COMMENT ON BOO CHANCO'S: FAVORABLE BIZ CLIMATE OPTIONAL

While waiting for my lunch at Pancake House,Katipunan the other day, I picked up a copy of The Star and after checking the price of Jollibee stock (P 74,) I decided to kill more time by reading Boo Chanco's column.

He wrote about Ramon S. Ang (RSA) of San Miguel, who when asked to comment about the poor rating Philippines got re: its business climate, was heard to remark: "Eh di mabuti!" Boo went on to explain that RSA took a different view of things...if the bad climate discouraged foreign investors,then there would be more opportunities for Filipino businessmen to exploit.

It just struck me how maverick types like RSA viewed things, and I guess that's why they're on a class of their own. He seemed to me like an iconoclast, not happy with San Miguel's old portfolio of beer, food etc., he diversified the business, going into businesses that were not within the old SMC's "core competencies" (read: "comfort zones") It appears though that the risk taking is paying off, at least for stockholders, who have seen the price of SMC stock rise since RSA made major changes.

It kind of reminded me of TTC (Tony Tancaktiong) of Jollibee. He was always breaking Jollibee out of its comfort zone so we could rise to the next level.

For instance, when he seriously envisioned that Jollibee would have 100 stores by 1988, no one thought it possible...mainly because our batting average for opening stores was only 2 stores a year. The 100 store vision would demand that we open at least 20 stores every year for three years (from 1985,when I joined.)

But lo and behold! In 1990 and 1991, we were able to open more than 20 stores within a year. The sudden spurt in growth of our store base left McDonald's eating our dust. George Yang didn't know what hit him.

Again, in 1995, TTC declared that we should hit 500 stores by the start of the new millenium. Once more, he was dreaming the impossible because that meant opening about 50 stores a year when our current capability then was only 20+.I remember having to meet my Training staff and telling them we have to re-think our current way of doing things because no way could we keep up with the demand for trained managers if we did things "as usual."

The new direction gave birth to our memorable MDP sessions, which introduced new management programs to Jollibee. Those who went through these eventually became heads of RBUs, and core of the middle management of the Jollibee brand.

TTC has set his sights on Jollibee becoming recognized as one of the top three QSR brands, not only in the Asia Pacifi region, but in the whole world. He and the JFC group are doing that slowly but surely...whether the business climate is good or bad. One of these days, I will not be surprised if one day Boo Chanco will write about Jollibee, as a brand that made it to the top of the world...in spite of the unfavorable Philippine business climate.

TAKING A LEAVE... IN ORDER TO LIVE: Things I've Learned

Some things I learned one month into my free fall into a life without a net...

1. Even if you try to run away from your profession, it somehow runs after you. - Just several weeks after my contract ended,I was back in action conducting a Teambuilding session for a Regional Business Unit of Chowking (North Luzon.) Two weeks after that I was contracted to do targetted interviews of applicants for the Peace Equity Foundation.

2. There are many backpacking consultants like me scattered all over the place. They usually hang out at Starbucks where you can hold meetings for hours for the price of a tall java (and the Starbucks crew don't seem to mind.) I discovered that the Starbucks beside the Makati Stock Exchange has one of the cleanest restrooms. And at the Starbucks Anson's along ADB Avenue, you can access the free WiFi from Podium.

3. The 4th floor lounge at the Podium is an ideal office if you are into backpacking consultancy. I jokingly call it my posh office. Imagine,I've got airconditioning, security, P45 all day parking, clean restrooms, free WiFi, piped-in music and a lot of eating places to choose from. I usually kill time in the afternoon at Cinnabon because for P 75, you have a humongous cup of coffee that can last you 3 hours. And if you're in need of a good foot massage, you can go down to Lotus at Basement 1.

4. There's a quick route to the SM Megamall Chapel via the Healthway Clinic. Jaja's been using this shortcut for ages and it's a wonder the security and elevator boys don't suspect she's just been using their facilities to go to Mass. Actually, this has been one of the greatest fringe benefits of my freelancing...I get a chance to have coffee, lunch and Mass with my wife!!!

5. Never try to ride the MRT at rush hour! (5:00 PM onwards) We tried once to go to Quezon Avenue via the MRT for a meeting,but the coaches were all jammed with people, we couldn't get in without getting squished.

There's just an abundance of LIFE out there...I guess one just has to change one's perspective in order to see it!

TAKING A LEAVE... IN ORDER TO LIVE

My contract with Chowking ended on December 31,2010. Actually, I told CK HR Director Alfie Suarez,that I didn't see a need for me anymore since the Training department's team leaders were already taking charge of things, so I wasn't adding any value really.

By then, I had been with Chowking for 10 years (originally intending to stay only for one,) and I had seen the brand recover from being a bleeding company (PHP 10M in 1999,with 140+ stores) to becoming a formidable contender in the QSR industry with over 400 stores and over PHP 10B in sales.

For the past two years though,Chowking had been experiencing declining samebase sales and transaction counts,which eventually led to changes in top leadership...first with Erwin Elechicon,taking over from Raffy dela Rosa in 2008, then Ariel Fermin replacing Erwin in August, 2010.

The 12B benchmark we had been trying so hard to reach remained an elusive target.

I knew I could help in any way I could, but I also knew that in hard times,any reduction in expense would help the company terribly in keeping it profitable...and I was such an expense. The way I looked at it...from any angle...it made good business sense that I leave.

What I didn't realize was that taking a leave from corporate life, which was how I viewed my new journey...would allow me to "live"---and appreciate life in a way I hadn't experienced it.

Unlike 1999, when I first resigned from Jollibee,and planned on going it on my own as a consultant, this time around I made no plans. I just wanted to take a different path, and see where life would take me.

Unlike before, when I really worried about where the money would come from to finance my kids education (since they were still in high school then,) now, I wanted to test how far my faith in God's Foundation would go! Would He, as the Matthew Bible verse on God looking after the birds of the air,really look after my needs without me worrying about them?

What I immediately realized when I knew I didn't have a job,and that I didn't need to rush to work everyday...was that I became more attuned to what was going on around me. I paid more attention to the sights and sounds...to the people around me...to what they were saying and not saying.

I found myself wondering what their individual stories were about, and it hit me hard that while I was cooped up for so many years inside the comfort of my cubicle,something called Life was taking place outside.

For example, when I took it upon myself to drive my eldest son TJ to work (he works as a call center agent at Convergys) at 3:00 in the morning, I realized that many of the working class heroes were already up and about struggling to earn a living.

In fact I viewed what TJ was doing in a different way. He was in a job (that he didn't really like) but kept at it because it was a step towards a dream of perhaps working at a leading game development company in the USA. With this realization came more respect for him.

I never dealt directly with customers, but TJ was facing them everyday,albeit virtually, trying to find ways to solve their technical problems,while at the same time trying to meet some seemingly unattainable metric called AHT (Average Handling Time.)

For several weeks,on my way back home via the Skyway, I could see the girls inside the toll booths trying to stay awake just so they could take the toll payments of early morning travellers like me.

Then there were the vendors pushing their karitons on the way to Bicutan market with their goods, just so they could get a good location before buyers arrived.

During the next few weeks of my "taking a leave...in order to live" I would really be just that...More Alive!

WHAT'S UP WITH "UP" ?

"You and Mom should watch the movie 'UP'...specially the first 20 minutes!"

Intrigued by our eldest son TJ's insistence, we finally watched Disney Pixar's movie last Sunday night,with all three kids in tow. (The three had watched it previously via a movie download,but they wanted to see it on the big screen.)

After a very delightfully entertaining "short" about a stork unfortunately assigned to a bumbling child-making cloud, the movie began...

...with how Carl Fredrickson met the love of his life, Ellie...and how the two, who both worshipped their hero Charles Muntz...decided (cross my heart & hope to die) they'd take a trip to South America someday and see the (Magic) Waterfalls.

The first twenty minutes (or so) that TJ wanted us to see was a fast-forward run through of Carl's and Ellie's married life...from their wedding day... to their purchase of the run down house where they first met...their dreams of having children...to the frustration of not having kids...to their saving money to finance their dream trip,only to spend the money on a busted tire or a roof that got trashed by a falling tree...to Ellie's funeral.

My guess is that TJ wanted us to see this part because it must have reminded him of how Jaja and I lived out our married life.

And it was very touching...not because it affirmed that we were both doing a good job of modeling to the kids what we thought a good marriage should be...but because TJ was growing up to be the sensitive man we wanted him to be.

When we were discussing the movie on the way back home,TJ said that one of the parts he liked most was when Carl "saw" the pictures inside the section of Ellie's Adventure Book entitled Stuff That I'm Going To Do---and the note Ellie wrote: "Thanks for the Great Adventure...Now It's time for you to go on a new one!"

Made me think...maybe we ought to plan for more new ones!

Norm Brodsky: When Negotiating, Always Listen Before You Speak, Planning and Strategy Article - Inc. Article

Norm Brodsky: When Negotiating, Always Listen Before You Speak, Planning and Strategy Article - Inc. Article

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The Customer is the Company -- Threadless -- User Innovation

The Customer is the Company -- Threadless -- User Innovation

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FLASHBACK 5 -10 YEARS OLD PART 3

Continuing from where I left off...

52. The very first birthday I recall was when I was 5 years old. It was a Wednesday and it was so much fun,there was cake,ice cream balloons...and gifts...that I began to think every Wednesday was my birthday. So the following week I waited expectantly for Wednesday because it was going to be my birthday again...so I was a bit disappointed when there was no celebration. The concept of birthday had to be explained to me of course.

53. I developed primary complex when I was in Grade 1. I didn't know then that I was sick because Mom never explained it to me. All of a sudden I found myself not going to school,which was OK by me but also puzzling...because by that time I was enjoying school & I was at the top of my class. For about 2 weeks or so, I stayed home...quarantined I guess, until I got well. What I recall about that time was I watched a lot of TV, and got hooked reading Youngster magazine. This was one of the publications that the Sisters of St. Paul sold door to door. It contained a comic strip about Xartan (a play on Tarzan), a boy who was brought up by wolves,who eventually grew up and took over the leadership of a wolf pack. Part of my bonus being a sick boy was that I got to eat Mom's cooking first before she packed these in the lunch pails which were brought to school by our driver. She would watch Nora Daza's cooking show on TV,taking down notes of the recipe,then head off to Acme to buy ingredients,then cook the dish for lunch. One of these dishes I recall vividly was Kaldereta de Baka, because Mommy really cooked it to perfection. It was also the first time I tasted olives and found out they were yucky..(for a 6 year old!)

54. In spite of my prolonged absence because of my primary complex, I still ended up 1st honor of my section under Mr. Dormiendo. I was told later by mommy that as an incentive, we would just pay about 50% of my tuition for the following year. While I really didn't understand what this meant, I strived to get top honors mainly because it made Mom and Dad happy, and I got some small reward (e.g. a toy, or a model plane) as a reward for my efforts.

Interesting footnote: Mr. Dormiendo would again be one of my teachers when I was in Grade 5. By then though, I wasn't so interested in academics as I was with baseball & other sports, so my grades suffered. At the end of the year I only got a bronze medal! Mr. Dormiendo remarked that as I grew older it seemed I became more of an underachiever...because i only got a bronze medal!

The following year, when I was in Grade 6, I got my mojo back, and topped my class and got gold! but there's a story behind this.

55. While on the subject of teachers, I still can recall my teachers in charge during my elementary days: Dormiendo, Lalas (gr.2), Zapanta (Gr.3), Balagtas (Gr.4), Hicban (Gr.5), Balagtas again (Gr.6) and Gonzales aka Timbuktu (Gr.7)

FLASHBACK CONTINUED: 5 - 10 YEARS OLD

For some strange reason,I seem to have many images of life at Ft. William McKinley, although I didn't like the place as much as our Jusmag or South Crame home. Maybe it's because this was also the time I was starting to develop my mental powers (awareness)& me,being gifted with a photographic memory,I couldn't erase these memories.

Continuing from #27 of the previous post:The Next 5 years

28. I remember a stormy afternoon when lightning struck the road near the house & caused a momentary power outage. Mommy got so nervous she took hold of me and we prayed the rosary together until the rain stopped.

29. Another traumatic experience was seeing Daddy get really mad at Kuya Frantz about something to the point that he punched him on the shoulder. Unfortunately, Daddy sort of dislocated his shoulder a bit and writhed in pain on the floor. Mommy was hysterical seeing Dad this way.

30. We had a weird neighbor. I don't recall the boy's name but they lived in one of the bigger bungalow type houses. He took me to his house one afternoon & told me to peek thru the keyholes of 2 separate rooms & I saw 2 identical young girls being dressed up by 2 identical lolas. When they left,people said the house was haunted.

31. I went to school in San Beda while we were still living in McKinley. I can't forget how traumatic it was to be left alone in school. It was my consolation however,that Kuya Dennis who was Grade 7 at the time was in the same school. Since Icouldn't speak Tagalog very well,I was quiet much of the time. My teacher was Mr. Senar,whom I feared,because he hit students! He had this long stick which not only served as a pointer,but also as an instrument for punishment. Any one not paying attention would get rapped on the head with the stick. Maybe it was because of this that I hated school & would find the chance to play truant when I could.

32. I remember one of my classmates, Samuel Frianeza,who couldn't be left alone in school. While all of us were finally weaned from our mothers,poor Mrs. Frianeza stayed around for about a week,it seems because Sammy would cry and go out of the room looking for her if he noticed she wasn't at the back door of the classroom.

33. Mom gave me sandwiches for my baon but also gave me some money,which I didn't know how to use! So during the first days of school,I didn't spend any on recess because I didn't know how to buy food at the canteen. But I wished I knew how because I saw some of my classmates eating hotdog sandwiches & drinking Coke,which I wanted. Fortunately, one classmate, Ramon Jimenez, taught me how it was done. For 25 cents,I had a hotdog & coke...imagine that. Once I knew how it was done,it was easy goings from there. Another favorite was the monggo hopia which sold for 5 centavos. You put the center thru the straw of your softdrink!

34. I had a mestizo classmate named Arturo Santiago who thought it was a good idea to bully me. He was much taller & was intimidating with his big eyes,but one time I had enough with his pestering and told him I was going to tell Kuya Dennis about him. So after we were dismissed one afternoon, I was fortunate enough to see Kuya hanging around the vicinity of St. Benedict building. I called him and pointed Arturo out. Kuya Dennis didn't really say anything,but when Arturo saw I really had a bigger brother, he stopped pestering me from that day onwards.

35. Because I went to school in the afternoon,Mom would send the lunch of my older siblings through our driver,Olejan,who drove me and Ate Brenda to school. Usually,the only food that Mom could afford to buy then was beef bones/ribs (punday pecho)which she would boil with veggies (potatoes,carrots,cabbage) When we reached Holy Spirit (formerly Holy Ghost College)though,the food would be cold and beef fat would curdle. "Ay Sebo!" was how they described the food (with accompanying groans) when they saw what was for lunch.

36. I don't recall when I started doing it but, I found a way not to go to school by pretending to sleep in the car and not waking up even if Olejan tried to. I would just wake up when I knew we were no longer around Mendiola. Mommy probably had fits trying to figure out how to get me to school.

37. All of us rode home in a 6x6 Army truck which was not the most comfortable ride for a kid specially on rainy days. We had an alternative bus which was more comfortable but it was used only occasionally. It was Kuya Dennis' job to make sure to pick me up at a designated spot every dismissal and walk me across Mendiola to tha waiting bus. One afternoon though I got invited by some classmates to watch them play marbles at the back of St. Benedict's. I must have been so engrossed in the game I lost track of time. When I looked for Kuya he was gone...I had been left behind! Feeling lost...I went outside SBC premises crying until a mother of one student saw my plight and took me home with her and her kids. After feeding me (since it was already dinner time) they brought me back to San Beda and checked with Fr. Benabarre, the principal, for my records so they could get in touch with Dad & Mom. It appears they were able to get in touch with home because soon Kuya Dennis showed up. I recall, Fr. Benabarre gave him a scolding & tweaked his ears for leaving me behind. I don't recall Mommy's reactions when I got home because I just felt tired from the ordeal...but I'm sure she must have freaked out.

38. I recall one afternoon when it started raining hard and it seems that classes for Kinder were suspended. Since our school bus wasn't coming till about 4 PM Mommy came over to pick me up. I felt happy about this because that meant I could watch TV by my lonesome. Besides this, Mom decided to pass by Cherry's Food mart along Shaw and bought me some ice cream!

39. I know I didn't do too well in Kindergarten because I had many absences and I wasn't too keen on maths and doing my homework. But somehow I seem to have passed with reasonable grades!

40. I hated going to the barbershop because whenever I had a haircut,my neck itcehd all over. One time when Dad was trying to get me to the barber I sort of resisted and when he gave my arm a tug I must have dislocated it. Next thing I know I'm going to this manghihilot somewhere near Olejan's place (5th or 6th Ave along Santolan) I hated the treatment because this lady would rub stinky oil on my arm and pull it every which way and it hurt!

41. Our driver Olejan had a sari-sari store which was run by his wife. I recall that whenever Dad was to take over the wheel of our Green Chevy, Olejan's wife would bring out a bottle of soda and my favorite bread,called Sputnik. It was a hard,sweet roll that I seemed to enjoy.

42. I don't remember if I was in Kinder or Grade 1 but there was a time that one of Mom's firends, a Mrs. Pelayo & daughter Becky? would ride to Mendiola with Ate Brenda & myself. What I remember of her was that her face was white with make up & that Becky seemed like a special child, because Mrs. Pelayo kept accompanying her to Holy Spirit.

43. I don't recall the year but one day we were all packing up our things to move to a new house in J-16 Jusmag area...a place where I had many good childhood memories because it seemed that we had so many friends there. I recall that one afternoon Kuya Dennis and I were assigned to be the advanced party there & slept over in the house to guard the belongings that were already there. It was a cooler place so I liked the house immediately. I guess I was still in Kinder that time we moved because i have a picture of myself wearing a cap & gown when i graduated from Kinder & it was taken in front of the house.

44. Our neighbors: To our left were the Garcias (an Air Force guy)--WeeGee was my first playmate & he had a petite older sister Nina & a younger one whose name I forget. Then there were the Valencianos, the Bautista's (Ricky,Cesar & Aida--my first crush) The Hernandez's (Fil-Americans or Tisoy's;Bonny the older girl was Kuya Den's crush I think),the Velasquez's (Air Force)--Tony & Maneng were my playmates--they had an older sis; the Querubins;the Mascarina's, the other Garcias (Jeff & Jonas)--Fil-Americans or Tisoys, then at the top of the hill,the Tiongkos---who owned a sari-sari store where we ofetn bought Choco-Nut.

45. I recall that Mom put us kids thru a weekend program that everyone had to follow under pain of punishment. Maybe it was because our house was a bit bigger this time around,she required us to clean up our rooms and do our chores before we could play or watch TV. When I learned to use the floor polisher,I was once put in charge of the sala.

46. Moms, or Lola Andang would time and again sleep over at the house. I remember that since she was diabetic,she would inject herself with insulin & when she saw us watching her she would jokingly approach us as if to inject us. She was very kind-hearted though. If you went around without a shirt she would make the sign of the cross on your bare back...maybe to ward off any sickness.

47. Life in Jusmag was like living in an idyll place..much like what I read in our reading books "Fun with John and jean" where kids rode on bikes and just seemed to spend all day playing.

48. I believe it was during the summer vacation after graduating from Kinder that i started getting interested in reading. I had taken hold of Ate Brenda's Grade 1 reading book and out of curiosity started reading it. Because I made such good progress I started reading my elder sisters other books. Maybe that's why I changed my attitude about school when I entered grade 1.

49. When I entered Grade 1,my teacher in charge was Mr. Dormiendo, a fun teacher,who was responsible for my blossoming as an A student. He encouraged me to join a flash card competition where he would flash mathematical equations and you were supposed to shout out the answer. You would take a step forward if you got the right answer & the first to reach the front of the class won. I joined in one & I won. Because of that one experience,I thought I'd sharpen my math skills more & join more often. Because I started winning a lot of these,Mr. Dormiendo started taking notice. He would ask for volunteers to recite poems in front of the class & since I had memorized many posems from reading comic books I often raised my hand to volunteer. Soon,I became a contender for honors of the class.

50. Mr. Dormiendo entered my name in a Religion contest where I was to compete agains all other Grade 1 sections (morning & afternoon classes.) Mom drilled me in the catechism book which we used, day in and day out before the actual competition. Since the contest was to be held in the morning Dad had to drive me to school. The contest was held at the covered courts, with all the AM sections witnessing. Mommy stayed to watch. I wasn't really nervous & I just remember making it to thru the eliminations until there were only about 5 or so of us. After the final round I emerged the winner, and of course, Mom was so proud of my achievement,that as a treat she bought me lots of pork barbeque for lunch. Mr. Dormiendo of course, proudly announced my winning the contest & that motivated me more to compete.

51. One of the contests that Mr. Dormiendo made me join was the elocution contest. The piece I was supposed to recite was The Kite. Somehow though I misunderstood that I had been eliminated instead of "qualified" so that on the morning of the competition, I was surprised to be visited by Mr. Dormiendo who got a cab to bring me to San Beda. Unfortunately, we were already late when we got there so I didn't get a chance to compete.

FLASHBACK! From 1 - 5 years old

During one of my morning meditations,I started getting mental pictures of specific events during my childhood. It was very stimulating and left me with a feeling of nostalgia afterwards. It was as if I had relived the events as they happened.

As a mental exercise now, I'll try to list my earliest recollections just to see how well my memory banks are functioning (or have functioned.) The list will not be in any particular order but for purposes of order I'll categorize these flashbacks in increments of 5 years.

So here are my earliest recollections:

BANGKOK ( we were there from 1957 -59 but these recollections would have been when I was 4 years old.)

1. Falling down or slipping into the klong in Bangkok and being rescued by Auntie Luming.
2. Catching a glimpse of King Bhumibol & Queen Sirikit during a fair in Bangkok.
3. Getting a bike and a holster with guns for Christmas.
4. Watching Auntie Luming bake cakes & licking the icing/cake mix from the beaters or from the mixing bowl.
5. Seeing a snake drop from the top of the garage and seeing it caught by one of the household help.
6. Riding in Old Faithful to fetch Ate Per & Ate Alen and one of their Indian classmates from school. The road to the Indian girl's house was full of potholes so Ate Per called the experience "ballet" time since we would swing back and forth as Dad maneuvered around the potholes.
7. Being at an Easter egg hunt at our neighbor's,the Balls. I recall being carried by Mr. Ball so I could get some eggs.
8. I remember a frightening motorboat ride during one of our trips to the beach. What scared me was seeing Mom scream in fright.
9. Seeing the Fat Woman/Lady hanging clothes. The Fat Woman/Lady was Mom's way of threatening me if I misbehaved. She said she would hand me over to her.
10. Sitting at the porch with Auntie Luming and she teaching me " O Ilaw."
11. Joining my siblings in this crazy Egg Nog dance which Kuya Dennis invented whenever he made some milk shake.
12. The routine "All Aboard" and picture taking before we went to Mass.
13. Reading the many comic books that Dad bought for Deyda when she got hospitalized once.
14. The swimming pool we had that Dad would set up at the lawn.
15. Seeing Mr. Khan's frightening boxer thru the gate of their house which was at the back of ours.
16. Tiptoeing across the sala whenever Dad played his records. The hi fi stereo he had then was so sensitive it tended to skip and scratch his records if anybody ran inside the house.
17. Eating good food during the opening of Little Home Bakery.
18. Seeing Santa Claus at the Philippine Embassy Christmas party.
19. Watching the Lone Ranger on TV. We would immediately change the channel if either the Siamese dancers or Thai boxing went on TV.
20. Having get togethers with Filipino friends of Dad & Mom. Uncle Pido & Auntie Beling (and their daughter Marijo.) The dela Fuentes,the Labadias and Cardenases.

BACK IN RP (We returned sometime in 1959. We stayed over at the Nano's at South Crame before moving to Ft. William McKinley,which became Ft. Bonifacio)

21. I remember just waking up,being dressed up and then saying goodbye to Auntie Luming. I didn't know we were going back to the Philippines.
22. Being frightened at seeing Lola Maria since her lips were red from eating nganga.
23. The car ride to Uncle Joe's house when we arrived and seeing Mom cry (I think it was from hearing some news about someone who had died.)
24. Getting paid by Uncle Teofs a huge amount of money for singing a song in front of them. This was during the bienvenida for us at Project Rich. (Of course, it was really a typical Uncle Teofs scam! His way of turning over money to Dad in the guise of me winning it!)
25. Waking up and seeing Skeeter Nano in his cub scout uniform looking at me. He and Sluggo kept me entertained while we were temporarily stationed there.
26. While I don't recall our transferring to Ft. William McKinley, I remember not liking the house too much because it seemed dark & gloomy. If I remember right it was colored pink or a pastel shade.
27. I remember the vendors who sold puto and "napoy" (bread) Time and again,Mom would buy from them. The bread vendor rode on a bike and had two drums at the back which contained the bread (pan de regla,etc.) The puto vendor carried his goodies on a stick which he carried on his shoulders.

JOHN WILLIAMS and FROG'S LEAP WINERY

Here's a video of John Williams,founder & owner of Frog's Leap Winery in Napa Valley. He talks about how they went organic and found out that by leaving Mother Earth to take care of their grapes they produced more.

I found his talk very inspiring and I would like to visit Frog's Leap one of these days and have a taste of their wine. Also, I'd like to get in touch with Mother Earth again..perhaps thru farming or some agricultural project.

John Williams at Gel 2007 from Gel Conference on Vimeo.

TRAVELLING WITH MY FAVORITE COMPANION

Jaja and I celebrated our 25th Wedding Anniversary last October 8, and to reward ourselves for making it this far,we went to the US of A for a 3 week vacation. (November 2 to 22)

Week 1: November 2-8 - We landed at LAX on November 2 and stayed with an aunt in Baldwin Park. During this week we visited the Jollibee Headquarters at City of Industry,checked out the Desert Hills outlet malls in Cabazon, tasted Callaway wines in Temecula,toured Pasadena & Hollywood which included hotdogs at Pink's;strolled along the sidewalks of downtown LA, visited the Paul Getty Museum and Griffith Observatory and had a reunion with former colleagues from DAP.

Week 2: November 9-15 - We stayed with a friend at Oxnard. We played the slots at Chumash,passed by Solvang,caught glimpses of the seaside at Malibu. From Burbank airport we flew to Vegas where I had a reunion with my ex- seminarian buddies from November 10 -14. Jaja and I saw the sights and watched a Cirque du Soleil show ("O") at the Bellagio. Jaja won $55 at the slots. On November 14, we rode with one of the ex-seminarians to San Francisco where Jaja and I had a very romantic weekend. We stayed at the Comfort Inn by the Bay,had dinner with a former Jollibee colleague at the Hooters along Fisherman's Wharf; visited Sausalito, rode on a cable car and even walked the Crookedest Street in the world at Lombard.

Week 3: November 16 - 22 - We flew back to LA from San Francisco on November 17. During this last week, we stayed with relatives at West Hills, did some last minute shopping, toured the San Juan Capistrano and San Luis Rey Missions, had a reunion with classmate and ex-Marine Willy Santiago who brought us to Torrey Pines and La Jolla. Finally, we flew back to Manila on November 22.

It was but fitting that I went on this trip with someone who has travelled more than 25 years through life with me...my wife and favorite travelling companion, Jaja.

I wonder where we will go next time around??? Hmmm...Europe or...shall we get nekkid in the Bahamas!!!

PURSUING SOMETHING WITH A PASSION

I read a blog (manifesto) by Rajesh Setty recently on "how to distinguish yoursel" and he mentioned that people admire those who pursue things with a passion.

I looked back at my own life and realized there were things I pursued with a passion but I didn't pursue them passionately enough it seems...they were more like passionate flings...or passionate one night stands.

Let me see:
- there was my passion for aquatic fish---I even had a fish pond built!
- there was my Marvel Comics collection ---which unfortunately my mom burnt!
- there was my MAD magazine collection---which I still did until recently when the stuff they started writing wasn't funny anymore (most of the MAD artists have gone.)
- there was my origami hobby---which I'm still interested in but can't get myself to doing.
- there was my solo guitar playing (& recently Blues and Lead guitar)---which has died down.
- there was my interest in photography---which I still have now but not with such degree of intensity.
- there was my attempt at being more than your average magician---which I didn't pursue much after spending a lot on magic toys!
- there was my interest in juggling--which I stopped after succeeding in juggling 3 balls---the basic move!
- there was my interest in paper sculpture & origamic architecture---which I've never continued doing even though I still have the tools for doing it!
-I'm now interested in pursuing a business in farming and perhaps making a difference in sustainability efforts
-I'm also keen on getting my webcomics continuing online.

Obviously,what I need to do is focus my passion on something so that I become the best at it!

TRYING TO GET THAT FEELING AGAIN

I've been watching my Kitchen Nightmares DVD for the past two nights and have been entertained by Gordon Ramsay's kick-ass-tough-love approach to turning around ailing restaurants around the USA.

I know some of the episodes are staged to make for goof TV viewing but the true stories behind the made for TV reality are definitely true.

One common theme I noticed in these once successful restos gone bad is that the owners or the chefs have lost their passion for what they do. And when that happens,things start going downhill. So usually, one of Gordon's remedies is try to get the chefs or business owners to be passionate about what they do...even if he has to use the "F" word on them over and over again just to light some fire in them.

It just got me thinking about myself. What am I really pasionate about? I'm starting to recognize signs of mediocrity in the way I do things or in the lack of drive to pursue ideas.

Maybe I need Gordon Ramsay to wake my f***ing head off! :-)

GIFTEDNESS

I attended a John Maxwell Leadership seminar yesterday which was videocast live from the EDSA Shangrila Hotel where John held the actual session.

While talking about the key elements to being a successful leader,John said that we should know our giftedness and work at improving it. Only then will we be able to rise above the average.

"No one pays to watch average!" he bellowed in his loud baritone voice.

It got me to thinking about my own giftedness and that of my family's.

What am I really good at and what should I really work on to " rise above the average?"

Some answers:

- I am good at getting things organized and started. Like a Pioneer of sorts. When I look at my track record I can point to several "firsts" that I achieved. I have the knack for getting support and seeing things through their completion.

e.g. The 1st Jollibee Manager's convention, the 1st in-house training video productions for Jollibee,the 1st Sales rally,the 1st Training Kitchen,the 1st to use line trainers. I also organized our Juvenate Grand Reunion in 2006.

- I am creative and artistic. I have a good sense of design and the works I have produced are appreciated. e.g I have made paintings that have sold. My composition:The Chowking Hymn and songs I made for our conventions, have been sung and received accolades. My photographs have been admired and are well-liked.

My wife Jaja's giftedness lies in her ability to make friends easily. She is loved by her friends just as she loves them. She also has this tenacity of spirit that has seen her through tough times and projects that would dishearten lesser mortals. She doesn't believe she has it but she is entrepreneurial and good at selling things.

My son TJ is gifted with the ability to write or should I say, express himself well in written word. He also has such a powerful imagination that we may not have tapped yet. He has been gifted with such a caring heart that it has been broken at times.

James. our second son, seems to have in herited his mom's gift of friendliness. He is the one with many friends and social contacts. We were surprised to know that he was getting free dental treatment in school because he was buddy-buddy with the school dentist! He is also the businessman, having made money already from selling assembled model cars/robots and Magic cards. He also has a taste for good food which is why he is studying to be a chef.

Tasha surprised us all by turning out to be a gifted athlete. She has won more medals in competitions than I have in academics. She is also a good baker, and has a good sense of fashion. She is our consultant when it comes to dressing up in style. Her grades in school may not reflect it,but she's also very smart. She can figure out a lot of things on her own specially when something has caught her interest.

Realizing this, I see that I have been blessed with a gifted family and know also that I have a challenge to see my childrens' potentials developed to their maximum.

KITCHEN NIGHTMARES: NICK GONE LOCO OVER ROCOCO

Nick Anderson,chef and proprietor of Nick's Bistro at Rococo, was an award winning chef who, precisely because he was supposed to be good,couldn't get his ego out of the way and did things his way. Unfortunately, his way was leding him to bankruptcy.

When Gordon Ramsay came to the rescue and asked Nick's wife how much they would be in debt if they closed down now, she said: "About a hundred grand!"

Problem was they didn't have that money to pay up. And they couldn't close down because Nick had two little kids who,in Gordon's colorful language, would be all f****d up!

Before he could help however,Gordon had to make Nick eat some humble pie so he would listen and be open to suggestions.

After Gordon tasted some of Nick's menu (which included own of Gordon's), he didn't have kind words to say. He observed Nick and his sous chef serve customers one evening and his comment was that everything nick was doing was pretentious.

Why? Because Nick was using expensive raw materials for his menu and spending a lot of time plating his dishes so he would come across to customers as a classy chef, and they would have to pay top dollar (pounds) for the food.

Unfortunately, as Gordon found out by interviewing former customers, Nick had priced himself out of the market. Worse is that they didn't believe they were getting value for their money.

Throughout the episode Gordon kept badgering Nick to rethink his strategy of keeping his resto as a pricey and pretentious operation. He also pointed out that Nick had to radically change his ways because years of doing the same thing over and over again had left him uncreative.

Nick's pride was obviously hurt because when Gordon returned for a visit he found himself locked out. When Nick finally opened the door he had been crying his eyes out because he didn't feel Gordon appreciated anything he had done.

That was the break Gordon needed,because at least this time Nick was open to listening.

As a first major step to rehab, Gordon recommended that Nick change the restaurant's name. Out of the top of his head he came up with the name "Maggie's" because it was located near the Church of St. Margaret's. Nick didn't like the name but finally gave in.

Gordon also trimmed down the menu and showed Nick he could cut down his prices by getting produce and raw materials fresh and cheap from the local suppliers. He recommended they keep the preparation simple so they could serve customers faster too!

In keeping with the unpretentious and simple Maggie's theme, the resto's look was kept to a bare tables and chairs motif. Anything to do with Rococo was removed.

When Nick re-opened to customers whom they invited through leafletting,he was encouraged by what he saw. The food was going out of the kitchen fast,and customers praised the delicious cooking which came at a lower price. What's more, Nick seemed to be enjoying what he was doing again.

Gordon returned to Maggie's after a month,and the first thing he noticed was that the resto was full. He wanted to try the food but he couldn't get a table until they found him one. And when he tasted the food, he was pleased because Nick had kept it honest, simple and unpretentious.

Sales of Maggie's was averaging four thousand on weekdays and eight thousand on a good day. This was more than double of what he was making under the Rococo name. What was great was that Nick confessed that he was now doing all these things from his heart.

I learned a lot of lessons myself from this episode: humility,the need for continuous improvement and innovation, changing strategy when things change and doing something that one loves.

WHAT IF...

...I created a brand ( FARMER RON'S) and challenged the biggest farm products producer in the country...and succeeded!

That would really be an aswer to many dreams...and I would DEFINITELY learn a lot of things along the way...

...and probably enjoy life while doing so!

HERE'S TO TAKING THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS MY JOURNEY TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP

A DREAM SCENARIO

We were having lunch at a restaurant (Recipes) last Mother's day when I dreamed up this scene.

I told the kids that I was looking forward to the day when,after a delicious meal at a restaurant and time came for paying the bill,TJ would insist that he would be the one to pay for it.

Tasha, not to be outdone would tell her brother,"No! This one's on me!"

The two would then play a mini "tug of war" over the bill,when James would butt in out of nowhere and bellow:" Hoy! Tama na nga kayong dalawa! Restaurant ko ito noh...mamaya dyan pagbayarin ko kayo talaga eh!"

I wonder when this will come true! :-)

KITCHEN NIGHTMARES: RESCUING LA PARRA

Watched an episode of Kitchen Nightmares last night. Gordon Ramsay's mission was to help a small resto named La Parra to get out of "dire straits" and make a profit. He had a week to do it.

He first observed La Parra's operations for 3 days and was he shocked!

First, the resto had 72 items on its menu which all fell on chef Lance to do the cooking. To speed things up, lance cooked all orders in one griddle leading to a hideous mixing of flavors, and usually burnt-looking products.

Then, there was this barbecue grill that was supposed to serve kebabs prepared by Lance's assistant ( an old timer whose name I didn't get.) Problem was to keep up with demand, this guy usually cooked the kebabs too far in advance so these tended to be dry and tasteless when they reached the customer. To make things worse,any leftovers were still served the following day.

The biggest shocker for Gordon was to see dog poo at the dining area,which he noticed three times on separate occasions.

When time came for the Hell's Kitchen star to make his recommendations he strongly suggested that Chef Lance reduce his menu to a manageable number:15. This way he could cope with customer orders and not leave them waiting for so long.

He also made Lance and his partner Alex taste the kind of food they were serving by blindfolding them and letting them sample pureed menu items like prawns with chocolate and chicken banana. These were Lance's original creations which he thought were a hit with customers.

Gordon pointed out that his combinations hid the natural taste of the seafood and meat. He wanted Lance to simplify, so he recommended his own simple menu.

Chef Lance's pride obviously was getting in the way because he didn't seem to appreciate Gordon's suggestions. That is until he saw the number of returned plates from customers one evening that confirmed what Ramsay had been telling him all along.

When he finally gave in and complied with Gordon's plan and recommended changes, they had a successful night, where customers complimented them on their food, and remarked that they would return.

The episode ended with Ramsay coming back a month later to check on La Parra. He was pleased to see that Lance had kept to the plan by keeping to a simple, uncluttered menu and cooked the food from a pan, and not the griddle. There were obviously more returning customers, and based on ticket sales, La Parra was sure to recover!

POSTS FROM MY SON'S BLOG

My son TJ is a fantastic writer,specially if he gets into one of his angst-y moods. Here are examples of his writing which I think are gems and which I don't think I will be able to match...


A Good Dream
May 8, '08 9:48 AMfor everyone
Something from the top of my head
It had been a long day,tired and annoyed as my job was mundane and the pay is so - so, I tell myself "things could be worse I suppose", "documents are still important", and "things will get better eventually", I laugh at these sentiments as I take my daily walk from the office to the usual waiting area where I wait for my ride home.
I wander around the mall watching people and killing time knowing that I am an hour early, wondering which familar face I might bump into as I pass by the usual groups of co-workers, barkadas, families and couples while wondering about things to come and plans yet to be made.
I take the escalator en-route to the arcades, looking at posters of the upcoming movies, as I turn around I am greeted by sweet smile and a small wave as a familiar and pleasant face from a time when grades mattered and games were my forte. I awkwardly return the greeting with a small smile and wave of my own, as we cross paths going our own separate ways, her hand accidentally brushes into mine triggering a memory long forgotten...I smile as the memory of the soft feeling of her hand still fresh in my mind...
A sensation that I may never feel again in this lifetime...


A simple story
Mar 14, '07 11:24 AMfor everyone
Something that sort of popped in my head earlier today, comments are welcomeI laugh at my friends joke, my usual over the top laughter that fills the empty hallway. out of the corner of my eye I see two figures emerge from end of the hallway, I pay no attention to them as I listen to my friend's next witty and hilarious banter. I hear a pleasant sounding greeting of "uy" and my name being called as I turn around see a beautiful and familiar face. I suddenly feel the annoying stares of my two friends. I shoot a quick glance at them to discover raised eye brows and thin annoying grins, I punch my closest friend in the stomach to show my annoyance. The grins get bigger...I return my attention back to her as the distance between us grows shorter and shorter. "Musta na?" she asks, I give her a tired sounding "ok lang" with my still alive and still kicking remark. As we talk about trivial and non personal things, asking common questions and giving common one word answers, I feel a mixture of anger, sadness, and regret of things that I did not do to keep a semblance of the closeness that we once had. I feel the urge to ask a personal question, but like my feelings I keep it all inside and force my self to give a small ordinary smile in the face of her animated and beautiful warm aura. Another familiar face enters the conversation, he gives her a smile and she smiles back, I hear my friends saying cryptic phrases like "malapit lang pala ang china"..."di naman pala nabroad eh", We say our goodbyes as I see my teacher at the end of the hallway 30 min late for our class, as our small group disperses, I see her hand clasping his as they walk away...

THREE YEARS OF BLOGGING!

I started this blog May of 2005. It's been 3 years and I'm still at it. In all I missed only about 4 months when I didn't post a blog...so all things considering I've done good.

I looked back at previous posts and realized I've used this blog to keep myself focused on goals and to remind myself to be thankful about life and the many blessings I have received!

Life is wonderful! I think I should go on Living! :-)

INSIGHTS FROM WASHINGTON SYCIP'S TALK

Washington Sycip was our guest speaker during Jollibee's last Leadership Learning Zone. At 87 he still spoke in a very clear voice and obviously there were no signs of any memory lapses from the way he narrated stories and anecdotes to illustrate his points.



He didn't ramble on aimlessly or digress, but kept to his topic of why human resources have to be given importance by any organization that wants to be competitive. And he did it without any prepared speech!



He told us that when he and his partners put up SGV he hired Filipinos primarily. Then, the accounting industry was dominated by the British and in these firms people moved up the organization, not because of merit but because of the color of their skin. So when he ran SGV he made meritocracy the guiding principle.



He said that they only hired the best and the brightest and trained and educated them. He stressed that education was key to keeping an organization competitive. They must have done a very good job because after some time SGV became better than the foreign firms and they even bought them out.



He expressed concern that the Philippines has been ignoring the devlopment of its human resources. We are spending 1/6th of Thailand's investment in education and 1/11th of Malaysia's. Consequently, we are ending up with "poor"human capital. These are the kind who sell their votes and therefore put the wrong people in government.

He said that the two handicaps to Philippine progress have been what we used to boast about: 1) Democracy and 2) Christianity. He went on to cite that countries that had strong man rule have fared better (e.g. China, Korea,Taiwan, Singapore). When income levels increased,democracy followed.

"Democracy comes when people are no longer hungry and don't need to sell their votes."

He said something about developing teachers as one of the keys to improving the quality of education. He pointed out that they have stopped giving scholarships but focused on rewarding teachers.

"If the teacher is inspired,the teacher will want to go to school. But if the teacher is dull,the student will not want to go to school."

TRANSITIONS:TJ'S FIRST DAY ON THE JOB

Today,April 1...April Fool's Day...TJ, my eldest son, starts work at Solutions Exchange as a Quality Assurance trainee.

I hope it's not a joke!

I can't get over the "real"-ness of the situation and can't help be amazed at how TJ has morphed... from a squeaky clean toddler who used to play hide and seek games with me...to a now mature-looking-though-still nerdish member of today's working class.

As the lyrics in the song "Sunrise Sunset" goes:

"Sunrise, sunset...swiftly flow the days
seedlings turn overnight to sunflowr's
blossoming even as we gaze"

Admittedly, I wasn't always around to witness everything that happened to him or share all his ups and downs. I guess that was never meant to be,because I was "busy" building a life of my own so that they...my kids... would have a good start in life.

The fact is ... that TJ now has a job and will experience what it's like to earn money which is a good thing...and maybe that is proof enough that somehow I may have done a pretty good job as a Dad.

You don't know the day nor the hour

While going through the email titles that accumulated over the weekend I noticed one from the SBC egroup entitled: Julius Cordero and Butch Roxas. Usually when the names of members are posted that way,it can only mean they've passed away.

Sure enough these were notices to all members that these 2 batchmates had gone. What seems to have shaken those who exchanged notes was that the deaths happened within a week of each other.

I didn't know Dr. Butch Roxas save for some of his postings before when Vic Barreiro had a heart attack and bypass operation. He seem to have entered SBC during High School. Some of the other batch mates don't have recollections of him either.

The details of his death (from a heart attack) were a bit gruesome. He had gone to the washroom and never went out. They found his lifeless body on the floor,water running all over the place.

Julius Cordero was a classmate of mine when I was in Grade 6-14 under Mr. Balagtas. I wasn't in his circle of friends because he was more of the "astig" types then. I did see him when I attended one of the get togethers of the batch mates (maybe at Gilligan's.)

The suddenness of their deaths and the lack of logic of the timing of their deaths brought to mind the passage in Scripture that precisely says we "don't know the day..nor the hour."

If so, I can only hope really that all my efforts at keeping myself healthy do extend my life some more so I can see my kids succeed in their dreams, get married and have kids of their own. But other than that I guess, I have to leave everything in God's hands...and let Him figure out when He would like me to join Him.

Meanwhile,I will live life to the fullest...love a lot...laugh even more...and drink glasses of good wine to everybody's health!

BANGKOK PICTORIAL

TJ'S GRADUATION: A MAJOR MILESTONE

My eldest son, TJ graduated last February 9 during the Graduation rites of De La Salle University held at the PICC. He was one among 700 plus graduates who received their diplomas that day and, as we jokingly say in our family, joined the growing ranks of the unemployed.

For TJ, it must have really been a BIG event,considering that he had to struggle through several personal crises and hurdle the seemingly unpassable gauntlet of Maths and Physics subjects. When I recall the times he was in tears...almost in despair because he feared he would never pass...I can understand the great big (silly) smile on his face (almost like a sigh of relief) when he posed for a photo after the ceremonies!

For me, it was a moment I was really proud of. Not because I managed to see my son through college...but because TJ, in spite of his trials, stuck to his guns and completed something he started! I was indeed proud of my son's achievement!

For Jaja, who never had the chance to march during her own graduation(because she couldn't afford then to pay for a toga and gown,)this was a moment of triumph she experienced vicariously with her firstborn. We had wear TJ's cap just to give her a feel of what it was like. Her photo with TJ says it all.

FEELING RICH

I read an interesting article this morning about what it takes to make one feel rich. In the author's case it was getting an old frying pan and cleaning it up. She went on to cite other things that can make one feel rich---like being able to study in a university and enrich her knowledge,for others it might be just a nature trip.

Her point: what can make one feel rich need not be expensive or cost a lot of money.

It made me think of my own cheap"treasures." What have made me or make me "feel rich?"

Having known what it's like to commit one to a vow of poverty has given me a different perspective of what feeling rich means.

For example, I vividly recall an afternoon in a slum area in Lucena City, where we were doing mission work. I was a novice of the Redemptorist Congregation at the time, and that daymy co-novice and I decided to have a chat with the landlady of the house we were staying at. She owned a sari-sari store at the ground floor of the house, and this was where the neighbors would hang out and catch up on the latest gossip.

I recall us spending that afternoon just telling stories, sharing information about ourselves, cracking jokes now and then...and just having a fun afternoon,such that before we knew it evening had set and it was time for us to prepare for the mission Mass.

I could see that in spite of their surroundings...these people were genuinely happy and content!They were "rich" inspite of being "poor."

So for me feeling rich is not about possessing something...but being able to do something with what I possess.

It's not about owning the state of the art Canon EOS..but being able to create stunning photographs with only an A620 Powershot.

It's not about owning a Picasso or an expensive painting..but being able to paint something myself.

It's not just about "having" a wife and kids...but spending fun,happy,meaningful,loving moments with my family & really enjoying those moments (like the cookfest I had the other evening with James, my second son.)

It's not about just having travelled to a place...but travelling with my wife and having shared the experience together.

I guess,in the end, what makes us "feel rich" depends a lot on how we define "what feeling rich" means!

SOMEONE'S DOING THINGS RIGHT @LTO PASIG

I renewed my driver's license last Thursday (Jan. 17) and I was impressed with what I experienced.

I arrived at LTO, Pasig branch at around 7:10 AM and there were employees at the windows already although officially they didn't open till 8 AM.

I approached Window 1 and the lady there,who was just getting settled, got my old license, gave me a form and directed me to the drug testing center. She warned me not to deal with the "fixers" who supposedly lingered nearby.

At the Halili Drug Testing Center I had to wait a bit as the aides there were just opening shop. The guy at the counter though gave me a form to fill out and got my payment (P 250.00) When the lab was ready I was first in line to give a urine sample.

My problem was,the bottle had to be filled to the brim but I could just manage half (since I had already peed some minutes ago.) The aide there suggested I drink some water then just come back when I was ready.

I did as he suggested and after downing a small bottle of water, psyched myself to performance level. However, on my next attempt I still couldn't fill it up. So the aide said: "OK na 'yan, sir. Maabala ka pa." Although I wished he had told me earlier,still I was impressed he was willing to make an exception.

Out of curiosity,I asked him if they really detected drug users and he asked me;"Ilan taon na po kayo,sir"

I told him "53" but was puzzled.

"Sir, nung makalawa may 45 anyos..tumitira pa!" There was my answer.

The health check up was next,but this was merely an eye check up. The med student who was apparently assisting the Health Officer busily signing papers, asked me to read Line#8 of the eye chart. I did so quickly and I was out of there in 3 minutes.

After I handed my papers to the lady back at Window 1, I waited about 5 minutes and my name was called at Window B for a digital photo. A pose...a click of the digicam...signature on the electronic pad and it was over. I was told to wait at window 9.

While waiting to be called I witnessed something that spoke a lot about the way things were being run at this LTO branch.

One fellow sat on one of the chairs beside me and it gave in so he almost fell backwards. The aides who saw this quickly asked the people seated on the bench to stand up as they replaced the defective unit! You would expect they would just leave things be....but no, they corrected the problem.

I also noticed there was a system being followed here. The cashier at Window 9 took care of all pending motor vehicle transactions first, then at around 9 AM, all of us who applied for licenses or license renewal lined up at the License window and she went over and took care of our payments.

Within 2 hours, I got my license renewed!

Maybe what is impressive is that 3 years ago, when I renewed my license at this same branch, they did just a good a job as now. So they have been consistent...and in the Philippines being consistent is hard to find.

So kudos to you LTO Pasig hief,whoever you are!

A LOOK BACK AT 2007 AND LOOKING FORWARD TO 2008

2007 was a year for linking with relatives and staying connected with old friends. It was also a time for losing some friends and making new milestones. Here's a quick rundown of 2007 as I experienced it...

1. New Year 2007- we had our Auntie Cors "Akulaw"---the last of the 4 Antiques---pay us a visit during the Christmas holidays and stay up to February.
2. We had a visit from Kuya Glenn and Ate Marilag and had a get together at the KKK restaurant. We also had a visit from Ket and her son Nicolas.
3. February saw me at the Managers Convention at Taal Vista Hotel,Tagaytay. Our first convention held outside Metro Manila. The franchisees' convention was held at the Marco Polo in Davao.
4. Tasha finally gets a dog! A yellow Labrador whom we name Angel.
5. Amy Directo had a short vacation here and stayed with us at Millbrae.
6. Tasha participates in the Palarong Pambansa at GenSan. She wins overall Silver.
7. Jaja's team wins a $2.4 M bid and gets recognition throughout the Coffey International network.
8. Jaja and I travel to Hong Kong.
9. Jaja and I have a weekend vacation in Bohol with Jaja's friends.
10. The ex-Juvenate egroup holds many mini-reunions. Most memorable is the Coco Grill get together where I manage to play golf again at Luisita. The others are the get together for Ruben Porciuncula and Tony Luistro's 50th birthday.
11. Tasha wins gold medals at the Philippine Olympic festival.
12. Boy Vetus succumbs to cancer. We are shocked by the news of Dulce's death from a car accident. Early this year we had a reunion of the old MTD group which she attended.
13. JP de Guzman marries PY Nakar at the Highlands.
14. TJ finally passes his requirements and becomes eligible for graduation.
15. We buy a new van---an Innova G variant---after months of visioning by Jaja.
16. I travel to Bangkok for an ocular survey in preparation for our Franchisees Convention in 2008.
17. Jaja finally gets our leaking roof fixed and with the help of Kuya Zen we also get our leaking pipe fixed.
18. Before the year ends, I get reconnected with Melvin Claros, a former colleague at Jollibee.

For 2008, we expect a lot of celebrations and more milestones...hopefully more Good Luck and Blessings to come...

1. Jaja and I will get a chance to travel together to Bangkok during our Franchisees' Convention.
2. TJ will finally march during his graduation sometime in February.
3. We are looking forward to him getting employed. :-)
4. Somehow I feel so lucky...Jaja's going to win a Fortuner in the Toyota raffle.
5. James is going to start his culinary arts training at St. Benilde.
6. It will be our 25th wedding anniversary in October. There's a possibility we will travel to the USA in time for the proposed ex-Juvenists reunion in Las Vegas.

We will be richer, happier and more prosperous in 2008!!!

PHOTO BLOG: TRAINING DEPT.@ KABAYAN BEACH RESORT,LAIYA BATANGAS

Chowking's Training department held its annual planning session at the Kabayan Resort at Laiya, Batangas. During the breaks I managed to take some photos of the participants (glam shots of the girls) and the scenery.

THE PAST THAT BINDS

At first glance it seems that we have nothing in common.



Age?Some of us are in their late fifties, others are in their early fifties,then a couple are in their late forties.



Profession? One is in insurance, one is a retired Marketing man, one is a GM of a holding company,one is a lawyer, one owns his own advertising /design company, one is a consultant and two are priests.



But if you see us in any of our get togethers you wonder why we seem so close to each other in spite of the lack of common ties.



But in truth we do have one thing in common...and that one thing is so strong it has managed to bind us erstwhile strangers into a brotherhood. That "one thing" is a common past...we all once lived in a place called the Juvenate.

The Juvenate was the name given to the Redemptorist minor seminary located on the hills of Barrio Mambugan, Antipolo, Rizal. So we who did not make it to ordination as a Redemptorist priest now call ourselves "ex-Juvenists," and we have stayed in touch these past 4 years through an egroup.

Our length of stay in the Juvenate varies. Some of us like the batch of 1972-73,stayed only one year because after that, the High School was phased out. Many of us who finished our secondary education there stayed for 4 years. Others like myself who reached up to Theology stayed for about 10 years or more.

But what is amazing is that just the mere fact that one lived in the Juvenate makes one feel a sense of belonging with the group, even if one didn't really meet the others in the Juvenate.

A recent example was Gil Abesa, who belonged to the class 1971-73. He returned to the Philippines after staying in Hong Kong for over 10 years. There was a get together at Lipa and he didn't really know the people who were attending because they were already gone from the Juvenate when he entered. But when he showed up for the gathering, he immediately felt at home.

Another case involved a visiting ex-Juvenist from Las Vegas, Ruben Porciuncula. On his way to Pangasinan,he saw the Coco Grill, which he recalled from email exchanges belonged to another ex-Juvenist, Jun Baron. So he dropped by and introduced himself and they hit it off pretty well, even though they had never even met each other before!

I can't really put my finger on what it is about the Juvenate that has bound us now...maybe it's because we all called it our home.

So maybe in some mysterious way we have in fact become one family.