Our many thanks to everyone who made all these possible. Daghang salamat!
Our many thanks to everyone who made all these possible. Daghang salamat!
Chinese New Year is the longest and most important celebration in the Chinese calendar. The Chinese year 4707 begins on Jan. 26, 2009. Chinese months are reckoned by the lunar calendar, with each month beginning on the darkest day. New Year festivities traditionally start on the first day of the month and continue until the fifteenth, when the moon is brightest.
In China, the natives greet each other on the occasion Chinese New Year by wishing Guo Nian Hao, which means Happy New Year. This can be used in the first five days of the Chinese New Year Festival. Some of the common forms greetings that Chinese greet each other with are: Gōngxǐ fācái; Hokkien Keong hee huat chye which means, "Congratulations and be successful”.Niánnián yǒuyú is a wish for excess and abundant harvests every year.
All CESDEV Nursing volunteers are required to attend a "post mortem evaluation" on the formal launching of Kamunggayan sa Kalunasan and formal turn-over of books for Kalunasan Community Library. This is mainly aimed at identifying areas that needs improvement as well as identification of factors that contributed to its success. The meeting will be on Monday, January 26, 2009 at 4PM in CESDEV Nursing office.
Boxes of donated books were loaded in an open truck to deliver the books that UC Nursing CESDEV promised to donate to Barangay Kalunasan with the aim of improving literacy rate among its residents.
Barangay Kalunasan residents as well as Barangay Kalunasan officials headed by Captaon Eddie Mabano witnessed the formal turn-over of more than 6,000 books that were collected from the successful Book Drive by CESDEV Nursing among senior graduating student nurses of UC Banilad. The books will then be placed in the Multi-Purpose Hall where a 60 square-feet area is allocated to serve as Kalunasan Community Library.
THE PARTICIPANTS
Out of the expected six hundred student nurses, the participants in the malunggay planting swelled into more than seven hundred with the additional participation of some second year student nurses. The main activity is a special project of BSN 3 students for the second semester of SY 2008-2009. The program incolves several phases. The first phase is the Orientation on the objectives, requirements, as well as guidelines in Malunggay Planting. The second phase is the Formal Launching of Kamunggayan sa Kalunasan. The second phase of this long-term activity is participated by BSN 3 Cluster 1 student nurses. This cluster includes BSN 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 3E, 3F, 3G, 3H, 3I, 3J, 3K, 3L, and 3M.
THE CLINICAL INSTRUCTORS WHO JOINED
The program launching was participated by a number of Clinical Instructors of the College of Nursing led by Level 1 Chairman Mrs. Emma dela Pena, CESDEV Nursing Coordinator Mrs. Jocelyn Lim, Level 2 Clinical Instructors Francis Jemuel Rufo, Aiken Rey Badayos, Ronald Quinones, Claude Patrick Montecillo, Kara Pino, RM Tolingin, Armando Flores III, Candice Antonio, Earl Villarba, and Level 3 Clinical Instructors Mrs. Doblas, Mrs. Gwen Belarmino, Ms. Chreyalisa Baduel ...
THE MAIN ACTIVITY
After a short program and formal introductions, the student nurses planted their malunggay cutting on the side of the road. These cuttings are expected to grow new leaves in the next few days. The next wave of malunggay planting will be on February 7, 2009 - this time, the group will be made up of BSN 3 Cluster students from section 3N, 3O, 3P, 3Q, 3R, 3S, 3T, 3U, 3V, 3W, and 3Y.
Over six hundred student nurses from University of Cebu - Banilad Campus College of Nursing will troop to Barangay Kalunasan today to plant Malunggay - "the miracle tree." The main purpose of the activity will be to provide the community a more sustainable means of addressing the problem of Malnutrition. Watch out for more updates regarding this activity in the coming posts.
Click on the image above to get a bigger view on what Malunggay could offer.
Level 3 student nurses attended an Orientation on Malungay Planting wherein benefits as well as the rationale for the upcoming undertaking in Kalunasan was explained. The student nurses listened attentively and were amazed at the many indications of Kamunggay. The student nurses will be conducting the related Outreach activity on Saturday, January 24, 2009.
Moringa - Documentary
Malunggay in "Mel and Joey"
Malunggay ... Kamunggay ... Moringa
Moringa Oleifera - The Miracle Tree
Malunggay in "Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho"
Malunggay in UMTV as "Nature's AIDS Therapy"
“When you volunteer it means you give yourself without any regression, without condition, but with full devotion...” — Faith Tomaquin
“Volunteers are seldom paid; not because they are worthless, but because they are PRICELESS!” — author unknown
“A volunteer is a person who remembers to do the thing to make other people happy, who takes the loneliness out of the alone by talking to them, who is concerned when others are unconcerned, who has the courage to be a prophet and to say the things that have to be said for the good of all.” — author unknown
“I don’t know who — or what — put the question. I don’t even remember answering. But as some moment I did answer YES to someone — or something — and from that hour I was certain that existence is meaningful and that, therefore, my life, in surrender, had a goal. — Dag Hammarskjold
When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, and when 24 Hours in a day is not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee......
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full.. They agreed it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous "yes."
The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.
"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.
The golf balls are the important things - God, family, children, health, friends, and favorite passions -- things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.
The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, house, and car.
The sand is everything else --the small stuff.
"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life.
If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.
So...
Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. "Take care of the golf balls first --the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked". It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."
UC Banilad will not have classes today to afford students and clinical instructors some rest after the Sinulog 2009 revelry. However, students and parents are informed that the Accounting Office as well as the Registrar's Office are open to accommodate concerns regarding Midterm Examinations. Please relay this information.
For other concerns, you may call UC Banilad through its hotline (32) 233-888.
Just imagine - you wake up to a bright but breezy Sunday and gear up for the once-in-a-year experience of a Sinulog Festival. You step onto the streets and realize… you don’t know where you’re going. Exaggerated as this may seem, you sure do not want to face this dilemma on the big day. So take some time to familiarize this route. Whether you want to take pictures, observe the dance movements, get heart-thumpingly near to the drum-and-bugle choir or simply enjoy the atmosphere, your effort to take a look at this map will be well worth it. You can even print it so you don’t forget. Best of all, remember to share this map with friends and strangers. You don’t want to be stranded in the wrong place during Sinulog, so better be there when the throng shouts, “Pit Senyor!”
The solemn procession joined by UC Nursing CESDEV volunteers ended by returning to the Basilica for a pontifical mass given by the Bishop John Du, assisted by some of the bishops and priests. The Sinulog dance was performed immediately after the Mass. It is believed that dancing the Sinulog in homage to the Sto. Niño following the procession, will help one’s prayers to be answered. CESDEV volunteers hanced to the beat of the traditinal Sinulog dance with hopes and prayers for CESDEV, for the students, as well as for the College to be able to achieve greater heights - all for the glory of God.
This map was sourced from http://www.travel-cebu.co.cc . Click on the image to enlarge.
The Sinulog Procession takes place on the eve of Sinulog. Before the streets fill up for the parade on Sunday, they become a path for the devotees on Saturday. This is the route where people - Cebuanos and non-Cebuanos alike – pay tribute, give thanks and offer petitions to the Child Jesus, or Santo Niño. On January 20, Saturday, starting at 1:30 p.m., devotees will gather in the Basilica del SantoNiño and pray the rosary as they walk in solemn procession before the image ofthe Holy Child. This will end at 6:00 in the same place where it began. This is symbolic of the very essence of Sinulog - that everything that God has given us can only be offered to Him in return.
Bato balani sa gugma, Sa daan tawo palangga.
KANAMO MALOOY KA UNTA NGA KANIMO NANGILABA
Dinhi sa siudad sa Sugbo ang matahum larawan.
Sa unang mga misionero, sa usang balay hipalgan.
Kanila ikaw nagpakitagikan da sa imong gugma.
KANAMO MALOOY KA UNTA NGA KANIMO NANGILABA
Giludhan ikaw gisimba niadtong mga kaparian
sa tanan nga katawhan sa mga ponoan nila
kay sa pagtan-aw kanimo Kristianos sila nahimo.
KANAMO MALOOY KA UNTA NGA KANIMO NANGILABA
Ang simbahan gipatindog niadtong mga tawhana
aron ang larawan nimo dunay usang puluyanan.
ug didto gihangyo nila nga kaluy-an nimo sila.
KANAMO MALOOY KA UNTA NGA KANIMO NANGILABA
Nangayo kami kanimo nga ang matahum mong larawan,
sa sulud sa kalag namo makahimong puluyanan,
kay sa tanan kinahanglan ikaw ang among dalangpan.
KANAMO MALOOY KA UNTA NGA KANIMO NANGILABA
Classes for Level 1 students is suspended starting 12 noon today to give time for the students to assemble and cordon the procession route from University of Cebu - Main Campus to the Basilica Minore del Santo Nino. UC educational system sponsors the 5:30pm mass at the Basilica.
Candidate Number 12 - Miss Kris Tiffany M. Janson was crowned Miss Cebu 2009 while Candidate Number 11 - Miss Rizzini Alexis C. Gomez was the First Runner up, Candidate Number 8 - Miss Kimberley Therese A. Burden was the 2nd runner up, Candidate Number 9 - Michelle Iva G. Eguia was the 3rd runner up and Candidate Number 5 - Miss Tara Frances L. Oliver was the 4th runner up.
By Ariel Allosada Allera 
The Pacific Grand Ballroom of the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino will experience an illustrious night of glitz and glamour, pomp and pageantry, as past Miss Cebu beauties witness the quest for their 25th successor, the young lady whose crown will be relinquished by reigning queen Sian Elizabeth Maynard.
Celebrating its Silver Anniversary, the Miss Cebu continues to search for no less than the most exceptional lady that best defines the authentic characteristic of what a lovely Cebuana is, and how she lives up to her platform to make Cebu an even more captivating city both to come by and to live in.
For 25 years, this pageant has maintained its world-class production that can allegedly never even be compared with any of the major national beauty contests in Manila, much less its high-end presentation of its official candidates to spectators walking on the red carpets --- consistently, quite a number of whom are members of Cebu's elite. Because the event is one of the highlights of the annual Sinulog festivity, a lot of tourists from both overseas and other parts of the country are customarily expected to come and watch.
To be telecast live on Studio 23 at 8:00 PM on January 14 (Wednesday), the 2009 Search for Miss Cebu (spearheaded by Cebu City Tourism Commission) will likewise pay tribute to Cebuana beauties who, in their respective current fields of endeavor, have made an exceptional mark, thus giving us Cebuanos 25 years (and beyond) of reason to be proud of our heritage. One of these is Miss Cebu 2006 second runner-up Karla Henry, the very first Filipina to have captured the Miss Earth crown, so far the one and only Cebuana to have won an international beauty title.
This year's roster of candidates holds a promise of another exemplary lady who will serve as an ambassador of goodwill, a spokesmodel for young Cebuanas, a voice of Cebu to the world. Twelve equally smart and charming candidates are vying for this year's Miss Cebu crown and the Silver scepter as a token of her being the 25th loveliest Cebuana.
UC Nursing CESDEV places its best hopes and wishes on Miss Rizzini Alexis Gomez, a second year student nurse of UC Banilad and is currently Miss Mandaue.
By Gerard Pareja
Cebu Daily News
Samtang gatan-aw kos presentation sa Miss Cebu 2009 candidates misulod sa akong huna-huna ang binuang nga sugilanon kabahin ning mga judges sa beauty contest. Sama ning mga jurado nadugay nausab akong gasunod ning Miss Cebu beauty pageant. Ug duna na akoy pipila ka butang nga namatikdan.
Mao kini akong napanid-an sa usa ka dekadang pagsunod ning maong bangga:
Una, wala pay Miss Cebu nga dili maayo moyawyaw. Bisag walay unod ang ilang ipanulti basta kay may ikayawyaw lang sila.
Ikaduha, wala pay Miss Cebu nga boobsy o dakug dughan. Usahay manglugwa na lang ang ilang mga padding kay ni-slide na ang ilang mga gown.
Ikatulo, wala pay Miss Cebu nga putot. Mga 5’4” ngadtos 5’8” ang height sa kasagarang ma rayna ning maong beauty contest.
Ikaupat, wala pay foreign og apelyido nga nakadaug.
Nabantayan ko usab nga pabor sa morena o tabunon ang makadaug. Kasagaran usab kanila may backer nga bayot. Kadaghanan nila sakop na og modeling agency.
Ang mga kandidata para sa Miss Cebu 2009 naglakip kanila ni Ana Coritha Desamparado, Sheda Lyn Dusaban, Christine Tan, Nadia Claire Urbino, Tara Frances Oliver, Ethel Bitoon, Phoebe Kay Fernandez, Kimberley Therese Burden, Michelle Isa Eguia, Angela Grace Alinabon, Rizzini Alexis Gomez, Kris Tiffany Janson.
Unsa may atong mga panagna? Posible nga puti ug dili tabunon ang molusot karon. Duna usay purohan nga dughanan ang molusot karon. So kinsa may mosul-ob sa korona karong Sinulog?
Naproblema kos akong manok nga si Isa Eguia. Kinahanglan siyang patumaron og valium kay paspas ra kayo siya mosulti. Mahimong sabton sa manan-aw kining iyang insisturyahan nga simtoma sa nerbyos. Mag-una-una usab siyag katawa sa iyang pasiaw bisag wala pa ka react ang audience. Simtoma gihapon kini sa nerbyos. Daghan usab siyag mga pakapain nga istorya nga way labot sa pangutana.
Nasubo ako niani kay physically ang hitsura ni Isa classic nga pang Miss Cebu. Taas, nipis ug tabunon. Nindut usab siyag baba ug liog. Maayo usab siya moyawit. Nasubraan lang tingali ang iyang kakursunada moyawyaw. Mura siyag si ex-U.S. President Bill Clinton nga giingong – the problem is not that he can’t talk but that he can’t stop.
Ug kon dili molusot akong manok kinsa, man diay modaug? Sa hitsuraay og barog, close fight silang Kris Janson ug si Rizzini Gomez. Ug sa inistoryahay, ang kalma modag hambog mao sila ni Tara Oliver ug Rizzini Gomez. Ang maayo modag lakaw og rampa mao si Kris Janson. Si Janson usab ang gihugon-hugon nga manok sa mga designer.
Panid-an ko usa si Isa kon mapugngan ba niya ang iyang mga excesses sa pagsulti. Kon makat-unan ba niya in time ang magic slogan nga “Less is more.” Kon di gyud niya makat-unan basig maglisud siya pa sulod sa top five. With Isa out of the picture, it will be a coin toss between Gomez and Janson. Veteran vs. neophyte ang show. Mo-side-bet usab ako ni Oliver isip wild card nga baraw sa duha.
Miss Cebu is unique and special. She is goal-oriented, direct and ambitious. She is accomplished in many areas. Furthermore, she is confident, commanding in presence and truly a potential leader by virtue of experience in competition. She is an achiever.
Miss Cebu is a model for other woman. She cares about a woman's role in society. Moreover, she is a woman sensitive to her environment and caring about the “ challenging issues” facing the world. She works in a defined way toward possible solutions and uses her crown and its accompanying responsibilities to make a difference in the community that has chosen her to be its role model.
Miss Cebu is a leader by virtue of her experiences, is independent and an eloquent communicator, talented, intelligent and blessed with energy, charisma, expression and health, Miss Cebu is also physically attractive both in face and figure.
Miss Cebu displays all these characteristics in her everyday life both as an individual, with hope of advancing her career, her personal and humanitarian goals, and as a woman, seeking to improve the lives of others in her community.
The country’s biggest, grandest and most anticipated festival is set to take center stage once again — the Sinulog Festival 2009. Sinulog festival is the country’s biggest pageantry of sights, sounds and colors as it honors and pays homage to the patron saint of Cebu , the child Jesus — Sr. Sto. Niño. Aside from the main spectacle which is the Sinulog Grand parade, there are also other activities lined up by the Cebu City Government and the Sinulog Foundation until the grand highlights of the festival from January 9-18, 2009.
Other highlights for the upcoming Sinulog Festival are Sinulog Photo Exhibits in Mactan Airport, Ayala, SM City and Emal (Jan. 5), Sinulog sa Kabataan—Lalawigan (Jan. 10), Sinulog sa Kabataan—Dakbayan (Jan. 11), Sinulog Festival Queen (Jan. 16), nightly programs like Cultural Shows and Street Party bands at Fuente Osmeña.
Sinulog Foundation assures all foreigners, balikbayans, and locals to anticipate all the activities that Cebu City Government has prepared this year, most especially during the Sinulog Grand Parade on January 18.
“Expect more out-of-town contingents who will be gracing the Sinulog Grand Parade. New concepts from the various contingents and better productions”, said Ricky Ballesteros, Executive Director of Sinulog Foundation.
As of now, there are already 45 contingents from various cities and provinces who confirmed that they will be participating in this Sinulog Grand Parade. Four contingents coming from Leyte (Alikaraw Festival of Hilongos Leyte, Buyugan Festival of Abuyog, Leyte, Sangyaw Festival of Tacloban City and also in Dulag, Leyte), four contingents also from Negros (Pintaflores of San Carlos City, Jimalalud de Sinulog, Sta Catalina, Negros Orienteal and Bais City), three contingents from Mindanao (Cabadbaran City, Tangub City and Lanao Del Norte) are set to showcase their prowess in Sinulog dancing. For the first time, a contingent from Placer, Masbate in Bicol Region is expected to perform in next year Sinulog Grand Parade.
Tickets are available starting January 2009, only at the Sinulog Foundation Office. If you want to know more about the Sinulog 2009 Festival, please contact (032) 254-50-10, 253-37-00 and look for Mr. Ricky Ballesteros, or Juliet/May or visit the Sinulog homepage, www.sinulog.ph.
We were in the office last week to do general cleaning in preparation for the resumption of classes after the holidays when we catched this very touching episode in ABS-CBN's noontime show "Wowowee". It showed a special child singing Yeng Constantino's signature song "Hawak Kamay". We were so moved because the song aptly captured the struggles and efforts one makes in this life.
"Hawak kamay, 'di kita iiwan sa paglakbay, dito sa mundong walang katiyakan. Hawak kamay, 'di kita bibitawan sa paglalakbay sa mundo ng kawalan." This is the very same thought that motivates UC Nursing volunteers to continue doing what they have been doing ... to extend a helping hand to those who are in need and in so doing, no matter how small it my be, its significance transcends barriers for it has touched many lives. More importantly, the experiences has given the volunteers a different insight and made their lives more meaningful.
Volunteerism is the willingness of people to work on behalf of others without being motivated by financial or material gain. Volunteers may have special training as rescuers, guides, assistants, teachers, missionaries, amateur radio operators, writers, and in other positions. But the majorities work on an imprompt basis, recognizing a need and filling it, whether it be the dramatic search for a lost child or the everyday giving of directions to a lost visitor.In economics, voluntary employment is unpaid employment. It may be done for altruistic reasons, for example charity, as a hobby, community service or vocation, or for the purpose of gaining experience. Some go so far as to dedicate much of their lives to voluntary service.
January 9, 2009 (Friday) - Sinulog 2009 Kick off / Launching (Sinulog Through the Years photo exhibit at Ayala Center Cebu, SM City Cebu and the Mactan-Cebu International Airport)
2:00 - Solemn Mass (Basilica del Sto. Niño)
3:00 - Launching Parade (from the Basilica del Sto. Niño to the Cebu City Sports Center)
7:00 - Opening and Launching Program featuring the Mandaue City Children’s Choir, Dancesports Team Cebu, and Dance Troupes from participating schools and universities in Cebu (Fuente Osmeña)
January 10, 2009 (Saturday) - Sinulog sa Kabataan - Lalawigan
1:00 - Parade of Participants (from the Cebu Provincial Capitol to the Cebu City Sports Center)
2:00 - Event Proper: Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan (Cebu City Sports Center)
4:30 - Awarding of Winners (Cebu City Sports Center)
7:00 - Cultural Show by the Department of Education, Cebu Province (Fuente Osmeña)
9:30 - Concert by Street Party Bands (Fuente Osmeña)
January 11, 2009 (Sunday) - Sinulog sa Kabataan - Dakbayan
1:00 - Parade of Participants (from the Plaza Independencia to the Cebu City Sports Center)
2:00 - Event Proper: Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan (Cebu City Sports Center)
4:30 - Awarding of Winners (Cebu City Sports Center)
7:00 - Cultural Show (Fuente Osmeña)
9:30 - Concert by Street Party Bands (Fuente Osmeña)
January 12, 2009 (Monday)
7:30 - Cultural Show (Fuente Osmeña)
9:30 - Concert by Street Party Bands (Fuente Osmeña)
January 13, 2009 (Tuesday)
7:30 - Cultural Show (Fuente Osmeña)
9:30 - Concert by Street Party Bands (Fuente Osmeña)
January 14, 2009 (Wednesday)
9:00 - Airport Welcome for Balikbayan Flights (Mactan-Cebu International Airport)
7:30 - Cultural Shows (Fuente Osmeña)
9:30 - Concert by Street Party Bands (Fuente Osmeña)
January 15, 2009 (Thursday)
9:00 - Airport Welcome for Balikbayan Flights (Mactan-Cebu International Airport)
7:00 - Miss Cebu Coronation Night (Cebu City Waterfront Hotel and Casino)
7:30 - Cultural Shows (Fuente Osmeña)
9:00 - Concert by Street Party Bands (Fuente Osmeña)
January 16, 2009 (Friday) - Visual Merchandising Contest (Department Stores and Malls in Cebu)
7:30 - Cultural Shows by the Department of Education, Cebu City (Fuente Osmeña)
7:30 - Handumanan “The Concert” (SM City Cebu)
8:00 - Balik Cebu Welcome Party for Balikbayans and Guests (Ayala Center Cebu)
9:00 - Concert by Street Party Bands (Fuente Osmeña)
January 17, 2009 (Saturday)
6:00 - Fluvial Procession of the Miraculous Image of Sto. Niño together with Our Lady of Guadalupe (Mactan Channel; starting point: Ouano Wharf, Mandaue City)
9am - Re-enactment of the Baptism of Queen Juana and Rajah Humabon (Basilica del Sto. Niño)
2:00 - Solemn Procession of the Miraculous Image of Sto. Niño)
6:30 - Sinulog Festival Queen 2009 (Cebu City Sports Center)
7:00 - Street Party (Fuente Osmeña and Plaza Independencia)
8:00 - Kasadya Nite Mardi Gras (Ayala Center Cebu hallways; culmination at the South Surface Parking Area)
January 18, 2009 (Sunday) - Sinulog 2009 Grand Parade
9:00 - Sinulog 2009 Grand Parade Carousel Kick Off
7:00 - Grand Fireworks Display (Cebu City Sports Center and Plaza Independencia)
7:30 - Concert by Street Party Bands (Fuente Osmeña)
8:00 - Grand Fireworks Display sponsored by the Mitsumi Group of Companies (Ayala Football Grounds)
January 19, 2009 (Monday)
1:00 - Awarding Ceremonies (Cebu City Sports Center)
The year 2008 passed and a lot of goals were met through the concerted efforts of the volunteers. However, driven as they were, there were also a few objectives that remained unfulfilled. These were our shortcomings. The video below prods us to keep going and to never lose hope. "If you never failed, you have not lived."
* Make a difference
* Be a role model
* Be a good citizen
* Improve your community
* Help someone
* Meet new people
* Save lives
* Share your knowledge
* Learn new skills
* Build homes
* Support a cause
* Respond to emergencies
* Recover from disasters
* Improve the environment
* Teach someone
* Spread a message
* Give someone a new start
* Inspire others to help
* Prevent accidents
* Help children
* A reason all your own
Volunteering means something different to everyone, but it's always worth the effort. Today, millions of people are helping to make a difference in their neighborhoods and across the nation by lending their time and compassion.Volunteers connect people to hope and offer a new chance to build a stronger community. It usually starts with a single act of kindness, but it often leads to a lifetime of enriching experiences.
First posted 00:33:49 (Mla time) January 05, 2009
Conrado de Quiros
Philippine Daily Inquirer
I SAW an interesting sight last Thursday on New Year’s Day. It was at an intersection near the SM-Trinoma area. I was standing by a corner when a group of street kids crossed the street. They had been rapping on the windows of cars and the pickings were few. It was early afternoon, and traffic was exceptionally light. Trinoma and SM were open but a lot of the shops were closed. And most Metro Manila denizens, or what remained of them here during the holidays, were still sleeping off the effects of the night’s revelry, not least the poisonous fumes they had ingested in their lungs in the course of trying to drive away the bad luck from their lives with firecrackers.
When the light turned green, the kids ambled over to where I stood. They were barefoot and looked not unlike the chimney sweep in Mary Poppins, being covered with dust and grime, except that they were not singing “Chim Chim Cheree.” They looked like they were just 5 years old or so, but which was probably wrong, they were probably older, their appearance being merely the product of malnutrition and ingesting even more poisonous fumes than firecracker smoke in the form of carbon monoxide from the exhaust of cars, and not just on New Year’s Eve. They were all boys.
They stopped in front of me and I groped for some change in my pocket. New Year’s Day has a way of separating people with guilty consciences from their coins. Until I realized that the kids were not looking at me, they were looking past me. Specifically at the window of a tailoring shop. On the other side of the glass pane, or barrier, were basketball T-shirts of all shapes, sizes and colors. The tailoring shop appeared to have made the T-shirts for a minor basketball league, possibly a barangay league for small boys. The shirts were paraded in full glory as some sort of advertisement for the shop.
The kids suddenly forgot they were there to score some New Year’s Day gratuity and remembered only with the furious instinct of innocence that they were—kids. They started pointing at the shirts. One kid, who appeared to be the eldest of the group, said he wanted the white shirt, and wondered what number he’d like on it. It would be nice to see his name there, although he didn’t know exactly what it was, he knew only the name he was called by. Two kids both liked the red-orange shirt with the number 42 emblazoned in white on it, and argued furiously about who should get it.
They were just dreaming of course. The glass pane that separated them from the objects of their desire might have been the Berlin Wall or the thick glass window that separated convicts from their visitors. You wondered how many of them would actually be in the latter position, assuming they lived long enough to be in it. But that was just conjecture, and that wouldn’t happen until a time far removed from now. Right now, they were just kids, and what lay beyond the window, glass pane and all, was not beyond the reach of their imagination. Right now, they were a league of their own, suited up in the colors of their team, shirt, pants and new shoes, playing the game of their lives.
They tarried there for a few minutes, and then moved on. The dream was over in a flash, the cars had collected again on the red light.
One might think that this spectacle is not unlike that of the many ordinary folk who drifted by the windows of the appliance or dress shops last Christmas and dreamt of the giant Samsung LCD or the sleek gown displayed there, imagining what joy it would be to have it, what sense of fulfillment it would bring to their lives. But it is not like that at all. There is a point at which quantity turns into quality, or dire extremity mutates into a new reality altogether. These are levels of deprivation that elevate simple desires or wishes or cravings from mere insatiable consumerist appetites into poignant, quixotic and quite impossible dreams. These are levels of naked want that elevate simple fantasies or imaginings into an obdurate demand upon the world on the strength of all that is good and decent to make them true.
You stand indicted before such a sight, and feel even more conscience-stricken than if they had begged for food and you hadn’t any. Strangely enough, some things are more elemental than food. This wasn’t just hankering for a basketball T-shirt and pants, this was a dream of a better life. It had none of the muck of adult greed, it had all the purity of childhood wishing-upon-a-star. You have to grope beyond your pockets into your soul to find enough to give.
It’s something to think about this year, when the predictions are that the ferocious global economic winds will howl in our shores as well, however precious little they will find little left to ravage here. The coming period of want may be a good time to turn philosophical and wonder how much we really need in life to be reasonably happy when all other people need are a shirt and pair of shorts to be transported to heaven.
None of it is to excuse the people who aggravate the want by their greed and crookedness and selfishness or to reconcile yourself with the direness they wreak. Indeed, the spectacle of children with no names who rove the streets living off the kindness of strangers and living in strange worlds spun in their minds by hunger and rugby must make us doubly angry that the above exist. How much do they need to be satiated? Again you see how theft and pillage are not an abstract thing that affects “other people.” Theft and pillage are as palpable as the wall of smoke on New Year’s Eve, and they kill—us.
But there will be time enough to dwell on that this year. Right now, I just wonder where those kids are right now who dreamt of playing the game as the year turned.
These videos caused the weather disturbance? Nah, while these videos launched pure fun and rib-tickling scenes, these videos did not cause the tropical depression. Who would be 'depressed' when you're having fun, right? This video was taken last December 20, 2008 while having fun with the sand, sea, and sun (oppps! the sun shied away during the later part of the day and was replaced by strong winds and some drizzle).
Now seriously, Pagasa Weather Branch chief Nathaniel Cruz said a low pressure area (LPA) spotted 220kilometers east of Northern Mindanao could develop into a tropical depression within the next six to 12 hours. As of 5 p.m. yesterday, the LPA is gaining strength and could foster unfavorable weather for travel. As the weather center only issues bulletins when there is a tropical depression, Cruz has advised the public to monitor the weather developments.
Why do we celebrate birthdays? What is it that we are toasting? Is it the fact that we have survived another year against many odds? Are we marking the progress we have made, our cumulative achievements and possessions? Is a birthday the expression of hope sprung eternal to live another year?
Our birthdays are about the future, not about the past. We are celebrating having arrived so far because such successful resilience allows us to continue forward. We proclaim our potential to further enjoy the gifts of life.
Catch the epidode of Kapamilya Winner Ka of ABS-CBN (Cebu) tomorrow morning. The show was participated by CESDEV Nursing volunteers namely, Jo Kristese Faye Lim, Joshua Buaya, Don Jade Canama, and Joselito Noel Cabahug. CESDEV Nursing volunteers cheered on them as they played in the gameshow.
UC Nursing CESDEV junior volunteer Dianne Salem sent an SMS to the blog admin raising concerns about his stalled travel back to Cebu for the resumption of classes and duty due to some weather disturbances. Ships from Leyte province were not allowed to sail by the Philippine Coast Guard. Thus, the weather advisory for reference and guidance. Posted below are news clips about the weather condition:
Detailed Local Forecast from http://weather.yahoo.com/forecast/RPXX0007.html
Tonight: Variably cloudy with scattered thunderstorms. Low around 75F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Tomorrow: Mixed clouds and sun with scattered thunderstorms. High 81F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Tomorrow night: Variable clouds with scattered thunderstorms. Low 76F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Sunday: Mixed clouds and sun with scattered thunderstorms. High 86F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Monday: A few thunderstorms possible. Highs in the mid 80s and lows in the upper 70s.
Tuesday: Scattered thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 80s and lows in the mid 70s.
At 2:00 p.m. today, a Low Pressure Area (LPA) was estimated based on satellite and surface data at 340 kms East of Visayas (11.0°N 129.0°E). Northeast monsoon affecting Luzon.
The entry of the new year 2009 was celebrated by watching the delightful midnight fireworks at The Fort, called the “Taguig Global Countdown and Street Party” sponsored by the city government of Taguig and with the participation of business establishments at The Fort. The drizzle didn't dampen this blog admin's spirit as the party continued after the pyrotechnique lighted up the cloudy skies. Add to that the 'star gazing' as numerous celebrities joined the fun. An hour past midnight in Makati City, this blogger watched a free concert, a fireworks show, and a million-peso raffle organized by the city government, Ayala malls, and ABS-CBN Foundation’s Sagip Kapamilya program.
We have brought you a list of how to wish 'Happy New Year' in more than twenty-five major languages of the world. Most cultures wish each other happiness, good luck, prosperity and peace in household while wishing each other. Being the beginning of an entire new year, it is seen as an opportunity to rebuild our lives, do away with old sorrowful memories and invite joy in our homes and wish that all are loved ones will also do well in the coming year.
Chinese (Cantonese) - Sun nien fai lok
Chinese (Mandarin) - Xin nian yu kuai
Danish - Godt Nytår
Dutch - Gelukkig nieuwjaar
Farsi - Aide shoma mobarak
French - Bonne année
Gaelic - Aith-bhliain Fe Nhaise Dhuit
German - Gutes Neues Jahr
Hawaiian - Hauoli Makahiki Hou
Hebrew - Shanah tovah
Hindi (Indian) - Nav Varsh Ki Badhaai/ Naya Saal Mubarak Ho
Hmong - Nyob zoo xyoo tshiab
Indonesian - Elamat Tahun Baru
Italian - Buon Capo d'Anno
Japanese - Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu
Norwegian - Godt Nyttår
Pilipino (Tagalog) - Maligayang Bagong Taon
Polish - Szczesliwego Nowego roku
Portuguese - Feliz ano novo
Romanian - La Multi Ani
Russian - S Novym Godom
Spanish - Feliz Año Nuevo
Sudanese - Wilujeng Tahun Baru
Swedish - Gott Nytt År
Turkish - Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Welsh - Blwyddyn Newydd Dda
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