Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Yet Another Text Scam

This time it was my son's yaya who won big, P450,000! She received a text from someone who identified himself as Atty. D.A. Cruz of the Vice President's Charity Fund.

 

She was so excited she even stored the number on her phone.

Poor girl. We had to tell her that it was a scam.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Text Bomb, Text Bomb




Text scams have turned even nastier. Not only do these attempt to con people into forking out money but now they are even used for political ends, to tarnish the names and reputations of politicians.

I got the following this morning from +639268225950:

Congrat's ur sim # had won 2nd prize winner worth of [Php 750,000] via electronic raffle last Oct/17/09! to claim ur prize call me now! Im: Atty. Mark D. Mendez Per dti#3302 s'09! ito po ay pamaskong handog ng AQUINO FAMILY!

Hmm, maybe I should text this to KRIS and send to 2366.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Too Cheesy for Me



My wife saw this tucked under the car's windshield yesterday afternoon in S&R the Fort.

I guess he's hell bent on seeking the presidency this 2010.  Despite his dip in popularity in the latest surveys.

Last Monday, 12 October, when he was supposed to announce his plans for next year's elections, he instead announced that he was postponing his announcement because he was prioritizing relief efforts for victims of Typhoon Pepeng.

That was the right thing to do. But why make the announcement on TV Patrol through an exclusive interview by Karen Davila? Is it because his new 30-second commercial was launched on the same evening telecast?

You're a good man, Mr. Senator. And you're still young. Why the rush?

Remember, cheese only gets better with age.

Save your energy and resources for 2016. Take it from Spencer Johnson --- whose bestselling book you've obviously taken the liberty to copy --- and read "the handwriting on the wall."

"The quicker you let go of old cheese, the sooner you can enjoy new cheese."

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Too Close for Comfort



I saw this as I was on my way back to the office last Friday at around 1:25 pm. At the corner of Tomas Morato and E. Rodriguez Avenue, just one block from the village where I stay.

I thought it was just a car accident, someone losing his brakes and crashing into the wall. It was only during the evening news that I learned that it was a botched up robbery attempt. That a shootout occurred. And that the victim was killed.

And this is not the first time it has happened in the area. Earlier this year, a woman executive was gunned down in broad daylight as she sat in traffic in an apparent carnapping attempt.

This is just too close to home. Tomas Morato is where I work. It is where my son goes to school. It is where I spend most of my week days.

It is a neighborhood that I now share with robbers and murderers.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Muchas Gracias, Alejandro!



Thank you very much, Alejandro. Thank you for donating all your savings to the Filipino children who have been victimized by the recent typhoons.

You have such a big heart. And a kind soul. You simply prove that kindness and hope still exist in this world.

Que Dios te bendiga para siempre.
------
See the news item on the DFA web site.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Akalo Mo Trapo, Yun Pala... Totoo!

Amidst all the destruction and sufferings brought about by Ondoy and Pepeng, some politicians still took advantage of the situation to further their presidential ambitions.

At first I gave this particular politician the benefit of the doubt when the first photo appeared on Facebook. But soon the other photos appeared too. Plus numerous press releases on his relief efforts. Many in the company of a controversial but popular noontime game show host. 


 
 
 

Sipa at Tadyak, that's what this presidential wannabe should get from us voters this coming elections. 

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Goodness Prevails

We've heard it said, many times before, that tragedies bring out the best in the Filipino. And we saw it again. Again and again in the last couple of weeks. From the jetskiing judge who saved dozens from death to the little girl who donated her favorite doll so that it could give comfort to another child victimized by Typhoon Ondoy.

I saw this goodness again last night. This time in the Malanday Elementary School in Marikina where more than 300 evacuee families remain.



We went there to distribute ready-to-eat food packs that Patty had prepared at home. Our contacts were two lady officers of the nearby Filipinas Village Homeowners' Assocation, Judy and Mila.



Both Judy (above, left) and Mila (above, right) were victims too. Their houses, like most of their neighbors' in Filipinas Village, were submerged in chest-deep murky water. And though most of the water has already receded, what still remains is a foot of filthy mud.Yet despite their personal misfortunes, Judy and Mila still volunteered to help out with the relief efforts in the nearby school.

"We are the lucky ones," Mila confessed. "Many of those in Malanday lost all their belongings."

Admirable too were Jun and the other youth members of the Marikina City Junior Police (MCJP) who manned the evacuation center voluntarily as guards.



Jun (above, extreme right) too was a victim of the flooding. But like Judy and Mila, and the countless other volunteers, they chose to be here helping in the relief efforts.

"There's nothing we can do to undo the damage," Jun reasons out. "It's best to just help out."