The Hostage crises happend in Manila had brought shame to all Filipinos in the International community. But in anything that happends, the Lord always has a purpose. Perhaps he wants to reveal the intense corruption in our country.
  
The mishandling of hostage crises leads to 9 death. What had happened exposed them. They admitted that thier officials handled the negotiations poorly and the SWAT team stormed in the bus was poorly equiped and trained.

 What happened to our policemen? Perhaps they view their profession as source of livelihood and not to protects lives and maintain peace and order in the country. Thier officials must have to do a lot of explaining why they send untrained men in the battlefield.
  
The media also is to be blame as well. Footage from the stand off may helped the gunmen figure out what the police and the hostage negotiators were up to. When Mendoza saw his brother escorted by the police, then he started firing the victims.

 PNoy must also consider the limitations of media especially in sensitive cases like this. We just hope and pray it wont happend again.

I used to savor sound sleep when I was single. But when i get married and became mom, nights have not been as breezy as they used to be.


Further, it was also a point in my life when the demands of my profession required me to tripple my time. Soon i found my self bringing bulky reports home.

In the middle of late night work and droopy eyelids, I would eventualy fall asleep with lights still on. After sometime a crying baby would make me up. Other times I wake up with soaked clothes due to diapers dripping wet with pee from baby.

It took me to realize that i was having difficulty making the night day and loosing a lot of zzzz, my children also took a big chunk of the stress adjusting to my modern definition of "daytime".

Sleep is necessary for health and vigor. It is when the individual is sound asleep that his strength and total well being are restored. To get the benefits out of sleep there must be four to five full sleep hours.

But urbanization, many have been deprived of sleep. Artificial lights have extended daytime making it possible for people to work even at night. Many spend the early and late night browsing the internet, watching the television or working in the computer among other things.

Eventually this modernization has changed the way of life and sleep patterns of humans-infants and children included.

   I really envy to have a body like Katrina Halili, Angel Locsin or Marian Revera. Thin arms  and gaunt faces of celebrities always reminds me that thin is best. If only I can have that body, that hair, that skin, that life, I will be very happy.

   I am so obsessed about loosing weight. It was a lonely struggle like anybody else. We used to battering ourselves around, punish it through starvation.

   In our culture, the standard of beauty is thinnest to the point of anorexia. It took me a year healing my obsession about food. Well.. I learned my lesson about it . The answers to any life problems is always you dont know, you dont have and you dont need to buy. Just be kind to your self and do what is best for you.

   Self acceptance is what more needed fo all these. If you learn to accept yourself, you dont need to desire to be like someone else.

   It does'nt matter if we dont  meet social standard about success or beauty. After all , there is such thing that need to be develop more than physical beauty. It is the spirituality. Its one of the requirements were people can see us,  hear us, love us  for who we are.

 The Malacanang Palace
The official residence of the President of the Philippines. The highest position of the land.

   I watched Reporter's Notebook last night . That was an old documentary reports and their expository information opened my mind. On the things that seems we dont care but it has relevance that affects us directly or indirectly somehow.
   The things that made our heart saddened is the constant corruption that happends in our country.
   Commission on Audit (COA) stated the total expenses of Malacanang in 2006 reached to P2,360,211,050.53 personal expenses alone hit P533,153,699.57. Over P7 million a month budget for food only, Annual budget of P18,522,701 water expenses,P64, 868,464 electric bills,P15,708,481.55 telephone bills,P11,474,706 cellfon bills,P398,447,538.30 foriegntrips, P83,629,357.29 on the local trips with the total of P 482,076,940.59 total trip expenses in 2006. If you think about those figures well you will think how luxury living they have inside the palace using public funds.
   A few distance from the palace is a contrast picture of luxurious living. A picture of poverty. Number of squatters grow like mushroom and multiply very fast.
   Usec Gil Beltran said RP budget deficit reached to P 876 Million daily. The office of the President made an Administrative Order 103 directing the continued adoption of austerity measures in the government. She promised to set herself as an example but how if her office herself violates those rules? A total of P615,293,968.80 unliquidated expenses that the COA wants her office to explain.
   On December 2009, our total debt from the World Bank reached to 5 trillion pesos which means every filipino has a debt of P54,347.
   Well many said the Philippines is very rich country. It is true. The Philippines is blessed with natural resources. Mindanao is the worlds biggest coco oil exporter.
source: Phil. Coconut Authority Regional Mngr.Lornito Drilane.
   In April 2005 huge deposit of oil and natural resorces have been identified in at least 3 areas in Mindanao. Its the world's largest deposit of deuterium ( Hydrogen fuel) that the other countries dont have.
Source: Department of Energy.
   Canadian petrolium engineers illustrated in 1985 the extent of fuel deposits underneath Butuan City is the source of all petrolium deposits of the world.
   9 million hectares are high potential sites for copper,gold,nickel,chromite,etc. If mining projects will be implemented properly, a total of 70 tons of gold and copper production will reach to 500k tons annualy by 2013.
   The Philippines is the epicenter of marine biodeversity with the richest concentration of marine life of the entire planet. Our soil is very fertile and , abundant rain and sunshine.

 But its very heart breaking to think about the present condition in the Philippines.
-70% of filipinos are landless.40% are urban squatters in Metro Manila.
-Most killings in 2004 according to Guinnes Book of Record.
-World's most dangerous to journalist overtaking Iraq after the Maguindanao massacre.
-Top 8th in the Worldwide pornography.( source: Reporter's Notebook 3/12/09)
-RP the least peaceful country in SouthEast Asia.
-A country lead by the thieves.
-Nation of servants.
-5th in the World's hunger survey.
- 30% un employment rate.
   The present condition of our country pierced our heart. The question is are we lacking wise leaders? We tried all.. Lawyer, teacher, general,actor, economist but still we are drowned in poverty and debt. Maybe the real causes is that we allow into office to lead us those people who does'nt have  fear in the Lord and lack of compassion to the poor.
   I appeal to all of you my dear beloved. This coming election choose wisely. A leader that has a ginuine heart to serve. This is our last window of opportunity to be release from the bondage of ignorance and bring back our dignity..

                              
   When I heared about bats commonly I associate them in a horror movies like dracula who sucks bloods among thier victims.
   They hide themselves in the dark waiting for the night to fall and hunt for victims.
    This tales gave bats bad reputations. They are'nt blood suckers but feed on fruits and insects. Environmentalists protects them because they maintain balance to our ecosystem.
   Monford Batcave located in Samal Island is the world's largest population of Goeffroy's rousette (fruitbats) estimated to 1.8 million in 2006 according to Guinnes Book of Records.

Bats formed themeselves like a large mat at the cave's hole. They contain themeselves inside that cave when daytime and go out to seek food at night. they are nuctornal and only mammals that can fly.

Despite of the rotten smell of decayed fruits, bat's feces and urine, me and my family posed at the entrance hole of the cave. My son said .. uummmph! stink bomb....

A treat to Mang INASAL. Experience juicy chiken barbeque and un limited rice. Many more to choose .......

A delicious chicken barbeque marinade out of local spices and herbs, bamboo sticks for skews with the ambiance that encourages kinamot. ( eating  with the hands.) When ever chiken INASAL is served. All this evoke a rush of nostalgia for tradition, culture and most of all , home.

Refreshing halo-halo mmmmmm..masaraaaap!

Its sunny morning. We climb and defeat mount Puting-Bato. Its the highest peak in Samal Island.

After the long and tiring walk..at last the journey has come to an end when we reached the summit. Though the sun is hot, the air so refreshing!

Wonderful experience really.. Its very nice to stay here on top and watch the panoramic view of the entire island and even Davao City.. Wow!

Its our second prayer summit here at Puting-Bato. We do it every holy week. We stablish prayer on top of this hill.. The altar of Samal Island.

We spend whole night here spend time in prayer and devotions, games, we suppose to do fasting but since we cannot bear but to bring food we do feasting instead..

Its very cold at night here.. the chill will really pass through your bones. You need to bring jacket and blanket to survive the cold.

Its very nice experience. I encourage everyone to join next time. But even you did not come with us, we bring you in our prayers.. God Bless us All!

I enjoyed my self watched my son recital that was fourth day of March. I was amazed so much with the exhibit. It was so wonderful. I realized students creativity that was so great.


but what I like most were the paintings made by coffee as the medium. When you look at it looks real and alive.


It was so amazing never been taught coffee can be use for this purpose. Its all creativity that matters most.. Yeah!


Its only in the Philippines made by the talented students of Samal National High School, Our very own pride. Congratulations to you all guys for the job well done.
                       
                                           Oil Pastel Paintings

The Samal National Highschool Chorals

The Bandoria Group