Mayabang ang Pinoy

Mahirap man tanggapin, aminin natin na sa buong mundo, ang Pinoy ang ISA sa pinakamayabang na lahi. Di ko alam kung mas mayabang sa atin ang Bumbay o ang Intsik.

Itong talakayan ukol sa mas murang gamot ang isang halimbawa ng kayabangan na punong puno ng hangin ng Pinoy. Kaya gagamitin ko ang wikang pambansa sa talakayang ito.

Pinagpapatayan ng mga mambabatas, ni Boy Padyak, ng mga aktibistang lukaret na ibaba ang presyo ng gamot na sabi nila ubod ng mahal sa Pinas kung ikukumpara sa ibang bansa. Ano ba ang pinagbasehan ng mga magagaling na ito? Sabi ng iba mas mura daw sa India at Pakistan ang gamot kesa dito. Sabi ng iba dapat lamang pantayin ang presyo ng gamot sa bansa natin sa kinikita ng pangkaraniwang mamamayan.

Mga sira pala ang tuktok ng mga ito! Habang nasa tama ang iba, na may pagkamahal ang gamot natin dito kumpara sa ibang bansa, isipin din naman ninyo kung ano ang tunay na "essential medicines". Aba, hindi naman ganyan kagaling ang Pfizer at sobrang naging batayan ang benta ng kumpanyang yon para sabihin na apat sa kanilang mga gamot ang kailangan ng MRP o "maximum retail price".

Hindi lahat ng mataas na presyon (hypertension) ay ginagamot lamang ng amlodipine (Norvasc). At hindi lang Pfizer ang nagbebenta ng amlodipine. At bakit naman pati ang gamot na Lipitor (Atorvastatin) eh nasama sa listahan? Dahil matataas daw ang cholesterol ng Pinoy! Eh kumain ka naman ng chicharon, lechon, estofado, kaldereta, talaba, taba ng talangka, adobo, Jollibee, McDonald's, KFC, Max fried chicken eh di kaya tumaas ang cholesterol mo? Isara ninyo ang mga tindahan na yan muna! Turuan ang Pinoy na kumain ng tama. Eh parang mga kabute naman yang Jollibee na yan. Pati nga si Doc Aga, tumaas ang cholesterol dahil sa prankisa ng kanyang Jollibee! Turuan ang Pinoy na mag ensayo. Turuan ang Pinoy na maglakad! Tamad ang Pinoy! Bus, Jeep, Tricycle o Padyak ang sakay niya, eh dapat ihahatid hanggang sa tapat ng bahay niya. Di bale na kung wala sa tamang sakayan at babaan. Basta nabarayan na, eh dapat sa tapat ng bahay or kung san man nilang gustong sumakay at bumaba!

At bakit naman pati ang gamot na Zithromax (Azithromycin) eh napasama sa listahan? Tanga talaga ang nag-isip (o wala talagang isip) yung naglagay sa gamot na yan sa listahan. Bakit kamo? Eh hindi naman pangkalahatang sakit yang Zithromax na yan. Kung kelangan mo ng mas murang Macrolide, aba, andiyan ang Eryrthromycin na pinagpatayan pa ng Pilipinong naka-diskubre ng gamot na yan sa lupang hinirang ng bayan!

At bakit dapat isama ang Tazocin (Piperacillin-Tazobactam) sa listahan? Lahat ba ng Pinoy eh naka-ICU na? Sobrang tapang ng antibiotic na yan. Hindi rin naman tama na yan ang unang gagamitin tuwing may sakit ang Pinoy. Sa totoo lang, madaming murang gamot na tatalab sa pangkaraniwang sakit ng Pinoy. Maraming gamot na dapat inuna. Ang gamot sa tuberculosis halimbawa. Bakit di nakasama dito? Eh kung tutuusin isa sa bawat anim na Pinoy ay may TB!

Maliwanag na ang mga gamot na nakalista sa MRP ay pampulitiko lamang ni Boy Padyak at ng kapitbahay ni Ate Glo na ngayon ay kanyang health secretary. Malinaw na hindi napagisipan mabuti at malinaw na walang isip din yung gumawa ng executive order na yan! Pirma na lang ng pirma si La Presidente! Kaya pag may bulilyaso, eh pulos paumanhin at paunawa ang hinihingi ng mga spokesperson niya sa palasyo. Kung tutuusin, kahit na ibaba ninyo ng 50% yang mga gamot na yan, eh di pa din kaya ng pangkaraniwang Juan de la Cruz makabili niyan! Kulang ang kanilang sueldo para makabili ng gamot o pambayad sa ospital o sa doctor man lamang.

At bakit di natin pagpatayan na lamang na walang parking fee ang bawat mall na pagaari ng mga Ayala, Gokongwei, Sy at iba't iba pa? Nung namatay si Sen. Cayetano, namatay na rin ang mungkahi ukol dito. At ang pagkamahal mahal na SLEX! Usog pagong na, kelangan pa magbayad ng 48pesos mula Nichols hanggang Sucat! Mga gago talaga ang mambabatas natin. Binatikos nila ang pamahalaan ng Skyway dahil dito. Nagbababa ng 20pesos sa Skyway, pero hindi sa pinagmumulan ng sobrang sikip ng trapiko. Tumahik ang mga hitad na mambabatas! Sanamagan! Saan ka nakakita ng mga tanga na uto uto pa? Dapat diyan, libre na muna ang daan mula Filinvest hanggang Nichols tulad ng nuong ginagawa pa ang NLEX! Dupang talaga ang lumalatay sa dugo ng Pinoy. Kanya kanyang hirit. Kanya kanyang yabang.

At dito ko ikukuwento ang pangkaraniwang araw ko sa Mercury Drug Store. Kasama ko si Inang na bumibili ng gamot. May babaeng pumunta sa counter, binigay ang reseta ng gamot at tinanong ang tindera, 'magkano ang isang tableta niyan'? 38.50pesos po, sagot ng tindera. 'Ang mahal naman!', reklamo ng ale. 'Wala bang generic niyan?'. 'Meron po, eto 8.50pesos lang', sagot ng tindera. 'O sige, yan na lang', sabay sagot ni aleng mamimili. Mayat maya, andiyan ang anak niyang pitong taong gulang na may bitbit dalawang latang Pringles. 'Mommy Pringles o', sabi ng bata. Sagot ng nanay sa tindera, 'O isama mo na yan'!

Putres talaga! Di man lang masabi ng nanay sa anak niyan - o anak, generic na lang, yung Jack ang Jill na lang. Kelangan talaga Pringles ang lumapat sa dila ng anak niya. Kasi, habang hawak hawak ng bata ang Pringles, may ipagyayabang sila. Naka-pringle si bunso! Ang gamot, walang makakakita. Lalaklakin lang at itatae na ito! Pwe! Yabang lang talaga ang Pinoy!

Kung ang mga katulong ko nga eh kelangan dalawa ang celfone. Isa pang Sun Call and Text, yung isa para ewan! At dito ubos ang sueldo ng mga hitad. May pera pang load. Pagdating sa pagbili ng gamot, wala! Lecheng buhay ito talaga! Kahit lubog sa utang basta ginagamit ni Piolo ay dapat naka-Bench din na brip si kuya. Kahit na ito lang ang brip niya at binabaliktad na lamang araw araw para lang may ipagmamalaki (ewan naman kung sino sisilip diyan.) Basta sinabi ni Pacman, "you know", e iinum ng VitWater kahit na tubig lang ay puede na. Sobrang OA! Driver ko nga ayaw ng tubig na pinakulo. Dapat mineral water! Eh mahirap pa sa daga, naghahanap pa ng bongga!

Di ninyo napapansin na tuwing malapit ang petsa ng suweldo tulad ng 15 and 30 eh nakikipagpatayan si Henry Sy sa sueldo ng mga Pinoy? The great sale ika nga! At kahit na basura ang binebenta sa mga mall, eh dapat sugod mga kapatid!!!! Basta may bitbit, kahit na asin na lang ipangkain mamayang hapunan, nakapag Time Zone si bunso at nakabili ng step-in si Ate. Mayabang talaga ang Pinoy. Di marunong mamaluktot.

Kahit na anong antas sa lipunan galing, sadyang mayabang ang Pinoy. Sa pinagtratrabahuhan kong kumpanya meron kaming mga distributors na nakabaon na sa utang eh akala mo mas mayaman pa kay GMA ang asta. Astigin talaga. Dahil lubog sa utang eh di malaman kung paano kami babayaran. Binenta ang kanilang Volvo. Bumili ng Camry para mag downgrade. At tumalbog ang tseke na pambayad sa amin. Putres, eh sobrang yabang talaga ng mga yan. Pag pupuntahan na ng sheriff para ma-sequester ang mga ari-arian, babayaran ang pobreng sheriff at tatahimik na lang ang hitad. Dapat, lethal injection ang sheriff at yung distributor para ma-sampolan.

Ang problem sa ating bansa ay di tayo marunong mamaluktot kung kelangang. Daig pa ang spoiled na bata. Pag kumakain ang trabahador ay isang maliit na platitong ulam na dilis, 2 cup na kanin, toyo at patis para magkalasa, at isang latang COKE! Putres talaga ang buhay na ito. Kaysa bumili ng ulam, inuna pa ang COKE! Eh wala kang magagawa, ika nga - 'open a can of happiness'! May pang-yosi pag natapos kumain, walang pera pambili ng Biogesic. Okay lang mag-tomaan na may kasamang pulutan, ayaw naman kumain ng tama! Diyos ko! Mahabagin langit, eh kung ganito lang ang takbo ng utak ng Pinoy, eh kahit na si Pokwang mananalo sa susunod na halalan bilang senadora at magiging presidente natin uli si Erap.

Kaya huwag kayong magrereklamo kung bakit sa Le Circque kumakain si Ate Glo. Hanggang hindi nagbabago ang ihip ng hangin kung paano matuturuan ng tama ang mga mambabatas eh sunud sunuran lang ang mga mamamayan. Yabang ang iiral! Ikaw nga, "monkey see, monkey do"!

Walang masama sa magyabang. Sana lamang nasa tamang lugar. Kadalasan, eh yabang to the max lang tayo - pekeng Louis Vuitton, pekeng DVD, pekeng Bench brip, pekeng Nokia (Bokia), pekeng pakikitungo sa kapwa. Walang masamang humangad na umangat. May tama at may mali. Ang yabang, dinadaan sa pagiging mapagkumbaba muna.

The Gaga and Lady Gaga

The president has a penchant for luxury. And her ministerial entourage will always try to defend the luxurious spending, whether it is people's money or it is their own. The latter is rather indistinguishable considering that you are in government and that politicians have a difficult and iffy time trying to discern which of the money in the coffers or in their pockets are theirs and which belong to the people. Of course, the majority of our government officials have very poor arithmetic background, so it's a "one for you, one million for me" rhythmic chant when counting money.

Scandalous to say the least on splurging on caviar, champagne, lobster and steak. Why not? After all, she happens to be president. But there is a limit on what you can eat. Never mind if it is out of your pocket, but if it is from the average Juan de la Cruz, whatever she's stuffing into her mouth has got to be counted not in terms of caloric intake, but in terms of the peso contribution of the average Juan. The rah-rah boys and girls should just shut the f**k up if they want to defend her. They have been incarcerated for the longest time and have no morals anyway. A calloused nation is what we are and we are either stupor dead in the expenditure extravaganza of this administration or have joined the pig stye. In Pilipino, we call that "Gaga".

We seem to be so masochistic that we do not even have the time nor energy to get involved in having the assholes kicked out of office. Never mind if we kicked out former president and movie star Erap, but to get the Pulse Asia survey that we would want him back in office is damn rightfully deserving for the Filipino crap that is suicidal in nature. We should just go ahead and hang ourselves or have ourselves castrated.

And for the house speaker to comment that Infomercials of the government branches are okay with the various agency secretaries who are planning to run in the 2010 election flashing their ugly faces on the screen is a no-brainer for NogNog. Shameful. That's all I can say. No morals, no ethics. No Laban! With the passing away of Cory Aquino, the devils have won this round and they continue to desecrate the face of the Philippines by explicitly being the sadists that government officials are.

On a lighter note though, I needed to take a break from all this political hogwash, so off to the Lady Gaga concert I went last Tuesday. It was a 1 hour show. The front act called Pedicab was pure noise. I don't know why some people in the audience went gaga over the songs they sang, but it was pure noise. The youth can call it anything they want. It was like watching a bunch of drug addicts bang on their thingies and prance around like chickens being f**ked by a really big d**k. I was telling my partner that I think they were actually security guards from the mall who were asked by the management to dress up like punk stars and just bang the instruments and nobody would care. The keyboard player in particular was dancing strangely, that I thought someone had a fist up his ass.

Then Lady Gaga came out at 915pm. The crowd went wild and rightfully so. Her songs, her antics, and yup her stage presence was worth the ticket price. She's some gutsy lady and had the balls to call a spade a spade. I gave her two thumbs up and a standing ovation the whole show. You've got to hand it to her. She carried the 10 songs well and the last song Poker Face came in two versions - acoustic and rock. Too bad it lasted just an hour and ended promptly at 1015pm.

Only two Gagas in a week? How lucky could one get? As if to it I thought that only the government had gagas, the Araneta Coliseum was another gaga. We bought DQ ice cream outside and tried to bring it into the event place. We couldn't bring the ice cream inside because there were DQ outlets inside and you needed to buy from there if you wanted to eat it in Araneta. Just goes to show you that the Araneta management deserve the last song of Lady Gaga - Poker Face! And if the owner of Araneta Coliseum was around, I would have shoved the whole DQ store up his ass.

Tita Cory 1933-2009

I grew up in the Martial Law era. The mid 80s were tumultuous times in the political system of the Philippines. The dictatorial government of Marcos was ousted after the death of his political foe, Sen. Benigno (Ninoy) Aquino. His housewife, Corazon, ran for president. The rest was history.

Overcoming EDSA revolution and several coup attempts during her term, President Corazon Aquino, or as Tita Cory to many, was the icon of democracy. In spite of all the dirty politics in this country, Cory stood as the symbol of a president whose principles would not be corruptible. She was indeed, the symbol of democracy, in a country ridden of graft and corruption.

The turn of events in her life would be remembered as the woman who fought the greatest battle in the political arena of this country. On August 1, 2009, at 3:18am, Tita Cory had lost the battle to colon cancer.

In this time of mourning for the Filipino people, let us hope and pray that we do not forget the battle that Tita Cory fought for. During her lifetime, she was the pillar of democracy that helped tide the Filipinos even in their worst times.

Let her struggles not be in vain as we remember the woman who changed the face of politics, not only in this country, but the world.

Paalam...Tita Cory...

Are organic foods just a fad?

Undoubtedly, organic foods have hit the supermarket and specialized stores like a hype on more nutritious and supposedly less toxic chemicals or fertilizers in these produce.

Today, on CNN, the verdict (or at least for this round) is out - on the question "Are organic foods healthier than conventional ones?"

Are organic products more nutritious?

A few small studies have shown that some organic foods contain higher nutrient levels than conventional ones. For example, a recent study showed that organic ketchup had 57 percent more of the antioxidant lycopene than regular ketchup. But the wholesale claim that organics are more nutritious than conventional is ahead of the science. "More research is needed before it can be stated that organic foods provide more nutritional value," says Connie Diekman, M.Ed., R.D., director of university nutrition at Washington University in Saint Louis, Missouri.

Organic foods may have other benefits, though. Charles Benbrook, Ph.D., chief scientist at The Organic Centerexternal link, asserts that some organic products are less processed, which means they may contain fewer chemically adulterated ingredients (think hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, and preservatives).

Bottom line: "Read labels and look at each product in its own right," Benbrook says. An organic potato chip may contain as many calories and saturated fat grams as a conventional chip. "The price premiums associated with processed organic food are not as great as the premiums charged for organic whole foods," Benbrook says. (CookingLight.com: Labeling in the grocery storeexternal link )

Are organic products healthier for the environment?

What's best for the environment is hotly debated among experts. "There is no scientifically accepted evidence that organic foods are better for the environment. Organic production allows natural pesticides, which can be toxic to humans and wildlife," says Alan McHughen, Ph.D., professor of botany and plant sciences at the University of California, Riverside. Organic fertilizers may also contain harmful bacteria, such as E. coli. Plus, organic farming yields only 75 to 90 percent of the crop of conventional systems, meaning that more land must be planted in order to have an equal return. (CookingLight.com: Community-supported agriculture programsexternal link )

Organic advocates counter that chemicals used in conventional farming spread far beyond the fields where they are applied and have unintended consequences. "Synthetic pesticides have been linked to developmental and neurological problems," Benbrook says. "Organics eliminate synthetic pesticides and the damage they do to farmers, land, and drinking water."

Organic regulations also prohibit the use of genetic modification -- another thorny issue with as-yet unclear implications for the environment.

Bottom line: Focus on foods' benefit to your immediate environment -- i.e. your body -- first. "A good diet means variety, balance, and moderation, regardless of the farming method that produced the food," McHughen says.

There will be advocates to pros and cons on organic foods. And this multibillion dollar industry continues to rise at over 20% each year. Really now, considering the fact that more Filipinos do not even have a decent meal, nor eat the right diet due to economic constraints and the fact that over a billion people in Asia, India and Africa and the rest of the world go hungry, others spend more money in buying food that probably has no scientific benefit on the short term and doubtfully on the long-term basis as well.

What's your take on this?

myparentsjoinedfacebook.com

"Therese's mom doesn't mind the things she posts on Facebook - she's cool that way. Her mom though Therese was cool about it, too, and one time she posted a reminder on her wall: 'Anak, you left your tita's pasalubong to you on the kitchen counter, 'yung mga underwear na Victoria's Secret.'"

It was time to say thank you then slap her mother.

The article last July 18, 2009 on the Super LifeStyle section of the PDI (Philippine Daily Inquirer) by Ruby de Vera was an eyeopener, if not an eye popper for the parents who are Facebook wannabees.

Alright, don't get me wrong. It's not that I never started on the wrong foot with this FB thing. I also made comments on the walls of my friends that should have been something that I should have just sent as a personal email. And twiddle-de-dee and twiddle-de-dumb, but it took a few days to maneuver my way into FB. What was once upon a time the world of the yuppies and the teens on social networking has now become passe. The "older generation" has started to blog, to use social networking sites in order to FB or Twitter, upload on MySpace, or share pics (non-adult or adult) in cyberspace.

But putting notes in cyberspace, particularly for social networking sites, requires a little tack and responsibility. As adults, and as parents in particular, you've just invaded THEIR SPACE!

As kids, there's the tendency to cringe when parents have fun at their expense. I've seen parents upload their kids singing karaoke or their kids pics in the nude when they were babies or their kids dressing funny for a party. While FB or Friendster or Twitter IS NOT the exclusive domain of the young, we have to hand it to them that when they started off this chain reaction in cyberworld, times have indeed changed. And believe me when I say that the kids agonize whether they should accept or ignore you when you request to tag yourself as their 'friends'! As de Vera puts it "Facebook is your turf, the one place in the cyberworld where you can be yourself with your select group of friends, in a setting both public and at the same time private. You really don't need your parents to see what kind of hangover you had from your friend's birthday party, as evidenced by the pictures where they tagged you."

But this social network has gone beyond just friends and a group of friends. It has spilled over to politics, particularly with the Obama presidency in the United States. In the Philippines, presidential wannabees like Chiz Escudero and Richard Gordon have put up a FB post where I believe that some techie that is paid by these politicians puts up posts to get the opinion, pulse and eventually vote of the youth. Watching the thread of opinions from these lackeys is not fun, as you can read the boot-lickers clawing their way to a pat in the head. Gimme a break, it's not even Dick Gordon or Chiz Escudero you're chatting with on FB!

But back to the topic at hand. So your kids are complaining. Their parents are on facebook and they need help! Erika Brooks Adickman and Jeanne Leitenberg have created a website http://www.myparentsjoinedfacebook.com that is interestingly funny. It allows the kids to throw the pie back at the parents in a humorous way, as in a "back in your face" where kids want their parents to simply behave like parents.

At the end of the day, you'll realize that FB is all about each others space and not for parents to be monitoring their kids activities. For both the kids and the adults, we just need to delineate that space. After all, as adults, we were once kids and enjoyed the flow of fun before life eventually caught up on us. As for the kids, well, you'll soon be adults and some will eventually end up as parents, and you'll get the drift that your parents are probably going through now.

So the next time parents get the impulse to tag their kids as "friends", talk to them first if it's okay and not just ask permission in cyberspace. There's enough space to enjoy cyberworld. One click away should not create animosity in the family.

Nutrition lies, dieting and the body to die for

So you think you're overweight and you've got flabs? Or that you're too thin and need to put some bulk in your body?

There's always the desire to look like a cover model or to get great abs. And the wish that we were all born with great genes to put on model jeans fit for a ramp model.

And there are products in the market that taunt us to buy them in order to look like the model in the magazine picture. Advertising actually is the greatest lier! Believe me! You can put all your money into the advertising claims and you'll eventually find out that you're poorer, hungrier and grouchier than you ever were when you started this dieting program.

Franklin Roosevelt once said that "repetition does not transform a lie into a truth". What we hear people say about the food that we eat is who we are are partly true...but partial truths are also partial lies.

So let's get some nutritional myths out of the way:

1. EATING LATE AT NIGHT MAKES YOU FAT - while this may be so because we DO NOT metabolize when we go to sleep, our body doesn't have an internal timer that causes late night eats to be stored directly as fat. Weight gain happens when you eat too much yet exercise too little. You could eat too much in the morning, the afternoon, or late at night and it could all result in weight gain.
Solution: Count the calories you eat and burn each day, rather than what time of day you eat!

2. SNACKING PROMOTES WEIGHT GAIN - Eating snacks throughout the day is a great way to keep your metabolism up and to avoid overeating when it comes to mealtime. That's why when parents ask me why their kids are thin, it's because the kids snack in between. But if you snack junk food, then be prepared to pack on the pounds.
Solution: It's not about snacking. It's what you snack on and how much to avoid to gain weight! It's a no-no to snack on DQ (for the Dairy Queen fans out there). Look at the queue at DQ...most of them are abhorently obese, but wouldn't care less what their blood sugars and cholesterols are! When you get snack foods, make sure you read the nutritional content at the back. Rich in vitamins or all salt? Cholesterol content or zero transfat? How many servings does a bag fill? Read the label. Sometimes we think that just because it's zero fat, you can eat the whole bagful. You will notice that the big bags are usually 8-16 servings. Which means that if it's 100 calories per serving, and you ate the whole bag, you just ate 800 to 1600 calories. In short, do the math!

3. YOU CAN LOSE FATE WITHOUT EXERCISE - Hmmm...I've heard this line before. Exercise and healthy eating go hand-in-hand when it comes to permanent fat loss. Your body needs exercise just as it needs to be fed a diet filled with fresh produce, whole grains and lean protein.
Solution: Accept exercise as part of your daily life. Just as you're tempted to just sit down and fatten your ass while you're updating your status on Facebook, you need to remember that exercising is a habit that is learned. And it can't just be your fingers getting all worked up and toned, while your flab sinks slowly and molds your figure into that chair!

4. FAT-FREE MEANS "ALL YOU CAN EAT"! - duh? a fat-free diet or snack is not the equivalent of flavored air - they contain plenty of calories and often lots of salt or sugar.
Solution: Read the label on the box. That's why there's a label. If you're buying food that doesn't have a label, DON'T! Be mindful of calories when eating food that claims to be "fat-free".

5. EAT AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE FOR MAXIMUM FAT LOSS - eating too little causes your metabolism to shut down and puts your body into starvation mode. It then actually becomes prone to storing fat than burning (especially if you don't like to exercise).
Solution: When it comes to losing fat and eating right, think BURN rather than STARVE!

6. DIET PILLS WORK FOR FAT LOSS - think rubber band! You lose weight from diet pills because they cut down your appetite. But if you're not eating correctly and exercising regularly, the only thing the diet pills are burning is the extra cash in your wallet. Billions of diet pills are sold yearly to couch potatoes - and all to no avail. Get me a couch potato who claims that he has lost weight PERMANENTLY and developed a beautiful body from just diet pills alone. You lose weight then gain it back rapidly when these diet pills are not around anymore. And these diet pills have side effects - your heart and your brain.
Solution: Eating right and exercising regularly even for 15 minutes a day, can never be replaced by a pill.

Eating right and regular exercise is the key to it all. Sure, there's the temptation to binge, and we're allowed that once a week. But the secret to getting a body to die for is not to die before you achieve that goal. It's all about healthy living - both mind and body! You've got to learn to love that body of yours. Wouldn't you want to wow yourself every time you look in the mirror?

It's a work in progress...one day at a time. Without the use of illegal drugs!

The boob job

Okay, so it's none of our business that Ate Glue had a boob job some 20 years ago. For whatever reason it may be, whether it was due to an underlying illness or for aesthetic purposes, we have no business in the boobs she bears.

What is eating the public and the unfortunate attention that it has been given is the fact that it was discovered through a leak (no pun intended) through some blabbermouth who just couldn't keep the giggles off the lid.

My take on the situation:

- while there is a patient-physician confidentiality that binds the doctor and the patient, the "on-lookers" during a procedure are usually the leak in information and are not bound by the same confidentiality agreement. I've always said that when only one person knows what's going on, it's a secret. When two people know it, it's not a secret anymore. I agree that when it comes to some degree of 'secrecy' that went on behind the boob leak and the boob job, it was no one's business.

- the initial take by an incompetent media on malice put into the minds of the gullible public regarding the boob job of GMA was unforgiving. The NBI should be investigating who the f**king idiot that began spreading the "indecent" rumor was!

- but there is the truth portion. While the boob job WAS and IS none of our business, the person's health was the actual story behind the issue. After all, as public figure, as president of the country, the people needed to know. And public figure will always be public property. This is true, not only for entertainers, but for people in public office as well. During the time of President Ferdinand Marcos, truth pray tell that the failing health of Apo Ferdie was highly talked about. Speculations were confirmed when the deposed president and his family had gone into exile in Hawaii, with the people finding out that indeed there was a hospital bed and dialysis apparatus in Malacanan. The transition of power in a democratic country should always be transparent. One can argue the case of Tita Cory, where she has supposedly refused chemotherapy and is very ill. Why does not the public barrage the case of ex-President Aquino? The answer is simple. She is now a private citizen and Citizen Cory has the right to privacy because she is not the president of the country anymore. There is no vested interest in the health of Mrs. Aquino (whom I continuously pray for strength during these trying times) because there is no National Security issue.

If only the officials in Malacanan had provided the truth from the get go, the boob job of Ate Glue would not have even been an issue. What was so wrong in acknowledging the humanity of a president?

What is wrong with the current picture is the fact that the President's men continue to lie to us. She didn't check in to Asian Hospital to be self-quarantined. There should have been no denying that the President needed to undergo certain tests because she had medical concerns. There is no infallibility when it comes to being human. After all, only God is infallible. And Gloria is not God.