Sunday, December 9, 2007


everything has a beginning. and it is universally accepted that every perception on the origin of things is influenced by one's socio-cultural, religio-philosophical backgrounds. it is for this reason that as there are as many cultures in the world, there are as well as many stories of creation and origin of things. this diversity however talks of common origin ...

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Sea Turtle

Last night I had a dream, my son and I were walking along the beach when suddenly a sea turtle appeared asking for help. The poor sea creature was badly hurt that it couldn't even moved its shell and was drifting by the waves. Astonished rather than moved by mercy, my son approached it and ask: "what are you, a dolphin or a penguin?"

sometimes it is really hard to figure things out especially if the moment does not fall within our so-called comfort zones. we seem to avoid those that made us uncomfortable, uneasy. we seemed to be rather preoccupied with the things that remotely affect us, like the headlines about holywood stars. we simply pass off those things that really matter.

the way i see it, this is one of the most problematic aspects of making people turn their heads and hearts for the environment. how do we encourage people to be aware of what is really going on and participate in the tasks of nurturing the planet. as long as we avoid to confront the issue, the tidious battle for the planet cannot move forward. we may have al gore and other other influential people who tirelessly advocate the environmental concerns, but they can only do much. There may have other "inconvenient truths" produced, published, and they may even win academy awards or nobels, but until they are unwritten and put into something real and effected, we may have to expect defeats. until we turn our gaze towards the very soil we are standing and carress it with our own hands, we may have to expect other sea turtles adrift by our shores begging us to listen.

Thursday, November 15, 2007


it was sunset in anilao, batangas and nature showed its majesty.

for a moment, i allowed myself to be captivated by its splendor. i was grateful that at that moment i was with my friends and family. the view was something that i would cherish the rest of my life.

there is always a moment in my life that nature simply takes over and i just hope that this sense of oneness will never escape me.

Saturday, April 28, 2007

xandiwa boys


ang gandang pagmasdan. konting panahon na lang, may magmamana na. 21 years na pala since 1986, matanda na talaga tayo. tinutubuan na nga ako ng puting buhok, marami-rami na nga eh.
but here is the continuation of the mayoyao experience. it has been a long a time since i have attended Easter Vigil, if i am not mistaken, the last time was in bicol, amos was yet to be born. it was a great experience especially after hearing kuya noel's matchbox story.
this particular day was special not only because it was holy saturday, but it was also mina's & fr. bong's birthday. after the vigil, the birthday celebration started. it was a touching celebration. indeed, fr. bong is well-loved by his flock. we sang sandiwa and the mayoyao people sang their pieces. and then it was time to rest. we were simply tired.

Easter Sunday! while our ninja-preacher was at it again doing what he loves and does best, the whole of xandiwa was finding their easter eggs. this time, the boys had unwitted the girls. while i was hiding those colorful eggs, the boys had victoriously spied on me. it was good thing though that the girls happened to spy the boys and told us what they discovered. but the crime had already been committed. but come to think of it, should the women of jerusalem didn't peak on the tomb of the nazarene, there shouldn't have been easter celebration. without that curiousity, christianity could not have been born. of course that's another story.

the time to say goodbye to mayoyao had come. but not yet.

Saturday, April 21, 2007

Now for the story of the falls.

It was a great holy friday, but i believe not for the pious people of mayoyao. the kids were simply enjoying their togetherness, although a faction is starting to emerge. Tugel took the 1st word, nonong the fourth and no-el, the ninja preacher turned into a scout master, took the seventh and took the parishioners' breath away! and then we took couples of beers before finally embracing the soothing weather of the cordilleras.
then, holy saturday came. the appointed time to the falls had dawned. we were all caught by surprise but this day was actually our "good friday" observance. just like our LORD, it was indeed a day filled with falls, more than the three falls that the Nazarene had suffered. well, just ask tita angie (nonong's mom) about it. but after so many falls, we reach finally, not the calvary, but the falls - and it was a relief. the resurrection happened so quickly even for a while because we know deep inside ourselves that we have to experience those falls again. and jerome actually and quite literally demonstrated what that fall means. but then, he was actually inspiring because after the fall, what we heard was the very consoling word "I'M ALIVE!" for indeed we are all are. THANKS FOR THE FALLS!

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

a holy week experience

it started as a thought, but somehow it became a plan, then an adventure. that was the mayoyao holy week experience.
six families, plus a ninja preacher, assembled at the NLEX - Tabang Shell gas station at around 0200 HRS. it was at this moment that i became convinced that the idea jomer had suggested some months ago has indeed become a reality - an adventure all of us will cherish for like eternity, maybe as long as xandiwa lives.
exitement was in the air as we exchanged views and plans, and two-way radios. then we started our trip to the mountains, but first we had to find our way through the rice fields of nueva ecija. the breakfast at the outskirt of caranglaan, nueva ecija was a splendid show of how prepared each family was for the trip. but mina's adobo has had a long way to go.
for most of us, the dalton pass was already an awesome site to introduce us to the north eastern part of the country; until tugel's ordeal began. it was in bayombong, nueva vizcaya.
solano is a place where xandiwa families would never easily forget. and we thanked God for its presence and it was holy thursday, probably the longest holy thursday in tugel's biography.
at 1800 HRS, we were still in solano and it was beginning to get dark. then we continued on less tugel's hi-ace.
we arrived at banaue at around 2000 HRS but without going through the fogs of ifugao which made our drivers blind. and then, fr. joe tagupa couldn't simply refuse - that was indeed a great show of christian spirit. the door was knocked and fr. joetags opened and welcomed us. dinner was served and everybody was simply wanted to rest, the coldness of banaue was just too enchanting that our eyes became so heavy.
at 0730 good friday, we started our ascent or descent to mayoyao, fr. bong garay was too wary and kept sending jomer a message. he already prepared the beds for us. it was one unforgetable moment, the thrill of passing through the mountains of cordillera was simply astonishing - taking of pictures was endless - it was 4 hours for a 41 kms road. but just on time for the lunch that fr. bong had prepared for all of us! mayoyao is simply amazing!