After more than sixteen years! Pangasinan!

Earlier this week, there were rough talks between Papa and his siblings whether we would be going to Pangasinan for All Saints Day. It was not only until a couple of days later that the plan was finalized, but the exact time of departure had been uncertain. October 31 was not declared  a holiday, and it meant that we (Mon and I) would have to come all the way from Makati after work because I thought that we would be leaving at 4:00 AM.

On our way to Marikina on a cab, we were eventually told that we won’t be off until 9:00 AM the following morning. When they said 9:00 AM, I knew that it meant 10:00 AM, which I did not mind at all because I was hoping to sleep longer. I had already prepared myself to sleep during the long ride to Pangasinan, but to lie down on a bed will always be way better.

Hello Mt. Arayat!

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Mindanao Mission – Day 2: Off to the east!

Coming from our stressful day yesterday, it was a relief to finally lie down and sleep in a comfortable bed. We had to wake up everyday around 6:00 AM because we should follow our itinerary as much as we can. We went straight to our field office in Trento, Agusan del Sur to conduct to interviews with our colleague, to get a sense of what they exactly do in the field. We then drove for approximately three hours to visit a barangay in Cateel, Davao Oriental. The coastal areas of Davao Oriental, particularly Boston, Baganga and Cateel were severely devastated by Typhoon Pablo (international name: Bopha) in December 2012. These towns were affected most especially by storm surges brought about by strong winds, enough to destroy some infrastructure and houses in their respective communities. As you can see from the photos below, the people of Barangay Maglahus in Cateel, Davao Oriental had to cross the river using a boat. There used to be a hanging bridge connecting the two areas, but it was sadly destroyed during the typhoon. We were lucky to be there when there was no rain, because apparently, it has been raining for about a week before we got there. Can you just imagine how strong the water current could get and how perilous it would be for the people and children to cross the river? The lengths these kids go just to attend school Crossing the river to reach Barangay Maglahus in Cateel

Marianne all thumbs up!

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And then there were lights!

Inspired by the lights of Dulcinea from last week, I finally decided to drop by the Pasay Branch of A&S Lamps in Libertad. I had ample time to look around and decide very well what item to purchase because I could not afford to make a mistake. Everything we put inside the apartment should serve a purpose and be as space efficient as possible. Before coming into the store, I have already brought out a piece of paper containing the measurement of the little cabinet near our sofa bed. I did not want to end up with a bulky lamp.

Stepping inside was like a dream, as lamps in varying shapes and sizes (and prices as well!) were plastered in every direction. I have never been inside an A&S Lamps store, even if I constantly see that branch in Aurora Boulevard while riding the LRT2. The latter had a bigger store, I guess, because the Libertad branch had none of those ceiling-to-floor chandeliers.Lots and lots of lights - A&S Lamps in Libertad, Pasay

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A morning with Cheche

Waking up at 6:00 AM was very worth it! On my second day of work, we were informed that we will be having a meeting/consultation with Ms. Cheche Lazaro on Tuesday the following week.

Honestly, it was a task to conceal my excitement upon hearing the news because I am a BIG fan of Ms. Lazaro. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of our NGO, and she is also the Public Relations Officer and Chairman of the Communications Committee — which was not a surprise at all.

She's one of my childhood heroes

Growing up in the Philippines, television plays a big part of our lives; but it was also quite difficult to find programs that bring quality content. And this is where Ms. Cheche came in, along with other esteemed journalists — to pioneer investigative journalism in the country through Probe and expose several issues in the society, which are often misrepresented or even overlooked by mainstream media.

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First day

We had two alarm clocks on but I still failed to wake up at 6:45 AM. I had a little trouble sleeping last night as I kept on waking up every hour. It was that same, familiar I used to have before a day of a field trip when I was young or before a cheerleading competition — exactly the mixture of nervousness and excitement I was talking about yesterday.

Ready for my first day

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My blog turns one!

I never thought I would be able to keep an online account with substantial detail for this long, but time flies so fast and my blog has been running for a year already! A quick scan of of the things I’ve been blabbing about, I think there was a progressive change over the theme of the things I’ve posted. In a month or so, however, I have to pay Faye for the annual fee of having removing that ‘.wordpress.com’ from here.

At the same time, I also have to say goodbye to a bag I’ve used only for a couple of times. This bag is definitely large that it took Mon one “Hindi ba masyadong malaki ‘yan bag mo?” (Don’t you think your bag’s a bit too large?) to make me stop using it… for good. And it has been sitting in the closet for a long time, that it smells a bit, well, like the closet. I decided to finally let it go because it deserves a better owner, who will make full use of it. I think this is a healthy development and a big step to the right direction of downsizing the ridiculous number of bags I have. There. I called a spade a spade. =D It was difficult to let go because it has a sentimental value, but it also has no everyday utilitarian value (well, for me), so bye, bag, bye!

Bye, bye bag! - Gucci large tote

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“Moving Out” day!

At last, it was the day that was making me excited and nervous at the same time: “moving out” day! All the weeks of looking, planning and preparing culminated on this day.

In a couple of days, I will be working two jobs and moving to Makati to save on travel time was the best and only solution. I did not have the time to fix my things, not until four hours of leaving. I had a mental list of things-to-bring, but it was expectedly forgotten and I still had to go back in Marikina and pick some of them.

Miso being cute before I leave the house

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Tuesday ordeal: apartment hunting

When I reported a lost ATM card two weeks ago, I was given an option to forward the replacement to the branch in Ayala Avenue, instead of claiming it from the branch where I opened the account (i.e. Ortigas). I declined because I also needed to claim statements (for lack of better word, because I honestly do not know what they are called) of cleared checks I have issued and even if this is my third year paying for the mortgage, I had no idea right from the start that such statements should be personally claimed and are not mailed by UCPB. They only keep six months-worth of letters, and the rest would be shredded. =/

Oh, hello OrtigasFirst of all, two weeks —it took a total of two complete weeks for UCPB to issue a replacement card. When I requested for one in April 23, the staff in Ayala branch informed me that the new card can be claimed in about a week. Good thing I was in no rush to use the new one, but surely the circumstances would be different if it were for my payroll account.

I could not remember when was the last time I’ve been in the Ortigas area. I was also about to visit the developer, whose office was located near the UCPB – Ortigas branch but decided against it at the last minute. It took me about ten minutes to do all of my business in the bank, and when I was about to leave their building, I almost hailed a cab en route to Makati. I was able to stop myself. In the following weeks, I will be surely having a lot of things to buy and pay for. I am in the process of moving out of our house and moving in to an apartment in the Makati-Pasay area. All unnecessary expenses should be kept at a minimum, and as it was only about noon , I could surely walk until EDSA and just take a bus. LOL I was extremely proud of myself. =D

I had to be in Makati early as well, because Mon and I would be searching for prospective apartments to rent. It was no easy task and we found ourselves bickering during the entire time about various concerns regarding cost, location and accessibility. I was not really happy with all of the places that we have visited because it was either the monthly rent was not commensurate with the floor area, or the justifiably-priced was located in an unaccessible location. And then around dinner time, I thought of calling the apartment I have inquired from last week (who had mentioned that somebody had already gotten an available unit ahead of us), and tried my luck if the unit was still available. To my surprise, I was informed that they still have an available one and as we barely finished our dinner, we headed straight away to the apartment.

The studio-type apartment that we found

When we met the landlady in the corner of the street, she gave a caveat that the place was not that big. I braced myself to see the same floor area of the one we have visited earlier (i.e. the price that is non-commensurate with the floor area), just to lower my expectations. But when we finally opened the door of the apartment, it wasn’t that bad and I was happy to see that it was not a bare and square area, similar to the one located in the Palanan area. And unlike that apartment located on the third floor, this one was on the ground floor, so it won’t be such a pain to go back if ever we left something . The landlady was a kind middle-aged woman, who informed me that the one who looked and supposedly got the unit would not be able to reserve it until he gets his salary on the 15th. I did not hesitate to give the downpayment because clearly there was no way I was letting go of the unit.

So now, Mon and I have about three weeks to prepare the place for habitation. I am not a fan of the yellow walls and I am thinking of having it repainted at least an off-white color, similar to our walls at home. This will be our home away from home, so I want the walls to look as remotely identical to my present room. =)

Unscrew you, Technomarine!

Almost six months ago, I got a free Technomarine watch from the company I’ve been working for as a token of appreciation for the five-year service. Since getting it, I have never bothered changing the date and day because I had no clue how to work that dial to the right. As long as the time is right, then I’m fine with that. Fast forward yesterday (or today as it is already early Monday morning), I had a problem with the watch. I was on my way to UP and was chasing the time before 5:00 PM in order to get the official photos of my graduation last Saturday. I was in no rush because I thought I still had about 45 minutes to reach the UP Film Center, so I was really lax with my movement. However, I’ve noticed that the time in my watch was 30 minutes late from the time on my cellphone — my watch has stopped working.

I initially had no luck in adjusting the time, it was really difficult to unscrew this watch - Technomarine watch

We were in Trinoma to watch Iron Man 3 and I was already in the brink of visiting Technomarine’s shop on the 3rd floor because the watch is still under warranty for eighteen more months. But what would I say? Sure they will ask about what happened, and I honestly did not know whether I have mishandled the watch prior to leaving the house. I did not want to lie point blank and look foolish. Also, I did not have the warranty card with me as it was stashed in the box at home, so I subsequently decided to just visit another shop in the Makati area on Monday . So the moment I reached my room, I immediately looked for the box and check if all the accessories were still in: all clear. Being the curious, mend-it-on-your-own person that I am, I took out the little screw driver provided and tinkered with that dial. Nothing happened. I was also gullible and desperate enough to use cylindrical cap of the screw driver because I thought it was intended to turn the dial. LOL No chance. I had a feeling that I just needed to move that dial and/or unstuck something inside and then it would work again.

I understand both of the languages, but still the manual was of no help - Technomarine watch

I looked at the manual (or more of a leaflet, because it was so miniscule), and maybe I would have more luck since the first and last time I’ve looked at it when I got the watch. I might have been missing something because I was still not able to make the 1-2-3 nor A-B work. It says ‘unscrew’ the dial but  my right fingers were already sore from the repeated attempts to at least see a development. I got so frustrated that I had a momentary fit and threw the watch haphazardly to the box. Then something magical happened: it started ticking again!

Using a face towel and a microfiber cloth to unscrew the watch - Technomarine watchHowever, there was clearly a disparity with the time displayed on the watch and the actual time, and the problem of unscrewing that dial still persisted. I was worried to use a pair of tweezers, or pliers or other tools because it might put noticeable dents and it was a sure way to void the warranty. So I tried my luck with a face towel and a microfiber cloth (I usually use to clean optics) because I needed a good grip. And then for the first time in months, I finally managed to unscrew the dial. LOL I heard the “Hallelujah Chorus” being played by an invisible orchestra.

For the first time ever, the watch reflects the correct day and date - Technomarine watch

I was very pleased because I no longer have to wake up early and make a beeline for the mall to have the watch checked and be subjected, or worse, be forced to lie. I also then promise to take more care of the watch as I know I’m not too inclined to buy this kind of watch for myself. Lesson learned: be extra careful!

P.S.

Happy 4Y8M Mon! =)

The earliest graduation ceremony of my life

I was on half-day leave the day before because today’s recognition rites (a.k.a. college graduation) took place very early in the morning. The assembly time was at 7:00 AM, even if the ceremony itself would not take place until 8:00 AM. I had a hard time sleeping because at 12:00 AM, I am normally on my way home, so sleep was difficult to come by. Perhaps I was a bit excited as well? =)

The earliest graduation ceremony I have ever attended - CSSP@30 Recognition Rites

The earliest graduation ceremony I have ever attended

I was very happy to graduate with these guys - CSSP@30 Recognition Rites

I was very happy to graduate with these guys

Fresh-faced graduates - CSSP@30 Recognition Rites

Fresh-faced graduates

We arrived five minutes after 7:00 AM and there were already a lot of people outside the University Theater. The weather was good but I think the ladies were not particularly keen with the sun shining brightly over their freshly made up faces.

However, there was a collective sense of anticipation in the air, and everyone was busy taking photos with their families and friends, and congratulating each other over finally making it. Around 8:00 AM, the first group (i.e. that was ‘us’) made our way inside the theater amidst the cheering crowd of graduates who were so delighted with the processional.

CSSP@30 displayed prominently on the stage

CSSP@30 displayed prominently on the stage

I needed to have a solo picture LOL - CSSP@30 Recognition Rites

I needed to have a solo picture LOL

We were seated two rows behind former UP President Nemenzo and my Anthro prof two years ago, Dean Nestor Castro - CSSP@30 Recognition Rites

We were seated two rows behind former UP President Nemenzo and my Anthro prof two years ago, Dean Nestor Castro

We were given a copy of the program, and I was delighted to see the name of former UP President Nemenzo as the guest speaker. He was the UP President when I entered UP Diliman in 2003, when he was eventually replaced by the President Roman in 2005. I was quite shocked, however, how elderly President Nemenzo was.

I remember him being extremely energetic in an event in the Faculty Center before, but then that was almost a decade ago. Of course a lot of things has changed by 2013. I particularly loved his more than twenty minute-speech, because it has a lot of facts on realities of life in the Philippines (and also being Filipino in the impending economic integration of ASEAN in 2013), which would, honestly, not make sense years ago if I did not take International Studies. =D

From what I recall from his speech, he gave three pieces of advice to the graduates. First, he pointed out the importance of remaining a student forever, and how graduation is not the end of one’s education and it is a new beginning.

His second advice was over the importance of the liberal arts and how it was wrong to question its relevance, given that it humanizes the impacts of technology because the latter has social implications.

Lastly, he gave a very candor caveat “hope for the best and prepare for the worst”, warning on both the benefits and consequences of the neoliberal order, and the possibility of exploitation, especially on the Philippines if it will be furthermore integrated into the capitalist model of development. Marx, Engels and Wallerstein suddenly began speaking to me again.

What struck me the most in his speech was the importance of having a critical mind, which gives the burden and challenge for the knowing to do something for others:

“With a critical mind, you can distinguish good from evil, right from wrong, wisdom from non-sense. It allows us into fits of outrage at corruption and the abuse of power; but it also obliges us to support, what is just, reasonable and progressive.” – former UP President Francisco Nemenzo Jr.

With Mon during my recognition rites - CSSP@30 Recognition Rites

With Mon during my recognition rites

Mama and me, with the token (medal) gievn to the graduates of master's degree - CSSP@30 Recognition Rites

Mama and me, with the token (medal) gievn to the graduates of master’s degree

There was almost a mishap with Mama. When it was time for the graduates to go on stage and receive the diploma and medals (for some), we were just informed right there and then that our parents should be going on stage with us.

I had to make a quick phone call to Mon, so that he can let Mama know and she can sprint all the way to the stage. She just made it in time when my name was called and in the process, she has almost slipped and has already lost her Php 100 corsage.

It was a surreal moment for me, and I could not imagine how more surreal it was for her. She has never done this in any of my graduation and I could not believe it was finally happening. We walked hand in hand and she was almost teary-eyed while putting the medal on me. After more than two decades, I have a parent on stage with me. =D

We were the first bunch to have our pictures taken here - CSSP@30 Recognition Rites

We were the first bunch to have our pictures taken here

Mama, Mon and I - CSSP@30 Recognition Rites

Mama, Mon and I

It was a long ceremony and good thing Mon went outside to buy some snack from vendors selling street food. The two pieces of toasted bread I have eaten for breakfast seemed ages ago.

At around 12 noon, the whole event was already over and that our group were so delighted that we did not bother finishing the recessional and headed straight to the stage to have our pictures taken with the big “CSSP@30″ on stage!

After taking my photos with my classmates, I went looking for Mon and Mama, but turned out, they were already outside the theater. LOL I had to call them back inside because I needed my photos with them on stage. Yep, I am really that traditional with this sort of photos.

UP Pep Squad drummers outside the University Theater - CSSP@30 Recognition Rites

UP Pep Squad drummers outside the University Theater

And of course, the sound of the bass and snare drums followed. It is usually customary that UP Pep Squad drummers and/or dancers go to the recognition rites of whatever college/institute/school inside the campus, as long as it has a graduating member.

In 2007, I even had a short stunt with some of my teammates when my name was called. LOL That was quite a scene. This time, though, I was just a mere expectator and I was delighted over the support of the drummers to their CSSP graduates. I heard familiar beats and it sent shivers down my spine. I can still ‘mentally’ do the routine on some of the things they have played, but alas, the mind was willing but the body was not yielding! =P

Six years apart - one from CAL and the other from CSSP

Nothing special when we went home after, because I was saving the dinner outside with my family and friends after the University Graduation tomorrow. I then thought of digging out the token I got from my college graduation and even if I was decimal-murdered, the Dean of the College of Arts and Letters that time, National Artist Virgilio S. Almario, was gracious enough to provide everybody with a medal.

No one went home empty-handed, fair enough. Looking at these two, it was really amazing to think over how far I have come along. Few minutes after taking the photo above, I posted in on Facebook and  made an official announcement about the leap from working in the corporate enviroment to an NGO/the humanitarian sector.

Well, I will still be technically working in my old company but I am really excited to start working for the NGO. Meanwhile, I have to wash the barong tagalog and the camisa de chino, which I will be both using again tomorrow for the University Graduation!