Before the Eastern Sunset

Rainy Day Stroll in Danao City

2012-01-26T20:39:00.000-08:00

I said in a previous post that Typhoon Ramon forced me to be stranded in the City of Danao. Instead of skulk and be pissed off by the typhoon, I used the whole day to roam the center of Danao City and see what the city has to offer.

Danao City is located in the Province of Cebu. It is connected to Cebu City by oversized multicab (Cebu version of jeepney) and public utility buses. Danao City is famous for its cottage industry of hand guns that started before the Second World War. Gun making is currently illegal but many people still flock the city to buy paltik and other hand guns.

Danao City doesn’t look like a city for me because it is far cry from the cities in Metro Manila. The town has one mall, which is Gaisano Mall. The mainstream restaurants in the city are Jollibee and Mang Inasal. What I like about Danao City is the fact that it is cleaner as compared to Metro Manila. The sea beside the city is still clean and resorts abound in the coastal barangays.

There is not much to see in the center of Danao City. There are few public parks in the area and most of them have monuments. An example would be this World War Two monument located inside the public playground:

I am not sure if the statue is angry because of the death of his comrade or he is jubilant because he is standing on the body of an enemy soldier.

Of course, the Filipino icon’s statue will never be absent. Jose Rizal is guarded by a big gun in Danao City.

Located behind the Rizal Park is the Santo Tomas College, which is run by the Augustinian Sisters. Short distance away from Rizal Park is a very old church. I will talk about the Danao City church in the next post.

My walk around Danao City is exhausting. The only means of transportation around the city is the pedicabs and tricycles. Visitors to Danao City should be wary with pedicab drivers because some of them are sly and may ask 50 pesos fare for just a short distance of travel.

I would also like to praise the crew of Danao City branch of Danao City. They are very helpful when I am looking for an affordable accommodation in the city. They pointed me in the right direction.

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Little Discoveries Inside NAIA Terminal 3

2012-01-23T21:10:00.000-08:00

I usually choose the early flights whenever I travel. The reason for this is that I want to spend maximum time to the places that I will be visiting. The more time that I have means that I have time to roam around. More time means more travel experiences for me.

So, for my second visit to Cebu I chose a flight around 7 AM so I can reach the Queen City of the South early. The problem with early flights is that I am forced to go to the airport very early. Airlines usually require their passengers to be at the airport two hours before the estimated time of departure (ETD). I am fortunate because I chose to fly with Cebu Pacific and used their Web Check-in that allowed me to go to the NAIA Terminal 3 forty-five minutes before ETD.

NAIA Terminal 3 is the newest terminal of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). Cebu Pacific, Air Philippines and other airlines use this terminal. The old NAIA terminal is currently being used by the Philippine Airlines. I like NAIA Terminal 3 because it is cleaner and better looking than the old terminal. Another plus points for this terminal is it is spacious enough to accommodate the passengers that come and go in NAIA.

I got time to roam around NAIA Terminal 3 before my flight to Cebu City and I saw many interesting things.

NAIA Terminal 3 – the Unofficial Hotel

Going to NAIA for an early flight is a hassle, especially for those who live in places that are far away for the airport. Because of this, many people choose to go NAIA Terminal 3 the night before their flight and do this:

If you have an early flight then I suggest that you sleep in NAIA Terminal 3 instead of checking into some hotel. The advantage of this is that all you have to do is to wake up few minutes before your boarding time. There is no need for you to rush from the hotel to the airport. This is also perfect for those who don’t have money for a hotel room. All you have to do is to find an unoccupied floor anywhere in NAIA Terminal 3, place some cloth and use your traveling bag as pillow. Voila! You have an instant “hotel room” right within NAIA Terminal 3. Just make sure that you stick to the wall so that you don’t block the path of other people.

NAIA Terminal 3 – the Mini-Mall

Passengers got bored when they wait for their flight. That’s why I think it is a good that NAIA Terminal 3 was developed to have a space for stores and food shops. NAIA Terminal 3 is now a mini-mall thanks to the presence of various restaurants like ever-present Jollibee, 7-11, Ministop, Pancake House and Yellow Cab.

Shopaholics can spend their waiting time by visiting the Mini-mall of NAIA Terminal 3 at the third floor. Assorted things can be found at the mini-mall.

Looking for a bag? Find it in NAIA Terminal 3.

ATMs of BPI and BDO can be found inside the terminal. RCBC also has a branch in NAIA Terminal 3.

NAIA Terminal 3 Chapel

I am delighted to discover that there is a chapel inside NAIA Terminal 3. I took the time to pray inside the chapel. I asked God to keep me safe during the whole duration of my travel.

Inside NAIA Terminal 3 chapel.

I highly suggest that you visit this chapel before you board your plane.

It is time for me to leave after my visit to the NAIA Terminal 3 Chapel. I went to the boarding gate confident that God will be with me throughout my voyage.

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Giant Bells of Manila Cathedral

2012-01-20T07:27:00.000-08:00

I attended a wedding of a friend at Manila Cathedral last week. It was the first Catholic wedding that I attended and I am moved so much that my heart skipped a beat or two. My beloved commented that she felt a heavy feeling during the wedding. Me and my beloved got “emotional” while the bride is walking toward the altar. That scene is still imprinted on my mind. A bride, all adorned in white, walking slowly in a cavernous cathedral to bind herself, for life, with the man she loves. I almost cried during that long, slow, walk to forever.
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Suffice it to say that my friend's wedding went on smoothly. His guests also enjoyed the reception that they hosted in an events place inside Intramuros. What delighted me, aside from my friend's wedding, is the discovery of something big in Manila Cathedral.

While we were waiting for the wedding to start, I decided to walk around Manila Cathedral. I noticed a signboard on the left part of Manila Cathedral. The signboard points to interesting parts of the cathedral grounds like the souvenir shops, basilica office and the carillon bells.
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What caught my attention are the words “carillon bells” because it made me recall my visit to Cebu Cathedral Museum, which showcased very old bells collected all around the island of Cebu. I pulled my beloved to where the carillon bells are due to excitement. What I saw made my jaw drop.
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Giant bells of Manila Cathedral

The bells is truly gigantic! The bells that I saw in Cebu Cathedral Museum can be considered as baby bells compared to the bells of Manila Cathedral. The bells, which are seven in total, are housed inside the Jaime L. Cardinal Sin Ground Belfry. The ground belfry was inaugurated in April 2011 in honor of Cardinal Sin, who is the archbishop of Manila during the turbulent historical events like the Marcos dictatorship and the first EDSA People Power Revolution. The seven big bells were taken down from the adjacent Bell Tower to deload it of 17 tons of weight as a safety measure.
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Manila Cathedral's bell tower

The seven bells of Manila Cathedral were foundered by Friedrich Wilhelm Schilling, who is considered as one of the best bell-founders in Germany after the Second World War. This fact explained the word “teutonicus” that I saw embossed on one of the bells.

According to the plaque outside the ground belfry, the bell of Manila Cathedral dethroned Pan-ay Bell in being the largest bell in the Philippines. Pan-ay Bell can be found inside Santa Monica Church in the province of Capiz. I haven't yet seen the Pan-ay Bell so I can't validate if what plaque said is true. What I can ensure is that the Manila Cathedral is very big. The bell's clapper is thicker than my fist.
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My hand touching the bell's clapper.

What delighted me more is when I discovered that the ground belfry is operational. The belfry guard told me that the seven bells can be rung for just for a small amount of donation to the cathedral. An idea struck me, I want these bells ring during my funeral.
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The machine that makes Manila Cathedral's giant bells ring.

The ground belfry also serves as a souvenir shop of Manila Cathedral. Available inside the souvenir shop are religious items like the Rosary, images of saints and devotional books. The ground belfry is the centerpiece of the Rufino J. Cardinal Santos Bell Garden. Anybody can enter the bell garden and the ground belfry for free. Taking photos of the giant bells are allowed and the person who mans the souvenir shop is courteous.

I highly recommend that tourists visiting Manila Cathedral to also visit the ground belfry. Your visit will not be complete if you only saw the giant pipe organ inside Manila Cathedral. You should also see Manila Cathedral's giant bells.

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Other Parts of Intramuros

2012-01-17T00:28:00.000-08:00

Working in Manila gave me the benefit to be near the historic Intramuros. I have visited the “walled city” for three times already. My last visit is when I brought an office visitor on a tour inside the “walled city.”

I always go to the usual spots during my previous visits to Intramuros. The spots that I never fail to visit are the Manila Cathedral, San Agustin Church, the canons on the walls and Fort Santiago. Most tourists go to these spots because it is the ones listed on the itineraries of tour guides and even of pedicab drivers, who double as unofficial tour guides.

I visited Intramuros again last year to run an errand for a friend. Instead of taking the usual route, I decided to enter Intramuros through the path least taken by tourists. I entered Intramuros through Magallanes Drive. This road is directly connected to Jones Bridge and stretched along the National Press Club office. Since I am walking in front of the National Press Club office, I was not surprised to see a statue of Graciano Lopez Jaena.

Graciano Lopez Jaena founded La Solidaridad, which is the newspaper used by propagandists pushing for reforms in the Philippine colonial government under Spanish rule. Being one of the propagandists and a journalist earned him the right to have a statue in front of the National Press Club office.

There is another statue on the other side of the street, just across the National Press Club office. It is the monument of Queen Isabel II, which marks Puerta Isabel II.

Statue of Queen Isabel II

Puerta Isabel II, which was opened on 1861, is the last gate to be built in Intramuros. The gate was part of the route of tranvia (streetcar) in the 19th Century. The statue of Queen Isabel II was originally unveiled at Plaza Arroceros. The statue was removed, stored and then placed in front of Malate Church. It was finally placed in front of Puerta Isabel II in 1975.

A short walk from Puerta Isabel II is a dilapidated building that is located near the Bureau of Immigration building. The building is called as Aduana, which acted as the Customs House during the Spanish Era. It also housed the Intendencia General de Hacienda (Central Administration), the Treasury and Casa de Moneda (Mint).

The ruined side of Aduana.

The building experienced numerous destruction and restoration. The last catastrophe was in 1979 when it was destroyed by fire. It was partially restored by the National Archives in 1998.

Restored side of Aduana.

Just near the Aduana is an interesting monument that is composed of a concrete pole that has a cross with nailed body of Christ at the top. That monument is called as the Cruceiro and is popular in Spain.

Cruceiro or wayside stone cross are monuments established Catholics in Autonomous Region of Galicia in Northwestern Spain. The Cruceiro serves as a marker for pilgrims going to Santiago de Compostela, where the remains of Saint James the Apostle are located. The wayside cross also serves as a reminder of Divine Protection and place of prayer for Catholics. The Cruceiro inside Intramuros was donated to the City of Manila in 2002.

Before I went out of Intramuros, I managed to get a snapshot of San Agustin Church.

San Agustin Church during the evening.

I believe that there are more things to discover inside Intramuros. All I have to do is to go to the areas that are beyond the usual routes of tourists. The Puerta Isabel II, the Cruceiro and Aduana are just few of the many things that are in store for travelers who are willing to unearth the rich history of Intramuros.

If you are a tourist and tired of the usual Intramuros spots like Fort Santiago, then I suggest that you walking to other nooks of the walled city.

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Want to read more posts about Intramuros? Read my visit to San Agustin Museum. You can also read on my visit to the usual spots in Intramuros like Fort Santiago and Manila Cathedral.

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Another World at Lacson Underpass

2012-01-16T06:49:00.000-08:00

The area around Quiapo Church is not what it seems. Beneath its grounds is another world where hidden people lurk and await humans who are kind enough to give them their cash…

…and it is cash that they will get if you like what they sell. Pretty creepy, eh? I hope not because I am just talking about Lacson Underpass.
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Lacson Underpass is a circular underground complex that connects the roads around the Quiapo Church. Pedestrians use this underpass to cross Quezon Boulevard. I, on the other hand, usually go to Lacson Underpass to pee because the public toilet is located there.

I got the chance to visit Lacson Underpass again one early morning. I also managed to get few photos.
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Lacson Underpass is quite empty in the early morning. Come in the late morning and you will see that vendors fill the whole area, making it hard for pedestrians to pass through.
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Still sleepy vendors in Lacson Underpass.

Lacson Underpass was named after Arsenio Lacson, who is a former mayor of Manila. This guy is quite popular because an avenue, located beside the University of Santo Tomas, was named after him. He also has monument located near Santa Cruz Church.

Since Lacson Underpass is located right beside Quiapo Church, you can expect to see Catholic religious items for sale.
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Looking for image of Santo Nino? Black Nazarene? Mama Mary? You find them here.

Lacson Underpass exit. To the right is Quiapo Church. To the left is Carriedo Street.

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Ikaw na Nga My Househusband

2012-01-16T00:57:00.000-08:00

I only managed to watch two movies in the 2011 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). I am interested to watch Asiong Salonga's biopic at first because it was a long time since I saw a Pinoy action movie. I heard the issue of Manila Kingpin with its director and the botched up editing, which made me decide to avoid watching it. My beloved wanted to see Maricel Soriano starrer “Yesterday Today Tomorrow” but it was already pulled out of the Trinoma Cinema because it is at lowest end of the box office ratings. In the end, we decided to see Bong Revilla's movie, “Panday II,” and “My Househusband” that stars the real life couple Ryan Agoncillo and Judy Ann Santos.

Panday is terrible because the movie was used as a political propaganda movie for Senator Revilla. I will not talk about Panday. I suggest that you to this review of the movie to understand how terrible it is. It was fortunate that we chose to watch My Househusband because it made up our afternoon that was wrecked by Bong Revilla's movie.

I expected My Househusband to hinge its story on the love triangle between Judy Ann Santos, Ryan Agoncillo and the comedienne Eugene Domingo. This expectation was borne out of the movie's TV commercial that hinted on such story. Thus, it was a relief to discover that Eugene Domingo's character is not a mistress of Ryan Agoncillo's character.

My Househusband is a story of a man who was forced to be a stay-at-home husband (Ryan Agoncillo) after he resigned on his job as bank manager. His wife (Judy Ann Santos) took the helm in earning money for the family. The movie was spiced up by the presence of their “crazy” neighbor (Eugene Domingo) who acted as their conscience, of sorts.

What I like the most with this movie is that it made me laugh. Eugene Domingo is excellent is saying her punchlines. Her scenes is not “pilit” (forced), which is unlike the way Benjie Paras was used in “Ang Panday”.

Ryan Agoncillo and Judy Ann Santos' acting in the movie are good. Being real life husband and wife made them act naturally as a couple in the movie.

Of the many Pinoy movies I watched last year, I rank My Househusband as one of the best. I believe that it is one of the best movie of the 2011 MMFF.

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Carriedo Street – the Little Divisoria

2012-01-10T08:09:00.000-08:00

I talked about the ever-crowded place called Divisoria in a previous post. I mentioned that Divisoria is the place to go to if you are looking for cheap (and bootlegged) items. My Facebook friends reacted on that blog post and they shared their own blog posts about the [in]famous Divisoria. Willy Jose talked about his Divisoria experience when he did his last minute Christmas shopping. Resty Odon posted about his thoughts about Divisoria.

The usual comment that I hear about Divisoria that it is crowded, alongside with other adjectives like cheap and affordable. The set-up in Divisoria is not unique. In fact, being crowded and chaotic is common to marketplaces around the country. Majority of palengke (market) around the Philippines is disorganized with vendors placing their wares in the middle of the streets. One place that is very similar to Divisoria is Carriedo Street, which connects Quiapo Church and Lacson Plaza or Santa Cruz Church.
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Carriedo Street as viewed from LRT-Carriedo Station.

The whole stretch of Carriedo is occupied by street vendors. You can buy pirated DVDs, t-shirts, toys, fruits, religious figurines, and other items just by walking along Carriedo.
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Looking for shirts? Find it in Carriedo.

Street vendors block the entrance to some buildings like the Carriedo Arcade.

Carriedo Street is the most direct route from LRT-Carriedo Station to Quiapo Church but the pedestrians have to pass through a maze. They should be also wary of the presence of criminals who are looking for ways to snatch people’s cellphone and wallets.
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Prepare to pass through this crowd to reach Quiapo Church.

There was a time when the mayor of Manila cleared Carriedo Street of street vendors. Well, it seems that the mayor failed because they are back and Carriedo Street is full to the brim with vendors. If you are looking for an easy way to reach Quiapo Church, I suggest that you avoid Carriedo.

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Why Don't They Fix Picnic Grove Tagaytay?

2012-01-06T20:29:00.000-08:00

Last month, My family and I went to Tagaytay City for our very first family outing. It is my nth visit to this so-called “Baguio of the South” but I still decided to bring my family to Tagaytay City. The reason for this is that it is the first time for my family to visit the place.

I brought them to Picnic Grove Tagaytay and People’s Park, which are the two most popular tourist spots of Tagaytay City. They enjoyed the trip even though they felt tired of so much walking and photo taking. Our last stop is Picnic Grove Tagaytay, where we set up our mat and had our picnic.

My father noticed many things while we are in Picnic Grove Tagaytay. He said that the toilets are not clean. The park is not well-maintained and the Picnic Grove Tagaytay admin building is dilapidated. He also lamented about the many persistent hawkers that keep on pestering the park visitors even they receive a “NO” answer. Hawkers are plenty in Picnic Grove Tagaytay and they offer many things from horse rental to “overnight rooms.” What’s not good is that these hawkers are inside Picnic Grove Tagaytay.
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I have the same sentiments in my last article about Picnic Grove Tagaytay. Many tourists, foreigners included, are complaining about these problems. The question is why the Picnic Grove Tagaytay admin taking so long to solve these problems. The entrance fee to park is a hefty 50 pesos. I believe that the hawkers inside the park also pay the admin some fees. Why doesn’t the admin use the money to improve Picnic Grove Tagaytay?

The park’s only redeeming factor is its great view of Taal Volcano. Many people flock Picnic Grove Tagaytay and pay the expensive entrance fee just to enjoy this view. I hope that the Picnic Grove Tagaytay admin will not be contented with mediocre maintenance of the park. May they renovate the park so that people will not only enjoy the view of the volcano but also the park as well.

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Where to Find Help in Writing School Paper

2012-01-06T19:40:00.000-08:00

Being a student nowadays is tough. Teachers have the habit of giving so much homework and workloads. Sometimes they forget that students are overly burdened with schoolwork. Aside from that, students also have other responsibilities other than studying. That is why students are, sometimes, not at fault they fail to pass some school paper. Too much schoolwork squeezes a lot of time that some of such schoolwork are left behind. Too much schoolwork also affect the students and cause the so-called “writer's block.”

It is not bad to look for help if the student is required to write papers. The only question now is where to find that help and ease the student's burden of schoolwork.

The easiest way to find help is to ask older people to help them in writing their school paper. Students that have tutors are fortunate because they can easily ask their tutors for help. But what if the student doesn't have any tutor nor a supportive older sibling to help them? The answer for this dilemma is what I call as “online help.”

These online help are websites that provide custom essay writing services for students. These online services has reliable and professional writers that will give the students the best school paper that they require. Online writing services is not limited to writing essays because they can also provide papers like computer science papers and physics papers.

Online writing services is one of the way to help students meets their school requirements. If you are a student, I suggest that you check out online writing services.

A Special Moment at Sonyas Garden

2012-01-02T21:27:00.000-08:00

Many of you correctly inferred in a previous post that me and my beloved took our relationship to a higher level. That special moment in our lives happened in a restaurant that is popular for its romantic ambiance. That place is Sonya's Garden.

People mistakenly thought that Sonyas Garden is located in Tagaytay City. The truth is that Sonya's Garden is located in Alfonso, which is about 45-minutes’ jeepney ride from Tagaytay. The garden can be reached by riding a Nasugbu-bound jeepney at Olivarez, Tagaytay. Tell the driver that you will embark at Buck Estate or Sonyas Garden. You must look at the left side of the street so that you will not miss the big signboard of Sonya's Garden. Ride a tricycle at a terminal near the signboard to finally reach Sonyas Garden.

Sonya's Garden looks like a private mansion. The reason for this is that Sonya initially intended it as her private getaway. The place was open to family members and friends only. Many people discovered the beauty of this getaway and soon the owner was convinced to open the place to the public.

There was a sort of comedy when we entered Sonya’s Garden. We entered the area where only the Bed and Breakfast (B&B) guests are only allowed. Sonya’s servants chased and directed us to their restaurant.

The area open to non-B&B guests are limited to the parking lot, the restaurant and a short walkway leading to Sonya’s spa center. The walkway is interesting because it is lined up with numerous flowering plants, benches and the “outdoor” bed that has been the icon of Sonyas Garden.

This photo of Sonya's Garden B&B is courtesy of TripAdvisor.

Of course, we didn’t miss taking photos on that bed. Sonya’s Garden also has a panaderia (bakery) where freshly baked bread are being sold. We entered the restaurant to do what we went to do, which is to eat a sumptuous lunch.

Sonya's greenhouse styled restaurant

The other end of the restaurant where the toilets are located.

Sonya’s Garden offers a three-course meal of salad with freshly-baked bread, pasta and dessert. The food is unlimited so guests can ask for more food ala Mang Inasal. Bottomless dalandan juice is included. Dining at Sonya’s costs 610 pesos per person. The first food that was brought to our table is the salad.

Green, leafy and freshly picked from the garden.

The salad tastes good, especially Sonya’s Secret Dressing. Our salad was accompanied with sliced mangoes, egg, cucumber and pineapple. What we didn’t like with our salad is the purple oxalis, which tastes bitter. Our salad was also accompanied by a piece of bread straight from the panaderia.

What came next is pasta. This can be mixed either with sun-dried tomato or chicken cream with mango. The toppings are shitake mushrooms, black olives, salmon belly and cheese.

My dalandan juice, sun-dried tomato sauce and salmon belly.

My sauce of choice is the chicken cream, while my beloved chose the sun-dried tomato sauce. I tasted both the sauces and I like the pasta with sun-dried tomato sauce better.

Pasta with chicken cream sauce on my plate.

The last course is dessert. They served a slice of home-made chocolate cake, turon (banana roll) with sesame seeds and langka (jackfruit) and glazed camote (sweet potato). The turon and glazed camote were fine but my favorite is the chocolate cake. They also served tarragon tea, which the waitress said is good for digestion.

Yummy chocolate cake.

All in all, we enjoyed dining at Sonya’s restaurant. We took our time eating and chatting and we don’t feel being rushed by the staff. I guess it took us more than an hour eating and talking about a lot of things. We felt a bit out of place at the start but that was because we don’t usually eat at a formal restaurant. The ambiance of the place, the good food, and courteous staff made us more relaxed and allowed us to focus on our food, and of course, on the special moment that unfolded for both of us.

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Looking Back and Looking Forward

2011-12-30T23:09:00.000-08:00

There is a reason why the first month of the year is named after the Greek god Janus. He is the only god that has two faces that enable him to look to the past and to the future. January is the month when we still remember the events of the past year. It is also the month that we have no choice but to move forward to rest of the year.
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It is just few hours before 2011 gives way to 2012. This day is the perfect moment to look back to what happened to the topsy-turvy events of this year.

2011 is a memorable year for me. I have met a lot of people, either online or offline, and some of them became my good friends. This is also the year when I clashed with many people when it comes to controversial issues like the RH Bill. Clashing with other people online helped improve my debating skills. The divisive issue also helped me know where some of my friends and readers are coming from. Unlike the last year, I am not alone in these battles. I have met so many like-minded people who understand how destructive the proposed law is. This is also the year when God poured in so much of His grace for the sake my of my spiritual well-being. There were times when I see everything bleak and hopeless but my God is persistent in pulling me out of the hole I put myself into.

2011 is also the year when this blog grew to “epic” proportions. My blog only has less than a hundred visitors per day last year. The numbers of visitors grew to around 300 to 500 per day readers this year. The increase in number of visitors resulted to an increase of income for me. My income from Google Ads improved and I get more paid posts. Thanks to all the visitors who dropped by my blogs. I do hope that they got the information that they are looking for.
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More important to one-time visitors of this blog are my suking readers who constantly comments to my posts. Special mention should be given to:

Suitapui who is known for posts of yummy foods that usually makes my mouth water.
Anney who is the master in making art works our of foods.
The diligent student Steve.
The always-hiding-behind-the-panda-face Foong. :-)
Dear maarteh and makulit Tine Rojas.
The super-mother Mommy Einz.
Ate Faye of Hollands.
Caroline Ng May Ling who always gives me ideas on the latest beauty trends.
Kuya Diamond in deserts of Middle East.
My good friend Frumpy Mom.
Blogger extraordinaire Bluedreamer.
The not-so-average Tin, who I first knew as the Average Jane.
The food blogger Pinkcookies.
The super-pogi Sendo and Jag.
The poetic Arvin.

Thank you very much for constantly visiting. You all made my blog filled with comments. Of course there are constant readers who don't leave any comments. Well, thank you very much for constant visits. Hope to hear from you in 2012.

A special part of this post is to be given to my beloved, who not only accompanies me to my travel but also accompanies me in my life. She is made my 2011 so colorful (and a little bit topsy-turvy too).

Now, I have dealt with “looking back” face of Janus. Expect more colorful posts from me in the year 2012. May you continue in visiting my blogs and be with me to look forward to the future.

A blessed New Year to everyone! It is time for fireworks!

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Happy New Year to RH Bill Advocates

2011-12-30T22:07:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. 2011 has been a bad year for all of you. The divisive bill that all of you are pushing for are still not passed. Such a sad Holiday Season for you. So, as a consolation, I will share this gift that is being tossed around by many people in Facebook.

Dancing Lights at Ayala Triangle

2011-12-30T07:37:00.000-08:00

My beloved asked me to take her to the now-talked-about Christmas Light show at Ayala Triangle. I instantly answered “yes” to her request. Like her, I also wanted to see Ayala Christmas lights and snap mesmerizing photos like those in Lantaw's blog. What’s more interesting is that those Christmas lights “moves” with the music.
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The big "tunnel," fronting Ayala Avenue, is the entrance to Ayala Garden.

We reached Ayala Triangle at around 7 PM and we saw that the place is packed with people. Well, who wouldn’t be attracted to visit Ayala Triangle and see the Christmas lights show for free? The spectators of the “Symphony of Lights,” as the Christmas Lights show is called, are mostly composed of employees from Makati and families. Professional photographers abound too.
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Kids enjoy the “Symphony of Lights,” especially when the lights started to “dance” and change into different colors.
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It is white Christmas after all.

Kids enjoy playing with this inflatable "star."

Being at the Ayala Triangle Garden for the “Symphony of Lights” is way better than looking at the photos of it. Photos can capture the lights but it can never capture the sounds and ambiance of the place. I almost danced with lights when “Winter Wonderland” was played. What kept me from dancing is my beloved who is too shy to dance.

Each performance last about 30 minutes with 30 minutes gap between performances. Ayala Christmas lights show is open from 6 PM to 9 PM. We used the gap time to take photos. The problem is that it's hard to get good shots because of the crowd.

Ayala's Christmas light show is on its second year. The show is a good respite for employees in Makati Business District. The dancing lights brings to the mind the good things that Christmas brings.

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Overheard Something about Movie Production

2011-12-30T07:32:00.000-08:00

There are many interesting conversations that I overhear whenever I go to the local cafe to sip favorite latte. Yesterday I overheard some students, who are studying film making, talking about the processes that a movie undergoes before it reaches the theaters. They said that movie making is not just composed of shooting the movie but is also composed of other processes like production planning. It is not only the actors, actresses and director who works in making a movie. There are also lots of people who are working behind the scenes. There are the make-up artists, people responsible for costumes, set designers, etc. One of the most important group behind the movies are the production teams.

I also overheard that movie production is not easy. That is why many production teams are looking for way to ease their jobs. Many production teams are now using web-based tools that give them easier manage all the processes that are involved in movie making.. Some of these web tools are already cloud based,which means that the movie production is following the technological trend.

The students continued their chat about movie making. I overheard some jargon like post production, setkick review, storyboard, and many other things. Thanks to their loud chit chat, I know now that making a movie is never easy. I guess I can now appreciate movies more.

Boiled Beef Meat is Not Bulalo

2011-12-27T08:40:00.000-08:00

I have different expectations when I go to a restaurant. The more expensive the restaurant, the more I expect to taste delicious food. I will not complain to eat a so-so meal if I'm at a turo-turo (economy class restaurant). Expect me to grumble if I'm at a relatively expensive restaurant eating a so-so meal. So, here I am to grumble.

We had our first family outing at Tagaytay City. Lunch time came while we are strolling at Olivarez so we searched the area for a place to eat. Olivarez serves as the junction of roads that from Nasugbu, Dasmarinas City, Talisay and People's Park Tagaytay. Located at Olivarez are the usual restaurants like Mang Inasal and Jollibee. We were looking for a restaurant that could not be found in Metro Manila. What we found is Eli's Barbecue.
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Eli's Barbecue is popular, according to the cashier/waitress, for its barbecue. The waitress said that Eli's Barbecue uses real Angus Beef. There are no other customer at Eli's Barbecue during that day. The cashier/waitress said they had been busy during that week because they had busloads of customers that are in Tagaytay for a gathering of sorts.

We are very hungry so we ordered Eli's unlimited meal that costs around 2,000+ pesos. This meal doesn't only have unlimited rice but also unlimited viand. The only thing that is not unlimited is the drinks, which I think is a sly way getting even with a glutton customer. Cooking Eli's unlimited meal takes time so we just enjoyed the view of Taal Lake.

What I like with Eli's Barbecue is its rooftop that gave us a good view of Taal Lake. The cashier/waitress allowed us to climb to the rooftop to take photos of the world-famous lake and its volcano.
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Eli's unlimited meal is composed of Java rice, barbecue, pork ribs, pancit canton, and fried chicken. A cup of macaroni salad served as our dessert. Our sabaw (soup) is bulalo.
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The food on our table are mostly OK. We noticed that the barbecue and pork ribs were rushed. Some parts of the fried chicken is not well-cooked. I have no complaint with pancit canton and I think that it is the best of the food on our table. What got the ire of the family is the “bulalo”.
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This is Eli's "bulalo".

The real bulalo is stewed bone marrow with vegetables. What we got is just boiled beef meat without the bones. The meat is stone hard and the flavoring used is Magic Sarap. In short, even their boiled beef meat is not good.

All in all our lunch at Eli's Barbecue is not satisfying. The food is rushed and the lowdown is the bulalo. The cashier/waitress asked us to eat again at their restaurant when we return to Tagaytay City. I think that we will not grant her wish.

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A Greater Gift than Legos

2011-12-24T07:14:00.000-08:00

I remember my childhood days when I always ask my father, day in and day out, to buy me a set of Lego. I vaguely remember the scene but it always happen every time my father prepares for work. I always tell him, “Papa, papa, ibili mo ako ng Lego” (Papa, papa, buy me a Lego). He always reply, “Ano? Gusto mo ng ligo” (What? Do you want to bathe?). In short, my father never bought me a set of Lego. I had no choice but to play with toys that I got free from cheap chichiria (snacks). I have used my imagination to play war, fight a dragon, or build a kingdom.

I suddenly remembered this episode of my childhood when I passed by a Lego store while I was walking around Trinoma Mall. It made me recall that my father failed to give the things that I wanted, even if I asked for it earnestly.

My thoughts wandered from my childhood memory to God. In my prayers, I always ask God for many things. I ask Him, not only for material things, but also the things concerning my Faith. I get so impatient for many times that I think that God is so slow to act. It is as if that He acts like my earthly father who only responded with jokes to avoid giving in to the request of His child.

Just like that Lego episode, I asked God specific things and expected Him to respond the way I want Him to. My father did not give me the Lego set that I wanted but he gave me better things. He worked hard and provided the things that I truly need, which are the things that enabled me to continue my childhood imaginations that do not require Legos. God listens to my requests and He responds by giving me things that are better than what I expected.

Giving us the best things is what God is good at. Since the fall of Adam and Eve, we human beings are waiting for our redemption from Death. We are burdened by our sinfulness but we have an inkling that God is working to save us. It is just that we didn't know how He will do it. The Jews, during the time of the Gospels, believed that God will redeem His people through political power. They are wrong, however, because God gave them a better way of redemption that save Jews and Gentiles alike.
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Jesus Christ is God and people expected Him to be clothed in kingly apparel like King David. Yet God chose the better, nay the best, route and that is by showing His humility by being born on the manger. This humility is the one we celebrate this Christmas Day.

We always ask God for “Legos” but God always give us things that are better than Legos. This is the lesson that I learned when I saw that Lego store. I believe that this is also the lesson that we should learn this Christmas.

A Visit to a Reindeer Barn

2011-12-24T05:22:00.000-08:00

Where does Santa Claus put his reindeers when it is not the Christmas Season? The answer, of course, is he put his reindeers in a reindeer barn. I visited a reindeer barn one night while me and my beloved went shopping for her dress. Now, you might be wondering if there really is a reindeer barn in the Philippines. Well, sort of. The reindeer barn that I am talking about is this:
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This reindeer barn has no live reindeer. What it only has are stuffed reindeers of different sizes. SM City North EDSA shoppers visit the barn to pose beside stuffed reindeers.
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Posing with the biggest "reindeer."

There is a short line when we visited the reindeer barn that night. I believe that the line will be longer during the day because many people will want to have their photos with the reindeers.
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Another interesting thing that you can see at SM City North EDSA’s Sky Garden is the giant snowman that stands near the reindeer barn.
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If you are shopping at SM City North EDSA, I suggest that you visit the reindeer barn.

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Our Kababayans in CDO, Iligan and Negros Need Our Help

2011-12-19T18:04:00.000-08:00

This photo of a father crying for his child sums up all the emotions that the victims of Typhoon Sendong are feeling right now. As of this moment, citizens of Northern Mindanao and Negros are still reeling from the effect of the typhoon. Houses were destroyed by the raging waters of the Cagayan de Oro River. Many people are still missing and their families are either hoping that they are still alive or afraid that they are already one of the dead. The livelihood of citizens of Cagayan de Oro City and Iligan City are gone or covered in mud. Dead bodies are still being pulled out of the debris of the catastrophe. Amidst of all the chaos, many people are wondering if everything will return to normal.

Help from the private sector and private individuals are pouring continuously. Many of the victims already received some of the relief goods but there are still more victims who still need our help. I am here to appeal to you, dear readers, to help us in this trying time. I ask for your prayers for my kababayans struck by Typhoon Sendong.
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You can send cash donations Caritas Manila. Here are the details for depositing cash donations:

Account Name: CARITAS MANILA ,INC.
BPI Savings Account: 3063-5357-01
Metrobank Savings Account: 175-3-17506954-3
BDO Savings Account: 5600-45905
PNB Current Account: 10-856-660001-7

For Dollar cash donations please deposit to:

BPI Savings Account: 3064-0033-55
PNB Account: 10-856-660002-5

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Buy Tiket Pesawat to Indonesia

2011-12-19T07:14:00.000-08:00

Indonesia a country of many possibilities. The reason for this is that Indonesia is a nation that is composed of many islands. In short, Indonesia is an archipelagic nation. As a nation of many islands, Indonesia has many interesting places like the world-famous Borobudur Temple, Fort Rottterdam, and Lake Tondano.

The three tourist spots that I mentioned is just tiny bit of what the archipelagic nation has. Indonesia is also known for its rich natural resources, delicious foods and awesome cultural heritage. If you go to Indonesia, you will see a convergence of cultures. Indonesia enjoys the beauty of Asian culture and the appeal of European culture. The rich mountains and the dive spots will make any person be awed with the God's creative power.

Indonesia has so much to offer that is why many tourists wants to go there. Going to Indonesia is easy since the country has ample transportation facilities (like airports) that caters to to tourists. Booking airline tickets is also easy because there are reliable travel agencies that take care of tour packages, hotels and harga tiket pesawat (airfare).

So, are you a tourist that want to embark into an unforgettable adventure? If your answer is a “yes” then I highly suggest that you buy your tiket pesawat (airline tickets) now and visit Indonesia.
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What to Do During Karoling Season

2011-12-16T07:51:00.000-08:00

Sa maybahay ang aming bati, “merry Krismas na malwalhati.”
Ang pag-ibig ang siyang naghari, sana araw-araw ay magiging Pasko lagi.
Ang sanhi po ng pagparito, hihingi po ng aginaldo.
Kung sakaling kami’y perwisyo, pasensya na kayo kami'y namamasko.

I bet that many of you (if you are in the Philippines) already heard that popular Christmas song this time of the year. Well, it is Christmas Season, which is the perfect time for enterprising kids to brandish their tambourines made of tansan (bottle caps). It is also the perfect time for them to visit your house to croak their angelic voices for some coins.
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Improvised tambourine. (Source: Think!)

Karoling is Christmas tradition in the Philippines. Karoling is the Filipinized rendition of the word caroling. Karoling is not just being done by the children as there are adult carolers who use real musical instruments like guitar, tambourines, etc. Children carolers are much simpler because their musical instruments are tambourines made from bottle caps and tin cans that serve as drums.
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(Source: Life's Memoirs Online)

People have many reactions when it comes to karoling. Majority of these reactions, I believe, is that of annoyance. This kind of reaction is understandable because these kids has the habit of returning to your house night after night until Christmas Eve if they discovered that you are generous in handing out coins.

So, how should you deal with these children? Here are the things that you can do when they are karoling at your house:

1. Hide and Ignore – This is highly recommended for ninongs and ninangs who have the habit of hiding from their inaanaks (godchildren) every Christmas. You should always keep in mind that carolers are attracted to Christmas lights like the way moths are attracted to the flame. Don’t decorate your house with Christmas lights to avoid being noticed by these kids. If you’re uncharitable enough to not want carolers to visit your house, I suggest that you turn off all the lights inside and outside of your house and pretend that you are asleep.

2. Give them Coins or Scold them – Another way to deal with carolers is to follow a sort of “merit system.” You give the carolers a reward (a.k.a. coins) if they sang their Christmas carol well. Avoid giving them any coin if they continue croaking like frogs instead of singing. This is a good way motivating carolers to improve their karoling. Bad-singing carolers will avoid your house because they think that you demand so much just for a few coins.

3. Give them treats – Give the carolers candies or food if you don't want to give them money. This alternative is similar to the Halloween “trick or treat.” If you don't like their karoling then you trick 'em but I guess that is not in accord with the Christmas spirit.

4. Let the dogs out – Do this if you idolize old Scrooge but be prepared to be hacked with jungle bolo of the children's angry fathers.

There was a time when karoling is taken seriously. That was the time when kids put an effort to sing well. Nowadays, the children carolers don't care if their singing is out of tune or no one understands what they are saying. This is the reason why many people think that karoling is annoying.
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(Photo by Rowell Ang)

I also noticed that these children took karoling to the streets. They climb jeepneys and buses to ask for coins after they sang their Christmas carol. What they are doing is very dangerous. I will not be surprised if there will be a road accident that involves them.

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casino online senza deposito a casinoonlinebonus-it.com

2011-12-15T16:35:00.000-08:00

I bonus sono i sistemi attivata per tutti gli appassionati di giochi da casino online. Ci sono vari tipi di bonus a disposizione degli utenti / giocatori. È possibile scegliere le opzioni migliori spiegato qui di seguito:

Il primo è il bonus per i nuovi giocatori, conosciuto anche come il bonus di benvenuto. E 'il premio più importante scoperto in questi giorni sui casinò online. Il bonus minimo è di 100 dollari. In qualità di utente / giocatore deve scoprire che come e quando il bonus è a vostra disposizione. Molte volte si sarebbe ripartito a incrementi di 100 dollari al mese.

Il bonus percentuale varia in base alla somma di deposito. La somma dei bonus è di solito tra il 50% - 500%. Il bonus del 100% è conosciuto come il bonus. Il bonus è in realtà il bonus denaro.

Il bonus ricarica è un piano che continuerà a ricaricare il tuo account di gioco. E 'molto simile al bonus di benvenuto.

Il casino senza deposito è un bonus di casinò online. Non ha bisogno di soldi a tutti. Di solito quando si apre un conto, è sufficiente aggiungere la quantità di mettere ulteriori incentivi per il giocatore. Sono per lo più di 10 dollari.

C'è un bonus di deposito preferito a disposizione del giocatore in linea. Questo bonus è preferita la forma di pagamento che è elettronico e lo scopo di depositare denaro sul tuo conto scommesse. Vari casinò preferisce ricevere la somma di denaro in una o l'altra forma. Possono proporre il 5% -15% sul tuo conto automaticamente. Ma è necessario capire che se un casinò annuncia di aver la possibilità di Bonus preferiti di 300 dollari, non significa che riceverete 15% mediante il deposito, 3000 dollari. Ciò significa che al fine di ottenere il 15% è necessario depositare 20.000 dollari.

Il bonus Lofty è disponibile solo per i giocatori che sono amanti del casino e far loro visita tranquilla spesso. Questi giocatori sono grandi giocatori bravi e hanno raggiunto un certo livello senior. Maggiore è la condizione di un giocatore più questi bonus sono disponibili per i giocatori. Queste percentuale di copertura maggiore di bonus.

Il bonus high roller non è altro che depositare più alta da parte i giocatori / attori. Questi tipi di bonus sono noti per essere andata oltre 1000 dollari. Questo vuol dire con precisione che per depositare 2000 dollari un giocatore riceverà 1000 aggiuntivo.

Puttane casinò sono una sorta di bonus in cui si trova il perk è offerto al giocatore di giocare conservativamente con i soldi del casino possibile. In questo tipo di bonus il giocatore usa molto meno di tasca propria. Il bonus va molto bene con i bonus slot online, dove ci sono pochi bonus significativi.

Pertanto questi bonus dare ai giocatori un modo corretto per ruotare i soldi e rischiando il proprio denaro ancora divertirsi. Il casinò online mettono a disposizione dei giocatori i migliori bonus possibili che possono dare il meglio di backup di giocare il miglior gioco d'azzardo. Si consiglia di visitare http://www.casinobonussenzadeposito.net per le vostre esigenze di gioco.

Christmas Shopping at Divisoria

2011-12-12T19:41:00.000-08:00

The only thing that I can never forget in my first visit to Divisoria is the stench. Recto Avenue, within the Divisoria, is one of the smelliest areas that I ever visited in my whole life. I believe that the smell emanates from the decades-long accumulation of odor that was never removed because Recto Avenue never got the chance to be cleaned by street sweepers of Manila. But don’t let the stench of Divisoria turn you off because this is still the best place to go to for affordable Christmas items.

I recently visited Divisoria to look items that I can buy for my godchildren. Fortunately, it was not my first time to visit Divisoria so I know what to experience in that place. An American visitor of our office commented that Divisoria is worse than the Mardi Gras in New Orleans. He had a hard time navigating Divisoria because the streets are too crowded. He had no choice but to give up his comfort zone and walk side by side with buyers and vendors in Divisoria.

Vendors hogging the streets of Divisoria.

My first stop is Divisoria Mall, which is located at the corner of Commercio and Tabora Streets. The mall is just an oversized Raon or the common palengke. The corridors are too crowded and some of the vendors placed their merchandise outside their booths. It is in this mall where I discovered that Divisoria is the place where tons of the cheap toys from China are delivered. The toys will then be bought and brought by retailers to different markets all around the Philippines. Now I know where to go if I want to buy toys for my godchildren.

The next mall that I visited is the 168 Mall, which is the most popular mall in Divisoria. This mall is less crowded that Divisoria Mall. Near this mall are the 999 Mall and other malls that are named after lucky numbers. I went to 168 Mall to look for an affordable DVD player with TV.

Divisoria is one chaotic place. I always get lost whenever I visit the place. One time, I reached Andres Bonifacio’s monument in Tutuban while I was looking for a way out of Divisoria. This time, I reached Ongpin Street while I was looking for a way out of Divisoria. Well, getting lost is the reward for those people, like me, who doesn’t ask for directions.

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Personal Loan this Christmas

2011-12-11T19:50:00.000-08:00

Christmas is a Season of Joy but for some, it is a season of worries. Christmas Season is the season for parties, gift giving, and family gatherings. However, it is also a season for financial woes and increased expenses. Some people are fortunate to have deep pockets but some are not as fortunate. The recourse of those who are unfortunate is in having a personal loan.

Personal loans can be obtained from banks, loan sharks, financial associations and other money lenders. People in different countries have different ways of obtaining a loan. The popular loan scheme in the Philippines is the so called 5/6. In this scheme, those who obtain a loan have to pay for four or more installments with interest rate of 20 percent. Singaporeans go to money lender Singapore to get their loans. Of course, other countries have their own unique ways of providing loans to people.

If you are that person who badly need money this Christmas Season, I suggest that you look at the different loan options available. See what will give you the lowest interest rate and higher number of installments so as to make your payment less heavy. You should also take extra caution when obtaining loans because there are loan sharks that are harsh when it comes to dealing with their clients.

Who is the Real Santa Claus?

2011-12-08T20:54:00.000-08:00

Last Tuesday (December 6) the Church celebrated the feast of Saint Nicholas, bishop of Myra. The Gospel for that day (Matthew 18:12) is about the good shepherd who left his 99 sheep just to look for one stray sheep. The priest said that the Gospel reading suits the story of Saint Nicholas because he acted as a good shepherd during his stint as a bishop. Saint Nicholas is a good shepherd because he knew the needs of his flock, or the people in his Diocese. The saint is widely known for his charity and generosity to poor.

There is one story where Saint Nicholas discovered that a poor widower, unable to support his three maiden daughters, decided to make his daughters work as prostitutes. The saint placed the church's gold in three bags and secretly threw them through the window of the widower's house. The gold served as the dowry for widower's daughters. Saint Nicholas was also involved in other stories wherein he is shown as the helper of the poor and the needy.

I thought that the priest's homily about Saint Nicholas end there until he said that that saint is the popular Santa Claus. Devotion to Saint Nicholas became popular years even after his death. Many people were inspired by his story of charity. Even the oil, known as Manna di S. Nicola, flowing from the relic of Saint Nicholas is highly valued for its medicinal powers.

So, how Saint Nicholas of Myra, who looks like this:

came to look like this:

(Source: Web Design Hot)

The transformation of Saint Nicholas to Santa Claus came about when Dutch Protestants brought the distorted story of Saint Nicholas to America. The Dutch portrayed Saint Nicholas as a Nordic magician who helps the needy. Santa Claus is now a jolly, fat, white-bearded old man who enters chimney just to give gifts to “nice” kids.

I always lament that Santa Claus replaced the baby Jesus during the Christmas Season. Instead of anticipating the birth of Christ, people are waiting for their gifts under the Christmas tree courtesy of Santa Claus. Well, it seems like it is not only Jesus who was replaced by the commercialized Santa Claus. The first victim is Saint Nicholas.

Santa Claus has a shallow kind of generosity. If you are a nice person, then you can expect a gift from Santa. In this case, the gift became a bribe to make the child behave well. It teaches a child to expect an instant gift whenever do good things.

Saint Nicholas' generosity is much deeper. Being “nice” is not a requirement for him whenever he helps someone. The widower in the story is not a nice person because he wanted his daughter to become prostitutes. Saint Nicholas did not turn his back to the widower and his daughters. On the contrary, he gave them three bags of gold!

Jesus Christ told us to love our neighbors, including those who are not nice to us. Our Lord said “for if you love those that love you, what reward shall you have? Do not even publicans do that? And if you salute your brethren only, what are you doing more than others? Do not even the Gentiles do that?” (Matthew 5:46-47).We Christians are expected to love and aid anyone like Saint Nicholas did because if we love and aid just those who are nice, like what Santa Claus is doing, then are we doing more than the others?

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I encountered an amusing story about Saint Nicholas. A heretic named Arius is teaching that Jesus Christ is not Divine but merely created by the Father. Saint Nicholas can’t stand the lies of Arius so he punched Arius on the face. Here is the painting that immortalized the smack down of Arius:

Because of Saint Nicholas violent action, he was stripped off of his rank as a bishop and was sent to prison. Nicholas’ personal copy of the Gospel and the Episcopal pallium, symbols of being a bishop, was taken away. Jesus Christ and Mama Mary visited Saint Nicholas in his cell and asked him what he is doing inside the prison. Saint Nicholas answered: “Because I love you, my Lord and my God.”

Jesus then gave Nicholas his copy of the Gospel and Mama Mary vested her of his pallium, thus returning to his rank as bishop.

No one can ever imagine the commercialized Santa Claus to pull a punch to the naughty boys and girls. All he can do is laugh “ho ho ho” all the way. Well, the real Santa Claus knows how to use his fist for the sake of his love to God.

I am not telling you to punch those who blaspheme the Lord. What I am saying is that we should not hesitate to the hard things to make other people realize the Truth.

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Hail Mary! Immaculate and Blessed

2011-12-07T20:37:00.000-08:00

Today, the whole Church is celebrating the Feast of Immaculate Conception.

In this Feast, the Catholic Church affirms her teaching that Mary, the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, was born without original sin.

Years ago, I don't believe in Mama Mary. I had a belief, back then, that the Church exaggerated the role of a woman who wasn't featured much in the Bible. How wrong I was! Mama Mary has a large role in salvation of humankind. Her obedience to God paved the way for the Word to be made flesh. Mama Mary asked Jesus to turn water into wine in wedding in Cana. This incident shows how intimately Mary knows her son because she knows that Jesus can do miracles even before He conducted His public ministry. Mama Mary suffered greatly in seeing her only son flogged and nailed to the cross. Her heart might have been broken to million pieces when Jesus gave His last breath.

Mama Mary may not always be present on the Bible but surely she is in the background. She is with the Apostles waiting for the descent of the Holy Spirit. Mama Mary fulfilled her role as the mother of the early Church. She continues to fulfill that role unto this day for she intercede for us in front of our God.

Mama Mary, thank you for the love and the care. Happy Feast of Immaculate Conception!

Tota pulchra es, Maria,

et macula originalis non est in te.

Vestimentum tuum candidum quasi nix, et facies tua sicut sol.

Tota pulchra es, Maria,

et macula originalis non est in te.

Tu gloria Jerusalem, tu laetitia Israel, tu honorificentia populi nostri.

Tota pulchra es, Maria.

You are all beautiful, Mary,

and the original stain [of sin] is not in you.

Your clothing is white as snow, and your face is like the sun.

You are all beautiful, Mary,

and the original stain [of sin] is not in you.

You are the glory of Jerusalem, you are the joy of Israel, you give honour to our people.

You are all beautiful, Mary.