happy birthday to me

my current status is too "bangag" for all the blessings i received. thank you jesus and ina for giving me everything i wished and for keeping me and my family healthy and safe. forgive me for the days i wasted doing nothing, for the chances i failed to take, and for the opportunities i missed because i was dang sleeping and its hard to stay still and focused. but i asked you to blessed me more and help me in the days ahead and please dont make me sick. life is a bit strange lately and bad days strikes too. but i learned that if i surround myself with people i want to be with, i will made it through and i did. to all my friends i thank you for being there or somewhere up there for me. annoying you when youre crazy busy is cool and thank you for being good and for being good to me. lets keep that way forever. thank you po for all the kind words, birthday wishes and happy greetings for me. god bless you too and i love love you.

with mayor jesse

A very simple and unassuming man, mayor jess wasn’t one to hog the limelight, but was known to be a quiet and conscientious worker who earned the respect of those around him through the honorable life he lived.

Tsinelas, shorts and a simple t-shirt...

This was the favorite get-up of the late Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo. When mayor jesse died, he was among the country's highest ranking officials.

He is remembered as the young mayor who helped shaped Naga into the city that it is today, the first former local chief executive appointed to the powerful Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), winner of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service in 2000, and a champion of good governance at the local level.

Mayor Jesse served as Naga’s Mayor for a total of 19 years and as Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) for two years. His governance style and his achievements gained him international recognition, and upon his passing in 2012, the admiration of a grieving nation.

Mayor Jesse is remembered for his leadership style. He was consistently vocal about transparency and accountability. In addition, he was most distinctively known for “Tsinelas Leadership” which tells of his sincerity and humility as a leader. It can originate from his attitude as the type of leader who would walk the streets of his city in slippers and would show up to help during times of disaster, cleaning debris and even in helping with trafficking the roads. He was also known for his decisive management style, his moral authority, and his innovativeness. He was a leader easily respected by the people because he believed and lived out the value of leadership by example. He was able to encourage people participation through the way he communicated and listened as a leader. Through his leadership, he brought about more opportunities to those he led, improved the level of efficiency of the people, and significantly rose the rates of progress of the community.

The Museo ni Jesse Robredo opened in Naga City, just in time for his fifth death anniversary. This museum can be describe as a governance and teaching museum as it showcases the kind of governance Jesse displayed as a local chief executive of Naga for two decades. It pays tribute to the exemplary life and legacy of good governance of the long-time local executive. 

The museum has four galleries filled with Jesse's photos, personal itemss clothes and shoes he wore when he was alive, awards, letters, informative displays and interactive features.

Entrance to the museum is free. It is open from Tuesdays to Sundays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

It is located at Naga Civic Center, J. Miranda Avenue cor. Taal Avenue, Naga City, Bicol.

santa's deer and me

Deer live where there is plenty of food, water and prime bedding areas. That is because they do not like to travel out of their own area.

Deers are always part of my imaginary world. They are commonly pet for nymphs in the alter dimension. 

Ecstatified with this childhood hymn I dreamed someday to see them in raw. And today we  take a tour to the foothill part of Mt.Isarog in Ocampo Camarines Sur. To where the deers are. kept, love and feed.

No, they do not only exist in Christmas songs and yes, Rudolph may be the most famous one but there is a herd of them in the town of Ocampo in Camarines Sur. In the foothills of Mount Isarog is a 5-hectare deer farm owned by the Province of Camsur. It started in 1996 with just about 60 heads but has to date grown it to 700.

As they are not domesticated animals, they move around large open spaces like prairies with nearby grassland, thick weeds and abundant herbs as their habitat. Guests in the farm are allowed to interact up close with them and can feed the deer with weeds.

They are pretty to look at as they wander around the vast grassland. Some are prancing and leaping from fallen tree branches while those in a herd walk so sexy as they feed on twigs and herbs. Wave your bunch of weeds they would happily race to you and get surrounded by lovely antlers. Local farm boys also help in collecting grass for their food.

Locally breeded, they’re are sold for their meat. Their fur skin for leather goods, their horns for ornament and medicinal usage as well. 

They are friendly to people, feeding them will give you an opportunity to take selfie with these new found friends so the best time to visit the place is at 3 PM onwards.

Here, one is allowed to get close and personal with several species of deer and it makes for a truly unique experience being with these shy, gentle creatures.

Situated about four kilometers up in Mt. Isarog, this five-hectare farm is considered as the Deer Farm of the country.

The farm was stocked entirely with Australian species such as blackbuck antelope, fallow deer, chital deer, red deer, and elk.

Owned by the Camarines Sur government, it was started late in 1996 with only 60 heads of five species from Australia.

Today, the number had increased to over 700 heads. Its goal is to make the province a supplier of deer meat (venison) which is a delicacy in restaurants while the hides can be used as materials for bags, belts, and other goods. The antlers can be extracted for medicinal value.

8 years in heaven

i was once had a big sister and today she celebrates her eight years in heaven. back then she was the one who decorate, cooks, clean and take care inside our house but jesus get her back and so our lives was never the same like that. i had to take over and move on. 

and so to celebrate her eight years and for the love we prepare a simple snack, pray and lighted a candles for her. our cousins come and celebrate with us. mom really missed her and prayed for her soul. it was sad that she had to go back but it was god's will and maybe she too is tired.

tars thank you for the love you give when you are still alive. i know that one day we will be together again us family in the kingdom of god. and when the blessed day comes to me i want to see your face and welcome me with all your heart. and i cant wait to see you again.

my mother dear

my mom suffered from stroke 10 years ago. along side with that she is also a diabetic. for ten years she wakes up having insulin injection, drink medicines and at night before dinner another 10 units of insulin injection again. sometimes she told us her tummy is itchy. i cant count how much insulin she had for that long. for without it she wont get better, she fells weak and that is worry some. 

luckily for the last ten years she hadn't much any trouble. she can go with us anywhere. she has a cane with her to help her walk. and sometimes we get to hold her tight so she might not fell on the ground. weve been cautious. we've been watchful. we take care of her that much. we love her and we just cant get her out of our sights. 

my mom is a government retiree. she was a social worker officer. she had to file a leave for six months when she suffered from stroke. i take care of her. i give up everything because of her. although i am employed everything i get goes to mom's medications but its always ok. we had some resources for our food. then mom get back to work and move on with her lives. she is on the track again. doing all she can in the government. she loves her work. she loves to go to work and help people. back in 2009 my sister died in heart attack. she was 29 and mom's  life, her first born. after six month my father died in hemorrhagic aneurysm. i dont know how we make it through but mom stand firm for me and my brother lao. next to wonderwoman,she's the strongest mom i know.

in 2010 she suffered another stroke and her eyes were affected. it goes drop that we had to go another ct scan and go back to her neurologist. luckily with all the prayers and proper medications her eyes get back to normal. mom and i continue to work and live our lives the fullest. 

we used to celebrate her birthday. we get to give her a small party. and everyone enjoys it. days passed by and she was lucky to turn 60. the time we are waiting for. her retirement in the service. she made it to sixty and we were so happy. she doesn't have to get to work and she will have more time with us.

her spiritual life is amazing. she always wanted to go and visit the church. she always reminds us to pray and give thanks. i love that no matter how bad things are my mom keep on going and pray that strong. 

i love that she stays at home now. we hired a nanny for her. they are friends and the nanny loves her too. my mom had a lot of time with her life. enjoying all the privilege of her senior life. her health insurance status is lifetime and she get a lot of discount from every store we went. she love eating but she didn't gain weight that much. her doctor said she is doing great and i love that all is well for her. 

my mom is cool. she loves everybody. she loves all our friends. and i love that our home is filled with too much love. her recent confinement teaches me that life is not that long.that we have to live the fullest and be happy always. she's into wheelchair now but in no time i know that one day she will get up again and move. she cant walk that much and told me that shes afraid to get up yet but she is doing the best she can to get better. 

love you ma!

a bib for mom

on our way home my brother drop me at the basilica shrine. carrying with me are moms nursing pillow and her pink towel. i pray to ina as i walk my way through her holy image. there were few pilgrims who are still kneeling. as me and loidet approached the altar i see a nun changing her dress. she wasn't even finished with her dress when i get to touch ina and her crown wasn't there but she smells that good. 

i grow up believing that touching even the tassel of her dress will make everything ok. wiping off the towel in her holy image i told the nun that my mom is sick and we just got off from the hospital. it was loidets turn when she handed this precious thing to us. a part of her dress my family able to touched last monday when we get to visit her. 

i feel strange, we went straight to my mother and put them on her. i promise to take care of it ina. thank you sister. thank you jesus and ina. thank you everybody for your well wishes and love. our lola de is recovering now. its good to be home and i know that she will be fine soon and i always believe in that.

happy birthday nanay pining

My nanay pining will turn 56 tomorrow. and yes she is that strong and jolly. today we went to church and pray to ina and give thanks to all the blessings nanay pining had received the year round.

Nanay Pining or Josephina is mom's sister in law. Her husband was mom's eldest brother but died when we were little and mom lived with them since childhood. Nanay pining is blessed with 5 children whom had already have their own family and that little boy is one of her grandchildren.

lao and i grew up with her love. she take care of us when we were little and look over in our family until now. she makes sure that everyone is ok and give advice when we needed one. she has her own house beside our home and i thank god that she lives a few steps away from us because she is always there when we needed help specially now that mom needs supervision with her current health condition. nanay pining used to cook good food. i love her ginisa, her paksiw and everything she cooks.  she is a disciplinarian like that and i thank her for that because we all grew up responsible and god loving child.  

she may have a lot of grandchild now but she never failed to love our family. she always finds time for us. lao and i used to eat in her house in times when we dont like our own food. we even used her bathroom when its late to make it on time. she loves flowers and she takes care of her garden everyday. she is beautiful and smells fifth avenue her perfume. nanay is strong and she is much stronger than my mom. and lao and i love her very much.

happy birthday nanay pining! i always pray to god to always give you a good health and that you may live more to be with us. dont get sick nanay. and always stay strong. our family loves you very much.  dinner will be prepared in your home without you knowing and tomorrow on your big day we will have a feast. padangat mi ikang maray nay! thank you for taking care of my me, tars, lao and mom.

btw nanay pining really loves lauriat, soda and chicken.

happy father's day daddy

family doesnt mean youre in the same bloodline. it doesnt mean that you all live in a house either. for me family is where you find love and peace and respect. i consider myself lucky to have love by this two people i have learned to love and respect. i always wanted to be with them. i dont know what kind of force strikes me that i always yearn to hear their voice and get to skype everyday. 

mommy isit and daddy ben and i went to church today in naga city. we celebrate father's day and we had a lot of fun together. we had an epic lunch at chef doi in magsaysay. it was bloody hot outside and considering their age i am happy that we all make it through. 

we went to pechelitos resort in magarao to check the place and we find it pretty cool. i love that mommy is happy too. 

mommy and daddy learned how to use viber and skype. and i love that they even try facebook. they love to learn new and exciting things. they know how to make selfie too. 

we wished on the wishing well and get to explore the resort. it was really a great day and we all had fun. for me mom and dad are super hero. 

sunday is special and its our favorite day. they travel from iriga and me from calabanga to naga and meet at the basilica, our favorite church. i love that we share the same interest in our spiritual lives. and i guess mommy had memorized all the prayers in her bag. they live simple and care too much.

in all those years of being together and getting always to your home even when we are not in your bloodline i thank you for giving us unconditional love. for treating us good. for giving us the love a real grandparents. thank you mommy and daddy for always praying for us. i have come to age and because i have always love getting close to you ii realiazed that i only wanted to live with good people, people who are good to me, good for me and good for my soul. thank you mom and dad for giving me a family. for loving me, lao and mom as your own. 

having you for the last fourteen years makes me feel that i had a real grandparents and to me you are really mine. there are those time i wonder how are you doing, have you eaten or are you sick. i have learned about the reality of getting old from you. i love the times you tell stories and advice on how you make it through this life.  i also love watching tv and share comments too.

take care mom and dad. thank you for always giving me home and for taking me home.

a blessings to you from my family

i thank god for giving me and my family good health and enough blessings to spare and share with this year. thank you for keeping us safe and happy too. although we bid our last goodbye to our dear ones but still they remain in our hearts forever. all of our needs are instantly supplied. we are joyful and grateful for all of the blessings we give and received.

we've been through places we dreamed of going. we get to enjoy and love the company we are with. had laugh the loudiest and cried laughing while we witnessed all the sunrise and sunsets. words like we love you and we miss you are somewhat overused. and we mean everything what we have said and done. we get to visit, kissed and hugs a lot of our love ones. health issues had been resolved through soda and beer cuts and chicken cuts and a lot of running and biking and walking was done religiously.

thank you jesus for giving us people to love with. you always blessed the friendship we started to build to grow much stronger and live our life the fullest.

all sundays and holiday of obligations in the church was observed and i bet we never missed any of it. thank you jesus that lao, me and mom and all the people we have learned to respect and love make it through this 2016. we always keep our faith and trust in you. please continue to love and protect us in the years to come. we love you very much. wishing everyone the best of everything this 2017. happy new year from our family to yours.

i am glad that you come and visit me!

i did have some bones and lungs when i made it through quiapo last january. i was too happy when i get to witness and join myself together with the sea of people shouting viva senior in that busy street. it was my very first time to glimpse the holy image and get to quiapo too and luckily i get out alive and well. today who would have thought that the holy image i long to see will pass through our home right in time when i am against the world and my heart is grieving and my soul so weary and need some comforting. i am happy that the holy image had come and visit me. i pray that you continously grant me a good heart and clear mind and let me always keep my faith in you. viva nuestro padre jesus nazareno!