A Time To Give Back (An ESSC Batch 2001 HighSchool Reunion Special) PART 1

                It all started 6 months ago when I suggested to my friends for 23 years that why not create a cause wherein we could somehow try to give back all the blessings that God has given us because as I’ve seen it, all of my “Barkadas” have been really successful in their chosen careers, most of them working as professionals abroad. So I realized that it’s time to give back and be a blessing to others. Although, I have no idea on how to start and do it. Eventually, when I asked my childhood friends, one of them told me, why not a medical mission? Coz’ majority of us are in the medical field and I gladly took that idea. However, where and to whom we would do this mission? I asked for a sign to God if whether I should pursue this inner calling or not. 4 months ago, a reader and supporter of my blogsite Denton Caballero, of whom Clarence Ochinang (also a reader and supporter of my blogsite) has introduced my blogsite to, sent me a message that he is a 13 year public school teacher to this far and remote mountainous barangay in San Fabian Pangasinan, he shared to me his love for his students and told me that a great number of them are undernourished. And he asked me if I could visit his students so that I could make these kids smile. And right there and then it hit me, that this was the sign I’ve been praying for…

                So, I thought hard about my visit to their school and I realized that I should also bring my batchmates in my alma mater, for the single reason that I also want to share to them the addicting, fulfilling and rewarding feeling when you help those people in need. That I want my childhood friends to realize how wonderful it is to give, especially to your fellow Filipinos. And I miss my “Barkada”, so I want us to do something altogether again, an additional to our countless golden memories…

                Also, with fate’s side to us, it is also the time of our 10Th year HighSchool Reunion and what better way to celebrate it but in the month of giving, December… So all has been set, we have the calling within us, people to help, a built cause and a perfect reason and time to celebrate it. The only thing left missing is putting all of these together. 2 months before the Big Event, I opened the topic again to my batchmates and I’m glad that all of them complied with the idea and plan. We had our short term misunderstandings but we got through it and that is just normal especially when you are preparing for a Big Event like this and we are not the important ones, this event is not for us, but for the 250 kids with their parents and co-barangays that we are going to give blessings to.

                So the idea was, instead of making our ESSC Batch 2001’s 10Th Year HighSchool Reunion a party for us, why not give the money that we can accumulate to those unfortunate ones especially on Christmas month, we could do something together as a Batch and it will be more satisfying and memorable. And this great move for the Batch would make us proud for the rest of our lives and we could tell this to our grandchildren and even our great grandchildren. Another thing is, our batch started to rekindle the fire again for other batches of ESSC and other batches of different schools as well, that all alumni of all schools could see that one batch is doing this again and that there is still pure righteousness in the world amidst the negative things that are happening today, and they could get inspired again to help. So if all Batches would help again, then there will be many who will receive goodness and we will all be united in doing this and that is the spirit of Christmas after all, everyone being united in loving and giving to each other, not just every Christmas but every single day for the rest of our lives… TO BE CONTINUED…

- Soul Writer

Happy Loner Traveller’s SuperMOM!

   

            A Woman’s life for me, is one of the greatest gift of God in this world. Being able to reproduce a similar heartbeat as theirs and freeing a new life from their womb into the world is still one of the most divine miracles in this vast universe.

            But the responsibility of a Woman doesn’t stop from there, it is only just the beginning… The transformation into being a Mother is a 9 month journey of nothing but pain but is still sensational because that pain creates an unexplainable and special connection between the newly molded Mother and her Infant, a relationship that lasts a lifetime and cannot be broken or destroyed by any force, stronger than any chemical bonds developed by Nature. A role of a Mother gets tougher and tougher by time, slowly taking their own lives, having no more time for themselves because their family becomes their world, time & life. A duty of a Mother is the only career in this world where there is no leave or retirement, it is a forever adventure…

            When I was born, my Mom was 23, together with my grandmother, they raised me up. My Mom is not a “Perfect Mom” but not being perfect doesn’t mean that she isn’t great, in fact, if you have a son like me? Then definitely, you are one of a kind Mom! Because handling a hard-headed boy like me who spends most of his elementary life in the principal’s office and is even naughtier than the Fictional Character “Dennis The Menace”, you would absolutely think twice if you want to be a Mom. But what I love about her so much is she did… She still accepted me and wanted to be my Mom despite of all the failures, disappointments & pains that I gave her for most of my life. In the end, at what I’ve thought that she changed and has left me & my siblings was her only timeout for herself and she deserves it, especially with all the things she went through. I may not at times understand my Mom but I get her. She is my adviser, my comrade, my confidant and my number 1 supporter. She is a biological Mother of 3 and is the adopted Mom of many. I have never been prouder to have a generous, tender-hearted and cool Mom like Febe “Cherry” Leyva Yuson. I just wish that all people could experience on how to be brought up by a Mom like her. Thanked God I have my own SuperMOM!!!

- The Thoughtful Son

Happy Loner Traveller Goes To MACAU (Comparing Philippines To Macau’s Global Success)

  

                Macau China is a former Portuguese Colony and is now a Special Administrative Region in China just like Hong Kong. It has both the influences of Chinese and Portuguese Culture. 95% of the people residing here are Chinese and the rest are mixed races called Macanese which are Chinese with a mix of Portuguese. Macau is mainly known as the “Las Vegas Of Asia” as Gambling is one of its main attraction here. However, Macau’s Economy is still largely based on its Tourism. Now, Armie “Happy Loner Traveller” Yuson will explore the cultures, attractions, people and tourist spots of Macau and he will try to know why Macau’s Tourism became a success not only in Asia but in the Global Market as well. He will get as many ideas as he can so that he could bring these new found informations to his beloved Country, The Philippines, and he could help improve the tourism in the Philippines more, so that we will be the next big thing, not only in Asia but Worldwide!!! He will point out the comparison between the 2 Countries, the advantages and disadvantages of our Country to theirs, so that we could focus on improving these for our Country’s Bright and developing future.

                So as I arrived in Macau’s International Airport, I noticed that they are very strict in prohibiting of taking photos to the structures of their Airport. Honestly? Our Airport in NAIA Terminal 3 is far better than their Airport. So I checked-in to the most famous hotel in Macau and it is the Venetian Hotel. Venetian Hotel is the 6th Largest Building in the World in terms of floor space and the Largest Casino in the World too. It took 2.4 Billion U.S Dollars to build this Man Made Paradise and it had the concept of Paris France and Venice City Italy to it. The owner Sheldon Andelson, really is one of the greatest pioneers in the World when it comes to Modern Entertainment. Even if you’re not a Gambler, you could still enjoy Macau, there are a lot of things to do inside the Venetian. Venetian itself represents Macau already.

                Aside from the Hotel and Casino, Venetian also has a Mall, Food Court, Pools, Golf Course, Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Theaters and much probably everything you wanted to see in a place. But the best attraction for Happy Loner Traveller is the Romantic Replica of Venice’s Gondola ride. For only 118 Macau Patacca (around an estimate of 708 Philippine Pesos), you could already have a worthwhile experience of the Famous Lover’s ride in Italy. And you could even request the Gondolier to sing an Italian Song for you. How Romantic is that?!! By the way, the currency conversion of Philippine Pesos to Hong Kong Dollars is similar to that of Macau’s Patacca, around 6 Philippine Pesos for 1 Patacca. So on my first day, I just roamed around the Venetian.

                On my Second day, I made sure that I visited all the prominent sites in the main center of Macau. I went to the Senado Square, it is Macau’s Famous Landmark, together with it is the “Street Of Happiness” or also known popularly as “San Malo” where souvenirs are prominent. I also went to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Ruins of Sao Paolo Cathedral and beside it is the Mount Fortress, a historical site similar to that of Fort San Pedro in Cebu or Intramuros in Manila both found in the Philippines. I also went to Macau Museum & the most sacred ground in Macau which is the A-Ma Temple, the name of Macau is thought to be derived from here. The main Religions here are Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. And for the rest of my itinerary, I just explored the rest of Macau, I walked and rode the bus most of the time and it just took me 3.20 Patacca (19.20 Philippine Pesos) per ride at night, I just wandered the streets and downtown of the busy district of Macau, just looking and appreciating the bright lights of the City. And I also went through the outskirts and Non Tourist spots of Macau and I really have learned a lot with regards to people’s attitude, lifestyle, education & values here. I even discovered wonderful places here not included in the maplist of the “must visit” Tourist areas of Macau.

                On my Third day, the only itinerary left to do is to have a “Hotel Hopping”. Going from one hotel to the other is one of the Must do’s of Tourists here. So I went to Galaxy Hotel & Casino, City Of Dreams Hotel & Casino, MGM Grand Hotel & Casino and Grand Lisboa. Each Hotel has its own unique attraction to offer. One of the techniques that I used in Macau so that I won’t be spending too much money is there is a “Cotai Connection”, main Hotels in Macau have partnerships with regards to FREE BUS Rides all over Macau. So I always use this to my advantage and I always eat at the Food Court because it is cheaper than the restaurants outside and you can still taste their unique delectable cuisines. One thing that you should not miss doing here in Macau is tasting their Famous Portuguese Egg Tarts and Dried Meat, you can see a lot of it almost everywhere.

                And now, after I’ve gotten to know Macau in my 4 Days & 3 Nights Vacation, I can proudly say without being unbiased that I will still choose Philippine Tourism a Million Times!!! Why? We have so much advantages and potential to offer our foreign investors and tourists. We are very excellent in English, even our diction, I was hard up in looking for places because majority of the Chinese doesn’t know how to speak English. I still have to look for fellow Filipinos to ask them how to find a certain place. Filipinos compared to Chinese are very accommodating and hospitable, no race could ever compare to our kindness over our foreign visitors. And it is very pricy in Macau, all of the things there are expensive, almost triple to that of Philippine Pesos.

                Yes, I admit that these Man Made Structures really amazed me but it’s still incomparable to the Natural and unspoiled beauty of the Philippines. God’s Creation is still the best in letting you experience true peace of mind when it comes to his gift of Nature to us. I still choose Nature compared to Man Made Structures!

                However, we could help put a little improvement to it with the use of friendly innovations too like placing a replica of the Gondola ride to Baguio’s Burnham Lake. And also, the things we need to focus on improving is our cleanliness to our surroundings, I just compared their downtown to us, their busy districts are still very clean while our downtown area is full of Garbage. And their Crime rate is very low while in our Country, you could hear a lot of crimes done by Filipinos to their Fellow ones. We must eradicate those things so that people from other Countries won’t judge us. It will help a lot in improving Philippines Tourism.

                Major Countries in the World got rich and successful because they mainly focused on their Tourism. Malaysia has 450 Million Foreign Visitors last year alone because of their value to Tourists. Macau is listed as Top 21 in the World as the most visited Country by Tourists. Us in the Philippines? Only 2% of the Foreign Visitors explored our Country. So as you can see, We are very far behind from marketing Philippine’s Beauty to the whole Globe, whereas I strongly believed that we have the best Natural Beauties not only in Asia but in the World!!!

                Let us help each other be optimistic in promoting our Country, Let’s innovate, create and be ONE COUNTRY. It is time to give back to our Country. Let us love the Philippines!!! Coz’ in the End, All FILIPINOS will Reap the Benefits…

- Happy Loner Traveller