Ang Filipino Ay Wika Ng Mang-mang - James Soriano

I don't know what the online editor of Manila Bulletin has been snorting lately that he allowed the proposterously prejudiced ramblings of a self-indulgent, arrogant elitist, James Soriano, be posted on their news site.

Maybe Soriano is dying to know how it feels to stick his own foot so far his ass that he could taste the dirt under the nail of his big toe that he decided to write the most tasteless and probably the crudest attack on Filipino language that I've read or heard, bar none. Ang tingin ni Soriano, ang Filipino ay wika ng mga mang-mang, bobo o ng mga magnanakaw.

Here's a snippet of Soriano's article "Language, Learning, Identity, Privilege":

"Filipino is the language of the streets: how you spoke to the tindera when you went to the tindahan, what you used to tell your katulong that you had an utos, and how you texted manong when you needed sundo na.

If we need to communicate with these people - or otherwise avoid being mugged on the jeepney, we should learn Filipino.

Filipino maybe the language of identity, it is the language of the streets. It might have the capacity to be the language of learning, but it is not the language of the learned."

Some of you are maybe wondering with all the goddamn problems this country is facing, why in hell am I spending precious internet time and space for this bullsh*t and why am I hitting Soriano if he was just stating a fact. I know, he's just sharing his observation based on his experiences. But I ask you, does he need to be a huge bigoted assf*ck to tell those? Yes, the Atenean is probably one of the best young mind this country has but why does he need to reboot his uneventfully lame 2008 article with the same topic to send his message across?

KSP na KSP: Kulangot Sa Pader na Kulang Sa Pansin. Hindi gaanong kotrobersyal ang artikulo niya dati kaya sinulat niya ng mas pabalang, mas mapanghusga at bastos. Sabihin ninyo kay kuya, hindi ganyan ang dadaism.

Kung gusto niyang magpasikat, pumunta siya sa Showtime at magbigay ng sampol.

Manila Bulletin took off the article from its website following waves of negative comments against the article. It has yet to issue a statement a statement of any kind. Meanwhile, Soriano was forced to delete his Twitter account for obvious reasons.

Congratulations to that self-repeating, unimaginative and unorginal asshole, James Soriano. He is now the biggest Pinoy internet ass-clown since Chr... ok, that dude who drove his car in floodwater. He's probably having his victory masturbation using his english-tagalog dictionary in front of his dog right now.

Happy now, Mr. James Soriano? You got your 15 minutes.

"Ani Simoun: Kayo'y nakalilimot na habang ang isang bayan ay may sariling wika, napapanatili rin nito ang kanyang paglaya. Ang wika ay isang pag-iisip ng bayan."

- from Ang Pilibusterismo, ni Dr. Jose Rizal, nilimbag ng F. Meyer van Loo Pressm 1891

Pssst! Pssst! DeeBeeDee?

I bet each and everyone who reads this blog had a bite on the forbidden fruit of piracy in more ways than one. We have illegally streamed, downloaded, sold and bought pirated music, games, software, television series and movies more times than we can deny doing it. Because of the piracy boom in the city, words like "deebeedee", "mubi", "kumpedyum", "seris", "jap", "iskandal" and "mantuman" have been added to our street lingo.

TALKING ABOUT KILL JOY

But since the Manila City Government had their campaign against pirated DVDs intensified, places like Quiapo, Divisoria, Morayta and Harrison Plaza are now more or less "Pirated DVD" free. Former pirated dvd stalls were forced to close down or sell different products. Places once bustling with Optical Media Board (OMB) headaches are now lifeless cheap clothing lanes if not ghost towns.

photo from here

It's the end of an era.

I remember when I was in high school, I succumbed to the temptation that is piracy when I bought my first pornogra... I mean video game at Orient Pearl along Recto...

DON'T GET ME WRONG

I think most of us agree that piracy is a crime. Ripping off and illegally using products is the highest for of intellectual property offense. Don't get me wrong, piracy is not isolated in the Philippines (but if you insist that it is, go home and f**k your mom you ungrateful bastard!), it is an international phenomenon and a profitable criminal enterprise. Some even connect it to other organized crime such as illegal arms-trade, human trafficking and illegal drugs.

If it's illegal, why do we buy it still? Because bad is good! Hahahaha! If they only make pornogr... este video games more available and much less cheaper... just finish my sentence (you probably know more original BS. Hehehehe!)

GOOD BYE, MANONG, GOODBYE!

The following is my humble way of paying tribute to the passionate men and women who never gave up to till we realize that buying their pirated deebeedee would make our lives a little bit bearable with just P30 kung mubi... P40 kung seris at P60 kung kumpedyum:

Manong DBD 1

Manong 1: Ser, maganda 'to, one thousand (1,000) BC. Trenta lang.

Marvin: Kinse na lang, kulang naman ng 9,000 years eh.

Manong DBD 2

Marvin: Meron ka bang "Dog Whisperer"?

Manong 2: Meron, Ser! "Marley and Me"!

Manang DBD 1

Manang 1: Beh! Meron kaming 300 Days of Summer!

Marvin: Ano yan, love story?

Manang 1: Hindi, beh! Patayan!

Manang DBD 2

Manang 2: Ser, mantuman

Marvin: Aanhin ko naman yan, barenahan yan

Manang 2: Oo nga naman. Heto, ser, bukaka (bukakke)

Marvin: Ayos mga porno mo puro ta***.

Manang 2: Hahahaha! Award kasi eh, puro boys.

Marvin: Wala ka bang action?

Manang 2: Heto ser! Ronnie Ricketts!

photo by J. De Jesus

Art: Dick On The Holy Face

Visual artist Mideo Cruz and his installation "Poleteismo" is at the center of probably the biggest controversy in the Philippine art scene since the awarding of the title "National Artist" to comic book author extraordinaire and massacre movies stalwart Carlo J. Caparas.

Photo from here

Launched in June 17, Cruz's work was part of an exhibit entitled "Kulo" shown in the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Main Gallery. The exhibit was part of CCP's celebration of Jose Rizal's 159th birthday, it was supposed to run until August 21 but was forced to shut down on August 9 amidst heated critisms from various religious groups, influential (but sexually deprived) personalities, face-time hungry politicians and just about anyone who feels qualified to talk about art, including a multi-awarded, wholesome comedian and senator, Vicente Sotto III (Laban-laban! Bawi-bawi!).

BLASPHEMY?

Included in Cruz's work were an image of Christ with Mickey Mouse ears and bright red dildo and a mixed-media collage with a penis ashtray pasted on a poster of Christ.

Photo from here

According to CCP Chairperson, Emily Abrera, "Kulo" is "shock art" and explicitly solicits awe from its audience. Abrera suggests that artists featured in the exhibit should be given a chance to explain their art. She also added that the CCP should continue to be a venue for artist like Cruz to express their art.

The Senate committee on education, arts and culture held a legislative inquiry regarding the controversial art show. Invited were Mideo Cruz, CCP officials, members of the art community and the academe. Cruz did not attend the proceedings.

National Artist for Literature, Dr. Francisco Sionil Jose said that Cruz's "Poleteismo" was an attempt by an immature and juvenile artist to express himself.

INTELLECTUAL MASTURBATION

In an academic forum held at the University of the Philippines, Mideo Cruz lamented, "I was not aware that my art is that offensive. I was not informed. It's like people were just their waiting for me to paste that penis ashtray on Jesus' face."

President Aguino was reportedly disappointed about the "Kulo" exhibit that he ordered Sec. Leila Delima to place Mideo Cruz and his phallic objects under immigration watch list.

The University of Santo Tomas (UST) set a Guiness record for the world's largest human cross. Three were speculations that the human cross was made to counter the "blasphemous" art exhibit of Mideo Cruz together with other UST visual artists. UST officials call it "Bore Art".

In an interview with dzMM anchor, Jobert Sucaldito, National Artist Carlo J. Caparas said that art and freedom has to have boundaries and should be expressed responsibly. The punchline is the title "National Artist" in front of "Carlo J. Caparas".

Pro-Life Philippines, a Roman Catholic group, said that it will pursue legal actions against CCP officials and the people behind "Kulo". Complaints will be filled before the Ombudsman and Pasay City Prosecutor's Office, together with cases against the proponents of the RH Bill, the PCSO officials who exposed the SUV fiasco and all those they thought did the Roman Catholic Chruch wrong, including Martin Luther, the German priest who initiated the Protestant Movement.

ART IMITATING LIFE

So I guess this is also freedom of expression:

"Art (according to Mideo Cruz)" by Marvin G. aka Pansitlove

In August 2009, the Supreme Court issued a status quo order deferring the conferment of 2009 nominees for National Artist Award including Carlo J. Caparas. In other news, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is now a Pampanga Congresswoman, Lito Lapid is still a senator and Coco Pimentel was proclaimed senator after the resignation of Miguel Zubiri. Yaaamee!

Mideo Cruz, together with other artist featured in the "Kulo" exhibit used a form of abstract art called "Dada". Dada aims to critique social, political and cultural norms through "shocking" ridicule of prevailing art standards and norms.

He said, she said that Cruz's "Poleteismo" is a statement against our society's worship of money, power, movie stars, America and others while claiming to be monotheistic Catholic. Speaking for myself, it is offensive, alright but if the aim of the art technique is to be offensive, then it was a success. Pinatunayan lang nito na totoo ang kritisismo ipinapahayag ng Poleteismo, biruin mo, yung mga politko na wala ng masakyan na issue, sinakyan to.

Philippine Dragonboat Team Should Hit Peping's Chin With A Paddle

Inspired by clean waters and cheers from the American Filipino community, against all odds, the Cobra-Philippine Dragon Boat Team dominated the recently concluded International Dragon Boat Federation 10th World Championships in Tampa Bay, Florida, besting every well-funded paddlers from all-over the world. The Pinoy Dragon Warriors defended their 2007 and 2009 crown by winning 5 gold medals including a new world record in the 1000 meters small boat category... in spite of Peping Cojuangco, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC).


With no support from the government (even denouncing their status as national athletes) and after managing to scrounge support from the private sector, the small contingent from the Philippine Dragonboat Federation pushed through to Florida and proved that a sports fedaration doesn't need to kiss Peping Cojuangco's chin to be the World Champs.

OPPRESSED BY BABALU

The Philippine Dragon Boat Team was stripped off of its national athlete status after the Philippine Olympic Committe (POC) and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) withdrew all forms of support for the team allegedly because the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation (PDBF), the organization that handles the Dragon Warriors, was not in good terms with POC Chair Peping Conjuangco. Cojuangco allegedly wanted his own men seated in PDBF. In June, during the critical stages of practice for the up coming World Championships, POC and PSC directed the team to vacate the docks and surrender the boats.


PADDLING AWAY TO WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN NEXT

In the World Championships, the Philippine Dragon Boat team bagged 5 gold medals, one of which was in the Premier 1000m event (small boat) for setting a world record time of 04:57.130 tying that of Senator Lito Lapid in time spent in the senate premises during his previous 6-year term.

The rift between Philippine Dragon Boat Federation and POC/PSC started when PDBF officials rejected the move of POC Chair Peping Cojuangco to place one of his men in the PDBF Board who turned out to be Christopher Lao.

According to Marcia Cristobal, President of PDBF, there was no doubt in her mind that the Dragon Warriors will win the World Championship despite all odds. She added that nothing can prepare a dragon boat team better than twice a day practice in murky waters of Manila Bay and questionable leadership from POC and PSC.

In a press conference POC Chair Peping Cojuangco extends his apology to PDBF and the Philippine Dragon Warriors for stripping them off of their national athlete status. Cojuangco said angrily, "I wasn't informed. Nobody said stop. It's like people were just waiting for me to just do that (commit an epic fail)."

After learning that Peping Cojuangco tried sticking his nose on PDBF, Justice Secretary Leila De Lima immediately placed Cojuangco's chin on immigration watch list.

It's amazing that despite the POC alleged oppression of PDBF, the Philippine Dragon Boat Team has managed to do extremely well in the World Championships. POC now plans to also strip off Smart Gilas Basketball and Team Pilipinas Azkals Football of national athlete status.

MY ONE PESO IN EXCHANGE FOR MANILA BAY TRASH

Que music:

"Kay dilim at kay ginaw sa kalawakan ng dagat. Ubod lakas kung humiyaw ang galit na hanging habagat..."

The success of the Philippine Dragon Boat Team is a dramatic story of triumph against adversity; of never giving up despite of continuing challenges (thrown by POC and PSC) and of true love for the sport of dragon boat racing.

"... Ating liliparin, may harang mang sibat. Ating tatawirin, daluyong ng dagat..."

It is heartbreaking that these champions had to sell trash that they've collected in Manila Bay to sustain their training. In one of the international competition held in Boracay, these champions had to sleep in public school rooms, while lesser teams from other countries sleep in hotel rooms. Stripped off of their funding, these champions still fought for the glory of their country and refused to be victims of maneuverings of power-hungry politicians.

These champions deserve our support. Ipaalam natin sa gobyerno na hindi karapat-dapat ang trato nila sa mga bayaning tulad ng Philippine Dragon Boat Team.

"...Basta't kasama mo ako, iisang bangka tayo. Anuman ang mithiin ay makakamtan natin..."

ISANG BANGKA by THE DAWN



Sensya, Asia Brewery (makers of Cobra Energy Drink), wala akong maisip na mas bagay na kanta eh. Hehehehe!

All photos were taken from Philippine Dragon Boat Federation Facebook Fan Page. Do not forget to "Like" them.

All Apologies

I was so overwhelmed with what I thought that time was a display of utter stupidity and misplaced arrogance that it compelled me to converse with many people... including a comelec offici... este... Ehem! ... and blog about what I was feeling during that time.

I recognize that writing my previous blog entry was a lapse in judgment. I am sorry.

Nagagambala ako. Maliwanag na may kakulangan sa wastong pagpapasya ang nangyaring pagsulat ng blog entry. Pinagsisisihan ko ito ng lubos. Pinangangatawanan ko ang aking panulat ngunit humihingi ako ng paumanhin sa iyo - sa iyo na malamang ay napaglaruan ng pagkakataon, maling pagpapasya at ng news crew ng GMA 7 na baka pinagmukha kang tanga at arogante, totoo man ito o hindi. Ibig kong tiyakin sa iyo na magsisikap akong maging mas maging mahinahon at maunawain sa pagsusulat tungkol sa mga bagay na nakita kong karapat-dapat punahin.

photo from here

I want to close this chapter and move on with the business entertaining the avid readers of this blog (numbering to 5, excluding my Mom, my girlfriend and my bestfriend). I want to ask each and everyone who reads this blog (kapuso, kapamilya and kapatid) to join hands with me in a show of unity and campaign for a bully-free cyberspace where everyone is safe and not insulted no matter how stupid one's actions or misplaced one's arrogance could be. No one is sure if media distorts the truth or not. The Filipino presence in cyberspace is strong and getting stronger, the progress is steady and I ask you to walk with me in this journey of bully-free internet advocacy.

I remain your humble servant and I promise you that I will fulfill my duties as a responsible writer and blogger to the best of my abilities.


Parts of the this entry were taken and edited from former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's "I am sorry" speech during the height of the "Hello Garci" controversy.