Wednesday, April 13, 2005


rally Posted by Hello

Hazardous Life

Recently, we were covering a rally near the Malate Church when things started to get ugly.

Nobody really knows how it started but apparently somebody agitated the riot police holding the protesters back and they started to retaliate with their sticks and shields.

As usual, I had to be in the middle of it to capture the best image possible. Somewhen during the fracas a Carmelite priest got hit by a cop and was soon squealing for his mommy right beside me with a bloody head to boot.

Me? I got hit in the back with the edge of a police shield and a close encounter of the precious jewels kind from a bamboo stick wielded by one of the protesters.

Fun, fun, fun.

Evil as it might seem, I just can't stop laughing about the whole incident. One moment the priest was all fire and brimstone and the next a helpless, squealing baby with blood streaming from a nasty cut in the head.

Sunday, April 10, 2005

May the Blessed Kitty Watch Over Thee

I believe in dreams, I believe in miracles, I believe that toy ballons could touch the moon.

Lo and behold, from the land of Sanrio comes forth the messiah of kyutishness, Blessed Hello Kitty.

Bless us Hello Kitty, guide us to the path of cute and cuddly. Swatch our dreams, empty our pockets, show me the money.

From the heavens above came Little Twin Stars, from the pond of dreams came Kerokeroppi, I dont know what to do whenever you are near, I think of you every second of the day, You give me hope, the strength, the will to carry on.

Kitty oh Kitty save us from ourselves.

Thursday, April 07, 2005

GOODBYE JP2

Karol Wojtyla, the Polish priest who became Pope John Paul II and led the Catholic Church for almost 27 years, was an extraordinary man. His death Saturday at age 84 is a loss that, like his impact, will be felt far beyond his 1.1-billion member flock.

Pope John Paul II traveled the world more than any pontiff in history and spoke in person to more people than any individual in history. He toured extensively in the developing world, drawing enormous crowds of the faithful and demonstrating a spiritual power that made some political leaders nervous.

Filipinos will always have a special place for the much loved Pope.In his first visit to the Philippines in 1981, JP2 planted the seeds of a nation free from oppression which ultimately led to the “People Power” revolution which toppled the Marcos regime.

With shouts of “Viva il Papa“, Filipinos and youths around the world once again welcomed him in 1995 for the World Youth Day.

It was also under his term that the first Filipino saint, St. Lorenzo Ruiz, had been canonized.

Known as the “Great Communicator,” the pontiff was fluent in English, French, German, Polish and Spanish. But ultimately, he was fluent in people.

He has preached the Gospel with clarity and extraordinary insight. He has guided the Church wisely and touched the hearts of millions outside the fold. He has faced up to any and all expressions of racism and totalitarianism. He has fought for peace and justice with equal vigor. He has been a missionary traveling the world as no one ever before him, and this he has continued even in the face of extraordinary physical infirmities.

Pope John Paul II made "the worth of the human person" his grand project. Not only did John Paul plead for the lives of the unborn, but also for human rights and social justice for those outside the womb. He deplored the Iraq war, saying that "violence and weapons can never resolve the problems of man."

He was a religious leader who labored tirelessly to be so much more -- peacemaker, bridge builder, healer, even conscience to the world.

Pope John Paul II is by any measure one of the most celebrated and inspiring leaders of the 20th and 21st centuries. He has championed the law of God when others have lost hope and given in to the demands of a fickle world.

His, indeed, was a dignified and full life. Through example, in extraordinary travels, in a pontificate defined by courage, leadership and forgiveness, the Pope has reached to the hearts of his flock. Even for nonbelievers, his certainty in his faith could never be doubted, his place in history forever fixed.