Yccos "Meow" visits "Telelalahbells"

I need to debrief myself immediately. Chos!!! Haha

The 100k painting -
mas malaki pa kai
teacher kat lol

One of the PBO’s (Pinoy Bloggers Outreach) attractive (and active) member especially by means of smallness & prettiness ( LOL ) came to Cagayan de Oro City unexpectedly. All the way from Quezon City transferred to Taguig City, Metro Manila accordingly (drum roll please), 2_ (I intentionally not to put a number next to 2! Haha), 5’ FLAT? (wooottt! Alam na!) & proud to be a bekeey! Presenting Ms. Kat a.k.a “meow” slash “yccos” (I’m seryos, pilit na pilit akong maging seryos! Chos! Hahaha)

I’m very happy indeed! Yeyy!! In such short notice & time, we still manage to make our weekend a worth to remember. That is not also possible without the help of my friends – Peps (wag ng alamin ang totoong pangalan ng taong ito dahil babalik tayo sa panahon ng spanyol haha) , Imee “Imyang” (dahil mas matanda pa sa akin ito kumilos, madalas may dalang panghilod ito kahit san magpunta) and Juan in tagalog John in English (pinaghandaan niya ang BANAT statement na yan para kay “Kat” dahil sa Filipino subject lang nagsasalita ng tagalog mga tao dito samin! so OA lang ang sinabi ko! Hahaha) siniraan ko talaga mga kaibigan ko eh! Nyahahahaha soreh! Soreh!

Syempre selfie - nakiuso

Our day started with sumakay kami ng “motorela” (only in cdo yan! Rooowww!!) & had a pambansang breakfast at “jabebey!” hahaha ohh yes! Of course we then visited first the Cagayan de Oro City Cathedral to pray & went to Xavier University after – hindi kami nakapasok kasi nakapekpek shorts si “kat” hahahaha akalain mo yon?! Conservative masyado kami dito eh!! Charot lang! hahaha something came up may konting emergency so pumunta kami sa lugar nila peps then went straight after to Provincial Capitol where I used to work for 7 years & may malaking sculpture kung saan masayang tingnan si kat na pilit niya itong yakapin ng buo! (hahaha) dahil sa sobrang init – sa isang mall pa din ending namin at we had our coffee sa starbucks. (mainit na kape inorder namin, parang hindi din kami nakaligtas sa init ng panahon! Haha). Our lunch was at Bucher’s Best (dito may 14 php pa na bbq).

Earthquake

I love this pic! EcoVillage!

Just as exactly 1 pm we decided to go to Capitol University Museum (kung san andon ang history ng Cdo), touristang tourista lang kami eh kasi first time ko rin pumunta don ano! (bahahaha) sa next destination namin of course not just once but ohh yes! 2^nd time kong pumunta don! (feeling proud hahaha) 15 mins away from the City, sumakay kami ng jeep at “habal-habal” papuntang “ECO VILLAGE” nakuh! Lakas maka-earthquake ang lugar na ito! Masarap kasi magjumpshot dito! Haha it’s all pure nature! Sarap! Masarap yong pababa pero nong pabalik na, yong butas ng ilong ko kasing laki ng kamao ni pacman na! one of the best thing happened nong pauwi na kami – hinamon nila akong mag limbo rock nong palabas na kami (naka-inclined na ito) gustohin ko man pero feeling ko maging bola ako na pagulong-gulong pag nagkamali ako ohhh dibah! Nasa isip ko pa lang, may nangyari na kay “Juan in English John” tumambling lang naman siya oh see kumusta naman kung ako yon! Susmaryusep!! Maawa ako sa daan! Hahahaha after “Eco Village” went straight to “limketkai mall” (kapag cdo – LKK Mall ang trademark! Only in cdo lang yan talaga) & back to Imee’s “Imyang’s” dorm to get kat’s bag & stayed Jollibee nearby for a while at pumunta na kami straight sa 2^nd home ko para don magstay overnight – sa bahay nila peps. Hahaha

Boystown Outreach

Saturday night we prepared the hygiene kits for the outreach kinabukasan. Thanks to PEPS sa lahat dahil he allowed us to be part of his Org for a day! (I can’t thank u enough really, wwooott!) the following day pumunta kami sa “Boystown” ng Cdo located away from the city, mga 1 hour din yong binyahe namin with all the rough road along & free natural powder! Oh diba bongga! Hahaha I am very happy dahil may malaking part si Kat during our outreach dahil we let her interact with the kids as well as nagconduct din siya ng activity sa mga bata. Fulfilling! kaso bitin lang! Right after our outreach, dahil maaga natapos I called a friend who is just nearby para kumain ng French fries at beefsteak! Hahaha she’s a friend for almost 15 years din kaya at home na rin ako sa bahay nila! Chos! Ang layo din naman ng nilakad namin ano (super init pa!), tunaw na tunaw yong taba ko don! Effortless!

After Outreach -
Yccos with the Big Four

Exactly 12 noon kami umalis sa bahay ng friend ko and dumating kami downtown mga 1 na siguro yon, kumain ng sundae all from Mcdonalds dahil SUNdaey! Haha just waited for Pep’s sister for a while naiwan yong tablet ni kat sa bahay nila Peps. Parang ayokong tapusin tong entry nato kasi alam ng uwian na eh! Hahaha charowt! Hinatid namin si Kat sa LKK Mall kung saan don siya sasakay ng Van going to the airport, that’s around 2:30 na siguro, had few group pictures and ayon na ba-bye na talaga! Haaaiiizzz! Lol There’s no goodbye but see you again soon!! That is!!! Yeey!!

GRACE - Our fries & beef steak

For a day & a half na kasama ko si Teacher Kat “yccos” ito lang masabi ko – may katapat ako!!!! Hahaha she’s bubbly & a positive thinker! What I admired the most yong pagiging flexible niya (knowing I also have my friends with me during her visit) AT ito pa – ang talino ha in fairness hindi ko carry yong history ng pinas, wala nga akong matanong don eh! (tulog ako nong kinuha ko ang subject na yan! Hahaha) I hate being so big sa mga pictures namin kasi ang liit niya!! Literal! Hahahahaha the best I could describe KAT - “NO PRETENTIONS!!!” what you see, what you’ve read is what you get!!! Yes!! It is!!

MecMec - Pep's Home

It was a worth weekend!!! Thank you teacher kat for the visit & next time ulet!! Wooott!!! I can’t thank enough also to Pep’s Family – Tita slash Mama Merelyn & ang pangarap kong katawan sa hilaw kong kapatid na si MecMec, na always ready and on the GO!!! Of course si Juan in English it’s JOHN – official icebreaker!!! Imee slash Imyang as well as our official photographer all throughout!!! Hahaha I LOVE YOU Guys!! (wid feelings, CAPSLOCK para intense!! Hahaha)

There's always a light within

Matutulog na sana ako but when I checked my fb account, may nakatag sa akin na picture from a friend and an advocator of the cdo street tutorial, he made an article and published in Cagayan times (metroSpect). May ganito na pala sa city, napaka insensitive ko ata before lels! Ngayon ko lang nalaman ang magazine na ito, nag-eexist pala. Haha sorry kasi ang nababasa ko madalas eh ibang mag at newspaper. Pero natuwa ako dahil yong Christmas party sa cdo street tutorial eh na-featured, yong picture na napost ko sa aking blog (sila ang kukulay ng ating pasko) yon ang ginamit para sa article. Yong nakapink na nakatayo ako nga yon! Lels! Walang duda, kasing taba ng puso ko ang katawan ko! Hahaha

I would to thanked and congratulate everyone! All of us, part tayo dito and the learning I got from this experience will surely go a long way from here. a part of me will always be to those kids who gave me a reason to smile and help me push my dream more.

here's the link for the article (MetroSpect-The CAGAYAN TIMES)

 

Sila ang kukulay ng ating pasko

Time management is always an issue to me this time. I worked, I go to school, I have other commitment also outside from school. My day is very productive as I may say it, just for today, taking a leave from work to take an exam and other commitment is not included in being “productive” hahaha I took leave because I have my 3 exams today, I went out with my papa and sissy for dinner, I ran to CdeO dv soria by 7pm because I have a commitment to attend the CdeO Street Tutorial Christmas Party.

Let’s take a review on what we did tonight…

Personally, I am happy to see innocent smiles, those smiles that cannot be bought. In kids’ heart, Christmas is giving of gifts. This is my first time to attend the Cdo Street Tutorial Christmas Party since our social work group only started last September I think. This is what I live in my life now, one hour of teaching the street kids every Wednesday only, 7 to 8 in the evening. Once a week, you gave a part of yourself to them and even a little I know I did something in the community and even I shared God’s love to these children.

This is also what I have been sharing to Mr. Archieviner since he shared in his post about that project piso na advocacy, (napakagandang plano ang ginawa nila para mamahagi ng tulong sa mga bata, lalo na sa white cross sa san juan) I opened up also, this Cdo Street Tutorial too, baka sakali one day maisipan ng mga bloggers na magpunta dito for a vacation, it would be a great opportunity na sa pagdalaw ng mga bloggers eh ito ang gagawin natin, ang magbigay ng kasayahan sa mga innocenteng bata sa kalsada.  Masarap ang tumulong, nakakagaan ito ng damdamin, at maramdaman mo rin na kahit yong soul mo, fulfilled din. Kaya I am inviting also bloggers who wanted to visit Cagayan de oro city na dumaan sa street tutorial para magbigay ng kanilang konting oras para magturo sa mga batang ito, pagkain lang kailangan nila, 500 pesos mapapakain mo na ang higit 20 na bata.

Masaya ang gabi namin, ramdam ko rin ang pagiging contento sa ano ang meron ako, at nagpapasalamat lalo sa mga bagay na naabot ko, nakita ko at natutunan ko, dahil I know this is also the way I can share my life sa iba.

Yong iba pang pictures ay nasa facebook ko, hindi ko ma-upload lahat dito dahil malamang mawawala na ang isang page ng blog ko for all the pictures. Hehehe anyway, basta all I know tonight, I want to do something more for these kids, I want to make a difference, kayo din, kaya niyo rin 'to, and I am also inviting you all guys, if may chance kayong pumunta dito sa cdeo, you can always contact me. I will find time and be available sa inyo. 

 

Isang araw balang araw

Nuh!! it’s a long week for me, started all my majors and still trying to fix my schedule for this semester. This is gonna be a tough semester with 6 majors and 4 minors. Goodluck to me! Lesson to keep now is how to balance my time, learn to have stress management though I’ve been watching movie series or movie as my stress management and that helps me rejuvenate.

It was Thursday when my teacher announced that we finally have a book to use for the medical social work subject (super happy kami sabay clap our hands and even we prayed to thanked that book!!! amay-ober that moment!! bohahaha) courtesy of my classmate too who happen to have an aunt in one of the government hospital in this city, who is also the head of the medical social services, we secretly grab the book for photocopy, the book is exclusive for the hospital and even before I know na bawal ipotocopy ang libro para pag-aralan dahil yon daw ang sabi ng head ng DOH ba yon. Madamot sila! Lels!!

377 pesos ang worth ng photocopy sa librong yon, makapal! Tan-ena! how will I finish to read that book, ang dami pang nakapila!! Bakit ba!! Kasalanan ko na dahil enter ng enter ako sa korsong to! Hahaha you know why I talked about this? Kasi before, the first course na kinuha ko, at hindi ako naging successful dahil sumuka na ako, maganda ang libro ko noon, hard bound, glossy, with a lot of pictures pa, sikat at mahal pero I never opened and read those books. Tamad talaga ako, since bata pa! bohahaha Ngayon dahil kulang ang resources namin, walang Filipino author na nagpaka-batman to make a book for the young social workers sa pilipinas dahil kapag social worker ka sobrang busy ka, halos wala ka ng oras sa pamilya dahil sa dedikasyon sa trabaho! Over na over! Maniwala ka! Totoo yon! isang araw balang araw wag naman sana mangyari sa akin ang ganyan ka-busy! hahaha 

Lumang libro at author ang pinagtyagaan namin, kung noon ang sarap ng libro ko, maganda tingnan, dekalidad ang mga author dahil mga foreigner, ngayon to compare it, mas binigyan ko ng importance to read books out from photocopies nalang! Hahaha napaka IRONIC to me! Because when I have good and great books, I don’t scan them, now we only have photocopies, mas nagtyaga ako! Tan-ena! hahaha I just don’t have a choice dahil sa tan-enang expectation na yan kaya kailangan laging handa!! Hahaha at kailangan maabot ko ang pangarap kong maging tulad ni d-soliman balang araw!!! Bohahaha

We are all going there... old age.

One afternoon of October 4, 2012, i was going to school and I come to pass by an old lola in the corner of the street who is trying to fix something, she tried to bend as she could to reach the newspaper with her faeces inside and that really strikes me a lot. The moment I saw the lola, i shook my head and there’s a lot of questions poke my head that I myself could not even answer for I know there are a lot of possible reasons to my questions. I was really hurt seeing far behind the lola who is helping herself to fix the mess that I myself can’t help her. I know she could still think of cleaning it before she will be reprimanded by some authority and she has no choice but she has to do it by herself. 

I don’t know who’s to blame, we don’t even know what’s really the reason behind why that lola is on the street. One thing I know with our Filipino culture, we are obliged to take care of our parents and grandparents, we may have something to give or doesn’t have at all. It is part of our values also that has been instilled that no matter what, we have to attend them. It really strikes me until now, It was one of the social issues that open my eyes to reality that gave me some hint on what I can do more in the future and with the profession I have chosen.

If only their voices have been heard, I know how happy they will feel when they know that before they die they are secured already. Everybody is going to where they are now, I don’t think each individual can afford to be like them, sleeping on the streets without blanket, they eat once a day and has no bed to take a rest. I don’t know why government cover their eyes and ears on this matter; I don’t think they still have to wait that somebody will raise that issue to give these street grandparents a home to stay. They just don’t want it because they can’t use or help for their political or electoral agenda. But their prayer does!! Mom told me once “kapag bata nasa daan, madaming pupulot, pero kapag matanda, wala!” and now that I have grown up, I certainly agree to my mother.

Time to change

i need to change everything in my blog from banner to the background. i just don't know how to do it. i hope there could be an angel who drops off in my blog and share his/her idea how to make one. i am also still waiting for my application in cdo bloggers, well its fun i think, i just need to be so busy in everything so i will not be able to attend too much on myself. i think it's time to work on the community and listen to what the society's need. 

The very first morning of SENDONG

7:00 am – I woke up and prepare myself to go to school for a party for the children of Cala-cala, macasandig (totally wash out area) and Singapore, balulang. My mind was already set that we will have a party that Saturday morning.

I wasn’t able to sleep well that night because walang kuryente.

Around 8:00 am – I am on my way to school, as I pass along the Capistrano st. I have seen people walking na puro putik, ang iba naman nakaupo sa corner ng daan, magkasama ang buong pamilya. A part of the street going down (isla delta) makikita mo yong putik na hanggang tuhod, so I said to myself that moment na normal lang yon since lagi ko naman naririnig na nagkakaron ng baha in the area.

Pagkadating ko sa school mga 8:30 na ata yon, nakiramdam ako at lahat ng tao wala kang Makita na nakasmile, lahat parang nagpapanic. So I went to our department at ayon doon ko nalaman na may masamang nangyari sa city.

Mga 1 am pala non – I received a text from a classmate ang sabi niya “grabeh yong baha sa bridge” dahil hindi ako comfortable that night kasi nga walang kuryente, I just ignore his text.

Busy lahat ng tao sa school, syempre yong party definitely wala na dahil nga na-wash out yong area, ang party sana naming that morning eh yong mga bata na nakatira sa cala-cala. Dahil nasa social work program ako (I am studying social work currently) nagging busy kami with the immediate needs of the victims.

Mga 10:00 in the morning na siguro yon when I and my friends/classmates decided to look for a food kasi wala pa kaming kain (nag-expect kasi kami sa party), lahat tindahan around the school premises WALANG RICE, even Jollibee at that time near our school SARADO. Ikot kami ng ikot, nagtanong kami sa mga tindahan bakit naubosan ng rice, sabi nila most of the people ONLY BUY RICE at that time. I felt the scarcity of food and water din that morning at lahat ng tindahan laging may nakapila, unusual yong ganon sa ordinary days lang.

Mafefeel mo talaga yong gutom ng mga tao, uhaw sa tubig at yong grief nila over to their loved ones na nawala at missing pa yong iba. Yong oras parang ang bilis-bilis at that time, lahat naghahanap saan na yong mga kapamilya nila, kamag-anak, sa piling daan may Makita kang patay na tinakpan lang ng kumot nag-aantay ng kamag-anak para kunin. It was the worst, sad morning I felt in my whole life.

i don't own this pic. i just got this from google.

I don’t know how to react, how I can help the victims, how can I comfort them either. In the afternoon, ng magbukas na ang Jollibee, we hurried and charged our cellphones for communication. Kahit Jollibee naubusan din ng pagkain, basta ang natandaan ko lang na natira sa kanila that time is yong spaghetti at kahit water ubos na ren.

Late in the afternoon, almost mag-gabi na we went to west city central to delivered food for the victims (yong luto na talaga ready to eat na) and after sumama kami sa cosmopolitan funeral homes kasi yong kasama namin (isang madre) may dinalaw sa funeral home at doon nakita ko ang mga pamilya na naka-abang dahil nawawala yong kamag-anak nila at nagbabakasakali na Makita man lang nila yong bangkay.

It was a long day for me. Actually in between madami pa akong hindi naikwento, isusunod ko nalang. The whole night, hindi ako nakatulog. Sa totoo lang, I was really bothered kahit sino naman siguro. Wala man akong kamag-anak na nagging victim sa sendong pero as a citizen, I couldn’t imagine how they survived that catastrophe. Paulit-ulit nasa utak ko “what if sa akin or sa amin nangyari yon” ano kaya ang gagawin ko, mabubuhay pa kaya ako? (sad)