navigating

in a few days time - 2007, the year of the pig will end. but my wish, which i made long, looonnngggg ago is still a wish. this year, as usual the kids had their new dresses, pants, money from their ninangs and ninongs, spent their vacation and eaten all the things they wanted to eat every christmas. i guess, these things are what parents would like to give to their children. me? what i got for christmas? well, i have all i wanted - a loving and understanding husband, lovable and considerate kids, supportive parents, siblings and friends. what more can i ask for? yes, indeed.
but really, there is something i've been wanting, wishing to have. its a material thing. and i'm so fixated on IT . there are hundreds of these things, but i still want IT. in fact, aside from shoes, it's one of my weaknesses. i bought several of these (but not with the brand name), but still i want IT. what is it? it is a brand name -- louis vitton. i've been so fixated with that brand. i want to own a bag that is LV. i know that its beyond my reach. only the rich and famous could have IT. the prices are sooo up-there. but then, i'll have to list it again for my 2008 wishes!!! it is some thing to look forward to. happy new year, everyone!!!

two more days and its christmas! the whole christian world will celebrate its biggest feast and longest feast -- the birth of our Lord and the coming of the new year -- 2008. it feel like yesterday when 2007 was welcomed with a lot of noise, fireworks,and happy new year pervades the air. now, in a few days time it will be ending. and every living thing in this planet will add one year in their lives. even our planet Earth is getting on in years.

Just like last year, i would like to wish everyone a blessed christmas and bountiful new year. together with lots of good health and happy family life. and a productive career. to one and all - my heartfelt wishes!!!

its six, 6, sais, days to go - - - PASKO NA(CHRISTMASTIME)! watching tv showing the people rushing for last minute christmas shopping - i sort of envy them. traffic is horrible even here in tacloban city and watching on tv the traffic in imperial manila - its horrendous! last night and this morning, the husband and me was talking about our plans for the season. plans - since, we have no money. the bonus that our president promised on tv and newspapers remains at that - all on tv and newspaper only. this week is the examination week of the kids. tomorrow, one them will have their party and nothing... by friday another one will have their party and nothing...and on saturday one will come home and nothing... frankly, as a mother i'm panicking. this could be one the worst christmas we'll be having. i'm living daily - and counting. i thank the Lord, everyday that we can make through. the president said that the economy is going great! but where's that? the peso is strong, where's that? i felt so helpless. i just can't imagine how those less-fortunate-than-me spend their christmas. i felt like going back to bed and sleep through christmas . but i'm hoping and praying that everything will turn out right...tomorrow is another day and tomorrow brings new perspective...a brighter one, till the next and the next and the next. FELIZ NAVIDAD EVERYONE!!!

eversince the Philippine version of the big brother house was introduced in our country, our family became fans. and became an instant hit in the country. some winners became celebrities and some easily forgotten. it is now the second season of the show. this season it is a celebrity edition - wherein the houseguests were celebrities - actors, actresses, models, beauty queens and the lot. lately i noticed that some of big brother's houseguests have "psychological problems". and that they joined the show to "rehab" themselves. its disturbing looking at these "disturbed-people-lives". its not fun. it robbed off the entertainment, because it exposes the dark side of the houseguests.
one is a has-been actor (drunkard), who has an ego-bigger-than-himself. he's so paranoid. there's a comedian who bawled in front of the national tv because the housemates could not ride-her-brand-of-comedy. another a has-been sexy star who has undergone everything in plastic surgery and is a maneater. then the beauty queen, who is sooo perfect. she cannot stand if her task is not done right.a nother is a commercial model who is stoic and a dead pan expression on his face. then an actress/mother who is bent on giving everything for her family. she left her house to stay with big brother, while her husband who's-also-a-has-been let her!
big brother's houseguest doesn't encourage or inspire us to keep on watching the show. we have so many problems in our day-to-day life that watching the houseguests problematic lives only depressed us. further, the novelty wears off because anybody-can-now-enter-and-leave-the house-and-went-in-again. its sooo tiring. where's the exclusivity of big bros house? as a viewer, i want to see a lighthearted show that i can laugh and enjoy and compare my life to the houseguests.not a psycho laden one!!!

last week, what i did was to wait. wait. and wait. and waiting was what i did. the week went by and still what i was waiting for did not materialized. waiting is but wasting time. time do not stand still while you are waiting. tasks are left undone. and the time passed cannot be retrieved. but then i guessed, in this life that is what we are doing - waiting. waiting for our time. and waiting what is due to us. and what we are doing everyday is just a way of keeping us busy so that we will not be bored while waiting for Mother Time. and there's a saying that "idle mind invites evil" , something like that. maybe because our mind tends to wander off and roam whenever we have nothing to do. this is the time that grandeuse ideas came to mind. and also the time for devious plans.
one could use the imagination without limit. options are boundless. it is without restrictions. one has a free hand to do what he wants. you can always change the directions you want if it is not to your satisfaction. dead could come to life. and lives could be dead . one could be rich and be poor. one could be famous and be non-existent. and one could be productive, like me - i made it a subject for my blog!

its the month of decemberrrrrr!!! which means christmas and new year and longer holidays for the kids. it also means shorter days and longer nights and coldddd mornings. of course, everyone knows its wintertime in the other countries. white christmas, they say. but lately, i've noticed (and the other beings, too!) that the weather is not in-its-usual-behavior. when it is supposed to be summer, it rains. but when its supposed to be rainy season, sun shone at its brightest. further, its not cold as-it-used-to-be. and its hotter now-than-it-used-to-be. i've read and heard the news that the icecaps are melting in the north pole. the water has risen. deserts are flooded. and supertyphoons abounds. seas upsurges, volcanoes erupts and the earth quakes from-time-to-time.
mountains erodes. and human lives wasted. the farmers are confused whether to-plant or not-to-plant. because rainy days means planting season. now, its raining all the time. their crops are destroyed and rot

since the sun is-not-seen-shining-as-it-used-to-be.
the habitat of the animals are in havoc.
in my travels, i noticed these changes in our Mother Earth. the degradation. the wanton minings, loggings, the trash that surrounds us. i can't help but say - "Mother Nature is having her revenge on the people living in the planet." the words of one of my professor that says - "your foolishness will go back to your body" is really true. whatever we are experiencing at this moment, is not the fault of nature. it is the fault of the people.
a nun, uttered these words in one of the workshops i've attended: "man by nature is selfish. when he is alive he get everything what Nature has to offer. but when he dies, he does return to earth, because he is cremated or cemented when buried. in dying man should go back to earth to nourish the soil, to sustain the health of the soil for the coming generations." so, let's go back to earth, for our sake and for our childrens sake.

it's fifteen (15) days more and its christmas time!!!
our usual schedule is spending christmas with the parents (which means packing and travelling to catbalogan) and the new year (which means packing and travelling to tacloban) celebrating as a family. up to now, its-all-in-the-mind planning for me, for the very reason that no budget yet. we are on the stage of paying the tuition for the kids exams (the-schools-timed-it-so-that-the-parents-will-really-be-in-dazed-looking-for-money). so my budget is still-up-there-in-the-hands-of-whatever. but one thing i noticed, even how hard-up a person or family is christmas is always celebrated with fervour. we say it best - "nakakaraos din".
my usual worry - clothes for the kids to wear for their parties; gifts for them; what food to prepare; gifts for the godchildren; gifts for the "namamasko"; gifts for the parents; gifts for the officemates, and etc., but actually it boils down to money.
but for this year, we'll make our celebration as simple as ever. we will spend our money prudently so that when the year-of-the-rat (2008) came we still have money to welcome the new year.
the important thing in spending christmas with the parents is really bonding time - with us their children and with the grandchildren. and for me -it is going-down-memory-lane. reminiscing with my siblings and keeping in touch with my childhood friends.
whatever problem one is encountering, it is solved during yuletide season. burdens are lightened, and people are kind and understanding. love permeates the air. there's really something special during christmas!!! GOD sure work in many ways!!!

after that nerve-wracking and funny coup-d-etat in our country, am here to dicuss the aftermath. our national television stations haven't gotten over it yet. it is still the headlines in primetime news and major newspapers. now the authorities are into pressing charges to the culprits (Trillanes, et.al.), while the media people who were covering the event will press charges against the authorities. we really are a happy family! the outrage of the media people is understandable. images on national television is not good - media people in handcuffs(or-whatever-it-was-that-was-tied-on-their-wrist)means gagging the press and declaring curfew from that night (Nov. 29) to the early morn of the next day. that is the message that is sent across to us, the viewers. those that experienced martial law during the Marcos regime said that it felt like "martial law" all over again.
for my part when the whole country was declared under martial law, i was in grade school. what i remember most were the sound of the siren every night reminding everyone that its curfew time. we had fun running and pretending hiding from the police. it was a game for us and my childhood friends. also, seeing men-in-uniform-with-a-gun was a common site in the
community. i also remember reading a slogan that says - sa ikauunlad nga bayan, disiplina ang kailangan; and new society or bagong lipunan. the peso bills were marked with "bagong lipunan." as i grew older, i heard on the atrocities of the military. and saw one incident where a military was hitting a tricycle driver. my memories on these dark years were not so "dark", i thank my tender years for that.
going back to the coup-d-etat, the police/military had their reasons for doing what they did and explained their side. yet, one could not erase the images that were played on national television. i think that the government was excited to show their might to the plotters. they invited the media to cover the event and in the process forgot that they were included in the coverage and their every move captured and recorded.
i am thankful that the coup-d-etat did not succeed, but i say the police/military goes overboard in their actions. their success was marred by that excessive handling of the media.
sending the tank to the lobby of the Manila Peninsula Hotel was the highlight and handcuffing the mediamen made the show a flop in the end.

living in the our country - Philippines sure has no boring moments. ::imagine, just last week (Nov 29, to be exact!) we had a coup-d-etat! imagine, if it succeeded, we will have a new president by now. really! the perpetrator was a senator (only-in-the-Philippines!) that won the national elections due to what-he-did-last-summer, stage a coup-d-etat! this is the second time he did this.: he was a graduate of the top military school in the country. the country spent for his education and yet he did this, again!!!: walanghiya talaga!!! Captain Trillanes (that's-what-his-name) in my opinion is a receividist. even up to his strategy, its still the same - captured a hotel, this time the Manila Peninsula Hotel (last time the Oakwood Hotel). the same district Makati City (the business district). the same group-with-red-armbands Magdalo soldiers. i still don't know what he was thinking! the timing was very bad-just when the Philippine peso was going strong, the people are into the yuletide mode, he will do this!!! he doesn't love our country!!! he's shameless!!! ::walanghiya talaga!!!
maybe trillanes thought that the people who voted him as senator, would translate into people-going-into-the-streets-to-fight-for-his-cause. but, if he asked these people why they voted for him, its not that its because he's gwapo! really, what a qualification! he is selfish and thinking only for his glory! but what a shame - nobody supported him! makapal mukha niya!dapat hindi na siya magpakita sa mga tao!
as a mother who is very concerned for my childrens' future, i want peace - at home, and whole country in general. as a mother, i am struggling daily to provide a healthy environment for my family. inculcating to my children to be peace-loving and to become upright citizens of the country. yet, here is a person whom the country spent so much money and this is what he gave back to our country-dishonor!
really - i'm mad!!!

hello everyone! i was off for a week. i was in Tagaytay city. the home of the smallest volcano in the Philippines - the Taal volcano which is located in Taal lake.
these pix are not the latest. this was taken last june 2007. that time it wasn't foggy like last week. promise, i'll post them as soon as it will be downloaded from our cameras.
although, we were all shivering from cold ,we still had a wonderful time going around Tagaytay. we visited other places which we haven't visited last june 2007. we went to their mini zoo. the pink sisters convent. and the parish of the Mother of Perpetual Help.till next blog!

while i'm busy having fun with my family and relatives, our country was again in the world news due another shocking event - the bombing of the august halls of congress! imagine! just last month it was the ayala mall. in fact, up to now, the cause of that blast was not yet resolved. here comes another one - and the lawmakers were the ones targetted. really! one congressman died and 3 congressional staff, too! other lawmakers were hurt, too!
speculations, accusations, opinions, flew from all sectors. the public was bombarded with ideas and opinions of powers-that-be. the television stations has a field day of "exclusives" videos and interviews of all-the-people-that-matters. "experts" gave their-two-cents-worth on the incident, ad infinitum! at the latest, the suspects had been nabbed.in fact, others were killed. evidences were recovered on the crime scene. and the authorities declared the crime - solved!!!
i was awed. the case was solved with-the-wink-of-an-eye! in a matter of days. days! while the previous bombings were not yet resolved up to this time. isn't that great? one crongresswoman who was hurt and had to spend her birthday at the hospital said - it was convenient!
me? i don't know. i'm still in dazed and processing all what is happening. it seems like i'm watching a neverending drama in front of our television. and the ending is far from coming!

what is in weddings that made me teary eyed?
after remembering the dead, the family were focused on attending the wedding of one of my numerous nephews. the clan was busy attending to the details - food, invitations, church decorations, dresses of the entourage, money and more money to pay for the expenses. i was caught between enrolling my kids for the second semester, arranging our schedules to coincide, and looking for what-to-wear-for-the-ocassion. my husband was caught between monitoring and covering the arrival of the President, making news and what-to-wear-for-the-dinner-with-the-President. on the day of the wedding, the husband stay behind while me & the two kids went to attend. everybody were into last minute jitters since it was brown-out and clothes still to be ironed, the socks that were bought were small. candles were still to be bought. four male members of the entourage (including the groom) still to be made up. not to outdone, the weather was acting up. it looked like it will rain like cats-and-dogs! finally, everything was good and ready and whammm! the rain poured just when we reached the church. we waited till the rain stopped and the wedding was on.
i could not helped but feel teary eyed when the bridal entourage marched, the set of parents on their places and the ceremonies began. i was looking at my nephew and remembered him as a little boy not so long ago. i looked at my sister, she was wiping her tears, i feel-what-she-was-feeling-at-the-moment. as a mother, a feeling of relief and losing were tugging at my emotions. relief- that a son was finally making his own life. a feeling of loss - losing a son since he will be staying away and learn to deal with life. maybe this is what is in weddings that made me teary eyed. its acycle of life - leaving and starting anew!

November 1 and 2, was an annual journey of my family. we went to our province to observed the "All Souls Day." We went to two different cemeteries. Last November 1, we went to Paranas cemetery to visit,brought flowers, pray and light candles for my dead brother and grandparents and relatives. Although, we find the cemetery flooded in some areas and wet and muddy,due to heavy rains for the last two days, my siblings together with our own kids could not dampen our spirits to continue our annual trip. Each sibling bring his/her own food for our lunch and partook the food with much fun and ribbing. Because of the dirt that we've encountered, we find an excuse to do went for a dip at Quinabut-an, a cool spring resort 6 kilometers ahead.
On November 2, we went to visit Catbalogan cemetery. Here lies the remains of my husband's father and relatives. We were thankful that at least the portion where their dead were located was not flooded and muddy. The same routine - visit.pray.light candles.ate.and ate some more.
The occasion also served as get-together with families. Acquaintances were renewed and latest gossips between families were exchanged, in between praying for our dead. This is one occasion, where we always looked forward to. Just like annual fiestas, birthdays, Christmas Days, New Years Day, death, baptisms, weddings and other excuses to be together as family.

how time flies!how the kids has grown. time was when they could not do simple tasks without our (with my husband)assistance.time was when i was always early going to the office since i was the one who brought them to school. time was in every thing they do, a mother must be there beside them- doing their homeworks, school projects, buying school materials, making costumes for school programs, attending first communions, scouting and closing ceremonies. time was when going to the fastfood stores were a family affair- one could not go without bringing the whole bunch. time was my hugs and kisses were enough to erase their pains and wounds. time was when i did story telling before letting them sleep. time was when our voices was powerful enough to stop them- meekly and obediently. time when we say the magic word "NO"- its really a "NO".
now, how they've grown! i felt i was losing them. i felt like they're slipping through my fingers. i felt like i was becoming insignificant in their lives. now, they go wherever they want to go with all kinds of excuses-researches, birthdays, practices, group works,ad nauseum. and all i could mutter was - ok! take care! try to come home early. and now, we (with my husband) were left alone. looking at each other and try to comfort and reason (they're big kids now) with each other. now, i couldn't say no to them. i could not reprimand them, but exhaust all my reasoning and understanding ability. or maybe, i am getting old?

October is the month of the Holy Rosary (for us Roman Catholics). It is the month for Mama Mary, the Mother of Everyone! Mama Mary enjoined everyone to pray the Holy Rosary everyday of our lives. But for those who cannot do it (due to millions of reasons), do it for the whole month of October only. I confess that as a family, we cannot pray the Holy Rosary everyday because of the nature of my job. But, for myself, I really do my best to recite the Rosary for this month. I am a true believer in the power of praying. It helped me through the ups-and-downs of my life when I was still single and up to the present-as a mother. Mama Mary never let me down.
Having a Rosary with me and praying, give me power to be able to withstand the challenges I met in my life - as a mother, as a wife, as a friend, as a daughter, as a sister, as a person. Praying to Mama Mary sincerely and fervently will ease one's burden in life. Although, it is said that GOD never gave us something which we cannot take and we do not need. It is true! HE answered our prayers beyond our expectations. We just don't realize it instantly. We tend to make excuses. Or, we just don't recognized immediately that this is what we've been praying for.
The best prayer is praying thru Mama Mary. Let Mama Mary intercede in your prayers to GOD. As a mother, She knows how we feel. She knows what we want. She knows what's good for us. She takes care and loved us!
Though, my children knows how to pray, I am hoping and praying that they will do so until their olden days and so for their children.

there is no dull moments in the Philippines. every living daylights of the citizens of the Philippines woke up to every kind of triumph, disaster and scandal hounding our country. two weeks ago, it was about the bags full of half million pesos given to the visitors of the malacañang palace. of course, the people involved denied it. the people who received/accepted the money denied it. after a few days, some people came forward and said that they received such money. while all the hullaballoo was going on. we woke up again to anotherdisaster - one of the popular mall of the country was bombed! 11 died in the incident and hundreds were wounded. again, speculations abound as to who were really the culprit. i was aghast! why killed innocents? some say it was a terrorist attack. others say the people behind these bombings were the authorities. to divert the attention from the bribery scandal. people like me, a very ordinary citizen, don't know what to believed.
i kept telling myself that government officials will not do it. its unthinkable! they are supposed to protect the people.
the people behind this bombing had no right to inflict pain and death to other people who were busy minding their own lives. and trying to survive the daily rat race. this incident effectively wiped out the bribery incident from the headlines of the newspapers. the people were now focused on the latest news about the bombing fatalities.
i could not helped but wonder if there are some thruth in the allegations of the bombings. i was upset. just when everything were going up roses for the Philippines because Christmas season is fast approaching. the spirits of the people were all bouyed-up for the coming Yuletide season, this happens. as a mother, it is my fervent wish, that our country will be peaceful, for my children and the next generations to come. quo vadis, Pilipinas?

i hit a snag!my latest blog dated october 11 was not published. it was not posted. i've been looking for it over, under, everywhere, still no success. i make "pindot" every button on edit, design, settings, etc. still to no avail. you might think i've dropped out of the "blogging"  world. i'm still very much in. but in a quagmire of technical glitches...

yesterday(was that really yesterday?), i rode a bus that would take me home after my travel. a seven-hour journey. it goes this way. . .
while on my way to allen terminal (northern samar) the motorcab i was riding met a megabus going to davao from manila. the bus was plying the maharlika highway. since it was way past the hour of the last bus that would take me home, the driver flagged the bus. i was praying that it would stop and let me in as passenger. it is said that they never picked-up passengers along the highway, hence my trip to the terminal. luckily, they took me in. i was ecstatic. finally, i am going home. by the way, the place i've been to has no celphone signal, specifically the globe company. my estimated time of boarding the bus was way past the hour of three in the afternoon.
20 minutes into my trip, i heard the sound of tools and other clanging, way from the bottom of the bus. i looked around. i was afraid that something might be wrong with the bus. but when i looked at the driver and the bus conductor, they were engaged in easy banter. while the rest of the populace of the bus were either sleeping or busy with their own thoughts in their own worlds. so, i guessed it was a normal sounds which happen every time the bus tilted to the left and to the right.
the road was bad to very bad to worst. and on we go...
30 minutes into my trip, i heard kids were puking and mothers were comforting them. the smell of the bus was... (unmentionable). its good that this was an ordinary bus. after a few kilometers of travel, the smell was "gone-with-the-wind". and on we go...
An hour into our trip(within the vicinity of calbayog city), a passenger shouted - "stop!" she reached home. she excitedly dismounted the bus and went to "diskarga" her bags, luggages and boxes. and on we go...after another 20 minutes, the bus came into their "official" bus stop - an eatery. a barker shouted to everybody inside the bus that everybody should eat, pee, or whatever ablutions the passengers needs to do since its still five hours to tacloban city. while everybody was having a break, the woman who disembarked earlier came. she was looking for a lost luggage. so, everybody helped in looking for that big box - inside and out of the bus. the box was never found. after the 30 minutes stopover, on we go...
a few minutes into the trip, we heard (again!) sounds that seems like pans and bells and whenever two metals met. it sounds like a fiesta was going on and everybody was cooking something. we were laughing inside the bus. it stopped and the conductor went down the bus to look at whatever that sounds came from. he brought a rope and tied whatever caused the sound.
on we go... it was already dark. the weather was rainy and it made the road muddy and slippery. a few kilometers past the town of gandara, we stopped. the eaglestar bus infront of us. it looked like there was an incident on the road. the driver went down to verify. he came back and announced that a ten-wheeler truck turned sideways and thus blocked the road. a long line of buses and other big vehicles on both sides of the road were stranded. questions erupted -"are we going to stay here the whole night?"; "has helped arrived?"; "was somebody doing the something to clear the road?" and so on. after nearly 30 minutes, everybody heaved a sigh of relief. the vehicles in front of us started moving. some heavy equipment was in the area and did the job of filling the part of the road that made the vehicles swerved and slide. thank GOD! so on we go...
when we reached the town of tarangnan, a passenger yelled- "stop!" a young mother(about 30 years old) disembarked. she was holding a six month old baby (or about). the driver said - "oh, there's a whole barangay of them." they (driver & conductor) started counting - 1, 2,3,4,5,6,7. she has seven kids. ages ranging from 6 years old to the six month old baby. we didn't saw the husband. again, the driver informed us, that the husband went ahead of the family. he was waiting for them in the area. the mother came back to the bus to looked for the slippers of her children. and in turn gotten an advice from the group - to start family planning. she was so young. i couldn't say anything. and on we go...
another 30 minutes went by and finally we reached the city of Catbalogan. i was happy, a couple of hours more and i'm home na.several passengers went off. and on we go...
by then, the passengers had quitened a bit. maybe because its 9 o'clock in the evening and its time for sleep. or maybe because the trip was really tiring because of the road condition. this was my last leg of the journey. i couldn't sleep, but was counting the towns that we were passing through. at last, we were nearing the san juanico bridge. it was the landmark that says home was on the other side. suddenly, there was a commotion inside the bus. two passengers were saying that they ought to disembark at Catbalogan! everybody was suddenly commenting that Catbalogan was two hours ago. and that the driver reminded everybody when the bus stopped in Catbalogan. maybe, these two riders were enjoying their ride so much that they forgot where they will get off. but the bus went on...crossed the famous bridge...and to the new bus terminal. i eagerly got off the bus. finally, i could sleep with my family. and wait for my husband. he sent me off and now he's fetching me! by the way, the time was nearly eleven o'clock in the evening.

Yeheyyy! our country - the Philippines, is celebrating another victory! in case you've been out of coverage area, our champion boxer Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao - did it again!!! yes, he won over the Mexican boxing champion Antonio Barrera, yesterday. he won through a unanimous decision on the 11th round. i felt really proud. this is another moment to savor, since that "desperate housewives" let down uttered by desperate actress teri hatcher. in this instance, Pacquiao is not the desperate one, but his opponent Barrera. He (Barrera) threw Pacquiao a foul punch, which reduced his winning points and terribly reduced my respect for him. i thought Barrera was a gentleman. i thought that he is above his Mexican boxers who tried to cheat their foes inside the ring. Barrera's defeat meant hanging up his gloves for good. he should not have done that foul punch. now, his retirement is tainted with that one foul act. this also means that Mexican boxers cannot win over the Filipinos. every Filipino, has a smile on his face over this triumph. Pacquiao really delivers. although, the fight on television ended at 4 pm, by eleven o'clock, we know that Pacman won through the internet news.
it is so frustrating watching the "live action on the television. we, the poor ones who relied on free tv, cannot do anything but to be patient as commercials, sponsors, advertisement, or whatever-you-call-them, flooded our screens. it was test on our patience. even if we know that Pacman won, we still had to watch tv to see the action, and of course - to-see-is-to-believe!!! it did not help that at the other channel, the movies which i was waiting for was being shown. i pity our remote control... i know it got a headache of switching from one channel to another. my husband utilized the time by taking a nap between rounds. i'm sure it added a good thing to his well-being.hahaha!!!
til my next blog... i'm still at euphoria!

hello everyone!!!merry christmas!!!one hears on the radios and sees on tv's the countdown to Christmas!!! me? well life goes on...
in one of my travels, i realized that the word "star" is a favorite name used by people either in their businesses and popularly in transports.
i've rode the "silver star" bus, and followed "golden star" and "green star" buses. while on a stopover, "five star" and "three star" buses passed us. as i went on with my travel, i passed by the "five star" printing press. and saw the advertisement of a drink - "lone star". i've bought my plane ticket at "northstar" and another office was called "south star". A favorite bus plying the maharlika highway is the "eagle star". nightclubs are called "stardust", "starry", "starlight" and "starnight". all of these made me "starry-eyed". further, when i read reviews its rated with "stars"- five, four, three, two and one. depending on the merit given by the judges. when i saw my niece, she shyly show me her "star" given by her teacher during their class. travelling along edsa- one could not help but notice the advertizing billboards graced by "showbiz stars" - "mega star", "superstar", "star for all seasons", "diamond star", "rising star", "promising star", "action star" or a "starlet". our bus refilled at "star oil". even our life depends on the horoscope of "stars". and we are living on a "star".
i can't help but think, why are we so fixited on the world star? maybe, because it is unreachable, unattainable, that by giving "star names", this would somehow let us feel we have reached the unreachable. or maybe, the word "star" has a magic and charm on its own that somehow made us feel lucky and one with the universe?
whatever it is, my life is full of stars.

I was off-blog for a while. I was caught in a whirlwind of going here to there and vice-versa. I was with my co-workers in a tasked to orient field personnel on the enhanced programs of our agency. This means travelling hundreds of kilometers by land from one province to another. This means waking up at 2 am, then 3 am, then 4 pm, I was afraid that I might oversleep and be left behind. Going to the provinces is really a treat for me. First I get to visit my family (parents & siblings), renewed acquaintances, looked at old and familiar places, and note some changes on people and places.
We went to the city of Catbalogan (my place), Samar province. The place was recently "city-fied" by the local officials. Catbalogan has changed much. Although, the presence of Jollibee (the biggest fastfood chain in the country) is a welcome sight. This means that Catbalogan is now recognized as "IT" place. Imelda park was rehabilitated and acquired a new charm - water fountains and newly landscaped. Old buildings were renovated and repainted and acquired new names. Clearly, the city of Catbalogan is trying to keep pace with developments that is permeating Mother Earth worldwide. It is trying to be savvy in technology with the presence of internet cafes. It has now a univerty (Samar State University) which is producing global nurses. Catbalogan is bustling with businessmen, students, government workers, children, senior citizens and the following generations of residents are wide-eyed and excited to welcome these developments.I am happy with these progress.
But, really Catbalogan hasn't really changed that much. The trycicle drivers that has no sense of direction still rules the roads and streets.
The important landmarks are still very much present - the capitol building, the government offices building, the provincial hospital, the San Bartholomew Church, the Ubanon church, the grandstand, my alma maters - Catbalogan I Elementary School (grade school), Samar National School (high school) and Sacred Heart College (now Saint Mary"s Academy). Samar College and the Samar State Polytechnic College (now Samar State University). The puereculture center, the piers 1 and 2. These familiar places gave comfort to jaded and urbanized Catbaloganons.
It is always a joy going home and seeing familiar places, meeting old friends and welcoming families. This is what I feel whenever I visit my home. I feel rejuvenated and this never fail to put a smile on my face whenever I leave. Homes never fail to remind us to be just be ourselves.
I am encouraging everyone to go home. It is never too late.

My first encounter with the island of Boracay was in 1995. We (with my co-pax) were ferreted to the island in the morning and spend the whole day there.
The image that was then etched in my find was a stretch of white sand beach. Clear, pristine blue waters. Blue skies. Soft, fine, white sand (like the white refined sugar). Clean beach. No big buildings. No hawkers of souvenirs items (bracelets, etc.). And less human traffic. No pier for the motorized banca to dock on. We spend the day walking through the length of the beach from end-to-end. And at the end we saw the grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in an islet. We also realized that this was the picture at the ticket jacket of the Philippine Airlines. I soaked in the sun-and-sea-and-sand, literally. One cannot resist the pull of the place. You cannot do anything but enjoy the beach. Back then, there were no digital cameras. All I got was a picture with my co-pax. And my sunburn lasted for nearly a year before I returned to my original color. When time came for us to leave the island, a motorized banca called throug radio to get us back to the mainland. Boracay was not that famous then.
Last July 2007, I returned to Boracay with my co-workers. It was a pleasure trip. I was excited to see Boracay again, because he became famous (and infamous). Boracay has grown. He has all the amenities that caters to the tourists - a pier for the boats to dock, a cooperative who manages the different tours and rides within the island. Hotels for the guests to stay. He became busier. Big hotels had been established (brand names). Restobars (also branded) lined the beach. Souvenir shops and hawkers proliferated the place. Rides of different kinds were available - banana boat(looked like a pencil), flyfish, parasails, jetskis, speedboating, island tours, etc. Tourists were shoulder-to-shoulder. That time Asian tourists were plenty (Chinese, Koreans & Japanese & us-the locals). I was amazed that this island so small (2 kilometers wide) could accomodate these crowd and establishments. Physically, Boracay has changed, but retain his innate charm - the blue skies and beaches and white sands. One feel that Boracay never sleeps. When dusk came, Boracay came alive with live bands, performers, shows and eat-all-you-can restos. Dawn in Boaracay, is another thing to experience. After the nightlife, people take to the beach to invigorate. Mornings are sweet and mellow. Slow paced and one could enjoy the beach to the max. Noontime were for those who are brave enough to bask and burn in the sun. My 3-days stay were worth it. We walked and walked and walked a lot. We swam and swam. We basked in the sun. And hoard lots of souvenirs items for our loved ones and friends back home. I say - Boracay is not for the fainthearted. My tips for who wants to experience Boracay-wear rubber slippers(not necessarily havaianas), bring slippers, wear least clothing and bring only one backpack. Take my advice to heart and enjoy BORACAY!!!

One of the many surprises in travelling by land is seeing different places up close and experience personal encounter. Although, I've seen Mayon volcano hundred times (in pictures!) since my elementary grades (she's featured in textbooks), I had my personal encounter with her three years ago. One of my travels, brought me to the Bicol region, the place of Mayon. We reached Bicol early morning. I thought that upon reacging the shores of Bicol, Mayon would be there to be seen in her glory. So, I've craned my neck and opened my eyes wide to catch a glimpse of Mayon. To my dismay, it takes hours of travelling before reaching Legazpi City, where she reigns. When I finally see her from afar, I