1st CFC-GK Quezon City Household Christmas Party at Casa Meloto

Two Monday evenings ago (December 12) my community household held its first Christmas party as a CFC-GK, Q.C. household. Sadly, unlike in the previous years my wife Odette couldn’t be there with us because she wasn’t feeling well and had to come home earlier from her office due to her condition. Still, the attendance of those present during this Christmas gathering was a strong testament to the resolve and dedication of those who remained faithful to what we believed as the genuine CFC mission and work with the poor through Gawad Kalinga (GK).

Potluck food abound

Now for the third straight year, the household’s Christmas party had been held at the Meloto residence in New Capitol Estates (NCE) II. As a term of endearment, we came to refer to it as “Casa Meloto”.

Like last year, Odette and I were assigned to bring vegetable salad. Like before, I we tried to bring in a good variety of food “adjuncts” to the leafy salad to give our brethren more variety and richness of choice for their individual salad preparations.

We all had our assignments and “specialties”. For example, Bro. Willy Bagsarsa is known for his specially crafted and all-time favorite “tuna kinilaw” (raw fish immersed in spicy vinegar). Bro. Gerry Santos utilized his cooking skills for a big warm pot of “shabu-shabu” which he mixed on-site bringing along several condiments to also allow the individual to choose how spicy he or she may want her soup to taste.

“Chef” Bro. Gerry Santos prepares the much awaited shabu- shabu

Brethren prepare for the thanksgiving prayer led by host Bro. Tony Meloto

Exchange gifts are properly labeled by Sis. Thelma Grana as Bros. Willy Bagsarsa and Omin del Castillo looked on

A variety of colorful fruits

Eating time!

Green and fruity salad, chicken, spicy shabu-shabu soup and kinilaw na tanigue (raw fish marinated in vinegar) were my favorites that night

Sisters Celes Naguiat and Lyn Meloto are all smiles

Everyone was quite “busy” with their gastronomic choices

The wives prepare for their yearly gift “grabbing”…este…“giving” tradition

While the men engage in a healthy colloquy

The game begins!

After the opening of gifts, what soon followed was a hilarious protracted series of gifts changing hands

Since my wife was absent, I had to play on our behalf. I didn’t exactly know all the game mechanics but enough to know that it was a wacky game that never seems to end! Just when you think you choose a gift you like, someone in the next round of drawing cards gets it again from you.

When the smoke cleared, I got a nice blue long-sleeved dress shirt, a set of salt and pepper shakers and a environmentally friendly plastic storage box (which was one of the gifts Lovey and I actually bought).

Bro. Steve Kruger led the closing prayer

As the gathering drew to a close, we again thanked God for all the blessings we had received individually and as a group. Despite the trials and difficulties we had to endure this year in relation with the establishment of CFC-GK, Q.C., this year was a test of strength of character and commitment to a cause to genuinely serve God by serving the poor.

We move forward to 2012 with renewed hope and resolve to continue the mission and vision of CFC-GK!

Merry Christmas everyone!

BIR Flag Raising Ceremony Talk: “Public Servants can be God-Fearing”

The Bureau of Internal Revenue or BIR.

In the Philippines, the said office often conjures up images of graft and corruption to many locals and foreigners alike. Imagine the look on my face when I was invited to speak before officials and employees of the BIR’s National Office during their flag ceremonies earlier this month. My anxieties arose not so much because of the perceived anomalies that the BIR was infamous for because I knew a lot of good people in that office, but rather how a simple civil servant like me could take this God-given opportunity and make the best out of it.

The topic, “Public servants can be God-fearing”, was in itself a challenging one. But as a public servant myself, it was something quite personal, extremely timely and relevant.




When the time came, I’d like to believe I delivered my talk with a calm spirit and a heartfelt conviction. The people roughly numbering a thousand in front of me were relatively quiet and attentive, at the very least; probably curious to what a long haired guy from the Office of the Ombudsman had to say. During my talk, pleasantly, I saw heads nodding, faces bright as if brimming with affirmation. Others were more pensive, but I knew if I got them thinking, their introspection may lead to self improvement which was always a good thing.





By the end of the program, I was deeply humbled by the numerous handshakes and laudatory remarks from both friends and strangers. One lady whom I didn’t know struck me with her comment. Smiling she said, “You made your message clear!” An objective I had imposed on myself earlier on.

That same message I share with you with this posting.

May it be a blessing to you and to everyone who reads it!

BIR Flag Raising Ceremony Talk

“Public Servants can be God-Fearing”

By Fernando M. Mendoza, Graft Investigation Officer II
Research and Special Studies Bureau (RSSB)
Office of the Ombudsman
December 5, 2011

When I first learned I was being considered to talk before you on a topic entitled “Public servants can be God-fearing”, I was a bit perplexed as to how to approach it. There was really no problem as to references as there tons of material on the subject. But with regard to dispensing one’s responsibilities as a public servant, I wanted to make my message to be crystal clear.

Typically, the term ‘God-fearing’ meant reverence for or obedience to the Almighty. Some define it at fear of the consequences of one’s disrespect or disobedience to God. In other words, it becomes a fear of damnation, a fear of the fires of hell.

Personally, I look at God very much like my own father. Someone I feared if I did something really wrong. But for much of the time, I saw him as someone I respected and obeyed, because I had faith and love for him.

The Book of Proverbs affirms that the fear of the Lord is the start of knowledge and wisdom (Proverbs 1).

Psalm 128 declares:

“Blessed are you who fear the Lord, who walk in His ways! For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork; blessed shall you be, and favored.

Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the recesses of your home; Your children like olive plants around your table.

Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears the Lord. The Lord bless you from Zion: may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.”

Psalm 128

In which case, the prophet Isaiah was right in saying that this timor sanctus or ‘holy fear’ of the Lord is a treasure (Isaiah 33:6) and in effect, a reward in itself.

Surveys have discovered that many people hate their work. They don’t look forward to going to work; instead they are bored and tired of it. Many dream of winning the lottery so they shall never have to work another day in their lives.

But God didn’t create us to be bored and discontented by our work. He created us to serve him in everything we do, including our work. We can surmise from numerous biblical passages that the fear of God signified worship. Actually, the word “work” in Scripture is another term for “worship”. God wants us to enjoy our work because our work brings glory to God. In fact, it’s one way of worshipping the Lord.

Writing to the Colossians St. Paul said:

“Everything you do or say, then, should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks through him to God the Father.” (Colossians 3:17)

Later, in the same epistle he wrote that we should be happy in our work putting our whole heart into it because we are not working for men, but rather for God. (Colossians 3:23)

To the church in Corinth, St. Paul wrote, “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10: 31)

So finally, this brings me to a story I want to share with you this morning to emphasize the lucid connection of being God-fearing, to our work as public servants and how we can worship and glorify him by serving the public. It is entitled “What will my reward be?”

One day a fisherman was lying on a beautiful beach, with his fishing pole propped up in the sand and his soldier line cast out into the sparkling blue surf. He was enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun and the prospect of catching a fish.

About that time, a businessman came walking down the beach, trying to relieve some of the stress of his workday. He noticed the fisherman sitting on the beach and decided to find out why this fisherman was fishing instead of working harder to make a living for himself and his family. “You aren’t going to catch many fish that way,” said the businessman to the fisherman. “You should be working rather than lying on the beach!”

The fisherman looked up at the businessman, smiled and replied, “And what will my reward be?”

“Well, you can get bigger nets and catch more fish!” was the businessman’s answer.

“And then what will my reward be?” asked the fisherman, still smiling.

The businessman replied, “You will make money and you’ll be able to buy a boat, which will then result in larger catches of fish!”

“And then what will my reward be?” asked the fisherman again.

The businessman was beginning to get a little irritated with the fisherman’s questions. “You can buy a bigger boat, and hire some people to work for you!” he said.

“And then what will my reward be?” repeated the fisherman.

The businessman was getting angry. “Don’t you understand? You can build up a fleet of fishing boats, sail all over the world, and let all your employees catch fish for you!”

Once again the fisherman asked, “And then what will my reward be?”

The businessman was red with rage and shouted at the fisherman, “Don’t you understand that you can become so rich that you will never have to work for your living again! You can spend all the rest of your days sitting on this beach, looking at the sunset. You won’t have a care in the world!”

The fisherman, still smiling, looked up and said, “And what do you think am I doing right now?”


There are many people who work extremely hard during their lives to achieve happiness. But what is the real reward that comes from working, in this case public service? The business man in the story never really satisfactorily answered that question. But we are public servants. Does that mean the moral lesson of the story does not apply to us? On the contrary, it does, more to us than to anyone else in society, because we chose a vocation of public service.

As God-fearing civil servants, let us remember that true happiness comes from serving God and not from accumulating wealth. Our ultimate reward is that God is glorified if we do our work well, and we are fulfilled as human beings – because that is what we were created to do. If you decide to glorify God in your work, you will not only be happy and fulfilled, God shall meet all your needs as well.

I wish everyone a fruitful, productive and God-filled week ahead! Thank you and may God bless us all!