Memories of Reunion 2010

     My high school class makes it a point to organize a reunion every five years, we had one in 2010, our third. Before the event, some batchmates invited me to play badminton, and I was eager to show off how I developed badminton skills in Malaysia, one of the leading countries in the sport. I was not as skilled as many Malaysians but definitely better than any of my local friends, I can proudly say.

Playing badminton with batchmates in 2010

     Badminton, it seemed, found a way to be kind of popular among Filipinos although it is still a sport for the upper class unlike in other neighboring countries that it is a massive sport. Badminton courts sprouted for rental in many cities. This is a sport that the country should learn and focus in order to excell world wide and not waste energy on basketball, learned from the US, where chances of excelling are next to impossible, physically.

Dinner after our badminton 

Malaysia

     The first country I went to work outside of the Philippines is Malaysia, I had only worked in two foreign countries, Malaysia and Singapore. I worked in Malaysia for about 28 years and Singapore, 9 years until a stroke sent me back home for good unfit to work.

     It was March 1993 when I first went to Malaysia for work. I had to for the need to uplift my family from poverty. The Philippine economy was not doing well and I felt hopeless to depend my family's future in it. I was fortunate to work in Malaysia which enabled me to uplift my family from extreme poverty. I have not enrich my family but definitely I made some stride to uproot it from the impoverished rural life, built a house somewhere near Metro Manila. I thought I was on the road to progress when a stroke hit me bringing me back to where I came from. I have to as I am no longer employed and only my loving family in the rural village can help me.

     I went to Malaysia without any knowledge of the new country because I went there for the economic need. Only when I was there I learned it's a Muslim country. That time, my idea of Muslims was the violent rebels in Mindanao, in southern Philippines. In other words, I have a scary image of Muslim, which I couldn't blame myself becaus that was my only exposure. In the first few months, I stayed indoors and dared not talk with any Muslim neighbors. Later, I found out Muslims there were the nicest people on earth, so different probably than the Muslims in the Philippines. That time Malaysia was not as developed as it is today, it was the beginning perhaps of its progress and development.

     Kuala Lumpur(KL), the capital city, was not as developed as Manila then although it was more orderly and less crowded. I liked the space the city exudes and breath of fresh air both literally and figuratively. First thing I noticed was that it seems everybody is driving a car. In the Philippines, owning a car then was only for the rich.

The world-famous Twin Towers

     I saw the development of the Petronas Twin Tower from its early construction. I remember walking towards the Philippine embassy passing through the construction site as the tower building was in progress. That time I didn't know it would be a famous landmark in the whole world.

     One popular thing I won't forget in Malaysia is the pasar malam or night market. Almost every village around KL has a night a week where hawkers would showcase their stall of goods. It was interesting going around choosing food, dry goods and others, almost complete market at affordable prices. It was convenient for the working people because the market comes to their village at least once a week.

    I am also impressed with the unity among the races, coming from the Philippines with the violent fight between the government and the Muslim rebels, Christians versus non-Christians. In Malaysia, I saw how Muslims, Buddhists, Hindis, and Christians co-exist without violence, without bloodshed. As such they have a pot of many cultures, celebrating the festivals of the races. They share food and culture and live happily. I saw how people of different religions celebrate each other's festivals.

     I adore the balanced development from the city to the rural areas. Being a parliamentary form of government, their states have independent legislature and thus they compete with other states in attracting foreign investors. No doubt the national capital attracts many foreign companies but there are other smaller companies in the rural states. In plain economics, that is distributing the wealth to the countryside. Unlike in the Philippines where all development are in Metro Manila and surrounding provinces but the moment you go to the rural areas, especially Visayas and Mindanao, it's rampant poverty and unemployment creating the  economic imbalance in the country.

     These two make Malaysia for me a great country, much much better than the Philippines, a good balance between progress and rural culture. 

   

Drinking Water

     My niece and her husband own a water refilling/bottling business which started in rural Bato, Alangalang, Leyte supplying to the surrounding towns. I helped them in the initial investment that time when I was still working oversea. The business has been great in the last five years thus the need to expand to Tacloban City, about 30km away from our town, driving them to start a refilling station in the northwest side of the city as a branch 

     They started the branch last December 2022, making it about half a year of operation. I don't monitor closely the output financially but based on what my niece and nephew tell me, it's so promising. The original branch in Alangalang has been in existence for five years, while the new branch in Tacloban has been running for about six months. According to them, the revenue of the Tacloban branch is half that of the original outlet. That is a very positive result.

The water refilling unit installed in Tacloban

     I am helping them market their drinking water in Tacloban City where I have more friends than in my birthplace Alangalang, Leyte because I studied my secondary school there. I gathered some friends of mine and some who knows me, because I was kind of famous during my school days, are supporting our water business. I fervently pray this venture of them succeeds. 

Eat Bulaga

     It's the 44th year anniversary of the controversial Eat Bulaga of GMA 7, making it the longest running noon-time show although in different TV channels. The erstwhile hosts, the famous Tito Vic and Joey(TVJ), have a fight with the management TAPE, the producer, which is still an on-going court case. TVJ started the show and the name but TAPE is clever to patent the name making them the rightful owner. It's still a case in dispute. It is run now by a new breed of hosts which made me watch it as I was never a fan of the old EB. The old hosts started their new show at another channel.

The fresh hosts attending the GMA Gala last week

     I watch the new EB, with fresh hosts, something different from the usual noon-time shows, the competing It's Showtime and the new E.A.T. hosted by TVJ from old EB. I never liked TVJ as well as Vice Ganda, main host of It's Showtime. I am turned off by their remarks that are often demeaning and unprofessional. Watching the new breed of hosts seems like a departure from the usual type and I see their sensitivities towards the audience, both live and on TV.

     They launched their new theme song. It's alive, fast and uplifting. I like it.

Condo Title

     When I was working in Singapore, a sales agent, a friend,  was able to convince me to buy a Filinvest condo unit, a studio, at that time, I thought of it as just another minor investment in a prime location in Quezon City since I had spare money. I didn't know then that such an investment would be a reliable money-making unit for me in case like today when I am not working anymore.

My condo after it was renovated around 2017

     To avoid the monthly headache of amortization, I paid in full last January 2020 so I could obtain the title. I managed to get the title few days ago finally after much follow-up since early 2020 battling the bureaucracy in the country, even in private companies. You can just imagine how bad it is in the government.

I got the title few days ago 

     I am very glad I invested in this unit many years ago as it comes handy as a source of income after my stroke which rendered me unable to work. Braving the bureaucracy of Filinvest, pestering them with my regular emails after I have fully paid, now it's settled. When they sent me the email last month that my title is ready for collection, it was a sigh of relief. My persistence in nagging them, knocking at their doors every now and then for two years has finally come to fruition.

Sigh of relief when I got this

    Truly it's an investment that didn't go to waste. It comes beneficial to me when I am no longer employed. Had I have no such unit, I will be without income. Glad I have this condo unit is an understatement. I have a house rented out in Montalban, Rizal. Both are supporting me financially now as I am trying to recuperate from my stroke, albeit slow walk and movements. It's not much but enough to cover my basic needs and my medication.

My condo unit at Vinia Residences

     I have another house in Montalban(now Rodriguez), Rizal, just 20-30 minutes away, without traffic, northeast of Metro Manila which I now rent out to the family of a friend. I acquired this property in 2004, much earlier than my condo and when I finished amortizing, I had extra money to invest in the condo.

My house in Montalban 

Personal ID

     Sometime last year, I got my new Philippine ID, a national identification card system requiring all citizens of the country to have. I was one of the first few who went to apply as I salute the move, late as it may but it's a must.

My  new National ID

     Had there been no national ID, many of the local poor folks would have no identification card. The upper class and the working class has other IDs such as SSS, their social security system ID card. Now with this ID, with or without job, you have proof of your identity.

     When I worked in Malaysia, they asked me what ID do we have. They were surprised to find out we have no national ID. I only have my passport to identify myself. I was all praises to the Malaysian national ID, which is similar to the ones they have in Singapore. It links all their information in government agencies, their ID number is linked to all their records, public and private. With the national ID, they can trace all their records in any bureaucracy. In Singapore where I worked, even foreign nationals are given a national ID, and we can pass through immigration without showing our passport. Of course, the ID numbers are coded to identify that you are a foreigner.

     I hope the government implemented this national ID system in order to come up with a unified database. This will solve most of the record issues of the citizens. With what I am seeing, I doubt if it's what the government is aiming for implementing the national ID system. If not, then it's a futile exercise, a waste of resources, like many other programs which they do  because other countries are doing it 

Women's World Cup 2023

     The country is celebrating the win of the Philippine women's football over host New Zealand, 1-0. The Philippines won three days ago but the euphoria is until now, in social media the thrill is overflowing still, and that is their second game in the round robin stage. They lost in the first game against Switzerland. The celebration seems like they won the Women's World Cup. 

Sarina Bolden's goal in the first half gave hope to the Philippine team

     Indeed Bolden deserves the accolade but the goalkeeper, Olivia Davies-MacDaniel, has to be highlighted for her tenacity to stop and prevent New Zealand from scoring. She was instrumental in preventing any goal from the opponent which made them win. The press should emphasize that too.

     I heard of women's football late last year when I saw the Philippine team winning the finals of the Asia Football Federation Cup. I searched about the team which I have not heard of before, only to find out that all but one were born outside of the Philippines, mostly in the US. They are all speaking with the American twang when interviewed on TV. Thus after that I didn't follow their succeeding games until this World Cup. When they lost thelr first match, I lost track of them and I thought it was game over for them. Until this World Cup.

     Anyway, they may not be homegrown talents but I hope they really stay and play for the country for love of the country and the game. A friend highlighted to me that France men's football team which won the World Cup last year, has a team majority of which are migrants from Africa. I guess he is right. Thus there is hope for this women's football team. I do hope they succeed into the next round and forward. They have to win their next match against Norway in order to continue the fight.

Their first win made them sensation of the press

BDO Alangalang

     Banco de Oro(BDO), one of the premier local banks, opened a branch in Alangalang, Leyte town center sometime last year I guess. I was excited to see such development in my rural town even though I closed my old BDO account in Manila since I am out of job. This is the first bank in my town. I didn't know was my excitement had another reason, the bank manager is a friend, a batchmate in my high school whose past experience has been in banking. I learned lately about her new post after she messaged me few months ago 

My batchmate, Wilma(left) whom I met in our reunion

     I met her in our grand dinner during our reunion. It was a pleasure meeting her in person after several years, maybe I've not met her since high school, as far as my memory is concerned.

Typhoon Egay

     The broadcast on TV seems scary, a super typhoon named Egay is expected tomorrow to enter Philippine land mass. Memories of super typhoon Haiyan(Yolanda, local name) bringing tidal waves in, killing thousands of people especially in my home province of Leyte, the easternmost province in central Philippines, in November 2013, remain fresh in my mind.

Warning of super typhoon 

     I grew up in this island of Leyte prone to typhoons facing the vast Pacific Ocean in the east. Many cases in the history when my classes were suspended due to the typhoon. I remember arguing with my mother to go to school since I have not heard announcement from the school authorities that classes have been suspended even if one can feel the strong wind.

     As a kid, I used to love typhoons. When the typhoons came, we stayed indoors. Usually it's a 24-hour ordeal and always the electricity is cut off. After the rains and wind, the sun comes out. That's when we would go out to see the damage to our farm and I would love picking the young coconuts that was felled by the wind. It was simple pleasure getting the young coconuts and eating them. Now there are very few coconut trees after typhoon Haiyan which rendeded this place barren. Few coconuts are now sprouting and seems no one is seriously replanting. The coconut industry I would say is dead unlike during my time where we grow them, harvest them and convert them to copra, the dried kernel we sold to traders.

There's a slight wind now

    The typhoon is expected tomorrow to have the landfall although the news says it's eye is focused in the north, Catanduanes and Cagayan. However, this is a super typhoon so we are feeling the wrath of the wind about 2000 kilometers away across the sea. I am praying this typhoon won't be devastating as the community has recovered from the traumas of super typhoon Haiyan in 2013.

     

SONA 2023

     President Bongbong Marcos(BBM) delivered his 2nd State of the Nation Address(SONA) before the Senate and Congress. I was not expecting anything because I know the gist of what he would say, not a departure from what we have heard in the past. I was right. He didn't really talk of the rampant poverty all over the country, unemployment and economic imbalance. All he offered, not different from past leaders, are palliatives and not really addressing to the root causes of the widespread poverty, unemployment, economic imbalance between urban and rural areas and the resulting oversea diaspora in search of greener pastures.

BBM's first SONA

     No, he didn't talk about those as he is so detached from the grassroots. He talks with the political leaders from the different parts of the country who are also detached from the social reality. There is no hope I believe for a brighter future. The reality is the powerful elite of BBM versus the powerful elite of the yellows are both detached from the poor in the society, who, to them, are mere pawns to manipulate during election, and the sad part is that the poor think this is natural. Not one of them thinks they are exploited and their poverty is a result of the social structures that prevent them from progressing out of the doldrums of ignorance and extreme poverty.

High School Batch 1985 Reunion 2023

     It's has been two weeks since our two-day class reunion with my high school batch 1985, which we usually do every five years except in 2020 when Covid seemed was at its peak. We have  interim reunion in between mostly for those available in Tacloban City. I was reluctant to attend as I am not financially able to support, I used to donate money to support in previous years since 2005 as I was blessed to be working oversea. This time, my close friends classmates prodded me to, my good friend Dr. Maricelle sponsored my hotel accomodation and Rolendes took care of my meals. Rolendes was our Salutatorian and Maricelle our 1st Honorable Mention. I was the Valedictorian even if I came from the rural nook of Alangalang, Leyte while most of them were from Tacloban City. I consider myself lucky and blessed to have achieved such feat.

Batch 1985 Reunion 38th year

     On our 38th year this 2023 we had a reunion  which was originally for our 35th in 2020 but was not able to do due to the Covid pandemic. It was definitely fun meeting friends and batchmates. In one of our activities on the beach, I went around for the first time to connect to almost all my batchmates. I'm very glad to meet them again after my stroke. The thought that came to me was that had I did not make it back home when I had the stroke in Singapore, I would not have this chance to see them. God is truly great for keeping me alive.

My Einstein classmates, the first section, during the dinner

     I met my section Einstein classmates, the first section of 20 sections, although only nine of us made it, the others failed to come probably due to other commitments. There were 45 of us in the first section, there were 907 students in my batch 1985.

     It was really great to see them especially my Einstein classmates who are very dear to me. Some of them came to Singapore, saw me comatose in my hospital bed and met me when I woke up. Some of them who are based in Tacloban regularly come and visit me now in my rural village especially my two good buddies, Marlon(2nd on the right)and Elmer(first on the left) in above photo. Marlon is an agriculturist in the Department of Agriculture while Elmer is a surgeon at Leyte Provincial Hospital.

The Magic 9 in final dinner

      It's sad only a few of us made it to this rare occasion, some no doubt had valid reasons. On the first day of our reunion, we had team building activities at Baluarte Beach after a holy mass in our old school. Kudos to the organizers who initiated the games full of fun although I was a mere spectator as I could not join them due to my slow movements.

Myself(in blue) during our team building in Baluarte Beach

     On the final day, a grand dinner capped our reunion. The attendance was only about a third of our total batch but it was a night definitely we won't forget.

LNHS Batch 1985, 38 years after 

Women's World Cup 2023

     I got introduced to World Cup men's football when I went to work in Malaysia, coming from the Philippines where football seems unknown as the local people are hooked with basketball and NBA. Ask them anything about the NBA and they know.

     Currently there's a World Cup for women hosted by Australia and New Zealand down under. I found out that the Philippines was going to play Switzerland so I marked my calendar to see the live match on TV. Regular world cup matches is on pay-per-view(PPV) channel but the Philippine match was covered by the local sports channel thus I was able to watch. I didn't subscribe to the PPV as I'm not really a football buff.

The sad result 

     I was banking on the Philippine football team as I watched them in some Asian football championship where they emerged as runner-up, even if I found out later that all players are not home-grown talents but are of mixed origin such as the US, Europe and Africa.

     To my dismay they lost lamely to the Swiss team. I regret wasting almost a couple of hours watching their game. 

   

Love The Philippines

     Love The Philippines. This is the new promotional slogan of the Tourism Department as announced, replacing Wow Philippines which was popularized in 2010 during President Benigno Aquino's term. It was not changed by President Rodrigo Duterte when he assumed office in 2016. With the rise of President Bongbong Marcos to the top in 2022, his department of tourism changed the slogan. Is this necessary? I don't think so. The change in slogan is simply a demonstration of inconsistency in the bureaucracy, a failure to look at the good in the past governments, all is in the politics of the leaders.

The new tourism slogan

     Malaysia, my second country after the Philippines, has always has this: Malaysia, Truly Asia. They have used that for years, leaders have changed in the government but their tourism slogan remained the same. Same is true with other neighboring countries. 

     Malaysia, Truly Asia

     Amazing Thailand

     Wonderful Indonesia

     

     Simple, straightforward, and seem unchanged for years. I think that's what should be a tourism slogan to create an identity for the country. Change only if there is a valid reason. For instance, Singapore changed in 2017 to Passion Made Possible from a boring slogan of Your Singapore. I can understand the need to change.

     

Wimbledon 2023

     The last four both for men and women has been finalized at Wimbledon.

The men quarterfinalists

The women quarterfinalists 

     The winner will be decided this weekend, Saturday for the women and Sunday for the men. I am placing my bet on Djokovic for the men and Sabalalenka for the women. Djokovic is gunning for his record 24th Grand Slam title while Sabalenka has been consistent recently after winning the Australian Open in the first quarter of the year.

Class Reunion 2023

     Our high school batch 1985 is having a reunion since yesterday's team building capped by the dinner tonight.

Our 2-day reunion

     I made it to the events as my hotel accomodations is sponsored by a classmate, at Summit Hotel. It feels great seeing my batchmates after 38 years. I am amazed at how everybody has matured and happy no matter what challenges they have been through. I think there will be more people at tonight's dinner.

Speech I Wrote for Cousin

     I wrote this draft of speech for my cousin who is guest speaker at the graduation rites of Astorga Elementary School where we completed our primary education.

     Distinguished guests (acknowledge dignitaries present one by one), parents, friends, good morning.

     Many years ago I was a pupil here and was fortunate to hone my basic education, to begin my first step towards achieving my goals. Our life was simpler, less complicated then. We played games in the school yard before our classes started then at the end of the day, we did gardening. We cut the grass in the lawn, we watered the flowering plants around the school and we planted vegetables and crops in the school garden. Those I think instilled in us the good values that prepared us to face life. The role of our teachers was never more key to what we have become. They were our second parents, they were our parents in school, they disciplined us thus everyone of us should not forget the importance of our teachers. And to our teachers, remember we are the second parents here in school, we have a crucial role to play in the pupils' future.

     We didn't waste a lot of time on social media, on TikTok, on Mobile Legend like what most kids do today. I would say we were more productive, spent more time reading and studying. I am not saying they are bad but pupils'  engagement on the internet must be curbed by parents. Again, let me emphasize, parents should manage their kids' access to the internet and usage of cellphones. Yes, they are essential in the social growth of an individual but the pupils should not spend much of their time on these. Their use of the internet should be managed by the parents. The role of the parents is key here to focus their children's time on a productive and educational agenda which will help in their growth up the ladder of education. The internet is a source of much information that the pupils need. During our time, access to the  encyclopedia was critical, today it is the internet. Thus the parents are needed to supervise their children's access to the internet, to their mobile phones, so they won't engage in unproductive endeavors.

     To our young graduates, aim at the stars, even if you don't hit them, you will land on the moon. We don't lose hope, we strive, we fight onwards to reach our goals. Very important is to set our own goals, it will be our driving force to persist, to continue and to not surrender. If we have no goals, we're like floating in limbo, we have no clear direction. Those who have no goals, remain where they are but those with realistic goals, often succeed in whatever they do in their lives.

     I know it's not easy, the future is not a walk in the park. Challenges and difficulties we will encounter along the way. If we persist, we can surpass them but if we are weak, we will surrender easily. Cases like this the parents' roles come into play. As parents, we must be there to guide and encourage our children to aim,  pursue  and achieve what they want. We all must remember, all that we do is for our own future, what we want to be years from now, when we grow old.

     There will be tough challenges as we move forward trying to attain higher education. Some of you may continue to the summit of education and become professionals in whatever field. Some of you may not be lucky to finish that kind of education, but always remember to become responsible citizens, does not require one to be professional. Simple jobs that sustain our life may be enough as long as we become an asset to the society, to the community. We are not a liability to the community, that is more important, being a citizen contributing to the betterment of our community.

     Whatever we become, always remember we are brought up as Christians, we should be good to our fellow human beings. Being good begins within us, what we are influences our neighbors, our friends. We should not be a burden to our parents, to others. If everybody absorbs this thinking, there's no reason the future will not be better for all of us.

     Let me share this story for us to reflect upon.

     One day, a man passed by a garden and saw a butterfly cocoon which was about to open. The man stopped, watched a beautiful butterfly slowly coming out, it struggled for hours trying to get out of the cocoon, then stopped. The man realized the butterfly couldn't get out. So he thought he could help, so he took a scissor, cut the cocoon so the butterfly could come out. The butterfly successfully came out but the wings were shriveled, the body was tiny and withered. It was able to come out of the cocoon, but was unable to fly due to the wounded body. What's the moral of this story? 

     This simply shows us the significance of struggle in life. Different struggles in life are necessary to make us stronger. Let's never get disappointed when we face struggle and surrender, and never stop trying until we succeed in life. Only those who are brave to fight the odds are bound to succeed.

     Always remember, aim for the stars, if you miss them, you will land on the moon.