PEOPLE OF MY 2016

 

This post is inspired by Bianca Gonzales’ post “People of my Year” Below are the people who made a difference in my life last year. Syempre exempted na dito ang pamilya ko, si Kuya AG at si Ate Honey 😀

SABRINA ONGKIKO

I have heard of her before and I really wanted to meet her. Hindi ko akalain na magkakatotoo ang pangarap ko na marinig siya   magtalk ng live during an event with TPBPM last December. Naging malaki ang epekto nya sa akin after her talk during our Teacher Leaders for Peace Program  and naging super empowered ako after her talk.  Nakakaantig ng damdamin ang kanyang mga kwento tungkol sa kanyang mga estudyante. Nakakapangilabot ng balahibo ang kanyang dedikasyon na mabigyan ng mataas na level of education ang mga mag-aaral sa public schools.

One thing that stayed with me is her story about Joshua. Si Joshua ay isa sa pinakamahirap nyang studyante sa Culiat ES. She showed a picture of Joshua na banat na banat sa pagkanta ng kanilang graduation song na “Lipad” by Lea Salonga. She emphasized how every teacher has the power to help children to fly and reach their dreams. Naiyak ako ng slight that moment kasi hindi man ako guro, alam ko at some point ay nakatulong ako upang maabot ng mga bata na sineserve namin ang kanilang mga pangarap. At some point I am an instrument in achieving dreams and I felt really emotional kasi hindi ko yung lubusang marerealize kung hindi dahil sa kanya. I AM EXCITED TO LISTEN TO HER MORE and BE INSPIRED BY HER STORIES. 

MYRNA JO HENRY

She is one of my peace mom. Met her last April 2015 during our Whypeace video documentaries production in Mamasapano and ever since sobrang sweet na nya. This year mas naging close kami, she is like a mom to me always checking me out and reminding me of stuff. She is always thoughtful and kind lalo na kapag pumupunta kaming Cotabato, along with Ms.Evelyn, inaalagaan nya kami. What I liked about her the most is her dedication and passion to service. She has been in ARMM serving the people for so long and nakakainspire ang kanyang pagmamahal sa trabaho. I remember her stories na kahit minsan naabutan sila ng conflict between the rebels and the government forces ay tuloy padin sila dahil alam nila na kailangan sila ng mga tao. Kahit ano susugurin nya makapag-paabot lang ng tulong, bagyo man o gyera ay hindi nya alintana. Isa sya sa mga inspirasyon ko pagdating sa pagseserbisyo ng buong puso. And also appreciate that she always thinks of me and send me links of stuff that I need to know like her own daughter. I love her forevs.

CINDY LUCERO

Isa sa aking peace mom, she is the super maalaga, maalalahanin and sweet Mommy of the TPBPM volunteers. Every time may events or workshops she would always bring us food hehehe. Kaya nakakamiss si Mommy C, but more than that I admire her love for our cause, for the TPBPM Family and her family. She told us before na gusto nya sumama sa peace mission sa Maguindanao kasi gusto nya maishare sa mga anak nya kung ano ang mga naranasan nya, at kung gaano sila kaswerte compare sa mga bata na nasa conflict area kaya they should also help more. I admire her commitment to the TPBPM Family and she has gone extra miles to prove her love to us. Now that she is thousand miles from us we can still feel her presence and unconditional love. I can’t wait to see her again after 2 years. Yey!

SUSANITA ABELLENA

The principal of Tatak ES in Brgy Sapakan, Maguindanao. Nainspire ako sa kanyang  selfless love for her school and community. And generally her presence makes me happy and at peace. When we told them last August that we will be bringing them in Manila for a training, I saw genuine happiness in her eyes. I felt her sincerity lalo na nung nasa Manila na talaga sila. Nakakatuwa syang panoorin na talagang nakikisali sa lahat ng activities. And after the workshop lumapit sya sa akin and hugged me kasi sobrang saya daw talaga nila na nakasama sila sa workshop. I can see a bright future for the students of Tatak ES dahil kay Maam Susanita at sa mga teachers ng Tatak ES na sobra ang pagmamahal sa mga studyante. Saludo para sa lahat ng guro.

SR. FIDELIS ESTRADA

Sister Fideliz Estrada is Ate Honey’s spiritual adviser and me, nakiki-adviser na din ako.  I met her 2013 when YPMN had a teambuilding/ retreat and it was held in Assumption Baguio. She gave a talk about unconditional love and she said that it has no expectations and no limits and that we can do acts of unconditional love everyday to the people we love and even to people we don’t know. Tumatak sa akin yun dahil sobrang iniyakan ko ang talk nya na yun. haha.

Last July 2016, I went on a 3-day retreat in Baguio and she took care of me and facilitated the retreat. It was probably one of the best things that happened to me last year, to be able to look into my life from another lens and check myself if this is really what I want to do. She helped me answer some of the questions that I have been asking myself for a long time. She helped me see all the blessings I have right now and how all the heartaches and misfortunes were actually blessings to help me grow into a stronger person that I am today.  She helped me heal some of the broken pieces of my heart and turn it into something beautiful. She gave me a book called “Seven Prayers that will actually change your life” I have started reading it and it somehow changed my life bit by bit.

PETER ZACARIAS

I met Kuya Peter last 2015 during our hike in Sipit Ulang. His group Tropang Sabit organized the climb and sumabit lang kami ng girls. And then during our year-end climb in Tarak Ridge last Dec 2015, I witnessed how maalaga he is to us. Lagi akong huli sa trail dahil hindi naman ako sanay pa sa mahabang lakaran at assault to the highest level and I super appreciate the fact na hindi nya kami iniiwan kahit na pwede naman sya maglakad ng mabilis kasi mabigat din yung dala nya. The best din lagi ang mga luto niya sa camp at talagang he makes sure na okay kami lahat, all the time. Super sulit ang pagsama namin sa kanila that time. That climb led to our hike for a cause last February 2016 for the benefit of TPBPM, he and his team helped us organized the Hike for a Cause and it was a success. Bilib ako kay Kuya Pete at sa kanyang dedikasyon para sa mountainering at para mag.educate ng mga bagong hiking enthusiasts to take care of the mountains. Hoping to conquer more mountains with him and the rest of the Tropang Sabit peeps this 2017.

SOLJA BOYS ( Louise, Jude, Glendford)

 

I met them last 2013 when we were organizing Project Edsa Peace Mural. Sila ang mga batang payatot na nakita nila Ate Honey at  Sir Gene na nakipinta sa pader ng EDSA. I have seen them grow as a person and tulad nga ng lagi nilang biro “sa teach peace  na sila lumaki”  tama, sa TPBPM na nga sila lumaki literraly. Hindi ko din akalain na seseryosihin  nila ang peace advocacy, sa simula kasi ay akala ko “all play” lang sila kasi talaga namang ang kukulit nila, pero lalo ko silang na-appreciate lalo na nang Culture of Peace Circle sa CMO last November. I cried when they gave me their messages ( magkakasunod pa sila kaya todo iyak ako) and I cried even more when I was the one giving a message to them. Feeling ko mga anak ko na sila na nakikita kong lumalaki at nakikipaglaban sa buhay chos. More than that, I am just really grateful na hinayaan nila ang sarili nila na maimmerse sa ginagawa ng TPBPM dahil tulad nga ng sabi ko sa kanila, ang mission na ito ay hindi para sa matatalino at magagaling ngunit ito ay para sa mga may puso at handang magsilbi para sa kapayapaan. Sobrang natutuwa ako ng hindi nalang sila nagmumural ngayon kundi may kanya-kanya nadin silang ginagawa sa org, and I am a proud mom to my solja boys.

Parehas silang makukulit but they inspire me in different ways;

1. Louise  has experienced maybe of the most heartbreaking moment is his life last 2016 ( I can’t speak for himself but I think), he felt devastated and felt like  the world was on his shoulders. I was really worried about him to think he still has his thesis to think about. Pero hindi sya bumitiw o naubusan ng pag.asa, siguro dahil narin sa mga tao sa paligi nya na nagmamahal sa kanya (Thanks to bebelab Regie for always being around and the most understanding gf ever), bilib ako sa tibay at lakas ng loob nya na lumaban kahit gaano pa karaming problema ang ibato sa kanya ng buhay. This year, gagraduate na sya at sobrang proud ako kasi hindi naging hadlang ang hirap ng buhay para hindi sya makapagtapos. Sobrang relationship goals pa nila in Regie, I kenat. Kelan ba ako makakahanap ng katulad ng Louise na handa akong intindihin at pagtiiisan? hahahah #mema.
2. My sweet child Jude is the witty clown, clown naman silang tatlo pero ewan ko ba bakit nakakatawa lagi ang mga banat ni Jude. Hehe. Dati palang na-aappreciate ko na sya lalo nasa Peace Home kasi hindi sya alagain. Magluluto sya kapag nagutom kaya nakikikain nadin ako. Haha. I admire him kasi sobrang tutok sya mag-aral ( totoo ba to Jude?) at he always makes us laugh with his witty banat’s. Laging buhay ang fb thread dahil sa kanya. He never fails to make me smile. I appreciate that lagi syang early kapag peace berks day para tulungan ako magluto o mag-ayos, I appreciate na proud sya na part sya ng TPBPM family and he acknowledges that he is a peace hero kahit minsan hindi ko alam kung sarcasm o ewan. Haha. Those little things make me appreciate him more kasi feeling ko hindi sya sentimental na tao pero nagpopost sya about us kaya “i cry” haha”.
3. Glempot on the other hand is one of the few people that I can talk to kapag “parang” sasabog na ako. When I say “parang” meaning sasabog na talaga ako. He listens to me patiently kapag pagod na ako and when I needed to unload negative feelings or kapag gusto kong magrant. There have been times last year when I am really down or when I am really mad and then he’ll do something that will erase all the negative auras away and sobrang na. aapreciate ko yun. (Meaning idodrawing nya ako na hindi ko sya sinasabihan haha) Simple lang naman kaligayahan ko, gawan ako ng mga simpleng bagay na hindi ko na kailangang sabihin pa o ipapalala. Siya din laging tagabitbit nang bag (with tubig and food) kapag minor hikes haha. Lagi din nya akong  chinachallege na gawin ang mga bagay na ayaw at hindi ko kayang gawin ( like #conquer daw kasi ang keme ko at lagi nya yung nireremind sa akin) . Sobrang bilib din ako sa kanyang  time management skills. I don’t know paano nya nagagawa ang lahat ng bagay na ginagawa nya pero lahat natatapos nya, hindi lang tapos kundi sobrang ganda pa. Sana man lang maambunan ako ng time management skills nya. Jeskelerd.  I am happy every time I see him because he has grown into a wonderful person inside and out. I am glad to have witnessed his journey ( PS. Sana hindi nya kami kalimutan pag sikat na sya haha) and alam ko malayo ang mararating nya at excited na akong makita sa commercials or movie ang mga obra nya. Gagraduate nadin sya this year yey!

I am happy that I got to travel with the three of them last December and it was an amazing and unforgettable 3 days of 2016.

TPBPM SECRETARIAT GIRLS

Before them, sa akin lahat ng work hahaha. Pero noong isa-isa silang hinulog ng langit para tulungan kami ni Ate Honey sa misyon na ito, mas nagagawa ko na ang mga mas importanteng bagay na kailangan ko gawin dahil they always got my back. They are my angels, 24/7 always on service for peace. I appreciate each and every one of them and all that makes them unique.

1. Joanna the OC and organized one, I can trust that she’d do good in everything I asked her too and she also finishes everything fast. She is a serious type but I appreciate na medyo nagiging makulit na din sya lately.
2. Micah, the mahinhin outside but an amazona inside. She may seem mahinhin but I admire her for being so strong despite all the trials she has been experiencing. She has a lot of potentials and I hope she sees that. Bilib ako kasi parang hindi sumasakit katawan nya pag namumundok kami, how to be you po? 😀
3. Jas, the bubbly queen. I love to laugh when she laughs, nakakadala ng happiness ang pagtawa ni Jas. One incident that I will never forget about her is during the time na nag-eemote akong mag.isa sa office, umiiyak na ako kasi akala ko tulog na silang tatlo ni Kat and Micah and then bigla syang pumasok para kumuha ng tubig. She said she didn’t know what to do when she saw me crying but she hugged me instead and that was all I needed that time. Ayaw kong may nakakakitang umiiyak ako pero it felt good na may yumakap sa akin, cause you know sometimes a hug is all what we need. Chos.
4. Sheyna, the responsible one, she is one of the few people that I can rely on things that needed to be done quickly. Sobrang na-appreciate ko na hindi mo na sya kailangan pang sabihan o iremind sa mga bagay-bagay kasi alam na nya ang gagawin nya.  She is very sensitive to the things that she does or says and I admire her for that.
5. Nicole, the thoughtful one. She would always bring us food when she visits the peace home and sobrang sarap ng mga pastries nya,  but more than the pastries, I admire her heart and dedication to help with our mission even in her own little ways.
6. Soteya, the sweet poet. She is the sweetest of them all, pag masyado syang natuwa gagawan ka nya ng tula hahaha. She was incharged of documentation during our 2015 Peace Mission and na-appreciate ko na sobrang keen nya sa details and she delivers fast. Although namimiss ko na sya kasi sobra nyang busy sa work nya
7. Jas T, I don’t spend a lot of time with her but I really appreciate her during our CMO peace journey last August. She was game and ready to experience new things and she also really pretty nakaktuwa syang tingnan. Hehe.
8. Regie, akala ko dati hindi ko sya magiging close kasi laging one of the boys sya but I am happy na sumasama na sya sa secretariat girls ngayon and also immersed herself more about our advocacy.
9. Ivy has been my friend since 2007 and we always got each others back since then. She is very dependable and thoughtful to me and although I have lost track of my other friends, she will always be one of the few people that I can trust and rely on.
10. Kat, My sister from another mother, my roommate, movie and food buddy, my shock absorber and my kaladkarin friend. Kat has been my roommate since 2015 and she has seen almost all of me, the good, the bad and the ugly. She was there during my heartbreaks and would listen to all my heartbreak stories till 4am even if she is so antok. She would always remind me to attract positive things in my life and to embrace positivity. Kat is not an open book to all but I appreciate that she is open to me and considers me as her sister at dahil hindi ko naman madalas kasama ang mga kapatid ko, sya na nga ang parang naging kapatid ko. I love that she tells me things I would never want to hear and helped me knocked myself off when I needed to, cause you know sometimes I am too stubborn to listen kahit na alam kong mali. She introduced me to hiking and the love of mountains and the outdoors. I appreciate all the efforts she is doing for the TPBPM Family lalo na hinakot nya ata ang buong Miriam sa pamilya. Hehehe. Kat is my baby sister and whoever hurts her will have to go through me. K?

 Without them, I don’t know what to do. Hindi ko maimagine ang 2016 ng wala sila, cause LITERAL na tinulungan nila akong itawid ang taong ito ng buo at buhay. Sila ang aking mga anghel sa lupa, ang aking little sisters. They may have different personalities but I love them all to bits.  I am forever grateful that God gave them to me, cause they made our mission easier to accomplish. And also sila narin ang naging barkada ko, kaya clingy ako sa kanila. hahaha at wala silang choice minsan kundi makinig sa mga life and love advices ko hahaha. Love youuu girls :*

TROPANG SUMABIT

We have been conquering mountains since 2015 (chos, kala mo ang tagal na hehe) and I am really happy to have them in every step of my journey. We have had a lot of adventures together since then and I am even more excited sa mga paparating pa, sana.. sana.. kahit tumanda kami akyat padin kaming bundok, sabit padin kami sa mga hiking keme ni Kuya Peter hahaha. I am excited to all the amazing adventures and mountains that we are going to conquer together this year.

Sila ang mga taong nag-inspire, pumukaw ng aking puso at tumulong upang malapgpasan ko ang bawat pagsubok ng 2016 with flying colors. Eh ikaw.. Sino ang mga taong nag-inspire sayo last 2016?