Salamin

Here in Japan, the nights are getting longer, the days unbearably colder. We have unearthed our thick coats and jackets for the winter season. It's almost hard for me to believe that the year 2007 is almost over. It seemed only yesterday when we went to Kamogawa to celebrate New Year's Day.

But boy, oh boy, I'm SO excited. We're going home next week. Times like these, I feel grateful that I live in neighboring Japan, because it is relatively easy to go home. It's just a mere 4-hour plane ride to get to Manila from Narita airport. I haven't been home for about two years now. So naturally I'm excited, and not even the news of the recent coup attempt, imposed curfews, and bombings in the Philippines could make me feel any less enthusiastic. Weird huh? But homecoming always gives me a sort of adrenaline rush, you know. As soon as I get off the plane and the familiar sights and sounds assault my senses, I feel that rush.


The rush becomes even more acutely heightened as I bite into my piping hot Jollibee Chickenjoy, dive into my big pile of haluhalo topped with ube, kaong, leche flan and other sinful goodies, shop-till-you-drop in Duty Free Philippines and SM (of course), or simply get myself lost in the mass of humanity rushing into the malls for Christmas shopping.

Want to know how much of the Philippines you have visited so far? Found this cool application created by Eugene Alvin Villar, called Lakbayan.

Here's my score:

Have you ever applied for renewal of your passport? How about having it amended from your single name to your married name? Was it as simple as 1-2-3?

Because I live in Tsukuba, I am under the jurisdiction of the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo. Here, we can apply for passport renewal by mail. Yep, no need to appear in person at the Embassy. Hurray. All we have to do is submit our application by mail, and as long as our documents are complete and in order, we can expect our new passports to be delivered through the post office or takkyubin. As simple as that.

However, what I had expected to be a simple process could get pretty complicated sometimes. Read my "tales" below and judge for yourself. Pray, tell, was I amiss?

Finally! I was able to extract the video file of Aya's song, Bayan Ko from my old cellphone. This song was recorded last November 25, 2004. Aya was only 2 years old at that time. As to how she was able to memorize and sing this rather difficult song at such an early age...well, your guess is as good as mine! But anyway, she was only able to sing the latter half of this song.

Watch the YouTube video here!

I got this article from an email sent by a friend. This comes at an opportune time, because I have been thinking of making a personal list of all the wonderful things I love about the Philippines. How often do we come across positive viewpoints like this?

I just read the following story from Inq7.net:

 

 

Toxic waste dumped in Bulacan; 60 hospitalized

 

By Carmela Reyes
Inquirer
Last updated 04:17am (Mla time) 11/29/2006

 

Published on Page A1 of the November 29, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

 

MARILAO, Bulacan -- Farmer Carlos Clemente, 67, was awakened at 2 a.m. Tuesday by the rumbling of a truck leaving his farm. Minutes later, he and other residents of Barangay Prenza II and nearby villages were assailed by the stench of a chemical the truck had dumped in the area.

 

Some of them vomited, others almost fainted.

 

Before the morning was over, 60 people had been hospitalized, stricken with dizziness, nausea and chest pains, hundreds of others had fled their homes -- and the driver of the 10-wheeler tanker and his two helpers were held in police custody.

 

Read the full story here.