My Summers in Araneta Center

In these islands I call home, we find ways to share smiles and happiness everywhere. We may be a country beset by poverty, corruption and devastating natural calamities, but we remain resilient, hard-working, hospitable and fun-loving.

Araneta Center in Quezon City is a large commercial area with major shopping malls, restaurants, cinemas, grocery stores and offices. It has links to two commuter train lines, a bus terminal, and taxi and jeepney depot. It even hosts a "government center," where satellite offices have been set up to assist the general public in securing documents. It is very accessible from where I live, so close that if I am in the mood for exercise, I can reach it by foot or by bike. For me, it is everything in one place. I grew up here, so I guess that makes me an expert on the topic. :)

Photo credits: http://www.manilagateway.com/

In the sweltering heat of the summer, people flocking to Araneta Center get entertained by a dancing traffic policeman. It makes us forget our troubles for a few minutes, turns a frown into a smile, and makes waiting to cross the street more bearable. It is indeed, Filipino talent at its best.

I am sharing a video of our very own "Dancing Policeman of Araneta Center." (Video credits: www.royalmediaent.com. Uploaded in YouTube by Mack Sean)

Its more fun in the Philippines! Enjoy!

A New Day Unfolds

I love taking pictures! I always have a camera handy to capture moments that will never again repeat itself. 

Last week, while most of my workmates were at a team building activity, I found the beauty of daybreak at 5 am. I took a snapshot of the lovely sky with my cellphone. The moon was just so pretty!

I ran back in the building to get my camera. Then I took another picture. Notice how quickly it got to light? The smudge (or streak) in the middle of the picture is a sparrow in flight. My shutter finger was not quick enough to get a better picture of it. 

I stand in awe at the beautiful colors of the horizon. Its a new day. A new chance at life. 

Praise and Glory to the Holy Triune God. Thank you Lord for making me witness Your Greatness. 

Pacquiao vs. Bradley II: Vindication and Elation

Photo credits: www.starmometer.com

It was another boxing match to remember. For the second time around, Manny Pacquiao met Timothy Bradley in the ring at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The first time these two boxers met, Pacquiao lost his title as the WBO Welterweight Champion. This second match was more of a way for both fighters to vindicate themselves. For Manny, to reclaim the title belt; and for Tim, to prove he deserved the win during their first match. To the delight of the Filipino nation, Manny Pacquiao emerged the winner and reclaimed his title.

In the Philippines, every time Manny Pacquiao has a match, unbelievable things happen. The people stay home, traffic eases up, the crime rate drops. It just seems that everyone HAS to watch the fight.

This is how quiet our street is during a Pacquiao boxing match

My family is no different from the rest. Its a fun time for everyone, especially when we see our mom's antics and hear her comments on the fighter's punches. We usually watch the fight on cable TV, however, there is always a delay in the telecast (unless we paid extra for a special real time feed). To get rid of the annoying "spoilers" on social media, we opted to do live video streaming to watch the fight. We set the laptop on a coffee table and watched the fight from there. Of course, my mom got the front seat. Haha.

My 75 year old sports loving mom had the front seat yesterday

When the National Anthems were being performed by Jessica Sanchez and Ashanti, my mom said, "Oh stop the singing! Let's get on with the fight!" We broke up in laughter. During the fight, my mom would scream, "Knock him out!" "Upper cut!" "Left hook!" "Get out of the corner!" She would be throwing punches in the air, mimicking the boxers moves and clapping loudly when Pacquiao scores a hit. My 75 year old sports loving mother. Amazing.

One good thing I discovered today is that Timothy Bradley is such a good sport. He's a toughie, yes, but after the fight was over, he just stood by Manny's side and kept on saying that Manny is such a good fighter and that he still has a lot to learn in the sport of boxing. Now that's sportmanship. Kudos to you, Timothy Bradley!

Sharing a video of the post fight interview to show how humble these two fighters are. No drama, just praise and recognition for each other. 

 Mabuhay ka, Manny Pacquiao! Mabuhay ka, Tim Bradley!

"When I Grow Up, I want to be..."

It is graduation time once more. Schools are all abuzz preparing for this annual event. In the Philippines, a child has to go through four graduation ceremonies before he/she is finally done with school. There is graduation from pre-school, then elementary graduation, high school graduation and then college. If they go ahead and pursue a post graduate course, then that would be five graduation ceremonies all in all. 

I turned my attention to young children. The youth and their dreams. The voices of the future. I asked some neighborhood kids about their dreams and if they would go abroad after graduation.  I was surprised with their honest, innocent responses.

Gab, 4 years old
Nursery

Gab lives next door to me. He's a little tyke with a huge personality.

When asked what he wants to be when he grows up, he quickly responds:

"I want to make buildings and houses. I want to be like my godfather - an architect."

Angelo, 7 years old

2nd Grade

Angelo and his friends play a lot outside when school is over. 

He dreams of becoming a doctor someday. 

When I asked him if he would want to work abroad, he said, "No, I want to stay here."

JL, 11 years old

5th grade

Like Angelo, he also dreams of becoming a doctor. 

I asked him, "A doctor here or abroad?" 

His response: "I'm not sure yet."

Judan, 7 years old

2nd grade

Judan was ready with his smile even before I had the camera on. What does Judan want to be when he grows up?

"A police officer in America!" was his quick response.

Tana, 6 years old

1st grade

Tana was quiet and shy but agreed to have her picture taken.

I asked about her dreams and she said she wants to be a nurse.

And she whispers "No going abroad. Just a nurse here."

Masakasu, 10 years old

4th grade

Masakasu is a Filipino-Japanese boy who dreams of becoming a Civil Engineer.

He was confident to declare he will definitely be working abroad when he is done with school.

Ayesha, 6 years old

1st grade

Ayesha is so tiny I thought she was still in pre-school. In her soft, shy voice she said, "I want to be a nurse and work in Saudi Arabia."

Erika, 7 years old

1st grade

Erika is lives in the next door apartment. She loves to sing and dreams of becoming an architect someday. When asked about her thoughts about working abroad, she said she does not want to go abroad to work.

It is alarming that some of these young children have their mind set on working abroad. One of them said that his father is in Saudi Arabia and is earning more than he was when he was here. Young as they are, these kids have the awareness of how difficult life is in the Philippines. They are aware of the fact that their chances to get a good job is not very promising. Their thoughts of a better life is not here but in some other country. 

When will our country escape the vicious cycle of the brain drain? Instilling patriotism in the minds of our youth is not good enough to make them stay. How can you opt to stay in the country when you can hardly make ends meet? An offer of a high paying job abroad would be very hard to refuse even if it means that you would be overqualified and underemployed.

These little kids with big dreams hold the future of our country in their hands. I wish our government would make laws to provide funding for their education, similar to the student loan programs being offered in other countries. Young minds who wish to serve, to be productive members of society must be given an a chance to be doctors, engineers, nurses, teachers or architects. A guarantee of local employment after graduation would provide motivation for our youth to strive hard to attain their dreams. 

I do not believe that our country does not have ample resources to fund a student loan program. We have the resources, it is only misappropriated and sadly, it ends up in the hands of the corrupt few. 

Our children do not have to work abroad as maids, laborers, or janitors to earn a decent income.  

If we want to have real economic improvement, all we need is to invest in the future.

Ask a child. Feel their dreams. Listen to their voice. 

The voice of the future. 

My Flower Album 2014: Nature in Bloom

On my way home from work, I noticed the burst of color in the garden around the church. The flowers are in bloom! I whipped out my camera (yes, I do have it with me every day) and started clicking away. When I got home, I took a walk around the neighborhood and took more photos of those colorful creations of God.

Here is my Flower Photo Album. My apologies, I do not know the names of these flowers. All I know is that they are beautiful.

Here are pics from my mom's flower garden. She does grow some amazing orchids!

Thank you Lord God for the pretty little things you send my way every day.

The Moon: Beauty Beyond Words

When I was growing up, I had this dream of becoming an astronaut. My fascination with the world beyond the earth could have been fueled by all the hype about the Apollo missions. I am still at awe every time I look up at the night sky. I can spend hours watching the moon and stars.

I try to capture pictures of the night sky as best as I can. Here are some crude pics from my collection. 

The full moon with a halo.

A cloudy night sky

The sky at dusk

The moon's last quarter

I will continue to look up at the sky and be amazed at the greatness of God's creation. 

Peace and love everyone.

Travel Fun in the Metro

I was born and raised in #Quezon City Philippines. I could not even imagine living anywhere else! I love the hustle and bustle of the big city. I love the convenience of living close to shopping malls, major grocery stores, churches, schools, hospitals, private corporations and government offices. My neighborhood is full of friendly people, ready to greet you with a smile and best of all, its flood free!

Getting around could be overwhelming for someone who arrived in Metro Manila for the first time. Let me show you the modes of transportation we usually take to get from point A to point B.

1. The tricycle

The vehicle of choice for short trips of not more than 2 kilometers. In the area where I live, the fare is Php17.00 per trip, maximum of two passengers. A third passenger would cost an additional Php8.00.

2. The Jeepney

Originally crafted out of old World War II jeeps, these vehicles can now accommodate up to 24 people inside the cab. Now called the "Jeepney," this vehicle plies most major roads (except EDSA), bringing students, employees, and any other passenger to their destinations. Baseline fare for a 4 kilometer ride is Php8.00

Another variant of the Jeepney is called the "FX," which is an airconditioned asian utility vehicle carrying only 10 passengers maximum. This is the vehicle of choice if you want to travel with a little more comfort.

Colorful jeepneys doing their daily routes

Guess who? Its Vin Diesel taking a jeepney ride in the Makati Business District

Vin Diesel getting off the jeepney

3. The Bus

Buses take the daily commuters along Metro Manila's major thoroughfares - EDSA, Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon Avenue, Ortigas Avenue and others. Taking the bus would be the best choice if you want to be guaranteed a seat - unless of course you get caught up in the rush hour madness. They can fill those buses tighter than a can of sardines.

A bus with free wi-fi. Keep yourself busy with your smartphone while stuck in traffic

4. The Commuter Trains

There are 3 major commuter train lines operating in Metro Manila. There is Light Rail Transit Line1 (LRT Line 1) that goes from Balintawak to Monumento. The LRT Line 2 connects with Line 1 at the Recto/Doroteo Jose Station in Manila. LRT Line 2 stretches from Santolan, Pasig to Recto, Manila. Passengers on this line are mostly students because of the numerous colleges and universities located along its route. The Metro Rail Transit (MRT) runs from North Avenue in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay. This line runs alongside EDSA, Metro Manila's main highway. People from the working class take this train and it can really get jampacked during rush hour. It sometimes makes you feel that your face got swapped with somebody else's.

Light Rail Transit Line 1

Light Rail Transit Line 2

Metro Rail Transit

5. The Feet

For really short trips to the grocery store, drug store or wet market, or sometimes a school or church, the best way to go is to walk. No traffic, no throngs of people, no rush.

Travel safely, everyone!