Kawa Kawa at Night

Transfiguration Parish at Sinunuc

Ang Liham ni Dora

Josue,

Kay tagal ko nang di nakapagsulat ng liham kahit kanino
At ngayon, isinusulat ko ito sa iyo..
Tama ka, babalik ang iyong ama.
Siya ang kabuuan ng lahat na naisip mo..
Naaalala ko nung magkasama kami ng aking ama sa kanyang minamanehong tren.
Pinayagan niya ako, isang munting bata pa lang, na patunugin ang busina sa buong biyahe.
Pag lumaki ka na at nagmamaneho na ng iyong malaking sasakyan
Sana'y maalala mo na ako ang unang taong nagpahawak sa iyo sa manubela ng bus.
Mas makakabuti ang maiwan ka sa iyong kuya
Mas maganda ang iyong kinabukasan sa kanya kesa sa akin
Kung gusto mong maalala ako, titigan mo lang ang ating munting larawan magkasama
Natatakot kasi akong baka makalimutan mo ako...
Nangungulila ako sa aking ama..Nangungulila ako sa lahat...

Dora

A Day at the National Museum

To me, a more honest and appropriate version of the Philippine history by Vicente Manansala
In contrast, Botong Francisco's depiction of Philippine history

Sibugay's Saudi Ahmad's masterpiece
Juan Luna's Bulakenya
I can feel her sorrow
A National treasure, a "gift" by the Spanish government at the time of Elpidio Quirino's presidency. The masterpiece which started it all

The lobby adorned by Impy's chandelier
A Philippine "icon"
Manunungul Jar
Phillip Morris 2008 finalist
A contemporary painting. another Philip Morris 2008 finalist

unforgettable journey before you die #2: Learn Oil Painting

Matagal ko ng pinangarap matutong magpinta.
Palibhasa, buo ang isip sa pag-aaral sa ibang larangan, kaya walang pagkakataon..
Nandiyan na lang ang makuntento sa paglalarawan sa pamamagitan ng lapis o ballpen pag naiinip sa mga lectures ng mga professor nung college days o pag wala lang talagang magawa (pag walang nababasang libro o napapanuod na pelikula sa TV o betamax) o minsan ay makuntento na lang sa panunood ng mga exhibit sa lobby ng Main building, galleries sa 4th floor ng Mega mall, Metropolitan museum, etc.
Mabuti na lang isang araw nagtext ang ngayo'y kaibigan ko nang si Rameer, isang sikat na pintor dito sa zamboanga. Meron daw siyang Art class.. Nag iimbita kung interesado akong matuto ng basic.
Siyempre! pinili ko ang basic drawing at oil painting..

Christine's Anguish

Ang traffic. maliit lang ang puweblo ng ciudad na ito ng mga chavacano..
kaunting mali lang ng mga nagkakagulong pagmamaneho ng mga motorsiklo sira na agad ang panahon mo..maliit at masisikip ang daan. palibhasa hindi planado.
Ay mali, planado nga pala para sa mga kalesa nung unang panahon...
Mabuti na lang tricycle at motosiklong single ang hari ng daan. walang pong taxi dito.
Tumunog na naman ang paborito kong "Beer". dalawang taon na yata hanggang ngayon di ko pa napapalitan. Witheld ang nakalagay sa LCD screen, malamang overseas.
May hikbi sa kabilang linya..pero familiar ang boses ni Christine.
"Im so sad, i'm sorry for crying but i just can't help it..." aniya. "He was so good to me. di ko man lang siya nakita uli."
'lam ko matagal na nga. Nine years na yata nung naging abay siya ng kasal ni Christine.Kasama din ako pero hindi abay.
Alam ko close sila. he was her only best friend back during UST days.
dalawa hanggang tatlong oras na telebabad. Minsan magdamagan.
Gosh i miss those days.
Di na uso ang telebabad yata ngayon. mahal na ang tawag sa celphone.
Nahawa din ako sa humahagulgol na kaibigan sa kabilang linya.
Andito sya last month at naitanung nya sa akin kung kamusta na si Art.
Wala pa akong balita sabi ko.
pero sa isip isip ko hindi na yata maganda pag ganung di ako nakakatanggap na balita sa egroups namin.
maya-maya nahimasmasan. knuwento ng magagandang ala ala ng yumao.
mabait nga si Art wala akong masabi.
For a while back then, we became close.
nag-agawan kami sa isang polo sa Kirei para isuot sa graduation..Eventually we ended up buying almost similar color of different design.
Hay! Ani ng mga kaklase namin, para kayong kambal ha...

Dr. Art Bonifacio, 38/M, my classmate fom Tacloban, may he rest in peace

Let me share to you Jimmy's testimonial about a dear friend. We were classmates back in 1987 as a first year medical technology student in a university along Espana, Manila. Section I. We had a brief classmate-relationship back then-only 1 year because our section was eventualy dissolved. Then we became classmates again in Medicine Proper.

Jimmy was also a classmate in Medicine proper.

Dear Classmates,
Art has been my friend since first year med school. I met him because we attended the orientation of Zeta Beta Mu, that was 1991. Maybe because we were "scared" then of what was to happen, we immediately bonded and that bond remained until he succumbed to this fatal illness.
The first time he noticed something strange about his bowel movement was August or therabouts last year, the usual constipation and dull pain were first dismissed until he had hematochezia. Even with his quick decision to have an operation, his liver was not spared of the ravage of cancer. He often would lament, " wala akong kalaban-laban, wala pa ako sa age of screening, walang symptoms ...". All those times, he would turn sober momentarily and return to his jolly mood. We would laugh at the same jokes over and over again, remembering the years of training and difficulty in UST.
When he was here in Manila last April 2008 for the PPS, we had dinner together and attended Frida's son's christening, we were laughing out loud with Edna, Tessa, Larry and the rest of the gang, oblivious of things to come. He got admitted at Makati Medical Center because of unbearable pain days later and diagnosed with post op adhesions. We were all hoping it would resolve by itself, but after a week or so he underwent the knife again in Mla Doctor's.
Two days after his surgery, I came to see him and he was suddenly seemingly lifeless. As if the surgery robbed him of all his remaining will power to live. The usual talks we had turned to silence. He just sat there looking at his children, both cute girls 4 and 6 year-olds, he was thinking, "I won't see them grow up". He often bargained with God, to at least let him see their 18th birthday. After a while, Girly who was supportive from the start, helped him back to bed, he seemed tired. I said goodbye ... that was the last I saw of Art.
I kept telling myself that I would visit or call him again, but my mind struggled, thinking he might rather rest and be with himself. When I got a call May 30 in the morning, the celphone read, "Art", it was a long time since I got a call from him, so I excitedly answered the phone. To my dismay, it was Girly announcing Art's demise. Girly asked me to say thank you for all your prayers and support.
Indeed, it was a sad day for all of us. Yesterday, while I was eating, I suddenly remembered a joke Alan and I shared about ordering food in restaurants, one of our many jokes together. But alas, he is no longer here, I can no longer share that joke with him anymore. But there will always be fond memories. Who knows why he was taken away so early, all we can do is pray that he is in a better place ... I am sure he is.

A Breath of Fresh Air