"A candle burns itself out so that others may have light. May your candle always be on fire to light up the dark world around you."
MANILA, Philippines -- Happy day to all fathers! Today, you truly are "kings" of your kingdoms! Bear hugs for all fathers!
As for our national hero, who would have been 150 years old had he outlived the Spanish firing squad at Bagumbayan, Dr. Jose Rizal is the "father of the Republic." Without doubt, he inspired his countrymen to break off from Spain and be independent!
Now, as a popular saying goes, "it is easy to sire a child; difficult to earn the title father." The first role connotes enjoyment and self-satisfaction on the ability to co-produce an offspring. The second one is more difficult as it carries heavy physical, mental and spiritual obligations to the offspring. This is where you separate the thinking, intelligent man from the merely human.
My father, Amado, in my unbiased opinion, truly deserved to be an "ama" to all of six of us, and so did my hubby, Sonny. I can see my son-in-law Andrew relishing his role as "dad' to my granddaughter Amanda, and my son Junie following his dad's footsteps to Monchu and Miggy. David and AJ will have their turn.
I was feeling nostalgic over memories of my hubby and my daddy last week, especially when I visited my mother's gravesite on her 103rd birthday with my sisters Cielo and Lita and two aunties, Nelly Jhocson, Baby Intengan and my mom's faithful "kasambahay" of over half a century, Gloria "Mamang" Villanueva, also our "yaya" and second mother. We heard the mass offered by Fr. Dante Venus and celebrated life under a young acacia tree, shaded from the searing sun by a huge ruffled white tent. How my mom would have enjoyed that little luxury to protect her delicate complexion!
Then, we proceeded to XO46 Filipino Bistro in Valero street, Salcedo Village in Makati for lunch where we ordered my mom's favorites-sopa de mariscos, callos, and sigarilyas sa gata. After all, what is a celebration of life without our favorite foods!
The cozy old-world ambience of XO46 on Le Grand building has become a magnet for the Makati crowd because of the Filipino and Spanish offerings of Chef CK and the charming atmosphere of the cosy restaurant. And today, it will be open for the celebration of Father's Day. All fathers dining with their families get dessert free!
On another front, we had as guests of our Bulong Pulungan, sponsored by the PCSO, NAIA general manager Angel "Bodet" Honrado and assistant secretary Jaime Victor Ledda or "Jett" of the Consular Affairs of the DFA. Ledda's office is at the sleek three-storey building in Macapagal Avenue, where passport applications are received, processed, and released.
The lines are long but orderly everyday and applicants are seated under tents or inside the air-conditioned structure. They process some 80,000 applicants monthly in that main office and in satellite offices around the country. Their goal, Ledda stressed, is to make the process of obtaining a passport easier and faster for every Filipino.
I have passed through the consular affairs office of Ledda and can say that yes, papers are processed fast and you won't mind waiting for your turn. The machine-readable passports now being issued make us pretty up-to-date with other countries and owning a passport is within reach for Pinoys, who are getting more mobile these days. Good work, assistant secretary Ledda and your young and able staff!
Ledda is in favor of making Philippine passports for all and perhaps having it served as the National ID. Why not? Sounds great to me.
At the NAIA, the 30-year old terminal 1 continues to receive brickbats but Honrado pointed out that the management is trying to give services to outgoing and in-coming passengers to the best of their capabilities. Unfortunately, terminal 1 has antiquated structures, limited space and facilities. It used to be the best in Asia but that was decades ago.
However, Honrado assured us that as far as management is concerned, they will continue to make the country's premiere international gateway comfortable and secure for their clients. He regularly meets with stakeholders and maps out ways to make their services better and more visible.
The volume of passengers has multiplied over the years, and while this is a good indicator for more economic activities around the country, the terminals have not grown or expanded proportionately.
Terminal 3 will hopefully be fully operational in a year with a program of work to be implemented all drawn up already. P-Noy is determined to solve all ownership and compensation issues to give Filipinos a world-class terminal facility. So, go, Gen. Bodet, go!
Bouquets to the new set of Philippine Ballet Theatre (PBT) Board headed by Chairwoman Chingbee E. Kalaw and vice chairwoman Triccie C. Sison, president Cha-Cha N. Camacho, vice president Sylvia Lichauco-de Leon, secretary Mars B. Lambino, treasurer Marichu H. Nepomuceno, and legal counsel Atty. Randy Perez Jr. Trustees are Yoli Ayson, Anna York Bondoc, Julie Borromeo, Gener Caringal, Noemi Estrella-Casiño, Marie O'Connor, Shirley Halili-Cruz, Eddie Elejar, Vicky Magadia, Marilou Magsaysay, Mila Santos and Carol Sy.
They were recently inducted by Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) president, Dr. Raul Sunico, who I believe should be declared a "National Artist" already, now that he is still in his prime. Ditto for Ryan Cayabyab, another musical genius.
"This is going to be another exciting year for PBT. We will be staging three full-length productions, two of the shows will be "Romeo and Juliet" directed by Maniya Barredo and "Cinderella and The Nutcracker. We are stepping up our outreach program, too, in the hope of reaching a wider audience and discover up and coming ballet dancers in the country," Camacho declared.
PBT started 43 years ago with three passionate and gifted dancers: Tita Radaic, Eddie Elejar, and Julie Borromeo. The triumvirate formed Dance Theatre Philippines, mother company of what is now Philippine Ballet Theatre. PBT's primary mission is to perform classical ballet before the Filipino audience and develop in them an appreciation of ballet as art through their outreach program, Cultural Outreach in Education or CORE. This aims to develop and hone raw talents in the countryside and to give them the opportunity to perform professionally. PBT trains public school students in Quezon City, Las Piñas, and Mandaluyong, discovering young dancers' dancing talents.
