What I Know About Faith

 

Faith is believing in the sun even when it does not shine. It is waiting for a rainbow after the rain. 

Faith is choosing love over hate. It is believing in love amidst solitude.

Faith is the softest yet strongest cushion in the deepest tunnel of darkness.

That is what I know about Faith.

Faith. Deep. Unwavering.

NBA Kids On The Block

 Oh how fun and exciting to watch NBA again with live audience in the arenas, it provides a wholesome kind of euphoria. I hold a very few people, places, and events to the FOREVER corner of my life and heart. Amongst these is basketball, I can watch the game the whole of the day and discuss it with others in an intensified manner the way other women speak about Chanel, Manolos and diamonds.

After the Lakers grabbed the 2020 Championship ring, I announced my retirement from OVERACTING involvement for the sports and the yellow and gold team.  I remained to be in the loop though of the season's games and players from the side.

So Lakers this year were eliminated in the first round by the Phoenix Suns and one player that caught my eyes is Booker!!  Man, he has the fancy moves and confidence of my Kobe. Later I digged up, he truly is a pure-blooded Mamba fan. He is GORGEOUS what with those sweaty rosy cheeks on court. Hotta hotta!!:)

Seriously, Devin Booker is on a sure path to stardom and success.  He possesses the cleverness and agility needed to make it big on court.

GIANNIS!!!! Never mind his surname that is difficult to scribble.Lol!! I want him to be in the Finals to prove to his detractors that he is just overrated. This guy is reliable in assist, defense and offense and scoring board. He does not show overbearing fancy plays and ways but most of the time quietly dominates the paint. He is Bucks' Main Man and he delivers exceedingly.

 Terance THE Mann!!! He is unstoppable when he is on fire, He adds fun and wilderness as he struts his hoops and assists on court.  He still has a long way to go anyhow but he is a young lad to watch out for soon.

LBJ and Davis bade goodbye early on. KD and Harden lost to the young team of Bucks. My personal favorite Kawhi is done for the season with a knee injury. Maybe it is safe to say that NBA 2021 is all about these new kids on the block. Exciting and exhilarating times ahead. Give me some show time, boys!!!

If I would have it my way, I want Suns and Bucks to meet in the Finals. To see Booker, Middleton and of course Giannis play under pressure will be thrilling. 

What is my team?? Lakers it is still.. But when and if it boils down to two remaining teams that will battle for the ring, I don't know yet. On the day of the game itself, my heart will dictate the rule of my scream and applause.  I trust my heart even in the tiny trivial matters.:)

Basketball. Forever. Love.

Rest In Eternal Peace, PNOY!!!

In a few hours, you will be laid to rest. Thank you, thank you Noy for loving and serving our country with your utmost sincerity and dedication. Most of all, thank you for not leaving Ate Kris and like whet she uttered, she was your BUNSO up to your last breath.  You will be in heaven where sadness is no more sorrow but pure eternal joy.

Mabuhay ka!!!

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Sa Puso at Isip Ko

Disclaimer: This is my very personal thoughts I wish to share. I could have simply posted/ shared on my Facebook account other people's reasons on WHY we choose Mar Roxas and Leni Robredo for the top two national posts.But as I have mentioned, THIS is personal to me.

I have a confession to make. In the 2010 presidential elections, the number one reason why I wished, hoped and prayed for Noy Aquino to win was because kapatid s'ya ni Kris at anak s'ya ni Cory and Ninoy. I knew nothing much about his track record in politics, the bills he authored/co-authored as Senator, the programs he created for his Tarlac district while he was in Congress.

Alam ko lang during the day he officially announced in Club Filipino that he will run for president, mabuti ang hangarin nya. The whole campaign trail I was glued to what the media had to offer- candidates' plataporma, published recognitions and advocacies;personal and professional scandals and trivial things about them and their families. If I remember right, the biggest tirade thrown against Pnoy then was his "mental disability" which was strongly belied and denied by professional psychiatric and psychological associations. I campaigned for him sa mga kakilala ko, mga estudyante ko at kung kani-kanino pa. I went to his two sorties in Pampanga with the help of my cousins and friends. My yellow baller IDs are still kept in a drawer in our house in Pampanga.

Noon, at the back of my mind, kahiyaan pag natalo si Noy, baka mag-reflect ke Kris. She even sold her house to help finance Noy's campaign. Dahil super vocal din along nangampanya for Noy, of course gusto ko talaga s'yang manalo. The Daang Matuwid and Walang Mahirap kung Walang Corrupt vision and plans further validated my conviction in choosing him. Noy's contenders were Manny Villar, Gilbert Teodoro and Joseph Estrada. I have respect for Manny, how he built his Camella Homes empire and placed it in blueprint of the nation's real state. Sipag at Tyaga, ika nga! Teodoro is undoubtedly a brilliant, dignified and experienced man in government. His biggest liability that time was he was endorsed by former president GMA. Idinasal ko lang noon na sana 'wag si Erap and manalo, for all its worth, the nation just impeached him few years back. Magiging laughing stock na naman tayo ng mundo if ever.  Gusto kong manalo si Noy kasi s'ya ang kandidato ko. Pero naisip ko noon matalo man say ok lang. Villar or Teodoro will deliver good in serving the nation.

Walang takot o pangamba kung sakaling  di man nanalo si PNOY. And he won. He is not the best president, I can say that. He has his flaws and mishaps in handling his duties, he too as his share of  emotional and pikon outbursts. But this I can also say without batting my eyelash, I know in my heart my President is not corrupt, na di nya ako ninakawan mula sa tax na binayad ko. He did what he had to do to rescue Philippines from the rotten corner of Asia. (Please take time to read and study news and articles regarding PH progress during his term.) He did not back down too from any obstacles that stood in the way of reforms and justice.

Fast forward to the MAY 2016 elections which will happen next Monday.

Scenes have changed tremendously. When the official candidates for the presidency and vice-presidency positions were released by COMELEC, I already have in my mind who will get my vote. Among all of them, I knew I would pick MAR ROXAS. And siguradong- sigurado ako ke LENI ROBREDO! It did not matter to me the endorsement of PNoy. Kris and the other sisters were quiet for the first few months of the campaign trail. Wala silang pinangangampanyang pangulo.It is only in the recent that Kris publicly announced her choice of MAR as her president. I did not consider Binay and Poe, for obvious reasons. Note: corruption and citizenship . These are no-brainer issues. Cases sealed. Why MAR? Sabi nila, snob si Mar. Di kasalanan ni Mar na ipinanganak syang Araneta Roxas apelyido nya. Maybe he does not possess the charisma Filipinos are looking for, he speaks as things are, no sugarcoating and beating around the bush. But he performs well, the Cheaper Medicines Act and the rise of BPOs in our country are my top two amongst all his achievements. Why LENI?? And WHY NOT??

Okay, I did try to consider Duterte. And bango ng pangalan nya as the mayor of Davao. Peaceful at progressive ang city, I give the due credit to him. Pero iba eh!! Iba naman ata and syudad sa bansa. His admission of the Davao Death Squad activities scares me. His promise to end the crime nationwide in 3-6 months is unattainable if due course of the law will be followed. In Nursing, when we set the goals for our patients/clients, we have an acronym SMART.Smart, measurable, attainable, realistic and time- bounded. Mayor Duterte's loads of promises are too much to handle, I doubt his ways to achieve them. When asked what his concrete plans are, the more vague his answers which leave me confused and lost.

Duterte has a great number of followers, most of them are very passionate and vocal with their admiration and fascination for him. I have nothing against it. Thanks to the democracy we are enjoying now. All is entitled to express opinions. Just remember, AD HOMINEM!

In the 2010 elections, I enjoyed the campaign. I was nervous and anxious yes, waiting for the final tally of votes.
This time, it is FEAR that visits my heart. What if the WRONG PERSONS win?? Back to zero na naman and PINAS??:( International and regional media are one in saying that currently, our country is on its way in progress. Paano na??

Ang sa akin lang, may personal along pangamba sakaling manalo si Mayor Duterte bilang pangulo ng bansa. If he indeed mention that he will seriously consider severing ties with USA, makakauwi pa kaya ako ng Pilipinas para makita ko Nanay ko?? I know many will say, I am overacting, overanalyzing here. Super OA na kung super OA but this man is babbling statements that are way beyond fathomable. So please do not blame me. Naiisip ko pa lang na di na ako makakauwi ng Pilipinas, nanghihina na puso ko. The scenario seriously and hugely scares the hell out of me.

In the 2010 elections, my prayer was for Noy Aquino to win. This time, my prayer is for Philippines to win. That my homeland may be saved from impending doom should the undeserved and wrong men preside the highest government positions. It is sad that in desperate search for fast and furious changes, we choose to compromise the deep core of our moral values and God's commandments.

I have a busy life here in California. No household help, we do everything on our own. Time speeds doubly fast and yet here I am, rather than spending my rest day to attend to daily tasks or recuperate from the missed hours of sleep, writing what is contemplating and disturbing me. I won't take it sitting down. I need to do my part. Silent majority no more. THE voice has to be heard loud and clear.

May I quote the last two paragraphs of a Rappler article penned by Patricia Evangelista and Nicole Curato published on May 02, 2016:

Thirty years ago, the Philippines put behind martial law, imposed by a man who turned into a dictator after his first taste of power. Today, Rodrigo Duterte is at the top of the polls. If he wins, his dictatorship will not be thrust upon us. It will be one we will have chosen for ourselves. Every progressive step society has made has been diminished by his presence. Duterte's contempt for human rights, due process, and equal protection is legitimised by the applause at the end of every speech. 

We write this as a warning. The streets will turn red if Rodrigo Duterte keeps his promise. Take him at his word- and know YOU COULD BE NEXT. 

We write this as a warning. We hope to be proven wrong.( You may read the article in full at rappler.com)

God, please bless Philippines.


Pilipinas.Integridad.Dignidad.

Salamat, PNOY!!!

Monday, July 25, 2011

PNOY's SONA

Later this afternoon, President Noy Aquino will deliver his State of the Nation Address (SONA). Many a number of citizens predict his speech will be most about the previous administration. Sec. Carandang on SONA: " Hindi maiiwasan na mabanggit ang nakaraan. But it won't be all about the past. It will be about the future."
I,without biases,also feel that sometimes Pnoy's government is going overboard in  placing all the blame and putting too much emphasis on the wrongdoings of my cabalen. However, I clearly understand as well that bulk of the headaches and worries they encounter here and there were brought about by GMA's regime. So,balance is the key here. Necessary actions should be shouldered by Pnoy and his trusted men to solve the existing problems,minimize finger pointing yet do not neglect to file appropriate measures to meet justice and punish those gulity of corruption.
On a personal note,I know the signification of fanaticism to its letters. I hear persons reprobate any of Ninoy's and Cory's kin and I get easily exasperated.Be it Noy's hair loss,Luisita's endless employees's chaos,Krisy's twisted personality or PNoy's apparent disregard to the real problems of his countrymen. I on the other hand, fly with delight and gratitude when adulation and praises are accorded to them.Citing Pinky's strong advocacy for free kindergarten education to all Filipino children,Krisy's customary contributions to Gawad Kalinga,Habitat for Humanity and Girl Scout of the Philippines,not to mention her payment of hefty sum of money for taxes,or Noy's petty guilty pleasure-music. I uttered once to the detractors,"I-assassinate na lang kaya si Noy?Para wala na akong pinoproblema." That left them dumbfounded.

Noy's inaguration as PNOY.

 Going back to the SONA,let me quote a few tweets:

• Anton SD:" Can't wait to watch the SONA, we need to move forward, we need a plan of action, and to focus on it.As a nation we have so much potential."
• DBM Sec. Butch Abad: "People don't appreciate how cleaning corruption actually leads to better and right spending. " THIS I LOVE- "Public health budget is up by 53%-Php 40B,we aim to cover 5.2M of the poorest of the poor."
• Abad: "This is a gov't that puts it money where the mouth is. Education budget up by 15% at 237B for 2012."Havvveeeyyyy!!!
• Abad: " The biggest paradigm shift in this administration is the leader himself- he is COMPLETELY HONEST."
• Jimparedes: " If we don't investigate how the past got us in a mess, we will be condemned to repeat it. This is not vengeance. This is JUSTICE."

Indifference and apathy slowly yet surely kill a nation. So guys,catch PNoy later and listen with an open mind and heart.

Salamat, PNOY!!!!

 

Friday, June 8, 2012

Impeachment: Views, Lessons and Points

Last May 29, Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona was convicted by the Senate impeachment court for betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution. It is known to mankind I am an Aquino supporter so as to practice fair and just blog regarding this national issue, I decided to simply share the thoughts of a few respected journalists and politicians.

June 03, 2012

Mano-A-Mano by Adel Tamano (Philippine Star)

"...the impeachment, as a whole, has been a very positive experience for our country and a watershed moment for our nation. Simply, going through the impeachment process was a giant step in our political and democratic maturity. "

"Filipinos learned about the law on procedure, banking, evidence, tax, land registration, our Constitution, civil law and even accounting and history."

But perhaps the most important lesson of all was the one on accountability; that even the most powerful of persons , the very head of one of our three great branches of government , can be held accountable.

"... the biggest challenge to our country has never been merely corruption but also the apathy of our citizens. My own optimistic view is that the great interest shown by our countrymen on the impeachment is a clear signal that we are becoming less apathetic and instead are growing- to be more interested in the public affairs of our nation and that we are finally on our way to becoming a mature and responsible democracy."

As I Wreck This Chair by William Esposo (Philippine Star)

When P-Noy did not agree to sign the "waiver" that his political foes were pressing him to do:
T"he SALN(Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth) that every public official is mandated by law to file under oath already has the waiver- except that it has never been used before to pursue investigations. "

"P-Noy restored line item budgeting that will remove many opportunities for graft and corruption. Less discretion on the use of public funds limits the opportunities for graft and corruption. He opted to defer infrastructure projects until the leaks have been plugged in the government procurement and spending processes.  In less than 2 years, P-Noy brought us from being regarded as an undesirable investment option to one of the most preferred- according to BusinessWeek, Goldman Sachs, HSBC Research, Bloomberg..."

"Unfortunately, the majority of Filipinos cannot appreciate the virtues of the effective, diligent, silent worker..
George Bernard Shaw wrote in Saint Joan words to the effect that it is a great fault not to know when you're alraedy defeated- but a worse fault not to know when you're already victorious. "

"It's not a question of whether we are pro Noy or anti-Noy. It is all about Filippinos knowing when they have a good leader and knowing how to help that leader deliver us all into the Promised Land. "

"We've become our worst enemies when we irrationally disable the few good men that we have. We've become apathetic when we get the leader that we need and we then become party to that leader's undoing."

Hindsight by F. Sionil Jose (Philippine Star)

F. Sionil Jose speaks his mind without fear. He has in the past, lambasted and criticized Noy and his governance. His integrity as a writer remains in a clean slate as supported by his longevity in the world of journalism.

"Now that all is said and done, we must ponder and realize that what mattered most was truth as justice in action, and this action is the ideal pursuit of our very lives, by which we measure the ultimate goal and purpose of society itself."

"In explaining her( Sen. Miriam Santiago) vote, she asked, "Why then are we considered one of the most corrupt country in the world?"
Perhaps without being quite conscious of it, her acquittal of Corona, she answered her own question. We have reached this state of apparent moral metastasis because leaders like her- and there are so many of them in and out of the Congress- are hobbled by their tremendous self-esteem, their encyclopedic legal knowledge, they forget that the basis of law is moral."

"At the end of the Senator's tirade, he (Harvey Keh) should have simply told her: I am a sovereign citizen of this republic, I deserve some respect from you, a public servant."

"Watching the senators explain their votes, the most telling explanation was Senator Lapid's. His was the voice of the voiceles masa, seldom heard in the sanctified corridors of power. It was stern and righteous for all of us to understand- the Chief Justice is guilty!"

"The president is now truly engaged in this historic reform movement starting with the most important institution which impacts on our lives, particularly the very poor. His emphasis on the revitalization of ethics in government, , that henceforth government officials must follow the daan na matured."

"Morality cannot be legislated but it can be emulated, nurtured and embedded in the very matrix of society if the leaders are the first to live it."

As to my personal view on the concluded national telenovela:

•  I am glad with the verdict. I just know in my heart that beneath P-Noy's resilient effort to bring the CJ to court is a vault of strong evidences that would prove his (CJ) guilt in the Articles of Impeachment filed by the prosecution.
• I am immensely impressed with Senate Pres. Juan Ponce Enrile.JPE's wisdom and sharp intellect is awesome. See what stem cell treatment can bring? Justice Cuevas captured my attention as well, he did not falter at all with the courtroom debacle. It is ironic that the only time he almost lost his focus was his own client's doing, the "walk-out".
• It's the defense panel who presented Ombudsman Carpio-Morales to take the witness stand. And we know how her testimony saved the day for the prosecution. What could be more twisted than that?
• I really wish for CJ's good health. I hope that he would always remember to keep a sweet candy in his pocket should hypoglycemia attacks occur.
• Finally, I hope Noy, the senators and congressmen will now allot their time for other pressing matters of Pinoylandia. I am praying for a just closure of the Maguindanao massacre, poverty alleviation, health improvement of the citizenry, and decent employment for registered nurses.

I am PINOY!!:)

June 24, 2021

You are my BEST Philippine President. Thank you for serving our country. 

That's Love

I do not have a battalion of acquaintances as I have always been selective as to who I allow to come in my world but I am proud to say that I have a handful of people who accept me with all my kookiness, weakness and mood swings. They have been with me in triumphs and trials, in joy and anguish, in the sunny and winter days of my timeline.

No matter the distance and time zone differences, they assure me of their loyalty, care, guidance and friendship. Despite their busyness and tasks at hand, they are always there for me to embrace me with support and encouragement.

Struggles at bay constantly, yet they make time to help. Truth to be told, it is not actually help, it is indeed LOVE.

I am one grateful girl. Life is beautiful.

Help. Love. Loyalty.

Hearts Entwined

 Your smile is my happiness.

Your happiness is my joy.

Your sadness is my sorrow.

You pain is my anguish.

Your triumph is my celebration.

Your heart is my soul.

Your love is my strength.

The love we have is truest.

Love. Strong. Infinite.

The Gentle Monster Selfie

 When a gentle monster wears a Gentle Monster spectacles.LOL!!!! Eyeglasses not mine though!!! I know, I know!!! It fits me to a T!!! Lemme hunt for a sponsor!!!Hihi!!!

However, I am not a monster!! I am an angel.:)

Smile. Love. Live.

Move for Endorphins

 Even before I enrolled for BSN, I already have a clear knowledge that exercise releases happy neurotransmitters, thanks to Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon), THE Legally Blonde pink lady. The movie was shown on 2001 and it is on my list of all-time favorite rom-com movies.

I am back on the treadmill and darling, it feels so good!!! The tachycardia and breathlessness leaves me accomplished and yes, happy. :)

To quote Elle: "Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people don't just shoot their husbands, they just don't."

Move. Breathe. Run.

LoveThoughts, LoveLines

 

Love is most weak 

when there is 

more doubt

than there is trust.

But love is most strong

when you learn 

to trust

even with all

the doubts.

Love. Trust. Faith.