That mothers love their children and would do anything and everything within their capacity and even beyond leaves not a doubt in my mind.

Being a mother of three young children, I can say that I put my children’s needs before my own. The fact that I homeschool the two younger children for three years now and by tending personally to their needs made me take my career on a yield. Well, sort of, since I still work on a part time basis.

So when the news about the authorities getting Jason Ivler who was just hiding in their home for several weeks after being subjected to a manhunt, broke early morning yesterday, I was interested in what has happened.

The fact that he is wanted for not one but two homicides and that he opened fired at the authorities using armor piercing bullets shows how guilty he is.

The authorities got his mom too, Marlene Aguilar, an author (I removed the link to her website), who asked him to surrender and who even said she got an email from him and that he is in the USA when in fact he was just hiding in their home.

I would like to say I pretty much understand that Marlene loves his son dearly.

BUT I am assuming too that maybe, just maybe, she is afraid of her son too, knowing his capacity to hurt people.

The fact that he fired on authorities and wounded two of them using armor piercing bullets and that he used a baby armalite speak volumes on what he can do.

Would I do the same if one of my children gets involved in murder?

The answer is NO.

And I really hope to God we won’t have to go that way.

Have you ever wished for a special cake made especially for Christmas? Your wish is now a reality because Red Ribbon is presenting Santa’s Wish Cake, available from December 22 – 24, 2009 only.

Red Ribbon’s Santa’s Wish Cake is made with moist and dense rhumbutter cake with a layer of creamy caramel filling and covered in soft and smooth icing.

This will be made available in all Red Ribbon stores for December 2009 for PhP550.00.

Try Red Ribbon’s Chocolate Walnut Fudge with Hershey’s Dark Chocolate too.

We plan to get our cakes next week when we shop for rackmount needed for hubby’s office

We Filipinos have a very musically-inclined culture. We love music. Many a gathering these days seem incomplete with the guests belting out their favorite masterpieces in front of a videoke or karaoke for others.

We have a lot of untapped and undiscovered talents out there, waiting to be discovered. And waiting for that chanced to be given a contract to sign up with.

Now this is going to come true for 7, yes, seven grand winners who will be picked to win one-year recording contracts with Jeepney Music through MTV Emerge.

Apl.de.Ap of Black Eyed Peas is the founder of MTV Emerge.

What is MTV Emerge?

This MTV, Jeepney Music, and Department of Tourism collaboration aim to have unsigned music talent in the Philippines to show their talents and be able to grab the opportunity to win a one-year recording contract with Jeepney Music. The winners will be mentored by none other than Apl.de.Ap himself. The contract also includes artist management and promotion, digital distribution of 3-6 songs and marketing strategy plans to penetrate not just the local market but the international market as well.

Featuring the hottest unsigned music talent from all genres of music, MTV Emerge is an online community where local fresh musical talents are waiting to be discovered.

continue reading this entry »

So many lessons to be learned and reflected upon after Ondoy (Ketsana) has ravaged the country almost two weeks ago.

I have thought upon these lessons from my point of view based on what we have experienced and based on what I see and hear in the news.

1. Prayers can soothe the spirit and calm nerves. Together with the kids we prayed hard and often not just for our safety but for the safety of others.
2. Family and the safety of loved ones are synonymous. People can always get back the material things that they have saved for through the years but lives, saved lives are priceless and valuable.
3. No matter how people value material possessions, these can be gone in a few hours or even within a moment, without advanced notice. Yes, people can do away without a soft bed or without branded clothes as long as they are not in danger of losing their lives.
4. People feel reassured when loved ones who are far away contact people in distress be it through live chat, sending sms and phone calls to ask how they could help.
5. There will be good people with good intentions who are willing to help others who need help.
6. Just as much as the “bayanihan” spirit is alive in our people, there are also people who have bad intentions like looters and hoarders.
7. People running for office will take advantage of the situation of other people to promote themselves.
8. People do not and can not rely on this government to help everyone out, considering the number of people needing help. Exactly my point when I wrote about our fast increasing population.
9. Other nations will pour support, in kind, in cash and even manpower to help nations like us who lack resources.
10. We did not have running water for several days but I did not get angry not lost my patience. I am just thankful this is just a minor inconvenience on our part, if I compare how we survived unharmed compared to others living near us.

Here is an analysis of what happened by Prof. Winnie Monsod.

I guess messages being sent and conversations between family members  now are in a more positive note just as I tell my uncle who is doing a live chat with me now, “Don’t worry, we are ok”.

No words can express the sadness over the loss of lives and devastation that our country went through a few days ago when typhoon Ondoy or Ketsana battered the country. Times like these, we have to turn to the WORD, my other entry, to calm us.

See some videos here.

Now we are preparing for yet another super typhoon, Parma, said to be a category 5. Watch it here.

I am reposting a photo from one of my posts after the Ondoy/Ketsana:

There, a wave formed in front of our house which got bigger when the current got stronger and faster as the night slowly came upon us. It was one of the longest night ever for me and my family.

We thank God we were spared when others had it worse or maybe worst.

Have a great weekend y’all and please, offer a prayer for us Filipinos so we can survive Parma.

UPDATE 7:30am: Parma/Pepeng has changed course (we here at MegaManila do not have typhoon signal as of this writing) although the Northern part of the country is still being beaten down.

photohunt

As the country readies for another super typhoon, the country has been declared as under a state of calamity.

I am skeptical whether this actually mean we can expect goods to be sold at their current level since there have been a lot of instances regarding hoarding of dry goods as people go about in their panic buying mode.

Everything from noodles, canned goods, bottled water and juices, bread and other provisions (maybe even the best weight loss pills) with several days of shelf life are going, going, gone in a span of days from the supermarket shelves.

Pondering on the thought that people have been going overboard with their consumables and spending habits, perhaps it is time to focus on the essential aspects of our lives that can’t be bought by money: giving importance to others and not forgetting to say thanks to the Lord (who is not a vengeful God by the way) if one has been safe from ordeals others went through.

Yes, I know, we can’t possibly survive with just love and being together but that is another story.

A mom blogger friend and I were virtually chatting last night and she was just thankful that her family is safe. No amount of money can top having your loved ones safe. And yes, despite their cars (one that is just a couple months old) submerged, their home underwater, and things they own got wet and some destroyed, she is thankful her family is together throughout the ordeal.

Isn’t that one of the most important things we have to cherish during this time?