THE LEGEND OF PIRITAY During the American occupation in the early nineteen hundreds, a farmer, together with his grade school son went to the forest to gather firewood. The father got so busy that somehow he forgot about his inquisitive and playful son who lost his way while chasing birds and butterflies. The father couldn’t locate him and even shouting aloud the name of the son did not help. It was about twilight time when the young boy, grinning happily suddenly appeared not far from where his father was waiting fearfully. Asked where he went and how he came back, the boy explained excitedly that he met a certain beautiful lady who invited him to visit many nice places inside the forest. He was even offered delicious foods before he was brought back to his father. The father inquired who and where the beautiful lady could be found. The son who had been taught in school about fairies said . She is FAIRY ‘TAY’ ( Meaning she is a fairy, father, ‘tay’ being a tagalog shortcut for ‘tatay’ or father). The father thought that the name of the lady was PIRITAY (Fairy ‘tay) and ever since the lady has been known by that name. It was not the last time that the lady appeared. She materializes suddenly whenever a child was in danger or in need of help. She was the GOOD FAIRY that protects the environment. Anybody she caught destroying the environment was led astray and would find it difficult to find his way home. That was why the lady fairy had a somewhat bad connotation before. She would be seen appearing in different ages, sometime as a pretty girl or a dainty old lady but all the time she was wearing red. Al those who have seen her remembered vividly that she was always wearing red attire. Whether she was a GOOD FAIRY or a GUARDIAN ANGEL wasn’t fully established but many swear up to this day that they have seen her or been offered help by Piritay when they were children.

FEAST OF MARTYRDOM It was all in preparation for the celebration of the Feast of St. John Nepomucene {May 16, 2012) – the Martyr of the Secret of the Confessional. While the house was being prepared. Repairs were going on at every corner of the premises. General cleaning was the order of the day- after all, in three days the Festival shall be celebrated and visitors were expected to come. A Catering service was hired. We bought all the needed items for a Fiesta. Our preparation was indeed interminable. The garden was trimmed of dried leaves and unsightly weeds. My helper noticed a small leak from our metallic water tank but I presumed welding could still wait until after the Fiesta. So, the leaking water tank was temporarily alleviated by roof seals and paint, and that was after discovering that our stand-by water tank was giving out foul-smelling water that has been stagnant for quite a while. I decided to rest for a cup of coffee when I discovered that the coffee maker was clogged and hot water won’t flow. I took my old but still functioning coffee maker just to discover too that its glass receptacle was broken. I took my last stand-by coffee maker and fitted it with an ordinary porcelain coffee pot to serve as its receptacle. Almost in state of opprobrium, I again discovered that the electric socket for the water dispenser was out of order; the maid failed to clean the whole receiving room and every other space connected to it. I almost poured my hot coffee on myself. I felt like shouting but I was aware I should keep my best composure at the moment. Feast Day came with everything seemingly now in order. We were ready for a prodigious celebration. My uniformed waitress and two waiters were totally servile ready for whatever was coming their way complete with smile and sunny front. A few minutes later, acrimonious feeling started when one by one invited guest explained their varied reasons for cancelling their coming… from doctor’s appointment to previous commitments to simple ‘silence’ or refusal to give any explanation. It was ordinary regular working day, I reasoned to myself. Everything ass too late anyway. All the necessary discomforts had to be accepted for all its sad effects for this too is Martyrdom in harmony with the Feast of a True Martyr of the Church. Sigh…!

A TRIBUTE TO MOTHER EARTH (On Mother’s Day) Mother Nature is a true living entity. Its existence is self-supporting. It has all the provisions for self protection and self healing for all its ailments. We, humans are only accidental occupants. We are a mere result of the continuous changes occurring on the surface of the earth millions of years ago. We differ from other creatures in the sense that we evolved to be rational, but rational as we are supposed to be, we are also doing the most irrational and most obnoxious behavior to our environment. As a sad result, our Mother Nature is getting somehow sick. In its inherent and natural process of healing itself, we, the rational creatures are the ones greatly affected in the form of varied calamities visiting our planet. Now we are in a hurry to save Nature but it is beyond our limited capabilities. Nature has its effective way of healing itself and it is now our misfortune to be adversely affected by the sophisticated natural healing process. It is too late. There is nothing that we can do. We have inured to hurt nature. Have to suffer the consequences such as Earthquakes, Floods, Tsunamis, Erupting Volcanoes, Landslides and many other forms of calamities left and right which are all results of Mother Natures protective measures, repugnant as they are to man. Mother Earth has a definite life span and it is not for itself to adjust to us, its temporary obstreperous occupants but for us to cooperate interminably with natural processes in the continuous existence of our environment. It is only when we humans realize this truth that we can truly live in harmony with our Mother Earth. This is only our hope to be saved. It is not too late. Let us stop our derogatory actions. Let us all open our minds and be cooperative to our government. Let us not be intransigent. Let us all focus on the importance of the harmonious existence with Mother Nature. Our Mother Earth is always ready to nourish us but let us be resolute… let us not vomit out the nutrients being fed to us. Let us rectify and let us not destroy the natural way of keeping us alive. It is our duty to be Altruistic to our Great Mother Nature on Mother’s Day.

ALONE BUT NOT LONELY

ALONE BUT NOT LONELY

I woke up feeling perfectly fine though I was totally alone. My constant companion, my wife, visited our daughter’s family in Canada, accompanied by our other daughter and her two kids. They will be joined by my youngest son from Australia.
Meantime, all my helpers left together to act as Baptismal Sponsors to my driver’s daughter’s Christening.
After my regular Morning Prayers and daily Sit-up exercises I found myself singing Lonely Boy on my way to the bathroom and while bathing I realized I was belting out Mr. Lonely. I smiled at myself upon discovering that I was trying to invite a sad mood. I quickly shifted to Tweedle Dee and finished my bath “As Happy As Can Be”.
I used to love travelling especially with my wife. I have gone as far as Nigeria, Africa plus a most awakening visit to the Holy Land. I have also visited Paris and climbed the Arch of Triumph. With my wife I went to Greece, Turkey, Rome , Turin Asisi and several times to Australia and Japan.
But with the advent of Bird Flu, SARS and other communicable diseases plus some airline terrorisms, there have been so many hassles at the airport and I have been discouraged to travel due to the non-encouraging events as well as many very real senior limitations.
Locally, travelling has not been free of hassles too. Considering the hazards along the way sometimes is worth forgetting about visiting the good places. Beautiful places waiting for visitors around the world are getting better and better and are actually more inviting but I got tired already.
By deciding not to travel anymore I will be missing many wonderful and interesting places and unforgettable experiences.
I have discovered years ago the more adventurous, more interesting and definitely more fulfilling travel is going inside by doing a genuine introspection to an endless discoveries and challenges. It is also a perfect and appropriate rehearsal for the final appreciation of the Beatifuc Vision.

ON SANGHIYANG FESTIVAL

SANGHIYANG FESTIVAL
Wellness is the New Alfonso
(My unsolicited review and suggestions)

The Alfonso Eco-Tourism Development Management, Inc. (AETDM) in cooperation with the Municipal Government of Alfonso, Cavite deserves a Grand Salute for valorously introducing a welcome change to a small lethargically slumbering little town by ’spearheading, rebranding and launching of Wellness is the New Alfonso’.

In connection with this a new Festival is born: The Sanghiyang Festival which evolves from a centuries old ritual of Thanksgiving believed to emanate from the thanksgiving ritual performed by the family of Noah after they were saved from the Universal Deluge. This concept of converting Sanghiyang, the thanksgiving ritual, into a state of wellness is a brilliant idea except that it somehow jeopardizes one of Alfonso’s historical heritages.

The original thanksgiving ritual (sanghiyang) is performed during the month of January to acknowledge all the gifts, graces and benefits that God showers the Alfonsinos.To make the Festival historically relevant I suggest, if it is possible, to do it during the month of January and include a Grand Sanghiyang complete with all the trimmings of the original with the symbolic offerings of all the Baranggays and interested families plus the participation of all available “magsasanghiyangs”. It would be a novel idea to juxtapose Food Festival and Grand Sanghiyang for a powerful message of wellness and thanksgiving.

While Caracol and Rigodon are both beautiful and colorful dances they are not part of Alfonso’s culture. Caracol is a seashore festival of the lowlands while Rigodon is a welcome dance of the Aristocrats. They may not be included next time as there are many dances of the tagalog region more appropriate for Alfonso like ‘Maligayang Pagdating’.

I did not have a chance to observe all the presentations but the “Parada ng Kaganapan” was the most relevant as it was a display of Alfonso’s beauties
showing local products together with their handsome counterparts.

Because Alfonso is considered the Flower Center of Cavite I think it would be wise to invite all the cut flower farms in town to put up a garden show for the whole month of January as they also share more participation. It is not too much to require all public vehicles to hang simple flower arrangement during the festival week to be provided by the organizers. Establishments should also be requested to put up floral decorations.

In spite of the noise, the pomp, color and revelry of the running and jumping tribes I cannot see any connection of their dancing either with wellness or thanksgiving. There simply are no tribes in Alfonso. A vegetable and flower-costumed dancers could be more colorful and truly significant to the life of the Alfonsinos.

For the sake of euphony let us call people from Alfonso, Alfonsinos and Alfonsinas. We don’t call people from Batangas Batangenians or from Bulacan Bulacanians.

I believe that the whole activities could be could be compressed to only four days without idle moments instead of one week with many periods of lull.

With all the birth pains incurred by the organizers they all did a great job. CONGRATULATIONS AND MORE POWER. I am posting this now without having watched the culminating ‘Gabi ng Parangal’ tonight. The whole che-bang is an overwhelming success. Let us all offer ‘Sanghiyang’ (Thanksgiving to God) with tremendous hope that Alfonso shall not only be WELL physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually but also socially and politically.

THANK YOU AETDM. Alfonsinos and Allfonsinas are shouting…MORE !!!

A COMMENTARY

A COMMENTARY

I would like to congratulate the efforts of the Alfonso Eco-Tourism Development Management, Inc. (AETDM), a private organization, for launching WELLNESS IS THE NEW ALFONSO, in cooperation with the Alfonso Municipal Government.

It is enigmatically termed SANGHIYANG FESTIVAL. A bold attempt to modernize, glamorize and even globalize a centuries old Thanksgiving Ritual known as ‘Sanghiyang’, believed to be an offshoot of the Thanksgiving Ritual performed by Noah’s family after they were saved from the Universal Deluge.

It is being introduced as “a state of Wellness attained when the mind, body, emotion and spirit are well and true acts of worship happens”.

I feel good that at last Alfonso has its own Festival that Alfonsinos everywhere could brag around as its own. Although I think massive information dissemination is necessary for all concerned to be aware of the new concept. As it is now even the original ‘magsasanghiyangs’ are confused and unable to comprehend what is going on.

It could be more relevant if the complete original Sanghiyang Ritual is reenacted in a grand scale with symbolic offerings of the different Baranggays at a giant ‘dulang’ with the usual crude ‘altares’ and participated by all the available ‘magsasanghiyangs’.

At any rate considering that this is the first attempt, much could yet be done to improve the Festival and again I thank the AETDM for the inspired effort.

Good Aphogenics 11-11-11

GOOD APHOGENICS 11-11-11

It was a simple skin itch that I enjoyed scratching with my bare hand. As a result a little wound was created that I didn’t even considered treating with anything as wounds like that were usually self healing.

The following day the minute wound began feeling painful then later, projected sharp penetrating pains to different parts of my back, chest and arm. I was scared a bit when the pain projected to my heart area, aware of my long standing myocardial ischemia.

The radiating pain got worse on the third night to the point that little movements in bed could be excruciating. I requested my helper to look at my back wound. He saw a bigger circular wound with little pus with three new pointing areas. I suspected it was carbuncle, a staphylococcal infected that could last for two weeks if uncomplicated.

Because lying on bed somehow always traumatized the wound, it got worse that now I have to do a daily dressing and a regular antibiotic therapy. When it was at its worst I thought the penetrating pain could cause me sudden heart attack which I fatally welcome since I really wanted to die of heart attack to avoid prolong suffering and agony.

True enough I thought I could die that night and was pretty ready about it. I even thought of texting the Parish Priest to invite him to pay me a visit so I could confess, be administered with the Sacrament of the Sick. On second thought I said it was possible I could survive this event and no need to hurry. It was the third week now and the daily cleaning and antibiotic therapy was doing good. The radiating and penetrating pains were gone and there were no new pointings. So I was nt going to die yet and yes, I am very much alive happy as Budoy.

It is now 11-11-11 and I found a new life, new mission, new challeng