Yearend List of Winners and Losers in 2009

So I made up a ‘list’ and like Santa checked it twice,
To find out what or who were naughty or nice,
Who helped those in need and who led himself or other people to their demise.
From both generic winners and losers in my list,
May their examples be lessons to us.
That the coming 2010 be a better year for everyone & all,
May you receive only blessings,
Avoiding sin and other things that lead to one’s downfall.

Love and peace!




‘Winners’


The Boston Celtics – Banner 18’s spirit is in the air….I can smell it !!!


Flip flops – The once looked down upon foot gear has really took the upper class by storm.


Facebook / Twitter – With 350 million members (including myself) across the globe, if Facebook was a country, it would be the 4th most populous nation in the world! I don’t ‘twit’ at Twitter but a lot of people arguably do. At present, there have been more than 6.8 billion twits made so far and counting. Social networking has reached new levels for connectivity and made the world a whole lot smaller!


Noynoy Aquino - Recipient of the majority’s mandate for the next administration primarily due to people’s distaste and abhorrence to other traditional politicians AND anything to do with Gloria Macapacal-Arroyo (On the other hand, Noynoy may well be next year’s greatest loser if the Liberal Party under his leadership continues to take in former Lakas/Kampi supporters and other known traditional politicians.)


Efren Peňaflorida - (CNN Hero of the Year) A genuine educator for the masses, Efren along with his organization, Dynamic Teen Company and more than 10,000 volunteers (since 1997), was internationally recognized for bringing education to the poor children of the province of Cavite. One innovative way was through the “Kariton Classroom”, a mobile classroom (by means of a modified push cart) that brings teaching materials to different areas that they serve.


Muelmar Magallanes (died saving the lives of 30 of his family and neighbors during the heavy flood brought about Tropical Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana). The hero swam from one house to the next from noon till midnight until the house he momentarily held to rest collapsed due to the heavy current, pinning him down.




‘Losers’


The U.S. economy – Bankruptcy announcements by US corporate giants like General Motors and closure of around a thousand Starbucks coffee shops in the US mainland is a grim reminder of how the world wide recession may be with us for a longer time than expected.


Crocs – Recently reported to losing tons of money in the US, consumers have been hesitant to buy that second pair of the brand a lot of people love to hate. In a sense, the company has been a victim of their own product’s quality and sturdiness as buyers hold on to their old durable Crocs than buying another expensive pair. The company appears to be losing further to stiff competition from flip flops and the proliferation of fake merchandise overseas.


Friendster - I never really liked this social networking site even during the height of its popularity. Maybe largely due to its former ‘juvenile’ format, authenticity issues and security concerns like identity theft and the incredible no. of bogus accounts. Currently trying to make a comeback, I don’t think it will recover its former prominence in social networking.


The people of the Province of Isabela (When they lost an effective and honest leader in the person of Grace Padaca – 2008 Magsaysay Awardee for Government Service; Padaca was recently asked by the COMELEC to vacate her post as Governor purportedly because she “lost” the recount)


New Jersey Nets (0-18) Currently holds the worst start for a NBA team during the regular season.


Tiger Woods – His philandering ways has led to public embarrassment and the loss of several product endorsements. Moreover, the sports world in the midst of corruption and substance abuse has lost another role model for aspiring sports enthusiasts especially the youth. Though I agree with his decision to remove himself from active competition to focus on his family. I wish them well.


The Ampatuan clan of Mindanao – There is no room in the world for a political clan who thrives on a feudal culture of warlordism, poverty and fear. Many of them now face charges of multiple murders, the most recent involving the election related mass killing of at least 57 persons involving many journalists in the province of Maguindanao in southern Philippines.


President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo – Need I say more?

God of Silence: Bukas Palad Music Ministry’s 2005 CD album

“The God of Silence calls us to journey to His heart.

To rest in His embrace.

To stop.

To be still.

To listen, and to hear the beauty of His quiet voice that brings us peace.”

Bukas Palad

Every so often you hear a song or a set of songs in just one album that really touches your heart. In local liturgical music, other than the Jesuit Music Ministry, songs by the Bukas Palad Music Ministry have time and again struck a chord in me.

Even after a string of well loved worship songs compiled in two volumes of their “Best of Bukas Palad” in 1999, they continued to sing and render new inspiring songs for the Lord. In 2005, they released God of Silence, a CD album that featured 15 songs “inspired by psalms, prayers, and stories of real people who have experienced the faithful love of Christ deeply and intimately.”

Bukas Palad wishes that their songs bring about solace and consolation to all those who are weary and seek rest. They pray that as we find hope and healing for ourselves that we keep in mind that the God we discover in silence is the same Lord who leads our “broken world and history.” They hope that finding God’s peace and love may also give us the fortitude and power to proclaim His good news of justice and truth to those who continue to live in the darkness.

On this post, I decided to highlight a dear song from the CD album with the same title.

Dedicated to the Carmelite sisters, words and music were crafted by gifted Jesuit composer Manoling Francisco, S.J. and interpreted by soloists Candice Cabutihan and Lou Grant Tan.

May you also seek and find the God of silence as I did. As we quiet down we soon realize He is not far away. The Holy Spirit moves within us and resides in the hearts of His people…there He awaits your coming.

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GOD OF SILENCE

The God of silence beckons me

To journey to my heart, where He awaits.

O Lord I hear You calling tenderly,

To You I come to gaze at the beauty of Your face I cannot see.

To rest in Your embrace I cannot feel,

To dwell in Your love, hurting but sweet,

To be with You, to glimpse eternity.

REFRAIN God of night, fount of all my delight,

Show Your light, that my heart, like Yours, burn bright.

Be still, the torment of the night

Shall not encumber you, if you believe.

My child, this darkness isn’t emptiness,

For here I mold your heart into My image, painfully you long to see.

The self you yearn to be, but fear to know,

The world from which you flee, in Me find home.

All these I give you, if you remain in Me.

CONTERPOINT I am ever here. My child, you need not fear.

The dark will set you free and bring your heart to Me.

CODA The God of silence beckons me

To journey to my heart where He awaits me.

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In search of the Geminids

Picture was taken by Ed Sweeney in Santa Cruz, California, USA last Dec. 8, 2009

The aching neck was back again last night.

For roughly an hour, as the 14th passed to the 15th day of the month, I again patiently gazed unto the stars in search of what one online website described as one of the best meteor showers of the year “and never seems to disappoint observers.”

And disappointed I was not.

While I was only able to enjoy three Leonid “falling stars” last November, this time I saw no less than 12 Geminids race across the sky! The twelfth was the brightest among those I saw, many of which disappeared at the tip of your peripheral sight before you can really mesmerize over them. Still, 12 is 12! You don’t get to see that much in a night even if you tried to.

The local weather bureau PAG-ASA estimates that around 40 meteors per hour were expected last night during the meteor shower’s peak period.

The meteors actually started becoming visible last Dec. 6 but were often hidden by cloudy skies. The meteor shower is expected to last until Dec.18.

Using an all-sky camera at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, astronomer Bill Cooke recorded a bright Geminid streaking past the Moon last Dec. 9, 2009

The Geminids got their name because they could be seen at the eastern horizon blazing from the constellation of Gemini. They first appeared in the 1860s but scientists have yet to ascertain where they really come from. Observers from Palomar Observatory spotted an asteroid they named 3200 Phaeton moving in an almost similar orbit to the Geminids. Scientists now believe that the Geminids may have originated from this asteroid.

John Chumack captured images of 30 Geminids with his All sky video camera from his backyard observatory in Dayton, Ohio, USA last Dec. 11, 2009

My neck doesn’t hurt anymore and the hunt for the Geminids was well worth it.

I hope the rest of my family will get the chance to see these not so ordinary heavenly bodies the next time they decide to ‘drop in’ and light up the nightly skies.

Chapter Household Dinner with Bishop Antonio Tobias

We had a special guest at our humble abode last December 9. The good ol’ Bishop of the Diocese of Novaliches is back!

It was special because you don’t get to be visited by your diocesan bishop every day or even every year at home for that matter.

But if you think he has any snotty VIP mentality about himself, think again! The Most Reverend Antonio R. Tobias, DD is one of the most down-to-earth persons I have ever met. Outspoken and controversial at times, the straight forward bishop nonetheless, sincerely talks from his heart and has a genuine love for the masses. You may not like his politics but you’ll be disarmed by his simplicity and witty charm.

The first time I met this servant of God was way back in late 2004. I was to fetch him at his residence in East Fairview and bring him to Gawad Kalinga (GK) Ruby. From then on, we’ve had the opportunity to meet him again on several occasions building a good relationship and getting much support from the good bishop when we needed it.

Bishop Tobias visits our home for the first time in April of 2005

My family was honored with his presence when he first accepted our invitation for a simple dinner in 2005. The good bishop even brought us a gift, an embossed metal picture of the Madonna and the child Jesus.

I particularly remembered him liking the uncooked banana (saging Saba) which caught his attention at the side of our dining table.

Since then, he gave us another visit at home before meeting with our CFC leaders, celebrated the Holy Mass during our CFC Unit Christmas celebration at Sitio Ruby and watched our chapter sponsored fund-raising concert at the Good Shepherd Parish.

This time around I invited Bishop Tobias over to dinner to also meet our chapter leaders in Sta. Lucia who were also there at our residence for an informal gathering.

Present time: The good Bishop shares a light moment with my daughter Faith

And with Junior and Joshua

Bishop Tobias leads us in a thanksgiving prayer before meals

Later that night, we were serenaded by members of the cluster’s GKare – Gawad Kalinga’s health program for the poor who were singing carols to raise funds for their projects. Like a stroke of serendipity, the group through Sis. Mean Santos asked me through text (only that morning) if they could sing Christmas carols in our house that night. I said sure and told them that we had Bishop as our guest that night. I could only imagine the excitement and nervousness they may have felt surprised at who was going to listen to their performance.

Experiencing a little night of music – serenaded by CFC brothers and sisters in Gawad Kalinga’s (GK) Health program – GKare

Included in the GKare singing group and a member of

our chapter’s music ministry household was

Sis. Marlene Flores (last woman singing to the right)

who happened to be a relative of Bishop Tobias

That night, we also took the opportunity to present some of our planned chapter activities to the bishop seeking his advice on matters such as baptism, confirmation and church wedding of members in Sta. Lucia.

After a while, obviously exhausted from his busy schedule, Bishop Tobias excused himself from our household to retire tonight and prepare for his medical check up the following morning.

Thank you Bishop for gracing our informal gathering!






The chapter household discussed about forthcoming projects for 2010

Indeed, it was a very fruitful and grace-filled moment at our home that December evening. My family and our chapter household look forward to better and stronger relations with our parish and diocesan leaders. After all, we serve the same loving God!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Gee Wiz!

I don’t like math.

My distaste for anything arithmetic, trigonometric or statistical may have lessened through the years but overall, I still avoid them like the plague.

Comparatively, my wife considerably has a higher aptitude and tolerance in the subject but I know she’s no great lover of math either.

Love math? It’s just not in my genes.

So you could just imagine the look in my face when Joshua gave us a letter from his school inviting him to join the 2009 MTAP.

The MTAP-DepEd-NCR Saturday Program is a course for mathematically talented students offered to the top 15% of the students for every grade/year level from Grade One in the Elementary to Fourth Year in High School in each participating school.

The MTAP aims to provide students the opportunity to do math activities with some explorations without the threat of examinations, prepare for the 2010 Math Challenge and for the concerned students, entrance tests for 1st year High School and College, respectively.

There are 7 sessions all in all to be given to the participants. Each Saturday which is made up of roughly two sessions runs from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30p.m. In Mater Carmeli School, the sessions started last Nov. 14. The last sessions shall be given on December 12.

The school charged a fee of 250 pesos for the whole program, an amount I didn’t think twice of spending on my child’s advance education. Since his school bus service operator didn’t offer any services for the concerned weekend, I had to bring him to school, wonder around nearby Robinson’s and SM malls like a zombie for hours and then pick him up by mid afternoon. Tiring? Yes! But it was all worth it!

I’ve always believed that parents should support their children’s forte when opportunities knock on our door. For Junior it was obviously music. For Sonny, it was basketball and now karate. For Joshua, would it be math? Who knows?

Joshua attends the MTAP sessions at his school

A math wizard in the Mendoza family? Maybe too early to tell.

But the idea just got possible….and brought a big smile in my face.

Postscript:

Mater Carmeli School (MCS) – Novaliches during the last National Achievement Test (NAT) of Grade 6 students (SY 2008 -2009) ranked 16th overall among the top 30% of private schools in Quezon City.

For the math test results, MCS - Novaliches placed 15th.