Touched by An Angel

22Jan 2014

The Butterfly in my life

by webs ⋅ 5 Comments

Don’t you think this is a lovely butterfly? Whenever a butterfly flutters about in the garden, I smile with the thought that Luijoe is in another life with greater beauty and freedom. But I believe the butterfly’s life cycle – metamorphosis – represents my new life after the death of my precious son.

THE EGG: As a little girl, my whole world felt safe under the loving arms of my parents – much like the butterfly egg attached to a leaf somewhere.

THE CATERPILLAR: The caterpillar is my life before the death of Luijoe. My husband and I are contented that God gave us two girls and a boy. A perfect family. I go through the day as a full time mother attending to my chores. Nothing can break this happy bubble, I thought. And then Luijoe is gone. I change!

THE COCOON: After his death, I shut myself off from friends and even family because I felt they could never understand my grief. It is what protected me from the horrible pain. I withdrew from life because of all the painful memories. Numbing the pain, I curled up in my cocoon.

THE BUTTERFLY: The pain lessened and I began to heal as a flicker of light and a little color emerged. Breaking free from my cocoon , I reached out to touch life again. As I discovered the brilliant colors around me, I become more like a butterfly sipping some of the nectar from life.

“We are healed to help others.
We are blessed to be a blessing.
We are saved to serve,
not to sit around and
wait for heaven”
from Purpose Driven Life

I transformed my grief to a positive resolution by starting The Compassionate Friends Philippines , the largest self-help organization for bereaved parents, siblings and grandparents in the world.

In our Compassionate Friend’s circles, the butterfly represent the lives of our children who have died. Their spirit lives on and our memories live on, often in fleeting moments . And that we may be able to build a new life after the death of our beloved children.

I see many butterflies in my life now: blogging, renewal of friendships lost through time, new friendships because I went out of my comfort zone and a new me, a new normal.

Life is good.

20Jan 2014

Making a choice: A Brighter Life

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

I smile as I flick through the photos from my little red wooden box. As I gaze at the photos of my children, the laughter springs to life in my memory bank. Life has not always been nice and dandy but that is not to say it remained sad or lonely. Life is about making a choice: should it be sad or happy? dark or bright? I wish I knew that life were about choices when I was at the deepest pit of my misery but thanks to loving friends, I got out of it and chose a life that is happy and bright. When made that choice, it does not mean I will ignore feelings of sadness. It means working towards the goal of a happy and bright future.

A brighter life for me will be cherishing my golden years and contributing to the future of my children. I made this choice after I decided to live a new normal after the death of my son. I know I will not be as young and vibrant so I needed to prepare living a comfortable life beyond my golden years. That meant fixing my finances through long term investment and a sound retirement plan. I deserve to have the self-esteem and peace that accompanies financial responsibility. The future of my children does not only lie in providing them material wealth. Helping out in community activities also contribute greatly to my children’s future. What better legacy is there than making a difference in my children’s life by being of service to others?

Everyone has their own ideas of a brighter life. Sites like brighterlife.com.ph provide inspiration. You may also ask yourself “How do you imagine a Brighter Life? Is it having comfortable lifestyle? To be able to provide for your family’s needs? Perhaps you want to leave behind a lasting legacy?” Just like a friend you can talk to, the Brighter Life website provides lessons in life and financial advice. Divided into five categories, it is easy to relate to because it tackles relationships with five aspects of our lives: finance, health, family, career and the future.

Topics in personal finance is quite useful to me. Though my family invested in real properties and Sun Life Financial Investments, I also want to know more about stock investments. Being a newbie in the stock markets, it is heartening to read articles like the “The Road to Becoming Stocks Smart”. I can relate to the writer’s fear of the unknown. I need to conquer that fear too by getting to know the ropes of the stock market.

There are more topics that will surely enlighten you. My good friend Randell Tiongson writes about Pinoy Style: Financial Planning. Randell has “ personally been a witness to many individuals who had relatively good income and yet failed miserably with regard to being financially secure.” Preparing for a brighter with a financially secure future requires taking action today:

1.Increase your cash flow;

2. Reduce or eliminate debt;

3. Take baby steps in savings and investing;

4. Review your finances periodically;

5. Communicate with your family.

For more tips about personal finances, visit http://brighterlife.com.ph

18Jan 2014

A new normal without you. #ThankYouCoy for everything

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 2 Comments

With Coy at the Celebrating the Lucky 0917 with Globe in 2010. Photo credit: Jane Uymatiao

Oh God. No. He is way too young…he is just as old as my eldest girl. Another fine young man gone too soon. It breaks my heart. There are no words to express this gut-wrenching pain. I reach out to his family because the death of any child, regardless of cause or age, is overwhelming to parents, who can never be fully prepared for their child to die before them. The death of a child is the most devastating loss ever.

#ThankYouCoy

As I scroll through his timeline on Facebook and Twitter, I read bits and pieces of his meaningful life from friends and how they got to know Coy. He was still a student when I first met him in 2007 but he was already into Video blogging or Vlogging. As I look back at my email archives, I feel like he is once again talking to me. I commented a lot on his “CokskiBlue – Pinoy Vlogs, Videos and Vodcasts” . These posts are no longer shown in his blog.

We had one thing in common. We were both Cebuanos and reside (or I used to reside) in Lahug. I didn’t know we were neighbors. Though not the best of friends, we often interacted in many events. I got to work closely with Coy during my term as President of the 2008 Philippine Blog Awards. The videos were simply amazing. He inspired me to create videos in my blog but of course, I could never come close to his talent.

When he worked for Globe in 2009, I joined some of his campaigns. He was so excited when I was one of the finalists in three categories. Such a charming man who has achieved so much and improving the lot of social media users like me.

Singing in this video for the “Philippine Blog Awards 2009 v.2: “Jingle”” is simply creative. My blog was even sung by him “mommy…”

The medium is something I want to take offline so those without internet connection can also get the message. I will always remember Coy whenever I create a video blog post. Thank You Coy for the inspiration.

Dealing with losing a friend

Friends are overwhelmed with shock , denial and sadness all rolled together. Coy is at rest now but it is us , those who loved him that are grieving so much. I know this is supposed to be a post about Coy but I want to help his friends who are all devastated.

There is no way out of this pain, only a way forward.

At the 2011 First Globe Tatt Awards. Here I am as a Finalist for Ball Breaker category

I am sure many will ask “Is there a relief from this pain?…Is there nowhere I can go to turn aside, to get away?”

I’d like to share what the grief experience is from years of helping out bereaved families at the Compassionate Friends (Grief support after the death of a child).

You will catch yourself thinking. “I want to go back. Go back before the illness.” But that no longer exists. The grief is a watershed and it has cut us off forever from that world— the life we knew with our loved one…, the life before THIS happened..

We keep rewinding the past, remembering, wishing until the thought pattern is established in our brain: this is your world now; this is what your life is like.

It will take a bit of time to go forward. Each one grieves differently. Some move forward quickly. Some take time and step backwards.

Convinced, ever so slowly, we begin to go forward one baby step at a time , into a new sense of time and relationships, including a new relationship with the one who has died and a new relationship with ourselves.

This is the new normal, knowing Coy lives in our memories and in our hearts and that love lasts forever.

Our other option is to stand still and we may try it for a while. If we do this, we will turn into stone. So we must keep moving..and in the only direction forward. Keep moving , even if it is only one baby step at a time. Forward into a new normal, into unknown adventure, and unknown territory. We will get there.

A poem on his facebook wall shows another option:

“You can shed tears that he is gone,
or you can smile because he has lived.

You can close your eyes and pray that he’ll come back,
or you can open your eyes and see all he’s left.

Your heart can be empty because you can’t see him,
or you can be full of the love you shared.

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday,
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

You can remember him only that he is gone,
or you can cherish his memory and let it live on.

You can cry and close your mind, be happy
and turn your back. Or you can do what he’d want:
Smile, open your eyes, love and go on.”

Yes that is the direction that we will choose eventually but today and the next couple of days, we will be grappling with the pain. The grief is fresh. It is alright to cry. Coy will understand that we are crying because we loved him dearly. Grief is the price we pay because of love.

And yes, there is no way out of this pain, only a way forward.

We love you Coy. Gi-mingaw mang ko uy.

Blog posts about Coy Caballes:

Video Tribute by Kring

Goodbye, my friend Coy by Jane Uymatiao

This Was Coy. He Will Be Missed
by Marcelle Fabie

#ThankYouCoy by Tonyo Cruz

Paalam Kaibigan by Markku Seguerra

The work of the eyes by Marocharim

Filipino Blogging Community Mourns: Coy Caballes the Filipino Vlogger Will Always Be Remembered by Vince Golangco

Coy by Yoshke

Remembering Coy Caballes a.k.a. CokskiBlue #ThankYouCoy by Micaela Rodriguez

Regarding Coy by Gang Badoy

Of Death and Blogs by Mark Delgado

18Jan 2014

Have you had a good cry lately?

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 7 Comments

“If someone cries in front of me, I consider it a gift.” , a friend told me one Saturday afternoon.

Every third Saturday of the month, I receive this gift during the monthly meeting of The Compassionate Friends. I am honored to receive it.

It’s quite common to hear oh she is so brave! when the broken-hearted person appears controlled and poised in the face of grief. How is someone supposed to feel when their heart is broken?

And yet we continue to admire those who do not show their grief in public, who receive condolences as though the occasion were a pleasant Sunday afternoon blabber. He was so brave. I was proud of him. He didn’t break down, not once, and so on and so forth…we hear people say.

Really, whose benefit is this tight hold on our emotions? For the griever’s sake? For the sake of the consoling friends, who may be afraid of being swept into their grief?

Crying tears is not just for those that lost a loved one.

If a little kid says May I cry or should I be brave?, how should the mother react? There is conflicting feelings about crying. It is difficult to allow children the freedom of tears because most of us were stopped from crying when we were little. Our well-meaning, but misinformed, parents may have distracted, scolded, punished, or ignored us when we attempted to heal our childhood hurts by crying. Some of us were stopped gently: “There, there, come on, don’t cry,” while others were stopped less kindly: “If you don’t stop crying, I’ll give you something to cry about! So stop it….”

You probably read somewhere that crying is somehow good for us. William Shakespeare, for instance wrote, “To weep is to make less the depth of grief.” The poet Alfred Lord Tennyson once wrote about a woman who learned her husband had been killed. “She must weep,” the writer said, “or she will die.”

According to Dr. William Frey, a biochemist and director of the Dry Eye and Tear Research Center in Minneapolis, Minn., one reason people might feel better after crying could be because they are “removing, in their tears, chemicals that build up during emotional stress.” Frey’s research shows that tears, along with other bodily secretions like perspiration, rid the body of various toxins and wastes. Dr. William Frey compared the normal moisturizing tear with the tear caused by emotion and found that stressful tears contained ACTH or adrenocorticotrophic hormone. ACTH is a hormone associated with high blood pressure, heart problems, peptic ulsers and other physical conditions closely related to stress.

There is just one word of caution about crying.

People who cry easily should feel glad they’re in touch with their feelings. But if they’re crying a lot in response to criticism, they should try to get some counseling. This kind of crying is an alarm bell of a far deeper hurt; it could signify a loss of self-esteem that is triggered whenever anyone says anything negative.

Probably the best advice of all regarding tears comes from Charles Dickens. In Oliver Twist, Mr. Bumble, the parish beadle, is a less than sympathetic character. But he’s got the right idea when he declares that crying “opens the lungs, washes the countenance, exercises the eyes, and softens the temper.

So when another friend wept in front of me today, I understood the gift of healing.

Have you had a good cry lately?

Photo via Flickr. Some rights reserved.

10Jan 2014

Snuggle and cuddle. Cuddle Up day!

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

One thing I love about my change planner are suggested actions. Last Monday, January 6 was Cuddle Up Day!

Snuggle and cuddle. It’s high time to warm it up with someone special or well, something special (your stuffed toy, your pillow, your pet cat and dog, all up to you)

Cuddling is quite a normal activity for me so it is always a “cuddle up day” everyday. I think it is one trait that endeared me to my ex-boyfriend (ahem husband). He liked that I would nestle my head on his shoulder and wrap my arms around his waist . Cuddling as a form of communication helps couples have a more rich relationship. That is just how I am. I remember as a little child how I would sleep beside my parents and cuddle my daddy old boy. When my girls were younger, I enjoyed cuddling them as I lulled them to sleep. There are many ways I cuddle if my husband and children are not around. With two pet cats at home, I get the chance to cuddle them like babies.

Hugging and cuddling feels great. Who doesn’t like cuddling? Our brains reward us by releasing a calm-inducing hormone/neurotransmitter called oxytocin, also known as the “cuddle” hormone. There is a study that ‘Cuddle hormone’ oxytocin can stimulate brain activity in autistic children. Cuddling does have health benefits. That warm fuzzy feelings are nothing compared to the benefits we get from the release of oxytocin.

Even if you are single, hugging your friends will reap the same benefit as cuddling. A simple as a hug will also increase the oxytocin levels. Go get a pet too. Studies show that “snuggling doesn’t have to be with our fellow humans to increase oxytocin. Any positive touch will elicit a release of oxytocin.”

Have a feel-good day every day. Give someone a hug.

08Jan 2014

Grab the opportunity: Be a Certified Blog and Social media entrepreneur

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

I am excited about 2014 for the possible opportunities that will come my way. The start of the new year offers a wonderful opportunity for me to reflect on 2013 and to set goals for the months ahead. I took concrete steps on the direction of this blog ever since I started in 2006. Yesterday, I blogged about “Speaking and Consulting” as possible income opportunities. It is another business model to sustain my advocacy in using social media for social good. Sure, I will still get ads, sponsorship, create content and collaborate with projects but I want to diversify. I am in control of my blog and I know I need to take risks to reach my goals.

I believe bloggers can generate revenue by being a blog and social media entrepreneur. There are many benefits of being one. Some of the things you can do is creating and sharing relevant content; building and managing online communities (managing a forum or Facebook page) ; becoming a digital advocate or influencer; starting a blog movement or communities of like-minded people; building a blog network; creating a win-win social media campaign; helping out with the online presence of NGOs; and building social media presence for people or businesses.

Readers often ask me tips on how to tap the potential of their blogs and social media network. The question on their minds is “How?”

While I would like to sit down with them, I believe I won’t be able to deliver all the tips in one day. You can also do it by trial and error like I did but it will take years to acquire those skills. If you want to fast track your blogging direction, the best recourse is to acquire the skills and knowledge from resource speakers who walk the talk, and are subject matter experts.

I came across, the Ateneo – DigitalFilipino Digital Entrepreneurship Program called, Blog & Social Media Entrepreneur Course “with the aim of creating a movement – to encourage the growth of online entrepreneurship and serve the growing needs of businesses locally and internationally.” Janette Toral partnered with Ateneo De Manila University and eLearning Edge to offer this program which started in 2010 , to support her advocacy in developing more “blog and social media entrepreneurs” in the country. They combine online course access, hands-on activities, and consultations via webinar. See the modules in the infographic below:

One advantage of this intensive 14 – week online mentorship program is one can learn at any time of day and from anywhere as long as one has internet access. How convenient!

Another advantage is this program is different from similar courses in the market because it goes beyond the creation of a project plan. The one-on-one consultation plays an important role during this stage as well where Janette Toral also collaborates, if necessary, to help carry out a participant’s project.

What makes the program unique in comparison to other programs available is it required completion of a live project per module. As a result, by the time a student finishes the program, they have three projects in their portfolio.

Want to increase your income for 2014? Grab the opportunity. Consider being a Certified Blog and Social Media Enterpreneur. Ideal students for this program are those who aspire to establish their own “personality” brand. They will be able to use the skills and experiences learned in doing the same for others – person, product, service, company and advocacy.

Investment for the program is only P25,000.00. It may look big at first but can be easily recovered by an entrepreneur on their first two projects. The online class starts on January 25, 2014. Contact Janette Toral (@digitalfilipino) on Twitter or send a private message on facebook.

06Jan 2014

Speaking & Consulting : Social media, Pro-active parenting & Wellness

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 1 Comment

How time flies. The year 2014 is my eighth year as a blogger. When I look back at my grief journey, the turning point is the day I became a blogger on February 25, 2006. It must have been my angel that touched me that one night. I embraced twitter a year after including facebook and other social media networks.

Never in my wildest dream did it occur to me that this new life without my son would open doors to an even more meaningful life. Three years after in 2009, an opportunity presented itself to me to be part of the Automated elections in a PCIJ training. I grabbed the chance. I felt sad that the democracy that we fought so hard in 1986 was getting fragile. I felt the same heaviness in my heart as I saw the corruption slowly destroying our country. What will happen to the country that my children will inherit one day? I wanted take an active role in advocating social change.

My good friend Jane Uymatiao (@philippinebeat) together with other citizen advocates in Blog Watch are committed to make a difference in the lives of the Filipino people by helping them make more informed decisions. We help make things happen , one blog post at a time, one tweet at a time , to advocate social change as well as serve as a nonpartisan citizens’ watchdog and collective conscience for transparency and good governance. Being part of that positive change is a meaningful life to me. Blog Watch Citizen media, an emerging media is so much a part of my life aside from this blog.

To sustain an advocacy requires time and money that could have otherwise gone to saving up for our senior years. This is where Jane and I talked about developing our income channels yet doing what we are passionate about: advocating for social change.

Why not offer our services? Though, Jane and I are invited as social media resource speakers, we don’t actively promote ourselves. For 2014, we have moved to a new direction: expanding our services to include social business consultancy, and more topics for social media and pro-active parenting with a new category on “Reinventing One’s Life”. Jane writes about this new chapter in her life.

Here is a general background of the services Jane and I are offering:

1. Social Business Consultancy

Social media presence is no longer a “nice to have” feature of your business. It is a “must have” to be present on social media and give personality and better customer service to your customers and clients. We can help you align your business goals with social media engagement. Applying a new philosophy and methodology to your digital approach will naturally make your business and your overall strategy…meaningful and social.

2. Social Media Resource Speaker

Speaking topics include:

a) Personal branding
b) Brand advocacy- effectively turning customers into brand advocates is a company wide effort
c) Social media content
d) Developing a crisis communication plan
e) How to develop social-media enabled leaders in their spheres of influence
f) Using social media to advocate for social good (company advocacy work, disaster risk reduction)

3. Pro-active Parenting

Speaking topics:
– A safe school program to prevent bullying, abuses and discrimination
– How to establish a digital trust fund for your children
– Teenagers: Why they Should Care About their Digital Footprint
– Parenting in a digital landscape

4. Reinventing One’s Life

Speaking topics:
– Rediscovering Passion in One’s Prime
– Learn the power of forgiving and letting go
– Loving and taking care of yourself
– Finding purpose and meaning in one’s prime
– Developing a wellness mindset

With this new thrust, we will be able to achieve a better work balance, as we continue to earn adequately to sustain our advocacy and boost our retirement savings.

For more details about how Jane and I can work with you, please send me an Email at noemidado @ gmail.com or the form below

05Jan 2014

The price of sight: is Lasik worth the cost?

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

I wear two pairs of eyeglasses, one is for reading and the other is used for driving. I know I should have just one pair of glasses for both purposes but I don’t like to wear those progressive lenses. My high school classmate told me to try Lasik procedure since she has tried it herself. I saw for myself how she does not need reading glasses anymore. I guess it is my fear of the unknown that stops me from going through this procedure. I know that without glasses, I get increased comfort while driving, participating in outdoor sports or doing activities that could cause eye strain. I will never have to worry about losing my eyeglasses. I always carry a spare in my purse or in my car because sometimes I just lose them somehow. There is this infographic that provides information if Lasik procedure is worth pursuing. I am aware of the risks and complications in the Lasik procedure so it is best I see my medical doctor if the Lasik procedure is for me.

Via: King Lasik

03Jan 2014

My week is filled with high and low moments

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

Life is like a roller coaster.
It has its ups and downs,
but it’s your CHOICE
to scream or to enjoy the ride.

New Year started off with a new planner. Not just any planner , mind you but a planner that changes someone’s life and mine too. The best part of this journal is noting the high and low moments every week.

Although the planner allows you to jot down the highs and lows in the week, I started writing about it everyday. High and lows are noteworthy- remembering HIGHS to keep spirits up and remembering LOWs to take note of life lessons from those situations. I win BOTH ways.

Let me see. One of my low moments this week is missing my two daughters for Christmas and New Year’s celebration. I have never missed them so much. They say holidays heighten nostalgia because of pleasant memories of laughing, giving, sharing and just being together. I took note of this nostalgia and ensured that I don’t get paralyzed by it. I adorned my walls with their framed photographs.

I think of the high moments of the week. My children are happy in their own independent lives. This is how adult children should live. They need to fly on their own without helicopter parents hovering around their every move yet knowing we are around when they need us. Another high moment is knowing my children are safe and sound. Never mind if she nearly lost her passport. Never mind if she nearly missed her flight.

When I think of the high moments, I feel blessed. The low moments ( missing my children) reaffirm that family is important to me. I can do something to curb the nostalgia. My husband and I plan to visit my second daughter in Europe for this year’s Christmas.

Life is like a roller coaster as I experience these high moments and low moments, moments when I feel like I am on top of the world and when I am down. The choice is always mine, whether I want to be frustrated or to enjoy the thrill of the ride.

Photo of the roller coaster. Some rights reserved by dirkjankraan.com

01Jan 2014

Photos: My Top 13 moments in 2013

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

Good bye 2013. Hello 2014. I will affirm the good things for the New Year 2014. I will offer a prayer, wait and expect good things to happen to me and my loved ones. Whenever I wonder what is coming, I tell myself the best is coming, the very best love and life have to offer, the best God has to send. I open my hands to receive to claim it and it’s mine.

I like to look back at 2013 and count my blessings. Most of my top moments in 2013 is being part of social media initiatives like #NoToCybercrimelaw #ScrapPork, #juanvote and Blog Watch. Family is important to me and remains my number one priority. Though my kids have now flown the coop, I am grateful for the days we were together.

1. Family day – January 6, 2013

It is not often we are together for a family day. What a wonderful day at the Pinto Art Museum . I treasure this day.

2. Black Tuesday Reloaded- January 15, 2013

Dubbed as “Black Tuesday: Reloaded”, PIFA together with ally organizations stormed infront of the Supreme Court in Padre Faura, Manila on January 15, 2013, to revive its protest since the passage of the law last year. An indefinite TRO was eventually issued.

3. Covering the 2013 elections- February 7, 2013

Blog Watch as the social media partner livestreamed The Rundown 2013, a youth-oriented senate elections forum organized by the UP Eco Soc. This was the start of our Voters Education coverage.

4. Resource speaker in Social Media – February 21, 2013

I shared my social media initiatves on “Blogging and Citizen Media during Elections” at the Conference on the Use of Social Media and Technology for Democracy Promotion sponsored by the United States Government through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), U.S. Embassy’s Public Affairs Section, and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES).

5. Photo shoot with my daughter- March 9, 2013

Family is important to me. My daughter was leaving for Germany. So I spent time with her by joining her for a photo shoot at our alma mater. (The young photographers are from Sunday Morning Studios)

6. Philippine representative at the ASEAN 2nd Social Media Exchange – March 22, 2013

I represented the Philippines for the Social Media Communication Strategy for ASEAN & 2nd Social Media Exchange which was held in Bangkok. It is my second conference with ASEAN.

7. #juanvote Miting de Avance – May 5, 2013

#juanvote is an offline and online community efforts led by Blogwatch, with support from various individuals and groups across the country. We met to watch

8. I turned 56 years old on June 14.

Always feeling young at heart.

9. #epalwatch finalist at the Tatt Awards 2013 – July 14, 2013

Together with my good friend, Jane Uymatiao, we represented #Epalwatch for the Tatt Awards’ Best Social Movement Finalists: #Epalwatch , SAVE PHilippine Seas, PAWS, Gawad Kalinga and Rescuse PH. Though #epalwatch did not win, I am grateful for the recognition.

10. Volunteer at the Million People March- August 26, 2013

It is such a privilege to be part of the organizers/volunteers (and later on being part of #scrapPork network). I was in charge of the Command Center.

11. Made it to the Great Wall of China- October 21, 2013

The Great Wall of China has always been in my bucket list and my husband and I made it. I booked this trip a year ago at zero fare.

12. Covering Napoles hearing at the Senate- November 7, 2013

The bonus that day was when Senator Miriam Santiago interviewed me on national TV on what a blogger is.

During the press con with Senator Miriam Santiago, I introduced myself as @momblogger on twitter. Before I could ask my question… I was horrified, when she started to interview me instead:

“Ang blogger ba may hanapbuhay ba o wala? Does anyone pay you people? You have to have advertisers, right?”

I said that I write for the Philippine Online Chronicles. And that I don’t have ads because I am “controversial”. And if I discuss about bloggers, it will take time. LOL

Then I asked my question:

My question was taken from one of my twitter followers..”You have been telling the public about tanda, aren’t you scared considering that tanda is a real EVIL?”

She seemed to hesitate for 5 seconds and replied “no I am not scared of him”.

Then rattled off more than I could chew, that Enrile is the mastermind and the godfather (or grandfather) of all this scam.

My question to Sen Miriam Santiago at the 6:06 mark on Enrile.

13. Volunteer at Villamor Air Base- November 18, 2013

The Bayanihan para sa Mag-Ina at the #NanayBayanihan Tent is a project aimed at protecting babies in the Philippines during disaster situations.

I will continue with the unfinished work in 2013. It is my resolve to change for the better in 2014 and continue to be grateful for all the blessings that come my way. I will affirm the good things for the New Year 2014.

You might also want to check Carlo Ople’s Thirteen Cheers for 2013 and Blog Watch Top 13 posts in 2013.

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