware of its existence until recently.

That is why the moment I saw a copy of "Si" sitting on the shelf of a popular bookstore, I grabbed it like the hot commodity it was.

In truth, I have already read the book back in January or early February, I think, but decided to make a review about it just now because I had to reread it over and over again. And that is the great thing about this book.

You see, "Si" (see what I did there?) is a love story written in Filipino, told in a reverse chronological order. It is told from the perspective of an unnamed narrator and revolves around his love for a woman named Victoria.

Because events unfold in a backwards manner, readers will be introduced to the future selves of the characters in the book and will learn about their backstories later. This gives you the feeling that you are getting hit with one plot twist after another, creating an image of the characters in your head only to have Ong shatter it later with their surprising origins in the succeeding pages.

In addition, "Si" puts the spotlight on love itself -- the feelings, experiences and consequences that come with it -- instead of focusing on the people who feel or experience it. Thus, it is not your everyday love story.

Although "Si" is a far cry from Bob Ong's humor filled classics "ABNKKBSNPLAko?!" and "Bakit Baligtad Magbasa ng Libro ang mga Pilipino?", the abovementioned features made the book great in its own right and gave it so much reread value. Often times, I found myself caught off guard by a character's backstory that I had to go a back a few pages just to make sure I'm not mistaking one character for another. 

Also, reading "Si" from the last page to the first gives you a different perspective and attitude towards its story that it is like reading a different book.

If you're looking for a fresh take on love or have never been told a love story backwards, this book will deliver the goods.

Rating: 3.5 out 5

Smoke Belching Is Not Getting The Attention It Deserves

Image culled from Top Gear Philippines

Manny Pacquiao, traffic and presidential bets -- these are the things that the Philippine media is talking about nowadays. Do not get me wrong, they are news worthy, but I feel as if they are overlooking something that is just as important.

Whenever the Metro Rail Transit breaks down, it makes the news.

Whenever someone says traffic in Metro Manila is so bad, it makes the news even though everyone knows it.

Whenever a vehicular accident results into major injuries or death, it makes the news.

Heck, even scumbag taxi drivers make the news.

How come I am not hearing anything about smoke belching in Metro Manila these days? After all, it is just as inconvenient as the MRT not being operational because smoke does not smell good and too much of it can affect the visibility of our roads. It also appears to be a permanent fixture in the National Capital Region, just like the terrible traffic. In addition, it certainly leads to health problems and death. And well, a good number of reckless drivers are guilty of driving death machines that emit toxic fumes.

So again I ask, why is it not getting a lot of attention?

I could be wrong, but I just do not see local news outlets or major websites in the Philippines talking about this issue. The closest we can probably get is Top Gear Philippines' Facebook page, and even there, reports related to the matter will always be overshadowed by photos or videos of jackasses violating traffic laws, scalawags in uniform or idiots operating modes of public transportation.

You would think that after President Benigno Aquino III gave traffic management duties to the Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group, the Metro Manila Development Authority will have more time on its hands to effectively enforce traffic laws on other major roads in Metro Manila. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Not only are most people disappointed by its overall performance, the MMDA also does not apprehend smoke belchers. You can fault me for the lack of photographic evidence, or as the saying on the Internet goes, "Pics or it didn't happen", but in my experience, I never fail to see smoke belchers along EDSA, 15th Avenue, Elliptical Road, Kalayaan Avenue and Visayas Avenue in Quezon City every time I go to work.

Now, I know what some of you are thinking. It is not the MMDA's job to catch people driving vehicles that produce black clouds of harmful chemicals. That responsibility belongs to the Land Transportation Office. Well, guess what. Not only do I usually see MMDA enforcers along the intersection of P. Tuazon and 15th Avenue, but it also happens that there is an LTO branch office of sorts in the area, yet public utility jeepneys and tricycles emitting toxic fumes go unpunished. Besides, even if it is not the MMDA's job, shouldn't they do something about it? Just because it is not their job to catch smoke belchers does not mean they are not at risk from the respiratory diseases that come with exposure to smoke. Besides, back in 2001, the MMDA was leading the charge against smoke-belching. Cannot they do that again?

As for the LTO, it has admitted that it lacks the manpower to go after smoke belchers and went as far as seeking assistance from the public in catching these inconsiderate bastards. The aforementioned government agency has already requested people to take pictures or videos of smoke belchers in action. So, not only is it disappointing us with the delayed issuance of license plates and the fact that smoke producing death machines are roaming the streets, even though vehicles are required to undergo strict smoke emissions tests before being allowed to hit the road, it is also asking us -- taxpayers who are paying for the salaries of its employees -- to help it do its job and clean up its mess. Sheesh!

Now, I got no problem doing something in the service of our region, and ultimately, our country. Patriotism aside, I know I would benefit from having less air polluters driving around the Metro. However, reporting smoke belchers to the LTO is not as easy as it sounds. For someone like me who heavily relies on public transportation to get around NCR, taking my phone out to capture images of smoke belchers while on board a jeepney attracts unwanted attention from snatchers and thieves. You also have to be prepared for the uncomfortable stares and questions from strangers who think you are trying to make the next big thing in Internet memes at their expense.

I am going to be honest, the abovementioned reasons may sound lame to others but they were enough to prevent me from sending the LTO emails regarding the numerous smoke belchers I encountered on my way to work everyday. However, that did not stop me from calling LTO (Tel. nos. 922-9061 to 66 and 928-9440) on several occasions, but unfortunately, not once was I able to speak with concerned parties. I even tried reporting these smoke belchers to the MMDA (Hotline: 136) and the Quezon City Traffic Operations Division (Tel. no. 924-18-44), but both offices told me that it is the LTO's job to receive reports and complaints related to smoke belching.

If the LTO is really serious about making sure that Metro Manila will not share China's fate in terms of air pollution, then why can't it just give the MMDA, PNP and local traffic authorities the power to apprehend smoke belchers? Aside from addressing its manpower problem, having uniformed personnel apprehend and issue tickets to smoke belchers yields quicker results compared to reporting them to the LTO and waiting for something to happen. This idea has been implemented before so I don't see anything wrong with doing it again, especially if it will result into the improvement of the air quality in Metro Manila.

In addition, I think it's high time the LTO makes vehicles undergo more tests and tweak the requirements for vehicle owners and operators to ensure that cars, jeepneys, buses and other forms of motorized land transportation do not turn into death machines when hitting the road.

Lastly, launching a public service announcement will definitely reinforce the LTO's seriousness about its campaign against smoke belching. If memory serves me right, there used to be a PSA that showed a young girl getting smoke from a muffler all over her face. Should there be PSAs like this airing on Philippine TV, smoke belchers will be reminded of the damage they are doing to the environment and the people around them, including their loved ones.

Until the LTO or some other government agency comes up with a solid solution to the smoke belching problem in Metro Manila, we will just have to wear those face masks that are starting to become more of a necessity rather than a trend.

Spoon-feeding Versus Independent Learning

Image source

It has almost been eight years since I earned my bachelor’s degree from my Alma Mater, and now a very good friend of mine is about to accomplish the same thing (hopefully) in the next three to four months. According to my friend, one of the people standing between him and his diploma is his Philippine Constitution professor whom I shall call Madam Sand Chest.

Madam Sand Chest has a knack for testing her students’ knowledge of things she did not bother telling them to study for. Whenever a good number of people fail to answer her questions, she usually goes on a lengthy rant about students limiting themselves to topics they were told to read.

Now, I am no stranger to the world of academe. Having worked as an instructor in an international college and an online teacher to foreign students, I have encountered my fair share of Madam Sand Chests, both as an educator and as a student. And in my experience, most Madam Sand Chests got their education from a state university where spoon-feeding is a no-no. In connection, they hold scholars ng bayan (students in state universities) like my friend to a very high standard because they are supposed to be products of the same system.

In the world of tertiary education, the word spoon-feeding gets thrown around a lot by professors to warn students that the said teaching method is almost non-existent at the college level. The term is pretty much self-explanatory, but in the context of teaching methods, it is not something the average elementary or high school Filipino student is familiar with, despite the fact that it is what their teachers do to share information with them.

CollinsDictionary.com describes spoon-feeding as treating, instructing or informing in a manner that destroys initiative or curbs independent thought and action.[i] With this method, the teacher provides pupils with everything they need to know for a particular subject or course. It is very effective for sharing information to a large audience and favors teachers because they get to dictate the pace of their lessons.[ii] Going back to Madam Sand Chest, I guess what annoys her is the possibility that her students want to be spoon-fed.

Perhaps, Madam Sand Chest wants her students to be more independent when it comes to learning stuff because it will help improve their problem-solving skills and teach them how to think outside of the box. Fair enough. I am all for that. But how does she expect them to immediately solve problems that have not been brought to their attention until the last second? How does she expect them to complete tasks before they were given? How does she expect students to answer questions on the spot involving topics they have yet to read or learn about?

In a perfect world, every student would be a wide reader. If you ask them to read the first to the twelfth page of a book, they will most likely read ten more pages for good measure. But we are not living in a perfect world. These kids cannot be bothered to read beyond what they have been told to, especially when they also have to worry about their theses and tests in other courses. Unlike you Madam Sand Chest, who have the luxury of focusing on Philippine Constitution and talking about something that you like, your students have to study other subjects that are not related with each other. If you have not heard of the words information overload and burnout, then look no further than what your students are going through. I am not saying it is entirely your fault, but you are definitely a part of their problems.

Image source

You see, Madam Sand Chest, telling someone what to do is different from showing someone how to do it. Where I graduated from, I was blessed with a great Philippine Constitution professor and an equally remarkable lecturer for my Laws of Mass Media course. Those guys told me and my classmates what books to read and what topics to look up but they never interpreted laws for us. Instead, they gave us the freedom to interpret laws and their significance on our own. They encouraged us to talk among ourselves on how a law should be interpreted and applied. And in the event that we are going about things the wrong way, they tell us and have us figure out why we are wrong.

How would you feel if you were in the shoes of your students, Madam Sand Chest? How would you fare if a Computer Science major asked you how to convert numeric String to int in Java, after being told to read a primer on C+ + the night before? Can you demonstrate how to reverse engineer a cheap smartphone after an hour’s worth of introduction to electrical engineering? I am sure what you did to your students were not as grave but I am also sure you get the gist of what I am saying. Besides, you cannot expect your students to know as much as you do or share your interest in Philippine Constitution. If every college student in the Philippines have those characteristics, people like you will definitely be out of the job.

I am not saying you should start spoon-feeding your students, Madam Sand Chest, but there is a difference between providing them with everything that they should know from telling them what they should know. Do not be afraid to facilitate learning. It is not spoon-feeding when you are merely showing them the right path. Taking them to that path, however, is a different story.

Of course, an argument can be made that no one gives you helpful hints in the real world and that you should learn to think and decide on your own. That is true in general because life will keep throwing curve balls at you for as long as you live, and no one can prepare you for those things. However, when it comes to your career, which is what college is supposed to be preparing you for, rest assured that someone, be it in the form of a colleague, supervisor, team leader or manager, will show you the ropes and entertain your questions, just so you can get your primary duties done. You will have to figure out everything else on your own the rest of the way. If that is how it works in the workplace, what is wrong with emulating it in the classroom?

Let me wrap this up with this final suggestion, Madam Sand Chest. If you are truly passionate about educating the youth about the Philippine Constitution, the next time your students fail to answer your questions, have them hit the books until they find a solution to the problem you presented. That is a lot more productive than allocating time for your rants.

How about you? What do you think of Madam Sand Chest’s teaching method? Have you experienced being the student of a Madam Sand Chest?

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[i] http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/american/spoon-feed

[ii] http://www.usma.edu/cfe/Literature/Blane_15.pdf