To Say Goodbye

How many times in your life did you ever say 'goodbye' to special people and special places? How many times did you feel bad by the effect of this word? And have you ever wondered why do we have to say goodbye to our dear ones when time commands us to?

One Sunday morning in church, I pondered on the preaching regarding comfort zones in life. We need these zones of course in our daily well being. Besides it's always what we aim in life to be comfortable with people including our loved ones and the environment where we stay. The preacher said, "But we must always be on guard because these comfort zones where our lives revolve may either improve us or downgrade our images."

Leaving a comfort zone is depressing, yes, but one should not allow himself to wallow down into it. This is a lesson I've learned through the years. There are reasons why we should also say goodbye to such situations.

A day after my comprehensive examination ( a requirement before qualifying for a degree in a Graduate Study in most state universities in the Philippines), I slowly arranged my books and other things, packed some and cleaned my room. I suddenly realized that I was leaving the residence hall where I lived for two and a half years. Those five semesters in the University of the Philippines Los Baños that my agency allowed me to spend was finally over. And I spent it only in finishing my academics exclusive of the time I will soon spend for thesis! I had no other option but to write a letter requesting the chair of the Faculty and Staff Development Program of my University to grant me another one semester extension of my study leave and start my thesis. I was however elated after I learned that my request was approved after several board meetings and signatures although specified on Official Time. I was so thankful of this privilege.

The date that I set to leave the residence hall came. It was a Fiday evening. I took a deep breath, glanced over once more at that moment the unlighted reading room where I spent almost my last four semesters grueling with my subjects even until the wee hours. I sat on the benches in front of the hall and quietly watched some of my co-residents come in and out of the main door with some either leaving their smiles or bidding me goodbye.

I was somewhat happy and at the same time pathetic ---- a feeling I can't understand ----- a feeling of bidding goodbye!

Nevertheless, I found myself back in my agency five days after that evening. And the very first day, I visited my 'might-be' new supervisor and had a short chat. She offered me a room where I can use for the laboratory part of my thesis. Immediately, I started working my way because I needed to keep abreast with time. I found out that I am in the real world again of being a government employee collecting all whatever available resources so I can proceed with my work. My Institute is not a 'well-fed' agency thus requests for supplies are mostly nil!

As I began my work that day, my mind became so restless in between several minutes so that I was frequently fetched back infront of people/friends I talked, laughed and exchanged jokes with.

I was both physically and mentally so active during the past two weeks so that my mind have gotten used to it thereby affecting my transition pace including the fact that part of my being has not yet fully accepted to get back to my workplace affecting my behaviour.

I'm deeply longing to stay at UPLB where my comfort zones were again recently established. This is a pre-depression stage but I must face reality and not allow myself into such emotional instability. Instead I thank my God for caring for me and my family and for all His provisions all through those years I stayed in the said university. I thank Him also for giving me such wonderful people who had been my other source of encouragements and inspirations to hang on to life. I will treasure them in my heart forever. PTL forever......

The Power of Encouragement - Part II

Ate Lilia (5/29/2007: 05:26:23 AM): “The power of God within you, is greater than the pressures around u.” Good a.m., God bless your compre. Enjoy it with His presence.

Ate Lilia (5/29/2007: 05:31:06 AM): I will be praying for you. Itext mo c Mam Tess ng maaga kasi minsan nakakalimutan niya and sked, kwentuhan mo ako after ha?

Kathy (5/29/2007: 07:00:57 AM): Good luck and God bless on your compre

Kathy (5/29/2007: 07:02:27 AM): That’s normal. Pray ka lang. I know u can do it.

Ma'm Tess (5/29/2007: 08:10:11 AM): Good luck and God bless!

Kyin-kyin Win (5/29/2007: 07:28:27 AM): Good luck for your compre exam

Kyin-kyin Win (5/29/2007: 08:34:05 AM):Don’t worry u will pass. I pray 4 u.

Ate Mabel (5/29/2007: 09:48:57 AM): Good luck and God bless sa compre mo

Chari (5/29/2007:09:38:29 AM): Ate, I prayed for ur compre today! God bless po!

My comprehensive exam started at exactly 9:00 a.m. and ended at 11:15 a.m. I was really roasted as I expected it to be. I knew very well that many were praying for me during those hours.

Then I felt my legs strained and guessed if it was already 12 noon.

Finally, my adviser requested me, as the usual ritual of an oral exam, to leave the panel for awhile for the final decision. Immediately I went to the Reading room of the Agronomy Dept. in search of a wall clock. The clock told me it was 11:15 a.m. That was how long I stood in front of my panelists!!! I was called back in after around 3 minutes and was announced that I passed the exam. Handshakes and congratulations followed after for which I realized the exam was a reality and not just a dream. This feeling was the worst that I've gone through in all my academic examinations.

Carrying the empty paper bag to which I earlier brought with me the drinks of my panelists, I walked out of the Agronomy Building feeling happy but so exhausted. I wanted to scream because another heavy load in pursuing my degree was relieved. As soon as I reached my quarters, I composed a long thank you message and sent it to all who had been so caring to me. After which I again harvested many, many congratulation messages. At mid-afternoon I called some long distance friends to thank them for their concerns and thoughtfulness.

To God be all the glory and praises!

Until now, I am still receiving greetings of congratulations. I do treasure all these encouragements…. To all of you: Thank you very much!

The Power of Encouragement - Part I

It's now exactly 12 hours before my general comprehensive examination tomorrow, May 29th,will start. This exam will determine if I will qualify further for the degree in MS Plant Breeding at the University of the Philippines Los Baños in Laguna.

Earlier this day, I received 'good luck and God bless' messages either as greetings or text messages from my dorm mates and friends then gave them the usual 'thank you' welcome answers. It was later this evening when I realized the sincerity of friends who really cared to send me messages of blessings. It was also the time when I realized that the power of encouragement was really pouring over me. When I received a missed call and a message early this evening from someone close to my life, I was expecting it to be a message of blessing. But it was a message of Discouragement, the tool that Satan uses to harvest victims into his fold. The message was just one word but it meant a lot. It immediately devastated my flow of thinking that very minute I received it. I was stunned and got so quiet for a moment but then the Lord calmly reminded me to stay cool and just meditate upon His promises which instantly brought back peace and understanding in my spirit. Then after a minute or two, I received again a text message but it was from an unexpected person who had been a source of encouragement since the time I entered UPLB. The messages gradually neutralized my feelings that moment afterwhich I gave back sincere thank you's after her pieces of advice that came one from another.

From my room I went in front of the residence hall where I lived and met the coolness of the evening after the late afternoon rain. It smelled of fresh earth and greens that was preparing the birth of this year's month of June. The evening surrounding helped me overcome the ruined mood that I earlier had because of that wrecking message.

It was also this time that I recalled how golden were the seconds, minutes and even hours that concerned dear friends had spent to tell me how they really cared for me through their words of encouragements that they either verbally told me along the way wherever I met them or through their yahoo messengers or through text messages. Some even were so thoughtful to call from long distances just to say 'keep going'; 'God bless you'; 'just relax' and 'you can do it!'

I slowed down for a moment and recalled since yesterday all those precious people who sent me encouragements particularly for my exam tomorrow. Ate Bing, my former dorm mate, treated me for a 'halo-halo' break at Chowking-Vega around 2:00 this afternoon as well as prayed for me and my exam. It was unusual for her to give me favors like this but I still thanked her for her sincerity and kindness.

I tried to recall all those whom I met during the last 36 hours who gave me handshakes, smiles and greetings of blessings. The following are some of the encouraging messages that I was able to archive from my YM and mobile inbox:

Vijay (5/27/2007 2:29:40 PM): good luck Yoli

Vijay (5/27/2007 2:32:04 PM): nothing will happen.... they will try to prove that u don't know anything but u must be firm with ur answers..

Vijay (5/27/2007 2:35:53 PM): what is the time of compre?

Vijay (5/27/2007 3:36:19 PM): .. and just relax on ur exam

Vijay (5/27/2007 3:36:24 PM): GOD BLESS U

Ate Bing (5/28/2007 10:00:00 AM): God bless sa compre mo tomorrow

Ate Angie (5/28/2007 19:10:29 PM): God bless and good luck sa compre

Ate Angie (5/28/2007 19:12:51 PM): Pag ninerbyos meaning prepared! Just give your best kick!

Ate Angie (5/28/2007 19:16:20 PM): That's true! Tulog ka na. Hwag ka na magreview para relaxed mind mo. Sleep and meditate ka tomorrow early morning.

Sisaphaithong Thongkoun (5/28/2007 20:07:11 PM): Hey..I know u can do it tomorrow. Good luck and don't be too serious.

The words of these caring people helped me brace myself and put on more confidence to face my panelists tomorrow.

I can't give back any other things to them only my sincere thanks and prayers for them.

I thank the Lord for giving me these caring people as well as those who constantly downgrade my image - they strengthen my faith in my Lord God and Creator!

I also give thanks to all those who are praying for me.... Praise the Lord!

The Philippines opts for biodiesel

by Imelda V. Abaño, 10 May 2007, Source: SciDev.Net

The Philippine government has implemented laws requiring the use of coconut-blended biodiesel this week (6 May).

The Philippine biofuels act mandates all oil firms to blend one per cent coco-methyl ester in their diesel products. The act also requires the addition of at least five per cent ethanol in other gasoline products by 2008, increasing to ten per cent by 2010.

Raphael Lotilla, the Philippine's Energy Secretary, said that the government hopes to decrease the amount of fossil fuels imported into the Philippines.

The biofuel law will offset 70 million litres of diesel — out of the seven billion litres used every year — and will save the country at least US$167 million annually in foreign exchange, he said.

The move by the Philippines came just days before the publication of a report by UN Energy (9 May), which states that adopting biofuels could impact negatively on people's livelihoods and the environment, especially on the biodiversity of plants and animals.

Professor Sandy Gauntlet, Asia program coordinator of the forest-protection organisation Global Forest Coalition (GFC), said that increased biofuel production will ultimately destroy the few remaining forests of the world by converting them into plantations.

She said biofuel farming was becoming the main cause of deforestation in countries like Indonesia, Malaysia and Brazil.

The Philippines' Department of Agriculture and the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) plan to develop 740,000 acres of land to meet the demand for coco diesel.

PCA Administrator Oscar Garin said the Philippines would need at least 70 million litres of coco biodiesel to comply with the biofuels act.

Armando Galvez, one of the estimated 3.5 million coconut farmers in the Philippines, is worried about the massive destruction of forests that could occur when farmers rush to meet the biofuel demand.

"Farmers will now be competing with each other because of the government's demand on us to produce more coconut for biodiesel," Armando told SciDev.Net

Galvez also fears the local population will suffer from a scarcity of food in the future.

"There will be more coconut farmers now. Others might stop producing food crops for the local population and as a result, prices of basic commodities and food staples could soar. That would be devastating," he said.

Election 2007 Trailers and Thrillers

During the Campaign: Itanim si Pichay sa Senado!

After the Elections: Summer kasi eh kaya nalanta na siya; Hindi kasi nadiligan eh kaya ayun, nalanta tuloy!; Ang ginawa naman kasi ng mga taga-Baguio sa kanya ay ibinitin sa mga kahoy-kahoy hehehehe kaya siyempre malalanta 'yan!; Paano ba tutubo ang Pichay sa Senado eh puro semento kaya dyan!

During the Campaign: Pacquiao tayo!

After the Elections: Gusto kasing i-pakyaw lahat ng kagalingan eh, bumulagta tuloy! Mabuti nga at sa GenSan siya bumulagta hindi sa ring!
During the Campaign: Angara ng buhay!

After the Elections: Well, Edgardo Angara won.

After the Elections:

• 153 dead - Peaceful Elections?

• What does the Trillanes-Honasan vote mean?

• Alfredo Lim wins a landslide vote as Manila City mayor over his opponent son of the incumbent mayor Atienza!

• Maguindanao releases a 12-0 election result in the senatorial race with Chavit Singson leading - a big question mark! Did election in the province really happened?

• Jejomar Binay wins as Makati City mayor, son wins as congressman, daughter wins as city councilor!

• Two teachers died after an elementary school in Batangas was burned during the canvassing!

• 8-2-2 still leads in polls - What does this mean?

• Kulang pala sa arte sina Cesar Montano at Richard Gomez!

• Malamang magkakaroon ng coup de etat sa Malacañang! (Huwag naman sana!).

April Fool

As I was trying to compose myself once again for my comprehensive review after three days of idleness brought about by the 35th commencement exercise of UPLB, I couldn't avoid but reminisce the days exactly one year ago when I was at the same summer event. I recalled the mountain gimmicks with dear friends who graduated in the same year and some who graduated just yesterday.

The following is a story I composed last year just after our group went to fool Mt. Marami but only to find out that we were the ones fooled! It was earlier posted in Alkin's website to which I am sharing again in here as:

‘Twas again the end of the 2^nd semester SY 2005-2006 – gimmick! Days and weeks of exhausting reports, term papers and exams needed awhile away from it.

Target gimmick place? In Mt. Marami somewhere in the Magallanes-Maragondon boundary in Cavite.

It was April Fool’s Day and nobody in the group seemed to notice it. As usual, we left the IH in the afternoon of that day. We were seven (7) and to name: Veronica “Vero”, Jessie, Alquin, Vijay, Michelle and Jenny (from IH who joined the group for the first time) and me.

Just like our weekend gimmick to Majayjay 3 weeks ago, when we claimed to be all set but our dig cam was not fully charged so we only had few pictures of the place.

Now, for this particular climb, we were also prepared for the best. We were prepared of course because we were able to reach the peak safe and sound at around 10:30 in the night. It was a night trek to the top with a hired guide pa! So, talagang well prepared kami!

Upon reaching the top, of course all were so weary and so hungry and so thirsty so that we were also quick to spot a place to settle down and cook dinner. All of a sudden, a kilo maybe or more of rice grains were all shouting to be cooked! Friends, Romans, Countrymen, Lend me your ears… here at the peak of Mt. Marami, can you hear them? From where are those grains shouting? At either Alquin’s or Vijay’s room back in IH!!! So, what??? Riceless dinner???!!!! Of course!!! ‘Imagine all the people ….’ is all what I can only remember of the song!

Our dig cam kept on displaying, ‘batteries depleted’ and our cooking pots shouted, ‘rice forgotten!’

I just sat down and traced each move of Jessie and tried to figure out if he and these other guys were fooling the girls. I was still waiting for them to tell us that they were just kidding but it seems that Jessie was serious. I then asked for the loaf and peanut butter that one of the guys carried but it was also nowhere to be found. I don’t know where it went; maybe back also to the “land of loaves!” We found out the following day that it had also been shouting overnight because it was left from where we took our last stop of rest.

Let me name our meal that night: 4 packs of pancit canton with calamansi and 2 egg noodles (in the usual package size), 4 small - sized canned goods, 2 small sachets of mayonnaise and 150? gms 3 in 1 ovaltine powder that Vijay and I bought at the Walter Mart in Calamba and to which I was able to carry in my backpack. That was it and nabusog naman po kami!

While preparing the noodles and coffee mix, the atmosphere suddenly became a shooting for a movie. I can’t only discern though if it was to be categorized as drama or comedy. (It’s still for nomination either for Famas or Oscar Awards). Who was/were the main actor/s? Ask the rocks in Mt. Marami. Marami silang alam better than we do.

Anyway, we still found ourselves to have enjoyed the climb. After our late riceless dinner, we spent some moments watching city lights from afar and shooting stars from above. No wishes however, were counted. Bakit kaya?

I became somewhat stupid that moment so that when I saw the blinking lights of an airplane, I made it a shooting star! It’s not common for me to make wishes upon a star, especially upon a shooting star so I don’t say anything upon seeing one except a tailed waaahhhhh… Of course, Vijay and Jessie who were beside me laughed at my shooting star!!!! Heh, inggit lang kayo! “Vero, why are you quiet there?” “Alquin, be careful! One mistake and you will roll down the slope.” Jenny became deaf. She was so engrossed with her music of the night in her MP3!

Around 2:30 in the early morning, that was Sunday na, we went back to our tents and joined Michelle who was already in Disneyland. (She was left in the tent when we passed time at the peak).

The following day, we continued the “shooting” with many pairs of batteries from Michelle’s backpack pocket and kahit papaano e, we were able to produce good pictures enough to tell that we were once at the peak of Mt. Marami. Supported naman with Jenny’s still camera - soooo… prepared kami talaga! ‘di ba?

Enjoyed the morning then had to pack again and hike back. I led the way down until our last stop the night before and found the “lost loaf bread and peanut butter” of Mt. Marami, still on its place. 'Twas good there were no roaming horses or cows during the night, kung hindi e wala na kaming pangbreakfast with the left-over na 3 in 1 ovaltine.

At nearly 11:00 in the morning, we reached the jump-off point at baranggay Ramirez in Magallanes. (please check). Prepared our lunch with the assistance of the Punong Baranggay. At last kakain na kami uli ng ‘rice.’ Ulam? A kilo or more of fish and cubed Indian mangoes, eh, green mangoes pala, tomatoes, onions and savored with salt. Wow sarap!

The group reached back IH at 4:00 in the afternoon. Call it a break!

(Mt. Marami has a rocky peak and stands at 840 masl according to a data from the internet that the group downloaded. A few meters before the peak are vine-like bamboos somewhat thick along the way. Slash and burn farming is so evident in most faces of the lower peaks. Some grassy areas get burned and this has something to do with grazing when rain comes.

A deep hole is found somewhere at one of the edges of the peak and is so dangerous especially at nighttime.

A night trek or bleak day trek is better since it’s deadly hot to hike during the day).

Porch Monkeys!

The day I went for a hike with some of my dorm mates to NACP, Ryan and I went a bit ahead of our companions while digging up and forming if not recalling stories of any topic under the sun. Finally, our conversation crossed the monkey world but avoided the issues of a monkey as either a man's look alike or what science claims as where man evolved from. (What is the difference of a monkey and an ape?) Instead our stories revolved around a different corner of the monkey world.

This conversation brought me back to the days when I was about 4 or 5 years old when I can remember myself always nagging my mother to repeat a monkey story that I earlier heard from her. It may had always been a boring time for her to tell the whole story over and over while I enjoyed listening to it! It was about a turtle and a monkey who finally decided to divide a banana plant into two so each one can plant and take care of his own. By ruling his power, the monkey chose and grabbed the half of the banana with the leaves intact because he thought that it would grow faster for sure than the other half which was just a stalk without any leaves! It had no leaves but it had roots intact which was left for the turtle to plant.

Ryan and I reached a place further uphill where we spotted a horse and a couple with two kids sitting down for a rest beside the road. He said that we are approaching some "porch monkeys." "What? Porch monkeys?," I repeated quizically. I accept I am so poor in vocabulary and to add to this it was really my first time to hear the phrase. He explained that monkeys are also called as such because it is one of their characteristics to sit down (on their porch) and stare to passers-by. "Why is it that monkeys are accused of this manner? Don't human beings also do it?", I kinda asked him. "What if we also get tired an hour later and take a rest by sitting down beside this road and if someone passes by, will we not also look at him?" (As I was typing this blogstory I just don't know why I immediately used the word look and not stare. I immediately felt indifferent when I was about to type the word stare, of me as one of those being described. This means then that I don't accept that I'm like a monkey and that I didn't come from the monkey because I don't possess the characteristic... lol!) People I know all over the world whatever race they maybe have this typical activity tough. During an idle part of the day it is always refreshing to stay on the porch of the house with any of the family member, visitor or anyone from the neighborhood for a chat. And if the house happens to be beside a road then these people having a chat on the porch cannot avoid to look at those passers-by. This is why the phrase "porch monkey" had to grope its way to Ryan's vocabulary.

Then I recalled my first days at the residence hall where I now stay. Some of the older residents used to gather on the benches in front of it just to let time pass by especially during blackouts. "I may had been one of the topics when I happened to pass by these people before because I was a new face by then! I should have called them porch monkeys have I heard of it and you were one of them," I told Ryan.

Then I remembered my friend who always mused about the word busy, so that I always got careful in using it. He said that there's an opposite meaning of the word. "It is what monkeys do everyday!" he always laughingly told me before. Again the real monkeys are accused without their knowledge of it at all! Monkeys are compared to individuals who say that they are so busy even if they are just sitting down and chatting making noise and even hop from one workplace to another but at the end of the day nothing new is accomplished! If not, a work was done but an an illegal one! It is well known that this was how the famous "monkey business" was coined and had even harbored numerous stories.

Poor monkeys who are always the center of man's foolishness and stupid stories! But are they really the ones stupid? Obviously their "world" is not the human world! Monkeys cannot only think and talk rationally like humans so that they cannot write to tell their stories about their despiser's, cannot post on blogs, cannot send messages in YM's, e-mails and friendsters...! lol!