Touched by An Angel

23Aug 2014

Where we love is home

I count my blessings that my family are together once again. Having an empty nest can be really lonely and I miss those days when we planned our family vacations. The last family vacation I planned didn’t push through because I had to undergo a gall bladder operation. Still I am glad to be able to enjoy these precious times. I have been here in Europe since August 18 and loving every minute of it. Prague is not just a tourist destination for my family members.

In the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, “about an hour’s ride from Prague, lies a small town called Kutná Hora. ” This is where my children’s paternal great-great grandfather, aptly named Alfred Wilson Hora, was born in 1860.

My daughter writes more about it.

In 1862, two-year-old Alfred and his mother sailed to the United States and settled in Iowa. He came with the US forces at the outbreak of the Filipino-American War in 1899, and chose to stay behind when it ended. He married a tribal woman named Agnep who later took the Christian name of Margarita, and together built a good life in Benguet, a province in the mountains north of the Philippines. Plenty of my paternal relatives (including my grandparents) still live there today. Alfred and Margarita raised five children, one of which is my grandmother’s father, Luis Hora. Alfred then grew ill and died in 1926; his mummified body—boots, belt and all—are interred in a crypt high up in the mountains of Benguet.

My husband finally visits his roots, in what was once known as Bohemia. Much as we wanted to visit Kutna Hora, our daughters refused to let us go by ourselves, probably worried we could get lost.

It didn’t matter if we went to Kutna Hora. I can just imagine what it must have been like for my husband’s maternal great grandfather. Why did they leave Bohemia?

Was it the war?

I will never know.

Grandpa Hora that left Bohemia in the 1800s continue to live on through my husband, his siblings, and his great great grandchildren.

it’s quite amazing to trace part of my daughters’ heritage as far as the Czech Republic.

This feels like home.

“Where we love is home – home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.” Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

21Aug 2014

Never Again

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

It was trip down the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial which is less than an hour away from Munich.

Established on March 22, 1933, Dachau was the first Nazi concentration camp and served as a model for all other concentration camps. During its 12 years of operation, over 206,000 political prisoners, Jews, homosexuals, and other dissidents were imprisoned here with more than 32,000 of them dying. American troops liberated the survivors on April 29, 1945.

You can download a map before your visit. My husband and I chose to have a tour guide for more historical perspective.

The memorial site “includes the camp prison or bunker where torture and executions were carried out; the roll-call area where prisoners were forced to line up morning and evenings to be counted, often having to stand motionless for hours; the maintenance building which once housed the kitchen, workshops, and baths and now serves as the museum; two reconstructed barracks out of 34 which once stood in the camp; the crematorium and gas chambers completed in 1943 but never used; as well as the International Memorial created by Nandor Glid in 1968.”

“Arbeit Macht Frei,” or “Work Makes You Free”

I look at the beautiful green trees and the contrast of this grim reminder of the torture and executions were carried out .

Never Again.

20Aug 2014

Taking the free city tour in Marienplatz, München

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

You may have noticed the past two blog posts are about my family vacation here in Europe. I will just be showing photos and a little description here and there for the next three weeks. See, if I post these in Facebook, it will get lost with all my Facebook wall posts.

Having an AirBnB apartment keeps cost down since we buy our own groceries at the nearby Penny. My daughter loved the Muesli.

Buying the U Bahn ticket was easy since there was a stall there that sold everything from cellphone load, SIM card and anything a tourist may need.

The lady was kind enough to teach us how to use the ticket. We got a one day pass for all three of us since it came out cheaper.

Getting a tour is one of the first things I do since it gives me an overview of the city. There are many free city tours in Munich and most of them start at the Marienplatz or the Mary’s Square, the central square in the city centre of Munich, Germany. It has been the city’s main square since 1158. I thought this was the free city tour arranged by my daughter but we decided to take Jon, a British national living in Munich. He was very engaging, funny and informative. He sorts of reminds me of Carlos Celdran. The tour is not exactly free because the guides earn on tip basis.

The tour starts at 10:45 AM . The neo gothic building is more modern than its appearance suggests since construction only started in the early part of the twentieth century. The bell tower or Glockenschpiele features a carillon and mechanical knights jousting every day at 11.00 AM and 5.00 PM.

Marienplatz is worth going since there are so many attractions nearby and a lot history.

The Peterskirche close to Marienplatz is the oldest church of the inner city.

It is beautiful inside with so much intricate artwork on the ceilings. It was first built during the Romanesque period, and was the focus of the early monastic settlement in Munich before the city’s official foundation in 1158.

Of course, we lighted a candle.

Bronze cobblestone.

Ever wondered where München got its name? Our tour guide explains:

The coat of arms of Munich (Münchner Wappen) depicts a young monk dressed in black holding a red book. It has existed in a similar form since the 13th century, though at certain points in its history it has not depicted the central figure of the monk at all. As the German name for Munich, München, means of Monks, the monk in this case is a self-explanatory symbol (canting arms) who represents the city of Munich.

The drainage cover has these coat of arms.

Feldherrnhalle (Field Marshals’ Hall) – Munich

Two huge Bavarian lions are flanked by the larger-than-life statues of Count Johann Tserclaes Tilly, who led Catholic forces in the Thirty Years’ War, and Prince Karl Philipp Wrede, hero of the 19th-century Napoleonic Wars.

The tour ended and decided to visit the university town.

And eat pizza since we ate sausages for the past two days.

And another beer.

As always, the husband always loves his books.

What was most important is being together for a few hours, and enjoying the limited time as a family.

The rest of the day was spent just chilling at our apartment and basking the view of the city.

Tomorrow, there is more to see .

19Aug 2014

Munich and Using AirBnB for the first time

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

It was strange seeing it lighted outside the right side of the plane while darkness still covered the left side. Pretty soon, our Qatar Airways plane was hovering over the countryside in Germany.

My daughter who wanted the window seat missed it all.

It took an hour and a half to reach our AirBnB apartment somewhere in Munich. I had reserved the apartment last April. Being a first time user of AirBnB, I did not have a track record but I had social media accounts, passport identification to prove I was a real person. The thing was , the apartment had strict terms of refund. If I cancelled one week before, I will only got 50% refund. Well, I was sure to travel and I took the risk of paying in full. AirBnB actually keeps the amount we charged on our credit card before we arrived at the apartment. The owner does not get the full amount until we have settled in and accepted the unit.

A welcome sign greeted us at the apartment. So far so good. We got a stylish studio-apartment with big balcony and a view.

It was as advertised. Fantastic View-overlooking Munich. This was one of the more expensive apartments we booked but it was all worth it. Just look at that view. My family members were so thrilled.

The first thing we did was to chill at our balcony. There is a castle nearby but we would need to ride a U Bahn.

Big window front with fantastic view over Munich . The cityscape is not the usual skyscrapers I see over my hotel window. Our balcony was indeed very functional.

Figuring out the U Bahn was so confusing because there were many levels.

Once we knew where U1 Bahn was, it was a breeze.

Lunch was at a touristy place at Viktualienmarkt. The Victuals Market was only a few steps from the Marienplatz. There was much to explore in Munich but we were hungry.

Oops, a wasp probably loved the aroma of the beer .

Following the hoofs of the purple cow, I got surrounded with rochocolates, baked goods, ice creams, clothes, espresso makers, picnic baskets goods, sports paraphernalia….to postcards. The queue at the cashier was so long that we could not buy a chocolate.

It was just our first day and obviously jet-lagged so we decided to head off to our apartment and rest a bit. I will let you know more about our AirBnB experience on August 21, our last day.

I can’t believe I am finally here in Europe with my family.

17Aug 2014

A family vacation: “Find what brings you joy and go there”

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

Family vacations can be a challenge but I was determined to make it happen. Four years ago, I planned a family vacation in Singapore for the Holidays but unfortunately I had to spend Christmas day in a hospital. Finally after months of planning, we are almost at our final destination- to be reunited with our daughter. I have not seen her since April 2013 and I missed her so much. I thought of Christmas in Europe but I cannot bear the chilly weather . Summer seemed the most ideal time. When I applied for an appointment for a Schengen visa, my heart skipped a beat when I was told that it was “May 27”, Luijoe’s angel date. It is a sign! Luijoe is always with us. We always take him with us wherever we may be.

Yes, I brought a rice cooker. It may seem silly to bring a rice cooker but I wanted my daughter to still cook rice even if she is far away from home. This Tiger’s TaCook smart rice cooker is not your ordinary rice cooker too. Well, the TaCook rice cooker can cook side dishes using high temperature steam generated when cooking rice.

Expect updates in my blog as I explore some places in Europe.

This is our first time to check in at the Clark International Airport using Qatar Airways. It is quiet and less stressful to check in here. Despite the distance, I think it is worth flying out from Clark . I must say Qatar Airways has superb service.

Arriving at the Hamad International Airport , Qatar provided us a transit visa and a hotel to rest before our final destination.

The warmth of the 38 Celsius temperature outside the airport felt like a blower heating up my face.

I liked the short ride to our hotel and seeing the Palm trees and a preview of DOHA.

Qatar booked us at the Plaza Hotel. Soon I got messages on facebook and twitter from my social media friends which I have never met. I can finally put a face to that facebook like and twitter mention. What a fantastic day it was.

It is a matter of hours now . Europe here I come.

15Aug 2014

8 fantastic benefits of vOffice, my virtual office

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

If you do need an office within minutes, check out the website of voffice.com.ph for the plans you want to avail then use my referral page or call +632 2242 000 and tell them that I referred you.

Remember my small office home office? This is in the second level of my home.

Before the move to my current residence, my home office was beside the kitchen.

I called it either Home-office, Business-office (HOBO) or Small-office Home-office (SOHO) . Whatever you call it, I’ve been a work-at-home-mom since my second daughter was born in 1987. I like that my home office is a small nook that allows me to be in touch with kitchen activities and family members hovering behind me. Everyone was yelling distance away except for my kids if they are in their bedrooms. That’s because the walls of their rooms are almost sound-proof.

Now that I got even busier as a social business consultant and blogger, meetings took place in coffee shops. Meeting at my SOHO was not ideal because of the distance and secondly I wanted my privacy. Having to meet at coffee shops has its space limitation during meetings. The solution was a virtual office space .

I discovered voffice.com.ph,. vOffice in short for Virtual Office, gives you everything you need to efficiently run your business less the cost of maintaining a physical office. It gives you a prestigious business address, telephone & fax number, professional receptionist to answer your call, working space, full equipped meeting facilities, on-demand secretary and more. I got their Platinum plan. Let me tell you about the benefits of using vOffice, my virtual office.

1. Prestigious Bonifacio Global City address at One Global Place (5th Avenue & 25th Street)

I am always at the Global City so I liked that there are offices there at the Fort Legend and One Global. My Fitness First Gym is just across One Global Place so that is quite convenient for me. They also have a Makati address at Mavenue building. The best part of the voffice experience is I can also use the facilities of the Fort Legend (open 24/7) and Mavenue in Makati. . I like the idea of the Makati office with an open space, fresh air, roof deck area, fresh plants and a cup of hot tea to accompany you while you work.

I have only experienced One Global Place so far but in the next few months, I will be visiting the two others. I can also use the virtual office at Melbourne, Singapore , London, Hongkong, Ho Chi Minh City, Kuala Lumpur Jakarta Selatan ,Jakarta Pusat, Shanghai , Beijing and Bangkok.

2. Affordable rates.

For the platinum plan, it costs 3,600 pesos a month. If you divide that by 25 working days, that is only 144 pesos a day, pretty much the cost of a large sized coffee mug order. One can get more out of the 144 pesos a day.

Here is what I can get:

1. Receive Mails & Parcels on my behalf.
2. SMS or Email notification.
3. Local & International Mail Forwarding.
4. Scan & Email service is available upon
5. Elegant Reception Service.
6. Calls Handling
7. Dedicated Local Telephone Number.
8. Professional Call Answering.
10. SMS or Email notification.
11. Call Screening and Transfer.
12. Personalized Voicemail.
13. Fax Services
14. Dedicated Local Fax Number.
15. Instant Fax Forwarding to your email

and comes with an unlimited use of a fully WIFI-ed business lounge and

– 8 hours per month worth PHP 7,200 per month
– 2 teleconference at 20 hours per month
– Executive Office Suite at 3 hours a month

I will expand on this more.

3. Flexibility of using meeting rooms at 8 hours a month in over 25 locations

I log on to MyvOffice.me to reserve a meeting room in real time. The voffice was quite useful when I needed to power my gagdets after a storm. My home did not have power for three days.

4. Unlimited use of the fully WIFI-ed Business lounge

if you have used up your meeting room hours and are not willing to pay for additional, using the business lounge or pantry is an option. Those nifty white chairs are quite functional. There are power outlets within reach unlike a coffee shop where it is “first come first served”. It can get noisy though since this is the main lobby and there are many people coming in and out.

5. Unlimited coffee at the pantry

How I love the pantry. There is a ref, a microwave, water dispenser , spoon , fork , glasses and mug.

The best part is unlimited quality coffee . Now that is worth the 144 a day cost of a virtual office, right?

6. Close to my gym

This is the “The Fort Strip” , a view from the pantry and where my Fitness First gym is located.

Physical activity can’t just be limited to tapping on my macbook finger exercises . My daily routine entails a two-hour gym workout in between my work After a workout, I can just walk towards One Global Place.

7. Receive calls and parcels

The ability to receive small parcels is an advantage. Having been stalked for over seven years now, I do not relish giving out my address or phone number to anyone. In fact, I had to change my landline and mobile phone numbers last year . With a dedicated phone number, the receptionist receives calls for me and then forwards it to my mobile number

8. An Elite Card Advantage

Having this Elite Card gives me discounted rates from their partner hotels, restaurants and boutiques with as much as 15% discount on selected partners. Click here to see the list.

I can see the benefits of a virtual work space for start-ups and small sized entrepreneurs. One does not need to invest in a lease for office space or get a mortgage for a building. My business operates well in a virtual environment. Technically, my office is wherever I am . With the current technology , I can conduct my business anywhere but having an address in my business card is more professional. First impressions mean a lot. I don’t want to use my home address as the business address. With a virtual office, there is relief from the stresses of a traditional one.

If you do need an office within minutes, check out the website of voffice.com.ph for the plans you want to avail then use my referral page or call +632 2242 000 and tell them that I referred you.

13Aug 2014

Gut-wrenching, heartfelt statements from the family of Robin Williams

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

A death in the family is always so heartbreaking. Losing my only son, two brothers and both my parents took me to a roller coaster ride of grief and recovery. Love never goes away when I found myself grieving over the loss of my loved ones . It is not often I get affected over a death of a celebrity. When I read on my twitter feed about the death of Robin Williams, I was in shock, denial and numb. This funny guy brought so much laughter going as far back as my college days when Mork and Mindy first came out on Television in 1978. So much joy and happiness has been shared with my children when we watched “Hook”, “Aladdin” and even “Mrs. Doubtfire”. I can only remember Robin Williams as funny man . Though I am aware of depression and suicide, I would never truly understand how Robin Williams experienced depression or what happened in his “life to drive him to suicide, or if there was any way it could have been prevented.” All I know is “when a person experiences the ultimate tragic end to any illness, let it be a lesson as to how little we know rather than how much.” All I can do is share my Suicide prevention page because suicide prevention is everybody’s business. Educate our community that suicide is a preventable public health problem in the Philippines. Suicide should no longer be considered a taboo topic, and that through raising awareness and educating the public, we can SAVE lives.

Robin Williams lives on in his movies and in our memories of feeling good after watching these movies. His family feels the same too.

Let me share the touching statements from Robin Williams’ family members via eonline.com

Zak, Cody and Zelda Williams have all released statements just hours after the Oscar winner’s official cause of death was released by the local police department.

Williams’ second wife, Marsha Garces Williams, also broke her silence with a gut-wrenching, heartfelt statement of her own.

Zak: “Yesterday, I lost my father and a best friend and the world got a little grayer. I will carry his heart with me every day. I would ask those that loved him to remember him by being as gentle, kind, and generous as he would be. Seek to bring joy to the world as he sought.”

Cody: “There are no words strong enough to describe the love and respect I have for my father. The world will never be the same without him. I will miss him and take him with me everywhere I go for the rest of my life, and will look forward, forever, to the moment when I get to see him again.”

Zelda: “My family has always been private about our time spent together. It was our way of keeping one thing that was ours, with a man we shared with an entire world. But now that’s gone, and I feel stripped bare. My last day with him was his birthday, and I will be forever grateful that my brothers and I got to spend that time alone with him, sharing gifts and laughter. He was always warm, even in his darkest moments. While I’ll never, ever understand how he could be loved so deeply and not find it in his heart to stay, there’s minor comfort in knowing our grief and loss, in some small way, is shared with millions. It doesn’t help the pain, but at least it’s a burden countless others now know we carry, and so many have offered to help lighten the load. Thank you for that.

“To those he touched who are sending kind words, know that one of his favorite things in the world was to make you all laugh. As for those who are sending negativity, know that some small, giggling part of him is sending a flock of pigeons to your house to poop on your car. Right after you’ve had it washed. After all, he loved to laugh too…

“Dad was, is and always will be one of the kindest, most generous, gentlest souls I’ve ever known, and while there are few things I know for certain right now, one of them is that not just my world, but the entire world is forever a little darker, less colorful and less full of laughter in his absence. We’ll just have to work twice as hard to fill it back up again.”

She also tweeted to fans, thanking them for making donations in honor of her beloved father.

“Thank you to all those donating to @StJude in memory of my father. I’m overwhelmed. The charity meant the world to him, as it does to me,” the 25-year-old actress wrote. “Knowing that so many children will be helped in his honor is all I could’ve asked for. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you.”

Marsha: “My heart is split wide open and scattered over the planet with all of you. Please remember the gentle, loving, generous – and yes, brilliant and funny – man that was Robin Williams. My arms are wrapped around our children as we attempt to grapple with celebrating the man we love, while dealing with this immeasurable loss.”

If you need help, here is my Suicide prevention page

USA hotline
In an emergency, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK

Philippine Suicide Prevention Hotline (Updated October 23, 2012)

The Philippines’ FIRST depression and suicide prevention hotline is now open. Call 804-4673 (HOPE). Open 24/7.

If outside Manila text/call these nos: 0917-558-HOPE (4673) or 0917-852-HOPE (4673

In Touch
Crisis Lines:
0917-572-HOPE or (632)211-1305
(632) 893-7606 (24/7)
(632)893-7603 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm)
Globe (63917) 800.1123 or (632) 506.7314
Sun (63922) 893.8944 or (632) 346.8776

Source of photo: (April 23, 2006 – Source: Kevin Winter/Getty Images Entertainment)

10Aug 2014

Vamping teenagers: When social media and gadgets keep teens up all night

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

Many teenagers nowadays are staying up until the wee hours of the morning doing variety of things like texting on their mobile phones; chatting online; playing video games; downloading movies; watching TV, DVDs or videos; listening to music; spending time on social media; and engaging in other hobbies and activities. They think that staying up late is cool and part of a life of a teenager. Some say it’s a trend that influences the young generation to cut their sleeping time in favor of the Internet, social media, and gadgets. They call this teenage nocturnal behavior vamping.

What is vamping? The word vamping is obviously derived from the word vampire. The popularity of Twilight andTrue Blood probably has something to do about the term. A lot of teenagers love staying up all night. They go to bed when the sun comes up as if they are afraid of turning to dust.

The hashtag #vamping has made its mark on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Teens are using the hashtag whenever they stay up late at night; often without their parents knowing.

Vamping is associated with kids and teens around the world including the Philippines. Many Pinoy teenagers have jumped into the bandwagon. I have seen evidence and subtle hints ofvamping on my newsfeed from younger cousins, nieces and nephews. They sometimes post vamping selfies on Instagram.

Jennifer, 45 years old has two teenage daughters. She considers herself as a digital parent. She says that with myriad of electronic gadgets like laptops, tablets, smart phones, mp3 players, and video game consoles, her teenagers have many things to keep them busy without noticing the ticking of the clock. Jennifer is concerned that vamping will affect her daughters’ health and grades. As a mom, she tries to put some parameters of control to protect her girls from getting tangled in the nocturnal web. The family agreed that bedtime during school nights is not later 9:30 p.m. Jennifer and her husband give their daughters a bit more freedom during weekends. They can stay up until 11 p.m. during Fridays and Saturdays but they have to be in bed by 9:30 p.m. during Sundays.

Jennifer makes it a point to occasionally check the bedroom of her daughters to ensure that they are sleeping at the right time. She admits catching them a few times staying up way past their bedtimes. There was a time when the girls got grounded for staying up until 1 a.m. during a school night. Jennifer read the tweet of one of her daughters about #vamping until 1 a.m. to chat with friends which got them both in trouble. The girls have learned not to cross their parents again; otherwise they might end up losing their gadget privileges for an indefinite period. Jennifer says that it’s not easy raising teenagers in this digital era. She and her husband try their best to set ground rules at home but not to the point of being too strict. She says that parenting is a learning process. She gets helpful tips by reading parenting articles, getting advice from family and friends and firsthand experience.

What motivates kids to engage in so-called vamping? According to The New York Times, teenagers are often swamped with homework, papers, reports, and projects. They also tend to juggle extra-curricular activities like music lessons and sports with academics. Their busy schedules give them little time to enjoy personal interests. Many teenagers find a sense of freedom at night when homework and other school-related responsibilities are done. Teens take advantage of late hours because that’s the time when most parents have gone to bed; giving them more leverage to do the things they like without prying eyes or words of disapproval.

What are the negative effects of vamping? Many parents are becoming concerned because vamping is not limited to teens anymore. It seems that younger kids are picking up the habit. Perhaps seeing older siblings staying up late and going under the covers to use their gadgets are giving young ones the wrong idea thatvamping is a fun and cool thing. Vamping has become a rampant behavior among teens that school administrators are also beginning to notice. Lack of sleep can affect children’s ability to focus on their studies.

Based on WebMD, sleep plays an important role in thinking and learning. Cognitive processes are negatively affected by lack of sleep. Kids and teens who don’t get enough Zzzzs may experience difficulty concentrating on school work, staying alert in class, focusing their attention on lessons, reasoning, and problem solving. Lack of sleep can hurt school performance. Children who often stay up late at night have less time to review for exams. Learning inefficiency can occur because lack of sleep could make it more difficult to process what they learn in class. According to Kids Health, school-age kids need 10 to 12 hours of sleep a night. Lack of sleep can also affect children’s behavior. It can cause kids to become irritable or exhibit hyper behavior. It is vital for growing kids to have consistent bedtime, especially during school nights.

How can you protect children from the ill effects of vamping? It’s a good idea for parents and their children to discuss and agree on an ideal bedtime during school nights and weekends. It is also advisable to agree on a fair form of consequence when rules are broken. For instance, kids can get grounded from using electronics for certain number of days if they are caught staying up beyond their bedtime using gadgets.

You can also consider using forms of Internet parental controls that can limit Internet usage at certain time of the day. Establish ground rules when it comes to use of electronics. Some suggest that parents do not allow the use of gadgets in the bedroom after bedtime. You can also turn off the Internet during bedtime. This can prevent kids and teens from sneaking during the night to use their laptops, tablets, mobile phones, and other electronics.

Make sure that your children understand why you set certain rules and limitations. You can start by explaining the negative effects of vamping. It is recommended to monitor your kids’ activities on the Internet especially on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. It is vital to be a good example to your children by following the same rules that you set in your household.

Photos: “Vampire doll” c/o Flickr. Some rights reserved; “Time” c/o Flickr. Some rights reserved; “Blogging” c/o Pixabay. Public domain.

by Ma. Rachel Yapchiongco as originally posted at the Philippine Online Chronicles.

21Jul 2014

Dear nephew: I am one of the signatories of an impeachment complaint vs. Pres Aquino

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

I begged to be excused from my sister and my ten-year old nephew after we watched a stage play “Rak of Aegis” yesterday.

Me: “I have to review the draft of our impeachment complaint”.

Nephew: “Who is getting impeached?”

Me: “The President”

Nephew: “Whaatt? You are going to impeach the President? Won’t you get jailed for that?”

And so, I dedicate the filing of the impeachment complaint to my nephew and the young ones who will one day become the taxpayers of the Philippines. “For putting himself above the Supreme Court and the Filipino People, I am attaching my signature to the Impeachment complaint of Benigno Simeon Cojuanco Aquino III as President of the Republic of the Philippines.

Photo via Kodao Productions

Dear nephew,

Let me attempt to make this simple. I am sure you have read the fairy tale of the “Emperor’s New Clothes”. Here is a re-make of the story that my fellow advocates came up with.

We begin with a fairy tale just as we always do when leaders begin their rule. Four years ago, in a place by the river, an Emperor arrived, promising to take his subjects on a straight, righteous path. He waved a hand and asked trusted aides to weave him a magnificent cloak with the emblems of his rule.

And so the aides went to work, spinning invisible threads on looms, to produce the Emperor’s new garb. And he was pleased and called it DAP.

The Emperor donned his new clothes and raised both arms to bless cheering subjects lined on the highway. “DAP! DAP!”, his courtiers yelled.

No one could see anything but his flesh. “No clothes! No clothes!” The chant went up. But no one among his minions would confess to the fakery and deception lest they fall out of the mighty ruler’s grace. And so the Emperor’s parade trudged on….

The Disbursement Acceleration Program is the modern-day “Emperor’s New Clothes.” It took the Supreme Court, ruling unanimously and unequivocally, to expose DAP for what it truly was – an unconstitutional mechanism that President Benigno Simeon Aquino III deliberately and repeatedly used to undermine the separation of powers of the various branches of government, destroy the system of checks and balances of the republic, violate various laws and betray the people’s trust.

In the fairy tale, it was a child in the crowd , just like you, “who was too young to understand the desirability of keeping up the pretense, blurts out that the Emperor is wearing nothing at all and the cry is taken up by others. The Emperor cringes, suspecting the assertion is true, but continues the procession.”

You are only ten years old and are powerless to stop the procession so I am doing this for you…for the future of our country.

You might ask, “why not wait for 2016? He has only two years left”.

It is a matter of principle. it is a matter of seeking accountability. It does not depend on the numbers in congress. Impeachment is the legal way to make a President accountable for “culpable violation of the Constitution, treason, bribery, graft and corruption, other high crimes, or betrayal of public trust.”

You must have known, that the President took an oath of office where he promised to “preserve and defend its Constitution, execute its laws, do justice to every man, and consecrate myself to the service of the Nation.” The President is immune from suit and the only way to hold him accountable is through impeachment – a constitutional process.

We will present evidence that Aquino knowingly and wilfully violated the Constitution through his acts of approving and implementing the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) .

We will prove that from the onset, Aquino had sought to control billions in public funds and treat the same as presidential pork.

We will prove that the DAP is no different from Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) in the sense that both pertain to discretionary lump sum spending. Check this out.

Click to enlarge

The DAP is not just a disbursement policy gone wrong. It is an attempt by the President to grab for himself the powers held by Congress. It is an insidious scheme to build up a gargantuan pork barrel fund for the President that dwarfed the combined PDAF of legislators.

Through the DAP, the President laundered billions of public money to activities that are by and large either corrupt, corruption- prone, favored, or cannot be accounted for.

The impeachment complaint is the only means for seeking accountability, which has long been due, because no one wants to truly come clean about the DAP. Not the President. Not his men. Not the politicians that gained from his illegal and unconstitutional acts.

To answer your question, I won’t get jailed for this.

Filing an impeachment complaint by a blogger like myself has been done in the past. It is the right thing to do. Atty. Edwin Lacierda (now Palace Spokesperson), then a blogger in 2008 was part of an impeachment complaint versus Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo:

As a blogger, it was an honor to have my signature affixed on this document. Whatever the consequences are, we need to show our country that we have an incumbent president who has failed to honor the “take care” clause in the Constitution, sacrificing the country’s interest in favor of her own political ambitions and must of consequence, be held accountable to the ills she has cursed this nation with.

Manolo Quezon (now a Communications UnderSecretary) led the bloggers in this 2008 impeachment .

“…The question is not who we will replace the President with, but to find the President guilty or not guilty of the charges pressed against her. Not the least of which is the charge that she deceived the public – and compromised the integrity and sovereignty of the Philippines – through the BJE MOA-AD. If she is, I believe that she should face the fair and just consequences of her actions. I believe that justice is not about personalities, but about doing the right thing.”

Marocharim , a political blogger added:

…I was just doing what any free-thinking Filipino will do. I was just doing things out of principle. I signed that document because of my convictions, not for money, not for ambition. I’m just a twenty-something who makes an honest living.
I signed that document because I believe that it is right, and I believe that it is time. Revolution? To some, yes, but to me, it was a simple matter of doing the right thing.

You might be wondering “So you want Vice President Binay” to be President?

See, the impeachment is not about getting Binay to be President, in the same way that People Power 2 in EDSA was not about making Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, President. Those worried about Binay becoming president are also saying that the impeachment has no chance of getting the numbers in congress. My friend, Mae told me “I always say I will follow the law. … I will not fear the future when all I have is NOW. And now is the perfect time to IMPEACH. when citizens are alive and vigilant, BINAY is not to be feared! In fact opportunity!”

Some of my friends may doubt my motivation. Deng, another friend gives me comfort ” stay as who you are with your conviction and vigilance… and your critics will fail in their attacks of putting labels and colors and doubts in your intents.. because the only agenda you have is rooted for your love of country, fellowmen, family via means of seeking the truth and jurisprudence,… that way, it is easy to convince people the need to participate….”. I love you Deng.

I know it won’t be easy and it could be a long shot. Who said change was easy anyway? It isn’t easy to get out of our comfort zone. Some of us may be jaded or disillusioned because the People Power Revolution failed to bring us to real change and recovery. I continue to hope and hope for the sake of your future, my children’s future, and the future of their children.

It’s not easy to make a stand but I believe in doing the right thing.

Take care and study well.

Love,

Tita Noemi

PS. Sorry this letter ended up too long but I am sure you understood most of it . Ask your mom for help. If you want to read more about DAP, here are reports from PCIJ

Part 1: DAP: Good and bad, open and opaque
Part 2: Funds freed in a rush, projects yield slow results

Final Impeachment Complaint Against Bs Aquino by Bayan Et. Al.

17Jul 2014

Mobile work during the power outage due to Typhoon Glenda

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

Typhoon Glenda left more than 20 hours ago and as I type this , there is still no power where I live. Over the radio I heard that 19% of Metro Manila do not have electricity. I should count my blessings that there is not much property damage compared to the Milenyo wrath in 2006. I was ready for power interruption because in 2006, we did not have power for more than two days. I relied on coffee shops .

When your business is dependent on internet service, a day without it is problematic. Two days without it gets to be “near critical”. Where does one get an internet connection when the whole city has no power? I managed the first 24 hours . To go around the house, I wore this headlamp. I look like a miner but it is so convenient that one can even use this at the dinner table for light.

If you are interested, this BAILONG rechargeable LED Lamp can be found at 888 in Divisoria . It is also water proof and can act as a hazard light. At bulk price, it is around 550 pesos. Thanks to #SafePH, an advocacy of Smart telecom, for this little gift which was part of a larger disaster kit. I will share more photos as soon as I have power.

With limited Globe and Smart mobile internet, I still managed to post updates on twitter and facebook. It was erratic though. I am glad my Samsung Galaxy Tab S has ultra saving power. The display is black and white . Who needs color? I am using the Tab S to check typhoon updates and share it with my social media network.

I am glad I got to buy this Akari Rechargeable lamp at the HandyMan for 2,000 pesos. Aside from the lamp, there is an AM and FM radio as well as a fan. Despite the winds, I felt hot inside my room. The fan lasted me for 7 hours using it off and on. The radio was quite useful too since it gave me continuous stream of information. This morning I had to go to my car to charge my mobile internet and other gadgets.

The light accessory can charge my mobile wifi while my USB adaptor charged my Galaxy Tab S with enough juice for me to check some updates online. And I also took my breakfast inside the car. Well, that’s how I coped. Despite the brownout, I count my blessings that our water supply is steady and we have gas to cook our food.

My virtual office is also convenient. (Mr. Stalker, don’t get any ideas. You won’t be able to find me here on a daily basis because there are other branches in Manila and around Asia that I can go to.) . Though I have unlimited hours at the business lounge, I booked a meeting room for four hours today so I could charge all my gadgets and work on my deadlines. I will update more during the day.

« Previous 1 … 39 40 41 42 43 … 159 Next »

Post Navigation