I feel it in my bones that this year, 2013, will be very exciting politically for the nation, for Asia and for the world.
I’m just winding down my “staycation” and will be on full throttle soon.
Meanwhile, enjoy Alan’s latest column containing his PREDICTIONS for this year:
Auguries for 2013
Hot Manila – By Alan Robles
As we Filipinos wave goodbye to the year just departed, we take a short moment to think of a few things.
First, we contemplate that, thanks to an unfortunate combination of alcohol and firecrackers, some of us are waving goodbye with fewer fingers than what we had when December started.
Second, we reflect that karaokes really, definitely should be classified as weapons of mass destruction. At the very least, UN teams should be monitoring their use. Preferably in my neighbor’s house.
Third, we all realize that no celebration of New Year is complete without that great Filipino tradition: listening to hucksters make predictions about the coming year.
To read the rest, please click on this link.
Chris A. says
Happy New Year to you Raissa and your family. Hopefully 2013 will be a good one for our beloved country.
raissa says
Thank you, Chris.
Happy New Year to you, too.
The year will be very challenging.
Simon olivares says
I was praying for rain on new year’s eve so all the firecrackers would be put out by the rain. Since it didn’t rain, i spent new year’s eve playing with a pressure washer. Created a nice mist which got the street in front of our house nice and wet so nobody could explode firecrackers or or light fireworks near our house. Was literally a wet blanket for the neighbors. They stayed well away from our place which was what i was trying to do in the first place. There was less smoke near our house than before because all the fireworks were further away. Maybe if everyone did the same thing, we can all push back the fireworks to a single place further away until it is totally gone from our neighborhoods.
Happy new year to you raissa and allan and all cpm’ers!
yeheywater says
I taught myself to sleep in noisy surroundings, and never had a bout of insomnia.
FREE BIRD says
Happy New Year Raissa and Alan!
FREE BIRD says
Btw, we, the Filipino people are finally getting good results from the senate and congress with the help of good governance of Pnoy. Can we take advantage of the good fortune and discuss a possibility of total firecracker ban bill before new Year 2014. I was watching the tvpatrol after ny celebration…kawawa kawawa talaga! China lang naman Galing mga yan…China din nayaman.
Newark2002 says
Happy New Year to Raissa and Allan. Wish you & Allan the best of health years to come. Happy New Year to all the original CPMers. I wish to read more of your intelligent, uplifting, encouraging views. I wish you will continue to persuade the voting public the importance of good governance. I am with you in this crusade.
filipino_mom says
happy new year to all CPMers, raissa and alan.
here’s to an even better exchange of ideas and opinions in 2013. looking forward to having this online community make a change for the better this year (perhaps in a major way in the coming elections).
macspeed says
Insha Allah…nawa umunlad na nga tayong mga lahi ng mga matatalino at mababait he he he happy new year sa inyo sister moon and company of great people of CPMers…
chit navarro says
Happy New Year Raissa and your intellectually-stirring family!
2013 should be a more exciting one than the past. No more impeachment perhaps but there’s an election, there’s the FOI bill, the final end to the Cybercrime Act and many, many more issues affecting our country.
Cheers to an excellent health for you & your family! God bless.
Tessa says
Hi Raissa, I hope you have had a good Christmas and New Year with your family. I like ready your blog very entertaining after work. I hope 2013 is even better than 2012. God bless..
Tessa says
correction (reading your blog sorry)
raissa says
Thanks, Tessa.
Yes. I hope 2013 is better for our country and poverty-stricken people.
Mafe says
Happy new year, Raissa & Alan and family. I’ll tell Alan’s joke about karaoke who finds it therapeutic to sing all afternoon. We had no problem here as almost everyone in the neighborhood had their speakers in full blast :)
raissa says
Dear Mafe,
Thanks for the greeting.
I see you solved your problem the Filipino way :)
Joe America says
“This can be clearly seen by anyone who charts how the three malign stars, Doronilux, Tiglaus and Olivaritas are transiting the House of Pompous Maximus in ascendant conjuction with the constellation Douchebax.”
My translation.
Binay, Enrile and Estrada visit Garcia.
I’ll be laughing all year on that one.
Cha says
I thought if thise 3 at first, too, JoeAm. But then I also thought Doronila, Tiglao and Olivares.
Nevertheless, the 3 kings are douchebags, just as well. :)
Joe America says
Yes, I got the Doronila connection but couldn’t come up with the other two, so I concocted my own version. Thanks for the REAL interpretation. I’ll now laugh double hard.
AngLagay says
In a way… you’re still correct, Joe.
My Pinoy in Canada translation: Binay, Enrile and Estrada… bad apple of Philippine politics. While, Dorox, Tiglox and Olivarax… bad apple of Philippine journalism. (please, don’t sue me. Can’t afford the service of a Lawyer with my small pension)
jun tamor says
I wonder if your neighbor’s karaoke is every night/. I live right next door to what is called The Christmas House as featured on ABSCBN, GMA and other networks and magazines. Their sounds open at 6pm and ends in the wee hours of the morning. It started early Decemeber and till now that New Year has arrived, they are still at it.
raissa says
You could complain to your barangay, you know.
If you are bothered by the noise, you could write a very nice letter of complaint and even get the owner to meet you face-to-face in the barangay hall.
The barangay captain has the power to adjudicate such neighborly complaints and LAWYERS ARE NOT ALLOWED. Thats under the Local Government Code.
FORTUNATELY, in our place, one side of the street which belongs to another barangay has a curfew on noise. Lucky us. All loud noise has to stop by 10 pm. Otherwise, we can report them to the barangay. But forget about taking an afternoon nap.