city of power rangers

The start of the year 2013 was a stir. After I came back here in Dumaguete City from my Christmas vacation, people were very busy buying helmets in accordance with 


republic act no. 10054 which mandates all motorcycle riders, including drivers and back riders, to wear standard protective motorcycle helmets at all times while driving, whether long or short drives, in any type of road and highway.


Dumaguete, aside from being tagged as the City of Gentle People, is also known in southern Philippines as the city of motorcycles. So just imagine the hustle and bustle of the people around because police officers were waiting in some road intersections, stopping these motorcycle riders without helmets. Some tricycle drivers were kind enough to warn them to avoid the intersections.

While riding on a tricycle one day, the driver and the other passenger were talking about the helmet law. Both of them do not agree with it. They pictured a scenario in which people carry their helmets while going inside the church. And worse, carry it while taking the communion. It would really look so ridiculous! And the three of us laughed.

Forwarded funny text messages were starting to circulate around regarding the helmet law. Here is one:

These are my very cooperative co-teachers who transformed themselves into POWER RANGERS!!!

holiday specials

In every occasion, there are certain foods that we dare not to miss. Like fruit cakes! It is also called the Christmas cake but in some parts of the world, fruit cakes are served during weddings.




It has been our tradition every New Year's Eve to prepare twelve kinds of fruits that are round in shape. It is said that this could be a good 

start to have a 

prosperous year or should I say, fruitful year.

Some people believe that in order to lengthen the existence, it is ideal to celebrate Anniversaries with pasta foods like spaghetti, bihon (rice noodle) and etc. Their elongated shape says it all.

When it comes to matters of the heart, chocolates and other sweet treats add more sweetness to those who celebrate the Valentine's Day.

In celebrating your Big Day, birthday cake is a must. It is the highlight of the celebration when it is time for the celebrant to make a wish and to blow the birthday candles.

Lechon... the center of attraction on the table during Festivals here in the Philippines. Lechon is a whole roasted pig cooked over charcoal. The crispiness of the pork skin is something to die for.

On the other hand, roasted turkey in Canada and in the US is the counterpart of Philippines' lechon. It is the "star" of their Thanksgiving celebration.

Finally, Christmas seems not complete if a ham is not part of the menu. This is the time of the year wherein volume orders of ham are evident. We just could not help keeping the ham on the Christmas table.

Whatever festivities there is, glorious food is always something that we enjoy. But don't forget to find a way to remove those carbs and cholesterol... 

                               How about a cup of tea?                                 

christmas, all roads lead home...

I was just right in time for the Ceres bus to start the trip for Cebu City.There were just a number of passengers that time so I was able to find a nice seat which was the window side. That is one thing I like when traveling. I get to see beautiful scenery and breath-taking views.




In less than an hour, we reached the port of Bato, Santander where the bus and other vehicles were boarded in a barge boat bound for Tampi. Then from Tampi, we continued our land trip straight to Cebu City. It was a longer trip this time so I took naps from time to time.

Finally, we were in Cebu Ceres terminal. Passengers who were bound for Dumaguete City were crowding at the very entrance, trying to get inside the bus, thus giving us a hard time getting out. These people were really out of control and were delaying us from our next trip. Haaayyy.... The fuss of peak seasons.

Well, thank God I managed to get out of the bus and was able to hail a cab. It took almost two hours before I finally reached the airport and I thought to myself, "Hey, the driver tricked me! He was taking his time touring me around the city just to be able to earn big time!" Bad trip...

Anyway, I arrived at the airport safe and sound. Talking about safety, I opted to stay at the airport even if my flight was on the next day yet. Fifteen hours is nothing if you just don't think about it. True enough, before I knew it, it was already five o'clock in the morning. 

Passengers were starting to form a single line... a very long line, actually. In times like these, patience really come in handy. To make the long line short... I mean, long story short, I was already in the boarding area.

Good thing my flight was delayed for only six minutes. Even the weather was very cooperative despite the bad weather predictions on that day. It was also my first time to ride on a plane with a lady pilot maneuvering. I can say that the trip was indeed smoothly done and when it touched down... SUAVE! Great job, lady pilot. Clap, clap, clap!

My brother fetched me in Davao City airport. It was so nice to see my brother and to be back home again and to be reunited with my parents. 

All roads lead home... Occasions like Christmas, lead you back home...

christmas to my ears!

There goes that sound again... the clashing of the flattened soda caps is what I hear from time to time. Carolers are very busy doing their "thing", going from house to house asking for "pamasko" (gift). 


I remembered when I was small, I was the one who was tasked to give the gift (coins) to the carolers after they sang to the top of their lungs some of the traditional Christmas songs. The most popular one was the "Jingle Bells" and oftentimes, the young carolers sort of "murdered" the correct lines of the song by mispronouncing them or by inventing words, as 

long as they sound like the correct one. I find it cute, really.

This is one of our Christmas traditions that everybody is looking forward to here in the Philippines. The children in the neighborhood starts forming their group as early as November and 

start collecting "tansan" (soda caps) to be flattened and make little holes to each cap. The caps are then ready to be strung into a wire and then connect the ends of the wire together to form a circular musical instrument like that of a tambourine. Very creative! These children go from one house to another, collecting coins and at the end of the day, each will have his/her fair share.

There goes that sound again... It may not be music to others... But it sure does ring a bell to me... It is Christmas to my ears!

christmas colors

It was a Sunday and it was supposed to be our bonding time with two of my dearest friends. We planned to watch a movie that day but then something came up in their schedules so it ended up with me going solo window shopping and drinking coffee at our favorite coffee shop.

Upon arriving at the mall, nature welcomed me with their refreshing colors of red, green, and yellow. The mall was having this Plant and Garden Fair right outside the entrance. So I did not waste any second to capture the beautiful shades of nature. Flowers like poinsettia flooded the area. This flower is also called "Christmas Flower" because they bloom in December. It is popular in red color although there are a variety of colors of this kind.

I was also attracted to this tiny christmas-tree-like plant. Just perfect for the season. As we all know, one of the Christmas symbols every home never misses is the "Christmas Tree". The pine tree, unfortunately, does not grow much here in the Philippines except for the colder areas like Baguio City and Tagaytay. In replacement for the  real one, we opt for a plastic pine tree instead. But to some who are creative enough to use our local resources, settles to have a unique, native Christmas Tree.

Others may go for Bonsai Tree to have a more Asian feel. But to countries that have winter season, plants and trees that remained green all year have a special meaning for them.





As my eyes wandered around, I noticed two baskets filled with some kind of a hairy fruit. Rambutan is in season nowadays and it is very timely for this kind of weather. It is said that this fruit is high in Vitamin C, which we all know can counter common colds. The seller allowed anybody to have a taste of it first to reassure the customers of its sweetness. Red is the typical color of rambutan although it could also be in yellow and orange.

Inside the mall, vibrant colors of red, green, and yellow were all over the place. People were very busy buying gifts, availing the holiday bargains, and enjoying the company of their loved ones. There is no denying that the holiday season is here.

But why the colors red, green, and yellow? Is it because of the red poinsettia or rambutan? Or perhaps the green pine tree with yellow ornaments around it? Santa wears red.. Even Rudolph's nose is red! Do these colors have deep meaning to you or are just feeling them skin-deep?  For me, red signifies blood which Jesus shed to save us from our sins. That is how big His LOVE is for us. On the other hand, I was amazed with the thought that pine trees remain green all year round even during winter time. This should give people HOPE to have an everlasting life if we only believe in God's promise to us in John 3:16. Lastly, yellow is psychologically the happiest color in the color spectrum. It simply means HAPPINESS!

Let us enjoy the Christmas colors this season and reflect on the deeper meaning that this may serve as a reminder to everybody. So here's wishing you RED, GREEN, AND YELLOW the whole year through! Happy Holidays!

christmas is in the air

Lately I have been buying clothes that have long sleeves and have cottony textures. Cold weather has started to settle in, giving us the notion that Christmas is fast approaching. Amihan (cool northeast wind) is the one responsible for this. But I do like this kind of weather. Somehow, it can lift up your mood and can minimize sweating. But of course we are responsible for our own health. We need to take precautions against colds, coughs and fever. Wearing appropriate get-up with this kind of weather is advisable especially if you go out in the evening.

Sweater is one garment you could use to break a sweat when you are cold. You may wear it over a shirt; although it can also be worn without one.

Jacket is lighter and less insulating than a sweater so it should be worn over a shirt or any other top.

Long-sleeve polos are also nice and fashionable. For guys, they may top it with a sweater or vest to create a preppy look. And for gals, cardigan tops simply does it.

Hoodie is a sweatshirt with a hood which also serves as a protective cover of the head against cold. This is popular among teenagers because they would look so cool on it.

Scarf is a piece of fabric worn around the neck for warmth and fashion.

Aside from wearing these protective clothing, it is also advisable to drink plenty of water and to eat fruits rich in vitamin C to beat colds. We don't want ourselves to get sick during the holiday season, right? So, let's enjoy the cold weather, while being fashionable healthy at the same time... because Christmas is in the air!

christmas is just around the corner

I always pass by this corner at the other side of the road after work. It used to be a tailoring shop and now it is been closed for years. The space right outside that shop was converted into a fruitstand. Other than that, it is a corner I dread because I am scared to walk across the intersection of that area. You see, it is a busy highway and big trucks pass there. Eventhough there is a pedestrian lane, it still scares me out of my wits!

One night while I walked on my way to my boarding house, my eyes were drawn to that same corner. It was full of lights, blinking harmoniously. I stood still for seconds to appreciate the beauty it exhibits. Then I said to myself, "well it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here." And yes, the fruitstand was replaced with lighted christmas decorations display. It was such an attraction for the motorists that they usually slow down their speed to enjoy the view. Some would even really stop to take their time asking and negotiating with the seller.

As I continued walking, I took another glance at the colorful display of lights. I could not help but smile at the thought of that idiomatic expression "Christmas is just around the corner"... Indeed, it is coming very soon... And literally based on what I have seen, is just around the corner.