unsquammy weather

did you get the memo? january 29, 2011 was free aircon day in Metro Manila--and the shalas all turned into squammies because it's so cold outside they didn't bother turning on their aircons at home!

shalas converting to squammies is always a good thing.

400 years of squammy

really, there's nothing squammy at all about UST celebrating its 400th founding anniversary. as a matter of fact, it's so super shala that it brought out the squammy in everyone who witnessed the university's countdown festivities last Thursday night.

proof of squamminess was most evident in the crowd's seemingly unending anticipation for the fireworks display.
some kids have laid out their newspapers on the grounds of the UST field (which is so squammy especially during typhoon season when all the scum of Metro Manila flood drowns its green grass). the others just didn't care and sat straight on the squammy sidewalks.

others were walking all over the place pausing occassionally to pose for the mandatory Facebook photo. (a very squammy thing to do.)

finally, squamminess peaked when the fireworks went off at 12midnight. the girl who took this video is so squammy, just like the others around her, were like pyro virgins! like it's their first time to watch a sky lighting show. well, i must say, i'm very proud of all the Thomasian squammies. congratulations guys! happy 400 years!

*warning: audio from this video is sooo squammy. i suggest you turn down the volume to prevent hearing problems.

Another CEBU Pacific Sale..PAK!

What are you waiting for? :p

gaga ka!

posting just for fun because i know that you, my squammy friends, will love this.
guys, may i present...lloydy gaga.

(in fairness sa squammy na gumawa nito, may talent. congrats my friend!)

*photo courtesy of lloydygaga.blogspot.com

squammerienda

The Streets is the place to be for us squammies most especially during afternoon merienda hours.
kudos to Rymuj for putting up this video on YouTube. you saved us the time and effort for producing our own.

(tamang tama, alas-kwatro na. lafang na muna tayo mga squammy!)

don't try this at home

kids, when your mother tells you to eat--whether it's pagpag or botcha--EAT IT!
you don't want this to happen to you:

always remember this squammy quote: "'di bale nang squammy, wag lang gutom."

*video credits go to Milo Sarsola via Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=196106393738385&comments

Kung Hei Fat Choi!

Chinese New year na mga ka-swammy! We need to be aware sa mga superstitions to have a prosperous year ahead.  Remember, on the stroke of midnight (February 3), every door and window in the house has to be opened to allow the old year to go out. I also practice this ritual, every year I write all my wishes and prayers sa isang bond paper. After I've written lahat ng mga kachenesan ko, I insert that paper in a chinese wishing paper and then burn it. You should try this, mukhang effective naman. Make sure lang sa labas ng house nyo gawin yung ritual :P You can buy this wishing paper sa ongpin mga P50 lang.

Many people also abstain from eating meat on the first day of Chinese new year because it is believed that this will ensure a long and happy life. Some may eat a whole fish, that represents togetherness and abundance, or a chicken with its head and feet intact, which symbolizes prosperity. Any noodles in your bowl should be left uncut, as a sign of long life. Plants and flowers also play a significant role in symbolizing rebirth and new growth. A home is thought to be lucky if a plant blooms on New Year's Day, as this foretells the start of a prosperous year.

Another superstition is that the entire house should be cleaned before New Year's Day. On New Year's Eve, all brooms, brushes, dusters, dust pans and other cleaning equipment are put away. Sweeping or dusting should not be done on New Year's Day for fear that good fortune will be swept away. After New Year's Day, the floors may be swept. Beginning at the door, the dust and rubbish are swept to the middle of the parlor, then placed in the corners and not taken or thrown out until the fifth day. Matutuwa ang mga tamaders dito, haha.  In sweeping, there is a superstition that if you sweep the dirt out over the threshold, you will sweep one of the family members away. Also, to sweep the dust and dirt out of your house by the front entrance is to sweep away the good fortune of the family; it must always be swept inwards and then carried out, then no harm will follow. All dirt must be taken out the back door.

All debts had to be paid by this time. Nothing should be lent on this day, as anyone who does so will be lending all the year.

Everyone should refrain from using foul language and bad or unlucky words. Negative terms and the word "four", sounding like the word for death, are not to be uttered. Death and dying are never mentioned and mumu stories are totally taboo. References to the past year are also avoided as everything should be turned toward the New Year and a new beginning.

If you cry on New Year's Day, you will cry all through the year. Therefore, children are tolerated and are not spanked, even though they are mischievous. 

On New Year's Day, we are not supposed to wash our hair because it would mean we would have washed away good luck for the New Year. Pero kung smelly na, KEBS na teh. Red clothing is preferred during this festive occasion. Red is considered a bright, happy color, sure to bring the wearer a sunny and bright future. It is believed that appearance and attitude during New Year's sets the tone for the rest of the year. Children and unmarried friends, as well as close relatives are given little red envelopes with crisp one dollar bills inserted, for good fortune.

The first person one meets and the first words heard are significant as to what the fortunes would be for the entire year. It is a lucky sign to see or hear songbirds or red-colored birds or swallows.

It is considered unlucky to greet anyone in their bedroom so that is why everyone, even the sick, should get dressed and sit in the living room.

Do not use knives or scissors on New Year's Day as this may cut off fortune.

For those most Chinese superstitious, the Almanac should be consulted to find the best time to do important things. The Almanac would tell you that if the day is a good day or bad day to have a funeral, sweep the graves of ancestors, worship the dead or move an ancestor's grave; start construction, move into a new house, visit friends or even travel north; get a haircut or cultivate plants and so on. The fact: if you follow ALL the "traditions", you will get nowhere!

Here is a list of 40 classic Chinese superstitions:

When having a baby
*If you're pregnant, use of glue will cause a difficult birth.
*If you strike an animal during pregnancy, the newborn child will look like that animal and behave like one.
*You should never praise a newborn baby because it will invite evil spirits and ghosts.
*A concave navel means a prosperous life.
*A baby with more than one hair crown will be mischievous and disobedient.
*A baby with wide and thick ears will live prosperously.
Before you get married
*Wedding clothes should be red, yellow and/or white.
*Wearing black, blue or gray will bring bad luck to the marriage.
*Couples with the same surname cannot marry; even if they are not related, they still belong to the same ancestry.
*A boy, preferably born a Dragon, must roll over the newlywed's matrimonial bed to ensure good luck and a baby boy.
*Never marry someone who is older or younger by 3 or 6 years.
Good Feng Shui
*The number of steps in a staircase should be even-numbered.
*It is bad luck to have two room doors face each other.
*It is bad luck if your door or gate directly faces a road.
*Don't build your house facing the north.
*The master's bedroom should not be situated right above the garage.
*The dining area should not be under a second-floor toilet.
Going to funerals
*An improper funeral will bring ill fortune and disaster.
*Statues of deities must be covered with red cloth of paper.
*Mirrors must be hidden; a person who sees the reflection of the coffin will have a death in his/her family.
*White cloth must be hung across the doorway of the house.
*The deceased's children and grandchildren should not cut their hair for 49 days.
*After leaving a wake, do not go straight home lest the ghost of the dead follows you.
Lucky and unlucky colors
*Red is the color of blood or life and will bring happiness, wealth, fame, and good luck.
*Black is the color of feces and is associated with evil, disaster and bad fortune.
*White is the color of mother's milk. It symbolizes moderation, purity, honesty and life and balances red and black.
Lucky and unlucky numbers
*The luckiest number is eight because its Chinese word also means "prosper".
*The unluckiest number is four as it sounds like the Chinese word for death.
*Seven can also signify death.
*The number one means loneliness.
*The number "9" is good, because nine in Cantonese sounds like the word "sufficient".
About time
*Clipping toenails or fingernails at night is bad luck; the person will be visited by a ghost.
*If a dog howls continuously at night, this means death.
*Hearing a crow cawing between 3 and 7 am means the hearer will receive gifts; hearing a crow caw between 7 and 11am means rain and wind; and between 11am and 1pm means quarrels.
*If a man's ears burn between 11pm and 1pm, there will be harmony between him and his wife; if they burn between 1 and 3 in the afternoon, a guest will soon arrive.
Things you should never do
*Beating a person with a broom will rain bad luck upon that person for years.
*Wearing a moustache is considered bad luck.
*Never point at the moon or your ears might get chopped off.
*Don't sweep the floor on New Year's Day lest you sweep away the good fortune.
*Don't keep a pet turtle or it will slow down your business.

While many Chinese people today may not believe in these dos and don'ts, these Chinese superstitions (by the name of "traditions" and "customs") are still practiced. They are kept because most families realize that it is these "old stuffs", whether believed or not, that provide continuity with the past and provide the family with an identity.  Always remember pa din, that these are just superstitions, wag naman natin isalalay ang buong pagkatao natin dito. Happy Year of the Metal Rabbit everyone! Hop on!

Fosh nails

your look at your nails and you tell yourself, "pakshet, kelangan ko na magpa-manikyoor!"
you go online and search for cheap nail services rates and you find nothing that suits your budget (aka 20pesos). you say to yourself once again, "bibili na nga lang ako ng kyootix!"

as a Squammy, you don't go to Rustan's and buy your Orly or Esse.
you go to Isettan 2nd floor and grab this:

Klik nail polish, only 12pesos.

superstar Squammy

even squammies have Twitter too, y'know!

we get our daily fix of online squammy from our idol--superstarMarian.

follow her at http://twitter.com/superstarmarian

*note: she's not the real Marian Rivera, because this one is not an actress--she's a Psychology.

100 ways of SQUAMMINESS

Just reposting for a friend :) ladies and gentlemen, we have here some several traits we, Squammy peeps could be proud and ashamed of:

1. Merienda. Where else is it normal to eat five times a day? 
2. Sawsawan. Assorted sauces that guarantee freedom of choice, enough room for experimentation and maximum tolerance for diverse tastes. Favorites: toyo't calamansi, suka at sili, patis.
   
3. Kuwan, ano. At a loss for words? Try these and marvel at how Pinoys understand exactly what you want. 
   
4. Pinoy humor and irreverence. If you're api and you know it, crack a joke. Nothing personal, really. 
   
5. Tingi. Thank goodness for small entrepreneurs. Where else can we buy cigarettes, soap, condiments and life's essentials in small affordable amounts? 
   
6. Spirituality. Even before the Spaniards came, ethnic tribes had their own anitos, bathalas and assorted deities, pointing to a strong relationship with the Creator, who or whatever it may be.
   
7. Po, opo, mano po. Speech suffixes that define courtesy, deference, filial respect–a balm to the spirit in these aggressive times.
   
8. Pasalubong. Our way of sharing the vicarious thrills and delights of a trip, and a wonderful excuse to shop without the customary guilt.
   
9. Beaches! With 7,000 plus islands, we have miles and miles of shoreline piled high with fine white sand, lapped by warm waters, and nibbled by exotic tropical fish. From the stormy seas of Batanes to the emerald isles of Palawan–over here, life is truly a beach.
   
10. Bagoong. Darkly mysterious, this smelly fish or shrimp paste typifies the underlying theme of most ethnic foods: disgustingly unhygienic, unbearably stinky and simply irresistible. 
    
11. Bayanihan. Yes, the internationally-renowned dance company, but also this habit of pitching in still common in small communities. Just have that cold beer and some pulutan ready for the troops.
    
12. The Balikbayan box. Another way of sharing life's bounty, no matter if it seems like we're fleeing Pol Pot every time we head home from anywhere in the globe. The most wonderful part is that, more often than not, the contents are carted home to be distributed. 
    
13. Pilipino komiks. Not to mention "Hiwaga," "Aliwan," "Tagalog Classics," "Liwayway" and"Bulaklak" magazines. Pulpy publications that gave us Darna, Facifica Falayfay, Lagalag, Kulafu, Kenkoy, Dyesebel, characters of a time both innocent and worldly.
    
14. Folk songs. They come unbidden and spring, full blown, like a second language, at the slightest nudge from the too-loud stereo of a passing jeepney or tricycle. 
    
15. Fiesta. Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow is just another day, shrugs the poor man who, once a year, honors a patron saint with this sumptuous, no-holds-barred spread. It's a Pinoy celebration at its pious and riotous best. 
    
16. Aswang, manananggal, kapre. The whole underworld of Filipino lower mythology recalls our uniquely bizarre childhood, that is, before political correctness kicked in. Still, their rich adventures pepper our storytelling. 
    
17. Jeepneys. Colorful, fast, reckless, a vehicle of postwar Pinoy ingenuity, this Everyman's communal cadillac makes for a cheap, interesting ride. If the driver's a daredevil (as they usually are), hang on to your seat. 
    
18. Dinuguan. Blood stew, a bloodcurdling idea, until you try it with puto. Best when mined with jalape쨚 peppers. Messy but delicious.
    
19. Santacruzan. More than just a beauty contest, this one has religious overtones, a tableau of St. Helena's and Constantine's search for the Cross that seamlessly blends piety, pageantry and ritual. Plus, it's the perfect excuse to show off the prettiest ladies–and the most beautiful gowns. 
    
20. Balut. Unhatched duck's embryo, another unspeakable ethnic food to outsiders, but oh, to indulge in guilty pleasures! Sprinkle some salt and suck out that soup, with gusto. 
    
21. Pakidala. A personalized door-to-door remittance and delivery system for overseas Filipino workers who don't trust the banking system, and who expect a family update from the courier, as well. 
    
22. Choc-nut. Crumbly peanut chocolate bars that defined childhood ecstasy before M & M's and Hershey's. - favorite to ni kris aquino. hehehe.
    
23. Kamayan style. To eat with one's hand and eschew spoon, fork and table manners–ah, heaven. 
    
24. Chicharon. Pork, fish or chicken crackling. There is in the crunch a hint of the extravagant, the decadent and the pedestrian. Perfect with vinegar, sublime with beer.
    
25. Pinoy hospitality. Just about everyone gets a hearty "Kain tayo!" invitation to break bread with whoever has food to share, no matter how skimpy or austere it is. 
    
26. Adobo, kare-kare, sinigang and other lutong bahay stuff. Home-cooked meals that have the stamp of approval from several generations, who swear by closely-guarded cooking secrets and family recipes.
    
27. Lola Basyang. The voice one heard spinning tales over the radio, before movies and television curtailed imagination and defined grown-up tastes.
    
28. Pambahay. Home is where one can let it all hang out, where clothes do not make a man or woman but rather define their level of comfort. 
    
29. Tricycle and trisikad, the poor Pinoy's taxicab that delivers you at your doorstep for as little as PHPesos3.00, with a complimentary dusting of polluted air. 
    
30. Dirty ice cream. Very Pinoy flavors that make up for the risk: munggo, langka, ube, mais, keso, macapuno. Plus there's the colorful cart that recalls jeepney art.
    
31. Yayas. The trusted Filipino nanny who, ironically, has become a major Philippine export as overseas contract workers. A good one is almost like a surrogate parent–if you don't mind the accent and the predilection for afternoon soap and movie stars. 
    
32. Sarsi. Pinoy rootbeer, the enduring taste of childhood. Our grandfathers had them with an egg beaten in. 
    
33. Pinoy fruits. Atis, guyabano, chesa, mabolo, lanzones, durian, langka, makopa, dalanghita, siniguelas, suha, chico, papaya, singkamas–the possibilities!
    
34. Filipino celebrities. Movie stars, broadcasters, beauty queens, public officials, all-around controversial figures: Aurora Pijuan, Cardinal Sin, Carlos P. Romulo, Charito Solis, Cory Aquino, Emilio Aguinaldo, the Eraserheads, Fidel V. Ramos, Francis Magalona, Gloria Diaz, Manuel L. Quezon, Margie Moran, Melanie Marquez, Ninoy Aquino, Nora Aunor, Pitoy Moreno, Ramon Magsysay, Richard Gomez, San Lorenzo Ruiz, Sharon Cuneta, Gemma Cruz, Erap, Tiya Dely, Mel and Jay, Gary V. 
    
35. World class Pinoys who put us on the global map: Lea Salonga, Paeng Nepomuceno, Eugene Torre, Luisito Espinosa, Lydia de Vega-Mercado, Jocelyn Enriquez, Elma Muros, Onyok Velasco, Efren "Bata" Reyes, Lilia Calderon-Clemente, Loida Nicolas-Lewis, Josie Natori.
    
36. Pinoy tastes. A dietitian's nightmare: too sweet, too salty, too fatty, as in burong talangka, itlog na maalat, crab fat (aligue), bokayo, kutchinta, sapin-sapin, halo-halo, pastilyas, palitaw, pulburon, longganisa, tuyo, ensaymada, ube haleya, sweetened macapuno and garbanzos. Remember, we're the guys who put sugar (horrors) in our spaghetti sauce. Yum!
    
37. The sights. Banaue Rice Terraces, Boracay, Bohol's Chocolate Hills, Corregidor Island, Fort Santiago, the Hundred Islands, the Las Pi?s Bamboo Organ, Rizal Park, Mt. Banahaw, Mayon Volcano, Taal Volcano. A land of contrasts and ever-changing landscapes. 
    
38. Gayuma, agimat and anting-anting. Love potions and amulets. How the socially-disadvantaged Pinoy copes. 
    
39. Barangay Ginebra, Jaworski, PBA, MBA and basketball. How the verticaly-challenged Pinoy compensates, via a national sports obsession that reduces fans to tears and fistfights.
    
40. People Power at EDSA. When everyone became a hero and changed Philippine history overnight.
    
41. San Miguel Beer and pulutan. "Isa pa nga!" and the Philippines' most popular, world-renowned beer goes well with peanuts, corniks, tapa, chicharon, usa, barbecue, sisig, and all manner of spicy, crunchy and cholesterol-rich chasers. 
    
42. Resiliency. We've survived 400 years of Spanish rule, the US bases, Marcos, the 1990 earthquake, lahar, lambada, Robin Padilla, and Tamagochi. We'll survive Erap.
    
43. Yoyo. Truly Filipino in origin, this hunting tool, weapon, toy and merchandising vehicle remains the best way to "walk the dog" and "rock the baby," using just a piece of string.
    
44. Pinoy games: Pabitin, palosebo, basagan ng palayok. A few basic rules make individual cunning and persistence a premium, and guarantee a good time for all.
    
45. Ninoy Aquino. For saying that "the Filipino is worth dying for,'' and proving it. - angelica jones
    
46. Balagtasan. The verbal joust that brings out rhyme, reason and passion on a public stage.
    
47. Tabo. All-powerful, ever-useful, hygienically-triumphant device to scoop water out of a bucket _ and help the true Pinoy answer nature's call. Helps maintain our famously stringent toilet habits. 
    
48. Pandesal. Despite its shrinking size, still a good buy. Goes well with any filling, best when hot. -
    
49. Jollibee. Truly Pinoy in taste and sensibility, and a corporate icon that we can be quite proud of. Do you know that it's invaded the Middle East, as well?
    
50. The butanding, the dolphins and other creatures in our blessed waters. They're Pinoys, too, and they're here to stay. Now if some folks would just stop turning them into daing.
    
51. Pakikisama. It's what makes people stay longer at parties, have another drink, join pals in sickness and health. You can get dead drunk and still make it home. 
    
52. Sing-a-long. Filipinos love to sing, and thank God a lot of us do it well! 
    
53. Kayumanggi. Neither pale nor dark, our skin tone is beautifully healthy, the color of a rich earth or a mahogany tree growing towards the sun.
    
54. Handwoven cloth and native weaves. Colorful, environment-friendly alternatives to polyester that feature skillful workmanship and a rich indigenous culture behind every thread. From the pinukpok of the north to the malong of the south, it's the fiber of who we are. 
    
55. Movies. Still the cheapest form of entertainment, especially if you watch the same movie several times.
    
56. Bahala na. We cope with uncertainty by embracing it, and are thus enabled to play life by ear. 
    
57. Papaitan. An offal stew flavored with bile, admittedly an acquired taste, but pointing to our national ability to acquire a taste for almost anything.
    
58. English. Whether carabao or Arr-neoww-accented, it doubles our chances in the global marketplace.
    
59. The Press. Irresponsible, sensational, often inaccurate, but still the liveliest in Asia. Otherwise, we'd all be glued to TV. 
    
60. Divisoria. Smelly, crowded, a pickpocket's paradise, but you can get anything here, often at rock-bottom prices. The sensory overload is a bonus. 
    
61. Barong Tagalog. Enables men to look formal and dignified without having to strangle themselves with a necktie. Worn well, it makes any ordinary Juan look marvelously makisig.
    
62. Filipinas. They make the best friends, lovers, wives. Too bad they can't say the same for Filipinos. 
    
63. Filipinos. So maybe they're bolero and macho with an occasional streak of generic infidelity; they do know how to make a woman feel like one.
    
64. Catholicism. What fun would sin be without guilt? Jesus Christ is firmly planted on Philippine soil. 
    
65. Dolphy. Our favorite, ultra-durable comedian gives the beleaguered Pinoy everyman an odd dignity, even in drag. 
    
66. Style. Something we often prefer over substance. But every Filipino claims it as a birthright. 
    
67. Bad taste. Clear plastic covers on the vinyl-upholstered sofa, posters of poker-playing dogs masquerading as art, overaccessorized jeepneys and altars–the list is endless, and wealth only seems to magnify it.
    
68. Mangoes. Crisp and tart, or lusciously ripe, they evoke memories of family outings and endless sunshine in a heart-shaped package.Mangoes. Crisp and tart, or lusciously ripe, they evoke memories of family outings and endless sunshine in a heart-shaped package.
    
69. Unbridled optimism. Why we rank so low on the suicide scale.
    
70. Street food: Barbecue, lugaw, banana-cue, fishballs, IUD (chicken entrails), adidas (chicken feet), warm taho. Forget hepatitis; here's cheap, tasty food with gritty ambience.
    
71. The siesta. Snoozing in the middle of the day is smart, not lazy. 
    
72. Honorifics and courteous titles: Kuya, ate, diko, ditse, ineng, totoy, Ingkong, Aling, Mang, etc. No exact English translation, but these words connote respect, deference and the value placed on kinship. 
73. Heroes and people who stood up for truth and freedom. Lapu-lapu started it all, and other heroes and revolutionaries followed: Diego Silang, Macario Sakay, Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, Apolinario Mabini, Melchora Aquino, Gregorio del Pilar, Gabriela Silang, Miguel Malvar, Francisco Balagtas, Juan Luna, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Panday Pira, Emilio Jacinto, Raha Suliman, Antonio Luna, Gomburza, Emilio Aguinaldo, the heroes of Bataan and Corregidor, Pepe Diokno, Satur Ocampo, Dean Armando Malay, Evelio Javier, Ninoy Aquino, Lola Rosa and other comfort women who spoke up, honest cabbie Emilio Advincula, Rona Mahilum, the women lawyers who didn't let Jalosjos get away with rape.
    
74. Flora and fauna. The sea cow (dugong), the tarsier, calamian deer, bearcat, Philippine eagle, sampaguita, ilang-ilang, camia, pandan, the creatures that make our archipelago unique.
    
75. Pilipino songs, OPM and composers: "Ama Namin," "Lupang Hinirang," "Gaano Ko Ikaw Kamahal," "Ngayon at Kailanman," "Anak," "Handog,""Hindi Kita Malilimutan," "Ang Pasko ay Sumapit"; Ryan Cayabyab, George Canseco, Restie Umali, Levi Celerio, Manuel Francisco, Freddie Aguilar, and Florante–living examples of our musical gift.
    
76. Metro Aides. They started out as Imelda Marcos' groupies, but have gallantly proven their worth. Against all odds, they continuously prove that cleanliness is next to godliness–especially now that those darned candidates' posters have to be scraped off the face of Manila!
    
77. Sari-sari store. There's one in every corner, offering everything from bananas and floor wax to Band-Aid and bakya.
    
78. Philippine National Red Cross. PAWS. Caritas. Fund drives. They help us help each other. 
    
79. Favorite TV shows through the years: "Tawag ng Tanghalan," "John and Marsha," "Champoy," "Ryan, Ryan Musikahan," "Kuwarta o Kahon," "Public Forum/Lives," "Student Canteen," "Eat Bulaga." In the age of inane variety shows, they have redeemed Philippine television. - wowowee, komiks, telenovela, chinonovela….
    
80. Quirks of language that can drive crazy any tourist listening in: "Bababa ba?" "Bababa!"
    
81. "Sayang!" "Naman!" "Kadiri!" "Ano ba!?" "pala." Expressions that defy translation but wring out feelings genuinely Pinoy.
    
82. Cockfighting. Filipino men love it more than their wives (sometimes). 
    
83. Dr. Jose Rizal. A category in himself. Hero, medicine man, genius, athlete, sculptor, fictionist, poet, essayist, husband, lover, samaritan, martyr. Truly someone to emulate and be proud of, anytime, anywhere.
    
84. Nora Aunor. Short, dark and homely-looking, she redefined our rigid concept of how leading ladies should look.
    
85. Noranian or Vilmanian. Defines the friendly rivalry between Ate Guy Aunor and Ate Vi Santos and for many years, the only way to be for many Filipino fans.
    
86. Filipino Christmas. The world's longest holiday season. A perfect excuse to mix our love for feasting, gift-giving and music and wrap it up with a touch of religion.
    
87. Relatives and kababayan abroad. The best refuge against loneliness, discrimination and confusion in a foreign place. Distant relatives and fellow Pinoys readily roll out the welcome mat even on the basis of a phone introduction or referral.
    
88. Festivals: Sinulog, Ati-atihan, Moriones. Sounds, colors, pagan frenzy and Christian overtones.
    
89. Folk dances. Tinikling, pandanggo sa ilaw, kari?sa, kuratsa, itik-itik, alitaptap, rigodon. All the right moves and a distinct rhythm.
    
90. Native wear and costumes. Baro't saya, tapis, terno, saya, salakot, bakya. Lovely form and ingenious function in the way we dress.
    
91. Sunday family gatherings. Or, close family ties that never get severed. You don't have to win the lotto or be a president to have 10,000 relatives. Everyone's family tree extends all over the archipelago, and it's at its best in times of crisis; notice how food, hostesses, money, and moral support materialize during a wake? 
    
92. Calesa and karitela. The colorful and leisurely way to negotiate narrow streets when loaded down with a year's provisions.
    
93. Quality of life. Where else can an ordinary employee afford a stay-in helper, a yaya, unlimited movies, eat-all-you-can buffets, the latest fashion (Baclaran nga lang), even Viagra in the black market?
    
94. All Saints' Day. In honoring our dead, we also prove that we know how to live.
    
95. Handicrafts. Shellcraft, rattancraft, abaca novelties, woodcarvings, banig placemats and bags, bamboo windchimes, etc. Portable memories of home. Hindi lang pang-turista, pang-balikbayan pa!
    
96. Pinoy greens. Sitaw. Okra. Ampalaya. Gabi. Munggo. Dahon ng Sili. Kangkong. Luya. Talong. Sigarillas. Bataw. Patani. Lutong bahay will never be the same without them.
    
97. OCWs. The lengths (and miles) we'd go for a better life for our family, as proven by these modern-day heroes of the economy.
    
98. The Filipino artist. From Luna's magnificent "Spoliarium" and Amorsolo's sun-kissed ricefields, to Ang Kiukok's jarring abstractions and Borlongan's haunting ghosts, and everybody else in between. Hang a Filipino painting on your wall, and you're hanging one of Asia's best.
    
99. Tagalog soap operas. From "Gulong ng Palad" and "Flor de Luna" to today's incarnations like "Mula sa Puso"–they're the story of our lives, and we feel strongly for them, MariMar notwithstanding.- outdated ka naman. koreannovelas and chinonovelas in din sa pinoy.-outdated na yan meron na 
    
100. Midnight madness, weekends sales, bangketas and baratillos. It's retail therapy at its best, with Filipinos braving traffic, crowds, and human deluge to find a bargain.