Christening of Manuel Dane “Andrew” Amora

I and my wife Minda (Vi) would like to convey our heartfelt gratitude to our Kumpare(s) and Kumare(s)  re: Christening of our son Manuel Dane “Andrew” Amora last December 21, 2008 at Sacred Heart Parish Church and Patio Isabel Filipino Resto, Cebu City.

 

Manuel Dane Amora

Sacred Heart Parish Church

Back (Ninongs) - Tabon Tabon, Leyte Mayor Rusty Baderian, Davao City Councilor Peter Lavina, Mr. Loreto Bantaran, Mr. Alex Veloso Bello, Atty. Fred Pamaos (Front) Ms. Ma. Carmen Salidadia, Mrs. Gina Parona, our daughter Angel, My Wife and Dane, Sis inlaw Mimi Amora & Former Mandaue City Vice Mayor Noel Soon

 

(L-R) Mr. Kim and Mrs. Fe Gimarino-Kim President-Filipino Korean Spouses Association & Global President-United Filipinos Worldwide for Community Development (2008 Outstanding Overseas Filipino Presidential Awardee - Banaag Category), (next) Mrs. Merlita Amora and OFW Congress Pres. Alex Veloso Bello with wife Vangie Morden Bello

 

 Again to all of you my Kumare and Kumpare, THANK YOU SO MUCH! From the bottom of our heart.

*****

 Fairy Godmother

Anita Sese Schon

 

Godfather(s)

  1) Mr. Alex Veloso Bello

2) Dr. Lito Astillero   

3) Engr. Jun Aguilar

4) Mr. Mike Bolos   

5) Engr. Ronnie Ulip  

6) Mr. Rolando Allas  

7) Mr. Antonio “Boboy” Arante 

8) Atty. Fred Pamaos

9) Councilor Pete Lavina

10) Mayor Roy Doyon

11) Mr. Pete Vicuna

12) Prof. Cesar Torres

13) Mayor Rusty Balderian

14) Mr. Julius Gregorio

15) Mr. Loreto Bantaran

16) Mr. Rommel Baguio 

17) Mr. Gin Sung Son

18) Mr. Noel “Kiwi” Soon

19) Mr. Jun Exclamador

20) Mr. Jerry Espinosa

21) Engr. Dong Come

  

Godmother(s)  

  1) Mrs. Fe Gimarino Kim 

2) Mrs. Susie Abenojar Barbiere

3) Mrs. Freda Contreras 

4) Miss Grace Cabactulan

5) Mrs. Agnes Bello Ong  

6) Ms. Malou Mariano

7) Mrs. Eden Tiu Gicum

8) Mrs. Gina Parona

9) Ms. Ma Carmen Salidadia

10) Ms. Cherry Mae Parba

Filipino Community Leaders in Saudi Arabia oppose plan to scrap RA 9189

Tripartite Forum Delegates

Filipino Community Leaders in Saudi Arabia oppose plan to scrap RA 9189

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Filipino Community participation was among cited as the reason of low turnout of Overseas Absentee Voting registrant and voters turn out in the last 2007 Philippine election.  Filipino Community Leaders from the three Regions in Saudi Arabia chorused that OAV turn out in 2007 could have been much better if the Philippine mission abroad particularly in Saudi Arabia sought the participation of Filipino Community Leaders.

 The assessment was made at the end of the Filipino Community Leaders Forum dubbed as “Tripartite Forum” initiated by the Partidong Pandaigdigang Pilipino (PPP) held at Dajen Restaurant Auditorium, last December 9, 2008.  

Renowned and active Filipino Community Leaders from Central, Eastern and Western Regions gathered for a one day  forum  in which Filcom Leaders  discussed OFW issues and concerns more particularly OFW Political Empowerment.

PPP the organizer of the said forum is a new Philippine national political party comprises of Overseas Filipinos (Filipino Immigrants), Overseas Filipino Workers and their dependents at home. It is an Overseas Filipinos Worldwide or an OFW-led Political Party who believe that Overseas Filipinos Worldwide when united under one political party can contribute a lot to introduce and make happen the much needed economic and political reforms in the country.  PPP  further believes that the time has come that Overseas Filipinos be get involved in shaping the future of the motherland, and not just be contented being called “Modern Day Heroes” in exchange of the dollar remittances they send home that has help keep Philippine economy afloat.

During the OAV discussion, Filipino Community Leaders was surprised of the announcement made by Vice-Consul Roussel Reyes that there are sectors in the Philippine Congress who are now considering scrapping the OAV Law if the number of registration and or voting will still be low.

Joey Badong, PPP Central Region in his privilege speech reminds Filcom Leaders and Philippine Embassy officials present during the forum that Republic Act 9189 known as Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003 had been in the making for 15 years in which Filipinos worldwide mainly in Saudi Arabia fought hard for the passage of the landmark bill that was signed into law in Year 2003.

“We fought for the passage of this law for 15 Years and scrapping of the law is not acceptable to us” Joey Badong said, he further elaborate that Filipino community around the globe are against to the plan. “We should not let those opposing sectors in the legislature ruin the rights that was given to us mandated by our Constitution”, Badong said in his emotional remarks.

The law allows some 10 million Filipinos, including immigrants and permanent residents, the right to cast their votes during national elections.  

 Though Vice Consul Reyes treated the news as rumors, there is a possibility that if the turn-out of votes of overseas Filipinos be less than 1 Million votes in 2010 election, the law maybe scrap.  

Rudy Nazaruddin Dianalan of the Western Region said “that the use of internet should be considered in order to increase the participation of registered absentee Filipino voters.”

Strict rules in Saudi Arabia only allow Philippine Embassy and Consulate as voting precinct in the Kingdom. However the use of internet facility needs Philippine Congress approval.

Corlito Obtinalla also one of the delegates from Western Region talked about strategies how to encourage OFWs to register and how to persuade those registered absentee voters to exercise their right of suffrage in the coming 2010 election. 

The continuing OAV registration will start February of next year and the Philippine National election is set in Year 2010.

Dr.  Lito Astillero, the President of PPP-Riyadh Chapter pointed out that a good possibility of amending the OAV Law is always there to reckon with. However, he added that “scrapping of the law is very alarming and if it happens, only us (OFW’s) is to blame because of our apathy.”

Delegates vowed that if the Government is really serious for the success of the Overseas Absentee Voting, then the following should be implemented in Saudi Arabia or perhaps in the whole Middle East countries where most OFW’s are concentrated:

1.     Registration of every leaving OFW has to be required before his/her Final departure.

2.     Mobile Registration to be allowed by the COMELEC.

3.     Voting by mail and internet voting must be considered.

4.     Change of pooling precinct to Philippine International Schools for a better accessibility of every qualified Filipino voter to participate instead of the highly restricted Diplomatic Quarter wherein the Philippine Embassy is situated.

5.     To officially invite the Filipino Community Leaders to participate in the campaign for both registration and election to attain the maximum participation of OFW’s similar to the 2004 record.

 6.     Invite COMELEC Representatives, members of the Legislature both Upper and Lower House of Congress including the Philippine President to discuss the issue re: scrapping the OAV Law and seek help for the protection of the Overseas Filipinos right to vote.   

 Elias Bonite and Bel Hugo of the Eastern Region delegation on the other hand talked about “Change” and preparation for the Philippines to be a better place to stay. They said that “all of these will come true if the Overseas Filipinos and their dependents be given the chance to serve as potential next leaders in the homeland.  Bel Hugo added that “Unity for the PPP causes and massive membership campaign drives around the world and in the Philippines should be implemented. 

The forum was a great success though some important agenda were missed due to time constraint.  The key challenge of the meeting is “unity” in which the delegates offer their loyalty and commitment to the party; and to pursue the OFW political empowerment through an OFW-led National Political Party.

 The delegates agreed that the schedule of the next Tripartite Forum be on January 1 and 2, 2009 and Filcom-Western Region will host the forum.

PPP will be having their general national assembly scheduled in April of next year in Manila and registration of the party will follow. 

Partidong Pandaigdigang Pilipino humbly offers the Filipino people and overseas Filipinos worldwide an alternative to traditional politics and to misguided populism.  PPP’s commitment is to maintain allegiance to the principles of individual freedom and human rights, pluralism and participatory democracy, equality of opportunity and social justice for worker, rule of law and good governance, international OFW solidarity and nationalism in all of their aspirations and political actions.

Partidong Pandaigdigang Pilipino is the first ever national political party of Overseas Filipinos and their dependents at home. The party  general headquarters is located in San Juan City and PPP-Central Chapter is currently in the process of Chapter formations  around the country  in preparation for the Party’s general Assembly in April 2009.  **- BongA

The Dream for the Ages-II

THE DREAM FIGHT FOR THE AGES – PART II

THE DREAM FIGHT FOR THE AGES
(Pacman Schooled the Golden Boy)

by Doods A. Amora, PEE

The reality of the dream came in sweet…

But in the lurking shadows, a nightmare lingers not only for now, but for long in the stretch of unkind history…

read more>>>>

The Dream Fight for the Ages

THE DREAM FIGHT FOR THE AGES

Doods A. Amora, PEE
(December 1, 2008)

The World’s Most Exciting Boxer Vs. The Biggest Name in the Boxing World…!

December 7, 2008 will see another holiday in the Philippines. Unnerving, bloody and frightening – an ending of an episode I saw in my vision.

THE DREAM MISMATCH

In a few days from today, the actuality of the ‘dream match’ will soon unveil. Whether this reverie can live up to the golden platter of expectations as the media hype suggests, it could be the other way around. It could turn out to be fits of nightmare of a mismatch that will linger into the inner fancies of pundits in the so-called sweet science.

Oscar and Manny are living legends – they are top recipes to a dream date. But from the very beginning, the Pacquiao–Dela Hoya match has been seen as a bizarre concept, a morbid joke in fact.

Mismatch? Probably yes, maybe not… But then, that’s what makes the bout very interesting.

Albeit they are giga-champions, they don’t suppose to belong in the same circuit. Pacman is too small while Dela Hoya is obviously huge. Note that when Pacquiao had his 1995 light-flyweight debut as nobody in the boxing world, De La Hoya had already been preparing for his third defense of a lightweight title. In other words, while the Pacman was about to start tasting the impact of real fists camouflaged in leather, Dela Hoya had already been a world champion in two weight divisions. They were then 30 pounds apart; they were 30 pounds apart a few weeks ago when the match-up was announced!

Yet at a catch weight of 147 lbs, (the limit in the welterweight), the dream is about to become real. Manny has to climb up while Oscar to slide down from their respective weights. But Oscar has always been much bigger than Manny, and “it’s tricky to estimate or underestimate the end-effects on their respective physique even if both have to weigh no more than 147 pounds at the weigh-in time”, as one sports columnist said.

Will the pint-sized Pacquiao shock the intimidating frame and height of De La Hoya? On the other hand, can De La Hoya bulldoze & flatten his tiny opponent easily? The possibility that Pacquiao could be badly hurt has become a streaming denigration as the match was being pursued. Obvious as it is; the reach and height advantage, superior technical skills and overall ring savvy, made the odds favour immensely for a Dela Hoya victory!

IMMORTALITY
Immortalized in 44 fights (39-5 with 30 by KO’s), De La Hoya has defeated seventeen world champions (and former champions) and has won ten world titles in six different weight classes. From Lightweight (135 lbs) to Middleweight (160 lbs) range, Oscar had fought the best, the most fearsome and the biggest names in boxing in these weight divisions.

Pacquiao, (47-3-2, 35 KO’s) on the other hand, is a rampaging hurricane terrorizing the light-flyweight to lightweight divisions. Currently acknowledged as the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet, the Filipino fireball has likewise achieved his own immortality over lighter and smaller boxers. The southpaw piston has a number of truly astounding victories on his record, but then his last fight at 135 pounds was just where Oscar started.

Skepticism and intrigue have it that the match could be a making of a grand script – in a theatrical circus that is counter-productive to the sport. Highly marketable even in these financially beleaguered times, skeptics say the mismatch could only be for the money – and lots of it… mind boggling as it is.

Generating the richest payday & pay-per-view revenues, Oscar, the Golden Boy, has been dubbed as the most popular boxer in recent history. De La Hoya, the only guy capable today of drawing at least 500,000 pay-per-view buys regardless of who the opponent is. But Pacquiao is the most exciting fighter in the world – he too has his own PPV following. A De La Hoya victory means more profitable work schedules at least for one year more. A Pacquiao victory means the end of Oscar’s mega-buck heydays and eventually his retirement as a prize-fighter.

But Filipinos love to play underdog. Trusted by his countrymen to crush Oscar, the guy Pacquaio outmatched in size, weight, height and reach; it would be pleasant to see how the diminutive countryman beat one of the best in the heavier divisions. Note that ODLH happens to be the biggest name in the sport. Beating Oscar will put the Pacman on top of the world!

Pacquaio had already surpassed Elorde’s achievements when he successfully grabbed the WBC Lightweight World Championship past David Diaz via a stunning knock-out. Now, it would be more than stardom. It would be for the more grandeur in the chronicles to come by future generations.

In the meantime, Pacquiao must have been honored to have with him Dela Hoya in the ring. In Pacquiao, the challenge to overcome the bigger challenge must have been the other motivation. On the other hand, Oscar, wanting an explosive performance prior to his eventual exit, chose the best of today’s fighters in a smaller & beatable Manny Pacquiao. To Oscar, Pacquiao fits the qualification perfectly.

CAN OUR PACMAN DO IT..?

Read more>>>>>>>