Firewall Team

Call Booboos

Hi. I need to speak with John Doe........................................... Not here. He's in jail.

Oh, he's incarcerated?............................................................ Are you deaf?

No, am John. Could you give me his state of execution?

Agent: It's Charm. My name is Charm, C-H-A-R-M. Got it?

.............Oh, let me then spell it again for you:

.............C for Charlie, H for Henry, A for Anna...

Debtor: I thought you said your name was Charm?

Ok. Let me verify your payment.

Is this an active and open credit card?

And when is your expiration date?

Thank you for calling Blogcore. How can I help you?

...Oh you're calling because you received a call from us?

Did you get the caller's name? No?

Oh, so the message is from the mail?

Ahhw I see. So you don't have a voice box?

I'll give you our fax number so you can fax your request.

Once we receive it, I'll fax you back.

So, what would be the convenient time for you to fax each other?

Two Poems by Roja Mujer*

YAON KA
(July 25, 2005)

Yaon ka
Sa birtud kan mga rawitdait
Nagtatagdo, arog kan tagiti
Sa banging kinukugos niya an diklom

An hararom mong tingog
Nag-aawit kan harana sa lati
Dinadara an sakong kalag
Sa kinaban nin duwang katotohanan:

an magayon asin makanos
an maogma asin mamundo
an harayo asin harani
an yaon ka asin mayo ka

An saimong mata
Duwang misteryosong bituon
Na hararom ladupon
Alagad sa sakong isip minapatadom

Nalalamos ako sa hinangos
Kan masarig mong daghan
Sa kada minutong minamate ko
An hiwas kan takyag mong
Gusto akong pugulan

Yaon ka
Sa gabos na bagay
Na matoninong
Na may buhay

Yaon ka
Sa sakong pangiturugan
Linalakaw ta

an lipot kan doros
an tonok sa dalan
an gabos na nagsasabi
kun siisay ka, siisay ako
siisay kita

Sa aga
Aantabayanan ko guiraray
An himbong kan saimong
Mga kamot

Sa aga
Yaon ka.



YOU ARE EVERYTHING
(March 1, 2004)

You are everything in this universe:
Earth, rain, water,
Fire, sun, and moon.

I ask the sea to touch my spirit
Hoping between darkened sunlight
The eyes of your dream will suspend
The fever engulfing your fingertips.

I wish not to reclaim your body
As a personal terrain nor lament
Unto a mesh of scapular as badge
Of cloistered piety.

You are everything in this universe:
Earth, rain, water,
Fire, sun, and moon.

But on mornings like this
Let me invade your subliminal foliage
Where I can feast with supple
Feminine grace called Nurture.

Go, if you must.

Perambulate the reggae of pristine rain
Where the saccharine shall tingle
And lull you
Not in my dreams,
Not in my arms,
But on the montage of where
We have been.


*Roja Mujer is an educator, activist, feminist, humanist, poet, mother, sister, lover…

NUSP at 50

The National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) is the oldest and biggest alliance of student councils in the country. Founded in 1957 by the then president of the FEU Student Government, Former Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban, NUSP has become the veritable training ground for the country's religious, political, business, and media leaders, academicians, lawyers, activists.... It banners such luminaries as Senators Raul Roco, John Osmeña, Rene Saguisag, Joey Lina, and Francis Pangilinan; solons Carlos Padilla Jr., and Lorenzo Tañada III; secretaries Ricardo Puno Jr., Renato Puno, Hernani Braganza, and Michael Defensor; CB Governors Jose Cuisia and Gabriel Singson; Julio Macaranas Jr., Miguel Sanidad, Ma. Theresa Endencia, Hermila Milaflor, Fernando Lagua, Raul Paredes, Pedro Guidote, Salvador Britanico, Evergisto Macatulad, Augusto Quimpo, Oscar Contreras, Vicente Valdellon Jr., Macapanton Abbas Jr., Ramon Sto. Domingo, Mervyn Encanto; Sonia Malasarte-Roco, Sonia Ronda, Violy Calvo, Annabelle Abaya, Loida and Mely Nicolas, Tina Monzon-Palma; Brigido Simon, Fr. Sonny Ramirez, Joe-San Bisquera, Raul and Jose Concepcion; Willie Nepomuceno, Portia Ilagan; Edgar Jopson, Lean Alejandro, Chito Gascon, Manny de Guzman, David Celdran, Dennis Cunanan, Lia Andanar, Sahlee Cariño, Ma. Judea 'Maki' Pulido.... The long list goes on.

I myself had the privilege of tasting the NUSP experience. Coming from the PUP Central Student Council in 1991, I was asked by Gina Salao, Nilo Tamoria and Hilda Felipe to join Dennis Cunanan's Board as Spokesperson. It would be my first national sectoral work so I settled as one of its five Directors. The NUSP Constitution revised at the 1991 Students' Congress at Hiyas ng Bulacan did not define the specific functions of the Directors. Of the five, only I and Tess Abar of UE-Kalookan were left, along with Ariel Tanangonan (EVP), Sahlee Cariño (SecGen), Gay de Guzman(VP-Intl), and staff Vida Alop (St. Scho), Arvin Dadulo (San Beda), Andrew Ociones (UP), and other nameless volunteers. Sahlee replaced Dennis in the Baguio Congress of 1992, and we were joined by Andre Ballesteros (UP-Dil), Essel Peñones and Carlos Garcia (UST), Cherry Thelmo (DLSU), Paul Banal (MLQU), Sandy Tuzon (PUP). The other elected officers just vanished without a clue.

Financial constraints posed a great threat to our organizational work and existence. From Singson Building in Binondo, the national office moved to the Student Regent Office in UP-Diliman, to the CEAP Building in Intramuros, to the CEGP office on Pepin Street in Sampaloc. Some of NUSP's treasured documents and memorabilia were either damaged or lost along our seemingly nomadic existence. However, the brand of militancy in which the NUSP has chosen to tred has become more vibrant and defined long after I left NUSP (physically) in 1994.

I could have graduated from college the year following my election to the NUSP. However, back then I thought the lessons learned in the student movement were more affective and effective. After a long hiatus, I retreated to the University of Saint Anthony in Bicol. But I never really departed from my involvement. Exasperated of the unwittingly repressive atmosphere in the university, I edited the school paper, headed the CEGP in Camarines Sur, mounted cultural presentations thru Kaboronyogan, helped resuscitate NUSP in the province. To this day, most schools in the region either do not have established student councils or have student councils that are formed only for and during accreditations.

NUSP formally turned Fifty last December 2007. The Grand Alumni Homecoming was initially set for December 1st. But as big events come in big preparations, NUSP at 50 happens in August 2008. It would be an extraordinary experience to meet everyone in this marvelous occasion. For once, it would be great to forget about political or ideological differences and just make a toast to Dear NUSP.

Long live NUSP!

Mission 2008

Another year, another start for whatever-there-is-that-I-need-to do. Here's My To-Do List for the Year. This will be my guidepost on how to make 08 a meaningful one.

1. Save at least P2,000 a month, P25-50,000 at year's end. Don't look now. You might say this is a silly short aim. Well, come to think of my expenses, you'd say this is a high post to climb. I saved nothing last year.

2. Never ever incur any absence nor tardiness at work, school or any other commitment. This, actually, should be #1. I dunno but sometimes I get a high trying to beat Mr. 59th Minute.

3. Accelerate my performance at work; be in the bonus list at least six times. I don't aim for a promotion simply because I can't commit to extra responsibilities. Been there, done that; am taking my time to be in there again.

4. Pass all subjects. No ifs, no buts. Shame on me - this would be my nth law school, the nth year that I'd be seeing my classmates join the Bar.

5. Exercise; get plenty of sleep; take proper diet; flush these fats; look fab. Well....

6. Pay all debts. Can I take excuses for this? Signing for those credit cards was a BIG mistake. But then again, should I take to court and try CB Circular 905? Better yet, just at least alot for the late fees. Naye, wait for a settlement offer. Yehey!

7. Support (a) sibling(s). Pretty tough coming from a poor family of ten (10) kids. (I'll write a separate article about this.)

8. Rekindle, strengthen my advocacy work. I've been in a hiatus for, hey, four years now! I can't just be a director-in-absencia for this and that organization. Natsit requires active participation. (Yesterday's call from Rio is alarming: the military is in it again, as ever, wittingly or unwittingly harassing people who are critical of the government.)

9. Write. Poems. Stories. Letters to the editor. Letters to friends. Case digests. Anything. Just write.

10. Create a blog. Hopefully, this would open linkages to whatever that needs bridging. Or cast some testimonies to the concerned world.

11. Take and pass the LET. I haven't tried for fear, not of flunking, but of being disallowed due to inconsistent birth records. I already caused the execution of an affidavit but legally I need to secure a court order to correct the error. Well, all my records show that I was born June 10. My birth cert states July 10. My biological mom says: July 16. Anyway, I have a CSC Professional elegibility but never used it since I obtained it in 1992. LET cert just happens to be required for me to go back to teaching since I haven't completed an MA at that.

12. Take a vacation; visit at least two provinces. I haven't been to Palawan and Batanes; this year would be a nice period to experience. I would look good in those post-card perfect sceneries. What about Sorsogon?

13. Join a retreat or Catholic renewal seminar. Strengthen my religious faith and personal relationship with God. Period.

14. Participate in conferences, workshops...professional/personal development seminars.

15. Plant fruit-bearing trees and vegetables.

16. Rediscover forgotten hobbies.

17. Shun away from all kinds of temptation.

18. Take heart and make these happen.

for a start

HI! Welcome to my blog!

My name is ELMER PALENCIA BRABANTE. Elmer in English means "awe-inspiring". From whose inspiration was my name taken? Elmer Gantry? No clue. Maybe. I was born around that era. Palencia happens to be a province north of Spain, but I have my roots in Baao, Camarines Sur (an idyllic agricultural town south of Luzon in the Philippines) , and vines that are struggling to bear fruits in the capital city of the country. Incidentally, Father Domingo de Palencia was the first parish priest of Baao (1793-1796). Brabante? I hardly have hispanic roots, at least from what is known now. This is in fact a vehicle for my long search of that root.