It’s our class outing tomorrow till Sunday at Pangasinan. I’m excited! Although I’m quite apprehensive because of the approaching super typhoon, Lupit (local name: Yoyoy). Oh God, for everybody’s sake, please change the course of that typhoon. If ever it’s going to make landfall in Luzon, it’s going to be the strongest typhoon I’ve ever experienced in my life (well, I’ve only lived 15 years you know). Forecasts predict gustiness of winds from 250 kph to 350 kph! That is so scary!! I really wish it doesn’t hit the Philippines. According to latest weather updates, the typhoon has entered the Philippines’ area of responsibility.

(EDIT): The typhoon’s moving so slow. The government should have no excuse for not preparing for this. The typhoon showed up as early as Monday.

Actor Fernando Poe, Jr. finally announced his candidacy at noon today. It ended months of anxious speculations on his plans. FPJ said in his press conference, “Sa buhay ng isang tao dumarating ang araw na kailangang mong mag-desisyon at ito ang araw na ‘yon. Ako ay lalahok sa eleksyon para sa pagkapangulo.”

Poe’s supporters say he is a clean candidate, untainted by the corruption and scandals that are common fare in the Philippines’ turbulent democracy.

But investors have also expressed concern about his close ties to the camp of Joseph Estrada, another movie actor whose presidency collapsed under corruption allegations in January 2001.

The May polls will now likely turn into a race between Poe, Arroyo, former education secretary Raul Roco and former police chief Panfilo Lacson.

– ABS-CBNNews.com

Oh, on another note, here is Senator Barbers, also announcing his availability as Arroyo’s vice-presidential running-mate (wahaha, as if she’ll choose him). I was so right. Now I have to wait for the rest of Arroyo’s cabinet members to make declarations.

Here we go! Circus 2004, as many call the elections next year.

I will run this ahead of our school magazine since I can’t wait, and what I’ve said is becoming obsolete by the days. I’ve written my linya column still a month ago. The second issue of Hilites Magazine will be released to the high school two weeks from now. (Refer: my first column)

LINYA
Tayong mga lider
ni Victor Villanueva

Rinding-rindi na ang mga tenga ng maraming Atenista sa karirinig ng 5-C’s at men for others na �yan. Tayo daw kasi ang mga magiging mga pinuno ng ating lipunan pagdating ng panahon. Ang kapal! Pero ano magagawa natin, eh totoo. Mahirap isipin na kuta ng pagsasanay ang ating munting high school ng mga pinuno. Pero totoo. Walang biro.

Hindi ko na rin gagamitin sina Jose Rizal at Evelio Javier bilang patunay. Gasgas na sila. Ang mga mahusay na patunay ay ang labinlimang kongresista sa ating kasalukuyang Mababang Kapulungan na nanggaling sa Ateneo High School. Sila sina Reps. Carlos Imperial ng Albay (1952), Agapito Aquino ng Makati (1955), Exequiel Javier ng Antique (1959), Wilfrido Villarama ng Bulacan (1960), Victor Sumulong ng Antipolo (1964), James Gordon Jr. ng Zambales (1965), Florencio Abad ng Batanes (1972), Juan Ponce Enrile Jr. ng Cagayan (1976), Benigno Aquino III ng Tarlac (1977), Francisco Perez III ng Batangas (1982), Joel Almario ng Davao Oriental (1983), Gilbert Remulla ng Cavite (1988), Felix Fuentebella ng Camarines Sur (1993), Michael Duavit ng Rizal, at Mark Jimenez ng Maynila (pero hindi na siya kongresista ngayon). Dami, �no? Oo, hindi n�yo kilala ang marami sa kanila. Ilan lang sa kanila ang tumagal sa mga pambansang balita para maalala natin nang husto. Kung hindi man sila mismo ang tagapaghatid ng balita tulad ni Rep. Gilbert Remulla na ngayo�y isa sa mga madalas na nagsasalita para sa oposisyon. Isa naman sa madalas na nagsasalita para sa kowalisyon ng administrasyon si dating Department of Agrarian Reform Secretary Rep. Florencio Abad. Kasama s�ympre sa mga madalas napapabalita si Ex-Rep. Mark Jimenez, na ngayo�y nakakulong sa Estados Unidos. Kabilang rin sa mga mas kilala si Rep. Felix �Wimpy� Fuentebella. Siya ang pangunahing proponent ng napaka-kontrobersyal na impeachment case laban kay Punong Hukom Hilario Davide. Isa rin sa mga �impeachment kids� o �brats� na minsang lumabas ang larawan sa front page ng Philippine Daily Inquirer si Rep. Michael Duavit.

Liban sa mga kongresista, apat na miyembro ng gabinete ni Pangulong Gloria Arroyo ay nagtapos rin ng high school sa Ateneo. Sila sina Dick Gordon ng Department of Tourism, Leonardo Montemayor ng Department of Agriculture, Romulo Neri ng National Economic & Development Authority, at si Manuel Roxas II ng Department of Trade & Industry. Sa apat na ito, kilalang-kilala na siguro na marami sa atin si Mar Roxas ng DTI. Kung hindi ba naman oras-oras tayong pinaaalahanan sa telebisyon na consumer welfare month ang buwan ng Oktubre at pati na rin Nobyembre, paano ba natin hindi maaalala si Mr. Palengke.

Kulang na kulang ang isang pitak para ilahad ko ang lahat ng mga nasa gobyernong galing sa Ateneo High School. Liban sa mga kasalukuyang pinuno natin, marami ring mga anak ng mga lider at politiko dito sa High School. Sa isang bansa kung saan usung-uso ang sunud-sunod na pagtakbo sa halalan ng magkakapamilya, hindi malayong naririto na ang ilan sa mga kongresista, mga alkalde, o mga gobernador ng bansa natin sa hinaharap.

Hindi ako nagbibiro, nagiging lider ang Atenista. IKAW, puwedeng-puwede kang maging pulitiko kahit hindi ka kabilang sa isang political dynasty o wala kang pangalang tinutungtungan. Aba�t kahit nakatira ka sa Quezon City o sa Makati buong buhay mo, magtayo ka lang ng bahay sa kahit ano sa pitompu�t limang lalawigan ng Pilipinas at sabihin mong doon ka nananahan (kahit hindi ka doon nakatira), ay puwedeng-puwede ka nang tumakbo bilang isang lokal na opisyal. Maraming ganyan!

Napakaraming Atenista ngayon ang nasa pedestal ng kapangyarihan sa gobyerno at negosyo. Malapit na ang eleksyon ng 2004. Siguradong may dadagdag na namang mga Atenista sa ranggo ng ating mga kasalukuyang mga pinuno. Baka sa mga susunod na mga taon darating na rin ang unang taga-Ateneo High School na magiging Pangulo ng Pilipinas (kung hindi natin ibibilang si Joseph Estrada). Malay mo, baka nasa ating munting high school na siya ngayon.

Huwag sana nating kalimutan ang mga natutunan natin sa high school. �Wag na tayong dumagdag sa mga bumigo sa Ateneo at sa pangarap nito para sa mga mag-aaral na hinubog niya. Habang-buhay na lang ba tayo mag-aasam ng pagbabago?

Ang mga Atenista, nagiging mga pinuno, tunay at hindi.

I’ve accomplished all of my school projects right after lunch time. I’ve never experienced such a stress-free Sunday evening for a long time. I like it. I think I’m on my way to heal my procrastinating problem. Hopefully.

Laputa: Castle in the Sky (Tenkuu no Shiro Rapyuta) is only the second of the animated films by Hayao Miyazaki I have seen. The first one being Spirited Away (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi). Even though Castle in the Sky was released 16 years before Spirited Away, evident similarities in motifs can be seen. And I like that, when someone persists on something common for all his works. There’s the love affair between two young children, there’s the same old granny helping the little girl, the same old gramp who gives advice. But when you come to think of it, it becomes too blatantly similar for you. Unlike Spirited Away however, Castle in the Sky is a lot easier to reach as it doesn’t (or does it?) incorporate Shintoist themes for non-Shintoists to decipher.

Over all, it’s another feel-good animated film. My feel-good comes from my amusement from the relationship between those two kids. How cute. Not quite the story itself huh.

Bikoy’s rating: 7/10

Today, just as any other usual school Thursday would go, we had TD tutoring session in the afternoon at Nangka, Marikina. This is the first time I brought my digital camera along so let me just jot down the usual monotonies of TD tutoring day.

The usual jeepney ride to Nangka from the high school is filled with laughs and songs. Actually, it depends which group of people I ride with. I usually ride with my classmates who have guitars.

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We had a short interaction with Miriam High School’s school publication org (Magnificat) this afternoon. It was only for a little more than an hour at some function room at Miriam. Too short. Quite uneventful.

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Some of my classmates have a new way to pass time in the classroom. Boxing. And watching other classmates box. It’s not really the violent type. Classmates wear boxing gloves and aren’t allowed to hit above the neck and of course, below the belt.

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