April 29, 2011

The best way to say goodbye is by saying THANK YOU

I once said that saying good bye is one of the hardest thing to do. But again and again, I will say that changes will happen even if we don't want to. I once said goodbye to the people who left and now, it will be the other way around, I will be the one to say Au Revoir

I thought it will be easier because I will be the one leaving but I was wrong. It is A LOT HARDER than I think. Exactly 1 year and 1 month, I will be leaving the company that I considered one of my families. Its harder to see people crying and feeling sad especially when you know that you're the reason behind their sadness. But then again, I have to be tough and be positive that things really do happen for a reason. And so I prefer to say thank you as my way of saying goodbye.

ATE JESSICA, THANK YOU for being my teammate from the start 'til the end. Thank you for the foods that you've shared with me bilang pareho tayong payat. Thank you for dancing and singing with me during our presentation. Thank you for those laughters that you've shared with me. Thank you for treating me as your little sister. Thank you for understanding me with my kakulitans and kabaliwans. Thank you for those sweet nothings. As we are always saying to each other, maliit ang mundo para sating dalawa. We will surely see each other. I will miss you, that's for sure. Always be strong okay? You will always be my teammate.

ATE APRIL, THANK YOU for also being one of my sister. We may not be that close but I am happy to share smiles with you whenever we look at each other. Thank you for patiently guiding us in our tasks and for sharing your techie side with us. Thank you for making me feel happy whenever I hear you calling me 'Nica' which is my favorite nickname.

SIR JOSEPH, THANK YOU for helping me appreciate foods more. haha! We may rarely talk with each other but I will miss you wanting me to do brofist and appear with you. Thank you for being nice to me. Thank you for the pictures and for letting us see how lovely it is to love creativity. *BROFIST*

MA'AM CHE, THANK YOU for sharing your experience with us. Thank you for giving us advices. Thank you for you smiles. Thank you for making our work loads a bit easier for us and for making us feel that despite the hard tasks, everything will be okay. Thank you po to you and Sir Mito and for your poging-poging baby MJ. I know that you too will take a new path and I am sure that God will guide you because of your good heart. 

SIR MELO, THANK YOU for making our day lively with just one laugh and 'banat' of yours. Thank you for those great photos and foods that you've shared us. Thank you for your wisdom and sharing of your experiences with us that made us feel like we want to be like you. Thank you for being so cool when dealing and talking with us. Thank you for catching us as we fall down. haha! :))

KUYA MARCK, THANK YOU for being so good to me. I will miss hoe you call me 'Tiny' bilang feel na feel mo na ang laki mo than me. Thank you for always being there whenever we need you. Thank you for treating us as your true friend though we've only known each other for a year. Thank you for trusting us and for opening up with us. . Thank you for teaching us and being SO PATIENT with us. Thank you for the laughters. You are one of the kindest and hardworking person I've known. I will miss our lunch together. I will miss you. 

LILETH, THANK YOU for being with me for 5 years. FIRST TIME NATIN 'TO. :( After 5 long years, from being groupmates in different productions and projects, being thesismates to being officemates, oh my, I am so used to seeing you just beside me. Thank you for sharing a lot of things with me. May it be about sad or happy things, we are always with each other and I know that it will never change. Thank you for the positive thoughts that we've shared with one another. Thank you for the true friendship. Thank you for being one of my angels. Mamimiss ko ang 'wit' at 'chararat' mo. Loveyah girl! :)

CARL, THANK YOU for giving me the opportunity to meet these good people. Thank you for your patience whenever you have to fix my laptop. This will never be too long for our paths will surely cross again bilang magkalapit lang tayo ng bahay. :)

JAK, THANK YOU for also being a true friend since elementary. I guess I don't have to say a lot of things bilang laging pareho ang iniisip natin. Thank you for those times that you are there to listen whebever I have something to share. Thank you for the laughters and putting eye liner to my eyes. Mamimiss kita. Alam mo yan. Alam mo na lahat. :)

SIR GAB, THANK YOU for trusting us to be a part of this company. Thank you for all those things that you've taught us. From the things that we must know about the company to the things that we must know about saving and staying healthy, THANK YOU. I know that these things are hard for you more than we could imagine but I know that you are strong enough to deal with it. Thank you for supporting us and being a cool boss whom we can ask about anything that we want to know. Thank you for making us feel good as we say goodbye.

"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." Yan ang sabi ni Sir Mito. I am happy so I didn't shed even a drop of tear until now. It is not because I am not sad, it is just because I know that it really is not the end. 

Thank you for sharing a lot of memories with me. With 1 year and 1 month stay with you, I've learned a lot. Our journey in life will all continue the earth rotates. We all have to move forward along with the changes that we will face along the road. 

God is great. He knows what's best for us. He is the only one Who knows what will happen next and so we must trust Him will all our hearts. We are all binded tightly with this friendship that we built together which means that it will be hard to get rid of each other. Sorry, touch-move na, friends na tayo forever.

As what I've said before, this is not the end of our friendship for friendship will forever be in our hearts. Our souls will forever be united and distance will never be a hindrance for us to still love and care for each other. And when I say forever, I mean ETERNITY. I will always be part of EI family. I will all miss you! Loveyah all!
 
 


'til we meet again. :)

THANK YOU!

"Don't be dismayed at goodbyes.  A farewell is necessary before you can meet again.  And meeting again, after moments or lifetime, is certain for those who are friends." --Richard Bach
      

       xoxo


Five things to watch for at the royal wedding

There's a lot of articles about the Royal Wedding now but I find this one interesting:

You've survived the hype, and now the big day is almost here. The wedding is, of course, all about Kate Middleton and Prince William. But any self-respecting royal-watcher knows that there are a slew of subplots to be followed on April 29. Here, the top five things to look out for on the big day.

1. THE DRESS: This is a biggie. Whoever is in charge of keeping the dress a secret deserves a raise. Despite the best efforts of just about every tabloid on the planet, nobody knows much about Kate's gown.

That could all change at exactly 2:51 a.m. PDT/5:51 a.m. EDT (that's 10:51 a.m. BST in London) on the day of the wedding. That's when Kate is scheduled to leave her hotel and take a car to Westminster Abbey. The odds are quite favorable that someone could catch a glimpse of the gown, though there are reports they'll sneak her out. The official reveal will be around 3 a.m. 

But William won't see the dress. He'll be sequestered in a backroom until the moment Kate walks down the aisle.

2. THE GUESTS: We know there will be some high-profile guests at the wedding. And while nobody will outshine Kate, rest assured that plenty of people will have their eyes on David and Victoria Beckham.

The two fashion icons are sure to turn heads no matter what they wear. Some even worry that Victoria may manage to upstage Kate (they don't call her Posh for nothing).

Other guests known for their fashion sense include Elton John, who was a close friend of Princess Diana, and Kanye West, the rapper with a very healthy self-image. Here's hoping he doesn't repeat his Taylor Swift move during the "I do's."

Guests start arriving around 8:15 a.m. in London (12:15 a.m. PDT/3:15 a.m. EDT), but best bets are the big stars will arrive on the fashionably later side around 9:50 a.m. in London.

3. THE KISS: It might seem like a no-brainer. Two people get married, they kiss once the officiant says the magic words, and everybody cheers. But royal weddings aren't so simple.

When William and Kate say "I do," they won't lock lips. The rules of the Church of England prohibit it. But fear not, the two are expected to smooch from the balcony of Buckingham Palace following the ceremony. And it won't be just the guests who see the kiss. It'll be hundreds of millions of people watching the event on their TVs and computers.

Not a pair to leave things to chance, William and Kate have apparently been practicing for the moment. In an article from Us Weekly, an aide explains, "The angle that they come in at needs to be correct, otherwise they could block the shot and the world will miss out on that momentous moment." Give the people what they want. Expect to see the kiss at 1:25 p.m., London time.

4. HARRY'S DATE: We all know William's date, but what about his younger brother, Harry? Most sources seem to agree that the royal redhead will bring longtime ladyfriend Chelsy Davy.

Chelsy, a blond bombshell who has had an on-and-off-again relationship with Harry, has been recently spotted in London's Chelsea, perhaps looking for an outfit for the wedding.

It's hard to say when the camera might find her, but if she arrives with the "distinguished guests," that would put her in the spotlight around 1:50 a.m. 

5. THE MOMENT OF MATRIMONY: In a day full of moments, there will be one that will stand above all others. When Kate and William say "I do." Believe it or not, this moment isn't as simple as it looks. At least according to times past.

Both Princess Diana and Princess Sarah Ferguson flubbed their groom's names when the time came. According to Dickie Arbiter, former press secretary to the queen, Diana mixed up the order of Charles's names. Diana had a pretty good excuse. Charles's full name is Charles Philip Arthur George. Same deal with Fergie. She accidentally repeated Prince Andrew's middle name.

There is a chance Kate might have the same problem. William has quite a handle himself: William Arthur Philip Louis. Check her accuracy at 3 a.m. 



This fairy tale-like wedding that will happen later is one of the weddings that the people would love to watch. A lot of speculations and opinions have been said regarding this wedding. Whatever our opinion about this royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, let us not forget that LOVE IS A GIFT FROM GOD and let us be happy that today, they will share one of the blessings that God has given all of us. 


Best wishes, Prince William and Princess Kate!



       xoxo

April 28, 2011

Save your pictures in friendster before it's too late

I've heard the news yesterday and the other day that the social networking Friendster will be upgrading their system. YES, they will just upgrade and NOT shut down because it is not that profitable unlike before (obviously, almost everyone is using Facebook now). 

Here's what Friendster says:

We are introducing a new and improved Friendster site in the coming weeks. As part of this change, we will remove a number of social networking functions in Friendster. This includes your existing account profile, photos, messages, blogs, and shoutouts. However, your list of friends will be preserved, along with your basic profile information.

We understand that your photos, blogs and other private data may be important to you. An application is available in the "Apps" section of the site, until May 31st 2011, to help you download or export them securely to third party sites, such as Flickr or Multiply. The application is available here.

If you do not wish to keep any of these information, you do not need to do anything. Your Friendster account will not be deleted. Your Friendster Wallet, along with the coins and chips in it, will remain unchanged in the new site as long as you use your existing login details.

For more information on the Exporter app, please visit the Friendster Help page.

Thank you for using Friendster, we look forward taking you to a brand new Friendster experience very soon!

I was first shocked upon hearing the news because my old pictures are all there and I don't have the soft copies of those since my laptop is not working anymore. Of course, like many people, I would love to have copies of my photos there. So I decided to save some of those one by one last night and unluckily, I failed to finish saving all the pictures there.

Just this morning, ate April, one of my officemates, taught me how to save my photos from friendster easier. Here's how:
  1. Open your friedster account on Firefox.
  2. Open each album and wait until all the photos are loaded (open each photo, not the thumbnail size).
  3. From the tools at the top of the screen, click page info, then media
  4. There, you will see the file name of the photos loaded from your friendster album. Highlight those file names and then click save as.
  5. Save it in any location that you want and that's it! You can now upload in on your other social networking sites.
Easy, right? Many thanks to Ate April who taught me how to do this! Do it as soon as you can. You have until May 31, 2011 to save your photos and other files from friendster before they upgrade or finally say goodbye.


Hope this could help you. For questions, feel free to post your comment.


       xoxo

April 23, 2011

This Holy Week...


Let us not forget to thank God because He died for our sins. May this week be a week of reminiscing all His sufferings for us and a week to pray for His unconditional love for us.

God is so good. As said in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Have a blessed Holy Week! 


      xoxo

April 20, 2011

Pope John Paul II to Be Beatified on May 1


May 1, 2011 is a date to remember Pope John Paul II as he will be beatified in Rome on this  day which is also the first Sunday next to Easter. Pope Benedict XVI approved a miracle attributed to John Paul II last April 14 which made him closer to being a saint. 

Beatification means that the pope is considered “blessed” and can be publicly venerated. Sainthood will follow next after one more miracle is confirmed. The first miracle was the sudden recovery of a nun named Sister Marie Simon-Pierre from Parkinson's disease after she prayed to John Paul II. The Congregation for the Causes of Saints then agreed unanimously that the pope is really miraculous.

To recall, Pope John Paul II died at the age of 84 last April 2005 because of complications from Parkinson's disease.

Thousands of people are expected to come in Rome and be involved in the beatification ceremony. After the beatification on May 1, his body will be moved from the grottoes under St. Peter's Cathedral to the church itself.


Related Articles:

April 19, 2011

HAPPINESS, you're number 1

I just thought of searching my blog in google and I felt so happy upon seeing this:

and so I checked Yahoo and I saw this:



The images can tell it all. I am just so happy and inspired to write more.
HAPPINESS IS MY CHOICE, you're doing good. 
Happiness, you're truly number 1!

and this made my day! :)


       xoxo

April 18, 2011

Goodbye, AJ!

This is my first time to post something like this on my blog. I was just so affected whenever I hear things about dying at a young age. :(

I was shocked upon hearing the bad news yesterday that AJ Perez is already dead I don't know the whole story until today. He died because of a vehicular accident happened in Tarlac last Saturday, April 16 around11:45pm (according to my friend, Lileth). He was declared dead around 12:20 of April 17. It was so tragic, I don't like that kind of death.

A friend posted it on facebook and I felt how sweet AJ was. It was a letter for his future girlfriend:

Dear Future Girlfriend,

I’ve already come across many nice girls, all of them gorgeous in their own way, but like you, I am still searching. I don’t think it’ll be too hard, because I don’t really demand too much- after all, I am not looking for Ms. Perfect, I am looking for Ms. Right. Physically, you may be the simplest girl in the room, but there has to be that certain something about you that I find charming. It will be nice, of course, if you have positive attitude and an interesting personality. I hope that you can be understanding and supportive of the things I do and the things that are important to me. It will be great if you can make me laugh! There are no dull moments with someone that I know is funny. I want our relationship to be filled with excitement and surprises- I don’t want anything stagnant; I don’t want “just okay”. One of my weaknesses is the sweetness of a girl. If you can find a way to cheer me up after a long bad day, that would really make me feel good. I will also appreciate if you text me sweet stuff. I’d like to wake up to a good morning message from you, and go to bed at the end of the day after hearing you say goodnight. Another thing you should know: I believe that the best relationships always start from friendship. I want to be able to talk to you, be silly with you, and simply hang out with you. I want you to value the “friend” part of being my girlfriend. I also want us to share each other’s life, and I don’t want everything to be just about the two of us. I want our relationship to extend to other aspects of our lives, including our friends, family, and most of all GOD. A relationship will last only if we accept both the good and bad things about each other. Despite all the criteria I’ve mentioned above, I want to make it clear that I don’t want you to change a single thing about yourself just to please me. Losing your identity and turning into someone completely different is not necessary. Relax, I already like you, and I like you for who you truly are. I am looking forward to meeting you, and I know that one of these days, I will. I trust that we’ll find each other soon, and when that time comes, I know you’ll prove to me that you were definitely worth to wait.

I was affected not because AJ and I were close or because we know each other but because he died at a very young age. He's only 18 years old and there are more ahead of him. But as what I am always saying when someone died, death is our gate pass to heaven. And so all we can do is pray for his soul and be happy that he/she is now in heaven.

Whatever the reason of his death is, only God knows. We just have to accept it. May it also give us the lesson, the "old time lesson" as I may say, to live life to the fullest as long as we are here on earth. Let's make our life be lived with meaning and let our loved ones feel how we truly love them. In that way, when it is our time to leave, there will be no regrets for us and only good and meaningful memories for them.

On the lighter note, AJ's cornea will be donated to little blind singer, Fatima. This maybe is AJ's mission.

My condolences to AJ's family.

Goodbye, AJ! 

      xoxo

April 16, 2011

Why We Filipinos Are Still Poor

I found this video in Youtube and I was curious so I watched it. Kindly take time to watch it too and give your thoughts by commenting.


Video Description:
An interesting and fun animation of why the Philippines is still poor. After several revolutions and civil wars, Filipinos are poorer than ever.

I hope someday the masa will understand what is happening and stop being gullible to celebrities in politics and media.
________________________________________________________________________

My thought on this:
There are good points but some were drawn with too much emotion. It lacks facts and sources regarding the statements. I don't like the whole video but I like the way it was delivered.

But regarding the fact about having a better living, I believe that we must not only blame the government. We must also remember that in order for our lives to be better, we must also do something. There are lots of opportunities that we can use. I understand that living in the Philippines where there is unruly government and where some people are taking things for granted is difficult but each of us has equal chances of making our lives better so we better make use of it. As an old saying goes, "“We must become the change we wish to see in the world.”


      xoxo

April 14, 2011

McDonald's pulls out "BF-GF" Commercial

I knew it. It was me and my friend, Lexlly, who were discussing about this cute McDonald's television advertisement called the "BF-GF Commercial." 

It was a commercial where a little girl asks a little boy if she was already her girlfriend. The boys says no because according to him, girlfriends want these and that. In short, girlfriends are demanding. But the little boy changed his mind when the  girl says that she only wants McDo fries.

Almost everyone finds it cute, even I. A lot of posts, tweets in different social networking sites about the tv ad and some positive reviews and comments made it more popular to the public. But as what I said to my friend, there are some "not-so-good values" that children may acquire upon seeing this advertisement. And just yesterday, I've read this news on yahoo news:
________________________________________________________________________

McDonald's pulls out "BF-GF commercial" after CBCP called for them to stop airing ad

(SPOT.ph) McDonald's has pulled out its ad dubbed by some as the "BF-GF commercial," after the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) called for them to stop airing the ad, reports Inquirer.net.

The giant fast food chain decided to pull out the 30-second ad from major television networks yesterday after some Catholic Church officials said it could send the wrong message to children. In the commercial, a little girl asks a boy if she was already his girlfriend. The boy says no, claiming girlfriends are too demanding. However, he seemingly changes his mind when the girl says all she wants is the P25 French fries at McDonald's.

McDonald's Philippines Vice President for Marketing Margot Torres told Radio Veritas that they have pulled out the ad because they respect the call of Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez. "So by (Wednesday), a different McDonald's ad should be seen on TV," Torres said.

In response, Iñiguez told Radio Veritas, "We are very happy that McDonald's listened to our plea, (and) that it agrees with the sentiment and the reflection of the church on the commercial spot."

Earlier, Fr. Melvin Castro said the commercial is "very shallow" and "cheapens human relationships," reports Inquirer.net. The executive secretary of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Family and Life said, "If the ad attempted to teach commitment, (it failed) because it was too superficial to point to a packet of French fries as the basis of a relationship."

Iñiguez also said earlier, "The two children are not even at the right age for this kind of relationship... It (the ad) might also pave the way for us to lose sight of the good ways of shaping the values of our children."

For more on this story, log on to Inquirer.net.
________________________________________________________________________

As what I've said, intentionally or unintentionally, there really  are "not-so-good values" that children may acquire from the said commercial. Advertisements, especially those that are being aired in national television, must have the right values for children. Yes, it is cute and unique and nobody can protest on that note. On the other hand, advertisers must be responsible in doing advertisements because of the values that they may lay to the children.

Dear McDonald's, I love your commercials and I love your fries and float. I salute you for listening to CBCP and instantly responding to their plea. It is for the children's sake, I know that you understand that. I am looking forward to your next television ad! :)



    xoxo

Farewell, Gerdie

It was last week, April 3, 2011, when a former classmate of mine, Gerdie, died. We went to his wake last Friday and there, we've found out how he suffered before he died. :(

According to her sister who told us the whole story, he first suffered stomach ache so they decided to bring him to the hospital (Quezon City Medical Center). There, the doctor have him had the ultrasound and as they got the result, they said that he has gall stones. The family didn't worry because they said that it can be cured through medicines. But the pain is still there and so he had undergone endoscopy. The procedure made him suffer more and he cannot eat nor drink. That worsen the situation because he has to take medicines but he cannot eat. He also underwent a lot of x-rays and ultrasounds but the doctors said nothing about his situation. His body parts were swollen. The saddest part of the story was when he told his mother that he wants to die because he doesn't want to suffer and despite his swollen arms, he hugged his family, thanked them and told them he loved them he love them. After that, he became out of his mind. He doesn't know who his family was and he hurts himself (maybe because of that thought that he really doesn't want to live) and slowly, he died.

Death is not sad but I can't help but b sad with this kind of death. I want to blame the doctors for saying nothing to Gerdie's condition. They had his body be exposed to radiation and do nothing as he was almost dying. And after all the suffering, it was only "peptic ulcer" that was indicated as the cause of his death (according to his death certificate). How cruel, right? As we asked his sister if there was a medical abstract that was given to them, she said that the doctor doesn't want to give them any because according to that doctor, it was not that important as long as they have the death certificate. Upon hearing that, we really thought that there was a foul play that happened. Any doctor will give the medical abstract as soon as the family requested for it. They have all the right to know what really happened to their family members.

It was sad to know that the family just have to be quiet and calm  despite of all the things that happened because they were all tired and just want to bring Gerdie to his last destination (which happened last April  12) on earth peacefully. What's sadder is that, Gerdie's brother just died last December 2010. The family has not yet recovered but they have to face another death of a family member with all strength. My prayers are all with them. 

To QCMC and the doctors who attended Gerdie, I don't know what really happened and I don't have the right to blame you but if you're the one responsible for his death, only God knows. He will give you the punishment that you deserve. I hope that case like this will not happen again because of your negligence. Life is a gift from God and you, doctors, must be responsible enough to take care of those lives. If you can't, better resign and have another profession that will suit you!

To Gerdie's family, again, my prayers are always with you. Be strong. Death is people's gateway to heaven. Maybe Gerdie suffered here but in heaven, there will be no suffering. Let us all be glad that he will now have a life with God where there is no suffering, only happiness. I know it is not easy  because you love him a lot but his death is not just "death." There's a reason why it happened. We may not know it for now but surely, we will discover it as we go on with our lives. God is always there, He will always guide us. And Gerdie will guide you, too.

To Gerdie, I don't know if there is a chance for you to read this blog post but if so, let me say thank you for those sweet smiles and laughter that we, your friends, will remember until the end of our lives. May you rest in peace. Now that you are with our Lord, please do guide your family, they need all the strength to face life without you. I am happy that though you have suffered on earth, you are now living in a place where there is peace. We may not be so close but your memories will stay in my heart, in our hearts.


Farewell, Gerdie!
'til we meet again! (but not to soon, okay?)


       xoxo 


P.S.
And when I die, let my coffin be white or light blue. Let me wear a light blue dress and simple make-up. I want to have my photos in a gallery and an AVP of my memories that is continuously playing next to my coffin. I also want a continuous playing of songs and some singing sessions from my friends and loved ones on my wake. I want everyone to treat me as if I am just sleeping. I don't want to be cremated..And as you send me on my tomb, I want everyone to wear blue also. I want a simple program where people who wants to say goodbye to me express their feelings through words and for those who want to keep their message between the two of us, let there be blue balloons with brief notes from them fly in the sky to send their message for me. I know I can't stop you from crying but I want everyone to be happy for me for I will be with our Father where I will live eternally, happily and peacefully. :)

Whoever has the chance to read this, please take note of this and let my family know about this if I'll die. Of course, I don't want it to be soon but if it's God's will, I must obey. xoxo

April 13, 2011

Date with Carussa este Carissa

April 6, 2011.

After so long, we had a chance to meet again. Her treat! haha!


It was just a quick yet meaningful and happy date. We shared a lot of things with each other. We talked about happy things, emo-ments and reminisced some memories about our friends.

We just went to Starbucks (SM Megamall), order our drinks and slices of cake and there, talk and share stories with each other.  Obviously, we missed each other a lot.

 bawal siya ng madaming chocolate icing, sasabit sa braces. haha! 

Cariss and I are not that close during college days. Me and my ANGELSZ used to bully her whenever her friends weren't around (and even if they were. haha!). But before college days were over, we became closer and now, we share things as what close friends does. 

I consider her one of my closest friends now. I can tell her almost anything I feel (especially when I am sad) and I am happy that she is considering me as one, too (tama ba?) haha! 

I don't have anyone whom I can call "best friend" but I am happy that I have lots of close friends. 

You are one of them, Carussa! ay... Carissa pala. haha! loveyah! :)


'til next time! 


     xoxo

April 11, 2011

A visit to my Alma Mater

April 5, 2011.

The same day as my brother's graduation, I was also invited to attend the 6th Commencement Exercises of my Alma Mater, Bagong Nayon II National High School. I am very honored that they invited me as their guest speaker for the said event. 

Seriously, I was really shocked upon knowing that I will be giving those graduates the talk at this early age. Some teachers were telling me that I will be doing that but I never expected that it will come this soon. I am glad yet very very very nervous, as in. I don't know what inspiring message or messages should I give to those students. 

The day came and my feelings are literally mixed. Happiness and nervousness are both filling my heart. Happiness because my brother is now graduating and because I was given the chance to visit my alma mater again and see my former mentors, and nervousness because I don't know how to stand in front of thousands of people and give a talk. It was 5 years ago when I stand like that and gave a speech. Anyway, happiness was more dominant that time because of the following reasons:

  • It was my brother's graduation, this alone made me the happiest person that day
  • I've given the chance to talk and have pictures with my former teachers and some school heads
 

  • I've had the privilege to sit beside and talk to Mayor Leyble and Governor Ynares

  • My friends and other loved ones were there to support me (because they know that I was really nervous. haha!)
  • And of course, I have given the chance to give inspiration and share my thoughts with the graduates.

Funny but the truth was, I did my speech almost a day before the graduation rites because I have my work and other commitments before that day. Experiences, some knowledge that I've learned and other inspiring thoughts are my gifts to the graduates. The speech goes like this:

Sa mga panauhin, guro, magulang at higit sa lahat, sa mga nagsipagtapos, magandang umaga. 

Sa totoo lang, magkahalong kaba at tuwa ang nararamdaman ko sa oras na ito. Kaba dahil hanggang ngayon, hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala na sa edad kong ito, tatayo ako sa harap ng libu-libong tao sa ganitong okasyon. Sabi ko nga nung nalaman ko, bakit ako? Bakit ngayon na agad? Masyado pa akong bata at halos wala pang naaabot sa buhay. Ano ang ibabahagi ko sa mga batang ito kung ako mismo, nagsisimula pa lang tuparin ang mga mithin ko sa buhay.

Kinonsulta ko agad ang mama ko at pinagalitan niya ko. Sabi niya, hindi pa raw ba sapat na nakapagtapos ako ng kolehiyo at may maayos na trabaho para magbigay ng inspirasyon? Isa pa, isa sa mga batang makikinig sakin ay kapatid ko. Napaisip ako. Sabi ko sa sarili ko, oo nga. Isa ako sa mga mapalad na nabigyan ng pagkakataong makapagtapos ng kolehiyo at sa kabutihang-palad, nakakatulong na ko sa bayan dahil hindi ako kasama sa mga “unemployed” sa bansa. At opo, kabilang sa mga nakaupo at nakikinig sa akin ngayon ang mama at kapatid ko at ilan pang mga magulang at nagsipagtapos na malapit sa puso ko. Sila ang dahilan kung bakit nandito ako ngayon at nakikipagdiwang sa tagumpay ninyong lahat.

Bago ako magpatuloy, binabati ko ang lahat ng mga nagsipagtapos . Gusto ko ring humiling ng isang maliit na pabor mula sa inyo. Alam kong karamihan sa inyo ay nakapagpasalamat na sa mga magulang niyo dahil sa pagpapaaral sa inyo ng apat na taon sa high school. Maaaring nagawa niyo na 'yun nung mga nakaraang araw o kanina bago kayo magpunta dito. Pero kung hindi pa, hayaan niyong ako ang magpasalamat para sa inyo. Salamat sa lahat ng mga magulang ng mga batang nagsipagtapos ngayon. Salamat po sa tiyaga at pasensiya niyo para lang mabigyan sila ng magandang kinabukasan. Maaari bang bigyan natin sila ng isang masigabong palakpakan tanda ng ating pasasalamat?

Sabi nga nila, “We get freedom when graduation comes.” Sa pagtatapos, literal na lumalaya ang isang estudyante mula sa homeworks, quizzes at projects. Pero hindi lang doon nagiging malaya ang isang nagtapos. Malaya na rin siyang mamili ng landas na tatahakin niya. At para tulungan kayong mamili ng landas na tatahakin niyo, may ibabahagi akong kwento. Pamagatan natin itong “Ang Kwento ng Pader.”

Isang araw, may isang lalaking dinala sa ospital. Dahil bagong dating siya at sa isang public na ospital siya dinala, hindi siya maaaring pumili ng pwesto ng higaan. Natabi siya sa isang lalaking nakapwesto sa tabi ng bintana. Nagkakilala sila at naging magkaibigan. Araw-araw, dahil parehong hindi nakakabangon sa higaan dahil sa mga karamdaman nila, naging gawain na ng lalaking nasa may bintana na kwentuhan ang katabi ng mga bagay na nakikita niya mula sa kinalalagyan niya. Kinukwento niya ang tungkol sa mga batang masasayang naglalaro, mga bandang nagpaparada at kung anu-ano pang masasayang bagay na nakikita niya tuwing sisilip sa bintana. Nakaramdam ng inggit ang katabi ng lalaking nasa may bintana. Isang gabi, narinig niyang nahihirapang huminga ang katabi niya. Naisip niyang tawagina ng nurse pero naisip niya rin na kung mawawala ang lalaking yun, pwede na siyang pumalit sa pwesto nito at makita ang mga bagay na nakikita niya. Hinayaan lang niya ang katabi at natulog. Kinabukasan, nakita niyang inaayos na ng nurse ang bakanteng higaan ng katabi niya. Dali-dali niyang tinanong kung pwede ba siyang lumipat sa pwestong yon at agad-agad naman syang nailipat. Excited syang tumingin sa bintana dahil sa wakas ay makikita  na rin nya ang magagandang bagay na nakikita ng katabi nya noon. Pero pag silip isang mataas na pader ang nakita nya kasabay ng pagsabi ng nurse, “sayang masiyahin pa naman si kuya kahit bulag sya.” Nalungkot sya at nagsisi.

Magkaibang pananaw ng tao sa iisang pwesto. Yan ang sitwasyon nyo ngayon. Pare-pareho kaung nagtapos pero mag kakaibang landas ang tatahakin nyo. May ilang magkokolehiyo, may ibang magttrabaho na muna para may pantustos sa pag aaral, at iba pa. Sa pagtahak ng susunod na landas, pipiliin mo bang maging kagaya ng lalaking bulag pero gmagawa ng paraan para maging masaya at makabuluhan ang buhay o ng lalaking nainggit sa kapwa at nagsissi sa huli. Ang tunay na tagumpay ay nakakamit ng taong maganda ang pagtingin sa buhay. Tatlo lang naman ang susi sa tagumpay. Una, ang positibong disposisyon sa buhay. Pangalawa, ang pananalig sa Dyos at pangatlo, ay ang paggawa ng lahat ng posibleng paraan  para makamit ang pangarap. 

Positive attitude or optimism. Lagi ko ngang sinasabi, HAPPINESS IS OUR CHOICE. Nasa sa atin kung paano natin tatangapin ang mga bagay na nangyari sa buhay natin pero mas mabuti kung positibo ang pagtanggap natin dito. 5 years old ako nung nagkahiwalay ang mga magulang ko noon. Mahirap pero kailangang magsanay. Kailangang magtrabaho ng mama ko para maibigay saming magkapatid ang mga pangangailangan namin. May mga pagkakataong naiinggit ako sa mga kaklase ko kapag may mga naghahatid at nagsusundo sa kanila. Maraming meeting ang hindi napuntahan ng mama ko dahil nagtatrabaho siya. May pagkakataon pa ngang muntik siyang hindi makapunta sa recognition day ko. Siyempre, bilang anak at dahil bata pa ako noon, hindi ko maiwasang magtampo. Pero at the end of the day, narealize ko na ginagawa niya lang yun para sa amin. Alam kong hindi niya rin gustong ganun ang sitwasyon namin pero wala siyang magagawa dahil yun lang ang tanging paraan para maging maayos ang buhay namin. Lahat ng iyon ang naging tuntungan at inspirasyon ko para mas magsipag sa pag aaral at intindihin ang mga pangangailangan ng kapatid ko. Gusto kong kahit hindi niya kami nasusubaybayan sa araw-araw ay may patunguhan pa rin ang mga sakripisyo niya. Kung tutuusin, pwede akong magloko pero mas pinili kong gawin yung sa tingin kong tama. Sa buhay, lagi tayong may dalawang pagpipilian, yung tama o yung mali, yung kanan o yung kaliwa, yung maging mabuti o maging masama, ilan lang yun sa mga pagpipilian natin sa buhay. Pero sa twing dadating ang anumang problema, lagi lang tayong maging positibo. Anuman ang piliin natin, hindi naman mawawala ang problema sa buhay pero ang pagiging positibo ang makapagpapagaan ng dalahin natin para madali ding makahanap ng solusyon. 

After this graduation, ask yourself, who do I want to be? The first or the second man? Pipiliin mo bang maging maganda ang pagtingin sa buhay at maging masaya para sa kasiyahan ng iba sa kabila ng mga problema o mainggit sa kapwa at gawin ang lahat para ibaba sila para sa sariling kagustuhan?

Opportunity will always come along your way. Kapag dumating ang opportunity na yon, grab it. Sabi nga sa isang quotation, “When opportunity knocks, open the door.” Meron pa ngang, “When one door closes, another window will open.” Pero hindi laging kumakatok ang opportunity. Minsan kailangan mo itong hanapin. Para itong paghahanap ng kayamanan at sa paghahanap ng kayamanan, dapat alam mo kung ano ang tunay. Sa totoo lang, marami na kayong kayamanan bago niyo pa mahawakan ang mga diploma niyo ngayon. Yung makapagsalita, makapag-aral at mapagsuot ng uniporme, makaharap ang mga gurong nagbahagi ng inyong nalalaman ngayon, kahit yung kaalaman niyo sa paggamit ng computer at paggawa niyo ng facebook account at yung pagkakataong umupo sa kinauupuan niyo ngayon, lahat yan opportunities depende kung paano niyo ito titingnan at gagamitin sa buhay. Lagi niyong tatandaan, lahat yun ay biyaya ni Lord sa atin. The more you recognize those opportunities, the more God will give you grace. Kahit nga problema, dapat din nating ituring na kayamanan dahil yun ang nagbibigay sa tin ng lakas para harapin ang buhay. Sabi ko nga, lagging may dalawang pagpipilian  sa buhay. Anuman ang dumating, dalawa lang ang pagpipilian natin, kayamanan o problema. Nasayo kung ituturing mo itong biyaya o sumpa. Pero ang payo ko sa inyo, manalig lang tayo sa nasa taas. Sabi pa nga, “When God talks to you and ask you to do something, yes lang ang sagot lagi.” Kahit sa palagay nating hindi natin kaya, go lang, hindi naman niya tayo pababayaan, yun ang sigurado.

Faith must always come with hard work. Di ba nga may kasabihan tayong, “Nasa Dyos ang awa, nasa tao ang gawa?” Bawat segundo ay mahalaga kaya dapat gamitin natin ito sa mga kapaki-pakinabang na bagay, lalo na kung para ito sa pagtupad ng mga pangarap natin. Naalala ko tuloy yung kwento ni Mr. Eugenio Lopez III noong graduation namin last year. Tungkol ito sa isang kwento ng painting na “The Last Supper.” Kailangan daw niya noon ng modelo para sa mukha ni Jesus Christ.k aya naghanap siya ng pinakagwapong lalaki sa Milan. Nakilala niya noon ang isang edukadong lalaking si Pietro na perfect ang mukha para maging modelo ni Hesus, mukhang punung-puno ng kaalaman at pagmamahal. Gaya ng inaasahan, naging maganda ang resulta. Pagkatapos ng ilang taon, kinailangan niya ulit magpinta at sa pagkakataong ito, si Hudas naman ang ipipinta niya kaya naghanap naman siya ng pinakamukhang masamang tambay. Sa paghahanap niya, nakahanap siya ng isang lalaki na mukhang kriminal at dinala sa studio niya. Habng nagpipinta, parang nakikilala niya ang lalaki kaya tinanong niya kung nagkita na ba sila. Sumagot ang lalaki, “Oo, ilang taon na ang nakalilipas noong ipinta mo ako bilang modelo ni Hesus.”

Sabi nga ni Lopez, “Time is a friend to the wise but traitor to the fool.” Mabilis tumakbo ang oras at kung hindi tayo kikilos para abutin ang mga pangarap natin, matutulad tayo sa modelo ni Da Vinci. Ang pagtakbo ng panahon ay maihahalintulad natin sa kalagayan ng mundong ginagalawan natin ngayon. Wala namang lindol, baha at mga tsunami na kasing lala ng mga nangyayari ngayon noon pero dahil sa kapabayaan ng mga tao at pagbabalewala sa panahon, nasaan tayo ngayon? Hindi ba’t nagsisisi tayo dahil hindi na natin maibabalik ang panahon. Kung hindi sana tayo nagpabaya, wala sana tayong climate change, global warming at kung anu-anong kalamidad. Malayo pa ang landas na tatahakin ninyo, maging ako. Pero hindi dapat tayo maging kampante na mahaba pa ang panahon. Dream high and work for it the minute after you thought of it. Kahit paunti-unti, simulan mo nang kumilos pagkatapos mong maisip na ‘yun ang gusto mo.

Minsan din akong naupo sa kinauupuan niyo ngayon. Nakakatuwa rin na minsan na rin akong tumayo sa harap ng mga kapwa kaestudyante ko para magbahagi ng tagumpay ko at mas nakakatuwang tumayo muli dito para magbigay ng inspirasyon sa inyo sa kabila ng kakaunti ko pa lang na karanasan sa buhay. Sabi ng mga unang nakaalam na tatayo ako dito, magbigay daw ako ng payo sa inyong lahat. Sabi ko, ano ba ang maibibigay ng isang empleyadong isang taon pa lang nagttrabaho. 

Sa 20 taong pamumuhay ko sa ibabaw ang mundo, alam kong marami pa akong kailangang malaman pero ngayon, ito muna ang maibibigay ko habang naglalakad din kayo at tinatahak ang landas patungo sa pangarap niyo. Marami kayong pagdadaanang hirap at ginhawa. May mga daang madaling tahakin pero meron ding daang malubak. Pero sa kabila noon, i-practice niyong lagging maging masaya at magpasalamat sa Maykapal. Dalhin niyo lahat ng kayamanan na mapupulot niyo sa daan. Lahat, kasama ang kabiguan dahil iyon ang magpapalakas sa inyo. Pwede kang maging kagaya ng lalaking Masaya, kahit isang mataas na pader ang nakikita niya o ang lalaking modelo ni Da Vinci na mula sa pagiging modelo ni Hesus ay naging modelo ni Hudas.

Lahat ay nasa pagpili ng landas na tatahakin niyo. Galing ako sa isang broken family at may dalawa akong pagpipilian, ang ituring itong inspirasyon o suliranin sa buhay ko. Pinili ko ang una at hindi ako nagsisi. 

Maganda ang buhay pero dapat tayong maging maingat. Sabi nga ni Lopez, “We can be a model for Jesus or Judas depende sa balbas.” Live your life to the fullest but always be thirsty. Laging maging uhaw sa kaalaman. My dear graduates, sa inyo na tulad kong manlalakbay din sa buhay, ang simpleng regalo ko sa inyong lahat ay ang pagbabahagi ng mga kayamanang napulot ko sa paglalakbay ko. Ang positibong disposisyon sa buhay pagtitiwala sa Dyos at pagkilos para sa pangarap ang mga susi para sa tagumpay. 

Ngayong hawak niyo na inyong mga diploma at patungo na sa susunod na kabanata ng buhay, sana’y maalala niyong dalhin kahit isa sa mga susing nabanggit ko. Mabuhay kayo hindi lamang para sa sarili kundi ,mabuhay kayong kasama ang Dyos para sa sarili, para sa pamilya at para sa bayan. 

Muli, maligayang pagtatapos, Batch 2011. Salamat at maraming salamat.


One thing I love about visiting my former school? Every memory was refreshed and it's so nice to remember all those.

'til next time, Bagong Nayon II National High School! :)

Congratulations, BN2NHS' Batch 2011! :)


      xoxo