The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

A Lesson from the Wild

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." - Galatians 6:9

Crocodiles don't attack until members of a herd of Wildebeest show the slightest sign of weakness and weariness. So, let us never get tired of doing good... never get tired of serving our King. For just as the Wildebeests can successfully cross a river infested with crocodiles, we as God's servants will succeed in giving back to God what He deserves and that is twice as much as what He gave us. If only we never get tired.

Hey, do you remember what Manny the Mammoth said about herds in the movie Ice Age? 

Diego: Why did you do that? You could've died trying to save me.
Manny: That's what you do in a herd: you look out for each other.
Diego: Well... thanks.

Christmas Gifts

When my sister, who is in Grade 6, got home from their class’ Christmas party this afternoon, she carried a huge paper bag which contained the gifts she received. Of course, I was amazed at the size of the bag.

So, I checked out the stuff she received. There was a cell phone case, a pencil case, a pair of hair clips, a stuffed toy, one bottle of lotion and one bottle of shampoo (which she found as the most satisfying gift she received) and a basket figurine (which she has no idea what to do with). She didn’t seem so happy with the presents so I consoled her by telling her that she has to be happy about it because it is a reminder that some friends remembered to give her something for Christmas. Also, I told her gift-giving doesn’t happen very often in college anymore except for the Manito/Manita (Secret Santa) thing. It’s true, you know. Well, at least for me, it is.

I have several theories for this.

1. It has gotten harder to look for gifts worth giving (unless we can be so low and just give away a meaningless figurine just like my sister’s friend but it’s totally understandable since the one giving it is only a kid).

2. People are getting more critical in choosing friends worth giving gifts to. (This is a sad theory, really.)

 3. People have become so practical that we find it expensive and unnecessary to be giving away gifts. (People might actually be saving for something else.)

4. People simply don’t have the money. (Now, this... is SAD.)

Ironically, even when I receive lesser material things now that I’m in college, I seem to have so much more to be thankful about. Right now, I am very thankful for another year of friendship with GPP, with YFCs, with old friends I don’t get to see so often anymore and yet still are my friends.

I am thankful for every day God gave me as an opportunity to always be better than yesterday. I am also thankful for the challenges He gave me which made me see things more clearly through a different set of lens. I am thankful that despite everything, I’m still okay and I’ve never been too far away from the right track. This post is going to be too long if I list down the things I’m thankful for, so, I leave that between me and Daddy God.

By the way, did you know that even when it’s not Christmas season, God is very generous with gifts which we find ordinary but are actually really special? According to the movie The Ultimate Gift, here are some things we should be thankful for:

The gift of work.

The gift of money.

The gift of friends.

The gift of learning.

The gift of problem.

The gift of family.

The gift of laughter.

The gift of dreams.

The gift of giving.

The gift of gratitude.

The gift of a day.

The gift of love.

It’s a great movie. You should watch it. Perhaps, you should watch it this Christmas with your family and friends.

Oh, are you not curious about what was in my sister’s huge paper bag? A photo frame with a picture of a bouquet of flowers.

Haha, this I find so funny because her Manito (a Secret Santa who is a boy) probably did not know what to give her. He just had to give her something because he was her Manito. Nice packaging, pal. My only point here is that let’s avoid giving gifts just to create a huge impression (in this case, expectation…LOL) on the part of the receiver. The gifts we give don’t have to be huge (ROFL XD) or expensive. Otherwise, we’ll be like this little Manito who only felt obliged to give something. It is never about the price of the gift, either.  Whether it is huge or small, wrapped with fancy Christmas decorations or not, expensive or cheap, it doesn’t matter. It is the sincerity and the meaning of giving gifts that really matters.

I guess now that it's the season of giving, we should ask ourselves, what have we given to the people we value?

Happy gift-giving, friends. 

An Accountant's Heart

Our professor once said that there is no room nor time for despair in Accounting. I wondered if he's telling us to have a callous heart. I thought about it further and I realized Accounting does not call for a callous heart but a strong one. 

One that can accept mistakes and have the courage to correct them.

One that can rise up from previous failures and strive to do better the next time.

One that can stand up for what it believes is right despite the many temptations posed by the nature of the profession.

I'm not sure how I should respond to being regarded as an idealist but I do know that i want to change the reality of being an Accountant.

"Uphold ethics in the pursuit of excellence" 

-Atty. Eranio L. Punzalan, CPA

(The first time I met Fr. Manny, he asked me what my motto was when he learned that I was an Accounting student. But he seemed to be joking when he asked so I just smiled. I could have readily given him an answer and that is the statement of Atty. Punzalan above which I heard him say when I attended a symposium on Ethics.)

Pinoy music and money matters

I can’t believe that there are actually people who don’t know who Noel Cabangon is. Like ermahgerd. After hearing him perform live during the launching concert of the Diamond Jubilee of the Archdiocese of Palo, I started doubting whether I really am a fan of Jason Mraz or Simple Plan or whatever (there’s no point comparing them). This man… He’s just epic. Like totally awesome.

When he sings, it’s like one can feel the original emotion when he wrote the song. I’m not the type of girl who ordinarily thinks of what her wedding should be like but earlier tonight, I have just decided that when I get married, I want some Noel Cabangon songs to be played during the wedding ceremony. Sure, it’s going to be different when somebody else sings it but it’s a Noel Cabangon composition still and it would still be lovely.

His songs simply captivate me. It captures the way I like love and life to be. His songs talk about inequality in social status, about changing for the better, about real and everlasting love, about how time passes, about how life has to go on and many more. You should really listen to his songs although it's a different experience to hear him perform live.  He ended the concert with this song which talks about being a good Filipino citizen and he made the audience sing along “’pagkat ako’y isang mabuting Pilipino”.

A friend of mine, who is a K-pop fan, once found out and laughed at the fact that I had Kanlungan and Kahit Maputi na ang Buhok ko on my playlist. Tonight, I was reminded why I had such songs on my playlist and I continue to love listening to these songs. There is no reason for it to be funny at all that old songs are in a young person’s playlist.

Of course, my brothers and sisters in YFC, Mani and I were seated in the front row. You can only imagine how much we could feel the song and the cold dry ice (is that what you call it?). We sang along, we danced and waved our hands up high. Zeus even came up on stage when Jackie Oda (not sure of the spelling of her name) asked him to. People started to leave and yet we were still there enjoying every song. I bet Noel Cabangon didn’t expect to see young people hype up the crowd and dance to his music. It’s the age of rock music and, yet, we were there singing along with him. I really had a blast. 

***

Now, we move on to another segment of the Launching Concert. Bro. Michael Lobrin spoke about being blessed with money. He said money isn’t bad at all. It’s not even true that money is the root of all evil. Jokingly, he said the lack of money is the root of all evil. He made a good point right there. Come to think of it: broken friendships because of unpaid debts, people stealing, etc. Other times, it is not the lack of money at all but being greedy for more which leads to corruption.

Bro. Michael emphasized that when we are blessed by the Lord in material wealth, it is our responsibility to bless others as well (financially or not). And if we don’t think we are, there has to be a reason behind it. Accordingly, God might feel like we can easily forget Him when we have enough money to live with, how much easier would it be when we have more than enough? That’s why, we should be thankful for the times when we run out of cash because we are reminded to call upon our ever-present financer who can give us more than just money but also real joy of being able to know Him. When we live with Him, there ought to be no evil whether or not we are blessed with material wealth.

Shoes

We've heard it said "good shoes take you to good places" but Number Four (John Smith) says a place is only as good as the people in it. So wherever you are, make sure you've got great people surrounding you. I have come to love Tacloban City not because I got here with my shoes (which aren't so great, by the way, and I would really love to have a new pair for Christmas) but because I met some really good friends. 

Thanks for the friendship!

No more dramas

The beauty of being able to read your previous posts is that you’ll know when you lose track and realize that you’re using the wrong lenses in looking at things. Forgive me for my dramas. From now on, I wish to let only positivity radiate from this blog. But I’m not going to delete my dramatic posts because, once upon a time, they were true. M.E., if I may, I would like to adapt your Rule of Positivity. :-)

My new feel-good song

Rooftop 

by Sasha

Verse 1

It doesn't matter what they say

You do your own thing anyway

Even though you contradict yourself

If you need some help it's okay

A little envy brings you doubt

Just eat it up and spit it out

No need to make a compromise

If you realize that you're strong enough, oh

Bridge

There's nothing better

Than a heartbeat over mind

Chorus

Shout it from the rooftop

Here I go

Beating on the back door

Of your soul

Walking on a tightrope

Don't you know

Takes you higher, takes you higher

Dancing on the sidewalk

Letting go

Jumping on a fast train

Nice and slow

Surfing on a backbeat

No control

Takes you higher, takes you higher

Verse 2

It doesn't matter what you do

It's only someones point of view

There doesn't have to be an alibi

When you wanna cry cause you're blue

To spend a little ain't no crime

Please yourself from time to time

We all get caught out in the pouring rain

We get wet the same

Does it matter, no, no

Bridge

There ain't nothing better

Than a heartbeat over mind

Chorus

Shout it from the rooftop

Here I go

Beating on the back door

Of your soul

Walking on a tightrope

Don't you know

Takes you higher, takes you higher

Dancing on the sidewalk

Letting go

Jumping on a fast train

Nice and slow

Surfing on a backbeat

No control

Takes you higher, takes you higher

You hide behind feelings

What's that all about

No need to hold it back

Gonna shout it out, shout it out

Boxed

Who created this box?

Is it You, Lord, who confined me?

I doubt it, though.

‘Coz I know You created the world for me and the rest of humanity.

Then, why do I feel trapped?

Beyond these corners, barely any one could hear my voice.

The walls contain it.

It’s starting to become internal noise.

I dance to my own music.

I cry over my own drama.

I laugh at my own joke.

I lament over my own sorrow.

I rejoice over my own happiness.

I deal with my own inferiority.

I glory over my own achievement.

I struggle with my own insecurity.

Such selfishness it is.

Now and then I thought I caught a glimpse of what’s out there.

But then some things happen and I cower and once again find myself in here.

I want to know what it is like to be in the open and be elsewhere.

In here, it’s secure but lonely.

It’s quiet but deafening.

It’s huge but empty.

I could scream with all my strength, but I’d only hear the echo of my own voice.

Some may hear it but there’s so much more than my droned words.

I feel like I want people to hear me but I don’t even know what I want to say.

I want to understand other people but I can’t even understand myself.

Which leads me to wonder: am I the only one who’s trapped?

Or do we all hide in our own little box?

Never say NO

I was supposed to spend yesterday afternoon and evening studying but I was invited to attend the Household of Leyte and I thought “why not?” I can just study at night. What I didn’t know was that it was an overnight activity. I’m glad I came though.

For me, it was God’s way of making me realize what was wrong with the way I run my life. It was because I run my life. I realized that even though I prayed that God’s will be done and that He use me to be His instrument, I already have a plan of my own. A plan which I think would help me achieve my goals and I usually stick to it. 

Now I know that God wants me to do what I have to do but never say NO to Him. 

That’s what’s going to make me happy. The same goes for you. If you’re a student, then study. If you have to work, then work. But when God calls, never say NO. Never mind your disrupted schedule. He’ll take care of it Himself. Just have faith and seek for God’s peace.

I used to smile broadly (especially when I’m alone) just thinking of the many blessings I received. Then, I lost that habit. I tried going back to that self but it’s been a struggle. And I’ve been feeling kind of dry. I could hardly recognize the new blessings I’ve been receiving. Perhaps, it’s because I was thinking that God has not granted me the achievement of my goals yet. I didn’t realize I was ignoring God’s plan.

This morning, I thought about how God’s work in my life is so amazing. I was smiling to myself while holding back my tears. Crazy, am I not? I’m so back.

Never Diet Again

I'd like to share with you this short article from the book Through the Night with God.

He that putteth his trust in the Lord shall be made fat. -Proverbs 28:25 KJV

It's you against all those fattening desserts: pies, cookies, cakes, candy. You have declared war on fat. You've carefully read food labels, measured portions, cut out the fatty foods from your diet and exercised regularly. But did you know there's an easier way to stay healthy and fit, one that doesn't require you to lose weight to accomplish your goals? In fact, God wants all His children to be FAT - spiritually speaking.

Here's how to gain spiritual weight:

F - Be faithful to do all that God tells you to do.

A - Be available for His use.

T - Be teachable. 

God is calling you to be a faithful follower, one who will hold on to Him when life's problems are pressing in. You probably would rather run and hide. But what if God is transforming you into a stronger person through those trials? Would you still want to run? The stay-slim strategies of a physical diet require discipline, and the same is true in our spiritual walk with God.

Are you available for God's use? You may have given up time, money, family and friends for Christ. Still, God wants you to give Him the things hidden deep within your heart - disappointments, hurts and failings.

Are you hiding behind a wall of unforgiveness? Let go of past hurts and allow God to heal you. This will free you to help others. Replace old habits with good ones by seeking God's plan for your life.

Finally, be teachable. In 2 Timothy 2:15, we are reminded to: Study to shew thyself approved unto God (KJV). Don't skimp on your daily nourishment from the Bible. Feed your spirit on God's Word every day and you won't feel spiritually hungry or deprived. When you end each day with a devotion and Scripture, somehow it dissolves all your problems and worries. So before you turn out the light, get FAT with God!

***

I just thought many of us needed that. It's just that it's sem break and there isn't much to do other than watch your favorite movies and shows and read books and browse your favorite blogs and websites and eat your favorite foods -- there is just lots of food at home. Talk about a sedentary lifestyle. Becoming fat is now a concern of many of us thanks to Hollywood and models and whoever made being slim the standard of being good-looking. Haha, frustration. But seriously, I didn't even care about how I look until I entered college, started gaining weight and met people who seem to care about nothing but their figure.

Then again, standardizing size could be a window for us to see ourselves clearly. How disciplined are we to eat just the right amount of food AND eat only the right food (that means NO JUNK FOOD)? How determined are we to stay fit and healthy? How hard-working are we to burn all those unnecessary fats? 

See, even if we tell ourselves that our physical appearance won't even matter to people who would truly love us, it tells more of our attitude. People who truly love us may turn a blind eye on our attitude but how is your self-image? Attitude counts. The right attitude will be of great help in achieving the body that is just right for us. 

The first time I read the article above, I was still a skinny kid (whoa, must have been a millennium ago) and that was just it - an article I've read. Now that I'm not skinny anymore, I became one of those figure-conscious insecure people. But I realized there's a more important weight that I should be paying attention to and that's spiritual weight. Be FAT for God.

150-day challenge

Faith Forward

FAITH

starts with you and ends with you.

FAITH

starts with you and ends with somebody else.

-Ate Nikki

For years, CFC – Youth for Christ (YFC) has been molding the youth to become more faithful. This year, we are encouraged to put that faith into action and take advantage of the passion and boldness of our young hearts.

"It's so easy to say 'God bless' but have you been a blessing to the other person?" -Ate Nikki

We are called to be fearless in proclaiming our faith.

To not fear rejection and reach out and continue being good.

To not be afraid of defying the standards of being cool by living a 100% free lifestyle and stand for what we believe in.

To not be afraid of being “corny” and vulnerable to our household members by sharing with them our everyday joys and sorrows.

To not be afraid of actually caring for people.

To not be afraid of failure.

“We are called to be fearless because God is fearless. And God is in us.” – Kuya Eric

Faith Forward is the theme of the Regional Youth Conference (RYC) 2012. One thousand two hundred and sixty six young people gathered in Bayugan City for the Northeastern Mindanao RYC. In other parts of the country, roughly the same numbers of young people gather for the same event. Magpapahuli ka pa ba? Actually, yeah it just ended yesterday. But it’s not yet too late. There’s something bigger in the summer of 2013 – International Leaders’ Conference (ILC) Manila. Be there. Start saving.

Magastos ba ‘ka mo? Let me tell you a story. This happened on Facebook. There was this brother or sister who posted “The best things in life are free… Pero ang RYC hindi free.” Kuya Eric, the speaker for the third session, just laughed at it.

Sabi niya pwede namang free yung mga conferences. We can do it on the side of the road or in any venue which can be used freely. The speaker can just step on a rock where he can be seen by everybody. We can still reach out and conduct the social action like we did last weekend. However, we won’t enjoy the food that Jollibee is serving us. We won’t have IDs and conference kits to be part of our YFC collection. We can’t have Ablaze T-shirts. Pwede talaga siya free and it would still be a complete conference pero “showbiz” tayo, eh. Sosyal pa.

“Showbiz” tayo because we cannot show the world how great God is when we settle for mediocrity. We want the best in proclaiming God’s greatness. By spending on these conferences, we can show the world that financial difficulties cannot stop us to experience an all-out worship to God. We can show the world that there is a better way of spending our sem break and our money. That’s being “showbiz”.

Instead of saving up for that newest gadget which you’ve always wanted but would sooner or later be obsolete when developers come up with a new model, save up for YFC conferences where you can experience real joy of worshipping the Lord; where you can meet new friends who share the same passion as you; where you would want to change to live a better life for God. The joy it brings would last longer than does a new gadget.

And even when we don’t get that newest gadget, we are still sosyal. We are social beings! We can’t share God’s love when we isolate ourselves. Reach out. That’s something I need to work on. I’m not anti-social, I’m just shy. Have you ever thought that being shy could be an indication of fearing rejection? ‘Coz I thought of it just now. I’ve read that being shy indicates that one fears being embarrassed. But I am called to be fearless, am I not? So I should be friendlier.

During the RYC, I was reminded and reassured of God’s great love. Yung feeling na just a few moments ago you could remember all your sins and feel all this unworthiness but when you come before the presence of the Lord, you would suddenly feel the need to let all of it go and just continue moving forward and never give up in striving to live a life that would please our King. The RYC is a fresh start.  How we continue the momentum after it would be a challenge.

“Every day is a temptation.”

“Temptation is not a sin unless entertained.”

I had a great weekend. I got the sem break I needed. Ikaw, how did you spend your sem break?

The Bigger Picture

I remember telling myself that this is going to be the best two years of my stay in Leyte. Well, it has just begun. I pictured having the most fun, building the best relationships and getting really good grades. But God’s way of making it the best is far greater than I imagined.

I’m pretty sure I did not get really good grades this semester. After I failed in the midterm exam of our major subject, I got discouraged, I lost confidence and I became lazy and unexcited and fearful. Thankfully, I passed my major subject. My grade is not very impressive but, hey, I passed. Praise God! I actually thought I wasn’t going to make it. I even feared going through college for six years. Now, I there is new hope that I won’t.

Tin2x, a YFC sister, was right when she told me that maybe the reason I’m not getting really good grades is that I haven’t really learned everything yet and that maybe the reason I fear failing is that I haven’t forgiven myself for my previous failure yet. What exactly is it that I need to learn?

More than just the lessons in the subjects that I took, this semester has taught me a lot. I experienced being at the lowest and no one can relate better with those having a hard time with their studies than one who actually had some difficulties herself. So, I guess, next time, when I won’t be at the bottom anymore, this experience should remind me that I may have friends who need me and whom I can’t neglect just because I am content with my performance.

Some might disagree but I believe it could happen sometimes that no matter how much effort you exerted (not that I gave my all because, honestly, I was being lazy for most of the semester) and no matter how confident you are (not that I ever was) when you took the exam, you still may not be able to ace nor pass it. It’s a very humbling experience, really. It’s one of those times when you would really get down on your knees and ask that God’s will be done and that you be blessed with a humble heart to accept it. And when it doesn’t happen to you, it could happen to your friend(s), so, be sensitive.

Now, I have gained a new way of looking at failure and a new attitude towards my studies. I have learned how not to take failure against anyone – not by being easily irritated by my friends, not by questioning God, not even losing self-confidence. I never would have learned such had I completely given up and just drifted away. I’m glad I decided to continue fighting until the end of the semester. Whatever you’re going through right now, remember that it is just a piece of a puzzle. In the end, it all fits together. Those little things that brought me down this semester could be just a preparation for more challenges.

There will be greater challenges for sure. But I know that when I come face to face with those challenges, I will always have friends like Tin2x to help me see the bigger picture and I always have God to make it the best picture ever.

I thank God for another wonderful episode of my life. I thank GPP for another semester of friendship. Happy sem break everyone!

SOLVE

In doing Accounting problems...

S  strengthen your foundation
O   overcome panic
L    love what you do
V    value time and details
E    expose yourself to more problems

Hunger Games

(This one's raw. Forgive me for my writing.)

I'm happy God does not rule over our lives the same way Seneca did over the lives of the Tributes. 

Seneca wanted to see them kill each other.  God wants us to live harmoniously and love one another. 

Seneca wanted to control the tributes. God gave us the gift of choice and willpower. 

Life is no hunger games. Unfortunately, the world has become one big arena without us noticing it. We are so full of ourselves that we only want to end up being the victor through our own efforts -- even hurting other people and pulling each other down. We tend to forget that the evil one only wants to put up a good show by turning us against each other. We forget the innate goodness of our hearts. 

Life is a precious gift meant for us to keep and share with other people. It is not just a show. It flows according to how we choose to live it. But the odds are according to how God wills it. May the odds be ever  in your favor.

Hey, check out Alexander Ludwig (Cato) and Liam Hemsworth (Gale). Handsome, eh?

Two points

I was humbled by the result of our midterm exam in Advanced Accounting. I prepared well for it and I asked God’s blessing for it. My classmates and I knew it was the type of exam we really have to prepare for. I did my best during the exam but my best was two points away from passing. It was just devastating for me.

 I realized, though, that if I humbly asked for God’s help, then I have to be just as humble to accept whatever it is that He will give me. I don’t have to rebel against His will. I have to believe that there is a purpose for it.

Now that I think about it, I realized that it has been quite some time when I prayed for God’s will to be done. I was always asking for whatever I wanted.

I know now what Tim LaHaye meant when he wrote that being filled by the Holy Spirit is not a one-time event; we have to ask God everyday under any circumstance that we be filled with His Spirit. Right now, I need to ask for the Holy Spirit’s gift of meekness for me to be able to humbly accept the result of this exam.

I don’t have to wallow in depression and ruin the rest of the semester. I don’t have to feel bad about it because I did my best. I don’t have to feel good about it, either. I just have to be humble enough to accept it. Seriously, I’m tired of crying; time to move on.

Blue Moon

It’s a Blue Moon!

Blue Moon is a phenomenon wherein we experience two full moons in one month. It happens only once every three years, thus, the word ‘blue’ meaning rare.

The moon was shining bright, alright. But what could have been a beautiful night turned out to be one experience which could not be easily forgotten by anyone.

As UPians flocked to witness two events simultaneously held that night, a huge earthquake disrupted the night’s entertainment. It lasted long enough to scare people away and drive them out of the buildings. The 7.9 magnitude quake’s epicenter was in Eastern Samar and it was too strong that it reached my hometown in Mindanao. Tsunami alert levels were raised in Eastern Visayas and parts of Mindanao. My family back home already left for evacuation along with many of our fellowmen.

Meanwhile, in downtown Tacloban City, darkness reigned as power was still out. My housemates and I were told to prepare emergency things including blankets, clothes, flashlights, food and other valuables. So we did. We prayed and I know many other people out there did the same. We stayed up until electricity came back and the alert levels were lifted. Before going to sleep, we were warned of a possible aftershock, but as (kind of) expected, it did not come. There have been a number of Tsunami warnings in the past and, thankfully, it all came to pass without an actual Tsunami.

So, I guess, it is a reminder for all of us that sometimes a quake is just a quake. Maybe someday we’ll look back at this night and realize how little faith we have when we panicked instead of praying or how selfish we were when we prayed only for the safety of our loved ones and ourselves.

I hope we don’t flood heaven with prayers only once in a blue moon because every day we’re alive is reason enough to call on to God, thank Him for the gift of life and ask for His constant guidance.

An afternoon with Snow White

The forest draws strength from your weakness. 

– Huntsman in Snow White and the Huntsman

Even  a bad movie can give us something to think about. Snow White and the Huntsman is not really that bad, it’s just boring, like “Oh there’s nothing new here. It’s just a subtle mash-up of a bunch of other stories.” I watched the movie with Mani, Eunice, Gerald, Kim and Michelle.

We thought it would relieve stress after that brain-damaging exam from Sir Tikki in Advanced Accounting. But it wasn’t the movie that relieved our stress -- it was us watching the movie together. If I watched the movie alone, I wouldn’t have appreciated it fully. Well, honestly, up to now I still don’t. Haha. But watching the movie with my friends made it worth my while. Our occasional remarks and criticisms of the movie were just funny.

So, if you’re feeling down after an exam which you have prepared for days and still not ace it, MOVE ON! Life doesn’t end there. There’s still another quiz, another exam, another chance. Let’s just do our best every time because chances are limited. Just because we did not do well in an exam doesn’t mean we can't do well in our relationships with our friends and family. Spend time with the people who make your life colorful.

Study Buddy Haide

My Sunday afternoon has never been this academically productive. Thanks to Haidebols! :D

Meet Haide Meru. She’s a great study buddy. Aside from the fact that she is naturally good in academics, she’s really nice and she is willing to lend you a hand in studying. She is smart and so genuine. She’s been through some tough stuff but she never fails to smile and laugh so hard and loud.  Beware, though, because while studying, she might be singing pop songs that are so last year. But she does it in a low volume so it’s not very distracting.

Exams are fast approaching. If you find yourself having a difficult time studying on your own, try doing it with a study buddy. You don’t have to study in big groups because there is high probability of lesser efficiency. But remember, the most effective study habit is that which is paired with the determination to ace the exam. So, whether you do it on your own or with your friends, it ought to help you pass. Yeah, maybe I have to tell myself that as well.

Happy studying friends!

Jesse Robredo

As we commemorate the 29^th death anniversary of Ninoy Aquino, we are once again saddened by the loss of another great Filipino leader in the person of DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo.

Robredo’s advocacy was that of good governance. He initiated the transparency of records of the local government in Naga City where he was mayor for several terms. He roamed the streets in simple slippers, jeans and shirt checking on how Naga City was doing and even helping collect garbage occasionally. Not even his Harvard education raised his ego a bit. He was dear to the people. In fact, he established the “people’s council” of Naga City to allow the people to express their views and be heard. This way, the people felt that they are a part of the progress of Naga City, which I find very commendable.

We salute you Sec. Robredo. Your memory lives – not on the basis of yellow ribbons tied everywhere but on the basis of your good works. No offense meant to the Aquinos and the yellow ribbons but I believe what needs to be remembered in an important date like this is not the yellow ribbon. That is just so Trapo. What needs to be remembered is the martyrdom of Ninoy, the fighting spirit and faith of Cory and the good governance of Jesse Robredo.

The death of these great leaders may be reason for us to mourn but I guess it may also be a way for us to really appreciate their good works. You know how we are: we can’t fully appreciate people and their works until they’re gone. Their works are a symbol of hope for progress for the Philippines. Let’s continue what they have started and keep moving forward.

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/370498/robredo-s-body-found