Jollibee on Glee: Another Reason to Be Proud

Yup, Jollibee became a Pinoy household term throughout the years, we have watched and fancied its commercials, amused by Jollibee mascots when we were in our toddler years and seeing the familiar logo on comdey-musical Glee gives us a little pinch in our hearts.

This clip is from Glee episode 19; "Dream On," aired on May 18, 2010.

This episode, shot in Eagle Rock Plaza in Los Angeles, California, centers on Artie (played by Kevin McHale) being able to stand-up from his wheel chair and dance but at the end it reveals that he was just daydreaming thus the title "Dream On."Although there are other stores or restaurants at the background, Jollibee store is seen clearly that you can even see the "meal board" inside.


It's evident that Jollibee established its reputation in the US Market widening our channel to global recognition, something that Filipinos can be proud of. Currently, there are 26 Jollibee stores in the US.


I will not be surprised if one day I would watch Jollibee himself dancing with the characters of Glee or see him in other US TV series.

Not impossible, right?

Jobs, Jobs Everywhere But No Job To Get

According to statistics about 14 million Filipinos are jobless. The government solution; lots of job fairs and promoting jobs abroad. Sounds great? Think again. i have gone through job fairs and I have experienced discrimination-I call it "Academical Discrimination". I'm a graduate of a vocational course but companies won't hire me for a simple reason; they need graduates of 4-year courses, I have nothing against these companies because I understand that they need the best for their companies but I do believe that not all of the best people are graduates of 4-year course.


One of my friend needed my help so that he can learn MS-Word, Ms-Excel, Ms-Access and so on. I taught him things I know and we applied together for the position of data encoder. Guess what? He was hired, I wasn't, he was a graduate of 4-year Management I'm a graduate of 2-year Computer Science, which of us is suitable for the job? If you will ask me-I don't know. I was happy for my friend and at the same time I pitied myself. I've searched the Internet, thousands maybe millions of jobs, but the qualifications are too high for my college accomplishments. I have met people graduates of 4-year Com. Sci. but don't like the programming jobs, if I were them I will pursue my course. This is where job mismatch comes into the scene, college graduates that have jobs far from their course. Where's the problem? I believe the problem is in our education system.

If there's an affordable university or college school, every Filipino can contribute to our economy. I have seen talents and skills in people that haven't experienced going to college. I know high school graduates that have faster typing speed than mine. My cousin was a consistent honor student in grade school and high school but wasn't able to step on any university ground. I know that somehow government officials are trying to support students like giving scholarships but this is not enough. I believe if there's a law that will allow all the Filipinos to finish college and if the universities and college schools will decrease their "monstrous" tuition fees then Filipinos will be able to build a better life and eventually escape poverty.

I am not in favor of the government promoting jobs abroad because it only cause damages to the families left by the OFWs. And also the government should prioritize the Philippines, our country needs a lot of manpower. If all of these 14 million Filipinos or every Filipino have jobs, imagine the growth in the economy.

Prepare for the Wrath of the Filipinos

When everybody was busy gossiping about the Hayden Kho scandals, our "beloved" congressmen were planning there next move to pass Charter Change, embrace yourselves-they are victorious.

Like I've said before I'm not in favor of creating a revolution against the government but I will not be surprised if Filipino people will violently react about what happened two nights ago. This is now a really really serious matter all I can say to the congressmen that is in favor of ChaCha; "Prepare for the wrath of the Filipinos".

Yesterday they have approved the CARP extension but it was far from what the farmers, who walked thousand miles from their homes, want. I really don't know what in the minds of these congressmen, they should represent the people but they are becoming more of the enemies of the Filipinos. That's why I could not blame my countrymen if they will express themselves on the streets or the worst there could be another People Power.

The "Lazy Strings" Story

Wednesday night when my long time friend Don texted me to play guitars for the band. After 4 years we will be reunited to play for a band, we will join a battle of the bands for the theme song of Manila Ocean Park. Ramon, our guitar player in highschool, will now play the drums and Don, the vocals, will play the acoustic guitar, and I will play the electric. 9 a.m. the following day we arrived at Janmiel's house, a talented guy who will play the keyboards and composed the song. He will be the new addition or perhaps we are the addition to their long time band-Ramon and Janmiel are long time friends. And, I almost forgot, the bassist-Nash a really talented bassist, he was quite at first and he was late but I felt the skill flowing all around him just waiting to come out. Unfortunately, we were practicing for a theme song not a heavy metals kickass song. After 4 years the 3 of us were united again to play for a band, and this could be the last.

As I said, the bassist was late so we have no time to practice any longer so Janmiel decided to focus on Nash. After eating our meal we practiced altogether it was amazing, two talented people playing with us, it was the best feeling. Around 2 p.m. we rushed because Janmiel's car was color coded and we might end up begging for the license. On the way, we joked a lot about things that could happen, it was one of the best experience I've been through. Inside the car I made up the band name-Lazy Strings, I came up with the name because we formed the band less than a day, I was lazy at first to come and again the bassist was late,that's why i came up with "Lazy" and "Strings" refers to the instruments. Along the Quiapo the expected happened-a police took a sight of the car's plate number, we were caught red handed. After some moments of explanation we were on the road again barely knowing the direction, I have gone to Manila Ocean Park but I'm not familiar of the place. Fortunately, after some discussions and risky turns we found the place where we will explode our musical extremities or in layman's term, the battle of the bands venue. We entered the place and found the area where the sound was coming from. At first, we were wondering why the bands were playing loud tones knowing that the battle was supposed to be a "Manila Ocean Park theme song contest", I was smiling secretly every time I think that the bands made a mistake or maybe. We signed the application form, we were number 29 the last in the list, we thought it was ok because when it's our turn it will be a lesser pressure so we decided to just relax and catch a view of the Manila Bay.

Nash, our talented bassist, has a problem with his nerves. He had panic attacks before because of the pressure the nursing board review had brought him. He was quietly watching every band that would come up the stage while I'm secretly eliminating them one by one according to the rules, it was making me think that our band might get to the finals. We were joking about the possibility that Nash might get panic attack at that very moment but I saw his medicines and convinced myself that nothing will go wrong.

After almost 4 hours of wait, it's our band's turn to rock the house. After some sincere prayers we hit the stage with excitement and with only few watching us. We were ready to explode when we found about that some of our instruments won't work. The cables were awful, the keyboards were not working and the technical assistants were barely doing something. Janmiel decided to play without the keyboard because of the absence of the adaptor but I didn't agree. 15 minutes that supposed to be 5 minutes of sound check, Janmiel got off the stage and found an adaptor hiding behind the idle technicians, at last we will be able to play. We have played the song despite the instruments not sounding properly, we gave our best despite the technical problems. After our act we have realized our mistakes and just laugh about it, it was one of the happiest moment of my life.

We went home and after a couple of losing the direction again we were able to find the right road. We didn't know if we will pass or not but we were happy. How I wish we will jam together again, I have to buy an electric guitar as soon as possible so that I could practice and jam with them. I will try the best I can do to be good at playing the guitar like how they play there instruments, and in that time I will be more than happy to join their band.

More Than You Think You Are

Back in June 2008, I was one of the most frustrated people in the world. With only a 2-year diploma from a computer school, I started my quest for a career in the business capital of Metro Manila. After a long pursue of a career, companies only questioned my accomplishments in college. Until one morning I received a phone call for an interview, with the thought of rejection floating in my head as I started my journey to the company. When I got in the building, the interviewer Ms. Arlene Tirad entertained me and told me to be back the next day. The next day I took the exams and went home, I’m used to rejection so I ignored the thoughts in my mind until one Monday morning; a phone call changed my life.

I was accepted as a Java programmer trainee in DataBridge Asia. At last, the quest is over. At first, I was a little uneasy because my co-trainees were all graduates of 4-year courses and I’m the only one from vocational course and also the youngest. There were ten of us and I was thinking that the training might be the fruit of their long stay in school and a long strive for a career but I’m only there because of luck-I felt guilty.

Our home was about to be demolished that time and we were trying to find a way to raise money to find a new home. In the morning I would try to find ways to get money and at night I train with many thoughts in my mind that sometimes I just want to burst into tears as I walk from Ayala MRT Station to Ayala Avenue.

Ms. Tirad called me for an interview for evaluation and as she asked me questions I finally burst into tears as I try to tell my story with a shaky voice. I would not forget the way she tried to comfort me. She told me somehow that it was not luck that enabled me to train with them-I think she saw something in me. And she said, “If it was not written on your resume that you’re a graduate of a 2-year course, I would think that you are a graduate of a 4-year course because of your capacity”, those words really moved me, I could not believe that someone from a corporate world have said those words to me. It made me understand the saying “more than you think you are”.

Sometimes in April

My current situation is in the boundaries of being a mess and trying to get out from that mess, honestly from this point I really don’t know what to do and where to go. After a lot of ups and downs for the past 2 years, I have faced the miserable turning points in my life that almost shattered the very foundations of my dying hope. But sometimes in April I would walk down the memory lane and try to live each and every moment where I used to be a joyful boy without worries torturing my mind. Sometimes in April I would bring back to life the moments I had with my grandmother before her tragic lost.

It has been 4 long years since I’ve been to my hometown. I would wonder how my beloved hometown looks now. I’m sure that many things have changed for the past 4 years-some houses might have gone, some places might have been developed or destroyed and some people I know might have already gone and all I can do here is to wonder what is going on there.

We would spend our vacation there when I was a boy, we would stay in our grandmother’s house and play around the backyard, we would run around all morning, climb the trees, feed the chickens and watch the wide rice fields as God paints the sky of His masterpiece each single afternoon while the birds fly by from afar creating a wonderful sight with the wind kissing my cheeks and at that moment I felt so close to nature, so close that I didn’t want it to end.

There is a river where I learned how to swim and it is also the place where my grandmother and me used to spend time together. She would wash the laundries there and I would search for crabs or play with my friends. My grandmother would tell me entertaining stories about a lot of things, we would eat our lunch on the huge rocks on the waters and we would go home in the afternoon. But first, we would chat with the people we would pass by living near the river. It was such a pleasant memory.

But after my grandmother passed away, those moments turned into just memories that would never happen again. They would bring me nostalgia and would visit me especially at the hard times of my life. I really miss my grandmother and the precious moments we’ve shared. I also miss my province where I have felt excessive happiness. But from this point, I have to build my own life, I have to make decisions that would sculpt my future, and I have to face the awful truths of being a man. But I’m still hoping that sometimes in April I would come home to my hometown and somehow relive the memories.

Sometimes in April, rain would come in the middle of a sunny day, replacing the sunny afternoon heat with the sound of angry raindrops on the roofs. Sometimes in April, I would believe that everything’s going to be all right in the middle of painful struggles, replacing the sufferings with the flame of hope caged by cold frustrations. And sometimes in April, I would just lie down and wonder what would life bring me in many Aprils to come.

My Mother's Sacrifice

Many of my friends compliment the appearance of my hands, they would tell me that they're unique, beautiful, soft, etc. But when I was a child I would think that there something wrong with them, I thought they are "weird". My aunt told me that my hands look exactly the same as my mother-that was long before she had children.

Last night I was massaging my mother's tired hands, they are rough, thin, scratched, the skin tells a lot of story about suffering, pain and sacrifice but still you can see the beauty they once had. And as my fingers try to ease the pain of my mother's long day work, I realized that being a mother is the hardest role to play in this cruel world.

When we moved in Commonwealth living each single day is a struggle, but somehow my mother find a way to earn money so that we could eat 3 times a day. Almost every morning I would hear the sound of the running water, the "crunchy" sound of the clothes being washed over and over again. And as I watch my mother wash the laundries of our neighbors, I would see her hands being "tortured" and battered but she never mind it, what's all in her mind is the agony would provide our daily needs.

I have witnessed it for long years until this very day. Every night I could see her managing the pain the laundries have brought her. She would put ointment onto those tired hands and try to have a quiet sleep for tomorrow she would do it all over again. All I can do is to massage her hands, and as I see the big difference of our hands I made a promise that I would do the best I can to somehow give her a better life and I don't care if my hands would lose their beauty, that's the least I can do for her sacrifice, and her love.

Rico's First Crime

I was on the window staring at my plants when I saw Rico under a jackfruit tree two roofs away from their house. I was wondering what he was doing there, I thought he was just playing when I suddenly glance at an unripe jackfruit hanging and Rico was about to grab it while the owner has no idea of what is happening. I tried to shout at him but it was too late.

In squatter’s area where we live, houses are so small that many of them share the same walls. Our house has four walls (naturally) and all of those walls are the same walls of our neighbor’s houses (just try to visualize it, it’s not that complicated). Fortunately, my father had been able to put up a second floor, but again the walls of our second floor, except the north and south where we managed to build two windows and if you come out of those windows you could walk on the roofs of other houses, the remaining walls are the same walls of our neighbors' houses that’s why sometimes we could hear what’s happening in our neighbors’ place, sometimes I could here if there is trouble or if something fishy is going on or if someone is about to do something naughty and one of them is Rico.

Rico was such a pain on the butt ever since the day he learned to walk, he sent six of his friends running home sometimes with a large bruise on their arm, a bleeding lip, scratched forehead and he almost fractured one of his friends arm. And also a lot of times I saw Rico dashing home with blood on his forehead or his elbows, he was such a naughty naughty boy and sometimes his mother would joke that she will not be surprised if she will discover her son inside the jail, her joke has almost come true that boring afternoon but brought me delight and I couldn’t help myself but to laugh out loud of what I saw.

It was a big green jackfruit about ¾ the size of Rico and he was eager to pull it out of the tree. I shouted two times but he didn’t bother although they brought a little nervousness, I could see that in his face but he continue to rotate the green fruit until it snapped out of the tree’s branch. He was barely embracing the spiky jackfruit and I was a little nervous that the owner might see him and suddenly catch him and beat him or worst he might got shot. The jackfruit slipped from Rico’s arms but he grabbed it quickly making a lot of sounds that made him ran a little faster. With his sister and his cousin cheering him, he ran as fast as he could and for less than 10 seconds he managed to run over the two roofs while holding the big green fruit.

I was laughing hard when Rico finished his crime, thank God he was just a 5-year old boy and he couldn’t be jailed for what he did. He received a barrage of preaching and spanking from his parents and from my mother but he is used to it, he really is a naughty naughty naughty little boy I wonder what he will be in the future. We were silent of what had happened because it might create a hell of trouble knowing that some people in our area are blood thirsty even to those who aren’t “man enough”, I’ve experienced it actually.

Rico might forget it when he grew up but that scene will be painted in my memory forever. It was the day that Rico committed his first crime, and I just hope that he will never ever going to do that ever again.

The Children of Poverty

Everyday of my life I would walk along the streets of Commonwealth Avenue. I’m used of the place; my family has lived here for almost 16 years. A lot of things had changed since we arrived fresh from the province; the road has widen, infrastructures were built and some were destroyed, the dirty areas have been dirtier, criminal rate has incredibly gone high but one thing has never changed since the very day I stepped on the ground of Commonwealth avenue-poverty.

With no assurance of what will happen to us here in Manila, my father took the risk of selling our small house in Camarines Sur (Bicol region) and moving here for a brighter future and for better opportunities. We arrived here almost empty handed but that was not really the problem, I and my sister’s biggest problem was the adjustment. We are not used of the noisy and stinky street of the city but little by little, or should I say we have no choice, eventually we have surpassed the challenges.

When I was in elementary I started to understand our real situation, the big difference of being rich and being poor. Unlike in the province where I don’t mind if all we could eat were root crops as long as I can see the beauty of nature just about ten steps from our wide backyard and all who live there has the same house and same situation as we were, but here in the city it is so much different. And living in the squatter’s area is like embracing the fact that poverty has caught us and spiked its claws really deep.

Ironically, you would not find the definition of “wealth” in Commonwealth Avenue only the different faces of poverty-innocent naked children running on the streets, blind people stretching there wary hands for spare coins, people walking the blistering streets who had lost there mind because of different reasons but mainly because poverty had eaten their wholeness, beggars, beggars and more beggars along the way. Sometimes I think about their future and how they would enjoy life especially the innocent children who are not yet aware of their present situation, how would they go to school and live their lives? And most often I would question God; sometimes I could not understand His plans.

Whenever I see every face of poverty, I would think of ways to help them but even I could not help myself-being out of school and also unemployed for two years, I’m a graduate of just 2-year computer science but I’m still thankful of my father’s perspirations so if you’re a graduate of a 4-year course and also a degree but could not still find a job, think about me for heaven’s sake!!!. I’m still eager to find a job but I also had a disease and that’s another problem but I’m still hopeful that one day I would find my place in the corporate world, I am maybe ambitious but that’s all I have. I need to find a way to get out from the claws of poverty somehow and also I’m still praying for the “children of poverty” because I, myself is also one of them.

A part of me still waiting for the time that someday, somehow poverty will vanish and all the sufferings will be replaced with joy. I don’t know when, I don’t know how but I’m still hoping. We, the children of poverty, will find harmony maybe not in this world maybe somewhere I just know we will, I just know…

We are the children of poverty and we are also the children of God…

There's still Hope...

I would wake up 9 in the morning and take up 2 tablets of medicine just to sustain my "fragile life" and the moment I swallow the 2 "bitter pills", I wonder-is there any hope left for me?.

Before a spot was discovered inside my left lung, I was a desperate jobseeker trying my chances of enormous yet elusive oppurtunities inside the buildings at ayala avenue. I got my chances when I was hired in a call center company and unfortunately they forgot to call me back. I was almost losing hope when an IT company called me and trained me as a Java Progammer. It was a "seesaw" sitauation-I, myself and even the company wasn't sure if the job oppurtunity is securely in hand. After almost 4 months and I guess hundreds of decisions made, my dreams were in front of me when disaster striked.

The doctor's words were like curse penetrating my bones-I have a spot inside my lung or I call it "pre-TB", and I have to take medications for 6 long devastating months. I was frustrated, many times I would question God and wait for His answers but I just found myself sobbing or sometimes tears would fall from my eyes. All the emotions were circling inside me-I was tired I didn't know what to do. "Am I gonna die?", "What will happen after this?", "Will I ever find a job?", and a lot of questions inside my mind and I would just try to imagine things that merely give me comfort or forget what I'm going through.

After the first half of my medications, I planted tomatoes, peppers, flowers inside cans filled with soil (we don't have a backyard, in case your wondering) so that I have the reason to wake up every morning and look over my "farm" if the plants made progress. Another half of my medication, I have drawn anime characters at the back of illustration boards so that I have things to do in a sunny afternoon-I used to draw anime characters when I was a child, so doing things I have long done before is quite refreshing.

I have learned a lot, the love of my parents have nourished me enough and the care of my friends eased the pain somehow. Most of all, I've learned the value of life, I've learned to appreciate even the smallest things I have never imagined I would appreciate. I learned how to symphatize with people that suffers from whether emotional stress or any disease they are undergoing, I've learned to pray to God more often than before-sometimes I find it weird when I talk to someone inside my mind, maybe I was talking to God.

Today is my last day of my medication, I'm happy and also worried because again I have to face the challenge of finding a job and also the fact that my medical issue might affect my "quest". But after what I have gone through and the valuable lessons I have acquired, I am still hopeful, hope is all I got and I know I will survive-I must.

Mystery of a Friend's Death

It’s been two months since the death of my friend Vincent John, but until now I could still feel his presence. Last night I had a dream of him; it was a weird dream knowing that the whole true story of his death is still a mystery.

I’ve known Vincent for quite awhile. He was my 2nd-year college classmate, I admit at first it was hard for us to cope up with each other because of our different personalities. We “almost” became rivals because of one girl and we had a “cold war” for almost three months I think. But we both love music and eventually the “cold war” ended unexpectedly because of some circumstances that got in the way. Ironically, neither of us got the girl, I fell in love with Jen and she became my girlfriend and she fell in love with one of our friends named Maybelle and of course they became lovers. And the girl we almost fought of (I won’t mention the name) got her bunch of suitors and until now I don’t know about her whereabouts (I just want to forget her anyway).

Everything was well after college (I took up a 2-year computer science course by the way) we were starting a new friendship, until one night we were horrified by a text message sent by one of his sisters (he’s the only boy of five siblings and yes, his also the fifth); the text message clearly said that Vincent drowned. I was totally shocked I didn’t know what to react I thought that it was only a joke. His girlfriend rushed to his house to confirm the text message and after a couple of hours I didn’t do anything but to wait for the cellphone to ring. And the awaited ring banged to my head, it was confirmed, Vincent was already dead along with our future plans. I couldn’t believe, it was so unexpected, I was so horrified.

Our friends and classmates couldn’t also believe of what happened and only one question all of them asked; “How did he die?”, no one could answer even his parents and siblings. The only one who knows is his bestfriend (I think his name is Dwight), but the story was so “wrapped-up” that his bestfriend’s parents tell the story contradicting the story of some other people who were there the day Vincent drowned in the river . They say that they weren’t able to see how Vincent struggled for his life that’s why they weren’t able to save him. But one says that when he was drowning no one helped him neither Dwight or his parents. But one thing’s for sure, the death of our friend was definitely their responsibility.

After his burial his girlfriend Maybelle dreamt of him, she said that Vincent was like trying to say that he’s still alive. Her dream shows Vincent lied down on maybe inside the funeral and suddenly he stood up and told her; “I feel cold”. Last night her dream was almost the same as mine, I saw him lying down with people around him and suddenly he sat up but it seems that no one could see him fully alive, on the next scene he was already on his coffin too big for him and he was wearing a black cloth (in his actual coffin, he was wearing white). It brought me the conclusion that maybe Vincent was trying to imply that something happened before he died, only one knows the whole story and that is Dwight-his bestfriend who until now doesn’t speak about his death.

Falling in love is weird

Today is my fifth month relationship with my girlfriend named Jenelyn (I call her Jen for short), and also her second day of working as a cashier in Toy Kingdom at SM North EDSA. I don’t know what happened to me but I got scared the first time she told me that the company already called her to work as a cashier.

Jen is my first girlfriend and I love her very much although her parents don’t allow her to have a boyfriend, that’s why our relationship is still a secret to my future “parents-in-law”. Maybe it’s the fear of losing her that really freaks me out; sometimes I got paranoid that she might fall in love with one of her co-workers. I have told her about my fear and she said that there’s nothing to worry about because she will never leave me.

I admit, I’m not totally convinced of what she said knowing that last night one of my friends came to me and told me that his girlfriend broke up with him because she fell in love with another guy. I didn’t show it but deep inside my heart almost swallowed me whole, I was so scared that it may also happen to me.

I trust Jen but I could not help myself thinking that one day she might fell out of love with me. Yesterday was her first day and I visited her secretly, outside the glass walls I watched her doing her responsibility as a cashier then suddenly a rush of blood to the head had got me. I saw her talking with one of her male co-worker, maybe its jealousy ‘cause my heart pumped so fast. She would laugh with her male co-workers and talk with them, I didn’t know what to do, and I just watched them.

This morning I found myself crying, I could not help it. At first, I was trying to stop it but suddenly I burst into tears. Maybe sooner or later I will need a psychologist; something unfamiliar is happening to me. Maybe it’s because it’s my first time to get into a relationship or maybe it’s natural, I don’t know but I don’t like this feeling anymore. I accompanied her to the vehicle waiting area and I really didn’t want to let her go.

I’m so confused, I don’t know what to do, I love her so much and I want to be with her forever but if ever she fell out of love with me or she fell in love with another guy, I have no choice but to let her go no matter how painful it is…