2011: another year to be better

the new year started with good signs for the economy but still crimes are rising, esp the carnapping incidents, and other drug related crimes in our midst.

every pinoy should be alert nowadays, talk to your neighbors for a better understanding of what the other is doing, that's not being nosey, its trying to see
if the other house is not filled with shabu or drug related contents, or if its a carnapping ring or syndicate. there was even news about a neighborhood that has this drug laboratory inside and they were living there for four years! nobody was even noticing the people who come and go in that house? whoa wait a minute, kapeng mainit!!! maybe it's about time that we ourselves, should "police" ourselves? learn of your neighbors' work, job, what they do for a living, who comes in and out of their house , and so many little things that may quirk or spark something suspicious. There are many "tell tale" signs ...sometimes it's good to be a Sherlock Holmes too.

Chinese New Year, the year of the Metal Rabbit...last Feb 3, 2011, the whole world was focusing on the celebration of the next Chinese animal character in the Zodiac. Our Chinese brothers celebrate New Year with pomp and revelry.
Its very refreshing to see that the Chinese and the Pinoys go together in celebrating this New Year TOGETHER. it was the first time that it was done in the Quirino grandstand (PHILIPPINES), where some months before , there was the bus tragedy of the HK tourists, victims of a police officer gone berserk.
It is also good to learn that mainland China, thru their representative, had the Chinese TV group (CCTV) to have the celebration aired in HK and mainland China thru Channel 23, ANC (ABS CBN) live!!! This is what I call UNITED STAND.
I suggest we do this every Chinese NEW YEAR.

We wish everyone a good 2011 and hoping that every Pinoy or Chinoy in the country will try to be better persons, better children, better parents, better students, better teachers, to build a better if not the best country composed of good people.

We salute those Pinoys and Chinoys who are looking for better opportunities not using power, money, and position to get there. IMAGINATION, CREATIVITY , AND BRAWN .....AND BRAIN....that's the answer. If we can't pick our brains, let's use our muscles.

LET'S ALL WORK TOGETHER FOR A BETTER FUTURE FOR EVERYONE.
HAPPY NEW YEAR AND KUNG HEI FAT CHOI....

SEASON's BEST PERSONAL REMINDERS

Wouldn't it be nice to see a garbage free , clean and less smoke filled Christmas and New Year ?

Realizing the number of gifts again this year, the tons of paper wrappers and boxes, and also the number of food to be wasted, and thrown into the garbage, i assume people is still not ready to accept that during the holiday season, we really go beyond the limit on gifts , and food. That's Philippine tradition, and knowing full well that we celebrate it the longest, we expect this.

But if we try to consider several things ,actually many, many things, I suggest for the holidays is to temper ourselves and do away with so many habits and be environmentally conscious, and green. Let us rethink our ways in gift giving and holiday food preparation. Let us focus on NEED and not on WANT.

Maybe i can give some pointers or suggestions, not only good for the earth but also for our families too.

1. Re use boxes and wrappers and gift bags....Instead of throwing them away , keep them and use them again, and again....

2. Give gifts which you believe they can use. If you don't know the person well, maybe there are hints which he or she likes. or give a gift certificate .

3. Lessen preparing food which are easily spoiled.
If you cannot finish the food on the table and there are leftovers, why not share with the neighbors, friends, or maybe the security guards in your community. Another is to give to the Barangay tanods or Barangay employees for their parties.

4. Instead of giving a gift, have a fun time and bond together with your friends for a snack or coffee. Friendship bonding is the best way to share the holidays, including jokes and laughter. Street , trivia and board games are also good ways to bond. Share your best games and play with your group of friends.

5. Do not use too many electric lights. Use just enough to illuminate the tree , the garden, and the living room. Turn off other electronics, and appliances when not in use. When lighting candles, make sure you check them out once in a while, to prevent fires. Check all your electric outlets every now and then.

6. Refrain from using pyrotechnics in the neighborhood, join the community in going to the
common area for fireworks. Report people using guns during the holidays.

7. Do not drink and drive.

8. Share what you have with the less fortunate .
Attend spiritual services. We should remember that Christmas is the birth of the savior, it does not hurt to visit him in Church.
It would be nice to remember your Priest or Pastor and send him a card or a little token for the year that has passed.

9. Keep the neighborhood clean and your home free from unwanted debris and garbage.
Place all recyclables in one area and turn it over to the sanitary group of your village. Reduce, re use and recycle.

10. Use water sparingly. Water is precious.

HUG YOUR LOVED ONES...FAMILY WILL ALWAYS BE THERE FOR YOU. ITS THE SEASON OF LOVE AND MEMORIES. ^ - ^

THIS IS JUST A SHORT LIST OF WHAT ONE CAN DO THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. THERE ARE OTHER IDEAS, SUGGESTIONS , AND TO- DO LIST FOR EACH ONE OF US. WE HAVE
A ROLE TO PLAY IN MAKING THE EARTH A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE. DO IT, AND DO IT NOW.

HAVE A GOOD HOLIDAY AND BE SAFE.

GSP TACKLES CLIMATE CHANGE

This weekend, November 27,28,29, 2010, the Girls Scouts of the Philippines(GSP) will be having its seminar on Climate Change . Why climate change? This covers one of the 8 point challenge that the organization is tackling, ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE+GLOBAL WARMING
Maybe its a good way of putting the subject in perspective by discussing more about it this month.

FOREST

I will discuss about the forest. Since our country is forested, most areas are now becoming extinct due to over logging. Illegal logging has been a problem for several years now and its about time that we help replant and make our forests green again. This helps prevent flooding .
Before we can understand the importance of the forest in our lives, we should understand first why and how a tree helps in taking care of our surroundings.
A tree esp the roots, helps in taking in extra water from the soil. Due to the roots of the trees, there is a space under the soil which keeps in the water underneath.
The plants, grasses, flowers, and vegetables get their water need from the soil too, but the tree is the one that creates "housing" for the water beneath the surface.

If there are trees around an area, the first one that catches the rain are the leaves of the trees, and after that the dried leaves underneath it. The dried leaves which are all over serves as protection to prevent the trees from being washed away. It is dangerous not to have trees in mountainous areas. When it rains, the mountains cannot hold water and it is washed downwards towards the valleys and plain, thus creating massive flooding in the area.

One good thing for trees is that it provides lots of oxygen to mankind. The forest is therefore very important to man.
First, it serves as a fortress against severe rains during a typhoon. The trees in the forest stops the area from flooding. It also serves as the water reservoir of streams, rivers and spring because it slowly shares the water during dry season.
The leaves that fall from the trees, provides the forest with fertilizer. The soil cover which are rich in minerals, wash away and goes to the valley and plains where the plantations are.

The forest also provides shelter for animals and birds which eats the insects that ruin the plants and vegetables of the farmers. These includes "alamid", snakes, rats and other animals that eat in the farmer's lands.
The forest also helps to provide fresh air and water, which prevents air pollution and water pollution. The fresh air helps the population to have better health, and cools the air. The forest helps in preventing the heat of the sun to affect the people.

The forest therefore helps in balancing the ecological system.
We have to continue planting trees. How to do this? These are the basic things.

1. Dig at least 6 inches deep and 6 inches wide holes
2. Remove the soil top on the side
3. Choose a good seedling or seed
4. Make sure that the chosen site is plantable
5. If seedling is in a can, or plastic, remove container and make sure the roots are fresh.
6. Place the seedling in the round hole
7. Cover the seedling with the top soil
8. Water the seedling carefully but not too much.
9. Have a fence around it to prevent the plant seedling to be stepped on
10. Take care of your tree by watering it and removing unnecessary grass around it
11. If the tree is taller, you can provide organic fertilizer as its food.

WE can make a difference if we know how. IF we plant today, there will be trees for the next generation, and so on.

Let us love our trees, hug one today.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

pinoy trivia

OCTOBER : i know that October is the Month of the Elderly, so we go with the subject
oldest this month....

LET'S GO PINOY TRIVIA QUEST
ONE OF THE GAMES I CREATED IS THE PINOY KA BA? WHICH FOCUSES ON THINGS
PINOY, IT COULD BE HISTORICAL, IT COULD BE ARTISTS, IT COULD BE TRIVIA, IT COULD BE FACTS THAT SOMETIMES WE DO NOT REALLY CARE FOR... BUT IN REALITY IT IS STILL FILIPINO .

A friend asked me one time, "if you were not born a Pinoy, what nationality would you like to be"? you know, i said, i would not want to be any nationality, maybe i will stick to being pinoy. was that a good answer or not? maybe i wasn't very interested to be American , or Canadian, or European, or Japanese....but in truth, most Pinoys have other blood inside them, it could Malaysian, Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish....in historical perspective, the
blood that are inside of us, is a combination of all of these. That's why there are faces that look more like another country than a Pinoy...(my next question is, what face is a real pinoy, anyway?)

So this October, i would like to share some Pinoy facts and trivia which can be a good example of being aware about what we have here rather than whats outside of the country. so, read on, and learn. And my focus is OLDEST...

OLDEST:
Aklan, originally known as Minuro it Akean, is considered as the oldest province in the country and believed to have been established as early as 1213 by settlers from Borneo. Its first ruler was Datu Dinagandan. In 1399, Kalantiaw grabbed the throne. In 1433, Kalantiaw III formulated a set of laws that is known today as the Code of Kalantiaw.

Town: Unisan, Quezon could be the oldest town in the Philippines. The people of Unisan
claims that their town is now 481 years old, having been established in 1521, the same year that Ferdinand Magellan discovered the Philippines. All other towns in the country were established, not earlier than 1565, when Spain formally occupied the Philippines as a colony.

A Malayan queen named Ladya reportedly founded Calilayan, the old name of the town. In 1876, Calilayan was renamed Unisan which was derived from the Latin word uni-sancti, meaning Holy Saint.

City: Cebu City is considered as the oldest city in the country, as this was the site of the earliest European settlement established by Spanish conqueror Miguel Lopez de Legazpi in 1565.

Fort: The first Spanish settlement in the country, Villa del Santisimo Nombre de Jesus, was located inside the Fort San Pedro in Cebu City. The fort's construction began in 1565.

Street: Calle Colon in Cebu City is considered as the oldest street in the country. Named after Christopher Columbus. Calle Colon was first constructed in 1565 by the men of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi.

Stone Church: The Baclayon Church in Bohol is considered as the oldest stone church in the Philippines. (but this is now questioned by Church historians saying that its San Agustin Church in Manila which is older) *(no details which is the oldest as of this writing)

Hospital: The San Lazaro hospital could be oldest hospital in the country. According to Pampango historian Zoilo Galang, the San Lazaro hospital was established in 1578.

Church Bell: The oldest Church bell in the country is said to be the one found in Camalaniugan, Cagayan. That bell was reportedly forged in 1595.

Bridge: The Jones Bridge, formerly known as Puente de Espana, was first built in 1701. It was rebuilt by the Americans in 1916 and renamed after Atkinson Jones.

University: The University of San Carlos (USC) is considered the oldest school in the country and in Asia. Formerly known as the Colegio de San Ildelfonso, it was founded by the Spanish Jesuits in August 1, 1595. This makes the Cebu based University older than the University of Santo Tomas (1611) in Manila and Harvard University (1636) in the US.

Vocational School: The Don Honorio Ventura College of Arts and Trades in Bacolor, Pampanga is said to be the oldest vocational school in Asia. Augustinian friar Juan Zita and civic leader Don Felino Gil established the vocational school in November, 4, 1861.

Company: Ayala Corporation, one of the conglomerates in the country, is also the oldest existing company around. It was established in 1834 by sugar barons Domingo Roxas and Antonio de Ayala. It was originally named Casa Ayala, then as Ayala Y Compania, and now Ayala Corporation.

Bank: In 1881, Domingo Roxas, an ancestor of the Ayala family, became one of the directors of Banco Espanol-Filipino de Isabel II, which was founded by virtue of a royal decree. Considered as the first private commercial bank in the country, the bank came to be known as the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) in 1912.
The oldest savings bank is Monte de Piedad, which was established in 1882.

Vice: the oldest vice of native Filipinos according to historians is chewing betelnut , otherwise known as "nganga." It was said that Filiipinos had been chewing betelnut for 3,000 years.

Insurance Firm: Insular Life Insurance Co was established in November 26, 1910. And it still stands today.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Let's Discuss Green House Gases

Hello readers, its September, the start of the "ber" months. Pinoys will be gearing up for the Christmas season . To me, i don't usually start thinking about the holiday season in September, i think about Christmas after Halloween! I love halloween, maybe next to Christmas and even after celebrating my birthday.
Maybe its the fun of teasing children about ghosts and eeerie things. I also like to look at the dressed up house in villages (visit Ayala Alabang during Halloween), the costume balls, the masks, the goodies and candies given away. Its so much fun. You become a child at heart again.

September is the month of sad days too, remember 9-11 in New York? and also this was the month when the floodings of typhoon Ondoy came. Lots of houses ruined
and lives lost in both counts. But as we face a new day, we always have to thank the Lord for
giving us challenges to know what paths to take.

I will share with you today something i was reading the other day. About Greenhouse gases,
well, this blog is about environment and about being Pinoy, maybe September, my birthday month can be focused on learning things.

GREENHOUSE EFFECT, ENVIRONMENT, AND WHAT WE CAN DO
Greenhouse effect- this is the rise in temperature that the Earth experiences because certain
gases in the atmosphere (water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane and other harmful gas go up to the air which harms us) This gases trap energy from the sun. Without these gases, heat would escape back into space and Earth's average temperature will be lower by 60 degrees F colder. Because the gases are warm, it is referred as greenhouse gases and makes greenhouse
effect.

Sources - there are many sources which emit bad gases, CARBON DIOXIDE - gases come from big industries and motor vehicles which are emitted in the air's atmosphere.
METHANE- from natural and human influenced source, it could be from agriculture and wetlands, natural gas activities, and landfills (solid waste matters). More than half of the emissions are from human activities.
NITROUS OXIDE - from automobile exhaust,industrial activities, biomass burning and intensive agriculture, HYDROFLUOROCARBONS, PERFLUOROCARBONS, SULFUR HEXAFLUORIDE, which comes from aerosols and industrial coolants, airconditioning. It has strong resistance to radiation making them long living greenhouse gases.

So how does these greenhouse gases go into the air? Everytime we open our television, use our airconditioner, turn on the lights, use electrical appliances, drive a car, play a video game, use the computer, listen to the radio, use a washing machine, microwave, use hairspray, cook outside, and many things that will emit gas into the air. Whenever we use some power or electricity, it comes from power plants. The power plants use coal and oil to make electricity. Burning coal and oil produces greenhouse gases. Other than this , the trash we throw away and are sent to disposal sites produces methane, also a greenhouse gas. When factories make things and items, they use energy and send gases to the air when manufacturing items.

How do we then help to make a difference? Global warming is a big and huge problem right now.
We did not see this before, but due to the increase in population, the changes in climate that we are experiencing now, we notice that environment plays a big role in this. Lets start by being aware of these gases that ruin the earth's atmosphere. We cannot all carry the load, but if each individual person can help limit the effect of greenhouse gases in everyday things, and we count
millions of people doing the same thing, we are saving the earth.
We can start simply by:

1. Read about the environment. In the internet alone, there are a lot of important issues about it. Gather what you know and share with your friends. Information is important. The more you know , the more you can share. Be an active member of a group that helps lessen the effects of
bad gases that are thrown into the atmosphere. Be an advocate of the environment.

2. Save electricity or use power intelligently. Whenever we use electricity, remember that you are sending greenhouses into the air. You can help by turning off the lights when not in use, use the sun to help in drying clothes instead of the drying machine, or lighting up the room. Do not let your computer run idle. when not using the computer, turn it off. Same goes with the use of water, when water is used, generators have to get water from the hydroelectric plants, and power is used which also sends gases into the air. Use water sparingly.

3. Take the MRT, BIKE, or WALK. Many ways of saving power and at the same time exercise is to use the mass transit system. It will lessen cars on the road. Using the bike or walking is
also good when you are just near your place of work or if you are just going nearby.
Schedule the use of private vehicles, and think of ways to use the mass transport like FX, Buses and Jeepneys.

4. Plant more trees. We have heard about planting trees to have more oxygen and reduce greenhouse gases. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air and keeps the air fresh and clean.
There are many kinds of trees that are better than most. Ask for advise from environmentalists whats the best trees to plant in vacant lands. And not all places are good for planting trees.
This has to be cleared from the authorities which are plantable areas and which are not.

5. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle . When you think about it, using and applying these three words
to your lifestyles makes sense. Lifestyle living has reached an all time high with very high demand for branded clothes, which more often are used only once or twice. Apply these three
rules in your way of living. Reduce to the minimum what you own, reuse those which can still be used instead of buying again, and recycle items or things. Buying and buying is what companies would like you to do, but if we become more conscious about the things we buy, we help save our pennies and we save the environment too.

6. Buy recyled products and buy intelligently . If you need to buy, review the item. Support the use of recycled products as much as you can. Also try to review the product that you buy, if they are energy efficient , that does not use too much power or energy. Use CFL lights instead of the
incandescent bulbs. Cars, airconditioners, refrigerators have energy efficient models.

7. You are what you eat. Do not waste food. Prepare only what can be eaten. Be wise in spending your money.Eat nutritious food, eat vegetables and fruits often. And be wary where you throw your solid waste and water waste. Limit the use of styrophor cups and plates, use reusable mugs, glasses, to lessen the "throw away society" we all live in. Lessen the purchase of bottled water, but instead, bring water from reusable containers from home and bring it everywhere with you. You not only save money, you also save on plastic containers which are thrown everywhere and clog drains. Remember, plastic does not melt. It takes millions of years before plastic can be melted on the ground, thats why we have to reuse plastic or recyle them for other products.

8. Stand up for environment. You can help by being the initiator in your own homes, in your
school, in your community. Help in finding ways to limit the greenhouse gases be thrown into the air. You start with yourself and review your daily activities. Ask yourself, does this help the environment or not? If everyone becomes conscious of our role, maybe its not late after all.

This article was edited by yours truly thru the reading materials given by The Environmental Management Bureau of the DENR, Visayas Ave, QC www.emb.gov.ph

Where did that name come from?

August is the month of sariling wika. And also Quezon City day, or the commemoration of the birth of our Commonwealth President Luis Quezon.
Although i do want to write the following article in our own Filipino dialect, it would be hard on those who are abroad particularly my sibling's children who have grown up in the US and Canada.

My topic is about the origin of names of selected provinces and cities located in the Philippines. Few know that the names of provinces and places came from something and it stuck. I have a BOOK OF PINOY FACTS AND FIGURES, compiled by Juan de la Cruz, of course that's his pseudonym. Since the month is about sariling wika, maybe i will share this for everyone to learn. Interest in something of our own should be inculcated in every Pinoy child. Love of country is foremost in my mind when i share things which are our very own. We should love our country next to God. This is the only country we have...In another country, if in case we go out, we will always be treated as second class citizens, even if you have lived there for centuries. Join in playing the PINOY KA BA BOARD GAME, learn the trivia about the country, THE PHILIPPINES.

So I share these facts:

1. AGUSAN - a tagalog term referring to a spot where water flows
2. AKLAN - from Akean River
3. ALBAY- albaybay, a Bicolano term meaning "by the bay"
4. Angeles City- Don Angel Pantaleon de Miranda (a well known Kapampangan)
5. ANTIQUE-" hantic " or giant ants
6. APAYAO - "apayaw" , a native word for negotiable river
7. AURORA- Maria Aurora Quezon, wife of former President Manuel Quezon
8. Babuyan Island-" babuyan", which refers to a place where pigs are kept
9. Bacolod City- "buklod" , referring to a hilly terrain
10. Bago City- "bago", a large tree in the area
11. Bagiuo City- "bigjiw" , an igorot term for a moss
12. Balagtas, Bulacan- Francisco Balagtas, a Bulacan Poet
13. Balanga, Bataan-" balanga" referring to a cooking pot
14. Baliuag, Bulacan-" maliway", an adjective meaning tardy
15. Basilan- means Iron Trail
16. BATANES- ivatan, the natves of the area
17. BATANGAS- batang, or huge logs
18. BENGUET - benget, a Nabaloy term meaning head scarf
19. Biliran- biliran, a native grass used for weaving mats
20. BOHOL- bool, a village in Tagbilaran City
21. BULACAN- bulak or cotton
22. BUKIDNON- bukidnon, referring to the people of the mountain
23. Butuan City - butuan, a sour fruit in the area
24. Cadiz City- names after Cadiz, Spain
25. CAGAYAN - carayan, an ilocano word for river
26. Cagayan de Oro City- kalambaguhan, evolved from the lambago , a type of tree
27. Calamba, Laguna- kalamba, a wide mouth earthern jar
28. Calumpit, Bulacan- kalumpit, the name of trees, which used to abound in the area
29. Caloocan City- lo-ok, meaning interior
30. CAMARINES- camarine, Spanish name for granary
31. Camuigin- kamagong, a tree of the ebony family
32. CAPIZ- kapis, a Visayan term for pearl seashells
33. Caraga- caraga, or inhabitants of the area
34. CATANDUANES -named after Catandungan river, along whose banks tando trees abound
35. CAVITE- kawit or hook
36. CEBU - sugbu
37. COTABATO- fota wato or stone fort
38. Dagupan City- nandaragupan, meaning where once stood a commercial center
39. Dapitan City- dapit, a Cebuano term meaning to invite
40. Davao City- daba-daba, a native term for mythical figures
41. Laoag City- iluag, meaning clear or light
42. EDSA- Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (governor of Nueva Ecija and an engineer)
43. LAGUNA- meaning la laguna, the lake
44. Luzon- Lu Zung, a Chinese phrase meaning a far away land
45. Ilocos - loco, a Malay term for lowland
46. Isabela- for Queen Isabela of Spain
47. MARINDUQUE- for Marina and Garduke, a legendary couple
48. Tagaytay - "taga itay" which means Cut and Father
49. TARLAC- an aeta word which refers to a weed
50. ZAMBALES- zambals, or the name of the inhabitants in the area

EARTHQUAKE OF 1990 - AN EXPERIENCE

Its twenty years ago today that we remember a devastating earthquake visited the country in 1990,
that was july 16 or 18 (if i remember it right... )..
but now, i can already tell the story of what happened to us during those hours.

We were scheduled to go to Bagiuo with some family friends, and i booked ourselves in the
Bagiuo Country Club to stay a few days there. The group has two children on board, and
five adults. We also included a portrait artist to do a formal portrait for one of the ladies with
us. We really enjoyed Bagiuo at that time of the year, although there were already rains.
We just took the Mitsubishi Van, which is fairly new , to that trip. We had a great time going around the tourist spots of Bagiuo, took some biking, hiking and horseback riding. It was fun. We ate the local delicacies, we shopped around and enjoyed the cool weather. Bagiuo Country Club is a very classy place. Its good our host is generous enough to have his card to be shared , you cant check- in unless you are a member at this place. What i noted with the place is that they have very good bread, they said the pastry chef makes it daily. You can smell the bread as you enter the dining hall during breakfast. Hearty breakfast of bacon, eggs, and muffin. With some Bagiuo fruits particularly strawberries, topped with creme. Love it!!!
On one of the days we were there, i was tasked to get a map of Bagiuo City, to be able to get around and see what we might have missed. I took the van and we went to the Hyatt Hotel.
This hotel was so huge, and faces the Girl Scout Lodge. I went in and asked the front desk for
some information on Bagiuo City, this guy gave me two tourist maps of the City. Im sure you know what happened to that Hotel. This was the day before the huge earthquake. The whole hotel went down!

That fateful day of July, we were scheduled to go down to Ilocos Norte, and visit some sites.
One of our companions said, we should stay a little longer in Bagiuo cause we have not seen much.
And we were enjoying the sceneries. However, her husband insisted we leave because someone was waiting for us in the Fort Ilocandia Hotel, where we are already booked. Summarily, the husband won. So I checked them all out, but during the process, while waiting for the receipts,
i noticed that the yard of hotel was full of white balls, like hail stones. I asked the receptionist what it was, she said it happens every now and then. But i felt differently about it, though it looks nice, its like you are in another country. I now realized that it was already a sign that something bad is going to happen later that day.
We boarded the van, and we all said goodbye to Bagiuo. Thinking , maybe we can all come back for another trip.

We took the Naguillan Road to Ilocos. It wasn't bad at all, because the ride was smooth and everything was great. We saw a lot of things we have never seen before, like those huge clay pots that was a well known product of Ilocos. We were supposed to go direct to the hotel but we ate first in one of the restaurants which serve Ilocano delicacies. It was great to eat their BAGNET, (this is a delicacy made of Pork Belly which is dried and then deep fried in OIL to make it crispy delicious)...well of course, we had such a long trip, we ate at least three orders of it with the local pinakbet (another delicacy in Ilocos) We then went to Fort Ilocandia. The Hotel as they say was owned by the Marcoses (this has never been confirmed), the hotel was new, well -kept lawns, and we were surprised to see that most of the employees were waiting for us and there was even a welcome announcement with all our names on it...wow.
We took to our rooms and went around the hotel to see the amenities. Everything was nice
and cozy. There was even a Karaoke room and we said, we have to check this out because a pianist will report that night. This will be a good way of checking our vocal chords after that trip from Bagiuo , we said.

We rested for a few hours and later we went to the swimming pool with the kids. And during that time i was holding a video camera. I was taking the video of them when suddenly
there was a loud thud and groan, and the earth started shaking, i was dumbfounded and i took some video of the pool shaking, and i ran to the kids who were crying . I left the video running and went to check on the children. We assured them that it was going to be alright. But i was shaking with fear. The first thing I checked was any building around us or trees that might fall on us. Its good that we were in an open area . This lessens the risk of anything falling on you on an earthquake. We stood transfixed for a few more minutes. And then we heard a lot of shouting in the hotel, and the security were already checking on all the rooms. One of our male artist friend came with just a towel, he said he was in the toilet when it struck and he ran as fast as he can out of the room. We were all laughing at him. We then had to check our condition now. We learned from the hotel employees that the earthquake is about intensity 7 plus, and one of the worst hit was Dagupan and Bagiuo. Due to the communication problem, there was no radio, (cel phones were not available that time)and there was media black out. We were worried about our families in Manila. I know that my parents and siblings will be worried because they know that I was in Bagiuo, and Bagiuo was vastly devastated. What to do?

We had to decide now how we are going back . According to sources, the streets going to Manila is not passable, and there are a lot of problems along the way. The van may not be sturdy enough to go thru. So the next best thing is to get a flight to Manila. I immediately went to the Laoag City Airport to check on the flights, and PAL said there was a flight coming but not sure if they can fit seven persons. I said i will get all the seats available, and paid for the fare. (Its good that we had cash ) We all went back to get our things in the hotel, and told the driver of the van to start his trek towards Manila, but to be careful going down. Packed and ready, we left our things in the van, and just brought our necessities for the plane ride. This will lessen our check-in baggage. Whats important now was our body, safe and moving. By this time, no news as a whole. Only trickles of news kept coming in, and we have no idea what has happened and which places were affected. There was no newspaper in the airport. We are now taking our chances here to go home.
We waited at the Laoag airport, praying that the plane can fit us all. The two children werent at all worried, they seemed to love this change of plans. Now we are flying.!!...
And when we saw the plane coming down the runway, we really felt good about this cause we laearned that there was space for five passengers, since we were seven, the two have to go by land. It was good news. When we boarded, the passengers looked at us as if they were seeing ghosts. Maybe we looked pale or something, with blank stares too. The plane was filled to capacity and there we saw one newspaper, with the headlines, DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE HITS THE COUNTRY, MANY DIED. And then i saw the photo of the Hyatt Hotel, it was like an accordion, toppling down. My God, i was just there yesterday, and then it was gone! I was trying to remember the person who gave me the map and thinking if he was alive or not. I prayed for all the people in Bagiuo and the those who died that day. I was emotional in a way because it could have been us who might have been crushed to death. I was slowly thinking of how my parents are reacting to my trip. How my mother could be crying at this moment not knowing where I was. And my Dad calling all the police stations of Bagiuo just to check where we are. I begin to feel the chill inside my body. What if? No one was talking inside the plane. There were hushed tones as if the country is gone and no one survived the earthquake.

When the plane landed in the domestic airport, the first thing i did was to call home. And i was right, they were all looking for us, they have been frantically trying to reach all our companions' houses, their relatives, where to get in touch, who to talk to. Thank God they said, that we were not in Bagiuo when it hit. I told them i will tell you the story when i get home. On the other hand, my friends' call was also not good, their families thought that we were one of the casualties and we are all dead. So I said, maybe we should all visit them and tell them we are the ghosts of Bagiuo. But it was so peaceful to see that our sense of humor was intact, and we still can laugh at this time. We all said good bye, and I took a cab home to my family, waiting to hold me in their arms, and to tell me that the journey i had was one of the most memorable, and sad
but what a story to tell..

RIGHT NOW, I' M SLOWLY MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME...the first time i entered Bagiuo City again after that eartquake of 1990. it's 2010, when I was invited by the GSP for the leadership training last May.
I was going to turn down the invitation because of the trauma of that earthquake. I never want to go back. I feel goose pumps when I remember the moment. I feel sick thinking of the people who died during that time. It was too painful to remember.
But i said to myself, if i don't go back, it will always haunt me. So i said yes to GSP.
If the people of Bagiuo were able to move on, I can too. But that long ride going to Bagiuo ( I rode with a GSP official) was a mixed feeling of eeriness , and foreboding...its a feeling that you don't want to go, but you have to get all the courage into one body and go with the flow. My heart was beating fast. I didn't know this was the feeling of anxiety of a memory you thought was long gone but it remains with you.

I saw Bagiuo City with a new vision. This time I was thinking that this is my first time again to enter this City. A City of beauty, with cool, crisp air. A smell of pine, not death. A city of fruits and fresh vegetables. A city of flowers.

Twenty years is a long time, and again I enter Bagiuo with a smile. A chapter in my life continued
to unfold, and the memories of that fateful day in July is slowly erased from my mind......


(i thank all the people who were with me in July 1990: one of them has already died, a funny guy, too. The two kids, are now working abroad, one in HK and another is an artist-painter, who had a show recently in Europe. And the woman's portrait was finished and still is displayed in their home in Makati.,,,GOD BLESS THEM ALL)

babes