The Sign

Everyone has different story to tell about their experience during the first land fall of typhoon “Ondoy” here in Luzon. Most of us became his victim. Rich and poor went on the same boat.
Typhoon “Ondoy” made a remarkable sad experience to any one because some of his victims lose their all their properties, and even some of their family members. Those victims especially in Marikina, Rizal and Pasig are having hard time to start a new journey of their life and up to now needs our help.
There are different government agencies, non-government organizations and private individuals who continue to help and doing something for all those victim of the calamity. Donations flooded from basic needs like rice, noodles, canned goods and clothes, to the cash and pledges.
It became a way to enlighten us and rekindle our unity, hope and faith to our Lord God. All of us came to point in asking why that kind of tragedy happened? Maybe it is a way to awaken us, to remind us of our wrongdoings. It could be our payment to all our sins because of each of us became self-centered, abusive to nature and worst of all; we are already forgetting our Lord.
The tragedy is a reminder. It made us concerned to nature, mankind and be faithful to God every minute and seconds of every day of our lives.

salamat sakayang uod

Sa tuwing tutungo ako sa paaralan, ako’y iyong nagiging pasahero.sa loob ng labinglimang minuto paglagi ko sa iyo ako’y maynatuklasan.
Ito ang mga naka kunyapit sa loob mo na mga letra na nagsisilbing akda nag mula sa tulaan at berso sa metro, na umagaw pansin sa akin na may ka akibat nanapaka sarap almusal sa aking kamalayan na magsisilbing baon ko sa pagpasok sa aking paaralan pati sa pang araw - araw na buhay.

SEMENARISTA

Inside the Seminary

Every one of us has his own life in different aspects like in life school, job, hobbies, lifestyle and even in commitment. Out of my curiosity, I thought of the lives of seminarians and former ones. To know more, I made interviews to some of them.
According to those I asked (better not to mention their names for their privacy) they entered the seminary because it was their choice. They have the feeling of calling and their soul is like flowing to serve to God.
They mentioned that life in seminary is fun but of course, it is also full of sacrifices to many thing. They are being disciplined by their superior to do good things and to become good individuals. Every seminarian has his own task in the seminary so they don’t have time do naughty things and they don’t do that because that is wrong and a big sin. In the seminary they are not allowed to use the some hygienic product like facial wash. Television, mobile phones or any gadget are all prohibited. Special schedule is given to them to call and talk to their families, but it is limited to five short minutes. It is also a taboo to have a girl friend if you are a seminarian because they should only commit themselves to God and also they need to self-explore, experience and learn to grow as individual. Their simple, peaceful and happy world revolves around only in church, seminary and school because that is the proper life of being a seminarian, of a person who really want to serve to God and preparation in priesthood. Despite of it all, they are still happy because they know that they earn good things and blessing to God and the most especial to that they grow as good individual who is serving God.
Their lives before they entered the seminary were really leading them to it. They were active in some church organizations, their friend were carefully and destined chosen that are really good. They experienced to have a girl friend and they were happy and really in love, the reason of their break up was their entry to the seminary. A seminarian also said that even if they did not enter the seminary they do not do naughty things because when he was mold by his parents to become good person while an ex-seminarian admitted that he is only human and that is his nature, sometimes he do a naughty things like masturbation, watching porn, etc.
Now, having some glimpses of life in the seminary, I got more challenged and excited once I finally decide to enter on it. What will happen to me? Can I handle and live with it? That is my plan, to know my vocation, be more disciplined, to grow and serve God through entering seminary.

Bawat Katanungan at Kakulangan ay may Pawang Kasagutan

Ikaw, ako o kung sino paman sa atin ay may kanya kanyang mga katanungan at kakulangan sa ating buhay. Kadalasan ang pagkakaalam natin, ito'y wala na o limitado lang ang kasagutan, kaya aking naisip at napagtanto na isulat ang mga kakulangan at katanungan sa aking sarili at sa mundong aking ginagalawan, kung talaga na nga bang wala nang kasagutan o hanggang doon nalamang ang kasagutang iyon.

Ang normal na inilalagi ng isang sanggol sa sinapupunan ng kanyang ina ay siyam na buwan upang siya ay mabuo ng normal. Sa aking sitwasyon ako'y pitong buwan lamang nanalagi at ako'y lumabas na sa sinapupunan ng aking ina ako'y naging sanggol na sakitin at may-roong di ganung ka bigat na kapansanan sa aking mga mata at mga daliri ng aking mga kamay. Ang aking mata ay nababanlag paminsan minsan lalona kung pagod na ito at kulang sa tulog. Ang aking mga daliri naman sa dalawa kong kamay ay hindi tuwid at parang sa galamay ng alimango,balubaluktot sa tuwing aking itutuwid.

Nagkaganon paman mapalad parin ako dahil pitong buwan man ako pinanganak naging matibay parin ako at nabuhay ng normal. Ang aking mata naman minsan nga't nagbabanlag ay kasinglinaw naman ng bagong bumbilya ang liwanag at hindi ako nabuhay ng madilim ang mundo ginagalawan. Ang aking mga daliri naman sa aking dalawang kamay ay nagagamit ko ng ng maayos gaya ng sa normal at tunay na masuwerte ako dahil may dalawa ako ginagamit na kamay sa aking pang araw-araw na buhay sa bawat aking gawain. Ang lahat ng ito ay napagdesisyonan ko na ipaubaya sa mga organisasyon upaqng maihandog ang aking mata at lahat ng organ na maaari pang magduktong ng buhay at magbigay pag-asa sa iba nangangailangan, sa oras ng pagtatapos ng aking misyon sa mundong ibabaw.

Pagdating naman sa pag-aaral ako'y hindi ganun kagaling pagdating sa akademikang aralin. Ako'y nagtataka kung bakit di ako ganun katalino o kagaling dahil ang aking dalawang kapatid ay may utak naman, nagkaganun pa man ay hindi ito naging hadlang sa aking pag-aaral sa kadaqhilanang hindi man ako kasing runong ng dalawa kong kapatid ay naging masipag at matiyaga naman ako sa aking pag-aaral at matured ang naging takbo ng aking pag-iisip, pasalamat narin ako dahil nagkaroon ako ng ate na matalino na matiyagang ginagabayan ako sa aking aaralin.

Ang aking mga magulang ay hindi nakatapos ng pag-aaral, kaya't ang aking ama ay isang ordinaryong perminente na empleyado sa isang sangay ng gobyerno at ang aking ina naman ay isang maybahay na kung paminsan minsa ay nag nenegosyo ng kung ano ano produkto, kaya't ang kinikita ng aking magulang ay kulang para sa aming mga gastusin at pangangailangan kaya't kaming pamilya ay naghihikpit ng sinturon at kaming mga anak naman ay namamaluktot sa maiksing kumot, magkaganun paman ay nakakapag-aral; kami sa maayos na paaralan dahil narin sa tulong ng mga kapatid ng aking ama sa pinansyal na aspeto.

Ang tanong naman sa aking isipan" Ano kaya kung nakatapos ng pag-aaral ang anking magulang at malaki ang kinikita sa kanilang trabaho?Ano na kaya ako at ang aking mga kapatid ngayon?" Malamang katulad narin kami ng ilang may perang kabataan na puro sarili at pagpapasarap lang ang iniisip at hindi na marunong mangarap ng mas masarap pa na buhay at kung paano makakatulong sa ibang tao."Kung hindi kaya sila ang naging kapatid ng aking ama at hindi ganun ang kanilang pag-uugali, may pakelam pakaya sila sa amin o ganun pakaya ang malasakit nila sa amin?" pasalamat nalang kami dahil sila ang naging mga kapatid ng aking ama.

Sa tuwing makakakita ako, malalaman ko na mayroong mga kabataan na hindi na nakakapag-aral o nanganagamba mahinto laluna kung kaibigan ko pa sa iba't ibang mabigat na dahilan, napawang sila naman ay matatalino, matitiyaga talagang may pangarap sa buhay. Ang katanungan lang sa aking isipan at nakakapag bigay o dulot sa akin ng pakiramdam ng pag-kainis sa kadahilanang kung sino pa ang may kakayahang makapag-aral pinansyal man o ano paman aspeto sila pa yung pasaway at walang hilig sa pag-aaral. Ang tanging hinihiling naman sa kanila ng kanilang magulang ay magtapos ng pag-aaral kaya lahat ng kanilang luho ay binibigay at ang iba naman na magulang ay pinag titiyagaan ang kanilang anak na pasaway at walang hilig sa pag-aaral na ihatid sa kanilang paaralan at kung minsan pa ay binabantayan.Habang ang iba naman kabataan ay napipilitan magtrabaho, pati yung mga hindi magandang gawain ay pinapasok nila ng mabigat sa kanilang loob at hindi ninais, at yung iba pumapasok kahit walang baon o nilalakad papuntang eskwelahan o kung wala nang magagawa ay nag hihinto nalang sa pag-aaral.Mag kaganun pa man buti nalang matured ang kanilang pag-iisip at may detirminasyon makatapos ang mga kabataan nakakaranas ng ganung sitwasyon at problema dahil hindi man sila ngayon taon makapag-aral ay marahil sa susunod pang mga taon makatapos lamang ng pag-aaral at pipilitin ma abot ang kanilang mga pangarap.

Sa lahat ng pangyayari na aking naiisip at naranasan na, may katanungan at kakulanagan talagang may pawang akma o sobra pang kasagutan para sa mga iyon, dahil ang galing ng Poong Maykapal hindi nga't lahat binigay niya sa isang individual na tao ang lahat ng biyaya, nakakasigurado naman na may kasagutan para doon dahil marahil ikaw.Isang individual na may kakulangan sa isang bagay sigurado may kapwa kang sobra sa iyong kakulangan na hadang ibahagi sa iyo ang kanyang sobra na kailangan mo at ikaw na may kakulangan o katanungan man panigurado may roon ka rin sobra na kakulangan naman ng iyong kapwa o may kakayahan ka kaya't wag kang magalinlangin na ibahagi ito sa iba ng ikaw ay mabahagian naman ng iba sa iyong kakulangan at matulungan ka masagot ang iyong mga katanungan.Responsibilidad mo na palawakin pa ito ng lubos na masagot ang mga katanungan at kakulangan mo.Ang lahat ay binalanse ng ating Poong Maykapal na siyang lumikha sa atin.

Kaya't ikaw kaibigan kung ano man ang iyong kakulangan at katanungan sigurado may sagot diyan na nakalaan, wag kang lang susuko,manampalataya ka at kumilos ka dahil kung hindi di iyan nangyayari sayo mga kakulangan na iyan at hindi ka nagtatanong, Ano o sino ka kaya ngayon?

Behind the Delicious Ice Cream

Every time we hear a bell ringing in the street, one of the things that enters our mind is dirty ice cream. The appeal of ice cream to people especially to children is really undeniable. Having ice cream to share with friends and family its is from the street or store is no doubt a part of Filipino tradition.
Considering how Filipino's enjoy ice cream gave me an idea.... What if i try to become an ice cream vendor?
I asked permission to our "suki" Mang Danny, an ice cream vendor of Magpantay ice cream in our place if he can allow me to join him for some hours in selling. I explained him my purpose that I want to experience and find out the story behind the ice cream we buy from him.
Mang Danny gave me permission. We started walking together ringing the bell in my hand waiting for the next buyer. While we were walking, I took the chance to interview Mang Danny I learned that Mang Danny works from 9am to 6pm. His capital is 300 to 400 pesos and earns only 180 pesos from it. The eight-hour work of Mang Danny is really hard for him to earn 180 pesos, we have to sell ice cream in the five barangays in our town. Another trial for Mang Danny is that even after he waked to sell his ice cream in five barangays that will not guarantee him the 180 pesos earns smaller especially when the weather is bad.
I found out also that Mang Danny have four children and its really hard for him to budget the 180 pesos or less he earns. He also has a fear for his health because anytime he might get a heat stroke.
After almost an hour walking and helping Mang Danny selling his cream, I quited. I felt so tired and exhausted. I thanked Manng Danny for a once in life time experience he gave me. I give him my wishes for his success and safety.
Based on my experience as an ice cream vendor, I realized that the job is not simple. Being an ice cream vendor is very tough, you have to bring the heavy ice cream cart while walking and looking for buyers even in cold days. Most of the times, you have to undergo the heat of the sun.
Working with dignity and pride to raise your family is really hard. There's always a story to tell so we must learn to value everything we see and encounter.
Now, every time I buy and eat ice cream, I am not only thinking of the taste of it that brings happiness and relaxation but also what does the vendor who brought it to me went through just to deliver the best ice cream in town.