WHEN GOOD MEN DIE . . .

Death is one thing we unwillingly think and talk about. Although we all know that someday we are going to die this certainty does not pat our hearts, giving much meaning with the things of this world, such as money, possessions, reputation, fame and power and all the good things that appease our consciousness . . . as if we are going to live forever.

Only this month two people close to me passed away. Pilo Abrugena and Meng De Dios. It was a bolt of lightning from the blue sky upon learning the deaths of these two good men. I was asking myself why good people die so sudden where a lot of bad ones out there can die in place of them. The words may sound unfair . . . Am I God who can tell which individual I want life to end first?

I faced a stressful legal suit against my hard as nail employer, when I was illegally dismissed after a quarrel over some bitter pills to swallow. During this time I was left high and dry by my officemates for fear that they might got involved. Pilo was beck and call for me by providing me someone who can defend and fight for my labor rights and later on won the case. I wouldn’t be able to grasp the nettle if not for him. Pilo was a happy man, a good father, someone who knocks all your worries down with his one man comical show. He called himself “Gagambang Lalaki” which in my personal interpretation is synonymous to “Magandang Lalaki” (until now I am contemplating what he really meant with this words). He was always willing to give, to listen and ready to throw a line to all he knew. After this depressing part of my life, Pilo helped me to go back in the drawing board again. He died of cardiac arrest.

Three days after I attended Pilo’s wake I received a text message from Menchie de Dios, my co-artist for 10 long years and one of the few people I can bear my heart out. The message went like this: “ Kuya . . . si Meng comatose na.” For a moment my feet seemed to sink where I stood I could only grip my phone harder as I read the message over and over again. I felt remorseful not to be able to see her husband Meng during his long confinement in the hospital, the least I could do then was to send comforting messages that will boost her morale and cheer her up. That night I called Menchie up. The conversation was gloomy marked with hopelessness and low-spiritless. She was blubbing while talking and asking many questions which I myself don’t know the answers. I just told her to just cling to hope although in my mind the situation was chance against chance the fact that Meng was brain dead. It was past 2 a.m. when we ended the phone chat. 7 hours later someone informed me that Meng was clinically dead. After learning the sad news there was dead air for a moment, I felt sorry for one of my dearest friends who lost her most precious possession. Just like Pilo, Meng too died of heart failure. Meng was a good husband who looked always after the sake of his wife. I have seen how he coddled Menchie. He drove her to the office and fetched her up after work as if he was one of the employees of the company. He was generous and soft hearted. A good provider and a person neat as a pin. He would be an ideal father if he was just given a chance to be . Although they were not able to have kids, he acted as a father figure the same way Menchie acted as a mother with children around them. He was meek and unpretentious and a God fearing man .
I have a bleeding heart with the demise of these two good men, but in my mind I know their good deeds have prepared them to their journey’s ends to meet their Maker.

Money, happiness and other desirable things are often here today, gone tomorrow. To most of us they are dominant significance, so we dedicate almost all our time and momentum to get hold of them and engross ourselves in many negative exploits for their sake. We are so concerned with the worries of this life that there is only tiny space in our mind for real spiritual living. When the time of passing actually comes we find out and realize that by having paid no attention to death all our life we are totally unready.

Salamat Pilo. . . salamat Meng sa lahat ng kabutihang ginawa at ipinakita nyo nuong kayo ay mga nabubuhay pa. . . You breathe your lasts but all your goodness will not perish . . . but will live though you are gone. . .

The righteous shall go into life eternal.
Matthew 25:46

OPEN CONVERSATION WITH CECILE TRINCHERA

Jessie wrote:
hello classmate!??? musta na? At first i wasn’t able to recognize you buti na lang narecall ko yung surname mo hahahah! Hope not a sign of mental deterioration . Can you join our group? Please help me too in my earnest aspiration to reunify all ERESian more specifically our section. Kindly tell about this site to all concern.

Regards to the family and God bless u!

Cecile wrote:
Well welll.. Mr Landingin... I seem to remember the last time i saw you when we were organizing sort of a reunion or what do you call it a drinking excuse..lol (things you do when you are younger) you were sitting on your front stairs...hahahaha.. Yeah I kept my maiden name.. my hubbys name didn’t seem to match my name.. jk... I will do that.. I will join the group.. I guess now I am more resilient when you guys tease.... I am glad to hear from classmates.. sharpens the memory..lol

Jessie wrote:
I guess you said that right! As we age we tend to become more flexible and shyness lessens . Hayaan mo wala ng manunukso sa iyo hahahahah!Anyways, thanks for joining and enjoy the group!

Cecile wrote:
I don’t really care if I get teased... I have my thing now.. i don’t get upset i just get even.. see the thing is with working with men is you tend to think like one.. Like a trailer trash..lol

Jessie wrote:
Teasing back then were part of our young & playful years - a representation of our innocence and immaturities . We epithet somebody to be like this or like that but not necessarily to make insults or rub things the wrong way. We were infantile and we were guiltless. We said something about somebody without due consideration because we are slapdash. Without these experiences and attributes our elementary memories would be lackadaisical. I also got teased then (many times). But now that i matured a lot, I dig up all these stuffs as bits of chronicles of my young years. And who cares about those teasing right now?

Cecile wrote:

Well. it didn’t really bother me, that was just a joke. I have three older brothers and one sister and i am the youngest, my brothers were really bad at that and we use to joke about who ever gets upset first is the one that loses.... so the more you get upset the more they tease. I was resilient then and i am pretty sure i did a lot of infantile things..OH YEAh.. It is funny now, but then was serious. I miss those days the innocent life, with no worries, no responsibilities and our most major job is drive our parents insane, spend their money (lol).

You were cool though, I have always find you hilarious, love those one man show moment- when you stand in front of the class and just make us laugh.. always thought.. not bad.. the smartest in the whole school with a good sense of humor. And then when the teacher comes in -- sit like an angel... We were in class for one year but it was really great.
So how is life in PI.. the last time i was there was 99..and boy I drank a lot.. partied hard ..// now I am too old for it..lol

So how many is in the group that is our batch mates?

Jessie wrote:

Did I ever tease you somehow? hahahaha! In my anamnesis, Ace Villareal and Alexander Domingo were the ones who peeve you most of the time and every time they do, you would just sit still and blub in your armchair as you slightly grazed away the tears in you cheeks. These rascals were too scared when the compassionate girls threatened them to tell the teacher what they did to you..(lol) while I, busy entertaining the unmindful others with my shaggy dog stories hahahahah! Ace and Alex were my closest buddies among the boys and I was the heritor of some of their roguish tricks. Back then, our classmates, especially the girls found me comical and entertaining but I am a bit precarious if my wittiness will still work once I get to meet all of you again. Already enlisted here were Jesusa Suyat, Emily Magalong, Dennis Quimora, Rio Bautist, Felix Jun Asilum, Malou (forgot her surname) . I still have to dig net to find Rowena Fermin, Marciana Yuzon,
Lailani Granada, Esmeralda Manlapig, Belinda Potente, Maevelyn Serrano, Guizella Paulino, Yvonne Delfin, Agnes Lopez, Arlene Pescasio, Rowena Teruel, Carina & Loida. Serafin Quintana, Rommel Eugenio, Bernardino Vicencio, Eliseo Vengco, Ace & Alex. Whew! See? I remember them all! Girls for sure will be harder to find (unless all of them are old maids lol) unlike the boys who kept their surnames. Please help!

Cecile wrote:

I don’t seem to remember you teasing me.. you were fun. I guess you are right Alex and ace are the bullies of our class.. I don’t remember the tears but I do remember the teasing a bit.. Not all of it... I guess I have to give them credit for that because I became strong.. and very resilient to things.. and working for a waste management company I have to grow balls because most of my co managers here are all male and I cant afford to be a cry baby.. plus all of them are white people so I really have to suck it up and be a b..itch or an a.. ss/ excuse my French..

So as far as I remember I don’t remember anything about you crossing me.

Well anyways those are bridge over the water.. and can't be changed..
You know what the funny part is... I think I had blocked that off and just remembered bits and pieces of elementary.. c'est lavie.. part of growing up.

It is good that u guys found me.. then I have more time to play at work..lol j.k.

Keep me posted

Jessie wrote:

Ay salamat naman! There was one time they teased you and I was the one cheering you up to stop from crying and asked them to stop their josh. Honestly, Mrs. Morales commented to get away from them . . nothing more than just an honest concern about my class standing. Remember, Loida and I was in race neck and neck for the honor and I thanked God I won that sprint nip and tuck. Ace and Alex were really mischievous then but they were nice guys. Their parents and siblings were receptive and kind to me. Their impishness was not to hurt but more of a playful mockery while you were too thin- skinned and easily got upset with it. They were guiltless and you were sensitive. The good thing is that these people that hurt you were the ones who taught you somehow to be tough and flexible. Now we have matured we understand these portion of our young lives. . . Comprendre, c'est pardoner. Memories stay with us forever and are important part of who we are. . but become less accurate as we age. . . lol.

Prenez! Bonne journée!

Cecile wrote:
Well, looking back it is really funny.. see when we were young we dont really worry and not really think of the consequences of your action... i guess i had changed a lot- taking psychology made me understand more of the growing pains and how we learn from it. i am sort of glad that i did take that course.. and sometimes apply it.. it is really handy with a teen ager.. i have learned to let go of the things that i cant control and things had changed a lot comparing to us.. looking now to what the teenagers do now.. omg we are angels..lol..

> You were nice when we were young, and i do remember that.. and i do remember you making it easy for everybody by your jokes.. and believe me i took that with me through my whole life.. that when everything gets wrong you make jokes.. and i just laugh... you werent just the smart boy in the school but you were cool at the same time. i do thank you for that :)

Merci Beaucoup... Prendre le bon soin

so how are the kids.. how old are your kids?

Jessie wrote:

Yeah right, we were carefree, cheerfully and playfully irresponsible then, but much easier to restrain compare with teenagers now. I can see that your boot is on the other side now. . and I’m glad you have changed for yourself. I think we were all nice. It was that young age is always associated with naughtiness more particularly with the boys and some were really hard to discipline. And I found all of us hilarious too; I remember you exchanged jokes with me and some of the girls. Perhaps you guys found me more entertaining because I got more barrels of laugh than the others. Girls were easier to please and more receptive so I preferred to do my one man show in front of them. hahahaha! I must say this, that you and the rest of our grade school classmates had partaken me some of the joyous and most unforgettable chapters of my young life and these memories will not be sealed with oblivion. Thanks to all of you!

Got 4 kids. . . all daughters. My eldest still has a year to finish her college, the other two are still in grade school while my youngest just turned 6 months old.

I PROMISE TO SEE YOU

Green with envy and strapped with a guilt trip - - these were how I felt not to be able to come on Melanie'sArrival and Despedida shindigs. I was just an arm span away from these special occurrences but time really seemed to be unkind to me. We all find ourselves full of activities, hectic, and tiring for ourselves and most especially for our dear families, because of this we commit our schedules one at a time giving each one a different degree of primacy. I wish I have the magic potion to be at separate places of two distinct occasions of same importance. Sayang talaga! Melanie has traveled too far to live through again and take a stroll down memory lane of our high school days only to find out only few of us could come and share the good times with her. Just like Alona, I remember Melanie as one of the "mahinhins" in our section. Still fresh in my mind, these two beautiful ladies would park themselves with me on school bounganvilla plant boxes and requested songs while I twang my guitar. Annie, I remember you very well, aside from being sporty and "alaskadora" you were the only one who knows how to strum the strings among the ladies. Do I really have that sinister beam? Ha!ha!ha!ha! (not anymore) You and Portiabeth were too closed because you shared almost the same interests and curiosities. Everytime I hear the Nolan's "If You Ever Change your Mind" always reminds me of her. She sang this song during a school program and I did the accompaniment ( Ala pang KTV nuon e). Riza, Cecile, Eliza, Imelda, Arlene. Elenita and Amalia was the troupe who epitheted me as "Mr. Executive" because I never bring school bag with me – and why should I? I only got two notebooks then(History & Journalism) and everytime I have to jot down something from the other subjects or take quizzes and exams, these generous ladies supplied me all the cut sizes of pad paper (heheheheh) . And what about Ellen, my dear Medic Commander who always got peeved with my mulishness and Raymundo's insubordination? lol. Perhaps these were the attributes why I seemed less liked by our girl classmates (aside from my insidious grin heheh) it was pretty palpable they seemed to find more pleasant guys like Ferdie,Lowell, Ramon, Henry, Carlo, Leonardo, Demet and the late Danilo who were more studious and better behaved than myself or the shy type class of Antonio and Edgardo? "You're making fun of my name!" Do you remember this scandalous line? hahahahah! It was election for class officers and I remember Raymundo tirelessly proposed Ronald to all positions (from presidency down to escort and finally to muse lol!) but never won a seat! Sensing Dilag's ridicule Ronald screeched the phrase, collapsed and rushed to the nearby clinic after this drollery. Crushes and hates were bits of high school experience. I have a lot of crushes rather than hates . Back then , I must make a clean breast and admit to all of you that Riza was my crush all throughout high school years. Girlfriend(s)? Syempre naman… I had a short lived relationship with one of our classmates, yes, short as blink of an eye . I rather not mention her name… I can only describe her . . . she was sexy (wow)! Yung iba secret na lang ( better ask Annie D. she knows some) hahahahahah!
My memories of Bobby, Lito & Raymundo will never be in oblivion. I agree with Anna Marie that there are distinct memories with certain friends. . . In and out of school, these guys shared me some of the happiest and most unforgettable fraction of my youth. Have you heard carolers singing the tunes of Beatles and Everly Brothers instead of yuletide chorus? During Christmas seasons, Lito, Dilag and I would go house to house to croon our carol pieces of "Please Please Me" and "Wake Up Little Sussie" hahahah!. Bobby, is my only Kumpare among our classmates and I remember often times we sneaked his father's bike going to Dalin or Imelda Pascual's place. Ewan ko ba sa kumpare ko na to, Ang gandang lalaki nerbyoso sa babae . When he got tired wooing a girl and he sensed that his courting was getting hard and had taken too long , (he was too impatient) ako na ang pinapagtuloy niya! (lol) Minsan naman sinama ko siya sa nililigawan ko, aba'y kinabukasan binasted ako nung girl only to find out the next day that she and Bobby were already on? hahahahah!

Hayy. . . its nice to dredge up all these fragments of high school stories. It makes me feel young. High School is really different, its the representation of our youth. It's like carrying all its memories for lifetime. My appreciation to Ferdie, Leni, Amalia, Cecil, Ed, and all the rest who give their undying support, time & effort to supply more cinders to woeful flame of our alma mater's flambeau in hope of giving it a newer and livelier blaze.
Melanie. . . I promise to see you!

"COOL AS CAT" - An E-mail from ANNA MARIE S. AGUILAR GIRDNER

Jessie, I was compelled to write you after going through some of the postings in the Batch 83 website.

I HAVE BEEN absent a while...how did I miss
these?Anyways, I was laughing my ass off
(excuse me).You saved ALLLLL those pictures
and ALLLL thosewritings - oh my God!  You can't
imagine how thosememorabilia made me feel.  
I smiled and laughed through most of them and shrieked through some of them - especially of
Mr. Albea's. Remember that notorious head bashing party?  I must say this to you though. 
I've always admired your writing style and  looked up to you  as the "cool as cat" dude.
One distinct memory I had of you was your natural ability to make people laugh.   You don't
even have to try to be funny - you reinvented funny! yeah, and you and Bobby were always after
 Jocelyn - I remember you guys. Anyways, I thought I'd let you know that you, along with others
have occupied the "good memories chapter" in my book of life. Thanks for saving those pics.
 Any BTW - I penned that Marijuana article as a sad tribute to 2 brothers whose lives were
hallmarked with the sad influence of the weed. You can tell the writing was definitely "uck" 
but who cares right? Listen, you keep the boys in line and keep the ladies laughing and please,
 please, let them know I miss everybody.

Laters,

Annie

Neil Armstrong was the first man to step on the moon; Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first mountaineers to reached Mt. Everest Summit; Pancho Villa was first Filipino and Asian Boxing Champ.

There is always a FIRST for everything! I wouldn’t have even the most trivial tip-off in my wits to craft a link for MHSians if not for this lady - Anna Marie S. Aguilar Girdner . She is the forerunner of Batchof83 E-group , a site that serves as the milieu for MHSians at Yahoo more specifically for batch of 1983 where she and I belonged.

Maraming salamat Anna Marie for appreciating everything that I posted there. I always make it a point to cherish everything that will jogs the memories of my youth and my happy and blissful past. I don’t lob or lose something that I’m sure I’ll regret afterwards. Yan din and sinsabi ko sa mga kids ko na maging masinop. Do you believe that their first cut hair and fingernails, bellybuttons and preganacy dip strips urine test, letters to Santa Clause , old school ID's tinatago ko pa? Parang ako ang babae sa bahay! Ha!ha!ha! For me, these are simple life’s treasures. One day when old age would thwart me from telling my life’s chronicle to my kids and grand children(if God permits me to live that long) at least I have something to get from my cabinet and show a good time to them. I like to be a paragon to my kids. I must admit that I’m not really that good in writing. Its just that I really like to write and express my mind and views. Nagtataka nga ako bakit ako ang naging Editor- in -chief ng MHS Journal where anyone from you, Melanie Mabini Mayr and Erlinda Ferandez (I think) could best fit in for the position. Maybe totoo nga yung sinabi mo….nadaan sa sa pagpapatawa! ha!ha!ha!. Si Bobby magandang lalaki yun e. Crush ng bayan ika nga , yung hindi nya mga gusto yun ang ibinibigay nya sa akin, kaya mas maraming napupunta sa akin (joke) ha!ha!ha! Where is he now? Namimis ko rin itong kumpare ko na ito ( he’s Caca’s ninong) You were the first person I knew(Section 1) when I enrolled at MHS. You were a member of Mauway Elementary School Softball team I was from the ERES Baseball team then. Both teams competed in Marikina. Nagulat ka pa nga nuon ng nagkita tayo sa room. Magiging magkaklase pala tayo. Sure hope so you still remember this. You and the rest of our classmates has been a fraction of my life and without that portion it will never complete my youth and my life story .

Thank you again for starting it all, you can count on my loyal and constant support for the group and I promise you for more postings of any sorts in the future. As you said, I will let them know how terribly you miss them. . . but am a bit doubtful if my sense of humor will still work on them! ha!ha!ha!

God Bless!

MELANIE'S WELCOME & DESPEDIDA PARTY

Melanie Mabinie Mayr Welcome Party at Aberdeen Court, Makati & Despedida Party at Music 21, Jupiter. Present were: Ferdie Gonzales, Leni Lantin, Ellen Fernandez, Cecille Capili, Ed dela Cruz, Annie Diaz, May Lomarda-Diongco, Alona Balatbat-Lim, Imelda Apostol, Orly Omaga, Jessie Colili, Lito Lumabas, Crispin Vertudez, & Nelzon Quizon.




Sayang! Nakakainggit to see these pictures without me. Perhaps I'm a lot busier than you guys and I wasn't able to beat the time.Di bale I know all who attended have a wonderful time with Melanie. Next time hindi na pwedeng kayo lang. . . sasama na talaga ako!
See you Melanie in December!

FASTER BOAT TO CHINA

My appreciation to Anna Marie Aguilar Girdner for initiating the brain wave of having a site for Batch ’83 in the expansive world of internet. When I joined Batch of ‘83 at Yahoo Group last year I pondered with another brainchild of creating a faction not necessarily outlined for our own batch alone but for all the MHSians of all peer groups, and at this point I started the MHS Alumni Batch 80-Present Friendster Group last December of 2006. In my recollection, Jacqueline Dela Cruz Batch ’83 and now lives in Minatoku, Japan was the very first MHSian to sign up in the group. To date, after a span of merely 7 months the group has 141 adherents from different batches in different parts of the globe and still growing. Freshly, Henry Angeles(Vietnam), Carlo Corpuz(USA), Ramon Magbanua(Middle East) Orly Omaga have also joined. Early bird members from Batch ’83 are Leni Lantin, Dalin Zuasola (Australia), Raymundo Dilag (Hong Kong) & Pol Enriquez. Most of Batch of ’83 Yahoo group members were already enlisted here.

What can you take from this? Just like Anna Marie, my earnest aspiration why I created this group is to join up all MHSians and to keep everyone in touch whether for business, scholarly or pure nostalgic reasons. Friendster on my personal point of view, as one of the top line internet social network service will best serve this purpose. Although it was overtaken by Myspace in terms of pageview, the Philippines has the most number of Friendster members worldwide. Our kababayans prefer Friendster more than any other public or community site. As such, Friendster is a fraction of Filipino cyberculture and present-day popular culture. Because of its unique profile setup and features, members also participate more actively compare to other networks. Although it is true what Melanie Mabini (former classmate and she'll be returning here for a vacation this August 3) said that it might take some detective and leg work to find the girls/ladies in the net as their last names would have changed if they are married unlike for the boys/gentleman who have kept their family names, every Friendster members and their list of friends are your leads for those people you wish to find. I would have not found Dalin Zuasola (Ojales) in the net if not by chance I crossed upon on Jay Ojales’ (her pamangkin) name on gallery section where profiles of Friendster users are arranged according to search preferences.He gave me Dalin’s e-mail add. I invited her to join the Alumni then add her up on my Friendster list of friends. Social networking was a big dotcom bubble that blew up in the internet, and Friendster is the bubble engine. Figures from Internet World Stats pegged the number of online Filipinos at 7.82 Million in 2005 (compared to only 2 Million in 2000). That means a little over 3 out of every 5 people who have access to the internet have a Friendster account! Our vision of having the grandest reunification MHS could ever have will be achieved if we all sail with a faster boat towards our destination. Thank you to all the members of Batch of ’83 Yahoo Group and MHS Alumni Batch 80-Present Friendster Group for keeping the spirit of our Alma Mater burning.

God bless you all at mabuhay ang MHSians!

" I LOVE YOU BECAUSE I NEED YOU ; I NEED YOU BECAUSE I LOVE YOU"

Just wanted to know hu's really active members of the group..ptambay lng.. if u hav tym time kindly answer n rin my quest...
WHICH ONE YOU WANT TO CHOOSE??
I LOVE YOU bcoz I NEED YOU or I NEED YOU bcoz I LOVE YOU...

This is a very interesting topic to discuss, but first let me thank Rebecca Sia, one of the pretty faces of MHS Friendster Alumni Group from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada for posting such attention-grabbing subject matter in the group’s discussion board. And I thank her also for giving me a subject to pen here on my blog.

Erich Pinchas Fromm (March 23, 1900 – March 18, 1980) an internationally renowned Jewish-German-American social psychologist, psychoanalyst, and humanistic philosopher, authored this quotation “I love you because I need you; I need you because I love you”. Fromm said immature love says, “I love you because I need you”. Mature love says, “I need you because I love you.” Immature love is failing to understand the true essence and nature of love which always had the common component of care, responsibility, respect and knowledge. Some people love because they want their love to be reciprocated. This is reciprocal love. You may want to love somebody because of what you receive in return. Your partner bequest you companionship, you adore his/her physical and emotional assets, you cherish the food & the gifts, the prudence, the service and benevolence offered to you. These things aren’t unpleasant at all. You will be as cold as a stone if you don’t love the person. Though this sort of love maybe favorable to you, it is uncertain and impermanent. What if these qualities fade? Or he/she no longer appealing to you ? Or you find someone who seems to own better qualities? Or he/she can’t no longer afford to give what you need? Often, this scenario marks the end of a romance and begins to feel the remorse of falling in love with each other. When this happens,nagsisimula na tayo maghanapan, magsumbatan at magsisihan . At duon natin nakikita ang kapintasan at kahinaan ng bawat isa when all the things and qualities you once praise on him/her gradually ebb. Reciprocal love maybe mighty and successful but it doest preserve the full dignity of the human spirit. It only gratifies the basic self-esteem, our needs for survival and selfishness, and fails the higher spirit of man created by God.

To say: “I need you because I love you” is an expression of unconditional affection – Mahal kita hindi dahil sa kahit ano pa mang rason o bagay o katangian na nakita ko sa iyo, Mahal kita dahil ikaw ay ikaw. I love you and I am willing to commit myself without any guarantee, but only hope that my love will produce love. I love you not because you benefit me but the very inner of you. It is not I love you because you are pretty, but you are beautiful because I love you. It is not I love you because I need you but rather I need you because I love you!

This does not mean not to treasure and value the good qualities of someone we love but it means that our love is not restricted or outlined by a specific endearing qualities. “I may never get anything from you in return but I will still love you because you and I are inherently one. Unconditional love is just like a parent’s love to their children, or the immeasurable God’s love for all of us . Sana lahat tayo ganito magmahal. If we carefully learn our ourselves and come out with a relationship, let us love as we love ourselves, it is an act of faith and whoever has little faith has little love. As said, love, had the common elements of care, responsibility, respect, and knowledge and above all put God in every relationship. From here we will come to the point where each partner feels a fraction of the other, where each partner can no longer see in their mind’s eye an existence without each other.

" ... Let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not the power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.

~1 Corinthians 7:2-4~

EDORFEMANAC

EDORFEMANAC which composed of 6 handsome guys from batch '83 namely:Ed Feruelo,Darius Peralta,Orly Omaga,Ferdie Aungon,Eman Ambalada and Crispin Vertudez , after a long long years of no communication is going to meet again! courtesy of this friendster Group by Jessie Landingin,thanks bro! kung wala 'to 'di ko sana makikita at makakausap man lang ang mga dating tropa na matagal ko na rin namang na Missed!

Orly Omaga . Batchmate and long lost pal posted this announcement at MHS Alumni Group. Nakakatuwa naman! We are growing! MHS friendster group isnt mine, ako lang po ang nag start to create this group. This belongs to all MHSians of all generations. I just wish all the members will help me promote this link and make it known to all concern. Let this be the home for all MHSians in the internet where each one of us can be able to relive those good, old days and keep in touch whether for academic, career or pure nostalgic reasons. To all the group members and all the new members to come. . . MABUHAY tayong lahat! Orly, sama ako jan ha! hahahaha!!!!

. . . WALANG NAMAMATAY SA DUMI

This is a forwarded e-mail from Jacqueline Dela Cruz, a former schoolmate and choirmate from MHS. Jacky now lives in Minatoku, Japan.

For Parents/Grandparents With Small Children~

Please re-post to make everyone aware of the dangers of hand
sanitizers with young children. Ok. I don't know where to begin
because the last 2 days of my life have been such a blur. Yesterday,
My youngest daughter Halle who is 4, was rushed to the emergency
room by her father for being severely lethargic and incoherent.
He was called to her school by the school secretary for being
"very VERY sick." He told me that when he arrived that Halle was
barely sitting in the chair. She couldn't hold her own head up
and when he looked into her eyes, she couldn't focus them.
He immediately called me after he scooped her up and rushed
her to the ER. When we got there, they ran blood test after blood
test and did x-rays, every test imaginable. Her white blood cell count
was normal, nothing was out of the ordinary.

The ER doctor told us that he had done everything that he could do
so he was sending her to Saint Francis for further test. Right when we
were leaving in the ambulance, her teacher had come to the ER and
after questioning Halle 's classmates, we found out that she had
licked hand sanitizer off her hand.

Hand sanitizer, of all things. But it makes sense. These days
they have all kinds of different scents and when you have a curious
child, they are going to put all kinds of things in their mouths. When
we arrived at Saint Francis, we told the ER doctor there to check her
blood alcohol level, which, yes we did get weird looks from it but
they did it. The results were her blood alcohol level was 85% and
this was 6 hours after we first took her. There's no telling what it
would have been if we would have tested it at the first ER.
Since then, her school and a few surrounding schools have
taken this out of the classrooms of all the lower grade classes but
what's to stop middle and high schoolers too? After doing research
off the internet, we have found out that it only takes 3 squirts of the
stuff to be fatal in a toddler. For her blood alcohol level to be so high
was to compare someone her size to drinking something 120 proof.

So please PLEASE don't disregard this because I don't ever want
anyone to go thru what my family and I have gone through.
Today was a little better but not much.

I did a personal research regarding this e-mail and I found out that
this letter was written by Lacey Butler of Oklahoma and published at
http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/sanitizer.asp. Although hand sanitizer is being endorsed to improve hand hygiene , consumers should be alert of the possible risks of using this product most especially in our homes. Hand sanitizers contain 63% v/v of isopropanol which is higher in alcohol content in vodka and it’s the same ingredient used in E-85 gasoline, making the product highly igneous too! Kaya mga parents don’t put hand sanitizers kung saan-saan especially kung mayroon tayong mga kids sa bahay..They can not understand the cautionary labels on hand sanitizers . Kids are basically explorative and inquisitive and may even try to lick and ingest it because of its eye-catching colors and sweet-smelling scents . If they lick up, or if they start drinking directly from the bottle they could get drunk." Gulping down about 200 millilitres of isopropanol can be deadly because it depresses the central nervous system and the heart!

Hand sanitizers are still safe for our children to use if used according to the directions and properly. Sa mga can afford , its a great alternative when they can't wash their hands with soap and water pero sa karamihan ng mga naghihirap sa atin, sabon at tubig lang. Ipangbibili na lang nila ang kanilang pera ng ilang kilong bigas kaysa ipambili ng hand sanitizer, katuwiran ng Pinoy wala naman daw namamatay sa dumi. . . (Ha! ha !ha! ha!)

MY BLOG READER FROM THE LAND OF VIKINGS

Hi Brod,

Congratulations to your beautiful blog.

Interesting and great ideas.

Ang cute ng family mo. Talagang ulirang ama (bihira na lang ngayon). You appreciate life, count the blessings and you are happy. As my husband said "If you are lucky for love, you are not lucky for money". I prefer the first one.

Happy fathers day to you.

Sincerely yours,

Sis Shirley

Shirley Francisco ( now Mrs. Allerup) sent this words of inspiration to me. She was my former workmate at PESI and now resides in Denmark with her family. Magaling pong umawit itong kaibigan kong ito. I used to remember her singing (mostly Whitney Huston songs) everytime we have program or party in the office. Tama ka Sis, God will not give us everything . . and He can’t give us anything we can’t handle. For me "contentment" is what "happiness" all about. As Mother Theresa said “God doesn’t require us to succeed . . . He only requires that we try."

Salamat Sis, and regards na lang sa husband and kids mo. And don’t forget to read my blog ha? Hahahahahah! Gob bless!

SUNSILK . . Shampoo Day ba lang? Part 2( Are we stupid?)

Just to add more with regards to Amalia’s post about Formalin in Sunsilk Shampoo and to better inform us regarding the matter. May’s e-mail seemed to have an impartial judgement with the said shampoo brand, saying : “I have nothing against the SUNSILK SHAMPOO, its just that.. so far, sa Sunsilk ko lang kasi nakita ang Formaldehyde na content.” This notion isn’t true since nearly all shampoo brands have this content. Due to it's bad name , Formaldehyde is sometimes hidden under the name DMDM hydantoin or MDM hydantion.

What is DMDM hydantoin.?
It is one of the most irritating and allergenic preservatives used in shampoos and cosmetics. We can also find this chemical in adhesives, color photography, copy paper, cutting oils, floor waxes, herbicides, inks, latex paints and polymers.ffff It works by releasing formaldehyde into the product which prevent molds, mildews, and bacterial spoilage . You see? It has no beneficial effect to the consumers but merely serve as spoilage deterrent so the product can be usable up to the longest possible time. Another formaldehyde releasing preservatives are imidazolidinyl urea. 1,2-dimethylol-5,5-dimethyl hydantoin, 1,3-bis (hydroxymethyl)-5,5-dimethyl-2,4-imidazolidinedione, Dantoin DMDMH, Dimethyloldimethyl hydantoin, DMDMH, Glydant, Glydant Plus (95:5 mixture of DMDM hydantoin and Ido propynyl butyl carbamate), Mackgard DM and Nipaguard DMDMH. These are found in cosmetics, and skin care products. Examples of cosmetic products and toiletries are lotions, creams, moisturizers, emollients, foundations, powders, concealers, bronzers, self-tanners, makeup removers, sunscreens, eye shadows, and mascaras. It is also found in liquid soaps, hair conditioners, gels, bubble baths, baby wipes, and over-the-counter and prescription topical medicines. Other sources of exposure include detergents dishwashing liquids, and cleaning agents.

So you really want to know that SUNSILK isn’t the only shampoo/product that contains formalin? Here’s the list: Vaseline, Ivory, Dove, Head & Shoulder, Olay, Jergens, Florica & Botanica, Noxzema, , Suave, Flower & Rosemary, Freesia Lever, Village Natural, Pantene Pro, Pert Plus, Selsun Blue, St. Ives, Clairol, Dial, Prograine, Ponds, Imina, Safeguard, Aussie, New Finesse, Vidal Sassoon, Old Spice, Clearasil, Caress, Zest, Aveeno Diaper Rush Cream, Softsoap, Fresh Picked Raspberry, Aquarium, Aloe Vera, Balsam & Protein, Paul Mitchell, Nivea, Pert Plus, Johnson’s Diaper, Infusium 23 Hair, Neutrogena, Elmer’s Glue, Gerber Baby Wash, and many more (just find out yourself ) . Always check the product’s label and literature if they contain these chemicals or poison the whole family! Shampoo is said to be "one of the most toxic, persistent, bioaccumulative pesticides ever registered!".Cosmetics have their ugly secrets! As part of modern living, we create a wide variety of chemical toxins that go into our body system, through rivers and streams, the air, the soil and so on. Not only that, we actually synthesize toxic chemicals and then inject them directly into the food supply -- knowing full well that they are poisonous and are major contributors to the epidemic rates of chronic disease we are experiencing today. As human beings, we're the only species stupid enough to actually poison ourselves!

SUNSILK . . Shampoo Day ba lang? ( An E-mail and a Reply)

I received an e-mail from Amalia Lomarda Diongco my High School classmate. The message goes like this:

Sa mga gumagamit ng Sunsilk shampoo basahin nyo ito...

ei guys... alam nyo ba yung shampoo and conditioner na SUNSILK SUMMER FRESH?.. One of the ingredients of it is the "Formaldehyde" which is commonly called "Formalin" - Yes, yung ginagamit pang embalsamo ng dead people.. scary noh? (See for your self if you doubt about it).. everytime na nag shampoo tayo ng may Formaldehyde ingredients, parang enembalsamo na rin natin ang ating mga sarili. Actually, I already called the Unilever Customer Care and confirm to them that "Formaldehyde is actually the Formalin, and they said, "Yes, its Formalin, but they just put to the shampoo, a little amount so that it is still safe to the people...".. Pero diba, kahit little amount lang yung nilalagay nila sa shampoo but if everyday tayo gumagamit, everyday din nadadagdagan ang amount na nilalagay natin sa ating ulo na Formalin. I also searched to the internet "What is Formaldehyde? " and here are some definitions of it:

A chemical used in manufacturing and chemical industries, and as a
preservative by anatomists, embalmers, and pathologists. Being exposed to formaldehyde may increase the risk of developing leukemia and braincancer.
www.stjude.org/ glossary

is a colorless, strong-smelling gas. It is widely used in household
products, such as glue, wood products, permanent press fabrics,
flooring, cabinets, and furniture. enviromysteries. thinkport. org/breakingthem old/resources/ glossary. html

Although not common as a primary ingredient, formaldehyde is present as a contaminant in many consumer household products. It is an extremely potent carcinogen and respiratory irritant and may appear as a preservative. Products containing this chemical should be considered unacceptable.
www.seventhgenerati on.com/site/ pp.asp
and a lot more... mag search na lang kayo if you need more information about Formaldehyde. :-) Hindi lang naman SUMMER FRESH ng SUNSILK ang may ingredients na Formaldehyde, yung SUNSILK Repair din nila na shampoo meron din. Personally, alarming sya dahil Formalin is not really good for our health.
Though maganda nga hair natin, but still.. in long run.. if we keep using shampoo / conditioner na may content na Formaldehyde, baka preserve na ang body natin even if we are still alive. What's the use of the good looking hair, if our health is in at risk.. This e-mail is not for making bad impression to Sunsilk shampoo/conditioner . I just want to share my opinion regarding this alarming discovery. It's up to you if you would care to think / reflect about it or not.

Disclaimer:
I have nothing against the SUNSILK SHAMPOO, its just that.. so far,
sa Sunsilk ko lang kasi nakita ang Formaldehyde na content.

My reply:

FORMALDEHYDE? ??? FORMALIN???? The one Mr. Undertaker uses on corpses? Ha!ha!ha!ha! It's a very small thing as far as harmful and toxic chemical in shampoos are concern. Actually it's just one out of the many toxic chemicals in shampoos. Formaldehyde is irritating, allergy-producing, neurotoxin, and carcinogenic. It can cause imsomnia, headaches, nausea, nosebleeds, and skin rashes. DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl, urea, and quanterium, 2-bromo-2-nitroprop ane-1,3-diol, diazolidinyl urea, are some of the most irritating and allergenic preservatives, contain, release or breakdown into Formaldehyde.
Shampoos fall into one or two categories: 1. cleansers that need a follow-up conditioner, 2. combo of cleanser and conditioner that don't clean as well as a straight cleanser and don't condition as well as a conditioner but will do a good job of both tasks. Most shampoos are in this category but differ as to which kind of conditioning ingredient they contain. Other special shampoos types are dry shampoos, baby shampoos, shampoos for color-treated hair, shampoos for processed hair , and daily use shampoos. Even if you opted to shift from one brand or types of shampoo to get away from this Formalin thing still you aren't safe using this sort of product. Aside from Formaldehyde, shampoos contain other chemicals which are hazardous to our health. To cite some : Cocamide DEA (also known as cocamide diethanolamine) , while not carcinogenic, has the potential to form carcinogenic nitrosamines; Sodium laureth sulfate (also sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laurel sulfate, and sodium dodecyl sulfate. Research has stated that levels of dioxin formation in products containing sodium laureth sulfate are unacceptable. Studies have shown eye and systemic tissue (heart, liver, brain) penetration. Lindane toxic and readily absorbed through the skin and known to cause convulsions and seizures. and many more which (some)shampoo manufacturers kept dependably discreet to their consumers.

Why only shampoo? How about the things we eat? Instant noodles, hot dogs, bacon and other processed meats, soft drinks, canned goods, cookies and crackers, margarines and other dairy foods? How about the medicine we take everyday? Or the other things we use like toothpaste, cosmetics, deodorants, air freshner, detergents, nail polish removers, paints, house hold cleaning products ? And what about those huge factories ? Our own car and other vehicles? Refrigerators, air cons, microwave and even computers?

There are a lot more to mention inside our home and
around the environment we live in. This world isn't safe anymore
and this is the price we have to pay for development and commercialization.
Just like freedom , progress should be equilibrium to a certain point
of constraint if we do not want extinction to scrape out humanity.
Let us do something for our home earth to stay.
Formalin isn't just the ONLY thing . . . .

MY BLOG READER FROM L'HEXAGONE

BONJOUR! I’ve got an inspiring note from L’Hexagone:

kuya jessie,

i just want u to know that im reading all ur blogs,and i was impressed, really,i enjoyed every bits of it..tnx kuya keep on posting.love 'em.....HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!!! GOD BLESS.

FAITH, my friendster and MHS Alumni groupmate sent this inspirational short message to me. She’s working in La Metropole ( France lang naman po! ) . Just like most of our ‘kababayans’ overseas who whine with home sickness, this beautiful, morena lady from Pampanga and Rachael Leigh look-alike “seems” to brushoff all the discomforts of longing for home. Mukhang napakasayahing tao kasi! Thank you so much Faith and the rest of the people who find time to visit my site and read my publication of personal thoughts. “La liberte nous a été donnée pour exprimer notre pensée”. Ingat ka jan and God Bless you always!

INDEPENDENCE DAY: Are We Really Free?

At dawn of April 27, 1521, Megellan invaded Mactan, a bloody battle ensued . Lapu-Lapu killed Magellan. For the next 54 years no alien dared to set foot on our soil; Malolos, June 23, 1899, the first Phillipine Republic was inaugurated at Barasoin Church marking the birth of Asia’s First Republic; 1986 Ferdinand Marcos was ousted by People Power Revolution at EDSA - - - these were the chapters of our freedom. How far our freedom has gone? Are we really free? Everybody loves freedom. Everybody wants it. Is it the right to do anything we want regardless of the impact on anyone else? People protest, hold demonstrations, run naked on streets. write or say anything against somebody . practice own religion, go anywhere they want, insult neighbors, politicians and even the president! One has the power to make their own choice and act upon them accordingly, however, it has to be balanced with order. It doesn’t mean that you can do whatever you want and having no obligations to anyone? They say: One’s freedom stops when other’s freedom starts. Wrong! Freedom should be balanced with certain constraint . Imagine if everyone do what they want would it work? No It would be a total chaos ! Freedom has a different meaning to every single person. Everyone has a different view of what freedom means to them. We can only be free if we let other people to be free as well. . .
Galatians 5:1
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.

MY BEST FATHER'S DAY GIFTS EVER!!!

In the past years the role of the father has been disputed but several researches have established the truth is that the Father’s role is as significant as that of the mother. You don’t have to look over to prove this fact. Ask the mother of any successful family and if you are still skeptical about this, ask the single mother who is strenuously having problems to fill the role of both father and mother. Fathers have always been associated with guidance and protection, a person who can be loved, respected and looked up to. A good provider, a generous spirit with deep concern for the welfare of his kids, wife and family as a whole. Someone who forgives and accepts a repentant son or daughter. Someone who is willing to work thousand miles away not minding the agony of solitude just to give the family a descent living.We often forget the sacrifices of our fathers and the role they have played in our lives. Many times men have been charged of some small group of women who label all men as being burdensome but the truth is - this world is a home of fathers who are responsible, caring, and loving to their wives and children and are loved in return.

Let us remember and give thanks not only our fathers but all the men who acted as a father figure in our lives. None can ever be proud than being a son or a daughter of a father who is so great, so good. . . HAPPY FATHER”S DAY!

I’ve just got a Father’s Day Gift. . . it’s JESSREEL! Together with Caca, Pau, Days, I consider them as my best Father’s Day presents and my best work ever!

Ephesians 6:4
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

HENRY SAYS . . . "SA 'PINAS LANG MERON NYAN!"

Tama ka klasmeyt sa Pinas nga lang may pandesal but do you know that this bread has similarities with “pan de agua” of Dominican Republic and “ bollilos” of Mexico for the reason that these breads use a lean type of dough and the process of making is the same? The only difference is how people eat these types of bread. Yung “pan de agua” at “bollilos” pinapalamanan at kinakain lang, nothing more. Ibang klase ang pandesal natin, san ka ba naman nakakita ng tinapay na hinuhugasan sa kape o tsokolate then iinumin ang pinagsawsawan? Iba't-ibang experiments na din when it comes to palaman ang naimbeto natin sa pandesal: dirty ice cream, tortang talong, tuyo, bagoong at marami pang iba. The funniest of all the spreads na naibento sa pandesal ay ang sinangag na kanin! Imagine pandesal pinalamanan ng friedrice? Hahahahahah!

Where else do you see people selling different goods in the street all in just a single traffic stop? Itlog ng pugo, chicharon, mineral water, salted peanuts and kasoy, cigarettes and candies, green mangoes with bagoong, roses and sampaguita, vendors would quibble and sell these goods on the street . Some kids would jump into the jeepney you are riding on and try to clean each passengers' slippers and shoes ( without really cleaning it) and end up begging for coins?

Jeepney? Only in the Philippines yan! But I understand, some years back we began exporting this Pinoy ingenuity . In Papua New Guinea we have already exported about 4,000 units with Guam, India and Vietnam as the next export target. Ang galing ano? Ang “Hari ng Lansangan” natin humaharurot na rin sa mga hi-ways ng ibang bayan! Masarap sakyan ang jeep kasi kaysa sa kalesa, pedicab, o trycicle mas matipid at marami kang pang mararanasan kakaiba kapag nakasakay ka dito. Inside the jeep you can see the many types of moods and characters of every passengers. “PARA” ang kadalasang sinasabi pag bababa na ang pasahero. Yung iba tinutuktok ang kisame ng sasakyan o di kaya sumusipol o sumisitsit. Meron din naming mas hi-tech ang dating - yung “HATAK mo HINTO ko”.Ingat lang at alerto kapag ikaw ay nakasakay dito baka pag baba mo wala na ang hikaw, kwintas o relo mo. Pero ang pinakamaganda pag nakasakay ka ng jeep lahat ay willing umabot ng pamasahe sa pasaherong nagbabayad na nasa dulo ng upuan.

At bakit tayong mga Pinoy ang hilig-hilig magdugtong ng kung anu-ano sa ating mga pangalan o sa pangalan ng mga kakilala natin? Kadalasan hayop o bagay ang ikinakabit natin sa mga ito tulad ng: Nardong Putik, Totoy Balisong, Ben Ulo,Nelson Ahas, Eddie Buwaya o Jojo Kabayo (baka mukhang mga hayop kaya ganito ang tawag sa kanila? hahahaha!) Sabagay maraming kakaibang hayop sa atin tulad ng tarsier, butanding (whale shark), tamaraw, Philippine phyton, mouse dear, monkey eating eagle at buwaya ! (oo buwaya marami tayo dito lalo na sa Manila(Zoo)!) Another one is repeating names. This is another innovation here in the Philippines, siguro sa dami ng anak nahihirapan ng mag-isip si nanay at si tatay ng ipapangalan kay baby kaya inuulit na lang , kagaya ng Jek-Jek, Ton-ton, Pong-pong, Den-den, Jem-Jem, Ten-Ten. Yung iba “ door bell” at “busina” sounding pa like Kring-Kring, Ting-Ting, Ding-Dong, Boom-Boom o Pot-pot. Ano bayan!?? Hahahahaha! Sabagay, tayong mga Pinoy mahilig gumawa ng katatawanan dahil masayahin daw tayong tao.Kaya nga sa kabila ng krisis at problema ay napakarami pa rin nating celebrations and festivities at ang pinakapatok dito ay ang Pasko at Bagong Taon. Kaya lang yung mga seryosong events kadalasan hinhaluan pa nating ng kalokohan at kasiyahan. Tulad na lang ng All Saints Day, lamay ng patay, Semana Santa, Misa de Galo at marami pang iba. Tuwing Semana Santa after ng mga pabasa, crucifixions at flagellations balik sa dating gawi ang mga namanata. Nakapwesto na sa kanto at tambayan at umiinom ng basi, tuba, gin, emperador o SMB. Me sasarap pa ba (daw)sa inuman kung may pulutan kang sisig, crispy pata, kilawing kambing, papaitan, chicarong baboy o asusenang aso? Hindi ko naman nilalahat yung iba naman ay talagang nagsisisi at nagbabago at hindi pakitang-tao. Tuwing simbang gabi naman imbes na makinig sa misa si binata itinatanan ang dalagang kasintahan. At saan ka naman nakakita ng All-Saints Day celebration at lamay ng patay na may karaoke at sugal? Speaking of sugal ano ang sinabi ng Reno at Las Vegas sa atin? Kung meron silang slot machines, poker at baccarat meron naman tayong sabong, sakla, pusoy, tong-its, jueteng, kara y krus, palmo, masiao ending at kotong!

Flores de Mayo? Wala sa iba nyan dito lang yan! More than just a show of prettiest ladies and most beautiful gowns, this one has a religious fundamentals, a medley of St. Helena and Constantine search for the Holy Cross that wholly blends devotion, spectacle and worship. Kung nakakaaliw panoorin ang magagandang babaeng sagala mas lalo na siguro yung sagala ng mga matatanda at bakla! Hahahaha!

At eto pa, where else in the world , of all the things, do all people of all walks of life have one thing in common? Sirit na? Ano pa e di cellphone! Almost everyone here owns a mobilephone. No! we seldom use it for voice talk but rather for 2 way text messaging. Kaya nga text capital of the world tayo e! Who knows baka sa mga darating na panahon meron na ring “cancer of the thumb” sa ‘Pinas dahil sa addiction natin sa texting.

The most fascinating and admirable custom of Pinoy is none other that our hospitality. Kaya nga kahit delikado sa atin at infested tayo ng iba-ibang gang at terrorista tulad ng ativan gang, budol-budol, akyat bahay gang, salisi gang, bading gang, abu sayyaf o mga spooky and grotesque creatures like multo, kapre, tikbalang, manananggal, dwende, tiktik plus mga nagrarambulang politiko sa kongreso at senado visitors keep coming back to our place. Our cordial and generous reception to our 'bisitas' is indeed one of a kind. Traveling here means more of building rapport between us and our visitors. Ang ‘Pinas kasi is just like a huge auditorium for tourists who like to watch different shows and festivities. Dinarayo ang ating Moriones at Ati-atihan ng Aklan, Sinulog ng Cebu, Pahiyas ng Quezon, Pintados ng Tacloban, Kadayawan in Davao and many to mention. Ang pagkain natin di hamak na mas masarap at malinamnam kaysa sa iba kagaya ng lechon kawali, pinakbet, la paz bachoy, laing, bulalo , sinigang at mga exotic food kagaya ng balot, isaw, adidas, one-day old, puma, betamax, etc. etc. Isa pang binabalik-balikan sa atin ay ang ating mga beaches. With our 7,107 islands and a coastline twice the length of that of the USA, the Philippines can claim to be Asian Beach Capital. Nakapunta na ba kayo sa Bora, Dakak, El Nido, Siargao, Camiguin at Pagudpud?

Klasmeyt Henry, it makes me smile to think all of these things….. hindi lang pala pandesal ang only in the Philippines, napakarami pang ibang bagay. Nakakatuwa, nakakahiya, kamangha-mangha o kahanga-hanga. Sana lang lang iwaksi na natin ang mali at hindi tama at pagyamanin at panatilihin ang mabuti at maganda.Pilitin nating maging tulad ni Manny Pacquiao, Paeng Nepomuceno, Leah Salonga, Efren Bata Reyes, Django Bustamante o ni Erwin Evangelista ng huwag mapunta sa wala ang pinaghirapan ni Rizal, Bonifacio, Mabini , Ninoy at ng iba pang bayani ng bansa. Kahit nasan man tayo, dito o sa kabilang ibayo, iwasan na lang nating dumura sa lansangan o umihi sa pader at kung saan-saan, but never forget na ipagmalaki natin - - we belong to Philippine species.

MY BLOG READER FROM RED RIVER DELTA

Henry wrote:

jess,

musta na..alam mo ang nagpapawala lang ng homesick dito sa akin sa vietnam pag may mga bago kang mga articles and stories na pino-post..last is "Pandesal". Naalala ko nga tuloy ulit noong bata pa kami sa bahay na sa umaga bilang yung pandesal n dapat mong kainin sa umaga para magkasya sa lahat...heheh.. anyway, yung ang typical na way of living ng mga pinoy.. sharing.

Bigla tuloy akong nagutom ng naalala ko yung Pandesal... ibang klase talaga sa pinas lang meron nyan..

Hehehe..sige jess.. send ako sa iyo ng medyo mahaba habang mail next time.. 2 months na lang ang bubunuin ko rito and hope kita tayo ng tropa..

Ingat lagi bro.. God bless..

This was Henry Angeles Friendster message to me last Tuesday, June 05 regarding my recent post “Pambansang Tinapay”. I am elated! It’s nice to know that my humble writings somehow can assuage the pain and solitude of home sickness of someone afar from his dwelling and family. Ginaganahan tuloy akong mag-isip at magsulat uli! (heheheheheh!) Henry was my classmate all throughout high school and now working as an Engineer in Vietnam. After two months he will be coming home again.Bro. thanks for reading my blogs and pag-uwi mo kita-kits tayo ng mga klasmeyts !