Book Review: Si

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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

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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.

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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

Book Review: The Bubble Bible by Bitoy

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Michael V. has recently added author to the long line of things he has done and can be called with the release of ‘The Bubble Bible’ by Bitoy.

Launched last December 2015, ‘The Bubble Bible’ features insights, tips and advice on different matters from Michael V.’s most popular characters from ‘Bubble Gang’. The words of wisdom from the likes of Tata Lino and Yaya Rosalinda are delivered in a witty and humorous manner. In addition, the book contains activities like games, coloring pages and cut-outs with an adult twist, reminiscent of the things I used to see on the printed version of 'MAD'. Furthermore, readers will find cool illustrations and pictures inside the book.

Seeing that this book is related to ‘Bubble Gang’ and Bitoy, which is synonymous to comedy in the Philippines, I expected to get a lot of laughs out of ‘The Bubble Bible’. I did find the book amusing, especially the parts that had something to do with Yaya Rosalinda, Cecilio Sasuman and DJ Bumbay. I also thought that Tata Lino’s Ang Labindalawang Utos Ng Pag-ibig and Mr. Assimo’s meme collection made sense and were well written. However, ‘The Bubble Bible’ didn’t entertain me as I hope it would. Maybe it is because I hold Michael V. to such a high standard, or just like the TV show, I just do not find Bubble Gang-related material as funny as it used to (in comparison to the era of 'MTB', 'Ang Dating Doon' and 'Sexballs'). The bottom line is, I was expecting to find myself laughing out loud while and after reading the book. I did not.

TL; DR: I think “The Bubble Bible” by Bitoy is a great read for hardcore “Bubble Gang” and Michael V. fans while those who are not will find some entertainment value from it. It may not leave you laughing your ass off, but it is not that bad.

Rating: 3/5  

Movie Review: A Second Chance

Image culled from ABS-CBN Film Productions Inc. (Star Cinema)

More than eight years ago, Star Cinema released a movie that had John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo exchanging powerful lines in heartbreaking and heartwarming scenes. That movie was "One More Chance" and it made a mark in Philippine history by becoming one of the most memorable Filipino movies of all time.

Fast forward to 2015 and some people still quote Popoy and Basha whenever they feel like making "hugot", which roughly translates into drawing out deep feelings -- a testament to the movie's legacy. Fortunately, Star Cinema decided to reunite Cruz and Alonzo to bring back Popoy and Basha to the big screen by way of "A Second Chance". 

Considering the legacy of the first film and curious about the hype surrounding its sequel, I decided to see the movie with my significant other at SM Megamall yesterday to check out how Popoy and Basha are doing after the events that took place in "One More Chance".

In "A Second Chance", we find Popoy and Basha married to each other and learn about the changes in the couple's relationship and their respective lives. The movie progresses like most films that celebrate marriage where we are first treated to Popoy's and Basha's honeymoon phase, followed by some problems that usually emerge after that stage of a marriage, the impact of their problems to the couple, and the solutions they came up with to solve their issues and conflicts.

In the tradition of "One More Chance", Cruz and Alonzo once again delivered lines worth remembering and portrayed their characters well enough to stir the audience's emotions for most of the movie. "A Second Chance" also features references to its predecessor to remind movie goers of "One More Chance" and how Popoy and Basha has changed from the first movie to its sequel.

One of my biggest complaints with most Filipino movies is predictability, and unfortunately, "A Second Chance" suffers from it. Throughout the course of the movie, I was able to predict what's going to happen next numerous times and was successful in guessing some of the lines a character was going to say before they were delivered. In comparison to "One More Chance", I think the script isn't as impressive this time around. In some cases, they were over the top to the point that I ended up saying 'nobody says shit like that in real life' to myself. Indeed, the way Popoy used the word "tae" (poop) in the movie was a little exaggerated for me and scenes like this made everything seem less natural.

Another beef I had with the script was that dialogues tend to drag on in scenes that weren't that important. What made "One More Chance" a success in my opinion was that it kept it simple for the not-so important parts and bombarded the audiences with cheesy and romantic lines when it mattered the most. There are times I found myself spacing out and feeling sleepy during some of Popoy's and Basha's conversations because it felt like it was going to last forever, but I guess that's how any discussion will go when the fate of a relationship rests on it.

In summary, "A Second Chance" isn't as good as its predecessor but it's still worth watching, especially if you saw "One More Chance". Although it doesn't offer anything new, the movie is your second and probably last chance of seeing Popoy and Basha again. In addition, despite the unnatural acting at times, the movie does a great job of presenting the reality that marriage isn't all rainbows and butterflies, and shows people what to do when things start turning ugly. It's like an entertaining lesson on marriage. Speaking of lessons, perhaps the biggest thing that I will take away from this movie is that things usually don't turn out as expected, and it's how you embrace and deal with the unexpected things that can make you happy. Lastly, "A Second Chance" made my significant other cry. If it stirs that kind of emotion from her, I assure you that the movie is worth seeing even if it isn't as good as I hoped for.

The Last Days Of The Black Mamba

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We all knew it was coming but I still can't believe it's happening this soon.

Kobe Bryant, one of the best shooting guards of all-time and perhaps the best player of his generation, has decided that this will be his last season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

In addition to the announcement of his retirement a few hours ago, the Black Mamba expressed his feelings about his impending departure from the National Basketball Association as a professional basketball player through two letters entitled "When We First Met I Was Just A Kid" and "Dear Basketball",.

Although Kobe Bryant's fierce and competitive nature suggests that he'd continue playing until the day he dies, it seems that the injuries, losses and abysmal performances finally got to him, forcing him to hang it up after this season.

If it was 2004, I couldn't care less. I hated this guy back then. At the time, I thought this guy was selfish and an egomaniac who'd rather drive a dominant center out of town just so the Lakers can become his team. I also disliked the fact that he was being compared by the media to Michael Jordan.

But with the passing of time, I learned to appreciate what he brought to the table and what he meant to the game. He is without a doubt one of the best scorers we've ever seen. After all, he did score 81 points in an NBA game, and that's the closest we've gotten to a Wilt Chamberlain-like performance in years.

His intensity and work ethic is unmatched. Words can't describe just how dedicated and passionate Kobe Bryant is about basketball. His letters speak for themselves. That is how most people would feel after realizing the thing that they've poured their heart and soul into for years has been completed. You could admire the impact of your work, but you wouldn't be thrilled that the thing you enjoyed doing for most of your life is finally over. And let's not forget that prior to his injury, he was able to keep in step with younger superstars like Lebron James and Kevin Durant, despite having a lot of mileage on his body. At his age, the only way Bryant could've done that is by taking care of his body and practicing religiously.

I also learned that some of my previous sentiments about this weren't guy completely accurate. It's really hard to be unselfish when you're a great scorer. Besides, it has been explained in "Kobe Bryant's Muse" it wasn't just about getting all the glory but more about relying more on himself rather than expecting people to get him out of a bind.

In addition, Shaquille O'Neal has said on record that his departure from the Lakers had little to do with Bryant and more with money. Furthermore, Kobe disliked Shaq for reasons other than becoming the face of the franchise. The way the big fella' tried to slap him during rookie year, as Stephen A. Smith recalls, kinda' rubbed him the wrong way and got their relationship off the wrong foot from the get-go. Shaq's laziness, among other things, added insult to injury.

And lastly, I realized that comparing him to MJ was the right thing to do. In a league craving for its next big star in the post-Jordan era, Kobe stepped up and reminded us why we fell in love with Jordan. First, he was a winner. He may have not won as much as MJ but he does have a fist full of rings. He's a two-time gold medalist in the Olympics to boot. He also participated and won a dunk contest like MJ. Scoring in bunches is another thing they shared, and the way Kobe did it was hauntingly familiar to that of Chicago Bulls legend. In addition to his scoring prowess, Bryant played great defense. He also boosted the popularity of basketball around the world to an all-time high. Kobe may not be Michael Jordan, and probably isn't as good as him, but someone once said he is his generation's Jordan and I couldn't agree more.

Love him or hate him, Kobe Bryant has done a lot for the game of basketball. His presence will be sorely missed once he leaves the game forever so let's cherish the moments we see him lace it up and heave forced shots one last time. And for those who still dislike him, as the song goes, don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you got till its gone?

Reaction: Captain America Civil War Trailer

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After leaving audiences begging for more at the end of Avengers: Age of Ultron, Marvel has finally released the trailer for one of the highly anticipated movies of 2016 on Jimmy Kimmel Live a few days ago.

In true Marvel fashion, the trailer for Captain America: Civil War treats viewers to well choreographed fight scenes, funny lines, explosions and iconic characters, including Black Panther, an important member of the Avengers in the comics and someone who has yet to star in his own movie, making his origins and role in future Marvel movies unknown.

Although it is a known fact that the Marvel Cinematic Universe isn't completely faithful with its adaptations of Marvel comic books, I'm a little disappointed with what I've seen in Civil War's trailer. Granted that the sight of multiple superheroes in one movie never ceases to please me, there are still a number of things that bothered me with our first look at the sequel to Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

For starters, it appears that the conflict in the movie revolves around Captain America protecting his friend Bucky Barnes, also known as the Winter soldier and played by actor Sebastian Stan, from the authorities. Considering that Civil War is a Captain America movie and not an Avengers movie, it makes sense to tie up all the loose ends concerning Bucky from The Winter Soldier. However, it kind of makes Cap a douche, which is totally the opposite of what he stands for. Because from what I saw in the trailer, it looks like Steve Rogers is willing to sacrifice the lives of innocent law enforcers, his other friends and his country in order to protect Bucky, who did commit crimes and broke laws even though he was brainwashed at the time. From what I know, Cap stood for justice and what is right, and what is right is he figures out another way to protect Bucky without risking the lives of other people. 

In addition, the reason for the Civil War in the comic books revolved around an incident that led to the creation of the Superhuman Registration Act, which requires the registration of any person based in the United States with super powers. The comic books focused on the effects of the bill on not one, not two, but almost every superhero in the Marvel universe, as well as their reactions to the said bill. Although the bill was mentioned in the trailer, it seems to me that Bucky is a much bigger deal than the Superhuman Registration Act, which kinda dumbs down the whole Civil War thing. If war is going to break out in the MCU, shouldn't it be largely influenced by something more than an assassin with a cybernetic arm?

By the way, have you seen the rest of the Avengers? Vision made his debut in Age of Ultron, we've been promised Spider-Man and Ant-Man was confirmed for the movie but none of them were in sight even though the biggest draw of Civil War was it was going to be a superhero fest. I'm fully aware that you can't fit all the characters from the comics into one movie, but it wouldn't hurt to show superheroes that are supposed to be in Civil War in its trailer, unless they've been reduced to minor roles and cameos. If that's the case, then this movie is going to be a major letdown since Spider Man played a huge role in the Civil War comic books.

On the bright side, the trailer doesn't tell the entire story. So far, Marvel has done a great job of creating original stories for the movie versions of its iconic characters, so it won't be surprising if Captain America: Civil War turns out to be a blockbuster hit. Whether it meets expectations or not remains to be seen, but come May 2016 I'll see the movie in the nearest cinema once it comes out because I'd rather judge it on the big screen alongside other Marvel fans.