Is it Voldemort or Snape? Or was it Snape’s past that Harry and Professor Dumbledore views in the pensive? Or does the movie revolved around Draco’s transformation? These are some of the questions raised by HP regular viewers who haven’t had read the book and especially those who had.

Movies always disappoint the readers. Readers expect to see what they had imagined from the book. Personally, my P160.00 cinema ticket worth of three times watching the movie did not compensate my disappointment after.

Although the director was trying to pull in things together to weave the movie, still there were countless loopholes that should be taken seriously, including the dark cinematography. I have listed top five scenes and screenplay, which are unanswered in the movie.

1. Harry and Ginny’s love story: In the book, Ginny already gave up her love to Harry, which is why it was Harry who made the first move of courting Ginny. It was during Ginny’s first Quiddich game that Gryfindor won through her stroke and for that Harry kissed and hugged her in front of the crowd. In the movie: Ginny appeared to have flirted to Harry, so ironic. And lastly, Ginny and Harry should have talked during Dumbledore’s burial, where they discussed about Harry’s search for the horcruxes and their relationship.

2. The film failed to focus the story on the title and created a heavy scene of Draco Malfoy’s transformation to be Voldemort’s new recruit. So it shouldn’t have been HP and the Half-blood prince but “HP and Draco’s mission as a new death eater”

3. I know that the sixth installation of the book is hard to portray on the big screen because of the several sub stories within the main one. But the screenplay writer and the director should have weave the scenes nicely that would connect different sub stories into one. Voldemort’s past seemed to be Snape’s because it wasn’t really explained how and who he was.

4. Ron and Hermoine’s love story is very shallow.

5. I could understand the limitations of the entire film staff for HP but they should have perfected even the last part of the story. Let me show you the exact scene for Dumbledore’s death: when Harry and Professor Dumbledore arrived at Hogwarts with their broomsticks, Dumbledore knows that someone is approaching, so he temporarily paralyzed Harry and covered him with the invisibility cloak. Draco came in and when he was trembling to kill Dumbledore, Snape appeared in the scene and slightly looked at Harry, who was hidden underneath the cloak. Snape then killed Dumbledore.

Dumbledore died with dignity and was given an outstanding burial during a sunny morning, after the death eater attacked Hogwarts. Harry had a conversation with Ginny.

Sequels are predicted to sell no matter how bad or good the movie is because people are anticipating to watch it. In motion picture business, it is the safest way to invest a follow-up movie of the previous one because it promises previous and new audience. This is a sad reality of profit-minded media institution. Despite the expected income and number of audience, the film makers should also think of the quality of the film and the storyline to avoid negative criticism.

As one of the disappointed HP viewers, I am still looking forward to watch the last installation of the book. I hope this time, since it is a two-part movie, would be a more comprehensive and lighter film that would portray almost perfectly what the book had illustrated.

Summer is supposed to be the season of fun and enjoyment, especially for students, but not me. Since the start of this year, I didn’t remember a time spent only for myself that is a long rest and relaxation.

As I looked at my daily planner, I saw dates cramped for meetings, exams, deadlines, events, and much more obligations. Thesis here, travel there, seminars here and camps there. It’s all about fulfilling my responsibility and setting aside my personal needs.

I’m waiting for a big break, even for just one weekend. Well, it’s not a crime to indulge myself for a while right? And for a second, think about nothing but fun and serenity. And the Pussycat Dolls are right, “be careful what you wish for, because you might just get it,” it was my cue to breakaway!

Only two to three hours drive from the city, San Remigio Beach Club is a place like home where I can immerse with nature and take the time to reflect and renew my soul.

“Like any other resorts, we want our guests to feel at home. We want them to experience an authentic Filipino family-oriented resort, which is out of the usual beach clubs,” says San Remigio Beach Club General Manager Mark Anthony Ynoc.

The town known for its longest coastline, San Remigio is one of the diving spots in the country and one of the bests in Cebu. Like the famous coral reefs in Mactan and Panglao, Bohol, San Remigio homes a 210 hectares of marine life in four marine sanctuaries.

The last time I dove into the crystal sea waters is back in my last year in high school, where I was forced to sink in with my friends into the fine white sands of Boracay. After that, I never attempted to bathe on the salty water.

Yet after four years, I jumped into one of San Remigio’s fish sanctuary area. It was as if my first time to bathe on the sea, like a baby swimming in a tub.

While underwater, it seems that I am part of the ocean and my life only revolves around the green surface and blue waters above. I could see the tiny creatures hide behind the corals while colorful ones boast their beauty.

For once, I wish I could live like them, being free to do what they want knowing that somehow they are protected by people who loves them.

San Remigio vice Mayor Nino Bascon said the town is promoting scuba diving in the area planning to develop more sanctuaries and diving spots so to protect the treasures of the place.

“And if you don’t want open water swimming, you can also try the swimming pool and Jacuzzi. It would be fun having different itinerary every day for the entire weekend,” said Mark Ynoc.

Aside from the water adventures, there are also outdoor and indoor sports to indulge in like, basketball, soccer, tennis, volleyball, table tennis, and board games.

The 48-hour trip renewed me body and soul. Even for a short period, I was able to freeze time and start enjoying it the natural way. The clock never bothered me for those two days of breaking free from my hectic schedule.

Tic-tac-tic-tac-tic-tac…So long Mr. Clock, now that I have been fully recharged, I am ready to take on whatever challenges I would face for the coming days.

Luis A. Quibranza III

“Around 60 percent of this present generation wasn’t around during martial law,” a news anchor commented on their news program Monday morning, following the death of former president Maria Corazon “Cory” Cojuangco-Aquino, the country’s and Asia’s first female president.

Though this alone is already a great feat in itself (being a woman president), it was not the sole reason why millions honored her. Not only did she prove that a housewife could lead an entire nation as it re-builds itself from the rubble of a broken democracy, but she was also a staunch defender of democracy and peace; an advocate of women’s empowerment, and religious piety.

Perhaps being a devout Catholic, she leaned upon the examples of our Holy Mother along the time frame she was asked to run for presidency, a move she was very reluctant about at first. After 10 hours of prayer—finally convinced that this was what God wanted her to do—she rose up to the occasion and announced a head-on battle against the strongman, former president Ferdinand Marcos.

“This revelation came to her after 10 hours of meditation at the convent of the Sister-Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration, not far from Manila,” states an online article in Time Magazine.

She ran for president and the rest was history. We all know by now that the color yellow has gained more significance than just being the standard color for the ever-reliable “Post-its.”

Then former president Fidel V. Ramos came into power. He was able to lead the Philippines into a higher economical standing and was featured in Readers’ Digest cover story in mid 1996 as, “The man atop Asia’s next Economic Tiger,” according to wikipedia.org

Now thinking about it, I liked the Philippines during the mid-90s. For one thing, the jeepney fare was only P 2.50. Though Youtube wasn’t around yet, it was still a decade of fun memories.

Then, former president Joseph Estrada took his seat of power. But after some years, allegations of corruption started to cripple the administration. And in 2007, in a court trial against the former president, he was found guilty of plunder and sentenced to reclusion perpetua. But he was later on pardoned by the Philippines’ second woman president. Another woman who found herself in the most powerful position in the country when the nation was on its knees, begging for new leadership.

Current president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who’s just recently delivered her 9th State of the Nation Address, will, theoretically, leave office by next year. Her term is not without its share of scandals. But again we ask ourselves, what’s new in politics?

We are less than a year away from choosing the next head of state—one who is supposed to lead this country through the present world-wide economic turmoil.

After 14 presidents, have we learned our lesson yet? The demise of one of this country’s most influential leaders may not have come in a more needed time—months before the next national elections.
And we better choose wisely. Something tells me that another people’s revolution will not anymore cover up our mistakes of electing the wrong official.

The next time we spell democracy through the elections, may we spell it out correctly as we vote for our leaders, and not strap ourselves to our chairs watching a crazy fiasco two years after. Eliminating graft, corruption and the like may be a far-fetched cry. But take it from Cory… live free, or die trying. She lived democracy until her last breath.

(Luis, born a year after the Edsa Revolution, greets his mother a happy birthday.)

FOR the past weeks, the streets of Manila were painted yellow.

Yellow ribbons of all shapes and sizes were tied around streetlights, fences, trees, posts, side view mirrors and antennas of cars, and bridges and walkways.

When news spread that former President Corazon “Cory” Aquino has passed on, people came out in waves of outpouring support, wearing yellow t-shirts, yellow ribbons and yellow pins.

Streamers and banners appeared out of nowhere, and people went out to the streets bidding their final farewell to the former president and thanking her for having done so much for the country.

On the day of her passing, I woke up to several text messages from my mentor and a close friend. Both told me that the country’s icon of democracy had died.

I was not yet born in 1986 nor was I around during the EDSA revolution.

I only heard stories of hope and people power, stories from those who were there and from fellow young leaders who were young enough to remember the incident. I read of EDSA from my history textbooks.

Aside from knowing what the textbooks said, I knew of Tita Cory as a woman of strength and courage.

Tita Cory was a loving mother and wife. She was the mother of not only five children, but of millions of Filipinos across the globe who all hungered for democracy. In the country, she was the mother of democracy.

Her kind of moral leadership is what the country has always needed.

She led the country towards democracy, leading with moral values and with strength only a mother could possess.

She was a nurturing leader, who looked out for us Filipinos as if we were her own flesh and blood.

Learning of her stories, I always wanted to meet Tita Cory.

And finally, I did meet her.

I met Tita Cory last Aug. 2 at La Salle, Greenhills. She looked so peaceful and serene. And seeing her, knowing what she stands for, what she has done for the country and knowing her deep love for the Philippines, it just makes me want to do more for the country and try to follow her example of moral leadership.

Hundreds of thousands came to visit Tita Cory, to pay their last respects to the former President. From the rich to the poor, from the young to the elderly, thousands braved the long lines, the endless wait, the unpredictable weather to bid farewell to a beloved leader.

While it may be difficult to find a woman like Tita Cory, who loved her country and its people to her very last breath, we all just hope that we have learned a lot from her. That we would try to follow her path of moral leadership and unwavering love for the Philippines.

And now, as you rest Tita Cory, we all just wish to thank you. Thank you, for your love and care. Thank you, for touching our lives.

I was days old when the Missis of a national hero became the first female president in Asia.

Cory, to me, belonged to a golden, however distant past—the decade of shoulder pads and big glasses, grainy documentaries and poignantly, just a three-paragraph mention in my history textbook. She, of the landed gentry’s family, appealed less to me when I grew up to be a student journalist who sat down with Hacienda Luisita farmers who had to get by with less than P20 daily wages. I also learned of the bloody coups, an aftermath of the same peaceful revolution that brought her to power.

Even her favorite daughter agrees. Her mother was far from perfect. She was no saint, but this did not make her less of a hero.

In my generation, the “contemporary” Cory we knew was popular for less historic contributions: the mother of headline-hugging celebrity Kris Aquino, EDSA II supporter (which, we would later find out, produced another unpopular president), but ultimately, a steady calm voice in national dissonance.

When I met her, she did not glow from the reflected glory of the 1986 People Power which stapled her as an icon. Yes, she wore a yellow dress, but like her simple dress, her ordinariness gleaned through. She had no entourage, only one assistant, whom she introduced later to me as a friend. When I asked her on-the-spot for an interview, she immediately obliged with a toothy smile. Since my cameraman had to fix his equipment first, I spent ten minutes in the ABS-CBN lobby, waiting with her.

If you had 10 minutes with a former president, one supposes you’d have a big talk. But she did not gab like a consummate politician. Instead, she spent the next 10 minutes talking with me about the nice weather, Kris, and Jun Lozada.

In testimonies, I came to know that this was a “very Cory” thing to do. She found time to do thoughtful gestures, like come unannounced in Barangay Luz to check on her micro-finance beneficiaries, open the car window to shake the hand of a supporter who chased her outside the Carmelite monastery and give her paintings to strangers.

And from the pages of our modern history, she leaps to us as the ordinary housewife who accomplished the extraordinary by choosing to do the right thing, even after her husband’s assassination and even when she had the option to live well in the shelter of her family’s wealth. Before being immortalized in stone and currencies, heroes make history by doing the right thing at a time of reckoning.

Death peppered with bullets sent her husband to a heroic status; her silent passing away in the hospital deathbed had us down with yellow fever, once more.

In this 2009-style yellow revolution—we relish the democracy she helped restore—we uploaded yellow ribbons, blogged and twittered away the patriotic sentiments she stirred within us with her passing.

In life and even in peaceful death, the one time math teacher has taught us another important lesson in history, that is, never to forget others and this country.

(Kara Mae’s primary residence in cyberspace is: www.dwata.multiply.com)