Aug 21 2012

MESSAGE FROM THE FOUNDER

I love my country as much as I love my family but this must be a word in action. As a mom, it is my duty to sustain the light of our home. Mothers of every family must consider that we are not just growing kids but we are growing human beings that might be the future leaders of the next generation. For this reason, we should give them the most radiant light that we can offer to enlighten their way.

I believe that the strength of any nation begins at home. We cannot achieve a genuine peace and prosperity if our homes are broken and dying. Leadership and obedience starts at home. The parents are the leaders of the smallest institution which is the family. We are the source of strength of our children. They look up to us for support and protection. As parents, we are committed to ensure that we provide the best for our children. If we fail our home, we fail our country too.From birth to our children’s first cry, first smile, first laughter, first words and first steps, we are there to share these first achievements. If we fail to see and appreciate these first achievements, it will scar their minds and might bring negative effects. Remember that we are helping them to build their confidence and it usually starts at this early age. We have no right to expect and demand for more achievement if we fail to nurture them while they are babies and helpless. I can compare it with what we do with plants. We need to prepare good soil with enough fertilizer to grow seedlings. We need to ensure that it receives the light and water that it needs. We also protect it from threats so we provide nets and pesticides. We help it survive rains and typhoons by creating protective shields. By doing so, we could expect a strong plant and a good harvest. If we religiously follow the same concept, this would make us good farmers of men.

If every leaders of every home are good farmers, a bountiful harvest will be expected. We won’t need so many leaders and we won’t need too many rules. The society and the nation as a whole is a reflection of the families within its boundaries. We don’t need so many scientific programs and statistics to gauge it. In my view, as ordinary Filipina mom, our society of today is a reflection of a lost and dying home. This is because we almost disregard the very foundation of this society, the family. At a quick glance, we will be able to see the rampant dislocated families both in the cities and in the provinces. Over population, poverty and starvation are often blamed at the doorsteps of families with many kids. They call it irresponsible parenthood and they introduce artificial “solutions” in different forms of drugs both for internal and external use.

I cannot grasp the significance of these “solutions” of repairing and strengthening the foundation of a collapsing home. For me, an increasing number is never a weakness but an advantage. This must be the strength of every nation and thus, must be protected upon, not destroyed. We just need to maximize and utilize this “increasing number”. In reality, to repair the house, we must usually check its very foundation, the pillar that is supporting the house. The roof, windows and other parts are just minor repairs. The pillar represents the father of every family. Most of them are staying home, JOBLESS. Not because they are lazy. Not because they are not qualified. How many qualified graduates we have that are unemployed? This is the culprit. Unemployment.

Our nation had failed to create employment for its people which causes poverty and starvation. Even if we reduce the number of children, it won’t eradicate poverty and starvation. It won’t change the fact that the father cannot feed 10 kids and even if we use these artificial “solutions” they will not be able to feed 2 kids or even themselves.

Look around you, you will see a lot of developments, urban developments, buildings, communication, transport and technology. We perceive that progress is represented by these developments. We are so amazed of robotics and automation and call it success and progress. Yes, for the employers, it is a great advantage. They can maximize production, reduce manpower and increase their profits. Look at the buildings, its not the way it used to be. The people within the production areas had decreased in numbers because of these “developments”. This alienates the people who created them. It replaced them and took their jobs. Now tell me, does these “developments” really serve its purpose?

I can say that these developments just serve the owner of these businesses but not the country as a whole. A nation’s progress must be measured by the number of employment that it can create to its citizenry. That every pillar of every house can provide a strong foundation and sustainable income. To ensure that every family is promised a job security will totally eradicate poverty and starvation. But look at the norms of our society, there is no job security. Job seekers have very slim chance of landing a job.

An idle mind is a devils advocate. This is very true. Now, we wonder about the increasing rate of crimes? prostitution, resistance movements? and so on… and yes, over population… These are just the end result.

For me, looking for somebody to blame is already a tiring activity. I can no longer depend my children’s future to these nation’s leaders. I am now calling to the parents and every family of this nation. Let’s overtake the leadership and run our homes. Lead your children and don’t let other institution take care of their growth. Schools are necessary but it must not stop us parents from teaching our children the reality of life. The ways of surviving and responsible parenthood. Let’s teach them to be a God-fearing person, to respect and protect life because it is a gift and must be nurtured. Let’s show them all the greatness that our mother nature offers but we fail to see instead we embrace these lifeless inventions which will eventually harm humanities. Let’s bring back our beautiful culture and values, the respect for our elderly, the love for our children, the concern to our neighbors and the cooperation with our communities. Let’s show them the beauty of honesty and the significance of loyalty. Let them hold the infinite fulfillment of the fruit of perseverance and lastly, let’s enforce discipline and obedience that our children will not end up in a cold cage fit for harmful animals. This is our lost home. The lost paradise.

If you are no longer contented with our economy and governance, then stop complaining but look for possible measures to improve your life using your own skills. Yes, you can still change your flight. Even prisoners and criminals turned into a changed man inside prison cells then why can’t you when you’re a free man? Look for other promising opportunity. If the city can no longer accommodate you then don’t allow yourself to be stuck in that miserable situation. If you had the chance, go back to your barrios and provinces. If you have land, don’t abandon it, till it instead and reap what you sow. That is where our roots begins. We just left the country life looking for much “greener pasture” but most of us seekers, failed. There is no “greener pasture” instead, we found a dried and barren land. I don’t believe that the key to progress is always moving forward. We can go back. Yes, we can stop and go back. If you took the wrong turn and the wrong path, you can still change your direction and go back. Remember the old saying that no matter how far you are, there still no place like home.

Pinaykeypoint.org will organize individuals and families for this purpose. Come, join us and be farmers of men. There is still hope in the barrios and provinces. A brighter future awaits us there. God provide us lands and bountiful natural resources so we won’t die of hunger. Let’s harness it. I am calling to all families and professionals who are sharing the same sentiments and hope. Let’s join hands and build a strong pillar for our homes. Let be the light of every home overpower the darkness that we may be able to walk without fear of stumbling. Let’s forget politics and run your organization. Be a home leader and lead your children to achieve the change that you want to see. Now is your chance to lead and prove your worth. Stop talking. Walk your talk and put it in action.

This is a call to push for a republic with strong families.

JULIET CORPUZ

PINAYKEYPOINT.ORG

Aug 15 2012

THE IRONY OF WAR

Our Korean guests were listening while our Camping Director, Robin is discussing facts and figures regarding the Filipino and American soldiers that were captured by the Japanese Imperial army during World War II

It really saddens me whenever I read news about war, especially when it concerns my homeland Philippines. Lately, news about Chinese vessels threatening our shores specifically the Panatag Shoal is spreading. This is roughly more than 12 hours travel via motorized boat from Pundaquit, Zambales which is one of Pinaykeypoint’s destinations.

There are many posts and videos which are massively posted in the internet regarding this issue. The Government was repeatedly asked about its stand regarding the situation and we knew that our leaders have different stand in this matter. I am reading some blogs and posts to gauge the opinions of my kababayans especially the youth of today which poses as hope of our nation as foretold by our national hero.

Random readings brought me to a point of realization how the youth of today are too confined within an imaginary world wherein everything is possible by a mere click of a finger. That all questions can be solved by Google and Wikipedia and so on…

Many were angered by our government’s diplomatic stand in this matter. Some said it’s a manifestation of cowardice. Youths said that Filipinos are born warrior so we must strike back to this bullying blah… blah… blah…

Truthfully, I was angered too. Yes, Filipinos are born warrior and in our blood runs the immortal seed of heroes as narrated by Carlos Romulo in one of his speeches. But the gleaming truth is that we are not ready for these eventualities. The Government, The Armed Forces, The Youth or the community as a whole is not prepared in terms of weaponry, tactics, intelligence, economy and finances.

I can’t imagine how a typical Filipino family would react if they heard cannons and fighter planes striking their homes. Have we asked ourselves of these questions? Countless families died in mere calamities such as floods and typhoons although actual weather forecasts and call for evacuations are disseminated to the public several days prior but then the actual numbers of casualties are real manifestations of unpreparedness or I may say, irresponsibility? And we keep on pointing our fingers to who is to blame afterwards.

My Dad is a World War II Veteran, a retired colonel of the Philippine Army. He is one of the thousands Filipino Soldiers who fought hand in hand with the government to liberate the Philippines from Japanese imperial forces during war time. I grew up with stories of wars and battles. I can’t count the times how my dad untiringly narrated his experiences in the battle field. The scars on his face, the traces of tortures and marks all over his body are the silent witness of his great bravery. The entire body of my father is a total map of war.

I am a Marshall Law baby too and I experienced how to react in the acts of war. My father used to hide us at the bottom of our house whenever there are outside threats asking my mom to never go out no matter what come and try to protect us whatever happens. We always have this emergency kit with us, back packs with complete supply that would last us for a week. We have this contingency plan that whatever happens and in the event that we were separated by war, we have to go to this particular place so we can be re-united again. This is because my dad lost some of his siblings during the war and they had a hard time finding them.

I was breed to be tough to all sorts of battle. The big D which stands for discipline was deeply marked in my forehead. I learned the essence of discipline through constant lecture and spanking but I do love my dad and I never take it against him. I owe him what I am today. My life’s struggles were easier compared to what he had been through during those crucial times. Living in the midst of tanks, firing guns and grenades is no joke. To survive from that battle is indeed a big miracle.

I thank God that I was born to a brave man like my dad. I’m very proud of him. His stories of war were shared to my kids. I can see the boredom in their eyes each time I narrate some stories of the past which they usually answered with, ‘mom, we heard that many times’ but this never stops me from repeating those stories over and over again. Just like them, I was so bored with my dad’s stories when I was a kid but it never stop him from narrating those stories until I comprehend the essence of those eventualities. If not for my dad’s patience, I will not be who I am today.

Each time I have city tours which includes Capas Death March Shrine visits, I never fail to see different reactions of my guests after reading the facts and figures that were engraved at the walls of Capas Death March Shrine. Some of my guests even cried after the visit and told me about their dad’s experiences during the war. I remember a group of Japanese guests who looked at me in the eye, they looked so bothered and repeatedly said sorry for the wrongdoings of their ancestors but I usually pat them and said that it’s a thing of the past and that both of our governments have done many efforts for peace and reconciliation.

It’s true that history told us that our race is one of the strongest warriors in the world in fact Lapu-Lapu was the first Filipino to defeat Europeans during the battle of Mactan and a coin was struck to honor that heroism and I can’t understand why when that 1 cent lost its value in the market, Lapu-Lapu’s rightful place in our local currency was gone as well.

Forgetting the heroic stories of the past and indulging in the vices of this new generation makes our youth weaker each day and it’s ironic that most of them are babbling about war when they don’t even lift their fingers to help the escalating problem of our garbage which is killing our rivers and seas resulting to massive floods in different areas of our land. History taught us how our forefathers worked hard to the extent of sacrificing their precious bloods to protect this land and its people. Now let us ask ourselves, are we really worth it?

Today we are facing another crisis. The face of war is looking at us in the face, staring directly in our eye. Let’s not make it as laughing stuff. This is not a subject to discuss over senseless posts. War is not a joke. The International community is accusing us that we are escalating the issue by posting thoughtless thoughts regarding China & its people. Diplomacy is not a sign of cowardice. At this point, this is the easiest way out. If you’re afraid to get burned, don’t play with fire.

Let’s be responsible enough. Think about your thoughts. Read your history before babbling about wars and lastly, look around you… Mother Nature is begging us to nurture her, yet we are deaf to her callings. I am not afraid of war because I am more than afraid with the Wrath of Nature. How about you?

BY: JULIET B. CORPUZ

Jul 14 2011

IT’S MY BIRTHDAY JULY 6, 2011

Today is a gift which I already celebrated for more than 40 years with my family, friends, team mates & comrades. This gift is truly a blessing knowing that I am sorrounded with these people who are walking with me in this journey called life. You guys are indeed my real wealth and I am counting the ways how blessed I am to have this chance to say THANK YOU for being there all these years.

THANK YOU MOTHER for giving birth to me and for giving me the light of your wisdom which steadily shines in our home even in your twilight years. A light that inspired me to shine as well and gave that same light for my home & family.

THANK YOU FATHER for instituting a strong pillar of faith in my heart and established the courage & strength in me which keeps me going to conquer my fears & battles.

THANK YOU BROTHER for being one of my mentor in discovering the outside world while giving me an assurance that you will be my defender.

THANK YOU SISTER for the gift of friendship. I learned how to trust & appreciate the beauty and love of other people.

THANK YOU TEACHER for instilling a gift of patience in my heart and mind and for letting me know that everything will be possible if I will try & strive hard.

TO MY OTHER HALF, THANK YOU for giving me the gift of love that maintains a harmony in our home and for giving me that strong shoulder to lean on whenever my strength fails me. I love you.

TO MY KIDS, THANK YOU for helping me to discover the real essence of motherhood. You are my inspiration & the fulfillment of my being.

TO MY FRIENDS, THANK YOU for giving me the chance to discover the gift of trust. You colored my world with your beautiful minds.

TO MY COMRADES, THANK YOU for showing me my social responsibility. That I have to prove my worth in this society.

TO MY TEAM, THANK YOU for sharing the gift of aspiration to achieve a common goal.

TO MY ENEMIES, THANK YOU for implanting an anger & hatred in my heart. You taught me to be strong & cautious at all times.

AND TO YOU MY GREAT CREATOR, THANK YOU for giving me the opportunity to explore your creations. You are the source of my strength & wisdom. When everyone fails me, I know you won’t. Thank you for the gift of life that you gave me everyday. This gives me the chance to continue my journey and achieve the fulfillment of my conquests.

And to EARLY BIRDS, who greeted me earlier 😉 You know who you are. Thank you for showering me your love. I don’t have a message box in my wall not because I don’t want you to greet me in public. Of course I do that’s why I created this post for you. This is my way of saying THANK YOU for taking part in my journey 😉 I love you guys!

JULIET B. CORPUZ

JULY 6, 2011 4:48AM

Eto c Bespren Liza, ang relasyon namin parang alak, habang tumatagal tumatapang? anu un? tagay!!

Kainan mode at ang panahon, wlang pakisama, umuulan:(

ayan!! lakas ng loob, kaya nilagnat eh, umaambon na kaya yan hehe

Eto naman ay mas matindi sa alak, haha! ano daw? PATIS? grabe naman kau, ang alat nun! nyahahaha!

Ayan nman c Saby! kaya pala umuulan eh! peace anak!!! pagbigyan mo na c madir 🙂

Oh, ayan, masama talaga pag inawat, pagdidiskitahan ang food XD

Ang butihing maybahay ng aking 4×4 Team Leader na si Ronald Domingo 😉

Ang Team, Ronald at Sherwin, antok ka na wing? maaga pa ah!

ayan, nagpapasasa sa kodak kahit umuulan

at syempre nagpapakabusog na din

mas masarap kumain pag umaambon hehe

Pero syempre mas masarap daw tumagay, di ba mga kafatid? tagay pha!!

Hala! cge!! palakasin nyo pa ang ulan! XD

wag nyo ng tigilan!! wla na taung trek nyan!! nakupo!

hayyy, kaya ang tgal ng low pressure eh!! tsk tsk!!

oh!! ano to?? anong naman ang drama nyo? ahahaha!! pwd ba gnyan ang ayos nyo pag me trek? nyhaha!!!

at syempre eto ang highlights!! ano? bakit to naging highlights? eh kc kinukulayan ni robin ung hair ni kulot, nilalagyan ng highlights, nyahaha!! di na kaya ng powers ko to!! Thank you guys sa pakikisaya sa aking kaarawan 😉 bago mag uwian, yung regalo ko? hehehe. Loveyou all!!!

You, Greyz PanlicaN-bautista, Lois Corpuz, Marjorie Somejo and 14 otherslike this.
- Robin Sr Corpuz happy birthday my dear sweetheart i love you more than thousand fold.
  
  July 6 at 7:17am · Unlike · 5 people
- Glenda Galope Happy birthday mare ko,.. wishinhg u more xtra time so we can meet soon,.. aside 4 my personal wish, wish u gudhealth and safety always,.. love u so so much.. miss u very very much,..
  
  July 6 at 7:18am · Unlike · 2 people
- Pinay Keypoint ‎@ Robin, thank you for a thousand fold 🙂
  
  July 6 at 7:37am · Like · 1 person
- Pinay Keypoint ‎@ Glenda Galope thank you for the good wishes, love u too & miss u more than u do 😉
  
  July 6 at 7:40am · Like · 1 person
- Jessica Bustinera Corpuz Mommy! Happy Birthday 🙂 for me you are the best mom in the world. and nothing could change that :)) love you so much!!! 😀
  
  July 6 at 8:20am · Unlike · 1 person
- Marilyn De Guzman Corpuz tita happy birthday….thank you for such being a good friend,,a great mentor and a loving mother to me….love you so much tita.^_^
  
  July 6 at 8:40am · Unlike · 1 person
- Tess Ferrer Happy Birthday Pretty mom…May GOD continue to bless your family…. :))
  
  July 6 at 8:41am · Unlike · 1 person
- Pinay Keypoint ‎@ Jessica Bustinera Corpuz, thank you baby! Love you too, galingan mo sa prelims mo ha 😉
  
  July 6 at 8:56am · Like
- Pinay Keypoint ‎@ Marilyn De Guzman Corpuz, Love u too Bas! Thank you too for giving me the opportunity to be your friend, mentor and mom 😉 I just love having many kids around. mwahh!!!
  
  July 6 at 8:58am · Like · 1 person
- Pinay Keypoint ‎@ Tess Ferrer, thank you for the good wishes! I’m flattered xD
  
  July 6 at 8:59am · Like · 1 person
- Jane Castaneda Happy Birthday Tita, thank you for all the good things you’ve done for me…May our God continue to bless you and your family..Love you po..^_^
  
  July 6 at 9:01am · Unlike · 1 person
- Pinay Keypoint ‎@ Jane Castaneda, Salamat! Love u too and don’t mention it! Families are bound to go through thick & thin ^_^
  
  July 6 at 9:04am · Like
- Emily Corpuz tita happy birthday..
  
  July 6 at 9:50am · Unlike · 1 person
- Eric Don Manansala happy birthday boss…… thanks for teaching me everything that i want to know… thanks for being my lighthouse,mentor……. wish you good health and more blessing to come……
  
  July 6 at 10:18am · Unlike · 1 person
- Eliza M. Tam wala akong masabi galing sa paghahanay ng mga salita hehe…love you so much na di na mafold…
  
  July 6 at 11:44am · Unlike · 1 person
- Pinay Keypoint ‎@ Emily Corpuz salamat!
  
  July 6 at 12:17pm · Unlike · 1 person
- Pinay Keypoint ‎@ Eric Don Manansala, thank you for the good wishes. I’m honored to be your mentor and believe me, you’re a fast learner 😉
  
  July 6 at 12:24pm · Like
- Pinay Keypoint ‎@ Eliza M. Tam, over the years and the years to come, you’ll always be a friend that I can depend upon… Love you too Baliz, di na kayang ifold ang lahat ng pinagdaanan natin sa loob ng mahaba haba na ring panahon.
  
  July 6 at 12:28pm · Like
- Eliza M. Tam me tama ka jan fren…love you
  
  July 6 at 12:56pm · Unlike · 1 person
- Odette Mallari happy birthday!! galeng galeng namen.. wala lang.. parang speech lang ng cum laude sa UP.. nice =)
  
  July 6 at 1:14pm · Unlike · 1 person
- Pinay Keypoint ‎@ Odette Mallari, salamat! nakakataba nman ng puso yang comment mo haha! wala lang, when you are inspired, you can create a masterpiece 😉
  
  July 6 at 1:29pm · Like
- Odette Mallari ehehe.. I really think so, sino ba namang di ma iinspired when u have someone telling you” I love you more than a thousand fold!” (kilig) ma keso din pala si kuya Robin.. ka inggit!
  
  July 6 at 1:36pm · Unlike · 1 person
- Pinay Keypoint honga, me mga pagkakataong makeso din yang si long hair kaya dinadaga eh! ehehehe ewan ko ba, is that a sign of aging? haha!!
  
  July 6 at 3:36pm · Like
- Steve Haskell happy birthday Juliet! Hope you’re having a great day 🙂
  
  July 6 at 4:18pm · Like
- Pinay Keypoint Hi Steve Haskell thank you for dropping by, care to have a cup of coffee? and yes, having special people around me, am really having a blast 😉
  
  July 6 at 4:54pm · Like
- Robin Corpuz Jr Happy birthday mommy, ginawan kita ng card 🙂
  
  July 6 at 4:57pm · Unlike · 2 people
- Rajisha Bustinera Corpuz happy birthday momsy! may your birthday be blessed, good health and I love You!
  
  July 6 at 5:24pm · Unlike · 1 person
- Jay R Callos ma’am juliet happy birthday po ingat po kau plage moOre bday’s to cOme poh —Jay r callos, Love jOY rOMbaoa, Mary joy Gabertan—
  
  July 6 at 5:34pm · Unlike · 2 people
- Sabrina Corpuz happy yippeee b-day madir :)) may all the good blessings comes to you
  
  July 6 at 5:36pm · Unlike · 2 people
- Dhey Faustino happy birthday yeth…love you…
  
  July 6 at 7:18pm · Unlike · 1 person
- Joel Esquejo Happy BEERday mam! nhuli ako, kddrting ko lng kc from airport.. ENJOY mam.. ^^
  
  July 6 at 10:22pm · Unlike · 1 person
- Joel Esquejo
  
  ‎…………(0 0)
  .—oOO– (_)—–.
  ╔═════════════════╗
  ║HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAM Juliet║
  ╚═════════════════╝
  …See More
  
  July 6 at 10:30pm · Unlike · 1 person
- Pinay Keypoint ‎@ Robin Corpuz Jr, yes baby, nakita ko yung cardna ginawa mo ang ganda nga eh, thank you! love you! mwah!!
  
  July 7 at 6:55am · Like
- Pinay Keypoint ‎@ Rajisha Bustinera Corpuz, thank you nak! you’re one of my blessing, love u!
  
  July 7 at 6:57am · Like
- Pinay Keypoint ‎@ Jay R Callos, Salamat! bat di kau pumunta?
  
  July 7 at 6:58am · Like
- Pinay Keypoint ‎@ Sabrina Corpuz, salamat nak! love u!
  
  July 7 at 6:59am · Like
- Pinay Keypoint ‎@ Dhey Faustino Thank you Dayang, love you to! hugz!
  
  July 7 at 7:00am · Like
- Pinay Keypoint ‎@ Joel Esquejo, Salamat Jo! kaya pala di ka sumilip, hinantay ko kau saka si Joseph
  
  July 7 at 7:01am · Like
- Greyz PanlicaN-bautista belated HappY Birthday Mam Juliet 🙂
  
  Wednesday at 9:00pm · Like
- Pinay Keypoint Thanks Miss Greyz, bakit di na kita nakikita sa feeds ko? halos ung mga old friends ko di ko na nakikita puro new friends lang kaya tuloy ung iba di ko rin na ggreet
  
  4 hours ago · Like
  
  NOTE THAT THIS POST IS COPIED FROM MY FB NOTE 😉

Jul 9 2011

MOUNT PINATUBO OVERNIGHT CAMPING PROMO 2012

Every year we are giving rainy season promo for our regular clients and trekking enthusiasts who are waiting for cheap tour packages. This year, we are giving the cheapest tour ever. Read the mechanics carefully then grab your keyboard and register because this promo is only for the first 500pax. We will be closing the registration once we reach our target.

MOUNT PINATUBO OVERNIGHT CAMPING

SORRY THIS PROMO IS ALREADY CLOSED

WE WILL BE LAUNCHING OUR NEXT PROMO FOR 2013

VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR DETAILS

www.pinaykeypoint.org

Jul 8 2011

Mount Pinatubo Overnight Camping Itinerary

MEET UP TIME: 8:00AM

MEET-UP POINT: PINAYKEYPOINT’S OFFICE

Capas, Tarlac, Philippines

We have a maps and direction in our website, please visit the link below:

MAPS & DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO REACH US

You must settle your payments and ask your team to sign the waiver.

We usually send copies of trekking reminders, maps and waiver so

we are expecting that you already discussed this with your team.

We are conducting briefing prior to final clearance. This is a mandatory requirement before dispatching. Although we already sent you trekking reminders and waiver, we still have to remind everyone about the dangers in the area, the Do’s and Don’ts, what to do in case of emergency and pack up time. Sometimes during the briefing, team members blames their team leaders for lack of information and failure to disseminate copies of trekking reminders so they can pack their things right. We have a link for Trekking Preparation. Please click here to view

Take off to Final dispatching. This is around 30 minutes drive. If you have your own car, you can park it at the dispatching area. It’s safe because it’s already within the military vicinity. Parking Lots are usually maintained by the some villagers and they usually ask 50 to 100php parking fee

The Local Tourism and Local official will check our clearance and gatepass. Gatepass is a mandatory requirement to climb. Organizers will secure this document for you and this is the reason why you have to register you name, age, address, nationality and person/no. to be notified in case of emergency. These are required info in securing your gatepass. The Tourism officer and Local Official in-charge have to sign the documents for approval.

11:00am – Final Check Point. The Philippine Air Force is in-charge of the security in the area. They usually make the final decision whether they will allow us to climb or not especially during rainy months which is from July to November. Military activity are usually held in the area and they are giving us time frame to pass, usually 7 to 7:30am before closing the road. Nobody is no longer allowed to climb once the road are closed.

4WD is one of the highlights of this trip. The terrain itself and river crossings while watching the breathtaking creation will make you feel that you’re in another era far from the hustling and bustling city life. One important reminder while riding a 4WD is avoid talking face to face. Some of my previous clients bumped into each other’s nose and the result is severe nose bleeding. Hah! How will you explain that to your officemates after the trek? So please take our reminders and briefings seriously 🙂

Final take off to Mount Pinatubo. Very bumpy and dusty ride. You need towel and mask to protect yourself from dust.

You may ask your driver to stop for some photo shoots along the way

12:30 pm – The 4WD jump off point at the base of Mount Pinatubo. 1.5 hours walk usually starts here. These maybe longer or shorter depending upon your trekking speed. You can do some final touch here like applying sunblock, prepare your slippers, sun/rain protection. If you bring some trail food & drinks, better to take some here to lighten your bag and feed your hunger. This will keep you going 🙂

Prepare yourself for a very rough terrain ahead. Remember, you are conquering a volcano and ‘no pain-no gain’. This will make you realize the significance of Light Packing because believe me, you will feel the weight of your back pack after 30 minutes and it’s no joke, the longer the trek, the heavier it becomes!

Wear proper footwear to protect your feet. Using socks is highly recommended. This will save your lovely feet from blisters. Believe me, most of my clients are swearing their’s footwear’s brand after the trip because of blisters and bleeding.

Be careful and watch your step because you might be injured along the way. If this happens, inform your team leader to call the attention of the assigned trail guides and field coordinators. Pinaykeypoint Team has a basic first aid kit with bandages and basic medicine for headache and stomach trouble

Don’t just rely on your shoes. Bring your extra slipper. This will make you comfortable and flexible.

…And might be sprained along the way

Please note that you will be crossing a lot of rivers and streams

Trekking might be very tiring so take a break from time time. Inform your guides that you want to take some rest so they can wait for you. Never cope up with fast paced trekkers, most of the time this is the reason why some tourists will just fall and collapsed. They are too shy or too proud to say that they need some rest and pushing their limits. It’s a no no! Remember, we don’t have an ambulance here. You have 2 choices, ask your group to be patient and wait for you or spoil the entire trek!

It’s important to bring to bring some trail food to keep you going

…you have to ensure that you are wearing a durable footwear!

…We must be careful during trekking

…Because I cannot assure you that we can always provide a tape and slipper 😉

Because of this creature… But don’t worry! Snakes are typically timid creatures and they usually go away when they sensed a presence of humans, unless you step on them! So be careful and watch your step…

After more than 1 hour of walk, you will reach a real comfort room but you have to be patient enough because there are so many of you that are rushing to use it as well 😉

You can also refill your bottles. This is a spring water and it’s potable. We are using it for many years now

1:30pm – Few meters away is the ReyCat station. It is named after our previous municipal mayor, Reynaldo Catacutan who is the person behind of these development. ReyCat played a vital role in advancing the Tourism Industry of our town, Capas which eventually gives an employment to many, not just the local town’s folk of Capas but the adjacent places as well. This is also the old 4WD jump off point but because of several strong typhoons, trails were destroyed and it will take some time before it can be rehabilitated again.

Next is a signage… Never let it trick you! It was used when we celebrated the feast of Pinatubo 2 years ago. A contest was held for that purpose and it’s not funny to see my clients beating the time carved in that wood! Most of them were sprained trying to beat it. Come on guys! you are not here to prove your speed. You are here to enjoy the trail, conquer Mount Pinatubo and see it’s majestic feature. Don’t let this signage ruin your day…

The remaining 30 minutes is Bush Trekking. You would see wild trees and ferns. Don’t try to pick and eat fruits if you’re not really a mountaineer. Some wild berries are available but if you cannot identify it it’s edible then, forget it!

…some ankle deep streams

until you reach a 58 steps stairs going up to Mount Pinatubo viewing deck. I know this will add pains to your injury 😉 but you can always sit down for few minutes before climbing

and finally, The Majestic Mount Pinatubo! You will feel the proud spirit of conquest and realized in the end that it’s all worth it. Remember, not all are given the opportunity to witness God’s creations. You can spend few minutes here to rest and take the best angle for your cam to capture…

…before taking another steps again going down to the crater side. This is roughly 198 uneven steps without railings so be careful and ask inform your guide if you are afraid of heights. You may opt to just stay at the viewing deck and wait for your team to come up.

We are not allowed to camp beside the crater lake for safety measure. The viewing deck was developed and we are encourage to use this place for overnight camping activity. This is more convenient because of the availability of rest room and water system.

Tourists usually preferred to camp underneath this wide and concrete cottage to take advantage of it shed in case of sudden rainfall

See to it that you packed easy to cook food or better if it’s already cooked and you will just heat it. People became impatient when hunger strikes! Basically, we provide plates, spoons, portable stove and cooking utensils so just bring what you need which is not mentioned. Ask us if you are not sure to save your back

from too much baggage.

Overnight camping will not be complete without the bonfire magic. The local aetas usually pronounced it ‘vampire’ 😉 so don’t ever get them wrong if you hear them say that they will gather woods for your ‘vampire’ lol! To add some excitement, you may bring few hotdogs and marshmallow….

The picturesque and mystic caldera at night

It’s really amazing to see some groups with these things! Gosh, how did they made it? There is no limit for what you may bring when you climb as long as you can carry it. Remember we are not providing you a personal porter. The porter that will join your team will be in-charge of the camping gadgets mentioned earlier but you are always free to hire a local porter for 1,000php (overnight rate)

It’s not everyday that you will experience having your breakfast at the volcano 😉 so grab your favorite coffee and make sure that you capture that majestic moment…

And don’t forget to take that opportunity to thank the Great Creator above for giving you the opportunity to witness his Majestic creations 🙂

The difference of taking a boat ride in the morning is to save your skin from the heat of the sun. This activity is available only during summer.

We don’t really encourage swimming at the crater because according to PHILVOCS which regularly conduct routine check in the area, it’s roughly 280 to more than 300 feet deep. Bear in mind that this is not a beach, It is a stratovolcano! and it is sharp deep just few meter away from the crater side. We don’t have a stand by life guard in the area so as per Local Tourism advisory, we are not allowed to swim because we will not be liable if you are drowned. But typically, people are hardheaded and they would insist to take a quick dip. Pinaykeypoint is providing arm floaters to ensure that you are safe. Inform us if you plan to use some and keep in mind that swimming at night is strictly prohibited.

Wake up early and take that chance to enjoy the calmness of a once raging volcano. This is only possible during overnight camping trip 😉

Pack up time at 9:00am. It may be earlier or later depending upon your request but not later than 10am. Remember we are just paying for our personnel a 24hours rate. They might charges us an overtime if we exceed with the time limit.

Be a good neighbor, we encourage that you do some charity with the local Aetas before or after your trekking activity.

(:..T H E E N D..;)

For inquiries, send your email to julietcorpuz@gmail.com

or text/call: Globe: (+63)917.477.9156/Smart: (+63)930.508.8494/Sun: (+63)923.626.9156

T H E P I N A Y K E Y P O I N T T E A M

www.pinaykeypoint.org

Jul 7 2011

Preparation for Mount Pinatubo Trekking

We usually send trekking reminders to help you in packing. If you’re a team leader of your group, you have to ensure that info is properly disseminated among your team to help them pack the necessary things. Most of the time, Team Leaders were blamed by their members on the final trek date because they failed to forward or discuss these important reminders.

PACK YOUR THINGS RIGHT & LIGHTIt’s really a no no to pack things as if you’re going in a holiday abroad. Please note that you are going to a mountain so please don’t bring bulky baggage because it would make your trekking difficult & tiring. Pack only what you need. You may prepare 2 bags, the back pack that you will bring when you climb & small bag for things that you will use after the trekking. You may leave this at the dispatching area, in your car or in a paid locker with key.

Please use medium sized back pack. It’s just a one day trip so the lighter, the better. Just limit your baggage from 3 to 4kilos.

You may bring the following:

Camera and extra battery
Umbrella or light raincoat
Big hat or cap
Towel/Scarf or Mask to protect you from dust
Shawl/malong (this is important esp for the female trekkers)
Medicine (Alaxan, paracetamol or meds for stomach trouble
Sunblock Lotion
Tissue/napkin
Extra trail water
Extra Trail Food
Slipper (Mandatory)
Swim wear

Please don’t bring valuables/jewelry during trekking. Most of our clients lost their mobile phones, jewelries or watches either at the trail, when they swim or during shower. Some cases, while applying sunblock, they will remove their watch or bracelet then forget it afterwards. There is no assurance that you can recover lost valuables so please leave it at home/car

Furthermore, you need to cover your things, mobile phones, wallets & camera or any other electronic gadgets with zip locked plastic to ensure safety. Please note that some of my past clients who disregarded this particular reminder were caught in the midst of heavy rain as they descend from the mountain and their cams & phones were soaking wet.

You may pack using small bag/plastic bag for the following and leave it in your car or paid locker

Extra clothing that you will use after shower
Soap, shampoo, toothbrush & toothpaste
Personal stuff: toothbrush, toothpaste, tissue, comb, shampoo, alcohol, liniment etc..

TREKKING OUTFIT

The principle, “the lighter, the better” is the rule of the game.

Lights shirt & your swim wear underneath
Short or leggings or quick dry trekking pants
Arm protection or long sleeved shirts/polo
Durable footwear

Footwear will depend upon your preference but as per experience, the most convenient & safe are rubberized footwear such as crocs type of footwear. If you prefer to use trekking sandals such as tribu or sandugo, we strongly advise using socks to protect your feet from blisters. This happens most of the time. Don’t forget to bring an extra slipper, this is mandatory because if your shoes, failed you then you still have an extra footwear and will not walk barefooted afterwards.

Jun 10 2011

JUNE 2011 TREK SCHEDULES

TREK SCHEDULES

We are dispatching trips everyday (whole year round) except when there is a threat of weather disturbance such as typhoons, tropical depression, low pressure & rains. You have to keep track of the weather condition prior to booking. You may check this link from our local weather bureau PAGASA.DOST.GOV.PH

______________________________________________________

Capas Tourism Advisory:

Long Trek is the only route to Pinatubo (more or less 2 hours walk)
June – July 2011

June 1 – 2pax – confirmed & paid – Pinatubo Day Tour (Jeremiah)
June 2 – 2pax – confirmed & paid – Pinatubo Day Tour (May)
June 2 – 2pax – confirmed & paid – Pinatubo Day Tour (Beth)
June 3 – 6pax – confirmed & paid – Pinatubo Day Tour (Luz)
June 3 – 3pax – confirmed & paid – Pinatubo Day Tour (Sunny)
June 4 – 8pax – confirmed & paid – Pinatubo Day Tour (Liza)
June 4 – 3pax – confirmed & paid – Pinatubo Day Tour (Agnes)
June 5 – 3pax – confirmed & paid – Pinatubo Day Tour (Nel)
June 9 – 2pax – confirmed & paid – Pinatubo Day Tour (Pamela)
June 11- 2pax – confirmed & paid – Pinatubo Day Tour (Marjorie)

June 12- 6pax – confirmed & paid – Pinatubo Day Tour (Beverly)

June 13- 4pax – confirmed & paid – Pinatubo Day Tour (Alexey)

June 15- 15pax – confirmed & paid – Pinatubo Day Tour(group trip-Ardel)
June 15- 2pax – confirmed & paid – Pinatubo Day Tour(group trip-Haydn)
June 18- 2pax – confirmed & paid trip – day tour (Bill)
June 18- 4pax – for final confirmation & payment (Jack)
June 18- 4 to 5pax – for final confirmation & payment (Ashley)
June 18- 7 to 8pax – for final confirmation & payment (Lea)
June 25- 7pax – for final confirmation & payment (Anthony)
July 2- 8pax – for final confirmation & payment (Kris)
July 26 to Aug 2 – 3 to 4pax – for final confirmation & payment (Merlyn)
PARTICIPANTS LOOKING FOR A SHARED TOUR (Day Tour)
June 18, 2011 – 2pax (Bill)

Any day from July 26 to 29 – 2pax (Yan)

Any Weekend – 1pax (Thea)
Any Sunday – 1pax (Cecilia)
Oct 22, 2011 – 2pax (Aleli)
PARTICIPANTS LOOKING FOR A SHARED TOUR (Overnight)
Any day from October 29 to Nov 1, 2011- 2pax (Eric)

Please email/contact us if you want to join these dates. Only emails with contact numbers shall be entertained Thanks!

Note: These are just tentative reservation dates. We don’t consider these as reserved and confirmed until we receive the registration forms and partial payments. Please fill up an online registration form at the bottom of this blog just beneath the weather forecast widget
Click here for Mount Pinatubo Day Tour Package
For inquiries, send your email to julietcorpuz@gmail.com

or text/call:

Globe: (+63)917.477.2206

Smart: (+63)930.508.8494
Sun: (+63)923.626.9088

P I N A Y K E Y P O I N T T E A M

www.pinaykeypoint.org

Jun 6 2011

Mount Pinatubo Crater

Over the years, since it’s eruption in 1991, Mount Pinatubo gradually change its features and turned into a beautiful tourist attraction. It never fails to amaze tourists from different corners of the world by its Majestic Beauty.

The photos below are taken during our numerous expeditions. We are covering each tour and web albums are created for each group of clients. These photos are uploaded in a paid storage of our Picasa Account. Every Month of each year, we noticed that the crater lake gradually change it color. At times it is muddy, murky green then will turn into turquoise after several rains. According to Philvocs which usually conducts a routine check in the area, this color change is weather dependent. We are posting some photos from our gallery of Trips and this will show us how Mount Pinatubo Cater Lake changes its color and feature over the years.

JULY 2011

JUNE 2011

MAY 2011

APRIL 2011

MARCH 2011

FEBRUARY 2011

JANUARY 2011

DECEMBER 2010

NOVEMBER 2010

OCTOBER 2010

SEPTEMBER 2010

AUGUST 2010

JULY 2010

JUNE 2010

MAY 2010

APRIL 2010

MARCH 2010

FEBRUARY 2010

JANUARY 2010

DECEMBER 2009

NOVEMBER 2009

AUGUST 2009

JULY 2009

JUNE 2009

MAY 2009

APRIL 2009

MARCH 2009

FEBRUARY 2009

DECEMBER 2008

For inquiries, send your email to julietcorpuz@gmail.com

or text/call:

Globe: (+63)927.255.2206

Smart: (+63)930.508.8494

Sun: (+63)922.885.6103

LandLine:

(045) 324 0193 – Office

(045) 806 4544 – Residence

Yahoo ID: pinaykeypoint

T H E P I N A Y K E Y P O I N T T E A M

http://www.pinaykeypoint.org

Aug 28 2009

Press Release and Police Report regarding the recent Mount Pinatubo Incident

There were different versions regarding the recent Mount Pinatubo incident. While scanning the newspapers, I noticed the names of the victims were different from one paper to another. I also received so many inquiries both on my mobile phone, landline and email regarding the actual account of the incident. Some were coming from my previous clients asking if those where from my team or if those guides where the one assigned to them when they hired our service. But most of the inquires are coming from radio/TV stations and newspapers.

I was in Bicol Region when this incident happened. Our 2 Trek schedules last August 1 and 2, 2008 were both booked to me while I was in Bikol. I have another schedule booked for August 6, 7, 8 and 9 . These groups have already sent their partial payment thru, paypal, xoom and some were thru bank transfer a week before their schedule. Typhoon Kiko had passed our place (Naga) and based on my past experience, typhoons from Bikol will likely to pass Nort Luzon in 2 days time so I decided to cancel these groups and I posted here that I am cancelling all trips to Mount Pinatubo due to bad weather. I am doing this even without the advisory from Tourism office.

At first, my clients were so disappointed, especially Miss Charlene who had planned her trip to the Philippines and climb Mount Pinatubo for quite sometime. She’s from Singapore and booked her trip to me a month earlier and we were chatting about her preparation almost everyday. I also have clients from Hongkong who will be arriving on the 8th and will just visit Philippines primarily because of Mount Pinatubo. I really had a hard time explaining to them that I can’t allow them to trek for safety reason. In the end, we agreed to return their payment and other groups re-scheduled their trip at a later time.

When I received a call from the media early in the morning after the incident, I was so shocked upon learning that 2 foreigners died and there’s a rescue operation to find the rest of the group. Reporters were asking me if those where from my team, I told them that I cancelled all trek schedules in my website and I still need to clarify for the actual reports so I never make any comment regarding their inquiries.

A day after, there were so many news reports but most are misleading. Capas Municipal Mayor, Reynaldo Catacutan summoned a meeting last August 10, 2009. Said meeting was attended by representatives from different travel agencies, trip organizers, 4×4 jeep drivers & operators, Tourism staffs at representative from the Philippine Air Force. Actual accounts of the recent incident has been discussed and we were furnished a copy of the press release and police report.

Below are the scanned copy of the said documents. Please click the image for bigger view. I hope that this will enlighten all the presumption of the reading public.

Juliet Corpuz
Trip Orgainzer/Blog Host& Author

Aug 27 2009

Capas: Public Hearing

As a result of our previous meeting, a public hearing has been held yesterday, August 18, 2009 at Sangguniang Bayan Session Hall, Sangguniang Bayan Bldg., Municipality of Capas.

Based on the documents below, this is a legislative inquiry in aide of legislation by the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Chaired by councilor Ricardo L. Galang for the proposed adoption of a “Comprehensive Safety and Contingency Plan” aimed at deterring the happening of the recent typhoon Kiko tragedy at the environs of Mount Pinatubo.

The followings are the steps that shall be taken:

Creation of an inter-agency committee tasked to look after the safety and protection of local and foreign tourists engaging in trekking adventure.
Establishments of monitoring stations to filter out incoming dangers/disasters and inform the base station for such eventualities. The idea is to create at least 4 stations; at the “Kwadra (4×4 jump off point), Hot Spring, Skyway & at Baranggay Sta Juliana.
Dissemination of safety information brochures to tourists booking for Mount Pinatubo tour. I mentioned that my team are already implementing this given the fact that we are holding an actual briefing prior to dispatching and distribution a waiver to be signed by every trek participants.
Creation of disaster Response Personnel from the military or civilian volunteers.
Identification of rescue tools and equipment necessary on every 4×4 vehicle which can be utilized readily in the event of accident or disaster. The idea is that every 4×4 operators must provide life vests for every tourists riding their 4×4, a hard hat/helmet and a radio antenna to facilitate effective communication. This is mandatory for every 4×4 jeep to ensure safety. These will be checked by the staffs of DOT (Dept. of Tourism), Staffs at the office of the Baranggay Captain at Sta. Juliana and at the Air Force checkpoint. These are the 3 clearance points before final dispatching. No 4×4 jeeps shall be allowed entry without these mandatory safety equipments.
Providing seminars and first aide response trainings for every tour guides and 4×4 jeep drivers. It is also mandatory that they know how to swim otherwise they will not be allowed to be an official guide servicing the area.
The body is open for any inputs, views and suggestions from the residents, 4×4 jeep’s drivers & operators, trekkers, trip organizers, travel agencies, stakeholders and other concerned sectors and organizations in framing the comprehensive safety and contingency plan which would be an integral part of the proposed ordinance. So if you have fruitful ideas in mind, please email it to us and I will be glad to submit it at the Local Tourism Office and post it here as well.

So far, these are the unities at the said public hearing. Time frame of of 20 days to 1 month or more shall be given to all persons concerned to acquire mandatory safety gadgets & equipment and trainings before opening the trekking activity.

Hopefully, after compliance to all required safety equipments, trainings and clearances from the institutions mentioned by the Regional Tourism Office, Mount Pinatubo will be open for business again and maybe it’s not a very long way off since most of the people concerned are joining their hands in achieving this at the soonest time possible.

I’ll keep you posted.

Juliet Corpuz
Trip Organizer/Blog owner

Aug 12 2009

My deep Sympathy

….My deep sympathy to my fellow trekkers & tour guides who lost their lives during the trek to Mount Pinatubo. To my fellow trip organizers, travel agency & tour operators: Let’s be more strict and be aware of the weather before dispatching our team. Let this incident serves as a lesson to all of us….

Full News Report, pls. click here: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/

Juliet Corpuz
Trip Organizer

Mar 31 2009

LIMITED BUDGET TOUR PACKAGE

As a trip organizer, negotiation is the hardest part of my duty. I think it’s harder than the old route to Mt. Pinatubo wherein you have to trek for more than 2 hours passing bigger boulders and streams. “Wala bang discount?“ or “student lang kami“ or “we’re on tight budget we dont need those packages“ These are the usual lines I often hear on the phone during the conversation or during private chat.

Tonight was one of those days. I lost 5 guests because of unresolved discussion. Naguluhan ata sa akin yung kausap ko kaya nag cancel na lang. This is one of my dilemma… So to resolve the matter, I created this post so reader and trekkers may understand and get an answer to their frequently asked questions.

Our package is 2500php per head for a minimum of 4pax per trip. Per trip means 1 4×4 jeep. So this is 10k for a group of 4 persons. “Why 4? Other blogs said 4×4 loads 5persons”. Yes, if we do that, that will be 12500php per trip. Pabor samin yung 12,500. But in this field, Hindi lang kita ang isyu. The services as well. Importante sakin ang referrals. I have many guests in line because of our services. Aanhin ko yung one time na malaking kita if afterwards and daming negative comments?

So Balikan natin bakit 4 lang? If you would read our inclusions, makikita mo sa package namin ay 1 local tour guide & 1 tour guide from our team. That’s the answer, the tour guide from my team will occupy the remaining seat so 4 guests + a tour guide from my team, that’s 5 persons and yes me bayad din sya, we also pay for the entrance fee of our team member. The next question is “bakit me tour guide pa from your team? eh me local tour guide naman”. Yes this is true, but most of the local guides are native Aetas. They don’t speak tagalog or english and will just lead your way. Although, there are also some class A tour guides who are local residents in the area and trained by the local tourism office. These guides can speak tagalog and basic english. Pero very few lang ang class A guides. Mas majority ang Aetas kasi this is their form of livelihood. Kami pa nga ang na hire ng Municipal Tourism office para gumawa ng mga tour guide ID nung 2007 pati na rin yung certificate of conquest. Bago ko kasi pinasok ang field na to, we are running a printing biz.

Importante sa team namin yung ma entertain yung guests, mapakain ng tama, masagot ang mga tanong and most of all ay ma enjoy ang trek kahit pa dumaan sila sa mahirap at maalikabok na terrain so we added some features sa services namin. There is no facility sa crater aside from portable toilet. Most comments na naririnig ko sa tourist ay “Hey Juliet, why dont you suggest to your local tourism to construct cottages here so we dont have to cram under the trees and boulders? I ‘m tired, I need to at least laydown and take a nap”

Kung tutuusin tama yung sabi ng tourist but I will just say that, this is a volcano, people visit here to have a bonding with nature. Tourism wants it to remain as is. This would look commercialized like a beach if they would construct cottages and the essence of nature will be defaced.

From that suggestion, we decided to add tents to our service. Dito na din naiiwan yung mga belongings ng tourist at mas safe naman talaga. Di na rin pipila sa toilet para magpalit ng damit incase naligo ang guests sa crater.

Speaking of naligo, swimming is one activity that you can do at the crater aside from taking pictures, video and crater boating. But swimming at the crater requires you to be an expert to be able to explore the 300 feet deep Mt. Pinatubo crater lake.

Just a meter away from the crater side is a sharp deep ice cold water 😉 Bihira lang din ang naliligo. Nakakatakot naman talaga kasi nga ang lalim! kahit pa nga marunong kang lumangoy, nakakapagod pa din noh, eh pano if atakehin ka pa ng cramps? lagot! wala pa namang life guard.

Another reason why we have a guide from our team. Sya na din kasi ang mag se-serve na life guard 🙂 We also provide first aid kit for minor wounds & injuries. meron din basic meds like paracetamol for headaches or stomach troubles. So syempre mahirap pa din makipagsapalaran sa 300 feet deep so we agreed to provide arm floaters as well. And since we provided that stuff, I noticed na halos lahat ng guests namin ay naliligo na sa crater unlike dati na picture-picture lang. Hindi na nga lang simpleng dip eh, as in nagbababad na kasi yung iba halos 1pm na sila umaahon few minutes before pack up time at yung iba naman, tumatawid pa sa kabilang wall! And they told me that they really enjoyed it. Swimming without effort. Hihiga ka na nga lang, dika lulubog. Salamat naimbento ang arm floaters, kahit di ka marunong lumangoy ay makaka explore ka sa water.

And lastly, the Food. This is one of the reason why we have a guide from my team. To serve the food hot.

As in iniinit yung food, we also have portable stove. And we dont use disposables kasi makalat yun. We bring pans, plates, cups, spoons & fork. Mas masarap pa rin kasing kumain sa plato. The first time na kumain ako sa disposable na styro na take out namin sa fast food, nilipad yung food ko. Masyado kasing windy sa may crater. nabali din yung spoon ko. Nakakainis yun, diko na enjoy yung meal ko. So from those experiences, we tried to improve our service.

I also ask for personal feedback. I can conclude that the best feedback from a person are their referrals at nakakatuwa whenever I heard that our new client is being referred by a previous guest and they would tell me, “at last nadito na kami, ganitong-ganito yung nasa picture!” ang sarap pakinggan.

As we provide these added features, it means mahirap na bitbitan ng gamit as in we have to pay additional cost for the baggage carriers. We may lose some amount of profit but it’s worth it. If we dont have a guide from our team, pano na lang yung mga albums per team sa picasa? sino ang kukuha nun? Yea, that’s one added feature. We cover your tour, we take pics and compile it per team per date at picasa so you can also grab or download it afterwards lalo na yung iba ay walang dalang cam. Just click here to view the recent Pinatubo trek activities & pictures and finally syempre me shower. Pwede kau maligo bago umuwi.

Pero nagtitipid nga eh. Di kami interested! Okay let’s remove those features. No guide from my team, No food, No water, No skyway fee, No tents, No arm floaters, No shower but just plain trek. Alright! I can give you a tour package of 10k for 5 persons. That is 2000 per head. Wow! so what are the inclusions na lang?

BUDGET PRICE FOR A TEAM ON TIGHT BUDGET

2000 per head

Inclusions:

Pick up from meet-up point to Mt. Pinatubo (Meet-up is along Mc Arthur Highway, Capas tarlac@6am)

4 x 4 jeep (inclusive of rental, gas & driver’s fee & meal)

Entrance/conservation fees

Road Fee
Trip arrangement/clearance & permits

Trail Guide
coke & ham & egg sandwich
Use of Locker & Shower facility after the trek

Book Now!

PLEASE DON’T BOOK YOUR TRIPS VIA COMMENT.

THIS IS NOT MONITORED.

PLEASE SEND YOUR BOOKINGS TO: pinaykeypoint.org@gmail.com

Feb 20 2009

Mount Pinatubo Tour Meet-UP and Pick-Up Points

Our common meet-up and pick-up point is infront of Capas Municipal Tourism office beside Capas Municipal Hall along Mc Arthur Higway.

Capas is a part of Tarlac Province. Just Ride a bus bound to Dagupan, Pangasinan, La Union or Baguio City as this will be passing along this route. Purchase your ticket at the ticket booth and tell the teller that your exact destination is Capas. The cost of tickets may vary depending on your point of Origin and bus company. Estimate cost is more or less 200php from Manila to Capas. Price for ordinary bus is also much cheaper. Estimate travel time is only 2 hours depending upon the traffic. You must catch the 4 am trip to meet the time requirement. In case you failed to catch the 4am trip, you have to inform us so we can dispatch the trekkers who arried earlier. Be sure to confirm that you are traveling via 4am trip before purchasing a ticket. Some of my guests’ experiences, they just bought a ticket without asking and they were assigned a 5:30 am trip, we waited for ages 🙂 and they arrived finally at 8:30am.

If you will be driving your own car, we will provide you a map after your final confirmation.

Pick up point along Mc Arthur Highway

Driving your own car will only take 1.5 to 2 hours depending on your speed and traffic. We usually arrive at the meet up point at 5:50am but we have an advance party, usually the driver who usually arrive at 5:15am just in case you arrive early.

Reaching meet up point later than 6am but not beyond 9am is still fine. The only difference is that if you take off late, you have to endure extreme heat of the sun during 4×4 jeep ride and trekking. Please note that most of the 4×4 jeeps are top down as guests prefer open vehicles to be able to stand up and take pictures while traveling. You will also have a shortened trip since pack up is always at 2pm

Please Take Note of the following reminders:

Please call/text us before departing from your point of origin and another text as you approach Pampanga area so we can also have the time to prepare to meet you at the pick up point. Please note that we are preparing and cooking your lunch so we expect that you will observe the time requirement: 6AM
Other trek participants sometimes are too excited that they leave too early, sometimes at 2AM without informing us and will arrive at the pick up point at 4am. Please remember that travel time from manila to Capas is less than 2 hours by bus and 1.5 by private cars. Don’t expect us to be there immediately if you will arrive at 4am because we are in the midst of preparing your lunch, cooking the rice, viand etc…
If you will bring your own car, you can park it at our contact local resident’s private parking space near the entrance point with 100php parking fee.

Me & my eldest daughter Jessica waiting for trek participants

TO BOOK YOUR TRIP PLEASE SEND YOUR EMAIL TO: pinaykeypoint.org@gmail.com

Feb 8 2009

Mount Pinatubo Trek: Feb 6 & 7, 2009

Yours truly at Mount Pinatubo Crater

Bryan's Team

Aaron's Team

Sanjev's Team

My niece Jane

Meet Dodong the Monkey (Spa Town)

Liza with Bryan's Team Feb 6, 2009

Mt. Pinatubo Spring Water

Bryan's Team at Aeta Village

My eldest daughter Jessica

Jessica & Bryan

Mount Pinatubo Trek 2-6-2009

Liza & Bryan's Team

Juliet with Sanjev's Team

Mt. Pinatubo Trek 2-7-2009

Tom - Mt. Pinatubo Trek 2-7-2009

Juliet - Mount Pinatubo Trek 2-7-2009

Sanjev Team - 2-7-2009

Start of difficult Terrain

Passing big boulders & streams

Starting today I am declaring this spot as the "Wow Point"!!

Stairway to Heaven....ahhhh... am too tired here...but i have to smile 🙂

Finally, we conquered Mount Pinatubo!

What a tiring yet fulfilling day 🙂

I had a busy week preparing for this 2 days trek. Have to do Hotel bookings, arrange transport service, meet Sanjev’s team at Clark Airport a day before the trek. Have to meet Bryan’s Team and Aaron’s team at Microtel.

This is a very tiring yet fulfilling week for me 🙂

Please email me at pinaykeypoint@yahoo.com for your inquiries & reservations…

For trekking schedules, reminders & itineraries, please click here

Posted by Juliet Corpuz

Feb 2 2009

Heats School of Welding Technology

Philippines is now facing an increasing rate of unemployment everyday. It is a fact announced daily on TVs and printed media which is a result of Economic downturn worldwide. But despite the hardships, Filipinos’ character of patience and hardwork will always emerge because Pinoys are natural survivors. There maybe a decreasing demand on wirings, computers, electronic and other related industries but a number of identified skills are still in demand.

One of thriving opportunity for Filipinos abroad is the Welding Industry. The Demand for this specific skill is increasing recently. Surprisingly, this is not just a man’s job anymore as for the latest development, women are already starting to try this area.

The Philippine Government has encouraged Filipino entrepreneurs to open up welding training centers to cope up with the increasing demands for Filipino welders. In my area in particular, there are newly opened technical school offering welding related courses. Heats School of Welding Technology is one good example. Heats started to hold trainings in 2008 by renting private rooms. Most of the participants are now working abroad.

Engr. Pedro Jose Jr.

The good man behind this project is Engr. Pedro Jose Jr. He is a native of Kapanikian, Lapaz, Tarlac. He has been in the field of Welding, QA/QC and Inspection for the past 14 years in the Philippines, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Indonesia and Brunei.

His Noble Mission for the School is to produce World Class Pinoy Welders, Welding Inspectors & other skilled workers. To realize this mission, he turned his home into a Technical School to help not only his fellow Tarlaqueño but his fellow Pinoys from adjacent areas as well.

Heats School of Welding Technology is now in the process of TESDA Accreditation and according to TESDA personnel, their accreditation documents will be released this February 2009. HEATS’ building, classrooms, facilities (such as Welding booths, working table and grinding table), welding machines, tools and materials are now in place and ready.

Pictures below are the proof of Mr. Jose’s humble attempt to turn this project into reality.

Heats School of Weding Technology

Heats Lobby

Heats Classroom

Heats Lecture Room

Heats will offer the following Courses:

SMAW Plate, SMAW Pipe, GTAW Pipe and welding Inspector’s Course. They also plan to offer NDT Courses such as Utrasonic Testing, Penetrant Testing and Magnetic Particle Testing. Internal Quality Auditor’s course and ISO 9000 Awareness Seminars and other related skills are also in included in their line of courses that will be offered in the future.

They will be accepting enrollees in February and plan to start classes on March 2009. For inquiries and detailed information, you can visit their website at http://heatsschoolofweldingtechnology.wordpress.com/ or you can email them at pwtc_luzon_@yahoo.com . You can also reach them through mobile phone: +639054104465 or you can also personally visit their School at Romulo Highway, #4 Joanne Subd., Canrangian, Tarlac City. Staffs are available for inquiries during office hours.

Click the image location map for larger view

Heats Contact Info

For detailed description of Welding principles, Welding Trainings & courses, terminologies and job opportunities, please visit Heats website by clicking here.

By Juliet B. Corpuz

Jan 30 2009

REFUND and CANCELLATION of TRIPS

We don’t issue a full refund.

You must understand that trip arrangement usually incur costs such as bank transaction fees, mobilization expenses & communication expenses.

If you cancel your trip at least 2 days before the final trek date, we will deduct 15% of your deposit for the bank transaction & mobilization expenses.
If you cancel your trip 1 day prior to your final trek date, you will be charged with the expenses incurred in processing your clearance, purchasing your food & other preparation expenses. This is 25% of your deposit.
If you cancel your trip on the actual trek date, you will only get 30% of your payment because we already have to pay the penalty of the personnel who actually perform their duties for the trip such as the cook, who already reported at the office 1 day ahead of time to prepare your meal, the marketing team who purchased & prepare your food options, the guide and the driver who reported at 5am and the jeep operator who lost their 1 day trip because we asked for advance reservation and all expenses incurred in the preparation of your trip.

We issue refund thru our local bank if you’re a Filipino. If you’re a Filipino but pay us via PayPal, we will refund via local bank or PayPal less the specific charges mentioned above.

You have to send a local account number then we will refund your initial deposit 1 day after receipt of your bank account number.

FOR CANCELLATION DUE TO BAD WEATHER:

Pinaykeypoint Team is very particular when it comes to weather. We have a weather forecast widget at the bottom of this website. We usually keep track of incoming typhoons and if there is a threat of weather disturbance, we usually cancel the trip and inform our clients at least 2 days before the storm hits our area.

We issue a refund for this situation less 200php to cover some cost that will be incurred by this transaction.

You may send your email to pinaykeypoint.org@gmail.com for your further concern.

Thank you.

THE PINAYKEYPOINT TEAM

2007 – 2012

www.pinaykeypoint.org

For inquiries, send your email to pinaykeypoint.org@gmail.com

or text/call:

Globe: (+63)917.477.9156

Smart: (+63)930.508.8494

Sun: (+63)923.626.9088

LandLine:

(045) 806 4544 – Residence

Yahoo ID: pinaykeypoint

Jan 18 2009

Philippines: Export oriented-Import dependent Economy

All of us are hoping for a better year in fact anything that is introduced as lucky charms to attract good vibes and prosperous living is deliberately being adhered to for the hope that it will bring us positive result. Unfortunately, there are inevitable events which are not controlled by these lucky charms. These are events which are not perceived even by the toughest fortuneteller. One peep on the year ender reports from different Medias will attest to this fact because if not, thousand of people who were killed from so many calamities and wars might have been spared. Even the toughest and mighty countries were not spared from this. Their technology and forecasters never perceived that this economic turmoil would end up to economic downfall like a plague.

The Philippines alone has reduced its population by death tolls from sea vessel’s accidents, plane crash, storms, floods, massacres, death in Mindanao due to war, political killings and natural deaths. I guess we need another Merlin or the wizard of OZ for best predictions. Well, these are just the repercussions of men’s greed and neglect of environmental issues. You reap what you sow according to old saying and yes, it’s true.

The other day, as I walk home, I meet an old friend, my co-worker at the company where I used to work. According to her, IWSPC, a subsidiary of SWS Japan, has announced their recent work schedule. They are now working 6 hours/day and 3 days/week. I was stunned by that news. How will an employee survive with that scheme? She told me that her recent earning is only 800php or a measly $17 and she has to budget it for 15 days. How can she make both ends meet with that income? I guess she needs to enroll herself to Harry Potter’s school and aim for the wand. I can’t sympathize further for I, myself is suffering with the same grief. If we lost the court battle with demolition issue, we will be losing the roof on our head at the end of this month.

Despite GMA’s denial that Philippines is not affected by recession, the gleaming truth is slapped right in the face of many workers who are being hit by different inhumane labor schemes just to cope up with the economic turmoil. We all know that most industries and factories in the Philippines are run by Multi-National Corporation from Japan & the US and these countries are in the midst of recession. The final way out is thru retrenchment or at the maximum is to close the company and return to their homeland leaving the Filipino workers jobless with no separation pays.

This only proves that we can never achieve a genuine progress unless we change our economic system. An economy which remains to be an export oriented and import dependent will always ends up at the dumping area. We are more than 80 millions Filipinos, producing our own local products and selling it at the local market is the only way to move out from this dreadful situation. More than 70% of the products we used are being produced by other countries. Look, from the tip of your toe to the tip of your hair, you are using imported products. “Imported per se” is not just products available at Clark or PX stores, these are products produced by non-Filipino owned companies. Though their companies were erected at Philippine land, their sales and profits will be returned to their own countries. The only reason why they are here is not because they want to help us but because they want to take advantage of our cheap and docile labor.

Japanese will only buy cars made by Japanese corporations, but the local artists in the Philippines seldom uses beauty products made from the Philippines. Remember, each time we buy imported products, spend our vacation abroad, purchase property outside the Philippines, our money go out leaving our peso floats and drowned by inflation.

Money Cycle

Thanks to the living heroes who untiringly take back the money we spent outside the Philippine territory, despite the loneliness, dangers and abuses, they remain meek because of the call of earnings for the sake of their families. Do you have an idea who are those people? They are the OFW workers who are unceasingly working to earn not only for their family but for the country’s economy as well.

And Kudos to online workers like us who are also earning dollar from home. You are helping our country to get the money back and return it to circulate here. And to those who are hoarding the money and investing it outside the Philippine territory, you are one of the reasons why the Philippines remain poor.

Gumising na sana tayo….

~Juliet Corpuz~

Jan 14 2009

Mount Pinatubo Hot Spring

Mount Pinatubo Hot Spring is a different route and you can’t do this on the same day especially now that skyway is no longer passable. The expenses to Pinatubo Hot Spring is the same as Mount Pinatubo Crater Trek. You will also avail of 4 x 4 wheel drive. 4×4 is the only transport service that will survive the difficult terrain of Mount Pinatubo areas. Travel time is more or less 1 hour. The required load are the driver, 4 guests and 1 tour guide.

Please note that it’s cheaper if you will come in group as you will shoulder the entire rent of 4×4 jeep, gas, driver, permits & conservation fee, entrance fee and local tour guides.

Minimum package: 12,500 for 5 persons (2500k per head)

Inclusions:

Transport ride from meet up point (infront of Capas Municipal Hall)

4 x 4 jeep (gas, rental, driver and trip dues)

Service of a local tour guide

Conservation fee/environmental fees

Entrance fee

Visit to Aeta village (optional but free)

Lunch
Snack

500 ml water

Optional Services: (Not included in the package)

You can avail this after the trip

600php per head – Volcanic Spa (30 minutes)

600php per head Siatsu – Massage (1 hour)
600php per head – Mud Spa

THE PINAYKEYPOINT TEAM

2007 – 2012

www.pinaykeypoint.org

For inquiries, send your email to pinaykeypoint.org@gmail.com

or text/call:

Globe: (+63)917.477.9156

Smart: (+63)930.508.8494

Sun: (+63)923.626.9088

Jan 10 2009

How to go to Mount Pinatubo

Route for 1st Timers Mount Pinatubo Trekkers from other country:

Departing from Ninoy Aquino Int’l Airport, Makati or Pasay

Ride a taxi to Victory Liner or 5 Star Bus Line located at Pasay City
Ask the taxi to use the taxi meter
Secure a Bus ticket at a ticket booth bound for Dagupan or Pangasinan.
Your exact destination is Capas Tarlac.
Estimated Bus fare is 200php one way ticket
Estimated Travel time is more than 2 hours depending upon the traffic & driving speed
Exact drop off point is the first gate of Capas Municipal Hall
Our office is just a few walks away from the jump off point
Maps is available in our website, please click here
You may settle the rest of your at Pinaykeypoint Office.

Departing from Clark Airport

You may ride a taxi or any public transport available at the airport
Ask the driver to give you a lift to Mabalacat Bus Terminal
Ride any bus bound to Dagupan or Pangasinan
Your exact destination is Capas Tarlac.
Estimated Bus fare is more or less 75php
Estimated Travel time is more or less 1 hour depending upon the traffic & driving speed
Exact drop off point is the first gate of Capas Municipal Hall
Our office is just a few walks away from the jump off point
Maps is available in our website, please click here
You may settle the rest of your at Pinaykeypoint Office.
We also have a tour package that starts at any hotel in Clark/Angeles
Please visit our website for these tour packages www.pinaykeypoint.org

DEPARTING FROM CUBAO

You may ride a taxi or any public transport available to go to the bus terminal
The most accessible is 5 Star bus near Farmers and Dagupan bus infront of Nepa Qmart
Ride any bus bound to Dagupan or Pangasinan
You must catch a 4am trip or earlier
Your exact destination is Capas Tarlac.
Estimated Bus fare is 200php one way ticket
Estimated Travel time is more than 2 hours depending upon the traffic & driving speed
Exact drop off point is the first gate of Capas Municipal Hall
Our office is just a few walks away from the jump off point
Maps is available in our website, please click here
You may settle the rest of your at Pinaykeypoint Office.

DEPARTING FROM AVENIDA (Malate, Manila, Recto)

Available bus are Philippine Rabbit & Victory Liner

Follow the same procedure above

DEPARTING FROM SUBIC OLONGAPO

I was informed by my previous clients from Olongapo that the first trip is departing at 3am. They don’t want to take chance to wait for the next trip for fear that they won’t meet the required meet-up time which is 6am. The result is they arrived at 5am and spent 1 hour at seven eleven @ Capas Junction.

Ride a bus heading to Dagupan or Pangasinan or Baguio (Ask the dispatcher) If there is no available trip, you may take a cutting trip and may opt to take a bus bound to San Fernando or Dau.
Allocate at least 2 hours for your travel time.
Estimated fare for straight ride is more or less 200php
If you take a cutting trip: via San Fernando, Pampanga, just take any passenger jeep or mini bus bound to Dau (more or less 30 mins drive from San Fernando
When you reach Dau, Ride any bus bound to Dagupan or Pangasinan (more or less 45 mins drive)
Your exact destination is Capas, Tarlac
Exact drop off point is the first gate of Capas Municipal hall.
If you arrive early, just send an sms, we will send a guide to meet you at the jump off point. Our office is just few meters away.

DEPARTING FROM BAGUIO CITY

According to our previous clients from Baguio, estimated travel time via public bus is 4 to 5 hours. They took a 2am trip and reached capas at past 6:30am. Just ride any bus bound to Manila. Almost all trips from North Luzon are passing infront of our office 24/7

Estimated fare is more or less 300php
Your exact destination is Capas, Tarlac
Exact drop off point is the 3rd gate of Capas Municipal hall.
Send an SMS when you reach Tarlac so we can anticipate your time of arrival.
We will assign a guide that would wait for you at the vicinity of Capas Municipal Hall

If you will travel here via private car, you may print the map below. We provided several maps depending upon your point of departure

PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MAPS AND DIRECTIONS

WWW.PINAYKEYPOINT.ORG

Jan 8 2009

Pasko at New Year sa Pinas 2008

JANUARY 8, 2009

I had a long break before and after Christmas season and I never had the chance to post our Christmas celebration. My kids and nieces are rallying and demanding me to post the Christmas photos and other activities so this would be a long post guys 🙂

Filipinos usually starts welcoming Christmas at the knock of “Ber” months. As early as September, you will hear Christmas songs played on the radios and I myself started to decorate our house with Christmas Tree last October.

Of course my daughters did all the decorating stuff while I was pre-occupied with a lot of work and issues here and now as am staring at my blog, I realized that I never post a single article about Christmas [sigh 😦 ]

But it’s better late than never, so I have to post all the activities we had before Christmas time and after New year.

My youngest and only son Robin Jr. (Nonoy)

My third daughter Rajisha

My 2nd daughter Sabrina

Jessica & Nonoy

My niece Jane

Yours Truly 🙂

Simbang Gabi at San Sebastian Cathedral, Tarlac City

Dec 16 – Misa de Gallo

We’re off to church for the Misa de Gallo where we have to attend the early mass at 4am. Morning masses lasted for 9 days and it is believed and also part of Filipino traditions that a person who completed 9 days mass will have their wishes.

Some church celebrates mass before the break of dawn at 4 o’ clock in the morning while other celebrates mass at 7, 8 or 9 o’ clock in the evening.

It is also a common tradition for Pinoys to buy native Filipino foods such as malagkit, suman, bibingka, ibos, puto etc… after the morning mass.

Native Filipino Foods

Belenismo – The art of making Belen

It’s one of the project of our present local officials. This was conceptualized by Tarlac Heritage Foundation President Isabel Cojuangco-Suntay aiming to make the province of Tarlac as “Belen capital” of the Philippines. It was launched in 2007 and since then, it becomes a yearly activity for Tarlaquenos which is actively participated by different Barangays, municipalities, institutions and local organization from different sectors and local businesess of Tarlac.

ASIATEN

Max’s Luisita

San Sebastian Cathedral inspired Belen

16 Belens won from different categories out of 78 entries. Categories includes personal, grand, monumental, municipal and diorama.

Tarlac Police Office Belen of Barangay Salapungan received the first award followed by Asiaten Hotel and Coconut Grill as third. Winners were personally awarded by Senator Loren Legarda

Zone ABC DEMOLITION CAMPAIGN

Demolition Poster at Barangay Entrance

The Nolcom authorities temporarily stopped their daily demolition rounds campaign, maybe for the sake of Christmas but nailed this poster at our Barangay main entrance. At present, they never resume the usual rounds of military jeep anouncing demolition. The last update was prior to Christmas, Zone President announced that we will expect the release of Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) on January 27, 2009 and we are hopeful that it would be released earlier.

Inter Barangay Basketball League

There were many activities in the city. Barangay Basketball league, was participated by different basketball teams from different Barangays. Hub coaches one of the basketball team. The overall winner was Barangay Texas.

Carolers were everywhere, kids, teens, adults & beggars. Some houses who don’t have an extra money for carolers will just put off their lights early. But since I am running a gaming homebiz (PC & Video), and most of my customers are children and teens, I have to allocate coins for them but the good thing about it is that it would go back in my pocket as they would be back playing the next day.

Prior to Christmas time, my kids were busy preparing for their school Christmas party and exchange gifts so as a mom, I have so many things to do which makes me so busy such as buying clothes, gifts, school projects etc… etc… not to mention my printing jobs which requires most of my time.

Dec 24, 2008 – Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas!!

Noche Buena

My day starts and ends at the kitchen lolz!

I have to cook for our Noche Buena. Macaroni Salad, Spaghetti, Crispy Pata, hotdogs, pan bread with cheese and a lot of candies for the kids. Gift giving… And a lot of Christmas Photos …

Mommy and Rajisha

Daddy and Sabrina

Juliet and Hub

December 25

Mano po Ninong/Ninang!!

Kids visited their Ninongs & Ninangs (Godparents) to ask for blessings and gifts. We call it “pagmamano”, another Filipino tradition where kids and teens are visiting their Godparents, these were the people who sponsored our children during baptism and acts as second parents to our kids. They usually prepare gifts or money for their Godchildren. My kids want to extend their sincere thanks to Ninong Atty. Jojo Batalla, Ninang Ressie Reyes, Ninang Myrna Sapasap, Ninong Edgar Uy, Ninong Bong Gallo, Ninang Luz Corpuz, Tita Sally & Ate Cherry for the money and gifts. And I also want to thank my daughters for their gifts for us. I love you Jek, Sab, Ish, nonoy & ate den…

Dec 27, 2008 – Happy Christening Baby Jed!!

Jed’s clothing and accesories

Jed’s Christening

Location: San Miguel Church Time: 11:00 a.m. Reception: Max’s Restaurant

Cherry’s firstborn was finally baptized before new year. We were all invited at the reception but we can’t leave the house so I stayed home to entertain some expected visitors while my entire family attended baby Jed’s christening. Welcome to the Christian World baby Jed 🙂 I hope you grow up to be a God-fearing boy with wisdom and kindness 🙂

Baby Jed’s cake

Reception: Max’s Restaurant – Luisita

Baby Jed’s Candles, Token & invitation

Mommy Che & Baby Jed

My kids; Jessica, Sabrina, Rajisha, Nonoy and my niece Jane

Corpuz Family

December 31 – New Year Celebration 🙂

Once again, our day starts and ends at the kitchen but this time Hub did most of the cooking 🙂 Another Filipino tradition, we have to prepare 12 fruits on our table, 1 bowl of rice, salt and water and malagkit with egg on top. My mother in-law is doing this yearly and now that she’s gone, we decided to follow her tradition. We were roaming the market to complete the list of fruits. We had grapes, apple, watermelon, melon fruit, oranges, kaimito, pineapple, banana, pears, chico, ponkan and buko (young coconut). Hub added garlic and onions this time.

Media Noche

Yummy desserts 🙂 Kainan na!!

For safety, we never use any firecracker this year. It’s also part of saving our budget so instead of firecrackers, we played Christmas songs and videoke. Childrens are playing videos till dawn and we gave it for free until the next day.

Happy New Year!! it’s chow time 🙂

We’re all full lolz!! 🙂 look at the tummy haha!!

Final Pose 🙂 Happy New Year to all of you!!

The magic of “Ber” has passed and now we’re welcoming the New year with hope & gladness in our hearts. Happy New Year to all of you guys. May this year brings more blessings to all of us. Cheers!!

Juliet & Family 🙂

Dec 10 2008

Mount Pinatubo Trek

Due to overwhelming response of my readers to my Mt. Pinatubo Post, which also becomes my no. 1 post since I started blogging, we added another service in our homebase business. This is Tour Guiding Services

My hub and I has particular task in running the business. With IT related works, I am in-charge of the internet, design and documentations while hub is doing the field work. But when the need arises, I also assist hub with field work activities.

Recently, I have many inquiries in my inbox particularly Mount Pinatubo Trek. I used to have a computer shop at Capas Tarlac and Tarlac Municipal Tourism had been one of our clients. I designed and created the Identification cards for Mt. Pinatubo Tour guides and most of them are Aetas. I also designed banners, flyers and brochures.

Last week, 2 clients from the internet hired our service thru this blog, Greg and Wisnu. Greg arrived last week but he went to Puerto Galera first and he scheduled trekking on Saturday, Dec. 13. Wisnu Wijaya, an Indonesian based in Malaysia arrived last Dec. 9 at 5:30pm. Hub meet him at the airport. They arrived home at almost 10pm. Although we had an agreement that we will book him in a hotel but because we were so excited sharing each others’ experiences, he decided to stay with us. Our house suddenly turned into a transient home.

The next day hub included Wisnu in the group of trekkers bound to Mount. Pinatubo.

Hub (in white shirt) with Wisnu and Mt. Pinatubo trekkers

Hub during the actual trek

Weee! Samson or Hercules?

Natural and Fresh Spring Water from Mt. Pinatubo

Mt. Pinatubo Crater

Mt. Pinatubo Crater Boating

Have fun, experience swimming at Mt. Pinatubo crater

4 x 4 wheel drive, the only transport system that would survive rocks and boulders

After a tiring day, sooth your muscles and enjoy full massage spa

Spa comes in different packages; mud spa, volcanic ash spa and many more.

What are you waiting for? experience a once in a lifetime trekking adventure at Mt. Pinatubo Philippines. You can come in group or you can trek alone with native tour guide.

For more inquiries, leave your comment here or email me pinaykeypoint@yahoo.com

Update 2/8/2009

Please click the link to see our recent Mount Pinatubo Trek last February 6 & 7, 2009

For further inquiries, detailed info, trek schedules and itineraries please visit my other blog:

HTTP://PINATUBOTREK.BLOGSPOT.COM/

POST UPDATE AS OF AUGUST 14, 2012

WE ARE NOW ONE OF THE MOST TRUSTED TEAM IN THIS FIELD.

THANKS GOD FOR MY BLOG AND FOR THIS POST;)

Dec 7 2008

I Need Your Strength

Two top media company has already come in our place to look at the matter but we never see any light at the end of the tunnel. Days passed by swiftly and the thoughts of losing the roof on our heads beyond January 30, 2009 makes me weaker each day. I can’t even feel the Christmas in the air, although cold wind is already embracing me… I guess it just makes me numb each passing day. The show of force is so demoralizing, watching the regular round of soldiers in our neighborhood is creating fear and confusion among the children. I already written our cause to some top leaders of our society but it seem our issue had just fallen in deaf ears…

I NEED YOUR STRENGTH

I started blogging to ease my pains

To ease my feelings and gain some friends

To voice out my opinions and ravings

and to pacify the anger in my surging veins

The journey to blogging seems interesting

It lessen the worries that makes me lame

It makes me feel alive once again

From more than 3 years of silence

I was silenced by the forces of evil

Who threaten to take my life If I never refrain

Refrain from what? You may ask me that

From being radical which narrowed my path

But I can’t live in silence for many years

It makes me crazy and will paralyze my brains

Now I need to go out once again

Maybe not in the street but in the field of blogging

I love my kids, I don’t want to endanger them

That’s why I shut my mouth off and quit from work

But how long shall I stop and just stare at them?

While they are crashing our rights and our home

We were all strangers in this land

Which created by God for every man

But some men are greedy and cruel

They draw the boundaries and created their titles

But how dare you claim you own the land created by God?

You just draw the line and claimed it’s yours?

And for that claim you’re ready to harm and maybe kill

Whoever blocks your plans and claims?

Fights and wars has just one cause

The greed in every man’s heart to rise in power

By trampling the rights and freedom of other men

Just to place themselves in the pedestal of fame

The journey to freedom maybe long and hard

Millions of men had already sacrificed their lives

For the call of justice, equality and sovereignty

Despite all these, we still have to take our steps in this journey

I am drawing my strength from God and friends

And I am calling you to internalize the cause

The fight will be stronger if you joined mine

I need your strength in the darkest time…

~by: Juliet B. Corpuz ~

12-8-2008 4:00am

Poetry is my healing balm… I need to put into words all the bad feelings I have in my heart…

Related posts of our issue:

Demolition Issue

Demolition update

Eviction notice

Jan 1, 2009

I would like to thank all my readers and blogger friends who extend their hands and support to our demolition issue. The good words coming from you guys is very important to me as this keeps me going and stand on my feet each day.

I also want to give my sincere thanks to SSNUFY for a wonderful poem he composed for this post.

POEM FROM SSNUFFY

Be still my friend have you not forgot
that an awesome God Controls the lot
His word is law and very true
and you know the depth of His love for you

So Stand in faith and and trust His Word
to doubt His power is quit absurd
For He is God and on His Throne
and your promise is your not alone

In His good time this storm will pass
and you will stand at peace alas
and the threat so bold that held you there
will disappear in the morning air,,,,,,

Gods very best >>>SSNUFFY

Thank you very much….

Here is my response for this poem…

Thank you very much SSNUFFY
For this sincere poem you created for me
The thoughts made its way to my heart
Which adds to my strength and made me glad

Never will I forget I have a Big God
Who always leads my path
In him I draw my strength
To face all my struggles and pains

I always thank him for all the friends
That He sent my way as an instrument
Who cheers me up when I’m in vain
Which cushion the blows and ease the pains

I stand still and keep my faith
To trust His word is my shield
This storm will go and never win
Cause I have a God who never fail

<<<<Juliet >>> [January 1, 2009 7:30 a.m.]

Nov 29 2008

BONIFACIO DAY

Let’s talk about our National History. I know many of you has no detailed knowledge about this so I did some research para naman medyo maka relate tayo ngayong araw na to… baka sakali… makita natin ang kahalagahan ng mga ipinaglaban nya… na sana lang ay hindi nga nasayang ang mga iyon… yung reference books ko ay hinalukay ko pa sa Baul ng tatay ko 🙂

Today is November 30, we are commemorating one of the important person in the Philippine history, Andres Bonifacio.

Who is the guy? ( He’s my Hero 🙂 )

Bonifacio came out after the failure of the reform movement headed by Rizal and M. Del Pilar. This paved way for a more radical and more active lines. He formed the Katipunan, a secret society which was founded at Tondo Manila, in a house on Azcarraga street then numbered 314, on July 7, 1892, the same date on which Rizal was decreed to be banished to Dapitan.

The secret society was popularly known as KKK which means “kataastaasan Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga anak ng Bayan” (The Highest and the most respectable Association of the Son’s of the People).

The two principal aims of the KKK as gathered from the writings of Bonifacio:

Unity of the Filipino people
Separation from Spain by means of Revolution

Rizal doubtless approved the first aim but refused to accept the second and this was the reason that he refused to go along with the “Katipuneros” (soldiers’ of the Katipunan) and voluntarily surrendered that leads him to prison and death.

To achieve unity of the Filipinos, propaganda work must be done and this was through massive education and civic trainings of the Katipuneros. To that end, Bonifacio prepared his now well-known Decalogue, and Jacinto his famous “Kartilya ng Katipunan” (Primer of the Katipunan)

Here is an excerpt from the second paragraph of the Kartilya which states that;

“The object pursued by this association is great and precious: to unite in ideas and purposes all Filipinos by means of a strong oath and from union derive force with which to tear the veil that obscures intelligence and thus find the true path of Reason and Light”

The strong oath was documented and signed with the blood of the “Katipuneros” (blood compact). They swore at the Katipunan creed; To defend the oppressed, fight the oppressor even to the extent of supreme self- sacrifice.

Organization of the Katipunan

The Katipunan has 3 levels of authority:

Kataastaasang Sanggunian (The Supreme Council)
Sangguniang Bayan (The Provincial Council)
Sangguniang Barangay (Town Council)

It was founded in 1892 but Andre4s Bonifacio assumed the presidency in 1894

Table of Organization

President – Andres Bonifacio
Secretary – Jose Turiano Santiago
Fiscal – Emilio Jacinto
Treasurer – Vicente Molina

Executive Department (1896)

President – Andres Bonifacio
Secretary of State- Emilio Jacinto
Secretary of War – Teodoro Plata
Secretary of Justice – Briccio Pantas
Secretary of the Interior – Aguedo del Rosario
Secretary of Finance – Enrique Pacheco

Membership of the Katipunan

With Bonifacio as the Supreme leader, the society gains active followers in the provinces of Morong (Rizal), Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija and Tayabas. The number of Katipuneros has been estimated at 123, 000 in Manila and the surrounding provinces. Women also organized themselves into an Auxiliary of the Katipunan including the 29 relatives of the Katipuneros.

Ritual of the Katipunan

Katipunan also adopted some of the features and practices of the Masonry, such as conferring of degrees, secret ceremonies and symbolic names.

A first degree of the Katipunan was called “Katipun” meaning an associate and the sacred word was “Anak ng Bayan”. A second degree member was called “Kawal”, a soldier and the sacred word was “Gom-Bur-Za” which stand for Father Gomez, Burgos and Zamora. A member of the third degree was called “Bayani”, a hero and the sacred word was “Rizal”.

The symbolic name of Bonifacio was “May Pag-asa (There is hope), Emilio Aguinaldo as Magdalo and Emilio Jacinto as Pingkian.

The call to Arms

It was a lieutenant of the civil guard stationed in Pasig, who in July 5, 1896, reported in confidential writing to the Governor of Manila that persons coming from the capital and neighboring towns were enlisting men for an “unknown purpose” and that they were making recruits sign wit their blood a pledge not to reveal, even under threat or death the purpose of the association and its intentions.

On August 19, 1896, the offices of the “El Diario de Manila was forcibly searched by the “guardia civil” and lithographic stone with 2 blank receipts of the Katipunan was found including the By-Laws and other incriminating documents. This leads to multiple arrests of many suspects that ends up in their tortures and death.

The First Cry of Balintawak – The first cry of revolution

On August 20, at the last series of meetings held in Kangkong, a barrio in Caloocan, Bonifacio and his followers plan and agreed to attack Manila on August 29, 1896. That decision marked the triumph of the radicals under the leadership of Bonifacio and Jacinto. Resolved not to return home, the Katipuneros, as proof of their determination to break off their allegiance to Spain, tore up their “cedulas” (certificate of residence), shouting “Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!” (Long live the Philippine Republic)

That was the start of the Philippine revolution which took place in many parts of the land. Many Katipuneros had died in the battle for the sake of freedom and liberty. Bonifacio has fought for this purpose until the last breath of his life.

300 years of Bondage. Millions of Filipinos had lost their lives fighting for independence.

The Spanish is too proud to surrender to what they call idiots and stupid Filipinos. They rather surrender to Americans. And so it was done.

The history tells us who the real heroes are. ..who fought to liberate this land. It was clearly written but Bonifacio, was denied the title of a National Hero. My daughter asked me that same question. I said, maybe because Bonifacio is a radical person and must not be idolized by future generation. They want us to be meek and just pray and ask for God’s mercy. Not fight and bear the unbearable… and whoever raised his voice against the government must be silenced… legally…brutally.

The Cry of Balintawak still echoes in the wind. For every life that is wasted, for every leader who dies because of a word called “principle”. I wonder if independence was really achieved because until this day, the Spanish styles of killings and tortures is still existing. Activists are killed. Organizations are busted. Workers are displaced. Unions are abolished.

The journey to freedom is long and hard. The price of bravery and principle is high.

The day of real freedom and independence still remains a dream…

References: History of the Philippines by Conrado Benitez

The Philippine Islands – by Dr. James A. Robertson, Blair and Robertson

>>> My dad’s books from his very old collections…

Nov 27 2008

VIOLATION OF PRIVACY POLICY

Just Like blogging, Forums are one of the most visited sites in the internet. I usually visit forum sites and read threads and discussions of my desired topics.

Sometimes in the past, I need an immediate fund, I want to withdraw money from my PayPal account without having to wait for 5 to 7 working days. I Google the keyword Paypal to Gcash or PayPal to Smart Money and a thread from Pinoymoneytalk forum leads me to a thread about PayManila and so my problem was immediately solved.

This is one of the positive effects of forums.

This is a screenshot of the original thread. Click this for larger view.

But the other day, one of my community member from MyBlogLog left a comment in my blog. He raised his concerns about a certain forum site, Pinoyden.com. I clicked the link and read the thread and this is what I found

A newbie member under an alias of shiangtao posted a new topic. He quoted Edz comment at yugatech blog. Included in that topic was Edz name and private information, his emails and blogs. He purposely search for Edz information and posted it at the forum area. He was successful in this thread as he gains a lot of responses which is negative for Edz reputation. I know right there and then that this is a clear violation of privacy policy and I look for the moderator of the site. He was there participating at the forum under the name of AED.

I immediately signed up and posted my comment. You can read my comment here under my alias Red, I reminded them of the sites rules and privacy policy. After posting a comment, I wrote to the admin/moderator to raise my concern. Here is the screenshot of the message.

This is the screenshot of the message I sent to the moderator. Click this for a larger view.

I knew that Edz was taking this matter seriously and to pacify him, I informed him that I already send a complaint letter to the moderator to clear the matter.

The following day, I checked the site and noticed that they already removed Edz private information. I also received a message of apology from the Admin/moderator.

If you will notice, he has quoted a red line which states that they cannot monitor the forum. This is a clear alibi. Hey Mr. AED, if you will notice the screenshot of the post, it says 2 thanks from Reuben and AED. And look after you removed Edz site info, the 2 thanks turn into 1 thanks and your name is gone? What happen? You also participated in that thread and you just removed your comments, may I know for what reason? To make your excuse real? that you are not participating in that thread? I won’t buy your alibi mister because I click your name in your comment that’s why I get to your profile to send you a private message. Masyado ka tuloy obvious. You yourself enjoyed the thread and maybe very happy for the active response and traffics and remember you’re doing that at the expense of Edz reputation. And to you Mr. Shiangtao, be man or woman enough to reveal your own info before posting other people’s info and don’t be so lame pathetic. Try to post some decent topic out from your own brains and stop quoting from other people’s comments. It makes you a stupid, talkative nonsense poster who wants to be famous by degrading others. Wag kang intrimitido!

This is the message of apology from the moderator. Click this for larger view

At yung isa pa under an alias of weibkreuz who is claiming that he’s from tarlac said “guys tga tarlac din ako at ung school ni edizon tongol n yan dun ako graduate, patay sakin yang edizon tongol n yan pag nkita, bubugbugin k yan, he3 pag nduty sa hospital nmin yan teterminate k na agad”

haha! talaga lang ha? sure ka kaya mong gawin yan? Sige uwi ka dito sa Tarlac sabihin mo address mo at pupuntahan ka namin ni Edz. Subukan nga namin kong kaya mo nga syang bugbugin. Pare yung yabang ginagawa yan di sinasabi. Dahan dahan lang tau sa pagsasalita kc di naman natin kilala yung mga taong pinagsasabihan natin eh.

This is really a gross stupidity on the rise 🙂 nakakahiya.

(sigh…deep breathing…my nebulizer please…)

Nov 25 2008

Eviction Notice for Zone A, B & C

NOVEMBER 25, 2008

This post is an update regarding the demolition problem at Zone A, B & C San Miguel, Tarlac City.

The Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) issued a final eviction notice which must be complied within 60 days otherwise they would be constrained to make representation for the employment of counteractive legal measures within the authority of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. This Final demand is blatantly contained in the document I scanned below.

The threat of demolition is like a plague spreading in the barrios of San Miguel; Zone A, B & C. Just like my neighbors, I am trying to go over with my normal routine although I had a good laugh with my previous post but the reality will always sets in. The fear of losing our home is a daily nightmare to us. One of the residents from Zone B, a retired army had a heart attack after reading the final notice and he died instantly. A 6 by 6 truck with heavy weapons and armies was roaming the barrio and creating confusion and fear among the residents. This is a clear manifestation of harassment. This show of force is a psychological warfare which is a common dirty trick by our very own army.

Joyce Segue of GMA Balitang Amianan conducting an exclusive interview

It’s really frustrating that the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the institution that is liable for the security and protection of the common Filipino is engaging in this outrageous activity. My kids are asking me; why are they doing this to us mommy? My teacher said Soldiers will protect us, but why they are threatening us? Will they kill us too?

These are the simple childish question that I cannot answer. I still have to gather my strength to reckon and give the best answer that would convince my kids that the army, like my dad is a servant and protector of the people. How can a child love a government when at this early stage, they are already experiencing this dilemma?

Joyce Segue, GMA reporter for “Balitang Amianan”news program conducted an interview the other day regarding the escalating issue of demolition. The newly elected association president Col Felipe Damo is instituting several options on how shall we deal with the problem, from legal battle to collective effort of the masses and the residents to defend our home physically. Our strength may not be equal to the guns and goons of the government but we will not just stand at the corner, staring at them doing nothing while they are crashing our home. A bloody dispersal that has wasted many lives at Hacienda Luisita while farm workers are waging fight for just compensation and benefits was also maneuvered by NOLCOM and now, their bloody fingers are once again thirsting for the same scenario.

I am asking for your support my fellow bloggers, in behalf of my neighbors and the children in my community please help us spread this news and blog this issue.

I don’t want another Hacienda Luisita tragedy.
Please spare our home and the children.

Eviction Letter from NOLCOM. Please click for larger view.

NOTE: Watch Joyce interview with Col. Felipe Damo at my YouTube channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/redwarriorheart

Previous posts:

Post 1 – Zone ABC: We are Facing Demolition Issue

Post 2 – Demolition Update

Nov 24 2008

Pautot ni Buraot

This is a funny title and I know that only my Filipino readers would understand this. Sorry guys spare me this post but this post is intended for my Fellow Pinoys and I have to use Tagalog language for this post. Bear with me, thank you!

O ayan, nakapagpaalam nako sa mga blogistang di natin kalahi at di nakakaintindi ng tagalog 🙂

Siguro magtataka yung mga readers ko kung anong kaguluhan ire at bakit kelangan kong mag powst ng tagalog e samantalang madami akong readers na di ito maiintindihan. Pasensya na kayo mga ripapips at kelangan ko munang mag jeproks sa post na ito bunga ng matinding pangangailangan hehe 🙂

Meron kasi akong natisod na kakilala sa pamamasyal ko sa blogosper at itong tao na ito ay di na rin naman iba sa akin. Ito ay walang iba kundi si Buraot. Hanep ano, sa pangalan pa lang ang lakas na ng dating. Ei ibang klase din naman ang mga powst nya at minsang bumisita ako sa blag nya, akalain mo halos nabasa ko lahat ang powst sa blag nya sa loob ng isang araw at akoy halos kabagan sa katatawa. Abay malayo sa pangalan nya ang laman ng blag dahil talaga namang hindi ka mabuburaot na magbasa ng mga powst nya. O sige, e sya, bakit kailangan pa kong magtagalog?

Ei kasi nga me pautot itong si Buraot at ako naman ay naanyayahang sumali sa pautot na ito. Abay sayang din at mejo malaki rin naman ang premyo na aabot ng $550 at katakot-takot na entrecard kaya naman kinasahan ko na din total perst taym ko lang din sasali sa ganito.

Simple lang ang rules, kailaangan lang na kalampagin ang madlang blogistang pinoy na marunong managalog tungkol sa pautot nyang ito. Kailangan ding mamili kung anong powst nya ang halos magpautot sau sa katatawa at lagyan ito ng link.

Buweno, mejo mahaba na itong powst at baka hulihin na tayo ng blogger pulis at wla pa atang DTI permit etong pautot ni Buraot kaya bibilisan ko na.

Ang nagustuhan kong blog nya ay tungkol sa latest nyang cellphone. Bukod sa haytek talaga to abay napakagandang dalhin. tyak na hindi makakatawag ng pansin ng mga agaw-celpon. Oii! sa mga interesado sa celpon na ito klik mo to.

O ayan ‘d end na. naway manalo ako sa pautot mo bro 🙂

Sa mga blogistang pinoy at pinay na nabuburaot sa buhay pwede nyong silipin ang blag ng kolokoy na to klik mo lang to

In fairness nag enjoy ako sa paggawa ng powst na to. di ko na kailangan ng nebulizer pagkatapos mag blog di tulad ng english kelangan ko pa bumili ng ventolin nyahahaha 🙂 pasensya na guys! paminsan minsan lang mawala sa sarili ang lola nyo.

O panu Buraot, bago pa mawalan ng respeto sa akin ang mga readers ko ay wawakasan ko na to at baka di lang sa hitlist malagay ang pangalan ko, baka pati yung PEDEA ay hulihin ako haha!

Sa mga nais sumali pwede pang humabol hanggang Bonifacio Day. Bisitahin nyo lang si Buraot 🙂

Nov 21 2008

2 Blogger Awards for PinayKeyPoint

1. The Power Blog Award

My warmest thanks to Ria Stevenson for giving me this award 🙂

The Rules:

1. Each blogger must post these rules.

2. You need to choose up to ten people to be awarded and list and tag their names.
3. Don’t forget to leave them comment telling them they’ve been tagged and to read your blog (soon).

Now I want to pass this award to the following blogger friends:

Red, Margaret, Grace, Liza, Riza, asaygur and babywener

2. The Lemonade Award

My warmest thanks to my dear friend Red for giving me this cool award

Rules for the Lemonade award:

Put the logo on your blog or post.

• Nominate up to 10 blogger friends’ blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude!
• Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
• Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
• Share the love and link to this post to the person from whom you received your award.

Now I want to pass this Lemonade award to my coolest friends who read and post comments untiringly:

Edz, Spiky, Warshock, Dede, Wolfwood16, Hammed, ShowStalker and Gabriel

Again my big thanks to Ria and Red for thinking of me and for giving me these awards. I really appreciate it girls. Hugz to both of you! 🙂

Nov 19 2008

PinayKeyPoint Link Page

I just finished modifying my link page. If you are looking for my blogroll, you wont see it in my side bar because I already transferred it in my link page. I created that page 2 months ago and I left “This page is under construction” note but I noticed that it has already comments so I decided to update it.

My link page has a list of MyBlogLog Community members and I posted their profiles and avatars.

MyBlogLog is a yahoo service which provides a venue for bloggers and website owners to communicate. You don’t have to sign up if you already have a yahoo account. Just log-in using your yahoo account. This is the account you used when you are chatting thru Yahoo Messenger and your e-mail address as well. Your yahoo account is a central account which you can use for opening all yahoo service such as YM, Ymail, Yahoo 360, Flicker, Geocities, Yahoo Answers, Yahoo Groups, Yahoo Games , MyBlogLog and many more… You can find all yahoo services by going to yahoo homepage and clicking more yahoo services.

I created my first email address in 1999 and internet during that time is very rare. I just have to create an email address because I have nephews in US and we have to communicate. I am using AOL mail and AOL Messenger then. My browser then was Netscape Navigator.

My link page shall contain my blogroll, my most visited links and resources, my community, my portfolio and contacts from different social communities. I just finished uploading my blogroll and MyBlogLog Community members. Other links will be included soon.

If you’re a MyBlogLog member and you want your profile to be included in my link page and blogroll, just add me, join my community and add my link in your blogroll and inform me by leaving a comment in my link page. Please remember that you must add me first. I have requests of link exchange but after I added their links in my blog, I visited their blogs and noticed that I was not included in their blogroll so I removed them.

I never noticed it in the past but my fellow bloggers told me about it. Well yes, it’s unfair and a one way ticket. Being a blogger, we have to know the basic rules. If we want to have a thriving community, it must be a mutual effort. I make it a point to drop a regular visits and comments to my community members and blogger friends in my blogroll. By doing such, you will see that you are not just adding friends but creating a community as well. When somebody joins your community, we take responsibility to keep in touch with our members. We must send them at least a community message to make them feel that they are important.

My stay in the blogging world was no different when I was a union organizer. We can only create active members and leaders thru constant follow up and meetings. I have requests here to organize a blogger’s community here in Tarlac and I am really taking into consideration if I will push it. My resignation from work was triggered when I was included in the hitlist released by NOLCOM in 2004. Most of the names in the list are now gone and tagged as “Victims of Political Killings” I am a mommy of 4 kids and to slowdown from labor struggles is not cowardice in lieu of life’s preservation. It really breaks my heart to abandon my members especially now that they are facing many labor union issues. These are the reason why I am still hesitant but maybe I will have to start again.

Nov 14 2008

Welcome to the Christian World Baby Jed

NOVEMBER 14, 2008

First week of November was a busy week for us, after the preparation and celebration of Undas (All Saint’s Day), our niece Cherry delivered her first born, a handsome baby boy at 2:30pm of Friday, November 7, 2008.

Cherry is very dear to us as she’s almost my eldest daughter. I’m very fond of her, I helped her with her assignments, I turned her hate for Algebra into love and explained to her the basics so she can cope up with her mathematics.

I watched her growing from her teens to a full grown woman. I laugh with her, cried with her and I had been a listener to her laughter and sobs. She almost acquired my activist’s point of views and had been a very idealistic person.

Born to a military family, she had taken the same path. At 26, she’s now a chief investigator of CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group), Camp Macabulos, Tarlac City. I am closely following her career and hoping the best of everything for her and her family.

Welcome to the Christian World Baby Jed 🙂

Baby Jed

The new member of the family

See how cute he is… hmmm, she looks like her mommy che 🙂

The tired mommy Cherry… sleeping beauty 🙂

…and the visitors Ate Evelyn (Che’s mom), Ate Luz & Beth and yours truly in the red shirt 🙂

Nov 11 2008

Veterans Day

NOVEMBER 11, 2008

Today, Americans are celebrating Veterans Day. This occasion is celebrated annually every 11^th day of November in honor of military veterans. If it falls on a Sunday then the following Monday is designated for holiday leave. This practice is similar to Philippines because any legal holiday which falls on a Sunday, Monday will be a holiday leave, and for regular workers working on a holiday, it will be a double pay on their pay slip.

Why I am discussing this?

Courtesy of http://z.hubpages.com/

My Dad is a US army, a World War II Veteran. Col. Aureo B. Bustinera, my dad is one of the thousand Filipino Soldiers who fought hand in hand with the US military soldiers to liberate the Philippines from Japanese forces during war time. I grew up with stories of war and battles. I can’t count the times how my dad untiringly narrated his experiences in the battle field. The scars on his face, the traces of tortures and marks all over his body are the silent witness of his great bravery.

I was breed to be tough to all sorts of battle. The big D which stands for discipline was deeply marked on my forehead. I learned the essence of discipline through constant lecture and spanking but I do love my dad. I owe him what I am today. My battle of life has been easier compared to what he had been through during those crucial times. Living in the midst of tanks, firing guns and grenades is no joke. To survive from that battle is indeed a big miracle and I thank God that I was born to a brave man like my dad. I’m very proud of him.

Sometime in September 1992, Dad availed and filed for US Naturalization Process. This is one of the benefits extended to USAFFE (United States Army Forces in the Far East) and Philippine Scouts. Dad is a Philippine Scout (PS). PS is a military organization of the United States Army from 1901 to World War II. Made up of native Filipinos assigned to the US Army’s Philippine Department, these troops were generally enlisted and under the command of American officers, however, a handful of Filipinos received commissions from the United States Military Academy. Philippine Scout units are given a suffix of (PS), to distinguish them from other US Army units.

One of my Dad’s Certificate. Click for larger view.

I assisted my dad during his review. He has to familiarize all the questions and corresponding answers provided in his reviewer. I even memorized the 50 states; American flag color, presidents and other related questions because Dad was reading that everyday, I used to mock him for that because for me, it’s odd why he has to memorize all that stuff. Then I go with him at the US embassy and you know what happen. Our efforts were wasted because the interviewer just asked him to narrate his experiences during the war and he listened tearfully. Whew! That’s what I get with days of review lol!

Dad has been naturalized after a year and awarded a multiple entry and exit to US. He petitioned us after but I told him I prefer to stay here in the Philippines. The irony of this naturalization is that Dad will only receive his pension if he would live in the US territory. Many of my dad’s comrades went abroad to taste the life of Milk and Honey but unfortunately most of them returned resting on their coffins accompanied by their mourning families.

Dad’s US Certificate of Naturalization. click for larger image.

My Dad is already past his 80s and one of an estimated 18,000 surviving World War II Filipino veterans, 13,000 in the Philippines and 5,000 in the U.S. struggling to survive without adequate veteran’s benefits which the U.S. government promised nearly six decades ago. Instead he has been living meagerly on his old age pension from PVAO (Philippine Veterans Affairs Office).

Reading the news, the bill which will allow the US veterans residing in the Philippines to receive part of the compensation that the US veterans residing in US is receiving which is called Veterans’ Equity Act of 2007 has been set for floor debates both in the Senate and the House of Representatives.

I saw the faint smile from my dad’s tired old face. Finally, after more than half of the century fighting for their rights, they’re almost at the finished line and I hope my dad can still raise his hands for that day that he will receive his $ pension which he long for many years.

Dad and thousand of men like him were victims of wars and conflict. They served hand in hand with the government but been abandoned afterwards. They’re no different from many Philippine soldiers who were pushed out from their hard-earned home like what is happening to us now here in Camp Aquino where we are facing demolition issue.

The irony of war… The irony of Governance…

…and yet we are wondering why resistance movements exist?

The existence of resistance movement in any country is a result of discontentment and poverty. They choose to die fighting rather than die waiting…

I hope that the leaders will comprehend the essence of this truth…

Nov 1 2008

Undas sa Pinas 2008

NOVEMBER 1, 2008

Filipinos are celebrating All Saints Day and All Souls Day every 1st and 2nd day of November. It’s one of the most celebrated traditions in our country. We call it “Undas” or “Fiesta ng mga Patay” in Tagalog and because I’m a Bicolana, we call it “Fiesta ng mga Kalag” in Bicol Term.

Fiesta, yes this is almost a festivity as families are going to cemeteries to pray and celebrate. It’s a whole day activity and to some, they even spend it overnight. It’s like a party or reunion as we are also bringing foods aside from flower and candles.

Yesterday, Hub and Jane went at Eternal Memorial Park at 7am to prepare our place. They brought some chairs and light candles while I prepared some food for our lunch and snacks. Every year, I usually cook “pancit” and “malagkit” for this occasion. This is a native Filipino food. We also put “atang” or food offerings in our altars. It’s a traditional food offering for the souls of our departed loved ones.

Some communities are also holding Halloween Party and “Trick or Treat” but in our Barangay (Pinoy Term for Community), families are spending the day at the cemetery. We prepare flowers, candles and my son even bought his pet Meme to spend the day with us.

My kids enjoyed the day playing, eating and running around. It’s also a time to meet old friends as many of our friends who are staying at other towns and provinces are going home to visit their loved ones. This is also a nice time for family reunions so it’s almost a dual celebration both for the departed loved ones and the family as a whole.

These are some of the pictures of the Undas

In loving memory of Inang, Tatay Pedro and Kuya FrancingMy eldest daughter Jesicca >>> pa cute 🙂Yours truly and my kids- Jek, Sab, Isha, Nonoy, my niece Jane and KBHub & the kidsMy youngest son, NonoyJane, Isha & KB >>> hala kain ng kain 🙂Hub’s niece Marilyn A.K.A. “Basisang” and her BF Aldrin>>> Oiii, sweet nila 🙂Sabrina>>> Pa cute din 🙂Inabot na kami ng gabi

My sis in-law, Ate Luz and niece Cherry

E2 c Hub dapat daw me solo pic sya 🙂 (talo pa ko- ako wala 🙂 )

at syempre only in the Philippines: Negosyo kahit araw ng patay 🙂

Okay, til here folks, that’s our yearly celebration of UNDAS SA PILIPINAS. Til next post 🙂 Ingat!

Note: ingat means take care

Oct 31 2008

PinayKeyPoint Logo

Hello guys, I’ll be busy today>>> we’ll spend the whole day at Eternal Memorial Park to visit my In-law’s tomb. Be back later with photos and a new update.

Some of my blogger friends are requesting me to create my logo, so I draft a quick layout. I hope you like it 🙂 Pls. copy the code below to embed this on your blog for a quick link to my blog. Thank you! Happy Halloween to all of you! Enjoy the day 🙂

<a href=”https://pinaykeypoint.wordpress.com/”> <img src=”https://pinaykeypoint.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/pinaykeypoint-logo3.jpg”></a>

Oct 30 2008

Happy Halloween!!

MyNiceSpace.com

Oct 29 2008

Semestral Break

OCTOBER 29, 2008

It’s my Kids’ semestral break so I’m a bit rested this week without having to worry with their early breakfast meals, snacks and packed lunch.

Our days typically starts at 4:30a.m. That is from Monday to Friday. I have 4 students here, 1 college, Junior high and 2 grade school and every morning, my house is busy and noisy as my kids are arguing who will use the bathroom first. Each of them has a morning task, they have to arrange their beddings, sweep the floor, feed their pets, clean their shoes and iron their uniforms. I use to do these things but as they grow up, I begin to distribute the tasks to train them juts like how my day trained me.

After all the fuss, I would send them off to school at 6:30am. Classes starts at 7am but they should allocate a 30 minutes travel time. I will be left with all the mess, dishes on the sink and kitchen stuffs used in preparing their breakfast and packed lunch. But this is already a minimal task since they already do the rest. I don’t have to worry about their beds because they already finished cleaning their rooms.

Motherhood is really a tough job. No vacation and no rest days lol! When I was still working at a private firm, I used to leave early with them and the mess are are left to my 2 maids. After the birth of my son, I decided to stay home to personally attend to my kid’s needs.

Everyday, after they all left, I will quickly clean the mess and would sit in my desk to start working. I am running a homebase business and working online as well. Before I left my job, I really have fear if we will survive if I will stay home but hub insisted that I should personally attend my kids since they are growing and maids cannot replace my role.

I really enjoy staying with them and I realized that after I sent them all to school, I still have all the time to myself, so to maximize my idle time, we decided to open a homebase business. I manage to help hub earn a fair amount to sustain our financial needs. I also found online writing jobs which really fills my idle time.

I guess this is just a matter of initiative and resourcefulness, so to all mommies out there na maraming idle time pero meron namang talent, you can consider working online, yung fit lang sa oras mo at di ka naman ma pe pressure.

Another occasion that will make us busy this week is All Saints’ Day. We have to go to cemetery to clean my in-laws tomb. This is a yearly event celebrated by the Catholic Community all over the world. I’ll tackle that topic in my future post

Til here guys, sa susunod uli 🙂

Oct 27 2008

Robinson and Demolition

OCTOBER 27, 2008

Okay sa title rhyme diba? 🙂

Robinson Supermarket’s Opening

To my fellow Tarlaqueños and Tarlaqueñas, opening of Robinson Supermarket will be on October 30, 2008 kaya mejo ihanda nyo na yang mga budget nyo for grocery.

Hay naku maganda lang to sa maraming pera hehehe…

I mean this is good to those who have extra budget but to us, who are living each day at a time and sometimes can’t even make both ends meet, maybe we’ll just walk in for window shopping lol! 🙂

Zone ABC Demolition Issue: Updates

Robinson’s opening will not stop my fellow barangays from worrying with the serious threat of demolition. I wrote this issue in my previous post and the last time that NOLCOM officers attended a dialogue with us last week, they lay down a “Take it or Leave it” offer. It means, we signed the MOA or not, its up to us. But one thing is clear, they will pursue with their plan.

What ironic in this meeting is that, our association’s officers are speaking in behalf of the officers when in fact, the NOLCOM officers are there and they should be the one answering the questions raised by the membership.

Leadership means leading and representing your people and members, and for this clear definition, we were expecting that our association officers shall mediate and collect the questions and raised it during the meeting, giving the opportunity to NOLCOM officers to explain their side but it’s the other way around.

This is indeed a serious threat to our property and security. The content of the MOA clearly defines a voluntary turn-over of your property, not only the lot per se where our house were erected but our house itself. The MOA also stated that they can conduct an inspection anytime they pleases which is a clear manifestation of harassment. They think we are all idiots and stupids and with an armed men around, threatening us with this “Take it or Leave it” connotation.

It’s really sad to see these people going beyond the rights of many people. This is one of the reason why GMA’s strong republic is never realized and will remain a dream until the end of her administration.

They are all like wolves under the mask of a lamb.

Oct 26 2008

Happy Birthday Nonoy!

October 26, 2008 – My son’s Birthday

Today I get up early to finish my online tasks. I have to finish uploading my articles for my employers so I can prepare for my son’s birthday.

Nonoy is my youngest son. His full name is Robin Corpuz Jr., we named him after my hub and he’s our only son. He’s 4 years old today and I cooked his favorite food, spaghetti. We attended mass and went at downtown area to buy his birthday cake. He picked his own choice of cake at Butterworld with spiderman theme. Thank you Isabel, for a very warm accommodation, she is the cashier of Butterworld Tarlac, Tańedo branch.

It’s a family affair with my friend Liza of course. It was like a balloon party and the kids really enjoyed playing around and creating different styles. Thanks to my niece Cherry for the balloons.

Nonoy came to us after 5 years of waiting since the birth of my youngest girl Rajisha who was born on August 16, 1999. I thought we’d never had a baby boy. I knew hub wants a boy who would carry his name so when the doctor said I was positive, he simply uttered “I wish it’s a baby boy while rubbing my womb gently. Finally, when my OB-Gyne scheduled me for ultrasound on my 8th month of pregnancy, she informed us that it was indeed a baby boy. Hub can’t express how he felt that time, we went to church to say thank you and it was really a call for a celebration. We were still working at IWS then and he invited his friends for a simple party.

Some of my friends told me that I will have a hard time and hard labor since its a baby boy but fortunately, it was the easiest delivery I ever had among my first 3 daughters. Nonoy’s scheduled date of delivery was on the first week of November but he arrived earlier. Hub went to work then, he’s on a night shift schedule which starts from 10pm to 6am. My kids were already fast asleep while I was busy on my PC when I felt water in my legs. I thought it was just a pee but I can’t control it. When I went to the bathroom I saw my blood stained undies. I am not the type who easily panics so I called my niece Jane and asked her to call hub at the Plant. My things are already prepared in one corner ready for pick up anytime so I just sit and wait for hub who arrived after 30 minutes. I was rushed to the hospital and the nurse hurriedly prepared me. It was almost midnight then and they asked me to relax and not to push too much because the baby is already coming and my OB was still on her way to the hospital. A few minutes later, I saw Dr. Fredeswinda Santos, my OB-gyne hurriedly wearing her gloves and in 10 minutes, I heard Nonoy crying. She put the bloody little figure in my chest and I had managed to gently rub his hair before I lost my consciousness. According to the nurses assigned, that was one of the fastest and easiest delivery they had 😉 Thanks to you and to Dr. Santos who is my OB with all my pregnancies.

After a year, I decided to file for an early retirement to take care of my kids personally. After 4 years, my son turned to a sweet little boy, who love to mess around, kiss me and cuddle in my lap. He’s a little brat, spoiled by her sisters, dad and aunts.

He’s a monster at times so we bought his pet Meme(guinea pig) to help him control his temper and it was really effective. He’s very fond of Meme and his excitement was added by the birth of Kikay’s 4 cute puppies. My kids named them after their favorite animes; sakichi, ino, jamaxie and hinata.

It was a happy and noisy party with the kids shouting, singing and running around our small house.

Happy Birthday Nonoy!!

Nonoy’s birthday cake from Butterworld Bakeshop

The birhday celebrant: Robin Corpuz Jr. aka “Nonoy”

The proud mommy at your service 🙂 oii, kararating lang ng oDesk t-shirt ko, suot ko na 🙂

The proud daddy

Makukulit na ate

Tita Liza – present sa lahat ng okasyon 🙂

Cute ba ha? 🙂

Kainan na!!

Sarrrap!! cake time na!!!

Ang makulit na tropa! KB and CJ with tita Sabrie

Syempre di mawawala ang paboritong Ate Che, Salamat sa lobo 🙂

at si kuya Czar, papa ni KB

At ang bagong pinsan at miyembro ng pamilya… si Julian 🙂

Andito si Charis, o diba kumpleto ang Tolenada Family 🙂

at syempre at Mama ng Tolenada family, Ate Evelyn 🙂

O, balloon time na haha! 🙂

At syempre di mawawala ang mahabang kantahan sa videoke. Nabusog kami at malalim na ang gabi ng matulog. Sulit ang araw ng linggo 🙂

That’s all for now readers 🙂 til next post!

Oct 23 2008

Brgy. Maliwalo, Tarlac City, Philippines

Hello Janet, This post is for you 🙂

I had a request from my regular reader who used to live in Tarlac but relocated now in Davao City. She want me to post pictures of Barangay Maliwalo and Maliwalo High School. Her last look on this place was in 1989, whoa! Almost 2 decades!

I was relocated in Tarlac in May 1991 prior to the eruption of Mount Pinatubo. So you’re already gone before I even set my foot in this place Janet. Well, there were big changes from then on. I still remember the first time I saw this place, OMG, I whispered to myself, I don’t think I will survive here… lol! I just arrived from Japan then, from a company training at Sumitomo Wiring Systems, one of the biggest company in Japan. We were sent by Kawasaki Company for further training and in return, I need to be transferred here so I can also share my knowledge to newly hired workers of IWSPC- International Wiring Systems Philippines Corp. – the company where I used to work)

Can you imagine, I am a party goer, we were spending nights in bars and discos and suddenly I will live in a barrio lol! The only recreation I can find here then was the old bowling lane at Jecson (It’s a Hospital now). I remember the first time I tried to watch movie here, I was not able to finish the film because I can’t take it anymore, the movie theater was so mapanghe haha 🙂 and that was my first and last visit to that theater, and The Mandarin and Marco Polo. Those where the places where we used to spend our Saturday night after 5 days of tiring work at IWS but those are all gone now. Tarlac is already invaded by Mc dos, Jollibees, Max’s, Chowkings, Malls etc…

So as promised, because I will be paying my water bill at Tarlac Water District, I brought my cam to give you a shot of the place.Eto na yung junction na papasok sa Maliwalo, yung way sa left, palabas yan ng Metro Town, yung sa rignt, palabas ng Osias College.Eto naman yung pinaka downtown ng Maliwalo ngayun, Maayos na syaTarlac Water District Building. O, say mo, sosyal yung building ng TWD ngayun 🙂

Our Lady of Lourdes Parish ChurchMaliwalo Barangay Hall Globe Telecom – Tarlac Maliwalo Elementary School Eto na ang Maliwalo High Shool ngayun, donated ng Japan Gov yang building na yan kaya me flag ng Japan

At siyempre sinama ko na din to. Alangan namng puro new buildings lang ang makita mo 🙂

Ayan yung Post office. Antique na ha 🙂 Sana mapalitan na din ito

So that’s Maliwalo now. Parang Nostalgia trip ha, madami ka sigurong naalala ano? Pareho lang tayo. Na mi miss ko na din ang aking homeland Bikolandia. Pero talagang ganun, maraming reason kung bakit nandito tayo sa lugar kung saan tayo nakatira ngayun.

In my case, I’m just making the most out of it. I had my share of struggles and happy moments here and there but I always bear in mind that wherever we live, we’re just underneath the grace of God. Just pause, look up and feel His presence no matter where you are 🙂

Oct 18 2008

Health and Wealth Summit 2008

FREE FOR 737 PEOPLE

This was e-mailed to me by my contacts and I think its worth sharing.

>>>It’s not always that we bring in successful Filipinos abroad to speak on stage to share their success story in Manila. After a couple of meetings and exploratory talks, we finally convinced ourselves that “this is it”–this is one opportunity where they can teach us what they’ve learned over decades of struggles and achievements.

Health and Wealth Summit intends to gather businessmen, entrepreneurs, corporate executives, managers, supervisors, community and church leaders, and students in a four-hour seminar conducted by Dr. and Mrs. Cris Enriquez, an epitome of a Filipino Dream in America.

In four hours, we expect you to learn how to become wealthy and healthy in our very own country. We’d like to see you growing by listening and understanding some principles that our speakers will embark once they go on stage, live!

We simply want you to learn from them as they speak in-person. We want you to gain significant information on how good health and enduring wealth are built.

In his own words, Dr. Cris said, “Filipinos are rich. They don’t have to go abroad to make a abundant, quality life. They just have to adjust their level of thinking.”

Dr. Cris is recognized as the only medical doctor in the world practicing in four fields of medicine simultaneously. He’s the author of “The Healthy Life” published in the United States. His wife is as equally successful and active as he is in teaching and providing trainings in corporate America.

As we prepare this event, there have been a mix of emotions among us. We are excited and afraid at the same time. We’re excited because here comes another opportunity for us to help a person like you and afraid because you may deny this invitation because of time constraint among other excuses.

But we trust that you will enthusiastically join us this time. Remember that we’re staging this for FREE. And we’re doing all these because we wanted to provide you with another learning venue where you can bring in your family, fellow workers, and friends.

But we can only accommodate 737 people. So, we strongly advise you to confirm your attendance as soon as you receive this invitation by calling the following number:

Tel/ 729.9541; 482.6927 or Mobile/ 09276603920 and look for me (Aila).

If you want to sponsor this event, you can contact us.

You can also send an email to eventsengineer@gmail.com with Subject Line: Health and Wealth Summit 2008 and give us the following details of participants that you’re sending:

Name:
Email:
Mobile:
Company Name:
Designation:
Tel/Fax:

Alternatively, you can download a registration form by clicking this link and fax it to 729.9541.

Online Registration

Creating event inside a big event,Aila Comla-Tibayan
Event Engineer
Health and Wealth Summit 2008

PS. It is important that you will keep your commitment to this event as your seat is as valuable as one life deprived of an opportunity to learn when you confirm and fail to attend.

So my dear readers, if you are interested to attend in this event, make your reservations ASAP as seats are just limited. I can’t attend this because of my tight schedule but, I’m usually present in this gatherings. I was there when EBAY held its first gathering in 2006 at Shangri la Makati and it’s also free 🙂 I had many freebies from that event.

I also attended a 2 days advance IT training at UP Diliman sponsored by Japanese chambers of Commerce and UPITTC and it’s also FREE. Training kits and goodness, the food, we’re all full 🙂

These are just one of the free events and gatherings I attended, of course the fare is yours:) But it’s really worth it as it enhances your knowledge and you will also have the opportunity to meet new contacts.

So if your interested, just contact them at the contact info they provided above 🙂

Oct 13 2008

Girl Scout of the Philippines

Coping up with my posts, I’ll be sharing with you one of my daughter’s activity last September 30. It’s a delayed post but I have many article rewrites and paid blogging work lately so I kinda neglected my blog. Sorry guys, I need to prioritize my earnings since 70% of our income comes from online work and 30% comes from my field work and homebase biz. I have 4 kids to feed and 1 niece to send to school that made 5 kids to grow. We’re a big family indeed and we really have to work overtime to cope up with our daily expenses.

I am always active and supportive to my kid’s activities and one of this is GSP activity. GSP means Girl Scout of the Philippines. Last September 30, 2008 Tarlac South District Elementary schools from different barangays of Tarlac South celebrated Escoda Day. Sapang Tagalog Elementary hosted the event.

GSP Theme

It started at 6am so my kids woke up early to prepare. It was a whole day activity which includes formation, Marching, Yelling competition and parlor games. The activity ended at 3pm and San Miguel Elementary school was the overall champion in Yelling Completion.

Hub took this picture before they go to the Formation area. He said the morning was so pleasant and he can’t help but take this picture.

I also made a research about the brief history of GSP to give you a clear idea why they are celebrating Escoda day. What or who is Escoda anyway?

Research from Wikipedia.com

The Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP) is the national Guiding association for girls and young women of the Philippines. Its mission is “to help girls and young women realize the ideals of womanhood and prepare themselves for their responsibilities in the home, and to the nation, and the world community. The girls-only association serves 671,267 members (as of 2003).

Lone Girl Scout troops were organized in the Philippines as early as 1918 by American missionaries and servicemen. These Scout troops were directly registered with the Girl Scouts of the USA.

Pilar Hidalgo-Lim and Josefa Llanes Escoda spearheaded the organization of a Scout movement for girls, and requested the assistance of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP). In 1939, Mrs. Escoda was sent to the United States and Britain for training through the help of Joseph E. Stevenot of the BSP. Upon her return to the Philippines, she immediately started to set up the GSP with the help of other civic organizations.

On May 26, 1940, the GSP was chartered under Philippine Commonwealth Act No. 542.

In 1946, the GSP was accepted as a tenderfoot member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) during the 11th World Conference held at Evian, France. In 1948, the GSP became a full member of WAGGGS during the 12th World Conference held at Cooperstown, New York.

Since 1995 the organization lost nearly half of its members; the membership number shrunk from 1,275,113 in 1995 to 671,267 in 2003. In reaction to this, the BSP opened the Senior Scout Section for girls in summer 2006 which led to a public conflict about the focuses of both GSP and BSP.

Program

The GSP’s program focuses on “well-being, family life, heritage and citizenship, world community, preparedness, economic self-sufficiency, arts and environment. Center of the program is the “eight-point challenge”, a merit-badge program. The highest award is the “Chief Girl Scout Medal” which was introduced in 1976.

The Girl Scout emblem incorporates elements of the flag of the Philippines.

Sections

The association is divided in five sections according to age:

* Twinkler Scout – ages 4 to 6

* Star Scout – ages 6 to 9

* Junior Girl Scout – ages 9 to 12

* Senior Girl Scout – ages 12 to 15

* Cadet Girl Scout – ages 15 to 21

Scout Promise

Filipino:

Sa aking karangalan, gagampanan ko ang aking tungkulin

sa Diyos at sa aking bayan;

tutulong ako sa aking kapwa sa lahat ng pagkakataon

at isasabuhay ko ang Batas ng Girl Scout.

English:

On my honor, I will do my duty:

to God and my country;

to help other people at all times;

and to live by the Girl Scout Law.

Scout Law

1. Ang Girl Scout ay mapagkakatiwalaan (A Girl Scout’s honour is to be trusted)

2. Ang Girl Scout ay matapat (A Girl Scout is loyal)

3. Ang Girl Scout ay matulungin (A Girl Scout is helpful)

4. Ang Girl Scout ay kaibigan ng lahat at kapatid ng bawa’t Girl Scout (A Girl Scout is a friend to all and a sister to every other Girl Scout)

5. Ang Girl Scout ay mapitagan (A Girl Scout is courteous)

6. Ang Girl Scout ay magalang sa lahat na may buhay (A Girl Scout respects living things)

7. Ang Girl Scout ay disiplinado (A Girl Scout is disciplined)

8. Ang Girl Scout ay may sariling paninindigan (A Girl Scout is self-reliant)

9. Ang Girl Scout ay matipid (A Girl Scout is thrifty)

10. Ang Girl Scout ay malinis sa isip, sa salita at sa gawa (A Girl Scout is clean in thoughts, words and deeds)

Sapang Tagalog Elementary School Stage

Girl Scout Formation – Sapang Tagalog Gym

The big GSP Crowd includes the parents as audience

GSP Patrol Leaders holding the GSP Flags

Star Scout Yell presentation – San Miguel Elementary School

My daughter Rajisha is included in this presentation under my Best friend Liza’s sister Madam Susana Tam. They were awarded as Yell Champion

My daughter Rajisha and her friends – She’s in grade 4

My daughter Sabrina: they are reciting Girl Scout Law

My daughter Sabrina – She’s in 5th Grade

My daughter Sab and her friends. They also won the Yell Competition

Sabrina & Rajisha – My 2 daughters

One positive experience they have experienced transferring to a public school is this GSP activity. They never have a GSP activity when they were studying at Tarlac Montessori School.

Naalala ko tuloy nung bata pa ako, I used to go on camping and jamboree from one place to another, my dad is allowing me to do so but todays generation is different because of many dangers in todays environment so I’m always hesitant to allow them to join camping in far flung areas. My kids, especially my 14 years old daughter Jessica is asking for permission in their forthcoming camping activity outside Tarlac, on November but I said I’ll think about it 🙂

How about you? do you still remember your great experiences during GSP & BSP campings? 🙂

Oct 8 2008

Thoughts on Parenting

Before September ends, we attended a General PTA meeting for my eldest daughter Jessica. It was a whole day affair. The morning activity includes a Parenting seminar hosted by TSU Lab School’s Office of the Students Affairs Guidance and Placement Unit. The speaker of that seminar was Mr. Raffy Paredes, brother of APO group singer Jim Paredes from CEFAM – Center for Family Ministries – Ateneo De Manila University. The seminar focused primarily on teen’s behavioral changes. I am discussing parenting and even teaching it when I was still active in community organizations but this is different as I am sitting there as an audience and absorbing all the necessary inputs so I can fully understand my daughter’s behavior.

I am a mother of four kids and parenting is one of the hardest work any person can have in his entire life. It takes a lot of patience or I may say sacrifice, dedication, finance, time and of course love. Parenting means growing a person and guiding them to be a responsible member of society. This is the perfect goal for each parent but we all know that during this process, a lot of struggle may sets in. This struggles may lead to worst misunderstanding and most of the time, if not handled with proper attention will end up in a big mess.

Generation Gap. This is one of the culprits of misunderstanding. Parents are having a hard time coping up with their children especially when “technology” sets in. I have my share of unhappy memories as well.

I was born to a disciplinarian family. My dad is an army officer and so he marked a big “D” on my forehead. That big D stands for discipline. Every mistake will earn me a good spanking. I had so many tearful thoughts on that lol! But I never take it against my dad, I love him so much and thankful that he made me for what I am now.

But of course those experiences served as my guidelines. I need to understand that discipline is an important part of parenting. Though, I made some modifications. Being an activist plays an important factor too. Hub and I imposed a regular meeting in the family. We are discussing rules, tasks, targets and output and of course rewards. I don’t want to be a perfect parent but I dream to be the best mom for my kids.

To cope up with my kids, I see to it that I set my foot in the computer world first before they do. I was the one who taught them their first lessons in windows. This will narrow the generation gap as they know that you know what they know.

But this is not enough. There goes the bad moods and peculiar behaviors. Have you experience talking with your teens, and they would just turn to you with puzzled look?

In front of the dining table, we are sharing some funny incidents in a days work and I turned to my daughter. I asked her something about her project and she said “ha?” I repeated the word 3 times and she replied with “ha?” 3 times too. I was irritated because she was just in front of me so I asked her “what’s the matter with you? Have you cleaned your ears lately?” and she replied again with “hah? OMG! You’re possessed or maybe your spirit is traveling to Norway.

Attending this seminar cleared my mind. The speaker said that there is a scientific explanation about these behaviors. He shared to us some facts about it. According to him, study shows that during puberty period, the development of the brain is much slower as the physical aspects are fast developing. These explain why my smart daughter suddenly becomes forgetful and have hearing problems 🙂 But the speaker said we have to be patient because this will just pass.

The seminar lasted for almost 4 hours but it’s worth the time.

The afternoon activity was a PTA officer election and releasing of grades. I am holding my breath before I peep in my daughter’s card. Well, I smiled and hug her because she has good grades and included in top 8 students. Congratulations Baby! Keep it up 🙂

Sep 30 2008

Zone ABC: We are facing Demolition Issue

Zone A, B and C of Barangay San Miguel, Tarlac City are facing Demolition issue and this is a very crucial matter for us. It means there is a threat that we will lose the very home that we have now and it is very eminent lately. There have been a series of meetings between the Zone association and the NOLCOM – Northern Luzon Command and Nolcom issued a proposed MOA (Memorandum of Agreement) which in my assessment is very unfair on our part.

I met my husband in Tarlac when I was relocated here 18 years ago. I am a daughter of a military, Col. Aureo B. Bustinera, a US WWII veteran. I was raised to embrace home and family and my dad taught me to be righteous and loyal. My husband’s father and 4 brothers served the Armed Forces of the Philippines as well and 2 had died in active duty. This is the reason why my hub’s family is residing here. The lot where our house was built had been awarded to his father more than 50 years ago. This serves a permanent home for my hub’s family for many years. I never had the chance to meet my father-in-law since he was already deceased many years before I meet my husband. We were both military children so we knew the essence of discipline and loyalty to home and family which our dads taught to us. When I married hub, 15 years ago, we embraced the same principle of raising our kids in the light of loyalty and discipline. My kids are growing with leadership yet, very loving and homebody.

When I read the MOA from Nolcom last week, I had a hard time getting a normal sleep. My kid’s future is at stake. There is a threat that one day we shall wake up homeless. It is so unfair. How can the government tolerate this? For more than 50 years, people are living here peacefully, soldiers served their purpose and some even died like my 2 brothers-in-law, tilled this land and made it a home. Now that progress is coming to our place, will it be the same progress that will make us homeless and poor? How about our house that we built for years? We were in debt for many years to build our house so we can provide our kids a decent home.

Is this the Strong Republic that the government is flaunting in their speeches? How sincere is the call when they are threatening us to take our home instead of providing it to its constituents? I can say that everytime the government is taking steps like these, they are creating enemies and waging war against the very people that have been very loyal and dedicated.

As I write this post, I know it will add another danger in our lives but I cannot rest and wait for that day that I will wake my kids homeless. I am asking the Government to take a second look and pay attention to people’s issues. I am lobbying this in behalf of my 4 kids and the rest of the small children in our neighborhood. Please don’t make them homeless… Please provide us a home… don’t take it away from us.

Robin, Juliet, Jessica, Sabrina, Rajisha & Robin Jr.

Calamansi Street Zone C San Miguel Tarlac City Philippines

The same place where my husband robin and my kids grew and experienced their childhood

This is the MOA from NOLCOM. Please read it tell me if this is just and right….

MOA – Page 1

MOA – Page 2

MOA – Page 3

Sep 30 2008

Protected: Happy Birthday CJ

Sep 15 2008

San Francisco Day Care Center

I just finished creating the blogsite for San Francisco Day Care Center. This is one of our 3 day care center projects. They have almost 70 day care students. I designed and printed their student ID cards and as you can see the number of students does not give us enough profit but we are giving them free web presence.

Giving out free IT trainings and web presence are my bid for social responsibility. I always believe that education plays a major role in nation building. For this reason, I am sharing my skill to achieve these goals. I already conducted several free IT trainings in the past and this is my contribution to bridge digital divide in my own way. I am encouraging organizations and public schools in my province to avail the advantages of having web presence which shall benefit the students, the parents & the school. It will enhance communication because the school will have a good venue to post current activities and upcoming programs.

Excerpt from San Francisco blogsite:

Social Workers are also considered as “Living Heroes” because of their unceasing effort to help and serve the community. Running and teaching a public day care center requires patience and passion. Mrs. Rebecca Manalang is one good example, she is not just teaching the kids but she’s extending motherly love as well.

The concept of daycare program is to help the working parents and prepare the children for formal education. Attending daycare center will enhance good behavior as the children learns to play within the spirit of cooperation and teamwork. Although, children are not graded academically, they still have writing and reading sessions. They are taught how to draw and create projects which improve their learning skills…. More click here…

Sep 14 2008

Tarlac City Schools’ Division Press Conference 2008

This is a yearly activity for public and private High School and Elementary Schools in Tarlac City. It was held at San Miguel Central Elementary School (SMCES) on September 11 and 12, 2008. Delegates from different schools participated for the following categories;

Day 1

Editorial writing – English and Filipino

Feature Writing – English and Filipino

News Writing – English and Filipino

Editorial Cartooning – English and Filipino

Photo Journalism – English and Filipino

Day 2

Sports Writing – English and Filipino

Script Writing – English and Filipino

Broadcasting – English and Filipino

The activity started at 8 a.m. with a short program facilitated by Tarlac South District and SMCES. Some expected speakers didn’t show up in this activity.

My daughter Jessica from TSU Lab School was one of the participants in that activity but according to her, they never had enough time to prepare unlike other schools which are preparing months prior to this event. I know this because she only just told me last week that they have to practice. TSU Lab School didn’t participate for the past 2 years and my daughter said that Mr. Dungca have done an effort so they can join. She asked me for 200.00php registration fee but fortunately, it was returned to me after the event. According to her, TSU shouldered the expenses but she was so disappointed by the certificates. I understand why, it was printed in a half bond paper printed in economy mode. My daughter is compiling all certificates for every activity that she attended and this is the worst certificate that she received.

Tarlac Montessori and Maliwalo National High School bagged most of the awards. TSU Lab School had managed to get 4 slots for Regional School Press Conference.

Jessica told me that most of the winners came from public schools wherein they really expressed their innermost feeling towards poverty and other political and economic issues. Of course, these students are directly affected and can express their emotions whether in writing or drawing unlike students from private schools who never really experience the real face of poverty and oppression.

Here are some of the photos that my hub was taken during the press con.

San Miguel Central Elementary School Front Gate

San Miguel Central Elementary School “Bahay Kubo”

Day 1 – TSU Lab School Participants

Day 2 – TSU Lab School -Jessica with her friends

Jessica – Feature Writing

Masakit na ata ang ulo mo anak… kaya mo yan 🙂

Editorial Cartooning Entries

My daughter is extending her warm gratitude for their Trainer Mr. Jayson Bernardo Dungca for his patience and support for the entire team of TSU Lab School. Salamat Sir!!

Sep 13 2008

Job Search in Tarlac

Job searches for Tarlac always goes to my landing pages. I’m sorry guys that you can’t find Job Posting in my blog because I don’t have contact with the establishments here. I’m just a typical mommy working online and homebase. Most of the events in Tarlac that I am featuring in my blog are the activities that my kids attended. They are the one who gather data and photos for those events.

Please check our local website at http://www.tarlaccity.gov.ph/local_employment.htm. They are also posting current events and job vacancies. But if you have writing skills and you want to work online like me, I can give you tips on how to start. Just leave a message in my comment box and we can PM.

Thanks for the regular readers of my blog, you’re always in my widget, gorgeous faces 🙂 I really appreciate it.

Sep 4 2008

Health and Poverty

It’s very surprising how different websites and health magazines are flaunting how they are geared to promote modern health and lifestyle. They claim to understand the needs of families, men women, teens and children when in fact they are just promoting artificial foods, books, vitamins, dietary pills and other forms of products.

Digging deeper on the issue, we know the real score, they are there for one reason…Profit not Health. Are they really serious that our health is their main concern? I doubt it.

Health is a worldwide issue and it’s agonizing to know the sad truth that the very people that we’re depending on to promote and create programs for a healthy living and environment are the one who are destroying it. They are the one who are launching war from one country to another leaving thousand of casualties.

Philippines is one of the poorest country in Asia, despite of its richness in natural resources, millions of Filipinos are surviving hunger everyday. While the present government is claiming that health and other social services is one of their priorities, records will not conform to it.

Based on statistical data, the United Nations ranked the Philippines 90th out of 177 countries for the Human Development Index (HDI) in 2007. The HDI is a survey on the quality of life of citizens in UN member countries. It measures life expectancy, educational attainment, and GDP per capita. It was developed by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) as a standard means of measuring human development, a concept, which according to the UNDP, refers to the process of widening the options of persons, giving them greater opportunities for education, health care, income, employment, etc. It was also reported that in 2006, infant mortality rate in the Philippines is 24 per 1,000 live births.

According to the Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD), ten mothers die daily of pregnancy-and child-related causes. The group also said that seven out of ten Filipinos die without medical attention. Malnutrition and hunger is one of the major problems in our country and it is escalating everyday. A survey by IBON Foundation in April this year showed that 75.3 percent of families could not buy enough food.

Despite this devastating fact, The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) showed its budget allocation for health.

Year	Health	Debt Interest Payments	Defense
2001	13.64 B	181.60 B	32.78 B
2002	14.49 B	185.86 B	38.91 B
2003	12.40 B	226.41 B	44.42 B
2004	12.88 B	271.53 B	43.85 B
2005	12.93 B	301.69 B	44.19 B
2007	11.66 B	318.18 B	49.34 B
2008	19.77 B	269.85 B	50.93 B
Average allocation per year	13.84 B	257.10 B	43.58 B

While I was typing this article, the news airing on our TV caught my attention and stopped me. 24 Oras, a news and current affairs program of GMA 7, one of our local TV is making a report about the poorest municipalities in the Philippines and according to Philippine National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) NCR is on top of the list. Very poor families are scattered in different places of Manila, considering that Manila is one of the most modern places in the Philippines.

My hub took these photos today, while he is on his way to school to deliver students’ IDs. His way was blocked by these people swarming around the corner, curiously, he made his way to know what’s going on, and it’s the same scenario that we see on TV everyday, these people are patiently waiting to buy NFA rice. I told him jokingly why he didn’t buy a kilo for our dinner. Well it’s not a really a joke as we are also surviving hunger everyday. We are having hard time to make both ends meet.

Due to continuous oil price hikes which trigger unstoppable price increase in commodities, we are poorer now than we were 2 years ago. We can’t even buy a half cavan of rice unlike in the past that we already have a sack ready even before our rice dispenser runs out of rice. We are already using coal to save gas and my kids are complaining of eating noodles for their breakfast.

The only luxury that we have in our house now is my internet connection because I am using this to earn a living. But the kids are having a hard time in adjusting but I always console them that things will get better soon and I know that we have to double our work and I have to spend sleepless nights in my online works to do this.

Just like the many poor families in the Philippines, I am taking my sincere call to the government to prioritize health and employment, for a strong republic will remain a dream if these issues will not be properly addressed. And lastly, how can it be a strong republic when its people are weak, sick and dying of hunger?

Aug 30 2008

Aro Cup – Tarlac City Philippines

August 23, 2008

Aro Cup is a one of the project of our present city mayor in Tarlac City, Genaro “Aro” Mendoza. The title has been derived from his nickname Aro. It was now a yearly activity participated by different schools and colleges of Tarlac city.

The activity has started at 1:00 p.m at Tarlac State University Gym. My 2 daughters, Jessica and Sabrina were present in this activity and I asked them to jot down some important notes, pictures and videos of the said event. I also uploaded some videos in my account at U-Tube under REDWARRIORHEART.

Here are some of the list of the winning team. I lost track of the other but if you have the names and want it to be included here you can email me: redwarriorheart@yahoo.com or simply leave the names at my comment section. There are many searchers in my landing page searching about Aro cup . I tried googling it but there’s no pics and info bout this recent activity. I’m sorry guys I kept this for more than a week because of my busy schedule. I am trying to cope up with all my works and to update my blog as well.

CHEERLEADING COMPETITION – Elementary level

Champion – Tarlac West Elementary School

2nd Place – College of the Holy Spirit (Elementary)

3rd Place – Sapang Tagalog Elementary School

4th Place – Matatalaib Bato Elementary School

HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL

Champion – Tarlac National High School

2nd Place – Tarlac State University Laboratory High School

3rd Place – Osias College

Aug 17 2008

Luisita Mall to Robinson

I checked my dashboard for my statistics and I noticed that most of the tags used in the search are Luisita Robinson. So I decided to take a walk this afternoon to give my readers some update about it.

Luisita park is a few minutes walk from home. I usually walk here when I need some stretching from long hours of sitting infront of PC. Way back when I first came in Tarlac, as discussed in my previous posts, this area is full of tall grasses, carabao and trees; a typical provincial scenery. After 5 years of my stay here, this place has turned into a modern park with Hispanic touch. In my previous post, you will see some of the establishment such as Jollibee, Pizza Hut, Max’s and Starbucks. And if you will scroll below, you will see that Luisita Mall building is under construction.

Soon this building will be one of the many branches of Robinsons Mall. Well that will be good news to some of the families who can afford to shop here, but then, with the rising prices of basic commodities & devaluation of peso made us incapable to shop an extra aside from our basic needs.

Luisita Park is located at San Miguel, Tarlac City Philippines, 2 hours drive from Manila. If you are traveling to Baguio City, you will surely pass at this area.

Some of you who left last year, you will see a lot of changes when you go back. Last summer vacation, road widening has been implemented.

So folks, just stay tune and I’ll keep you informed with all the changes and update in our area.

Mabuhay!

Aug 13 2008

Luisita Park – Tarlac City Philippines

I am not a Tarlaquena by blood. I am here because I was relocated here by the company where I worked 18 years ago.

I am a Bicolana by blood and left my hometown to work in Manila. My 3rd job was at Kawasaki Motors Philippines and after 2 trainings in Japan, I was transferred as pioneer employee to Tarlac to train the newly hired employees. I was only 20 years old then and single, probably that was the main reason why I accepted the relocation; I have no family to worry of.

Tarlac then was a typical province, no sign of progress. The road to my company- IWSPC (Int’l wiring Systems Phils. Corp) was a rough road. IWSPC was one of the first locator at Luisita Industrial Park, it is a Special Export Processing Zone located at San Miguel, Tarlac City Philippines. In my previous post about Mt. Pinatubo, I shared my experiences regarding my first days in Tarlac. I deal with loads of ashes lol!

It’s a new adjustment and I have to deal with it. I was cut from city life, no movies, no disco, no parks and I have to walk more or less 3 kilometers to reach the highway. I lived in a dormitory provided by the company beside the company premises. Transport are all inbound. No outbound transport and you have to walk if you want to reach the nearest town.

I don’t know how I endure living here, maybe because I met my hub here lol! But Progress came to us after 5 years and the old place with tall grasses and trees turned into a beautiful park. And the pictures below will show you the progress of once a sleeping province.

This is the famous Jollibee, a pure Filipino food chain. This has many branches nationwide and already reached the tongue of different countries including America. My kids loves this place. Sabrina, Rajisha and my youngest son Nonoy celebrated birthdays here.

This is Luisita Mall. I took some pictures for souvenir. You’ll never see this building again in the coming months for it is undergoing construction. Robinson Mall will occupy the site.

These picture were taken inside Luisita Park. That building is Max’s restaurant, one of famous Filipino restaurant that specializes in fried chicken. I love that place. Rajisha and Nonoy’s baptismal party were held here.

This is Starbucks, yes we also have a branch of that famous cafe here. This is a hotspot so if you want to enjoy free unlimited internet surfing while sipping your favorite blend of coffee, this is the place to go. I bet you also love this place.

This is Pizza Hut. In case you want a delicious pizza, that is also available at LIP park and of course, there is Greenwich too but because Luisita Mall is under construction, they moved temporarily near Maligaya Variety Store beside 7 eleven, infront of Camp Servillano Aquino.

Yes, this is a genuine train. A century old train used at the Sugar cane Plantation owned by Cojuangcos. It now turned as one of the Park’s attraction.

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Dec 16 – Misa de Gallo

Belenismo – The art of making Belen

Zone ABC DEMOLITION CAMPAIGN

Dec 24, 2008 – Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas!!

December 25

Mano po Ninong/Ninang!!

Dec 27, 2008 – Happy Christening Baby Jed!!

December 31 – New Year Celebration 🙂

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Please click the link to see our recent Mount Pinatubo Trek last February 6 & 7, 2009

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I NEED YOUR STRENGTH

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I don’t want another Hacienda Luisita tragedy. Please spare our home and the children.

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1. The Power Blog Award

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I don’t want another Hacienda Luisita tragedy.
Please spare our home and the children.