I'm just glad and thankful that before this year ends, better things started pouring in. Frankly, I can say that I had a not-so-good 2017 start and until the 3rd quarter of this year, some things were still difficult to understand. But my hope kept its fire burning--- that good things will come to those who patiently wait. And indeed! God never fails to amaze me with His bountiful blessings in His right timing! All glory and praises to HIS Name!
One of the best things that happened this year is the birth of our second child, a bouncing baby boy! This cheerful baby resembles her mom a lot. Always smiling, always happy. He's truly a blessing to my family! And I couldn't thank God more for this gift!
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DJ's offering day, Feb. 25, 2017. Photo with Bro. Benefrido Santiago
& Taytay resident minister, Bro. Jericko De Jesus |
I had the chance to go back up to Baguio again this year, through the company of my best church buddies. We really are supposed to stay in Pangasinan and Baguio was just a side trip. One of the most memorable times of my 2017--- vacation with good friends!
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Baguio boys: MJ, Khel, Mayor Carford, Xian, Narvin
(not in photo: Czyrus & Czarwin) |
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| Mountain of houses has never pleased my sight :( |
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| had a good faith matter discussion with MJ's tito, with Razel |
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| bed sharing |
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| early morning view from your place |
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| ...and the smell of the green rice field |
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| never forget the worship services wherever you go! |
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| batis na malinis... there is still hope to preserve nature's beauty! |
career-wise, i get to visit Iloilo again for a very touching CSR project / experience. A community we nurture, together with
Gawad Kalinga, gave me a different perspective about "less fortunate" families--- families who live in a community where there is no electricity, and school travel for kids becomes a reason for their frequent class absences. i, together with two good men, were assigned to document this "reality" but was instructed to avoid producing a pitiful story angle. seems difficult but that "reality" made our assignment naturally easy to accomplish. Kids greet you with smiles on their faces whenever they come across you, elders do likewise and acknowledge your presence cheerfully. NO TRACES OF POVERTY, even if they have lesser than the standard households here in Metro Manila. Children knows their responsibilities at their young age--- domestic responsibilities even. Children are eager for education, and the community as a whole has been supportive of this. Youth organizations established weekly tutorials for the younger ones, and "bayanihan" community services are regular on weekends. Time well spent each day. This is how they live without television, computers, laptops, and other gadgets--- simple but fruitful life. More social interaction and community awareness. One could wish to live in the community and forget all the complexity that modern living has to offer.
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| documenting their story w/ Joaquin, Raymond & Issa |
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| Early morning pose with the neighborhood |
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| community service FTW! |
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| the regular Zumba session on weekends led by the Youth organiztion |
Another blessing before this year ends, I finally got my long-awaited "movement." It has been three years and many thoughts of giving-up when this has been finally realized. although, the official paper confirming this "movement" hasn't been distributed yet.
For the many, many times I've traveled by plane, this is the first time I got really upset over a local flight. Yes, i've had numerous and countless delayed flights before but this one topped them all! I was scheduled for the earliest flight last October 16 to discuss an upcoming company activity in our offices in Iloilo. I got the earliest possible flight so I can start my rounds early and have ample time to stay there in case needed, before the scheduled flight back to Manila. Then this happened: arrived in NAIA Terminal 3 at around 3am. My boarding time reads 0350. I checked in and waited for the boarding time. It was a little past 4am when people began inquiring at the Cebu Pacific desk which at that time was manned by a couple of the airline staff. We were supposed to depart at 0420 and no advisory was yet to be announced. A few minutes after numerous desk inquiries, announcement said that the flight will be delayed (as we expected) and that we should
wait for the next flight announcement at 7:00AM! Like, huh??? 7:00AM and WAIT for further announcement?? So do we have much choice? After waiting for another three hours, we approached the airline desk to inquire. We were told that an announcement will be made in a few minutes.. then the much-awaited information was announced: "...please be informed that your flight will further be delayed. Please wait for the next flight announcement at 10:00AM" Another 3 hours??? I've called my boss already to inform this unacceptable situation, but told her i'd be waiting until the next (and hopefully the last) flight status announcement. I began inquiring on the updates about the situation at Iloilo International Airport, since I began hearing comments from other passengers that the flight will be cancelled and that they are opting to reroute to Roxas then travel by land to Iloilo instead. A few days earlier,
a Cebu Pacific aircraft overshoot the runway of Iloilo International Airport and was stranded there for days. Perhaps it would be possible to clear the situation from there rather than waiting for the delayed announcement from the airline? And besides, I've checked PAL website earlier and they already announced cancelled flights to all of their scheduled Iloilo-bound trips. Why not do the same, Cebu Pacific?? Whyyy??? So even before 9AM, the airline desk was already being swarmed up by irate passengers. I've decided to wait and wait until they finally announced, minutes before 10AM, that the flight will be cancelled already. 7 hours of waiting in vain is just... WOW.
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| no sun has risen yet, i was already waiting near the boarding gate |
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Cebu Pacific desk getting busy attending to irate passengers
and at the same time inquiring about the flight |
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1-pc chicken joy-rice, and a bottle of water to ease our disappointment
plus one-way trip voucher to any local flight of destination |
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| my boarding pass stamped with "claimed meals" isa lang naman yung meal na ibinigay :P |
I've struggled to find a perfect business to 'supplement' my monthly income. Things have been uneasy, financially speaking, this year and the blessing that came toward the end of this year should change my financial storyline--- for the better. But I still need to plan for a long-term (savings) goal. The numerous buy and sell products have somewhat helped me go through the year.. some of them are the following:
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ladies shorts... managed to sell a few pieces with a very
generous supplier willing to settle on a consignment basis |
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| had one buyer but i had to recall since product wasn't original |
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good products, but not really the business product i was hoping for.
we still use these at home. really very good products. |
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the most successful among the products i sold. pagkain pa rin
talaga ang love ng mga Pinoy customers! |
in one of the most 'sensationalized' crime stories that happened this year, one story (un)fortunately happened in one of our projects. so when media reporters have to come and cover the story, I needed to be there. Other than the bad story that the news covered, it was a pleasant reunion with one former colleague, Chino Gaston, and meeting a new face from the other network, Jasmin Romero. The latter had the juicier detail of the drama though as it was their network who had the first exclusive coverage of the developing story.
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friends by profession: ABS CBN's Jasmin Romero (leftmost)
and GMA's Chino Gaston (middle) |
Health-wise, I haven't been a hundred percent healthy this year. Found out that my triglyceride, uric acid, and bad fats have sky-rocketed after I submitted myself to a doctor's check-up when I felt once that my blood pressure also shoot up. I was given numerous medicine prescriptions which I had to consume for a month. Then I have to undergo a series of blood chemistry to monitor its improvement. In the end (or after three blood chem results) I decided to just restrict myself to a strict diet (and veer away from the daily meds) as the doctor advised anyway: LESS rice, NO softdrinks, LESS coffee... and some other things i love, i have to give-up--- or at least LIMIT, LIMIT, LIMIT: peanuts, sweets, PORK (bye, sinigang), BEEF (or any red meat for that matter). Then FORCE myself to physical activities. Since I am not a very sporty guy, I decided to take the stairs always when going down, and walk the stretch of Shaw Boulevard after work--- from our office (Puregold Shaw area) to Kalentong, or sometimes up to Starmall. Yep, it's traffic anyway. I also got a second-hand bicycle courtesy of my ever-reliable dad, and got used to take the stairs of the LRT station going up. Yes, going up! I also forced myself to drink a lot of water not caring if I go to the restroom more often, and take my daily dosage of buco juice. After a few weeks of keeping this routine, results are quite pleasant--- I even lost my frequent heartburn! Now all I have to do is to maintain this discipline unto the coming year.
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| February 3, 2017 |
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| December 19, 2017. pwede na ulet lumamon! |
In a few hours, it's going to be a new year. A couple of things to look forward to for the 1st month of the year: DJ's 1st birthday; mom's homecoming. Then, let's take it one at a time. God is good always, all the time! As for me and my family, we will serve Him faithfully.
A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR TO ALL!
