Yesterday, together with some orgmates in UP MCO, we tried to shoot an org audio-visual presentation for the freshmen. At first, things weren’t turning out as planned. Almost all members of the publicity committee were absent. Ayeen (our publicity director) got upset, and I didn’t know what to do. It got frustrating at some times. Anyway, in the end, I tried to direct things as the film person among the group and I personally think things didn’t turn out that bad. Everything was just spontaneous and impromptu, but it was all right.

I took some photo stills too, which turned out nice. I now have photos to use for an org brochure.

After the pseudo-shoot, Adie, Thedd, Christer, Ely and I went with Ayeen to their apartment and had a DVD marathon.

I had some of my orgmates in UP MCO over at our subdivision. We had a rummage sale the entire day. It’s our first rummage sale for the year. We didn’t rake it in, but at least we have enough money to start off our activities. It’s also the first time I had some orgmates from MCO over at our place.

This was last night at Jack’s Loft in Eastwood. It was Tope’s 19th birthday.

I was walking in Balara with Athena, Mich and Stan, carrying my camera on my shoulder, when we came across a group of kids who were smiling at me. That felt weird at first. I was wondering if there was something with our appearance that looked funny until I realized that the kids were smiling because they were expecting me to take their picture. I didn’t want their smiles to go to waste so I took their photo anyway.

Athena, Mich, Stan and I went to Balara to go to Mang Jimmy’s, one of the more known eating places around the university, to talk to Mang Jimmy himself for a food sponsorship proposal for our event for Mass Comm freshmen.

I’ve eaten at Mang Jimmy’s numerous times already, but I’ve never really seen the Mang Jimmy. Yesterday, we actually did. (That’s him with Stan in the picture). He even offered us drinks while we were talking with him. He also agreed to give us free food during our event. But that’s not all. After speaking with Mang Jimmy, we found it imperative to eat lunch at the place out of gratitude. So we ordered our viands and our unlimited rice, and stuffed ourselves with good food. After eating, we asked for our bill but the attendant refused to give us one. She told us that our lunch was free! We were surprised, and really ashamed at the same time. We intentionally ate there to patronize the place (and pay our food!) out of gratitude to our successful deal with Mang Jimmy. We ended up having a free hearty lunch.

To go to Mang Jimmy’s, take the road in between Vinzons and Narra Residence Hall out of the university. Go straight into the Balara water district and then turn left at the small rotonda. Go straight ahead that road and you’ll see Mang Jimmy’s Take-Out Grill at the right. There’s my free plugging!

Wasn’t able to take pictures today. I spent the entire day manning the student council booth collecting 20 pesos from everyone for the student fund. My other councilmates were either on registration assistant duties or had to be out scouting and scavenging for slots to complete their required number of units this semester, so I was often left by myself at the booth (unable to have the chance to take any photo for today). Fortunately for me, I got all my required subjects this semester with the computer registration system so I don’t have to go through all the hell of manual enlistment shit, unlike a few semesters ago–which is why I can afford to just stay at our booth. My heart goes out to all my fellow UP students who still have to go through manual enlistment and all the queues, building and college hopping and screaming and crying (?) that comes with it.

First day of enrollment is always reserved for the semester’s graduating students. So there weren’t much students crowding around the lobby of Mass Comm today. Tomorrow is going to be a different story. The student council has a booth there for the entire enrollment period to collect the student fund fees and also interact with our collegemates since these days are one of the only chances we have of meeting them all face by face.

I also accompanied Marella in trying to process permits for one of our student council activities in AS. We went to the university’s Business Concessions Office. Our first time to set foot in that part of the university! Had a good time pestering Marella too by my consistently taking snapshots without her consent. Hahampasin na nga niya ‘ko ng bag niya. Haha.

Spent the entire day with my councilmates. What a coincidence, everyone’s wearing green. Nah, it was planned.

By the way, CMC peeps, register na kayo sa online tambayan!

Nawala lang ako.

[Photo taken more than a year ago with my old (and now dysfunctional) digicam at the shoot of Ate Dianne & Ate Ranina’s Piring]

This is something that will sound weird when looked at the Philippine perspective. In Bangladesh, thousands of private school teachers have gone to the streets and have gone on hunger strikes demanding the government to nationalize the education system because they are not earning as much as public school teachers.

Meanwhile, despite President Arroyo’s attempts at twisting logic, severe classroom shortage in Philippine public school pervades, among other problems in the public education system. Budget Secretary R. Andaya on the other hand says there is nothing to worry about since billions of pesos have been earmarked for the building of thousands of additional classrooms and hiring of new teachers.

On an unrelated note, do you know that the government spends almost a one and a half thousand pesos per day for a student at the PMA (Philippine Military Academy) while it spends less than fifty pesos per day for a student at PUP (Polytechnic University of the Philippines)?