SPEAKING OF MEETING UP WITH OLD FRIENDS.....=D

A little over a week ago, I managed to sneak out of the office for lunch to welcome back Eric O who was home for a quick visit from L.A. Eric used to be Category Head when I was...well...still a child in the Marketing world. Haha! I joined the Tomato & Pineapple Company as a 24-year old who found herself to be the only "kid" (well, other than Mitch S who was 3 years older than me) in the company of mid-30s and up. They used to call me "Bata" and often referred to me as the baby of the Marketing group (ngyaaarrrrr....=)). Consequently, whether rightly or wrongly, it was a struggle in the beginning to get people to think that I can actually take on bigger and more major brands. It's not that they thought I was stupid. In fact, everyone seemed to think (whether rightly or wrongly, haha) that I was made of pretty good stuff. Still, in pretty much the same way that our moms and dads continue to think of us as their 5-year old kids even when we're almost 30, Boss WAS and Boss ATC, at that time, probably had a hard time reconciling the 24-year old newbie that they hired with someone capable enough to handle the major brands. And so for years, I stayed with Ketchup, Vinegar and Beans. Very active brands (as far as A&P is concerned), but minor enough to not have any major impact on Op Inc in case I messed it up. I recognized that they saw this as a training ground for me (I used to report directly to Boss WAS who was Marketing Director and Boss ATC who was, at that time, Philippine Market GM) but it was Eric O who made them see the light when--by some stroke of lucky brand realignments--I found myself directly reporting to him. He made a case about how I should be made to handle bigger brands. I was made of good stuff. I was ready. What's holding them back? And so, they gambled on me by letting me handle Spaghetti Sauce and Pasta (both still relatively small back then, but decidedly bigger than Ketchup, Vinegar and Beans, haha). From then on, there was no looking back. He was my boss for only a short while (a little over a year only, I think) as he decided to pursue his MBA in the US, but I will forever be grateful to Eric O for getting me on the fast track to Marketing success. =)



In 2004, Eric O hosted me, Mavel and George when we decided to fly to LA from the FMI Expo in Chicago. =) We stayed with him for, I think, four days and used his home as meeting point for all the ex-Tomato & Pineapple company folks who have since migrated to L.A. This year, he came back for a quick visit. He has not been home since he left for B-School. True to form (he was a no-fuss kind of guy), we only found out he was here days before he was to leave for the U.S.! Susko! So lunch was hurriedly put together. Kabisera @ Bonifacio High Street. I actually missed it and only arrived in time for dessert. Naku! (No biggie as I am NOT a big fan of Kabisera; I think it's waaaaayyyy overpriced for the kind of food that it serves.) Still, it was GREAT (!!!) to meet up with the ex-officemates who have since retired / resigned. It was a quick lunch (par for the course these days, I realize now), but it was good to touch base with him again. =)

And speaking of old friends...susko! Finally managed to find time to meet up with Netski, one of my oldest friends. To be fair, it's not just MY schedule that's going haywire. Hay...hers too. We actually tried to schedule lunch / dinner several times, and cancelled just as often as we scheduled. Naku! Finally, we just bit the bullet and texted each other on a whim, "Lunch?"

"Where?"

"Boni High. I don't have a car."

"Game. Where? Somewhere light. I'm not hungry."

And that's how we ended up in Mini Shabu-Shabu. =D One of my favorite restaurants in the world for both gustatory and sentimental reasons. Hubby Sweet and I ate @ the Shangri-La branch on the first day that we met. Haha. =D

Anyway!!! Netski and I were meeting up because she had to get something off her chest. As we used to do during The Wander Years, we decided to meet up. We used to drown our....uh....sorrows in alcohol. These days, we just simmer them away in comfort food. Times have indeed changed. Haha. =D

Which is why the Mini Shabu-Shabu was perfect. We each ordered a set. If you do go there, one individual set is enough. Trust me. You'd be super busog. I decided to go with the beef; she decided to go with the pork. Everything else in the set was pretty much the same. Egg noodles and glass noodles. Greens. Fish cakes. Fish and lobster balls. Mushrooms. Oyster. Squid. Shrimps. Sea Urchin (?). Fish fillets. *My mouth is watering like some Pavlovian dog just by remembering the list, haha! =D*

The good thing about Mini Shabu-Shabu is that you get your own personal-sized vat so you can pretty much do what you want (unlike the older shabu-shabu restaurants where the grill and vat are shared at the center of the table). I like getting double-servings of the dip as I like dumping most of the condiments into my bubbling vat of broth for added flavor. The "extra dip", I use for...well...dipping (haha =D) before I shove everything into my mouth. *I am still salivating...ngyar...=D*

Netski and I had a long-drawn lunch. Lucky that I was relatively free that day (that's why I texted). Her troubles at that time did not merit all the "quick lunches" I seem to be having a lot of these days. So we talked (and occasionally laughed) as the broth bubbled and tossed all the different ingredients around. Literally soup (and shabu-shabu) for the soul. Haha!

After lunch, we skipped over to Hobbes where we drowned her troubles further in good-for-you-healthy-frozen-yoghurt-smothered-with-not-so-good-for-you-mochis-cookie doughs-etc.-etc. Haha! =D

Back in college, for Freshman English, I remember being asked to read a short story by some writer I have sheepishly already forgotten. What she wrote, however, continues to stay with me to this day. It was a story about two girls who grew up together and were so close, as kids, they practically treated each other as sisters. Then they grew up, moved away from each other, and lost touch--except for the occasional birthday and holiday greeting card. Then they miraculously found themselves within the same place and excitedly made plans to meet up and catch up. When they finally saw each other again, these two who were practically sisters when they were kids, sadly found that they no longer had much to talk about.

You work at friendship, she wrote, realizing what happened between her and her childhood friend.

You write.

You call.

You show up.

Otherwise, you're just two taxpayers.

I value my friends too much to let that happen.

MUST. MAKE. TIME. =D

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Now, why do I get the feeling the first comments I will get out of this blog post will come from BFF Apes and BFF Cheffy--asking me, "So, saan kami magbabayad ng buwis?!" HAHA! =D Sya, sya. Lunch. Next week? *Sheepish grin...=D*

WELCOME BACK & GOODBYES @ CAFFE PUCCINI =D / =(

These past few weeks has taken me through two extremes as far as friendships go.

On the last week of May, I met up with Lola (henceforth to be coded in this blog as Mrs. Smith) whom I haven't seen in AGES!!! Susko.... Now based in the U.S. with her American husband, she comes home every so often to tie up loose ends with the design studio / ad agency she left behind here. The last time I saw her was when she and Mr. Smith came home soon after their wedding, and Hubby Sweet and I met up with them @ Claw Daddy for some seriously good, artery-blocking crab dinner. Haha. Since then, she must have come home several times--all those times accompanied by BFF Cheffy texting me every so often that he and Lola had breakfast / merienda / lunch / coffee / dinner / etc. / etc. Heck, they live practically next door to each other, and so....=)

Now, unlike during the Wander Years when our scheds more or less jibed (we worked together practically every other day back then, and those times we weren't working, we met up anyway for breakfast / merienda / lunch / coffee / dinner / etc. / etc.), the past few times that Lola came home, I was either out-of-town for work, out-of-town for family stuff or simply stuck in the office for whatever urgent business presentation. Naku! AAAAAAARRRRGH!!! So to say that I was extremely happy to meet up with her again for dinner would be an extreme understatement. I was ecstatic! =D BFF Cheffy was unable to join us (this time, he was in Bataan with his family), but it was good to finally catch up with each other on work, love and life in general. I MISSED HER--A LOT!!! And I do hope the next time she comes home, the universe will align itself to make possible a troika reunion. =D

Now, just as I was welcoming home a friend (albeit temporarily, as she has already flown back to Mr. Smith), I had a despedida lunch for Mao, my bestest friend in the world who saw me all through my foibles from High School onwards. Mao who was ecstatic beyond belief when I met and married Hubby Sweet because he said, for once in his life, he does not have to worry about me anymore--that someone else has to be burdened with that job. Haha! =D

In a few days, Mao will be flying off to Vancouver for good to join his wife, Lil Angel, who has been there since last year for work. Lunch was quick. I had to get back to the office; he had to attend an immigration seminar and pick up a few more last-minute stuff before he goes. Still, it was crammed with catch-up stories on who's doing what and where everyone else is now.

He talked about them (well, mostly Lil Angel) serendipitously finding their dream home, and how excited they are to start fixing the place up. I talked about being excited to move to House Royal late this year with Hubby Sweet, and about us fixing the place up. He asked about the Baby Project. I told him it was more difficult than I thought it would be. I asked him if they plan to have babies soon after he gets there. He said, probably not immediately, but eventually.

He talked about the Winter Olympics being in Vancouver next year. I talked about how my cousin Ate Bab and Kiko's uncle Ninong Mar both live in Vancouver. Maybe you can come over and visit, he said. I told him, we'll see. It depends on how much we have left over after the amortization payments. He agreed. Yup. Amortizations would definitely be a big, humongous cloud hanging over both our heads. But it's going to be worth it, I continued. Little / major sacrifices now. Heck, you won't even remember it next year once you're comfortably settled in a bigger place. He agreed. Which is why he can't wait.

What about your optha practice, I asked. They tell me it's more difficult to establish a practice in Canada than in the U.S., he said. So what are you going to do, I asked. Maybe I have to study again. I don't know. I'll know when I get there.

Are you happy to go or does a part of you wish you weren't going, I asked. A part is sad, I'm a creature of habit, he said. I nodded. I know. So this is a pretty big move for me, he said. I nodded again. I know. But, the biggest part of me, he declared, is just excited to go and start this new life.

Sitting there in that tiny cafe, I came to a grand realization. We've come a looooooooooong way from all those lunches and corridor tambay sessions in good, old CSA.

Whoever thought Mao and Chora would actually grow up? Hay....=)

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Both welcome dinner and despedida lunch was done @ Caffe Puccini @ The Fort Strip--because it's a stone throw away from my office and because I've heard sooooooooooo much good about it but have not tried it myself. Hubby Sweet is not a big pizza and pasta fan so I reserve these types of restaurants for meals out with my friends.

Now, Caffe Puccini has seriously good pasta. Mrs. Smith and I tried this tomato-fish-type (I forgot the name); Mao and I went for the Aglio Olio. Both yum.

That said, if I were to recommend Caffe Puccini to you, it would be because of the pizza. Both times, we went for the Classic Pizza Puccini. With all due respect to Yellow Cab, Greenwich, Shakeys, Jimini, Pizza Pedrico, Lotsa-Pizza, 3M, etc., etc.....guys, I still like you, but I've finally met my one, true pizza LOVE.


Baked in a wood-fired over. Crisp, smoky-tasting crust. Smothered with tomato sauce and what I suspect to be a balsamic vinegar-based drizzle. Topped with Italian sausage, prosciutto (YES, PROSCIUTTO!!! =D) and arugula. Slightly smoky. Slightly salty. Slightly sweet. Slightly nutty. I think I died and went to pizza heaven. =)


Both times, I thought, maybe Father would enjoy having his Father's Day lunch here. Hmmmnnnn....Must ask when we go home to House Better this weekend. =D

AND NOW, SEVERAL WORDS FROM OUR SPONSORS....=D

I've moved to Demand Management, yes, but I just wanted to immortalize the last TVCs I did before I made the big jump!

Cousin Tiririt and V had a funny story about my niece GB. Upon turning a corner on the way to Eduardo's (code name for our family's ancestral home), they passed by a street vendor selling pineapples. All of a sudden, GB broke into song, singing at the top of her voice: "SA DEL MONTE PINE-A-POOOOOOOOOLLLLLLL............!!!" Hahaha! The Guardian TVC was produced in collaboration with the Kapuso Network. =D

Before I moved on, we also managed to launch our first entry into the snacking category. Junk the Junk! Now, there's a Fit 'N Right you can snack on! =) BTW, Rose also collaborated with Havoc to develop an online game that is currently lodged somewhere in Friendster and Facebook. Play it! But not during office hours, because I've been told it's quite addicting and fun. =D

Finally, my last TVC. Ang birthday na espesyal, di kailangang mahal! =) Check out the recipe on the label itself. I'm especially happy to have this as my last because it is one of the most heartwarming TVCs I've done in a while. May kurot sa puso. Sana magkaroon din ng impact sa benta. Haha! =D

So there. Sayonara, Marketing! (Whether for now or for good remains to be seen. =D) Thanks to all my bosses whom I've learned much from, all my subordinates who I hope to have taught much (hopefully, much more that I terrorized, haha), and to all my agencies for all the great and fun collaborations (never mind the occasional headaches and heartaches).

'Twas a great, GREAT ride! =D

10 WAYS TO GROW / MAY 1,2009 =D

As I was cleaning out my old cube, I came across an article I had printed off the net a few years ago. I was cleaning out my old cube so I could transfer to my new one--only a few steps (maybe no more than 15) down the hall. Those 15 steps, however, spells all the difference in the world.

On May 1,2009, I moved out--not just from my cube but from my comfort zone. I've been in Brand Management since I graduated from good, old ADMU. Truth be told, even as early as sophomore year, I knew that I would be pursuing Marketing when I get out. I took every class, focused all my electives on anything Marketing-related. I built my career.

Early last year, I've been asked by our Group COO to consider moving to Demand Management. It's a new discipline--then, only superficially skimmed in the Tomato & Pineapple Company. No one really knew the full extent. I, for sure, did not. Think about it, he said. We need to set-up a true-blue Demand Management system here. The business needs it. I believe you're the one person who can do it.

In my quiet moments though, I had visions of it being all about historical settings and statistical analysis, and I imagined days (and possibly nights!) of poring through excel sheets, pretending to make intelligent guesses about the future and about how volume and profit can be maximized, given the resources that are on hand. I still love Marketing, I said. That's where my heart is. He let me stay.

Sometime in the middle of last year, I've been asked to reconsider again. This time, I did more than think about it. I actually asked around. Researched. Tried to find out everything that I could about Demand Management. You'd be on the fast-track to being GM, someone said, but truth be told, being GM back then was farthest from my mind. You'd have the opportunity to see beyond Marketing, T&T, they said. You'd have the opportunity to dabble in other disciplines. Beyond Marketing, you'd delve deeply into--and sometimes even drive--operations. It will give you the opportunity to see beyond the Philippine Market into Exports and New Markets, they said. In the end, it became quite clear to me that Demand Management offers more than just spreadsheets. But, I thought, I really like Marketing. So, this time, with fingers crossed, I asked to be ALLOWED to stay. He said OK, carry on.

Earlier this year, the inevitable happened. After the second time, Hubby Sweet actually told me that if I really wanted to stay in Marketing, I should pray that I don't get asked a third time. After all, I do live in the corporate world, and in the corporate world, you go where you are needed--not where you want to stay. I made a deal with God. If I get asked as third time, I will take it as a sign. As luck (or maybe God) would have it, I was asked a third time. "Maybe, I was really meant to do this," I sighed, looking up to the heavens, quite honestly, rolling my eyes. So I took a deep, DEEP breath. I said yes. Then I leaped--with both eyes open.

A rolling stone, they say, gathers no moss. I, on the other hand, have been adept at building a soft, cozy bed for myself.

It was finally time time to get up and roll. =)

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Excerpts from TOP TEN WAYS TO GROW

by Diana Holman and Ginger Pape,

Authors of Repotting: 10 Steps for Redesigning Your Life

What happens to a beautiful plant that outgrows its container? If you don't repot it, eventually it withers and dies. Repotting is our term for transplanting yourself into a larger growth environment. Just as gardeners look for ways to promote growth in spring, you can rejuvenate your life by following this step-by-step process.

RETHINK YOUR LANDSCAPE. Adopting a new perspective is the first step to successful repotting. Just as some plants need a different environment to thrive, you need to start thinking in new ways. Ask yourself: what is really important to me? What trade-offs do I need to make to bring more light and meaning into my personal garden? What will bring color to my landscape? For example, if you are constantly traveling for work, but missing important family events, you could shift your priorities and adjust your schedule.

REALIZE THAT PLANTING IS A PROCESS. Slow down and create time in your schedule to research new avenues for personal growth. Don't be afraid of empty spaces. A friend of ours who cut back on her schedule immediately filled the open time slots with new activities. Remember to let "fallow beds" lie--don't fill up your free time until you know what you really want to do.

WEED YOUR GARDEN. Take a disciplined approach to finding more time in your day for activities that offer opportunities for growth. Make a list of the "must-do" activities, then eliminate non-essentials. A woman we counseled who had her own event-planning firm found her client lunches and after-hours professional activities were getting out of hand. She cut back on the number of commitments to make time for painting classes and choral singing--two long-lost passions.

LET IN MORE LIGHT. Your true gifts may be languishing for lack of sun. In order to grow and change, you'll need to open your mind to new possibilities, set goals that challenge you, and even take some risks. Instead of following a safe path, you might decide to explore something differeint. We worked with a lawyer who was unhappy with the rigid corporate structure. She ultimately became a pastry chef, giving up financial security in favor of a less constraining lifestyle.

TEND YOUR GARDEN REGULARLY. Whatever you choose to undertake, whether it's building a new career, volunteering or pursuing a new hobby, do something every single day to make progress. Don't let distractions take your energy away from the tasks necessary to achieve you goal. If you want to do personal writing but find yourself distracted by TV--try unplugging the set on weekends and using the spare time to keep a journal.

CULTIVATE YOUR DREAMS. To repot succesfully, you need to let your mind run free to entertain new concepts, ideas and avenues. Unleash your creative side by visualizing a new future for yourself. One of our clients, a mother who spent 20 years raising children, allowed herself to visualize a new identity. She tapped into her inner voice and let her imagination to take her beyond her current role to that of therapist for troubled youth.

WATER YOUR ROOTS. Find the core values that motivate you. Make sure the life you are living is in sync with your deepest values and priorities. If not, see what you can do to realign it. Let's say you feel the lack of spirituality in your life, but aren't sure how to find it. For two individuals we know, the answer to spiritual fulfillment lay in serving non-profit organizations. Two others took a religious path: one started a Bible study group, and the other entered seminary and was later ordained.

DON'T FORGET FERTILIZER. When you expand your knowledge, you expand your options. For personal growth, ongoing learning is crucial--whether you're pursuing a hobby or gaining new credentials for a career. The stimulation of learning fosters new growth and change at any age. A middle-aged stock market analyst decided to go back to school for an MBA so that she could start a business with her grown daughter.

PLANT A SAMPLE BED. Until you try a plant in your own personal garden, you won't know for sure if the conditions are right for growth. If they're not, you can always rip it out and start again. Embrace trial and error. A woman we know took training to see if she would like to become a massage therapist. While she enjoyed the nurturing aspect, she realized she didn't have the stamina to do it fulltime. She continues at her desk job and has a small massage practice on weekends.

GET INPUT FROM OTHER GARDENERS. Tap into your network--family, friends and colleagues--who may be able to give you feedback, advice and emotional support. As you benefit from the advice of others, you may also find that you're helping someone else along the way. A woman who wanted to change careers, talked openly with her family, professional friends and people who had known her throughout her life. She found her life enriched by connecting with old friends and developing deeper relationships with new ones.

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A month into this new assignment, I find that there is a lightness in my step, a constant hum in my head, a consistent flow of blood through my veins. It's not that I like Demand Management better than Marketing. It's just different. And because it is different, everyday presents a new opportunity to learn. That, I suppose, makes all the difference in the world.

'Am not sure if I'm any good at this new thing that I'm doing. One thing is sure. I'm really trying my darn best to be. =)

MONEY FOR NOTHING / FROM TRASH TO CASH! =D

Sister Pusjing forwarded several links to me about recycling fairs that now happen regularly in SM Supermalls and in the Ayala Malls in cooperation with the DENR. Happy, happy, joy, joy! =D Good to know that the big guns are getting involved, but I wish more people knew about it. So this is me doing my bit to tell more people about it. =)

Last weekend (after 3 consecutive weekends of out-of-town trips, woohoooooo!!!), the Hubby and I decided to stay put in House Pioneer instead of going home to House Better as we usually do during weekends. He was feeling under the weather and really just wanted to crash and sleep all day. I decided to use the time to clean--ACK! Something, admittedly, I have put off for quite some time. In any case, while I am not even half-way done, I've discovered (unearthed is more like it!) two XL garbage-bag full of items that I have decided to drop off at these recycling fairs. (Naku, I actually think I can unearth a lot more if I kept at this house-cleaning bit--enough for all the recycling fairs to be held on the remaining months of 2009! Haha. =D)

In any case, they say to minimize your carbon footprint, you must learn AND apply three words. REDUCE. RE-USE. RECYCLE.


Self-explanatory. In any case, you might have some of these lying around your house. You can actually exchange some of them for cash at the recycling fairs:

• Used Lead Acid Batteries. Genset, UPS and motor batteries
• E-Waste. non-working electronic and electrical appliances, VHS, betamax, cassette tapes, obsolete CPUs and monitors (Aha! Now I know where I could bring my darn industrial fan with a gnawed-off plug. =))
• Paper Waste. Used paper, old newspaper, cartons, magazines, obsolete books, posters.
• Plastic and Metal Waste. Bottles, containers, sando bags, plastic furniture, aluminum cans, tin cans and other metals
• Printer Cartridges. Toners and ink cartridge

No cash exchanges for the next items on the list, but you may also bring the following in case you need help in disposing them: tarpaulin streamers, household batteries, polystyrene packaging, mobile phones, batteries and chargers, tetra pak cartons.

Let's do our bit to minimize the mountain of garbage that we generate. Goodness knows we have enough of these in every country, city, town, street!

This June, the recycling fairs in the Ayala facilities are from 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. on the following dates:

• JUNE 5 - Paseo de Magallanes, Bgy. Magallanes, Makati City (beside Honda)
• JUNE 12 - Goldcrest Parking Lot, Glorietta Makati (behind the restaurant row)
• JUNE 13 - Bonifacio Global City, Bonifacio High Street
• JUNE 19 - Alabang Town Center Parking Lot (in front of St. Jerome's Church)
• JUNE 26 - Trinoma Open Carpark

Bit of trivia from the Ayala Foundation site: Did you know that recycling ONE aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for THREE hours?

Food for thought as you clean up your house and go to the recycling fairs! =D

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I still have to get the details for the SM Supermalls. In the meantime, should you have any questions re: the Ayala fairs, please call 7521084 or write them a swm@ayalafoundation.org.

SAVING THE LA MESA WATERSHED / MAY 17,2009 =D

They paved paradise and put up a parkin' lot,

With a pink hotel, a boutique, and a swingin' hot spot,

Don't it always seem to go,

That you don't know what you got till it's gone,

They paved paradise and put up a parkin' lot.

They took all the trees, and put 'em in a tree museum,

And they charged the people a dollar and a half to see them,

No, no, don't it always seem to go,

That you don't know what you've got till it's gone,

They paved paradise and put up a parkin' lot.

- BIG YELLOW TAXI

Joni Mitchell / Counting Crows

(Depending on which generation you belong to =))

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Did you know that this forest paradise exists no more than a block away from the busy Commonwealth thoroughfare? That it even exists behind all the big malls that have taken over our lives?

Welcome to the La Mesa Ecopark.

I've heard about it before, but only vaguely associate it with Gina Lopez talking about saving the watershed that lies inside it for future generations. Every single time, her message would go wooshing over my head. And so I did what I suspect most of us did. NOTHING. =(

Then early this month (or was it late last month?), I had a panic attack borne by the literally burning summer heat that only let up to give way to inexplicable summer storms. Ngyah. I started thinking about Patita, Ray*-B, Siob-siob, GB, Kirstie, Alonso, Noah, Big Boy MG...and the kind of world they would grow up in, unless I did something today.

So I wrote about it. Sister Pusjing (as she is wont to do =)) started researching about tree-planting and recycling fairs, then forwarded all the links to me. Patay! Haha. (I was--*insert sheepish grin here, haha =D*--secretly hoping that I could write about it, then she will enthusiastically take over from there. Hahahahaha!!! 'D).

Anyway! O, sya. I started talking so I (as Sister Pusjing put it) must now walk my talk. Naku! =D I got in touch with Darryn who was listed as the contact person for ABS-CBN's Sagip Kalikasan. "We'd like to adopt 20 trees," I said, "how do we go about it?" In as quick as one phone call, we were able to set a date. May 17, Sunday, 10:00 a.m. WOOOOOOHOOOOO!!!!! =D

Convincing Cousins_Plus (the official code for all cousins plus titos, titas, moms, dads, children and pets, hahaha) to join the activity was easy. In fact, most enthusiastically volunteered! We spend our Sundays eating and talking @ Eduardo's anyway, it was easy to convince everyone to change venue. =) Tree planting, then potluck picnic after. Sounded like a plan. =)

Darryn advised me in advance that they don't do tree-planting activities in summer to increase the trees' chance for survival. In its place, we can have the nursery activity instead where we will help prepare the seedlings for the next cycle of planting. Good enough. Yey! =D

The activities kicked off with a video presentation and an orientation that provided an overview of the importance of the La Mesa Watershed to the sustainability of life in Metro Manila.

As defined in the official website, the La Mesa watershed is a government property titled under the MWSS and commissioned in 1929. It straddles the boundaries of Quezon City, Caloocan City, and Municipality of Montalban and the provinces of Bulacan, and Rizal. It houses the filtration plant that distributes water to 5 cities and 32 municipalities or about 12 million residents in Metro Manila. It is also the last forest of its size in the metropolis.

Imagine that. 12 million people in Metro Manila and its neighboring municipalities depend on it for the water that they drink, the water that they use for bathing, the water that they use for washing their cars, the water that they use for cooking, etc., etc. It was originally set-up by the Americans, but neglect during the Martial Law years led to deforestation--as squatters moved in, cut down and burned the trees, consequently leading to the erosion of the soil around the watershed. In the late 1990's, a plan to put up a residential subdivision in the area served as the wake-up call for "environmental activists". If the plan had pushed through, not only would it have severely compromise the quality of the water, it would have most likely resulted in the complete denudation of the forest area around the watershed, which would have then compromised the fresh water supply of Metro Manila.

Yes, folks, we came THIS CLOSE to a water crisis, and we didn't even know. =(

In 1999, the environmentalists found an ally in the ABS-CBN Foundation. Gina Lopez took on the Saving of the La Mesa Watershed as her personal project, and things have thankfully not been the same since. (Click here to see before and after pics.) I personally admire Gina. More than being a rich kid who does good, she is a rich kid who is committed to doing good. The saving of the La Mesa Watershed did not come easy. Lives were lost as the squatters fought back. Forest rangers were raped as those who had a lot to lose if the illegal logging were stopped pulled out all stops to intimidate those who were determined to turn things around. I think of all those who gave up their lives, and I start to hope that our family's first batch of 20 adopted trees would mean that they did not give it up for naught.

Darryn welcomed us warmly. She thanked us for doing our bit, adding a bit of trivia. They sometimes solicit from corporations. On occasion, they are approached by companies who have pegged the La Mesa Watershed as their Corporate Social Responsibility project for the year. That day was the FIRST TIME EVER that they are doing this activity for a FAMILY. She was actually surprised, she said, when we told her that we are a family who decided to go tree-planting. Turning her gaze at Genius Patita and Adorable Ray*-B (GB, unfortunately, had fever on the day of the activity), she said that it was good that we brought the two pretty kids because what we're doing that day is really going to be for them. The two kids giggled themselves silly, obviously tickled pink at being referred to as pretty (haha =)). I think most of the adults choked, teary-eyed. Haha! =)

Pics follow....

Genius Patita, trying her hand at planting seedlings, armed with a really big barbecue stick. =D

Father watering the seedlings that were planted....

Adorable Ray*-B needing a little assistance from mom & dad, Bro I-gue and MomSan...=D

The seedlings (disclaimer: O, sya, sya....di lahat ito kami ang nagtanim. 20 trees nga lang eh! Haha! =D)

When you adopt 20 trees, they will also take you around the Ecopark on a guided tour. We first visited the Vermicompost facility--where they prepare the soil. They took us through the process of decaying biodegradable garbage before putting the earthworms in. 1Kg of earthworms for every 1Kg of biodegradable garbage (old veggies, dried leaves, etc.). Mother looked thoroughly interested and is probably thinking of going back another day to get herself some earthworms so she can start a backyard composting facility in House Better. See, gardening is one of Mother's major passion. You should see the garden in House Better. It is a mini-ecopark. Haha! =D

We eventually found ourselves walking through the actual park (entrance is free if you adopt a tree =)). Our guide pointed to the different varieties that have been planted since, explaining the primary and secondary benefit of each tree (for paper, bark used as medicine, etc., etc.). Everyone had a jolly, good time walking (kahit na medyo hinihingal na after a while because we are all physically pfffftttt....haha!). It was hard to imagine that the ecopark is just a stone throw away from Commonwealth Ave. The air inside was different. It was cooler. Breezier. I found myself wishing it was the same for the rest of Metro Manila.

Walking through the park is an experience. We all stopped at this tree. A Kupang. The seedlings that we planted earlier, our guide said, would grow up to be trees this sturdy and tall. And this one is not yet even a full-grown tree yet. Wow. =)

Not only did we go around the ecopark, we even climbed the 117 steps to see the actual La Mesa Dam. Unfortunately, picture taking is not allowed by the dam (although I don't know why). (The first picture in this blog post though was taken a few steps down from the top step. =))

We were too tired to walk all the way out (we left the food in the car) so we all ended up riding the electronic jeeps that takes visitors with heavy baggage (read mga kaldero at kung ano-ano pa, haha!) in and out of the park. I think the kids thought it was a theme park ride. Haha! =D

Thinking about the long trek back and the, by then, already full picnic tables, we decided to hold our picnic in another venue instead. Off to U.P.! WOOHOOOOOOO!!! =D The menu? Chicken/Pork Adobo or Tapa Binalot that Panet lovingly prepared, Sr. Pedro Lechon Manok and Mangga't Bagoong, all washed down with soda. Sarap! ^_^ For dessert/merienda (we couldn't decide, haha), we all had Dolor's Sapin-Sapin, Mary Grace Cheeseroll and Iced Saba that Lolo Fred and Tatin prepared. Good all around. Wish we had more. More, as in more space in our stomachs for the quantity of food that we still wanted to eat. HAHA! =D

We were pretty lucky because soon after we finished our meal, it started to drizzle. With that, we ended our nature-tripping-Sunday. =)

Back at Eduardo's (this time for coffee and more cheese rolls), we gave out the tree adoption papers to the rest of the fam. The adoption papers that Hubby Sweet and I got had Buster J and Barrioca's full names printed on them. Hahaha! Ngyah. =D

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Doing your bit to save the La Mesa Watershed--and consequently your bit in helping secure the future water supply of Metro Manila--is easy. Call Darryn Castillo at (632) 415-2227/924-4101 loc 4551 or email her at darryn_castillo@abs-cbn.com. With one convenient phone call, you can set everything! =D

Click on the link to see just how much it would cost to adopt a tree or protect a hectare. Get a group to do it with you, and it wouldn't even be that much.

Someone walking around the ecopark was wearing a printed shirt that can be deemed as an absolute truth:

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors. We borrow it from our children.

If you think about it that way, heck, P250 per tree really isn't much so GO! =)

BOHOL / MARCH 3-6,2009 =D

Over the past two years, I've been spending Hubby Sweet's birthday away from home. WAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! Because of changes in Board Meeting schedules, the National Sales Conference--historically held on the last week of February--is now done on the 1st week of March. Naku! =( I would usually ask the Hubby to go with me na lang so we can treat it as an out-of-town adventure. But, tama din naman siya when he says "Tweet, ano naman ang gagawin ko dun habang nagta-trabaho ka?" Correct. Oo nga naman. *Sheepish grin...=D*

In any case, I suppose all these trips just gives me an opportunity to scout new places to visit for the family's annual summer trip. For the Nascon this year, we found ourselves @ the Bohol Beach Club. =)

I've been to Bohol once before, but only stayed overnight. (Come to think of it, that was also after a Nascon that was held in Cebu.) I digress. =)

This time, we got to stay a full 3-days so there was time enough to explore and experience the sand and the sea. I've heard praises about Panglao, but this is the first time I can convincingly say that the praises are well worth it. (The last time we went to Bohol, some of us got stung by sea urchins kase ang dami-dami.) Not this time. Then again, maybe it's because Bohol Beach Club is on the "good side" of the long stretch of sand. Haha. =)

Powdery white (though still not quite as white and fine as Boracay sand). Soft and cool to the feet--even under the extreme noonday heat. The water was clear and cool and still moss-free (an advantage it has over the Bora waters, especially these days). =) The way the sand slopes in water is also family-friendly. It slopes gradually; no table tops. When we were there, we got to quite a distance before the waters reached my shoulders (and I'm not even that tall, haha!). Then again, we went @ the peak of summer. The waves can get a bit rowdy late in the afternoon (but still manageable), but the waters are perfect for early morning swims. Rolling, gentle waves worthy of lazy, vacation mornings.

Part of the Nascon itinerary were the tours. All participants had a choice between going to the Chocolate Hills or taking the Loboc River Tour with a side-trip to see the Tarsiers. Even before I got to Bohol, I've decided to skip this part of the Nascon. I figured, if ever, I'd want to see these places for the first time with Hubby Sweet and the family. =D Buti na lang din, The MLT decided to use this "common time" to do the annual performance evaluations na lang for the entire Marketing group. Our hectic lives prevented us from finding a common meeting sched in Manila. Hay....=D

We decided to hold the meeting @ Bohol Bee Farm. We had to rent a van to take us there and back. Now, I've heard praises (loads!) about the place, so I was pretty excited about getting the chance to actually take a side trip.

Before proceeding to the restaurant area, we all decided to go to The Buzz Shop. Everyone else figured we can do advance reservations for the squash muffins that the Bohol Bee Farm is known for, and just pick it up on the way out--after our meeting and late lunch @ the restaurant. I tried the samples that they were giving out. They're good, but.....well, I did not think they were that good that I would find myself compelled to lug several boxes back to Manila. Parang kababayan lang--haha! =D

That said, for the record, I really fell in love with the store. It was quaint, stocked with interesting bottles and packets of home-made stuff. All were neatly laid out on simple wooden shelves with a trial pack available next to all the products that were being sold. I loved the idea of being given the chance to try before I buy. It doesn't happen very often these days. =)

On one side laid the shelf of different homemade spreads. Mango Spread. Honey Spread (of course! =)). Pesto Spread. Cilantro Spread. Malunggay Spread! I tried and tried and tried....and then I bought and bought and bought. Ngyah! =D

Right across the Spreads shelves, different local delicacies were displayed. Several permutations of peanut recipes, plus chips made of....uh....I-forget-now-what. Taro, I think, but I can't be sure now. I picked up a few more of the peanut-based delicacies, then proceeded to what I refer to as the "inner sanctum". =) When you enter, you would see the aparador loaded with the different types of muffins that they sell. I had to smile because I remember my lolas (from both sides) using old aparadors to hold what-have-you's in their kitchens. Throwback to my childhood. I loved the store even more. =)

Having decided that I was not going to bring back muffins back to Manila, I surveyed the rest of the room. To the right, I found several coffee pots. Kape Mais. What the heck is Kape Mais?! I tried. Smooth. Slightly bitter. Slightly sweetish. It had a distinct toasted note. I liked. I bought. Ngyah! =D Two packs. One for Father. One for me. =)


Fearing that the rest of the MLT were ready to proceed to the restaurant, I decided to head back to the main room, but saw the Honey Display by the door. Honey made from Mahogany Flowers. Honey made from Coconut Flowers. (I'm assuming they meant that they supplied the bees who made the honey with nectar from either mahogany or coconut. =) I personally liked the Mahogany variety better (it had a slightly citrus note), but got peer-pressured into buying the Coconut variety instead. Everyone else liked the Coconut better and I thought since I was buying the Honey for Mother, maybe I should just let majority win that time. =) And so it goes that the Honey made from Coconut Flowers also made its way into my basket.

It's a good thing that The Buzz Shop accepts credit cards because by the time they finished ringing all my purchases up, the total came up to almost a thousand worth of pasalubong! Ngweh. =D

As I walked away from the counter, taking note of the steady stream of tourists coming into the store, sampling the goods, then buying after milling about--also taking note that they all bought soooooo much more than I did--I remember thinking that the owner was darn lucky to be living a Bohol laid-back-kind-of-life while earning a more-than-decent-living that could probably afford her a comfortable lifestyle even in Manila. DANG! I found myself wishing to someday have that kind of luck. Haha! =D

After paying for our purchases, we proceeded to the restaurant. I won't do a full review anymore. Suffice it to say that it would be an extreme understatement if I say that I was disappointed with the food. How could anything that looked this good taste so...uh...sooooo....uh.....BLAH (translation: wala lang. =( ). I suppose because the food looked sooooooooooo good, I expected it to taste just as good. Apparently, it does not follow.

Come to think of it, when I got back to Manila, I excitedly laid out my purchases for Sister Pusjing and rest of the fam to sample. Quite curiously, none of them tasted as great as I remember them tasting when I first sampled them @ The Buzz Shop. Weird.

Maybe the entire Bohol Bee Farm is comparable to those stories in a child's fairytale book. The magic disappears once you wake up or step out the door. Wah. =(