MOVIE:Praybeyt Benjamin - Too Lazy To Fight!

by Louie Ross Perez

WARNING: If you're a Vice Ganda fan and can't accept criticisms, please don't read this.

This is the kind of film wherein the producers, director and the actors have just one purpose in mind, earn money, never mind the quality! I don't know how much time they spent in writing the script, but my friends can write better. Production value is so poor and really, the film is a mess. If not for Vice Ganda, the film is unwatchable.

tutzonthego.blogspot.com

Benjamin Santos VIII (Vice Ganda) carries a burden with his men. The Benjamins of the Santos clan traditionally grow up to be soldiers, fighting in whatever great conflict is occupying the country. This tradition ended with his father (Jimmy Santos), who followed his dreams to become a scientist. Benjamin has no plans of becoming a soldier, either, but circumstances soon point him in that direction. A terrorist group takes the entire country hostage, forcing the army to enact a draft. Benjamin enlists in order to take his father’s place. He leads a small band of misfits through basic training, using his unique outlook to get ahead.

There's so much going on, there's too many unnecessary characters, I can't feel that the protagonist and his team members are in danger, and the fight scenes, the ideas were just over the top lazy! The film’s humor is similarly all over the place. The best gags are grounded in the relationships of the characters.  There's this scene wherein his family visited him for the first time at camp and they just see each other in the mirror, that was funny, not original but still funny. The film is pretty ugly, too, with messy shot continuity and plenty of out of focus shots.

Vice Ganda, is undoubtedly the key to the success of this film. Need I say more about his abilities to make people laugh. Even with a clunky material, his delivery can pretty much save the day. I've got nothing much to say to the other casts, they're just too many that no one has been given significant moments to shine, with the exception of Jimmy Santos. He still got the chops of comedy that can be very adorable.

Vice Ganda said in his interviews that he and his director were amazed on how good the movie is. When I watched it, I felt that I was fooled and betrayed. I don't know what he meant by saying his movie is good, but it certainly not a good movie, it's bad! Vice Ganda is a good comedian and should be given a better material next time.

Praybeyt Benjamin still has its moments. But it's far from "Septic Tank" and "Zombadings" when it comes to quality. I heard that this movie is now earning almost 200million and I'm sure a lot of people will still watch it. But in my opinion, the movie should not have been made in the first place. The movie is just too bad for my taste. No Part 2 please!


Rating: 1.5 stars

MOVIE REVIEW: Zombadings 1: Patayin sa Shokot si REMINGTON - It's more than just ZOMBIES!

I expected to laugh my heart out and have fun and I did and I really did, but I was surprised that this film has more into it than its very striking title. The film was brave. Tackled a sensitive topic with much sensitivity and depth.

As a young boy, Remington (Mart Escudero) would regularly make fun of gay people, yelling at them on the street, derisively calling them bakla. One day he happens to do this to a gay man (Roderick Paulate) in the cemetery and decides to place a curse on the boy. Years later, much to his horror, the curse starts taking effect. Every night, he has strange dreams of being assaulted by a demon, and he wakes up to find that he’s slowly changing into that which he hates the most. His speech and manner all change, and he’s becoming attracted to his best friend. To make things worse, there appears to be a serial killer in their town targeting gay people.

Actually the film didn't need the zombies to be great and funny. But the thought put into it is very clever. Showing us what other people think about homosexuals that it's unnatural and something to be feared. You would hear a lot of gay lingos once Remington begins his transformation. People are laughing really loud that sometimes I couldn't hear the dialogues but putting subtitles into it is genious.

Aside from the film being really funny, it tackles homosexuality with much sensitivity and depth. The scene where Remington is already willing to be gay and he finds nothing wrong about it while Hannah (Lauren Young) told him that gay people do not give up is something remarkable. Also the scene of John Regala with Remington when he already agreed to be gay for his son.

When they told me that the name of the lead star is Mart Escudero, I said "who?". I don't know him really. But after millions of Filipinos watched this movie, he will not be forgotten. He is really good. He is so convincing as Remington. You would know that he studied the character really well and executed it with so much confidence. His scene in the toilet was really funny, especially his stairway scene with his bestfriend Jigs.  In that scene I heard people screaming with kilig, diri and laughter. It was so funny I must say, He should win best actor, really.=) Watch his audition video here:

                                                              (video from you tube)

Supporting cast was pretty solid. Should I say more about Eugene Domingo and Roderick Paulate. Their roles were short but sweet. Lauren Young is simply not a good actress and I must say her role is also the downside of the movie.  Her character came from Manila but didn't even had a hint that Remington is gay even with the tight shirt and the gay lingo. Don't know Kerbie Zamora until now, but Mart and him have great chemistry. Janice de Belen and her assistant were good too.

Zombadings is a subversive film. I've never seen a Filipino film like this before. I honestly didn't like the scenes with the zombies because I don't think they're needed, but it will not demerit the film to be great. It's brave and well made. It's smart and takes on a revolutionary approach in what Filipinos think of gay people. Some people may not understand, but this film and "Ang Babae sa Septic Tank" took the indie films into another level. A must watch for movie lovers.

Rating: 4.5 stars



LIFE:Angry and bitter posts? Worth the consequences?

by Louie Ross B. Perez


Disclaimer: I'm writing this post not to point out anyone or a specific group of people. This is just a commentary on what's happening to social media in absence of rules and norms.

It has been my habit to check my Facebook everytime I wake up, I eat, I went to a break or taking a ride going home, or even before I sleep. And I wonder why people post things pertaining to a person or a specific group of people with anger and bitterness by their side. They will bash the person's private life, the people around them, their credibility, the educational attainment sometimes even the upbringing. Whatever things they would like to say just to express their disappointment. Sometimes the words are pretty strong to

ignore. 

sodahead.com

So as me being me, I began to think about it. I put myself in a person's situation wherein I am either heartbroken, cheated, backstabbed and all, a sudden rush of emotions will confront me and since social media is so accessible I will find it convenient to express my feelings through my account. I want to share my frustration to people.

But the question is, should the whole world know what we feel? Will all of them care? Can it fight our frustration when we do it? I don't think so. Especially when we're not even sure of what we feel. It will just worsen the situation.

I will be brutally frank about this. When we post not so good and let's say bad comments about other people in Facebook,  I would say it is a sign of us being COWARDS.  Hiding in the protection of the quote "Kung ngreact ka, eh di guilty ka!" ( If you react to my post, then you're guilty of what I'm saying!).  People wanna share their misery to others, as they say, misery loves company. But are we sure that they all care, are we sure that they share the same sentiments with us? Nah, I don't think so. Hundreds of comments on our posts do not assure us of their empathy. True friends who found our quote of anger and bitterness will not like our status, or worst comment on it. They will be the ones to text or call us to ask what we really feel and offer their valuable advise to you. And one of them will be "don't post those things, just talk to me or better yet talk to the person." Here are five facts that I see that will prove that it is not worth it.



5) It will not solve anything. You will just become a part of the problem.

4) It will bounce back, instead of destroying your target's reputation, it will be yours that will be put in trouble.

3) You will have friends. Fake friends.

2) You will destroy relationships.

1) You'll get used it, you'll do it everytime, until no friends will be left for you.

Facebook is a great invention of our generation. It opened a lot of possibilities and opportunities to many people. But it is sad that others abuse it to destroy relationships and the credibility of other people. Guys in the surfing world, let's be responsible of our actions. If we wanna say something, if we want to confirm something, if we want to give feedback or if we are sincere of our relationships...don't post, talk! God gave us eyes to see, the ears to listen, and the mouth to express our feelings. Course it through them, not through our fingers!

EVENTS:Manny Pacquiao on Billboard Top 100???

by Louie Ross B. Perez

Move over Adele, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Jay-Z, Bruno Mars, Pound for Pound King, Congressman, now a certified chart topper, my idol, Manny Pacquiao is no. 7 in the Billboard Charts in the Secondary Adult Contemporary Chart! His song? Sometimes When We Touch by Dan Hill!

Who would have thought that this donut vendor from Mindanao will the best boxer  in the world, a politician, now a Billboard Artist! Should I say more? Listen to his latest single. The last note is just classic! We're proud of you PACMAN!

video from you tube

EVENTS: Christopher Lao, a stupid law student? Or a bullying victim?

rnet by Louie Ross Perez


brownseo.com

Before August 3, Christopher is living a quiet life. Balancing the demands of reviewing for the bar exams and his responsibilities as a husband and a father. But that Wednesday afternoon everything has changed. He was just a motorist who was challenged by the forces of man and nature and unfortunately the actions taken and dialogues uttered didn't actually showcase his better side. Hurrying up to go home for his family, he tried to cross a flooded area and got hopelessly caught in the floodwater. And to add this misfortune, a reporter from GMA 7 is exactly at the same place at the same time to record all that had happened.

“I should have been informed. They should have blocked the road. Did you guys even tell me? Did anyone tell me? It’s like people were waiting for somebody to just do that? Bakit ako? These are the words that came out of his mouth at that particular moment. His rant seems to be unreasonable, incomprehensible and I admit, hilarious. Why would a man like him blame everyone else, the MMDA, traffic enforcers, the people around him, why ask for a notice when everything seems to be obvious?

But if you really come to think of it, his outrage is nothing but ordinary for normal people like us. We rage about our heartbreak, when our supervisors sucks up, when our car broke at the middle of the highway, we say things that we don't mean. We shout, we curse, we punch anything within our reach, we blame people but the difference is that there's no microphone in our mouths and there's no camera that will broadcast our outbursts to the whole nation in our most vulnerable state!

video from youtube

This could have been a situation that people can show empathy, the reporter could have given him time to compose himself, but the reporter seems to be more concerned in "doing his job" as part of media, than being a concerned human being. He wants to give good television to everyone! And guess what, he succeeded!

Minutes after the broadcast, tweets, blogs, internet posts were all around the internet. Calling him stupid, a guy with no common sense, ridiculing his words and some lunatics even created pages to ridicule Christopher Lao and what's funny is there are a lot of people who liked and still liking the pages. Whaat?????? I hope you readers are not one of them! Because this is now a case of cyberbullying. We are still struggling with the social media phenomenon and because of the absence of norms, it has given way to excesses and abusive use of the platform. This resulted to using the social media to propagate a culture of hate, blame and judging. WE should be careful with our posts, it can damage not only other people, but especially ourselves. It can affect how people perceive us as a person.

Lao already issued a statement, apologizing for his lapse of judgement. But what's good about it is, he has vowed to turn the whole event into a learning experience. I hope from there, we should ask ourselves, was I able to help? Or I became part of the problem? Hopefully everyone including Christopher, GMA7, the cyber bullies, you and I will become better persons after this.

LIFE: The date you never met! What you should and should not do!

by Louie Ross Perez

yourlovetips.com

There are a lot of single men and women these days that their friends will set them up for a date. Some are skeptic but believe me, there are a lot of happy couples who came from this kind of set up. The friend will send the link to the profile in FB, then you will add him/her, exchange numbers, chat here text there and eventually you will go on a date. So what should you do and should not do on your first date with a person you never met before. Look at my list.

Disclaimer: I'm not a dating expert.=) . But I've come up with this list based on my experiences and of course based on the experiences of my friends. This is also based from books and theories.hehe



life123.com

  

1) SPEAK UP!  No one wants a date who's so quiet and uptight. Yes, your emails, texts, and chats are interesting but please speak up in person. Prepare some questions that can open up a conversation. Ok I'll give you some:

 "Gusto ko yung name mo ah. Ano yung origin nya? Were you named after anyone in particular?
- this can be a bola to your date that you like his/her name. Then I'm sure there's an answer.

"I saw your pictures on Facebook ah, they're good. Nagpunta ka pala sa.....(his/her last trip), how was it?"
- this will show that you're interested in your date that you bothered to check his/her profile. Then you could ask follow questions after.

I will give more of these on my next blog.

2) SHUT UP!  Oh yes, you asked some questions, but after your date spoke for 10 seconds, you would interrupt and say, "Ako rin and alam mo ba..." and have some litany for about 10 to 20 minutes. No one wants a date who's so into themselves. You share a lot of stories about yourself, let them share too. The world is not all about you.

3) You're not BRAD PITT or ANGELINA!  I know some of you are confident by the way you look, but please don't rehearse your walk. Don't practice poses in the mirror. Don't be so overconfident. Like when you're walking towards the table is like you walking in the runway.  Of course no one wants a baduy date but you also don't have to be hunk or a supermodel. It's a cliche, but it's your personality that will get you to the second date.

4) "Hindi lahat NADADAAN sa PERSONALITY! Mag shave ka naman ng facial hair...especially if you're a girl. Make your date feel that you prepared for the occassion. Yes, your smile can look good, but please make sure that you brushed your teeth before. Cut your nails too. And yes, you have the best make up in the world but you're wearing your gym clothes, or your boggy pants. And yes have a new haircut and styled it ala Diether or Echo but you forgot na gupitin ang hair mo sa nose! Please, looking good is a sign of respect to your date.

newyok.timeout.com

I'm sure there's still a lot and I'm so sleepy that I can't list them all down. This last one is not actually what you should or should not do on your first date. This is actually a rule before your friends set you up for a date. But please make sure you don't commit this mistake.

5) "AY SYA BA YUN??? You know what this means? Your profile picture does not look like you!!!!!! With multiple exclamation marks! Please post a realistic picture of yours. Napaanggulo ka lang pinost mo na! Don't pose a once in a lifetime look. Also make sure that your picture is current. Don't post a picture of you in college when you're 20 pounds lighter. Some may not like your physical appearance but I know there's someone out there who will love you just the way you are.  

So there, I hope this helps some of you! Goodluck on your date! Hope you can score a second one!

MOVIE REVIEW:Ang Babae sa Septic Tank - Funny but....

from juice.ph

This movie is about 2 friends, Rainier, the director (Kean) and Bingbong, the producer (JM) who want to make it big in the filmmaking industry and they believe that their latest project entitled "Walang Wala" will bring them to different festivals abroad. And they need a star for their movie, that's when Eugene Domingo comes in as herself. Jocelyn (Cai Cortez) is the silent production assistant who imagines the scenes of the movie according to the concept of each character.

The story revolves on how the different characters want the movie to play out on screen. There are sequences that they play in different approaches but with the exact same plot. They go from silent to musical, then to docu drama, then to mainstream cinema.

Ang Babae...has the full potential for a great film. The plot and the message of the movie "Walang, Wala" affects the audience in such a way that all will be silent when the old caucasian man will be getting the kid. But the comedic scenes overshadowed all those effects in the people. I asked myself, what are they trying to achieve in this film, for people to understand poverty and how it affects people? Or they just want to make people laugh and have a good time while watching? In short, the film lacks a point. They don't know what they're trying to convey. But kudos to their director, he was able to hold the whole thing together for people not to get lost in the story at the same time manage to insert funny scenes that are really entertaining.

I was surprised to see that Kean Cipriano can act. He was good and consistent althroughout the film.  JM de Guzman was also really reliable.They played the roles realistically. They are both good and they have chemistry on screen. Dingdong Dantes and Richard Guttierez (the actors who only use their eyebrows to act) will not win any award over these two. My favorite scene of Rainier and Bingbong is in the car when their shouting and shitting their arrogant colleague. I also like the scene in the coffee shop with the boastful director speaking about him entering the international scene as a filmmaker.

Need I say more about Eugene Domingo. She is really an actress, her timing when delivering the funny lines  is undeniably great. Her commitment to the role is unwavering. The septic tank scene was really funny and she only used her face especially her eyes and the people are just laughing loudly over it. But the best sequence for me in the film is when they visited Eugene in her house to talk about the movie. I can't hear the dialogues anymore because the audiences were just laughing out like there's no tomorrow especially when the acting menu is being played out! That was legit!

(full trailer from you tube)

No one can dispute that this movie is really funny and entertaining but some movie fans will ask, what's the point behind the jokes? Is there a solid story to start with? Those are the questions that I can't answer after watching the film. Solid acting and coherent direction saved the whole film entirely.

Still, even if it has flaws, I still recommend all of you to watch this movie. The movie house was full packed during the screening and I was genuinely happy that an indie film like this was supported by Filipinos. Kudos to all the cast and crew of the movie!

Rating: 3 stars



LIFE:The EXES you should not invite at your wedding!

by Louie Ross Perez

Yesterday I wrote about the exes that you can invite to your wedding because of different reasons. As promised, today I will write about the exes that should not be invited to your big day. It’s really important to take note of this, we don’t want them to ruin our wedding day! Here’s my list:

4) The “OBSESSED EX’! This is the kind of ex who hasn't moved on for years after the separation. He/She is stalking you for the last 3 years, appearing at your dates, texting you as an anonymous person, sending you sweet messages and bad mouthing your current partner. We don’t want them to be at your wedding wearing black instead of white, sobbing loudly while you are walking down the aisle and he/she is eagerly waiting for the moment when the priest will ask “sino ang tumututol sa kasalang to???” 

stylecaster.com

 3) The ex that you dumped after he/she did everything for you! Others call them the “BITTER OCAMPOS!” This is the ex that will most likely take revenge. He/She will appear at your wedding with one aim in mind! Make a scene! Show all the people that he/she is better without you. This ex will most probably wear the best gown or the best suit that will definitely outshine your partner.  He/She will bring the richest and the handsomest or the most beautiful partner to introduce to all your common friends! They will complain about the food, make unsolicited comments on the gown, the cake and all. They will be so annoying!

2) I will go on circles now and will say, don’t invite your ex who dumped you! This will bring back a lot of bitter memories. The lines you uttered during the break up will suddenly linger in your mind and your break up song will play into your ears. We don’t want that to happen! Please eliminate them in your list before the “you made me stronger by breaking my heart” song plays in the air!

(You've made me stronger by Regine Velasquez via you tube)

And finally, the one ex you should not invite to your wedding….please don’t.

This is the person you put all your heart into, was the apple of your eye, the love of your life….otherwise known as “THE ONE WHO GOT AWAY”. Your friends who know your story will look at him/her with awkwardness in their faces. You will have the most uncomfortable beso beso in your life. You can’t help but look at him/her before you say I do. And the worst thing that can happen is before you say “I do”, he/she will leave the church because he/she cannot stand the situation. This is really difficult so please, don’t send the invitation. Unless you want to ride a horse and pull off a Julia's thing,  be the "runaway bride or groom".

entimepilgrim.org

Well, there you go. That’s my list for now. But before I leave, some of the readers asked me one question. What if I’m the ex and I’m invited at the wedding of my ex, would I decide to go? My answer is it depends on the ex. I’ll definitely attend my exes’ wedding if we don’t have much of an emotional attachment and we became really good friends after.  But, if she was the one who dumped me, I’ll be the ex who will wear the best suit, arrive in a limo and bring Megan Fox as my girlfriend.  =)

But if she’s “the one that got away”, I would think more than twice. I’m the type of guy who will love someone with all my heart and it will be so hard for me to see the one that I loved for a long time getting married with someone else. So, I won't.



ellehciren.blogspot.com



Before I end this post, I conducted a small survey earlier in the office, to those who have read  my blog and this is their answer to the question “If you were the ex and you’re invited, will you attend?” I also included my comments to their answers. Peace to all!

This guy is really formal, private and self confessed suplado:

I’m friends with all my exes so I don’t think I will have problems attending their wedding. (He has 2 and I believe that exes who became regular friends didn’t have that big emotional attachment when they were together, hehe)

A hopeless romantic girl who’s been single for 3 years:

I won’t attend any of my exes wedding! Especially to those who dumped me! If they will invite me, I would say I’m already booked on that day or I already have a ticket for an international trip. (Well, let her be, hehe)

My officemate who is engaged to a rich man and a former beauty queen answered:

“ Yes of course. If I have already moved on and have the best guy with me, I will attend with the best gown, best body and best make up on that day. But in my wedding, I will definitely not invite the biggest frog in my life. I won’t give the exact name but the first letter of his first name is C.” (pinagpalit sya with someone na sobrang kaiba sa knya but has a lot of similarities with his ex..hmm….)

Till my next blog folks! See you!

LIFE: Should you invite your ex to your wedding???

by Louie Ross Perez 



from funnyweddingmedia.com

 I don't know what's with 2011 but there are a lot of couples who got engaged and will be married if not this year, next year. Preparations for the event are happening as early as now and one of them is enlisting the people that they will invite in their big day. And one of the questions is "should I invite him/her?" "He or she has been a part of my life and I think I should give an invitation". Oh well, before making any decision, please see some of my answers to this question "Should I invite my ex?"  

Who are the exes you should invite?

3) If he or she is the ex who has already moved on from your relationship but still can't seem to find his/her own partner. Wedding is a buffet, let your exes enjoy the food! Maybe they can find their favorite and get an invitation months after. Well it can be a wedding, but it can also be just a baptism!

from sodahead.com

 

2) Invite your ex whom you met in the dark. What I mean is, they are your exes whom you met in the darkest time in your life or worse you were intoxicated at that time that you didn't seem to care how he or she looks like. It can boost the confidence of your partner that they look better than your ex and make them glow in your wedding. But please make sure that your current partner look way better, because if not they might treat each other as competition!

And finally and this is really important and beneficial.

 

from splicedwire.com



1) The ex that you went out with for a short period of time but have different talents that you can use in your wedding. If he/she is into public speaking, invite him/her as a host. If they're into music, make them your wedding singer or the piano player.  Into arts, they can design your invitation or your outfit. Into baking, order your cake from them.  And you can hit the jackpot if he/she is a wedding organizer! If it's possible, make them part of the entourage to give you bigger discounts or better yet charge you for FREE!

Tomorrow I will write who are the exes you SHOULDN'T invite. Wait for that before you send the invitations, it's dangerous! Who knows, it can make or break your wedding.=)

Do you agree or disagree?





FOOD: Louie's Recipe for Pork Binagoongan

by Louie Ross Perez

I used to cook this for my family when I was in high school, then to my teammates, then in went international when I prepared this for my Filipino co-project members in San Ramon, California. Well it became popular with my friends since I'm always cooking this for them. So now, I'll be sharing with you my recipe. I'm gonna use some tagalog words here para mas maexplain ko yung ibang terms.=) Alright, here are the ingredients:

1 kg of pork (chopped in adobo cut)

2 gloves of garlic (minced)

1 big onion (minced)

5 red tomatoes (sliced)
Bagoong

Chili

Pepper

Sugar

1) Pakuluan natin ang pork with water, garlic, pepper and a little bit of sugar to insert some flavor to the pork. Let's do this from 30 to 45 mins or until the meat is tender

2) Once the meat is tender, prituhin natin yung baboy until maging golden brown sya. Then ihaon natin from the kawali.Set aside muna natin.

Golden Brown Baboy

3) On a separate pan, saute the minced garlic and onions, once they're cooked, put in the sliced tomatoes. Hinaan natin yung apoy then cover the pan.  

tomatoes, garlic and onions

4) After a few minutes, check natin yung kamatis kung malambot na and if its natural juice has been extracted. Pisain natin yung kamatis para lumabas pa yung juice nya,then cover the pan again.

5)Once nakita na natin na nagkukulay red na sya because of the tomato juice, its time to add the bagoong.

6) Now it's time for you na magtimpla if what kind of bagoong would like to have. You want it sweet, add some sugar. You want it sour, add tomatoes or vinegar, or if you want it hot and sweet, add a little bit of sugar and chili.

7) Cook the bagoong for at least 5 to 15mins, haluin natin from time to time para di sya magstick sa kawali

8) After the bagoong is cooked, ilagay na natin yung baboy then haluin

9) Let's add yung siling pangsigang to add some color 




Louie's Binagoongan

 

 I like my binagoongan hot so I'm slicing siling panigang and mix it with the bagoong. Once you're done, plate it then serve it to your loved ones.

Simple right? So start cooking then let me know of the results. Well I just cooked one while watching the game of Azkals, and I hope I can still bring some in the office tomorrow because my brother and father are already into it and by experience 1 kilo is not enough for us! Chow! Till my next recipe.

LIFE: Five things to be thankful for even without a lovelife!

I sometimes find it amusing to listen to stories of young professionals that they are getting depressed by the fact that they don't have a lovelife right now. Sometimes I can't help but be irritated by people who joined singlehood for just 1 to 3 years and some of them even just for a few months and fret to their friends about it like it's the end of world.

I think that this kind of mentality of yuppies hinder a lot of us to be happy and have a positive disposition in life. Neglecting the things that we should be thankful for.

Well, I have written 5 things that we should be happy about even without a lovelife.

Disclaimer: This is my own opinion, you can have yours, this is my blog so create your own if you want to add or delete something=), or better yet post your comments:

5. You have a job - you can still buy your favorite starbucks drink, buy your cigarette, ride a taxi, buy Tshirts, that other people can't afford.

4. You're still healthy that you can still sit in your computer and read this - other people cannot even speak or see, but they're happy, so please don't complain when you don't have a date on valentine's day.

3. Earn extra savings - smaller phone bills, no need to buy gifts every monthsary, no expensive dinners, it will save you thousands. Save it for the rainy days, or for your next one!

2. You've experienced to be an ex and have an ex -  at least we have tasted one of the greatest meals that world has prepared for us, and there are other peole who haven't, the NBSBs and NGSBs, well in their case, I'm willing to listen to them all day.

And the number one is!

1. You're still alive! Please, it's not the end of the world, it's not like the world will eliminate the people who are single. We, take note, we, including me, still have hope.
There are a lot of things that we can do while we're still alive.

My only advice is while we are single, let's do things that can improve ourselves, enroll in a class, learn how to play a musical instrument, take workshops like photography, travel around the Philippines or if you can afford even abroad.  Let's do things that we can't do if we have a boyfriend/girlfriend, because I tell you, once you're taken, that's when you'll start missing the things that you  can do when you're single. So make the most out of it.

Travel: Close Encounter with the Butanding!

by Louie Ross B. Perez

I haven't heard of Donsol, Sorsogon until I researched the net for the things that I should do when I go to Bicol. While preparing my itinerary I encountered a blog mentioning the experience of swimming with the Butandings.I was so excited to know that it's really possible for a simple traveller like me to experience such things that I thought I cannot afford.



With my Girls, also with me in the boat

  The best time to go to Donsol is from February to May and you should do it early in the morning so that you will have a big chance to have sightings of the gentle giants. So when I woke up at 6am, I immediately went to the Butanding Visitors' Center for Donsol Tourism to pay  P100 as registration fee for locals. You also have to rent some snorkeling equipments, mask, snorkels and fins included for only P300.  A boat costs P3500 per boat and a maximum of 6 persons can be on board. I was alone that time so I was looking for some groups that needs additional tourists. It was a blessing that one foreign looking woman was shouting that they need one more for their group so i joined them.We didn't waste any time so we started the tour immediately.

Guidance Counselor from the US, and a British Army Officer.

 Each boat has a well trained Butanding Interaction Officer who will actually swim with you and be your guide while chasing the Butanding. Also on board is a spotter who will look for the creatures for you. He will be the one to give you a signal to dive into the water and swim. If you're not a swimmer, please make sure to wear a life jacket, because it is deep down there, like you cannot see the bottom. The first time he said jumped, I jumped immediately excited to see the creature.  But I was not successful. But the second time I jumped, the creature was swimming just below my feet. And it was an experience that until now gives me chills and pride at the same time. Butandings are effingly huge. The one that I saw was like 25 to 30 feet.  I was scared to death  but it was amazing. It's a shame that I didn't bring underwater camera to document. But I encountered the picture below and it was the same exact scene that I was into by that time.

(Picture from Yahoo)

This experience has been my source of pride for a long time. Not everyone has experienced this, so if you have not, please do so. For a small amount of money, you can have this experience and at the same time help Philippine Tourism.

Transportation - About P300
Snorkeling Equipments (Rental) - P300
Tour - P585
Room (Overnight) - P900
Food - P300
Total: P1,785 (not bad right?)

Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 - That's the way to end it!

by Louie Ross Perez

We all know that this monster franchise will come to an end. Everyone is very anxious how the movie will depict the ending of one of the most beloved books of all time. As a movie fan, HP7 lived up to the expectations.
The movie started to where the part 1 has ended (which I always like by the way, LOTR remembered), Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and his friends continue their search for Voldemort’s horcruxes. Their quest brings them back to Hogwarts, now in control of Severus Snape (Alan Rickman). Harry’s presence inspires the faculty to defy the Snape and his master, and they quickly gain back control of the school. But Voldemort’s forces are massed around the castle, and while Harry unravels the mystery of a long lost item, the students and faculty of Hogwarts must fend off a siege of powerful dark magicians. As his allies fall, Potter is soon faced with his immutable destiny: he must battle Voldemort and settle things once and for all.

I was amazed that this movie did not just concentrate on giving some scenes that will put you in awe because of the images, the effects and the sounds that most of the blockbuster films do. But the movie is quite well in depicting quite moments in the film that proved to be more powerful. I also like the way they portray the chemistry between the characters, even in the smallest of moments, I really like the kiss of Hermione and Ron after they destroyed one of the horcruxes.

Credits should be given to the director. He did not disapppoint especially those who read the books. But even if you did not read the book you can still follow the story because the decisions of the characters and the story itself is not that complex for the non readers not to understand.

It is understood that the main characters especially Harry, Ron and Hermione have already been in character for ten years and they played their part really well. Worth mentioning is Ralph Fiennes who played Voldermort because he was really effective, there are times that even I was scared of him. Also, Alan Rickman (Snape) gave a very sensitive performance that you would believe the feelings that he had from the experiences he has gone through.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is a really great film. Just by the appreciation of the non readers (like me) of the film is pretty astounding. Very remarkable and this is a franchise that will not be forgotten and will still be seen by the future generations.

Rating: 5 stars

Travel:Halung Iloilo!

by Louie Ross Perez

I arrived in Iloilo late in the afternoon and checked in at my pension house. I stayed at Le Chateaue de Iloilo, it's a pension house in Molo. My room is only for P490 overnyt. Not bad, but dont expect a classy room and the best service. "Sakto" lang for the price. But I'll tell you the place is really accessible to all sorts of neccessities, food, supplies, church, etc.
Since I don't have time to tour Iloilo that afternoon, I rested for a while and start preparing for dinner and go to Smallville.

Smallville is a place where there are bars, clubs, restos around. It's like the Eastwood, Greenbelt and Malate of Iloilo. The crowd is mixed, from HS students to yuppies to some middle aged ones. If you want to chill go to the coffee shops. If you like to listen to music and drink ala Bagaberde or Dencios, go to Pirates or MO2, if you like to dance some House or R and B music, you should go to MO2 ice.

I went home really late from Smallville so I really have to make an effort to wake up early. My breakfast is the bibingka being sold at the sidewalk, I asked the vendor, what its made of and she said it's made of coconut and some flour, every tourist should try this, it's different from the ones being sold here in Manila.

My mission for the day is to visit all the popular churches in Iloilo. My first stop is the the UNESCO certified Miag-ao church. It was a 1.5 hour ride, just get into a jeep with Miag-ao signboard and you wont get lost. During the ride, you would be tempted to stop at some churches, but please don't because you would get to visit them on your way home.


Miag-Ao Church



As I arrived in Miag-ao, I was in awe to see the beautiful fascade of the church with banana and papaya leaves, which is very Filipino.  It's original name is St. Thomas of Villanova Parisch which was built last 1786, it served as a fortress of Filipinos during the war in that era. While taking some pictures,  I stumbled by some photography students so they took my photos, talk about great timing!

Next stop is the Guimbal Church. Built in 1774, this is a must visit too. But I realized that the church is not well maintained like Miag-ao. The local government should really make an effort to preserve it. I had some realizations visiting the church, but I'm gonna save that till my next blog.=)

At this point, I feel really tired and hungry, I was really exhausted because of my Smallville experience the night before that's why I passed on visitng the other churches.Mission failed!  But for those who will be travelling, the following are the churches you should not miss aside from the ones I mentioned:

San Joaquin Church
Campo Santo
Tigbauan Church



White House of Ramon Lopez

 I went home to the pension house and just took a 1 hour sleep before doing my walking tour.Yes, walking tour. Just ride a jeepney going to Jaro. Tell the driver to drop you off to Nelly's garden along E. Lopez Ave., it's your starting point. As you walk straight, you will see at your right the famous White House of Ramon Lopez. Continue walking and you would see the Old Antillan House, and some other ancient houses, which someone told me, were homes of some of the richest in Iloilo back in the days. Your end point is the Cathedral Church and the Old Belfry, bibingkas are also sold here, so you could stop by and grab a bite.



Old Antillan House



Then it's time for dinner, I was in a jeep going to Tatoy's, the place is really famous in Iloilo because of good food. It was a grueling, 1 hour or so ride. I was really hungry that time but when I arrived, I learned that the prices are too high for a solo traveller like me, 260 for a boneless bangus? Hmm...so I bailed out and ride a jeepney again going back to the pension house, where I ate at Andoks nearby.

It was a really tiring but fulfilling day for me. I went to a lot of places and of course met a lot of people along the way. I lost track of my expenses but I can give you an estimate.

For transportation (all jeepney, no taxi) - about P100
Food (canteen, bibingka, Andoks) - about P250
Smallville (1st night and 2nd night) - about P600
P950? For all the tours and the night outs? Not bad right?

Tip: Talk to the locals to learn more about the place, know the prices, the locations, the jeeps going back and forth and of course know their stories. Till next time. Halung!

Travel: My Guimaras Itinerary

This is my second time that I went backpacking alone. I enjoyed by Bicol experience last May of 2010 that when PAL advertised their sale, I immediately researched my next destination and booked my Guimaras-Iloilo-Bacolod Trip.

My first stop is Guimaras. I rode a plane from Manila to Iloilo, when I landed, I immediately asked a guy in the airport where the terminal of vans going to SM iloilo are located. Don't ride a taxi cause it may cost you a good P500, just ride the van and you will just pay P50. Once the van stopped at SM, find a cab going to Ortiz Wharf . There you will find pumpboats going to Jordin Wharf, Guimaras, the ride will cost you P14, just dont forget to sign the manifesto, oh well...just in case. In a matter of 15 minutes you will find yourself stepping to the beautiful island of Guimaras.

Guimaras is not just a place wherein you can find the sweetest mangoes in the world, but it also boasts unexplored, not commercialized but wonderful white beaches. From the Jordin Wharf, you should ride a jeepney going to Nueva Valencia (1 hour ride, P38), get off at Guisi(Gi-si) crossing and there you can talk to the habal habal drivers to take you the resort. I chose the Guisi Clearwater resort and I have no idea what's in store for me there.

The habal habal drive is 15mins and you will now feel the cool breeze in the island. We stopped at the top of the hill and the driver told me that I have to go down by foot to get to the resort. From above I already saw the view of the beach, and I'm telling you it's amazing. The lady, whose name is Sally, accompanied me to my room and I was surprised but thrilled to know that my room is made of sawali, no aircon, no TV, and I'm the only guest in the resort. I was skeptic at first but I told myself that this is what I'm looking for and I got it. The CR is also shared, and the shower is outside, so people can see you taking a bath.=).

A different view of the beach

No ready food is available, no 711, so you have to ask for the lady to cook for you. And I advise everyone to bring something to eat in case you get hungry. In my case, I brought some cookies and hopia.

Now you have to get ready to wear your boardshorts and bikini for you to explore the beach. I went beach bumming for almost two hours. Swimming, wandering around the island, talking to the fishermen and shooting the violet skies come sunset time.

I woke up in morning, and I went island hopping. I was in awe looking at the rock formations, the little uneplored islands, the caves and the water was crystal clear. I saw some pictures of El Nido from the honeymoon of one of my previous officemates and I can say that they are at par.  When I saw the corals from my view, I asked the boatmen if I can jump and swim, he said don't because even if you could see the corals, he estimated that the water is 20 to 30 feet deep, so I bailed out.=)

Once you have experienced the islands, the caves, the sunset, the sea, don't forget the most important part of the journey, talk to the people around and discover their own stories. You will be surprised that there may be big differences with the way of living... the feelings, the experiences are surprisingly the same.After talking to a lot of them, I have learned one important lesson, that my own problems, frustrations are nothing compared to them but if you will look at their faces it seems like they are just striding along through all the trials. I'm still lucky. Just to quote one of the fishermen "Ang buhay parang goma lang yan, pag mahirap, iunat unat lang, tingnan mo kakayanin mo din".=)



Both some mangoes for pasalubong



Now you are ready to go back to Iloilo and explore the city. Just track back how you got to the island and you will find your way going to Jordin Wharf. Just don't forget to buy some mangoes along the way.... Below is the summary of my expenses in Guimaras:

Van going to SM city  50
Taxi to Ortiz Wharf  120 (with tip)
Ortiz Wharf to Jordin Wharf 14
Jeep    38
Habal Habal   25
Accommodation  800
Island Hopping  400
Food   200
Total   1,647