[Our birthday celebrant, Veronica Santiago-Resurreccion aka VERO, is shown in this photograph as though enticing her hubby again, Johnjohn, complete with her cherry-red lips, an alluring smile and a display of her cleavage, plus an inviting superficial squint of her eyes. Happy birthday VERO!]
Bilang syang patnubay mo ay VIRGO1,
Yan ang ZODIAC na senyal sa dulo ng AGOSTO2;
Ikaw ay maingat at mapagmasid sayong KAMALIAN,
Okey yan bilang prinsipal na giya sa iyong KABUHAYAN!
Ang sabi pa sa HOROSCOPE3, ika’y ROMANTIKO,
Kaya pala ang panganganak mo’y naging TODO-TODO3;
Dapat na rin marahil ang yong pagkakababae’y IKANDADO4…
Para maging kawangki ka na rin ng SEKRETARYA5 ko!
Subalit ang HOROSCOPE5a maraming entradang POSITIBO,
LOGICAL ka daw at PRECISE sa kilos MO;
APPRECIATIVE pa rin ang ‘sang tanging TRATO mo,
Kaya tuloy ika’y VERY SOCIABLE kuno!
Magaling ka daw dumiskarte sa mahihirap na SITWASYON,
Kaya pala sa RUBY6; kahit mahirap ang uri ng LIQUIDATION…
Parang mina-mane’7 mo lang sa yong mga AKSYON,
Tuloy nakuha din ang angkop na SOLUSYON!
Ngayong malapit na ang RUBY sa TERMINASYON8,
May bahagi kang malaking nagawa’t
naging KONTRIBUSYON;
Marahil may MEDALYANG dapat sayo’y IGAWAD…
Pagagawa tayo sa RECTO9, pero hindi ito HUWAD!
Ang CHINESE ZODIAC sign mo pala’y KUNEHO10,
Kaya pala sa pagkilos, singbilis mo parang TUMATAKBO…
Very FLEXIBLE ka rin daw sa yong mga KILOS,
You never give up until the JOB is TAPOS!
Sa kaarawan mong ito Ms. VERONICA,
Habang ang MEDALYA ay pagtatalunan PA;
Bibigyan ka namin muna ng isang payak na PARANGAL…
Pwede na siguro ang TANSAN11 at ‘sang supot na PAN DE SAL12!
[VERO takes a SELFIE of herself with her lovable THREE (3) kids still warming it up in bed, in one weekend morning.]
[Legend: 1 – Ms. VERONICA SANTIAGO-RESURRECCION aka VERO is the Administrative Assistant to the court-appointed Liquidator in the liquidation proceedings of RUBY INDUSTRIAL CORPORATION (“RUBY”) and that her ZODIAC sign which governs her is VIRGO being born on August 31, 1975.
2 – AGOSTO is the Tagalog term for the month of August and that Vero’s birthday is the 31st of August; the end of August. “DULO” is Tagalog term for END.
3 – Vero has given birth to a succession of THREE (3) children after her marriage to her long-time suitor and present husband, Johnjohn Resurreccion.TODO-TODO is Tagalog slang for “maximum” or “almost the maximum” in the case of Vero.
4 – KANDADO is a jocular reference to TUBAL LIGATION as a way of espousing a pitch for FAMILY PLANNING.
5 – SEKRETARYA refers to our Secretary at the Law Office, Ms. Romelyn “Ella” Hadap, who has undergone TUBAL LIGATION herself, as like Vero, Ella seems to be ROMANTIC too.
6 – RUBY is the RUBY INDUSTRIAL CORPORATION is a corporate entity which has been declared by the Supreme Court for LIQUIDATION proceedings in 2012. Vero has been involved with RUBY since 1998 when she was employed as Administrative Assistant by the Management Committee of RUBY while it was still under a state of suspension of payments. Thereafter, Vero was employed in 2013 as Administrative Assistant by the court-appointed Liquidator of RUBY.
7 – MINA-MANE is a Tagalog slang which means doing a job or a task or a chore in a so seemingly easy manner.
8 – TERMINASYON – The RUBY case is nearing its FINAL TERMINATION as it started as a petition for suspension of payments since December 1983 and that a searing adversarial atmosphere emerged after the two (2) groups of stockholders both with Chinese ancestry got embroiled in an intractable and unwieldy conflict with the likes of Washington Sycip serving as mediator to no avail. Eventually, after over 30 years of a hotly-contested litigation, the principal parties finally saw that the best solution would be to very the hatchet and put an end to this decades-old conflict. A memo of agreement which contained the terms of a compromise was signed by the principal parties on August 15, 2017.
9 – RECTO is a reference to a place in Manila where diplomas, certificates, and other valuable government issuances could be “FAKED” or IMITATED for a FEE. At certain times, the ‘imitation” would even look more ORIGINAL than the actual ORIGINAL…he,he,he…
10 – KUNEHO is Tagalog term for RABBIT, the Chinese zodiac sign for those born on August 31, 1975.
11 – TANSAN refers playfully to SOFTDRINKS as softdrinks would usually and as has been customarily known before, as sporting a crown-corked cap, which in the vernacular is known as TANSAN.
12 – PAN DE SAL is the usual BREAD, the customary food as the Filipino’s daily table fare at breakfast or snacks.]
[The birthday celebrant is photographed here with the love of his life, AMY, as they posed together in Paris, France (circa 2009) with the imposing and one of the most famous monuments thereat, the Arc de Triomphe as backdrop. I tried to look for a photo in Bert’s FB page where he is attired in red as his astrology-horoscope dictates that red is his lucky color, actually cherry red. ]
You’re a VIRGO and is possessed with positive TRAITS,
It’s a long enumeration but INTELLIGENCE is top on the LIST;
And you’re GOAL-ORIENTED without stopping in your QUEST,
And almost always indeed, you aspire for the BEST!
You started out as a MARINER1, a bit ADVENTUROUS INDEED—
Thus, you’ve travelled almost all over, like a galloping STEED2;
But whence your appeal at WANDERLUST3 has nicely EBBED—
You pursued a course to be a CPA4, a dream that got IMBEDDED5!
You were a PELARGON6 child who’ve gotten much JOY & PRIDE,
Raised and taken care of by your KIN and diligent mentors in a STRIDE;
A coterie of teachers who saw you as CUTE,
Led by your Ninang Nilda7 who’s a teacher so ASTUTE8!
And PELARGON milk was your fave BEVERAGE,
The ration of it came as though flowing like a CASCADE9;
And soon you became a HEALTHY TODDLER,
Eventually, as an adult you turned into a happy HOLLERER10!
In the game of CHESS you’re the BOBBY FISCHER11 of the CLAN,
Teachers-BOARDERS12, in our home losing in a mode that’s DEADPAN13;
You even beat me so many TIMES,
Your winning seemed squired by clinking CHIMES!
Tio MEMOY14 who was skillful in CHESS TOO,
Would look forward to continuously play with YOU;
It was a game that proved too TIME-CONSUMING,
I guess Tio MEMOY can’t accept the skein of LOSING!
You’ve similarly been acknowledged as BEST in GOLF,
You’ve bagged lots of prizes mostly when it’s time for RUDOLF15;
Played the game with your expert FRIENDS & KINS,
‘Tis time for those HOLLERS and the graceful PUTTINGS!
And as the top man in DIMAX16 & NOR17,
Your employees and subalterns can’t ask for MORE;
As you have shown much compassion when NEEDED,
But you’d scowl & frown, when you’re a bit PEEVED.
On your natal day on SEPTEMBER TWO,
It’s as though a celebration for a DUO;
Your jolly side when you do the happy HOLLER,
And the somber version when you turn into a glum FROWNER!
[Bert is pictured here during an Alaskan cruise last year, with all of his wide smile as though seemingly prepared to embrace and catch all of God’s blessings and graces. It is hoped that all of Bert’s kith and kin would fervently pray for a continued shower of blessings unto him on his natal day this September 2.]
[Legend: 1 – MARINER means a seafarer. Bert actually took a course at the FEATI in BS Marine Transportation. Salvador Araneta with his wife Victoria Lopez de Araneta founded the Far Eastern Air Transport Incorporated (FEATI), the first airline in the Philippines flying the Iloilo-Manila-Hong Kong route. The Aranetas decided to close the airline but adopted its name as part of a school they established on March 6, 1946 and named it the FEATI Institute of Technology. The educational institution focused on the fields of engineering and technology and eventually focused too on Maritime Education. The school was granted university status by the Department of Education in 1959 with Victoria Lopez de Araneta as the first president of FEATI University. FEATI is located in Santa Cruz, Manila nestled in a pocket of land within the Santa Cruz district measuring about 5 hectares.
2 – STEED means a horse.
3 – WANDERLUST means a strong desire to travel.
4 – CPA is acronym for Certified Public Accountant which is Bert’s professional title after passing the CPA Board following his graduation in an Accounting Course at the PSBA.
5 – IMBEDDED would mean deeply ingrained in the subconscious of one’s mind.
6 – PELARGON was a formula milk for children manufactured by NESTLE during that time in the late 50s and into the early 60s, It was described then even as a miracle milk with whey and casein protein ratio of 50:50 (i.e. whey and casein protein is acknowledged as the best blend for muscle building protein). A coterie of female teachers who would regularly come to our home (among whom was Ms. Nilda Villamin) to take their lunch (as the school was a mere stone’s throw away from our Murphy home), was pre-selected by Mommy Norma to be Bert’s NINANG or godmother even while Bert was still in Mommy Norma’s womb. And as these female teachers wanted to make Mommy Norma happy, they crafted a plan to supply Bert with the popularly-branded formula milk then, which was PELARGON.
7 – NILDA is Bert’s godmother who is named NILDA VILLAMIN and who eventually was married to a teacher-boarder in our home, Miguel “Mike” De Leon.
8 – Teacher NILDA was indeed an astute teacher as I was once her pupil in Grade 4 at the Murphy Elementary School. Indeed Teacher NILDA was perceptive and so insightful.
9 – CASCADE referred to the continuous supply of PELARGON milk upon the benevolent actuation of the female school teachers led by teacher Ms. Nilda Villamin; thereafter Mrs. Nilda V. De Leon.
10 – In our regular family reunions, Bert would usually be the one who would be hollering a dare, a challenge or a cheer.
11 – American BOBBY FISCHER is considered as the best and most skillful chess player of all times.
12 – The teachers-boarders who were staying in our Murphy home then were: Messrs. Alex Libunao, Tony Senadrin, Mike De Leon, Liberato Dulay, Adriano Agor, Greg Hipolito, Amado Madamba, etc.
13 – DEADPAN would mean expressionless and those teachers-boarders especially Mr. Alex Libunao would accept his defeat in the hands of Bert so expressionless.
14 – Tio MEMOY is our uncle Guillermo Mariñas who was one of the sons of the adoptive parents of Daddy Max, our late Lolo Julio and Lola Genia.
15 – Rudolph is a reference to Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer; and therefore “time for Rudolph” would mean Christmas time at which holiday period, there will be lots of golf tournaments with enticing prizes and expensive give-aways.
16 – DIMAX is a business enterprise where Bert is General Manager.
17 – NOR Distribution is another business enterprise where Bert is also General Manager.]
[I was swayed to engage my witty and sagacious UP Law classmate, Jose “Joe’ Camano, in what he termed as an “unwieldy” debate on the subject of President Rodrigo Duterte’s WAR ON DRUGS on Facebook. I took the position fully supporting Pres. Duterte’s initiatives as in the back of my mind is the worrisome thought of an emerging new designer drug which has sprouted and is being peddled flagrantly in FLORIDA in the U.S.A. And addiction to this new designer drug results in violent and bizarre reactions. I told IDOL Joe that I would not want my grandkids and great grandkids to live in a narco-state in the future. A map of the U.S.A. is shown above depicting the states particularly FLORIDA which have been contaminated by this new designer drug named FLAKKA.]
I was swayed into a DEBATE1 with my IDOL2,
I was actually afraid, as I might turn out a FOOL3;
Knowing that IDOL is a wide and voracious reader,
Might got drowned in an avalanche of quotes, ‘tis clear4!
IDOL JOE must have read all the works of Mark Twain5,
Methinks, he also has read the writings of Mark’s boatswain6;
Memorized all the books of McCoy7 on Marcos8 and RP9,
Gobbled up even the works of Karnow Stanley10…
What could I brag about my simple reading inventory?
It’s INQUIRER11, STAR12 and at times BULGAR13 and REMATE14—
But my IDOL JOE is a ravenous reader…
My arguments indeed are restricted by a seeming tether!
But with respect to the DRUG problem NOW in RP,
I really feel that ALFRED McCOY or even KARNOW STANLEY…
Has no knowledge about the SHABU15 in our terrain and country,
Even KARNOW is now DEAD and is BURIED in ALLEGANY16!
And with respect to McCOY, well his views are QUEER…
For with respect to DRUGS, he has made a seeming STEER17…
McCOY wants COCAINE and HEROINE just REGULATED,
Are we ready indeed for a SHABU TIANGGE which is GATED18?
Well, gradually it seems the McCOYISH stance …
Has enveloped the psyche and Joe’s views with ASKANCE;
IDOL JOE has labeled the DRUG CRAZE as a health ISSUE…
The “KILL THE PUSHERS” spiel is not attuned with his CUE19!
But as I pleaded upon my IDOL JOE CAMANO,
How can ALFRED McCOY be in touch w/ our BARRIO20;
Having “eradicated” a pusher and a drug lord just a month ago,
The enforcers in our town made it sure; they’re DEAD as DODO!
Even BBC’s Sackur21 is all LAUDS for DU30’s22 strategies…
Labeled DU30’s politics as POPULIST delivered with a MENACE—
Stating thereby that majority of PINOYs are in FAVOR,
The iron-fist policy of DU30 has truly found a FLAVOR!23
I reminded IDOL JOE of the DRUG CRAZE in FLORIDA24,
It’s named FLAKKA25 and the result is “DISASTAH”26…
Users of the DRUG would achieve a HIGH,
They’d run and thrust their heads into a car’s windshield like a FLY!
But still I do DEFER unto JOE’s WISDOM and WIT,
His IDEAS and FERVOR, for a PREXY he could FIT;
He has seemingly crafted a plan for a wise GOVERNANCE,
If he runs in an ELECTION, I’ll take care of his FINANCE!
IBOTO SI IDOL JOE CAMANO; PAG NANALO AKO SA LOTTO!
[Legend: 1 – The “unwieldy” DEBATE which my IDOL PADI JOE CAMANO referred to in his FB post recently is about Pres. Duterte’s war on DRUGS; and I took the position that it is RIGHT. And that I salute Pres. Rodrigo Duterte for his unrelenting war on DRUGS as I do not want my grandkids and my great grandkids to live in a virtual narco-state in the future.
2 – IDOL refers to my UP Law classmate and friend, Jose “Joe” Camano.
3 – FOOL is used in this FUN RHYME BLOG to mean as someone who would be laughed at; LAUGHABLE as my arguments may not measure up with the arguments of IDOL PADI whose every argument is backed up by scholarly observation or point of renowned historians, journalists and writers with the likes of Alfred McCoy, Stanley Karnow, and Mark Twain aka Samuel Langhorne Clemens.
4 – In our on-and-off tiny debates in FB, IDOL JOE will always be ready with a quote either from McCoy, Twain or Karnow. So splendid indeed; and so LOVELY.
5 – MARK TWAIN is the pen name of the American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher and lecturer who is better known as SAMUEL LANGHORNE CLEMENS.
6 – A “boatswain” is a ship officer who is in charge of the equipment and of the crew. During his boyhood as narrated in LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI, based on my recent research in the INTERNET, Mark Twain suggested that he shared that “one permanent ambition” among his comrades then, which is to become a steamboatman. But it would seem that Mark Twain’s subconscious ambition was to become a PILOT of a ship as he said that:
“Pilot was the grandest position of all. The pilot, even in those days of trivial wages, had a princely salary – from a hundred and fifty to two hundred and fifty dollars a month, and no board to pay.
“As Twain describes it, the pilot’s prestige exceeded that of the captain. The pilot had to:
“…get up a warm personal acquaintanceship with every old snag and one-limbed cottonwood and every obscure wood pile that ornaments the banks of this river for twelve hundred miles; and more than that, must… actually know where these things are in the dark.”
As recounted in MARK TWAIN’s Wikipedia: “Steamboat pilot Horace E. Bixby took Twain on as a cub pilot to teach him the river between New Orleans and St. Louis for $500, payable out of Twain’s first wages after graduating. Twain studied the Mississippi, learning its landmarks, how to navigate its currents effectively, and how to read the river and its constantly shifting channels, reefs, submerged snags, and rocks that would “tear the life out of the strongest vessel that ever floated”. It was more than two years before he received his pilot’s license. Piloting also gave him his pen name from“mark twain”, the leadsman’s cry for a measured river depth of two fathoms (12 feet), which was safe water for a steamboat.”
7 – McCoy is Alfred McCoy, a professor of history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has been recognized as one of the world’s leading historians of Southeast Asia and a supposed expert on Philippine political history, opium trafficking in the Golden Triangle, underworld crime syndicates and international political surveillance.
8 – MARCOS is former President Ferdinand E. Marcos.
9 – RP is acronym for the Philippines, specifically Republic of the Philippines.
10 – STANLEY KARNOW was an American journalist and historian. In 1990, Karnow won the Pulitzer Prizefor History for his book IN OUR IMAGE: AMERICA’S EMPIRE IN THE PHILIPPINES.
11 – INQUIRER refers to one of the leading newspapers in the Philippines, the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
12 – STAR refers to another leading newspaper in the Philippines, the Philippine Star.
13 – BULGAR is the name of a tabloid being sold in the metropolis of urban greater Manila area in the Philippines.
14 – REMATE is the name of another tabloid being sold in the metropolis of urban greater Manila area in the Philippines.
15 – SHABU is a powerfully addictive meth stimulant, easily accessible and affordable in the Philippines until its “free-trade” in the Philippine country was restricted and stopped with President Duterte’s WAR ON DRUGS. It was the drug of choice of over 90% of Filipino drug users. Usually, a “fix” or the use of the SHABU via inhalation, is done every 3 hours. A single “tingi” or 0.1 gm costs Php 100. One mongo-sized “gram” costs Php 1,000-2,000. (In contrast, 1997 methamphetamine prices in the U.S. ranged from $3,500 to $30,000 per pound, $400 TO $2,800 per ounce, and $37 per gram in the Seattle area to $300 per gram in the New York area.)
16 – STANLEY KARNOW died on January 27, 2013 due to congestive heart failure and his remains were buried in Potomac, Allegany County, Maryland, USA.
17 – STEER is used in this FUN RHYME BLOG to mean a misleading advice.]
18- GATED, meaning confined under a REGULATED arrangement with an embellished GATE to add elegance, class and perhaps charm to the SHABU SALE.
19 – CUE is used in this FUN RHYME BLOG to mean APPROVAL.
20 – BARRIO was actually the smallest political unit in the Philippines but has now been replaced by the BARANGAY.
21 – SACKUR is Stephen Sackur (born 9 January 1964), an English journalist who presents HARDtalk, a current affairs interview programme on BBC World News and the BBC News Channel. He is also the main Friday presenter of GMT on BBC World News. On June 21, 2017; Mr. Sackur interviewed Senator Antonio Trillanes LIVE as the featured guest in HARDtalk. In his introductory spiel, Mr. Sackur declared: “When it comes to populist politics delivered with menace, no one does it quite like Rodrigo Duterte, elected President of the Philippines a year ago. Since he came to power, around 7,000 people have been killed in his “WAR ON DRUGS” crime. Human rights groups are aghast, but the majority of the Filipino seems to like his iron-fist.”
22 – DU30 is acronym for President Rodrigo Duterte’s surname.
23 – FLAVOR is used in the FUN RHYME BLOG to mean as an ATTRACTION.
24 – FLORIDA is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, and to the south by the Straits of Florida and Cuba. Florida is the 22nd-most extensive, the 3rd-most populous, and the 8th-most densely populated of the U.S. states. Jacksonville is the most populous municipality in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. The Miami metropolitan area is Florida’s most populous urban area.
25 – FLAKKA is a cheaper kind of a man-made drug which causes a high similar to cocaine which has become a craze in Florida specifically in Miami. In some parts of the U.S.A., it is also called “gravel” because of its white crystal chunks that have been compared to aquarium gravel. But like “bath salts,” a group of related synthetic drugs that were banned in 2012, flakka has the potential to be much more dangerous than cocaine. Those who have ingested flakka would sometimes experience a HIGH that would lure them to run at high speed into an approaching vehicle and even crash and barrel the user’s head unto the windshield of the vehicle.
26 – DISASTAH is an altered spelling of DISASTER and has been used here in this FUN RHYME BLOG to achieve a RHYME.]
[Birthday celebrant MERCY is shown here with Daddy MAX both of them in cowboy attire during the 95th birthday celebration of Daddy MAX’s WILD WEST HOEDOWN held in the evening of July 29, 2017 (a Saturday) at the Officers’ Club in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, Metro-Manila. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MERZ!!!!]
Per your HOROSCOPE sign1 you’re a LEO person,
You’re deemed HECTIC and people-oriented like a PARSON2;
That’s why perhaps you’ve been engrossed in affairs of the CHURCH3,
You exude much ENERGY as though a SOLDIER in a MARCH4!
You’re also deemed as counting on your inner STRENGHT,
Your inner GUIDANCE it seems is yours too, at LENGTH;
You’re destined to earnestly look for your MISSION,
That’s perhaps your long-time aim and INNER VISION!
You are described as truly METHODICAL,
You’re also WORDY that’s what makes it SENSICAL…
You’re also pictured as a bit TACTFUL,
And you’re described as COOPERATIVE by lots of PEOPLE!
Your CHINESE ZODIAC sign is that of a RABBIT5,
And as an ELEGANT person, it seems to be your HABIT…
You’re considered too as genuinely FRIENDLY,
That’s a general trait of a RABBIT, so very APTLY!
You’re possessed too with ANALYTICAL SKILLS,
That’s on THE HOROSCOPE. CO6 too; with NO FRILLS7…
You could often play the role of a PEACEMAKER, with FLOURISH…
Perhaps, you could serve as
GO-BETWEEN for ANDY8 and TRISH9!
Famous persons who were born in the RABBIT YEAR,
FRANK SINATRA10 and WHITNEY HOUSTON11; they’re both so DEAR!
Your voice perhaps could really be IMPROVED…
We’ll get DONDI ONG’s12 service, that’s much BEHOOVED13!
On your natal day, which is a HOLIDAY…
We ought to supplicate to GOD and PRAY;
To give you long life and good health…
For you’ve been deemed as Daddy Max’s precious WEALTH14!
[Mercy is shown here with her WONDERFUL and so CONTAGIOUS smile.]
2 – PARSON means a priest or a preacher or a cleric.
3 – CHURCH means the Roman Catholic Church as Mercy is a weekly presence at the masses (serving as commentator) being held at the SM Megamall and also at the EDSA Shrine Church.
4 – The sight of SOLDIERS marching is a sight of a FULLY ENERGETIC, ALERT and VIGOROUS aggrupation of uniformed able-bodied men standing straight with a very snappy gait.
5 – Those personalities born on August 18, 1951 are guided/governed by the CHINESE ZODIAC sign of the RABBIT.
6 – The HOROSCOPE.CO is that website where upon encoding one’s birth date you get easy access to the horoscope as well as the customary traits of the personality whose birth date is encoded into it.
7 – “NO FRILLS” mean no exaggeration.
8 – ANDY jocularly refers to COMELEC Chair Andy Bautista who is presently embroiled in a domestic spat with his wife, and which spat has however grown into immense proportion involving POLITICS, BILLIONS of pesos, hints of SADO-MASOCHISTIC sex-tendencies (i.e. with the whiplash and handcuffs found inside Chair Andy’s vault) and supposed UNFAITHFULNESS.
9 – On the other hand, TRISH refers to COMELEC Chair Andy Bautista’s wife, PATRICIA CRUZ BAUTISTA aka TRISH.
10 – FRANK SINATRA was born on December 12, 1915; a RABBIT year.
11 – WHITNEY HOUSTON was born on August 9, 1963; similarly a RABBIT year.
12 – DONDI ONG is a Filipino tenor who graduated from the University of the Philippines-College of Music and who shared his excitement among Filipino music lovers as the only Filipino in the cast of the hit musical “Phantom Of The Opera”. Dondi is a usual guest at Daddy Max’s yearly birthday celebrations starting when Dondi trained Daddy Max to belt out songs during Daddy Max’s 2015 birthday celebration at age 93.
13 – “That’s much BEHOOVED” would mean that such plan for Mercy to take voice lessons under Dondi Ong’s tutelage, would be most WELCOME and so very SUITABLE.
14 – WEALTH is a treasure and Mercy is considered as Daddy Max’s precious treasure.]
[At left is the LEGIT STATUS TEAM while doing their dance number during the ELIMINATION ROUND at the 2017 WHHI in Phoenix, Arizona; at right is the ALLIANCE Team as they stand on the world stage during the SEMIFINAL ROUND assembling for their FRONT ACT also at the 2017 WHHI in Phoenix, Arizona. GOOD LUCK TO BOTH LEGIT STATUS AND ALLIANCE! BELIEVE AND YOU WILL ACHIEVE IT!]
When the news about the TEAMS’1 emergence as both FINALIST2,
SONNY3 perhaps in JEST did so INSIST;
“You have to CHOOSE which one to CHEER”, said SONNY…
He added even: “Both will vie for the GOLD and the BOUNTY4!”…
That was a poser addressed to me,
‘Twas a difficult query, but I agree…
Both teams will be vying for GOLD…
‘Tis a choice of which TEAM is BEST and BOLD5!
But both are BEST; and both are BOLD…
I’ve seen them practiced from HOT6 to COLD7;
And in their practices, those hard rehearsals—
They’re so DISCIPLINED, as though watched by MARSHALLS8!
It’s not a choice of which TEAM is BEST,
For I believe both TEAMS are BESTEST;
It could be more of LUCK? And more of GOD’s WILL,
For any mishap, or mis-step could cause a SPILL9!
And LUCK perhaps would smile on THEM,
For they have led the pack and EVEN…
There is CONSISTENCY in the RANKING…
The JUDGES have seemingly shown their LIKING10!
As recompense and reward for PERSISTENCE,
I believe the spirits will requite not with PITTANCE;
The PRIZE of their hardships and intense training,
Would be the GOLD that’s wondrously GLEAMING!
In 2006 SHAYNA11 started with a DREAM,
She pursued her GOAL to grab the GLEAM12;
With VIMI13 on her side, the PRIZE has seemed NEAR…
The GLEAM and the BOUNTY,they’re really so DEAR!
And CHESKA14 has united too with the GOAL,
A push from JAYJAY15 to craft a winning BALL16;
Whether it would be LEGIT or ALLIANCE as though in a protocol…
An eventual realization would be a zesty CARACOL17!
I must not forget ALEE18 who really LOVES DANCE,
She too has been swayed to dream with ASKANCE19;
She LOVES too the GLEAM and thus with a SCHEME,
She has complotted with her sisters to BAG and WIN!
But the FORTUNE would perhaps COME,
For the SKILLS and PROFICIENCY, they have FULSOME20…
None among them was denied a US VISA21,
I’m sure with this CHEER they’ll have rich PAGASA22!
[Legend: 1 – TEAMS refer to the LEGIT STATUS and ALLIANCE Hiphop Teams.
2 – Both LEGIT STATUS and ALLIANCE moved up to the FINAL ROUND of the 2017 WHHI.
3 – SONNY is SONNY ORTILLADA who is the husband of the stay-in clerk at the GROOVE CENTRAL DANCE STUDIO (“GC”) which my daughters SHAYNA and CHESKA co-manage. SONNY, after his 7 am – 3 pm working stint at a SHELL service station, would regularly serve as CAR WATCHER and even the PARKING ATTENDANT at the parking area of the GC.
4 – BOUNTY would be the bragging rights that come with winning the CHAMPION AWARD in the WHHI.
5 – BOLDNESS would refer to the intrepid STUNTS that the dancers do which is cranked in into the DANCE CHOREOGRAPHY.
6 – HOT would be the hot and humid temperature at the BADMINTON COURT which the teams used as alternate training venue.
7 – COLD would be the cool and sometimes frigid temperature at the GROOVE CENTRAL DANCE STUDIO where 4 3-tonner aircon units are installed and which the teams used as their principal training venue.
8 – MARSHALL is used here to mean as some kind of a fictionalized official in the dance training who would check and monitor their dance movements and would give demerits unto those who would commit mistakes and someone who would sort of arrange and direct the technical aspects in the dance choreography.
9 – SPILL would mean a FALL.
10 – As both the LEGIT STATUS and ALLIANCE scored consistently in the TOP 6 of the competing teams; it would be safe to assume that their style and dance performance are in tune with the “liking” of the judges.
11 – SHAYNA is my eldest daughter WINSHAYNA, and the wife of LEGIT STATUS Head Coach, Vimi Rivera.
12 – GLEAM is used here to mean the GOLD MEDAL.
13 – VIMI is VICENTE MIGUEL RIVERA (my son-in-law) who is the HEAD COACH of the LEGIT STATUS Team and the husband of my daughter SHAYNA aka WINSHAYNA.
14 – CHESKA is my middle daughter aka WINCHESKA. CHESKA is Team Manager of ALLIANCE and JAYJAY SAN JUAN (the HEAD COACH of ALLIANCE) is CHESKA’s BF.
15 – JAYJAY is JAN JULIENNE GUSTILO SAN JUAN, the HEAD COACH of the ALLIANCE Team.
16 – BALL means DANCE and is used here to mean specifically as a DANCE CHOREOGRAPHY.
17 – CARACOL denotes a spiral upward movement. This spiral upward movement would eventually depict the path of both TEAMS (i.e. LEGIT STATUS and ALLIANCE) to reach the TOP, the CHAMPIONSHIP award.
18 – ALEE is my youngest daughter WINNALEE and who is a compete team member of the LEGIT STATUS Team and is currently part of the LEGIT STATUS MEGACREW Team which will see action at the 2017 WHHI FINAL ROUND today (August 13, 2017-Philippine time; August 12, 2017 – Phoenix time).
19 – ASKANCE is a mindset which denotes some kind of doubt.
20 – FULSOME means ABUNDANCE.
21 – In previous WHHI competitions, both the LEGIT STATUS and ALLIANCE Team members would experience U.S. VISA application DENIALS. But this time, 100 per cent APPROVED.
22 – PAGASA is a Tagalog term which means POSITIVE HOPE.]
[Though my sister WANDRA (shown in this photo being hugged by her handsome hubby DAVE via a seeming “wrestling arm lock”) will be celebrating her birthday still on August 19, I have told her that I will publish this HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLOG early with an accompanying request that she prays hard and most fervently in support of my daughters’ quest to BAG the GOLD at today’s 2017 World Hiphop International FINALS. WANDRA wanted to be a magician during her nonage, I know that with her flair for MAGIC, she can make perhaps both LEGIT STATUS and ALLIANCE to WIN the GOLD…via a TIE for the CHAMPION AWARD perhaps…]
I remembered there was a LOUD BOOM1,
On the hour and date that you were BORN;
It was some kind of a GUN SALUTE,
To a personality– who surely was ASTUTE2!
Thus your birthday is always a HOLIDAY NATIONAL,
‘Tis the birthday too of a former PREXY3, who’s so PHENOMENAL3a…
He’s MANUEL LUIS QUEZON of TAYABAS 4,
He curses and spews vile epithets, so FAST!
And when LOLA BIYAY5 came out of the ROOM,
She was gleaming a smile as wide as a BROOM;
For it was another CUTE BABY GIRL,
LOLA BIYAY knows Daddy Max wanted ANOTHER6!
Indeed it was a succession of FEMALE DUO,
First it was the WONDER WOMAN WILMA, then it was YOU;
Perhaps Daddy Max wanted another WONDER,
Thus, you were named WANDRA, Daddy Max did not much PONDER!
And the WONDROUS thing that you ever DID,
Was to place a hand-rolled tissue into your NIB7;
Thinking perhaps that you were a MAGICIAN,
You seemed wanting to show off a rope in quick SECOND8!
Thus, after the LONG ROPE did not APPEAR,
And the rolled tissue can’t be EXTRICATED…it brought much FEAR;
You were brought to a PHYSICIAN—not a MAGICIAN,
The long rolled-tissue did not need an operation ala CAESARIAN9!
Though not much wonders came your WAY,
You’ve scored LUCK with a SCOT10 with eyes so BLUISH-GRAY;
Who has sired a HANDSOME SON and a PRETTY LADY,
The dame is DANA and the son is named DAVID WYLIE!
And as the cutest among our SIBLINGS,
You’ve been deemed as transporter of lots of SHILLINGS11…
For every time you come to MANILA12,
You’ll surely lose again in MAHJONG to our PAPA13!
[Legend: 1 – The BOOM of a cannon was heard and was audible then at a not-too populated MURPHY of yestertears, by reason of a GUN SALUTE drummed up at the then Camp Murphy, now Camp Aguinaldo.
2 – As is usual, only TWO (2) political personalities are accorded the GUN SALUTE; namely: the President and Vice-President of the Republic of the Philippines. At that time in 1962, the President was Diosdado Macapagal while the Vice-President was Emmanuel Pelaez; undoubtedly both are REMARKABLE and ASTUTE persons.
3 – PREXY is another term for President.
3a – President Manuel Luis Quezon was indeed a PHENOMENAL politician. During the COMMONWEALTH regime, the political aspiration was for the independence of the Philippines. The tandem of Sergio Osmeña and Manuel Roxas (called then as the OSROX Mission) went to the US and was able to snag a law the HARE-HAWES-CUTTING Act which granted independence upon the Philippines with somewhat onerous conditions. Thus, it was rejected by the Philippine Senate. Not to be outdone, Pres. Manuel Luis Quezon, singlehandedly lobbied at the US Congress and was able to procure a better law, the TYDINGS-MCDUFFIE Law which eventually was ratified by the Philippine Senate. The legislative act was authored in the 73rd United States Congress by Senator Millard E. Tydings (Dem.) of Maryland and Representative John McDuffie (Dem.) of Alabama, and signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
4 – TAYABAS was the former name of QUEZON province in Southern Luzon, the place for President Manuel Luis Quezon was born.
5 – LOLA BIYAY aka Maria De Jesus, was the famed community comadrona in Murphy then, and she would be the usual midwife who would assist in almost all the births during that time in the Murphy community.
6 – Daddy Max was indeed so desirous to have daughters as children. That was the very reason that we eventually reached EIGHT (8) , actually NINE (9) except that the youngest daughter WENDY, fell ill and died in infancy.
7 – NIB is another term for the NOSE or NOSTRILS.
8 – This is in reference to a magical trick where a string of paper is magically turned into a roll of a rope.
9 – A caesarian procedure refers to a surgical operation of opening up the abdomen of the female species and into the ovary to deliver a baby. But Wandra luckily did not need an operation to extricate the long rolled-tissue paper.
10 – The term SCOT refers to my debonair and handsome BROTHER-IN-LAW, the equally suave DAVID HERON who works as a topnotch stockbroker in Hongkong.
11 – SHILLINGS being a former British monetary coin (Hongkong was a British protectorate for some time) is used here to refer to MONEY.
12 – From time to time, WANDRA would shuttle to the Philippines from Hongkong especially when there would be major family affairs and gatherings and the usual routine is a MAHJONG SESSION with Daddy Max and my other siblings.
13 – The term PAPA is a reference to Daddy Max and used here to achieve RHYME; and it would seem that Daddy Max’s winning streak in MAHJONG has not been broken.]
[At left photo is the FRONT ACT of ALLIANCE Dance number in the 2017 WHHI; while at right photo is the LEGIT STATUS-VARSITY Team, also moving up to the FINALS.]
[Above are the signage/logo designs used by both the LEGIT STATUS and ALLIANCE Fund-Raising Dance Concerts which happened in July 2017 at the HENRY IRWIN Theater at the ATENEO. LET’s PRAY FOR EITHER OR BOTH TEAMS TO BRING HOME THE BACON…whether GOLD, SILVER or BRONZE!!!!]
Ang tanong sa akin ni SONNY1 na WATCHER,
“Sir,kanino kayo MAG-CHE-CHEER?”;
“Pareho kasi Sir na pumasok sa FINAL ROUND…”
“LEGIT STATUS pati na ang ALLIANCE, na naging pang-SECOND2!”
Mukhang may kapilyuhan itong si SONNY,
Asawa ito ng DANCE STUDIO3 clerk na si JERLY3a;
Gusto nya akong pumili sa DALAWA4,
Malapit sa PUSO ko ang bawat ISA!
Ang LEGIT Coach ay aking MANUGANG5,
Si VIMI RIVERA na FRANCHISEE ng WORLD OF DANCE6;
Asawa si VIMs7 ni Shayna na aking PANGANAY8,
Sa pagpili ako’y tiyak na MANGANGALAY9!
Ang ALLIANCE naman, ang COACH ay si JAYJAY GUSTILO10 —
BF ito ng anak kong si CHESKA
na syang PANGATLO11;
Bagamat mas bagong tatag ang ALLIANCE,
Parehong TEAMS tunay na magaling mag-DANCE!
Syempre may mga TRADE SECRETS12 yan SILA,
CHOREO nila dapat ay di MAKIKITA;
Kaya nga ang PRACTICE SESSIONs nila,
Sa BADMINTON COURT ay TOKA-TOKA13!
Pero ang mas IMPORTANTE sa LAHAT,
At sa paghayag na ito ako’y DI-PAAAWAT;
Ang BANSA natin ang magkakaroon ng PARANGAL14,
JOVY15 at LITO16 huwag na kayong UMANGAL!
[At left photo-Jayjay Gustilo San Juan, ALLIANCE Head Coach is shown waving the Philippine flag in the march of participants in the 2017 WORLD HIPHOP INTERNATIONAL CONTEST. At right photo- the whole CABOODLE of the LEGIT STATUS TEAM posing for a group picture after the FUND-RAISING DANCE CONCERT on July 22, 2017 at the IRWIN THEATER at the ATENEO.]
===============================
[Legend: 1 – SONNY is SONNY ORTILLADA who is the husband of the stay-in clerk at the GROOVE CENTRAL DANCE STUDIO (“GC”) which my daughters SHAYNA and CHESKA co-manage. SONNY would serve as CAR WATCHER and even as the PARKING ATTENDANT at the parking area of the GC.
2 – In the ranking of the MEGACREW DIVISION teams after the SEMI-FINALS, ALLIANCE placed SECOND with the D’ REPUBLIK and UPEEPZ tied on FIRST PLACE and LEGIT STATUS on THIRD. It turned out that ALLIANCE prepared a SECOND CHOREOGRAPHY for the SEMI-FINALS, for which reason their rank moved up from 6th to 2nd.
3 – DANCE STUDIO refers to the GROOVE CENTRAL DANCE STUDIO located at No. 104 13th Avenue, Murphy, Cubao, Quezon City, Metro-Manila, Philippines; which is being co-managed by my daughters Shayna and Cheska.
4 – JERLY is JERLY ORTILLADA, the stay-in admin clerk at the GROOVE CENTRAL DANCE STUDIO and the wife of SONNY ORTILLADA.
5 – MANUGANG is Tagalog term for SON-IN-LAW.
6 – VIMI aka VICENTE MIGUEL RIVERA, my son-in-law and husband of Shayna is the FRANCHISE HOLDER of another Olympics-type HIPHOP International Dance Competition [known as the WORLD OF DANCE (“WOD”)] and the recent 2017 WOD just happened in July 22-27,2017 in Los Angeles, USA.
7 – VIMs is abbreviation for VIMI.
8 – PANGANAY is Tagalog term for the ELDEST CHILD.
9 – MANGANGALAY is a Filipino term which denotes TIREDNESS to the EXTREME and I would perceive that if I will be literally choosing from any one of the teams (i.e. LEGIT STATUS and ALLIANCE) my arms would be hanging in the air so tired without definitively deciding on which team to point to or choose. As always, I will certainly CHEER for BOTH the LEGIT STATUS and ALLIANCE Teams. The term MANGANGALAY was used also to achieve a RHYME with “PANGANAY”.
10 – JAYJAY’s full name is actually JAN JULIENNE GUSTILO SAN JUAN. The middle name GUSTILO was used to achieve a RHYME.
11 – PANGATLO means the THIRD, as CHESKA is our THIRD CHILD in a brood of FOUR (4) CHILDREN.
12 – Actually, the HIPHOP Team’s TRADE SECRET is the very CHOREOGRAPHY of their DANCE NUMBER, and that it is actually unraveled only at CONTEST NIGHT or on the day of the CONTEST. They actually do rehearsals almost in SECRET or in ISOLATION.
13 – The BADMINTON COURT near my office which features a wooden-floored hall consisting of the size of TWO (2) badminton courts serves as the ALTERNATE practice venue for the LEGIT STATUS and ALLIANCE Teams with LEGIT STATUS doing it on a T-TH sked and ALLIANCE on a M-W-F sked. LEGIT STATUS would so their Saturday run at the GC Dance Studio.
14 – PARANGAL is Tagalog term for HONOR.
15 – Jovy is Atty. Jovito Gambol who is my long-time partner in the Law Office, while Lito aka Enreque D. Lutuc is one of our Paralegal Assistants. Jovy and Lito are one in their political beliefs and I, together with another of my lawyer-partner, Jun Revilla; would always be adverse to their (i.e. Jovy and Lito) political beliefs such as for example their (i.e. Jovy and Lito) anti-Duterte sway as against our (i.e. me and Jun) Duterte-leaning postures. Thus, almost always, we will be engaged in some friendly debate where it would seem that we are always in adversarial positions almost everytime particularly about Pres. DUTERTE [and they (Jovy and Lito) would almost always feel that a proud moment for the Philippines under DU30 is a NO-NO..…he,he,he…]
[Photo above shows the stage at the ATENEO’s IRWIN Theater during a rehearsal done by the LEGIT STATUS HIPHOP Team members in preparation for their dance fund-raising concerts held in July 2017. The image of LEGIT STATUS Head Coach, VIcente Miguel Rivera, is superimposed in the center portion of the photo.]
Laking GULAT talaga ni Coach VIMI1,
Buong akala niya’y mistula syang magiging PIPI2;
Dahil sa ang ranking ng LEGIT VARSITY sa ELIMs3…
Pang 22nd place4 doon nga sa PRELIMS!
Nang matapos na ang DANCE NUMBER nila,
Wika ni Coach VIMI sa LEGIT Group…TARA NA5!
Buong akala niya’ hindi PAPASOK…
Naku…laking himala’t LUMUSOT!
Ang balak nila’y bumalik na lang afterwards sa VENUE,
Dahil ang SEMIFINALS ay 8 PM6 para sa MEGACREW;
Ngunit dahil napakiusapang mag-STAY ni SHAY7…
It turned out too as a very LOVELY DAY!
So ang MORAL LESSON dito kuno,
Hindi porke nag-top sa ranking kahit UNO8;
Bilog pa rin talaga ang BOLA, di ba?
Pero teka nga pala, ang HIPHOP…no BALL …NADA!
Wait a minute…..sabi nung MAKULIT kong ESEP9!
Eh hindi ba’t ang word na “BALL” sa
PHOENIX10 …
Dahil INGLES ang salita dun, ay DANCE din…
“BALLARE”11 kasi, na derivation ng BALL ay DANCE sa LATIN!
Subalit ang dapat nating pagtuunan,
Masungkit ang GOLD sa ganitong LARANGAN;
Kapag sumikat ng lalo ang HIPHOP sa PINAS…
Marahil ang kabataan sa DROGA’y IIWAS!
Babanderang muli ang ating KOPONAN,
8 PM12 daw doon; dito ay 11 AM yan—Patuloy po natin ang PAGDADASAL…
GINTONG MEDALYA… palagi nating IUSAL!
[The whole CABOODLE of the LEGIT STATUS-VARSITY Team which made it to the SEMIFINAL ROUND.]
[Legend: 1 – COACH VIMI aka Vicente Miguelvera is my son-in-law and hubby of my daughter Winshayna aka SHAYNA. Vimi thought that as LEGIT STATUS HIPHOP Megacrew Team ranked SECOND in the ELIMINATIONS/PRELIMINARIES; the LEGIT VARSITY who placed in the bottom rank during the ELIMS would not make it to the FINALS as only 15 teams will move up to the FINALS. It was some kind of a MIRACLE, LEGIT VARSITY jumped from 22nd to 8th.
2 – PIPI is Filipino word which connotes being MUTE. I felt that if the LEGIT VARSITY did not make it…they including Vimi will all be MUTE about it and will not surely talk about it.
3 – ELIMS is abbreviation for the ELIMINATION ROUND.
4 – Indeed, it was some kind of a MIRACLE, LEGIT VARSITY jumped from 22nd to 8th .
5 – TARA NA is Tagalog slang which means LET’s GO.
6 – 8 PM Phoenix time; will be 11 AM Philippine time except that it is August 11 here in PH while still August 10 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
7 – SHAY is my daughter SHAYNA and wife of Coach VIMI.
8 – Though DM Nation which is the HIPHOP Team from Canada placed FIRST in the ELIMINATIONS ranking with LEGIT STATUS –MEGACREW placing 2nd; the rankings in the SEMIS could be altered drastically depending on the perception by the judges and the excellence shown by the dancers the 2nd time around for the SEMIS.
9 – ESEP is Tagalog slang with a jocular tenor for MIND which is correctly spelled as ISIP.
10 – PHOENIX is Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.A., the venue of the 2017 WORLD HIPHOP INTERNATIONAL CONTEST.
11 – The word “BALL” derives from the Latin word ballare, meaning “to dance”; the Latin word also developed into French baller—from where it swapped into languages like English or German—, and bailar, the Spanish and Portuguese verbs for “to dance” (although all three Romance languages also know danser, danzar and dançar respectively). Catalan uses the same word, ball, for the dance event.
12 – 8 PM Phoenix time; will be 11 AM Philippine time except that it is August 11 here in PH while still August 10 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA.]
[The LEGIT STATUS HIPHOP DANCE Team is here shown, as they presented themselves on the WORLD STAGE at the 2017 WORLD HIPHOP INTERNATIONAL CONTEST at the ARIZONA GRAND RESORT & SPA in Phoenix, Arizona. During the ELIMINATION ROUND where at least 100 participating teams saw action, 25 teams moved up to the SEMI-FINAL ROUND. LEGIT STATUS ranked 2nd with a SCORE of 7.93 while ALLIANCE ranked 6th with a SCORE of 7.40! LET’S ALL CONTINUE PRAYING FOR THE PHILIPPINE TEAMS TO ENABLE THEM TO GRAB THE GOLD!!!!]
Our BELOVED Teams have shown the WAY;
LEGIT STATUS1 is second in PRELIMINARIES’ ranking…OLE!
ALLIANCE2 Team placed SIXTH, that’s still OKEY…
But this is just the ELIMS2a, we need to further PRAY!
[Here’s the FIRST PAGE (of NINE PAGES) of the SCORE SHEET during the 2017 WHHI-MEGACREW ELIMS showing LEGIT STATUS ranked as 2nd with a SCORE of 7.93 and ALLIANCE with rank as 6th with a score of 7.40. At least about ONE HUNDRED (100) TEAMS competed as each page contains at least 13 TEAMS. Being ranked among the TOP SIX (6) is achievement enough for our TEAMS.]
And as they have UNRAVELED their STYLE and CHOREO3…
We’ll have to pray with fervency and louder AUDIO…
So that the CHERUBS4 will hear them clearly,
Conveying it to GOD with CELERITY5!
And as the COMPETITION moves up near the FINALS…
It becomes more TOUGH, let’s forget the SOCIALS6…
Focus must be on how to DANCE BEST,
The aim must be to achieve BEATINEST7!
Let’s PRAY that all of them stays HEALTHY,
Let’s pray too that they be not NAMBY-PAMBY8…
Their endurance and strength must be TOPNOTCH…
So that they’ll look like a beast9 out to make a CATCH10!
Though the guys must appear FEARSOME11 so far,
As though TOUGHIES out to win in a GANG WAR;
The dames must be full of smile,
Well, at times their eyes must be filled with BEGUILE12!
It’s been my conundrum why they appear with a GRRR13!
To perhaps make a spiel that the dance is some DANGER,
And their STUNTS really are so MENACING14…
Just a slip or a wrong that’s EXCRUCIATING15!
But in all undertaking that really is HARD16…
The sweetest will surely be its fruitful REWARD;
So, dear LEGIT and ALLIANCE prepare for the HARSHEST17…
For the GOLD that will gleam will be ours and be BESTEST18!
LET US ALL PRAY FOR OUR TEAMS THE HARDEST AS WE COME NEAR THE FINALS!
[Legend: 1 – LEGIT STATUS HIPHOP Team ranked SECOND in the ELIMINATIONS/PRELIMINARIES at the 2017 WHHI in Phoenix, Arizona. LEGIT STATUS scored 7.93 while the leader of the pack, CANADA’s DM NATION scored 8.03. Though the ELIMS ranking is not much of a significant factor that would be reckoned in the FINALS, it augurs well still, for as long as they maintain it at that, they (both LEGIT STATUS and ALLIANCE) can be shoo-in for the FINALS as the FINALS would be a battle among the TOP (7) of all the participating teams.
2 – The ALLIANCE HIPHOP Team can make it too into the FINALS (as long as they maintain their momentum) as ALLIANCE ranked 6th in the PRELIMS/ELIMINATIONS. ALLIANCE scored 7.40 in the PRELIMINARIES.
2a – ELIMS means the ELIMINATION ROUND.
3 – CHOREO is abbreviation for the dance choreography.
4 – CHERUBS would refer to the ANGELS in HEAVEN.
Following the ELIMINATIONS, the SEMI-FINALS is next where about 25 teams will compete against each other.
5 – CELERITY means SPEED or SWIFTNESS OF MOVEMENT.
6 – Our dancers from both the LEGIT STATUS and the ALLIANCE Teams must stay their focus on WINNING THE GOLD and as much as possible stay away first from SOCIALIZING ventures which would usually be apt and suited for those who have been ELIMINATED. They can satiate themselves with the SOCIALS after winning the GOLD.
7 – BEATINEST would mean the most unusual kind of excellence.
8 – NAMBY-PAMBY would mean lacking in strength and energy.
9 – The unusual observation that I’ve had is that when those HIPHOP dancers are presented and introduced on stage, they try to make an impression that they are TOUGHIES, almost with the ferocity of a beast. I have never asked any of my daughters as well as their dance mates for the RATIONALE. But in my honest assessment, they just want to make perhaps a statement that the HIPHOP dance is a kind of dance which courts dangers and that those who are not so courageous enough must not tread into the path of HIPHOP dancers. Also, HIPHOP originated from the ghetto communities of the BRONX in New York and that those places are dreaded as the home of the TOUGHIES, RASCALS BRUTES, BULLIES and HOODLUMS.
10 – CATCH is used here as the PREY of a ferocious beast.
11 – FEARSOME is used in this BLOG to denote MENACING.
12 – BEGUILE would mean some kind of charm or enticement.
13 – GRRR is a word or some kind of interjection that denotes ANGER.
14 – MENACING would mean, as used here, as too DANGEROUS.
15 – EXCRUCIATING means PAINFUL. In one WHHI joust a couple of years back, a member of the LEGIT STATUS suffered a near fracture when he wrongly landed on the stage floor during the competition proper. The dancer however suffered a gash, a bloodied wound. Despite the injury, as the show must go on, he had to bear the pain and dance and dance and dance. Let’s pray that our dancers would not suffer such mishaps.
16 – HARD would mean something that would bring much suffering, sacrifice and pain.
17 – Every dancer must prepare for the worst and must be brave enough to carry on with the dancing despite of an excruciating pain in case of a bearable mishap.
[The LEGIT STATUS HIPHOP DANCE Team is here shown, as they presented themselves on the WORLD STAGE at the 2017 WORLD HIPHOP INTERNATIONAL CONTEST at the ARIZONA GRAND RESORT & SPA in Phoenix, Arizona. During the ELIMINATION ROUND where more than 50 participating teams saw action, 25 teams moved up to the SEMI-FINAL ROUND. LEGIT STATUS ranked 2nd while ALLIANCE ranked 6th! LET’S ALL CONTINUE PRAYING FOR THE PHILIPPINE TEAMS TO GRAB THE GOLD!!!!]
Bumandera na ang ating KOPONAN,
Mukhang sila’y di talaga papa-IWAN…
Ang LEGIT STATUS ay pumangalawa1,
ALLIANCE naman ay gumawa rin ng EKSENA2!
Subalit ito’y patungo sa SEMI-FINALS3 pa lamang,
Kaya ating DASAL dapat patuloy na PUMAILAN-LANG…
Dapat umabot ito ng lubos sa LANGIT…
At huwag muna tayong mag-PA-PETEK-PETEK4!
Nagkalabasan na ang mga STYLE at CHOREO5—
Syempre ang iba dyan ay di talaga PAPATALO6…
Magkakaroon dyan ng INNOVATION7…
Lalo na’t meron din dyang DANCE REVISION8….
Sa umpisa at TOTOO, TOP SECRET9 ang STYLE at CHOREO…
Pero dahil nagkakitaan na ang AUDIO10 at VIDEO11…
Gagawa marahil sila ng mga kilos na BAGO…
Dapat ipagdasal natin na wala silang kamaliang TODO12!
Sana nga’y mithi nila ay lubos na MAGANAP,
Matagal na nila itong PINAPANGARAP…
Yaong pagod na lang at araw-araw na PAG-PUPUYAT13…
Magampanan lamang nang tunay, INTENSE TRAINING nang SAPAT!
[Legend: 1 – LEGIT STATUS HIPHOP Team ranked SECOND in the ELIMINATIONS/PRELIMINARIES at the 2017 WHHI in Phoenix, Arizona. LEGIT STATUS scored 7.93 while the leader of the pack, DM NATION from CANADA scored 8.02. Though the ELIMS ranking is not much of a significant factor that would be reckoned in the FINALS, it augurs well still, for as long as they maintain it at that, they can be shoo-in for the FINALS as the FINALS would be a battle among the TOP (7) of all the participating teams.
2 – The ALLIANCE HIPHOP Team can make it too into the FINALS (as long as they maintain their momentum) as ALLIANCE ranked 6th in the PRELIMS/ELIMINATIONS. ALLIANCE scored 7.40.
3 – Following the ELIMINATIONS, the SEMI-FINALS is next where about 25 teams will compete against each other.
4 – PA-PETEK-PETEK means literally, to just take it EASY.
5 – Usually, teams competing in the WHHI would keep their CHOREOGRAPHY a secret as they aspire for CREATIVITY and ORIGINALITY in their STYLES. But, with their style and CHOREO already out in the open, they will try to further embellish their STYLE and do further INNOVATION in their CHOREOGRAPHY. CHOREO is abbreviation for CHOREOGRAPHY.
6 – A great number of the teams competing at the WHHI have gained some kind of reputation as perennial CHAMPS such as the ROYAL FAMILY of NEW ZEALAND and these teams would want their reputation maintained.
7 – INNOVATION would take the form of new and more intrepid stunts or new and added steps and movements.
8 – REVISION would mean actual change in the dance movements to make for a more fascinating dance choreography.
9 – As earlier said in No. 5, the hiphop teams’ choreography is TOP SECRET until the date of the competition and performed on the world stage.
10 – AUDIO would be the song or music that accompanies the dance number.
11 – VIDEO would be the DANCE CHOREOGRAPHY.
12 – Let’s all pray that the teams will not commit any major mis-step or mistake, most especially with respect to the STUNTS.
13 – My daughters’ almost daily practice schedule is 7 PM to 1 AM and they usually are at the venue hall by 6 PM and would continue to do some after-the-practice-meetings until 2 AM at times.
14 – ARIZONA actually Phoenix particularly the ARIZONA GRAND RESORT & SPA is hosting the 2017 WORLD HIPHOP INTERNATIONAL CONTEST from August 7-12, 2016.
15 – The MEDALYANG GINTO, is the GOLD MEDAL which is up for grabs at every year’s WHHI…plus the BRAGGING RIGHTS too…he,he,he…Incidentally, our Philippine teams (i.e. LEGIT STATUS and ALLIANCE) will enter in the MEGACREW, ADULT and VARSITY divisions; and that would be THREE (3) GOLD MEDALS…]
[Legend: 1 – My daughters Alee, Cheska and Shayna, together with their team mates are now in Phoenix, Arizona to compete in the 2017 WORLD HIPHOP INTERNATIONAL CONTEST (“WHHI”) with common aspiration to bag the GOLD in either the ADULT, or VARSITY or MEGACREW Divisions. The 2017 WHHI is to be held at the ARIZONA GRAND RESORT & SPA in Phoenix, Arizona on August 7-12, 2017.
1a – The all-time record high temperature in Phoenix, Arizona was 50°C (122°F) on June 26 1990. Nowadays, the heat in Phoenix, Arizona is flirting with the high numbers.
1b – The donations indeed have brought enhanced the morale of the members of the hiphop teams and that they are deemed not as mere support but also as remedy to their financial woes.
2 – With more than 50 nations participating in the WHHI and most nations sending at least 2 teams, the ELIMINATION round will be held on the first 2 days, August 7 and 8, 2017 from morning till night.
3 – The SEMI-FINAL Round will be held on the second 2 days; namely: August 9 and 10, 2017. Thence, the ONE-ON-ONE dance battles will take place on August 11, 2017 and the FINALS on August 12, 2017 with at the most 7 teams competing for the Champion award for each division.
4 – There will surely be a lot of teams which will be stricken off the list that will compose the FINAL Round participants of at the most 7 teams per division.
5 – Pareng JOEY is Jose Tirol Solidum, my KUMPADRE and FRIEND. Pareng Joey together with his wife Mareng Lyd have made it a vow to propagate devotion to the OUR LADY OF THE FATIMA ICON. This, they have been done by donating icons/images of the OUR LADY OF FATIMA to various personages and associations.
6 – Mareng LYD is Lydia Pe Benito-Solidum, my KUMADRE and the wife of Pareng Joey.
7 – BUMABAON is Tagalog term which means PIERCING; thus, referring to a very FERVENT and ARDENT prayer.
8 – NARS is a Tagalized spelling of “NURSE” which denotes some kind of a healing or a revitalizing effect upon the members of the hiphop teams of my daughters.
9 – My daughter ALEE put up a FUNDRAISER in support of the Philippine hiphop teams’ quest to bring home the GOLD in the 2017 WORLD HIPHOP INTERNATIONAL CONTEST (“WHHI”) via the website GENEROSITY.COM.
10 – GOLD is the GOLD MEDAL that goes with the CHAMPION AWARD in the 2017 WHHI.]
[Here’s a photo showing Brod OMY aka ROMEO ROLL MATIAS with his BELOVED WIFE, SALLY. The photo showing the LOVEY-DOVEY couple was snapped perhaps sometime in the 70s. Brod OMY together with his BELOVED SALLY donated a satisfying amount in support of my daughters’ quest to bag the GOLD at the 2017 WORLD HIPHOP INTERNATIONAL CONTEST in Phoenix, Arizona on August 7-12, 2017.]
He was the LONGEST REIGNING NATIONAL PREXY of the PI OMICRON1 —
He’s SPRY like SUPERMAN2 who hates to be near KRYPTON3;
But with BROD OMY who indeed is SPRY and SPRIGHTLY,
He wants to be with his BRODS, so feeling HEAVENLY4…
As I was reminded that Brod OMY was neophyte under my TERM5,
Felt elated that he got inspired with my GERM6;
Though were not so very much APLENTY and was then DIMINISHING,
Through some maneuvering I made it appear that the PI O was TEEMING7!
Brod OMY indeed honed up his LEADERSHIP KNACK,
He ascended as G.O. as I thereafter PACKED8;
Was a working student then at UP College of LAW,
And the daily recitations got stuck in my CRAW9!
After graduating from UP-Diliman in ’74, a year after ’73,
With an eclectic ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING10 DEGREE;
He eventually became one of the YOUNGEST VEEPs11,
In a trek through the ladder11a as though working for KEEPS12!
When Brod OMY became PI O’s National PREXY13,
His HOBART Home became as though a PAD, so COZY14;
Resident brods would come in and GO and BACK —
At times going direct to the FRIDGE15 as though in a “FOOD-ATTACK”16!
As a LIBRA person based on your ZODIAC sign17,
You feel so “charged up” when socializing with your KIND17a;
You’re truly so very ENERGETIC,
You take INITIATIVE often, that’s FANTASTIC!
Per the PERSONALITY DESCRIPTORS in HOROSCOPE.CO18,
You’re BRIGHT and HIGH-SPIRITED that’s not FALSO19;
You could check that by GOOGLING your birth DATE;
Thence, you’d realized that I’m not cracking up a JAPE20!
As a DRAGON person, you’re so NOBLE and LOYAL21…
You put value in relationship, that’s a tip to your MAHAL22…
It’s now a virtual insurance unto SALLY, your gracious WIFE,
You’ll never be PERFIDIOUS until the end of your LIFE!
[Brod OMY aka ROMEO ROLL MATIAS is shown in a reflective mood in this photo, in a similarly leisure manner of whiling away the time at his HOBART-COMMONWEALTH Home in Quezon City, Metro-Manila, Philippines.]
[Legend: 1 – Brod Omy aka Romeo Roll Matias reigned as PI OMICRON’s National President from 2005 up to 2009, actually 2 and a half terms. And he was the last to serve as National Prexy as the next highest officer to be elected was President of PI OMICRON INTERNATIONAL, in the person of Brod Dickson Hermoso.
2 – The reference to Brod Omy’s being “SPRY like SUPERMAN” is not with respect to any kind of “super powers” but his being so active and energetic with respect to PI OMICRON FRATERNITY affairs.
3 – KRYPTON refers to the KRYPTONITE rock which in the SUPERMAN comic book series is some kind of bane upon SUPERMAN as it sorts of weakens SUPERMAN when said rock is brought near him. Actually, KRYPTON is supposed to be the planet where KRYPTONITE could be found. Just as to achieve a rhyme, KYPYTON is herein used instead of KRYPTONITE.
4 – On the other hand, while SUPERMAN hates KRYPTON, Brod Omy loves to be with his PI OMICRON FRATERNITY brods and that such closeness and socialization with his brods sort of strengthens and delights him so much.
5 – Brod OMY entered the PI OMICRON Frat during my term in School Year 1971-1972.
6 – GERM is used in this BLOG in the concept of an IDEA or PLAN, such as a GERM of an IDEA. Actually GERM also means the origin of an idea or project.
7 – TEEMING- At that time when I served as Grand Omicron of the UP Pi Omicron Fraternity, the frat did not have so many members. Thus, I went into producing plays for showing at the Nicanor Abelardo Hall thereby making out and projecting an image and/or appearance that the fraternity was then teeming with resident members. It is because in those ventures of play-production, one would really need not just a couple but many aids, helpers and hands.
8 – PACKED – Brod Omy was my Vice Grand Omicron when I served my second term as Grand Omicron anew in 1974-1975, I thereafter realized that as a working student, I cannot efficiently serve as the head of my fraternity. Thus, I literally had to pack up and turn over the rein unto Brod Omy as the new Grand Omicron to serve the remaining year of my term.
9 – CRAW actually is another term for stomach. And that my initial year at the UP Law made me realize that I really have to devote all my waking hours to my law schooling and this thought virtually brought “butterflies into my stomach” as I became so wary and nervous that a failure in one subject at UP Law, even for once, could put an end into my dream to become a lawyer. For which reason, I abdicated and turned over the leadership to Brod Omy Matias aka Romeo Roll Matias.
10 – An ECLECTIC ENGINEERING DEGREE would mean a comprehensive and extensive course towards a diploma in a degree on Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.
11 – At age 29, Brod Omy was designated Vice-President of C. M. Calayan Enterprises a business firm which was engaged in trading and constructing. Eventually, Brod Omy became an executive officer in various business firms such as: FEMSCO, Inc.; INPHIL Marketing; STRATCOM Inc.; and, thereafter at DIVISION 16, which is a subsidiary of a U.S. company known as SQUARE “D” Company which required his crossposting in the U.S.A. Finally, in 1995; Brod Omy was designated as President of NOVEAU DEVELOPMENT CORP. In 1996 Brod Omy enrolled in the masteral program in BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION in UP. However, as he was crossposted to the U.S.A., his dream of acquiring a masteral degree in the footsteps of his IDOL and our frat brod, topnotch US geologist, GEORGE BACUTA; was thereafter stymied.
12 – Brod Omy was working as though “FOR KEEPS”, meaning giving it all, a sign of his DRAGON nature of being a NOBLE, LOYAL, STRONG and DETERMINED person.
13 – Brod Omy became PI OMICRON’s National Prexy starting in 1995.
14 – It turned out that the fraternity brods especially the resident brods deemed Brod Omy’s Hobart-Commonwealth home as their second home, so cozy, so comfortable and so welcoming.
15 – FRIDGE is colloquial term for REFRIGERATOR.
16 – FOOD ATTACK, as though Brod Omy’s home was their home, Brod Omy’s FRIDGE became the subject of frequent FOOD-ATTACKS.
17 – Being born on October 5, 1952; Brod Omy is guided by the Libra ZODIAC sign.
17a – Brod OMY told me that he always feels so happy, so at ease and so comfortable when he is in the company of his fraternity brods in the PI OMICRON FRATERNITY, true personalities of his KIND.
18 – The HOROSCOPE.CO is an INTERNET website which gives a run-down of one’s horoscope and personality traits via personality descriptors via encoding one’s birth date in GOOGLE.
19 – FALSO is Spanish term for FALSE.
20 – JAPE means JOKE.
21 – Being born on October 5, 1952; Brod Omy is guided by the CHINESE ZODIAC sign of the DRAGON.
22 – MAHAL is Filipino/Tagalog term which means BELOVED or LOVED ONE, of course of Brod Omy… which translates to no other than SALLY, the wife of Brod Omy and his ONE and ONLY BELOVED ]
