The Comfort Rooms

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A friend of mine sent me this e-mail (in verbatim):

Dear Bro.Jerick,

Here are the details about my cousin hope you can help her..

Nagsimula lahat nung time na lumabas siya na di nila alam dahil nga nasa trabaho mga amo nya di na xa nakapagpaalam,tapos pinAgbintangan na kumuha ng pera,pag uwi nya sinaktan na siya at dinala sa pulis,sinampal at sinabunutan at kinaladkad siya pauwi tapos kinulong na maghapon at di pinakain.5 months din siyang walang tinatanggap na sweldo.
Kaninang tinawagan ko,sabi nya kahapon lang daw pinagsasasampal na naman daw siya dahil nga umiiyak,at hindi lang iisa silang dalawa na amo nyang mag asawa at pati narin yung mga bata ang nananakit sa kanya.
Hindi na niya kaya yung ginagawa sa kanya gustong gusto na niyang umuwi.At sabi nya pag di namin siya natulungan dun nalang daw siya mamamatay yan ang sabi nya sa akin kanina lang.
Hindi nadin alam ng pamilya nya kung paano siya matutulungan.we contact Philippine embassy sa Philippines nadin.
Thanks po in advance if matulungan nyo siya.
Godbless

Emelyn

How can we help Emilyn and her cousin Marife? By spreading the news around. I have just made her own Facebook page to further spread the news around. Let's spread this news around. Thank you.

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Loved the video. Go watch it. Cute and cross-cultural.

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Posted below is the statement coming from respected journalist Cheche Lazaro regarding her alleged wiretapping crime:

Cheche Lazaro's Statement
May 8, 2009

It is mind-boggling why I am being singled out for prosecution for following the tenets of responsible journalism. If raising the concerns of underpaid public school teachers deprived of their benefits by a publicly accountable government institution and giving my accuser the airtime to explain her boss's side of the story are now considered crimes under our laws, then I plead guilty.

This is a small price to pay for bringing a perfectly legitimate public interest issue out in the open. Probe will not be intimidated into submission. I just wish my accuser will play fair and hire private lawyers instead of using government lawyers (from the GSIS), whose salaries are incidentally paid for by, among others, the teachers shortchanged by the questionable policy of the GSIS and private citizens like me who pay taxes.

In the last 22 years, Probe has carved a niche in the industry and won recognition here and abroad for consistently adhering to time-honored journalistic values of accuracy, fairness and objectivity. My team and I have no plans of changing the way we work just to accommodate the personal agenda of people in power.

I suggest all of us delve deeper into this subject. I'm freaking tired of everything. Corruption, harrassment, what-have-you. Support Madame Cheche Lazaro.

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That was David Archuleta earlier this morning at the Manila Philippines Temple. He went in at around 7:00 this morning to perform duties as part of his being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He didn't stay for long as he left the said place at around 8:30 that morning also.

The young superstar's visit to the Philippines is not just a hit among teenage girls but also to the members of the church to which he is affiliated with. Whether Archuleta will attend Sunday services this weekend is still a big question.

Archuleta, together with David Cook will perform tomorrow at the SM Mall of Asia (MoA) concert grounds for their joint concert, the first to be feted by the two finalists of last year's American Idol.

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My Arizona-based aunt just got home a few days ago. Its been a family thingy that she goes home every three years. Armed with her luggage and her huge balikbayan box, we excitedly welcomed her back into our family again.

After all, Fil-Ams are still Filipinos. It doesn't matter if they have the twang that we home-bred Pinoys don't possess or they may have different citizenships compared to what we locals carry. Doesn't matter if they're first, second, third, or what-have-you generation, it is still a part of who they are as people. Why do they cheer like crazy over Pacquiao? Why are they subscribed to The Filipino Channel? Why do they care to visit Jollibee and Red Ribbon and shop at Filipino groceries? Cos its a part of who they are as people. They are still Filipinos.

Seeing my aunt laugh over Dolphy's decades-old kind of comedy, her excitement over the sight of lechon manok, her intent in indoctrinating herself over Wowowee or her using the tabo even if a shower head is available on top of the bathroom wall makes me feel good inside. You will always want to go back to your own roots. Like the balikbayan box, you would always love to be welcomed back by your family.

That's why I'm thankful for websites like BakitWhy.com and for any other website that celebrates overseas Filipinos for that matter. These sites help Fil-Ams get a better feel on how its like to be Filipinos still. It is like an online barrio wherein Fil-Ams get to interact with fellow Fil-Ams. It's like doing Bayanihan all over again.

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*an unpaid advert (i'm such a good person. haha!).

Not my birthday. Read thru and don't change tabs. Haha!

I don't think I ever did any request here on my blog except for you guys to make countless comments which thing you never really did. Haha! But its okay. At least more than 5 comments per post should be an indicator that some people read my entries. Well, I never asked for money (except for a thousand-peso load from Jake that still has to be put into reality) so I think asking for your good help wouldn't seem bad after all. Ayt?

You see, a youtube friend of mine (not that I post videos on youtube) is asking for subscribers. Not that it's a bad thing cos his videos border between hilarious and informative. And since then I've become a fan. Not that I watched all of his videos, cos I haven't but his take on everyday life as a Fil-Am living and studying here in Pinas is something quite interesting. Got cousins in the states? He makes you feel that he is one for some reason.

His name is GenTosMenTos, his YouTube channel is full of videos that usually focus on life here in the Philippines. No he doesn't sing and no he doesn't curse and blame the heavens for the misfortunes that he's had thru life. *wink* A student nurse, like most of our college kids, went back to the Philippines, living independently until finally meeting the reason for his breathing here (do I here Babyface singing in the background? Haha!).

So dear reader, I hope you could subscribe to his YouTube channel. It's his birthday as well! So, may this be our birthday present to the poor fella (haha!). Won't cost a thing. Just click here to subscribe to his channel. Thanks!









His face by the way, not mine.

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It's as if there is still that one adult Filipino who's got access to television, radio, cell phone, newspapers, internet, and even the wet and dry market who still does not know that Manny Pacquiao has floored Ricky Hatton in sterling fashion sometime around 11:30am Manila time. Attaboy Pacman!

Pacquiao's becoming more and more a part of the American mainstream consciousness. I wouldn't be surprised if he'd guest in Oprah, Ellen, Jimmy Kimmel, Jay Leno and who knows, even Larry King Live! It will be monumental to watch a Filipino being interviewed by Larry King. Again, we are talking about Manny Pacquiao the boxer. Not the actor, politician, student, gambling lord, womanizer, billiards player, singer, and who-knows-whatever-thing-he's-got-left-on-his-bag.

And speaking of talk shows, David Letterman would soon be not too far out of the horizon should Manny Pacquiao would really be gazing these monster American talk shows. Letterman's Top Ten List is one of those things that I really look forward to in the show and I will make my own Manny Pacquiao Top Ten List.

Let's start?

The Top Ten Things I Dare Not Tell Manny Pacquiao After Flooring Ricky Hatton:

10. So, how much are you giving Ara Mina this time?

9. You may have won the fight but Ricky Hatton won the English Language Proficiency Contest hands down.

8. How much will you give your school to fast-track your graduation?

7. How much did you bet on yourself to win the fight?

6. So, when's the next movie?

5. Really, how much did you really give Ara Mina?

4. With all the money that you got, can you hire an english tutor?

3. How much of the prize will you spend for campaigning for the next elections?

2. So, when will you gamble next with Chavit Singson?

1. You got all the money in the world, when will you give your mom Dionisia a Vicky Belo?