This morning, I attended the nutrition month celebration in the school where Trek is attending. I was surprised when Trek's name was called on stage to get an award. Not just one but three special awards. He got the first place in poster making, and finger printing activities in their level. He also got the third spot in the sandwich making activity.
Keep up the good work Trek! Nice!
The bureacracy in the authentication of my college diploma and transcript of records is eating a lot of my time and patience. The authentication in my own school had took me two weeks. Now, the authentication in CHED and DFA will take another three weeks. After that, a couple of weeks will be consumed for the authentication in the UAE embassy.
Most of the people I met while processing my papers have one unique question. "Why do we have to go through a lot of processes just for the authentication of our school documents?" That is exactly my own question, too.
Popularly, there is one best answer. Visit Recto in Manila. You can easily get a college degree in an hour. Because of these group of people who professionally falsify diplomas and TORs, authentic college graduates like us suffer.
If only… the government could put up a centralized agency (like NSO) who can provide us an authentic copy of our school records. If only… our schools have a common authentic forms with special security watermarks. If only… our government agencies like CHED and DFA can truly computerized their processes to fast-track their services. If only…
But the sad part is… we do not have all of these "if onlys" at the moment.
Ikaw lamang
Ang tangi kong iniisip
Ang lagi kong panaginip
Tayong dalawa ay laging nagmamahalan
Pangarap ko
Na kailan ma'y 'di maglaho
Ang pag-ibig kong ito
Pagka't hinding-hindi ko makakayang mawalay sa'yo
Ikaw lamang ang buhay ko
Sana nama'y pakinggan mo
Ang puso ko na mayroong sinasabi
Chorus:
Ikaw lamang
Ang tangi kong minamahal
Ang lagi kong dinarasal
Sana'y habangbuhay tayong magkasama
Ang puso ko'y
Ibibigay lamang sa'yo
Ito ang aking pangako
Mula ngayon hanggang magpakailan pa man..
Ikaw lamang..
Ikaw lamang ang buhay ko
Sana giliw pakinggan mo
Ang puso ko na mayroong sinasabi..
*Repeat chorus
Ikaw lamang
(Music by Gary V / Composed by Ogie A)
The generous retirement benefit from my previous company was able to pay my housing loan. I can already say that I am now the TRUE owner of my house and lot. No more worries of foreclosures. No more worries of unpaid loan bills. No more worries of being dumped out of the house by a sheriff.
At last! I now own a piece of this earth. Thank you Lord for this blessing.
God is so good! His goodness is eternal. And it is our choice to have it. We just need to put our trust in Him and allow Him to lead our way. He may test you at times but never allow this test to break your faith. He has the reason for everything that is happening in our lives.
Unfortunately, my supposed plan to go to Bahrain did not push through. The visa application has been pending for more than a month. Everything is so uncertain. And while waiting for the visa, I tried publishing my resume in some popular job sites. And the rest is history…
Today, I got an offer to join an international bank in Dubai. For confidentiality, I forbid myself to discuss the nature of my job. It is something that should not be posted anywhere. (Toink!) Though some of my closest friends have an idea to where I am heading.
Life is great! It is worth the waiting. God really makes a way!
"In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."
- Proverbs 3:6 -
God will make a way,
Where there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me
He will be my guide
Hold me closely to His side
With love and strength for each new day
He will make a way, He will make a way.
By a roadway in the wilderness, He'll lead me
And rivers in the desert will I see
Heaven and earth will fade
But His Word will still remain
He will do something new today.
God will make a way,
Where there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me
He will be my guide
Hold me closely to His side
With love and strength for each new day
He will make a way, He will make a way
(Words and music by Don Moen)
My blog hopping sent me to an interesting site called Lakbayan. You just need to rate how you visited significant places in the Philippines based on categories such as "Never set foot here", "Just passing through", "Been here once to a few times", "I often go here", and "I live/have lived here". Each category is represented by different shades of blue. Your response is calculated and a rating will be provided. This was created by a blogger named vaes9. Just visit his site to know more about this stuff.
Here is what I got:
My Lakbayan grade is C!
How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!
Created by Eugene Villar.
I never thought that there are websites about my small hometown in La Union. In fact, there is also a friendster account that invites members who came from this town.
The town of Pugo is a 5th class municipality in the province of La Union. It is located at the foot of Santo Tomas mountain range just an hour away from Baguio City through Marcos Hi-Way. There are two versions about how Pugo got its name.
According to wikipedia: "The term "Pugo" which means Small Islands or Islets does not mean though that Pugo is an Island. The term is describing the huge rockbeds, in the Tapuakan River which also features rockwalls, and huge rocks which is now known as the Tapuakan Resort."
Another version from pugo.gov.ph: "According to folktales, Pugo, the place was formerly named Rancheria Tulosa, a sitio of Barrio Tubao, Agoo, La Union. When a Spanish hunter from Agoo came to hunt, he asked his Filipino guide the name of the low-flying birds that were abundant around the place. The guide said they were "Pogo," and since then bird trappers and hunters named Rancheria Tulosa, Rancheria Pogo."
When I was in grade school, this place is my usual vacation spot during summer. My high school days were spent in this place too. I am an alumni of Pugo Catholic School; a private school managed by CICM/ICM missionaries.
The controversial Marcos Park and Marcos bust were standing tall in this place during the late 70's and early 80's. Obviously, the change in the political situation has deteriorated its glory. I heard that the current administration has plans to restore it. We will see.
Drop me a line if you happen to come from this place too. "Dios ti ag ngina cada cayo amin".
