Si Auntie Tepen -- Malaking Bahagi ng Aking Buhay

Si Auntie Tepen...

Si Auntie Tepen ay kapatid ng Papa ko.  Bale siya ang pangalawa sa bunso kasi ang Papa ko ang bunso.  Siya na lamang ang natitira sa mga magkakapatid sa anim na magkakapatid.

Mahigit 70 taon na gulang na si Auntie Tepen.  Pero malakas pa rin siya.

Malungkot ako kasi kung nasa Pilipinas ako ay di ko hahayan na nagiisa sa buhay si Auntie Tepen.  Di naman siiya literal na nagiisa sapagkat kasama naman niya sa bahay sa Bulacan ang ilan sa mga apo niya.

Nagiisa siya sapagkat ang 2 niyang anak ay para bang inabandona na siya.  Di ako sigurado pero sino bang anak ang makatitiis na malayo sa kanila ang kanilang Ina at di nila alam ang kalalalagayan nito kung maayos ba o hindi?  Ang busong anak ni Auntie Tepen, ang pangatlo ay 2 taon nang pumanaw.

Sa tuwing uuwi ako sa Pilipinas lagi kong pinatatawag si Auntie tepen para naman makasama ko siya, makita at mabilhan ng gamot, maabutan kahit konting halaga (pera) at mabigyan kahit na konting groceries.  Ayaw ko sana isulat ito dito kaso para naman malaman ng mga anak niya na dapat ay di nila pinababayaan ang kanilang ina.  N

Bakit ba mahal na mahal ko si Auntie Tepen?  Kasi siya lang naman ang nagpalaki sa akin.  Di ko malilimutan ang mga magagandang karanasan at alaala ko sa piling ni Auntie Tepen noong nakatira pa kami sa Project 8 sa Quezon City.

Pinapanalangin ko ang kalusugan niya.  Ang masustentohan ang pangangailangan niya.  Magkasama sila ng mga anak niya at maalagan siya ng mga ito.  Higit sa lahat sana maging mahaba pa ang buhay niya.

Kapag nagsettle down na ako sa Pilipinas ay titiyakin ko na sa bahay namin siya titira.

Aalagaan ko siya.  Kakalingain.  Ipadadama na may taong nagmamahal sa kanya. Kasi Auntie ko siya.

Katatapos nga lang pala ng birthday niya... May 19... Pareho pa na 19 ang birthday yun nga lang buwan ng Disyembre ako.

I love you Auntie Tepen.  Ingat ka palagi.  See you sa paguwi ko sa bakasyon ko. Isa ka sa malaking bahagi ng aking buhay!

Mga Buhay na Alala ng Aking Mahal na Ina

Mother's Day Without My Mother (ang araw na parang napakalungkot ng buhay)

"Hello, Jeck? O ano kamusta?  Magaling na ako wag
ka na magalala sa akin.  Uuwi ka pa ng March di ba? Kahit sinabi mo na di ka na makakauwi sa taong ito, dahil next year ka na uuwi."

Yan ang mga salita na narinig ko kay Mama noong huli ko siyang makausap noong buwan ng Pebrero ng taong ito.

Tatawagan ko sa ulit siya sa darating na Linggo kasi mother's day na kaso di na pwede. Wala na si Mama kasi kinuha na siya ng Diyos sa langit noong Marso 4, 2012.

Iba pala ang pakiramdam kapag mother's day tapos wala ka ng nanay?  Parang ang bigat iselebreyt.  This is the first time that I am celebrating the Mother's Day without my mother.  Sandali nga muna punasan ko muna ang luha sa mga mata ko na tumutulo sa aking unan habang tinitipa ko ito.

I will pray na lang to God na sabihin nya sa Mama ko na miss na miss na miss ko na siya, at mahal na mahal ko siya.  Hirap naman nito di maubos ang luha ko, patak ng patak eh.

Sa lahat ng makakabasa ng blog kong ito, yakapin nyo ng mahigpit at halikan ang iyong mga nanay sa araw ng Mother's day.  Ipadama nyo how much you love them kasi time will come na di nyo na magagawa yan sa kanila.

To my mother: HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY.  I am sure you are HAPPY today kasi na sa langit ka na kung saan walang katapusan ang kaligayan.  I LOVE YOU!

Ang ganda mo sa violet Mama.  Hayan ha kumpleto ang picture mo kasama lahat ng mga anak mo. Maghahanap ako ng picture nyo ni JC.  

Buhay ko sa Piling ng PMMA Class 2003 "Kabuklod"

Napakasarap gunitain ang pagbubuklod ng PMMA Class 2003. Taon 2010 ng muling magpamalas ng pagkakaisa ang mga "classmates" kahit na sila ay may kanya-kanya ng buhay at abala sa propesyon na kanilang pinili.

Napagkasunduan na KABUKLOD na ang opisyal na Class/Batch Name ng batch. Tunay nga na angkop ang pangalang iyan sapagkat ng sumunod na taon (2011) ay ang Kabuklod ang tinanghal na best marching unit at most attendees.

Masaya kapag nagkakasama-sama ang mga magkakabatch. Naroon pa rin ang kulitan pero higit sa lahat ay very inspiring ang buhay nila. Di na matatawaran ang kanilang mga naabot kahit sa murang edad nila dahil na rin sa pagsisikap nila.

3 Consecutive years na akong dumadalo sa PMMA Foundation Day celebration. Sana makadalo ulit ako next year.

Salamat sa inyong lahat mga kabuklod. Lagi kayo sa aking panalangin.

Iba talaga ang ayer! Iba ang PMMA Class 2003! Iba ang Kabuklod!

Remember also that JESUS saves! (JOHN 3:16)

sapatos at tsinelas ng buhay

Ang bilis na lumilipas ang panahon. Ang panganay ko na anak na si Yeira ay 5 years old na samantalang ang bunso kong anak na si GoYe ay 2 Years and 2 Months old na.

Nakakatuwa ang dalawang batang ito. Si Yeira ay nagpabili sa akin ng rubber shoes na pang-P.E. daw niya. Siyempre maiingit si bunso kaya nagpabili naman siya ng tsinelas. Nagulat ako first tsinelas ni Goye iyon pero ng isuot niya ay parang ang tagal na niyang nagtsitsinelas at si Yeira ay tuwang-tuwa naman sa Nike shoes nya. Aba, gusto nya ay branded talaga. Mana sa tatay!

Ilang sapatos at tsinelas na nga ba ang aking naisuot simula ng ako ay mabuhay sa mundong ito? Di ko alam ang bilang.

Ilan din kaya ang isusuot ng dalawa kong anak?  Nasa Diyos ang katugunan.  Sapagkat ang Diyos ang may akda ng buhay. 

Buhay Na Walang Hanggang at Paglilingkod sa Diyos

Ako ay born again (Baptist). 1987 ng ako ay iligtas ng Panginoong Hesus.

Ginamit ng Diyos ang isang Arwin Sumatra upang ako ay makakila kay Hesus. Si Arwin kagaya ko ay miembro din ng UPIS Volleyball team. Inimbitahan ako ni WeeWee (palayaw ni Arwin) na sumali sa volleyball team ng kanilang Church. Sumangayon ako at tinalo namin ang mga team ng ibang baptist churches at naiiuwi namin ang kampeonato.

Simula noon hanggang sa ako ay naging aktibo sa pagdalo sa mga worship services ng UP Bethany Baptist Church (UPBBC). Nagpabautismo ako, at di katagalan ay naihalal na Young People President ng UPBBC. Ako din ang naging opisyal na songleader ng simbahan. Di rin naglaon ay nagbitiw ako sa aking trabaho upang maging fulltime volunteer worker sa simbahan.

Ngunit may ibang plano ang Diyos. Kinakailangan kong magtransfer ng membership sa Calvary Baptist Church in Munoz, QC. Ilang taon ako naging aktibong miembro ng simbahan na ito. Dito ako lumago at nagkaroon ng malalim na kaalaman on doctrines of grace. But then again the Lord led me to join another church. Ang pinakahuli nga ay ang Park Baptist Church and Missions. Dito ako naordain as Deacon and later on ay naging Missionary Pastor sa gitnang silangan. Sa ngayon ang mission work sa Jeddah ay may humigit kumulang na 30 miembro. Ito ay sinumulan noong 2008.

Napakabuti ng Diyos. Iniligtas Niya ako at inilagay sa puso ang maglingkod sa Kanya. Di ko ninais na maging pastor sapagkat ako ay di karapatdapat. Ako ay makasalanan subalit ng tawagin ako ng Diyos tungo sa kaligtasan di ko inakala na tatawagin Niya rin ako upang maging lingkod Niya bilang isang missionary.

Ako ay sa kasalukuyang nagsisikap sa biyaya ng Diyos at sa kapangyarihan ng Banal na Espiritu na maglingkod sa Diyos. Hindi madali ang maglingkod subalit ang Diyos din naman ang magbibigay ng kalakasan upang magampanan ko ang Kanyang dakilang panawagan.


Amen.

Philippine Merchant Marine Academy

The Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) was originally named "Escuela Nautica de Manila". It was created by virtue of a royal decree issued on January 1, 1820 through the recommendation of the Spanish Consulate of Commerce. It was then inaugurated on April 5, 1820 in its initial location, at Calle Cabildo Intramuros, Manila until 1863. The school was relocated to Calle San Juan de Letran, then to Calle de Palacio, Manila in 1884 and then to Binondo, Manila in 1898.

The school was temporarily closed during the Philippine Revolution. It was reopened after the American Occupation on December 15¸1899 and it was renamed as the Nautical School of the Philippine Islands. It was moved once more into the U.S. Navy Warehouse at Calle Sta. Elena in San Nicolas with Spanish as the medium of instruction.

Later it was converted into the Philippine Nautical School. In 1913, it was reopened upon representations of progressive firms and was placed under the Philippine School for Arts and Trades located at Aroceros St., Manila, then later moved to Roberts St, Pasay City.

During the 2nd world war, classes were suspended but these were reopened by the Japanese. During the liberation, it was placed under Capt. Francisco Castañeda.

In 1963, R.A. 3680 converted the Philippine Nautical School into the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy and changed its course offerings into B.S. degrees. It was relocated at Fort Bonifacio, Makati City in 1968. From then on, it was placed under the Department of Transportation and Communications. In 1996 it was placed directly under the supervision of the Commission on Higher Education.

On February 2, 1998 PMMA was transferred at San Narciso, Zambales.

This old Academy, a pillar among maritime institutions in the country, has developed the Quality Policy Manual in compliance with the requirements of the 1995 International Convention on Seafarers' Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW '95) and the Policies, Standards and Guidelines for Maritime Education 1997 of the Commission on Higher Education.

It is only fitting for PMMA to lay down in printed form the guidelines, policies and procedures that are behind the standards of quality education and training of world famous PMMA cadets. It behooves PMMA likewise, to formally lay down and pass on, its management secrets that have led to the quality of work and service standards among its faculty and staff, which are the very support of its educational system.

PMMA has not lagged behind in its quest of producing competent and qualified merchant marine officers. It is hoped that with this Quality Standards Manual, those who will follow in the footsteps of managing this prestigious institution will be inspired and guided accordingly. This is not only to continue in its famous tradition, but also feel free to improve and build upon this legacy - a world famous merchant marine institution known for quality and good performance with standards of management and training comparable only with the best.

Mission

To educate and train midshipmen/women to become qualified and competent merchant marine officers for shipboard and shore-based positions in response to the global requirements of the expanding international maritime industry, as well as to become competent and capable naval officers who can serve as naval and military auxiliaries in times of war and national emergencies, and to contribute to the improvement of maritime education and the pool of ship business managers through graduate school programs.

Vision

The Philippine Merchant Marine Academy envisions through its academic programs and quasi-military training to produce a balanced personality out of every graduate, i. e. an internationally acceptable officer and gentleman who can function efficiently in his field of endeavor and contribute to the development and progress of the Filipino nation.

Philosophy

The Philippine Merchant Marine Academy is committed to a policy of providing the highest practicable standards of maritime education and training to its Corps of Midshipmen, and to produce merchant marine officers with an assured level of quality, which satisfies all national and international standards.

The PMMA Seal

The seal of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy consists of figures from the sea carefully choosen to identify the Marine profession - the main reason for its existence. It is composed of the seal of the republic superimposed on a crossed anchor background, embellished by laurel leaves inside a gold steering wheel with eight spokes.

Its meaning...

Three Stars

The three stars represent the three main islands of the Philipines - Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. It is a manifestation of one of the mandates of the Academy as a state college which is to provide subsidized education to qualified, deserving and interested applicants who wants to become merchant marine officers all over the country.

Sea Lion

The figure represents the Navy, the branch of service where PMMA graduate is most fitted to join in times of war and national emergencies.

Laurel Leaves

It stands for honor, superior performance, nobleness and greatness of character, the time-honored traditions that every PMMA cadet should uphold.

Kawastuan, Kababang Loob, Kagitingan

These sacred words expresses the ideals of PMMA. These are the principles that are the guiding lights of PMMAers as they strive for excellence in every undertaking they engage into.

Steering Wheel with Eight Spokes

The eight spokes stands for cardinal points of a compass. This signifies that every effort exerted by a PMMA cadet is directed to a comon goal, that is to become efficient and a well trained merchant marine officer who is at par or, even better than marine officers of progressive maritime countries.

Crossed-Fouled Anchor

The crossed anchor symbolizes the main course offered by PMMA - a bachelor's degree in Marine Transportation major in Marine Engineering and Nautical Studies. The fouled anchor on the otherhand, signifies that a cadet spends a minimum of four long years in the Academy to learn and master the arts and techniques of "unfouling the anchor" and secure the ship from the ravages of the sea until she is finally settled and safe.

Aladdin's Lamp

It symbolizes that the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy is an educational institution tasked to provide knowledge, skills, arts and techniques of the noble profession of sea-faring.