A Speech Before High School Students

I came across from my records, this supposedly inspirational speech that I delivered some years back before the entire High School students of the Alabat Island High School in Alabat, Quezon. It carries historical account of our family and herewith being put in my blog for posterity and sharing with those who would care to read for whatever value student reader can derive from it. It was delivered in Tagalog and English or Taglish.

 

The speech:

 

Thank you very much Ginang Leah Castro for that very kind at medyo me papoging introduction.  My mother could not have done better with those praises.

 

Father Boboy, mayor artem, mga kagalang galang na opisyales nang paaralan at nang Recoginition Day celebration, mga coordinators, awardees, mga kaibigan, mga makikisig at magagandang  estudyante ng Alabat High School at kanilang mga magulan, ………………MAGANDANG UMAGA SA INYONG LAHAT!

 

Ako ay natutuwa sa pagkakataong ito, at hindi ko mapigil ang alaala noong ako ay nasa elementarya at high school pa. Ang totoo po, ako ay nagdalawang isip nang sabihin ni Professor Louie Fulledo at matanggap ko na nga ang imbitasyon galing sa inyong Head Teacher at Recognition Day Coordinator Professora Mabel Oliveros, na maging guest speaker nyo ngayon.  Napakarami ko po kasing tinutututukang gawaing maiiwan sa Maynila at dalawang araw akong mawawala doon.  Ganun pa man, napag-isip isip ko…  pagkakataon ko na rin sigurong mag-break muna upang madalaw ko naman ang aking mga kaibigan dito at matikman ko muli ang napakatamis na lambanog kasama ang inyong kagalang galang at alkaldeng si Ginoong Artem. Noong huli kong dalaw dito noong isang buwan ay me pinakilala sa akin si Mayor Artem habang kami ay nasa silong nang bahay nya….sya ay bata pa, mahaba ang buhok na medyo balbasin AT DINUDUMOG NANG TAO….. at sabi ko sa sarili ko, sino kaya etong bisita ni Mayor na eto na parang member nang rock band? SIKAT YATA TONG ARTISTA O SINGER NA TAGA MANILA PERO HINDI KO NAMUMUKHAAN.  Nang aking mapagalaman LATER, yon pala eh walang iba kundi ang pinakamamahal na Parish Priest nang Alabat na si Father Boboy.. 

 

May mas malalim na dahilan  po ako sa pagtanggap ng imbitasyon ninyo sa akin…hindi dahil sa pansariling kapakanan o karangalan…..at ito po ay ang “pagbabalik” ko sa isang lugar na napakamahal sa akin at sa aking mga magulang.  Magbibigay ito ng pagkakataon sa akin na ibahagi sa inyo ang isang napakahalagang aral o pamana sa amin ng aming mahal na Lola Victorina.  Hindi nyo siguro kilala ang mahal naming LOLA INA.  Siya ay tubong Malaybalay, Mauban, Quezon  na napadpad, kasama ang aking Lolo Petronilo sa Barrio Balungay sa Isla ng  Alabat bago pa nagkagiyera.   Dito nila pinalaki ang kanilang mga anak.

 

Standing before you today brings back memories of my younger days. In high school we also had a guest speaker and i was in the same position where you are now. At that time ni wala sa imagination ko na balang araw i will be elevated to the stature of a recognition day guest speaker.   Frankly speaking, nakalimutan ko na kung ano ang mga sinabi nuon ng guest speaker namin. Ni hindi ko na rin matandaan kung sino sya .  TAong 1967 pa kasi ako nag graduate sa high school. Matagal tagal na rin…Mga 40 years ago na. SAbi ko tuloy sa sarili ko,  there is a chance that most of you will also forget what i will say today at kung sino ako. Ang matatandaan nyo ay kung sinu ang katabi nyo today, mainit ba ang panahun at kung saan kayo pupunta o anu ang gagawin nyo pagkagaling dito. Kaya napaisip ako talaga kung anu ang pwd ko sbhn sa inyo ngayung araw na eto na sa palagay ko eh kaht katiting  man lang ay matatandaan nyo at magagamit sa inyong buhay.

So today, I will share with you a valuable legacy handed down to us by our grandmother, Lola Victorina.  You surely do not know our dear LOLA INA.  She passed away before she was 93 yrs of age due to complications brought about by infections from a broken hip bone.  Kung hindi sya nabalian, siguro po ay inabot sya nang mahigit 100 ba edad sapagkat ang kanyang ina, ay namatay sa edad na mahigit 110….naglaglagan na ang ngipin na luma at tinubuan nang bagong maliliit na ngipin, nalugas ang buhok subalit tinubuan ulit nang itim na buhok…luminaw ang mga mata na dati ay Malabo na…..yan ang aking mga ninuno…mahahaba ang buhay…kaya lang parang masisira sa akin….Napakarami ko na pong gamut na iniinom at napakarami ko nang operasyon sa katawan.  

Anyway, now that I caught your attention, ituloy ko po ang kwento sa Lola ina ko. She was originally from Mauban, Quezon  but for some reasons together with her husband, Petronilo, they found their way at Barrio Balungay in the island of Alabat before the war.  It was here  where our Lola and Lolo raised their children.  

Ang aking salaysay nang buhay nang aming pinagmulan ay ibabahagi ko sa inyo sa paniniwalang katulad naming mga apo, me aral rin kayong maaaring pulutin sa kanilang talambuhay . Ang karamihan po nang informasyon dito ay bunga nang aking pakikipagtawgan at palitan nang email sa aking pinakamatandang surviving nA pinsan, si Dr. Frank Tejada na ngayon eh nasa America na. Kung hindi rin sa pagkakataon na ibinigay sa akin na maging inyong guest speakers ay hindi ako mapipilitang magsaliksik nang karagdagang detalya kung bakit ang bayan nang Alabat ay mahal na mahal nang pamilya namin. Para po etong telenovela.   

SI Lola Ina and Lolo Petronilo originated from the hills of Malaybalay, Mauban,Quezon.  They migrated to Balungay with two small children in tow.  Lolo Petronilo found a farm land to work with as a tenant or share farmer.  They fell in love with Alabat and saw their family grow. When the children were  of school age, they decided to bring them to Lucena.  Lola Ina started with pakasera ng mga estudyante…Ang lolo naman eh nagbuy and sell ng baboy which brought him to the adjoining towns on business. Ang mga anak naman eh tumutulong sa pagprepare ng meals nang mga kasera.  Nagrarasyon din sila ng pagkain sa Lucena Jail.  During one of Lolo's out of town business, he developed  abdominal pains.  being a robust and strong man, he was still able to walk several kilometers before he succumbed to a ruptured appendix.  The  youngest of their 5 children at that time, was only one year old.  So Lola became a widow at age 30 with 5 mouths to feed and send to school.  Times were hard at that time.  The children contented themselves with toys they invented and made by themselves:  sumpak, horse-stick or kabayo-kabayuhan playing cowboys and Indians, saranggola at iba pa.  Through all those hardships, ang biyuda kong Lola persevered and  with her pakasera business, she was able to send all her kids through  school.  She went to market in a calesa everyday with her bakya and saya, to buy stuffa for her pakasera.  There were no refrigerator, telephone, dish washers or television then.  All the children did well in school.  The eldest, a girl, got married early and started a store business in Iyam in Lucena.  At an early age, the children showed extraordinary abilities.  While the others did well in school, Tio Cesar, the youngest, became a high school valedictorian  

Then WWII came. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, it was just a matter of time before the Japanese  came to Manila.   There were chaos all over. The family decided to assemble themselves in Lucena and relocate. Gathering all their possessions which they hang and carried on  bamboo poles they walked all the way to Atimonan where  they got a banca and traveled to Alabat, finally anchoring at Balungay River. They were about 15 or 20 people and they holed out at the Enriquez house in Balungay.  They continued to worked on the field , went fishing and gathered around in the evenings to converse or tell stories , drink tuba and sing to each other.  Their only night light was either candles or home-made oil lamps or digasa.  My mother’s favorite song at that time was Lawiswis Kawayan.  All those times,  they heared and saw flashes of light in the distance accompanied by loud explosions from the west, Bataan or Corregidor.  Then, on about Dec. 21, 1941, in the early morning, some people came running and yelling, Hapon!  Dumating na ang mga hapon!  There was frenzy and almost chaos.  Everybody ran for the hills.  They settled in a small nipa hut with several families, maybe 20-30..  From the mountain  they  saw the Japanese invasion fleet in Lamon Bay, which stretched from Siain to Mauban. They slept anywhere, some in the coconut kiln (Coprahan), others in a chicken house with mites, hanip and tungaw.  They ate whatever they could get from nature, ubod, berries, wild animals, even bayawak.   

When things became calmer, everybody went back to town.  The family engaged in buy and sell of fish, copra, dried fish and lambanog which were ferried by sailboat to Mauban..  Later the Caliwara family  had a lantsa named Del Carmen; It was  used for cargo and people transportation to the various towns reaching as far as Camarines Sur.  On one of their boat travels, the  boat capsized near Mauban. The eldest child, Tia Peciang, almost drowned had it not been for my father.  Being a fisherman, he had a good physique and was a good swimmer.  He dove to save her with his coat, shoes and pipe still in his mouth..  At that time, my father had a baklad which very often caught  lots of fishes which gave him good profit that he eventually used for his law education.  

It was a difficult life but through sheer hard work and determination, my Lola was able to send all her children to school and made successful achievers of them: a successful and accomplished businesswoman, 2 lawyers, a famous structural engineer and a public servant.  My Tia Peciang together with her husband Tio Isko Tejada, owned a string of stores located in Alabat, Atimonan and Lucena.  One of them Benjamin Caliwara, became a mayor of Alabat.  His term was cut short due to a vehicular accident while following up some projects for Alabat in Manila.  The Structural Engineer, Cesar Caliwara, was well known and respected in his field, having designed the foundation and structures of the Central Bank of the Philippines, the Philippine International Convention Center, the Cultural Center of the Philippines and a lot of other major projects both local and overseas. He also became a Constitutional Convention delegate.  One of the two lawyers in the family, Tio Alfredo, became a judge.  The other lawyer, my father was  Eladio Caliwara, better known as Ka Adyong to many of you here. He spent most of his life in public service having been a secretary to the then Quezon Governor Constantino.  He was drafted to run for Board Member and won.  He was well loved by the people which catapulted him progressively to various positions, becoming Vice Governor, Congressman and then Governor of the Province. All of them a sister and 4 brothers were products of Alabat Island and inherited our Lola Ina’s patience, perseverance, love for work and service to others. She was a very admirable and responsible woman.  

Whatever I and my siblings and cousins have achieved, so far in our lifetime, we owe so much to our lola and our our parents,  for teaching and imbibing in us the very virtues they possessed: value of  hard work, determination, perseverance, constancy of purpose, consistency in action, among others, to reach a dream…a goal; and that is, education. The center of all those qualities revolved around a very important factor which is a strong belief and devotion to God.  Natatandaan ko pa kung paano kami nagsasama-samang magkakapatid sa gabi habang nagle-lead ng rosario ang aming nanay. Bukod pa eto sa dasal nang aming Lola pagka Angelus or 6pm. 

Contrary to what others believe, we were not moneyed.  Again, possessing values handed down to us by our parents, we struggled hard to finish our studies. My Sister pursued studies in Medicine and became a doctor. She was born in Alabat during the feast of Nuestra Senora del Carmen.  That is why her name is Carmencita.  She has been living in the United States for some 40 years now but made it a point to come home to visit Alabat.  For the past 3 years, since the death of our father, she has been coming home to lead a medical mission in Alabat, the latest of which was barely a month ago.  She vowed to continue doing this personal mission as long as her finances and health will allow it. My brother Carlos, became a lawyer and is in active practice in Manila. During his college days, he became the National President of the International Fraternity , Alpha Phi Omega or APO for 2 straight yrs. Being a good bowler, he also represented the Philippines in several Asian Bowling Tournaments making friends with some of the PHlippine Team players in the process like Paeng Nepomuceno.  Last but not the least, yours truly became what i am today, pogi. Di ko na uulitin ang aking accomplishments sapagkat narinig na nyo kanina nong ipakilala ako.  The good foundation laid down by our parents for all of  us by our parents actually opened up a lot of opportunities for us.  Hindi naman sa pagbubuhat ng sariling bangko, we became matiagaing achievers just like our parents.  Along the way, I realized on my own early in life that I have the capacity for achieving a lot of things which helped me hurdle the challenges thrown before me.  In all the things that I have achieved, I never failed to remember the humble beginnings of my parents and my grandparents and their love of the town of Alabat. I will never get tired of saying that they were very influential to what I have become as a person.  In some instances, I have gone out of my way to extend help to Alabatenos and Quezonians every which I can.  

Naibahagi ko na po sa inyo ang buhay ng aming pamilya. Kung pano na ang kapalaran ng buong angkan namin ay nagkaron nang kinabukasan sa ipinamalas na kasipagan , tyaga at pagmamahal sa pamilya nang isang dakilang ina. Kung pano binigyan nang nang halaga ang edukasyon.  Sa nakararami sa atin, Education is a very important gift that our parents can give us; a “pamana” which can never be taken from us. It is a goal you have to set for yourselves… NOW… not later, not tomorrow.  Look around you, my dear students.  Be aware of our many “kababayans”, who,  like my Lola Ina, my Tio, Tia and parents, have put their best effort and persevered to uplift their state of life through education.  Many Alabatenos ventured into different fields and have gone abroad and are now supporting their families here.  Others have likewise been successful in their own rights  here and in other parts of the country.  Yan ang pangarap ng mga magulang nyo para sa inyo. Yan ang dapat nyong maging personal na pangarap para sa inyong sarili at sa magiging  pamilya ninyo.

 Wag kayong matakot sa hinaharap.  malaki ang aking paniniwala sa kakayanan ng mga taga Alabat.  I believe it is innate in all Alabatenos to have a strong sense of  perseverance and determination.  I then challenge you, my dear students.  Help fulfill your parents’ dreams for you to finish your studies.  The road ahead will be full of obstacles.  As I speak now, the world is faced with global economic crisis, which will require that  you become brave. My advise is that you do not give up easily when faced with problems and obstacles.  Expect to encounter failures along the way.  Failure will be part of your quest for success. 

 

Alam nyo ba na noong 1954, sa America, si Jimmy Denny, manager of the Grand Ole Opry, eto ang tanyag  na radio program sa Nashville Tennessee ang home of country music na naga audition at dinadaanan nang mga halos lahat na sumikat na singer sa america,  sinisante ang isang singer pagkatapos nang isang performance. Sabi nya sa singer, "You ain't goin' nowhere son. You ought to go back to drivin' a truck". Alam nyo ba kung sino yong singer na yon? Kahit sya ay nakaranas nang rejection , siya ay hindi nawalan nang pagasa hanggang sya ay nagging kilala to become ELVIS PRESLEY. 

 

Noon naming 1940, me isang batang inventor na ang pangalan ay CHESTER CARLSON.  DINALA NYA AND IDEA NYA SA IBAT IBANG CORPORATION. MARAHIL AY 20 ANG NAPUNTAHAN NYANG COMPANYA, KASALI NA ANG ILAN SA MGA PINAKAMALAKI SA AMERIKA. LAHAT NANG KOMPANYANG NILAPITAN NYA EH PURO THUMBS DOWN..ILING ILING ANG NIRANAS NYA. MAKARAAN ANG 7 TAON, NAKOMBINSI RIN NYA ANG ISANG MALIIT NA KUMPANYA SA ROCHESTER NEW YORK NA NAGNGANGALANG HALOID COMPANY TO PURCHASE THE RIGHTS SA INVENTION NYA NA ELETROSTATIC PAPER COPYING PROCESS. ANG HALOID COMPANY SOON BEAME THE XEROX CORPORATION

 

ME ISA PANG EXAMPLE. BAKA SAKALING NANGYARI NA RIN DITO SA ALABAT ETO. MERONG ISANG SCHOOL TEACHER.  LAGING PINAGAGALITAN ANG ISANG ESTUDYANTE KASI HINDI NAKIKINIG AT NAGBIBIGAY PANSIN SA KANYANG MATHEMATICS AT SA HINDI NYA PAGSOLVE SA SIMPLENG MATHEMATIC PROBLEMS. SABI NANG TEACHER SA ESTUDYANTENG ETO:  YOU WOLD NOT BECOME ANYBODY IN LIFE. A schoolteacher scolded a boy for not paying attention to his mathematics and for not being able to solve simple problems. She told him that you would not become anybody in life. The boy was Albert Einstein.

 Hindi natin masabi kung ano ang kapalarang naghihintay sa atin. I have no doubt in my mind though that someday, from amongst you, there will be those who will follow the footsteps of the great men and women of Alabat who have made a name for themselves. Alam ko na inyong pinapangarap na pagdating ng araw, kayo ay magiging isang pinagmamalaki ng inyong magulang at ng bayan ng Alabat.   When you have reached that point, Return the favors extended to you by Alabat by helping out YOUR fellow Alabatenos. Eto ang huwag na huwag ninyong kalilimutan. In all your successes, stay humble, live simply, be generous in helping others, learn, and never forget,  to look back and be grateful… for Gratitude is the memory of the Heart.  Those are assignments I am requesting thay you will be report to me someday.

I would like to believe that my coming here today has not been in vain. Nababakas sa inyong mga mukha na hindi na kayo makapaghintay na sumabak sa mundo at gaumawa ng sarili ninyong pangalan.

In closing, I would like to say that my visit would not be complete, without my expressing my heartfelt thanks and gratitude, in behalf of the Caliwara clan, for the school officials’ invitation for me to be here with you today; the pleasure is mine, actually; and especially,  to the Southern California Association of Alabatenos or SCALA for honoring the memory of our dear father by naming your Computer Center after him.  Nakakapagpataba po ng puso ang inyong pagalala sa aming ama.  

 

 Sa mga awardees at sa kanilang mga nagmamahal na mga magulangat guro, Congratulationsat Mabuhay kayong lahat! Sanay magpatuloy kayong umani nang karangalan.  

Maraming salamat sa inyong matyagang pakikinig . Katulad nang nasabi ko kanina sa umpisa, hindi nyo matatandaan lahat ng sinabi ko subalit me aral sana kayong napulot sa aking mga isinalaysay.

 

MAGANDANG UMAGA PO SA INYONG LAHAT.

 

FINDERS, KEEPERS

You find it, unowned or abandoned, it's yours. It conforms with the adage "finders, keepers" which some says has it's roots in the similar meaning of an ancient Roman law. Easier said but its interpretation in today's realities can be complicated.

A taxi driver, after unloading his passenger in a bus station, finds at the back seat an envelope containing cash, travel and working documents. Finder, keeper? He brought the package to a radio station. The owner got them back and was so thankful 

A janitress, while doing her normal chores in the airport lounge, finds a handbag containing some USD 5,000 , wallet and identification cards of the supposed owner. Nobody else knew about the find.  Finder, keeper? She deposited the find to the authorities. The owner was traced and was ever so thankful to get back the money and important documents. 

A family driver, after his day's duty was walking briskly towards the bus stop to get home to his family.  The sun was already sinkingbin the horizon ready to bid the day adieu.  The surrounding then was getting dark. As he was nearing the pathway towards the  stairways,  he almost bumped into a fat lady who was in a rush to get out of the staircase. It was then that he caught glimpse of some money bills falling from the lady's side pocket. He looked back at the direction the lady was heading. She was at some moving away fast. The guy looked around. Nobody else was nearby. The lady was already in a bit of a distance when the guy picked the 5 crisp 1,000 -peso bills and shouted out to the lady at the top of his voice, not once but in several hoots and toots, very much like that of a boat getting ready to depart. The lady looked back from a distance but instead of stopping, she instead strutted further away, faster and almost running. The finder kept shouting to her. She ran and got a cab. What could the driver do? Money is considered abandoned, finder, keeper? He treated his wife and two kids to a day in the park after hearing mass that Sunday, dropping 1 of the 5 crisp bills in the alms basket.

A treasure hunter allegedyly finds a buried solid gold buddha statue the size of medium sized teddy bear, in a mountain resort NOrth of Manila.  The smiling head of the buddha could be unscrewed. Found deposited inside its belly were handfull of uncut diamonds. In the same chamber inside the dug out cave, tons of gold bars were reportedly included in the stash.  Stories have it that the finder's happiness was short lived as armed men descended upon him and confiscated the item for keeps. As the story goes, the finder never got back the find and was imprisoned for several years. He died in 1993. True or not, the internet is full of accounts pertaining to this, mostly about the Yamashita Treasure. Finder,  keeper , but for others to keep?

 We hear of similar stories happening every now and then. Except for the story of the family driver which was based on actual narration made to me personally, each had media coverages.

What happens then if the finder knows the item found is owned by someone but does not want to return it? The Finders  Keepers postulate cannot apply then. The motive of the finder in not returning the find will probably depend on the type and/or value of the item as it relates to one's personal values and interests as well as surrounding personal circumstances. Sad to say, the economic realities of today have resulted to modified and twisted values and have removed guilt from most finders' conscience. The owner of the lost item, though sad for the loss, have learned to accept the situation with the consoling thought that somehow the find helped alleviate any hardship of the finder. 

If at all, it is good to be reminded and guided of the meaning of the timeless quote from the British writer and politician, THOMAS BABINGTON MACAULAY (1800-1859) that "The measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he never would be found out."

Wonder Where it Came From

Garden plants in contrast: L (photo of two days ago) R (photo of today
with a brief rainshower the night before)

 

 Another day, another lesson in writing.  The undone exercises for the week in the current 3-week “ Start Writing|Writer’s Workshop”, has piled up. Now, in this beautiful sunny day, I am seated here in my garden again, doing a catch-up, with the television beckoning a dozen steps away for the Pay Per View of the “Mayweather-Guerrero” fight.

The main leads of Lesson 3 is “Wonder Where it Came From”.  Sub leads are as follows:

·         Tell the Story of an Object

o   Writing in turn, teaches us how to see again

·         Outside Lies Magic by John R. Stilgoe|1998

o   Beginnings

·         Finding the story in an object

Visualization, imagination, dreaming has so been the exposure we have had in the past lessons.  This lesson is still about awareness of the environment but this time, adding sensory perception. Here it goes.

The summer heat was extra intense the night before even after the few drops of rain that fell in the early evening. Aaaah, summer in the Philippines is about to end, I said to myself. So, it is with some degree of heightened expectations that I walked out to the garden to check on the heat-stricken plants.  As I walked around I could feel happy vibrations enveloping me: the air smells fresh, the plants were greener, the leaves stood more erect than usual and in my imagination-sensitive mind, I could hear humming and singing which I swear could only come from the swaying branches, that were moving left and right gang nam style.

Seated, my focus turned into a single daisy flower that I saw the other day.  It could not escape my notice that day since surrounded by the parched earth and dried leaves of the other plants around it, it’s bright yellow color heralded it’s proud place in the garden.  It’s green leaves were shining and exudes of freshness, the heat of the day notwithstanding. It is with a bit of disappointment that I noticed that it is gone.  What remains is just the thin stalk where the petals used to be attached to. I began wandering - what could have happened to it:

1.        Did the rain fell on it and caused it to drop to the ground?

2.       Did the ants or birds feasted on it?

3.       Did it achieve its natural life cycle?

To complete my observation, I examined the green leaves of that particular plant.  They appeared healthier and to have grown a little compared to two days ago.  I knew then in my mind that more beautiful yellow flowers will follow to greet me in the future mornings to come. What I could not imagine though is how that particular plant got there. I know nobobdy planted it there. Must have been a bee or a butterfly transporting and depositing pollens to spread the color and joy of that flower.

I shifted my sight on another plant that caught my attention a two days ago. It was dried out pine tree that was planted on a pot. I said to myself then, that plant is dead. I made a mental note to discard it properly.  This morning, after the brief showmer of the night that passed, I looked at it again. I noticed something different in it. From the dull pale brown branches and leaves of a dead plant, they now appear to me to be brighter.  I took a photo of the plants two days ago and I took one today.

Plants are part of man’s God-given gifts.  They are part of the system that makes the world beautiful. So with the cool breeze that I can feel caressing my body and the plants now. The sun shines brighter now and my surrounding are exploding in a menagerie of colors coming from the objects around me ie. the red, orange, pink colors of the flowers, the varying hues of green of the leaves of the different plants, the white garden sets, the bright red color of the garden umbrella. Even the clear color (or the absence of it) of the water in the drinking glass and the transparent pitcher in front of me joined in arousing my senses this beautiful morning of observation. Where did they all come from? It came from a perfect and timeless system that only a divine Being can create.  All that is and all that will be are not the product of accidents.  For what purpose? Visualize, imagine, dream. Maybe writing will give us the answer.

 

Lesson 3: " MEMORIES + DREAMS".
May 1, 2013

It has been said by Sarah Kathleen Peck, my cool teacher in "Start Writing" course, that "the past is a powerful source of content, emotion and ideas; the future is a place we can build ideas into possibilities just by spending time on our thoughts."

I thought then, for the purpose of doing Exercise 3 that  my childhood years would be the best place to start digging in my memories. So I did.

My early childhood years were spent in the sleepy town of Tayabas, located South of Manila. It was like living in a postcard as the whole place had the majestic Mt. Banahaw as a background. Morning wake ups gave much joy as the bluish details of the mountain, framed by the hardwood window at the foot of my bed,  unfolded before my sleepy eyes amidst the morning chatters: chirping of the birds, the clucking of the chicken and whatever other sounds that farm animals.We had no need for air-conditioning as the temperature then was cooler, what with the trees with their green leaves canopy dotting the whole town. There were no mosquitoes as canals had clean, free flowing water coming streaming down from the various springs in the mountain. Upstream of the canal,  women positioned themselves in their favorite spots to do the family's laundry. The district that I lived in was separated by the "Alitao River" that had clear stream of water.  The river also had an obstacle-course-like look due to the presence of boulders of various sizes. Folklore has it that those rocks rolled down from the mountain during  a big storm that brought continuous rain for 7 days and 7 nights.  There was then a beat up wooden bridge that allowed vehicles to pass providing the connection between the small district and the main town.  Traversing the bridge on foot, I used to enjoy watching fresh water fish fleeting in and out from under the big rocks.  

My elementary days were spent in that paradise of a town. Life then was simple but colorful.  My father worked in the Provincial Capitol as the Secretary of the Governor. My mother was a school teacher in the Public school. Playmates abound and friendships were real. 

It was a place and time when staying healthy was a natural thing and needed no efforts. Food were natural, fresh and free from the various toxins that are present in what we are made to eat or be exposed to today. Exercise as we know it today were normal day to day activities in those days. Walking a kilometer or so to move around town and get where we wanted to go was common. We swam in the river for play and fun. Air then was pristine as there were very few petrol fueled vehicles in our town at that time.  We rode in carabao and horse drawn carriages or on non motorized pedicabs we call tricycles. In the middle of town stood a huge Spanish era church made out of stone, clay, fossilized shells and cement.  There was no question the populace of the town were mainly devout Catholics. All the homes of whatever size had altars. Likewise, everyone, young and old, said memorized litany of prayers constantly. Attending Sunday masses then was so boring for us young ones as the priests gave over an hour of sermon. Everyone though would be dressed up in their Sunday's best  The men then would huddle outside of the church during sermon time, puffing their cigarettes while exchanging tall stories about their activities of the week that passed.  They would pile back inside after the sermon signaled by the tolling of the church bell. 

That episode of my life in the province during my formative years comes to mind from time to time, especially when I go visiting to check on the family properties.

Fast forwarding my life and memories from my childhood brings me to today. We moved out of the town and went to Manila as I was about to start my high school studies.  My father was elected as Congressman to represent the 2nd District of the Province where he had to attend sessions on a regular basis.  My sister was studying medicine and lived on a dormitory. I was about to start high school while my younger brother was about to start his elementary studies. My mom had to resign from her teaching job but she managed to get employment in one of the government service offices. I went on super drive during my city life.  But that's another episode. 

Fast forwarding further, after a heart by-pass, a gall bladder operation and an angioplasty, I now have nothing but my dreams and vision for tomorrow, my sunset years. Things that I set out to do earlier on but have not managed to accomplish so far, came to mind. My imagination flew to having the best of two worlds, i.e. the sea and the mountain. I dreamed of living in my beach front property on an island in the province, with my cabin perched on top of a hill accessible by few hundred steps from the shore. Down below near the water would be individual cabins leased out exclusively to celebrities who are occasionally looking for a place where they can let their hair down and provide escape from the prying eyes of the public.  Convenient access from the town's pier to the 8 hectare property  is through a short 10-15minute ride by a small boat. On horse back, a one hour trip through rice paddies and trails would be my best guess.

This dream is closer to reality than what I used to think,  now that I am writing about it. Firstly,  the property is already there. All I need to do is get me a small boat, start clearing it up, plant it with a lot of fruit trees and flowering shrubs, visit it a lot then build my cabin. 

I can picture myself  sitting on the porch facing the bay, as the sun sets , with a pitcher of frozen margarita on the ready, while entertaining friends and family who would care to visit. On some hours of the day, I would go around the property and exchange pleasantries with some of the celebrities who would be sitting on the main clubhouse waiting for the day to pass uneventfully. I would also be visiting the town and talk with the locals, the Mayor and the parish priest. 

When this dream is fulfilled, I would have gone full circle: back to nature in Alabat Island from the ways that I came to know at birth in Tayabas. The image on the postcard would however be different, this time with my bedroom window framing the deep blue ocean.With nature at birth, back to nature in my sunset years.

Random Thoughts on Imagining, Remembering, Writing.
April 30, 2013 (PHT - Manila, Philippines Time)

I enrolled in Sarah Kathleen Peck's Spring 2013  "Start Writing Workshop" that started April 29, 2013, Monday, PST.  Lesson 1 is about Visualization and Imaging. 

Bright sky on a sunny day!

On this early sunny morning of the second day of the week, on my side of the world, I sat alone in my garden with a renewed awareness about my surroundings. The red color of the outdoor umbrella's canopy, dulled by its years of witnessing my thinning hair, transformed into a bright hue of fresh blood as the radiance of the summer sun began exploding around me. I have not consciously thanked the Lord on a daily basis for the gift of life but on this beautiful and divine morning that no mortal could make, I knew I had to say a special prayer of gratitude for everything that has been, is happening and will be.

Imagining, remembering and writing. Those are powerful guide to stir one’s ability to paint life in the form of writing. Anyone can imagine and remember but not everyone can write. Not all who can write however can be a painter of the written words, pretty much like an artist who expresses himself in canvass.

I remember how I felt this morning as I stirred from my restful sleep. At my very ripe age, my abused body did not feel the same way as it did years back. As I pounded on my laptop,  I glanced at the withered skins and pathways of veins of my hands.  I imagined how it would have been if  our body did not age. Wouldn't that be fun? 

I took notice of the potted very young pine tree on my left, with its brown dried leaves. It looks dead.  I took a mental note to take better care of the other plants in the garden given the intense heat of the season. We're currently experiencing here in Manila the heat of summer (36.6-39C).    I watched as the tiny black ants in single file, paraded back and forth  in one corner of the garden. I welcomed the slight breeze that caressed my body and thought of it as God’s way of saying “Good Morning to you too”. The colorful flowers of the bougainvillea shrubs and its leaves were swaying and I could hear them declare to its surrounding what a beautiful day it is. The calm of the morning is punctuated by the musical chirps of the birds making love to each other. Aaah, it’s going to be a beautiful day in Manila, Philippines.

 Not all mornings are the same for all people. A group may be seated right now in various benches in the park near my home, but each one of them have different perception of their surroundings. The frame of mind of each one can be different. As the saying goes, not everyone got off on the same side of the bed and not all are enjoying the beautiful day. I decided to have a beautiful day today, my going to the concrete jungle notwithstanding. 

Thank you Lord for the blessing. Good morning everyone wherever you may be!

HOSPITALS APPEALS FOR AMENDMENTS TO 13-2012

After my long hiatus from blogging with my departure from the Philippine Hospital Association early this year,  where I was the Team Leader of its Social Media Team, I decided to give blogging another go. I was part of the team who re-launched the website of the national broadsheet, the MANILA STANDARD TODAY (www.manilastandardtoday.com).

This time the theme of my writings shall be general in nature; things that will be of general interest to everyone. It can be about Life, Travels, People, Food, Music , Gadgets, Lifestyle and whatever I feel may catch the fancy of the public.

For this edition, I am helping out the Philippine Hospital Association in disseminating its proposed amendments to the PHIC Circular 13-2012 where hospital members are required to sign their "Performance Commitment".  It is actually a guideline that warrants the rules, procedures and practices that hospitals need to follow in order to maintain their PHIC members status and/or be slapped with penalties and fines.

Dr. Bu Castro, PHA Presidents and Dr. Rustico Jimenez, PHAP President, sent this letter dated June 25, 2012 to PHIC'S President Dr. Eduardo Banzon:

June 25, 2012

DR. EDUARDO BANZON
President
PHILIPPINE HEALTH INSURANCE CORPORATION
17th Floor, City State Centre Bldg.,
Shaw Blvd., Pasig City

Dear Dr. Banzon,

Respectfully, please allow us to propose the following amendments to the Performance Commitment (re: Philhealth Circular No. 13-2012) as suggested by our member-hospitals as follows:

*Present Provisions:
**Proposed Provisions:
 
*9. That we shall abide with all the implementing rules and regulations, memorandum circulars, office orders, special orders and other administrative issuances by PhilHealth affecting us.

**That we shall abide with all reasonable, fair and humane implementing rules and regulations, memorandum circulars, office orders, special orders and other administrative issuances by PhilHealth affecting us.

*10. That we shall abide with all administrative orders, circulars and such other policies, rules and regulations issued by the Department of Health and all other related government agencies and instrumentalities governing the operations of IHCPs in participating in the NHIP.
 
**That we shall abide with all reasonable, fair and humane administrative orders, circulars and such other policies, rules and regulations issued by the Department of Health and all other related government agencies and instrumentalities governing the operations of IHCPs in participating in the NHIP.

*15. That we shall provide the necessary drugs, supplies and services with no out-of-pocket expenses on the part of the members as contained in PhilHealth's 'No Balance Billing (NBB) Policy’.
 
**That, insofar as available in our hospital, we shall provide the necessary drugs, supplies and services with no out-of-pocket expenses on the part of the members as contained in PhilHealth's 'No Balance Billing (NBB) Policy’.

*24. That we shall electronically encode the drugs and supplies used in the care of the patient in our information system, which shall be made available for PhilHealth use.
 
**That, insofar as our hospital is capable considering our financial difficulties, we shall electronically encode the drugs and supplies used in the care of the patient in our information system, which shall be made available for PhilHealth use.

*30. That we shall extend full cooperation with duly recognized authorities of PhilHealth and any other authorized personnel and instrumentalities to provide access to patient records and . . . to undermine the NHIP and make available all pertinent official records and documents including the provision of copies thereof.
 
**That, we shall extend full cooperation with duly recognized authorities of PhilHealth and any other authorized personnel and instrumentalities to provide access to patient records and . . . . to undermine the NHIP and make available all pertinent official records and documents including the provision of copies thereof, Provided that the inspection shall be orderly and that our rights to private ownership and privacy are respected.

*32. That at any time during the period of our participation in the NHIP, upon request of PhilHealth, we shall voluntarily and unconditionally sign and execute a new 'Performance Commitment' to cover the remaining portion of our engagement or to renew our participation with the NHIP as the case may be, as a sign of our good faith and continuous commitment to support the support the NHIP.
 
**That at any time during the period of our participation in the NHIP, upon request of PhilHealth, we shall voluntarily and unconditionally sign and execute a new 'Performance Commitment' to cover the remaining portion of our engagement or to renew our participation with the NHIP as the case may be, insofar as it is fair, reasonable and humane to our existence, as a sign of our good faith and continuous commitment to support the support the NHIP.

*33. That we shall take full responsibility for any inaccuracies and/or falsities entered into and/or reflected in our patients' records as well as in any omission, addition, inaccuracies and/or falsities entered into and/or reflected in claims submitted to PhilHealth by our institution.
 
**That, unless proven to be a palpable mistake or excusable error, we shall take full responsibility for any inaccuracies and/or falsities entered into and/or reflected in our patients' records as well as in any omission, addition, inaccuracies and/or falsities entered into and/or reflected in claims submitted to PhilHealth by our institution.

*41. To suspend, shorten, pre-terminate and/or revoke our privilege of participating in the NHIP including the appurtenant benefits and opportunities at any time during the validity of the commitment for any violation of any provision of this Performance Commitment.
 
**After a fair hearing and given the opportunity to be heard, to suspend, shorten, pre-terminate and/or revoke our privilege of participating in the NHIP including the appurtenant benefits and opportunities at any time during the validity of the commitment for any violation of any provision of this Performance Commitment.

*42. To suspend, shorten, pre-terminate and/or revoke our accreditation including the appurtenant benefits and opportunities incident thereto at any time during the term of the commitment due to verified adverse reports/findings of pattern or any other similar incidents which may be indicative of any illegal, irregular or improper and/or unethical conduct of our operations.
 
**After a fair hearing and given the opportunity to be heard, to suspend, shorten, pre-terminate and/or revoke our accreditation including the appurtenant benefits and opportunities incident thereto at any time during the term of the commitment due to verified adverse reports/findings of pattern or any other similar incidents which may be indicative of any illegal, irregular or improper and/or unethical conduct of our operations.

*43. To deny our accreditation and consequently participation in the NHIP should there be a case, regardless of the nature thereof, filed by us against PhilHealth, its Officers and/or any of its Personnel. Provided that, if in the discretion of PhilHealth, the specific nature of the case is such that it will not directly or indirectly affect a healthy business relationship with us, PhilHealth, upon the recommendation of the Accreditation Committee, may favorably consider the approval of our accreditation.

**To deny our accreditation and consequently participation in the NHIP should there be a case, regardless of the nature thereof, filed by us against PhilHealth, its Officers and/or any of its Personnel. Provided that, if in the discretion of PhilHealth, the specific nature of the case is such that it will not directly or indirectly affect a healthy business relationship with us, PhilHealth, upon the recommendation of the Accreditation Committee, may favorably consider the approval of our accreditation, Provided that this commitment shall not apply in cases of graft and corruption committed by any Philhealth Staff or employee, or violation of any applicable law, and in cases where we are mandated by law to file a responsive pleading to any case filed by Philhealth against us.

In behalf of our member hospitals, we humbly request that you consider the above suggestions.

Warmest regards and God Bless!

Yours truly,

DR. BU C. CASTRO RUSTICO JIMENEZ, M.D.
PHA President PHAPi President

 

Feast of Sto. Nino in Tondo Manila: Pit Senyor

Every third Sunday of January, various parts of the Philippines go into the celebration of the Feast of Sto. Nino.  I have a hazy recollection in my childhood of a movie (was it the Flower Drum Song or The World of Suzie Wong, both circa early 60's) where the celebration called "Ati-atihan" in Kalibo Aklan was featured starring the Hollywood actress, Nancy Kwan, amidst the mardi gras style revelry.  She is best remembered probably for her Cheongsam dress displaying a great amount of thigh flesh on wonderfully shaped pair of legs. The Aklan Ati-atihan was celebrated every Third week of January.  There was no looking back for Ati-atihan after that movie. Year after year, the so called celebration caught on various forms in different parts of the country.  

Ati-atihan is a supposed religious festival giving tribute to the Sto. Nino , where people parade around in native  tribal garments. Ashes are smeared on the faces , arms and body of the celebrants to approximate the looks of the dark natives of the Ati tribe.  Drum beats fill the air continuously which lull the people into a happy trance , especially combined with the imbibing of alcohol.  History has it that the celebration originated during the pre Hispanic time as a symbol of friendship amongst the Malay settlers and the natives.  In the Spanish time, it marked the baptism to Christianity of the inhabitants of the town of Kalibo, thus the religious intonation from a paganistic ritual.

While there are many places in the Philippines that give tribute to the Sto. Nino in various dates, I write here about the Tondo, Manila celebration traditionally held every Third Sunday of January.  It is closer to my heart since I stayed in Cebu for some numbers of years, 1979-1983 and 1989-2000, where I witnessed how the Cebu Pit Senor celebration transformed from simple march or parade in 1979 / 1980 to the colorful parade with dances and colorful costumes that it has now.


Tondo in Manila does not have a parade that can compare with the one in Cebu but it has its own share of devotees who troop to the church for the  hourly celebration of the holy mass. Now that I am based in Manila, our family have been trooping to the Tondo Church for the Third Sunday of January celebration.


Herewith are photos taken January 15, 2012  at the Tondo Church and its surroundings showing vendors, devotees and all.