HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES GUTIERREZ REPORT ON VP SARAH / RAFFY TULFO / BA...

Idiom Of The Day

 Let's start using idioms or idiomatic expressions when we write. When idioms are used, it add color and texture to language by creating images that convey meanings beyond those of the individual words that make them up. An idiom can be very colorful and make a 'picture' in our minds. It also shows the writer's familiarity with English. When you want to make your writing sound more conversational, including idioms can give your writing a more relaxed tone.

Idioms allow us to say a lot with few words. Idioms amplify your messages in a way that draws your readers in and helps awaken their senses. It adds dynamism and character to otherwise stale writing. They make your writing less monotonous and your readers will think that you are smart and knowledgeable. All the while ... you only clothe your writing with elaborate idioms to create an impact... saying too much with less. 

To perfect your English, you really need to become confident in using idioms and knowing the difference between breaking a leg and pulling someone's leg. So the idiom of the day is:

IDIOM: Breadwinner

MEANING: A colloquial term used to describe a person as the household's primary and sole income earner.  Breadwinners, by contributing the largest portion of household income, generally cover most household expenses ... and financially support their dependents.

ORIGIN: This phrase dates back to the 16th century and it was showed in the writing of James Melville of Scotland. Bread means food ... so in simple language, a person bringing money and financial assistance to the family was bringing home BREAD. Despite roadblocks and obstacles she or he was still successfully bringing home the dough making him the winner. Thus the idiom breadwinner.

While watching a segment on Showtime my son got confused when the host asked the contestants. "Are you a breadwinner?

He thought all the while anybody who has work and is earning money is a breadwinner. While some earn money the greatest bulk of their income is to support their family ... others earn their own money that supports nobody but himself.

USING IT IN A SENTENCE: Parents mostly are considered breadwinners. Their money is already allotted and budgeted for their immediate needs: food, house rental, electricity, tuition fees and other utilities.

Jinky Luistro patong-patong na kaso ang HATOL sa tropa ni VP Sara Duterte

Sampu Sampera Na Lang Ba Ang Mga Awards?

The result of Mister Friendship International 2024 is for Ripley's Believe It Or Not. 

Can you imagine the awards being given as if they were manna from heaven? To be exact there was only one winner and that was Taiwan. Whether it was a hometown decision or not was another story ... but it looked like a country hosting a pageant had a great chance of winning the title or they automatically became a familiar fixture in the runner-up spots.

The real story here ... is there is a record of 2 first runner-ups in Mister Friendship International 2024 finals in Taiwan last Sunday (Philippines and Indonesia).

Not to be ignored, there were also two second-runner-up spots, namely Vietnam and Myanmar. And don't turn a blind eye to the third runner-up —there were three of them: Thailand, Poland, and Canada.

Ano ba tayo naglolokohan? Wala man lang mapili sa dalawang first runner Up at walang maitulak kaibigin? Same with the second runner-up and the third runner-up... it looked as though there was a bonanza of talented young men in this batch and not acknowledging the presence of one becomes a mortal sin.

Gone are the days when pageants bestow the creme de la creme of the crop to only a select handful. Ano ... parang "sampu sampera" na lang ang mga awards?

Some trace this seeming explosion of pageant winners to “grade inflation,” or grade leniency (mostly seen in campuses and universities). when students are awarded valedictorian and salutatorian or summa cum laude, magna cum laude, or cum laude. There used to be one in each category, but that was in the past ... 

Seeing this phenomenon unfold in our schools (some say it already happening in Harvard ... I don't know about Yale or Princeton)... but it diminished the prestige of the Latin honors. It devalues grades, gives students a false sense of accomplishment and there seems a reduced incentive to excel.

And seeing these happen in pageantry ... it has some similar effects. You will never know kung sino talaga ang sino among the many contestants who were added to the elite group.

Kung susundin ang mga nagdaang panuntunan ... In this situation Philippines could be the first runner-up, then Indonesia second runner-up or they could be the other way around. The third Runner Up will be Vietnam and the Fourth Runner Up will be Myanmar (or it could be the opposite). Yong mga third runner Up na tatlo ... clapper na.

It is commendable that Mister Friendship International thought of sending the candidates home happy ... but it defeats the purpose of joining a contest. Nandoon na ako na natapos ang contest ... marami sa mga candidates ang umuwi na may ngiti sa labi.

Pero marami naman sa mga natalong candidates feels short-changed dahil sa mga pagbabagong ito. Pag sumali ka sa contest either manalo ka or matatalo. 

Let's end this piece by saying "Indonesia We Did It".

Yes My Love Lounge | EP: 5 'Hasula' by Kurt Fick (Cover)

Tower of Power

Alyssa Marie Redondo - Miss Intercontinental 2024 -Second Runner Up, Power of Beauty Special Award, and Best in Swimsuit.

Jansen Kenley See - Mr. Friendship International -First Runner-Up

Mark Joseph Macalintal - Man Hot Star First Runner Up and Best In Swimwear

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I may sound like a broken record ... but it is raining cats and dogs ... and the titles and placements deluged the Philippines' doorsteps.

Saan na ba ang mga tower of POWER at mga POWER-house of the year diyan ... naubos na ang nuclear-POWER? Humihina na ang horse-POWER? Whereas the Philippines have a continuous POWER-surge ... what happened sa ating mga neighbors ... may POWER-outage?

Konting panalo lang ... nagyabang na. At ang iingay ha? Eh kung ibang lahi ang nagbibigay sa inyo ng papuri ... e di sana maganda. Pero kung kayo rin lang ang may gawa ng mga POWER-titles na yan ... nagpa-POWER-trip lang kayo. nagkaroon tuloy ng semblance ng POWER-struggle dito sa Asia. At huwag ka ... napagkamalan tuloy na POWER-hungry kayo. 

Sabi ko nga in order to be recognized as a POWER-bank dapat consistent ang performance. Kahit saang pageant ilagay ... may masigabong air-POWER at tuloy-tuloy ang POWER- supply.. Kung hindi nananalo ... may placements.  Yan ang staying-POWER na sinasabi ko.

Why am I giving you this advice? I call that the POWER of love. Just like the song. Dahil we should think in terms of Asian region - ang panalo ng isang Asian country ... dapat panalo ng lahat. Hindi nag-inggitan ... hindi nagpapasaringan. Tingnan mo ang Latina ... nagkakampihan sila.

Oh well ... enough of these POWER-phrases. Ang POWER-cord ko ... magPOWER-nap na. Bye for now!

Pageant Result: Mr. Friendship International 2024

The winners of Mister Friendship International 2024 from left to right: Roland Castronuevo - Canada - Third Runner Up, Apirak Sarapee - Thailand - Third Runner Up. Nguyen Hong Ha - Vietnam - Second Runner Up, Emmanuel Nicolas - Indonesia- First Runner Up, Henry Chang - Taiwan - Mr. Friendship International- Winner, Jansen Kenley See- Philippines -First Runner Up, Khoon Nya- Myanmar - Second Runner Up and Mateusz Lis- Poland - Third Runner Up.  The pageant was held at Asia Pacific Resort in Lukang Taiwan last Dec 8, 2024.