Monday, June 30, 2008

Back to Normal


As you know, I just got back from a long,wonderful holiday from Boracay with my family. I had a great time. The highlights of these long-awaited vacation are: for Gregg and AJ to meet for the first time (father and son) and to simply celebrate someone's bday.

Gregg who fondly calls me " an old crow". He is the father of my son, AJ.

At first Gregg doesn't know how to react to his son, seeing him for the first time. It was those occasion that I as a mother did not force my partner to hold Aj and show his fatherly affections. My son's first reaction seeing him, hearing his Dada's ( as we fondly call him) voice made him cry to the top of his lungs. He isn't used to seeing and hearing and being with a man. It must have been a shock to the poor little AJ.I know that time will be the determining factor as to when they will trully bond. I was surprised when Gregg thanked me for not pushing him to AJ. I guess I knew him that much that I let him do things out of his own. He is doing a great job being a father. Now that he is in HK, he said he misses his son terribly esp. AJ's funny (filipino) nose. They are a great sight (father and son laughing together). I love them.

(Thank you to my mother and Ate Tin for looking after AJ whenever Gregg and I would go out to swim. This vacation would never been that wonderful without the two of you.)

As for Gregg's birthday, I got him his favorite Cinammon Rolls with that little blue birthday candle. He is a cinammon addict that he hates anything chocolatey (even coffee). He does not smoke and rarely drinks. He is definitely at the prime of his life and I always wished him happiness. To follow his bliss. Wherever it may lead him and to whoever arms...

Right now I am facing a handful of to-do things:

1. Nappie is still waiting for the schedule of his operation. One doctor from the PGH said that he will study his case (his former doctor had fled the country for a greener pasture somewhere else which I don't blame him/her).This doctor who took over Nappie's case commented that his condition is not as critical compared to the other indigent patients. It also never escaped my ear when he recommended that Nappie gets a private doctor so he can be operated ASAP.
I think it is not fair that they are taking Nappie's plight with such reluctance. Are they waiting for the boy to be critical before assisting him?
I am thinking of writing to the Director of the hospital or getting the attention of the media (e.g. Imbistigador) to expedite his operation. We have the money donated by kind souls like Sam, Chandra and his friends, Tien and my InterContinental Hotels Group company and those volounteering their time to assist the boy and his family.

2. Remedios Alano is still on que ( eye problem) to be operated on both her eyes. She does not work at the moment and takes care of her grandchild. During weekends, she washes clothes to earn extra money.

3. I did'nt know that making surrogacy possible and legal for both Vehnessa and Bill takes a lot of research and hard work ( not to mention patience). Whew! I did'nt know that it requires so much work until I did my initial research on this.

Well, I will be back to work tomorrow. I can't wait to bond with the "hot momma's".

Have a great day and please, if anyone out there is reading this and has someone to recommend or has an idea or suggestion, please leave a comment or email me at celebrate_zoedio@yahoo.com or sms me at +639052706676.

Also, Happy birthday to Anne. Thank you for trusting me to write the essay. I am happy that you liked it. I hope to get more writing assignments in the future (hehehe seriously).

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Love


I just got back from Manila after more than a two weeks stay in Boracay. I felt refreshed, my strength is renewed. My baby AJ is very healthy and enjoyed the fresh air of the province as well as the stress-free environment of Boracay.
I had a great life in Boracay. I was with my family. This is pure, simple hapiness
But coming home to our Manila apartment, I felt pangs of loneliness. How I wish I can make time stand still and be with my family forever.
But I had to say goodbye for now to life's best. Right now what I have to do is focus on the things I need to accomplish for Nappie, Remedios and Vehnessa.
Same time next year perhaps?

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

The Babymaker


Vehnessa (*not her real name) has her youth, her healthy uterus, a lot of free time and an empty pocket.
Bill (* not his real name for security purposes) is married to an Asian. They're doing pretty well overall in terms of finances because he works as a Professor in a university in the States but his life long dream is to have his own child. His wife is too old to bear a child and he is frowning with the idea of adoption. Their marriage goes pretty well and having a child will just be a bonus.
Bill and Vehness are both strangers but one thing will connect them for eternity: their future baby.
But Bill's wife made it sure that he will not sexually touch Vehnessa but the doctors in Manila will do it for them.
Vehnessa is willing to do it for P300,000.00 once the baby is handed to Bill.
I have known Vehnessa all my life and she is the one I recommended to my partner Gregg who happens to be Bill's former colleague at work.
Right now both parties are in the process of looking for a Filipino lawyer to make everything legal, next step would be the suitable hospital that has the technology to do this for them.
Anyone who knows a good lawyer that has knowledge on this area, please shoot me an email at celebrate_zoedio@yahoo.com (please no lawyers that would rip off Bill, we don't want anyone who has a predator attitude towards this thing).

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

The day Lorna cries in front of Daboy

I was crying a river when I started watching (the) "Passion of The Christ". The movie depicted the last few painful hours of Jesus Christ on earth...and now my heart goes out to Ms. Lorna Tolentino as she was there until her husband's last breath....

kindly click the link below to know more how our "idol" said goodbye to the world and his family:

http://www.pep.ph/news/17822/Lorna-Tolentino-reveals-the-moments-she-cried-in-front-of-Daboy

Monday, June 9, 2008

10 Things Young Filipinos Can Do To Help Philippines


The Philippines is stuck as a third-world country. It hurts to know that fact..
One time, as I was at the ICA (Immigration Department of Singapore)I did not intend to eavesdrop an Indian lady talking to someone on her phone. She went "...so pathetic...That's why I HATE Third-World countries!!" Our eyes met, and I swear, I wanted to force that cellphone down her throat (exaggerated tone!).
We,as a Developing Nation, can do so much to improve. There is so much to be done and the task is too big for the willing few. If we would break the big work into realistic, smaller tasks, and if everyone would share his time,effort, or whatever is in your hands, WE CAN MAKE A BETTER PHILIPPINES.
The essay below of Harvey S. Keh is very timely.

1.Stay informed and updated about what is happening in our country. It’s so easy to stay in our comfort zones and just turn a blind eye on what is happening to our country especially if we aren’t directly affected by these problems. Find time to read the newspaper, watch the news on TV, surf the internet or listen to the radio.

2.Organize discussion groups among your friends and peers to discuss current issues in our country. Don’t be apathetic and encourage your friends to also know more about what is happening to our country. By talking about these issues, you are able to make more people aware and ultimately be made more vigilant against rampant corruption in our government. The government is just waiting for us to stop talking about these major scandals such as the corruption-laden ZTE Broadband Deal, Hello Garci and the 1 billion peso Fertilizer Scam, let us not allow them to get away with it by ensuring that these issues are very much in the minds and consciousness of the general public.

3.Share your thoughts and opinions to the public by writing Blogs on what you think about these current events and national issues. Many Young Filipinos maintain Livejournal, Blogger, Friendster, Multiply and Facebook accounts and these can be used to make many other Young Filipinos aware of what is happening to our country. Use these internet tools to post and promote statements by credible institutions and individuals on the current state of our country. You can even make a video blog expressing how you feel and sharing your thoughts. Whether you are Pro-GMA or Anti-GMA, it doesn’t really matter as long as you are able to take time out to think critically and share your thoughts with others. Visit my blog and read my thoughts at http://filipinochangemaker.blogspot.com

3.Support the Sumilao Farmers. Its been more than 10 years now since they held a hunger strike, they walked more than 1,500 kilometers last year to bring public awareness to their cause and they still don’t have their land. Pres. Arroyo met with them and promised to give them back their land but two months have passed and nothing has happened.
Ruthie says: from what I have seen on the news, PGMA has given them the right to roam and till the land they are fighting for with tears and blood. So hooray to this!

4.Take a Stand and Join activities that will promote greater Truth, Accountability and Reform in our government. A good friend of mine once told me that even if we replace our President nothing will change in our country unless we put into place policies and mechanisms that will ensure Truth, Accountability and Reform in our government and its leaders. Examples of such are the lifting of E.O. 464 which bans any Cabinet member from appearing before Senate hearing without the President’s consent and revising the Government Procurement Act to ensure greater transparency in the use of taxpayer’s money. Billions of Pesos are lost to corruption every year and that money can be used to send more students to school, build homes for the homeless and provide quality healthcare to every Filipino, will we just allow this to happen?

5.If you can, don’t leave the country. Many of our best minds like our teachers are leaving the country in search of better opportunities and the effects are already showing in our public schools where there is a lack of highly skilled English, Math and Science Teachers. I totally understand and don’t blame those who come from very poor families which decide to work abroad to provide a better quality of life for their families, some of them may have no other choice than to leave. But for those that have a choice and live a relatively comfortable life here, then I hope you can consider staying and working here to contribute towards moving our country forward. For those who decide to leave, I hope you don’t forget to give back to the Philippines by helping send a poor but deserving student to school or sending books that our public school students can still use.

6.Register and Vote. In my conversations with my students, they told me that many of them failed to register for the last elections. Their reasons varied from being too lazy to stand in line to not being interested at all to vote. Our right and duty to select our leaders is one of the main pillars of our Democracy and if many of us fail to exercise this right properly or exercise it at all then we have no right to complain about how bad our leaders are. In voting we are given the opportunity and power to select the right leaders that will help solve our country’s most pressing social problems in the fields of education, health, shelter and employment.

7.Write letters to your Congressmen and Local Officials. Many of my friends always complain about the services that our government provides and yet when I ask them have you brought these complaints to the proper authorities, they just shrug and say no. If we want something to change with how our country is being run then we have to tell our leaders what we think they should do. Remember the reason that they are there right now is because we voted for them and at the same time they are spending money from the taxes that we pay, so I think we have the right to engage them by informing them about our stands on certain issues.

8.Volunteer your time and Share your skills for causes that are bigger than yourself. According to studies on what makes people genuinely happy, being able to help and take part in causes that are bigger than yourself is one of the most fulfilling and happiest experiences. There are so many non-profit organizations and foundations that are currently doing their own share in helping change the Philippines but for them to reach more people and do more good work, they often need volunteers who can commit time to help in their activities. For example, Pathways to Higher Education-Philippin es needs volunteer tutors who can commit 2-3 hours a week to help poor but deserving public high school students gain access to quality higher education. Another example is Museo Pambata which looks for volunteer tour guides and storytellers who can help in entertaining and educating children who visit the Museum. You can visit the Pathways website at http://www.pathways philippines. org or call them at (02) 4266001 local 048.

9.Pray, Reflect and Act. Take time everyday to pray for our country and ask God to lead you towards what you can best do to help our country. The challenge here is that we just don’t end with prayer and reflection but rather our prayer and reflection should lead us towards doing something concrete in helping our country. I have always believed a Faith that does not do Justice for the poor and powerless is nothing since for us to be truly called Christians then we need to follow the example of Jesus Christ who not only preached social justice but more importantly lived this out in his way of life.

10.Pass this on to your friends. If you think this email can help many other Young Filipinos to actively take part in nation-building, then I hope you can pass this on to your family and friends.

Friday, June 6, 2008

Paalam Daboy (Goodbye Daboy)


("Patay na si Rudy Fernandez..." My officemate greeted me with the sad news as if we are all related to him. Yes, we are related with him in a way. Hindi ka Pilipino kung hindi mo kilala si Daboy. Definitely the entire Filipino nation bonded with him the moment he started his showbiz career. I grew up watching him on tv, movies and I would say that He is one of the pillar of the Philippines showbiz industry.


And I started hitting the search engine if there is any truth to the news. Lo and behold! i had to pick my dusted fallen heart from the floor because it is indeed.)

MANILA, Philippines — Movie actor Rudy Fernandez succumbed to periampullary cancer at his home in White Plains, Quezon City at 6:15 a.m. Saturday. He was 55.

Fernandez had been battling the disease for more than two years.

The action star passed away five days after he was brought home from the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City, where he had been confined for a month. He and wife Lorna Tolentino celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary on Sunday.

He suffered a seizure on Wednesday but refused to be taken back to the Cardinal Santos Memorial Center in San Juan City.

His close friends, Sens. Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon “Bong” Revilla, broke the news to media minutes after his death.

His wife and other friends were with him as he passed away, Estrada said.

Fernandez’s remains lie in state at the Heritage Park in Taguig City. Interment plans will be announced later.

Revilla told the Inquirer that Fernandez had suffered from internal bleeding for several days. He also said Fernandez was glassy-eyed most of the time and had difficulty recognizing people.

Revilla said that while he was on his way to the Fernandez home at 9 p.m. Friday, the veteran actor’s blood pressure had plummeted. Fernandez’s manager, Lolit Solis, also told the Inquirer that he was reduced to murmuring instructions to his wife. The actor would wince at the lightest touch.

Fernandez, born March 3, 1953 in Manila, started appearing in movies at age three in a film directed by his father Gregorio Fernandez, Luksang Tagumpay in 1956, according to the CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art. But his actual movie career started in 1970 under a Sampaguita Pictures contract for the film entitled “For Your Mama.”

Fernandez’s entry in the action genre came in 1976 in the biopic of a notorious criminal, “Bitayin si Baby Ama,” a box-office hit that established him as a big name in Philippine movies for the next three decades. His words was etched in local cinema parlance with the line, “Trabaho lang ito, walang personalan,” in the 1992 movie “Markang Bungo,” which is another biopic, this time of a Baguio City cop Bobby Ortega. He also played Sen. Panfilo Lacson, Gen. Victor Corpus, former actor Eddie Fernandez and politician Vincent “Bingbong” Crisologo in blockbuster films.

He starred in 65 films throughout his career, the last being the 2002 film “Huli Mo, Huli Ko.” He had since appeared in the television docudrama “Kasangga,” the sitcom “Da Boy and Da Girl,” and the soap “Twin Hearts.” His last project, “Atlantika” was aired in 2006.

He is a winner of two FAMAS best actor trophies for the 1984 film “Batuigas...Pasukuin si Waway” and the 1988 “Victor Corpus” biopic and one Film Academy of the Philippines best actor plum for “Batuigas.”

The Philippine Movie Press Club recently gave Fernandez the 2008 Ulirang Artista Lifetime Achievement Award.

Related story
Marinel Cruz and Gerry Plaza

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Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Happy Nappie Team


A bone to the dog is not charity.
Charity is the bone shared with the dog,
when you are just as hungry as the dog
.- Jack London

I just had faith when I published Nappies story on my blog a few weeks ago. I approached few people that I know have the heart and willing to help. Thank you Sam (also Chandra) for being there from day 1. Your hearts were brocken into pieces when you heard about the boy's story. And I had no doubt that you want to see Nappie healthy and well pretty soon. And not only that Remedios will have her sight finally after Nappies operation. Thank you for your generosity. Sam, you should have your own kids soon because I know you will be a very good father if not the best.
Also sa you Tien ( I know you want anonymity). I know we have the same heartbeat when it comes to helping the poorest among the poor filipinos, not that I have an improved life but because I had been there half of my life and I know how it feels and tastes kung ang ulam mo sa tanghali ay instant noodles na may halong malunggay o isang kilong dilis na papaksiwin at uulamin sa loob ng 3 araw. Ikaw naman Tien ay sinilang na blessed na and it humbles me that someone like you is selfless when it comes to sharing your resources. Im sure your wife is so proud of you.
Salamat sa IHG family for being so supportive. There is so much love for Nappie. You are simply the best. Salamat sa HR (Ms. Gigi and her staff), Jill, Tara, Ms. Eds, Weena, Abi, Thessa, TM Malen, Ced Jordan, Arby, SA INYONG LAHAT.
Malapit na operation ni Nappie....Yahhooooooooo!!!
God bless all these kind souls, may good karma follow you and engulf you wherever you go.
Watch out for a brand new Nappie!!!!SOON!

Keep on loving one another as Christians. Remember to welcome strangers in your homes. There were some who did that and welcomed angels without knowing it.
Hebrews 13:1-2


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Monday, June 2, 2008

Philippines: A cheap place to live (and die!)

I would like to share this article by Ma. Elisa Osorio of "The Philippine Star" dated May 21, 2008. The moment I have laid my eyes on the teaser, I knew I had to buy that Sunday newspaper which I normally don't just give away my precious P20.00.
Every Filipino should read this kind of stuff and be aware what we are going through as a nation and where are we heading if we do not change our ways.
Kape muna habang binabasa mo ito:

Despite soaring prices,the Philippines is the SECOND cheapest place to live among the 55 economies surveyed by a Swiss-based think tank.
However, despite the low cost of living and the relatively high gross dometic product (GDP) rate posted by the country, Filipinos' purchasing power remains low, according to the Institute of Management Development (IMD) World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY).
"It's still cheapest to live in the Philippines," Dr. Frederico Macaranas, executive director of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Policy Center, said in a press conference yesterday."(But) the purchasing power of the people did not increase. This reflects the MALDISTRIBUTION OF INCOME."
The survey showed that the Philippines ranked 54 out of 55 in terms of GDPper capita.
The Philippines likewise lagged behind all other countries in terms of public spending in education.
The country ranked last in terms of pupil-teacher ratio.
"The Constitution states that then highest share of government expenditure must go to education, but more is alloted toward the servicing of debt," Macaranas said.
As such, the major challenge of the country is to pursue education policies that will in turn help develop a global competitive workforce, he added.
The Philippines has increased its level of competitiveness against other nations as it climbed five notches in the world competitiveness scoreboard.
The country ranked 40m out of 55 countries in the 2008 edition of the WCY, better than 45th rank a year ago.

For more serving of this, please check:

http://www.seasite.niu.edu/crossroads/king/DevelQualityLife.htm

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