Saying "I Love You" in different Philippine Dialects

This is how to say I LOVE YOU using different dialects of the Philippines:

Tagalog - Mahal Kita / Iniibig Kita
Ilocano - Ay-ayaten ka
Ifugao - Penpenhod cha-a (Ayangan version)
Kapampangan - Kaluguran da ka
Bicolano - namumuot ako sa imo
Waray - Pinaura ko ikaw
Cebuano - Hinigugma ko ikaw
Ilonggo - Palangga ta ka

And of course, the joke is that a japanized Filipino would say "I Rob Yu".

(I hope you can more...)

Happy Hearts / Hurts day!!!!!!

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Manny, Manny, Manny

Manny, Manny, Manny. Money, Money, Money.

At least three Mannys are famous in the Philippines. One is in business and hopefully will remain in business. Another is in business and politics with the possibility of the becoming the president of the republic. The last one is into sport and entertainment but is trying hard to become a legislator.Actually their stories have been told and retold so I will just mention them in passing.

First, we have Manny V. Pangilinan, the head of telecommunication giant PLDT. Also known as MVP, he is a classic Filipino executive who really rose from the ranks. He is also the head of infrastructure giant Metro Pacific Investments which has invested much in toll roads, electricity and water distribution, hospitals, and now television. He started his business career as an assistant to the president of a local company then he went to Hongkong as an OFW. While there, he befriended many rich people until he became the chairman of an Indonesian-owned company. Then he returned to the Philippines as an investor.

Then we have the presidential candidate, Manny B. Villar. We are told that he was born and grew up in Tondo, Manila. We are also told that he helped his mother sell fish at Divisoria Market. Then after being an employee in a local company, he started a construction business which grew into a multi-billion housing concern. He joined politics and was elected as a congressman for three terms eventually becoming house speaker. Then he run for and won as senator for two terms. He was a former senate president and he now wants to cap his political career by running for president.

Last but not the least is another billionaire in the person of Manny Pacquaio. We know he was a former helper in a bakeshop. He trained hard in boxing and he is now considered as the world's greatest boxer of all times and in the process earning lots and lots of money. He used his popularity to become a movie star and a mainstay in television as well as a reliable product endorser. He entered politics in the 2007congressional election but lost miserably. He is again running as representative in the upcoming May election.

Manny Pangilinan traces his root to Pampanga Province while Manny Villar is now a Las Pinas resident. Manny Pacquaio hails from General Santos City in South Cotabato but has transferred his residence to Sarangani Province where is now a candidate for congressman.

All the above three billionaires are trumpeting their rags to riches stories. Yet we can assume safely that only Manny Pacquiao really came from a very poor family. The other two Mannys were at best came from middle class families. They went to private schools and were even able to get Master's Degree. But the fact remains that they were all SELF-MADE people, meaning their wealth is a product of their own sweat and maybe tears. We may not vote for Manny Villar and we may not agree with Manny Pacquaio entering politics but their lives should inspire many Filipinos out there. That in this country, though poor as it is, the possibility to rise above mediocrity and poverty is there.

Hindi matatawaran ang naging papel na ginampanan at ginagampanan pa ng tatlong Manny na ito sa kasaysayan ng Pilipinas. Maraming Pilipino ang humahanga sa kanila. Sana hindi nila basta basta walain ang tiwalang ito dahil sa paggawa ng hindi kanaisnais na bagay. Sana hindi nila gamitin ang kanilang yaman sa ikasisira ng kanilang pangalan at ng kanilang bansa!

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Joke only

Before the politikos will bore you with their campaign jingles, let me share with you an e-mail which I received from Ms. Cristina. Here it is:

One morning the husband returns after several hours of fishing and decides to take a nap. Although not familiar with the lake, the wife decides to take the boat out. She motors out a short distance, and reads her book. Along comes a Game Warden in his boat.

He pulls up alongside the woman and says, "Good morning, Ma'am. What are you doing?"

"Reading a book," she replies, (thinking-- "Isn't that obvious?")

"You're in a Restricted Fishing Area," he informs her.

"I'm sorry officer, but I'm not fishing, I'm reading."

"Yes, but you have all the equipment. For all I know you could start at any moment. I'll have to take you in and write you up."

"If you do that, I’ll have to charge you with sexual assault," says the woman.

"But I haven't even touched you,” says the game warden.

"That's true, but you have all the equipment. For all I know you could start at any moment."

"Have a nice day ma'am," and he left.


Eto Pa:

A lonely widow, aged 70, decided that it was time to get married again. She put an ad in the local newspaper that read:

HUSBAND WANTED: MUST BE IN MY AGE GROUP (70's), MUST NOT BEAT ME, MUST NOT RUN AROUND ON ME, AND MUST STILL BE GOOD IN BED! ALL APPLICANTS PLEASE APPLY IN PERSON.

On the second day she heard the doorbell. Much to her dismay, she opened the door to see a grey-haired gentleman sitting on a wheel chair. He had no arms or legs. "You're not really asking me to consider you, are you?" the widow said. "Just look at you ... you have no legs!"

The old gentleman smiled, "Therefore, I cannot run around on you!"

"You don't have any arms either!" she snorted. Again, the old man smiled, "Therefore, I can never beat you!"

She raised an eyebrow and asked intently, "Are you still good in bed??"

The old man leaned back, beamed a big smile and said, "I rang the door bell, didn't I?" =D


Oh di ba? Saan Ka pa?

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Poverty Incidence in the Philippines

It's really a sad thing that PGMA's administration is spending oceans of public money to advertise its accomplishment during the past nine years. What is glaring though in the newspaper and TV ads is the failure of this not-so-cute adminstration to really uplift the lives of so many Filipinos.

Here is the list of provinces and their respective poverty incidence among population for 2006 as per record of the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB):

The top poorest provinces

1. Tawi-Tawi - 78.2%
2. Maguindanao - 69.3%
3. Zamboanga Del Norte - 67.5
4. Apayao - 63.1%
5. Northern Samar - 61.1%
6. Abra - 60.7%
7. Surigao Del Norte - 60.2%
8. Masbate - 59.5%
9. Lanao Del Sur - 58.5%
10. Misamis Occidental - 56.3%


The top provinces with the least poverty incidence

1. Batanes - 0% (Congratulations???)
2. Rizal - 8.9
3. Bataan - 10.5
4. Pampanga - 10.8
5. Benguet - 11.1
6. Cavite - 11.2
7. Laguna - 13.2
8. Bulacan - 13.4
9. Nueva Vizcaya - 16.7
10 Quirino - 22.4

How other provinces fared:
1. Agusan del Norte - 40.0
2. Agusan del Sur - 56.2
3. Aklan - 52.0
4. Albay - 46.2
5. Antique - 51.6
6. Aurora - 36.8
7. Basilan - 43.7
8. Batangas - 30.7
9. Biliran - 42.2
10. Bohol - 46.9
11. Bukidnon - 37.2
12. Cagayan - 23.1
13. Camarines Norte - 49.3
14. Camarines Sur - 49.9
15. Camiguin - 42.1
16. Capiz - 30.2
17. Catanduanes - 46.8
18. Cebu - 28.2
19. Compostela Valley - 47.1
20. Davao Del Norte - 44.8
21. Davao Del Sur - 27.4
22. Davao Oriental - 48.8
23. Dinagat Islands - -
24. Eastern Samar - 51.9
25. Guimaras - 39.6
26. Ifugao - 40.3
27. Ilocos Norte - 21.2
28. Ilocos Sur - 32.6
29. Ilo-ilo - 30.4
30. Isabela - 30.7
31. Kalinga - 51.9
32. La Union - 32.6
33. Lanao Del Norte - 52.2
34. Leyte - 47.3
35. Marinduque - 50.6
36. Misamis Oriental - 37.5
37. Mt. Province - 50.4
38. Negros Occidental - 42.0
39. Negros Oriental - 48.1
40. North Cotabato - 34.6
41. Nueva Ecija - 37.7
42. Occidental Mindoro - 57.0
43. Oriental Mindoro - 55.5
44. Palawan - 49.3
45. Pangasinan - 35.0
46. Quezon - 47.7
47. Romblon - 51.7
48. Sarangani - 52.0
49. Siquijor - 21.5
50. Sorsogon - 55.3
51. South Cotabato - 37.3
52. Southern Leyte - 36.0
53. Sultan Kudarat - 47.4
54. Sulu - 52.2
55. Surigao Del Sur - 55.1
56. Tarlac - 27.6
57. Western Samar - 47.6
58. Zambales - 28.9
59. Zamboanga Del Sur - 33.8
60. Zamboanga Sibugay - 50.3

Medyo luma itong data na ito pero if ever may kunting pagbabago siguro sa ranking pero sa statistics, napakarami pa ring mahihirap. Sa tingin ninyo meron bang nabago since 2006?

This is election time. I do believe that the war on poverty can only be won through GOOD GOVERNANCE. I hope the Filipino voters particularly those in the poorest provinces will really vote wisely so that only those who can truly serve the poor will win.

Till my next bulbulablog..

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Zoobic Safari

Zoobic Safari is a unique kind of nature park located deep in the so-called Ilanin Forest within the the Subic Freeport. Aside from the different animals (lots of them really), there is also an Aeta Trail where some Aetas would showcase their way of life particularly their arts and dances. There is also an animal museum but the main attraction of the zoo is its collection of tigers. In fact, the park is also known as Zoobic Tiger Safari.

The zoo is truly different from those in Metro Manila. Aside from the jungle setting with tall trees all around, visitors are allowed to interact with the animals like touching or feeding them.

For those who can not make it to the zoo, here are some photos of my visit to Zoobic Safari.

Visitors can also observe at close range how tigers are fed with chicken.


Sa wakas nakakita na ako ng buhay na camel kahit hindi pa ako nakatuntung sa Gitnang Silangan.


Birds of colorful feathers flock together here.


Eeeek...give me my milk, says the little goat.


Crocodiles galore at the croco-loco section.


Inside the museum...


The aborigines of the Philippines are good care takers of nature. May we learn from them.


Hapon na, its time to go home.

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Photos of Ocean Adventure at Subic

A great way perhaps to spend a weekend with family members or with friends is to visit Ocean Adventure at Subic Bay Freeport. Ocean adventure is a marine park located at Camayan Wharf at the former American Navy Base. As per information, this park is the only one of its kind in Southeast Asia.


It was a hot sunny day when we visited the park last Sunday. There were several groups of school children and some foreign tourists particularly Koreans. I was with pre-school kids. When we arrived, the children were very excited to see many monkeys roaming around the forest near the park.


The park was divided into sections. The first section that we entered was the aquarium. There lots of fishes and other sea creatures.


This is the sealion show.


Then we were led by our guide to an open air mini amphitheater where the acrobat show was being held. The sun was already high but we enjoyed nevertheless the singing, dancing, and the spectacular acrobatic acts of two "imported" entertainers.


Then there was the sort of finale show right after lunch. Dolphins jumping and splashing, spinning, "walking on water", "running", and well feasting on fishes given by their trainors.

(I really have to apologize for posting the photos very late and very few because I am encountering internet connection problems. Grabe, so much time is wasted. Malapit ng mag-overflow ang baso. Pag nagkataon, magpapalit na ako ng ISP.)

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Destination: Subic

Yesterday, I had the privilege of joining the kids and parents from Sunshine Learning Center in their field trip to Subic Freeport in Zambales Province. The trip was serviced by Island Discovery Tours. Aside from the driver, three other personnel from the travel agency joined us in the bus. These were the trip supervisor, the storyteller/entertainer, and the "historian" whom I would learn later to be actually an engineer by profession.

It was not my first time to travel to Subic Freeport but my previous itinerary was limited to the commercial part of the former American navy base. This time I got to see Ocean Adventure and Zoobic Zafari and of course the much-talked-about tropical rainforest where monkeys, bats, and other forest animals abound.

While on the way, Paul, the entertainer, did not fail to amused me and the other passengers, I guessed. A sample of his joke was when he asked the children to mention what they saw on their left side and on their right side. Farms, houses, buildings, trees, street light, sky were all mentioned except one. When the children could not answer, he asked the parents who can't guess either. Then he shouted the "bus window" followed by a loud laugh! (Corny).

Then it was the turn of the "historian". He explained the basis of the number of kilometers which one sees on signposts beside any road. He also informed us about the different places that were being passed by such as Candaba Swamp which is frequented by birds from other countries, the city of San Fernando, how the province of Pampanga got its name, famous places, persons, and cuisine from pampanga. Sensing that he would fail to mention Mt. Arayat, I pointed out to him the famous mountain. (Ay may naitulong din pala ako.)

And then, while we were leaving San Fernando City, I waited for him to mention it as the capital of Pampanga but in vain so I uttered to him in a small voice as I was seated near him. He thanked me. Well, I just can't help but that I felt it was very important for the children to know more about Philippine Geography. Actually he was having fun communicating to the children about a television show which is being shot in Pampanga.


(Photo above shows rice farms in Pampanga which is part of Central Luzon Region, considered as the Rice Granary of the Philippines.


(This photo shows the Tipo Tollgate, the entrance to Subic Freeport Zone which is now connected to the new Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway. Tipo Expressway is a short tollway built during the Ramos Administration. It was built in time for the holding of the APEC Summit which was erroneously mentioned by the entertainer from the travel agency as ASEAN Summit.)

By and large, the bus trip was enjoyable as I was also seated with a very shy four-year old kid. From time to time I would strike a conversation with him.

(To be continued...)

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