Symphaty
Friends,
It is with deep regret and sorrow that I have to inform everyone Jeffrey Castro's Wife Tess Alberto Camba Castro, passed away unexpectedly and peacefully Thursday, Nov. 18, 2004.
There is no death for such as she. There are no last words of love. The ages to come will revere her name. Her friendship, her character and as wife, will go on to brighten the pathway and bless the lives of all her friends and families.
Her character was well poised; she did not emphasize one characteristic to the exclusion of others; she showed to her nephews and nieces the real beauty of a true life for she was love by them including my Children. This was the impression which she made upon all who knew her, and leaving her presence one would say, "How humble she is!".
She has not only blessed us in the legacy of her life, but she has left us the dearest legacy of her love of family and specially to her Husband, Jeffrey.
Those of us who knew her best knew that she was all this and more; that she was one of the most home-making and home-loving of women. To her home her heart always turned with tenderest longing, and for the one who made home possible she felt the most devoted love and gratitude.
She will be be remembered forever, she shall be alive forever, She shall be speaking forever, The whole family of Laquian/Castro and Alberto/Camba.
Tess, will be hear forever.

Our Deepest Sympathy to Jeffrey Castro

Hello Friends
Friends,
Balamu masyadu yang makaba ing week tamu ngeni uli na ning ditak e pamikaintindi keng metung at metung kekatamu.
Oini mu ing asabi ku keng kekatamung apisabi this week. Nanu man ing kekatamung ababalitan sometimes we really have to look at the bigger picture and analyze the whole picture at sana etamu "MAMATUL" nung etamu siguradu. Complaining about the "evil" things you observe from one while being totally blind about those from others is fruitless and ridiculous. It's like living in a world of fantasy, hopelessly searching for Utopia ( a society in your world of fantasy). You'll never get there and you shouldn't waste your time harping why you don't see it. Let us not judge our friends too harsly, ing metung a project cannot be done in one day, week, months and sometimes it will take a year to prepare. Sometimes things are beyond our control.

Apansinan ku naman neng kayi mag fund raising kami kening eskwela da reng anak ku. Since eya tatangap funding keng gubyernu na ning Amerika. So, ing gagawan da mibuklat lang fundraising i.e.chocolate, X'mas wrapper sales, etc. etc. At deng tubu munta la keng eskwela para e mitas ing matrikula. At ing anggang gastus manibatan mu naman karetang ayabli dang tikets.

At makanyan mu naman ing akakit ku kareng aliwang
organizations mamisali lang tikets "HOPING to MAKE
MONEY" from the ticket sales. At "Black and White" ing events "Terakan" at kareng mangasanting a "Venue" i.e. hotels from three star to 5start hotels. And most of the time kareng "ABLING TICKETS" la mu naman menibatan ing karelang pingastus. At deng tubu mipunta la mu naman keng pondu na ning karelang organization(s). At para mikapondu ya ing karelang project. At neng kayi
naman mangalugi la naman. Oren deng ausan dang
"FUNDRAISING". Aliwa ne man ing "DONATIONS".
"DONATIONS". Ing Donasyun mengari kamong migpalimus ala yang kapalit a kasiyahan, premyu, dinner/dance etc. etc. Binye ya. Nung oreni deng gamitan mu para magsaya kang pabonga, then and only then "Asabi" tamung magloku lang tau deng makanyan. At maaa-sakit akakit o daramdaman deng antining klasing tau. Anya deng Pari (Priest) kekatamu at mula pangasanting a kotse. At mula king kakwalta. Kaibat ababalitan mu atin la pang babai o anak a lalaking kasiping da keng kama ra. At potang kayi papapu tamu karela. Again, those are DONATION money and they are not "FUNDRAISING Money". Etamu mu sigruo apapansin ing kekatamung ugali keng kekatamung a-ko-comments but I think you are being overly naive by trying to impose a perfection on everything you see in your almost perfect world everything should have done or could have done. In your world of perfection is just a mere imagination. And you've seen the righteousness and perfection into your world, can you really name one for us? Again, nung itamu makintindi tamu why not help others or give some advice let us not put them down. Kanya, "Teach your children well, and Teach your Parents well"
Aku eku mamayad income tax king pilipinas uling
enaku makatuknang karin, kanya "I don't feel betrayed by its government". But in my mind and in my heart, I will never put down the Philippines or judge harshly my own people. Deng aliwa tamung kalahi, ila pa mismu ing damdaman mung maghamak kareng kapwa tamu. Kanya iya mismu sisiran ne ing kayang panga Pilipino. Damdaman mo reng aliwa antini ing sabyan da "DENG PILIPINO CORRUPT LA", "MAPANAKO LA", etc. etc. iya kanyan pilipino ya. And then atin yang anak a daragul at sisiran ne panga-lahi ing anak na. Wa, tutu some of our politicians manako la keng pera na ning Gubyernu. Para kanaku ala yang pamiyaliwa yan keng Amerika. Ing presidente keni king america Marap ya keng T.V. kaibat tantuan na ka at sabyan na keka "I did not Have Sex With That Woman" ana. Pero ing ginastus da keng pamanimbistiga kaya pera do reng taxpayer metung naku kareta. O kaya lawen ta niya mu ing kumpanyang "Enron" "Worldcom" etc. etc. Ay diyos
ko, pang-retirement do rugu deng tau ing karelang
gerapalan.
Let us show to the world who we really are. We are hospitable people, we are beautiful people, We are "God Fearing" People and most of all We are Filipino. Please love each other.

have a good weeken to all...

Christmas in Floridablanca by: Joas "jojo" Chavez
Mood:  happy
Topic: Fruits of the Philippines
Christmas by: Joas L. Chavez
Filipino says, IF YOU HAVE NOT HEARD A CHRISTMAS CAROLS WHEN THE MONTHS OF "*BER" Then, you never grew up in the Philippines. In the Philippines does the season to be merry come incredibly early. Once September comes, the first of the so-called ''ber'' months, it instantly becomes an article of faith for the Filipinos to believe Christmas is just around the corner. Of course, across the ocean from where we are, Filipino, Americans and Europeans are still enjoying their places in the sun. And looking forward for Halloween and of course the night of Thanksgiving. The rush for Christmas is as Pinoy as Filipino time. A paradox, that. We're late for everything and everyone else, but way ahead for the advent of the Yuletide season. So, now its only 90 days remaining before Christmas, listen to the radio blare of chestnuts roasting on an open fire, of mommy kissing Santa Claus, of the herald angels sing in the silence of the holy night. It warms your heart and the feeling of wanted to be young again to fully enjoy the spirit of Christmas in the Philippines. But even then, young old do enjoy the birthday of Jesus Christ. One would believe that having heard it all this early on, we would tire of Christmas before its time. No way. In this country, Christmas does not come and go. It comes and comes, lingers, and enticed to stay. It used to be that the Feast of the Three Kings on Jan. 6 put an end to the liturgical season of Christmas. Not that anyone here was heard to complain but we no longer have to wait that long, decreed the Catholic Church in the Philippines, perhaps, to discourage our addiction to the holiday. I remember in my younger years as a kid in Floridablanca. I could really feel that Pasko is coming. You wake up in the morning you can smell the cold breeze and the changes in mood of the Filipino People. It all starts in September. Turning the radio to greet you with "Ang Pasko ay Sumapit and it will melt you with the next song of "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmassss". We (Filipinos) knows that "Maleldo" is coming and yet Christmas is in the air to all Filipinos. As we approach December one begins to hear more and more fire-crackers specially "lebentador" being tested somewhere out there. In the residential and streets, kids would be playing with "Watusi". Older boys would be braving a light of a 5-star firecracker. Sometimes we could smell the burned-up powder of detonated firecrackers and Watusis played by kids. I still remember going for evening walks with my friends doing "Carollings" and going to "Luneta (florida)" hanging out waiting for almost midnight just to get freshly bake "Pandesal". Nothing fancy and yet we had fun. A fun that still within me melting me down. I do wish that I have a TIme Machine just to get back to it. I am sure we all do wish that. Also, one cannot avoid seeing the numerous parols that hang infront of houses no matter how poor and welthy we are. Those who could afford to pay the electricity bill had their gardens covered in lights. Some of them twinkling. Luckily, my first born Child (Joanne)is her Birthday on Chrismats eve to celebrate her Birthday with our friends. Little thing that I know, I created a tradition a traditions to Celebrate my Daughter's Birthday along to celebrate the Birthday of Jesus". Evening comes, kids would be carolling from door to door. No matter how bad they sang, no matter how primitive their instruments, they always got something.... When the recieved something (Twenty Five centavos) from their efforts, they would sing their grand finale, "Tenk-Q Tenk-Q Mr and Mrs Tenk-Q! I know the feeling... I was one of them. Pinoy Christmas Season is very lively. Those of you in the Philippines, cherish and preserve that atmosphere. It is something that exemplifies what Christmas should be like (in my humble opinion).

The feast of All Saints
Oini ing observation ku keng "The feast of All Saints" on November 1. The Catholic Church set this aside to honor all the saints who do not have a special feast day named for them. This includes all the saints of God, canonized and uncanonized, known and unknown. King Pilipinas, All Saints Day and All Soul's Day (which is the following day) are observed by Filipino Christians at the same time. It is the time of the year when the majority of city dwellers would leave for their respective provincesand home towns to visit the gravesights of their departed relatives, friends, and love ones. Now lets go to the Western Culture lets talk about Halloween. Actually..."All Hallows EVEN"...or the day before All Saints Day ( the day for all saints that don't have their own day) is an amalgam of many cultures. What Does "Halloween" Mean? One obvious question about Halloween is, "What does the word itself mean?" The name is actually a shortened version of "All Hallows' Even," the eve of All Hallows' Day. Hallow is an Old English word for "holy person," and All Hallows' Day is simply another name for All Saints' Day, the day on which Catholics commemorate all the saints. At some point, people began referring to "All Hallows' Even as "Hallowe'en" and then simply "Halloween". Taking from the Jewish tradition, Christians have traditionally observed holy days from sundown on one day until sundown on the following day. This is where we get the practice of celebrating Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve, etc. Most of it is from the ancient German tradition of trying to scare off evil spirits...with ugly masks and bon fires ect, during the late fall. Later people came to believe that this specific day was important since it wasn't dedicated to a saint and was the day before All Saints Day...thus in warped logic it must be the Anti-Saints day so to speak. Modern witches/Wiccans have addes simular "holidays" just before most of the major christian holidays...though this is really a very recent practice from perhaps the last 40+ years or so.

I am Proud to be a Filipino by: Joas "jojo" Chavez
Topic: Fruits of the Philippines
I do not expect everyone to share my ideas just to understand them -- what works for me may not necessarily work for everybody.
From time to time, I may have aroused anger from some of you for some of my ideas and I wish to apologize for this. I did wish to provoke reactions but it was never my intention to maliciously attack the sensitivities of others. I have tried to be careful with what I write -- sometimes however my frailties made me write so tersely when I should not have done so. I hope that debate continue to flourish in this net but not the flame wars that have characterized some matters. Name calling and overkilling an issue weaken whatever strong arguments one writes. I pray that we can all start to recognize our many failures and weaknesses but at the same time see that we have a lot of strengths. Two noticeable weaknesses in our culture are the lack of the correct form of nationalism and the extreme disappointment we have with our countrymen. I guess the former maybe borne from a lack of inherent identity. How can we say with certainty that we are proud of being Filipinos when we do not even know who we are -- are we Asians trying to be Westerners or Westerners trying to be Asians? It also bothers me to notice we can be very cynical about the attitudes of our countrymen. Not that there is nothing to be disappointed with, but are we blatantly misusing statistical inference, i.e. judging the whole on the basis of a sample? We must remember that many of our countrymen are poor!! We must not judge them too harshly. Many of them are concerned only about their day to day survival. When I visited Floridablanca years ago, I found it strange that jeepneys always passed through the gasoline station after each trip they make rather than go for a full tank. Little did I realize that they want to spend only what is needed so that they can bring home the rest of their earnings. Are we living in an illusion that this country is far better than the Philippines? (Not that I am saying that the Philippines is better than the US either -- that may itself be an illusion.) Are we expecting too much of the Philippines -- do we expect the kind of technology and comforts that the US offers to be in abundance back home when we can not even afford to feed more than eighty percent of our countrymen? Is it truly more joyful to live a comfortable life than to bear a life of trials and tribulations? To seek happiness in things that will not last forever or in those which ensure one's immortality? Some of you may undoubtedly feel that even if you wanted to go home, you could not survive as there are too many things beyond your control -- we have a corrupt system, etc., etc. But what have we truly done to combat these evils? I have noticed that sometimes the harshest critics of a system are the very same people who will not act when they should. Let us put our hands, our pockets, and whatever we can offer into where our mouth is. Then and only then can we truly say we have done what we could. There are some who have done this and who might feel that nothing has changed. On the other hand, you may be seeing only one perspective so do not feel discouraged! Changes often take more than a lifetime to build!! Do we not realize that the actions each of us take always bear fruit?! They always do. The only problem is that you may not see them. Not seeing something does not mean this something does not exist. Bear in mind that in spite of the many problems facing the Philippines, our countrymen still have survived. Prices of goods continue to increase exponentially yet (by the grace of the good Lord) we have managed to make ends meet. We are a talented people -- producing the likes of Lea Salonga! We have shown the world that there is a peaceful way to fight a dictatorship. Of course, there will be those among you who might think you were betrayed by EDSA, but you can not feel betrayed unless you yourselves have made revolutions of your minds and hearts. We will just be hypocrites if we keep crying yet our consciences will tell us that we ourselves have not done enough. The future of the Philippines is in the hands of dreamers. I am proud to know that there are some people who are earnestly trying to make a difference. A final word from someone who you will probably never ever read from again: let us LOVE OUR COUNTRY MUCH MORE than how much we do now. If it would take a sacrifice (but one that your conscience says you can endure), why not take it? Dr. Laurel once said, "nobody can love the Filipino better than the Filipino." Maybe it is better to think that "if nobody loves the Filipino, who else will?" We must know who we are, and start getting proud of who we are, of what we can do despite our limitations. Let us search within the deepest tunnels of our hearts to ask ourselves if we are doing enough to help our country, if we truly love our country (and if not why don't we?). We can get truly organized and fight the waves of evil strongly entrenched in the hierarchy of Philippine society. We must teach ourselves, our children and our children's children that the strength of a nation is not built in one day. Let us learn from the experience of the Jews -- did they enter the Promised Land during Abraham's time ? during Moses' time ? Did Israel become an overnight power in the Middle East or did get their strength from the pride each Jew has of his heritage? May God be with you in the ball game of life...
Joas "jojo" Chavez