Bikolandia in Manila October 27, 2009
Posted by thepurplehaze in 100% Pinoy.Tags: bicol, fair trade, fashion, local, pinoy
2 comments
Fabulous hand-made abaca bag from Bicol at the Trade Fair
When I saw the newpaper ad showing details on the OK Bikol Trade Fair at SM Megatrade Hall over the weekend, I jumped on the opportunity and went. It was my first fair trade experience (being an ignorant fool, I thought that buying from Cash and Carry was considered helping LOCAL industry). It did, in some ways, but it isn’t as sustainable and responsible as buying from local trade fairs.
Okay, so what the heck is this talk about fair trade? I’ll make it as simple as possible: fair trade is a social movement that involves, well, trade. You ‘trade’ not just ordinary, household or grocery products that are mass produced by big manufacturers (owned mostly by conglomerates, who may have a lot to do with our environment and political problems… booo). Fair trade involves marketing and buying various products that are locally, organically and responsibly made by local farmers, fisherfolk and rural townsfolk.
Intricate beading and other accessories were abundant - and affordable.
Example: Hazel buys organic moringa biscuits (aka malunggay crackers – they’re yummy I swear, no veggie taste at all) produced by a group of local women from Naga, marketed by a group called Organik Bicol Advocateurs Network. The sale sustains jobs (go back to Economics 11 if you can’t make the logical nexus), jobs to income, income to better quality of lives. Better lives mean happy and smart folk, and happy and smart folk makes a great nation! Bonus is Maria Makiling and Gaia won’t be crying their hearts out in pain as products are organically grown and environment-friendly, and don’t compromise quality.
Isn’t it more fun to buy something guilt-free?
Missing Manila April 19, 2009
Posted by thepurplehaze in 100% Pinoy, Avventura, Thought Bubbles.add a comment
Metro Manila at night, as seen from my hotel room in Antipolo
This entry is all about the THINGS (emphasis supplied since this does not include my family and closest friends) I miss about Manila:
…
You read that right. I miss NOTHING. I’d probably be called a sado-masochist if I really missed the following:
1. The heavy commute to any point in the city that’s only less than 10 kms away.
2. The pollution.
3. Expensive food
4. Stress, stress, stress
5. Pretentious pomp of many people I’m acquainted with
I’d rethink placing number 4 there though, since I thrive on stress, like many Manilenyos 
I don’t think “unstressful” environments makes winners and success stories, di ba!
But really, if Manila gets rid of all the above-mentioned dirt, it would be a very nice place to live in.
Hay nako, mabuti pa ang Cebu 
The evil cotton bud January 27, 2009
Posted by thepurplehaze in 100% Pinoy, Bloopers and Screwups, Thought Bubbles.2 comments
Of all the AYAD-AusAid initiatives I’ve read about so far, the one that really made an instant difference in me would be one volunteer’s campaign on the Evil Cotton Bud. Seconds after reading that humble comic book, it made a permanent mental register – a phenomenon actually, since that skeptic part of my brain does not really see truth in facts that easily.
I will never use a damn cotton bud to clean the insides of my ears again! If only I could make readers puke by posting scanned images of that comic book… hehehe.
And don’t think that those little “spoons” are better. The Earwax Bible says we are all better off seeing a doctor to have the nasty ones taken out of our ears. Oh boy.
*credits to www.sghhealth4u.com.sg for the image
My Corpo book ate my MRT card January 20, 2009
Posted by thepurplehaze in 100% Pinoy, Avventura, Bloopers and Screwups, Thought Bubbles.add a comment
Interesting MRT Cards in Singapore, no?
Whoever said that the best manifestation of wisdom is knowledge hungry for knowledge itself wasn’t kidding.
Today was supposed to be like any other Tuesday – coding car, music popped in my ear, commuters being usually annoying – except my MRT card is down on its final 4 Pesos and is, gasp, missing. I was oblivious to this until the guard rummaged through my bag for inspection.
Shit. Where did I put that damn card? I didn’t want to be a pain, so I went to a corner of the taft station to try to unearth that last card (and avoid the unending queue for tickets). 1 minute. 5 minutes. 10 minutes passed. Where is that stupid card?? I looked into literally every hole in my pretty bag (thank you Freeway) and found nothing but my normal clutter. Oh wait a minute. There was one place I didn’t look. No way, I thought. But I decided to go check anyway. True enough, after hammering through all 706 pages of Atty. Ruben Ladia’s Corporation Code textbook, a lone card dropped.
Uh huh. My corpo book got hungry. Great!
Cheers! April 27, 2008
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I really need a new digital camera. Anyway, kudos to my little sister, Jeanine (aka Ninai), for finishing her summer musical theater workshop with Tanghalang Pilipino (CCP’s resident theater group)! Serious stage acting has been one of my frustrations, and I’m glad Ninai has been at it for years. She was so happy with the workshop that she wants to do more next summer! Susmaryosep (kawawa ang pitaka ni Ate). Hahaha!
Johanna, on the other hand, is doing great with her summer college admission test review program. She also egged me to enroll her next summer at CCP’s Arts and Animation workshop. Man, if you could only see her sketches, you’d be absolutely blown away! Talk about Helmuth talent!
Thank you Lord, for making all of these possible. I pray my sisters would use their talents to help lots of people in the near future.
No shoes, please April 9, 2008
Posted by thepurplehaze in 100% Pinoy, Avventura, Bloopers and Screwups, Ramblings on Work.1 comment so far
I have to admit that I almost raised my hands up to rejoice when I found out that my new boss likes working without shoes on. I remember when I was with AL, I felt like I was persecuted (what a word) when I walked around the office in my favorite New York Knicks NBA socks! The buzzing giggles were louder everytime I put on my patent black pumps with those socks on – one office colleague called my get-up, “so London!” But I’m not in London, so…
So far so good with my new work I’m still getting the hang of commuting from where I live in Makati to where I work, but MRT’s been really a big help in cutting down my travel time. I just get a little paranoid whenever I get in the train cars, since images of the Rizal Day bombing are still vivid in my head. I sure don’t want to die all shattered and burnt with shrapnel.
The office plans to bring the staff along to Baguio next week; that should be fun, right? Well, honestly, going there again without Uwy and Elmer feels like desecrating my memories of Baguio. It’d be sadder this time. Awww…
Why it pays to be good in reading and language April 2, 2008
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The best news just leaked in a while ago!
My favorite law professor called me up and invited me to work with him on his new law textbook Not only that, he also gave me some inside scoop on new administrative policies that I am 100% sure students will be all giddy about. If only I could divulge it here… I would have, you know, if it weren’t for that blasted article in Inquirer today about blogging, hehehe.
Back to the book, I am very excited to jump in on this one since it will be the perfect avenue for me to review on Civil Law. I’d be researching cases, validating doctrines, editing and writing on my favorite Bar subject! The pay would just be a bonus (yey, I can pay for my sisters’ acting workshop at CCP!) :) All this I’d be doing during the summer and probably up to the first semester at the comforts of my office and home. Talk about landing a dream job (DJ)! Not only have I got one DJ, I snagged 2! Thank you Lord!
thepurplehaze incognito March 27, 2008
Posted by thepurplehaze in 100% Pinoy, Avventura, Bloopers and Screwups, Thought Bubbles.add a comment
Argh. I can’t tweak this page’s layout/theme! If this goes on, I’d be forced to shut down this account out of sheer frustration!
Stephen Covey says, “Be Proactive”, so I will be. I’ll take a crash online course on CSS, and turn this page into something like this:
Yes, ala Multiply page!
In other news, Mario and I enjoyed posing as lawyers today at the Senate Building for the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Seminar. The event was a collaboration of the IBP Pasay Chapter and Fairchild; our ticket to such is credited to Atty. Apollo XCS Sanggalang, IBP Pasay Chapter President and a professor at the Philippine Law School. The topics, which ranged from CivPro to Legal Ethics, were discussed by esteemed and highly accorded justices and law practitioners. The audience in itself was composed of lawyers, both new and seasoned ones.
I was fascinated by the passion that the speakers have shown for the profession, like retired Ombudsman Hon. Jesus Guerrero. He and all the veteran companyeros and companyeras deserve all due respect. I am truly privileged to have shared the same room and lunch table with them.
Now this is what you can call “sharpening the saw.” I am pretty amazed at how resourceful a person can get whenever left with seemingly LIMITED options. Ika nga nila, ang taong nagigipit, lalong nagpupursige.
(Countdown to my new job: 4 days)
Forward, march! March 26, 2008
Posted by thepurplehaze in 100% Pinoy, Avventura, Thought Bubbles.1 comment so far
Congratulations to all the Graduates of 2008! Kudos to my little brother, Ken, for hurdling 4 fun and confusing years in high school. I’m sure that college at PLM would be as manageable and instructive, if not life-changing.
Over lunch a while ago, Dad complained about how long the valedictory addresses were and how he slept through almost the entire graduation ceremony. I couldn’t blame him; mine was equally boring. In fact, the single most exciting thing about my college graduation (aside from the admin. calling out my name) was when Vida ran about the stage carrying a manila paper demanding justice and equal rights, if my memory serves me right. I also loved how my activist friend and her orgmates let down the big, red “Serve the People” banner from the DL Umali Hall in front of the field. How I love and miss UP. Vida and I are now both law students, and I’m sure our other batchmates have gone pretty far too.
I have vague memories of my high school graduation from St. Theresa’s College. But it would be a grave injustice to my good high school teachers if I’d say that it wasn’t as important as college. I’ve learned quite a lot there too, the most striking of which for me was that no matter how far we go, we should always put God and our neighbor before us. Little did I know that this would be the same mantra our college professors would pound in our heads, only in different packaging (mostly in RED).
To Ken and all your batch mates, again, put God and the Filipino before anything else. Let all the political and economic turmoil the world and the country is currently experiencing serve as lessons; never treat these as normal, everyday occurrences. Be not like the thieves of the government in sheep’s clothing. Uplift what’s good in all your ways.
In true UP style: Serve the people.
More than Ordinary March 24, 2008
Posted by thepurplehaze in 100% Pinoy.add a comment
Iohann’s probably laughing his head off because of my ignorance, hehehe. He made this vid and composed the song back in ‘07 and it’s going to be posted here only now 
Anyway, check it out:
The music and lyrics are waaay cool. Thanks for sharing this, hannybunnywifey
