RapU-rApU Fan!

I love Rapu-Rapu island! God must have loved this island so much that he blessed this small and fragile island with scenic beaches, lush and abundant flora and fauna, boundless mineral richness and marine bio-diversity, Rapu-Rapu Island is a gateway to the Pacific Ocean and serves as the natural breakwater of the Albay Gulf from natural onslaughts. My 3 days stay at Rapu-Rapu proved to be truly rewarding. The people are great (especially the Baldres Family--who willingly adopted us!) and the island itself is one of the best!

Rapu-Rapu island----until our next visit!

ThE BeautY of CaTanduAneS

Lying east of Bicol mainland, Catanduanes is an island paradise in the Pacific. While many Filipinos dream of swimming in the blue sea water of phuket, thailand---the locals of Catanduanes are lucky enough to have their own version of the beautiful thailand within their neighboorhood--virgin and unspoiled. Thevisit to this island is more than just exploring its unspoiled beaches or enjoying surfing at Puraran Beach located on the northside.
Catanduanes offers much more. It is rich in history, blending quaintly with the peaceful jutting mountains all over the island.

Believe me--island life is not as quiet as it seems in Catanduanes! This island, which they also call, “An Eco-Adventure Paradise,” is for those who like nature at its best. The whole strip of this pearly island of the Pacific is almost untouched, unblemished, and unexplored. It has a long string of palm-fringed beaches and deep blue waters against a backdrop of luxuriant grassy mountains, and a totally laid-back rural charm and crowned with jewel-like island. You will be dazzled by the provinces' rugged and various landscapes, undiscovered caves, tamed white sand beaches and colorful marine life. You will never really expect such a wonderful gift of nature exists in this country. Mabuhay ang Catanduanes!

Surviving the Jungle

Suriviving the modern jungle today is one of the greatest challenges to humankind. the jungle I am referring to is none other than--OUR WORK! Life and work balance for many people is paramount to their happiness. -With the dawning of the new decade (of poverty and terrible financial crisis)-it's a common belief that work is nose-to-the-grindstone drudgery and that loving—truly enjoying—one's job is impossible.

I am a multi-spirited worker. I wake up six o'clok in the morning--and be at my work seven-thirty even if my duty calls at nine, i stay in the office til 7:30 in the evening and do my work with less than 30 mins break every day.... maintaning that "work spirit" is enormously challenging; upholding a positive and open state of mind, a full sense of self and a sense of higher order can be truly difficult ( especially if people around you at times fails to look at the energy with the same intensity and intention). But however difficult work can be---I make sure that I have the "fun" energy to start the day. I'm a firm believer that the more joyful and excited a person feels about his/her work, the more the productivity goes up. There's no question about it.

Prodded by a quest for the higher efficiency needed to compete in the career-market, I am now personally jumping on this so called "love your job" bandwagon. Even if most of the time I get so much pressure from work, i still try to look at it as something joyful. Honestly, there's a great relief when I connect with my work--emotionally. Most of the time, work is the natural and the crucial way for me to express who I really am. As another day comes, I believe its still up to each of us to take responsibility for our own job satisfaction---loving your work is a mental state and it begins with looking into our very own "work-spirit".

Happy working!

ThE GiFt of CHrIsTmAs

Christmas season is fast approaching! im excited as usual---for the greetings of friends, the gifts and the reunion of families! truly christmas is a merry season! It is hard to believe that Christmas is just around the corner. Time once again to dig out the decorations, send Christmas cards to friends and relatives and check out the flyers and catalogues to find the perfect gifts to place under the tree for our loved ones. But more than of course the things I mentioned--I am more appreciative of this season because I know this solemn moment reminds us of how God demonstrates his own love for us in this season, that while we were still sinners, Christ was sent to us by the Father to die for us. His birth was the beginning of our salvation. The yearly Christmas season is God's reminder of his infinite love and because of this great love, he gave his only Son, Jesus, on that first Christmas as a babe who had taken on himself the disease of mankind's sin.

As the world becomes so materialistic, many of us seem to lose sight of what this season is really all about, as we stress ourselves to the limit, battling the crowds in the malls looking for the newest must-have gadgets for us, for our families, friends and loveones. This christmas, let us all remember the main essence of this special season and focus more on greatest gifts you can give your loveones that will nourish their spirits and yet do not have to cost you a dime.

• Give your loveones your precious time as a gift!


• Hug more!do not be afraid to express and show your affection!According to family therapist Virginia Satir, we need four hugs a day for survival, eight hugs for maintenance and a minimum of twelve hugs a day to thrive. Scientists have even proven that hugging generates "oxytocin", the feel-good hormone that is involved in social recognition and bonding, and might even be responsible for trust between people.


• Tell people you love and care for them!You may think your love ones know you love them; but it is important that you tell them every chance you get how much you care and love them.


• Nurture the Self-esteem of your loveones. The gift of self-esteem is the greatest gift of all. By your words and actions you are having a HUGE impact on how your loveones feel about themselves. BUILD PEOPLE!

That's what the Christmas story is all about. It is the greatest Christmas gift of all time. It is God's Christmas gift to you and to me.

mY BoOk!

Please watch out for my new book--FIGHT THE BULLY BATTLE (A Guide Book in Establishing Anti-Bullying Program in Schools) published and distributed by th WISEMAN Trading, Manila.

THE OFW STORY

I opened my email today and this story really made my day! I will be a hypocrite if I will not admit that this story made me laugh…honestly---the candidness of how the story was presented was truly amazing and really realistically grounded! Nakakatuwa! But as I reflect on this funny story---somehow—my heart felt the warmth for the OFW’s. I know life is difficult for them—earning dollars can be a perk—but the loneliness and the longing for family are unbearable.

In the case of Bebeng and the entire Filipino OFW’s—the unstable economic and political situation in the Philippines is one of the major causes why most educated and highly skilled Filipinos prefer to work abroad. The sacrifices of Overseas Filipino Workers cannot be avoided as they need to struggle to fulfill their dreams and to achieve success in life. Sayang nga lang—kailangan pa nilang umalis instead of serving the Philippines.

On the lighter side---enjoy the story below..Im sure the heartwarming story will make you also reflect on the dynamics of your life! ENJOY READING!

Registered nurse si Bebeng sa L.A. Kasama niya ang kanyang ina na nagpagamot doon. Namatay ang ina nito. Dahil sa kamahalan ng pamasahe pabalik sa Pilipinas, nagtipid si Bebeng. Pinauwi na lang niya ang kabaong ng kanyang ina na mag-isa.

Pagdating ng kabaong, napansin ng mga kapamilya niya na nakadikit ang mukha ng ina sa salamin ng ataul. Nagkomento tuloy ang isang anak, "Ay, naku! Tingnan mo 'yan... hindi sila marunong mag-ayos ng bangkay sa Amerika! Nakudrado tuloy ang mukha ng inay."Upang ayusin ang itsura ng bangkay, binuksan ang kabaong. Aba! May sulat na-nakastaple sa dibdib ng ina. Kinuha nila ito at binasa. Ang nilalaman ng liham na mula kay Bebeng:

Mahal kong tatay at mga kapatid:

Pasensya na kayo at hindi ko nasamahan ang nanay sa pag-uwi riyan sa Pilipinas dahil napakamahal ng pamasahe. "Ang gastos ko pa lang sa kanya ay mahigit $10,000 na. Ayoko nang isipin pa ang eksaktong halaga. Anyway, ipinadala ko kasama ni nanay ang mga sumusunod...
Nasa likod ni nanay ang dalawampu't apat na karnenorte at isang dosenang spam.

Ang adidas na suot ni nanay ay para kay tatay. Ang limang pares ng de-goma ay nasa loob ng dalawang asul na Jansport na backpack na inuunan ni nanay. Tig-iisa kayo.
Ang iba't-ibang klase ng tsokolate at candy ay nasa puwetan ni nanay. Para sa mga bata ito.

Bahala na kayong magparte-parte. Sana'y hindi natunaw. Ang pokemon stuffed toy na yapos-yapos ni nanay ay para sa bunso ni ate. Gift Ko sa first birthday ng bata. Ang itim na Esprit bag ay para kay Nene.

Ate, nasa loob ng bag ang pictures ni inay, japanese version ng pokemon trading cards at stickers. "Suot ni nanay ang tatlong Ralph Lauren, apat na Gap at dalawang Old Navy t-shirts. Ang isa ay para kay Kuya at tig-iisa ang mga pamangkin ko. Maisusuot ninyo ang mga iyan sa fiesta.

Suot din ni inay ang anim na panty hose at tatlong warmer para sa mga dalaga kong pamangkin. Isuot nyo sa party.May isang dosenang NBA caps sa may paanan ni nanay. Para sa inyo, itay, kuya, dikong, Tiyo Romy. Bigyan nyo na rin ng tig-isa 'yung mga pamangkin ko at 'yong isa ay kay Pareng Tulume.

Ang tigdadalawang pares ng Nike wristband at knee caps na suot-suot din ni nanay ay para sa mga anak mo, diko, na nagbabasketball. Tigdadalawang ream ng Marlboro lights at Winston red ang nasa pagitan ng mga hita ni nanay.

Apat na jar ng Skippy Peanut Butter, dalawang dishwashing liquid, isang Kiwi glass cleaner at tig-aanim na Colgate at Aqua Fresh ang nakasiksik sa kilikili ni nanay. Hati-hati na kayo, huwag mag-aagawan.

Isang dosenang Wonder bra (Victoria's Secret ata ang tatak)gustong-gusto ni Tiya Iskang society natin, suot-suot din ni nanay. Alam kong inaasam-asam nyo 'yan, tiya. Anim na lipstick lang ang kasya sa bra. Ang Rolex na bilin-bilin mo tatay, suot-suot ni nanay. Nakatakip sa Nike na wristband. Kunin mo agad, Itay.

May isinisik akong zip-loc sa bunganga ni Inay na naglalaman ng $759 dollars. Hindi na ako nakatakbo sa ATM. Puede na siguro sa libing iyon.

Iyong tong na makokolekta, i-time deposit niyo Kuya para pag namatay si Tatay may pambili na ng ataul.Ang hikaw, singsing at kuwintas (na may nakakabit pang anim na nail cutters) nagustong-gusto mo, ditse, ay suot- suot din ni nanay. Kunin mo na rin agad, ditse. Ibigay mo ang isang nailcutter kay Jay bakla sa kanto.

Tanggalin niyo ang bulak sa ilong ng inay, may isiniksik ako 3 diyamante sa bawat butas.

Ibangon niyo lang si inay at tiyak na malalaglag na ang mga iyon. Konting alog lang siguro ng ulo.

Marami pa sana akong ipaglalalagay kaya lang, baka mag-excess at si nanay pa ang maiwan.

Basta parte-parte kayo, tatay, kuya, ate, dikong, ditse. Para sa inyo lahat ito. Bahala na kayo kay nanay. Pamimisahan ko na lang siya rito.

Balitaan ninyo na lang ako pagkatapos ng libing. Alam ni ate ang email ko. Paki-double check ang lista kung walang nawala sa mga ipinadala ko.

Nagmamahal,

Bebeng

Gift of Friends!

I am truly blessed today--- I happen to read the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health News and guess what I found out?!!!!---that if we cherish and continue to expand our social connections (i mean, real and genuine friendships with as many people as you can!)--then--you're up to living a long life! The study shows that having a group of good friends around may be even more important than family for a long and healthy life. Researchers followed nearly 1,500 people over the age of 70 for 10 years and found that people with the strongest network of good friends lived longer than those with the fewest close friends. And those beneficial effects of friendship on prolonging life remained significant throughout the decade, even when people were confronted by profound changes, such as the death of a spouse or family member, or when their friends moved away.
To me--this is a good news! Making new friends and keeping them so close to my heart is one thing I cherish the most. Really--the gift of friendship--remains an important aspect of my personal survival. So--i cannot help but to thank my closest friends and those "not so close ones" for making my life more exciting and fun! living your life to the fullest with your friends is possible--i know--ive been there.