Last Day

How would I like my last moment to be?

I haven't seen a person on his death bed before but I heard some stories and mostly these stories are from the movies. One story struck me hard.

My good cousin passed away about two weeks ago after a heart failure episode following a sudden low-potassium level in his system. In less than 24 hours, he retired… with so much pain in his heart.

"Wiggy, tawagan nako si Weng para makastorya mo karon ba… (I'll call your wife so that you could be able to talk to her now…)" Makith, her sister told her during his ordeal. She believed that it would had been the perfect moment for the both of them to talk after a failed marriage.

The last time they talked was months ago. After that, I was told that kuya had never been so sad all his life. A week before his passing, he complained to ate Makith how bad his life had been, with all the pain he's felt, about his failed marriage, about his love for his daughters, hi in-laws. He lamented why he was so weak and Makith is stronger than him in so many ways and he cried hard with hard breathings.

"Saba diha!!! Tawag tawag anang bayhanang way pagpakabana nako!!! (Shut up!!! Why call that woman who never cared about me!!!" With all his might he shouted at ate makith that time… She must have hurt him so badly…

Reflecting on his death, how would I like my last moments be?

Maybe, I like to be alone in my death bed… I mean with no one staring at me die slowly. I don't want to hear my love ones cry.. or hear them that I hold on.. or hear them how good or how bad a person I was..

And I don't want to say something that would hurt…

Hopefully.

What’s up Doc?

I took my father to the hospital about two days ago for him to have his left ear checked. Wow, I was surprised by the way some doctors practice pucntuality.

Of course not all doctors are coming in super late based on their schedule. Others have some valid reasons why they are coming in late while some are just very depressing knowing that they are health professionals for God's sake.

From now on, I will try to keep on blogging those doctors who are coming in very late. I'll just start with the Calamba Medical Center. I am aware that UST and PGH also have this punctuality problem and I will not hesitate to blog them here…

1. Dr. Rhodora Ocampo, M.D., FPSO-HNS (ENT) Rm. no. 3109 Calamba Medical Center. Arrived 1hour late based on her schedule on 27 March 2006, making 30 patients in agony.
2. Dr. Cynthia Talla, M.D., FPCP-FPCCP (Pulmonologist) Rm no. 3111 Calamba Medical Center. Scheduled to arrive at 2 hours late from home on 27 March 2006. One patient told me that she is always coming in late!!! And take note!!! Her patients are expecting her coming in late!!!

I don't want to ruin their reputations as doctors. I just want to let the world know that these doctors have punctuality issues and sick people don't deserve such attitude. It's disgusting.

I will also have to post here model Doctors (in my point of view) in the aspect of punctuality and personal touch.
1. Dr. Rosita Pardillo, M.D. OB-Gyne Chinese Medical Center. She is our OB-Gyne for two (2) years now and the only thing for her to late for her clinic duties is when she in the delivery room.

I also would like to call on our legislators to find a way to make a law out of this for Health Professionals. Calling on Dr. Flavier and I hope this blog comes to his computer someday.

Janitor Fish

Nabasa ko ang isang artikulo sa website ng ABS-CBN kanina lamang tungkol sa Janitor Fish at ang pinsala na dala nito sa Laguna de Bay at Marikina River…

Di ko alam kung ano nangyari at biglang dumami ang Janitor fish sa Laguna at Marikina na dati namang wala. Di ko din alam kung bakit napunta ang mga isdang yan sa mga ilog natin…

Mapanira daw ito. Salot sa mga mangingisda. Lalong kumukonti ang mga nahuhuling tilapia dahil sa isdang yan. Kumukonti din ang kita ng mga mangingisda. Ayun, tayo naman ang nagdurusa sa pamahal nang pamahal naman ang isang kilo ng mga 'to. Kahapon lang nagulat na lang ako na ang isang kilo pala ng tilapia ay umabot na sa P100.00 dito sa Laguna. Ang bangus P120.00 na. Nung isang buwan, P80.00 pa lang yun.

(Wala palang silbi ang pagtaas ng piso laban sa dolyar… at kung bakit kailangan ipagmalaki ng administrasyong Arroyo ito…)

Napaisip tuloy ako. Kaparehas pala ng Janitor Fish ang mga pulitiko sa Pinas. Oo, parehong pareho.

1a. Kailangan ang pulitiko para patakbuhin ang isang sistema para mapanatili ang kaayusan ng isang bayan.

1b. Kailangan ang janitor fish upang mapanatiling malinis ang isang aquarium.

2a. Mapinsala ang maga pulitiko sa lipunan kung mapapabayaan ang mga 'tong manghothut sa kaban ng bayan.

2b. Mapaminsala ang mga janitor fish kung mapapabayaang dumami sa mga ilog at lawa na dati'y wala ang mga ito.

3a. Gusto ng mga tao na mapatalsik sa tungkulin ang mga pulitikong salot sa lipunan.

3b. Gusto ng mga mangingisda na pagpapatayin ang mga janitor fish na nagdudulot ng salot sa kanilang kabuhayan.

4a. Ang pulitiko makapal ang mukha. Di maiihambing sa isang maskara.

4b. Ang janitor fish makapal ang balat. Pwedeng gawing wallet.

5a. Ang pulitiko nagmamalinis.

5b. Ang janitor fish naglilinis.

6a. Ang pulitiko kapit tuko sa pwesto. Kahit anong gawin mong pagpapatalsik.

7a. Ganun din ang janitor fish. Kahit anong gagawin mo, dadami at dadami ang mga ito.

8a. Ang mga tao nag aaklas laban sa mga pulitiko.

8b. Ang mga mangingisda nag aaklas laban sa mga janitor fish.

Iilan lang ang mga yan sa mga naiisip ko. Magkakulay silang pareho.

Wish ko…

Gaya ng mga mangingisda na naapektohan sa salot na dulot ng janitor fish… Sana, mapatay lahat ng mga pulitikong nagdudulot ng salot sa ating lipunan.

Posible? Posible….

Duwende

Laking probinsya ako kung san ang segbin, duwende, agta, at kung anu-ano pa ay pinapaniwalaan pa din hanggang sa ngayon. Ewan ko ba kung sino ang may pakana ng lahat nang ito at di ko din alam kung ano nasa utak nya nung inembento nya mga bagay na yun.

Isang bagay lang ang nakikitaan ko na may sense (?).

May isang building dun sa skul namin sa mindanao na may mga statwang duwende. Madami yun. Nagkalat sa isang banda. Sabi ng gwardya dun, pag gabi daw gumagalaw daw yung mga yun at paglalaruan daw kaming mga bata kung di kami uuwi sa min ng maaga. Syempre, naniniwala naman kami at isa din ako sa mga nagkakalat ng mga inembento (kong) kwento tungkol sa mga duwende sa skul.

Nagpakita sa kin ang mga duwende bago ako lumabas sa skul. Pinaligiran nila ako. Naglalaro sila. Pinaglalaruan nila ako. Lahat sila tumatawa at ang saya saya nila. Ayaw nila akong pauwiin… at kung bakit ko naimbento ang kwentong ito, di ko na maalala…

Nung grade six ako, tinanong ko minsan sa titser ko kung bakit may mga statuwa ng duwende sa building na yun. Sabi nya, swerte daw. Swerte daw pag may duwende sa paligid. Hindi daw maghihirap ang mga tao kung meron duwende sa bakod ng bahay nila. Gusto ko maniwala at muntik na din ako maniwala nun at sinabi ko yun sa nanay ko pag-uwi ko sa bahay. Syempre di naniniwala nanay ko sa kwento ko at imbento ko lang naman daw yun.

Marami nagsasabi na swerte nga kung may duwende sa bakuran mo lalo na daw kung nasa loob ng bahay mo. Siguro nga….

Pero, bakit yung mga kapitbahay namin dun sa Bohol? May mga duwende sa bakuran nila. Karamihan sa kanila mahirap pa rin… Kung totoo yun, e di sana lahat ng may mga duwende mayayaman… At kung baket karamihan ng mga pinoy ay naniniwala sa mga ganyan? Karamihan naman ay hindi nakakatulong sa pag-angat ng ating ekonomiya.

At kung bakit sa labas ng simbahan ng Quiapo may nagtitinda ng mga anting anting at nagkalat ang mga manghuhula? At kung bakit pinapahintulutan ng simbahan ang mga ganito?

At kung bakit maraming anyo si Sto. Nino sa ating bansa? May niniong gala, may niniong pulis at nakasaludo pa… at di ko na maalalang mga anyo ng ninio…

At kung bakit ang kasalan may nagsisipaan sa seremonya. Totoo to, naging sakristan ako nun. Para daw di ma-ander ang isa sa kanila. Makes sense.

Ewan.

Kahapon, may natanggap akong text…
'Sbi nLa sweRte at maAyos dw ang buhay pg my duwende sa bhay…
e, bkt sa malacanang,my duwende ng nakatira..
pRo hirap p rin ang pilipinas?'

Oo nga. Bakit nga kaya?

Money, Confidence, and Friendships

I once worked for a top sales company in the Philippines as an account manager for core business division. At first, I was a bit hesitant to shift from being a technical person to sales. Though, I had been selling before, I am just hesitant to the fact that my my selling experience was very basic.

The very reason I joined this company was for my survival. The manufacturing company that I was employed to was cutting down workdays and laying-off some of the workforce. When they offered a redundancy program, I was lucky enough to be one of the applicants to be approved.

It was culture shock the very day I joined this company. I never thought that it would be that tough but I tried to learn as much as I can take for me to fit in. Lucky for me, my primary role was to maintain some small companies and grab some oppurtunity if there are any.

After nine months, I had my first sale. I was able to steal business from the competitor that was holding the business for five years. Though the business was small, it was my first milestone being a salesman. After that, some more sales came in. I was one of the topsalesman then. I can't say that I am good. I just believe to the thinking of being positive with some lucks around. I did received some awards for outstanding sales. Cool.

However, I came to the point where I was starting to compare the margins I was providing to the company against my salary. In a way, maybe I was just a person who wants more… Like most of us, unsatisfied. Second, I just started having a family and the revenue was not enough for us to survive… or was just that we spend more than what we can afford.

I need money (again…).

An opportunity came. I was pirated. Cool.

I knew I was about to get promoted. I knew I had a future with the company. I had good friendships. I had the company's trust. But, where's the money?

I took the bait. One could say that I was hurting my friends and the company who helped me grow. I also knew for the fact that I was joining a start-up company and that things will be tough. I also knew for the fact that I was joining a competitor and it may have sent a wrong signal to my clientile. But I need money…

It was horrifying. I had seen things that was once a hearsay. It must be a joke. I was trying harder and harder each day yet I don't see any results. My boss would give me a call and would try to say things that I don't expect from a boss. I started to tumble and failing. Confusion adds up to the my concerns. It was a free-fall.

I remember my boss telling me that it was my last month. For himself, he was trying to tell me that he lost a lot of friendships because of me even at the very first day that I joined this company. I took his words.

Money.

"Mr. Jay, I hope that money can make you happy…" Those were the last words my previous boss told me… and I never was. I lost some confidence. I lost friendships. I lost respect. I was losing.

I realize that I shouldn't have took the bait. I should have stayed. I should have waited for the right time. I should have thought of the farm philosophy. But that was then…

I am happy now. I am starting to bring back my confidence. I have renewed some of the friendships that I lost. I could say that I don't see money as a big part of my decision making. Though money makes sense after all, it can never buy friendships, self-confidence, and peace of mind.