Otso-Otso-otso at Samut-saring balita

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Many people believe that today - 08/08/08, is a very lucky day. A lot of couples have scheduled their wedding today, and reportedly some women are fighting it out to be scheduled for caesarean operation at 8 am. Others are opening their business. On the other hand, some Chinese fortune-tellers (there's a better term, I know, but I can't think of it right now) say that instead of being a lucky day, it's actually "malas". Pumatak daw kasi sa ghost month, so the doors of purgatory are open and the souls are out.... anyway, I don't believe in any of these things.

Welcome back to the loop Danny, Irma and Ning-ning and thanks to the regular "e-mailers" and "bloggers" - ed, bert, and fechie. We also read the greetings of Rudy, Joe, Alot, Marynat and Men. We fully understand why Men has become less active and we continue to pray for Rene's full recovery. Si Ate Marynat, mukhang busy pa rin.

Last night, Dra Yoly called, then passed the phone to Rey Rafer. They were having a get-together in Daet. Others present were Maning, Remo, Jebong, Estring, Milet (Adem), and Adonis. Rey will be going to Manila on the 14th, has an appointment on the 15th and is returning to Canada on the 16th - the day when the Manila group is supposed to have a dinner with Glen (Tamayo-Barroquillo). So most likely, we will not be able to see Rey this time. He'll try to call us while he's in Manila. He said he's not used to texting. Di raw yon ginagamit sa Canada because voice call is cheap - iyong $1 daw, Canada-US call, is already good for one hour. He also doesn't know the blog, kaya email ko na lang daw iyong lass directory.

We look forward to meeting Glen after 41 years. Rudy won't be able to join us. He is here, by the way (Welcome, Kap!). According to Alot, he arrived Aug 6 and will be leaving on Aug 12. Rory has already begged off. We hope the others will be able to make it.

What are the major events on this Otso-otso day?

The grand opening of the Olympics in China tonight.
The pull-out of the MILF troops in nine barangays in NOrth Cotabato.
30th Year Anniversary Concert of Ate Swawie! (Mr. DJ, can I make a request......)

In my reply to Danny (in the email), I forgot to mention the admirable work of Robin Padilla in promoting greater understanding among the Christians and Muslims. There's a school in Quezon City ran by his foundation which admits a mix of Christians and Muslim pupils, all of whom are scholars. He has allowed the use of his house as school facilities. Iyong dating bad boy has really done something good.

We hope that today will be a lucky day in the search for peace in Mindanao.

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What's the Latest with the DPS Class 67 members?

Bert is back to Manila and will be staying until November or December. (I'll post pictures of Bert and his family while in the US, but I'll wait for clearer copies. Bert already posted them in our egroup but they're not too clear after he resized them.)

Ed is also back after his trip to Russia, Kazachstan (don't know the right spelling), Germany, Italy, etc. He will again be going abroad very soon. Meanwhile, like Manny Pacquiao, he's back to his studies while in the country. Unlike Manny, however, Ed is finishing his doctoral degree is Systems Dynamics. He tried to explain this to us yesterday, but I guess I have a simple mind which can not fathom what it means.

While Ed and Bert are back, Rudy is still out of the country, and Susan has left for the US to enjoy one of her many favorites - traveling, that is (aside from bingo). We learned a few months ago that Rey (Rafer)is also visiting the country (July nga ang sabi, but he hasn't arrived) and so with Glen, next month.

Marynat must still be very busy with her auditing job. Tess would have been with us yesterday but was attending a whole day job-related activity in Makati. Rory and Baby have not replied to our text messages regarding yesterday's get together. The mysterious Felino is again silent after saying that he felt like a Senador after receiving birthday greetings from many of us. Lina had an appointment, while we have not received fresh news from Sister Tere who's back here after years of assignment in Negros. "We" of course, include the ever active Ate Alot, Mama Mia!, the coordinator-treasurer of the group. Doc Manuel (Lukban) hasn't failed to come whenever there's an invitation for a get-together.

Mendy continue to send text messages of inspiring quotes and jokes. Boy Rios did not reply to our birthday greetings and did not acknowledge receipt of a CD of the class reunion pictures. Boboy occasionally sends text messages, the latest of which was when he wanted to know in real time who won between Pacquiao and Diaz. I haven't heard from the rest of the folks in Daet (and they, too, from me).

Enjoy the pictures.

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Manila: The Queen City of the Pacific, 1938

Please watch this video of pre-war Manila. It's well made and highly educational. I think this is the same video Ed asked us to watch. Unfortunately, there must have been something wrong with the link he posted.

Just click the Link with the same title on the right side of this page.

I'm still very busy, I couldn't do other posts today.

Congratulations Manny Pacquiao, who won over David Diaz. Manny now holds the record as the first Asian to hold four world crowns in four weight divisions. Congratulations Manny! You made your countrymen proud again today!

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HAPPY TOWN FIESTA TO DAETENOS

AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO BOY RIOS!


The People of Daet have a good reason to be thankful because they were spared from the wrath of Typhoon Frank. But it's difficult to be happy when tragedy struck other places. Most unfortunate is the sinking of MV Princess of the Stars in Romblon, just less than a kilometer from the shore. This is already the fourth for Sulpicio Lines.

Today is also Araw ng Maynila but I think there's no declaration of a holiday, except for the schools. It's also the fiesta of the City of San Juan, and Calamba. In Bicol, there are also several towns celebrating their fiesta today - Sipocot, and another town in Albay.

Today is also the Birthday of Boy Rios. I was able to send him the CD of the pictures of the February 2008 Reunion, as well as birthday greetings by SMS. Tomorrow is Sister Terry's birthday, the last celebrant for the star-studded month of June. We don't have any birthday celebrant next month, unless Rudy DV's birthday falls in July.

There are many things to post here in our blog, but I'm still loaded with work. I still have to catch up with the man-days lost when my hard disk crashed.

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What's New Today

Today is a holiday in the Philippines in lieu of June 12, which is Independence Day. This is part of Gloria’s holiday economics. (Buti ‘yong Pasko hindi na niya pinakialaman, e kung pumatak na alanganing araw baka i-move ng 23 o kaya naman 27.)

I was thinking of a subject for blog posts which you would find interesting. Pictures and accounts of our social gatherings are certainly awaited as they provide opportunity to see how our classmates look like, or what’s new (or what hasn’t changed!). But social events are not a weekly fare, while the blogsite need to be updated more often. So what topics should we put on this site? Politics doesn’t seem to excite many of us. For a while, food recipes became a hot topic as Ed and Felino shared the recipes of various pili nut delicacies, and my own favorite kare-kare. Filipino achievements such as those of Gian Karlo Dapul, Charice and Ramiele, and including those of our own kin such as Deng and Myrene hopefully caught the interest of many of us. Many of the posts contributed by members were inspirational or humorous. Others were about healthy foods (malunggay and camote tops), medications and health advice, which are becoming increasingly interesting and useful for most of us. It’s probably natural that as we grow older, we become more conscious about our health. So even during social gatherings, questions crop up about sugar level, results of check-up and maintenance medicines. So, health topics would be good subject for blog posts. I found this article from my email which I’d like to share with you. It’s about cancer, a disease which has claimed the lives of some of our classmates. This is not meant to strike fear but to provide us better understanding about the disease.

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What's New Today?

Wilma would like to thank the DPS Class 67 for remembering her on her special day.

Thanks too, to our frequent contributors, Ed C and Bing CH. With their contributions, I have a reserve of articles for posting. I just hope, there'll be enough free time to be able to do daily updates.


We're organizing a small get-together for Marybeth and Willy before they go back to the US. It seems though, that most of the Manila-based members are busy, so we'll just have lunch on Monday in one of the restaurants at the Greenbelt. Let's just make the most out of the limited time. See you!

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What's new Today?

The news these past few days both here and abroad have been depressing - typhoon in MyanMar and the restrictions imposed by the military junta which made it difficult for aid to reach the typhoon victims; the earthquake in China and the aftershocks which resulted in a big number of casualties, the massacre in RCBC branch in Cabuyao, Laguna; the massacre of several families in Calamba, also in Laguna; the filing of charges by the NBI against Jun Lozada (why give priority to his 'malversation' case, even if true, when government should be running after Abalos, and of course, the big/biggest fish involved in this case); and the fare hike which starts today after flipflopping by Malacanang.

Another bad news (at least for me, and the farmers involved) is an Order issued by the Office of the President which excludes a 127-hectare land in Camarines Sur from agrarian reform coverage and cancels the title to the land already awarded to 57 farmers, ten years ago in 1998. I was then the head of DAR-Camarines Sur and we encountered a lot of difficulties in covering the property and in installing the farmers even after they already held the title to the land. I was sued for P6M damages and the case lasted for seven years from 1998 until its final dismissal by the Court of Appeals in 2005. Aside from the court case, I also had Ombudsman case, and administrative case before DAR and OP resulting from my coverage of this property. A son-in-law of the landowner is the first cousin of Manny Gaete (the Malacanang guy under Sec. Ermita, who was so generous as to have "lent" P500,000 to Jun Lozada). Now DAR says it can not do anything because it was already OP which decided and DAR is under OP. (Almighty talaga ang OP, hindi pwede question-in). I am worried about what would happen to the 57 farmers and their families who will be ejected.

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I am posting another contribution from Bing. It's something about philosophy and theology. Medyo, heavy ano? I'll post the rest of the pictures from the Awesome Translations as soon as I have the time. Medyo matagal magpost.

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Tomorrow is the birthday of Wilma Quintela-De Belen. I'll greet her on behalf of the Class via cp. I don't think she opens our blogsite.

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By the way, today is the FIRST YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF OUR BLOGSITE. Although there are posts which are dated earlier than May 21, daya iyon. Those were really the messages which you sent to our egroup at the time that we still didn't have this blogsite. I just transferred them from the egroup to this site. Then I adjusted the dates in the Post Options so the dates that would be reflected are the dates in your messages to the egroup.

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What's New Today?

The new posts today should have been posted yesterday - Fechie's Mother's Day Greeting Card and Bing's Bible Study Humor (appropriate for Sunday reading).

I was able to greet Linda a Happy Birthday yesterday morning on behalf of the class. She sends her thanks to everyone for remembering.

Last Saturday, I saw this full page color ad of Senator Loren Legarda in the Phil Daily Inquirer. It's an advertisement for LUCIDA-DS, a skin smoothener, anti-ageing, imune booster detoxifier.... Hmmm. it seems that there are many senators who are product endorsers now. Do you think this is right?

Ping Lacson is endorsing FACIAL CARE (yes, facial care, day!!)
Cheez Escudero and wife have a TV ad for a vitamin supplement (I forgot the brand name).
Pia Cayetano has a TV ad for Downey, fabric conditioner.
Manny Villar also has a billboard ad, for which product, I can not at the moment recall.
Of course, Bong Revilla has his weekly TV show, KAP, AMAZING STORIES.
and Mr. Palengke, Mar Roxas, also has a TV info-mercial (again I can't recall for which campaign).

Let's wait and see if Enrile and Joker Arroyo who are both in their 80s will be endorsing Myra-E, or any anti-ageing product.

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What's New Today?

I received several inspirational, as well as hilarious messages from Bing, which I will post here in our blogsite one at a time. Below is one of them. By the way, I forgot to include her birthday in our calendar. Thus, we failed to greet her last March 16 (when Magellan dis/covered/Lima/sawa/Island). ohh, on the contrary, she still looks great. See her picture below..... ta..rannnnn.....


Happy trip to Bert, Marie and the kids who are leaving tonight.

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What's New Today?

Thank God it's Friday (for officeworkers like me).

It's May 9, one day before Bert and family's departure for the US, and two days before Dra. Linda's Birthday and mother's day. I don't believe in the latter celebration. That's just another marketing strategy concocted by Westerners and exported to us. Dapat magbakal nin cards, chocolates, flowers, jewelries and treat the mothers to the restaurants, spas, and bonggang make-overs, para happy ang mga negosyante. E pano si mayong kwarta? You'll again increase the frustrations of many of the mothers. You can show your love for your mothers, everyday! You don't have to wait for May 11 to do this.


MAKURYENTE SANA! (It's up to you kun si-isay.)

Government is demanding transparency from MERALCO to be able to lower power rates at all cost. (Transparency? tatao man palan kayan an gobyerno!)

GSIS is planning to file fraud charges against Meralco over a P30-billion billing fiasco.

GSIS has no intention of taking control of Meralco from the Lopezes. We are only fighting for the pension fund's right to corporate information and to lower power rates.

GSIS Manager Winston Garcia, GMA Ally

Dapat sa Meralcong iyan ay pasabugin!

Lungga iyan ng mga sindikato. Mas masahol pa iyan sa Bureau of Customs! -

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, GMA Ally

We can file criminal charges against Meralco for large-scale estafa. - Sec. Raul Gonzales, another GMA Ally.

President Macapagal Arroyo has nothing to do with the GSIS moves. - Winston Garcia

I am fed up with all this. If they want, they can buy our shares. - Oscar Lopez, President of First Holdings, and patriarch of the Lopez family.

The President is not the type who would wage war on anybody. - Sec. Peter Favila

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What's New Today?

Here's something for Bert and Marie from Fr. Jerry Orbos's reflection on yesterday's gospel about Christ's assurances to the disciples before he ascended into heaven (from Phil Daily Inquirer):

"Why must there be goodbyes? Because of mission. In everything that happens, there is a reason, there is a mission. All goodbyes, whether to things or persons, are reasons and/or seasons for moving on. Goodbyes should lead to greater mission, not stagnation."

Good luck and happy trip to Bert, Marie and the children who are leaving on May 10 (per Alot's update).

I saw Alot and husband Ric at the SM SuperMall last Saturday. I brought my old, discarded printer, empty computer printer ink cartridges, empty batteries and electric bulbs to the SM Waste Market Day. I earned sixty thousand pesos (divided by 1,000) or P60 pesos. Most of what I brought didn't have a value. At least, I was able to dispose of my waste properly. Alot and Ric must be going shopping (There was a 3 day sale from Friday to Sunday). Me, armed with the P60 I earned, I was able to buy some household items like the electric steam brush (pam-plantsa, very handy) and other bathroom/bedroom fixtures. Siyempre abonado ako sa P60.

Alot earlier mentioned that Sister Tere (Azanes) is already back here in Manila from her assignment in Negros. She is suggesting that we pay a visit to Sor Victorina de la Providencia at the Sisters House in San Juan (siguro para sa mga retired sisters). Sor Victorina must be more than 80 years old now. I hope she's still lucid and can remember the past and engage us in conversation. Otherwise, garo bakong ok mag-kodakan ano. It would be good to remember her as the stern and strict Sister. (Takot ako kan Kinder and Grade One). Alot will make arrangements when both Rudy and Ed are here.

We have three birthday celebrants this month - Dra. Linda, Wilma and Rudy - on May 11, 22, and 29, respectively. Happy Birthday to all of them!

Everyday, we have visitors in the blogsite searching for information on Calaguas Islands. I'll try to contact Boboy to ask for more information about the cost of hiring motorized banca, and the capacity. I wish we can really visit this beautiful place.

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MEGA LOTTO: P228M, Biggest Lotto Pot in RP History

I'LL BE A MILLIONAIRE TONIGHT

I've been thinking of what best to feature in our blog today, on a Sunday morning (Philippine time). Should it be about the earth hour last night? (I did switch off all the lights and appliances, and even "rested" my laptop at 8 to 9 pm. I sweated it out inside my cramped unit but I must have contributed only an insignificant amount to the campaign to arrest global warming. My electrical consumption does not even reach P2,000 per month, and I don't have a car to burn fossil fuels.

A good news to write about is the final resolution of the Sumilao land problem. The farmers and San Miguel Corporation came to an agreement with the assistance of His Eminence Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales? But.... how many of the members here are really interested in agrarian reform?

All the others seem to be bad news. And when they are unfavorable to the Glorietta Administration, they are branded as "political" and we are admonished to stop "politicking" and to just focus on the work that needs to be done. All questions about anomalies, corruption, etc. are swept under the rug. Besides, aside from Danny and sometimes Ed, nobody seems to react to any of the "political" posts in this blog.

I wanted to post something about the absence of a crisis in the country, but that too, may be negative. But just a quick review of what's been in the news.

Rice prices increased by P10 to P20/kilo. (No, there's no rice shortage; no rice crisis - hindi yan dahil sa law of supply and demand, kundi dahil sa pagtaas ng cost of production, like fertilizer - Sec. of Agriculture Arthur Yap)

Vietnam finally agrees to sell 150 million metric tons of rice to RP. (Earlier, Vietnam could not make a commitment) -

People line up to buy NFA's subsidized rice on Friday at its Central Office warehouse along Visayas Avenue. Only 3 kilos are allowed each person. - Sinabi ng walang krisis sabi ni Glorietta at ni Yap, ang KUKULIT NINYO!

Nilalagyan ng indelible ink ang daliri ng mga bumibili ng bigas sa NFA outlet sa Albay para hindi pabalik-balik. O baka sabihin na naman ninyo may krisis!

Licenses of all NFA rice retailers cancelled. They all have to re-apply. All warehouses closely watched. May mga hoarders kasi, saka iyong nag-re-repack ng NFA rice into commercial rice. Pero walang krisis.

Yap asks fast food chains to serve only half a cup of rice. Ang dami kasing nasasayang. Pero wala itong relasyon sa sinasabing krisis. Ang KUKULIT NINYO!

There's no rice crisis, no rice shortage, but we will experience some price increases in rice. (From GMA. So, that's final, walang krisis! Pero sa totoo lang, natatarando silang lahat sa Malacanang because rice is a very political commodity because that is the most basic food item. It is the staple food. If corruption hasn't brought down Glorietta, the rice crisis might just bring her down!)

Okey, so i won't write about this rice crisis anymore!

As an economist, I know very well that our economy can not grow without transparency and without addressing the problem of graft and corruption. That is why, this Administration is taking the issue of corruption very seriously! - Glorietta speaking before the World Bank, ADB, and other officials of funding institutions at the Philippine Development Forum. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! no comment.

So, I'll just write about how I'm going to be a millionaire tonight. I bought two lotto tickets for tonight's draw. If I win, I'll keep the P28Million and give the rest of the P200 Million to charity - Charity includes my brothers and sisters, nephews and nieces, grandchildren, and friends. Kayo, gusto rin niyong balato? I may go and visit you in the US and Canada, if I find the time, para maambonan kayo ng grasya!

Seriously, queues at lotto outlets are non-stop. It was reported that ticket sales last Thursday reached P176 million, just for one day. Signs of the times. By the way, this is only the second time I bought lotto tickets. The first was last Thursday. I also bought two tickets..... but none of the eight numbers that I chose (six numbers per ticket, pinalitan ko iyong 2 numbers dun sa isang ticket) came out! So, I came back and became part of the long queue, who will once again try our luck! Magagalit nito si Archbishop Oscar Cruz. Purist iyon. To him, any numbers game is gambling which should be outlawed.

By the way, I learned that another one of us has given up on Pinas and is set to migrate with the entire family to the US this May. Do you all know about this? Baka ako lang iyong huling nakaalam a!

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What's New Today - December 06, 2007

On the Spot Today is Manuel, THE LAWYER. Yes, he was a lawyer from the day he was born - that's because his father was an ABOGADO. Kidding aside, I'm posting pictures of Maning as an elementary pupil, and now with his wife, children, and grand daughter.

Tomorrow, you'll be seeing Remo with wife Edna and their kids. Also, Amelita (Adem) with her husband. Kung si Fr. Efren ay pari at si Sister Teresita ay madre, si Amelita naman ay isang tunay na BANAL. Yes, her husband is Mr. Banal.

Christmas is just a few days away. Soon, it will be February and we'll be having our reunion. But the reunion is not always an opportunity to share some thoughts and experiences. It's usually just an exchange of pleasantries and exchange of information - what are you doing now, how many spouses/children do you have, where are they now, how long will you be staying in Daet, etc.

In the last Reunion, Tess didn't want individual speeches lest they become melo-dramatic and reduce the speaker and the listeners to tears. Nakalusot lang si Elmer (Auro) who related his initial insecurities, then his successes in Mabini Colleges, and his career as teacher and now as principal.

Maybe, it's not really the right venue - aside from the time constraint, I think there's the danger "na maging payabangan", or inadvertently highlight the disparities in what we have become.

So, why not use this site to share our thoughts this Christmas? Wouldn't it be interesting to know what advice Ed, who is immersed in development work in numerous countries all over the world, can give to our leaders in government and in civil society? .... or for the US and Canada-based classmates to share how it's like to raise a family or to work in a foreign country? ... or life at home with a newly retired husband, or life with the spouse when all the children have left their home to live their own lives? what about corruption in government (without naming names, based on the experiences of a government auditor)? ..... or senior moments? .... or favorite sports or workout ..... or some health advice?

I hope you'll find some time to write your piece.... in English, Bicol, Filipino, Spanish or Chinese!

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Breaking the Silence

Hi folks!

Our blogsite has been inactive for almost two weeks now. I’m sorry I haven’t been able to attend to its regular updating. I also failed to greet our US-based classmates a Happy Thanksgiving Day. I haven't read the answer to Ed Canela's puzzle yet (purposely) and can't figure out the golf game he posted.

Mendy texted last week that Karina (her sister) and her son were stranded in Labo because of the floods. Luckily, the waters subsided in the afternoon and their bus was able to pass through. Nangumusta din si Boboy Ong about the typhoon in Manila, but the weather was fine (at least there were no rains) last weekend. He said that Boy Rios has confirmed attendance to the Feb reunion. He was also able to locate Nestor Chavez and Rodolfo Villazar. Still on the loose are Rudy del Valle and Roberto Manly. Susan said she'll be coming to Manila first week of December. She'll give more updates about the preparations.

The past weeks have been hectic since our NGO is conducting training for barangay officials and community leaders on Participatory Local Governance in three provinces. I just arrived from Gingoog City via Cagayan de Oro last Saturday and I’m leaving again for Biliran via Tacloban City at 5:30 this morning. I promise to re-activate our blogsite by December.

In the meantime here are some photos taken during the training for 11 barangays (villages) in Gingoog. Our venue was the Sta. Rita Parish Formation Center. In Cagayan de Oro, I stayed overnight in Balay Mindanaw Peace Center owned by our partner NGO. We got perfect attendance of 11 Punong Barangays (Barangay Chairmen, formerly Kapitan del Baryo). Other participants were barangay health workers, barangay nutrition scholars, kagawads (barangay council members) and community leaders.

I read about the new feature of Blogger just a while ago. It's now possible to post slideshows in the blogsite. I'll study it as soon as I have the time so we can make slideshows of photos and post them here. I also hope to do a Christmas CD for our class, hopefully for 2007 (not 2008).

Regards to all.

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October 28 Celebrations

It's still several days from Oct 28 but let me now greet the celebrants lest I forget about it. I'm leaving for Cagayan de Oro tomorrow and will be busy when I get back on Saturday, which is the debut party in Calamba of my niece, who's staying with me.

So, to our youngest classmate, Men, happy, happy birthday. And to Alot and her husband Ric - Happy Wedding Anniversary.

I also read from Maryna'ts email that Oct 26 is Alan's birthday, so please greet him for me since I believe Alan doesn't read the emails and the blogsite.

Welcome too, to Vivian (why is it bchisano not vchisano?)! We hope that you'll share your thoughts, updates and chikas with us.

I'll post the discussions re: february reunion preparations on sunday, i still have to prepare my powerpoint presentation for tomorrow.

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What's New Today - September 29, 2007

It's been quite a while since our blogsite was last updated. That was after the verdict on Erap's plunder case was handed down. Now the anomalous NBN transaction has overshadowed news on Erap. Although, there were no posts in this blogsite, we had a lot of discussions in our egroup on the NBN and the various anomalies under GMA and Erap and the seeming hopelessness of the Filipino people in effecting change. Danny has been very passionate about his views. Marynat has also joined the discussions and agrees with him for the most part. No one will probably dispute the fact that far from reducing the level of corruption, it has risen to greater proportion under the PGMA administration. How and when can we put a stop to this is a big question. But each one of us has a role to play. We hope that aside from Danny and Marynat, the others can also share their views.

Minsan, masyadong mainit si Danny. O Danny, cool ka lang ha! dai ka mag-arog sa retrato.

Nakasimangot ka na lang palagi.....

Parang ikaw lang ang nagmamay-ari ng lahat ng sama ng loob.

Mukha mo ay hindi maipinta, e sumasayad na ang nguso mo, sa lupa!!!

O, marhay man ta napangirit kamo!

There is also a music video that I am posting. There's not much time to look for pictures, so they may not be the best, but I just wanted you to listen to Gary Granada's song - HOLDAP!

Just to tease your mind and make you laugh again:

Why is 3.70 = 13.20?

Ano ang tawag sa paniking mababa ang lipad?

Sirit?

three seventy = trece bente

lowbat!

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What's New Today - September 8, 2007

Everyone seems to be very busy these days. As Bert noted, there's a lull in our e-group - "parang may dumaang anghel daw." Even Marynat who became very active several weeks ago, is back to being a passive reader for the most part (she did send comments on two posts). It's Tess who has been regularly sending her one-liners.

I too am very busy. So I'm just sharing the article written by the Inquirer columnist, Ma. Ceres Doyo about Mother Teresa, whose 10th death anniversary we observed the other day. (She died a week after Princess Di died on a car crash - on August 31. Daming historical events pala on that day - also the Birthday of Ramon Magsaysay and Cardinal Sin, aside from Annabelle's and my birthday of course!). Mother Teresa's book, "Come Be My Light", is surely a very interesting reading, we should grab a copy when we have the time. Right now, I'm reading an old book - Man's Search for Meaning written by Viktor E. Frankl, an internationally renowned psychiatrist who endured years of unspeakable horror in Nazi concentration camps. It's been a week now but I haven't finished reading it - I only read it while inside the railway transit on the way to and back from the office. Read it, if you have the time.

Current news here in the Philippines are depressing/revolting - the scandal-ridden US$328M National Broadband Network contract with the Chinese firm, ZTE (ang kapal talaga; garapal ang mga taga-gobyernong involved dito including COMELEC Chair Abalos and Transport & Communications Secretary Mendoza). Everything contrary to good governance must be happening here - absence of transparency (no copy of the contract has been made public yet this is a loan to be paid for by every Filipino), corruption, and lack of accountability.

Then there's the re-opening at the Senate of the Hello Garci scandal, the death by hazing of a UP student, the war in Sulu and Basilan, the early campaign for Presidency by the ambitious Mar Roxas (pati Joey de Leon-Willie Revillame controversy papatulan in the guise of protecting the public from unscrupulous game shows, buti hindi pina-iimbistigahan ng Senado o Kongreso ang paglipat ni Angel Locsin sa Dos!).

So, other than Ceres's article, I'm posting video clips of songs by:

* Yoyoy Villame - Geography
* Gary Valenciano's Babalik Ka Rin
* Lea Salonga and Rob Chen's wedding with Lea singing "Ikaw"
* Sharon and KC Concepcion duet

Hope you enjoy them.

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What's New Today - August 13, 2007

Good Morning! We welcome the start of another work-week and hope that it would be a fulfilling one.

I came back Friday evening from a three-day trip to Cagayan de Oro City, to visit a barangay project site and to attend some activities of our NGO. Together with other colleagues, we stayed in a Korean Hotel named Koresco. It's a beautiful but I suppose, expensive hotel. (Our host said that they are given a big discount, that's why they could afford to billet guests on special occasions). Danny and Bert would probably love to stay here because there's a golf course (see pictures).

I got to rest Saturday and Sunday. Too lazy to post messages in our e-group and to update this blogsite, although I already had the materials ready. It's just early today that I finally overcame the inertia (at rest).

Rudy's pictures of our two recent get togethers are among the new postings. I hope Boboy can also request a classmate who has access to computer to send us copies of the pictures of their get-together yesterday at Amelita Adem's house.

In the course of my research for articles on San Vicente, I came across additional historical accounts on the municipality of Paracale. It seems that the Church has a better record of the history of our localities than the local administrative units as can be seen from the source of information of the Camarines Norte Provincial Tourism Office. Men's uncle (former Rep. Pedro Venida) is mentioned and so with the first Filipino priest from Paracale, who also became its first Parish Priest, Fr. Patricio Zano, son of Vicente Zano. They must be the relatives of Alot and Jibong.

Lastly, there's a collection of jokes. I hope you'll find them funny!

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What's New Today - August 6, 2007

Welcome back from your honeymoon Ningning! I scanned the Kodak photo album containing your pictures. You surely enjoyed your vacation. Once you have rested and have some time to spare, please put some captions on the photos so we will know which places you’ve been to.

Wasn’t the temperature very hot in Europe at the time of your travel? I’ve watched on TV that there was a heat wave in some parts of Europe (Greece was one of them I think) while there was flooding in UK.

Here in the Philippines, particularly in Luzon, it’s still abnormally dry when it’s supposed to be the rainy season already. This prolonged dry spell has reduced the water levels in the major dams to almost critical levels. As a result, supply of water for irrigation has been cut, affecting thousands of farmers and threatening our agricultural food supply. Some provinces have already declared a state of calamity to be able to make use of their emergency funds to address the problem.

Supply of potable water to Metro Manila has been reduced slightly, but if sufficient rains still do not come, supply will be cut substantially by August 15. There are advisories to conserve water. The Archbishop of Manila, Gaudencio Rosales has even issued a letter asking the faithful to recite the obligatory prayer for rain in all churches in Manila starting last First Friday.

As usual, government is sending mixed signals. Some government officials are acting as if there’s nothing to worry about, like the Secretary of Agriculture who said that his request for additional funds to address the problem was only in “million” pesos. He added that we should begin to worry if his request is already in terms of “billions” of pesos. But in the same breath, Sec. Ermita said that should this drought resort to a power crisis, then President GMA may ask Congress to grant her emergency powers. As if she doesn’t have enough power yet!

We really have to conserve water. But government should take a look at the water consumption of the big users such as those in the car wash business and the golf courses.

how many gallons of water do bert's and danny's golf courses consume? Mandaluyong's Wack-Wack Golf and Country Club explained that contrary to the perception that they are consuming huge volumes of potable water, they are instead using recycled water - water from creeks and household waste water which go through their water treatment plant. Using wind power, the solid matters are separated from the liquid which then undergo the treatment process. The output is clear water, which is then used to water the green manicured lawns. But I don't think all golf courses in Luzon use recycled water!

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In keeping with the Retro, I am re-printing certain historical firsts in Camarines Norte, which I got from the webpage of the Camarines Norte Provincial Tourism Office. (http://www.camarinesnortetourism.net/). This is very interesting and informative reading. I didn’t know that the famous national artist-painter, Fernando Armosolo is from Daet until I read it in this article, and so with the info that the first PAL flight was from Manila to Daet!

I am also posting our special feature on the municipality of San Vicente in honor of Danny and Felino. We welcome the submission by the readers of other materials that will further enrich our knowledge of San Vicente. We are also requesting for materials on Capalonga, which will be featured next. (It’s the only municipality of Camarines Norte that I have never been to.)

There are additional materials and photos that I gathered on Vinzons and Paracale and I’ll be posting them in the succeeding days.


On a lighter mood, would TESS find these hair-dos cool?

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What's New Today - July 27, 2007

A very happy development is the activeness of our dear Ate Marynat. Didn't you notice that she seems to respond or comment to all the postings recently? Keep it up Ate. Please continue writing!

There are additional pictures of the dinner with Ed. These were taken while skyping (is there such a verb now?) with Danny. Marynat (Ate) was excited because it was her first time to see Danny's bright pate after 40 years.

In yesterday's issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Rex Bernardo of Daet Camarines Norte was featured. He's a polio victim at the age of 6 but has become successful inspite of his condition. He has graduated from the Asian Institute of Management. (There was a picture of him being conferred the degree by Roberto de Ocampo and Ernie Garilao - my former boss at the Department of Agrarian Reform). Without diminishing the honor accorded to Rex, dps-class 67 members know that before Rex, came our Ed Canela... and his achievements are far bigger. Both are from Daet though and we are mighty proud of them!

Other than this news, the rest of the new posts are recycled from the egroup. I hope I'll have the time over the weekend to gather original materials for the blog.

It's the last working day today for those who are on a five-day work week. Have a happy weekend!

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