my life as a government worker!

Working in a government was never my first choice. In fact i never dream of becoming one.  Even though I grow up in an environment of public servants I on the other hand refrain myself from belonging. I kept telling myself I don’t wanna be like my mom and work more than the office hours. Soon after college I worked as an IT in the metropolis. From a simple call center agent to Database Management to network specialist. Far from the world I grow up with. The big salaries I get, the travel for free and making friends with other people in the corporate world. But I constantly feel there is something missing. I am not comfortable working. I told my inner me I am not being fair. To make this story short on top of my career I quit. I know it wouldn’t be fair but no one ever said that life was fair. I don’t want to spend my life doing things I’m not comfortable of doing. I had done as I was told, I had followed the rules. Yet all of a sudden both worlds were behind me and I found myself adrift. I had no idea who I was, what I wanted to do or where my future would lead. I’d always believed that because I’d followed the rules the world would breathe a path to my doorstep. But the world didn’t seem to care at all. And so I went home. Have myself enrolled to distant learning and made myself busy and productive. Six months later and i found myself inside the municipal hall leading to the planning department. from that day forward i found myself happy and that was the beginning of my public servant's life.

For some, working in the government feels like easy going. i heared a lot of that from the documentaries i used to watch. but as for what im doing inside our office it was never like that. for there are a lot of works to do and deadlines is always facing you at the downright angle. 

funny it may seem but my brother used to tell me what is it with  the government that i have to quit my job and forget about my future. when my salary cant even feed the three of us to a nice resto and it will take my whole month pay for a plane ride. times like this reminds me of mylife in the metro. when we can go anywhere and buy anything. but i have no regrets on whatsoever. i was just happy working here. 

it has been four years and counting from that day on. and to remind me of how happy and funny my government life is i will share it with you. not to encourage you to be like me but to give you a glimpse of how it is like to be me.

You never knew its Christmas but the hotel ambiance reminds you so. I remember last Christmas mom was so mad because we decorated our home two days before simbang gabi.

Sometimes you have to look for a better subject that will guide you of the activities done because you have scrambled the pix in your hard drive and opening all of them is ...driving you mad ...you feel like a 3/4 stupid robot for you forget to label them and it was done in the same venue and same people you work with.

You have to wake up early in the morning because you have photoshot.

and more photshot....

and photoshot...

and plenty of photoshot...

until you run out of memory card...because everybody fells like having a picture with them.

and with them...

You are lucky to get that mineral water because even if the doctors told you to make precautions on water you still fond of the water they offer you to drink. and you reason out that it taste different from the water you drink at home.

And you feel cold and not feeling well but you still have to go to the office.

Your first iphone remind you of what time is it and yet your still up until the next morning.

We don’t waste our money on dresses because tee is very much ok. 

instead we invest more on....slippers....

And more rubber shoeses too.

And so you miss many of your family’s get together because you have a scheduled training in the middle of nowhere and you're out of reach even on twitter.

when Its your birthday but you’re not celebrating with them.

Your mom constantly reminds you that coffee is bad but Coffee is now your favorite drink. But at least now i drink coffee at home and dont get to spend much for a cup of coffee in exchange of a damn planner .

You always bring camera with you.

working here get me to plant different trees. In the mountains....

And even on the sea.

Sometimes you bring your brother with you.

so that he will know what are you up to....

And when you feel like going home and yet you cant go home... and when you get home youre like this...

And when you look in the mirror….you will see how you’ve been aged for years. And your colors turn from brown to dark dark dark brown.

When slippers, denim and chucks are your favorite outfit and skirt is displaced. and when you get home you never know what happened to your feet and where the hell did you get scars in your arms and even on your feet. your toe nails are covered with mud and even in  the tip of your pants.

later you will know you are happy off to the sea for no other reason just to be on the sea.

You have the privilege to capture some of the best and awkward moments. and it's up to you if you share them with the subject.

after all the hard labor and sacrifices at least your colleagues remember to keep you and reward your with macaroni soup.... 

and juice drink and siopao. at least to go on through the day.

because they know your capability ...you will never know you are enrolled to DAP until you have with you your certificate of completion.

and you teachers become your friends too.

Sometimes you feel exhausted. You feel like your worn-out and yet you keep on going.

And your family business is growing and you’re not part of it.

You feel proud of taking pictures of your grandfather. 

And more presentations to do.

and seminar workshop to attend too...

and the countless change of outfit that will make you comfortable in running....

and in walking....

When Department outing is being realized after two years.

And bonding is done while you’re doing a research report. And you’re doing it for free.

for free...

for free...

and most of all you cant be with your best buddies every sunday....you do it once every three years!

but of course there are lighter parts....lighter part is when the work is done....and you get to travel locally for free and eat for free.

like this...

and this..

Ouch,…that’s my government life and I love doing it.

and you know why i love to work here....because i am learning from the best.

goodbye doc!

Dr. Domingo Yu and Mayor Evelyn Yu on their 43rd wedding anniversary last January 06, 2011

I wonder if you still remember the very first day you meet me. I was five that time. Coughing, with high fever wearing the light blue Mickey Mouse jacket and a denim mom put me to dress. We’re not supposed to drop by in your clinic but the hours of waiting for my pediatrician to arrive my mom said I should be sleeping and relaxing by then. So we enter your clinic you had me check my temperature, put me to a weighing scale asked me to open my mouth. you told my mom something I never know what is it about and then later you get this syringe with a needle attached that’s when I cried to death because for quite sometimes im afraid of injection. Mom told me he’s also a best doctor. You told me it’s not gonna hurt me and with a blink you get your RX pad and my check-up done. That day you caused me another phobia. From then on every time I went to visit your clinic whether for a follow-up check up or just visits that needle phobia haunt me. As I grow older in no way I remember when that phobia vanished in me. I promise myself when I was 9 not to get fever again. My fear crept in every time mom is not home for a month and the era of im ok mom whenever I feel headache.

And then I graduated from college and change my life from a private individual to public servants I saw you not just being a doctor but of an adorable man with an old age. You love your family, you’re an advocate of truth and rights, you love to help and you love to read books. That faded free BP sign in your clinic speaks of the hour you have rested and read books but instead you take care of the unfortunate patients that knock on you. They christen you lolo doc and that’s what I called you. Sometimes I heard people lies about you being a doctor but that’s not what I saw in you.

Those acknowledgment certificates you asked me to print when the mayor is not around because she forbids you of. The kulit moments at Sofitel with mayor and cindy because youre not supposed to eat that much because even if you’re a doctor your doctor forbids you. Those birthdays and anniversary pictures im proud I shot. The happy memories you share with mayor and my colleagues. We will not forget those. Today at 14:00 we will send you home.

I may not have the chance to know you more but in my eyes you’re still the best doctor not because mom told me at five you are but because you are!. Rest in Peace Doc!

on the other side... sometimes i kneel and pray!

It’s like forever…isn’t it? i always run out of words. Cant think of what to tell you or where to start with...Well, I haven’t got the precious chance to update my blog. I was busy with my life. Finally it’s the end of the month and since its Friday and pay day and all the bosses gone in their grand vacation me and my other co-employees are free..not that free actually for we are doing the final touch of the project were currently doing but most are near to their finish line. I will tell you something… after I hit the post button in here me and my family are taking off too. We’re going to have our long vacation since it is already holy week we grab the chance to apply for a 10 days office leave and spend most of it somewhere out there.

far from being me

I haven’t told you that I was robbed inside our house. We lost two units laptop. But the thought of someday we going to buy fifty more laptops still it is a two unit laptops. My iphone was broke. I sit with it and the screen cracked. I haven’t done anything extraordinaire with my life since my last post. But I get the chance to go with my fellow believers in Christ this month and this post will focus on that.


We all know that im not that dedicated catholic but where ever i am I never failed to go to church on Sundays. Unlike my mom and brother who maintain their devotion I on the other side don’t have any religious organizations. But it’s not my weakest point I just don’t have the time and the willingness to do the same. But that sunday when the priest announce this event and asked for volunteers i signed myself in and the rest is my story.

i took a pose before we enter the church in buhi cam. sur

We were 70 something on that pilgrimage. Mostly were church servants and their family. (A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a persons beliefs and faith. Many religions attach spiritual importance to particular places: the place of birth or death of founders or saints, or to the place of their calling or spiritual awakening, or of their connection visual or verbal with the divine, or to locations where miracles were performed or witnessed, or locations where a deity is said to live or be housed, or any site that is seen to have special spiritual powers. Such sites may be commemorated with shrines or temples that devotees are encouraged to visit for their own spiritual benefit: to be healed or have questions answered or to achieve some other spiritual benefit. A person who makes such a journey is called a pilgrim.) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

While many are with their families I on the other hand enjoined the company of my cousin's jack and lyn and my friend roxy and ping. We visited 14 churches across Camarines and Legazpi City. We kneel before the cross and pray and believe me i did it.


It was an awesome experience. Every time i enter the door of the church, It was like im near in heaven. and when i close my eyes and pray, it was like im talking to god. 

at st. dominique parish

in iriga city

Before that trip, my brother asked me if I am that confident in joining for he know that I don’t pray that much and the truth is going to many parishes makes me feel like boring and how much more with praying. For nine years since our parish was established I had been constantly invited in so many religious gatherings and pilgrimage activities but I refuse to make myself in. For I know that praying all the time isn’t my calling but although im not that devoted I can recite the holy rosary and the prayers within it and being with the total religious believers and doing the kneeling and praying is something that he is not certain if I can make it through the day. 

such a cool bus!

He told me to enjoy every company and remind me that kneeling all you can theme is a daunting tasks. On the day of the pilgrimage without a clearer purpose on joining my alarm clock wakes me up. I took a bath, put my clothes on and I heeded to church for the holy mass. Strange for it was Saturday my inner self told me but I am determined to join them. 

just like a child praying

A bus carried us to the first parish and I kneel for the first station. I don’t know what to pray when the leader told us to ask god for our prayer intentions. When I look on my side and back I saw them kneeling and eyes tight close. Then I told myself what is it that I wanted to have. I told him to clear my mind today and thank him for another morning with my family and that’s when I remembered mom. And so I pray to god to heal my mom for more than anybody else, I love my mom more than my life. And so until we reached the 14th station I offer my kneeling and praying for a clear mind and for mom healing. 

just like that...

just in case you cant tell from the pix

On that day, I feel happy for myself, because, although at the start i dont know the reason behind joining this thing but just in the right time in the middle of the day I have found a clearer purpose why i join the pilgrimage. And so after so many hours we reached the ninth station to the parish where fr. jovi now serve. We ate our lunch there and  freshen up. Funny it may seem I took more pictures from my droid here. I just miss fr. jovi's presence in our parish maybe. I noticed that most of the church we visited were newly constructed and/or renovated starting off from the beautiful landscape up to their walls and ceilings and the garden too... just like those in Rome.

holding on our breathe to reach the 14th station....its a good cardio exercise anyway.

me and fr. jovi ;)

i pray with him seriously

It was already 4:00 when we reached the fourteenth station. Legs tired for going down and up of the un-air-conditioned bus. We heeded to kawa-kawa hill for our final destination. It was an arduous trek I thought I will never make it to the statue of resurrection but because of the purpose I am holding on, for 50 minutes more I saw myself posing near the resurrected Christ 2000 ft above sea level.

they too are pilgrims.

you better wear slippers or rubber shoes in here

Kawa-Kawa Hill, which rises at an elevation of 2000++ meters, overlooking the peaceful little town of Ligao City in Albay, is an eco-tourist cum religious park established by the Carmelite Nuns of the Holy Trinity.


Kawa-Kawa’s Stations of the Cross  is a series of representations depicting Christ’s sufferings from Condemnation to Death. The imposing sculptures serve as subjects of pilgrimage for faithful Catholics during the Season of Lent especially on Good Friday.

Dubbed “The Lung of Ligao”, Kawa-Kawa Natural Park is dead set to its no.1  rule — no smoking. As well as to a dozen more no-no’s for visitors which includes playing loud rock music and public display of affection.

i should have wake them up, 
but just like them i am bone tired.

i will not tell you everything i have experienced in that whole day privilege so that you will have the guts to challenge yourself to do the same. we may have experience different feelings or the same feelings but its yours story to tell.


as for me i am certain that some parts of my whole being was renewed on that day. but i cant promise myself to be like this forever in such a way that my spiritual beliefs will strengthen. at some point in my life i may not be that faithful at least in my own little way i strive hard to be one and for me that counts! 

i am grateful, i been here.

I wasn’t just a thrill-seekers going hiking and sightseeing in those religious places. We were there to discover ourselves more and to find a deeper, closer relationship with God. It was a true test of character. However difficult it may have been, I would definitely not trade it for anything. I got so much out of the experience—new friends, new realizations, and new stories to tell. I’m both proud and grateful I was part of it. 

salamat po. (photos here are all taken from my droid)

I consider it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, i may never find the courage to join another pilgrimage or even join on any parish organizations in the future but this is something I can never ever forget and hoping for next year or in the years to come if i will get the chance or the  will to join again  i'll make sure that it will be with much clearer purpose at the very start and do all the things i've done here.  would i ever find the courage to join again? will i ever see myself to do the same.

oh wait....that's me choking judas!

believe it or not...mom is 57!

HAPPY for today mom celebrates her 57^th birthday. We attended the morning mass at the parish. We had a lot of visitors. Her high school friends come over, some of her officemates and our relatives too. We didn’t expect it will be this good for we just decided to give her a bash seven days before her big day for the fact that we just celebrated papa’s second death anniversary and we are running out of cash. But to think of how happy mom would be if we throw her one that is priceless. Well every year however difficult our life bring when its mom’s birthday we make it special. After all in my eyes and that of my brother mom is the very best mom in the world.

So for the last seven days my brother and I prepared all the necessary things that we needed for her birthday. I printed her invitation and distributed to her friends. Thanks for this so called digital world for making my job quicker.

Even though the cake arrived late it was so beautiful. Maam bambi made it for her. Her balloons… what happened to the balloons what is wrong with the balloons why is angry birds and mickey mouse there? Maybe my brother and the balloon maker didn’t understand each other.The food was amazingly good. Kuya jun-jun our chef cooked it for her. The salad was great but I didn’t get the chance to reserve one because of my little cousins who just like me are dying of the buko salad and that of the fresh lumpia not even the sweet sauce. i wonder where did it go for i know it was enough.

Her special guests'…evelyn yu, tito ed and fr. jovi from sto domingo. Tito dindo de leon and tito ramon too. So thanks for coming over and for the gifts.

more of my gorgeous cousins! they call themselves gorgeous so be it...

Bone tired? I am dead tired for coming to and from the house. i never know how we managed to put them inside our house or how we managed to feed all of them. the way i see it they are enjoying every food we offer. the ice cream which was supposed to be for our own consumption was pulled down from the fridge and was enjoyed by my little cousins for i told them there's no school today because its mom's birthday.

mom and lao and friends from la porteria academy

Although its moms birthday still the talk of the town focused on the two unit laptops that we lost yesterday. We were robbed yesterday. I am no prophet to tell who get them. Its just that I don’t like to point it out who for I am not that type. I pray that every filipinos be rich enough not to steal anything from me. it wasnt the first time and definitely the last time. if i ever catch you i will kill you by my hands because you had have enough. and if i were you i will stay away from my neighborhood. Thanks god that it was just the two laptops nothing harm happened to us. I don’t know how it happened. How do they manage to enter our home. Whatever the reason behind all these I know someday were gonna have fifty more laptops.  

Mom gifts are overflowing I saw several makeup kits and perfumes. How do they know we love perfumes? I love the pillows tita myrna gave to her. funny it may seem since we had plenty of visitors and the demand for jasmine rice was increasing we run out of rice thanks for the help of everybody who give us cooked rice.

some of the glorious foods!

Ate iyang her exceedingly generous niece gave her a hundred and fifty kilos pig. It was big, I saw it when the butcher slaughter it. I feel sorry for the pig because it suffered a painful death. And that too of the wild chicken.

some of my gorgeous cousins

I asked my brother what are his wishes for mom. Mind you we used to disagree with everything but for mom we have the same wishes and that is to have mom until the last days of our lives and for her to be safe, diabetes free and always beautiful. Words are not enough to express the gratitude that you deserve for all that you have done for us throughout the years. Now I know that the meaning of good kids come from good moms. and when i say good believe it or not  i am good! 

mom with ninang badang and ate ning ning

and as traditions within the family of three still even my brother and i were of old age drinking alcohol is a no-no! its a mortal sin in our family when mom is present. we have alcohol but we keep them in safe place. some of our older male cousins insisted to buy but they drink them outside far from our house out of mom's reach. because mom's once said if she ever saw us drinking beer she will buy us tons of it and if we cant consume it all in a minute we will suffer tremendously.

inside lawrence room together with our cousins...

mom with tita myrna, aunty vergie and tita erly her high school friends.

mom created a quick reunion with her friends. it was her idea and im sure she's happy being with them again and feels like shes sixteen. they were happy being together again. 

mom together with her other high school friends.

Our only regret is that it would have been more wonderful if papa is still alive for today like my mom is his 65^th birthday. We visit him at the grave. We offered mass in the morning. We brought flowers for him. I know how happy papa is. I know he is in heaven watching over us.

mama dolly, ama, aunty juling, pretty and nanay pining...my mom's sisters!

Were so thankful to all who helped and come over especially to ate iyang and bosing, nanay pining, ate loida, mama dolly, ama, pretty, aunty juling. And most especially thanks for the visa card for making this birthday a memorable one. Have a goodnight.