Happy Teacher's Day

Hers is a story of becoming a teacher but took a whole lot different route to achieve it.

 Growing up, she really wanted to be a teacher. But family decisions made its impact in choosing the college degree that she ended up being a registered nurse.

But the dream never died.

When the door of opportunity to teach was opened, she entered the portal with half a heart having learned to love the nursing profession, too. Never knowing that doing so, she watered the seed that was sown long time ago. 

Fast-forward, eleven years later.

Now, a Master of Arts in Nursing, a candidate for Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing, a TESDA Certified Competency Assessor, Safety Officer and a happy and satisfied teacher and director of student affairs, she is living her dream.

She finds home in teaching.

Happy teacher’s day Nars. 

Brown Rice, the healthy rice!

You've probably heard that brown rice is "healthy" kind of rice. It is even recommended to those who have diabetes. 

But what is Brown Rice? And why is it healthy? Let the pictures below explain:

  

Be RicePonsible: #BROWN4good #Region11

Be RicePonsible is an advocacy campaign of the Department of Agriculture since 2013 challenging people to value the importance of saving and consuming rice responsibly, rice being the Filipino's staple.   

Recently, the campaign presents one solution: Brown Rice. 

Join the Brown Rice Campaign #BROWN4good #Region11

The Department of Agriculture recently launched its Brown Rice Campaign to promote a healthier lifestyle, address rice sufficiency issues and hopefully raise income of rice farmers. 

In its social media challenge, the campaign uses hashtags #BROWN4good and #Region11 . The goal for each region is to reach 50,000 mentions in social media platforms Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Once reached, DA will donate 5,000kg of Brown Rice to a chosen charity. 

Let's learn some more details and join the Brown Rice Campaign. 

Visit Cicada Hills: Recreation, Events and Solitude

Davao City - The smooth 3-hour ride from the downtown area via Buda Highway could easily bring you to Cicada Hills located in the boundary between Davao City and Bukidnon Province. Cicada Hills is part of Brgy. Lorega, Kitaotao, Bukidnon. 

Cicada Hills Entrance. Photo by Br. Jeff U. Pioquinto, SJ 

I didn't notice a signage of its name along the highway but it was easy to locate because its entrance way is directly fronting Seagull Mountain Resort (the more popular rest and recreation spot in the area). 


After we alighted our van, we were warmly greeted by the cool weather and the smiling staff already expecting our arrival. 

Our team was there for a Planning Workshop, wanting to stay away from the hustle and bustle of the city as we do the daunting workshop. It was a great decision to conduct the activity at Cicada hills because it provided a light and cool ambiance for the discussions of serious issues of the office's operation. 

Roaming around the resort, one could easily envisage bringing a family for short vacation or some sort of rest and recreation. Aside from it being like a little Baguio in this part of the city, Cicada Hills also have a swimming pool. According to its manager Liza, the best time to swim is noontime up to the rest of the afternoon as the water gets very cold in the evening or early in morning.  

Cicada hills also offers a good venue for personal solitude. It is so serene and calm. A good place to reflect and soul-search, if you may. At times the silence of the place is broken by the sound of the bees and the birds in the protected forest which is the backdrop of the whole resort. 

Since they don't have their own resto yet, you may bring in and cook your own food. They have a spacious kitchen, and dining sets are ready for the use of guests. 

If you plan for a getaway that is truly restful and fun, visit Cicada Hills. 

For reservation, you may contact Liza @09177962202 and 092558-CICADA (242232).

This Swan welcomes you at the gate. 

Giant pine trees line up just outside the gate of Cicada Hills. 

The Main door of the cottage we stayed.

There are a number of cottages you can choose from depending on the size of your group. 

Cicada Hills features some of the works of local renowned artist Victor Secuya. This one is dedicated to the place. 

This fire place located in the main function/dining could be a piece of conversation. 

Another Secuya piece. 

A special nook just for anything: drinking coffee or tea, reading a good book or just getting some sun.  

Cicada Hills offers a panoramic view of Brgy. Lorega in Kitaotao, Bukidnon. 

The Living area of our cottage features another Secuya artwork, a wooden center table with carving depicting Philippine rural lifestyle topped with glass and a furniture where you can easily    

Dining space turned working space with the protected forest. 

Opps! picked some colorful petals to add to the ambiance of our working table. 

Something for the kids and kids-at-heart. 

At night you can enjoy a bonfire. 

Brilliant SONA 2016 from Brillante Mendoza

Director Brillante Mendoza directs the first State of the Nation Address of President Rodrigo Duterte. Presidential Communications/Released

Film Director Brillante Mendoza achieved what he was aiming for: make common viewers feel that president Duterte is close to them while watching in their living rooms, in barbershops, in carenderia or even with their cellular phones.

His cuts were unorthodox and unprecedented for an event like State of the Nation Address of the President. Lighting was subdued as opposed to the previous ones with well-illuminated plenary hall. The screen’s output of somewhat color-graded videos commands sincerity and dominance of the speaker, who is the highest leader of the land.

Shots of the hand movements, midriff shots (shoulder to waist),under-the-nostrils angle, the close-up shots and the one-third – two thirds shot of the president and the Philippine national flag were well-planned. It made one feel that the president is so much within reach but at the same time sent a message that he is strong and powerful.

Although, I was annoyed on transitions at some point.

All in all, Brillante was brilliant in his new take of how SONA should be felt by the masses who are not inside the hall. He made his own platform of “change” that this administration is standing on.

For video, here's one from Rappler:

LOOK: Iconic Victoria Plaza Christmas Tree

I know its not Christmas but let me have this Flashback Friday.

I wish to share with you the this Iconic Christmas Tree of Victoria Plaza Mall along JP Laurel Ave.
It has stood the test of time.

Photo on the left shows the recent capture of the tree by SunStar Davao while on the right I lifted from the FB page of Davao of the Past (circa 90s). (Photo Credits to the Owners :)

When this 60-foot tree is dressed up, we Davaoenos know that Christmas is just around the corner.
Happy weekend.

I'll be in Victoria Plaza on Saturday. See yah!

Davao is Alive!

President-Elect Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte in his alternate favorite polo (denim) attends an event in SMX Convention Center (circa 2013). And of course the Pambansang photobomber is behind him, as always. 

Following the landslide victory of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte as the next President of the Republic of the Philippines, the city is more alive than ever.

I now understand the line: All roads lead to Davao!

The "elite" and "decent" peoples have to travel to the 'remote and dusty' southern city to meet and greet the tough-talking Mayor.  Diplomats and VIPs have made their appointments already bringing most of the hotels to full occupancy. Great for Davao's Tourism industry.

With Duterte's victory which put Davao in the grandest limelight, it is a good time to be back at writing here.

Please subscribe. I hope to hear from you.

PS: Shout out to the volunteers of Duterte Campaign. 'Grats to you guys!

Rural Stories, Real Stories: the success of Mindanao rural development

DA-PRDP national deputy director Arnel De Mesa (3rd from left) presents to WB PRDP Task team leader Frauke Jungbluth (4th from left) a copy of the book. With them are (left to right) authors Noel T. Provido and Jay Rosas and program director Lealyn A. Ramos

A book is a legacy of lifetime.

Coming up with a compendium of success stories of rural development is a feat in itself, as it is hardly heard of, which the Department of Agriculture (DA) dared to take as it documented the impacts of its flagship anti-poverty program in southern Philippines, the Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP).

Recently the book ‘Rural Stories, Real Stories’ a collection of success stories of the second phase of MRDP  was launched at the Marco Polo Hotel in Davao City. 

“Rural Stories, Real Stories' documents the triumphs, lessons learned and wonderful memories we together weaved in the past years as we combatted poverty across Mindanao,” Agriculture secretary Proceso J. Alcala said in his video message. 

Veteran rural development writers Noel T. Provido and Jay M. Rosas were the head writers of the book.

Improving Lives

True to its tagline: Improving lives, MRDP over the past 6 years of implementation made its mark in ruralcommunities.

For infrastructure development, farmers share how critical projects like farm-to-market roads

(FMRs) and irrigation system largely contributed in increasing their yield and income. For instance, farmers in Balindong, Lanao del Sur and Carmen, North Cotabato described how the FMRs in theirvillages reduced transportation cost and postharvest losses.

Farmers in Bansalan, Davao del Sur share how their improved irrigation restored hopes of farmers to go back to rice production while in San Luis, Agusan del Norte, rice and corn farmers are grateful for the construction of the single-lane bridge that finally connected their far-flung village to the town market.

I have a copy of the book and the stories are well-written. Kudos guys.