Just My Two Cents

A PLACE UNDER THE SUN. Over the past days I would always thought of these words and definitely it is what i am looking for, in this crucial period of my life when I am plotting my own path in the road less-taken.

Imagine. Four futile years in the academe. Five student records. Two boxes of chalk, two boxes of white board markers, N number of papers, N number of pencils, N number of sign-pens. I guess it’s four years for nothing.

Now, I’m in the middle of my first term in Training and Development, and I’m still in doubt whether this is going to be feasible.

Feasibility.

A lesson i picked up in a couple of years in school.

Will it be worth the expenses shelled out?

Will the product yield the fruits of your labor?

blah blah blah…

I don’t know where to put myself. I know that I’m not that stupid nor dumb. But i really don’t know where to apply myself. Ikaw ba, alam mo kung saan ako babagay?

ASAR.

I am so lost.

I want to do many things, try plenty of things but i can not afford to do so. aside from financial reasons, MY CLOCK IS TICKING.

DAMN IT, I AM TWENTY FIVE YEARS OLD AND I FEEL I AM INCAPABLE OF DOING ANYTHING PRODUCTIVE.

It kills me. Twenty-five years of living; stagnant as water in a rubber tire that encourages pests to habituate.

Ah, basta, yun na yon…

The full text of the Holy Father’s homily is posted below:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

“Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down upon the heavens and the earth?” This is what Israel sings in one of the Psalms (113 [112], 5ff.), praising God’s grandeur as well as his loving closeness to humanity. God dwells on high, yet he stoops down to us… God is infinitely great, and far, far above us. This is our first experience of him. The distance seems infinite. The Creator of the universe, the one who guides all things, is very far from us: or so he seems at the beginning. But then comes the surprising realization: The One who has no equal, who “is seated on high”, looks down upon us. He stoops down. He sees us, and he sees me. God’s looking down is much more than simply seeing from above. God’s looking is active. The fact that he sees me, that he looks at me, transforms me and the world around me. The Psalm tells us this in the following verse: “He raises the poor from the dust…” In looking down, he raises me up, he takes me gently by the hand and helps me – me! – to rise from depths towards the heights. “God stoops down”. This is a prophetic word. That night in Bethlehem, it took on a completely new meaning. God’s stooping down became real in a way previously inconceivable. He stoops down – he himself comes down as a child to the lowly stable, the symbol of all humanity’s neediness and forsakenness. God truly comes down. He becomes a child and puts himself in the state of complete dependence typical of a newborn child. The Creator who holds all things in his hands, on whom we all depend, makes himself small and in need of human love. God is in the stable. In the Old Testament the Temple was considered almost as God’s footstool; the sacred ark was the place in which he was mysteriously present in the midst of men and women. Above the temple, hidden, stood the cloud of God’s glory. Now it stands above the stable. God is in the cloud of the poverty of a homeless child: an impenetrable cloud, and yet – a cloud of glory! How, indeed, could his love for humanity, his solicitude for us, have appeared greater and more pure? The cloud of hiddenness, the cloud of the poverty of a child totally in need of love, is at the same time the cloud of glory. For nothing can be more sublime, nothing greater than the love which thus stoops down, descends, becomes dependent. The glory of the true God becomes visible when the eyes of our hearts are opened before the stable of Bethlehem.

Saint Luke’s account of the Christmas story, which we have just heard in the Gospel, tells us that God first raised the veil of his hiddenness to people of very lowly status, people who were looked down upon by society at large – to shepherds looking after their flocks in the fields around Bethlehem. Luke tells us that they were “keeping watch”. This phrase reminds us of a central theme of Jesus’s message, which insistently bids us to keep watch, even to the Agony in the Garden – the command to stay awake, to recognize the Lord’s coming, and to be prepared. Here too the expression seems to imply more than simply being physically awake during the night hour. The shepherds were truly “watchful” people, with a lively sense of God and of his closeness. They were waiting for God, and were not resigned to his apparent remoteness from their everyday lives. To a watchful heart, the news of great joy can be proclaimed: for you this night the Saviour is born. Only a watchful heart is able to believe the message. Only a watchful heart can instill the courage to set out to find God in the form of a baby in a stable. Let us ask the Lord to help us, too, to become a “watchful” people.

Saint Luke tells us, moreover, that the shepherds themselves were “surrounded” by the glory of God, by the cloud of light. They found themselves caught up in the glory that shone around them. Enveloped by the holy cloud, they heard the angels’ song of praise: “Glory to God in the highest heavens and peace on earth to people of his good will”. And who are these people of his good will if not the poor, the watchful, the expectant, those who hope in God’s goodness and seek him, looking to him from afar?

The Fathers of the Church offer a remarkable commentary on the song that the angels sang to greet the Redeemer. Until that moment – the Fathers say – the angels had known God in the grandeur of the universe, in the reason and the beauty of the cosmos that come from him and are a reflection of him. They had heard, so to speak, creation’s silent song of praise and had transformed it into celestial music. But now something new had happened, something that astounded them. The One of whom the universe speaks, the God who sustains all things and bears them in his hands – he himself had entered into human history, he had become someone who acts and suffers within history. From the joyful amazement that this unimaginable event called forth, from God’s new and further way of making himself known – say the Fathers – a new song was born, one verse of which the Christmas Gospel has preserved for us: “Glory to God in the highest heavens and peace to his people on earth”. We might say that, following the structure of Hebrew poetry, the two halves of this double verse say essentially the same thing, but from a different perspective. God’s glory is in the highest heavens, but his high state is now found in the stable – what was lowly has now become sublime. God’s glory is on the earth, it is the glory of humility and love. And even more: the glory of God is peace. Wherever he is, there is peace. He is present wherever human beings do not attempt, apart from him, and even violently, to turn earth into heaven. He is with those of watchful hearts; with the humble and those who meet him at the level of his own “height”, the height of humility and love. To these people he gives his peace, so that through them, peace can enter this world.

The medieval theologian William of Saint Thierry once said that God – from the time of Adam – saw that his grandeur provoked resistance in man, that we felt limited in our own being and threatened in our freedom. Therefore God chose a new way. He became a child. He made himself dependent and weak, in need of our love. Now – this God who has become a child says to us – you can no longer fear me, you can only love me.

With these thoughts, we draw near this night to the child of Bethlehem – to the God who for our sake chose to become a child. In every child we see something of the Child of Bethlehem. Every child asks for our love. This night, then, let us think especially of those children who are denied the love of their parents. Let us think of those street children who do not have the blessing of a family home, of those children who are brutally exploited as soldiers and made instruments of violence, instead of messengers of reconciliation and peace. Let us think of those children who are victims of the industry of pornography and every other appalling form of abuse, and thus are traumatized in the depths of their soul. The Child of Bethlehem summons us once again to do everything in our power to put an end to the suffering of these children; to do everything possible to make the light of Bethlehem touch the heart of every man and woman. Only through the conversion of hearts, only through a change in the depths of our hearts can the cause of all this evil be overcome, only thus can the power of the evil one be defeated. Only if people change will the world change; and in order to change, people need the light that comes from God, the light which so unexpectedly entered into our night.

And speaking of the Child of Bethlehem, let us think also of the place named Bethlehem, of the land in which Jesus lived, and which he loved so deeply. And let us pray that peace will be established there, that hatred and violence will cease. Let us pray for mutual understanding, that hearts will be opened, so that borders can be opened. Let us pray that peace will descend there, the peace of which the angels sang that night.

In Psalm 96 [95], Israel, and the Church, praises God’s grandeur manifested in creation. All creatures are called to join in this song of praise, and so the Psalm also contains the invitation: “Let all the trees of the wood sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes” (v. 12ff.). The Church reads this Psalm as a prophecy and also as a task. The coming of God to Bethlehem took place in silence. Only the shepherds keeping watch were, for a moment, surrounded by the light-filled radiance of his presence and could listen to something of that new song, born of the wonder and joy of the angels at God’s coming. This silent coming of God’s glory continues throughout the centuries. Wherever there is faith, wherever his word is proclaimed and heard, there God gathers people together and gives himself to them in his Body; he makes them his Body. God “comes”. And in this way our hearts are awakened. The new song of the angels becomes the song of all those who, throughout the centuries, sing ever anew of God’s coming as a child – and rejoice deep in their hearts. And the trees of the wood go out to him and exult. The tree in Saint Peter’s Square speaks of him, it wants to reflect his splendour and to say: Yes, he has come, and the trees of the wood acclaim him. The trees in the cities and in our homes should be something more than a festive custom: they point to the One who is the reason for our joy – the God who for our sake became a child. In the end, this song of praise, at the deepest level, speaks of him who is the very tree of new-found life. Through faith in him we receive life. In the Sacrament of the Eucharist he gives himself to us – he gives us a life that reaches into eternity. At this hour we join in creation’s song of praise, and our praise is at the same time a prayer: Yes, Lord, help us to see something of the splendour of your glory. And grant peace on earth. Make us men and women of your peace. Amen.

I am 25 years old and I still don’t know what I want to do in life. I consider my career journey as still in the exploration phase. Rather than “love my job”, I seek and discover career bliss in the nuances of each experience and make slight course adjustments towards my preferred experience; ready, fire, aim. In a sense, I am finding the path to love my job.

Always I would easily find a new job but but as time passed, I felt like something was missing. Work was comfortable and secure, but I felt that there were sides of me that I never really got to use. I wanted to do work that I could really feel proud of. I wanted to make more of a difference. And mostly, I was never really excited about work.

Chavit Singson was recently appointed as Deputy National Security Adviser. Definitely his claimed experience as governor, congressman and being a “kumpare” of manny paquiao does not quailify him to the job.

Ralph Recto - NEDA Director-General and Socio-Economic Plannning Secretary

Prospero Pichay - Administrator of the Local Water Works and Utilities Administration

Sometimes when we close our eyes and just listen to the echoes of our hearts. We all fall in love and there are times when we love so much that we lose ourselves in our own emotions.

More often than not we wonder why there are love that grows and love that grows cold. We would start to search for answers and try to find where love has gone wrong. But in the end we find ourselves, where we started for we cannot question love when it has its own reasons.

Love will always be as it always has been. Silent, mysterious and deeply profound.

Many of us believe that love is forever, that love never dies, only to be disillusioned in the end when we find our hands empty, and our hearts longing. We mistakenly have looked at love as a need to be fulfilled.

But actually love is only a gift given to us. We should not hold it in our hands for we may never find the strength to let it go when it decides to leave. We should only embrace its warmth and glow while it last and then freely open our arms when its time to say good bye.

When we fall in love with someone, we don’t want that feeling to end for it is everything we are, everything that we wanted to be. We pray that love will stay and grow in our hearts. But, if it doesn’t then we should never let our lives be taken by it, for life should not end where heartaches begin. As there is always a reason why we have to move on.

When we have to say goodbye to the feelings we wanted to stay forever, let us not wave our hands with a heavy heart. Love will have to set its wings free and find the place where it belongs.

We may have lost it but then again, when we close our eyes and listen to the echoes of our hearts, we hear it resounding silently forever. Then we’ll know that it has never left us,
for the good that we have become because of love will always stay.

Its always been there reminding us that we should be thankful and happy. Not because we have lost love, but because, for once in our lives, that feeling lived in our hearts and make us happy.

What was the major or most constant cause of your unhappiness in 2007?
(a) I loathe myself with a passion and wish I were someone else.
(b) I hate my job/I am not at all satisfied with the way my career is going.
(c) Money is always a problem.
(d) I worry about my health and have stress-related health issues.
(e) I don’t like the way I look, and when I run into old classmates my first instinct is to hide.
(f) I know there is something else I should be doing, but I’m afraid to take the risk.
(g) I know I’m meant for other things, but I don’t know exactly what they are.
(h) I can’t sleep and I am constantly anxious.
(i) I think the cosmos is out to get me.
(j) None of the above: Write your answer here.

I’ve long suspected that books cost more at Fully Booked than in Powerbooks, and just the other day I got empirical evidence.

The Loser by Thomas Bernhard:  Php549 at Fully Booked
Same edition of Bernhard book:   Php469 at Powerbooks

The Book of Other People, edited by Zadie Smith: Php599 at Fully Booked
Same edition of The Book of Other People: Php519 at Powerbooks

Price difference: 80 pesos. (With bookstore discount cards, 72 pesos.)

The big El Bulli book that costs Php15,000 at Fully Booked costs Php11,000 at A Different Bookstore.

I like hanging out at some bookstores, but best to do comparison-shopping.

The 14th Congress of the Republic of the Philippines opened last June. It’s been about 5 months since then…Ano na ba ang ginagawa ng mga senador ngayon? People mainly see all of their investigations (in aid of legislation or whatever purposes it may serve the country). But looking at their core competency (crafting laws), how are they performing?

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago mentioned in a radio interview that senators normally get P43,000 per month as their base salary. In addition, they get around P1.3 Million per month for their staff. Yes folks…senators are not solomonic in their wisdom - they need a staff of people to coach them on what to say and when to say it, research bills for them and basically be at their beck and call. Add to this, travel allowances for “official” trips within the country and abroad. And before I forget, senators are also given individual pork barrel funds. I am not privy to the number but let’s just say it’s P200 Million each annually for simplicity’s sake (the actual number might be higher than this). All in all, each senator gets an annual salary of P516,000 PLUS an annual staff allowance of  P15,600,000 PLUS their pork barrel of P200,000,000 PLUS travel and other allowances which I can’t estimate at this point. Bottom Line: That’s a lot of money not to mention taxpayer’s blood, toil, tears and sweat!

How then do our esteemed senators use this money for the betterment of the Filipino nation? Tough question?

SENATOR: Edgardo Angara, AB, LLB, LLM
BILLS FILED: 78
EXAMPLE OF BILLS FILED:
Renewable Energy Reserves Act of 2007 (filed June 30)
Children’s Health Insurance Program (filed June 30)
Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers (filed June 30)
Compressed Workweek/Flextime Arrangement (filed July 3)
My Comment: Angara’s experience in legislation is clearly evident here. Most of his bills are national in scope and addresses key areas where legislation is either lacking or inadequate.

SENATOR: Benigno Aquino III, BSBE
BILLS FILED: 1
EXAMPLE OF BILLS FILED:
Workers’ Productivity Incentives Act of 2007 (filed July 26)
My Comment: He’s probably in the throes of the neophyte jinx. Or maybe he’s emulating his father, the late Sen. Benigno Aquino, Jr. - who is not known for being prodigous when it comes to legislation.

SENATOR: Joker Arroyo, AA, LLB
BILLS FILED: 0
My Comment: One of my favorite legislators because of his brilliant mind and the power of his arguments. But it seems that Tumatanda na yata si Joker…

SENATOR: Rodolfo Biazon, BSME
BILLS FILED: 44
EXAMPLE OF BILLS FILED:
Public School Teachers Tax Incentive Act (filed July 3)
Anti-Torture Act (filed June 30)
AFP Chief of Staff (Fixed Term) (filed June 30)
My Comment: I must say, Biazon has developed from a bumbling neophyte senator to someone whom I would call “average/above average"

SENATOR: Pia Cayetano, BSBE, LLB
BILLS FILED: 32
EXAMPLE OF BILLS FILED:
Mt. Balatukan Range Natural Park Act of 2007 (filed July 4)
Granting The Governor The Power To Solemnize Marriages (filed July 4)
My Comment: Most of the bills she filed are for the creation of obscure national parks. Remember that the environment is only one of the many focus areas of a senator. Hmmm…Is giving governors the power to marry people a critical need of the country?

SENATOR: Alan Peter Cayetano, AB, JD
BILLS FILED: 0
My Comment: Cayetano is being true to himself and being consistent. He was a do-nothing congressman…He is a do-nothing senator now…so much for being the chairman of the powerful Senate Blue Ribbon Committee (Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations)

SENATOR: Miriam Defensor-Santiago, AB, LLB, MAT, LLM, JSD
BILLS FILED: 189
EXAMPLE OF BILLS FILED:
Battered Women’s Testimony Act of 2007 (filed July 24)
Anti-Discrimination Act (filed July 24)
Government Recycling Act of 2007 (filed July 18)
National Drug & Crime Emergency Act (filed July 5)
Government Data Privacy Protection Act of 2007 (filed July 4)
Anti-Hazing Law (filed July 4)
My Comment: Quite prolific…Seasoned legislator…

SENATOR: Jinggoy Estrada, AB, LLB
BILLS FILED: 430
EXAMPLE OF BILLS FILED:
Breast Care Centers (filed July 3)
Prostate Cancer Public Awareness Act (filed July 3)
Ambulant Vendors Protection Act (filed July 3)
Aviation Noise Limit Act (filed July 3)
Mother’s Day Act (filed July 3)
Electoral Fraud (filed July 2)
My Comment: He authored a bill Protecting ambulant vendors - I just hope this is not similar to that STUPID Lina Law protecting squatters! Aviation noise and Mother’s Day - Is this critical to national development? I looked at his other bills and I think he is listed as co-authors of other bills filed by other senators…Not all his bills are originally his…

SENATOR: Juan Ponce Enrile, AB, LLB, LLM
BILLS FILED: 16
EXAMPLE OF BILLS FILED:
Value-Added Tax Exemption on Sale of Services (filed July 25)
Philippine Anti-Trust Act (filed June 30)
My Comment: The quintessential political gadfly…but his performance in the senate is quite exemplary…He filed only a few bills but these are quite noteworthy in its scope and impact…

SENATOR: Francis Escudero, AB, LLB, LLM
BILLS FILED: 13
EXAMPLE OF BILLS FILED:
Anti-Influence Peddling Act of 2007 (filed July 17)
My Comment: Neophyte beady-eyed senator…Got his baptism of fire when he was verbally “bitch-slapped” by Miriam during interpellations…

SENATOR: Richard Gordon, AB, LLB
BILLS FILED: 29
EXAMPLE OF BILLS FILED:
Used Motor Vehicles Regulations Act of 2007 (filed July 16)
Volunteer Act of 2007 (filed June 30)
Disaster Preparedness & Mitigation Act of 2007 (filed June 30)
My Comment: I think some of his bills merit discussion within the Senate. His bill on disaster preparedness is something which should be considered as the Philippines has been declared as the “most disaster-prone country in the world” e.g. volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, typhoons etc. Had the Indian Ocean tsunami hit the Philippines, we might have been blown back to the Stone Age given our level of preparedness…

SENATOR: Gregorio Honasan, BS, MBM
BILLS FILED: 2
EXAMPLE OF BILLS FILED:
National Security Act of 2007 (filed June 30)
My Comment: It is surprising that Honasan would file a bill on national security…The better to undermine the republic should he pull another coup attempt again? Imagine this, a soldier who led coup attempts to destroy the democratic pillars of the country - now crafting laws for the very republic he once tried to destroy? What can I say?

SENATOR: Panfilo Lacson, AB, MGM
BILLS FILED: 27
EXAMPLE OF BILLS FILED:
Philippine Air Force Academy (filed June 30)
National Reference Card System Act of 2007 (filed June 30)
Anti-Wiretapping Law (filed June 30)
My Comment: Honestly, this guy scares the hell out of me…

SENATOR: Lito Lapid, BS (Hon.)
BILLS FILED: 44
EXAMPLE OF BILLS FILED:
Caregiver Act of 2007 (filed July 3)
Senior Citizen’s Discount on Petroleum Products (filed July 3)
Medical Tourism Act (filed June 30)
Road Safety for Children’s Act (filed June 30)
My Comment: He surprised me…I wasn’t expecting much but he actually filed 44 bills…Wow! And some of them are not that bad (for his caliber that is)

SENATOR: Loren Legarda, AB, MNSA
BILLS FILED: 97
EXAMPLE OF BILLS FILED:
Journalist Welfare & Reputation Act of 2007 (filed July 26)
Productivity Incentives Act of 2007 (filed July 4)
Botica sa Barangay Act (filed June 30)
Islamic Calendar (filed June 30)
My Comment: If we have a gadfly, I can say she’s the political butterfly (or was it prostitute as Col. Victor Corpuz once so eloquently retorted)

SENATOR: Jamby Madrigal, BS, MDM
BILLS FILED: 18
EXAMPLE OF BILLS FILED:
Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park (filed June 30)
Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation (Repealing) (filed June 30)
My Comment: Bills about national parks? Aren’t there more important things? Repealing the Oil Deregulation Law? She probably thinks this will reduce the price of petroleum…Somebody should teach this woman that petroleum is expensive EVERYWHERE…Even in the USA, people are grumbling about gas…If the most powerful nation on earth couldn’t bring down the price of gas, does she think the Philippine Senate can? A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing…especially if you’re in the Senate…

SENATOR: Francis Pangilinan, AB, LLB, MPA
BILLS FILED: 29
EXAMPLE OF BILLS FILED:
Overseas Filipinos Investment Act (filed July 18)
University of the Philippines Charter of 2007 (filed June 30)
Alien Social Integration Act of 2007 (filed June 30)
My Comment: This senator makes sense…His bills are a reflection of this fact…

SENATOR: Aquilino Pimentel, AB, LLB
BILLS FILED: 66
EXAMPLE OF BILLS FILED:
Foreign Consultants Identity Disclosure (filed July 4)
Private Hospital Assistance Act of 2007 (filed July 4)
Total Log Ban (filed June 30)
My Comment: It’s hard for me to make a rational assessment…Politics really do make strange bedfellows…

SENATOR: Ramon Revilla, Jr.
BILLS FILED: 105
EXAMPLE OF BILLS FILED:
Tanodbata Act (filed July 3)
Seniors Safety Act of 2007 (filed July 3)
Anti-Drag Racing Act (filed June 30)
National Film Archive (filed June 30)
My Comment: Another suprising performance…He has now exceeded his father’s performance in the Senate i.e. Revilla Sr. was the  ertswhile chairman of the Committee on Silence…

SENATOR: Mar Roxas, BS, MBA
BILLS FILED: 34
EXAMPLE OF BILLS FILED:
LPG Industry Act of 2007 (filed July 5)
Lemon Law Act of 2007 (filed June 30)
My Comment: A lot of consumer-related bills along the lines of his “Mr. Palengke” persona…Preparation for the presidency?

SENATOR: Antonio Trillanes IV, BS, MPA
BILLS FILED: 10
EXAMPLE OF BILLS FILED:
P125 Daily Across The Board Wage Increase (filed July 3)
My Comment: He filed a bill dictating the wage of workers. The Senate is not the body to dictate the wage of workers - it should be left to what the market can bear. Also, prescriptive legislation and market forces don’t mix…He might as well file a bill repealing the Law of Supply & Demand…

SENATOR: Manuel Villar, BSBA, MBA
BILLS FILED: 135
EXAMPLE OF BILLS FILED:
Credit Card Fraud Act (filed July 4)
Reduction of Metals In Packaging Act (filed July 4)
Prison Reform (filed June 30)
Books for the Barrios Act (filed June 30)
My Comment: Another seasoned senator…Or magaling lang ang legislative staff niya?

SENATOR: Juan Miguel Zubiri, BS
BILLS FILED: 1
EXAMPLE OF BILLS FILED:
Renewable Energy Act of 2007 (filed June 30)                                                              My Comment: Since he was the last senator to be declared winner, he probably didn’t have enough time to prepare much…

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago has announced her bid for one of the five seats in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the United Nations’ principal judicial organ. However, a veteran diplomat told the media that the feisty senator has at least two handicaps when she’s considered in the elections to the ICJ in New York in late 2008.

One, President Arroyo’s candidate doesn’t speak French. The official languages of the ICJ are English and French. Although ability to speak French is not required of candidates, French-speaking candidates have the edge in getting the support of influential countries and voting blocs.

Santiago’s other handicap, according to the diplomat, is more basic. To win a seat in the ICJ, she must get absolute majority votes in both the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council, which vote simultaneously but separately.

The question on the mind of the diplomat is: Does anyone think the Chinese will vote for Santiago after she insulted them in a recent Senate hearing on the national broadband network (NBN) contract by saying that the Chinese invented corruption? (Santiago later apologized to the Chinese Ambassador, and her apology was accepted.)

If Santiago does get a seat, she will be the second Filipino to sit in the ICJ. The first was former Supreme Court Chief Justice Cesar Bengzon, who sat in the ICJ from 1967 to 1976. If elected, Santiago would be entitled to an annual salary of P7.6 million (US$170,080), or roughly 18 times the salary of a Philippine senator.

While the Rizal governor and the Montalban mayor are completing their "kickback story" on landfill and solid waste management, Pampanga governor Fr. Ed Panlilio blew the whistle when he presented the P500 thousand money from Malacanang in cold cash. At first Panlilio said it was not a bribe money. But "heller," rarely does the government deliver bucks in cold cash and without any acknowledgment receipt! Well of course, Fr. Panlilio is a neophyte politician so probably he mistook the so-called "cash gift" as a donation for the church. So, taking a leap from Panlilio’s whistle-blowing, we could ask: Bakit may mga ganun? And why in cold cash? Hmmnnn…If this is the way transactions are being done under the Arroyo government, we can now believe the rumors…

Hey wait! Where’s ours? =P