RH Bill attends Simbang Gabi

Simbang Gabi started today (last night for others) and I forced myself to sleep at 1:00am (I usually sleep at 3) so I could catch some before attending the 5:30am mass. I really wanted to attend the 4:00am service but that would mean I wouldn’t sleep at all.

Anyway, I found the second service less chaotic because there were fewer people. I remember completing the 4:00am masses two years ago and the experience was almost like Pulp Summer Slam.

The service this morning went smoothly aside from a noisy mother at my left who was having her own homily to her young son, but I took care of the situation by staring at her. She went quiet after my second stare.

Towards the end of the Holy Communion, the advertisements were read. I actually prayed (having just received the Blessed Sacrament) while half-hearing notices about the second collection and the Belen that needs to be completed before the 24th and so on.

When the priest stood up, I thought he was gonna give his final blessings already so I also stood up, only to hear him say, “Please remain seated.” LoL! So I sat again.

He also had some advertisements pala, like the book the parish was selling as well as a compact disc collection of songs sung by the parish priests and more. What surprised me, though, was when he said he was going to read a letter from the CBCP regarding the RH Bill.

Huwatt?

I wanted to stand and be rude. To leave the church as a sign of protest that I really don’t approve of the church getting into political issues; that I don’t approve of how they seem to influence the views of the people regarding RH Bill and the likes.

But, I never left a mass before the final blessing. It’s something that Nanay (who’s now a born-again Christian) has taught me way back.

So I just sat there, thinking of unholy thoughts while being forced to listen to something I’d rather not; while the priest talked about premarital sex and how contraceptives would readily be available and free for even minors at the local health clinics.

Anyone can actually go on and on talking about the connection of free condoms to premarital sex but still, what’s more important are the core values these kids learn in their homes. It’s really how parents raise their kids that would matter and not if contraceptives are free or not.

Because come on, magkano lang ba ang condom?

Anyway, I hope RH Bill wouldn’t be a permanent topic in the remaining 8 masses of Simbang Gabi. If it would be, I pray that I will be able to stop myself from walking out while the priest is still talking.

Tomorrow is the third reading of the RH Bill. And tomorrow morning at mass, I will pray that there will be less street children, less kids with grumbling stomachs, less kids who can’t go to school; I will pray for the success of RH Bill’s approval.

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Did PNoy Smoke on PAL During Flight Back to Manila?

Not only is President Noynoy Aquino being talked about because of his ex-girlfriend's upcoming wedding, he is also the talk-of-the-town for allegedly smoking during his 14-hour return flight from San Francisco to Manila on Philippine Airlines flight PR 104.

Limp-wristed
Jojo A. Robles
Manila Standard Today

One of the good things about being President is that you get to bend the rules in your favor, Noynoy Aquino is finding out. Take that very strictly imposed ban on smoking in a commercial airliner, for example.

We’ve been told that during his recent 14-hour return flight on Philippine Airlines flight PR 104 from San Francisco to Manila, Aquino was allowed to smoke in violation of international and local aviation regulations. The feat was pulled off on the PAL 747-400 jumbo jet by simply preventing anyone to go up the upper, first-class deck of the plane (where Aquino was) through the stairs while the President smoked.

However, because the passenger areas of the plane do not really have exhaust vents to remove the scent of tobacco smoke, the smell could not be kept from the other people below. That’s how the other passengers got a whiff (pun intended) of what was going on—including the smokers on board who were displaying the symptoms of full-blown nicotine withdrawal syndrome but who were, unfortunately, not President.

Those who were on the flight could have sworn that Aquino wasn’t the only one smoking. They surmised that the people with Aquino lit up, as well, just to ensure that their boss wouldn’t be breaking civil aviation regulations all by himself.

Health, safety (depending on the stage of the airplane’s trip) and anti-terrorist considerations prohibit smoking in commercial aircraft, of course. But when you’re the chain-smoking President flying the nation’s flag carrier on a long trans-Pacific flight, the skies can be unbelievably friendly.

Unflattering

This is the president of my country:

And they say a picture paints a thousand words.

They say a nearly empty desk is a sign of laziness. But his ashtray's not empty, no?

photo: pinoyexchange.com

Uh-oh

I wonder if this is authentic. But the voice sounds like him.

From My Inbox

To advertise their February 2010 Collection, Armani Exchange has this:

Lovett! Although I miss Kerry in their ads, this one's okay na rin for supporting the LGBT community.

And speaking of LGBT, ask your straight friends na rin to vote for Ang Ladlad. Usually naman they take party lists for granted (read: kahit ano na lang).

I actually tried talking my straight bestfriend into voting for Ang Ladlad. He said yes. Kahit naman straight people they also care about us.

Charming

Actually, I find Bongbong Marcos charming.

Hindi Ka Nag-iisa

Using popular actors in campaigning is a sure way to endear the hearts of Filipinos. Add it with the voice of Asia's Songbird which never fails to give us goosebumps, and a good video concept. Wagi!

There's just a part of the song that's a little off. Why do I feel awkward in hearing "Ninoy at Cory" (loud and clear) in this song?

All I can say is: "oh!"

Reminds me of Pia Cayetano's campaign poster years ago with his late dad Rene Cayetano in the background. She won, though.