JUST READ AND CARRY ON

I am looking for a happy family just as anyone is. It is too unfortunate to have nothing but yourself, at least in your own perspective. For a very long time, I ask God: "Bring me a good Father, a caring Father, a loving, sweet, supportive Father. Father, I just need a father for advice, a listening board of my problems and issues". I ask and ask and ask and ask. And ask again. Until I gave up.  So I was raised in a poor family of a third world country. You must imagine the horror and misery I went through.There are times when food never came, only a cup of rice for breakfast. Lucky enough to enjoy a good meal for lunch or dinner. Money was always an issue. You go to school with nothing but your bag and pencil. You walk several meters to and fro, at least with your slippers on. You see your brother as hungry as you are, your sister crying in the corner. And then you ask yourself: "How bad my parents are to allow their sick family in this dire situation?". I hate ...

Three years ago, I was conferred with the degree BS Pharmacy in a Philippine university. I was humbled and honored but unprepared of what lies ahead. In the first place, I never even dreamed of becoming a Pharmacist, I was just there for unclear reasons. As one of the best students, the board examination came easy. I brushed it off with an 89.30% rating qualifying me in the Top 15 List of Passers, undoubtedly. After passing the licensure exam, I worked my way to a retail pharmacy, then served in the Department of Health before eventually settling down into the academe. Life in the academe is in fact horrendous, if not stressful (another discussion on this topic will soon arise). So what valuable things do I have to tell prospective students wanting to take up a Pharmacy course? Here are few: 1. You have to be excellent or have a curiosity in Chemistry and Biological Sciences. If you check on the curriculum, you will not be surprise to see descriptive titles like "Inorganic, Orga...

As with  other human beings, I have a dose of my personal frustrations, injustices, powerlessness and failures. My life has never been perfect- as everybody is, I supposed. Good for those who were born with riches and overflowing blessings. But with most of us, the painful experience is truly nerve wrecking. It has cause sleepless nights, gallons of tears and tremendous horror. For so many times, I have been repeatedly asking God why such experience have to happen. Up to this point, answers never came. The mystery remains unsolved, no matter how hard I try to connect the puzzle nothing make sense. I wish I was never born so that I would have never cared. I was totally unprepared of life, and I blamed my mentors/ parents for this inadequacy. I feel unloved, unworthy and inadequate even if this is contrary to what my credentials are showing. I just think and feel that I do not belong to any place on Earth. I tried to the best of my abilities to fit in. But it's not working. I sho...

Have you ever been so hard with yourself? As if you are worth nothing for all the mistakes you have made. As if you do not deserve forgiveness or mercy. As if you are reduced to the most minute kind of human, the least form, the unknown. We all have these tendencies. Most of the time I feel this way. The bitterness in my soul is making me un-human. For a long time, I tried fighting off this kind of feeling, but it keeps on coming back like the pull of gravity pulling things back down.  I have kept myself busy to run away. But there is nowhere to go. I keep hiding with nowhere in particular. I tried not being myself only to cause more disappointments and frustrations. The feelings are not at all better. The insecurities are growing, the bitterness consuming.  The antidote for loneliness, I find in prayer; being alone in reflection and meditation. Christ is ever-merciful and forgiving. I have sinned in act and in thoughts. I have sin in small ways and great ways. I have ...

Minsan sa ating buhay, darating tayo sa puntong hindi na natin kaya ang bigat na ating nararamdaman. Sisigaw tayo, iiyak ng taimtim, papatak ang maraming luha, magtatanong kung may nakakaunawa, at maaring mag-iisip na wakasan na ang lahat. Mahirap maging "tao", mahirap ang mga balakid at problema pero sana atin ding maisip na posible itong masolusyonan.  Galing ako sa isang mahirap na pamilya ; walang trabaho ang aking ina at ang ama ko nama'y farmer lamang. Mahirap ang aking naging buhay, hindi naging madali mawalan ng baon para makapasok sa eskwela. Hindi madaling umiyak dahil wala ka ng pamasahe or pambayad ng matrikula. Minsan kong naitanong kung bakit napakatanga ng aking mga magulang, kung bakit wala silang pera at hindi nila kayang maibigay ang aming mga pangangailangan. Nakapagtapos ako sa isang public school ng elementary at sekondarya. Sa katunayan, class salutatorian ako sa Special Science Class ng isang National High School sa amin. Kahit sa sobrang hi...

There is no place like Tuguegarao. It is a home of many ethnic and diverse groups from Northern Luzon background. It is a place where people thrive to be the best they can. I have stayed here for almost a year now and I can name top 5 reasons why I fell in LOVE with this place. 1. It is the hottest place in the Philippines. Yes, one of the hottest temperature recorded in the country is set in this place. All year round, the sun never stops emitting too many heat waves. It's like having a free sauna providing double benefit: removing excess fat and eliminating toxins through sweat. But seriously, I love hot places. Fire Festival in Tuguegarao City 2. It is home for all government offices and leading universities in Region 2. You don't have to go far to get important documents. OWWA, DFA, DepED, DOH, DA and all regional offices are clustered in the city. You can process documents like NSO, passport, professional license and all others in one day. Tuguegarao City is al...

Writing nourishes the soul. It is an outlet for plethora of emotions. Whenever I feel ecstatic, I can not express except through writing. This is what gives me energy. Depriving me of this art is like killing my spirit in great torture. The agony of not creating is worst than burning in hell. This is what I do. No, I don't get paid writing-- at least for now. But the idea of spreading my mundane ideas and making it significant to reader's mind is very satisfying. It fuels my despondent mind, it is one of my calling. I remember my experience with words when I was 8-year old. Out of the few words I encounter, I make a sentence. Some do not make sense but the feeling of creating something out of thin air is heavenly. I am fond of playing with words. I read plenty of books, of fiction, romance, suspense, drama and everything emotional. There is no day in which I do not read. There is no day in which I imagine. Sometimes my brain takes me to the unknown, to the magical world undis...

Yeah so I am a pharmacist, working as a faculty in the University of Saint Louis- Pharmacy Department . In the academe, a Master's degree is really required (it's in the law, it is CHED's mandate). With the issue on verticalization, an MS Pharmacy would be far better off than a Master's in Public Health (MPH). But what choice do I have? So here's the story. I am well aware that the trend now is obtaining a Master's before you can even teach college. But the problem is there are no university in the region offering MS Pharm. The nearest is in Baguio which is too far, 12-14 hours commute from Tuguegarao City. Besides, I have no educational budget to sustain MS Pharm. The next logical move to do is search what is available in the locality. After doing internet browsing, I came across Cagayan State University with its MPH program. This is the nearest choice I can have in terms of its relative closeness to Pharmacy (a health care course) and of course in terms of...

Welcome to the best school in Cagayan Valley.  A school known to produce competent graduates as reflected by its high passing rate in various board examination. The University of Saint Louis , one of the five CICM schools, was created to provide the educational needs of the region providing a balance of intellect and Christian values. As the leading Catholic school, it continues to bear its life long mission: Wisdom builds.  The University has been here for 51 years; its Accountancy and Business Management, Nursing, Teacher Education, Engineering Program are prestigious and well-known amongst people. Recently to respond to the growing needs of the valley, it has opened courses in Medical Technology and Pharmacy. The Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy program is a 4-year course with curriculum-design meeting CHED's mandate. Its curricular offering is so similar (not exactly the same) with Saint Louis University's BS Pharm degree. During first year major subjects include: Bota...

I have been looking for my PRC Card for 2 months now. I am sure it was just here in my folder, but I searched in vain. Finally, I accepted the fact that it is now finally over-- it was lost. The process of obtaining a duplicate PRC card is not easy. In fact, it requires an amount of stress, that is still manageable nonetheless. You need to bring the following: a. Affidavit of loss- PRC will get original copy (Php. 200.00 cost)  b. Passport size ID with complete name tag (yes, including middle name spelled out completely Php. 90.00 expense) c. Fill out that form, anyway people there are very warm and accommodating at least to my experience.  d. Pay Php. 250.00 processing fee Finally, wait for less than 10 minutes and you're PRC duplicate card is now ready for release. After which, you can now also apply for Board Certification duplicate copy. Have I mentioned I also lost my original Board Certificate copy? All I have are Xerox copies. Well, I will be needing the origina...

The beautiful scenery is startling, the weather is temperate and the climb is a struggle. My friend invited me to join him travel to see Wang-od. I didn't hesitate and immediately accepted his offer, it's holidays anyways and I have spare money for good intent. At 7:30 A.M. we went to the terminal near Dangwa station at Bulanao, Tabuk, Kalinga and wait for available van going to Buscalan. At around 8 o'clock the van has reached its capacity and off we go. The road is not rough, it's perfect for adventure. You are refreshed with trees and mountains surrounding you. It's a pollution-free, stress-relieving travel. Looking by the car's window, you could see several rice terraces, rivers, mountain ranges and other exotic spots.Two hours of travel and you are now at Buscalan. At around 10 AM, we have already reached our destination. Local tour guides are readily available at your disposal; a minimal fee is collected. If you are a foreigner, you don...