The World of Second Chances

Water, Danum, Tubig, H2O

May 21, 2013

Health & Beauty

How safe is our drinking water?

In the age when having a clean and potable drinking water is a rarity, we resort to buying refilled water instead. Water refilling stations are selling like hotcakes in places where the purity and clarity of water is highly questionable. (I still drink tap water whenever I’m in Balanga). I’ve shifted my one year old’s water from Wilkin’s to the regular refilled water for the purpose of letting him get used to it. I don’t want him to develop a sensitive stomach and as long as the refilling station is trusted and recommended, there should really be no problem with that.

When it comes to my family’s health and safety, call me a paranoid but I could be very demanding and intimidating. I have this practice of opening the refilled water gallon’s lid for easy transferring of the remaining water to a pot or a bottle container for refrigeration. To my surprise, the container had foreign objects in it; a lollipop wrapper and a cotton-like black dust. Furious, I tried to call up the refilling station but nobody was answering; it must be because it was still 6:20 AM and the office usually starts at 8AM. I left a text message on that refilling station’s mobile number.

An hour later, the refilling station texted me back and so I called him/her up to air my concern. I was looking for their manager or owner but the one who picked up the call told me that I could just leave my message to her. I told her about what I saw inside the water container and much to my disappointment, she started enumerating how that could be impossible! Is that how a business establishment is supposed to deal with a customer? Is that their moment of truth?

Big, medium or small enterprise must practice basic customer satisfaction and how-to-handle-angry-customer skills. The customers are the ones who could make or break a business, remember?

Now back to the person on the other end of the line, I found out why she was so defensive; she was the one who’s supposed to sort and inspect the gallons before refilling! Of course, she would be very defensive! I ended the conversation telling her that she is not the right person to pick my concern and I would have to talk with the manager and owner.

For humanitarian purposes, my saintly (weh?) side is telling me to just keep the matters to myself so that the poor woman would avoid losing her job or her manager’s trust. Besides, there are a lot of refilling stations in the neighborhood and making a mountain out of a molehill is simply not worth it. I just hope that that employee would learn her lesson and improve her work.

By the way, I would like to share this link with you http://www.lwua.gov.ph/downloads_10/Philippine%20National%20Standards%20for%20Drinking%20Water%202007.pdf
Kelan Kaya Makakauwi Ang Mga OFW?

May 17, 2013

Life & Love

military force your face!

Nag-sorry na si Pnoy sa pangyayaring nakapatay ang Philippine Coastguard ng isang 65-year old na mangingisda mula sa Taiwan ngunit mukhang malayo pa rin sa pagiging mapayapa ang pagtrato nitong mga Taiwanese sa mga kababayan natin na naroroon sa Taiwan. Hanggang kagabi, may mga balita na hindi pinagbibilhan ang mga Pilipino ng mga Taiwanese at mayroon na ring freeze hiring kung kaya’t problemado ang mga paalis na OFW dahil sa abot-kamay na nga naman ang paglipad, heto’t mapupurnada pa.

Ramdam maging sa internet ang galit at pagkutya sa ating lahi ng mga Taiwanese. Marami ang kumukutya at tila nananakot na kayang-kaya naman nila tayong gyerahin dahil sa bulok nating military force. Bullying, kumbaga. Walang pinagkaiba sa isang mahirap na nagtitiis sa among mabagsik para sa sahod at sa paniniwala na rin na iyon lamang ang makakatulong at makabubuhay sa kanila.

Mayroon tayong 87,000 overseas Filipino workers sa Taiwan. Wala akong statistics kung alin dyan ang domestic helper, factory worker, engineers at iba pa. Pero sa kawalan ng datos, ia-assume ko na malaking poryento nila doon ay namamasukan bilang factory worker at kasambahay.

May ilan na handang umuwi kung kinakailangan ngunit karamihan ay may takot sa dibdib na mapag-initan at mapauwi ng wala sa panahon. Paano na nga naman ang mga utang na dapat bayaran at pamilyang umaasa sa kanila. Kung ikaw ay kasambahay na kumikita ng PhP18,000 to PhP 20,000 kada buwan sa Taiwan, kikitain mo ba ang parehong sahod kung ikaw ay mamamasukan bilang kasambahay dito sa Pilipinas? O kung ikaw ay factory worker na kumikita ng PhP25,000 sa Taiwan, kikitain mo ba ito sa Pilipinas?

Hindi pa tapos ang imbestigasyon at wala pa namang opisyal na pahayag ang bawat kampo sa ano ba ang talagang nangyari at kinailangang pagbabarilin ng ating coast guard ang fishing vessel na yun. Kung ikaw ay naninindigan sa iyong pag-aari at teritoryo, malawak ang pag-iisip mong uunawain ang ginawa ng ating coast guard. Ngayon, wala ako sa poder na pagdiskusyunan pa kung sino ang maysala dahil isa lang ang nakikita at nararamdaman ko: HINDI TAYO HANDA!

Hindi tayo handang panindigan kung ano ba ang atin dahil may pinag-uusapang kapakanan dito. Ang kapakanan ng 87,000 Filipino overseas workers na nanganganib magutom, maltratuhin at pauwiin ng kanilang mga amo.

Hindi tayo handang makidigma sa kahit anong bansa dahil mahina at luma ang ating mga gamit-pandigma. Para lang tayong mga katutubong gumagamit ng sibat laban sa mga baril at kanyon ng mga banyagang mananakop. Dahil sa kahinaaang yan, madali tayong takutin at i-bully. Alam nilang luma at wala sa modelo ang mga gamit natin. Ultimo ordinaryong tambay nila ay alam yun!

Kung OFW ka, hindi ka handang umuwi kasi wala ka namang uuwiang trabaho. Wala kang sapat na ipon para makapagsimula ulit.

Hindi handa ang Pilipinas na kayanin ang bultuhang uwi ng mga manggagawa mula sa Taiwan dahil alam nating wala tayong contingency plan para sa kanila. Maliit man ang 87,000 na bilang ng tao ngunit malaking bagay ito para sa isang bansang nagtatangkang bumangon.

Transparent government kamo, gusto kong malaman kung kasama ba sa wildly important goal ng pangulo ang pag-aaral sa labor force natin. May mga Pilipinong sinadyang umalis sa bayan at choice nila yun. It’s a “want” and not a “need.” Concern ako sa mga Pilipinong gusto na talagang bumalik pero hindi magawa dahil sa kakulangan ng sapat na sahod sa babalikang trabaho o wala na talagang available na trabaho para sa kanila. Kung paano mapatataas ang standard of living ng tao dito ay isang matagal at mahabang proseso. Ngunit kung gugustuhin, masasakatuparan naman ang exodus ng ating mga kababayan. Basta’t nakalatag ang programa at umaandar ang makinarya ng pagsulong, mangyayari naman ang minimithi nating lahat na wala na sanang Pilipino ang kinakailangang dumayo sa ibang bayan para sa magandang buhay.
Angelina Jolie’s Breast Cancer Prevention

May 15, 2013

Wedding & Family Life

Beautiful…with or w/o real breasts.

I could very well relate to Angelina Jolie’s fear of developing breast cancer because I lost my mother to the disease four years ago. Unlike Angelina, my mother discovered her cancer at Stage 4 so a preventive measure was not really possible.

There are times when paranoia strikes me,”What if the same thing happen to me? How will I cope emotionally and financially? Am I ready to leave my family forever?” Treating cancer is very expensive; even a rich man is afraid to have it.

Back to Angelina, I am amazed at her decision to have double mastectomy to reduce the possibilities of getting the big C. Motherhood has indeed changed her priorities in life. Her old adventurous and devil-may-care ways was replaced with a motherly image.

Some would say that hers was not exactly like a mastectomy because she would have “artificial breasts” anyway. My point is, the fact that she takes care of her health for the benefit of her young children signifies her intention to live a longer life for them. She also sends a strong message to all mothers to take care of their health for the sake of their kids and husband/partner.
When Birthday Is A Thing Of The Past

May 9, 2013

Wedding & Family Life

You used to be excited about your birthday, Chariz!

First off, happy birthday to you Chariz!

My three-year old son attended a birthday party yesterday. Though he was initially grumpy because of unfamiliar faces, his mood lightened up when the clown performed some magic tricks. When we got back home, I reminded him that tomorrow is his elder sister’s (Ate) birthday. He got excited and asked if it would be just like the birthday party that we attended.

From a toddler’s point of view, all birthdays must come up with a celebration: cake, ice cream, balloons and clown. Adi expected his Ate’s birthday to have those features. A week ago, I asked my daughter how she wanted to celebrate her birthday and she said that at her age (turning 16), she found it weird to even celebrate it.

Ah, gone are the days when she used to ask me every now and then how we would celebrate her birthday. Since her birthday falls on a summer, the usual celebration was a swimming party for the family. The most memorable one was our beach party at my mother’s friend’s private resort in Bagac, Bataan in 2008. When proximity was an issue, we would just hang out in Villa Amanda Resort in Abucay, Bataan. The owner was my mother’s boardmate in college so there was always pancit bilao delivered to our cottage for free. Chariz was so happy at the sight of the pancit and thought what an “expensive” gift she had! (Of course, I appreciate the pancit, Tita but my point is, from a child’s point of view, little gifts really mean a LOT.)

Where we used to unwind and celebrate.

The moral of the story, like what I’m always saying, “minsan lang sila bata” especially now that kids grow up really fast, physically and emotionally.Enjoy the times when your kids are still very much dependent on you. Take every opportunity to be there for them. Bring your kids to the mall, buy them cotton candies, let them window-shop (and buy the item if it’s worth it) with you, accompany them to the salon or barber shop, attend PTA’s—these would seem like simple activities to you but in the eyes of a child, being with their parents is the greatest gift one could ever have.
Family Feud Rules

April 29, 2013

Wedding & Family Life

Masaya naman sila noon!

Kalurki ang bangayang Claudine Barreto vs. Gretchen Barreto. Andaming nadadamay, ha! Ano ba talaga pinanggalingan? Ang instagram hater ba ni Julia Barreto o iba pang issue? Ang pangit lang kasi kagaganda nilang mga babae, nagbabangayan na parang taga-tabi tabi lang. Ang di ko ma-gets eh yung kampihan issue na parang botohan sa pagiging class president. Paramihan na lang ba ng kakampi. Dapat kasi, sa bawat family feud, may rule na pinapairal.

Rule # 1. Ang magulang ay laging nasa gitna.
– Hindi pwedeng may favorite child ang magulang. Kung meron man, dapat hindi ito halata ng hindi paborito. Natural, ang mga bunso ang favorite by default. Ang mga middle child ang may issue sa mga ganyan eh. Insecure kasi ang mga middle child. Ang mga firstborn, keber lang yan kung paborito sila o hindi. At usually, ang firstborn, paborito yan ng lolo at lola, tito at tita. So ang natitirang parang hilaw, eh yung mga nasa gitna. Ang magulang, pag nagkasala ang mga anak at kailangang mamalo, dapat pareho. Paluin ang nakatatanda sa pagpatol sa nakababata at paluin ang nakababata dahil sa disrespect sa nakatatanda. Hindi pwedeng may kakampihan ang magulang. Made-demoralize ang hindi kinampihan at lalaki naman ang ulo ng kinampihan.

Rule # 2. Ang mga kapatid, wag makisali sa alitan.
– Okay na sana si Jayjay at Gia eh. Concern sila kila Gretchen at Claudine. Kaso ang ending, naging tug of war ang labanan. Nagsalita si Jayjay tungkol kay Claudine, bumanat naman si Gia tungkol kay Gretchen so paikot-ikot lang ang labanang to. Pangit sa magkakapatid yung nagkakampihan kasi magkakapatid kayo eh. Sa halip maging peacemaker, nagiging firestarter ang dating ng kumakampi.

Rule # 3. Wag makialam ang kaibigan sa away-pamilya.
– Yeah right, Tania Montenegro. Quiet na quiet ka sa Gretchen-Nadia feud pero eto ngayon at lumabas ka to speak about Gretchen and her childhood? Wag naman sanang mangyari sa amin ito pero hindi ko hahayaang makisawsaw ang kahit na sino sa away o usaping pampamilya ko. Ang para sa pamilya, pamilya lang ang makakalutas. Hindi si Pedro, hindi si Juan at hindi si Mother Lily at Robbie Tan.

Rule # 4. Wag isapubliko ang away.
– Sa barangay, may mga pamilyang nag-aaway away. Naku, ang gulo! Pag naging barangayan na ang labanan, asahan mo yung mga kapitbahay mong tsismosa, ikakalat na ang baho ng pamilya nyo. Sino ba naman ang magbe-benefit sa family feud at mud throwing kundi ang mga usisero? Mahirap isapubliko ang away at kaya nga nabibilib pa rin ako sa level ng maturity ng Padilla brothers na kahit di tanggap ni Robin ang pagiging Bebe Gandanghari ni Rustom eh wala kang maririnig na kadramahan mula sa kanila.

Rule # 5. Ituro sa mga anak ang pagmamahalan at paggalang sa isa’t-isa.
– Mahirap i-manage ang malaking pamilya. Mahirap ituro ng pantay ang values dahil may mga anak na pwedeng isinilang during the dry season na hikahos ang pamilya at kelangang magtipid kaya yun ang value na kinamulatan ng bata. Kontra naman sa sumunod anak na pinanganak during the wet season na umuulan ng biyaya kaya ang nakalakihan ng bata ay luho at materyal na bagay. Mahirap i-align ang ilang bagay-bagay pero kung itututuro ng magulang ang pagmamahalang magkakapatid, maimumulat sa bata at a young age ang ang nakatatanda ay dapat nagpapasensya at kumakalinga sa nakababata at ang nakababata ay dapat nirerespeto ang nakatatandang kapatid.

Rule # 6. Ang naibigay na, ay naibigay na.
– Dapat walang sumbatan ng nagawa o naitulong. Bakit ka pa tumulong kung habangbuhay mo namang uungkatin ang naitulong. Ang bagay na naibigay na, hindi na iyo yun.

In the end, magkakabati din ang mga yan. Dahil ang Rule # 7 ko ay ang PAMILYA ay PAMILYA kaya dapat magmahalan at magkapatawaran.
The FB Connection

April 23, 2013

Wedding & Family Life

My niece’s getaway with her cousins from her mother’s side, my younger brother’s fluctuating weight, my youngest brother’s emo posts, a friend’s promotion, a classmate’s battle with cancer, new nieces and nephews from my father’s side, hi and hellos with my cousins from both sides of my family..ah this is the Facebook age.

During the old times, my parents and I would go to a relative’s house to see the newborn baby. It was always a joyful event with titas or lolas asking the new mother how the delivery went through.

“Did you have a rough time?”
“Don’t drink cold beverages!”
“Ah, boiled guava leaves are better than betadine.”
And so on and so forth.

Little hands of excited cousins would hold the newborn.
Titas or lolas would scold us for fear of transmitting germs to the baby.
Then, there was a HERD of titas who helped the new mother take care of the child.
It was convenient. It was helpful. It felt good, for the new mother to have a lot of helping hands.

When I gave birth to my firstborn, the titas and titos were there at the hospital. One tita even breastfed my baby because no milk came out of me. Another tita patiently acted as reliever for my mother because my lola was also confined in the hospital. It felt good to have people taking care of you when you needed them most.

When I gave birth to Adi, the same tita visited me in the hospital. It felt good to have my tita and my family around even if they needed to travel from the province just to visit me. When Robi was born, the only “proof” that I gave birth was the pictures that I posted in Facebook. There were congratulatory comments, of course. I could still feel their joy for me but it was different because gone are the days of old-school practice of home visit.

How many nieces and nephews are added to our family since Facebook became popular and since some of us settled elsewhere? Two? Three? Four? Ah, they were at least six all in all. Good thing the family is connected through Facebook and if there’s one good thing that I like about this technology, it is its ability to somehow create a connection with people that we either got lost in contact or the people that we seldom see.
Beautiful Bagac (BATAAN)

April 23, 2013

Travel

30-45 minutes from Balanga City.
Bagac is the perfect weekend getaway!

Replica of a datu’s house in Las Casas.

Green sea!

The beach in the morning.

Night swimming at Bagac Bay Beach Resort

Photo courtesy of Elmer Reyes.
For more info:

http://www.bagacbaybeachresort.com/
http://www.lascasasfilipinas.com/