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TOP TENs
The following lists are according to the judgment of Rojo. Thus, it is not the general opinion of the public.
Top 10 Bicol Stuffs
TEN: Pinangat. A bicolano delicacy whose major ingredients are gabi, coconut milk, and tinoktok (finely chopped shrimps or an alternate).
NINE: Sinarapan. Regarded as the world's smallest commercial fish, the sinarapan, or Pandaca pygmea, can only be found in Lake Buhi at the province of Camarines Sur.
EIGHT: Pili nut. A nut on which the name of the capital town of Camarines Sur was derived. What is unique about pili is that only the "female" tree bears fruits. Pili nuts are made into different kinds of candies and are being marketed both here and abroad.
SEVEN: Sarong Banggui. Composed by a native of Sto. Domingo, Albay, Sarong Banngui (One Night) is Bicol's folk song.
SIX: Ibalon. This Bicolano epic portrays the heroism of Handiong.
FIVE: Abaca. Also called the "Manila hemp," abaca belongs to the family of bananas and is world famous for its strong fabric product. What is unique about abaca fiber is that it becomes stronger when it is soaked in water. That's why most ropes in piers are made up of abaca.
FOUR: Siling labuyo. The spiciest chili pepper and is a major ingredient in a lot of Bicolano delicacies.
Bicol Express. A Bicolano delicacy made up of very young shrimps, some meat slices and many siling labuyo.
THREE: Mayon Volcano. The world famous perfect cone volcano located in Albay is also one of the most active volcanoes in the Philippines.
TWO: Peñafrancia Festival. Held every September at the City of Naga, this regional festival honors the patroness, Our Lady of Peñafrancia. Its major events are the Traslacion, Civic Parade, Miss Bicolandia, Military Parade, and Fluvial Procession.
ONE: "Oragon." This Bicolano word which can mean either "great" or "the best" usually becomes synonymous with the word "Bicolano."
Top 10 Movies of All Time
10. The General's Daughter
9. The Mission (1989 Cannes Film Festival Best Picture)
8. José Rizal (MMFF 1998 Best Picture)
7. Bata, Bata Paano ka Ginawa? (Best Picture)
6. Brave Heart (Academy Awards Best Picture)
5. Titanic (1998 Academy Awards Best Picture)
4. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000 Academy Awards Best Foreign Language Film)
3. A Beautiful Mind (2002 Academy Awards Best Picture)
2. The Miracle Worker (the childhood story of Helen Keller)
1. Children of Heaven (an Israeli film)
Sounds Good: Top 10 Songs
10. In My Life - Beatles
9. Take Out of the Dark - Gary Valenciano
8. What a Wonderful World
7. One Friend -
6. Sa Ugoy ng Duyan - Regine Velasquez
5. Angel - Sarah Maclachlan
4. Imagine - Beatles
3. When You Believe - Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston
2. Warrior is a Child - Gary Valenciano
1. Let There be Peace on Earth
Top 10 Websites
9. dtour.com.ph
7. reuters.com
6. ripleys.com
3. msn.com
1. webshots.com
Top 10 Advertisements on TV
10. Kodak
9. STI Evolve
8. Nokia Phonetics
7. Clusivol Multivitamins and Minerals
6. McDonald's "Karen-lolo" ad
5. Smart Telecommunications "Martin Nievera" ad
4. Centrum Multivitamins and Minerals
3. Canesten Cream
2. Globe Telecommunications "Katrina" ad
1. San Miguel Beer (latest ad)
Top 10 Kalai Events
10. "Tissue Night"
This was the night (actually, 2:00 am na 'yon) when I and Ching posted the "Horoscope" notes on selected First Floor doors. And of course, the night when Ching put bathroom tissues on selected doorknobs of the First Floor.
9. Sports Fest
The competition of the UCB Blue Dragons, Amazing Grays, Pentagon Red Crushers, and Tyronasaurs on various sports such as Philippine Games, basketball, volleyball, table tennis, badminton, chess and scrabble.
8. Pasalubong Fest
Held in January, after the Christmas break. Residents brought in their regional delicacies and shared them to others. The highlight of this fest was not the brief introduction on the delicacies of each region but the kainan.
7. Christmas Party
Held in (when else?) December. One of the most memorable event that night was the presentation of the Amazing Grays, especially that of James Cabio wherein he spoofed the music video of Britney Spears' "I'm a Slave for You."
6. Acquaintance Party
Held on July 24, 2001 at the Multi-Purpose Hall and Dining Hall, this party gave the residents the opportunity to meet new friends and the partner floors. On the talent competition, the Basement Boys won the first place after they had performed the "exotic" dance portrayal of N 'Sync's "This I Promise You."
5. Charades Nights (Conventionals vs. Radicals)
RJ Limyu's prowess to describe a certain thing without uttering a word flourished. Among the most memorable events were the actions of Erwin Fernandez, the palusot to Kuya Liby (especially by Ching) and the birthday "pa-epek" for Gil Sanchez.
4. Acquaintance Party at the Sunken Garden
This was the night when the first floor boys and the third floor ladies enjoyed parlor games, chatting, eating and signing each others "sig-sheet". The most memorable event that night was the (not-so-good) shouting of Kuya Liby and Ate JC.
3. Open House
On February 16, the residents opened their doors to their visitors coming from different parts of the country. There were floor decoration contest, eating and chatting. In the first floor, the torch-effect was a major attraction to visitors.
2. Formal Dinner
On March 16, the residents dressed in formal attire to attend the dinner at the Kalayaan Residence Hall garden. Gloria's Fast Food, the dorm's concessionaire, served very delicious and "elegant" foods. The Orgy Boys slept together at Emon's room.
1. Gaining true friends
Still, the best thing one would ever experienced in Kalai is gaining real people, gaining true friends.
Top 10 Philippine TV Programs
10. Pipol
(ABS-CBN 2) Mon-Fri 5:30 pm/ 11:00 pm
9. 5 and Up
(GMA 7) Sun 10:00 am
8. Knowledge Power
(ABS-CBN 2) Sat 5:00 pm
7. The Correspondents
(ABS-CBN 2) Mon 5:30 pm/ 11:00 pm
6. Game knb?
(ABS-CBN 2) Mon-Fri 7:00 pm
5.TV Patrol
(ABS-CBN 2) Mon-Fri 6:00 pm
4. Alas Singko Y Medya
(ABS-CBN 2) Mon-Sun 5:30 am
3. The Probe Team
(GMA 7)
2. Maalaala Mo Kaya
(ABS-CBN 2) Thu 9:00 pm
1. The Exporer
(Studio 23) Sat 6:30 pm
Hit Story
I remember the first time I met you. You were sitting in my favorite painting spot, on the edge of the cliff, where the earth meets the sky. And you were there at my favorite hour, when the day melts into night. But I didn't mind. With your long flowing hair and serene face, you looked like you belonged to the view and had a right to share my sanctuary. And so there we met every afternoon after that.
Somehow I knew your name would be Maria-like that elusive goddess of the mountain, except that you were flesh and blood, all right. The first time you hugged me, I felt all the warmth of your body flow into me. I was crying as usual, running away from the scoldings of an unreasonable father, who threw away my paints and ordered me to concentrate on my studies so I could become a doctor just like him. You enfolded me in your arms and soothed away my pain. The next day, you bought me a new set of brushes and paints.
At sixteen, you had all the maturity of an adult, and patiently found answers to all my questions in life. Still, you were childlike, and share my sense of wonder at the universe. Instantly, you became my mother, my sister, my teacher, my friend. And thus, at the tender age of ten, the lonely boy that I was became your worshipper and held you in utmost reverence.
That is why, when you told me about the blue sun and red sky, I believed you.
I guess I've always had a little crush on you. OK, so it was pretty obvious. I was convinced that I was going to marry you when I grew up, and I didn't realize until much later that the story you told me must've been made up to humor me.
On one of those summer days, sitting in the fading light of the sun, you told me that once in a rare while, there was a moment, when the rainbow-streaked sky turned completely blood red, and the golden sun turned to blue, just before it dropped below the sea. You said that if I waited so long enough, and looked very hard, I'd see it. And when I did, you'd marry me.
You never did explain why, and for some reason, I never asked.
Years passed, and you watched me grow up. I grew taller than you. I had my share of girlfriends. And still, I always half-believed your story.
When I was eighteen, you suddenly left our province without telling me why. When I asked around, people acted as if they had never realized you had even been there. I ignored the ache in my chest, and I told myself that you didn't really care. I had my own life by then. I didn't need a shoulder to cry on anymore-now I stood up to my father and continued painting sunsets, among other things. Besides, there was my girlfriend, Amanda.
Though there were days when I would sit on the cliff and stare at the sky, and wonder if I would really perhaps turn totally, completely red. And I would squint at the sun (not being able to stare at it for fear of becoming blind), and hold my breath for the moment just before it dropped to the sea… ending every day with a sigh of resignation knowing that it just wouldn't happen. I grew very angry at you then, for fooling me; then I grew angry at myself for being so naïve. Afterwards, my anger dissolved into disillusionment.
At twenty-one I had grown tired of painting sunsets and had finally decided to become a doctor after all. Before I left for the city, I trekked up to the cliff one final time to say goodbye to the sunset that had always had a calming effect on my life. This time I did not paint a golden sun lying on ribbons of color; instead I painted a blue sun against a scarlet sky.
I hung the painting at my college dorm, and soon discovered that it drew quite strong reactions from my classmates and visitors. The general consensus was that it was both strikingly beautiful and strangely disturbing. You will find that it is hard to take tour eyes off the painting you once have looked at it. It has this mesmerizing quality about it, and myself have been known to be found standing transfixed before it as if I were waiting for something to happen.
The days passed quickly at the university, and I found that amidst the stress of my load, the blue sun kept a soothing effect on my life. At night, I thought I imagined the sound of waves crashing against the base of our cliff, the edge of which I had included in the painting. Every morning it seemed as if I could hear the cries of seagulls and the gentle lapping of waves.
And as I received my diploma, I could've sworn I heard the faint swooshing sound made when the twilight wind whispers through your hair.
You were haunting me.
I hardly went home for vacation, partly because I had too much work, and partly because I was resisting every urge to go near our cliff. Silly, but true. I know I was stupid to hope for a blue sun at this age…stupid to think that I was still in love with you.
Besides, there was still Amanda. I felt bad about leaving her behind in the province while I stayed in the city, but she didn't seem to mind. She was always too good to me. Anyway, the old group was 'till there, so I was sure that she would never get too lonely.
One day, walking along the bay that is popularly known for its magnificent sunsets, I was overtaken by a sudden burst of romance and responsibility. Amanda had waited long enough, and it was time to marry her. And it was time to go home.
The town greeted me with a welcome fit for a hero, or maybe a visiting movie star. I found that I sorely missed the quaintness of the country. I missed my parents, and I missed you.
To his great pleasure, my father had expanded the clinic to accommodate me, and my mother had taken the liberty of hanging my precious painting in my room to make me feel welcome.
A feeling of nostalgia enveloped me, and I quelled the urge to run up to my cliff and see if the sun still hung gold over the azure sea. Instead I headed towards Amanda's house, where I hadn't been to in ages.
Amanda greeted me at the door with surprise, and another indescribable emotion on her face. I soon learned the reason for it.
As she opened the door wider, I saw one of the guys in the old gang sitting in the living room with flowers in his hand. Upon seeing me, he stood up abruptly, and shrugged his shoulders in a helpless gesture. Amanda just stared at me with her lips set in a defiant straight line, but her eyes held both guilt and sadness. I understood. My patient Amanda had finally grown tired of waiting, and had found happiness in someone else.
Somehow I found the words to wish them the best, and assured the guy that there were no hard feelings, since I knew that he probably deserved her. It was my fault, after all. I kissed Amanda on the forehead, and turned to leave.
"Vicente," she called out. "You had always loved Maria."
She gave me a bittersweet smile, and shut the door.
She was freeing me.
I found myself walking up to my cliff, to make sense of what I felt. I wasn't really devastated, and missing was the feeling of betrayal I should've felt about my old friend. Instead I felt that things had fallen into place, because Amanda was never for me. Still, I felt I had lost a part of my life and grieved for it.
Like the day long ago where I had run to the cliff after a scolding from my father, you were there to soothe my tears. Wordlessly, I fell into your arms and felt complete. "I've been waiting for you," I heard you say. I was shaking so hard that it took a while to realize that the earth was shaking beneath us. Looking over your shoulder, my eyes grew wide as I saw the scarlet color of the sky. And the sun, sinking into the sea, was slowly turning a beautiful deep blue. And though the earth was crumbling away under us, I spent the last moments of my life kissing you.
The townspeople grieved my tragic disappearance during the earthquake, where few else seemed to have been severely injured. My father must've felt as if his dreams had died, but he had mother, and together they consoled each other. The townspeople would later find that my parents were greatly comforted by a strange painting that hung in my room, of a blue sun, and red sky, and the shadow of a couple embracing on a cliff in the fading light.
Ikaw naman
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