The Tale of Ginebra's Never Say Die!

Robert Jaworski, a former playing coach for Barangay Ginebra, became synonymous with the PBA's most iconic team, renowned for its "Never Say Die" attitude. But this legendary status didn’t happen overnight. It was a moment in 1985 that solidified his legacy and immortalized him in Philippine basketball history.

During a pivotal game, Jaworski found himself in the thick of the action. Near the end of the second quarter, he took a brutal hit and busted his lip. Rushed to the hospital, he received nine stitches, and it seemed as though Ginebra’s hopes were dashed. As the team faltered, the gap between them and their opponents grew wider.

But then, in the third quarter, against all odds, Jaworski returned. Bloodied but unbowed, he didn’t just rejoin the game; he became a beacon of leadership. With the game slipping away and a deficit of more than 10 points, he rose as both a player and coach—taking command on the court and inspiring his teammates.

As the game progressed, tensions soared. In the fourth quarter, a controversial foul was called on Jaworski, sparking the fury of the Ginebra fans. Coins and batteries rained down from the stands in protest. Yet, despite the adversity, Jaworski’s resolve never wavered. He led his team with unwavering determination, scoring basket after basket. And in an unbelievable turn of events, Ginebra staged a stunning comeback and emerged victorious.

That game marked the birth of the "Never Say Die" spirit—a motto that would come to define Ginebra’s identity and Jaworski’s enduring legacy. From that moment forward, Jaworski wasn’t just a player; he became a symbol of perseverance, resilience, and unyielding determination.

The once-unknown player had ascended to legendary status. He embodied the spirit of never giving up at a time when the nation needed it most. And with his indomitable will, he helped transform basketball from a national passion into an all-consuming obsession for Filipinos across the country

The Years Gone Dark

Here lies my refuge, a sanctuary where the world’s chaos fades into the background. Here is my tabernacle, a place that neither condemns nor condones, where I can lay bare the oddities of my soul, without fear of judgment or expectation.

An introspection on the last seven years reveals a tumultuous period in my life.

It began with promise—a bright start, from our first meeting in January 2003 to the birth of our son that November. Those early days were filled with happiness, hope, and dreams, inspiring me to envision an ideal home built on love, trust, and mutual respect. But as the second year unfolded, the relationship took a darker turn, plagued by jealousy and suspicion. It became painfully clear that family life was far from the fairy tale I had imagined. I had to adapt, to immerse myself in the world she knew, stooping to a level I never thought I'd reach, just to maintain a semblance of peace.

The years that followed were a vicious cycle. Negativity seeped into her being, and we clashed over the smallest things. She fixated on the past, making baseless accusations of infidelity and other unfounded suspicions. But the worst came when I witnessed her desperate attempts to control every aspect of my life. My patience, once boundless, was stretched to its breaking point. I had to make a choice: face the consequences of this crumbling relationship or sink deeper into the quicksand of our own making.

The second week of May 2010 was the last time I saw our house, her, or my son—the child I loved more than anything. My great dream, once vivid and full of promise, had faded into obscurity, leaving only a hellish mirage.

The repercussions of that time are still with me, trapped in the portal of my defiance against the natural order of life. The animosity we shared has morphed into a shadow that relentlessly chases me, threatening to erase my very essence. But I cannot—no, I must not—let despair suffocate the strength I’ve fought so hard to rebuild. I must grasp my shield once more and stand tall, for I know I am more than this.

I dream that one day, I will uproot the torn pages of my past, let them drift into the abyss, and leave them there—forgotten, where they belong.

The Wasted Beauty of Janicel Lubina

I first took notice of Janicel Lubina when her story was featured on a TV newscast. Her humble beginnings as a housemaid to becoming a beauty queen will be good enough to catch attention, but what really drew me to her was her sultry, vixen type look that stirs the senses. I've become an admirer and secretly rooted for her victory in Bb. Pilipinas. With her dark long hair and morena complexion, gorgeous and beautiful face, statuesque beauty and a body to die for, Lubina epitomizes the true Filipina beauty that would be a perfect Miss Universe. 

Unfortunately, the outcome fall short of my expectations. Despite her winning two major awards, Janicel Lubina settled for Miss Philippines-International, a title equivalent to runner-up placement. Perhaps the ultimate cause of her downfall was the way she delivered her answer in the Q&A portion. Apparently, Lubina can't express herself well in English. But I wonder why speaking fluent English has always been a major consideration to winning the Miss Philippines-Universe crown. It's high time that local organizers should allow our Miss Universe reps to answer in Tagalog.  It wouldn't make our Filipina beauties inferior if they use an interpreter. Just look at the Latinas who choose to have interpreters and they usually ended up winning or placing in the finals.

Janicel Lubina's a rare find and hers shouldn't settle for anything less than the Universe crown. But the verdict has been reached: Janicel Lubina is found guilty of her poor English. What a wasted beauty!

The Filipino People Did Not Ask For It!

 

 

The President's numerous unpunished crimes against the Constitution continue to pile up. He commits one shameful blunder after another. The only thing that can do it is an immediate reprieve from Aquino and his regime. We need a break, some breathing space from the lunacy of it all. This is what everyone is asking for.

 

The people did not ask for it when Aquino corrupted the members of Congress by bribing them with the people’s money in order to put the State in control of the reproductive lives of Filipinos, and to impeach and remove Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona in order to remove a judicial obstacle to his planned dictatorship.

 

The people did not ask for it when Aquino used Corona’s impeachment to intimidate and shake up the judiciary and take effective control of Congress, notably its power of the purse, its exclusive power to impeach, and every major legislation that called for a division of the House.

 

The people did not ask for it when Aquino siphoned off hundreds of billions of pesos from projects authorized by Congress in the General Appropriations Act and transferred them to his own projects under his so-called Disbursement Acceleration Program, without the approval of Congress.

 

The people did not ask for it, even after the Supreme Court declared the DAP and the earlier Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) unconstitutional and directed the Executive Department to prosecute with reasonable dispatch all those who were involved in their manipulation and misuse.

 

The people did not ask for it when Congress enacted the 2015 P2.6 trillion budget, and restored and legalized all the discretionary lump-sum items previously voided by the Court, and redefined “savings” in order to circumvent the ruling of the Court and allow Aquino to declare as “savings” any amount in the budget anytime he wants to.

 

That is how patient (let us not say, undiscerning) our people have been with respect to the Aquino regime.

 

And then Mamasapano happened.
The death of 44 police commandos in the hands of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, with whom Aquino had a peace agreement and a standing ceasefire, while on a lawful mission to extract two international terrorists from the area, roused the nation from its deep slumber. Aquino was in Zamboanga City monitoring the entire operation when the SAF 44 were killed, after having been denied reinforcement. He could have ordered the reinforcement, but didn’t. To the contrary, the undenied report  was that Aquino himself ordered the reinforcement to stand down. Many from the ranks of the families of the fallen 44 have denounced this as treason.

 

Suddenly it became clear to all and sundry that Aquino had become a grave danger to the nation, and that we must immediately be rid of him for our own survival.