Honoring My Mother: A Tribute

I would like to highlight, once again, the salient features of my Mom, how she handled being a mother to her 9 children, without going through the basics of Motherhood 101! I recall posting the same subject matter 3 years ago (under “Family” blog category), a year after she passed away and it was difficult for me at that time putting in writing every description of her entire life as a mother..

Even if she’s no longer visibly around, she remains to be a guide, protector and a friend. There were times that she appeared to me in my dreams together with my Dad, who left us years ahead of her, making me feel that they are still looking after their children, appreciating of our accomplishments and comforting us in our trials and tribulations. It was only when I wake up, I realized it was merely a segment of a dream,. I tend to be emotional about, sometimes gets teary-eyed and couldn’t avoid sobbing alone, once in a while.

As mentioned in my previous blog, our mother was a full-time homemaker, rearing her 9 children and humbly attending to their needs. She was a major influence to us, in our decision makings and our dealings with other people.

Below are some astonishing facts which she would not have known otherwise, and I thought this is the best way to honor her during Mother’s day. I have shared this with you before, I hope you don’t mind me re-posting this once more.

1. Our mother was selfless, very kind-hearted generous woman yet tough and strict.

I remember when we’re still kids, my mother would have to gather us to pray the Angelus every 6 pm each day and wouldn’t start the prayer if one is missing in the group. If someone is not around and is still playing outside with friends, she would go out of the door and had this amazing way of calling us. It sounded like a twit of a bird or a whistling sound which we knew that it was her, that it was time for us to be home. I’m not sure if my siblings would still remember these things. It’s sort of a bit funny or could be the sweetest sound but it was also of a concern because I knew there could be an accompanying responsibility and at times a price we had to pay for not being at home on time! And believe me when we pray, we couldn’t just sit anywhere and participate in the praying, we had to be with the group and kneel down just what she did. Otherwise, we would get a word of caution or warning from her!

As a very kind-hearted woman, she was so accommodating to anyone, especially the lowly and oppressed, knocking on our door begging for food and clothes. She would invite them inside, fed them and gave them out slightly used old clothes, sometimes with an extra small sum of money, making people leave our house with happy faces. She couldn’t bear the sight and the thought that poor people leave her house in sorrow. I remember another instance where we would welcome some people in our home on an honor-system basis, to the extent of allowing them to stay with us for years and treat them just like a member of a family. In fact, these people were sent to school and in exchange, they would do certain household chores, just like what we did at home – running household and/or personal errands.

2. Our mother was a self-reliant, independent and a hands-on person.

She was very hard working woman, an all around, do-it yourself person- a very good cook wherein some of my favorites include the very tasteful home made cakes (torta) baked in an old style fire furnace, sweet and salted rice cakes (suman), cassava cakes, fish “escabeche” (originally a Spanish recipe), beef stew with tomato sauce and other ingredients, tapas, her own “adobo” recipe, green seaweed/sweet potato leaf salad added with vinegar and onions, steamed tarot and yams and so many more. She was our chef and we would be her assistants, preparing the ingredients but we’re more interested on the taste test side of it!

She was our hairstylist and continued to be when ever we’re home. In fact, she was the one who first cut our hairs and did our first curls. There were times that we would try to beat each other and fall in line for the hair cut during weekends. Trust me, she was very good at it, and she could truly style the hair the way we wanted it to be. Probably she was forced to learn it by herself because almost of her children are girls except for one boy. And oh yes, even our only brother got his first taste of a haircut from her!

3. Our mother was a businesswoman in her own right.

I recall when my older siblings had to go to college. She established a small variety store so as to augment the family’s earnings. I also learned and acquired from her my business acumen, the wholesale/retail consignment method and the pricing strategies. She may not be an MBA degree holder but it was great that my first informal business know-how emanated from her. She was intelligent and I’ve discovered that she was among the top of their class during her school days.

I have also first learned from her about the barter system. She may not be aware of the technical parlance, but yes she knew how to trade our things in exchange for commodities. An instance is when poor farmers would go to the city center to trade their crops in exchange for clothes, blankets and other things they needed in their respective homes, my mother would engage in said activities. In fact, even without the traded goods, she would end up giving the needed things to these poor men and women.

I mentioned in my previous blog that my mother knew how to fashion dresses for her young children, especially when she had her first sewing machine. If she finds time, instead of buying ready made clothes, she would do the measurements, sketched the dress and made a pattern on a piece of large paper before sewing it. She didn’t go to a formal fashion school, it was more of a self-taught learning skill. She did not only sew some of our dresses but also for some small projects like curtains, for small windows and pillow cases, for home use.

4. Our mother was a very patient, relentless and pious woman.

Ever since I was a child, I observed my mother would wake up in the wee hours (3 or 4 am) of the morning, kneel beside her bed and pray the Holy Rosary and other devotional prayers. This habit of hers continued up to her heydays. During her mid younger days , I would hear her murmurs, silently saying her intentions pleading to God for mercy and forgiveness. Except when she’s indisposed, she would hear mass every day and brought us bread or any food which she bought on her way home. To her, the day would not be complete without attending the Holy Mass and receiving the Holy Communion.

Married to a man who was fond of being with friends, during younger days, with peers who were like a family to him, having social drinking with them, and sometimes getting “groggy” at the end of the day, was an agony to my mother. Lifting up everything to God, served as an outlet to her worries, and oh yes, her prayers were granted – it worked after so many years! Our father’s social drinking habit has diminished and they both had a very good time together thereafter.

She was so patient and persevering, especially in dealing with my father’s whims like food to prepare, office clothes to wear and so on and so forth. She would gladly do these things sans complaints even though she was already exhausted just so to avoid further argument. My Mom and Dad were exactly the opposite!

My mother was my first teacher and catechist. I first learned from her about God and everything about spiritual beliefs. She first taught us the basic prayers and the Angelus and later the Holy Rosary with the Litany. Even without deliberate memorization of the said prayers but because of the constant praying of the Holy Rosary, I was able to memorize the mysteries and would you believe the litany as well which up to now I recite it by heart! For us young kids and teens then, we didn’t grasp the full significance of the said prayers – it appeared said things were repetitious and were imposed on us! It was only when we were growing up that we’re able to recognize the beauty and the importance of praying, especially the Holy Rosary. Truth is, I am now applying the lessons learned from my mother in my class telling them how prayers are important in our lives. I almost forgot another very good trait which I’ve learned from our parents – that after praying, we approached them, kissed them and placed their hands on our foreheads for blessings and as a sign of respect. Thereafter, the younger siblings would then go to the older ones and do the same thing.

Our mother was involved in church related organizations. As a matter of fact, she became one of the sponsors or “hermanas” during feast day celebrations. This is the reason why majority of her children are now actively involved in civic and socio-related activities.

She was my first music teacher too. She loved to sing and had a sweet voice. Hmmm, my good voice must have come from her, kidding aside! Oh yes, she had this skill of doing second voice thru the so-called “owido” (playing it by ear) which I realized just now that I have also acquired it from her. And more oh yessessss, she danced gracefully too!

5. Our mother was our first faithful doctor/nurse, mentor, critic, and our best friend ever.

I recall when we were sick during our younger days, our mother was the one who was there awake all night by our side, caring for us, cooking and feeding us our favorite food, giving us the needed medicines to make us well and healthy. She was there to provide moral support whenever it was time for her children to give birth and taught them how to bathe and care their first babies. It was just so frustrating that I wasn’t there by her side when she needed me most. I know from the deepest of her heart, she would understand me, just what she had been – a very considerate person.

She was our critic even during her golden years. Whenever she saw us not in proper attire, if we’re showing a little some of our skins, she would jokingly call our attention to change our dress. And if she liked it, she would just sit there in the corner quietly looking at us with a smile dancing upon her lips. I knew she was keeping her praises for us to herself. She was not really outspoken as far as flattering and pleasing people are concerned. As I said, she was more on the “critiquing” side!

She was our best friend ever. When our Dad first left to join Our Creator, our mother was wandering from one of her children’s place to another. Even in her older years, she tried as much as possible to travel and visit her children and be with them for a month or so. She would initiate the planning of a reunion for all of us and I can still vividly recall how she looked very happy, anxiously waiting for us at the gate whenever it was time for our flight arrivals. She had plans in mind with one of my sisters as her partner. We would go to a beach for a swim, visit tourist places, or just simply stay at home discussing various issues or even ending up in arguments! Oh yes, we’re normal creatures, especially in a female dominated place – we had misunderstandings- the so called siblings rivalry – and she would be the arbiter! But overall, it was a great feast for all of us with the delicious food served on the table just like the parable about the rich father who prepared nice things for his prodigal son to return to his home!

Our mother’s last birthday and final days of her life

On her birthday, we planned for a grand celebration for her. We offered gifts, flowers, and delivered our extemporaneous personal messages which she gladly accepted with a modest smile. We designed a program and had the presentations recorded on video, and oh yes there was even a banner greeting with her photo on it mounted on the wall of the hotel’s ball room. She was very excited about it, as if she was celebrating her 18th birthday. I recall we sang the song “Through the Years” with a twist and had it re-worded so as to suit the occasion. How I wish I could have written this before and delivered a well thought meaningful birthday message during that time. I am sure she would only smirk at it but would be proud of me silently at the same time! Actually, my mother was happy and contented just by seeing her children completed their studies, and have turned into successful adults.

When I last saw her, my mother was still feeling great. When I bade farewell to her, she kissed and hugged me tightly as if she wanted me not to go but I simply ignored it and set aside the emotions brewing at that time. Our communications then were limited and undertaken thru telephone calls and internet conveyed messages. There were always the friendly reminders from her – the love and care of a mother to her child, until the gloomy sad news that she followed and be with Dad and her Creator in Heaven, after a decade. I would have wanted to say my deepest sincere apologies to her for my shortcomings, for my limitations and weaknesses. I would have wanted to say a quadrillion thanks for all the love and sacrifices. I would have wanted to share with her more of my time and tell her how much her child deeply loved her, but she could no longer hear it, feel it! That time was the most difficult, unhappiest and terrible moment of my life, in fact till now. But when I think of my mother when she was alive, it gave me emotional and spiritual healing, because I know she will always be there to offer prayers for her children, to offer birthday masses for her children and to comfort them when in trouble and in despair, no matter what, against all odds!

To my Mom, my heartfelt Happy Mother’s day and to the mothers out there, a wonderful and joyful Mother’s day to you all!

The Iron Lady’s Gone, But Her Legacy Remains!

Who doesn’t know Mrs. Margaret Thatcher , who became the only female Prime Minister of Great Britain (to date), and later became known as the “Iron Lady”, with her aggressive and stern views on both economic policies and political agenda. Certainly, of course, everyone knows “The Lady”, specifically those in politics, governance, academe, business world and even the ordinary people, young and old alike, who have passion in world affairs.

Based on various accounts, it was in the 80’s when Margaret Thatcher was constantly making headlines in dailies and other media networks. I remember my father (whose day, by the way, was not complete if a newspaper was not waiting on the doorstep) was looking at her picture in one of his favorite local dailies with admiration. She was the most powerful woman at that time, which I realized now her decisive stance on various issues, could have paved the way for the re-birth of the so-called “women empowerment” , particularly in politics and the workplace. Note that there are some remarkable women in history, who have also made their own “mark” in their respective fields.

Much as it would be interesting to note about the way Mrs. Thatcher ruled the U.K. Parliament and elaborate on her famous byword : “You turn if you want to. The Lady’s not for turning”, this blog would not dare to touch on these matters, which are somewhat complex and controversial that even her political allies and rivals have misunderstood and vehemently disagreed to some of her policies and programs. Rather, the blog shall mention briefly certain lighter issues regarding among others, the former Prime Minister’s persona and fashion sense and how the said outside forces influence the rising and struggling “power puffs”, so to speak, in the workplace, not only in Britain but throughout the world. Yay! There’s no harm in attempting to talk about this, right?

Earlier in My Useful Tip’s blog posts, the name of Mrs. Thatcher, together with Hillary Clinton, appeared as examples of two women belonging to the top echelons of society who have embraced the so-called “power dressing” (for further information, please search power dressing blog under the fashion category of www.myusefultips.com).

PD (which by the way was coined by My Useful Tips for “power dressing”), as defined on the web, is: a) a style of clothing intended to make the person seem authoritative and competent, especially in professional settings in business, law and government; and b) a stylish and expensive clothing style intended to convey the impression of assertiveness and competence.

With the aforesaid descriptions, Mrs. Thatcher had displayed her dressing style conforming to what PD is all about. Her dressing sense revealed her personal strength, despite her being just a “woman”, and her ability to preside over and deliberate with the members of the Houses of Lords and Commons, the majority of whom are men. For me, that was perhaps a sight to behold! The Honorable Men bowing to the whims of a potent and influential woman!

The photos on the web revealed that she would normally wear tailored pant or skirt suits and a low-heeled court shoes which were appropriate for the people “on-the-go”, that even her suits in pastel colors, still exudes a true feminine power during her time.

As I was browsing her photos on line, I was reminded of my mother who was an authority at home over her children with diverse likes and dislikes. Similarly, Mrs. Thatcher had tried her best to lead the U.K parliament, with a mother instinct, sometimes getting upset when members of the lower and upper chambers were disagreeing with her. Just like a mother in the family, she must have wanted to be the light and guide to his followers, but sadly in the end she was left behind by her staunch supporters after 11 years in power.

As of this time, the present U.K. Parliament is still deliberating on what kind of funeral rites and “honors” should be conferred upon the former lady Prime Minister and what kind of legacy she had left behind!

There is no doubt that the lady Prime Minister who died at 87 years of age, had obviously left a legacy of sorts, mostly in the political spectrum, but definitely she had left a legacy to women who have likewise aspired to “rise up” and have their voices heard in various arena.

To the lady Prime Minister, may your soul rest in peace.

Note: This blog is dedicated to my loving Mom, whose death anniversary is forthcoming!

A Brief Tour of Niagara Falls – A Remarkable Feel!

Featured Article – By Wenn I.

My long time good friends back home were given the opportunity to visit NYC for the nth time but never got the chance to go upstate (Buffalo) to take a peek of the world-famous Niagara Falls. Last month, some of them who are leaders of local church organizations attended a 3-day conference in New Jersey. Among the delegates to the said conference were my friends who are known for their exemplary contributions and service to their respective local communities in Cagayan de Oro City, namely Judge Evelyn and husband Engr. Kelly, Atty. Rene, the couple Dodo and Helen Sescon, Jun Dominguez and Ric Santillan. Surely, the conference itself for all of them was a once in a lifetime event as it was a gathering of heads and active members of religious organizations throughout the globe.

After the said conference, they spent some more weeks for shopping, tours and more getaways. While in NYC, my humble place in Ozone Park served as the home base of most of them while they were busy looking around the beautiful and scenic spots in the city and visiting houses of other home town buddies who were eager to invite and bond with them too. It was a worthwhile experience on their part as they have been able to see some of their former town mates and also got invited to take a few day tours to nearby NYC's tourist destinations like the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, the Trump Tower and other towers in Manhattan, Rockefeller Center and the St. Patrick's Cathedral. They had the chance to visit my local parish, the Holy Child Jesus Church, for the Sunday service and got to have a picture of the church premises.

The highlight of their NY tour was the trip to Niagara Falls. We were all very excited and looked forward to spending this trip a more enjoyable one. As a matter of fact, we left at the wee hours of the morning as I wanted them to relish every minute of the travel so they will forget the fatigue it could bring due to long hours drive. We were joined by other friends, namely Totoy and Melet Lantoria, Cora and Ding, who were very generous to share us their time and treasure. They drove us to wherever we would want to stop in going to and coming from our destination. As usual, picture taking was always part of the fun not only because of the amazing scenery that the state of New York could offer to its visitors but mostly of the group's spirited personalities which made the camaraderie and the trip more lively!

We had to stop by at some of the beautiful parks and enjoyed frolicking under the spring time's heat of the sun, savoring the smell of the leaves and barks of the trees around us, listening to the tweets of the birds and filling our hungry stomachs with some prepared delicious food. As a matter of fact, I have an anecdote to share which merely popped up out of nowhere while we were busy preparing the food on one of the vacant tables in the park. I asked them if they would like to eat ham. Cora, one of our van mates, replied with another question: “Is it Baboy, Wen?” I retorted back innocently, “No, it's pig”! (For those who are not so familiar with the vernacular term, “Baboy” and “Pig” are the same. Baboy is the Tagalog term for pig in the Philippines). There was giggling and laughing to our hearts content!

Finally, we arrived at our destination after 8 long hours but never felt any weariness at all. Immediately, we checked in at the Holiday Inn Hotel which fortunately is just a walking distance to the dockyard of the boat called the "Maid of the Mist". We left some of our belongings in the hotel so we could scan and roam around the area.

So as not to waste the remaining hours of the day, we rushed immediately to the place where the boat's located. Only four of us braved the ride and were able to experience the delight that one can get from riding the maid of the mist, enjoying the water rushing all around while exploring the roar of the Niagara Falls. Oh, some of our companions really missed the fun particularly the view from the Canada side! It was surrounded by the mighty Falls, good we were provided with a raincoat for protection, otherwise we would be soaked with water, just like the rest who preferred not to wear the jackets so they could feel the coolness of nature even though they appeared like mga “basang sisiw” literally ("wet chick") at the end of the ride!

It was an amazing and thrilling experience since as we get to see the roaring Falls up close, it gets even more mightier! Truly incredible! There was an added bonus because of the colorful rainbow appearing behind the Falls. No wonder tourists kept on visiting the place just to get to see the gigantic amazing Falls!

The following day, we hopped inside a boutique souvenir store called “Maids in the Mist” where we bought some “pasalubong” or presents for folks back home.

A funny incident happened once again while we were inside the said boutique store. While Judge Evelyn was so preoccupied looking for an awesome shirt for her lovely “unica hija”, she handed over and entrusted me her shoulder bag which was filled with her very important travel documents (eg. passports and tickets) and her treasures (cash and jewelries) to top it all. After buying all the things she wanted from the store, I was surprised to see her face looking so worried. So, I got worried too. I thought she was not feeling well or perhaps not happy with the things she bought from the store. But there was something bothering her that she got into a panic, we were told she couldn't find her bag. As a matter of fact, she asked me about it and in all candidness, I merely assured her that her bag is probably just inside the store and no one will get it. So, everyone helped in looking for her bag all over the store. While Judge Evelyn was closely scrutinizing the people inside, probably using her legal and investigative intuition, she saw this woman in the mirror standing and bringing along her bag. And guess who the woman was………Lo and behold! It was me! I was carrying my bag on my left arm and hers on my right. Oh my gosh, was that a minor slip of memory or sheer senior moments for both of us! No one even remembered that an event happened earlier before the said lost and found incident. That was hilarious which made all of us laughed and laughed and laughed!

As we were about to depart the place, we reminisced of the happy things which happened during the previous day. We had to rest for a while providing our generous driver laughter and the energy to move on to another destination….the shopping spree! On our way home, we stopped by at Woodbury Factory Outlets, one of NY's largest shopping outlets. They were amused to acquire some of the branded quality items at competitive prices, lower than those being traded in NY's Manhattan area and even way far lower than the prices back in the Philippines for the same products.

While it was a brief vacation for all of us, the fond memories still lingers. I was deeply touched and happy that some of them had chosen to stay in my humble place. After New York, each one has its own itinerary on hand. Some proceeded to other states in the U.S. to visit relatives and friends and I am sure it was a non-stop fun for them! They are now back in their home country safe and sound, with God's blessings and probably still having that remarkable feel of the Niagara Falls!

FLORES DE MAYO: A JOYFUL FESTIVITY

Featured Article: By L.F-Posecion (Contributor)

A centuries-0ld popular spiritual tradition, the May Flower Festival or Flores de Mayo (as fondly called by Filipino Catholics throughout the globe ) is celebrated every month of May, a time of offering flowers in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

This tradition dates back during the Spanish era when it was first introduced to Filipinos by the Spaniards. The procession during the May Flower festival which is also known as “Santacruzan” forms part of the festivity and said to have originated during the time of St. Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great, 300 years A.D. Based on various accounts, St. Helena traveled to Mt. Calvary to search for the real Cross of Jesus Christ. She unearthed three crosses and tested each one by making one of her sick servants lie on all three. The cross which made the servant recover from his sickness was identified as that of Jesus Christ. The anniversary date for finding the cross is set on the 3rd of May, hence the Santacruzan festivity.

The said Filipino Catholic tradition of commemorating Flores de Mayo and the Santacruzan was handed down from generation to generation and even vigorously pursued until today. In other places of worship, people would simply flock to church, hear mass and offer flowers before the statue of the Virgin Mary. But there are churches and parishes in New York City and in other places in the U.S. where celebrations are widely, actively and joyfully participated by Filipino parishioners .

The recent Flores de Mayo activity at Our Lady of Snows in Floral Park , New York on May 20, 2012 was a very special one. While it has been in its 9th year of May Flower Festival celebration, it was considered as the most memorable particularly for Filipino-American Catholics in the said parish for three reasons:

1.That the overall activity was hosted by the OLS Filipino-American Community Ministry;

2.That it was the first time in the history of Our Lady of the Snows that Marian statues and icons took part in the procession, namely: Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Lady of Czestochova, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Our Lady of Knock, Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, Our Lady of Health, Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Lourdes and lastly our very own Our Lady of the Snows, which were carried by devotees of different cultural backgrounds.

3.That the celebration includes a solemn high mass which was con-celebrated by three Filipino priests (Fr. Patrick Longalong, the FDA Coordinator of the Diocese of Brooklyn, Fr. Raynald Nacino and a visiting priest from the Philippines, Msgr. Jose Galves), and presided by no less than the Bishop-elect Raymond Chappetto.

The Holy Rosary in the church led by Emma R. kicked off the event, followed by the procession and the Santacruzan. The said procession started with the Filipino American Banner marshalled by Bill C., followed by the “Ave Maria” girls , then the beautiful Sagalas and Reyna de las Flores in their gowns, Crown Bearer, Honor Guard, and the parishioners. It was amazing to see many people flocking together of various ages (young and old alike) and ethnic backgrounds to participate for the said event. This year's Reyna de las Flores is a beautiful young adult, Ms. Reisha Cadelina. Throughout the procession, Rosabelle C. led the singing of certain Marian hymns and prayers together with the devotees carrying with them lighted candles. The steady beat of the guitar accompaniment and the singing of the parishioners made the procession more meaningful. Overall, the procession was well organized and this was coordinated by some of our talented group members: Lou M and Marie I.

The procession ended inside the church with Monique I. (the Master of Ceremony) supervising the flow of hundreds of people and devotees entering the church for the con-celebrated Holy Mass. The angelic voices of the OLS Himig at Alay Music Ministry directed by Philip Dancel provided the liturgical singing together with its cantors Oscar Villacrucis and Rizalino Calderon. The lectors during the mass were Emily N. and Kristian M. The solemn beautiful liturgical celebration was made possible with the well coordination of Liz Y. and Lina P.

After the Holy Mass, the current overall Chairman for the said event, Blessie Noblesala, thanked the priests celebrants, friends, relatives, sponsors and donors for making the celebration an extraordinary one. She invited everyone to a fellowship with a short program which immediately followed after the Holy Mass.

There was plenty of food on the table for all hundreds of people to partake in and this was made possible by the group of Praxy, Mia and Al Tan and others who helped them. It was such a big feast day that everyone especially the other nationalities get to taste the native delicacies, as traditionally practiced in our home country, the Philippines.

Just like in any Filipino-American celebrations, singing and dancing are always part of the program. For this particular OLS celebration, the program was not only participated by Fil-Am talents at OLS but also by talents from other nearby parishes. Songs were beautifully rendered by Manny, Nancy Morales, Filipino-American Choir, Christina, Alyssa, and Reisha Cadelina. The popular native dances such as : the “Tinikling” performed by the Mary's Nativity Youth Group; the “Subli” of the Our Lay of Lourdes Youth and Adult Group, and the “Malong-Moslem” dance of the Fil-Am Choir were of great joy to the crowd and these are all coordinated by Abe S. and Marie I. Would you believe, even the decoration used in the fellowship was also special. Thank you to Print Shop and the people who served as the DJs of the event, specifically Romy, Egay and Windel.

Flores de Mayo is a festivity which all of us look forward to every year. It has been part of our culture and has already been rooted in our hearts. While we maintain our Filipino culture and heritage wherever we are, we should not also forget most importantly the essence of this festivity. We celebrate Flores de Mayo because we would like to recognize the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary in our Catholic faith and so we simply wanted to show our gratefulness and honor her and this should be the center of the celebration. We hope that this culture and faith shall be passed on to our younger generation and shall continue to thrive and prosper for a long time.

A FUN WAY TO FUND RAISE – TIPS AND THOUGHTS

FEATURED ARTICLE

By: W. Illana*

Now in its 4rth year of organizing bowling tournaments, the Cagayan de Oro Misamis Oriental of New York, Inc. (CDO MIS-OR NY, Inc.) hosted its annual bowling event for 2012 on Sunday afternoons (March 25th -April 8th) at the famous AMF Lanes in NYC. Considered as one of its fund raising efforts, the said event was held to augment the needed financial requirements for the Association's forthcoming charitable projects. The fun and excitement were merely secondary but it turned the event even more successful making the members, participants, invited bowling enthusiasts and guests to actually enjoy the game.

The said event was not only spearheaded by one person but by everyone in the Association. The officers, board of directors (BOD), members and guests were actively involved which made it a community sport. There were 14 teams with various color name titles and their respective team captains, as follows:

1.Azalea – Fe Lacang

2.Black – Marlon Valcurza

3.Blue – PP/BOD Tommy Ludena & Larry Docdocil

4.Fuschia – Wennie Bahian Illana

5.Green – Kelly Rena/Payag Restaurant

6.Gold – Quinn Aranez

7.Maroon – Emma Ludena

8.Orange – VP Gina Espininosa & BOD Vangie Legaspi

9.Purple- Cecile Maquiling

10.Red 1 – BOD Josie Neri

11.Red 2 – BOD Josie Neri

12.Safeth Green – BOD Lisa Ramirez

13.White – Vicboy,

14.Yellow- Pres. Rely Manacay.

Each team had 6 members or more wearing t-shirts with their color uniforms, respectively which cost $15.00 each. Registration fee for each member was $10.00 only.

For this year, BOD Vivia Roa who is also the Chairman of the Sports Committee took the overall supervision with Emma Ludena as the Sports Coordinator. The Finance Committee (BOD Eddy Aranez, Fe Lacang) closely coordinated with the Prizes Committee (VP Gina C. Espinosa, BOD Vangie Legaspi, BOD Josie S. Neri) and the Working Committee (Alice Manacay, Quinn Aranez, Vicky Pagaduan, Lolit Canasares and Denah Credo) to oversee the logistics and funding requirements. Snacks and refreshments poured in giving the participants the needed energy to aim for a strike or a spare, particularly to jump and shout out for each victory.

Snacks were donated by VP Gina Espinosa, BOD Vivia Roa, BOD Rosita Mejia Richman and Bebe Galez. Quinn Aranez who served as the Association's official sports photographer was there to visually document the entire event and his effort was greatly appreciated.

Everyone looked forward to the last Sunday of the game as the winners will be announced and awarded with certificates and prizes. Donations for the prizes came from PP/BOD Tommy and Emma Ludena, Payag Restaurant, VP Gina Cabesada Espinosa, BOD Wennie Bahian Illana, BOD Sammy Somo, Dr. Paul Pardillo, Bebe Galez, Larry Docdocil and Nap Bernardo of California.

The Awarding Ceremony started with giving out of Certificates of Appreciation to the 14 team players, the Chairman of the Committee on Sports, Sports Coordinator, Finance Committee, Prizes Committee and the Working Committee. It was followed by the awarding of prizes to the following winners:

First Prize plus trophy – Red 2 Team led by BOD Josie Neri– Cash Prize of $500.00

Second Prize plus trophy – White Team led by Vicboy – Cash Prize of $300.00

Third Prize plus trophy – Maroon Team led by Emma Ludena – Cash Prize of $200.00

Special thanks of appreciation were given to all the officers, BODs and members who have actively supported in the said event.

Everyone loved the game and it was a great way not only to fund raise but also to boost the player morale and to foster camaraderie among the members. As the last Sunday of the tournament was coincidentally Easter Sunday, each team appeared to have been refreshed with renewed heart and spirit, just in time to celebrate and glorify Jesus Christ's Resurrection.

* The writer is currently one of the Board of Directors of CDO-MISOR Association of New York, inc.

Great Show For A Great Cause!

Paaalang Pinoy, the cultural ministry of the Filipino Diocesan Apostolate (Diocese of Brooklyn) organized a talent show entitled, “Basta Pinoy Kasali Ka” on April 28, 2012 at Our Lady of Snows Church, Floral Park, New York. It was a night of amazing talents overflowing the stage with interested Filipino-American gifted children (ages ranging 5 to 19 years old) who showcased their skills specifically in music and dance. The said talent show was the first of its kind under the administration of Fr. Patrick Longalong, the newly installed FDA coordinator, and likewise the first musical competition ever held out of the many shows and recitals hosted by the ministry in previous years. The said show was divided into three groups primarily to distinguish age levels and talent categories, to wit: Group A -5 to 10 years old, Group B – 11 to 14 years old and Group C – 15 to 19 years with all groups having vocal solo, instrumental, dance and vocal group parts.

The competition was opened with a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem and a welcoming remarks. Despite the tight hall stage, the more than 70 participants and performers went out of their way and made extra effort to prepare differently from each other wearing their preferred beautiful attire and costume to boot. Each number was well applauded especially that of the Level C performers.

However, the native traditional dances such as the “Tinikling” with a modern twist and to the tune of Maroon 5 hits made the show more lively and upbeat.

(Note: Pictures shown below are not for reproduction, please)

The “Rondalla” intermission number of the FAME youth from Brooklyn headed by Belle Locsin and Judith Manligoy, mesmerized the audience particularly with their rendition of some Lady Gaga repertoire.

Thereafter, energy and anticipation surfaced as participants waited for the results of the competition. But most of all, everyone enjoyed the refreshments and the same provided energy boost for all the participants and the crowd!

The couple Ricky and Cecile Matela, Edwin Wang and Dinah Cruz all acted as judges of the show. They had a lot of pencil pushing to do as the selection process for the winners was quite mind boggling and tedious.

Nevertheless, as efficient as they are, they were able to give the accolades to deserving winners with Fr. Longalong doing the honors of handing over the corresponding awards, trophies and certificates.

Shown below are lucky winners for each category and age level:

Group A – 5 to 10 yrs.:

Best Vocal Solo – Kira Ricarte PS 7/Elmhurst; Best Modern Dance – Cathy Espina – Marianne Barga Divine Mercy/Ozone Park PS63/Ozone Park; Best Instrumentalists in Trio – Daniel Dinglasan – piano – Marc Oliver Lim – piano – Aidan Lim – violin PS 139/ Rego Park

Group B – 11 to 14 yrs.:

Best Vocal Solo – Julian Pigao PS 151/Woodside; Best Vocal Group “Himig” – KC Lorovico (soloist) – Cathy Espina (soloist) – Angelica Calderon (flute) – Carlo Basconcillo (guitar) – Dylan Taganas (guitar) – Louie Barga (guitar) JHS 157 (soloist) Divine Mercy Academy (soloist) Forest Hills HS Floral Park Mem HS St. Catherine of Sienna Thomas Edison HS; Best Dance The Ates and Kuyas (Modern Tinikling) – Angelica Calderon – KC Lorovico – Cathy Espina – Jasmine Sta. Cruz – Tiffany Gadais – Lawrence de Ocampo – Carlo Basconcillo – Jason Caballes – Michael Sta. Cruz Forest Hills HS JHS 157 Divine Mercy Academy PS 102 PS 18 St. Fidelis Floral Park Mem HS Bellerose PS IS 102 Best Instrumentalist JP Caballess (violin) Bellerose

Group C – 15 to 19 yrs.:

Best Vocal Solo – Ara Felipe Newtown HS; Best Instrumentalist – Randolf de la Rosa (piano) Hunter College; Best Vocal Group R.E. Double Dee Band – Marla Valcorza – Jay Fetalino – Ara Felipe – Diego Arias Newtown HS Brooklyn Tech Newtown HS Newtown HS.

According to the organizers, doing the show was all well worth it. Not only it served as a fundraising effort of the ministry (proceeds of the show shall go to three college scholars of Paaralang Pinoy in the Philippines) but was also a proud occasion seeing a large community turnout of parents, relatives and friends coming together to have fun and entertained by someone familiar to them. Jackie Mariano and John Barlaan, who are both incidentally Paaralang Pinoy alumni during their elementary years, did an awesome job as emcees of the show. John is now attending college at CCNY and Jackie has recently graduated from Hunter College. As grown ups, they now served as “Ate” and “Kuya” during their spare time to the new kids on the block of the present Paaralang Pinoy, so to speak! During the show, they willingly shared their talents in singing and hip hop dancing.

The tandem of Tita Pilar and Tito Jorge served as the post of the event with the assistance and cooperation of the other Titos and Titas such as Tita Lina who were always around to respond to the needs of the participants. It was indeed an amazing event based on feedback from the participants and the audience.

As music and art have a place in my heart, as if I could feel the high energy of those lucky enough to be around! Objectives of the event have been met: it recognized and awarded local talents and to top it all the great show helped raise funds for a great cause! Kudos to all who have helped organized, participated and assisted to make the event a very successful one!

Counting Blessings: A Secret To Happiness!

"Count your blessings" is an old adage we hear oftentimes from people which most of us can relate to regardless of location, ability, gender and socio-economic status. But how frequent do people count their blessings? Always? Once, twice, thrice a day? We really don't have any idea and there is no way we can quantify it, there is no rule of thumb for this! As long as we are happy and contented despite the lack of resources, that should be the very essence of life. The fact that we are willing to share what we have with the less fortunates, even though how scarce our personal finances are, there is more reason for us to count our blessings. That is truly a blessing in itself….a blessing that we are still "able" and "strong" to lend a helping hand to the impoverished, to the old and indisposed, to children who have been deprived of quality education due to lack of school supplies and other educational related necessities, among others.

When we count our blessings, we forget our failures, shortcomings and wrongdoings, and instead we think and show gratefulness for the good things we've done. Somewhere in the process, we do not only bring joy to other people but we experience likewise a certain feeling of personal satisfaction. We also start to give recognition to the people we love and those around us, thus creating a happy family environment.

I would like to share with you an article forwarded to me by a very dear "kin" who in her early "tweens", has already a passion to help those in need. Instead of celebrating an important occasion with someone special and inviting friends to a party or fine dining, she decided to spend it in "style"! Together with her fellow "nightingales" and friends, they went out of their comfort zones and organized a worthy cause which made the sick and the aged and some unfortunate kids happy. It didn't cost them a lot of money to help these people, but the willingness and the heart to do it and a little help from benefactors made the event a reality and success.

Incidentally, the said activity reminded me of our responsibility, every citizen, to help our respective Governments in our own little way to achieve its plans and programs particularly its Development Goals. My kin's group of young urban professionals initiated this activity on their own volition, giving up a little of their time, luxury and treasure to help the poor. Isn't this one humble and quickest way of helping Governments achieve its goals of helping the poorer sectors of society? I commend you guys. Good job! Keep it up!

The blog episode below is a brief article written by one of my closest allies in the family! (Note: Pictures herein are not for reproduction and are exclusively for my useful tips use only)

“Always count your blessings”

by: Kristine Angela S.A.

A famous saying that all of us should live by. By doing so, it will let us know how fortunate we are and how much our God loves us! After counting our blessings, that’s the time we should start to share. Sharing and giving to our less fortunate brothers is another way of thanking God for the abundant blessings He’s given and will be giving us. It doesn’t matter how much amount you can give, as long as you have the heart and sincerity in giving, it matters more than anything else.

In this connection, Mike and I planned for something different to celebrate our anniversary. Even though our relationship (boyfriend-girlfriend) is relatively new, it has grown and matured in our faith in God. Instead of having the usual dating or going out of town, we opted to share our blessings and do a small charity work in a local orphanage and home for the aged. As soon as we finished inquiring and visiting the sites, I started a text brigade to our family, friends and colleagues asking for their help for the said project. As I predicted, most of the people I texted were all supportive and generous enough to help us. And then, one by one people started to pledge for the things they could provide and share. After gathering all the things that we needed for the charity work, I called the orphanage and home for the aged to schedule a date to visit them. And we agreed to do it on May 17, 2012! Yeeeeeyy!!!

Our first stop was at the NAZARETH: Bahay Pag-ibig Home For The Aged. It is located beside the San Pablo Cathedral, San Pablo City, Philippines. The said institution is a non-government organization which accommodates abandoned elders. Presently, they have 17 "lolos " and "lolas" (grandfathers and grandmothers).

The administrator of the home for the aged told us that like any other charitable institutions, donations come only seasonally. So, we thought that it was more practical to give them their personal needs. We gave them diapers, toiletries, medicines, and prepared some snacks for them.

Because Mike and I are both nurses, our friends in the hospital volunteered to go with us and helped us even though the sun was scorching hot that day. Thanks guys!!!! Deeply appreciated..

Our next stop was at the Open Door Christian Orphanage located at Fule Sahagun St., San Pablo, City. It was founded in the year 2000 with the vision to reach out to the orphaned, abandoned, abused and destitute children. They have 27 kids in their protective custody right now.

As for the kids, we prepared school materials for them just in time for the new school year which is soon forthcoming. Notebooks, pencils, crayons, erasers, sharpeners, rulers, are some of the items found in their loot bags. We also gave them some toys, medicines and prepared some snacks for them.

They were all accommodating and we received a warm welcome from them.

All in all, we had a great time doing this small charity work. It is nice to see other people smile because of the little things that you’re giving them. Or they’re just happy, simply because you spend some time to be with them. This project made us realize how blessed we were. For sure, this is not the last time that we’re gonna do this. This is just a great start for us. ‘Till our next project!!!!

FDA GET-together: TIPS AND THOUGHTS ON PARTIES AND GATHERINGS!

(Feature Article)

Many of us rarely get to spend quality time with our loved ones and friends due to fact that we are so preoccupied with either the more important or non-essential things in life. This is also true in certain organizations where members come from different places, seldom see each other, and with respective professions to attend to. However, there are various ways on how to get people out of their shells, apart from the regular monthly or quarterly meetings, simply to unwind, make them happy and enjoy life. For some groups, one way of getting together is to organize an event and it could either be a celebration of an officer or a colleague's birthday or any important occasion.

One recent event which was organized by the Himig At Alay, in collaboration with its supporters and friends, was to honor and congratulate the newly installed Diocesan Coordinator of the Filipino Apostolate, Rev. Fr. Patrick Longalong who is concurrently serving as a parochial vicar at Our Lady of the Snow parish church in Floral Park, New York. Fr. Patrick is relatively young in his profession, he was ordained as priest in 2008 after obtaining his high school and college degree in New York. (Note: photos shown below are not for reproduction, hence not for public consumption. Exclusively for use of myusefultips.com).

For those who are not familiar of Diocesan Apostolates, these are sub-groups under the Migration Office of the Diocese of Brookyln (which includes the Queens borough) whose duty among others, is to serve and/or assist immigrants of all faiths in various issues such as education, housing, unemployment, immigration, including pastoral services, taking into account their respective cultures and traditions (please read previous blog article, entitled "40 Years of Welcoming the Stranger" under Spirituality category for more info). As such for each member country, there is a coordinator assigned to initially oversee the operations and that a priest originating from a particular country is normally designated to undertake the said task.

The said event turned out to be successful even if it was a simple one. Decorations were basic yet unique, program was uncomplicated yet entertaining and even the speeches were brief yet informative. It was a potluck informal dinner where the organizers and friends were generous enough to bring food and beverages. Guests were a mix of old and new officers of the Filipino Diocesan Apostolate (FDA), friends of the celebrant and it was great to see them hand in hand.

While the guest of honor might have been aware that a party was in relation to his additional responsibility as FDA coordinator, he had no inkling that the organizers were combing two events into one party. Incidentally, it was also the guest of honor's birthday on that day. As a matter of fact, majority of the guests didn't have any idea about it. So, it was a surprise party not only to him but also to everyone around!

Certainly, parties and gatherings could form part of our favorite things and it is a fun way to snap lots of photos, relax, and share tidbits with friends and new acquaintances. In my case, it was also an opportunity to meet new acquaintances as I've chanced upon a new friend in the said gathering, she's a virtuoso in music especially in exquisite musical instrument such as piano, harp, and violin.

For the organizers, particularly the head of Himig at Alay, it was another opportunity for them to make the day a milestone and share the joy with the guests.

But for Fr. Patrick, that day was truly a moment for him…… probably a moment to thank God for all the blessings!

A Wonder Boy, he truly is!

Lance, a 7- year old cute smart kid is currently enrolled in a private school in the heart of Manhattan. He just came from Singapore as his Mom's work (an expat) requires him to transfer from one place to another. Just like normal kids, he loves to play any kind of games, from high tech stuffs to simple paper planes and rubber band games. Some high end games which I would say he's an expert at it would include those which are found in his iPad , Nintendo 3Ds, plus his collections of pokemon cards. Don't dare to pretend to know this card game and you'll surely be corrected. He knows the game by heart including the characters and their respective position titles and powers. Once in a while, he chanced to show his prowess to his older play mates in board games, such as chess and checkers. Of course, he wins most of the times, but there's a hidden secret behind it!

(Note: Photos below are exclusively for use of www.myusefultips.com, hence not for reproduction and consumption of anyone)

I had the chance to meet Lance through kins last week and I was amazed of the boy's smartness and talents. He is not only well versed in kids' games but also in his academic subjects. When asked about his performance in school, particularly in Math and Science subjects, he was confident to respond that he normally gets straight A's. In fact, he proudly told the audience around that he can do his assignment in Science within five minutes. Ask me what was the assignment all about! It was a memorization of about 10 or more terminologies, such as water vapor, precipitation, hail, sleet, and the like. The assignment was for the kids to memorize the definition of the said terms and it involves not just 1 or 2 words but the full meaning of it. I was tempted to test his learning skills. After browsing the pages of his Science book and reading the definition of the words silently for about 5 minutes, he handed over the book to me. Acting like his teacher, I started asking him the definitions randomly, not using the sequence as written and arranged in the book. Surprisingly, he quoted the definitions most of the times verbatim, and others in his own words, but correctly defined. He's good in Language too, particularly in Spelling.

The said experience was astonishing, which I said to myself, wow! I have some encounters with kids in school who are in their Grades 3 to 5's, and it is frustrating to note that some, if not majority, of them couldn't spell out and pronounce the words correctly. They are very good in conversational English, no doubt about it, but when it comes to lessons in class, they hardly catch up. Surely, there are various factors behind it, but since this is not about them, let's leave it to the Language teachers and their parents to thresh it out.

Going back to Lance, there was one time he showed me a piece of paper with his writings on it. It was a short story and I thought it was a writing exercise in school. His Mom told me, it was his own composition to which he nodded. Apparently, he sometimes scribbles notes when he's alone. I asked Lance' permission if I could take a photo of it and publish the same in myusefultips.com blogsite. He looked at me with pure innocence and said, “Are you really going to publish it? as in everyone can see it?” When I said, yes, I could see happiness in his face, some excitement and he was really looking forward to seeing it posted and so he could check it on his iPad. The short story was written in a white bond paper with his own penmanship. Awesome!.

Absolutely, my cam did not do justice to the story. I could have scanned it instead to have a better view, unfortunately the scanner just gave me headaches, so I have to plainly re-write it here for your sake. I would like to say my apologies to my dear Lance as this post came later as expected.

Shown below is the full unedited script of the story:

“The Revenge of the Lost Viking"

"Once upon a time a little boy discovered about a weird looking fossil. The little boy got it and bring it to the science center then the scientist told the boy it is about the lost viking. The scientist said the vikings have a war but one viking ran away so who claim that fossil the vikings will come to you and destroy your hometown said the scientist. The boy feel tricked and lied from the scientist so he took the fossil home then the vikings arrived to destroy his hometown. The boy realized that he make a mistake about the story of the lost viking. So he tried to ask the scientist what their weakness is. The scientist told the boy their weakness, it is killing them with your heart. The boy said, “how to do that”? The scientist said to the boy to apologize to people if you are mean to them. So the boy keep on apologizing to people quickly then the vikings are disappearing but one viking left. The boy realized something to apologize he must apologize to everyone causing this big trouble. He apologize everyone for this trouble. There is no more vikings. The boy saved the day for the trouble he made. The boy said his name is Richard. So Richard return the fossil to where it supposed to be. Richard's mother is proud so she tell the President to give him a reward. The President give Richard a trophy. Richard is proud. His father was relaxed for Richard. Richard smile in tears. Richard and his family feel good about it. And everything is back to normal. And they live happily ever after. The End.”

Below is the photo of the story (clearer version), as written by Lance.

The lighter version but complete:

Bet you, it's uncommon for a 7-year old kid to be able to write like this. The smart thought that comes from an innocent and unpolluted young mind, particularly the moral lesson behind the said simple story is most essential.

I would have wanted him to explain the said story on video but I felt it was no longer necessary. The story alone proved how the young boy thinks and how profound the message it brings to young boys and girls.

I just hope Lance will grow to be a loving and kindhearted person and stays away from the lures and influences of evil doers. Very good job Lance! Keep it up!

The Joy of Joining A Multi-Choir Gig: A Precious Moment

Two months ago, myusefultips.com posted an article about the feast day of San Lorenzo Ruiz at St. Patrick's Cathedral wherein a large choir, composed of representatives of various choir groups in NYC, performed during the said event. Some of these choir members will have the chance to do it again on the 3rd of December to kick-off the “Dawn Masses” or “Simbang Gabi” which is a tradition in some parts of the globe and which is also timely as it is the 1st of the series of the 4 Sundays of Advent. As mentioned in the previous blogs, choir music in any liturgical celebration makes it more lively and uplifting.

One of the preparations being administered for the said big event is the rehearsal schedule for the choir which sometimes can be quite not easy in terms of people mobilization/availability and time constraints. Last week, a joint rehearsal for all the invited choir groups was held for the first time so as to, among others, get some feedback on the choir's performance as a group. The said choir, including the instrumentalists, is composed of different choir groups from NYC and New Jersey and the numbers could reach nearly a hundred.

One perfect strategy to make the rehearsal fun and exciting is to introduce some “twists” in between the rehearsals. This was true as is the case during the rehearsal last week, wherein the event organizers requested the participating choir groups to present their versions of some of the songs , included in the repertoire via a singing competition with some cash prizes at stake.

One of the objectives of the said rehearsal was not purely to warm-up or to produce “oil” on the choir members vocal chords, so to speak, but also to boost their confidence in singing. Most of the times, choir members are on volunteer basis and are not music professionals who are attuned to the intricacies of music. As such, there is a need for bouts and practices to sharpen their skills.

Here, take a look at the participating choirs (Ocean of Mercy Choir, Ambassadors of Christ Choir, Jesus Through Mary Choir of NY, Jesus Through Mary Choir of Staten Island, St. John the Baptist Choir, Divine Mercy Prayer Group, and other choir groups) and some guests who were invited to perform in the said event. The choir groups were asked to render two uniform songs, namely "Angels We Have Heard On High" and "Silent Night" while the third song was any of the group's favorite Christmas song.

(Please take note photos are not for public consumption. If you wish to get hold of it, feel free to contact the admin of www. myusefultips.com. Thanks!)

This choir group from New Jersey (see below) was lucky to be picked as the winner, with the 1st prize handed to them on the same day, a check amounting to $400.00. Not bad for a rehearsal!

The 3-lady judges (of which this author was a part of) assigned for this event did their part in making the contest fair and credible, taking into account the criteria (e.g. correct pitch, blending, expression, costume, audience participation, etc.) set for the said competition.

The said rehearsal turned out to be an opportunity to bond with other choir groups and as a music lover myself, it was great to see all of them offering back their talents to God and enjoying the rare precious moments !