On the road again

In a couple of hours I will be going to Calatagan again (for the nth time). This time archbishop Pabillo will be visiting the Calatagan farmers in their homes and in their farms. Aside from the archbishop’s visit, my mission there is to look into the preparations of the Caltagan Farmers’ walk to Manila. Yes, the farmers will walk from Baha and Talibayog in Calatagan to Manila again.

This is the third time that farmers from Calatagan will walk to Manila. The first time they walked was last December when they joined the  Sumilao farmers who all all the 1,700 kilometers from Bukidnon to Manila. The Calatagan farmers walked side by side with the Sumilao farmers from Laguna to Manila just to show their solidarity. The second time they walked was last April. This time it was to campaign for their own land problem in Calatagan. Their sacrifices between April and June this year seem not sufficient enough for the calloused hearts of those in government.so they will walk again but thiis time it will be the original Emancipation Patent holders who will do the walking.

When they first suggested that they will walk again, I was a bit skeptical. Why walk again when they have already done it before? What’s new? the old farmers will do the walking they replied. when they asked for one week to consult the other farmers I did not expect more than 10 takers. The walk to Manila which is around 300 kilometers, though very short compared to the 1,700 kms of the Sumilao farmers, will be very difficult and risky for the old farmers. The next time we met they told us 42 farmers between the ages 50-70 years old agreed to participate in the walk.  They said they will walk in a pace that the slowest of them can go and as far as the weakest of them can take each day. They wont mind if it will take them a month to reach Manila. What is importan to them is that they will show how much the oldest among them can endure and sacrifice for the piece of land that is theirs and to fight the greedy who are intent on turning their farmlands into a mining area.

i do not know where they get their courage and strength to even think of walking that far. Maybe it is the threat of losing the farms which they have developed with their own hands. Maybe it is the desperation and frustration with the DENR and the DAR who seem to be blinded at their woes and their rights as agrarian reform beneficiaries. Maybe it is the seeming hopelessness in the fight against the destruction of their community and the environment around them.

I feel so small in the face these farmers who desperately seek to find hope through their own sacrifices. I feel so small in the face of these farmers who are willing to squeeze every  ounce of strength from their bodies to fight for their rights, defend their farms and their community. Maybe they are right, maybe the best way to fight corporate greed is through their selfless sacrifice.

They will walk again. May they find the hope that they seek and the victory that they deserve.

If blogs have birthdays…

If blogs have birthdays mine celebrates its first one today. A year ago, on Adee’s 10th birthday, I wrote my very first post and it was about him. After 365 days, 103 posts and 131,860 hits my blog has become what it is today – one that suffers from constant hibernation, erratic and and irregular posts. It was not always like this :).

This blog almost became synonymous with one of its controversial posts – the Mahaderang Matapobre sa mga OFWs (who would forget Ms. Malu Fernandez?). Almost one year after the article was posted the Mahaderang Matapobre still receives at least a dozen hits dailt.

For a time this blog covered controversial issues of the day – the Erap plunder case and the subsequent pardon, the ZTE deal and the political crisis that ensued when it broke out and the Sumilao farmers’ campaign.

I have not felt the passion for blogging for some months now. Maybe it is because for the past 7 months I have been focused on a couple of issues and have not really kept tab with the various events that have come to pass. Maybe I was just to lazy to write about things that interests me and share them online. Maybe I have grown more passionate about other forms of political expression that I almost forgot about the value of blogging.

I cannot promise this blog will regain the fiery passion that used to consume it. I cannot even promise that it would recover from its present state of perpetual convalescence. All I can promise is that the passion and idealism behind this blog will not fizzle out and die. and while the fire within me burns, this blog will continue to carry posts, albeit irregularly, that will express the heat of the embers burning within the author’s heart.

Happy birthday Nomadic Thoughts and may your journey continue on.

The mute shall speak… and the deaf shall listen

I am not talking about miracles nor am I talking in parables.

A few months ago, when the Sumilao farmers made their historical 1,700-kilometer march from Bukidnon to Manila, some declared their act of sacrifice as a mere ‘gimik’ to get media mileage. That is always said of the poor, like the farmers, when they make dramatic statements and actions that catch the attention of the public – cheap gimmickry in an attempt to grab media attention. If only these people will try the so-called ‘gimiks’ that the poor had to resort to, maybe they will be a little bit wiser. Walking 10 kilometers is not an easy thing to do, let alone walking 1,700 kilometers. Skipping a couple of meals discomforts many, try starving yourself for a month like the hunger-striking farmers. In a country where the media is fond of the sensational, you cannot blame the poor for amplifying their plight through dramatic actions.

The question I think is not whether these actions are cheap ‘gimiks’ or not but why do they have to make unthinkable sacrifices to get the attention of the powers that be. In a society where silence is imposed on the poor (in many cases violently) and the ears of those in power are plugged, these protest actions are inevitable.

LISTENING TO THE POOR is the theme of the 2nd National Rural Congress (NRC II)which is being held by the Catholic Church for the next couple of days moment. It has been 41 years since the 1st National Rural Congress was held in 1967. Such was also the theme of the Supreme Court’s Forum on Increasing Access to Justice – a teleconference held last Monday.

While these are positive breakthroughs in two of the country’s powerful institutions, the results remain to be seen. How will listening to the voice of the poor affect the country’s judiciary’s decisions on cases involving social justice and the rights of the poor? How will listening to the voice of the poor influence the Catholic Church’s quest for a faith that does justice?

The Church does not have to wait for 41 years to listen to the poor. The church need not call a national congress to listen to them. Parish churches stand amidst rural and urban poor communities. Priests celebrate masses with the poor every day. It does not take much to listen to them. But it takes so much to BE with them. They need not look far for an example, at the center of each church is an image of a man who took the side of the poor two thousand years ago.

The Supreme Court need not call a nationwide forum to listen to the poor. They only need to delve into their dockets and sift through the thousands of cases involving the poor rotting in their midst.

Last Saturday, volunteers from De La Salle University and students and seminarians from Ateneo joined the Calatagan farmers in building a fence around the disputed lands in Barangay talibayog. It was a rare opportunity for students not only to LISTEN but TO BE with the farmers in struggle. It was because of my experience with the farmers in Bukidnon who fought the expansion of Del Monte 21 years ago that has politicized and educated me and led me to choose the path through life I am living right now. I can only hope that last Saturday’s experience will touch the lives of the students profoundly and influence the choices of their hearts for life.

In the meantime, the farmers and other poor sectors will still need to make dramatic actions to be heard and listened to. We can only hope that each step we take in our a million-and-one-kilometer journey will take us nearer to our dream – a society where the poor are not mute (better yet, where no one is poor) and a society where the State is not caught in the claws of the deaf and the rich.

Too much love will kill you

This is an excerpt from the concert-tribute to Freddie Mercury of the Queen. He is the all-time best lead singer for me.

I’m just the pieces of the man I used to be
Too many bitter tears are raining down on me
I’m far away from home
And I’ve been facing this alone
For much too long

I feel like no-one ever told the truth to me
About growing up and what a struggle it would be
In my tangled state of mind
I’ve been looking back to find
Where I went wrong

Too much love will kill you
If you can’t make up your mind
Torn between the lover
And the love you leave behind
You’re headed for disaster
‘cos you never read the signs
Too much love will kill you
Every time

I’m just the shadow of the man I used to be
And it seems like there’s no way out of this for me
I used to bring you sunshine
Now all I ever do is bring you down
How would it be if you were standing in my shoes
Can’t you see that it’s impossible to choose
No there’s no making sense of it
Every way I go I’m bound to lose

Too much love will kill you
Just as sure as none at all
It’ll drain the power that’s in you
Make you plead and scream and crawl
And the pain will make you crazy
You’re the victim of your crime
Too much love will kill you
Every time

Too much love will kill you
It’ll make your life a lie
Yes, too much love will kill you
And you won’t understand why
You’d give your life, you’d sell your soul
But here it comes again
Too much love will kill you
In the end…
In the end.

…para sa isang kaibigan

Pakikiramay…

Ka Crispin Beltran

Lider Manggagawa, Kongresista

tagapagtaguyod at tagapagtanggol ng uring anakpawis

Pagpupugay sa isang haligi ng uring manggagawa,

Taas kamao, nagwawagayway na pulang bandila,

mga kahanay at mga kauri, sa paglisan nyo’y naulila.

Sa dilim ng kahirapan, buhay nyo tila isang tala.

Ka Bel, magkaiba man tayo ng paniniwala

Di man tayo magkahanay, magkaiba man ang ating bandila,

Sa inyo’y mataas ang aking paggalang at ako’y lubos na humahanga.

Sa inyo yaring aking taospusong pagpupugay,

sa mga kaanak, mga mahal nyo at kilusang inyong inulila, aking pakikiramay.

Cavatina

Any one who knows me well knows that I am not a sucker for music. There are songs that I like but I don’t really go crazy about bands, singers nor their songs. Di ko lang talaga kinahihiligan ang music, maliban na lang kung ito ay may special meaning sa aking ginagawa o sa aking karanasan.

There is this one song, however, that really touches me to the core every time I listen to it. Its mellow and flowing notes never fail to settle me down. Kahit anong pagod, galit, inis, saya ko lagi akong napapakalma ng musikang ito.

Cavatina is the theme from the 1978 film Deer Hunter (starring Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, Meryll Streep,). The song is from Stanly Myers and is played on classical guitar. There are other versions on other instruments but I love the classical guitar version most.

I don’t really know what magic this piece of music has over me. Every pluck of the guitar strings sends the note straight into my heart. Lagi ko ngang sinasabi sa mga kaibigan ko na ito ang musikang gusto kong maghahatid sa dulo ng aking paglalakbay. Habang malayo pa yun (sana hehehe) gusto ko lang itong pakinggan nang paulit-ulit at walang pagsasawa.

Below is John Williams playing Cavatina on classical guitar with The Sky. Whoooaaaa!!!! para akong naka droga 😀

Ano naman ang tunog ng Cavatina sa isang solo classical guitar na tinutugtog ng isang babae… mas romantic kaya at mas touching? Here is Ana Vidovic, a Croatian classical guitarist, with her rendition of Cavatina…

Paano naman kaya kung nilagyan ang Cavatina ng lyrics at kinanta ni Paul Potts, ang nagwagi sa unang series ng Britain’s Got Talent noong 2007?

If there is heaven on earth… listening to the song is my small corner of heaven amidst the struggles in this world.

31 Days

I woke up at around 4:30 am today to do some writing on the Calatagan case. I have picked up the habit of working early dawn when I had to do double work in the midst of the  Sumilao campaign.  I scanned the news and wrote a press release release for today. I have already emailed the PR to my mailing list when I noticed the date today – May 5, and I suddenly realized that in 31 days birthday ko na ulit. I just sat staring at my rainlendar staring at the date for a couple of minutes. Joskopo taon-taon na lang ako nagbibirthday hehehe.

I don’t usually celebrate my birthdays, they are just like any other ordinary day (except for a few occasions when friends insist on  having a get-together). I guess my birthday next month won’t be any different, gaya ng dati, ordinaryong araw lang ito para sa akin. Pero di ko maikakaila na na may something talaga pag nagkwakwarenta ka na hehehe. Mas napapaisip ka. What have I to show after 40 years?

Di naman siguro natutuwa sa akin mga magulang ko. Lahat ata ng ambisyon nila para sa akin ay sinuway ko. I didn’t even graduate from college, which I guess broke my father’s heart kasi kahit in the middle of his struggle against cancer a couple of years back, lagi nya akong kinukumbinsing ipagpatuloy ang college ko. Gusto nya talaga akong maging abugado. Lord, Dad, kung ganito na nga ako na out-of-youth (walang kokontra!) ano na lang kung may Atty. pa sa simula ng pangalan ko hehehe.

Di rin ako magaling na tatay na ikakatuwa ng anak ko. Madami akong pagkukulang bilang ama sa anak ko. Pilit ko man gawin ang lahat para maipakita ang pagmamahal ko sa kanya, I know that our circumstances make it not only difficult for the both of us but also confusing for him. I wish he would grow up to be a forgiving son.

My life has always been a cycle of impossible dreams and impossible causes. I do not know what exactly made me choose this kind of life but I cannot imagine myself living any other life. Adik ata ako sa sa mga imposibleng mga kaso. Maybe I am addicted to insurmountable odds and heartaches.

i am happy with my life. I may not have the material things nor the academic degrees to show, but I am rich in terms of battle scars and impossible victories (however few they might be).

Thirty-one days to go. Forty-years in the making.  Hay buhay, ba’t ba ako napapa-isip 😀

Standstill…

This blog has been on a standstill for quite a time. Maybe I am having a long bout of blogodrought (imbento ko lang na term). It does not mean though that I have been on a standstill. On the contrary my days have been heavy, my brain and my hands have written so much the past weeks that having time to write or simply taking a peek in this blog has become a luxury.

My 6-month involvement in the recently concluded Sumilao campaign has dragged me from my lazy, inactive and happy-go-lucky ways and shoved me once more smack in the middle of a world of struggling people. It made me realize that i have been emotionally detached from the struggles around me even if I find time to write about these struggles here in my blog.

I am presently involved in the struggle of yet another group of farmers. This time they are just a couple of hundred kilometers from Manila. They have almost the same story as that of the Sumilao farmers, struggling for land that has once been theirs and struggling to pry loose the grasping hands of a greedy company which is using all its powers to snatch from the poor the land that give them sustenance and hope. i amm talking about he farmers of barangays Baha and Talibayog in Calatagan, Batangas.

I met them last December when they joined the Sumilao farmers in the final leg of the latter’s 1,700-km walk from Bukidnon to Manila. I did not get to know them well because my attention was with the farmers from Sumilao. However, a week after I came back from accompanying the victorious Sumilao farmers home, I was drawn into the struggle of the Calatagan farmers. A different group of people, a different case in a different place… but the same struggle – a fight for what is just and what is right, a struggle against institutionalized greed.

This blog may be suffering from a severe drought of updates and posts…. but I am very active in another blog… CALATAGANMARCH.WORDPRESS.COM – a blog about the 300-kilometer odyssey of 55 farmers in search of justice. I invite you to visit that blog. maraming salamat.

SOME BATTLES END IN VICTORY…

YET… THERE ARE STILL SO MANY BATTLES TO FIGHT…

The nomad is signing off once more….

*Photo of Manang Hilda courtesy of Dondi Tawatao

**Photo of the Calatagan March by Reggie Aquino

TAGGED: 12 months

TAGGED by MINE

Here are the rules:

1. Mention the person who tagged you and create a link back to them.
2. Copy-paste the traits for all the twelve months.
3. Pick your month of birth.
4. Highlight the traits that apply to you.
5. Tag 12 people and let them know by visiting their blogs and leaving a comment for them.
6. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve done it!

JANUARY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people’s flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very stubborn and money cautious.

FEBRUARY: Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.

MARCH: Attractive personality, Sexy, Affectionate. Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others.Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners.Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.

APRIL: Active and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people’s problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.

MAY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children. Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.

JUNE:

Thinks far with vision. Yeah, I have a 20/20 vision and I can see far. Think far? yeah sometimes I do have far-out, outrageous and outlandish ideas.

Easily influenced by kindness. Maybe, because I am seldom under the influence of alcohol.

Polite and soft-spoken. F*ck!!! Ako nga to lintek! may aangal? may kokontra? pak yu!

Having ideas. You just don’t know what kind of ideas I have. Curious? Tara try natin iba kong mga ideas hehehe. No MAlice 😀

Sensitive. Yes! very sensitive in some parts of my anatomy.

Active mind. Yeah, di pa naman ako brain dead 😀

Hesitating, tends to delay. Hesitating? yeah because oftentimes I’m shy. Tends to delay? Yeah ‘coz I like long foreplays hehehe.

Choosy and always wants the best. Sino ba ang ayaw ng the best?

Temperamental. Yeah lagi akong nilalagnat at sinisinat… hay

Funny and humorous. Definitely not me. I’m grim and determined, boring …

Loves to joke. (Refer to answer above)

Good debating skills. Yeah definitely me. Magaling akong mandilat ng kadebate at malakas ang aking boses at mataas ang pitch. Bungangero in other words.

Talkative. Nah! not me, sorry.

Daydreamer. Only when I’m puyat.

Friendly. Ako nga to!

Knows how to make friends. …and enemies too

Able to show character. Ano kaya ibig sabihin nito? I don;t SHOW okey?!?!?!

Easily hurt. …. but I love being spanked hihihi

Prone to getting colds. …and getting hot too!

Loves to dress up. On the contrary I love to undress and get undressed.

Easily bored. …only when I’m talking to myself. Again refer to my answer way up above.

Fussy. Op Kors!!!! I love fussy.

Seldom shows emotions. I’m a foker face

Takes time to recover when hurt. Nah! feel free to spank and bite me again the next round.

Brand conscious. Only when when buying ukay-ukay.

Executive. Oo, kaya dapat may secretary ako.

Stubborn. Yes, I love having stubborn. Nakakakiliti daw sabi nila.

JULY: Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people’s feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to be quiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems. Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.

AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.

SEPTEMBER: Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people’s mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.

OCTOBER: Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn’t pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.

NOVEMBER: Has a lot of ideas. Difficult to fathom. Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.

DECEMBER: Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.

Sumagot lang po sa tag at pasensya na kung di ako makapag-tag ng iba. Bow!

Salamat

Matagal akong nawala. Di na ako halos active online pagpasok pa lang ng December. Di ko inaasahang maging super sikip ang December ko. I was looking forward to a very ordinary end to a very ordinary year. I was drawn into the Sumilao campaign nang di ko inaasahan. The end of  my otherwise uneventful year was lit up like the evening sky on new years eve. I was drawn into the campaign from the very time I met them in Ateneo last December 5 until we flew to Cagayan de Oro on board an Air Force C130 plane. My reflections about my journey with the Sumilao farmers will be a subject of a separate post.

Gusto ko lang isarado ang aking taon. Di ko ito nagawa dahil hindi na ako nagkaroon ng panahon bago lumipad papuntang Cagayan de Oro. Matagal kong pinag-isipan paano ko isasara ang taon at medyo nahirapan akong mag-isip. Siguro dahil na rin malapit na isang buwan since last akong nagpost dito. Naisipan kong maganda kung isasara ko ang 2007 by thanking the people I met along the way and who had been very much a part of my year.

First, gusto kong pasalamatan ang aking mga kasama sa trabaho at paniniwala sa Akbayan. We had a very challenging year and we continue to brave the challenges even into 2008. Maraming hirap ang sama-sama naming hinarap at patuloy na hinaharap. Malaking bagay ang pagkakaibigan namin sa aming pagharap ng mga hamong ito. Malaking bagay ang sense of humor na nag-uumapaw sa opisina sa pagpapagaan ng mga bagay-bagay na aming hinarap. Para sa mga kasama ko sa Akbayan HQ maraming maraming salamat sa tawanan, sa pagtutulungan, sa pag-alalay sa isa’t-isa at sa patuloy napagtitiwala at pagtataya.

Pangalawa, naging malungkot sana ang akin mga araw kung hindi ko kasalo si Fay. Marami akong mga naging pagkukulang sa taong ito, pasensya na Bubi. Salamat sa pagmamahal, sa pag-aaruga, sa mga pa-alala, sa pagtawa sa mga korni kong jokes  at sa palaging pagpapa-alala sa akin to always count my blessings. Thank you for being beside me always.

Maraming salamat din sa mga nakilala ko at mga naging kaibigan online. Kay Katherine nakilala ko lang nung January 2007 at naging inaanak ko sa a few months after. Sa pagtitiwala at patuloy na pagiging kaibigan, salamat Bunso.

Para kay Miney na lubos ko lang nakilala nung January 2007 din at naging isa sa mga pinakamaaasahan kong kaibigan maraming salamat. Sana patuloy na maging masaya ang iyong taon – busog ang puso sa pagmamahal, busog ang tiyan sa walang humpay na chibog, busog ang isip sa mga karanasan at mga aral ng araw-araw na buhay.

Sa mga nagbigay ng inspirasyon at tumulong sa akin sa pagbloblog maraming salamat din. Unang-una kay Ate Maru na walang sawa sa pagtulong at pagsuporta sa aking career sa blogosphere, kay Jojitah na di ko inasahang maging katropa ko at kachismismisan, Kay Ate Kengkay na naging inspirasyon kong maging mabait at maalalahanin, kina Nika at Jean na naging kasalo ko sa tawanan at kalokohan, kay Annie na walang sawa sa pakikipagkulitan – Maraming Salamat. Kay Taroogs na lagi kong katabi at kasama sa trabaho sa pagbloblog maraming salamat din, Panyero sana sa taon ito magiging mas marami ang Thursdays hehehe. Syempre maraming salamat sa mga nakilala ko at naging kaibigan sa WordPress Pinoys na patuloy na dumadami.  Hindi ko matawaran ang suportang aking natanggap mula sa mga kasama ko sa WPP.

Sa huli maraming sa mga nakasama ko (at patuloy na kasama ko) Sumilao campaign. Salamat sa inspirasyon, sa tuwa at saya, sa mga luha at uhog na sama-sama nating pinatulo. Maraming salamat sa 59 Sumilao marchers, di ko lubusang maipahayag kung gaano ninyo ako na-inspire at naturuan. At siyempre sa aking kaibigan cute at loving na abugadang si Kaka – salamat sa pagtitiwala at sa walang kamatayang pambobola mo sa akin (i-fefeature kita dito soon).

Daghang Salamat. Maraming Salamat. Muchas Gracias. Thank You.