Dinner at Seaside Dampa

To those kapamilya who were not able to make it.... mainggit kayo, hahahaha....

Steamed Alimango

Inihaw na Panga

Buttered Shrimps

Chili Alimango

Sinigang sa Misu

Baked Scallops

Sweet and Sour Lapu-Lapu

And more!

See more pictures at http://www.zoto.com/iyaleo/albums/7698/

Have a safe trip tita Becky and tito Rhobin!

We love you Lola

Yesterday was a sad day for all of us. Let us all pray for our beloved lola's soul.

... and remember her always.

We love you lola! We will miss you.

What EWTN? EWTN What?

Mmmm. . .

What the heck is EWTN? Editha Won Tongits, naku? No. Esbers Win Two iNnovas? No.

EWTN stands for Eternal Word Television Network. It started out in humble circumstances, sometime in 1980-81 by a Franciscan nun by the name of Mother Angelica. It has grown big since then, through the financial support of Catholics mostly from the US. At present, it is the only 24-hour Catholic global satellite cable TV network, which can also be found in the web at www.ewtn.com, and in radio throughout the US and Canada. Based on survey and data, EWTN cable TV, radio and internet now reaches about 100 million homes worldwide.

For starters, one can't help but be awed about its growth and reach, considering that it all started in an abandoned, beat-up garage of a monastery by a sickly nun who had no money. Think about it for a second. You know how much TV equipment costs, not to mention satellite dishes and airtime. This venture into cable TV in the early 80's truly started with zero money; nothing at all.

Oooh, incidentally, remember Jeanne Young, our very own former actress and TV personality? She now works for EWTN as a producer of various shows for the network. Once in a while, she appears on the shows singing or sharing her story.

EWTN does not have the viewer-base size of NBC, CBS and ABC, or Fox even, but it is not on air for business or profit, you know. It does not air paid TV ads that generate revenues and it does not also charge fees for the airing of its shows. It runs total on donations.

Its only objective is to spread Jesus, the Eternal Word, and what a great job it is doing.

Do I believe that God has a hand in this - the propagation of The Word through EWTN? You bet I do, and millions of others.

In my 6 years or so of tuning in to EWTN, I have heard hundreds of testimonies from people who have once turned away from God but have reconciled with God through some show being aired at EWTN. People who hunger for God's Word have been hooked, yes, literary hooked to the catechism shows; while others who were down experienced conversion by listening to testimonies of other converts.

I can go on and on, talking about miracles of conversions and deeper spiritually but I do hope that you, my blood relations, find time to browse at some of the shows being aired. There are a lot really to view, but all of them point to Jesus. The EWTN website is also a great source of Catholic teaching because it has, in electronic form, copies upon copies of writings and works of great Catholics - from Popes to the Saints.

In this world of so much evil, lies, deceit, hate and anger, I urge you to go back to the teachings of the Church on faith and morality.

EWTN has helped so many people know more about God's love for man and man's search for the truth, and that includes the writer hereof.

Tell your friends about EWTN and what it does. The life you save may be your very own.

Remembering Tito Edward

For whatever its worth, I was not able to pay my last respects to Tito Edward Loilo and commiserate with his grieving family - wife, kids and siblings, particularly Tita Perla. My schedules go a little mixed up but I am guilty by not exerting a little bit more effort to do a Christian obligation of comforting those who are in mourning.

I, however, would like to take this opportunity to make up for my shortcomings by paying tribute to the life of Tito Edward.

I wasn't able to really spent much bonding time with him but most of our time together was spent on the tennis court, giving me free lessons at Fort Bonifacio. He was always jolly, pumped-up and smiling. His PR was very good.

He knew a lot of very important people because of his job and amiable personality. I never got to benefit from his "connections" even if he was very generous in committing himself to it (you know, the kinda stuff you need when asking favors from people who can make decisions), but I had to presume he could deliver what he offered. In short, he was willing to go out of his way to help people, us included, in the same manner he was generous in giving his time to us for free tennis lessons.

In all those occasions I saw him, whether in Manila or in Bulan, I never saw him distressed, angry, sad or down. I had to assume that he must have done his thinking, planning or grieving alone.

He was, for me at least, a man whom I could not talk very serious and deep down topics. I got the impression that I could talk deep advocacies with him like being pro-life or saving the environment. He always took life smoothly, almost as smooth as silk, I suppose.

Let's face it, we could not talk about Tito Nono and Tito Edward in the same space. Its like comparing an apple and durian. Tito Nono is always drawn back, calculating, quiet, mystical even. Tito Edward always celebrated life and tried to capture every moment of it.

To you Tito Edward, I am gonna miss and I am sorry I wasn't able to pay my last respects.

I pray that you already heard these words: "Well done my faithful servant, enter into the joy of My Kingdom."

Who Will You Vote?

In his latest pastoral statement, Cardinal G. Rosales, Archbishop of Manila called on the priests and faithful to vote for candidates who:

• Love and fear God
• Guided by a well-formed conscience
• Always sensitive to the choice of what is good
• Live and serve consistently with moral principles
• Are honest, nonviolent and compassionate
• Respect and protect the limited sources in nature and require others to do the same
•Are ready to sacrifice personal, party or group interest for the sake of unity.

Please try very much to check the background and advocacies of the candidates you are already considering.

Please be extra careful in choosing the "right" Party-List. Being Christians, let us, as a family, support groups which advocate pro-life policies and denounce those which are pro-choice.

Let us protect life from conception until death.

End of the road

No, I'm not referring to one of the popular tunes of Boyz II Men. This goes to Sanjaya Malakar, one of American Idol's 12 finalists. Finally, he didn't get enough votes to make it to the Top 6. I'm not against him personally. I see him as a lost kid, trying to find his way (or himself) while trying to stay alive in the competition. He has proven that he has talent, BUT finds it difficult to shine vocally and performance-wise. First and foremost, American Idol (AI) is a singing talent show. To be specific, one must be a standout singer and performer who has the X factor. For long time viewers of the show, we know that it is expected from contestants to excel week after week after week. The performances of Sanjaya since he made it to the Top 12 weren't noteworthy except for last week. He has been given sufficient time to prove that he is worthy to be the next Idol. Now the verdict's out and the show's (voting) viewers feel that he has failed them.

Arrivederci Sanjaya!


P.S.
What happened in VA Tech was terrible. I hope such violence will never occur again, any violence for that matter.

Easter "Highs"

To all my relatives, I greet you Happy Easter. May the blessings of the Almighty God be with us always. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad.

I would also like to greet a belated happy birthday to my brother DJ (April 5), and advance happy birthday to my Dad (April 10) and brother Erwin (April 16). May God bless you and keep and may He cause His face to shine on you, In the name of Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.