[At left is the blown-up facial photo of Brod FELIXBERTO “JUN” OLALIA, Jr. which was placed adjacent to his coffin as his remains lie in state at the AGONCILLO Room at the MANILA MEMORIAL PARK CHAPELS. Interment was held at 9:00 o’clock this morning (November 18, 2018) at the same MANILA MEMORIAL PARK. At right, is the group photo of Brod JUN’s classmates at the UP College of Law: (From L to R- Atty, Alfredo M. Duran, Manila RTC Executive Judge Reynaldo A. Alhambra, who is also my frat brod in the PI OMICRON; myself and Atty. Ariel F. Abonal, who was formerly the Chief Legal Counsel of CALTEX. )]   

 

I first met him in February 1967,

As my FRAT MASTER¹ wearing white polo, so finely WOVEN²;

He struck me as truly NEAT and CLEAN,

He’s so fastidious,  wants his shirt SMARTLY TUCKED-IN!

 

 

He became my seatmate at LAW SCHOOL³,

And became my PERSONALITY & DEPORTMENT MENTOR;

He gives a lot of advice as though drawing from a POOL…

Would suggest a PERFUME, when mine is BAD ODOR!

 

 

He’s  a valiant advocate of NATIONALISM,

Speaks highly of RECTO and  CONSTANTINO; those who espouse SOCIALISM!

He adores his DAD so very DEARLY,

KA BERT⁴ of KMU⁵… is his IDOL and HERO CLEARLY!

 

 

 

As a BROD and FRIEND, JUN is much CONCERNED…

Any misbehavior…for JUN,  would be surely SPURNED…

He’s a stickler about NEATNESS & GOOD ETHICS…

With peculiar HAND GESTURE, just one of his comic ANTICS⁶!

 

 

As a JUDGE, JUN was FAIR and JUST,

He was constantly so in the DOCK⁷;

Staying on trial even after TWELVE, but don’t ever KNOCK⁸…

The MOTTO, SPEEDY JUSTICE, for him is a MUST!

 

 

I really owe a lot to Brod JUN,

If not for him, I would have been severely sanctioned;

I did a mischievous act which rocked our FRAT…

As HEAD of our FRAT, Brod  JUN just gave me a mere WRIST-SLAP!

 

 

 

Let’s pray for Brod JUN and for his family,

His parting I am sure would bring much LEGACY;

For JUN has taught and supplied much EDUCATION…

For me, his students⁹, lots of COMPANY¹⁰; were given CEREBRAL ERUDITION!

 

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

[Legend: 1 – I joined the PI OMICRON FRATERNITY in February 1967 as a greenhorn neophyte and it was Brod Jun Olalia who gave me the first impression of the fraternity as a genteel and respectable organization.

2 – Brod Jun was fond then of wearing immaculately-clean white polo shirts and I would almost always perceive those white polo shirts as nicely sewn and finely designed.

3 – In June 1974, I and Brod Jun became classmates at the UP College of Law (Evening Section) and we were seatmates occupying the front row seats nearest to the professor’s table.It was Brod Jun who cajoled me to take a seat at the front row (while I was then intent to sit at the rearmost portion of the class) with him as my seatmate. Brod Jun advised me that it would be to our best interest (to be at the front row)  to be able to hear clearly the professor’s lectures and to be always attentive at class.

4 – KA BERT is Brod Jun’s father, who is Brod Jun’s name sake: FELIXBERTO OLALIA, Sr.

5 – KMU is the labor organization which Brod Jun’s father, KA BERT, founded and organized.

6 – Brod Jun when ever he would want to bring up laughter at times with jokes and antics (during our usual bonding at our hang-out) would usually mimic the gesture of a comedian, whose name I cannot already recall (senior moments), and we will all burst out into incessant laughs and wild guffaws.

7 – DOCK has the slang meaning which refers to a court trial.

8 – KNOCK has the slang meaning which refers to the act of criticizing.

9 – Brod JUN taught as a professor on business law at the PHILIPPINE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY.

10- Brod JUN was much involved, when he worked at his father’s office, in spreading education to a host of labor organizations and labor unions of various companies particularly with respect to the protection of labor unions and their respective members.]

 

 

[BARRY is shown in this photo in an elegant, stylish and smart poise and stance…truly handsome and so smart. Amidst the seemingly nonsensical graffiti on the wall behind BARRY, my handsome and smart nephew emerges as the cool and refreshing breeze that gives SENSE to all those seeming helter-skelter confusion in life and in the business world. After BARRY’s scholastic stint at the Hongkong University in Science and Technology, I am sure  that with such a globally-oriented education, he will eventually emerge and become a business icon in our country animated with academic originality, open-mindedness, innovative spirit and a truly daring zest towards that can-do attitude.]

 

He’s the son of my brod WINSTON aka JING…

And WINSTON married a lady who’s an ABRA[1] offspring,

Being an ABRA folk, it has always been the TALK…

 Those folks from ABRA are so versatile like the STALK[2]!

 

 

And BARRY could have inherited the VERSATILITY…

 ‘Tis BARRY’s skillfulness and true DEXTERITY!

He’s a CHARTERED FINANCIAL ANALYST[3] LEVEL THREE;

 A pride and joy for the clan & his FAMILY!

 

 

Alas, BARRY’s expertise was again shown at the FORE[4]…

It was at the Hongkong University which I truly ADORE[5],

BARRY was WINNER at the CONTEST[6];

He zoomed with JOY and with much daring ZEST!

 

 

As BARRY was born under the GEMINI SIGN[7],

He truly is one who is so INTELLECTUALLY INCLINED…

BARRY is so relentlessly POSITIVE,

He always seeks for more INFO as though so ADDICTED!

 

 

BARRY is both LA SALLIAN[8] & ATENEAN[9],

He could be termed as the country’s best SCHOOLS’ SCION;

That’s perhaps the reason he’s good in BUSINESS…

But is it true that until now, BARRY is  still LOVELESS?

(I won’t believe it, as BARRY is certainly a craving lady’s “feast”!!!!)

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

[Legend: * – BARRY  is Wilbur Belisario Young, the second child and the only son of the marital consortium between my brother WINSTON and his lovey-dovey wife, Ralita “Rally” Belisario-Young.

(1) – ABRA is a province in the Philippines which has positioned itself as the BAMBOO CAPITAL OF THE PHILIPPINES, the province from where Rally was born. And as ABRA stands for BAMBOO, its inhabitants/folks could be likened to the principal traits of a BAMBOO, as strong but so very resilient. And these traits virtually describe the principal character of RALLY, Barry’s mother and Jing’s wife.

(2) –STALK is some kind of a reference to the bamboo plant,  as it is deemed as so VERSATILE, by reason of the fact that it is strong but resilient and that it can grow as tall and woody or like a stalk particularly with respect to bamboos of the small variety which are herbaceous in character.

(3) – The Chartered Financial Analyst Program is a professional credential offered internationally by the American-based CFA Institute to investment and financial professionals. The program covers a broad range of topics relating to investment management, financial analysis, stocks, bonds and derivatives, and provides a generalist knowledge of other areas of business finance.

(4) – FORE – Early on, Barry was able to show that he really has that competence and skillful proclivity, knack and exceptional talent on business finance. And Barry after starting his further education in Hongkong only in July 2018; was able to exhibit his expert flair by emerging as winner in a scholastic contest held at the Hongkong University where he intends to further hone and enhance his qualifications as Chartered Financial Analyst.

(5) – ADORE – I am truly impressed with this Hongkong University of Science and Technology. It truly is a dynamic, international research university, in relentless pursuit of excellence, which leads in the advance of science, technology, business and humanities, and educating the new generation of front-runners for the world. Since its official opening in October 1991, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology has established itself as an intellectual powerhouse, energizing the community’s transformation into a knowledge-based society, and securing a place on the academic world map in record-breaking time.

(6) – CONTEST – The scholastic contest which Barry won at the HKUST is the HKUST GLOBAL 2018 MBA INTERNAL CASE COMPETITION.

(7) – GEMINI SIGN – Barry was born on June 13, 1989 under the Gemini zodiac sign.

(8) –    LA SALLIAN – Barry attended GRADE SCHOOL and HIGH SCHOOL at the La Salle Greenhills. La Salle Greenhills is part of what is better known as the DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY aka DLSU. DLSU  is identified by the Philippine Commission on Higher Education (CHED) as a “Center of Excellence” in six of its programmes, and a “Center of Development” in 3 of its programmes. The university is also among the 40 institutions granted autonomous status by CHED as of 2010. Likewise, it is the first of the only two institutions granted the highest-level accreditation (Level IV) by the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU). The university ranks 151-160th and 601-650th in the 2013 Asian University Rankings and 2013 World University Rankings, respectively, published by Quacquarelli Symonds.

(9)  – ATENEAN – Barry attended COLLEGE at the ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY aka ADMU, particularly under its Loyola Schools program.  In 2005, the Loyola Schools programmes of the ADMU have been granted Level IV accreditation—the highest possible level—from the Philippines Commission on Higher Education (CHED) through the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines (FAAP) and the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU). In 2011 it was also granted Institutional Accreditation by the same body, the first time that both citations were awarded to a university simultaneously. ADMU is one of the few universities granted autonomous status by CHED, which likewise recognizes a number of the university’s programmes and departments as Centers of Excellence and Centers of Development.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ANGELO FALCONI, is without doubt, the best HAIRSTYLIST/TONSORIAL ARTIST in the Philippines nowadays. ANGELO was once the HAIRSTYLIST of virtual First Lady HONEYLET AVANCEÑA and also the TONSORIAL ARTIST of President RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE.  In May of 2011, together with other top hairdressers, Angelo was chosen by MATRIX to represent the Philippines for the Best in Asia, in Bali, Indonesia.]

 

A HAIRSTYLIST who truly is PAR EXCELLENCE…

One will surely be glad and would be swayed to DANCE,

When ANGELO’S magic hands transform the LOCKS into LOOKERS…

Any guest will, am sure, go happily into BONKERS!

 

ANGELO’s motto is plainly SIMPLE…

Preserve your hair when ‘tis still a CRUMPLE,

But when your PATE has gone BALD,

It’s GONE and LOST as though a NASTY SCALD!

 

Be moderate in SHAMPOOING one’s HAIR…

Cause it would truly be unjust and UNFAIR,

For one’s scalp will be PARCHED and DRY…

Those bristles/whiskers will then be not SPRY!

 

Truly indeed,  ANGELO is not a mere HAIRSTYLIST…

Cause he even is a topnotch TONSORIAL ARTIST,

While a HAIRSTYLIST beautifies WOMEN…

ANGELO  makes HANDSOME beings from usual MEN!

 

ANGELO is also a hands-on EXPERT in COLOR…

Thru COLOR, one can project one’s ID and POWER!

ANGELO can upgrade one’s PERSONA a great leap YONDER…

You start as though a PAUPER and then be a gracious DEBONAIR!

 

Though ANGELO’s price is somewhat DEAR…

Don’t be BEFUDDLED and please never have FEAR,

For ANGELO is possessed with a generous and tender CHARACTER,

He acts with kindness  & reason and could just bill you next QUARTER!

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

[Legend: (1)* – ANGELO FALCONI’s main salon is located within the premises of the SHELL ALMANZA GASOLINE STATION        along the Alabang-Zapote Road in Las Piñas City, Metro-Manila. It has other branches in Molino and Bacoor, Cavite.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Here is a photo taken during the DESPEDIDA Party (held at the ASPAC Office along Seminary Road in ATENEO) for outgoing ASPAC President Katherine Ngsuy Sy aka KATTIE while I and Nap Quejada serenaded her with a Chinese song entitled YUE LIANG DAI BAO WO DE XIN roughly translated in ENGLISH as THE MOON REPRESENTS MY HEART. It was tipped to us by Kattie’s sister, Atty. Carol S. Lansang, that that song is Kattie’s favorite. Below is the FUN RHYME POEM, I similarly recited after the song rendition.]

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

PURPLE is your favorite COLOR…

You’re a mix of ROYALTY & POWER!

Being born on May 21, you truly are a Taurus-Gemini CUSPER**…

Being such a CUSPER, you’re strong and mentally AGILE,

Traits that enable you to adapt to situations with a sweet SMILE!

 

You’re GEMINI with NOVELTY as BRAND,

You’re purposely CREATIVE and you exhibit much ELAN….

As past ASPAC Prexy, you want to do a LOT…

Let’s reserve some for the next Prexy who may be put on the SPOT!

 

You’re a TRUE-BLUE ATENISTA, and an ABLE ECONOMISTA…

Tis’ good you never did brag about being ATENEAN,

Like the one who is ATTORNEY RAUL’s boisterous FAN —

 Your batch mate and your jolly mauve** *MISTAH****!

 

 

You are even a DYED-IN-THE WOOL DAVAOEÑA!

It would seem you’re leader too of the raging DUTERTE-MANIA,

Just like the POLITICAL WILL asserted by  DIGONG…

In ASPAC, you’ve always  sounded the clarion call with a GONG!

 

‘Twas told that you’re crazy with those Korean TELENOVELA….

I’m sure you’re smitten too with  Bae YOUNG-joon, the star of WINTER SONATA!

Got mesmerized too by actress Lee YOUNG-ae  who played Dae Jang Geum in the series of the same NAME…

Please be a fan too of the BOCELLI, BOWALLY ***** show, who sports the same name (i.e. YOUNG) and has now risen to FAME!

 

And as outgoing Prexy, my dearest magnanimous KATTIE…

You’ve indeed done a lot, as though ‘twas your cup of TEA!

We surely will never miss you as you’ll still be our  IPP…******

You’re a hard and indefatigable worker, pausing indeed only to PEE!!!!

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

[Legend: (1)* – KATTIE is Ms. Katherine Ngsuy Sy, the President of the ATENEO SCHOOLS PARENTS COUNCIL (ASPAC) for SY 2017-2018.

(2)**- CUSPER is a person who is born at the tip or cusp of two (2) astrological generations.

(3) ***- MAUVE means dark-complexioned.

(4) **** – MISTAH means batch mate.

(5)***** – BOCELLI, BOWALLY is the title of my birthday concert on September 15, 2018 where I did a rendition of 10 Andrea Bocelli songs.

(6) ****** – IPP means Immediate Past Prexy.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 [Left photo above shows the aggrupation of the ASPAC parents who attended the PARANGAL AWARDS NIGHT on April 20, 2018 at the 5th Floor of the Rizal Hall at the ATENEO. Right photo shows the ASPAC parents with the members of the NAYONG PILIPINO Troupe which WOWED and AMAZED the audience with a variety of their song-and-dance numbers. ASPAC is acronym for ATENEO SCHOOLS PARENTS COUNCIL and the PARANGAL is being regularly done to award faculty members of the ATENEO particularly those who excel in their teaching profession. The TITLE of this BLOG: “DAGUNDONG NA TAGUMPAY, PARANGAL AWARDS AY TUNAY NA KUMAMPAY” would roughly translate into English as: “ASTOUNDING SUCCESS, PARANGAL AWARDS HAS SOARED UNTO GREATER HEIGHTS”.]

 

Sinimulan ng PAMBUNGAD na PANALANGIN;

Umawit ang tambalang CATAYLO¹ at QUINTIN²,

Sinaliwan pa rin ng BALLET RENDITION;

Ng bunso kong si ALEE³ who was in high spirits & in good CONDITION!

 

 

Umariba pagkatapos ang NAYONG PILIPINO Troupe⁴;

Inawit nang buong giting ang anthem ng walang MALAPROP⁵,

Magaling at makisig ang EMCEE na si DWIGHT⁶,

Kabighabighani naman ang dilag na nasa kanyang RIGHT⁷!

 

 

Nagbigay naman ng PANIMULANG PANANALITA,

Ang PANGULO ng ASPAC⁸ may hatid na BALITA;

Aba’y magaling pala syang managalog,

Mabait na LIDER at kung minsan ay KALOG⁹!

 

  

May bating PANIMULA din syempre si Mam VILCHES¹⁰,

Siya’ng ATENEO VICE-PRESIDENT na truly elegant in DRESS;

She spoke too in so eloquent ENGLISH,

A true mark of an ATENEAN, a MASTERAL grad in Lit.¹¹!

 

 

 

Ginawaran pagkatapos ng PLAKE si Doc ANDY¹²,

Pirmado ni VILCHES, ni ANDREW¹³ at ni KATTIE¹⁴;

Aba syempre ay dapat din namang  PARANGALAN,

Tunay na daming ginawa si Doc ANDY sa taong nagdaan!

 

 

 

Nag-umpisa na rin ang PAGAWAD ng KARANGALAN,

Nagwagi si GARCIANO¹⁵ bilang TAGAPAMAGITAN¹⁶;

Siya’y tinanghal na MOST OUTSTANDING MODERATOR,

MATEMATIKA ang kanyang ginagamitan ng EXCALIBUR¹⁷!

 

 

 

Tumayo namang PINAKATANGI-TANGING GURO-PART TIME,

Si Ginang SIMPAS¹⁸, who is full of CHARM;

She is like a MOTHER, wika ni JOSEPH¹⁹,

So caring, comforting & calm … even in her INNER SELF!

 

At ang MOST OUTSTANDING FULL-TIME TEACHER naman,

Ay si DIDITH²⁰ na anak ni EMMA TAN²¹;

She is Dr. MA. MERCEDES T. RODRIGO,

A PhD from NOVA²² and a product too of the ATENEO!

 

At nagbigay ng  MENSAHE si Fr. JETT²³,

Bagamat humingi ng PATAWAD dahil siya’y na-LATE;

Pinuri nya ang ASPAC ng LUBOS at HUSTO,

Nakipag-chikahan pa kay Doc ANDY ng TODO!

 

At sa huling bahagi ng PARANGAL AWARDS NIGHT,

Nagtampok ng PALABAS ang NAYONG

PILIPINO …‘twas a SIGHT!

Makulay, magarbo at todo ang DISENYO²⁴,

Ang galing talaga, tunay na WALANDYO²⁵! 

 

 

CONGRATS SA ASPAC AT SA ATING LAHAT!

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

 

[Legend: 1 – CATAYLO is KENNETH “KEN” CATAYLO who is a tenor and who pitched in for CONRADO “DONDI” ONG (a tenor too and the only Filipino who was included in the cast of the PHANTOM OF THE OPERA). Dondi   had to beg off due to some unforeseen circumstance. Both Ken and Dondi are members of the PHILIPPINE TENORS and both of them are graduates of the UP College of Music.

2 –  QUINTIN is Stephan Quintin, a soprano who did the CELINE DION part in the song rendition of THE PRAYER, while Ken did the ANDREA BOCELLI part. Stephan is an alumnae-member of the ATENEO GLEE CLUB.

3 – ALEE is my youngest daughter MA. WINNALEE E. YOUNG, who is a sophomore in BS Psychology in the ATENEO LOYOLA SCHOOLS and she did a ballet rendition of the song THE PRAYER. Alee was in high spirits and was in good condition; perhaps knowing that she will be performing in front of the distinguished faculty members and administration officials of the ATENEO.

4 – TROUPE – a group of dancers, actors, or other entertainers who tour to different venues.

5 – MALAPROP specifically means the mistaken use of a word in place of a similar-sounding one; in this BLOG the word is used to mean the singing of the Philippine national anthem sans any mistake as it was a perfect rendition.

6 – DWIGHT is Atty. Dwight Ramos, a board member of the ASPAC and the incumbent Chairman of the GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE of ASPAC. He served as co-emcee in the PARANGAL AWARDS with Atty. Maricar Marquez as his female counterpart.

7 – RIGHT- refers to Atty, Maricar Marquez who stood to Atty, DWIGHT’s  RIGHT during the PARANGAL AWARDS program with a lectern in front of them emblazoned with the ASPAC logo.

8 – PANGULO ng ASPAC is President Katherine Ng Sy.

9- KALOG is a Tagalog slang which means FUNNY.

10 – Mam VILCHES is ATENEO LOYOLA SCHOOLS’ VPLS Vice-President Maria Luz C. Vilches.

11 – Mam VILCHES is a holder of an M.A. in Literature in the ATENEO.

12 – Doc ANDY is Doctor Alejandro Tan, who served in ASPAC for 5 years and as ASPAC President for 2 consecutive years (i.e. SY 2015-2016 and 2016-2017).

13 –  ANDREW is Andrew Puen, who is a current board member of ASPAC and the Chairman of the Faculty Affairs Committee of ASPAC, the committee which was in-charge of the planning, strategizing and implementing the PARANGAL Awards.

14 – KATTIE is ASPAC President Katherine Ng Sy, who really worked hardest and orchestrated the eventual implementation and holding of the PARANGAL AWARDS night. The PLAQUE awarded to Doc ANDY reads as follows:

“ATENEO SCHOOLS PARENTS COUNCIL (ASPAC)

presents this

Plaque of Appreciation

to

ALEJANDRO K. TAN, M.D.

ASPAC President

School Year 2015-2017

in recognition of his indefatigable efforts, his invaluable contributions as well as his unflinching dedication focused at ameliorating the general welfare of the Loyola Schools’ studentry as a whole, in vibrant partnership with the ATENEO community towards  a holistic education, affirming thereby ASPAC’s relevance as a parents’ organization.

Given this 20^th  day of April 2018 at the 5^th Floor Rizal Library,

Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City, Metro-Manila.”

15 – Dr. AGNES D. GARCIANO was hailed and awarded as the MOST OUTSTANDING MODERATOR.

16 – TAGAPAMAGITAN is the Tagalog term for MODERATOR.

17 – Dr. AGNES D. GARCIANO’s expertise is in the field of MATHEMATICS and that as MODERATOR she was able to effectuate as though with the magic of an EXCALIBUR the continued successes of her wards under the auspices of the ATENEO MATHEMATICS SOCIETY such as the MATH OLYMPIADS, among others.

18 – SIMPAS is Ms. Rizalina T. Simpas who was awarded as the MOST OUTSTANDING PART-TIME TEACHER.

19 – JOSEPH is Mr. Joseph P. Lumba is an ATENEO Loyola Schools student in BS CH-MSE and who stood as the NOMINATOR for Ms. Rizalina T. Simpas.

20- Didith is the nickname of Dr. Ma. Mercedes T. Rodrigo.

21- Emma Tan is the mother of Dr. Ma. Mercedes T. Rodrigo.

22 – NOVA is NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY located in 3301 College Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FLORIDA 33314, USA where Dr. Ma. Mercedes T. Rodrigo earned her PhD degree in Computer Tech in Education.

23 – Fr. JETT is Fr. Jose Ramon T. Villarin, S,J, who is the current President of the ATENEO.

24 – The NAYONG PILIPINO staged a variety of shows such as the SINGKIL, the TINIKLING, the MAGLALATIK Dance and the most wonderful of all,  the MALONG DANCE. There was a singing cum small play too of the ANG ANAK song where there was so much acting and wonderful singing.

25 – WALANDYO is a Tagalog slang which means WONDERFUL.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 [The photos above were taken during our 3-day stay in Michigan particularly at the Newberry Estates Home of my IDOL and FRIEND JOE CAMANO and his gracious wife GLO in Westland; thence at the COUNTRY INN SUITES in Holland, Michigan. Left photo was taken before we left for the DETROIT WAYNE AIRPORT on March 28, 2018 for our  return-flight to Los Angeles. Right-top photo was snapped at the Cafeteria of the Country Inn Suites in Holland, Michigan. Bottom-right photo was snapped at the IKEA as we headed back to Westland from out overnight trip to Holland, Michigan.]

 

 

It started out as a mere JOKE,

I literally drew myself into the house of  PADI¹ JOE;

I never would have actually ventured to go to DETROIT,

The searing coldness therein is truly MALADROIT!

 

 

But it indeed happened a couple of days  AGO,

Even with Daddy Max as part of the COMBO²;

I knew that Daddy Max truly hates the SNOW,

That was why he cut short his trip in OSLO³, years AGO!

 

 

My kinship with JOE actually DEEPENED,

When I made him inspiration of a BLOG that got WRITTEN⁴;

And then our correspondence went even

OFTEN…

Through FB and email and my love for  blogs even got HASTENED! 

 

 

 

Our trip to Westland, MICHIGAN⁵ was a bold VENTURE,

We braved through it despite the cold TEMPERATURE;

ALEXA⁶ would almost always be CONSULTED…

For in FAHRENHEITS, we always are

un-ACQUAINTED!

 

 

 

Thank you IDOL JOE for your magnanimous HOSPITALITY,

Thank you ATE GLO⁷ for your STERLING GENEROSITY…

Thank you LOREN⁸ and IGOR⁹ for that delectable DINNER,

Thank you KC¹⁰ and especially RICKY¹¹ for acting out like a BARTENDER¹²!

 

 

 

The JET LAG has affected my ability to SLEEP,

Thus, I had to avail of the assist of KNOB CREEK¹³;

And RICKY gave me sleep with the aid of DANIELS¹⁴,

That’s the whisky SINATRA¹⁵ loves as he narrates in his SPIELS!

 

 

 

Thank you too JOJO¹⁶ for driving us to the AIRPORT,

Though IDOL JOE complained your convoy route was not SHORT¹⁷;

I was even tempted to alight from the BENZ¹⁸, as I DID…

To insure that we get to the AIRPORT sans any WRONG DEED!

 

 

 

Thank you too MAUI¹⁹ and unto you ELI²⁰…

You brought us JOY and LAUGHTER even in bed as we LIE…

Those are JOE’s APOS²¹ and for them JOE has seemingly RETIRED…

Baby-sitting those angels, JOE has never felt TIRED!

 

 

 

Moreover and it truly is so CLEVER,

The way IAN²² does his HIGH-FIVER!

IAN truly jumps to make it HIGH,

I even felt that IAN actually wants to FLY!

 

 

 

 

But the tuition that I really have to PAY,

Is for the tutorial in CAPOEIRA²³ that IGOR did DISPLAY;

Never thought that a handsome and bright UKRAINIAN²⁴,

Would be so focused in JUJITSU²⁵ and the allied arts of JACKIE CHAN²⁶!

 

 

 

Indeed, in the field of MUSIC and  SINGING PROWESS,

RICKY REYES, JOE’s other son-in-law is BEST…

He sings like a virtuoso with a voice as though a YODEL²⁷,

And as he strums the GUITAR, he’d look like a dandy guitarist MODEL!

 

 

 

To the CAMANOs of  MICHIGAN, you’re an EPIC….

You’ve helped a lot of PEOPLE, and that’s TERRIFIC!

In your list of FRIENDS that you have GATHERED…

Feel free to say … we’re the ones who got so SUPERBLY PAMPERED!

 

 

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

[Legend: 1 – PADI is a Bicolano term (as my good friend JOSE “JOE” CAMANO is a native of the Bicol region particularly of Naga City and Sagnay in Camarines Sur) which means “partner” or “compeer”.

2 – COMBO actually is a term which means a “PAIR”. The entourage of guests which the Camano household had from March 25-28, 2018 was a pair of TWO (2) families, namely: my own family which is composed of myself, my wife Dang and my THREE (3) kids: Walter Anthony (“Tonton”), Ma. Wincheska (“Cheska”) and Ma. Winnalee (“Alee”). The other family is that of my dad, Daddy Max with his wife and our stepmother Mercedes (“Mercy”).

3 – OSLO  is a city in Norway and would literally be some kind of a quick reference to Norway. My Daddy Max went on a trip to Norway in May 2010, as my stepmom Mercy has a daughter in Norway who is married to a Norwegian. As Daddy Max felt so uncomfortable during his trip to Norway, at a time when the temperature was so searingly cold; Daddy Max cut short his trip to just a couple of days instead of weeks.

4 – The FUN RHYME BLOG (actually FUN RHYME BLOG No. 3) that got written is entitled OF STAYING YOUNG and OF BEING YOUNG where my friend JOE CAMANO served as my inspiration for writing the said fun rhyme blog.

5 – WESTLAND, MICHIGAN is the location of the mansion of my good friend Jose “Joe” Camano and his wife Gloria “Glo” Camano particularly at the Newberry Estates in Westland.

6 – ALEXA is an IT device (better and popularly known as ALEXA-ECHO)  which serves as some sort of a Secretary and/or researcher in the Camano household. Instead of encoding in a computer a query, one can just direct the query unto the direction of the device and the device or Alexa would competently answer the query via a female voice in a wholesome and grammatically correct English.

7 –  ATE GLO is my friend Joe Camano’s gracious wife, Gloria Camano.

8 – LOREN is Joe Camano’s and Glo Camano’s youngest daughter.

9 – IGOR is LOREN’s husband. IGOR is a physician whose specialization is in the field of INTERNAL MEDICINE.

10 – KC is Kristine’s nickname and KC is Joe Camano’s and Glo Camano’s eldest daughter.

11 – RICKY whose full name is RICKY REYES  is the husband of KC.

12 – BARTENDER – Ricky seemingly acted out the role as such BARTENDER as when I confided to Ricky about the effect of JET LAG in my sleep; his off-the-cuff recommendation  was liquor. Indeed, after I availed of the sleep-inducing effect of KNOB CREEK, to which I was introduced by the Renaissance Airport Hotel bartender (i.e. Jose) in Los Angeles,  a 100 proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; Ricky helped me out too to fight off the JET LAG with a couple of drinks from a  bottle of JACK DANIELS whiskey.

13 – KNOB CREEK is the 100 proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey which was introduced to me by Jose, a Mexican bartender who was managing and crafting the drinks and cocktails at the bar in the Renaissance Airport Hotel in Los Angeles,USA. The introduction ensued when I asked Jose for a drink that would surely put me into sound sleep, and Jose gave me a “double” of the bourbon garnished with a SPRAY of 7-Up.

14 – DANIELS is the name of another top of the line whiskey (actually JACK DANIELS) which became popular when singer and classic balladeer Frank Sinatra, boasted as his favorite drink in one of his spiels.

15 – SINATRA was an American singer, actor, and producer who was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 150 million records worldwide.

16 – JOJO is JOEL GINES who is Ate GLO’s nephew. And JOJO, willingly accommodated the request to bring us to the Detroit Wayne Airport  driving the Toyota-Camry Car of Ate GLO while my friend JOE CAMANO drove his Mercedes Benz SUV, as  our luggage and our sheer number (i.e. 7) would not allow just a single car for the airport-trip.

17 – My friend JOE CAMANO was afraid that JOJO, who might not be so accustomed to driving up to the Detroit Wayne Airport (being a relatively new and recent addition to the Camano clan in Westland), could get lost on the way as he (i.e. Joe Camano) whined that JOJO did not drive as near to us aboard in the MERCEDES BENZ SUV to avoid any other car on the highway to intrude into our convoy route.

18 – BENZ is Joe Camano’s MERCEDES BENZ SUV.

19 – MAUI is one of Joe Camano’s grandkids.MAUI is the daughter of KC and RICKY.

20 –  ELI is the newest addition  to the CAMANO clan; he being the son of relatively-recently married couple, LOREN CAMANO and IGOR  SHKOLNIK,who is an American physician (with specialization on INTERNAL MEDICINE) of Ukrainian descent.

21 – APO is Tagalog term for GRANDCHILD. And the term APOS is the plural for APO which would literally mean GRANDCHILDREN.

22 – IAN is another APO of IDOL Joe Camano and is the son of KC and RICKY, and younger brother to MAUI. IDOL Joe considers IAN as his “mini-me”. Whenever IAN is asked to do a “HIGH-FIVE”, IAN literally JUMPS to make the HIGH-FIVE gesture, truly HIGH.

23 – CAPOEIRA – is an Afro-Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics and music. It was developed in Brazil at the beginning of the 16th century. It is known for its quick and complex maneuvers, predominantly using power, speed, and leverage across a wide variety of kicks, spins, and other techniques.

24 – UKRAINIAN refers to  IGOR being an American doctor with a UKRAINIAN descent.

25 – JUJITSU is Brazilian Jujitsu. It appeared that IGOR is very much an advocate of Brazilian jujitsu and CAPOEIRA and that as IGOR conveyed to us, he wants his child with LOREN, ELI to be a master of Brazilian jujitsu and CAPOEIRA in the future.

26 – JACKIE CHAN is a Hollywood actor of Chinese descent who is a martial arts practitioner and master particularly of karate. Jackie Chan is actually a Hong Kong martial artist, actor, film director, producer, stuntman, and singer. He is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts, which he typically performs himself, in the cinematic world.

27- YODEL – The seeming golden voice of RICKY, Idol JOE’s son-in-law (husband to KC),  actually reverberates as some kind of a YODEL, especially so when RICKY made a rendition of a Tagalog song. But next time, I would want IGOR to sing too!]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 [The ROSKY-VIVIAN Happy Family at the DADS-KAMAYAN SAISAKI Resto along EDSA in celebration of ROSKY’s 70th BIRTHDAY. From L-R: Nadine, Belle, ROSKY, Bree, VIVIAN, Bernice, Brayton and Bernadette.]

 

Si Pareng ROSKY aka RAYMUNDO QUIROZ,

Ay tunay na  kakilala kong LUBOS na LUBOS;

Masarap syang kumain o LUMAFANG…ETCHOS¹,

Lalo na’t kapag siya’y gigil na gigil na PUMAPANGOS²!

 

 

Masarap din at masuyong UMIBIG,

Tunay na wagas kong siya’y MAGMAHAL;

Bokadura niya’y sing-tamis ng PINIPIG³,

Siguradong laglag at dausdos kagyat ang SALAWAL⁴!

 

 

Magaling magpatawa at malamang MA-TOT-U⁵ KA,

Napalakas humalakhak, talagang MAHAHAWA KA;

Subalit kapag siya’y naging  SERYOSONG-SERYOSO,

Animo siya’y pulis na matulis na MANGANGALABOSO⁶!

 

 

Isa siyang kaibigang TAPAT at di- MAKUNAT⁷,

Magaling na ABOGADO, KAMPANILYANG BIG SHOT⁸…

Marami nang ipinag-wagi sa larangan PRESUHAN⁹,

Aba sa DISKARTE¹⁰ talagang siya’y tunay na LUMALAMANG¹¹!

 

 

Magaling na HANDY MAN itong si ROSKY,

Eksperto sa pangangalikot, GADGET man o TV;

Hairstylist at BEAUTICIAN pa RIN,

Bonggang-bongga¹² ka BADUSH^12a …you’re truly EXCITING!

 

Aba, syempre nga..meron syang INSPIRASYON—

Si Kumareng VIVIAN¹³ na ISMARTE’T

      pang-TELEBISYON¹⁴;

Magaling din si Kumare sa halakhak at TAWANAN…

Tunay na HAPPY PLACE ang kanilang TAHANAN!

 

Apat na anak na puro ay BABAE…

Naku! Huwag magtaka dahil yan ay pinag-BUTI¹⁵;

“It is really by CHOICE”, wika nga ni KUMPARE—

Ayaw nyang TALAGA, anak na LALAKING magdadala ng di MABUTI¹⁶!

(JE,JE, JE…)

 

 [Pareng ROSKY with his FIRST APO, BREE, during BREE’s BIRTHDAY party at the JOLLIBEE. NAKITA NYO PATI APO…BABAE PA RIN!]

 

MALIGAYANG KAARAWAN PARENG ROSKY!!!!

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

 

[Legend: 1 – LUMAFANG and ETCHOS are Filipino Swardspeak terms which Pareng Rosky customarily use with much hilarity and fun. LUMAFANG  actually means “TO EAT” while ETCHOS is a usual interjection among gay people in the Philippines.

2 –  PUMAPANGOS is a Tagalog word which means to bite a food item so eagerly such as a large chuck of beef clinging still unto its bone or a big green mango still with the succulent fruit embracing its seed.

3 – PINIPIG originates from the still green colored palay or glutinous rice enveloped by its green husk and which is stamped flat. It is a little bit sweet, so aromatic in its scent and greenish colored due to the still green husk that . It  can usually be turned into a sweet native delicacy by adding carabao’s milk unto it, alas …a sweet porridge.

4 – SALAWAL is actually an underwear; and rightfully refers to a panty as used in this BLOG.

5 – MA-TOT-U is another type of Swardspeak where the letters or syllables of the word are inverted. Actually, its original word is MA-UTOT or to FART. With FUNNY ROSKY around, you will either FART or DIE laughing.

6 – MANGANGALABOSO is Filipino slang which means to put someone in JAIL. It actually derives from the English word “CALABOOSE” which means a PRISON or JAIL.

7 – DI-MAKUNAT means NOT STINGY.

8 – KAMPANILYANG BIG SHOT would mean a top-notch lawyer like ROSKY.

9 – LARANGANG PRESUHAN is used here to mean CRIMINAL CASES which actually involves imprisonment as part of the court’s judgment.

10 –  DISKARTE would mean STRATEGY as used in this BLOG.

11 – LUMALAMANG means to have the upperhand or to achieve advantage or vantage position or ground.

12 – BONGGANG-BONGGA is another Swardspeak term which means SO NICE or SO SPLENDIDLY LOOKING.

12a – BADUSH is another Swardspeak term which means, a compeer among those gay people.

13 – VIVIAN is no other by the beauteous and bonggacious wife of ROSKY.

14 – PANG-TELEBISYON simply means VIVIAN is photogenic or telegenic.

15 – PINAG-BUTI is a Tagalog term which means “WELL-PLANNED” or “DELIBERATELY PLANNED”.

16 – DI-MABUTI is a Tagalog term which means NOT WHOLESOME.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 [BIRTHDAY BOY (i.e. ROSKY) is shown here with wife VIVIAN at center photo with their youngest APO (i.e. granddaughter BREE) ensconced in a child carriage/baby stroller. At the same margin photos, BIRTHDAY BOY, ROSKY is seen sandwiched on this “stolen/surprise” snapshot by the JOLLIBEE mascot and his APO, the dainty and pretty BREE,  being cradled by ROSKY in his arms.]

 

Your HOROSCOPE¹ describes you as FUNNY but INTELLECTUAL,

Being AQUARIAN², born on Jan. 23, you’re a FASCINATING PAL—

You’re described too as OBSERVANT through your natural CURIOSITY,

At times though, your BLUNTNESS could offend brods in your FRATERNITY³!

 

 

Lovers born on January 23 are VERSATILE and INGENIOUS⁴,

They know how to conquer someone with  PASSION…oh so VICTORIOUS;

‘Twas how ROSKY⁵ conquered the LOVE of his LIFE…

‘Tis VIVIAN⁶ indeed, who was a true BEAUTIFUL DELIGHT!

  

 

 

You seem remote at FIRST BLUSH,

But you’re very approachable, that’s said with a BLAST^6a;

You’re even depicted as CHARISMATIC and too CREATIVE—

Let’s compete with MIKE VELARDE⁷ and let’s make things much more FESTIVE!

  

 

 

You’ve  a lot of talk about plights for SUCCESS,

You’ve had a variety of career options…a show of SHEER PROWESS—

You’re a HANDYMAN, a CHEF, a LAWYER and MECHANIC^7a…

You can easily change your mood—so ROMANTICALLY COMIC!

 

People born on January 23 have great SUPERVISORY SKILLS,

ROSKY’S DILIGENCE and CONSCIENTIOUSNESS is natural, sans  praising SHILLS⁸…

AQUARIANS put their total mind to most of their PLANS,

Every little detail, they would check in serious ASKANCE⁹!

  

 

 

Those born on January 23 prefer to maintain their FREEDOM,

They’ll fight anything that would interfere with their being a FREEMAN;

Those born on January 23 are professionally ambitious TOO,

They’re HARDWORKING in fact, and that’s so very TRUE!

  

 

 

On this your NATAL DAY, I wish you LONG LIFE and YONDER SUCCESS;

Am sure you’ll attain it as you’re filled with much PROWESS—

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

HARD WORK is the ingredient and TRIUMPH will  be FULFILLED!

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROSKY aka RAYMUNDO A. QUIROZ!!!!

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

[Legend: 1 – HOROSCOPE – the positive traits of those born on January 23, 1948 can be accessed by encoding at GOOGLE the very birth date. Those positive traits could be accessed particularly at TheHoroscope.co via the weblink or URL at https://www.sunsigns.org/birthdate-23-january-zodiac-sign-aquarius-astrology-intellectual/.

2 – AQUARIAN – being born on January 23, 1948; Rosky aka Raymundo A. Quiroz  is governed by the AQUARIUS zodiac sign.

3 – FRATERNITY – Rosky is a member of the venerable AQUILA LEGIS Fraternity which is one of the more respected College of Law fraternity in the ATENEO LAW SCHOOL.

4 – The other website at https://www.thehoroscope.co/zodiac-signs/january-23-zodiac-aquarius.html announces that LOVERS born on January 23, 1948 are versatile and ingenious.

5 – ROSKY is one of the more popular nickname of Raymundo A. Quiroz.

6 – VIVIAN is Rosky’s better half, wife, soul-mate and life-partner.

6a – BLAST is used here to mean “with precision”.

7 – MIKE VELARDE is Mariano “Mike” Zuniega Velarde, better known as Bro. Mike Velarde, who is the founder and “Servant Leader” of a Philippines-based Catholic Charismatic religious group called El Shaddai which has estimated following of three to seven million people.

7a – I do know that Rosky is a guy who could be considered as a jack of all trades. Rosky has that inherent talent and proclivity to handle a wide range of repairs, typically around the home. Rosky even introduced me to a kind of Japanese “shab-shabu” cooking which he would do in their home; and which I have tried to replicate but not as expertly as Rosky would do it, with much flair and finesse. Rosky, I know, has the talent too to do some basic automotive repair.

8 – SHILL is someone who is so enthusiastic in promoting and advertizing the positive traits of another.

9 – ASKANCE means some kind of a doubtful outlook or perception.]

 

 

 

 

 [The photos above show some of the members of the cast of the ANG LARAWAN movie.  The movie is actually set in pre-war Intramuros (also known as the WALLED CITY within MANILA), and it tells of the story of Candida and Paula Marasigan, unwed daughters of a high-profile painter Don Lorenzo Marasigan. The plot of the story revolved around the struggle of the Marasigan sisters to sell — or keep — their father’s last work of art ( a seeming self-portrait, as Don Lorenzo used himself as model for both Aeneas and Anchises in a painting with the burning City of Troy as backdrop). The painting is being chased by socialites, art critics, and politicians after a Frenchman wrote a review about the painting heaping lauds and praises to it and unto the painter himself.] {* “TARA NA” is a Tagalog expression which means: LET’S GO.} 

Itong MMFF¹ ng nagdaang PASKO,

Aba’y sobra akong tunay na nagka-GUSTO;

Sa pelikulang pamagat ay “ANG LARAWAN”²,

Para bagang FOREIGN FILM na  pam-PALIGSAHAN³!

 

 

Tunay na ako’y bumilib sa DIRECTOR,

Si LOY ARCENAS⁴ na inayudahan ni DENNIS⁵ na ASST. DIRECTOR;

At ang MUSICAL SCORE naman, si CAYABYAB⁶ ang BUMANAT…

Talagang napakaganda ang dating at palakpak ang LAHAT!

 

 

Ang aking payo sa mga KIDS pati na sa DI-BAGETS^6a…

Panoorin ang PELIKULANG ito, at you’ll never FORGET;

Magandang EXPERIENCE, as it gives a view of pre-war FAMILY LIFE—

Daming eksenang  PRECISE, parang HOLLYWOOD period movie ang TYPE!

 

 

TARA NA, TARA NA kayong lahat mga AMIGO…

Panoorin ang OBRA MAESTRA, na ang MOTIF ay ANTIGO—

Hindi kayo mag-sisisi’t talagang ang galing ng DISKARTE,

Magagandang aria at musika; mistulang RUMEPEKE⁷!

 

 

Daming mga star singer na mga ARTISTA,

Si JOANNA^7a ng TEATRO at artes na paksa ng sinaunang TERTULIA;

TARA NA na kayo, TARA NA sa SINEHAN…

Para naman madinig ang ibat-ibang mga KANTAHAN⁸!

 

 

Yong solo ni Don PERICO na pinapelan ni AREVALO⁹…

Sa tingin ko’y syang nagdala ng mensaheng TOTOO;

Parang pinahiwatig na ang mga PINOY na mga ARTISTS; kay hirap ISPELINGIN…

Iiwanan ang sining at sa POLITICS¹⁰ PAPALING!

 

[The role of DON PERICO was excellently portrayed by Filipino actor ROBERT AREVALO (seen in this photo seated at center). DON PERICO was a former respected poet who turned into a politician.   When CANDIDA, as portrayed by JOANNA AMPIL confronted DON PERICO as to why he (i.e. DON PERICO) abandoned POETRY for POLITICS, DON PERICO belted this wonderful line in his aria: “HINDI SIMPLE ANG BUHAY NA TULAD NG SINING…MAY PUWERSANG HUMUHUBOG SA ATING LANDASIN…”.]

 

TARA NA, TARA NA — para kayo’y ma-ALIW—

Ang awit ni CELESTE¹¹ halos ay naka-BABALIW^11a;

Magaganda rin ang mga awitin ni JOANNA¹²,

Lalo akong namangha sa papel nyang si CANDIDA!

 

 

Dapat marinig ninyo ang LIBRETTO ni TINIO¹³,

Na ginamit ng CAST nang tapat, walang BINAGO…

Pinagpilitan ni CELESTE¹⁴ ang faithful RELIANCE,

Word for word, wika nga… kay TINIO lahat sila’y naging AFFIANCED¹⁵!

 

 

Ang inawit ni PAULA¹⁶ at ni CANDIDA bilang DUETO,

 Nakakaantig ng puso at damdaming TOTOO;

Binigyan pugay nila ang KAGANDAHAN at KATOTOHAN,

Mga ideal na mistulang nawaglit, nawala sa ating LIPUNAN!

 

 

TARA NA, TARA NA at halos ay patapos NA^16a…

Sa totoo ako’y manonood nang muli PA!

The FILM has made me a proud FILIPINO¹⁷,

I do hope that you’ll ALL feel the same way TOO!

 

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

[Legend: 1 – MMFF is the acronym for the Metro-Manila Film Festival; which is an annual film festival held in Metro-Manila, in the Philippines. The festival, which runs from December 25 (Christmas) through New Year’s Day and into first weekend of January in the following year, focuses on Filipino films.

2 – ANG LARAWAN is an internationally released movie entitled in English as The Portrait. It is a 2017 Philippine musical film directed by Loy Arcenas and is based on the 1997 stage play, Ang Larawan the Musical which in turn was based on A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino by National Artist Nick Joaquin. The film was set in 1941 just before World War II in a mansion in Manila. Ang Larawan had its premiere in Japan on October 30, 2017, as part of the 30th Tokyo International Film Festival. It was commercially released in the Philippines on December 25, 2017 as an entry to the 43rd Metro Manila Film Festival, where it won five of its twelve categories, including Best Picture, Best Musical Score, Best Production Design, and the Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award. Critical response for the film was very positive.

3 – PAM-PALIGSAHAN actually means competition and the use of the word intimates the OSCAR’s Awards of America.

4 – LOY ARCENAS is a sexagenarian FILM Director who has had lots of  theatrical exposure in the U.S.A. In 1992, he was the scenic designer for Bertolt Brecht’s play, “The Good Person of Setzuan,” at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Illinois. The crew also included Frank Galati (director), Claudia Schmidt (original incidental music), and James F. Ingalls (lighting designer). Cast included Cherry Jones. In 1994, he was the scenic designer for Tennessee Williams’ play, “The Night of the Iguana,” also at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Illinois with Cherry Jones and Will Petersen too in the cast. It would appear that as early as in 1984, Loy Arcenas has been in the “set design” business already as he, in the  1984-1985 season,  was the set designer for Craig Lucas’s play, “Blue Window,” at the Long Wharf Theatre (Stage II) in New Haven, Connecticut where Norman Rene was director. Loy Arcenas bagged the BEST DIRECTOR award in the 2017 MMFF with his entry —ANG LARAWAN.

5  – DENNIS MARASIGAN is the Assistant Director of the FILM entitled ANG LARAWAN.   Dennis is an actor, writer, director and producer who started in theater and then worked in Philippine cinema with directors Joey Gosiengfiao, Laurice Guillen, Efren Piñon, Pio de Castro III, Tikoy Aguiluz, and Ishmael Bernal. He has also worked for television and was Carlos Palanca Memorial Award in Full-Length play in Filipino in 1998 and the Carlos Palanca Memorial Award in Screenplay in 2008.

6 – CAYABYAB is RYAN CAYABYAB,  who was born Raymundo Cipriano Pujante Cayabyab on May 4, 1954 in Manila, Philippines but is known simply as Mr. C. He is a Filipino musician, composer and conductor; he was Executive and Artistic Director for several years of the defunct San Miguel Foundation for the Performing Arts.

6a –  “BAGETS” is a Tagalog slang which means the juvenile or the young ones. Thus, the term “DI-BAGETS” with the prefix “DI” which is a contraction of the Tagalog term “HINDI” which means “NO”, refers to the OLDIES.

7 – RUMEPEKE is a Tagalog slang which is used in this BLOG to mean, to belt or blare out, as in a song.

7a –  JOANNA is JOANNA AMPIL was born on June 1, 1975 in Manila. Joanna is an awarded musical theatre and film actress in the Philippines. Joanna has performed in several West End musicals, including Miss Saigon, Jesus Christ Superstar and Avenue Q, and she played the role of Fantine in Les Misérables in London until 21 June 2008. She was also invited by Sir Cameron Mackintosh to perform the role of Kim in the Australian premiere in Sydney of Miss Saigon, and in 2011 she performed the main role as Thanh in the showcase performance of the new musical The Real Love. Her breakthrough role as Candida in the 2017 film adaptation of Ang Larawan the Musical (in itself adopted from A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino) won her the Best Actress Award at the 43rd Metro Manila Film Festival.

8 –   KANTAHAN is Tagalog word for SINGING.

9 – AREVALO is ROBERT AREVALO was born as Robert Ylagan. He is an actor and director, known for Hubad na Bayani (1977), Pangako ng Kahapon (1994) and Sino’ng Pipigil sa Pagpatak ng Ulan? (1979). He is married to Barbara Perez. He is the son of Filipino film actor/composer/musician Tito Arevalo; his uncle Angel Esmeralda is the father of the late Jay Ilagan and his uncle Gerardo de Leon is a national artist and an award winning movie director. He attended some of the best schools in Manila such as the Legarda Elementary School, San Beda College and Ateneo de Manila where he took Business Administration.

10 – POLITICS is a reference to the character of Don Perico who was formerly a POET who eventually turned into a politician as a Senator.

11 – CELESTE is CELESTE LEGASPI, who is a Filipino singer and actress. Her singles and albums reached gold or platinum status during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. She is the daughter of National Artist for Visual Arts Cesar Legaspi. She spearheaded the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (OPM), a group which aimed to promote and propagate Original Pilipino music. She is married to Nonoy Gallardo, one of the premier OPM composers.

11a – NAKAKABALIW – is a Tagalog term which means going crazy; but is being used in this BLOG to mean the positive connotation thereof as – “extremely enthusiastic”.

12 – JOANNA is JOANNA AMPIL as indicated in No. 7a.

13 – TINIO is ROLANDO TINIO who is a Philippine National Artist for Theater and Literature. He was born in Gagalangin, Tondo, Manila on March 5, 1937. As a child, Tinio was fond of organizing and directing his playmates for costumed celebrations. He was an active participant in the Filipino movie industry and enjoyed working with Philippine celebrities who he himself had admired in his childhood. Tinio himself became a film actor and scriptwriter. He is often described as a religious, well-behaved and gifted person. Tinio graduated with honors (a “magna cum laude” achiever) with a degree in Philosophy from the Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas at age 18 in 1955 and an M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing:Poetry from the State University of Iowa.

14 – CELESTE is Celeste Legaspi as indicated in No. 11.

15 – AFFIANCED is used here to mean as having made a vow.

16 – The character PAULA was also excellently portrayed by RACHEL ALEJANDRO, the daughter of balladeer HAJJI ALEJANDRO, also known as POP STAR of the 70s and 80s. PAULA and CANDIDA sung a song entitled KAY SARAP NG BUHAY NOONG ARAW, which exalted the virtues of BEAUTY and TRUTH, which in the song have been acknowledged as seemingly gone and already lost already in our present typical Filipino social life.

16a – The showing of FILM entries who competed in the MMFF will end on January 7, 2018 and that will be FOUR (4) more days to go.

17 –  The pride in me as a Filipino springs from a realization. A realization that an outstanding movie such as the “ANG LARAWAN”  can actually be produced by Filipinos and that we have now in our midst talented personalities who can do it and make it happen.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[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. HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHE!]

 

Your HOROSCOPE¹ describes you as STUDIOUS,

You’re described too as MODEST but so GREGARIOUS²;

‘Tis reported also that you’re INVENTIVE and ACCURATE…

You’re 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’re 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!!!!

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[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. ] 

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[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!!!!

 

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[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.]