2008 LAE results

look who's No. 177... :-)

2008 LAW APTITUDE EXAMINATION (LAE) RESULTS

The U.P. College of Law announces the names of LAE Examinees who qualified for interview. The U.P. College of Law will admit for enrollment this AY 2008-2009 only 200 interviewees. Those who will qualify for enrollment shall be required to submit: a) Certificate of Graduation; b) Official Transcript of Records and c) Certification of good standing for those who have previously enrolled or are enrolled in other law schools, before they are allowed to enroll.

The schedule of interviews will be announced later.

1	ABAD, KATRINA NESSA MANUEL
2	ABELINDE, RACHEL JANE ADORNA
3	ABOLA, RAMON MIGUEL GONZALES
4	ACHA, MAE ANN SARTE
5	ACLA, CYRUS JOHN ORGANO
6	AGORILLA, MERIELLE ANGELIE GO
7	ALBANO, PIA URSULA PEKAS
8	ALCANTARA, AUSTIN CLAUDE SEVILLA
9	ALEJANDRE, PAULINE FERRER
10	ALMOJUELA, ANNIE REGIDOR

11	ALVAREZ, MA. JESSA MARTIN
12	AMADOR, TINA ANDREA VALERA
13	AMBROCIO, MA. CARMENCITA CALDERON
14	ANDAL, EMMANUEL GENESIS TOMAGAN
15	ANG, MONICA HAZEL CRUZ
16	ANGELES, DARWIN POBRE
17	APUAN, MEDIATRIX II LOTERTE
18	ARANZASO, DESIREE CLARRISSE KING
19	ARIAS, MICHELLE CATAPANG
20	AUSAN, ANNIEFAIR ACLADO
21	AVESTRUZ, KIRK DAVASOL
22	AVILA, ALDAN SUBION
23	AXALAN, MIKKO ANGELA CRUZ
24	BACLAY, FRANCIS PAUL UMAHAG
25	BAGUISI, ALAIN BAÑGUG
26	BAINTO, NEAL VINCENT MERCADO
27	BALAQUIAO, ELEANOR NELLASCA
28	BALMES, IRENE BALMES
29	BALTAO, VANESSA ANNA NACU
30	BANTOL, RAISA ATHENA GULLE
31	BANZON, MELVIN JOSEPH LIWAG
32	BARRETTO, MIGUEL ANGELO TANSENGCO
33	BARTOLOME, DIANE MERCE BARCENA
34	BASE, MARIA GRACIELA DELOS SANTOS
35	BASMAN, ANNA TALIA SUMANDE
36	BASMAYOR, MELISSA VILLA-REAL
37	BATNAG, ODINA ESGUERRA
38	BAUTISTA, KRYSTEL JEHAN MAGSAKAY
39	BERNARDINO, CRISELA LALUNIO
40	BERNARDO, NICOLO FERNANDEZ
41	BLEZA, MA. KEALA MAE MARCELO
42	BUADO, MARIA EDSIE VITERBO
43	BUENAVENTURA, MA. CLARISSA HEARTY VILLACORTA
44	BUNAG, JAN NICKLAUS SALVO
45	BUNAGAN, ROBERT MELCHOR ESPIRITU
46	BUNDOC, JESUS KRISTOFFER GINES
47	BUNYI, JUDITH MARIE GRIMALDO
48	BUSTAMANTE, BLESIE MAE PARADO
49	BUSTOS, ADRIAN FRANCIS SARMIENTO
50	CALIBO, JANUSZ SALAMAT
51	CAMISO, ALDOUS BENJAMIN CLEMENTE
52	CAÑETE, CHARNEM BAL
53	CAPUNFUERZA, EVERGLOW VITUG
54	CARDENAS, KENNETH LAWRENCE FONDEVILLA
55	CARLOS, RICHARD LEE VI BALINA
56	CARPIO, PETER LLOYD DORIA
57	CASADOR, ANGELI NESS PADRONES
58	CAYCO, NATASHA DAVID
59	CEDEÑO, JESSA MARY ANN CELO
60	CERRO-CRUZ, MARIA ALOHA MERCADO
61	CERVANTES, MARIA FLORENCE CRISELDA VERANO
62	CHANG, LEICA TORRES
63	CIMAGALA, ALEXIS NOLASCO
64	COLOBONG, ROYELYNNE JESSA KRIS GARCIA
65	COLUMNA, CHRISTOPHER POLA
66	CONTI, MARIA KRISTINA CALINGASAN
67	CONVOCAR, DANIEL LUIS RODRIGUEZ
68	CORTES, INEZ CHIARA CALAPIT
69	CRISOSTOMO, JAIM MARI MARCOS
70	CRUZ, BERNADETTE SO
71	CRUZ, EMMANUEL REY PINE
72	CRUZ, RHEENA LYN LAPLANA
73	DABALOS, NERISSA ANN PUNZAL
74	DACANAY, MA. CECILIA YLAGAN
75	DE DUMO, JILLIANE JOYCE RAPSING
76	DE GUZMAN, ELAINE PADRE
77	DE GUZMAN, MARIA GERALDINE MERCADO
78	DE JESUS, JADE HUANG
79	DE JESUS, NERISSA NEPOMUCENO
80	DE MESA, JENA CHRISTINE ESTEVES
81	DE SANTOS, JONATHAN FREDERIC PAUL
82	DE TORRES, CRISTAL FAITH LORENO
83	DECLARO, RUTH AGNES DIMAYACYAC
84	DEINLA, JOSALEE SANTOS
85	DELA CRUZ, ALMA ISABEL TALOB
86	DELA CRUZ, ROLANDO SINAGUINAN
87	DELA CUESTA, ROGIE LERIDA
88	DELGADO, DARYLL JANE SUMAYOD
89	DELOS REYES, DIANNE MARGARETTE TINIO
90	DELOS REYES, NORIETESS PASAHOL
91	DEVERATURDA, JOAN PAULA ANTAZO
92	DIAZ, JIANESSA CAMILLE DOMINGO
93	DIAZ, RONA APRIL DELA VEGA
94	DIMACULANGAN, ROBERTO MIGUEL ILUSTRE
95	DIONELA, VIRMARIE BARRIENTOS
96	DIZON, JUSTINNE DY
97	DIZON, MA. LIBERTY RIO PIQUERO
98	DOMINGO, FRANCES YANI PINE
99	DOMINGO, MIGUEL BABILONIA
100	ESCOSURA, LESLIE CEDILLO
101	ESPERAS, ERIKA MARIZ VALEDA
102	ESPINOSA, MYRAFLOR TATEL
103	ESTRELLA, MARICOR DE VERA
104	EUROPA, ROSE CELINE REYES
105	FELICIA, LUZ ANGELA DAPAL
106	FERRER, ROSETTE SORIANO
107	FLORES, SOLEIL CHUA
108	FRANCISCO, ROSA PILIPINAS FADRI
109	GAMO, CISELIE MARIE TORRES
110	GANDIA, TEPHANIE MAGNO
111	GANZON, MINA ANGELES LIM
112	GARCIA, CHARLENE LORENA DAYRIT
113	GARCIA, RON MICHAEL BONTIGAO
114	GAYARES, CEDRIK BEN ABOGA
115	GERVACIO, DIANA SIA
116	GO, JOSEPH III MANGASER
117	GO, MARIE MICHELLE BAYOTAS
118	GOINGO, FRANCIS JOSEF TOMOTORGO
119	GOMEZ, JONI ROJAS
120	GONONG, JUNO ATHENA NONES
121	GONZALES, ANDREA MONICA VALLE
122	GONZALES, ATHANASIA ZOE AMURAO
123	GONZALES, MARK LESLIE PACUDAN
124	GREGORIO, MAURA ROSARIO AVELINO
125	GUERRERO, KATRINA ELENA DELA FUENTE
126	GUIDOTE, JOSE ANGEL JR. BASKIÑAS
127	GUILLEN, ANGELO KARLO TAGAMOLILA
128	GUINTO, CELENI KRISTINE GAWIRAN
129	GUMABAO, REILAND GUERRERO
130	GUMBAN, VANESSA JAVELLANA
131	GURREA, FAY IRENE LONGNO
132	GUTIERREZ, EVA MARIE GARCIA
133	GUY-UYCO, CHASTINE GRACE SEQUITO
134	HADLOCON, FATIMA FAYE CO
135	HERNANDEZ, JILL MAUREEN SULAYAO
136	HERNANDEZ, PATRICIA ANDREA ORDOÑEZ
137	HIDALGO, PHOEBE CORAZON CABIGAS
138	IBAÑEZ, JONATHAN JURADO
139	ICALLA, LEO MEL DENNIS BOTE
140	INCIONG, JHOAN ANDREI ATENGCO
141	INOCENTES, KATRINA BIANCA TROGO
142	JAMON, TANYA GRACE GOROSPE
143	JULIANO, JEREMIAH BARRIOS
144	JUSI, GENEVIEVE ENCINA
145	KINTANAR, SILAYAN CRUZ
146	KUHUTAN, IBN KHALDON SAHIBUDDIN
147	LACHICA, JOSEPH ANTHONY DE JESUS
148	LACSINA, CONRAD SMITH CACULBA
149	LAGASON, PAULA GRACE CASTRO
150	LAGGUI, MARIE HYACINTH GUZON
151	LAMBINO, MARY RHAULINE DE GUZMAN
152	LAMUG, GUILLER KRISTOFFER LOMBOS
153	LANGIT, EARLA KAHLILA MIKHAILA CAGUIOA
154	LAPERAL, FATIMA PALCES
155	LAPID, RAFAEL AUGUSTINE SIONGCO
156	LASAM, NORMAN CLARENCE TRINIDAD
157	LAURON, DIANA MARGARET CEDRO
158	LAZARO, GRACE ANN CORNEJO
159	LEDESMA, LEOFRED IAN TIRADOR
160	LEIDO, JUAN PAOLO MIGUEL BAROA
161	LENA, ANDREW JOHN MOLEN
162	LIBANAN, STELLA MARIS ELLADO
163	LOGROÑO, PRINCESS JAZMINE CABANBAN
164	LOON, JOSE MARTIN AZCARRAGA
165	LOPEZ, FIDES CARISSA BIANCA REYES
166	LOZADA, AARON ERICK AGUILAR
167	LUCAS, DANJUN GARCIA
168	LUCIANO, MARK CHRISTIAN DEL ROSARIO
169	MACABODBOD, LOU BRYAN RANA
170	MACANAN, MA. FATIMA APINADO
171	MACATANGAY, JOSEPH MIRRO AGUADO
172	MADARIETA, MARIA CRISTINA MURILLO
173	MADRID, KRISTOFFER GABRIEL LAURIO
174	MANCAO, KATRINA MICHELLE FERRAREN
175	MANIEGO, CATRIONA RHIANNON GALINDEZ
176	MANLAGÑIT, FRANCIS ANTONIO VARGAS
177	MANLANGIT, DONNA PATRICIA CALIZAR
178	MANOTOC, FERDINAND RICHARD MICHAEL MARCOS
179	MARANAN, JEWELYN CABRERA
180	MARANAN, MARIA CARMELA TEODORO
181	MARASIGAN, NATHAN JABAN
182	MARCOS, PORFERIO JR. GELERA
183	MAROTO, MA. ALEXANDRIA IXARA BALAMBAM
184	MARQUEZ, LEANDER PENASO
185	MARQUEZ, MARIA MYLENE DABU
186	MASCENON, ERNESTO MARIO JR SONGCUYA
187	MEJIA, VENUS AMELIE GUARIN
188	MENDOZA, DANIEL ANGELO VILLANUEVA
189	MENDOZA, GERARDO ESTOLAS
190	MENDOZA, MARYCHELLE TEVES
191	MINA, JAMES ANTHONY RESPICIO
192	MOLINA, JAMILLE FILOMENA AQUINO
193	MONDRAGON, MARY GRETCHEN SILOS
194	MORILLO, LEO ADRIAN BANIQUED
195	NAVARRO, DAN RUDOLPH MERILLO
196	NAVERA, JOCELYN AMOR SOLIS
197	NGUI, NICOLE ALEXANDRA CABASAG
198	NISPEROS, BENEDICT GUIRNALDA
199	NOGRALES, JUAN FIDEL FELIPE FUENTES
200	NONATO, ROSELLE JEAN LAO
201	OBIAS, JOHN DOMINIC SALGADO
202	OMNES, REYNALDO RAMOSO
203	ONG, TRACY ANNE ANG
204	OPLE, FELIX FRANCIS BAUN
205	OPOSA, JUAN ANTONIO REMULLA
206	ORBETA, FRANCES GRACE ALLYANA ESPINOSA
207	ORTILE, NEIL GOTIS
208	ORTINEZ, RANELENE SUAVERDE
209	PAGLICAWAN, MARIA ANGELICA AGUILAR
210	PALAY, MABELLE GRACE ALVARADO
211	PANA, MELBOURNE ZIRO DIOKNO
212	PANGAN, NIELSON GARCIA
213	PARADO, MARIEL JANCES NHAYIN DUARTE
214	PARAS, RONALDO JOVES
215	PARCO, JOHN JOSEPH SUN
216	PASILIAO, EMILY GRACE SAJULGA
217	PATAGAN, GERILLE HOPE ESPIN
218	PAUSO, KATHRYN VICENTE
219	PEÑARANDA, JON DOMINIC PANGANIBAN
220	PENDATUN, SITTIE AMIRAH KADALUM
221	PEREZ, LILIBETH CABILLO
222	PIMENTEL, JOANNA PAULINE CRUZ
223	PIPO, EMIR CARLO REYES
224	POON, CLAUDIA UY
225	PRADO, CARLOS MANUEL SISON
226	PRE, MARIA TERESA DIAZ
227	PULIDO, KARINA NEBAB
228	QUINTANA, OLIVER JOHN CONCEPCION
229	RAMIZO, DOROTHEA MESA
230	RAMOS, AGATHA KRISTY FAJILAN
231	RAÑOLA, MARY ANN IBAÑEZ
232	REFRAN, YASMIN SINGH
233	REGALADO, RIANA CAMILLE ABAD
234	REGIS, LORD REX ABELLAR
235	REYES, MISHEIL RED
236	REYES, JAYMIE ANN RAMIREZ
237	REYES, JOSE ANTONIO SANTILLAN
238	REYES, MARIA KLARIDELLE ANDAYA
239	RILLON, NIGEL GAVILAN BANDONILL
240	RIOSA, LIEZL ENRIQUEZ
241	RIVERA, ROY IAN SALAZAR
242	RIVERO, REIANNA PRIS LAZARO
243	ROBERTO, RAUL PERALTA
244	RODRIGUEZ, ANNA KATARINA BANTEGUI
245	ROLDAN, JOYCE ANNE CAJAYON
246	RUBIO, DARWIN PERRY BRAGA
247	RUIVIVAR, MA. SCHEHERAZADE OBRA
248	RUIZO, LIWAY CZARINA SALEM
249	SACRAMENTO, ANNE JAYCELLE CRUZ
250	SAGARINO, RODELYNN RAJINI APOSTOL
251	SALAZAR, PATRICK HENRY DIZON
252	SALI, MOHAMAD JUMER CUISON
253	SALVADOR, FARINA REYNOSO
254	SALVADOR, ZYRA MAE BALCE
255	SAN JOSE, PHILLIP ESPIRITU
256	SANDALO, PURITA ANGELA LABANG
257	SANDOVAL, JOSEPHINE GRACE ROSALES
258	SANTOS, CELIE MARI BALAGTAS
259	SANTOS, JOHN BOITTE CONCEPCION
260	SANTOS, KARICHI ESCALANTE
261	SANTOS, REVYREN BAISA
262	SARTHOU, RONALD LUKE JR. TINTE
263	SEBASTIAN, BOBBY JOHNSON OLAVIDES
264	SEE, CANDICE FAYE TAN
265	SEGUI, ADRIAN DONALD LUNA
266	SERAPIO, ANGELI IBISATE
267	SERENO, JOSE LORENZO ARANAL
268	SERONA, MAY HAYDEE FATIMA MARTIN
269	SIAZON, NESTOR FERNANDO TIO CUISON
270	SILVA, AIDA MAY PONFERRADA
271	SINGZON, MARIA ELOISA IMELDA SERRANO
272	SOBREPEÑA, DEBORAH MIRIAM DE LA HOZ
273	SOLIMAN, NELLAINE ANNABELLE LORENZO
274	SOTTO, LEIGHTON JOHN MANANGHAYA
275	SUAREZ, SHIELA MAY ALCANTARA
276	SY, GRETCHEN CLAIRE CO
277	TABORA, JAKE RUPERT TALOBAN
278	TAN, MA. DONNABEL TABORA
279	TENORIO, REGINE AMOR PASCUAL
280	TENSUAN, MIGUEL ANTONIO SANTO TOMAS
281	TIOPIANCO, FRANCIS PAOLO PANALIGAN
282	TOBIAS, ANA PATRICIA RUIZ
283	TOLEDO, DARRYL KARL DANAZART VON TENORIO
284	TOLENTINO, JOSE LUIS ALLID
285	TORCUATOR, KAREN BALDERAMOS
286	TORDILLA, DONN GREITON DULCE
287	UY, MARTIN CHRISTOPHER CRUZ
288	UY, SHERRILL BLANCA YU
289	VALENTON, JOHVIE MAGBUO
290	VELASCO, LADY IVY VANITY DIMACULANGAN
291	VICTORIANO, SERGIO JR. LLANTOS
292	VILLANUEVA, OLGA PINTO
293	VILLANUEVA, VICTOR LORENZO LLAMAS
294	VILLAR, VIFERLYN DE VERA
295	VILLARUEL, ANDRES III TIGLAO
296	VILORIA, JESSIE VILLAMORE II JACINTO
297	YAM, MARK BENJAMIN CHENG
298	YAP, MARY GRACE CRUZ
299	ZARAGOZA, ANICKA NICOLI SINGSON
300	ZARENO, JEWELYNN GAY BATINO
301	ZUÑIGA, FATIMA ELIZA OLIVA

updated blog

finally... i was able to update this blog. I've been wanting to finish it for the longest time but I just didn't have the stamina to do it. whew! I'm so proud of myself. I know I'm not the techie type but i finally managed to somehow comprehend the links.. and voila.. I bring you Pilgrim's Notions..

hmm.. i hope this would motivate me to blog more often.. we'll see!

Factotum @ Work

5 March 2008

The Parks and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) invited the Office for a workshop on Philippine Policy Conference Initiative on Biodiversity, Indigenous Peoples' Rights and Intellectual Property Rights. It was an inter-agency workshop to outline the country's position on the international regime on access and benefit sharing. Beats me! I didn't even understand the discussion half of the time. I even got lost in their jargon of TKs, IPs, GRs, CBD, BP and all those hullabaloo. All I know is that our Office was instrumental in ratifying the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and International Treaty on Plant and Genetic Resources. Despite that, I chose to focus and observe the proceedings 'coz I've come to realize that there is a lesson behind every experience.

True enough, after much concentration I was amazed with the passion of these government representatives in defending their position and it seemed to me that they really know their stuff. I was inspired by this passion and it made me think that with the recent political uprisings, most Filipinos may have a negative perception of the government but what they don't know is that there are still people in the government who remain true to their mandate of delivering public service. These meetings should be the ones publicized to project an image that the government is still working to promote and uphold the rights of Filipino people.

Finally, I came to the conclusion that humans have a way of complicating things. They have a knack of instituting mechanisms to complicate things which are originally created to be shared by all. But since natural resources are limited, it is imperative for each country to protect its resources because the reality is - other societies are out to exploit for their own benefit.

inhibitions

I haven't written anything in a long time. Its not that I don't have anything to blog about - I've got a million things to write about. But I never got around to writing about it because I have a lot of inhibitions. I'm not a good writer, i'm aware of that. It seems like I don't know how to vividly describe what I had in mind. I'm so conscious about my grammar and I'm not sure if my thoughts are even coherent. I'm afraid somebody would comment about my entry. I just want to be inconspicuous. But at the same time I want to document all the things that happened to me. All the blessings that God has given me. I want to share it with all the people who's fond of reading blogs. And most importantly, I want to do this for me - so that I would be able to remember everything. So now, I'm trying hard to let go of all my inhibitions and just write. I don't care if someone reacts negatively towards it. I don't care anymore. I wanna do this for me and for all the people who would be inspired by what I write.

old songs

haay.. its a lazy tuesday afternoon and I just finished cleaning my desk (above it and underneath it) as in mega-general clean up! oha, ako ba to? hehe.. I felt this sudden urge to clean my surroundings so that I can function well. sabi kasi dun sa personality test that we took last night in our unit hold - Let's get organized, sanguines! so, here's the first step to getting organized.

Anyway, while cleaning my desk, I've uncovered some old cd's which I haven't paid any attention to for the longest time. One is a cd from Joms containing old yfc songs. It just felt great to listen to these songs and reminisce my yfc experiences. One song is my all time favorite - Strong Arm 'coz there was a funny and humbling experience associated with it. :-)


Strong Arm

My child I knew you
Before the world began
I was there every time you wrote your name in the sand
And lately I know you've been through quite a storm
My child, I've been there since the day you were born

Oh, and I rule the wind
And yes I calm the sea
And the sun won't go down until I say it can leave
And as sure as my word I 'll stand here right by your side
And if you're just too weak to go on
Remember child, that I'm your strong arm

Now people will wonder and they'll stand amazed
They'll say you are a miracle and I will be praised
And even though your pain has been so hard to bear
Just know that I'm with you there's no need to despair

Lean on me, I'm your strong arm
I will never leave you


I do miss those yfc days - when we were young and carefree and our main concern was to make it through the sem. But, come to think of it, that wasn't my main concern after all. I was very busy with extra-curricular activities especially yfc events. That was the highlight of my college life.

Its just sad to think of the various issues confronting the CFC community right now. In reply to a friend's email, I was able to gather my thoughts and came up with this..

---

beyond the issue, here's what i think - that rift was inevitable. for an organization composed of unique individuals with different principles and different levels of maturity, who have grown into very large proportions, it would be hard to unite all of these people under one banner because they are bound to promote their own principles. conflict starts when the individual member perceives that his principles are no longer compatible with the organization's beliefs. one way to resolve this would be to reconcile these differences and reach an agreement. but if the number of members who must be feeling this way reach a significant level, it would be very hard to reconcile - thus the natural thing to do would be to break away from the organization and form another group which would espouse their principles.

so i say, nobody is at fault here. they are just doing what they believe is the right thing - and that is fighting for their principles. that's the way human organizations work.

i do agree with you friend, "it doesn't matter in which organization i am in. the organization is there as a vessel to do the mission that was given to me." di ba yan ang lagi nating sinasabi nung nasa yfc pa tayo - do not find yourselves in yfc, find yourself in God. aptly put, do not find yourself in cfc, find yourself in God.

as for me, i'll be forever grateful for my yfc experience. i learned a lot of things and met a lot of good people whom i consider as my true friends (brothers and sisters in Christ) - kayo yun :-) and i'll treasure those memories.

the CFC community was instrumental in my renewal of commitment to Christ but i think i've outgrown that stage. i'm moving on in my journey towards living a more fruitful life for God with and without the help of any organization. this is my personal journey but i do appreciate the aid of people i meet along the way who have touched my life in various ways. at the end of it all, i think God would not ask me how many organizations i've joined but how much I've loved.

gratefulness

This morning, I resolved to wake up early and jog at the Circle. Obviously, for vanity reasons, I felt like I was gaining weight and I don't like it. hehe.. Actually, the Circle is a good place to jog. I just don't like crossing from NHA towards the crossing. I felt like all those wheezing cars would bump me and leave me for dead. I swear, that'll be the death of me(God forbid!) its been a long time since I've been there, I noted several stores that I'd like to visit when I have the time - the Butterfly garden, Herbal garden and the skating rink.

Anyway, on my way home, I was tempted to buy taho. Its been quite some time since I've eaten taho and I was greatly disappointed. It didn't taste too good. So, when I saw a scruffy old man, sitting by the sidewalk, I decided to do my good deed right then and there. (The motive wasn't really that noble 'coz I wanted to dispose the taho and it was the perfect excuse.. ) And I thought he looked kinda hungry too so I'm sure he'd appreciate my taho.

But when I offered my taho to him, here's what he said to me, in straight english. "My Child, I am so grateful that you're sharing your food with me. But I can't take it coz I have arthritis. Thank you, thank you."

That's it? No punchline? It blew my mind away. It was the ultimate humbling experience. As I was looking into his clear eyes, trying to gauge the sincerity of his statement, I still had doubts in my mind. I was thinking that he'd end his statement with, "But you can give me some money instead." I swear, I'll walk out on him. But after he finished speaking those sincere words, I was speechless. I just managed to smile and walk on with all these thoughts racing through my mind.

I'm so ashamed of myself. I realized that my view of the world is so jaded. I'm paranoid that everybody is out to outwit anybody. It feels great to know that there are still kind hearted people out there who also see the goodness in everybody. I'd like to take that attitude to heart and live it. Gratefulness is also one trait which many of us have forgotten. All I hear are complaints - its too hot (be thankful there's no storm), i have so many things to do at the office (be thankful you have a job), the food does not taste good (be thankful you have something to eat).. the list is endless for things that we can be thankful about.

Be grateful - make it a habit!


P.S.

Also, Paulo Coelho's book entitled Veronika Decides to Die came to mind. What if he's one of those people? Someone who doesn't want to live within the bounds of societal norms. Society calls them crazy - they call it, freedom. And yes, I remember, I once wanted to have that kind of freedom but was too afraid to risk.
Maybe I'll talk more about this in my future posts.

Personal Resolution

16 August 2007

After several years of hee-hawing on my decision, I finally resolved to pursue the study of law for the following reasons:

* I want to learn the intricacies of law - I want to understand the technical aspects of law and its contribution in promoting a harmonious environment.

* I want to be able to affect other people's lives and have a direct impact and contribution in helping them.

* My personal advocacy would be juvenile delinquency and sexual abuse. I want to assure them that they are not alone in this fight and that they still have a hope for a brighter future despite the things that happened to them.

* I want to be able to help my local government. If the local officials are willing, I can help them devise plans to improve the locality.

* I do think that these reasons would motivate me to wake up in the morning and help me fulfill my mission in this life.

* Moreover, a solid grounding in the study of law would help me form my own opinion regarding pertinent issues in the society.

All of these things, I lift up to God and implore His Divine guidance and blessings for my future decisions.

Plan of Action
1. start reviewing for LAE
2. enroll in a review program
3. ask Rude is she'd like to take the entrance exam
4. keep it mum :)
5. pray and pray for guidance
6. talk to ate sansu and atty viva regarding plans

30 March 2009
On Retrospect: I made it to law school. And now, I'm struggling to survive this madness :)

On death and living

21 July 2007

With the recent deaths of Dr. Fredegusto David and Bro. Gene Sanchez, I realized how fleeting life is. There's no sense pursuing mundane things. The mission of every human being is to touch and directly impact other people's lives. In the lives of these two gentlemen, God has truly guided them. They led quiet lives but they impacted a lot of people by the way they lived their lives. They have shown us how to live a life of passion for what they deemed as important. May God help us to be more like them - in patience, perseverance and quiet contentment.

Understanding of God

15 July 2007

What if Mary and God are one Supreme Being?
He/she/it has no gender. Its just a manifestation of the human gender but its one and the same. We attribute or attempt to understand the Supreme Being's personification in the way we understand it as humans.

The human's spiritual experience of the manifestation of the Supreme Being is relative to the Spirit's need to gain a deeper understanding of the entirety of the Supreme Being.

Its like language - we have different languages, different ways of expressing ourselves and understanding things. But there's a universal truth -we all believe in the Supreme Being. That our world originated from something or someone more powerful than we are - all knowing, omniscient, omnipotent. Since our senses are limited, we can only grasp a certain facet of this Being's entirety and we use this as our guiding principle / living motto in how we live our lives, how we attempt to understand how this Being work and how we give back our praises to the Supreme Being in gratitude. The Being's gender is not a hindrance to our understanding of the Being's entirety. So, Our Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit and the Blessed Mother could all be personifications of the human being's understanding of the Supreme Being given one's human capacity. Although a semblance of form and structure is also essential so that the believers will have a common understanding of the Supreme Being - much like Wittgenstein's language game.

Like the language, it originated from the human being's desire to communicate with another individual. First, it may have started with only two beings understanding each other using a particular form or semblance of language and then when they became many and many people understand each other using this form - it became established as a formal language.

To each according to his needs. So we attach a certain attribute to the Supreme Being based on our needs. For example, the birds may have or believe in a Supreme Being of worms because they would need someone to guide them / lead them to an abundance of worms. In Jesus' teaching, even the birds of the air are important to him, much more is the human being whom the Supreme Being created in one's own image and likeness.

Maybe that's the reason why we call upon the saints who have spent their lives contemplating on the entirety of the Supreme Being - so that we can follow their steps and grasp what they have grasped and gain an understanding of the Supreme Being.

Religion places a semblance of structure in the human being's understanding of a particular facet or attribute of the Supreme Being.

So, what is the implication of this in our daily Christian living?

silencio

I was invited to a retreat last weekend. I didn't really know what the retreat was all about but I thought I really needed a break so I decided to join anyway. Apparently, the retreat, which was sponsored by Notre Dame de Vie, was all about prayer symbolically represented by quenching one's thirst by meeting Jesus at the well.

It was a new experience for me since the community espouses the importance of silence within the halls of the retreat house. They believe that one can be in communion with the Spirit through silence. For someone who really loves to talk, it was awkward at first. But after a while, silence becomes your company - in everything that you do, like eating, washing the dishes, walking, etc.

There was one session facilitated by Fr. Em (short for Emmanuel) which was all about prayer. Initially, i thought i already knew everything there is to know about prayer. I mean, at a very young age I was already taught how to pray. By sharing the story about Jesus and the Samaritan woman, Fr. Em presented a new aspect about prayer, which gave me food for thought throughout the retreat. Here are a few points that he raised:

- In order to pray, one must have the will to pray. One must learn how to pray.
- According to St. Therese of Avila, prayer is nothing else than the close sharing between friends. This means taking time frequently to be alone with him whom we know loves us.
- Each encounter with Jesus is a prayer.
- Notice that Jesus met the Samaritan woman at a well in the outskirts of the town. This could mean that if you want to have a special encounter with Jesus, you need to get out of the noise.
- It is also possible to meet Jesus daily, even in ordinary places.
- There was also a verse about Jesus becoming very tired from the journey - he can empathize with our weaknesses.
- One doesn't have to wait until you feel worthy in order to pray. Even sinners can meet Jesus in prayer.
- In the dialogue between Jesus and the women, both friends are thirsty when they came to the well. Jesus starts the dialogue in prayer. And he is waiting for you at the well.
- Its a comforting thought that God desires us and prayer is an encounter of God's thirst for us.
- When he asked the woman to give him a drink, it was the love of the woman that he was seeking. Jesus is thirsty for our love.
- Love is giving and receiving. We just have to allow God to love us. God is waiting for someone who will accept his love.
- For us to accept his love, we have to enter into the covenant and open up our hearts to him. Although, God respects your will to accept or reject his love.
- St. John of the Cross declares that: "It should be known that if a person is seeking God, his beloved is seeking him more."
- The Holy Spirit is the living water.
- There are several wellsprings of faith such as the Word of God and liturgical prayer within us. Faith is something that belongs to us. It can also be a talent that one can exercise through actions. Do your little acts of faith and at the end of the dialogue, Jesus reveals himself.
- We cannot measure God's presence according to our own feelings.
- True adoration is the movement of body and soul. ad- to want and oration-oral. It is an act of bringing or giving oneself to God and to come to him in a free and personal way.
- If you want to discern your vocation, start doing / fulfilling your eternal vocation and your practical vocation will be revealed.


Let me end this with three statements. I came... I saw... I left..
I came... not knowing what to expect from the retreat.
I saw... a different aspect of prayer and a contemplative attitude towards it. I realized that a lot of people are also thirsting for more of Him, including me. And our thirst can only be quenched in prayer.
I left... with a lighter bounce to my step knowing that my God is just waiting for me to come to him in prayer.