Motorbiking The Mountains

Spending a gloomy afternoon motorbiking the relaxing scenery of Talamban mountains of Cebu, passing through Pulangbato, Guba, Adlaon, Sirao, then Busay. We used to bike this trail few years ago with my mtb friends. It's good to be with nature once in a while. :)

Im a dad!

Im a dad! July 28, 2013

I was attending a team activity when I caught myself drawing some sperms racing to an egg. My colleague noticed it and said, it's good because you attract that to happen. In another activity, the facilitator asked what are the significant changes in life. In my mind, I answered parenthood.

Last week, my wife said she missed her period for four days already. So we bought a pregnancy test for the next day. Before we slept, I placed the pregnancy test strip on top of the Bible and prayed myself to sleep. The next morning. My wife woke me up. The result was positive! I'm a dad! We are so happy. I know this is another adventure, parenthood that is, but we are up to it. We then took another pregnancy syrum test on the same day and it was again positive. We shared the news to our family and they were also very happy and grateful to our Lord. We then visited an ob-gyne doctor and found out that the baby is 5 weeks old.

I'm so excited to meet my boy/girl on the last week of March 2014. See you, baby! :)

 

My Wife's Team Building at Escarpe Resort, Badian

(UNDER CONSTRUCTION)

Danasan Adventure

(UNDER CONSTRUCTION)

Visiting Finland

(UNDER CONSTRUCTION)

One Nice Morning Jog

My wife and I decided to push through with our long before plan of jogging in Canada Drive up in Ayala Heights. It's been a good jogging experience for her, a short but uphill climb. We hope to do that again soon.

We then explored some abandoned subdivision project and we got to meet a lot of livestock making the roads their resting ground.

We bought some fresh buko juice and sweet corn along the way. We saw this dog trying to befriend us, and enjoyed the view with us. :)

We drove towards Buak area and made a turn to the backdoor of Mountain View, to go check out Lantaw Restaurant that we've heard of. They also had another restaurant in Mactan but I heard this was way better, so down we go to feed our curiousity. Got a nice view of the city along the way...

Before reaching the restaurant, to our surprise, we saw this Greek themed structure, which turned out to be a city museum. It's amazing how Cebu has grown over the years, especially in terms of economy growth, with all the foreign and domestic investors putting up real estates such as new malls, condos, and attraction sites. It's going to be exciting being in Cebu during this growth. 

A few minutes later we arrived in Lantaw Restaurant. And I would say, we found the best overlooking and relaxing spot in Cebu, I think even better than Cebu Tops because of the restaurant itself. I can imagine revisiting the place at night, drinking tea while talking with family.

They served good food. We ordered Cordova Express (similar to Bicol Express, but seafood), baked scallops (very yummy!), and pork sisig (well, I guess that means more jogging are underway.)

Lantaw Restaurant video:

Quick Start Sprint Run Convention (QSSR)

My wife was recently awarded as one of the achievers in their Quick Start Sprint Run program in Axa. I was glad to say that she is enjoying what she does, especially helping people realize the importance of income protection and investments.

She's one of the selected few to enjoy an all-expense paid trip by the company to Camayan Beach Resort in Subic.

My First Long Ride for the Year

This past few months, I realized I gained a few pounds so it was time to lose it. My friend Jerrell invited me to join his friends biking the Naga-Uling-Lutupan-Manipis-Talisay route.

Taking the Leap Today

Today, I did my first BUY in online stock investment. I'm just writing this down so I will have something to look back in the years to come -- the day (my wife and) I began investing online.

I would also like to share this helpful video to my friends. This is generally helpful to everyone but most especially to fellow Filipinos.

Take the Leap, Invest Within The Week!

FYI: If you want Bo Sanchez to guide you on what stocks to buy, JOIN the Truly Rich Club.



 

Source:  http://www.stockmarketforpinoys.com/

Korean Student: "Love the Philippines"

It's been a while since my last blog post. I guess we're so busy with work and other things. This is my first post for the year.

Today, I was reading an article that I thought was worth sharing, especially for Filipinos. With the recent and ongoing economic growth explosion in the Philippines, I'm hopeful that one of these days, our country will be one of those well off countries like Korea. But did you know that Koreans wished for the same back in the days, that one day they will become like Philippines?

Here is an essay written by a Korean student for the Filipinos out of love for the Filipinos.

***

MY SHORT ESSAY ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES 

by Jaeyoun Kim

Filipinos always complain about the corruption in the Philippines . Do you really think the corruption is the problem of the Philippines? I do not think so. I strongly believe that the problem is the lack of love for the Philippines 

Let me first talk about my country, Korea. It might help you understand my point. After the Korean War, South Korea was one of the poorest countries in the world. Koreans had to start from scratch because entire country was destroyed after the Korean War, and we had no natural resources. 

Koreans used to talk about the Philippines, for Filipinos were very rich in Asia . We envy Filipinos. Koreans really wanted to be well off like Filipinos. Many Koreans died of famine. My father & brother also died because of famine. Korean government was very corrupt and is still very corrupt beyond your imagination, but Korea was able to develop dramatically because Koreans really did their best for the common good with their heart burning with patriotism. 

Koreans did not work just for themselves but also for their neighborhood and country. Education inspired young men with the spirit of patriotism. 

40 years ago, President Park took over the government to reform Korea. He tried to borrow money from other countries, but it was not possible to get a loan and attract a foreign investment because the economic situation of South Korea was so bad. Korea had only three factories. So, President Park sent many mine workers and nurses to Germany so that they could send money to Korea to build a factory. They had to go through horrible experience. 

In 1964, President Park visited Germany to borrow money. Hundred of Koreans in Germany came to the airport to welcome him and cried there as they saw the President Park. They asked him, "President, when can we be well off?" That was the only question everyone asked to him. President Park cried with them and promised them that Korea would be well off if everyone works hard for Korea, and the President of Germany got the strong impression on them and lent money to Korea. So, President Park was able to build many factories in Korea. He always asked Koreans to love their country from their heart. 

Many Korean scientists and engineers in the USA came back to Korea to help developing country because they wanted their country to be well off. Though they received very small salary, they did their best for Korea. They always hoped that their children would live in well off country. 

My parents always brought me to the places where poor and physically handicapped people live. They wanted me to understand their life and help them. I also worked for Catholic Church when I was in the army. The only thing I learned from Catholic Church was that we have to love our neighborhood. And, I have loved my neighborhood. Have you cried for the Philippines? I have cried for my country several times. I also cried for the Philippines because of so many poor people.

I have been to the New Bilibid prison. What made me sad in the prison were the prisoners who do not have any love for their country. They go to Mass and work for the Church. They pray everyday.

However, they do not love the Philippines. I talked to two prisoners at the maximum-security compound, and both of them said that they would leave the Philippines right after they are released from the prison. They said that they would start a new life in other countries and never come back to the Philippines . 

Many Koreans have a great love for Korea so that we were able to share our wealth with our neighbor-hood. The owners of factory and company were distributed their profit to their employees fairly so that employees could buy what they needed and saved money for the future and their children. 

When I was in Korea , I had a very strong faith and wanted to be a priest. However, when I came to the Philippines, I completely lost my faith. I was very confused when I saw many unbelievable situations in the Philippines. Street kids always make me sad, and I see them everyday. The Philippines is the only Catholic country in Asia, but there are too many poor people here. People go to church every Sunday to pray, but nothing has been changed. My parents came to the Philippines last week and saw this situation. They told me that Korea was much poorer than the present Philippines when they were young. They are so sorry that there are so many beggars and street kids. When we went to Pagsangjan, I forced my parents to take a boat because it would be fun. However, they were not happy after taking a boat ride. They said that they would not take the boat again because they sympathized with the boatmen, for the boatmen were very poor and had a small frame. Most of people just took a boat and enjoyed it. But, my parents did not enjoy it because of love for them. 

My mother who has been working for Catholic Church since I was very young told me that if we just go to Mass without changing ourselves, we are not Catholic indeed. Faith should come with action. She added that I have to love Filipinos and do good things for them because all of us are same and have received a great love from God. I want Filipinos to love their neighborhood and country as much as they love God so that the Philippines will be well off. 

I am sure that love is the keyword, which Filipinos should remember. We cannot change the sinful structure at once. It should start from person. Love must start in everybody, in a small scale and have to grow. A lot of things happen if we open up to love. Let's put away our prejudices and look at our worries with our new eyes. 

I discover that every person is worthy to be loved. Trust in love, because it makes changes possible. Love changes you and me. It changes people, contexts and relationships. It changes the world. Please love your neighborhood and country. Jesus Christ said that whatever we do to others we do to Him. In the Philippines, there is God for people who are abused and abandoned. There is God who is crying for love. If you have a child, teach them how to love the Philippines. Teach them why they have to love their neighborhood and country. You already know that God also will be very happy if you love others. 

That's all I really want to ask you Filipinos. 

***

Source:

http://jmgpatria.blogspot.com/2010/04/my-short-essay-about-philippines-by.html