Hong Kong | July 2014

Hong Kong, Baby!

It was a long planned trip with a friend and my cousin. It took us almost a year to book everything, from flight, to hotel, to tours. Yet, due to school and some events, they backed out. But, i was saved by my office buddies. Good thing, it was easy booking their flight same as mine.

The flight that we booked was going to Macau (MFM) then we took a ferry going to HK. I was in Hongkong for 4 days. My friends and I stayed in Mongkok, the Divisoria of Hongkong. A lot of people, cheap goods, always busy. Be careful though because some vendors were raising their prices. Try to check different stores first before buying anything.

Hongkong has a very good transport system. Their train station is very clean and accessible. You can get around Hongkong by train. They also have the Double Decker buses. It's not really hard to roam around HK   and if you get lost, there are Filipinos everywhere and you can ask for directions. :)

We went to Avenue of the Stars, took pictures, pictures, and pictures. C'mon, what to do? We're tourists! LOL! Avenue of the stars was a long walk. You won't mind time cause the view is very beautiful. Right after Avenue of the Stars, we headed to Temple Street for the night Market. We ate dinner at Temple Street. You can find a lot of local restaurants and shops.

Went to Ocean park, the day after. I enjoyed this place so muchhh! Not just huge aquariums but there were a lot of attractions and rides. Actually, Ocean Park offers a 2-day Ticket. If you have more time in HK, I suggest to take advantage of that cause one day in Ocean Park won't be enough. We weren't able to squeeze in other tourist spots to go to that day because we're so tired. Dead tired.

We, of course, went to the happiest place on earth, Disneyland. The rides in Disneyland were not as intense as the rides in Ocean Park. Well, maybe because Disneyland is for kids and kids at heart. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it too. I love the fireworks and the parade.

**for editing 

Le Familia went to Bora

We, almost the whole family, went to Boracay last July. We were 18 pax including kids. It was the first time for some family members to ride a plane. Everyone was excited. It was a long planned travel since we needed to arrange work leaves, made sure that we all filed for leave on the same dates. Since we're bringing the grade school fellas with us, some needed to ask permission from the school first. Our flights were in 3 batches. Me and my cousins flew before noon, then the second group flew after lunch time, and the PBB tens (college students) flew around 5PM. We flew from Manila to Kalibo so there was still a Van ride of about 2 hours. We rented 2 family rooms and each accommodated 10 persons.

Boracay is beautiful. The sand felt like polvoron. LOL! Everyone was excited to swim and check out the stretch of the island. When everyone arrived, we had to look for a place to eat that can accommodate our group, our big group. There are a lot of choices when in boracay. You can check out hotel's menu, local restaurants, paluto, fast food chains, and D' Mall. We had dinner at Shakey's. Of course, the love for fried chicken can be brought anywhere in the planet. We chose to seat outside the restaurant, by the shore, so we can feel the breeze and for us to run around. Boracay offers a lot of activities. You will never get bored in the island as long as you have more than enough dough cause honey, I tell you, it's freakin' expensive. We would like to try extreme water activities but since we have "grade schoolers" with us, youngest is 6 yo, we weren't able to do so. We did snorkeling instead. I don't know but there's not much to see while we're snorkeling. Maybe the bangkero didn't bring us in the right spot or something.. I don't know.. We also tried the famous Shake of Jonah's. It was a blast! A very fun-filled weekend. :)

A Battle Well Fought

Early 2014, we lost a family member to cancer. Tutang had been fighting cancer for quite some time. She was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. She had several cycles of chemo, radiation, and an operation. Everything seemed okay. She was fine. Yet, 2 years after diagnosis, a nightmare came. The cancer had metastases to the lungs. That time, it was already at stage 4. Later as we knew it, breast cancer cells crawled to her brain. Her eyes started to cross and her body weakened. The doctor said she has a month to live. Our family had been tested through tough times, to the moon and back. We usually do not give up life battles.

Through continuous chemo cycles and radiation therapy, she lasted for almost a year. She was able to spend the last Christmas, New Year, and Birthday with her family. Life is short. Live it. 

PDAF

Bilang isang student leader noong ako ay nasa kolehiyo, namulat ako sa mas makamundong pananaw sa pulitika, paghawak ng pera, pagpapasunod ng mga tao, pagiisip sa ikabubuti ng nakararami, at pakikinig sa nais ipabatid ng kinasasakupan ko. 

Sa aking pananaw, magandang simula ang pag-abolish ng PDAF. Ang pamahalaan ay bubuo ng bagong sistema kung papaano mapapakinabangan ng sambayanan ang pera ng bansa. Gaya ng sabi ni PNOY, mas magiging mahigpit sila sa paglalabas ng pondo at magiging bukas sa taong bayan ang mga paroroonan ng nasabing kaban. Tight and Transparency, ika nga. 

Maraming nagsasabi wala naman daw pinagkaiba ang pag-abolish ng PDAF sa bagong mungkahi ng pangulo paukol sa pera ng bansa. May mga nagmumungkahi na tanggaling na talaga ng pondo ng gobyerno sa pulitiko. Meron namang nagsasabi na ibagsak direkta ang pera sa ospital o sa paaralan.

Pero naisip ko, kung mawawalan ng pondo ang mga pulitiko, paano na ang kanilang proyekto? Marahil, ang hindi nararapat ay ang mga pulitikong ganid. Pero sino ba ang nagluklok sa mga ito? di ba ay tayo ding mga tao? Sino ang mali? 

Huwag nating husgahan ang bawat hakbang para sa kinabukasan. Kung hindi tayo bukas sa pagbabago, walang mangyayari sa kahit anong reklamo. Hindi "overnight" ang pagbabago dahil lahat may proseso. 

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I wonder if you know that i know.. If this is how you want things done, then let's play a little game.

Philippine Senatorial Elections 2013

Majority of the elected senators came from political families. New faces but names have been in the position for quite some time.

Filipinos invested their votes mostly on young candidates. I think it is fine that we should infuse young minds in politics. I just hope that these new breed of senators would make their own path towards success and keeping in mind that it is the nation that they are serving and not their family.

Not all my senatorial bet got into the magic 12. But still, since the majority has chosen their leaders, I will partly forcely entrust the next years of my life to the hands of these elected people.

To get successful results, everyone must do their share. And it starts in voting. Have you? So, where will we be in a few years or so? You, decide. Do your part.

Bidding goodbye. :)

I'm leaving you. I'm leaving you not because I can't see myself with you anymore but because I got tired of tolerating your things that I know I am not supposed to. I got fed up with all our differences that we weren't able to patch up. I, finally, was able to realize that my happiness isn't you anymore.

Years with you had been a twist of the best and the worst moments in my life. Even if I regret it now, I know nothing will change. I guess everything on earth will have their time wherein they'll reach their saturating point. A point wherein whatever we add to our life, we can't just accept it anymore. We just can't cause we are already saturated.

I would always look back and see you as part of my life. Lessons learned with and from you will not be forgotten. You were part of the foundation that I built in myself.

And yes, there is something else. Something had shown me better things and greater opportunities. I may not be able to compare you to this something new but I am willing to take the risk.

I'm leaving you and I want you to know, it is a hard decision that I made.

Goodbye, work. You had 5 years of my life.

Jobless??

Statistically, in the Philippines, 3 million people are jobless and 1 million people are expected to graduate this year and look for a job. However, if you’ll look around, a lot of companies are hiring. BPO is still on the rise of hiring staff (whether be agent post, support, IT, or managerial group).

Could it be that those 3 million people were not fitted for any of those offered jobs? I doubt. It would always be depending on one's choice and point of view.

It's either you grab whatever is available right now of feed yourself with pride. Munch on!

UNDER THE RAIN by Michael Blen

                        The rain is pouring heavily,  almost like a waterfall.  I’m wet all over,  and yet I’m standing here,  unmoving.  It’s like the time suddenly stopped,  and my drenched body froze in it’s tracks…

           

            This morning,  I woke up to see the sun gently imparting its first few rays. I got up unusually early. Then I remembered I cried my self to sleep last night. I saw my special friend with another guy, having lunch at the cafeteria yesterday. I know that the real man should never cry because of some girl who broke his heart. But I wept. Maybe I was hurt. Never mind. I rose up, washed my face and went down with my usual morning routine. When I was about to leave, My mom asked me if I cried last night. I said no, and hurriedly went outside.

            

       While I was riding a jeepney, I thought about what I am going to tell her, should I confront her, or should I wait until I have enough evidence? I stopped thinking about it when I finally arrived  at school.

           

         She was the first one I saw inside the room.  I waved at her to smile a bit. She waved back, and smiled. Ahhh, that smile. I was struck again by that fascinating grin, that same alluring smirk that made me fall for her in the first place. I was dumb founded.

                 

    Lunchtime. I was glad to see her alone. I swore I would punch the guy straight in the eye if I see him with her again. I quietly approached her. I wanted to surprise her, but she readily found me. I was about to asked her what she wanted to eat  when she abruptly told me if I could just drop by their house after classes she left me with a tap on the shoulder, and a problem in Physic. I asked myself again for the million time. Alas, Is this my Fate; a mere problem solver?

           

            While going through my afternoon classes,  I again thought what would I say to her in her place.  I baffled an assortment of thoughts that made my confused mind ache.  I was relieved when the final bell for the whole school day rung.  But I suddenly got nervous.  I looked at the dark gray clouds looming over the horizon.  It was about to rain.

                       

I slowly took the steps to their house,  my heart pounding furiously.  I didn’t know what to do.  My mind was clouded with anxiety.  Timidness suddenly struck me.  But I was determined.  I found the front door open so I barged in,  not knowing what to expect.

            There she is,  sitting comfortably on the lap of a guy who had lunch with her yesterday.  I was filled with resentment.  I went closer and punch him straight in the eye.  She tried to stop me but I already made my blow.  She pulled me outside,  telling the other guy to calm down.  She screamed at me,  swore at me,          

ask me such a thing.  I shot back at her,  told her that I love her,  and that I was jealous.  She bellowed,  telling me that she didn’t love me,  that she liked me only as a friend,  no more,  no less.  I was thunderstruck.

                       

Now I’m here,  standing still,  breathless.  I was stunned.  The rain is gushing heavily on my motionless frame,  the cold gust of wind slowly eating through my nonchalant form.  I don’t care.  I am heartbroken.

*Credit goes to my high school ally, Michael Anthony Blen, from Imus Institute.

Recovering from an awful relationship

Falling  apart is a branch of every relationship. We might not consider failure as a factor in a commitment but actually it’s like a thorns in every roses, a bee in every flower, and a storm in a summer. If there were no break-ups nor fights, maybe we all have a wonderful relationship. We won’t have sleepless nights, plump eyes, day nightmares. However, come to think of it, it makes us stronger. A rose is not a rose without thorns; flowers without bees? How could they reproduce? and a storm in a summer, isn’t it fun that through the heat of summer once in a while there would be refreshing rain to balance the whole thing? Through those sleepless nights, we could reflect about what happened and eventually realize that it’s their loss. Plump eyes symbolizes that we’re human and we cry!

There are a lot of factors for a bad relationship such as jealousy,  it’s human nature and  we all have insecurities, other is incompatibilities, comparison, third is seeking, when you begun to seek for something from your partner, the problem occurs by then, or it could be other loves much while other loves little. Good foundation in a relationship is giving and not asking something in return, when you don’t have this, you’re not into a healthy commitment.

Recovering from a bad relationship isn’t that easy specially when you shared a lot but once break-up occurs, be brave and face it. To recover, make yourself busy, study, go to party, mingle with other people, pamper yourself and

ask for Lord’s guidance. Face the reality that the relationship didn’t work out. Be optimistic that at least you have memories to reminisce. Be thankful at the same time for at least that person made you happy even for a while. Open your heart for opportunities. Always put in mind that there is someone who’s destined to be with you and both of you will grow with each other and discover forever. Once you find that love, give it its wings for loving is not holding into it too tight but releasing it and letting it be in the right place. Remember that life isn’t perfect. It’s a blend of joy and sorrow; it’s just a matter of how you deal with it. Be happy because it’s not merely an emotion, it’s also a choice. As the saying says, “it’s better to be loved and got hurt than never be love at all”


***written when i was in college, not so much a writer then***

Stand on Sabah vs The Sultanate of Sulu

Recently, another chaos regarding the country's property possession has been brought to Filipino's attention. With China on the front load, can Philippines administer another claim regarding Sabah?

How did it start? Through the articles i have read, i learned that Sabah was given to the Sultan of Sulu by the Sultan of Brunei as a prize for helping him from his enemies. It was leased from then on. However, Malaysia is claiming that money is not for rental but as a payment for buying Sabah (For transcript: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Borneo_dispute).


It would be a shoot for the moon for the Sultanate of Sulu to get the legal ownership of Sabah in a peaceful way without a help from the government. Usually, allegations/distress between countries are being settled in an International Court through United Nations (Like China-Philippines maritime territorial dispute which is currently brought up to an international arbitration tribunal in UN). We all know that Malaysia and Philippines are both members of the United Nations. Sultanate of Sulu will have several challenges in getting Sabah back. First, Sultan has been abolished in our constitution. Philippines does not legally recognize the system. Sultanate system is only protected and preserved for cultural heritage and education whatfor. Having said that, who would file a claim in the International Court of Justice? Since Sultan is not legally recognize internationally, they can not file a claim on their own. Second, in 1963 election, people of Sabah voted to be part of Malaysia. Changes won't be easy to instil on Sabahans mind. 

I guess this calls for war. Are we prepared enough?

In the event that Sabah would be part of the Philippines, it sure would contribute to the country's levitating economy. It has been broadcasted how rich Sabah is with oil and gas. It is also boasting a pristine culture and heritage that would be great for tourism.

Wherever this chaos may lead us, I hope that lives will be protected and peace will remain.



***for editing -raa116