By the Jal-o River

The town of Balete has 10 constituent barangays (political sub-units) of which 9 where named in memory of the landed few. One of these barangays is called Fulgencio, a vast agricultural area consisting of rolling hills bordering the municipalities of Banga in the north and Batan in the north-east. It has two major sitios, named Gama and Morton which could be made into two distinct barangays based on verifiable indicators of viability and projected capacity to provide basic services. The name Morton was adopted after Capt. Morton of the 6th US Infantry who used to reside in the area during the American period (c. 1904). Old folks used to tell stories that the American official took sojourn in the locality during one of the skirmishes between the Filipino soldiers and the American colonizers. He later returned to the place and settled there for good. Some thought that he was even a general. Sometime last year, I was given a copy of the book, A War History of the Sixth US Infantry (Cuban

Totog gave me a half-filled basket of newly harvested corn yesterday afternoon. The corns were sweet even if they were underdeveloped. The El Niño phenomenon was the culprit that frustrated his attempt of supplementing his already diminished supply of rice. His last sack was already milled last Monday. He expressed his worries as he handed me down my share in his dismal harvest. But despite the burden and the frustration, Totog is up and about. Over a lapad of Tanduay we planned out our next strategy in view of the coming rainy season. We decided to give our piece of land a fallow of three months. After then, I am to find some good seeds while he prepares it for the planting. Yes, we won't give in on corn. At least for this time.

Mayor Bubut requested me this morning to facilitate a message board concerning a training program of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority ( TESDA ) and its Japan counterpart, Japan International Training Cooperation Organization (JITCO). The special training is introduced to young Filipino skilled workers for a maximum period of 3 years in Japan. She said that her friend, Juri Koga, had been proposing to her to conduct another orientation right here in Balete. They agreed to hold it on the 29th of June at the Teodoro F. Calizo Civic Center. Ms. Koga is with the Ocean Bridge and Arc Foundation , a TESDA-accredited sending organization which handles the pre-departure training of qualified applicants. Anybody who possesses the hereunder qualifications may attend the said orientation at the TFC Civic Center, Balete, Aklan on June 29, 2010 around 10:30 in the morning: 1. Male or Female 2. 19-25 years old 3. At least High School Graduate 4. Skilled in welding, e

The Guadalupe Shrine. Monasterio de Guadalupe. San Agustin Seminary. Our Lady of Grace Parish. Those are the many names associated with that quiet haven right at the heart of Guadalupe Viejo, Makati City. The facade is familiar, especially to those TV fanatics. The church has been from time to time backdrop to numbers of advertisements aired on tvs. I remember Kris Aquino having a shooting inside the church for one of her movies and how the seminarians scampered for some photo opportunity with their idol. I could not forget that one particular incident as I was the one who took the picture. What I can't recall though is the one who had the copy of those photographs as well as those other documentaries I'd made while I was a resident of that venerable place. Hazy also are the many events which took place inside its four walls when we were religious formandees struggling to imbibe the spirituality of Augustine while rationalizing the Summa Theologica of Aquinas. Now, Marcial

Be still even if your heart is restless; even if you're away and far from home. Be still, my soul. Keep quiet and know that your God is near.

The old folks in Balete have misgivings on the manner Dr. Jose Rizal is portrayed on his monument right at the heart of the Rizal Park in the Balete Town Plaza. It's a culture thing. Old folks don't trust close figures especially if one is in a sober mood with his head resting on his hand. To them, he is inviting disaster to happen. Hence, they wanted that Dr. Rizal's statue be remodeled after the typical standing statues of him in other towns and cities. They hope that by doing so, we could exorcise negativity and maleficence out of our quiet town. The monument itself was constructed as early as 1956. No one knows to date who made the statue though. I remember that it was desecrated by some delinquent individuals way back in the late 70's where Dr. Rizal's leg was amputated and the monument splattered with human waste. Yet the monument stands still. " Ueanon silakon, si Rizal man guihapon ..." we used to chorus during our childhood days. Personally, I fin