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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Inventories

Dear insansapinas,


Businesses hate inventories especially those which are slow moving items. Inventories entail costs which may include the following:
1. production cost
2. Interest
3. risk of obsolesence
4. risk of deterioration


In the US, after the holidays or at the end of the year, inventories are disposed of even at a loss. Storage costs are added to carrying the inventories.


With the slump of the housing industry in the US there are some states where houses which are ready for occupancy are being sold for a song. Instead of letting the money sleep in housing inventories which may become dilapidated with wear and tear of the passage of time, the developers were offering them at huge discounts. In all businesses including  housing , discounts are not reported under sales and therefore are not taxed (Take note Mr. Senator Judge). Kaya nga may Net Sales sa IS dahil from gross sales, discounts and returns are deducted.


One other consideration is that if the unit is what prevents the whole building to be finished, disposing the damaged unit even at a discounted price will be a sound financial decision for a company.


There was a prosecution lawyer who can not understand the fair market value. The fair market value changes over the years, your honor. Tseh.

Monday, January 30, 2012

The Concepcions in the Limelight

Dear insansapinas,

For weeks, the broken hearted KC Concepcion was the talk of the tinseltown. She is the daughter of Gabby Concepcion and the Megastar Sharon Cuneta. (as if you do not know)

That was after her mother signed a TV contract worth billions with the TV 5.

Only a week ago, it was her half-sister. Chloie Concepcion, the daughter of Gabby Concepcion with Jenny Syquia  who was in the limelight when she extended her vacation to ink a  contract.


So was her mother Jenny Syquia. 
Sharon Cuneta
The third Concepcion girl was also in the news when she went to

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Grace Ibuna, Science, Winnie Monsod and Serafin Cuevas

Dear insansapinas,
alicia arroyo and grace ibuna

Tama ang ginawa ni Grace Ibuna na hindi siya nakipagpingkian ng mga salita sa legal na asawa. Alam naman niyang sino ang mahal ng namatay na congressman. Isipin na lang niya ang mga masasayang memories nila. Ang tao naman hindi mo mapipilit sumaya  kasama ang isang taong nawalan na siya ng paggalang at pagmamahal. 
Read and weep. The incoming grade 1 school pupils will enjoy learning because the Science is dropped from the curriculum. Whoa. Here is the news: 
“The Department of Education (DepEd) has decided to drop “Science” from the roster of subjects taken up by incoming Grade 1 pupils in line with its efforts to decongest the Basic Education Curriculum and to make learning more enjoyable to young learners.”“…Mother Tongue, Filipino, Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao, Music, Art, Physical Education and Health (MAPEH), Mathematics, Araling Panlipunan, and English – which will be taught in the second semester and will mainly focus on oral fluency.”

Don't you observe that most of the coloring books of the children feature those of animals? Even those in the province are aware of the live plants and animals before they even start schooling. The drawings in the arts  are mostly flowers, mountains, clouds, suns and stars and other stuff that fall under Science. So why remove Science? I remember when we were required to bring flowers to study the parts and some pictures of animals that we found near our homes. Habul-habol namin ang baboy noon.What are they thinking? Sabi iintegrate daw sa ibang subject. Saan kaya, sa English. These little pigs went to market, these littler pigs had roast beef....

Take the SALNs of P-Noy, from 2006 to 2010, copies of which were provided to me by GMA News TV so that I could provide some inputs (as far as analysis is concerned). Unfortunately, the copies are barely legible, but even so, a malicious mind could make some potentially embarrassing observations (which could very easily be explained away, if a broader perspective were taken).
For example, one could pounce on the fact that a piece of agricultural land in Concepcion, Tarlac, acquired in 1987, was declared as inherited in 2006 but as purchased in 2009. Or that another piece of agricultural land, this time in Capas, Tarlac, acquired in 1985 (inherited), was not declared in his 2006 SALN.
Or one could criticize him (unfairly) of using acquisition cost values for real property, rather than the much higher current or fair market value. And one could potentially go to town about his Times Street residence: he declared it as acquired in 1985 (by inheritance), but it was not included in his 2006 SALN. Also, the current market value he declared on the property (2010 SALN) was P1.96 million—a figure which has not changed since 2007. There is no way that the Times Street property could be worth, at current prices, less than P2 million.
I-discuss kaya ito sa impeachment trial. Palagay ko hindi. Hindi naman daw siya ang nasasakdal. 
Abangan. 


Cuevas being harassed to resign

Saturday, January 28, 2012

I lost him in my dream-Battle with 2 Cs

Dear insansapinas,

I was tired and waiting for a call from the nurse cancer navigator for the results of my MRI. Then I fell asleep and dreamed. I saw two young men who I discovered to be ghosts. I talked to one of them to ask how long they been there and why were they staying in that place. The first young man told me that he was waiting to know who killed him. Ngiii. He had no inkling how long he will be staying in that place. The other man did not respond.


He was about to show me around  when a soft ringing of phone (normally I would not hear that)  pulled me out of that  deep slumber. It was a friend who asked me how to install Google Chrome. After giving her instruction I flopped back to bed. I left the wireless phone in its cradle. It did not take long for me to catch the ZZZZs. Surprise, the young man was happy to see me again. A continuation of the dream? It seemed I was still lying down when he saw me so that he was able to throw himself  to the part of  my body where the liver is. A few meters away, I saw a woman in white dress. Apparently another apparition. She gave the young ghost the look which I interpreted to mean STOP IT. 


The ghost felt scared.  That however did not stop him from telling me that we are going somewhere. In the meantime, he brought me to a flea market to get some clothes. I was wearing a short hospital gown. He disappeared but reappeared shortly to see if I was ready. Not yet.  I found a nice housedress and a beautiful lambskin lined jacket. 


I may have bought it. After reaching the end of the flea market, I was looking for the ghost to go with him. In my thoughts, it was the end and there is no more coming back. But  I could not find him. Someone told me that he got another friend of mine to go with him. Then I woke up. What a dream!!!


The MRI Result
The nurse cancer navigator whose function is to discuss with patients whatever the breast surgeon ordered called me. We never got connected because she was using a cell phone, I can not recognize. The number they gave me was from an answering service which beeped healthcare staff about the calls. Then they are supposed to return the call. I missed the call and it went to the voice mail. But the message was vague. Labo.




I was frustrated and angry because I could not understand why she was asking me to take a biopsy. Again.  Did she confuse me with another patient? For the  past weeks, I had 2 mammograms, one ultrasound and one ultrasound guided biopsy which led me to the scheduling of breast surgery after an MRI and other preop procedures.


Why the biopsy again? The nurse advised me to wait for her call because she was going to clatify it with the surgeon. I said go ahead with a Miriam Santiago-I am -the only- one- and- my- colleagues- who- have- the right- to scream in this court -VOICE. But I begged for her not take it long because I felt that I was attending a long concert when I heard the music from the background while I await for my call to be picked up or transferred.  I hate incompetence not because I am totally perfect in my job but the instruction was not clear. In my part, I considered it a retrogression of the process of finding relief to my newly-diagnosed C.


The following day, I OCCUP(ied)  the living room to wait for the call and to contact some other specialists.
The call came in after lunch. Arghhh. She explained that the MRI last Monday showed another finding in my breast. Another lump. So the breast surgeon wanted to know what it is. But I was resigned already to have mastectomy. Thr nurse said that the treatment after the invasive surgery will also depend on the findings. Arghhhhhhhhhh. She volunteered to call the breast cancer center of the hospital for the schedule. I declined. I said I will be the one to ask for the schedule since the phone she gave me was the old one. That means she is not updated.  It is now centralized scheduling. TSEH. All I asked is for her to fax to the Radiology department the doctor's order of the biopsy. INIS. After two hours, a call from the hospital interviewed me over the phone for information they need for the schedule as to my medical history, meds being taken, blah blah. 

After the interview, the nurse navigator told me as  a summary that based on the meds, and procedures I had undergone , I have diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol, heart issue? abdomen problems, liver cirhossis and liver cancer. She asked me where was I born and raised. I told her, it was where the FUN IS when you're sick because you need to have a down payment before you are admitted to the hospital. (She must be scratching her head). But then she asked me if my siblings are having the same health issues. I said except for hypertension, I am praying that the diseases should stop with me. Their children are still in school and they are happily married. 

The nurse said that I am the exact replica of my mother. All her illnesses manifested in me. Sabi ko sana pera na lang pinamana niya. HAHAHA. Could it be because I am the oldest among the girls? So next week, I am going to battle with C galactica again. I am imagining that I am a super hero equipped with a wand to battle the bad guys. Paranoia, is that you?


Pinaysaamerika

Friday, January 27, 2012

Grace Ibuna and Alicia Rita Morales Arroyo

Dear insansapinas,
Draft
When I was admitted in the hospital for a procedure, they make me sign something about the directives what to do just in case something happens. My medical records show that I am divorced. Alangan namang galugarin nila ang buong Estados Unidos para lang papirmahin ang aking estranged husband o kaya pabayaan nila akong nakatiwangwang sa bed habang namamasyal na ang aking kaluluwa at namamahala sa mansiyong ipinagagawa ko. 




photocredit
Let me define a health care proxy. 

Health-care proxy: This is a legal document in which an individual designates another person to make health-care decisions if he or she is rendered incapable of making their wishes known. The health-care proxy has, in essence, the same rights to request or refuse treatment that the individual would have if capable of making and communicating decisions.


 The term "advance directives" refers to treatment preferences and the designation of a surrogate decision-maker in the event that a person should become unable to make medical decisions on her or his own behalf.


Ayaw ko na kasing ikabit ako sa mga machine sakaling magcoma ako sanhi ng pagbiglang bagsak ang aking blood sugar dahil hindi kaagad ako pinakain after taking insulin o kaya biglang bagsak ang vital signs ko dahil nasobrahan ako ng morphine dahil ang nurse ko ay sano. SALBAHE. Ito ang mga risks ng mga surgery pag diabetic ka. Hindi ka mamatay sa sakit mo kung hindi sa  complication at sa katangahan ng ibang tao.


Bakit naman natin pinag-uusapan ito? Tawag kasi sa akin ang aking kaibigan and asking me my opinion at karanasan sa ospital hindi diyan sa Pinas.Wala akong opinion. Sinasabi ko lang kung anong mga papel ang pinipirmahan na waiver para maiwasan ang mga kaso against the hospital sa aking obserbasyon. Hindi ko alam diyan sa Pinas ang practices. Kita mo hindi ko alam ang alpha list ay ginagamit pala in lieu of ITR at hindi pa sinusumite sa BIR. Suntok sa noo. Tsus. (singit na naman, hala). 

Ito ang balita: 
MANILA, Philippines — Declaring that she remains the legal wife of Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio T. Arroyo until the time of his death, Alicia Rita Morales Arroyo vowed Friday to pursue criminal charges against whoever gave hospital officials at the London Clinic in England the order to pull the plug on the life support system attached to her comatose husband Thursday.


Dalawang parte ang balita. Ang isa ay ang may karapatang magclaim ng body.


This developed as the British Embassy granted Mrs. Arroyo a visa to England, setting off a possible row between her and a certain “Grace Arroyo” in claiming the body of the late congressman.
Lawyers of Mrs. Arroyo said they believe this Grace Arroyo, a businesswoman whose real name is Grace Ibuna, had claimed to be the wife of Rep. Arroyo.
Friday night, Mrs. Arroyo was all set to fly to London to claim the remains of her late husband.
She aired strong suspicions that it was Ibuna, who had passed herself off as the legal wife of Rep. Arroyo, and was the one who authorized the unplugging of the life support system that resulted in the solon’s death.


Let me tell you a story na nangyari sa Pilipinas noong ako'y bata pa. UHu uhu.


Nagsisimula pa lang ako noong magturo at nagsisimula pa lang akong magsubmit ng aking SALN (government employee ako eh at ang assets ko ay ang aking lupa sa paso) nang makilala ko ang naging barkada kong babae. We're so close na ako ang naging ninang niya sa kasal later kahit halos pareho lang ang edad namin. 


Nakilala ko ang kaniyang mother na isang dating teacher sa Mindanao. Pero hindi ko nakikita ang father niya na madalas naman niyang banggitin na isang attorney. In fact bago naospital ay dinalaw kami sa university at pinakilala sa akin kasi ang kulit ko noh. Habang nasa ospital, salitan sila ng mother niyang magbantay kaya minsan take over ako sa klase niya. Namatay ang father niya. Cardiac arrest. Gusto naming magpadala ng bulaklak pero hindi siya nagmemention kung saan ang burol. 


Pero ako isinama niya sa lamay, isang gabi. Wala ang mother niya sa burol. Hindi rin siya makalapit sa kabaong. Ibang pamilya ang nag-aasikaso sa kaniyang yumaong ama. Hindi ako nag-usisa sa kaniya. Hinintay ko siyang magsalita.


Pag-uwi namin, saka niya sinabi na hindi sila ang tutuong pamilya. Ikalawa lang sila. Hindi kasal ang ama't ina niya. May legal family na siyang may karapatan sa kaniyang ama. Mayroon pang ikatlong pamilya at katulad nila ay nasa tabi lang silang namimighati. 

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Grace Ibuna and Iggy Arroyo

Dear insansapinas,
Grace Ibuna was the only one close to Iggy Arroyo who was with him when he was declared clinically dead after suffering from cardiac arrest. He was having treatment for his liver cirhossis. 
Grace Ibuna was the former companion of Gabby Concepcion from whom she has a daughter, Garie Concepcion.
Iggy Arroyo was estranged from his legal wife.

Now, she does not know what to do with the demise of her current companion, Iggy Arroyo. Her daughter Garie entered show business so is the half-sister Chloie, the daughter of Gabby Concepcion and Jenny Syquia. 



Iggy Arroyo with Grace Ibuna(2nd from left)



Garie Concepcion

BACOLOD CITY—Businesswoman Grace Ibuna was not giving up hope on her longtime companion, Negros Occidental Representative Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo Jr., when reached by the Philippine Daily Inquirer early Thursday.
Arroyo was reported dead Thursday night after being taken off life support in London.
“I am pleading with him to fight for his life. I am hoping and praying for a miracle,” a weeping Ibuna told the Inquirer by phone from London.
“It all happened so fast,” she said, and called for prayers from supporters and friends.

Bullet Points

Dear insansapinas,
Let me discuss the following in bullet points so I can add some more subjects that I found worthy of writing as the day progresses.


1. Rep. Iggy Arroyo is dead. He died of liver disease in London. No amount of expensive treatment can save the person affected with this dreaded disease.


2. I find the Commissioner "cute " when she giggled. Promise. But when there are too much giggling and smiling, it becomes annoying for some people. I for one was blamed for snickering when I tried to make an impression that I had the  equanimity in that challenging moment. Some misconstrued too nuch smiling as overconfidence or that I have put-one-over-you-attitude,


3. I still feel uncomfortable hearing alpha list  presented as ITR of Corona. There are no ITRs of the Chief Justice in the same manner that other  people who are categorized under the Tax Code as exempted from filing ITRs because their gross incomes do not exceed the personal and additional exemptions do not have ITR.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Alpha List what?

Dear insansapinas,


I almost missed my schedule in the hospital by 30 minutes because of watching the video of the impeachment trial. And  as usual, I was not able to edit my previous blog since I was in a hurry. (palusot pa eh) . Nakadapa ako sa loob ng MRI, ang impeachment trial ang iniisip ko. Tanong ng technologist, you are okay? Ni hindi ko naramdaman yong tinusok sa aking mahabang syringe para malagyan ako ng IV para sa contrast. Masyado talagang obsessed sa net.


I left when the discussion was about the alpha list. What is alpha list? Marami na ngang hindi madistinguish ano ang kaibahan ng SALN sa ITR, dumagdag pa ang AL at  hindi pa nila pinaliwanag ang practice nila sa Supreme Court na walang kailangang magfile ng ITR kapag nasa alpha list na. 


Bakit di nila ipinaliwanag kaagad na  walang ITR at alpha list lang ang ebidensiya ng income na tinanggap ni Corona at ang kaniyang withholding taxes na hindi pa isinubmit sa BIR ng Supreme Court. Sa normal na procedure, hahanap ng ITR sa BIR ang taong interesado sa documentong ito. Aba kailangan parusahan din ang BIR. Nairemit ba ang mga taxes na winithold? 


Why did they start with the request for the authentication of ITR when there is no ITR to speak of because there were no ITRS filed by the Chief Justice. Salbahe kayo ha.  The alpha list is not an ITR. It is merely a list of the names of the single income taxpayers and their corresponding income and taxes paid as provided in the NIRC. Sec. 51.


Corona may fall under this subsection.


(c) An individual whose sole income has been subjected to final withholding tax pursuant to Section 57(A) of this Code; and


The prosecutor said that they could not present it because it contains the names of other individual income taxpayers.
So Arthur Lim, said that THERE ARE NO ITRS. And he insisted that they could not present the alpha list but he is asking for its authentication. So what is going to be authenticated? I am also screaming Senator  Santiago.Naku salbahe 2 ha. Pinagmumukha ninyong tanga ang mga senator judges at mga observers. Ahahay Tse.

Sign Language, Authenticity, Logic and Audited Income Tax Returns

Dear insansapinas,


I LUV this topic of Day 6. I am claustrophobic and I will have the first of my two MRIs today so I was psyching myself to be calm when I clicked the video of the Day 6 trial. Kung malapit ako sa MRI machine, pumasok na ako sa inis at katatawa.


Sign Language
My brother studied American Sign Language but I dare him challenge the sign language interpreter when Miriam Defensor Santiago was outraged by the prosecutor's argument about the  purpose of presenting the BIR Examiner as witness. Napagod nang husto yong kawawang mama. Mabilis nang magsalita, halo pa ang language na ginamit at mataas pa ang blood pressure ng feisty na senadora.


Authenticity
I agree with Senator Santiago, the authenticity refers to the documents alone as to their genuineness filed and received by the BIR. Henares can not testify however the veracity of what is contained in the docs. KAYA NGA MAY AUDIT eh. And the BIR Commissioner  does not do the auditing. And during my stint with an accounting/auditing firm, I never met the Bureau Chief. *heh* 


Parang marriage certificate yan na kinukuha sa NSO na may certificate ng authenticity pero kung kasal pa sa iba ang nasa certificate,  kailangan pa ng imbestigasyon.


Once, the ITRs are submitted, they're stamped as to the date received and the branch where they're  filed. 


School of Logic
Iba naman ang meaning ng authenticity ng private prosecutor, 
Ginagawa niyang judge si Commissioner Henares so the purposes of the authenticity are :
1. to show acquired properties showed in SALN not justified by the ITR


I agree with Santiago, may imbestigasyon ba before this or haka-haka lang? Pupunta tayo diyan sa imbestigasyon na yan.


2. showed that he failed to report some properties.


Si Commissioner Henares ba ang expert dito? May inutusan ba siya na imbestigahan ang ITR ni Corona?


Di ba kailan lang noong nakuha ang SALN ni Corona? Pabalik nga ang ginawa. Sa amin sa Accounting, Constructive Accounting yan.


Audited Income Tax Returns


Noong bago pa lang ako sa accounting/auditing firm, shinock ako ng examiner na kakainin niya ang libro pag wala siyang nakitang mali sa ITR based on the supprting documents of the income and expenses.


Para sa expenses, hihimayin nila ang mga clinaim na deductions. Meron bang mga receipts. Ano bang date yan ginastos, with the fiscal period.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Income Tax Returns and SALN

Dear insansapinas,


photocredit
I can not understand why the media and the impeachment court kept on referring as Corona's SALN. Whatever are reflected in this statement is a combination of the properties of the Corona couple.  Now they are asking for the presentation of the ITR of Corona to find out how he is able to afford to buy the prime real estate.


Did they file their income tax returns separately? Did they separate their assets, liabilities and networth? 

Kris Aquino Magiging Presidente raw -Prediction 2012

Dear insansapinas,
photocredit: PEP
Isang half-British, half-Indian ang nanghula na ang susunod na pangulo ng Pilipinas ay si Kris Aquino pagkatapos ng isang papalit kay Pnoy. 


"Reaction ng mga kilalang tao." 


“I’m suffering from terminal  boredom."  This psychic saved me from going to Bermuda Triangle." 


We have more witnesses to be invited. Including this psychic, if possible.

Monday, January 23, 2012

My Battle with Two Cs

Dear insansapinas,


Isa munang patalastas. I like this photo of Shalani and Roman. Look at the eyes of Shalani which were directed towards the Crucified Christ. Parang sinasabi niya...may nakakakita sa atin. 


Now back to regular programming. 
A friend who is a nursing assistant called me this morning after I arrived from the hospital. I had my four types of blood tests in preparation for my breast cancer surgery and as a requirement for my quarterly MRI for my liver carcinoma and so I braved the winter alert issued by the State.


She said that she personally attended to a suicidal liver cancer patient last night. What she could not understand was that the hospital saved his life when he wanted to die because of the pain that he could not bear any longer.
She asked me how I coped with pain. I told her, I watch TV, blog , read books and moan. Araaaaaaay. Yes, death wish comes to mind but I just entertain the thought that my mansion up there is not yet finished. Pinalalagyan ko ng spa. 

Sleeping Beauty Sickness

Dear insansapinas, 


photocredit
I dealt and am still coping  with stress, disappointments and break-ups (may s?) by sleeping. But then I get up from bed when I feel hungry. yuk yuk.yuk.

Last night, I was watching Once Upon a Time, a new drama series about fairy tale characters who were cursed  by the Evil Witch to live in a town in the modern world without remembering their past except for the boy who is the grandson of Snow White. Oo, Virginia, meron na siyang apo sa story and he is the adopted son of the Evil Witch who is the mayor of the town. It is not for bedtime story vaga.

The episode  last night was about the sacrifice of Snow White to save the Prince from his father. In their past lives, he was forced to marry someone else or he would be assassinated by the order of the king. They met again in the world of mortals and they could not understand why Snow and Prince Charming are attracted to each other despite Charming being married.   May kilig factor sa akin. May puso pa pala ako. boink, boink, boink.

But our story is not about Snow White. Our story is about sleeping beauty sickness. I confused  Sleeping Beauty with Snow White all the time. Parang yong nabasa ko--tatlumpong pirasong ginto raw ang pinagbilhan kay Jesus, eh pilak lang naman yon.(nakasingit na naman)  As in SILVER away. 

This is the news article:
When 15-year-old Louisa Ball takes a nap, she doesn’t mess around. She sleeps for days on end, and no amount of shaking or prodding can fully wake her up.
The British girl has a rare condition called Sleeping Beauty Sickness, but there’s no Prince Charming on the way to rescue her. Doctors don’t know what causes it or how to cure it — only that it strikes teenagers and goes away by itself after eight to 12 years.
Until it goes away, life is groggy ever after.
Louisa’s mum, Lottie, told NBC News that the girl had flulike symptoms just over a year ago. Shortly afterward, she had her first bout of extended sleeping.

 I got interested in this case is because I had a similar problem with one of our freshmen when I was still the Dean of the college in a university.


The girl would be absent for days and the faculty had to remind the parents that every student in that school is required ro maintain a certain average to enjoy the scholarship. Absences made her missed several quizzes.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Shalani Soledad and Roman Romulo

 Dear insansapinas,


Pagkatapos siyang dumaan ng katakot-takot na intriga at mga tsismis, ikinasal si Shalani kay Roman Romulo ngayong Enero 21, 2012. Sa kasal na ito, napatunayan na ang mga pinalutang na mga balita tungkol sa kaniya ay bunga lang ng imahinasyon ng pag-iisip. Kung sino man silang nagsipagsulat noon, MAIINGGIT KAYO. hehehe

Ito ang balita.

The wedding capped a whirlwind romance even by today’s standards. Romulo and Soledad were engaged for five months.
Bridal gown
Soledad’s gown, which designer Inno Sotto said was “simple, feminine and elegant,” was a white romantic number with a fitted V-neck top with lace bodice and a skirt made of 17 layers of soft tulle. She wore a pair of shoes by Lila Almario.
Romulo wore a midnight-blue tuxedo, a white shirt and a gray bow tie by Hugo Boss and a pair of black leather shoes by Louis Vuitton.
The 22 principal sponsors came from the business and political sectors. The Mass lasted over an hour, with not a seat empty in the 500-seat church.
The bride’s mother, Evelyn Soledad Yumol, and uncle Mon Soledad, who looked after the young Shalani while her mother worked overseas, gave the bride away. The bride met her real father only last year.

Soledad was born out of wedlock to banker and businessman Adolfo Aguirre and Evelyn San Ramon, a flight attendant. While her mother worked, the young Soledad grew up with her grandparents, aunt and uncles. Her mother never brought up the subject of her biological father, whom Soledad met only after 30 years.
Soledad wore a Kate Middleton-inspired gown with a lace bodice, tulle skirt and off-shoulder neckline with tiny cap sleeves. The bride’s face was shrouded in a thin layer of tulle. The look was simple yet elegant, calling to mind Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton’s lacey wedding gown when she married Prince William of Britain.

But Shalani chose to show off her arms instead of covering them.
The wedding invitation, made from an off-white paper material, had an embossed “RS” insignia, which stood for the couple’s initials.
After waiting for Soledad for 20 minutes, the guests at the church heaved a collective gasp at the sight of the resplendent bride emerging before them for her march.

Karen Jimeno, Crush ng Bayan

Dear insansapinas,
Maraming bilib kay Karen Jimeno paghandle niya sa  role na spokesperson for the defense team.


Crush ng bayan, beauty and brains( cum laude, UP law; Harvard, Master of Laws) kaya lang kakakasal lang noong January 7, 2012(kung totoo ang nasa website na ito)   kay Evan Charles McBride, an investment banker sa Guadalupe , Makati.  




Sila ba ito? 




photocredit

She has postponed the honeymoon and has taken the job pro-bono. 


Unlike other spokespersons I know, she proves she really got a lot of brains when she is asked about some issues  which need her personal opinion.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Tinimbang ka at kung huli man at malamig, malamig pa rin

Dear insansapinas,


Malamig


Hindi ito oversize bag of tea at hindi rin miniature pillow ng manika o kaya ng aking daliri. Ito ay pampainit. Let me esssplain.


Apat na oras ako sa opisina ng doctor ko kahapon. Naghihintay. Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh@#$%5. Inaayos ko ang gagawing mga procedures bago ang operasyon.


Tuwing may papasok, nagrereklamo na malamig daw. Talaga naman. Brrrrrrr. Kung inimpeach lang ang weather, kahit na hindi alam ng prosecutors ang ginagawa nila ay maiimpeach ito ng walang postponement ang trial. Argh. Bakit napunta doon. Sabi nga ni Monsod:


In any case, even after only four days, most of us, or at least the impartial observers, will agree that the following has been made clear:


The prosecution panel, or rather, those who have so far participated, came without really doing their homework, or are inexperienced, or—even worse, some combination of both. Why can one say this? Just listen to Enrile constantly reminding them to rephrase their questions, or asking them to stop treating their own witness as a hostile witness, or having to cut short the second day’s proceedings with the remark “o, ayon lang pala ang gusto niyo, e—postponement,” or words to that effect.


REWIND


So pagdating ko sa bahay namulikat ang paa ko sa lamig. Dalawang patong na ng makapal na med socks ang suot ko. Nakatalukbong na ako ng kumot. Ginaw pa rin. Full blast na ang heater.


Pagdating ng kapatid ko, binigay sa akin yang parang tea bag. Painitin ko raw muna bago ko ilagay sa aking paa.


Tamang-tama, pupunta ako sa bathroom kaya inilagay ko muna sa balikat ko. AHHHHHHH
Nawala. Baka nahulog. Hinanap ng kapatid ko. Wala namang nahulog. Tapos bigla akong napaso sa aking underarm. Lintek, dumausdos pala. Very useful ito lalo pag nasa labas at talagang malamig ang panahon. Darating kasi and winter huli na. At least dito walang snow, sa Midwest meron. Erm, erase that. Pagdungaw ko sa bintana, parang white Christmas. May snow. Wala namang sinabi ang weather forecast ah.


Tinimbang ka

Nakaupo ako nang matagal sa reception ng doctors office. Ako na lang yata ang di natatawag. Hinala ko tuloy, pinaparusahan ako dahil ako ay mareklamo. Pero napansin ko naman na pagkatapos kong magreklamo, nagkakaroon sila ng magandang sistema. (pasensiya na kayo, magaan ang aking silya, Para akong si Cuevas, naglelecture. Force of habit talaga. Bigyan mo nga ako ng mic, lelecturan kita kahit nanaginip ka na). Last year, nagreklamo ako doon sa magulong doctor's order na ang daming oras na venirify kung ano nga ba yon. Yong iba kasing med sec, hindi nila alam ang code ng hepatocellular carcinona at ang number nito, Ngayong nareceive ko ang bago ay mayroon na silang computer-generated form (hindi evidence ha, nakasingit na naman). First encounter ko ng mga ganiyang incompetence ay noon sa pharmacy na ibang gamit ang naibigay sa akin. Nireklamo ko dahil baka napatay ako ng gamot na yon, the following week, meron na silang pinapipirmahan kung saan kinoconfirm na yon nga ang gamot ko. Galing ko noh? pak, pak. Narcissist.


Pero hindi yan ang topic sa aking tinimbang ka. Ito ay tungkol sa dalawang timbangan. Hindi ito yong impeachment trial at trial by publicity. Oppps, bakit napunta na naman doon. Salbaheng daliri ito. Ito ang mga timbangan doon sa aking breast surgeon at primary care physician. Mas mataas yong sa primary care ng two pounds. Ibig bang sabihin, dumagdag ako ng timbang ng wala pang isang Linggo eh wala na akong ganang kumain?


Kaya habang naghihintay ako ng tawag sa akin, inoobserbahan ko ang mga dumarating. Isang babae, ang timbang siguro niya kasimbigat ng dala niyang bag. May dala kaya siyang kawali doon? Yong dalaga naman, napakaslim na bagay din ang kaniyang bag (purse ang tawag dito) na sa liit ay kasya lang ang kaniyang cell phone. Yong pitaka niya nasa kaniyang bulsa, Nagbag pa.


Yong matandang babae ay medyo nasa heavy side din. Kasimbigat siguro siya ng bag ko na may lamang baon ko, isang extrang sapatos, folding umbrella at mga kunik kunik na noong may nagkamaling may maglaslas ng bag ko ay nabutas nga ang leather, pero hindi makuha ang pitaka ko dahil sa daming "traffic" sa daanan. 


Rewind
Pagdating ko sa bahay kahapon, tuloy ako sa aking timbangan. Mas mababa. And the winner is....


Pinaysaamerika

Friday, January 20, 2012

Greed

 Dear insansapinas,



Bakit kailangang pahirapan ang mga naghihirap na para lang madagdagan ang yaman ng mga mayayaman na?

Maraming namatay sa CDO flashflood dahil sa illegal logging.

Ngayon naman ay balak bunutin at replant ang mga puno sa Baguio para mapatayuan ang lugar ng shopping mall.
Kahit itanim ulit ang puno, kaunti lang ang nabubuhay, Alam naman nating ang ugat ng mga puno ang humahadlang sa pagkatibag ng lupa na maaring madala ng malakas na ulan pababa.

Tree Replanting
Reaction naman ng  SM:
MANILA, Philippines - Contrary to reports, the SM Group reiterated on Friday that it will not cut trees in the expansion of its mall in Baguio City.
Rather, it said it will carefully ball out trees for replanting within its property.
It said it will also plant 50 saplings for every tree it will transfer, going beyond the city requirement of planting only 20 saplings for every tree balled out.

Sinong walang gusto sa chocolate? Kahit bata pa ako noon, mahilig ako sa chocolate at tsampurado. Ang aking MIL ang pasalubong sa akin pag galing sa Europe noon ay tsokolateng may alak sa loob. Unti-unti lang ang pagkain ko. Baka malasing.

Pero ngayong nabasa ko ito, nawalan ako ng ganang kumain ng chocolate. Marami pa pala akong chocolate sa ref. *heh*

It may be unthinkable that the chocolate we enjoy could come from the hands of children working as slaves. In the Ivory Coast and other cocoa-producing countries, there are an estimated 100,000 children working the fields, many against their will, to create the chocolate delicacies enjoyed around the world.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Staring Contest- Laban Ka?

Dear insansapinas,


Pagganito naman talaga kakulit ang bata, kahit ako, sasabunutan ko sarili ko.



Pinaysaamerika

The three values and the backscratchers

Dear insansapinas,
Not all changes in the networth of a government public servant come from revenues earned. Some or most of it must have come from the increase in the assessed and or fair market values of the properties owned. In fact, that is the very reason why people invest in real properties to wait until the properties appreciate in market value.

In the SALN, assets in the form of real estate may be presented at acquisition cost (if there is no available fair market value or at assessed value).

Would there be a chance that the property lose in terms of values. Definitely, yes, For example you got landholdings which portions of which were already submerged in water. We had a neighbor whose half of the land was " eaten" by the sea. Umakyat ng umakyat yong tubig hanggang maliit na lang ang kanilang dalampasigan.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Birth Pains by the Dozen

Dear insansapinas,




The gist of the news article about the prosecutors is that it is the house prosecution panel which is on trial on the impeachment. What with the booboos and the bumblings it is easy for observers to agree. It is a phenomenon that all the 12 members are experiencing the same pain--birth pains according to their allies and kakam--pi. One is Drilon who can not wait to show his yellow color for begging the public for the understanding  of the group.

Sen. Franklin Drilon, a partymate of Tañada in the Liberal Party, shared his appeal for understanding for the House prosecutors.“I think that they are going through some birth pains. The impeachment court and the public should give them some leeway. Maybe they are not comfortable with their surroundings, maybe they are nervous. They are before the glare of national TV,” he added.

Kailan pa kaya sila manganganak?


UPCAT Results

Dear insansapinas,
Sa mga nagtest sa UP, tingnan ninyo  kung ngjngjti na kayo o iiyak. Tingnan kung nakapasa na kayo sa UPCAT.


Ito ang UPCAT Results.




photocredit
Pinaysaamerika

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Impeachment Trial Days 1 and 2 - A pupunta ka a giyera, wala ka a-baril

Dear insansapinas,
photocredit: professional heckler
I've been sleeping because of feeling of fatigue but my friend calls to give me updates.


Day 1 The Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, on Monday quashed a key move by the camp of Chief Justice Renato Corona for a preliminary hearing and eventually a stop to his impeachment trial.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile denied the Corona motion “for want of merit” on the first day of the trial in a ruling that elated the prosecution.
Day 1 Enrile also dismissed for “lack of standing” a petition by a private lawyer to sanction prosecutors for releasing purported evidence to media earlier.


Day 2- Senator -Presiding Judge and supported by the other senator judges  denied the prosecution’s request to summon Chief Justice Renato Corona and his family to explain the circumstances behind the acquisition of their real properties.


Day 2 Verdict on second day, prosecutors not ready.


The impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona adjourned early on its second dayTuesday, with the prosecution admitting unpreparedness to prosecute him on Article 1. It was ready to prosecute Corona on Article 2 but had no witnesses to authenticate the documents it was set to present as evidence.


Sabi nga ng kaibigan ko:
1. Para silang sundalong pupunta sa giyera ng walang baril.
2. Para silang doctor na magpeperform ng surgery ng walang gamit kaya yong kanilang daliri na lang ang gagamitin.
3. Para silang karpintero na magtatayo ng bahay na walang dalang kagamitan kaya kamay na lang ang gagamitin sa pagpukpok.


At marami pang iba.


Observed: Siguro dapat yong babaeng prosecutor magsuot ng tailored suit instead na gown at may perlas pa. Hindi naman social event yon.




Pinaysaamerika

Monday, January 16, 2012

Color Me PINK

Dear insansapinas,

It is Martin Luther King Day today.Government offices are closed; the rest are open including the doctors offices. My brod is on a holiday too so he brought me to the hospital where I requested for a CD of my mammogram and ultrasound before I saw my breast surgeon in the afternoon.


The release of the records did not even take half an hour so we got a lot of time to spend before the 2 pm schedule.

So shopping muna. Then we ate in a seafood buffet. Sarap noong siomai. Sayang wala akong camera di sana naipakita ko rin ang kinakain ko. Ehu ehuehu.

Before 1 pm, we proceeded to the doctors office. Sarado. Lagot. Hinalukay ko yong appointment notes ko. Nagkamali ba ako? Nagsalubong ang kilay ng brother ko. Kasi nga naman holiday. Baka sa isa pang Monday yong appointment ko. Binigay ko ang phone number. Nasa labas pala ang medical receptionist. Kumakain siguro. Yong breast surgeon mga 1:15 pa ang dating.

Memya, kausap ko na ang  surgeon. confirmed. Breast cancer nga. Huhuhuhuh.


Hindi lang daw nila makita sa ordinary breast examination. Kahit sa mammogram. Nagtatago. Kagaya doon ng tumor ko noon sa liver. 

Kaya kailangan daw i- MRI raw nila na may dye, para lumabas kung aalisin. Isa pa, kailangang makita nila kung nagspread sa lymph nodes sa armpit ko para malaman nila ang extent ng surgery na gagawin. Nakahanda na lahat ang mga orders para sa operation. 

Hindi lang surgery ang gagawin. Magkakaroon pa ng breast cancer treatment. 


Noong binibigay ni Big Boss sa itaas yong mga pagsubok ko noon e.g. 50 50 ang tsikiting gubat ko; appendicitis naman doon sa aking isang TG noong 11 years old, isa-isa. Tipo bang nakakalakad pa ako. Di sabay-sabay. Ngayon ito sinusubukan talaga ang aking pagkaSuper Woman. Gusto kong umiyak kaya lang walang camera. Wala ring director. Ahahahay.


Pinaysaamerika

Sunday, January 15, 2012

The Legal Eagles Fly for Supreme Court Justice Corona

 Dear insansapinas,
You can call this impeachment trial, the battle between the former deans and their students. Three  of the lawyers in the defense panel were former deans of Ateneo College of Law., Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila and Pamatasan ng Lungsod ng Pasay. Three panel members had have experience in the impreachment trials having participated in the Estrada and Davide Trials.


Here are the profiles of the defense panel of Supreme Court Justice Renato Corona.

1. Serafin Cuevas




1. Former Associate Justice during Marcos regime
2. Professorial Lecturer/ Judge
3. Elementary- Las Pinas
4. High School- University of Manila
5. UP- Law 1952
6. Defended Joseph Estrada in his impeachment trial
Books: 
  1. Observations on Trial Techniques, in Law Practice for the Young Lawyer, 1970. QC: UP Law Center, 1970. p.223-272.
  2. The Role of the Department of Justice in Sustainable Development, in Southeast Asian Justices Symposium: the Law on Sustainable Development. Judges and Legal Experts Debate Key Environmental Issues. Manila, March 4-7, 1999. p. 163.

2. Atty.  Jacinto D. Jimenez

1. Practicing Lawyer, College Professor, Reviewer 
2. Bar Topnotcher with grade of  86.8
3. Bachelor of Arts (Cum Laude), Ateneo de Manila - 1964
4. Bachelor of Laws (Cum Laude), Ateneo de Manila - 1968
5.Junior Partner of a law firm
6. Knows every Supreme Court decision like the back of his hand.”
MONOGRAPHS AND BOOKS WRITTEN:
Monograph on Commercial Law in the Philippines in Commercial Law in East Asia published by Sweet & Maxwell
Monograph on Intellectual Property Law in the Philippines in Intellectual Property Law in Asia published by Sweet & Maxwell


Philippine Law on Insurance in International Insurance Law and Regulations published by Oceana Publishing, Inc.


Philippine Law on Intellectual Property in International Encyclopedia of Laws published by Kluwer Law International


Political Law Compendium given the Centenary Book Award by the Supreme Court

3. Eduardo delos Angeles 

1. Former Dean of Ateneo Law School
2. Former President of Philippine Stock Exchange
3. Managing Partner at Romulo Mabanta, the third largest law firm in the country.
4. Bar Reviewer and College Professor
5. Ateneo - AB Degree
6. Ateneo - Law
7. Columbia Law School - Master of Laws

4. Ramon Esguerra
1. Former Department of Justice Undersecretary
2. Managing Partner of Esguerra & Blanco Law Offices
3. He helped when Davide faced impeachment complaint
4. He is teaching Remedial Laws at the UP College of Law
5. UP - Law 1979





5. German Lichauco II


1. He is from topnotch Siguion-Reyna Montecillo & Ongsiako Law Offices
2. Lichauco is described as “an intracorporate dispute litigator whose expertise includes hostile corporate takeover and control.” He also “handles a wide array of cases that include heinous crimes, medical malpractice, construction and commercial arbitration, personal injuries and business tort or contractual controversies.”
6.  Dean Jose Roy III
 
1. He was former dean of the College of Law and president of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila. 
2. ATENEO - Law