Music For the Christmas Soul

MU

MUSIC FOR THE CHRISTMAS SOUL
by Wilhelmina S. Orozco

MUSIC is really a part of our Philippine life.

Everywhere I go now, I am able to listen to

different kinds of music that extol the birth

of Christ, the celebration of Christmas, the

value of family togetherness, the greatest

event of the year insofar as the Filipino people

are concerned. However, there is something

amiss in the kinds of songs being sung – a

few only sing of absenteeism of loved ones,

mostly those who are abroad to make a living

for their families here in the Philippines. The only song I hear most often related to that  is Pasko na Sinta Ko which remains the favorite as its lyrics speak about pining for the absent beloved.

Neither does any song mention the loss of a loved one abroad. Perhaps I should write that one and compose the music for it, in memory of my son, Eugene who died in Singapore in 2014.

One event I went to was the concert of the UP Jazz Band KrizzMazz beside the UP Carillon.  

In that UP event I heard two pronunciations of Carillon, that phallic-like tower beside the UP Theatre, housing the many bells. By the way, I went there when I was still in college and had watched Mr. Regalario, the carilloneur then play the UP Naming Mahal and some religious pieces, I think one of them was Ave Maria. The playing was almost sacred -- because the bells sounded as if they were playing for people, both human and spirits,  located miles and miles away. However, some of the bells then were quite off tune due to age. At present, they are new, or some might have been fixed, or some are new, straight from Belgium, as an official said. 

Going back to the pronunciation, one set of officials pronounced it as carilon (American English), while one did it as carilyon (British English), the way we have been pronouncing it ever since. I think that pronunciation can take up the social usage of the term. As alumni of the university, we have always called that iconic music tower as (carilyon) and it sounds so much Filipino to speak it that way. We need not be foreign-oriented when pronouncing words that have been part of us for generations especially as they are akin to our surroundings. 

Nonetheless, it was a delightful evening except for some quirks. But first, the music that the band played were a combination of soulful and snappy pieces; however, the instrumentalists played best when the piece is swingy. Somehow, I have abstracted that when playing jazz, as I have also watched international players here during the French Jazz Festival this year, that jazz has to be played sensuously. As the black musicians say, they play from their souls and their guts. Therefore, when the piece is about loneliness, you could really feel in your heart the pain and ache of the player, or the subject being played about. So I hope that our jazz people would consider that suggestion. Immerse youself in the emotions of the songs that you are playing – find out what the composer had in mind when they were created. Feel their joys and pains. Now how does one do that? Simply forget what you are. Forget any rigid philosophy or musical theory that you cling to and attain transcendence.

Ang hirap gawin no?

You see Folks public performance, regardless of the genius, the beauty of the voices of the singers, is bound to become so-so once the mixer, the microphone controllers are not aware that their sounds are not producing the proper volume and do not have that appropriate mixing of basses and trebles. Once, I watched the concert of two leading singers of the UP College of Music, Raymond Roldan and Jeannelle Bihag the singing couple who have now relocated to Bicol. Their voices came out flat, or parang tunog lata pa at other times. So I gave a comment to the mixer who then remixed the sounds so that an  auditorium quality came out. And the whole Bahay ng Alumni reverberated with the angelic voices of the two, who sang to their hearts' content especially the love songs as they are real lovers on and off stage. 

Do we ever wonder if the international singers who come over bring with them their own mixers and people who would work on them? That is because they want to preserve the integrity of their voices which the machines could bring down as so-so once the technicians are just too lazy to get the proper mix. And this is where I think sound-check is very necessary also before the performance. Performers should not go onstage if they have not had their voices checked for volume, amplification and dynamics. Feedback during soundchecks have to be sought in order to give the best performance of their lives, so to speak. 

Incidentally, I remember having gone to the Rizal Park Open Air Auditorium way back the in the late 90's amd I asked the coordinator, how come the volume was flat; then, we could also not distinguish the different instruments being played by the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra which was playing at that time that I had attended? Folks, you know of course that an orchestra has strings, wind, brass, and percussion instruments. Then I learned from her that all their mixing instruments were outdated; the following year, the budget proposal of the agency handling the place must have asked for a raise as now, the sound system is excellent at the Park. You must go there Folks, every performance is free entrance, whether drama, dance, music, singing, etc, local or international. Our masses are getting the best events, of high quality, not usually seen on TV nor heard on radio. 

I think if the audience is critical enough of how pieces are played, then we could also make our people be discriminating of the songs -- both melody and lyrics -- they hear on air, whether over the radio or tv. Right now, they must be contented with how things are simply because there is really no effort on the part of producers to go above what they have been used to doing. On the other hand, when record producers bring their singers, I notice that their singers get the best mixing equipment; unfortunately, the lyrics of the songs are wanting. 

Let me tell you that when I was in Nairobi in 1985 to attend the Celebration of the UN Decade for Women, I came out of our hotel one morning and walked to the venue of the conference. On the way, I saw an African man in the market sweeping the street with "walis tingting." You know guys, he was WHISTLING in tune  a native song. Whistling early in the morning. It was a beautiful experience. Then at the end of the conference, I saw three Afro women dressed  in their traditional formal costumes, complete with long skirts, and turbans. You know what they did, one started singing a song, and the two others did a second voice. Improvised right there beside the street. What this means is that music runs in their veins,  as they cared not how their voices had sounded but that they should express themselves complete with body movements. 

Anyway, the best concert that I have heard here recently was the UP CRL Choir rendition of the Gospel Mass at the UP Church of the Risen Lord, not because I am a member of the choir, Folks. The music itself is laudable, composed by Robert Ray, an American. By the way, there is a condition in their score for the public not to xerox the material without havig contributed to their group as this is the only way they could go on composing, which really makes sense. Some of the best artists are not dependent on any institution when creating in order to be able to be truly artistic with only God as the prime motivator.

Gospel Mass has several parts: Kyrie, Lord Have Mercy; Gloria – Glory to God in the Highest, Credo, I believe in God, Acclamation – Hallelujah Praise the Lord, Sanctus – Holy, Holy Lord God of Hosts, at Agnus Dei- Lamb of God.It is sung by 5 voices – soprano, alto, basso, tenor and contratenor. It was sung under the baton of Chris Arceo, assisted by pianist Sara Matsuura with the Choir supervised by Alexander Cortez.  It was played on the 29^th of Novembre 2015 UP Diliman Church of the Risen Lord. I think a DVD of the performance will be coming out soon. Kindly contact the UP CRL.'s.

Here are some of the parts. The word Amen is sung five times, one after the other, by the Soprano, then the Alto, and so forth and so on. What is produced is like an echo with different voices, running one after the other.

The Choir has many solo singers who really belted it out making you feel that God is just there listening also to all the pieces. We had soprano and tenor soiloists, imbued with spiritual values so that they could express that upifting quality the lyrics contain. 

Finally, may I say that one of the best talents of the Filipino race is that ability to engage in music which we must really honor and give much support to. We need to discover more and more talents not only in singing but also in composition -- unearthing the many abilities to arrange, to develop new genres, to conduct, to combine indigenous and western instruments, to make the children find beauty in music, and so much more. 

Our indigenous groups, the Badjao and the Aeta need not come here to beg alms but to showcase their original cultures, including their songs. The dept of social welfare and development or DSWD could merge with the cultural agencies to develop them when they come to MetroManila and give them cultural space, not only inside but also outside of theatres. In this way, they become part of our scenery, part of us in a very enhancing way. The problem with DSWD is that it cannot move quick enough to address issues that have bearing on our identity. 

One way of tackling this is to have many reviewers who can provide in-depth analyses of programs, not merely focussed on personalities so we can raise the level of discussions, also. These reviews have to be aired on radio especially. Unfortunately the news I hear about culture focus more on which actor is in love with whom, which actress refused a higher political career in favor of domestic rule, or which actress who is fading from limelight showed her elitist and disgusting attitude toward the elderly, when she ordered her guard to ask an elderly lady to go out of the elevator as she wanted to be the only one using it. Unfortunately, ( I heard this over DZRH Morley Alino), the lady happened to be the owner of the building. And so the actress is now banned from the building altogether despite her being a regular customer of a spa outfit. 

Maybe there are many dissonant voices in politics and that is because engaging in music, or even the arts in general lack support. Sadly, artists are treated as intermission numbers, if not pure entertainers. It's time to give the muses their rightful places in our society. 

Many have said that music is the language of the soul.So now I  say, music is the language of our soul and race. 

FRAGILE IN A ROUGH WORLD: The Human Body

FRAGILE IN A ROUGH WORLD: The Human Body

by Wilhelmina S. Orozco

Since time immemorial, the human body has been the source of inspiration of artists. Great painters clothed, denuded and did all sorts of things to depict it in various poses in order to immortalize or idealize it. Others showed the human body again but the idea is irrelevant, no longer attuned to the social issues of the day. The body is there only to be an object for painting or art in general, not for making a statement. However in these so-called modern times, some have chosen to depict it in its most sordid states. The faces are angular almost beyond recognition, the bodies are contorted, and the dehumanization is complete when they are placed side by side with inanimate things to demean their value.

The Handmade Works by Steph Palallos jolted me to think, what is she trying to say about the human body? Why are the works – all of the clothes in flimsy white organdie? Why do they float in space, as if attracting the viewer “Come and wear me,” or “Come and join me and fly and float through space,” or even “I am ephemeral, touch me now?”

I like the exhibit because it shows the celebration of the human body through pieces of clothes, does not denigrate it but rather extols its beauty – whether short or long, whether fat or thin, does not really matter. Yes, indeed her works are beautiful, unique, something that should really be gazed at for hours and hours without tiring our eyes.

In the first place, the exhibit makes us think that the human body is such a beauty that it had inspired the artist to make not just one, but several clothes, in such state of airiness. The choice of organdie shows that she wants us to view the human body through the see-through textile and admire its beauty. The body is not there, just the clothes yet the exhibit still allows the viewer to imagine what the body could be like beneath them.

Secondly, she is telling us, the body is fragile, such that to touch it is to have a gentle heart and mind, a soul that can see through the innermost recesses of thoughts and feelings of the individual. It is fragile, she says. See how gross, how rough the world has become so that it is time to think, to change, to alter our environment and make it more caring of us, humans.

Let us float in time and space to imagine another world that could make the body thrive endlessly.

Against the stressful, time-consuming activities that oculd bring in the capital and profits, yet destroy the youthfulness, the magnificence and soul of the human body, then it is really time to show us another world where we could celebrate it with finesse, with care and love and sustain its life and beauty till the very end of the breath.

All artists I think crave for the divine, those elusive feelings that humanize yet could immortalize us – those feelings that should be shared with others to make the world truly for humans. Why because truly great artists find their inspiration from above. To partake of the world of the gods and goddesses is to acquire those qualities that sustain life, not kill nor violate it.

For display – the clothes have been designed to present the human body – yet in our imagination only. The bodies are not there but the feeling and idea that they inhabit those clothes persist. We could feel like holding them, even talking to them about the nicer things in life. We could imagine touching something soft and tender underneath those clothes.

Perhaps the artist is really saying, “We need to touch, not just talk; to feel, not just to move about. So many other things we could do as humans, for ourselves, for others and for each other. Yet give me space so I can still be free.”

Yet, I ask how come there are no clothes for babies, for children, for the people with disabilities? Is our world only for clothing bodies that are fully grown, in the normal natural way? Ah, but that is just a speculation. Maybe the artist had thought that piece of clothing with a wide skirt is for the pregnant mom who will be caring for another body once she delivers what is inside her.

And so, the artist has woven a world that is entirely her own – through clothes that could define our world and what it has become. “Stop and look at my clothes. Listen to whatI am trying to say. I may be here now but I could also be gone soon.”

Yes, the fragility of the cloth, also shows the ephemeral character of things in this world. We cannot guarantee that we would live for years and years and enjoy every moment. And so we must pause once in a while to savor beauty in our midst.

Handmade is more than an exhibit. It is a statement. Making the clothes float in space is the artist's idea of freedom. We must have freedom to conquer air, reclaim our space and show to the world that we are.

Should we just sigh during harassment?

A computer shop along Bayani always has hackers. I am not able to surf in peace. Always the screen changes to something else without my clicking the mouse. Then one time, i had a doc printed, the face looks the same but the date changed. you see these hackers, they waste my time and money. i don't know why they do it. 

Then this shop is always noisy. The computer game players are laughing, shouting at each other although the room is so small, as if the whole place is just composed of them. I have tried mentioning these things but the problems persist. I wonder what the DTI is doing about such computer shops. How can I write in such a place when what you hear are curses of those who get defeated from their playing? O my God!!!!

A MALE OR A FEMALE PRESIDENT?

Duterte is the only candidate who has overtaken Poe in the surveys, only because I think the qualification of the latter is in question. Should Poe be legitimately recognized as a candidate, do we think Duterte would stand a chance?

At first I welcomed the entry of a Mindanao candidate in the presidential polls. Duterte possesses the active stance of a politician who will do good and that is to arrest those who break the law. Unfortunately, he does it himself and does not trust the justice nor the police systerm to solve the problem. And therein lies the question. Should someone in power take the law in his/her own hands and deal the coup de grace?

Should Duterte be a full-time candidate, then it is very revealing that the contribution of Mindanao to our politics is someone like him -- and I cannot help but think -- if he becomes president, will his women friends occupy one room each in Malacanang? Who will appear with him at social functions? Supposing one demands for his time, which will he give priority to, his tasks or his dalliance? Supposing also his "wives" give birth all at the same time, who will he visit right away? 

What are the benefits that each woman would get under his administration? Will they all have legal benefits? Will they demand one car each to bring them to their pleasure destinations?

When we have a foreign visitor, which woman will he invite to be with them to have dinner in Malacanang? What would be her qualifications? Will she be a good conversationalist or just someone who will decorate his presence?

How will he value the Magna Carta for Women? What programs will he institutionalize in order to stop women from "using" men as their passport to economic freedom? 

What about girl children? What kinds of values will he ask the DSWDd and the National Commission for Women to teach or share with women and girls -- will they include being a "pastime" for officials? 

So many questions to ask a male president again. 

GOSPEL MASS SA UP

                                        

Mga Kababayan, ang University of the Philippines Church of the Risen Lord ay magtatanghal ng Gospel Mass Ray sa buong panahon ng worship sa Linggo, ika-29 ng Nobyembre 2015 as UP Diliman, Quezon City. Ito ay bilang bahagi ng pagdiriwang ng ika-68 taon ng Church of the Risen Lord, na itinayo noong 1956 sa tulong ng mga estudyanteng Protestante na nag-aaral sa UP  (UP Christian Youth Movement, '47).

Ang Gospel Mass ay naglalaman ng mga sumusunod ng mga awit: Kyrie, Lord Have Mercy; Gloria – Glory to God in the Highest, Credo, I believe in God, Acclamation – Hallelujah Praise the Lord, Sanctus – Holy, Holy Lord God of Hosts, at Agnus Dei- Lamb of God. Likha ni Robert Ray, isang kilalang American composer ang Gospel Mass na inaawit sa mga simbahan sa Amerika. May limang boses ang Gospel – soprano, alto, tenor, basso at countertenor.

Marami pong magagandang kumanta sa choir at magtataka kayo dahil walang patakaran kung anong idad ang maaaring maging kasali -- basta nasa tono, marunong magbasa ng nota, at marunong ng tempo at may Christian belief at spiritualidad. Magaan ho ang pagdadala ng mga namamahala sa choir kung kaya't masisipag ang lahat ng miyembro. 

Ang Gospel Mass ay kakantahin ng sa ilalim ng baton ni Chris Arceo at piano ni Sara Matsuura. Ang Choir ay pinangangasiwaan ni Alexander Cortez. 

Lahat ay inaanyayahang manood ni Reverend Jeremias M. Lagahit sa ika-29 ng Nobyembre 2015, alas 10 ng umaga, sa Church of the Risen Lord, UP Diliman, Quezon City. Makinig tayo sa mga awitin na puno ng mga salita ng Diyos. 

PLAYING GOD?

I think the intelligence group in the Philippines is being over zealous. They hound me down like I a fugitive who has done something wrong. I go to places that have free wifi and what do I experience -- inability to open my email, a slow-down of my uploading of files,  websites that would not open as soon as they are political news, but after a while would be opened, as if someone had screened and now after analysis, has approved it for reading. 

We only live once in this lifetime, and no way we can be assured of being revived should we kick the bucket. So our lives should be led as if we are already on the verge of meeting our maker any time. In that situation, we do the best that we want to do. Yet, some people play God and that is really what irks me. 

PLANET TIME, FOR HUMANS?

The Paris attacks of ISIS reveal:

1. vulnerability of nations despite having  strong police forces. In our country, the Philippines, the police are in the know of four terrorist leaders in the south, how they are going about teaching people about terrorism -- how to make bombs, etc. I wonder why they are being let loose - to be wiped out once all the groups they have gone through are pinpointed?

2. the extreme suicidal tendencies of terrorists in carrying out their missions; a recent report said that the woman who blew up in Paris did not do it herself but a more recent update said that the terrorists could be high in drugs when perpetuating their violent acts;

3. the helplessness of ordinary citizens in terms of being protected from terrorist attack. In our country, terrorists could be existing that they seem to be not the hardliner type although those found in Mindanao are -- as they blow up buses;

5. the existence of violent minds despite the leaps of intellectual developments in first world countries -- Huffington Post reported that  "Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, brutal head of ISIS (the Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham), is not only a terrorist leader, but a poet with a Ph.D. from Baghdad's Islamic University. We have just managed to obtain a transcript of his doctoral defense of his dissertation, "On Creating an International Caliphate," and are happy to share it with our readers. A "doctoral defense," for those unfamiliar with academic procedures, is a formal questioning held before two distinguished faculty members in the same field, after a candidate has completed his dissertation. It is the last step in obtaining the Ph.D. "

Where would such doctors get their unethical concepts of annihilating people?

This shows how the educational sector is not quite up to par in instilling the ideas of human rights among students. Maybe we need to have a review of all the educational systems and find out why violent minds could exist or could develop despite such a high degree of studies.

6. the weakness of the women's movement in the world to propagate the idea of peace -- of peaceful settlements of conflicts. Most of the speakers against terrorism in the Muslim world are men. I have not seen women except as victims. I think that Muslim women leaders should emerge as speakers -- and all the media could contribute to this effort -- decrying the mindlessness of terrorism of all kinds.

and corollarily, the continuing adherence to might against might, arms against arms in soving international conflicts.

7. the lack of respect of Isis for the United Nations. I think that when a group does that then everyone should be so concerned to get all those anti-humanity groups arrested and incarcerated for life. Side by side with that let us all propagate the significance of the UN Declaration of Human Rights in all the languages. Peace should be term that is understandable in its simplest and complex forms to all the citizens of the world. Time is ticking and we never know how long we shall still live on this planet. 


Despite the high level of development of military and police forces in countries like France and Spain, which have been settings of bombings, the latest was last Friday's attacks in Brussels, yet the drive to contain terrorists seems to be too weak in the face of planned violence. There simply is no way to predict, or even contain such violent minds from carrying out their aims.

2. The suicidal tendencies of the attackers are simply beyond our imagination. They completely forget their humanity and just go through their violent plans without regard for innocent human lives. Does this not show that the United Nations appears to be very weak in terms of propagating the idea of the "dignity of every human being?" How come from the time the UN was created until now, wars have not abated and seem to be escalating even?

I once had a talk with an a bullet sller and he told me that the inventor had made sure that the bullet would kill the individual that it hits instead of ricocheting or just going through the body as the old bullets usually did. 

How far should inventors go to perfect products that would snuff out lives? A question to the departmet of science and technology. 

I think that the department of education could contribute a lot to bringing about total peace in the world if it should created lots of literacy books on the matter in the languages of the terrorists-- syrian, pakistani, etc. I think that peace has not been recognized as the highest factor for existence because everyone is caught up in that circle to find the perpetrators. It is time to sit back and view the whole situation from an educational, sociological, philosophical and spiritual point of view. 

IN THE NAME OF INTERNATIONALISM

Some people would probably look at me as a cock-eyed optimist for not attacking the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit. I think I have become cautious about the power of the parliament of the streets ever since we installed fake presidents who could use violent means to curb dissent. By the way, are we still counting how many journalists have been killed since the time of Cory, and how many in this present administration have been added compared to other regimes?

Why do I shun the parliament of the streets? In the first place, as an elderly, my legs cannot go standing for long under the heat of the sun even if I would have a parasol. Secondly, I cannot stand listening to sloganeering which shows a lack of creativity in engaging in political discourse. Thirdly, if I would be in the streets, I would like to be able to speak out also and not just remain a stand-by, a listening board to speakers who do not know how to spice up their speeches with humour, a very important feature when you are trying to persuade people politically.

Fourthly, and this is the most important, the APEC visitors are people who were voted upon by their own peoples in their own countries. I feel that when you attack APEC, you are also attacking the capacity of our visitors to decide intelligently and to think of what is an important event that they should attend.

Hence, in the name of Internationalism, we respect the rights of other peoples to elect their own leaders and ergo, we should respect their decisions by providing the best and safe accommodations for them to be able to discuss about matters that concern our present and future lives with other countries.

The Asia Pacific region is a very important area in this planet. It has the most number of religions – Buddhism, Shintoism, Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam, home-grown religions as well as born again groups. In other words, we are very much concerned about our souls, not just our physical well-being. So when we are attuned to the spiritual, we engage with others deeply, touching their hearts, minds and souls.

I do hope that we have learned a lot from this broad array of cultures that we have opened up to.

Next time, we should distinguish which events are worth attacking from the streets. For example, when oil companies always raise their prices and our government is just simply too lazy to abolish the oil regulation law, when many children become victims of traffickers from abroad, when labor migration is being encouraged instead of scuttling it as it is a form cop-out to the government's being able to provide decent employment or even to curb inflation so that our people could live with ample provisions for basic necessities and a little leisure and recreation; and so many other issues that are close to our hearts in wanting a better and happy life for all of us.

INTERNATIONALISM

Brunei Darussalam
Canada
Chile
People's Republic of China
Hong Kong, China
Indonesia
Japan
Republic of Korea
Malaysia
Mexico
New Zealand
Papua New Guinea
Peru
Philippines
Russia
Singapore
Chinese Taipei
Thailand
United States
Vietnam

These are the countries to be represented by their heads of states and other officials in Manila at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation this November 2015. More than that aspect of establishing economic ties which should aim at equalizing the lives of everyone and not just a few towering over the many, the APEC should be an eye-opener for all of us, to know how the other people live in their own countries.

I would expect the media to be carrying out brief historical backgrounds of each country, defining their systems of government and giving us a view of their customs and traditions. At the same time, i would like to be able to know which economic system has given the best kind of life to a people -- whether communist or capitalist -- and why.

Now is the time for everyone to think "internationalist" no longer the narrow-minded view of "this is me, my, mine country." It is time for us to extend a handshake and ask the others, how do you find life now, at this time when terrorism is rearing its ugly head all over the worldsd, and most especially in Paris, France where more than a hundred people have been killed?

To be an internationalist is to forget our boundaries, no not necessarily forget but rather set it aside in order to see and learn from other peoples -- how they can stand the various critical situations that are facing all of us, from air- climate change -- to land -- the terrorists. It is not easy living during these times and we need to learn more and more from each other, from other peoples how we can maintain our sanity in the face of greed, authoritarianism, and dwindling sense of compassion.

Why has the world turned so -- yes -- we can ask our neighbors what they think of current times and how they are coping with the difficulties posed by tangible and intangible factors.

Internationalism has its downside though, when our kababayan have to go to other countries, experience better life, and be able to send back home enough funds to help their families tide over their basic necessities like food and education for their children. Internationalism has to recognize the inequalities and not let it rule our lives but instead make us see perspectives that would help alleviate the problems and make everyone equal on this side of the planet.

Lastly, I would ask the Singaporean representative, may I get the blood test of my son, who worked in your country for 8 years, then lost his job without any meaningful recognition by his company, and died mysteriously in his flat on July 28, 2014? Could you helop me, a mother, know the details of his demise, and if there was foul play, to help me get justice on behalf of my family?

My son had to get out of our country in order to find a good life for his children. He had to endure hardships, loneliness, and racist treatment in his company just so to be able to afford a good life -- with secure education especially-- for his children. Unfortunately, his company was not so kind to all the hard work he put in -- most of the time, even working while on vacation with them -- answering queries and the like for his superiors.

His name, Eugenio Zigmundo O. Demigillo III. May his soul find peace despite the shortcomings of this world in giving him a happy life.

Malling, past time to forget politics for awhile

Malls are the favorite places of the ordinary folks because of the cool temperature there. No. Correction please. Not because of that but because there is great lack of cultural events for the people to enjoy. To forget the convoluted state of our politics, our people go to malls in order to have a breather.

Actually, the only one that has a consistent free cultural fare is the Luneta Park where from Friday to Sunday, Gie Villasor-Arnold and her staff at the NPDC keep the events on time and always on sked as they have advertised in the papers. In fact, I should say that we should give them already trophies for their dedication to their jobs.

In Quezon City, do we have any cultural venue that is free? Very seldom, and the events come oncee in a blue moon. Me bayad pa. In Makati, the Glorietta has events but then the idea behind them is to sell a product/s, very commercial.

Anyway, malls offer takaw-mata displays. Sales here and there – 3-day sales usually after suweldo days like the fifteenth and the thirtieth.

But Folks, I like comparing the amenities offered in these malls. Two big ones whose owners landed in the list of richest business people in the Philippines do not have any water to offer for those eating in their food courts. Customers have to buy distilled or filetered waters (not alkaline which should be the case) for P10 per bottle. In another mall, the water trickles oh so slowly from the taps so that you could get tired of waiting for your glass to fill up. Instead of waiting for that slow quenching of your thirst, you just buy a bottle again from any of the stores.

This is worse. In a big mall, the toilet is terrible – no tissue, no water, no soap. But in this nice-looking mall, they even have a douche, a tissue and soap for you to wash your hands with. I think that city halls should inspect it and demand that they offer those that could make the customers not acquire any disease from the use of their toilets.

But you know Folks, in this very popular coffee store, I really get very “ugtas.” You know why? The toilets are unisex! Imagine! How unhealthy. The men who handle their thing when they urinate would use the faucets and the women would be holding those faucets as well. Can you imagine the transfer of ____ ? In reverse, women who were short shorts would be pulling the bottoms of their underwear which could have been dampened by their urine; so they would twist the door handles which the men would not be able to avoid not holding when they go out of the toilet.

I really don't know what was in the mind of the building permit officers when they allowed such unisex toilets to be built. Saan sila nag ma-malling, sa Hongkong kaya balewala sa kanila ang kalagayan ng ating mga kababayan dito?

Now is the time for the DILG to flex its muscles against such simple cases of no-attention to the health conditions of the people at malls:
1. unisex toilets should be banned;
2. toilet papers and soap should be available in all of them;
3. drinking water should be available in all places where there are food courts; and
4. every restaurant should have a washbasin where customers could wash their hands before eating.