Memorable Quotes from the Movies

Sometimes, doing the right thing is not doin the right thing.
                                     -Hondo(Samuel L. Jackson) from     SWAT.

We are paratroopers! We are supposed to be surrounded!
                -Captain Winters(Damien Lewis) from Band of Brothers

What is important is we tried and nobody can take that away from us.
                -Col. Chappy Sinclair(Louis Gosset Jr.) from Iron Eagle 1

Mr McGee, don't make me angry. You wouldn't want me when I'm angry.
                 -David Banner( Bill Bixby) from The Hulk the TV series

Iceman: You! You are still dangerous but you can be my wingman anytime.
Maverick: Bullshit! You could be mine!
                                              -from Top Gun

My Favorite TV Shows

     I feel that the TV shows of yesteryears are far more better than today's soap operas that keep a lot of Filipinos glued to their TV sets especially during prime time. One of these is 12 'o Clock High which is about the exploits of US bomber crews during World War 2. I distinctly remember one of the main stars of this TV show, Paul Burke. It's a pity however that I didn't get to watch much of the show since it was shown at around 9:00 in the evening. Being an elementary student during that time, I was only only to watch TV until 8:00 pm.

      Another favorite TV show of mine when I was still in high school was James at 15. Being a teenager then, I found it easily to relate to the adventures of a young boy who was experiencing the pains of growing up. The TV show starred then upcoming young actor Lance Kerwin.

     I seldom watch 21 Jump Street when it was popular during the 1980s. It was a police story which featured young detectives led by Johnny Depp.

     I never got tired of watching The Working Girls which was a spin off of the the movie with same title. The TV show starred Sandra Bullock who really looked hot. One of the famous lines that I remember from this TV show was, "So what am I? Chopped liver?"

      I'm sure everybody remembers the funny alien ALF whose spaceship landed in the backyard of a family. The members of the family were Willie who was the father, Kate who was the mother, and the children named Bryan and a girl whose name I can't remember. Some of my favorite lines of ALF were " I kill me!" and " Que pasa?".

     Among the Japanese action shows that I watched during the 1990s was Shaider which was dubbed in Filipino. I really found the guy cool! More importantly, I enjoyed watching Shaider's or Alexis's sidekick Annie in action. Annie was an orphan or the probably the lone survivor of her planet whcih was destroyed by the evil Fuma Leyar.

     Another favorite detective TV show that our family enjoyed watching was Baretta which had Robert Blake in the starring role. Barertta was a kick ass private investigator who had a talking parrot for a companion. I remember one of our high school teachers in English who looked just like the guy.

Forgotten song from the Manila Sound Era.

Here is a favorite song of mine that I enjoyed listening to during the time the Manila Sound was its peak.

Sa aking paglalakad

Ako ay mayroon nakita

Isang beauting pagkaputi

Alam mo ba na siya'y babong pa

Siya'y aking nilapitan

Upang siya's makilala

Ang sagot niya sa akin

"Ayaw ko! Ang pangit mo!"

Masakit man tanggapin

Na ako ay pangit.

Wala akong magagawa

Kundi sunudin ang gusto mo

Ano ba naman ito

Ang pinasukan ng puso ko?

Mabuti pang sabihin ko

Na siya ay iibigin ko



Campaign song of former Mayor Antonio Villegas

The campaign songs during the 1960s and 1970s are more original compared to the campaign songs or jingles used by today's crop of politicians. Here are the lyrics from the campaign song of former Manila Mayor Antonio Villegas.

Kay Villegas Kami

Kay Villegas kami

Kay Villegas

Kay Villegas kaming lahat

He's the first mayor of Manila

Sa gawa ay number one siya.

Kay Vilegas kami

Kay Villegas

Kay Villegas kaming lahat

He's the first of mayor

Candidate for mayor

Kay Villegas kaming lahat.

(bridge)

Sa gawa ay number one siya

lalalalalala

Sa diwa ay number one siya

lalalalala

What all Manila say?

We bring him once again.

Im on the lead

Im on the lead

Yeba!

Kay Vilegas kami

Kay Villegas

Kay Villegas kaming lahat

He's the first of mayor

Candidate for mayor

Kay Villegas kaming lahat!

Yeba!

Johnny De Leon and Ngongo

Lundagin Mo Baby!

     One of our favorite radio programs during the 1970s was the late Johnny de Leon's radio program with the title of "Lundagin Mo Baby." Johnny De Leon's assistant or sidekick during that time was a guy named Ngongo who of course had a speech impediment which Johnny exploited to no end  to the delight of the listeners. For example, he would ask Ngongo to say, "Bataan Matamis!" Ngongo would reply with " Baaan Maamis!". Or Johnny would have Ngongo say "Aji No Moto" which was the brand name of a popular vetsin or food seasoning. Ngongo would end up saying "Ayi no moto." Another thing that I miss about this program is the time check which would be accompanied by the banging sound of pots and pans. During that time, digitized sound effects were still unknown. We also enjoyed listening to the call sign that Johnny and the field reporters used. 'Beke 1 Beke2! Ang lalaki ng Beke ninyong tatlo!" Above all I anticipated the angelus which ended with the story "The Deck of Cards." This was a story about a young soldier who used a deck of cards as his bible and prayer book much to the dismay of his superiors. We would listen to Johhny's radio program usually at 6:00 in the evening

Fun at HSBC Fun Run November 06, 2010

The feeling of having completed the HSBC 3k Fun Run which my wife and I joined was truly exhilarating. When I arrived at the finish line at gallop speed, I felt I had finally accomplished something challenging in my life. That exhilarating feeling continues to burn within me even while I’m typing this down.

The 3k Run was truly lots of fun for me and my wife and she too was surprised at herself because she never thought she would not be able to finish the run. While I was running along with the other participants, I felt as if I was a wolf running along with the pack. I could not remember a single time I felt pain or tiredness in my limbs. I guessed we really prepared well for this run.

The Christmas and New Year of My Childhood

     The days of Christmas that I always cherish are those times I spent Christmas helping out in our fruit store in Quiapo. My brothers, sister, and cousins who happen to have a fruit store beside ours had lots of fun selling fruits, calling out to customers to come and buy fruits from us, and getting the customers' payment and handing them their change. Our aunt who owned the store would always cook sumptuous lunch and dinner for us and our helpers. The fruit racks would overflow with apples, oranges, pears and grapes. The only time that things would quiet down was after lunch. The din would pick up again around 3:00 in the afternoon and carry on until midnight. The mayor allows street hawkers to have the street for themselves during the Christmas season. We took advantage of this to have boxes of apples, oranges, and other fruits stacked on top of each other. I was usually the cashier and being young, I felt excited about handling bundles of bills when it came time for my uncle and aunt to count the sale for the day. The above mentioned scene was the same during New Year's Eve. At around 11:00 in the evening, we would start packing things up and the entire clan would celebrate New Year in our home in Mandaluyong. There was plenty of food on the table and almost all the Filipino dishes that you could think of are on that table. As the hour of the New Year appraoches, we would start exploding firecrackers and make a lot of noise once the clock strikes 12 midnight. After the noise has died down, I would lead the entire clan in saying the rosary as our way of thnking the heavens for a wonderful year.
     One funny thing that I can't foreget about celebrating the New Year at home was when my uncles tried out a new way of roasting chicken. They pushed a stake through the chicken and stood it upright befoire covering it with a metal drum. During the first attempt, the chicken turned into ash. The following year, my uncles got it right. I also remember the that time when my cousin stuffed too many firecrackers in the pockets of his shorts. To his surprise and our amusement, the firecrakers in his pockets exploded.