My day started when someone without a normal state of thinking blatantly blocked my parking this morning and he got a mouthful. It took around 45 minutes before the car got moved, and caused me to miss my meeting.
Then, upon reaching the parking grounds in the office, a young Emarati lady pulled off her car and seemed to ‘block’ my way. But actually she stepped out smiling and walked towards me to give her parking ticket which is still valid for the next hour. She told me to use it so I need not to pay for an hour. I just had to kindly refuse it since I use a prepaid parking card.
Reyna Emperatriz, another representation of Reyna Helena as mother of the emperor is portrayed by CFC’s Jennifer Ann Nepomuceno. Constantino is portrayed by Joshua Nielson Borbe
Flowers. Festivities. Beauties. It was a fashionable ending for the month of May as the family watched a Santacruzan in the UAE for the very first time at St. Michael’s Parish in Sharjah.
Santacruzan is the final part of Flores de Mayo, in fact it is the highlight of the month-long festival wherein a pageant-like procession is held and participated by marians and reynas (queens) depicting various images and likes of the Blessed Mother. The tradition is done in commemoration of Reyna Elena and his son, Constantino’s finding of the true Holy Cross in Jerusalem.
Kudos to the organizers who did a pretty great job given all the limitations that have to be considered. Being in an Islamic nation, the procession cannot go outside the church vicinity. So even under the scorching heat and humidity, the beautiful reynas passionately marched around the church and paraded gracefully to the isle towards the altar while the choir renders a solemn hymn. Lots of kids also participated, danced and played the roles of angels.
Reyna Elena
After the Santacruzan and the mass, there was a joyful celebration of thanksgiving as the priest and the elders throw away goodies and sweets for the kids. There was also the traditional pabitin wherein kids try to jump as high as possible to grab the hanging coveted novelty prizes.
My family and friends enjoyed it. Even if we’re far from home, we still enjoy these traditions. I’m happy that the kids get to experience these things. Though there are limitations we need to abide, there can always be ways to enjoy and to celebrate being a Filipino. Very well done to the organizers!
To all my readers, a friend is knocking on our hearts. Larry is a very strong man, full of dreams and family-oriented. He still has got a lot of beautiful things he wants to do in his life. His strength is admirable. If we have some spare, please let’s help him get a bone marrow transplant. If we know any organizations anywhere in the world, in the community or churches that could assist him, please forward this to them. UAE alone has more than 5 million active internet users. If we can tap every single user of at least 20% of that number, to donate at least a dirham, that would be more than enough. I believe that even the littlest things can do wonders.
Al Maya Group, thank you for your generous heart. They have shouldered the hospital expenses for Larry.
Here’s what Larry had to say about what happened:
My name is Larry Castro, a 33-year-old,Filipino in Dubai currently suffering from Leukemia.Before I contracted this dreaded disease, I worked at Almaya, a UAE retailer, a shelf stocker at their Dubai Marina branch. I have just one wish –that one day, I can turn back the hands of time that at least I tried to live a good fight… My condition started with a simple fever in 2011,two years after I started losing weight. My gums started to bleed. I had on-and-off fever, I was rushed to Rashid Hospital in Dubai.The deafening truth struck me hard : the physician told me I was suffering from (AML) Acute Myeloid Leukemia, a common but deadly form of blood cancer if left untreated.
AML suffers, I’m told, are given only weeks or months to live as white blood cells.
On Oct.10, 2011, the day I was admitted, I cried upon learning the nearness of death.But I also hoped for something good — a miracle — to happen. I was not prepared financially.My salary was barely enough for my daily needs, let alone the hospital bills. My doctor recommended that I must undergo of chemotherapy immediate. Since then, I’d been lying in the Haematology Dept. (of Dubai Hospital) undergoing a series tests. The physicians advised me to undergo the 5th cycle of chemotherapy. During my confinement, I completed the 1st and 2nd cycles of chemo. These helped prolong my life. But only temporarily. Chemo may also damage my other heathy organs. I had episodes of confusion and agitation — side effects of the treatement. Doctors extracted a sample of my bone marrow to check the reaction of my 1st & 2nd chemo and sent it to Germany. This test confirmed my doctor’s initial suspicion.This time, my doctor said I badly needed a BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT (BMT) I told myself I’m not ready to let go my dreams go, to help my family live a confortable life. During my five-month confinement at Rashid Hospital (Oct. 10, 2011 to March 25, 2012), I went through five cycles of chemo. I owe my strength to the undying help and prayers of doctors, nurses, friends from the church, my family,friends and relatives, especiall to my dearest friends.Upon discharge from Rashid Hospital on March 25, 2012, the physician advised me to have a monthly routine blood test check-up. I’m extremely thankful to my company because they renewed my visa and also settled the Hospital bill — the amount of which was Dh259,000. Then, after a few days, I went back to work, with renewed vigour, hoping to start a new life. Unfortunately, after one year and two weeks of my recovery, on April 7, 2013, I noticed one bruise on my right hand and felt pain in my gums again – the same symptoms I had before! An hour after the check-up at Dubai Hospital, my physician said my platelet levels were dangerously low. On April 10, 2013, a bone marrow check was conducted to validate the unitial findings. The samples were again sent to Germany. I went back to work the next day. Four days later, in April 14, 2013, I was back in the hospital and the physician told me about results. Thepronosis was poor – the bone marrow extract showed a condition condition consistent with relapsed AML. On the same day, they quickly inserted a Hickman Catheter on me to undergo chemotherapy. On April 15, I re-started on my first day of another chemo cycle which lasted until April 18, 2013. Until now, I am waiting for my blood level to recover. A bone marrow sample will be extracted again to determine how many chemo treatements I need to undergo.
As I write this, I’m still here in Dubai Hospital, Haematology Dept., 7th floor, Room 10-B. Sad to say, I don’t know how to meet my financial obligations. And I don’t know how and where to start, but I am positive. Doctors said with finality that only a BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT can help me now for long-term recovery. But the cost for this treatement is prohibitive, upwards of Dh500,000. Where will I get that money? How long must I wait — and lose whatever healthy cells I’m left with — to obtain the amount for a life-saving transplant? Then an idea occurred to me: if I ask for help from those who dont know me, kindred spirits who might have nothing but charity to spare, perhaps it would help. So I have a fervent appeal to you. Please help me to fight this disease. If you are unable to directly give, then perhaps you can someone who can. It is a fervent appeal from someone who is down and out. Every dirhams counts. It would mean the word to me. Your act of love will be a blessing for me. I will be forever grateful.
Please share this to friends. If social media can bring people together, I believe it can pull off a miracle too! GOD bless us all… (My mobile no. +971562633927 +971553010477 or Melanie +971507007967.) Your reward is in Heaven, Larry Castro
He is right, if we can use social media to build up something, we can definitely use this as a venue to help. You may also connect with him on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/larry.castro.39.
“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” – Audrey Hepburn
Barako Bulls Danny Seigle and Doug Kramer battle Rafi Reavis and Leo Najorda of SMC. Photo by Inquirer Sports
Filipino basketball fans will have another reason to troop to the basketball stadium as PBA team Barako Bull Energy Colas will compete in the 2nd Al Shabab Club International Basketball Tournament. Games begin on 17th May until 25th. Joining Barako in the tournament are clubs from Lebanon, Libya, Egypt, Kuwait, a UAE-based American club and host team UAE.
Danny Seigle, Doug Kramer, JC Intal, Jonas Villanueva and Alein Maliksi will have to battle it out with taller and heftier clubs from the region, which will be reinforced of at least 2 imports. Barako Bull will be parading their Governors Cup import, Mike Singletary.
They will face Al Ahly – Libya on their first assignment tomorrow, 17th May. Their next assignments are Al Zamalek – Egypt on Saturday, and Team Unity – USA on Monday. All games will be played 9pm at Al Shabab Sports Club. Tickets start at AED25 and available at the gates.
Quarterfinals matches will be announced after Sunday.
In addition to my experience with the pilot LSE program, I’d like to share with you 17 random reasons why you should join the next Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship (LSE17) program, and eventually become a social entrepreneur in the near future:
You don’t want to be an employee forever
You want to bring out the leader in you and to develop your leadership skills
You want to learn how to better manage your personal finances
You want to connect with people who has the same mindset, principles and goals
You have business ideas yet you’re not sure how to transform them into reality
You want to meet people who will support your ideas and even help build those ideas
You want to be innovative and unique unlike most of the traditional businesses
You want to discover and unleash your hidden potentials, and become a well-rounded person
You want to be involved in an advocacy that reaches out to people
You want to learn various ways to invest your money
You want to raise your kids with entrepreneurial thinking
You want to be inspired by the successes of pioneer Filipino social entrepreneurs, and through the great lineup of speakers and lecturers – most from the Ateneo School of Government
You want to involve your family back home and provide them some ideas to start up with
You want to learn how and where to source support for your social business plan
You want to prepare yourself for the challenges that you may face when you jump into social entrepreneurship
You want to understand the ups and downs of being a social entrepreneur
You want to contribute in creating positive social changes in the community by providing solutions to social problems
If you can associate most of the items in the list to you, then LSE is for you. To join the program, please read the details below:
Before I moved here in the UAE, I was actively involved in a dynamic volunteer youth organization, Voice of the Youth Network, that encourages the Filipino youth to believe in themselves in creating and promoting positive social changes and in making a difference in the country. (See this video) Little did I know that the advocacy we were doing can actually lead into social entrepreneurship.
Over the last 6 months, I’ve spent 9 Fridays schooling in the 1st Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship (LSE) program by Ateneo School of Government (plus another 3 days on online sessions). LSE is a certificate course with 3 modules: Leadership, Financial Literacy and Social Entrepreneurship. It is dedicated to Filipinos overseas to help develop leadership skills and financial management towards more sustainable economic development opportunities for ourselves and the community.
The program brings topnotch guest speakers, lecturers and motivators from Ateneo de Manila University and other LSE programs in other countries like Italy, Hong Kong and Belgium. They help us be molded into well-rounded individuals and groups. They inspire us to create effective social enterprise business plans that aim to address various problems particularly those affecting the marginalized sectors in the community here and in the Philippines. Unlike the usual business ventures, social enterprises also measure success by achieving desired positive social changes. The training gives us fresh ideas about leadership and how to equip ourselves with the right attitude towards becoming entrepreneurs. The program is very fitting here in Dubai as I don’t see a lot of Filipinos running a business. It’s a sad reality that most of us only consider employment as the road after graduating in college. Our culture has raised us with the common goal to graduate to find the best possible job, not to create the best possible business. This has to change, and LSE is the right venue to initiate the change. LSE has also taught us very valuable lessons about financial literacy, gave us better understanding on managing our finances and avoiding or overcoming roadblocks ahead.
At the end of the program, the class of 45 has submitted significant proposals that address various social issues like environment and recycling, sanitation, education, fish farming and agriculture, personal care and more.
We are inspired as we discovered how some pioneer Filipino social entrepreneurs were able to build their businesses while reaching out to the community at the same time. It has opened a golden door for me to network with like-minded people. This program has encouraged this first batch to spearhead a Filipino social enterprise revolution here in Dubai and soon back home. LSE is a realization that we can do business while responding to various identified needs of the society – and this brings greater fulfilment to me.
Thanks to the working committee behind LSE lead by Milen Aviles and Jasper Adviento, and to the whole team. You are superb! You have given more than what we all were expecting. You have changed the lives of the 45.
And to each and everyone in the batch, I’ve learned a lot from you. The friendship is a really special bonus.
LSE is fun, so watch out for the next one. Did I say we have good food too? Thanks to Barrio Fiesta.
I am one of the millions of huge fans of Eraserheads. I grew up to their music, embracing every song and eventually injecting them to my ultraelectromagnetic system. But I never had a chance to see them perform live during their heydays (yeah, huge fan); and I thought it was too late for me to do so.
I had a starstruck experience in my first year high school when we attended the birthday party of Ely’s sister, my classmate, right at their residence in Las Piñas. Being a ‘promdi’ then, I had to compose myself – didn’t bothered to say hi to the big brother, and even forgot about the autograph.
Marcus Adoro
Though I was at The Final Set reunion concert in Manila in 2009, it still feels surreal seeing them together on stage. I saw Ely, Raimund and Buddy perform separately as part of Pupil, Sandwich and The Dawn, but there’s really something if the 4 of them are together.
An excited jampacked crowd at Dubai Media City Amphitheater loudly welcomed the Eraserheads. The show started with a dramatic 15-minute countdown, and the Heads entered in an unusually less-melodramatic way. Raimund did his traditional entrance as he raised his drumstick up, while Ely engaged with the crowd that early urging to make louder noise. Buddy was in his usual quiescent self, and Marcus seems to elude the spotlights. Unlike in their very first reunion concert in 2008, Ely engages a lot with the crowd this time.
Buddy Zabala
They opened the show with a very fitting “Walang Nagbago.” The digital backdrop is amazing as a huge waving Philippine flag flashes on. The stage is spectacular! The crowd went wild from thereon. Ely addressed the crowd as “Pilipinas”, all throughout the show, until finally singing “Magda-drive ako hanggang Dubai…” Why not, about 11,000 Pinoys troop to the concert – the crowd’s at its best. There’s a magical high level of energy from the band, particularly Ely and Raimund. They performed songs from their albums except Carbon Stereoxide. Alapaap, which for most in the crowd expected to be the opening song, is the last one on the encore. The surprisingly non-stop 2-hour and 30-minutes set include the following 27 performances (in particular order of performance):
Walang Nagbago
Maling Akala
Back2Me
Sembreak
Kaliwete
Ligaya
Huwag Mo Nang Itanong
Kailan
Spoliarium
Overdrive
With A Smile
Poorman’s Grave
Huwag Kang Matakot
Julie Tearjerky
Lightyears
Harana
Waiting for the Bus
Paru-parong Ningning
Torpedo
Minsan
Super Proxy
Kama Supra
Magasin
Ang Huling El Bimbo
Pare Ko (on encore)
Toyang(on encore)
Alapaap(on encore)
Raimund Marasigan
Raimund’s vocals was not in the show, and Marcus’ too – well I guess, the reggae version of Huwag Mo Nang Itanong is exclusive in The Final Set in Manila. Reunion in Dubai, for me, is better than the first Reunion Concert in 2008 (save for the great entrance and opening performance Alapaap).
After Alapaap, the show finished with the quartet and Sancho(?), the 5th Eraserhead on that night, bowed in front of the fulfilled crowd.
Listen to the crowd, here’s a clip of the countdown to the opening performance:
Will the reunion concert carry on? Possibly. It’s been 11 years since the iconic quartet disbanded, yet their music lives on. Look at the crowd:
I was excited this morning to drive to work. The first TAGalog-based FM radio station for Filipinos airs their pilot broadcast. Today is the launch of TAG 91.1 by Arabian Radio Network (ARN) – the same network that brought us The Filipino Rhythm on Dubai Eye 103.8 every weeknight for the last 5 years.
Something to call our own, finally!
According to Arab Media Group CEO, Mohamed Almulla, the birth of the station is dedicated to the growing population of Filipinos in the UAE he refers to as “obvious gap.” Currently we are about 645,000 here.
It’s a relief to listen to a different kind of music, far from the junk that most of the hits today are. Admit it, a lot of Filipino music really makes more sense than most of the popular jiggy ones these days.
I was listening to the morning show Gandang U-maga where former Virgin Radio RJ Louie and Daddy Bluebird from Dubai Eye host the show. They have a cool mix of OPM hits then and now, and a few international pop as well. The tandem adds fun, Pinoy style, to the typical morning drive. They also have some exciting competitions, and of course, the Pinoy favorite shout-outs too. It’s the first time I heard Louie speak Tagalog, I think it’s cute, but I guess she’s more used to doing it in English – or I’m just used to listening to her on Virgin. 😉 Keep it up!
TAG 91.1 broadcasts 24 hours day. At this launch, they have the following live programs to offer on weekdays: 5am – 10am – Gandang U-maga with Louie and Daddy Bluebird 10am – 2pm – Chikahan with Chikay 4pm – 8pm – Uwian Na! with Maria Maldita
Pre-recorded shows / playlists fill up the rest of the vacant slots for now: 2pm – 4pm – That’s Love 8pm – 10pm – Late Night Love Songs 10pm – 2am – TAG Request Mo Play Ko 2am – 5am – Music Express
The programming lineup for weekends: 9am – 12pm – Kantambayan with Chikay 12pm – 3pm – Pinoy Song Hits with Maria Maldita 3pm – 6pm – Bandang Hapon with Louie 6pm – 9pm – Patok Jeproks
An iPhone app is also available. ARN is currently working on apps for Android and Blackberry as well.
This is what all of us have been waiting for. If you’re looking for laughter and cheers, TAG is for you. Ayos to! I suddenly miss hosting a radio show.
This morning in Deira, a police officer (yes, in uniform) was running from the opposite side of the road, calling the attention of 2 guys who have just crossed the same road. The men, who crossed the traffic-free road, stopped to their surprise. Apparently they were fined for jaywalking. There seems something not right in what happened. If the officer aims to prevent accidents, he should have stopped the guys from crossing, and not watched them do it and chase them later on.
So guys beware. As much as possible cross only on designated pedestrian crossings, and only when the right signal light is on. Even when there’s no vehicles passing by, do not cross til the pedestrian signal light turns green. A friend was fined also for crossing a pedestrian lane but with red light on. Sometimes, police officers on duty are wearing civilian clothes. They are really on the “hunt.” In 2012, there were about 45,000 cases of jaywalking listed by Dubai Police. “Too much jaywalking my friend!“
Just be patient and wait. I know we always prefer shortcuts than to walk longer paths, especially during noontime or during summer. But it’s always better than paying minimum of AED200 fine and a police record. After all, it’s for your safety.
Here’s to looking forward for more ped xing and footbridges in Dubai.
