Fragments Of My Soul

Earthquake and Tsunami

2011-03-27T21:41:00.002+08:00

Barely less than amonth after I have posted my Prelude to 2012 Catastrophe, an 8.9 magnitude earthquake hit Japan which caused a massive tsunami that practically washed off parts of northeastern Japan, especially Sendai and Fukushima Prefecture.

Unlike with the earthquake and tsunami that hit Phuket in Thailand which came as a surprise, the tsunami that hit Japan on March 11, 2011 happened in broad daylight, to the advantage of TV news crew, they were able to take 'live' coverage as the gigantic wave practically gobbled up everything on its way to the shorelines of Japan. I have seen TV broadcast taken via helicopter still showing the fast gigantic waves about to hit the shores. Some people managed to capture on amateur video the heart-breaking wrath of nature beginning from the shaking earth to the coming of the huge tsunami. It was the golden moments of television broadcasting - live footages of massive destruction, and also of geologists, seismologists, tsunami watchers, and even of the ordinary people who can not help but grab their videocams and digital cameras to document the disaster.

On television, it was as if it was one of the Hollywood movies full of tricks and effects. But it was real. It was as if I was simply watching the hit movie 2012. But it was real. My jaw dropped. Buildings were crushed, transferred, gobbled up. Yatchs, ships, cars, trucks, trains - they were all toys. They simply were debris along the way of the punishing tsunami. Explosions seemed cinematic. More so for the hydrogen explosion at the nuclear power plant that was destroyed by the powerful tsunami.

When nature punishes, it really means business. Get out of the way, or perish.

Are these a prelude to the dreaded '2012' phenomenon?

Just asking.

Prelude to 2012 Catastrophe?

2011-02-23T00:07:00.002+08:00

Could it be that the unusual activities of the Earth's crust (series of volcanic eruptions, sporadic earthquakes) that had been going on in the recent months are simply preludes to the much hyped 2012 Mayan prediction of a changed world?

Could it also be that the geomagnetic storms sparked by solar eruptions are also a part of the dramatic preludes to the 2012 prediction? Please check Space weather could wreak havoc in gadget-driven world.

Could it also be that the unusual weather patterns that the world is experiencing now, either caused by global warming or not, are a result of the gradual shifting of the earth's crust in preparation of the dreaded polar shift believed to regularly take place on earth every 26,000 years?

While many skeptics believe that there is no truth to the Mayan prediction about the 'end' of the world in 2012, the signs and symptoms of a dynamic earth are showing up more often.

Many believe that God would never allow the earth to be destroyed again. I also ask, why then has Jesus warned us of some form of destruction which are graphically described in the Bible?

Consider the following: Mark 13:24-25 (cf Matthew 24.29-31; Luke 21.25-28)

v24"In the days after that time of trouble the sun will grow dark, the moon will no longer shine, v25the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers in space will be driven from their courses.

Let's take a look at Luke 21:11; 25-28

v11There will be terrible earthquakes, famines, and plagues everywhere; there will be strange and terrifying things coming from the sky.

v25"There will be strange things happening to the sun, the moon, and the stars. On earth whole countries will be in despair, afraid of the roar of the sea and the raging tides. v26People will faint from fear as they wait for what is coming over the whole earth, for the powers in space will be driven from their courses. v27Then the Son of Man will appear, coming in a cloud with great power and glory. v28When these things begin to happen, stand up and raise your heads, because your salvation is near."

So will the skeptics refute also what Jesus himself 'said' about the 'end of days'?

In Mark 13:31, we read

v31Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

In fact, from Mark 13:24ff, the entire entry which speaks about unimaginable disasters, gives us a warning:

(Matthew 24.29-31; Luke 21.25-28)

v24"In the days after that time of trouble the sun will grow dark, the moon will no longer shine, v25the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers in space will be driven from their courses. v26Then the Son of Man will appear, coming in the clouds with great power and glory. v27He will send the angels out to the four corners of the earth to gather God's chosen people from one end of the world to the other.

(Matthew 24.32-35; Luke 21.29-33)

v28"Let the fig tree teach you a lesson. When its branches become green and tender and it starts putting out leaves, you know that summer is near. v29In the same way, when you see these things happening, you will know that the time is near, ready to begin.a v30Remember that all these things will happen before the people now living have all died. v31Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

For the non-believers, the above entries could be translated into other ways. The theologians might even have beautiful, philosophical explanations on them. Debates on it might even confuse us more. If Jesus himself warned that his words will never pass away, then his imagery of destruction can not just be an exaggeration to illustrate his point, which the philosophers and theologians are fond of interpreting differently (not in toto).

What about the warnings as allegedly described by the Lady in Portugal to the three children, which had been kept for a long time until before the death of one of the seers, Sr. Lucia?

Will you simply adopt a wait-and-see attitude or give the prophecy the benefit of the doubt and be prepared for any eventuality in 2012? What if the prediction erred? By a year? By 5 years? By 10 years? Or more years, yet will happen just the same? Could we say that the Mayan Prediction was wrong because the destruction did not occur in 2012?

Just asking.

Blogger in Tagalog?

2011-02-18T19:27:00.000+08:00

I was surprised on the newest move of Blogger.com to fit to the local language the instructions to sign in for my blog site. Tagalog? Why? Which makes me wonder what up with these sites that always assume as if you don't understand their default language of English.

This holds true also to Google.com which chooses the language of your geographical location based probably on the IP address that you have. It is quite weird and annoying that the assumption is that you would prefer the local language than the default English. There is also this continued effort to translate some sites into the local language of the geographical location of the net surfer.

It is not that I don't like my national language of Filipino. But I am not so comfortable seeing buttons and links in the Filipino language. Take for example Mga tool sa wika in Google. Or Mag-sign out also in Google. Good if the translations are purist. then and only then could I say that it is indeed an authentic translation of the English language to Filipino. But for as long as they remain Taglish or Engalog, I still prefer the default English language for me to navigate the site.

Forgiveness

2011-02-11T22:33:00.000+08:00

I had been following closely the death of former AFP Chief of Staff and Sec. Angelo Reyes. The stern stance of the family immediately after his death towards his detractors and accusers gradually melted into forgiveness.

I almost could feel how the family members felt on Day 1. Anger. Denial. Hatred. Cynicism. Distrust. Grief. Name it. It must have been very painful, indeed. The family was in a state of shock, much like the entire country was also in a state of shock. It was legitimate for the family to feel all these.

But gradually, the family's doors began to open, even to those who may have pushed Reyes to pull the trigger. Gradually, I saw in the family their value system which only God-fearing and God-loving families may have. Reyes is still lying in state, yet, the wife and children already expressed forgiveness to the people whose hands are dripping with Reyes' blood. What a gesture of Christianity and a display of statesmanship!

I guess, Sec. Reyes is smiling at them on how his family is handling his untimely demise.

The outpouring of love and support from all kinds of people to the bereaved family is indeed making them strong. It is helping them cope and heal their wounds. The family has suffered and bruised to black and blue, but in stead of wallowing on their pains, they chose to forgive...

I just hope that in the next days to come, they continue to show a similar stance - meek and humble, forgiving and accepting.

Suicide

2011-02-08T21:32:00.000+08:00

Photo courtesy of inquirer.net

The news that former Sec. Angelo Reyes took his own life came as a shocking surprise to me early this morning as I was listening over the radio in my Office. I followed the developments as they unfolded as early as before 8:00 a.m.

I don’t know personally Sec. Reyes but I felt that his death will become a celebrated one and might even trigger some serious and big future events in the country. I was shocked that a former General and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines would succumb to pressure or perhaps depression amid the controversies he was facing vis-à-vis allegations that he received a huge P50M as a send-off gift when he finally retired from the military service.

I say it is unlikely for a strong-willed person like him to easily give up his life, knowing that he was a principled man. I knew him as someone who served in the military in the interest of the Filipino nation – no matter what others think of him as otherwise. For him, his honor and dignity were utmost. Not to mention his beloved family. Whatever were the accusations against him, even up to his last day, to me he was reasonable and statesman even as he was facing one of the most humiliating experiences one could ever imagine. To think that military men are known to be “officers and gentlemen”. If one is accused of something that he is innocent of, it comes as a devastating blow on one’s person. It must have been so painful to Sec. Reyes, especially, if in his heart he knew he was not guilty. But the events took the better of him. He allegedly pulled the trigger that eventually ripped his heart apart and fell on the grave of his mother – known to be very close to his heart.

This brings so many questions left unanswered, which only the Secretary could.

I condole with the family – especially to the children who could still be in a state of shock. I almost feel how the family feels. It is too difficult to lose a loved one, especially in the thickness of a battle.

No, don’t get me wrong. I am not siding anyone on the controversies surrounding the investigations going-on in the Senate. I am a person who does not easily jump to conclusions. I am just shocked that a former General allowed himself to be overcome by accusations not yet proven beyond reasonable doubt. In the guise of “in-aid-of-legislation”, the powerful Senate grills anyone even as one already begins to lose dignity in public because the media is always around to scoop and nose for the latest, juiciest, and sizzling twists and turns of the dramas of real lives. These resource persons become public properties waiting to be devoured by the best predators that can mince the most brutal, harshest, most pungent words that the ear maniacs love to applaud. And there is hardly a way that the victim-resource persons could subject the “honorable” members of the Senate or Congress to grill them also like what they did to them. And everything is done “in aid of legislation.”

Many investigations had been conducted by the Congress and the Senate. I was not able to follow up all of them – as I also have other interests. But may I ask: How many among those hot and high profile investigations really produced the laws much needed by this country for it to become the nation we all dreamt to be? I only have ten fingers. And I hope each finger could represent these legislations which were offshoots of high profile investigations. I would have preferred that serious accusations be tackled in the proper courts so that when those found guilty of graft and corruptions could be convicted right there and then.

The loss of one General Angelo Reyes is a big one. No matter what may have been his alleged involvements in some irregularities, ending his life is not redemptive either because it made us wonder more of the truth.

To Sec. Reyes, Godspeed. You will be missed by so many people whose lives you’ve personally touched. Meanwhile, I pray that your self sacrifice will bear much fruit for this nation. And let history be the judge of who you have been to the Filipino people.

Bohol

2011-01-27T15:32:00.035+08:00

A week ago, I had a chance to visit Bohol. I didn't know what to expect and see because it was my first time to be there. When I was in Cebu, I knew that it was just almost a pair of eyes away. I was telling myself, Bohol must be a typical island with just the ordinary places that I have seen in the provinces.

I was wrong.

Bohol is definitely an enchanting place. A special place where you could find people so courteous and friendly and very religious. Being one of the most historic places of the country on the arrival of the Spaniards in the 16th Century, the towns are adorned with special church edifices which are famous for their coral bricks. Yes, corals from the rich coral reefs of Bohol way back during the Spanish time. These churches are very unique. In Northern Luzon, one would find churches made of bricks from clay.

I went inside Panglao Church. I could sense its age. But it is a treasure. Even the private school beside it shows its age.

The Panglao Parish Church

The grandeur inside is enhanced by the ceiling.

I also had the chance of visiting the world famous Chocolate Hills. Oh my, to go up the view deck, one has to struggle the 214 steps going up its summit. Our tour guide said it used to be 213 steps only, but to make them more meaningful, the local executives added another step to jive with February 14 as there would be so many lovers going up the summit every Valentine's Day.

The 214 steps leading to the summit of the View Deck

Playing with the Chocolate Hills

At the foot of the View Deck

Of course no one would forget to see the famous small primates of Bohol - the tarsier. Bohol sojourn is not complete without seeing even just one tarsius.

A pose with a tarsius

How I enjoyed lunch at the Loboc River famous for its katamaran floating restaurants! The lunch was delicious. Add to it the live musical performance by local artists as you cruise along the river. Along the way at the river banks are local dancers in their folk costumes to entertain the tourists.

My special ride with the catamaran, a type of floating restaurant at the Loboc River

I walked along the beach at Alona Kew Beach Resort in Panglao Island. People were warm and all smiles. I chanced upon some people simply enjoying a walk like what I did. Two children were practically picking starfishes along the shore. I borrowed one for a souvenir pic. Seafoods were everywhere especially at night. they are served hot broiled! Arrrgghh...! I was not able to relish even jsut a little of them. Nonetheless I captured them on camera!

Back Again

2010-12-13T23:41:00.000+08:00

It's been a while that I posted anything here in my blog site. Errr... I guess I also suffered from chronic laziness attacks. Or perhaps I was overtaken by a lot of concerns that I hardly could find time to squeeze by tired grey matter for blogging. And I wish that beginning this time, I could blog again.

I wish....

I guess I am not alone in this sruggle of finding time to regularly update personal blogs like mine. For quite a time, even the more famous bloggers whom I have been following often hibernate during their winter times like what happened to me. When the attack is chronic, my mind doesn't really like to work. I just shelf those thoughts with high hopes that I could retrieve them back like an e-file being stored in my brain cells. But the flesh does not work that way. Unlike with machines, the brain cells wear out everyday. And as the previous information is overwritten by more recent ones, my grey matter finds it difficult to download the previously stored data for future use. Or am I getting older, huh? Hahaha! I hope not yet.

How many of you guys out there have experiences like mine? Short-term memory attacks. Haha! Do I need to take some supplements to avert my memory lapses?

I really wish to be back again. For good. And for my personal historicity. For memories' sake.

People Again

2009-11-05T05:44:00.001+08:00

With His Excellency Ricardo Cardinal vidal of Cebu at the historic Manila Hotel

With Fr. Gregorio L. Banaga, Jr., CM of the South Manila Consortium

With Jose Manalo of Eat Bulaga

Chanced upon Sen. Richard Gordon while being interviewed by media

With noted Rizalist and Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist Ambeth Ocampo

A Preview of the Automated National Philippine Elections

2009-11-04T20:11:00.001+08:00

Here's a preview on what is in store for the 2010 National Philippine Elections. Smartmatic-TIM gave a demonstration on how the machine works. Any comment or afterthoughts?

Quick Guide to the Automated Elections @ Yahoo! Video

PDI cites Ella blog entry in its editorial

2009-10-25T14:07:00.002+08:00

Ella's blog entry truly deserves all the attention. Even the prestigious Philippine Daily Inquirer wrote an editorial about it.

To be cited as a primary source for an editorial of a respected broadsheet is a double honor. The paper takes you seriously and you have a strong point that deserves support.

That was what the PDI did for Ella's entry Aanhin pa ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo? (A special report from a volunteer) .

The editorial reads:

Turtle-paced relief

MANILA, Philippines—On October 21, a blogger named “Ella” posted an entry chronicling her experience as a volunteer at the DSWD warehouse on Church Road, Pasay City. She photographed heaps of relief goods, many of them donations from foreign governments and organizations, and asked why so little seemed to have been done with the supplies. (The blogger never alleged outright theft or mishandling of relief goods, only frustration over how goods didn’t seem to be moving out the door with any speed at all.)

The blogger also asked why imported goods seemed to have been set aside. After all, the last thing we need is a repeat of the Guinsaugon relief efforts, where officials cornered imported relief goods and sent expired domestic relief items to the victims.

Within two days the entry had been read, and passed on to others, by a growing number of people online, and had piqued the interest of the Philippine News in the United States and media here at home.

Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral responded with a statement saying the department was working “around the clock,” and that while the DSWD’s warehouses were, indeed, full, “we have distributed 500,000 food packs and 200,000 clothing packs as well as thousands of sacks of rice, blankets, beddings, and items of personal hygiene in the past almost 4 weeks.”

Cabral says that what is taking place is a “calibrated release” of goods, and her response is worth reproducing at length: “Relief response is not just emergency assistance. There will come a time when we have to do recovery work and rehabilitation work and when that time comes there will not be many volunteers left. There will be large NGOs that we usually work with but mostly it will be the government that will provide relief to these people who are starting to recover and who need to be rehabilitated. We need to keep some resources for them because when that time comes, there will be no more donations coming in, some will be reserved.”

And yet in her official statement, she pursued the line put forward by her secretary—blame it on a lack of volunteers: “Our goods are repacked by volunteers who are there because they want to help. But they are volunteers and report when they have time to help us. Sometimes there are two hundred of them and sometimes there are only a dozen.”

There is something incongruous about the welfare secretary saying government will do the job, as it expects volunteers to peter out, only to then blame its inability to act in a swifter manner, on a lack of volunteers. Public opinion has been—deservedly, we believe—harsh on the DSWD precisely because while the private sector required volunteers to accomplish what is a temporary job, the DSWD has a continuing task and enormous resources at the command of the President. Or, she could have made a public appeal—and indeed did make one, but only after the blogger’s entry started making the rounds.

We understand Secretary Cabral means well. As reported in the papers on Oct. 19, she vowed a “politico-proof” distribution of relief. She told radio station dzBB, “We will not allow politicos to repack UN-donated goods. These will go through us and our personnel will be there while the goods are distributed.”

We bring this up because a “politico-proof” policy is the right thing and ought to have been applied to all relief goods. But she seems to have established one set of behavior for one set of goods, and another set of behavior for another.

The DSWD’s own record of disbursements of relief goods lists the following: disbursements to Secretary Bello on Sept. 27; to Representative Puno (brother of the interior secretary) on Sept. 28; to Representative Ermita-Buhain (daughter of the executive secretary) on Sep. 29 and Oct. 7; to Senator Revilla on Oct. 1; to Representative Crisologo on Oct. 2 and 13; to Rep. Rodrigo Antonino on Oct. 9; to Representative Pizarro on Oct. 10; Representative Abayon on Oct. 11; Representative Arquiza on Oct. 12; and Vice President De Castro on Oct. 3 and 15. In addition, there were at least 15 disbursements to the Malacañang Disaster Operations Center, and three to Camp Aguinaldo.

Far from “politico-proof”!

Ella opened it all. Hail to advocates like Ella.

Blogger exposes alleged DSWD slow-paced distribution of relief goods

2009-10-25T13:27:00.004+08:00

Could this be true?

Taking pictures of the 'humongous' undisclosed DSWD warehouse where local and international donations of goods for the victims of the typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng are stored and waiting to be repacked and distributed, a blogger got so enraged by what she has seen and experienced when she served as a volunteer to be one of the repackers and called on her followers to spread the word about it.

Apparently, blogger Ella Rose felt it unthinkable that the DSWD still has all those piles and piles of relief goods which were donated for the victims of the recent typhoons while so many victims are still waiting for additional relief because they were totally devastated. Houses were destroyed. Many were left jobless. Thousands await help in evacuation centers. Those who have nothing hardly even could have three meals a day. More so to buy cooking utensils, at the least. Or perhaps even just a decent mat to sleep on or a towel to dry them up either from sweat or another fresh dash of rain on them. It must have felt so appalling to be faced with stocks upon stocks upon stocks of Pork and Beans, water jugs, cooking pots, sleeping mats, blankets, etc. Not to mention the yet to arrive 100 tons of fortified biscuits from the United Nations World Food Program.

She was enraged some more when allegedly the DSWD reasoned out that there were no enough volunteers to repack them so they could be distributed at the soonest, reasonable time. She reposted some pictures showing volunteers in some other relief centers, even as young as 10 years old, very much willing to extend efforts to help expedite the much needed relief.

As soon as Ella has posted her emotion-laden entry in her blog, her followers and readers immediately posted their disgust and anger on the DSWD. Tirades were thrown at the DSWD. The entry has reached the international community like wild fire.

The DSWD secretary reacted on the controversy. Of course, there are always explanations and reasons. The media was able to catch the hot item. The DSWD banked on the word 'rotting' goods used by the blogger as a defense wall. Goods are released, it said, on calibrated amounts. The Philippine Daily Inquirer ran a story about the defense. Giant TV networks ABS-CBN and GMA 7 also had their share of the item.

One or two weeks from now, it is possible that those goods would no longer be there. They would have been distributed already to the local DSWD offices in areas devastated by the typhoons. Meanwhile, help would continue to arrive, both from local and international donors. The warehouses could be filled up again. The pictures shown by blogger Ella are definitely quite disturbing on first look. It is so easy to accuse the DSWD of being so slow or worse hoarding those goods for whatever reason one can imagine.

But could truth be judged based on pictures alone accompanied with emotionally filled comments or descriptions?

I salute blogger Ella Rose for her exposé. That was truly admirable of her. How many among us could act like her and take a personal stand and become the 'guardian' of truth, justice, and equality? How many among us can speak up genuinely for those who have less in life?

Ella did what she believed was right. She felt that by letting those relief goods be stocked up longer, it is also denying the intended recipients the good intentions of those who responded promptly to help them right away. If indeed they are for distribution, why delay?

The DSWD should explain what they mean by 'calibrated release'. Does it mean storing some of them for future emergencies or calamities? But the goods were donated for the victims of Ondoy and Pepeng. Perhaps to include Quedan and Ramil. Not for other future calamity victims. Statistics of victims is a public knowledge. Apportioning or allocating these donated goods could be easily done by experts. The DSWD should know by now how much should go to the different regions devastated by the typhoons. I guess all donations must go. No single donation should be left lurking somewhere in any government agency or private entity for that matter. All donations were meant for the victims. And it must be as soon as possible. As soon as they are repacked. Future victims of calamities will have their own share, too once we get there. Meanwhile, the government should always have buffer budget for calamities which it prepares for future use, especially when donors already get burned or fatigued. But it should not come from the donations which the donors gave for a particular intention.

Lessons have to be learned.

Meanwhile, the power of the Internet in disseminating information is not a question anymore. Bloggers like me are free to post practically anything under the sun, whatever pleases us. Bloggers could either make or break people or institutions. Once published in the Internet, one hardly has control anymore. And before one knows it, the damage has been done.

5 missing Chinese students found

2009-10-17T21:07:00.001+08:00

Thanks God! The five "missing" Chinese students of St. Paul University Philippines weren't missing after all. They probably left for Manila without even bothering to ask permission from the University officials. Two of them already left for Hong Kong. The other three are yet to leave for Shanghai on Saturday.

The news story follows:

SANTIAGO CITY, Isabela – Police have found the whereabouts of the five Chinese students who were reported missing in Cagayan province.

The Chinese nationals, all exchange students at the Catholic-run Saint Paul’s University in Tuguegarao city, were last seen on October 6 but the school’s international student coordinator reported the incident only after a week.

The “missing" persons were identified by school authorities as Li Sha, Tang Jing, Yu Ming, Zheng Xian Jun and Nang Yuan Yuan.

Probers from the regional police office, however, found out that the students left for Manila on the night of October 6.

Li Sha and Nang Yuan Yuan were discovered to have flown out of the country via a Cebu Pacific flight bound for Hong Kong on Oct. 10.

The remaining three are set to leave the country Saturday night for Shanghai, China.

Four of the “missing" students reportedly sought temporary shelter at the house of a Chinese friend in Mandaluyong while Yu Ming stayed in the Manila house of a close friend from the university.

Cagayan Valley police director Chief Supt. Roberto Damian said it looked like the foreign students suffered from homesickness.

However, he said they will still examine Yu Ming’s classmate, identified only as Stella, if there are other reasons why the Chinese nationals left without going telling school authorities. - GMANews.TV

I felt a little relieved. Thanks God, it was not a case of kidnapping.

5 Chinese Exchange Students Missing

2009-10-17T07:58:00.000+08:00

I was surprised and can't believe what I stumbled upon while surfing the net this morning. GMANews.TV reports that 5 Chinese exchange students of St. Paul University Philippines in Tuguegarao City have been feared missing.

The Chinese nationals were identified as Li Sha, Tang Jing, Yu Ming, Zheng Xian Jun and Nang Yuan Yuan, and were reportedly last seen on Oct. 6.

The entire story was featured by Yahoo! News Philippines. It reads:

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – Five Chinese students from a Catholic-run university in northern Philippines have been reported missing, police said. The missing persons were identified by school authorities as Li Sha, Tang Jing, Yu Ming, Zheng Xian Jun and Nang Yuan Yuan are all exchange students enrolled at the Saint Paul’s University in Tuguegarao, the regional and provincial capital city.

Officials from the university identified the students as Li Sha, Tang Jing, Yu Ming, Zheng Xian Jun and Nang Yuan Yuan, who reportedly were last seen on Oct. 6.

Cagayan Valley police director Chief Superintendent Roberto Damian said Dr. Peregrina Battung, the school’s international student coordinator, reported the case only on October 13. Damian said he has sent a team to investigate the matter. Two Chinese visitors at the Cagayan Economic Zone and Freeport (CEZF) in Santa Ana were also reported missing last April 5. The Chinese nationals, identified as Wehon Che, 35, and Chenny Ang Lee, 45 were both guest speakers to an affair at the Sun City Casino inside CEZF. Authorities said the two were first seen at the Eastern Hawaii Casino also inside CEZF but police tracking teams found them in Manila. - GMANews.TV

I hope that this is not a case of kidnapping. And I pray that they would be found soon.

I am a Paulinian. St. Paul lives in me.

2009-10-17T05:16:00.002+08:00

May I share with you an oratorical piece that I have written for our 3rd year and 4th year Oration Contest. There is a strong likelihood that those who can relate with it are also Paulinians.

I am a Paulinian. St. Paul lives in me.

To stand for Christ. To witness for Christ. To preach like Christ. To feel like Christ. To see like Christ. To love like Christ. To live like Christ.

These were what Saul of Tarsus, who eventually became St. Paul, the most zealous among the apostles, though he never met Christ physically, did when he was converted by Christ himself on his way to Damascus. And I am a Paulinian, whose name was inspired by the Greatest Writer and Preacher of all the Apostles. I must say, it is indeed an honor to carry his name Paul because I am a Paulinian.

St. Paul urged Christians to be “all to all” – to minister to the “body of Christ” in faith, hope, and love.

I am a Paulinian. My roots could be traced from the farming villages of the old, rustic Levesville-la-Chenard in Beauce, France. Four young girls moved by compassion began works of charity for the poor – taking care of the sick and teaching them to read and write and about Jesus. A young priest, Pe’re Louis Chauvet nurtured these young souls until their congregation grew in number. He endorsed them to the then bishop of Chartres, Most Rev. Paul Godet de Marais who gave them his name and St. Paul as their patron to become the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres. The rest, they say, is history.

In 1905, the SPC Missionary Sisters reached the Philippine shores in Dumaguete “to guard the faith” and teach the young people of the “Good News of salvation.”

More than a hundred years later, now here I am, standing proudly before all of you – a Paulinian, inheritor of a glorious past whose people were motivated by their love of Christ. We, Paulinians, live by our motto Caritas Christi urget nos! – our Love of Christ impels us.

This makes me different from all the rest. I stand tall and firm in a sea of people who care less because I care more.

I am a Paulinian.

I am formed as Christ-centered, integrated, environment-caring, and community-oriented person. I am a Paulinian who is academically equipped and morally sensitive in the service of my family, the Church, and my country. I am formed to value the finer and nobler things in life, always conscious of the Gospel of Christ. I am formed to respect myself and to recognize the dignity of others. I am taught to make responsible decisions and to use my knowledge and responsibilities to help others. I am a Paulinian molded to integrate my spiritual and moral values, academic, cultural, vocational, and technological knowledge in my life particularly in fulfilling my various responsibilities in my home and in the community where I belong. I am a Paulinian who upholds my identity, appreciates my cultural heritage, and involves myself in issues geared towards community and nation-building.

I am shocked and angered to see people who are elevated into power tasked to manage the affairs of the government, yet they are motivated by greed and lust for more power in order to get more.

I grind my teeth each time that the fundamental rights and dignity of my fellow are trampled upon by those who are callous and ruthless.

I am shaken by people who think only of themselves regardless of what the cost may be.

I grieve in disgust and pain when those who swore to uphold the law and to protect the people are the same people to bend and circumvent the law to be scot-free from crookedness at the expense of the people.

I clench my fist in shame and protest when lawmakers who profess the Christian Catholic faith would push to legalize and promote the use of internationally accepted contraceptives to ensure “a manageable population of healthy, educated and productive citizens”.

I am outraged not merely by the floodwaters brought by cruel typhoons that ravage cities and provinces and claim hundreds of lives as they destroy billions of pesos worth of properties, but also by the lack of sensible urban planning and the late release of excess water from the reservoirs of gigantic dams! A Paulinian is taught to make responsible decisions.

I am enraged by the utter callousness of people who exact high prices amidst crisis, by the indiscriminate dishonesty and red tape in places enshrined with public trust, by the malpractices of certain professionals who are only after their own welfare and caprices, by the crooks in our society who commit crimes left and right without regard to the dignity and lives of their victims.

I am a Paulinian. I hail and praise to high heavens all the genuine but unsung heroes in our midst who give hope and light in the dark alleys of our jungle society.

I commend all those in public service who are imbued with unquestioned dedication worthy of emulation that brings honor and prestige to the public offices they represent.

I salute with pride all those who extend the extra mile to help build lives and give hope to those who have nothing in life.

I rejoice in gladness to see outstretched arms to embrace another and offer comfort and peace.

I commend all those who genuinely care for the environment and the planet we call home.

And I raise to our ever merciful and loving God all those who genuinely recognize His almighty presence even as I pray that those who have forgotten Him will eventually be converted like Saul on their roads to Damascus.

I am a Paulinian. I stand for Christ. I witness for Christ. I preach like Christ. I feel like Christ. I see like Christ. I love like Christ. I live like Christ.

St. Paul taught me so. He made me so.

And I am thankful because I am a Paulinian.

The Great Flood and The Super Typhoon

2009-10-07T22:30:00.001+08:00

The recent onslaught of Typhoon Ondoy that caused unimaginable destruction in many parts of Metro Manila and its surrounding Regions brought out the best in the Filipino. Many had been written about the flooding caused by Typhoon Ondoy as the Great Equalizer. Rich and poor alike were not spared from its fury. Perhaps the HAVE-NOTS suffered the most - almost all of their properties damaged and lost may really have been their ONLY treasures in life. But the HAVES may have lost only a fraction of what they really have in life. But just the same, all suffered. My own family was not spared, too.

But as soon as the Ondoy flood was yet about to recede in most areas that it affected, stories of real-life heroes began to emerge. A trial court judge saved more than a hundred people from their dangerous roof-top refuge which only time could tell whether they would also be washed away by the raging floodwaters or not. A man salvaged many people from drowning by risking his own life braving the unpredictable water currents amidst the darkness. This same man saved even the family whom he had odds with. And who could ever forget the ala-fiction dramatic rescue of showbiz star Cristine Reyes by Richard Gutierrez. Cristine had been on the roof of their house which was submerged under water. For over 12 hours, she had been begging for help and rescue but no one arrived until her leading man in their movie Patient X came to the rescue via a borrowed speed boat.

Other prominent stories also flooded the news - couple Ryan Agoncillo and Judy Ann Santos plucked Gladys Reyes and her kids from her fast submerging house.

These are just a few of the hundreds of stories of heroes that Ondoy gave birth.

When local radio and television stations began to describe and show the images of the onslaught, people from all walks of life, affected or not, began pouring in relief goods and cash donations. Moved by the unimaginable sights of people wading in the floodwaters, floating and submerged vehicles being carried away by the strong currents, walls and houses falling apart, people hanging on to dear life by clutching the last twig or rope or electric line as the last defining straw for survival, more and more voluntary donations came in like a flood. The government acted swiftly by deploying all available government assets to help in the rescue, relief, and rehabilitation of the thousands affected. A nationwide state of calamity was declared so that the local governments can act immediately on the 3Rs.

Typhoon Ondoy will definitely be unforgettable.

As if Ondoy was not enough. Super Typhoon Pepeng packing gustiness of over 200 kph threatened the country a week after Ondoy punished Metro Manila and the nearby Regions. Pepeng's fury was received by Northern Luzon especially the Cagayan Valley and the Ilocos Regions. Tuguegarao City turned black and blue. Cagayan gasped for breath. Ilocos Norte suffered the same fate.

Not even relieving the pain caused by Pepeng, Typhoon Quedan passed by going towards the direction of Japan causing Pepeng to return back to Northern Luzon. The Fujiwara effect caused more rains and floodwaters in the area. As if really punishing to the hilt, Pepeng ravaged again the same places as it did the first time around. Another low pressure area could blow Pepeng back to its original course which may be a record-breaking three hits in a row of the same typhoon on the same places in a week's time!

However one may look at it, calamities like these, though unwanted, always bring the best Filipino spirit in us. Bayanihan is alive. As pliant as the bamboo but as strong as the molave, the Filipino weathers all kinds of weather.

Kissing 100 people you never knew

2009-09-16T07:46:00.001+08:00

This morning I was in for a surprise. I was surfing Yahoo Philippines for the latest news heads when I got this very interesting odd news about a 27-year old music student and Taiwanese girl who posted on her personal blog that she wanted to kiss 100 people (men) while she is in Paris. This attracted 1.97 million visitors to her blog (www.wretch.cc/blog/angelduck777/24982946), including more than 224,000 on Monday alone. I did not understand the language so I checked on her albums, and my, she's pretty. Her name is Yang Ya-ching.

The news read:

A Taiwanese woman's ambition to kiss 100 men in Paris has become an overnight web sensation after she provided details of the quest on her much-visited blog.

Yang Ya-ching, a 27-year-old music major living in the French capital, has so far notched up 54 smooches, she said on her blog, which features photos of some of the encounters.

Collaborators in her project included a factory worker, a model, an Italian tourist and even a soldier visiting the capital of romance for Bastille Day.

"I came up with the idea three years ago," she said on her blog.

"Three of my four friends who were aware of the plan warned me that I might wind up getting slapped rather than kissed."

Yang, who plans to write a book about her kissing experiences, has attracted 1.97 million visitors to her blog (www.wretch.cc/blog/angelduck777/24982946), including more than 224,000 on Monday alone.
"Aren't you afraid of catching a disease?" one of her followers asked.
"No," she replied. "The more you're afraid of, the less you accomplish."

One thing I realized in blogging is that you have to make a strange, odd, unusual gimmick to ensure sure hits. Like this girl. But she has another interesting plan. She wants to publish a book about her experience in kissing 100 men. That must be another hit in the making.

Unforgettable Moments in Mt. Banahaw

2009-09-15T23:12:00.000+08:00

In September of 2007, I had the privilege of scaling the heights of Mt. Banahaw with our 4th Year students for their Outbound Education. I must say it was a once in a lifetime experience. What with the so many legends and stories of mysticism about the mountain.

Mt. Banahaw is located some 170 kilometers from Manila. If I am not mistaken, this is a part of Lucban, Quezon. Legends have it that a certain Agripino Lontok had a vision that the mountain was to become the New Jerusalem. Many believe that there is a certain mysterious energy that the mountain possesses that pilgrims claim they feel renewed and invigorated once they visit the mountain for a spiritual journey. In fact, we were oriented by our guides that many places afoot the mountain have been identified as puwesto, or "holy sites" which should not be desecrated. Allegedly, many religious cults or groups abound around the mountain.The names of these puwestos were given some biblical allusions like Kinabuhayan, Dolores, Santo Kalbaryo, Kweba ng Dios Ama and the famous Jacob’s Well.

I remember, there was this water fall where the water practically descended from the thick roots of a particular vine. Our students were told that the water coming from the fall allegedly had healing powers. The guides called it Buhok ni Ina.

During Holy Week, pilgrims ascend to the mountain for spiritual reasons. Many would try to reach the crater rim peaks called Durungawan to relieve the passion and death of Jesus Christ. There, three crosses have been strategically planted to recreate the actual crucifixion scene. On Good Friday, however, the summit should be deserted, as the mystics believe that only God the Father may bear witness to His Son’s death.

When we went there, we hiked up the mountain with ample amount of water. We had to make sure our water supply would be able to carry us through. We were led to the cold running water of the creek. Then we scaled the heights 'til we found ourselves at the mouth of a very challenging crevice which the people call a cave. It was an exhilarating experience going through the dephts of the cave.

The greatest challenge was being able to reach the peak of the mountain where a large cross was planted. I think the people called it the Kalbaryo. Whoa! Trekking the heights almost made me give up. Thanks to my students who had always been with me. I especially took care of one of them, my ever sweet Jerrmaine de Jesus. Her father entrusted her to me prior to our trip to Mt. Banahaw.

Perhaps if I were to climb the mountain again, I would prefer it on a Holy Week so that I would really experience the mystical magic of the mountain.

Here were some of the unforgettable moments while we were in Mt. Banahaw.

At a UbD Seminar-Workshop

2009-09-13T17:08:00.003+08:00

In the Philippines, the buzzwod in the basic education sector now is UbD, Understanding by Design. It is coming like a storm in the education circles as it had been rumored to be the next big thing that the Department of Education (DepED) will be implementing by 2010.

I happened to have attended an orientation workshop sponsored by Rex Bookstore, Inc. for the SPC Education Ministry in Alfonso, Cavite. No less than Mrs. Rita Atienza, the first ever Asian and a Filipino who has undergone an intensive training with one of the proponents of UbD, Dr. Grant Wiggins, conducted the workshop.

It made me rethink of our approaches in instruction. But I will delve deeper into its strengths later on in my coming entries for this blog. Meanwhile, may I share to you some captured moments.

Taking a pose during the conference

Doing a presentation of my UbD output

With colleagues from Surigao

Moments of sharing

With Rex Book Store, Inc. Vice President Don Timothy I. Buhain, my kumpare

People

2009-09-07T13:27:00.007+08:00

I've met some famous personalities in the Philippine society at one time or another. I hardly could find some of my pics anymore with some of them. The problem sometimes with having your own camera is that you could hardly find someone to take your pic with them.

Here is the first installment of the pic files I was able to retrieve from my tons of collection in my hard disk.

With Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano and wife Rep. Lani Cayetano of Taguig. This pic was taken a night before their garden wedding at the Manor Hotel in Baguio City. I was one of their ninongs. My ex-girlfriend was also one of the ninangs. Lani was in the Singles Ministry which we served as couple counselor for a year. Both of them are truly humble and simple. Alan was yet a congressman then.

With charismatic leader Isabela Governor Grace Padaca who spoke to the Civic Leaders of Bocaue for Progress Movement in May 2009.

With MMDA Chairman and Presidential aspirant Bayani Fernando who visited the St. Martin of Tours Parish during the Krus sa Wawa Festival in July 2009.

With the charismatic leader Bro. Bo Sanchez of Kerygma. With me was Mrs. Luzviminda Estrella, a Religious Education teacher. This was taken during the Kerygma Convention in November 2008 at the ULTRA in Pasig City.

With TV personality and broadcaster Mari Kaimo of both RPN Channel 9 and GMA Channel 7. He is no longer as active as before as a news anchor. We've met him in Antipolo City at the Our Lady of Chartres Convent.

With the child wonder now UP professor Mikaela Irene Fudolig. She graduated summa cum laude in BS Physics from the University of the Philippines Diliman with a general weighted average of 1.099. She entered as a college student at the age of 11. She was our guest during the 2008 SPC Educators' Congress.

With The Philippine Star editorial cartoonist Mr. Dominic Dumaraos. He gave a lecture in cartooning during the 3rd Asian Journalism Seminar in Pasig City.

With Miss Melclaire Delfin, news reporter of GMA 7. She delivered news writing during the 3rd Asian Journalism Seminar in Pasig City.

At the GMA 7

2009-09-07T10:54:00.010+08:00

We went to GMA Channel 7 for a Studio Tour.

We were brought around by Lottie Joya, whom I learned later from her that she was a Paulinian of St. Paul University Quezon city. She gave us Kapuso pins for us to wear while inside the GMA premises, and as a souvenir. Lottie played an AVP of the Kapuso network as part of the orientation. She also gave us a copy of the GMA Kapuso Magazine which featured the inauguration of the state-of-the-art studios.

Lottie showed us Studio 3 where the newscasts are usually shot. The studio is small yet very much stuffed with state-of-the-art broadcasting equipment. A teleprompter with a hidden camera behind the see-through screen guides the newsreader, read: newscaster, on the exact words and cues while on the air. A green monochromatic background gives a transparent effect for superimposed images on screen, like the shots for newsflash where the reporter seems to be broadcasting just at the newsroom.

Klieg lights are everywhere. Wide-angled cameras are used to make the studio appear so large on screen. Camera tricks, so to speak.

We also saw the Studio where talk shows are done. Not much to see but merely space. The sets, I learned, are changed and removed regularly. No studio is occupied exclusively by one show. Cameras do the trick of making them appear so beautifully decorated on screen.

The DZBB, the flagship AM radio station of GMA 7 is located in one of the oldest buildings of the company. The station is just small, with the announcer's booth just big enough to accommodate featured visitors.

Barangay LS 97.1 FM is a much better place. Papa Bodgie, one of the DJs, was at the anchor when we were there. We had the opportunity of having a pic with him.

GMA boasts of having the best equipment in the broadcast industry in the Philippines. It has maintained its number one stature in the more prestigious AGB Nielsen surveying firm for patronage, statistics shows.

At the Pinoy Big Brother House

2009-09-07T10:36:00.003+08:00

No. We did not enter the house. We just stayed outside. Just for fun. Haha!

We were not starstruck either. No one was there except the guard who refused kindly our promptings of letting us in. So we contended ourselves taking pics right there at the gate.

Manila Ocean Park

2009-09-07T09:25:00.013+08:00

My ex-girlfriend and I had the opportunity of going to the Manila Ocean Park yesterday.

The Manila Ocean Park is the first ever oceanarium in the country. I had been to Ocean Adventure in Subic, Zambales which features dolphins, but the M.O.P. offers a different exciting stuff. The fish are segregated into several tanks. The corals are shown live and soft. The collection presents various kinds of fish.

What captured my attention was the tank where the green mussels and barnacles were housed. The water comes unfiltered from the Manila Bay itself. Though not murky in appearance, one could see how dirty the water is. Yet, it is where the green mussel or tahong thrives best. They like the dirt. It must be food for them. It made me rethink my fondness of the tahong.

This was not my first time to have seen the Manila Ocean Park. I was expecting for additional features and improvements. But it seemed to me that only the restaurants and some shopping stalls were the new ones. Same tanks. Same layout. Same features. I haven't noticed any big change after 2 years. The roots of the vines grew longer, though.

Here are a few shots we had.

The Teddy Stallard Story

2009-09-05T08:03:00.005+08:00

I stumbled upon this beautiful and touching story of a teacher who made a difference on the life a boy. The story is heart-rending and even brought tears down my eyes the first time I viewed it.

I showed the clip to a group of college deans and basic education corrdinators and principals in a seminar that I had given in Olongapo City last month. It touched us and made us rethink of our profession again as teachers. Watch it and you'll realize why.

The original is found in this site: http://www.makeadifferencemovie.com/. Thanks to the makers of this touching film clip.

Teachers, please pay attention...

2009-09-05T07:53:00.001+08:00

Series of High Profile Deaths

2009-09-05T06:38:00.010+08:00

As if we were not yet relieved from a death of an icon, here came another.

Our very own Francis M, a master Pinoy rapper and advocate of authentically Pinoy passed away on March 6, 2009 at the age of 44. He succumbed to multiple organ failure secondary to severe sepsis and secondary to pneumonia, his doctor confirmed. The rapper was earlier diagnosed to have acute myelogenous leukemia.

On June 25, 2009, pop icon and superstar Michael Jackson collapsed at his rented mansion. Reports about the cause of his death confused many. Some claimed it was due to an overdose of a certain drug. Others blamed failure of the initial interventions given him when found vegetable. The Los Angeles coroner treated it as homicide against his personal physician. No matter what the circumstances were, one thing was definitely saddening: he is gone. Michael was known for his famous strut dance moves and moon walks. He gyrates onstage, often holding his crotch to the screams of fans. I was able to watch a DVD of his HISTORY concerts. Thousands of fans shriek as he conquers the stage. He statues himself to dramatically segue his moves. Even just a single flip of his fingers caught on big screen would send his audience to real frenzy. Strutting his arms and legs could cause spells of fainting and tears flowing down a river on fans' eyes. His moonwalks would blow the fans away! There was magic in his every single concert. I loved his Jackson 5 years. His Give Love on Christmas Day has become immortal. I like the beats of Billie Jean, Thriller, and Beat It. The drama of Heal the World calls on everyone. His help in We Are the World of USA for Africa is unforgettable. More so for his transformation from black to white. He had his share of controversies. But now everything under the bridge. He is gone but to the billion of fans worldwide, me included, he lives.

August 1 made all of us in the Philippines grieved for the loss of the icon of Philippine democracy. Cory Aquino succumed to heart failure as she battled for colon cancer.

Now it is Ka Erdy Manalo, 84, of the Philippine endemic Iglesia ni Cristo. Executive Minister of the INC, he was a king maker. Whoever his choice was during elections would definitely make it big. There is just one INC vote, so to speak. His steadfast stewardship of the flock founded by his father, INC Founder and 'angel' Felix Manalo, was undoubtedly to the full and brimming. He died of heart attack.

Series of high profile deaths. The year 2009 must be unforgettable. I hope no one else follows very soon. Let's have a rest. Let's grieve and breath.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

And let perpetual light shine upon them.

May they rest in peace.

Amen.

The Campo Trexo

2009-09-05T05:13:00.006+08:00

Venue: Campo Trexo

Place: Alfonso, Cavite

This is a real and authentic forested place. The topography is a challenge. There's a slope of a hill, a ravine, a shallow creek, shaky hanging bridges, wall climbing facilities, rapelling drop, gliding range, camping sites, trekking trails, etc.

Whoa! The place is even slippery when wet!

A good place indeed for group dynamics, bonding, adventure, communing with nature. Just be ready to get tired at the end of the day.

The Forest Club

2009-09-05T04:38:00.009+08:00

We were brought to Bai, Laguna one day for an ocular inspection of a possible field trip venue for our students. The place was Forest Club.

I should not wonder. Laguna is known for Mt. Makiling, which is a forest sanctuary. But Bai is not that really forested. When we reached the place, it was as if we were entering Fern Gully. A big green gate welcomed us. When it was opened, all I could say was WOW!

The place reminded me of my former childhood playground. I grew up near a forested place. In fact, our house then was at the foot of a hill. Facing our house was a range of great mountains which were just a few steps away. In 15 to 20 minutes, you are in the thick of the forest.

Along the crevices of the forest ran brooks and creeks. My brother and I would often go to the creek after our dismissal in the afternoon and would bring home basinful of big padaw or udang to the delight of our mother. How did we do it? We would catch them just by our hands by wading into the crevices of boulders and rocks. There were plenty to catch. We could see them swimming or hiding underneath the rocks. It was an enjoyable sight.

The forest gave us beautiful sights of nature. Birds would sing their hearts out. There were big kalaws, agile green bullilising, white-dotted martines, noisy salaksak, and many more exotic birds whose local names I don't remember anymore.

The Forest Club reminded me of those memories. But there's a difference. The Forest Club is a man-made forest. The place used to be ricefield. The owner developed it into a forest in a span of only 9 years. The trees were already big when they were planted in the site. But it was a rapid development because one would not even know it just used to be a rice field.

Here are a few shots of the Forest Club:

More than a state funeral

2009-08-06T20:24:00.003+08:00

Yesterday's funeral for Tita Cory refreshed back the memories of both EDSA I and the burial of her fallen husband and hero Ninoy.

The 1986 People Power Revolution seemed to have resurrected from the grave of slumber. There was an immense outpouring of gratitude and love for Tita Cory. The Philippines had never before witnessed such a funeral for a family. Only for the Aquinos. Ordinary mortals usually can not even gather a thousand mourners, more so for an interment. Ordinary families usually could reach the cemetery in less than an hour or so. But for Ninoy and Cory, their funeral marches went way beyond 9 hours of solemn procession, flocked by thousands of well-wishers and mourners alike. The sight moved my heart. The images made me wonder when else could we ever witness such funerals again.

I admire the Aquino children for having made a wise decision in not accepting a state funeral for the former President. Perhaps, it would have been a different spirit, a different atmosphere, a different ceremony. True enough, real honor emanated from the Filipino people. Cory's genuine love for the Filipino - his aspirations, his dreams, his struggles - bore fruit of burning love from them. Braving the heat of the sun and the cold heavy downpours, people did not move a bit from where they positioned themselves to bid goodbye to Tita Cory. I glued myself on television watching with my heart than ever before. Tears also rolled down like a river on my cheeks. I could not explain it. I felt the same thing when my beloved Pope John Paul II was about to be interred. I felt the same with the late Jaime Cardinal Sin. The three of them were icons of goodness, sincerity, and serenity of heart. The three of them touched the lives of millions. The three of them were legends of their own. Like Ninoy.

While watching until the end, I was having thoughts of who among the still living Philippine Presidents could muster the same kind of crowd enthusiam and sincerity when it will also his or her turn. I was thinking perhaps Erap might be able to draw also a huge crowd. I doubt if FVR could. What if it were GMA?

One thing is a reality: No other Filipino couple may be able to duplicate the heroism of Ninoy and Cory. It may take me a lifetime to wait for that day when others could emerge like them.

The fever is still on. But I hope that it will not just be a fever. May the spirit of Cory continue to inspire people to aspire for good governance and honesty and integrity both in public and private service.

Prayer for a Happy Death by Pres. Corazon Aquino

2009-08-02T22:16:00.002+08:00

I am posting here the prayer written by Tita Cory herself about death. I heard it first over the radio this morning. I surfed the Net then I got it from Inquirer.net.

Almighty God, most merciful Father
You alone know the time
You alone know the hour
You alone know the moment
When I shall breath my last.

So, remind me each day
Most loving Father
To be the best that I can be.
To be humble, to be kind,
To be patient, to be true.
To embrace what is good,
To reject what is evil,
To adore only You.

When the final moment does come
Let not my love ones grieve for long.
Let them comfort each other
And let them know
how much happiness
They brought into my life.
Let them pray for me,
As I will continue to pray for them.
Hoping that they will always pray
for each other.

Let them know that they made possible
Whatever good I offered to the world.
And let them realize that our separation
Is just for a short while
As we prepare for our reunion in eternity.

Our Father in heaven
You alone are my hope.
You alone are my salvation.
Thank you for Your unconditional love. Amen.

Godspeed, President Cory...

2009-08-01T21:07:00.016+08:00

Early today at 3:18 a.m., the beloved icon of Philippine democracy passed away. She was 76.

President Corazon Sumulong Cojuangco Aquino fought hard with the Filipino people an irreversible colon cancer. Her demise was announced officially by her son, Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III.

"Our mother peacefully passed away at 3:18 a.m. of cardio-respiratory arrest," he told reporters.

It must really be a difficult and trying moment for the family. To lose a mother like Tita Cory is likened to losing your strength in an uphill battle. I experienced it myself when my own mother passed away.

I knew it from the start that when the media began to continuously give newsfeeds on the condition of Tita Cory, her body was about to give in. The inevitable came nearer. But we love her to be with us for more years to come. The Filipino people stormed heavens with prayers for her to recover from the dreaded colon cancer. Up to the end, we never wanted to give up as a people because of our love for Tita Cory. I may not have joined the novena of Masses covered by the media. In my own little way, I asked my students to join me in praying for Tita Cory before and after my classes with them.

When I learned this morning over the radio and television that she has finally passed away and joined the Almighty in heaven, there was a lump in my throat. As I was listening to some tributes over the radio, I felt I was losing again my own mother. Indeed, she was simply a mother to all of us, the Filipino people who are vigilant on the excesses of those in power.

To me, Tita Cory was a woman of strength. She was a woman of principle. She was the symbol of triumph against an oppressive regime. She stood by her husband, Ninoy, in his fight for freedom and democracy for the Filipino people. Though a political novice, she accepted the seat of power in Malacanang with all humility - armed with her strong faith in the Almighty in leading a divided and wounded country. She did not fail the Filipino people in showing there's hope after the dark ages of martial law. As a transition president, she stood ground in rebuilding back the confidence of the people in their government. She instituted reforms that restored back the freedom and democracy that had been robbed from the people during the dark years of martial law. She was steadfast in fulfilling her mission as a transition President despite some series of coup de'tat that wanted to grab power. She did not falter. She showed to the world that though she was a simple widow who was even reluctant to be pitched against the most feared and powerful dictator in a well-machinated election, she can lead a torn nation into a tomorrow that promises a rising sun of hope.

That was Tita Cory. She finished her term in a smooth transfer of power which I witnessed for the first time in my life. I was not able to see how power was transferred during the Macapagal - Marcos ceremony. Perhaps I was too young then.

Now, Tita Cory is gone. But her memories are forever etched in history. To many of us who saw her as the mother of our nation who gave birth to the democracy that we now enjoy, she will be missed so deeply.

I must admit it. Tears welled in my eyes for Tita Cory. When I served in the SMT Parish this late afternoon, another lump choked me as Tita Cory's name was read during the Prayers of the Faithful.

As one radio reporter read on the air Tita Cory's prayer about death, which she personally wrote when she was yet President, my admiration grew stronger. She was a woman of faith. She was a woman of God.

Tita Cory was a gift of God to us, Filipinos. And she will forever be.

Tita Cory, thank you so much for not having chosen to be just an ordinary widow after Ninoy's martyrdom. Thank you for having restored back the dignity of the Filipino nation. Thank you for being a model of faith.

Godspeed, President Cory. Be with Ninoy now and with Jesus. Look down upon us with your motherly love and jolt those who have forgotten the martyrdom of Ninoy and the idealism of his widow.

We love you.

Eternal rest grant unto Tita Cory, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace. Amen.

Photographs: Reuters

Make a Ghost(tm) image for further protection of your PC

2009-07-26T09:38:00.002+08:00

For many years that I had been tinkering with so many computers, I find the use of an imaging software so convenient in restoring back the life and limb of an erratic PC. The Symantec Norton Ghost(tm) is an excellent choice for me.

But there's a caveat before you make an image of your system so that you are assured that once you restore back your image, the PC is as healthy as expected.

I usually follow these steps:

Make a fresh installation of the operating system, say Microsoft Windows(tm) on the first partition of your hard disk.
Install all the software drivers that the hardware of the system would need to operate crisply.
Setup all the software that you wanted to be a part of the recovery image that would be made. Tinker with their settings so that they would function the way you like them before the entire system is imaged. This should include an updated virus definition for your favorite anti-virus software.
Do a little diskkeeping task by running a defragging tool to ensure faster access to the needed files when they are run by the system.
When satisfied with all your settings, shutdown the system.
Reboot the system but choose not to boot from the hard disk. Instead, use a boot CD which allows you to run the Symantec Norton Ghost(tm).
Once Symantec Norton Ghost(tm) is already running, choose the option that allows you to make an image of the partition where the entire operating system and all the software that you have installed reside. Save the image file in another partition of your hard disk. Once the image had been successfully done, you are now assured of a healthy recovery image that you can use when things would go wrong with your PC.

This has saved me a lot of man-hours to restore back the health of my notebook and other PCs as well whenever something goes wrong with them. It's quite a tedious task in the beginning but once the image is made, reinstallation, re: restoring back the good health of the PC, is as easy as a breeze. It does not even take 15 minutes to restore back the image.

Wanna try it? Ensure you have the necessary software to use.

Protect your PC with a freezing software

2009-07-23T21:35:00.003+08:00

A very annoying and recurrent problem in most PCs is virus attack. Viruses come in many forms and get into the PC system in so many many ways. With most PCs nowadays connected to the Internet, viruses, worms, trojans, and many other forms of malwares can get through stealthily especially to an unsuspecting user. When a system gets infected, though it may have an antivirus software, the antivirus may no longer be able to perfectly clean the system especially if a wrong button or wrong option was executed by an inexperienced user when a warning prompt popped out during a scan. This happens most likely when a USB flash drive is inserted to a USB port. The antivirus could be configured to immediately scan any storage device attached to the system, but a wrong choice of commands or options on what to do with the antivirus warning could easilty upload the payloads of the the viruses residing in an infected flash drive.

The next time that the system is restarted, the virus could already become resident, waiting for its chances to spread like a ferocious wildfire.

To ensure protection, I highly recommend the use of third party software that locks a clean installation of the system. It is expected that before using the third party software, all application software had already been installed and configured. The job of the third party freezing software is to lock the system to its original, uninfected state.

I am fond of using WinRollBack that protects the system and maintains the original setup of the PC prior to its protection. I just have to protect the drive where the operating system is installed. Once WinRollBack is configured to protect the system drive, there would be no way that viruses can infect the system. Any infection is flushed out by the system once the PC is reboot.

Another is DeepFreeze. It also works like WinRollBack. Using any of the two could save the PC from harm caused by either viruses or test installations of software.

Get one now and try it.

Am back!

2009-07-23T21:16:00.004+08:00

I truly hibernated for a while. I am pretty sure my followers missed my regular updating of my blog. Sorry for it. I was sooooo occupied with a lot of things that there's not much time left to write my thoughts. At this point, I took time out to relax a bit and break a leg for a while.

I miss blogging. No joke. Because this is the outlet of my soul. My blog chronicles the fragments of my soul. It immortalizes what's in me.

Lately, I was so engrossed with my desktop computer in my office. A brand new Acer Veriton X270. It is powered by Intel Core2Duo with 2GB RAM, integrated NVIDIA GeForce 7100 chipset and a huge 250GB HDD. It has a DVD super multiburner, Gigabit ethernet LAN, 5.1 channel audio, and an HDMI port.

What I like most about it is the audio jacks and the USB ports are just in front. It has a small form factor with its DVD writer lying on its side. The package comes with a 17" Acer LCD Monitor.

It is a sight to behold. So small yet powerful. I hope it will deliver my expectations based on its configurations.

On your birthday, Nanang...

2009-04-13T12:02:00.000+08:00

Though it may already be too late for me to write something about my Nanang's birthday (April 13), the thoughts are still as fresh as ever.

I offered a special Mass for Nanang on her birthday. I knew, it was the best gift I could ever give her. Prayers that she will finally be with the Lord in heaven. Wishes that she is happily united with the angels and saints and our family members who have gone ahead to the bosom of the the Father Almighty.

Nanang's birthday is doubly significant for me. A day after is our wedding anniversary with my ever sweet and loving ex-girlfriend. For Nanang, birthdays were always special. I remember those moments when she would text me that she prepared something for my birthday even though I was physically absent in Sanchez Mira. She would text me the special dishes that they prepared for my birthday.

For so many years, even as I could not be physically present in Sanchez Mira on my birthdays because of my work in Bulacan, Nanang always had something for me. Pancit bihon was always on the table. She knew that it was my favorite even when I was yet a kid. All the others would just be garnishings and additional exciting dishes of tinola, pinakbet, kilawen, tinuno, etc. On better days, there would also be imbaligtad or papaitan.

Haayyy... how I miss those days whenever we had special occasions at home. Everybody would have equal share of the best dishes only a loving mother could labor hard for. Arnel, my brother, eventually got his culinary skills from Nanang. Right now, Arnel is our best cook. There's no dish that he could not experiment on. He prepares the best kilawen in town, not to mention his imbaligtad. What about his pa-cham? It has always been my joy to buy the fish or the beef or the carabeef each time that I had a chance to go home. Arnel would prepare them for our sumptuous meals. Nanang taught him the secrets to her culinary art.

Nanang, happy, happy birthday. I miss your special dishes.

Thank you, Recy!

2009-03-25T16:11:00.006+08:00

Last week, I attended my MST graduation at SPUP. Recy, my ever dearest cousin, welcomed me and my ex-girlfriend in her 'mansion'. It was truly a very touching accommodation for us. With nothing to worry about.

Recy has always been there for me. Even when we were yet little kids. She was my playmate way back in Nagbaranganan. Hahaha. How beautiful it is to reminisce those wonderful days.

Now, we are on our own. But some things remain: the love and bonding we had, the laughters, the stories, the memories.

I will go home again to Tuguegarao. Not just to relish pansit batil patung, but to go back again down memory lane.

Thank you, Recy... you are a blessing!

MS Graduate!

2009-03-22T13:29:00.006+08:00

Finally, I finished my Master of Science in Teaching major in General Science! I even had to catch up with the Cebu Pacific Flight 5J 508 bound to Tuguegarao City at 12:30 p.m., March 21, 2009 after I had presented all the HS candidates for graduation at around 10:30 a.m. so that I could attend the Commencement Exercises at St. Paul University Philippines at around 4:00 p.m. Oh, how I ran as fast as I could when I finally reached NAIA Terminal 3 at about 12:00p.m.! I rushed ahead of the long queue of people on the xray machines just so I could catch up with the plane. Thanks God, they were not boarding yet.

Whew! I reached Tuguegarao City at about 3:00p.m. after a delayed flight, characteristic of Cebu Pacific. Hehehe.

I graduated together with 4 others. We were all ecstatic about the experience of graduating once more. Next, I would finish my doctoral degree.

Snatched!

2009-02-28T10:56:00.004+08:00

I can't believe it that it would happen to me for the second time. First, my Sony Cybershot W55 was snatched inside a jeepney while I was on my way back home after a short relaxation at SM Marilao. Then last Sunday, my BenQ P50 was snatched right inside SM Marilao while I was taking pictures of Toni Gonzaga who happened to have been on stage at the Entertainment Plaza.

It was not so much for the phone that my heart cries for. It was my precious list of contacts which numbered to over a thousand. My Globe SIM of (0916)706-44-09 had been my SIM since the year 2000. I stored in my phonebook the hundreds of numbers of the students who became close to me, the numbers of my business contacts, the numbers of teachers, and others whom I have met in seminars, workshops, travels, etc.

I have stored in that phone a lot of data about my transactions that I never wanted to lose. A lot of them were personal files which I always wanted by my side.

I stored in that phone my passwords and serial numbers which are very important in my work. Plus a lot of stuffs.

Arrghh! In one fast and sweeping move, my phone was snatched by a woman waering a black shirt and maong pants. She was quite big. I knew it was her. She was the only one who bumped my side where my phone was. Then she immediately inserted herself into the thick of people watching Toni Gonzaga perform on stage. I was stunned. It happened right before my very eyes! I could not believe it.

I was with my family when it happened. We all went to SM Marilao to scout for some good cellphones for our kids.

Whew! It felt like I lost so much. Up to now, I really can't figure out how I could ever retrieve all my data, not the phone anymore. Or perhaps my SIM which was so precious for me.

Well, I leave it to goodness of heart. I leave it to God. The person who snatched it from me must be someone in need so much of cash that she resorted to snatching my cellphone. It is possible that she got a big problem to solve that needed money. She will not use it, I suppose. She will sell the stuff.

The IMEI of my stolen phone is 354768000038921. The serial number is GS9B500985TG0. The model is 57P50.

Kahit Isang Saglit

2009-02-10T22:54:00.001+08:00

Pansit Batil Patung

2009-01-04T13:27:00.004+08:00

Each time that I come back home to Tuguegarao City, I won't miss to look for the best tasting pansit batil patung (no, I haven't misspelled any word for it) - a local pride where the pansitan are as numerous as the traysikol (hehehe) plying Metro Tuguegarao.

For the uninitiated, this famous pansit batil patung is coined from the additional savory beaten (batil) egg soup and another sunny-side up egg as a finishing garnish on top (patung) of the mound of pansit. Sorry, but their spelling is patung, not the patong for the Tagalog speakers.The
Ybanags have this strong, 'hard' twang that patong became patung.

The pansit (noodle) is locally done. In fact, many pansitan have their own way of making the noodles. Depending on the pansitan, the noodles may differ in taste, texture, color, and flavor from one pansitan to the next.

Each pansitan carefully guards its secrets so that the others could not copy the distinct flavor and aroma.

The cook is the ultimate defining factor on how savory the pansit is. First, there was this legendary Budyok who started experimenting how to make the ordinary pansit into a culinary novelty. Then there was Tuddao's which added more liver into the concoction. Then others followed suit experimenting on other ways of preparing the Tuguegarao culinary discovery. Now, wherever the best cook is, the best judges would be the traysikol drivers who are the regular customers of pansit batil patung.

But in general, the entire culinary masterpiece is garnished with ground meat (pork or beef), finely chopped liver, plenty of chopped onions, a dash of green onions, sili (if you wish), and savory toyo. The soy sauce is locally produced. The pansit batil patung tastes heavenly, so to speak.

Perhaps all genuine Tuguegarao residents love this culinary discovery.

And I would come back again and again to Tuguegarao City to scout for the next pansitan to savor the aroma and taste of pansit batil patung. I tried Dok's. I went twice to Claire's. I went once to ECL near DepED. Perhaps next time, there will be another hit place for the tasty pansit batil patung.

Memories

2008-12-28T19:19:00.002+08:00

When nothing else is left, only memories remain. But these memories are powerful enough to let the person revive and relive the sweet-sorrow again and again and again.

That's what I felt when I scanned back the albums that Nanang carefully and neatly kept in our sala. I saw our pictures when I was yet a child. I saw the familiar places and faces as we grew up. Faces. Smiling faces. Younger faces. Jolly faces.

I saw how time took its toll on the faces and skins of both Tatang and Nanang. Both of them were full of vigor and life during their heydays. I saw Nanang standing on her two feet, a sight I missed before she left us.

I was able to recall our good ol' days way back in the forests of Nagbaranganan. The sights no longer hold true today. The last time I was there was in 1984, almost 25 years past. It was a place where Nanang and Tatang brought us up into who we are now. We stayed in one of the teachers' cottages inside the 105-hectare lot of the school. Our house was the first to be reached when walking from the school as one would follow the trek around the small hill overlooking the school grounds. In front of our house was a citrus orchard almost 3 hectares big. Tatang was the one taking care of the citrus plantation. I remembered how we used to snake into the depths of the plantation and pick the most luscious of the fruits that we could find. Can you imagine one crateful would cost only P15-20? And that would mean about 25-30 kilograms of fresh mandarin!

I also remembered way back when I was in first year high school, we cleared a wide area on the slope of the big mountain for us to plant pineapple. If my memory does not fail me, we must have planted not less than 6,000 pineapple plants. And in a year's time, each pineapple plant would bear a fruit - a whopping 6,000 fruits to harvest and the end of the cropping season. They were sold at P0.25 each! As I reminisce this experience, I can't believe how the Philippine peso then had a great purchasing power compared to these days.

I even experienced rendering student paid labor of P6.00 a day. At the end of the day after manually weeding out rows and rows of mungo plantation, I smile knowing that I already had another six pesos. And I did that daily during the summer months. How I loved the days when I received my hard-earned pay! It was heaven. A school year's tuition fee then was just P13.50.

There were a lot of occasions when my brother and I would go home early from school and go straight to the clear running brook from the slopes of the big mountain. We simply would creep the crevices of the stones under the water and we would be able to practically manually catch big shrimps hiding in those crevices. We would happily come back home with a basinful of our catch and served as our viand. Nanang was very happy each time that we come back home with full catch.

At night, Tatang, Dante, Arnel, and I, including some of our cousins, would go to the river to catch fish, shrimps, crabs, etc. using our locally deviced electric catcher. I was almost always the one carrying the device. We were able to catch a variety of fish and shrimps. By almost 12 midnight, we would come back home all happy and contented. Our catch would serve as our viand for the next days.

Memories. Indeed they come as flashbacks like movie review. They come rushing and I still feel them as fresh as ever. And I thank God that I am still able to. Thank God, I still don't have Alzheimer's.

Beach

2008-12-28T17:19:00.003+08:00

We live near the sea. Just a few minutes away and we could be there. It's been quite sometime since the last time that I went there. But I remember it so well that every time that we come back home to Sanchez Mira, we would all go out for a picnic by the beach. The whole family would have a great bonding moment. I would stare at the waves as they break before reaching the shore. Wave pools? Nothing compares to our beach in Sanchez Mira. All natural.

Even as a child, I had always been fascinated by the shores of Sanchez Mira. There's not much very strong winds but the seawaves race towards the shore with all their roars and climb-sweep to the shore wiping the footprints that are left. The waves curl like the legendary Cloud 9 that surfers love to glide with. Then they break as they rush to the bank.

My kids enjoyed our Christmas interlude at the beach. Despite being so cold, they savored every splash and roll of the cool waves. It was a sight to behold, my children enjoying the same sea that I enjoyed when I was also like them.

See how they liked the water!

Christmas Without Nanang

2008-12-28T15:52:00.004+08:00

True enough, we celebrated Christmas 2008 so differently. All is present except for one: our Nanang, our mother. I sat on the gas-lift chair where she used to sit. I stared at everyone, seemingly recording everything that transpired. We all had a share of fun and laughter. The kids enjoyed most, receiving their gifts. Everybody had. I am sure, Nanang must have been so happy watching all of us. Listening to our noise. Seeing all of us present, which rarely happens. Tatang was most joyful. He has all his children and all his grandchildren. It must be a memorable one.

But I know, amidst all the laughters and cheers while we celebrated the birthday of our Lord, deep inside Tatang's heart, it must have been yet painful with the thought that Nanang wasn't there anymore. While he belted one of his favorite songs 'I Can't Stop Loving You' by Ray Charles, I could feel his pain inside his heart. I watched. I listened. I reflected. How I wished we could rewind the time and bring back those moments Nanang was still with us. She would probably giggle as Tatang would belt out the song.

Christmas. We dropped by again at the cemetery where Nanang was laid to rest. It was a beautiful day just being with Nanang. It was a different Christmas. But Nanang must be very happy watching all her children and her grandchildren join Tatang on Christmas day. A happy family indeed. Closer like never before.

A Month After

2008-12-11T21:01:00.006+08:00

December 12 marks a month after Nanang passed away. But up to this time, the pain of losing her is still as fresh as ever. Life has changed since. And even my view of life has changed.

Long before, I would not fear death. To me, death is freedom. Death means the beginning of a new life. Death leads to eternal life. It is so easy to rationalize and explain. It is so easy to reflect on it during retreats and recollections. Life has to be lived as if everyday is the last day. I had always been aware of this. Even as I enter into every single class. I wanted to teach as if it would be my last day.

I have no doubts. Nanang is now in peace. Not resting in peace, but in the joyful company of the angels and saints with the blessings of the Lord and the Father Almighty. Nanang lived a full life of 64 years. Short yet meaningful. Short yet well lived.

While I am consoled with the thought that Nanang is with the Lord, the pain of not having her nearby is still there. I couldn't hold her hand anymore. I couldn't kiss her anymore. I wouldn't be able to see her smiles anymore, especially this Christmas. There were no Christmasses that I haven't thought of her. We would always have little things for her to make her smile. And how I loved to see her joy within. Together with Tatang, both of them were always the gracious receivers. Tatang would playfully flaunt the gifts he receives, especially to his grandchildren. And everyone would have a hearty laugh.

It's been a month. But up to this time, I still can't get over with the grief and pain. And I wouldn't want to lose the feeling. It makes me remember my Nanang. It makes her alive in my heart. It makes me her child as ever.

Nanang, I love you so much...!

1. Tatang and Nanang with the school where I work as a backdrop.
2. Our gift to Nanang on her birthday in April 2003

Even just for a moment

2008-12-06T21:17:00.005+08:00

I am not fond of watching soaps. There were just few occasions when I would pause for a while from my other concerns then watch a little. I never wanted scenes of vengeance, slaps, high emotions, sadness, drama. When I watch TV, I wanted to get informed (news and current affairs, documentaries, investigative reports, etc.) or better yet, entertained (comedy sitcoms). But lately, there is this series on ABS-CBN featuring Jericho Rosales and Carmen Soo entitled Kahit Isang Saglit (Even Just for a Moment) that runs quite late at night. No, don't get me wrong. I don't watch it, really. But the soundtrack, even before it became a soap, already caught the musical side of me.

And lately, I had been searching for a music apt as a background to the video I was planning to make as a documentary on the death of my mother. Tonight, I just felt the urge to switch on our videoke and I had in my mind just to sing Kahit Isang Saglit. Oh God! I was struck by the lyrics! then tears just simply began to roll down my eyes again. I remembered the scenes of the wake of Nanang. the lyrics were so touching. They were so appropriate. The music was soulful. The song made a new meaning to me.

I played it over and over again. I sang it over and over again. Tears continued to roll like a river. I couldn't control it. I was singing it for Nanang. It was coming from deep within.

Here are the lyrics of the song.

Kahit Isang Saglit
by Martin Nievera

Intro: B-Em/B-B-Em/B-

Paano ang puso kong ito
Ngayong lumisan ka sa buhay ko
Kung kailan sumikat ang araw
At lumigaya ang aking mundo

Paano na'ng mga bukas ko
Ngayong wala ka na sa piling ko
Paano mga pangarap
Mga pangako sa bawat isa

Chorus

Sana'y ika'y muling makita ko
Damhin ang tibok ng puso mo
Sana'y yakapin mo ako muli
Kahit sandali, kahit isang saglit
Mayakap ka

Adlib: B-F#/Bb-A-G#7-
C#m-F#-B-B,F#/Bb

Puso ko'y biglang naulila
Iyong iniwanan na nag-iisa

Sana'y ika'y muling makita ko
Damhin ang tibok ng puso mo
Sana'y yakapin mo ako muli
Kahit sandali, kahit isang saglit
Mayakap ka
Mayakap ka

And the Root Word is...

2008-12-02T14:39:00.007+08:00

Sorry for my followers. But this entry is in Pilipino. I am just amazed at the etymology of some modern Pilipino words. Even for us, Filipinos, we don't normally pay attention anymore to the roots of our own words. We just go on using them in our everyday conversations.

Many times, these new words originated colloquially. At times, they were Filipino slangs that others don't understand unless they know the context.

So may I share here what I have gathered from the Internet the brilliant works of those who are fond of compiling them. I am not saying that their etymological analysis are all accurate and correct. At least, there is an obvious attempt to seriously or jokingly show their origins.

Cheers to those who compiled them and put them online. I don't claim credit for it.

"A"

abno: pinaikling Abnormal. bobo. tanga o di normal na tao. [Abnormal]

abnoy: see abno.

abnu: see abno.

abot-kamay: Lalaking may gf na katamtaman lang ang laki ng hinaharap or bust.

abubot: kung anu-anong bagay. same as borloloy. [small annoying things]

achu-chuchu: paligoy o at iba pa at kung anu-ano pa ... see ek ek

akyat-bahay: magnanakaw. nanggaling sa grupong akyat-bahay gang. [burglar]

alaska: asar. inis. [tease]

alaskador: taong mahilig mang-asar, manginis or mambuwisit. [teaser, person who loves to play jokes to anyone]

alaws arep: walang pera (no money)

alpombra: kasuotan sa paa na kadalasang makikitang suot ng mga tindero ng yosi sa quiapo. ito'y may makipot na suotan ng paa, at manipis na swelas. mistulang sandalyas ito ng babae pero kadalasang suot ng mga lalaki. available in blue, red, green, etc. [a unique kind of slipper in the Philippines]

amats: "tama" na binaligtad. it ang "high" feeling pag ikaw ay lasing na (minsan din ay dahil sa marijuana or iba pang drugs). [high feeling when under the influence of alcohol or drugs]

amboy: may lahing amerikano. galing sa salitang ["American Boy"] na pinaikli.

anda: pera. money. see bread.

ander: pinaiksing under the saya. [Under the Skirt of his wife]. see takusa.

apir: isang pagbati na ginagamit ang kamay sa pamamagitan ng paksalpak ng palad; Galing sa ingles na ['Up Here' or high 5, same as Give me five]

aprub: okey, pasado, maganda. nagpapakita pagsang-ayon. from the english word, [approve]

arayb: iningles na "dating".[arrive]

arbor: paghingi sa nagustuhang gamit o bagay. [ask for someone's things like shirt, cap, shoes, etc ..]

askal: Asong kalye. [stray dog]

astig: Tigasin. binaligtad na "tigas". [strong, hunk]

asukalera de mama: [sugar mommy] "asukal" is [sugar] in english.

asungot: Masungit, suplada, madaling mapikon [moody and impetuous, short tempered, snooty and snobbish]

atat: nagmamadali. [in a hurry. to rush]

atatation: atat na atat

atchay: Isa pang pagtawag sa katulong na babae; pareho lang ng tsimay [another derogatory word for a housemaid]

atchoy buro: tawag o pang-asar sa mga kalaban na talunan sa isang laro ng mga bata. [loser from children's game]

atsaka: buhok na nasa ilalim ng bibig

bigote= nasa taas ng bibig
atsaka= nasa baba ng bibig
balbas= nasa baba(chin)

atshaka: buhok na nasa pagitan ng bigote at balbas!!!!:) [hair/beard? under the lower lip]

"B"

baby damulag: tawag (ng magulang; paglambing) sa anak na bata pero 'di na baby na parang baby ang kilos; feeling baby. [a child acting like a baby.]

bad shot: Napasama, napahamak, hindi mabuti ang resulta; kasalungat ng good shot; parang palpak [bad outcome, grave mistake; opposite of the slang 'good shot' also invoked when something bad and unsatisfactory occurs]

bad-trip: inis, asar. wala sa mood. [not in a good mood.]

badtrip: see [bad-trip].

baduy: di naa-ayon ang damit o kasuotan sa lugar o kasama. Di terno at bagay ang mga kasuotan. Tulad ng rubber shoes at barong. [unfashionable, mismatch clothes or dress.]
bagets: kabataan, nagbi-binta o nagda-dalaga. [teen, teenager.] Galing sa pelikula na "Bagets" nuong dekada '80. Pinangungunahan nila Herbert Bautista, Aga Muhlach, atbpa.

bagyo: mayabang. mahangin. [boastful, proud]

bahaw: kanin lamig. [rice left in the pan.]

bakal: baril. boga. [gun; pistol]

bakla: binabae. jokla. [gay]

bakokang: higanteng peklat. ito'y madalas na dulot ng mga sugat na malaki. imbes na normal na balat ang nakatakip sa bakokang, ito'y mayroong makintab na takip.

bakti: bakat panti.

baktol: amoy kili-kili na di nagtatawas o deodorant. amoy baka; mabaho. [foul smell]

bakya: mumurahin, hindi class. [cheap]

balentong: balibag; karaniwang sinasabi ng mga bata. [to fall or slip] see semplang.

balimbing: taong bumaliktad sa kaibigan or ka patido (politika). traydor. double-kara. [to change affiliation, change/shift loyalty, to a party (political).]

bangag: taong mukhang nakadrugs at di alam ang pinagsasabi

bangenge: wala sa sarili, dahil sa kalasingan o drugs. see bangag. [tipsy]

bangko: hindi pinapasok sa larong or liga ng basketball.

bano: hindi marunong or mahina sa isang bagay. [dumb]

bansot: maliit, pandak. di mataas. [small in height]

barbero: sinungaling; mahilig mag-imbento ng salita. see kwentong barbero.

barkada: grupo ng magkakaibigan. [group or circle of friends]

batak: paggamit ng bawal na gamot. [under the influence / or to take illegal drugs]

bato: eto ang shabu. [methamphetamine hydrochloride, poor man's cocaine]

batok: mahinang suntok o tapik sa ulo.[hit the head]

batsi: uwi, alis, lisan. binaligtad na "sibat". [to go somewhere else]

batuytuy: etits ng bata. [male organ of a yuong boy]

bebot: babae. [female]

Bene: Tawag sa Saint Benedict College na dating Benedictine Abbey [A moniker for Saint Benedict College formerly known as Benedictine Abbey]

berks: barkada, kabarkada. kaibigan. [friend or circle of friends]

beykon-type: sirang garter ng lumang brief na mukha nang bacon. [wear-out men's underwear/brief. bacon-like garter]

BF: lalaking kasintahan. abbrev. BoyFriend. Mas seryoso kumpara sa syota.

bilib: paghanga. pinaniniwalaan. pagsang-ayon. from the english word [believe]

bimo: Tawag sa kotseng BMW [A moniker for a BMW sedan]

binatilyo: malapit ng mabinata. [boy in his pre-teens']

bobita: bobong babae. [female version of bobits]

bobits: galing sa salitang bobo., tanga

bog-li: [horny] libog na binaliktad.

boga: baril. [gun; pistol]

bogchi: Pagkain, or kumain. [food or to eat]

bogerns: galing rin sa salitang bobo, tanga [Stupid]

bokal: binaligtad na salitang "kalbo". walang buhok. [bald]

boking: Na huli, nalaman; na bulgar [caught in the act]

bokya: Zero, walang nakuha o napala. [got nothing or zero]

bolero: taong mahilig manloko o mabola. [a person who alway try to fool somebody]

bomalabs: binaligtad na "malabo". Hindi pwede o maitindihan. imposible. [not possible. cannot understand]

bondat: malaki ang tyan. [big tummy]

bondying: same meaning with baby damulag

bongga: maganda o kaya't glamorosa [glamorous]

booba: malaki ang joga. [women with big breast]. Pinasikat ni Ruffa Mae dahil sa pelikulang "Booba", kung saan siya ay superhero na may malaking boobs at tatanga-tanga. Bobo na malaki ang boobs.

bopol: tanga, bobo; bobits [dumb; idiot]

boso: silip. manilip. kita ang di dapat makita. [piping tom; to see the things you should not see.]

brad: 'brader', kaibigan; galing sa salitang ingles na "Bro" [friend or buddy; originated from 'bros' abrev for brothers]

bread: pera. datung. [money] sikat ng panahon ng hipi ... dekada '70

bulatlat: buksan. halungkat. [to open, view, scrutinize, inspect or scan]

bulgar: bistado o na huling may itinatagong sikreto [discovered, compromised]

bumbay: taga India or may lahi. [Indian]

bumper: dibdib ng babae. see joga. [boobs]

bundat: Malaki na ang tiyan maaring dahil sa kabusugan, buntis, pulis, etc. [big belly.]

buraot: asar, inis. badtrip. [tease; not in a good mood.]

burat: inip, nakakainip. [bored], True meaning: male sex organ

burloloy: maraming dekorasyon na ma-arte, mga ornamentos at palamuti na baduy o jologs tignan [over decorated and cluttered]

burnik: buhok sa puwet [ass hair]

Busko: Tawag sa Don Bosco Technical College [A moniker for Don Bosco Technical College

buwaya: pulis na nangongotong. sa basketbol eto ay dragon at ayaw mamasa ng bola.

buyangyang: tuwarang bukas na parang nakakakalat ang dating. [a thing that is displayed in a somewhat vulgarly manner]

"C"

chani: pagkuha ng unti-unti. pakonti-konti. [to get in smaller pieces, denomination, etc...] sa totoo, ito ay pambunot ng buhok.

charing: kunyari lang or di totoo. [untrue, unreal]

cheche bureche: kaartihan. mapaligoy. palabok. [beating around the bush, not george]

chedeng: Tawag sa kotseng Mercedes Benz [A moniker for any Mercedes Benz sedan]

chekwa: chinese o may lahing [chinese].

chibog: kain. [to eat.]

chibug: Kain. [eat. see chibog]

chick: babae. bebot. [chick. lady]

chick boy: mahilig sa chicks o bebot. [playboy]

chickababe: babae. see [chick]

chika-chika: usap-usapan, daldalan, tsismis [small talk, tete-a-tete]

chikinini: [kiss mark]

chinita: chick o babae na singkitin ang mata, maaring wala o maylahi ng chinese. [a girl having a chinese or japanese-looking eyes. China eyes]

chinoy: Pinoy at Tsino na pinagsama, [Filipino-Chinese]

chipipay: Mumurahin, walang klas, parang jologs; galing sa salitang ingles na [cheap, cheapskate, low class & unsophisticated]

chonki: Marijuana

choo-choo: Sumbongero, mahilig mambulgar [person who tells on other people; whistle blower]

chope: ibang bersyon ng pagbigkas ng torpe. see torpe. Ito din ay pwedeng magbigay kahulugan na duwag. [coward]

chuchu: sumbungero. o taong nagsumbong. [whistle-blower.]

colorum: Tawag sa pampasaherong dyip, bus o taksi na hindi lisenyado o rehistrado [unlicensed or unregistered public utility vehicle]

conio: anak mayaman. see conyo

conyo: anak mayaman. [rich kid]

copongcopong: luma o laos na. [passe, outdated]. karaniwang ginagamit na "panahon pa ni copongcopong" sa usapang pinoy.

crush ng bayan: crush ng lahat. [everyone likes or has a crush on]

"D"

dagul: malaking tao. pwede din sa pandak bilang pang asar. galing salitang pampango na ibigsabihin ay malaki. [someone who is big or huge. may also be used to tease a small guy]

dakdak: dalawang kahulugan: magsalita ng walang humpay (talk to the point of irritation); sa larong basketball, "slam dunk"

dakis: malaki..sinasabi palagi ng bading pag may nakitang malaking bagay :-p

dalaginding: bago magdalaga o mag teenager ang isang babae. [girl in her pre-teens']

datung: salitang bading na ibig sabihin ay pera o kwarta. [money]

datung: pera, salapi[money]

dayo: dayuhan. Hindi taga-lugar nyo. pagpunta sa ibang lugar. [someone who is not from your place; foreigner. to go to another place.]

deadma: walang pakialam. galing sa salitang, patay [dead], malisya [malice].

dedbol: patay. [dead]

dedma: see deadma.

dedo: patay. [dead.]

dehins: binaligtad na salitang "hinde". [no, not]

dekwat: nakaw, kinupit, inangkin [to steal, stolen, take away or remove, claim ownership]

denggoy: daya. dugas. [tricked]

diskarte: paggawa ng paraan, gumawa ng paraan[noun: a way of doing things; also, the ability to get things done]; [verb: to get things done expediently]

dragon: madamot. Sa basketbol ito ang player na ayaw mamasa ng bola. [selfish; a basketball player that ignores team work and does not pass the ball even when other has the best opportunity to score]

drawing: sinungaling, di makatotohanan. [untrue or to good to be true.]

durog: mga bawal na gamot [illegal narcotics, drugs]

dyahe: Hiya, Nakakahiya. di-maluwag sa loob o di gusto ang gagawin o sasabihin. Nauso ang salitang ito nung '70's.

"E"

ebak: tae. [manure.]

ebas: said, sinabi

ebas: said, sinabi. baliktad ng "sabe, o sabi"

ebs: see ebak.

egoy: negrong kano, maitim. [black american.]

ek ek: kaartehan. at iba pa o kung ano-ano pa. [etcetera.]

elib: binaligtad na bilib.

ema: nanay, inay [mother]

engot: tanga, bobo. [dumb]

epa: see erpat.

epal: pakielamero, mapapel.

epektos: droga, kontrabando, pinagbabawal o iligal na gamot o bagay. [contraband, drugs, "the goods")

epektus: mga bagay na bawal sa batas [anything illegal]. [see epektos]

ermat: nanay, ina. [mother]

erpat: tatay, ama. [father.]

erpats: see erpat.

etchas: tae. [manure.]

"F"

fafa: From the word [Papa]. Kasintahang lalaki ng kapwa lalaki. Kasintahang lalaki.

FT: Food Trip. kain. [to eat.]

futuristic: gamit para panukoy sa mga taong may malaking dibdib... [big breast]

"G"

gagong gupit: bagong gupit. [new haircut.] pinalitan ang salitang "bago" ng "gago" upang maghayag ng pagbigo or pang-asar sa kakilala. Babala: Hwag subukan itawag sa taong hindi mo kilala kung ayaw mong mabugbog ma-ombag.

gamol: [untidy, messy] burara, bastos, magulo, o ma-baboy sa pag-uugali.

gatasan: huthutan, kuhanan ng bagay o pera. [to abuse.]

gets mo: nakuha mo, naintindihan. [Did you get it? or understand it?]

GF: abbrev. GirlFriend. Mas serious syota o jowa

gimik: lumabas o pagpunta sa ibang lugar tulad ng mall, bar, disco, etc.. Hango sa salitang ingles na [gimmick]

gleng-gleng: magaling. [good, very good]

goli: binaligtad na "ligo". [take a bath]

good shot: Magpapakabait, pakabuti; galing sa ingles na 'good shot' na ginamait kung may maganda o mabuting resulta [to make good or behave; taken from 'good shot' a figure of speech invoked if something good or positive happens

graduate: disqualiied sa basketball game dahil sa maduming paglalaro or sumobra na sa pwedeng foul. [basketball player who gets disqualified because of 5 or 6 fouls]

gwaping: galing sa salitang "gwapo". magadang lalake. [handsome]

"H"

hagad: patrolya o eskort eskort ng pulis/parak; [police patrol or escort]

hanep: galing, maganda. [wow; cool]

hataw: ang galing.

hatching: bahing. [sneeze]

haybols: Galing sa salitang "bahay" na ibinaligtad [house]

hinayupak: hayop. walang hiya [animal]

hipon: Babaeng maganda ang katawan ngunit hindi maganda ang mukha.

"I"

indiyan: galing sa English term "Indian" [native American Indians, who are known to have a very unique concept of time]. Ginagamit ito kung ang ibig sabihin ay "[absent]" o hindi sumipot sa usapan.

indyan: di pagsipot sa usapan o tagpuan.

indyanero: taong di sumipot sa usapan or lugar ng tagpuan.

iskul bukol: bulakbol. [skip classes]. from the old philippine TV show "Iskul Bukol" with Tito, Vic and Joey.

iskwa-kwa: hirap sa buhay, nakatira sa squatter's area o iskwater. see skwaking.

iskwawa: [squatter.] isang naninirahan sa di naman binigyan ang kaukolang pahintulot ng may-ari. see skwaking.

ismolin: [to underestimate, to belittle] galing sa salitang English na "small"

ispokening dolar: Pinoy na trying hard na magsalita ng english. Mag salita ng ingles na tonong islang ng kano. ispokening - [speaking], dolar - [dollar]

isputing: nakadamit na maporma, magara, pamburol o pormal. japorms. [person wearing a formal suit or in new style/fashion]

istambay: see tambay.

i-kaw
s-ila
t-ayo
a-ko
m-ga
b-atang
a-yaw
y-umaman.

istariray: popular, sikat. [star, famous] (most of the time applies to women)

istokwa: naglayas sa bahay. from the english word [stow away]

"J"

Ja-fake: [fake]. peke, di tunay. Huwad. Nauso dahil sa isang commercial sa tv.

jabar: pandak, unano, maliit. (short, the opposite of Kareem Abdul Jabar)

jabongga: pakikipagtalik or sex. [making love, or sex. check out the song "Jabongga"]

jaguar: binaligtad na gwardya, [security guard]

japayuki: Pilipino na nagtatrabaho sa Japan. [Filipino workers in Japan. (most of the time is associated with female or filipina) ]. Karaniwan tinatawag sa babae na OFW sa Japan kumpara sa lalake.

japorms: binaligtad at dinagdagan na salitang "porma". [style or fashion]

japuli: tsiks na nagpapadiskarte.

jebak: tae, ebak. dumi ng tao o hayop. [manure. feces/shit]

Jeprox: 1.[filipino hippy] 2. parang ewan; para walang magawa [looks stupid or has nothing to do]

jingle: umihi. [to urinate]

joga: boobs, suso

jokla: Its another form for the word "bakla". It is believed that it started as a salitang kanto or street words. Jok-la

jologs: a word to describe a cheap person skwaking. di maganda pumorma ng damit. baduy. pangit o bakya ang taste.

jombag: suntok [to hit a person with a fist]. galing sa salitang sombag na ang ibig ay suntok.

joots: marijuana; chonki

jowa: syota. [lover, partner in life.]

juding: other word for bading

"K"

kadiri: kasuklamsuklam. o di kanisnais at gustong tumayo ng balahibo mo sa likod. [yuk. anything unpleasant.]

kalog: makulit, nakakatuwang tao. kenkoy. [someone who is jolly, fun to be with or cool.]

kaltok: see batok. medyo malakas ng konti sa batok.

kangkarot: kenkoy na ikot o kilos

kangkarot: kenkoy or nakakatawa na ikot o kilos. [to move differently or in a funny way.]

Kano: Amerikano. [American]

kapalmuks: walang hiya

kaplugan: Talik, pulot-gata,[having sex, mating]

kapuspalad: salitang tumutukoy sa boy friend na may syotang malaking joga na hindi kayang sapuhin [poor or needy : true meaning]

kapuspalad: salitang tumutukoy sa boy friend na may malaking joga na hindi kayang sapuhin [poor or needy : true meaning]

katkong: dugas o kumisyon. [to take a part of something specially money related situation or deal; commission]

kelot: lalake. [male] uso noong dekada '70

kenkoy: nakakatawang tao. [funny person. joker.]

kikay: malande, maarte, pwede din kalog. [flirty chick]

kipay: [vagina] ari ng babae.

kirat: maliit ang isang mata. [one eye is smaller that the other, like the artist left-eye.]

kisspirin: halik. pabirong paghalo ng salitang "kiss" at "aspirin". [kiss]

kita-kits: kita-kita. magkita sa isang lugar. [to meet]

KJ: abbrev. Kill Joy. Pagpatay sa kaligayahan. di marunong makisama or makisaya. okray

KKB: Kanya-Kanyang Bayad. [pay your own; dutch treat.]

koboy: Late 20th century bastardization of the English word "cowboy", meaning a flexible/all-around person. Taong walang keme o arte sa lahat ng bagay maging pakikisama.

komang: tabingi o hindi pantay na baraso o kamay.

kopongkopong: see copongcopong.

kosa: tawagan sa loob ng kulungan. [jail inmate]

kotong: pera pambayad para di ka tikitan ng pulis, mmda etc. suhol. [bribe money]

kotseng kuba: Volkswagen Beetle. kotse is [car], and kuba is [hunchback]

KSP: abbrev. Kulang Sa Pansin. [lacks attention]

Kulas: Tawag sa Saint Scholistica's College [A moniker for Saint Scholastica's College]

kulasisi: kabit o number-two [mistress].

kulelat: nahuhuli. huli. [last in a line, race or game.]

kuliling: Taong may sayad sa ulo o wierdo. [crazy. mentally ill.] hango sa tunay na ibig sabihin na Matinining at maliliit na tunog. Kung ikaw ay nakakarinig ng ganito or maliit na boses, mamaari nga na may sayad ka. :) [to hear sounds or voices that do not exist]

kumander: tawag ng mister (minsan ay under] kay misis.

kuno: Kunyari-kunyarian, Nagpapanggap, peke [pretending, as if]

kupal: makapal ang mukha, taong sobrang walanghiya. [someone you really hate]

kurimaw: pangit. [ugly]

kurimaw: pangit na mukha. (ugly face)

kurog: mas malakas sa kaltok at batok

kutos: singlakas ng kurog. [hit the head]

kuwatsi: kuha tsinelas. (to run away taking one's slippers)

kuyog: pagtulungan. pagkaisahan. karaniwang ginagamit pag away ang pinag-uusapan. [unite against someone. usually used in a brawl or fist fight.]

kwan: sinasabi mo kung di maaalala yung gustong sabihing salita.

kwatro-kantos: gin. alak. Ginebra San Miguel na litro. [vodka. a popular alcohol drink in the Philippines.]

kwentong barbero: kwentong walang kwenta at mataas ang possibilidad na di totoo.

kwits: tabla. pantay na. [got or to get even with.]

"L"

lagapak: pagbagsak ng malakas na minsan ay may tunog. bagsak. [hard fall. to get a failing mark.]

lagare: paggawa sa isang bagay, kahit mayroon pang ginawa sa kasalukuyan o pagawa ng sabay-sabay. hal. sa trabaho,pag-sideline sa iba. [to work or do things at the same time or simultaneously.]

lagay: dayaan sa paggamit ng pera. bayad para di mahuli o palusutin ng pulis etc ...[bribe] see under the table

laklak: kumain o uminom ng madami. Inom ng alak or beer. [eat or drink greedily] pinasikat ng bandang "Teeth" na ang tema ay pag inom ng alak

Lako: Tawag sa La Consalacion College [A moniker for La Consolacion College Manila]
lakwatsa: Pasyalan, lakaran na walang pupuntahan [to walk around aimlessly with no destination in mind]

lapongga: ito'y kahalintulad sa laplapan o kaya ay lamasan.

lo bat: pagod na o mahina na. Hango sa salitang "Low Batt" sa mga cellphone. [Low-batt, drain cellphone power. tired.]

longkatuts: binaligtad na "katulong". [maid, nanny].

lonta: pantalon. binaligtad. [long pants].

losyang: matanda o luma. [old, oldage.]

lowerd: kotse o oner na malapit na sumayad ang tapalodo sa pagkababa ng kaha. [low profile style car]

luto: inargabyado o dinaya sa isang laro o paligasahan. [cheated in game.] Karaniwan sa larong basketball.

"M"

ma at pa: MAlay ko at PAkialam ko

Madapaka: anak ng puta, (hears like - mother fucker).

makalaglag brip: ekspresyon kapag nakakita ng saksakan ng gandang babae. [an expression of seeing a very very beautiful lady]

makalaglag panti: isang expresyon na nagpapahayag ng pagkakakita sa napakagwapo o poging lalaki. karaniwang sinasabi ng babae. [an expression of seeing an extremely handsome guy]

makunat: kuripot o barat. [miser or stingy person]

manong: tawag sa nakatandang lalake. [adult male; sir]

manoy: Titi (T squared), Male sex organ (penis, dick).

manyak: mahilig sa sex. malibog. galing sa salitang ingles na [maniac]

manyakis: taong manyak. see manyak.

may k: pinaikling MAY Karapatan. [Have the right to ...]

may sayad: sira ulo. praning [mentally ill]

may toyo: may sumpong. masungit. wala sa mood. [having a bad day]

mcarthur: taeng bumabalik after mong i-flush [shit that refuses to get flushed]

miron: Taong pakialamero o pang gulo lang; pareho ng uzi mahilig magusisa [equivalent to by stander, on-looker, extra]

mobil: sasakyan ng pulis/parak [police vehicle; squad car]

mokong: 1.tawag sa malapit na kaibigan na tanga sa isang malumanay na paraan at walang pikunan, [friendly term for "tanga"]; pabirong tawag sa malapit na kaibigan na ang ibig sabihin ay tanga o tatanga-tanga; [word history: Ober da Bakod TV sitcom]

MU: parang kasintahan mo na pero di pa naman. Abbrev. Mutual Understanding.

muka mo: ekspresyon ng mga taong ayaw pumayag sa opinyon o hiling ng kausap. [an expression of rejection to somebody's opinion. sort of "In Your Face" attitude.].

"N"

na-gets: Kuha mo; sa ingles [get it?; Catch my drift?]

naks: Isang salitang pinaikli at galing sa expresyon "aNAK ng puta" [no exact english translation, perhaps equivalent to 'cool' or 'wow']

nana: taong mahilig humingi ng foul sa larong basketbol, kahit d naman na-foul.

neknek: Its a word used to replace a more hurtful word like tang *** mo but in a funny sound way. It was started by a group of people who got nothing to do better in their lives. Nek-nek

nenok: naisahan o nautakan ng isang mangagantyo.

ngarag: katulad ng bangag (same as high)

ngarat: [dirty finger;middle finger]
isang uri ng senyas ng kamay kung saan ang hinlalato lang ng kamay ang nakalabas, ginagamit sa pagpapakita ng galit,pagtutol o simpleng pang-asar.

ngawngaw: Patuloy na pananalita na walang humpay o preno.dakdak[nag]

nget-pa: [ugly] pangit. kurimaw

nognog: karaniwang tawag sa Maitim na tao o bata. egoy.[dark skinned person] Maaring nagmula sa salitang suNOG.

nuknukan: Ubod or sobra. [over.]

"O"

OA: abbrev. [Over-Acting.] pagmamalabis o sobra.

okray: see KJ

omads: Marijuana; sa salitang 'damo' na ibinaligtad chonki['grass' slang for cannabis]

ombag: gulpi, bugbog. [punch, beat]

oner: owner-type na jeep. [small version of jeepney]

onse: daya, dugas, gantyo. [tricked, swindle, double-cross]

ontogmolodon: pabirong sinasabi na ito ay isang uri ng gamot na maaring lunas sa masasakit ang ulo; hindi na kailangan ng reseta ng duktor dahil angkop ito sa lahat at subok na ng industriya. Untog mo ulo mo don ang tunay na sinasabi. [bang or hit your head somewhere.]

orbit: ronda. karaniwang ginagamit sa mga pulis na umiikot pag gabi upang mangolekta ng tong.

"P"

pabling: lalakeng mahilig sa babae. [playboy]

pagong: Tawag sa Volkwagen Beetle; pareho ng kotseng kuba [A moniker for a Volkswagen Beetle]

paki mo: pinaikling "pakielam mo". [what do you care?; don't bother; mind your own biz]

pakner: kasama. kaibigan. hang o sa salitang ingles na [patner]. [a friend]

palabok: dagdag. paligoy-ligoy. see cheche bureche. [beating around the bush, not george sr.]

paldo: makapal [thick) pera, marami (many) pera

Pinagmulan: from the words " makapal ang dolyar"

palpak: Isang matinding pagkakamali, hindi maganda o maayos ang gawa, mahina o sirang-sira [sloppy mistake or failure, a dud, a comedy of errors, poor and unsatisfactory result]

palpal: hinarangan ang bola habang nag-shoshoot sa basketbol. pinaiksing supalpal.

panis: madali. sisiw. kayang-kaya. [easy to do.]

pantra: uri ng motorsiklo na PANTRAysikel. [motorcyle mostly used for tricylcle]

parak: pulis. [police]

Pasba: Tawag sa PSBA o Philippine School of Business Administration [A moniker for PSBA - The Philippine School of Business Administration]

patay-sindi: beerhouse

patok: sikat. Okey! [totally a hit!]

patotot: yun yung pag naglalaro ka ng patin(patintero),tapos may bantay sa gitnang linya na humuhuli sa kalaban! :)

pautot: pauso o palusot.

pendong: tawag sa pagbatok sa kasama kapag me dumaan na kotseng kuba [beetle]

petiks: Eng: adj. idleness and procrastination during working hours. Tag: nagliliwaliw, nagyoyosi, nakikipagdaldalan habang oras ng trabaho; daig pa ang bossing kung makapagrelaks

Peyups: Tawag sa UP o University of the Philippines na ibinaligtad [A moniker for UP - The University of the Philippines]

pikon: Isang taong hindi mabiro, ayaw magpatalo at madaling magalit. [a sore loser, hot headed]

pilantod: pilay.

pinoy: galing sa salitang [from the word] "Pilipino" o "Filipino", possibly started during the 70's era. Check out the song, "Ako'y isang Pinoy" by Florante.

pitik: nakaw. [to steal]. see dekwat.

plakda: pangbagsak o pagkakadapa ng una ang dibdib. madapa. [to fall flat on the floor]

plastik: hipokrito. di totoo. [hypocrite]

plesing: pwesto, kinalalagyan ng isang bagay o tao. na uso sa salitang placing sa larong bilyar na kung saan napu-pwesto ng maganda ang pato [white/mother ball].

pogi: Magandang lalaki; galing sa salitang 'Guwapo' [handsome, good looking, neat]

poknat: peklat sa ulo. [scar on the head]

pokpok: chick o babae na nagpapadiskarte. [bitch]

praning: wala sa sarili, dimapakali. [paranoid]

promdi: probinsyano. PROM DI province. (from the province]

prosti: pinaiksi ang salitang ingles na [prostitute].

Pule: Tawag sa Saint Paul College [A moniker for Saint Paul College]

pulis-patola: pulis na walang matinong ginagawa kundi magpalaki ng tyan at di pakikinabang. [timid or dumb policeman]

puruntong: short na mahaba, na abot sa tuhod. (short pero mahaba?!?) [short pants]

pwet ng baso: pekeng diamond sa mga mumurahing alahas. [fake stone like diamond on a cheap jewelry]

"R"

raket: sa mga nagta-trabahong pinoy, it ay nangangahulugang "side-line" or dagdag kita. [additional income].

rambol: kaguluhan dahil sa away. bug-bugan, sapakan na marami ang kasali. [rumble]

rat-ratan: barilan. [gun fight. to shot using a gun.]

repapips: binaligatad at dinagdagan na salitang "pare". [buddy or mate]. uso nga dekada '70

repatipaks: pare, kaibigan. see [repapips]

resbak: gantihan. karaniwang giangamit sa away or kaguluhan. [revenge]

"S"

sabog: kapag ikaw ay meron ng mataas na amats or kulang sa tulog. Hilo o tuliro. [feeling under heavy influence of alcohol, drugs or due to sleep deprivation. the feeling of dizziness.]

sabon: sermonan; pagalitan. [sermon; scold]

salungpwit: [Chair],Upuan

salungsuso: Bra

sandamakmak: madami. sangkatutak. [many in quantity]

sandamukal: napakarami. [plenty] see sandamakmak.

sanpit: Pinsan Cousin

sansui: isang sutsot uwi! see sansuwi

sansuwi: iSAng SUtsot uWI agad. related to takusa.

sapek: mapapel na tao, palaging umaabla sa bawat opinyon.

sawimpalad: salitang tumutukoy sa lalake na may GF na maliit ang hinaharap.(bust)

sayd-b: [side-b] tawag sa pagsuot ng dati nang gamit na brief or panty sa pagbaligtad nito. pag ito uli ay binaligtad at muling ginamit tawag dito ay sayd-c, sayd-d... and so on. [to repeat your under wear or continue to wear it]

sekyu: Pinaikling [Security Guard].

semplang: balibag; dulas. [to fall or slip accidentally].

senglot: lasing, maraming nainom na alak [drunk]

senti: malungkot o seryoso ang mood. [in a sentimental mood. having a blue mood]

shonganga: tanga. [dumb]

shorpet: sumbrero. [cap.] Galing sa salitang "Short-fit" (di sigurado).

Sibat: Umalis, lumayas; galing sa salitang "Tabi" na ibinaligtad [leave, go away, to step aside]

siga: Magmamatigas, naninindak sa pamamagitan ng lakas at yabang, isang intimador; Nangaling sa salitang 'Tigas' [a bully, intimidator]

sinitch: sino (who?)

sipsip: nagpapalakas sa isang tao. nagpapahaba ng papel. [someone who is doing a favor for a person with a hidden agenda in mind like promotion (boss), recognition, high grades/marks (teacher) etc.]

sisiw: madali lang. [easy to do or accomplish]

sitak: binaligtad na taksi. [taxi cab]

siyete: chismis, rumor, gossip... (pinagmulan: channel 7's 'student canteen' controversy in '80's

skwaking: squatter o bakya

solb: kuntento. [satisfied. from the english word "solve".]

sosi: Sosyal, pa-class, feeling conyo [socialite, elite]

soya: binaliktad na ayos.

stir: panloloko o bolahin; peke. [cheat; double-cross, fake]

stokwa: layas. see istokwa.

strobali: Straw gamit sa pag-inom ng anumang inumin na pwedeng maliko o mabali sa isang dulo para madali ang paginum. [flexible drinking straw]

supalpal: barado, di nakaimik, di makasingit sa asaran, usapan. Pwede din na ikaw at na tapal (kaya naging supalpal) basketball [to get blocked from a basketball play]piso

sutil: ispoyld burat,este brat[spoiled brat],batanglumaki sa luho na matigas ang ulo;pasaway

swak: kasya or sakto; pasok, bagay na bagay. [fit]

swangit: salitang bading which means pangit or [ugly]

syoke: bakla, jokla [faggot, gay]

syota: kasintahan. [lover]. pero sa panahon ngayon kapag ito ay ginamit ang ibig sabihin ay di seryoso ang relasyon o [short-time] lng.

syota ng bayan: pokpok

syota ng bayan: pokpok sa daan

"T"

T-bak: underwear ng babae na g string

ta-artits: salitang artista na binaliktad. [actor/actress]

tachi: tae. dumi ng hayop o tao. [shit. manure]

taglish: TAGalog at engLISH. salitang o pananalitang maarte na pinaghahalo na pinoy at ingles.
halimbawa: "Why are you so bagal naman?"
[a mix of filipino and english language. corrupt version of the english language in the philippines]

takmo: utak lamok; bobo; tanga

takusa: TAKOt SA Asawa. ander. [a man afraid to his wife].

tambay: mga tao or barkada na walang magawa at naka tigil sa isang lugar na karaniwan ay
kanto o tabing kalsada. [idling people on the streets]. Hindi ko sigurado kung hango ito sa salitang "Stand-by" na ang ibigsabihin ay nag-aantay. [possibly from the english word "stand-by"]

tameme: natahimik. di makapagsalita. [stunned and/or was unable to talk]

tanching: isang laro na kung saan ilalagay na barya sa loob ng parisukat [square] na drawing sa lupa tapos titirahin ng pamato na barya para mapalabas. [paki translate na lng]

tanga-hanga: mga tagahanga ng di mo gusto na artista o tao. Kaya ginawang "tanga" ang upisa. [a fan of an artist or musician or whatever which you do not like. a dumb or idiot fan]

tangaraw: Tawag sa Tamaraw FX ng Toyota [A moniker for a Toyota Tamaraw FX]

tangengot: tanga at engot na tao. [a dumb person.]

tanso: Fake, Panggap, Naloko (Natanso) ... when you bought something that you thought was gold, but not.

tapsihan: tindahan ng tapsilog. [a lokal fast food which serves tapsilog]

tapsilog: Ta-pa, Si-nangag at itLog. [favorite rice snack of pinoys. Beef, fried rice and egg (sunny side up).]

tarugo: A huge male reproductive organ. ulo ng ari o ang ari ng lalaki.

tatchi: tawag sa dumi ng tao o hayop. [shit or manure.]

Tate: bansang US. hango sa salitang [States]

Tene: Tawag sa Ateneo de Manila University [A moniker for the Ateneo de Manila University]

tepok: Patay, tapos na, yari na; pareho ng dedbol o dedo[dead, finished, done and over with]

TH: initials ng "trying hard" ... pagpupumilit sa isang bagay na di kaya.

tibo: tomboy. babaeng lalaki kung kumilos. [lesbian]

tigbak: Patay, Dedo [Dead, Deceased]

tigidig: tigyawat. [pimple/s]

tigok: patay. [dead.]

timang: sira, o sira ulo. wala sa sarili. [crazy]

Tipar: Isang pagtitipon, galing sa salitang ingles na [Party, a celebration] na ibinaligtad

tisay: maputing babae. May lahi o dugong banyaga. see tisoy. [Mestiza]

tisaya: Tisaya- adj - isang tisay at bisayang babae. A cream-coated, beautiful, sophisticated lady from the south :P

tisoy: maputi. May lahi o dugong kastila, kano, chinese etc ... basta maputi. Hango sa salitang Mestiso. [Mestizo]

titi: kasarian ng lalaki (penis)

todas: Tapos, na-dale; pareho ng tepok at tigok [finished, a dead-duck]

todits: binaligatad na dito. [here]

toktok: sapatos. [leather shoes]

tol: pinaikling salita ng kaputol, kapatid, tawagan ng mga magkakaibigan, pwede ring itawag sa mga babaeng magbabarkad (brother)

toma: inom ng alak o beer. [to drink alcohol or beer]

tomador: taong mahilig uminom ng alak o beer. [drunkard. a person who loves beer and alcohol]

tomguts: binaligtad na salitang "gutom". [hungry, starving]

topak: sumpong, toyo, sayad,

torete: tuliro, wala sa sarili. see praning. [under paranoia or confused]

torpe: mahiyain o mahina dimiskarte sa panliligaw. duwag manligaw. [too shy or afraid to court a girl].

toyo: me sira ang ulo, wala sa mood, badtrip etc .. [see may toyo.]

trapo: TRAditional POlitician. Politikong makaluma na madikit sa red tape.

trip: gusto. hilig. [something you like or want.]

tropa: grupo ng mga magkakaibigan. see barkada.

tsibog: kain. [eat] see chibog.

tsikiting: [kids] mga bata.

tsikot: binaligtad na "kotse". [car]

tsimay: Isang mababang pagtawag sa katulong na babae; pareho ng longkatuts [a derogatory term for a housemaid]

tsinoy: See Chinoy.

tsokaran: kaibigan. kabarkada. [friend]

tsong: Kabarkada, pare [Friend; equivalent to 'dude' 'man' or 'bro']

tsugi: patay. see dedbol [dead]

tsuper: tawag sa isang tao na ang trabaho ay magmaneho ng sasakyan; Galing sa salitang ingles na [Chauffer, driver]

tubong lugaw: karaniwang sinasabi kapag malaki ang kita sa isang benta o negosyo. [high profit business].

tukmol: pangit. nakakainis na tao. [ugly or annoying person]. see kurimaw

tuknene: itlog ng pugo na nakabalot sa kulay orange na harina; parang kwek-kwek o wek-wek.

tumba: patayin. [to kill]

"U"

uhugin: sipon na tumutulo sa sa ilong na may halong kulangot.

ulikba: maitim. salitang pampango na ang ibigsabihin ay maitim na manok. [dark skin].

umbag: see ombag.

under: see ander or under de saya.

under de saya: takot sa misis. [husband afraid to his wife.]

under the saya: see under de saya.

under the table: lagay o suhol. [bribe]

Uste: Tawag sa UST o University of Santo Tomas [A moniker for UST - The University of Santo Tomas]

utak-biya: bobo. Hinalintulad sa biya kc maliit ang ulo na parang walang utak. [dumb]

Uto: lokohin, paniwalain [to fool, make believe otherwise]

Uto-uto: Madaling lokohin, sunod-sunuran, madaling mapaniwala; Uto [gullible, naive, easily fooled]

utol: kapatid. galing sa salitang "kaputol". [sibling]

ututan dila: kaibigan o barkada. kakulitan o kwentuhan. [friend. partners in crime]

Uwe: Tawag sa UE o University of the East [A moniker for UE - The university of the East]

uzi: galing sa salitang "USIsero".chismoso, taong mahilig magusisa.

"W"

wa epek: WAlang EPEKto. [No effect].

wais: tagalize na wise. mautak. [wise]

walang k: pinaikling WALANG Karapatan. [No right to ...]

walangjo: walang hiya, ang kapal. checkout walanjo

walanjo: walastik, nampucha [what the hell?]

walastik: ang galing, walangjo[similar to great, cool, awesome]

watot: asawa [husband/wife]

wetpaks: binaligtad at dinagdagan ang salitang "pwet". [buttocks, butt]

"Y"

yabangis: yabang at bangis na binagsama. mayabang, [proud. show off.]

yagbols: [testicles] betlog ng lalaki.

yakang-yaka: baligtad na kayang-kaya. [easy to accomplish]

yakapsul: yakap. pabirong pag halo ng salitang yakap at capsul (gamot). [hug]

yosi: sigarilyo. [cigarette]

yoyo: hinde ito yung laruan na me tali kundi tawag minsan relo o [watch].

yugyugan: sayawan. [to dance]

ang sayasaya no ;)

Dad

2008-11-26T16:37:00.004+08:00

When I landed on my first-ever teaching job in a private school, I had one great obsession in mind: to be able to share my acquired knowledge after fifteen years of intense studies since my kindergarten. You see, I was some sort of proud of myself because I had always been with honors from grade school. I consider my high school my golden years of achievements. I was be-medalled. So when I got my first assignment of handling chemistry subject to six classes of third year high school, my adrenalin pumped to the hilt. I enjoyed my first year.

The cream section captured my awe as probably they got infected with the virus I carried – the virus to achieve and become the best that they could be. Later, I found myself no longer just their chemistry teacher. Especially when we would share light moments during break time and after dismissal time in the afternoon. I became a friend to most of them.

In one of the conventions that I had attended to chaperon our school’s student delegates, I never knew I would discover more about one of my students whom I sat beside with while we were in the gym watching the ceremonies of a religious gathering. In between watching and paying attention to the speaker of invited guest priests, bishops, and movie personalities, we took chances of whispering our conversations to each other. I learned she never saw her father again since that time that her parents decided to part ways. It only occurred to her then, now that she was a teenager, what it meant to lose a dad who should have been with her in her growing up years. She had this grandfather whom she fondly called Tatay who stood in her dad’s stead. Since then, we both became close to one another.

I could not recall anymore how it started. I just knew, in one of her letters to me, she addressed me DAD. Oh, how I cherished those moments. My being a teacher to her added a different touch. I would write her notes which I signed back as dad. On her high school graduation, she was so proud as she was one among the honor students telling her Tatay that I became one of those who touched her life most. Her mommy knew how close we were.

Unfortunately, on the next five years of my teaching career, I was appointed to become the discipline head of our department. I accepted it with great conviction that I could probably make a difference for the boys. But it triggered students to become aloof with me. Many distanced themselves. They saw me as someone stern and stoic. Someone they avoided. In those years, my heart bled as I never wanted to be abhorred by students. I wanted to be someone they could run to, I wanted to be a friend as I wished they could be, too, to me.

Meanwhile, for her next two years as a college student at the Ateneo, she still continued to write notes to me with the same affectionate dad in her greeting. In one of her letters, she asked me to keep it and show it back to her 10 years after. I did. We chanced upon each other again- and again inside a gym while my ex-girlfriend and I attended a musical competition. Fortunately I brought with me her two letters she wrote 11 years back. I showed them back to her and it rekindled our once beautiful past. Oh how we laughed and giggled. She hasn’t changed a bit even as she is now just waiting for her bar exams result to come out. [Now she is a full-fledged lawyer based in New York.]

But there is more to her two letters than what she knew. Eight years after she wrote them, I showed them to Rona, one of the students who became close to me in our moments of sharing together. At that time, our friendship was already going beyond hi’s and hello’s. I felt she was awed by the closeness of the letter writer to me by calling me her DAD. She remarked "Probably you were so loving a dad to her. Buti pa siya tinawag kang dad.”, she sighed. I held her hands and said straight in her eyes, “You, too, can call me dad…”

My life changed since. Rona represented the ordinary students who came in and out of my classroom. To me, she symbolized a number of those who have so many stories to tell about themselves. Her dad, too, together with her younger sister, left her, when she was yet in the elementary.

Rona transformed me from being the business-like teacher to my students to a more caring and understanding one. She brought back those good old days of my teaching career when I was a teacher my students could run to. From my former image when I was a discipline head, gradually students began to be close to me again. Many of them felt they were lucky because they became close to me as their head in academics. Truth is, I felt the other way around. I was blessed because of them.

Today, I see my every student the face of both Tricia and Rona. I wish I had the luxury of time to go deeper into each one of them. Their smiles probably hide something painful within and like any other mortals, each of them could be waiting for someone to just simply listen to them not with the ears but with the heart or probably just a DAD to them.

Thanksgiving Message and Expression of Love to my Nanang

2008-11-24T18:12:00.009+08:00

Thanksgiving Message and Expression of Love

Interment of Nanang
MANUELA URCIA GUILLERMO
April 13, 1944 – November 12, 2008

(Here is the full text of what I delivered during the Requiem Mass for my Nanang before a full-packed San Roque Parish in Sanchez Mira, Cagayan. I accompanied this one with multimedia presentation of the salient parts of the text.)

To stand before all of you to express our deepest and most heartfelt thanks for all your gestures of kindness, generosity, prayers, and love during our most difficult time of bereavement because of the demise of our dearly loved Nanang is one of the most heart-rending and heart-breaking moments.

Our hearts are full, filled with thanksgiving no amount of words can contain. We were so touched that during the hours of our bereavement, you were there by our side helping all of us to carry through. Your prayers, your presence, your expressions of condolences, your sharing of selves, your sacrifices, your kind words of encouragement – all of these helped our family – the Guillermo family – to face with strength the loss of a dear mother.

Together with Tatang, she raised five children molding each one of us painstakingly into the persons she dreamt us to be. Together with Tatang, she built a family she was always proud of. All of us – the five children – have experienced the unconditional love of our Nanang. Four boys and a girl. All of us professionals, which every parent dreams for her children. Dante is now an entrepreneur of his own. Arnel manages also a little shop. Epie Rey works in a bank in its I.T. department. Mae teaches I.T. and at the same time Clubs and Organizations Chairperson at St. Paul College of Island Park, while I am the High School Academic Chair at St. Paul College of Bocaue.

Nanang is survived by her only sibling, Auntie Minda and her family, and the happy family that they both built with Tatang with 11 grandchildren, and only yesterday another one was born making it 12. Nanang loved all of them so much. More so for her four in-laws.

1. Dante and Nelia have

• Delainne Rose – 17 years old, 2nd year BS Education major in English student of Cagayan State University here in Sanchez Mira
• Dianne Rose – 15 years old, a fourth year student at the Divine Word High School here in Sanchez Mira
• Dann Darrell Ralph - 12 years old, first year student also at the Divine Word High School
• Dan Dave Rodneil – 10 years old, Grade V at Sanchez Mira Central Elementary School

2. Arnel and Maricar have

• Adrian Paul – 7 years old, Grade I at the Sanchez Mira Central Elementary School
• Marianne Joy – 1 year old – the last one Nanang was very fond of

3. Epie Rey and Josie have

• Jazelle Chloe – 3 years old, whom Nanang had the privilege of taking care of her last summer
• Manuel Jeoffrey – 1 day old, the latest whom Nanang was not able to see anymore.

4. Sue and I have

• Kevin Paul – 17 years old, 2nd Year BS Geology student at the University of the Philippines – Diliman
• Kamille Marie – 12 years old, First Year high school student at St. Paul College of Bocaue
• Karen Jobelle – 8 years old, Grade III at St. Paul College of Bocaue
• Kathleen Joy – 5 years old, Kinder in Amulung, whom Nanang took care while she was yet a toddler

5. Mae – the only girl and only one among the five children who is still single.

Through the years, in between bouts of hypertension and diabetes mellitus, Nanang always found time to visit us, her children and grandchildren. She loved to travel as she enjoyed the sights of different places while travelling with Tatang.

Nanang retired from the Cagayan State University – Sanchez Mira Campus after having prodded her to have an early retirement at age 58, due to deteriorating health, just few years after Tatang also retired from service. She was then the Chair of the College of Agriculture.

I figured out it must have been providential because both of them were eventually so absorbed in the Couples for Christ. Tatang and Nanang would travel together to different places actively helping in the formation of several communities of the Couples for Christ. She did not consider her health condition as a major hindrance in serving the Lord. Tatang and Nanang, I learned, would often deliver talks in the Christian Life Program of the CFC. They would join the other couples in this part of the province in the different CFC Programs. I am elated more knowing that Tatang and Nanang were both happily serving in this Parish, with Tatang as an Extraordinary Lay Minister of the Holy Communion. To my mind, I was telling myself, what a beautiful way of spending the rest of their lives together – giving their last ounce of strength in the service of the Lord.

During the wake of Nanang, I have witnessed throngs and throngs of people from the different chapters of Couples for Christ – Sta. Praxedes, Claveria, Sanchez Mira, Pamplona, Abulug, Aparri, Camalaniugan, and still others where Nanang and Tatang were both involved. I did not know that they both were among those who the CFC considered as seed couples. Now I know that Nanang and Tatang truly are silent workers in the vineyard of the Lord. Nanang’s dedication was extraordinarily admirable. Despite being an amputee on her left leg, and even after she was partially paralyzed, Nanang never wavered in her involvement in the Couples for Christ! She was stronger than ever. Up to the very end, she used her last dose of strength working in the Lord’s vineyard.

Two days after her remarkable display of enthusiasm and commitment to her work in the Couples for Christ, she simply told Tatang, she felt so weak. She lovingly told Tatang she felt her time has come. With all love and compassion, Tatang assured her that she just needed to be strong and that God have infinite mercy. But her physical body was deteriorating fast. We learned later on that her immediate cause of death was enlargement of the heart brought about by acute myocardial infarction, indirectly caused by her diabetic condition. Her lungs were filled with fluids. Her kidneys eventually collapsed. All she asked for was for her to be helped seated or to lie down. Tatang and Arnel took turns to pump more oxygen as she was gasping for breath. But she did not complain. She must have been struggling from pain, but silently. She passed away just few minutes after an automatic respirator was attached to her. Then the monitor went flat. Nanang is gone.

To me, there was nothing more devastating to know than receiving a text informing me that Nanang is gone. At 10:29:05 p.m. of November 12, I received that text message I feared most when Nanang was rushed to the hospital that other night. My brother Arnel texted me, "Awan nanangen."

"Mother is gone."

Words I received while I was about to retire for the night. It didn't sink right away. I texted back my brother. "Ania??!! Natayen??" "What??!! She already passed away??"

Then I called up my other brother, Dante. He was sobbing in between our conversations. I couldn't hold back my emotions anymore. I told him, our mother had sacrificed so much for all of us. She had suffered for so long. She endured all because we cannot provide all her medical needs and interventions so that her agony from diabetes and hypertensive episodes would be controlled, at least.

Then it dawned on us, we are so poor. We don't have money to start with. My brother at the other line told me he only had P400.00 left in his pocket. I barely had P2,000.00 left in my pocket.

"Can you remedy something tonight from anyone whom you think can help us?" I asked him.

"Perhaps they are already all asleep," he sobbed. "I was selling my motorcycle but no one could take it immediately," he added in between his cries.

I wept. We are so helpless. We got no one whom we can immediately run to. We don't even have even just a handful of relatives in Sanchez Mira. Our parents simply migrated there since we were small. Our relatives are all scattered in Lal-lo and in Camalaniugan. No one really to run to.

I called up my brother Rey. He was also crying. I tried calling up our only sister, Mae. She could not be reached. I was figuring out how we could bring home Nanang from the Cagayan Valley Medical Center (CVMC) in Tuguegarao without some good money to start with. I wept some more in pity.

Then I remembered Tatang. How’s my beloved Tatang. I couldn’t talk to him via cellphone. The cellphone of Nanang was defective. I wept with the thought that I was not there when he needed me most. I wept some more thinking that only our brother Arnel was beside him. It must have been so painful for him to lose the love of your life. Through thick and thin, Tatang took care of her unconditionally. Tatang became her personal nurse, so to speak. Our Tatang is a very strong-willed person. He is the source of strength and inspiration of the entire family. I have not seen greater love than his for our Nanang. All my entire life, I have not seen a single time that they ever had any fight at all. Our Tatang is truly a great example of a husband and a father. To me, no one comes close to the love that I have seen in both of them. That is why, for all of us, their children, we could not afford to fail them and cause them pain in our married life. Tatang and Nanang are our best model of happily married couple despite their struggles in life.

Now, our mother is gone. Our mother already left us. She had left us, with all her five children, professionals. But no matter how much we may have given back to her, materially, monetarily, and presence, nothing would be enough to match the love and the sacrifices she had given to all of us. She was always very happy each time that we would visit them in Sanchez Mira. On special occasions, she would look forward to seeing all of us. But many times, we failed to complete our family.

Now, we paid her our last respects. We finally had a family reunion like no other. But we saw our mother already in her coffin. It was a sight that broke our hearts. No amount of comforting words would suffice for the loss of a mother so dearly loved.

Nanang, wherever you are right now, please know that we love you so much. Please know that I love you so much. You know that very much. While we grieve for your demise, we are comforted that you are freed from your physical sufferings that you had long endured. We are comforted that you are now with our Lord, with God in His promised eternal life. With all compassion and love, we know that the Lord accepted you with a heartfelt embrace. Let alone your dedication in the Lord's vineyard be one of your redemptions.

Thank you for the years that we had you with us. Thank you for the unconditional love you had given to each one of us, your 5 children, our children, and most of all to Tatang. Thank you for the unforgettable lessons that you had taught us. Thank you so much for everything.

For the many times that we have failed you, forgive us.

For the many heartaches that we have given you, look at us with compassion.

For the many moments that we ignored your pleas of help, understand us.

For the many promises that we have broken, embrace us.

For the many times that we left you alone, be with us.

Nanang, go in peace to the Lord and bring with you our love and a wonderful memory of a family you have built with Tatang. Bring all our cares and burdens to the foot of Jesus. Offer all your sacrifices for us whom you have left behind. Please beg Jesus to pour out His blessings on us, your family, which up to now is still wallowing in dire poverty. Please ask our most loving and eternal God to send us what we needed to live decent lives.

Nanang, it is not goodbye. It is not farewell. Jesus Himself taught us that a seed has to die in order to live. Now, you live in our hearts. Now we carry you wherever we are. Now we have you always with us.

Nanang, I love you so much...

Tatang, I know it must be so painful to lose Nanang. We all do feel the same pain. But I want you to know that we are all here for you. We will all miss Nanang by our side. You have sacrificed so much for her. Nanang couldn’t ask for more. It is our consolation that we have a Tatang like you. A Tatang who’s all loving and all sacrificing. We are so proud of you. You are our model of a father. To us, no one comes close to you. Tatang, rest assured of our love more than ever.

To all our relatives who have come from afar, your presence is a testimony of how much we are loved. We can never thank you enough for all your offers of sacrifices. With you around, we were able to carry through this difficult time in our family with less burdens on our shoulders.

To all of you who have come and shared in our grief, thank you so much. I am sure, Nanang was happily attending to each one of you as you offered your prayers, time, talent, and treasures for her. May God who is never outdone in generosity reward you with the choices gifts that each one of you deserves.

To our Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Roberto Ibay, SVD, thank you so much for this special Requiem Mass.

To God, the infinite source of mercy and love, thank you for our Nanang’s 64 years in this world. Thank you for having her as our Nanang. Thank you for all the blessings and graces that You have showered on her. Grant her eternal rest O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May Nanang rest in peace.

I remember an old lullaby that I used to hear. May I sing it again for Nanang.

Oh my Mama
To me she was so wonderful
Oh my Mama
To me she was so good

Gone are the days
When she would take me on her knees
And with a smile
She’d change my tears to laughters

Oh my Mama
So funny yet adorable
Oh my Mama
To me she was so good.

My Mother is Gone...

2008-11-12T22:50:00.009+08:00

Tonight at 10:29:05 p.m., I received a text message I feared most when Nanang was rushed to the hospital the other night. My brother Arnel texted me, "Awan nanangen."

"Mother is gone."

Words I received while I was about to retire for the night. It didn't sink right away. I texted back my brother. "Ania??!! Natayen??" "What??!! She already passed away??"

Then I called up my other brother, Dante. He was sobbing in between our conversations. I couldn't hold back my emotions anymore. I told him, our mother had sacrificed so much for all of us. She had suffered for so long. She endured all because we cannot provide all her medical needs and interventions so that her agony from diabetes and hypertensive episodes would be controlled, at least.

Then it dawned on us, we are so poor. We don't have money to start with. My brother at the other line told me he only had P400.00 left in his pocket. I barely have P2,000.00 left in my pocket.

"Can you remedy something tonight from anyone whom you think can help us?" I asked him.

"Perhaps they are already all asleep," he sobbed. "I was selling my motorcycle but no one could take it immediately," he added in between his cries.

I wept. We are so helpless. We got no one whom we can immediately run to. We don't even have relatives in Sanchez Mira. Our parents simply migrated there since we were small. Our relatives are all scattered in Lal-lo and in Camalaniugan. No one really to run to.

I called up my brother Rey. He was also crying. I tried calling up our only sister, Mae. She could not be reached. I was figuring out how we could bring home Nanang from the Cagayan Valley Medical Center (CVMC) in Tuguegarao without some good money to start with. I wept some more in pity.

My mother had suffered so much from her illness of diabetes mellitus. It reached that point that we had to recommend the amputation of her left leg because of a non-healing wound that already reached her thigh. We knew it must have been very difficult for her to let go of one of her legs. But she sacrificed it just so she could no longer feel the unending and agonizing pain of a decaying left leg. Since then, she was on wheel chair. Immediately after her leg amputation, we ordered for a leg prosthetics so that she could still walk in balance after her recuperation. Thanks God, she was able to walk with it after months and months of hard work and practice.

But she did not only suffer from diabetes. Prior to it, she was hypertensive. She would suffer from intermittent episodes of chest pains and all kinds of aches that could be attributed to high blood pressure. She suffered from it since my high school days. This progressed to acute hypertensive conditions. Many times, she would be rushed to the hospital because of unstable and high blood pressure. It was because of these two conditions that we asked her to take an early retirement from her university work as a Department Chairman for Agriculture at the Cagayan State University - Sanchez Mira. It was because of declining health conditions.

There had been moments when my mother's BP would shoot up uncontrollably and extremely high. I remember one incident when one of her toes on her right foot was about to be amputated also because of gangrene. While at the operating room, she suffered from stroke. Instead of proceeding to her amputation, she was rushed to the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital - St. Paul Hospital in Tuguegarao. We thought she would be more disabled after the stroke. But she fought hard for her life and limb. She recovered from the stroke. After several days of staying in the hospital to be stabilized in her condition, her middle finger on her right foot was finally amputated.

The most devastating toll of her strokes, which was milder that we thought, was the latest. Half of her body was paralyzed. The half where the complete right foot was. She hardly could move her fingers, more so lift up her arm. She described it as there were a thousand needles pricking on her. She was so helpless. She could not move her body on her own. But she fought hard so that she could be normal again.

She had months of physical therapy with my father. She would be massaged from time to time by Tatang. She would be given some electrical treatments. She clung to her faith and will that soon she would recover from her paralysis. Which she did, before her own mother, Lola Edding died. She was able to walk again and move her arms again after taking some therapeutic concoctions of the fabled Goji juice that my father gave her. Since then, she was taking Goji juice.

All we thought, things would already be alright for her. Bubbly once more, until Lola Edding died. Perhaps she became so low on the death of Lola Edding.

All along, our father whom we fondly call Tatang, is always beside her. Through thick and thin, our father took care of her unconditionally. Tatang became her personal nurse, so to speak. Our Tatang is a very strong-willed person. He is the source of strength and inspiration of the entire family. I have not seen greater love than his for our mother. All my entire life, I have not seen a single time that they ever had any fight at all. Our Tatang is truly a great example of a husband and a father. To me, no one comes close to the love that I have seen in both of them.

I had long wanted to go home and be at her service even just for a while. But I couldn't because of work. My family is down here in Bulacan. My work is one that an absence means so much.

Now, our mother is gone. My mother already left us. She had left us, with all her five children, professionals. But no matter how much we may have given back to her, materially, monetarily, and presence, nothing would be enough to match the love and the sacrifices she had given to all of us. She was always very happy each time that we would visit them in Sanchez Mira. On special occasions, she would look forward to seeing all of us. But many times, we failed to complete our family.

Now, we would all go to pay her our last respects. We would finally have a family reunion like no other. We would bring our families, too. But we would see our mother already in her coffin. It would be a sight that would break our hearts. No amount of comforting words would suffice for the loss of a mother so dearly loved.

Nanang, wherever you are right now, please know that we love you so much. Please know that I love you so much. You know that very much. While we grieve for your demise, we are comforted that you are freed from your physical sufferings that you had long endured. We are comforted that you are now with our Lord, with God in His promised eternal life. With all compassion and love, we know that the Lord accepted you with a heartfelt embrace. Let alone your dedication in the Lord's vineyard be one of your redemptions.

Thank you for the years that we had you with us. Thank you for the unconditional love you had given to each one of us, your 5 children, our children, and most of all to Tatang. Thank you for the unforgettable lessons that you had taught us. Thank you so much for everything.

For the many times that we have failed you, forgive us.

For the many heartaches that we have given you, look at us with compassion.

For the many moments that we ignored your pleas of help, understand us.

For the many promises that we have broken, embrace us.

For the many times that we left you alone, be with us.

Nanang, bring with you our love and a wonderful memory of a family you have built with Tatang. Bring all our cares and burdens to the foot of Jesus. Offer all your sacrifices for us whom you have left behind. Please beg Jesus to pour out His blessings on us, your family, which up to now is still wallowing in dire poverty. Please ask our Lord to send us what we needed to live decent lives.

Nanang, it is not goodbye. It is not farewell. Jesus Himself taught us that a seed has to die in order to live. Now, you live in our hearts. Now we carry you wherever we are. Now we have you always with us.

Nanang, I love you so much...

Street Dancing

2008-11-08T19:04:00.006+08:00

Today I escorted in motorcycle the Street Dancing in celebration of the declaration of the St. Martin of Tours Parish here in our rustic town as a Diocesan Shrine for the Mahal na Poon ng Krus sa Wawa. I was telling myself it could be a great material for my blog today.

The declaration of our Parish church as a Diocesan Shrine is long overdue. But it only materialized during the incumbency of our current parish priest, Fr. Jovi. The Mahal na Poon ng Krus sa Wawa has long been a legend in this place. The cross is wooden black allegedly found by a fisherman floating at the delta of the Wawa River several hundred years ago. He got the black cross. The residents would procession it in the Wawa River every anniversary of its discovery. Then there were stories of miracles attributed to it. Floods and droughts did not make a heavy toll on the residents each time that a 9-day ligiran would be dedicated to the black cross. The cross would be brought back once more to the Wawa River in flamboyant fluvial procession. The well decorated, motorized boat that carries the cross eventually was called Pagoda. there had been years that the Pagoda was three-tiered. At times it was either higher or lower than that.

From then on, there was this strong devotion of people that it's feast of discovery even eclipsed the feast of the Parish patron saint, St. Martin of Tours. The feast drew people from all walks of life, even those from afar.

Tomorrow, the Parish Church would be consecrated as the Diocesan Shrine of the Mahal na Krus sa Wawa.

It is a way of elevating the consciousness of people on the Cross.

Internet surfing

2008-11-06T19:38:00.005+08:00

Thanks to Tim Berners-Lee (Sir Timothy John Berners-Lee), the inventor of the World Wide Web in 1989 while he was at CERN. We now enjoy rapid information exchange because of him.

His invention practically shrunk the world. Especially when it was not just textual information anymore that could be shared and accessed via the telecommunications networks. It did not take so long when graphics began to spruce up the screens of computers. Then there was sound. Then video. Now, the technology of the Internet is quantum leaps away from its crude form. It has become the frontier of information. Often referred to as the Information Superhighway, it has become virtually the biggest library ever assembled. But one has to be carefully selective on the information fished out from the Internet. There are lots of both authentic information and data and exaggerated, adulterated ones. The Internet is flooded with all types of sites. It's anything goes. Even the unimaginable could be found lurking somewhere in the World Wide Web.

There are sites for organizations, for governments, for legitimate businesses, foundations, financial institutions, universities and colleges, entertainment, newspapers and magazines, books, software, forums, churches, etc. But side by side with all these authentic sources of information, there are also almost the same number or even more websites which could be considered plain gross, weird, offensive, discriminating, appalling, disgusting. Simply put, sites which should have no place in a world populated by decent, well-bred, well-educated people. Most of these sites, though, are expressions of personal or collective beliefs and philosophies. Some peddle people as if they are commodities like the pornographic sites. Others are meant to demean, discredit, demolish others. Others are plain criminal sites. Some are dedicated to illegitimate software sharing. Some download sites disregard the rights of the original creators on their intellectual properties.

Surf the Net and you get everything under the sun. The Web is rich. Super rich. And a lot of sites are literally filthy rich!

Perhaps the best-earning websites are those dedicated to pornography. They exist because of the huge dark market worldwide. There are millions out there lurking incognito accessing them, even just for some samplers. But for those who have strong carnal and lustful desires, they would not mind punching their international credit cards just to access the promised filthier, dirtier, more instinctively animalistic contents! And you can already imagine the heavens as these sites practically crunch millions and millions of dollars into their online bank accounts. Imagine a site that could lure even just a million peeping toms an entire year. Let's say each member threw in even just $10 for a year. That's a whopping $10 million! And the site simply maintains graphics and videos that satisfy the hot-blooded dark market. These sites peddle mostly young girls, either voluntarily, forced, or perhaps paid meagerly.

This is where parents should guide their children on their surfing habits. Even the social networks like Friendster.com now are infiltrated by unscrupulous individuals posting porn stuffs. Video sites like YouTube.com are not spared. There is no way that these sites can truly verify the ages posted by children when they begin signing up in these seemingly safe sites. Even a 7-year old can practically sign up and fool the site that the child is already 50 years old. With such vulnerability, YouTube's adult contents could be accessed even by children who are too young to understand what could be going on on screen.

When Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web, perhaps pornography and other filthy contents that could be shared to others through this technology were way far from his mind and intentions. But like any other technology that is invented for the boon of mankind, there is always the bane for it. Take the cellphone, for instance. The tiny digital gadget intended for communications, entertainment, and productivity could also be the same gadget that could destroy or even kill time-treasured virtues and values that the humankind could hold on to to make this world a better place to live in.

Surfing the Internet is fun. But the fun could be dangerously deceiving.

'Change has come to America'

2008-11-05T15:11:00.007+08:00

Click on the image above to watch Obama's Victory Speech in Chicago. The full text is shown below.

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.

It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled – Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It's the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.

I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he's fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation's next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House. And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics – you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to – it belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington – it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.

It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory.

I know you didn't do this just to win an election and I know you didn't do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime – two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor's bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America – I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you – we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years – block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek – it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers – in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.

Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House – a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, "We are not enemies, but friends…though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection." And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn – I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world – our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down – we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security – we support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright – tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.

For that is the true genius of America – that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing – Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons – because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America – the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves – if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time – to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth – that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.

Obama wins!

2008-11-05T12:38:00.004+08:00

I knew it. I was right in my fearless forecast. Sen. Barack Obama II is the next US President. Of Kenyan blood. Of African lineage.

BBC News declared it boldly.

Obama wins historic US elections.
Democratic Senator Barack Obama is elected the first black president of the United States.
His rival John McCain accepted defeat, saying "I deeply admire and commend" Mr Obama. He called on his supporters to lend the next president their goodwill.
Mr Obama captured the key battleground states of Pennsylvania and Ohio, before passing the essential figure of 270 electoral college votes at 0400 GMT, when projections showed he had also taken California and a slew of other states.

There's much to learn in this US Elections. A new school of political perspective has taken roots. There's so much vigor and strength in Obama. He represented new ways of looking at things. New blood. New direction. New international policies. Change.

Obama was a symbolic candidate. He was every man's story. From a broken family, he was raised by a single mom. He studied hard all his way up to the best universities in the U.S. As an adult, Obama admitted that during high school he used marijuana, cocaine, and alcohol, which he described at the 2008 Civil Forum on the Presidency as his greatest moral failure. Barack is described by his campaign website so vividly as

Barack Obama was raised by a single mother and his grandparents. They didn't have much money, but they taught him values from the Kansas heartland where they grew up. He took out loans to put himself through school. After college, he worked for Christian churches in Chicago, helping communities devastated when steel plants closed. Obama turned down lucrative job oﬀers after law school to return to Chicago, leading a successful voter registration drive. He joined a small law ﬁrm, taught constitutional law and, guided by his Christian faith, stayed active in his community. Obama and his wife Michelle are proud parents of two daughters, Sasha, 10 and Malia, 7.

I don't know how his victory would impact on the Filipino nation. But I feel that he will have new ways of strengthening our diplomatic relationship with the U.S. He will have better treatment and preference to migrant workers in the U.S., picking from his own family's experience when his father, a Kenyan, also went to the U.S. not so much to find him a living but to study.

I guess Obama would have a big heart for the Filipino workers and the Filipino communities not just in US territories but elsewhere around the world. It will not just be for the Filipinos. Any other race would be given much attention. His family was once like them.

At his age, just 6 years earlier than me, he is yet at the peak of his youth. Fearless to try new ways, he might change the image of the US from being a guardian of democracy through military power to something yet unprecedented. Or will his still aggressive youth be more ferocious than his predecessors?

Obama will be starting his presidency at a critical point where the US was yet suffering from the greatest financial slump experienced in this highly economically advanced world. I sometimes ask myself where have all the summa cum laudes of the best business and financial schools gone? Is it not that the US economy is monitored and run by the best financial minds the world can afford? How come it has become so vulnerable to financial meltdown that an impending recession is now being feared? Obama has to move decisively and wisely. His financial policies will definitely make ripple effects worldwide.

I wish that in his presidency, the US will no longer be so paranoid on non-US citizens. The US has crafted practically all kinds of laws and I feel that most of these are laws of restrictions trying to control, catalog, record, document movements of individuals especially non-US citizens. Need I say especially on those coming from the Middle East?

I felt I was also victorious in his winning the US Presidential Elections. Obama represented all other races worldwide. He is the pride of Kenya. He is the pride of the colored. He is the man of the underdog. He is the president of the masa.

I hope he will not fail the people. I hope that he will truly be a symbol of change.

To Obama, be our President. Congratulations!

Thanks, Badoodles!

2008-11-04T21:52:00.006+08:00

I had been following the blog of Badoodles for quite a time now. Badoodles is the one behind the famous Kwentong Barbero. If you haven't visited yet, go to it now!

Kwentong Barbero is full of life. It is a humor blog that has lots of followers. I am one of them. Today, I happened to have been the first one to comment on his latest post in his entry The Art of Being Funny. He rewarded me by posting my blogsite in his Tambay Dito list. That's advertisement!

Thanks Badoodles! Now I am finally featured in your famous site.

Here is a composite of the entry:

Fearless forecast on US Elections 2008

2008-11-04T19:08:00.003+08:00

No. I had not been following very closely the US Elections 2008 fever. But even with my very limited readings and listening to the stories on the campaign, I predict without second thoughts that Sen. Barack Hussein Obama II will be the next US President.

Obama's battle cry is change. Very similar to ours here in the Philippines. Even without mentioning it, his blood lineage would eventually become his passport to the White House. Obama's father, Barack Hussein Obama Sr., was a full-blooded Kenyan. Obama Sr. was married to Anne Dunham, a white American from Kansas. Sen. Obama was born in Hawaii. His parents met while attending the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where his father was a foreign student. They separated when he was two years old and later divorced. Obama's father returned to Kenya and saw his son only once more before dying in an automobile accident in 1982. In short, Sen. Obama is truly an African-American. And just in case he will be ascending to power in the White House after this elections, he will be the first African-American to lead the virtually most powerful nation on earth!

Kenya is now swept with Obama-mania. Reports had it that the Obama-mania had gone feverish. Rob Krilly of Times Online describes it this way:

The tiny Kenyan farmstead where Barack Obama's father grew up herding goats has had a makeover fit for a President.

Where once the goats roamed freely across a field of thick grass studded with mango trees, a security fence and imposing gate keep the animals in and intruders out.

Road rollers and bulldozers have been deployed this past week — days after Raila Odinga, the Prime Minister, made a surprise visit — smoothing out the rutted dirt track leading to the Obama family land.

Speaking in front of the first handful of journalists to have made the journey to the far west of Kenya, Abongo Malik Obama, Mr Obama's half-brother, summed up the excitement of a watching nation. He said that the world would benefit from an Obama in the White House, not just his relatives or tribemates.

He went on: “Here is a man who nobody would have thought could be President of the United States. His success shows that anybody with his background and origins can do it. There's no limitations.”

If Obama-mania has swept across the world, then the bustling city of Kisumu, just an hour's drive from Mr Obama's ancestral home, must be its epicentre.

Stalls in the city's sprawling market are crammed with wonky photocopied portraits offered for sale in cheap frames. Clothes shops have run out of T-shirts printed up for the American elections.

For the past four years Kenyans have been enthralled by the meteoric rise of a politician born to one of their own. His homecoming two years ago brought hundreds of thousands of people on to the streets of Kisumu. Even then no one could have believed he would come this close to the White House.

Kenya's coverage of the campaign has been extensive and the pundits all predict a landslide. Tomorrow the shops will shut as the country celebrates. “On the day we will be having a celebration,” says Kogode, a member of a political club that meets under a lilac-blossomed jacaranda tree each afternoon. “We will be slaughtering a goat, having some beer and holding an event. Of that there is no doubt.”

The local airport is being renovated, leading to jokes that it is being designed to accommodate Air Force One. An enterprising tour operator is offering Obama safaris, driving visitors up to the gates of the simple farmstead where his father grew up and where his step-grandmother still lives, and in the capital, Nairobi, a musical of Mr Obama's life story is reopening. In Kisumu, Charles Omondi's rickety wooden bench is filled with “success cards”. On the outside they carry the image of Mr Obama and the Stars and Stripes; inside they wish students “all the best in your forthcoming exams”.

“The idea is that everyone wants to be like him,” Mr Omondi said. “His example will help them pass.” It is the same story across town, where Donna Otieno sells T-shirts at the Our Joint Boutique. She bought a test batch of five and sold them in two days, prompting her to fill her rails with Obama T-shirts bearing the legend “Pride of Kenya”.

“Here is the origin of Obama,” she said. “He's our son and we are very proud.”

My Myers-Briggs Personality Assessment Result

2008-11-04T13:18:00.003+08:00

I am sharing here a test which I took online. I was just interested on how a standardized test fares me. Here was the result:

Your personality type is Introversion, Sensing, Thinking, Judging (ISTJ)

Summary

Serious, quiet, earn success by concentration and thoroughness. Practical, orderly, matter-of-fact, logical, realistic, and dependable. See to it that everything is well-organized. Take responsibility. Make up their own minds as to what should be accomplished and work toward it steadily, regardless of protests or distractions.

Detailed Result

ISTJs direct their energy towards the inner world of ideas and information. They try to clarify concepts and information, seeking to have as clear a knowledge as possible. They often place a lot of trust in experience, but also envisage future goals providing there is a clear pathway to that goal.

What makes an ISTJ tick?

The Dominant function is the perceptive one of Sensing. Characteristics associated with this function include:

* looking at information in terms of facts and details
* Focuses more on the here and now rather than possibilities for the future
* Feels comfortable in areas of proven experience
* Takes a realistic approach

The perceptive Sensing function is introverted. That is, Sensing is used primarily to govern the inner world of thoughts and emotions. The ISTJ will therefore:

* Seek to develop a realistic understanding of the world as it is, in the light of what he/she observes
* Be pragmatic in nature, constantly learning to adapt to the world as it is now
* Observe in a subjective way, selecting and relating facts that others would not, and seeing those facts more in terms of impressions and significance than pure fact .

The Sensing function is primarily supported by extroverted Thinking judgment, That is, Thinking judgment is used primarily to manage the outer world of actions and spoken words. This will modify the way that the Sensing is directed, by:

* focusing the (inner world) Sensing on impersonal facts and logical options
* tending to spot flaws and injustices
* making decisions on the basis of logical analysis that support the ISTJ's understanding of the world.

The classic temperament of an ISTJ is Epimethean, or Melancholic, for whom a basic driving force is duty, service and the need to belong.

Contributions to the team of an ISTJ
In a team environment, the ISTJ can contribute by:

* working hard and efficiently to complete tasks by the deadlines set
* sorting ideas and identifying those that are most practical
* applying a common sense approach to problem solving
* maintaining team focus on the objective
* contributing practical organizational skills
* applying procedures and methodologies
* applying relevant and realistic logical arguments

The potential ways in which an ISTJ can irritate others include:

* focusing too much on the current task at the expense of longer term or interpersonal issues
* not articulating his/her understanding of the situation
* not seeing the wood for the trees
* being too serious
* seeming to be inflexible
* not encouraging others to experiment or innovate
* not promoting his/her own ideas or achievements

Personal Growth

As with all types, the ISTJ can achieve personal growth by developing all functions that are not fully developed, through actions such as:

* articulating more of the ISTJ's own views
* developing a long term vision, that avoids focusing on details
* developing a greater understanding of how people feel
* changing things on an experimental basis to see if they can be improved
* learning to promote the ISTJ's ideas and achievements to others, recognizing that others may well find them valuable
* making decisions on the basis of how others will feel, rather than objective considerations

Recognising Stress

As stress increases, 'learned behaviour' tends to give way to the natural style, so the ISTJ will behave more according to type when under greater stress. For example, in a crisis, the ISTJ might:

* find a place of solitude in which to think and work
* use tried and trusted means of solving problems
* direct or criticise others' efforts
* use pragmatic solutions at the expense of the long term

ISTJ Careers

The jobs/occupations that have a closer fit to those with ISTJ preferences:

Doctor/health care, Librarian, Entrepreneur/self-employed, Forces, Administrator

Cross-post

2008-11-02T19:08:00.002+08:00

I just finished trying cross-posting this site to Multiply.com. I hope it works. But just in case, my Multiply site is http://dadgie.multiply.com/. Please visit it, too.

All Souls' Day

2008-11-02T05:55:00.005+08:00

Today is All Souls' Day.

And I remember all those who have left this world ahead. As a young boy, I can only remember the wake of my beloved Lolo Maximino. There were so many people who came. Perhaps because during the War (WWII), he was then the Kapitan in their barangay in Catayauan, a sleepy barangay of Lal-lo in Cagayan. Lots of faces I hardly could even recognize and remember now came. And I was one of their favorite among the grandchildren. Why, because I am the eldest of their only son among the nine children of Lolo and Lola Luming. I was perhaps around 5 years old only at that time. I knew we finally laid him down to rest in a public cemetery located on a side of a hill. He was placed six feet under the soil.

To my vivid recollections, next was this uncle of mine who died due to too much alcohol. Everyday, I could not remember a single day that he was not intoxicated. My aunt (his wife) used to nag him about his vice, but to no avail. There were even moments when he would mix tap water into some denatured alcohol then gulp the solution thinking it was safe to drink. Little did he know that methyl alcohol is toxic to the body. Nonetheless, he savored it with gusto! His body eventually succumbed to liver and renal failure. Much like when my Lolo died, so many people attended his wake. Goodness gracious! I could not recall his name now!

Then several years after, My Lola Luming (Iluminada) finally joined Lolo Maximino in his grave. Lola Luming was so fond of me. She must have loved me so much. Dante, my brother, might have felt the same, too. Our Lola Luming used to joke around that Dan looked like our Lolo. Lola was so thin and frail before she left. But despite her age and frail body, she would wake up too early in the morning, go to her wood-fed kalan, pour some water into her favorite takuri, then concoct her best tasting coffee or chocolate drink. She would boil rice so early in the morning that before everybody would ever wake up, the rice would already be cold. But she loved doing it that way. All for her grandchildren. All for us. She was so skinny that I used to pinch her skinfolds then pull them away. Whoa! I could practically separate her thin, white skin from her few strands of muscles left on her bony structure. She flashes her best smiles each time that I could bring to her anything as pasalubong or even just a little amount. Many say she died not because of old age but because some magicians made a spell on her which she suffered from for so many years. And I miss her so much now...

Another Lola died when I was already working away from my home province. Lola Etrang (Petra) succumbed to heart failure and other sickness. Lola Etrang was a cousin to my Lola Luming. This grandma was the most endowed among my closest lolas. She was a pensioner receiving dollars every single month. Her husband, whom I never met because he died before I was born, used to work in the US. All I learned was that he died due to dog bite. He fell ill because of rabies. When my parents informed me of my Lola Etrang's demise, I immediately rushed back home. When I alighted from the bus, the house was well-lit. As I entered and took a peep at my Lola, I can't hold my tears back. They just rolled as I sobbed silently. This Lola of mine always gave us the best. Each time that we would go to Catayauan, my family would always stay in the house of this Lola. Tatang and Nanang would always see to it that we would go there. She would prepare the best food. She would bring out her treasured china and silver. And we feast.

My cousin, Joey, died of a vehicular accident. He was sideswiped while he was I guess seated along the banks of the national highway. They informed me of his demise but I could not manage to go home and pay him my last respects. But I prayed for his soul that he may find his place in heaven.

Joey's mother, my Auntie Filing, read Eustaquia, a sister of my Tatang, left this world also some years back. I was not even able to attend her wake anymore because of work. But like Joey, I enrolled her in perpetual masses for the dead. It was the best gift I could give her. His husband , Uncle Iniong (Irineo), died several years earlier. He was chopped to death and scattered his body parts along a creek in the rice fields of Catayauan. His recovered body parts showed burnt parts. We suspected the perpetrators of the crime broiled some of his chopped body parts and perhaps cannibalized them. Up to now, the criminals are unknown. A crime unresolved. Good thing, my cousins laid their anger to rest. It was a very gruesome death for my uncle who was also very fond of me. He farmed. He fished. And he would give us his best catch everytime that we were there. The family would call for us for a meal when there's some good fish they wanted to share. And I loved every bit of it.

Just almost a year after my ex-girlfriend gave birth to our second K, her Daddy Felix died. I knew it must have been a struggle for him gasping for the last breath. Daddy smoked like the days are numbered. Perhaps he also wanted to get rid of it but to no avail. Then he quit. It was an abrupt decision that he made. For a while, his body looked so healthy and strong. But the damage in his lungs was irreversible. With my almost ten years of knowing him, I felt he loved so much my ex-girlfriend. Whenever we would go home to Amulung, he saw to it that we had the best. He offered the best food. He gave us the best service. He looked up to us with all great respect and dignity. He loved us so much. He loved me. He was happy for our first K. He gave us always the best priorities which I haven't noticed on some of his in-laws. I felt so special to him. When he died, we all went home to pay our last respects and pray for his soul. He must have been very tired. He lived quite a life at 72. He raised 9 children. Followed by several apo. Whenever it was reunion time every Christmas and New Year, he was the happiest. But he only looked at us all from a distance. He enjoyed his solitude looking at everybody from afar. He would go to the backyard and chopped some firewoods. He cooked nice and delicious foods. He did not seek to be served. He served. He did not ask for special attention in his old age. He gave us the attention. He was simple and warm. Loving. Forgiving. Patient. Virtuous. Humble. A former grade school principal, he was able to stretch his understanding on everyone. He was a man of few words. I felt he had known me much. And I felt his love. And I loved him so much, too. Even after some years of his leaving us, I still remember him in the Masses I serve. It was my way of showing him how much he meant to me. How much I loved him. Life became a lot easier to carry through because of his inspiration. He showed me the way.

My long lost cousin, who disappeared for so many years and we thought he already died, all of a sudden came back to Catayauan. Perhaps for good. He did not show himself up for more than 20 years, I guess. During those first few years that he did not even communicate with any of us, we thought he was dead. There were even masses which we offered for him. Lo and behold, after more than 20 years, he was back. Thin, bloated tummy, Manong Romy (Romeo) was the same person I knew of before he disappeared. With the love of his life, like my uncle who died of alcohol, every single night he would gulp several bottles of Ginebra. But he was not the bully type. When intoxicated, he sings. He laughs. He jokes around. He blurts out some heartaches. Manong Romy stayed with us in Sanchez Mira when I was in high school. He was the first among many of my cousins that Tatang and Nanang gave education 'til college. All they could offer us back was household help. They would help us raise chickens or pigs. They would help my Tatang in his orchard of citrus as part of the plantations he was in-charge of inside the campus of a state university. Whatever we had, they had. Manong Romy was the eldest in the house. Of course, everything was Manong Romy. Please prepare me some milk. Please hand me my toy. Please, let me join you where you're going. Please do me a favor. Everything was Manong Romy. But he began his saga with alcohol when he was already gaining so many friends and barkada among his classmates. When he died, I was not able to go to his wake. To my regret. But I was able to see him and talk to him when I visited Catayauan one time. That was the first and the last. All he asked of me was a little amount for his love - Ginebra. I guess, Ginebra should pay him a tribute for being a loyal patron. When I learned that he was ill and it seemed like nobody was paying attention to his condition and he died because of illness, I was thinking he could have been alive up to this day had he been brought to the hospital. Rumors reached me that Manong Romy was telling he was weak and that he needed some medical attention. But his pleas were simply dismissed as mere symptoms of ordinary flu or because he lacked alcohol. Tsk, tsk, tsk. It was pitiful. His body succumbed to sickness which was not even identified anymore. My consolation is that he died back home. He went back home. Only to stay there for just a few more months.

Then it was the turn of my Lola Edding (Adriana Matilde). It devastated me. He raised me up for six years. Six fragile years of my life. I was a little boy still beginning to learn about living. My Lola Edding was not a well-to-do Lola. He was poor. Literally poor. And she died poorly. My heart wanted to burst when I learned of her demise. When I was in her wake, I couldn't help regretting why I wasn't able to find time to visit her often. And my tears would roll. But I was happy. She died while I am a Lay Minister of the Holy Communion. I was able to give her some last rites for the dead. Up to where we laid her down to rest. I loved Lola Edding so much. No one among my Lolas comes close. She gave her all. She sacrificed for us. She dedicated herself to us. She loved us. See my separate entry in this blog entitled Remembering Lola Edding...

There were several others who have left this world whose names I hardly could recall. But they left impacts on me. There was Lolo Duarding (remember General Eduardo Batalla, the one under siege in Mindanao by the notorious Rizal Alih?). Lolo Duarding was a relative of my Lola Edding, the mother of my Nanang. I was yet in college when the hostage drama caught the nation by surprise. I was glued to the radio, waiting for the latest development. I was enraged when I learned over the radio that he was finally gunned down by the rebels. Today, the name of General Batalla has been immortalized. Our former barangay of Gango in Camalaniugan was renamed to General Batalla, in his memory.

GTG to Church.

All Saints' Day

2008-11-01T13:21:00.004+08:00

I went to an old municipal cemetery today. The Church is celebrating All Saints' Day. And being a Lay Minister myself, it was part of my duties to go to an assigned cemetery and bless the graves with holy water. On my way there, I saw throngs of people queuing to the cemetery.

In the Philippines, this holiday is a time to pay respects for departed loved ones. It is celebrated with both reverence and revelry. It would seem that all traffics lead to the cemeteries. And I remembered our beloved dead, especially my Lola Edding.

While the Mass was going on, I can't help but look around and notice the well-brushed graves. Some were expensively constructed with marble finish. Others with nice granite scape. But many were rough in hollow blocks. The epitaphs almost had a common format. The name, date born, and date died. Some lived very long lives. Others left early not even able to get to know the world. I also saw some who died in their early and late 20s. It must really be so painful for their loved ones.

I was imagining what's inside each grave. Many might just be bones. Some may just be beginning to disintegrate. Then questions rushed into my mind. Where could probably be their souls? Do they ever feel that this day is their special day? When will they ever 'come back' to life? Would it be true that when Christ comes back again, the bodies of those who have died will resurrect again? What happens to those who had been cremated?

Ahhh... by faith we know that Christ showed us a resurrection. And it is this same faith that gives us hope that someday we would live again.

The Chemistry of Love

2008-10-31T23:20:00.002+08:00

I got this from a certain website when I tried to give a scientific explanation to a question once posed in friendster: "How on earth are you ever going to explain in terms of chemistry and physics so important a biological phenomenon as 'love at first sight'?"

I posted back on that Friendster site this answer on the chemistry of love:

There are a lot of chemicals racing around your brain and body when you're in love. Researchers are gradually learning more and more about the roles they play both when we are falling in love and when we're in long-term relationships. Of course, estrogen and testosterone play a role in the sex drive area. Without them, we might never venture into the "real love" arena.

That initial giddiness that comes when we're first falling in love includes a racing heart, flushed skin and sweaty palms. Researchers say this is due to the dopamine, norepinephrine and phenylethylamine we're releasing. Dopamine is thought to be the "pleasure chemical," producing a feeling of bliss. Norepinephrine is similar to adrenaline and produces the racing heart and excitement. According to Helen Fisher, anthropologist and well-known love researcher from Rutgers University, together these two chemicals produce elation, intense energy, sleeplessness, craving, loss of appetite and focused attention. She also says, "The human body releases the cocktail of love rapture only when certain conditions are met and ... men more readily produce it than women, because of their more visual nature."

Researchers are using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to watch people's brains when they look at a photograph of their object of affection. According to Helen Fisher, a well-known love researcher and an anthropologist at Rutgers University, what they see in those scans during that "crazed, can't-think-of-anything-but stage of romance" -- the attraction stage -- is the biological drive to focus on one person. The scans showed increased blood flow in areas of the brain with high concentrations of receptors for dopamine -- associated with states of euphoria, craving and addiction. High levels of dopamine are also associated with norepinephrine, which heightens attention, short-term memory, hyperactivity, sleeplessness and goal-oriented behavior. In other words, couples in this stage of love focus intently on the relationship and often on little else.

Another possible explanation for the intense focus and idealizing view that occurs in the attraction stage comes from researchers at University College London. They discovered that people in love have lower levels of serotonin and also that neural circuits associated with the way we assess others are suppressed. These lower serotonin levels are the same as those found in people with obsessive-compulsive disorders, possibly explaining why those in love "obsess" about their partner.

Remembering My Lola Edding

2008-10-31T20:53:00.004+08:00

I miss my Lola Edding. Very much. The last time I saw her was when we finally laid her to rest in a very simple 6-foot by 4-foot grave. I was the one who gave her the final prayers and blessings being a lay minister myself.

My Lola Edding brought me up since Grade 1 until I graduated from elementary. At my very fragile age, she taught me how to live simply. Her sun-scorched hands were her only weapons to go on with life itself. She cooked some cassava and rice cakes for a living. She would brave the scorching heat of the sun in the cornfields so she could bring home a handful of corn as her share for a week's labor. She would dig deep into the loose soils of peanut farms down in the delta of Lal-lo so that she could augment more her little income from hard labor. Lola Edding practically tilled the soil, which is not even hers, so that she could have every precious centavo that we would need to continue breathing on earth.

Lola Edding filled my heart with a lot of lessons in life. She used to say that the only thing that she would be so happy for us to have would be education. She did not stop dreaming for us. I guess I occupied a very special place in her heart because I am her first grandchild. She must have been so proud of me, why with my extraordinary performance in my elementary school. Each time that I was a part of any program or special number, she was always there preparing the things I needed. She would remedy every single costume I must wear during our Garden Days where we used to have Field Demonstrations. With little money to buy my needs, she would sew the available clothes to ensure that my costume would look similar to those being worn by my classmates.

My Lola, I guess, never finished any course at all. I can still remember how she reacted one time when I asked her to buy me a protractor. "Where on earth can I ever produce money to buy a hand tractor!" she exclaimed. To our laughter!

Being young, my brother and I were always at odds even on little things. We would quarrel to our hearts' delight. Our Lola Edding can only sigh in frustration. At the height of her scoldings, she would blurt out, "Agawid kayo man laengen. Apo, pagsakduan kayo ti basol!" Then my brother and I would run to her and embrace her so tightly.

For so many years after I left her for high school in Sanchez Mira where my parents are, and after having finished college in faraway Tuguegarao, I rarely visited my Lola. I knew she missed me, too.

I was able to visit her again when I introduced my ex-girlfriend to her. That was also so many years ago. Then I brought our first K to her when he was yet a little boy. I knew her eyes were failing her. My Lola would often ask any one who converse with her to repeat what he or she was saying. My Lola Edding was growing grey hairs fast. And her sight and hearing were getting a toll on her.

I was telling myself, I hope I could still visit Lola Edding before she will bid us goodbye.

One day while I was at work, my brother called me up over my cellphone, which he usually does not do.

"Will you be coming home?" he asked.

"Why?" I answered back.

"Lola Edding is gone."

My tears rolled uncontrollably. I was speechless. My Lola Edding already left us. My wish that I should still see her alive did not come true anymore. And at that moment, all I could utter in silence was "May she rest in peace..."

I rushed back home to Camalaniugan to pay her my last respects. Upon alighting from the bus which led me to the old place where I spent my childhood with my Lola, I let go of a heavy sigh. I walked a little towards the old familar place. I was still able to see the mango trees. This time they had grown bigger and older. Their branches became so towering that they provided shade to where I was trekking.

Then I saw light bulbs. I saw the little bungalow house that served as my playground for six long years with my Lola. There she was. In white coffin lit by two yellowish bulbs. My mother was beside the coffin seated on her wheelchair. As I approached and peeped at the face of my Lola, I couldn't hold my tears rolling profusely. I cried silently while looking at her. She seemed to smile back at me perhaps knowing that I was already there. I am her first apo. I must have been her first love. I cried some more knowing that she died without all the glamour in life that others enjoyed. She only knew her backyard garden. She only knew her little beds of vegetables. She only knew her stick to guide her through the bushes around her. Her fingers and palms turned so callous digging the soil, cultivating her few rows of vegetables, gathering some twigs for cooking, and weeding out her precious garden. As I peeped at her so thin body peacefully resting inside her coffin, I wanted so much to embrace her tight for the last time and whisper to her I love her so much and I wish to thank her for all the lessons in life that she taught us and for her unconditional love for us, tears rolled some more.

Ahhh... my Lola. She lived literally poor. She died literally poor. She was not even able to see her complete grandchildren before she left.

We prayed the Rosary for her as we waited for her special Mass which we pre-arranged. Then we finally laid her to rest in her lonely grave after walking beside her coffin.

My Wish

2008-10-31T05:23:00.000+08:00

I wish that we shall always be
The sweethearts that we used to be
Two hearts that beat as one can see
Together we will always be

I wish that love abounds always
No hurts, no sorrows, no tears, no waste
I wish you see all, my ways
All meant for you, my wife, my life, my grace

My love shall always be for you
A love that’s yours, a love that’s true
Forever it is yours ‘til time is through
My heart. It is just meant for you!

panyo

2008-10-31T05:22:00.000+08:00

puwede bang humingi
ng isang panyo mo
yung gamit na gamit
totoong sa iyo
pinampahid sa pawis
at luha ng iyong puso
gusto kong magkaro’n
ng alaala nito…

take my hand with you...

2008-10-31T05:20:00.000+08:00

please don’t take your hand
off from mine
don’t go yet
don’t go down
my heart bleeds
to see you go
can you just take my hand
just take it with you.

Please listen...

2008-10-28T07:13:00.001+08:00

Could you just pause
and listen to me?
To the truth of my heart
I wish you could see
Please pause for a while
I beg you dearly
Listen to my heart
please, listen to me…

Don’t listen to the song
that you hear
Listen, instead, to my heart
that is near
Don’t listen to the words
I have to speak
Listen, instead, to the
signs that I keep.

Please listen with your heart
and not with your ears
For if you do there are things
you will miss
Look into my eyes, look straight
make it deep
Read between the lines
and you know what it means...

Naiwan sa Batulao

2008-10-28T07:11:00.001+08:00

Naiwan sa Batulao ang aking paa
Kaliwa at kanan, may iniwan sila
Himutok at pait, sugatan kong dibdib
Naiwan sila sa hagdanan ng langit.

Bawat hakbang pagbaba ng burol
Sa gilid ng bangin wari’y hinahabol
Tuluyang iniwan ang yapak ng puso
Mabigat, masakit, simpait ng apdo.

Pupunta ka rin ba sa bundok ng Batulao?
Tignan mo’ng paa ko kung tuyot na ng araw
Kapag nandun pa ang mga bakas doon
Marahil hindi pa naghihilom iyon.

Sa Gilid

2008-10-28T07:09:00.000+08:00

Sa gilid ba ng burol ‘ka mo
And lugar na pinuntahan mo?
Sa gilid ban a nakaharap
Sa dambana ng mundo?

Sa gilid ba ng bangin
Ang tinunguhan mo?
Matayog, matarik
Napakalalim nito.

Sa gilid ba ng bundok
Sa dambana ng Poon?
Puso mo’y naiwan
At lumutang doon?

Sa gilid din na iyon
Ang pinuntahan ko
Dinama ang haplos
Ng hangin ng siphayo…

Sa gilid din ng bangin
Nag-isip, tumayo
Wari’y sinusukat
Ang lalim nito…

Sa gilid ng bundok
Puso ko ri’y tumibok
Gusto kong lumundag
Pababang pabulusok!

This place

2008-10-28T07:07:00.000+08:00

This place is
a mute witness
of a memory
of a sunrise
and a sunset
of a hug…

This place
is a monument
of a sweet sorrow
of the birth
and death
of an embrace…

This place
is the sunset
of a sunrise
of a sorrow so sweet
the embrace of a friend
a hug of a heart
death of sin
and a birth of life…!

Please Hold On...

2008-10-27T05:51:00.000+08:00

Please don’t! Just hold on…
It won’t be long
That he’s gone
Let the bird fly freely
To horizons unexplored

Please hold on
Don’t give up
Your heart may ache
But just for a while.
No! Please don’t!

Hold on. Keep it.
I’m here, a hand
A heart, an ear.

Please hold on
Please don’t.
I’ll wipe your tears
That fall
And hug you tight
With a loving hand.
No! Please don’t.
Just hold on!
Please don’t!

it pains me

2008-10-27T05:50:00.000+08:00

it pains me
for your not listening
to the promptings
of my heart…

it pains me
losing your trust
because
you believe only
yourself…

it pains me
oh, it hurts
it aches, it throbs…
it agonizes me..

it pains me
it’s a torture
am tormented
by the sore and tenderness
to my heart it brings…

it pains me
it cuts a bruise
to my innocent heart…

it breaks me…

the arrest

2008-10-27T05:49:00.001+08:00

thump… thump… thump…
army marching
wrr… wrr… wrr…
‘copters hovering
“innocent! innocent! innocent!”
people chanting

sounds of unrest
at polk street
a man of power
now under arrest!

truncheons blow
as bottles flew
metal against fists?
not hundreds
but thousands
in uniform
to escort a man

an overkill?
ahh…!
the man has thousands
shielding the grounds, too
vowed to avert
the arrest
of a man
charged with plunder…!

The Card was Rona's Heart

2008-10-27T05:45:00.000+08:00

I can’t contain the overwhelming joy I had
For the card Rona on Teachers’ Day gave
It was the best, a most touching one
Truly a treasure even when she’ll be gone!

But it’s not the card that counts the most
It’s the thought, the love, the immeasurable cost
It’s the effort, the care, the sincerest note
It’s Rona, not the card, which counts the most!

If Rona only knew the joy she gave to me
I wonder if stars could twinkle to eternity
Rona will forever be in the bottom of my heart
Not even the strongest storm could set us apart!

You touched my life in a special way
Your thoughts, your love, your heart, your care
My Rona you are a gem yourself
A diamond so bright, so precious, it’s yourself!

Rona this poem I wrote for you
Is nothing with the card that came from you
To me the card was not the card
With it were YOU – your very HEART!

pagsusulit sa chemistry

2008-10-27T05:40:00.000+08:00

Piniga ang utak
'Gang sa huling katas
Gusto ng mabiyak
Sa dinanas na hirap
Mukhang 'di papantay
Inubos na galak
Pagsusulit na tunay
Gusto kong maiyak!

Pagsusulit din ang pag-ibig
Pag ito'y totoo
Di mo rin masukat
Ang lalim nito
Pag ika'y nagmahal
At bukal sa puso
Pagsusulit mang tunay
Haharapin ito!

Sa Hagdanan ng Overpass

2008-10-27T05:38:00.001+08:00

ulan ma'y bumuhos
hindi papansinin
araw may tumurik
hindi iintindihin
bukas ang mga palad
magaspang, makapal
marumi niyang baro'y
sindumi ng kanal!

langaw ma'y dumapo
sa katawan niyang pagal
nguni't dapat na mabuhay
sa maruming lansangan!

makapal na tao
nakakita sa kanya
bihira ang maawa
minsa'y inaalipusta
sa kapansanang
di siya makakita
sindikato'y siya'y ginamit
mga mapagsamantala!

ulan ma'y bumuhos
araw ma'y tumirik
bukas ang kanyang palad
sa awa ng langit
siya'y isang pulubi
luhaang pumikit!

Baka Ka Antukin

2008-10-27T05:28:00.001+08:00

Huwag ka ng maghintay
Baka ka antukin
Maiinip ang diwa
At sasalingin
Ang himutok ng dibdib
Sa upuan mong bangko
Kumupas na ang kulay
Sa katandaan nito
Naghihintay ang hapag
Di ka pa kumain
Sa ingay ng diwa
Gustong mabiyak
Ang puso mong aba.
Huwag siyang hintayin
Siya ay wala na
Isang patay na bituin
Magawa mo na lamang
Ang siya'y tingalain!
Huwag ka ng maghintay
Baka ka antukin!

Missing Rona

2008-10-25T13:54:00.003+08:00

The word miss to indicate for the longing on something or on someone has become so overused especially here in the Philippines. It has become so ordinarily used that it has lost its meaning. And when you already use the word so sincerely on someone, you wouldn't know if that someone ever really reads or understands it the way you wanted to convey it.

I miss Rona. Oh so very much. She's someone I could call a 'soulmate' who knows the intricacies of my being. More than mere bestfriend. She is more than it. But don't ever think that there is a relationship way beyond friendship between the two of us. Nope. And never in my thoughts and in my wildest imaginations. It's just that Rona complemented the other missing parts of my being.

Rona is one best friend that I ever dreamt of. My spirit soared each time that she was around. I don't even have to say anything. She did not even had to say a single word. We just had to look each other in the eyes and there's peace. There's life. There's presence.

Rona is now thousands of miles abroad. She now has her own world. She has begun finding a niche of her own. From time to time, she would come home. She would send messages. But the short moments with her only makes my heart long for more. The joy is eternal. The laughters linger on. But in my heart, there's sadness. But in a way, it makes my heart long for her more. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, so to speak.

If there would be someone in my deathbed aside from my own children, my wife, and my family members, I would wish it would be her. To leave would be so peaceful and blissful. Because I know, I would live in all of them, especially in Rona.

I miss Rona. And I wouldn't stop missing her. She is my anak. And I am her Dad. I am a Dad because of her. She made me a dad to everyone. And I know, she loves me the way that I am.

I am missing Rona, again. And again. And again.

If Tomorrow Never Comes

2008-10-24T20:54:00.002+08:00

No. This is not about the song you might have heard before. But nonetheless, it found its inspiration in its music.

The thought that tomorrow may never come makes me shiver both with faith and hope, and uncertainty. With faith that the promised life after death will bring me to a new dimension beyond the realms of human capacity to comprehend. With hope that it will be to the eternal life and bliss in heaven where angels and saints reside with God - the source of all good and love. With uncertainty because death could mean the end of one's short stay and existence in this known universe with the slimmest chance that I could be resurrected again, whether as same human being or as another form of matter other than dust. One thing is almost sure - my body will rot, decay, leave some calcium matter, and be part of the soil. The molecules and particles may disintegrate and transform themselves into other forms of matter or be made into energy.

Perhaps for most people, dying and death is something to be feared. There is a natural fear of the unknown. When one crosses another frontier that he is uncertain of, there is almost an instant hesitation to go on and continue. If I were to end this day, I probably will have mixed feelings - anxiety, anticipation, fear, peace, surrender, love, serenity, joy, sadness, loneliness, anger, frustration, etc. But only God knows when that dreaded fateful day will come. Unless we make incidents ourselves that would cost our life as they happen.

If tomorrow never comes, please be my voice. Tell my children (Kevin Paul, Kamille Marie, Karen Jobelle, Kathleen Joy) I love them so much. Tell my wife, Sue, I love her so and thank her for the much love and support. Tell my family members (Tatang, Nanang, Dante, Arnel, Epie Rey, Mae) I've tried to live the best life I could so that I could also be of help in any way I can. But my best wasn't good enough.

Tell my closest friends they are always in my heart and in my memories because I love them so much, too. May I whisper them to you: Rona, Karen, Jhoan, Joycee, Jellie, Jenissa, Julieanne, Aiana, Jackie, Allen, Marissa, Patricia, Tricia, Michael, Ma. Teresa, Joanne, Ikay, Erika, Pauleen, Mila, Alyanna, Harlene, and all those countless faces and nameless figures who have made a difference in my life. If tomorrow never comes, I hope they will miss me, too.

Tell those others whom I failed to mention that their memories would be brought with me as I continue life's journey into the unknown.

To all those whom I have hurt, in one way or another, please accept my sincerest apology. May you be able to forgive me of all my shortcomings with you.

Thank you to all. If tomorrow never comes, let that tomorrow be buried with me so that you would remember only my yesterday with you.

I love you all!

From Karen

2008-10-23T21:58:00.002+08:00

I received a forward from Karen where I hardly couldn't control myself from laughing. It tickled the funny bone inside me. Here was it:

Cabinet Meeting:

GMA: Kung sino man ang tamaan ng bolang i2 ay xang mgreresign.

[initsa ang bola, tumalbog pblik sa knya.]

GMA: Oh, praktis lng un! Time first, Wag tyong excited! Ulet, Ulet...

It makes me wonder how Pinoys can make funny stories. Perhaps we are the happiest people on earth. There's a lot of wit and humor in almost all aspects of Pinoy's life. Just on TV News tonight, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago was fuming mad in the Committee Hearing on the so-called 'euro-generals'. She was a fighting tiger ready to devour DILG Sec. Ronaldo Puno. She was hot as a thousand chili when the hot 'euro general' snubbed the hearing by not showing himself up. She directed the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms to arrest him and bring his body to the Senate. The hearing must have been really so tense-filled. So hot and spicy. But Marc Logan of ABS-CBN was able to make a funny pun out of the situation in his light feature segment on TV Patrol World!

Truly Pinoy!

Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep

2008-10-22T21:22:00.002+08:00

I chanced upon this very beautiful and touching poem attributed largely to Mary Elizabeth Frye, (1905-2004), but of disputed origin. There had been several versions of this poem but this one old version got the poet in me.

The poem speaks of presence... of reminders... of memories. It speaks of eternity, of love, of life. Of the positive, of the NOW. It is the soul. It's more than the things felt in the absence of another due to the grave. When a person left behind realizes these, the one in the grave is loved so much... And I wish it would also be for me.

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sun on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circling flight.
I am the soft starlight at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there; I did not die.