GPN EXHIBIT

DECEMBER 28, 2007 marked the launching exhibit of the only all Filipino photography group in Bahrain. We showcased about a hundred pictures from the theme "Pinoy Lifestyle in Bahrain", plus many more masterpiece from 12 photographers.

Congratulations to all the members! It was much better than I expected. To top it all I know we helped a lot of our distressed kababayan's in OWWA. Congratulations and thank you very much to Phenomena Productions as well as our families who supported us. There will be no exhibit without you.

API-ADAY-AMI!!!

API-ADAY-AMI!!! (as Diego would have said it)
December 25th marks another year in my wifes life. We hope that you'll have more birthdays to come.

We love you!

DIEGO'S BIKE

Ty Tito Don for the wonderful bike!

CONFUCIOUS II

Papaano ako hindi malilito kung sino talaga si Santa, e tignan mo naman ang similarity ng picture sa xmas tree rug ko at ang members ng ZZ TOP?

CONCERT: POPS, ERIK & K

CONFUCIOUS

Childhood was a very confusing time for me. Minsan naniniwala na ako na retarded ako kasi nalilito ako sa tunay na mukha ni Santa. Para sa akin bastat may balbas at mukhang Kano (Kano is generic to caucasians) si Santa na yun! Bakit hindi nakakalito e yung pangalan pa lang niya pang-babae. Santa - female saint, Santo- male saint. O di ba?

Ito ang mga madalas ko mapagkamalan na Santa Claus. Hoe-hoe-hoe!

Kenny Rogers
ZZ TOP

MR_D

The real Santa!

NOT VERY FILIPINO

NOT VERY FILIPINO

Ouch! Tinamaan yata ang aking man size ego. We went to Jawad dome in Budaiya to check out some overpriced Christmas ornaments and decoration ideas at this certain shop. The shop was a high end boutique of unique items, with finely arranged displays. Ang lupit ng mga furnitures nila wala akong masabi. Right after looking at it nainisip ko na ang aming dream house.

We admired everything that the shop has to offer. Sa sobrang tuwa ng biyenan ko at nung bilas ko, they wanted me to take a picture of a bar furniture set and some white feathers. So as a photographer and a blogger, alam mo naman tayo nature na natin magkuha ng picture ng kung anu-ano ang maisusulat natin. I took a picture of the bar furniture set. Click! Then a second after the shot there was this lady who rudely asked me if I have the permission to take pictures. She asked the other Filipina sales lady if she gave permission to take pictures inside the shop. She didn’t hesitate to say NO, she didn’t give any permission and denied that she even saw us taking photos. Although, nakita ko siya na nakatingin sa amin. Then the lady told us in Filipino “Bawal kumuha ng picture. My God! Picture na naman ng furniture!” And then she left to go to the cashier.

Napahiya kami ng todo. Nagkatinginan na lang kami at nag-ngitian. Grabe yun. Kung bawal kumuha ng picture sana naglagay sila ng paskil sa harap na bawal kumuha ng litrato.

Bakit nga ba bawal? It’s on display! I bet you can find that same bar set on the internet, right click and save picture as. Baka akala n’ya makukuha namin yung furniture by taking it’s picture? S’ya ba ang gumawa ang nagdesign ng furniture nay un? Is it that so unique? FBI or NASA specs bay un? OR DID SHE HAVE A STICK UP HER ASS? Oh, btw, there was this pointy-spikey-christmas-ornament that I would have liked to shove up her’s at that time.

Feel ko nilamon ako lupa sa sobrang kahihiyan. Most Filipino’s who are working in the other shops are usually friendly to all kababayan’s. Most of them will let you get away with shit even if they don’t know you basta nakita kang pinoy. Vice versa, I am very nice to Pinoy’s wherever I go. I let most of them get away with shit.

Sabi ko na lang sa sarili ko...maliit lang ang Bahrain. Pinoys have a tight community here, magkikita rin kami. And when we do malalaman n’yo dito sa blog ko. Bwahahahaha!

DIVALICIOUS

I got the chance to shoot Pops Fernandez last thursday at Delmon hotel. I'm not a POOPSIE fan but I saw that she was really pretty. Walang sayang. Halos lahat ng angles ganda nya. She can project very well. Ang ganda n'ya men! Sayang lang at hindi ako naimbitahan dun sa pre-concert party para nakapagpakuha ng picture with her Divaliciousness. Mga priviledged ones lang ang na-imbitahan. waaaa! There were times that I'm pretty sure that she spotted me (as a photographer), she worked up the camera and posed for a few seconds. Cool!

Special thanks to boss Rico for lending me his 70-300mm Canon lens. I enjoyed myself very much. I was the most well endowed lensman that night. Astig! Many thanks to Master Gienel for his guidance on how to set up my camera. Ganun din kay Master Sonny for the tips. Thank you din kay Gelayred for recording the Pop's segment habang kumukuha ako ng mga sniper shots ko.

Sana may susunod pang celebrity para naman mas masarap magkodakan.

MASAYA

Isa sa perks ng nagagawa mo ang hobby mo ay kapag may mga taong nagkakaron ng interes tumingin sa mga art mo. Here are 9 of my pictures out of the 52 mosts viewed pictures (labelled interesting) na nakapost sa flickr. cool!

PHILIPPINE SCHOOL: "For Pinoy Kids"

Maldita...napansin ako na kinukuhanan ko ng picture inirapan ako.

Bubbles...bubbles...anak ni Rico kasama ko sa GPN.

Itong mga to makulit, takbo dito takbo dun.

Huli ka! A feather on your Pinoy nose.

Feel ko modelo ang batang ito ng Jollibee or something. Ang cute!

Ito very cute din na bata. Pinay na pinay ang kulay.

Ito pinay na pinay din...ang nanay! She got beautiful eyes like the blue sky.

Special thanks to Rico Soriano for lending me his telephoto lens. It brightened my boring day kasi naman stock lang lens ko 18-55mm. I had fun...parang ayaw ko na nga isauli. hehehe!

NECESSITY: THE BIG MOTHER

I have recently posted my contribution to www.pinoyatbpa.com entitled "NECESSITY: THE BIG MOTHER".

Kung walang kwenta ang buhay mo at wala kang magawa magpunta ka lang sa www.pinoyatbpa.com para magkaron ka naman ng kabuluhan.

At kung may kwenta ang buhay mo pero wala kang magawa magpunta ka pa rin sa www.pinoyatbpa.com para mawalan ng kwenta ang buhay mo kaysa magsuicide ka.

Thanks!

Dennis aka DEREK

GULF PHOTOGRAPHERS NETWORK

I love taking snap shots. One day I met a group of guys with the same hobby, and then I asked them if I could join the group. Muntik na nga akong hindi isali kasi wala daw akong camera.

SOMETIMES PEOPLE MAKE MISTAKES

Can you count the mistakes that you've made in the past week? Or maybe you have forgotten all of them? What if somebody keeps count of your mistakes, and only recognize you for doing them? That sucks.

TURKISH CANAL

May sa isda yata ako. Kapag nakakakita ako ng swimming pool parang nalalaglag ang suot kong damit at para akong hinihila ng tubig. Kakauwi ko lang galing sa Antalya, Turkey para dumalo sa isang conference. Pagdating sa hotel room nakita ko agad ang maganda nilang estero na nakapaligid sa mga guest rooms, malinis at wala akong basura na nakitang lumulutang. Jackpot! Kaya naman kahit malamig na sa Central Asia sa harap ng Mediterranean sea lumusong ako sa tubig kinagabihan sa estero. Tama ang hinala ko na malamig nga ang tubig kasi malamig ang hangin. That was the coldest 3 minutes of my life!

The next day nilalagnat na ako. So much for being a fish. In the middle of the day bumalik ako sa kwarto para may kuhanin akong gamit. Nagulat ako ng nakita ko ang wooden flooring sa poolsiede ng mga cleaners using the same water from the pool, tapos binabalik lang nila. No wonder walang lumalangoy dun.

TURKISH GRILL

SAY MY NAME BITCH

A name is a person’s identity. Napakaimportante nito because it makes up your image. Image is everything, sabi nga dun sa “How To Get a Job” book na binasa ko after graduation. May mga corporations na ang ineemlpoy nila ay yung maganda ang image, example: maganda na walang utak (secretary/product endorser/PR/ago-go dancer), gwapo na walang utak (janitor/macho dancer/CEO), may utak pero may itsura (clerical job/embryologist/med tech), may dating pero puro hangin (marketing/sales/mandurugas/faith healer/ass-kisser) at marami pang iba.

Kung di mo makukuha sa physical or mental image puede kang gumawa ng imaginary image sa pamamagitan ng iyong so-called-imaginary-NAME. Ang tunay kong pangalan ay Dennis. Tinamaan ng kidlat, tumanda na ako pero ang naaalala pa rin ng mga taong nakapaligid sa akin ay ako si “Dennis d’Menace” yung cartoons. Forever bata na ako mga kapatid! They will forget my face but not the cartoon...mukha din pala akong cartoon sa personal.

Marami akong kakilala na may sama ng loob sa magulang nila dahil binigyan sila ng mabahong pangalan. Example ko ang pangalang Eusebio Balatkunat. Ikaw ba ay makikipag-phone pal sa kanya? Chat? Magpakasal? Nevermind kung pogi sya pero kung hindi sya willing pagandahin man lang ang nickname nyang “Eb’s” ay baka taga-linis lang talaga sya ng toilet. Nakakatawa naman kung may ka-sex si “Eb’s” sa kama tapos sinabi nyang “SAY MY NAME BITCH!”.”Ooo sweety pie... Oooh...ahh...E...Eb...Eusebio Balatkunat!!! You rock my worlds! Ahhh!”

Paalala lang sa mga magulang na ang mga nicknames kadalasan ay nadedevelope sa school, at maraming sira ulo na bata ngayon. Kaya ngayon pa lang pag-isipan ng mabuti ang pangalan ng mga magiging anak ninyo. H’wag n’yong gayahin yung kasama ng kaibigan ko sa trabaho na ang anak nya ay pinangalanang FOSTERS, dahil lasing sya nung manganak ang missis nya.

Saan ko nakuha ang nickname na DEREK? Mahilig akong manloko sa phone dati, lalo sa mga barkada ko sa hospital. Babaguhin ko lang ang pangalan ko ng “Mark Donald” at palitan ang boses ko maloloko ko na yung na sa kabilang linya. One day naubusan ako ng pangalan, outwitted kumbaga. Sinabi ko ako si Derek...kasi dun ako tumawag sa “direct line” at hindi sa “local extension”. Nahalata ako ng kasama ko kaya the next day DEREK na ang tawag ng mga close friends ko sa akin.

NAME TAG ~ from ELLA GANDA
(sagot ko sa tag ni ellababe...pasensya na at corny ng mga sagot ko medyo pagod pa kasi.)

YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car)
GALIS HONDA (FLAWLESS YUNG ASO KO PROMISE.)

YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie)
VANILLA LENGUA (HO-HO-HO SEXY NITO)

YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)D.DEL (ELLA PUEDE TAYONG MAGING RELATIVES!...ANO YUNG FLY? BANGAW?)

YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)
BLACK ORANGUTAN

YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)
BORJA NAVOTAS (ANG BANTOT)

YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first)DELDE (DI KO NA-GETS)

SUPERHERO NAME (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink)
THE BLUE BLOW JOB

NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers)
FELIX RITO

STRIPPER NAME: (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy)
OIL OF WINTERGREEN STORK (PARANG MATRONANG POKPOK)

WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names)
ZUBIRI ZOBEL (MAGTATAGO KA RIN LANG E DI PAGANDANHIN MO NA)

TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter)
BALATKUNAT BICOL (OOPS! SORRY EBS!)

SPY NAME/BOND GIRL: (your favorite season/holiday, flowers)
SINCO DE MAYO con SAMPAGUITA

CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”)BANANA HAMOCKie

HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree)
PAKAPLOG BAMBOO

YOUR ROCKSTAR ENTOURAGE NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”)
THE SEX HURRICANE TOUR

YOUR PORN NAME: (First Pet + Name of street you grew up on)
GALIS SANTIAGO (PERO HONESTLY SAYANG MAY NAKAKUHA NA SA PANGALANG “POPO LONTOC”. COOL SANA...)

P.S. This time I will tag some of my friends just because I enjoyed doing this one. Tagging Patrice, Janers & Doc Nikki. Gawin ‘nyo ‘to ha! Naks nag-utos ang prinsipe! Pretty please pala hehe-he. May kasama pang mwah.

THE BESTEST COMMENT EVER!

Dear Ellababe,

I cannot find the words to thank you enough. Bihira ang may magsulat ng maganda sa akin, puro death threats. Akshuli, ikaw pa lang ang naalala ko na sumulat ng ganitong feedback sa akin. Iniisip ko nga kung bakit e. Sasagutin ko ang sinulat mo sa akin punto-por-punto. Ito ang FAQ’s ng THE HONEYSPOT at ng taong nagsusulat dito. (Naks! I like that word...FAQ’s!)

·TY Ella at ginawa mo kong flavor of the month for November. Pang-holloween special ang dating! Cool!

·Ang TO GLORIA “EAT SHIT DUMBASS” or “TGESD”ay personal kong damdamin sa administration nya. Imagine 2 days akong nandun sa EDSA na nagpakahirap sumigaw ng “Kupal si Erap!”, tapos ganun lang gagawin ni Tita Glow??? What the!?

·Minsan orgasmicaly-bastos talaga ako gumawa ng title, at may nagsabi na rin na bastos talaga ako sa personal. Pero it doesn’t mean na nag-orgasm ang teacher ko nung high school nung nabastusan sya sa essay ko...or was I wrong? Kasi nakangiti naman s’ya pagkatapos magbasa. Hmm. Damn I’m good!

·Ang THE HONEYSPOT ay nabuo dahil sa wife ko. S’ya ang salarin kung bakit nagsusulat ako dito ngayon. Intended ang site na ‘to para sa wedding preparations namin. May mga nagbabasa naman noon kahit papaano kaya itinuloy ko ng isulat. Si Lany ang honey ng THE HONEYSPOT...at ako yung spot...kasi hindi pa ako tuli. (short yun ng supot...spot! cool!)

·“Buddy by your side”, sure yun! Pero I have a tendency to run kapag may away na. Black belter ako ng “SAYNA-CHI” (Sa’yo Na Chinelas ko tatakbo na ko).

·Si Mr_D ang nag-introduce sa akin kay Patrice. Si Pat naman nabighani sa style ng writing ko kaya pinilit niya akong magsulat sa www.pinoyatbpa.com. First entry ko pa lang nag-shut down na yung site. True story ‘to, di ba Pat?

·Correction dun sa busilak na istilo ng pagsususat...mali ka dun. Ta-da!!! Mas berde pa ang utak ko kesa kay Robbie Tan ng Seiko Films. Hehehe! Pero thanks pa rin.

·Korek ka dun sinabi mong kulang ang knowledge ko sa technobubbles at ASS feet. Nagtitiis lang talaga ako sa template na binigay ng sponsor ko na www.blogger.com . Kung may tutulong lang sana sa akin tulad ni “Manilenya” para baguhin ang sore-eyes kong template ay gagawin ko.

Ibig sabihin ba nito friendship mo na ako Ellababe? If so padalhan mo ako ng bra na cupsize double D kasi tumataba ang puso ko sa entry mo. From now on ilalagay na kita dun sa listahan ko as my number 1 link. Ta-da! Matagal pa akong di makakauwi kaya ilista mo muna yung chocolates. Mukhang puno pa naman yung ref mo ng chocolates galing kay Azrael your lab.

Thanks!
Dennis, Lany & Diego
www.thehoneyspot.blogspot.com

TO GLORIA, "EAT SHIT DUMBASS!"

PEOPLE POWER II

It was 6 years ago when I joined millions of Filipino’s in EDSA to bring down the Estrada regime. To me, Erap was not cut out to become President. Remember the numerous Eraption jokes that we send through text? The Estrada Presidency is one big bad joke that they played in the expense of the poor Filipino people. If it’s bad enough for the one’s that didn’t vote for him, I’m sure that its even worst for the ones that voted for him. After all, the masang Filipino was the one that suffered the most when they put their faith in him…the common tao just didn’t get the joke.

And now after 6 years trying to put Estrada in jail for “plunder”, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo gave him a presidential pardon. How stupid can the government be? Probably dumber than we thought!

We wanted to put Estrada in jail because he plundered the country. He tried to bring us down man! And we want him to pay the price for that. But instead, the government wasted 6 years of tax payer’s money just to pardon him in the end. I was one of those tax payers! Every month I have to struggle to budget my low income just to survive until the next pay day. I remember during tough times that Onat, Ellen, Jhen, Ruben and I would share 2 or 3 cans of sardines over dinner at the hospital. What a waste! No wonder everybody wants to leave the country and escape the poverty.

“The government has put the Filipino down, like a junkie in the gutter.” Pinoy, it’s time to take some action.

UPDATE

Kaya pala dumarami ang mga stuffed toys sa Bahrain Greetings kasi pinaparami talaga nila. (see the animals on the top shelf.)

I've seen 7 Lamborghini's in the past month. 2 orange, 2 greens, 1 black, 1 silver and one yellow. Sa pinas di mo to makikita kahit sa gilid ng kalsada. Pinagtatawanan nga ako ng mayari nung kinuhanan ko 'to ng picture.

I've been to Dubai before my birthday...ibig sabihin tao na ako. Napansin ko lang nung papunta na ako sa hotel ko na may center pala ang mga bading na taga-middle east. "FAG MIDDLE EAST" Their making their presence known. So be afraid...be very afraid!

PARASITOLOGY 101

Noong third year Medical Technology student ako may napaka-interesanteng subject kami na para sa akin ay napaka-exciting. Kasi kapag pumasok ka sa subject na ‘to para ka na ring pumasok sa isang section ng ”Ripley’s Belive it or Not Museum”. Marami kasing specimen na makikita sa garapon (usually mga ibat-ibang klaseng bulate na parasite) na may kasamang story kung papaano nakuha ito.

Naalala ko tuloy yung second day namin. Ang assignment namin ay magdala ng tae, preferably yung galing sa amin mismo. So the next day parepareho kaming may dalang tae. Binigyan kmi ng instructions na lagyan ng number ang bawat garapon na dala namin pagkatapos ay ilalagay sa pila ang mga tae at oobserbahan namin isa isa ang itsura nya based on amount, color, consistency, taste...yuck! pwe! Hahahaha! Joke lang.

Hiyang-hiya yung mga dalaga sa group 1 kasi halata na sa kanila yung mga jebs, ang gaganda pa naman nila tapos malambot ang jebs nila. Mahilig kasi sila kumain ng mani, pampatalino daw. Yung isa mayron pang-mais! Dyahe! Yung tae ng bading sa kabilang group pinagtatawanan namin kasi parang may sipon. Aminin!!! ; ) Hindi yata matatapos ang tawanan kasi magaling magpatawa si prof...puede mo syang i-line up sa judges ng American Idol at siguradong pati si Simon Cowell ay lalaitin nya.

Pagdating ng prof sa table namin kinabahan ako kasi ang jebs ko ay may kakaibang hugis , kulay at texture. Pagkakita pa lang ng prof ko sa jebs ko sinabi agad nyang “Wow! Parang sunog na fishball!” And for 10 seconds para akong nilamon ng lupa. Bubuksan ko sana ang garapon at ihahagis ko sa mukha ng mga tumatawa at sisigaw ng “SHIT-FIGHT”!!! (parang food-fight). Kaya lang may class pa ako ng third period. Sayang!

Pero hindi doon matatapos at saya. Kinuha namin ang sari-sarili naming jebak at sabay-sabay naming itong binuksan parang Christmas gifts, sabay sigaw ng prof namin na “Inhale! Exhale!” Ito daw ang training namin para masanay sa amoy ng tae. Thats why up to now tumagal ako sa middle east kasi kaya kong tiisin ang amoy tae kong co-workers.

Mortal lesson: "Walang taeng mabango, regardless kung gaano ka kaganda. Hindi totoong pare-pareho lang ang amoy ng tae. At kung uulitin naming muli ang experience na ito for sure wala ng kakain ng mais, kang-kong or mani or makikipag-sex the day before the exercise."

Have a nice meal!