Cotabato City is a good place to live in despite the war and atrocities perpetuated by evil and wicked men. This little town where people know each other by their first and nicknames. This city where everybody is either a relative or a friend. I was born in Cotabato, so was my mother, grandmother, great grandmother and their ancestors before them. I can go to a store, forget to bring money yet come home with the merchandise I want to purchase. I can even return the merchandise if I don't like them. That's how close and trusting are the people here.
But there are incidents that stain the good and simple life here - Violent murders and atrocious kidnappings for reasons of greed and lust. These deeds perpetuated by evil and monstrous people give an ugly mark to the good name of their faith. What kind of culture do they really have?!
I am angered by two incidents recently:
One was the murder of my kumpadre Bert Padlan. Everybody knew him as a jolly and kind hearted man. And he was kind of sick lately in 2008 but he was summarily executed, shot in the head while driving home in broad day light by two hired killers on a motorcyle for some reason nobody knew. There were wild speculations but one could not think of any other reason at all for that senseless cold blooded murder.
And the most recent one was the kidnapping of businessman Mr.Wilson Tan. There were tips already as early as December that they were going to kidnap one from the Tan family. But which Tan family? There were many Tans in the city. Some even mentioned about kidnapping a girl studying at CCI, but there were many students in CCI. Everybody had to be careful just the same.
Then last Wednesday was it, Wilson Tan or Kokok as he was known to many was driving his family home from school. Two of his children were sick, so only two went to school; a 12 year old boy Regan and a ten year old girl Jennifer. The wife Janet was also in the car as both were hands on parents to their children. Unknown to them, 7 men in big arms were waiting for their arrival at the gate's premise. When they reached the gate, the armed men pointed their guns at the security gate keeper. They broke the car windows with their arms and forcibly took their daughter Jennifer. The mother hysterically hugged the girl tightly but she was hit at the nape with a gun. (The boy Regan was quick enough to ran away from the kidnappers and hid at some near by places.) Jennifer resisted to be taken away but she was dragged and kicked into another van by the thugs. When the father saw that his girl was going to be taken away, he meekly submitted himself to go with his daughter. And so both father and daughter were taken to the Tamontaka (not Kakar) river to go to the monsters' lair. They are still being held by the kidnappers as of this moment.
All of Kokok and Janet's children were my pupils at St. Martha School. (We have now all transfered to CCI.) Infact their youngest daughter Janelle is currently one of my pupils in Kinder II and she has been absent from school for a week now due to sickness. I really prayed for them when I heard the bad news. At the same time, I was touched by the gallantry of the father. Something very noble came out from a bad situation. I hope his gallantry will have shamed the evil hearted people.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Saturday, February 7, 2009
A Good January
January 2009 was a good month, a good start of the year for me. First of all, I didn't get sick. I used to get sick in January, maybe because of the binge eating in December. I usually had sore throat and upper respiratory infection. My bodily resistance must be low at this particular month. But thank God, despite the erratic, sometimes cold; sometimes hot weather this January in Cotabato City, I am still okay and hey, it's February already. Infact I have gained the weight I lost before I went to Manila, but I need to do some dancing exercise again. hahaha!
Secondly, the perennial problem of househelps leaving after the Christmas season to find new employers. Thank God, this year my helpers are better.
This January had me attending fiestas and parties. I have been a party goer continuously every weekend. I have to beg off however during week days due to some homework preparations for the school kids. hahaha!
This January, I am in a happy disposition. My lessons are going fast and the pupils are improving much. They are now more well behaved and academically progressing in language and written skills. Even the kiddie Chinese head Ms. Jalen Jao comes to school earlier before the morning assembly time now. Hehehe!
I hope this February keeps up with what last January had started. I know it will because we are right now celebrating the MS graduation of my daughter-in-law Angel. Congratulatiion Angel! I guess 2009 is going to be a good year despite the poor economic prognosis. Well... next weekend will be Valentines day and I just want to say.... I love you everybody!!!
Secondly, the perennial problem of househelps leaving after the Christmas season to find new employers. Thank God, this year my helpers are better.
This January had me attending fiestas and parties. I have been a party goer continuously every weekend. I have to beg off however during week days due to some homework preparations for the school kids. hahaha!
This January, I am in a happy disposition. My lessons are going fast and the pupils are improving much. They are now more well behaved and academically progressing in language and written skills. Even the kiddie Chinese head Ms. Jalen Jao comes to school earlier before the morning assembly time now. Hehehe!
I hope this February keeps up with what last January had started. I know it will because we are right now celebrating the MS graduation of my daughter-in-law Angel. Congratulatiion Angel! I guess 2009 is going to be a good year despite the poor economic prognosis. Well... next weekend will be Valentines day and I just want to say.... I love you everybody!!!
Saturday, January 17, 2009
" the feeling of being insignificant "
I just saw this title awhile ago in a multiply blog, and it brings back memories.......I'll tell you how it feels.....
1. I felt insignificantly a nobody when I was in college living with my fair, beautiful, intelligent, smart and rich cousins in Manila. Don't get me wrong, they were good and nice; it just so happened that I was in no comparison to them physically, financially and whatsoever, even the slightest of talents. haha! Imagine, I was even once erroneously mistaken to be their maid by an affiliated kin. Hahaha!.
An earlier incident during my first trip to Manila as a 13 year old on vacation.... I went with my cousins to a birthday party of one of their godmothers. We went into a unit of a long row of apartments somewhere in downtown Manila. It was not a very big party but the celebration was intimate. The godmother was a pretty upcoming commercial model. Although my cousin Adele properly introduced me as her cousin, I was however ridiculed when somebody asked "Who is this girl?" One joking answer came "kepia" as in neighbor. They joked about me. "Is she kepak or kepia" (cousin or neighbor) and they laughed boisterously at the joke as though I didn't understand a single Chinese word they were speaking.
2. And as I recall, there was this important person in my uncle's office who never acknowledged my insignificant presence every time I visited my sister Theng who was working for my uncle Fernando. This guy was a nice person, a good employee. He was gregarious to everybody except he treated me like an invisible cloak. Sadly, I guess he did not even get to remember this poor little dark girl among sweet pretty Nelly, Adele and Marlin until he died.
3. In college, I also felt inferior among classmates who came from big and other exclusive girl schools in Manila.They speak perfect English. They were very friendly, very pretty and had good grades. I shifted course though from that honors class. I knew I wasn't good enough.
4. When my mother died and I decided to stay home in Cotabato, I felt lonely among cheery friends during my Catholic youth days. They were a peer group which I tried to belong. They however outcasted me from their circle immediately after I got married.
5. When I got married, I joined in my husband's family social group. I was a misfit I guess. Sometimes I would be left alone in an empty row while people transfered and get seated with rich and popular personalities. Other times I would try to take a vacant seat in a crowded room, but certain groups would tell me that the seat was already taken and or reserved for another person. Going to a party then, I would always tell my husband not to leave me until I was seated.
Hahaha......
But for all these times, I have already gotten used to my insignificant self.
And because I have a memory like an elephant and I have seen people who are better and kind, I tried to improve myself in all aspects: physically, academically, socially, religiously etc. And because of it, I think I have become a better person today. Now a day, I feel embarrassed when people accost me with the slightest importance. I have to look back from my shoulder.... I have to keep on remembering.......not because I want to be somebody, but because I want to be a better and kinder person.
1. I felt insignificantly a nobody when I was in college living with my fair, beautiful, intelligent, smart and rich cousins in Manila. Don't get me wrong, they were good and nice; it just so happened that I was in no comparison to them physically, financially and whatsoever, even the slightest of talents. haha! Imagine, I was even once erroneously mistaken to be their maid by an affiliated kin. Hahaha!.
An earlier incident during my first trip to Manila as a 13 year old on vacation.... I went with my cousins to a birthday party of one of their godmothers. We went into a unit of a long row of apartments somewhere in downtown Manila. It was not a very big party but the celebration was intimate. The godmother was a pretty upcoming commercial model. Although my cousin Adele properly introduced me as her cousin, I was however ridiculed when somebody asked "Who is this girl?" One joking answer came "kepia" as in neighbor. They joked about me. "Is she kepak or kepia" (cousin or neighbor) and they laughed boisterously at the joke as though I didn't understand a single Chinese word they were speaking.
2. And as I recall, there was this important person in my uncle's office who never acknowledged my insignificant presence every time I visited my sister Theng who was working for my uncle Fernando. This guy was a nice person, a good employee. He was gregarious to everybody except he treated me like an invisible cloak. Sadly, I guess he did not even get to remember this poor little dark girl among sweet pretty Nelly, Adele and Marlin until he died.
3. In college, I also felt inferior among classmates who came from big and other exclusive girl schools in Manila.They speak perfect English. They were very friendly, very pretty and had good grades. I shifted course though from that honors class. I knew I wasn't good enough.
4. When my mother died and I decided to stay home in Cotabato, I felt lonely among cheery friends during my Catholic youth days. They were a peer group which I tried to belong. They however outcasted me from their circle immediately after I got married.
5. When I got married, I joined in my husband's family social group. I was a misfit I guess. Sometimes I would be left alone in an empty row while people transfered and get seated with rich and popular personalities. Other times I would try to take a vacant seat in a crowded room, but certain groups would tell me that the seat was already taken and or reserved for another person. Going to a party then, I would always tell my husband not to leave me until I was seated.
Hahaha......
But for all these times, I have already gotten used to my insignificant self.
And because I have a memory like an elephant and I have seen people who are better and kind, I tried to improve myself in all aspects: physically, academically, socially, religiously etc. And because of it, I think I have become a better person today. Now a day, I feel embarrassed when people accost me with the slightest importance. I have to look back from my shoulder.... I have to keep on remembering.......not because I want to be somebody, but because I want to be a better and kinder person.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
January 2, 2009 - Los Banos
Marion was able to get a leave from Citi on Jan. 2. I was happy she was able to join us to Los Banos. Helen and I together with our families went to Los Banos, Laguna. Bernard brought us to see 88 hot spring resort- a Korean & Chinese venture spa. It was a nice place and we took a sumptuous Korean lunch there, but we decided to bath at Splash Resort instead, where there was a private jacuzzi pool for the family to enjoy. Lucas was the official photographer of the family! hahaha!
Dec. 31, 2008
New Year's Eve supper at my home in Quezon City. I prepared fresh lumpia, herbal chicken soup, fish and desserts. Jun & Jean & family came with beef dish, noodles, baked potatoes and happy new year cookies, Helen and children provided the drinks. Boy & Diane and kids dropped by bearing coffee and fresh cheese bread from Manhann before going to the Chua's. We had a happy new year supper. The house was very merry with food and noises and laughters from the old and the young. After supper, the kids played word game at the sala while the adult continued eating and talking (hahaha). Janah and her boyfriend Johnson joined in later and Marion came in at 9:30 after work from Citi. It was a happy new year's meal. Very merry and happy! (Sayang we were not able to take pictures with Boy and family)
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Dec. 30, 2008
We picked up Marion from her office at Citi and ate supper at Capriciosa, Greenbelt 3. The resto was prettily decorated and we took some pictures to capture the Christmas atmosphere.
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