Sharing a personal year end practise

coin purses from different regions of the country and made from various local materials

Among the year end practices I keep and observe is the handing out of cash gifts to those who can appreciate a meager augmentation of money in their pockets. I do this more as a gesture of personal gratefulness for my situation than as charity to others.

However, instead of putting money in 'ampao' envelopes, I put mine in locally made coin purses which I buy as souvenirs whenever I am able to travel in the country or visit trade exhibits. In this way, I can also help local craft makers and at the same time spread a little cheer.

Waters of Itogon

spring water from the mountains feeding resort pools in Itogon

Itogon is one of the mining towns comprising the gold rich province of Benguet. Yet for all the gold that has been mined there, one can be forgiven for wondering where all the wealth it has generated  went.

Fortunately, apart from gold, this town possesses another natural treasure that has a huge potential to benefit the community and its people- its waters. And so far, this treasure has remained under appreciated and its many potential untapped.

As Itogon is situated at the foot of the Cordillera mountains. the town abounds with clean, mineral rich spring water coming from the bosom of the mountains.

At present, these waters are utilized to feed the resort spas that are sprouting in the area. But certainly, there are many other possibilities that can be explored.

Whatever they are, I hope the community and people can more fully benefit as well.

Sa barangay nagsisimula ang pagbabangon ng bansa

Natutuwa ako na malaman na ang balanghay ay ginawang simbolo ng DTI para sa OneTown, One Product program nito.

Ang balanghay ay ang bangkang kahoy na ginamit ng ating mga ninuno upang maglayag at tumawid dagat sa paghanap ng bagong lilipatan o sa pakikipagkalakal. Ito ay kayang magdala ng ilang pamilya na pinangangasiwaan ng isang pinuno at dahil dito , ang balanghay ay maituturing na pinakamaliit na yunit panglipunan bago dumating ang mga kastila. Sa kalaunan, ito ay pormal na ring ginawang pinakamababang yunit political at nakilala sa pangalang barangay.

Para sa akin, mahalaga ang pag-unawang ito dahil sa pagbabangon ng bansa, sa barangay tayo dapat magsimula at hindi sa ating mga politico.

Kapag sinasabi ko sa aking mga kausap na sa barangay nagsisimula ang pagbabangon ng bansa, lahat sila ay sumasang-ayon. Pero kapag tinanong ko sila kung ano ang ginagawa nila kung naniniwala sila dito, wala naman silang maisagot.

Wala naman sigurong isang tamang sagot sa tanong na ito. Ngunit sa pagkilala ng DTI ng balanghay bilang simbolo ng OTOP,  nagbigay na rin sila ng isang ideya - ang pagbuo ng mga tagabarangay ng isang kabuhayan na pagtutulungan nilang itaguyod at paunlarin ay isang pagtupad sa tanong na ito.

Idea for Senior Care Center

- monitor vital health indicators
- continuous social interaction and support
- continuous learning
- diet monitoring
- appropriate exercise and body conditioning
- meditation and mind healing
- entertainment and leisure
- charity/benevolent work

an unhealthy Pinoy obsession

I know I am in the minority on this, but I find the Filipino obsession with winning beauty contests and setting title records for Guiness annoying, even embarrassing.

There are so many other things that Filipinos can truly be happy and grateful for but they seem to be overlooked in favor of these low hanging achievements. While they may give people a chance to bask in reflected glory of personal triumphs they do not really drive us to pursue collective excellence. Ultimately, instead of speaking well for us, this unhealthy obsession just shows a person's insecurity or ignorant appreciation of what makes him a respectable citizen of our country.

Religiosity vs Spirituality

There is a difference between religiosity and spirituality.

Religiosity is the overt exercise of one's faith while spirituality is the submission to a higher power that resides in truth and which guides our actions.

I am not impressed at all by religious people, especially those who offer prayers and blessings at every instance. But I have an appreciation for people who live a life of unspoken spirituality who act with honesty, kindness and love for others.

We do not need religion. What we need is a spiritual renaissance.

In vino, TMI

I am always amused by the effects of alcohol on the human brain.

Some people can take alcohol very well and seem unaffected by it.

Some people become taciturn and clam up.

Some people become rowdy and quarrelsome when they take alcohol. They should avoid drinking as much as possible.

But there are people who become voluble and spill personal secrets that should really have remained hidden unto themselves. But when their secrets are out, it is very hard to unknow them again. And I wonder if they regret ever having spilled it.

I am just a social drinker and do not really drink as much. Oftentimes  however, I get a feeling that during drinking sessions, I get to hear too much information.

What I learned from walking

There is a famous saying that "the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step".

While this is uncontestable I realized from doing a lot of walking that the best way to reach our destination is not to focus so much on where we are going or how far we are yet from there, but to be aware of where we are at the moment and the progress we make at every step. Before we know it, we will realize that we have arrived at our destination.

I believe this insight is helpful as we can also apply this in reaching our life goals.

From kite cards to parol cards

A friend gave me a set of mini-kite cards from Japan. They are nice but  I don't know if they can really be made to fly. They make nice souvenirs though.

While thinking of how I can adapt this card to create a Filipino version of a kind of gift card, I thought of making mini parol cards which the receiver can assemble themselves or simply collect.

The possibilities are endless. But the important thing is to take the first step to turn the idea into reality.

Jeepney modernization, no! Transport modernization, yes!

This is the second day in a row that classes in all levels and work in government offices had been suspended because of a jeepney strike. Protesters are opposing the planned phase out of jeepneys under a transportation modernization plan being pursued by the government.

Although I personally believe that the jeepney is an outmoded form of transportation and which has to go one day or another, I think the best way to do this is by natural attrition and not by officially phasing it out.

Government should simply build modern mass rapid transportation options such as rail based transport and even cable cars- for the people. When people stop patronizing the jeepneys in favor of better options, the jeepney will eventually disappear- or as I have suggested in a previous post, evolve with other uses.

And while we are on the subject of transportation, I would like to remind government planners not to overlook walking as the first mode of transportation. But this is for another post.