Very Proud To Be Leon's Dad

Last December 28, 2010, Rotary Club of Midtown Diliman had its Christmas Party at a restaurant in Timog Avenue, Quezon City. Rotary members were present together with their wives and children had dinner, exchanged gifts, listened to a live band and sang songs the whole night. Leon, as his usual self was never shy and made friends with the other children. He was particularly interested with the musical instruments on the stage and while the band members were not there yet, he tried the keyboard and the drums. It was his second time to experience playing the keyboards but his interest shifted to the drum set. Without drum sticks on sight, he tried hitting the drums with his hands and he enjoyed it. The Bass drum (biggest and located at the center) can be hit when you step on a pedal and the hi-hat cymbals can also be sounded with a step on another pedal. Leon needs to stand to step on both pedals but he does not hit them at the same time of hit them repeatedly. He makes it a point to hit them one at a time after tapping the other drums (snare, high and floor tom-tom). People (even the adults) began noticing him and a number of them told us he was a talented young boy and we should consider sending him to a music school.


When the two band members arrived (keyboards and bass guitar) and played a couple of songs, Leon could not help himself and he joined the band by being the drummer. My wife and I started to refrain him, thinking he might disrupt the band, but without the sticks, we figured it was ok. Rotary members began singing and Leon also began hitting the drums. His timing was almost perfect! My wife and I could not help ourselves from laughing and giggling because our kid was so good considering it was his first time to see and actually touch a drum set. The bass guitarist also noticed him and he said something to Leon in between songs (it was like two band members talking about the next set of songs) and the guitarist told the audience that Leon was asking him if he had sticks for the drums. Everyone roared with laughter and this even made us prouder. I had almost tears on my eyes because I did not imagine my kid being such a talented boy at the age of 3.


After a stint with the drums, during the band breaks, he grabbed the microphone from the stand and began singing the alphabet. He finished it and people were clapping their hands. It was such a nice Christmas party and when we began saying good nights and good bye to everyone, almost all of them told us that we have a very talented kid. Leon was such a wonderful gift from God and we thank Him everyday for being blessed to be chosen as Leon's parents. That Christmas party was one of my most memorable one and I am sure that one day, I will be telling Leon a story (even when He becomes an adult) about a young boy who made his parents very proud of him.

Christmas 2010

This year's Christmas celebration is one of the happiest and most memorable for our family. It is our first Christmas as a family of four, Me, my wife-Hahai, Leon and Maia, our youngest. We also completed the 9-day novena or Simbang Gabi/Misa de Gallo this year as a thanksgiving for all the blessings we received the past year.

We have lots to thank for most especially for our children being healthy the whole year and for our steady income to provide for our family's needs. We are looking forward for the year 2011 which we think would be better and much more productive for us. We would also like to thank our parents and relatives who are always there to help us. Friends also are a blessing and without them, life would not be interesting.

Thank you very much Jesus and we all greet you a very Happy, happy Birthday. May you continue to shower us your blessings next year and the all the years that will come.

Simbang Gabi - Misa de Gallo

Ever since I was a child, my mom always makes it a point for us to attend the 9-day novena and mass called simbang gabi during the Christmas season. She believes that it is a good way for us to be prepared for Christmas day which is the birthday of our savior, Jesus Christ. She also believes that waking up early and listening to the priest's sermon is a good sacrifice to give thanks for all the blessings we received for that year. Up to now, even though my mom is living with my aunt in our province, she still completes the 9 days dawn mass.

I was really hesitant when I was going with my mom when I was a child because it was really hard for me to wake up early and stay awake during the mass. I just follow my mom, no questions asked because once I complain, I would be given the "serious look don't ask why" from my mom. I just think that it is just 9 days and by the 10th day, it would be Christmas and I would get gifts from relatives and friends.

Now that I am an adult and have two kids of my own, I realized that my mom's teaching was really for the best for our family. I realized that going to mass early in the morning is such a small way to give thanks to all the blessings we received this year. My wife and I have been blessed with two beautiful and healthy kids and a steady income for our expenses at home. Our kids have been healthy for the whole year and my wife gave birth with no complications last April. My parents' health is okay and my mother-in-law doctor's test were also good. Both of our jobs are quite difficult but our employers managed to give us good salaries and treat us well. Although not enough, we still have a small savings account which we intend to increase by next year. Everything turned out to be a blessing this year that we are very anxious to start the next year to achieve our plans. God has been so good to us that a 9-day novena and mass is such an easy thing to do to give thanks. Besides, I miss attending them since the time I transferred to my wife's place and stopped living with my mom and my sister.

2010 was a great year for our family and we are already excited to start 2011. Our son will soon attend his first year in school and our daughter will turn 1 year old this coming April. We have so many plans and we hope we achieve most of them by the end of the year. My wife and I intend to finish the 9 days Simbang Gabi Mass this year and every year after. This is to give praise and thanks to God who has given us so much and to teach this practice to our kids someday so that once they become adults, they will continue the tradition which our parents taught to us when we were still kids.

Christmas Vacation Travel

Christmas season is a time to spend quality time with your love ones. The Christmas break, usually starts on December 23 and will last until December 27 or if you have accumulated enough vacation leaves at work, you can extend your vacation until January 2, 2010. Everyone is busy and excited preparing for Christmas, going to church, buying gifts, attending parties and preparing for the traditional Noche Buena on Christmas eve. After spending Christmas day at home, families have an option to travel and relax to local tourist destinations. Instead of flying to Hong Kong Disneyland or other countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan, why not try nearby tourist destinations to help boost our tourism industry. Here are a few suggestions:
1. Caliraya Lake in Lumban, Laguna - Lake Caliraya is situated approximately 1,200 feet above sea level, and is perched high in the Sierra Madre. Travel from Manila will take you about 3-4 hours. The lake experiences cool climate all year round. (http://en.wikipedia.org). Temperature here is almost as cold as Baguio City and the town is not over populated. If you are looking for first class amenities, you may check in at Caliraya Resort Club. If you are in a budget, there are other resorts around the lake that provides good accommodation and superb food.
2. San Juan, Batangas - It is located 43 kilometers east of Batangas City and 115 kilometers away from Manila. San Juan is famous for its Laiya Beach. Travel from Manila will be around 3-4 hours.

3. Alaminos, Pangasinan - Alaminos is home for the country's Hundred Islands. In fact, there are 123 islands that can be found of the coast Barangay Lucap, Alaminos City. (http://en.wikipedia.org). From Manila, It will take you about 4-5 hours to reach the city.

These are just a few places near Manila where you can enjoy nature and travel with your family and friends. Going outdoors need not be expensive and it is a good stress reliever from the busy life we have in the metropolis. Sometimes, we need to learn to enjoy nature more for us to appreciate the gifts we have around us so we will do our part to conserve nature so our kids and grandchildren will also enjoy nature as much as it was enjoyed by our parents and grandparents.

Christmas Shopping in Metro Manila

By this time, the first day of December, people should have started doing their Christmas shopping for gifts for their friends and love ones. Gifts need not be expensive because this holiday season is about giving and sharing your blessings no matter how simple they are. In our family, we usually ask or see what does our love one needs the most in his or her everyday life and if we can afford it, then we give it with all our hearts. I heard a lot of people who dread the Christmas season because for them it is such a big expense and they cannot afford it. What I say to them is just give what you can and if you can not afford to give then simply greet them a Merry Christmas, pray for them and wish them the best of health. Prayers are such a powerful gift that people should not take for granted.

Anyway, if you have still time and the budget to shop, here are a few suggestions:

1. Divisoria - by now, shops are open 24 hours daily but you have to have extreme patience to go through the crowds. Items are so cheap that you can end up buying more if your budget is based on mall prices. Security is a bit questionable since a lot of thieves and pickpockets know people go here to buy and spend.
2. Bazaars located at schools, church grounds, offices and parking spaces. Prices are higher than Divisoria but still cheaper than malls. Noel Bazaar at the World Trade Center in Pasay City is a good example.
3. Malls - they offer extended mall hours for the weeks approaching Christmas. No more sale by December and tenants jack up their prices to get more profits. Security is better compared to Divisoria. If you plan to get a taxi, forget it. Just commute, by bus or jeepney because taxi drivers are usually so picky and lines are 3-5 times longer than ordinary days.


4. Greenhills - a favorite among shoppers. The atmosphere is like a mall, tenants are situated just like bazaars and shoppers can actually ask for a bargain. Items are usually imported from Hong Kong, China, Bangkok, Taiwan, etc. and they are a bit cheaper compared to mall tenants. Security is comparable to any other first class malls.
5. Non-government organizations - NGOs such as Haribon Foundation have gift suggestions during holidays. They sell shirts, books, fans, kids activity books and seedlings to anyone. Proceeds go to projects which help their cause. Some organizations pool the funds they get from their merchandise and use them for sponsoring scholarships for children who cannot afford to go to school.
6. Online shopping - sites such as Sulit.com.ph, Ayosdito.ph, Bili.ph are all local sites that posts sellers and the items they sell. If sellers do not have stalls to display their products, they ask buyers to pick up items at their homes or just do meet ups. A word of caution to online shoppers, just like everywhere else, there are people who manipulate buyers to get payment and run away without giving the items which were purchased. Be sure to get the item first before paying or just to "kaliwaan" to be sure.

Happy shopping to everyone and do not forget that Christmas is not about gifts and money but it is the spirit of giving and spending quality time with your family. Have a blessed Christmas to all!

Christmas 2009

My family and I celebrated Christmas this year at home together with my mom-in-law and brother-in-law. We attended the midnight mass and arrived at home an hour before midnight. I had enough time to cook the pasta sauce for our spaghetti and prepare other dishes for our Noche Buena. Everyone was very happy and excited. After dinner, it was time for the kids (my nieces) and my son to open their much anticipated gifts from their parents, relatives and friends.

My son enjoyed every minute opening his gifts. He particularly enjoyed receiving a new pair of Crocs sandals, 3 Transformers toy robots and several toy trucks and cars. I was really happy seeing him enjoy his gifts and my wife and I are really grateful to all our relatives and friends who gave gifts to my son. It was also nice seeing my nieces enjoy their new dresses and stuff toys given by their grandmom and their uncle.

My wife and I also decided to give a gift for ourselves this year, we got a new desktop so we can be active in blogging here at home compared to going out to internet cafes when we decide to write a post or visit our friends' sites. We also decided that it was time to take advantage of earning online while at home most especially for my wife when she will be staying at home after giving birth to our second child this coming May. Hopefully everything turns out well so we can have other sources of income other than our regular day jobs. We are praying that the coming year will be very fruitful for us so we can eventually start looking for our own place and call it our own home.

Giving to Charity this Christmas Season

Christmas is just around the corner and everybody is busy buying gifts and preparing for Christmas eve and Christmas day. December is also a busy month for weddings. In fact, my wife and I have attended 1 wedding last weekend and another tomorrow. December is indeed one of the busiest and most anticipated month of the year. Try looking for food caterers during this month and you will be very lucky to find a good one. Chances are, good caterers are fully booked everyday until January next year. People attend all sorts of parties, Christmas parties, reunions, weddings, birthdays, office parties and New Year parties.

Since everybody is so busy these days, have you thought of the people who are less fortunate? Have you considered having your party to an orphanage or a place for the elderly? Have you participated to your church activities for the poor this Christmas season?

Honestly, most of the time, I haven't thought of this for a long time. I have been involved in a number of charity programs when i was in college but after school i have been too busy working. I worked for an environment organization for 3 years which somehow helped people most especially people living outside Metro Manila. My previous work, last year, was with Philippine Business for Social Progress which again reminded me of the need to help people who are less fortunate. I was specifically assigned to a program to help public schools get assistance from private companies. I visited a number of schools in Navotas, Malabon, Valenzuela and Caloocan. I was really shocked to learn that most of the public schools have 3 shifts, meaning 1 shift from early morning to afternoon, another from afternoon to evening and the last was late afternoon to late evening. To think that they are only high school students. The average number of students in a section is 80-90 students, and one year consists of 20-30 sections. If you make a computation, 90 students times 20 sections, that's 1800 students in one year level. Multiply it to 4 year levels and you get 7200 students! Can you imagine the state of public school system here in Metro Manila? These public schools only have limited classrooms and overworked and underpaid teachers. How can 1 teacher teach 90 students in one section?

I have a personal mission and this includes helping our environment and our educational system. I know that i might have a minimal impact but i know no matter how little my efforts are, at least i know i helped to the best that i can. Who knows if i become successful in blogging, i might make a difference in our public school system. I could not forget the feeling when i was personally thanked by the head of the school after assisting them in getting a donation from a private company to improve their library and computer class facilities. What more if personally i was able to contribute to improve their condition? That will be one of my personal goals in life.