Flores, Indonesia

My high school classmate is now in Maumere, Flores Island, Indonesia. A bit closer to Bali. He told me that they have a transit house in Bali so I can stay there daw if I come to visit. Wow, kana pay kunhon nga na'nay kapuy-an. I am now looking at flights to Bali. Mas barato kaju ang Air Asia kesa CEBPAC. I pray madayon ko phon with Melissa and Inday Chrismarie. I keep the faith!

Jayeel & PSS Cebu

My old friend Dr Jayeel Cornelio was here in Cebu last weekend. They had a socio caravan at UP Cebu and they were also planning for their PSS Annual Conference in October phon. But he didn't meet up with me. I told him about it the past few days. He said he got sick daw while he was here. Well, whether it's true or not, I wish him all the best always. Thanks for the friendship, Leeyaj. I'll see u when I see u phon. His FB showed posts from Japan. Their family went on a tour there. Datu na jud sila, di na mareach. Cge Doki, keep the faith lang ;)

PhilFrance

I suddenly bump into this opportunity just when I thought sa Silliman na lng ko moeskwela ug PhD pohon. Now I am working on the PhD application process. Trabahuon nako ang proposal or proposed project. I keep the faith!

UH at Manoa

I've alrdy applied for PhD Econ to UH-Manoa. Deadline was last Jan. 15, 2017. Coincidentally, mao pud ni deadline sa NFP applications 16 yrs ago nga nadawat ko buyag. Si Lorna lent me her credit card so I was able to apply on time. But I have to take the GRE and TOEFL coz required. Mahal na man gud kaju so I decided to shelve it. Mangita na lang ko ug lain. Kanang di ko makagasto or makautang pa. I pray for the best Lord. Amen. I keep the faith!

Econ UH-Manoa

There's PhD Econ at UH-Manoa. Sauna pa mn ko ani giingnan ni Aunty Helen, who's living in Hawaii. She has been there since the 1980s I think. Gahi mn lagi ko ulo, I went to Holland for my Master's. Wa mn ko magmahay ato. Ang NUS jud maoy sajop sa tanan nahong gibuhat. I emailed UH-Manoa back in 2016; asked them for requirements for PhD Economics. Nibawos mn pud ang ilang chair. Ang gipangita ra nila was someone with teaching experience. Pasok unta kaju ko! I did put together my application then. I even paid more than P1,000 so that my papers would get there on time. But nibackout kos GRE and TOEFL exams requirements. Nahadlok pud ko to study abroad again. Is it really where I'm meant to be? Please show me po. Amen. ;) Today Jeff Powell mentioned it on the email. Told him I'll be going there next week. Hay Heide, you can't fight destiny lagi. If meant jud ko para didto then ako dawaton Lord. Amen.

Still a Goldmine

I was told by Luchie Almagro-Blanco today that NUFFIC will be holding a convention in Cebu in 2017 pohon. She asked for my email. She also told me to relay the information to my circle. Si Mam Jessica Uy ra mn gud ako kaila diri mao ako sya giinform. I had an online course with IHS man pag March last year. Sustainable Cities man to. Wow, kinsa na kaha pud sa taga-Manila ang mangari? I'm sure the Manila people will descend here ig abot ana phon ;) Wow Lord, I'm so overwhelmed! Till now, goldmine lng japon ang ako ISS connection. I keep the faith.

Arvin

I had asked Jacky to check out if minyo ba sya o dili. And Jacky found out that he was. Toink! La na jud nako siya gimessage. Thanks for the friendship Dong and wish you all the best always. Dugay2 pud to nako siya gifriend, from August 2012 pa. Cge The last time I messaged him he said he was busy with all the refugees from Marawi. The next thing I know, na'nay taga-CDO who messaged me to ask if I know him. I said yes and I know that he's married. Ngano diay? I will check her reply tonight. Jia you!

The Lobrigos of Legazpi ;)

Fr. Jovic Lobrigo is the unofficial leader of our group in ISS2K. We're very good friends of course. Ako kaya ang sekretarya ng pari while si Stone ang sacristan. Pero grabe pud mi mag-impose on him. Asa ka anang we woke him up at 1030 pm one time coz we wanted coffee? Hay pastilan ning mga baliw na batchmates! ;) Sila Inday and Ning also became my close friends. We went to Rome, Italy together. They also hosted us in Graz and drove us to Vienna back in May 2001. Si Manang Beding pud was kind enough to lend Jacky and I their house in Daraga, Albay. We had so many nights stargazing from the terrace of that house! ;) Namatay ilang Nanay this time. May you rest in peace po. All the best to us and Merry Christmas!

Helen Barayuga

She's a very good friend. She's one of the 3 Marias, the diploma studes at ISS in 2001. Told her about this activist guy. She asked if my feelings for him changed after knowing that he's like that. In a way yes. Coz tuo mn gud ko'g maestro ra siyas univ. La jud ko magtuo nga aktibista diay siya. Sabagay, ang nanay gud niya aktibista so asa pa mn diay siya mosunod? Jia you Doki. Hope daw that after this holiday season ako na sya makalimtan. Mao pud na ako prayer. Cge.

Disturbed

I must say I got disturbed by that outing yesterday. Nangaon ra mn ta mi'g S&R pizza. I don't like it man gud. Coz he once said wala na koy kapilian. And now he approaches me nga mora'g papansin kaju? Bahala ka dihas buhay mo, Dong. All the best and Merry Christmas to us all! ;)

Engr May Tampus

I met her as a fellow Filipino Dutch scholar in Holland in 2000. They studied in Delft while we were in the Hague. Magkita ra mis church at St. Aloysius College in Oostduinland Saturdays or Sundays panagsa. She's 2 years younger than me diay. We've become friends thru the years. She has to take care of her parents maong morag maglisud pud sya'g minyo. We talked in Ayala for like 2hrs. Daghan mi'g naistoryahan, most of which were just how things are at USC this time. Bottom line, I am lucky and should be happy that nihawa na ko didto. I have endeavoured to start again in CDU; I contribute to the development of our International Studies program somehow. Good luck to us Mayang. All the best to us always ;)

Good Old Friend Perte Omega ;)

"You own your heart, Heids. You decide who it wants to love". She once told me these words. Thanks Perts, always a good friend to me. Saun mn gud ning Sagittarius in me nga I think of love as a game mn gud. Heheh. Ajaw palabi Doki kay tiguwang na ka. Tinud-a na na Heidz ug ni Gina Cabudlan pa. Jia you to us all. Merry Christmas! ;) Si Perte is in America these days. C/o Myre daw iya trip. Ako ingnan pangita na'g Amerikano diha, ayaw na uli diris Pinas. Heheh. All the best to us always, Pert! Magbday na pud cja ig July 26 phon. Unsa nang adlawa?

CGA

She is in Wisconsin n lagi this time. Last February 2021 I msgd her thinking she is in USC p. And because she became excited with my news, she would've wanted to call me. Hinay mn lagi akong signal maong chat n lng mi. Happy ra mn pud xa with Mr Hawaii. These days nga apil n xas among GC with Boyet and Reymar, she said oldie n daw siya. Kami daw kay mga bata p, explore the world daw. Thanks Mam Cor! She actually told me that I can also be an academic in the USA kuno. Coz I told her man lagi that ang ambisyon ni Migs Garcia lagi kuno is makasud ug Ivy League nga school sa USA. To which I thought kaya ra gud kaju. Si Migs p nga PhD in Neuroeconomics gud lagi sija tawn oi from the Univ of Zurich in Switzerland! Anyway, I told her that dili n akong ambisyon jud lagi. Taga bukid ra lagi tawn kos Cawayanan, Tubigon, Bohol oi. But I follow ra jud where God would take me. Kana ra jud. Amen. Anyway, my anecdote with Mam Cora. I had a book on competition policy from the intl conf sa Radisson last Nov 2013 nila Mam Ching during the time of Yolanda. Suya kaayo siya that wala siya kakuha. Heheh. She's always been kind to me. I remember meeting her in Ayala with a colleague in December 2012. Then she took care of me jud when I was part of the TCW training last October 2016 in USC-TC. She even asked me to teach at USC Econ again. Wa n lagi ko mobalik didto ug full time, part time n lng jud. God bless Mam Cora, magkita ra ta pohon sa America! :) I keep the faith. Amen! Christmas is in the air na jud ;)