At first, I was the HR man and I collated all pertinent information relating to HR concerns. But since that only required a week (at least), I had nothing to do after I finished collating information about maternity leaves, holiday premiums, and leaves without pay.

After my short ‘HR’ stint, I suggested to my dad that we come up with a company website, because come to think of it, website advertising is the way to go right now. No, let me change that — website advertising is the only way to go right now. People generally Google everything for all concerns imaginable, and for good reason, because right now, the internet is the panacea for practically anything that anyone wants to have or know about.

I am a self-confessed technomoron, so you can only imagine my initial apprehension when I first started tinkering with HTMLS, headers and font formats. But since I am a little bit interested in layouting and designing, I braved the tide and accepted the challenge head-on.

After numerous trials and errors, I have finally managed to finish the site. It’s not much, but I am proud of it. It looks a little amateur-ish, I know, but thank God, it wasn’t as hideous as I expected it to be.

Here’s the link: 8gmarketing.weebly.com

It is not uncommon for me to be asked by friends why I adore UP so much. Some of them even say that I interject my UP musings even when I talk about the most obscure things. And each time I am asked this, I always clam up. I do not answer right away not because I do not know what to tell them, but it is because I know what the answer is, and this certainty is what makes me think hard before I speak, for I do not wish to give them a few loose sentences which do not really give justice to the love that I have for UP.

It has almost been 8 years since I was in one of Palma Hall’s classrooms, listening attentively to Atty. Jamon as he tells us yet again that we are the future molders of this country. This is what I miss most about UP education: for with every new learning that I acquire in class, I am constantly reminded that I am a part of a larger configuration. That the pursuit of knowledge does not just exist for its own sake, for to do so would be to betray the numerous souls who look up to the iskolars ng bayan for the improvement of their own lot. Learning is inextricably linked with a transcendental ideal, because a mere narcissistic absorption of the discourses that happen in class is to abandon what the taxpayers — the farmers, the lower class workers, the OFWs — expect of us.

In UP, one breathes the interconnectedness of all knowledge, so much so that the delineation between theory and praxis is virtually not there anymore. The four walls of the classroom fail to contain the burning idealism that iskos and iskas have, because every UP student knows that the acquisition of knowledge is only the beginning — for what is more important is the application of these newfound ideas to better the situation of our underprivileged countrymen. A UP-educated friend once quipped that the accumulation of knowledge is essentially a narcissistic venture: that people thirst for knowledge because it is a response to the self’s insatiable need to enhance itself, and that the positive consequences of this yearning is merely consequential and thus unintended.

In my mind, I can only ask him: If it is through the blood and sweat of taxpayers that we are able to obtain our education, is it then apt for us to tell them that any good deed that we do after we graduate is out of charity?

In UP, one is taught to always hold on to the ideal. In a country that is afflicted with paralyzing hopelessness, UP provides that beacon of hope to students as it reminds them that yes, darkness may exist, but if we extinguish what little flicker of idealism that we have left, then who will fend off the darkness? It is this assurance of potential and promise which makes UP students strive for perfection, because they know that with collective idealism, the promise of achieving the great Filipino destiny is capable of realization.

UP has made me realize how minute I am in this universe, but that it is this very smallness which makes me cling on to something that is incapable of extinguishment. Yes, I may be small, but I am part of a collective endeavor that will soon see the emancipation of this country from the shackles of hopelessness and desperation. If only for this alone, I will forever be indebted to UP, and constantly promise her that in God’s time, I shall help her achieve what this country rightfully deserves.

So two days ago, he headed off to Siquijor, an island across Negros, and he said he would be staying there for two days so he can have a bit of relaxation amid the numbing heat.

Siquijor, for those who are unfamiliar with the place, is a popular tourist destination in Visayas. It is a relatively small island, but it is endowed with a lot of natural wonders. I remember spontaneously going there two years ago by my lonesome, with no idea where I was headed to — I only Googled the places that were popular with tourists, but despite the uncertainty, I was able to enjoy everything that Siquijor had to offer for one full weekend.

I remember spelunking in numerous caves in one of the municipalities there, bathing in the freezing waters of an underground waterfall, and just galivanting in white sand beaches as the sun glared mercilessly on the island.

One thing that differentiates Siquijor from other tourist destinations is its relative peace — whereas several islands have large tourist populations, Siquijor is relatively less cluttered with people, making it one of the best places to enjoy nature and some of its finer creations.

So after having been ravaged by Siquijor for two days,my younger brother arrived at our doorstep this morning. No one recognized him right away, because apparently, he soaked up all the summer sun while he was in Siquijor. To say that he seemed to just have gotten airbrush tans is an understatement to the burnt skin color that Siquijor had given him.

I feel sorry for him, because I know that in 2 or 3 days time, he would be molting like a snake, and he would look like a dalmatian soon after — for that was how my Siquijor experience had ended two years ago.

Ah summer heat, when shall you release us from torment?

Last Saturday, I watched the Avengers — and to say that it was awesome is an understatement.

Personally, I am not a fan of all the Avengers characters individually. As a matter of fact, I’ve only watched ‘Iron Man’ (BOO) out of all of them, so I really had no expectations of how the movie will pan out.

This no-expectation turned out to be a good thing, because I remember my humanities professor telling us before that the best way to watch a movie is to do so without any preconceptions or biases: because if it turns out good, then you’d enjoy it, but if not, no biggie because no expectations were there to begin with.

Anyway, the storyline was typical Hollywood-ish, but even if this were the case, I got glued to my seat for the 2 hours or so that I watched the movie.

It’s the usual thing: aliens threaten invasion, authorities seek the help of superheroes, at first the heroes quibble among themselves, then they realize that the survival of the planet rests upon them.

But what made Avengers entertaining was the very idea of numerous superheroes working together for the benefit of humanity. The idea is novel in itself, but if one really thinks about it, all superheroes are egotistical, and suspending this ego for a higher ideal is just a joy to watch. Of course, the sense of humor is also an endearing element of the movie, and in various parts of the movie, the laughed hilariously at the banter and witty exchanges.

In the end, it was just a joy to watch. One can leave his brain behind, and just be awed by the action sequences and the converging of humanity’s greatest heroes as they kick the arses of alien scum and prove to them that human beings are still in charge, thank you very much.

You see, ever since they were married, my brother and his wife had been residing in an apartment complex that is owned by my dad, but this time around, they’ve figured that they already want to settle in a residential area where they can grow a garden, raise kids (possibly, fingers crossed here), and stay clear of the mind-numbing noise of city life.

Even when I personally think that their apartment is cozy and comfortable enough, I do get where they’re coming from, and if I were in their situation, I think I would have done the same thing already. It has already been 4 years since they were married, and I think it’s high time for them to kick their living situation up a notch.

Aided by a real estate agent, they were able to see three prospective residential options. Personally though, I took a liking to the residential steel building that was located in the suburbs. The neighborhood seemed pleasant, the house had an expansive lawn, the scenery was lush with plants and trees, and the place seemed quiet.

In my mind, I would’ve picked that place — but then again, it’s their call, because they are the ones who would be starting over.

On a personal level though, I feel genuinely happy for them, because I know how long they have been contemplating on really starting a family of their own. From this day forward, I can only wish them the best, and pray that the odds be ever in their favor.

The prospect for watching newsworthy news pieces is even closer to nil in this side of the world, because sensationalism is deeply ingrained in the mindset of most news practitioners in this country.

Come to think of it really: What would it matter if you did not know that a call center agent was beheaded by her deranged lover in Taguig because of a love triangle, or some has-been starlet had suffered mental anguish over a poorly done tummy tuck operation? I don’t know about you, but my world would still continue revolving even without these nonsense clutter.

But while I was skimming through several news channels last night, I came across a certain news feature which really disturbed me.

It was about a family that was driving along one of Manila’s major thoroughfares. As they were stuck in traffic, two gun-wielding men on board a motorcycle appeared out of nowhere, and just as everyone least expected it to happen (because they were in a major highway, for crying out loud), one of the men opened fire at the driver of the vehicle.

Everything happened so fast that the onlookers were stunned and in utter disbelief at what just ensued. Death had just passed them by — and in the aftermath of the mayhem, the image of the wife wailing uncontrollably was as chilling as the earlier image of the husband being shot to death.

I later on learned that the husband died shortly after the incident, because he did not receive any first aid treatment, and the paralyzing traffic situation only exacerbated the helplessness that ensnared his wife. The attending physician commented that the victim could have been saved, because the wounds that were inflicted were not that fatal, but what caused his death was loss of blood.

Perhaps, if they only had a car emergency kit with them, the outcome would have been different. If this had been the case, then they would have been better prepared to deal with the situation, rather than feel helpless as the victim’s life was slowly spirited away from his body.

That news feature reminded me that right now, we live in a world that is savage as it is beautiful — and in the midst of unpredictable tragedy, we ought to be prepared so we can act accordingly.

In the end, it’s all about striking a balance between watching news pieces that give us awareness, and steering away from those that seem to trivialize journalism. In the end, we need to be aware of the goings-on of this world, not ensnared by the superficial satisfaction of satiating the sensationalist cravings of the larger society.

I look at my right and I see my dad busily munching down numbers through his calculator, a wrinkle carved in his forehead, and from here, I can smell his frustration with whatever it is that he is doing.

Because I have generally been bumming around this summer, I took it upon myself to ask dad if I can be momentarily employed in our family-owned company. His face lit up, I recall, when I flaunted the idea to him, because those who are close to him know how he looks down on the lazy and the sluggish.

Although my initial summer plan was just to slack off and satisfy all my sleep debts from law school, I needed to abandon this initial plan because although the constant sleep, rest and read cycle is reinvigorating, I soon realized I cannot afford to be financially paralyzed because of my sedentary lifestyle.

I have collated, and will manualize, certain Human Resources concerns that are important for the daily operations of our company. Personally though, I am thankful for this crash course of sorts because I’ve encountered certain unfamiliar terms under Labor Law — a subject that will undoubtedly keep me preoccupied this coming semester.

A workable segue though, because one of my motivations for taking up law was to be adept with the Labor stipulations under Philippine laws. Suffice it to say that I have experienced really inhumane working conditions from previous employers, and during those moments when I felt so disempowered and emasculated not just as a worker but as a human being, my resolve to ensure that the abuses will cease to torment future workers was crafted in the pits of my conscience.

But for now, I will just be comforted by the thought that I am on the path towards fulfilling this advocacy. I know I need several years more before I become adept with the intricacies of the law, but I am also aware that the emotional and financial investment will all be worth it in the end.

Henry is the three or four-year old son (I am a bad godparent, I know) of a close friend from high school, and he was my second godchild — but until now, I still feel guilty because I have not been the most ideal godparent for him while he was growing up. Suffice it to say, I was also busy growing up while he did the same. Kidding.

The only instance which I recall having ever given him anything memorable was during Christmas of last year when I gave him Tom Kuhn yoyos on Christmas eve. Of course, he was delighted by the surprise, but that was the only gift that I had given him so far.

I feel guilty because growing up, I was constantly showered with presents from my godparents — heck, one of them even made it a point to give me 50$ every Christmas until I finished high school. And it was because of my Ninong Lino that I was always excited for the holiday season to arrive.

I am excited for Henry tomorrow, and I really hope that he impresses the audience as he executes his piece. From what I’ve gathered from his parents, his talent is exceptional and his mentors even suggested that they make him take advanced piano lessons. I promise to be there tomorrow, if only to cheer him on and make him feel loved and special, because piano recitals do not happen everyday.

The beach was a welcome respite, especially since the sun had been unrelenting for the past few days. With a handful of life anecdotes, in the warmth of family, and amidst the beauty of the blue waters, I found myself melancholic during pensive moments.

I may not be a professional photographer, but I have tinkered with several cameras in the past. This time around, I used my brother Ray’s camera to capture the bliss of simple living by clicking away at some of nature’s finer creations.

If only I could spend my life in the beach, and live and survive just the same, I would gladly do so.

Here’s to pure bliss and the simple life.

The sunset was simply breathtaking.

My cousin Angel by the shore.

Before we fried these bad boys.

A yellow among greens.

Juxtaposing this flower with the beautiful sunset.

Her brother worked as a nurse for 3 years in a government-owned hospital, but he has always been fixated with travelling to another country, because according to him, there is no prospect for landing a lucrative job in this part of the world.

His worldview is actually consensually adhered to by most Filipino nursing graduates, and even when the United States of America has been in retrogression for a couple of years now, most of them have diverted their attention to landing jobs in Europe, Australia, and even Middle Eastern countries.

I remember that I once published an essay in the university school paper discussing this phenomenon. My thesis revolved around the idea that this modern-day diaspora is actually injurious to the nationalist sentiments of our countrymen — but more than this, this even deprives university students of the(ir) choice to be enrolled in courses that they genuinely want to be enrolled in.

I understand the argument of practicality and expediency, but what the heck, this blind submission to what is convenient deprives a person of what can potentially give him his self-realization.

Sometimes, I think it’s really sad how  people tend to feel that they are so empowered given their personal circumstances, when the fact of the matter is that they are still subsumed under certain societally-constructed deceptions that impress upon them as empowerment. Heck, my friend’s brother even had to sell his Meinl Drums set just so his family can send him off to New Zealand.

How I personally wish, and sincerely at that, to see the day when Filipinos would see things as they are — we are brilliant in our own respect, and we just need to remember that there is no tragedy far more damning than a life that was not lived according to what it should have been.

In the end, we need to realize that we are a country of heroes, not subservient slaves.