christmas decorations

I AM A CAMERA..

Specifically a SONY cyber-shot. My tag price?..149.00 Canadian on which 16% tax would be added to the price once you decide to buy me.

Some of my cousins go as high as 1,000$..But what the heck I can do so many of the basic things they can do. And the most basic of these is to take digital pictures to be used in the Internet.

Do not be misled by my tag price. In fact when I came to the household where I am now, I am more used than my other cousin, a Canon something.Its tag price is almost seven times higher than mine...Even the labels do not mean anything.

What matters is how you handle the camera, what to shoot, how to shoot and what kind of effect you are trying to achieve..

I, together with the person who handled me, created the following photos...Figure out what the photos are trying to convey..Because after all, photography is also an art. An art intends to tell the beholder a message, a statement, a lesson..

An angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone over them. "Don't be afraid, I am here with good news for you which will bring great joy to all people.."

This shot was taken in a certain setting where the light is dim, but the flash is kept out of auto..That means the camera would click and would take the image even if it is dark...

 

If you go to another setting, the flash will pop and will reveal the actual figures..The low priced camera has these features...

 

Joseph went from the town of Nazareth to the town of Bethlehem in Judea because he was a descendant of David. He went to register with Mary who was promised in marraige to him...

Again the first setting, this time covering a more extensive view of the town..

 

The houses shown here are made of porcelain and they have their own bulbs..The houses are Victorian style and not the Biblical ones  found during the time of the first Christmas...

 

3 figures ( Jesus, Mary and Joseph ) were placed in a bird bath made of porcelain..Instead of animals adoring the bay, we have birds..

 

These Manger pieces are made of crystal. We bought them during an after Christmas sale when every thing is really, really cheap...

One Christmas season, I placed them outside of the house on a cement slab near the door.  I made for them a small cave made of ice and snow ( an igloo ) and it really blended well with the figures. They seemed to  have been made of ice...

Nelly's Toronto Concert

Remember the Nelly Furtado article I published a few days back?*..Well, on the Monday  issue of the METRO , a Toronto daily newspaper, Miguelita and I saw her photo on its front page. So she did really come here for a fund raising concert, not just to visit her daughter's dad.

She performed at the ELGIN  one of the Broadway style theatres that usually show concerts, Christmas specials and similar events..Toronto has its own Broadway live theatre strip.

She  raised about $500,000 that Monday night for Gilda's Club Greater Toronto, a cancer support support group. The concert was called IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING.

Photo's caption read SHE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING..

Ain't that the truth...

*   http://journals.aol.ca/mabait42/ASINGANIAN-JOURNAL-book2/entries/2007/11/22/nelly-furtado-visits-toronto-library/495

The killer quake of '90...

by Sonny Espejo

 

Earthquake. I also learned of it thru the chikka messenger. I called my wife and kids one by one and it seems like I’m more concerned than they are. No worries, they assured me, just a mild one.

Those of us who lived through the horrors of the 1990 killer quake are understandably panicky. I was in Candon, Ilocos Sur when that big one happened, supervising the construction of a four-story school building for the St Paul sisters at St Joseph Academy. Suddenly the terrifying tremors started accompanied by a deep rumbling, gently at first but growing stronger by the second, and then the earth trembled in its full fury for a seemingly endless duration.

Suddenly, in the school square where I was trying desperately to stay upright, wailing and hysterical High School kids converge with the nuns and teachers and my construction crew. It was pandemonium in the face. I never saw such a diverse group pray so hard and so desperately! Verily, in times like those, there are no atheist. Three or four more after-shocks happened within minutes of each other. And while the children are hauled off one by one by alarmed parents, and the teachers scampered towards home, Me and my construction gang who are mostly from Baguio and Asingan are left to assess the damages to our project.

A tumbled wall of freshly piled hollow blocks, some broken urinals, un-used concrete mixes, etc. –they’re the least of our worries. In our minds is the nagging question – are our families in Baguio and Pangasinan safe? We have to spend the night still in Candon because bridges are impassable. Power lines lay strewn all over the road. Telephone lines or what’s left of them are clogged.

And what a long and harrowing night it was, especially when the transistor radio broke in the news of death and devastation in Baguio, Dagupan, Cabanatuan and all other places. Fear and anxiety engulfed us despite reassurances from our local friends. All we want is go home; and go home we did at the first crack of dawn – walking, riding, climbing, wading and all the time thinking of home. I could never forget that.

Where were you when that monster happened?

**************

I was in Toronto when it happened..But I heard a few weird stories about  it..

** On a Sunday before the quake, a priest got a letter asking him to tell his congregation there will be an earthquake..Of course he did not read the letter otherwise there will be a panic ..And what if it did not happen?..But then, it did.Who but God would know what will happen next?.

** a beggar was asking for some food in a restaurant in Pangasinan. He was rudely shooed away, the beggar said.."something will happen to you in a few days.." When the quake struck, his restaurant toppled and he died under the rubble..

** a few hours before the quake started, the cloud formation atop a Pangasinan town took on the shape of a broom..After the quake, the whole town was wiped out as if a giant broom swept it away..

My sister Ester Costes Lomboy was in Asingan  during the killer quake.." The ground was  turning around like a phonograph platter, aside from that,  it was also rising up and down..After it stopped I run home, expecting that our house had gone down..When I saw it was still standing, I almost broke into tears.."

Francis ( Belo ) Malala related to me: "I was biking on my way home from Bantog. Then the ground shook..I saw the ground starting to open; I thought my bike and I would be swallowed by the crack, which was quite deep.."

the baguio killer quake....

The Baguio Earthquake in 1990...

submitted by Rain

During that quake in 1990, where i was working for 9 years in Baguio, first I felt the the ground  rumble and rain started to fall like snow....

 

I was working when the quake happened. Power was shut off..Everything went dark...Everyone was running towards the exits....

 

Outside, everyone was wet because of the rains..Rains plus the shaking and the rumbling sound....

 

Baguio turned out to be a ghost town suddenly  because many people died...Saw a few of them... 

 

I lost my shoes while running..I stepped on broken glass..but I felt no pain because I was soo scared..I thought I would die..!

 

Then I found later that all communications were cut off....People were crying and praying..walking from our houses ....

 

My eyes saw the company beside my place of work crumble....The skies were dark because of the rain..the grounds were shaking ceaselessly..It really felt like the end of the world!

 

I fell on my knees, cried while I was praying hard....!!!!

 

This happened around 2:00 pm....What happened within the the next 24 hours was really unforgettable....People were lining up for food..There were lots of dead bodies all around us..Lots of debris,  people crying..it was terrible....!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Honorees of the Asinganians Canada ( Toronto )

Consul General Atty. Mosquera has inducted a new set of Officers of Asinganians of Canada.
 

The honorees are:

Sonny Espejo's poem in the original Tagalog and an English translation...

I  wrote this  short "tula" on the eve of our "Babang-Luksa" for my beloved son, Isagani Jr. (Jay-ar) which is the main reason why I recently  took a short vacation.  It aims to rationalize the deep, deep loss somehow; and to strengthen our faith that he is now happy with the Lord.

Sonny Espejo

 

Ako Lahat Sila

I AM ALL OF THEM

 

Huwag mo nang tangisan ang aking puntod

Wala ako diyan, di ako natutulog!

Bulong mong dasal, bulaklak mong dulot

Salamat, salamat, huwag ka ng malungkot!

 

Please do not cry over my grave,

I am not there nor do I sleep

Your whispered pray'rs, the flowers you gave

A million thank- yous, again please do not grieve

 

Huwag mo akong hanapin, di ako nawawala

Sa maranyang memorial park di mo ‘ko makikita

Ako’y hanging amihang haplosmo sa umaga

Ako’y ang pagaspas ng mga ibong kumakanta!

Don't look for me, I didn't go away

In this memorial park, you could never see me

I am the North Wind, that blows in the morning

I am the ballad that all the happy birds sing

 

Nakikita mo ba ang bughaw, ningning ng ulap,

Ang luntiang parang, hamog na kumikislap?

Sila’y Ako at ako’y sila, di mo pa ba nakikita?

Di ako nawala, huwag ka ng lumuha pa!

Can you see the  clouds upon the blue?

The verdant fields, sometimes filled with dew?

I am them, they  are me, can't you see?

I never left you, so please don't cry for me!

 

Ako ay sanlibot sanlaksang mga bituin

Ang liwanag ng buwan sa gabing matulain

Himig na maganda, tugtuging indakin

Ako lahat sila, lagi mo sanang iisipin,

 

Nandito lang ako at lagimong kapiling!

 

I am the thousand stars that gleam above

The effervescent moon rays on a poetic night of love

The beautiful music, the dancing filled with glee

I am all of these, so always remember me!

 

 

I am always here forever... beside all of you!!

###############

English translation  and photographs by

Victorio D. Costes

******************

a comment on Sonny Espejo's poem....

Comment from rickytagamanaoag
20/11/07 3:00 AM | Permalink

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    How sweet it is to read such a moving tribute of a father to a son. Thank you for sharing such a personal moment in your family's life. I don't know you Sonny, but I know of what you've written on this board, be it in the political arena, social, and personal events. To say that this tragedy befalling your young family's life is devastating is an understatement. It is incomprehensible and unimaginable, to say the least, but you managed to capture the essence of what it's like for a parent to lose a child.
    I remember your daughter's words about their relationship, and in her young mind how she also  likened his spirit to her guardian angel, her superhero. Young minds cope with tragedies much better than we adults.
    You "rationalizing" your loss must be a healing process. Oh, what it must be like for your wife! I don't envy the circumstance, but I do envy the pillar of strength around her. Take care of your family Sonny, you've got a great thing going.

 

*****

 

 

Nelly Furtado visits Toronto Library

NELLY VISITS QUEEN/SAULTER LIBRARY

Did you know that today Thursday, November 22, Nelly Furtado, the well known pop singer visited the Queen/Saulter Library ?..She was wearing a toque with a very plain, informal get up that NOBODY except a Library staff recognized her. The library staff brought this matter to Miguelita and she approached her.

Then Miguelita introduced herself to Nelly because the dad of her daughter Nevis is Jasper Gahunia. Jasper's ( who is also a record producer ) Mom is from the Philippines. And Miguelita is a close relative of her mom Thelma who belongs to the Tabayoyong family.

Nelly dropped by the library and then she read a story to her child, Nevis while they were in the Children's section.. She dedicated her latest album to her. Upon learning that Miguelita is related to Nevis dad she told her to "hug grandma.." Which she did.

"Did you take a photo?" I asked Miguelita. "No I did not.I did not have my camera with me."

 

She got a hug from Nevis...

 

"Did you get her autograph?"

" I forgot, but my staff got one from her.."

She stayed in the library for almost an hour. From the library, they will be visiting Jasper's Mom Thelma who lives in Toronto.---#

more photos from the ASINGANIAN INDUCTION BALL IN TORONTO

Okay, we have Edgar Resulto ( in blue barong ), then Barbara Soberano Pascua, then Miguelita H. Costes. Looking out from behind is Ely Pascua, Barbara's better half...

 

starting from left: Miguelita, Barbara, then Lori Torres-Pearson class 1965 of the Rizal Academy. Beside Lori is her husband Kenneth Pearson the Global Director of HATCH. It is a company which deals with Mining and Metal Processing. Behind ( again ) is Ely.

Lori asked about the whereabouts of Nely Isaac who happened to be her high school classmate. Lori already met their class valedictorian  Alex Tanwanco. Lori, by the way is a sister of Atty. Villamor Torres who was also one of the honorees during the ball.---#

 

Remy Manuel and a good friend...( somebody e-mail me her name, please?)

 

Remy with Columbia Tarape-Diaz from Bantog, Asingan. Coco ( Columbia's nickname ) is one of the founders of this Association..

 

Hey, every one is smiling from ear to ear. They must have had a yummy dinner!!

"Tilyar manen.."

The following photos looked as if they were shot in Asingan around the 50's or '60s. But it was taken by Sammy Antonio around the wide rice plains of Texas.One can see the image of a McCormick rice thresher known locally ( at least in Asingan anyway ) as the "tilyar" or "tilyadora".

It was a big metallic monster, complete with iron claws, metallic intestines and an aperture that spews out the golden palay ( husked rice ) into a sack.

The machine is so noisy, dusty and enviromentally unfriendly because of the fine dust ( bodo ) that it creates. But it does save a lot of manpower working on those rice stalks separating the palay from the straw.

 

It was my brother Donato Costes who once  operated a rice thresher. He slept in the field where the machine was: thresher, tractor, a platform scale ( simbangan ) used to weigh the sack ful of palay. His workers used thick clothes and hats even if the weather was so warm. In order not to inhale the fine dust, they use a bandana to wrap their faces. They would like stagrcoach robbers from the cowboy movies.

Yes, as Sammy Antonio mentioned, there was always a festive mood when the tilyar rumbles into the barangay. Palay means money. The hardworking farmer would again taste the fruits of his labor after the sacks of husked rice are stored under his house...

photos by Sammy....

from inside his car, a glimpse "deep in the heart of Texas.."

 

There it is, still alive and kicking here in Texas...

 

A "kuliglig" salesman should introduce his stuff to these American farmers...

 

What's the machine doing there?..It is supposed to be working!

christmas in asingan ( long time ago )

SPIRITS OF CHRISTMAS PAST

...in Asingan

Christmas lights in front of Alex Romero's house, taken 2003

Before the town fiesta arrives, another happy event in Asingan would be the Christmas season. The last Christmas which I attended in our hometown took place about 5-6 years ago. We went home on a Dec. 4 and came back to Toronto the following December 31. After a 24 hour flight, we touched down in Toronto a few hours before the parting of the new and old year because Manila has about 12 hours time difference with Toronto..

Thinking of it now, there were a few peculiar highlights of this trip. When we traveled to Pangasinan after a few days in Manila to recover from the ordeal of the long trip, I relished the sights in Tarlac where the Christmas lights were in full regalia..

And I thought there is a shortage of electric power here, I asked my companions..The towns and cities of Pampanga, Tarlac and Pangasinan were bright with Christmas lights of all shapes, sizes and colours When we reached Asingan we saw many houses bright with their own Christmas lights. The Municipio itself looked a bit like Disneyland at night time.

Then the Misa de Gallo commenced when December 16 rolled around. In the new Asingan church, the singers, mostly students from the Rizal Academy were accompanied by huge speakers driven by powerful amplifiers. They were playing karaoke tracks of Christmas carols even if the season was still advent.

 

Ah the Misa de Gallo. I spent many Misa de Gallos in that choir loft over the old church ( before the big one in 1990 which toppled the whole church  like a pack of cards.)

In 1960, the choir was accompanied by a violinist from Urdaneta, Mr. Jose de Guzman, the father of the incumbent priest, Fr, Lazaro de Guzman. The organist was Mrs. Fe Diaz Acosta, the sister of the late Atty. Rustico Diaz, Sr. She played the keyboard very well and she also had a very sweet angelic voice. Another musician, a violinist, was Mier Gacusana from Dupac. One choir member called him Jose Jr. because he played the violin fairly well. And so, I had the taste of working with the choir, no pay but each Misade Gallo, we had breakfast every morning. Sometimes the dogs in the priest's house would beat us to it. While we were singing, they were sampling our breakfast until there was nothing more left..

In the evenings, we went caroling. It was another non paying gig. But once in a while, some houseowners served arroz caldo. I brought an old acoustic guitar, Mier brought his violin and his sense of humour and a priest would always accompany us to keep the girls away from the boys..Caroling ended at 12:00 midnight, Misa de Gallo commenced at 4:00 and so there was not much sleep in between..

When Fr. Ferrer took over the church after Fr. de Guzman, some of the old choir members stayed, but they missed the easy and playful ways of Fr. de Guzman.. There was no more caroling. But the Misa de Gallo went on just the same. Sometimes there was breakfast, sometimes there was none.

But he always treated the choir with a picnic after the Xmas season ( usually after the New Year. ) One time, we went to a fishpond in Binmaley. I could not forget the menu then. There were boiled crabs, big shrimps, fried fish, and lots of oysters. The food was laid out on several layers of banana leaves.. Some of us used pieces of banana leaves as plates and we ate with our hands. There is nothing like eating with your bare hands especially if you are feasting on sea foods...

Such were my memories of the Christmas past---#

---vdc

The  Yuletide decor in the facade of the former Rizal Academy, circa 2003

Arsenia's poem

A FRIEND

 

Around the corner I have a friend

In this great city that has no end,

Yet the days go by and weeks rush on,

And before I know it, a year is gone.

 

And I never see my old friends face,

For life is a swift and terrible race,

He/She knows I like her or him just as well,

As in the days when I rang his or her bell

And he/she ring mine as well

But we were younger then

 

And now we are all busy and tired

Tomorrow I say, I’ll call my friend just to show I’m thinking of her or him

But tomorrow comes and tomorrow goes,

And distance between us grows and grows.

 

Around the corner, yet miles away,

Here’s a telegram stated "your friend died today"

And that’s what we get and deserved in the end

Around the corner, a vanished friend.

 

Remember to always say what you mean

If you love someone, you have to tell them

Don’t be afraid to express yourself

Reach out and tell someone what they mean to you.

 

Because whenyou decide that it is the right time

Then it might be too late for them to know

Seize the day and never have regrets

Because friends no matter what are there for you to stay

Express yourself and let your feelings flow

 

Dedicated to all my friends, from Arsenia

a special news item

TAEKWONDO EVENT ON DECEMBER 16

Asingan is the host, FVR is expected to be the guest of honor...

 

(Special to the AJ) Former President F. Ramos will be on hand as our guest of honor for the mass demonstration of Taekwondo to be held in our town on December 16. This was learned recently from Stauro Punongbayan.

 

Consequently,  the head instructor of the Philippine taekwondo association will be attending too, and he will bring along the crew of the television show Taekwondo TV which will cover the event, meaning that the tournament will be on television. Also we will be included in the Taekwondo Flash, the official publication of the Philippine Taekwondo Association.

 

Stauro said that he is giving free taekwondo lessons, starting  with the public schools. In fact, he said  they will be the ones to  perform for the mass demonstration during the opening ceremonies on December  16.

 

This will be good for Asingan, since there will be media coverage for our hometown.

 

Mrs. Esther Costes Lomboy  is helping  out in this project. Lynne Punongbayan, the spouse of Stauro  has been making some bracelets and earrings that she plans to sell during the tournament. She is putting the name ASINGAN on the label.

 

Incidentally,   Marcie Uson-Wise one of the supporters for this town project , said  that the box she sent will arrive around 1st week of December. She is sending another box soon.

 

A 3rd box from Toronto has just been sent. This box is thru the courtesy of Nueva Domaoan Elma an Asinganian who resides in New Jersey. Nueva is very much involved in activities of this kind.

 

Our town and its people need activities like these ones to boost its  image and to encourage the youth to broaden their horizons.---#

Some photos from Asingan sent by Stauro

Stauro, Sonny and an unnamed Asinganian...

 

A long shot of the first photo, this time showing the building that houses the library and the Taekwando center....

 

Julie, Stauro's sister, Ester C. Lomboy ( my sister ) and another unnamed lady sharing a nice repast...

If I mislabeled  the photos, kindly e-mail me at once.  I assumed the lady beside my sister is Julie..

By the way, the 3rd box went out just this afternoon and it will probably take 2 months to travel especially the Christmas rush is almost upon us....

***********************************************

Rain's FAMILY

DAHMAN'S UNFORGETTABLE DAY..

Dahman's looks belies his age..Looks younger than ???? years old...Ricky is fixated with something..:)

 

Now we come to the exciting pictures!! It is not everyday that one plays the role of a Sultan watching the star belly dancer...

 

Yep, the dance of the seven veils..How many veils had been removed? Is that the first veil on Dahman's shoulders?

 

This chick could really dance the night away!!

 

Getting too close for comfort..Hey babes, you are in the wrong place..That is not dahman's lap..:D

 

O-la-la..Veil number 2?..:)

 

Now her attention started wandering..:)

 

Yessss..Good choice!

 

Yep, all veils are gone...What's next??....

 

THE ASINGANIANS OF TORONTO, CANADA AFFAIR

The DINNER-DANCE and Induction of Officers was held last November 17, a Saturday at the Embers Banquet Hall & 7 Star Thai Cuisine in Scarborough, Ontario.

 

We arrived there at about 6:00 pm. The hall was still practically empty. Then I saw my Kumpare Rudy Manuel and his better half, Remedios. Their table is just beside ours. The night is saved!

After a while, the hall started to fill up. The DJ started their thing: an unending medley of oldies done in the same beat, just like the music one hears in many busses plying the Baguio-Manila  route. It was just background music anyway. But they exceeded my expectation when the actual dance began: they played a good combination of modern and traditional (for-the-Seniors kind  ) music mixture. The sound was also just right, it own't bust your ear drums. 

The food was good and generous. You can go back for seconds after everybody had their share.  Surprisingly, one of the salads ( mixed with a sort of pancit guisado)  was quite yummy. But one person jokingly quipped: "Where is the pinapaitan?"

 

Anyway, here is a batch of photos...

Rudy M., myself, Miguelita and Remedios..

 

Part of the crowd listening to the speeches. In the foreground is Ely and Barbara Soberano Pascua. She is Cornelia's older sister..

 

Miguelita..She worked until 5:00 pm, but she came to check out the affair..She was glad she did.

 

Edgar Guerrero and Miggie..He really could trip the light fantastic, if you know what I mean..:)

 

Sharing the table with us were: Mr. and Mrs. Fernando Padilla , originally from Ariston. Fernando is about to retire from deHavilland the airplane plant in Missisauga.

 

Edgar Resulto, one of the advisers with a couple of friends...

 

Albert Manuel delivering the Presidential speech...