Getting Things Straight

My acceptance letter from UP finally arrived by mail last week, and so I endeavored to drop by UP and let them know I was interested in enrolling this school year (LOLZ, as if I'd pass up an opportunity like this!).

I got to the Office of the College Secretary, handed the letter (and asked them to signed a receiving copy, force of habit), then for convenience's sake, I was asked to complete a few forms. While I was completing the forms, I noticed that one of the documents I had to submit was an official transcript of records.

I asked the lady behind the counter, "Miss, didn't I already submit this before I took the entrance test?"

She checked my file, and found that my transcript had the words "For evaluation purposes" written on it, and thus wasn't acceptable; it either had to be unmarked, or had to explicitly say, "For the University of the Philippines." Good job to my alma mater for messing that up, even after I told them not to do that.

Thanking her, I gave my wife Karen a quick call, as we were supposed to have lunch before I took my pre-work beauty sleep, and she told me to get the transcript request done first. 10 minutes later, I'm staring at the Registrar's Office windows in Ateneo de Manila as they close the shutters and take their lunch break for the day - with me not getting the transcript request done.

C'est la vie.

In any case, it was good that I asked when I saw something odd. Had I assumed that my previous document was sufficient, I would have had egg in my face come April 15, the deadline for documents submission. Not the best of ways to start out a career in law. ;)

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Interesting factoid: Manny Villar's campaign spending is roughly equivalent to the GDP of Niue, a self-governing nation with a free association with New Zealand. For the GDP it generates, Niue has free WiFi for all its inhabitants. For Villar's spending, we get annoying TV/radio jingles and rehashed game show segments. Something's not quite right here.

Another interesting factoid: The oft-cited Pulse Asia Survey citing Manny Villar as the "most trusted" presidential candidate is not entirely accurate; at the very least, the survey was done at the same time that a Pulse Asia survey showed Aquino and Villar neck-and-neck. Certainly that does not apply today.

Let's also consider our timelines: Pulse Asia "trust rating" survey was done Jan. 22-25. Session discussing the C-5 controversy was done on Jan. 25, with Enrile's "bribery" charge leveled on Jan. 27. Villar makes his 1-hour speech and 30-second exit on Feb 2. Seriously, with survey results so far out of the context, how can anyone take it seriously?

And now this: http://ping.fm/6ohVQ

So, let's get this straight: You want to become President, presumably to help the poor, but you're willing to dupe and lie your way to the Presidency?

Geez. The lady at the Office of the College Secretary at UP Law seems to have more integrity and desire to help than you.

Day 1: New Knowledge, New Options

This May, we have our national and local elections. Huge deal, of course, coming from 9 years of generally piss-poor political leadership. It's campaign period now, and you can see the posters everywhere, see all the ads on TV, hear the jingles on the radio. So many options, too much noise.

Online, it isn't much better. Out of maybe a hundred people actively participating in online forums such as PinoyExchange, only about a handful are willing to talk sense - everyone else is content reposting black propaganda pieces against the candidate of their choosing, or just mouthing off campaign lines left and right.

How can we make sense out of all this?

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Today I found out that I had passed the UP LAE for SY 2010-2011. More than excitement, I felt relieved that the veil of uncertainty has been lifted: I'm going to law school, and I'm going to the University of the Philippines to study it!

If only everything else were that simple, yes?

That's one thing I hope to do with this blog. Lift the veil of uncertainty. Clear up a few things - about Noynoy, sure (as if it wasn't obvious that I support him, unless you missed that big yellow ribbon up there), but about other candidates too. In the coming days, as the elections draw near, I hope to provide more information about the candidates and, well, generally why we shouldn't be voting for them.

Why take my word for it?

Well, perhaps because I am more invested in the future than most others are. See, in 6 years, I'll have graduated law school and, hopefully, have passed the bar. Throughout that time, whoever occupies Malacanang will determine what the country will be like in 6 years' time. Personally, I'm not interested in graduating into a failing economy (oh, believe me, it *can* get worse).

Today is the start of my journey towards a clearer, brighter future. I hope this will be the same for our country. Hope you continue to visit this blog!