"Fame or Shame?: Digging into Janina San Miguel's unexpected rise to fame"

One question. Yes, it took only one question and Janina San Miguel, the 17 year-old beauty who grabbed the Ms. World title in the recently concluded Bb. Pilipinas pageant, is now a household name and ultimately gaining celebrity status. And to revive the humor and awe, I think it would be necessary if we recapture again the moment when the Philippines met Ms. Janina San Miguel, the beautiful lady that has taken our country by storm.....

Paolo Bediones: Janina, how are you?

Janina San Miguel: I’m fine.
Paolo Bediones: Alright, so you won two of the major awards - Best in Long Gown, Best in Swimsuit, do you feel any pressure right now?
Janina San Miguel: No, I don’t feel any pressure right now. *smiles*
Paolo Bediones: Confident! Alright! Please choose a name of the judge.
Paolo Bediones: We have Miss Vivienne Tan.
Vivienne Tan: Good Evening.
Janina San Miguel: Good Evening.
Vivienne Tan: The question is, what role did your family play to you as candidate to Binibining Pilinas? Janina San Miguel: Well, my family’s role for me is so important b’coz there was the wa- they’re, they was the one who’s… very… Hahahaha… Oh I’m so sorry, Ahhmm… My pamily… My family… Oh my god… I’m… Ok, I’m so sorry… I… I told you that I’m so confident… Eto, Ahhmm, Wait… Hahahaha, Ahmmm, Sorry guys because this was really my first pageant ever b’coz I’m only 17 years old and ahahaha I, I did not expect that I came from, I came from one of the taft 10. Hmmm, so… but I said that my family is the most important persons in my life. Thank you.

"Beauty with no brains". "Too dumb for an international competition". "The judges were more foolish for letting her win". These are only some of the unreasonable comments I found posted on you tube.com while watching the video clip showcasing Janina's famous lines. Poor girl, I thought. Those remarks from judgmental people are undoubtedly directed to this young girl who just forgot how to have grace under pressure. It's quite easy to throw nasty remarks on this person because we are not trying to imagine ourselves being on her shoes. Without a doubt, answering a simple question in front of thousands of people will get the hell out of your nerves and can turn the most intelligent and confident person into a speechless jerk. That girl is not good in speaking English but that same girl also has the qualities and the makings of a beauty queen. It's really unfair to label her as 'beauty without brains' for the simple reason that genuine intelligence cannot be measured by how fluent a person is in speaking English. Hence, to those people with ''superior I.Q." and are judging this poor little girl because of her 'petty' grammatical errors, be thankful that God has given you that kind of intelligence but also remember that it doesn't give you the right to humiliate anyone you think is inferior than you. No one is perfect and everyone of us commits mistakes........mistakes that do not define us as a person but mold us to become better persons. Lastly, this Janina San Miguel-grammatical error issue wants to teach everyone of us a valuable lesson: Do not let anyone or the society to dictate you of what to say or do. In case of Janina, she was stuck on the stereotype that questions on beauty pageants ought to be answered by English alone in order to make an 'outstanding good impression' on the judges. Sadly, she got out of her comfort zone, failed to show her real personality, was not able to answer the question and ended up being a 'mess'. She could have nailed it had she used the language she is most comfortable with and dared to be different. To put it in realistic terms, we have our lives of our own and we are put here on earth to live our own ideas of life and not somebody else's. Therefore, we are free people that must celebrate the essence of real freedom, which is the ability not to care on what other people might think. Let's live and love life!

"From Parents, With Love"

"Pasensya Ka Na, Anak"


Sa aking pagtanda, unawain mo sana ako at pagpasensiyahan.

Kapag
dala ng kalabuan ng mata ay nakabasag ako ng pinggan o nakatapon ng
sabaw sa hapag kainan, huwag mo sana akong kagagalitan.

Maramdamin ang isang matanda. Nagse-self-pity ako sa tuwing sinisigawan mo ako.

Kapag
mahina na ang tenga ko at hindi ko maintindihan ang sinasabi mo, huwag
mo naman sana akong sabihan ng "binge!" paki-ulit nalang ang sinabi mo
o pakisulat nalang.

Pasensya ka na, anak. Matanda na talaga ako.

Kapag
mahina na ang tuhod ko, pagtiyagaan mo sana akong tulungang tumayo,
katulad ng pag-aalalay ko sa iyo noong nag-aaral ka pa lamang lumakad.

Pagpasensyahan mo sana ako kung ako man ay nagiging makulit at paulit-ulit na parang sirang plaka.

Basta pakinggan mo nalang ako. Huwag mo sana akong pagtatawanan o pagsasawaang pakinggan.

Natatandaan
mo anak noong bata ka pa?kapag gusto mo ng lobo, paulit-ulit mo 'yong
sasabihin, maghapon kang mangungulit hangga't hindi mo nakukuha ang
gusto mo. Pinagtyagaan ko ang kakulitan mo.

Pagpasensyahan mo na
rin sana ang aking amoy. Amoy matanda, amoy lupa. Huwag mo sana akong
piliting maligo. Mahina na ang katawan ko. Madaling magkasakit kapag
nalamigan, huwag mo sana akong pandirihan.

Natatandaan mo noong bata ka pa? pinagtyagaan kitang habulin sa ilalim ng kama kapag ayaw mong maligo.

Pagpasensyahan mo sana kung madalas, ako'y masungit, dala na marahil ito ng katandaan. Pagtanda mo, maiintindihan mo rin.

Kapag
may konti kang panahon, magkwentuhan naman tayo, kahit sandali lang.
Inip na ako sa bahay, maghapong nag-iisa. Walang kausap.

Alam
kong busy ka sa trabaho, subalit nais kong malaman mo na sabik na sabik
na akong makakwentuhan ka, kahit alam kong hindi ka interesado sa mga
kwento ko.

Natatandaan mo anak, noong bata ka pa? Pinagtyagaan
kong pakinggan at intindihin ang pautal-utal mong kwento tungkol sa
iyong teddy bear.

At kapag dumating ang sandali na ako'y magkakasakit at maratay sa banig ng karamdaman, huwag mo sana akong pagsawaang alagaan.

Pagpasensyahan
mo na sana kung ako man ay maihi o madumi sa higaan, pagtyagaan mo sana
akong alagaan sa mga huling sandali ng aking buhay. Tutal hindi na
naman ako magtatagal.

Kapag dumating ang sandali ng aking
pagpanaw, hawakan mo sana ang aking kamay at bigyan mo ako ng lakas ng
loob na harapin ang kamatayan.

At huwag kang mag-alala, kapag
kaharap ko na ang Diyos na lumikha, ibubulong ko sa kanya na pagpalain
ka sana ... dahil naging mapagmahal ka sa iyong ama't ina...

Written by Rev. Fr. Ariel F. Robles
CWL Spiritual Director
St. Augustine Parish
Baliuag, Bulacan

Gays' Anatomy

"Diretsyo sila sa impyerno!". Ito ang karaniwang sagot ng mga ultra at mega conservative na mga "kristiyano" tuwing sila ay mahaharap sa mga issues regarding homosexuality, same-sex marriage, at gay love. Dito ay tahasan nilang tinutukoy ang mga bakla at tomboy bilang mga 'imoral' at walang karapatang pumasok sa kaharian ng Diyos. Without a single doubt, ang panlipunang diskriminasyon na sumasakal sa mga homosexuals sa Pilipinas ay talamak at masasabi ko na ring garapal sa modernong panahong ating ginagalawan. As a matter of fact, survey done by SWS in 2001 reveal that Filipinos in general held largely negative views toward lesbians and gays. More than 50% of the respondents said that homosexuality can never be rationalized, while a quarter would rather not have lesbian or gays as neighbors. Ang diskriminasyong ito ay isang katotohanang mahirap burahin at tila isang anino na susunod sa mga homosexuals saan man sila pumunta.......sa opisina, sa eskwelahan, sa simbahan, at ang pinakamasakit sa lahat, sa kanilang mga sariling tahanan. Marahil ay hindi na bago sa atin ang mga eskwelahan at mga kompanyang tila kriminal ang tingin sa mga homosexuals dahil sa hindi makatarungang diskriminasyong ito. If you're gay, you have to accomplish something extraordinary so people will see beyond your sexual orientation. Ito ang katotohanan. Reality bites. Ngunit sa gitna ng pagtalakay ng isyung ito, isang mala-million dollar question ang nagpop-up sa aking isipan: Mahal ba ng Diyos ang mga miyembro ng third sex? Isa itong tanong na alam kong magpapasimula ng isang mabagsik na debate sa pagitan ng mga liberal at mga konserbatib. Maraming bersikulo sa Bibliya ang direktang kumukundena sa mga bakla at mga homosexual acts ngunit hindi ito sapat na dahilan, sa aking palagay, upang pagkaitan natin ang mga homosexuals ng mga karapatan na mayroon ang mga karaniwang 'straight' people. Sila'y mga tao din na may sariling damdamin and just victims of the devil's deception. Ayon nga sa kasabihang "hate the sin, love the sinner", dapat nating imulat ang ating kaisipan sa katotohanan na ang mga gays ay mga biktima lamang ng kamunduhan, mga taong nahulog sa patibong ng diyablo, at mga kaluluwang dapat lang nating kaawaan at kahabagan, hindi pagtawanan at tuyain. I'm talking to the homophobics, in particular, na tila hindi pa rin naimulat ang kanilang kaisipan sa mga katotohanan regarding homosexuality. Let's just embrace diversity and acknowledge the fact that we all live in a fallen world inhabited by sinners. Yes, we are all imperfect and all fallen short of the grace of God, so who are we to judge gays? Everyone is free to live and definitely deserves a second chance. A chance to change and grow spiritually. But to everything there is a season and a time for every purpose, under the heaven. So for now, let us treat them humanely and fairly, appreciating the great contributions they have brought to our society and the uplifting fact that God, also, loves them unconditionally. Sayonara!

"Warming Up!"

As a newbie here on blogger, I would like to post a short story that I made to serve as a prelude for my blog. Writing has been my passion and I want to use it for a divine purpose, which is to inspire and uplift other people. This piece that I'm going to post is all about abortion, one of the major issues prevalent nowadays and is often linked to teenage pregnancies and premarital sex. Hope that it will awaken some minds and verify the reality that what goes around, comes around and in every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction......the thing called 'karma'..

"Lightning Strikes!"

"I'm two months pregnant.",Mutya uttered candidly.
It was one stormy night. The eerie sound of thunder reached its crescendo as heavy rains poured out relentlessly from the raging heaven. Lightning sundered the horizon as it intermittently illuminated the black, gloomy night in the city, disclosing every concealed activity made in the dark. The bright light was inevitable that any effort to escape from it was futile.
The clamor from the storm overshadowed Mutya's soft voice, so Sarah, who's preparing her own bed, didn't get the exact message.
"You are what?", Sarah turned to her friend with an inquisitive face.
"I just said I'm two months pregnant. I called Robert about this, but he refused to take responsibility and never called again. What am I going to do?",Mutya asked, bursting in tears.
Sarah was momentarily aghast, but knowing she herself had been in the same situation, she sat beside Mutya and consoled her bestfriend. "Okay.I know exactly how you feel. Don't worry, you'll be fine,I tell you. Forget about that sucker!He'll burn in hell." Sarah enbraced her friend to overwhelm her with the warmth of genuine friendship that cold evening.
"How about my father?He would kill me the moment he learn about this. My future is ruined!I'm doomed!", sobbed Mutya, clinging to her friend who have been her source of solace for almost two years.
"You'll never be!Nobody will know about this. Tomorrow after the exams, I'll tell you what to do. For now, just stay calm. We have exams tomorrow so let's sleep. Just be responsible next time...Do you promise?"
"Yes, I promise." Sarah wiped Mutya's tears away and gave her a final embrace. But Mutya was ambivalent towards the assurance Sarah gave to her. "How could I get rid of this without risking something?", she asked herself. But her trust to Sarah surpassed her emotional maelstrom and just make-believed that things will be alright, as Sarah has promised. So Mutya slept her worries away, guileless about the terrible ordeal her friend had been through that drove her to make that kind of assurance.
Mutya grew up in a well-to-do family in Bulacan. She's the only daughter of Dr. Ronaldo Romualdez and his late wife. She shares with his father the same passion in health sciences that she decided to follow his footsteps. "To be a doctor is to give life and hope to other people...", she remember her father said. She, however, never had an opportunity to visit her father in the hospital or clinic where he's practicing because her father won't allow her to. But the image of his father as a 'respected physician' with an amazing sense of pathos remained steadfast.
She then took a pre-med course in U.P. Manila, where she met Sarah, her boardmate and later became her friend.
"Think before you leap", was Sarah's initial response when Mutya disclosed to her that she's having an affair with Robert.
"I know but I'm in a quandary right now. I love him so much", said Mutya, intoxicated with infatuation....never minding the consequences of her actions. There was a lapse of judgment.
It's been a couple of months now, but the fear of alienation from her father still crippling Mutya's soul. However, the assurance made by Sarah was promising, she thought. They converged at the park after the exams at about 2:30 pm.
"Abortion?Are you serious?", asked Mutya, quite shocked. A tremulous sensation crawled all over her body upon hearing Sarah's suggestion.
"Yes", replied Sarah with conviction. "That's what I did when I was in the same situation as you are right now. I'm sorry, I didn't tell you."
"What?How did it happen?"
"I was pregnant that time, and fearing it would ruin my future and my family's reputation, I took the risk and did the thing.", answered Sarah without any hesitations.
"But why?"
"Because I had no choice. There was no sensible options available for me to choose from. And in your case, what would you choose---your future or your principles?"
Mutya couldn't believe that Sarah, who as far as she knows, is a friend of reasonable judgment, is now provoking her to do an illicit solution to her ordeal.
"But Sarah was right. I have no choice",she said to herself, brooding on what step to make.
"So what's your decision?", Sarah asked, hoping she did an effective persuasion.
"Alright, I'll take it", Mutya said with finality. "But who will do it?"
"We're going to Malate. Dr. Abo has a clinic there, but be sure you have enough bucks to pay the service."
"I have some here, which I'm suppose to pay for my tuition fee. I'll just tell my father that I lost it. By the way, who's Dr. Abo?"
"One of my acquaintances introduced him to me. I don't know the real name but 'Abo' is short for 'abortionist'. Don't worry, you'll be safe with him."
Mutya suddenly thought how contemptuous for a professional to do such thing, but she hates herself more for complying to kill her own flesh and blood.
It's raining hard when they arrived at the clinic. The building, though, resembles an apartment more than a clinic because there's no hint to call it a 'clinic'.
"Just sit and wait for a minute", said a woman in her late thirties, clad in a white laboratory gown.
No words could describe how Mutya feels that moment. The stormy weather outside augmented the fear she had towards the situation she was into. She hoped that it would be done the fastest way possible so she could get over it and move on with her life.
"Dr. Abo's ready to see both of you.", said the woman, who came out of the door after a minute. The two rose from the sofa and slowly made their way to the room. Mutya was as cold as a frozen corpse as she tried to move her seemingly uncooperative feet, but she's too overwhelmed by the paralyzing spirit of guilt.
"Come on, Mutya", said Sarah, who saw how nervous her friend is.
"Please go and talk to him first.", begged Mutya, with a shaking voice. Sarah agreed and entered the room. After about 5 minutes, Sarah opened the door and told Mutya that the doctor wants to talk to her about the procedure. Mutya summoned all her strength and started to walk inside. As she made her way to the room, she saw the astonishing sight of Dr. Abo. She was appalled and couldn't believe what she's seeing, wishing it was all just a dream. Dr. Abo was equally dumbstrucked upon seeing her patient. Then, a moment of deafening silence came across the whole room.
Meanwhile, the storm was still raging outside. The thunder's roar came to its climax as the rain poured down relentlessly from the heaven. The lightning's illumination uncovered everything concealed in the dark, and its something that no one could ever escape,never and never will be.