White hair chronicles (XXXVI) goes to Lubang

This white hair chronicler went to Lubang Island last week after being last there 18 years ago. I spent vacations there many summers ago. The white hair generation remembers the splendid island's claim to fame,  Japanese WWII soldier Hiroo Onoda, who was found there 1974 after hiding in the jungles from the end of the war in 1945 until his surrender. A brave, if not lonely, straggle for 29 years.

My mother traces her roots to the island. I went back because a grand aunt died. She was 92. She used to be the eldest person on their street. The distinction now belongs to her younger brother, 87. Their father and mother both born in the 1800s lived up to their 90s. This white hair chronicler surely has the longevity genes.

The island is smaller than Siquijor. It has better beaches but is less developed for tourism. Needless to say, it has tremendous tourism potential. An evening at Lubang night is very similar to Siquijor's, minus the blaring videoke bars. A roll on-roll off boat takes you there from Manila's Pier 6. Once you set foot on the island, you'll feel transported back in time. Just 6 hours after boarding the boat at the hustler-filled pier, laid back Lubang lifestyle will lull you sleep.

I stayed a mere 15 hours. I will be back.

low tide

el fraile

their version of the tricycle looks like a baby jeepney

Lotto winners by the numbers

Using available data from PCSO covering the lotto (6/42, 6/45, 6/49, and 6/55) draws from January 2, 2002 to November 19, 2010:

• Number of draws - 3,039.
• Number of draws jackpot was won - 649.
• Number of jackpot winners - 908.
• Number of times with more than 1 jackpot winner - 171.
• Biggest jackpot won -PhP 347,836,903.20 (shared by 2 winners on Feb 22, 2009)
• Smallest jackpot won - PhP 3,000,000 (2 times)
• Most number of winners in a draw - 21 (they shared the PhP 4,748,265 jackpot on Feb 27, 2007)

These numbers suggest that during GMA's term, Filipinos steadily learned how to predict lotto winners. From 55 winners in 2002 winning an average of close to PhP 23 million jackpot, the number of winners grew to a high of 160 in 2007, averaging just over PhP12 million in jackpot. The number of jackpot winners in the last 6 months of GMA equals the total for the year 2003.

This means there is an unsung GMA legacy. There were clearly more lotto winners under her. The numbers do not indicate that there are more bettors. Conspiracy theorists smell a stink and they have other theories.

Pacman gobbles up the money too!

While many Pinoys queue up in snake lines to chase the 450+ million peso lotto dream, Pacman, in pocketing $20M, earned an equivalent to TWICE that jackpot in his latest fight. He even got shortchanged by PhP40M because of the rise of the peso. And he did that by beating up a known cheater who ridiculed his friend and trainer's illness. Talk about being paid handsomely while getting revenge.

The only sensible fight for Manny now is against Mayweather. There is no use in fighting an even bigger guy next. Who could that be? Sergio Martinez?  Paul Williams? or Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr.? Shane Mosley? I think Chavez Jr. is too green but he makes up for it by being huge. And his being a another Mexican can make the fight very marketable.

Or, Pacman can fight the welterweights again. Perhaps they should have a derby like the middleweight super 6 to determine the next Pac opponent. Berto, Alexander, Bradley, etc. should participate.

A Mayweather fight may not materialize. Just yesterday, Floyd had another run in with the law. Meanwhile, Pacman's star power has reached the TMZ. The gossip website carried a story about his injuries in the Marg fight. The website had earlier posted a video of Manny's star power when he was mobbed by fans at LAX.

Here are screen caps from his recent fight. The man in blue Pacman shirt looks like Kenneth Duremdes. In the next picture, the lady beside Jinkee looks like Dra. Belo. Then in the last photos, we see the smile on Marg's wife turn to a concerned look before the fight ends.

Update: There are those who think that this is the best time for Manny to hang his gloves and quit sport altogether. He is on top of his game, his legacy and body are well intact. There is a Facebook fan page set up for those who think so too. Visit the page and click on like if you share the same opinion.

Pacman gobbles up the Tijuana Tornado

As expected, Manny Pacquiao won over Antonio Margarito, despite giving up 17 pounds in weight, 5 inches in height, and 6 inches in reach. Margarito is the biggest opponent Pacman ever faced, while Pacman is the smallest Margarito opponent in 15 years. The sportscasters who covered the fight never ran out of superlatives in talking about our sports hero. This should goad the egoistic Mayweather into accepting a fight.

The victory will be the talk of the town for at least a week. We will be discussing not just the boxing win per se since the Pacquiao phenomenon transcends over many aspects of Filipino life. Pacman's interest in show business, other sports, product endorsements, and politics mean Filipinos will be talking about many other highlights of the fight.

- The inclusion of politicians in his entourage leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Panira talaga ng eksena pag kasama ang may sabit.

-  I saw an overly excited Kenneth Duremdes waving a flag in the crowd.
-  Dr. Belo is doing a tremendous job on Jinkee. She now looks prettier than her identical twin sister.
- The singer who sang the Philippine national anthem was doing it right until the last 2 words, but I'm nitpicking.
- Still the surest way to make men stand erect is make voluptuous blondes wearing pekpek shorts sing the national anthem.
- Margarito's son looked nervous before the fight but his parents were beaming. Perhaps he knows what happened to Pac's previous victims. His parents surely know what 3 million dollars is.
- Pacman may have indicated that he is losing interest in boxing. He did not go for the knockout and said they are not there to kill each other. What happened to the killer's instinct that Pacman fans knew?
- Pacman is a big loser from the appreciation of the peso. His 20 million dollar purse is now effectively 40 million pesos lower. But it is still like winning the biggest lotto jackpot ever twice over.
-Pacman is the man! Unlike before the Barrera fight when nobody, even Michael Buffer, cannot pronounce Pacquiao, everybody knows how to say Pacquiao.
some photos from Yahoo

GrandLotto 6/55 odds - 1 in 28,989,675

Lotto Game	Lotto 6/42	MegaLotto 6/45	SuperLotto 6/49	Grand Lotto 6/55
Numbers in Pool	42	45	49	55
Chosen	6	6	6	6
No. of combinations	5,245,786	8,145,060	13,983,816	28,989,675
Amount needed to bet for all combinations	P 52,457,860	P 81,450,600	P 279,676,320	P 579,793,500

The biggest jackpot prize ever in Philippine lotto will go to the Grand Lotto 6/55 bettor(s) who will conjure up the winning 6 number combination from a pool of 55 numbers. The total number of possible combinations is just under 29 million. The odds of winning are insane, but more insane odds were those of the defunct PowerLotto 5/55+1, which the Grand Lotto replaced. In the old Power Lotto, the odds are 1 in 35 million, and a ticket costs 50 pesos. The Grand Lotto tickets cost just 20 pesos. The old PowerLotto gave the least bang for the buck.

Despite the odds, expect dreamy eyed Pinoys to queue up the betting booths. Even more perplexing are the multiple winners that normally crop up in the megamillion draws. Whenever multiple winners share the top prize, many believe that Palace people, especially in the previous administration, dipped their hands into the money pool. But people don't mind and continue to dream on. After all, 20 pesos can buy a dream.