What’s the buzz?
On October 2007, Chuva Chienes posted this video of Aga Muchlach, discussing the frustrating governance in the Philippines. Nakita ko uli sya sa Facebook. It’s been going around. It’s interesting though dahil napaka-relevant nung discussion ni Aga during that time – applied to the current, ridiculous, bwisit! leche! argh! eeeeeeeee! ~!@#$%^&* situation. Whew! ~paypay~ Which really tells us one thing – nothing has changed. NADA Senyora! Pun~!@#$%_ta!
Watch and listen to the video:

I love Aga. Do you?
Viewed 5980 times by 1188 viewers

“Keep Social Climbing Alive!”
That’s our tagline that endeared us to all of of you and gained us a lot of our followers worldwide. Except this reader from Houston who had no clue what our social climbing meant:
“What about you, the self-proclaimed “social climber”? You do realize, surely, what a contemptible connotation the term “social climber” has, no matter what kind of “spin” you want to put on it, Reynz.“

Our Social Climbing does not end here. Nah-ah! Hahaha! Just look at our records what social climbing did to Barrio Siete. 5 …

Don’t get me wrong, 105th man sya, uuwi at uuwi pa rin ako sa Manila. That’s the only place I call home. Well, oo. Pati Philadelphia. Pero, sumaksak na naman sa utak ko ang lecheng SONA. If you review and memorize the SONA, para tayong isla bonita, economically progressive barrio, happy buong la familia.
Everytime naman kasi na magta-talak ang mga manager’s nang ating gobyerness, that we have achieved way beyond on this, unemployment is down – tigok na kasi mga nag-hahanap nang trabaho; inflation is under control, GDP is up …

Jail mayors violating waste laws—DENR chief! EEEEEKKK! Not me! Labas ako dyan. Kapitana lang ako!
Pero, oo nga naman. Throw them in jail! For contributing to the flooding brought by Ondoy’s rains or tubig sa dam, or whatever. Now, I’m not sure if that’s going to happen. O baka naman this is just another blame game. If I know, isa pa ata ang DENR sa wanton eklavu nang paglaho nang mga kahoy and lumber in the mountains?! Unabeted mining? Open pit pa? Catanduanes? Rapu-rapu? Sablayan?! Sabay sabay na lang kaya silang …

While typhoon Ondoy was devastating Manila and the floodwaters was raging, killing hundreds of people, devastating properties, it has never occurred into my mind… the waters from the dam.

Never.
Until I read something… it said…
Moreover, Pantabangan Mayor Romeo Borja Sr. said that the National Irrigation Administration was justified in ordering the release of water from the dam reservoir since there is a coming typhoon. “It is better for them to release water now when there is still no rains than when the typhoon and rains are already there,” he said. Source: …

The Bayanihan for Ondoy Victims Fund Drive started with one email telling everybody in Barrio Siete that a strong typhoon is slapping our country silly. Most of our writers tuned into different websites and video channels. Our hearts were torn apart, our tears flowed as our fellow Filipinos feared for their safety and lives.

More to come… but for now, let me finish my compliance and reporting to all of you…
Ladies & Gentlemen, your boring Accountant is back with my 3rd and Final Report. I’d like to thank mon ami Joey …

By: iRonnie
Filipino Efren Peñaflorida of the Dynamic Teen Company earns a coveted spot in this year’s CNN Top Ten Heroes list. They will be honored at the Kodak theater on November 26th (Thanksgiving Night) when the winner will be announced.
The winner will be chosen by the public via online voting starting Oct. 1, 2009 at 11PM ET (8PM PT, 11AM Friday, Manila time). At this same time, a special edition of “AC360,” profiling this year’s honorees and their causes — “Change the World, You Vote, CNN Heroes” — airs on …

Shed no tears my friend…
The Philippines will be 1st world in 20 years!
Barrio Siete will become a metropolis.
And that’s what I remember from SONA 2009…

“As a country in the path of typhoons and in the Pacific Rim of Fire, we must be as prepared as the latest technology permits to anticipate natural calamities when that is possible; to extend immediate and effective relief when it is not….The mapping of flood- and landslide-prone areas is almost complete. Early warning, forecasting and monitoring systems have been improved, with weather tracking facilities …

Ladies and gentlemen: Here’s La Kapitana making my 2nd Remittance Report to all of you:
1.) We found out from the Philippine National Red Cross Manila website that indeed, they are now accepting Paypal donations. With the approval from the Barrio Council, Barrio Siete’s Project Bayanihan Fund Drive for Ondoy Victims comes to a close. We are still encouraging you to make a donation, however, please course them through the Philippine National Red Cross in Manila.
2.) The remaining funds amounting to $1,000 will be remitted in the next few days.
3.) …

By: Champurado
Sa titulo pa lang parang dadami ang mangangaway sa akin gaya nung ke Jacque Bermejo, napaisip tuloy ako kung itutuloy ko ba o hindi, since kulang kulang naman yung isip ko eh tinuloy ko na rin. Pero ano ba talaga ang dapat ipagpasalamat ke Ondoy? Mga nasalantang kabahayan? Mga namatay na mahal sa buhay? Mga nawalan ng tirahan? Mga nasirang kabuhayan? Lahat yan negative, ni hindi papasok sa isip mong bigyan ng pasasalamat ni katiting, sobrang pahirap at sakit sa kalooban lang ang maisasagot ng bawat taong nakaranas ng …

Ondoy brings out indifference and ingenuity. Just look at this one that I have just read from Ellen Tordesillas… Pichay and other officials could be charged for extravagance during a time of calamity
The Local Water Utilities Administration, a government-controlled corporation, held a “lavish” feast for its 36th anniversary Wednesday night, a virtual slap on the face of half a million Filipinos victimized by storm “Ondoy” who are scrounging for relief goods. Arroyo arrived at 9 p.m. Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano said that while most celebrations have been cancelled to …

I have just made another update on this listing to include the latest donation from Canada that propelled this Project’s donation to another mileston – over Php150k collection.~Reynz 5:34pm EST

Ladies and gentlemen: we have just hit another milestone, with donations collected over one-hundred thousand pesos. When we started this, we thought we would be happy with Php50,000. Little did we know… that this will go far beyond that. We are humbled by your generosity and your trusting…
Here is the current status of our 1st $1,000 (about Php47,560) remittance to the …

Is this real?! Ondoy victims for politicking and photo opportunities?! It seemed to me that the Philippine National Red Cross has some protocol explaining to do if indeed this is what happened. And this is serious. And I am not liking what I am reading.
Now, considering that Barrio Siete’s Bayanihan Fund Drive has now reached a milestone with donations now standing at Php104,763 and growing; and that we have already sent our 1st remittance to the Philippine National Red Cross in Manila (although we are still waiting for confirmation both …

Here is a listing of impassable roads due to Ondoy typhoon and the resulting flooding it brought. I saw this on Raissa Robles Facebook. I would like to share this to you all given the searches and questions about which part of Manila and/or the places in Luzon affected by Ondoy flooding that are impassable.
(PLEASE CLICK TO ENLARGE)

Source: Flickr
If you know of any other areas in the Metropolitan Manila area or nearby provinces, please post them under the comment section for everyone to know!
Viewed 7161 times by 1480 …

This just in from the CNN: Magnitude 7.9 earthquake strikes Indonesia.
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 struck Indonesia on Wednesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The quake was recorded about 33 miles from Padang, the capital city of West Sumatra, which is home to more than 800,000 people. Several buildings were damaged, Metro TV reported. People were seen running out of their homes and toward the hills.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a tsunami watch for Indonesia, India, Thailand and …

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Cars and people were swept out to sea by the fast-churning water as survivors fled to high ground, where they remained huddled hours later. Signs of devastation were everywhere, with a giant boat getting washed ashore and coming to rest on the edge of a highway and floodwaters swallowing up cars and homes.

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?cl=15836105
Follow the complete story here: MSNBC
Viewed 6983 times by 1480 viewers

Reyna Elena Dot Com is getting a number of reader reaction looking for the whereabouts or any news of either their loved ones, friends and/or family members. As I search online papers, I found this news item from GMA News TV and I believe this will provide some guidance and hopefully answers to some of the questions posted on Reyna Elena that I have no clue whatsoever to respond. I thank GMA News TV for posting this. And so, I am reposting the instructions here to assist some of our …

I apologize for my rant. It’s sad but… the evils of corruption is taking its toll on some of my fellow Filipinos and friends who do not buy the idea of giving because it will just end up to nothing. I do not blame them but I don’t buy it. For how could one be insensitive when you have this…

And this?

Or this?

Barrio Siete Dot Com prefers to take the high road. As La Kapitana and together with Barrio Siete Writers and supporters, we will not lose hope. We will not …

UPDATE: 4:22pm EST 10/3/09
Project: Barrio Bayanihan For Ondoy Victims IS NOW CLOSED. Given that the Philippine National Red Cross in Manila is now accepting Paypal payments, we have decided to wrap-up our project. We are no longer accepting donations. Please course your donations to the Philippine National Red Cross in Manila. Thank you all for your unbelievable support to Barrio Siete and to our fellow Filipinos and kababayans. Full details coming up soon! ~La Kapitana, Reyna Elena.

My fellow bloggers, readers and lurkers; it breaks our heart seeing all these images …

I spent the whole day today trying to monitor what’s going on in Manila. I could not talk to anyone how’s Ortigas Avenue along Rosario to Sta. Lucia to Cainta Junction. Alam nyo naman, andun ang barong-barong ko and I was of course nervous if the place was also inundated. Instead, I saw this one on GMA News TV which I am re-posting baka naman meron pang iba dyan who is in the same situation with me. Eto yong mga lugar na binaha sa Metropolitan Manila.
View Ondoy situation map for …

I woke up this morning reading news and blogs until I saw pictures of what’s going on in Manila. I was shocked! I lived and worked in New Orleans for about 6 months and although I did not experienced Katrina, these pictures reminds me of what happened to the city.
You can track the storm here: Weather Channel

Let me just post the pictures I saw on Manuel L. Quezon’s site. Pictures tell more. Apologies to MLQ3, but these pictures were posted without his permission! Haha!

(above: vicinity of Rustan’s, Katipunan Ave. …

Photo Credits: ClickTheCity
Camarines Sur, truly becoming the most vibrant place in Bicol Region. International pa. And I tell you, this place is gorgeous. Waiting to be discovered sa hindi pa nakakapunta sa pinaka-sushal na lugar sa Bikol. But apart from the beautiful things going on merong other things happening.
Sa second reading nang Senate kahapon, na-apprub ang bill na payagan na mag-karon nang bagong distrito ang probinsya nang Camarines Sur. Under this bill, and First District eh lalagariin – yong isa with a population of 250,000 at yong pangalawa, …

Photo Credits: GMA News
True enough, this 2010 Philippine Presidential Elections is very exciting, interesting and full of drama. Enjoy ba kayo?
Sharon Cuneta has already said na together with Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, prehas sila will be actively campaigning for the Noynoy-Mar ticket.
“We have discussed about it and she will be helping in the campaign,” Pangilinan said when he attended Roxas’ announcement in San Juan City where Roxas formally accepted Aquino’s offer to be his running mate. Source: Inquirer
Meanwhile, yung political group naman na Kilos Na! that was created in July …