"ECLECTIC" MOMENT

“ECLECTIC” MOMENT

New Year’s Eve brings many things. It is the time for good-bye and hello. It depicts change. It is a time for renewal, a happy merging of darkness and the light, a moment for silent meditation amidst the noises of the firecrackers and the karaoke. It also means equality in the sense that everyone turns one year older whether you are a child or a senior citizen.

It is the period of many superstitious practices. There are the 13 rounded fruits on the table, the polka dots on clothes and curtains, the hanging grapes on windows and doors which are all supposed to be open wide. It is the moment to turn on all light switches as well as the water faucets. It is the occasion for a sumptuous dinner full of symbolisms.

New Year’s Eve announces death and birth. Death of bad habits and disappointments, of failures that are supposed to be buried with the outgoing year. But it also connotes birth to new dimension of existence.It is birth to new hope, new outlook, new plans, new strategies – new life.

To many, New Year is noise. Intended noise to drive away the evil spirits and welcome good fortune. Fire crackers are left and right and with them are all sorts of accidents. Common are blown hands and blindness, broken bones and not so remotely, death.

This event is the most “eclectic” moment of the year. It brings about opposite and varied emotions. It promises different gifts and different opinions, different intentions and different approaches. It is in fact the most confusing moment to ponder on anything. Happy New Year!

SHARING CHRISTMAS

SHARING CHRISTMAS
Christmas could be anything. To children it means toys, candies and carnivals. To the elders it is a nostalgic reunion with plenty of foods and exchange gifts. To lovers it is a time for significant exchange of yeses or rings or anything that seals their relationship.

I just discovered a new and unique way of sharing the Christmas spirit. I saw a little girl repeatedly requesting her mother to buy her a baby doll with diaper but the mother simply couldn’t afford. I offered to buy the toy then gave it to the little girl as my Christmas gift to her. You could never imagine the expression of joy by both mother and child.

To the old man who used to sweep-clean the Church plaza I gave old T-shirts and cash while to his grandchild I offered a wallet with crispy bills. It was his first wallet and he could not hide his great happiness. As her most valuable gift to a vegetable vendor at the side of the road, what cheered her heart no end was a copy of her toothless picture that I took earlier near my Christmas tree. She pressed it over her heart as she considered it the most valuable gift ever.

A folded paper Peacock did the Christmas magic to a poor little girl that I met in a hospital. Same magic was created by a colorful yoyo received by an orphaned boy after opening his gift from a raffle package that he got.

There are hundred ways to express Christmas in simple manner, for Christmas is Peace and Love incarnate. Anyway we express Peace and Love to anyone we are sharing Jesus Himself. Jesus is the reality of Christmas. To many Christmas is but a day. Mine is not that way.

Similarly New Year represents Happiness and Prosperity. Let us all think of ways to express Happiness and Prosperity to everyone this coming year 2010. If many shall be practicing this, the whole year shall be Happy and Prosperous.

THE OTHER WISE MAN (Ang Haring Naiwan)

Just 365 days before the next Christmas I want to share my favorite Christmas Story

ANG HARING NAIWAN
Desiyembre 7, 1962

Kasabay ng malalambing na awit ng mga anghel,
Isang talang maliwanag ang sa langit ay nagningning;
Pawang nangagbabalitang doon sa bayan ng Belen
Ay sumilang ang dakilang sasakop sa sala natin.

Samantala sa Silanga’y may mga haring nag-usap
At nagbalak na dumalaw sa sumilang na Mesiyas.
Naghanda ng mga handog ang mga haring magilas;
Nagkasundong magtatagpo sa takdang araw at oras .

Si Haring Melchor at Gaspar at gayon din si Baltazar
Ay nagkita’t sama-samang sa Betlehem ay naglakbay.
Samantala, ang mabunyi’t matulunging si Shellimar –
Sa kaniyang dinaana’y sawing-palad na naiwan.

Ang dahilan ay sapagka’t sa landasing tinatahak…
Isang pulubing maysakit ang nakitang naghihirap.
‘Pagka’t likas na malambot yaong pusong binusilak,
Ay huminto’t pinagyaman ang pulubing napahamak.

Ginamot at pinakain ang maysakit na matanda;
Ni Shellimar na sa kanya’y naghatid at nagkalinga.
Sa ganitong kabutiha’y nalimot ang panukala
Na dadalaw sa Betlehem na sinilangan ng Bata.

Ng lumakas ang katawan ng pulubing tinulungan;
Si Shellimar ay saka lang nagpatuloy na maglakbay.
Dapwa’t sadyang sawing-palad, noon naman ay lumisan,
Ang Mag-anak na dahila’y lumipat sa ibang bayan.

Ito’y dahil sa pag-iwas sa utos na ipapatay,
Ni Herodes ang lahat na mga batang bagong silang .
Kaya naman ang humabol at naiwang si Shellimar,
Halos dibdib ay magputok sa tinamong kabiguan.

Kaya’t kanyang naisipang ang Mag-anak ay habulin
At kahit na saang sulok, Sila’y kanyang hahanapin.
Nguni’t tuksong kahit sino ang lapitan at tanungin
Ay walang makapagturo sa Mag-anak na butihin.

Si Shellimar ay patuloy na naglakbay at naghanap,
Lalo’t higit sa maraming mga pook ng mahirap
‘Pagka’t nalalaman niya na ang Banal na Mag-anak
Ay hindi makikihalo sa mayaman at mapilak.

Subali’t sa tuwing siya’y sasapit sa isang pook,
Si Jesus na hinananap laging hindi inaabot.
Lagi siyang naiiwan, dapwa’t wala siyang pagod
At patuloy na susundan ang Dakilang Mananakop.

Sa kaniyang paghahanap sa maraming mga bayan,
Lahat ng uri ng tao ay kaniyang nasilayan…
Kaya naman ang maraming dala niyang kayamanan
Sa maraming mahihirap ay unti-unting nabigay.

At maraming mga taon ang patuloy na lumipas…
Si Shellimar ay patuloy sa kaniyang paghahanap;
‘Pagka’t siya’y buong pusong umaasa na sa wakes
Ay makikita rin niya ang nawaglit na Mesiyas.

Tatlumpo’t tatlong taon na ang matuling nakalipas,
Hindi pa rin nakikita si Jesus na hinahanap.
Kayamana’y naubos na’t nabigay sa mahihirap…
Ang kawawang si Shellimar sa Jerusalem napadpad.

At sa nasabing bayan, bigla siyang kinabahan
Ng makitang may’rong isang taong pinarurusahan.
Tila may‘rong nagbubulong at sa kanya’y nagsasaysay
Na iyon nga si Jesus na matagal ng sinusundan.

Kaya’t siya ay humabol sa taong may pasang kurus
Na noon ay pinapalong patungo sa isang bundok.
Nguni’t sa daan ay isang alipin ang napalugmok
Sa harapan ni Shellimar at umiyak sa himutok.

Isang aliping babaeng pinalo ng panginoon…
Lumuluhang humingi kay Shellimar ng munting tulong .
Ang tanging natirang sinsing sa mga paglilimayon,
Sa daliri ay kinuha’t inihandog niya noon.

Isang sinsing na d’yamanteng ihahandog sa kay Jesus
Ibinigay sa alipin upang ito ay matubos.
Sa gayon ay naubos na pati huli niyang handog,,
Sa Mesiyas na noon ay nakapako na sa Kurus.

Si Shellimar ay patakbong sa kalbaryo ay sumugod
Upang makita’t mamalas si Jesus na Mananakop…
‘Dapwa’t huli na ang lahat ng sumapit s’ya sa bundok
Si Jesus ay namatay na sa saliw ng kidlat-kulog.

Hanggang sa huling sandali’y naiwanan si Shellimar
Ni Jesus na batang musmos ng simula niyang sundan.
Sa malaking pagod niya at matinding kalungkutan
Lumuluha at pasising kinausap yaong bangkay.

“Oh Diyos ko ano baga ang aking pagkakasala
At sa aking paghahanap ay ‘di ka na napakita?
Simula sa kamusmusa’y sinundan-sundan na kita,
Bakit Ikaw’y nagmaramot , ano’t ako’y inulila?”

Isang tinig na tila ba sa langit pa nagbubuhat
Ang tumugon kay Shellimar at malakas na nangusap:
“Ako’y iyong nakasama, nakita at naka-usap
Sa maraming pagtulong mong ginawa sa mahihirap”.

RANDOM IRONIES

RANDOM IRONIES

We did not personally wish to be born, yet, we were born; we don’t want to die, yet, we are sure we are all going to die. Isn’t that ironic? Now between our ironic birth and death are various interesting ironies.

Let us fast forward to the present season. Christmas itself is ironic. The King of kings was born not in a golden crib but in a lowly and messy manger. Instead of the equivalent of midwife, nurse or doctor during that time, with him were smelly animals.

That night before He was born everybody was gathered in houses except the Son of God who couldn’t find an inn. The dark, dirty cave suddenly turned heaven when Christ was born. Darkness turned bright. Wasn’t it ironic that the stars and the angels are looking down to the Creator who only created them?. There are more ironies like the way we are celebrating Christmas which was an offshoot of a Pagan ritual.

In out town, there are ironic incidences too. The celebration of the 150th founding anniversary was done seven months later on a special day with no explanation or any significance why the second week of December.

Filipiniana street dancing was performed by “Karakol” dancers though “Karakol” is a religious ritual by the lowlanders as it was a prayerful dance connected to the religious activities performed on rivers or other bodies of water.

Speaking of ironies, last election a Mayor was proclaimed winner in July 1, 2009. The loser protested and was proclaimed winner and claimed the seat in September 22, 2009. After two months a supposedly Supreme Court decision was handed down for the dethroned Mayor to claim back his glory but as of this writing the sitting mayor haven’t vacated his seat.

Both parties are relying on laws but it is ironic that laws have so many loopholes. For as long as there are lawyers they can always find loopholes. Thank God that in spite of all the happenings Alfonso is very lucky that no untoward incidents happen.

Old folks attributed it to the kind Patron Saint, John Nepomucene who always intercedes for peace in moments like this. And it is not ironic.
So with the guidance of Saint John Nepomucene we all hope that everything will be settled peacefully.

SIMBANG GABI SA GABI

SIMBANG GABI SA GABI

The absence of the unique church bells was filled with the laud rendition of “Kampana ng Simbahan” but the usual brass band (the original tararadying potpot) goes around announcing to one and sundry about the new Night Mass.

It is a bit ironic because this refers to the “Misa de Gallo” which means Dawn Mass. For the first time this is being introduced by the New Parish Priest without canceling the traditional Dawn Mass at 4:30 a.m.

This is the anticipated “Simbang Gabi” in order to accommodate the increasing number of churchgoers during this season. Indeed the church is full. With its colorful and bright decorations anybody will definitely feel so good and so happy.

Much more so because it is not too cold, the whole weather is so kind and accommodating. Everyone feels comfortable. No one is sleepy and the usual early morning bad breath is not commonly encountered. However, thick, colorful sweaters and jackets are not yet too common as the weather is easily tolerable.

Artificial palm trees suddenly grew on both sides of the church, decorated with white lights and complete with shiny fruits. The atmosphere is very festive, you will forget even for a while, all your problems.

Out side the church I saw only one “puto” vendor as churchgoers are not used to “puto” snacks at night. It is interesting to anticipate going back to bed without having to wake up so early in a chilly dawn.

ALFONSO DAY '09

ALFONSO DAY ‘09

The celebration is termed ALFONSO DAY’09, a three day celebration supposedly to commemorate the Sesquicentennial or 150th anniversary of the town’s establishment in May 16, 1859.

It is seven month delayed but anything good whether advanced or delayed is always important and significant. It is time for merry making and serious reflection. The significance of the occasion is bannered by its theme: “Pagkakaisa ng mamamayan, susi sa pag-unlad ng bayan”. Meaning, “Unity of the residents, is the key to progress”.

Easier said than implemented like all other themes on different occasions, the residents and visitors alike are expecting much good to come out of this event.

As I m writing this a Thanksgiving Mass is being offered to initiate the valuable celebration. I will be followed by a Thanksgiving Parade with the participation of representatives from all sectors of the community. After this, the appropriate Opening Ceremonies follow. In the afternoon there shall be Filipiniana Street Dancing and the Baranggay Choral Competition at night.

The second day shall be a colorful Band Marching by several participating brass bands in the morning, Parlor Games and Street Dancing in the afternoon and finally a Jamboree at night.

The third day shall be culminated by a Medical and Dental Mission. It is good to experience that during this time when massacres, kidnappings and head decapitating are happening in other parts of the Country, here in Alfonso we have days to enjoy and count our blessings. It is hoped that the intention of the day’s theme for Unity and Progress be achieved.

PARTING WITH MY PRICELESS COLLECTION

PARTING WITH MY PRICELESS COLLECTIONS

It all started when a middle-aged woman from Mindanao applied as housemaid. Since we have been scouting for one for quite sometime she was immediately hired under observation. She was assigned a room but the following morning she complained that she wasn’t able to sleep as she felt uneasy and was hearing some muffled laughter. We explained to her that the laughter was coming from our neighbors.

The following day, before midnight she complained of severe abdominal pain and I saw her doubling up. Fearing that she could be suffering from Acute Pancreatitis I brought her to the hospital. When she was relieved of her complaints, she was allowed to go home the following morning to rest with her relatives in Tagaytay.

My wife casually told the incident that happened to one of my daughters and her husband who happened to have a Priest friend who is allowed to perform exorcism. With the intention of cleansing the house of possible negative spirits, he invited the priest who very willingly agreed.

I was caught flat-footed as all of a sudden the exorcist priest was there to perform cleansing rituals and prayers. He first blessed the water, the salt and the incense then offered especial prayers while sprinkling salt, water and accompanied by the incense at every nook and corner of the house. After the house he proceeded to the garden continuing the ritual. After a while he requested if he could sit down as he got so tired and week driving away bad elementals, who, according to him got mad when I cut several trees. Those trees were cut to prevent them from damaging our house in preparation for the coming of typhoons.

The priest explained afterwards that he was successful in driving away the many bad spirits but I must remove and throw away all elephant and dragon figurines in the house. I was stunned for a while because I have about fifty elephant figurines that I have been collecting since around 50 years ago. He instructed me to break the figurines into small pieces then throw them away under running water at the nearby brook. The brass figurines must be burned first before burying them.

Looking around I realized that all four sets of electric candle stands were decorated with dragon so they were broken and thrown to the brook too. A two-foot collector’s item, porcelain jar which was embossed with dragon all around was also broken into pieces before being thrown to the live brook.

It is not easy to describe the feeling of one who just thrown away priceless collections. In fact I did it with a heavy heart but if it was the way to prevent harboring evil spirits in the house, so be it.

The following morning, my son-in-law asked if I was able to sleep well and if I was not bothered by disturbing noise. I said I have always been sleeping peacefully well and I was never really bothered by any devilish noise but that night I had severe chest pain that I had to take 'isodil' to relieve myself.

TRIPLE GOLD

TRIPLE GOLD

At long last, I finally saw a Tarpaulin streamer announcing the celebration of the 150th Anniversary of Alfonso on Dec 11-13, 2009. Yes it is our Triple Gold Anniversary. Alfonso was established as a separate municipality from it’s mother Indang on May 16, 1859. There are 150 reasons to celebrate and ‘it is better late than never’, as the saying goes.

In other towns especial dates like this is given lavish attention with lavish celebration.Townmates abroad are requested to come home for the celebrations that usually are done monthly for the whole year. The date also falls on the feast day of St. John Nepomucene, our Patron Saint. Earlier I got so disappointed when both the Municipal Government and the Church seemed to forget the monumental occasion.

I, in my little and simple way tried to celebrate it by launching a tiny book about Allfonso on May 24, 2009. It was a very small book with a little bit of history, a little bit of legend and much about Alfonso that deserves to celebrate its Triple Gold. It has many defects as it was mainly based on oral history gathered and compiled for 50 years. It was indeed so thin that one can finish reading it in one sitting. But it was the only book about Alfonso officially accepted so far by the Cavite Historical Commision for publication to the point of sponsoring it together with De La Salle Dasmariñas, Cavite Studies Center and the Municipal Government of Alfonso.

Through my little book I am expressing my full hearted greetings to my "paradisic" hometown on its Triple Gold Anniversary this year.

THE CHALLENGE OF GRACEFUL AGING

THE CHALLENGE OF GRACEFUL AGING

Growing old is truly fun that is why it has many names. Senior Citizen which depicts authority and wisdom; Second Childhood, as if being re-oriented anew to an entirely new world; Alzheimer’s, meaning one has reached the great period of confusion; Golden or Diamond Age to keep the glamour no matter what.

This stage of aging has also many nicknames too: “Amoy lupa”, “Uliyanin”, “Makulit”, “Burara”, “Bengengot” or worst still, “Tangengot” and many more according to the whims and enjoyment of the younger generation.

I am not referring to my own personal experience because in as far as I am concerned I am still in the prime of my life. I am sharing this to everyone after having observed several Senior Citizens who have surrendered to the difficult challenges of aging.

This is the phase of life when the person knows he knows but knows not what he knows. This is the period when the person remembers vividly what he did when he was a little boy but forgets where he was a while ago. This is the moment when the person looks everywhere for the item he is tightly holding in his hand. This is the time when one wonders why he is at the middle of the stairs not sure if he is going down or going up. This is the age when he usually has lapses in thought, in words and in deed.

He enjoys discussing his ailments and brags about the many pills he is taking but to no avail as he continue to have pains here and there. This is the time in his life when he is badly in need of a companion to guide him in his moments of disorientation but unfortunately this is also the occasion in his life when every one he knows and everyone that matters to him is nowhere to be found.

He wants and craves for many foods to eat but at the same time is afraid of the side effects and the untoward consequences. He wants to share a lot of his wisdom to the younger generation but said generation thinks what he is sharing is out of this world, obsolete or an idea applicable to life during the Stone Age.

Yes growing old is fun and overgrown persons are indeed funny. They are tired of living but they don’t want yet to die. They are left behind by the new trends and the new technologies but are too lazy to catch up, thinking that they are too old to comprehend anything that is new.

The best way to confront the challenges of aging gracefully is to continue being observant and curious about things, to find joy everyday anywhere you are, to nurture a healthy sense of humor and to continue pursuing a dream no matter how simple or how far it seems. At the end of the day, count your blessings and pray this way: Dear Lord, Your will! Nothing more, nothing less and nothing else. Amen

UNUSUAL MORNING

UNUSUAL MORNING

It is not the cold breeze. No, it is not the crowing of the roosters or the barking of the dogs. It is neither the sounds of the early tricycle motors that makes waking up in the morning unusual.

Something is missing that keeps you feeling as if you are missing a few beatings of your heart. It has been a constant reminder of the sunrise as far as you can remember that now its absence creates a lonesome mood.

I am referring to the sound of the church bells that used to bring new challenge, new adventure, new hope to the parishioners as they wake up early in the morning to meet the new day.

For quite some time the inviting great alarm sound is not heard on waking up or throughout the whole day. The bells with most beautiful melody have been silenced not because they are no longer needed but because they have been serving their purpose for more than a century that the belfry where they are hanged needed repair and restoration.

The bells were brought down to rest while the bell tower is being repaired. No one still alive remembers how the original belfry, much more the whole church, looked like. No document so far has yet been found to show the original appearance. Since its destruction by a great typhoon during the 1920’s so many incidents have happened. The whole roofing was blown away while the bell tower and the façade were greatly damaged. A temporary church has been erected and was in use until the early 1950’s when the old church was rebuilt.

The temporary church would have offered more historical value as it was used as temporary holding shelter for all the males, 15 years and above gathered by the Japanese during the occupation. But it was demolished completely when the original church was rebuilt.

Before the old church was rebuilt it served as hiding place by guerillas fighting the bandits during the war. After the liberation it was temporarily used as Poultry farm. Aside from regular religious ceremonies, no recorded historical event happened in the church. The National Historical Institute did not find reasons to include it as one of the protected heritage site.

Now a new bell tower is being built to hang again the precious bells of the Parish of Saint John Nepomucene. The wisest thing for the parishioner to do is to help revive the glorious morning when we again shall all be awakened daily by the heavenly sounds of our most important and priceless treasure. Back again will be the laughter of the “iskelas”, the lamentations of the “aguniyas” and the “plegarias”, the wake up calls at 5:00 in the morning and the come home summons during the praying of the “oracion” at 6:00 p.m.

POSITIVE CONVERSION

This is an invitation to all blog users to practice positive conversion specifically for our beloved country, Filipinas.

The reason why generally people are prone to act negatively is because we are negatively energized by what we see and experience everyday:
NO PARKING ON THIS SIDE, NO SMOKING, DO NOT ENTER, DON’T URINATE HERE, DON’T THROW YOUR GARBAGE, etc.

By positive conversion I mean we could convert a negative perception or notice or whatever negative there is so that in the process we also convert our feelings and attitude into something positive.

The example of a negative notice that says NO PARKING ON THIS SIDE, could be converted positively into PARK ON THE OTHER SIDE, PLEASE.

DON’T THROW YOUR GARBAGE could be converted into USE THE GARBAGE CAN.

DON’T URINATE HERE could be converted into USE THE COMFORT ROOM.

You will be surprised. Your attitude, outlook and disposition in life will also be turned into positive as you are positively energized in the course.

Negative: I WAS ROBBED OF THOUSANDS LAST NIGHT. I FEEL BAD.
Positive Conversion: THANK GOD THE ROBBER SAVED MY LIFE.

Let us all challenge ourselves to positively convert all our negative experiences.

To start with… Negative: FILIPINAS IS LEFT BEHIND BY MANY COUNTRIES.
Positive conversion: FILIPINAS IS FAR ADVANCE THAN OTHER COUNTRIES.

THEY LOST EVERYTHING BECAUSE OF THE CALAMITIES is negative.
Positive conversion: WHEN EVERYTHING ELSE IS LOST THE FUTURE STILL REMAINS AND THE FUTURE HAS EVERYTHING…

LIFE'S RECIPE

LIFE’S RECIPE


If life is a recipe it is made up of three very important ingredients: Heredity, Environment and Education cooked on an equally important pot over a tripod of Family, Government and School. The finished product is appropriately sauced with the morality offered by the Church.

The three main ingredients must be properly balanced and rightfully cooked for life to be deliciously palatable. Most of all the tripod that holds the cooking pot must also be equally strong and sturdy to keep the cooking constantly in good process.

The tripod is made up of the family values, the governmental concerns and the moral teachings and guidance of the Church.

It is unfortunate that the family cannot perfectly accomplish its mission as sometimes both the father and the mother have to work outside the home to make both ends meet.

Likewise the government has so much concerns that the family is sometime left less attended. In like manner the Church that should cater for the moral regeneration of children are also affected by the appearance of so many religious sects to the confusion of the parishioners.

About the main ingredient, Heredity, nothing much could be changed or totally improved. We never had a chance to choose our ancestors. On the other side protection of the environment depend so much on how we take care of it.

Education is the ingredient where much could be expected. While in some remote communities many children walk miles to reach school and while in still other villages no school is at all available, Alfonso is solucky that schools are as common as common colds and is a commodity like common sense.

At the Poblacion alone there are the old Central Elementary School, the National High School, the private Sacred Heart School of Cavite, the Victorious Montesorri College, the Maranatha Living Hope Academy,the Westpoint College plus several Day Care Centers and many tutoring services.

Nearby at Barangay Pajo is the Nazareth Institute and the Biblica La Belle Academy at Bgy.Marahan. At Bgy. Luksuhin there are about half a dozen functioning schools, such as Agnus,Die, Blessed Ville, Flanessa Martin, Gracious Gift plus the Govt. High School. Outside the Poblacion, all the other Barangays are not deprived of educational institutions like the St. Joseph Parochial School a Kaytitingga.

Taking all things into consideration, Alfonsinos are indeed still lucky that the recipe of life is still carefully and properly cooked the right way in spite of light disruptions here and there brought about by the ‘modernities’ and technologies of the present generation. We must all thank God for all our blessings.

ALFONSO REMAINS A PARADISE

ALFONSO REMAINS A PARADISE

Two negative incidents do not convert a community into hell. They could only be two dirty stains in an otherwise immaculately clean sheet of linen. It should not be a reason to despair.

I am talking about two recently televised news reports about what happened in our town. First, the death of a young man by hazing and second the rape of a seven year-old girl. Yes, they are both disgusting news but they are isolated and do not substitute for the many good things that our town has to offer.

I am writing this in reply to many reactions of Alfonsinos abroad who are greatly disturbed by the two incidents. I don’t blame them because the two sad events generated pictures of disarray and lawlessness. It is really nauseating but as a permanent resident of our lovely town I assure you that the place you left whether temporarily or permanently is still the same old PARADISE.

You will still meet the same old superstitiously cautious but greatly hospitable compatriots. There are new comers from other places brought here generally by marriage but they are quickly absorbed and influenced by the lovable practices that we are all proud of. Our traditions and heritages are still intact and maintained.

A ‘Balikbayan’ or visitor who shall care to scrutinize the progress and the present pride of our town would be surprise to discover new frontiers in our midst. There are so many improvements.

To begin with, after passing Tagaytay’s ‘Thank You Arch’ if you decide to turn right to Brgy. Sikat you will immediately be met by “TAAL SILANGAN”, the Ambulatory Care Center built according to U.S. standard and have modern equipment using the latest technologies. It offers diagnostic services, Executive Check-up. Women’s Health Care, General Medicine and many others. There are available Residential Condominiums.

Next to it is “VILLE SOMMET” a ‘magical place where great food could be had, relaxation can be captured, momentous occasions celebrated and the abundance of nature experienced’. It caters for all events such as weddings, team building and social events. Just accross the street is the new Marcia-Adam;s Tuscany, a sophisticated place for fine dining. Not far after Ville Sommet is the ‘ACADEMY OF WORLD HEALING’ a “non-profit educational healing foundation established specifically for the purpose of addressing the issues that result from our unhealthy, un-natural life styles’.

Should you care to proceed towards Nasugbu, you will see ROYALE TAGAYTAY COUNTRY CLUB, INC. at Brgy. Upli with a nine-hole golf course, clubhouse, swimming pool. There are sports facilities and many other amenities. Nearby immediately after the grand entrance of Royale Tagaytay is located, ALFONSO HOTEL with its extension, the ALFONSO FARM RESORT at Brgy. Pajo. It is a Wedding venue which serves also as a place for Team Building and Horse riding lessons.

At Brgy. Buck Estate you will find the former SONYA’S SECRET.GARDEN (with Bed and Breakfast). It is intended to be a private paradise but due to much prodding from friends and some guests is now share with more people and is no longer secret. SUNRISE HOLIDAY MANSION could also be experienced as it is perfectly situated at the elegant Royale Tagaytay Estate. And so is the MC MOUNTAIN APARTELLE, a ‘highland vacation within reach’. Not very far from here, at Baranggay Palumlum you will find the Kampo Trexo, a place that offers events that promotes health and care for the environment.The former 100 hectare site of the Magnolia Dairy Farm is now Father Suarez' healing place. Plans are already being finished to convert it to a Little Jerusalem.

At Brgy. Amuyong is located SAN MIGUEL CORPORATION MANAGEMENT TRAINING CENTER. Not very far away at Brgy. Sulsugin can be found the ALFONSO FARM MONTESORRI. It has Eco-tourism facilities consisting of campsite, a pavilion, fishing huts, barbecue grills and picnic. Parking space is good for six buses.

At Brgy. Bilog could easily be reached the modern retreat center TALITA SUMI, managed by Italian Priests. nearby is Kampo Trexo at Barangay Palumlum where you can also find the popular Coffee Farm House. A quick trip to Brgy. Taywanak shall bring you to MOSQUEDA FARM where you’ll find the Air conditioned ACADEMY OF COCKFIGHTING. A little farther to the north is the ST. PAUL’S FORMATION CENTER. Back to Brgy. Luksuhin you will see the HILLCREST GARDENS, also a beautiful Wedding venue. At the Poblacion there is the new ALFONSO GRILL AND NATIVE FOOD RESTO at Palinta street. MICO'S RESTAURANT and LETT AND AJ RESORT are both very much around. There are still many new venues I have not yet visited.

The absence of big factories results to the absence also of Beer Gardens and Red Cottages. That is why there are many rest houses by important people coming from other places making the place a haven for retirees.

Alfonso is not considered CAVITE FLOWER CENTER for nothing. Here one will find the PHILIPPINES CUT FLOWER CORPORATION at Brgy. Buck Estate where one could find varieties of European Roses. PURIFICACION FARM at Brgy. Matagbac produces orchids, cacti and mini roses.

BLOOMS AVENUE at Brgy. Taywanak produces vanda, catleya, gumamela and bromeliads. VERSANO PLANTS AND FLOWER GARDEN is in Brgy. Pajo where you can find mums, gerberas and others. In Brgy. Marahan there is ALPIÑA’S FARM also producing mums, garberas, anthuriums and many others.

Aside from those mentioned above there are many backyard gardens exhibiting beautiful and fragrant flowers sometimes together with honeybees. There are also interesting private projects at almost every corner of the 32 Barangays making Alfonso truly a Paradise to behold. Some of these projects like that of DR. PANGANIBAN in Brgy. Palumlum and the nearby JOHN’S GARDEN have their own things to offer.

With so many beautiful places to experience I don’t give much interest to some petty bad news.They are mini serpents in the old Paradise.

BROWN-OUT

BROWN-OUT

A strong Typhoon is expected to enter the country. Early in the night the lights are turned off. There is power interruption due to the Typhoon Santi which is expected to arrive at 10:00 p.m. It is good to cut off powers than risk many accidents from electrocution or massive neighborhood fire.

Whenever there is power interruption many people say there is brown-out. I cannot comprehend what is the basis for the term brown-out when actually every corner suddenly turns black. Black-out must be a more appropriate terminology.

But whether we call it brown or black, whenever there is power failure, people in the community somehow gets disoriented. One has to stop whatever one is doing, whether watching television, eating, reading a book or writing a letter.

Candles are searched and lighted with fear that the flame may touch a curtain flown by the wind or simply forgotten in one corner to start a dangerous conflagration.

The more affluent families turn on their generators unmindful of the noise it produced resulting to a roaring sounds as if continuously being emitted by a dinosaur.

At moments like this I find writing under the glow of a lonely candle challenging though inspiring. It makes me busy while allowing the valuable time to pass-by fruitfully.

This is also the time to recall and reminisce the by-gone days. It reminds me of past mistakes and successes as intensely as future dreams and plans.

The misnomer ‘brown-out’ could also remind us that we are brown as dust especially when such brown-out occurs a couple of days before All Saints’ Day.

HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION

HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION
“Every kid (and kid at heart) looks forward to October, 31st each year. Little boys magically turn into vampires and little girls into fairies, bidding for the greatest haul of sugar laden sweets and candies. However, Halloween has a much deeper, and in some ways darker history, that has given birth to one of the most beloved holidays in the world.
Halloween’s origins go all the way back to Ancient times with the Celtic festival of Samhain. This was the Celt’s version of a New Years Eve celebration honoring the end of summer and harvest time, and marking a period of cold, darkness, and death of winter. Celts believed that this end of the year time marked the time in which the barrier between the living and the dead became thin. On October 31st the spirits would come back from the dead and create havoc by damaging the crops with frost and causing a multitude of other troubles.
The Roman church soon enacted a holiday to detour the worship of spirits, and so proclaimed November 1st as All Saint’s Day to honor the saints and martyrs of the church. This day was also known as All Hallows Eve. As the two religions began to mix much of the traditions of Samhain, such as dressing up in costumes and dancing around the fire, became one with All Hallows Eve to create Halloween”.
At present the celebration of Halloween has given so much emphasis on the negative spirits so that now even policemen and security guards are wearing masks of ghosts and other fearful elements. The result of this practice is turning the celebration to the darker side of life.
Since this is already accepted as All Saint’s Day I wonder why the Roman Catholic Church allow such kind of celebration. A better way of doing it probably is to encourage all Catholics to bring out in front of their houses their revered images of Saints on this day. That way the celebration shall me more positive, more festive and more relevant. Our Saints and Martyrs of the Church shall be properly honored.

BEAUTIFICATION

BEAUTIFICATION

Who doesn’t like things beautiful? Beauty is one of the triad of harmonious living. Remember the True, the good and the beautiful of the fabulous Imeldific? Yes everybody wants oneself to be surrounded by things beautiful, if possible at all time.

Likewise higher authorities do things to create and promote beautiful places.Following this idea, the Church official made the Church Plaza more beautiful by fencing it with iron grill and creating a more impressive entrance arch. In like manner the Municipal authorities also saw to it the Municipal Plaza was also ‘beautiful’ with good clean landscape for everyone to behold.

Parking buses, jeeps and tricycles were not allowed. Vendors of all kinds were also told to vacate the spaces around the covered court. Now the unfinished Municipal Building was visible to everyone. Suddenly there was a wide open area that doesn’t suffocate.

Unfortunately streamers and tarpaulins of all sizes and colors were still hanging all around in wild abandon. The buses and other transport vehicles moved forward in front of the wider and longer front of the Church Plaza. But, as if attached to the transport vehicles by invisible rope the candy-vendor with its compartmentalized box and table followed. And so the vendor of delicacies such as puto, kutsinta, sapin-sapin, maja-blanca, petse-petse and cassava products and many others. In no time at all the ‘kwek-kwek’ and ice cream vendor were not left behind.

As the Municipal Plaza got clearer, cleaner and seemingly safer, the Church Plaza is beginning to be crowded and dirtier. They are now beginning to hang “sitsiriyas” on the newly painted iron grills. Some are even fixing their none functioning vehicles in the very front of the arch.

It is lamentable but it seems to be a cycle going round and around. The tricycles were remove because they were ‘eye-sores’ but they were allowed to gather in great number enough to occupy two blocks in a once very peaceful and serene neighborhood. This was true also in many previously quiet Barangays.

It is every citizen’s dream to live in a community where the true, the good and the beautiful keeps the harmony and peace. It will possibly remain a wild dream.

FOR WANT OF A MAID

FOR WANT OF A MAID

She came from Bacolod. A 48 year-old, talkative woman who had been widowed twice. She was referred to us by a friend who knew all along that we have been looking for a housemate to help us do the regular household chores.

Immediately, she started telling many interesting stories about her family. Both her husbands died of accident and she was left with four children two each from both former partners. Her eldest daughter was taking up Nursing while her son was taking up Engineering. The two younger are still in the elementary grades.

Asked how she managed to send her children to school, she said they were both full scholars because they were intelligent. She seemed to be the housemate we have been looking for. We considered ourselves pretty lucky this time. She knew how to cook, do laundry and ironing and almost anything that we wanted her to do.

We offered her a room used by my nephew before he got married and have a house of his own. Because the room had been idle for a long time some insects and house lizards have been everywhere. It was cleaned by my two boy helpers. When she was about to sleep she was greeted by a giant “tuko” lying flat on her bed.
I asked my boy helpers to chase the “tuko” and in fact it was killed.

The new housemate was probably traumatized and was unable to sleep. The following morning she was going around telling everyone how uneasy she felt that night to the point that she thought she heard laughter and some undecipherable sounds as if from ghosts.

She did her job well. Both my wife and I silently wished that she stay longer with us. All is well the whole day but at around 10:00 O’clock in the evening she came up to the second floor where my wife and I were sleeping, complaining of severe abdominal pain. I gave her anti-acid thinking that she probably was suffering from hyperacidity. But she was not relieved. I gave her anti-spasmodic but also to no avail. She claimed that it was the first time it happened to her.

I presumed that the pain was psychological and was probably being experienced by her for second gain such as “attention-getting or mask of responsibility”. I went to bed myself assured that the pain would be gone soon enough. But no… it turned more severe. She started doubling up. Imagining that it could be a symptom of “pancreatitis” I brought her to the hospital. As a routine procedure she was given drips, injections and other medicine. An electrocardiogram was performed as well as blood chemistry, urinalysis and fecal examination. When she complained of mild chest pain she was administered Oxygen inhalation and scheduled for Ultra sound examination the following day.

I talked to the Resident-on-duty to explain my suspicion that the symptom was psychological and true enough when I told her that I would ask her “Ninong” to fetch her so that she could rest and recuperate in his place, she immediately felt relieved of all her symptoms. What we first thought was a gold find turned out to be just a bundle of mad. It cost as much.

Moral of the story: If you can do the job yourself, don’t depend on maids.

HE DID NOT DIE IN VAIN

HE DID NOT DIE IN VAIN

A very young and healthy man died as a result of “brutal hazing practice” The incident was broadcast on T.V. The whole town was shocked. Things like this were never heard before. Ours is a “quiet” town.

Parents won’t believe that a kind of Fraternity was operating in our “peaceful” locality. Until this horrible incident no one really cared and no one seemed to listen to a few concerned citizens warning about supposedly “brotherhood organizations” and their secret activities.

Now everybody is talking about it and everybody is interested especially parents who used to be unconcerned about the whereabouts of their children.

Like the destructive onrushing of flood brought about by Typhoon Ondoy the killing was a ‘big bang’ that awakened the whole community.

Municipal officials shall be busy inquiring on important data about the existence of several groups recruiting members. Policemen shall be investigating and watching more thoroughly. Schools shall be more careful and concerned about their students.
Churches shall be preaching more and more about the dangers of such groupings.

I don’t personally know the fellow who was brutalized ‘hazingly’. He is not from our town but happened to be here because he is employed in one hardware store.

I also learned that these ‘fraternities’ are not the legitimate ones like those existing in big Universities. They are just gang groups masquerading as “fraternities” and recruiting mostly out-of-the-school youth and helpers coming from other regions.

If the death of the victim could bring about a better outlook and would eventually prevent formation of other “fraternities” then I could honestly say he did not die in vain. May he rest in peace.

TAMING A MINI FOREST

TAMING A MINI FOREST

Our ancestral house is surrounded by trees, big fruit-bearing trees plus many others for ornamental purposes. I called my place a MINI FOREST. It looks so good, so refreshing and so invigorating – an envy of many guests who happen to see and experience it.

It is also my pride because it serves as nature’s show window complete with beautiful birds and cute pretty butterflies flying around at all time. The harmony of nature’s sound is like an endless lullaby that keeps you dreaming continuously.

But there is one big problem. During Typhoon Season the tree branches turn to be dangerous fractured pieces of nature that could damage greatly our house and those of our neighbors.

I decided to cut (not kill) the tall ones like the Narra, the Mahogany, the Ilang-ilang, the Santol, the Mango and the Eucalyptus as well as the Indian trees. My garden suddenly turned bright but not really changed. New crude landscaping is needed to keep the whole place natural.

Soon new branches will grow out of the cut trunks and new younger looking trees shall be back to revived my Mini Forest-Garden.

What I did without the intention, turned out to be a useful protective measure that gave me tremendous peace of mind when Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng came one after the other. I was able to sleep contentedly even if the rain was pouring hard. No branches were flown by the wind to damage properties while my garden was growing fresh green branches at the same time with the colorful poinsettias in preparation for Christmas Season.

POLITICAL RARITY

POLITICAL RARITY

It is uncommon in the Philippines. In fact it is the first that something like it happened. It is so rare an incident that some skeptics were quietly disappointed. I am referring to the peaceful take-over by Mayor Joy Peñano who was vindicated several years after filing a protest against the result of the last election that originally proclaimed Ver Varias as winner.

From the very start of the protest there were only wild talks and wilder jokes but there were never great fights between political opponents and followers. In other municipalities, situations like this results to many quarrels and misunderstandings sometimes resulting to killings – but not in Alfonso, our town which has always been relatively peaceful as proven during the Second World War.

Local residents attributed it to the miraculous intercession of the town’s Patron Saint, John Nepomucene. During the Japanese occupation the neighboring towns were all heavily disturbed but the town of Alfonso remained peaceful and surprisingly festive. Social organizations did not run out of interesting activities for everyone. As a result the damage of war was minimal though the Japanese also stayed there for quite sometime.

In 1934 the elected Mayor Juan Mojica, Sr. won only one vote over his opponent, Laureano Rosanes but there was no commotion. Everybody seemed to trust everyone so genuinely that the result wasn’t protested or discussed further.


Going back further before Alfonso was established as a separate town from Mother Indang there was very strong oppositions between Don Bonifacio Aveo and Don Felix del Mundo in choosing the site to be made the Poblacion. Aveo was sponsoring Taywanak (Malaking Bayan) because it is the meeting point between Indang, Maragondon, Magallanes and Bailen, while del Mundo was backing Pajo because it is directly connected to Indang. Both were established political leaders and no one would give way. During the heat of the controversy Don Herminigildo Aviñante, a civic leader, offered Alas-as as a compromise solution since it is located in a neutral point. Both Aveo and del Mundo readily accepted the suggestion and since then Alfonso has always been peaceful.

At present the peace and tranquility of the place is possibly because it remained a virgin after all those years gone-by. There are no factories and business establishments that usually attracts workers from far places and since there are few outsiders there are no beer gardens or red houses. Staying in Alfonso is simply an experience in Paradise. Thanks both to Mayor Joy Peñano and Ex-mayor Ver Varias

LUCKY NINE

LUCKY NINE

9-9-9 is the numerical representation of the date September 9, 2009 but to many old folks ”s’yam-s’yam” (9-9) means 9x9, signifying endlessness when referring to non stop raining like what we are experiencing now, at least here at Southern Luzon due to the passing of typhoon Labuyo.

When it is raining continuously, calamities such as flood, landslide, etc., are experienced in many communities in the lowlands. Lucky are we in the uplands where such calamities are almost nil.

It is pleasant to eat anything during rainy days. Pleasant too, it is to relax and just indulge in daydreaming. More pleasant still is to just observe the surroundings with the trees swaying gently left and right, sometimes wildly in all directions.

Few birds are flying. But one little humming bird catches my attention. It is happily jumping from flower to flower of the bright Japanese Bougainvillea.
I wonder if it could sip from the rain-drenched blossoms. That bird must be too hungry to try its luck under the very dangerous situation or perhaps that little bird is a worried mother trying to get something it could share with its tiny offspring.

Then I see two bigger birds also looking for food. They sighted the ripe bananas hanging at the window of my open terrace. I just allowed them, even took pictures of them while happily feasting on my ripe bananas.

Back to 9-9-9, this is the 40th day of Cory’s death and this is the day Noynoy will make or announce his decision if he is going to run for presidency this coming election next year. As I am writing this he is at Press conference and whatever he shall announce I just hope it will bring much luck to the already too deprived Filipinos.

POLITICAL RAINBOW

POLITICAL RAINBOW

People are not just talking about a yellow bird or a yellow submarine, nor about a yellow box or the third color of the rainbow. But for whatever reason everybody’s interest suddenly turned to yellow – the new color of courage, Philippines style; the new symbol of Freedom; the banner of Democracy.

Now Noynoy, the son of Ninoy to whom the yellow ribbons were hanged everywhere to welcome him home from self exile, wants to see the country turning yellow to convince him to run for Presidency in the coming election.

I can understand Noynoy’s predicament. Presidency is not a joke as his mother realized when she run and won against a very strong dictator. For indeed his mother, Cory was not joking when she chased democracy back for the Filipinos to enjoy again. Now Cory is universally accepted as the Mother of Democracy.

Ninoy sincerely believed that the Filipinos were worth dying for and Cory proved that Filipinos are worth living for. Now can Noynoy at least show that the Filipinos are worth anything at all?

Yellow is originally and globally considered the color of cowardice. Is that the essence of the color now flowing in Noynoy”s veins or is he overwhelmingly confused of what is yellow’s true meaning now for the present generation? Is the new yellow too insurmountable to tackle after his parents made it so huge and heavy to handle?

The new political revolution could be expected to be very colorful but unlike the rainbow that God let appeared after the deluge as a promise not to repeat what happened, the prevailing colors now appearing seem not to promise anything to the voters. Whether it be Loren Legarda’s Green or Bayani Fernando’s Pink or any other color and for that matter I believe that even Noynoy’s yellow doesn’t yet promise any worthy hue to our already graying country.

AWARDS

AWARDS

Awards are being distributed left and right in whatever season for whatever reason or in whatever category. The latest and most controversial brouhaha is the award for the National Artists. There is so much misunderstanding that it reaches the Supreme Court for the final decision.

I simply don’t understand why so many people are so awards conscious as if award is the only thing that matters. Recently, a parade during the Nutrition Week observance showed children carrying different fruits and vegetables, all trying to invite for an award such as The Biggest Squash, The Reddest Tomatoes, The Longest Eggplant or whatever…

I still remember what I experienced a long time ago when I was invited to Chair the Awards Committee for a Christmas Parade. The School Principal requested us, judges, to see to it that all groups would receive an award as every student in any group spent money and effort, all hoping to receive awards. We decided to introduce many categories to accommodate every participating group. Aside from the usual Most Artistic, Most Colorful, Most Symbolic or Most Unique, we added categories like Most Well-behaved Group, Most Attended, Most Orderly, Most Simple, etc., etc.

At the end of the parade every group got an award to the amusement of the Principal and of many parents, except that one teacher loudly protested scandalously. She claimed that her group was the most Artistic, the Most Colorful and the Most Symbolic aside from being the Most Disciplined. It took weeks before the controversy subsided and only after said teacher had branded me as the Most Stupid if not The Most Insensitive Judge ever. Since then I never accepted judging any competition.

One time during the Town’s Day Celebration I was chosen to receive the Town’s Historian Award. I didn’t know how the Awards Committee arrived at their choice but in all honesty I couldn’t accept the award as I was fully aware how historically misinformed I was. I didn’t attend the awarding ceremony but the Master of Ceremonies received the award on my behalf.

Giving of awards shall continue for as long as the world is whirling so let us expect more misunderstandings, more controversies, more confusions and more and more of the same problem.

The Honor Guards

THE HONOR GUARDS

While watching Cory’s funeral cortege on television I was greatly touched by the outpouring of love expressed by thousands and thousands of Filipinos from all walks of life. I was in fact so carried by my memories back to the time of the EDSA Revolution in 1986.

But I was more profoundly affected by the plight of the four Honor Guards that remained almost motionless in their dignified stiffness for nine hours. I pitied them so much but I appreciate them for doing their duties with flying colors. I knew they were trained to do their jobs.

Alternately they were rain-drenched and scorched by the heat of the sun but they stood with sincerity and firmness in performing their duties. Cory must be very proud of them as she was immensely thankful too.

Along the way they were thrown coins and flowers; teased by some naughty mourners but they remained unmoved. They served their Commander-in-Chief in the most courageous way.

I learned about their names on newspaper reports and I understood they would be given rewards of promotion and increase pay that they fully deserve. I join all the other good Filipinos in honoring the Honor Guards. I wish you the best!!! Pfc Antonio Cadiente, Airman 2nd class Gener Laguindam, Petty officer 3 Edgardo Rodriguez and Police officer l Danilo Maalab.

Positive Conversion of "L" sign

POSITIVE CONVERSION OF “L” SIGN

Yesterday, after taking my bath I suddenly had the urge to look for a yellow shirt. When I finally found an old collarless T-shirt I then looked for a matching yellow cap before a proceeded to my favorite netcafe to do my daily routine.

Yellow used to be the most distasteful color for me but after the EDSA revolution that I personally experienced with my 15 year old son, yellow quickly turned to be a most important color.

Immediately it projected a very different connotation. Instead of symbolizing cowardice that it used to represent it now stands for bravery, freedom, democracy and joy.

Yesterday, former President Corazon Cojuanco Aquino “Cory” who popularized the color yellow and died of colon cancer complications was buried. My patriotism was greatly awakened when the mother of Democracy died. Yellow is revived; Bayan Ko and Magkaisa are again on the air. Laban sign is once more popular.

This time the outstretched thumb and index finger forming an” L” has a different meaning. While it started as a fighting symbol, meaning Laban, now it is converted to mean love. Imee Marcos who once said she would spend her last centavo to get even with Cory attended the wake, together with her brother Bongbong and his wife, perhaps without deep sincerity but it was a good start.

President Gloria Macapagal Aroyo visited the wake too even just for a very short time but the mystery of love could miraculously transform things from “laban” to “Love”. It is not a sin to hope so let us all pray that the positive conversion rolls on.

Ninoy and Cory both gave their lives for us Filipinos – so that we may live freely and peacefully. It is not an impossible dream if we are all willing “to march into hell for a heavenly cause” in our own little ways.

Somehow, while watching on TV the thousands of mourners joining Cory's funeral, I felt a bit of sadness because my 15 year old son who was with me then during the EDSA revolution is now an Australian citizen as well as my youngest son.
My middle daughter is now a Canadian citizen and my two married daughters left in the Philippines might also immigrate to other countries. My wife and I could be left alone with my old fashioned "parochial patriotism".

MISSION UNACCOMPLISHED

MISSION UNACCOMPLISHED

“If you are no longer talked about, you are finished and shall soon be forgotten”, so said someone, somewhere, sometime. It simply signified that you were no longer active, no longer seen around. Your existence were barely felt by others. You were either considered too weak or too sick if not yet dead.

This was the agony of a senior citizen. His activities were limited, his movements were minimized either by ailments or circumstances that prohibited him from getting involved in various activities, sometimes as ordered by his children who thought they were doing him good.

So I launched a book that I started writing 50 years ago. It was an entirely different book – semi historical, semi legendary. A compilation of my personal impressions about my hometown. Some thought it was weird if not outrageous. Thus it generated controversies that many didn’t like it . Someone deducted that half of the readers didn’t like the way it was presented but I was sure that the other half enjoyed it immensely. The optimist in me banked on the satisfied and gratified as well as enlightened 50 % of the readers. It was enough for me to consider my book successful and more than enough to keep people talking about me. I was far from being finished yet.

To add more intrigue for a more substantial topic of discussion, I was hit by a speeding motorbike. I saw it directly onrushing to my path but a mysterious force pushed me just a hair line away before I fell down without hurting myself as the same mysterious force saved me and prevented my head from hitting the pavement.

Onlookers at the Municipal Park screamed and rushed to my rescue when they saw the incident. Many offered help, volunteering to bring me to the hospital. Many expected me to have sustained massive abrasions, contusions, dislocations and fractures all over my body but nothing of that sort happened. People suggested that I file a complaint against the unlicensed driver of a borrowed motorbike. But I left it to the Policemen to evaluate the violations and to observed their part and duty as guardians of the public.

For days people kept talking about that incident. They kept on talking about me and that way they kept me alive. Perhaps God wanted me to stay for a more while for a certain mission that I must accomplished. But what could be the mission? I hope the Guardian Angel who saved me shall appear in my dream one of these nights to explain to me how I should go about my unaccomplished mission.

ROADSIDE THRILLER

ROADSIDE THRILLER

A young man together with his two little nephews went to a bakery to buy bread. He parked his van in front of the bakery not knowing that the younger nephew followed him after locking and closing the door. The key was left inside with the other boy about 5 years old.

Every thing was seemingly normal except that when the boy inside was told to open the door of the car he couldn’t. Perhaps he didn’t know how to maneuver the lock and his uncle didn’t know what to do immediately. His apprehension caught the attention of many people at the plaza including about a dozen of uniformed policemen who all gathered and peeped at the boy who was trapped inside.

Unaware of what was actually going on the boy inside began to panic. Fear was all over his face as people continued peeping at him and instructing him to do this and that. Meantime a man carrying a hard wire and a flier came to help. He inserted the wire on top of the door trying to pull the lock but it simply didn’t work. There were so much suspense and drama. It was like watching a portion of a telenovela.

Onlookers were panicky too, fearing that the boy might be suffocated or might accidentally start the car. More people gathered around the car as even moving buses stopped to watch the event. The boy in turn got more terrified while the uncle was greatly confused.

Varied suggestions were offered by various people but they only added fear to the trapped boy and more confusion to the already confused crowd. After about almost an hour the kibitzers also got tired and one by one they left. The boy inside possibly thought that the danger was over because there were no more big eyes staring at him. He leaned to the door of the back seat, pulled the lock and Eureka the door of the car was opened.

The uncle had to pause for a while. He couldn’t quickly start the car as he was trying to decipher what hit him early in the morning.

A PRIEST FOREVER

A PRIEST FOREVER

I have long wanted to write about Priests and Priesthood but I always ended up groping in the dark. Priesthood is a profession and a vocation that entails endless sacrifice and hardship. It needed strong determination, self discipline and many extraordinary characters to attain the goal.

The life of a Parish Priest must be very difficult, I just realized after I had a casual chat with our new Parish Priest. I could imagine the difficulties he would encounter during the adjustment period. To be able to cope with the whims of thousands of supposed to be followers who have their own individual ideas on how the Church should be.

Intermingling with these regular churchgoers with irregular moods was never a walk in the woods. There are the ‘convent hangers’ who think the convent is their own house as well as other church goers with their own peculiarities in characters. There are the other religious sects, the ‘born again’, the ‘born already’ and the ‘born also’ that needed to be dealt with intelligently.

Furthermore, a Priest most of all is also human, with his own genetic traits. He too gets hungry and tired. His own emotion could also be adversely affected by unwanted incidents that occur around his life.

A little mistake or mild shortcoming is quickly magnified. He has no one to quickly turn to during moments of weakness. He also needs a shoulder-to-cry-on even while his own shoulder is still dripping with tears of others.

It is about time parishioners should pay more attention, consideration, understanding and compassion to their Parish Priest. Let us forgive them too even if they do not directly confess to us.

A Priest is a Priest forever according to the order of Melquiesedec. Let us adjust to him while he is adjusting to us without expecting perfection. Let us wear his shoes once in a while just to have a feel of how it is to be one. After all a Priest is Christ’s representative to look after us. He is as fragile as we all are because our bones and his are not different. Our flesh and his are just the same. Our blood and his are of the same color and content.

Without the cooperation and help of the parishioner a priest can actually do nothing but without the Priest that caters to our spiritual needs we all shall be damned.

A HAIRLINE FROM DEATH

A HAIRLINE FROM DEATH

From the netcafe I was on my way to the school to meet our new Parish Priest. As has been my habit lately, considering my age, I was walking carefully and very slowly against the traffic along the sidewalk.

There was a normally passing passenger bus followed by a rushing motorcycle heeding towards me. I thanked God that my presence of mind and strong instinct of protection caused my reflexes to make a sway just a little bit to my left enough to avoid the oncoming motorcycle by a hairline. But I also fell down. I hurt my right wrist, my right elbow and my right flank. I immediately and successfully stood up. Again I thanked God my head didn’t hit the cemented pavement.

People quickly came to help me. As it turned out, the motorcycle driver was about to overtake the bus but it slowed down to allow passengers to get out. So, the motorcycle hit me instead.

I brought the driver to the police station to blotter the incident. I was asked if I would file a complaint against the driver. I said: “Why me? Here he is admitting that he is driving a borrowed motorcycle without a license and not wearing a helmet. They were all traffic violations that should be punished by the police”.

I also discovered that the driver was driving with a metallic right leg. I left him to the police for the necessary disposition and penalties to serve as warning to so many others who were driving like him putting passers-by at great risk.

Reflecting on what happened a day after I realized that God was probably reminding me that life was just a flash of light that could vanish instantly. That in spite of all the care in my movements I was still vulnerable. But reviewing the scene, I was convinced my Guardian Angel pushed me a hairline away from the onrushing motorcycle then same Angel supported me from falling down traumatically. It was indeed a miracle that kept me still alive.

FATHER'S DAY CONFUSION

FATHER’S DAY CONFUSION

Last Sunday, June 14, 2009, second Sunday of June, our Parish Priest, after the mass announced and greeted Happy Fathers Day to all concerned. Some newspapers also showed commercials on Father’s Day as some friends and relatives also sent to me text greetings.

All the while I knew that Father’s Day would be June 21st yet which falls on the 3rd Sunday of June. The confusion that happens yearly was probably caused by the fact that Mother’s Day falls on the second Sunday of May and many thought that Father’s Day was also a second Sunday.

Came true Father’s Day, June 21st didn’t surprise me that there were only few greeters although I was expecting my wife to invite me to eat outside to celebrate my especial day. But as usual she was too busy attending to her ‘farm’ with the helpers so that I was left alone in the house to eat “bahaw” (cold rice) and salted egg with tomatoes.

Only two of my children and a son-in-law greeted me but I was not complaining because I was fully aware of the prevailing confusion. So, left alone with only my echo, may shadow and me, I felt a kind of loneliness creeping throughout my being; the lonesome feeling that was always a constant twin companion of the aging process.

I couldn’t help but think of the by-gone days, the happy moments and the memorable events. I was completely engulfed by nostalgic incidents that I found myself traveling joyfully in the past. It was a thrilling trip through the time tunnel that showed me clear pictures of happy days. After all I didn’t need a formal invitation from anybody to enjoy the occasion. It was all in my power to go anywhere I wanted to visit to experience again especial occasions that brought me excitements long before I became a father.

My mind was still so fertile and so healthy that I could still make a choice to enjoy my day. This was possibly an off shoot of the Father’s Day confusion but who cares; I was still immensely enjoying it when three high school students came by requesting my help with their assignments. One of them was my boy helper who was able to finish high school with the TESDA help. Unable to pursue a collage education he was again applying to help me with my daily chores. It was ironic that while all my children were everywhere except by my side this day, these children by other fathers were here seeking my fatherly help.

Who is Responsible?

June 13, 2009

The Health Officer-in-Charge
City Health Office
Tagaytay City

Dear Sir;

Yesterday,a septuagenarian woman, sent off her Balikbayan nephew and niece to the airport on their return trip to New York. On her way back to the province she felt somewhat sick. She passed-by Mercury Drug in Tagaytay to buy some medicines.

While waiting, she suddenly felt she needed to empty her intestines and so she asked the Manager, for the toilet. She was not at once accommodated in spite of her pleading, by giving so many flimsy excuses.

The woman wasn’t able to control her abdominal spasms and had loose bowel movement on the spot. She was feeling so sick and what happened was a greatly embarrassing situation which could have been easily avoided had she been given access to the toilet on time.

Mercury Drug is an outlet for medicines and is expected to have several sick people most of the time that are there to buy their needed medicines.
Why is it not provided with easily accessible toilet and why was it given Sanitary Permit to Operate?

In events like this who is supposed to be responsible? Is Mercury Drug in Tagaytay not violating any business permit?

Let us not allow other victims to experience something like this. I request for appropriate action.

A Pleasant Surprise

A PLEASANT SURPRISE

She first intended to surprise everyone, because my middle daughter is fond of surprising us every now and then. But this time her parents-in-law are visiting their family in Canada so she decided to divulge the secret before they come.

She is five months pregnant with a baby boy. It is in fact a most pleasant surprise. Her elder daughter is three while her younger is about two years old. She is afraid that her in-laws might get ballistic when told the secret.

But I am sure it would be the other way around. Instead of getting ballistic, her in-laws would surely be over excited about their first coming grandson. A first grandson is always greatly awaited by grandparents.

In my case he would be my second grandson but my excitement is not in anyway diminished. It makes me feel so good that I would have two grandsons and six grand daughters. That is quite a wide range of projection. Instead of feeling old I feel even newly rejuvenated. I happily anticipate the moment when I can play with them. I am afraid I will no longer be acceptable to them as the generation, cultural and geographical gaps are already so wide but whatever… I just feel terribly happy

Author's Response to Book Launching

TINGKORAW BOOK LAUNCHING
Author’s Response May 24, 2009

Ladies and Gentlemen, good morning… After hearing so many good words, for a while I thought we were talking about somebody else’s book. I was tremendously overwhelmed.

I am groping for enough and appropriate words to thank you. I just feel totally stunned and speechless. So, from the shy corner of my heart I thank you all.

Mrs. Aida Leyran for the unaltered National Anthem and the nostalgic Alfonso Hymn;
Rev. Fr. Gani Aviñante for the greatly inspiring Prayers;
Mayor Virgilio Varias for a most pleasant welcome address;
Hon. Cesar E.A. Virata for the interesting review of important historical events in Cavite;
Dr. Emmanuel Caliro for his wise and encouraging words.
Prof. Aquino I. Garcia for everything that you said and Ms. Teresita P. Unabia for the amazing review of the book.

If the introduction by Professor Silverio Baltasar exposed the character of the book and the Foreword by Ms. Felice Sta. Maria captured its deeper and real essence, now the review by Ms. Teresita P. Unabia unveiled completely the mystery of TINGKORW.

Possibly as interesting as the book we are launching this morning is the intriguing story behind its creation.

To begin with, I never intended to write a book. The book coming out this morning is only a result of my own brand of Parochial Patriotism.

After finishing Medicine and taking the Board Examinations in 1961, I returned to my hometown to wait for the release of the results. Since I was not yet legally allowed to practice my profession and being a law-abiding citizen, I didn’t know what to do. All the friends that I left seven years ago were gone and busy with their own individual ventures. I temporarily helped in the clinic of Dr. Rodolfo Poblete under his supervision. That way I had a chance to be with different people during house calls. I was curiously encouraged to jot down notes about interesting events that happened in my town as I heard them fresh from the mouths of old folks.

I began compiling my notes at random as I heard them. My interest was stimulated further every time I heard new important story or legend. So I started entering my compilation into a big record book. It turned out to be a valuable and import ant compilation of Alfonso’s Oral History.

With the permission of then Central School Principal Miss Juliana Stuart I incorporated earlier data gathered by the Elementary School Teachers in 1956. I also included a Tagalog Poem about Alfonso that I wrote in 1951 when I was in Second Year High School.

A Journalist friend of mine, Mrs. Evangelina Ortega Dalusag volunteered to correct my grammar, spelling, word agreement and choice of words without changing or altering the original chronology of my compilation. As it was it turned out pretty popular among students, researchers and other town mates and friends.

With the advent of the computer I was forced to take up a basic computer course to update and upgrade my compilation. It took me a lot of hours and bond papers before I was able to save in the floppy disc my treasured compilation just to realize later that files saved in a floppy disc is not a guarantee of permanency.

When the Cavite Hitorical Commission was created, one of its members, Mr. Napoleon Vidallon, borrowed my compilation, presented it to the Chairman, Prime Minister Cesar Virata for possible publication. After scrutinizing it, the Prime Minister returned it to Mr. Vidallon with valuable comments. I still have the hand written comment by Prime Minister Cesar Virata, sent on June 11, 1998 who said: “I believe the materials cannot be published as is. It will require organization, editing and additional gathering of sources and materials”. It awakened me and inspired me to work further for its improvement but as I said I was not really intending to write a book.

Came Professor Silverio Baltasar, also a member of the Cavite Historical Commission who volunteered to help me organize the book then afterwards he submitted it to the original staff of The Cavite Studies Center. I didn’t hear anything about it from them.

It didn’t bother me at all but then a daughter of mine secretly submitted it to the Ayala Foundation for review and possible publication. It was indeed thoroughly reviewed and many suggestions were offered but following all the suggestions would result to a book very far from my original compilation while I also felt that I was old enough to do more research, so, I just kept my compilation on my desk.

It was very perplexing that so many people were more eager to publish my compilation than I was. One U.P. student offered himself to request the University of the Philippines to publish it. At the same time another Ateneo student also made a similar offer. Again as I said I was not really intending to write a book so I just kept it as it was until Rev. Fr. Nestor Isagani Avinante discussed it with the New Staff of The Cavite Studies Center.

The New Staff composed of Professor Garcia, Professor Lubang and others came one day to see my compilation. They offered their help to do everything to make my compilation worth publishing in the form of a book with the final editing by Prof. Neriza Villanueva and the untiring and endless help of Mylene B. Delatado. When they told me that Ms. Felice Sta. Maria agreed to write the Foreword I knew I got the ‘imprimatur’ for the publication of the book.

The book TINKORAW: Alfonso’s History and Legend which is coming out this morning is not actually my book. It is your book…Prime Minister Cesar Virata, De La Salle Brothers, Staff of Cavite Study Center, Rev. Fr. Isagani Avinante, Mayor Ver Varias, Congeressman Roilo Golez, Mr. and Mrs. Ambrocio Makalintal, Mr. and Mrs. Vic Ortega…
And yes, Ladies and Gentlemen… this is your book…

At this point it is interesting to note how ironic it was that because of my original crude compilation I was awarded as the Town’s Historian during the celebration of Alfonso Day 2007. I felt too shy to accept the award.

Now am offering a truckload of gratitude to all the sponsors who jointly supported t he realization of this Launching:
The De La Salle University-Dasmariñas
The Cavite Studies Center
The Cavite Historical Commission
The Local Government of Alfonso
Thank you all so much.

Before I finish I would like to specially acknowledge the encouragement, support, patience and understanding of my wife, the former Teresita Costa of Indang, Cavite. Allow me to offer to her the first copy of the book as I also share with you the secret of our longevity as partners.

Pag nanaig ang pag –ibig,
Ang ibigi’y sakdal tamis.
At matamis lalo ito
Sa dalawang pilas-dibdib.

Ang dinibdib na pagkasing
Magkatugo’t magkabigkis,
Pag binigkis ng damdami’y
Mahirap ng magkawaglit.

Kung mawaglit yaong isa’y
Hinahanap na masugid,
Ng masugid na kasuyong
Dati-rati ay kaniig.

Magkainiig na pagliyag
Pag tunay na magka-pintig,
Ipipintig ay ligayang
Sa suyua’y walang patid.

Ang pagpatid ng panahon
Sa sumpaa’y di matamis,
Ang matamis ay bayaang
Pag-ibig din ang manaig.

In this tiny book that I am now holding is a little bit of history, a little bit of legend and much about Alfonso that anybody will learn to love after reading TINGKORAW.

With it goes a little bit of my mind, a little bit of my heart, a little bit of my strength and a little bit of my soul. Fifty years in the making. In as far as I am concerned this is unique and this is priceless. I want to offer my first copy to my wife becasue in as far as I am concerned she is also unique and she is also priceless. That is why I love her so much.

At this point I like to intruduce my 5 month old youngest grand daughter, Chiara Veronica together with her mother, my youngest daughter, Madora Joliveth and her husband Raffy Kapunan Ortega. At the moment I think Chiara Veronica is the only patriotic projection of my clan. My other children and grand children are scattered to the different parts of the world. But it is interesting to note that all my absentee Children are now represented by their in-laws . My Son Pau-David, based in Australia is supposed to be represented by her Mother-in-law, Mrs. Angie Almeda Policarpio but her father is seriously ill and she was not able to come; My Daughter, Belina-Judith who is now in Bohol with her family and Mother-in-law, is now represented by her Father–in-law, Congressman Roilo Golez who flew all the way from Bacolod early this morning to catch up this event; My Daughter, Brinna-Zita , who is based in Canada with her family is represened by her Parents-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Ambrocio Makalintal; My youngest, Peter-Jonathan is also based in Australia and still single. He is represented by so many who love him. Thank You.

Jett e. Avinante, m.d.

LET ME FEEL IT

LET ME FEEL IT

A writer once sent a story manuscript to a popular magazine with a request that it be publish in the coming issue. Then he waited for the magazine expecting that his manuscript was included.

When he did not find his story, he angrily approached the editor to complain: “Why did you not publish my story?” He shouted at the editor. “It is very interesting. It is full of adventures with so many suspense portions before reaching the climax. How could you be so mean? How could you be so insensitive? How could you reject such a valuable article?”

The editor calmly responded: “Please relax and let me explain. Yes, your story maybe true-to-life. Yes, it could be interesting and more than all of what you said. But please don’t tell me. Let me feel it. Honestly I did not feel any of those things you said your story was about. If I did then I could have made it the cover story”.

The incident reminded me of some politicians who are proudly telling things and offering tempting promises. Let us all wait for someone we can feel and let us make him our country’s cover story to inspire all of us. Is there anyone around?

MYCOTIC SMILE

MYCOTIC SMILE

I woke up with a mild mycotic infection near my upper lip. It hurts a little especially when my lips move. In order not to touch the sore I lifted my upper lip a little upwards just enough to avoid the infected portion.

I continued my daily chore including my daily visit to my favorite Netcafe to establish connection with my children and other friends. (My computer at home is not on line or I won’t leave the home and get paralyzed in due time).

On my way many people greeted me good morning or hello just to express something. Meantime I just kept my upper lip a little lifted to prevent the pain brought about by contact with the mycotic infection.

Little did I know that by doing such a stanch I accidentally created a kind of smile that encouraged all those people that I met or encountered to smile back at me. I never in my wildest imagination thought that such a forced smile could do so many people’s morning so bright and enjoyable

HERE IS PARADISE

HERE IS PARADISE

.
During the last three consecutive days there was a generous downpour of rain late in the afternoon ‘till early night. The climate was suddenly converted into a comfortable and refreshing experience for everyone.

The flowers sang, the fields rejoiced and joy was definitely all around. Sleep seemed like a slumber on a bed of roses and dreams were experiences in the fantasy world.

Come morning time with the ground still wet while the sunshine was almost a beatific glow. If it could only be this way everyday, life would have been a paradise. This, of course was only for those like me who need not do anything or go anywhere at night .

For those who need to work or go some where or just do anything at night, there must be some kind of paradise too. Thinking about it I realized that paradise mean different thing to different people. There could never be a true paradise for everyone here on earth at all time. Paradise is a personal creation of each and everyone.

Paradise, after, all is only a state of the mind. Any situation or experience that makes us feel good and contented is our paradise. That way paradise could easily be created even if only in our minds. A mind that thinks positively is a mind that lives in paradise.

Let us create our own paradise by deleting all the negative vibrations and substituting it with positive thoughts. Let us convert negative posters and signs to something positive without necessarily deviating from the intended meaning. Instead of writing “NO Parking on this side”, let us scribble “PARK on the other side PLEASE”. Instead of saying “NO littering” let is say “CLEANLINESS is next to Godliness”. Better than putting a sign, “DON’T throw your garbage here”, is a sign “Please use the garbage can”.

By practicing positive conversion, you’ll find it very easy to love than to hate. It is only when we finally learn to really love that we can really claim paradise here on earth.

TUPIPEL

TUPIPEL

If the word sounds new to the reader it is because it is in fact, new. Coined from Tagalog words, TUPI (fold) and PAPEL (paper), it is simply and literally referring to the act of folding a piece of paper.

Unlike ORIGAMI, the Japanese art of paper-folding, TUPIPEL is not strictly a genuine form of art. It interestingly evolved as a therapeutic hobby when I first used it as an easy substitute for cigarette and something to hold on during the period of withdrawal when I finally quit the habit after having been smoking four packs (80 sticks) daily for about twenty years. Almost as addicting as cigarette smoking I was hooked to it and the results were artistic creations that attracted some art lovers. More than a work of art, however, TUPIPEL serves many useful purposes.

It serves as a good companion during moments of solitude and loneliness. As such it is more comfortable than playing solitaire; a very effective cheerer in time of boredom, an instrument for expressing different emotions; a security blanket during moments of fear and apprehension. As a toy it could be more interesting, more enjoyable if not more challenging as the more expensive and more sophisticated electronically controlled ones. It is safer too. As decorative pieces there are endless possible forms and shapes.

The unique artistic results of TUPIPEL are difficult to duplicate so that each finish item has its own unique characteristics and “personality” that more often reflects that of the TUPIPERO or TUPIPERA.

Yes, TUPIPEL is something new, something good, something useful and something also for you, whoever you are and whatever you are doing. Indulging in it is like being in constant period of honeymoon. Like in honeymoon a lot of common sense is needed plus a good sense of humor and some amount of resourcefulness to enjoy it and for it to be fruitful. The beginning, like during honeymoon is a period of adjustment and interesting discoveries, both pleasant and unpleasant. One has to do a lot of stretching, of pressing, of creasing and careful caressing most of the time while folding and unfolding in every possible directions. All the while, just like during honeymoon, there is a need for utmost care and tenderness in order not to beak it. Even real honeymoons are sometimes spoiled and broken for the simple lack of tender loving care.

There can also be period of boredom at times but boredom that also challenges the wisdom of the TUPIPERO very similar to the challenges encountered by honeymooners that eventually matures the mates. Then the triumphant moment of compatibility when the folder and the paper being folded becomes blissfully adjusted. From then on you are totally married to the hobby and there is no stopping. Every new creation you make shall give birth to more artistic creations unless, of course, you are artistically impotent or infertile.

Give a crying child a fluffing bird and see how his face brightens; offer a Japanese young lady with a paper crane and she will fall in love with you. Create a paper trash disposal container during picnics and notice how other picnickers are amazed at your creativity. Propose your love by offering paper roses or make your prayer request by offering paper rosary to a nun or a catechist.

As therapeutic tool it is more useful. It helps revitalize fingers weakened by arthritis and paralysis. It gives way to one’s destructive tendencies and sadistic leanings by merely breaking it, as it also becomes a vehicle of one’s “hot” temper or “burning” anger by actually burning it. For children it is an endless source of toys. Try TUPIPEL. It could change your entire life style.

I won’t forget what once happened inside an airplane up in the air. A young girl passed-by my side. I gave her a paper tulip. She quickly called her brother whom I offered a paper frog. It was seen by other children and one by one they approached me. I, in turn offered them different folded items. It didn’t take so long when I found myself surrounded by the mothers of the children who were curious why their children were all coming to me. At this point the stewardess commented: “Be careful so that the airplane don’t tilt on that side”. I gave her a small garland of paper 'sampagitas'.

POST HOLY WEEK REFLECTIONS

POST HOLY WEEK REFLECTIONS

Gone is the Holy Week. Gone are the “Holy Parties”. Gone are the “sacrificial beach funs”. Gone are the “colorful” processions. Gone are they all, leaving behind much confusion in the minds of the new generations.

My grade one grand daughter asked me so many questions during the Holy Week celebrations. Questions I didn’t mind asking during my childhood days and are now giving me some kind of reflective interpretations.

She asked me: “Lolo is St. John a male?” Confidently I said “Yes, he is one of the apostles”. My grand daughter continued: “Why does he look like a woman with long hair and shiny face?” I thought for a while before I replied: “Well, because he is the youngest apostle that is why he doesn’t have beards like St. Peter and St. James”. I don’t know if my answer convinced her but she asked another one: “Why is St. Martha dressed so beautifully, is she not supposed to be cooking? And why is she holding a key, did she lock the cabinets?” Those and many other questions that challenged what I thought before was my ‘encyclopedic’ intelligence.

While my grandchild kept on asking questions and while I continued answering her with childish emphasis, in my mind I myself was stimulated to ask so many queries. After the procession I went around visiting different Saint Owners who were all offering so many foods, never mind the ‘fasting and abstinence’ rule of the Roman Catholic Church.

It was while doing those rounds when a heard another child asked: “Why are they putting plastic flowers?” Casually I said: “To keep them fresh ‘till Sunday morning during the Salubong”. “How can they be fresh if they are plastics?” continued the child. I quickly countered: “For those flowers to look fresh at all time”. The child shake her head while protesting: “They are cheating the Saints?” Another child joined us with her own questions: “Why are the people getting the flowers?” Her brother called her and so the “interview” was ended.

Come to think of it. We are doing this celebration supposedly to perpetuate the story of salvation. But as it is, the correct story is not properly perpetuated. No wonder, many Catholics are already turning to other sects for their spiritual guidance.

Is it not a practice of idolatry to kiss the cross during the Veneration of it? Why are the Apostles included during the “Salubong” when they are supposed to be hiding because the people are mad at them? I think it is very important that things be clearly explained so that the new generation will find it more relevant than going to the computer to play or chat happily even during the Holy Week. Gone really are those days when Holy Week was Holy and people were pious. Come Holy Spirit, enlighten us all…

(Note: The above article was published last year and this year it is good to note that there was an exhibit of the different Saints at the Church Plaza with little explanations about the Saint or image on display. The display was only from 6:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m. Many didn’t have a chance to see it as it was so hot the whole. It would have been better if the exhibit was extended for two days up to around 10:00 pm.)

EASTER SUNDAY (?)

EASTER SUNDAY (?)

After Holy Friday and Black Saturday it will be Easter Sunday again.

It is too unfortunate that Christians are celebrating Easter Sunday without a vague idea of its satanic origin. “Easter” is only one of the many names of a woman who greatly deceived the world. Her religion caused mightily untold suffering and misery during her time and up to now. Many priests seemingly are not aware of this pagan practice that was given a Christian connotation that made Satan very happy.

Nowadays hunt for Easter eggs are practiced even inside the Church. How ironic. There are certainly better ways of celebrating Jesus Christ’s Resurrection as it is the most important of all Christian holy days.

By adopting and Christianizing some pagan celebrations we also adopted Easter (the pronunciation of “ISHTAR”, the name of the pagan Mother Goddess). In other countries she was called Eostre, Astarte, Ostera, and Eastre. She who was also called Semiramis, Wife of Baal, Ashtaroth or Ashtoreth and Queen of Heaven.

Her power started when she married King Nimrod, the great grandson of Noah who rebelled greatly against God. When Nimrod died she turned adulterous and idolatrous and when she gave birth to an illegitimate son she said that her son, Tammuz, was the reincarnation of her husband King Nimrod claiming that he was supernaturally conceived and that he was the promised seed, the ‘savior’.

Tammuz was worshipped with various rites at the spring season. Legend says that after he was slain by a wild boar, he went into the underworld but through the weeping of his mother…he mystically revived in the springing forth of the vegetation – in spring! Each year a spring festival dramatically represented this supposed ‘RESURRECTION’ from the underworld.

The rabbit is a well known symbol of fertility. It also symbolizes the Mother Goddess (Easter).Annual Spring fertility rituals are associated worship of the Mother Goddess and Tammuz, the reincarnation of her husband Nimrod.

The egg on the other hand was a sacred symbol among the Babylonians. They believed on old fable about an egg of wondrous size which was supposed to have fallen from heaven into the Euphrates River. From this marvelous egg – according to the ancient story – the Goddess Astarte (Easter) was hatched. And so the egg came to symbolize the Goddess Easter.

The seductive symbol of ancient ungodly religions inspired by Satan have been incorporated into people’s everyday lives, even to this day – continuing to obscure the truth of God. Jesus has been obscured by painted eggs and bunnies. Attention has been shifted away from the truth. Materialism prevailed (clothing, products and candies with the wrong symbolism). Stores merchandise the name of Easter (not “Resurrection Sunday”) and sell goods that have nothing to do with Christ’s death and resurrection. Christians naively use symbols and practices that unknowingly perpetuate ancient anti-Christ traditions – symbolic customs followed by the same religious cults that inspired the destruction of great numbers of Christians and Jews. Satan is laughing at us. Hahehihohu!!!
-(Quoted from the internet)

CHAIN REACTION (Abuse of Goodness)

CHAIN REACTION
(Abuse of goodness)

It all started when I offered my home as a shelter near the school of an “honest boy”. He found a wallet with bunch of money but instead of keeping it he tried to find the owner whose I.D. was in the wallet. His act impressed me that was why I helped him.

He must be so gratified by the way I treated him that after a few days his mother and an auntie came-by to apply for work in my home. Since they couldn’t be accommodated they applied their children to “do any job” there was available.

I hired the 17 year-old girl cousin of the boy for my daughter in B.F Homes to help with the needs of my grand daughters. Now the Auntie told me about her 17 year-old daughter and 15 year-old son who cannot continue their studies due to poverty. She pleaded to me to accommodate them for whatever they could do. But they were in Bicol so the woman asked for P1,500.00 for the bus fare to Manila with promise that the two would arrive the following day. The money was given but the two didn’t come as they needed to finish their school activities. The woman must have purposely lied to me. The money sent was quickly spent. The poor liar requested for additional P800.00 this time promising very firmly that the two would arrive soonest. Only the 15 year-old boy came but the original ‘honest boy’ that I offered shelter was now telling me he was going home to help his parents and siblings. That was after he had broken a giant century old Dama Juana bottle; after I have given him a pair of imported shoes and several T-shirts and shorts.

After a few more days the 17 year-old girl cousin finally arrived accompanied by a friend who was also looking for a job. The sister of my boy helper would be given to my daughter in Caloocan while her friend would replace the one who was hired first but already went home after less than a month.

Now, the woman came to me very early the following day (Monday of Holy Week) requesting for advance payment for her daughter. I was beginning to feel irritated and impatient. I didn’t give her the advance. It has always been good to be good but when one’s goodness was already being abused, one must set a limit. Poverty was most of the time being used as an excuse for dole outs and was wrongly turning out to be a choice. Let us help them help themselves too.