Behold! The Beauty of God's creation

I am jazzed every morning as I wake up to the rooster crowing next door. It's signaling the beginning of yet another day. The inevitable sunrise soon warms up the sleeping trees, even as the blades of grass hurry to absorb every bit of the evening dew. The dogs are slowly awakening, barking at the squirrels busying themselves for the day's nut hunts. Looking through my window that overlooks the vegetable garden I can see the chayote vines getting more lush as they climb the trellis over the pump house. Soon their fruits shaped like pears will begin to emerge from underneath all that green foliage. There will be chicken stew served for dinner with a little bit of ginger and onion. Hmmm... how wonderful life is indeed.

Ever Wanted to Visit the Philippines but Didn't Know Where to Go?

Listen. Would you like to vacation in a place that is the best kept secret of Asia? Well, that strikes out from the list places like, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul, Vietnam, Kuala Lumpur, Banda Ache, Shrilangka, Bali, Fiji. You see, these places are no longer secret get-away places. They are well-trodden tourist places.

Ladies and gentlemen, may I recommend the nortwestern coast of the Philippines. Yes, northwest of Manila, northwest of Baguio, down in the lowland coastal areas. I am talking more specifically about the town of Tagudin, in the province of Ilocos Sur. You can vacation there for less than $50.00 a day. This will pay for your food, lodging, and transportation.

You can take a Philippine Air Lines flight from San Francisco or Los Angeles to Manila International Airport, then take an air-conditioned bus ride to the province. The bus ride itself will be an experience. Dress lightly since the Philippines is in the tropics. Be prepared to mingle with the local folks, sample their local cuisine and fresh fruits, and be ready to walk.

Your rewards will be manifold. Filipinos from the northwestern coast are mostly Ilocanos. They do speak English and you will be able to communicate with even the small vegetable vendor in the general market place. You will enjoy a relaxed atmosphere, a hospitable people and wide open spaces. The beaches along the South China Sea are mostly unoccupied and you will be free to walk and enjoy the surrounding serenity.

How do I know about all these places? I was born and raised there before I came to America. I visited there last year and it still is a veritable, unspoiled paradise... and most affordable!

English for the Philippines

In a column in THE LONG VIEW (Inquirer), Misplaced emphasis on English, by Manuel L. Quezon III, Last updated 01:38am (Mla time) 04/26/2007 he says, "Granted that the President’s intentions are motivated by a concern to keep Filipinos competitive and to make them better-educated, still, whatever reforms she undertakes must be compatible with the Constitution. Secondly, reforms should be reforms, not a reactionary attempt to simply decree an English-speaking campaign."

I say that if the Constitution is the problem, let us amend the Constitution. I believe that President Arroyo has only good intentions in mind with her decree to have English used as the medium of instruction in Philippine schools. She wants Filipinos the world over to be more competitive and be more marketable. What is wrong with that? Or are we still following the tract that says, "I would rather have a Philippines that is like hell but ran by Filipinos rather than a Philippines that is heaven but ran by Americans?" Enough of this foolishness. Let us move on.

First Steps

Just like a riddle first we crawl
But that is in the dark of dawn
Come morning we learn to scrawl
In the sand our imaginations spawn

By noon we manage to stand erect
Walk a step, an inch, a mile or two
Then holding hands the one we met
Tie the knot, kiss and sign indeed I do

Sunset begins the bright day wanes
Leaving only shadows that are long
Behind us the world speaks, profanes
The memory where once we did belong