Happy Birthday Ate Mayette

Today is the natal day of this very passionate woman of God.

She's a woman who not only cares a lot for her family, but her neighbors as well.

God has truly blessed her with wisdom and strategies in reaching them out and of touching their lives.

Ate Mayette, as we call her, came from a family of generous hearts. One activity I know of that they often do as a family is gift giving. Take note, they don't just do this during Christmas time. They give gifts whenever they are convicted to do so. In fact, when their place was hit by this year's great flood, where their stuffs just went to nowhere, they were still giving out gifts to their neighbors who were not so affected by the calamity. Amazing! By doing so, God has blessed them more and more.

By the way, Ate Mayette is married to Kuya Manny. They are blessed with two very attractive kids, Z-boy and Z-girl (Zane). This couple have good genes, right?

I had the chance to be here because my bedmate in college, Lucilia Adorable Trinidad, works with speaker Prospero Nograles. It was such a great opportunity afforded to me by luce. Likewise, I so appreciate the angles and the subjects she included in these photographs.

Driving Home My Bosses

It was raining a little bit harder 7 hours ago, so I had the privilege to drive my bosses to their home locations. At first it was Kuya Joseph Labrador, the Project's Field Coordinator, who thought of taking a hitch by my brother's multicab (which I drive), but then he invited our Japanese boss, Mr. USUI Shunji, and Ms. Catherine Fonollera, the PPDO Consultant. I nearly said "NO" because I know I would be tensed driving with them in the car, however, saying so would be the most inappropriate of all responses and I think that would be too rude of me considering that it was raining, as I said, a little bit harder. Of course, I took the courage of driving for them and the privilege to bring them in their current addresses.

After having sent all of them, I felt glad with the opportunity and so happy with it. It was my first time to drive with a foreigner, a Japanese boss beside me, and 2 Filipino bosses at the back. I didn't quite understand the feeling while maneuvering the steering wheel, stepping on the pads, and changing gears. I don't even know why, yet, one thing for sure, I fixed my head on the road. hahahahah..

It's a rare opportunity and I don't even know when will it ever happen again. hehehe

Photography 0409

Looks primitive, but, that's reality. Although rice cookers and pressure cookers are quite widespread in the Philippines, still there are so much who depend on this huge kettle especially during fiestas, community meetings among other big events in barrios and still in most barangays.

Despite the laborious process of cooking in this stuff, still many would resort to it because it saves electricity or kerosene gas. A lot! One just have to have 3 big stones to form a tripod for the kettle to stand on, some wood as fuel, and then a lighter to initiate the fire and start cooking. That's too simple; but then if one doesn't know the composition of "fire", he will unfortunately be blowing and blowing all over again to keep the fire on.

Photography

This photo is taken by Ms. Catherine Fonollera, a consultant of the Provincial Planning and Development Office for the Project ELCEMM. We happened to be not just partners in the project but cohorts as well of photography.

In this position, I was capturing a better angle of the sunset at Duka Bay without me knowing that Ms. Cathy as well was taking a better angle of me. hehehehe

Photography has long been my passion. It is my way of bringing into the world a certain added level of consciousness to what you and other people may not be conscious or aware of. Realities that could be best examples of figures of speech in english classes or perhaps better topics for aesthetical and metaphysical discussions.

Except for this site's background, I don't edit pictures to enhance effects or whatever. I don't even have some light effects in taking them. I took pictures in its natural state and post or feature them as they are in order to convey it's exact message.

We all have different preferences and purposes in photography; different levels of passion and standards of perfection as well. My photographs are unique amplifications of my thoughts - deep thoughts. Thus, I always see to it that they are captured in ways that best ensembles whatever philosophical panorama in mind. By saying "philosophical", it covers beliefs, principles, attitudes, and everything.