Planning the Summer

We always look forward to Summer. At least for the past 6 years, we have made it a point to spend a few days of our summer time in a place outside Manila. We spent our last Summer Bonding time in Alona, Panglao, Bohol (see picture).

This year's plan appears to be a bit complicated. The decision on where and when to spend it hangs up in the balance as we have to give due consideration to my wife's relocation plan. My wife is being reassigned somewhere in Europe and preparations for this move are getting in the way of our vacation plans.

Perhaps, our travel may just be to accompany her to her new location. And while this is not the most ideal, this is perfectly fine with us. What matters most is that we spend as much time together.

Pila sa Lotto (Queue at the Lottery)

With a 6 number combination from numbers 1 to 55, the probability of winning is 1 to about 28,000,000 for each ticket. This means that you need to bet nearly Php600 million pesos now to surely win the pot. Not such a great investment in my opinion.

Yet you see queues such as this in most lottery ticket stations. Our people have fallen into the lure of the possibility of "instant richness". They have probably lost hope and belief that hard work pays off and will improve their lives. Wrong as it may be, we cannot blame them for thinking so. No one can discount the fact that life has not been exactly rosy here for a very long time now.

Other people have decided to try their luck in another country. While others have turned to schemes such as the lotto to alleviate them from their woeful lives.

Inang Ko Po?! (My Mother?!)

I saw them slumped by the sidewalk of Don Bosco Makati as I drove to work. I was not sure whether she was the mother of this young girl and this baby. Having heard of stories on how syndicates take advantage and use these children to get alms from passersby, I was truly uncertain.

Whether she was the real mother or not of these children, I had mixed feelings upon seeing them. I felt pity yet felt so much disappointment that someone who cant even support herself was so irresponsible to have decided to have children who shall suffer as a result of this irresponsibility.

The above brings to mind, a constant reminder that my father had given to us. It goes this way: "if it isnt in your plan to give your family a good life, then dont get married and have a family. It would not be right to drag more people into your miseries. Better live alone!"

Hanap Buhay

Shot taken morning, Jan 8, 2011 @ C6, Bicutan

C6 is a new road that begins in Bicutan and leads passers by to the province of Rizal. Here in Bicutan, the road provides a fresh morning glimpse of a glorious sunrise over the multitude of fish ponds along Laguna de Bay. ( Laguna Lake or Laguna de bay is a major source of fresh water fish for Metro Manila.)

The fish pens are a welcome contrast to the the city's chaotic icons of modernization, i.e traffic, pollution etc. They are the remaining reminders of the Metropolis' bucolic past. These private structures, however, are often blamed for the overflow of the lake and the consequent flooding in pinpointed areas in the city. The wooden fixtures impede the natural and smooth flow of lake water. They redirect water flow to particular locations and submerge these areas under water during the heavy rains.

I had the opportunity to see off these fishermen as they set to "try their luck" in the lake. Before they left, I had a chance to briefly chat with them. They said that during the heavy rains, water rises very high and erodes the foundation at the side of this new road. In fact, the roadside allegedly has already been raised by an additional meter to anticipate potential flooding.

Balay Indang

My wife and I celebrated our 23rd Wedding Anniversary last December 26, 2010. In stead of celebrating it the usual way where together with our children, we go out as a family to the mall and dine, we decided to spend the night at a resort in Indang, Cavite, called Balay Indang.

This cozy resort does not accept walk-ins. You need to pay a deposit to reserve.

The entrance of Balay reminded me of Hacienda Isabella, a property owned by Kuh Ledesma. The gates were made of wood and they were heavy. The walls were tall to ensure the privacy of the guests.

The villas were retro designed. They were like small spanish villas surrounded by a lush botanical architecture. The rooms were cozy and warmly lit. There was no TV or any entertainment gadget in the room. This obviously positioned the resort, in my opinion, as an ideal place for reflection, peace and quiet - the place to be if you are on a budget honeymoon or on a retreat.

The bathroom in the villa was a delightful sight. They were clean and well maintained. I particularly liked the flooring of the bathroom. It was elegantly made up of wood and soil that was covered with white pebbles. There was no drainage in the shower area and water freely flowed to the soil when one takes a bath. There was also a small plot of soil by the shower room wall that housed some in door plants.

The resort fee included 5 delicious meals - 3 main meals and 2 snacks. There was variety in the generous servings in each meal. And to my surprise, food is free flowing at no extra charge!

The only entertainment available in the resort is a pool and a pavilion where one can lazily sit in cozy lounge chairs and watch TV.

Over all, I consider the experience in the resort - a delight!

Manila, Manila....

The Popular Manila Sound band "Hotdogs" sang this song with gusto! Its catchy melody caught everyone's attention in the 70s that you hear this song hummed, sang by any Tom, Dick and Harry during this glorious OPM era.

"Hinahanap, hanap kita Manila.

Ang ingay mong kay sarap sa tenga

Mga Jeepney mong nagliliparan

Mga babae mong nag gagandahan

Take me back in your arms Manila

And promise me you'll never let go!"

Undoubtedly, the song emulates the burning love for country in spite of its backwardness.

Almost 30 years after, though, the question is: Can we still sing the above song and mean it?

Can we truly say that we remain steadfast in this belief after the recent spate of violence that took the lives of innocent beings? Can we hold our heads up high when soldiers die in miserable conditions while generals allegedly gift themselves in millions of pesos when they retire? Can we be truly proud to be a Filipino when people die of hunger in the streets?

I wince at the thought of the above, but for some strange reason, I still prefer to live here, amidst the turbulence and chaos. So help me God.

"Mahimbing" - The Calm after the Storm

Typhoon Basyang came to town hardly announced and surprised everyone. It came unexpected and its path and strength caught a lot of people by surprise.

It signaled its entry at midnight by wiping out the power lines in the entire Luzon grid. Communication lines like hand phones, FB etc were compromised too and the only thing left that kept us abreast with what was going on was a small Philips winding radio.

As everything seemed to be calm in spite of the black out, we decided to retire.

Two (2) hours later, we were awakened by whirling winds. The strong winds whistled loudly as if to warn every one of an onslaught. The roof of our house shooked as we all waited helplessly for an eventuality.

The rains poured hard and sifted through every possible opening in the house. We tied the windows, mopped the floors and did everything to minimize every possible damage that this wrath of nature can do. Afterwards, we could only hope and pray.

After 4 hours, the havoc stopped. At around 4 am, nature finally gave us some rest. The sun shone timidly in the morning and I saw its gentle rays touching my youngest son's face. I took this shot.

Now we go back and rebuild what nature took away.

Making that decision and moving on..

Often times, we are faced with the dilemma of making a choice. And often times, as we rush to make those decisions, we opt to choose the more obvious, the more convenient popular choice - the more beautiful, the cheaper one etc.

There are times though that the popular choice may not always be the best choice. And this becomes the reality which we have to live with. No point crying over spilled milk. What is important is that we learn from this, we cope and we move on.

As the saying goes, "it is not how many times you have fallen that matters, but what defines you is how many times you have gotten up from a fall". Don't fall too many times though.

Glance...

I took this snap shot while my son, Jopie, was busy studying yesterday late afternoon. I seemed to be bothering him.

I just could not resist capturing this particular moment of diligence and industry, virtues he regularly exhibits.

This year he graduates from an accountancy course. His mom and I are so proud of what he has accomplished. We pray for God's grace and guidance as he threads towards the real scenarios of adult life.

A Vibrant New Year to everyone!

2009 has not exactly been my year. It was supposed to be my Golden Year and yet a lot of things did not turn out to be the way I expected them.

As we turn to a new leaf, to a new decade, I pray for vibrance. I pray for things to turn around and allow us to survive this challenging phase.

I pray for health, enough courage, patience and determination in order to meet these.

With God's help, off we go through a vibrant New Year!

Happy Birthday Tin!

We have two boys. And we are basically happy with what we have. Would have felt doubly blessed, though if we had a girl. Never the less, we go on with our lives thanking God for giving us two fine boys.

With our sons now grown up, we go through the usual "meet the girl friend" routine that most parents with sons go through. Meet Christine, my youngest son Aidz special girl. She is like a daughter we never had. Intelligent, responsible and beautiful. More importantly, she inspires our son to strive hard and excel in school.

It is her 18th birthday today. We wish her good health, happiness and a great future. Happy birthday, Tin!

When you wish upon a star ....Ask and you shall receive!

When we were little, dreams apparently came true when you simply wished on a star.

Many years after, to be exact, a day before our thesis defense, my best friend and I knelt before the Redemptorist Church (Baclaran) altar, fervently asking God to intercede and wield His infinite power to make our defense panel overlook a mistake we had in our project. The panel spotted our mistake never the less. But thanks to the Divine mercy of the Lord, we passed.

As I write this, I stare blankly and wish that getting our problems solved was as easy as just asking for a super natural intercession. I beat my brains finding ways on how to rev up and reverse the negative momentum of things. When my brain drains out, I will bend my knees again and plead for the Lord to take over.... to bless us with one Divine push.

Ask and you shall receive, knock and the doors shall be opened up to you.

Stale air at 10 days to Christmas...

Our tree is up. We have ornaments all over the house to usher the festive air of Christmas.

It must be the weariness from the nearly concluding year, however, that I feel the staleness in the air, the emptiness of spirit amidst the colorful lights and ornaments. I currently have no appetite for celebrations. My mind is glued almost permanently to the material issues at hand....not only for ourselves but for those who depend on us.

Pardon me from bursting your cheery bubble. I hope this mood changes soon.

Beach Angel...

This is how my friend, Mitch Bautista, calls this concept. I tend to agree.

But I am not writing to talk about this angel.

While the beach/sea has always had its allure, I would always prefer to be in the mountains than in the sea, perhaps, 7 out of 10 times. Why? Let me articulate them:

First and foremost, I dont have a beach body. I have a greater chance of looking better in the mountains than in the sea! Lol:) A matter of fact, a reality I have accepted.

I also hate being hot, sticky and getting my feet dirty. I like it clean and cool. I have also always enjoyed the view from up above. It just gives me that breath taking, power feel!

On the times I prefer to go to the beach, I always look forward to the tranquility of the sea, the whisper of the waves as they touch the shore. A beach angel, preferably one without wings would definitely complete the frame.

Basilica of St Martin de Tours

San Martin de Tours is the patron of Taal, in whose honor a feast is celebrated every November 11. The church was first built by Father Diego Espina in 1575 in San Nicolas. It was destroyed when Taal volcano erupted in 1754, rebuilt at the present site in 1755, and once more destroyed by an earthquake in 1849. Construction of the present church was started in 1856. Once noted to be the biggest in South East Asia, the church is unique in its combined patriotic, religious, and artistic influence. Writers point to its theatrical exuberance. Its façade is baroque and consists of a single mass of stone shaped into rich complex designs. The church, however, is a fusion of styles with arched openings, alternating segmental canopies and arches of assymmetric shapes. Source: Wow Philippines

Location: Taal, Batangas

Two human loves make one divine....

by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

When we got married nearly 22 years ago, there were two messages that presiding priest, Monsignor Chito Bernardo drove home .

First, that Lord was supposed to be at the center of our union. If we did not believe in the sacraments, there was no point for us to get married in church. He did not want to preside over a union that was based just on convention. His exact words: " Are you getting married just for show?". And this message drove home to us the need to live our lives with God at the center. And as a couple we try so hard to extend this principle to our children, to live a Christian way of life.

Second, he ended his message to us during the rites by saying " It is easy to get married, but it is not easy to remain married. " And after 22 years, what he said is true. Our married life, as in most, has never been a road free of snags. The challenges to the strength of our union have been and will ever be present and considerable. But in the end, you go back to the vows that you made before the Creator.

For richer or poorer, in sickness or in health ... till death do we part!

Lunch with an unfortunate twist...

My wife Trixie and I have been planning to have lunch for a while now. Our busy schedules have precluded us from making this happen. As she leaves for Melbourne on Thursday, we decided to give it a go today. Venue.... The Banana Leaf @ GB3.

We ordered our usual favorites... Roti Canai, Char Kway Tiaw, Chicken Curry, Penang Fried Rice and Lemon Grass drinks. Everything was going on well until a fish bone (from the fried rice) pierced through my gums!

My biggest problem was how to take the damn thing out without having to spit out the food in my mouth. It hurt and I had a hard time taking it out. I finally succeeded but I was left with no more appetite to finish the food.

It was unfortunate but was still happy to have the chance to bond with Trixie.

New Learnings...

I had a chance to learn new things in portraiture .... courtesy of my friend Mitch Bautista. We had always done these creative shots in a studio. Yesterday, Mitch showed me how strobing was done outdoors, in the heat of the day.

It was interesting to see how he set up external flashes around my mom's pool. We also got to use my newly bought beauty dish and Mitch was pleased with the results.

Preparing the model, Zeke Nolasco, took nearly three hours. Toni Rodriguez, our make up expert intricately painted Zeke's face to achieve the desired result.

While it took me nearly a full day, it was certainly a valuable adventure shooting with these fine professionals.