Ransom by noon

The government and its mediators have been given until noon to pay P15 million as ransom for ABS-CBN jounralist Ces Drilon, cameraman Jimmy Encarnacio and MSU Prof. Octavio Dinampo.

The latest news is that the deadline is extended to 2 pm.

Boy, the Abu Sayyaf is really in need of money. This must be very scary for the hostages and their families. And again, the question of whether to pay the ransom or not plays in the heads of everyone. While the government may adhere to its "no ransom policy" (or did they just okay P500k each per hostage?), will not the families and supporters of the hostages secretly give in?

We'll never know. It's easy to think of greater good when you're from the outside looking in. But what about those who will be left behind? Can there be any chance that a common good will be reached?

But heck, why do I wish these bad guys good?

It's downtime for Ces and Hillary

What could have been a good Monday for many Filipinos was bugged by one big question: where is Ces Drilon?

People then were buzzing with the question as Ces Drilon, a celebrated Filipino journalist, together with two cameramen and a history researcher, were said to be missing. Nobody can confirm the news until ABS-CBN released their statement on Monday evening. They have indeed launched a news blackout and is trying to contain the situation by not causing national panic and sensationalism. The news about Ces was even reported at the latter portion of TV Patrol and kept at a very short and objective level.

Again, unverified sources of information (as I missed the news during the past 2 days) say that the ransom is around P10 to P30 million--an amount that Ces, ABS-CBN and their supporters can easily raise. While the release of one cameraman has caused more speculations and violent reactions, still we're faced with another moral ambiguity: should ransom be paid to get the three remaining hostages safe and free or should we just follow GMA's no-ransom mandate?

It's easy to choose the latter option. Why would we support the Abu Sayyaf and encourage precedence? The government cannot just initiate making an industry out of kidnapping, right?

But if you put yourself in the shoes of the hostages and their families, you may just think otherwise. Your concern will always be their safety. (Omg, this reminds me of Gracia Burnham's story...)

The abduction of Ces and her companions is another indication of how maimed our freedom of press is. Ces, being a nationally-acclaimed journalist, was taken as a hostage by the Abu Sayyaf on the week of Independence Day! This must explain why nobody wants to celebrate Independence Day.

I'm just thinking how bad Ces' fate must be. I remember Ces being one of the journalists who witnessed the siege initiated by Sen. Trillanes. She eventually got detained and was suspected to have a link, or at least know beforehand, Trillanes' plot. I applaud her for her very sassy answer: "If I knew then I wouldn't have worn heels."

There you go, fashionista. I hope and pray that you'll be out soon without anyone having to shed millions or blood.

* * *


Likewise, last week (or last, last week--pardon my lost sense of time) was a downtime for Hillary Clinton. I am not really a big fan of Hillary's but the thing is, I kind of felt that my hope for a woman to finally become a US president was extinguished. Well, slightly at least.

Oh well... But she was gracious enough to have accepted defeat. She was mighty brave as well to have not given up the fight.

(Looking back, I admire this woman for her strong spirit. I would have lost face and grace if the world has known that my husband was cheating on me under our very own roof.)

Anyway, she may not have succeeded the race for the Democrats' presidential candidate. But Hillary Rodham Clinton has raised hopes for countless women. Yes, I do hope that I'll be able to witness the oath-taking of the first woman US citizen while I'm still alive and senile. :)

Every Woman and Mr. Big

A Donald Trump who only looked better.

I remember that this was how Samantha referred to Mr. Big back in Season 1--before Carrie's neverending on-and-off relationship with him started.

Oh I love Mr. Big. His larger than life character in Sex and the City is actually one which I can so relate some historic boylettes to. I love him in spite of all the Carrie love affair drama because somehow I find myself in the same pair of shoes that Carrie was in. (Let it be MANOLOS. Please!)

Last night, a friend was so full of similes in her SMS - her beau and Mr. Big being the two subjects of comparison. Months ago, another girl friend was doing the same thing.

And so it hit me: I am not alone. Mr. Big is someone every woman share.

The character of Mr. Big was created as an embodiment of a cosmopolitan woman's dream bachelor. Tall, good-looking, successful and rich - don't we all have thought of ourselves ending up with someone who meets the criteria. (Well, unless you're into short, ugly and miserable.) Look at how they kept him as Mr. Big and never revealed what his real name is. It was for us to keep a connection with him. Yet, when his name was later revealed in the movie, this connection seems to have lost. Mr. Big became Mr. Preston who gives Carrie a happily ever after ending - something which we all just are not sure to have.

But Mr. Big is every woman's Mr. Big not because of his fantastical stature. Women of 20s and 30s all over can connect to him simply because he represents that one special man who's came in and gone out of our lives for reasons we never know. He's the guy who seems to have loved us - shown it in ways not known in the books we read as little girls - but had a hard time (if not never) verbally expressing it. Every woman knows that he feels something for them but for some vague, incomprehensible reason, he cannot commit.

Yes, we felt like an ultimate priestess in high heels and tutu-like skirts (imagine the classic Carrie Bradshaw look) when he did all those lovely things to us. But after his disappearing act, we feel so reduced to nothing but well, a hot potato.

So after so many nights of partying hard with our girl friends, going home wasted and drunkdialling Mr. Big (not to mention the number of Kleenex boxes we consumed, the packs of cigarettes we shamlessly smoked, the number of times we sang Carly Simon's Nobody Does It Better while lying down drunk on our bedroom floor and the moments that we secretly felt like Bridget Jones), we realize that it's time for you to move on.

We meet someone like Adan. We think he's not as big as Mr. Big but we realize that he's actually the one who's good for us. We're contented and everyone knows we're happy. Then all of a sudden, coming from what-sort-of-void there is in our little worlds, our Mr. Big makes a re-appearance.

How many times have women been haunted by their past? How many times have we moved on only to find ourselves faced with our past once again? So that if we have made 15 slow and painful steps away from the past, we find ourselves quickly sliding 20 steps back.

Imagine going through this for so many times. Good god. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the rollercoaster ride of your dreams!

One unforgettable SATC episode was when Carrie told Mr. Big that he makes the worst timing whenever he comes back to her life. He reappears everytime Carrie is already happy and in a sense, ruins everything that she has worked hard for. (In this case, I think the void must've been our very own contentment... hmm?)

That Carrie moment struck a chord in me and I guess among countless other women too. It happened more than once, you know.

When Carrie finally made the big move to Paris with the older artiste, Aleksandr Petrovsky, I was happy for her but at the back of my head, I could not resist having my own what-ifs for her. Petrovky sounded like a Harlequin dream guy. He's the guy who seems to be the redeemer of fallen women.

It was a good thing that the movie ended with Mr. Big reappearing just when Carrie needed him the most. It was perfect timing for a perfect ending.

Now, won't you tell me who your Mr. Big is?


Author's Note: The article was revised from its originial write-up posted last year at one of her many, many blogs.

Why I Love Shoes... Over Men

Let me tell you why...

One womanly wisdom famously passed on from mothers to daughters is to never step on a man's pride. Ever.

To make it easy to remember, just think: Step on a man's pride and you'll get dumped like a pauper. Step on a fab pair of stilettos and you feel like a queen.

So won't it be a smart decision to have a pair of shoes you can always step on rather than a man thou shalt never challenge?

Another reason why I prefer shoes over men is that you can bring them along with you everywhere--from shopping trips to a girl's night out, and they won't ever complain. Though your feet will, at least, at the end of the day, you know that you only need a foot therapy for sacrificing comfort over style.

Unlike with men, it's always okay to lend a pair of shoes to a girl friend. There will be no jealousy involved and in fact, the owner can always give sincere tips on how to get sexy with them.

Shoes are also low maintenance. Except for a few minor repairs (and bet, you wouldn't mind your shoes getting a quick fix wit Mr. Quickie), it's also okay to leave a shoe alone and untouched in the closet. You can always be certain it's never gonna wander off with another owner. Sigh.

And most of all, you can keep tens, hundreds or even thousands of trophy shoes and NEVER be labeled promiscuous. But keeping two men around will certainly encourage chismis.

So can you blame me if I'd rather spend a Friday night shoe-hunting?

Filipino men should emulate the Philippine Eagle

It's a sad, sad thing that Pinoy machismo is designed along the low-lying ranks of basaguleros like FPJ (I mean, in his movie roles) and real-life womanizers (and should I say pervs) like...

Well, before I burst into more rants. I learned during the Haribon Biodiversity Conservation Session, which I attended, that the Philippine Eagle is not only the rarest, largest and most powerful birds in the world. It is also very loyal. It sticks to its one and only mate even if the mate has already died.

Now, wouldn't the Philippine society be cured of its social illnesses if men will have a change of idols?

The Relationship Stock Market

When some ladies from my office's marketing department learned that I am out on the market, I was surprised to see them turn into instant brokers and traders. It's like I just announced that SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) has just declared me as a listed company.

Sounds fun when you know that buyers are out for you. But because I do not think that I should be the company with stocks to sell, allow me to take the role of the investor.

My boss has just proclaimed herself as Financial Advisor. She began issuing assignments to her apprentices--some licensed stock brokers and seasonal market traders, to ensure that I will invest on the best, most promising and most profitable companies.

So the listed companies. Who makes it there?

Well, since I'm the one who's investing, I believe that I have the right to make my demands even more demanding. Hmm... How about an all-in-one package? Maybe someone similar to the Amex Peso Platinum--the best card for luxurious shopping, travelling and dining (dare not disagree, I was in the industry) or someone who's like your mid-range 3-in-1 instant coffee--comes with creamer and sugar?

The rule of the thumb: you have to be a risk taker.

Have I been a risk taker? Most of the time, yes. But I always had room for dark thoughts. I have indeed ruined possibilities for good investments because of fear and great amounts of suspicion. Oh crap, am I such a lousy risk taker?

The thing is, I have millions in myself. I am not pertaining to a fat bank account. But I am referring to all the intangible stuff I have. You know, like a well-kept body, a fairly sensible mind, a good heart and lots of good lovin' (kapal but so what?). But will I invest these millions over someone who's not a certainty?

My index works but sigh, fails most of the time. I've made a lot of negative return on investments. The profitable ones barely make it to half the acquisition price. Now, if I'll compute all the losses I've made in the past 5 years... Oh honey, give me some ice. I am having a headache!

Surges of happiness, kilig moments, selos and buckets full of tears are all part of being a stock player. One can profit, lose or well, just have a break-even. In the stock market, you can't say that it's not about the results but how you played the game. No. The stock market is very much result-oriented. It's about playing the game right to achieve the results you want.

I do hope for a bull market for 2008 since I have THREE (3) friends who have announced their wedding dates for the said year. But I do not think I am ready to join the married women's club yet. I just have so much to do in my single blessedness.

The relationship stock market sounds fun when you can afford to lose. However, for someone like me who has other priorities to consider, it's no longer as exciting as it was when I was young and childless.

Note: I am not into stock trading so forgive me for the misconceptions. I just thought it's fun to write about the parallelisms of the market to dating.