#laagnitantong

Being Gay Did you ever catch yourself thinking that a man you see is gay? What traits of a person or cues of his appearance or movements can really cause such an opinion? Mostly people thought of gayness in two ways. First one is person’s girly appearance and manners. If anyone sees such person in public, almost 100 per cent people would call him gay. Second is based on the fact that the person engaged in same sex activities, may it be first hand story or just rumors. The term gay was originally used, until well into the mid-20th century, primarily to refer to feelings of being "carefree", "happy", or "bright and showy". The term later began to be used in reference to homosexuality . In modern English , gay has come to be used as an adjective , and occasionally as a noun , that refers to the people , practices , and culture associated with homosexuality. Gays appear in different faces. Some who manifest girlishness don’t necessarily have physical at...

I t was one year ago when I received a text message from Al (He is a kababata, kababayan, classmate in elementary and high school). I was glad to hear from him, though it was a wrong sent message, since I haven’t heard anything from him since Christmas. I replied thanking him for remembering me despite the fact that the message was not really for me. However, I was surprised by his next message. He struck me of his bluntness saying that I am no worth texting ‘cause I am a person so full of alibis. I felt like I burnt that instant. It angered me and so I replied that “I don’t owe you any explanation” for anything that I misrepresent, he may call it alibi but I don’t care. I believed it was because of the supposed trip to Cavite several days after 2008 Christmas, that we agreed to visit my cousin, our classmate in high school. That trip was cancelled as I tried to explain it to him because the supposed host was out of town. My cousin went home to the province for some emergency. He was...

I always find pleasure in traveling, may it be local or international. Since I worked in the government and non-government projects, I have lots of opportunities to roam around the Philippine archipelago. The door to rove around opened to me when I joined the project implemented by the Department of Finance, the Community-Based Resource Management Project (CBRMP). It started just few days after I left my hometown in San Francisco (Anao-aon), Surigao del Norte where I worked as a LGU Accountant. It was reinforced by a project under the Department of Agrarian Reform called Agrarian Reform Communities Project (ARCP). It never stopped there. When I got the position in a Department of Agriculture project named Infrastructure for Rural Productivity Enhancement Sector Project (InfRES), I also got the chance to tour the more. The record of the places I have been to since 2003 are as follows: With CBRMP Region 5: Daet, Paracale & Basud, Camarines Norte; Legazpi City, and Sorsogon City...

I t was not really a good year to start with fever, lesions all over my body. I caught a varicella virus (chickenpox) and it made me suffer for 3 long weeks of January 2009 the fluctuating body temperature and skull-breaking headaches plus not to mention the damage brought about by the lesions around my body. Its make-up, feeling of itchiness – the aftereffect of pricked lesions, were so disfiguring and disturbing. I had been confined within the walls of my apartment, which I seldom experience. It is ridiculous but true that only upon reaching my 33 years of age when the attack of the virus hit me. I missed the New Year’s Eve celebration. I missed going to malls, hanging out with friends, reporting to office, and most especially, I missed celebrating my birthday. Despite the visible red scars, I still managed to sneak to malls, watch movies, and dine at food court. Until the shameful experience on the plane, that I was booted off from my seat in the plane on my way to Butuan City. I...

A nnual closing for Pinoys equates the long happy holidays, from Christmas eve celebrated in our so-called Noche Buena to Medya Noche of the New Year's Day. And year 2009 is no difference. Dreams and wishes during this holiday season are used interchangeably. I used to think that dreams are for adults and wishes for children. But what befall me this ending year is a fusion of dreams and wishes coming to reality. What makes it more outstanding is that I have been dreaming about them a very long time ago and wishing to realize them year to year. And they were granted to me abundantly, to wit: a. long term consultancy contract with a US-based firm starting on February 2010. b. Papa Tantong's decision to retire from work at age 65 by 2010, though the construction company he's been working with still intends to grant him intermittent jobs. c. my Mama Dulcing's sister, Auntie Neva and her family to migrate to USA this year 2010, finally joining her husband in California. ...