(Bato-Bato Sa Langit Adventures)

By Ate Syl – Tinig Pinoy

Life Is Good

I only have two hours to spend my Sunday and if ever lucky enough, I get the chance to go about shortly after the 8am Mass. Now that Christmas is just around the corner, I noticed that people are starting to feel the festive mood of the season for shops are already full of shoppers picking for some Christmas hangers, bits and pieces that give away the spirit of Christmas. While shopping downtown, I wandered into a small shop stuffed with shirts and other items all marked with the slogan “Life Is Good”. When I moved to the next shop, I saw a bunch of red foil balloon with the message “I Love You” streamed across in billowy script. A half smile registered on my face while thinking of those items. Sometimes we need to remind ourselves of those simple truth. When the work of earning a living, raising a family, maintaining health and fitness, and managing a relationship starts to overwhelm us, it is good to think about how small our part in the universe really is. While we obsess over our work, God quietly does His. He keeps the earth rotating, the planets revolving, and the seasons changing. Without any help from us, He makes the sun rise every morning and set every evening. Every night He changes the pattern of night lights in the sky. He turns out the light so we can sleep, and turns it on again so we can see to work and play. Without lifting a finger, we get to enjoy sunrises and sunsets. Every year the seasons change on schedule. We do not need to pray about it or tell God that it is time to send spring. All that He does reminds us that HE is good. (Acts 14:17). But what about if I bought one of those balloons with the message of LOVE but suddenly slid through my fingers and float away, and soon it was nothing more than a tiny red dot in the sky – finally, would just be a memory. Losing that balloon would remind me of the way love sometimes vanishes from our lives. Children rebel and distance themselves; spouses or loved ones desert; close friends stop calling. Have you watched love disappear from your life? Rest in God’s affection – His constant care will keep your heart safely secured. We should be thankful that God’s love is steady, it can sustain us when love here on earth drifts away. In fact, it is so reliable that Jesus invites us to abide in His love. He wants us to know that it is okay to settle in and get comfortable. Life will at times be difficult, often it is painful, and for now it is imperfect. But still LIFE IS GOOD, for in all these things nothing can separate us from God’s lavish expressions of love. (Rom. 8:39). “Thank You, loving Father, for the good gift of life. I thank You and praise You for all You do so that I can enjoy so much. And most of all thank you Father for giving us your only son this season, this is the gift of lavish salvation – of all gifts, the greatest gift that you and I will ever receive.” He did not use a silvery box, or paper green or red; God laid His Christmas gift to me within a manger bed.

Our Road to Bethlehem

The year is nearly at its end so I have decided to declare a ‘time out’ to all controversial issues and write about the jolly tidings of Jesus Christ’s nativity, more particularly about Christmas. We are now at the period of Advent to which we must prepare ourselves for the coming of the Lord. Prophet Elijah and John the Baptist had been shouting: “prepare for the coming of the Savior”. And this is the basis of the Catholic Church in establishing the period of Advent with four Sundays before Christmas to give us time to ponder deeply on the birth of the Son of God then consequently cleanse ourselves from impurities to be worthy to receive Christ in our lives. But no matter how much we try to understand the Mystery of Advent, we fall short to grasp the meaning of it. Because the mystery of Advent is the mystery of God’s love to His people. In like manner, we can not understand why men die for one another which is contrary to the instinct of life preservation. Because we don’t understand the depth of their love. So if we don’t understand the workings of human love, how can we hope to understand Divine Love? All we have to do is to be grateful that God loves us so much and had sent His Son to redeem us from the darkness of sin. So what is really Christmas? As early as September, we hear Christmas carols being aired in radio and television stations. People all over the world start planning how to celebrate Christmas and things begin to pile one atop another: where to spend the holidays; what gifts to buy for whom; when to decorate; who will be invited to what party and when and where to hold the party; and a lot more preparations to celebrate Christmas. So much so that we fail to prepare our spiritual life because our concentration is focused on the material side of it. Although god wanted us to enjoy life, we must put the spiritual side of it first. “I have come so they might have life and enjoy it more abundantly”. This is God’s own words. He is not a selfish God. He created all things and wanted us to enjoy His creation but we must put things in order. The material side of things must be in communion with the spiritual side for only in this manner can we truly appreciate and enjoy the true meaning of Christmas. Advent is our road to Bethlehem where the heart of Christmas is. Where the birth of Christianity is. And like the three kings who traveled far to bring their gifts to the child Jesus, we must likewise tread this road. But what gifts shall we bring? Advent is a time to ponder how we lived the past year. Our gifts shall be our good deeds which we must offer in all humbleness. Many of us like to announce to the whole world when we do something good and we like to let the whole world know what we are and what we have. We can not wait for others to appreciate and recognize what we did. We forgot that when we boast on our good deeds, we lost their spiritual value and still fall short on the glory of God because we already received the reward here on earth. Christmas must be a home coming where everybody is the same: no rich or poor, no king or servant; no white or black. We wonder why the baby Jesus and not the Jesus as King became the integral part of every christmas decoration, It is because Christmas is the period for rebirth. We must be like a child who is innocent, devoid of corruption, of pride, of selfishness, of disobedience, of anger and hate. On Christmas day, we come to heart of Christianity. The impossible became possible. But we also came upon the mystery of the Holy Trinity in which the One God became Three but remain One. So let us take our road to Bethlehem then join the angels in celebrating the birth of our Savior and welcome Him with a clean mind and heart. Let us make a holy place in our lives. We must surrender ourselves and look deeply into our hearts and analyze what keeps us apart from the happiness and enjoyment of the Christmas festivities. For only when we are free from any worries, from anger and hate, from envy and greed, can we be filled with the love, joy, peace, and hope that Christmas brings.

Hello folks! It has been awhile that I did not have any post here (almost a year!) As usual, blame it to having lacked of time if that is an acceptable excuse to you (lol)! Admittedly, I have been so engrossed at Facebook lately and I have lots of wall posts there which are worthy to repost here (and yes, will really manage to find time for that too!)

To make up for almost a year- long absence, gonna post few pieces here from people who accompany me at Tinig Pinoy news… old articles that are still worth posting here. Hope you would enjoy reading them.

Christmas: Pinoy-style

By PR Curammeng

What makes our Christmas celebration unforgettable? It is what most immigrants miss the most about the Philippines. Is it our early start in decorating our houses as early as September? Is it our commitment to attend midnight masses as much as we can? Or is it our puto bumbong and bibingka? Not every household can afford to have fancy lanterns to decorate their houses, and yet, those families are still filled with excitement and anticipation. Not everybody can attend all of the nine midnight masses and yet when they do, they enjoyed it. We look forward for Christmas because it is the time of year that families and friends gather together in such festive mood. During the holiday season, you will see people smiling more as they go about their task may it be the usual one or in preparation for the noche buena. The children carolling remind us of what we used to be, as children ourselves. It is such a joy to reminisce how you and your friends collect the metal caps of soft drinks, flatten them with hammer and string them to a wire, looped big enough for the hand to grasp it; an instant musical instrument. Drums are fashioned out of empty cans. Who can forget the midnight mass? Groups of friends come, young and old, the nine days all planned out who will pick up whom along the way or where to meet before walking to church. After the mass, parishioners flock the puto bumbong and bibingka stands. The refreshing aroma of banana leaves getting cooked with the bibingka fills the air. Coffee or hot chocolate complement both and help to warm oneself from the chilly night. When the midnight masses were successfully attended without fail, wishes are made. Rich or poor, noche buena is the highlight in every household. At exactly 12 midnight, family members gather to share the specially prepared meal. It is the time for us to be more thankful for all the blessings we received. And, it is the time for us to give back. I guess this is the main reason why we are more generous to give alms to street children or even families. The gift-giving part is what children look forward to. For the very young, it does not matter if the gift is expensive or not, as long as it is wrapped. Reaping the wrapper off the gift is what matters to them and the number of gifts too. Christmas is the time families, relatives and friends reconnect. It is the time of year that differences are set aside and let bygones be bygones. It is also the time everything possible is done to make the occasion special to the children and to the young at heart. Christmas means differently to everyone, but to most, it brings happiness and hope. More importantly, it means being with the family whom you love and loves you back unconditionally. Merry Christmas to all!

By Pamela RCurammeng

It is very unfortunate that I was not able to watch the SONA and is basing my comments on the articles written by Ms Johanna Bogbog and Mr John McLean. No offense meant for Mr Teodoro Locsin but so what if President Noynoy presented more facts. We- the public, needed to know those facts that have been kept away from us for far too long. Many past presidents presented their visions, which proved to be just illusions. I particularly like the part when it was mentioned that agriculture will be boosted. I have nothing against industrialization- it creates jobs and brings livelihood to communities where economic zones are established. However, we must never forget our root which is agriculture. We were once regarded as number 3 in Southeast Asia. Representatives from neighbouring countries used to come to International Rice Research Institute (IRRI () at Los Banos for seminars. Now, we are reduced to a country importing rice from countries we educated. This is a slap on our faces. Anyway, that is how it feels like to me. We have enough laws regarding tax evasion. It is the proper implementation which we lack. If only we really go after those tax evaders, our national coffer will have enough to provide adequate services to those in need. With the promise that the fund is not diverted to someone else’s pocket. With regards to education, it really needs drastic improvement as our education system had spiralled way down thru the years. How frustrating it is to see high school students overflowing in a classroom built for a maximum of fifty students. Not only have we lacked classrooms but also chairs, appropriate books and well-informed teachers. Imagine my horror when on TV, a male teacher was caught telling his Grade 5 pupils that giraffes eat meat! I wonder what planet he came from. President Noynoy has all the good intentions for our country but he can not do it alone. He needs us to help him realize a better Philippines. We, as citizens, can do our part. No matter how small and simple, collectively it is of great help. Traffic rules are a point to consider. If only we follow the proper loading and unloading areas and crossing the streets on the designated zebra line, we’ll save our government millions. How, you may ask? We don’t need those wire fences we now see along EDSA built by MMDA. But since we cannot help crossing anywhere we want, they deemed it necessary to put up those fences. Of course, those cost a lot of money. As OFWs, our primary contribution is the monthly remittances. We are already helping our economy in that way but we can do more by putting up businesses. Your business’ name application fee and Mayor’s permit payments are adding revenue to the national and local government, respectively. We all dream of a better Philippines. We may be away from her but we carry her unique existence within us. We are Filipinos, be proud to be one and help her get back on her feet.

By Carmen Llauderes

To beat the summer heat, the Holy Cross Catholic Charismatic Community have had an excursion in Nissi Beach Ayia Napa last August 8, 2010. The trip was highlighted by a Beach Babe beauty contest, parlor games, swimming, and dancing. Rosemarie Catibog won the Miss Talent and Miss Beach Babe title while the Best in swimsuit and First runnner-up was awarded to Merry Lobo. Cheche received the 2nd runner – up award. The other ladies who participated were Jocelyn Orden, Joy, and Mary Rose. The event was a fund-raising to help the community with the amount they need for their up-coming projects.

El Shaddai DWXI PPFI was filled with a huge number of people who gathered together from all over Cyprus to receive the healing message of Guest Speaker International Preacher Bro. Ramon Alberto who proclaimed the power of the gospel to save and change mankind from old life to new, to cast out demons and to heal us. He said, “If God is in our hearts we are living in peace, happiness and contentment. His plan is to make his people prosper. “He added that God is always with us. We must obey once he called and chose us to serve him. When we serve him faithfully he blesses us continually. ” I have travelled around the world because of God to proclaim His word all over the earth. He provided me with all the things I need and what I did is to put my trust in him,” he concluded.

Sideview

By Johanna Bogbog

The hostage drama in Manila which happened on August 23, 2010 that killed eight Hongkong nationals and had also cost the life of the hostage taker, have become an international scene. Consequently, the Hongkong government had immediately put the Philippines on a block list for tourism to her sovereigns. This resulted to the sudden cancellation of entry flights and hotel reservations of chinese going to the Philippines. On the other hand, the Filipino migrants / workers in Hongkong feared how they will be treated by their employers. With this crisis, a lot of fingers had pointed the blame to the President, to the police, to the Ombudsman, and to the media. But who’s to blame? Let’s take a look at each one of the scenarios.

Why the President? Because at the time the hostage was taking place, the Hongkong head of state called President Aquino but was not able to reach him. The Palace spokesperson said that President Aquino was on a meeting at that time. Besides, the call did not follow the protocol on international communications, hence the call did not reach the President. Some people said that the President should have taken a personal stand and gave orders. But the President has people who have direct responsibility over such matters. There is the Department of Interior and Local Governement (DILG) underwhich are the Secretary, the Governor, the Mayor, the Police Director, and the Barangay Captain. None of these entities have notified the President that they can not handle the situation. And the President can not just become anyone of them and do their jobs. The President was closely monitoring the incident and he was confident that it will end favorably because the hostage negotiator is known to be an expert in that field. However, because of lack of coordination between the police, particularly the SWAT team, the Ombudsman, the media, and the negotiator, everything became uncontrollable in just a second.

Why the police? A team from the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) were the ones who responded to the problem. However, as seen in the television coverage, the police did not properly handle the situation. They went to the crime scene unprepared with no clear and concrete plan of action to implement. They were not even in full combat gear and they did not have the necessary tools and equipment. They did not even ask the manager of the travel agency, who reported the hostage taking, about the feature of the bus, which would have helped them to speedily get inside the bus. This shows that the police also lacked training. The 2010 budget shows that 55 Billion pesos was alloted for the police, but the past administration used the money for something else other than the improvement of the police department. Furthermore, the Crisis Management Manual (CMM) which was ammended in year 2000 embodying the Standard Operating Procedure(SOP) in handling problems like the hostage taking, is not fully implemented.

Why the Ombudsman? SPO II Mendoza was dismissed from the service due to an extortion case filed against him. His demand for taking the hostage incident was for him to be reinstated into service. The hostage negotiator was able to have the ombudsman deliver a letter to Mendeoza regarding his case but the latter was not satisfied with what was contained in the ombudsman’s letter.

Why the media? Because there were media men around covering the incident and at the time when Mendoza was reading the letter from the ombudsman, the police was arresting some members of his family, and he saw it in the television inside the bus. This incident trigerred mendoza’s anger and shot his hostages, eight of them were killed. The driver, who was tied at the wheel, was able to free himself with the use of a nailcutter and fortunately escaped from the bus. The other hostages were saved when the policemen finally entered the bus by breaking the door and windows, and throwing in teargas. The autopsy result showed that Mendoza was killed by bullets from police weapons.

Three weeks have already passed since the hostage drama took place. And although the incident is independent and local by nature, it became an international scene because the victims are foreigners thus, President Aquino did everything in his power to correct the damages and lessen the pain that the families of those killed are suffering. As a result of the sincere actions of the Philippine government, the Chinese nationals in Hongkong retained their good relationship with the Filipino migrants and overseas workers there. They assured the Philippines that nobody is hurt in relation to the hostage taking.

By Johanna Bogbog

“Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving” – Psalm 95.2

Cyprus is among the most blessed nations that Pope Benedict XVI had chosen to visit. Thus, it is just proper to be grateful. Not all countries is given the chance to be visited by God’s representative.

On 15 January 1995, Pope John Paul II visited the Philippines and held mass at the Luneta Park to about 4-5 million people who paid him homage, the largest papal crowd ever. According to some people who had been fortunate to attend that mass, they had experienced a very strange feeling when the Pope passed by near them. The Pope had exuded an eternal aura, and they felt as if they had been lifted up from where they were sitting. In his visit, he championed the cause of the youth and this act had awakened the importance of developing the potentials of the young people. And despite his attempted assasination and his sickness, he had projected a serenity from within. So much so that even long after he returned to Vatican City, and even after he died, people still remember and admire him.

Now, his successsor, Pope Benedict XVI is another stalwart icon of christianity and he has been chosen well.

But what is really a Pope? I asked some people what they think about a Pope and about the coming of this particular Pope, but I was so disappointed because I only received a casual answer of “the head of the catholic church”, and “he comes to visit cyprus”. This only means that most people only see the Pope as just a mere head of a church. Who the Pope is and what or whom he represents is not known to a lot of people.

The Pope, being the leader of the Catholic church, is most revered by all members. And I must say that it should not ony be Catholics but all Christians should recognize what a Pope stands for. The Lord Jesus Christ had personally established this Christian leadership when He appointed Peter as head through His very own words: “Peter, you are the Rock, and on this Rock, I will build my church”. Thus, Peter is recognized as the first Pope and the other apostles as the first bishops.

History points out how Peter and the other apostles had established Christianity until Peter was persecuted in Rome during the time of King Nero. Hence, the name of the first church – Roman Catholic – because Christianity was first started in Rome. This is also the reason why the Holy See / Papacy is in Rome because the seat of Christianity is Rome.

Hierarchy in any organization is very crucial in establishing an orderly line of authority, accountability, and responsibility. Jesus Christ, who is the wisest leader, did not just leave His apostles without anybody to guide them. He has already seen the rivalry among His apostles and the self-interests of the others, that’s why He appointed Peter as their leader.

God became man through His son Jesus christ who lived among men. He died but rose again to show us that there is life after death. He returned to His Father but He did not leave us unatttended. He gave us Peter and the other apostles. Today, we have their successors, the Pope and the bishops.

Let us welcome Pope Benedict XVI and uphold what he represents.

after that horrifying night of her birth, Katrina Joyce is now a nurse, herself caring for others. What a blessing indeed!

(Note: Reposting this article below which is dedicated to the birthday girl Tiny and to Mama. This was first posted here on 20th May 2007 – Archive.)

It is the 20th of May and I am so thankful because many years ago today, I experienced having a kid sister. I was the only girl in the family until Tiny or Katrina Joyce was delivered from my mom’s womb miraculously. Mom had a serious bleeding that Sunday morning that we all panicked as Dad drove us to the old Regional Hospital in Tagum City. There was no resident doctor that day so we drove past Davao City with dextrose attached to the arm of my half-conscious mom.

We reached Davao Medical Center and right then mom was readied for a Ceasarian Section delivery. Around half past 11 in the evening, a very tiny, pale and vulnerable, barely 8 months baby girl came out by normal delivery! Earlier that day I was so scared seeing my bleeding mom gasping for breath as she let her teardrops washed her cheeks silently. I knew and understood that it was unexplainably painful to be in that situation. Somehow, I felt the worst fear ever that I ran to the hospital’s chapel and prayed deeply for the first time in my life!

Placenta flava? I didnt understand what I heard from the doctor or what had implied in those medical words then. What I fully understood was that he asked me if anything wrong happens, whom to save? “The baby or your mom?” What answer a teenager like me then could give to the physician, you think?

For the record I answered “mom”. And hell, it broke my heart. It broke my heart because I dont want to lose ”the baby and the mom”. I still remember that my own eyes were fogged with tears as I ran to the chapel and prayed. I asked God to save both. God was so kind, indeed. Mama Terry was bleeding from the morning and God must have seen how she painstakingly fought to save her baby and herself. And she succeeded!

I still consider it a miracle for a barely 8 months baby girl to try to come out from the womb by normal delivery, despite the preceding agony she and mom went through the whole day! That was the happiest day of my life!

Well, that is the story of the birth of my only sister Tiny. She still is “tiny” to me. She always say that she looked up to me being a strong person. She didnt realize that if there is one thing I could describe as being strong by birth, that is her. Mama Terry was spared from the knife and needle and stitches brought about by CS delivery. Take note that if not seven, it must be nine, not eight months! Tell me, can there be any explanation for the word “miracle?”

Happy birthday Tiny! and to Mama Terry, it is said that mothers are angels on earth. Im hats off for the displayed courage! Happy Mothers’ day!