The night that was Mr. Cebu 2008...

Patience is a virtue but time is gold. I couldn’t agree more to whoever said that to me or I heard it from.

Last night was a real testament to that statement. I, together with Gabby, Johanna, Philmar and Iris, with overwhelming excitement went to Waterfront Cebu City Hotel to behold what’s dubbed to be the first ever Mr. Cebu 2008 beauty for a cause pageant. The show would supposedly start at 7 p.m and so as men-in-trunks-hungry as we are, we took off to be the earliest birds. We waited for sometime to wait for somebody who had our tickets and then eventually settled in our seats.

I was surprised to see that the entire grand ballroom of the hotel where the pageant was held was not even half-filled considering it was already a quarter to seven. So I thought it must be a sentimental flop, if I may borrow Jobert Sucaldito’s word in his description to Sharon Cuneta-Richard Gomez movie whose title I could not remember. Almost an hour later, people were starting to come inside the hall but still not enough to be called a mob. As expected, gays from all walks of life, I mean that literally, converged to have a glimpse of the contestants’ bodies and their thing which must not be named. Some dressed up like debutantes and some with obviously overhauled noses, breasts and butts came up in very short dresses that displayed, I should say though, their stunning physical renovations courtesy of Thai surgery. I noticed also that the judges at the time were still not around. I asked one of the Bruhilda look-a-like gay staffs what exactly the time the show would start, and IT answered me with conviction that they were just waiting for the management’s go signal.

By that time, I was already quite annoyed waiting for the show to start. I sacrificed dinner just to be there early. And I hate the organizers for that. How can they make people who paid for those high-priced tickets wait for two hours? Thirty minutes is forgivable but two hours is another story. It is something we should learn to change.

Again, patience is a virtue but time is gold.

Good thing, I saw Ian there. For those of you who don’t know him, well he is somebody I think I am destined to be with. OA ra sa personal. Give me a break here, it is my birthday! Anyway, at least his mere presence lightened up everything for me. I was totally caught by surprise when I looked in his eyes and then I saw me. It was a Kodak moment!

And now that I am talking about him, I seem to forget the lines to say about the pageant already. Achuz… Okay, the show finally started at 9 p.m. with Angel Aquino as host. There were 16 contestants vying for the crown, aw the title, (of course, they’re not gonna be crowned. That would be so gay.) to be the first Mr. Cebu. The pageant scoring is divided into four parts; the casual wear, the swim wear, the formal wear and the dreadful question-and-answer. Yes, some did catch my attention and get me excited but the worms in my stomach were also excited to have some food to eat. I was really starving. My head was starting to numb and if I stayed longer, I would have gone crazy. I went home disappointed not being able to see the full show. But I could not trade my sanity for lame, I don’t know if they are level-headed, individuals whose abs I envy the most. For more information about the results and the contestants, click here.








As for me, I have already a Mr. Cebu. And that would be Ian.

OA ra sa personal. Hehehehe…


Photos were screencapped in the official Mr. Cebu 2008 website.

Rollicking...

Someone bid goodbye today.

It is coincidence that while I am making this post, I am actually listening to Van’s Another Goodbye Song. Fitting enough for one of my officemates resigned and today is her last day.

Rolls, as she is shortly called by most of her friends decided to leave us behind and pursue another rewarding career outside the seemingly gloomy shadows of the office she was in and where I am right now. I don’t mean to be mean about my employer but that’s just the right way to say it, at least for me. So, is it sheer stupidity that I am still here? I hope not. I have credible reasons why I am still prolonging the agony and I am not disclosing them here.

I may not understand fully the real reason why she is leaving us all, but I think I know a little bit and I understand her totally because of that. It is a mutual feeling. Tired. Like the rest of the people here, everyone seems to get tired by the way our career paths are paved here. I don’t know if there is really even a path they are paving for us because I feel we are somehow lost. And tolerating this would not be a smart thing to do. Again, I have justification for not going.

And for everything, here is an open letter which I hope she would like despite being public.

Dear Scarlett,

That is not your real name, I know. Aimee gave me that name when I asked her what we should call you. It is the name of the character played by Angelica Panganiban in a teleserye. She chose her not because you look like Angelica, (this is NOT REALLY the case) but because she feels, you and the character seem to have a common personality. According to her, you are like Scarlett who will get what she wants no matter what it may take.

When I first met you in Victorias, I thought you were one of those maarte girls who carry the latest models of cellphones and wear a nice 2-inches black boots to office. But you are truly an exemption to the common saying that first impression lasts. As time passed by, I realized the lowliness of your spirit in the way you interact with people and that can be attested by the rest of us who have been with you.

Your open-mindedness and happy personality made it more comfortable for me to talk to you just about anything. I am also happy that you shared some of your stories with me. You were such a good companion to fun events in Mango. You served as my bait to guys so I can catch some. Your generosity sometimes surprised me. When you asked me if I liked colored contact lenses, you brought me a pair on the someday you asked me. When my funds run out and I would not be able to meet financial obligations to you, you would just simply say “Okay ra na dai oi!”. That really meant a lot to me.

And now that you are leaving, I would surely miss a lot of things. I would miss that Vanessa del Bianco’ singing style of yours. Like I said, it is an advantage! When you would be in a chorale group, you do not need to make an effort to blend because your voice is already a nice third voice.(Peace dai!)

I will miss you bringing food to the office. You always have something to eat in your bag and I would always be the one who benefits. I would miss that Remedy song of Jason Mraz that you continually play in my laptop as you sang along. I will miss your being a mirror freak. Narcissist you are because you always have a mirror in front of you at your desk. Actually for me, there is nothing wrong with that. I will miss that single-color fashion of yours. When I told you that it was an abnormal psychological condition, I was not really sure about that. I researched it over the internet but failed to get the answers. Like me, you are also a cry-baby. I will miss that too.

I want to thank you also for listening to all my stories. Thank you for reading my blog when I tell you to. Thanks for the comments and compliments. Thanks for the generosity you have bestowed on me especially during those times when I have practically nothing. Thank you for the company and for the friendship.

I wish you all the best in life, gurl! I pray that God will grant everything that your heart desires. I hope that you will finally find the person who deserves your love and someone who can give you perennial joy and happiness. I hope you won’t forget us all.


Sincerely yours,

Ang Takda

P. S. I am posting some of the happy moments we captured in pictures here.




P.P.S Do you really like Chiboy?? Hahaha...

I broke my glasses today!

I broke my glasses today.

I was sad but happy at the same time. I was sad, actually worried, because I have a client visit this afternoon and having a blurry vision (I have a +425grade for both eyes) is for sure a difficult situation to be in. It would be my first time to visit such client and not being able to clearly see their faces and examine their documents well would be an added burden on me as I continue on to work. Happy because finally it’s gonna be replaced. I have been complaining about my glasses because it has been almost three years. It was that long that it basically went out of fashion and it has depreciated so much not just in value but in its physical appearance too.

And today, while I carelessly took out my headphone from my head, that arm of the glasses (I don’t know if that’s the term for that part that holds the glasses in our ears) was pulled out with the wire. It bent out and an only almost microscopic part of the metal arm of the glasses kept if from being torn apart. Our HR tried to repair it with a mightier-than-a-Mighty-Bond glue that she has, but when she positioned it for gluing, it broke. And here it is!

Three years is not bad at all. According to them, we need to replace our glasses at least once a year. And in my case, it has served its term I guess. For three years, it has helped me see the world clearly. It has helped me read good books and watch movies without discomfort. It has helped me find cute guys and hook up. (This is not necessary though!) And for that, I want to thank it for everything.

I will be wearing my contacts tomorrow. But there is really a big difference between glasses and contacts. It’s not perfectly clear if you wear contacts. In my experience, it only covers for a limited distance. Farther, it becomes fuzzy and your eyes seem to be cloudy. It sometimes irritates your eyes especially if you won’t put solution from time to time causing your cornea to lacerate, and consequently making your eyes red. Well, in some cases though, it is advantageous. Of course I would not want to wear glasses if I go to disco. That would be so uncomfortable. The only complaint I can think about glasses is the discomfort it brings. I don’t know but I just don’t like to have something hanging in my face. It makes me look older!

Yet now, I don’t have choice. Maybe I would just carry with me a gallon of solution and drop a glass of it to my eyes from time to time.

I am actually wearing still these handicapped glasses of mine making this post as I can’t see the words I am typing without them. Pathetic, I am! When can I have that laser treatment? Hahay…

Bohol: Conquered!

I came. I saw. I conquered!

Yes, last August 31, 2008, I, together with Noel and 8 others conquered Bohol , the home of tarsiers and the world renowned Loboc Children’s Choir. Ever since, I have always been fascinated by the province’s beauty and its rich culture and history. When I was there, I could not almost believe that what I read and just saw in books and pictures about the province were simply flashing right before my very eyes.

Traveling on a tight budget, we just rode a boat to Tagbilaran, the capital city for 4 hours or so. The boat was not big enough for people to roam around so it literally bored us. Since most of the group just came off from a night shift duty, they took the opportunity to sleep and rest and I, who went undertime from office, finished a book called Number the Stars by Lois Lowry.

When we arrived, I was amazed by the overall cleanliness of the city, at least for those we have passed by. I think the government of Bohol should be given credit for exerting effort in tidying up the place but still needs though to redesign their tricycles to something more comfortable for its passengers. I was nearly having a stiff neck because of its odd shape and size.

Anyway, we capped the first night with something we do best, disco! We then proceeded to Bohol Tropics where Lazer , dubbed as Bohol ’s high-end disco bar is located to check out cute guys and perhaps grab one or two for fun. They are right. The place is great. If there is an award for the cleanest restroom among all the disco houses, then Lazer would have been a grad slam winner. Their restroom is so so clean that you can even sleep on the floor. But that night was a bit unlucky night for both Noel and me. There were a number of cute guys, overly cute that is, but we never had the courage to run after them, maybe because it was not our place. Had it been in Cebu , then we would have both fled in seconds to satisfy our bodily desires. (I am not really serious about this.)

The following day is the tour proper. The itinerary of the tour package was just perfect enough for us to experience the best Bohol can offer. We kicked off at the Sandugo Shrine. This is where the Spanish explorer Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Bohol-native Datu Sikatuna performed blood compact as a sign of friendship between two different countries. Then we headed to Baclayon Church , one of the country’s oldest churches. This magnificent work of architecture was believed to have been built as early as 1717. We were just unfortunate because their museum was closed at the time we were there. We would have learned more about the church and the history of Baclayon as a whole. After that, we went on to see the infamous python of Bohol . I don’t really know why this was even included. For ophidiophobics like me, this is not a good site to see. The tarsier on the other hand was the same as I expected it. Small, big eyes and with a disgusting smell. It is not pleasant. It is only famous because it’s extremely rare.




We had our lunch at Loboc’s Floating Restaurant. We were eating while we were sailing. For me, it was the best part of the trip. Again, we were staggered by the cleanliness of the vicinity. The terminal was clean. There were no signs of garbage floating on the river. Noel and I were amusingly looking for flaws and finally found one when we saw a single coconut floating on the river. But alas, one terminal crew started to ignite his boat engine and drove all the way to get that single coconut out of the river. For someone to make an effort to drive a small boat just to get one piece of trash is something saintly. It is something laudable. At that sight, Noel and I were even more astonished. While we were sailing, and eating, we were entertained by a young lady who sang folk songs and did famous pop songs too. Perhaps, this is their way of resembling gondolas in Venice.







After Loboc, we went on to the man-made forest. There was a sudden change in the humidity of the place as we were approaching the forest. It was cooler. It was serene. It was refreshing. The shade from the trees made the overall cool breeze in the area. Again, to the people of Bohol who have thought of this brilliant idea, kudos! They have not only attracted tourists but preserved nature as well.

I was always lost for words to describe how I was really struck by the beauty of Bohol. I was even more at awe when we started to see small mountains scattered at both sides of the van we were in. We immediately realized that those were already part of the wondrous Chocolate Hills. When we arrived at the viewing site, which is at the zenith of one of the hills, we were even more amazed. I thought that Bohol must have been a spit away when God showered natural abundance and beauty. Truly, this is a blessing that should be treasured and should be well taken cared of. I wish Surigao, my home province were also blessed with natural wonders like that of Chocolate Hills.






The final site we went to was Sagbayan Peak. Also part of the Chocolate Hills but it was more developed. They built rooms for guests who are willing to stay overnight. They have also a hall which can actually hold conferences and corporate meetings. They have also made the entire site very colorful to attract children. They were currently building a playground for kids with real little houses and gardens.

One day is not enough to unearth all of the province’s treasure. There are still beaches and caves to discover. There are still other historical sites on the other side of the island which I believe are worth visiting too. Next time, I think we should have a higher budget so we can savor everything about Bohol. And maybe next time, I can grab one cute guy too.

Sleeping in transit...

Not once. Not twice but for so many times already that I went beyond my stop point to my way home. What a stupidity! And today, I did it again! Usually, I would ride a v-hire from Ayala Center to Bagongdaan that is about 30 kilometers in distance or on the average an hour of travel. The little comfort that the air-conditioned van offered must have worsened my sleepiness, thus making me slumber. Adding to that is the soothing music of Gary Valenciano and Leona Lewis continuously playing in my ears. And today, I must have really slept because I didn’t notice the van stopped. And when I opened my eyes and saw unfamiliar buildings, I knew I missed it again. This has always been the case.

I am not happy about this at all. In fact, I was a bit embarrassed with the rest of the people in the van. I wasn’t quick enough to pretend that I actually halted at the point where I should halt. I am still lucky I wasn’t robbed or hurt. I was a little scared as well because I know in the news and in the movies that people who sleep in transit would most probably be the victims of robbery and worst, rape. Well, the latter may not be the case for me but precaution is the keyword here.

I think I have learned the lesson. Never sleep while traveling especially if it’s just short distance. For people like me who fall asleep easily, an attempt is not even an option. I know that the moment you start to close those eyes, you can’t stop but lose energy to open them again. And chances are, you might not just miss your stop point, you might also suffer the worst.

For me, I think I should do something to keep me up while traveling. Maybe I should have a candy or a chewing gum. Text some friends but look out the window from time to time. Or maybe tell the driver in advance of the place I want him to pullover. Or any other way that I would not be in Basilan instead of just being in Davao. That would be so horrifying!