Pet Melliza

Today a kilo of kalampay fetches P80 to P140, at par with other fishes. This freshwater crab was almost free before. Photo above shows a freshly broiled crab. Kalampay" for sale was almost unheard of 40 years ago. The freshwater crab teemed in Iloilo rivers and people caught it for free. Today, it fetches the minimum P80 per kilo. Surprisingly, Iloilo River, dubbed the country's biggest septic tank after Pasig River, is still home to crabs and shrimps that Ilonggos consume. Mention the word today to the young generation and they would stare at you bewildered. "Kalampay? Ano ra man? (Kalampay? What's that.)" They more they would stare at you blankly if you asked them what "katang" and "baringay" are. The usage of term is getting scarcer like the fate of kalampay. "Katang" is a juvenile kalampay, the size a half thumb while "baringay" are botton size ones that migrate inland from the sea where they are spawned. ...

BY PET MELLIZA/ THE BEEKEEPER A straight yellow line in the middle of the road, especially on blind curves, cautions motorists from overtaking or counter-flowing on the other lane because of dangers that may lurk ahead, there may be approaching vehicles or pedestrians behind the curve unseen to the driver. Two straight yellow lines that we find on arching bridges mean absolutely no overtaking. The yellow line, however, is wantonly disregarded by drivers particularly those plying the southern Iloilo route. Among the most notorious on that regard are drivers of Igbaras – Iloilo jeepneys. Quiz them on the meaning of yellow lines, whether continuous or broken, and you would fined many of them are ignorant of their meaning. Recklessly speeding and overtaking on blind curves and on bridges is a mere routine  for Igbaras jeepney drivers who fit perfectly in the term “ignoramuses” and accidents-waiting-to-happen. And what do the regulatory and transportation enforcers do to address th...

By Pet Melliza/ The Beekeeper If columnist Peter Jimenea looked pleased nowadays, it’s his sense of satisfaction that several media colleagues graced the anniversary of his cable-TV talk show in a buffet at Hotel del Rio last December 17. Another media outfit was also having a Christmas party that day. Colleagues though still managed to drop by at the 16 th  anniversary fete of Kape kag Isyu before proceeding to The Daily Guardian in Mandurriao district. I only learned two days after that there was also a big gathering that same day in the same hotel which a fortunate batch of 15 reporters had been invited to cover but who incidentally did not show up. I would disagree with colleague Limuel Celebria who described the no-show of the 15 invited media guests as a  “snub”.  Even the veteran Lydia Pendon who worked at the city hall popped up first at the lunch tendered by Peter Jimenea. That Saturday, Hotel del Rio was under tight security. Armed persons, in uniform and c...

BY PET MELLIZA/ THE BEEKEEPER Let’s celebrate Christmas and New Year by not celebrating it at all. I don’t mean to insult religious sentiment; in fact, let’s all be happy and rejoice for the birth of the Savior (that happened neither in winter nor on a manger). Let’s be thankful for the grace of redemption. However, the meaning of the birth and life of the Carpenter from Nazareth has been distorted in history in the din of commercialism and consumerism. Big Business, particularly giant malls, has succeeded in twisting our mind, manipulating us to celebrate the season the way it wants it to be – by buying and consuming its goods even though they may be unnecessary, harmful even. Cases of stroke and cardiac arrest spike during the Yuletide from increased consumption of  foods and drinks loaded with cholesterol, alcohol contents, and carcinogenic preservatives, antibiotics and steroids. We have confused form for substance.  May I invite readers to sit back for awhile. We cele...

(Christmas party that the Iloilo Provincial Government tendered to members of the press on 16 December 2011.) Defensor in his message calls the press "indispensable partner" in good governance.  However, he asks journalists for fairness. "Negative commentaries does much in helping us government official to do good but encouraging opinions does more in making us do better." With apologies to viewers for uploading the pics of scantily clad dancers gyrating, which was not our handiwork but that of a person who Peter Jimenea, Kamlon and Ibrahim tag as "Hydrocephallus".  An editor-publisher muttered: "Ano man 'to man? May mga kabataan gatan-aw, galutaw igut-igut sg mga dancers kun magbika...Iskandalo ato!"  (What happened? The borders were showing when the dancers spread their legs. There were minors around..It was a scandal!" Wanakosay dyan.