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For people who need assistance: National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) Emergency Numbers: 912-5668, 911-1406, 912-2665, 911-5061. Help hotlines: 734-2118, 734-2120. Please repost!
From the Office of the President (via Blueboard): For the safety of everyone: We are advising people to stay on campus instead of trying to go home. There are available temporary lodging places at the following: Faculty Housing - loc. 4036 c/o Ms. Sofie CastroNew Dorms - loc. 5930 c/o Mr. Mon Buñag
--
If you know of any students and teachers stranded in ADMU/along Katipunan, please send them this info.
- Music:rain beating down hard
CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS FOR SOUVENIR PROGRAM FOR TARA'S THEME: MUSIC, FRIENDSHIP & LOVE
Dear friends,
As many of you might know, Mr and Mrs Santelices and friends are organizing TARA'S THEME: MUSIC, FRIENDSHIP & LOVE, a benefit concert in Tara's name. The goal of this concert is to raise funds to settle the remaining balance of Tara's medical bills, and to honor Tara's brief but meaningful life.
One of the amazing things about Tara is that she has touched so many lives. As a daughter, sister, batch mate and friend, she made people laugh and gave people comfort. As a musician and filmmaker, she set fire in people through her art. As an Air Police Cadet NCO in the Ateneo ROTC, she helped preserve order in the Corps. As a researcher for Upland Marketing Foundation, she helped underprivileged communities improve their entrepreneurial capabilities so they could acquire resources to build better lives. The large and little choices she made in her life allowed her to make a difference everywhere she went. And even after she was incapacitated by her shooter on the day she turned 23, her story moved strangers here and abroad, inspiring them to contemplate the nature of injustice, faith, and ultimately generosity.
Hence, Mr and Mrs Santelices are inviting everyone moved by Tara's life, struggle, and return to the Lord, to contribute to the content of the souvenir program. You may contribute photos, short essays and poetry. Below are the guidelines for each type of contribution:
PHOTOS
You are invited to submit photos that depict aspects of Tara's personality, values and/or hobbies that you consider significant. These must be photos that capture things you want the world to know about Tara. The photos may be solo shots or group shots as long as Tara's features are clearly identifiable. Photos of Tara's art work and handwritten works will also be accepted.
Please e-mail photo contributions to angge.serrano@ gmail.com. The photos must be in .jpg format, preferably high-resolution (minimum 150 dpi). I will acknowledge receipt of your contributions as soon as I get them.
Important: Kindly identify the photographer for each photo you send. We will include the names of the photographers in a Photo Credits box in the souvenir program. Please also mention if the image is an art work/handwritten work by Tara.
WRITTEN CONTRIBUTIONS
We will accept written contributions from family members, friends and people who didn't know Tara personally but were moved by her story.
FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS
Format: Font Arial Size 12, saved in a .doc file
Length: Maximum of 300 words
* Note down the names of the author/s. Titles are optional. Submissions may be in English or Filipino.
General guide questions:
- In what way are you related to Tara?/How do you know Tara? (family, classmate, organization, band, friend, etc.)
- What are your fondest memories of Tara?
- What insights did you gain from your personal experiences with Tara?
- How has her struggle during the past year affected your life?
The written contributions may take the form of a short essay, a letter, a prayer or a poem. Feel free to be creative. :)
FOR PEOPLE WHO DID NOT KNOW TARA PERSONALLY
Format: Font Arial Size 12, saved in a .doc file
Length: Maximum of 300 words
* Note down the names of the author/s. Titles are optional. Submissions may be in English or Filipino.
General guide questions:
- How did you learn about Tara's story? (if you can, mention the specific TV show, the specific person/relationship with the person who texted you, specific newspaper article, etc.)
- What struck you the most about Tara's story?
- Did learning about Tara's story compel you to do anything about it? If so, what did you do? (i.e., discuss the story with friends, family members and colleagues, promote fund-raising activities on your blog, visit Tara in the hospital, attend a fund-raising event, donate, etc.) Why did you do it, even if you did not know her personally?
The written contributions may take the form of a short essay, a letter, a prayer or a poem. Feel free to be creative. :)
Please e-mail all written contributions to angge.serrano@ gmail.com. I will acknowledge receipt of your contributions as soon as I get them.
The editorial staff will proofread all written submissions. The editorial staff will only make modifications if there are grammatical errors, faulty sentence structure and/or word usage. Rest assured that the originality of the content will be preserved.
--------
The deadline for all contributions is 3 SEPTEMBER 2009 (THURSDAY).
Please spread the word.
Thank you and God bless.
Best wishes,
Angela B Serrano
Editor, Souvenir Program
TARA'S THEME: MUSIC, FRIENDSHIP & LOVE
0928 506 1117
angge.serrano@ gmail.com
Dear friends,
As many of you might know, Mr and Mrs Santelices and friends are organizing TARA'S THEME: MUSIC, FRIENDSHIP & LOVE, a benefit concert in Tara's name. The goal of this concert is to raise funds to settle the remaining balance of Tara's medical bills, and to honor Tara's brief but meaningful life.
One of the amazing things about Tara is that she has touched so many lives. As a daughter, sister, batch mate and friend, she made people laugh and gave people comfort. As a musician and filmmaker, she set fire in people through her art. As an Air Police Cadet NCO in the Ateneo ROTC, she helped preserve order in the Corps. As a researcher for Upland Marketing Foundation, she helped underprivileged communities improve their entrepreneurial capabilities so they could acquire resources to build better lives. The large and little choices she made in her life allowed her to make a difference everywhere she went. And even after she was incapacitated by her shooter on the day she turned 23, her story moved strangers here and abroad, inspiring them to contemplate the nature of injustice, faith, and ultimately generosity.
Hence, Mr and Mrs Santelices are inviting everyone moved by Tara's life, struggle, and return to the Lord, to contribute to the content of the souvenir program. You may contribute photos, short essays and poetry. Below are the guidelines for each type of contribution:
PHOTOS
You are invited to submit photos that depict aspects of Tara's personality, values and/or hobbies that you consider significant. These must be photos that capture things you want the world to know about Tara. The photos may be solo shots or group shots as long as Tara's features are clearly identifiable. Photos of Tara's art work and handwritten works will also be accepted.
Please e-mail photo contributions to angge.serrano@ gmail.com. The photos must be in .jpg format, preferably high-resolution (minimum 150 dpi). I will acknowledge receipt of your contributions as soon as I get them.
Important: Kindly identify the photographer for each photo you send. We will include the names of the photographers in a Photo Credits box in the souvenir program. Please also mention if the image is an art work/handwritten work by Tara.
WRITTEN CONTRIBUTIONS
We will accept written contributions from family members, friends and people who didn't know Tara personally but were moved by her story.
FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS
Format: Font Arial Size 12, saved in a .doc file
Length: Maximum of 300 words
* Note down the names of the author/s. Titles are optional. Submissions may be in English or Filipino.
General guide questions:
- In what way are you related to Tara?/How do you know Tara? (family, classmate, organization, band, friend, etc.)
- What are your fondest memories of Tara?
- What insights did you gain from your personal experiences with Tara?
- How has her struggle during the past year affected your life?
The written contributions may take the form of a short essay, a letter, a prayer or a poem. Feel free to be creative. :)
FOR PEOPLE WHO DID NOT KNOW TARA PERSONALLY
Format: Font Arial Size 12, saved in a .doc file
Length: Maximum of 300 words
* Note down the names of the author/s. Titles are optional. Submissions may be in English or Filipino.
General guide questions:
- How did you learn about Tara's story? (if you can, mention the specific TV show, the specific person/relationship with the person who texted you, specific newspaper article, etc.)
- What struck you the most about Tara's story?
- Did learning about Tara's story compel you to do anything about it? If so, what did you do? (i.e., discuss the story with friends, family members and colleagues, promote fund-raising activities on your blog, visit Tara in the hospital, attend a fund-raising event, donate, etc.) Why did you do it, even if you did not know her personally?
The written contributions may take the form of a short essay, a letter, a prayer or a poem. Feel free to be creative. :)
Please e-mail all written contributions to angge.serrano@ gmail.com. I will acknowledge receipt of your contributions as soon as I get them.
The editorial staff will proofread all written submissions. The editorial staff will only make modifications if there are grammatical errors, faulty sentence structure and/or word usage. Rest assured that the originality of the content will be preserved.
--------
The deadline for all contributions is 3 SEPTEMBER 2009 (THURSDAY).
Please spread the word.
Thank you and God bless.
Best wishes,
Angela B Serrano
Editor, Souvenir Program
TARA'S THEME: MUSIC, FRIENDSHIP & LOVE
0928 506 1117
angge.serrano@ gmail.com
Good day, everyone! Below is Mrs Anne Santelices' response to the e-mails I have been circulating. Mrs Anne Santelices is the mother of Tara Santelices.
Feel free to pass this on.
Angela B Serrano
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Date: Tuesday, February 10, 2009, 6:11 PM
You're welcome, Tita Anne. :) I just want Tara and her family to be okay.
I have more updates to e-mail to you. I'll text you when I send them.
God bless,
Angela
On Mon, Feb 9, 2009 at 4:50 AM, Anne Marie Santelices wrote:
Here is the original message I've been circulating. Accurate naman po yung information, 'di po ba? I just based it on what we talked about.
God bless,
Angela B Serrano
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Angela Serrano <angge.serrano@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Feb 7, 2009 at 8:24 AM
Subject: URGENT Help bring Tara Santelices home
To: angge.serrano@gmail.com
My ROTC buddy, and--for many of the people reading this--fellow Atenean Antonia Marina "Tara" Bosch Santelices has been confined in Medical City since 6 August 2008. She has lain unconscious for five months after being shot in the forehead during a jeepney hold-up the morning of her birthday. She has recovered from her comatose state and has long been transferred from ICU. She can breathe 100% on her own, no longer requiring the aid of a respirator.
Her family longs to take her back home. The promise of home care has been the topic of my conversations with her family since last year. Unfortunately, the hospital will not release her until all the bills have been paid. To date, the hospital expenses have amounted to 1.8 million pesos (PhP 1.8 M). And there's a separate bill for the cost of medicines and the doctors' fees.
Many kind souls have donated money. Others have organized fund-raising events. Many more have spread the word through blogs, e-mail, text messages, petitions, AM radio and even the most widely read newspapers.
Yet more money is needed.
And prayers are not enough. Concrete action is needed for the prayers to bear fruit.
What can we do?
1) Donate. Any amount will do. Send the money to Tara's mother, Anne Santelices, through BDO SA 2140-06220-1.
2) Organize fund-raising events or find ways your organization/ business can raise funds through its current projects. If you're a student group organizing a benefit concert/fun run/play/any kind of event and you want the money to go to a good cause, why not this? If you're running a business and you want to engage in corporate social responsibility, why not partner up with the Santelices family? I can put you in touch with them, just contact me. :-)
3) Spread the word and tell everyone else to spread the word. Maybe you really do want to help but unfortunately, you don't have the money, the time and/or opportunities to organize fund-raising projects. What you can do is help spread the word. Share Tara's story and her family's need for financial help. Talk to your parents, your siblings, your barkada, your block mates, your org mates, your teachers, your students, everyone you know. Just keep spreading the word and it's bound to reach people who can actually donate or organize fund-raisers.
I've learned that as an individual acting alone, there really isn't much I can do, no matter how hard I wish, no matter how hard I try. It is only by reaching out to a larger community that I can actually hope to achieve something.
Thank you for reading this. If anything, I hope you can at least forward this message or link back to this post. Let's help bring Tara home!
Angela B Serrano
AB 2007
Ateneo de Manila University
angge.serrano@gmail.com
Feel free to pass this on.
Angela B Serrano
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
| show details 11:24 PM (10 hours ago) |
|
Hi Ange.
By all means, please do so. Thanks.
Tita Anne
From: Angela Serrano <angge.serrano@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: URGENT Help bring Tara Santelices home
Date: Sunday, March 1, 2009, 2:58 PMSubject: Re: URGENT Help bring Tara Santelices home
- Hide quoted text -
Hi, Tita Anne!
Can I forward the exact text of this e-mail thread to my connections? That way, they will get the story straight from you? :)
Thanks!
Angela
Can I forward the exact text of this e-mail thread to my connections? That way, they will get the story straight from you? :)
Thanks!
Angela
On Sat, Feb 21, 2009 at 1:11 PM, Anne Marie Santelices wrote:
Hi Ange!
Just want to let you know that yesterday morning, Tara underwent an operation for the PEG. It is the procedure wherein a tube is temporarily inserted in the abdomen for the food intake until such time that she is able to chew and swallow her food. The tube through her nose and throat or esophagus (NGT) has been removed. She is taking medication (antibiotics) to control the fever, perhaps her reaction to the surgery. The two loose lower front teeth could not be saved. They have to be extracted to prevent the risk of choking from them. The procedure will be set for another date.
By the way, I re-read our other email exchanges after a friend called up to inquire if it is true that the hospital will not release Tara until all the bills have been paid.
Pasensiya na but because of the pressures of attending to Tara, my two other daughters, and working to earn at the same time, I really cannot find the time to read all messages, much more so to react to certain portions of the email.
I need to clarify the impression that the hospital is not allowing us to go. I recall mentioning to you in my reply to another email exchange that we still have to sit down with Medical City officers for a meeting. Actually, we have not come to the point yet of fixing the actual date of the discharge, and therefore the final amount of bills would not be determined yet because, at that time, Tara still had to undergo the PEG and the matter of fixing the two loose teeth. The dates when these procedures would be done had yet to be set. Thus the final figure would have to wait until the cost of the additional stay in the hospital, surgeries/procedure, medicines, etc. were computed.
Although the hospital has regularly made requests for partial settlement of the outstanding balance, the way the management and staff of its Accounting Department have conveyed these to us have been in a very professional manner. They are courteous and polite.
Again, thank you so much for your concern and support for us. You are a true friend.
Please relay our thanks also to those whom we have not met yet but want to offer their help.
God bless!
Tita Anne
From: Angela Serrano <angge.serrano@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: URGENT Help bring Tara Santelices homeDate: Tuesday, February 10, 2009, 6:11 PM
You're welcome, Tita Anne. :) I just want Tara and her family to be okay.
I have more updates to e-mail to you. I'll text you when I send them.
God bless,
Angela
On Mon, Feb 9, 2009 at 4:50 AM, Anne Marie Santelices wrote:
ange,
yep, your story is right. anyway, am really thankful for the efforts you've
been making to help tara. i really appreciate it. i know tara wants to
thank your personally. who knows one of these days? right!
yes, its okey for them to raise funds and i want to help them personally for
their kind deed.
the only thing i can repay them is thru prayers that God will give them
abundant blessings in life and also esp. you.
kindly give them phone nos.though i can not answer them asap as am really
tired from the hospital everyday, i will try my best to write them for
their unselfish kindness to us.
please do keep in touch..
sincerely,
tita anne
On Mon, 2/9/09, Angela Serrano <angge.serrano@gmail.com> wrote:
From: Angela Serrano <angge.serrano@gmail.com>
Subject: URGENT Help bring Tara Santelices home
Date: Monday, February 9, 2009, 4:48 PM
Tita Anne, Date: Monday, February 9, 2009, 4:48 PM
Here is the original message I've been circulating. Accurate naman po yung information, 'di po ba? I just based it on what we talked about.
God bless,
Angela B Serrano
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Angela Serrano <angge.serrano@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Feb 7, 2009 at 8:24 AM
Subject: URGENT Help bring Tara Santelices home
To: angge.serrano@gmail.com
My ROTC buddy, and--for many of the people reading this--fellow Atenean Antonia Marina "Tara" Bosch Santelices has been confined in Medical City since 6 August 2008. She has lain unconscious for five months after being shot in the forehead during a jeepney hold-up the morning of her birthday. She has recovered from her comatose state and has long been transferred from ICU. She can breathe 100% on her own, no longer requiring the aid of a respirator.
Her family longs to take her back home. The promise of home care has been the topic of my conversations with her family since last year. Unfortunately, the hospital will not release her until all the bills have been paid. To date, the hospital expenses have amounted to 1.8 million pesos (PhP 1.8 M). And there's a separate bill for the cost of medicines and the doctors' fees.
Many kind souls have donated money. Others have organized fund-raising events. Many more have spread the word through blogs, e-mail, text messages, petitions, AM radio and even the most widely read newspapers.
Yet more money is needed.
And prayers are not enough. Concrete action is needed for the prayers to bear fruit.
What can we do?
1) Donate. Any amount will do. Send the money to Tara's mother, Anne Santelices, through BDO SA 2140-06220-1.
2) Organize fund-raising events or find ways your organization/ business can raise funds through its current projects. If you're a student group organizing a benefit concert/fun run/play/any kind of event and you want the money to go to a good cause, why not this? If you're running a business and you want to engage in corporate social responsibility, why not partner up with the Santelices family? I can put you in touch with them, just contact me. :-)
3) Spread the word and tell everyone else to spread the word. Maybe you really do want to help but unfortunately, you don't have the money, the time and/or opportunities to organize fund-raising projects. What you can do is help spread the word. Share Tara's story and her family's need for financial help. Talk to your parents, your siblings, your barkada, your block mates, your org mates, your teachers, your students, everyone you know. Just keep spreading the word and it's bound to reach people who can actually donate or organize fund-raisers.
I've learned that as an individual acting alone, there really isn't much I can do, no matter how hard I wish, no matter how hard I try. It is only by reaching out to a larger community that I can actually hope to achieve something.
Thank you for reading this. If anything, I hope you can at least forward this message or link back to this post. Let's help bring Tara home!
Angela B Serrano
AB 2007
Ateneo de Manila University
angge.serrano@gmail.com
When printing official military communications, one takes care to avoid putting periods in a person's name while he or she still lives. One only supplies periods in the names of the dead.
Looks like I'll have to start using periods for you, Fr. Joey.
A lot of people will remember him as the headmaster of the Ateneo Grade School. I never knew him in that capacity. I will remember him as a warm, friendly, cheerful old man who did not consider the company of a young, dreamy ROTC officer to be beneath him. I never suspected that this nice, unassuming priest who occasionally chatted me up was actually the grade school HEADMASTER.
We first met when I participated in an Ateneo Aikido Association training session in the second floor of the Blue Eagle Gym. Actually, I don't remember seeing him there. I only remember Ada and BJ Patino and the instructor who was trying to teach me a move. I have a vague memory of standing outside the Blue Eagle Gym with Fr. Joey and someone else but I can't for the life of me remember what that was about.
I think we must have encountered each other during school-wide convocations, assemblies and graduations wherein I served as an usher or as a Color Guard, snappy and proud in my gala uniform. I'm amazed that he remembered me because I sure did not remember him. Or if I did, the memories were not particularly striking. Perhaps a hi or a hello, or a thank you, but I just can't recall anything more significant.
Eventually, I retired from the Corps and graduated from University. I landed my first job as a lecturer for the English Department. One day, I was standing at the LRT 2 station at Araneta Center, awaiting a Katipunan-bound train, when this old man came up to me, acting like he knew me. He was tall, and he looked spry even though he walked with a slight stoop. He looked respectable enough in a polo, slacks and leather shoes. His eyes were bright behind his glasses, his manner pleasant and non-threatening. Still, I was hesitant. I could not figure out how I knew him, and I was wary of strangers.
Finally, he mentioned ROTC. Or at least he must have said something about how he remembered me as an ROTC officer because eventually, we stood beside each other inside the train. After getting off at the Katipunan station, we headed for the AdMU campus together. I recall that I was talking about ROTC and he was talking about his relatives in the Air Force. How I wish I could remember more of what we discussed! But the memories are so hazy. I just remember that meeting at the LRT 2 Station, the train ride, the leisurely walk back to the grade school grounds. I also remember that we shared a beso-beso, but I can't recall if it happened before we parted ways outside the grade school, or if it happened some other time, after some other conversation. All I know is that after that, I remembered his face and his name. Fr. Joey. I didn't even know his surname. I didn't even know that he was headmaster. He was just Fr. Joey to me--a kind old man who remembered who I was and apparently found some joy in listening to me.
And that's what was so remarkable about him. He was willing to reach out to me, a virtual stranger. He was willing to discuss the military with fondness, an attitude one does not find in too many Filipinos. He let me speak and he listened. And when he spoke, he did not seize the opportunity to trumpet his achievements. Instead, he talked about his own relatives in the military. Hindi siya nagpasikat. He could have. But he chose to converse on a level he knew I'd appreciate, zeroing in on a topic he knew I loved, which he had some experience with.
And he persisted in reaching out to me, even when I was initially hesitant to respond to him as we both waited for the train at the Araneta station. He found a way to connect to me--by mentioning my ROTC experience--and I decided to welcome him into my personal space. He didn't take my hesitation as a snub or an insult; he simply persisted until he finally made a connection.
I cannot imagine too many men and women of his stature who would do the same.
Why he remembered me, why he decided to engage me in conversation, I have no idea. Now, now that I remember him, now that I won't ever forget his face or his name, I've lost the chance to seek him out and continue the conversation. He died yesterday (05 January 2009) at 8:35 p.m.
I don't know what he saw in me or why he reached out to me even if he did not know me. Maybe it had nothing to do with me. Maybe that's just the kind of person he is. Maybe he is just the type of person who sees in people the good they fail to see in themselves. Right now, I find myself in a similar position. I look at some people I know, and I see so much potential in them and I just want to bonk them in the head because they act as though they don't see all the beauty and power and promise that I see in them. I pray for Fr. Joey's patience, his cheerful generosity, his calm persistence and lack of self-glorification. I thank God for putting Fr. Joey in my way, for allowing him to touch my life profoundly, if briefly.
Thank you, Fr. Joey, wherever you are. Rest in peace. I hope you've found joy in your union with your Maker.
~*~
Fr. Joey's wake will be held at the Chapel of the Holy Angels in the Ateneo de Manila Grade School. The first mass will be at 06:30 a.m.
I cannot make it to this mass but I hope I still get to see Fr. Joey in the chapel. Dom and I will be visiting the chapel at around 4:30 p.m., after my work. If you wish to join us, just text me.
Looks like I'll have to start using periods for you, Fr. Joey.
A lot of people will remember him as the headmaster of the Ateneo Grade School. I never knew him in that capacity. I will remember him as a warm, friendly, cheerful old man who did not consider the company of a young, dreamy ROTC officer to be beneath him. I never suspected that this nice, unassuming priest who occasionally chatted me up was actually the grade school HEADMASTER.
We first met when I participated in an Ateneo Aikido Association training session in the second floor of the Blue Eagle Gym. Actually, I don't remember seeing him there. I only remember Ada and BJ Patino and the instructor who was trying to teach me a move. I have a vague memory of standing outside the Blue Eagle Gym with Fr. Joey and someone else but I can't for the life of me remember what that was about.
I think we must have encountered each other during school-wide convocations, assemblies and graduations wherein I served as an usher or as a Color Guard, snappy and proud in my gala uniform. I'm amazed that he remembered me because I sure did not remember him. Or if I did, the memories were not particularly striking. Perhaps a hi or a hello, or a thank you, but I just can't recall anything more significant.
Eventually, I retired from the Corps and graduated from University. I landed my first job as a lecturer for the English Department. One day, I was standing at the LRT 2 station at Araneta Center, awaiting a Katipunan-bound train, when this old man came up to me, acting like he knew me. He was tall, and he looked spry even though he walked with a slight stoop. He looked respectable enough in a polo, slacks and leather shoes. His eyes were bright behind his glasses, his manner pleasant and non-threatening. Still, I was hesitant. I could not figure out how I knew him, and I was wary of strangers.
Finally, he mentioned ROTC. Or at least he must have said something about how he remembered me as an ROTC officer because eventually, we stood beside each other inside the train. After getting off at the Katipunan station, we headed for the AdMU campus together. I recall that I was talking about ROTC and he was talking about his relatives in the Air Force. How I wish I could remember more of what we discussed! But the memories are so hazy. I just remember that meeting at the LRT 2 Station, the train ride, the leisurely walk back to the grade school grounds. I also remember that we shared a beso-beso, but I can't recall if it happened before we parted ways outside the grade school, or if it happened some other time, after some other conversation. All I know is that after that, I remembered his face and his name. Fr. Joey. I didn't even know his surname. I didn't even know that he was headmaster. He was just Fr. Joey to me--a kind old man who remembered who I was and apparently found some joy in listening to me.
And that's what was so remarkable about him. He was willing to reach out to me, a virtual stranger. He was willing to discuss the military with fondness, an attitude one does not find in too many Filipinos. He let me speak and he listened. And when he spoke, he did not seize the opportunity to trumpet his achievements. Instead, he talked about his own relatives in the military. Hindi siya nagpasikat. He could have. But he chose to converse on a level he knew I'd appreciate, zeroing in on a topic he knew I loved, which he had some experience with.
And he persisted in reaching out to me, even when I was initially hesitant to respond to him as we both waited for the train at the Araneta station. He found a way to connect to me--by mentioning my ROTC experience--and I decided to welcome him into my personal space. He didn't take my hesitation as a snub or an insult; he simply persisted until he finally made a connection.
I cannot imagine too many men and women of his stature who would do the same.
Why he remembered me, why he decided to engage me in conversation, I have no idea. Now, now that I remember him, now that I won't ever forget his face or his name, I've lost the chance to seek him out and continue the conversation. He died yesterday (05 January 2009) at 8:35 p.m.
I don't know what he saw in me or why he reached out to me even if he did not know me. Maybe it had nothing to do with me. Maybe that's just the kind of person he is. Maybe he is just the type of person who sees in people the good they fail to see in themselves. Right now, I find myself in a similar position. I look at some people I know, and I see so much potential in them and I just want to bonk them in the head because they act as though they don't see all the beauty and power and promise that I see in them. I pray for Fr. Joey's patience, his cheerful generosity, his calm persistence and lack of self-glorification. I thank God for putting Fr. Joey in my way, for allowing him to touch my life profoundly, if briefly.
Thank you, Fr. Joey, wherever you are. Rest in peace. I hope you've found joy in your union with your Maker.
~*~
Fr. Joey's wake will be held at the Chapel of the Holy Angels in the Ateneo de Manila Grade School. The first mass will be at 06:30 a.m.
I cannot make it to this mass but I hope I still get to see Fr. Joey in the chapel. Dom and I will be visiting the chapel at around 4:30 p.m., after my work. If you wish to join us, just text me.
- Location:kwarto
- Music:Sara McLachlan - Sweet Surrender
How do you configure your laptop such that you can access AdMU's Wi-Fi?
I bought a UMPC for work - an Acer Aspire One with a Linux OS. I'm sick of zipping around the metro with my heavyweight Thinkpad. From now on, my Thinkpad will serve as my main computer, safety kept away for home use and managing multimedia files. The AAO will take its place as the machine for work- and school-related papers and presentations.
So please help! Thanks! ^_^
I bought a UMPC for work - an Acer Aspire One with a Linux OS. I'm sick of zipping around the metro with my heavyweight Thinkpad. From now on, my Thinkpad will serve as my main computer, safety kept away for home use and managing multimedia files. The AAO will take its place as the machine for work- and school-related papers and presentations.
So please help! Thanks! ^_^
- Music:Kitchie Nadal - 'Wag na 'Wag Mong Sasabihin
The world stands out on either side
No wider than the heart is wide;
Above the world is stretched the sky,--
No higher than the soul is high.
The heart can push the sea and land
Farther away on either hand;
The soul can split the sky in two,
And let the face of God shine through.
But East and West will pinch the heart
That can not keep them pushed apart;
And he whose soul is flat--the sky
Will cave in on him by and by.
~*~*~*~*~*
How wide is your world?
How wide is your heart?
No wider than the heart is wide;
Above the world is stretched the sky,--
No higher than the soul is high.
The heart can push the sea and land
Farther away on either hand;
The soul can split the sky in two,
And let the face of God shine through.
But East and West will pinch the heart
That can not keep them pushed apart;
And he whose soul is flat--the sky
Will cave in on him by and by.
~*~*~*~*~*
How wide is your world?
How wide is your heart?
- Location:home
- Music:sweetest downfall
UNICEF is holding a walkathon and fun run to raise funds for their programs to uplift the condition of Filipino children in need. Here are the details:
DATE: 23 November 2008 (Sunday)
VENUE: McKinley Hill, The Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City
TIME:
Walk (2K) --> Call time: 0630H | Start: 0700H
Run (5K/10K) --> Call time: 0530H | Start: 0600H
REGISTRATION DETAILS:
Early bird registration is until 16 November 2008 (Sunday) - PhP 250
Registration fee from 17 - 22 November 2008 - PhP 300
Walk-in fee on 23 November 2008 - PhP 500
Register at R.O.X. Bonifacio High Street, Taguig City.
The registration kit includes a singlet, a race bib, the official race number and race course. You get UNICEF Christmas cards if you register early.
You can also avail of a baller I.D. for an extra PhP 100.
UNICEF will provide space for storing your bags.
Contact (02) 758-1000 or (02) 396-5170 for details.
~*~*~*~*~*~
I registered for the 5K run race earlier. I met Randy in the amazing UNICEF Philippines headquarters in RCBC Plaza earlier this afternoon. The secretaries at Yuchengco Tower were nasty (they carelessly tossed my AdMU I.D. on the table after I turned in my Visitor's Pass) but the people at UNICEF were very friendly and accommodating. And I love that the main color scheme of the UNICEF office is deep blue.
I also applied for a Baller I.D. The Baller I.D. can bear your choice of any of the following messages:
* I have the right to be healthy.
* I have the right to be safe.
* I have the right to know and learn.
* I have the right to be heard.
* I have the right to live.
* UNITE FOR CHILDREN.
I chose the I.D. bearing the message "I have the right to be heard." :-D
Thank you, Randy! It was wonderful to see you again. Dom and I will see you soon to get our kits.
DATE: 23 November 2008 (Sunday)
VENUE: McKinley Hill, The Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City
TIME:
Walk (2K) --> Call time: 0630H | Start: 0700H
Run (5K/10K) --> Call time: 0530H | Start: 0600H
REGISTRATION DETAILS:
Early bird registration is until 16 November 2008 (Sunday) - PhP 250
Registration fee from 17 - 22 November 2008 - PhP 300
Walk-in fee on 23 November 2008 - PhP 500
Register at R.O.X. Bonifacio High Street, Taguig City.
The registration kit includes a singlet, a race bib, the official race number and race course. You get UNICEF Christmas cards if you register early.
You can also avail of a baller I.D. for an extra PhP 100.
UNICEF will provide space for storing your bags.
Contact (02) 758-1000 or (02) 396-5170 for details.
~*~*~*~*~*~
I registered for the 5K run race earlier. I met Randy in the amazing UNICEF Philippines headquarters in RCBC Plaza earlier this afternoon. The secretaries at Yuchengco Tower were nasty (they carelessly tossed my AdMU I.D. on the table after I turned in my Visitor's Pass) but the people at UNICEF were very friendly and accommodating. And I love that the main color scheme of the UNICEF office is deep blue.
I also applied for a Baller I.D. The Baller I.D. can bear your choice of any of the following messages:
* I have the right to be healthy.
* I have the right to be safe.
* I have the right to know and learn.
* I have the right to be heard.
* I have the right to live.
* UNITE FOR CHILDREN.
I chose the I.D. bearing the message "I have the right to be heard." :-D
Thank you, Randy! It was wonderful to see you again. Dom and I will see you soon to get our kits.
- Music:Sweeney Todd 2005 Reprisal - Pretty Women
I sure hope so.
Congratulations to America's first African-American President, Mr Barack Obama! I hope that he hits the ground running, sustaining the spirit of renewal he promised in his campaign.
Because, in his words, "there is nothing false about hope."
Congratulations to America's first African-American President, Mr Barack Obama! I hope that he hits the ground running, sustaining the spirit of renewal he promised in his campaign.
Because, in his words, "there is nothing false about hope."
- Location:office
MANILA, Philippines - Sixty-six faculty members of the Ateneo de Manila University have signed a declaration supporting the passage of the Reproductive Health bill despite warnings by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.
The declaration, dated October 27, 2008, said the teachers were speaking for themselves and not for the Jesuit university.
“After studying the provisions of House Bill 5043 in light of the realities of Filipino women, poor families, and our youth, we, 66 individual faculty of the Ateneo de Manila University, speaking for ourselves and not for the university, have come to conclude that the Philippines urgently needs a national policy on reproductive health and population development, as provided by HB 5043," the declaration read.
The declaration emphasized that the faculty members grappled with their conscience and agreed to support the measure.
“We hope our expression of support can help enrich and broaden the discussions and debates on the issue of reproductive health and population development, by presenting an alternative view supportive of House Bill 5043 coming from Catholic academics and educators," the teachers said.
“A consistent, integrated, and comprehensive population framework guarantees budgetary support from the national government for reproductive health initiatives, and ensures their sustainability across local government units regardless of changes in national and local leadership. While curbing our rapid population growth rate of 2.04 percent will not, by itself, solve poverty in our country, addressing the population problem is crucial to overall economic growth and poverty reduction, along with asset redistribution, employment and livelihood opportunities, combating corruption, improving governance, and strengthening institutions," the Ateneo mentors added.
“Those who oppose the RH Bill have denounced it as ‘pro-abortion,’ ‘anti-life,’ ‘anti-women,’ ‘anti-poor,’ and ‘immoral.’ However, our reason, informed by our faith, has led us to believe and say otherwise," the statement read in reference to the opposition by the hierarchy of the Catholic church in the country.
“The RH Bill is pro-life and pro-women. HB 5043 categorically rejects abortion, which it deems a ‘crime,’ in consonance with the 1987 Constitution. What it, in fact, wants to do is prevent abortions by offering couples an array of ‘medically-safe, legal, affordable and quality’ family planning methods, from which they can choose the one that will work best for them. In so doing, the RH Bill seeks to avert unwanted and mistimed pregnancies, which cause mostly poor and married women despairing over yet another pregnancy to seek an induced abortion. We are alarmed that an estimated 473,400 Filipino women went for an abortion in 2000, and that some 79,000 of them wound up in hospitals for abortion complications. We consider it our guilt and our shame that so many of our women should be driven to such dire straits as to make abortion a family planning method, for want of information on and access to an effective means to prevent an unplanned pregnancy," the declaration said.
The signatories to the declaration were: Ricardo G. Abad (Department of Sociology-Anthropology); Joy G. Aceron (Department of Political Science); Raymond B. Aguas (Department of Theology); Liane Peña Alampay (Department of Psychology); Fernando T. Aldaba (Department of Economics); Raul Socrates C. Banzuela (Program for Development Studies); Remmon E. Barbaza (Department of Philosophy); Germelino M. Bautista (Department of Economics); Edsel L. Beja, Jr. (Department of Economics);
Rofel G. Brion (Department of Interdisciplinary Studies); Ma. Cecilia C. Bulos (Department of Psychology); Liberty L. Chee (Department of Modern Languages); Sharon Ann C. Co (Department of Psychology); Antonio Esteban G. Conejos (Department of English); Manuel D. Cuenca, Jr., M.D. (Department of Psychology); Gary C. Devilles (Kagawaran ng Filipino); Aleta C. Domdom (Department of Economics); Atty. Alexander C. Dy (Ateneo Law School); Manuel B. Dy, Jr. (Department of Philosophy); Elizabeth Uy Eviota (Department of Sociology-Anthropology); Ana Marie O. Fernandez (Department of English); Joseph H. Francia (Department of Economics); Jamil Paolo S. Francisco (Department of Economics);
Geoffrey A. Guevara (Department of Philosophy); Marita Castro Guevara (Department of Interdisciplinary Studies); Roberto O. Guevara (Department of Theology); Ma. Regina M. Hechanova (Department of Psychology); Anne Marie A. Karaos (Department of Sociology-Anthropology); Michael J. Liberatore (Department of Theology); Liza L. Lim (Department of Sociology-Anthropology); Ma. Emma Concepcion D. Liwag (Department of Psychology); Ada Javellana Loredo (Department of English); Jozon A. Lorenzana (Department of Communication); J. Ma. Arcadio Malbarosa (Department of Philosophy); Pamela Joy M. Mariano (Department of Philosophy); Ma. Isabel Pefianco Martin (Department of English); Marcia Czarina Corazon M. Medina (Department of Sociology-Anthropology);
Ma. Isabel E. Melgar (Department of Psychology); Luisito G. Montalbo (Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health); Cristina Jayme Montiel (Department of Psychology); Aaron Rom O. Moralina (Department of History); Jocelyn M. Mayoralga-Nolasco (Department of Psychology); Mira Alexis P. Ofreneo (Department of Psychology); Glenda C. Oris (Kagawaran ng Filipino); Josephine P. Perez (Department of Psychology); Raul Pertierra (Department of Sociology-Anthropology); Caroliza T. Peteros (Program for Development Studies); Alicia T. Pingol (Department of Sociology-Anthropology); Emma E. Porio (Department of Sociology-Anthropology); Mary Racelis (Department of Sociology-Anthropology); Ma. Margarita A. Ramos (Department of Psychology);
Mariel Vincent A. Rapisura (Program for Development Studies); Danton Remoto (Department of English); Agustin Martin G. Rodriguez (Department of Philosophy); Alma Maria O. Salvador (Department of Political Science); Atty. Maria Cleofe Gettie C. Sandoval (Leaders for Health Program), and; Joselito T. Sescon (Department of Economics). Anton Luis C. Sevilla (Department of Philosophy); Alma Valerie C. Soriano (Department of English); Sherilyn T. Siy (Department of Psychology); Mary C. Thomas (Department of English); Jose Ma. Edito K. Tirol (Department of History); Philip Arnold P. Tuaño (Department of Economics); Eileen F. Tupaz (Department of Philosophy); John Carlo P. Uy (Department of Philosophy), and; Ma. Eufemia C. Yap, M.D. (Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health). - GMANews.TV
Source here:
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/130147/66-At
~*~*~*~*~*~
I was having such a bad day earlier. But I felt more cheerful when I read this on Migoy's blog. I'm so proud of these professors. If I were still teaching in AdMU, I'd sign this in a heartbeat. I feel so strongly about reproductive health education because I personally know people (young and not so young) whose lives might be different if they knew more about reproductive health and the way their bodies worked. There are so many distorted messages about sex and sexuality in the media and in our patriarchal culture. I believe that the passage of this bill will be a small but significant step toward a change for the better.
We may not be Ateneo professors but we can also sign our support by signing the following petitions:
Declaration of Support for the Immediate Passage of the Reproductive Health Bill into Law
Statement of Support for the Ateneo faculty and the Passage of the Reproductive Health Bill
We can also join Carlos Celdran's Facebook group "I Support the Reproductive Health Bill." Click here.
The declaration, dated October 27, 2008, said the teachers were speaking for themselves and not for the Jesuit university.
“After studying the provisions of House Bill 5043 in light of the realities of Filipino women, poor families, and our youth, we, 66 individual faculty of the Ateneo de Manila University, speaking for ourselves and not for the university, have come to conclude that the Philippines urgently needs a national policy on reproductive health and population development, as provided by HB 5043," the declaration read.
The declaration emphasized that the faculty members grappled with their conscience and agreed to support the measure.
“We hope our expression of support can help enrich and broaden the discussions and debates on the issue of reproductive health and population development, by presenting an alternative view supportive of House Bill 5043 coming from Catholic academics and educators," the teachers said.
“A consistent, integrated, and comprehensive population framework guarantees budgetary support from the national government for reproductive health initiatives, and ensures their sustainability across local government units regardless of changes in national and local leadership. While curbing our rapid population growth rate of 2.04 percent will not, by itself, solve poverty in our country, addressing the population problem is crucial to overall economic growth and poverty reduction, along with asset redistribution, employment and livelihood opportunities, combating corruption, improving governance, and strengthening institutions," the Ateneo mentors added.
“Those who oppose the RH Bill have denounced it as ‘pro-abortion,’ ‘anti-life,’ ‘anti-women,’ ‘anti-poor,’ and ‘immoral.’ However, our reason, informed by our faith, has led us to believe and say otherwise," the statement read in reference to the opposition by the hierarchy of the Catholic church in the country.
“The RH Bill is pro-life and pro-women. HB 5043 categorically rejects abortion, which it deems a ‘crime,’ in consonance with the 1987 Constitution. What it, in fact, wants to do is prevent abortions by offering couples an array of ‘medically-safe, legal, affordable and quality’ family planning methods, from which they can choose the one that will work best for them. In so doing, the RH Bill seeks to avert unwanted and mistimed pregnancies, which cause mostly poor and married women despairing over yet another pregnancy to seek an induced abortion. We are alarmed that an estimated 473,400 Filipino women went for an abortion in 2000, and that some 79,000 of them wound up in hospitals for abortion complications. We consider it our guilt and our shame that so many of our women should be driven to such dire straits as to make abortion a family planning method, for want of information on and access to an effective means to prevent an unplanned pregnancy," the declaration said.
The signatories to the declaration were: Ricardo G. Abad (Department of Sociology-Anthropology); Joy G. Aceron (Department of Political Science); Raymond B. Aguas (Department of Theology); Liane Peña Alampay (Department of Psychology); Fernando T. Aldaba (Department of Economics); Raul Socrates C. Banzuela (Program for Development Studies); Remmon E. Barbaza (Department of Philosophy); Germelino M. Bautista (Department of Economics); Edsel L. Beja, Jr. (Department of Economics);
Rofel G. Brion (Department of Interdisciplinary Studies); Ma. Cecilia C. Bulos (Department of Psychology); Liberty L. Chee (Department of Modern Languages); Sharon Ann C. Co (Department of Psychology); Antonio Esteban G. Conejos (Department of English); Manuel D. Cuenca, Jr., M.D. (Department of Psychology); Gary C. Devilles (Kagawaran ng Filipino); Aleta C. Domdom (Department of Economics); Atty. Alexander C. Dy (Ateneo Law School); Manuel B. Dy, Jr. (Department of Philosophy); Elizabeth Uy Eviota (Department of Sociology-Anthropology); Ana Marie O. Fernandez (Department of English); Joseph H. Francia (Department of Economics); Jamil Paolo S. Francisco (Department of Economics);
Geoffrey A. Guevara (Department of Philosophy); Marita Castro Guevara (Department of Interdisciplinary Studies); Roberto O. Guevara (Department of Theology); Ma. Regina M. Hechanova (Department of Psychology); Anne Marie A. Karaos (Department of Sociology-Anthropology); Michael J. Liberatore (Department of Theology); Liza L. Lim (Department of Sociology-Anthropology); Ma. Emma Concepcion D. Liwag (Department of Psychology); Ada Javellana Loredo (Department of English); Jozon A. Lorenzana (Department of Communication); J. Ma. Arcadio Malbarosa (Department of Philosophy); Pamela Joy M. Mariano (Department of Philosophy); Ma. Isabel Pefianco Martin (Department of English); Marcia Czarina Corazon M. Medina (Department of Sociology-Anthropology);
Ma. Isabel E. Melgar (Department of Psychology); Luisito G. Montalbo (Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health); Cristina Jayme Montiel (Department of Psychology); Aaron Rom O. Moralina (Department of History); Jocelyn M. Mayoralga-Nolasco (Department of Psychology); Mira Alexis P. Ofreneo (Department of Psychology); Glenda C. Oris (Kagawaran ng Filipino); Josephine P. Perez (Department of Psychology); Raul Pertierra (Department of Sociology-Anthropology); Caroliza T. Peteros (Program for Development Studies); Alicia T. Pingol (Department of Sociology-Anthropology); Emma E. Porio (Department of Sociology-Anthropology); Mary Racelis (Department of Sociology-Anthropology); Ma. Margarita A. Ramos (Department of Psychology);
Mariel Vincent A. Rapisura (Program for Development Studies); Danton Remoto (Department of English); Agustin Martin G. Rodriguez (Department of Philosophy); Alma Maria O. Salvador (Department of Political Science); Atty. Maria Cleofe Gettie C. Sandoval (Leaders for Health Program), and; Joselito T. Sescon (Department of Economics). Anton Luis C. Sevilla (Department of Philosophy); Alma Valerie C. Soriano (Department of English); Sherilyn T. Siy (Department of Psychology); Mary C. Thomas (Department of English); Jose Ma. Edito K. Tirol (Department of History); Philip Arnold P. Tuaño (Department of Economics); Eileen F. Tupaz (Department of Philosophy); John Carlo P. Uy (Department of Philosophy), and; Ma. Eufemia C. Yap, M.D. (Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health). - GMANews.TV
Source here:
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/130147/66-At
~*~*~*~*~*~
I was having such a bad day earlier. But I felt more cheerful when I read this on Migoy's blog. I'm so proud of these professors. If I were still teaching in AdMU, I'd sign this in a heartbeat. I feel so strongly about reproductive health education because I personally know people (young and not so young) whose lives might be different if they knew more about reproductive health and the way their bodies worked. There are so many distorted messages about sex and sexuality in the media and in our patriarchal culture. I believe that the passage of this bill will be a small but significant step toward a change for the better.
We may not be Ateneo professors but we can also sign our support by signing the following petitions:
Declaration of Support for the Immediate Passage of the Reproductive Health Bill into Law
Statement of Support for the Ateneo faculty and the Passage of the Reproductive Health Bill
We can also join Carlos Celdran's Facebook group "I Support the Reproductive Health Bill." Click here.
- Location:home
- Music:Imogen Heap - Clear the Area
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