Cecille

From the cradle to the bed,

From tears I shed to blood I bled;

You've been there through it all.

You've pulled me up from every fall.

And when puberty hit and pimples grew,

We grew distant but we kinda knew,

You'll always be there for me too,

No matter the issue or even when tempers brew.

I met new people and gained friends through the years,

Picked up bad habits and cried bucketfuls of tears;

But the times I spent with you--------

They were still the greatest and fondest moments too.

And as I grew up and you grew old,

Your age neared to gold;

I realized time isn't our friend,

 I should be good to you while God has time to lend.

So know that the thoughts as I write these,

Are nothing short of love and reminisce;

We cannot go back to days gone by,

But now, we can surely enjoy the time left and try.

***

This piece is penned as I thought of my mother, hence the title; this is also my belated Mother's day tribute to her and to all the mothers out there!

Frisky

When I was little and just learning how to swim,

You stood at the side grinning from ear to ear,

   Oh how, I remember the excitement bursting at the seams;

It was so much like a dream!

I thought at first you were going in the water with me,

But in a blink of an eye, you pushed me in with so much glee!

I cried and told you I was telling on you,

You just laughed in my face and shrugged any worries too!

I still remember how annoyed I was with you,

But you just brushed it off as nothing new;

And then you said these words to me,

"You're angry now but someday, you'll see, 

                                          this is gonna be a fond memory."

English Words As Told in the Philippines

The Philippines is known as the third largest English-speaking country after United Kingdom and the United States. But that is not to say that we are the only ones in Asia who has adapted to the said language. It just so happened that the country was once under the US control from 1898-1946, including the years when WWII broke out. That's a long time! And the people adjusted fairly well when English became more mainstream as opposed to the Spanish language. 

You gotta know that although the Americans did not stay as long as the Spaniards to fully integrate their culture to the Filipinos, they have made their influence on the Filipinos just the same and their language was no different. In fact, they made it more accessible to the natives than what their predecessor ever did in the 333 years they were in the country. Also, the education they provided was quite liberating and progressive than what the people of that time were used to.

Unsent Letters

I wrote a letter to a friend as if time and distance didn't happen;

I wrote a letter to a friend as if I was just talking to him.

I wrote a letter to a friend detailing how my days went,

I wrote a letter to a friend with all the joys and tears 

                                                         I wish I could have shared with him.

I wrote a letter to a friend about the new friends and faces I've seen,

I wrote a letter to a friend gushing of all the places I've been;

I wrote a letter to a friend lamenting of my sorrows and woes,

I wrote a letter to a friend and imagined myself in his shoes.

I wrote a letter to a friend whilst tears streamed down my face,

I wrote letters to a friend and wondered if I sent them would he feel less betrayed?

I wrote these letters to a friend while imagining his replies;

I wrote these letters to a friend but I didn't know it was going to be our goodbye.

Lenten Season 2017

We're just a few days away from the Lenten Season or more commonly referred as "holy week". Like last year, I'm going to share the schedule of activities of our local parish which is the National Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Orense Street, Guadalupe Nuevo, Makati City (near MMDA office).

April 9 PALM SUNDAY

          8:00 AM Blessings of Palms

                  Procession starts from MMDA

*Regular Sunday masses follow

April 10 HOLY MONDAY

           6:30 PM Holy Mass

           7:30 PM Lenten Recollection by Rev Fr. Christian Emmanuel Gabinete

April 11 HOLY TUESDAY

           6:30 PM Holy Mass

           7:30 PM Lenten Recollection by Rev Fr.Raymund Cruz

April 12 HOLY WEDNESDAY

           5:00 PM Procession of the Passion

           5:30 PM Kumpisalang Bayan

           6:30 PM Holy Mass

          

April 13 HOLY THURSDAY

            6:00 AM Chrism Mass at the Manila Cathedral

            5:00 PM Mass of the Lord's Supper, 

                        Washing of the Feet, 

                         Reposition of the Blessed Sacrament

                         Vigil at the Altar of Repose

April 14 GOOD FRIDAY

            4:30 AM Parish-wide Station of the Cross

         12:00 NN Seven Last Words

            3:00 PM Veneration of the Cross

            6:00 PM Procession

            9:00 PM Procession of the Mater Dolorosa

April 15 HOLY SATURDAY

           8:00 PM Easter Vigil with Adult Baptism

April 16 EASTER SUNDAY

            4:00 AM Salubong in front of Guadalupe Nuevo Barangay Hall

            4:30 AM Easter Dawn Mass

* Regular Sunday Masses follow

Every Fridays of Lent the Subparishes of Barrio Visaya (6:30 PM), San Jose (6:00 PM), South Cembo and Centro (7:30PM) and Pinagkaisahan (8:00 PM) observe the Station of the Cross.

An Open Letter to those who are Feeling Blue

Hey you,

How have you been these days? Are things going well? Or are you feeling a bit unwell? You see, Ive been feeling blue just recently but through some encouraging words and some distractions, I got over it and now I'm writing this... 

I figured there may be someone who was feeling the same as I did but has no one to turn to. So, I'm writing this for you. I want you to know that everything's gonna be alright, it may sound trite but it's true.  Do know that what you're feeling is fleeting; no suffering is unending. 

You may be feeling so alone right now, detached from everything that's happening around you. You may be feeling so out of touch with certain things, out of place with your family and friends... Regardless of what the cause of your loneliness is, I hope that you can keep in mind that you are loved, you are important and you are not alone.

If you want to cry your eyes out, go ahead. If you are sad then so be it. I'm not gonna tell you to suck it up or say that you're just being overly dramatic. There are certain times in our lives that one who'd just feel lost, tired and blue. It may be that time for you. Don't worry, I certainly wouldn't judge you. In fact, I feel you. 

You know how they say that there's always a rainbow after the rain? I've been fond of that saying, I appreciated it's message, I hope you can too. Also, it's an earnest hope you wouldn't be sad for long. I don't want you to miss out on things. More than ever, I want you to go out there and realize that you are fortunate, you are blessed. 

What I say may not make much difference with your current state of mind, but if there's anything that I'm pretty sure of it's that I know you're gonna be just fine, just as I am now. 

                                                                                                               Someone who understands you,

Tweaking Lazada Just A Lil' Bit

Online shopping is a heaven-sent! You don't have to endure the perpetual traffic just to go the mall or even sweat like a pig with this summer heat. Just by logging on to your favorite online shop you can browse through their seemingly endless selections and own whatever you desire at the tip of your fingertips.

My cousins and I have been raving about Lazada for years already. They have everything- from clothes to bags, sports accessories to gadgets, home appliances to canned goods, there's even a section that caters to your sweet tooth! Plus, they often have sales, sweet!

But despite such sweet deals, there are things I hope they have or the very least, improve. With that in mind, I've listed down some issues I personally think needs some tweaks to further make Lazada the best there is!

Product Reviews/Comments
Since you can only peruse the products you want virtually, reading the product reviews and comments help you make the decision to click that "buy" button or look for other options. But some comments are redundant, don't make a lick of sense or just plain old ridiculous. Moreover, there are those that gloss too much over the beauty of a certain product while others just get down rude and dirty with their reviews. You'll end up wondering if the comments and reviews are legit or just trolls.

The Idea:
When I was going through some random product review, I wondered if there was someone in Lazada who also read through all those stuffs. A moderator or just someone who monitors the thread would be nice. But having someone within the company respond to the comments, especially the negative ones can put the customers' mind in perspective, don't you think so?

It would also be more credible if the full names or social media profile of those who provided reviews and comments were included. I would prefer reading something written by a virtual stranger (who can I still address by name) as opposed to reading something from "anonymous", etc.

Comments, either positive or negative are important, as they can make or break a business too.

Customer Service

Do you know the feeling of so looking forward to receiving your parcels only to have your bubbles burst when they don't arrive on the expected day/time or there has been a huge mix-up in the order. Well, you get my drift, right? Then, you would proceed to contacting the shop to address the issue, but the wait to get someone to talk with is freaking looong.

You are already annoyed as it is but all that waiting is making it worse! And then there are times that one can get more pissed with how the concern/complaint is handled. Wouldn't it be nice to have a customer service that is prompt and always available?

At present, Lazada has a section in their website dedicated in answering customers' concerns. A hotline is also provided but one can only talk with an agent from 6:00 in the morning to 12:00 in the midnight. They do have email support but replies can be a long wait as usual responses have 24-48 hours time frame. You can always opt for chat support but it is available from Mondays-Fridays at 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM only.

The Idea:
Lessen the waiting time. I know, I know customer service is no joke and agents also have it hard. But as I've mentioned earlier, there are cases when the customers get even more annoyed with the long wait and thus, inevitable for the agents to get the brunt of it. But I think it wouldn't be as bad if the customers did not have to wait long for their concerns to be addressed.

Delivery Service
I think online shops and even individual re-sellers have encountered problems with their delivery service at one time or another, so even the most legit business can be tarnished when their products are not delivered on time or delivered in a less stellar condition.

Although Lazada wants to make sure that you get your products asap and in its best condition such isn't really guaranteed as deliveries are handled by other companies. Lazada has partnered with LBC, Air21, 2Go and XDE. Deliveries in Metro Manila usually take one day to a week and provincial 5-12 calendar days.

Mind you, products from overseas take more days to arrive. You will be notified via SMS or email when your product has been dispatched for delivery depending on what courier service it has been taken to.

The Idea:
Honestly, there isn't much choice but to wait for your parcel patiently. Lazada opts different courier service so there are variations on how long or how soon they can deliver the product at your doorstep. There are tracking system for the deliveries but some times this can be a hassle too, especially when you have multiple orders. The products are given individual tracking numbers. So just imagine if you ordered 20 or so products, yikes!

It would be wonderful if Lazada has its very own courier service that is as extensive as the other known courier service. Things would be less complicated then. They would not have to coordinate and wait from their partners to give them any updates. More so, they can offer a more flexible option like express delivery or prearranged shipments and maybe come up with a simpler tracking system for multiple orders.

I was told they actually have their own courier service at present, the Lazada Express (LEX) but I guess their operations are still limited considering they still rely on other courier services. 

Product Details
I get the fact that Lazada is just a platform and that product descriptions are usually provided by their merchants. Some products have very detailed descriptions but most are lacking; they don't even include where some products came from.

Personally, this is what I often look for first, regardless of what I am buying. Knowing where the product is manufactured from eases any doubts I have especially when the product in question is very cheap. We all want things that are affordable, "kayang- kaya at mura" as we say in Filipino but not at the expense of our well-being.

Moreover, being hoodwinked is also a big issue. If the product's specifications isn't properly provided, how can you know you're getting your money's worth? So knowing what you're actually buying and where they came from is pretty basic.

The Idea:
Lazada should set a format for the product descriptions that all their merchants should abide to the letter. It would make it easier for consumers to compare their choices and eventually pick the best among them. Inclusion of the type of materials and where they are made from (country) are a must.


Advertisements
I often see advertisements of Lazada online. Certain sites which have pop-up ads often redirect to Lazada which would initially take me by surprise but inevitably annoy me thereafter.  I also chance upon radio advertisements, some print ads but not so much on TV.

The thing in the Philippine market is that we often associate a face or a name to a product or service. It's easier to forget a certain product name but not so much if it has an awesome commercial or jingle. Like when we talk about Coco Martin, we'd think of Probinsyano, which is still being aired, products he endorses and commercials he's in. Someone would even belt out, "relaks 'nay ang puso mo, gatas pa rin ito..." 

The Idea:
In truth, we're just big suckers for catchy jingles and heartwarming commercial story line, those that we can get the "hugot" feels. Having eye-candies endorsing a product are a fail-safe move in the Philippines as Filipino fans go to extremes just to show their idols their love and support. So getting a local celebrity as brand ambassador/commercial model can certainly boost sales and further get "the name" out there.


From my perspective, Lazada is among the best shopping sites. I cannot think of any other company that holds big sales so frequently and caters to different age group other than Lazada. The issues I've recounted aren't necessarily big flaws but merely things that I thought can still be improved to better appeal to the consumers and keep up with the time.

-----
This post is an entry for iPrice E-Commerce Blogging Competition by Iprice

So, Did I Just Eat My Words?!

This is gonna be quick. About a year ago or so, I detested the idea of having an Instagram account. I couldn't understand the need to have another SNS account when I already had my Facebook and Twitter, considering that I often go off the grid for days, so I figured it was totally unnecessary...

Then this year, for no real reason, I made one. I couldn't even remember what prompted me to do so. Anyway, I was a  total #noob! I didn't have a clue what the fvck I was doing and had to literally ask someone about it and oh, Coifishh even welcomed me in the social circle! Haha. Apparently, there were friends who seemed more present in instagram than they ever were in their other social media. They would randomly post pictures of how certain things looked or share a picture of a quote that made an impact on them. I get it, at times I even feel for them.

Oopsie! gif from giphy.com

In a few days, I got the hang of it and eventually appreciated the novelty of just looking at pictures and feeling the message without the words and all. Take note, I also posted things that were reflective and more sentimental than how I usually am in my other social media (except twitter tho, I have a lot of dramas there! ahaha).
 

Honestly speaking, I cannot even remember why I was so set against having Instagram. Maybe I was turned off by people who posted via Instagram that screamed of vanity, superficiality and how idle and fvcked up their lives were. Or maybe I abhor the idea of being part of something so mainstream, well just maybe.

Regardless of what my initial reason was, right now, I want to use this platform (and the other sites too) for unselfish reasons, to inspire, to connect, to inform, not because I know a lot nor because I'm some sort of social influencer, not at all! But because I have the means to do so.

Should Have's

Of all the things I should have told you,

                                                       I should have said "I love you" very often;

          So you wouldn't have questioned your worth 

                          or your very existence.

Of all the things I should told you,

                                 I should have said "I'm here",

So you didn't have to feel alone 

                                          and be an outcast among your peers.

Of all the things I should have told you,

                              I should have said "Thanks",

For being the way you are 

                     and being a heaven-sent.

Of all the things I should have told you,

                                 I should have said "It's okay",

                   So you didn't have to go through feeling burdened,

                      and be in so much pain.

Of all the things I should have told you,

                                      I should have said "This shall pass"

                                                  So you wouldn't have left 

                                                 and chosen an exit that would forever last.

Wakes and Burials

As you may know, my family and I spent the first few days of this year in a rather somber mood yet those days were also hectic and curiosity-filled. What am I talking about? Okay, so I belong to a rather large family and of a relatively conservative yet varied culture. There were a lot of things that we had to adhere during the wake, of which honestly most didn't make much sense to us. As the days went by, I thought about writing all the funeral customs I've heard as well as the practices I was, more than once, told to do.

I knew some of the pamahiin but I didn't really think much of it. But since I am among the "older" children in the family now I had to assume some of the responsibilities and deal firsthand with some of these Filipino beliefs and practices (take not that these are just some of them).

The wake:

1.  There should be at least one awake during the lamay (wake)

Having someone die in the family is not just emotionally taxing but physically and mentally too. But no matter how tired we were, there was always someone who stayed up all night. It was usually my younger male cousin Abe, since his friends often dropped by during the wee hours and well, he was the oldest male who stayed during the wake. Most of our relatives returned home for the night and came back the next day to relieve us.

This practice is probably the most mainstream but not necessarily done just by Filipinos. I think other Asian countries do this too. . . In a way, I feel like this showed our love and respect for the family member who left, yung tipong regardless of the situation, we're here- with you.

2. Don't sweep the floor

Apparently, sweeping the floor where the vigil for the deceased is, signifies that the the spirit is not welcomed by the family anymore. I've heard of this a lot and though I understand the sentiment, I wasn't keen on doing it especially when the floor where we had the wake was sooo dirty. I was on the verge of having a meltdown! I did tell my tito  first that I was gonna clean up and he was still welcome to make his presence known. And oh boy, how he responded to those words but that's another story. 

3. The candle should be lighted separately

You know the candle at the foot or at the head of the casket? Well, this one has a lot of do's-and-don't and fairly new to me. I always carry a lighter with me (even if I don't smoke) so it was no-brainer that I was tasked to make sure the candle didn't burn out. However, some of the guests were a bit shocked. 

I  was told that it wasn't something a family member should be doing but since most of the people in there were family I didn't exactly have much choice. Further, I was told that I had to blow the light out of the previous one before lighting the new candle; as lighting the latter through the first one's fire meant that another death would follow. Gotta tell you, I'm not one to follow traditions and all to the letter but I heeded to this one more than I intended to.

4. Wounds aren't going to heal / take much longer to heal when you attend a wake
That explains itself fairly well, right? There are other pamahiin associated with this one, like when a female has her monthly period. It's said that being in a wake would make her blood dirty. Honestly, I don't get that sh*t, your period is supposed to be dirty, its the female's way of getting her reproductive system ready for procreation, so yeah, it would involve some "shedding" and "bleeding".

Also, if one is terminally ill then it's not advisable for him/her to attend the wake, since he/she is almost at death's door and being in a place that screams death isn't a welcoming notion. The same reason applies for a pregnant women.

6. Food served / offered in a wake aren't supposed to be taken home
Filipino wakes are abound with food, people and merriment. Well after all the crying, the bereaved family would remember the deceased in a much lighter note, well at least we did. We looked over old pictures and shared stories. And since food plays a major role in Filipino get-together, well there was more than enough to go around.

There were also people who paid their last respects to my tito by sending snacks, boxes of juice, and other assortment of food especially on the last day of the wake or the huling lamay as we call it in Filipino. But even though there was a lot of food, the elders reiterated not to take anything home especially to the much younger guests. It is frowned upon to take even a single candy from the wake. I'm still not sure of the reason to this though.


The burial: 
1. All family members are supposed to leave before the casket is taken out of the hall.
Well, this doesn't need much explaining. We were told to leave first and wait for the casket outside. Purportedly, the living members of the family are not supposed to leave the venue after the deceased as such would suggest following the deceased to the afterlife, yikes!

2. The ribbons with the family members' name written on them are taken out.
You're familiar with this, aren't you? Well, these ribbons with each family members' names written on them are pinned in the lid of the casket, you know the part that covers the deceased face. After the final viewing, the funeral service staffs or in our case the staff from the cemetery take out all the ribbons in preparation for closing the lid, forever.

3.  Children are carried over the casket.
 There were a few children in our family, the ones present during the burial were Faith, Dylan, Lucas and Maco- the apos. They were carried over tito Henry's casket to ensure that he would not visit them anymore (he used to visit the kids a lot when he was alive) and scare the bejeezus out of them, probably.

4. All the foods, drinks and even the card games used during the wake are disposed of.
 We gave away all the snacks, juices and bottled water that were left during the five-day wake as traditionally none of these should be taken home by the family. The flowers were also scattered over the casket and around the  burial grounds. I think the only thing we brought home were  the food containers.


5. Before entering the house, the family members are supposed to wash their hands in saltwater or in some cases in water with guava leaves.
Supposedly this was to wash off death. I don't remember doing this when my paternal grandfather died but we did this, this time around. Upon arriving home, there was already a basin of cold water (with guava leaves floating) in front the gate, the elders told us to wash our hands and we did.


The things I've mentioned here are just a few of the customs Filipino families usually adhere to during wakes and burials. These are merely the ones we've done or that I'm aware of. Mind you, such even vary depending on where you are in the Philippines as you know the country isn't exclusive to just one ethnicity so there are customs and traditions that are quite similar yet a little bit different.

Student Blues

Reading and writing are not my favorite things,

Still I find some things interesting.

Math and Science can also be amazing;

But too much, I tell you can make one's head painfully throbbing!

Christian Living with Jesus' life and teachings,

Oh, how it reminds all of us to be humane beings;

Araling Panlipunan should not be disregarded too!

For through it, we are reminded of our heroes' struggles and woes.

While Filipino goes on to teach us of folklore and legends,

It also goes in depth with subject-verb agreement.

And even though we speak it almost everyday,

There's plenty more to learn and say!

Then there's Arts that gives shapes, textures and hues,

And then there's Music that makes tone-deaf sing the blues!

Physical Education, in turn pushes you to sweat out a lot,

And of course, Health Education that makes sure you eat smart and don't get fat!

At times, learning all these subjects is pretty hard, 

But remember, your effort is reflected in your report card;

So even if it means going the extra mile,

It's all worth it when you see your parents smile.

***

This particular poem was penned as a school project (just this school year.) I made some changes with this one as opposed to the one submitted

No Goodbye is Ever Easy

This is my first post for the year. While others had a rather loud welcome to the new year, my family and I were quite subdue. If we're friends in any social networking sites, you're probably aware that the last days of 2016 were already a bit sad for us. My uncle was rushed in the hospital and spent his last days in a coma. We prayed and kept vigil but as God's will prevailed we bid Kuya Henry our goodbyes on the 1st day of 2017.

Family pictures aren't going to be the same without you...

It hasn't been long since he passed away and it's still hard not to think about him or mention his name in our conversations. It feels surreal that he isn't with us anymore. Since we lived in a compound, we basically see each other every day. I often spend my afternoons hanging out with him or watching volleyball with him. Mind you, it's the only sports I love watching, (aside from soccer for an entirely different reason) since once upon a time I played it and Kuya Henry had been my coach too. 

In addition to this, in just a few more days, Kuya Henry and his widow would have celebrated their wedding anniversary. I still feel bad when I think about his family as he wasn't able to say goodbye to any of his children. I guess God has it all figured out, it may not make much sense to us in this lifetime but we are accepting that our loss is heaven's gain. Isn't it nicer to think that God is probably rounding up his angels and all the people that have served their purpose in Earth than to dwell on the hurt and feed our anger on the unfairness of it all? Besides, I don't think Kuya Henry would be happy knowing that we are doing the latter.

Kuya Henry (far left), Dylan, me and Kuya Al in a family outing years ago

As I think about it, his family still had a good Christmas, it was simple but more than enough to be remembered. I spent my Christmas with them and was beyond grateful that I didn't have to spend the holiday by myself. I cannot expound much on Kuya Henry's good traits as I as I don't want to sound patronizing. Moreover, I know I'll end up crying a river by the time I finish this post. And it isn't like he's here to appreciate such words anymore :(

Kuya Henry, Lucas, Dylan and me

But I tell you this, he was the head of a family for almost 28 years, a husband to Ate Josie, a father to Gine, Cha, Abe and Jake; the youngest brother to my father Jun, my aunt Susie, and uncle Boy for 57 years; an uncle to 'Nang Abby, Kuya Randell, Kuya Al, Ate Jac, Kuya Jesse, Ate Joan, Kuya Jojo, Ate Ka, Pedro and myself; a lolo to Faith, Aedyn, Dylan, Lucas, AJ and Maco. 

He was an average man in terms of how he lived his life. He had his quirks and sometimes it was hard to understand his humor, but he was funny all the same. He had his bias may it be in politics or sports. He liked going out, strolling in malls or watching the movies, even if it meant going by himself. He liked browsing the newest appliances, spent his free time either tinkering the broken umbrellas or simply chilling in the veranda with his cup of coffee and phone browsing his Facebook. He spent his mornings reading the daily's and accompanying Ate Josie who sells morning meals and at times, he would go off to see the youngest in our clan, Maco.

A visit to our grandparents in 2013

He renewed his faith and tried to live by God's words. He was a flawed man, just like the rest of us, but he was a good one and he had lived his life the best he could. It is our hope that he has nothing more to worry about, that he has gone with no regrets, no more of worldly things to hold him down. It still makes me teary-eyed when I remember Kuya Henry but I know that what I'm feeling doesn't come at par with what his children are feeling. It would take some time for us to remember him without feeling down or crying but in due time; after all, no parting was easy.

See, I told you he was funny! Goodbye Kuya Henry, until our next chikahan, let's see who delivers the better punchline, ok?

“Good bye may seem forever. Farewell is like the end, but in my heart is the memory and there you will always be.”
― Walt Disney Company


photo credits to: Alpo, Cha, Jia