Betty More Than a Penny

I just heard the good news from my wife that my very charming daughter, Betty, is currently the 3rd Honor(s) in her class. Congratulations to you Betty. Muah!

I am Too Impressed with Jon 'Bone' Jones Fight at UFC

Early this morning I watched the UFC game between Mauricio Rua (the champion) and Jon "Bone" Jones (the challenger) and I was totally impressed with the later for performing extraordinary and precise combative skills. Jones elbow attacks were so lethal and his leg kicks were so vicious. I overheard from the announcer that, for the record, Jones 'THE FUTURE' will be the youngest champion at the UFC to date.

After the show, I took a rest then headed to the church with my family. We then proceeded to the SM San Lazaro Branch for our dinner and treat the kids at the World of Fun.

On Forlorn Mode About Japan's Eartquake

Got so devastated about what's happening in Japan. It was terrible. I have good memories of my stay there 2 years ago, and I was still in awe as to why this wrath happened to the "Land of the Rising Sun."

To my sensei(s), friends, and the Japanese people - I am praying that you will recover in time. May God bless you on this tragedy.

Letter of Heidi Mendoza regarding Corruption

Worth Reading. This article was taken from the internet.
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Greetings of Peace! In the middle of the raging controversies that our country is facing, one glaring truth cannot simply be ignored. There is a brewing tension between good and evil and I believe now is the time to for a baptized Catholic and a Christian public servant like me to run to my mentors and seek the comfort of the church.

As many of you would know, I accepted the General Garcia case not as another audit engagement sometime in October 2004. It was a result of prayerful discernment and a series of consultation with guardians of my faith. I went beyond the call of duty and closed my eyes to my personal fears, guided by the thought that my heart is in the right place.

The assignment just like any Christian experience is not smooth sailing. There are challenges coming from the very institutions that are supposed to protect the interest of the people. I stood firm though I cannot deny that there were several instances when convictions and beliefs simply failed to sustain me. As history will tell, then, Ombudsman Marcelo resigned, I was left to seek help from my own office the Commission on Audit. The response is again a challenge to ordinary faith. No less than the former Chair convinced me to simply return the documents my team gathered and close the case. "Christ himself failed to save the world so how can ordinary mortals like us dream of succeeding in the fight against corruption when obviously it is a fight between good and evil."

Perhaps I am not willing to give up my flickering hope and diminishing faith inside that I just decided to quit from a 20 year old job. In March 16, 2006, on the birth of my father who has painstakingly shown me the values of honest and dedicated public service, I filed my resignation.

In October 2007, the state prosecutors handling the case, begged me to help the government and with minor convincing, I agreed. I appeared at Sandiganbayan for more than 16 times and in between those hearing, I felt the absence of the public support which I think is critical to cases such as this. In one instance, in open court hearing, I was astounded when the defense lawyer slapped before my face the copy of the letter of the CoA chair denying the creation of an audit team that took care of the investigation. It's the biggest test to my faith. No less than the accused told me that I am a liar and that there will be a reckoning day for me"

It is in this particular time that I sought for a God with His mighty arm that
will simply strike the opponents of truth with his blazing sword. At the same time, I sought for the wounded and agonizing face of my savior so I can draw some strength and the passion to go on. I felt so alone that prayers alone are not sufficient to console me, I was then literally reaching to a God whom I can hold, I can touch, I can embrace! He did not deprive me of this longing, when you texted me on that date, I realized that God has gone high tech and invaded the virtual world.

I thought that the challenge was ended, the moment I completed my appearances before the Sandiganbayan. I was wrong. Last March 12, 2010 I personally saw the signed plea bargain agreement but I must admit that I have been weakened by my own experience and already afraid to give up the comfortable life that I have.

Still however, I searched my conscience and shared these with few trusted
friends. As a consequence of my fear, we now have a seeming triumph of evil versus the truth.

Last December 23, 2010, I filed my resignation from my current employer in response to a conscience call. It is my Christian calling that I cannot ignore that is why I went out of my comfort zone and together with my entire family heed the call to embrace this cause with the same passion when I started it.

I seek your assistance, I am reaching out for help in making a united stand. Sinners as we are, I am confident that God will bless the pure longing of our broken heart if we are willing to make a sacrifice.

The government that we have right now is certainly not perfect, but I think it is the only Government that we have and the government that we deserve. The plea bargain happened during the dark years of the previous administration. Together we need to inform our people, we need to make a united stand.

In ending, let me express my gratitude to the only people I looked up with so much faith and respect. The recent events have shown me that the truth is unveiled not in the brilliant minds of men but only in the hearts of men burning with Love and Faith.

I would like to apologize, if there are any courtesies which I have not
observed. I am asking for prayers not only for my family but for the entire
country.

Marami pong salamat!

Heidi Mendoza

Isaiah Joaquine's Graduation at Day Care Center

Almost 500 kids from District III of the City of Manila attended the graduation ceremony at RASAC gym yesterday. I was one of those proud parents who was present to support Isaiah Joaquine, my four-year old son, was so hyperactive during this occasion. Instead of staying and relaxing before the activity, he played (running and teasing) with her sister Betty inside the RASAC tennis court. Anyway, here are some of the photos during the event. Enjoy!

Time Flies!

How fast time flies? I really couldn't believe that my kid, Isaiah Joaquine, will be graduating at day care center here in Manila. From a dissappointing sickness during his birth at the Chinese General Hospital look at him now - a very smart kid with captivating smile.

Congrats Totoy!

Table Tennis Practice at Ampitheater

Had a chance to touch my table tennis racket again after 3 long years. Aizzzttt. I could still remember the time wherein I managed to play almost every night at Okinawa International Center playroom and twice at Tokyo International Center Gymnasium. Oh...I almost forgot, I joined the Couples for Christ (CFC) Tournament at Quezon City in which I got eliminated early though I was the champion in the Team Badminton Tournament (see my previous post).

The catch was, though I am not really good at playing table tennis, I was able to practice every now and then and was able to get acquianted with DepEd officials and friends. I could also make myself physically fit.

Thanks to my buddies Eric and Rey for making me achieve those hard-earned lessons and perspiration as well.

Nonito Donaire Dit it Again

Another boxing hero from the Philippines emerged as Nonito Donaire outclassed and outpunched co-champion Fernando Montiel of Mexico. If you had seen the show Montiel, after throwing right cross to the face of Donaire, received a "by the book" punch from the latter that made the former hit the canvass. What made the game interesting was that Donaire's opponent came from the boxing rich fighters from Mexico. Hail to the Philippines boxing hero!

Living life without honor is a tragedy bigger than death itself – Angie Reyes

Living life without honor is a tragedy bigger than death itself – Angie Reyes

“Honor, truth, justice. Honor above all else. Pride goes with it, self-respect, sense of legacy. This is very, very important to me. Sometimes, I am accused of being arrogant. I like to have plenty – a healthy sense – of self-esteem. I react to affronts on this.

There are two options available: to stonewall/fight the legal battle, or to come clean and make my own contribution to cleanse the system.

Stonewalling, I am told, would result in a long, protracted legal battle. However, past cases are not being resolved either way, kept in state of limbo. People’s memories are short and all this will eventually fade into public disinterest, and eventually oblivion. So, not to worry.

Coming clean, on the other hand, cannot be done without giving up something. I have decided to come clean, bare my heart and speak the truth. The truth can cut two ways: 1. If you are guiltless, you can embrace the truth and hope that it will protect you; 2. If you are not guiltless, speak the truth and it shall set you free.

I speak the truth not to whistle-blow or to seek neither immunity nor protection nor to escape from any form of liability. As a matter of fact, I speak the truth to accept responsibility for whatever liability I may have.

Honor is above all else. More valuable than freedom or even life itself. Therefore, honor must be guarded/defended with your life.

Living life without honor is a tragedy bigger than death itself.

Stonewalling would mean I would have to go on every day of my life or at least a large part of it under a cloud of public suspicion, at least until the case is resolved. Every day as you continue to live with the lie, you lose a little of your self-respect. And every day, as people look at you, you can read from their minds that they find you dishonorable, and you die a little. So if you stonewall – and you have the connections, resources and power to sustain it, and perhaps the thick face to endure it – that would be the preferred option. I have none of these, and so I choose the path of honor.

My honor has been attacked and damaged. I still have a lot of pride and self-respect, and I’d like to come clean to preserve whatever honor is left.

We see plenty of people walking around who have been clearly disgraced in the eyes of the people, and I do not want to join their ranks.

I think if you want to cleanse the system and for there to be justice, it should be applied equally and well. Our experience has shown that those with position and power, support and connection invariably go scot-free. I don’t have any of these.

It is unfortunate that we have a huge canvas here of which, I admit, I have been a part; unfortunately, people are now inclined to make me the face of that problem for their own various reasons.

When I participated in EDSA II, even then I anticipated that something like this would happen when I made enemies both on a personal and official level. In my long years of service, I knew that I would have to come to terms with this enmity some day.


I might not be guiltless/faultless, but I am not as evil as some would like to portray.

To my friends and those who have known me and believed in me, I honestly believe I did not let you down.

I want to assure the (PMA) cadet corps, current and future, that there are plenty of military professionals who have served and will continue to serve the country well. Do not be disheartened by this turn of events. Yours is a noble profession (of arms), and you should feel no shame. I have tried to live with integrity, loyalty, and courage.

In my 48 years of public service, I have tried to live up to the highest levels of professionalism and integrity. Whether it’s my assignment with the AFP-RSBS or with the Anti-Smuggling Task Force, I never received any offers of bribes; in fact, I returned them. In all my assignments, 39 years in the military and 9 years in four different Cabinet positions, I have never had any favorite supplier. Neither have I ever extorted money nor set any financial precondition for the approval of any contract. I can honestly say that I served honestly and well.

We are now in the situation where my honor and the family name are at stake. My family, my children, my grandchildren could say with a lot of truthfulness and pride that in the family, we value honor and integrity. Strength to live it and the courage to face up to the truth. This is the legacy I would like to leave with them.

Honor, truth, but there must be justice. And justice can be served if laws are applied evenly and well – not favoring the rich and powerful. I hope my case/situation will not be used as something that would bring closure to the issue of military corruption. The fight to reform the system and the entire country must continue; the sad part is that they are selectively targeting individuals and institutions.

I did not invent corruption. I walked into it. Perhaps my first fault was in having accepted aspects of it as a fact of life.

While I am familiar with finance, I must admit I had scant knowledge of military comptrollership. Personally, zero experience. Never been assigned as disbursement officer, etc., no stint. It’s a military field of specialization that I do not have.

No system is perfect. The AFP system needs a lot of systemic solutions…And the same might be true of some other institutions.

Tinyente pa ako, ganyan na ang sistema (i.e., “conversion” system, etc.)… I can perhaps be faulted for presuming regularity in a grossly imperfect system. As CS (chief of staff), a big landscape, presume regularity, convenient to ignore it, accept it as part of the system. It’s easy to say, institute reforms after the problems have erupted.

I joined EDSA II at great risk. Jumped into a void. Coming from a place that was high and comfortable. Without any regard for compensation or recognition or reward. I thought what I did – being loyal to the Flag and putting the national interest above all else – a right, but I was faulted for not being loyal to the commander-in-chief, that I should have stuck with him to the end, however that end might be. I stuck it out with the GMA administration for 9 years, not under the banner of loyalty; I could have deserted GMA, but I did not want to be branded as someone who abandoned his superiors…”

When we participated in many military campaigns, I would like to think that I showed courage…” – PCIJ, February 2011

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copied from kawani ng gobyerno

Spending the Week at Montevista Villas

I am here now in Montevista Villas located at Clark, Pampanga, Philippines with my colleagues at DepEd-IMCS. It is such a nice place and I enjoy bonding with my friends.

Today is the second day of our activity and the discussion is so heightened due to some feedback given by the employees.

Anyway, I will share to you one of our photos during the workshop. I wish you are here with me. Ciao.

For Sec. Reyes (The Warrior is a Child)

"Lately I've been winning battles left and right
But even winners can get wounded in the fight
People say that I'm amazing
Strong beyond my years
But they don't see inside of me
I'm hiding all the tears"

"They don't know that I go running home when I fall down
They don't know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and cry for just a while
'Cause deep inside this armor
The warrior is a child"

"Unafraid because His armor is the best
But even soldiers need a quiet place to rest
People say that I'm amazing
Never face retreat
But they don't see the enemies
That lay me at His feet"

"They don't know that I go running home when I fall down
They don't know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and and cry for just a while
'Cause deep inside this armor
the warrior is a child"

"They don't know that I go running home when I fall down
They don't know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and look up for a smile
'Cause deep inside this armor
Deep inside this armor
Deep inside this armor
The Warrior is a Child"

like a child, he sought his mother to seek comfort...to unload his heart.

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taken from the internet - Kawani ng Gobyerno (Arman)

Good luck is often with the man who doesn’t include it in his plans

Whew… here I am again. Same old story, I think.

Last year, I applied for a foreign training scholarship and was one of those nominated by my department. Unfortunately, my nomination letter was signed three days late of the deadline and after I gave it to the sponsoring agency and asked one of the staff to include it in my papers I was told that my other docs were already sent to the sponsoring country. What? The most important doc (my nomination letter) was still with me and you sent my package to …. without it! Right there and then I knew I would not get that scholarship grant.

A couple of days ago I found another opportunity to apply in a foreign a training program, actually, it was my colleague who saw the details and was so kind to relay the information to me. So I called the department personnel for some pieces of information… and I was told that the program was closed ten days ago. Ahhhh. Am I destined to lose, again?

No, not this time… I told myself. I insisted that the program’s deadline would still be next month how come it was already closed? She told me to wait for she will ask her superior. So I waited… waited with a smile on my lips … anticipating for a positive response and voila! This wonderful girl told me that the deadline was extended for another day and if I have the proper documents I will be interviewed the next day. I almost fall on my sit… err… I got so excited… I faxed the docs that day and had my interview the other day.

I was speechless during the interview, if anybody would come nearer he/she would hear the sounds of my heartbeat. I was so nervous…after signing the attendance sheet I was asked to wait for a while and later I was asked to answer essay questions… what? I thought it was an interview?

So I answered essay questions that asked what the training program would do to myself and my organization. I cannot forget my answers especially the last paragraph, to wit: “Helen Keller was once asked, “What would be worst than being born blind?” she said, “Having a sight without a vision.” and I added words that the program will provide sight with vision to my department.

During the interview proper I was told to answer four major questions and some minor ones by the panel of interviewers.

After the interview I was told by the desk officer to prepare some other documents especially the nomination form. I dropped on my chair!

Tomorrow I will discuss the other details… I am so tired.

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This is a repost. I am migrating all my files from Friendster to this blog.

4th Friday at Max's through Novartis

I got prick just a minute ago and guess what my blood sugar count was? Ewwww... it's 154. Terrible!

What did I eat yesterday and this morning...grrrr...