Summer Time!

Summer life in the Philippines is so fiestarrific. It is one of my favorite seasons, second to Christmas. Because summer here is synonymous to beaches. Almost the entire summer season, you'd find beaches in fiesta atmosphere.



The Philippines is very blessed with great summer getaways, from north to south and within the scattered islands, beaches abound. In the north, the Batanes islands welcome tourists and whale pods alike to its majestic hills and temperate waters.



In Pangasinan, the famous hundred islands entice you to go island hopping. In Boracay, the pristine waters and white sand beaches attract thousands of visitors all year. Puerto Galera, another popular white sand island boasts its attractive diving sites.



Down the south is Siargao beach, which is considered the surfing capital of the Philippines where international competitions are held. And then there is Bohol and Palawan islands, hosting the most diversified wildlife in nature. Their magnificent diving sites, beaches and vacation islands such as Panglao, El Nido and Aman Pulo entice even Hollywood celebrities.



I am looking forward to another nice summer dip in the beach, forget work, throw away stress and get in touch with nature.

Rice Crisis!

It's very ironical to know that a very agricultural country like the Philippines is actually experiencing a rice crisis. Some areas of the nation have people literally lining-up in stores for their daily ration of rice. And some people are now crying for help from the government which repeatedly assures plenty of supply. The price of rice zoomed from 24 pesos to 35 pesos per kilo of the same variant over the week and continually climbs.

The Catholic church has offered help in distribution of rice. Some restaurants and food chains have also offered to their customers half-orders of rice.

I really hope this will be controlled soon as police authorities have warned that crime rates will rise if the situation aggravates.

Happy Easter 2008

Happy Easter to all! Hope that the risen Christ finds His way into your hearts and that the reflection on the past Holy Week gives birth to a new you.

That is actually the basic message in the Easter celebration - rebirth. Which is why we have Easter eggs because eggs symbolize the nature of being reborn. It is the season of renewal. We reflect on our past past values, shed those that were not proper and instill in our hearts those that Christ wants us to accomplish.

The season of Lent re-echoes God’s call for us all to reorient and redirect our hearts toward God. What we love reveals what we value. The secret of having a meaningful and grace-filled season lies in what is hidden in us. May God find a contrite heart in each of us. May we be renewed!

In Him alone

I want to share this very meaningful song from Bukas Palad Music Ministry.

REFRAIN:
In Him alone is our hope
In Him alone is our strength
In Him alone are we justified
In Him alone are we saved

What have we to offer
That does not fade or wither
Can the world ever satisfy
The emptiness in our hearts
In vain we deny (REFRAIN)

When will you cease running
In search of hollow meaning
Let His love feed the hunger
In your soul till it overflows
With joy you yearn to know (REFRAIN)

DESCANT:
In Him alone is our hope
Unto Him I pour out my heart
He alone will save me
With His love and mercy.

Bo Speaks

I have always admired Bo Sanchez's talks. When he talks everyone is at all ears. Here's one reason why...

"Let me tell you a crazy story I heard recently. There's this husband who out of sheer love for his wife decided to prove it to her. So he swam the widest oceans, crossed the deepest rivers, and climbed the highest mountains to show his deep devotion to her. But in the end, she divorced him.

Why? Because he was never home.(Get it?)" - Bo Sanchez

A short anecdote on humility

I love Fr. Jerry Orbos' short but witty anecdote.

A child once asked his father: "Why do I need to be humble?"

His father replied: "My child, when you choose the lowly path, there is no place to fall and the only way is up."

and then there's this...

A thought to ponder, from a blood donor:

I gave blood, He gave His life;
I gave a pint, He gave it all;
the needle was short and sharp, the nails were large and dull;
the cot was soft and restful, the cross was rough and hard;
the med tech was kind and gentle, the soldiers were mean and cruel;
the crowd applauded my sacrifice, He was derided and reviled;
mine was given to prolong life, His was given for eternal life.

Hope each of us will learn humility while we are still "human".

Give Thanks

In view of the Lenten Season, let's pause and remember why we are here, how we were saved, and what we keep on forgetting...

Give thanks
with a grateful heart
Give thanks
to the Holy One
Give thanks
for He's given
Jesus Christ, His son

And now let the weak say
I am strong
Let the poor say
I am rich
Because of what
the Lord has done
for us

Give thanks...

Dismal service no more

I finally deicided to pay a visit to the restaurant I was ranting about a few posts ago, and it wasn't a great surprise for me that their service has significantly improve. Their crews are much more attentive to the customer's needs and they are much more courteous this time. I don't consider owning the cause of their significant change after the text message that I've sent them, but I think overtime the management found it out themselves that something is wrong. Oh well, it's good that they're back on their feet and that I can regularly go visit them again.