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It has been a relief since for the past week, classes were suspended due to the casualties that Typhoon Ondoy has brought about to the nation. Exactly a week after Ondoy hit the country, Typhoon Pepeng came in right away and gave another bashing to my beloved motherland. On the same day that Ondoy hit the country, the first game of our juniors basketball finals was scheduled for play in San Juan at 4pm. The game was postponed due to the consequences that may happen to the people had the game been pushed through.
These times would really try your faith with God yet for me, these should be the times when we should be more closer to Him. Another belief of mine would be that if you are suffering pains and hardships, these would be the signs that God is calling you to return to Him. He always wants us to be close to Him since we practically live our lives for Him.
Many were killed and thousands are struggling to live their lives after the past typhoon. Infrastructure were damaged and some areas are still flooded due to the poor drainage systems causing people to hinder their everyday activities.
I would like to thank the Lord for keeping my family safe despite all that has happened. We still have our house to protect us, food to keep us healthy, our car to transport us, and most especially ourselves. Thank you Jesus for being with us this whole time.
Until the next time.
Phim
It would be my first time writing and talking about politics. I have been rather passive about this topic most of my life since all I see are lies and scandals. The only times I've been really concerned about politics would be the second People Power Revolution I guess. But when it comes to everyday issues, I just get to be informed on what is happening but then I wouldn't really care afterward.The past week has been full of anticipation regarding Senator Aquino's announcement regarding his campaign for Philippine Presidency. He went into a retreat to reflect on what he would be doing in the future. I believe it really is best to surrender your self to God whenever we are in times of confusion and hardship. Just 2 days ago, during his mother's 40th day, he confirmed that he will be running and will be facing the challenge given to him by the Filipino people.
This person is a member of a noble family who has s
erved the Philippines with all their souls. His parents lived and died for the Filipino people. It all began with his father, Benigno Aquino, Jr., a young and promising politician who fought for the people's rights during the Marcos regime. His famous line states that, "The Filipino is worth dying for." After he was assassinated, it was now his wife's turn to live up the fight that was intended by her husband. In the end, she became the mother of Philippine 
Democracy.
Now, questions are beginning to come up regarding Noynoy's abilities. People are now wondering if Noynoy would be able to live up to the success his parents had. People are now wondering if there will be a new hope to this wounded country of ours.
Indeed, there will always be hope. As long as we have God by our side, there will be hope.
Until the next time.
Phim
Honestly, I never really felt the contributions of President Corazon Cojuangco Aquino to the Philippines. Many people say she is the "Icon of Democracy" in the country. She was the one who restored the freedom for the Filipino people from the Martial Law of President and Dictator Ferdinand Marcos. So much people admire her for what she has done for the country despite having so so many problems along her way. Now I realize that if not for her, I wouldn't be enjoying the freedom that I have now.
No doubt she is a strong woman.
My favorite value of President Aquino would be her simplicity. She was a simple woman who took care of her family which was being opposed by the government then. Not many politicians or famous people live simple lives. That's why I admire her because for me, this is one example of how a good leader should be. This kind of leader would have greater influence to the people he or she is leading because I believe that a simple leader would be more respectable rather than an arrogant and extravagant leader.
Indeed, she has lived a good life. She has lived a life of service, respect, prayer, and selflessness. She is one person that the whole country will miss. She is one person who the country gravely lost. No doubt Corazon Aquino will remain in every single Filipino's heart. May her legacy be an inspiration for us to do the change we want to see.
Paalam at salamat, Pangulong Aquino.
Until the next time.
Phim
I am currently playing my last year as a varsity basketball player for De La Salle Zobel. Originally, I was supposed to write this entry right before Season 72 would start but for some reason I forgot. Maybe it's because of the stress bombarded toward me regarding Search-In, school, and of course basketball.
It's been a long and winding journey for me to get to the point where I am in my basketball life. It may not be much of an achievement to some people, but for me and my family, playing for the DLSZ Junior Archers in the UAAP meant so much more. Being able to represent my family's name and more importantly the school is such an honor for me because it's not everyday that people get this kind of opportunity. I am thankful that our Lord gave me this opportunity because without Him I would be nothing.
I started off my career through trying-out for the SBP(Small Basketeers of the Philippines) team of DLSZ which my teammate, Nico Elorde, encouraged me to join in when were in the fifth grade. Luckily, I got in and from that point on, my basketball life began.
Fast forwarding to my second year in high school, I got the call from Coach Boris Aldeguer, the coach of the school's Juniors team, to start training for the next season's campaign. The previous team which we succeeded came off a championship so that gave us a challenge. I had to adjust to a new position because I was really used to playing a big man position ever since grade school but this time, since my height wasn't really fit for a big man in the juniors level, i had to slide down to a wing man's slot.
Honestly, I had a hard time adjusting but as time went by, I finally got the hang of it.
This season I still do my best in every game and practice I go to. We have a different mission this year and that is to get the championship back. I'll do my best in whatever the team needs and try my best to do it well. It's time for redemption once again.
Until the next time.
Phim
I would be the biggest phony if I had not decided on writing an entry for one of the greatest Lasallian Brothers who ever lived. Cecilio Hojilla was a person who had a special gift. He had this aura of some kind which made the people around him feel special as my Social Studies teacher said and as I sat down listening to her, I somehow realized that it really was true. No ordinary person can easily approach me or anybody and suddenly give me a calmness of mind and make me realize a few things about life and how good it really is.
This person is not somebody that is easy to forget. Through his humble ways, simple thoughts, and gentle gestures, he has made a big impact to many people not really knowing that he has. Most of the time he is taken for granted because people usually see him around campus with his signature DSLR camera taking pictures of everyone he sees. Now that he's gone, a lot of things will change.
His job was to capture happiness everyday. Touch hearts through simple yet effective words. Just his presence would make a solid impact on everybody around him.
I remember his last game with us. It was a hot summer morning and we were playing in the semi-finals of the 2009 Nike Summer League against the powerhouse San Beda College. He arrived during the latter half of the game since he didn't really know what time our game was because my teammate gave him the wrong time. Still, he did his duties of taking pictures of the game and of course that inspired us even more. Through sheer luck and hardwork, we won the game with 1 point. With us not really knowing that that game would be the last that we would share with him, we were already happy because somehow we gave him a good show through that last game we played with him.
Personally, I didn't cry when I saw Br. Ceci in his coffin. The reason for that is I still believe that he is here with us. I can still feel his presence around us and I know that he does not want us to be sad. He wants us, the people whom he inspired, to inspire other people more with the words that he has shared with us when he was still alive.
Nobody will forget that smile of his and of course his beloved camera. We dedicate this UAAP Season for you Bro!
We miss you and we love you.
Animo La Salle.
Until the next time.
Phim
I was less than 5 years old when I first saw a glimpse of property inside a popular village 30 minutes away from my home. I was seated at the passenger seat of our white Toyota Corolla where I spent most of my childhood going around Luzon with my family when I heard my father saying, "Phim, 'yan na ang school mo oh." From that moment on, I didn't realize that that piece of property would become my second home and I would be spending more than half of my life in that place where we call, De La Salle Zobel.
It has been 12 years since I set foot on my first classroom in DLSZ and not to think
of it, I and my batchmates still had the chance to sit in the old prep building which was located in the new playground now in division 1. I clearly remember a pentagon-like shape of the building which included the library, clinic, chapel, guidance office, and faculty room if I have not mistaken.As stubborn as I was during my childhood, I didn't want to go to school. I kept on fighting with my parents because I guess I was just shy to meet new people and not be at the comfort of my home and my parents. 
Time went by and I slowly developed on my social skills and it made me a more established person thanks to the experiences I had with my whole life in Zobel.
From Toy Story to Twilight, through EDSA 2 and now the Influenza virus, from Chuck Taylors to Nike SBs, from The Backstreet Boys to Angels and Airwaves, I could go on and on from what Zobel life is all about. Now being a senior, looking back at everything that happened through the past decade and more seems overwhelming due to the fact that it has been that much of a long time of me waking up in the morning and try to be on schedule for that 7:55 first bell which rings every morning and catches everybody's attention.
To my beloved batchmates or shall I say...Seniors? 
May tomorrow be not an end to our wonderful life full of ups and downs within the walls of De La Salle Zobel, but a start of a more blooming and strong bond between ourselves and to the coming world we would be facing in the future. :)
Hail to De La Salle!
Until the next time.
Phim
I've already actually made an initial entry about Francis Magalona's death on my multiply site but one of the celebrities who have made an impact on my life and on the lives of many Filipinos just seems too much interesting to write more about. "Francis M" was and still will be one of the most nationalistic celebrities I have ever saw. He was a very proud Filipino. He loved his country and he contributed in so many ways on how he can improve the reputation of this country we live in, The Philippines. Not many people around the world know this person but his impact to the Filipinos is already enough for me to say that he truly is a person to look up to.
We'll miss him and I thank him for everything he did for his people.
Here's a news article about his death.
MANILA, Philippines - Master Rapper Francis Magalona, 44, passed away Friday. Vic Sotto confirmed the news over GMA's noontime show "Eat Bulaga" and asked for a minute of prayer for the eternal repose of the singer-composer's soul. A doctor at the hospital who requested anonymity told reporters that Magalona succumbed to multiple organ failure "secondary to severe sepsis and secondary to pneumonia." Magalona is survived by his wife Pia Maria Arroyo-Magalona and his eight children, including celebrity Maxine Magalona. Magalona's battle with the illness was made public last year. The 44-year-old singer-composer told the Philippine Entertainment Portal in December 2008 that he survived a delicate medical condition days before he was dispatched from a hospital. "Akala ko kasi magki-Christmas ako sa ospital, e, [I thought I would spend Christmas in the hospital] because I had a very, very, very close brush with death last December 4. I went into septic shock and it was a very scary moment," he said in an earlier interview. It was announced last year that Magalona was scheduled for a bone marrow transplant. "My doctor said I'm in remission right now after my third chemo cycle. So, my next move would be to do the bone marrow transplant and I'm very happy to announce that I was able to find a match. One of my sisters from the States we have the same tissue typing so she would be my donor," he added. Family, friends pour in In a GMA "Flash Report" Friday, reporter Sandra Aguinaldo said among the first personalities to rush to the Medical City Hospital in Mandaluyong City to condole with the family of Magalona were long-time friends Michael V, singer Ogie Alcasid, and Quezon City Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista. Also rushing to the hospital was veteran actress Rosa Rosal, who chairs the Philippine National Red Cross Blood Donation program. Comedian Michael V said Magalona died with his entire family around him. After spending some time with Magalona’s family inside the hospital, Michael V went outside and told reporters how much the Philippines’ Master Rapper had influenced him in his rap music career. While expressing grief over the news, Bautista said he would immediately busy himself with arranging for the wake of Magalona. The Magalona family said the Master Rapper’s remains would be brought to the Christ the King Chapel in Green Meadows, Quezon City. Magalona – a father of eight – was bald but smiling in the last three photos in his last Web log (blog) entry. The "Mga Kababayan Ko" singer was then very optimistic he would win his bout with cancer. “Good evening people. I am getting prepared for my 4th Chemotherapy cycle, and I will be admitted tonight at The Medical City. I will be doing some tests tomorrow, wish me luck," Magalona wrote in his blog on Jan. 14. The “Master Rapper" was wearing his signature “3 stars and a Sun" T-shirt in the pictures.
"May his soul rest in peace and may his legacy remain alive within the hearts of the Filipino people."
Until the next time.
Phim
Ok it's been a pretty long while since my last post and I really decided to write another post since something's been really getting into my mind because of the day that passed. Today was our class exposure trip. It's a day when we get to reach out to our less-fortunate brothers and sisters in the community. I've been doing these kinds of trips basically my whole time as a student and I'm really thankful that my school keeps on bringing us to these things. It's a time to make us realize how lucky we are as individuals because not everyone has the same civil status. One thing is for sure though. In the eyes of God, everything is equal. We are all alike and we were made by God to serve His creations and we are also here to protect them.
Sharing our blessings may really be the main thing we do during these trips. We spend our time, effort, food, and even just our smiles to make new friends around the community. We may not be aware of it but somehow these little things would just make our less-fortunate brothers and sisters very happy. A simple "Hi ate, good morning po." would brighten up even just a second of their day.
There was a lesson that I learned from this exposure and it haunted me until I got home. I learned that when cooking for those kinds of families, BRING EXTRA. It really hurt me when we were short on food during lunchtime and to think of it, I ate pretty much of the food there was for the family. I didn't feel bad about it right away but when I was facing down on my food during dinner time, it suddenly struck me.
Be thankful to God all the time. He really is good.
Until the next time.
Phim
