It always feels good to be back in school even just on Saturdays - at least for this semester. The experience of being in a class as a student is a complete turnaround from the daily challenging, stressful and exciting task of managing a school. This time, I am the student and I can do things the way I used to do it back in the undergrad program I took 12 (or so) years ago. For one day, I can let go of the student in me and forget about it again come Monday.
First day in school is one of the most amusing days of a student. The effort of finding your assigned room, "sizing-up" the tolerance level of your professor and getting to know more classmates is really exciting. I didn't know that Ateneo has Center for Local Governance Office where two of my subjects are assigned in that venue right across the university gym. That area used to be a canteen back in my undergrad days.
Graduate school not only offers added learning in a structured way, it provides all the essential intangible collective experiences of our professors and classmates not found in any textbooks published. Learning from those real life experiences and exposures are more than enough reason to keep one in school at any given Saturday for those are something our tuition fee can't buy but given free of charge.
So why did you take up a Masters in Business Administration program? That was the first question asked of us during my first semester at the university. I recalled back then that my answer was for personal and business consumption. We were asked the same question last Saturday on my third semester at the University. This time I had a different answer, I took up the program because it believe I need to learn something more from others (classmates, professors and cases included) and share what I have learned in the process.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
This Too Shall Pass
If I can endure for this minute
Whatever is happening to me,
No matter how heavy my heart is
Or how dark the moment may be-
If I can remain calm and quiet
With all the world crashing about me,
Secure in the knowledge God loves me
When everyone else seems to doubt me-
If I can but keep on believing
What I know in my heart to be true,
That darkness will fade with the morning
And that this will pass away, too-
Then nothing in life can defeat me
For as long as this knowledge remains
I can suffer whatever is happening
For I know God will break all of the chains
That are binding me tight in the darkness
And trying to fill me with fear-
For there is no night without dawning
And I know that my morning is near.
Adopted from Helen Steiner Rice
Whatever is happening to me,
No matter how heavy my heart is
Or how dark the moment may be-
If I can remain calm and quiet
With all the world crashing about me,
Secure in the knowledge God loves me
When everyone else seems to doubt me-
If I can but keep on believing
What I know in my heart to be true,
That darkness will fade with the morning
And that this will pass away, too-
Then nothing in life can defeat me
For as long as this knowledge remains
I can suffer whatever is happening
For I know God will break all of the chains
That are binding me tight in the darkness
And trying to fill me with fear-
For there is no night without dawning
And I know that my morning is near.
Adopted from Helen Steiner Rice
Thursday, June 24, 2010
I Keep Forgetting
I keep forgettin’ we’re not in love anymore
I keep forgettin’ things will never be the same again
I keep forgettin’ how you made that so clear
I keep forgettin’
Everytime you’re near
Everytime I see you smile
Hear your hello
Saying you can only stay a while
Hey, I know that it’s hard for you
To say the things that we both know are true
But tell me how come
Everytime I hear
How you never want to live a lie
How it’s gone to far
And you don’t have to tell me why
Why you’re gone and the game is through
If this is what’s real, if this is what’s true
Tell me how come
Don’t say that, don’t say that, don’t say that
I know you’re not mine anymore-anyway-anytime
But tell me how come
I keep forgettin’ things will never be the same again
I keep forgettin’ how you made that so clear
I keep forgettin’
Everytime you’re near
Everytime I see you smile
Hear your hello
Saying you can only stay a while
Hey, I know that it’s hard for you
To say the things that we both know are true
But tell me how come
Everytime I hear
How you never want to live a lie
How it’s gone to far
And you don’t have to tell me why
Why you’re gone and the game is through
If this is what’s real, if this is what’s true
Tell me how come
Don’t say that, don’t say that, don’t say that
I know you’re not mine anymore-anyway-anytime
But tell me how come
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Ina
This year’s Penafrancia Celebration is the grand culmination of the 3-year preparation for the Tercentenary which started last September 2007. Each year since then, there have been themes for the yearly celebration. Year One had “Remembering the Gift of the Devotion to Ina” as the theme, this was dedicated to revisiting the history of the devotion in view of a deeper understanding of the same devotion. Year Two, the theme was “Renewing the Faith through Ina” dedicated to appreciating the devotees’ giftedness towards a more vibrant and relevant faith life and Year Three’s theme is “Sharing the Future in Hope” dedicated to envisioning the future with the intent of sharing the fruits of the devotion to the next generations. Come September 2010, the church in Bicol will celebrate in thanksgiving the grace of 300 Years of Devotion. The over-all theme of the celebration is “A Gift received, a Gift to share”.
Naga City has been unofficially dubbed as the “Marian Capital of the Philippines” and whether official or otherwise, there is no doubt that our Ina, Our Lady of Penafrancia, had transcended the faith of the Bicolanos and believers into a more profound commitment to faith and the Catholic Church. Wherever and whichever part of the world Bicolanos may be, the devotion to our Ina has always been strong and binding, this devotion, most would say help them to be resilient in the realities of the unforgiving world. Thanks to our Ina.
I started my own devotion to Ina back in my early College days. My friends, Elmer and Emer (Kambal) would make it a necessity to joint the Penafrancia Procession as Voyadores. In my first year as a Voyador, I never thought I could reach Ina’s Andas and touch her, the crowd (other Voyadores) were very unruly, strong (and drunk) compared to my youthful tiny muscles then, but in God’s Grace and intervention, the three of us reached the summit of the procession.
I joined Kambal for a couple of years in our “panata” for Our Lady Penafrancia, but on the fourth year I had to work in Manila and temporarily cease from pursuing our “panata”. The guys continued with theirs while I joined them in spirit from the workplace.
In 2008 I was back. This time, my partner Kambal and I decided to take it our “panata” to another level. Instead of joining the procession at the streets, we decided to join the Fluvial Procession as boatmen who would pull Ina’s Pagoda from Tabuco Bridge to the Basilica Shrine. This process is the most challenging process and hundreds of boatmen and standby swimmers are putting all their efforts together to get the Pagoda moving. No mechanical intervention, just pure paddle & muscle synchronization. We have been proud boatmen for two years now and we are preparing for another boating experience in honor of Ina come September.
Naga City has been unofficially dubbed as the “Marian Capital of the Philippines” and whether official or otherwise, there is no doubt that our Ina, Our Lady of Penafrancia, had transcended the faith of the Bicolanos and believers into a more profound commitment to faith and the Catholic Church. Wherever and whichever part of the world Bicolanos may be, the devotion to our Ina has always been strong and binding, this devotion, most would say help them to be resilient in the realities of the unforgiving world. Thanks to our Ina.
I started my own devotion to Ina back in my early College days. My friends, Elmer and Emer (Kambal) would make it a necessity to joint the Penafrancia Procession as Voyadores. In my first year as a Voyador, I never thought I could reach Ina’s Andas and touch her, the crowd (other Voyadores) were very unruly, strong (and drunk) compared to my youthful tiny muscles then, but in God’s Grace and intervention, the three of us reached the summit of the procession.
I joined Kambal for a couple of years in our “panata” for Our Lady Penafrancia, but on the fourth year I had to work in Manila and temporarily cease from pursuing our “panata”. The guys continued with theirs while I joined them in spirit from the workplace.
In 2008 I was back. This time, my partner Kambal and I decided to take it our “panata” to another level. Instead of joining the procession at the streets, we decided to join the Fluvial Procession as boatmen who would pull Ina’s Pagoda from Tabuco Bridge to the Basilica Shrine. This process is the most challenging process and hundreds of boatmen and standby swimmers are putting all their efforts together to get the Pagoda moving. No mechanical intervention, just pure paddle & muscle synchronization. We have been proud boatmen for two years now and we are preparing for another boating experience in honor of Ina come September.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Push
Rick Hoyt was asked one time, if he could give his father one thing, what would it be? His answer was “The thing I’d most like for my Dad is to sit in the chair and I would push him for once..”
Rick Hoyt was born with an oxygen deprivation to his brain at the time of his birth. Because of the split second absence of oxygen, he has to endure the life-long spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy condition. Rick Hoyt couldn’t walk or speak. He was able to communicate through a specially made interactive computer attached to his wheelchair. But even with this condition, Rick Hoyt was into sports and his first “spoken” words was “Go, Bruins!” referring to the Boston Bruins, a professional ice hockey team in Massachusetts.
Dick Hoyt is Rick’s father. He is a retired Lieutenant Coronel in the Air National Guard. Today, being Father’s Day, I chose to write about this man whom I have never met instead of my experiences as the “pillar” of the family. Compared to me being a father to my children, I will terribly fail against Dick Hoyt.
Back in High School, Rick’s classmate has been paralyzed due to a sporting accident. A charity run was organized for his benefit and Rick “told” his father he wanted to participate in the charity run. Remember, Rick has been trapped in a wheelchair since birth and now he wanted to run. Always a loving father that his is, Dick Hoyt agreed to his son’s request. During the charity run, Dick was there behind Rick to push his son (in his wheelchair) until they reached the finish line. At the end of the run, Rick told his Dad these eternal words “Dad, when we were running, it felt like I was not disabled anymore.”
That was the beginning of the Father and Son “running” tandem which have completed over 1,000 races now including marathons, duathlons and triathlons. In the triathlon, Dick would pull Rick in a boat for the swimming stage, Rick rides in a custom made two-seater bicycle in the biking stage and Dick will push his son in his specially made wheelchair in the running stage. Father and son, they always finish the race together without doubts, fears or signs of relinquishment.
I am not a ideal father (one that can be compared to Dick) and this story tells me something more than what meets the eye. Whether I like it or not, I am a father in the eyes of my children and I need to do more pushing to help them realize the value of life more than what they learn in school. I need to push them to explore the oceans so they will learn how to swim the seas. I need to push them to play unmindful of the bruises they might incur, for only when they learned the games will they be able to appreciate the beauty of winning and losing, I need to push them to enjoy watching TVs even if the finals is coming the following day, for only when they failed the exam will they realize the importance of self control, I need to push them to eat ice cream in the morning, by doing so they will realize that life is beautiful specially with an ice cream at the beginning of the day. All these being done of course without the knowledge of their mother, something that only a father can do.
Fathers show their love to their children in many unconventional ways. It may be running thousands of miles with his son or singing “teenager” songs with his daughter without knowing the right lyrics. However which way, a father always pushes his children to the limits (for their own good) in a way only he can eloquently understand - without expecting anything else in return. And at the end of it all, the sweetest gift a child can give his father back has been powerfully said by Rick Hoyt; “The thing I’d most like for my Dad is to sit in the chair and I would push him for once..”
Rick Hoyt was born with an oxygen deprivation to his brain at the time of his birth. Because of the split second absence of oxygen, he has to endure the life-long spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy condition. Rick Hoyt couldn’t walk or speak. He was able to communicate through a specially made interactive computer attached to his wheelchair. But even with this condition, Rick Hoyt was into sports and his first “spoken” words was “Go, Bruins!” referring to the Boston Bruins, a professional ice hockey team in Massachusetts.
Dick Hoyt is Rick’s father. He is a retired Lieutenant Coronel in the Air National Guard. Today, being Father’s Day, I chose to write about this man whom I have never met instead of my experiences as the “pillar” of the family. Compared to me being a father to my children, I will terribly fail against Dick Hoyt.
Back in High School, Rick’s classmate has been paralyzed due to a sporting accident. A charity run was organized for his benefit and Rick “told” his father he wanted to participate in the charity run. Remember, Rick has been trapped in a wheelchair since birth and now he wanted to run. Always a loving father that his is, Dick Hoyt agreed to his son’s request. During the charity run, Dick was there behind Rick to push his son (in his wheelchair) until they reached the finish line. At the end of the run, Rick told his Dad these eternal words “Dad, when we were running, it felt like I was not disabled anymore.”
That was the beginning of the Father and Son “running” tandem which have completed over 1,000 races now including marathons, duathlons and triathlons. In the triathlon, Dick would pull Rick in a boat for the swimming stage, Rick rides in a custom made two-seater bicycle in the biking stage and Dick will push his son in his specially made wheelchair in the running stage. Father and son, they always finish the race together without doubts, fears or signs of relinquishment.
I am not a ideal father (one that can be compared to Dick) and this story tells me something more than what meets the eye. Whether I like it or not, I am a father in the eyes of my children and I need to do more pushing to help them realize the value of life more than what they learn in school. I need to push them to explore the oceans so they will learn how to swim the seas. I need to push them to play unmindful of the bruises they might incur, for only when they learned the games will they be able to appreciate the beauty of winning and losing, I need to push them to enjoy watching TVs even if the finals is coming the following day, for only when they failed the exam will they realize the importance of self control, I need to push them to eat ice cream in the morning, by doing so they will realize that life is beautiful specially with an ice cream at the beginning of the day. All these being done of course without the knowledge of their mother, something that only a father can do.
Fathers show their love to their children in many unconventional ways. It may be running thousands of miles with his son or singing “teenager” songs with his daughter without knowing the right lyrics. However which way, a father always pushes his children to the limits (for their own good) in a way only he can eloquently understand - without expecting anything else in return. And at the end of it all, the sweetest gift a child can give his father back has been powerfully said by Rick Hoyt; “The thing I’d most like for my Dad is to sit in the chair and I would push him for once..”
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Too Much Love Will Kill You
I'm just the pieces of the man I used to be
Too many bitter tears are raining down on me
I'm far away from home
And I've been facing this alone
For much too long
I feel like no-one ever told the truth to me
About growing up and what a struggle it would be
In my tangled state of mind
I've been looking back to find
Where I went wrong
Jovit Baldivino won the Pilipinas Got Talent (Talent Search Show of ABS-CBN based on the Got Talent franchise by Simon Cowell) with a wide margin from his closest competitor. Based on the percentage of votes received from nationwide audience, the 16-year-old guy from Batangas got a total of 48.81%, the next highest vote had 15.39% only. Because of this incredible feat, Jovit is P2 Million richer now today!
Too much love will kill you
If you can't make up your mind
Torn between the lover
And the love you leave behind
You're headed for disaster
'cos you never read the signs
Too much love will kill you - every time
Coming from a poor family in Batangas, this fourth year high school boy would occasionally sell “siomai” (steamed pork dumplings) to help his family meet both ends. He admitted in an interview that sometimes he would accept invitations to sing in burials and birthdays in exchange for food and pocket money. Undoubtedly, he is so blessed with his harsh solid voice, this has been manifested when upon his first live performance during the audition at PGT, his rendition of Journey’s “Faithfully” had 251,407 YouTube views within the first 24 hours from the time it has been posted!
I'm just the shadow of the man I used to be
And it seems like there's no way out of this for me
I used to bring you sunshine
Now all I ever do is bring you down
How would it be if you were standing in my shoes
Can't you see that it's impossible to choose
No there's no making sense of it
Every way I go I'm bound to lose
This early, hopes are high for Jovic and why not, over the past years we have grown witness to the remarkable achievements of ordinary Filipinos making it big both in the local and international scene. Arnel Pineda of the Amo and The Zoo band has became the front man of international Rock Band Journey. Charmaine Clarice Relucio Pempengco of Laguna was the first Asian (and Filipina) in history to land in the Top 10 on the prestigious Billboard Top 200 album and she was dubbed by the famous and very influential Oprah Winfrey as the Most Talented Girl in the World!
Too much love will kill you
Just as sure as none at all
It'll drain the power that's in you
Make you plead and scream and crawl
And the pain will make you crazy
You're the victim of your crime
Too much love will kill you - every time
His own version of Europe’s hit single “Carrie” was his semi-finals ticket and Queen’s “Too much love will kill you” was his Finals masterpiece. A very powerful and immortal song that says everything about love from beginning to end. Thanks to the Commander of the Order of the British Empire Awardee for Service to the Music Industry, Queen Lead Guitarist and a legendary singer, songwriter Brian Harold May. Jovic and Brian I absolutely agree, too much love will kill you - in the end.
Too much love will kill you
It'll make your life a lie
Yes, too much love will kill you
And you won't understand why
You'd give your life, you'd sell your soul
But here it comes again
Too much love will kill you
In the end...In the end.
Too many bitter tears are raining down on me
I'm far away from home
And I've been facing this alone
For much too long
I feel like no-one ever told the truth to me
About growing up and what a struggle it would be
In my tangled state of mind
I've been looking back to find
Where I went wrong
Jovit Baldivino won the Pilipinas Got Talent (Talent Search Show of ABS-CBN based on the Got Talent franchise by Simon Cowell) with a wide margin from his closest competitor. Based on the percentage of votes received from nationwide audience, the 16-year-old guy from Batangas got a total of 48.81%, the next highest vote had 15.39% only. Because of this incredible feat, Jovit is P2 Million richer now today!
Too much love will kill you
If you can't make up your mind
Torn between the lover
And the love you leave behind
You're headed for disaster
'cos you never read the signs
Too much love will kill you - every time
Coming from a poor family in Batangas, this fourth year high school boy would occasionally sell “siomai” (steamed pork dumplings) to help his family meet both ends. He admitted in an interview that sometimes he would accept invitations to sing in burials and birthdays in exchange for food and pocket money. Undoubtedly, he is so blessed with his harsh solid voice, this has been manifested when upon his first live performance during the audition at PGT, his rendition of Journey’s “Faithfully” had 251,407 YouTube views within the first 24 hours from the time it has been posted!
I'm just the shadow of the man I used to be
And it seems like there's no way out of this for me
I used to bring you sunshine
Now all I ever do is bring you down
How would it be if you were standing in my shoes
Can't you see that it's impossible to choose
No there's no making sense of it
Every way I go I'm bound to lose
This early, hopes are high for Jovic and why not, over the past years we have grown witness to the remarkable achievements of ordinary Filipinos making it big both in the local and international scene. Arnel Pineda of the Amo and The Zoo band has became the front man of international Rock Band Journey. Charmaine Clarice Relucio Pempengco of Laguna was the first Asian (and Filipina) in history to land in the Top 10 on the prestigious Billboard Top 200 album and she was dubbed by the famous and very influential Oprah Winfrey as the Most Talented Girl in the World!
Too much love will kill you
Just as sure as none at all
It'll drain the power that's in you
Make you plead and scream and crawl
And the pain will make you crazy
You're the victim of your crime
Too much love will kill you - every time
His own version of Europe’s hit single “Carrie” was his semi-finals ticket and Queen’s “Too much love will kill you” was his Finals masterpiece. A very powerful and immortal song that says everything about love from beginning to end. Thanks to the Commander of the Order of the British Empire Awardee for Service to the Music Industry, Queen Lead Guitarist and a legendary singer, songwriter Brian Harold May. Jovic and Brian I absolutely agree, too much love will kill you - in the end.
Too much love will kill you
It'll make your life a lie
Yes, too much love will kill you
And you won't understand why
You'd give your life, you'd sell your soul
But here it comes again
Too much love will kill you
In the end...In the end.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Hail to the Champs!
I’m a die hard Miami Heat fan but by virtue of a previous engagement with a dear friend after Miami was eliminated by the Celtics in the first round, I am a temporary Lakers fan and I’m loving it!
The Lakers and the Celtics have met 12 times already in The Finals and today’s game is the fifth time where both teams are pushed to the point of no return, winner-take-all Game 7. All previous four meetings were won by the heavily favored Celtics but today is an exemption. Throw away the last six games stats and don’t mind the bruises, today, the Lakers showed the Celtics they are the defending world champions and they are ready to prove it again.
The Celtics looked going home with the crown in the first quarter with their blinding defense and incredible shot selections but the Lakers outscored them in the last 3 quarters to claim the price. No, the Lakers did not win Game 7 by field goals; they won by grabbing 13 more rebounds than the Celtics. It’s basic, the more rebounds that a team collects, the more chances of scoring a basket there is. And they did just that.
Judged as the Finals MVP, Kobe Bryant outplayed himself today too not in scoring but in the rebounding department. He averaged 5.6 rebounds in the playoffs but tonight he was monstrous above the boards and collected game high 15 rebounds on top of his usual 20+ points on a measly 25% shooting from the field.
Ron Artest deserves to be mentioned too tonight. He was hired for his defensive mindset but when Kobe can’t connect from the field, Ron took the cudgels from the Black Mamba and punished the Celtics on the floor. Averaging only 10.8 points in the playoffs, Ron Artest’s 20 point explosion in Game 7 was a dagger for Kevin Garnett and his team.
I always believed Lakers will take home the crown when the Miami Heat was eliminated. More than the classic game that Celtics and Lakers showed tonight, the game also proves that the mighty Phil Jackson has memorized the road to The Finals and knows 101 ways to take it home. Pat Riley should be thinking in his office of either pirating Phil Jackson from the Lakers to lead his Miami or take the coaching tool to himself and prove the world that his 5 NBA championships are parallel to the ranks of Phil Jackson’s 11 Championship rings.
The Lakers and the Celtics have met 12 times already in The Finals and today’s game is the fifth time where both teams are pushed to the point of no return, winner-take-all Game 7. All previous four meetings were won by the heavily favored Celtics but today is an exemption. Throw away the last six games stats and don’t mind the bruises, today, the Lakers showed the Celtics they are the defending world champions and they are ready to prove it again.
The Celtics looked going home with the crown in the first quarter with their blinding defense and incredible shot selections but the Lakers outscored them in the last 3 quarters to claim the price. No, the Lakers did not win Game 7 by field goals; they won by grabbing 13 more rebounds than the Celtics. It’s basic, the more rebounds that a team collects, the more chances of scoring a basket there is. And they did just that.
Judged as the Finals MVP, Kobe Bryant outplayed himself today too not in scoring but in the rebounding department. He averaged 5.6 rebounds in the playoffs but tonight he was monstrous above the boards and collected game high 15 rebounds on top of his usual 20+ points on a measly 25% shooting from the field.
Ron Artest deserves to be mentioned too tonight. He was hired for his defensive mindset but when Kobe can’t connect from the field, Ron took the cudgels from the Black Mamba and punished the Celtics on the floor. Averaging only 10.8 points in the playoffs, Ron Artest’s 20 point explosion in Game 7 was a dagger for Kevin Garnett and his team.
I always believed Lakers will take home the crown when the Miami Heat was eliminated. More than the classic game that Celtics and Lakers showed tonight, the game also proves that the mighty Phil Jackson has memorized the road to The Finals and knows 101 ways to take it home. Pat Riley should be thinking in his office of either pirating Phil Jackson from the Lakers to lead his Miami or take the coaching tool to himself and prove the world that his 5 NBA championships are parallel to the ranks of Phil Jackson’s 11 Championship rings.
Letters to Juliet
“We were both young when I first saw you, I close my eyes and the flashback starts, I'm standing there on a balcony in summer air”
Verona is one of the top romantic getaways in Italy. The place is famous for its arts, culture, architecture and some said that there’s a house and a balcony in this place that is said to belong to Juliet in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Lovers (and otherwise) visit this place every year to see Juliet’s balcony and some wrote letters and leave it posted at the walls. Letters of love, despair and anything under the romantic sun. Before the day is over, secretaries of Juliet collect these letters, read them individually and responds to them one-by-one. Each letter subject is divided among the four secretaries of Juliet with each responding according to their line of specialty in relationships and commitments.
I have been writing letters back in College. Unfortunately I haven’t set foot in Verona, nor I have known the place then, and that probably is the reason why I got zero reply. Even then I kept writing until there’s nothing left to write and every word has been forgotten. As time passes by, I have learned to channel my literary inclination away form letters and pens to Red Horse beer and friends. It was good then and it still is now. Ironically, I noticed that the harder I get drunk the better I write so I better drink and write. :o)
Sophie Hall is a fact checker in the New Yorker and her fiancé Victor is about to open an Italian Restaurant in New York. Before their wedding, they went to Verona, Italy for what they call a pre-honeymoon tour. While in Verona, Victor was busy meeting with his clients and suppliers for his soon-to-open restaurant while Sophie discovered the world of Juliet’s Secretaries and eventually gets to answer a fifty year old letter she found hidden deep in the walls. After days, the Claire, old lady who wrote the letter years ago came back to Verona to write the ending to her first love story with Lorenzo Bartolini.
Sometimes, like Claire, we too get our second chances to rewrite history. But second chances don’t come in handy. It’s like winning game 7 in the NBA finals, the ring won’t be given to you, you have to slug it out, bleed and be broken again. If this is basketball, the ball is out of my hands now. It’s up for the opposing team to take the last shot. The last shot is the most important shot in the game, making the shot or missing it doesn’t really matter in the end game, what matters most is the CHANCE given to take the last shot. Without it, you’ve lost the game without giving out a fight.
Unfortunately for Claire, there are a lot of Lorenzo Bartolini’s in this side of Italy. They have to knock on doors and travel miles just to find the real Lorenzo. It is Claire’s willingness and courage to re-write her ending that lead her to go back to Verona, but just as she has seen the road to Lorenzo, she came to realize the madness that she had done. So as not to spoil the ending, I leave the rest to your imagination.
“I got tired of waiting wondering if you were ever coming around..”
Verona is one of the top romantic getaways in Italy. The place is famous for its arts, culture, architecture and some said that there’s a house and a balcony in this place that is said to belong to Juliet in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Lovers (and otherwise) visit this place every year to see Juliet’s balcony and some wrote letters and leave it posted at the walls. Letters of love, despair and anything under the romantic sun. Before the day is over, secretaries of Juliet collect these letters, read them individually and responds to them one-by-one. Each letter subject is divided among the four secretaries of Juliet with each responding according to their line of specialty in relationships and commitments.
I have been writing letters back in College. Unfortunately I haven’t set foot in Verona, nor I have known the place then, and that probably is the reason why I got zero reply. Even then I kept writing until there’s nothing left to write and every word has been forgotten. As time passes by, I have learned to channel my literary inclination away form letters and pens to Red Horse beer and friends. It was good then and it still is now. Ironically, I noticed that the harder I get drunk the better I write so I better drink and write. :o)
Sophie Hall is a fact checker in the New Yorker and her fiancé Victor is about to open an Italian Restaurant in New York. Before their wedding, they went to Verona, Italy for what they call a pre-honeymoon tour. While in Verona, Victor was busy meeting with his clients and suppliers for his soon-to-open restaurant while Sophie discovered the world of Juliet’s Secretaries and eventually gets to answer a fifty year old letter she found hidden deep in the walls. After days, the Claire, old lady who wrote the letter years ago came back to Verona to write the ending to her first love story with Lorenzo Bartolini.
Sometimes, like Claire, we too get our second chances to rewrite history. But second chances don’t come in handy. It’s like winning game 7 in the NBA finals, the ring won’t be given to you, you have to slug it out, bleed and be broken again. If this is basketball, the ball is out of my hands now. It’s up for the opposing team to take the last shot. The last shot is the most important shot in the game, making the shot or missing it doesn’t really matter in the end game, what matters most is the CHANCE given to take the last shot. Without it, you’ve lost the game without giving out a fight.
Unfortunately for Claire, there are a lot of Lorenzo Bartolini’s in this side of Italy. They have to knock on doors and travel miles just to find the real Lorenzo. It is Claire’s willingness and courage to re-write her ending that lead her to go back to Verona, but just as she has seen the road to Lorenzo, she came to realize the madness that she had done. So as not to spoil the ending, I leave the rest to your imagination.
“I got tired of waiting wondering if you were ever coming around..”
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Chasing the Elusive ePassport
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), there are 4,000 Filipinos applying for passport everyday, half of those availed of the appointment system while the other half get it through traditional and agency-aided applications. Of these numbers, 3,000 Filipinos managed to leave for abroad daily. This means, 1% of the total Philippine population last year left for abroad to work, study, tour and migrate permanently.
18 Regional Consular Offices are scattered around the country to provide consular services to Filipinos outside Metro Manila but based on my experience, the RCOs are not the best avenue if one needed to have ones passport processed immediately. The newest consular service in Metro Manila which was recently opened along Magsaysay Avenue near SM Mall of Asia is the only answer for fast (if 10 days is fast enough for you) passport processing. There’s one slight drawback though, the “appointment system” which the DFA implemented back March of this year has a long automated on-line queuing. In other words, if one needs to secure for an appointment, the earliest one can get is 30 days later via their web appointment system. There’s a shortcut also, Filipinos are very innovative, one can secure an appointment in as fast as 7 days but it comes with a price. For more information on this, one may visit the old DFA office at Libertad, Pasay City.
I have been chasing the elusive e-passport since the early part of April this year. The chase brought me to the disappointing process at the RCO in Legazpi City wherein on your first visit you need to sign-up for an appointment first, then get back to the assigned future date and continue with your application. The fastest they can deliver the passport is 1 month and unknown days. Imagine traveling to Legazpi City from Naga just to book for an appointment? Why can’t they take phoned-in or web appointments? It’s a waste of time and money! Ever heard of service efficiency and technology my fellow Bicolanos at the RCO?
Once the appointment has been secured, then there’s peace of mind, at least for the time being. Next one has to worry are the pertinent identification cards required by the office as attachment to ones application. By the way, application forms needs to be downloaded from the net once an appointment has been confirmed. The fastest to secure government issued ID is the Postal ID, in a matter of hours, one can have it. The rest like SSS, GSIS, TIN and PhilHealth takes eternity. No worries though, I found out that Company IDs and School IDs are accepted but the original NBI and NSO Authenticated Birth Certificate are required.
Inside the waiting area of the DFA, boredom is the number one enemy. Expect long lines, long queues and long waits. An automated queuing system display updates the applicants with the numbers being served in each of the 23 (if my count is right) windows, all you have to do is look at the screen and watch for your number to appear. But guess what? I found out that DFA is a wi-fi area and most importantly it’s FREE! Be sure to tag along your wifi ready cellular phones or better yet bring you notebook with you. I managed to read and reply to emails, update my blog and follow the Celtics and Lakers game live while waiting for my turn.
The verification section’s average waiting time is approximately 1 hour, submission, verification and signature will take only about 2 minutes and you’re off the second floor to pay and enroll through the e-Passport Capturing Machine where all your submitted documents are scanned, your picture taken, biometric finger printing and digital signature all-in-one. This collective process will take only about 3 minutes but the waiting is about an hour too. Then again, there’s always the wifi access to keep you busy.
The digital passport enrollment system is the last process. There is an option if one wanted to avail of the office’s courier service to ship your passport into your doorstep at P120 only for convenience or get it personally at the designated date. Do I have my passport already? My answer is I’m still chasing it and hopefully I’ll finally catch up with it in the next couple of days.
Got it! But I have nowhere else to go for now. The plan of crossing boarders has been unexpectedly cruel and was a big fat joke. :o)
18 Regional Consular Offices are scattered around the country to provide consular services to Filipinos outside Metro Manila but based on my experience, the RCOs are not the best avenue if one needed to have ones passport processed immediately. The newest consular service in Metro Manila which was recently opened along Magsaysay Avenue near SM Mall of Asia is the only answer for fast (if 10 days is fast enough for you) passport processing. There’s one slight drawback though, the “appointment system” which the DFA implemented back March of this year has a long automated on-line queuing. In other words, if one needs to secure for an appointment, the earliest one can get is 30 days later via their web appointment system. There’s a shortcut also, Filipinos are very innovative, one can secure an appointment in as fast as 7 days but it comes with a price. For more information on this, one may visit the old DFA office at Libertad, Pasay City.
I have been chasing the elusive e-passport since the early part of April this year. The chase brought me to the disappointing process at the RCO in Legazpi City wherein on your first visit you need to sign-up for an appointment first, then get back to the assigned future date and continue with your application. The fastest they can deliver the passport is 1 month and unknown days. Imagine traveling to Legazpi City from Naga just to book for an appointment? Why can’t they take phoned-in or web appointments? It’s a waste of time and money! Ever heard of service efficiency and technology my fellow Bicolanos at the RCO?
Once the appointment has been secured, then there’s peace of mind, at least for the time being. Next one has to worry are the pertinent identification cards required by the office as attachment to ones application. By the way, application forms needs to be downloaded from the net once an appointment has been confirmed. The fastest to secure government issued ID is the Postal ID, in a matter of hours, one can have it. The rest like SSS, GSIS, TIN and PhilHealth takes eternity. No worries though, I found out that Company IDs and School IDs are accepted but the original NBI and NSO Authenticated Birth Certificate are required.
Inside the waiting area of the DFA, boredom is the number one enemy. Expect long lines, long queues and long waits. An automated queuing system display updates the applicants with the numbers being served in each of the 23 (if my count is right) windows, all you have to do is look at the screen and watch for your number to appear. But guess what? I found out that DFA is a wi-fi area and most importantly it’s FREE! Be sure to tag along your wifi ready cellular phones or better yet bring you notebook with you. I managed to read and reply to emails, update my blog and follow the Celtics and Lakers game live while waiting for my turn.
The verification section’s average waiting time is approximately 1 hour, submission, verification and signature will take only about 2 minutes and you’re off the second floor to pay and enroll through the e-Passport Capturing Machine where all your submitted documents are scanned, your picture taken, biometric finger printing and digital signature all-in-one. This collective process will take only about 3 minutes but the waiting is about an hour too. Then again, there’s always the wifi access to keep you busy.
The digital passport enrollment system is the last process. There is an option if one wanted to avail of the office’s courier service to ship your passport into your doorstep at P120 only for convenience or get it personally at the designated date. Do I have my passport already? My answer is I’m still chasing it and hopefully I’ll finally catch up with it in the next couple of days.
Got it! But I have nowhere else to go for now. The plan of crossing boarders has been unexpectedly cruel and was a big fat joke. :o)
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
The Comfort of a Benz in a Bus
Mercedes Benz has been producing quality transport vehicles way back in the early 1900’s. In Bicol, the first fleets of Mercedes Benz buses were originally introduced by JB lines of Legazpi City. That was when the said bus company ruled the highways of the south in the early 1970s to late 90s. If you want to travel fast, take JB Lines, though majority or their fleets then were not air-conditioned, it doesn’t matter then, it’s Mercedes Benz.
In 2008, Penafrancia Tours introduced their own power fleets of luxury Mercedes Benz buses. This time, the series of Benz buses are all air-conditioned topped with their lazy boy designer seats, LCD television on board, DVD and individual reading lamps. With a maximum capacity of 23 seats (as opposed to the standard air conditioned bus capacity of 44), the Benz series of Penafrancia Tours offer passengers maximum comfort for the 8 hours journey to Manila or Bicol. Passengers need not worry of nature calls while on board for the bus has a classy comfort room inside. I have to mention, the bus has only one stop, the 24-hour Mc Donald’s of Villa Escudero at Tiaong, Quezon Province.
Since its launch, I prefer to travel with the Benz series. Aside from the comfort it offers, the price is reasonably pegged at P880 to P980 only depending on the class (Benz Elite, Benz Deluxe, Comfortec) you are in. You are assured of a good night sleep since these buses are equipped air-suspension systems that allows the bus to travel at high speed without the worry of shaking your seats if it passes through a path hole. You can control the air-conditioning system by shutting down your vent if it gets really cold and you can choose to seat at the single side or at the double side seat depending on your mood. I am always at the single side, one, I always travel alone, two, I think (I still refuse to admit it) I snore in my sleep, to avoid disturbing my seatmate, I’d rather be alone at the right side of the bus. Come to think of it, if I do really snore, I should not be worried of my seatmate alone; I need to be more worried about the other 21 passengers who surely are awaken by my midnight serenade. If ever I do. But I think I don’t.
One important criteria of commuting is the ability to determine the safety standards of a utility company. As far as I am concerned, Penafrancia Tours, the Benz Series in particular, has the lowest reported accident rate among the hundreds of buses flying Manila and Bicol everyday. This reflects the commitment of the company to passenger safety, but again the data is not perpetual, passenger safety is a continuing effort of consistency and discipline, there is no room for any single mistake. If there is, then I would have to re-write this all over again.
Travelling is fun. I learned to enjoy it faster than I reached my destination. Planned or unplanned, ready or not, with or without baggage (except for the laptop) doesn’t make any difference to me now. The most important part is that I am travelling with all the comforts of a Mercedes Benz in a Bus.
In 2008, Penafrancia Tours introduced their own power fleets of luxury Mercedes Benz buses. This time, the series of Benz buses are all air-conditioned topped with their lazy boy designer seats, LCD television on board, DVD and individual reading lamps. With a maximum capacity of 23 seats (as opposed to the standard air conditioned bus capacity of 44), the Benz series of Penafrancia Tours offer passengers maximum comfort for the 8 hours journey to Manila or Bicol. Passengers need not worry of nature calls while on board for the bus has a classy comfort room inside. I have to mention, the bus has only one stop, the 24-hour Mc Donald’s of Villa Escudero at Tiaong, Quezon Province.
Since its launch, I prefer to travel with the Benz series. Aside from the comfort it offers, the price is reasonably pegged at P880 to P980 only depending on the class (Benz Elite, Benz Deluxe, Comfortec) you are in. You are assured of a good night sleep since these buses are equipped air-suspension systems that allows the bus to travel at high speed without the worry of shaking your seats if it passes through a path hole. You can control the air-conditioning system by shutting down your vent if it gets really cold and you can choose to seat at the single side or at the double side seat depending on your mood. I am always at the single side, one, I always travel alone, two, I think (I still refuse to admit it) I snore in my sleep, to avoid disturbing my seatmate, I’d rather be alone at the right side of the bus. Come to think of it, if I do really snore, I should not be worried of my seatmate alone; I need to be more worried about the other 21 passengers who surely are awaken by my midnight serenade. If ever I do. But I think I don’t.
One important criteria of commuting is the ability to determine the safety standards of a utility company. As far as I am concerned, Penafrancia Tours, the Benz Series in particular, has the lowest reported accident rate among the hundreds of buses flying Manila and Bicol everyday. This reflects the commitment of the company to passenger safety, but again the data is not perpetual, passenger safety is a continuing effort of consistency and discipline, there is no room for any single mistake. If there is, then I would have to re-write this all over again.
Travelling is fun. I learned to enjoy it faster than I reached my destination. Planned or unplanned, ready or not, with or without baggage (except for the laptop) doesn’t make any difference to me now. The most important part is that I am travelling with all the comforts of a Mercedes Benz in a Bus.
Motet’s First Day at St. Paul
This is one of those days where parents (fathers or mothers or both) get really excited for their children. The first day in school is one of the most anticipated of all back-to-school occasions every year while examinations are the least that’s being looked upon, at least by parents.
This is not Maria Theressa’s (Motet) first day in school nor his first school. She spent one year at San Juanico Day Care Center for her Nursery, a mini-school beside St. John Parish Church near St. Paul. We chose the school before due to Motet’s health concerns, she is under medication for Asthma. She might be missing lots of classes in St. Paul if she stays there and that is going to be costly. True enough, she did miss lots of classes in San Juanico, but despite those absences, Motet enjoyed her stay at San Juanico, every minute of it, she got couple of awards during the recognition, surely not for being punctual and perfect attendance.
The asthma is still there, but even if it stays, my asthmatic angel will be taking classes at St. Paul beginning this year. One, she wanted to be with her ate and kuya, she was so considerate and understanding despite being the youngest, she never insisted to be at St. Paul. Two, I insisted she transfer at St. Paul, when I opened the idea last month that she’s going to be enrolled at St. Paul, her eyes lit up and she smiled. She wanted to be with her ate and kuya long time ago, but she knows Tatay can’t afford to do so. I still can’t now, but love always finds a way.
Motet is the sweetest of my three angels. Maybe because it’s in her age and maybe because I wasn’t there when Angel and Xavier were of Motet’s age now. Her elder brother and sister have grown up too fast and the basic element of sweetness seemed to fade from them. At least in my eyes but others might see them completely otherwise. But then again maybe I wasn’t just there in their time.
She was in school today. I never had the chance to bring her to school or fetch her home. I know she would love to but she always understands. Today is one of those days where parents get really excited for their children; this is one of those days that I always practically miss all year since they started going to school. I’ll make bawi na lang next time.
This is not Maria Theressa’s (Motet) first day in school nor his first school. She spent one year at San Juanico Day Care Center for her Nursery, a mini-school beside St. John Parish Church near St. Paul. We chose the school before due to Motet’s health concerns, she is under medication for Asthma. She might be missing lots of classes in St. Paul if she stays there and that is going to be costly. True enough, she did miss lots of classes in San Juanico, but despite those absences, Motet enjoyed her stay at San Juanico, every minute of it, she got couple of awards during the recognition, surely not for being punctual and perfect attendance.
The asthma is still there, but even if it stays, my asthmatic angel will be taking classes at St. Paul beginning this year. One, she wanted to be with her ate and kuya, she was so considerate and understanding despite being the youngest, she never insisted to be at St. Paul. Two, I insisted she transfer at St. Paul, when I opened the idea last month that she’s going to be enrolled at St. Paul, her eyes lit up and she smiled. She wanted to be with her ate and kuya long time ago, but she knows Tatay can’t afford to do so. I still can’t now, but love always finds a way.
Motet is the sweetest of my three angels. Maybe because it’s in her age and maybe because I wasn’t there when Angel and Xavier were of Motet’s age now. Her elder brother and sister have grown up too fast and the basic element of sweetness seemed to fade from them. At least in my eyes but others might see them completely otherwise. But then again maybe I wasn’t just there in their time.
She was in school today. I never had the chance to bring her to school or fetch her home. I know she would love to but she always understands. Today is one of those days where parents get really excited for their children; this is one of those days that I always practically miss all year since they started going to school. I’ll make bawi na lang next time.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Father’s Day (Too early)
I didn’t really know, or the least remembered it’s Father’s Day today. This type of occasion is usually left for the kids, the ladies and the wife’s to remember, I have the first but they too forgot until Shiela and Joy texted me on my way to Naga with the kids this morning. All we know is that we’re going out. A promise is a promise, I told the kids when “The Karate Kid” hits SM City, we’ll be watching it.
For a very obvious reason, it’s called Father’s Day because it is celebration of fatherhood and the important roles fathers play in the society. This celebration is almost exactly a month after Mother’s Day and both are celebrated on the second Sunday of the month, at least in the Philippines. In Japan, there’s a celebration called “Children’s Day”, in fact it is a National Holiday celebrated as part of the Golden Week. In South Africa and Australia, there is also a Family Day and it’s a Public Holiday intended to celebrate the importance of families in nation building. These different types of holidays lead me to ask, why don’t we just group it all together and call it Family Day so there’s only one celebration? Ahh, let’s leave the question for now to the Genealogist and Social Experts to decide, for the time being let’s enjoy the celebration.
Ironically, The Karate Kid is a movie unintentionally done for Father’s Day, but the plot of the movie exemplifies the greatest relationship between two complete strangers from the opposite sides of the world, and how they created a bond stronger than father to son, beyond fatherhood and family. It is never a pre-requisite for a man to call (or treat) a child his son even if he is not the latter’s biological father. In other words, Father’s Day is not an exclusive celebration of fathers with children, this is (and should be) equally enjoyed by would-be fathers, once-a-father and wanting to be a father. Most importantly, Father’s Day is not exclusive for fathers with families; this too should be equally enjoyed by fathers who lost a family, re-building a family, no plan for a family and no family at all.
I remember Angel Andrei Anna telling me when she was in Grade 2 the meaning of family. FAMILY is Father And Mother I Love You. It makes sense, in her young age that should be her definition (and nothing else) until she too has her family of her own or until eternity, whichever comes first. Good thing St. Paul Academy is teaching kids the meaning of family, the worst thing one can do is to want to have a family but never really knew the very basic meaning of it. I was probably absent when it was taught.
My Father’s Day is not more of my celebration. Today is more for the kids. Seeing them laugh, giggle and get excited at each scene of the movie is enough celebration for me. Them having understood the movie (except for Motet) particularly the dialogue between casts is an achievement. At least I’m beginning to notice that the questions such as “Ano daw ‘Tay?”, “Ano sabi nya ‘Tay?” while watching a movie is becoming a thing of the past. That means we will be watching more movies and it’s fiesta as it happens.
Before we left the mall, we dropped-by at my favorite ice cream stand. Angel offered to pay for her brother’s ice cream. I took Motet’s ice cream bill. Come to think of it, we don’t really need to put a tag or title to any celebration. For as long as you enjoy and make the most of your borrowed day, every day is just like Father’s Day. Every day can be a peachy day.
I have to add. I got it all mixed up. Father's Day celebration falls on the third week of June in 55 countries including the Philippines. It's in Austria and Belgium where celebration is done on the second Sunday of June. (Wikipedia). I guess the coming Sunday calls for another movie. :o)
For a very obvious reason, it’s called Father’s Day because it is celebration of fatherhood and the important roles fathers play in the society. This celebration is almost exactly a month after Mother’s Day and both are celebrated on the second Sunday of the month, at least in the Philippines. In Japan, there’s a celebration called “Children’s Day”, in fact it is a National Holiday celebrated as part of the Golden Week. In South Africa and Australia, there is also a Family Day and it’s a Public Holiday intended to celebrate the importance of families in nation building. These different types of holidays lead me to ask, why don’t we just group it all together and call it Family Day so there’s only one celebration? Ahh, let’s leave the question for now to the Genealogist and Social Experts to decide, for the time being let’s enjoy the celebration.
Ironically, The Karate Kid is a movie unintentionally done for Father’s Day, but the plot of the movie exemplifies the greatest relationship between two complete strangers from the opposite sides of the world, and how they created a bond stronger than father to son, beyond fatherhood and family. It is never a pre-requisite for a man to call (or treat) a child his son even if he is not the latter’s biological father. In other words, Father’s Day is not an exclusive celebration of fathers with children, this is (and should be) equally enjoyed by would-be fathers, once-a-father and wanting to be a father. Most importantly, Father’s Day is not exclusive for fathers with families; this too should be equally enjoyed by fathers who lost a family, re-building a family, no plan for a family and no family at all.
I remember Angel Andrei Anna telling me when she was in Grade 2 the meaning of family. FAMILY is Father And Mother I Love You. It makes sense, in her young age that should be her definition (and nothing else) until she too has her family of her own or until eternity, whichever comes first. Good thing St. Paul Academy is teaching kids the meaning of family, the worst thing one can do is to want to have a family but never really knew the very basic meaning of it. I was probably absent when it was taught.
My Father’s Day is not more of my celebration. Today is more for the kids. Seeing them laugh, giggle and get excited at each scene of the movie is enough celebration for me. Them having understood the movie (except for Motet) particularly the dialogue between casts is an achievement. At least I’m beginning to notice that the questions such as “Ano daw ‘Tay?”, “Ano sabi nya ‘Tay?” while watching a movie is becoming a thing of the past. That means we will be watching more movies and it’s fiesta as it happens.
Before we left the mall, we dropped-by at my favorite ice cream stand. Angel offered to pay for her brother’s ice cream. I took Motet’s ice cream bill. Come to think of it, we don’t really need to put a tag or title to any celebration. For as long as you enjoy and make the most of your borrowed day, every day is just like Father’s Day. Every day can be a peachy day.
I have to add. I got it all mixed up. Father's Day celebration falls on the third week of June in 55 countries including the Philippines. It's in Austria and Belgium where celebration is done on the second Sunday of June. (Wikipedia). I guess the coming Sunday calls for another movie. :o)
Saturday, June 12, 2010
ORSEM 2010: Think BIG
All roads lead to the city this early morning. The sun has just showed its smiling face in the skies of Cam Sur yet incoming freshmen students and transferees from the four corners of Cam Sur are on their way to SM City Naga for the Freshmen Orientation Seminar (ORSEM). The ORSEM is scheduled at 8 in the morning, but as early as 7, students started to line up the entrance of SM City’s Cinema 4, the biggest of all four cinemas of the mall.
STI Naga is on the final process of upgrading from an Education Center offering 2-year programs to a full-pledge College Institution offering baccalaureate degree programs in the fields of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Hotel and Restaurant Management (HRM), Engineering and Animation. Today, students of these various programs are set to experience a glimpse of STI College Naga.
STI in Naga City started as a small Institution back in the early 1990’s having occupied two different campuses already. The transfers have been done simultaneously with management change in the early part of 2000. In these periods, STIs growth in Naga has been gradual. In 2007, STI Education Services Group took full control of the operations of STI in Naga City. Since then, STI has been growing in exponential rate.
Think Big. This is this years ORSEM tag. Thinking big is synonymous to looking at the greater scheme of things and accepting the greater challenges ahead. Incoming freshmen students of STI College Naga are about to be exposed in the realities of the industry. The sooner they see things in the bigger picture and the soonest they accept the challenges of higher education; the better is their position to contribute to the greatest call of all.
The ORSEM this year has likewise been taken into another level. Aside from the choice of the venue, the complete cast of the men and women of STI College Naga (teaching and non teaching) gave each student the warmest welcome with their systematic presentation of the STI core values, processes, procedures, milestones, calendars of events and academic standards. These are given on top of the in between team competitions to make learning both fun and exciting.
One of the highlights of the morning was the presentation of the Academic Calendar to give the students a preview of what will happen in the entire year for them to have a better anticipation and preparation of the things to come. The timelines for the segmented transfer schedule to the new campus has also been presented. This not only gave the students a better frame of mind on the impending movement but this also drove their enthusiasm to set their foot at the new 3,869 square foot property STI College Naga is building for them. A new, bigger and better campus for STIers.
Fun and excitement never seemed to take the backseat. Just as we (speakers & organizers) thought that we run the show, freshmen students stole the limelight at the closing segment with their impromptu presentation of their dancing and singing skills. From the Celine Dion voice of an HRS student to the Michael Jackson trademark moonwalk dance of the freshmen in green, this years’ batch will surely be an exciting group to watch. Early now I can tell, this is going to be fun-filled year for STI College Naga.
This is just the beginning. Thinking big is the best way to jumpstart the year. See you all at the Acquaintance Party!
STI Naga is on the final process of upgrading from an Education Center offering 2-year programs to a full-pledge College Institution offering baccalaureate degree programs in the fields of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Hotel and Restaurant Management (HRM), Engineering and Animation. Today, students of these various programs are set to experience a glimpse of STI College Naga.
STI in Naga City started as a small Institution back in the early 1990’s having occupied two different campuses already. The transfers have been done simultaneously with management change in the early part of 2000. In these periods, STIs growth in Naga has been gradual. In 2007, STI Education Services Group took full control of the operations of STI in Naga City. Since then, STI has been growing in exponential rate.
Think Big. This is this years ORSEM tag. Thinking big is synonymous to looking at the greater scheme of things and accepting the greater challenges ahead. Incoming freshmen students of STI College Naga are about to be exposed in the realities of the industry. The sooner they see things in the bigger picture and the soonest they accept the challenges of higher education; the better is their position to contribute to the greatest call of all.
The ORSEM this year has likewise been taken into another level. Aside from the choice of the venue, the complete cast of the men and women of STI College Naga (teaching and non teaching) gave each student the warmest welcome with their systematic presentation of the STI core values, processes, procedures, milestones, calendars of events and academic standards. These are given on top of the in between team competitions to make learning both fun and exciting.
One of the highlights of the morning was the presentation of the Academic Calendar to give the students a preview of what will happen in the entire year for them to have a better anticipation and preparation of the things to come. The timelines for the segmented transfer schedule to the new campus has also been presented. This not only gave the students a better frame of mind on the impending movement but this also drove their enthusiasm to set their foot at the new 3,869 square foot property STI College Naga is building for them. A new, bigger and better campus for STIers.
Fun and excitement never seemed to take the backseat. Just as we (speakers & organizers) thought that we run the show, freshmen students stole the limelight at the closing segment with their impromptu presentation of their dancing and singing skills. From the Celine Dion voice of an HRS student to the Michael Jackson trademark moonwalk dance of the freshmen in green, this years’ batch will surely be an exciting group to watch. Early now I can tell, this is going to be fun-filled year for STI College Naga.
This is just the beginning. Thinking big is the best way to jumpstart the year. See you all at the Acquaintance Party!
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