Rest In Peace Grace!

     I was shocked in disbelief upon learning that a friend, a friend's wife, passed away in the USA apparently from illness although I don't know exactly what caused it. Some say it was kidney complications, others say from UTI. I couldn't believe that she would be gone of this world ahead of me. When I came back to Leyte for good, they called me to find out of finding me. That time, I didn't let them come and see me as I was staying with my brother in his house in Marianville, Alangalang. I should have met them had I known this would happen.

Rest in eternal peace

     Her husband, Leandro, is a great friend of mine in college as we were together in the school paper in college for two years. They got married when I was working abroad. I got to know her when they came to Singapore when she attended her company's conference. Her husband, my college friend met me while she was in the conference, probably meeting him twenty years after I left college. I met the wife in the evening for some sightseeing. After her seminar, I toured them around Gardens by the Bay.

     After I got connected with Leandro, we were in touch via social media. One Christmas, maybe 2017, he had a holiday in Singapore with the whole family. I let them stay at my flat as I was back to the Philippines for my Christmas vacation. I remember putting a note in the house for key things to do in the house as I was not able to meet them in person.

     Rest in eternal peace, Grace. We will definitely miss you!

Happy National Day Singapore!

     For a long time, I worked in Malaysia as I kind of didn't like the idea of working in Singapore as I learned that time it is expensive. Then came when I decided not to work in Malaysia because I didn't like my boss, the offer came to work in Singapore which I took otherwise I would have to go back home in the Philippines. Thus I landed a marketing job with an American company dealing with chemicals in a regional capacity, the whole of Asia. That's how I ended up working in Singapore.

     Today is the National Day of Singapore thus I remember writing this.

Happy National Day Singapore

     I lasted working in this country for almost ten years until a stroke rendered me unable to work, otherwise I could beat my record of working longest time in Malaysia. For ten years, I got to love Singapore for the cleanliness, orderliness and everything. When I stayed there, I realized that Singapore is an ideal society in my standard. If you earn in Singapore, the cost of living is actually reasonable. 

     In my opinion, Singapore is such an almost perfect society where the government make sure there is no poor, unlike in the Philippines where the wealth is concentrated among the elite few. Politics is well managed, politicians spend only ten days or so to campaign in five years and once they're elected, it's all work for the people and society. The government is ran like a corporation thus it is well managed.

     I miss Singapore so much with all its orderliness and cleanliness. It's the exact opposite here in the Philippines, far beyond comparison. The Philippines is everything what Singapore is not, from economy, politics and socio-cultural point of view.

Largest Airports in the World

     I was travelling a lot when I was still working as it was part of my job to do so as regional marketing manager for Asia. Then I saw this list of the world's largest airports, of which at least nine I had been to. It definitely brought back a lot of memories and experiences at these airports.

     Changi Singapore airport is one I have been the most since I was based in Singapore. It was in this airport I flew to many parts in Asia and the world to meet customers and for internal meetings and trainings. It is the cleanest and most orderly airport in the world I think.

Changi Singapore 

     Another unforgettable airport for me is San Francisco USA even though I have been there once. I was there for reasons beyond my control. My original company training was supposed to be in Houston, Texas when a hurricane prevented us from converging in Houston. Frantic efforts in Manchester, UK, where I was stranded because it was our connecting city,  brought us to Atlanta, Georgia. Then I had to instruct my travel agent to find me ways to return by whatever means since I was in Atlanta instead of Houston. In the end, I had to fly a long trip passing by San Francisco USA. In this trip I made one big round around the world.

     I had a stopover so a high school classmate who is near San Francisco came to bring me around San Francisco  since I had a day layover and brought me back to the airport before my midnight flight back to Asia. I returned to the airport sleepy that I didn't realize I fell asleep while sitting waiting for boarding call. I was so lucky I woke up when they were calling for boarding.

San Francisco USA

     I visited South Korean customers and landed in Incheon, South Korea. It was a huge airport that I don't even remember anything what happened in that trip. All I can recall is walking through long indoor alleys before I could reach the bus that brought me to the hotel.

Incheon Korea

Olympian Carlos Yulo

     Carlos Yulo is the biggest news now in the country while the Paris 2024 Olympics is going on, he won two gold medals in artistic gymnastics beating competitions in floor exercise and vault. 

The diminutive gymnast Carlos Yulo

     He certainly brought great pride to the country winning two gold medals in one Olympics, probably a feat that may never be duplicated. The gold medal has been elusive to a third world country like the Philippines. Last Olympics in Tokyo, the country won the first gold medal ever in weightlifting courtesy of Hidilyn Diaz. And this year, one man won two, that is just a huge and hard act to follow. He deserves the accolades he is getting now.

     However, his mother, probably estranged, did an interview with the Philippine press berating him for not supporting her financially. It was a juicy item suitable for the tabloids. Apparently, Carlos Yulo's camp is saying she squandered Yulo's monetary previous winnings thus he won't trust anymore his winnings today. Whatever it is, may he rise up like a true champion!

     On the other hand, we were hoping for another medal in pole vault. Unfortunately, E.J. Obiena ended fourth. It was a great effort, and may he never lose hope and still aim for the next Olympics, be like Yulo who got nothing in Tokyo four years ago.

Canyoyo, Marabut

     During the weekend, I went to Brgy. Canyoyo, Marabut, Samar with friends upon invitation of a friend who owns a private resort along the seaside. Definitely it was a trip I will remember always. We went island hopping in our friend's own-made tri-catamaran. When I was still physically fit, before I had the stroke, I went to many islands in Malaysia and Thailand.

My DALAIT friends for life

Some of the islets we visited 

     I am glad that I organized them into a socio-political group during college days, and to me, it seems they have grown to become good individuals in their profession. Imagine, they are now lawyers, court staff, doctors, engineers, and public service employees, yet they have become leaders in their own fields based on the tenets of Authentic Christian Humanism and Active Non-Violence.

The private tri-catamaran of our friend used for island hopping 

     We viewed a cave in one of the islets and swam on the beach to our hearts' delight as it was deserted and there were no other tourists except for the municipal crew collecting the mandatory fee for island use. I was thinking that to be able to visit this island, you must have your own sea transport, unlike in Thailand that they are well organized from the government's tourism board to the private people responsible for the transport and food, making them a must-go for tourists. I am thinking the Philippines has many things to show to the world but the security is a huge stumbling block. You won't know which area has insurgents. 

Entering the cave

In one of  the islets

     It's a pity that the government is not tapping this huge potential. Unfortunately, political leaders are focused on piece meal solutions, no one is looking at long term sustainable help to the people that they will survive even if political leaders are changed.

Class Reunion 2023

     I know our high school class 1985 batch reunion happened last year, July 2023. It was supposed to be 2020 but due to the havoc of COVID, the organizers delayed it. I have almost forgotten it until I saw these pictures in my Messenger messages from our Class President, pictures from the reunion night. I've totally forgotten about these pictures. I am publishing them here for posterity's sake.

To Harvest Soon

     Today I saw our corn plants are bearing fruits. In another 15-20 days, they should be ripe for harvesting.

They're growing well 

     Yesterday, my buddy from the Agriculture Department came to see if the recent rains didn't flood our field. He saw they are starting to bear fruits. We look forward to harvesting this.

     This is a real classic example of if you have the land, the seeds, sow then you will reap the rewards at the end.