Brooks Running Shoes: Everyone's Dream Shoes

     Brooks Running Shoes Philippines is not just a shoe company. It showcases various apparel and gears related to sports. It’s not meant to be an ordinary shoe store because the products are of superior quality. This I discovered in my first encounter with Brooks Running Shoes Philippines when I joined its “Win Shoes at Brooks Store SM North Annex” promo.  The promotion required a participant to guess the correct number of Brook shoes hidden in their photo wall. First two participants to submit online the correct answer will win Brooks shoes. And to guess it, of course, one has to go to their store located at the 3^rd level of SM Annex in SM CITY North EDSA. I got the opportunity to drop by the store when my wife and I went to watch a movie at SM Cinema, North EDSA.                 

                                                                                                      

     
     The first thing that attracts customers passing by the store is the "Running Lab." It is a technically advanced system with a footprint scanner that determines one’s foot type and stride and with a high-speed video gait analysis to recommend the right shoes for a customer. One can’t resist the temptation to stop and take a closer look at the equipment or simply go inside to better appreciate what the store has to offer. 

          

     

   Upon seeing the shoes displayed, I began dreaming to have a Brooks shoes for myself. Counting the many Brooks shoes at the photo wall for the promo, I was confident that I guessed it correctly: 119 shoes! Unfortunately, there were many participants who already submitted the correct answer. Good thing the promo was extended with a raffle for consolation prizes. Luckily, praise and thanks be to God, I won a consolation prize worth 1.5K:  a sports shirt and a power grip... And the Brooks shoes remains a dream! Someday, somehow, I believe I'll be able to own one. 

                                                                           
           

                

  

     The price is just right if one is looking for comfort and durability. True to its motto “Run Happy,” Brooks shoes is a perfect running shoes that makes a serious runner happy. For more information, visit their website at brooksrunning.com.ph or follow on twitter (@brooksrunning) and on facebook https://www.facebook.com/brooksrunningPH?fref=ts

The items (sports shirt and power grip) I won from the Brooks shoes promo

                                      

             

   

USTET Results for AY 2013-2014 Released

     The long wait is over for the examinees who have long been waiting for the results of the University of Santo Tomas Entrance Test which will admit them to the oldest existing university in Asia. My eldest daughter who is also one of the hopefuls arrived home with the news that the USTET results for AY 2013-2014 are already posted at the campus. The online result, however, is yet to be posted on January 28, 2013. So for those who are too excited and cannot wait anymore for the online revelation may go directly to the main campus in Manila.

     Of the top 4 universities which my daughter had taken a college entrance test, only UST had given orientation to the parents during the examination day while waiting for their children to finish the test. The university presented a slide show with a question and answer portion to give parents a clear understanding of the process of its screening and a glimpse of what is going to happen once their children are admitted.

     Good luck to all the examinees, including my daughter. May your dream of enrolling to a university which gives a high quality Catholic education be realized and help build the Filipino nation.

 

Life is Useless

     I realize life is useless, indeed, as I reflect on the passages of the Book of Ecclesiastes. What is the use of working so hard in accumulating wealth? What for?... It is enough to have something for my family and save for my future. But I think it's too much to have something that deprive others around me the opportunity to live a decent kind of life. After all, when the time comes for me to leave this world and join my Creator I will not be able to carry or bring anything with me, not even a single cent. And those whom I leave behind, am I sure that they will be taking care of the things I worked so hard and treasured most in the same manner that I do? They might even be fighting against each other (even to the point of killing!) to gain possession or ownership of whatever wealth or properties left behind. Fortunately, I do not have any material wealth to boast of and leave behind but the good moral values and knowledge that I have imparted to my own children: real lifetime treasures which no one can steal from  them! To have that real happiness in eternity should be one's goal in life. And this I believe is our true purpose in life. In one instant, our life may be taken away. Where to our life be in eternity? The choice is in our hands. 

     Now let's read and reflect on the following passages from Ecclesiastes 1:1 - 3:15....

     These are the words of the Philosopher, David's son, who was king in Jerusalem.

     It is useless, useless, said the Philosopher. Life is useless, all useless. You spend your life working, laboring, and what do you have to show for it? Generations come and generations go, but the world stays just the same. The sun still rises, and it still goes down, going wearily back to where it must start all over again. The wind blows south, the wind blows north - round and round and back again. Every river flows into the sea, but the sea is not yet full. The water returns to where the river began, and starts all over again. Everything leads to weariness - a weariness too great for words. Our eyes can never see enough to be satisfied; our ears can never hear enough. What has happened before will happen again. What has been done before will be done again. There is nothing new in the whole world. Look, they say, "here is something new!" But no, it has all happened before, long before we were born. No one remembers what has happened in the past, and no one in days to come will remember what happens between now and then.

     I, the Philosopher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. I determined that I would examine and study all things that are done in this world.

     God has laid a miserable fate upon us. I have seen everything done in this world, and I tell you, it is all useless. It is like chasing the wind. You can't straighten out what is crooked; you can't count things that aren't there. 

     I told myself, "I have become a great man, far wiser than anyone who ruled Jerusalem before me. i know what wisdom and knowledge really are." I was determined to learn the difference between knowledge and foolishness. But I found out that I might as well be chasing the wind. The wiser you are, the more worries you have; the more you know, the more it hurts. 

     I decided to enjoy myself and find out what happiness is. But i found that this is useless, too. I discovered that laughter is foolish, that treasure does you no good. Driven on by my desire for wisdom, I decided to cheer myself up with wine and have a good time. I thought that this might be the best way people can spend their short lives on earth.

     I accomplished great things. I built myself houses and planted vineyards. I planted gardens and orchards, with all kinds of fruit trees in them; I dug ponds to irrigate them. I bought many slaves, and there were slaves born in my household. I owned more livestock than anyone else who had ever lived in Jerusalem. I also piled up silver and gold from the royal treasuries of the lands I ruled. Men and women sang to entertain me, and I had all the women a man could want. 

     Yes, I was great, greater than anyone else who had ever lived in Jerusalem, and my wisdom never failed me. Anything I wanted, I got. I did not deny myself any pleasure. I was proud of everything I had worked for, and all this was my reward. Then I thought about all that I had done and how hard I had worked doing it, and I realized that it didn't mean a thing. It was like chasing the wind - of no use at all. After all, a king can only do what previous kings have done. 

     So I started thinking about what it meant to be wise or reckless or foolish. Oh, I know, "Wisdom is better than foolishness, just as light is better than darkness. Wise men can see where they are going, and fools cannot." But I also know that the same fate is waiting for us all. I thought to myself, "What happens to fools is going to happen to me, too. so what have I gained from being so wise?" "Nothing." I answered, "not a thing." No one remembers wise men and no one remembers fools. In days to come, we will all be forgotten. We must all die - wise and fool alike. So life came to mean nothing to me, because everything in it had brought me nothing but trouble. It had all been useless; I had been chasing the wind.

     Nothing that I had worked for and earned meant a thing to me, because I knew that I would have to leave it to my successor, and he might be wise, or he might be foolish - who knows? Yet he will own everything I have worked for, everything my wisdom has earned for me in this world. It is all useless. So I came to regret that I had worked so hard. You work for something with all your wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and then you have to leave it all to someone who hasn't had to work for it. It is useless, and it isn't right! you work and worry your way through life, and what do you have to show for it? As long as you live, everything you do  brings nothing but worry and heartache. even at night your mind can't rest. It is all useless.

     The best thing a man can do is eat and drink and enjoy what he has earned. and yet, I realized that even this comes from God. How else could you have anything to eat or enjoy yourself at all? God gives wisdom, knowledge, and happiness to those who please him, but he makes sinners work, earning and saving, so that what they get can be given to those who please him. It is all useless. It is like chasing the wind.

     Everything that happens in this world happens at the time God chooses. He sets the time for birth and the time for death, the time for planting and the time for pulling up, the time for killing and the time for healing, the time for tearing and the time for building. He sets thew time for sorrow and the time for joy, the time for mourning and the time for dancing, the time for making love and the time for not making love, the time for kissing and the time for not kissing. He sets the time for finding and the time for losing, the time for saving and the time for throwing away, the time for tearing and the time for mending, the time for silence and the time for talk. He sets the time for love and the time for hate, the time for war and the time for peace. 

     What do we gain from all our work? I know the heavy burdens that god has laid on us. He has set the right time for everything. He has given us a desire to know the future, but never gives us the satisfaction of fully understanding what he does. So I realized that that all we can do is be happy and do the best we can while we are still alive. All of us should eat and drink and enjoy what we have worked for. It is God's gift.

     I know that everything God does will last forever. You can't add anything to it or take anything away from it. And one thing God does is to make us have reverence for him. Whatever happens or can happen has already happened before. God makes the same thing happen again and again.

     

Ano ba Meron sa PISAY at KISAY?

     Every year, thousands of Grade 6 and Grade 7 students flock to PISAY and KISAY to take the competitive or entrance examinations. Why? What's in PISAY or KISAY that many parents,   like me, are so illusioned to have their children go to these schools?

     Philippine Science High School (or to its students PISAY) and Quezon City Science High School (or KISAY) are the two premiere science high schools in Metro Manila. The schools are known to have very challenging and advanced curriculum in mathematics and sciences that produces the best professionals in the country. They are so advanced in their academic teachings compared to the regular high schools. They are supported by the government and some private sectors. Students who wish to enroll have to undergo tough and competitive examinations making sure that only the best among the cream of the crop of elementary graduating students from various schools in Metro Manila (nationwide, for PISAY) are admitted.

     My youngest child/son took the admission tests in both schools. He failed in PISAY on its one time only examination which selects only 240 among the thousands of examinees in various test centers but am not disappointed  because I know how difficult and tough the competition is. Besides I take the result as God's message for me as I am worried for his safety and his situation in commuting daily to the school if ever he makes it. Fortunately, he passed the 1st screening at KISAY which I actually prefer him to study just in case.

     This morning my son took the 2nd screening in KISAY. I noticed that there are only 21 rooms utilized for the examinations with 36 students each. It means that there are only 756 students who made it to the second level of screening in which they are to take written examinations in Language, Mathematics, and Science. It's not so crowded anymore compared to the first screening wherein thousands of parents and students hustled to get through the dense crowd. And I've heard that only 350 examinees will pass for the 3rd and final screening. The 3-hour examinations this morning is worth the effort exerted and money spent (as most parents enrolled their children in review centers weeks prior to the tests). Having reached this level is already an achievement and a great satisfaction for the parents.

   Definitely, going to PISAY or KISAY is an edge as its alumni yields a high percentage of passing the college entrance examinations as they bound to some of the great universities in the country today like UP, Ateneo, De La Salle, and UST. But parents should not be too obsessed for such reason as to force their children who are not really gifted and inclined in Mathematics and Science subjects to take chances in PISAY and KISAY or their kids might end up in a famous health institution somewhere in Mandaluyong City.

     Students enrolled in PISAY or KISAY doesn't have to worry of tuition fees because it's totally free. PISAY students even receive monthly stipend and if necessary are accorded of free board and lodging. Congratulations to all those who made it in PISAY... and Good luck to all those who are still aspiring (including my son) to make it in KISAY!

DLSU CET Results for AY 2013-2014 Finally Released

The long wait is over... The De La Salle University College Entrance Test (CET) Results for Academic Year 2013-2014 is finally released. You may click this link to access the results, but be sure you have your reference number:   http://enroll.dlsu.edu.ph/dlsu/freshmen/

To my eldest daughter and the rest of the examinees who passed the DLSU CET. Congratulations... :)

DLSU CET Results for AY 2013-2014

     One of the most anticipated results that senior high school graduating students throughout the country are looking forward is the De La Salle University  CET (College Entrance Test) for AY 2013-2014.  It might be released anytime this week according to my daughter who is anxiously waiting for the results. DLSU belongs to the top 500 educational institutions in the world. It has a great academic reputation in Asia and many graduating high school students aspires to be enrolled in DLSU. It gives a higher percentage on graduate employability. A Lasallian student graduates faster on a shorter period of time due its trimester scheme. It is therefore a great privilege to be admitted to this highly ranked and prestigious university.

     As in any institution, one has to pass specific requirements in order to be accepted; and the basic condition is to pass the entrance test. My eldest daughter being a current senior high school student took the DLSU College Entrance Test last October 14, 2012 at the main campus in Manila. She is praying and hoping not just to pass but be among the top 120 qualified examinees. Since we cannot afford to send her to college on private education, we are relying on scholarship programs for her to pursue her college education. DLSU is offering scholarships to poor but deserving students especially those graduating from public high schools: The Vaugirard Scholarship Program.

     The Vaugirard Scholarship Program provides 50 scholarships every year exclusively for students who are graduating from public high schools. But a student must be among the Top 120 examinees of DLSU CET, a Filipino citizen, and with a family gross annual income of not greater than P500,000 in order to qualify for their next level of screening. A university committee will conduct the screening and final selection for the scholarship grantees. Qualified scholars  under the program will receive a full waiver on tuition, miscellaneous, and laboratory fees throughout their stay in the University plus cash incentive for those graduating with Latin honors, advance enrolment privileges, and monthly stipend of P10,000 to cover accommodation at the Lasallian Center, meals, and other expenses.

     My daughter took the DLSU CET because of the Vaugirard Scholarship Program. She hopes to make it as a Vaugirard scholar. As far as I know it is the best scholarship being offered to public high school graduating students. How lucky a student will be once qualified!

Lee, The Belen, and Me

     Every year during yuletide season, the Belen is always a crowd drawer. In our parish the art depiction of the birth of Jesus in a manger assembled at the altar has become a favorite pictorial background for souvenir purposes. After each Sunday Masses, it takes time before one can really have a nice pose at the nativity scene of Jesus.

      Being a photographer in our parish, the Belen helps me augment my income. Churchgoers flock to the altar as soon as a Mass has ended and some of them are requesting me for snap shots. And yesterday being the Feast of the Epiphany, afterwhich the Belen would already be dismantled; I patiently waited for the chance to have my own picture taken. I wanted so much to have my own souvenir pose wearing my new Lee shirt at the site to remind me of the love sacrifice of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph for the salvation of humanity.

     Last December I received a Lee shirt from one of my tutees. No offense meant to others who have given me gifts but the Lee shirt is my favorite among all the material gifts I received from my students. The chosen color white is likened to the pure love and chastity of Mama Mary. Besides, the color is suited for our choir uniform. The shirt is made of 100 % high quality pure cotton giving very soft and smooth texture for the skin. Similarly, Mama Mary softens the heart of devotees and helps smoothen relationship to our Lord Jesus as she interceeds for each one of us.

     Lee and the Belen… what a keepsake to start a blessed new year! Mary and Joseph traveled a long journey to find a place for Jesus' birth but not welcomed. It is a challenge then to allow Jesus' birth with at least a manger in our hearts.

A Movie with Depth: "Thy Womb"

Two days ago during the last day of school holiday vacation, my family decided to watch the movie "Thy Womb". But the movie house where we were supposed to watch was no longer exhibiting it.

This morning ,however, the movie screening schedule of SM Cinemas in North EDSA suddenly flashed into my FB newsfeed reminding the public of its last days of showing the Metro Manila 2012 Filmfest entries which include the movie "Thy Womb". After a deep second thought I decided to go and watch the movie with my wife.

     The positive reviews and recommendations I have been reading convinced me to watch the movie "Thy Womb". I'm not a Nora Aunor fanatic but am curious as to why this internationally acclaimed movie failed to rake in money into the tills. Besides, as a blogger I want to make it a try in reviewing movies.

     I and my wife entered the movie house into its 2nd to the last full show. There were so many people lining up to the ticket booth which sells for all the simultaneous movies being shown at the different cinemas of SM City North EDSA. However, we really noticed that only few people are heading to the entrance wherein the movie "Thy Womb" was being shown; and most of the patronage are adults.


     As we watched the movie, we were immediately captivated by its awesome cinematography. Nora Aunor has given justice to the character of the midwife Shaleha whom she portrayed. Nora's deep emotion with her eyes projecting her innermost feeling is so enthralling that, I believe, she's really unbeatable and deserving of  the Best Actress Award. Nora doesn't need to be hysterical in order to portray her emotions. The story of the movie is what makes it more interesting because it presents a review of culture and tradition that is obscure to the present generation especially to non-Muslims like me. It is not meant to entertain but to let the viewers understand some of the traditions of our brothers in the South. The theme revolves around the love sacrifice of Shaleha of doing anything just to make her husband Bangas-an (Bembol Roco) happy. It leaves us a reflection of how we value relationship. What a tragic end that consumed fidelity in a marital relationship!

     The movie is indeed outstanding and deserving of all the awards it reaped both locally and internationally. It's an intelligent movie that compels one into reading between the lines. A classic one - a masterpiece - that is worth reechoing for the next generation.

     I find one reason why the movie flopped in Metro Manila: It is rated R13... It is shown in yuletide season which is a family bonding time.

UPCAT Results for AY 2013-2014

     University of the Philippines is undoubtedly the best university in our country today. Being a state university supported by the government, its students come from the cream of the crop among the graduating senior high school students throughout the country. It accepts students coming from both public and high school students for as long as the aspirants qualify with the requirements and pass the College Admission Test.

     The UPCAT results of incoming college freshmen for AY 2013-2014 is expected to be released anytime this month of January 2013 (probably, 3rd week). My eldest daughter is one of the thousands dreaming to have passed the UPCAT which she took  at the UP-Diliman SOLAIR Building last August 4, 2012. God willing, she intends to take either BS Accountancy with Business Management or BS Mathematics. Since her elementary days she really excels in Mathematics with her rigid training in MTAP & MTG Math Challenge competitions. She also has a deep inclination in journalism as she's actively involved in Campus English Journalism.  

     All the examinees are all eyes now to the release of the exam results at the official website of the university, checking each day for any updates. If they hurdled the UPCAT, public high school graduates belonging to the top ten honor students are automatic recipients of scholarship. But what is most prestigious about passing the UPCAT is the distinction of being called Iskolar ng Bayan. Hoping and praying fervently that my eldest daughter becomes one as such. Good luck to all the examinees....

The Miracle in Giving

     We are already in the 2nd day of the New Year 2013 and I thought gift-giving for the Christmas season has already ended. But just about sunset, I received gifts from a certain photography client. This affirms that gifts are not given only during Christmas Day. Well, in fact, gifts are supposed to be given during celebration of the Three Kings' Day (or Feast of the Epiphany). We have known by tradition that the three wise men went to visit the Infant Jesus and offered their gifts of gold, myrrh, and frankincense. This then is how the Christmas gifts came to be.

                                         
     St. Francis of Assissi in his prayer "it is in giving that we receive..." defines the true meaning of gifts. If we want to receive, we must know how to give. This holds true in our giving to the Lord. The more that we give to the Lord, the more that we receive. God can never be outdone in generosity. But giving should not just be for the sake of giving but with love as the basis of the action. One should give without expecting anything or any favor in return. And surely God sees to it that every charitable or generous action gains merit in His love.

     If love is the motivating factor of everyone giving then it becomes a sharing of the blessing one has received from the Lord. No one becomes in need if what the early Christian life of community sharing is practiced today (Acts 2:43-45). We will never see people around suffering in poverty if everyone is giving or sharing. This is the kind of miracle that we want to happen to our present generation.

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New Year's Day and Mama Mary

     It's New Year's Day and it happens to be also the Solemnity of Mama Mary, Mother of God. And as such all Catholic Christians are supposed to hear Mass being a day of holy obligation.

     This year 2013 is the schedule of reshuffling of priests in our diocese. Our parish priest is already anticipating this event which will happen middle of this year. During our Parish Christmas Party last December 27, 2012, he already gave gifts as mementos  to the active leaders and members of our Parish Pastoral Council. I consider myself so lucky to be one of the recipients of his giveaways - miniature images of our parish patron Maria, Ina ng Buhay (Mary, Mother of Life).

     In his closing remark, our parish priest emphasized that the gift is meant to acknowledge the humble contribution in supporting him and it serves as a remembering for his six years of being a servant in the parish in order to at least pray for him. 

     Reflecting on the image of Mama Mary, it evokes one to imitate her selfless obedience in following the will of God. She humbly accepted to be the vessel of life for Jesus to come into the world to save us in spite of the risk of being stoned to death for bearing a child out of wedlock. She courageously stood her ground and took the risk to be a mother and give life to Jesus our Lord God and Saviour.

     Mama Mary, Mother of Life... Mother of God, pray for us.