"True humanity lies not so much in protecting myself and my own from others, as in protecting others from myself." - Got this from one Red Cross reading..

Post 25th Bday Nyt @ Mugen

Thanks so much for everyone who greeted me on my 25th birthday. Salamat talaga. My whole year of being 24 was spectacular. With all the new people I’ve met, and everyone who inspired me and changed me into a better person, I guess there’s more to come in the coming years! Cheers everyone!

Pictures below: me and Willy at Mugen (Metrowalk) the night after my birthday. Great RnB club, great band playing (of course) RnB songs. Nice crowd as well. We didn’t stay long though, kase may liquor ban starting 12mn.

Additonal pix: flowers from Willy (for the first and last time, hehe, choclates na lang!)

Karaoke Night w/ Colleagues 16Sept2010

Lymphatic Filariasis

Its one of the good things why I'm starting to enjoy being assigned at OpCen, is that we receive different reports from Chapters regarding certain incidents/ accidents/ floods/ earthquake and even health bulletins from Chapters all over the country. And today, one thing that strikes me is a report from Sultan Kudarat province about a stakeholder's meeting regarding National Filariasis Elimination Program. They have 8 suspected cases of Lymphatic Filariasis plus 35 cases still to be validated in Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat.

 

Ate Jenny and I started googling about this disease, and here comes the unpleasant photos of this disfiguring disease. 76% of the population of affected individuals live in 4th - 6th class municipalities, which I believe are the most far-off and hardly inaccessible, poorest of the poor communities in the Philippines. Health personnel have high hopes, given that they will devote the whole month of November for the mass treatment of heavily affected communities, it is said that the main strategy to eliminate Filariasis is through Mass Drug Administration once a year for five years. The photos are awful, how much more the ostracism and psychological burdens these people suffer from?

 

On the lighter side, last week was good. Stayed again at my favorite hostel c/o Mam Ging together with my colleagues while Andy treated us for Dinner and some drinks at the pool after 3 days in the field. Friday night is Sergi's Farewell Party, and it's good that I got acquainted to some confederates, that before, they were just faces without names, or names without faces.

 

Also, I got my own camera last Saturday! Not too fancy though. I named him "Boris". It's the result of an advance cash bday gift from Willy and my Dad - the 2 most loved men of my life. Hehe. Ciao!

Bad Times, Good Times

For the last two weeks, I’ve been suffering again, as always every year, clogged nostrils and sticky phlegm, coupled with pre-menstrual syndrome, annoying headache and a thing that comes out of the lid of my right eye due to over smoking and unhealthy lifestyle, I guess. I decided not to take medication (aside from the Vitamin C) since it’s not getting worse anyway and that I know drinking water and eating the right things would be sufficient to make it go away. But it’s not, unfortunately. The aircon and the fan pisses me off, I go to bed as early as possible and then in the morning, its takes a lot of effort to move my ass and go to work. These, I believe are the bad times.. Bad days, when you need passion for work, but you fake the smile, and you do your best knowing that hell, it was just your problem.. Blah blah.

Good thing, after months of not-seeing-each other, I met my friend last Thursday, who turned a year older last Sept 25. It feels good in a way to have someone hear (not listen) to my rants knowing he’s not capable of giving empathy. But it was the same pleasant feeling way back in college that I talk most of the time, and he gives me that mocking grin, and off we go, knowing that we will meet again after some time.

For this week, I should say, after all the physical inconveniences, the new demands from people I’m working with, I wanted to stay positive and to free myself from the unnecessary distractions.

Parting Poem

Yesterday, my Boss (who is about to leave the country in a few days time) gave me a book, handwritten on the title page is this poem by Rainer Maria Rilke, he said that it suits me somehow. It’s true. I was teary eyed when I finished reading it the first time.

At first, I thought I was cynical because of the title , with the word ‘God’ – which is commonly interpreted as a Supreme Being overseeing and watching us all, checking if we are either doing good or bad, but in this poem, it shows the ‘God’ that is not placed in religions.

God Speaks To Each Of Us

God speaks to each of us before we are,
Before he's formed us — then, in cloudy speech,
But only then, he speaks these words to each
And silently walks with us from the dark:

Driven by your senses, dare
To the edge of longing. Grow
Like a fire's shadow casting glare
Behind assembled things, so you can spread
Their shapes on me as clothes.
Don't leave me bare.

Let it all happen to you: beauty and dread.
Simply go — no feeling is too much —
And only this way can we stay in touch.

Near here is the land
That they call Life.
You'll know when you arrive
By how real it is.

Give me your hand.

And today, 17^th September, is my Boss’ birthday.

‘De Mi Jardin’ By Jose Palma (1876-1903)

I came across this poem while being irritated that the last trip of the ferry boat going to Hulo Station left already, I had no choice but to take the LRT and MRT, and suffer from the buzzing crowd. And there, inside the train, I saw it, haunting and sad..

Me pide sampaguitas, no te envio

Porque al ir a cortarlas de la rama,

Senti temblar mis manos y mi pecho

       prensado por la lastima.

No quiero que padezcan esas flores,

Como padece, lejos de ti, mi alma;

No quiero que al contacto de mis manos,

          perezcan marachitadas.

Translation in Tagalog:

Humingi ka ng mga sampaguita...Di kita bibigyan,
Dahil nang puputulin ko na sa mga sanga'y
Nanginig ang aking kamay at ang dibdib ko'y
Nanikip dahil sa awa.

Ayokong magdusa ang mga bulaklak na iyon,
Gaya ng pagdurusa ng puso kong malayo sa iyo;
Ayokong sa sandaling hawakan ng aking kamay,

Iya'y malanta at mamatay.

Some Thoughts

Just started a new responsibility in the department I'm in, but I still cant feel the extreme excitement I have been waiting for. To kill time, I have read some articles about the previous disasters that happened in the US, Aceh of Indonesia (Tsunami), etc. Its not too much, I need more information. My assignment in Operations Center last Tuesday was great, in a way, it's always exciting the first time. But when calls come in about some emergency, there goes the rush of the blood, and the sense of urgency to decide on what to do next.

Things are still slow..

 

Puerto Galera July 16-18, 2010

Philippine/German Red Cross Pix

Getting emotional over Edward Bellamy's 'Looking Backward'. Huhuhuhuh..

ECHO Ladies' Visit Feb16-19, 2010

Music 21 Nite Out

Right after the ECHO Ladies' Visit. Fun! Date: Feb. 19, 2010. And then Marky's Bday the night after.

GRC Field Visit

Spent the whole week going around four provinces of Luzon - Pangasinan, Zambales, La Union and Benguet. We were with GRC delegates, Sir Mark Hofmann and Sir Joerg Fischer (they prefer to be called only by their first names), Sir Miguel from Spanish Red Cross and Sir Hans from Swiss Red Cross. At first, well, some of us, since it's a whole new experience for us, quoting Joerg's description - we were like chickens, running after whatever the Chapter people want us to see, and then finally, we got the whole picture of it.

For the three of us, Marion, Ana and me, we had a great time, the Chapter people are very welcoming, although in some instances, we wanted to know more, but I guess the information given is sufficient enough for us.

Had some few drinks, and clumsy Ana rolled in the beach of Zambales, after spilling about five glasses of her punch. Marion, had enough beer, and still careful about things. For me, I just maximized the time having chat with my new Boss - Joerg, and Sir Mark as well. This is the start of a whole new batch of 'workloads' (haha..), a united team, and most importantly, a successful project for the beneficiaries.

First week of February - seems like the first day of the rest of my life.. Whew!

CNS Homecoming

Held last January 30, 2010 - Saturday night. Its good to see old comrades, people I havent seen for a long time.. I was expecting more would come. Anyways, it feels good to remember how we once loved this org during college days, and how we still appreciate CNS up to now (like a cult.. haha). Despite time, we are still what we are, friends and orgmates, we will always be.

Sensya kase antagal bago ko na-upload lahat ng pix, original resolutions kase tong mga to, hindi ko na naresize. Bagal pa ng broadband, kainis. Well, enjoy the pix!

Holiday Season Vacation Shots

Baguio New Year

The first month of the year is almost over and its just now that I had the time to post these pix. It was a cold new year for our family. What's memorable for me during our stay in Baguio is that we were able to watch from the balcony of the house that we rented the spectacular fireworks of the residents of Baguio. It was like a Star Wars film, it's amazing...

DMS - GRC Xmas Shots

My new family at PNRC, shots taken during Xmas Party

Surprising December

What can I say? December is full of surprises, at least the first two weeks. My grandma's 77th birthday was celebrated together with her sisters, Apong Rosing, who just came from the US and Apong Inyang (been living in the US since then and is here for the meantime). Pix below (I dont have Apong Inyang with them though). Time passes quickly for my lolas and its so nice seeing them all together again.

And then, come Dec. 7, I received a call from German Red Cross advising me that my application was accepted. It was totally unexpected! The National Headquarters is located at Port Area, Manila so I was so fortunate to figure out that our apartment was very near the Hulo Ferry Station! So I dont need to go through the hassles of commuting via LRT and MRT just to get there! Pix below while I'm waiting for the boat to come:

And pix below with my GRC teammates, Marion Guillermo - my buddy, Anna Mariquina, Floyd, Disaster Management Team, Rhia Bartolo, Ate Karen, Kuya Borg, and Ate Resti!

I hope to post pics of my Boss, Ma'am Katja and Sir Dither soon! Its all fun! Fun! And then Willy came from Brazil Dec. 13 losing five pounds (he wasnt able to enjoy the food there, that's why). I missed him a lot.