New York City: A Return Trip 12 Years In The Making

Travel, Food, & Dining Buzz

Recapturing the moments 12 year ago in NYC. Yes, it’s the same shirt I was wearing and can still fit into it.

Some folks like to get away
Take a holiday from the neighbourhood
Hop a flight to Miami Beach
Or to Hollywood
But I’m taking a Greyhound
On the Hudson River Line
I’m in a New York state of mind

I didn’t know when I will be back in New York City since my first trip 12 years ago. But I have always been in a New York state of mind (which is also the title of one of my fave songs) ever since I left my heart in this city. So this year, I made plans to hop on a flight not to Miami Beach or to Hollywood (though both have always been on my bucket list) but to return to one of my top 5 fave cities in the world that I have already visited (along with Paris, Barcelona, Cape Town, and Sydney).

NYC in Autumn

It was no brainer to see NYC again now that I am much closer location wise (being based in Mexico City). Unlike before when I went during summer, this time I did NYC in autumn. My sister was right, NYC is lovely during this season. The weather is cool (3 to 8 degress celsius during day and night), the colors of autumn leaves are mesmerizing, and the Christmas feel is very evident thru decors and kioks that are starting to sprout. There is something in the air during this time of the year, and not to mention that you can dress up and make a fashion statement as you put on different layers of clothing to your heart’s desire without worrying about the sweat.

Christmas is in the air

I stayed at Romer Hell’s Kitchen after learning that Staybridge Suites Times Square, my NYC home 12 years ago, has already been shuttered. If I did a good choice back then, I made a better choice this time. Location is perfect (8th Avenue near 51st Street), which is at the heart of NYC. It’s a block away from 9th Avenue where the restaurant row is, and a block away from Broadway Avenue (other side between 7th and 8th) where the theater row and iconic Times Square is. In fact, during my whole stay, I didn’t use the subway. I did all the walking either going uptown or downtown Manhattan. That surely racked up record breaking steps in my Pacer (averaging 15k steps a day!) during the whole time I was there.

My home in NYC (Romer Hell’s Kitchen)

Unlike the previous trip, I didn’t really have any itinerary for this trip. Unlike the last one where it was structured, where I have to do this or that touristy stuff (what’s more touristy than hopping in and out of the Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus, stepping into Empire State Building elevator to get to the viewing deck and buying “I heart NY” T-shirt?), this time it was more of living like the locals and savoring the city. One of the reasons why I also flew to NYC is because I started to crave for the type of food that I am used to back in Manila. Though Mexican food is great for most people, my palate has never developed a taste for Mexican food. This is one of my sister’s concerns when I told her that I will be moving to Mexico City (aside from my safety) coz though she and my brother-in-law are fond of Mexican food, she knows I’m not. As expected, I even flew back to the Philippines in May (or only 4 months since I got to Mexico City) partly because I was missing the food. Now I don’t have to spend a fortune on round trip plane ticket to Manila as NYC has all the goods that I have been longing for.

Manila comfort food in NYC (top from left): Jollibee, Ichiran, and Ippudo. (Bottom): Tim Ho Wan

First stop was Jollibee, the most popular Filipino fast food chain in the Philippines. I was surprised that it is also popular in NYC, judging from the long queues at the counter and the crowded resto both filled with diners and those waiting for their “to go’s”. I didn’t know that Spicy Chickenjoy with gravy would be a hit to both New Yorkers and visitors alike where I can see people leaving the resto with buckets of that crispy, tasty, and delicious fried chicken. Then I discovered Ichiran Ramen, a very popular and one of the best ramen houses in Japan. I was also surprised how popular this resto is in NYC, based on both occasions where I have to queue for a meal (went there twice since the first time was not as good as the one I had in Tokyo so I thought it was just a fluke, but then the second time proved that it wasn’t). I was also glad that there’s a branch of Ippudo just a few steps away from my hotel, which is one of my two fave ramen houses in Manila (the other one is Mendokoro). Unlike Ichiran, Ippudo was more consistent in terms of flavor with its counterpart in Manila. Not far from my hotel is Tim Ho Wan, my go-to lunch place when I was still working at Bonifacio Global City (one of the two financial centers in Manila), which traces its origin in Hong Kong and known globally as the “cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant.”

(Clockwise from top left): Szechuan shrimps and char siu (Chef Yu), beef and tripe in chili oil and soup dumplings (Kung Fu Kitchen), king crab legs and shrimps (Seafood Boil)

There were also a few good finds in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, known for endless food choices where one doesn’t need to go anywhere else to find good food, as well as along 8th Avenue which seems to be the avenue of choice for major international hotel chains (Intercon, Westin, Marriott, Hilton, etc.) which means that good restos won’t be far behind. There’s Kung Fu Kitchen, which is also a few steps from my hotel. Boy, was I not pleasantly surprised how good this Michelin-recommended and Zagat-rated Chinese restaurant is (I was planning to go to Chinatown to look for good Chinese restos but ended up dining here 3 or 4 times during my stay). Their soup dumplings are to die for. Then there’s Seafood Boil resto for cajun king crab legs and shrimps, complete with plastic gloves and bib to enjoy those tasty and spicy but messy shellfish. There’s also Chef Yu, a Chinese fine dining resto with good char siu, which I wasn’t able to finish (talk about saving the best for last) and decided to bring back to my hotel for midnight snack, but on my walk back, I passed by a homeless man and decided to leave that delicious char siu for probably his first decent meal in a while (I also previously left my peach mango pie that I got for free at Jollibee after filling up a survey to another homeless guy that I ran into on my way back to the hotel). NYC, for all its fab and glory, has a homeless problem, which is not uncommon in big and expensive cities.

(Left to right): Instagram post on my review of Spamalot, Taran Killam (@tarzannoz) liking the post, show’s playbill and ticket, me during intermission

Since I was in the theater capital in this side of the world, it was just organic that I have to see a Broadway show or two. The first show that I did was Spamalot, a revival of the 2004 Tony Best Musical. It was so hilarious that I really had a blast. It stars one of my fave ex-mainstays of Saturday Night Live (SNL), Taran Killam, and as expected, he slayed all the funny moments as well as the multiple roles that he played (my faves are the spitting frenchman and the silly shrub). I even made a post on this blog’s Instagram account about how much I enjoyed the show which he “liked”. Funny though, when I told my friends about it (that less than 48 hours in NYC, a celebrity is already liking my Instagram post), most of them asked “who is he?” Knowing not all may be fans of Broadway or SNL, all I could muster was to share that he is the hubby of Cobie Smulders (Avengers, How I Met Your Mother, Jack Reacher). Now everyone knows who he is.

(Left to right): theater marquee, show’s playbill and ticket, me before the start of the show

The second show that I watched was The Book Of Mormon. I vividly remember that it was a hit show when it first appeared on Broadway back in 2011 when I was in NYC that I then can’t afford to purchase a ticket (or at least pay that much for one show) in as much as I wanted to see it then. It went on to win the Tonys for Best Musical that year. Who knows that 12 years later, it is still running and packing up the theater. I also had a fun evening and filled with gratefulness that I was able to finally see the show after all these years. Only proves that great things happen to those who wait (hopefully it will hold true as well for my love life).

Me serving face instead after realizing my blooper (MET is closed every Wednesday)

Of course, I can’t leave NYC without visiting the MET (or Metropolitan Museum). So I went, but not without a blooper. I walked from 51st Street going uptown to 83rd Street only to find out it was closed. I forgot that MET is closed every Wednesday. So I went again the next day. In this visit, I did the old and the new. For the new, I did the galleries that showcased new artworks and collections while for the old, I still went for the ancient Greek and 19th century American. I didn’t have enough time for the ancient Egyptian (which I did the last time), coz same as the last time, two hours in the museum would barely scratch the surface. There’s just so much to see and savor that you have to allot at least 5 hours while you’re there (excluding any snack or meal break).

Having fun in the museum

But the highlight of the trip was able to reconnect with old friends that I haven’t seen in decades. So much have happened in our individual lives that it was such a delight to hear their stories, their journeys, the joys and the struggles, and living the American dream. Though I am not living that dream, I am just glad that these old friends of mine are doing very well in their personal and professional lives not to mention being amazing hosts while I was there. By extension, I feel that I am living (or at least visiting in) their dreams as well and no one could be more proud of their success and happiness than yours truly.

Catching up with old friends

So don’t be surprised if I will be back in NYC anytime soon (definitely not another 12 years in the making). Sooner than you would think (or before you could finish belting out New York State Of Mind).

Leaving NYC (for Mexico City) with memories to last a lifetime (but will be back soon).

My First Europe Trip

Anniversary Buzz

Me in Europe 20 years ago

Yes dear readers, we are on our 4th year anniversary and we are still going strong. Though I have been blogging less nowadays after I took that role in Mexico City, the number of views have been consistent and we are now being read in 83 countries and territories. Not only are we celebrating a milestone, but around this time 20 years ago, I embarked on my first trip to Europe and my travel life has never been the same again that it is also worth commemorating what started my kindled romance with Europe.

Amsterdam and its popular canals

I have always been fascinated with Europe and just the thought of finally flying there has brought tremendous excitement to a young finance professional who later found his purpose in life: work to travel. Since I was not earning that much then, planning for the trip has to be meticulous up to the last dollar. Though friends who have traveled more had advised not to convert expenses to Philippine peso, I can’t avoid but do what I was told not to do, which actually sucks the joy out of travel. But can you blame me for being a bit stingy, ensuring that I would have enough to last for the whole trip, which isn’t much anyway to start with.

(Left) Old tram station (right) Anne Frank’s House (Amsterdam)

So to save time and money, I decided to visit at most three (3) adjacent cities so that I can fly in on one and just take the train for the other two. Initially Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg) crossed my mind, but then I always wanted to see Paris (which is another kindled romance that I have developed over the years), so I finalized my itinerary with Amsterdam (Netherlands), Brussels (Belgium), and Paris (France). So I booked an economy class ticket to Amsterdam (yes, I flew coach, which is no surprise since I was young then with no back problem/spinal surgery and only earning just enough to afford economy fare). I can’t exactly remember the order of the trip, but all I could recall was that I flew in and out of Schiphol Airport (Amsterdam), so I guess I may mix up Brussels and Paris.

(Left) Atomium (right) The Peeing Boy (Brussels)

So off I went to Amsterdam. It was rainy when I got there, which quite dampens the excitement but the beauty and charm (European feels) was undeniable. Amsterdam is actually pretty, with those small colored buildings interspersed with old ones along the famous canals. There were also trams and bicycles all over, which gave me a whole new perspective of European staple when it comes to transportation (this is true all over Europe after having been to more than a dozen countries years later). So with an umbrella in tow, I walked around the wet city, which isn’t really that big, wandering around with no clear direction where to go (Google maps nor digital phones weren’t in vogue then, neither the hop on hop off tour buses). What I remember was that there are just a few places that I shouldn’t miss, like Anne Frank’s House and the red light district.

Marketplace day and night (Brussels)

Red light district sounds dodgy, but in Amsterdam, it’s actually a main tourist attraction, where the oldest profession is actually legal. So instead of mannequins in sexy lingerie on display windows, here you actually have live action where tourists were mainly on window shopping mode. But unlike in most places, women in this profession get a bit of respect (Dutch people treat this as any other profession), where tourists (or anyone for that matter) who don’t behave are thrown into the canal (I actually heard a splash or two when I was in the area). The more conservative beings may blush, but then again, this come as no surprise in a city where recreational marijuana is also legal (take note, this was 20 years ago).

(Left) Eiffel Tower grounds (right) Seine River (Paris)

But what left an indelible mark on my Amsterdam trip was the visit to Anne Frank’s House. To those who are unfamiliar, Anne Frank was a Jewish girl who hid in a secret annex of their house during the occupation of the Nazis. During the time that she and her family were hiding, she wrote a memoir about their daily life in hiding until they were finally discovered. This was a girl who still think life is worth living in spite of the perils that she and her family are facing, who had big dreams and have stayed positive all throughout. She is one of my personal heroes, drawing inspiration from her life story every time I am struggling with mine.

(Left) Arc de Triomphe (right) Eiffel Tower (Paris)

Then off I went to Brussels, where I took the Eurail. The weather was better (though Amsterdam has always been known to be wet all year round, like London) so similar to Amsterdam, I was walking aimlessly. All I know then was that I wanted to see the Atomium and The Peeing Boy, two main attractions of the city. Of course, your trip to Brussels would not be complete without a visit to Marketplace, which is the nerve center of the city, where the place is abound with flowers in bloom and several restos and coffee shops around the plaza. I haven’t tried any of those, since I was only subsisting on fastfood during the whole trip (usually Burger King coz that’s what’s more popular there and that’s what I can only afford). So no fancy dining then, only good old chicken nuggets/wings and fries of a fastfood chain that is everywhere and more popular than McDonalds.

From left: Louvre, Notre Dame, and Walt Disney Studio (Paris)

This leg of the trip was uneventful (except when a guy started calling and following me for no reason while I was in the area where The Peeing Boy is around late at night, which got me a little unsettled since I really have no idea what his intentions were and I was a bit naive then). So I took the train to Paris, more excited than ever. I was finally gonna see the City of Lights, which until now still mesmerizes me (I have seen every episode and all 3 seasons of “Emily in Paris” just to remember Paris by even if I have been there 3 to 4 times already). Of course I have to see the Eiffel Tower and the grounds and Seine River, the Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees, the Louvre, and Notre Dame. It was also an opportunity to visit Disneyland, one of my childhood dreams, which not only got fulfilled but also came with a combo of Warner Bros Adventure Park. What more can I ask for, right?

Paris Disneyland

Then came the realization that when one travels, reality may differ from expectations. Take the Eiffel Tower for example. I initially thought it was huge and tall, only to be underwhelmed with its size and height. So what I learned later on was not to expect much from the places of our dreams, so that we would not end up disappointed and subconsciously ruin the trip. Though it didn’t in this one (Paris will never disappoint me), I would always have that in mind every time I travel (though I’m just human to be underwhelmed sometimes, just like when I first saw the Colosseum in Rome). More importantly, always respect the place and its people. That lesson came early, when I witnessed an American guy buying a postcard in one of the kiosks underneath the Eiffel Tower. He asked for a stamp, and the vendor said he doesn’t have any. The American started his tirade and what was close to a verbal assault and the helpless French cannot muster a word. When the American guy left, the Parisian uttered something in French, which with my limited French vocabulary was something close to a curse. People I know say French are snotty, but from my own personal experience, they are no different than anyone else as long as you extend the same respect that you yourself would expect from anyone. It wouldn’t hurt also if you learn a little of their language, which the French people are very proud of. One of my friends even highlighted that the reason why I probably didn’t experience the French snub is because I would start my conversations with “Parlez vous Anglais?” (Do you speak English?) and most of the time (again from my own personal experience) they do and they would be very helpful.

Warner Bros Park car and motorcycle stunts (Paris)

So all of these life lessons happened in such a short trip (how I wish it was longer but due to budgetary constraints, I can only savor Europe for just a bit). But more than the lessons learned, it was this trip that gave me a purpose-driven life, to work and build a career behind a purpose (travel), not so much to accumulate material things but experiences that will last a lifetime.

Happy Anniversary.

My first and obviously not the last

Filipino Expat in Mexico City: My Greatest Learning and Regret

Travel and Positivity Buzz

Hello Mexico City! Welcome party for me (complete with sparklers) hosted by my Mexico team.

My transfer to Mexico City at the start of the new year has been a year in the making. I worked for a global company in Manila when this role was brought up to me around September 2021 (around the time of my Mom’s passing) which is still under the same global company but in different location and legal entity. At that time, I didn’t give much thought on applying for the role since I was mourning then until the different regional heads encouraged me to apply. When I finally hurdled the interviews and accepted the offer on January 2022 (I initially rejected the offer back in December 2021), everything went downhill from there right after I got my temporary resident visa, when Mexico HR bungled what was supposed to be a relatively simple task of having the job contract authenticated/verified by the Philippine Embassy in Mexico as a requirement of Philippine government before they would allow its citizen to work abroad. Long story short, my initial visa expired before securing the exit clearance from the Philippine government so I have to re-apply again before I could proceed with the process for the exit clearance.

Shopping and dining options

When I finally got to Mexico City, my travails (with Mexico HR) continued. Though the company has external vendors to assist me with the legal documents that I need to complete before I can get onboarded by the company (ie immigration lawyers for my residence card application, consultants for my tax ID application, relocation specialist for my hotel accommodation and apartment hunting, etc.), I didn’t get any support from Mexico HR. Not even when I asked who can help me with the document that I need for one of my applications. In other words, I was able to complete all the legal documents that are required for onboarding with no help at all from Mexico HR. To add insult to injury, after completing all the onboarding requirements, Mexico HR told me that they cannot onboard me unless I get offboarded first by Manila. It’s not even a conundrum of chicken or egg, it was plain incompetence at its finest.

Sights and sounds

So for over a year, Mexico HR has put me through untold stress and anxiety. There was a point in the last quarter of 2022 where out of frustration, I almost gave up before I could even fly out. The only thing that was holding me from telling my global seniors that I’m not going anymore was that I don’t want to harbor “what ifs” in my life. It still looks like a good opportunity then (being the first Filipino and Asian from the company’s Asia Pacific franchise to be offered a role in Mexico) and letting go would make me wonder what I have missed out. But I should have read the signs then, when Mexico HR put me through hell again when they told me that the housing allowance is gross of tax (meaning I won’t get the full amount) contrary to my understanding when they made the relocation offer. This happened the night before I was scheduled to sign the lease contract for the only apartment that I liked (after viewing more than half a dozen apartment units). It felt like getting assaulted multiple times and the stress and anxiety I was put through was something I was totally unprepared for. The saving grace was that my onboarding contract (which was all in Spanish) has explicitly provided that the amount that I should receive is net of tax, coz if it wasn’t, I would have probably served my two-week notice and booked my flight home.

Old town vs new town

If Mexico HR is the super villain in this story, there were superheroes as well. There’s this angel of an expat from Hungary (same global company) who has been helping me even before I flew out of Manila. He went thru similar unpleasant experience with Mexico HR before, that’s why he has been helping me every step of the way. I can’t imagine how I could have survived my first few weeks here in Mexico City without his help. I even said that he should be doing HR work coz he’s more competent that all of them combined. There’s also my Mexican team, who are all super nice and reminds me of my Manila team of yesteryears which I had the opportunity to mold and develop (where some of my former staff have reached greater heights in their respective careers). Now I have the same opportunity to bring out the best in them and achieve their full potential and hopefully when the time comes, make a difference in their careers.

Mexicans love their breads and pastries

All these drama with HR unfolded amidst the backdrop of Mexico City. Unlike Mexico HR, the city is hard not to love. So no matter how much I despise HR for what they have put me through, I won’t deny the fact that I’m loving the city. The city is vibrant, green, full of life and culture. I haven’t been around much (aside from the HR fiasco, I’m bogged down with work and the stress that comes with the new role which my years with the company have prepared me for) but gauging from what I have seen, heard, felt, tasted, and experienced so far, this is a place I can consider home. People are nice, food is great, sights and sounds are delightful and cost of living is affordable (except eating out or ordering in, which is very expensive compared to Manila). I know that Mexico (as a country) has more to offer (I haven’t seen their famous beaches and “magic towns” yet) so once I started exploring both the country and the city, that will provide me with more material to blog about later.

My new apartment (I thought I won’t be able to fill up the walk-in closet lol)

So what’s my greatest learning and regret so far? My regret was that I didn’t escalate the lack of ownership and accountability on the part of Mexico HR in all their dealings with me early on. They may have been accustomed to their incompetence for years that it probably is the norm for them, oblivious to how the same impacts people’s lives (imagine if I have my own family that I have uprooted and brought here only to find out that I’ll be having issues with both onboarding and relocation benefits where I’ll end up being unemployed and/or having expenses outside of budget because I won’t get the full amount that I was told I’ll be receiving). My greatest learning (so far, aside from translating and reading my contract knowing that the devil is in the details) is that you can never go wrong with kindness. The reason why I’m still living and breathing inspite of the difficulties and the challenges of being new to the country and adjusting not only to the general environment but also to the work environment is the help I’m getting from my team. I don’t think I would have gotten their support and earned their trust if not for the kindness that I have shown so far. Someone told me to be more tough with them, but that has been done before (by their previous manager) and that didn’t work. I’ll be just pushing them away if I do that, that’s why cultural sensitivity is important and kindness is universal. Knowing such cultural nuances as avoiding embarrassing a Mexican in front of others, always have greetings in emails before getting down to business, greeting someone when you bump unto them or when in calls or meetings, making an effort to speak their language no matter how limited your Spanish vocabulary is (in my case, it also helps that my accent is spot on), all these little things will go a long way in endearing yourself to them. All these translate to being kind and respectful. So I have to strip and do away with some of my western influences (particularly those that they would find rude) and continue to adapt to my new environment and in the process, rediscovering my old, unadulterated, provincial self before I have evolved into this “boss” man (from a mildly derogatory meaning of the word) courtesy of the old work environment I was in.

My newfound friends (United Colors of Mexico)

When asked how do I find Mexico so far, my usual response is I’m loving the city but not the work. Maybe because I’m still trying to navigate my way around the work environment (and that covers navigating around people and organizational culture) and get familiar with and have appreciation of the lay of the land which does not give me as much a chance of winning as the next guy. But I’m still keeping an open mind and we’ll see whether I continue to be a Filipino expat in Mexico City or a Filipino on his way home.

Goodbye or Hello Philippines?

Rediscovering The Joy Of Travel

Travel & Food Buzz

Pattaya Beach, Thailand

It’s been 2 years and 6 months since my last travel abroad and it seems like eternity for someone who would see the world at least twice a year (one long haul and one short haul trip). The pandemic has created a sedentary lifestyle and actually resulted to some 20 pounds of weight gain. I have been itching to travel to at least get rid of the excess “baggage” (I would normally lose weight every time I travel with all the walking) as I see travelling as a means not only to de-stress but also a good way to rack up steps in my Pacer.

(Left photo) Pattaya December 2019 or 2.5 years ago and 20.5lbs lighter; (right photo) Pattaya June 2022 and doesn’t feel so sexy so just serving face lol

So when the Philippine government relaxed its travel requirements for inbound residents where they don’t require any form of testing as long as you have your booster shot already, I decided to get myself a booster even if my last antibody test showed that I still have high levels of COVID antibodies. If you have read my previous article “I Got Vaccinated and My COVID Antibodies Are Off The Roof” (https://columbusbee.blog/2021/09/15/i-got-vaccinated-and-my-covid-antibodies-are-off-the-roof/), after getting fully vaccinated in August of last year, my antibody levels in September showed more than 2500 units/ml (2500 u/ml is the machine limit so it literally broke the machine lol). On February this year (or 5 months after my last test), I had myself tested again to see whether I would already need a booster shot but my antibody level was at 2284 units/ml, which is still very high given that the normal protection level is somewhere between 100-400 units/ml. That’s why I decided to defer the booster in the meantime and let others who need it more than I do take first dibs. But when the new travel requirement came out in June, it was probably a sign to have it as an annual shot (regardless of the antibody level) and plan that much deserved trip.

COVID quantitative antibody test results. As you can see, my antibody protection level hasn’t really declined more than 5 months after my 2nd vaccine dose

I went through a lot in the last nine months both personally and professionally. That’s why this trip was important to me as it will rekindle that old feeling of anticipation. Anticipating time off from work, anticipating the joy of doing nothing (if you have seen the movie or read the book “Eat, Pray, Love,” this is what Italians would say “La dolce far niente” or the sweetness of doing nothing), anticipating new experiences and surprises as well as the old and familiar. As I mentioned in my earlier article “The Joys of Travelling (Solo)” (https://columbusbee.blog/2019/06/01/the-joys-of-travelling-solo/), you won’t be the same person between the time you embarked on a trip and after your return, carrying with you something new and old, even if having gone through the same or similar experiences. Given that it is only a short time off (essentially eight days of rest and recreation excluding travel time), I cannot eat in Italy, pray in India, and find love in Indonesia. So I thought why not go to Japan when you can do all three things? Japan though still has strict travel requirements, where they only allow tour groups at this time. So individual/solo travelers are still not allowed. Going to Italy also crossed my mind (where you can also do all three things) where I still have the travel voucher from the Europe trip that I was supposed to take in May 2020 (if the pandemic didn’t cause the flight cancellation), but the fares have shot up (twice the price if I have booked the ticket say in Feb) which is expected if you book a flight so close to summer. I have also thought of Guam, but the fares are more expensive than usual (particularly the return flight), not sure if because summer has officially kicked in as well.

La dolce far niente or the sweetness of doing nothing

So I thought why not go to my fave country in Southeast Asia: Thailand. I have been to Thailand a few times already and it’s my go-to destination if I just want a quick escape from everything. It is a perfect destination if you are looking for beaches, good food, and nice people. Of course you can eat, pray, and love (and I did a lot of eating and prayed as well, but didn’t find love). Thailand also has relaxed its inbound travel requirements in June (no need for testing and quarantine if fully vaxxed, you just need to secure a Thailand Pass online which is more like a health declaration and save the QR code on your phone), so less hassle and it’s time to return to the country that I last visited before the pandemic (December 2019).

My Google Maps Timeline email notification

And just like that, I was queueing at the Philippine passport control in the airport as if it was pre-pandemic and took some meals from the lounge while waiting for my flight. The only difference this time is that you order your food online and will be served on your table. So I ordered anything that I can eat (I had the popular arroz caldo and adobo rice topping) and drink (two cans of Coke Zero and a bottle of water) since it would take some time for the same to be served, unlike before where you just take what you want to eat or drink from the different counters. Soon I found myself settling on my business class seat in Thai Airways’ 777-300ER. I can’t remember if it was the same aircraft that I flew last time, but the seat is much different now, which is a pleasant surprise (these are the types of surprises that I like when travelling). Unlike before where the seats are just wider than economy and with an arm rest that extends to a mini drink counter (think of Philippine Airlines business class seats for local flights or US airlines business class seats for regional flights), the flight now has its own cube (or mini suite whatever you may call it) where each seat is separated from the adjacent seat like having your own enclave (the cabin has a 1-2-1 seat configuration). I took the window seat which means I don’t have any adjacent neighbor (safer during this time of COVID). The seat can fully recline into a flat bed and the cube looks like that of Etihad’s business class seat (though this flight is a short haul one unlike the Etihad flight to Europe that I took a few years back). Though you don’t really need a flat bed for a 3-hour flight (or a business class seat for that matter), but gives you options for a comfortable (if you want to take a power nap) and safer flight.

(Left photo) Thai Airways business class seat December 2019; (right photo) business class seat June 2022. Both are window seats. See the huge difference?

I arrived in Bangkok late at night (almost midnight) and since I already arranged for my airport transfer thru Klook, it was a hassle free trip where I’ll just have to wait for the car to arrive and pick me up. That gave me some time to rest before I headed out to Pattaya around noon the next day. It was almost a mirror trip of 2019 where my itinerary was almost the same (except for the Saigon leg of the former). I flew on the same airline (where the seats have leveled up), stayed in the same hotels (All Accor Hotels but will probably change brands in the future due to its very poor Customer Care service), ate on the same places (except for some new ones), sunbathed on the same beaches (though I didn’t feel as sexy as before lol), prayed on the same temples (and new shrines), and shopped in the same malls (plus more with one mall that fascinated me as a traveler). The only thing that I probably didn’t do this time was catch a movie since I’ve already seen some of the movies that were on (Doctor Strange 2 and Maverick 2).

From top left: salmon and kani sashimi, tempura and gyoza, salmon teriyaki, and another serving of salmon and kani sashimi (I love sashimi!)

Most of the trip was spent in Pattaya and I’m just glad that it wasn’t as crowded as the last time. I made a trip down memory lane by eating at familiar places, but this time had more varieties. My food trip started with Japanese. I was actually looking forward to eat at my fave eat-all-you-can Japanese resto (Shabushi by Oishi) but I thought got shuttered due to pandemic when I can’t find it only to realize that I was on the wrong floor (one of those senior moments lol). So I ended up eating at Zen Restaurant. This is one of those detours that end up as pleasant surprises. The food was fresh and the place is comfy where you can binge and chill at the same time. I had my usual sashimi (salmon and kani), tempura, gyoza, miso soup, and salmon teriyaki. I eventually went to Shabushi and relish on shabu-shabu (I used to go there for lunch almost everyday on my last trip), enjoying a wide variety of meat and seafood. Next on the food trip was Southeast Asian fares, starting of course with Thai food. Before leaving for Thailand, I was already craving for my fave tom yum (hot and sour mixed seafood soup). I haven’t found a decent tom yum where I live so the anticipation has been building up. I ended up having it in one of those roadside eateries called J Daeng (which looks like the same roadside eatery as the one in Phuket where I had very good tom yum years ago). Well, as far as tom yum goes, the place didn’t disappoint, but the shrimp cakes that I ordered was just so-so (I was also craving for fish cakes, but then there was none in the menu). Other Southeast Asian comfort food that I had are Singapore’s hainanese chicken rice, which is actually common where I live (I used to eat at Nanyang restaurant at Powerplant Mall years ago before it shut down) and my latest discovery, Malaysia’s bak kut teh (pork ribs soup), which grows on you after a few sips of that delicious pork broth.

Top left: Singapore’s hainanese chicken rice, Malaysia’s bak kut teh (pork ribs soup), and Thailand’s shrimp cakes and tom yum (hot and sour mixed seafood soup)

Next stop is Korean. One thing I noticed not just in Pattaya but also in Bangkok (and probably just anywhere else in Thailand) is the proliferation of not just Japanese restaurants (or anything Japanese for that matter) but also those specializing in Korean food. It’s probably because Japanese and Korean tourists stay longer than any other nationalities. So I had Korean barbeque at Sukishi. It was ok, I enjoyed it but not as much as Shabushi (maybe because I like my food steamed or boiled than barbequed). While there, I got fascinated with the Terminal 21 mall where it is located. This is the first time I’ve visited the mall and I actually like the airport terminal concept. I mean where can you find an Eiffel Tower inside of a mall? I’ve seen replicas of Eiffel Towers before (just like the one in Vegas), but not inside a mall. Each level has different themes and represent a country or a city (ie ground floor is Paris, next levels are Italy, Tokyo, and San Francisco). I was able to appreciate the themes more (Paris is represented by Eiffel Tower, Italy by Leaning Tower of Pisa and different statues, Tokyo by cherry blossoms, San Francisco by the Fisherman’s Wharf) because I actually have been to all these countries/cities.

Terminal 21 mall. Isn’t this mall fascinating?

Bangkok has its fair share of food trip and shopping as well. I don’t leave Bangkok without going to two of my favorite restaurants: Somboon and Square Restaurants. Somboon, home of the original fried curry crabs, has my fave roasted fresh water prawns with glass noodles. I used to order the one with crabs, but there are times that a single order will come with portions of crabs that are heavy on shells, so I would choose prawns instead. In this trip, I discovered a new dish that I really like, which is oyster omelet. Square, on the other hand, is an eat-all-you can buffet. I like this resto coz not only does it offer fresh prawns and mussels (where you can eat to your heart’s content) and Japanese fares (sushi and sashimi) and some delicious soups, but also it is one of those value for money restos.

Korean Barbeque plus salmon sashimi and gyoza (see, even in a Korean resto, I still want my sashimi lol)

There are also new restos that I’ve tried during this trip. As mentioned earlier, I was craving for fish cakes so I tried Baan Ying. The fish cake was just ok, but what I like was the crab meat in chili crab sauce. This is a better alternative to ordering a crab where sometimes you’ll end up with more shells than meat. It has generous portions of crab meat and you can never go wrong with crab chili sauce. Another one that I tried out was Kam’s Roast, a Michelin starred resto in Hongkong that has its biggest offshore branch in Bangkok. I had the popular roasted duck/goose and the combo of toro char siu and char siu (barbequed pork differentiated by pork cuts). Both are delish! These Chinese fares actually cap the food trip, after having Japanese, Southeast Asian, and Korean gastronomic delights.

From left: Roasted fresh water prawn with glass noodles, oyster omelet, and fresh river prawns and mussels. I love Thailand’s river prawns coz the meat has a bit of natural sweetness.

I don’t leave Thailand without doing my usual prayers to their deities. As I’ve written in my previous article “Dear Mama Mary” (https://columbusbee.blog/2019/09/14/dear-mama-mary/), I embrace all religions and beliefs, as long as it makes sense to me. So I visited Wat Pho again. home of the reclining Buddha (apparently the biggest in all of Thailand), as well as discovering new shrines such as the shrine of Trimurti (God of love, health, and fortune) and shrine of Ganesha (God of success). I went all out with the offerings (each shrine would have its own prescribed set of offerings) coz you’ll never know when the Gods will go all out in granting your prayers.

Top left: Chinese roasted duck/goose, combo of Chinese toro char siu and char siu (barbequed pork in two different pork cuts), Thailand’s fish cakes and crab meat in crab chili sauce

Then I realized that the trip was almost over. Just like any trips in the past, it will come to a close. So after picking up a few items at Duty Free, I was again having some meals at the lounge. Suvarnabhumi International Airport, being the hub of Thai Airways, would have expectedly better food and drinks selection in the lounge than the one in Manila, and no need for an app this time since the food and drinks are available in the different counters for you to just pick up and bring to your chosen lounge seat. Then I found myself settling on my seat in the plane, realizing that I’ll be back to work in a few hours. But then, after such a long wait, I finally did what I’ve been longing to do: rediscovering the joy of travel. Not exactly the “Eat, Pray, Love” itinerary, but no doubt I did eat and pray (love will happen when it happens). I don’t even need to go to Japan to do all things Japanese, or be in Guam to do shopping. I don’t need to take a European tour again (at least this year) to reminisce how much I enjoy Europe. All I need is just Thailand.

Coz the saying “it’s not the destination, it’s the journey” does not only apply to life, but also to travel experiences, surprises, and detours that make up a good trip.

After a long wait, I finally did it!

Celebrating Our 3rd Year Anniversary

Three (3) years in and this is how our global footprint looks like (colored ones). Congratulations to all of us!

Yes dear readers, we just crossed the 3 year line and we’re still doing fine. Though I don’t churn out articles as often as I would like to keep the interest in the blog going (I have a day job that keeps me busy not only during the day but also at night), I try to make it worthy for a second look and maintain its global appeal. Proof of that is that we have been read in over 70 countries and territories. There is still traffic in spite of lack of regular articles, and I often get requests from fellow bloggers who want to write articles for the blog (I believe this is common among the blogging community to entertain guest articles) but unfortunately most requests are not consistent with the themes of this blog.

From left: Legacy, Tubby, Beauty, and Persian

I’m planning to write another travel article as an anniversary piece (since it’s been a while since the last travel themed one) so you have something to look forward to. To celebrate though the anniversary, I thought I’ll make it extra special this year. You know, I just became a Grandpa to four (4) beautiful maltipoo pups. In case you are not familiar with the maltipoo breed, this is a cross breed between a maltese and a poodle (that’s where the name of the breed came from). Cotton (maltese dad) and Candy (toy poodle mom) just had four of the cutest and rarest (in color) maltipoo pups and they are such a bundle of joy. Persian, the eldest, is a phantom choco brown, and was born on a carpet (that’s where his name came from). Tubby, a phantom golden brown, was born on a bathroom rug beside the bath tub (yes, he was named after the tub). Legacy, a parti white and choco brown, got her colors from her mom and dad (hence the name). Beauty is a phantom black, and her black mane is as beautiful as the legendary Black Beauty.

(Left) Persian; (Right) Legacy

The reason why I’m making this anniversary extra special is because I’m putting them up for adoption free of charge (as an anniversary gift). Sans any hiccups, I’ll be leaving the country soon to start a new adventure and I need foster parents or families for my grandpups (I may also put Cotton and Candy up for adoption in case I decide not to bring them along with me). I want the new furparents to be loving and responsible and will treat them as part of their families. These are well tempered furbabies who are easily disciplined (they respond well to “sshhuusshh”, “hey”, “down”, “stop it” when these words come with the right tone). They also have adorable personalities. Persian is the aggressive one who loves to playbite with the litter (particularly with Legacy since they are both of the same size and bigger than the other two) and he makes a lot of noise (growling) while doing the same (which seems to be a maltese trait). He is also the only one in the litter who is brave enough to try playing with his Dad, no matter how much the latter would ignore or growl at him. Tubby is a climber, which is no surprise given that he’s the smallest and the lightest so he can lift his whole body over the pen. Legacy is the hopper, she likes to hop and run around and hide under the sofa. I think she’s the most playful one with the kindest face. Beauty is the reserved, aristocratic one (a snub if you may say so), but feisty when provoked and attacked (just like her grandpa). She reminds me very much of Candy when she was still a pup and how she would fight back when Cotton would try to bully or get rough with her no matter how much smaller she was then.

(Left) My previous Tibetan Spaniel furbaby. (Right) Persian who is a look-alike.

Fate also has a funny way of laying the cycle of life in front of me. After taking the lives of my Mom, Dad, college best friend, and other loved ones recently and only a few months apart, it brought me new lives with these maltipoo pups (their procreation wasn’t planned, they were conceived when I left Cotton and Candy at my sister’s place when we left for home to cremate our Dad’s remains last January). Not contented with how this already looks poetic, all my grandpups have uncanny resemblance to my past furbabies. Persian looks like my previous Tibetan Spaniel when I was living in Morocco. Tubby looks like my local dog (I don’t know the breed) when I was still a student. Legacy looks like my Shih Tzu, the one I got from a pet store more than a decade after the passing of my Tibetan Spaniel. Beauty has the same face as the Shih Tzu (protruding jaw) and the same beautiful black mane as my Mini Pinscher which I got when I was just starting out as a working finance professional. They don’t only resemble my past furbabies but also represent the different milestones in my life.

(Left) My previous Shih Tzu when I first saw him in a pet store. (Right) Is Legacy the reincarnation?

I know that It will be hard to let go of them especially now that I have grown fond of them all. I can’t keep them though so I’ll be happy and satisfied just knowing that they will be taken care of and in good hands once they have found their new homes. I’m pretty sure that you will love them as much as I do and I hope to get updates on their life stages and how they have impacted your lives too.

(Left) Tubby; (Right) Beauty

Anyone who is interested to give them a loving and caring home can reach me thru my contact page or leave a comment (please leave your email ad so that I can revert back to you thru email). Only serious pet owners please (and preferably living in Metro Manila, Philippines), as I don’t want to give them to anyone who has no intention of keeping and nurturing them. These are my grandpups after all, and securing a safe home for them is imperative.

Happy anniversary to all of us and keep reading!

#Election2022: Who Will You Hire?

#WhoWillUHire (photos courtesy of rappler.com and cnnphilippines.com)

So last weekend, around the same time that I published my article entitled “#Election2022: Hiring The Next Philippine Managers” (where I talked about choosing political candidates is like hiring managers in the corporate world, by looking at the country as a corporation and us registered Filipino voters as shareholders that should only hire the best management team), three (3) candidates for the presidency held a presscon that ended up backfiring, not only because it took time away from the families of the media people who attended the same on an Easter Sunday (without any new pronouncements), but because people who watched and listened got more confused (in not so many words, they talked about the pre-election survey where they said that the No.2 should slide down and give way to them who are trailing because they have the best chance to beat the No.1, to the point that one candidate even called on the No.2 to withdraw and later another candidate in the same presscon criticized the same survey as something that should be taken with a grain of salt). I was like, “Huh?” The logic goes beyond me that at the back of my mind, I was like “Which alternate universe do these candidates come from?” One candidate (let’s call him survey No.3) even referred the candidates as basketball players who can “sub” (substitute) a player on the court, where he wants to sub No.2. I’m not an avid basketball fan, but if you ask any basketball coach, would you substitute your No. 2 player on the court with say benchwarmers at crunch time? In the corporate world, it’s like one contractual employee asking another contractual employee who is performing better to slide down or be substituted because the former believes that he has the best chance at getting a permanent position. So the presscon ended up with 3 candidates ganging up on one candidate (survey No.2 instead of No.1) and later went their separate ways, even blaming the media for the fiasco. To me it was like kwentong barbero (barbershop talk that should have been confined within the four corners of the barbershop) that was brought and elevated in a posh Makati City hotel (which expense should have been spent instead on the victims of the recent typhoon that hit the country). The upside of this is that now I can exclude 3 candidates from my shortlist of potential managers to hire. With the way they demonstrated and represented themselves in the same event, I wouldn’t touch them with a ten-foot pole. Take note readers that the “interview” process in selecting and hiring the next managers for the Philippines does not only cover how they perform during formal televised interviews and debates, but also how they behave (including their pronouncements) in events such as rallies and presscons. Surely these 3 candidates do not fit within our “corporate” values.

You may be wondering who I will hire among the current crop of candidates. I will share my own personal choice (and I hope people will respect that) with notes on why I’m hiring these candidates. This is based on the information presented by the candidates (similar to a CV that a candidate submits in the corporate world which is screened and shortlisted) such as those found in votepilipinas.com, the “interview” process ie televised interviews and debates, how they behave in public, thought process/logic (or the lack thereof) and words/language during ambush interviews, etc. and what I already know about the candidates from credible sources (not from the rampant misinformation and disinformation particularly in social media where constant exposure would surely result to being brainwashed by the same).

For the position of President, I will hire Leni Robredo. The current Vice President is already an understudy, and as a senior manager in the corporate world who has years of experience selecting and hiring people, I would normally go with promoting people within the team (even if the internal candidate wasn’t the best during interviews) because I would rely on what I already know about the candidate (working with the internal candidate for years would already give me an insight whether the same is ready for a bigger role or if not ready now, how can I help get the candidate ready in the next few months). Leni didn’t only perform well in all her “interviews” but her track record comes with “receipts.” She is also competing as an underdog (I have a conscious bias and soft heart for underdogs) given that she is the most vilified among the candidates in social media (also in that presscon where she’s the one being referred to as survey No.2), the candidate who is the subject of most of the negative misinformation and disinformation in the last 6 years. I remember during the wake of my Mom last September, where an aunt asked me who is my choice for President and I told her that if Leni runs, I will vote for her. Then she asked “Tuod bala nga ma-ngo kuno sya?” (How true that she is apparently dumb?). I responded confidently “No, she’s not.” That’s the time I realized how deep the negative misinformation and disinformation have settled into the consciousness of the Filipino people (similar to how the Big Lie was perpetuated and brainwashed the American subconscious). A rebuttal from me may have decimated whatever negative attribution to Leni, particularly coming from a smart and accomplished nephew (modesty aside) who can’t be easily swayed by just any information (I always check whether the information is credible or not, whether it makes sense or not). Then the conversation drifted to meeting Leni in a wedding (where she is a friend of a relative) but that’s not the reason why I’m hiring her. Just to give you readers a balanced view, the current survey No.1 joined us in the church service during the interment of a cousin (which should count for something given that it was by and large a private family affair and with him being there speaks volumes, particularly when I saw his Mom stayed inside the church and stood and waited beside the casket when everyone else already went out of the church, waiting for it to be carried out and into the service car), where I caught him staring at me from the other side of the aisle, maybe wondering whether I’m one of those relatives of the beloved departed living abroad whom he should approach and extend his condolences.

But what made Leni my choice is more on character. As I mentioned in my previous article, character matters. I see in her a genuine love for the country and for its people, and the fear of God. She is not someone who would oversell herself, much more misrepresent herself. That’s her comparative advantage over the other candidates. I put premium on humility and honesty, and I believe she is the most truthful and trustworthy among the candidates. As I also mentioned in my previous article, we need to unmask any Tinder Swindler (the number 1 Netflix documentary show worldwide right now that presented an incorrigible liar who created this web of lies and passed it on as the truth, lure the unsuspecting victims into the trap and eventually defrauding them with their money) or what I will call Twindlers lurking among our candidates. I’m definitely sure Leni is not a Twindler.

For Vice-President, I will hire Kiko Pangilinan. If I have to hire an understudy for Leni, then it’s no brainer that I have to choose as well her VP choice. This is similar in the corporate world’s succession planning. I have to hire someone who can work well with his/her direct manager and the same principle applies when choosing among political candidates for this position. I want someone who can be groomed to fill in the Presidency in case of “attrition”. That’s essentially what the Vice-President position is all about.

Kiko also had me when during the Pampanga rally, the farmers in the audience went up the stage and raised his hands. This is a far cry from political traditions where incumbent politicians endorse candidates by raising their hands. It was a shining moment rarely seen in this day and age that actually brought tears to my eyes. Like Leni, Kiko is a compassionate candidate, full of heart and a genuine love for God and country and its people, particularly the farmers (he is one of them). Again, character matters and I haven’t seen Kiko either oversell or misrepresent himself. I don’t see him as a Twindler either.

For the Senate, just like how I built my current and past teams, I would get a good mix of backgrounds to have a balanced team. Just because I am in Finance doesn’t mean that I will only hire Finance candidates. Having a gaggle of accountants would be boring, right? So I would normally mix it up with various backgrounds such as management engineering, applied math, and computer science, among others. Like this one candidate (a fresh graduate), during the interview I asked him how well verse he is with accounting (given that he is not an accounting graduate), he said he is just ok. So I gave him a sample transaction and how he will book the same (debit/credit). He failed miserably but I still ended up hiring him. There’s something in him that I thought would enhance my team mix and true to form, he ended up one of my team’s high potentials.

Similarly, to have a good and balanced mix in the Senate, I would group candidates that I will hire into three (3) categories: The Experienced Ones, The New But Not So New Ones, and The Wild Cards. The Experienced Ones are either current or former Senators who have proven themselves either as good legislators or fiscalizers (and to some degree investigators). The New But Not So New Ones are candidates that may not have Senate experience but have done related functions, have good to excellent backgrounds that once hired, they can bring something fresh to the table, a new set of eyes that could bring back the glory days of Senate of yore. The Wild Cards are those who come from other fields of expertise that would complement the legislative, fiscal, as well as investigative function of the Senate. These candidates are similar to the one I mentioned earlier, where even without much accounting background, I still hired him as a wild card where he ended up doing very well in my team.

I have selected six (6) for The Experienced Ones, three (3) for The New But Not So New Ones, and three (3) for The Wild Cards.

The Experienced Ones

Candidate 18 Leila De Lima

Candidate 25 Chiz Escudero

Candidate 31 Dick Gordon

Candidate 34 Risa Hontiveros

Candidate 58 Antonio Trillanes

Candidate 64 Migz Zubiri

The New But Not So New Ones

Candidate 4 Teddy Baguilat

Candidate 16 Neri Colmenares

Candidate 57 Gibo Teodoro

The Wild Cards

Candidate 21 Chel Diokno

Candidate 26 Luke Espiritu

Candidate 38 Alex Lacson

The Experienced Ones (photo courtesy of votepilipinas.com)

I won’t elaborate more on each candidate as it will take up more space but have some few notes. De Lima is one of the best legal minds of her generation while Escudero is one of the best speakers I’ve seen in a while (which is an important skill when you’re on the Senate floor). I have this admiration for Gordon when he was still the mayor of Olongapo City (at that time, I was hoping he would run for President, he later did but it was long after when such admiration has dissipated) and would hire him as fiscalizer along with Trillanes. Hontiveros exposes have thresh out evils in our society, such as the pastillas scheme where our country’s dignity (and safety during the pandemic) was being sold for a measly 10,000 pesos (about $200) to facilitate illegal entry of foreigners, some with shady backgrounds. Zubiri claims to be a student of Manang Miriam in the Senate, so I’ll give him that and will hire him. I don’t think anyone is a Twindler, so this partial list of hires is good to me.

Baguilat is an Igorot (a local tribesman) and hiring him would be good for diversity and inclusivity. Colmenares is an advocate for human rights and plight of the poor and had fought abuses of past and present governments, so he will be a good equalizer. Teodoro is a statesman (Manang Miriam admires him) and he is applying for Senator to revive Miriam’s legacy in the Senate. He is one candidate I’m so looking forward to hire and see how he can bring back the glory days of Senate of yore.

The New But Not So New Ones (photo courtesy of votepilipinas.com)

For the wild cards, Diokno is a human rights and justice advocate just like his father (who is known as the “Father of Human Rights Advocacy in the Philippines” and founder of Free Legal Assistance Group where the son is currently the chairman). Espiritu had me at #WagKangBastos (Don’t Be Rude) during one of the televised debates that went viral where he put a rude and brutish candidate in his place (again, these are the types of candidate that you shouldn’t even consider shortlisting). It would be interesting to see how he will do as a Senator. Lacson (not the incumbent) is an advocate for radical reforms, so he could stir up some intellectual debates in the Senate which we have been longing for since the passing of Manang Miriam. For both the new ones and the wild cards, I believe none of them are Twindlers.

The Wild Cards (photo courtesy of votepilipinas.com)

So who will you hire, dear readers? Whoever you’ll be shortlisting and hire, always remember that you are hiring for a corporation called the Philippines, where the potential managers should work hard to achieve every corporation’s purpose of “maximizing shareholders wealth.” As shareholders, it is our obligation to hire smartly, to make these potential managers accountable for meeting the goals set for them (ie what they pledged to deliver if we hire them) and to do the honorable thing when they don’t meet those goals. It’s time that we collectively change how we view elections, that each one is an opportunity to change and improve for the better, an opportunity to choose better managers (and let go of bad ones and bad choices), and a very serious exercise that will determine the fate of our country and our people. We may not agree on our choices on whom to hire, but we should all agree to vote smartly.

For the love of God and country, please go out and vote and beware of Twindlers among the candidates. Seek guidance and enlightenment for this very important decision that you’ll be making when you go out and vote on May 9.

Beware of Tinder Swindler (or Twindlers) among the candidates (photos courtesy of netflix.com)

Note: If you have registered as a voter, you can now confirm your precinct thru voterverifier.comelec.gov.ph. It will show your status (active or not) and your assigned polling place and precinct number. Once you have your own list of hires, you’re all set to vote.

#Election2022: Hiring The Next Philippine Managers

Candidates for President (photos courtesy of votepilipinas.com website)

During this Holy Week, I was able to reflect on the present and the future and for reasons I can’t explain, this sense of patriotism came rushing in where it made me ask myself how can I help my fellow Filipinos elect the right national and local leaders now that the election is just around the corner (or in 3 weeks time). It would be presumptuous of me to think that Filipinos need help, but based on the last mid-term elections alone, there is no doubt in my mind that a lot of Filipino voters still need all the help that they can get particularly at this crucial time when choosing the right leaders is the right thing to do. Though I don’t often write of themes that are political or religious in this blog, I thought that since I have this platform where I can share my thoughts to my audience, why not use the same to help my countrymen, especially the new voters and the undecided, to vote smart in this coming Philippine election.

Just as what the title suggests, electing leaders is nothing different than hiring managers. Some may say that electing national and local officials in the executive and legislative branches of government is different than hiring managers in the corporate world, but it’s actually not that different. Shareholders elect the board of directors where the latter hire the executive and management staff of the corporation. Start thinking of the Philippines as a corporation, where each Filipino registered voter is a shareholder who can elect the board of directors and who eventually will hire people who will run the company. Every Filipino who is either employed (permanent or contractual) or self-employed can relate to this, not only from a taxpayer perspective (where you effectively pay the salaries of these public servants that you’ll be electing) but also from a selection and hiring standpoint where you will probably want to hire only the best for your team.

I’ve been a manager (who select and hire people) for so long that I already acquired the knack for getting the best person for the job, for building the best team for the project. That’s why the best way for me to choose and vote for the right candidates is to tap on my experience as a manager, which is what I want to share in this article. I know that not all of you are managers or have experienced hiring people, but it is during these rare occasions where you can actually play the role of a manager who select and hire people. You can look at it as reversal of roles, where now the tables have been turned where politicians, new and old, will come to you applying for various roles in the company called the Philippines (from as high as the presidency down to the town councilor level). Isn’t it fun that for a change, their fate is in your own hands, where you will be able to participate in a process of selecting and hiring the next managers for the Philippines?

So how do you go about the selection and hiring process? Let me start with what my Finance professors have taught me both in my undergraduate and graduate studies: the main purpose of any corporation is to “maximize shareholders’ wealth.” If Philippines is a corporation, each Filipino is the shareholder. Hiring managers for the Philippines means that we select managers that will have to work hard in maximizing our wealth. You can look at wealth literally and figuratively. Wealth here can be literally viewed as GDP per capita, or can be figuratively viewed as satisfaction index, where each Filipino is satisfied with managers (government) ability to respect his/her rights, provide adequate social security, basic services (ie health services) that can be considered world class, justice system that is equal to those who have and have not, and overall well-being in a safe and fair environment, among others. Just like any corporation, managers will have to abide with code of conduct and be held accountable not only in meeting the goals that we have set for them but also for any policy breach and misconduct (where the concept of impunity does not exist) that in any instance of a scandal, they will do the most honorable thing to do, commit harakiri (kidding, that may be too much, resigning will do).

Candidates for Vice-President (photos courtesy of votepilipinas.com website)

Quite a tall order, right? But this is the beauty of role play, you can actually make it happen and it’s made possible by a democratic exercise where you can actually participate if you go out and vote. You can actually hire the next managers of the Philippines. But before that, you have to screen the candidates and schedule them for an interview or two. Screening candidates is an important step coz this is the part where you look at information that the candidates present to you in different shape or form thru different platforms. In the corporate world, this is when candidates submit their CVs/resume. Some may gloss over their CVs and make it appear more than what it is. This is true also for political candidates, particularly in this day and age where misinformation and disinformation are so rampant where social media is the media of choice for the same. How I wish candidates are required to submit their official CVs (though there is some semblance of the candidates CVs in votepilipinas.com website, not sure though if these are submitted by the candidates themselves) not only as the voters main source of information about the candidates but also to make it easier for fact-checkers to validate the information presented on behalf of the voters. In the absence of a main source of candidate information, voters are now overwhelmed with mostly unverified information, either half-truths (leaving out important details that will negate the narrative presented), hybrid (fact and fake woven together and presented as the “truth”), or purely and absolutely BS (pardon my French), where all have made troll farming a lucrative industry.

The best way to screen the candidates is to check the source of the information. If your information are mainly coming from social media (Facebook and Youtube particularly), then expect that most of that are likely candidates’ propaganda. I suspect you’re probably brainwashed by now by certain candidates, but I would encourage you to take a second look at these candidates and look for their information from credible sources. Personally, I would rely on either standard journalism such as national broadsheet, where there’s an editorial team that maintains the journalistic integrity of the information presented, or investigative journalism, which takes an investigative turn to thresh out the truth and add more color to issues and personalities involved (such as the candidates themselves). Some would say that national broadsheet can be biased, which can be true, but then again, being biased doesn’t mean not being truthful. It just mean that the presentation of information is not balanced. But between broadsheet and Facebook/Youtube, it’s a no brainer, right?

After you have gathered information on the candidates, it’s time now to interview them. But you can’t directly interview them, so what do you do? This is where journalistic interviews and COMELEC debates come in. These are done on behalf of the voters, knowing fully well each of us cannot interview the candidates directly, so questions are raised on our behalf (either by the host/interviewer or by the candidates themselves during debates) thru these fora. Thru these interviews and debates, we gain more insights on the candidates, same as when we interview candidates in the corporate world where we get to know the candidates better, where they expound further on what they have presented in their CVs. This is where you’ll know whether the candidate has oversold himself/herself, where he/she only looks good in paper but leave much to be desired for, for the role that you are trying to fill in. Similarly for political candidates, this is their opportunity to expound on their experience (or lack thereof) and background, their stand on certain issues, and more importantly, their vision and platform of governance (I consciously used “governance” instead of “government”), and how they can “maximize shareholders’ wealth.”

Same with screening candidate information, you also have to be cognizant of the interviews being conducted with the candidates. Take note that not all interviews are the same. Some are done independently without the candidate controlling the narrative (ie journalistic interviews of award-winning journalist Jessica Soho) and the rest are either controlled by the candidates or set up by the candidates themselves. These are the interviews that you need to be wary about, as these are effectively candidates propaganda where they will try to (and successfully at that) oversell themselves, where at the end of the day they only look good in paper but leave much to be desired for, for the role that we Filipinos are trying to fill in. That’s why being present in these independent interviews and COMELEC debates is a given, coz would you hire someone who didn’t show up in his/her interview?

Total number of registered Filipino “shareholders” (photo courtesy of votepilipinas.com website)

Remember also that character matters. That’s why in our CVs, we would either put some character references or indicate that the same will be provided upon request. This is the candidate’s willingness to vet his character, that it is beyond reproach. I know most of you would prepare for this cringe-worthy interview question “Why did you leave your previous job?.” That is mostly to get insight on what motivates or demotivates you, which is partly a reflection of your character. If we have put so much importance even on reasons why we left our old jobs, shouldn’t we also put our political candidates at the same or higher moral and character standards, knowing now that hiring the next managers of Philippines is a matter of life and death (so many lives lost due to mismanagement)? It’s paramount to see and hear how political candidates address moral and character related questions and concerns, to complete our informed choice and decision. We need to be aware of any moral and character red flags, whether our potential managers will lie to us (don’t you hate it when management lies to you?) based on their past and present behaviors, if we are hiring an incorrigible liar who doesn’t have the concept of the truth anymore coz he/she believes in his/her own web of lies as the truth (have you seen The Tinder Swindler on Netflix?), which is the most vile among the negatives in a candidate.

It seems to be a daunting task (to screen and “interview” candidates) that sometimes it would be easy to just go with what you knew already. That’s fine too, as long as what you know are actual facts and not because you have been bombarded with information that you don’t know now how to distinguish which ones are actual truths and which ones are not. It’s uber important to discern which candidate is misrepresenting his or her self, and which one is true to oneself and others. It’s imperative that you only hire the next managers of Philippines that are good fit (not perfect, but good fit) as this will determine our and our children’s future, so you’re not only doing this (selection and hiring) for yourself but for the generations to come. Your action (or inaction) will seal the fate of this corporation, whether we all crash and burn or we finally realized our much deserved “wealth”.

Happy Easter everyone. A perfect occasion to celebrate our rebirth as people. We will know whether this celebration will bear fruit (or eggs) based on how we vote in this coming election.

Happy Hunting! (photo courtesy of papercitymag.com website)

Dear Papa

Just when I thought that I’m already emotionally dead inside after a series of loss (Mom passed on only 4 months ago followed by my college best friend Victor a couple of months after and Uncles Horace and Eulie, Auntie Inday, and Manong Tweet a few months earlier), now the painful news of your passing. This caught me by surprise even though that you have been in the hospital for more than 5 weeks already. Though the recovery was slow due to pneumonia that doesn’t seem to go away in spite of several medical procedures and different types of antibiotic (your treatment probably has covered half of the taxonomy for antibiotics), I was still hopeful that you would be weaned off the ventilator and would be able to breathe on your own and speak and eventually be discharged and sent home given that your condition has been stable and improving. Never have I thought that it will end this way. Or I may have just kept my hopes too high. I was so wrong, both on you recovering and me being dead inside.

So forgive me for crying a river these past couple of days (at least I’m not dead inside yet). I know that you always wanted us to be strong and brave, but challenging pain is one battle I can’t talk my way out or win head on. I will surely lose. So I’ll give in to the grief and the sorrow for now, let both take over me, and then grow from there. But this won’t stop me from celebrating you, now that you have joined Mom and my brother in the afterlife. I know you love Mom and my brother so much, and you love us here in this life so not to burden us any further, that you probably thought it’s best this way.

I was thinking how to celebrate you and realized that I honestly have no idea of “you”. Even as a child, you have always been an enigma to me. I don’t have much when it comes to who you are outside of our family, your life before Mom, your early years, and your side of the family. Growing up, I always asked you why we haven’t had family trips to your hometown to meet our relatives there. All I know is that you have a sister (and our cousins) and that you’re the second family of your dad. On hindsight, I would have asked you for a sit-down interview (which I discovered my knack for it a while back, where people reveal themselves to me even with indirect questions or offering information without me asking) to talk about your early life and the life you had outside of the family.

This is a far cry from Mom’s side of the family, who we know most of and are so out there, some being celebrated with pride. I even mentioned this a few years back to a few of my closest and trusted confidante (without bragging) that if these were Roman times, Mom’s side of the family would be a very powerful clan, with leading personalities in the Church, Senate, and Army who can influence Julius Caesar and change the course of history. Though I was able to get a glimpse of your past life when I visited your hometown for the first time and on my own, I still got nothing much from a few of your relatives except that you’re a descendant of the first American teacher (principal) that landed in our shores (that probably explains how we got our Native American genes, among others), that you left home early to live independently, that you have survived a shipwreck in your youth, and that you’re a distant relative of a popular international fashion designer (I’m happy to learn this one as this surely balanced out Mom’s politically and religiously charged side of the family).

It dawned on me that the only way to celebrate “you” is thru me, right thru my eyes. How you made an impact in my life. I see you as a quiet, unassuming Dad, a man of few words and someone who is not that expressive of his emotions and rarely affectionate (which sometimes can come off as cold), and who can be very extreme. You are the epitome of the saying “silent water runs deep.” Though Mom is, hands down, the disciplinarian in the family, your form of discipline, for lack of better word, is harsher. I can’t fault you for that knowing that you came from a generation where such form of discipline is tolerated, pretty much an accepted norm. I also knew at a young age that I wasn’t your favorite, where you always see my older and younger brothers as smarter and have more potential to succeed in life (or maybe I was just suffering from the middle brother syndrome). Just like middle child syndrome, I was constantly seeking your attention and approval, where I have to work twice as hard to get a little of the same.

I can’t deny though that you’re a good provider. Early on you instilled in us that we are not rich but we had enough. Even after graduation, you paid for my living expenses while reviewing for the board exams and even funded my MBA studies when I was already earning. You bought our high grades when we were younger, thus triggering competitiveness and sense of achievement. I didn’t get the same number of high grades as my brothers, but I was still able to get some that you eventually gave up coz you no longer can keep up with us. So even without you buying our grades anymore, I still carried on and you mounted that stage every end of the schoolyear, pinning that nice little ribbon for being a honor student. Essentially my way of getting your attention and approval.

But I always felt that it was still not enough. Even me passing the board exam and becoming a people manager at the young age of 23 weren’t making headway. The turning point was when I was offered my first expat role, where I have to move to a country that I barely know at a very young age and without much life and travel experiences. I remember you flying to Manila just to see me off, which without much words exchanged made me feel how proud you are of me, a young man chasing his dreams, taking risks, and seeking new adventures. That was the first time I felt your approval and changed my life completely. Looking back I now understand: that to some extent you saw your young self in me.

From thereon, I started collecting brief moments of pride from you Pa. From that priceless moment when I first saw you cry (happy tears) inside St. Peter’s Basilica (when I brought you and Mom to Vatican), where upon asking why you were crying, you said “Di ko ma imagine na makalab-ot ako diri” (I never imagined that I would ever get here) to that time when you hugged me (for the first time) when I got home in tears for the wake of my brother. Each time I would have short-term assignments in Europe and Africa, where unlike Mom who would be concerned every time I fly off, in not so many words you would express your approval by just saying “Cge, halong lang” (You go, take care) with hints of pride in your tone. Even in your sick bed, I would notice tears in your eyes every time you see me in action, talking to doctors and directing nurses and aides, where I could sense your feeling of comfort, of being in a safe space every time I’m there, where at that very moment you know that you are in good hands, that everything will be taken care of, not to mention that you probably also miss me and proud of what I’ve become.

Recently I have good news that I was hoping to share with you after your recovery. I got a job offer that made company history by being the first Asian to be offered an expat role in the subsidiary of the global company that I work for in one of the LATAM (Latin America) countries. They could have chosen anyone from the Asia Pacific hubs in Hongkong, Singapore, Japan, and Australia, or from the hubs in Europe and NAM (North America) and even within LATAM, but they chose me. I was deciding whether to take this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity or not, having you in mind. It wasn’t an easy decision, which unlike here where it will only take an hour by plane to get to you, it will take a day or two if I decide to move continents. But then I know that you won’t hold me back, especially that this probably would be the pinnacle of what you and Mom have always inculcated in us, to pursue recognition, respect, and representation. Recognition of my brand, respect for my name and body of work, and representation of Asian (particularly Filipino) talents where it will not only open doors for me but for everyone else in the Asian community. You will also be glad to know that in preparation for the new role, I am now learning Spanish (enrolled at Instituto Cervantes) which would make me a polyglot (after Hiligaynon which is our native tongue, Filipino/Tagalog which is our second language, and English as our third) once I’ve achieved proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking. I was envisioning that months from now you will see me off again, with pride in your eyes, as I embark on new adventure. But then you left early, embarking on your own adventure without me seeing you off, without me able to share this wonderful news with you.

I spent half of my life seeking your attention and approval and the other half making you proud. I guess this is your legacy, giving me a purpose-driven life. This is how I celebrate “you”. This is how you helped make my dreams come true.

I love you Pa and rest assured that I will continue to make you proud.

Your loving son (who finally have found closure),

Franz

P.S. Thank you to everyone who have consoled us in our time of grief and who continue to pray for the soul of Papa. To the hospital staff that released my Dad’s remains and the funeral home that took the same for cremation without me paying a single centavo (my only currency is my name and my word), thank you for the trust that you have extended to me (you know who you are). You made it smooth and easy for me to make arrangements in spite of the distance and the circumstance. I am truly blessed to have people like you in my life.

From My Family To Yours

From left: Ric, Mom (deceased), Dad, Franz, and Rose (not in photo: Kathy and Vijay)

It took me a while to pen this message of gratitude to all those who have shared in our grief and offered their love and support. It has been a difficult week for me, where I even broke down in one of my office meetings last Monday. The physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion over that weekend (when we finally put Mom in her final resting place) may have caused it, where I was not as ready as I thought I would be to go back to work the next day. I realized that putting a loved one to rest is more painful than learning she has passed on, where it finally hits you that she is truly gone. After a week of immersing myself with work as a welcome distraction, I now have mustered enough physical strength, mental fortitude, and emotional resolve to acknowledge the people who, in one way or another, lifted our spirits even if something inside me was broken and lost. Only time can tell if I can completely move on from this.

Dra. Fernandez, I know that your regular home visits had averted the further deterioration of Mom’s health. You have not just given her a new lease of life, but has provided us the gift of time to be with her even for just a little while. Up to her passing, you have assisted us by setting us up in a priority lane in the one and only crematorium in Iloilo City. You are a perfect example of what Mom used to say, that money can’t make everything possible, relationships and goodwill do.

Jane and Monique (my Mom’s caregivers), you have looked over my Mom even when she was already sound asleep during the 3-day wake. Jane, you were my hands and legs when mine were all tied up as I was on hotel quarantine where I did all the arrangements from my hotel room. You did not just take and execute all my instructions to the letter, but also have the initiative to tell me what else needs to be done. You did this not because you were under our employ, but because you cared. You did all these out of the kindness of your heart.

Iloilo City’s homegrown charities (top) Asilo De Molo Home for the Aged and Orphanage (photo from website) and (bottom) Carmelite Monastery (photo courtesy of Kathleen Zap)

My cousins, oh my dear cousins. From the four corners of the world, collectively you were our support system during these trying times. Each of you may have a story to tell about how my Mom has touched your lives, but this time you have touched ours. We are overwhelmed with the outpouring of support, from the sympathies and empathies, to the flowers, prayers/mass cards, and monetary contributions, I can’t say enough how much I appreciate all of you. Please allow me to give extra dose or booster shot of gratitude to:

Leila, your love for Mom was boundless, from the time you and Liz offered to donate blood when Mom was in critical condition back in 2018 up to the time you offered your memorial plan so that Mom’s remains can be taken care of seamlessly. You were the first one I called for help and broke down to after learning of my Mom’s passing, you cried with me and offered to handle things while I was still miles away. You even sent food to my hotel room while I was on quarantine when I got home. I can’t thank you enough.

Jean, simple words like “Ano pwede namon maibulig?” (How can we help?) were more than enough to realize that I wasn’t alone in this. You have no idea how much those words have warmed my heart. You weren’t just the first one to reach out, but you came through for us especially when I told you about my Dad’s wish to have plenty of flowers for Mom. You sent not one but three wreaths on top of shouldering the snacks for the 3-day wake. To cap this generosity, you asked me if there is still anything else that we need and told me not to hesitate to ask for help. Again, simple words that made us feel loved. You and your siblings have always had our backs. I can’t thank you enough.

Manong Boy, you showed that distance is not a deterrent in giving love and comfort. I think you called me twice from Down Under where I wasn’t able to pick up the phone and left me a text to message you if I’m ready to take your call. You and your siblings have been good to Mom and Dad. I know that you would always see Mom and Dad every time you’re in the country and even buy them stuff. Trust that your and your siblings generous monetary contribution will be put to good use. I can’t thank you enough.

Winston, Bonna, Erwin, Carmela, Tan, and Chubby, your presence and support during the wake and mass made me feel that I am truly home. Ton, arranging for the priest for the mass made it worry-free for me by taking one important item off my list. Chubby, you provided humor and amusement, something that we were in dire need of. Win, not just did you bring the snacks to the wake, but the offer of assistance that you whispered to my ears made me feel so blessed that it reminded me of how your Dad would used to offer assistance to my Mom. You also told me that one thing that left a lasting impression on you about Mom is that she was generous to those who have less in life. I can’t thank you enough.

I can’t thank all of you individually, my dear cousins, but believe me when I say that we love all of you very much.

Uncles and Aunties, aside from the sympathies, comfort, prayers, and monetary contributions, your greatest gifts to us are your children. You have raised loving, respectful, thoughtful, caring individuals who loved my Mom as much as they love you. Auntie Linda, you were there in both days that I was able to be with Mom to pay my last respects, your presence was enough to remind me of how much you loved my family, and how close you were to my Mom. I love you Auntie and thank you for being there for us.

To my office friends, seniors, peers, and colleagues, both onshore and offshore, you came together to raise a generous contribution and also able to send flowers and offer prayers/mass cards, thank you for the kind thoughts and for your endless generosity (I know we just came from a fundraising activity for one of our dear colleagues). Please allow me to give extra dose or booster shot of thanks to Nancy, Karlvin, and Peter for organizing the fundraising. Trust that your contributions would be put to good use.

Speaking of coming together, thank you to our neighbors who have sent their sympathies and monetary contributions. Tito Boy shared how Mom made things possible for the homeowner’s association when she was President, and all I can think of was “That’s my Mom.”

To all those who came to the wake and mass, offered flowers, prayers/mass cards, and sympathies in spite of the pandemic and current restrictions, you have manifested that even during these difficult times, your love and friendship prevail. To family in-laws and relatives, friends here and abroad, all of whom have extended their condolences and offered to listen if we want to share our thoughts with and pour our emotions out onto them, your loving gestures were already more than enough to know that we have good people in our lives. We appreciate all of you.

In loving memory of my Mom

My family has decided that we would pay it forward your love and generosity by donating half of all monetary contributions or $1,025 (about Php52,000) to Cure Alzheimer’s Fund (in loving memory of my Mom) and the other half to Iloilo’s homegrown non-profit organizations such as Asilo De Molo Home of the Aged (Php 25,000) and to my Mom’s favorite charity, the Sisters of Carmelite (Php 25,000 to be handed over on my next trip to Iloilo City as the monastery has been recently hit by COVID). By supporting the Alzheimer’s research fund, we hope that no other family in the future will have to go thru the pain of losing a loved one long before the same passes on. We believe this is consistent with Mom’s values. We know in our hearts that this is what Mom would wish us to do, not because we have enough in life, but it is the right thing to do.

From my family to yours, Madamo gid nga salamat kag palangga gid namon kamo tanan.

P.S. I’ve finally got the chance to visit Asilo de Molo Home of the Aged and Sisters of Carmelite to give the donations during this time (February 2022) when quarantine requirements have been relaxed. Below is the ‘Thank You” message from Sister Nieva Manzano (Administrator of Asilo de Molo).

Dear Mom

I didn’t expect that my first trip during this lockdown would be to see you go. I didn’t know that my first flight is also your last, albeit in different destinations. You left us without saying goodbye, but I do understand. I know that it pains you to leave us, as much as it hurts knowing that you’re gone.

But I also know that you fought for us. You tried every means within your power to hold on and stay for us. Your battles against giants such as pneumonia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s in the last 3 years have made you the David to these Goliaths. I have personally witnessed how you struggled, how these demons have weakened your body, but have also strengthened your spirit. All to be with us and to keep our family intact.

The last 3 years have been very difficult for you and for us. We almost lost you in 2018 when you were in ICU for 3 weeks. You were in and out of the hospital before then, as well as after. It didn’t help that when the pandemic started, the most we can do during this period was having intermittent doctor home visits just to make sure that your medical needs were met, and a makeshift hospital room at home with the basic of equipments to ensure that we are always ready when new bouts of infections set in. You receive your nutrition thru a catheter, and you were constantly tossed and turned to change your position in bed to avoid sores and ulcerations. Jane and Monique, your caregivers, who have grown fond of you, have performed these tasks diligently round the clock, which gave me a new found appreciation of the work that caregivers do. It didn’t help as well that you developed Parkinson’s, which keeps you bedridden. or at times in a wheelchair. Gone were the days that you could walked past every able-bodied person 50 years your junior.

But the most painful part of your struggles was not the physical incapacities. It was the mental part. After seeing you in one of my regular trips to Iloilo after your discharge from ICU in 2018, you didn’t know this but I broke down at the Iloilo airport on my way back to Manila. That was when your doctor confirmed my suspicion that you may be suffering from Alzheimer’s. At that time, I can’t bear the thought of you losing all the precious memories of us, much more not able to recognize us when you see us. I can’t help but cried a river while waiting for my flight.

Those memories that we hold dear will soon be gone and in its stead will just be snippets of it over time. Memories of our childhood where you would protect us from the sun by having an umbrella over our heads during hours long parade (that’s probably why my complexion still looks great after all these years). Memories of our teenage years when you were struggling on how to deal with teenage boys, particularly when we start to answer back. I do understand that for your generation, where you were raised in a very restricted and conservative society then, it’s disrespectful to answer back to an elder, that a child should never challenge a parent, or even reason out. We were lucky to grow up having able to marry these two schools of thought: filial piety (respect for parents or elders) and having an independent mind. But in spite of our differences, there is one thing that you taught us that I believe we would all agree with: that a person’s wealth is not measured by material things, but the richness of one’s heart and values. That if we were stripped of everything down to our bare essentials, all we have is our name.

You may not be the perfect Mom, or have the most desirable parenting skills, but you have brought up four adults that you can be proud of. We know that you’ve been very proud of us. You always tell people that your greatest treasure are your children. That we are the best gifts that you got from above. But no Mom, you are our greatest treasure. You are the best gift we had. Your legacy lives within us. Yet that legacy has been undermined by Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s is only a relief if we have regrets. I regret that I didn’t say I love you as much as I can. I regret those fights that we had and those periods of time that I didn’t talk to you out of anger. I regret that I wasn’t there for you these past months. I regret that I wasn’t able to say I’m sorry. Please forgive me Mom.

It pains us that you are no longer with us. There are no truer words than this borrowed quote from Josh Groban: “The grief of loss is the payback for the gift of love.” Mom, you gifted us with a love that only a mother can give, that’s why we are grieving. I know that only time can heal our broken hearts, that’s why we would rather celebrate you today than be lost in our grief. Thank you Mom for all your sacrifices in raising us and putting your family first. I know that you gave up promotion opportunities that will keep you away from us for periods of time. Thank you for the discipline that you have instilled in us, as well as the values that you have inculcated, such as always doing the right thing. That we may lose everything, but never lose our good name. Coz that is all we got. Thank you for your generous heart, not only caring for your own family, but also for everyone else whose lives you have touched (my cousins would surely attest to that). Most of all, thank you for the time, the good times and the bad, coz even in the shadows of Alzheimer’s, the memories would always be shared between us and will live on forever.

This is not goodbye, but see yeah in the after life. We love you Mom.

Your loving son (who’s missing you so much),

Franz