My little contribution in eliminating, if not, ending corruption in our Country. Only when we have vigiliant and proactive citizens who dare to speak out will we be able to put an end to this country`s corruption.

From GMA7news
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/365433/ulatfilipino/cebu/2-tauhan-ng-bfp-na-sangkot-daw-sa-pangingikil-dinakip-ng-nbi-sa-cebu-city

Below is from SunStar Cebu.

"2 inspectors of BFP nailed

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By Davinci S. Maru and Princess Dawn H. Felicitas

Friday, June 13, 2014

TWO fire safety inspectors of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Cebu City were arrested Wednesday afternoon during an entrapment for allegedly extorting money from a taxpayer.

Senior Fire Officer 4 Joseph Ababon and Leonidas Benatero, a non-uniformed personnel, were caught by operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 inside the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO) in Cebu City Hall after accepting the P10,000-bribe from a private school manager.

Mayor Michael Rama immediately thanked the NBI 7 for arresting the men, saying it shows that City Hall means business.

The operation led by special investigator Agapito Gierran stemmed from the complaint of Marilyn Mar (MANILYN MAR), a former Sangguniang Kabataan chairman of Barangay Punta Princesa.

Mar, now the executive manager of South Speak English Institute Inc., sought the help of NBI 7 after Benatero allegedly asked for money in exchange for a safety inspection certificate.

The safety inspection certificate is a requirement of the issuance of a business permit.

A joint inspection team from Cebu City Hall went to the school last May 29 for a scheduled inspection for their application of change of address of their principal office.

The school is on F. Sotto Drive in Barangay Camputhaw.

In her affidavit, Mar said Benatero recommended that she should buy five brand new fire extinguishers and refill the existing seven fire extinguishers.

Benatero allegedly gave Mar a contact number of the supplier of fire extinguishers.

The complainant said that Benatero would only sign and approve the application if she could show a receipt of her purchase.

Mar paid P25,250 for a fire extinguisher to a certain Michael. But she said the fire extinguisher she saw in stores only cost P15,000 to P17,000 each.

After following the fire safety inspector’s instruction, Benatero allegedly told Mar that she had to replace the fire exit doors, or she can just pay him P30,000. The amount was eventually lowered to P10,000.

On Wednesday, Mar and an NBI agent met Benatero at the parking lot. Benatero did not accept the P10,000 right away. He instructed them to go with him to their office.

Once inside the office, Benatero received the money and gave it to Ababon, chief of the Fire Safety Enforcement. The NBI 7 found the money under the drawer.

Benatero and Ababon will be charged for direct bribery and violating the Anti-graft and Corrupt Practices Law.

Following the incident, the CTO will no longer allow the BFP to set up a satellite office in City Hall.

Acting City Treasurer Diwa Cuevas said they had allowed the BFP to set up a satellite office in CTO so the taxpayers would no longer have to go to the BFP office on N. Bacalso Ave. to get a safety inspection certificate.

She clarified that the City has no share in the revenue that BFP generates from the issuance of a safety inspection certificate.

Cuevas said that her decision to close the BFP satellite office is their way of protecting the CTO and the City Government’s image.

“We now have a reason to keep them from holding office here,” she said.

Mayor Michael Rama, for his part, thanked the NBI 7 during his Independence Day message yesterday for arresting the two officers. His speech focused on fighting corruption.

“Thanks to the NBI that there’s an actual arrest. It gives meaning that City Hall means business,” he said.

In his regular news conference after the City’s Independence Day celebration, Rama said the two firemen should be relieved.

“Because there is no place for anyone who is stealing,” he said.

Rama added, though, that the two should still be accorded due process.

In a report aired over GMA 7’s Balitang Bisdak, City Fire Marshal Rogelio Bongabong Jr. said the incident could hurt the morale of his other personnel.

“Our name and image could be tainted. The public might think that all firemen are like them when there are many of us who are serious with our job,” he said.

Bongabong said the case will also be forwarded to their national headquarters for a separate investigation on the two fire safety inspectors."

South Speak goes to JAPAN!

We touchdown Narita airport with so much excitement but I was so surprised how quiet the airport was. All you could hear are the footsteps of people walking around the place. For someone like me who came from a very noisy country like Philippines, the silence of Japan and its people are indubitably defeaning! 

I and Yaniss needed to be in the restroom just so we could talk. Hail! Japan`s restroom treated us like a princess! I got so fascinated with how sophisticated and high tech their toilet bowls are. Imagine just sitting down and let the bowl do the thing for you. Pardon me for my ignorance, but seriously, I feel in love with Japan`s famous "toto" toilet facilities. I want to bring it home!

While on our way to the Hotel, seeing several mothers biking with their kids on board was truly heartwarming. I saw several mothers having two kids on board, one in front and one behind. Seriously, I envy them. How I wish I can do the same in my own country but the pollution and security issue suggests that its all too impossible. I envy more how secured Japan is. 

On our way to Akihabara for the welcome party, I finally got to taste an authentic sushi within Yodobashi area. Tuna in Japan is far different from our tuna. I really hate raw foods but authentic japanese sushi is just so irresistibly scrumptious.

The highlight of our night was the welcome dinner with SousPeak graduates. 

Rarely do I mingle with students in SousPeak because I don`t want to disturb them in studying but this night, despite not being too close to all of them, SousPeakers gave us an extraordinary warmth welcome party. I got so fascinated seeing how gorgeous and handsome they are when they`re in their own comfort zone. To all our beloved SousPeakers who spare their precious time with us last night, I owe you big time! Tokyo experience wouldn`t be fun and memorable if not because of you. I really enjoyed talking and laughing the whole night. I didn`t except Japanese knows how to laugh hard and have fun too! LOL

Amazingly Thailand

My first travel abroad was truly a travel worth remembering. Indeed, as the name Amazingly Thailand suggests, it was truly amazing. Such an amazing place with incomparably amazing people!

Yuki Maruyama's Baptism-Welcome Party

Who ever said pictorials are only good for Weddings? 

Thanks to my very dear friend Carlo Abaquita of UNIQUE WEDDING EVENTS who made every plan and flow extraordinarily stunning. We decided to take photo shoots of our adorable new member of the family- Yuki and of course, to also finally pose for a family picture few hours before the baptism ceremony!

Here are some of Yuki's photo shoots.

And ooopppss! Sorry for the not-so-decent picture. 

And here's my lovely family! Finally, we have our family picture. I am so happy to find someone who accepted me and my two other kids as his family! I have never been this blessed!

September 1^st we decided to celebrate a welcome party for our new born half-Filipino half-Japanese baby Yuki. Since he is a Filipino by registration, and me as the mother is a believer of Roman Catholism, we decided to have the traditional baptism held in Alliance of Two Hearts Parish.

Thanks to UNIQUE WEDDING EVENTS for giving our newborn baby such a one of a kind party. The decorations were jaw-dropping and all our visitors were really awed! If I may quote our visitors saying, "This is the most `effortful` baptism they have ever witnessed!" 

Since Yuki is half Japanese some Japanese traditions were also executed like the 1st taste of the Japanese rice, the changing of costume from Barong Tagalog to Japanese baby Kimono.

And our entertainer, the Geisha-wanna-be, Cy!

Gift of Excruciating Pain

Indeed, no woman of her sound mind, who embraced the 9-month long excruciating pain of motherhood, will put her child into danger. No matter how unbearable the pain can become, she's all too willing to endure the same and make it tolerable no matter how much it's killing her. Thinking of what this gift of excruciating pain could offer, she's even more willing to risk her life just to give him his life. That's the true essence of motherhood.