Goin' Bulilit... not cute!

I have been watching this program for almost a year now, and it really appeals to me... though it should have been meant for kids, a comedy show for kids that is. Last Sunday, what caught my attention was a joke that a child cracked, wherein she will be giving garbage as a gift to the garbage collector, since they always ask for some "aginaldo" from residents every Christmas. And that was it... that was the punchline! Thinking again, I felt insulted, not that because I do not want to be a recipient of such dirty trash, but, by the way these kids make fun of the garbage collectors' occupation.

This antic is definitely not the works of a kid, but the grownups who write and manage the program. This is not the first time that such offensive jokes have been thrown against certain sectors of society. I'm not sure about this but I think there were some episodes of the program where the kids play deaf, mute or blind, with the handicapped being the subject of laughter.

The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board chairperson even guested in that program it its latest episode, with a little girl interviewing her, jokingly asking questions on which TV scenes are acceptable and which are not. Of course, that was part of the script. Though nothing has been found obscene or violent in the program, the chairperson should have noted some offensive antics that the show present to the public. This program is intended for adults, and children should not be allowed to watch. Even a late night program for adults should not be excused from presenting offensive jokes toward people who have less in life, how much more Goin' Bulilit which is being sold to the kids?

And besides, why are these large group of child actors on TV? Shouldn't they be in school?

-Dexter

LRT, the Philippine Joy Ride

Hmmm... It must have been a very special high-tech fully-furnished cybertrain... Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pour champagne to a new coach of the country's light railway transit (LRT) system during its delivery and inauguration ceremony in Manila.

I missed the first day of its operations on December 11, as I wasn't able to go to work due to some fever, when the rains poured and had me wet Sunday afternoon.

This morning, I had the chance. Whew... nice coaches! Elegant lights and attractive color combination! What an exciting morning ride ahead of me.

But as I stepped inside, nahhh, as if there was nothing upgraded. Still the same density of over a dozen people per square meter, still the same pushing and unruly behavior, still the same stubborn people on board (and that includes me).

Whatever upgrade we receive from our government services, there seem to be no sensible improvement to society as most of our citizens do not really care much and never change their attitudes. And yet we have all the guts to blame government for all the problems we have in life. Change begins in me, in you, in each and every one of us. Every bit of improvement we can do is a step closer to progress, but what is really important is that it is initiated by no one else but ourselves.

-Dexter