(658) WHO STOLE MY WIFE'S REMOTE CONTROL?

JOEL BROKE THE BROKEN REMOTE CONTROL
     Palau Royal Resort Cafeteria Chief Cook Joel Gabris, left, broke the old and dysfunctional remote control of PRR. He's watching here the official game of Mohammad Manik Hossain,back view vs. Luciano Sibayan. Sitting while watching are Paquito 'Pax' Suringa, Jr. and Ferdinand Gutierrez, who left for Philippines for good. Standing 2nd from left are Jordan Santos and Dan Roldan.                                                               (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)


             WHO STOLE MY WIFE'S 
                 REMOTE CONTROL?  

Mr. Isao Takahashi

General Manager

Palau Royal Resort                                        WHO STOLE MY WIFE’S REMOTE CONTROL?

Dear Sir,

                On Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at about 5:00 pm, I’m on a break and while entering the Dorm 1 Lounge, I heard the loud volume of TV on Channel 20 (The Filipino Channel). I saw Cafeteria Chief Cook Joel Gabris, on a break, sleeping on the sofa and nobody is watching TV. I get my wife’s remote control on top of refrigerator and change the channel to ESPN to check on sports news. I borrowed that remote control from my wife in 2008. Then I go to rest room for a few minutes.

                When I come back, Joel is awake and somebody used my wife’s remote control to put the channel back to TFC. It’s okay for me and then I took my dinner.

                The next day, I am looking for the remote and I can’t find it. I made a sign “01-11-2012 PLEASE RETURN MY WIFE’S REMOTE CONTROL -- ROBERT”    and post it at the freezer door of the refrigerator.  Then I talk to Rey Alenain to ask if somebody knows who took my wife’s remote to please return it to me.

After finishing my job at Breeze Bar at 11:00 pm, I found out that somebody took away my posted sign. I look at the trash bin and found this broken remote control. I’m expecting a positive result and this is what I’ve got. I’m sure this is not my wife’s remote because there is an extra one that is exactly the same remote that is out of order at Dorm 1. It doesn’t have a cover for batteries. And it is property of PRR.

According to PRR Employee Handbook on Page 25 #6, this act is subject to written warning, a final warning and suspension from duty without pay for a period not to exceed 14 days or instant dismissal. It states: “Malicious damage to Hotel or guest property.”

                Four days later, I’ve found out who broke the PRR remote control.  It’s Joel Gabris. Rey said to him, “Why did you break it?  It’s not working but it can still be fixed.”

                These are my thoughts of why he/she/they will steal or “hide” or “keep” it:  During the last 4 months, the TV at Dorm 1 is glued to Channel 20 (TFC) 99% of the time from early morning to 2:00 am. The 1% is tune in at ESPN on Monday morning for me to watch American Football (NFL). I make it sure that before I tune in at ESPN, nobody is watching TFC anymore because there is a sign at the cabinet of the TV that says “We all know that everyone likes to watch sports but please don’t change the channel when somebody is watching.”

                Most of the time I haven’t finished watching the whole game and before taking my lunch, I’ll switch it back to TFC. After one hour, I’ll ask their permission to look for the score of the game for about 15 seconds. If the score is lopsided, I’ll tune it back to TFC. If the score is very close, I’ll check the final score on the internet so that they can watch “Showtime” and “Happy, Yipee, Yehey”.  In the evening, I watch only the late night news at TFC from 1:00-1:30 am after they finished watching 7 or 8 Filipino soap operas or TV mini- series.

                Nobody is watching educational channels anymore (Discovery, National Geographic, etc.), which is bad for the brain and not expanding their knowledge. The PRR employees of the year 2007, 2008 and 2009 are more concern of learning more by watching other channels than TFC.

                When the remote was stolen, I’m thinking “why do they have to deny me of my right to watch at least 1% when they can watch it 99% of the time?” They want to “control” my 1% viewing by stealing/hiding/keeping my wife’s remote control.

                I thought of an idea of how they will return my wife’s remote control so I bought on January 12 (Thursday) a new STB Universal Remote Control at Palau National Communication Corporation (PNCC) for $10.00 with Receipt No. KBMKK1011220120100026. My plan is to watch the NFL game on early Monday morning and stay glued on TV till 1:00 pm so that they can’t watch TFC. And when I’m finish, I will not put it back to TFC and I’ll let them use the stolen remote. Of course they will use the stolen one when I’m away but I’ll keep on doing it every day till I get it back.

                Lately, my wife’s remote control, I think, has been misplaced or lost so they have to ask me to put it back to TFC because I switched it to ESPN early in the morning.

More than one year later, they are using the stolen remote again.

                I didn’t give this letter to GM Takahashi because he’s leaving for China and just keep to myself this injustice to me. Not anymore! With a very good and fair new GM, I hope to get some fair results.

Roberto Hernandez

  


Source: Chess And Music (Perfect Combination)
             The Beginning of Chess In Palau
             By Roberto Hernandez
             December 2013
             

(250) HERNANDEZ LEADS NCC, PAX CUP

INTENSIVE CLASS C TRAINING
Ms. Tonet Medilo, 2nd from right, is undergoing intensive chess training every night at Palau Royal Resort Dorm 1 under the guidance of Miguel Gancayo, right, the current leader of Paquito Suringa Cup Rapid Chess tournament (Class B).                                                (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)



         HERNANDEZ LEADS NCC,
                      PAX CUP

ONLY TWO games were played in the week 7 of the 2009 Palau National Chess Championship with 4th seed Roberto Hernandez collecting his 5th win by defeating Craig Dittrich in 24 moves of Danish Gambit on Sunday, Nov. 08 at D. J. Cruz General Merchandise premises.

On Friday evening Nov. 06, Masum Billah played his 9th game against 3rd seed and venue host Gene Pastrana and lost in 44 moves of Sicilian Defence.

Jun Mahor, who totes a 2-3-1 win-loss-draw record, set up a match with Paquito Suringa, Jr. at Palau Royal Resort Dorm 1 on Monday, Nov. 09 but he didn't show up.

Top qualifier Michael Mercado was informed to play at least 2 games on Sunday but he didn't show up also at the tournament site.

He was at the Palau National Gymnasium watching/playing basketball.

He has only played one game so far (a draw with Mahor). He needs to play 10 more games before Christmas.

He is requested to call Hernandez to set up matches with him, Suringa, Jr. Pastrana, Romeo Caballes and Bernard Garcia in whatever day and time that he is available. This is a golden chance for him to gain international ranking.

The undefeated Garcia didnt make it on Sunday as he is on call support for the whole day.

He emailed Hernandez asking for solicitation letter for their suppliers to support the ongoing NCC.

In the consolation round (Class B) of the NCC, Elizalde Madrinan clustered a crucial win over Bangladeshi bet Akram Hossain in more than 70 moves of King's Pawn Opening.

Late in the night, Class B leader Tito Cabunagan is practicing blitz chess with Cyril Montel, Jr. as no available player is present while Billah and Jose Misael de Jesus aka Jimboy and lost in 40 moves of Bird's Opening.

In the resumption of Paquito Suringa Cup Rapid Chess tournament at PRR Dorm 1, Class A invited player Joel Flor finally played on Saturday Nov. 07.

He drew his first game vs. Hernandez and lost the 2nd one. He swept Jomar Alerta but was swept in return by Nino Flores.
On Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 11, Alerta was swept again by Hernandez time and virtually bow out of contention for the top 4 slots.

In the Class B division, erstwhile leader Miguel Gancayco is back in the driver's seat after sweeping Ferdie Altea and Joel Gabris and split the 2-game match with Rey Alenain on Tuesday evening Nov. 10.

Flores suggested that the top 4 finishers in both Class will have a semifinal match with no. 1 seed vs. no. 4 and No. 2 vs. No. 3

The top 2 in each division will receive cash prize from the $5.00 registration fees of each contestant plus some small cash support from other employees of Palau Royal Resort especially the Accounting Division.

Flores' suggestion will be applied. Many players and observers criticized that it is better if the one who suggested that format has already paid his registration fee.

Flores, Robert Tubice and Alerta (all of Engineering Department) are the only 3 players who haven't paid their dues yet.

CURRENT STANDINGS AND THEIR WIN-LOSS-DRAW SLATE:
CLASS A 1. Roberto Hernandez (12-1-1) 2. Nino Flores (9-5-0) 3. Arnel Ogalesco (8-5-1) 4. Paquito Suringa, Jr. (7-8-1) 5. Andres Mestizo II (5-7-2) 6. Jaime Guevarra (4-5-3) 7. Joel Flor (4-5-1) 8. Jomar Alerta (2-9-1) 9. Robert Tubice (0-4-0)

CLASS B 1. Miguel Gancayco (11-3-1) 2. Elizalde Madrinan (10-3-3-) 3. Rey Alenain (10-4-0) 4. Randy Sioson (6-6-1) 5. Joel Gabris (6-8-0) 6. Jerome Ratunil (4-4-1) 7. Ferdie Altea (3-6-0) 8. George Gabris (3-9-0) 9. Ronel Gutierrez (2-9-0)

The 2009 Palau National Chess Championship are sponsored by PALIBHASA group of Bobby and Ogie Pineda and Jun dela Cruz ($60.00 cash prize) and by Bhoey Gopez of Island Logistics, Lucio Bandibas of WCTC and by Ed Martinez of Print Zone.

Mr. Gopez will go to Philippines for training on Nov. 20 to December 09. He will bring their sponsored 5 trophies when he returns.


Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
            Tia Belau Newspaper
            Pages 13 & 15
            Volume 18
            Issue 46
            November 16-22, 2009

(195) Hernandez is Pax Cup Champ; Cyril Nips Elpi

PAX CUP CHAMP AND RUNNER-UP
Roberto Hernandez, sitting right, bags the Class A title of Paquito Suringa Cup Invitational Rapid Chess tournament at Palau Royal Resort Dormitory 1. His runner-up, Joel Flor, sitting left, almost beat him in the first game. Standing from left to right, Vhal Taylo, Ferdie Altea, Paquito Suringa, Class B champion Miguel Gancayco and Joel Gabris.                                                                            (Photo by Paquito Suringa, Jr.)

HERNANDEZ IS PAX CUP CHAMP;
CYRIL NIPS ELPI

PRIOR TO the start of Paquito Suringa Cup semifinals at Palau Royal Resort Dormitory 1, a drama unfolds when semifinalist and invited player Joel Flor informed the organizers that he will not make it at 4:00 pm because he was asked to work overtime.

Top seed Roberto Hernandez decided to replace Joel with no. 5 Paquito Suringa but 2nd seed Nino Flores rejected the idea. He would be very happy to make it to the finals without sweat.

At 4:15, Hernandez started his semifinal game against Arnel Ogalesco and the news that Joel is on his way to play against Nino incited the crowd of non-qualifiers.

In the middle of Hernandez-Ogalesco match, the Flores-Flor match ensued. Hernandez is annotating their game and castles on the 14th moves. Arnel blundered away a knight and was mated by a pawn on the 28th move of Danish Gambit.

Nino is struggling with a passive position and resigned when he can't stop Joel from obtaining a new queen.

The Game 1 of the finals show how tough Joel is. He won 3 pawns after only 13 moves of solid attack. Although Hernandez recovered 2 of those pawns 17 moves later, Joel can't convert his h pawn advantage to a win and settled for a draw after 70 moves.

Hernandez stopped writing their chess moves when he got into time trouble with more than 4 minutes left in his clock while Joel still have 16 minutes. Roberto's roommate Jaime Guevarra wrote 3/4 of their moves.

In the second game, a Sicilian Defence, Hernandez exchanged his knight for 2 pawns to avoid losing his queen but obtained a strong attack and mobility of his pieces.

Joel was mated on the 28th move after a neat bishop sacrifice a move earlier.

Joel received $15.00 as runner-up and Hernandez pocketed $25.00. He donated $10.00 for treat to other participants and prepared for his match against Palau's number one chess player Menandro 'Boy' Manuel in the resumption of 2009 Palau National Chess Championship at D. J. Cruz General Merchandise premises.

After having dinner, Hernandez called venue host Gene Pastrana but nobody answered. He called Manuel's 2 cell phone numbers and no response also. He thought the players left early.

Finally, after four days, Hernandez was able to get the results of Sunday's games (November 29). Second seed Cyril Montel, Jr. is on a roll and nipped Elpidio Manaligod in 32 moves of Center Counter and stayed undefeated with 5 straight wins.

In the other game (Class B), Tito Cabunagan adjourned his match against Gonzalo Escapatoria because the power went off after only 12 moves.

Their game will be resumed after Escapatoria comes back from Philippines to buy construction materials for Masang, his employer.

Edgar Cayanan, the Assistant Food and Beverage Manager of PRR, is sponsoring $20.00 for cash prize or trophy plus $10.00 cash for the next PRR chess tournament for employees only to start on December 10.

It is to be called Edgar Cayanan Cup Rapid Chess tournament. No invited players this time and Hernandez will not be allowed to participate.

It will be a double round-robin without Class A or B. Players will use the 56 By The Book Chess Openings prepared by Hernandez to familiarize the players to what kind of openings or defence they will use that fit their style.

Ivan II Chess Computer will join the field with its strength at EASY against beginners and AVERAGE against top seed Guevarra and Pax.

The 2009 Palau National Chess Championship is sponsored by Bhoey Gopez of Island Logistics, Lucio Bandibas of WCTC and Ed Martinez of Print Zone -- (5 trophies) and by Bobby Pineda, Ogie Pineda and Jun dela Cruz of PALIBHASA group of macho men.


Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
             Tia Belau Newspaper
             Pages 13 & 15
            Volume 18 Issue 49
            December 07-13, 2009