My Officemates' Kindness

Friends and family know that I'm not good at asking for money for personal gain. I have difficulty accepting money even if I'm terribly broke; I'd take gifts in kind instead. I just find it really difficult to get somebody else's hard earned cash (I am totally Against any form of Corruption,grrr).

I can easily ask/tease family (my sisters palagi) and friends to treat me to a movie or to merienda or to a restaurant, but I'd never really seriously ask for their money. I can easily ask for donations for my 2 favorite organizations (JVP and APC) and can talk about them for hours, but don't ask me to talk about myself and sell myself so you'd give money for me - I'll be out of words because I'd be too embarrassed.

So when I emailed my officemates about asking them to participate to the Kindness Revolution, helping me in raising the 20k I need for my trip to London, I started with the line - "kakapalan ko lang po ang mukha ko." And I guess my email of "pagmamakaawa" worked because yesterday my great and kind officemates poured their donations for me.

(Picture on the left) That's Bag-i for Kindness Revolution. She got 3 100Php/cards. I know I have guy friends there who are secretly interested in her already -  if you are as intelligent and pretty as bag-i, send me a personal message and we'll see if I can set you up. hehehe


What's more touching is that not one of them asked me to do anymore good deed, except for different prayers for them, saying - "Wag na, You've Been Good naman na To us!" (kakatouch naman yan kahit medyo BOLA lang alam ko!hehehe) Some of them teased me to write a proposal, etc, but I knew they weren't really serious.

Since they weren't asking for anything in return, I figure an entry would be nice way to thank them. To announce to the world how fortunate I am to have great officemates and friends.(I'll email them to visit this site soon) Many Thanks to:

Asia Forest Network (AFN) "Officemates"
Ate Weng and Bag-i - Thank you so much! AFN and Bohol are so lucky to have you. I promise to keep your request in my prayers bag-i. Ate Weng, Lake Sebu was so much fun because you were there with me.

ESSC and APC Officemates
Gaya ni Ate Weng, I want to put it in record that I too started with ESSC first. My JVP area placement was ESSC-MBY afterall. ESSC/APC, even with the spin off, they'll always be one and the same in my heart.

Ate Dallay - Salamat! Salamat! Especially for the many lunch breaks we shared. Thank you for reminding me that sandwich and chips are so unhealthy for a meal, but I'll most probably have that for lunch pa din.hehehe

Sylvia - Thank you! Even if I wasn't able to say it a lot, you know how miserable I was whenever you're not in the office. Having you beside me was such great comfort. You are a friend and a mother - one of the coolest moms I know. I shall think of you in our stopover in HK

Kuya Andres - You are one great big brother! Thanks! Thank you for always welcoming me back in Malaybalay. Even when I was still just an ex-volunteer visiting, you've always made me feel like I have a home and a family in Bukidnon. I love your kids and I look forward to watching them grow! :)

Little Kuya Andres (hehehe) - this is MIGUEL, Kuya Andres' eldest son.

Iris - Mare! Thank you! I told you in the letter that you are one of my beautiful blessings of 2007 and I mean it. And hey you - guy friends there who find her pretty and would want to get to know her more, send me a private message also.  :) But you better not break her heart or I'll break your arms and legs!

Kuya Popoy - What I can say?! You remain to be one of the best persons I know. You are definitely one of my favorite people - my Favorite and the Best First Area Supervisor ever! I'm so fortunate to be watching Elai grow into a smart young lady. Thank you so much for helping me keep my sanity in the last 8 months. You are my guru of "unconditional love and work for Bendum."

Kuya Popoy and Iris :)

Tsang Chona! :)

Ate Chona - my "real" and technically Only officemate among all these people. You are my partner in crime and thank you for proving that despite the many times we argue at work, we can remain great friends. You are an ate, a "girl"friend and a tsang in one. I know you miss me already (hehehe), I shall miss you too... Hang in there, Hope to see you in Bendum in December for Kaamulan?!? :)  - - - And Guys! Please do not be intimidated by Ate Chona's beauty and brilliance, send me a private message and I'll see if you passed my standards for her. (hehehe, parang binebenta ko lahat ng officemates ko).

I also send my warmest thanks to Margaux, Mila, Ninia(miss ko na kagagahan mo), Victoria, Kuya Bai (sobrang salamat!)  Ate Cherrie, Pam, Ate Mai-Mai, Ms. Emily,Ate Maricris, Bro.Gabe and Bros for all being part of my ESSC-APC stint. :)

To all the volunteer teachers of APC - Kuya Tata, Ate Maura, Nay Cecil, Ikong, Zarmin, Ate Cheche, Mercy, and Jus - it was a tough year without a principal, but graduation is almost here. :)  Jus - sige na bunso ka na by one month, I wish that you truly find your heart's desire, and wish you don't break any heart/s along the way (hehe). wag masyadong mamilosopo at makulit - pakabait!. To the people in the ESSC MBY Office - Kuya Seth, Aubrey, Ate Joy, Jonathan, Rhandy, Aye, Kuya Norwin, Mang Domeng, Hussein, and Koko - Thank you very much for sharing your office, time, resources and all else with us at APC. Malaybalay is a second home because of all of you. 

Pedro - (I'm not sure he'd be able to read this) For the many lessons that he has taught me regarding the forest, the work for the IPs and regarding life in general. I meant all the words I said in my letter to you.

I've been so blessed to have a great bunch of officemates/friends. Nasesenti ako realizing, I'm really going to miss them. So if you have great officemates yourselves, make sure you do make them feel how blessed you are and thankful you are that you are working with them.

Excerpts,Misa sa Katotohanan

Thanks to Paulyne for the Copy.. but I'm not going to share entire Homily of one my favorite Jesuit Priest Friends, acting Provincial Fr. Mario Francisco, SJ. Only the parts that I believe should be given emphasis and also showed how brilliant Fr. Mario is with his homilies. Iba talaga ang mga homily niya - JVPs will agree with me on this. At may kakaibang dating lang din ang homilya, yung pagbabahagi sa Tagalog.

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Narinig natin ang pagbasa buhat sa Ebanghelyo ni San Lukas, ika-anim na kapitulo, bersikulo 36-38. Parang hindi ito bagay sa mga pangyayaring nagdala sa atin dito—ang kadilimang bumabalot sa proyektong NBN—at sa tema ng Misa natin—katotohanan at pananagutan [truth and accountability]. Sinasabi sa pagbasang “Maging mahabagin, huwag humatol, huwag magparusa at magpatawad at magbigay kayo.” Pinalalambot ba nito ang ating mga tuhod? Maliwanag na hindi dahil sa mga naunang bahagi ng kapitulo, pinapahayag ring “Mapapalad ang mga dukha, nagugutom, tumatangis at kinapootan,” samantalang “aba naman ang mayayaman, busog, nagsisitawa at pinupuri ngayon.” Ngunit sinusundan ito ng tawag na “ibigin ninyo ang inyong mga kaaway, at gawan ng mabuti ang napopoot sa inyo.”

Napapaloob sa kapitulong ito ng Ebanghelyo ni Lukas ang Salita ng Diyos na ayon kay San Pablo’y “dapat nating pakinggan, napapanahon man o hindi.” Nandito ang pangaral ni Jesus sa lahat ng nais sumunod sa kanya, at ang hamon sa atin ngayon.
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Pinamana ng ating Amang San Ignacio ang paraan ng pagkilatis [discernment], hindi upang magkulong sa konsepto o maparalisa sa pagkilos kundi upang ang pagkilos natin ay batay sa ating pakikinig sa Salita ng Diyos sa banal na templo ng ating mga puso bilang sambyanan ng Diyos. At ang katotohanang tinutuklas natin dito ay hindi lamang katotohanan tungkol sa mga pangyayari kundi katotohanan tungkol sa ating sarili at komunidad. Kung hindi natin masilayan ang katotohanan, hindi kaya natatakpan ng kanser ang ating mga mata o kaya’y nagbubulag-bulagan tayo?

Ikalawa, ipinaglalaban at pinaninindigan ang katotohanan. Halimbawa nito ang buhay ni Jesus na nagpatutoo sa pag-ibig at habag ng Diyos sa kabila ng pagtutol ng iba at pagtalikod ng kanyang mga disipulo. Hindi sementadong expressway ang daan tungo sa katotohanan. Bukod sa mga lubak na dala ng taunang tag-ulan, marami itong hadlang, pati na iba’t ibang checkpoint. Dahil dito, dapat nating ipaglabang matanggal ang lahat ng sagabal na ito—ang pagtatago sa likod ng direktiba, ang pagpilipit sa butil-butil na impormasyon para palabuin ang usapin, at ang paggamit sa usapin upang isulong ang pansariling pampulitikang interes. At dapat managot ang sinumang may kinalaman rito.

Ngunit sa paglabang ito at pananagot para sa katotohanan, dapat rin nating labanan ang ating sarili o iyong mga tagong bahaging nakakahadlang rin sa katotohanan. Kailangan nating itanong kung mayroon din tayong pananagutan sa katiwaliang laganap na naghahari sa buo nating paligid. Sino sa atin ang nagpapadulas sa sandaang piso para lamang hindi maabala ng paglabag natin sa batas trapiko o nagsasabing “Pasensya na sir, pari ako at may hinahabol na Misa”? O kaya’y napakadaling hindi lamang umiwas sa buwis kundi magduktor ng papeles para hindi magbayad? Ilan kaya sa ating mga mag-aaral ang nagtiis na pumila at magparehistro upang makaboto sa halalan?

Ikatlo, nagbubuklod ang katotohanan. Inanyayahan ni Jesus ang lahat upang manindigan para sa katotohanan at hindi niya o ninumang propeta pinagbuhatan ng kamay ang sinumang tumalikod sa katotohanan. Kung tayo’y nandito at nagkakaisa, ang pinakamalalim na bukal nito ay hindi dahil sa magkapareho ang ating paboritong kulay (maging asul o berde o pula o dilaw), at hindi rin dahil magkakapartido tayo. Katotohanan ang tumawag sa atin dito at nagbigkis. At inaasahan nating sa hinaharap hindi tayo magbibingi-bingihan sa tawag na ito.

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Magalit tayo sa kasinungalingan at katiwalian ngunit isaloob natin ang narinig natin sa Ebanghelyo: “Magbigay kayo at bibigyan kayo ng Diyos: hustong takal, siksik, liglig, at umaapaw pa ang ibibigay sa inyo.” Ibig sabihin, ang pagpapala ng katotohanan.

Allow me to end with what may appear at first sight as a strange image: that of the bloodied Jesus before Pontius Pilate. Upon being asked “What is Truth?” by Pontius Pilate who knew it not and washed his hands, Jesus replied with silence—not passivity but the deafening witness of a life totally lived in and offered for truth. During these days and hereafter, may we as individuals and people do likewise. Only this will ensure genuine transformation of our society and lasting peace for our children’s children.

Conversations(Bayan kong Pinas)

Talking to Gang at YM was perfect timing. It's easy to be apathetic these days, and not care because I really can puke at the actions of our government officials. There's a huge part of me that doesn't want to comment about the things that are happening. Ayoko na! I really don't want to care. But damn do I care!

The conversation started out as "worklike" trying to establish linking RockEd with Ehem, etc. But we had fun thinking about what life would be if we simply didn't care; if we just migrate, if we could turn back time.

Kang: alam mo tama ka, maghahanap na lang ako ng mayamang Brit na mapapangasawa at titira na ako sa UK. I'll marry Prince William.

Gang: alam mo, susuportahan kita dyan sa bid mo to marry Prince William. That's the Goal, Go Kang!

Kang: but will i really be able to sleep well at night knowing im ok, im great and all but that hundreds and thousands of my kababayans are living way below poverty line? are dying of hunger and the beasts in our government just keep on getting all the money and resources we have?

Gang:..the temptation to migrate is fantastic...haaaaay Kang...kung kakayanin ko lang, tulad nung sinasabi mo na matulog ng mahimbing sa first world kong kama

Kang: kainis talaga yang mga Pari at Madre na kung ano anong pagmamahal sa bayan ang tinuro satin eh. i swear if magkakaanak man ako, if i do decide that i want kids
kasi now, i don't want kids..i swear di sila mag aaral sa mga Preferential Option for the Poor na yan! no Jesuit schools, no Nuns and Priests...dapat dun sa mga Sakim na school. hehehe

Gang: hahaha. ako, if I could turn back the clock..mag aaral ako sa Arts School
tapos ang iinitindihin ko, purong puro na arts...mag tutula ako tungkol sa mga anino...ganun..
mga ganun ganun lang....hindi ako ma aapekto ng mga taga gobyerno ganun..kasi nakatutok lang ako sa pag likha,ayokong nangengelam na

And our conversation also went to blaming our parents too for teaching us to be good and to care about others and the country; we also talked about wanting to just star in those makeover shows in the states and care only of our looks and the clothes we wear everyday, not if other people have something to eat or that the tax we are paying are being stolen by damn government officials.

We were, in short, dreaming! Nananaginip lang kasi at the end of the day - We cannot be apathetic; because we damn care - we are tired, we are angry, we are exhausted at the sight of mere politicians, not leaders but we still want things to change. We seek for the Truth and we Demand for it!

And in the light of Lozada's coming out and people saying he's a hero - I go back to the idea of EHEMPLO when I was working for Ehem. To tell the truth, to help out the country and bring forth positive change is Everyone's Responsibility. It is not Heroic, what he is doing is Just because he is telling the "truth" (i hope he is) but he's no Hero. But he can be an EHEMPLO. He's not perfect, he's done bad things in the past, but if he wants to change and wants to help bring forth change, then he is being a Good Example.

But seriously, ikaw, ako - Lahat Tayo responsibilidad na maging mabuting tao, na maging ehemplo sa isa't isa. Hindi hinihingiling ang maging perpekto - pero na maging totoo ka, na subukang maging mabuti sa lahat ng gawain, yan ang ang hinihingi sa Tao. Yan ay kung TAO ka. Kasi kung HAYOP ka, di ko yun aasahan sa iyo.

Iniisip ko, at the end of each day, it might be good to ask ourselves -  Paano ba ako naging mabuting tao ngayong araw na ito? Sang bagay ako naging Ehemplo sa iba? Sang bagay ako dapat magbago?

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PS - salamat sa pag-uusap sa Gang, I know you were asking for opinion and help when you first talked to me sa YM, but I actually needed that conversation. you helped me din.

Roadtrip Cdo-Bkdn-Dvo

This one is for Kram/Kabs/Gali. I promised him I'd post this. Sorry it took so long kabs!

I think I've said it in one of my blog entries that I've traveled Cdo-Bkdn-Dvo but last December was my first official "roadtrip" because we were fortunate to have Kuya Marlon being based in CDO and having a car. Yahoo!

Ang Ganda talaga ng Bukidnon!

Kung sana sing ganda, sing yaman ng kagubatan ng bukidnon ang estado ng bansa. haaay.

Kindness Revolution (raising funds here!)

Hi Friends!

I need to raise funds as part of our community share in the VSO-GXProgramme and you might be able to help me.

One fundraising tool we have is the KINDNESS REVOLUTION CARDS. It was the previous batch of GXP volunteers’ brainchild that we just inherited.

We are giving kindness a price… I invite you to “purchase” a kindness revolution card – priced at 100, 300, 500, 1000Php to help us (GXP volunteers) in raising funds and help spread kindness in this world. When you purchase the card, you can either give it to me whole-heartedly as a donation with nothing in return or ask me to spread kindness by asking me to do a Good Deed to another person.

Examples

1) 100Php card in exchange for saying a prayer for a friend or for the country

2) 300Php card in exchange I should feed 2 kids outside Katipunan with 2 Regular Yum from Jollibee.

3) 500Php card in exchange of giving a 15minute massage to a blind masseuse.

4) 1000Php card in exchange for writing a Thank You letter/Card and delivering it to your favorite College Professor whom you never got to thank years ago.



How will you know that I did the good deed? There's a BLOG, thekindnessrevolution.blogspot.com, which we will invite you to check after 2-3weeks so you can pictures/updates of the good deeds we have done. Ayos di ba?

Anyway, this project will not just be for my benefit but also for the benefit of the entire GX Programme. Global Xchange Programme volunteers -- a group of multicultural youth volunteers that aims to make a real difference, make concrete contributions to developing communities, and fight multi-faceted global poverty.

So Let me know ha? Salamat! :)
Davao Friends - I might be able to go home very early in March so wala kayong KAWALA. hehehe.