Who is your hero?

There are approximately 90 million Filipinos.
And mobile users in the Philippines is expected to reach 73 million by 2010!

Quickly analyze the stats and you can picture a country of hardworking people addicted to their phones and its services!

I, for one own 2 phones and using 3 active sims.

My reliable Nokia E71 for work. Currently being threatened to be dethroned by a Blackberry.


MyPhone (from my country).

Photo courtesy of filgifts.com

Which houses my Malaysian and Philippines numbers. I just love its core function of dual active sim. Call quality is of course not at par with Nokia but it's not my primary phone, therefore, it's ok :). Plus, myphone is a Filipino brand!

Now, here comes myhero...
Photo courtesy of philstar.com

This is the 'ninoycory' myphone version. MyHeroes is a series of phones from myphone who honors Filipinos who made a difference and served as an inspiration to others.

An article at Philippine Star stated "The mobile phone comes in Cory yellow, with the signature Ninoy eyeglasses in front and images of Ninoy and Cory at the back. When one clicks the yellow ribbon icon on the phone's menu, a number of items would appear, including prayers, an Aquino biography, Ninoy and Cory trivia, Ninoy and Cory inspirational messages, Ninoy's letters and poems, Cory's personal prayers, Aquino speeches, the Aquino library, and the Aquino gallery. "

Talking about ingenuity combined with nationalism = proudly Pinoy innovation.

I can't wait for the Jose Rizal version...

the good ol' shirt

A t-shirt is a t-shirt is a t-shirt.

It ceases to become a t-shirt though when it advocates a positive feeling about your country. That's what sets this retail shop apart from everyone else.

Photo courtesy of www.shopcrazy.com.ph

The graphic designs will blow you away. The team lends a twist to the usual iconic illustration such as this.

Photo courtesy of dibuho.wordpress.com

He used to look like this in the history books. What a transformation!

When you're in Manila, you must, must visit this place.

Lifted from their website:
"Graphic Designed Lifestyle draws inspiration from the urban lifestyle, culture and imagery of the city of Manila. From the graphic interpretations of national icons to silhouettes of odds and ends of everyday life on the street, Graphic Designed Lifestyle incorporates anything and everything that exemplifies life in Manila."

And the winner is...

Efren Penaflorida! 2009's CNN Hero of the Year!!!

A couple of days ago, I just posted here his journey. And now this...

I'm so proud of you. So, on behalf of Efren, I would like to thank everyone who believed in his

cause and voted for him.

You might ask though if we're related because I'm thanking the people on his behalf. Nope we're not relatives at all, BUT this is my blog! hahaha!

More stories here and here.

Mabuhay ka Manny! You made us all proud!

Photo courtesy of gulfnews.com

What do Boxing Greats Erik Morales, Hector Velasquez, Marco Antonio Barrera, David Diaz, Ricky Hatton, Oscar Larrios, Jorge Solis, Oscar De La Hoya, Juan Miguel Marquez, Lehlohonolo Ledwaba and Miguel Cotto have in common? Well, they were all beaten to pulp by the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world -- Filipino Boxing Champ Manny Pacquiao!

Manny just knocked down Cotto in the 12th round and cemented his stature in the world. The entire nation rejoiced!

What's great about this guy, even when he retires from the profession that ushered him to the world stage, he'll never go bankrupt again. He dons different faces of celebrity-dom. There's Manny the actor, Manny the singer, Manny the megawatt endorser, Manny the aspiring politician, Manny the guest of Jay Leno, Manny the husband of the now super sexy wife Jinky and of course, Manny the son of Mommy Dionesia!

Of all the things that Manny has done for the country, he is first and foremost the symbol of a united Filipinos. No geographical location is too far, he bridges the gap between the rich and the poor, rebels and soldiers are always on ceasefire during his boxing bouts, the nation sees no difference in religious belief.

Manny, you're the best!

Blog...log..lagging behind...

The truth is, I've been putting off blogging for quite some time. I have so many things to say BUT as you well know, the couple of weeks, our country has been battered left and right with natural calamities.

I know it's a fact of life. But I also knew in my heart that I don't want to write about these disasters that devastated thousands of lives in this blog. I want something more uplifting, happier thoughts. Well, perhaps one day, I can come to terms with these typhoons and disastrous effects of climate change. Perhaps one day, but definitely not now.

My blogging spirit was suddenly jolted when I was able to sniff one tremendous good news. A fellow Filipino is nominated in the Top 10 CNN Heroes of 2009!!! Imagine, out of the 9,000 nominations from 100 countries, he's one of the 10! How can you beat that!

Here's the article published at

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/wayoflife/10/01/top.10.cnnheroes/index.html

CAVITE CITY, Philippines (CNN) -- At 16, Rhandolf Fajardo reflects on his former life as a gang member.

"My gang mates were the most influential thing in my life," says Fajardo, who joined a gang when he was in sixth grade. "We were pressured to join."

He's not alone. In the Philippines, teenage membership in urban gangs has surged to an estimated 130,000 in the past 10 years, according to the Preda Foundation, a local human rights charity.

"I thought I'd get stuck in that situation and that my life would never improve," recalls Fajardo. "I would probably be in jail right now, most likely a drug addict -- if I hadn't met Efren."

Efren Peñaflorida, 28, also was bullied by gangs in high school. Today, he offers Filipino youth an alternative to gang membership through education.

"Gang members are groomed in the slums as early as 9 years old," says Peñaflorida. "They are all victims of poverty."

For the past 12 years, Peñaflorida and his team of teen volunteers have taught basic reading and writing to children living on the streets. Their main tool: A pushcart classroom.

Stocked with books, pens, tables and chairs, his Dynamic Teen Company recreates a school setting in unconventional locations such as the cemetery and municipal trash dump.

Peñaflorida knows firsthand the adversity faced by these children. Born into a poor family, he lived in a shanty near the city dump site. But he says he refused to allow his circumstances to define his future.

"Instead of being discouraged, I promised myself that I would pursue education," he recalls. "I will strive hard; I will do my best."

"I felt the social discrimination. I was afraid to walk down the street."In high school, Peñaflorida faced a new set of challenges. Gang activity was rampant; they terrorized the student body, vandalized the school and inducted members by forcing them to rape young girls, he says.

Peñaflorida remembers standing up to a gang leader, refusing to join his gang. That confrontation proved fateful. At 16, he and his friends "got the idea to divert teenagers like us to be productive," he says.

He created the Dynamic Teen Company to offer his classmates an outlet to lift up themselves and their community. For Peñaflorida, that meant returning to the slums of his childhood to give kids the education he felt they deserved.

"They need education to be successful in life. It's just giving them what others gave to me," he says.

Today, children ranging from ages 2 to 14 flock to the pushcart every Saturday to learn reading, writing, arithmetic and English from Peñaflorida and his trained teen volunteers.

"Our volunteers serve as an inspiration to other children," he says.

The group also runs a hygiene clinic, where children can get a bath and learn how to brush their teeth.

Since 1997, an estimated 10,000 members have helped teach more than 1,500 children living in the slums. The organization supports its efforts by making and selling crafts and collecting items to recycle.

Through his group, Peñaflorida has successfully mentored former gang members, addicts and dropouts, seeing potential where others see problems.

"Before, I really didn't care for my life," says Michael Advincula, who started doing drugs when he was 7. "But then Efren patiently dug me from where I was buried. It was Efren who pushed me to get my life together."

Today, Advincula is a senior in high school and one of the group's volunteers.

Peñaflorida hopes to expand the pushcart to other areas, giving more children the chance to learn and stay out of gangs.

"I always tell my volunteers that you are the change that you dream and I am the change that I dream. And collectively we are the change that this world needs to be."

-----

Don't we all love NEWS like this?!

Go, go Efren! You made your countrymen so proud!

Street Life

Our daily heroes... come rain or shine.

They brave the streets to bring home meager sum to their families so there's food or atleast rice to eat. I salute these people because it goes to show, that Filipinos are diligent lot and would do everything in their capacity to earn a living.

Heroes aside, another thing that's worth mentioning is the word "shopping" -- a universal term whether you're from asia, north america, africa, europe, australia & new zealand, even the Arctic Ocean!

Metro Manila is dotted with malls, supermalls, megamalls and mall of asia. BUT, did you know that you can also do your shopping in the street? Take a look at a day in the life of a road warrior.

MORNING...

Forgot your breakfast? No need to worry, you can grab some rice cake (puto & kuchinta).

Traffic s**cks! Need to while your time away... How about reading a newspaper and be updated with the latest drama in politics?

While you're at it, you just remembered that you forgot again to go to the carwash last weekend. Dirt is building up and it's about time to give your car a tender loving care. Here's someone who can wash it with a sponge and a soap. And he can do that while you're stuck in the traffic.

Of course, you don't stop at just having your vehicle cleaned. Cleanliness is next to Godliness... so, how about buying a broom and a dustpan (in stainless steel! ) along the way.

LUNCHTIME...

You can hear your stomach growling...as much as you'd like to eat rice, you just can't do that while driving, right? So the next best thing is to devour fruit instead. Guava is in season.

Oh my, you're so thirsty with all that fruit. Don't worry, the guy with a styro carries your fave drink, be it a cola, water, juice or even an energy drink!

AFTERNOON...

* Getting bored texting, reading the newspaper, listening to the music, looking around...

ah... how about some warm peanuts for snack.

Or candy perhaps from the "takatak boys"? That's how we call in general the street sellers of cigarettes and candies. Takatak is actually the sound of the wooden container when these men move it up and down to attract attention from the motorists.

Finally, home sweet home.

P.S. I have to tell you that the highway market follows the season's trend. I once purchased a Santa Claus hat during Christmas time. Every summer, they sell life jackets and goggles. Long stemmed red roses are available during Valentines and I'm sure with the upcoming Halloween, Trick or Treat costumes will be the rage.

Christmas in September

"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten,
and children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow"

Photo courtesy of makefive.com

This tune greeted us when we went to the kitchen for a super early breakfast late last week. Hubby can't believe his own ears... "*%&(#*! The neighbors are crazy. Who would play Christmas carols in September?". Little did he know that the music in fact came from my parents' room. You see, my mom loves Christmas so she likes playing the music as she gets dressed for work.

That afternoon on the way to the immigration office, we passed by those grass with white cottony flower. Told him again that, that's a sign that Christmas is in the air because eversince I was a child, my parents told me that you can only see those during the BER months.

After attending to some errands, we then dropped by a mall and yes, you guessed it right. Christmas trees and trimmings were now on display and even the guy selling karaoke microphone was belting out Christmas tunes.

Photo courtesy of flickr.com

Photo courtesy of in-cebu.net

And on the way home, colorful lighted reindeers were being sold in the sidewalk.

True, true... nowhere else in the world can you find Christmas as early as September. That's only here...in the Philippines.