"HOME, HOMELAND, HUMANITY" "

The photo was taken online while TV Patrol News was aired live.

You claim to love your home, and your family, yet, there was not even an attempt to get to really check on them despite the calamities.

You even said you missed them. That you've been wanting to spend the holidays in the Philippines such as Christmas because you have many happy memories during your younger years, and it's been a while you were here during this joyous season. but still, you continue to ignore them.

I wonder how long since the last time that you had a word with them without raising a voice, getting angry, or finding something to fault them?  

These last two years that the world has been uncertain due to the pandemic, did you even think of them? How they were?

Just recently, the country was once again hounded by calamity as typhoon Odette battered the regions of Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao and Caraga Region. Thus, forcing the national government to place these hard-hit areas under a state of calamity. 

The photo was taken from ABS-CBN's TV Patrol while the online news was being aired live

Even the international community has expressed sympathies to the people of this nation following the devastation caused by Odette leaving an estimated P3 billion in agriculture damage. Don't you find it still unworthy of your time and concern?

How about a personal family tragedy, like a death of an uncle, is still unworthy of your attention? 

Photo credit to ABS-CBN's TV Patrol. 

You have become too proud. Too arrogant to think of

the family you were born with. Not even the thought

of Christmas passing by without a word with any of

them didn't even cross your mind? 

God has been poking you, to take attention to your

community, your homeland, and humanity, yet you

continue to disregard it.

Please don't wait for Him to take everything that is valuable to you before you take time. I ask you to please act now while there is still time. 

Death and the rollercoaster of emotions

Today, December 17 was supposedly the 40th birthday of my brother Eddie, had he not died of cardiac arrest due to a second stroke on ​​December 29, 2018. 

Truly, it is painful to go through that feeling of loss, the sadness, the grief, all the rollercoaster of emotions that each of us--family members felt, including the people who assisted us during such critical and trying times.

Early last night, we went through that same pace again, that time, it was an attempt to save the life of my maternal uncle, Antonio Edic De Vera. Ate Vita, who is a doctor, after parking the car, immediately gave Tiyo Toots an "emergency pump" as she called for help from Barangay officials to carry Tiyo Toots inside the car and rushed him to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH). 

Credit to @EurekAlert for the photo.

So many things were happening at that moment all at the same time. At this very hour, we as a family may have slowed down a bit and discussed things, yet still, there's this part of me that is hurting. I wanted to cry to ease the feelings but no tears would fall down. 

Of course, it will not rest there, as there is a more difficult part for me to carry out--to be the bearer of the bad news to my mother Cresencia. Nanay and Tiyo Toots were close to each other as they were the third and fourth of the seven children of  Eulalio and Esperanza De Vera. The oldest Norma also deceased together with Jose, Eleonora, Juana (sixth, living in Pangasinan), and the youngest Cecelia who died five years ago. 

Therefore, this morning at about 10 in the morning I went to Nanay's house. Since last night I have been rehearsing how to deliver the news of her brother's passing. She was happy and smiling as Nanay welcomed me inside the house. She narrates that last night, she attended a mass at the National Shrine of the Our Lady of the Abandoned Church in Sta Ana, Manila with her apos (grandchildren) CJ and Kiko, especially Kiko wanted to pray for his Papa Edd's birthday. Then I asked if there were butterflies last night? She said none. Then replied, did someone die? In silence, I  was uttering prayers that Nanay would accept the news calmly because she has a heart problem. Gladly, my prayers were answered.

Almost three years ago, when we were happily welcoming the Christmas Holidays and the forthcoming new year, Edd succumbed to death. Again, we are here in this same season, another family member bid us goodbye for good. Death, whether expected or not, always comes with sadness.

My message now to all is to please don't let death come your way and make you realize that you're missing the chance, and opportunities to celebrate life to the people that matter. While you still have the chance, reach out to those you care about and value as we are not promised tomorrow. Remember, regret always comes late, so better avoid sorrow to haunt you later on in life, instead act now because you don't know what's left of you. 

​​Laundry Shop as a business

Given the chance, I would want to have an investment such as the laundry shops. Why? Because like most people, I also wash my own linens from the undies to shirts to anything I cover myself and hang on to the wall to help make the house look better.

For me, for any business to succeed there must be a need for it. Day in and out, we change clothes from head to toe especially if you are working or have children to attend to.  

Thus, for me having a laundry business is a wise decision as you not only benefit from the business economically, but you also provide people leverage to do other things. Yes, I mean that. 

Laundry shops these days offer either you do it on your own, or the shop can do the washing for you for an extra cost, of course. You see, things like this are no longer a luxury rather than a necessity for any working individual. 

Allowing the mechanical laundry to wash for you would take an average of two hours, and once you are done--all the linens are ready to be used again as you please. However, this does not go when you hand wash your clothes as you will have to fill the laundry bin, manually rinse them, and hang the clothes that at the minimum would take an average of three or four hours or even more, depending on the bulk of your laundry. 

You see the time that anyone who can afford a P60 per kilo of laundry wash and P70 per drier, may now have the option to do other chores and fulfill other duties necessary on a weekend, that's if you are doing the chores on Saturdays and Sundays.

At the same time, it is also my belief that in everything you agree to invest your time and resources, you also commit to serving. Therefore, as a service provider, one must deliver with quality, efficiency, and consideration. That way you help thepeople and the community you serve, and in return, it gives back to you thru financial reward, and most of all, you become the local government's economic partner by providing jobs necessary. 

So, that for me is a win-win approach, sadly, it is just a thought as I don't have the resources to make it happen.