The YMCA Director at Dave's Farm

Getting warm-up before plunging to Dave's pool.

Yummy papayas!

At Dave's garage eating papaya.

Jason at the kitchen slicing

the papayas.

Wiron enjoying Dave's 'super yummy' high breed papaya.

At Dave's Farm with my son
Patrick and maelstrom guys.

Dave's Farm product High breed papaya

At Dave's Farm with his high
breed papaya.

Prayers for Merv's and Franz's Dads

mga padi, prayer brigade kita para magkusog nan maging healthy gihapon an papa nira Mervs nan Franz. Medyo napapadalas an pagpa-hospital sainda. siya lets all include them in our prayers.

Atty. Dante Arcos

by Edgar A. Basares Jr.

Aemilianum College of Law newest addition to the legal profession in Sorsogon is ATTY. DANTE L. ARCOS. ATTY. ARCOS made it in last year’s bar examination (released last Sunday March 29) – touted as one of the hardest with but a total passing percentile of only 22.91% of the 5,626 bar examinees. The passing rate would have been an all time low of 5%, had not the Supreme Court adjusted the passing rate from 75% to 70%.

Of course, the community of law students of Aemilianum is happy for Atty. ARCOS. As of this writing, the community is planning for a motorcade around the city. College Dean Atty. Kager Gerona was ecstatic and proud that he intends to bring out the test booklets of Atty. Arcos in his subject to show to the lower years how good he is. Last Sunday, after a thanksgiving mass at Aemilianum Chapel, Atty. Arcos dropped by and showed himself to all law students then taking their final examinations and was greeted with cheers by the community. Immediately he was besieged with the million dollar questions: Are you going to teach? Are you going to immediately go into private practice?

Atty. Dante Arcos is destined to become a lawyer. After finishing his Accountancy course from the Philippine School of Business Administration he worked with the Sandiganbayan as court interpreter at the same time studying law in Manila. Transferring back to the province, he worked as Legal Researcher at RTC Branch 51 and continued his law course at the Aemilianum College of Law. His exposure to court litigations and procedures augmented his classroom instruction; molded his competency in the study of the law and equipped him with confidence to hurdle the bar exams.

Atty. Arcos is also a SANO and belonged to batch 86 of the Our Lady of Peñafrancia Seminary. Known to us simply as Cacoy and Tetet, we, his classmates, were not surprised, and even expected him to pass. He is the second lawyer in the class, next after Atty. Junel Relativo who is now based in Naga City. You see, even during our seminary years, he was already showing signs of becoming a lawyer as he was one of the very few who can transgress seminary rules and get away with it. He covered his tracks well that he was one of the very few who have perfected the art of escaping from the seminary for days without even being noticed. He was the ninja of the class –who operates so silently and subtlety that only he can catch a chicken in the middle of the night without eliciting any sound making the Fr. Rector wonder where the chickens have gone. Even in his academics, Cacoy is devoid of a bang and a fanfare. He would just sit there silently watching an algebraic problem or a latin maxim or a Spanish phrase and before we know it already have the solution or the translation in his mind.

Amidst the euphoric preparation of the community of law students to parade Atty. Dante Arcos around the city, we the Sorsogon based Maelstrom Class (OLPS Batch 86) are silently preparing our own gathering and salutation for Cacoy. We have deliberately cancelled our customary Black Saturday get together this year in anticipation for the bar result of Cacoy.

We were never wrong.

Congrats to Atty Dante!

buligs te-dants nadale mo padi! ayos! san-o an irinuman ta attorney?

a temple, a mosque, and a church

The Singosari temple, i think its the only remaining ancient Buddhist temple in East Java.
















The Malang Mosque taken from the park where I jog every other day.












And the Catholic church in downtown Malang

Carinderia ala Jakarta

I took this picture last 27 February, the day I arrived in Jakarta. This was infront of the airport hotel where I stayed for a night before proceeding to Malang.

Except for the cigarette brand you would think this picture was taken in the Philippines.

Being the minority

I noticed it was raining as I left my keys at the front desk. There is some distance going towards the street so I hopped towards a waiting rickshaw while avoiding the puddles.

“Gereja katolik?” I asked the rickshaw driver. He nodded.

“Sapulo ribu?” I asked to make sure about the fare.

“Sapulo ribu” the driver replied.

And there we went, going against traffic. I guessed the polisi don’t mind the rickshaws. We passed by the mosque, I saw some people huddled there because of the rain.

I paid the driver the agreed fare as soon as we arrived at the church. I went in through the front archway. Unlike churches back home this one would not have a direct passage to the aisle and the altar. There’s an anti-room, I think purposely to block direct view of what’s inside.

I dipped my hand in Holy water and made the sign of the cross. The mass had already started as I went in. And, as Enniek have told me, the service was in the vernacular. I had to play it by ear.

I was very distracted. I was observing and comparing things with those back home. The pews were the same. There were hymnals and mass booklets for everyone. I kept on reading the Bahasa writing on the Stations of the Cross. There were three girls and a boy assisting the priest.

Then came the consecration of the Eucharist.

The people clasped their hands in deep prayer, heads halfway to a bow. As the priest raised the host and wine people lowered their heads to a full bow and raised their clasped hands even higher.

That really struck me.

I couldn’t help but think of how great the faith of these people. The church was only half full, but their faith combined could fill Quiapo anytime. Imagine them with their religion in this predominantly muslim country. Indonesia tries to present itself as a country of diversity with muslims as the majority. But in this little piece of earth, inside this church, I am with people of my faith. It is here that I don’t feel alone.

After the mass I stayed for a few minutes still mincing on my thoughts. Afterwards I stood up and slowly walked out feeling good about myself. The rain had already stopped. A rickshaw driver offered me a ride. I declined. It was a good night for a walk across Malang Park.

As soon as I stepped into the sidewalk I heard the prayer from the mosque, calling people from their faith to congregate in prayer.

Suddenly I was the minority again.

Happy Birthday Moonvale and Rene!!!

sorry mga padi naurhi an greets namon

Happy Birthday Jason!

padi, kumusta na? ano lamang su handa mo dyan?

trackback: we can go coco (Sept. 14, 2007)

a demie flores from sorsogon sent me an email, here's part of it:

"February 21,2008

Hi Gabby!

I came across your mail about coconut husk potential, while surfing cocogreen of Dr. Arboleda.

My family owns about a total of 15 hectares of agriland in Sorsogon, Sorsogon, planted with coconut, & so far have only utilized coconut meat for copra & coconut shells for charcoal. I used to be an employee hence have not ventured on other potentials of coconut, until last year when I applied for early retirement, & could now look into other opportunities.

I am very interested on how & where to market coconut husks, since this would mean additional income not only for the family but also for the tenants, as well as other neighboring cocoland owners & tenants."

You know what, I'm simply glad that somebody, though not coming from our batch, took some interest in the post. just glad.

invitation: my other blog is udder-wise.blogspot.com, do visit.

Happy Birthday Gabby!

mapainom ka padi?

(padara ka man new pix)

Happy Birthday Mervs!

ano handa mo mervs dyan :-)

(post mo na lang tabi su new pix mo digdi then delete this text)

Happy Birthday Junie!

happy bday padi!

nadagos palan an acsat gig mo?

February's Birthday Celebrants - Food

Here is our treat to you guys... start eating now while there is

still 'bahaw sa kusina'.

From us... The Feb boys.

A Matter of Waiting

The problem with the future is that we don’t know how it will unfold. We can make some logical predictions based on history and observation, but there is always that x of an unknown that no one can anticipate. The vastness of predictive studies, and you can add the unscientific ones, could only comprehend things that have transpired.

Neat intro, huh? No? I thought I’d make a great impression. So what am I anxious about? In two measly weeks (as of the time I’m writing this piece) I’ll be joining the club of the big four-oh; entering the twilight zone where, they say, everything gets bad or good depending how you live your life. I’m the eldest in the batch so I get to become forty first. This post is about being that.

For a moment, be serious. Serious. Last December I accompanied Mayen for refraction. Since I was already there I thought I’d have my eyes checked too. The optometrist found out that I had some problems reading so she prescribed a pair of glasses. Again, a pair of glasses, for reading?!

Another story: I usually get up early to prep the kids for school. One morning while waiting for my coffee I found myself doing some stretches, things that I haven’t done for a long time. I had trouble reaching my shoulder blades with both hands. All the flexibility of youth gone.

Not only the physicals changed, so do interactions. Lately I’ve noticed that some people were addressing me with some politeness, or respect, depending on how you look at it. The “po” and “opo” are becoming frequent, and so is the dreaded “manong” as in “Manong, nag-submit na po ako ng requirements”. “Kuya” would have been better sounding, though both words mean the elder male sibling. But “manong” connotes not only seniority but also elderliness with eons of separation. You call someone a “manong” out of respect for the elderly; “kuya” is used mostly with affection, as in “Kuya sama ka sa gimik, ha”.

But is this what I should be anxious about? No…wait, yes. What’s the average life expectancy in these islands? Deduct 40, and viola! X more years to go.

Really now, anxious? About something inevitable?

Imagine on my 40^th birthday the world and its inhabitants will continue to live; some areas of Caloocan, Pasay and Pasig will again sink due to hundreds of hammerings; tongues will be knotted at Lovapalooza and elsewhere; a killing will be made by enterprising individuals in the chocolate and flower business; lovers await for their sweethearts for a tryst; and a million “I love yous” will be said. Then on my little space on the world you think I would sulk because of an anxiety attack. No way.

No way. Why should I sulk? A few more years and you guys will be in the same state and age as I am two weeks from now. It’s only a matter of waiting and our batch will all be members of the forty something crowd. That's when your stories about aging will be as good and horrid as mine.

And I’ll be waiting.

Happy Birthday Cando!!!

padi, email ka man sin latest na mga pix mo kay lumaonon na nang-gayud an yadi sa akon. ano palan mapakaon ka sa amon? hehehehe

new year wishes

"May your year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the year, you surprise yourself."

- Neil Gaiman

Fr Gerry's visit

Fr G in our house blessing. Thanks for coming and blessing our house!

Please take note: He is good looking because he no longer wear eyeglasses.

Courtesy of our Chairman Tyron.