Thursday, July 30, 2009

Happy Birthday

This is a tribute to my sister, who celebrates her birthday today.

She doesn't know it but she was the first one who broke my heart. She did it when she left our home to work as a flight stewardess abroad. I remember wondering how to fill the gap she left and how lonely I felt. This was not the age of mobile connectivity and Internet access. It was a long time before I was able to fill in that gap.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Pasalubongs

When I go on a trip, I will occasionally bring a pasalubong (souvenir) or two home but I usually don't go out of my way to do this.


Most of the time, it's because it's convenient or the host offers to buy it and have it ready by the time the meeting or the business is done. Hence, my officemates know better than to ask me to buy stuff for them.

Monday, July 27, 2009

The Guardian

He is dark and lean. Muscled, with no sign of flab, he moves fast.

Manong is no ordinary guard. His guardhouse floats nearby and he moves around in a paddle boat. His face creased and lined by the sun and sea, he must be all of 60 years old.
Yet all boat operators and tour guides respect him. Very few try to slip past him and those who do are 'baguhan' (new at the job) and do not know any better, says our boat operator.

Manong guards the Siete Pecados Marine Park in Coron, Palawan. He makes sure that no fishing is done at the marine sanctuary, which is one of Coron's tourist attractions. 

Followers