The Miracle of the Rose Petals: The Batangas Chronicles Part 2

The Church of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel sits in a quiet part of Lipa City, 83 kilometers from Manila. After the war, the Carmelite nuns relocated to this place from Manila. The church and convent was completed in 1946. Two years after it was built, a Marian Apparition happened in this place. A young novitiate named Teresita Castillo was praying in the convent garden when a vine started to shake. The voice of Our Lady requested her to kiss the earth and return to the same spot for the next 15 days. The apparition was that of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mediatrix of All Grace. Teresita was witness to all 19 apparitions.

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There were a lot of things that happened after that including the shower of rose petals that had images of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Jesus. The church investigators ruled negatively and ordered all things related to the apparition to be burned and destroyed. The statue of the Blessed Virgin was also ordered to be destroyed but the nuns wrapped it in rags and kept it to avoid being destoyed. The convent was ordered closed with no contact with anyone outside of it.

In 1951, the veneration of Our Lady Mediatrix of all Grace was allowed, however, the Philippine Church Heirarchy declared that "there was no supernatural intervention in the extraordinary happenings including the shower of rose petals in Lipa." This decision was affirmed by the Vatican in 2010.

I was born and raised a Catholic. I have experienced a miracle when I was a child. I experienced the power of prayer, if spoken from the heart, is indeed heard and answered. My mother fondly remembers this event in Lipa. She was born and reared in the town.

The picture below shows the original vine where Our Lady appeared to Teresita Castillo. It is still intact and can be viewed once you visit the Church and convent in Lipa.

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Here is a picture of one of the rose petals that fell on the church garden.

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I do not care whether some look at this as a hoax. The message is plain and simple. We should practice humility, penance and offer prayers for the clergy, the Pope, for the world and to pray the Rosary. The world in its current state is in turmoil. Prayers, with childlike confidence is our only hope.

Have a blessed week ahead.

Further readings: 
1. http://www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/unapproved_apparitions/lipa/
2. https://ph.news.yahoo.com/miracle-rose-petals-revisited-000512658.html

The Rights Of A Child

It is alarming how children around the world have fallen victim to violence, hunger, disease, and trafficking. I am appalled to read about these things in the news. The children are the future of our world and they deserve every bit of love, respect and attention.

I write today because I feel that there is a need to increase awareness and to remind the world on the Rights Of The Child.

DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF A CHILD

(Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 1386 (XIV) 10 December 1959)

1. The child shall enjoy all the rights set forth in this declaration. Every child, without any exception whatsoever, shall be entitled to these rights, without distinction or discrimination on account of race,color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status, whether of himself or of his family.

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2. The child shall enjoy special protection, and shall be given opportunities and facilities, by law and by other means, to enable him to develop physically, morally, mentally, spiritually and socially, in a healthy and normal manner and in conditions of freedom and dignity. In the enactment of laws for this purpose, the best interests of the child will be the paramount consideration

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3. The child shall be entitled at birth to a name and nationality

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4. The child shall enjoy the benefits of social security. He shall be entitled to grow and develop in health; to this end, special care and protection shall be provided both to him and to his mother, including adequate prenatal and post natal care. The child shall have the right to adequate nutrition, housing, recreation and medical services.

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5. The child who is physically, mentally or socially handicapped shall be given the special treatment, education and care required by his particular condition.

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6. The child, for the full and harmonious development of his personality, needs love and understanding. He shall, wherever possible, grow up in the care and under the responsibility of his parents, and, in any case, in an atmosphere of affection and of moral and material security; a child of tender years shall not, save in exceptional circumstances, be separated from his mother. Society and public authorities shall have the duty to extend particular care to children without a family and to those without adequate means of support. Payment of State and other assistance towards maintenance of children of large families is desirable.

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7. The child is entitled to receive education, which shall be free and compulsory, at least in the elementary stages. He shall be given an education that will promote his general culture, and enable him, on the basis of of equal opportunity to develop his abilities, his individual judgement, and his sense of social and moral responsibility, and to become a useful member of society.

The best interests of the child shall be the guiding principle of those responsible for his education and guidance; that responsibility lies in the first place with his parents.

The child shall have full opportunity for play and recreation, which should be directed to the same purposes as education; society and the public authorities shall be endeavor to promote the enjoyment of this right.

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8. The child shall in all circumstances, be the among the first to receive protection and relief.

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9. The child shall be protected against all forms of neglect, cruelty and exploitation. He shall not be the subject of traffic, in any form.

The child shall not be admitted to employment before an appropriate minimum age; he shall in no case, be caused or permitted to engage in any occupation or employment which would prejudice his health or education, or interfere with his physical, mental or moral development.

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10. The child shall be protected from practices which may foster racial, religious and any form of discrimination. He shall be brought up in a spirit of understanding, tolerance, friendship among peoples, peace and universal brotherhood, and in full consciousness that his energy and talents should be devoted to the service of his fellowmen.

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The bottom line is that no child should know of war, injustice, hunger, racism and violence. We owe it to them to make the world a place where they can grow up to be free, healthy and happy. These children will take over from where we left off. What future would they have if we, the adults they look up to continue to dwell on differences and greed and rob them of a beautiful tomorrow?

Peace, Love and Charity. Start putting these three little things in our lives today. Do it now. Do it for the children.

Wishing all of us a meaningful week ahead.

Please watch this short video:

Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mmy9MpwyKnQ

Smart Entrepreneurship

Establishing a retail business is a good fall back option after retirement. It is easy to manage and does not require a lot of capital. A small stall in a high traffic area would ensure a steady influx of customers.

A clothing and accessories shop is one kind of retail business that always promises a good return of investment. Entrepreneurs should, however, be very careful in selecting the goods they put up for retail. Wholesale stores and websites provide competitive pricing, however, if you want your business to thrive, you should also go for quality. ShopForBags.com is a company that lives up to your expectations. You can purchase wholesale clothing from here. They have a wide selection of items like clothes, bags, shoes, and accessories. The designs are unique which would appeal to the taste of buying public. 

The company also offers free shipping for orders over $350, which is a big help for small scale clothing shops. For those who are dreaming of putting an end to being a corporate slave, the retail business would be your best option. Check the site out and do your research. Live your dream and start being your own boss.

On Learning To Love Growing Old

You start growing gray hair, your skin is not as supple as it used to be. Your vision turns bad, your hearing is not that good anymore. You are growing old. So what? No big deal. Growing old has other "perks." Here are 8 of them.

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1. You gain increased independence coupled with decreased mobility. When you were young, all you wanted to be was to grow up to gain independence. Now that you have the independence, you can't get to places you want to be because of obligations and responsibilities, topped with decreased joint mobility.

2. You learn to love sleeping. Remember how much you hated it when your mother forced you to take an afternoon nap? If you had known then that you would be sleep-deprived in adulthood, you would have taken a century worth of sleep when you were a child.

3. You become aware of unseen body parts that were unknown to you as a child. As an adult, your knowledge of human anatomy has gone beyond "head, shoulders, knees and toes." You now know that you have all sorts of glands, most of which go crazy and cause your current health issues.

4. You now can be proud to have a richer vocabulary. Words now have more than one meaning. For example, "Lumps" as a child meant you had a bad fall. "Lumps" in an adult can mean something else. 

5. You get to have in-depth knowledge of the word "Ache." As a child, the only "aches" you knew of were tummy ache and toothache. As an adult, you get to experience headache, heartache, joint ache, back ache and a whole lot of aches.

6. Excellence is something you try to stay away from. As a child, bagging an academic excellence award means a new toy, a new dress, monetary rewards, a dream vacation or a family dinner in a fancy restaurant. In adulthood, excellence at work would mean promotion, which means you will be given more work.

7. You look forward to retirement. It amuses you to watch young adults scrambling to land their dream job and make a mark. You shake your head and mutter to yourself, "Been there. Done that."

8. The best part of growing old is not counting how many years you have been alive. It is in collecting, treasuring and reminiscing all the good times and life lessons you had along the way. 

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A Picnic Must Have: Snug Fit Table Covers

Picnics and family gatherings are always something to look forward to. I loved it as a child, I love it even more as an adult. Every Christmas, me and my family all gather together in our grandmother's house for a potluck lunch. It is so much fun to be with my cousins and meet the new baby of the family or congratulate another who is expecting a child. 

We usually put out a long table in the garden for the sumptuous lunch. The biggest challenge, however  is finding a table cloth. With young kids running around, we have to make sure that no one trips over the table cloth.

This year, my cousins and I will be using a spandex stretch table cover. It fits snugly on our long table, which is one of its the best features. Made of 100% real spandex material, we can be assured that it won't rip at the seams. Functional, wrinkle free and reasonably priced. 

The color choices are tops too! With 20 different color choices, we can be assured of having the right color for the right occasion. I love the hunter colored 4 sided regular back closed style. I would love to have one in red color too. So Christmasey! 

Get yours too and have a worry free picnic or family gathering! Works well to for your child's crafting table!

UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Centuries-old Churches in the Philippines

The Philippines is the only predominantly Catholic country in Asia. Colonized by the Spaniards for centuries, the friars built massive churches and schools to entice the natives to convert to Christianity. Most of the churches built during the 16th century are well preserved and stand witness to the steadfast faith of the Filipino people. Destructive earthquakes, world wars and natural calamities have come and gone, but these churches remain, thanks to the efforts of the locals who rebuilt the structures brick by brick.

Among the numerous churches worthy to visit in the Philippines, there are 4 that have been named World Heritage Sites by the UNESCO. These are the Sta. Maria Church in Ilocos Sur, the Saint Augustine Church in Paoay, Ilocos Norte, the Santo Tomas de Villanueva Church in Miag-ao, Iloilo and the San Agustin Church in Intramuros, Manila.

Sta. Maria Church, Ilocos Sur. Located in the northeastern part of the island of Luzon, the massive church sits on top of a hill, surrounded by a thick wall on all sides. To get to the church, one must climb an 85-step granite stairway that leads into the courtyard. The Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion Church (Our Lady of the Assumption) or Sta. Maria Church as it is commonly known started as a chapel in 1567, where a statue of Our Lady of the Assumption was enthroned. It was originally located on the foot of the hill where the present church now stands. However, the image frequently disappeared and was found on a guava tree on top of the hill. The construction of the present church on top of the hill started in 1765 and was completed in 1810, together with its 4-story bell tower. The church is 325 ft (99 m) in length, 74 ft (22.7 m)  in width. It was designated a National Historical Landmark in 1982 and was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.

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St. Augustine Church, Paoay, Ilocos Norte. Commonly called "Paoay Church," located also in the northeastern part of the island of Luzon, the construction of the church was started by the Augustinian friars in 1686 and completed in 1710. The most striking feature is massive buttresses that support the wall of the church. The design is classified as "Earthquake Baroque," and was made so due to the seismic activity in the region. The walls of the church are 5.47 ft (1.67 m) thick. The materials used to make the massive structure are bricks, coral stones, lumber and tree sap. The 3-story bell tower is made of the same materials, and is detached from the church building to prevent damage to the church in the event of collapse during an earthquake. The church is 360 ft (110 m) in length, 130 ft. (40 m) wide. The Paoay church was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993.

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Santo Tomas de Villanueva Church, Miag-ao, Iloilo. Located in the island of Iloilo in the Visayas Region, the Santo Tomas de Villanueva Church is also known as the "Fortress Church." Its two differently designed belfries  used to serve as watch towers to defend the town against the frequent invasion of the moros or muslims. The church started as a visita in 1580, became an independent parish in 1731. Between 1741 to 1754, the town of Miag-ao experienced frequent moro invasion, forcing them to move to a more secure place. Construction of the church where it is presently located took 10 years, from 1787-1797. Its thick walls served to secure the church against invaders. The materials used to make the massive structure were adobe, coral, egg and limestone. The walls are 4.92 ft (1.5 m) thick, reinforced by flying buttresses 13.12 ft (4 m) thick. The Santo Tomas de Villanueva Church was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.

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San Agustin Church, Manila. The San Agustin Church in Manila has endured a lot of catastrophes - fire, wars, and earthquakes. The present church is the 3rd structure built on the site. From its humble beginnings as a church made of nipa and bamboo in 1571, the San Agustin Church was the first religious structure built by the Spaniards on the island of Luzon. In 1586, the Augustinian friars decided to build a structure made of stone. The church and adjacent monastery was completed in 1604. It survived the massive earthquakes that shook Manila, and it was the only one among the seven (7) churches in Intramuros that remained after the Battle of Manila. The interior of the church is jaw dropping. The ornate ceilings designed by Italian painters, the pulpit, grand pipe organ, hand carved choir seats, and 16 beautiful chandeliers from Paris are nothing but awesome. The huge edifice measures 220 ft (67.15 m) in length and 81.8 ft (24.93 m) in width. Together with three other churches mentioned, the San Agustin Church in Manila was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.

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The pomp and splendor of these churches are just amazing. I do not need to travel to Europe to experience the beauty of Baroque architecture. I can have it right here, in the Philippines. In these islands I call HOME.

Typhoon Glenda: The Aftermath

16 July 2014. Typhoon Glenda (International name: "Rammasun") made landfall in the southern part of the island of Luzon. Packing 150 kph winds near the center with wind gusts of up to 195 kph, it left 54 people dead, P5.4 billion in damage to infrastructure and agriculture, and plunged the nation's capital and surrounding provinces in darkness.

I had to go to report for work on that day, since attendance compliance is such a big thing in the BPO industry. It was just starting to rain when I left home at 1:30 am. The weather started to get bad at around 6am. The wind was howling and that made it hard for me to concentrate on my work. The power fluctuated so many times until we eventually lost it.

The storm calmed down at a little past 11am. I started on my way home and what I saw really blew my mind. I work in the posh and beautiful Eastwood City and here are some pictures of the damage brought about by the storm.

The outdoor dining area in Eastwood Central Plaza

Even the heavy road signs did not stand a chance from the strong winds

Eastwood City Walk II

The outdoor dining area in Eastwood City Walk II

Tree branches and debris in front of TGI Fridays

My mom and my sister freaked out when a power transformer across their street blew up and sent sparks flying into my mom's garden. My sister called me at work and I told her to turn off the circuit breaker in the house. 

Here are some pictures I took around the neighborhood:

  

A big mango tree leaning on an old house in the street behind ours.

A broken tree branch hanging on a high tension wire. This is a on our street, 2 houses from where we live. 

Meralco workers were quick to respond and took the tree branch down

Here is a video I took while the storm was raging. This area is just outside our office building. 

My family and I are blessed that we weathered out the storm. My thoughts and prayers are with those who grieve the loss of a loved one, those whose homes were destroyed, and to those who are now living in evacuation centers. 

I am asking you too, my dear readers to pray for healing for my country.

Trivia: 24 years ago, on the same day, July 16, the island of Luzon was struck by a strong 7.7 earthquake that claimed thousands of lives.

Storm Season Is Here. How Prepared Are You?

In the Philippines, we only have two seasons - wet and dry. (eyes rolling). Good thing though, there are more dry months than wet months. We are currently in the wet season and that only means tropical storms and typhoons are going to be part of our daily lives.  

As I write, the country is bracing for Tropical Storm Glenda (International name: "Rammasun"), expected to make landfall Tuesday or Wednesday in the island of Luzon. Forecasts show the 400-km wide storm will cut across central Luzon, including Metro Manila. Wind gusts of up to 95kph and rainfall of 7.5-15 millimeters per hour are just a few of the things we expect. With every storm, there is always a risk of landslides, flooding, and of course, increase in prices of commodities brought about by damage to crops and the farm-to-market roads.

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National Geographic and Prudence Foundation has joined forces to come up with the website Safe Steps, with the slogan - "You Too Can Be A Survivor." The website contains information that people can refer to in preparation for an upcoming storm/typhoon. There are also guidelines for emergency situations in the event of an earthquake, flood or fire. The Philippines sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, making us vulnerable to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other natural disasters. Safe Steps is a great way to disseminate information even before disaster strikes. It is an easy-to-navigate website, which even children can learn a lot from.  

 

We can all do our part to avoid the loss of lives by spreading awareness. A simple task of disseminating infographics like the one shown above can do a lot. Stay Safe. Click here to get involved.

This is NOT a sponsored post. This is an act of kindness to spread awareness and to encourage safety and preparedness in the event of natural calamities.

Taal Volcano: The Batangas Chronicles Part 1

The majestic Taal Volcano is a sight to behold. It is the only one of its kind in the world. Aptly described as "An island (Vulcan Point) within a lake (the main crater lake) within an island (the volcano island), within a lake (Taal Lake) within an island (Luzon).

An aerial view of the volcano island and the main crater lake. Notice the tiny speck? That's Vulcan Point.

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Located in the Province of Batangas, around 70 kilometers from Manila. Taal Volcano is best viewed from Tagaytay City, an elevated area of the Taal Caldera. It is believed that the caldera itself was formed by a huge prehistoric volcanic eruption. Could it be that this entire province was once a super-volcano?

Taal Volcano has had 33 significant eruptions in history and is still active up to the present time. Forty-seven (47) cones and craters have been identified on the 8 square mile volcano island. Taal Volcano has been named a Decade Volcano, and the volcano island itself is a Permanent Danger Zone. Taal Volcano is the lowest lying volcano, its highest point is only 311 meters above sea level.

During the volcano's "quiet" days, nature lovers and trekkers love exploring the volcano island. This gave rise to a lucrative business for the people living along the lake shore. Boatmen ferry the tourists to the volcano island where they can trek to view the main crater lake and the tiny island within it, named Vulcan Point.

The volcano island and the caldera

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The main crater lake showing a tiny island, Vulcan Point.

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My parents, grandparents and great grand parents are from the Province of Batangas. My fondest memories as a child would be spending weekends in my grandparents' house in Taal. My grandfather would take us to the lake shore where we would enjoy a feast of fresh grilled fish specially the "Maliputo," and "Tawilis," species of fish found only in the waters of Taal Lake. 

There are folk tales about the boat ride from the lake shore to the island. Some locals warn tourists not to mind or utter a word when they notice some strange creature riding in the boat with them halfway through the trip. The locals say that these are creatures from the spirit world, and that they live on the volcano island. They warn tourists that the spirits are easily angered by misbehavior and disrespect for nature. As it is, I think it is just a reminder for us to avoid littering, or trampling down on saplings and such.

Taal Volcano is just one of the beautiful places to visit in the Province of Batangas. Although I have not visited province for almost 10 years, I am still very proud of my heritage.

Lahing Batangueño. Dugong Pilipino.

Encourage Your Child To Love Reading With Early Moments

Reading to our children is one of the best bonding activities we can have with them. Reading to toddlers

will enhance their ability to learn the language by associating the sounds with the objects. Creative ideas come forth through reading too. Teaching them to love books is a good habit that they will take with them until they are grown adults.

In line with this wonderful time we parents share with our children, Early Moments is offering Disney Books for just 99¢ each plus free shipping! High quality, hard cover editions at 80% off the regular price. They are currently offering the Lion King and Sleeping Beauty for 99¢ each plus you get to choose two (2) more for the same price. Now which little girl would not want her very own copy of Frozen?

Check out #Early Moments here. See the smiles, love the hugs. Enjoy the priceless moments you and your child will share.