[PASAY CITY has been dubbed as the Philippines’ entertainment city nowadays, with the likes of those attractions featuring CASINOS, GAMES, RIDES and THEATERS in those venues like the CITY OF DREAMS, OKADA, SOLAIRE, SM MOA Arena, the STAR CITY, etc., as shown below. IN FACT, THAT STRIP ADJOINING THE MANILA BAY WHICH FEATURES  SOLAIRE, CITY OF DREAMS and OKADA (with ongoing construction projects almost everywhere within that STRIP) IS BEING TOUTED ABOUT AS THE UPCOMING LAS VEGAS OF THE PHILIPPINES. PASAY is one of the cities in Metro Manila, the National Capital Region of the Philippines. It is bordered to the north by the City of Manila, Makati to the northeast, Taguig to the east, and Parañaque to the south. Well, I almost experienced some kind of a mature kind of entertainment when I was then 13 years old (i.e. almost about 55 years ago) in a place called CULI-CULI which adjoins the Manila Bay in Pasay City.Good it did not happen…thanks to the untarnished image of the WILLY’s Jeep unto which we (i.e. Mang LOUIE, Kuya RICO and myself) rode, as a customary government-issued vehicle despite its civilian-type trappings. Some of the photos of the PASAY CITY OF YESTERYEARS at the PHOTO EXHIBIT are shown above: top left photo shows a rustic scene with a carabao on a field in the former Malibay area of Pasay City; top right photo shows the facade of the Pasay Municipal Hall; top right middle photo shows a part of Pasay City which directly adjoins a beach of the Manila Bay where people can do fishing and swimming; and, the bottom photo shows the MANILA POLO CLUB as it was then situated along F. B. Harrison Street in Pasay City.]

 

I got so excited by the photo exhibits,

I felt as though I got tickled near my TITS;

They were festooned along the City Hall’s¹ hall way,

One nice photo showed a scene by the BAY².

 

 

The tickling feeling and the excitement—

Was reminiscent of some unforgettable EVENT;

I was then about THIRTEEN years OLD,

This EPISODE I have never ever  TOLD!

 

 

We had a tenant then by the name of LOUIE³,

He was a taxicab driver and was a little bit SPEEDY⁴;

He was a little bit brash and some kind of SHOWY,

We drove a valued family guest⁵ from our house, ‘twas a joyful journey⁶!

 

 

Daddy Max had to entertain at our home more friends,

And LOUIE volunteered his driving service sans any pence⁷;

And the guest was a resident of PASAY,

It was quite far and the guest breathed an endearing SIGH…

 

 

That was when we had brought the guest at her HOME,

Then LOUIE drove to  a place like he’s a VAGABOND;

And when we arrived at the PLACE,

I felt a little bit shy and quite AMAZED!

 

 

  

Pretty girls from afar were there before we CAME,

But they scampered all around like in SHAME;

And thereon, I just learned that LOUIE had a SCHEME,

He wanted me “BAPTIZED”⁸ as  a male….THAT’S A SIN!

 

 

It was good that the WILLY’s Jeep⁹ which LOUIE operated,

Was an official vehicle assigned to Daddy Max sans any signage¹⁰;

As in fact, it did not bear any RED PLATE¹¹,

But the DAMES, have  seemed to have thought it as a BAIT!¹²

 

 

So whatever explanation LOUIE gave,

The MAMA SAN and the BOUNCER never HEEDED;

‘Twas good for me as I was also a bit AFRAID,

Didn’t want at that age by a DAME, to be LAID!¹³

 

========================================================================

[Legend: 1 – It was at that Pasay City Hall this morning after attending a court hearing where I saw the PHOTO EXHIBIT of PASAY OF YESTERYEARS.

2 – The BAY refers to the Manila Bay which actually adjoins Pasay City.

3 – LOUIE was a tenant together with his family at the ground floor level of our Murphy house. He was a taxicab driver and would usually take the day off every time he feels the need to rest as his wife was employed too as a very diligent and hardworking insurance agent.

4 – It was I think, the baptismal celebration of my youngest sister WANDRA, when kith and kin trooped to our Murphy home for a very grand luncheon baptismal celebration; complete with I think, TWO (2) bamboo poles of LECHON. The feasting and drinking lasted until late in the evening.

5- One of the female guests, a co-employee of Daddy Max at Camp Murphy’s TROOP INFORMATION and EDUCATION Division (“TIED”), then (now, Camp Aquinaldo) was brought back to her home via the military-issued WILLY’s jeep which Daddy Max would invariably use. I eventually learned too that the TIED was involved in some kind of intelligence gathering information.

6 – That JOURNEY from Murphy to PASAY was quite lengthy too (despite the absence of traffic jams during that time) as interior streets then were neither asphalted nor cemented. Our house was actually built along 19^th Avenue which was still then a dirt-road and not lighted at night.

7 – PENCE is actually the alternative plural form of PENNY. Thus, it refers to MONEY. LOUIE volunteered his service to drive home the guest pro bono.

8 – To be “BAPTIZED” as in the Tagalog term “BINYAG” is a Filipino SLANG which means to have the taste and/or experience of a sex encounter. After the guest was safely brought home, as my elder cousin ENRICO MAXIMO (“Kuya RICO”) was with us aboard the WILLY’s Jeep, the joking and teasing started, as Mang LOUIE who was then near 40 years old, was asking me incessantly: “NABINYAGAN KA NA BA?”, never thinking that it was another “BAPTISM” that Mang LOUIE was referring to. Kuya RICO who was then 26 years old, even joined in the teasing, as he said: “PUWEDE NA MABINYAG ITO.” 

9 – The WILLY’s Jeep which was colored BLUE was supposed to make an impression of some kind of a civilian vehicle as it did not have the usual LOGO of “FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY” neither did it bear a RED PLATE.

10 – The usual signage emblazoned on the side of a military or government-issued vehicle goes: “FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY”.

11 – RED PLATE refers to the car and/or vehicle plates used by government-issued vehicles; actually the LETTERS and the DIGITS are in RED amidst a white background.

12 – The people there gathered that night at the CULI-CULI red light district mistakenly thought that we were part of the government anti-vice raiding team and we supposedly was serving as a BAIT.

13 – If that SCHEME of Mang LOUIE succeeded and/or materialized…WHEW…I would have lost my “VIRGINITY”  at that very young age…he,he,he.]

==========================================================================

[Top left photo shows the facade of the CITY OF DREAMS-Manila; top right photo shows the SOLAIRE  while the top right middle photo is that of the SM Mall of Asia. Bottom photo features the latest addition to the entertainment venues of PASAY CITY, the OKADA Manila.]

[Ateneo Schools Parents Council (ASPAC) President Dr. Alejandro Tan aka DOC ANDY TAN will be celebrating his birthday on February 25, 2017. An unannounced/unscheduled birthday luncheon was haphazardly made out following the February 18, 2017 ASPAC meeting. This,  after our female colleagues in ASPAC wooed and  incessantly egged our dear Doc Andy  to do an advance BLOW-OUT. Thus, the whole caboodle of the ASPAC council,almost perhaps, dined at the ZENSHO Restaurant along Tomas Morato Avenue in Quezon City.]

 

Maligayang kaarawan DOC ANDY,

Matikas pa din at tunay na matindi;

Listong kumilos at walang pakiyeme¹,

Ang nais nya’y SURE na mangyayare!

 

 

Masipag siya’t tunay na masinop,

Di alintana ang pagsakay sa LRT loop;

Basta trabaho hindi nya uurungan,

Lalo na’t kung ASPAC² ang siyang tinutulungan!

 

 

 

Halos araw-araw ay nag-“co-commute” siya,

Kapakanan ng ATENEO students ang angking layon nya;

Kaya naman siya’y tunay na minamahal,

Baka patayuan sya tuloy — rebultong ala-TAJ MAJAL!

 

 

Aba ako’y namangha nung narinig ko ang KUWENTO³,

Noon daw ang ASPAC nagkaroon ng PROJECT sa ATENEO;

Halos lahat daw ng SOLICITATION-DONATION ay puro thru DOC ANDY,

Yan ang PRESIDENTE —tunay na ADELANTE⁴!

 

 

Mga opisyales ng ATENEO ay gumagalang sa kanya,

Aba syempre! FENGSHUI Master pa din siya;

Dahil palagi ay GOOD LUCK ang dala niya,

Yong mga kumukontra baka BAD LUCK ang maging pasya!

 

 

 

Ang aking pang isang nasagap na balita,

Pagpasok ng pera sa ASPAC ay totoong naging SWAK;

Ginamitan ng FENG SHUI… naku po ALAHOY!

Huwag na pong mag-kuripot— wala nang abuloy na ala-BELEKOY⁵!

 

Galante po siya at tunay na GENEROSO,

Kaya ang lahat ay napasunod sa USO;

Nandyan si JOSELITO panay ang regalo;

Tuwing may BOARD meeting mayroong bitbit na BIKO!

 

 

 

Di naman papatalo itong si ROBERT TAN,

Tuwing may BOARD MEETING, umaapaw ang aming tiyan…

KAPENG masarap, at TSOKOLATENG malasa,

May pahabol pang STEVESTON PIZZA,

 

 

 

Noong sya’y  naging Presidente ng ASPAC,

Para bagang dumadalo sa mga PARTY ay limpak-limpak;

Marahil gustong kay Doc Andy’y mag-BESO-BESO,

Yon pala nama’y gusto’y LECHON SABROSO⁶!

 

 

 

Kung ako’y tunay na tatanungin sa  SURVEY,

WISH ko’y maging PRESIDENT for LIFE si DOC ANDY;

Para hindi na matinag ang mabisang TAMBALAN,

PREXY⁷ si DOC ANDY, at si RAUL⁸ ang IPP⁹ naman!

 

MULI, MALIGAYANG KAARAWAN DOC ANDY!!!!

 

========================================================================

[Legend: 1 – PAKIYEME would mean PRETENSE; thus “WALANG PAKIYEME” would mean candid and straightforward, sincere and frank.

2 – ASPAC is the acronym for ATENEO SCHOOLS PARENTS’ COUNCIL which is an aggrupation of parents wherein the parents serve on a volunteer-basis in the pursuit of  ATENEO’s mandate to  provide the studentry with a Jesuit-type of  liberal education through the harmonious development of moral and intellectual virtues; as well as of forming persons who, following the teachings and example of Christ, will devote their lives to the service of others and, through the promotion of justice, serve especially those who are most in need of help, the poor and the powerless.

3 – The KUWENTO (i.e. story, in English) which I learned in one of the meetings of the ASPAC Board (conveyed to me by a fellow ASPAC member) was that about a project (i.e. WELCOMING OF OUT-OF-TOWN PARENTS) launched and sponsored by the ASPAC which primarily consisted of accumulating donations; it was Doc Andy Tan who generated the most funds through his solicitation efforts. Also, another PROJECT was about a computer-related symposium which was an ATENEO project where Doc Andy was able to accumulate a lot of donations-solicitations.

4 – ADELANTE is a Spanish word which connotes being always FORWARD, AHEAD and on TOP OF THINGS.

5 – BELEKOY is a native delicacy, actually a sweet pastry which is leathery tough in consistency. And it connotes STINGINESS or being too ungenerous. With Doc Andy at the helm of ASPAC, others have followed suit and have become as GENEROUS as Doc Andy.

6 – Doc Andy would always make it sure that in every party organized by the ASPAC to be capped by a feast, a LECHON SABROSO must invariably be served. LECHON SABROSO is a special type of ROASTED PIG (i.e. LECHON) which is a usual table fare during parties and celebrations and feasting in the Philippine setting.

7 – PREXY is another term for PRESIDENT.

8 – RAUL refers to the current/incumbent Immediate Past President of ASPAC which serves as the FIFTH MEMBER of the ASPAC’s Executive Committee (EXECOM). The other FOUR (4) members of the EXECOM are: Doc Andy as Prexy,  Katie Sy as VP, Maria Luisa Concepcion as Secretary and Juliet Remorque as Treasurer.

9 – IPP is acronym for Immediate Past President.]

 

 

[On February 25, 2017 at noon time, the celebration of MAMANG HAIDE’s 94th birthday will be held at the MANILA YACHT CLUB. It would be a day of reminiscing the good old days as FRIENDS and KIN will be trooping to the Manila Yacht Club on that day to pay homage and greet MAMANG HAIDE. Let’s all pray that MAMANG HAIDE would reach the ripe and golden age of 100 years old.]

 

 

 

 

Nakilala ko si Mamang HAIDE thru Kumpadreng JOEY¹,

Kaya nga’t nakilala ko rin ang COOKIES nyang so DELICIOUS and CHEWY;

Maalalahanin si MAMANG HAIDE sa lahat ng TAO,

Yan ang dahilan kaya sya’y naging Barangay Chair TODO-TODO²  !

 

 

 

At ang kanyang pinakamasarap na DELECTABLE CAKE,

Ibang klase ang SARAP, makakaligtaan mo tuloy ang iyong AGE;

Kaya kung ikaw ay isang SWEET TOOTH FAIRY ³,

Malamang ma-pakyaw mo ang kanyang cake INVENTORY!

 

 

 

 

Siya ang bunso ng tambalang  LAMBERTO at SOFIA,

Si LAMBERTO’y angkan ng TIROL⁴,  ngalang  mula sa rehiyon ng AUSTRIA;

HAPSBURG⁵ ng Espanya ang syang   minsa’y namayani sa TIROL,

 Kung kilatisin si MAMANG,   mukhang  CASTILIAN ang  KOLOR!

 

 

 

Si SOFIA po naman ay angkang GONZALES na TOTOO,

Number TWO na apelyido at popular sa   IBERICO⁶;

Kaya nga’t walang duda at “ES VERDAD”⁷,

Lahi ni MAMANG ay tunay na DE KALIDAD⁸!

 

 

 

Aba LATIN naman ang orihen ng SOLIDUM,

Na ang ibig sabihin ay MATIBAY, BUO at wala nang CONUNDRUM⁹ ;

Kaya nga sa totoo at walang  ALINLANGAN,

Tunay na KASTILYAN may halo pang LATIN YAN…

 

 

 

Kung tutunghayan ang kanyang LARAWAN nung KABATAAN,

Para bagang sya’y isang taal na CATALAN¹⁰;

Pwede ring ang forma ay ala ASTURIAN¹¹,

Talaga nga namang lahing IBERICAN!

 

 

 

Kaya nga ay palagiang nating si Mamang HAIDE’y IPANALANGIN,

At si Mamang HAIDE ay ating ding PURIHIN;

Naging uliran syang INA,  GRANDMA at ESPOSA,

Lahat tayo’y mag-pugay ng TAAS-NOO sa KANYA!

 

 

 

 

Sa kaarawan mong ito na PAGA NOVENTA¹²,

Na-mi-MISS namin ang iyong CHEWY cookies TALAGA;

Subalit palagi pa ring naaalaala ang mga PIANO mong pang-PIYESA¹³,

Talagang PANG-OPERA at ang sarap na ma-KABESA ¹⁴!

 

 

 

Kaya DASAL namin sa selebrasyon ng KAARAWAN MO,

Patuloy na lumawig at humaba ang BUHAY na TOTOO;

Upang ang iyong mga APO pati na yong sa TUHOD¹⁵,

Patuloy na malasap ang iyong pagiging GRANDMA na so VERY GOOD!!!!

 

 

========================================================================

[Legend: 1 – JOEY aka JOSE TIROL SOLIDUM is my Kumpadre, being the godfather of one of my daughters, Ma. Wincheska E. Young (“Cheska”).

2 – Mamang Haide has been the longest reigning Barangay Chairwoman in their place along Sylvia Street in Manila, from 1972 up to 2005.

3 – A SWEET TOOTH FAIRY is one who finances a specific undertaking.

4 – TIROL is actually a region in Austria which for a time during the 17^th century virtually became part of the Kingdom of Spain as it was bequeathed to the reigning HAPSBURG family who reigned in Spain from the 15th  to the 17th  centuries.

5 – House of HAPSBURG – It was during the reign of Emperor Charles V (Carlos I of Spain), who ascended the thrones of the kingdoms of Spain after the death of his grandfather Ferdinand, when the House of Hapsburg  controlled territory ranging from Philippines to the Netherlands, and was, for a time, Europe’s greatest power. This period of Spanish history has been referred to as the “Age of Expansion”. Although usually associated with its role in the history of Central Europe, the Hapsburg family extended its realm into Spain from 1516 to 1700, where the Hapsburg senior line reigned for that period. Under Hapsburg rule, Spain reached the zenith of its influence and power.

6 – IBERICO is another term for SPAIN as it lies in the Iberian Penisula.

7 – “ES VERDAD” is a Spanish phrase which means; “THAT’S TRUE!”.

8 – “DE KALIDAD” is a Spanish term which means; “HIGH QUALITY”.

9 – CONUNDRUM is a word which denotes some kind of a problem.

10 – CATALAN is an ethnic group in Spain which pertains to those people hailing from Catalonia proper, as well as even the other Catalan-speaking people, namely those from Andorra, Valencia, the Balearic islands, eastern Aragon of Spain.

11 – The ASTURIANS of Spain are those people nestled between the Cantabrian mountains and the Atlantic Ocean, in the northwest corner of Spain, as this region lies in the beautiful province of Asturias. Over a million people inhabit this land that is commonly called “The Little Switzerland”, because of its majestic mountains and green fertile valleys.

12 – Mamang HAIDE is now 94 years old.

13 – PANG-PIYESA is used herein as denoting the musical rendition via PIANO of the favorite pieces of PIANO music which Mamang HAIDE has been consistently playing during those nostalgic yesteryears especially “IN THE MOOD” which is one of her favorites.

14 – MA-KABESA  means to commit to memory.

15 – APO SA TUHOD means the child of a grandchild.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Photo above shows our KUYA RAUL who is BISHOP RAUL C. TOBIAS of the Diocese of the U.S.A. and Canada of the Philippine Independent Church aka AGLIPAYAN CHURCH OF THE PHILIPPINES. He is the youngest son of the late Spouses CASTOR TOBIAS and LOLITA DE CASTRO TOBIAS of Santa Cruz, Laguna. Tiyo Castor Tobias is the eldest brother of my late Mom, Norma Rivera Tobias. As has been the culture in the Tagalog region of the Philippines, the children of the eldest sibling is accorded much respect as some kind of acknowledging the ELDEST as some analogical example of  a PRIMUS INTER PARES.]

 

 

Sa mga KAANAK namin siya ang SINUSULINGAN,

Ukol sa mga payo at buhay-buhay MAN;

Dahil nga siya’y alagad ng DIYOS bilang isang PARI,

Siya’y OBISPO na ngayon,  na mapusyaw na nga ang DALIRI¹…

 

 

Mapusyaw ang DALIRI dahil sa SINUSUNOD,

Kapag tinaas ito’y tuluyan silang TATANGHOD;

Sa usap-usapan at lalo na sa PULPITO,

Mga salita niya’y para bagang PEETO ² !

 

 

 

PEETO nga na mula sa SILBATO ³,

Kaya kapag umalingawngaw PAPARA⁴ ka ng TODO;

O kung tama din naman ang gawi o ginagawa MO…

Ibig sabihin nyan lang ay DERECHO  aking IJO ^5!

 

 

Siya’y OBISPO ng Simbahang AGLIPAYANO ⁶,

Na syang tinangkilik ng tanging angkan KO;

Ang pagkakaiba lamang sa KATOLIKO⁷,

Ay ang hindi pagtalima sa utos ng VATICANO ⁸!

 

 

 

Ang may-bahay ni KUYA RAUL na si ATE MONA ⁹,

Tunay na maganda at lalo pa ngang GRACIOSA;

Nang kami’y dumalaw noong 2015 sa ESTADOS UNIDOS,

Sinundo kami sa AIRPORT at nagsilbing DRAYBER ¹⁰  ng LUBOS!

 

 

Nalaman ko lamang na noong petsang IYON,

Ang SIMBAHANG AGLIPAYANO’y mayroon palang SELEBRASYON¹¹ ;

Kaya nung kami’y dalhin sa simbahan para sa Banal na MISA,

Ang ABITO¹² ng OBISPO’y pula at makapal na ORGANZA¹³!

 

 

 

Mula sa aming mag-anak at pati ang buong ANGKAN…

Nagpapaabot sa iyo KUYA RAUL ng puspos na PAG-GALANG;

Ikaw ang syang tulay naming lahat sa PARAISO ¹⁴,

Lumawig na nga’t humaba sana nga ang BUHAY MO!

 

 

Noong kami’y mga paslit pa at tuwing “school VACATION” ¹⁵,

Pagbabakasyon namin sa Santa Cruz, Laguna halos ay “training SESSION”;

Tinuturuan kaming lahat ni KUYA RAUL ng mga “BOY SCOUTS TYING KNOT” ¹⁶,

Totoong sa kaalaman siya’y HINDI NAGKUKUNAT¹⁷ !

 

 

 

Kaya nga ay palagiang tayong MAGDARASAL,

GOOD LUCK message para kay Kuya Raul ay patuloy nating IUSAL;

Pati  prayers of “PROSPERITY” at “GOOD HEALTH WISHES”,

Upang s’ating pagtahak sa LANGIT marami tayong makuhang PLUSSES¹⁸!

 

 

=================================================================

[Legend: 1 – DALIRI na MAPUSYAW which roughly translates into ENGLISH as “dazzling or shining forefinger”– This is a phrase being used supported by POETIC LICENSE to denote the teaching profile of a man of the cloth, a priest, who would usually raise up his forefinger coupled by some kind of “up and down” motion to express or impress the guiding tenor of his statements and/or speech.

2 – PEETO is a term which denotes a WHISTLE or the shrilling sound generated by blowing a WHISTLE. The spelling was sort of exaggerated to make it distinct from the other Tagalog word “PITO” which could also mean SEVEN.

3 – SILBATO is another term for WHISTLE, which is the gadget that generates a WHISTLE sound.

4 – PAPARA is derived from the Spanish term PARAR which means to STOP. PAPARA therefore means TO STOP.

5 – IJO is another Spanish term which means a SON.

6 – AGLIPAYANO refers to the PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENT CHURCH or AGLIPAYAN CHURCH which was established by the the late Catholic priest, Fr. Gregorio Aglipay of Ilocos Norte. It is an independent Christian denomination in the form of a national church in the Philippines. Its schism from the Catholic Church was proclaimed in 1902 by the members of the Unión Obrera Democrática Filipina due to the alleged mistreatment of the Filipinos by Spanish priests and the execution of José Rizal during Spanish colonial rule.I was in fact baptized in the Aglipay Church as I was born in Santa Cruz, Laguna except that when I went schooling at San Beda High School, I was thereafter baptized in the Catholic rites at the St. Ignatius Chapel inside Fort Aguinaldo (THEN KNOWN AS CAMP MURPHY), Quezon City.  

7 – KATOLIKO refers to the Roman Catholic Church.

8 – VATICANO refers to the City of Vatican in Rome, Italy which serves as  the seat of the Roman Catholic Church.

9 – ATE MONA is the beauteous wife of Kuya Raul and is the former MONALIZA ESCOBAR whose family hails from CAVITE.

10 – When I and my Daddy Max Young went to the U.S.A. in 2015 to join my daughters who earlier flew to the U.S.A. to compete in the 2015 World Hiphop International Contest, I got surprised to see Ate Mona, alone and unescorted, at the arrival area as she fetched us and served as our driver. 

11 – I later learned that the AGLIPAYAN Church chapter in the U.S.A. was then celebrating the anniversary of the AGLIPAYAN Church in the U.S.A.  When I and Daddy Max thereafter attended the HOLY MASS at the L.A. Church (after Ate MONA fetched us from the airport) where the Philippine Independent Church (U.S.A. Chapter) was holding their anniversary-celebration, I was amazed to learn that the Philippine National Anthem is sung before the HOLY COMMUNION.

12 – ABITO is the Tagalog term used to refer to the priestly vestment.

13 – ORGANZA –again, supported by POETIC LICENSE, this would refer to the priestly vestment then worn by Kuya Raul which is a seeming vestment of brocaded fabric or perhaps a thick organza.

14 – PARAISO would refer to HEAVEN.

15 – SCHOOL VACATION refers to the school break which starts from March until May. During those years of our nonage, we will always be brought (me, and my other sibling William together with my cousins notable Amormio and Agnes I think); to Santa Cruz, Laguna unto the care and custody of our late Tia Loling Tobias, to spend our vacation and we will be looking forward to Kuya Raul teaching us a lot of feats and things.

16 – As Kuya Raul was a high level officer of the BOY SCOUTS, he would brief us about the BOY SCOUTS and would teach us about those BOY SCOUTS TYING KNOTS.

17 – “Nagkukunat” would actually mean TRYING TO ACT SO STINGY. In this regard, Kuya Raul was not STINGY with his knowledge and would in fact teach us about those BOY SCOUTS TYING KNOTS.

18 – PLUSSES would actually mean the many merits that we would gain and accumulate by PRAYER and GOOD DEEDS as our own passport to eternal life in heaven.]

 

[WEIGHTLIFTING CHAMP HIDILYN F. DIAZ is a Facebook friend of my youngest daughter, Ma. Winnalee E. Young (“ALEE”). ALEE has asked me to write a FUN RHYME BLOG for HIDILYN. HAPPY BIRTHDAY HIDILYN! ALEE and the REST OF US IN THE YOUNG FAMILY- my wife DANG, and my other children SHAYNA, TONTON and CHESKA are all your avid fans. Photo at extreme left is that of ALEE; middle photo is that of HIDILYN F. DIAZ; and, the extreme right photo is that of myself with HIDILYN at the GABALDON Hall at the CLUB FILIPINO. I CHANCED UPON HIDILYN (WHO WILLINGLY OBLIGED TO HAVE A PHOTO OF US TOGETHER) WHEN I HAD A MEETING AT THE CLUB FILIPINO, SOMETIME IN 2017. HERE’S THE REPOSTED AND EDITED FUN RHYME I WROTE IN 2017.]

 

Si Hidilyn F. Diaz¹ ay isang pag-PAPATOTOO…

Na tunay na magaling ang FILIPINO;

Bagamat siya ay PETITE, ngunit CUTE —

Malamang magaling na siyang mag- PARACHUTE²!

Tuwing siya’y mababanggit kung tratuhin sya’y parang batang paslit…

Kasi nga nama’y nang pumasok sa OLYMPICS³  siya’y namumukod na LIGHTEST;

Pero kwidaw kayo dahil siya lamang ang SOLO – –

Na nakapag-“compete” ng CONSECUTIVE⁴   sa OLYMPICS hanggang RIO!

 

 

At damagundong na ngang tunay…

Ang ating si HIDILYN  sa rurok ng TAGUMPAY;

Nang masungkit na po niya’y kumikinang na SILVER MEDAL – –

Buong mundo’y talaga po namang natigalgal!

 

Subalit kung susumahin, dami na ang kanyang “accomplishment EPIC”…

Umani ng tatlong BRONZE MEDAL    sa Houston, Texas⁵ po yaan;

Kaya’t sya’y nakakuha ng SLOT para sa RIO OLYMPIC – –

Tuluyan na ngang bansa nati’y nag-sasaya’t nag-diriwang!

 

Kaming iyong nga LOYAL FANS, pati na rin ang MGA TAGA-DE LA SALLE⁶ …

Ay nananalangi’t taimtim na NANANALANGINT AT nagdarasal;

Makamit mong tuwina AT LUBOS ang iyong mga ina-asam – –

Upang  patuloy ang iyong pag-usad ngayon ika’y isa ring FIRST CLASS AIRWOMAN⁷!

 

 

Sa iyong pag-“TE-TRAINING”, ay tunay na mag-ingat ka–

Upang ang angking mong lakas sana ay mag-TRIPLE pa;

Para kapag ikaw’y sumabak na sa 2020 TOKYO OLYMPICS – –

Ikaw ay muling maging KAMPEON sa mundo, pati na rin sa KOMIKS⁸!

 

 

 

Malaking pasalamat sa INAng at sa AMA mo…⁹ 

At nagawa nilang arugain ka nang TODO-TODO;

Sana kung ikaw sa “FUTURE” ay magkaroon ng SUPLING – –

Dapat ay sing-galing mo at may “LOVE FOR COUNTRY” na “ARDENT FEELING”!

 

 

Kaya ngayon kaming lahat ay SALUDO sa iyo…

Ikaw ang siyang modelong-tanyag ng bansa natin sa MUNDO;

Kahit na maliit ka pa, malaki naman ang PUSO mo – –

Ulirang FILIPINO—PILI na, at tunay na PINONG-FINO¹⁰ !

MALIGAYANG KAARAWAN MULI KAIBIGAN KONG HIDILYN – MULA SA AKING SI, ALEE YOUNG, na dalaginding!

 

=================================================================

[Legend: 1 – HIDILYN F. DIAZ is the FIRST FILIPINO weightlifter who snatched the SILVER MEDAL in the RIO DE JANEIRO SUMMER OLYMPICS in 2016.

2 – In 2013, HIDILYN was recruited into the PHILIPPINE AIR FORCE (PAF) and one of the reported customary training regimen for an AIRMAN or an  AIRWOMAN like HIDILYN in the PAF is doing PARACHUTE jumps.

3 – When she represented the PHILIPPINES as a wild card entry in the 2008 SUMMER OLYMPICS in BEIJING, she was the lightest as she was then weighing 56.28 kilograms; and she was also the youngest at 17.

4 – HIDILYN holds the reputation of having CONSECUTIVELY competed in the 2008, 2012 and 2016 SUMMER OLYMPICS in the WEIGHTLIFTING arena.

5 – HIDILYN won 3 BRONZE MEDALS in the IWF WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING CHAMPIONSHIP in Houston, Texas on November 22, 2015.

6 – HIDILYN enrolled at the DE LA SALLE-COLLEGE OF SAINT BENILDE in January 2017 in order to resume her tertiary/collegiate studies.

7 – HIDILYN was promoted as AIRWOMAN FIRST CLASS in the PAF for her achievement in the 2016 RIO OLYMPICS.

8 – In the Philippine setting, KOMIKS which is the TAGALOG version of COMICS has become a customary medium (via a magazine type publication complete with graphics which could be in the form of caricature renditions of the cast of characters about a featured story) of  highlighting and showering praises to a Philippine hero or a champion most particularly in the field of SPORTS. HIDILYN, in my opinion is both a HERO and a CHAMP in the eyes of her loyal and avid fans.

9 – HIDILYN is the 5^th of a brood of SIX (6) children of EDUARDO DIAZ and EMELITA DIAZ.

10 – As a usual PROUD motto of FILIPINOS, they say that “FILIPINO” actually denotes, as follows: the “PILI” means CHOSEN or DELICATELY SELECTED, and “FINO” which denotes of some kind of FINE BREEDING.]

 

[I got  invited by my good friend Mon Maronilla to serve as presentor of awards at the Mr. & Ms. CMU Pageant (on the very day of the BEAUTY PAGEANT itself) in connection with the 23rd anniversary foundation on February 17, 2017 of the City of Malabon University, a city university where Mon is the University President! It was joyful, colorful and exciting! Congrats to the 2017 Mr. & Ms. CMU! I wish to add that I was amazed with the caliber of the contestants who showed wonderful demeanor and bearing and displayed their witty intelligence as they answered the questions with much profundity. CONGRATULATIONS IS IN ORDER FOR BOTH THE STUDENTS AND THE OFFICIALS OF THE UNIVERSITY, particularly the University President, Atty. Ramon M. Maronilla. My friend Mon is also the incumbent President of the UP Alumni Association, whose tenure ends in 2018 yet. Commendations and a note of congratulations are also due the local government unit of the City of Malabon particularly  Mayor Lenlen Oreta, who has perseveringly supported the CMU.]

 

 

It was good Mon Maronilla¹ invited me to the PAGEANT,

‘Twas a nice chance to see talent and who’ll eventually be regnant;

Mon Maronilla is the benign Prexy of  CMU²,

That’s acronym for CITY of MALABON UNIVERSITY…you know—

 

 

I eventually would become presentor of awards,

With Mon in fact, as he’s the father of those wards;

They were rooting for their respective

faves,

There were FOUR pairs of handsome guys & dazzling maids!

 

 

Mayor Lenlen Oreta started  the pageant rolling,

And Mon kept all the people trolling³;

They were enticed and were truly allured,

As the contestants were all pretty and  so coutured⁴!

 

 

 

As Mon delivered his welcome speech,

There were jeering and cheering in every corner and niche;

And as Mon declared — “LET THE SHOW BEGIN”,

The pomp and revelry have truly sunk in!

 

 

They were truly ostentatiously attired,

Like fairies and nymphs as well as enchanting masculines; 

Their costumes appeared too exotic,

Their props and seeming capes looked truly ecstatic!

 

 

And the swim wear march on the stage,

It’s as if they were dainty birds on a golden cage;

They were making their feathers so fluffy and creamy,

Indeed, they walked so sparklingly ornamental; yet so tidy!

 

 

 

And the evening-wear sashaying & traipsing,

It’s as if they were flamingoes wading;

And their cadence and the tempo and their oft-bewitching swing,

They truly looked like precious jewels on a string!

 

 

Finally, the QUESTION and ANSWER portion,

It’s as though that part was the MAIN crucible of the session;

And then every answer that was there expressed,

Came as though they were so wittingly rehearsed⁵!

 

 

But as they really worked hard for the awards,

I would say they deserve those sequined sashes/sparkling lanyards;

And for the KING and QUEEN of the SHOW,

Those CROWNs were so truly nice as gifts to bestow!

 

 

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2017 MR. & MS. CMU!!!!

 

CONGATULATIONS AS WELL TO THE UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS FOR A JOB WELL DONE and THE EXECUTION OF A WELL-PLANNED PAGEANT!!!!

 

 

 

=======================================================================

[Legend: 1 – My good friend Mon Maronilla aka Atty. Ramon M. Maronilla who is the University President of CMU aka City of Malabon University invited me to act as PRESENTOR of AWARDS in the Mr. & Ms. CMU Beauty Pageant, in connection with the 23^rd anniversary of the University’s foundation.

2 – The CMU aka City of Malabon University was established in 1994 to provide quality collegiate education to the hoi polloi; the masses and the common people of the City of Malabon. I was amazed by the way the contestants answered the questions propounded unto them as they answered the questions with depth and profundity in English even.

3 – TROLLING is used here to mean ENTICING; as my friend Mon kept them in seeming suspense as he thereafter announced the START of the PAGEANTRY.

4 – COUTURED means well-dressed. It would appear that the school authorities at CMU engaged the services of a topnotch couturier/haberdasher to come up with the attractive dresses and dazzling suits of the ladies and gentlemen-contestants as well as the swim wear attire.

5 – During the QUESTION and ANSWER portion; while the contestants were asked to pick at random from a sheaf of folded stationery, it was as though the contestants were reading their answers from a folio. It would only show that all the contestants prepared well and studied hard for the Q & A portion of the pageant. The winning contestant even adduced an answer in impeccable English with finesse and much profundity. Indeed, one would be swayed to perceive that the Q & A was sort of rehearsed; but the fact that one of the contestants came out with a much profound answer, is indication that the session was an impromptu thing. It is therefore something that makes CMU deserving of KUDOS for both its students and its officials.

[My late mother has incessantly advised us not to ride a motor bike as bad experiences about bike accidents were aplenty even then. Well, yesterday afternoon–I experienced my first motorcycle piggy-back ride with GARY as the BIKE’s pilot (as I do not know how to drive it) yesterday afternoon just to do an errand for my youngest daughter ALEE. I got so excited as ALEE needed some packaging stuff for her purported NEW BUSINESS; and the thought of enhancing her entrepreneurial proclivity  egged me to do the RIDE. I sort of told myself that Shayna & Cheska working on their dance studio and specialty-apparel  business, Tonton’s partnering in a RESTO business and ALEE’s bag/pouch trading business…well, I and Dang will be among a company of capable, clever, and cheery YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS! Incidentally, the BIKE RIDE with GARY was ZESTFUL and WILD. Left and right photos are those of ALEE; middle photo shows myself doing a piggy-back ride on GARY’s BIKE.]

Just this morning I received a text,

From a pretty banker who’s from EAST-WEST¹;

It’s about my youngest daughter’s² account,

She said my ALEE withdrew a big amount³.

 

And so I got swayed to call her fast,

If that’s the case, ALEE’s credit won’t surely last;

But I was given a credible explanation,

Her action was some kind of entrepreneurial resolution!

 

ALEE said that she’s opening a business,

And she’ll be selling some specialty pouches;

She’ll do her business venture ON LINE,

She boasted that her goods are one of a kind!

 

I got a  bit animated and excited,

This ON LINE business has really sprouted;

And as the trend which has now been in VOGUE,

They use computers and cellphones as CATALOGUE!

 

As I was out of office for an engagement,

ALEE dropped by and made proud her comment;

That she has quickly closed some deals,

My staff and lawyers burst out some peals!

 

 And as I returned to my office at around 4 PM,

I was told ALEE needed some packaging which should be the KEM^4;

ALEE specified that it must be paper-based,

As she’ll adorn it and make it elegantly-laced.

 

 

As the excitement within me got ENHANCED,

I had to rush to Farmers’ Market⁵  near EDSA;

But as I had to keep an appointment at 5 PM,

I had to do the PURCHASE in a quick GLEAM⁶!

 

 

As FARMERS’ MARKET⁷ was surely  congested,

As it happens always every Valentine’s EVE;

I asked our office assistant GARY,

Who drives a motorcycle, as he doesn’t TARRY!

 

 

And so I experienced my FIRST MOTORCYCLE PIGGY-BACK RIDE,

And GARY’s BIKE did in fact GLIDE and SLIDE;

I even got the chills when a MOTORCYCLED TRAFFIC ENFORCER⁸,

Almost bumped our BIKE as though a STALKER!

And I was able to buy the mid-sized PAPER BAGS,

To insure that ALEE would not have some order-lags;

And it would really be EXHILARATING,

If ALEE’s business would really do a KILLING⁹.

 

 

But that MOTORCYCLE RIDE with GARY,

As in fact despite the traffic jam, the delay was NARY;

We drove outbound in a FLASH,

And we arrived on time at the office in a DASH!

 

 

But this will be my FIRST and LAST BIKE RIDE,

Just to make ALEE’s business to start, SO ALIVE;

Though it’s been said that when you ride a BIKE,

You’d often collide against a DIKE or get a ticket for a RIKE¹⁰!!!!

 

======================================================================

[Legend: 1 – Ms. Paula Katrina Labao is the officer at the EAST-WEST Bank located along P. Tuazon Avenue who assisted my youngest daughter Ma. Winnalee (“Alee”) E. Young when she opened a bank account. Alee is a freshman at the ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY taking up a course in Management.

2 – Alee opened that bank account early this year after receiving cash and check gifts during her debut party on November 6, 2016  as well as during the Yuletide season.

3 – Ms. Labao actually texted to me the relatively huge amount which Alee withdrew from the bank.

4 – KEM means CHAMPION and is used in this FUN-RHYME BLOG as some kind of quality that ought to be surpassed or some kind of WINNING QUALITY or HIGH QUALITY of that packaging stuff.

5 – FARMERS’ MARKET is usually a buyer’s favorite destination to buy almost  all kinds of stuff.

6 – GLEAM is used here to mean a FLASH, some kind of a quick thing.

7 – FARMERS’ MARKET actually features a FLOWER SECTION which becomes so CONGESTED during Valentine’s Day eve due to the onrush of people wanting to buy FLOWERS particularly RED ROSES for their loved ones.

8 – The traffic enforcer which almost figured in a near collision with GARY’s bike was a Barangay Traffic Enforcer and actually a friend of my brother William, who is himself a Barangay Kagawad in Barangay San Roque in Cubao, Quezon City.

9 – The idiomatic expression “MAKE A KILLING” means to make a huge profit.

10 – RIKE means an offense or a misdemeanor and used here to refer to a traffic offense or traffic misdemeanor. ]

 [Left photo shows Boss Jim with his trademark tantalizing smile ensconced in his chair at his PAL office. Middle photo shows Boss Jim with the same trademark smile taken during his younger years. Right photo is a group photo taken perhaps in the late 1980s showing JOJI, Boss Jim’s better half, Boss Jim himself, and their only daughter JAYMEE.]  

 

 

I remember them as a QUARTET,

They were FOUR (4) and were all chosen by BERT ^1;

But ONLY TWO (2) of them got brought to my KEN,

One is my brother WILSON ², the other is the subject of this PEN!

 

From SGV ³ they were PIRATED,

And all of them were in their early TWENTIES;

But one was prophesied to LEAD,

His professor⁴ said: “YOU’LL BE MANAGER IN 5 YEARS!”

 

 

His name is JAIME J. BAUTISTA,

He’s as strong and cunning like wrestler BATISTA;

But his strength is not of the BRAWN,

He’s strongest when you speak about his MENTAL CROWN ⁵!

 

 

 

JIM is a true PARAGON of HUMILITY,

He’s so HUMBLE as a PIE; that would be a VERITY —

But his brains work so FANTASTIC,

EL KAPITAN ⁶ chose him to lead the group’s ⁷ diversification EPIC!

 

 

And BOSS JIM’s terror professor at LETRAN,

Proved to be worth his salt as though it was some PLAN;

For not just prognosticating the managerial ascent of BOSS JIM,

‘Twas because BOSS JIM became PREXY of a FIRM!

 

 

Thus in 2004, BOSS JIM became President of PAL ⁸,

From then on BOSS JIM brought to PAL lots of wherewithal;

Subsequently emerging from some kind of REHAB,

PAL has seemingly risen to become South East Asia’s popular aviation HUB!

 

 

And BOSS JIM has made it CLEAR and HIGHLY,

His work principles are CRISP and DILLY;

It’s HONESTY, INTEGRITY and lots of EFFICIENCY,

His virtual mantra unto PERPETUITY!

 

 

 

But what appears to be BOSS JIM’s TALISMAN,

Is actually a WOMAN and not a MAN;

A Caviteña who is named JOJI⁹,

Boosting BOSS JIM’s trek to his destined APOGEE!

 

 

But long ago when BOSS JIM wooed and COURTED,

JOJI’s Dad  was fond of a  MUSKET¹⁰;

And every time BOSS JIM would VISIT,

 JOJI’s Dad seems too eager to FIX IT¹¹…

 

 

And the greatest mantra that has guided HIM,

His philosophy which has turned in to some MAXIM;

…“The secrets of a successful family is to give and take and to trust each OTHER!” …

Truly, a helpful guide for LOVERS…indeed, for one ANOTHER!

 

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOSS JIM!

========================================================================

[Legend: 1 – BERT refers to the late Roberto N. Bacsal who was purportedly instructed by Mr. Lucio Tan to scout for promising young professionals then (during the early 80s) who could eventually be trained and honed for top managerial posts in Mr. Tan’s various businesses.

2 – WILSON, my brother is WILSON T. YOUNG who eventually became the President and Chief Operating Officer of Tanduay Distillers until his retirement in 2015. WILSON is now the Chairman of VICTORIAS MILLING CORPORATION.

3 – SGV is SyCip Gorres Velayo & Co. which is the Philippines’ largest multidisciplinary professional services firm. As of 2014, the company has employed over 3,000 professionals from various disciplines.

4 – NICK LIMJOCO is the name of Boss Jim’s professor in FINANCE 101 at the COLEGIO DE SA JUAN DE LETRAN when Boss Jim was pursuing a course in ACCOUNTANCY. Prof. Limjoco prophesied that Boss Jim will surely become a president of a company in the future.

5 – MENTAL CROWN would refer to Boss Jim’s BRAINY HEAD.

6 – EL KAPITAN is the sobriquet which refers to Mr. Lucio Tan. It was told that Mr. Tan once jokingly recounted that he’ll never be promoted, as he would just remain as KAPITAN, not to be promoted ever to the rank of HENERAL….

7 – Group refers to the LUCIO TAN GROUP of companies which started out from cigarettes, to bank, then to brewery to agriculture, to piggery, to construction, to hotel and eventually, the aviation business.

8 – PAL is Philippine Airlines. Philippine Airlines, is now actually a trade name of PAL Holdings, Inc., also known historically as Philippine Air Lines, which is the flag carrier of the Philippines.

9 – JOJI is Josefina Nazareno Bautista, the alluring and the ever supportive wife of Boss Jimmy. JOJI hails from Cavite, a province south of Manila. Though Cavite is positively proud of being the cradle of heroes like Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo; Cavite is however known too, to be the place of toughies, and gunmen.

10- MUSKET is a GUN.

11- FIX IT – Boss Jim recounted during one of his interviews by a media firm that when he was courting JOJI, JOJI’s Dad would almost always be toying, brandishing and/or cleaning his 45-caliber gun in the very presence of Boss Jim.

 

[Top left photo shows ROBERTO “BERT” BACSAL, my wise and dazzling MENTOR and FRIEND, in a group photo during his 67th birthday celebration at the Quezon City Sports Club on September 2, 2014. Top right photo shows BERT belting out a ballad during the same birthday celebration. Bottom left photo shows BERT oozing out a mischievous smile during his 68th birthday celebration. Bottom right photo shows the interment of my MENTOR and FRIEND at the HERITAGE MEMORIAL PARK in Taguig City, Metro-Manila. Acting as PALLBEARERS during the interment were: PAL President Jimmy Bautista (at extreme right) and my brother WILSON T. YOUNG, Chairman of VICTORIAS MILLING CORPORATION (3rd from right), among others.]

 

I first saw him in the early 60’s,

As a STUDENT MARSHALL¹ wearing polo, colored off-whitish²;

Directing the formation of dual lines,

At SAN BEDA HIGH³, during those rainy climes.

 

 

 

I remember when it rains, as it pours abundantly bit,

Legarda’s flooded street will feature virtual logs⁴ on it;

Crossing the street, not wanting to get wet —

You’ll be sashaying through the log; it’s a sure bet!

 

 

 

And after TWO (2) decades or SO,

BERT emerged as my brother WILSON’s male JO⁵;

They truly were always so linked and so connected,

BERT pirated SON⁶ from an accounting firm’s stead.

 

 

 

And after my stint at the NATIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY⁷,

I eventually became part of the LUCIO TAN community⁸;

BERT became one of my many BOSSES,

He’s LUCIO TAN’s man who’s much in-charge at cutting business LOSSES!

 

 

 

And BERT virtually became LT⁹’s  TOP HENCHMAN,

His TITLE got transformed into “LITTLE LUCIO TAN”;

He was even DUBBED as LUCIO TAN’s 007,

Just like JAMES BOND, BERT’s goal was to make things EVEN!

 

 

When I was with the LUCIO TAN group,

I got amazed by BERT BACSAL’s work scope;

He would make things easy for LUCIO,

For all those companies — those good and— not much, so-so!

 

 

I was once chided and sermonized by BERT,

And it involves one of LT’s realties;

The lot was in fact strategically located,

And swindlers were intent to make of it, a BIG HIT¹⁰!

 

Real estate brokers were selling,

That LT’s lot for supposed land banking;

Alas! another land title got so configured,

But it’s the same LT’s lot, LT’s TCT¹¹ just got disfigured!

 

 

 

The case came up to the Building Official’s office,

And I appeared to represent LT at the edifice;

There was this bejeweled man who dished out a TCT,

It captured LT’s lot but the TCT was tinged with spurious  validity.

 

 

 

And so the conflict got so magnified,

The Building Official DIGRESSED and  then just specified;

The supposed omission on the part of LT,

Of failing to get permits and of non-payment of a lot of billboards’ fee!

 

 

Perhaps one of those LT group’s minions,

Forgot to comply with his obligations;

And so the renewal of those billboards’ permit,

Turned out to have not been truly met!

 

 

 

That corner lot indeed was too strategic,

LT’s companies were there advertized, truly so romantic;

Those huge billboards installed therein,

Was the cynosure of all whose sight was keen!

 

 

 

And the BUILDING OFFICIAL issued a demolition notice,

I scampered and run unto BERT BACSAL’s office;

‘Twas a short notice and the demo team would arrive —

The following morning — I was almost sort to take myself a dive¹²!

 

 

 

 

But as BERT was a quick thinker,

He knows how to really get around such a stinker—

So, when the morning arrived & the sun was so bright,

The problem emerged as calmly bearable & light!

 

 

 

BERT indeed is a RACONTEUR,

He’ll tell stories even about the future;

For he has knack at forecasting —

He can predict what’s truly coming!

 

 

But as he has aged and quite matured,

He wanted his own self to be cared for and nurtured;

By his beauteous wife GIRLIE, who’s in fact a DOCTOR,

But BERT has always been my WISE & DAZZLING MENTOR!

 

  

And as I got truly amazed with BERT as MENTOR,

I got him as GODFATHER of my first-born DAUGHTER;

‘Twas intent too to take him as NINONG¹³ once again,

For SHAYNA’s¹⁴    wedding with her BOY FRIEND  Vim¹⁵!

 

 

 

With BERT BACSAL’s untimely passing,

Lot of personalities went truly wailing;

For he was so generous and yet austere,

Though a martinet and yet so caring!

 

 

 

 

And I’ll never forget his penchant for food,

A finicky gourmandizer¹⁶ of eats, that’s good;

For he knows where the dining is truly great,

Surely he’ll not let edibles  be left untouched on his plate. 

 

 

 

Let’s PRAY for BERT and for his family,

His parting I am sure would still make  GABE a DILLY;¹⁷

For GABE has looked upon BERT as his Daddy,

But I am sure RICA¹⁸ will eventually re-marry.

 

AND BERT WILL IN HEAVEN, BE HAPPY!!!!

========================================================================

Legend: 1 – My mentor and friend, Roberto “Bert” Bacsal was a student marshall at the San Beda High School during his senior year. I was  a sophomore then. The student marshall (usually one for every section) would take charge of keeping their classmates assembled/grouped into TWO (2) straight lines (and well-behaved) before they would be allowed to march and enter into their respective classrooms.

2 – The OFF WHITISH color of the polo-shirts of the San Beda High School students, is necessarily caused by the continued laundering of those originally white-colored polo shirt/school uniforms.

3 – SAN BEDA HIGH SCHOOL is a Benedictine-run school located along Mendiola Avenue in San Miguel, Manila.

4 – LOGs in Legarda street, actually refer to pieces of lumber, which would be laid out by enterprising souls to allow students to cross the street above the flooded pavements.

5 – JO is a term which usually refers to a female best friend.

6 – SON is the truncated nickname of my brother WILSON.

7 – National Housing Authority or NHA is the government agency where I worked from 1974 until 1986.

8 – LUCIO TAN community refers to my employment with ALLIED BANKING CORPORATION, now merged with Philippine National Bank, from June 1986 after my resignation from NHA, until April 1998.

9 – LT is the acronym for LUCIO TAN and most especially to the LUCIO TAN Group of Companies or any company within the group.

10- BIG HIT would refer to the efforts of a lot of personalities to make a killing by working out a “grab” of the lot which pertains to a 12 hectare tract at the corner of Quezon Avenue and EDSA (now the tract of land which houses the ETON Centris) which has since been owned and registered in the name of a company within the LT group. In fact, perhaps through the work of a syndicate which was very active then, a transfer certificate of title covering the same lot was produced by a bejeweled person who claims that he is the registered owner of the 12 hectare lot during our meeting at the QC Building Official’s office sometime in the early 1990s.

11 – TCT means a transfer certificate of title which evidences ownership of a tract of land.

12 – The term “taking a dive” would similarly denote a losing actuation (an acceptance of defeat) of allowing the demolition take its consequent course that would consist of a massive dismantling of the infrastructure that houses the huge advertising billboards. But BERT, did not want to feel LOST; he managed to prevent a humiliating DEMOLITION operations by working out a very wise and astute move.

13 – NINONG is Tagalog term for GODFATHER.

14 – My eldest daughter SHAYNA, who is BERT’s goddaughter (actually SHAYNA wanted to get BERT as NINONG once again for her wedding) will be wed on May 6, 2017.

15 – Vim or Vimi is the nickname of SHAYNA’s boy friend whose full name is VICENTE MIGUEL RIVERA.

16 – GOURMANDIZER is used here not to connote a GLUTTON; but someone who LOVES to eat, but is FINICKY in the choice of those delicious dishes.

17 – DILLY denotes the sense of attaining an outstanding status. I know for a fact that BERT has a special love and concern for GABE, who is BERT’s grandson and the ONLY son of BERT and GIRLIE’s youngest daughter, RICA.

18 – RICA filed a petition for nullity of marriage engaging me as her counsel through BERT (which was however contested by the husband, for which reason the proceedings got protracted). The petition was filed sometime in 2009 and the petition was eventually granted in 2014.

 

[At left photo is Atty. Ramon M. Maronilla (third from left) during the 2015 Induction of new members of the UP Alumni Association (UPAA) taken at the UP Los Baños in 2015. My friend Mon Maronilla is the incumbent President of the UPAA and will serve as Prexy up to and until 2018.  At right photo is the duo of Atty. Maronilla with his beauteous wife, Ms. Becky Fong-Maronilla, as they are seated side-by-side during one of the social events they attended at the Manila Polo Club in early January 2017.]

The J. J. is for being JUDICIOUS and JOLLY,

Though it may sound like JEJEMON¹; what a FOLLY;

But my FRIEND MON MARONILLA indeed, is at times crazily FUNNY,

So, JEJEMON would  seem as a close SOBRIQUET.

 

 

When you’re a close friend of HIS, you’ll surely be CAPTIVATED,

He tells stories complete with SOUND EFFECT;

And with his attendant facial EXPRESSION,

It’s as though you’re watching HD² TELEVISION.

 

 

When he distends his eyes to express SURPRISE,

Or creates those creases in his facial LINES;

He’d act as though a seasoned ACTOR,

You’ll laugh— whirring like a rhapsodic ROTOR.

 

 

But when he is in his serious MOOD,

You’d virtually hear the wisdom of a LORD;

He’ll truly advise and counsel you in SYNCH,

Golden nuggets will pour from his sagy mouth, that’s a CINCH.

 

 

And when he analyzes a court CASE,

He’d exhaust all the angles as though cascading through a MAZE;

Thus, his reliance unto his common sense PANACHE³,

Would surely result in  expert court ADVOCACY.

 

 

 

And he’s in fact so truly HUMBLE,

Though he’s gotten the knack of getting clients out of  TROUBLE;

For he’s a SAGE SIMPATICO⁴ and inordinately TACTFUL,

As a client, you’d never ever feel to be DOUBTFUL!

 

 

But when he got scheduled for a MEDICAL PROCEDURE,

He told me that he’ll just get some kind of a PUNCTURE;

For it will not run like the orthodox MODE,

It will be ROBOTICS⁵, that’s what is in VOGUE!

 

 

And as he happily and earnestly NARRATED,

His entry into the OR⁶ was like he’s truly TOP-RATED;

With beautiful nurses smiling and CHEERING,

But the entry of the ROBOT started his CHILLING!

 

 

But as the doctrine of doctors that gave him ATTENTION,

Where experts in their field, without any QUESTION;

J.J. Mon was superbly appeased and so PACIFIED,

All the chilling and fear was lost, J.J. Mon got SATISFIED!

 

 

And now in his recovery PERIOD,

J.J. Mon has seemingly emitted his natural OPIOID⁷;

He feels as though he’s so truly SOOTHED,

He’s now like an infant sleeping soundly  wearing a pair of baby BOOTS.

 

 

When J.J. Mon has eventually and fully RECOVERED,

He has promised to play badminton

UNDETERRED;

As has been his mark in the battledore⁸ COURT,

He’ll smash and strike the cock⁹ with a playful SNORT.

 

 

And when the centennial of the UPSILON ARRIVES,

He’ll march through the aisle with

his BROD DANNY¹⁰ on his SIDE;

It would truly be a DOUBLE CELEBRATION,

Two (2) UPSILONIANS for future EDIFICATION!

 

 

 

For it would certainly be a top-level FIRST,

With J.J. Mon as the UPAA PRES.;

While Hon. Danny Concepcion as UP PRESIDENT,

It’s a unique achievement with no such PRECEDENT.

 

 

Your badminton playmates are awaiting your RETURN,

Unto the BADMINTON HALL eagerly looking for an OVERTURN;

The past mini-tourneys have proclaimed some mini-CHAMP,

When you’d have arrived, you’ll be the real and true CHAMP!

 

GET WELL SOON OUR BADMINTON CHAMP!

 

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[Legend: 1- JEJEMON is a slang street lingo which connotes the thought of being CRAZILY FUNNY.

2- HD means HIGH DEFINITION television, actually, it is a television system providing an image resolution that is substantially higher than that of standard-definition television.

3- PANACHE  is a word of French origin that carries the connotation of flamboyant manner.

4-  SIMPATICO means a likeable guy or fellow.

5- ROBOTICS SURGERY   or robot-assisted surgery, allows doctors to perform many types of complex procedures with more precision, flexibility and control than is possible with conventional techniques. Robotic surgery is usually associated with minimally invasive surgery — procedures performed through tiny incisions.

6 – OR means OPERATING ROOM. 

7 – OPIOID is used here as that natural form of OPIOID which comes along with ENDORPHINS that are emitted naturally via its production in the central nervous system and the pituitary gland. They have the same pain-killing effect like morphine and provides a general feeling of euphoria.

8-  BATTLEDORE is another term for BADMINTON as a kind of sport.

9- COCK refers to SHUTTLECOCK which is used as some kind of ball in a badminton game.

10- Brod DANNY is incumbent UP College of Law Dean, Danilo Concepcion and the incoming University of the Philippines President who will take his oath this February 20, 2017 following his election by the UP Board of Regents. 2018 would truly be a significant YEAR for the UPSILON SIGMA PHI as both incoming UP President Danilo Concepcion and incumbent UPAA President Ramon Maronilla are illustrious members of the UPSILON SIGMA PHI and both of them will be reigning as Presidents (i.e. UP and UPAA) during UPSILON’s centennial in 2018.

 [Left photo shows Dr. Andy Tan, President of ASPAC, delivering his speech during the ASPAC General Assembly and Oath Taking held at the LEONG HALL, ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY on September 17, 2016. Photo at right shows Dr. Andy Tan with the elected members of the ASPAC Board notable of whom is Immediate Past President, Atty. Raul Panlasiqui (standing to Dr. Andy Tan’s right) as they manned the registration tables minutes before the start of the ASPAC General Assembly and Oath Taking Ceremony.]

 

It happened with my youngest daughter’s¹ TUITION,

I missed it during Tonton’s²  European EDUCATION;

I never thought that a PARENT COUNCIL would BE,

A vibrant  aggrupation  in  the Loyola Schools’ COMMUNITY!

 

 

Indeed, it was in the ATENEO, at  its  college level, so TRUE—

As I thought those PARENT COUNCILS in that place so BLUE…

Were only extant in the Grade and High School levels; I had no CLUE—

Remarkably the ASPAC³, matter-of-factly, is a COUP⁴!

 When Alee⁵ matriculated at Loyola last YEAR,

She daintily approached me for my SIGNATURE;

As I was a bit so busy being a legal PRACTITIONER,

Sans reading the print,  I got quick in my name’s AFFIXTURE!

 

 

And then I met and saw Dr. Tan, ANDY ,

Who was the outgoing Prexy,  so  truly DANDY;

It was at the ASPAC office at the Frank Lynch HALL,

And a briefing was made then , sort of  a PROTOCOL!

 

 

And thus, I was elected and got sworn IN,

And Dr. Andy Tan emerged still as ASPAC KINGPIN;

It was however good and beneficial to ASPAC,

Dr. Andy  proved to be the real leader of the PACK!

 

  

Dr. Andy Tan is a true-blue hard WORKER,

Became even an “LRT-rider”, that’s now his MONIKER;

For he’d show up at the ASPAC base almost DAILY,

With his vigor and vim, I guess Dr. Andy loves GUACAMOLE⁶!

 

 

 

Dr. Andy is quick and profoundly ENERGETIC,

He recites rhyme-lines in Tagalog, indeed very POETIC;

And when there is a social affair, with  some dining SO-SO;

Eyes are much focused in Dr. Andy’s LECHON SABROSO⁷!

 

 

Dr. Andy is even a FENG SHUI MASTER,

Though it’s some kind of hobby, makes him a genuine FORECASTER;

Thus, if Dr. Andy can foresee some kind of DISASTER,

He could seemingly  shield himself with marble-like ALABASTER⁸!

But the greatest recipients of Dr. Andy’s  laboring DAILY,

Are the ASPAC scholars whose project Dr. Andy treats as his BABY;

He indeed is so proud and delighted of them ALL,

Dr. Andy will wager his whole fortune to the last peso, if there’s a CALL!

 

 

 

So, let us all support Dr. Andy Tan as PREXY,

For it’s like supporting our native land like CRAZY⁹;

For indeed ATENEO has been the consistent CRADLE,

Of a number of our nation’s leaders who has been reared as a BLUE EAGLE¹⁰…

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[Legend: 1 – My youngest daughter Ma. Winnalee (“Alee”) E. Young actually introduced me to ASPAC, as in fact I never knew about such an organization in the ATENEO before.

2 – My son Tonton aka Walter Anthony E. Young, actually studied at the ATENEO Loyola Schools where he pursued a course in European Studies and graduated in 2011. He never knew about ASPAC and was in fact surprised too when I told him about the workings of ASPAC.

3 – ASPAC is the acronym of the parents’ council formally known as the ATENEO SCHOOLS PARENTS’ COUNCIL.

4 – COUP as used in the FUN-RHYME BLOG actually means SUCCESS.

5 – ALEE is the nickname of my youngest daughter who is taking a course in Management at the John Gokongwei School of Management of the LOYOLA SCHOOLS at the ATENEO.

6 – Guacamole is the AVOCADO which has been bruited about as abundant in health benefits. I just actually guessed that Dr. Andy Tan is a guacamole-eater as he is so healthy, with glowing hair and skin; so vigorous and sturdy looking.

7 – SABROSO is the brand name of the lechon (i.e. roast pig) which Dr. Andy Tan regularly donates as part of the table fare during social events of the ASPAC.

8 – Alabaster is a mineral or rock that is soft and often used for carving, as well as being processed for plaster powder. It can be used as a coating too, and it could be marble-like in hardness when it has coagulated and has hardened, as well as marble-like in color.

9 – The idiomatic expression “LIKE CRAZY” means to an intense degree.

10 – BLUE EAGLE is an appellation which refers to the ATENEO or a graduate of the ATENEO. ]

[Group photo of the ASPAC Board with ATENEO President, Fr. Jet Villarin, in a GENUFLECT position; at center sandwiched by myself (Atty. Walter T. Young – at Fr. Villarin’s right; and Mr. Norman Bueno – at Fr. Villarin’s left). Dr. Andy Tan is shown 4th from right, also via a GENUFLECT position at FRONT ROW.]