Giving Back: the KAPPAN Way

I’m not a medical doctor, not even in my dreams.  I can't imagine myself doing consultations, giving prescriptions, or conducting surgical operations (I hope I used the right medical terms). Even so, I always admire their profession. Despite not being in the medical field, I am blessed to be part of one of their noble activities. Held in a barangay in Pakil, Laguna, alumni (medical doctors and other professionals) and resident members of UP Kappa Phi Sigma-CDS organized its 3^rd Medical Mission with an extra. I would say extra because it wasn’t just a medical mission. We also prepared games for children and adult men and women in addition to the groceries distributed to every family. Our alumni who were successful in their respective fields were the sponsors of all the medicines, groceries, vitamins, and cash prizes.

Mini Pharmacy

The Backpackers (Cebu Trip)

Ito ang unang pagkakataon na maglalakbay ako sa isang lugar na ang layunin ay maglibang lamang, kalimutan pansamantala ang trabaho at mga aralin sa unibersidad. Nais kong ibahagi ang mga karanasan ko, sa nasabing paglalakbay.

Noong Pebrero ay nakakita ako ng "promo fare" sa Cebu Pacific patungong Cebu. Noong una ay balak kong maglakbay mag-isa ngunit naisip kong magandang pagkakaton ito upang makasama ko ang aking mga kapatid. Ito na rin ang regalo ko para sa kanilang kaarawan (ang totoo ay pamasahe lamang nila ang sagot ko haha).

Ika-24 ng Setyembre. Bandang ika-lima ng umaga ang alis ng eroplano sa NAIA 3 kung kaya't ikatlo ng umaga ay umalis na kami sa tirahan ng mga kapatid ko sa Quezon City. Upang matiyak ang kaligtasan, sumakay na lamang kami ng taxi.

Nakarating kami ng Cebu Airport bandang ikaanim ng umaga. Upang makatipid, minabuti naming sumakay sa "white-colored taxi" sapagkat mas mahal ang singil kung sa "yellow-colored taxi". Walang tatanggap na hotel ng ganoon kaaga kaya't sinimulan na namin ang paglalakbay. Ihinatid kami ng taxi sa Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, ayon sa metro ng taxi, P180.00 ang babayaran. Iniabot ko ang P200.00 at dali-daling naglabas ng P20.00 ang driver bilang sukli. Nakakatuwang isipin na mabait si Manong Driver sapagkat bibihira lamang ang driver na magbibigay ng sukli (kung sa Manila, sasabihin ng nila na wala silang panukli) subalit hindi ko na din ito tinanggap.

Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral

My DEATH

Lately, I've been sleeping late at night and waking up late in the morning, an after-effect of my previous job perhaps. Last night was a different scenario though. I slept past midnight and unintentionally, woke up 4am because of a nightmare. Yes, it was a nightmare, I was DEAD! Usually, I can't clearly remember the details of my dreams, but for this one, I could still picture it out.

A dream within a dream... 

Bringing Smiles to Children

It was my rest day from work and I was in a bus bound to elbi (Los Banos, Laguna) last May 28 2012, around noon time, when I felt like longing to go back to Marinduque. That same day would be the celebration of Flores de Mayo in our barangay and it has been years when I last seen the event. I checked the time to see whether I could still catch up the 4pm "RoRo" schedule in Lucena Port and it seemed that the probability is small. Maybe due to that longing, instead of going to elbi, I transferred bus going to Lucena. Unfortunately, due to heavy traffic, I reached the port around 7pm. The next schedule would be 10pm and for sure the celebration I am supposed to attend has ended before I'll arrive. I still continued with my travel, anyway, I have my family waiting and for sure I'll enjoy my stay.

May 29 2012, we organized an event for kids, a post-Flores de Mayo celebration. My sisters and I prepared games and gifts for prizes. In the afternoon, kids and some of the parents gathered in our basketball court. The first game was stop dance exclusively for small girls. 

A resident dancer served as guide for the steps.

Closer Look: KAWA-KAWA Falls, Marinduque

It's SUMMER! Where's your destination?

Let us take a closer look at a paradise undiscovered by many, the KAWA-KAWA Falls. From the name itself, it is a water falls with a kawa-shaped basin (Kawa is a cooking utensil that looks like but is bigger than a typical frying pan). The falls is located in the mountainous part of Barangay Bangcuangan, Santa Cruz, Marinduque.

This place is very close to my heart because I grew up spending almost every summer vacation here. This is where I learned my first freestyle and back strokes with the help of two tied floating coconuts that served as my life support. And whenever my high school classmates decide not to attend classes, this becomes the party venue.

Whenever I have visitors (college friends, etc.), I always make sure that they will experience the very cold water from the cascade. It is really refreshing and you will feel how nature take charge of your whole body relaxation. You will hear the chorale of chirping birds, buzzing insects, whispering wind, and falling water. Even for a short time, you can get away from the stressful ambiance of the metro. 

Last 2009, my parents treated me for passing the board examination and they hosted a short vacation for some of my college friends. Kawa-kawa Falls was part of our itinerary and half of the day was allotted for our bonding activities. We did picnic, swimming, drinking, and the memorable picture taking under the rain.

It would take time if I'll share all my Kawa-kawa memories. I hope that you could as well get the chance to discover the beauty of the place. It's more fun in the Philippines, it's more fun in Marinduque, as they say. 

Kahit saan ako magpunta, palagi kong ipagmamalaki ang mahal kong Kawa-kawa Falls, at ang pinagmulan kong lalawigan ng Marinduque.

Once a "Maglalako"

This is my very first post and I would like to share where I started. I am a "PROMDI" boy from Santa Cruz, Marinduque, a simple "probinsyano" who had big dreams. My father worked as a farmer, carpenter, driver, construction worker, etc. His work's location was in Manila back then so he rarely visits us in the province. My mother was tasked to take care of us while my father is away. I am the only son of the four siblings.

At the age of five, I studied kindergarten. Our school is far from our house since we lived in the mountain-part of Santa Cruz, and so we were walking our way back and forth. Hindi uso ang sumasakay ng jeep o tricycle kasi lahat naman ng bata, naglalakad. Kaya pitong taon kaming naglalakad ng halos isang oras sa umaga at  parehong oras sa hapon. Nasanay na din kami. Ang nakakatuwa dito, marami sa amin (tinatawag nilang taga-bundok) ang kayang makipagsabayan sa kanila (na tinatawag naman naming taga-bayan) pagdating sa husay sa pag-aaral. It was really a matter of discipline and desire to achieve something.