Patrun ni Señor Santo Niño

Guin salin-urog yana sa atun Parokya sa Calbayog an kapistahan ni Señor Santo Niño. An mga Hermanos Mayores mao an akun mga umangkon nga sira Cyril Sarmiento Uy, Lloyd Sarmiento Uy, Mark Lawrence Torrijas Sarmiento ug si Micah Tarrayo Sarmiento.

Happy Anniversary to Mr. Ernesto and Mrs. Emmy Abasolo

Mr. Ernesto and Mrs. Emmy Abasolo will celebrate their 55th Wedding Anniversary today. Congratulations and  Best Wishes!

Happy Birthday Darling

Pheona Camille Ladrero - Robinson will turn a year older today. Happy Birthday!

wala lang

The last time I updated everyone about TTMIST was when the said college was cited as being on top among SUCs in Samar and during the hosting of the SCUAA 2007 Solidarity Night.

Last Saturday I was at the campus and I came up with these pictures. When I took these, I had in mind the TTMIST graduates who had been out of Calbayog for quite some time.

The athletic field a.k.a. oval that's a part of the growing up years of many Calbayog athletes

The renovated Socio-Cultural Center

The statue of Tiburcio Tancinco near the giant torch which comes to life (I mean the torch) during the various sports competitions in the city.

and now for the twist . . .

More than the buildings, the TTMIST administration is up on its toes in improving the school in its various aspects in an effort to become a university and in compliance with the recommendations made during the regular visits by the accreditors. Alas, some of her neighbors seem to be dedma to the improvements in the school.

As I have reported earlier, students now use the gates at Brgy. Hamorawon and at Rueda Street extension. The latter is one which leads everyone to the spanking wing of the OLPHI (seen in the pix below. I dunnow what they call that wing) along the Rueda street walkway, a project which is currently being undertaken by the LGU (check this link). The sight is a reminder that something is happening in Calbayog.

. . . but then, old habits die hard. I took these pictures on the day when people were mising the sun because of the rains. And, lo and behold, palay laid on the street to dry . . .

. . . okey, it happens only on harvest time. And again okey, it's not a main street in the city. But then there's something in it which tells me that something is not right.

it was the night before . . . well not exactly Christmas

Do you still remember my feature (in my other blog) about the recent SK election? It happened about a month ago. On the eve of the said election I was able to take a shot (from a distance, of course) of a group of young people gathered at the youth hostel. It turns out the young people were not there for some seminar, prayer meeting or something. They were voters from a certain barangay and were herded to the place (for the night and until election time, I suppose). For what reason? Well, the answer is familiar to everone as it is always said in loud whispers: para dire mabadil.

So, were the youngsters expecting something? Your guess is as good as mine. Well, whatever those young people (and the candidate who herded them) were into, it seems like Chrismas came early for them.

the poor man's casino

I recently checked my files and I found some pictures I which took more than a month ago when Calbayog celebrared the annual City Fiesta. These pictures were those of the structures at the Gomez street extension (the one which leads to the pier) where they put the biggohan and other forms of games of chance (am I using the right term?).

So what about these pictures? Wala lang, just another proof of how far some people would go if only to earn something in some kinda easy way. No question about bingo, but as to other forms of gambling (pardon the term), I always say this: "kun pagsusumahun, an iyo da-ug wara pa magkatunga san iyo napirde nga kantidad" I hope I'm correct in saying that.

Anyway, it always happens (not only in Calbayog), where there is a fiesta celebration, there will be these structures which I fondly refer to as the poor man's casino

This is where they played bingo and for so many nights the announcer's (or is it the barker's) voice can be heard halfway around the city.

the place is surely a crowd-drawer. Need I say more?

and look at the driver (still aboard his PD cab) trying to place a bet. I just hope that that bet did not come from the day's earnings.

if only they knew (something personal this time)

Electricity was out yesterday so I did my emails and blog at the nearby internet cafe. I was expecting the usual bunch of noisy (not to mention smelly) kids getting busy over some violent games that they do over the internet and the usual chatters who are into the webcams and stuff - something I never understood and won't be into, not for now anyway.

So, what about yesterday's visit to the internet cafe? Well, it was that scene wherein a family (I suppose) of five chatting (pix above. The kid in yellow is not a part of that famliy) with someone whom I figured was a daughter who is now abroad (after marrying a foreigner?) And lo and behold, voices were heard! They were arguing about a lot of things and the tsismoso in me (and the rest of the customers who were present, I suppose also got interested coz we were all smiling) can't help but eavesdrop (Ok, I know its not good) and sadly, I figured that they were arguing about money. It's not nice to be arguing about personal problems in public, certainly it's not good to discuss about domestic problems in "front" of a relative who is abroad (who I suppose is a source of fund for the relatives left at home).

I thought I was gonna post the picture just for fun. As I did this blog entry, I realized how some locales (or Calbayognons) can give kins abroad a hard time. If stories I heard are indeed true, many of them see their children or bros and sis abroad as constant sources of funds (easy, if i may add), ATMs kumbaga.

There was this story about an OFW opening up with her former teacher about how her family would ask this and that as if she picks money on the streets. At one point the father was asking for money because it was his birthday. Knowing the way her father is, that OFW who was caregiver confided to her teacher if only they knew what it was to care for old or sick people, and all that her relatives can think of is something for a goodtime. The teacher tried to something about it. What did he get? "Dire la ada siya tihatag, kadamo pa san iya satsat!" Of course not all Calbayognon OFWs have this sad story to tell, but then again it happens.

So, whoever that girl is on the webcam whom the family whose picture appears above was chatting with; and to all OFWs who have sad stories to tell, let's just wish them the best, or at least wish them well.