[Undersecretary Ernesto G. Carolina is a retired Filipino military leader who serves in a civilian role. He is the author of the PDR Philippine Defense Reform Program at the Department of National Defense, and was also designated as the undersecretary in charge of implementing it. He also assisted the Secretary of National Defense in performing duties and exercising supervision and control over the Office of Civil Defense (OCD). USEC Carolina retired from the Philippine military with the rank of Lieutenant General in 2004. He is happily married to Ms. Aurora B. Dominguez and their marriage has been blessed with FOUR (4) children. ]
Thank you so much my esteemed GENERAL,
You truly are a distinguished EXEMPLAR;
You have exhibited much HUMILITY…
You’re also possessed with such pleasant PERSONALITY!
An outstanding graduate of the MILITARY ACADEMY,
Planned out a map to save our country from TRAGEDY;
Authored indeed a DEFENSE REFORM PROGRAM…
Entrusted to implement it, ‘tis indeed is not a SHAM!
In fact, the General is into assisting the DND SEC,
With respect to CIVIL DEFENSE, and that’s CORRECT;
Being a precise and accurate MATHEMATICIAN…
Let’s add up more to unity & division must be SHUNNED!
The eldest among his nine SIBLINGS,
He has made reforms in our vets’ DEALINGS;
An expert too in BUSINESS ECONOMICS…
His military career is so truly FANTASTICS!
You are the only MILITARY OFFICIAL,
Who has led your INFANTRY BATTALION to AWARDS, so SPECIAL;
Has been named as the BEST, 3 years in a ROW…
Your leadership qualities is really an AMAZING SHOW!
Thank you so much our ABLE ADMINISTRATOR,
You’ve helped much our Dad who looks like an ACTOR;
As you’re HANDSOMER and so truly GENTEEL and so SUAVE,
You could be the LEADING MAN with Dad Max as your GUARD!
MARAMING SALAMAT PO SA INYONG ARUGA AT PAGSUYO!!!!
[Whitney Ann who is endearingly called by the members of our clan simply as ANN, celebrated her 25th birthday at noontime today (January 5, 2019) at the La Creperie Restaurant along Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City; with her parents, siblings, her aunts and uncles and her cousins. Here is a FUN RHYME BLOG which I wrote for her based on horoscope accounts about the zodiac sign CAPRICORN (Ann being a Capricornian and Rooster-born based on the Chinese zodiac sign) I gathered from the INTERNET. Shown in this patchwork of photos is ANN at left while at top right is a photo of the trio: From L to R – Pam, Ann’s sister-in-law and gracious wife of Woody, Ann’s older brother; Ann and Ella, who is Ann’s cousin, being the daughter of my sister, Wilma and her hubby, Ronnie, At bottom right photo are the following: From L to R – Ella, Bambi, another cousin, being the daughter of my brother Winston and his wife Rally; and Winnie, another cousin, being the daughter of my brother Wilbert and his wife Amy.]
As a CAPRICORN born on January 5, NINETEEN NINETY-FOUR…
You’re so ENERGETIC, HARDWORKING and one who’s so ADORED…
You’re always watchful of those tiny ERRORS,
But you’ve learned a lot from those FAMILY TOURS!
You’re a DETERMINED person who is so HELPFUL…
And your KINDNESS extends even to all kinds of PEOPLE,
And you love those beautiful and elegant THINGS,
But with your KINDNESS, you want to share them with other BEINGS!
As a ROOSTER person, you’re SKILLFUL and BRIGHT…
You were born with much CONFIDENCE; but OVER-CONFIDENCE is a BLIGHT…
You’re also seen as CONSCIENTIOUS but IMPATIENT…
‘Tis not good for you, as you could get sick and turn into a PATIENT!
People with the Chinese zodiac sign of ROOSTER,
Teems with novel ideas that they can list in a ROSTER;
They are so enthusiastic about their every TASK,
They could finish their jobs as quick as a FLASH!
Anent your health, indeed; do take some extra PRECAUTION,
You’re seen as a WORKAHOLIC , who always wants ACTION…
The horoscope says that you could suffer from ARTHRITIS…
And please, your meals…you must never ever MISS!
You ought indeed to be truly PUNCTUAL…
With respect to your meals, your work and sleep, that’s NOCTURNAL…
For you’ll have stable income at an early AGE,
And abundant fortune in your adulthood is somewhat PRESAGED!
Go ahead and do travel AROUND,
Appreciate those beautiful scenery that nature has FOUND;
Avoid however parachuting and bungee JUMPING,
Those are deemed dangerous and not your kind of THING!
On this your natal day my dear ANN…
I wish to greet you with hilarious laughter and much FUN;
You have brought much joy to your vast CLAN;
I’ll pray you’ll receive your abundant fortune on a SILVER PAN!
[The W Station Hotel is located in central Bangkok. It is just a 5-minute walk from BTS Wongwian Yai Skytrain Station. The W Station Hotel offers easy access to both Bangkok Old Town Area and the city proper. Guests can enjoy at stylish restaurant and free WiFi. Attractions such as The Grand Palace and Bangkok City Pillar are within a 20-minute drive from the hotel. The management as well as the hotel staff are all truly courteous, amiable, jolly and so very kind.]
The W STATION Hotel is truly a homey STATION,
As it is run by a kind Thai family with cheery DISPOSITION;
The grandma is supervising the cooking at the KITCHEN,
I really love the dish of sautéed CHICKEN!
At the lobby, there are lots of board GAMES,
And it’s always filled with gents and DAMES;
A play den in one nook, with a foot MASSAGER —
It relieves the stress and it works even BETTER!
The 5-storey Hotel is like a HOME,
The parents manage the hotel with a BEACON;
Always caring as though with a SONG,
Will stay here again, perhaps for LONG!
I had a talk with SOMCHAI SOMSUKE, the OWNER…
Well, it’s perhaps family-owned, but he’s the FATHER,
He has set a very good EXAMPLE to IMITATE;
Hey! Enterprising THAIS must take a cue from what they’ve MADE!
This venture that the SOMSUKE family has SET,
I am sure will create a continuing CHAIN-EFFECT;
Foreign tourists will indeed be BENEFITTED,
Tourists’ options will be expanded in their choice of BOARD and BED.
‘Twas told why the Hotel is named W STATION,
For it is nearest to the train JUNCTION;
It is the WONGWIAN YAI train STATION,
Placing the Hotel thereby in an accessible LOCATION!
[The Chatuchak area acquired its name from the large public park of the same name. However, the area is best known for the largest market in Asia, the Chatuchak Weekend Market. Chatuchak also provides a convenient gateway to other areas in the north of Bangkok, such as Vipawadee Rangsit, Ladprao and Saphan Kwai. Popular with locals and visitors the large parks in Chatuchak attract many families and those looking for a convenient escape from downtown Bangkok. What’s more, a multitude of transport options make Chatuchak very easy to access, thanks to the MRT Underground Station at Chatuchak Park, the northern terminal station of the BTS Skytrain called Mo Chit, and a countless number of bus lines.]
The CHATUCHAK Market is beaming with PRIDE,
It’s filled with diverse shoppers in tow with a GUIDE;
Our Divisoria market really needs an UPGRADE,
To attract more tourists with an excellent GRADE!
Sayang ang ganda ng ating BANSA,
Kung mga turista na tunay na NAGNANASA…
Makakita talaga ng magagandang TANAWIN,
At sa mga MALLS nati’y tunay na ALIWIN!
Dapat malagyan ng malaking food court ang DIVI,
Kung maari sana’y maglagay din ng malaking TV…
At mapanood nila magagandang tourist SITES,
Baguio, Boracay, Tagaytay at ilang Manny Pacquiao FIGHTS!
Sana nga’y matapos na ang Skyway na MAHABA,
Para mga biyahe’y di na MAANTALA;
Bibilis ang trip papunta sa BAGUIO…
Pwede din sa Tagaytay at mas malapit sa METRO!
Yon mga transport vehicles natin katulad ng GRAB,
Dapat din mag upgrade para mas MASARAP;
Mag-install ng karaoke yong OKEY na OKEY…
Para singing will be outside and inside the TROLLEY!
[The size of Chatuchak Market in Bangkok, Thailand is really the main selling point – it is so huge that you really can find anything you are looking for, along with many things you never knew you wanted!
Altogether there are something in the region of 8,000 stalls and, size-wise, Chatuchak Market is the largest market in Thailand and one of the largest markets in the world. It attracts around 200,000 visitors each day of the weekend, and, according to the official website about 30% of those visitors are foreign tourists. While there is a large number of foreigners the predominant visitors are locals, and, this always says a lot about a place if the locals frequent it too.]
The CHATUCHAK Market is beaming with PRIDE,
It’s filled with diverse shoppers in tow with a GUIDE;
Our Divisoria market really needs an UPGRADE,
To attract more tourists with an excellent GRADE!
Sayang ang ganda ng ating BANSA,
Kung mga turista na tunay na NAGNANASA…
Makakita talaga ng magagandang TANAWIN,
At sa mga MALLS nati’y tunay na ALIWIN!
Dapat malagyan ng malaking food court ang DIVI,
Kung maari sana’y maglagay din ng malaking TV…
At mapanood nila magagandang tourist SITES,
Baguio, Boracay, Tagaytay at ilang Manny Pacquiao FIGHTS!
Sana nga’y matapos na ang Skyway na MAHABA,
Para mga biyahe’y di na MAANTALA;
Bibilis ang trip papunta sa BAGUIO…
Pwede din sa Tagaytay at mas malapit sa METRO!
Yon mga transport vehicles natin katulad ng GRAB,
Dapat din mag upgrade para mas MASARAP;
Mag-install ng karaoke yong OKEY na OKEY…
Para singing will be outside and inside the TROLLEY!
[The TOURISM INDUSTRY in Thailand is wonderfully growing by leaps and bounds as it is now next to CHINA as the most visited tourist-destination in ASIA. In fact, Thailand has now out-paced Japan with a record 35 million in tourists’ arrivals for 2018. After visiting the newly-opened ICON SIAM Mall in Bangkok [opened only in November 2018 and where its investors poured in US $ 2.28 Billion (equivalent to 54 Billion baht or about Php 100 Billion)] to built the edifice), I said to myself that the Philippines must now focus its eyes in TOURISM DEVELOPMENT in order to upgrade itself from its cellar-position where Vietnam has in fact outranked it based on 2017 figures. Still, our country, the Philippines, is lagging behind as only about 7 million tourists’ arrivals have been registered in 2018. Enterprising middle-class Thai citizens have gone into putting up mini-hotels, thus, expanding the options of tourists to avail of cleaner, homey and cheaper lodging accommodations. I think we have to spark this kind of entrepreneurship in our country, in the Philippines, NOW.]
We really have a lot to
learn from the THAIS,
Especially with respect to improving our TIES…
Specifically our ties with foreign NATIONS,
The prospective sources of tourist POPULATIONS!
We must beautify our MALLS,
And not just fill it up with STALLS;
We ought to make it more UNIQUE,
And not just build a plain BOUTIQUE!
Tourism development must be the CALL,
Let’s build a high-end super MALL;
A foreign friend just made a QUIP,
Our MOA is not even quite UNIQUE!
The MOA of our very own NATION,
Has downgraded to a rural VERSION;
It’s not the largeness that really COUNTS,
‘Tis beauty and majestic elegance that’s the success’ FOUNTS!
Our SM malls have also dreadfully ALTERED,
The meaning of what’s “majestically MASTERED”;
They have taken the path of banal MULTIPLICATION,
Instead of a better ornate BEAUTIFICATION!
For what indeed attract those tourists ACTUALLY,
Is what is beautiful and done MAJESTICALLY;
We ought now to focus on tourism DEVELOPMENT…
So we could attract our people’s COMMITMENT!
We ought to preserve too our nation’s CULTURE,
And not just destroy walls, old buildings and MORE;
Our native brethren must be DIGNIFIED,
So that our nation will be SOLIDIFIED!
The greed of commerce has VIVIFIED,
The lure for profits in some sort of STRIDE;
Pope Francis said that greed must be TEMPERED…
Our nation’s pride and culture must always be REVERED!
The ICON SIAM in Bangkok, THAILAND;
Is the fanciest mall to where I have GONE…
It is even the biggest mall along the Chao Phraya RIVER,
The indoor floating market is its majestic LOOKER!
Indeed, ICON SIAM has mixed the new and the OLD;
It brought its FLOATING MARKET culture unto its FOLD…
[I and my family went on a 5-day holiday to THAILAND and I really was amazed with the new sights and sounds of THAILAND. We were in THAILAND in 2002, but the sensation and amazement that we experienced in our recent trip was much more spectacular and amazing. For which reason, I was swayed to write this FUN RHYME BLOG.]
‘Tis indeed nice to go to THAILAND,
A country which enjoys a rising FUND;
Funds accruing from tourists from all over the GLOBE,
I wish our country will take a cue from the STROBE!
A strobe indeed is a flash of LIGHT,
To guide our leaders unto what’s best and RIGHT;
To preserve our forests and clean up the MESS…
And fill up our nation’s funds’ CHEST!
Peace and quiet must reign INDEED,
In our country where rebels still BLEED…
A failed rebellion Duterte has SAID,
Still however, prospective tourists are AFRAID!
Our past “CLEAN AND GREEN” nation’s MOTTO…
Must be revived and sustained IN TOTO,
Those metro aides before must be RETURNED;
All, for tidiness’ sake must now be CONCERNED!
The pomegranate juice sold in the streets of Bangkok is REFRESHING,
And the coconut ice cream is much more ENERGIZING;
The DURIAN fruit appeared so very INVITING,
And the birds’ nest soup truly TANTALIZING!
Our country’s employees in the travel industry must follow SUIT,
Be like the Thais who are eager in their PURSUIT…
Eager to serve and courteous at its BEST,
Their SAWADEE greeting is always at one’s BEHEST!
The Thais are even more creative and so CUTTING-EDGE,
They’ve turned their boys to girls and no one feels OUTRAGED;
The ladyboys are even prettier and perhaps much SWEETER …
I’ll ask my son Tonton, if this claim is a NO-BRAINER!
