Do You Personally Know Him (Part I)

"You may be a very rich and intelligent person, well-travelled, have earned several degrees in prestigious universities and have elite friends. You may be a well-updated person in current world events, have read shelves and shelves of books, know the biographies of famous mathematicians, scientists, politicians and world leaders like Aristotle, Einstein, Graham Bell, Queen Elizabeth and scores of others... and personally you may even know them. But did you ever know that there is a Person greater than your elite friends and greater than all the famous people the world has ever produced? Have you ever read His biography? Are you well-updated with His constant encouragements and promises to you?" These were some of the lines and in whole, the message one Sunday morning in church this month of August.

Well, it's not bad to be the individual in the message because God wants each one of His children to become rich, intelligent and comfortable in life.

It was not my first time to hear a similar message in a Gospel-based gathering urging each one to become aware that there is a person greater than anyone else and who loves each one so much. Because of His unconditional love for you and for me and to all human beings, He paid the penalty for out sins when He was nailed at the cross more than 2000 years ago. His name is Jesus, the Christ.

In my several acquaintances, I've met people of different colors, of different cultures from different lands or in short --- from different walks in life. There were many who were so intelligent that I always got a childish curiosity to ask myself how and why are these people so intelligent? Why am I not like them? Why is their comprehension so full while I don't have? They know so many things than me under the sun. How come and why like that?

Many intelligent people upon asking if they personally know who gave them their intelligence, would give a loud and defensive answer. I attacked a point in their ego!

Some I've met brag about their achievements in life and their good works, their successful children, successful career, etc... I feel happy for their achievements and I envy them. Only I feel pathetic when along their stories, they don't personally know who gave them all the intelligence, comforts and successes in their lives. They may answer that God gave them their assets when asked them but who is this God? There are many, many gods out there.

When it comes to spiritual beliefs, many still grip on superstitious beliefs/omens and ghosts! I pity these fine-brained people who don't know the very basic reason why they are alive. They don't know the most intelligent Person of all.

I am a born-again Christian because I humbled down before Jesus Christ, gave Him all my being, my problems, my achievements, my family and friends and everything of me and allowed Him to cleanse away all my sins and finally allowed Him to control the throne of my life. I prayed and received Him as my Personal Lord and Saviour 15 years ago. My feelings and views of worldly things became different from that moment because of the assurance of salvation that I received.

Along the years though after I got saved was not easy for me because of my inner enemy--- my own stubbornness. Trials and struggles popped along the way so that Satan became so occupied to bring me back to my old habits. It is his job to destroy each and every Christian as much as he can. At times I gave in, but Jesus my God would always hold my hands. I was so thankful because despite all the struggles I've gone through, my faith in my Christ never faded. Until now, He keeps on directing my feet to the path even if I get obstinate so often. He is truly a caring and loving God.

With lifestyles these days however, being too much occupied having no time even to sit down for a minute to say a short prayer of thanks, the more we lose updates on the goodness of God so that the preaching that Sunday morning became a bullet that pierced my heart. I claim to be a Christian for long, long years but do I regularly update myself with His words --- the Bible? My Christian friends out there -- this is a question I also leave to you. If we claim to be born-again Christians, do we really know Him? How deep?

To readers who want to know Him personally and become a Christian right now, here is a prayer of acceptance or sometimes called the sinner's prayer. It is short and simple. Pray it sincerely and allow the Lord Jesus Christ to work in your lives:

"Lord Jesus, I need You. I have sinned against You and against others. I confess that I am a sinner. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be. Amen."

If you prayed this simple prayer and want to know more about Jesus Christ, our God, you can go to any full-Gospel church near you and fellowship with other Christians.

God bless and praise the Lord!

Ways To Destruction

Before the GATT-WTO (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trades of the World Trade Organization) came into world scene, product exchange or transfer of goods (i.e. barters and trades, imports and exports) was not as easy because there were many restrictions on the standard operation procedures that must be followed. Export and import of fresh products between some countries were not even allowed. Supply of certain goods or products either for export or import were thus regulated.

When the world opened into an agreement on tariffs and trades in the mid '90's, Research and Development boomed to the extent that some research technologies went beyond the limits of morality and ultimately posing danger into the human race. As a Bible-believing Christian, I believe in hermeneutics that World War III is at hand. This war however is very much different from the past World Wars I and II. It is not of arms and nuclear bombs but rather of an economic war.

True, it is happening today of the unpredictable fluctuations in the world economy. This situation is prophesied in the Book of Revelation in the Holy Bible of the Christian faith.

Aside from famines, earthquakes, floods and wars, many events were and will still be fulfilled before the final hour of these worldly things will happen. One is the One World Government. There will only be one ruler of this world. The transfer of basic food items from one country to another will easily be controlled.

Basing some events in what Revelation tells, many countries will unite into one big nation. As we know, the European countries agreed to have one currency called Euro as against the present World currency, the $US. Is this a prelude to the one world government?

The division of food crop species with headquarters based in strategic parts of the world including the Philippines, is another way of preparing the world as prophesied. In just a snap of a finger, thousands of food crop species can be destroyed forever. You may ask, how? Through the introduction of virulent crop diseases and devastating pests! Food supplies can be easily controlled through this situation! Result? Hunger. Eventually, massive death of the human race.

I am an avid viewer of the CBN news via the Trinity Broadcasting Network and the British Broadcasting Cable (BBC World). I watch daily the short noontime world events aired through CBN and it is from this network where I learned that certain foods that China export to the open world were detected to contain amounts of formaldehyde. Later, this situation was aired through the local networks identifying particularly the white rabbit candy coming from China that has a water soluble and edible secondary wrapper to contain the same chemical. Later, other Chinese products were scrutinized by BFAD wherein certain Chinese food companies use formaldehyde as one of their preservatives. Cosmetics and perfumes from the same country were also found positive of the chemical.

Formaldehyde can be available either in gas or liquid and aside from being used as preservative can be used as disinfectant and in making resins and dyes. If accumulated in the body will cause cancer.

Recently, children's toys coming from China manufactured particularly by Fisher-Price company were found to contain lead element. This includes the toys that Mattel, a US-owned company, distribute to the world market to also contain the same element. Mattel's toys are made particularly in China.

A man's heart is plagued with sin thus by ruling his selfish desires he can manufacture anything under the sun without considering the offensive consequences gradually poisoning the human race. The ultimate goal is an early rendezvous with death!

Before these world issues, the Philippine media was plagued with news about the abrupt increase of several brands of infant formula prompting most mothers of this generation to have their babies depend solely on the said synthetic milk instead of breastmilk. Almost all milk manufacturing companies today continuously establish tie-ups with government health centers to promote their products. Because of very promising advertisements, these companies make mothers more fickle-minded. The milk products are advertised to make babies geniuses even at the ages of 2 to 3. Who could not be enticed however! All mothers of course want their children to be strong, healthy, good-looking and have high IQ level! But irony of all ironies, after all the perfectly structured lines of enticements however, the last and brief lines to be said is, "Breastmilk is still best for babies up to 2 years." Wow! It's not a guarantee that if a baby is fed with golden infant formula will make the child so bright. Synthetics are still synthetics and natural is still natural!

I salute the unsung heroes of the rural health units in the country who promote breastfeeding and continuously discourage the sole use of infant formula. May your tribes increase!

The reason why infant formula were made is for emergency alternative in extreme cases like, mother's death where no breast milk is at hand, serious/debilitating disease that the mother carries wherein the pathogen can be transferred to her baby through her milk and in such that the mother is physically unable to breastfeed. But these reasons were ignored however, and instead the use of infant formula became a trend or fashion thereby continually psychologically inverting the reasoning powers of most mothers today.

The many reasons I've heard from lactating mothers this generation why they resort to infant formula is the limited volume of milk that they can give their babies. Of course for a reason to defend are many other reasons! I then paused to raise a question on this case. The trend today is that every pregnant woman has to has a private doctor (OB gyne). All the drugs, be it milk for pregnant women, vitamins and all that the private doctor prescribe are religiously taken in. To my surprise, if all the drugs tell the truth including the stimulation of the production of breastmilk during the lactating period, why is it that young mothers of today complain of limited milk production? What are the secret contents of these drugs that delimit the natural production of breastmilk in lactating mothers? In my own opinion, maybe these vitamins, milk, other drugs and every synthetics that are prescribed to pregnant women has something to do with the limited production of breastmilk later on so that all these infant formula available in the market will be sold ---- selfish desires! These companies make senseless profit from should be lactating mothers!

Comes now the time to let the baby receive doses of vaccines. A parent of course is branded crazy if he/she doesn't allow his/her baby to receive vaccinations against harmful pathogens.

One time, I watched a world health news on television posing a question, "Are all vaccines safe?" Alleged victims of vaccinations were shown on screen as either autistic or with very low IQ level. One 18 year old boy was shown as thinking and acting like a three-year old. Another was a child who after receiving an anti-polio vaccine became a polio victim instead. These cases are not isolated I guess because there had been other previous cases around the globe.

I just don't know but my observation, question and conclusion is: Why is it that around 10 years ago to this date, cases of autism in the Philippines is very high in children? Is it because of these vaccines that babies receive? The symptoms of autism usually manifest when the child reaches pre-school years around 3 to 4.

Autism is considered a mental illness just like schizophrenia. It is an organic condition in children caused by neurological disorder. Autistics may excel in one or more skills and they barely remember their names.

Somehow, I am convinced that these said disorders can be acquired through medicine, vaccines and other instant food products because of either what some unscrupulous researchers mix and match to come up with results that are immediately released for consumption even without completing the required product screening in the units of research and development or because of accidental procedures that went unnoticed during the process. The toy on the playground is the food chain.

We live with all the advanced technologies, the products of advanced researches, thereby we become robots of advertisements. Our eyes are very wide open. Yes, we can see but we are blind on the way to destruction!

Reasons To Say 'I Don't'

I found this article published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer by: Melinda P. Magsino in PDI - Youngblood SectionThursday, July 15, 1999. I found it somewhat satirical so am sharing it to you through this post.


After the month of June when brides and grooms said nothing but "I do," it is time to ponder upon the 25 reasons one should say "I don't":

1. Marriage is not a word. It is a sentence - a life sentence.
2. Marriage is very much like a violin: after the sweet music is over, the strings are attached.
3. Marriage is love, and love is blind. Therefore marriage is an institution for the blind.
4. Marriage is an institution where in a man loses his bachelor's degree and a woman gets her master's.
5. Marriage puts a ring on a man and a woman's finger and two under their eyes.
6. Marriage certificate is just another word for a working permit.
7. Marriage is not having a wife or a husband, but also worries inherited forever.
8. Marriage requires four types of rings: the engagement ring, the wedding ring, suffer-ring and endu-ring.
9. Married life is full of excitement and frustration: in the first year of marriage, the man speaks and the woman listens. In the second year, the woman speaks and the man listens. And in the third, both of them speak and the neighbors listen.
10. If it is true that love is blind, marriage is definitely an eye-opener.
11. Getting married is very much like going to a restaurant with friends; you order what you want, and when you see that the other girls have, you wish you ordered that.
12. It is true that all men are born equal. But some pf them get married and then life becomes unfair.
13. There was this man who muttered a few words in church and found himself divorced.
14. A happy marriage is a matter of giving and taking: the wife gives her all and the husband takes.
15. Son: How much does it take to get married, Dad? Father: I don't know son, I'm still paying for it. Son: Is it true, Dad, that in ancient China, a man doesn't know his wife until he marries her? Father: That happens everywhere son, everywhere.
16. A man who once said, "I never knew what happiness was until I got married - and then it was too late!"
17. Love is one long, sweet dream and marriage is the alarm clock.
18. They say that when a man holds a woman's hand before marriage, it is love, after marriage, it's self-defense.
19. When a newly married man looks happy, we know why. But when a man who is married for more than 10 years, we wonder why he is there.
20. There was this lover who said he would go through hell for her. They got married and now he is there.
21. When a man opens the door of his car for his wife, it is either the car is new or the wife is.
22. If you want your wife to listen and pay attention to every word you say, talk in your sleep.
23. Marriage is like a cage: the birds outside are desperate to get in and those inside are desperate to get out.
24. Love is entirely a matter of Chemistry. You can be treated like toxic waste.
25. Wife: I am an excellent housekeeper. Every time I got divorced, I keep the house.

ISRAEL - The Country In My Dreams

Recalling my secondary years, my teacher in World History once asked us to pinpoint the map of Israel on the globe and describe how it looked like. For almost 20 years since then, that subject kept bringing me to the different maps of countries in the Middle East in search for the shape of the so-called Promised Land.

Since the time I learned how to read the Bible, the Holy Book of the Christian faith, Israel is the country mostly described. It is a country where numerous miracles were recorded both in the Old and New Testaments.

In the World map, Israel represents a tiny strip along the borders of Lebanon, Jordan, Syria and Egypt. South is the Red Sea. In other World Map editions, the map of Israel cannot be found. Nevertheless, this tiny country that God promised to give to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob powerfully exists!

Ten years ago, I applied for a short training course in Horticulture at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Rehovot, Israel. Unfortunately however, my qualification wasn't able to compete with that of my co-applicants. There were three of us from Luzon who applied for the course and one each from the Visayas and Mindanao respectively. As far as I knew, there were only two in the Philippines who got the posts for the training course.

I told myself, however, that it is not yet the time to visit the land where the World's Saviour was born in flesh. I glimpsed instead at how Israel looked inside.

I was oriented to many of Israel's historical sites especially the old cities of Jerusalem and Nazareth. I was also introduced to the sites of the Dead Sea, the Dome of the Rock, the possible sites where Jesus Christ prayed in isolation, the possible peak of Mt. Golgotha where the Saviour was crucified and Bethlehem where He was born.

In agriculture, I learned that Israel is one among the biggest exporters of temperate cutflowers, vegetables and fruits in the world. Many wonder how did this tiny desert country turned its arid lands into a flourishing soil? I learned that Israel is until now keeping abreast with technologies in many fields in science. And most, I learned that the people of the land are called Jews or Hebrews who belong to the ancient Semitic people. Towards the middle of 1900, Adolf Hitler of Germany rose into power and tried to eliminate this race from the face of the earth by subjecting them into forced labor and killing 2 million of them either through shootings or gas chambers. God however didn't allow this race to vanish rather He still preserved it. He has reasons to it.

Records show that Israel had been into several struggles and even wars against her neighbors. Israel is a tiny land but wars nor other struggles cannot strip off the country from where it belongs. America even can never equal the wits and power of this desert land. God has still a plan for His people.

Israel is full of miracles!

How Did Israel Become Israel?

The Book of Genesis of the Holy Bible narrates the creation of the earth and everything in it until the time God created man and woman and named them Adam and Eve. It is in this book that describes how sin crept within the first couple and into the human race. Adam and Eve bore two sons, Cain and Abel. Because of sin, jealousy moved Cain to kill his younger brother Abel. In time Adam and Eve bore another son and named him Seth. More sons and daughters however came to the family after the third son.

Seth became the father of Abraham with his other brothers. Abraham begot only one son from his wife Sarah. He named his son Isaac who became the father of Jacob. Aside from his daughters, Jacob bore 12 sons with Joseph the Dreamer as the 11th. It was from Jacob where a community and 12 tribes arose composing now the nation Israel! His 12 sons actually represent the 12 tribes of the Promised Land.

The book of Genesis further tells how God called Israel to nationhood and salvation with the promise of a posterity, a land and a Saviour.

When Joseph, the 11th Son of Jacob was sold to the Egyptians by his brothers, he grew up until he held a respected position in Egypt at the Pharaoh's house. His family back home never knew about it. It was only during the years of plenty and the years of famine that the true identity of Joseph was later revealed to his brothers who went to Egypt to buy food. Jacob then was assured that his 11th son was still alive. With the approval of the Pharaoh and blessings of God, Jacob with his clan and all his possessions moved to Egypt upon the request of Joseph. All those who went to Egypt with Jacob - those who were his direct descendants not counting his son's wives - numbered 66 persons. With the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob's family that went to Egypt were 70 in all." (Genesis 46:26-27).

For 430 years, the said number increased into a nation estimated at two million people. During those years, the large number of Hebrews in Egypt became a threat to the leaders who were to become future Pharaohs. These Hebrews then were subjected into slavery. "So they appointed taskmakers over them to afflict them with hard labor." (Exodus 1:11). These were the years when God seemed to be silent to the Jews/Israelites until a liberator was born in the person of Moses. The accounts of Moses and how God used him to free the Israelites from bondage in Egypt is told in Exodus. Although for reasons that God only knows, Moses was never allowed to enter Canaan where God chose to settle down His people. Moses was only allowed to view the place from afar.

It was through Moses when the first direct miracle accounts were encountered by man. It was through him whom God spoke through a burning bush. It was through him whom God used to free the Israelites from slavery to bring them to a land flowing with milk and honey - a land whom He promised to give to the descendants of Araham, Isaac and Jacob.

For 40 years that Moses led the Israelites out from Egypt, they lived from one place to another in the desert. And it was Joshua's (Moses's brother) task to take them back to Canaan - the Promised Land! While in the Promised Land, three kings arose in turn, Saul, David and Solomon. (Note: read the whole book of Exodus to understand the dramatic freedom of the Israelites out from Egypt).

In his book, Leadership That Builds: Leadership Secrets of Nehemiah, Glenn Johnson narrates that when Kings, Saul, David and Solomon arose in the nation of Israel, "it was tragic that the kingdom was divided north from south because Solomon's many wives led him into idolatry. The ten tribes of the North were called Israel. The two in the South were Judah. The division was God's judgment on His people and more judgment followed. The North was carried away by the Assyrians in 722 B. C. Their national existence was over. The South's final activity occurred 587 BC at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, a Babylonian. This began the 75 year Babylonian captivity. In 2 Chronicles 36, it documants what next takes place. The Baylonians slew the young Jews, abused the virgins and stole the worship articles from the temple.

The survivors were chained together and began the long march to Babylon. But with God failure need not be final. He still had for them a purpose and a plan.

Three groups returned from exile often referred to as the "second exodus". In the Book of Ezra 1-6, it records the return of nearly 50,000 under the command of Zerubabbel, about 538 BC. Ezra spearheaded a second group - around 4, 000 who returned eighty years later - 458 BC (Ezra 7-10). Nehemiah's exile came about 444 BC."

God gave Canaan, that is Israel today, to the Jews or Hebrews!

I am not yet fully adept to the history and people of Israel but for some personal reasons, it is my long desire and dream to visit this country in the fututre, God willing!

(Note: the Babylon before is now the country, Iraq).

SAGADA HYMN

Posting here the hymn of my beloved hometown

Beyond those travelled hills of the North

Lies my home all laden with pines

Amidst the soft and silken touch

Of morning mist I lay my prayers before thy shrine
My thanks to Thee my love dressed in green
My paradise unforseen
My thanks to Thee who spawned my life
Sagada, Sagada you'll always be mine

With you I believe
In my life I can live
With you I will share
What I have without care

Isnan ad-adawi ay bilbilig
Isdi nan i-itaw tet-ewa
Kaneg isnan kankanaenda ay Shangrila
Menlowalowak ken sik-a
Madaydayaw ka'y Ili, natalna
Umeyak ay m'id egyat na
Salamat 'snan Diyos ay nanapo
'Snan Sagada, Sagada kokowak enggana

Ken sik-a mamatiyak
Isnan biag matagowak
Ken sik-a makibingayak
M'id balina isnan kowak
(Repeat first stanza)

My Shangrila

Everytime I go home to my hometown, I always feel sorry both for myself and for my very own dear Shangrila. Considering the other side of the coin though I am not against social and economic development because this is what every society direly seek for. I cannot only help but fear for the consequences of this rapid effect of keeping abreast with advanced technologies correlated to the social and economic status of the town.

I was born from a poor family so I never tasted how it was to sleep in a very cozy bedroom all by myself in a big, big house. I used used to sleep on the wooden floor with my siblings on a mat. The family also used to eat meals squatting on the floor sometimes with spoons and forks but most of the time only with bare hands.

During my school years, I went through several struggles just so I can meet both ends and earn a degree. I am not the only one who had a life like this especially in the region where I came from. What I want to emphasize is, this is how poor my hometown used to be 20-25 years ago.

My hometown had been a tourist spot for so long and only occasionally visited by foreign adventurers. I can still barely remember when I was in grade 1 back in 1978 when I used to meet on my way to school, although occasionally, foreign tourists. As kids we called these tourists, "puraw" or "pulaw" in the local dialect which means white. We always wondered where these kinds of people with unusual sizes of noses and with blonde hair come from and why do they come to Sagada, my birthplace. We were once told that they were Americans but we learned later that not all of those white people were such but people from everywhere around the globe.

Most of those foreign tourists who until now frequent the Shangrilaism of Sagada are the Kibbutz - Israelites, Canadians, Irish, Swiss, Germans, Australians, Italians and of course the Americans.

It was only around 10 years ago that local tourists (Filipinos) started filling the inns and cafes of the town particularly on Lenten seasons. To this date, whenever I visit home I see several new faces roam the town who are not from the locality. They are Filipinos of course - local tourists who frequent every scenic spot of the town. This situation alarms me most, because I know, Filipinos have no discipline when it comes to proper disposal of trash. Every place they visit, they leave sorts of trash!

Just a couple of weeks ago, I accompanied some acquaintances to Sumaguing Cave, the most frequented place in the town these days. I felt ashamed of myself when I saw how the cave looks these days.

I first entered the cave when I was in Grade four and I can still remember some spots that were so intact and so clear. The map of the cave itself found just after the entrance which is used to guide visitors inside was so clear; the pigpen was half-full of crystal clear water; the rice granary looked like one amidst the flowing clear water; the entrance was knee-full of guano, bats' dirt, and it smelled awful; the thick black bats that were once so noisy above the walls of the cave with their eyes glittering against searchlights; the king and queen's curtains that really looked like curtains while clear water flowed over them and the intact stalagmites and stalactites.

The second time I visited this cave again was after 10 years. It seemed it had no great difference since the time I first entered it except the bats that seemed to have been 50% gone so that their guano was just around ankle-deep. During the following years of visit around 2-3 years interval, when local tourists started pouring in into the town, I saw the effects of exploitation particularly on nature.

My fear before became worse when upon my recent visit, I saw cigarette butts and used match sticks all over the entrance of the cave including candy wrappers, tissue paper and some sorts were somehow irresponsibly scattered around. The bats and guano were gone. Only few bats greeted us when we entered their haven. Names and other signs were written on the walls, some with charcoal. The water inside became dull when it used to be crystal clear. The most shocking sight was when a shop intended for business was built just opposite the steps going down the entrance. It offered washrooms and other basic needs after getting tired. My heart broke when I realized how greedy and opportunistic human beings become given a chance. The cave that Mother Nature gave to enjoy became a means of livelihood. I don't want though to entertain arguments that it's only the owner's way of having a livelihood! ---- My! I know the status of the name in town who owns the lot.

For six years past I had no chances to roam the stretch of the town whenever I went home for short visits, not until this recent one. I was stunned to see several souvenir shops mostly selling woven materials all over the town. I knew only of one weaving center in Sagada that monopolized the business for long, long years before I was born. I myself guarantee that their woven materials are of high quality prompting the owner to stick to a price that is not easily availed.

Today, several woven designs are all throughout the town. I bought one small item from one shop. It's cheaper than the usual price of the original weaving center. I can compare the difference. Next I bought another small woven item from the original weaving center. The material they are using now is not as durable as what they used years before.

To name some that I saw in these shops were: home made wine from: mulberry, mountain blue berry, bignay and rice wine; artificially made-antique old man's cane, arrow and shield ("kalasag") that our forefathers used during tribal wars; war axes; woven rattan tribal caps; postcards with several sceneries including postcards of pinetrees; T-shirts with imprinted SAGADA or any figure depicting the cultures of the townspeople.

Sagada is now busy stripping herself and busy selling all her limbs.

I know of one foreign tourist who got attracted to the town and opted to stay in the place for the rest of his life. He stripped the town of it's clothing and sold it in dollars abroad. How did he do it? He made video CD's by capturing all corners of the town that he found attractive; he was a painter, so he made several beautiful paintings; he was a potter, so he made several items made of Sagada clay --- all of these fetched him a good man's gain! I doubt if all the Sagadians know about this and if it's proper in their culture --- where is Shangrilaism?

Development and keeping abreast with the current trends in life is not bad. Certain aspects though need not to be sacrificed!

As we walked through the town, I was awed by the big and newly built western-styled houses and commercial buildings! Everytime I see new one, I asked myself if how and where did the owner acquire sums of money to build a mansion-like house. I know that to build a fully furnished big 3 to 4 storey commercial building would cost about a million or more of Philippine currency.

Since almost all the tourists who visit Sagada are foreigners, they always demand for internet cafes and it is so! All the inns and resthouses have internet connections. The resthouse where I checked in my friends had two units fully operating a 24 hour internet connection! Wow! Nothing is hidden now a days...!

I am also a romanticist as compared to a classicist. How I wished that the rice terraces and the once dense pine trees along the road to my home would stay as is. It's just a wish however because, mansion-type houses rapidly pop-up along the way in exchange of what I dreamed of to be. My companions always reiterated that people in my hometown are not classified as poor as what I had introduced to them. Well, I can't argue anymore because I myself cannot personally also assess how did these fine buildings were built in just a span of around 5 years.

I would just wish and keep on wishing TO REALITY that the sacredness of my dear Shangrila will remain even if life goes high tech as they say....!!!!!!

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......