A Mother's Anecdote: A Little Sugar. A Lot of Spices.: 2013

October 8, 2013

Tribute to CCC Batch '85

Truly a reunion brings back the bond of friendship that was once started in high school. And even a new friendship may bloom in the process.

Thank God! With the cool gadgets around us, it made our life easier to locate school friends (and teachers) we've lost contact over the years. No matter how long, no matter how far, once the chances of getting together is just at your fingertips, no distance can block a heart’s desire of sharing those high school friendship memories to one another.

Our Lady Of Light Parish Church

We may have our differences in personality but one thing I’m sure of as to similarities, we have one big heart that made us pursue our goal as one! I see the batch members real and am genuinely interested to be of help and unite the batch. We accept and avoid insecurities. We are proud of the achievements of our batch mates; even extend to their family and kids. Most of all we communicate and try more to understand and trust each other.

There is the transparency and accountability. Btw, the committee opted not to publish on our FB page our *records and reports but members may check on how we raise funds and how we disburse the funds and where this fund goes to. Names aren't also published unless otherwise requested by the generous donor herself/himself. We may not have all the funds to help every member in need but we try!

May we continue to serve and engage Batch 85 by encouraging lifelong relationships between alumni and each other, the alumni association and the school; And to preserve our commitment to spread CCCian love by modelling conscience and compassion to help wherever we go.

Even if some of us may be unrecognized or unfairly maligned for our good deeds, the important thing is that we know in our hearts we help and do not expect anything in return. Remember, every noble work is bound to face problems and obstacles so please may this not stop you to be a blessing to everyone!

Thanks to all of us for keeping in touch, for catching up, for believing, for reaching out, for being generous. Big help, small help or just the mere presence felt either on our Facebook group page or attending short noticed -meet ups is deeply appreciated. And so we with our batch mates in USA and Canada keep the batch mini reunions alive. We deserve thumbs up! Be proud Batch 85!

I hope all the Batch mates of 1985 are healthy, happy and doing well. Please look forward to seeing everyone at our next reunion. God bless us all!

MONTHLY MEETINGS 2009

MOTORCADE 2009

FUND RAISING 2009

CHRISTMAS PARTY 2009

SILVER 2010

BLOODLETTING ACTIVITY 2010

CCC GOLDEN JUBILEE 2010

CCC ALUMNI BOWLING TOURNAMENT 2010

INTER BATCH SPORTSFEST 2010

CANADA MINI REUNION

USA MINI REUNION

WELLNESS ACITIVITY 2012

CHARITY WORK 2013

CCC INTER-BATCH BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT 2013

LIVELIHOOD LESSONS 2013

August 20, 2013

My Different Kind of Trip: Zamboanga City

I never thought of visiting Zamboanga City because of the negative impression I had from the news that the city is a conflict area with all the bombing and the *Abu Sayyaf thing. Anyway, I still got the chance to travel to Zamboanga in 2012 with my sisters and brothers upon the invitation of a friend. And I learned that security personnel are provided since we’re also travelling with some visiting kids from the US.

Beach inside San Ramon Prison Colony

Zamboanga Sunset taken in San Ramon Beach

Zamboanga City is a highly urbanized city located in Mindanao, Philippines. Known for Hispanic influences in its culture, it bears the nickname "Asia's Latin City" because it’s the only city in the Philippines and in the entire Asia that speaks a Spanish derivative language- Chavacano.

Zamboanga Airport / Photo source: Google

Upon arriving at the airport in Zamboanga, true enough, we were greeted and approached by this friend’s family and police escorts. I was not really sure if we need the body guards because we need to or does this friend belongs to a high profile people.

Boat Houses in ZamboEcozone

The ZamboEcozone served as our temporary home. This Mindanao’s first and only economic zone and freeport is a 55-hectare industrial area with recreational facilities like a clubhouse, a seminar-training center, condotels, casitas and boat houses, swimming pools, bowling center, and zip-line area.

Inside Zambo Ecozone

Me on Zipline

This friend’s family heads the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm for three generations. It is now the oldest penitentiary in the Philippines and it became an established community with its own school system. We had the chance to tour the place. We even attended mass at their parish church.

Seen dragon fruit trees for the first time.

We were served some gastronomic treats of Zamboanga’s famous seafood like curacha crab and lato green seaweeds. I love Zamboanga’s marang, guyabano and dragon fruit!

Fried Itik, Curacha crab, Sugpo, Lato green seaweeds

Durian, Guyabano, Dragon fruit, Marang

There’s not much tourist places in Zamboanga City. But there are these must-see tourist destinations you shouldn’t miss. One is the Fort Pilar which is very much like the Intramuros in Manila. We passed by Paseo del Mar and Pasonanca Park. We also dropped by the Yakan weavers of bags, wallets, table runners and accessories. There are the canning factories in Barangay Ayala that made Zamboanga the Sardines Capital of the Philippines.

Fort Pilar

Our last stop was the Canelar Barter Center where you can find tax-free products from Indonesia and Malaysia being sold at cheap prices. My sister and I were so engrossed with the pasalubong items that we left our escorts’ eyes that made them worried because they can’t even reach our celfones. They were tensed that we might have been taken by armed men since kidnapping is rampant in some parts of Zamboanga and ransom can be as low as P5000, as they told us. What a relief on them when they found us. And we’re sorry for the worries we’ve caused them.

Canelar Barter Center / Photo source: Google

Yakan weaves / Photo source: Google

It’s not a great trip but more of informative. Even with the danger factor, I still enjoyed our visit in Zamboanga. I’m thankful to this friend who’s generous in providing us accommodations and great food! It's a different kind of trip considering the fear we had to overcome and the security we had to tour the place.

with my sisters and bros

Sources: Wikipedia

*Abu Sayyaf also known as al-Harakat al-Islamiyya is one of several militant Islamist separatist groups based in and around the southern Philippines, in Bangsamoro (Jolo and Basilan), where for almost 30 years Muslim groups have been engaged in an insurgency for an independent province in the country. The name of the group is derived from the Arabic, abu ("father of") and sayyaf ("swordsmith”). The group calls itself "Al-Harakat Al-Islamiyya" or the "Islamic Movement".

August 7, 2013

Sandwich To GO!

Good thing my boys are sandwich fans. It’s easier I get the boys to eat semi healthy sandwiches. So as much as possible I try to make sandwiches served on a salad base of lettuce and tomato which they prefer than cucumber and carrot.

They used to have my homemade bento box of rice and viands for school lunch, but now that my eldest’s in college, he shed his love for the cold packed lunch. I have accepted that for now, Renz is a young man always on the go.

So for school lunches, we have had to definitely think of something easier to prepare and of variety. This is more of a challenge, but I've come up with sandwich ideas, that I wanted to share with you for what it is worth.

There you have it. A sandwich to go list that suits my boys’ just fine, and as long as they’re eating, I’ll be packing!