Wednesday, January 30, 2008

DID I MARRY THE RIGHT PERSON?


During one of our seminars, a woman asked a common question. She said, "How do I know if I married the right person?"

I noticed that there was a large man sitting next to her so I said, "It depends. Is that your husband?"

In all seriousness, she answered "How do you know?"

Let me answer this question because the chances are good that it's weighingon your mind.


Here's the answer.

EVERY relationship has a cycle. In the beginning, you fell in love with your spouse. You anticipated their call, wanted their touch, and liked their idiosyncrasies.

Falling in love with your spouse wasn't hard. In fact, it was a completely natural and spontaneous experience. You didn't have to DO anything. That's why it's called "falling" in love... because it's happening TO YOU.

People in love sometimes say, "I was swept off my feet." Think about the imagery of that _expression. It implies that you were just standing there; doing nothing, and then something came along And happened TO YOU.

Falling in love is easy. It's a passive and spontaneous experience.

But after a few years of marriage, the euphoria of love fades. It's the natural cycle of EVERY relationship. Slowly but surely, phone calls become a bother (if they come at all), touch is not always welcome (when it happens), and your spouse's idiosyncrasies, instead of being cute, drive you nuts.


The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship, but if you think about your marriage, you will notice a dramatic difference between the initial stage when you were in love and a much duller or even angry subsequent stage.

At this point, you and/or your spouse might start asking, "Did I marry the right person?" And as you and your spouse reflect on the euphoria of the love you once had, you may begin to desire that experience with someone else. This is when marriages breakdown. People blame their spouse for their unhappiness and look outside their marriage for fulfillment.

Extramarital fulfillment comes in all shapes and sizes. Infidelity is the most obvious. But sometimes people turn to work, church, a hobby, a friendship, excessive TV, or abusive substances.


But the answer to this dilemma does NOT lie outside your marriage. It lies within it.


I'm not saying that you couldn't fall in love with someone else. You could. And TEMPORARILY you'd feel better. But you'd be in the same situation a few years later. Because (listen carefully to this):

THE KEY TO SUCCEEDING IN MARRIAGE IS NOT FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON; IT'S LEARNING TO LOVE THE PERSON YOU FOUND.


SUSTAINING love is not a passive or spontaneous experience. It'll NEVER just happen to you. You can't "find" LASTING love. You have to "make" it day in and day out. That's why we have the expression "the labor of love." Because it takes time, effort, and energy. And most importantly, it takes WISDOM. You have to know WHAT TO DO to make your marriage work.


Make no mistake about it. Love is NOT a mystery. There are specific things you can do (with or without your spouse) to succeed with your marriage.

Just as there are physical laws of the universe (such as gravity), there are also laws for relationships. Just as the right diet and exercise program makes you physically stronger, certain habits in your relationship WILL make your marriage stronger. It's a direct cause and effect. If you know and apply the laws, the results are predictable... you can "make" love.

Love in marriage is indeed a "decision"... not just a feeling

Sunday, January 27, 2008

~** LETTING GO **~


Love begins with a smile,
grows with a kiss,
and
ends with a teardrop...
I don't really want to say goodbye

I don't really want to leave you
But now I have to go away
Stay away from you forever
What we had was something special
Deep down from our hearts
But now I have to go away

And leave you from my heart



~** LETTING GO **~
I should probably do you a favor
And stop loving you

I have no right to feel
The way that I do

All the things you want
Are things I cannot give
I should just walk away
So your life you can live

But you know it's not easy

To just stop loving someone

And it's so very hard
To admit when you haven't won
The times when I wanted love
You were always there

Times when you needed love

I was always elsewhere
But I know that letting go

Is the right thing to do
Especially if what I say is true
About how much I love you
It was so great to be with you

To be showered by your love....

You show me How much I mean to you...
How much you cared...

that makes me more fall in love with you...
but it's time to say goodbye
and I had nothing to do with it to stand here
and say goodbye
to take a deep breath and cry.....
I started to think of you,
And the tears flow down,
Why do you have to leave?

I'm pushed in the shadows,
As you are swept away,

I hope all happiness does come to you,
Now I must leave,
The life you left for me,

Is too empty, And I can't fill it,
Even with all these tears,

That are drowning me so,
It's time to go
The tears won't fall out, I can strain,
But they just burst, Like falling rain, Oh dear,
Myself I must regain...
But I cannot leave you,

I can't say good bye I must search low,
I must search high...
To tell you the truth I love you dear,
I would never give you a sneer...
And now I am called away, I cry as my body sways,
It is not a happy day... But goodbye, my love!

Friday, January 25, 2008

$aYaW dArLinG


Sayaw Mga DArling.......Wala mo na tayong iyakan ngayon
inguso na natin....sumayaw tayong lahat!!
Oh, ano mga darling? Ready naba kayo? Oh sige simulan na natin ha Okay! 5678


baci
Habang sumayaw.....kwentohan ko kayo.....remember be happy!!!

Battle of the brains.1
One more dagdag:
Host: What "K" (kalabaw) is the national animal of the Philippines?
Contestant: Kuto?
Host: Hinde. Clue, it tills the land.
Contestant: Kutong Lupa!
(Bweset!)


Battle of the brains.2
Host: Sino ang national hero na naka-picture sa 500 Peso bill? Clue, may
initials na N.A. (Ninoy Aquino)
Contestant: Nora Aunor?
Host: Hindi. Ang pangalan niya ay nage-end sa "Y".
Contestant: Guy Aunor?
Host: Hindi. Dati siyang Senador.
Contestant: Si Former Senator Guy Aunor?
Host: Hindi. Patay na siya.
Contestant: ANO??!! PATAY NA SI NORA AUNOR???!!!

Host: What "S" (Sampaguita) is the national flower of the Philippines?
Contestant: Sunflower?
Host: Hindi. Binebenta ito sa kalye.
Contestant: Stork?
Host: Hindi. Bulaklak sabi eh.
Contestant: Sitsarong bulaklak?
Host: Hindi pa rin. It ends with a letter "A".
Contestant: Sitsarong bulaklak na may suka?
Host: Oh, para madali, uulitin ko ang clues at dadagdagan ko pa!
Anong pangalan ng bulaklak na nagsisimula sa "S", nagtatapos sa letrang "A", at
kapangalan ng isang sikat na singer?
Contestant: Si...Sharon Cuneta!

Battle of the brains 3
Host: Sino ang kauna-unahang Chess Grandmaster (Eugene Torre) of Asia?
Contestant: Carole KING?
Host: Hindi, mas mababa sa king.
Contestant: Al QUINN?
Host: Hindi, tagalog ang apelyido niya.
Contestant: Armida Siguion-REYNA?
Host: Hindi pa rin. Mas mababa sa reyna.
Contestant: BISHOP Bacani?
Host: Mas mababa sa bishop.
Contestant: Johnny MidNIGHT?
Host: Mas mababa sa Knight.
Contestant: Jerry PONS?
Host: Oh, ayan na, nabanggit mo na lahat ng piyesa sa Chess. Yung
kahuli-hulihang piyesa na lang.
Contestant: Sylvia laTORRE!

My Sister

One of the things I'm very proud of the way my sister Vicky and her children raised their kids in the Unites States is how very early on,
they decided that their first language at home should be Tagalog. My sister, in her own words:

"If you go around Bay Point, you will hear small kids speaking in their native language.
The Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, and Mexicans are all good in teaching their children their mother tongue. This is true whether the kids were born abroad or here in America.
Go to a Filipino supermarket in Vallejo and you will notice that the Filipino kids will
be speaking in English. It is not very often that you will hear a small boy saying “Po” or “Opo”which is a Tagalog word for “Yes” full of respect. Me and my children decided before my grandchildren were born to teach them Tagalog. Another language is one of the best gifts that parents can give to their children. My criticism of Filipino parents is that they often say that it will confuse the child. It is my opinion that to do so is to undermine the potential of the child.
Relatives would also often say that once my grandchildren goes to school that their Tagalog speaking skills would disappear. I simply do not say anything so that I don’t sound like a smart ass.
I know that a bundle of tracts connecting the left and right hemispheres of the human brain, the corpus callosum, is still developing. It does not play in language development per se but the point I am trying to make here is that young minds are still developing, those synapses are being built for language development, and therefore, need to be introduced to positive tactile, visual, auditory and lingual stimuli. Another argument would be the previously mentioned ethnicities. Their children don’t appear confused to me. In fact, I see those kids as being smarter than those kids who only speak one language. There’s a lot of data to support these claims and if you are interested in raising a bilingual child,
the Multilingual Children’s Association is a good place to start. So how do you teach a child Tagalog?"

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Habang may buhay, may pag asa...



Habang may buhay, may pag asa...

Unti-unting nagliliwanag ang karimlan
Tila bagong pag asa yaring masisilayan
Heto ako at muling nangangarap
Ang damdaming ito ay walang kasing sarap

Dinuduyan ako ng malamyos mong tinig
Ikaw ba’y isang anghel na nagmula sa langit?
Tinutunaw ako ng iyong mga titig
Pangarap ko sana’y huwag mong ipagkait

Kumpleto na sana ang lahat sa buhay kong ito
Ang kulang na lang ay malaman ang totoo
Anghel na walang pakpak, sa aki’y huwag magbiro
Baka pangarap ko, sa isang iglap maglaho....

Ako napapaisip kung may pag-asa pa nga ang Pilipinas...

Sa akin po- May pag-asa pa ang Pilipinas!

Palagay ko nasa mga kamay natin ang pag-asa hindi sa pilipinas
o sa mga namumuno dito.Times like these, kelangan ng konting diskarte at innovation..
Desperate times needs desperate moves.But seriously, I think meron, lalo na after GMA's term.
It will take a long time pero mukhang meron talaga. A lot of NGOs are working hard and some of them are succeeding.
Education is key. An educated population is an educated electorate.The important thing,
I believe, is to disregard the presence of the government. Personal opinion ko lang.
Kung tangalin mo ang gobyerno sa equation, may pag-asa kasi maraming Filipino,
local at abroad, ang handang tumulong.Mawawalan lang ng pag-asa ang Pilipinas kung lahat ng pinoy mawawalan ng pag-asa.
disiplina at dedikasyon sa trabaho ang kailangan ng pilipino para umunlad ang pinas, pero papaano?
lumarga ka lang sa edsa daming jaywalkers
manood ka ng XXX dami mong malalaman na manloloko ng produktong gawa nila.
mga barangay hall na ginagawang bahay ng mga punong barangay
mga walang silbing municipal engineers na nagaapruba ng mga delikadong billboards at mga dormitoryong walang safety precautions at fire exits
gobyernong walang inatupag kundi ang magagawan ng kapangyarihan at kurakot sa kaban ng bayan (meron pa bang laman?)
mga drayber nga pangpublikong sasakyan na nagsasakay at nagbababa ng pasahero sa gitna ng kalsada
mga pasaherong pumapara kahit saan, wag lang sa bus/jeepney stop para di na maglakad
I don't believe the country is hopeless. It will take a loong uphill climb for those who want changes.
I dont even watch tv news or listen to politicians, they will just waste your time. For me,
I won't even bother thinking about going back home for good or posting in a Pinoy forum if I think it's hopeless.
there are like-thinking people like in the NGO's who in their little ways may form diffrerent seeds around the country to have some meaningful changes.
In the meantime, you must also make some living...

Kailangan lang tumingin sa paligid, pero way past the ugliness and imperfections. I witness that everyday-
Yung mga bulok na pulitiko, mandurugas na tindero, balahura na drayber, insensitive at mapapel na hospital administrator - kakaunti lang yan kumpara sa mabubuting Pinoy na handang magsakripisyo at maglingkod sa bayan, nasaang bahagi man sila ng mundo. Ang suma-tutal, TAYO yung pag-asa ng bayan.
But again, araw-araw may patunay na may pag-asa pa ang Pilipinas.
Ibig sabihin ay hindi pa nahahatulan ng bitay ang bansa natin. At habang may sumasagot pa na MAY PAG-ASA PA ANG PILIPINAS! nang hindi labas sa ilong, we have nowhere else to go but up.
Never stop hoping for our country.
Never stop caring for our people.
Demand greatness from ourselves as Filipinos.
Be an inspiration to other Filipinos.

And for those who believe in God: Hindi mo mahal ang Diyos kung hindi mo mahal ang Pilipinas.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

RYAN

CHECK my Grandson Slide Show


Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Kalayaan?????






Isipin ang EDSA Revolution (Cory Aquino, Cardinal Sin, Marcos, Ramos etc etc).
Sabi ni Jim Paredes sa isang interview

"EDSA 1 didn't fail us. We failed EDSA."
and with edsa, tingin ko wlang karapatan magsabi ang mga tao na
edsa failed us or we failed edsa..sino bang nakakaalam na walang magbabago
pagkatapos ng tatlong edsa? people participtaed because they believed..
bakit porket successful sa pagpapatalsik ng diktaturya ang edsa 1 eh
inisip nating successful ang magiging sunod na mga edsa at bakit porket
sa tingin ng karamihan eh hindi successful ang mga sumunod na edsa eh failure na sya?
ganun ba yun? does the nature of people power only lie on its outcome?

Naniniwala ka ba na talagang nakamit nga natin ang kalayaan?
naniniwala ba kayong lumaya na tayo? ako hindi, pinapalit palit
lang ang naghahawak ng susi ng selda naten.
hindi ako naniniwalang nakamit na natin nang tuluyan ang kalayaan.
nang mapag-aralan namin sa grade5 na sinakop tayo ng mga Amerikano
pagkatapos nating makalaya sa Kastila,
nawalan ng bisa sa akin ang june 12 (1898) independence day.
mula nun, july 4 (1946) na ang itinangi kong kalayaan ng bansa.
pero sumunod pa pala ang Hapon, pagkatapos, yun nang mga umupong
lider Pilipino nang maging republika na ang bansa.
hanggang sa matutunan ko last week lang ang tungkol sa pinakamahalagang
uri ng kalayaan na siyang pinaglaban ng ating naging pambansang bayani
- liberation of the mind. hindi magiging mabisa ang Kalayaan kung hindi
ito ma-e-exercise, lalo't higit kung may constraint. kaya mahirap tukuyin
kung anong uri nga talaga ng kalayaan ang umiiral sa atin ngayon.
kung kalayaan sa pamamahayag, demonstrasyon, freedom of speech and the like,
bakit maraming namatay/namamatay na journalists, activists, etc.?
ibig sabihin hindi lubusan ang uri ng kalayaang yon. kung kalayaan sa pagboto,
bakit may dagdag-bawas at sari-sari pang pandaraya tuwing eleksyon
(may nakakabotong patay, nasa labas ng bansa, at may flying voters)?
iniisip ko nga, baka kalayaan lang sa pagkonsumo ang meron tayo dahil sa
kapitalistikong society na umiiral dito sa atin.

basta, mahirap isipin kung anong uri ng kalayaan ang ipinagdiriwang tuwing june12.
kalayaan sa pagsakay sa MRT at hindi panghuhuli sa mga terorista ng mga
sundalong nakapwesto sa checkpoint ng SLEX?

3. hindi pa tayo LAHAT handa dahil wala pa tayong naisasagawang
anumang paghahanda para sa ating kalayaan.

mahirap bigyang-kahulugan ang freedom lalo na kung hindi ito naeexercise.
lalong hindi ko alam ang societal freedom. freedom in society?

4. paano? In libris libertas. (In books there is freedom)

Monday, January 21, 2008

Victor...Batang Palaboy

Compilation Of videos
VICTOR part#1







VICTOR part#2







VICTOR part #3








Buhay. Ano nga ba ang buhay? Ang sabi nila, ito ay biyaya sa atin ng Maykapal. Kailangan natin itong pausbungin at pag-ingatan. Pausbungin? Pag-ingatan? Paano mapag-iingatan ang buhay ng Isang batang palaboy sa kalye. Walang tirahan, walang pagkain at walang magulang. Lumaki sa piling ng mga taong grasa, sa ingay at usok ng mga sasakyan at sa lamig ng semento. Araw-araw, kailangan mag-isip ng paraan para madugtungan ang buhay.Ang mamalimos, magnakaw, mag-rugby at kung anu-ano pa. Sa murang edad natutong lumaban sa agos ng buhay?Hanggang kailan maiiayos ang buhay ng isang batang palaboy ?Ilang Victor pa kaya ang makikita sa mga kalye dito sa Pilipinas!Sana naman wala na...

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Anyo ng Kabataan

BrownBlue

Anyo ng Kabataan

Anong tamis, anong saya?
Ang maging isang nilalang,
lalo na ang maging isang bata,
dito sa aming kabihasnan.

Ngunit bakit kailangan pang
gamitin sa maling paraan,
ang ating murang katawan,
alang alang sa salapi na lubos ng kailangan.

Mga bahay at pananamit,
edukasyon at pagkain,
iyan ay ilan lamang na tunay na
inaasam asam.

Kanya naman anyaya ko,
sa mga magulang na narito,
pag-ingat- ingatan nyo,
mga anghel na nagmula sa sinapupunan nyo.

KAHIRAPAN .....









"Bugbog na ang mga Pilipino sa kahirapan kaya't maraming nawawalan ng pag-asa
(Filipinos are battered by poverty, a lot of people has lost hope)."
"Ang pagpapakamatay dahil sa gutom ng anak ay dahil sa bulok na sistema.
Lahat ng pamamaraan ginagawa naming mga magulang, lalo kaming mga ina para
lamang may makain ang aming mga anak (A child who commits suicide out of hunger
and poverty is victim of a rotten system. As parents, we do everything we can,
especially us mothers to insure that our children are not hungry.)

"Nagsisikap kami. Gustuhin man naming makapagtrabaho ang aming napag-aralan ay di naman sapat.
Bilang mga ina, sanay kaming magtiis sa gutom para lamang mapakain ang aming mga anak;
lahat gagawin kahit ibenta pa ang sarili para sa aming mga anak (We persevere.
Even if we want to work we can't since we don't have the educational background for it.
As mothers, we are used to suffer in hunger just to feed our children,
we will do everything even if it means we need to sell ourselves for our children.)."

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Kahirapan... Sakit ng Lipunan, Sakit ng Kabataan








Sa aking paglalakad nasalubong ko ang isang ale, nagtitinda ng yosi sa kainitan ng araw.
Para ba akong napunta sa kawalan, di ko mapigilan ang sarili sa pagtitig sa kanya.
Ilang saglit lang ang lumipas, napansin ko na may dalawang bata na lumapit sa kanya
at kasabay nito ang pagbatok nang ina sa isa sa kanila. Sa wari ko, ang dalawang bata ay mga anak ng ale.
Lalo pa ako napahinto nang makita ko na pareho silang may dalang mga tindang kendi at yosi
bagamat sila ay musmos pa lamang.Ewan ko ba kung ano ang pumasok sa akin at ang eksenang iyon ang tumama
sa akin. Malakas ang tama. Napakaiksi nang pangyayari ngunit ang bigat nang dating.
Sa oras na iyon, naisip ko ang salot na matagal nang namemeste sa bansang Pilipinas, higit sa lahat
sa mga kabataang Pinoy.Ang kahirapan ay ang pangunahing problema ng maraming bansa.
Ito ay isang salot na mahirap hanapan nang lunas. Ang Pilipinas ay isa sa mga bansa sa Asya
na nagtatamasa ng matinding salot na ito. At sino ang higit na naghihirap? Ang kabataan ng Pilipinas.

Ang kabataang Pinoy ay mga biktima ng matinding kahirapan. Maraming pamilya ang nahihirapan
sa pagtustos sa mga gastusin sa bahay. Bigla kong naalala ang aleng nagtitinda ng yosi.
Magkano kaya ang kinikita nya sa isang araw?

isa lamang sa mga karaniwang eksena ng kahirapan sa Pilipinas. Ito ay sumasalamin hindi lamang isang lugar ng Pilipinas.
Ito ay sumasalamin sa isang mabigat na problema ng bansang Pilipinas.
Ang dalawang batang iyon na nagtitinda ng yosi sa langsangan ay sumisimbolo ng paghihirap ng mga kabataang Pinoy
na nagtatamasa ng salot ng lipunan, ang kahirapan.

Sa isip ko, isa isa kong binigkas sa aking sarili ang mga problemang dinaranas ng mga batang nagdurusa sa kahirapan.
Marami sa mga kabataan ang nagdurusa sa malnutrisyon. Ito marahil ay dahil karamihan ng mga pamilyang Pinoy
ay naghihirap matustusan ang pangunahing pangangailangan ng kanilang mga anak, ang sapat na pagkain.



Ano nga namang sustansya ang makukuha sa isang piraso nang sardinas at kapuranggit na kanin?
Marahil swerte ng matatawag kung ang isang bata ay makakakain ng tatlong beses sa isang araw.
Ito marahil ang dahilan kung bakit isa sa pitong bata ang namamatay nang dahil sa ibat ibang karamdaman.

Nang dahil sa matinding kahirapan, ang mga batang Pinoy ay
napagkakaitan ng tahanang masisilungan. Normal na lang matatawag na sila ay nakatira sa mga tinatawag na "squatter’s area".
Marahil ay hindi na bago sa pandinig kung malalamang natutulog sila sa malamig na semento nang lansangan at wala ni
sapat na pananamit para malabanan ang lamig ng gabi.

Sinasabing ang kabataan ang pagasa ng bayan. Ngunit ang paniniwalang ito ay unti unti nang naglalaho lalo pa
at maraming kabataan ang napagkakaitan ng tamang edukasyon. Swerte na siguro kung matapos man nila ang elementarya.
Bakit nga naman gagastos ang magulang sa paaralan kung ang kanilang kinikita ay kulang pa para sa pangaraw araw
nilang pangangailangan. Sa katotohanan, marami sa mga bata sa murang edad ay pinipilit na magtrabaho ng kanilang
mga magulang para makatulong sa mga gastusin sa bahay.

Ang child labor ay isang malaking problema ng Pilipinas. Meron nga namang batas na tumutuligsa sa child labor sa Pilipinas.
Ngunit sa katotohanan, talamak parin ito sa maraming sulok ng bansa. May mga nagtitinda ng kendi, yosi at bottled water
sa kalsada. Di nila alintana ang init ng araw at ang panganib sa mga naglalakihang bus at trak.
Meron ding nagbubuhat ng mga mabibigat na kahon sa piyer sa halip na mga libro ang kanilang dala dala.
May mga namamasukan bilang katulong at marami rin ang nagtatrabaho bilang mga factory workers.
Ang pagahon sa kahirapan ng bansa ay isang salot na matagal nang pinipilit malunasan nag pamahalaan.
Kailangan ko pa bang hintayin ang aksyon ng gobyerno? Marahil aabutin ako nag isang daan taon bago ko makita ang pagbabagong ito sa lipunan.

Bakit ko hihintayin ang solusyon ng gobyerno kung ako mismo ay makakatulong? Kung gusto ko ng pagbabago, simulan ko sa sarili ko.
Ang pagbabago na naguumpisa sa sarili.

Monday, January 14, 2008

GOOD FRIENDS




We need friends for many reasons,
all throughout the four seasons.
We need friends to comfort us when we are sad,
and to have fun with us when we are glad.
We need friends to give us good advice.
We need someone we can count on to treat us nice.
We need friends to listen to our problems
and to help us think of ways to solve them.
We need friends because we are social in nature
and having friends makes us feel secure.
We need friends to remember us once we have passed
sharing memories that will always last.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

The Best Moments In Life !!!



1. Falling in love.

2. Laughing till your stomach hurts.

3. Enjoying a ride down the country
side.

4. Listening to your favorite song on
the radio.

5. Going to sleep listening to the
rain pouring outside.

6. Getting out of the shower and
wrapping yourself with a warm, fuzzy
towel.

7. Passing your final exams with good
grades.

8. Being a part of an interesting
conversation.

9. Finding some money in some old
pants.

10. Laughing at yourself.

11. Sharing a wonderful dinner with
all your friends.

12. Laughing /Crying without a
reason.

13. "Accidentally" hearing someone say
somthing good about you.

14. Watching the sunset.

15. Listening to a song that reminds
you of an important person in your
life.

16. Receiving or giving your first
kiss.

17. Feeling this buzz in your body
when seeing this
"special" someone.

18. Having a great time with your
friends.

19. Seeing the one you love happy.

20. Wearing the shirt of a person you
love and smelling his/her perfume.

21. Visiting an old friend of yours
and
remembering great memories.

22. Hearing someone telling you "I
LOVE YOU"

I Can Only Imagine - Click here for this week’s top video clips

Thursday, January 10, 2008

FILIPINO ODD JOBS:onli in da pilipins





If there is one thing I am most proud about my people is their resiliency. Standing side by side to China or Japan, I admit that we’ve got a long way to go as far as economy and stable employment opportunities are concerned. But despite this national debacle and the insufficient opportunities to make a fine living, some of my fellow Filipinos have managed to survive. They continue to find ways to earn and provide for their needs. Some of them take on menial, yet decent jobs. Rain or shine, day and night, these guys work with a smile on their lips and determination in their hearts. That is a true testament of their resiliency, smarts, and hardwork.
Ladies and gentlemen, these are the people in my neighborhood and soon... yours!

The “takatak” boys

They are young and not-so-young men that sell bubble gums, menthol candies but basically cigarettes on the street. Hence, they are called cigarette vendors. “Takatak” is a coined term derived from the sound that the cigarette box’ lid [where their money is put] make when it slides up and down in rapid succession. Vendors usually do this to call customer attention.

How they can help you: Well, if you’re stuck on traffic in your own private car and you want to smoke a pipe, they will be there.

Mga Takatak boys - The cigarette vendors... may hawak na isang kahon na punong puno ng yosi... kaya tinawag na takatak boys ay dahil may compartment sila na lalagyan ng napagbentahan nila sa kahoy na kahon na kilikilik nila habang nagbebenta sila. Ito'y ini islayd nila na may tunog na takatak takatak takatak.. to attract attention sa mga drayber na baka kinukulang na ng nikotine ang mga baga ng mga drayber... Vitamin N or C ika nga... Vitamin nicotine at vitamin cigarette. Para sa mga drayber sila ay street doctors at herbolaryo... hehehe... pag matrapik nag yoyosi karamihan sa amin para di mainip... kahit may no smoking sign sa dashboard... ibig sabihin nun... no smoking for passengers... hehehe...
Onli in da Pilipins
Saan ka ba makakakita ng takatak boys, at pati na rin ang mga newspaper boy, mani vendor at kropeck vendor na nagdudulot ng saya sayo lalo na’t nasa gitna ka ng traffic?

Cebu Sinulog 2007





THE SINULOG FESTIVAL

Now January sets in most of people of Cebu City are excited and preparing themselves for the coming of the festival.." THE SINULOG FESTIVAL".....VIVA PIT SENYOR SANTO NINO...
Sinulog festival is a celebration in honor of child Jesus also known as Senyor Santo Nino.The event is held every 3rd week of January in the city of Cebu,Philippines. Sinulog is actually a prayer dance ritual characterized by the movement of two steps forward and one step backward imitating the flow of the river or sulog.

HAPPY SINULOG ......VIVA PIT SENYOR

Tuesday, January 8, 2008



World Most Amazing Accidents - video powered by Metacafe


The most extreme accidents, face plants, explosions and crashes put togheter in a single clip.

UNCERTAINTY


UNCERTAINTY

On my way home from a work one night, I took the jeepney as always.
I was only the passenger.
And I immediately noticed that occupying the front seat were the driver,
his wife and three children.
It was the first time I saw a driver bring his entire family with him.What really
caught my attention was the driver's mood.It was around 8:30 pm and passengers
seem so hard to find .I heard the driver sigh:
"Haaay...buhay...pag inaalat ka naman(Life really sucks when you run out of luck)."
Then his oldest son,who was seated beside him,repeated his the exact same words.
At the age of 7 or 8 years,he already seemed to understand
the meaning of those words,if the conviction he put behind them
was anything to go by.

Then it struck me:How does an 8 year old react to situation like this?
Does he fret that there wont be enough KITA (income) for his father to buy
enough food on the table for the entire family or an extra toy or shirt?
Or does he just accept it as a fact of life like an adult?And how does a family
of five survive on the meager income of a jeepney driver who only
gets to take home what is left of his earnings after the boundary and
the expenses of gasoline are deducted.I began to wonder:
Is this the right environment to raise a child?Is it all right to expose him
to the harsh realities
of poverty?


I can consider ourselves lucky by normal standards.I have a steady income.
We're not rich. but we are all healthy.And we owe nobody some money.
But still there are times when I get frustrated.There are times when I feel
I'm not earning enough, or I can not save enough from what I earn.
There are moments when. like the driver and his family.
I feel that Ladyluck is not on my side.In times like these,my children
and I would start our endless discussion about migrating and working abroad.
My parents are already there,but we have to wait 15 years
before we can join them legally if we bank on their petition.
That's too long a wait for us.


But I think the real reason we want to leave is that I don't want
my children to be exposed to the kind of environment in which we are living now.
I dont want them to see poverty and what it does to families,
and how it debases the children.Street children have to knock on car
windows begging for money.I don't want them to see fathers,mothers
and children sniffing rugby in open daylight for everyone to see.
Children forced to sell sampaguitas(flower jasmine) or rags on the street.
Children who instead of studying in school or playing in the shade,
must try to earn a living under the heat of sun or drenched by pouring rain.


Like any parent,I want what is best for my children.
And that meansfirst of all,living in country which takes care of its people.
I want them to grow in an environment where people matter more than anything.
I want them to grow imbibing the values of honesty integrity and discipline.
Of course they can be taught this at home .But realities is out there.
I can't control what they will see and hear outside our home.
And with that kind of society.I don't feel I can
expose them to real world.

I have always dreamed about this country becoming great someday.
I've always pictured myself growing old here and waiting to see it happen.
Most of my friends have gone to foreign lands with their families.
But as much as I want to jump on the bandwagon something always
hold me back.I don't want to give up my hopes for my country.
I still want to do my part as a citizen of this land.

I want my children to grow a Filipino in heart and mind.
Someday my children will make a difference in this society.
When I looked at my children's eyes. I see a brighter future
and a whole new world of opportunities.