Equal in looks

The headline says: "BIR eyes more taxes from heirs of the dead." In other words, BIR is dying to raise more taxes.

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A photo of human skulls (kalabera) filled the entire six-column upper front page of the STAR last Thursday. As I looked at the photo, something crossed my mind: We'll all end up that way.

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Noy Temyong, commenting on that STAR photo said: "That's the time when you can say that all men are created equal...The beauty queens and your housemaid will be looking equal." Ngee!

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Time was when Cebuanos only knew All Saints’ Day/All Souls’ Day as Pista Minatay and/or Kalag-Kalag. Today, nearly everyone calls the day "Undas" like the Tagalogs. Proof of how influential media is.

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Oh, well, that's OK. We've also taught them ukay-ukay, habal-habal, hinay-hinay, masiao, etc. Even the people of far-away Baguio call their motorcycle transport habal-habal, not knowing why the Cebuanos started calling it that.

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What used to be known to Manilans only as North Harbor is now known as North Port, a world-class shipping passenger facility where travelers come and go in style.

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Back in the 50s the North Harbor was nothing more than just a harbor, referred to only as pantalan by the many Visayans (Cebuanos, Ilonggos, Warays, etc.) working there as dockhands. People waiting for ships' arrival from the Visayas and/or Mindanao just sit on anything they could sit on in the pantalan. Not anymore. Those waiting for relatives and/or friends from Cebu or any other places in the Visayas and Mindanao spend their waiting time inside a world-class aircon terminal called North Port.

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My friend Daido Angel texted from Manila quoting PNoy as saying: "I am not a thief" and Pope Francis also as saying: "I am a sinner." I don't know what's in my friend Daido's mind.

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OVERHEARD. Carlos (not his real name) arrived home from Saudi last week after four years being away. He wanted to surprise his wife by not informing her about his schedule of arrival. Said a woman neighbor: "Si Carlos na noon ang na-surprise." She was asked why: "Di ba siya na-surprise nga iyang misis tua sa ospital kay nanganak bisan wa siya dinhi."