Is Talk 'N Text stealing from its cash-strapped subscriber?

Is Talk 'N Text, "a wholly owned subsidiary of SMART," stealing from a cash-strapped subscriber?

This morning I loaded Gaantxt 10 onto my cellphone, a load equivalent to 55 texts to Talk ‘N Text/Smart + 5 texts to all networks! But when I replied to a very urgent text message, what appeared was not "Message Sent." It was "Check Operator Services." This happened before. Maybe my phone is so dumb that it needs a little time to absorb the fact that I have just loaded onto it. So I waited for about five minutes. Then I resent the message. Still, it was "Check Operator Services."

I refer the matter to my sister, who said maybe I just need to reload it. So I loaded it again with P30 ECONOMY Pack. Still, I was told to "Check Operator Services."

Now, I started to get irritated. No, naglagot na ko. Kita pa nga gatipid, kita pay kuwaan ug load.

I inquired 15001. Then I received a text message informing me that as of 29April 09:03 I have a "Load Bal: P30 Free Txt to Smart/TNT:100 Free Txt to all networks:5.

If so, why can't I text? And every time I do, why am I always told to "Check Operator Services?" Is Talk 'N Text suffering from a Dr.Jekyll-and-Mr.Hyde syndrome? It says that I still have a load, but in truth I don't.

Did Talk 'N Text, "a wholly owned subsidiary of SMART," just steal from me, a cash-strapped subscriber?

I'm afraid it did. The bad news is that I'm one of the many victims of this "cellphone load robbery," as Senator Juan Ponce Enrile put it. The good news is that I'm one of the many victims of this "cellphone load robbery."

I recall that no less than Senator Juan Ponce Enrile also fell prey to this "cellphone load robbery."

Now I begin to wonder: if Senator Enrile fell prey to this, how much more if the subscriber is a lowly one like me, a cash-strapped subscriber?

Update: Talk 'N Text is now back to normal. Which is to say, I can now send messages. But I won't delete this post. Let this be a reminder that once upon a time, Talk 'N Text went awry.

Poll automation, no matter what

A new way of doing things will always give feelings of discomfort to those who are accustomed or programmed to doing things their way---which is the old way. Just imagine you grandparents, who have never seen, let alone touch a computer, signing up for Facebook.

But if we know the old way is no longer working, what should we do? Obstinately stick to it? Or look for a new way of doing it? Of course, the latter is the more sound choice.

With regard to our elections, there is a clear need to look for a new way of doing it. Critics of the poll automation feel that there will be failures at some point. They are damn right. Surely, there will be failures.

But the risk of failure should not justify our inactivity.

Where have I been these past three days?

DAY ONE: April 25 (Sunday) - Compostela, Comval Province

[caption id="attachment_1701" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="L-R: Melay, Arvin, Elisa, Gracey, Lloyd, Wengkai, Etong, Chane, GR"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1702" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Lechon: The most delicious pig in the world, according to Time magazine. "][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1703" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="What the eyes can't see, the mouth can taste. Brownout ani nga panahon. Pero wala mi magpapugong."][/caption]

DAY TWO: April 26 (Monday) - Bamboo Mountain Resort, New Bataan, Comval Province







DAY THREE: April 27 (Tuesday) - Sitio Panas, Brgy. Carcor, New Corella

[caption id="attachment_1710" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Panas Waterfalls"][/caption]

Project Law School: Why take up law?

I was twice asked why I want to take up law? My aunt asked me the first time. When she asked me that, I stared at her. Just stared. Then nodded. Then said, "I don't know."

"You have to have a reason," she said. Yes, I have to have a reason. But does everything we do need to have a reason? Can we not do it without being asked why we do it?

The second time I was asked was when I applied for a teaching position in one of the Catholic schools in Davao. (Clue: It's located on Obrero St.). The principal asked me "What would you with the salary?"

Simple. I said, "The salary I will use to support my law studies."

"So you're planning to take up law?" the principal asked. "Yes, ma'am," I said.

"Why do you want to be a lawyer?" Unlike my aunt's question, I thought I was obligated to answer this one. So I said, "I want to be a lawyer because I want to advance good causes. And I believe that the law is a powerful tool by which I can advance good causes. Aside, of course, from teaching."

Anyone who enters law school, I guess, enters with a certain degree of idealism. I am no exemption. I didn't lie to the principal when I said that I want to be a lawyer because I want to advance good causes.

But whether I will be financially rewarded while advancing good causes is another matter.

NOYNOY

No time for Mindanao?

[caption id="attachment_1683" align="aligncenter" width="468" caption="Photo courtesy of davaobloggers.net"][/caption]

Towards the end of the forum "Paminaw Mindanao," Amina Rasul, one of the the forum's convenors, gave a summary of Gibo's, JC's, Perlas's, and Villanueva's plans for Mindanao.

There is, however, a trace of disappointment in Rasul's voice. And she expressed the same sentiment in her column:

Unfortunately, of the nine presidential candidates, only Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, Brother Eddie Villanueva, Coun-cilor JC de los Reyes and independent candidate Nicky Perlas came. The others were no shows, perhaps clearly indicating that Mindanao is not a critical component of their campaigns (although they did come to dialogue with Pastor Quiboloy, the “appointed son of God”). [Emphasis mine]

The Five Men who were no shows at the forum, is Mindanao really not a "critical component of your campaigns," is it?

Wala naminaw sa Paminaw Mindanao

Unlike some of my friends who went to HCDC Gym to attend Paminaw Mindanao, a presidential forum on Mindanao, I was able to secure a white ticket, that which allowed me sit in the chairs below, among the important and not-so important people, not in the bleachers above.

Since I don't have a laptop to document all that happened there, I just used my cp and saved what I wrote in the outbox. Here goes:

• "Forum, paminaw mindnanao. 4 came. Gbo, jc, perlas, bro. Edie. jc was late.


• "Startd with a prayr from tri.people."


• "Gibo, cutlre, devt, and securty."

From there, I stopped typing. By the time Gibo laid out his plan for Mindanao----he said there is a need for a paradigm shift, a one-size-fits-all approach to Mindanao won't work because the causes of conflicts in this island are varied----we were busy searching for Who's Who in Philippine Politics.

Anton Lagdameo was there. My friend said it would have been better had he brought Dawn Zulueta with her.

Bebot Bello, the senatorial candidate who styled himself as Justice Man, was there, wearing a violet vest that reminds me very much of sapin-sapin.

Nanding Pacheco, founder of Ang Kapatiran Party, was there.

I don't know who else were there.

I didn't get much of what the presidentiables said. All I can say is that the forum was enlightening. There, I learned that the color of the dress that Amina Rasul, of the Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy, wore yesterday was not orange. It's saffron.

Fellows for the Davao Writers Workshop 2010

The Davao Writers Guild, in cooperation with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and University of the Philippines-Mindanao, proudly announces the Fellows for the Davao Writers Workshop 2010:

Short Story
April Dawn M. Paramio
Arvin Antonio V. Ortiz
Freeda Ko Quejada
Jayson E Parba

Essay
Ella Jade Ismael
Seneca Pellano

Play
Hiyasmin Gabriela Espejo

Poetry
Erika Navaja
Friedrich Simon C Layno
Gino Boy Dolorzo
Iryne O. Kaamino
James Roy C. Pascual
Reymond L Pepito

The workshop will take place on May 3 to 7 at Lispher Inn, Juna Subdivision, Matina, Davao City.

Whom we should not vote for?

[caption id="attachment_1670" align="aligncenter" width="570" caption="Photo courtesy of Dominique Cimafranca"][/caption]

My friends and I made a pact: We will not vote for candidates who violate the law.

Those who post their campaign ads on restricted areas we will not vote for.

Those who campaigned during the Holy Week we will not vote for.

Those who spend more than what is allowed we will not vote for.

Those whose campaign posters are bigger than what is required by the COMELEC we will not vote for.

We are not being too harsh on the pretenders to the public office. Our is simply based on the principle that if they cannot follow simple laws now that they are not yet in office, how much more if they are already elected?

The fruit of years' work