The World of Second Chances

Abby Cruz Sa Nakaraang Bb. Pilipinas Pageant

March 10, 2009

That’s Entertainment

Marso 7, 2009 sa Araneta Coliseum ang gabi ng koronasyon para sa Bb. Pilipinas beauty pageant. Isa sa aking early favourite ay ang inamorata ni Paolo Bediones na si Abigail Lesley Cruz o mas kilala bilang Abby Cruz sa showbiz.

Sa aking palagay, advantage ni Abby ang pagiging 2nd runner up nya sa Bb. Pilipinas noong 2007. Sa tindig, sa porma, sa gandang Pilipina at sa galing sa pagsasalita, masasabing may advantage nga si Abby Cruz kumpara sa ibang kandidata.

Isang beses ko lang nakita si Abby Cruz ng personal. Abril 2007, sa Robinson’s Galleria, sa isang communication skills training ng Dale Carnegie ko siya nakasama. Bagamat mas palakaibigan at mas maganda si Nadia Lee Shien Shami, ang Bb. Pilipinas-World, mayroon din namang angking ganda at porma si Abby kung kaya’t isa ako sa mga umasa na sana ay manalo sya sa Bb. Pilipinas.

Hindi maikakailang naging mahigpit ang kompetisyon ng taong ito. Wala ka halos itulak-kabigin sa mga kandidata. Si Rich Asuncion ang bet ng fiance’ ko palibhasa parehong taga-Bohol.

Maraming nag-akala na mababahiran ng kontrobersya ang nagdaang Bb. Pilipinas. Inakala ng iba na ang presensya ni Paolo Bediones ay makakaapekto sa desisyon ng hurado. Ngunit hindi, natalo pa rin si Abby Cruz.

Para sa akin, walang puwang sa showbiz si Abby. Hindi sya isang aktres, mas mainam na mag-focus sya sa modelling. Ilang Binibini na ba ang sinubukan ang pelikula pero hindi naman sumikat? Exception to the rule na lang ang pinakamagandang hayop sa balat ng lupa na si Ms. Gloria Diaz. (Na ayaw ding pasalihin ang anak na si Isabelle sa Bb. Pilipinas kahit pasadong-pasado)

Kay Abby, ikaw pa rin ang bet kong manalo. Sayang at hindi ka nila nakita sa paraang nakita ko.
The Pains of A Diabetic’s Daughter

March 9, 2009

Health & Beauty

Last November, my mother complained of aching joints at her hip area. Unaware of the gravity of her pain, we just told her that it would just pass. She was able to attend a seminar in Baguio City but the cold weather made matters worse with her joint pains.

When she came back home, my father sent me a text message saying that in his opinion, my mother needed to see a doctor. I texted my mother and asked her to withdraw some money from my ATM account for her check up. My daughter accompanied her to the clinic. Since her phone is subscribed in a post paid account, I asked her to give me a call. She was crying on the other line because it was confirmed that she was diabetic.

I comforted her and told her that it’s gonna be alright. What triggered the increase in her blood sugar was probably the chocolates that my brother brought home from abroad. My mother has a sweet tooth and she loves salty foods, too. Bad combination, isn’t it? Her lifestyle is sedentary: work, home,work. She was overweight, too.

December 2008 and just a few days before Christmas, she was frequently dizzy and her weight dramatically went down. She was sleepy most of the time. It was at this time that her aching joints got worse. Osteo-arthritis, her rheumatologist said. Is there a link between diabetes and osteo-arthritis?

January 2009, her condition improved. Thanks to her medicine. But in February, her condition got even worse than what happened to her in December. Her blood sugar went up and there were bacteria found in her urine. She had no fever though. The pain, according to her, was much more sharper this time; she has been bedridden for five weeks now. We hired a professional Physical Therapist for her but her condition didn’t improve. She has been taking eight different kinds of medicine for her diabetes and osteo-arthritis but still, there is no improvement. As of this writing, she’s in the hospital for her blood transfusion since her hemoglobin dropped at 7.9. I think that the normal should be at 12.0.

I feel for her and I understand her emotional pain. She’s an independent lady, the type of Filipino mother who never demanded anything on her working children. I understand her worries that our youngest brother is still in college (my mother is the breadwinner)

My younger brother who also have his own family and I split the expenses for her medications and their family budget (my father, mother and youngest brother’s budget) I am getting married soon and I feel that the situation came at the very wrong time. My fiance’ is very understanding though; he doesn’t mind me helping my family. What triggers my worries is my current cash flow. “Cash out” is greater than “cash in.” What will happen to me and to us when my mother’s situation did not improve?

It’s one of the pains of a family member who supports a sick family member. We want the best medications but sometimes, we’re limited by the resources that we have.

Sometimes, at the back of my mind, I blame my mother for not taking care of herself when she was younger. I always remind her to watch her sugar intake, to get enough exercise and to slow down on foods that would cause harm on her. But maybe, eating was her pleasure and in eating, she found comfort.

I would still like to put my trust in the Lord that after this day, my mother would be on her road to recovery.
Francis Magalona Passed Away

March 7, 2009

That’s Entertainment

Philippine\’s master rapper Francis Magalona passed away on Friday, March 6, 2009 at Medical City Hospital. He was 44. He was survived by his wife, Pia Arroyo-Magalona and eight kids. His 8-month battle with a rare kind of leukemia is now over.

Francis M\’s legacy as a patriotic rapper and entrepreneur shall continue to live on. His relationship with his family is something that I admire. I never heard anything bad about his relationship with his wife. Pia and Francis were inseparable as a couple.

Despite his battle with leukemia, he kept a happy and positive disposition in life. He was still goodlooking in that \”Wish Ko Lang\” guest appearance in spite of his haggard look.

Francis M now rests peacefully without the physical pains of his illness. It is true that the ones left behind are the ones who are really affected by a person\’s demise. I hope that the Magalona family is coping well.
Lovespell Is Not The Scent For Me

March 6, 2009

Career, Finance & Product

When you’re inside an air-conditioned office that holds at least 80 employees, chances are, there will always be instances of mixed up scents in the air. It’s amazing how some people find some scents appealing while I find them disgusting!

I love Victoria’s Secret scents EXCEPT Lovespell. There’s something in Lovespell that makes me want to puke. The scent is just too strong for me.

Elizabeth Arden’s Green Tea is one of the best scents for me. It’s simple and natural.

For colognes, I still go for Nenuco and Angel’s Breath. Johnson’s Baby Cologne is also good; the manufacturers just need to reduce the strong alcohol smell.

On men’s cologne, I just hate Axe deo-cologne! The scent is just too strong. But Axe is very good in advertising. I remember Ben Affleck’s “One Click For One Flirt” commercial. Message, a man as sexy as Ben Affleck is not sexy enough when he stands side-by-side with an ordinary man who uses Axe. Nice ad!

I think that the trick in buying colognes or perfumes is to check on the chemistry of the scent and your body. And make sure that you don’t overspray your perfume.
The World Is Not A Sweet Place To Live In

March 5, 2009

Wedding & Family Life

After what happened to my father, (see my previous post) I no longer feel safe in the company of familiar faces and strangers. It’s pretty hard to regain my trust because our family experienced it first hand: never be too trusting to strangers and friends for your best friend could even be your worst enemy later.

I live a simple life in the countryside. I have a rewarding career, a loving fiance’ and a company of few close friends that I trust. It’s very different from the life that my family lives on the other side of this region. One thing that I hate is our lack of privacy. It’s not that I loathe entertaining visitors but when it becomes a daily activity, it becomes a burden on our part.

I realize that not all who comes to our house is a friend. Some are just acquaintances. I made it clear to my future husband that my number one house rule is NOBODY SHALL INVADE OUR PRIVACY. For someone who grew up in a company of different kinds of people, I think at least one person could relate to my sentiments.

One thing that I hate in myself is my too trusting attitude. I forgot that there are vultures and snakes around and that the world is not a wide playground with merry-go-round, swings and see-saws. I tend to forget that we’re all here to survive, step on one another and push until we leave the weaker ones behind. I tend to forget that the reality of life is not always about camaraderie and unity; there is always that one big agenda at the back of one’s mind why he/she appears to be friendly or helpful. Yeah, there are still some really good people around. But the majority are just fakes. After all, the world is not a sweet place to live in. We’re all here to survive.
Jollibee San Jose-Balanga City Entrapment Operation?

March 4, 2009

Wedding & Family Life

Source: Manila Bulletin

3 suspected extortionists arrested in Bataan

BALANGA CITY, Bataan — Three suspected members of an alleged extortion group were arrested
the other day by the Provincial Intelligence Bureau led by Chief Inspector Cesar M. Lumiwes
after they were caught in the act of extorting money from a lady trader inside a fast food
annex, here. Sr. Supt. Manuel R. Gaerlan, Bataan police director, identified the suspects
as Eduardo dela Cruz, 58, of Talisay, here; Gil Sumandal, 38, of Pagalanggang, Dinalupihan
town; and Ramon Arellano, 49, of Tenejero, Balanga. Gaerlan said the suspects were arrested
one at a time based on the complaint of Emelita Funilas Aquino, sister of village chieftain
Ludy Funilas, both of Barangay Lucanin, Mariveles, Bataan, whom the group allegedly threatened
to kill since last Feb. 15 through text messages to extort money. Gaerlan said that on the
afternoon of Feb. 26, Aquino sought police assistance for the possible entrapment and arrest
of the suspects that continuously communicated. \”With this development, the operating team
set-up an entrapment operation and used ‘mark money’ amounting to RR50,000 which is equivalent
to the amount being demanded by the suspects,\” said Gaerlan. (Mar Supnad)

**********************************************
Now, what\’s my involvement in the story above? BIG! One of the suspected extortionist is my FATHER. I will not talk about the case because I don\’t want to preempt the case but I will just give my piece about this issue.

1. My father does not need to resort to extortion to have some money. My brother and I provide for their needs.
2. One of the policemen remarked that my father was involved in the extortion activity because my mother is sick. Bullshit! How can that be when me and my brother provide for her medical needs? Eh deh sana di na lang kami nagpakakuba sa trabaho kung may easy money naman. I am deeply offended by this accusation. Mr. Policeman, I\’ve relayed this message to two of your colleagues that your theory is not fair. Nabubuhay kami ng marangal sa marangal na hanapbuhay.
3. The complainant Emelita Funilas Aquino is Kapitan Ludy\’s sister. Kapitan Ludy was a frequent visitor in our home. Kapitan, why on earth would you involve my father in such a difficult situation? How can you implicate someone who\’s not into illegal activities? If my father is into illegal activities, he should have done it years back when our life was much harder and when he was still younger.

I know that just like any ordinary person, some people love my father and some people hate him. But to resort to this whole drama just because of hatred is difficult for me to understand.

Manila Bulletin, I understand that your report was done last Friday when a \”battalion\” of policemen arrived at our home to arrest my father. (Gil and Ramon were arrested in Jollibee San Jose) I would like to correct that the case was not robbery/extortion or extortion but GRAVE THREAT.

As of this writing, my father is out on bail. (Miel and I raised the fund. Baka isipin na naman na may maimpluwensyang taong tumulong. Leche!)Friends and relatives came to our home to give moral support. Maraming salamat po at sabay-sabay naman tayong manalangin para maipalabas ang katotohanan.
My College Life

February 17, 2009

Life & Love

Some teeners go to college because it’s the most common thing to do after high school. Some teeners go to college because it’s what their parents want them to do. Some teeners go to college to gain some freedom. I went to college because of ambition.

I don’t regard myself as an A-1 student. If I were, I wouldn’t have to study very hard just to earn good grades. But I was not the nerdy type either. I wanted to finish college because I knew that it was my only chance to have a better life.

I did not come from a well-off family. I needed to strive harder in life. Several months before my high school graduation, my classmates were worried about passing their college entrance exam. On the other hand, I was worried about whether my parents could afford to send me to college or not. My mother made the biggest sacrifice by sending me to school; it was something that I am grateful of until now.

I lived in a dormitory during my freshman year. I was exposed to a lot of vices. It was my first taste of freedom. While some of my boardmates were busy spending their night out in the bar, I was contended spending my night in Burnham Park with friends.

I moved in Sanitary Camp during my sophomore. I stayed there until the time that I finished college. I remember, I was always tight with money then. I knew that my boardmates would not understand why I had to lock my stocks in my room instead of just storing them in the cupboard. I did it to better monitor my consumption since some of them use my stocks whenever they ran out of it.

People had this misconception that I am rich or I belong to a moneyed clan. It must be my oriental looks. This misconception was probably the reason why I was misjudged.

It saddens me to see students who take their studies for granted. It saddens me to see parents work hard for these kind of children. I finished college because of ambition and my desire to improve my state of life.