Tweaks before a blog leave (again!?)

*What do you think about my new header? If it's kind of stupid, please let me know ha?

Please beware: narcissism rules in this post. ha3 Just please bear with me. Sometimes, it's healthy to be proud of your own self. diba noh? diba? diba? (please tell me if I really am narcissistic or some kinda demanding here. hihi)

Obviously, I have several tweaks and changes in my blog in a matter of 2 days. Well, this is a sort of preparation for another scheduled blog leave and that'll be about 8 hours from now (my clock ticks 8PM).

Previously it was because we had a basic research training and now, it's going to be the fieldwork (We'll be having interview sessions with teen-agers from an area about their knowledge, attitudes and practices when it comes to sex and reproductive health) and I am assigned at Iloilo National High School in Iloilo City, Province of Iloilo (parang tongue twister ah). It's about an hour travel from our place, La Carlota City, to the Bacolod City pier and an hour cruise from the Negros island. I think I'll be staying there for about 2 days or more (hopefully not more than 2). Thanks to tita for providing me a bed space in their house so, I'll not be spending much for lodging.

I hope you guys won't leave my blog hanging on a dead tree on a deserted island of skulls and rotten flesh. My archive is wide open for your clicks and comments while I can't create new posts. ha3 ;)

Hey, I hope you'll add me in your Technorati Favorites. It has been a month since I became a member of that community/directory but it was just yesterday (?) or the other day that I embeded the link button. But EWAY (imitating Andianka's way of writing ANYWAY), i'm hoping that you'll click on this link and fave me. (ha3 I'm getting more shameless than ever!).

I also customized my feed button to make it more apparent. It's kind chaotic if I look at it. ha3 But eway, I'll just tweak it later. Like my posts? Why don't you subscribe to my feeds? ahihi (wala kang hiya quincy!)

I was also invited to join a new forum called Pinoy Blogger. Why don't you try it?

If you happen to scroll down a little more in my blog, you'll see my technorati authority stats and I was surprised when my technorati authority went abruptly high. It was 37 last week and now I have 58. Thank you so much to those who visits often. Maraming salamat talaga.

Have you heard or seen the 2k bloggers' site? I'm so happy that naka abot pa ko sa final slots nila. If you visit the site, you'll see the photo montage. Can you see me there? I attached the same photo as what you can see in my profile photo here in my blog. I'm one of those who were blessed for the last few free spots. ha3



I also joined the Good Blogs community, the You Comment I Reply and U Comment I follow movements. I joined them since I am really a sucker for comments because it surely feels good to know that your visitors are commenting on your posts. It makes me feel the interaction, the coversation and the affection with each blogger friends. That is why if you have noticed, I am threading my comment pages to further discuss things all about the post. Besides, it is really encouraging.

I hope you'll join the movements.

I'll end this with hopes that you'll be still be visiting despite my absence. (remember the archives. LOL)

Happy blogging everyone!

*People! People! People!

Are you special?

Remember: It took a Man to suffer extreme pain and death to pay for your sins. That is how special you are.

Human Experiment: Coke + Mentos = ???

This article with photos in sequence was sent to me through an e-mail. It told me that there was a little boy died in Brazil after eating MENTOS and drinking COCA-COLA (or PEPSI) together. One year before the same accident happened, another boy died in the same country.

The photos are taken during an experiment done by mixing Coca-Cola (or Coka-Cola Light) with MENTOS .

Check out what happens.





Maybe I need to know the facts behind this.

I posted this since I myself is eating Mentos (POLO's) and I also drink Coke. Fortunately, I swallowed these in seperate dates.

Here's a human experiment, by the way:




This may be truly dangerous or just deception. But it's better to be careful with your self eating MENTOS (POLO's) and drinking COCA-COLA or PEPSI together.

Will you repost this?

*Did you meet my first crush?

Remembering Dick and Rick Hoyt

Dick and Rick Hoyt are a father-and-son team from Massachusetts, USA. TOGETHER, they competed just about continuously in marathon races. And if they’re not in a marathon they are in a triathlon — that disheartening, almost superhuman, combination of 26.2 miles of running, 112 miles of bicycling, and 2.4 miles of swimming.

TOGETHER they have climbed mountains, and once trekked 3,770 miles across America.

It’s a remarkable record of exertion considering that Rick can't walk nor talk.

For the past several years Dick, who is 65, has pushed and pulled his son across the country and over hundreds of finish lines. When Dick runs, Rick is in a wheelchair that Dick is pushing. When Dick cycles, Rick is in the seat-pod from his wheelchair, attached to the front of the bike. When Dick swims, Rick is in a small but heavy, firmly stabilized boat being pulled by Dick. TOGETHER, Dick is the body and Rick is the heart.

It has been a story of exclusion when Rick was born in 1962. He was then 8 months old when the doctors told Dick to put Rick away because he'd be a vegetable all his life, that sort of thing.

But Dick is a true father. He disagreed with what the doctor told them to do, sent Rick back home and raised him just like any normal child.

Dick and Rick Hoyt inspired many people accross the planet including Presidents and many elites.

TOGETHER, let us remember their plight. Let us remember that TOGETHER we CAN if only we will make up our hearts and minds. Let us remember one great LOVE a father has given to a SON.

So far, this is the only youtube video that made me cry for several times. I know I was not the first one cry over this and I believe that I am not the last.

*My father's 6th Death Anniversary

Reviving the Nation

My late father's younger brother, Engr. John Erisima Tampo, was speaker during my secondary education Alma Mater's 60th Graduation Exercises last April 4, 2007.

Tito John, as I call him, is currently the Project Manager of Southeast Asia Food Inc. (SAFI) He finished his studies in secondary and tertiary level as a State Scholar of our city.

Now living in La Paz, Iloilo City, Tito has a loving wife, Tita Inday and has 2 sons and a daughter (obviously my cousins) John, Fredeliz Irene Rowena and Cid Henry Erickson. (I'm so blessed to have them part of my family.)

Tito talked on ways on Reviving the Nation through simple steps.

Here's what he told the 2007 graduates of Doña Hortencia Salas Benedicto National High School, the home of Luiji John Karlo M. Suarez, the Organization Awards Winner of the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance, Lemelson Foundation Award during the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair held at Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA on May 13-19, 2007.

Reading this somehow filled up my ignorance on many issues that are currently pandemoniac in our Filipino nation.

I personally thank Tito for these words.

This may take a few minutes of your time but I tell you, it's worth it.

REVIVING THE NATION

The Vision

Where do we go from here? Where must the Philippines be ten, fifteen years from now?
We must be afraid to dream of a country which is free of poverty by the year 2020.
We have to make a decision to solve this problem in our generation.
This translates to two million Filipino getting out of the poverty trap every year.
Can this be done? Yes, this can be done. Is there hope? Yes there is. How do we do this?

My dear graduates, parents, teachers, education officials, local government executives, fellow alumni, fellow students, classmates and friends may I humbly offer a simple step by step strategy.

First, we must put our selves in order and change the world's perception of the Filipino.

To do this, we must change our value system. We need to have a value-driven educational system anchored on love of God, country, and fellowmen.

We must reform the elector process and ensure that only men and women of impeccable integrity will be in the commission on Elections. Men and women who know how to count and cannot be bought. Who have only the present and future welfare of the Filipinos in their hearts and nothing else.

We must educate the electorate so that politicians can no longer fool us.

We must eliminate graft and corruption in government. From the President of the Philippines to the lower clerk. From Malacañang to the Barangay Hall. We need an honest government.

Our government must do what is right and good for the people without expecting to be bribed and without extorting money from the citizens. We have paid you enough with our hard earned taxes. We need not pay you anything extra anymore.

We need to abolish the pork barrel for congressman and senators. Their job is to craft laws, to see that these implemented, and where weakness and problem exist, to strengthen these laws. It is not there job to build waiting sheds, foot walks, roads, schoolhouses, and buy medicines. We have the DPWH, DepED, DSWD, and the DOH to do all these. We do not need a duplication of these functions.

Public office is public trust, according to Henry Ford I.

We need to change first.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said: "What lies behind us, and what lies ahead of us, are small things compared to what lies within us."

We need to build our character first. We must put our selves in order.

Second, we must put our house in order and attract investments.

We need to clean our backyard.

We need to clean our communities, roads, drainage system and public place and keep them clean.

We need to minimize waste, segregate them, do our best to recycle, and dispose of our garbage properly.

We need to clean our rivers and seas and stop dumping garbage on them.

We need to stop denuding our forests and start planting trees instead.

We need to clean and protect our mangroves and coral reefs.

We need to stop crime, drug addiction and trafficking, urban blight.

We need to invest in social as well as physical infrastructure.

We need to abolish the pork barrel for congressman and senators. It is not there job to build waiting sheds, foot walks, roads, schoolhouses, and buy medicines.

We need to effectively address the needs of the orphans, homeless, the aged, and the disabled.

We need to separate the weak from the able-bodied.

We must take care of the weak and the sickly but we must provide the able-bodied with fresh opportunities for a productive life.

We need to invest in power, transportation, and communication infrastructure.

We need more power generation transmission capacity in order to bring down the cost of power in country.

We need to improve the quality of the roads, bridges, seaport and airports.

We need to balance the national budget. We can do this if we can stop graft and corruption, maximize revenue collection, and exercise prudence in spending.

If we do all these, increase foreign direct investment and tourism, both on a sustainable bases, will nit, far from behind. With added investment, employment will increase and morale will improve. These will lead to better productivity, which leads to better profit, which lead to higher government revenues, and therefore increase level for infrastructure. And the economy will get better and better.

Last but not the least, we must put our tools in order.

Our tools are our knowledge and competence. Our Agriculture. Our Industry. Our Services.

In this third strategic step, we need an educational system that can improve science and mathematics instruction.

Education is one of the powerful social invention against poverty. Innovative educational program instill in the student the power to hope and the desire to make a difference by using gifts to benefit others. To benefit the community and nation.

"Walang sinuman and nabubuhay, para sa sarili lamang,
Walang sinuman and namamatay, para sa sarili lamang;
Tayong lahat ay may pananagutan sa isa't isa.
Tayong lahat ay tinipon ng Diyos, na kapiling N'ya."

We need to focus more on science, engineering and technology that convert the knowledge and competence of our workforce from the basic to the more advance know how and skill this nation needs in order to add more and more value to our resources, products and services.

We need to produce more brilliant scientists and engineers. By sharpening our skills, we can produce more rice, more corn, more sugar from our declining agriculture lands and globally competitive costs.

By sharpening our know how, we can run our industries more efficiently and productivity, producing products and world-class quality we can export. Products we can label, "Proudly Made in the Philippines."

By technology and innovation, we can improve the competitiveness of our services sector. In the global market, it is only through productivity, quality value, and innovation that we can compete.

This would mean better profit in industry, which will result to higher government revenues, further resulting to better infrastructure, and further improving the investment attractiveness of the nation.

The Challenge

Dear graduates, whatever field it will be you want to pursue, I challenge you to pursue it the you can by working as hard as you can, always cognizant of the fact that your nation needs us. The challenge I gave you and everybody listing tonight is a long and difficult process.

"The woods are sleepy, dark and deep.
But I have a promise to keep.
And miles to go before I sleep.
And miles to go before I sleep."

But we need to start the process of putting our selves in order, putting our house in order, and putting our tools in order. And we need to start NOW.

For ourselves, our families, and our nation and in the process, glorify GOD.

Our nation needs a leader with a vision for a better quality of life for Filipinos. A leader with the courage to do whatever it takes no matter what the cost to his prison. The competence to discern good from bad, right from wrong.

The character to stay the course no matter the threats, the obstacles, the risk.

"A nation without heroes is a sad nation, a nation without a leader is a sadder nation."

If we do not have the leadership now, just looking at this batch of graduates of 2007 tells me we will have the leadership in the near future.

Therefore dear graduates, dream to make a difference. For he is not the man who does not improve his part of the world.

Some of you might want to become doctors, nurses, teachers, engineers, architects, dentists, lawyer and accountants.

Do not just dream of becoming a doctor or a nurse. Dream of inspiring and giving hope to the sick and the hopeless.

Do not just dream of becoming an accountant. Dream of bringing wealth to this nation.

Do not just dream of becoming an architect. Dream of beautifying our country.

Do not just dream of becoming a dentist. Dream of bringing close-up smile and colgate smile. Dream of bringing about dental health.

Do not just dream of becoming a lawyer. Dream of fighting for what is right. Dream of standing up for justice and equality.

Do not just dream of becoming an engineer. Dream of improving the way people work, travel, communicate, and live. Dream of making this world a better place to live in.

Do not just dream of becoming a teacher. Dream of transforming lives.^

An insane, freaky and paranoid college student

I got this from the friendster bulletin Gracy posted.

It's a sort of an expose. Please read.

Anak,

Naipadala ko na ang 50 thousand pesos na tuition fee mo, pinagbili na namin ang mga kalabaw natin.

Ang mahal pla ng kursong DOTA, wala na din pla tayong baboy naibenta na din para dun sa sinsabi mo na project nyo na NOKIA N75, ang mahal naman ng project na yun.

Kasama din ang 7 thousand dun para sa field trip nyo sa MALL OF ASIA, anak malayo ba yun? Mag ingat ka sa pagbibiyahe mo, isasanla pala namin ang palayan natin para mabili mo na ang iyong instrumentong I-POD na kinakailangan mo sa laboratory nyo.

Anak komportable ka ba jan sa boarding house mo? san ba kamu yan...? sa VICTORIA COURT - maganda ba jan? di ba mainit jan? Anak kamusta na pala yung group project nyo na SANMIG LIGHT? Napailaw nyo na ba? mataas ba nakuha nyo na grado dun?

Anak sana bago pa maubos ang lahat ng ari-arian natin ay maka gradweyt kana, walong taon ba talaga ang kurso mo sa SECRETARIAL?, sana pag gradweyt mo makakuha ka ng trabaho kaagad kagaya ng manager ng kumpanya para mabawi natin ang mga ari-arian natin sa sanglaan.

Ay sya nga pala anak diba sabi mo sa JOLLIBEE / MAK DONALD ka palagi kumakain? Ok ba naman sayo ang mga ulam dyan? baka hindi masarap kawawa ka naman. Eh yung school bus nyo na TAXI sabihin mo sa driver mag ingat sya sa pag da-drive.

Anak hanggang dito nalang at sa susunod ay ipapadala ko sayo ang pera na pambili mo ng ALTIS na gagamitin mo sa VACANT SUBJECT mo.

Ang nagmamahal


Itay at Inang

P.S. Anak mag aral ka ng mabuti.

quinkoy tawops posts his top 10

It was just last week when Karlo of Pinoy Blogero told me about Ms. Janette Toral's Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs in 2007 writing project. I didn't have the nerve of interest at first but when I saw that many bloggers had posted their own picks, I gained the push to show my readers who influenced me greatly in my one and half-month time blogging mulling over the reality that we need to influence more bloggers to produce sensible, healthy and substantial write-ups.

By the way, July 28, 2007 will be the deadline of submission of nominations. You have your list? Send it ASAP.

Here are my top 10 picks.

Karlo of Pinoy Blogero
Gracy of Melodies of Life
Fion of Nuninuninuu..
Andrea of Wait, who said that?
Allen of Silkenhut's World
Pilgrim of OFW Lyf
Chief of Unwind
Jowell of The Blue Addictions
Jackie of True Essence of a Princess' Life
Dunno of Pinoy ProBlogger

These bloggers and their blogs had a good impact on me in some kind or another. I hope somebody from this list will be selected.

*I had some changes in my previous list since some of my picks are not qualified or they started blogging before August 2006 so I beg to apologize for my ignorance and stupidity, specifically to:

Mark Aethen of Athen-ism
Frances Paula of Small World Big Possibilities
Ariel of Another Journey
Makoy of Memoirs of a Certified Blogger

But that would serve as a thought that I loved your blogs so I really thank you so much.

Again, I'm sorry.

*For the second time, I apologize.

Sarah of Ramblings of a Princess
Joiz of Joiz, the angel's lair
Nicely of Nice and Smiling Girl

I can't seem to discover when you started blogging. Good thing for those who have apparent archives.

I had a hard time changing the blogs on my list since it's some kind of tedious choosing the blogs who really influenced me or those who have etched a thought in my mind that I come to remember every now and then.

Anyway, there you have it. Hoping it could pass.

*To Janet Toral, kindly evaluate again.

SONA and SELF

Thanks so much to gmanews.tv for providing a whole video coverage of yesterday's State of the Nation Address of Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of the Republic of the Philippines.

First, I would like to congratulate my friend Luiji John Suarez, organizational awardee, during the International Intel Science Fair held at Mexico. I felt proud seeing him standing with a wide smile, bowing to the national audience - applauded - as he was being commended by the President on her SONA. We knew each other at a Local Youth Development Assembly last November, 2006.

Hearing/reading about the apparent achievements of PGMA's administration from economy, education, empowerment, electricity, medicine, public safety, security and tourism and a lot more made me admire her courage, diligence and passion to serve the country well and right than being stunned of fame and power despite the baloney bickerings, petty scuffles and unintelligent pursuits of many critics and fault-finders.

We will always go down to the bottom line of everything which is imperfection. Our country (and every country) is being governed by human beings with built-in imperfections thus there will always be imperfections in the systems, the strategies and the means of making our 7,100 plus islas to progress and to rise from the mire of poverty. But those natural imperfections can be surpassed with the followers' excellence and perfection in their line of work, excellence and perfection in their relationships and excellence and perfection in governing their own lives and most especially their own selves.

I believe, the progress of one country always begins from the progress of one's self.

That is not a culture of apathy, but a culture of reaching forward for the sake of the family, the community and the nation and knowing where to land.

I hope everybody begins everything with their own selves. An Anglican Bishop often reminds me with his sayings:

When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world;
As I grew older and wise I realized the world would not change.
And I decided to shorten my sights somewhat and change only my country. But it too seemed immovable.
As I entered my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I sought to change only, those closest to me, but alas, they would have none of it.
And now, here I lie on my death bed and realized (perhaps for the first time) that if only I'd changed myself first, then by example I may have influenced my family and with their encouragement and support I may have bettered my country, and who knows I may have changed the world.

The change in yourself may just be small simple thing. But as what Alex Lacson told us, let us believe in the power of little things, of little thoughts because these thoughts or ideas can produce actions and these actions can become habbits, these habbits can become our way of life, our culture and these ways of life can become our destiny as a people, as a nation.

I'm sure everyone of us wants to make change in our country. Shall we start it in our selves?

Everything seems screwed up!

Have you been bungled by lots of responsibilities and can't cope up with everything and you just start screaming within yourself angry, pissed and screwed up not with the people around you but with every situation that hampers you to finish a thing and dumps you on your darn baloney sulky mood that delays or even stops your interest and willingness to get things done as soon as possible?

Just like this:

1. You just came from a training thus, you're tired and wanted to sleep but when you do so and you're at the middle of your dream, your mother wakes you up while your younger sister shouts at you that somebody is looking or calling for you outside the house. What happens? You're disrupted and messed up because of the abrupt shift of the atmosphere from fantasy to reality and going dizzy while hanging over from the insufficient sleeep, you run to the house's main door to face your visitor and later did you know that you're just wearing a boxer shorts without a top.

2. Your brother requested you to encode the TGS of a fast food store on MS Excel since he can't do it himself because of his busy and pressured schedules at work. But since your computer is near the room of your grandmother where her door is slightly opened so you can hear her call whenever she needs you (she has pleurisy and he can hardly voice out what she needs) and that the light you use passes through her room and she can't sleep under that condition, you got to kill your light and struggle to see the data on the TGS form through dim light.

3. You got to use the computer since you have to send an e-mail to a coordinator of your project that you need some financial and intellectual support. However, your younger sister has her assignments to be passed the next morning and you don't have any amount on your pocket to rent from Internet cafes.

4. You are trying to focus on a certain write up without any disruptions but your uncle living beside your house loves to turn the volume louder with his 50s to 70s type of music and even sings along with it plus the television sounds you can't turn off because everyone's watching plus the mosquitos that bite your feet and legs plus the frequent call of your grandma to get her a cup of water or requests for some milk and some biscuit or bread.

5. And when you finished your work on the TGS, your write ups for the publication and blog, your mother's requests and your sisters summary of an editorial, you'd want to dose off seeing the time ticks 1am in the morning but when you turn your freaking head on the kitchen, your eyes go wide discovering the dishes weren't washed yet.

Do these seem mess you up? - whew -

I am not angry nor pissed with the people who made these things happen because they're also human beings - my family is group of homo sapiens with built-in imperfections. What spoils me so much are the situations.

One thing I realized? God gives the toughest test!

I hope, I can overcome these things as part of my daily responsbility here in our house and with my family.

Still, all things work for a purpose.

'Biyahe tayo,' take risks and enjoy priceless rewards

Hi everyone. Thank you so much for visiting my blog for the past 2 days. On my way home, I was so excited to see if how was everything here. Though, I didn't have more comments on my latest posts. reading my messages on shoutboxes made me feel even better so I really thank you so much.

As what I've told you in my previous post, I'll be having a training and I just came back from the 2-day training from Iloilo to Bacolod City and it has been a venturous experience for me. Why? It was my very first time to do almost all the jaunts and activities I did and I really thank God for that opportunity.

To think that I coordinated for the event (with support from my fellow y-konek members most especially Jake Mae Valencia of West Negros College and Ramel Jacolbe of Riverside College), I thank God for the chance once again to be pressured, squeezed and harnessed for a good cause, a good advocacy and a very scary do-that-or-I'll-kick-your-ass instances during the preparations and when facilitating everything in the venue and while the training is on progress.

But despite all the risks and mind-stirring challenges, the treasurable moments of accomplisment wrapped everything with joy and fulfillment. Indeed, taking risks to ascertain unknown things for you are all worth it and it surely felt so cool when everytime I discovered something new, I whisper to myself:

"Now I know what"
"Now I know why"
"Now I know how"

I knew it felt complete and it pushes me to want to undergo brand new challenges again.

With heartfelt thanks, everything went good from fetching our trainer, Aldwin Joseph Empaces (Kuya Aldwin as we fondly call him), at the New Iloilo Airport to our training and up to accompanying him to Cebu Pacific Airlines at Bacolod City just this morning.

What wears us down the most in life aren't the chances we take but the chances we don't take, the dreams we put aside, the adventures we push away.

I personally thank Kuya Aldwin for everything. As I accompany him for 2 days from breakfast to supper and from one place to another, I really learned so much. Lessons from his life - life as a lover, life as a responsible member of the family, life as a teacher, life as an environmentalist and his life as a researcher.

Kuya, if you happen to read this, thank you so much. I would thank many people from the bottom of my heart but to you and also to the staff of the SOARGroup of USC, my heart is bottomless.

On my ride home from Bacolod City just this morning, I saw myself sitting in the PUB, leaning on the window glass and looking at the busy highway as trees, fields, the people, the seas, the sky seemed smiling to a beautiful day, my heart pounding, pondering over the 2 days of various precious experiences, learnings, friendship and realizations...I felt new. I felt so good. I felt different that I came on asking myself, "Is this me? Am I still Quincy?" and just dim my eye with that salty liquid again, grateful to what God did to my existence in just a short time.

One epiphany is the greatest tragedy a person would ever do in his life is not to brace for his supreme effort to get what he purposefully needs and wants.

Indeed, Kuya Aldwin's text message for me was true, "What wears us down the most in life aren't the chances we take but the chances we don't take, the dreams we put aside, the adventures we push away. So whatever it is you're wanting in life, go for it! And always remember that no matter what, trust your heart."

*^*

Enough with the sentiments, I would like to give you a glimpse of what we are doing right now.

As partner of the Sociology and Anthropology Research Group (SOARGroup) of University of San Carlos with support from the Internaional Planned Parenthood Foundation of America, the Y-Konek (an youth organization that advocates for adolescent reproductive health) will conduct a survey on the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of ARH issues. The study will cover randomly selected adolescents from first year to third year high school students. This is to establish the baseline data to assist us in developing an information, education and communications program for adolescents.

In view of the activity, we underwent what I was telling you, a training on basic research.

This activity aims to analyze differences in KAP by age, sex and marital status. Besides, it also aims to identify and analyze the determinants of the risky RH behavior and so we could later recommend effective strategies on youth RH campaigns and service delivery.

The kick off of the field work will be sometime this week and if it does happen, I need to go back to Iloilo City to give other Y-konek members a back-up because there are only few young active people who will serve there.

I hope and pray for God's provisions and sustaining grace as I do this tasks in Iloilo at the same time check the researchers in Bacolod City.

I didn't imagine myself that I will be having this kind of responsibility. Indeed, if opportunity comes, you stop it from giving you everything. And with that, I again thank God for honing me back in my 14 years of schooling and for giving me priviledges to have control over small things. Now, he's given me control over somehow big things.

To God be the glory.

A tribute to friends before graduation

I wrote this before I graduated from college. This is a tribute to my batch as we left the portals of our alma mater even though things between us didn't seem to rhyme 2 weeks before the graduation.

Minsan madarama mo kay bigat ng problema
Minsan mahihirapan ka at masasabing “di ko makakaya”

It is November 22, 2027 and it will be my Alma Mater’s 60th Founding Anniversary.

I am waiting for my flight home to the Philippines from Krabi City, South Thailand. I will be attending our Alumni Homecoming.

It was a connecting flight from Thailand to Hongkong to the Philippines.

I was naïve and was not really engrossed to going out of the country. But there I am teaching the kids in Prakhun Language School, a school established by a Filipino Pastor to teach English while integrating the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I am sitting inside the boarding lounge while surfing the World Wide Web in my laptop computer set up with Macintosh operating system and with a wireless internet connection. I am checking on LCCC’s website. Later did I know that the website is built thru the efforts of Albert Carbajusa, now a Radio Productions Supervisor of 101.5 FM Bacolod. He was once addicted to going on internet cafés when I taught him how. The website is linked with abs-cbninteractive.com and is having sponsors from different prestigious companies. I now remember that Albert is a very good solicitor during our college years. Amazingly, the proceeds go directly to the city college’s Metrobank account and were used to build the first skyscraper in La Carlota City.

I checked on the graduates tab on the page and noticed the “staff box” hyperlink. There I see Roselyn Dorado, the chairman of the formation and networking committee of lacarlotacitycollege.net. Her staffers are researchers Mike Pabalate, Racel Esparagoza, Jinnah Grace Tamagos and Anna Liza Ortega. They are considered the researchers of researchers in the year 2017. They create links with other schools round the world to much better enhance the quality of education of our Alma Mater. They are also the people who track the current statuses of our batch mates.

Going back to the homepage, I am opening the internet radio, linked to My Only Radio 101.5 FM Bacolod. Just on time, I hear DJ’s Nicolas Roca and his partner Richard Canja inviting LCCC’s alumni to attend the homecoming on November 27, 2027.

In a while, somebody called up on air, it was Sprite Manangkil, asking if the homecoming is KKB (Kanya kanyang baon) or not. Sprite then is already one of the leading internship uniform designers round the Philippines.

Thrilled with my friends’ achievements and endeavours after 20 long years, it is inspiring me to search for the rest of the gang.

As I was skimming the web pages, there is this acoustic band in the advertisement page that caught my attention. I was shocked when I realized Julesis Abraham is already leading an acoustic band with Raffie Salazar as their soloist. Girls and gays scream to the max at their gigs. Besides, they have Cindy Cagayanan, Vinecar Cobilla and Juvy dela Cruz as their back up. Not back-up singers, but back-up dancers.

Then I proved my friends right. There are not just good in teaching, they are also superb on entertainment.

I clicked on the graduates tab of the website then opened the 40th batch link. There is a list of the graduates with their profiles and their current jobs and indulgences at the left side.

Unfortunately, the plane arrives at 10:30, so I got to turn off the computer and board the flight.

I was seated on E7. I was stunned when I saw Merly Roquero and Glaisa Geniebla on seats near front. Good thing, nobody seats beside them so I transferred for awhile to have somebody to talk to. There I learned that these two were working as teacher-volunteers in a remote area in South Thailand. But it is just temporary since they will be finishing their doctor’s degree in the Philippines and apply in their Alma Mater.

On the way, we keep a steady stream of conversation generously sprinkled with animated ejaculations and spontaneous peals of laughter. There is a series of do-you-remember stories about old jokes, parties, common friends and classmates. Before long, it is common knowledge that the Artist of the Year is Jien Omar Mendoza who is presently having his arts exhibited at Shangrila Hotel in Cebu City and gained distinction of his uniqueness. And he is now one of the master teachers in art in the school founded by Drs. Anthony Espanilla, Ryan Canja, Zyrus Leones and Belle Mar Layson, the officers of the Association of Aspiring Artists of the Philippines. Glaisa suggests that they’d better convince the four founders to give a part of their proceeds to Drs. Ysann Gel Genovis, Juliet Baliguat and Donna Mae Tubianosa who are rumoured to be the three missionary educators in Africa who have refused to reveal their identities.

Tumingin ka lang sa langit
Baka sakaling may masumpungan

Continuing the conversation, even though these friends are not with us now, we are feeling proud that they sacrifice a lot for their missions. I added that we also must be proud of Japhet Bermillo, Cyrel Belbar, Ma. Christina Toledo, Jay Hernaez, Sheryl Seligbon, Lenny Villasis, Syrose Rebuca, Ana Mae Pillado, April Joy Despi, Jennicer Sedayon, Daisy Ann Ojano, Celestine Joy Pedrosa and Ariel Gerolani for completing their requirements for the doctorate degrees in Hongkong.

Jenry Gico on the other hand, says Merly, was praised as he established the Literary and Arts Initiative Center with his romantic poems and paintings while having the proceeds donated to the Sakadas of Negros Occidental.

Glaisa, shares that he happened to know that Esther Hope Magbanua, Rosamy Occilada, Liezl Cabasag, May Rosh Arguelles, Sheila Mae Chavez, Shane Ann Tangile, Lorelyn Oroceo, Jeanalyn Larios, Frederick Quillain, Donniver Canja and Renjie Abellita at Dubai’s 7star hotel. He learned about that thru an e-mail from Aisa Joy Angeles, married to somebody rich and having a comfy life at his rest house in Tagaytay. Aisa said, they re having they’re having their international teachers’ convention there.

We’re now landing in Hongkong Int’l airport so have to go back to my seat.

I remember that I have a new issue of Times Magazine in my bag. I skim and saw this text in formal font styles with a bright red background with transparency and opacity fading to white. It is something from Ronnel Busayong, a young president of a private elementary in Wisconsin, USA, featured because of his pure friendship among his subordinates. But there is still a text on Times New Roman font at the bottom. He published his proposal for the girl he loved since college. I don’t know if I am sure if that’s the girl but it is something like “Liz”.

I missed something from the frontpage so I got back. I read the title of Ronnel’s article “Ron’s Friendship and Romance.” To my surprise, the one who interviewed and wrote about him is Mary Grace Ortega, now a staff writer of the internationally distributed magazine, Times.

The rest of the English Literature experts are being dispersed to the different vast regions of the world to write stories for the magazine.

Back to the air, we arrive at NAIA by 5:00 oclock in the afternoon. Bidding good bye to my friends because they all have to go somewhere, I told them about the homecoming and they were willing to cut their schedules.

I decided to stay at a hotel for the night. Inside, I see a poster telling there is a show at ballroom 2 of the hotel, tickets pegged at 200 pesos. I have nothing to do so I see watching the best option..

Just on time, I hear people applaud, and whistle. I am at daze when I see the performers had their production number, it is Precil Necesito, Florebee Corsino, Glaisa Geniebla, Vivian Decrepito, Rey Pacheco, Christopher Teodorico, Randy Cueva, Jetmar Arzaga, Jay-R Miraflor, Arian Almarie, Alex Naragdao, Reynaldo Obelidon and Oroncio Ulbida, Mary Jane and Naarah Michelle having the best of the best Literary musical performances with fight scenes. They are elite performers during the evening but master teachers during daylight.

The shows done, got to book for a flight to Bacolod on November 27, eat and sleep.

November 27, arriving at Bacolod, around 5 in the afternoon, I decided to get a taxi home to La Carlota City.

I went directly to the school and at the vast gate of my Alma Mater with large format photo streamers featuring the college’s 60th founding anniversary, I witnessed Isha Lasco’s crush became man enough to propose marriage at the busy renovated covered walk of La Carlota City College. It was romantic welcoming for me.

Every witness congratulated the two and Isha chose not to attend the alumni homecoming and told our folks that she will be preparing for her marriage.

Di kaya ako’y tawagin
Malalaman mong kahit kailan

I went straight to the publication office to grab a copy of the College Voice, the headline struck my eyes when I see Dr. J-O-Y Solomon’s name. She is now finishing her studies on integrating global quality training and discipline in the Education Course curriculum.

Then moving further to friendship hall where we will be having our first homecoming session, I was astonished upon seeing the vast hall. It is extended, walled with glass, fully air-conditioned with built-in LCD Projector and laptop and brand new sound system. It can already sit a thousand.

Coming in, I see batch 40 and welcoming us, is Dr. Bernadette Balani, now the President of the Alumni Association and the pioneering President of the La Carlota Metropolitan. As I go on my way to a vacant seat with the guffaw and hum of voices in my ears, I can’t help but think and feel amused at our being young again, at the sense of play and adventure that has engulfed us with youthful intensity upon seeing each other after good many years. There I learned that most of us are now doctors and masters of our chosen fields.

November 27, 2027, a clear and starry sky with cold breeze of the coming December is a perfect setting for a festive night. Sleek and flashy cars line the parking grounds in front of the JPRC. In the soft dim adoring light that illuminate the school park, a banner warmly greets all – WELCOME CLASS 2007!!!

The friendship hall is aquiver with life. Subdued lights, the décor – flowers balloons, buntings, -- give the room a mystic atmosphere inducing sentimental memories. The lilting music, the carefree laughter, the happy faces and sparkling eyes – everything that is reminiscent of our last college years is there. As I look into the smiling faces, eyes brimming with unbounded joy, I find myself as though by magic transformation, looking into the beaming faces of more than a hundred school youths of 20 years ago, as with high hopes and aspirations they raise to their lips the eternal song of friendship.

Hawak kamay
Di kita iiwan sa paglakbay
Dito sa mundong walang katiyakan
Hawak kamay
Di kita bibitawan sa paglalakbay
Sa mundo ng kawalan.

Ok ka Pinoy!

If you can remember a Korean student's short essay about the Philippines, this one's the complete text of Patricia Evangelista's public speaking entry as she did her country proud winning the International Public Speaking Competition conducted by the English Speaking Union (ESU) in London on May 2004.

Patricia, 19, was a second-year Mass Communications student then then from UP - D. She bested 59 other student contestants from 37 countries, with her five-minute talk on the theme, "A Borderless World."

She formally accepted her award at Buckingham Palace from Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh and the president of the ESU, November that year.

I am always moved by her speech and I want to read it again and again to remind me how beautiful it is being a Filipino in a borderless world.

Here it is.

A Borderless World

When I was little, I wanted what many Filipino children all over the country wanted. I wanted
to be blond, blue-eyed, and white.

I thought — if I just wished hard enough and was good enough, I’d wake up on Christmas morning with snow outside my window and freckles across my nose!

More than four centuries under western domination does that to you. I have sixteen cousins. In a couple of years, there will just be five of us left in the Philippines, the rest will have gone abroad in search of “greener pastures.” It’s not just an anomaly; it’s a trend; the Filipino diaspora. Today, about eight million Filipinos are scattered around the world.

There are those who disapprove of Filipinos who choose to leave. I used to. Maybe this is a natural reaction of someone who was left behind, smiling for family pictures that get emptier with each succeeding year. Desertion, I called it. My country is a land that has perpetually fought for the freedom to be itself. Our heroes offered their lives in the struggle against the Spanish, the Japanese, the Americans. To pack up and deny that identity is tantamount to spitting on that sacrifice.

Or is it? I don’t think so, not anymore.

True, there is no denying this phenomenon, aided by the fact that what was once the other side of the world is now a twelve-hour plane ride away. But this is a borderless world, where no individual can claim to be purely from where he is now. My mother is of Chinese descent, my father is a quarter Spanish, and I call myself a pure Filipino-a hybrid of sorts resulting from a combination of cultures.

Each square mile anywhere in the world is made up of people of different ethnicities, with national identities and individual personalities. Because of this, each square mile is already a microcosm of the world. In as much as this blessed spot that is England is the world, so is my neighbourhood back home.

Seen this way, the Filipino Diaspora, or any sort of dispersal of populations, is not as ominous as so many claim. It must be understood. I come from a Third World country, one that is still trying mightily to get back on its feet after many years of dictatorship. But we shall make it, given more time. Especially now, when we have thousands of eager young minds who graduate from college every year. They have skills. They need jobs. We cannot absorb them all.

A borderless world presents a bigger opportunity, yet one that is not so much abandonment but an extension of identity. Even as we take, we give back. We are the 40,000 skilled nurses who support the UK’s National Health Service. We are the quarter-of-a-million seafarers manning most of the world’s commercial ships. We are your software engineers in Ireland, your construction workers in the Middle East, your doctors and caregivers in North America, and, your musical artists in London’s West End.

Nationalism isn’t bound by time or place. People from other nations migrate to create new nations, yet still remain essentially who they are. British society is itself an example of a multi- cultural nation, a melting pot of races, religions, arts and cultures. We are, indeed, in a borderless world!

Leaving sometimes isn’t a matter of choice. It’s coming back that is. The Hobbits of the shire travelled all over Middle-Earth, but they chose to come home, richer in every sense of the word. We call people like these balikbayans or the ‘returnees’ – those who followed their dream, yet choose to return and share their mature talents and good fortune.

In a few years, I may take advantage of whatever opportunities come my way. But I will come home. A borderless world doesn’t preclude the idea of a home. I’m a Filipino, and I’ll always be one. It isn’t about just geography; it isn’t about boundaries. It’s about giving back to the country that shaped me.

And that’s going to be more important to me than seeing snow outside my windows on a bright Christmas morning.

Mabuhay and Thank you

*thanks to Cathcath of cathcath.com for providing me the text.

Famine + pressure + frustration = sighs

I just had a very good day start. It was raining and it felt really good because it so cool. Enjoyed it much more with a cup of coffee while talking with Nanay.

Before going to work she told me three things:

1. Withdraw enough amount from the ATM;
2. Buy rice for lunch and supper;
3. Buy load for your phone.

The last words sounded really good since it was been several days that I haven't loaded my phone and I badly needed it for coordinating with the facilitators of our training on basic research this coming Saturday.

But:

1. The line was getting longer at the bank and since we only have one teller machine here in our place, I have nothing to do but to practice my patience and line up after the last homo sapien.

2. Worse. When it was my turn? The state of the art teller machine ran out of cash and I have nothing to buy everything for lunch and myself. My pocket's empty! The only amount I have at home is my collection of 10 and 5 centavos I keep in a plastic piggy bank! Impoverished Quincy is!

But not to destroy may patience pedestel coupled with initiative (ha3 umeepal na naman o.), I turned down my introvertish countenance and borrowed money from my uncle's cell phone shop and told him that i'll just refund it after the teller loads up.

So there, we got food for lunch and loaded up my phone. - sigh-

^^^

I am just a newbie of Y-konek. An organization I joined which advocates for Adolescent Reproductive Health in the Visayas.

However, when we were coordinating for a training that will be on July 21, '07 - that's this Saturday on basic research as preparation for a research project on HIV/STD cases in flagship high schools in Bacolod and Iloilo cities. The representative from the Sociology and Anthropology Research Group of University of San Carlos, Cebu, made me his partner for the project and told me to set partnership with the Iloilo group. Besides, he told me to go to Iloilo on July 20 to meet him up at the airport to help him mobilize the group there.

It gave me a jaw drop and sent me the creeps. My hands were shaking while reading his e-mail considering the fact that I am not that experienced yet in this events.

But I can't refuse. It would be so stupid of me then, if I declined from an opportunity that, I knew, would develop my personality and skills.

Oh yah, I remember. Maybe its time to experience it.

My problem right now is, the officers I requested to follow up the venue for the research, the venue for the training and the pension house where we will stay weren't able to reply in my messages. I already used all means to get in touch - phone calls, SMS, e-mail - but there were no word.

The last resort is, I'm going to do everything myself though its so tough for my prowess to cope.

This will be a test for me and I hope I'll get through. -sigh-

^^^

I have not seen Transformers yet and I think I won't have a chance to.

Though I can still watch it in home videos, the big screen Transformer experience is far different.

My friend gave me 2 free movie passes and supposedly, I'll use this for that big hit. But mulling over my schedules, screw! I can't make it.

Well anyway, the movie passes will expire December 31 this year. Maybe other movies deserve these tickets.

I'll just force myself not cry over spilled milk now. -sigh-

But I love this video. Check it out.

Date-raped!

Sleeping 1am in the morning yesterday because of a YM talk with a friend and then waking up early for church gave me a headache and a dose of drowsiness. But the thought of having a new found friend and knowing her deeper, somehow gave me a lift but at the same time, troubled me.

Why? Our conversation reached to her tormenting experiences in the past and establishing her trust on me about confidential matters, she shared it.

My friend was date-raped.

Reading her messages shook my nerves and dimmed my eyes with tears of grief. Being part of an adolescent reproductive health advocacy for almost a year now, I felt a deep anger and resentment to the one who did it to her and generally, to all the paranoidic, irresponsible, foolish men who dates women with a single objective - SEX or worse, RAPE.

Apparently, these cases are very common nowadays. You watch them on televised news reports, you read them on mainstream press and even in alternative press publications, you listen about these on radios and even hear it from people talking along the streets.

The respect, concern, love and sacrifice the women deserve from men is deteriorating hastily. I would greatly appreciate it if we would mark stigma to the men who do this. Or curse them and screw them into damnation. Wait, maybe we can use voodoo and stab the heart quickly, aye?

Questions unrelentingly bungle my mind while these situations are getting worse and worse as time passes by. How I hope capital punishment wasn't abolished! It's God's way and He was objective about that and that command was not unstructured! God is a structured Writer and He means what He wrote and He wrote what He means.

If God was a subjective, inaccurate God, He would have written the 10 Suggestions instead of the 10 Commandments!

The world must have become a better safer place for men and women if that Command was firmly implemented and wasn't obscured at all!

Think about that now. The evil event that happened to my friend damaged her - not just physically but also emotionally. It might also often disturb her mentally and psychology as she come to remember those things. Well I believe it's not easy to forget about that certain incident.

Men, wake up! Are you not dismayed?

Reproductive health and the youth

Based on 2006 surveys, an average of 23.1% of the youth now engage in PMS; 15% for female and 31% for male. It was reported that 57% of the young people have unplanned first sex experience. Every year, 14 million children are born to adolescent women. Ten percent of all births and 80 million pregnancies in the world every year are unwanted.

Unwanted pregnancies are common among female students. This resulted to serious problems with their families. Many postponed their schooling and get menial jobs to meet the needs of their baby.

One common problem in a case like this is lack of dialogue between the parents and the son or daughter. The family is the basic unit of the society and life education including sexuality must start from it. However, the channel of communication seems to be dysfunctional among many families now. Some parents say that it is improper and unethical to talk about intimate issues with the members of the family. They believe, it's the job of the school instructors.

Actually, life education in schools is not as effective as the education at home. The instructor handles many students and its hard for him to monitor individually his students' activity more so with their sexuality problem.

What is alarming is that even primary pupils are catching up with the teen-agers about sex. Their young minds are poisoned by what they have observed in the environment especially the media.

I have discovered one Grade VI pupil browsing a sexy magazine. I even heard him talk about nude cartoons he saw on the Internet and heard him using taboo American words.

It is absolutely essential for the family to discuss concerns like reproductive health, gender sensitivity, sexuality and rights. The youth information on sex must be intelligent and sensible and not the kind they will pick up from the streets.

Involving young people as program leaders and as educators and counselors can sometimes yield better outcomes than adult professionals.

Our youth must be trained how to cope with this problem. Instead of becoming a victim, they should be guided to identify messages, communication channels and activities popular in their subculture. Youth can bring new and vital ideas to the programs, coupled with high energy to carry out the tasks.

Based on the research and studies of the Visayan Reproductive Health Initiative, young people can effectively publicize program activities and draw the interest of their peers in becoming program participants. Youth spokespersons can give credibility to the program and serve as an outreach link to the community.

Involving young people as program leaders and as educators and counselors can sometimes yield better outcomes than adult professionals. Training and experience as peer educators enhance skills, self-esteem and leadership potential among the involved youth.

'Medyo-crity'

In my alma mater, there are some instructors who have stayed in the college circles, working as staff, serving the college for several years and still stagnant. I mean, no promotions at all.

Somebody asks the academic council about his currect status, "I've been here in the city college for a couple of years, but why am I not promoted?"

When I heard that statement (from a friend), I also questioned why. I believe he has been their in the institution since his no-wrinkle years. But why wasn't he promoted?

Pondering over the issue, I knew, there are many employees round the country who asks that, too. But later, I remembered what Mr. Francis Kong said in a seminar on "Life's Winning Points". The same why-am-i-not-promoted? question was asked to the boss, Mr. Kong told us. The boss eloquently answered, "Why? What have you done?"

A slap on the face of the employee.

The thing is, he was jammed in the so-called "medyo-crity" in his line of work (as what Rex Resureccion wrote in his book 'Called to Excel'). Yes, he was there for almost half his life but has he done anything excellent for the college? Has he been a model - of change, of leadership, of concern, of responsibility and of sacrifice? Not at all, I guess. (I once worked with him when I was still part of the student government.)


While living in a great nation of pinoys, considering those Filipinos on international bright lights, mediocrity is still prevalent. It's everywhere. Even in our own areas, our friends, our barangays, our cities. I bet all of us have heard people saying "puede na yan", "okey na yan", "medyo ok na rin". We're contented being mediocre and this is a prelude on how mediocre we will be as professionals and that will later determine a mediocre country.

Let us not make ourselves "medyo-ogres" of the next tomorrows. I believe, mediocrity as anti-excellence concept, is a villain of winners. And as we strive to be winners for our own families and friends, we need not to indulge in "puede na" but into "pulidong pulido". Let's do everything accurately and let our ideas and thoughts produce positive results for the netizens and citizens of our nation.

Thanks to Rex Resureccion along the many Pinoys who advocate for excellence in the country. You deserve ovation.

So, employee, "What have you done?"

Phone prostitutes?

S.O.P Life has become convenient since the invasion of cell phones. As I've observed, most of the young people these days can't end up a day without sending messages to there kakosa, kaklase, kabarkada, katong-its or kamahjong. The technology has been incorporated in Pinoy's culture.

Today, cell phones manufacturers keep on upgrading. Cellular technolog breakthroughs upgrades it on the next level every now and then. In the Philippines, 3G phones take frontline displays in the market and Japan's on 4G already and now we got Apple's iphone.

Immense developments come fast in this generation. But as things keep on changing and improving, people keep on abusing it.

I'm sure you are familiar with SOP right now. I'm not talking about Standard Operating Procedure here or GMA7's entertainment show on Sunday's noon. Today, SOP is SEX ON PHONE.

Survey reports that the most commonly discussed topics in the internet since the invasion of the internet developments in the world, are all about sex. We got 'cybersex' and 'escort services' on line. Several bloggers and web servers create porn sites showcasing 'their gurls'.

Getting worse, people talk about it through phones now. And not just talk about it to break the ignorance, but titillate each other through it. They pursue each other and try hard to be kinky in their messages though they are total strangers from nowhere who collided in the midst of electronic 'can you be my textmate?' messages. Later, textmates become 'sexmates.'

Obviously, it's improper. Well, some people opine that it's just for fun and its not perversive since there is no physical contact.

However, I believe these people are culprits and at the same time, victims of paranoia and spiritual adultery. They deliberately foster lewd-and-dirty imaginations and it's possible to get more severe.

I'm afraid many young people right now make themselves 'phone prostitutes'.

Degrading their own integrity.

Who says religion can't be funny?

I got these photos from an e-mail entitled 'Who says religion can't be funny?' Check it out and tell me where's your favorite.

By the way, yes, these pictures are funny. But bear with me, what you will see and read are true if you would ponder over them.

How to tell if a Catholic drives fast.

Enough of it.

One thing I want to tell you about me is I have a great God and I love HIm.

Involve us as we dream of living

We must always remember that the future belongs to the youth of today, dreaming of living and not merely existing.

Funny, I remember what one doctor said during a health seminar in a business my family is engage in. He said, people have to take time to expose their sex organs in the heat of the 7:00 – 8:00 sunlight. He didn’t mean in public. (No one would do so. Ha ha ha!). Folks can do this even in their rooms where sunlight strikes in.

We were stunned and then laughed. But considering it, indeed its very important for our reproductive health. We are often advised to go walking, jogging or even just stand under the early morning sunlight because it is healthy. However, the whole body is not benefited since our reproductive organs are covered. Makes sense, isn’t it?

This is why some people build their houses with attics roofed with glass for light to pass.

The point is, there is the presence of reproductive health, especially for the youth. And we must deem this important. If we regard latest thingamabobs significant for us, how much more for our organs?

For the past three years, the Visayan Reproductive Health Initiative did cater a venue for students to be effective instruments in addressing issues concerning gender equality, sexuality, reproductive health, rights, and the like. They initiated and created a circle of advocates to achieve its goal which is to enhance the quality of life in the Visayas. They train leaders in Reproductive Health from among LGUs/GOs, NGOs, academe, mass media, youth, health service providers, local stakeholders and grassroots organizations in the Visayas region. They provide means for the various sectors to develop culturally-specific and effective approaches in advocating awareness on RH in the community.

Through VRHI, a youth arm was created to serve as active partners of development, thus named Y-Konek or Youth Connect. But why the youth? Involving the youth brings out inputs relevant to their needs and can identify communication channels and activities popular in their subculture while formulating new and vital ideas with high energy to carry out tasks. Involving the youth as program leaders and as educators and counselors can sometimes yield better outcomes than adult professionals. Moreover, training and experience as peer educators enhance skills, self-esteem and leadership potential among those involved youth.

The president of the student government when I was still in college, Roberto Baylon and I attended the 1st RH Forum held at the Provincial Capitol, September last year, and it brought us to our membership in the core group of Y-Konek – Negros Occidental Chapter. Other members were from Riverside College, USLS, Bago City College, West Negros College and Philippine Normal University.

Y-Konek is not established for fun, enjoyment and fame. But this is conceptualized to empower young minds for encouraging and emboldening purposes. Now, its gradually surfacing to reality. Since the youths are facing concerns and issues regarding repro-health, there must be no room for apathy. Teen-age pregnancy resulting from pre-marital sex is a dated issue. We’ve been battling it and now its a heavy burden to carry. Hence, we are making this program a venue to disseminate information as to increase awareness and develop reasoning with regards to RH and a negative attitude towards pre-marital sex.

This project gives us a vital role for the programs will be initiated by the youth with due support from the regional councils, school administration, non-government organizations, youth development councils, SK federations and others.

However, we cannot directly start big. But we have to start small and from what we have and from what we can get. Thus, we firmed up to start everything in the academes, create local Y-Konek organizations; and create affiliations with the student government, the peer-helping organizations and most especially the midwifery, health aide students and other medical courses.

Through this program. we can create orientation and consultation drives, family planning advisories, repro-health seminar-workshops and youth camps focusing on empowerment, capability-building, leadership, networking and advocacy trainings.

We are daily facing prevailing reproductive health problems. We see it everywhere; some simple and some disturbing – in schools and in the community. Only, we don’t see it as “the problem.” I hope the newly elected officials would command a stricter implementation of reproductive health advocacies and programs. We must always remember that the future belongs to the youth of today, dreaming of living and not merely existing.

So, together, let us shout these words, “Teach us, involve us, use us!”

When is it love?

As what i promised danica, I posted this entry as endearment to her previous entry on love. Love is a very powerful human emotion that is hard to define. It can make a person undergo various emotions - happy, sad, elated, depressed, lonely, lively, frustrated, etc. depending on the situation and circumstance around a person.

Find out and assess yourself if you have experienced how it is to love and to be loved.

SIGNS OF LOVE

Abiding sense of comradeship - there is a spirit of mutual thoughtfulness, an eagerness to understand each other. Sweethearts and pals. They enjoy being together. When they are absent from each other, each is in the background of the other's thoughts.

Feeling that life has been lifted to a higher level - they inspire each other to new hopes, new virtues, honor and loyalty, all of these providing them stability.

Putting sexual feelings in perspective - ordinarily, there is a stirring of sexual desires. This is not uncleanness. The reactions will be curbed, to control, to manage this desire. Love curbs the crude and selfish.

Confidence and trust - two person in love learn they can count on each one at all times.

SIGNS OF INFATUATION

It is stubborn and refuses to reason - "It is my free choice. No one is going to tell me."

It is unrealistic - "If our relationship works out, it will enable me to do everything."

It is sentimental - "I can't live without you."

It is a very jealous affection - The desire to be loved is more prominent than the desire to love.

The partners treat each other like spoiled children.

The feelings is overwhelming - The person just finds himself "falling in love."

Physical attraction based on looks - No similarities in upbringing, education, religion, race and even economic levels.

Believes in "love at first sight" and "love is blind".

TESTING THE GENUINENESS OF LOVE

Presence test - Are you comfortable with the one you love? Are you proud to be seen with the other person?

Physical test - Would you love the other person just as much if there should be a handicap or disfigured body?

Sharing test - Can you confide in the other person freely with complete confidence?

Strength test - Do you become more creative, accomplish more and respond to new experiences because of the love for the other person?

Respect test - Do you have confidence in the judgment of the other person? Do you respect the general mental abilities of the other person?

Habit test - Can you accept the other person with irritating habits and faults?

Quarrel test - Can you talk over disagreements and reach an understanding?

Time test - Has time proven that the love is based on more than emotions or attractions?

Space test - Has your love stood the tet of being seperated for a while?

Communication test - Are you able to listen to the other person's viewpoint and try to understand?

Romance test - Can you detect the spirit which will guarantee a continuing romance after marriage?

Responsibility test - is there a reason to believe the other person will accept responsibility that accompanies marriage?

*From the research of Mr. Leonilo M. Niere, there are clear signs of love.