Bb. Pilipinas Update

It was confirmed in the evening news today that Bb. Pilipinas candidate #13, Sandra Inez Seifert, has been disqualified from the pageant. The reason? Posing for men's magazine, FHM. There are other speculations regarding the real reason behind the disqualification. But according to Sandra, she received a notice of disqualification from the organizers citing her FHM spread as the reason. Below are the pictures in question:

And this was what the organizers made her do during the parade in crowded Cubao:

What gives?

Sandra and her lawyers tried to appeal the decision but BPCI said the disqualification is final. Oh well... I can't help but think if it is really in Madame Stella Marquez de Araneta's interest that the Philippines will win in the international pageants. Or is she protecting the interests of her home country Colombia?


(Photos courtesy of fhm.com.ph and opmbworldwide)

Bb. Pilipinas 2009

I confess. I once secretly wished that I was a beauty pageant judge. I shared this secret wish with Jasper. The closest we ever came to being a judge was when we worked in the production of Mutya Hong Butuan 1997. Jasper was assistant director and emcee, I was video director. Oh! I do have a vague memory of Jasper judging a bikini contest at the Balanghai Hotel and I was tagging along.

The Bb. Pilipinas 2009 beauty pageant is now in full swing. The candidates were presented to the press last February 25 and the coronation night is on March 7. This year's batch of 24 candidates is considered to be the best after many, many years. After last year's Janina San Miguel fiasco, this year's pageant looks very promising. Jasper and I have been scouring discussion boards for photos and videos and we both find it very hard to pick our top ten finalists. Below are photos of my bets in order of their number.

#2 Carisheila May Kuijpers:



#13 Sandra Inez Seifert:



#15 Pamela Bianca Manalo:



#20 Melody Gersbach:



#23 Barbara Salvador:





The rest who have a good shot at landing on the top ten:

#3 Richelle Angalot
#5 Diana Arevalo
#9 April Love Jordan
#12 Jayzel Arrozal
#19 Stephanie Siñeres

... and the three overhyped and well-connected ladies that just might grab one of the crowns (God forbid!):

#11 Regina Hahn - daughter of former Bb. Pilipinas and Ms. Universe runner-up Chiqui Brosas

#17 Marie Ann Umali - returning candidate who is mind-bogglingly overhyped; she is infamous for her "love should be fit" answer to the Q & A in 2006

#24 Abegail Lesley Cruz - GMA7 contract artist better known as pageant host Paolo Bediones' GF


(Photos courtesy of BPCI, opmbworldwide and missosology)

Tenjewberrymuds

Again, this one's from the mail... this got me almost ROFL.

*************************************************************************************

To get the full effect, this should be read aloud. You will understand what 'tenjewberrymuds' means by the end of the conversation. This has been nominated for the best email of 2005.

The following is a telephone exchange between a hotel guest and room-service, at a hotel in Asia, which was recorded and published in the Far East Economic Review:

Room Service (RS): "Morrin! Roon sirbees."
Guest (G): "Sorry, I thought I dialed room-service."
RS: "Rye ..Roon sirbees..morrin! Jewish to oddor sunteen??"
G: "Uh..yes..I'd like some bacon and eggs."
RS: "Ow July den?"
G: "What??"
RS: "Ow July den?...pryed, boyud, poochd?"
G : "Oh, the eggs!? How do I like them? Sorry, scrambled please."
RS: "Ow July dee baykem?? Crease?"
G: "Crisp will be fine."
RS : "Hokay. An Sahn toes?"
G: "What?"
RS:"An toes! July Sahn toes?"
G: "I don't think so."
RS: "No? Judo wan sahn toes??"
G: "I feel really bad about this, but I don't know what 'judo wan sahn toes' means."
RS: "Toes! toes!... Why jew don juan toes?? Ow bow Anglish moppin we bodder?"
G: "English muffin!!?? I've got it!? You were saying 'Toast.'? Fine. Yes, an English muffin will be fine."
RS: "We bodder?"
G: "No...just put the bodder on the side."
RS: "Wad?"
G: "I mean butter...just put it on the side."
RS: "Copy?"
G: "Excuse me?"
RS: "Copy...tea...meel?"
G: "Yes. Coffee, please, and that's all."
RS: "One Minnie. Scramah egg, crease baykem, Anglish moppin we bodder on sigh and copy....rye??"
G: "Whatever you say."
RS: "Tenjewberrymuds."
G: "You're very welcome."

Sharing Experience

Every year, taxpayers in Japan, foreigners and locals alike, troop to tax offices or city halls all over the country to apply for a tax refund. It works like the tax exemptions in the Philippines but in Japan, people pay first, then claim later.

So this morning, I went to the town hall to file Ariel's claim. We have been doing this annually and I was tasked to do the same in 2007. I got to town hall at a little past 9AM. I took a number and sat down. I was 16th to be served, 10th after the current number on the marker. I looked around and saw that I was the youngest person in the waiting area, all the others were Japanese senior citizens. Three counters were already open followed by two more a little later.

I have always admired the efficient service in government offices in Japan. Back in the Philippines, I always dreaded going to government offices because I always get very frustrated with the very lousy service. I remember going to the city hall in Butuan one afternoon and saw employees mindlessly chatting, eating snacks or applying make up, despite the long line of people waiting. Some employees were even having massages! The stench of massage oil was everywhere. There were none of that in Japan, at least based on my experience.

After a few minutes of waiting, my number was finally called. I immediately recognized the same guy who served me two years ago. He evaluated my supporting documents and asked for the birth certificates of all the listed beneficiaries. I looked in my folder but didn't have the documents. It seems that they are stricter this year because they didn't ask for this before. I was told to come back when I already have the documents.

I rushed back to the apartment, found the birth certificates and went back in the afternoon. There were only 2 people waiting this time. I was served in another counter by an androgynous anime-looking Japanese. After evaluation, I filled up a few forms and was asked to check our bank after a month. I said my thank you's and did the customary bows and went on my way.

Sunday Afternoon With GMCA

This afternoon, Ariel and I were invited to a birthday party. It was our friends Jasper and Marixi's youngest son's 1st birthday. I was not too keen on going. I haven't been to any of the Christian Sunday services since I came back to Japan. I have been regularly going to the Catholic church to hear the bi-monthly Filipino mass, as I did this morning. This was the main reason why I didn't want to go. But my previous involvement with the community allowed me to build new friendships with fellow Filipinos who were "on the same wavelength" as myself, including Jasper and Marixi. This kind of people were hard to find in Japan. It was for friendship's sake that finally convinced me to go. The party was at 3PM.

Once there, I was immediately welcomed by old acquaintances. It has been more than a year since I last saw them. These were the same people whom I worked and performed with at the Christian concert in August 2007. I warmed up back to them and made myself comfortable. Familiar faces took turns coming up to me to chat: David and Kevin who greeted me at the door; of course, Marixi and Jasper; Ate Myrna; Leah and her husband Edwin; Ate Helen; Ate Lani; Cheaky; Kuya Steve; Apple; Tap2x and her former-bf-now-husband Robert; Ching and Cholo; Nimrod, the emcee; Net-net; the Hitachi boys - Doki, Archie and Ramsky; little DJ who sang to me; and Pastor Julio. I was also introduced to new members of the community including Felix, who at his young age was a preacher back in Cotabato. He was also the new Sunday school teacher of GMCA.

The program started with a dance number by the "Young Ones". Then, parlor games for the kids followed by merienda cena. To his and my surprise, Ariel was asked to say grace before meals. The feast was a smorgasbord of spaghetti, cake, inihaw na isda and baboy, kutsinta, puto, pudding, hotdogs with marshmallows, bopis and chop suey. After eating, there were more parlor games. One of the games was for the adults and I was forced to join it by special mention. It was a variation of the "Hep Hep Hooray!" game on Wowowee. But instead of "Hep Hep Hooray", we would say "Happy birthday Jaja". The game started with 12 of us and ended with me winning the very special prize of the game.

The party wrapped up at a little before 6pm. I headed back to the apartment with Ariel, grinning like a child with my loot.