LIFE IS ONE BIG FIGHT

It has been a pretty exciting week for those who love basketball. I was at the araneta for the UAAP Championships bout between the Ateneo Blue EAgles and the La Salle Green Archers to cheer for the blue team. It was a memorable experience for me watching such duel that lasted for years now. The Eagles really clawed the archers on the ground along with the good coaching of Blacvk and the ever-patient poise of the King Eagle Chris Tiu, matched with the undeniably great skills of Rabeh, Baclao, Reyes, Buenafe and SAlamat among others. I did enjoy shouting my lungs out and jumping with the blue crowd everytime the blue team scored or did a great job to stop the other team from scoring. My due respect and salute to the players of Ateneo, they really did a good job. It was a grand exit for the graduating heartthrob of Ateneo, Chris. Wherever his brains and skills may lead him...may God be with him always.

Speaking of basketball, I've been watching the local Philippine Survivor in GMA7 where JC, the cager of San Sebastian was a castaway. It's a very interesting series for it brings the best and worst of everyone. Tonight's elimination episode is really tearjerking for the fact that most of them are emotional, talking about bonding and what they learned so far about the realities of life. Paolo Bediones did a good job in hosting the show for he is very objective but sensitive to the human side of his castaways. He has improved a lot with his exposure since the extra challenge days. GMA7 did the right thing in hiring him and i hope with them giving Chris Tiu all the exposure he could get in hosting...Chris will grow in the Public Affairs arena in TV.

Well...that's it for now. Just one final phrase...LIFE IS ONE BIG FIGHT!!!

I love movies.... it's one of the most relaxing elements of media that would really make my day worthwhile. THe first movie that i ever saw inside the theater was "NIGHTMARE OF ELM STREET", then "THE CREEPSHOW". AS you might guess, my siblings are suckers for horror movies and being young that time, it really scared me off that i still abhor cockroaches thinking that these dirty insects would someday kill me by entering inside my body..Yes, it was a gross scene that i could not forget. But still moviers fascinate me. My friends and colleagues would often tell me that i could possibly get an ward for having a good attendance at moviehouses around the Metro. What could i say, movies served as an outlet for me from work or boredom. THere are so many notable films that i have seen, from Charles Chaplin to Julie Andrews to Yul Brynner to Hepburn, Gregory Peck and other movie greats. One of the most enduring film for me aside from THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (Hehehe, it is always around during lent) is the movie IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE...the movie was so touching that i could not help but shed a tear or two...well, it's a Christmas story about a family. It did influence me so much on the idea of love, change and hope...I could not also forget THE CHILDREN OF HEAVEN, a middle-eastern film that left the audience shedding tears of joy after the movie.
I was fortunate enough to reside here in Mandaluytong near Shangri-La Plaza Mall as they would always showcase film festivals throughout the year. It is in this venue that my exposure to different film genres from different countries heightened. Recently, they held the Cine-Europa Filmfest, though most of the movies are not of our culture, it always suggest universal truths that catch the interests of viewers. Up until now, i still dream of making my own movie about life and love...I don't know if it's possible but i do pray for it. I always believe that good movies could contribute something great to unite all nations to make this world much better. I just hope that producers could come up with something and that the moviegoers would be intelligent enough to chose the kind of entertainment to enlighten and relax their souls.

University Spirit

It's Ateneo versus La Salle again for the UAAP Finals, as expected, the tickets would sell out like pancakes. It was already sold-out as of yesterday, just a day after their wins in the semis, and i was not able to purchase one - hopefully my brother could spare me one at the Loyola House.

What made me excited about this game aside from the great plays of this two teams, is the university spirit of cheering for your school team. I'm now 32 and have been away from the university life since i was 22. Though i'm not really an atenista, i cheer for them. My elementary and high school alma mater, Fr. Saturnino Urios University (formerly Urios College) has been affiliated with Ateneo since, FSUU is runned by Jesuit Priests from time to time, in fact the history of FSUU and it's founder can only be found in the Ateneo Library aside from FSUU Library. My brother is now in his philosophy studies at ADMU - LOYOLA House. Hopefully and by God's grace he will become a Jesuit priest someday, i'm crossing my fingers on it.

I miss the university life. I wanted to study again another degree but i'm not still sure about which course to take though i really love culinary arts. Well, only God knows what will happen.

Choices....

Poverty has always been a pressing issue all over the world, especially in our country. What can you expect in a third world nation besieged by political unrest and social apathy. In today's column of Michael Tan in PDI, he mentioned about the need for health alleviation as stressed by a speech made by a UP Alumni. He does have a point but what i could not understand is the mentioning of Mang Pandoy in the speech mentioned, giving the idea that the diminishing health and death of the old man should be pointed out to the government. Yes, the government had it's fault for it's corrupted minds that abused the budget for health but c'mon, Mang Pandoy was given the chance way back Ramos' regime but his efforts to elevate himself from poverty failed. WE do not really know the reasons behind but surely it was all about choices.....

I'm not a pro-administration voter, i only believe that each man is capable of choice, of making a difference in his life and in this poverty-stricken nation. Poverty is not solely a product of bad governance, it is also influenced by individual choices... a man could always end up poor if he chose to just laze around and wait for the rich to fed him or a struggling man could end up owning a store by persevering and making what he had work to his advantage. Each one had a choice between poverty and wealth, between failure and success, between optimism and pessimism.

How about you? what is your choice?

Bicol....my short stay

I had my chance to spend almost 10 months in the Bicol region when i was contemplating to join the ministry of priesthood. I went there with only a single priest friend in my list that i really had to start over and meet new faces that would make my stay there worthwhile.

Many of my friends here in Mandaluyong and even my own family in the province wondered on why i chose to be in a place that i'm not really familiar with aside from the very fact that it's far from Manila. My reason? Well, it's actually for the known belief in the country that the people in Bicol are religious. anyhow, my stay in that southern part of Luzon really did expose me to it's deep devotion to the Catholic Church.

My first stop is in Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte where i stayed in the parish convent as volunteer catechist, youth adviser and trainor. That experience really brought me to the joys of teaching adolescents about leadership, religion as well as life in general. I remembered that my first day in my catechism class, i taught them about LOVE according to the Bible with Corinthians as my prime source. AS expected, anything about love appeals to young hearts. My students were very responsive, enthusiastic and even sentimental as i discussed the topic. Luckily i did make an impact for by then, i gained friends and teachers did say the attendance for catechism class under me did improve. Well, i did enjoy researching and teaching adventurous minds. In the Youth Ministry, i was asked to scout leaders and train them for the group. It was a fun experience for me, and i hope for them as well.

After six months of catechism, my penultimate activity was that of facilitating the recollection in the high school. THe activity did end with all of us crying because of some sensitive issues that were brought out. THey shared that they really had a grand time and really appreciated the activities i made for them. Good thing, my exposure to Group Dynamics and Facilitation in my psychology classes and Singles for Christ team heading helped me foster harmony in the group. I was transferred to the seminary by December 2007. Since, i already made some friends with some seminarians, it was pretty easy for me to adjust. I had my own room there in the seminary. It was a good experience for e then and i was now assigned to help in the vocations where i had the chance to go to different remote towns and schools to talk with the young people especially those interested in the priestly ministry. I would travel for hours just to get into this towns in areas i'm not really familiar with. I could see that many young men wanted to enter the seminary life for different reasons. Some wanted to avail free education while others just wanted to challenge themselvesa. Only a few are really interested though many still did take the entrance exam.

As for me, my quest for the priesthood ended when i was not accepted due to reasons not disclosed to me. Maybe, priesthood is not really for me and it is only for my older brother who is now in Ateneo de Manila University - Loyola House for his studies under the Jesuit clout. AS i come to think of it, maybe i'm more effective in engaging change in the world outside the seminary. I decided to came back here in Manila on April 2007 to continue living in the ordinary world. I re-applied at my work and started working again last May 2007.

This new chapter in my life brought more novel experiences though i'm still searching for more meaningful activities outside the church, maybe in socio-civic groups or engage in missionary works. In my late high school years, i well remembered the thoughts i have regarding my future, i might become a priest or socio-civic leader...well, who knows?

Got to make that change....

Change..... With the current political and juidicial situation here in the Philippines, i could not help myself from giving a big frown over my face. BETTER Changes had not really surfaced yet in the Filipino mindset though our countrymen tried to start a revolution for change a number of times since i first heard of Marcos, Aquino, Estrada and now Arroyo. I was born in the Chinese year of the dragon when political upheaval and martial law shrouded the country. At my younage then, i could not really felt the pressure fora deep need for that change. It was only when i started hearing about Ninoy Aquino against the Marcoses in the Philippine Free Press Magazine that i started getting the urge to be patriotic. The 1986 EDSA Revolution made that big turn about in my life as a Filipino when i felt the deep longing to make that positive statement to insinuate change. I remembered watching the famous People Power taking place and since i'm in Mindanao, i could not personally witness the event though i could feel the surge of thirst that most of the Filipinos wanted that time. CHANGE AND FREEDOM. It was a new start for the country then with the political world making raves but still in the long run, the anticpated new dawn of better life did not make it. Coup attempts agsainst Cory break in, sending negative fetters again in the Filipino mindset. I could not forget watching the GMA7 show "That's Entertainment" that time with the Tuesday Group giving a message in their production number "WE DON'T NEED A CHANGE OF MEN, WE NEED A CHANGE IN MEN." that message really did hit me that time. i began contemplating on the idea of change taking place INSIDE the person....change is not something external. When i had the chance to study in Mindanao State University, many tried to invite me to join various groups that advocate politics and social issues, as much as i wanted to, i thought things over and just went on with life catering the need to be intellectually fed. Yes i did engage in inflicting change, but only in the university paper that really made me amous in some colleges in the university for writing about some complaints of students regarding management of some areas in the university. Though i was tried to be called in the legal department, i was fortunate enough to have a college dean trying to interfere and settle the truthfulness of what i have written. THat experience resulted to that change taking place in the college. When i started working here in Manila, it paved the way for me to engage in rallies staged in Makati or in EDSA Shrine during the Estrada Administration. Yes, said events stirred the thoughts of Filipinos but it never gave them the opportunity to make changes more of the long term basis. Rallies seemingly for CHANGE became more of a pastime or habit rather than that of making the statement part of our daily lives. Filipinos do need a big hange, not of men, but INside every man. AS what we can see in the news, everytime one group does not like the administration ormanagement, then rallies or revolt would surely take place with the idea of letting the leader to step off from the position. It has become a very boring cycle in our political system...now it's happening in the judicial system. When does this routine stop....well, i on myself don't know.Should we stop lobbying, no! it's freedom of speech and to rally according to Article 3 of our constitution. THe only thing i know is that if we wanted change, then we must start it within ourselves. Yes i know it's a cliche, but have we ever really tried it as a nation. THe answer is within you.... God bless you.

bloposting....my first

This is my first in posting a blog and i really don't know what to write about...Anyway, i am basically a writer - being a psychologist who is into making psychological profile reports aside from the fact that i've been writing features, essays and opinion items since my elementary years....If i remember it right, i received my first award in writing with i composed an essay about my Christmas wish for that year in Christmas 1985. I was a grade 3 student then at a Catholic University in our province. Although young that time, my classmates and teachers saw me mature for my contemporaries that i did not write about childish things....i won the award as i wished for a change of heart among my classmates that often got into trouble due to their bad temper and their overconfidence being children of teachers. THat article was posted in the university and i was very much proud of it.
Since then, i became an enthusiast in writing and began reading the Philippine Free Press that my father would usually bring home after work. My exposure to different reading materials and essay writing contests had brought me to higher grounds that i've been invited to become an editor for the university paper during my college years. It was such a wonderful experience that eventually led me to being successful in my present profession as a psychologist. I could still see myself writing about things of my interest in the future. WRiting for me is one great channel to relax and relieve myself from stress. Of course, i still hope of publishing my own book someday. A book about hope and love...
With this, i hope whoever came through this blogpost may stay connected...we never really know what the future entails for us...