I was more than excited to go home! It’s been awhile staying in Manila and while it was in the start, it has been a whole heck of a missing process. I miss Bohol so much that I thought to myself, no matter where I go, I’ll always go home to where I belong: Bohol. Here’s a picture my brother took while we were boarding the plane:

Getting ready for aboard

During my 9-day vacation in Bohol, I did what I usually do when I was still based there. I missed my dad so much. And it’s given. I’m always a daddy’s girl - always have, always will. Of course, I was delighted to see my youngest brother, Ian, who has now grown so tall but his attitude still remains the same. He will always remain the “bunso” in our family. He’s still the mild and carefree Ian I have ever known. He still insists for asking money up to the point of resorting to coins if I don’t give him bills. I often exchange a peso coin to a kiss. Then he’d say, okay then kiss me twenty times so he’ll get P20. It’s funny how an 18-year old man deals to us for his contentment. I visited my friends too. In fact, I attended the church wedding of my most favorite teacher in high school, Sir Jenelou John F. Israel. He is finally wed to Miss Yoradyl Espejo. At last! After more than 7 seven years of love and engagement.

Also, I had a short time of reflection in my beloved hometown, Batuan. I always love strolling around and basically do nothing. Like the picture below:

Vacation is not complete without you

Now that I am back in Manila, I can’t help but think and plan of my next visit in Bohol. Hopefully by the end of this month. I wish to attend my town’s annual celebration, the Guimbawan Festival

Just last Sunday evening, my whole system already breathed for Bohol. Imaginations stroke my every mind as I wander on every little detail I cherish about the place that I always look back. I could not wait for Monday to come, I said to myself. I could not wait for tomorrow, I sighed. But then again, the very problem I had at that time (if you would credit it as one) is to wait for only a matter of hours and woosh! Bohol!

It’s good to be back in Bohol. After a quarter-semester long here in UP, it’s just so good to be back in the place where every UP friend that I now have always longed to visit.

I remember a good friend of mine who happened to be my classmate in one of my speech classes. By the very moment that she learned that I come from Bohol, she was like: “Bohol (two eyes popping..no joke!)! I love Bohol…The beaches and the dolphins and the tricycles (pronounced as traysikels)” And she started telling to me and to the whole class her experience in the place. She even stressed that she preferred Bohol over Boracay – Bohol’s fresh, Boracay’s too commercialized’ Bohol has genuine nature, Boracay’s urbanized. And spontaneously, the whole class was turned into the tune of Bohol. For them, and of course for me, the place is just so unique, so definitive. And I can’t help but brag about everything about the place!

And Monday came. And it’s eight in the morning. The plane’s ready to depart for Bohol. Although I left U.P. as early as four thirty in the morning (I’d to travel early because traffic’s building up outside the vicinity, people had been massing up for SONA) and it was a very early time for me, I made sure that I will not be able to sleep during the whole trip. I saw to it that I will not miss the very first glimpse of Bohol from an aerial perspective. Oh, how I miss Bohol.

And it’s past nine in the morning. And the plane’s landing. Finally, I’m home, I said to myself. The very first thing I did, I roamed over Tagbilaran for an hour-long just to satisfy the euphoric feeling I felt at that time. I was very excited of the yearly Bohol Sandugo Showcase so that I immediately went on to CVSCAFT’s block just for me to know that it was moved to Tagbilaran’s “baywalk”. I decided to hold for awhile such feeling of excitement to check for some Bohol products in the showcase because the whole part of me can’t wait but travel to my hometown, Batuan. The very reason I went to Bohol on the first place was to celebrate the town fiesta with my constituents. Together with Bohols’ Sandugo Celebration, Batuan also is celebrating its yearly town fiesta in honor of Saint James, The Apostle. I flee all the way from UP to Bohol at those very weekdays since I was asked to host the main event of the fiesta. Of course, the night was memorable to everybody present there. The night was perfect. Everyone enjoyed.

Wednesday came. And I have to leave. No sad moments for me. One, I saw my family and friends, well and good. Two, I was able to attend two big celebrations, the province and the town-wide fiestas. Three, the longing I felt for Bohol had been contingently halted, I once again was able to feel Bohol’s breeze; I breathed Bohol’s truest.

There’s nothing much relevant and new that happened to me this week. Except for the very fact that sometime this week I had the opportunity to meet with this person who has been familiar, either by name or by face, to us Boholanos, well, at least, to those people who are engaged to local politics or even to those who merely have an interest on it.

Last Wednesday afternoon, in a coffee shop in one of the hotels in Quezon City, I had an appointment with this Lobocanon. We basically had a little chat on local politics until it broadened up to the national level. The person I am referring to is no other than Mr. Angelo Balili himself. It has been significant for me because I have learned a lot from the discussion we had.

First. After we introduced each other, I was astonished by the fact that the discussion went on spontaneously. It seemed that when a certain topic is raised, new topics are already waiting to be opened and tackled. We basically talked on the situation of the local politics in Bohol. It had become interesting each minute because I learned those crazy facts about politics in our local setting. There had been stories he shared which I previously thought was just a political myth until I realized it might be possible on the other end. Such stories had something to do with political dynasties, making politics as a source of family income and allowing politics to be the channel for fame, power and wealth.

Second. He is no political figure because technically he hadn’t run for any local or national position in the government. But in his blood runs the essence of leadership. He has become known because of the fact that he believes in ideal, dedicated and true leadership. He supported a number of people in their candidacies because he believed in the capacity of these leaders to render service to its constituents. He debunked the traditional politics and joined the people in their quest for genuine leadership. In other words, he has made his contribution to the local politics – how people admired him, how others despise him – for both sides of the coin.

Third. He had broke the notion that rich and really rich people are out of reach, no time to talk to ordinary people, all devoted to business related activities. Considering his valuable time, he still spent a little time to sit and chat with people like me who wants to know his secret behind his success. He’s a businessman and he’s achieved tremendously in his field especially in the busy world of Makati but based on that meeting, he has proven to me that the Boholano character in him, the unexplained kind of connection we extend to our fellow Boholanos whether we know that Boholano or not, is very explicit. He has his own world out here in the Metropolitan but his heart remained true to his constituents.

Now I clearly understand the adage, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

During my childhood days, I always thought that this saying simply implied maintaining one’s condition loud and sound for him to keep him from the doctor. I always thought that the doctor is the hospital; if you get admitted in the hospital, it means losing your money to nothing but to the funds of the infirmary. And I cannot let this happen. As much as possible I would like to keep my body strong and healthy so I could use the funds instead to buy me stuff that I need – that was what I learned from my mother, who, from the very time I know the world, continues to feed me with all her “practicality” and “economizing” tips. And my belief to that saying kept with me through the years until I got to realize that it was only the half side of the coin that I was seeing.

This midsummer, I have this eye-opening experience which shook me to remember the maxim again: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Since I have to visit the hospital regularly these days (my father’s scheduled for a therapy at least thrice a week), my encounter to the hospital personnel has been quite frequent too. I have these “black and white” encounters with these persons (maybe I should blame it to the Theory on the Unity of the Opposites). Of course, let me give the credits first to the persons whom I talked and consulted for quite a number of times who have, with no doubt, showed their continued concern to assist each and every patient who needs their therapeutic advises. I definitely salute to these people who value service who remain true to their vows first more than anything else. These persons are the very people I considered noble, thus I consider them our everyday heroes. That’s the pleasant experience I considered “white”.

The “black” side is the quite a sad fact that you still have to “prove yourself worthy” for them for you to be able to be treated humanely. There are these personnel who treat you very unfairly with respect to the amount you are paying to them and with what the hospital and the community expects them to render service to their patients. It is so depressing because these people think that they are the only authorities in their field and any “common” people who ask for their consultation means absurd for them, as far as I observe how they talk and give advice plus how they extend their arms that augment to their gloomy faces and shrieking voices. Swear, so that if you see these type of people for the first time you will really get intimidated with them.

This case, however, is not only true here in Bohol but with what I experienced in Manila. In UP, there are jokes about our University Health Service or our Infirmary. People always say the term “infirmatay” instead of Infirmary because according to the people who seek the hospital’s service (plus my first-hand experience too), they have to suffer first, worse, they may even die before the staff attend to them.

Now I realized that the saying metaphorically means an alternate for one to stay out of the “horrible” doctor or else…you’ll surely find yourself horrified.

In my part, I’ve been keeping my composure every time I encounter these people. I feel that they just lack skills in interpersonal rapport. I can’t blame them anyway, they’re locked out with books and medicines during their preparation stages. But still it’s not an excuse, if they could not feel the patients’ emotions at least they should pretend to feel it. In that way, it will give the patient an inspiring reason for them to be hopeful for their quick recovery.

We had all been very busy the first three months this year. And I am certain that, like me, you also looked forward for a break, at least a little time to wind up with family and friends before the next semester begins.
The previous semester for me was very traumatic and exhausting like every other semester. It was as if heaven for me for the first two months of the semester because everyone was looking up to the Christmas break. Everyone’s minds weren’t still conditioned the way it was set the first two months during the first sem. Mind you, not only the students, but the teachers as well, though not all. Based from personal experience, our professors used to give us tons of paper works and thick thick books to read on and study for the exams that shall welcome us to start the year. And of course, before we hallucinate to extend the break, we cannot forever hide the very fact that in every semester there’s always a feeling of living in hell. Why? Because these teachers we have always make it a point that they make it hard for us (for our personal sake, of course). Because it’s like a curse to every student that is passed on from generations to generations. Because it had just been hectic for me the previous three months. And all I needed was a break.

By the middle week of March, I was already almost done with my academic requirements; so that by the last week, I already left for Bohol . I still could remember the feeling of joy and excitement I felt at that time – the feeling of liberty from all those brainy activities and pushing works as its due got nearer and nearer each day; the feeling of delight that at long last I shall see my family again; be with them even for at least a short while.

I had my memorable moments in Bohol for my two-week vacation there. Each day wasn’t idle for me. I attended different significant occasions such as my brother’s high school graduation, my relative’s birthday celebration, a friends’ college graduation, and another friends’ wedding ceremony. I also met my family and friends who are very dear to me – my lola, my parents and brothers, my relatives and friends.

If I were to weigh it, the hectic schedule I had during the previous months has never been incomparable to the feeling of contentment I felt over my stay in Bohol . At first, I thought I need a break from school and have some personal time. But later, I realized that all I need is some time to be in the place close to my heart and be with the people I treasure most.
It is now my second time spending holy week away from my family. And it has always been like this since last year because like last year, I will take up summer classes again. I know this two months of learning would again mean hardship for me in meeting all my academic demands but I also know deep within my heart that after this adversity is a bright hope for me: that I will once again be back in the place I always longed for, in the place where I get to share my happy and sad moments with the people I value most.

Till we meet again.

Sometimes, we get to experience things that we never expected to happen to us at a certain point in time. We think that the experience is not just what we want for us for that particular time. Then later we will realize that we are not yet prepared for that certain situation to happen. Or, we don’t really want it to happen to us for some subjective reasons. Or else, we get frustrated. But of course, the frustration is just temporary because in the end, you’ll always have the right answers for your exasperating experiences. You’ll always have lessons learned from it. Resourcefulness, innovativeness and patience are on top of these.

One of the disappointing experiences I had happened just this week.

Last Friday, I went to our Provincial Library to check for some necessary information regarding our very pride, Chocolate Hills. I have to gather its geological information because my colleague asked me a favor for him. He is planning to join an international competition with highlights on preservation and protection of our Earth and with this he’s interested on having Chocolate Hills as his subject for his case study.

When I knew this, I felt glad and proud so I decided to help him with this. So, when I went to the library to check the essential information, I felt, well, delighted and dismayed at the same time. I was pleased and delighted because of the hospitality the library staff extended to me as a library user. They were very accommodating with the use of the library resources because they actually helped me all through out. When I told them what I was searching at that time, I was immediately referred to the personnel in charge of it. They got me two books: first, the profile of the home base of the tourist spot, Carmen; second, the profile of the province itself, Bohol . I took hold of it and began to look for Chocolate Hills’ geological information, only to find out that the information I needed wasn’t adequately available for the users like me who wanted a precise and brimming one. That’s the reason why I got so dismayed. I just thought that the provincial library itself is the source of all necessary and complete information about everything about Bohol . More than any media, more than the sources from the internet, I thought that our own library has the best information I need about our very own Chocolate Hills. However, I realized that this thinking is a partly a failure. I say partly though because I still commend the willingness of the staff to extend service to its users.

Because I could not find it in the two books they gave me, they handed me a folder that contained all the articles they gathered about the subject. When I scanned through the pages of the folder, I was saddened because of the inadequacy of the information I need. Nevertheless, I still have it photocopied because, one way or another, it still could be essential to my friend’s study for his entry to an international contest. The folder contained bits of information about those thousand hills, and the information wasn’t concentrated on its geological facts that I basically need; but, anyway, at least I have those parts of the puzzle I need. I shall have to complete it as soon as I get to have enough information about it.

Perhaps, I should resort to more researches through various media and knowledgeable people about this to help me out on this urgent need. Perhaps I should refer to persons on the authority who could help me answer my queries about Chocolate Hills. Perhaps, I need to be resourceful and innovative for me to get what I need, more than the primary source can offer. I have nothing against the management of the library, but I think it is now time that our library be improved and enhanced for maximum learning for its users. I ask the local government to make a move on this.

Christmas is coming! Few more days and everyone are going to be very busy preparing for the occasion, again. No doubt, it has been our tradition. But then, why? Why do we celebrate Christmas? It’s nice to know facts on things we regard as our customs and tradition to fully understand the reason behind our celebration and to internalize the essence of celebrating. Here is a brief history I got from a source of our yearly celebration for the birth of our savior.

The history of Christmas dates back over 4000 years. Many of our Christmas traditions were celebrated centuries before the Christ child was born. The 12 days of Christmas, the bright fires, the Yule log, the giving of gifts, carnivals (parades) with floats, carolers who sing while going from house to house, the holiday feasts, and the church processions can all be traced back to the early Mesopotamians.

Many of these traditions began with the Mesopotamian celebration of New Years. The Mesopotamians believed in many gods, and as their chief god - Marduk. Each year as winter arrived it was believed that Marduk would do battle with the monsters of chaos. To assist Marduk in his struggle the Mesopotamians held a festival for the New Year. This was Zagmuk, the New Year’s festival that lasted for 12 days.

The Mesopotamian king would return to the temple of Marduk and swear his faithfulness to the god. The traditions called for the king to die at the end of the year and to return with Marduk to battle at his side.

To spare their king, the Mesopotamians used the idea of a “mock” king. A criminal was chosen and dressed in royal clothes. He was given all the respect and privileges of a real king. At the end of the celebration the “mock” king was stripped of the royal clothes and slain, sparing the life of the real king.

The Persians and the Babylonians celebrated a similar festival called the Sacaea. Part of that celebration included the exchanging of places, the slaves would become the masters and the masters were to obey.

Early Europeans believed in evil spirits, witches, ghosts and trolls. As the Winter Solstice approached, with its long cold nights and short days, many people feared the sun would not return. Special rituals and celebrations were held to welcome back the sun.

In Scandinavia during the winter months the sun would disappear for many days. After thirty-five days scouts would be sent to the mountain tops to look for the return of the sun. When the first light was seen the scouts would return with the good news. A great festival would be held, called the Yuletide, and a special feast would be served around a fire burning with the Yule log. Great bonfires would also be lit to celebrate the return of the sun. In some areas people would tie apples to branches of trees to remind themselves that spring and summer would return.

The ancient Greeks held a festival similar to that of the Zagmuk/Sacaea festivals to assist their god Kronos who would battle the god Zeus and his Titans.
The Roman’s celebrated their god Saturn. Their festival was called Saturnalia which began the middle of December and ended January 1st. With cries of “Jo Saturnalia!” the celebration would include masquerades in the streets, big festive meals, visiting friends, and the exchange of good-luck gifts called Strenae (lucky fruits).

The Romans decked their halls with garlands of laurel and green trees lit with candles. Again the masters and slaves would exchange places. “Jo Saturnalia!” was a fun and festive time for the Romans, but the Christians though it an abomination to honor the pagan god. The early Christians wanted to keep the birthday of their Christ child a solemn and religious holiday, not one of cheer and merriment as was the pagan Saturnalia.

But as Christianity spread they were alarmed by the continuing celebration of pagan customs and Saturnalia among their converts. At first the Church forbid this kind of celebration. But it was to no avail. Eventually it was decided that the celebration would be tamed and made into a celebration fit for the Christian Son of God.

Some legends claim that the Christian “Christmas” celebration was invented to compete against the pagan celebrations of December. The 25th was not only sacred to the Romans but also the Persians whose religion Mithraism was one of Christianity’s main rivals at that time. The Church eventually was successful in taking the merriment, lights, and gifts from the Saturanilia festival and bringing them to the celebration of Christmas.

The exact day of the Christ child’s birth has never been pinpointed. Traditions say that it has been celebrated since the year 98 AD. In 137 AD the Bishop of Rome ordered the birthday of the Christ Child celebrated as a solemn feast. In 350 AD another Bishop of Rome, Julius I, choose December 25th as the observance of Christmas.

Fourteen more days to go and it’s Christmas! Have a Blessed Christmas to one and all!

July 25 is going to be a big day not just because the president of the Republic will deliver her yearly State of the Nation Address in the House of the Representatives; rather it is the Feast of St James the Apostle.

St James the Apostle, also known as James the Greater, one of the Sons of Thunder, Jacobus Major, Iago, and Santiago was the son of Zebedee and Salome, brother of Saint John the Apostle, and may have been Jesus’ cousin. He is called “the Greater” simply because he became an Apostle before Saint James the Lesser. He is an apparent disciple of Saint John the Baptist; a fisherman who left everything when Christ called him to be a fisher of men; present during most of the recorded miracles of Christ; preached in Samaria, Judea, and Spain; and was the first Apostle to be martyred.

The pilgrimage to his relics in Compostela became such a popular devotion that the symbols of pilgrims have become his emblems, and he became patron of pilgrims. His work in Spain, and the housing of his relics there, led to his patronage of the country and all things Spanish; for centuries, the Spanish army rode to battle with the cry “Santiago!” (”Saint James!”)

Like all men of renown, many stories grew up around James. In one, he brought back to life a boy who had been unjustly hanged, and had been dead for five weeks. The boy’s father was notified of the miracle while he sat at supper. The father pronounced the story nonsense, and said his son was no more alive than the roasted fowl on the table; the cooked bird promptly sat up, sprouted feathers, and flew away.

He died on 44 at Jerusalem because he was stabbed with a sword by King Herod Agrippa. Legend says his body was taken by angels, and sailed in a rudderless, unattended boat to Spain where a massive rock closed around it. His relics now are at Compostela, Spain.

He is known to be the patron for arthritis and rheumatoid sufferers, druggists, equestrians, furriers, horsemen, knights, laborers, pharmacists, blacksmiths, pilgrims, riders, soldiers, conquistadors, tanners, and veterinarians. He is also a famous patron saint to places like Antigua, Guatemala, Chile, Compostela and Galicia in Spain, Puerto Rico, Bosnia Herzegovina, Nicaragua, Pistoia in Italy and the Philippines.

He has varieties of things that represented him, For instance, we can recognize him if we see a dark-bearded man holding any of the following: a scroll, a book, a pilgrim’s hat, or a sword. In the town of Batuan, Bohol, St James is holding a sword mounted on horseback. And like any other places who have chosen Saint James to be their patron saint, Batuan and its people celebrate every June 25 as the Feast of St James the Apostle.

To the Batuananons, Happy Fiesta and More Power!

Because I had my summer classes, I haven’t enjoyed much my summer time. I had to stay school almost the whole stretch of summer, which means I had to stay for another month away from home and could only grant me for a “week-long summer vacation” that is, right after my summer classes, a week-long break is allotted before the regular semester begins.

But I have to say that my one-week stay in Bohol is really awesome. Every single day of that week was so memorable to me. I had a great time spending it with my family. With my family. Because family conflicts can never be avoided, thus, a normal occasion to all, it can hardly be denied that the treatment towards each family member is always at stake. The bond among members demeans because of that misunderstanding brought within the family, and relatively, it can affect the relationship towards each other. It is a good thing though that this summer, some people make moves to mend the broken ties brought within members our family because of political interests. Thanks to these people I know my family.

I am deeply overwhelmed because of the firm efforts these people exerted to connecting each family member together, hopefully closer towards each other. I appreciated a lot to their attempt to make this realize through organizing several activities that involve everyone’s participation. Yes, we traveled around Bohol, experience again Bohol’s cool touch to nature, we went to Cebu and there we discover together the beauty spots of that island. What made me feel so warming was not the experience of going to those beautiful places and had picture-takings for souvenir, rather the rewarding experience I had because I was with my family. I cannot even find the right term that would explain how grateful I felt of that wonderful experience. Yes, it was successful and right now we are working on towards establishing a new, stronger foundation of our family. And yes, now I know, now I have convinced myself what others would always say to me, that life can never be so great when you are with your family. I am hoping for more productive family affairs.

If you think April is hot, then May is hot, hot, hotter. Who would not claim it, anyway? May is still thirty one days to continue to spend summer to the way we want it.

It is summer time, and in any case, like any other tropical country, our Aprils and Mays here are really that hot. In lieu with this, it has become part of our summer rituals to spend it a way relatively sizzling hot with respect to the season. A way relative because the term “hotness” of how you spend summer depends on how you define it.

As often as people believe, it is a perfect time to relax and to feel the vibrant rhythm of the sun’s heat as it prickles down under their skin. For these people, summer is just so short and so quick in a year that they would not want having anything else to do that might limit their preferred activities to savor summer with indulgence. For sure, they would not want going to white sand beaches with family and friends be out of their list. Wearing a tanned skin, with matching summer suits would greatly be a perfect outfit for them. It would also be a fun time to partygoers to celebrate to the best time that they want. In other words, there would be no room for worries here. And that is summer for them.

Another possible way to spend summer is to spend it a way not conventional to other times of the year. For some, they would resort to spending quality time for their selves. Because what they often times do in the whole year round is to busy their selves with work obligations and responsibilities, doing away with the usual pace would be what summer is for them. It would mean a perfect time for reflection and recollection to each stressing day while moments of unanticipated rewards would already be worth all the summons for having assigned such responsibility. Cooling down from the work routine would be as easy relaxing in the couch while enjoying a TV show with pineapple juice on the left hand and the remote control on the other. Reading the latest revelation books of Dan Brown or checking out the latest issues of different entertaining magazines depending on what fit your taste could also be another preference. And that would be another case of a “hot” summer.

For others, especially to the laborers and to those devoted people who advocate the same principles with that of these workers, summer is just but another set of time to continue their fight for greater subsidies to supply for their essential needs. Today is Labor Day. For others, it may be of no importance to celebrate this holiday. But for these laborers who feel this strong urge to gather for survival, they will rally in several public places with conviction to ask the government to give them what they deserve — ample basic resources a laborer and a his family needs. And that what constitutes their summer.

In my case, however, summer is summer. I mean, I am not really that particular on following summer trends. I just spend it on a way I think would best maximize my time. Doing anything that you think will make you efficient and productive. Spending time with family and friends. Really, just any important stuff to busy me this summer. And to add up, I must make sure that these stuffs must be worth reminiscing every moment any time of the year and for the years to come. That is summer for me.

Above all these, today is just May 1. Summer is still on the long run. May we all have a fruitful summer.