Heart for the Philippines

I've always been wanting to be in the mission field. As I can remember, I even posted here that I would love to go to France. As a preparation, I took up a beginner's course (French 10) here in UP. But there was this twist.

I have two posts about the Philippines:"Why Be Proud of our Filipino Artists" and "The Essence of the Filipino Youth." This posts tell me of how much I love the Philippines that I was burdened with my county's situation.

Today, I finished reading the chapter on praying for the nation from the book "Making Prayer a Way of Life" by a Filipino Christian author, William B. Girao. As I read along the final pages of this chapter which transformed Daniel 9:4-19 into a prayer for the Philippines, I couldn't help but cry. I'm so burdened with our people - from our leaders to the common people. I'm so ashamed that we bare the name "a Christian country." I'm so ashamed to God because He is identified with what is happening to our country. What has become of us is we are being scorned by almost all nations. And it hurts me when we are always associated as a slave race. Who wants that?

Reflecting on this, I feel so ashamed to God but I also pity our nation. But this does not mean, I end up just pitying. I felt the urgency to intercede for our country.

God is Almighty, All-powerful and All-knowing. He is merciful. He loves forgiveness. God chose the Philippines to bare His name. He has great plans for the Philippines so that every nation will know that we are His and He is our God. We, as a people, must claim that and act the way we should be.

I believe that if everyone will do his part of the puzzle, it is not far that the Philippines will correct the wrongs done and maximize its potentials. The Church must be fearless and bold in proclaiming the Gospel. Christlike character must be imbibed in us because Christ came here to save us and to show us the way. He is the model of perfection.

Prayer Does Work! (A Testimony to Share)

(As I browsed on the blogs I posted on my Multiply site, I found a lot of really interesting posts and wanted to share it here. So, this one was posted on my sophomore year in college. This tells about the power of corporate prayer and God's unconditional love for us. I retained the original title.)

I was crying last april 3, frightened of retaking Chem 31 (organic Chem)... I don't want to retake it! first, because I had given great time and effort... second, I would waste large amount of money if I did (2007 start ng Student Number ko, so that would explain it.) and finally, I don't want to make my parents sad... they had sacrificed a lot... and sometimes I think I don't deserve all the investments they put on me... I'm really grateful to God for giving me such supportive parents.. They support me in every way; may it be financially, academically, emotionally, spiritually and in my extracurricular activities... even if they don't find the relevance of such things... but i'm thankful still because they try to understand.

But one thing I learned for these past months walking with God, I'm a precious jewel and He loves me so much. Now, I shouldn't think I'm a waste...Cause my God assured me I'm not!!! and I'm claiming it!!!

So, what happened last April 3, 2009...

I was so excited because I was going to the Purple People Leaders' Camp in Nueva Ecija...it was my first time to join.. so, I was set to go, only thing was I had a final exam in the afternoon that day..so, I resolved to catch up... So, I studied our lessons in Organic Chem... everything went well...until something hit me and got me into thinking that what if I wouldn't pass this exam... I had to get 119 points for this exam to be able to pass this subject... and my mom was texting me that they'd been praying... even my siblings had to turn off the TV just to pray for me ( that's sweet of them!) so, I called them and couldn't resist crying... my mom advised me not to panic and cram...just trust in the Lord and claim His promise... and so, that boosted my spirit...

so, I went to the exam room early...and was relieved that the exam type was multiple choice (I forgot about that!)...so, I sat, talking to God...and for the whole time, I just kept talking to God while answering every number... and tada!!! I was off to go! I was confident i would pass the subject but there were doubts still...

so, we reached the camp's venue at 11pm...thank God for the safe trip!!!

the next day, i called my mom... she told me that even the Amazing Grace family was praying for me...that was during their weekly (every Friday night) Cottage Prayer Meeting...and I was so glad that that activity is still going on...and there, i wanted to cry for joy for having these people as my prayer warriors...

Faith is a Factor!!! PRAYER DOES WORK!!!

I also want to thank my other prayer warriors, ate bea (my small group leader), KRISCIANELLA a.k.a. Brattiez, the Paraluman Conspiracy, my roommates (ate ella, ate nikki and ate lara), Choni (Allison), Bon (Elvina) who also had an exam that day and those others whom I haven't mentioned... I'm so grateful for having you guys...THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!!

GOD BLESS YOU MORE!!!

I got my grades na in this subject!!! though it's just passing, still I passed...(sayang lang di ako masi-CS nito...hahaha)

(gahibi ko while typing this blog..can't contain my JOY and my GRATITUDE to HIM and to YOU...so guys...this blog is dedicated to all of you who are standing on His promises!! even to those who are losing hope...)


(then, this would be a reminder for me who for the last few months haven't been praying a lot T_T)

I Miss Bowling

... with these people. I miss our bonding activities together and the things we used to celebrate. Oh, I'm getting older (if you know what I mean).

(from left) my Mama, my sister J-Aye, and my Papa. The picture was taken on J Aye's birthday last year.

my brother, Jam-Jam and my sister, J Aye as we strolled around UP in the Visayas Miag-ao campus, Iloilo


Though we're not pros and none of us knew the rules of bowling, we still enjoyed. and those are irreplaceble moments yet can be repeated. :)

The Essence of the Filipino Youth

Ako ay Pilipino,
Buong katapatang nanunumpa sa watawat
ng Pilipinas,
At sa bansang kanyang sinasagisag,
Na may dangal, katarungan at kalayaan,
Na pinakikilos ng sambayanang
Maka-Diyos, Maka-kalikasan, Makatao at
Maka bansa.

I remember reciting this vow entitled "Panunumpa sa Watawat ng Pilipinas" in front of our classrooms during the flag ceremony everyday. It was very routinely I guess that I didn't even care much of the words in this vow. Now that I'm in college, in 4th year college, I tried reciting this again for the benefit of this blog but I ended reciting the first line only and remembering that there's a part that says about being Godly (Makadiyos), environmentally-concerned (Makakalikasan), respecful to people (Makatao) and patriotic (Makabansa).

Entering in college, there is no flag ceremonies I am required to attend. Instead, I just get by and rarely thinking of this particular gradeschool/high school routine. And here I am blogging about such things.

Remember "panatang makabayan"? If you don't, let me remind you and me:

Iniibig ko ang Pilipinas,
aking lupang sinilangan,
tahanan ng aking lahi;
kinukupkop ako at tinutulungan
maging malakas, masipag, at marangal.
Dahil mahal ko ang Pilipinas,
diringgin ko ang payo ng aking mga magulang,
susundin ko ang tuntunin ng paaralan,
tutuparin ko ang tungkulin ng mamamayang makabayan;
naglilingkod, nag-aaral, at nagdarasal
nang buong katapatan.
Iaalay ko ang aking buhay, pangarap,pagsisikap
sa bansang Pilipinas

Up until now, I thought the title was the first line of the vow.

It's amazing how our education system would inculcate in us the value of patriotism. From gradeschool, we were taught these vows and these songs, depicting the love for our beloved country. We were even asked to memorize folk songs, familiarize folk lores, epics and legends. Most importantly, the part I enjoyed most was we were asked to perform folk dances, relating it to the culture of the people where it originated. Wow!

But come college. I'm very thankful that I am studying in UP where we were being prepared to serve the people. I don't know about the other universities and colleges. I guess this is a UP-bias post. But one thing's for sure, UP is not just the university that caters, as they say, some of the bests in the country, but it is the university for the country and for its people. And it must remain that way.

When the news came out about the 2 years of service requirement for UP students, I wasn't worried. I was joyful. After all, the people paid for my education and they deserve to be served. Yes, I have a subsidized education! Before, I couldn't accept this because our batch was the first to be hit with the tuition fee increase - from 300php/unit to 1000php/unit. That's a lot of increase. But even so, getting the best education in the country, the 1000php/unit is not gonna pay it all. Having the best professors and acquiring critical thinking skills are some of things we are getting from the UP education. I'm sure other schools in the country do too. Every university should mold young minds to serve the country and its people and not their own pockets.

So, the essence of the Filipino Youth? They're the future of the motherland. Yes, it's cliche but it's what it is. I remember this popular lyrics "we are the children of yesterday's dream". And we hold the future. If you think the previous generation failed to bring out the best of the Philippines, will you sit still and watch the country crumbling? Shouldn't you be there in a class listening and enjoying the discussion while learning something new? Shouldn't you be grateful on the education you are getting? Yes, I believe I am reading your mind. Some may say the education we are getting was mediocre. It's mediocre and it will remain that way if we don't challenge ourselves to learn more and to discover more. We have great minds, you know!

It has always been an issue that we don't have the best educators because they all flew abroad and serve as nurses, caregivers, etc. Then, I believe we have belittled our past, present and future educators. Who taught those individuals now in abroad? Aren't they the sweet teacher in your gradeschool or the strict teacher in your high school or the terror professor in your college? I can't forget those teachers and professors that at one time would challenge us to be the citizens we ought to be.

Yes, the Filipino youth holds the future. and so, it saddened me yesterday upon hearing the reply of a good friend on underage adolescents smoking. Her reply was, "what do we expect, it's metro manila." wow! until now, those words are ringing in my ears. I was dismayed by the smoking of this underage teens but even more dismayed and really made my heart broke on the low expectations we have for the Filipino youth, for ourselves.

So, the essence of the Filipino youth must be clear in every Filipino so that every youth will value what they are given and every adult will value the youth like gold bars waiting to be shaped.

The essence of the Filipino youth must always be in every Filipino's mind so that every time we see streetchildren, we will be reminded to pray for them. Prayer is a very powerful tool to make change.

The essence of the Filipino youth is the essence of the future of the Philippines.

adding life

so, this blog was so far mostly words. Then, I saw the other blogs i'm following and tumblr accounts of my friends. I noticed that something immediately got my attention. I smile when I look at it and enjoys how beautifully it was taken. Yes, pictures! Whether you agree with me or not, this generation is visual.

and so I decided that from time to time I will post pictures here. It would be easier for me if I have my camera. But I do have my camera, cameras even. But they're both not functioning well. I still have to find time to go to the service center which I intentionally postpone since I don't know how to get there.

But here are some pictures I got back home, last summer when my camera was still in good condition. I love taking pictures of nature. And maybe I would venture to taking photos of people when I finally get my dream - DSLR! It's expensive and I don't want to ask my parents those kind of wants. Anyhow, I'll just bear with my digicam. After all, I tried to play with it and was satisfied with the result.

experience winter and summer in just a day

notice the weather? of course!

You wake up welcoming the coldness of the morning, almost hoping that it would remain that way throughout the day. Instead, here's what happened, you ended walking under the scourging heat of the sun. whew! and in the afternoon through evening? You just can't describe how you're here in this room and it's hot. And in the next room, you ask intensely, "can you please turn off the electric fan?"

So, that's how I describe the last two weeks. A never-ending fluctuation of the weather. And maybe you would agree with me that it's because of global warming. I'm not a geologist but I guess it is so.

I don't wanna blame anyone. I want to encourage everyone that we have to do our share of saving this earth which, in the first place, isn't ours.

just simple common tips which you might have heard that it makes me like an old CD, playing the same scene over and over again not moving on to another. Anyway, here some personal tips:

1. It must start in us. Assess yourself of how you've been acting lately towards the environment. If you have been acting like you care for the environment big time, then that's great! We need you to pass that to others. If you have been acting like you care but not doing enough, then it's not yet too late to improve. If you have been acting like you don't care at all, then you must rethink, brother! You are a part of this world, you will still be affected of whatever things that will happen here no matter who you are.

2. If you're someone who eats outside of your home and you want to take out the food and eat it in your office or workplace or classroom, I challenge you to bring your own eating utensils (a plate or a baonan, spoon and fork and a tumbler).

If you're a manager of an eating establishment, you may as well give rewards to customers who bring their own utensils. There's a branch of a coffee shop that does that.

3. Foil wrapppers (candy, chichiria) are good source of home/office decors. learn how you could use those to beautify a room or your table. Those candy wrappers can be made a flower. Those tetra packs can be made a mat ("banig"), bags, wallet, etc. There are a lot of ways to reuse/rescycle them. Be resourceful and creative.

4. If you've got a lot of newspapers or plastic bottles, it's time to let them go. Go to your nearest juck shop and sell them. May pera ka pa!

If you're a student like I am and you have a lot of reading materials that only has print on one side of the sheet, then make it your notebook next semester. Nakatipid ka pa!

5. If you love shopping or going to the grocery store, remind yourself to always bring your prevous plastic bags just being kept somewhere in your home Or bring a bag that can be used as shopping bag.

6. Be an advocate. You may start by posting on your blogs how we can help save our environment or the danger if we continue to harm it. You may encourage your friends to do the same. Remember: fire starts in a spark.


And there are a lot more practical tips to help save the environment. I just can't remember all of them, but those mentioned above are my personal tips - meaning some of them I've been doing and the others, I've been planning to do.

If you do your part, never doubt that no one seems to notice it. Because your friends will notice it or if they still don't, influence them. Make it happen! After all, we'll all suffer OR ENJOY the results of our actions. Let's stick to the latter. :)

why be proud of Filipino Singers and Music

for the past few days, i've been downloading from youtube.com some of the remarkable songs in the Philippine music industry. and as I kept on hearing their voices, I was amazed at how talented and wonerful their voices are, not to mention the music they produce. Though some of the songs they sang are just renditions of American music, I still am in awe of their talent - how soft their voices are, how they cleanly reach the high and low notes and how their voices blend in duets.

Some of the artists who are currently in my playlist are: Jed Madela (my all-time favorite), Martin Nievera (his love songs are for weddings lol), Ogie alcasid and richard poon (who both have their on version of "Kasama Kang Tumanda", the Tagalog version of "Growing Old With You." Of course, there's international star Christian Bautista, the Prince of Pop, Eric Santos, Toni Gonzaga, the bossa nova singer Sitti Navarro and Asia's Songbird who recently tied the knot with mr. Alcasid (the songwriter), Regine Velasquez-Alcasid. And, I'm hoping that I may hear rom all the other artists as well such as the now, Hollywood star Charice Pempengco, my favorite actress Zsa Zsa Padilla, Mr. Pure Energy Gary Valenciano, Aiza Seguerra, Juris Fernandez, Sarah Geronimo who's dance moves really send chill to my spine and all the other amazing singers I forgot to mention.

well, I'm actually noticing the decline of the Philippine Music Industry. or is it just because I don't watch TV recently. Anyhow, a lot foreign artists are coming on tour in the country. I believe it's great because foreigners are now noticing us. Yes, it's really nice to have them here but i hope as much as we support their concerts so we must support ours too, with greater intensity. I believe their just ahead of us in terms of materials. But in terms of talent, we do not only reach their level but also go beyond it.

I don't think going to a local artist's concert is cheap as I've heard from most students here. I believe it's more of being proud to be a Filipino. Not much of a patriotic side, but just being "mayabang" that you belong to this nation.

This goes also to our movie and TV industries, though there are really a lot of things to improve :) I believe, the Philippines, for it to be able to get out from where it is now is that we, the Filipino people, must recognize that individually, we can and by unity, we will be.

Cheers to the Filipino Artists. Cheers to the Filipino people.

from Doses of HIS LOVE to the LOVE Lines

this is a just a change of season. :)

what's most important is there is still that constant and unconditional love - God's love.

I'll keep on sharing it in my own words with His guidance, thus the LOVE lines.

in this context, we take two meanings of LOVE. Love because it's all about Him and His love. Love because it's His overflowing LOVE that filled my parents to even name me such.

The LOVE lines are simply the Love of my Father expressed in my life, shared by my thoughts and words - my line of thoughts, my line of words. (I hope that made sense.)

talking about relationships

and it just dawned on us.

do i need to panic? no. Do i have to worry? definitely no.

I just had a long nice walk with my bestfriend last Saturday night. the bulk of our talk was about the love relationship that we still don't have. we're 20 and turning 21 this year. We're 4th year college students but we shifted so we have to stay for another year. She had had relationships while i haven't. I planned to have relationships after I graduate though Pa had permitted after I turned 18. But of course Ma disagreed, being more "conservative" in this sense. She even told me to have that kind of relationship after med school. and I was like, "are you kidding me?"

anyway, we had this talk of why men don't notice us as woman. My bestriend even considered singlehood but I told her if God had put that desire of getting married in your heart, surely He will never fail. I forgot to mention that He is still writing the greatest lovestory He has for the both of us. We are just so blessed to have each other :). anyhow, a love relationship with the opposite sex is another thing. it's your lifetime partner we're talking about, hello!

So, just the thought that by next year, we are living the portals (though not completely) of the University of the Philippines where we wish to find the one God has intended for us, makes me really want to hunt down that man on my last academic year.

Do I really think I need to be in a relationship next year? Are we ready for this?

While listening to my bestfriend, I asked those questions in my mind. Then, the preaching last Friday reminded me how to be prepared or how to know if you're ready. For the ladies, there are 5 areas we need to be prepared of.

1. Our Heart
2. Our Mind
3. Our Body
4. Our Hand
5. Our Spirit

And for the nth time, I ask myself, "do/will I pursue God more than I pursue this man?" And for the nth time, I assessed myself and I get the same answer: No, you're not. As shameful as it may be, I admit how I don't really primarily pursue God. I had a disordered QQT and prayer times which are really important in our walk with God. Every time I tried to have a QQT and prayer time, I was always overcome by laziness. And with this, I thought that maybe God doesn't reveal that man yet is because He knows I cannot handle it yet even if it's with the one He intended.

I guess I'm just feeling all the blues because of the season. And the issue of loneliness cannot be addressed by having someone by your side. It will return again and again. Thus, we need to overcome it now while we are singles. This is true to insecurity as well which may boil down to the issue of belongingness. Yes, sometimes we get insecure because we don't belong to someone. We believe we're not as pretty as those other girls. Hey, hear this:

We belong to the One whose love is greater than we could ever imagine.

So, there's really nothing to worry about. Love is a very wonderful gift from God and even more wonderful sharing it with someone made for you.

Learning that I still have a long long way to go, I guess I just have to end this blog with: to my future partner, I reserve my love for you. (quoted from a friend but stated from the heart) I hope you reserve your love for me, too. Lets patiently wait and actively prepare for the life we'll share together. (kilig!)