BEADWORKS FOR FUN!

My first project--fashion bling you can wear it in your neck or hand

I was really eager to learn therapeutic ways to spend my free time that is why i came a crossed with a training & workshop provided by private individuals that aimed to teach young entrepreneur or anyone to be creative and earn out of creativity.

When i learned through facebook.com that Fundynamics (the name of company) will have its training in Davao City, I hurriedly make my reservation and took a first passenger van in the wee hours of June 2, 2012 just to arrive in the city and in time for the training. Davao City is like 3-4 hours away from my town so I really need to be early so I will not missed out the beginning of the seminar.

All my efforts were indeed compensated. Em- the speaker was really jolly and accommodating. I really had a great time learning the basics and intricacies of bead working. We were more than 20 participants but he was able to manage us all.

Tiny yet colorful materials for bead working

At first, learning the basic technique of bead works was quite difficult because the materials were so tiny and if you did not have a 20/20 vision then you really need to use your glasses. But once you have seen the finish product/s then it was all paid-off.  Seeing those beads and tiny links put together as one to create one fashionable accessories was so awesome. You will able to learn to design in your own concept because the trainer will give you guidelines and comprehensive lectures on the mixing and matching of colors. You can design accessories that reflect your personality.

Now that I already learned the skill, I don’t usually buy accessories from any other stores because I know that the price I see is three to four times higher than the original cost. Well anyway, when It comes to fashion accessories, its not the materials that you really buy, but the creativity of the designer. You will buy it because that creativity comes up with something that reflects who you are. There is a sense of attachment and belongings to the accessories. Unlike car and gadgets, you will buy them because of the quality of materials. But with accessories, you buy them to keep in touch with emotional and psychological worth as a person. Beadworks for fun, try for yourself!

Dressing-Up a Princess

It was my niece 3rd birthday and we were some kind of excited for that big day. Since we have been doing a gown business, my mom wanted her granddaughter to wear the best gown that really suited her. The gown that  was brand new and will give her an oozing innocent and appeal. Angela is a toddler who is vibrant and bubbly. She is fast learner and meticulous too on clothes. So we decided to give her the best dress available in our shop. Mom, chose a red bridal satin gown with patches on the upper part and on the edges. But Angela's dad- Rasty disliked it. He wanted a pink gown. Pink for a girl and blue for a boy. What an obsolete concept! We had few arguments on the gown color, because me and mom would still insisted on the red gown. We thought it would be a perfect color for Angela since she has a porcelain skin. Cinderella and Snow White did not wear pink gown but they both fabulous and feminine. So, pink is no longer a symbol of femininity then. Its just a stereotyping in our culture that is why some still adapt this concept. But nowadays, as the world revolves and so the tastes of people too. We have variety of colors and we can always find one that is perfect for our skin color and stature.

Since my brother can no longer argued with us, so then he was forced to agree with us. When my niece wore the gown, she really look great and pretty and had great time wearing her simple red gown. This red gown has a ruffled bottom and and upper cape with center flower. Check it out below.

Pretty Smile in a Red Gown

Angela and the party goers in costume

Angela with Mom and Dad

HONG KONG TRAVEL GUIDE FOR FIRST TIMER

Welcome to Disneyland

When you heard Hong Kong, what comes to your mind? Is it Ocean Park, Disneyland, Sumptuous Dimsum? Or what? I guess, all of the above. When my then boyfriend turned out my husband asked me what I would like to receive from him since it was Christmas, then I guess a Hong Kong vacation was not too bad to ask. Since I have been already to different theme parks here in the Philippines like Star City and Enchanted Kingdom so I was wondering how it is like to be in the world’s renowned DISNEYLAND RESORT? Is it twice the fun? Will I bring out more the childish or child-like attitude in me when I am already there? Well, I was so glad and blessed that he agreed to have a vacation instead since he wanted to go to Disneyland too.

So what are the things you need to do especially if you are a first timer on travelling abroad or first timer to Hong Kong. This country is in Asia-Pacific and this is one of the countries that Filipino can  go to without having a visa. I will share some things that you need to prepare and do so you will enjoy a hassle-free vacation. Check these things below:

1.   VALID PASSPORT. This is a primary document you need to have since you can not go to any country without this. The validity of your passport should be six (6) months prior your scheduled vacation.

2.      TRAVEL AGENCY. Since it will be your first time, a help from travel agency will do to iron out things and prepare the necessary hotel and flight bookings. Good thing about travel agency is that they will provide you the tourist guide when you are there. So your tour is scheduled and you can visit Hong Kong’s primary tourist spots within a time frame. It’s quite expensive but I guess it is worth it. You don’t need to cram or confuse on what place to visit, your guide will help you on that.

3.      WATCH OUT FOR PROMO. When you plan to book your vacation through promo ads, you need to ask the details of the promo being advertise since there is always a catch as part of the marketing strategy. Usually, travel agency advertisement about lowest package deal to Hong Kong for 3 days and 2 nights but sometimes it does not include plane fare and airline tax. So, if you already selected an agency to handle your vacation get-away better ask them other options. Or you can tell them your budget so they will be the one to look for promo within your budget. Just to give you an idea, just budget your money ranging from twenty-five thousand to thirty-five thousand (P25,000 to P35, 000) will do. This budget is good for two which includes hotel with breakfast, plane tickets, tour and other fees.

4.       AIRPORT. Go to the airport 3 hours prior to your flight because you need to pass different section prior to boarding.

Ø  CHECK-IN COUNTER – check in your luggage to your assigned counter. Counter has signage on top, so you can check that it’s your assigned counter by comparing to your ticket on flight details. Check your airline carrier for maximum allowance of baggage to hand carry and to check in. While falling in line to the counter, an officer will give a small immigration form. You need to fill it out and present it to the immigration officer later. This form has to copies. Give one copy to the immigration officer here in the Philippines. And the other copy to the officer in Hong Kong

Ø  PAY YOUR TRAVEL TAX- This is another counter few step from check in counter. If you can not find it you can ask any airport officer or the person in the counter as to where to the counter for paying travel tax. You can actually pay your travel tax first before checking in your luggage or vice versa.

Ø  TERMINAL FEE- after checking in and paying the travel tax you need to pass in this section. Hong Kong terminal fee is around five hundred pesos (P500). So include this in your list of expenses. Travel tax and terminal fee are fees you need to personally pay in the airport and not through your travel agency.

Ø   IMMIGRATION – After paying the terminal fee you need to go to your boarding area but before reaching it you need to pass in this section. All of the passengers who will have international flight will flock here. So expect that there are many of you in queue.  The officer will go through your documents for validity. You need to bring out your plane ticket, passport, immigration form, hotel accommodation receipt or transmittal provided by the travel agency for verification. You can smile at the Immigration officer but do not expect them to smile back at you. I guess that’s there protocol. They are avoiding close contact with the passengers so as to avoid bias judgment.

Ø  BOARDING AREA - This is the waiting area. A lounge that you can use to wait for you plane. Just refer to your ticket as to what GATE you need to go and wait for there are many gates for different flights. The waiting are is usually surrounded with stalls selling food and drinks. I would suggest you buy bubble gum, lots of it. Since you will be travelling for 3 hours, so you need to chew something to avoid hissing sound stays in your ears.

Ø  ON THE PLANE –As a rule, turn off your cellular phone please. Put your hand carry on the overhead carrier and then just relax and reserve your energy for your tour.

5.    ARRIVING AT HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT – Finally, you are in Hong Kong. Upon arrival to the airport you need to secure your documents and hand carry luggage, you might forget them due to over excitement. When you are finally off the plane you need to follow the crowd or your fellow passengers. Hong Kong International Airport is twice as big as the one we have here in Philippines you might get lost if you will not able to keep on track to your destination. Before getting you check in luggage, you need to pass again to the immigration.  There are lots of immigration counter, DO NOT choose the one for HONG KONG RESIDENTS because you are a tourist and not a resident. Prepare your passport and relevant documents for checking.  After passing the counter, there is an ARROW or SIGNAGE that will lead you to the conveyor where you can find your luggage. Please, please, please read the signage if you get lost or better ask any officer you see to help you out. They can understand ENGLISH, but you need to slow down when speaking so they can understand you fully. Go out to the WAITING AREA of the airport where you can find your tourist guide waiting for you.

6.     INSIDE THE HOTEL- Your guide will bring you to your hotel to unload your things. And reminder, Hong Kong electric outlet is not the same as ours. They are using 3-hole rounded adapter to the socket of every appliances. You therefore, you can not recharge your cellular phone, camera or any gadget to their outlet. What you will do is go to the FRONT DESK tell them you will buy the ADAPTER for your devices and they will give one and charge you more or less 20 to 25 Hong Kong Dollars. Take it or leave it.

Well, so far just follow those simply things above and you will never go wrong when you will be in Hong Kong. Enjoy Hong Kong’s scenic views and learn how to speak BASIC CANTONESE. This will be relevant when you are shopping and want to ask for discounts.  Enjoy your grandiose vacation!

TIPS FOR YOUR PRE-NUPTIAL SHOOT

Picture Perfect Shoot in the Beach

Every woman who dreams of a wonderful wedding should consider many factors to plan a perfect wedding in her lifetime. A tips on pre-nuptial video or pictures is one of the highlights of one's memoirs of her wedding. With this, couples will able to have great time posing in front of camera showing their inhibitions perhaps or simply depicting great time with each others' arms. It is essential that one should plan on what to do or what to wear on the actual day of the shoot. You can hire professionals too to help you up in deciding what you want to do or what you want to project in the video or photo.

Here are some tips that you can consider when you decide to have a prenuptial video.

In-town pictorial. If both partners are busy before the shoot, you do not need to go elsewhere to find a perfect location. With this world of hybrid computers, your photographer can turn out an ordinary scene into a fantastic one. You can choose the park, your school, town market, harvesting farm or your local church. Since your birth town play vital role in you or your partner’s life, I think any scene from your town will greatly contributes your development as a person and its worth including that scene in your wedding album.

Photo Taken at the School Field

Out of town Pictorial. You can consider going to the beach and drawing your name in the sand or running along the seashore. These depict a romantic scene. You can go hiking too if you still have the energy to go to the forest or mountain. This scene brings a naturalist appeal and vibrant to your pictures.

Pack 2-3 Clothes. Changing clothes is important so as to avoid redundancy or monotony of the scene. As you change your poise, smile and posture, you need to change your clothes too for creative photo shooting. Better yet, wear a bridal dress other than your final wedding dress or simply a white decent dress. If you are wearing white then you are insinuating about your upcoming wedding day and not your college JS Prom.

Bring the things you gave to each other. If your man gave you teddy some years ago then bring it. You can bring all the things he gave you if you want. The logic is simply you are showing to each other how you value each other’s generosity and you want that to be included in your photo album.

Bring accessories. Well, this one for the sake of fantastic photo shoot other than a wonderful background. I suggest you bring balloons, 2 pieces of umbrella, a laptop, shades, sneakers, books and others. Anything cute and colorful I guess. Out of these things you can create a wonderful pose.


Well, apart from the material things you need to prepare for a candid shoot, a stress- free face and wonderful smile will compliment all the things you put in to have that unique, personalize and romantic picture-perfect photo. So, do not forget those factors too. Don't get stress, chill out and flash you winning smiles! Happy Wedding!

  

Prenuptial Shoot at the School Park with Japanese inspired umbrellas

     

HOW TO MAKE CARTOON CHARACTER STANDEE FOR PARTY

Well guys, all of us love party, right? And so do the kids. Now, you will enjoy a colorful and meaningful party when we are going to put some kind of flair that adds up to the beauty of the party. Kids love to fantasize because of what they see on TV. They thought life is a wonderland full of laughs, toys and play.  One thing for sure kids will be forever kids. Meaning, all they think is eat, play and sleep. So as adults we love to see kids laugh and happy after fulfilling their childish whims. Been to party business for quite sometime and I would suggest a simple tips on how to make cartoon character standee that will make the party attractive and will get our kids thumbs-up. These tips are great to use when we mark our kids on their first birthday or the kid’s debut which is at her/his sixth birthday (this is when kid starts the school-age).

SUGGESTED CHARACTERS: POOH, DORA, BARNEY, CINDERELLA, PARTY CLOWN         

TARPAULIN PRINT. Choose any character that your kids love. In order to save on labor cost, you can download or copy the characters from the internet to a Microsoft Publisher or Corelle draw program in your computer or if you don’t have any computer just go to any internet café. The cost of  lay-outing for tarpaulin is around P150 ($3.5) while doing it in your own or in the internet café and saving it in your usb will only cost you P20 ($.47). Actually, you don’t really need a lay-out artist to do it since all we need is the colored character to be printed in tarpaulin, no colorful background at all. You can have it printed in 2x4 or 4x4 sizes. If you want a giant size of the character then I would suggest 5x6 or 6x6 sizes.

2.    CUT IT OUT. After having it printed. Then just cut it out. Follow the end line of the drawing so you will able to cut a life-size or real-size character. Dispose properly the excess or you can use it as a table mantle if the excess suits a table.

3.   PASTE IT IN PLYWOOD. Use a plywood bigger than your cut-out. You need to paste the cut-out in plywood so it will have a solid support when you are going to display it. You can use a RUGBY, GLUE OR PASTE to do it.  Then again, with the use of a hammer driving the chisel, you need to cut the plywood in the edge. Follow the edge of the cut out tarpaulin so the plywood will match the character.

      MAKE A LINK. At the back of the cut-out, nail or glue 2 or 3 feet long wood. Nail or glue the wood in the center body of the character going down. The nailed or glued wood should be 1 inch below the feet of the character. There should be an allowance to link the base.

5.       MAKE A BASE. In order for the standee to stand alone. You need to put a solid base on it. You can use a 1 inch or 2 inches thick wood. Cut it square in 1x1 or 2x2 feet enough to make the character stand.

     NAIL THE BASE & THE LINK. To have the finish product then just nail the base to the link of the standee to have that perfect character for the kid’s party.

There you have it! A standee for your kid's party! Standee can be a replacement for mascot. You can display it anywhere specially on the garden's entrance or in front of your house or venue. It will serve as a "come-on! Let's party" gesture to your guests and visitors. Happy Party!

PARTY FRIENDS!

Kabacan: How do you call it, Round Ball or Round Tire?

       

The Famous Round Ball

I have been living here in this meek town for thirty years now and i am a witness of its gradual progress and sluggish peace and order development. There are myriad ways    that you can appreciate in this town but consequently there are ways too that manifest the lapses amidst its progress.

One of which is group of tires filed in middle intersection of Rizal Avenue and Bonifacio Street that serves as buffer to motorists whenever there is a bumper to bumper traffic which usually starts at 5pm on weekdays. Unfortunately, there is no traffic lights here that could atleast ease up the congestion everyday that is why the munucipal government came up with the idea of putting tires in the mid- intersection of the highway to serve as hurdles.

Round Ball top view

Is it the solution for this town's growing problems on traffic? Is it for real or an temporary solution just for now and no definite plans for any construction of a real round ball  that will boosts Kabacan as the next -first class municipality in the province of North Cotabato.

With this temporary solution, it does not give a total benefits to people. Why i say so? It is because those tires give dismay than grace. A disguise instead of blessings. A sign of lack instead of luck. 

Let's enumerate the reasons to dissect my conclusions. First, the so called "round ball" does not discipline motorists at all. Still, drivers are cutting lane; speed up engine to hurriedly arrive home or hurriedly arrive the morgue after one false turn; vehicles jumped up at the highway because none of the drivers allow the others to pass freely; the game between the motorists is like a tag of war- the more fast you are, the more you can take your turn and pass the hurdle; there is no police officer or traffic aide to command whose lane should pass first and the lane that should wait.

Round Ball during the black out night..

Second, the tires do not have reflectors so no one can not notice it during the night unless the car's headlights strike them. If you are not from here and unfamiliar with our place, you might accidently bumped the tires and find yourself in the nearby hospital on the next day. With the rotating brown outs we experience everyday, its so difficult to see the tires because none of the mercury lamps can help to lighten the highway. So, its kind of accident-prone area then instead of accident free area. Can anyone donate a reflector paint please?

When its 5:00 pm, this is the Round Ball real scenario

Third, if vehicle hits the tires they might be rolling going to the four different streets namely bonifacio, rizal east, rizal west and usm avenue. These streets are surrounded with different establishments and they might just get surprise seeing large tires rolling to them and hurt the customers and bystanders.

Being here in the highway everyday, i have witnessed too many accidents here right in front of me. A trisikad bumped the tires and turned upside down and the poor passengers were thrown few meters away.  Single motor driver who scrub himself in the aspalt road after hitting the 'roundtires'. Delivery van who makes the tire rolled in different directions after hitting the center at the speed beyond 80kph. The driver admitted that he was completely unaware of the "roundtire" traffic sign of Kabacan. See? So, what is next then?

There were many accidents that had happened in the past both major and minor ones that i can no longer enumerate here because i already have enough to mention. Well, i just hope our local goverment will be awaken soon and should heed this problem so not so many lives will be damage in the near future. A strong government who is concern to its constituents should not only bother how the municipality generates income but rather be bothered too on the welfare of the people who are the primary players in our growing economy.

So how do we call these famous tires? What is the best adjectives to apply that connotes Kabacan's unique attraction? Shall we call it Kabacan ROUNDBALL? Its more fun in Kabacan: see our UNIQUE ROUND TIRES? or what? .... Any suggestion?

Bb. Pilipinas 2012 Coronation Night

(A true Filipina Beauty! Will she be the next Miss Universe 2012?)

I was in front of our JVC TV set waiting in anticipation for beautiful filipina women from across the Philippine islands vying for the title of "the most beautiful woman in the Philippines". How i love to have that title but ooppss.. perhaps delusion will not lead me to that prestigious crown. I envied the contestants because they are oozing with confidence, yummylicious body and wits. The pageant was hosted by devilishly handsome and smart Xian Lim with stunning supermodel Giorgina Wilson, body-perfect bombshell beauty Maria Venus Raj and award-winning actress Iza Calzado. 

My bets make it to the Top 12 but unfortunately none of them won the 3 major titles. Most of the winners were formerly candidates in the last year's pageant. See the list of winners below.

TOP 12 SEMI-FINALIST

No. 30 Sherilyn Gonzales                                No. 16 Liezl Alcantara

No. 7 Patricia Lae Ejercitado                          No. 29 Annalie Forbes

No. 26 Angelee Claudette delos Reyes           No. 9 Mary Jane Lastimosa

No. 13 Katrina Jayne Dimaranan                    No. 18 Janine Mari Tugonon

No. 15 Elaine Kay Moll                                 No. 14 Gina Joy Howell

No. 8 Nicole Schmitz                                     No. 1 Karen Gallman

SPECIAL AWARDS

National Costume                               -No. 8 Nicole Schmitz

Best in Swimsuit                                 -No. 8 Nicole Schmitz

Friendship Award                               -No. 25 Chloe Zanardi

Manila Bulletin Readers’Choice Award –      No. 20 Roxanne Tadique

Kapamilya People’s Binibini               -No. 21 Giselle Angelica Muňoz

Miss Photogenic                                -No. 1 Karen Gallman

Philippine Airlines Ambassadress       -No. 9 Mary Jane Lastimosa

Bb. Avon 2012                                 -No. 9 May Jane Lastimosa

Best in Long Gown                            -No. 26 Angelee Claudette de los Reyes

Major Titles

Bb. Pilipinas-Tourism              -No. 13 Katrina Jayne Dimaranan

Bb. Pilipinas-International        -No. 8 Nicole Schmitz  

Bb. Pilipinas-Universe             -No. 18 Janine Mari Tugonon

1^st runner-up                          -No. 15 Elaine Kay Moll

2^nd runner-up                         -No. 29 Annalie Forbes

TOP 3 QUESTION AND ANSWER FROM TOP 3 TITLE HOLDERS

*For Bb. Pilipinas-Tourism winner Katrina Jayne Dimaranan from judge Richard Gomez

Q: “If you would be a president for one day, what would you do?”

A: “If I was a president for one day of the Philippines I will try to promote education for each region because I think one of the problems in our country today is lack of education among children and I think with proper education it is essential for us to have in order to grow with the one with good morals, intelligence and happiness and optimism”.

*For Bb. Pilipinas-International winner Nicole Schmitz from judge John Miller

Q: “Which would you rather be? Someone who is respected or someone who is loved and why?

A: “I would rather be someone respected because that means you maintain your integrity, dignity and self-respect and that it means in return you would be loved by whatever matters and everyone around you”

*For Bb. Pilipinas-Universe winner Janine Mari Tugonon from judge Jose Manuel Romualdez

Q: “Many happy women today would go a happy family life or a successful career. How do you feel about this?”

A: “I believe women have the right to choose between what they want. But for me you have to go for what God had called you to do. Whatever it is between the two you must do whatever your purpose in this world. Must have a child with faith and matured obedience and everything will go smooth.”

Well then, as expected some were happy and some were dismayed. We do have individual bets but at the end it was the judges decision to follow. I just wish luck to our new delegates to the international pageants. Let us support them so they will be motivated to train harder and study further because pageants are not only for glamour and poise but it is also about wits and depth of your personality. These are the true essence of a true woman. When i say a true woman, i am pertaining to NATURALLY BORN WOMEN who are really qualified to join pageants that are for women only. 


SNAPSHOTS of the new Bb. Pilipinas-Universe 2012......

Isn't she beautiful?

PALM SUNDAY Reflection

Just this afternoon, the whole family went to church to attend the Palm Sunday mass, we brought fresh coconut leaves and designed them in different forms like crucifix and etc..-- its famously known here in the Philippines as Palaspas or Palmera. We do not have much palm trees here in our place so we substitute coconut leaves instead. This was already a tradition here as well as in all catholic churches all over the world. 

But for my family, its not just a tradition that we should do or comply with so as to avoid guilt. For us, its already part of our lives. Palm Sunday, is more than welcoming Christ to our lives just like the Jews welcome Jesus Christ in Jerusalem while happily waving palm leaves. Commemorating Palm Sunday means we always remember Christ that is already within our hearts. 

Let me share my reflections on the verses on today's gospel: Mark 15:1-39

Palm Sunday Celebration at  San Pedro Church, Davao City

^***29 The passers-by jeered at him; they shook their heads and said, 'Aha! So you would destroy theTemple and rebuild it in three days!

³⁰ Then save yourself; come down from the cross!'

³¹ The chief priests and the scribes mocked him among themselves in the same way with the words, 'He saved others, he cannot save himself.

.... Sometimes we underestimate the capacity of others. We question their qualifications and ability to do things and achieve success. There is more than what the eyes meet. We should not judge people because of their status in life, the way they dress, the things they own, the friends they have. Its true that first impression lasts. But on the contrary, first impression is not always lasting. We may judge people because of what they say and do but sometimes we fail to understand what lies behind that make them do or fail to do things in their lives. We can not give verdict on the totality of one's persona by just looking at them, but also by seeing them beyond their physical attributes.

"He saved others, he cannot save himself". Its a selfless act. A compassionate act! Do we still find these act of humility and selfishness nowadays? Well i guess, there is still. I believe man is kind by nature. God made us as basically good human beings, so simply we cannot just erase this within us. So lets just stay positive. Lets not believe that this world is being ruled by evils already. Evil things are always outsmarted by kindness. 

Giant poster that captures people, San Pedro Church Davao City

^***34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 'Eloi, eloi, lama sabachthani?' which means, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'

....Its a prayer coming from the heart of Jesus Christ. In our prayer, we do tell everything to God. Our pains and happiness, our failure and success, our dreams and aspirations and everything else we want to tell Him. He listens. But do we listen to Him? We sometimes blame him with our disappointments and failures in life. We never thought that our failures shape us in the right way, like gold being tested on fire.  We sometimes blame others, situation and circumstances if problems hinder our ways. We forget that road barriers and roadblocks are motivations for us to use our initiative and intellect to straighten the road. I think, whatever come our ways, we should regard them positively. This is what we called being proactive. Being optimistic and judging things objectively.

TO THE GRADUATES

Human life is a journey. It is much like sailing in a ship towards a desired destination in the four winds of the earth. Earning an education is a vital cog in the voyage. Momentarily we are making a stopover to celebrate a turning point  in our lives. Amidst the scorching heat of the sun and the breezing rain, we made it triumphantly.

Life does not end at this remarkable accomplishment, though... Not at the unsealable euphoria of the victory in academic pursuit. At the moment, it is apparent we are headed towards a new infinity. What awaits us on our next sojourn remains to be a conjecture.

(USM AB Psychology graduates class 1998-2002)

Like millions of people in this sea of humanity, we stand on the verge of an overwhelming turnaround sailing towards an uncertain horizon. We are challenged by the anticipated pressures of the new age. It is now a question of how we choose to live with the basics -earth, economics, energy and ethics.

Life poses a more complex form of destination. We are now moving IN A NEW DIRECTION. Yes, there are more tasks ahead... More unknown voyages... But come hell or high water, we should not be caught flat-footed. Our best tool in coping with them, developmental or otherwise, remains to be our education.

The moment we judiciously use the good seed of knowledge sown in us, a new light will surely spark the brighter side of life.

To chronicle the journey of that light rests in us.....because....in essence WE ARE THE CAPTAINS OF OUR OWN SHIPS

excerpt: USM-Tanglaw, 2002

THOUGHTS ON ABORTION

During college days, our class was divided to groups in order to research about abortion since this topic was one of the hottest issues that teenagers were facing even before. The groups were divided in two to stand for ANTI-ABORTION and PRO-ABORTION. We had draw lots so we can not choose our own preference. And unfortunately, we needed to represent Pro-Abortion side. As a Roman Catholic, i really did not have the appetite to defend the topic since it was against my principles in life. However, to comply to academic requirements, i needed to make a stand about Pro-ABORTION. As much as i did not want to write the pros of abortion but i needed to do so because i was tasked. I needed to pretend. So let's check the other side of the coin. Let's check on my thoughts below.

ABORTION IS NOT ANTI-LIFE, IT IS LIFE

         Life is a choice and choice is an act. It is not what people say but what we do. The choices we made now affects the rest of our lives. Individual is a person best qualified to define and create his/her destiny. Within the context of individual stand on abortion, which is the constant debate for years, women should not be forced to bear children when they are not yet prepared to be mothers or parents to carry the burden when they truly unable to support their children. Having abortion outlawed means preventing many women to achieve their maximum potentials, denied them their rights and liberty that they've known for centuries – the right to choose what is best for them. Abortion is an important choice that calls for serious consideration.

          When women denied of abortions that they seek because of religious convictions or simply abortions are against the rules of social convention, these set up a standard that clearly favors one resolution over another, restricts the reproductive choices of women, and forces some to bear children that they don't want to bear. Abortion rather than bear a child. Teenagers with unplanned pregnancy face difficult choices. If the teen gives birth and keep the baby, she will be much more likely to drop out of school, develop health problems, or have her marriage end in divorce. Unintended or unwanted childbearing have been linked with variety of social problems, including divorce, poverty, child abuse and juvenile delinquency. Some research shows that the ability of women to make decisions about their own childbearing (e.g., timing) is a necessary condition for their health and mental health, as well as for their families. Abortion is a safe medical procedure that carries relatively few physical and psychological risks and that yields positive outcomes when the alternative is unwanted pregnancy.

          Individuals are basically good, striving for growth and self actualization. Resorting to abortion doesn't mean resorting to the most inhumane act. It is a solution, a choice in which our beliefs, actions, emotions, hopes and aspirations underlies. Again, life is a choice. It is not selfish to know what is right for oneself, we all come to reality in our own time. Actions you take now are forever. Abortion is not anti-life. Abortion is pro-life, a choice, a decision and that is life.

Apollo Quiboloy--Annointed Son-of-God Truth or Sarcasm? by ED Rosario

Why it is that you prefer an active volcano than a mountain to erect your kingdom? Did it not occur to you the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo overlooking Pampanga and Zambales? In case of an eruption, your efforts shall all be in vain and have to start from zero. The wise man built his house upon a rock, as quoted in the scriptures. You should have choosen PC hill in Cotabato City. However we pray that may God forbids. It is very dangerous to claim by merely revelations that you are the Christ. Why beating around the bush by ascribing the word with "appointed" or "annointed"? The insinuation of what you are saying is that you are the Messaiah of the present world. It may be the accomplishment of the prediction in the scriptures that a false Christ will situate himself on the Earth and claim to be the Son of God. That's exactly what you are telling. 

To be able to attract  a lot of people, you use the biblical truth" to obey the will of the father, Not my will but your will" And since man can either be a spiritual open or close stack system, so i wonder who was that spirit who possessed you and incorporated in you a devised method of biblical instruction. The devil can be an angel of light. He knows what is written in the scriptures more than Eli Soriano, more than any living creature. Notice that during the temptation of our Lord Jesus, Satan quoted a verse from Isaiah. But the Lord himself, knowing everything and is under control, drive the devil out.  He may quote a biblical truth as a bait, or something that would catch attention. And the most vulnerable prey are the people whose integration are not well-founded, people who were former believers of the same cult belief. Is it really the will of the father that a single man will claim to be the Son of God. Therefore, in like manner you are telling that your leader must be worshiped. If you said NO it would be contrary to what your leader is telling that the  wholeness of Being of the father and son is within him. What about the Holy Spirit? You do not seem to mention that He dwells within you. For I believe, nowadays are the dispensation of the Holy Spirit; He is at work. He convicts every man. No human intervention can replace the transforming power of God's healing love. 

When I watch and listen the man Apollo on the air, like Eli Soriano said, I can't help but laugh at the stupidity of your doctrine. It is a mixture of Biblical truth and deceit. Why is that so? It is biblical to obey the will of the father .The will of the father is really to restore the relationship between God and man. Sin came into the world when the first couple disobeyed. What you call the serpent seed, we call the carnal nature. This is the tendency of man to commit sin from within himself, with or without the influence of Satan and his evil spirits. As soon as disobedience was committed so the carnal nature dwells within the structure of Adam and Eve. Hence, their offspring up to the present generation bore that carnal nature as if a hereditary illness been transferred from one biological object to another. When a baby is born, he already has that acquired sinful nature. The carnal nature itself is not a sin. It should be distinguished from sin, that it is the tendency to commit sin. Sin therefore is the willful, or conscious violation of God's law. And God's law has sanctions or penalty for sin. As an example, if the baby dies before he came to understand what is good and evil, the carnal nature within him is not a barrier to enter the Kingdom of God. Because he has not yet committed sin. 

The journey begins as soon as a sinner or a lukewarm or a backslider hears the word of God. It doesn't matter where or when, but it matters on" how" It is a work of God, through the holy spirit to convict a sinner. Since we already heard that Jesus Christ, God himself became flesh, died a ransom for many, and rose from the dead to justify the decree of eternal death, that you and me and anyone was vetoed or paroled from eternal death. But its a tragic note to end on that. The good news now is that He is now the way to eternal life. As the sinner acknowledges, he has violated God's commandment, he will experience a deep sorrow, it is a stage called crisis experience. Next, the sinner feels emptiness that without which he would die, a thirst of righteousness. He now asks God to forgive all sins, from d past to d present. This is done by faith for this time is also the time of faith. That is hoping for the evidence of things NOT SEEN. It has to be done in a sincere prayer of asking forgiveness. No doubt the Lord will answer that prayer. The Bible says for every penitent sinner that repents the whole angelic hosts in heaven rejoices. That prayer is claiming the word of God as he promised accompanied by a vow to live a new life. Salvation is a gift of God by grace through our Lord Jesus Christ. There is a divine influence when a person wants to live a new life. He cannot simply use his freedom of choice. It has to go with a divine guidance and grace that will empower him against temptations. The carnal nature, the serpent seed remains. The tendency to commit sin remains after the erasure of your sins in the record of god. Right after claiming that forgiveness, you begin a new life: a prayerful life, reading the Bible, learning the doctrine through a PROPERLY SOUND biblical interpretation by divinely inspired scholars and are accepted as Spirit or Godly inspired interpretations of summary of God's word; and everything that the commandment of God requires. This is our belief of which the witness is the Holy spirit and ourselves.

A renewed person's model is God through the Lord Jesus Christ. Personally, I cannot be convinced that the Lord dwells in you otherwise a strange spirit possessed you. I noticed when you stumble to John 14:6 and speak on your own the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, "I am the way the Truth and the Life, no one cometh unto the Father but by me" you have no sincerity---it was aided with a "ngising aso" (smirk) and I’m glad by that external gesture the Holy spirit gave me a premonition that the authority you have to tell that did not came from God. You may be deceived by the serpent you are trying to attack. He's going to play football with you unless you are not conscious of a grand design with a bottom line of trading the Gospel on and for the benefit of your generations and ascendants. But if you are, then the living God is an all knowing God who can give justice to every act and deed whether under the sea, on the ground, or in the air. Nothing is concealed in His devastating scrutiny.

This is just my observation. Sabi nga nila "diskarte nya yan, wag mong paki alaman. Hayaan mong mabisto" (According to them, its just his strategy, do not mind it, so he will not be caught).  I am not attacking you as a person, nothing personal but the doctrine you are putting in the minds of many is a great threat to the ministry of the Holy Spirit.