[Here’s a photo taken by my daughter WINCHESKA (aka CHESKA, herself) using her own GOPRO camera while we were touring KYOTO, JAPAN on December 18, 2017. CHESKA is celebrating her birthday on December 28, 2017. HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHE!!!!]

 

Your HOROSCOPE¹ describes you as STUDIOUS,

You’re described too as MODEST but so GREGARIOUS²;

‘Tis reported also that you are INVENTIVE and ACCURATE…

You are SELF-RELIANT and always QUICK to help and DECORATE³!

 

 

You’re INTELLIGENT and so focused on RESULT  —

A LEADER PERSON whose aim is to EXULT;

Cause you’re truly LOYAL and eagerly DEPENDABLE…

Professionally and personally, you really are so ABLE!

 

 

You like QUIETUDE and find the woods a place of COMFORT⁴…

You are GENUINE, LOVING and HONEST to a FAULT;

As a CAPRICORN⁵ person, you’re elegantly AMBITIOUS,

You’re even described as PATIENT and so overly CAUTIOUS!

 

[CHESKA is here photographed by my eldest daughter SHAYNA, in an elegant pose in one of the shops in KYOTO, JAPAN]

 

My daughter CHESKA is a true HARD WORKER,

She is a frequent HABITUE of the DIVISORIA QUARTER⁶;

She has the natural talent of creating ornaments and THINGS,

And she produces them so QUICK from lots of BINGS⁷!

 

 

One time I was swayed to FETCH HER –

From DIVISORIA, as she was thence  a COMMUTER⁸;

At the GATEWAY Station⁹ in cozy CUBAO…

I almost was forced to shout HOW and WOW¹⁰!

 

 

CHESKA was sort of dragging a heap – ‘twas a MOUND¹¹,

Using a leash as though walking a HOUND¹²;

I cannot perceive how she managed to CARRY,

Amidst those throngs of commuters who’re always in a HURRY¹³!

 

 

According to your HEALTH HOROSCOPE¹⁴, you’re a HEALTH NUT;

Thus, you ought to do your EXERCISE ROUTINE…no IFs and no BUT…

Popping those vitamins and eating just RIGHT¹⁵…

That must be the way to drive you out of any BLIGHT¹⁶!

 

 

On this your NATAL DAY, I wish you SUCCESS;

I am sure you’ll attain it as you’re full of PROWESS—

For indeed, any DREAM that’s DREAMT…to be ACHIEVED…

HARD WORK is the ingredient and TRIUMPH will  be FULFILLED!

 

[Group photo taken by my son-in-law VIMI RIVERA in front of the food kiosk on our way to the OSAKA Castle, with CHESKA shown at second from LEFT. Others in the photo are: Alee, Shane, my wife Dang, Tonton and me. ] 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHE!!!!

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

[Legend: 1 – HOROSCOPE – the positive traits of those born on December 28, 1989 can be accessed by encoding at GOOGLE the birth date. Those positive traits could be accessed particularly at TheHoroscope.co via the weblink or URL at https://www.thehoroscope.co/birthday-analyser/December-28-1989-horoscope-and-zodiac-sign-meanings-14616.html

2 – GREGARIOUS – Actually, the descriptive word given at THEHORORSCOPE.CO is “OUTGOING”, well; GREGARIOUS is an apt equivalent.

3 – DECORATE – Cheska seems to have that natural talent for DECORATION as she truly is so creative.

4 – The other website at https://www.sunsigns.org/birthday-28-december-zodiac-sign-capricorn-astrology-dependable/; notes that persons born on December 28, 1989 find comfort in the woods.

5 – Being born on December 28, 1989; Cheska is governed by the ZODIAC sign of the CAPRICORN.

6 – The term QUARTER is used in this BLOG to mean AREA or PLACE.

7 – BINGS mean HEAPS or PILES.

8 – COMMUTER – When Cheska still did not have her MIRAGE Car, she would travel to Divisoria to buy heaps of pieces of clothings/garments/raiments to be used as material for their hiphop dance-costume business via the LRT plying the route from Marikina to C. M. Recto.

9 – The GATEWAY Station is along that line of the LRT plying the Marikina-C.M. Recto route located along Aurora Boulevard within the Araneta Center.

10 – I actually was wondering how Cheska was able to carry that heavy load without any assist from Divisoria to the Gateway-Cubao station. I finally learned however that a friendly soul helped Cheska to bring up the heavy pile of clothing from the street along C.M. Recto after riding a tricycle from Divisoria; up to the LRT station just using the stairs as the escalator was not then working.

11 – MOUND – The pile of clothings/garments/raiments, which Cheska was pulling like a large dog on a leash,  really looked like a mound just not a heap.

12 – HOUND is used in this blog to refer to a DOG.

13 – On a day-to-day basis, passengers commuting via the LRT are customarily going about the LRT station’s premises in HURRY-SCURRY.

14 – SUN SIGNS Horoscope under the website: https://www.sunsigns.org/birthday-28-december-zodiac-sign-capricorn-astrology-dependable/; indicates that those born on December 28, 1989 are generally HEALTH NUTS.

15 – It is said that taking vitamins and eating right is something that comes natural to those born on December 28, 1989; according to SUN SIGNS.

16 –  BLIGHT is used in this BLOG to mean DISEASE.]

 

 

 

 

 [We were told that the reason why the faces of those macaque monkeys are RED is because they are thin-skinned on their faces and the redness is caused by the large number of blood-carrying small capillaries on the monkeys’ faces. Our group photo at LEFT was expertly snapped by one of the caretakers while one macaque monkey was staring at him. ]

 

 

Yong most ENJOYABLE  s’aming Japan TRIP sa KYOTO,

Nang umakyat kami sa Mount Arashiyama¹ nang mag-aalas KUATRO²;

Ang sabi nung TELLER sa TICKET COUNTER,

Dapat naming bilisan ang akyat,  kailangan ay FASTER³!

 

 

  

Magsasara na daw kasi ang PARK⁴,

Yaon ang PARK ng mga UNGGOY na MACAQUE^4a (pronounced as “mahcack”);

Kaya dali-dali kaming hirap na hirap na UMAKYAT…

Parang hingal kabayong patpatin ako, dahil  ako’y halos PUYAT⁵!

 

  

Pero nang makita namin ang mga UNGGOY,

Talagang nakakatuwa at wala ng PALIGOY-LIGOY;

Syempre panay ang “photo-taking”, “staring” at “SIGHTING”,

Sari-sari kasi ang TRIP^5a ng mga Hapones na MATSING!

 

 

 

 

 May UNGGOY na animo’y suplado at sa mga puno LUMALABOY,

Meron namang sa isang tabi kinukutuhan ng MONKEY HOUSEBOY⁶;

Meron ding sa FEEDING HOUSE halos naka-DESTINO⁷,

Yun ang mga matatakaw na panay kain ang GUSTO!

 

  

Sa Mount Arashiyama, sa tuktok ng BUNDOK;

Mahigit isang daan TSONGGONG MACAQUE ang INIMPOK;

Nagbibigay kasayahan sa mga TURISTA,

Hindi mo na kailangang pang mag-LARGABISTA⁸!

 

  

Nung sa FEEDING HOUSE⁹ kami’y TUMAMBAY,

Magbibigay ng pagkain sa mga MATSING ang PAKAY;

Aba, mapili pa itong mga MATSING,

Gusto’y unshelled peanuts at apple na na-SLICING!

 

  

At bago magsara ang MONKEY PARK,

Pinakain sa labas on the ground¹⁰, ang mga MACAQUE (pronounced as “mahcack”);

Syempre nandun at nanood pa rin KAMI,

Pero naubusan na ang cellphone ko ng BATTERY!

 

Ang enjoyable experience  dito sa IWATAYAMA¹¹,

Ay sa dahil may “WORK OUT”¹² na KASAMA;

Halos katabi mo ang pulutong ng mga TSONGGO,

Pero mag-ingat din daw, yan ang  sabi ng CARETAKER who’s always on the GO¹³!

 

[From atop MOUNT ARASHIYAMA where the IWATAYAMA MONKEY PARK is located, you can take a photo of the panoramic view of this part of KYOTO, JAPAN. ] 

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

[Legend: 1 – Mount ARASHIYAMA – The Japanese word: “Arashiyama” actually means  Storm Mountain. Arashiyama is actually a district on the western outskirts of Kyoto, Japan. It also refers to the mountain across the Ōi River, which forms a backdrop to the district. Arashiyama is a nationally designated Historic Site and Place of Scenic Beauty.

2 – KUATRO is a Tagalog term which was inherited from the Spanish language and which means – FOUR or in this case, specifically FOUR O’CLOCK.

3 – The WALK UP or the TREK up to the mountain top by way of a trail would normally take about 20-25 minutes. But the TELLER at the COUNTER suggested that we do the WALK UP faster so that we could enjoy more the time spent with the macaque monkeys.

4 – PARK is the IWATAYAMA MONKEY PARK which is atop Mount Arashiyama where 120 to 170 macaque monkeys call as their HOME. The gate to the PARK at the foot of Mount Arashiyama is about a 5-minute walk from the ARASHIYAMA Train station, during which walk you can pass by and see the Hozu River along with quaint houses and shops lining the riverside leading to Mount Arashiyama. Once you reach the entrance, you will pass through a traditional torii gate and see a peaceful shrine located near the entryway.

4a – The MACAQUE MONKEYS (/məˈkɑːk/) constitute a genus (MACACA) of Old World monkeys of the subfamily Cercopithecinae. The 23 species of macaques are widespread over the Old World, especially Asia. Macaques are principally frugivorous (i.e. feeding on fruits), although their diet also includes seeds, leaves, flowers, and tree bark, and some, such as the crab-eating macaque, subsist on a diet of invertebrates and occasionally small vertebrates. All macaque social groups are arranged around dominant, matriarchal females.

5  – PUYAT means “sleepless” as I usually experience difficulty to fall into slumber or deep sleep in a hotel on my first night until I have acclimatized myself into its ambience.

5a – TRIP is actually an English word which has however acquired a Tagalog slang meaning of some kind of “fondness” or “liking”. The MACAQUE MONKEYS have varied “likings”; as some would just want to stay and sort of “roost” on the branches of trees, others would be running and prancing about at the large frontage area adjoining the feeding house, etc.

6 – MONKEY HOUSEBOY – I used this term to refer to a monkey who would do the task of picking head lice or some kind of fleas upon another monkey as though the monkey doing the picking is some kind of a servant to the master monkey whose head is being cleared of lice.

7 – Naka DESTINO – Some of the MACAQUE MONKEYS are there hanging on the chicken wire which covers the southern side of the feeding house. And those who would want to feed the monkeys hanging on to the chicken wire must buy a pack of feeds (i.e. either a pack of unshelled raw peanuts or slices of apple) and give it to the monkeys by placing the “feed” onto the palm of their hands. Guests are warned not to give the “feeds” through the fingers as it must be offered lying on the palm of one’s hand.

8 –   LARGABISTA is Tagalog term for BINOCULARS.

9 – At the FEEDING HOUSE; one can but the pack of FEEDS. You cannot offer FOOD other that those bought at the FEEDING HOUSE. Then, you can feed the monkeys hanging on to the chicken wire which covers the southern end of the FEEDING HOUSE.

10 – Before the PARK closed when we were there on December 18, 2017; the caretakers fed the troop of monkeys by strewing bunches of what looked like chestnuts, on the ground fronting the FEEDING HOUSE. And almost all of the monkeys would scramble for the chestnuts on the ground.

11 – IWATAYAMA is the name of the MONKEY PARK atop Mount Arashiyama.

12 – WORK OUT; the hike and walk up unto the top of Mount Arashiyama that we did was an arduous and vigorous and laborious task as we were all trying to catch up as the PARK was almost to close already at 5:00 PM.

13 – The caretakers at the PARK (i.e. actually THREE (3) of them: TWO (2) males and ONE (1) female) were always on the GO as it was conveyed to us, as they closed the PARK, that there is one MONKEY who is so aggressive, bad and a bit ferocious; and that they are always on the look-out as they would try to shoo this monkey out of the range of visitors and guests taking photos of the monkeys around.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 [LET US ALL DONATE TO ACHIEVE A RESOUNDING SUCCESS OF THE 3RD NATCON]

 

The 3^rd NATCON is fast APPROACHING,

And lots of hearts and minds are CRINGING;

On top of the list who is now actually COWERING,

Is our own NATCON Leader, our PREXY MARIANING¹!

 

 

 

But the name of the PI OMICRON is at STAKE,

And the least that we could do is to just DONATE^1a;

Though I was originally set to ATTEND,

There were some events which I failed to PORTEND!

 

 

 

I donated in fact THIRTY THOUSAND,

That actually included my advance of TWENTY THOUSAND;

As my penalty for not being successful in my TASK,

I added another TEN, and drunk a jigger of wine from the FLASK!

 

 

 

I am amazed with the industriousness of our BROD BERT,

And I do not want  this NATCON² to SUBVERT;

The present leadership which is indeed DANDY^2a,

It’s hard to find a leader who really is so HANDY^2b!

 

 

 

Let’s all pitch in, even just some PENCE³ —

To preserve our LEADER who is in fact a MENSCH⁴;

It’s CHRISTMAS TIME and CHARITY is urgently NEEDED,

I hope our FRAT LOYALTY is still IMBEDDED!

 

 

 

Our FRAT HYMN in fact announces and ROARS,

That we’re all LOYAL and would want lots of SCORES;

Let’s DONATE and keep the fervor BURNING…

The FRAT’s SOLIDARITY is all that we are YEARNING!

 

 

 

And so let’s scrape the bottom DOLLAR,

Or even if it is just some kind of CHEDDAR⁵;

For what counts most is our KINSHIP and BROTHERHOOD…

We’ll reminisce this all, when we’re all OLD!

 

 

PUSH ONWARD BROTHERS!!!!

 

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

[Legend: 1 – Brod Bert Somera’s full name, which I learned just recently is MARIANO ELPIDIO BERTRAND G. SOMERA. I jave thus endearingly called him MARIANING. Brod BERT is the incumbent President of the PI OMICRON INTERNATIONAL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, INC.

1a – A call for DONATIONS has been made as there is still a shortfall on the needed funds to insure the success of the 3^rd NATCON of about Php 1.2 Million.

2 – The NATCON is the 3^rd NATIONAL CONVENTION of the PI OMICRON FRATERNITY and the DELTA PI OMICRON SORORITY to be held at the ORIENTAL HOTEL in Legazpi City, Albay on December 15-17, 2017.

2a – DANDY means EXCELLENT.

2b-  HANDY means so USEFUL, HELPFUL and so ACCESSIBLE.

3 – PENCE is the plural of PENNIES.

4 – MENSCH is a person of honor and integrity and is personified by our Brod BERT SOMERA.

5 – CHEDDAR is another term for MONEY.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 [My UP Law batchmate, ATTY. MARIA LORETO U. NAVARRO (endearingly called by us as BABES)  is shown here slicing her birthday cake in her last year’s celebration of her NATAL DAY at her Makati Office. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABES!!!!]

 

Your HOROSCOPE¹ describes you as IDEALISTIC,

You’re even described as HUMOROUS and OPTIMISTIC;

‘Tis reported too that you’ve a mind which is ANALYTIC…

You are CREATIVE, it’s said but a bit SECRETIVE!

 

 

You’re STEADFAST, CHEERFUL and LIKABLE—

You seem to me so CALM and so IMPERTURBABLE;

But with talks about TOURING, the subject looms as your CYNOSURE…

As a hard worker, your reward is to TRAVEL with much LEISURE!

 

 

During our UP Law days, you were an APPLE,

As pictured in the eyes of one who wants to bring you to the CHAPEL…

But as his courtship style seemed not too PALPABLE…

He strayed as though a steed unwanting to leave the STABLE!

 

 

BABES is our CLASS’² remembrancer,

Virtually has memorized all our birthdates like a geomancer;

Even knows the dates of the passing via the GRIM REAPER,

Of our batch mates who have opted to unite early with Our MAKER!

 

 

In our reunions, BABES is almost always co-organizer..

As though a matriarch who wants to be a KAISER³…

Would be contacting all those in the ENUMERATION⁴…

She wants every one to be part of the CELEBRATION!

 

 

She is indeed so MOTHERLY in her concern,

MOTHERLY in trait as I and others could discern;

But among those of our female batch MATES,

She looks as though “BELO-FIED”⁵, not like those with balding PATES^5a!

 

 

And as a LITIGATOR she’s valiantly loyal to her CLIENT,

Couldn’t be swayed by the shenanigans of a dishonest SUPPLIANT⁶;

And the knavery of a rogue lawyer, she snipped;

The rascal eventually got his KARMA as  he got virtually GYPPED!

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABES!

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

 

[Legend: 1 – HOROSCOPE – the positive traits of those born on December 10 can be accessed by encoding at GOOGLE the birth date. Those positive traits could be accessed particularly at TheHoroscope.co via the weblink or URL at https://www.sunsigns.org/birthday-10-december-zodiac-sign-sagittarius-astrology-steadfast/

2 – BABES belongs to the UP Law Class of 1979 of the EVENING SECTION actually. I originally belonged to this class, except that as I went on a leave-of-absence, I eventually became part of UP Law-Class of 1980. 

3 – KAISER is used in this BLOG to mean a LEADER or a HEAD; and principally to achieve a rhyme.

4 – ENUMERATION would refer to the LIST actually of our classmates not only in the EVENING SECTION but also in the DAY SECTION.

5 – “BELO-FIED” is a reference to the country’s leading Filipina dermatologist and beauty consultant. If ever, a personality most particularly ladies would look so young despite of senior age and so cosmetically  pleasing, the label of having been “BELO-FIED” would usually set in.

5a – JOKE ONLY…ang tamaan huwag po sanang magalit…Balita ko si BABES, ay gumagamit ng GUGO kaya ang HAIR nya ay malago!!!!

6 – SUPPLIANT is used here, to mean as a party to a litigation, most particularly a PETITIONER.]

 

 [Shown ABOVE is the logo of the 3rd NATIONAL CONVENTION of the PI OMICRON FRATERNITY and the DELTA PI OMICRON FRATERNITY emblazoned with the theme-motto of the celebration: “RESILIENCY THROUGH GREENING”!] 

MARIANO pala ang FIRST NAME ni Brod BERT¹,

Say ng GOOGLE, ang mga MARIANO are sweet though at times are PERT;

Pero, tatawagin ko na muna syang MARIANING…

“MARIANOS” are absolutely wonderful, and that they are always WINNING…

 

Brod BERT is confronted by a GREAT CHALLENGE,

And we all in PI O must act as we’ll serve as the HINGE…

We must ALL strive that the NATCON² will open its doors to SUCCESS…

Thus, we all have NOW to contribute our timely PROWESS!

 

 

Paulit-ulit na syang NAMAMANHIKAN,

Kailangan na nating siya’y MAPAKINGGAN;

Sabi ng ating PI O HYMN, tayo’y “STRONG”…

Kaya dapat we must not let Brod BERT to wait for LONG!

  

 

“Loyal to GOD and our COUNTRY…

“And to the PI OMICRON FRATERNITY!”

Yan ang isinulat ni Brod JULES AMPER³,

Dapat NOW, we must ACT with our FULL POWER!

 

 

 

Yaong hindi pa NAG-EENTREGA,

Dapat ay magbayad at mag-deposit NA;

Baka tayo’y ma-LEGAL ACTION,

Kawawa naman ang PI OMICRON!

 

Ako nga ay mag-DO-DONATE PA,

Vi-VIDEOHAN pa ang MAHADERA;

Si LOLIT SOLIS na SIS NATIN,

Nagpasabing ‘di siya MAKARARATING!

  

 

Ang TEXT ni BROD MARIANING ay very URGENT,

Let’s all respect our industrious PRESIDENT;

Magpadala na po ng inyong PERA…

Send it to our PREXY BERT SOMERA⁴!

 

 

[Kapag hindi kayo nag-bayad AGAD ng SULIT, lagot kayo kay MANAY LOLIT!]

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

[Legend: 1 – Brod Bert Somera’s full name, which I learned just recently is MARIANO ELPIDIO BERTRAND G. SOMERA. Brod BERT is the incumbent President of the PI OMICRON INTERNATIONAL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, INC. I invariably referred to Brod BERT as MARIANING in this BLOG as it rhymes with part of the theme-motto – GREENING!

2 – The NATCON is the 3^rd NATIONAL CONVENTION of the PI OMICRON FRATERNITY and the DELTA PI OMICRON SORORITY to be held at the ORIENTAL HOTEL in Legazpi City, Albay on December 15-17, 2017.

3 – Brod JULES AMPER is a Charter Member of the PI OMICRON FRATERNITY.

4 – Per our Brod BERT SOMERA’s urgent text message, we can send him the money either thru CEBUANA LHUILLIER or PALAWAN EXPRESS via his VALID ID NAME of MARIANO ELPIDIO BERTRAND G. SOMERA.]

 

 [At left photo is the bunch of ASPAC singers with MARLON SILVA (seated & attired in black shirt) at the foreground. Right top photo shows the THREE of US (i.e. POCH, myself and DWIGHT) belting it out, singing the GO BEST song. Right bottom photo shows the THREE of US, preparing for the SONG RECORDING. Both photos were taken while we were inside the glass-encased room.]

 

 

Mukhang agresibo ang konseho ng ASPAC, lalo’t may QUORUM,

Aba’y matapos ang DANCING sa Bday party sa UNIVERSITY DORM¹;

…At SPORTS naman nung BADMINTON TOURNEY²,

Nagyaya ng “SONG RECORDING” itong si DWIGHT³ na ATTORNEY!

 

 

Sa MIXSONIC Studio⁴ sa may Panay AVENUE…

Ang siyang naging tagpuan at singing VENUE;

Revised LYRICS ng “GO WEST” ng VILLAGE PEOPLE⁵,

Ang siyang naging KODIGO ng SINGING COUPLE⁶!

 

  

Bumirit sa una ang GRUPO ng BOYS,

At siyempre BARITONE at TENOR ang VOICE;

Tatatlo lang kaming umawit at kumanta,

Nung RETOKEHIN ni MARLON^6a, parang umawit ay KUWARENTA⁷!

 

  

At pumasok na ang mga ASPAC Ladies,

Sa loob ng glass-encased room ay parang naging BABIES;

Animo’y nag-ngangawa at nag-uuuha,

Dahil sa hirap RETOKEHIN, si MARLON naluha!

 

  

Dahil nga kami ay dadalawa lamang,

Si DWIGHT at AKO, DALAWA ay KULANG…

Naisipang isama ang FRIEND ni DWIGHT sa QUEUE,

Si POCH⁸ na LA SALLE fan, hirap bigkasin “ATENEO”!

 

  

Si POCH ay LA SALLISTANG tunay na ma-DRAMA,

Naisipan pang ang RECORDING ay documented ng isang ISTORYA;

May photo-taking…kunwari ay nag-aantay⁹,

Pati pag-pasok sa glass-encased room, sa photos isinalaysay!

 

  

Kahit naging madalian ang syang PAG-PAPLANO,

Okey din naman naging RESULTA sa STUDIO;

Mukhang si KATTIE¹⁰ ay lubhang kating-kati,

Na magbenta ng CD ng ASPAC Singers 

sa GREENHILLS City¹¹!

 

[So EXCITED, as we have FINISHED the long and arduous task of making the song sound as though being sung by FORTY (just idiomatically…he,he,he…).] 

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

[Legend: 1 – At the UNIVERSITY DORM in the ATENEO, on October 28, 2017 — a surprise despedida party was held in honor of the outgoing ASPAC President, Dr. Andy Tan. And the ASPAC parents showed their natural expertise in DANCE to the tune of the melodious and popular pop song; “DAHIL SA IYO”.

2 – On November 30, 2017; on the other hand, in the field of SPORTS… the SECOND ASPAC BADMINTON TOURNAMENT was held at the Badminton Hall located at No. 6 20^th Avenue, Cubao, Quezon City.

3 – DWIGHT is Attorney DWIGHT RAMOS who is an incumbent Board Member of the ATENEO SCHOOLS PARENTS COUNCIL, more popularly known by its acronym ASPAC.

4 – MIXSONIC Studio is a recording studio located at Unit 509 of the Futurepoint Plaza 1, No. 112 Panay Avenue, South Triangle, Quezon City.

5 –  Village People is an American disco group well known for their on-stage costumes depicting American masculine cultural stereotypes as well as their catchy tunes and suggestive lyrics. Originally created by Jacques Morali and Henri Belolo to target disco’s gay audience by featuring popular gay fantasy personae, the band quickly became popular and moved into the mainstream. The group scored several disco and dance hits internationally, including three hits in the US, “Macho Man, “In the Navy”, and their biggest hit, “Y.M.C.A.”.

6 – The singing group was composed actually of a COUPLE of singers: the MALE group composed of Atty. Dwight Ramos, myself and re-inforced by Atty. Dwight’s FRIEND and ROTARY CLUB colleague, Cesar Napoleon “Pocholo” Jaymalin, endearingly referred to by Atty. Dwight as POCH; and the FEMALE group composed of the following: KATTIE SY, JULIET REMORQUE, CYNTHIA ONG, MIKEE RUBINA, EDNA NATIVIDAD, and MARITESS CORDERO. Though JOAN NETTE, ASPAC’s Office Secretary was present during the SONG RECORDING, she did not dare to join the singing just as not to make the work of the studio owner-entrepreneur, MARLON SILVA, much harder.

6a –  MARLON SILVA is the owner-entrepreneur of the MIXSONIC Studio.

7 – KUWARENTA is Tagalog term with Hispanic origin which means FORTY. Through MARLON’s technique, he would ask us to repeat the singing lines; then bunch it together on top of each other…PRESTO, a trio singing like FORTY people (idiomatically though). He,he,he…

8 – POCH is Pocholo Jaymalin is Atty. Dwight’s friend and co-ROTARIAN who accompanied us in the singing of the MALE part of the song “GO BEST”, actually a revised lyric arrangement with the melody and tune of VILLAGE PEOPLE’s “GO WEST”.

9 –  A camera shot was taken by POCH himself, showing us all huddled in the ante-room of the STUDIO as though waiting for our turn to SING.

10 –  KATTIE is ASPAC’s incumbent President KATHERINE NGSUY SY.

11 – GREENHILLS CITY is a reference to the TIANGGE at the GREENHILLS in San Juan (at the VIRRA Mall) where a lot of CD and DVD are being sold.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 [Here are some photos of our Sis LOLIT SOLIS–From L-R: Bottom LEFT is the CROPPED-HAIR LOOK, Top LEFT is the SURPRISE LOOK and the one at RIGHT, is the WRINKLED LOOK…O, di ba!]

 

Mabubulyawan ako ng TOTOO ni Brod Butch CAPARAS¹,

Baka pag nagkataon ako’y maghimas pa ng malamig na REHAS²…

Malamang ako’y kasuhan talaga ni Brod BUTCH ng PERJURY³…

Kasi naman ang pangako^3a ko’y dinala ko pa si NOTARY⁴!

  

Ako naman ay tunay na nag-punta,

Sa bahay ni Manay LOLIT at may pang-CARIÑO pang dala⁵…

Nangako si Manay LOLIT na talagang DADALO…

Ang sabi ko nga’y ako nang bahala sa ABONO⁶!

  

Nagsimula ang istoryang ito nang nangulit si Brod BUTCH…

Tumawag sa akin at pilit na halos ay may halong PUTSCH⁷…

Totoo ba daw na si Manay LOLIT ay SIS?…

Bakit daw ‘di naman dumadalo ni ‘di maringgan  ng TSISMIS⁸!

  

Kaya nga’t aking pinangatawanan ng TODO,

Dinala ko pa nga ang ating poging PANGULO⁹…

Dinalaw namin si Manay LOLIT SOLIS,

Sa bahay nya sa NORTH FAIRVIEW, sa dakong DALISDIS¹⁰!

  

Halos  pati nga ang mga SISSES namin,

Sa DELTA PI OMICRON¹¹ halos ay BITIN¹²;

‘Di nga nila mismo alam na si LOLIT ay SIS,

Halos ang paliwanag ko’y kanilang DINI-DISMISS¹³!

  

Nagkaroon pa tuloy ako ng DUDA,

Baka nga si Manay ay ‘di SIS, just an AMIGA¹⁴…

Pero aking tinanong ang isang DELTA PI na LUMINARY¹⁵,

Aba! ako’y na-REDEEM, tunay na SIS…’tis a VERITY¹⁶!

  

Kaya si Brod BUTCH aking agad TINAWAGAN…

Sabi ko’y magkakaroon siya ng time for CHIKAHAN,

Kapag nadala ko si Sis LOLIT sa NATCON¹⁷,

Ngayong hindi… malamang si Brod BUTCH ay MAPIPIKON!

  

Hiyang-hiya ako kay Brod BUTCH sa ngayon…

Baka ako’y pag-suspetsahan pa ng may masamang LAYON;

Kaya iwas muna ako mga BRODS na POGI…

Sorry at baka ang katauhan ko’y MA-DURUHAGI¹⁸!

  

At ganito ang sagot thru TEXT ni Manay^18a kong MAHAL,

Nang aking babayaran na sana ang airfare nya sa PAL¹⁹;

“Naku WALTER, di ako pwede mag-biyahe…”

Agad ako’y nakaramdam sa mga BRODS at SISSES ng pagka-DYAHE!

  

Dagdag pa ni LOLIT thru her TEXT RECITAL…

“Naka-WAIVER ako WALTER sa OSPITAL…”

“…Dahil dapat ay ma-CONFINE talaga ako…”

“…Taas ang BP ko, dami pa ding mga TRABAHO…”

  

Tinakot pa ako nitong reynang MAHADERA²⁰,

Baka daw dun pa siya matigok sa ORIENTAL’s LAGUERTA²¹;

Kaya’t ako’y nahintakutan ng tunay at SOBRA…

Say ni SIS²²: “Sayang nga pero DELIKADONG TALAGA!”

  

Kaya Brod BUTCH, please accept my APOLOGY…

Marami ding BRODS ang nag-expect ng TRILOGY²³;

Pero kahit na paano, si LOLIT ay nagpa-WALANDYO²⁴,

Magkikita kami sa BAMBI^24a, upang siya’y magpa-VIDEO²⁵!

  

Kaya mga poging PI O BRODS at “byuting” SISSES ko…

Kung meron pang mga nagdududa sa inyo,

Kapag kayo’y may tiyempo sasamahan ko paroon-parito;

Sa bahay ni Manay LOLIT — hahainan tayo ng TSAA’t BISCOCHO!

 

[Manay LOLIT’s PA-CUTE look!]

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[Legend: 1 – Brod BUTCH CAPARAS is an alumni-member of the PI OMICRON FRATERNITY (my fraternity) of the HOLY ANGELS ACADEMY Chapter in San Fernando, Pampanga.

2 – “Maghimas ng rehas”, actually is a Tagalog idiom (i.e. more completely phrased as: “maghimas ng malamig na rehas”, which means to be incarcerated in prison or in jail.

3 – PERJURY in its generic sense is a crime committed when a person tells a lie in a statement made under oath.

4 – The term “NOTARY” is used here to imply that I made a written vow under oath and notarized by a notary public to the effect that I will bring Sis LOLIT SOLIS to the 3^rd National Convention of the PI OMICRON Fraternity to be held at the ORIENTAL HOTEL in Legazpi City. But, the term NOTARY was principally used to achieve a RHYME.

5 – Sis LOLIT SOLIS has an immense fondness for the MILAGROSA type of rice; thus, I did bring a sack of the rice as gift to Sis LOLIT.

6 – When Sis LOLIT SOLIS promised that she will attend the NATCON, it was on the condition that airfare for her and her assistant GORGY RULA will have to be covered by us, meaning Brod BERT SOMERA and me. I told Brod BERT that I will take care of it.

7 – PUTSCH implies some kind of violent reaction. The term is used here by way of some kind of HYPERBOLE. Well, as Brod BUTCH CAPARAS spoke over the phone, he sort of sounded a bit VIOLENT. He,he,he…

8 – Actually, for a time Sis LOLIT SOLIS may have acquired the title of MOVIEDOM’s TSISMIS QUEEN. From time to time, I will call up Sis LOLIT and ask her about the more recent TSISMIS (i.e. GOSSIP/RUMOR) in the world of the silver screen.

9 –  PANGULO refers to incumbent PIOAA President, BERT SOMERA.

10 –  NORTH FAIRVIEW which is part of Quezon City has an UNDULATING terrain; sometimes sloping. DALISDIS is Tagalog term for SLOPING.

11 – DELTA PI OMICRON SORORITY is the sorority-partner of my fraternity, the PI OMICRON FRATERNITY.

12 – BITIN as a Tagalog term is sued to imply a feeling of ASKANCE and DOUBT among my DELTA PI OMICRON sisses as they themselves do not know about Sis LOLIT as being a true DELTA PI sis.

13 – “DINI-DISMISS” is used here as a term (actually an English word which has been “TAGALIZED”) implying continued SKEPTICISM.

14 – AMIGA means FRIEND. Some students then during our time in UP Diliman, have the propensity to hang-out in a place know to be the hang-out of a particular organization, not as a member thereof but as a mere FRIEND of the organization.

15 – I eventually asked and confirmed from Sis PATRICIA SALVADOR-DAWAY, who is a UP Law graduate too and a member of the Philippine Bar and who also served as Associate Dean of the UP College of Law, that indeed Sis LOLIT is a DELTA PI OMICRON Sorority member.

16 – VERITY means TRUTH.

17 – NATCON is the 3^rd National Convention of the PI OMICRON FRATERNITY/DELTA PI OMICRON SORORITY to be held on December 15-17, 2017 at the Oriental Hotel in Legazpi City.

18 – DURUHAGI is a Tagalog term which means: “TO BE AGGRIEVED, TO BE WRONGED or TO BE INJURED”. The terms is used in this BLOG as some kind of HYPERBOLE.

18a – MANAY is Sis LOLIT SOLIS.

19 – PAL is Philippine Airlines.

20 –  MAHADERA is a funny term which means a domineering woman and is used in this BLOG to refer to Sis LOLIT SOLIS.

21 –  LAGUERTA means GARDEN. With ORIENTAL HOTEL’s being nestled atop a hill, it is actually surrounded by a natural garden of greenery and an environment of plant life.

22 – SIS refers to Sis LOLIT SOLIS.

23 –  TRILOGY is a jocular reference to the fact that with TWO (2) renowned brods who will speak on matters of their own expertise particularly PI O Brods VON HERNANDEZ ( who served as Executive Director of GREENPEACE-SOUTHEAST ASIA) and Brod JAIME ARISTOTLE ALIP (founder and Managing Director of CARD Bank, Inc.); Sis LOLIT SOLIS is seen as someone who could speak with expertise about the movie industry.

24 –  “NAG-PA-WALANDYO” is a term which connotes to do something good or wonderful. WALANDYO is actually a Tagalog slang which means “WONDERFUL”, “AMAZING” or “FANTASTIC”.

24a – BAMBI is the Bambi Fuentes Beauty Salon located along Timog Avenue in Quezon City where Sis LOLIT feels so at home being her favorite beauty parlor.

25 – VIDEO refers to the arrangement forged between me and Sis LOLIT SOLIS where she will make some kind of a speech to which I will “VIDEO” or convert in a VIDEO clip and to be shown and projected on the screen at the 3^rd NATIONAL CONVENTION of the PI OMICRON FRATERNITY and the DELTA PI OMICRON SORORITY at the Oriental Hotel in Legazpi City.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Here’s a group photo of those who participated in the SECOND ASPAC BADMINTON TOURNAMENT held on November 30, 2017 at the BADMINTON HALL which saw action among the FOUR (4) competing teams; namely: WHITE, BLUE, RED and YELLOW Teams.]

 

Matagumpay na naidaos ang TORNEO,

Ito’y siyang pangalawa ng parents of ATENEO¹…

Proyekto ng ASPAC^1a, na kalipunan ng mga MAGULANG…

Pero sa TORNEO matindi ang naging GULANGAN!

 

 

GULANGANG masasabi pero STRATEGY din naman,

Kapag-BINODEGA² ang bagitong kalaban;

Siyempre lahat ay gustong mahirang na KAMPEON…

Apat na TEAMS,³ at lahat ay  sa tropeo NAKATUON!

 

 

Meron ding CASH PRIZE na di-naman kalakihan⁴,

Pero siyempre DATONG⁵ din itong pambili sa TINDAHAN;

May KAMOTE ding naging syang pa-PREMYO,

Masarap na ilaga⁶, lalo na’t variety na YELLOW!

 

  

Masaya din ang mga naging GUEST players,

As in fact, they were not required to be PAYERS⁷;

Free ENTRANCE ito para sa lahat ng KASALI,

May RAFFLE PRIZES… na mouthwash, PH care^7a at isang TV na MINI^7b!

 

Pero kwidaw kayo at nagalit si TINA⁸,

Gusto nyang makalaban lahat ng UUBRA^8a;

Pero lumamig din namang ang kanyang ULO,

At nanalong muli ang TEAM ng dating PANGULO⁹!

 

Sumigunda naman ang BLUE Team,

Na pinamumunuan ng bagong VP¹⁰ namin;

Pumangatlo sa scoring ang WHITE Team ni KATTIE¹¹,

Si Juliet REMORQUE¹² naman ang syang naguwi ng KAMOTE!

 

 

Aba! DOBLE naman ang TSIBUGANG¹³ MATINEE¹⁴,

Meron ngang BOODLE-FIGHT at meron pa ding BUFFET!

Yaong hindi sanay sa pagkaing-KAMAY-KAMAYAN…

Sa BUFFET nga pumila  at mas mukhang SOSYALAN!

 

 

Tuwang-tuwa naman ako’t ang mga BRODS at SIS ko¹⁵…

Nakuhang lumahok sa TUNGGALIANG ito;

Si Brod NELIO ALCIM ay tuwang-tuwa sa dami ng PAGKAIN,

Ganun din ang BIBANG-BIBA¹⁶ na Sis kung si MADELYN!

 

 

Si Brod BUTCH LERIO naman kahit na galing sa FLU¹⁷,

Lumaban ng HUSTO– yan ang BROD na tunay at TRUE;

Kaya nagmamadaling umuwi ng SAN MATEO¹⁸,

Binabalak pala niya’y ang anak nya’y mag-ATENEO¹⁹!

 

 

Oo nga pala — si Brod DOC ED QUITIQUIT^19a!

Nagdala pa talaga siya ng MEDICAL KIT,

Isinama pa niya si PAUL^19b na ASSISTANT niya;

Upang ang GAMES ay di-magdulot ng DISGRASYA!

 

 

Pero ang “starring”²⁰ at much-in-demand PA!

Siyempre ang CUCUMBER JUICE ni DIGNA GAVINA²¹;

Marami ngang GUESTS²² na umorder daw sa KANYA,

Kaya nung SUNDAY’s²³ badminton game sa HALL, lahat ay hinahanap SYA!

 

 

Pero mabuti’t ang THUNDERSTORM²⁴ ay  dumating sa TORNEO ng HAPON,

Kung sa umaga’y malaking naidulot na problema IYON;

Bumabaha ng KAUNTI ang kalsada sa may BADMINTON HALL,

Naku si MARITESS²⁵ baka nagpakarga kay RAUL²⁶!

 

[The most remarkable finish in the BADMINTON TOURNEY was garnered by the BLUE TEAM…The BLUE TEAM as tail-ender in the FIRST TOURNEY was awarded the KALABASA AWARD. In the SECOND ASPAC BADMINTON TOURNEY, it won SECOND PRIZE. The DEFENDING CHAMP, the YELLOW Team; retained their TITLE.]

 

 

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[Legend: 1 – The Badminton Tournament which was held on November 30, 2017 at the BADMINTON HALL was a project of the ATENEO SCHOOLS PARENTS COUNCIL. It was the SECOND BADMINTON TOURNAMENT as the FIRST was held on May 1, 2017.

1a – ASPAC is acronym for ATENEO SCHOOLS PARENTS COUNCIL.

2 – BINOBODEGA is a slang and/or a badminton lingo which means hitting the shuttlecock in  manner that it would land, propel or lunge into the direction of the less-skilled or unskilled badminton player mostly done in a DOUBLES-GAME. The presumption is that the unskilled or less-skilled badminton player would not be able to hit or return the shuttlecock back to the opposing team.

3 – There were FOUR (4) competing teams during the SECOND ASPAC BADMINTON TOURNAMENT, namely: WHITE TEAM, BLUE TEAM, YELLOW TEAM and RED TEAM.

4 – The CASH PRIZES at stake during the November 30, 2017 TOURNEY are as follows: Php 10,000.00 to the CHAMPION, Php 5,000.00 to the SECOND-PLACER and Php 3,000.00 for the THIRD PLACER.

5 – DATONG is Tagalog slang for MONEY.

6 – ILAGA is Tagalog term for “TO BOIL”, as in BOILED KAMOTE.

7 – The SECOND ASPAC BADMINTON TOURNAMENT was actually an invitational tourney as no entrance fee or participation fee was required.

7a – The most prominent guest player during the BADMINTON TOURNAMENT who was so joyously glad to have received a package of PH Care as RAFFLE prize is Angeles City Executive RTC Judge, Hon. OMAR VIOLA.

7b – The mini-TV set was won by Ms. Jo Gadot, the better-half of Col. Sanny Gadot.

8 – TINA is Ms. Cristina B. Andaya, a BOARD MEMBER of ASPAC and is without doubt the best and the most skilled badminton players among the lady members of the ASPAC.

8a- UUBRA is a Tagalog term which means “to be able” or “to have the capacity or capability for”; as in this case, the capacity to play the game with the most skilled badminton player in the whole of present ASPAC members, actually. It was TINA’s contention (as quoted too by Atty. Raul Panlasiqui)  that the team that should emerge as CHAMP must the “best among the best”.

9 – The “dating Pangulo” of ASPAC is Dr. Andy Tan who was the former Team Captain of the SECOND ASPAC BADMINTON TOURNAMENT in view of a very urgent professional engagement.

10 –  VP is incumbent ASPAC Vice-President Robert Tan, who is the Team Captain of the BLUE TEAM.

11 – KATTIE aka Katherine Ngsuy Sy is incumbent ASPAC President of ASPAC and the Team Captain of the  WHITE TEAM.

12 – JULIET REMORQUE is incumbent ASPAC Treasurer and is the Team Co-Captain of the RED TEAM with Regional State Prosecutor Richard Fadullon as the RED TEAM’s Co-Captain.

13 – TSIBUGAN is slang for  “EATING SPREE”.

14 – MATINEE is used in this BLOG to mean an activity or a performance done in the morning or in the day; not a nighttime.

15 – I invited some of my brods and as sis in the PI OMICRON FRATERNITY; and it was good that Brods NELIO ALCIM (who is alumni member of the CLSU-PI OMICRON Chapter) and BUTCH LERIO (who is alumni member of the UP-Diliman-PI OMICRON mother chapter) as well as a sis from the DELTA PI OMICRON, in the person of Sis Madelyn Lazaro (CLSU-DELTA PI OMICRON) accepted mu invitation to play in the TOURNEY.

16 – BIBANG-BIBA is a Tagalog term, actually derived from the Spanish word “VIVA”, which means lively and energetic.

17 – Brod BUTCH LERIO was actually downed by INFLUENZA about 2 weeks ago before the TOURNAMENT date.

18 – SAN MATEO is the hometown and present residence of Brod BUTCH LERIO.

19 – Brod BUTCH LERIO confided to me his desire and aspiration to enroll his child at the ATENEO LOYOLA SCHOOLS in the future, after graduating from HIGH SCHOOL.

19a  – I sought the assistance of my fraternity brother, Doctor ED QUITIQUIT, who after working in the Middle East for so many years following his graduation from UERM, has decided to do volunteer medical work in the adjoining Barangay Socorro where his family resides. Brod ED went to the GAMES not to play but to administer medical assistance/help in case one of the more senior badminton players would need such help. As my team-tandem-mate and co-ASPAC member, Emily, sufered a gash on her knee after accidentally doing a fall; the medical kit brought by Brod ED came in handy.

19b – PAUL NOVELOSO was brought in too by Brod ED to help him in, as part of a MEDICAL TEAM stationed at the back of the UMPIRE’s desk during the GAMES. Thanks Brod ED and PAUL! 

20 –  “Starring” is an English term which has acquired a Filipino-slang meaning of being the cynosure or focus of attention.

21 –  DIGNA GAVINA is Doctor Digna Gavina aka DIGS, and who is an incumbent BOARD MEMBER of the ATENEO SCHOOLS PARENTS COUNCIL (“ASPAC”).  DIGS usually brings her famous CUCUMBER JUICE in most ASPAC parties and celebrations and her CUCUMBER JUICE is so much desired and much applauded and praised for its delectable taste.

22 – A lot of NON-ASPAC badminton players who have participated in the SECOND ASPAC BADMINTON TOURNAMENT actually placed order from DIGS to perhaps have their kith and kin taste this delectable juice-concoction that DIGS have made out.

23 –  At the regular Sunday badminton games (i.e. December 3, 2017), most lady badminton players were following up from me their order of DIGS’ wonderful juice-concoction.

24 –  Days before the TOURNAMENT, I actually checked in the INTERNET, the weather forecast for November 30, 2017 (a Thursday; and a holiday). My verification told me that November 30, 2017 weather forecast showed THUNDERSTORM to happen in the early morning. It was good that the THUNDERSTORM arrived actually after lunch at around 1:30 PM.

25 – MARITESS is Maritess Cordero, who is an incumbent BOARD MEMBER of ASPAC. Maritess has  become the object of the usual jokes (at times, ribald) that Atty. RAUL PANLASIQUI (another ASPAC officer; actually Chairman of ASPAC’s COMELEC) would customarily crack during ASPAC’s meetings and other social activities.

26 – RAUL, as earlier said, is the current Chairman of the ASPAC COMELEC.]