"Ang mamatay nang dahil sa iyo..."

First and foremost, let me make it clear. I am part of that generation of Martin Nievera fans. I am a huge fan and will always remain one of his biggest fans.

But I must say, while I am a huge fan, there was something about the way he sang the Philippine National Anthem during the Pacquiao-Hatton bout that did not sound right. More than not sounding right, it did not feel right.

Yes, there was something wanting in the rendition that has something to do with emotions and feelings. Martin sang it well. I was not pointing to that. A song is about interpretation and it was his interpretation and he did it well.

But it's not about singing it well or singing it bad, it's about something else. I wanted to know. And so, in the midst of the Pacman fever over his victory over Hatton, I posted a question in my Facebook Account, a simple question that elicited the most number of responses from my FB friends. The question: What can you say about Martin Nievera's rendition of the Philippine National Anthem in lieu of the Pacquiao-Hatton bout?

These are some of the responses of my FB friends:

Atty. Ted Te: "RA 8491, the 1998 Flag and Heraldic Code, sec. 37 provides that the national anthem shall be sung or played in accordance with the arrangement of Julian Felipe and that it's not to be sung for entertainment. I think it should be 2/4, so it's like a march or something. I think it was in poor taste to have Martin Nievera who can barely speak the language, sing the national anthem. But I guess they wanted a Vegas athmosphere to it so they got a showman to do it."

Grandier Bella: "I was more attracted to his clothes."

Judy Che Sabello: "As I said he is only good in Be My Lady song. Bayang and Kuh could sing that in our right versions not in a burgus way."

Shy Valdez: "In my opinion, Martin sang fairly well. Yun lang alam ko may igaganda pa sana. Also medyo na-off ako nung biglang tumaas. From mababa to biglang taas kasi. Wala yung pa build up."

Roger Pe: "Off-synch pa yata. I would prefer an unknown public grade school teacher from Gen. Santos or Saranggani to have sung it."

Daphne Osena-Paez: "Bad. he should have stuck to a traditional version and no instrumental accompaniment. And his facial expressions were distracting."

Jake Maderazo: "It was great."

Ares Penales-Gutierrez: "Yun ang ayaw ko sa tuwing may laban si Pacquiao.Di kinakanta nang maayos ang Pambansang Awit at akala ng mga singer, Cute sila."

Randy Velasco: " Sa susunod si Manny na lang ang kakanta. Special request. That would be cool."

Karen Santiago: "Dapat si Leah Salonga na lang ulit."

Benji Beljica: "Ha-ha! what a show."

Benjie Escocal: "Sana si Ara Mina na lang kumanta next time."

Norman Sison: "I appreciate how strong we feel about our national anthem. I trust that the feeling is also translated into everyday deeds such as doing the right thing not only when it is convenient."

There are more comments but I cannot put them all here.

But the point is, as my good friend Norman pointed out, the responses attached to that simple question manifest the strong feeling we have for our national anthem. Majority of the responses mentioned that the singing of the national anthem, especially in an international event such as the Pacquiao-Hatton bout in Las Vegas should follow the original, traditional and the common way of singing it. Atty. Te even specified the Republic Act that governs the guidelines on how to sing or play the Philippine National Anthem.

Not content with the responses I got from my FB friends, I called an expert in this field, a real musician, an internationally renowned musical conductor, Professor Ed Manguiat, Choir Director of the UP Singing Ambassadors.

Professor Manguiat said during the interview regarding this topic that the arrangement of the song, the way Martin was made to sing it did not "register his gift as a singer." The professor noted the artistic purpose from the side of Martin's musical arranger. But the one thing that's missing he said on the way it was arranged and performed was the fact that it did not convey "pride and honor" to the flag. In Filipino he said, "Walang giting at pagmamalaki na naipakita. Dapat ang ganda ng boses ng tao o ng umaawit, nagkataon lang. Nasa kanta mismo. Nasa titik. Nasa rendisyon." ("There's no pride and honor conveyed. The good singing voice of the person singing the song should only be incidental. It's the song itself that should register. The words. The rendition.")

After speaking with Manguiat, I finally realized what it was that I thought was missing in the way one of my favorite singers sang the Philippine National Anthem. Walang kilabot. Hindi nakapaninindig balahibo.There was no emotion. I did not feel a single strand of hair in my body reacting emotionally with pride and with honor to the way it was sung. You can see the facial expression of Martin and yet, there was something superficial about it. Perhaps, Ted Te's observation provides us the explanation as to why despite the emotions registered in the facial expression of Martin, there was no emotions of national pride and honor on his rendition.

Maybe--just maybe---he has not fully understood the meaning and more so the history of the song.

To the millions of others around the world who saw it, this did not mean a thing. But for Filipinos, and I trust, majority of the Filipinos share this point, singing the national anthem properly in front of an international audience meant something else that is bigger and far more ideal than hitting the high notes or wearing the right clothes while singing it, or whether a female or a male singer sings it, or whether a famous or a virtual unknown gets to sing it the next time.

The proper rendition rests on the understanding and the appreciation of the words of the song and the history of bravery of the race that fought for its independence.

Imagine Julian Felipe when he was composing this song as our national anthem back in 1898. Imagine the events before the mere act of composing this song for the Declaration of our Independence came.

O.A. na kung O.A. pero yun talaga ang kulang. Ang giting ng pagkakaawit. Wala sa ganda ng boses. Wala sa areglo. Nasa pagkakaunawa sa awitin ang ganda ng rendisyon.

Bayang magiliw, perlas ng silanganan.
Alab ng puso, sa dibdib mo'y buhay.
Lupang hinirang, duyan ka ng magiting
Sa manlulupig, di ka pasisiil.

Sa dagat at bundok, sa simoy at
sa langit mong bughaw,
may dilag ang tula at awit
sa paglayang minamahal.

Ang kislap ng watawat mo'y
tagumpay na nagniningning.
Ang bituin at araw niya
kailan pa may di magdidilim.

Lupa ng araw, ng lualhati't pagsinta,
buhay ay langit sa piling mo.
Aming ligaya na pag may mang-aapi,
ang mamatay ng dahil sa iyo.

In English, this is the tranlation by Camilio Osias and A.L. Lang

Land of the morning
Child of the sun returning
With fervor burning
Thee do our souls adore.

Land dear and holy,
Cradle of noble heroes,
Ne'er shall invaders
Trample thy sacred shores.

Ever within thy skies and through thy clouds
And o'er thy hills and seas;
Do we behold thy radiance, feel the throb
Of glorious liberty.

Thy banner dear to all hearts
Its sun and stars alight,
Oh, never shall its shining fields
Be dimmed by tyrant's might.

Beautiful land of love, O land of light,
In thine embrace 'tis rapture to lie;
But it is glory ever, when thou art wronged
For us, thy sons to suffer and die

Whoever gets to sing it next time Manny goes to battle again, let him or her appreciate the lyrics of the song first before he/she take that ring and sing our national anthem for all the world to see.(end)

THE GREATEST FIGHTER OF ALL TIME...

Nakapaninindig balahibo. Ang sarap maging Filipino. Muli salamat Manny Pacquiao!

I opened this post in Filipino, thanking the man who just minutes ago showed the whole world the determination, the courage and the strength of the Filipino boxer.

Nobody expected it. Not even Manny himself. The fight with British boxer Ricky "the Hitman" Hatton, taunted as the greatest challenge in Pacquiao's boxing career ended in just two round...actually 10-seconds shy away from the end of Round 2 or to be exact---359 seconds of boxing! Power, precision, and a lot faith. Tons of it!

A right hook brought Hatton twice during the first round. But while Hitman was watching more of that right hook, it was Pacman's left hook to the chin that ended Hitman's goal to punish the Filipino boxer from General Santos City in Southern Philippines.

A clear victory. Pound per pound, Manny has again affirmed what the world now acknowledge as true: that he is the best in the world. A boxing superstar for the ages working at his peak says one boxing analyst.

Radio broadcaster and boxing commentator Orly Trinidad over DZBB can't help but compare that moment with a rushing PNR train ramming towards Hatton and crushing all his defenses. In Filipino Trinidad said, " parang bumunggo sa panga ni Hitman ang isang tren ng PNR!" Thanks to GMA-7' AM radio--those of us who did not rush to the malls or paid per view for this historic fight were able to get the blow by blow account of the East versus West fight. The truth is--listening to it on radio offers a different thrill. Good job Pareng Orly and the rest of the DZBB men and women who brought us the fight live on air!

I wonder where is Floyd Mayweather Sr. who in the HBO-documentary aired last night at GMA-7 entitled "Pacman/Hitman 24/7", the Sr. Mayweather ridiculed the way Pacquiao executes his punches and described it as "amateur." He even said that after the fight with Hatton, "Pacman would be history. Game over."

Watching that documentary late last night, as a Filipino, I cannot help but feel rage and I am sure those who saw it, felt the same intensity of anger towards that statement. It was all air, arrogance and coming from someone who has no appreciation about the capacity of the human spirit to emerge victorious. For someone who was once a boxer himself, much is expected from Hatton's trainor. He should know. It's not all training. It's not even about all tactics and strategy.
It's the heart of a true champion that defines the outcome of any fight.

I could not wait what the Sr. Mayweather has to say after this fight. The irony here is that his own son, staging a comeback is most likely the next man on the ring to face the boxer he ridiculed so much. They have not spoken for years, the Sr. and the Jr. Mayweather. Would the October bout between the Jr. Mayweather with the Philippines' Pacman result into the reunion of father and son? Well...that's another story worth watching.

It was a good thing that Hatton too showed humility in many instances and left the talking and the heckling to his trainor. More than in Manny's favor, Ricky wanted this fight and he got it. Unfortunately, it did not end the way he wanted it to be.

To the Hitman from Manchester, England, your place in boxing history is secure. You are a damn good fighter too. Am sure it was an honor for our Pacman to have shared the ring with you.

Once again, Manny offered his victory to all Filipinos and to all boxing fans around the world, and that included the thousands of British fans of Hatton who traveled across the continent to cheer for their own. This is your moment too. Another episode entered into the pages of professional boxing history.

Top boxing promoter Bob Arum made a bold statement after Pacquiao's victory and we quote him, "When the full story is told, he will be declared as the greatest fighter that ever lived." Arum said this pointing to the fact that as an athlete, Pacquiao kept on improving his craft, learning and learning and learning some more.

The truth is, Manny's example is not just for athletes like him. The lesson is universal. Anyone could learn from Manny's example. From humble beginnings, he managed to reached the highest point of his boxing career and yet he kept on improving, learning some more and acknowledging the one true thing about life, that each step you take, each day that passes by, is an opportunity to learn, discover and yes---execute the things that are part of the endless possibilities of life.

But by now---all those who remain doubtful of why this man, Pacman, Aling Dionisia's beloved son, emerge victorious fight after fight---I point you to the one statement he said in the HBO 24/7 documentary: "If God doesn't want me to win, I will not win. If he want's me to lose the fight, no matter what I do, even how hard I practice and strategize, I will lose. It's all up to Him."

In an interview in his dug-out after the fight---Manny said it again: That not just in boxing, anyone who believes and truly acknowledges that everything comes from God, can do anything and can win any battle.

Manny, once again, we are overwhelmed and truly proud of the victory you attached to the Filipino flag.

Mayaman, mahirap, nasa taas, nasa baba, nasaan mang kalagayan, --- ipinaalala mong muli sa amin ang nandudumilat na katotohanan na ang lahat ng ito ay may Iisang kapangyarihang pinagmulan.

You showed us. You showed the world. Thank you Manny!

Ang sarap isigaw---lahi ko'y Filipino. Dugong marangal. Dugong magiting. Dugong malaya.(end)

TRULY GRATEFUL

This one is a story of extremes:A tragic lose and a wonderful gain.

Loren Legarda, senator and former journalist, a colleague in my days with ABS-CBN was pregnant in the first quarter of 2002 when I was waylaid and taken hostage by a group of para-military men, all Tausugs, with insignia's of the Philippine Military's Tabak Division in Barangay Tandiong in Indanan, Sulu.

She waited long to have that third child but unfortunately suffered a miscarriage. Professor Mashur Jundam, first approached him about me during that period. She was in pain, she wasn't ready. That was sometime in February. She left the country for a while and grieved about the lose of a child she wanted to have.

When she came back, she was whole again. Her bold and daring persona, back in no time.Ready and willing to help a colleague who was in dire need of help.

Many doubted the story first. Who would kidnap the reporter known for her legendary connections with the ASG? Nah..baloney! Crap! Some even screamed oh that's a gimmick, "kidnap-me" they said. But that was because they got it wrong. They thought the Abu Sayyaf Group was the one that abducted me. Wrong.

But one reporter of one newspaper got the story correct. The first time he reported it and when my abductors read about it, that got me into trouble. The article came out in the Manila Times; MNLF Integrees behind reporters abduction. Whew--that headline got me into deeper trouble. I was made to account for that one, made to explain how that information leaked.

They thought I was able to contact someone and tell their identities, a stupid suspicion really for they're the ones in control of my cellular phone since the very night they pulled me and threw me into that pumpboat with my hands tied behind my back. (Heller?!!!!)

The truth was--I also cannot accept what was happening to me, the very moment that it did.

I was angry. I was fuming mad. Asking them questions, acting for a moment as if I was in charge and that I have all the right to interrogate."Who is your officer-in-command?" "Don't you know that I know all of your faces? That I covered you during your training in Camp Capinpin in Tanay Rizal?" Stupid me! I got into more trouble for that outrage.

Dragging me into the pump boat that night of January 20, 2002 in Barangay Tandiong in Indanan, Sulu were armed men in military uniform, stressed on Tabak Division insignias, Tausugs, members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) who got integrated into the Armed Forces of the Philippines by virtue of the 1996 Peace Agreement.

Having covered Mindanao in 2002 for straight 12 years, having penetrated the most remote area in the jungle of Sulu and Basilan, I had this false sense of protection that I will never be touched, harmed and much less--taken hostage by any group---especially, not those clearly attached with the government forces. Not the MNLF, ... but of course I was wrong!

But alas---colleagues in the media learned the truth and wasted no time in helping me. Fe Zamora and Ma'am Letty Magsanoc of the Philippine Daily Inquirer were there for me.

My friends in the Philippine Marines searched for me and conducted actual foot patrol in the jungles of Indanan. Some of them now amongst those charge with attempting to stage a coup d' etat during the 2006 Marine Stand-Off.

The truth is---and I know this may sound so ironic and so controversial, even Khadaffy Janjalani and his men tried to locate me ---and from what I heard later, even attempted to rescue me. I was on my way to their camp in Sulu when I was waylaid by this other group of armed men who were fed with the wrong information that I was delivering ransom money for the Burnham couple at that time. A sampling of how twisted and how misguided the human intelligence networking of the authorities at that particular hostage crisis.

To those who truly cared in locating me, saving me, I am truly grateful. And I would be amiss in my duty, looking back with gratitude if I will not mention their names: The Vice President Noli De Castro, who was then still a senator and someone I can call my friend, a colleague in the media, and someone who knew me as a person, trusting his instinct that I will never ever resort to anything that is untruthful and staged and that in truth and in fact, my life was in danger at that time.

The list of people to thank is long and let me not forget to stress that on top of this long list is the name of my godmother Ninang Cherry Cobarrubias who was the one person that kept the lines of communications open and managed to turn on her side, Lakandula, one of the leaders of the MNLF renerage forces that kidnapped me, to someone close to being her ally, turning his "No" into "Yes" and his angry and threatening voice to "Opo Ninang" ("Yes Ninang").

It was her love and compassion that sustained the lines of communication, a crucial factor in any hostage situation. It was through my Ninang Cherry that I learned the sacrifice that Loren had to risk just so she could save me. Her role, her participation was pulled with utmost secrecy for as what a colonel in the Armed Forces told them, it's the only way to ensure succeess of the mission to effect my release. The colonel's warning according to my Ninang Cherry: "Never inform the brigade or you'll not ge her." A warning that was also related by Lakandula to my Ninang Cherry.

When Loren finally decided to help me, it was more than just an act of extending a hand to a colleague in a life-threatening ordeal. Her decision to help stems from the fact that she understood why I needed help, fast, urgent, ASAP: A mother has to be reunited with her kids.

“I had just suffered a miscarriage then,” Legarda recalled, “but I felt it was my Christian duty to help Arlyn. We realized that as my unborn child’s life was lost, it was redeemed by the release of Arlyn who has two girls of her own, with the youngest being only two years old when she was abducted. In the process, she got her chance back to be a mother once again." Loren said during an informal and intimate celebration of the 7th year anniversary of my release as a hostage held at the Manila Polo Club in Makati last April 28, Tuesday, a day after the exact date of my release.

Exactly 7 years ago on April 27, 2002, I literally rushed towards freedom, running as fast as I could could at the Jolo Airport and into the arms of Loren. Seven years have passed since that moment and while it feels as if it only happened yesterday, my life has never been the same after that. After that experience, I see life from a different perspective, I live each day at a time, making sure, each day is my best, that I don't fail to say I love you to those I love, my kids most specially, for really, we never know when will we breath our last.

Only a mother like Loren would understand how and why.

If not for her daring move to come to my aid---I would not have been in this stage of my life, happy, complete and fully living life with gratitude every single day.

Truly God's mercy and love works in wondrous ways and on that day, the 27th of April 2002, tapped the right person to facilitate my release.

Seven years have passed. I have long moved on. My kids and I, my family--we have moved on and forward. But in moving on with our lives, we will never ever forget to look back with gratitude.

The fact alone that I am counting the years since that episode in my life is a great blessing from the Lord.

The gift of life and freedom and the chance to be mother again. Salamat po AMA.(end)

RESCUE MISSION, NOTHING BUT A HOLLYWOOD PLOT

Even before it saw print, the alleged rescue mission by Magdalo soldiers trained by former Special Forces members from New Zealand and Australia, I already received a text message about it from a long time police source.

I did not pursue the story not because I do not trust the source, but because judging from the content of the initial information he forwarded to me which he claimed also came from another unit in the law enforcement agency, my first impulse was it's nothing but a product of one's very fertile imagination.

As I was briefed about the full content of the alleged rescue mission, it dawned to me that what I am hearing is nothing but a juicy story plot perfect for a Hollywood movie. Is Jerry Bruckheimmer in town? I wonder...

But alas--the source of the information was revealed, the Office of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) through Executive Director Mariano Villafuerte.

The PAOCC was once a very powerful agency in government under the previous administration of former President Joseph Estrada but since that time, little is known about the undertakings of this office. The truth is, it's a revelation that it's still existing. As far as I can recall, say in the last 4-6 years, this is the only time again that this agency is mentioned in a news paper article.

The reemergence of this agency into public consciousness is highly suspicious. What have they been doing in the last 4-6 years? And why come out only now and with this fantastic tale of destabilization angle pointing to the usual suspects---the Magdalo, senator Antonio Trillanes and Brig. Gen. Danny Lim?

Would any group especially those critical of the present administration gain anything by pulling this alleged rescue mission of Trillanes and Lim from their detention cell inside Camp Crame, home of the headquarters of the Philippine National Police? Certainly none.

And if the scriptwriter of this scenario only cared to observe, the political trend now points to 2010 and the very personalities they want to drag in this latest destabilization scenario are all pinning their hopes on the next elections.

Take it from me---Danny Lim has no plans of bolting out of jail much less expecting to be extricated from where he is now. I speak from the point of view of someone who has known the man behind the principle of doing what is right, what is good and what is just.

If there's one thing that consumes the general these days, it's that period of contemplation and discernment on what is the next big step that would take his love and service of country to the next level.

Even the former president, Erap, the one this specific scenario points as the most likely financier has been doing the rounds, consulting local leaders, feeling the people's pulse so to speak, if he is still that popular among the electorate. If only the plotters of this scenario care to observe, they would realize, why there are practically no believers of this rescue mission they exposed in the media.

Only one former member of Magdalo was among those allegedly training to rescue Lim and Trillanes. And if we care to dig deeper, we would learn that many of the enlisted personnel who were released ahead of the Magdalo officers, have in fact pursued careers as security guards, consultants, the so called mercenaries, in different military camps in Iraq and Afganistan. This, in essence and in reality, is what this is all about, a personal business interest of someone who wanted to control that shooting range in Clark, Pampanga.

From what I gathered, it's actually Villafuerte who should be investigated for using his position in government to go after a rival business interest, a Blackwater-type of security agency providing consultants and personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Villafuerte by the way is the son of Representative Luis Villafuerte, a known ally of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. I wonder too if this expose of sort pulled by his son has something to do with the mission impossible to push through with charter change in Congress.

But, hey! Did I just say mission impossible? I almost forgot, newly installed representatives, mostly, administration allies, were already sworn into office just the other day. The numbers game here may in fact make that mission impossible---possible and done via fast break.

It seems to me that this father and son tandem have no qualms in using their connections in Malacanang to pursue their respective and very personal agenda.

If the congressman's son thinks he'll simply get away with this strategy disguised as an expose on an alleged destabilization plot, a rescue mission inside the PNP Custodial Center, wait for the counter move, one that will really expose what should be exposed: a senate investigation on the very expose he revealed. I expect no less than an exciting and truly revealing senate inquiry should this one push through. (end)