Marco Manipon's The Bobo Blog

B-MEG won the crown, I won P300.00 load

Sun, 06 May 2012 23:53:06 +0800

The B-MEG Llamados, my favorite team are your 2012 PBA Commissioner’s Cup champions. Meanwhile, yours truly is the winner of FOREVER B-MEG LLAMADOS FANATICS GUESS-4-LOAD contest and a proud beneficiary of P300.00 worth of cellphone load.

The mechanics of the game is simple: guess the gate attendance for Game 7 of the PBA Finals, the closest assumption without getting over will win. I guessed 20,989 and the official tally is 21,046. I don’t know how I won even if I’m 57 fans short but nevertheless, it added up to the exhilaration that I’m feeling right now.

Thanks to the administrators of the FOREVER B-MEG LLAMADOS FANATICS group especially to Yuri Munsayac, Emjhay Dacles, Ryan Santiago and Jerlyn Galvez. Join the group if you’re a big time Purefoods/B-MEG fan.

Photo: Nuki Sabio/PBA.ph

Champions! B-MEG! B-MEG! B-MEG! (Purefoods!)

San Lazaro starring Ramon Bautista and Wincy Aquino Ong now out on DVD!

Tue, 01 May 2012 18:44:00 +0800

Running Dead: Mataya-taya, Patintero and Trail Running Experience with the Trizombies

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 23:33:00 +0800

When I first wrote about The Running Dead, I mentioned that I am not really sure if I can put the word “fun” on this Fun Run. But after me and my Eds have already experienced it, I came to the conclusion that the word “Run” is the one that I should omit. Not that we did not run, but to begin with, it was not a “Fun Run”, it is mataya-taya, patintero and trail running all rolled in to one — and with zombies.

The Running Dead is a fund-raising event organized by ArmyNavy SouthTri for the benefit of four deserving graduates of their Super Tri Kids programs to keep training and progressing in the sport. Instead of having a typical Fun Run, they decided to arrange an event that will attract people even outside their circle, just like us. So, this event patterned after the “Run For Your Lives” race in the United States was created.

It was fun despite the fact that it’s more exhausting than a usual Fun Run because you’re being chased by different type of zombies to get all of your five life flags that were attached on your waist as the objective of the race is to cross the finish line with at least one of those. Plus, we didn’t just run on a flat surface, we walked along tall grasses, hiked on the rocky hills of Filinvest, Alabang and passed through other ala Takeshi’s Castle obstacles. Luckily, we finished the race with flags still attached because by the latter stages of the run, the zombies became humanitarian — though it may sound weird — as they will not attempt to take a flag from you if you only have one left. As per Runningmate.ph, my Eds finshed the race after an hour and ten minutes but for some reasons, my record is not showing up but I know for a fact but that I crossed the finish line earlier than her so probably, my record might be an hour and nine minutes, haha.

After getting the freebies from the sponsors and the “chill” Finisher’s Shirt, we went straight ahead to the buffet. It was hearty, it was superb; more than enough for us to regain the lost energy out of playing habulan with the supposedly creepy zombies.

Check out some of the images that we captured during the event and for the complete album, check out this link.

Run Zombie Run!

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 06:15:00 +0800

On April 21, Saturday, me and my Eds (I love you!) will join yet another organized running event. Remember last year, we joined Lifeline Foundation’s Run4Life. That was the first running event that I got involved in and that was not just for mere exercise and physical benefits for our wellness but it’s also for a generous cause — we ran for the betterment of people’s education, we ran for the under privileged youth. Just imagine how compassionate and benevolent was that? This time however, we will join a fun run with a twist. Actually, I am not really sure if I can put the word “fun” on this run for if last year, we ran for life, this time we’re supposed to run for our lives and survive the attack of the, um, zombies.

Yes, zombies. Those corpses that were brought back to life by devilish supernatural means to scare you just like how Jestoni Alarcon in the classic movie, “Huwag Mong Buhayin ang Bangkay” was brought back to existence.

We will join The Running Dead, a 7K obstacle race that will be held at Filinvest, Alabang which name was evidently inspired by the trendy TV series for cool social networking people, The Walking Dead. I’m not really familiar with that show since I’m not a cool social networking guy but obviously, it’s about reincarnated dudes that will chase you in a mataya-taya way so essentially, the objective of The Running Dead is for us to cross the finish line “alive.” Of course, no phony zombie will really attempt to murder us in a gruesome way so this is what will be doing: we will be given five life flags before the race that we will put on our waist and we should not let the weird guys on prosthetics stole all those from us along the way. Once you lose all of those, you’ll be considered a running dead.

Official poster of the event

Nevertheless, “dead or alive”, there will be an “I Survived” post-race party and buffet at Palms Country Club and we’ll also be given a “chill” souvenir shirt. We paid P750.00 for the registration which is inclusive of the entrance to the party, the shirt, a race bib and blood stains from the zombies.

The souvenir shirt

The race was organized by Army Navy — so I’m expecting big burgers at the post-race party — in partnership with the likes of New Balance, Hyundai, Levi’s, Powerade, Filinvest and more. For further information, visit The Running Dead 2012 on Facebook.

I love you!

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 05:47:21 +0800

Teach Me How to Dougie feat. Papa and Isyong

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 21:50:11 +0800

The guy on the left side of the YouTube screen wearing white sando and white diapers is my father while the other guy who is sporting a dark green shirt and faded maong pants is my pamangkin.

Yes, you read it right.

The Valentine's post that I thought was impossible

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 22:15:00 +0800

I only had one girlfriend my entire existence and basically, I didn’t court her. We’re just on the same page back then and we decided that, game, tayo na. Then after two years, we parted ways. Right now, from what I am seeing on Facebook, she already changed her genre in terms of taste of guys and she ended up with a baduy-looking-mukhang-corny-magjoke-nagsusuot ng fitted na damit type of motha … while me, I tried to have someone that will replace her but all to no avail. Naireklamo pa nga ako noong minsan sa boss ng isang babae. That’s why I really do not want to give anything about this recent Valentine’s Day. I do not want to give a single tweet about it, a Facebook post, a Plurk. I didn’t give any chocolate or a bouquet of flowers arranged in Dangwa to anyone to avoid yet another exasperating rejection. I just didn’t give a [bleep], a damn or an inch about this irrational holiday invented by a hipster Pope from way, way back. Wala talaga akong pakialam. But here, as you can read, I surprisingly ended up writing a blog about this commercial hype so-called “Araw ng Kabataan”, ang “Araw ng mga Puso”.

Since this day is all about love, that romantic and dreamy type and not the clichéd love taught on Values and GMRC textbooks — not about the default love of your mother, father, brother, sister or by anyone who brush their teeth — therefore, it should be out of my business and I ought to be concerned less about this. Wala naman akong syota. But things changed drastically when my main man, my officemate, my Gary Valenciano and Marcio Lassiter looking officemate, Aron Paul Barlin redefined the meaning of the fuss. Because of him, I decided to write this. Not that we are homosexual who wears fitted polo shirts and are having an affair in case you’re getting it wrong but what he did to the person he is courting right now is what I am talking about. I don’t know, I’m not a chick but if that effort that I’m pertaining to was acted in front of me, in a tick, no interrogations, sasagutin ko agad yun. Forget the giving of arm bouquet or V-Day cards, wala, talo lahat yun.

The #aronlovekathleen hashtag became a top trending topic worldwide last February 14, 2012

There’s a video below, it’s a bit blurry but if you don’t get it, I will illustrate it a bit: Aron, went in front of the girl to give some customary Valentines’ chocolates inside a fancy brown paper bag. After that, he took off his faded blue Tuesday/Thursday polo barong so that he’ll be able to show off his specially made white shirt with the print, “I LOVE YOU [FULL NAME OF THE GIRL UNDER THE CONDITION OF ANONYMITY]”. Then, all of us, all who witnessed that stunning and magnanimous scene, went berserk. From a reliable source, no one in the history of our company we are working for or at least in our department had witnessed anything close to what my homie did and take note, nanliligaw pa lang din siya. Imagine what will happen if they’re already together and if he’s already proposing for marriage? Malayo pa yun but still, I can’t foresee what madness is still bound to happen.

It takes intestinal fortitude to do something as quirky as that. What Aron (@EyrolPolBarlin on Twitter) showed may probably be the factors that I am lacking when it comes to wooing a girl: guts, valor and more, more guts. They may end up together as couples, maybe not but I’m sure that the girl will never forget this scene her entire life as well as the image of a guy named Aron. He will always have a place in that girl’s reminiscence for every February 14s to come and that I’m sure you will all agree. As for me, the pangit lookin’ bobo me, I think that if I not follow my Novaliches-native friend’s lead and exemplify the guts and unconditional love that he showed, mukhang wala, ikakasal pa ako after retirement.

This is the actual shirt that Aron is wearing during his #Barlinsanity act

Wasak.

EDIT: You’re here again and I have a very great update regarding the Facebook Relationship Status of our main guy, Aron. Remember him, the guy in the video above? That guy who took off his barong and then showed off his customized nakakakilig t-shirt? Yeah, that guy is Aron and as of February 25, around after lunch time, according to Facebook, he’s formally “in a relationship” with the girl whom he showed off his shirt. That epical move already paid-off and all of us in the office should be very happy about this development. Who would not in the first place?

I can somehow — somehow means around 13-24% of the reason — brag that if it weren’t for me, this couple wouldn’t be formed. If it weren’t for the alcohol to be exact. One night in Sta. Ana, when we’re having a mini-party together with our officemates, I got intoxicated and I showed-off my signature lasing moves. If you’re not aware it, I address the truth when I’m drunk. You know, I was on a verbal rampage and I was out of control. I told the truth like for example that night, I screamed the name of a certain girl (she still hates me as of the time I’m writing this because of that) because I need her attention, ~~I warned someone that kailangan mag-aral ng mabuti ng kung sino man if that guy will jejemonize my Facebook profile and I even told someone that he’s an idiot and a faggot.~~ All of those are correct, factual and nothing but the truth, no questions about it but one notable truth that I told was the secret feelings of Aron to his now-girlfriend, Kathleen (I think it’s already safe to write her name since they already announced on Facebook that they’re already in a relationship). I relentlessly divulged the feelings of our main man that he’s hiding for the longest time. After that, he started to woo Kathleen on Twitter with his baduy yet amazing tweets. Remember that guts, valor and more, more guts that I told before? He exemplified that after that night that I was drunk and now, after 43 days, sila na.

So as a treat because I am so happy for the new couple, here’s a “parang wala namang pinagbago sa video” version of the heart-stopping ligaw move by my homie, Aron. I don’t think you can really notice the changes but trust me there are.

Drink responsibly.

Andun ako noong Game 4 ng PBA Philippine Cup Finals!

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 20:03:00 +0800

From the Upper Box B

Not in my wildest dream could I have anticipated that the first Philippine Basketball Association Finals match that I am going to witness live inside the fifteen thousand-seater Smart Araneta Coliseum is a match pitting two teams that usually face each other on a curtain raiser of a lackluster PBA Wednesday double-header; a championship match-up without any team under the San Miguel Corporation umbrella, a championship match-up between two teams that have no legitimate number of followers, a championship match-up between the Talk ‘n Text Tropang Texters and the Powerade Tigers.

Gary “The Michael Jordan 2 of our Community” David shooting a free throw

It is the battle of the Heavyweights and the Underdogs as AKTV on IBC would call it but for me, it’s more of the battle of the team with the worst moniker in all of basketball and the team with the most horrible design of jersey in the league. But even if I continually bash this series that I thought is less exciting than the legal battle of Annabelle Rama and Nadia Montenegro, I still found myself sitting on one of the red stools of the dome’s Upper Box B section.

The Bobo Man with Powerade Tigers’ first overall pick, Jayvee Casio

With my SB Cards homies, we watched the fourth installment of this pretty exciting series. Coming to this game, the Tropang Texters of Manny Pangilinan leads the series 3 games to nil and a win would mean confetti and birthday balloons floating from the rafters. So in this game, just for this particular game, I am cheering for them. I really want the Tigers of JB Baylon to win this series so that their colossal ousting of my beloved B-MEG Llamados would make sense but because it’s not every day that I have a huge chance of watching a live championship celebration that I have never experienced before, I did hope for a Talk ‘n Text triumph.

Predel Department Tropang Texters

The game was fun to watch even if we arrived late and was already in the 2^nd Quarter. All throughout, Powerade was leading the game thanks to the superb, grandiose and regal performance of Gary “The Michael Jordan 2 of our Community” David but from time to time, Talk ‘n Text will have a huge run that made us jump out of our seats. Aside from those, we’ve seen a half court shot, startling flagrant foul and players exchanging trash talks. With all that drama, the Tigers averted a sweep with Jimmy Alapag missing a potential game-tying three point shot and the final score is 100-97.

SB Cards Homies

I had fun. We all had fun. But what made me happier is the fact that the PBA is alive again. I’m a fan ever since the early 90’s and I’m really certain that the PBA is a household name all over again. Even though I believe that most of that fans inside the Big Dome are just hakot fans of the two teams that are playing, something tells me that the league is back in the groove again, out of the dark ages that the league has been through during the mid-2000’s. Issues that the league are just an SMC vs. MVP league are completely wrong.

Di naman SMC ang Powerade di ba?

Complete photos of me watching the game along with my officemates can be found here.

Kiong Hee Huat Chai!

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:25:06 +0800

Kiong Hee Huat Chai! Kong Hei Fat Choi! Gong Xi Fa Cai! Kiong Hi Huat Tsai! Eim Hai Fa Xai!

Kung ano pa man.

I would like to greet all of my friends with a hint of Chinese blood a happy, happy lunar new year.

Thank you for providing us a numerous amount of ‘Made in China’ products that are extremely essential in our everyday lives. My fake Vans rubber shoes is ‘Made in China’, my unlicensed Angry Birds stress ball is ‘Made in China’. Even my brief with the brand name “Kuàxià Wù Long” is ‘Made in China’.

I can’t imagine life without you, guys. Happy new year. Happy year of the water dragon. I know that dragons are just a ‘Made in China’ myth but who cares? You’re enjoying.

PS: Tikoy’s great as well.

中國新年快樂，我所有的中國 homies！龍防水以及快樂的一年。

Just For Fun!

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 22:03:00 +0800

This is as pointless as my previous walang kwenta posts but I feel like I can receive so much fun and gratification if I can achieve this nonsensically hilarious feat.

I created a Facebook Page for this “Bobo Blog” and if you, by accident, dropped by this site, I want you guys to visit and “like” the page and if you can, share the news to your other friends. I’ve seen a lot of corny Facebook pages with so much followers with titles such as “Pagkalat Mo Nationwide”, “Ang Cute Mo Magselos”, “Pag may bagyo College lang may klase anong tingin niyo samin WaterProof” and the like so I don’t think that it will cause any further dangerous side effects if you’ll “like” mine. The corniness of my blog is in the caliber of those pages that I mentioned. Trust me, you’ll like your “like”.

Besides, if you can do stupid things on Facebook like sharing a picture and believing that there’s a gigantic divine intervention of biblical proportions by doing so then there’s nothing wrong on “liking” my page.

Kids, just for fun, heed my request. Click the stupid picture below to access my Facebook page. Thanks.

Marco Manipon Joins a Parlor Game

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 07:09:23 +0800

Marco Manipon is a walang kwenta person. He joined a parlor game called “Mother Goes to Market” and posed as Beyonce. Poor guy.

The 2011 Marco Jose Manipon Photos of the Year

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 06:35:00 +0800

2011 will go down in my history as one of the most unforgettable years in my subsistence. I went to places I have never been before, I experienced things that I have never done before, I’ve talked to people I have never conversed with before.

There are a lot of pleasant firsts and there are also those grief-stricken lasts.

I have been doing this for years already and here I present to you, in case you all care, first time here at marcomanipon.com — my ten top JPEGs of the notable 2011.

Let me know if you think I missed any.

10. Ate Alaine’s Birthday

This photo was taken last July 24, 2011 at Cabalen Restaurant in Robinson’s Place Manila where my cousin Alaine Pascua celebrated her birthday. This is a reunion of sorts with my relatives from my father side. Sadly, this is the last time that I have a photo op with my grandfather, the late great Chairman Dominador Manipon.

Photo courtesy of Sarah Tansip - Manuel

9. The 60 Classrooms Project in Nueva Ecija

Security Bank Foundation organized a charitable event wherein some of the Security Bankers including me helped paint classrooms and comfort rooms of a public school in Nueva Ecija. I’ve never been to that place before so this event was pretty cool aside from the fact that I felt like I’m a part of an NBA Cares activity which is definitely much cooler.

Photos courtesy of Kenipearl Mesias

8. The Return of Isyong

After over a year of working abroad, my brother Joel and his family came home. This photo was taken at NAIA when they arrived. This is a bit blurred because I was trembling when I captured this mainly because of excitement to see my nephew again. Isyong’s back.

7. Monina’s Graduation

My youngest sibling already graduated from school and that’s a feat that every family should commemorate. Next year is her twin Monika’s turn and I can’t wait to post that on next installment of Marco Jose Manipon’s Photos of the Year.

6. Home Sweet Home

My mother’s dream of having her own house finally happened this year thanks to the help of my older siblings. In this picture, you’ll also see our dog Burger’s very own home sweet home which looks like the house of the late Babalu in Home Along Da Riles.

5. Enchanted Kingdom

I started the year by visiting the Philippines’ closest thing to Disneyland and Payanig sa Pasig and I capped it off there as well. Visiting Enchanted Kingdom twice this year is a record for me. I went there with two different sets of my SB Cards homies and finally managed to ride all of the theme park’s extreme attractions.

Photos courtesy of Grace Camingay and Rochelle Madrid

4. The 10K Runs

Just like visiting Enchanted Kingdom two times, I also did organized running twice and I thank Edlyn Manuel for that. I’m not that type of person who’ll try hard to be physically fit but I have to tell that running is an excuse and it’s a lot of fun. I joined Run 4 Life in Alabang last May and together with my main man Robert Aquino, I joined Nike’s We Run Manila last October. Great. I don’t have my shoe USB that Nike promised earlier, though.

Photos courtesy of Lifeline Foundation and Team USB

3. Baguio!

Technically, I’ve been to Baguio before but this year’s trip is what I consider as the first. I was just a toddler when I first visited the place. For two days and two nights with my SB Cards homies, we roam through the amazing stopovers of the popular Summer Capital of Pinas.

Photo courtesy of Grace Camingay

2. The Greatest Basketball Weekend in Philippine History

If you will look closer on the picture above, you’ll see Kobe Bryant, Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant and Chris Paul together with James Yap, Mark Caguioa, Arwind Santos and even Gary David. How ridiculous is that? I’m lucky to be in the same dome as these basketball superstars when I watched the Smart Ultimate All-Star Weekend where the basketball greats of the then locked-out NBA played our very own PBA All-Stars. This was a dream come true. Something which I thought I’ll only see in my old edited NBA Live 2001 game for PC. I mean, Kobe vs. James Yap? Whew.

1. The Departure of a Manipon Great

From now on, 2011 will always be remembered as the year when the Chairman, my grandfather Dominador Panlua Manipon left the soil. The Manipon kin faced the inevitable and it happened this year. I’ve yet to go to my highest peak but I would not be where I am right now if it were not for my Tatay Lolo’s prop. His death is a great loss without any shade of uncertainty. Rest in peace.

First photo courtesy of Kathleen Tansip

Best wishes for a happy holiday season and a prosperous New...

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 15:56:00 +0800

Best wishes for a happy holiday season and a prosperous New Year. May the Holiday Season bring only happiness and joy to you and your loved ones! — Here from the staff and crew of the walang ka-kwenta-kwentang Marco Manipon’s The Bobo Blog.

2011 was not Marco Manipon's Year for Basketball Fandom

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:58:00 +0800

Aside from the Smart Ultimate All-Star Weekend of course …

As of the moment I am typing this, I’m still in disbelief. Bad trip. Every now and then I am still pumping my fist, not in a Black Mamba hitting a game-winner way but in a manner wherein the word that you’ll utter next after doing that is the word “sayang”.

Yes, “sayang”.

Images of that unarguable baduy basketball player are still running in my head. He’s looking at his hands in marvel; his eyes are glazing as he gaze on his burning palms as he smolder the chances of my B-MEG Llamados to advance to the semifinal round of the current PBA Philippine Cup. I’m talking about Powerade Tigers’ hotshot guard — who also looks like a fake successful member of a fraudulent pyramid networking ala VMobile and Uno — Gary David, who scored a combined total of 69 points in two outings to beat the top-seeded Llamados in spite of having that disturbing twice to win disadvantage. If you’re a buff then you’ll understand me. It really hurts. Number 1 tinalo ng Number 8. Out. Aray.

If you know me personally then you ought to know that I’m a huge basketball fan. I’m not good at playing but I spend a lot of time watching the games whether it’s the PBA, the NBA, PBL, UAAP, NCAA — almost all of the leagues if not all. But I only consider myself as die-hard for only two basketball teams: the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association and as what I’m saying earlier, I’m a fan of the B-MEG Llamados or most popularly known as the now-history Purefoods TJ Hotdogs of the Philippine Basketball Association.

Unfortunately, 2011 was not kind for both clubs and although I’m not a resident of Los Angeles and I’m not a regular user of B-MEG feeds, it really hurts. First, the Lakers were swept by the eventual NBA champions, the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the NBA Playoffs. No one expected that. I don’t think even the Dirk Nowitzki faithfuls saw that coming. It somehow ruined Phil Jackson’s career and derailed the Lakeshow’s attempt to have their second 3-peat. Meanwhile, for the B-MEG side, first, they changed their logo with an image of a pig, a chicken and with a male reproductive organ which is not awesome at all plus, aside from their recent upset, their performance in the 36^th season of the PBA was lackadaisical. They even failed to make the Playoffs during that season’s Commissioner’s Cup.

So to summarize it all, my two favorite teams were ousted by two teams with corny jerseys with superstars that you won’t idolize if you’re into flare and glare but basketball is about making shots, making the right decisions and winning. But what hurts me the most is the fact that panonood na nga lang ng basketball ang buhay pag-ibig ko, pinagkakait pa.

Now I have to wait until February to catch the Llamados again. That sucks because we have to suffer watching a semifinal match consisting of Powerade and Rain or Shine and for the Lakers, the latest news is that Kobe Bryant — aside from his divorce with Kris Aquino, uhm, Vanessa Bryant I mean — torn his lunotriquetral ligament.

Oh, shit.

Marco Manipon Rides the Space Shuttle Max

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 15:24:00 +0800

I went to Enchanted Kingdom for the second time this year [that’s a record by the way] last December 10, again, with my SB Cards officemates but this time, with a new group of guys.

One thing that I forgot to do the last outing was to capture my Space Shuttle Max ride so this time, I made it sure that I will be able to do that almost improbable act.

Now without any further ado, here’s me riding the feared amusement park ride.

Enjoy.

Arlene: ang paglisan. Huhuhu.

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 22:11:12 +0800

Ang malungkot na short indie film tungkol sa paglisan ng aking ka-opisinang si Arlene Dacumos. Huhuhu.

Pacquiao wins another controversial fight against Marquez, kup*l people of the internets not pleased

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 05:09:00 +0800

Manny Pacquiao retained his WBO Welterweight crown in yet another controversial fight against the tough Juan Manuel Marquez Sunday morning, San Pedro, Laguna time. Just like their two previous fights, the bout went to the scorecards and Pacquiao wins by Majority Decision with judges scoring the thrilling battle, 114-114, 116-112 and 115-113.

(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Surprisingly, instead of being glad, many people from the worldwide web, in which some are my contacts, showed discontentment and unconditional unhappiness with the result. For me, those reactions are as sickening as the bushy beard of Pacquiao. Yes, I also thought that Pacquiao could’ve been beaten for the reason that I didn’t see the same aggressiveness and fierceness that he’s used to show on his previous fights but to see some of our nagmamagaling na kababayans saying the result was “linuto” or the outcome of the bout was fucked up by the tried and tested professional boxing judges is simply maddening. Hindi na lang ba tayong masaya na nanalo si Pacquiao?

(AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

The fight was hotly contested and you can’t blame Marquez for saying that he was screwed for the third time but it was really close. To say naluto? It’s unfair for the whole Team Pacquiao. As Bryan Graham of Sport Illustrated wrote it, “Call it a lot of things, but don’t call it a robbery”. Luto is Viveka Babajee [RIP] announcing Gabby Concepcion as the Best Actor instead of Edu Manzano in the 1994 MMFF Awards. Luto is the Spanish Government’s decision to execute Jose Rizal through firing squad without a proper trial. Luto is Vic Vargas losing to Ruel Bernal in a boxing fight in Bong Revilla’s epical movie, “Boy Tornado” and eventually dying. Pacquiao-Marquez III? No, hindi nagkalutuan. Pacquiao has all the reason in the world to say that he won the fight.

It’s not a convincing win, yes. It’s indeed a very sloppy win for Pacquiao but he really pulled this one off. Marquez had great rounds but he stopped fighting at the latter rounds. My cousin, Christopher Rosales had a great analogy about the fight when he compared it to a basketball game saying, “naicompare ko ung laban nila sa isang basketball game, puro flashy dunks ung ginawa ni Marquez the whole game, kaya ung impression ng karamihan sya ung mas magaling at nanalo.. While si Manny, nanalo dahil sa freethrows..di nga flashy pero in the end its the final score that counts..”. Superb comparison isn’t it? Plus, since most of us have high expectations for Pacquiao, we all looked forward for a knockout. It didn’t happen obviously and we became disappointed to the point that we’re already thinking that he’s losing. But again, to say that the game was just rigged by the judges is ultimately wrong.

(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Anyway, Marquez already mentioned that they will not contest the decision and is now contemplating for retirement. Hats-off to him, though. He really fought terrifically it was just that Pacquiao landed more punches and that’s the way to judge a boxing match. A win is a win wika nga nila and besides this is good bait for Floyd Mayweather to finally agree to fight Manny next year. Although he won, the fight showed that Pacquiao has a a hard time against a counterpuncher and Floyd is greatly known for being such. But let’s just wait for that, hirap pa si Pacquiao eh.

For the haters, the doubters, the ever-fucking bandwagoners, please watch the replay of the fight so you’ll realize but I guess you won’t do that since at this point, it’s already cool to go against Pacquiao. In my opinion, the only people who think that Pacquiao is the actual loser of this fight are the people who think that the Vice Ganda joke “kapag… agad/di ba pwedeng… muna?” is funny and unfortunately, ang dami niyo.

(AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

BTW, nice shoes, Pac.

Marco Manipon is a Guitar Master

Sat, 05 Nov 2011 18:05:00 +0800

As you can see guys — noticeably on my social network uploaded pictures and most especially in real life — I’m not pogi, guwapo, handsome or whatever word associated to that metrosexual adjective. I do not have the looks worthy of donning any baduy clothing lines such as Folded and Hung, Palomino, Blue Soda or any brand that’s manufacturing shirts with deep v-neck collar and fitted polo shirts applicable for gay guys who spends a lot of time at Fitness First or Gold’s Gym. It should not be much of a problem for pangit guys like me because there are other ways to be pogi even if you don’t have those cheesy physical looks. As Ramon Bautista once mentioned, there are available guwapo skills that can be mastered and it could be playing basketball in front of girls, dancing to the tune of hip-hop songs, playing DoTA, smoking expensive cigarettes and the most guwapo skill of all guwapo skills — playing the guitars. These abilities are enough to compensate lack of gwaponess needed to attract below average chicks.

The Guitar Master. Bobo Guitar Master.

Unfortunately, I don’t have those skills too. I can play basketball but only in front of trees and leaves, I can dance, yes, but I’m man enough to refuse to perform that skill, I don’t play DoTA, I don’t smoke and I don’t play any musical instruments except for the digital Fruity Loops program for personal computers. But what I do have, I believe, are self-proclaimed pure awesomeness, coolness and extreme kagaguhan. It’s not enough to attract below average chicks who are craving for textbook defined handsomeness but I know that those self-proclaimed skills has its own chicks market.

A pang-Eat Bulaga Saturday Special type of graphics.

Anyway, to prove that I have kagaguhan, extreme kagaguhan to be specific, I wasted my precious time editing this video that was originally shot about six months ago. You can see me toying with the guitar, pretending that I know how to play it and claims that I’m the Guitar Master. Thanks to my Villagracia cousins, Mikho, MJ, Mikhee and Mikha, this video became one of the most hilarious videos I’ve seen in my entire life. At least in my opinion.

Please watch this and share to your friends if you like.

Notes:

We should all give credit where credit is due. Thank you.

I don’t own the copyright of some of the pictures and clips and songs used in this waste material. Just message me if you feel offended.

If you’re wondering what “Snackers” is, the one I consider as a sponsor in this video, it’s a plastic bag full of rejected Big Munch nachos that are being sold around the metro. Though it’s rejected, it’s still pam-papak worthy. It’s still safe to eat. Those were only rejected because of its deformed shape not because of the quality of the food. It’s a hit in the office.

The song for the video’s intro is “Case Logic” by The Mongols. The fake guitar riff and drum beats were just ripped from a certain YouTube tutorial which I’m sure will not see my video [but still, thanks. Hehe] and yes, that’s a Rod Stewart song, “If We Fall in Love Tonight”.

Dominador Panlua Manipon (1928-2011)

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 07:08:55 +0800

Breaking Records: Marco Manipon Finished 2,275th in the Nike We Run Manila 10K Event

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 20:33:00 +0800

It’s already my second formal run in just a span of 5 months. By formal, I mean organized. The one in which you have to register or pay before you actually run, in which there’s an official gear and in which statistics, results and other countable figures matter. Years ago, I thought that activities like these were just plain kabaduyan but I realized that there are more baduy stuffs to keep away from like singing songs of bands like Callalily, XLR8 and Spongecola or emulating the profile pictures of the mga syota of my impossible crushes [you know, anime pictures, screenshot of online games, those wearing pang-dancer sando or any other images outside my interests — blog ko to bakit ba?]. You should all agree, running is way better than those bullcrap.

My first run, if you would remember was the 10 kilometer Run4Life event organized by Lifeline Foundation. What makes it cool was the fact that it’s for a cause. My cool friend-slash-officemate, Edlyn Manuel invited me to join that one if you can recall.

This time, thanks to the heads-up of my main man — the godofrats — Robert Aquino, we joined the run backed by one of my most favorite brands of all time, Nike — The We Run Manila 10K run. Honestly, one reason why we joined was because of the cool Nike shirt that we will receive. Then later, we found out that we’re also going to receive a cool Nike tumbler plus a finisher reward, a shoe-shaped thumb drive. As of now though, we haven’t received that USB yet due to a production problem according to the enveloped letter that we got after we have finished the race. Yes, we did finish the 10K race and that’s more important than those giveaways — as cliché as it may sound.

The godofrats, Robert Aquino

So on the race night, I got my Nike Air Max Run Lite+ laced up, my SM Department Store shorts with Haywire and Teflon technology and my red We Run Manila Nike Dri-Fit on. I don’t have any formal preparation for this one just like the first run but I am confident that I can finish the race. Mentally, I am prepared.

The Bobo Run

The only downside of the run was that so many runners joined the event that we’re so jam-packed that we can’t sprint as smoothly as possible. Unbelievably, there are some runners who holds DSLRs during the race, some mag-syota were not running and they’re just holding hands while walking pa-sway-sway pa and others decided to walk immediately after the first kilometer. They served as hurdles more than anything else. The more I stopped because of those human obstacles, the more I get fatigued. But as I have said a while back, I still finished the race.

Photo courtesy of Rj Photography

Surprisingly, I outdid my previous result. According to BazuSports online, I finished the race in 1:29:20. That’s 16 minutes and 35 seconds better than my 1:45:55 score on the Run4Life event. The top runner of the race finished the course in 34 minutes and 32 seconds and his name is James Tallam. He ranked first; I ranked two thousand two hundred seventy fifth.

But I don’t give an inch, what mattered is I enjoyed.

Anyway here’s the only photo that I saw with me in it. Thanks to Team USB. The other photos above were taken right before the race.

Notes: My main man, Robert Aquino finished the race ahead of me with a time of 1:26:54…I won a special prize courtesy of Team USB because I’m the 1000th liker of their Facebook fan page.