tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37252606624509021492024-03-06T02:35:46.484+08:00AMDG - Chris Tiu's blogChris Tiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086138922716967040noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725260662450902149.post-37003666720321893072021-06-13T11:46:00.001+08:002021-06-13T11:56:35.048+08:00Happy Feast Day St. Anthony of Padua (Church Doctor)<b>Novena sharing on June 9, 2021
San Antonio Parish, Makati<i></i></b>
Until I was invited to share today, I was unaware that there is such a title as a “Church Doctor” given to select saints.
The title “Doctor of the Church” is given to a man or woman who was outstanding in their contribution to the knowledge and understanding of the things of God, especially through their writings.
There are 3 criteria which must be met. First, an exemplary record of holiness “even among saints”. Second, an indisputable depth of insight on doctrine. Third, an extensive body of writings that have significant importance to the Catholic faith. Lastly, a candidate must receive official designation from the Pope.
It was Pope Pius XII, in 1946, who named our dearest St. Anthony as one of ONLY 36 Doctors of the Church, along side saints Augustine, Gregory the Great, Thomas Aquinas, Teresa of Avila, to name a few.
Our beloved Patron Saint, Anthony, was a remarkable theologian and preacher. He was born in Lisbon, Portugal to a wealthy and noble family but chose a life of poverty and service to God, to the dismay of his father. At 15 years old, young Anthony entered the convent and studied intensely. At the young age of 25, he was ordained a priest.
At Coimbra, then the capital of Portugal, a life-changing experience occurred. 5 friars who were preaching the word of God in Morocco were tortured and killed. Their remains were taken to the Monastery where Anthony was living. He was so moved and sought permission to go to Morocco to continue their mission. Upon his arrival in Morocco, he fell ill and had to return home. But a storm hit and the ship was blown off course and landed in Sicily in Italy.
It was in Italy where Anthony’s missions really gained traction, speaking effectively and connecting to different types of audiences. It was said that thousands would flock to hear him preach! Unfortunately, at the young age of 35, he fell ill and died in Arcella in 1231. In less than a year, he was canonized by Pope Gregory IX, the shortest time for any saint.
One time, Pope Gregory invited Anthony to preach to the Curia. The Cardinals were so impressed with his in depth knowledge of Scripture and his persuasive style of preaching, that Pope Gregory himself gave Anthony the title “Ark of the Testament”.
I’m sure many of us would agree that one of the most beautiful and important gifts that we’ve received in our life is the gift of faith. Our faith serves as our ultimate compass in the choices we make in life, especially in this fast moving and complicated world. It gives our life meaning and purpose. Without faith, we can easily get lost or feel completely empty.
If in science and technology, we have the likes of Einstein, Newton, Da Vinci, Aristotle, whose breakthrough discoveries and research changed the world. In our spiritual life, we have the Church doctors to thank for their contributions in allowing the church to stand the test of time and providing each one of us today a most wonderful gift – our Christian faith, which allows us to love our God more and more by learning more about him each day.
St. Anthony’s story is a good call to reflect on our lives. How can we become “Doctors” in our own way? Do we try to gain absolute knowledge and pursue excellence in our vocation or careers? Or are we mediocre? Have we considered documenting our learnings or experiences as business people, civil leaders, athletes, artists, medical practitioners, or even as a parent or spouse? Who knows, perhaps others may be inspired, including future generations to come. I think even if just one person is moved by our work, it is definitely already worth it!
Nowadays there are so many platforms to share. We can make use of Blogs, Vlogs, podcast. We have Facebook, Youtube, Spotify, to name a few. St. Anthony passed away so early at 35 years old yet imagine the impact of his work! So it’s never too late.
Dearest Lord, we thank you for giving us St. Anthony as our Patron Saint. May his wonderful work continue to bring life and love to the church. Happy Feast Day to all.
Chris Tiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086138922716967040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725260662450902149.post-54958660457648041352019-03-21T09:38:00.000+08:002019-03-21T09:44:31.943+08:00XAVIER SCHOOL GRADUATION SPEECH 2019<style>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">XAVIER SCHOOL GRADE
SCHOOL GRADUATION CEREMONIES</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">San Juan, Metro Manila</span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">March 20, 2019</span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Grade School Sports
Center</span><br />
By: Chris Tiu (XS Batch 2003)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Fr. Aristotle Dy,</span>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Mrs. Jane Cacacho,</span> <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Mrs. Flora Ann Alfonso</span>, <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ms. Joanne Pusta,</span> <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">families, faculty and staff, a shout out to my former teachers</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>and
last but definitely not the least, to our dearest graduates, good morning to
you all!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Firstly, a big congratulations to our graduates! Thank you
for having me this morning. What an honor and privilege it is to be speaking to
you. I must admit, I have been to a few of these gatherings before, but it is
always special coming home to my alma matter, Xavier School.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being part of the “outside world” as you
would call it, I have really developed a great appreciation of being a Xaverian.
As students, we sometimes take for granted the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">privilege</b> it is to be a part of the Xavier community. Many
outsiders aspire to have the level of education, esteemed faculty, religious
formation, and unique brotherhood that we have as Xaverians. I for a fact know
that it is some of my friends’ dream to send their boys to Xavier School,
because of the camaraderie they see amongst us. So always remember that each of
you are ambassadors of this esteemed institution, and that your actions reflect
not just yourselves, but on our community as a whole.</div>
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GO OUT AND EXPLORE!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since you are graduating from grade school, it’s customary
for me to offer some form of wisdom or advice. I was told I only have 8
minutes, so let me get right into it. The first thing I would advise is to explore!
Try out new things even if it means going out of your comfort zones, even if it
scares you a bit.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I was in Grade 3, I loved playing basketball with my
friends during recess and lunch breaks. Every time the bell sounded, we would
literally sprint through the corridors and down the stairs just to be able to
reserve a basketball court in the quadrangle. The coach of the SBP team, Mr. Ronnie
Mutuc, saw me play and asked if I wanted to try-out for the school team. I said
I’d ask my moms permission. So I asked my mom and she said NO, since she didn’t
want my grades to be compromised. Truth be told, I was kinda relieved because I
also didn’t want to go through the try-outs since those things really make me
nervous. So I told that to Coach Mutuc. The next thing I knew, the Prefect of Discipline
was calling my house, wanting to speak to my mom. Gosh, I was so worried. Later
on I learned that the Prefect of Discipline, who also happened to be Mr. Mutuc
called the house to convince my mom to allow me to try-out for the school team.
With his persistence, and since there are no guarantees anyway, my mom finally
agreed. Sure enough, I did make the team. But I spent most of my time warming
the bench and only got a few minutes of playing time, just because the rule was
that each player had to play. And today, the rest of that story is history.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So a word to both you and your parents, take chances and
opportunities – whether it be in the arts, music, community service, or sports
– you never know where you might be good at, or better yet, you never know
where you will find your purpose in life.</div>
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THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS TO SUCCESS</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Secondly, I’d like to tell you that there are no shortcuts
to success. You must learn to endure the difficult road. Modern technology certainly
makes life easier and more convenient. We get used to this. And many times, we
parents tend to overly protect our kids, without us even realizing it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In my first few years in college playing for the Ateneo Blue
Eagles, I was again sitting on the bench most of the time. I was frustrated as
I was training so hard every single day, making so many sacrifices and yet I
would hardly set foot on the court. Finally I was given a chance to play in an
Ateneo vs La Salle match in the UAAP, a game every player dreamed of playing.
And to my horror, I embarrassed myself on national television by missing a
crucial wide open layup which caused us the game. I became known as the
“choker”. I wanted to hibernate, and it only reinforced my feeling of quitting
basketball altogether. I took a year off, and with the encouragement of my
coaches, family and friends, I decided to dig deep and give it another shot. And
I’m glad I did.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That experience humbled me. It made me a stronger person and
I gained wisdom from it. But more importantly, it made me more courageous. I
became unafraid to face pressure-packed situations where stakes are high.
Imagine if I took the short-cut and quit, maybe I wouldn’t be standing in front
of you guys today.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Media often champions these 20 or 30-something year old tech
billionaires, overnight Youtube stars with millions of followers, young
athletes with huge contracts, and the like, and make it seem that there are
fast and easy routes to becoming accomplished. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But let’s not forget that to get where we want
to go, it requires a lot of patience, perseverance and sacrifice.</div>
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FOLLOW JESUS AND PUT GOD IN THE CENTER OF YOUR LIVES</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My last advise or reminder for you guys is to always put God
in the center of your lives and try your best to be like Jesus, kind and
forgiving but also holding on to your values in this modern world.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am not sure if you are aware of the name Fr. Jean Desautels.
He is a French-Canadian Jesuit who was expelled from Communist China and came
to the Philippines instead to put up a Catholic Chinese-Filipino school. Fr.
Desautels founded Xavier school in 1955. I was fortunate to have spent some
time with him just a few days before he passed away in 2002. I was a senior HS
student then. I still vividly remember what he said: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“Grow up, but don’t grow old”.</b> It took me a while to figure it out.
What he meant was that we should grow up to become good men. But still remain
like a child, completely dependent on and trusting in God our Father, just like
a child relies on his parents.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m sure most of you know me not as a basketball player, a tv
host or a businessman, but rather as that guy in the classroom in the
anti-bullying poster. The truth is, I agreed to be the face of the
anti-bullying campaign because I was once bullied. I know what it feels like to
be cornered, isolated and down. For one, it taught me to stand up and defend
myself. But it also taught me a valuable lesson – that I never wanted to be a
bully, and that it takes much more of a man to be kind to others, whether it be
our classmates, teachers, school and household staff or family members.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bullies may feel powerful and mighty, but
this kind of power is fleeting and meaningless. Just like in the outside world,
success is often measured by the size of your bank account, the number of
followers you have on social media, or being recognized by others. But the true
measure of success is doing the ordinary things with a lot of love, with
integrity, seeking excellence, and in service of others. I think it is timely
that yesterday was the feast day of Saint Joseph – a very ordinary man who
dedicated his life to serving and protecting Jesus and Mary. Without him, we
would not have the Catholic Church. THAT is MAGIS.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I consider these really, the most important things to
remember, as you enter a new phase in your lives. Go explore to find your
purpose, put in a lot of love and hard work into it, and don’t forget to offer
it all up to God. He will make our ordinary lives extraordinary. Take it from
me, that when we are guided by Him, our lives will be filled with so much
meaning.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once again, congratulations to all the graduates and your
families who have been with you throughout this journey. Good luck and Luceat
Lux!</div>
Chris Tiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086138922716967040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725260662450902149.post-89111054717782317772019-02-14T23:02:00.000+08:002019-02-14T23:04:58.852+08:00Memoir of a Retiring Basketball WifeAllow me to share the sweetest letter I've received in my life that moved me to tears. Happy Valentine's Day everyone :)<br />
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<span lang="EN-PH">Memoir
of a Retiring Basketball Wife <br />
an [open] letter to my husband </span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-PH">By Clarisse Tiu </span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-PH">November
3, 2018</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-PH">As I look through the clips of messages
from past coaches and teammates, videos of game winning shots, pictures of
wonderful memories made, I’m suddenly getting cold feet. Many times we scoffed
at Christmas day games and grueling practices taking precedence over family
events. But in this moment, I asked myself, “Is this the right time to retire?
Will you have regrets, leaving at the top of your game? Are we ready for this
career change, financially? Emotionally?” I was afraid for you to stay but anxious
to leave at the same time. </span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-PH">I look back on the past 20 years I’ve known
you, and basketball is all you’ve known. You’ve been playing competitively
since you were 10. Being in a long relationship, I had the benefit and burden of
seeing you through almost all your playing years. I guess you could say that
the only other thing that has outlived our relationship, save for your family,
is basketball. The sport was your first love, and your longest running love
story to date. It’s given you your share of heartbreaks and joys, just like any
other love story. Allow me to recount a few… </span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-PH">I sometimes imagine you as a small and
skinny boy, running out of a room full of players, to pray the rosary, so as
not to commit sin. It made me cry when you mentioned it during your
commencement speech at Xavier because I silently hoped we would have a son like
you. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Basketball gave you opportunities
to choose to be good, even at an early age. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-PH">You recently told me a story of how at 10
years old, your team was forced to ride a ferry boat back to Manila in a storm,
and how you were throwing up seasick the whole way home, having no one but your
older teammates to look after you. You also played a lot of out of town games
throughout your career, sometimes even sleeping on classroom floors, without
ever a single complaint. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I think that
basketball taught you resilience. You never made a big deal of personal
comforts, despite growing up in a well to do family</b>. </span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-PH">I remember how in your Ateneo years, you once
bore the humiliation missing a wide open layup against your school’s Arch
rivals to hand them the victory, and how you could not raise your head in
school the next day. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Basketball taught
you humility – that even a most prized recruit could fall and fail badly.</b></span><br />
<span lang="EN-PH"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-PH">The 2008 season your team won the Ateneo
championship, you were dubbed the “King Eagle” and it seemed the weight of the
world was on your shoulders. You would worry about the Ateneo community and how
you wanted so much to give them the championship they longed for and deserved.
I recall receiving calls from you at 3 or 4:00am after games, just wanting
someone to listen to your thoughts on the loss, or just be there on the other
line. Looking back, we often say how serendipitous it was that you skipped a
playing year to do your JTA, so that you could come back to play that one more
year under Coach Norman, and finally win the championship against La Salle<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">. Basketball taught you not to crumble under
the weight of the world, and that if you stay strong and work patiently, great
things will happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-PH">In Wuhan, I had the privilege of supporting
you as a national athlete in the Olympic qualifier. And when your team fell
short vs Korea in the battle for 3rd, you described it to me as your heart
breaking “into a million pieces”. You took weeks or even months to get over
that loss. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Basketball taught you that no
matter how much you want something, if it’s not meant for you, you accept, and
find the strength to move on. </b></span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-PH">In your PBA career, you weren’t the always
the top scorer or captain ball. You took to the statistics to motivate
yourself, “Plus-minus”, you said, “It’s how many points your team is winning or
losing by when you’re on the court. It’s the intangibles.” You prided yourself
in the fact that you could make a difference in the small things, even if no
one took notice. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Basketball taught you
to be a role player, take a back seat, and keep working hard, even if it goes
unnoticed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-PH">When you had struggles with your Coach, you
spoke passionately about it almost daily to me, dreading the mood at practice,
not needing the stress, and wanting to quit. In time, you both managed to turn
around the situation and built an even better relationship through trust. You
also saw many things happening on the sidelines, which sparked betrayal and made
us both frustrated and cynical about the sport. And when you went down hard on
the floor when Malcolm White got you clean, and you suffered one of the worst
injuries of your life, I told myself the PBA would not have been worth it if
the injury was any worse! But <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">it taught
us both to be humble, adjust and keep on giving your best, regardless of the
odds and even if not everybody was honorable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-PH">In your team, you would always share with
me stories of unsung heroes like your teammate Dexter, whose child was born
blind, but still commutes 3 hours each way from Pampanga to practice and was
equally hard working each day despite the sorrow and hardship. Another one was
your ball boy whose only son passed away suddenly from a bout of pneumonia, and
yet absented himself only to bury his son, and promptly appeared at practice
the next day. And then you humanized your imports who were sometimes commoditized,
being just as good as their last game. You told me their stories about their
families, their past, and how hard they worked despite being away from home and
their loved ones. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I think basketball
taught you count your blessings, and helped you develop an understanding and
fondness of people who did not grow up like you.</b></span><br />
<span lang="EN-PH"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-PH">As one of your past teammates, Jvee Casio,
said about you, you do things with much love, and that’s what sets you apart
from others. It is not your height, skill, or athleticism, but rather your love
and generosity in sharing yourself that does. They say, how one treats those
who have nothing to offer them, shows you how a person really is. If you wonder
why people care so much about you, it’s because you somehow show them you care.
You don’t choose who deserves your generosity, be it the event security at the
arena, to the ticketing ladies, to the fans, ball boys, your teammates,
coaching staff or management.</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-PH">The sport opened doors for you unlike any
of your other contemporary players. You used basketball to your advantage, socially
and financially, but never abused its benefits. You only used it for good
things. I would like to believe that you carried yourself in a fashion
befitting of an instrument of God. In return, God was very good to you. You
asked and received, the most incredible final game that you could have asked
for. A Career high, 30 points. Best player and Amanda being able to sit on your
lap in the post game interview. All your fans and teammates were so supportive
of you, sincerely wanting you to succeed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I don’t think there could be any better memory of your last game. My
only regret is that our children will not have seen what a great ball player
you are. </span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-PH">As you end your career, it is obvious that
your family and I are beyond proud of what you have achieved. I have so much
gratitude for the life we have, thanks to this sport. The game has seen you
through childhood, puberty, bachelorhood, marriage, and now fatherhood. It has
taught you valuable lessons that no person or academic degree can ever
replicate. It’s been one hell of a ride, alongside you in every sleepless
night, enduring your aches and pains, mourning your losses, fighting your battles,
and celebrating your sweetest victories with you. Our hearts ached when yours
ached and jumped for joy when yours did too. I will surely miss the pre-game
routine of you lifting at the gym 48 hours before, getting your steak protein
fix 24 hours before – always medium rare, Air Relax before bedtime, and only
pasta, “no-touch” policy on game day. But then again, I don’t think it will be
the end of your love affair with the game. I look forward to the ways that you
will continue to grow and give back, to the sport that has given us so much.
Congrats on a career well done and I love you very much!</span></div>
Chris Tiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086138922716967040noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725260662450902149.post-78791736941537537532019-01-09T16:49:00.003+08:002019-01-09T17:26:21.682+08:00My Final Ride (by Chris Tiu)<style>
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<span style="font-family: "chalkboard"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I will always cherish the memory of my last game in the PBA. After a
less than stellar performance of our team this season, I honestly thought of
just sitting out the last game, being able to already hit my career-high score twice
in the last 3 games. At least I could take some pride in that, and not end my
basketball career on a low note. That was the plan. But I guess God sometimes
has other plans for us – most of the time, even better than the plans we have
for ourselves. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "chalkboard"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">It wasn’t so much about the number of points I scored that day, but
really it was the appreciation shown by my wonderful teammates and coaches. The
feeling of them wanting me to exit on a high note really moved me. <span style="color: black;">I had intended to announce my retirement immediately after
the game, through my friends from the press. But I thought it was better to
postpone it until I had spoken to our team owners, as boss Raymond Yu and Terry
Que politely asked me to stay on.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background: yellow none repeat scroll 0% 0%; font-family: "chalkboard"; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">In all honesty, I took to heart their words and seriously reconsidered
playing another season or at least just one conference. The messages of
encouragement and even an open letter I received, thereafter, from friends,
colleagues, and basketball fans to continue playing certainly made me feel
appreciated. Several tributes were written detailing every phase of my career, even
as early as my grade school days in Xavier School and these made me emotional.
I tried to personally reach out and thank each of those writers, not really for
the praise, but more so because they shared my story and the values I espouse
as an athlete. I felt like somehow my efforts to serve as a sort of
inspiration, especially to the youth, were not futile.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I am immensely grateful to our Lord for my basketball journey, 4 years
as a member of the Gilas Pilipinas pioneer team, 6 years with Rain or Shine in
the PBA. That’s 10 years as a professional and 5 years in college basketball. There
were certain turns of events which landed me at the 7<sup>th</sup> pick with
ROS in the PBA draft. For several years, I learned to accept my new role
playing as back up to Paul Lee and tried to contribute to the cause of the team
by doing the little things. In spite of that, I feel I could not have asked for
a better team to spend my PBA career with. What struck me most about Rain or
Shine was the sense of family within the organization, which allowed us to
enjoy playing the game even more. Another is its simplicity, giving proof that
an underdog can stay competitive, even without the glamour. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">BASKETBALL IS LIFE</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Basketball was my life. I fell in love with it watching Michael Jordan
when I was 5 years old. It is also a metaphor of life. The championships, won
games, best player awards are definitely rewarding. But more often than not, we
fall short and get frustrated. Until today, I don’t take losses well and lose
sleep. Over time, I’ve learned to just enjoy the journey regardless of result
or circumstance and used the opportunity to always learn something new – partly
about basketball, but more so about life and people! Despite the emotional and
physical drain, I am grateful for these challenges because they taught me the
value of perseverance, among others.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">No doubt basketball has opened many doors for me and allowed me to make
so many new friends, meet individuals from all walks of life, including my
idols. The most memorable I have to say was meeting Pope Francis, when I was
invited to give a talk about sports in the Vatican. I also got the chance to
meet and compete with our NBA idols (and I can one day brag to my kids that I
beat them in 3 point shoot-outs)! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Basketball also served as a powerful platform to communicate my
advocacies, from youth leadership & formation, sports & fitness, to
education, to being kind to the environment, pure love, and even anti-bullying.
In fact, that was one of the deciding factors for me to pursue a career in the
pros. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">One of the things I will miss the most about being a basketball player
in the Philippines is having that unique ability to be able to bring joy and
happiness to the fans, most especially the youth, the sick, those with special
needs and the marginalized who look up to us athletes, even just through a
selfie or a short conversation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">MOVING ON…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">To be honest, I think I have at least 1 or 2 more productive PBA seasons
left in me. But at the same time, I want to channel my current energy and
enthusiasm into other projects that are sustainable and have positive impact to
the community, some new and some which we have started years ago. I believe
it’s about time I start a career as a full-fledged businessman and live up to
my commitment to the family. At the same time, we have an infant and a toddler
who are growing incredibly fast. I want to cherish every moment with them and
give them my full attention while I can, which is very challenging to do with
basketball where I am overly particular with my training and resting routine. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">THANK YOUs</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">There are so many people I want to thank. I’ve had the privilege of
working with world-class coaches and mentors, who have molded me and my
leadership style (I will pay tribute to them in my Instagram page in the next
few days). I’ve had so many teammates over the years with different
personalities, some have become great friends and I’m happy to see our families
growing together. I’ve learned a lot from each of them! I’ve worked with many utility
and support staff who can barely make ends meet and rely on us for won game
bonuses, yet are so committed. Utmost appreciation goes to the various team
owners, sports benefactors and leaders who have trusted and supported me. Thank
you for keeping Philippine basketball alive and competitive. To my very
accommodating doctors and hardworking PTs who I have to call at the oddest
hours, we’ve become friends and you guys are behind-the-scenes heroes. To the
Ateneo, Gilas Pilipinas and Rain or Shine supporters, you encourage me to keep
pursuing excellence day in and day out. To fellow basketball enthusiasts, I
salute your passion for the sport! To my beloved Tiunatics, more than serving
as my cheerleaders and inspiration, what makes me happiest is when I see many
new friendships among you guys created over the years. To my critics, thank you
for challenging me to constantly improve! To fellow PBA players, it was an
honor competing against you guys! Never take for granted this blessing, stay
healthy and all the best in your careers. To my friends in media, thank you for
making Philippine basketball accessible and entertaining to the fans!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">To my family and friends, thank you for sharing my triumphs and sorrows
in sports and outside, as well as being understanding when I am absent in
gatherings. To my loving parents, for allowing me to pursue my passions and
always making sure that the backend is taken care of so that I can focus on my
jobs and my family. More importantly, thank you for constantly instilling in us
important values and always setting good examples.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">To my wife Cla who has shared my basketball journey with me for around
18 years now, since we were in high school. She shared all my emotions and this
retirement is her retirement as well. She holds the fort at home and makes sure
the kids are well taken care of despite holding a fulltime job and being an
entrepreneur. She makes sure I get my 9 hours of sleep on game days (plus a
short nap) and personally prepares my pasta diet so I don’t feel heavy during
games. (I will share her beautiful letter to me separately) And to my two
daughters Amanda and Mari, who bring so much joy and meaning to my life, they
will just have to watch me play next time on YouTube. I love you all so much! </span><span style="font-family: "wingdings"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">THE DIVINE HAND</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">By nature, I sometimes want to control situations, and thought it is
possible to be in the driver’s seat of my life. But basketball has taught me to
let go and trust in God’s plan. We get frustrated with tough breaks and losses.
But what I learned from successful individuals is we should simply work hard and
always give our best, irrespective of the circumstances. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">And just like in my last PBA game on November 3, 2018 vs NLEX, I poured
out everything, and God really did the rest. What transpired that day, and at
every step of the way in my career for that matter, was certainly a result of
His divine plan. He surprised even me, and gave me more than I hoped for in a
final appearance. To top it all off, I was honored with the chance to represent
the National Team once more in the recent Asian Games after 6 long years away
from the Pilipinas jersey. This has always been my dream. If that isn’t full
circle, I don’t know what is. So truly, I could not have asked for a more
beautiful journey and ending. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Thank you Lord, and thank you all for your support! AMDG! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Chris T</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard"; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Posted Jan 9, 2019 </span></div>
Chris Tiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086138922716967040noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725260662450902149.post-88894763397997206352016-04-06T08:46:00.000+08:002016-04-06T08:56:55.987+08:00Who is John Tiu Ka Cho? <style>
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<i>Below are some excerpts of my keynote address for the first Grade 6 graduation ceremonies of Xavier School Nuvali held at the John Tiu Ka Cho Multi-purpose Center. </i></div>
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<br /></div>
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Keynote Speech</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1st Grade 6 Graduation Ceremonies</div>
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John Tiu Ka Cho Multi-purpose Center</div>
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Xavier School Nuvali</div>
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March 19, 2016</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By Chris Tiu (XS ’03)</div>
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<br /></div>
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Fr. Ari Dy, Mrs. Arlene Choo, dearest Xavier administrators,
faculty, staff, families & graduates, good morning to you all!</div>
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<br /></div>
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It is my greatest honor to be invited as the Keynote Speaker
for the first ever Grade 6 Closing Ceremonies of Xavier School Nuvali. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwglnIbUXAzBK5EdqLq0yV71vLS7LF-3aagBYAeGrIbYCX43-3j12AEqKEjRfY4_T3RPPfP43yOUL1Nr6CcLfDeMFE_rOJy_Fng7kn-9uBpPKW8wqmc1KY9LIrAV-VpVyWDoe9Fmtf2DM/s1600/image1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwglnIbUXAzBK5EdqLq0yV71vLS7LF-3aagBYAeGrIbYCX43-3j12AEqKEjRfY4_T3RPPfP43yOUL1Nr6CcLfDeMFE_rOJy_Fng7kn-9uBpPKW8wqmc1KY9LIrAV-VpVyWDoe9Fmtf2DM/s320/image1.JPG" width="315" /></a>To be honest, it has been a while since I was in your place,
seated as a grade school graduate and looking forward to a new adventure in
high school and beyond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So seeing as I
have just a few years of experience ahead of you all, let me tell you a few
things that I wish I had known back when I was your age. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Live out the spirit of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">MAGIS</b>.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>What is magis?</div>
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<br /></div>
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Let me share with you the story of an individual who has served
as an inspiration to me and many others who knew him. He is not a celebrity but
he has certainly let his light shine through his ordinary life. So although I’m
sure most of you have heard of his name, you probably do not know his story. </div>
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<br /></div>
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He was born in the Philippines and lived a very difficult
childhood. When World War 2 broke out, life became even harsher for this poor
teenager and his family. They barely had anything to eat and he was forced to
stop his schooling. But instead of letting fate dictate his future, he started
selling cigarettes, newspapers and anything that he could get hold of at the
ground floor of their tiny house in Alonso St. in Binondo, Manila. He eventually
managed to finish high school through his own hard-earned money from his simple
business, then later finished college as well by working during the day and
going to school at night. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK8tu-IIM0eDiP-bOPh74IYsZ2oklWeu3BWLylP9TtSzU5DMZi_zdDm8Z8KQihuur5-QjQKYDnC0eHIf-vbsiBjziZopTCtcOiUqQ0Cv7v6ErU61vNre6CeQPYrf6uZhZLx1fuMcP0_uU/s1600/image3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK8tu-IIM0eDiP-bOPh74IYsZ2oklWeu3BWLylP9TtSzU5DMZi_zdDm8Z8KQihuur5-QjQKYDnC0eHIf-vbsiBjziZopTCtcOiUqQ0Cv7v6ErU61vNre6CeQPYrf6uZhZLx1fuMcP0_uU/s320/image3.JPG" width="320" /></a>He got married, had six lovely children then, nightmare
happened. His wife passed away at the age of 32. Their eldest child was 11
years old while their youngest was only 2 years old. </div>
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By this time, he had opened a successful hardare store in
Binondo. He was working at least 6 days a week, sometimes even 7. His kids
feared him but had the greatest respect for him.</div>
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This man’s business sense was impeccable. He was a stern
disciplinarian. His kids didn’t get to experience the typical summer break
because he required them to work in the store. Being late for appointments was
a big ‘no no’. If someone gave his phone number, you’d have to memorize it
without repetition. He was sharp and unstoppable. </div>
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With the success of his first hardware store, he had built
several buildings and factories all over the city. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">He became known as the self-made Taipan from Alonso.</i> Then just when
he was growing his mini-empire, another tragedy struck. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was suddenly diagnosed with lung cancer and
in a short time, in less than a year, at the young age of 62, he passed away, leaving
behind a wife, 9 kids and his legacy<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.</i>
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This man’s name is John Tiu Ka Cho and he is my grandfather.</div>
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Sadly, I do not have any vivid memories of my ‘kong-kong’ or
my lolo because he passed away when I was barely 3 years old. He was a very
simple man, he wore no branded clothes and always traveled in economy class,
only until he had to undergo medical treatment in the U.S. for his cancer did
he ever travel on business class. As told from his story, he greatly valued
education and he always said that, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">‘knowledge
is power’</b>. In fact, all his sons and most of his grandsons had studied and
graduated from Xavier School. He was a very compassionate and generous man. If
he were still around today, I’m sure he would not have wanted his name to be
displayed on the wall of this very hall. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheTGg7-d4DBXNXYDoAehtcFcNB-mfyBrWpX36WlBXAg-p_k43MNp6yl02WJNvV3-aq07xEv2svtOBO8iUOwpMLlw42oeDN2j8BEnGPKvZOObPnbZ1viImWBGgDfr0bj9VN9mqvauYWpq8/s1600/image4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheTGg7-d4DBXNXYDoAehtcFcNB-mfyBrWpX36WlBXAg-p_k43MNp6yl02WJNvV3-aq07xEv2svtOBO8iUOwpMLlw42oeDN2j8BEnGPKvZOObPnbZ1viImWBGgDfr0bj9VN9mqvauYWpq8/s320/image4.JPG" width="320" /></a>JTKC was a true man for others. Not only did he provide
livelihood to thousands of people, but he quietly donated to many causes and
people in need! I can say that he is truly rich, not rich with money, but rich
in graces from God, which is what ultimately matters anyway– <u>because it is
in giving that we truly receive</u>. He always strove for excellence in
whatever he did, whether as a businessman or a family man, never settling for
mediocrity. In other words, bawal ang ‘pwede na’ attitude. This is what we
call, Magis. </div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Instead of making
excuses, he worked hard to turn his life around and get back on his feet – a
major challenge for us in today’s world of convenience.</i> </div>
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… In today’s modern world, I know that we sometimes feel
pressured to do as others do, have as others have, dress, act, and be as others
are. Social media also has a way making other people’s lives appear glamorous
and fun! It has a way of making us feel entitled, that “I deserve this… I
deserve that….”, a better pair of shoes, a better vacation, a better cellphone,
in short, a better life.</div>
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But let me fill you in on a secret that you will learn as
you grow up. Those things are only for show and will not lead us to a
fulfilling and happy life. At the end of the day, our goal is to be happy, the
long and lasting type of happiness. Just remember the things we learned today: Live
out the spirit of Magis, keep learning, live simply, be honest to yourself and to God, be a
man and woman for others. </div>
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Today we celebrate a milestone for all of you. Let’s never
take for granted how blessed and lucky we are. And the best way we can thank
God and our parents is by always doing our best and always doing what is right.
Congratulations once again! Let your light shine. Luceat Lux.</div>
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Chris Tiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086138922716967040noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725260662450902149.post-10659344241464509922015-10-03T20:31:00.002+08:002015-10-03T22:59:07.735+08:00My Experience of a Lifetime<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<br />
Last
May 13, 2015, I had the experience of a lifetime. Never in my wildest
dreams did I ever dream of coming close to a Pope! My closest encounter
with any Pope was in 1995 during the World Youth Day in Manila. My dad
carried me on his shoulders along the corner of Buendia and EDSA and I
was able to catch a glimpse of Pope John Paul 2 in his Pope mobile for a
good 3 seconds from a distance. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghHVPJBSO1RppYkXiJNrG7sUtoHrr6uDLNG2JcKr3PrVH-UEgdjsebvUrcGz71Otbl82NxFS8il0lMtP-I2Wq2y0fD3ZY8UaEU47ucJzi4PV2yoNxnvjTv5ld4Uvau066HbCMZeAY9Jtc/s1600/IMG_20150513_102128.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghHVPJBSO1RppYkXiJNrG7sUtoHrr6uDLNG2JcKr3PrVH-UEgdjsebvUrcGz71Otbl82NxFS8il0lMtP-I2Wq2y0fD3ZY8UaEU47ucJzi4PV2yoNxnvjTv5ld4Uvau066HbCMZeAY9Jtc/s320/IMG_20150513_102128.jpg" width="180" /></a>I
flew to Rome for 3 days because I had been invited by the Pontifical
Council of the Laity, one of the key arms of the Vatican, to speak in
the Seminar for Sport 2015. The theme of the conference was "Coaching
the Coach". I posted my speech in a previous entry in this blog. <a href="http://ctiu.blogspot.com/2015/05/stroke-of-god.html" target="_blank">Here's the link to my testimonial.</a><br />
<br />
It
happened during the elimination round of the 3rd conference of the PBA.
Thankfully, the Rain or Shine management and Coach Yeng were very
understanding to allow me to miss some games and to take part in this
rare invitation.<br />
<br />
Anyhow, I had no idea that I was going to have the opportunity to meet Pope Francis. <br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFtWgFXe7UmMD3msdz9rfY2ZvK2qk6GCHYKjbDAImjmed3HuinJdyXeAZFT6LurReH6G3qSXgcIy-dnL3rCkAGkqNDSGMlU8SF2wp59d-xDz2Ka612b8ic_arV3sEYg6dPSm9coJ4Asro/s1600/IMG_20150513_090940+copy.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFtWgFXe7UmMD3msdz9rfY2ZvK2qk6GCHYKjbDAImjmed3HuinJdyXeAZFT6LurReH6G3qSXgcIy-dnL3rCkAGkqNDSGMlU8SF2wp59d-xDz2Ka612b8ic_arV3sEYg6dPSm9coJ4Asro/s320/IMG_20150513_090940+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
What
happened was actually a blessing in disguise. On the day I was
scheduled to leave Manila for Rome, I decided (at the last moment) to
change my flight to an earlier one, which was scheduled to arrive Rome
at 7 am, an hour earlier than my previous flight. As soon as I landed in
Rome, a friend of the organizer, Luciano (who you can see on my right)
picked me up from the airport and told me to hurry up because we need to
be in St. Peter's square by 830am for the Papal audience or else the
gates will close. So I changed into my suit inside his tiny car, along
the highway. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaRRsP99djfdrVgYL_LU6WzegTiS8CHKLLY6dmfPFPtDcbAY3Pl6RDJNLb7vONusXKtiXFvvyG3HS5gNxXO5NBQbYi35eXolX_L-p2N7n0SrDj-YjCbdQCn3GuREUg1N8n6-qBcyEPX-k/s1600/5133-09899.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaRRsP99djfdrVgYL_LU6WzegTiS8CHKLLY6dmfPFPtDcbAY3Pl6RDJNLb7vONusXKtiXFvvyG3HS5gNxXO5NBQbYi35eXolX_L-p2N7n0SrDj-YjCbdQCn3GuREUg1N8n6-qBcyEPX-k/s320/5133-09899.JPG" width="320" /></a>At
this point, all I knew was that they had given us access to a special
section where we could see the Pope closer than the thousands of other
visitors of the weekly Papal audience. Our car went inside the walled
Vatican city and we walked from the inside to get to the stage, which
was guarded by the Swiss guards and other security members. We were led
to the VIP section to the left of the stage where the Pope would be
siting. We arrived just before 9am and after 5 mins, the gates closed,
the band played and the Pope appeared and did his rounds through the
thousands who came to the square. If I had not taken that earlier flight at the last minute, I would have not been allowed to enter! Whew!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEbHTsP9DidjfbVgctejylcGxgpgh2NcUO-BHua62pa9VKV5XK37DnRrLIaUdovw5j8pbfeU2ndfJi0eC3d89NuP5oON28u9bnT_dcxOaxIKY9TODWBpwDt2C6v5Rdh574TsC-dwNt4eE/s1600/5133-09857.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEbHTsP9DidjfbVgctejylcGxgpgh2NcUO-BHua62pa9VKV5XK37DnRrLIaUdovw5j8pbfeU2ndfJi0eC3d89NuP5oON28u9bnT_dcxOaxIKY9TODWBpwDt2C6v5Rdh574TsC-dwNt4eE/s320/5133-09857.JPG" width="320" /></a>I
was so excited because we had reserved seats in the first row and we
were just about 10 meters away from the Pope's chair. After he did his
rounds, he walked up the stage and walked right in front of me maybe 3
meters away, waving and smiling pleasantly. Then he took his seat. I was
thinking, this is unreal!!<br />
<br />
What truly amazed me is
his patience and sincerity in meeting and blessing the common people. He
is 78 years old and still took time to get off his vehicle and touch
the babies in the audience in the scorching summer heat.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWGyIJi56IBsBds-YCyXo8-Zn1-26UikgYmELAhVT5x0FTJV1z3xmiBrqiw9fBFpN30V9RbinDlBYBBv1sET6Njqz7n8DIDbX3-Rr1wfRtayCafn6-QH0VjEy4lSO8r3ZhzMkCXJa0nmw/s1600/5133-09969.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWGyIJi56IBsBds-YCyXo8-Zn1-26UikgYmELAhVT5x0FTJV1z3xmiBrqiw9fBFpN30V9RbinDlBYBBv1sET6Njqz7n8DIDbX3-Rr1wfRtayCafn6-QH0VjEy4lSO8r3ZhzMkCXJa0nmw/s320/5133-09969.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi14aTwemzdCsT61zPb67Oe9Aq61kA5ErOe8YnrtZTHe0plRtbGC3TY5G7dQb2qAtPa67gElTsb11JnyKj3FNlQFz07zPJFV2IgA0gSI3gLV9IlZNCvwpH3cmSTXaZKS74s_zyE6kshvDw/s1600/5133-09964.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi14aTwemzdCsT61zPb67Oe9Aq61kA5ErOe8YnrtZTHe0plRtbGC3TY5G7dQb2qAtPa67gElTsb11JnyKj3FNlQFz07zPJFV2IgA0gSI3gLV9IlZNCvwpH3cmSTXaZKS74s_zyE6kshvDw/s320/5133-09964.JPG" width="320" /></a>After
the 2-hour audience, he then began to make his rounds again until he
came to our section, slowly shaking hands and talking to each single
individual in our VIP section by the stage. As he kept getting closer to
me, I was already getting nervous and rattled. I didn't know what I
would say or do.<br />
<br />
Finally after approaching like 50 people,
it was my turn to meet him. I shook his hand and touched his ring and
said, "Hello Holy Father, I am from the Philippines where you just
visited. I am also an athlete" Honestly, I don't know why I had to say
that haha! He never stopped smiling and to my amazement he said, "Please
pray for me!" Then, he gave me a rosary.<br />
<br />
I totally didn't expect this encounter, otherwise I would have prepared. Maybe I would have given him a gift,
brought a rosary to be blessed or perhaps ask him to sign my jersey! Oh well... <br />
<br />
That
encounter really hit me. It was like meeting a living Saint. It was a
different 'high' feeling. Deep inside I was thinking to myself, this
person is so genuine and so humble, who am I to pray for him?<br />
<br />
What
an inspiring moment for me. Definitely one of the highlights of my life
:) Up until today, I keep reflecting, what does God want of me? Why did
he make this happen for me?<br />
<br />
Let's all pray for our
dearest Pope Francis and his mission. May his message of love, mercy and
service be propagated to all ends of the world.<br />
<br />
Chris<br />
<br />
P.S.
I kept my camera video rolling the entire time as you can see in the
photos. But these photos were taken by Fotografia Felici, the official
photographers of the Vatican. I just went online to select my photos and
went to their store just outside the Vatican to receive the high
resolution files. I paid 6 euros for each of them so I might as well
post them here! Right? So pardon me for the bombarding of pics. hehe<br />
<br />
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Chris Tiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086138922716967040noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725260662450902149.post-52049702007994356002015-07-09T17:29:00.001+08:002015-07-09T17:39:48.340+08:00My response to questions re retirement<i>Sorry if I caused confusion with my tweets. I sent this statement to the journalists/writers who have been calling and texting asking about my possible retirement from basketball.</i> <i>Thanks for all your support!! :)</i><br />
<br />
To those asking about my PBA status, first of all, we have to ask the ROS management if they are still interested to renew/extend my contract. I cannot just assume that they will keep me. We haven't spoken yet.<br />
<br />
I initially intended to play in the PBA for just one contract period but now I'm reconsidering because I never thought I would still enjoy playing basketball this much at this level.<br />
1) My teammates are just fun to be with and they are amazing players as well.<br />
2) The owners and management are very easy to deal with and they are like family, no nonsense politics.<br />
3) I like Coach Yeng's style of running a team & his basketball philosophy. I've been learning a lot and it is only recently that I've really been able to adjust and get my confidence and rhythm going, somewhat.<br />
4) The ROS fans are the best!<br />
<br />
As much as playing professional ball is enjoyable, it is also taxing physically, mentally & emotionally, which may compromise my quality of work for my other commitments.<br />
<br />
At the end of the day, I am truly grateful to the Lord, the team, the fans and the support of my family. Basketball has been a great platform to promote my advocacies. I trust in God's plan and I pray that I will do what He wants of me.<br />
<br />
Salamat sa lahat ng dasal at suporta!<br />
<br />
ChrisChris Tiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086138922716967040noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725260662450902149.post-70916759406663417672015-07-05T19:24:00.002+08:002015-07-05T19:45:32.943+08:00Veritas, Integritas, Justitia. (SERVIAM Conference for Servant Leadership. Crown Plaza. July 3, 2015).<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-PH"></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-PH"><i>This
post contains my challenge speech to 700+ government officials,
employees who attended the SERVIAM Conference for Servant Leadership,
chaired by Cardinal Chito Tagle, which was held at the Grand Ballroom of
Crowne Plaza in Ortigas on July 2-3. I was representing the youth
sector in our panel with Mike Enriquez (Media), Riza Mantaring of
Sunlife (Business) & Mrs. Juanich (marginalized sector).
Congratulations to the entire Serviam team for a very successful event
and may you continue to inspire and move our leaders to become true
servant leaders!</i></span></span><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
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I
would also like to thank my friends Joren & my Baboy group (Dani,
Charles, Joni, Kira, Carms, Moe, etc.) who gave me brilliant insights
that helped me compose this speech.<br />
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-PH">Veritas,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Integritas, Justitia</span></b><br />
<br />
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<span lang="EN-PH">A friend of mine told me a story of three rooms in a well-known
school. </span><br />
<br />
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<span lang="EN-PH">The first room was a small audio-visual room, with less than 100
seats. It was used primarily for small classes that needed a venue for watching
videos, displaying Powerpoint presentations, and affairs that required face-to-face
activity. Meetings were often held in that room.</span><br />
<br />
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<span lang="EN-PH">The second room was mostly an office, a center for publication and
scholastic activity. It was dedicated to a great alumnus of the school. It was
a place of solitude and silence. </span><br />
<br />
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<span lang="EN-PH">The third room was the grandest of the three, with at least 200
seats and tables. It was large and wide, and was the most coveted room of any
class that wanted to have a big event. Lectures of very important guests were
often held in it. It was almost an amphitheatre, though instead of a stage you
had a big judges’ bench for mock trial play.</span><br />
<br />
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<span lang="EN-PH">The names of these three rooms are, Veritas, Integritas, and
Justitia, respectively. And the school involved is the Ateneo Law School. </span><br />
<br />
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<span lang="EN-PH">My friend told me that while the rooms were simply named after a
virtue, he always believed that the purpose and the usage of the rooms gave
more meaning to the name than the students thought otherwise.</span><br />
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-PH">Veritas</span></b><br />
<br />
</div>
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<span lang="EN-PH">We all know what Veritas commonly means. It means truth. The root is
“verus,” which means “true,”.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-PH">Aptly enough, the first room that I mentioned, that was used for intense
discussion and video was named after Truth. It was a room for organizational
meetings, wherein leaders and members hashed out their objectives and
methodology for the school year, debating with each other and engaging ideas
head-on, face-to-face. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-PH">This was a room that encouraged one to learn, to be educated, to
form an opinion with basis and defend it if necessary. </span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-PH">Hindi ba yan naman dapat yun pangunahing adhikain ng mga eskwelahan?
Para matuto at maunawaan ang ibig sabihin ng “truth” or “totoo”?</span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-PH">As someone represeting the youth sector so jaded by the past and
present, but still clinging to the HOPE promised by the future, it seems to me
that the leaders of today and tomorrow have to show a desire for the Truth,
Veritas. Not only for their own knowledge but also to inspire others to walk
the Path of Truth.</span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-PH">Ano ibig sabihin nito? Dapat alam natin ang katotohanan at
isinasabuhay natin ito. We want leaders who practice attentive leadership, with
eyes wide open to see the joys, sorrows, desires, needs and dreams of the
common man and woman. See it in the streets. Feel it. And please, do something
about it. </span><br />
<br />
</div>
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<span lang="EN-PH">Meron akong kakilala na nagsabi sa akin na gusto niya magtrabaho sa
gobyerno. Tanong ko, “Bakit?”. Sabi niya, “pangarap ko yun para makaahon ang
pamilya ko, mabigyan ko sila ng makakainan at mapaaral ko sila.” Nag-isip isip
ako. Tama nga naman siya. Walang problema run. </span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-PH">Meron naman akong isa pang kakilala na nag-sabi sa akin na
gumagastos siya ng daan-libo hanggang milyun-miyong piso para mangampanya upang
maging konsehal sa isang siyudad. Tinanong ko “Bakit ang laki ng ginagastos
mo?” Ang sabi sa akin, “alam mo parang investment lang yan sa negyosyo. Puhunan
ito. Pag nanalo ako, ROI na or balik na pera ko.” Kamot ako ng ulo. Lumubog ang
loob ko at talagang nalungkot ako. Ano ba klaseng mga public officials ang
meron tayo?</span><br />
<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-PH">Kaya nga tayong tinatawag na “public servants”, kasi tayo ay dapat
mag-serbisyo para sa taong-bayan bago ang lahat. Hindi para tayo ay makinabang
sa resources at kapangyarihan na mayroon pag nasa posisyon. Parang marami na
nga ang nakalimot sa tunay na kahulugan ng “public service”.</span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-PH">Maganda ang sinabi ni Cardinal Tagle sa isa sa mga Leadership
Seminars na ginawa ng Charis Foundation, at hinding-hindi ko ito makalimutan.
Sabi niya, “the higher you go up the organizational ladder, all the more we
should lower ourselves and serve more.” Imbis na gumaganda ang kotse, dumadami
ang alalay, puro utos ng tao, dapat lalo tayong mag-serbisyo habang tayo ay
umaangat. That is the irony of servant leadership. Jesus himself was a leader
and king, but he served the people, he even washed their feet and even died on
the cross. Yan ang totoong leader. </span><br />
<br />
</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-PH">Integritas</span></b><br />
<br />
</div>
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<span lang="EN-PH">Integritas comes from the root word “integer,” which refers to
something whole, complete, perfect. We often know this word as “integrity.” Put
simply, integrity is the result of having character, of knowing, saying, and
acting with just one moral compass. </span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-PH">The room Integritas was designed for solitude and self-reflection,
which I think is an ideal setting for building one’s character. Character is
designed internally, after all. But once designed, it must be published and
expressed to the world.</span><br />
<br />
</div>
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<span lang="EN-PH">I think that integrity is something that the youth hunger for so
much in our leaders. We have seen time and again politicians go back on their
word, come up short on their promises, and overall swing from one side of the
political fence to the other just because of a power-shift. We have seen
officials compromise principles they have sworn oaths to defend because of
greed or fear. If there is anything the youth cannot stand, it is hypocrisy,
dishonesty, corruption.</span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-PH">Kapag ang isang tao ay honest or hindi nangungurakot, ito ay hindi
ibig sabihin na mayroon na siyang integridad. Incompetence is also a form of
corruption. It is corruption of the will. Part of Integritas is excellence, not
having a “pwede na” attitude. </span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-PH">For instance, there is a study on the speed of doing business across
Asia, and we are one of the lowest. Then finally now, we have a test case that
it can be done in 15 days only. Kaya naman pala eh! Keep it up! Pero bakit
ngayon lang? Bakit parang kapag sa private sector parating mas mabilis ang pag
proseso ng mga bagay bagay? Kapag privately funded ang isang national sports
team, nakakakuha ng gold medal sa international competitions. Kung kaya ng
private sector, siguro kaya rin natin.</span><br />
<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-PH">Only a person of integrity will have the credibility to tell his/
her underlings to work hard and honestly. Parang sa basketball lang yan, kapag
tamad o makasarili ang coach o team captain, ano kayang klaseng kultura ang
lalaganap sa koponan?</span><br />
<br />
</div>
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<span lang="EN-PH">I hope you do not see our
demands as too harsh, but we youth are easily discouraged. When we see rules
being flouted, being bent by our elders, we lose respect for both the rules and
our elders. Do not create in us cynics.</span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-PH">We have a great deal of respect for leaders who continue to educate
themselves. We also have a great deal of respect for leaders who are honest and
cannot be corrupted. Combine that, and the respect we can give will know no
limits. </span><br />
<br />
</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-PH">Justitia</span></b><br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-PH">There’s a famous Roman saying: “fiat justitia, ruat caelum” or “let justice
be done, though the heavens fall.” This is such a dramatic line, of course, but
resonates with a very human need: fairness. In a land of fairness, people are
willing to be patient, to persevere through hardship, because they know that their
suffering and pain will somehow be fairly compensated, be it through excellent
services, an increase in jobs, and societal stability. </span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-PH">I think we need to get rid of some notions that justice means an
equal result for anyone. It does not. Alam niyo, naintindihan namin na mahirap
talaga maging public official. Imagine, ang baba na nga ng sweldo and you are
serving the people every single day but then you never get enough credit for
it. Ang sasabihin pa sayo, “eh kasi trabaho niyo naman talaga yan eh, dapat
lang!” Unfair diba? Well, even if we don’t get recognized for it, ok lang.
Kahit mababa pa rin ang sweldo, idaan sa legislative o sa executive branch. It
is definitely not an excuse to be corrupt or inefficient.</span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-PH">Remember the Justita room? Engrande ito at puno ng litrato ng mga
alumni ng Ateneo Law na naging Supreme Court Justice. Pero sa kwarto rin na
ito, makikita sa bintana ang kahirapan at ang nakakalungkot na kalagayan ng mga
bahay sa Makati at Mandaluyong. From there, you see the people who need justice
and mercy. We need to provide hope for the marginalized by giving them shelter,
education, by treating them with dignity, respect and love. That is mercy and
justice. </span><br />
<br />
</div>
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<b><span lang="EN-PH">Conclusion</span></b><br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-PH">Before I end, I just want to say that many of us decry the seemingly
degrading morality of the youth today. We cite TV, social media, games, and
simple laziness as something so prevalent among the youth. I agree with you.
But let me ask you, are you a role model to the youth around you? I urge you to
please be Knights of Honour, Knights of truth and face the dragons of our time.
And we, the youth, will follow you. Sasabihin ko sa inyo na ang kabataan ay
parating naghahanap ng idolo o ehemplo. The youth is hungry for role models.
And we will not often find the right ones in Hollywood or on TV. Pero sana,
sana naman ay makakahanap sila dito sa atin.</span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-PH">Alam niyo ba na ang Time magazine ay tinawag kaming mga kabataan na makasarili,
tamad at entitled, lagi na lang “I deserve this and that”, pero ayaw mag
trabaho. Siguro may konting katotohanan. But on the flipside, we are also very
idealistic, very tech-savvy, creative and passionate. Do you agree? We dream of
a better world. We are passionate about so many things. Sports, music, arts,
video games, movie stars, our careers, our social life. </span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-PH">My challenge to you is… how do you channel this idealism, creativity
and passion to productive use for the betterment of the individual and the
nation? How do we promote a culture of sacrifice, service and giving instead of
always receiving?</span><br />
<br />
</div>
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<span lang="EN-PH">I urge all of you who are here today to see if you mirror a faithful
follower of Christ, to see if you are being an instrument of Christ. Nothing I
have told you will sway the youth from cynicism if they remain words. We are a
frightfully energetic lot, but we are also prone to depression if we see our
world run by those without a conscience. </span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-PH">And in everything, love. Love will push us to do more for our
country than we ever thought possible. Love will let us conquer our enemies and
even our own weaknesses, because someone who loves has no true enemies. Love
allows us to live out our 3 pillars. Veritas, Integritas and Justitia. </span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-PH">Let love define our leadership. That is our challenge. Remember the
words of Jesus: “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to
the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me” (Mark
10:21)</span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-PH">Maraming salamat po!</span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span lang="EN-PH">Chris </span></div>
</div>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-PH"></span></span>Chris Tiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086138922716967040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725260662450902149.post-14576008233433152702015-05-27T17:12:00.000+08:002015-05-27T17:24:27.869+08:00HOW THE JUNIOR TERM ABROAD HAS CHANGED OUR LIVES<style>
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<i>This is an essay that I wrote and submitted to Lille Catholic University for an honorary doctorate degree that they will be conferring on Fr. Ben Nebres, the former President of Ateneo de Manila. I thought I might as well post it in my blog since this year is the 10th year anniversary of our exchange program in France. It just seemed liked yesterday. Wow! How time flies! Congratulations Fr. Ben!!</i></div>
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<b>HOW THE JUNIOR TERM
ABROAD HAS CHANGED OUR LIVES</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgeZMv6IQybm05SvJ5nTpIu_qzbzro5173av1fKoUmzl_QtDusn84-zt1uBUC6IAz1OgAlbk28NtGhWjmYrEAvCHOlqCNPmAHsNs-eYuZeuo4qszav5rNNFJWFnxlW6oOt2S_LRb2nPm4/s1600/DSC03676%2528small%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgeZMv6IQybm05SvJ5nTpIu_qzbzro5173av1fKoUmzl_QtDusn84-zt1uBUC6IAz1OgAlbk28NtGhWjmYrEAvCHOlqCNPmAHsNs-eYuZeuo4qszav5rNNFJWFnxlW6oOt2S_LRb2nPm4/s320/DSC03676%2528small%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palais de Beaux Arts</td></tr>
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If I were to name one program during my University stint in
Ateneo that I would want to do all over again, it has to be the JTA or Junior
Term Abroad program. It was in 2005 when I did my exchange program in Lille
Catholic University, together with 8 other students from Ateneo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were only the 3<sup>rd</sup> batch in
Ateneo to take advantage of this program to study abroad, interact with foreign
students and immerse ourselves in the local culture. We did not only have the
time of our lives but the entire experience certainly gave us a broader
perspective of the world.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8eB6YFv2NlA71ENApdhTPlHhkJJtf0w-F6znbPC3GSNCfX8XKg9dVq-X6E4NHJIxKPKfZG4QKabUrRLQi2t-iLLdoSu_tIvujdbOYGENwp3YYnURmDfmijiXoPw_YKjnLMGAnBA4fGgY/s1600/IMG_1015%2528small%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8eB6YFv2NlA71ENApdhTPlHhkJJtf0w-F6znbPC3GSNCfX8XKg9dVq-X6E4NHJIxKPKfZG4QKabUrRLQi2t-iLLdoSu_tIvujdbOYGENwp3YYnURmDfmijiXoPw_YKjnLMGAnBA4fGgY/s320/IMG_1015%2528small%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Joni Ong, my co-JTA student from the Philippines and now
General Manager of Jeron Distributions said “the trip made me realize that
there was so much in the world I didn’t know. And I think it sparked the
wanderlust that I have right now, the constant need to learn and explore the
world.”</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuiIisESauduJpr2TQLhLAj1AKgwHIInASYH8XSXDtok173uJyoDAe4OdUZIohRc1np5Nf-ApzEmXHApmXjMTmaD9rfGLa3W_gtDuYt3YW2I26H0zOH0fgXz6dwoW5xH7IxAv472eAL_A/s1600/IMG_1027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuiIisESauduJpr2TQLhLAj1AKgwHIInASYH8XSXDtok173uJyoDAe4OdUZIohRc1np5Nf-ApzEmXHApmXjMTmaD9rfGLa3W_gtDuYt3YW2I26H0zOH0fgXz6dwoW5xH7IxAv472eAL_A/s320/IMG_1027.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">City Center</td></tr>
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The 5-month stint allowed us to see the world through
different lenses through our conversations with international students and
through our travels all around Europe. In fact, more than anything, it
empowered us as individuals. Atty. Kira Ang, a Junior Associate Counsel from EHM
Aboitize Equity Ventures from the Philippines said “we thought we couldn’t
possibly compare with the Europeans who are taller, more confident and more
assertive than us Filipinos, but through the JTA, we realized that hey, we
could actually compete with them.”</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3LyRGKzTdb7bHSUMk3gOzD5qmLfGPAYE2yrrPWFdrY0ICqQ7BUhRTP9udjFdITKq8lVc0GDo0RU5Tk0ztugAqrEL44OhMq4SiGqra1K8bEWzmYAVmPeYMEDiSfbPtCoy8Ynd-AjYEV7g/s1600/IMG_1035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3LyRGKzTdb7bHSUMk3gOzD5qmLfGPAYE2yrrPWFdrY0ICqQ7BUhRTP9udjFdITKq8lVc0GDo0RU5Tk0ztugAqrEL44OhMq4SiGqra1K8bEWzmYAVmPeYMEDiSfbPtCoy8Ynd-AjYEV7g/s320/IMG_1035.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With other International students</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Also, this experience forced us to leave the comforts of our
homes and live independently. We had no choice but to do the domestic work
ourselves. For us Filipinos from Ateneo, it allowed us to develop a strong bond
which we share until this very day. For us Filipinos who were able to
experience the JTA, we can proudly claim that this served as a preparation and
more so, an inspiration to kickoff our careers. Charles Chua, VP of Credit
Trading of the Royal Bank of Scotland admitted, “Living in France prepared me
to be independent and to be appreciative of the different cultures of the world.
It helped jumpstart my ambition and career.”</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAqgzkaAjILdWJB6NKv75BLNcD6H0HV8unVgwPwE6F-UACtdBdik24pMtqcOo25V3s4noz3Op1pfBoK2QJEYuKnT9BQVSqLvnESgN137Ohn6v1lGcL68YHuEYPLJDBK4TQuS2ROQT4Xkc/s1600/IMG_1038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAqgzkaAjILdWJB6NKv75BLNcD6H0HV8unVgwPwE6F-UACtdBdik24pMtqcOo25V3s4noz3Op1pfBoK2QJEYuKnT9BQVSqLvnESgN137Ohn6v1lGcL68YHuEYPLJDBK4TQuS2ROQT4Xkc/s320/IMG_1038.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I learned to cook for the first time</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqymCiK1q2_xNZ7wfijYm2xNLGcU84QVojzxVJrTm8bUOE-2DtCpTeeZELMbngi7UdEH80gm3morUrUeymdRh64iOiqZ0sT4zE0TaPTMslY3T_A7LT1Hs_BI4TeLYQ0E_5qJR6tzK1muQ/s1600/IMG_1045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqymCiK1q2_xNZ7wfijYm2xNLGcU84QVojzxVJrTm8bUOE-2DtCpTeeZELMbngi7UdEH80gm3morUrUeymdRh64iOiqZ0sT4zE0TaPTMslY3T_A7LT1Hs_BI4TeLYQ0E_5qJR6tzK1muQ/s320/IMG_1045.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My 10 sqm room</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmj9mGZGAtGd4E4onukRtCGTQ9f-8QTMSriNVrs-wF8fP_PdL6ZEw4hE-g-XI3dmFBIID1_fhdu7I4qAlUTK6Rj1HVhZInOMSprx68M_EC0zM1djxBYh1berVMiSr-BjXvEfqbqOeMS8/s1600/IMG_2443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmj9mGZGAtGd4E4onukRtCGTQ9f-8QTMSriNVrs-wF8fP_PdL6ZEw4hE-g-XI3dmFBIID1_fhdu7I4qAlUTK6Rj1HVhZInOMSprx68M_EC0zM1djxBYh1berVMiSr-BjXvEfqbqOeMS8/s320/IMG_2443.JPG" width="240" /></a>“Living in France is possibly the starting point of my
journey in law and public service. The privilege of education, the longing for
family and home, the company of bright-eyed and curious individuals, mixed with
the air of patriotism indubitably made me question what I can do for my
country.” says Atty. Daniel Luz Bolong who is now with the Office of the
Solicitor General and a lecturer at the Ateneo Law School.</div>
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The business courses we took at IESEG proved to be very
valuable for me, especially as a businessman. It was also the abundance of
baguettes and croissants that made me learn to appreciate these French
delicacies, which eventually led me and my partners to bring the popular French boulangerie and
patisserie called Maison Eric Kayser to the Philippines. Today we have 5 shops
and we continue to exert effort in educating the market on how to appreciate
French breads and pastries.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC6Ve7KGCBN3sInq0gvCjp3gI7Q3OmMmwl-fDQijEncAnrT-7QvJAyk0QKqNFw0VjcdyeriwukUKh5XUZHIKY1emav91gZ3_E5WY5IwNN0YDE-7HaY_YuT0RvqUZ9amRrx4bamT0aRrqg/s1600/IMG_1249%2528small%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC6Ve7KGCBN3sInq0gvCjp3gI7Q3OmMmwl-fDQijEncAnrT-7QvJAyk0QKqNFw0VjcdyeriwukUKh5XUZHIKY1emav91gZ3_E5WY5IwNN0YDE-7HaY_YuT0RvqUZ9amRrx4bamT0aRrqg/s320/IMG_1249%2528small%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div>
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While the JTA experience was life-changing, it has also
challenged us to know ourselves and know what we truly value. Monique
Buensalido, Digital Communications Director of Buensalido and Associates Public
Relations said “I learned to discover other cultures and to hold my ground when
it came to my values and beliefs as a Filipino when I saw how other people
viewed our country.” </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLKeM2xPncHpJ_mmeU7U5wg3XxGaSnmExHbIm6bzFDcG28Fa7MRJ2BIRJVNU113IXZPDgeoXn4SSJ_MRDZ4VILJFf3KRvSKY9ehWZdb8covvCEM1uM5z-L8kXU6X0ztfebbhyphenhyphenK7JVNHtQ/s1600/IMG_2588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLKeM2xPncHpJ_mmeU7U5wg3XxGaSnmExHbIm6bzFDcG28Fa7MRJ2BIRJVNU113IXZPDgeoXn4SSJ_MRDZ4VILJFf3KRvSKY9ehWZdb8covvCEM1uM5z-L8kXU6X0ztfebbhyphenhyphenK7JVNHtQ/s320/IMG_2588.JPG" width="320" /></a>Certainly, the JTA experience has created lifelong memories and
also enriched our lives. But aside from all the positives that we were able to
take home with us, it is the rare chance of being an ambassador to our own
country at a very young age that makes us truly proud. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKP6pH-L37E7DspB6jWudTbzq9JVgtDwlrgojkFAi5MNXLYaPw_Dh5oIG1cM71o3zu1fGuqL0nxohh-Svaf3N8ZegxKE-ZN-2bzvkSV6jzbsqsQTevUhvL3EaU3lZrmEiwhOrZ04km_mg/s1600/IMG_1432%2528small%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKP6pH-L37E7DspB6jWudTbzq9JVgtDwlrgojkFAi5MNXLYaPw_Dh5oIG1cM71o3zu1fGuqL0nxohh-Svaf3N8ZegxKE-ZN-2bzvkSV6jzbsqsQTevUhvL3EaU3lZrmEiwhOrZ04km_mg/s320/IMG_1432%2528small%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqnNAV9aI8UWwNpve9m79vNKOEvNVBVBi23R_VqDa7CYe0cYEYbU-1Hvp8rXaDpDtMS5AZkne1aQOvQvwkz_F0eoibQBfBcp5JVI8uUP51-B4v0n5rxTBG7rNM5Oxb382FEqFH03SQFu4/s1600/IMG_2440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqnNAV9aI8UWwNpve9m79vNKOEvNVBVBi23R_VqDa7CYe0cYEYbU-1Hvp8rXaDpDtMS5AZkne1aQOvQvwkz_F0eoibQBfBcp5JVI8uUP51-B4v0n5rxTBG7rNM5Oxb382FEqFH03SQFu4/s320/IMG_2440.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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We are extremely grateful to Ateneo de Manila University and Lille Catholic University as well as all the
individuals who made this experience a possibility, with special mention to our
then University President, Fr. Ben Nebres and Dean Rodolfo Ang of the School of
Management. As a member of the pioneer batch that went to Lille in 2005, I cannot imagine how many more individuals and how many more lives have been changed today through this valuable partnership. </div>
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This is indeed a wonderful blessing!</div>
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Chris</div>
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05/24/2015</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikuKQNn1pNN9NR04KT206SoxUX36N761IlcRjUFy_o46BxHvJX4hatQrEWCkHMYNgKLoCO6y3t1g2TZMDG-MFCBY5uygPLkwDiUYsBWHAyosbWceeSUt1bLdLazT-dMfj7KDlqG5DyFyE/s1600/IMG_1594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikuKQNn1pNN9NR04KT206SoxUX36N761IlcRjUFy_o46BxHvJX4hatQrEWCkHMYNgKLoCO6y3t1g2TZMDG-MFCBY5uygPLkwDiUYsBWHAyosbWceeSUt1bLdLazT-dMfj7KDlqG5DyFyE/s320/IMG_1594.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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Chris Tiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086138922716967040noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725260662450902149.post-38512946182527344932015-05-16T00:36:00.000+08:002015-05-21T15:18:17.157+08:00Stroke of God<br />
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<!--StartFragment--><b><span style="font-size: large;">International Sports Seminar</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">"Coaches: Educating People"</span></b></div>
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<b>May 14-15, 2015</b></div>
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<b>Villa Aurelia, Rome</b></div>
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<i>Below is my testimony on How Sports Changed my Life in the seminar organized by the Pontifical Council for the Laity division of the Vatican. I have to say that it was a very enriching and inspiring seminar, which focused on the role of the coaches as life coaches more than just technical coaches. The presentations and discussions were very insightful. Maybe I will write another post about my learnings another time.</i></div>
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Good afternoon everyone, I am Chris Tiu from the
Philippines. I am 29 years old and recently married. I wear a lot of different
hats but I have to say that my profession as an athlete is something I take
very seriously. <o:p></o:p></div>
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To give you an idea, basketball in my country can be likened
to how football is in Europe & South America, how hockey is in Canada or
how rugby is in New Zealand. Filipinos are just crazy about basketball. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>A MIRACLE<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Until today, my involvement in the sport constantly changes
my life as well as my perception of life, I would say, for the better. But more
importantly, it is a medium that brings me closer to God and strengthens my
faith. It was through this sport that I experienced my first miracle, and
thankfully it happened at a very early age. <o:p></o:p></div>
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When I was 11 years old, my school team won the championship
in our league back home in the Philippines. As a result, we were invited to
represent the Philippines in the Las Vegas Easter Classic where we would
compete against Americans who were much bigger and definitely more athletic.
Unfortunately, because of my lack of height and confidence, I was a
“bench-warmer”. You know what they say, “bench-warmers” sit on the bench long
enough to keep it warm for the star players of the team. That was basically our
role.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Ap6Y_-nZ2tBc-fZhb2W_PlR5dvveFI-uCFMaOcVlqHakrWp99aVCd2NlaJNduoVOCKwV7Ue5AbtBg0Ng4a1CXSIcXHz9K-ISpPk3bM3bN9IHA9bWva-v75tNdnsED3oPnSMBK1hFOCw/s1600/SBP%2528blog%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Ap6Y_-nZ2tBc-fZhb2W_PlR5dvveFI-uCFMaOcVlqHakrWp99aVCd2NlaJNduoVOCKwV7Ue5AbtBg0Ng4a1CXSIcXHz9K-ISpPk3bM3bN9IHA9bWva-v75tNdnsED3oPnSMBK1hFOCw/s320/SBP%2528blog%2529.jpg" width="232" /></a></div>
Surprisingly, the undersized underdogs from the Philippines
were able to conquer the odds and we made it all the way to the championship
match. On the day before the championship game, we were resting in our rooms in
the hotel when a bunch of older, notorious boys from an older team barged
inside our rooms. They were so excited to show us their new discovery – the
Pay-Per-View box beside the TV. They activated a channel and couldn’t contain
their excitement. Since we were in Las Vegas, you could already guess what type
of show it was. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I remember my mom telling me that we shouldn’t watch
indecent and immoral shows. So I hid under the blanket because I didn’t want to
watch. But the older boys were very aggressive. They were tickling me and coercing
me to watch. Soon, everyone else in the room was watching. So I left the room,
went outside and prayed the rosary, which my mom gave me before I left,
reminding me that the Holy Rosary will protect me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The following day was the championship game. It would have
been a huge deal if we won because never has any Philippine team won in this
international competition. In basketball, only 5 players play in the court at a
time. I was the 10<sup>th</sup> man, meaning I was usually one of the last
players to enter the court, if we were even called by the coach to play. But
that day, things were not going our way. We were playing bad. To make matters
worse, two of our best players got injured. One fouled out. Another star player
couldn’t fly to the US because of VISA problems. We were close to giving up.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So during the 2<sup>nd</sup> half of the game, our coach had
no other choice but to call on me, his benchwarmer. Miraculously, we made an
unbelievable comeback. In the end, we won the championship. We made history and
also made the headlines in the Philippines. And even more miraculously, I
played the best game of my life. I played like I never did before –I was
scoring, assisting, playing good defense. Guess what, I was eventually named
MVP. I went from a benchwarmer to an MVP all in one day. A “nobody” that God decided
to make a “somebody”. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfhgUXYVWAsiaTXmywYshWnjPSu5AGgG001bI2AG-eGUDELwKOApnxrTQAK09J97cdUFm17IN68I88iclYM2uSMorW5wMbVSInVPYV6eEJhw4CVD2FqWcNuA-DVfhJS6Ey0nkUFw7Qc4k/s1600/SBPmedal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfhgUXYVWAsiaTXmywYshWnjPSu5AGgG001bI2AG-eGUDELwKOApnxrTQAK09J97cdUFm17IN68I88iclYM2uSMorW5wMbVSInVPYV6eEJhw4CVD2FqWcNuA-DVfhJS6Ey0nkUFw7Qc4k/s320/SBPmedal.jpg" width="320" /></a>I truly believe that there was a force in me that was not my
own doing, but God’s mighty hand, maybe saying to me, that I had done something
right and pleasing to Him. And it was clearly manifested through the game of
basketball. However, to be clear, I don’t believe we are always necessarily
rewarded for our good actions. That’s why I consider this experience all the
more a miracle. Most of the time, we must persist in our prayers and deeds. Mother
Teresa said, <i><u>“The good you do today
will often be forgotten, do good anyway.”</u></i> For sure, if we remain
faithful to Him, our reward may not be in this world, but in a better place.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In any case, that experience changed my life. I gained
confidence like never before. It gave my coach confidence in me. And it was a
start of many more championships and MVP awards for me. Today, basketball is my
livelihood. It is a platform for me to serve God.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Looking back, it is easier for us to see how my “good”
behavior was connected with an MVP award. But at 11 years old and when all your
peers are influencing you to “go with the flow”, it can be very tough to make
the right choice. Sometimes you are not even certain if you made the right
decision. After the tournament, my coach punished those who participated in the
viewing session and uttered a few words to me, “you did the right thing”. That
was enough for me to have a sigh of relief and it gave me the courage to do the
right things. That’s how important a role a coach has most especially in the
formative years.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>SPORTS PROMOTES
HUMAN VIRTUE AND BUILDS CHARACTER<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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We often talk about how sports promotes the development of human
virtue, like discipline, perseverance, sacrifice, modesty, excellence,
teamwork, and so on. Since the very beginning of my basketball journey, I am
extremely grateful to have been mentored by very capable and reputable
basketball coaches. I had a coach who was a discipline administrator in school,
a teacher, a former NBA player, an Olympian coach and even a coach who was also
a congressman. What’s important was that they were life coaches as well,
whether they knew it or now. Their words, and more so, their actions on and off
the court cling to us vividly and most certainly affect the way we make decisions.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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Athletes, on a daily basis, face challenges like balancing
academics, securing playing time, battling injuries, dealing with sports ‘politics’
and worse, being victims of structural injustices. I have to say that these, if
handled well, build character and prepare us for the real world at an early
age. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA0_Xxw9BShfP7yP-5l3rWs7UC6maVobvc5Y1P-0e2sGziRh0J9LryOIdO-T_8PcfX4HQtpeJzuFIXz2bIg0eTvutnevvCfu7ScN2F9C_YPIRtLzADTIbabNqt53tafsfokyB6QHvIbVA/s1600/running%2528blog%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA0_Xxw9BShfP7yP-5l3rWs7UC6maVobvc5Y1P-0e2sGziRh0J9LryOIdO-T_8PcfX4HQtpeJzuFIXz2bIg0eTvutnevvCfu7ScN2F9C_YPIRtLzADTIbabNqt53tafsfokyB6QHvIbVA/s320/running%2528blog%2529.jpg" width="228" /></a>I played college ball for a Jesuit-run University called
Ateneo in Manila. Our rival school was de La Salle University, another elite
school with a formidable basketball program. It was like Real Madrid playing
Barcelona or North Carolina vs Duke. People would camp overnight to secure
tickets. The coliseum is packed with 20,000 people, one side wearing blue, the
other green. You can hear the cheering and the sound of drums reverberating
throughout the coliseum.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It was a close game with my team coming from behind on a
run. The lead of the opponent was only down to 5 points after being down by as
much as 17 points. We finally had momentum. I was a sophomore point guard then.
I made a nice steal. I was on a fast-break all by myself and I could feel the
excitement of our crowd. I had a wide-open layup ahead of me, and to my
devastation, I missed. To those who don’t understand basketball, it was like
missing a penalty kick in football, but without the goalkeeper. Anyway, that
killed our momentum and we lost the game. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEg0Qps-goaVLELuWN74S_QPt6O8chteebQzRXifyu0YiAmI7oRDFSBahqA9Oe0aQENUaDCC58fIqMhAsO5xLlnsJuP6hrLgrtBBPQpI4Apf7I1cEGv35sIfDYHH6w1JbECjxVmuazvJw/s1600/freethrow%2528blog%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEg0Qps-goaVLELuWN74S_QPt6O8chteebQzRXifyu0YiAmI7oRDFSBahqA9Oe0aQENUaDCC58fIqMhAsO5xLlnsJuP6hrLgrtBBPQpI4Apf7I1cEGv35sIfDYHH6w1JbECjxVmuazvJw/s320/freethrow%2528blog%2529.jpg" width="227" /></a>It also killed my spirit and my confidence. The next day, I
could not bear to walk in school with my head up or make eye contact with
anyone. I know I was being ridiculed and I was too embarrassed. Thank goodness
Facebook and Twitter did not exist then. We eventually got eliminated that
season by our archrivals. I was at my weakest point in my entire basketball
journey. So I took a year off from basketball and went to France on an exchange
program. I prayed to God and I worked harder than ever when I came back. In the
following years, I was appointed Team Captain. I made clutch shots, made it to
the Mythical Team and to cap it all, we won the collegiate championship in my
senior year against that same team. And so many doors were opened for me!<o:p></o:p></div>
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That humiliating experience taught me to be strong mentally
and emotionally. Failure brought me to my lowest of lows. I felt that nothing
could get worse. My coaches helped me to get back on my feet. Fr. Nebres, the President
of the University then, told me these words that I cannot forget up to today.
He said, <i><u>“If you can handle the worst
possible scenario, then what else are you afraid of? You will be fine.”</u></i>
It made me a more courageous player and also a more courageous person. It was
indeed a character-building experience, not to mention, life-changing. I thank
basketball for this.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>GOD’S DIVINE HAND<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Athletes are exposed to so many moments of chance every
single day, in the many hours of training and competition. And these moments
may have significant impact. One bad bounce of the ball could cause you to lose
a championship. One bad call of the referee can change the outcome of a game. One
wrong move could fracture a bone or tear a ligament. One trade decision could end
the career of a pro athlete. There are just too many variables beyond our
control. The exposure to these uncertainties on a daily basis builds a certain
kind of individual, which allows him to cope in life as well.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRDHUIfo2vY1vBa2VQtZhtbtGJ4E-6xonBJ3Wl9z8O2lBm9JTaCq8I1D0y3MsCN3oW30JIJnVWDqjzUictrVf7mUPR5v4QVIUbOeQRijxLTz0TrW_POrBNYzD68AR2fZTGEVD2olBVNDk/s1600/kobe%2528blog%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRDHUIfo2vY1vBa2VQtZhtbtGJ4E-6xonBJ3Wl9z8O2lBm9JTaCq8I1D0y3MsCN3oW30JIJnVWDqjzUictrVf7mUPR5v4QVIUbOeQRijxLTz0TrW_POrBNYzD68AR2fZTGEVD2olBVNDk/s320/kobe%2528blog%2529.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
In my basketball career, there were so many unexpected
twists and turns that allowed me to get to where I am today. If it had not been
for one moment or one small decision, I could have been in a totally different place
right now. It is only in retrospect that we realize how everything was so well
crafted and planned by the Ultimate Architect. Truly, there are no accidents in
God’s plan.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Every shot, pass, steal, substitution, defensive stop all
have repercussions. The hundreds of decisions that an athlete has to make on and
off the court define the person. I believe that this ability to make numerous
decisions in an environment of uncertainty taught me how to <b>trust and let go</b>, which I realized can
be seemingly difficult for a non-athlete. We’ve learned to be <b>appreciative of every opportunity and
blessing</b> given to us. We’ve learned to <b>submit
ourselves to the wonderful hand of God. <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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St. Augustine very aptly said, <i><u>“Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though
everything depended on you.”</u></i><o:p></o:p></div>
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Sometimes when we think we’ve got things figured out, and
all circumstances seem to be in our favor, we still fall short. In the same
way, when it seems that all things are against us, and there is no chance of
victory, we end up winning or reaching our goals. Some people say it’s a stroke
of luck. I prefer to think of it as a stroke of God – a mysterious force that
nobody can explain nor understand. From my childhood miracle in Las Vegas, to
my adversities in Ateneo, I am grateful that I get to witness and experience
being puzzled yet amazed every single day by His brilliant stroke, through this
game called basketball.<br />
<br />
Chris<br />
05/15/15 <br />
<br />
<br />
<o:p><br /></o:p>
<o:p>Photos courtesy of Philip Sison</o:p><br />
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Chris Tiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086138922716967040noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725260662450902149.post-88183804450633863282015-01-09T02:41:00.002+08:002015-01-09T02:59:17.471+08:00WHY I LIKE POPE FRANCIS & HOW WE CAN PREPARE FOR THE PAPAL VISIT<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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I guess the consolation of getting eliminated in a PBA conference is that I get to catch up on my other work and I get to post a new blog entry. </div>
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I’ve been wanting to blog about this since I spoke at the
Youth Rally for the Pope in Araneta Coliseum last month.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As we all know, Pope Francis will be here in a few days and
many of us are really excited. The first Jesuit Pope is enjoying an approval
rating that many political leaders would like to have. This is what the church
needs most especially in this day and age when she is facing many long-standing
challenges including dwindling church attendance and the damaged moral
authority of some clergy. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
The last time Pope John Paul 2 came to Manila in 1995 for the World Youth Day, I was 10 years old and I was fortunate to have caught a glimpse of him in his Pope Mobile along EDSA-Buendia. I remember my dad carried me on his shoulders so that I could see the Pope pass amidst the sea of people.</div>
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WHY I LIKE POPE FRANCIS<o:p></o:p></div>
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Personally, there are many things I like about this Pope.
But if I had to choose, I would say it has to be because of his simplicity and
compassion, very fitting with the theme of his Papal visit which is “Mercy
& Compassion”. Right from the moment of his election, he refused the
traditional red cape and opted to hop onto a bus instead of the papal limo. He kissed,
served and showed compassion to the most marginalized people in society. <o:p></o:p></div>
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This reminded me of what Cardinal Tagle taught us in his
keynote speech in our Charis Leadership Summit last year, <i><u>“The higher we go up the organizational ladder, the lower we should
go and the more we should serve</u></i>”. This paradox is very true to be an
effective leader because conventional thinking would excite us of the power and
prestige that comes as we move up to the so-called “leadership positions”. When in fact, the higher we go, the more we
should serve. This is what we call Servant
Leadership and Pope Francis is a living example. St. Ignatius, founder of the
Jesuits, reminded us to be humble because Jesus, our role model was humble.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Pope Francis’ passion to serve has challenged the prevalent
culture’s approach to leadership, how leaders live and what they value. Our
culture is becoming self-absorbed and fascinated with superficial pursuits such
as money, power, status and even the number of likes on Instagram, Twitter or
Facebook. On social media, everyone seems to have a ‘perfect’ and nice life.
This is why we should be wary of what we aspire for. Are our goals going to
give us lasting happiness? What will? Again, this Pope reminds us to focus not
on ourselves, but rather on the poor, the sick and those marginalized. Hopefully
in time, it will create a ripple effect from a culture of selfies to a culture
of service. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I think another reason why Pope Francis has become so loved
is because he does not condemn those who are ‘lost’ or confused. But rather, he
listens and welcomes them back home just as God extends His infinite mercy to
us sinners.<o:p></o:p></div>
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PREPARING OURSELVES FOR THE PAPAL VISIT<o:p></o:p></div>
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Now, how do we prepare ourselves for the coming of the
leader of the Catholic Church? Here are three very simple ways that could help
us maximize and fully appreciate his visit.<o:p></o:p></div>
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#1) First is to develop a strong spiritual and prayer life.
Being a Jesuit, Pope Francis himself engaged in what we call the Spiritual
Exercises, this is the core of the Ignatian Spirituality and Jesuit life. It is
a series of meditations that allows one to ponder on your own life, Jesus’ life
and how one can follow Jesus in their own concrete circumstances. <o:p></o:p></div>
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For me, developing a spiritual plan is like creating a
fitness plan. You need to integrate it to your daily life and set aside time
everyday for prayer and reflection. Since I am a busy person, my spiritual
director came up with a plan for me that is workable despite my chaotic
schedule. I’m sure he won’t mind that I share it with you. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->1)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->5-minute morning prayer the moment I wake up<o:p></o:p></div>
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2)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Visit to the blessed sacrament<o:p></o:p></div>
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3)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Reading of the New Testament for 5 minutes + a
short silent reflection<o:p></o:p></div>
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4)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Night time prayer with 3 Hail Marys<o:p></o:p></div>
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5)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Confession (at least once a month)<o:p></o:p></div>
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This is to be done daily. But I have to admit that many
times, I’ve been a delinquent student.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Now why should we do this? When we are in silent prayer, we
become detached from the daily grind of things. We speak to God and more
importantly, we allow Him to speak to us. Many realizations and conversions
occur during these moments of silence and solitude with our Lord. Also, I
firmly believe that our consequential actions will naturally overflow from the
interior peace and joy that we experience with Him. Lastly, we cannot bring
others to Christ if he doesn’t reside in our hearts. Simply, we cannot give
what we don’t have.<o:p></o:p></div>
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#2) Second basic way to prepare ourselves for the coming of
the Pope is to take care of our academic duties or our work, for those who are
working. Sounds simple right? It is. Oftentimes we take these for granted. But
we forget that our schooling or our jobs are gifts to us from God. We must
value them by practicing excellence, honesty and humility not just for our
personal growth, but also because it is our way of contributing to
nation-building. We may not see the results immediately, but our personal
contributions as well as the virtues we develop will create a more visible
impact to our society eventually. Our nation needs competent and virtuous
leaders, or else we achieve nothing. This is also our best way to show our appreciation
to our Lord for the blessing of an education and a job.<o:p></o:p></div>
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#3) Last is to do our apostolic duties. We all have an
obligation to evangelize or to do “apostolate work”. In the recent World Youth Day in Rio de
Janiero, the Pope called out to the youth, “I want you to make yourselves heard
in your dioceses, I want the noise to go out, I want the Church to go out onto
the streets…” <o:p></o:p></div>
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How do we do this? It start at home, with your closest
family members and friends. There are times when we want to do outreach
activities to the needy or other marginalized sectors of society. This is
wonderful! But we might forget that our most immediate apostolic duties start
at home, by inviting them to pray or simply by being a good parent, son,
daughter, brother, sister, friend, etc. An effective way to be a light of
Christ is by serving as a good example. Like they say, actions speak louder
than words. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Hope this helps, not only in preparation for the coming of
the Pope, but continued even afterwards until it becomes fully integrated in our
lives. It might be difficult at the beginning, but the more we do it, the more it becomes 2nd nature. We may fall at times but what’s important is the constant struggle
and effort to make Christ happy. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Happy weekend folks!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Chris<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Chris Tiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086138922716967040noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725260662450902149.post-22341533372285041412014-09-06T16:13:00.000+08:002015-01-09T03:03:41.105+08:00An Ivy League Alum Explains How Prestige Can Destroy Lives<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">Hello there friends! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">It's been a while since I posted an entry on my blog. I've been preoccupied and have not had the chance to write about something. I came across this article, (which I decided to repost here) that I found interesting and I thought of sharing it with you. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">It talks about HUBRIS (defined as excessive pride) and how it can destroy our lives without us realising it. At the end of the day, we want to live a happy life. Who doesn't? But sometimes we might not be aware that our motivations are already flawed because of societal structures / norms. Hubris is a deterrent to that goal. As much as we want to 'be successful' in our respective fields, the article below is a good reflection on how we can avoid self-destructing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">Happy weekend!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">Chris</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px;"><b>How Prestige Destroys You</b></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by </span><b><u><span lang="EN" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">hubris.</span></u></b><b><u><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></u></b><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">From an early age, they were persuaded that they had a talent in school, or excellence in some extracurricular activity; for that their names became lauded in school newspapers, emblazoned on certificates, or announced on podiums. The high of recognition was addictive, and began to slowly eclipse the achievements themselves.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black;">As they grew older, they learned that within the message of empowerment, what most grown-ups mostly care about is prestige. If you wanted to make them proud, and earn the right to be proud yourself, the story of your life had to abound with names and titles – AP Merit Scholars, national finalists on the Policy Debate circuit, School Orchestra Leader — that would provoke an envious silence.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black;">The students had learned that the only legitimate reason for being proud was being an object of jealousy. The future was a zero-sum game.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><img alt="yale university" border="0" class="" height="337" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=beb0d92190&view=att&th=1483a4d06943c8d1&attid=0.1&disp=emb&zw&atsh=1" width="314" /></span><span lang="EN" style="color: black;"><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black;">At the top they stood, their future lives well-defined: suited financiers, white-coated doctors, smile-forcing lawyers, pasty hackers, and turtle-necked entrepreneurs.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black;">At some point, a few lucky ones realized that anyone who cared about the world they would leave behind, and worked to better it, had found something more precious than pride. Others never left the cult of prestige. They had scrambled to the leading edge of every bell-curved valley, and were rewarded at each peak with quick and pacifying hits of a drug called pride. It was an opiate that their lives had bathed them in, to pre-empt the fabled agony of “low self-esteem.” Many found that they couldn’t live without it.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black;">When college acceptance letters came back, some of them ended up as the “lucky” ones. The next four years had a timeless, theatrical quality. Narration was provided by the voice of awed posterity, against a background of carillon bells and WASPy a-capella hymns. It was a time to plan for the important and visible postgraduate careers that they would be called upon to do.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black;">But it wasn’t long before the high wore off, and the airy plateau gave way to a deeper valley. A friend, dressing impeccably, returned from an investment banking “networking session” in tears; she applied for the job, anyway. Seniors with return offers at McKinsey and Goldman Sachs moaned about their clients and bosses, and grouched about trying to move into the mythical “buy-side” — the same work, only with fewer hours.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><img alt="man suit buildings" border="0" height="202" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=beb0d92190&view=att&th=1483a4d06943c8d1&attid=0.2&disp=emb&zw&atsh=1" width="304" /></span><span lang="EN" style="color: black;"><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">At the top they stood, their future lives well-defined: suited financiers, white-coated doctors, smile-forcing lawyers, pasty hackers, and turtle-necked entrepreneurs. At the bottom sat those whose young adult lives — a guest copywriter for a startup blog, for example — were a merciless anticlimax. How steep was the ascent? How long would it take? How many would enjoy life at the top? Did it matter?<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black;">For ever-smaller highs, pride set ever-higher expectations, and called for ever-greater sacrifice. What mattered was that those on the other side had MBAs and JDs and CFAs, that they lived in respectable places like SoHo or Berkeley. It would become perversely enjoyable, even, in doing what pride demanded – of martyring the self and its preferences, and building in their void an obedient engine of self-advancement. It was another sport to convince themselves that slaving over contract law and discounted cash flow models was a meaningful use of their young lives.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black;">Yet four years is not fourteen or forty. And few have gasped amid pinging heart monitors that they should have made more people jealous. This is not to say that no one loves contract law, or that all flashy titles aren’t worn by people who were born for them. But most are born for something else – or more likely, for a few things else. And for them, scaling the wrong mountain takes a lifetime, even when trickles of pride numb the aching cold.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black;">Most 20 year olds who want to be doctors are only a shade wiser than six year olds who want to be spies. And the six year old has a kind of wisdom that the 20 year old didn’t inherit: he wanted to be a spy because he thought he would like it.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black;">Our current lexicon of work offers tellingly little guidance. We have “professions” just as we would “profess” to be good at anything, whether or not it’s true.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black;">We have “careers” just as we would board any “carrier,” whether or not the destination is worth it. Conspicuously absent are “vocations” and “callings,” which sound touchy-feely, perhaps because they touch a nerve.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black;">It is no coincidence that Dante imagined the prideful as stooped “carriers,” who haul crushing boulders past statues of the famously humble. Their sin was inverting the moral relationship between career and what is carried. In life, their careers didn’t serve them and hasten them to a better place; they had become careers. They had entered an unwitting servitude carrying someone else’s baggage and expectations. (The exemplars of humility are not just unburdened, but themselves made of stone.) It is probably no coincidence, either, that Dante put them in Purgatory, where their suffering would be only temporary. But I think he still went too far; a life spent that way is purging enough.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black;">Withdrawing from hubris isn’t easy. So start by taking pride in the fact that your career is carrying you, that you haven’t confused approval with value, and that your life isn’t a zero-sum game because it isn’t a game at all.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Read more: <a href="https://medium.com/strikingly-stories/how-prestige-destroys-your-life-e081d6d48ad4#ixzz3CER7XtCH" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://medium.com/strikingly-<wbr></wbr>stories/how-prestige-destroys-<wbr></wbr>your-life-e081d6d48ad4#<wbr></wbr>ixzz3CER7XtCH</a></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<br />Chris Tiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086138922716967040noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725260662450902149.post-34147883418485614262013-12-20T19:29:00.001+08:002013-12-20T19:46:12.423+08:00TOYM Acceptance Speech 2013<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Outstanding Young Men Awarding
Ceremonies<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Malacanang Palace<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">December 19, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Response from the
TOYM 2013 Awardees<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">by Chris Tiu<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">His Excellency, President Benigno
Simeon C. Aquino III; Bienvenido Tantoco III, President of the TOYM Foundation;
Mrs. Judy Roxas, Chairperson of the Gerry Roxas Foundation; Jose T. Pardo,
Chairman of the TOYM 2013 Board of Judges; Ryan Ravanzo, National President of
JCI Philippines; Congresswoman Leni Robredo, Member of the Board of Judges; Dicky
Puyod, Chairman of the TOYM 2013 Search, to my fellow TOYM 2013 honorees, to
our families and special guests, good afternoon to you all!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In behalf of this year’s awardees, I
want to express our utmost appreciation for citing us among the great
individuals in the 54-year history of the TOYM foundation. We feel unworthy to
be standing amidst such distinguished and admirable individuals when there are
many other young Filipinos out there who have so selflessly dedicated their
lives for the betterment of our dear country. For this, we feel truly humbled
and blessed! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A CHANGING WORLD<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Our world is changing. Because of
global warming, we are experiencing typhoons on an unprecedented scale. We can
now do virtually anything on the go, from reading the paper, to watching
movies, to booking an airline ticket. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We often hear the phrase, “Iba na ang
kabataan ngayon”. If you’re guilty of
saying these words before, malamang hindi ka na nabibilang sa kabataan. The
youth have information and resources at their fingertips and are a creative,
capable, and intelligent generation. On the other hand, this may mean na iba na
rin ang value system nila. We accept as reality many things which would have
been considered scandalous to older generations. Because of modern day
technology, we hardly have to wait for anything anymore and therefore, there is
less need to be patient and persevering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">SELF FIRST<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Consumer behavior is changing. The youth
have become more fashion forward, and embarrassed to repeat an outfit because
your entire social network can see what you are wearing with the advent of
smart phones.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Measuring of ones self worth has
evolved to the number of friends, followers or LIKES that one has on ones
social media sites. Thus, encouraging the user to ‘keep up’ by posting more
photos of himself, who he associates with, what he buys or where he eats. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In fact, ‘selfie’ has been named the
word of the year by Oxford Dictionary. Don’t worry, if you lost me or don’t
have any idea as to what I am talking about, that just means you don’t belong
to this generation. “Selfie”, as defined by Wikipedia, is a self-portrait photography
usually taken by a camera or a camera phone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In an article earlier this year, Time
Magazine has noted some negative traits of today’s youth, such as, lazy,
narcissistic, materialistic, feeling of entitlement, less concerned with
community. This is a cause for concern because these so called “Millenials”
will be our future leaders!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This is why, in its 54-year history,
the TOYM foundation, with its theme of “Inspiring a Nation of Heroes”, plays an
even more important role today. By using modern day tools, it can reach out to
our youth and propagate its core values of excellence, integrity and most
importantly, a deep sense of service to community<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Despite the many changes we have
witnessed throughout the decades, from climate change, technology, buying
habits, to our attitudes and behavior, there are some things that remain and
SHOULD remain constant. And these are the timeless values that the TOYM
Foundation espouses – excellence, honesty, humility, simplicity, sacrifice, and
charity just to name a few. Regardless of age, gender, social class, race or
religion, these principles serve as guiding pillars for human conduct that are
proven to have enduring and permanent value.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In order for our country to progress,
we cannot accept the “pwede na” attitude. Pursuing excellence cannot be learned
overnight. It involves a process and tremendous commitment. Once it develops
into a habit, it becomes a lifestyle. This is what we call virtue! The
foundation of heroism in the Ignatian Spirituality is Magis, which means
“more”, - being more, doing more! However, this simple motto requires a higher
spirit for it to attain its fullness, which means that our motivation must
transcend our own causes for a greater, higher being. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">One of the world’s greatest leaders,
the late Nelson Mandela constantly reminded his people that: “We should always
be patient even if things are going bad, because great things will happen”. He
also said, “what truly matters is the small acts of kindness towards others”.
These words are very appropriate for our modern world where “selfies” are the
in thing and everything has become so convenient that we need not bother to go
out of our way for the good of others. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ROLE MODELS<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We, too, have Mandelas in our midst.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 49.65pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -49.65pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <b>Emerson Atanacio</b>, in Social Entrepreneurship<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 49.65pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -49.65pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <b>Dr. Nicole Curato</b>, for Sociology<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 49.65pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -49.65pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <b>Dr. Custer Deocaris</b>, for Science
Communication<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 49.65pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -49.65pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <b>Former</b> <b>Gov. Miguel Dominguez</b>, in Government and Public Service<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 49.65pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -49.65pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <b>Dr. Alonzo Gabriel</b>, in Food Science and
Technology<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 49.65pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -49.65pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <b>June Cabal-Revilla</b>, for Community
Development<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 49.65pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -49.65pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <b>Dr. Karl Reyes </b>and <b>Dr. Paolo Silva</b>, in Medicine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There is no question that the youth are
constantly looking for role models, people they can emulate. Mainstream media
and Hollywood do not often provide us with the best models, we know that. On
the other hand, the most powerful influencers are those who are ‘real’, those
we can interact with in our everyday lives, those who are one of us. Whenever
we meet people who inspire us, we feel a sense of relief, that there is hope
for the future! And even more, a force of motivation giving us that second,
third, and fourth wind, to do more ourselves. Most of the time, our heroes
don’t even know the magnitude of the impact they have on others. They just do
what they do best, in their respective fields, with utmost excellence,
integrity and service to the community. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hence, I would like to thank our
dearest family and friends who have served as our personal heroes. Your example
and your faith in us inspire us to serve!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I would also like to thank our Lord for
this blessing. To God be all the glory! We are merely His instruments.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Last Sunday, the priest gave a
beautiful homily about real joy. He said “joy is not in receiving. But rather, it
is when we give, that we receive.” We are immensely honored to be given the
TOYM distinction and we are even more inspired to continue giving by living a
life of virtue, discipline and other-centeredness. It will take some courage to
relay this message in today’s world, but like Mandela and St. Ignatius, we need
to go against the wind! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This year’s theme is “Inspiring a
Nation of Heroes”. But heroes need heroes too. And heroism starts within each
one of us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thank you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Chris Tiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086138922716967040noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725260662450902149.post-4206713987166182012013-09-05T11:40:00.001+08:002013-09-05T11:40:51.613+08:00Zamboanga - A Day Full of Hope!
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Last June 14, I visited Zamboanga for the first time. The one-day visit was arranged primarily by
the National Youth Commission, who I’ve partnered with a couple of times, to do
community work for the people of Layag Layag in connection with the 25<sup>th</sup>
anniversary of the NYC. In order to maximize my trip, I figured it would be
best to do campus visits to the schools in Zamboanga to propagate our
anti-bullying campaign, which has been given much attention lately. During that
same trip, We were also able to have a productive meeting with the regional
youth board of Zamboanga as well as a live guesting with Sir Ron on TV5
Mindanao to talk about bullying and
other relevant issues of the youth. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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My friend Oliver and I took the early Cebu Pacific flight
that departed Manila at 545am. Upon touchdown, we were met by Commissioner
Early of the NYC and immediately had breakfast at the Garden Orchid hotel and
met with the rest of the group, composed of NYC Chairman Flores, DepEd
representatives and volunteers of the Yellow Boat project headed by Dr. Anton
Lim, who became known internationally for his contribution in saving the life
of hero dog Kabang. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmiQT9QR9rMPN7g6kQ-i30twVTUPURgOzoppXtceMMRZIUxQHGcSwlFlr1SYpd-AFoTA7N4ESl4bOeZl03augT6JNMrFBCA2gXcIi5uJ-ztO8cM4072OYb_ilk73qcaWi62H6OPatCU60/s1600/IMG_1144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmiQT9QR9rMPN7g6kQ-i30twVTUPURgOzoppXtceMMRZIUxQHGcSwlFlr1SYpd-AFoTA7N4ESl4bOeZl03augT6JNMrFBCA2gXcIi5uJ-ztO8cM4072OYb_ilk73qcaWi62H6OPatCU60/s320/IMG_1144.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
NYC Chairman Flores speaking to the very well-behaved kids of Ateneo de Zamboanga during our Anti-Bullying & Anti-Drug abuse symposium</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhOu8BhPVGyR1Vftlz4ukt5L0-AsIAoLuinT3YQrWrx3YHCOannqLofmGXFghCa2h4FsPOrWhla1j9bkZBaaenFITaF6S0a93lBCkpOxG92qakBIV0iquIsc7k1GzWnRCYJa7pSig9Op8/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhOu8BhPVGyR1Vftlz4ukt5L0-AsIAoLuinT3YQrWrx3YHCOannqLofmGXFghCa2h4FsPOrWhla1j9bkZBaaenFITaF6S0a93lBCkpOxG92qakBIV0iquIsc7k1GzWnRCYJa7pSig9Op8/s320/10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Students signing the pledge that they will not be bullies, they will report bullies & they will help the bullied</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6XhQhhkByflR6UugWFCEWINKJKy7ZhcVITQaxuMNnift6mPcS5CyqX8mWRX2Yx_tmWePgUiZ8aajRiRsOd80M9fUqBGmcatXxZlFN_lEmfm7CTzcBJCiy_8y0fuS8m7khdpIQ9tjOUk/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6XhQhhkByflR6UugWFCEWINKJKy7ZhcVITQaxuMNnift6mPcS5CyqX8mWRX2Yx_tmWePgUiZ8aajRiRsOd80M9fUqBGmcatXxZlFN_lEmfm7CTzcBJCiy_8y0fuS8m7khdpIQ9tjOUk/s320/8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This time, here I am addressing the less-behaved Western Mindanao State University students and faculty, hehe!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXLkqEuX_LkeEPIVtLhOGCkbsVsqvDs5IwZCTgvX9ubJnBiYnPXpIOSiEvl9q9IeWd_t9LJI1y6Ae0ikQojxGzgp-RkIA98V89yI1r2JzhZS3zrFURH_ADZ-JOni8Cb_9bZBvzuxRtfBo/s1600/IMG_1137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXLkqEuX_LkeEPIVtLhOGCkbsVsqvDs5IwZCTgvX9ubJnBiYnPXpIOSiEvl9q9IeWd_t9LJI1y6Ae0ikQojxGzgp-RkIA98V89yI1r2JzhZS3zrFURH_ADZ-JOni8Cb_9bZBvzuxRtfBo/s320/IMG_1137.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Charis Foundation Exec. Director, Oliver Tuason, giving a short seminar on virtues to local administrators</div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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THE JOURNEY<o:p></o:p></div>
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We drove about 15 minutes to get to the eastern tip of the
mainland where we had to walk and maneuver our way through the muddy ponds,
which used to be salt ponds. It was a wrong move to wear flip flops because
they ended up sinking in the mud so I just walked barefoot and watched out for
the sharp rocks. We then boarded two yellow boats, which were made possible by
the Yellow Boat group of Dr. Anton, and sailed towards the Layag Layag
community which was located around 2.5 kilometers away. It was a very scenic
and serene ride through the mangroves. This boat ride was only possible as it
was still high tide. The bigger boats cannot sail during the low tide. At one point we could actually see the
silhouette of Basilan already. The water was surprisingly clean and clear,
allowing you to see the floor bed. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoLbk8kOIP02ehNRGxGkM108GZ1Bg3phlDRJIHYaKIp_qWec7ZgJ1be8C3b9ryVU3URqtKJmTEk4-x5jXP-uFtrAvn2IlqCe5p-fYIdkeua7t0-NBS46-yuUlWF2f6kwlp6DDjxe8rFVQ/s1600/114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoLbk8kOIP02ehNRGxGkM108GZ1Bg3phlDRJIHYaKIp_qWec7ZgJ1be8C3b9ryVU3URqtKJmTEk4-x5jXP-uFtrAvn2IlqCe5p-fYIdkeua7t0-NBS46-yuUlWF2f6kwlp6DDjxe8rFVQ/s320/114.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXmmZozjt-XHZWDjhZBERREUDztW8MsebwWf-ctQ2OiSs7pysyylip4UP52yPXCUoaQBWzD_N2hTVOMDRavM5bEwYBU7s6HWImQ8xGzO62hC1evmT4mbPZ3aNwtBrI3xbP42zEakSDL0/s1600/96.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXmmZozjt-XHZWDjhZBERREUDztW8MsebwWf-ctQ2OiSs7pysyylip4UP52yPXCUoaQBWzD_N2hTVOMDRavM5bEwYBU7s6HWImQ8xGzO62hC1evmT4mbPZ3aNwtBrI3xbP42zEakSDL0/s320/96.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi90CDr3j3OfLXPCG4m_h6EkhFnEZENEmD_8ovToC0_htBqSyHnFSHT3I0jbZ9XqMydR2-qTZD7vBjRf4H-DVVWxhkqhzzP1eR3WSURoT8OTh_ODERDXwgpia2WL_mIVITWizTuBRV68Ms/s1600/IMG_1072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi90CDr3j3OfLXPCG4m_h6EkhFnEZENEmD_8ovToC0_htBqSyHnFSHT3I0jbZ9XqMydR2-qTZD7vBjRf4H-DVVWxhkqhzzP1eR3WSURoT8OTh_ODERDXwgpia2WL_mIVITWizTuBRV68Ms/s320/IMG_1072.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Executive Director of Charis Foundation, Oliver, and a cute local friend</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ubA2t1R-wlJJQREZgQ10qoOjwOwyH9BXXknF6hZHsKNkyQZ2yCbPwnTtPuPKNuBrjQn4FIR3VqXkemhYkD6BjDFU-ZAd_jEr0sX3cbnMkGuwfL7KHJcCylI4wk-Ejd8011r7mSv1EtI/s1600/IMG_1075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ubA2t1R-wlJJQREZgQ10qoOjwOwyH9BXXknF6hZHsKNkyQZ2yCbPwnTtPuPKNuBrjQn4FIR3VqXkemhYkD6BjDFU-ZAd_jEr0sX3cbnMkGuwfL7KHJcCylI4wk-Ejd8011r7mSv1EtI/s320/IMG_1075.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Beautiful mangroves leading to Layag-Layag</div>
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Finally we arrived at the community. I was amused! They literally
lived on stilts. And the boats were their primarily mode of transportation.
Potable drinking water was delivered twice a day. Electrical wires were tapped
from the mainland. I felt like we were already at the end of the country
already where all you could see was water surrounding us. Apparently, when I
checked my location using google maps on my mobile, we were literally on the
southwestern most tip of the country.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP1jdnyRJ4R4Yxhs32NkMn4sQu2VCsMHri5HsewyjvMwWCwvoJcpIMIeU80nhgLwUvKtGQlUSHJNx5HwRpHgcrnGFqxd84MItH180BmBJX3yaq2p3kU5c4YxARBVDGNa9qrTQr_5fPmx0/s1600/IMG_1104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP1jdnyRJ4R4Yxhs32NkMn4sQu2VCsMHri5HsewyjvMwWCwvoJcpIMIeU80nhgLwUvKtGQlUSHJNx5HwRpHgcrnGFqxd84MItH180BmBJX3yaq2p3kU5c4YxARBVDGNa9qrTQr_5fPmx0/s320/IMG_1104.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehPG9ETlWPZ-KY9O7C5gjp20kKILW244GQ2yjGAiHyf9ciR_9xFEELjy5NzmmGGygrN7xRNpNT17Hv6BPoVdyKNuz1JSgMuFLOtTCZXxgg245mevuJMYQRI0TIOF5WW1d9nXUgcRhBWc/s1600/IMG_1141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehPG9ETlWPZ-KY9O7C5gjp20kKILW244GQ2yjGAiHyf9ciR_9xFEELjy5NzmmGGygrN7xRNpNT17Hv6BPoVdyKNuz1JSgMuFLOtTCZXxgg245mevuJMYQRI0TIOF5WW1d9nXUgcRhBWc/s320/IMG_1141.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Some houses even had TVs and it was flattering to find out
that they enjoy watching iBilib on GMA7! Some of them also patronize the PBA and
my team Rain or Shine. I was amazed to see they had a basketball rim hung on
one of the houses BUT it could only be played when it was low tide. I initially thought they could play ball on
boats when high tide, but no! That would have been interesting to see! Since
they were predominantly Muslims, there was a floating Mosque nearby where they
would pray several times daily. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It wasn’t very easy loading and unloading the boat because
it would sway once someone stands or unloads. We did our gift giving at the day
care center, which was donated by the Tzu Chi foundation and this was
physically connected to the sari-sari store only by three bamboo sticks which
we had to use to cross. Incidentally, our
goodie bags contained Master facial wash among other Unilever products. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoz6aGtAGj9cmZOXasRWat0ZfyBIGdquRSE9kG1IUxH7VXLCHa2ofIWCF4IEnwatvJm7MFCjo496mAouJu4BJxr3izDXji0_J3b-YYnWOgbXULw3nsb-tZEVeOJXCmW9ImR1r9U1NPsck/s1600/IMG_1103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoz6aGtAGj9cmZOXasRWat0ZfyBIGdquRSE9kG1IUxH7VXLCHa2ofIWCF4IEnwatvJm7MFCjo496mAouJu4BJxr3izDXji0_J3b-YYnWOgbXULw3nsb-tZEVeOJXCmW9ImR1r9U1NPsck/s320/IMG_1103.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIga455UFTzmMxMkVP9SvZT_qsO6aNZJ9Eb3leHmvrwCXiiGGvsO9SawMzwZuOA38oo6QpantTCfKU908_BB4OUyklHdfSCMuWlN0d5QgBkQGSEr3oDcZM9KcwZGQAP15d72v1fBoV3aQ/s1600/IMG_1102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIga455UFTzmMxMkVP9SvZT_qsO6aNZJ9Eb3leHmvrwCXiiGGvsO9SawMzwZuOA38oo6QpantTCfKU908_BB4OUyklHdfSCMuWlN0d5QgBkQGSEr3oDcZM9KcwZGQAP15d72v1fBoV3aQ/s320/IMG_1102.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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Check out these eco-friendly makeshift light bulbs. Recycle
your plastic 1.5L or 2L bottles, fill it with water and add some zonrox or
bleach, then you have a natural source of light that’s essentially free and
eco-friendly.<o:p></o:p></div>
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KIDS TRAVELING TO SCHOOL<o:p></o:p></div>
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The one thing that alarmed me and caught my attention was
how the kids travelled to school and back.
The nearest public school was Talon-Talon public school, which is
located in the mainland. If it was low tide, these poor little kids have to
place their school uniforms in sealed plastic bags and wade or for the smaller
ones, swim to the mainland which was around 2-3 kilometers away, so that their
uniforms will not get soaked. Remember, these are kids as young as 6 or 7 years
old. If the tide would permit, they would take their own boats and paddle their
way to the mainland. Some are lucky enough to be ‘paddled’ by their fathers
before they head to work. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWBz2kIDYSMN6kyfzF5Pe-Bjt0M6TF7Z5o8R0c0Q2lm89cFMJ9bCKMnFfSkAhiWhIM2gcQj7sGkio5cQuLkHLDzgeFH5sAVCNPPvghQ-foxNtUyKRL2hvVfJr6MNVxH_zfN2D7Um8_j6E/s1600/IMG_1130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWBz2kIDYSMN6kyfzF5Pe-Bjt0M6TF7Z5o8R0c0Q2lm89cFMJ9bCKMnFfSkAhiWhIM2gcQj7sGkio5cQuLkHLDzgeFH5sAVCNPPvghQ-foxNtUyKRL2hvVfJr6MNVxH_zfN2D7Um8_j6E/s320/IMG_1130.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Upon getting to the mainland, they dock their boats on tree
stems and bring their paddle to school. After class, they walk back to their
boats, untie them, and paddle back home. I’ve never seen kids so independent
and fearless!<o:p></o:p></div>
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LIVELIHOOD<o:p></o:p></div>
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The reason why this community chooses to live on water is
because of their livelihood. The main produce in Layag Layag is seaweed. They
plant and harvest these seaweeds just outside of their houses. Sadly, many of
the young boys have to stop schooling as early as high school in order to help
their families make a living. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQJfFwSaV2V4Ax3c1OG-cHh0AEGsVZZe7ig4F6e8iZ7pdA6hyphenhyphenHKOHx92ZEStkIctORFLCVUHbe1Rf90bDthMvJXPAO_kEPrnY94Te1zZHPHFSpLyCfnYcbcESBPNyFq1WHdgd-ZpVhpD4/s1600/IMG_1115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQJfFwSaV2V4Ax3c1OG-cHh0AEGsVZZe7ig4F6e8iZ7pdA6hyphenhyphenHKOHx92ZEStkIctORFLCVUHbe1Rf90bDthMvJXPAO_kEPrnY94Te1zZHPHFSpLyCfnYcbcESBPNyFq1WHdgd-ZpVhpD4/s320/IMG_1115.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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Here’s a photo of myself with the ‘seaweed’ boys! Always
cheerful and positive.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Another thing that got my attention was the average number of
people per household. Moms had anywhere between 4 to 8 kids despite having such
low-income levels. Some of them were fathers even before 20 years old. For the
women, because of the lack of opportunities, education and absence of aspirations, they decide
to marry early and have kids. <o:p></o:p></div>
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SO PERSEVERING, SO SIMPLE, YET SO HAPPY<o:p></o:p></div>
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After a few hours, we headed back to the city, I hope we
were able to bring smiles to this uniquely persevering community! Paradoxically, I was the one
really moved after witnessing their persistent and such simple lifestyles. Yet,
they remain so detached and so happy with whatever it is that they have –
mostly I would say is the company of their families and loved ones! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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This experience made me reflect. Many times, we fail to
realize how blessed we are because we are pre-occupied with our fast paced
lives. And with this consumeristic environment we live in, we tend to want
more, more and more, never content with what the Lord has already given us. I
think one way to escape this viscous trap is to practice self-giving and
detachment before it’s too late. It won’t happen overnight, we will need to do
it one small step at a time. With God's grace, it can be done!<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Yellow Boat project is a huge blessing for the people of
Layag Layag! Through the generosity of various individuals and institutions, these
boats allow the kids, at the very least, to go to school. More so, they are
used by the locals to make a living by planting, harvesting then selling the
seaweeds in the markets. But more than its pragmatic function, for me, when I
see these yellow boats in the community, I see HOPE! I see persevering individuals trying to survive in life! I see selfless Filipinos
who care for their fellow people. This is one type of fever we won’t mind
spreading – the Yellow Boat fever!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Chris Tiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086138922716967040noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725260662450902149.post-69951533522253362762013-07-10T16:31:00.000+08:002013-07-10T16:32:04.820+08:00Angel in Disguise <br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Cambria,Italic'; font-size: 12.000000pt;"><i>Here's a tribute to my mother Lianne who is celebrating her birthday </i></span><span style="font-family: Cambria,Italic;"><i>today. This was written by a young college student who requested to remain anonymous. Very true description of my mom. Simple, humble, sincere. Thank you Lord for giving us the best mother in the world! Happy birthday, mom - from all your kids!</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Cambria,Italic'; font-size: 12.000000pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Cambria,Italic'; font-size: 12.000000pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Cambria,Italic'; font-size: 12.000000pt;">“</span><span style="font-family: 'Cambria,Italic'; font-size: 12.000000pt;">All God's angels come to us disguised.</span><span style="font-family: 'Cambria,Italic'; font-size: 12.000000pt;">” </span><span style="font-family: 'Cambria,Italic'; font-size: 12.000000pt;">~James Russell Lowell
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Cambria,Italic'; font-size: 12.000000pt;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">When I was little, I remember my grandmother telling me about guardian angels. She told me that each one
of us had a guardian angel of our own. A few years back, I learned that mine was named Angel Rafael. That
piece of information, while seemingly interesting to learn about, didn</span><span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">’</span><span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">t matter as much because I grew up
already firmly believing that I always had an invisible angel guarding and guiding me every step of the way
regardless if he/she had a name or not. However, little did I know that I would come across another angel </span><span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">–
</span><span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">the visible, tangible kind </span><span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">– </span><span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">during my third year in college, and in the most unexpected way.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">One of our past projects in the Student Council was an Auction for a Cause in which willing
celebrities/icons donated some of their personal things for people to bid on. One of our donors was a young
professional basketball player who also happened to be a TV host, commercial model, politician, and part-
owner of a milk tea business. Since he had a very busy schedule, it was agreed that we coordinated with his
mother to arrange pickup of his donations. Everything went smoothly as planned. We got the stuff, and
politely thanked him and his mom who were both very kind in responding to our messages. From then on,
we would coordinate with her whenever we intended to invite her son to our events. And it was through
those multiple attempts and invites that I slowly started realizing how extraordinarily kind the person I
was dealing with was. She was warm, humble, and most of all, sincere and genuine in her words and
actions.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">In the showbiz world today, whether a close friend, a family member, or the artist himself, it is very rare to
find someone who would not make an ordinary person like me feel intimidated. But this particular woman
proved me otherwise. She never missed to send her appreciation, apologies and acknowledgment to any of
the messages I sent her. Her kindness to me reached its epitome when one day, after respectfully declining
one of our event invites in behalf of her son, she decided to send me a text asking what my plan was for
college. My heart literally skipped a beat because never did I see that coming. Why would someone like her
even bother to spend a few minutes to ask about my future? But before I got completely caught up in the
moment, I replied with polite humor that I was actually already in college</span><span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">...</span><span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">and graduating in a few months,
too, at that time. She responded apologetically and found it so silly of her to forget the tiny detail that we
have been inviting her son to guest in our COLLEGE activities. That moment, more than anything, left a
mark in me because she made being ordinary true for both of us (even if her social status and lifestyle,
among others, said otherwise).
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">Time passed by yet our communication remained. The kind of topics we talked about quietly shifted its
course from being business-related to more personal ones. Before I knew it, I was seeking pieces of advice
in life from her, and she was always so generous, kind and motherly in sharing her time, comfort and
wisdom. It takes a genuinely pure and humble heart </span><span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">– </span><span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">one like hers </span><span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">– </span><span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">to do such an act to someone who you
have never even personally met yet. Without her knowing, she inspires me every day in ways beyond
words can ever tell. And every day I pray that God continues to use her as an instrument of His grace.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">If we think about it, it was a leap of faith for both us to connect with each other despite being strangers.
Although I guess what made the entire process lighter and easier was that we shared something crucial and
undeniably special in our lives as mere humans</span><span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">... </span><span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">[our] strong FAITH in God.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">Truly, God is the Master in knitting His children together to make His love felt. And indeed, all His angels
come to us disguised </span><span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">– </span><span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">I know mine did. And I will forever be grateful to the Lord for it </span><span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">– </span><span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">for my guardian
angel, in her.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Cambria'; font-size: 11.000000pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Cambria,BoldItalic'; font-size: 9.000000pt;">June 25, 2013.<br />
Dedicated to Tita Lianne. </span></div>
</div>
</div>
Chris Tiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086138922716967040noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725260662450902149.post-5410455025769629012013-04-23T03:09:00.001+08:002013-04-23T03:10:58.132+08:00SMART All Text 30 w/ UAAP stars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/rHYXxvzDm5A?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
When I arrived at Endurun college, the location of the shoot, I was surprised to find out that I will be shooting with the various UAAP Champions for 2012-2013, the Ateneo Mens Basketball team, the De La Salle Womens Volleyball team and the UP Pep Squad, together with Council President Alex Castro. It was a great honor to be working with the most influential college athletes & students in the country! Honestly, I felt a little bit overage but I could still relate to them somewhat :)<br />
<br />
Had a good time chatting with the Ateneo players in between takes. It was here where I first watched the video of the most shocking and disturbing injury of Kevin Ware of Lousville. I also had a nice chat with Michele Gumabao of DLSU and I learned a little bit about her story. She was not recruited by La Salle, tried out and made it to the team because she was tall. As a rookie, she would be called in by the coach to play a few possessions or make the last spike. But with hard work and perseverance, she became a regular in the rotation & eventually won MVP & numerous titles for her alma matter. Inspiring story!<br />
<br />
Going back to my experience with Smart, I've been a Smart user and ambassador for almost 5 years now and I've no regrets at all. This is the first TVC I did for Smart though. I once did a series of viral videos for Sandbox with the hilarious Ramon Bautista. I think you can look it up on youtube if you wanna see them.<br />
<br />
Anyway, don't forget, text AT30 to 2827 for the All Text 30 promo! Free text to all networks and 30 minutes of calls to Smart & TNT for 2 days!! GO!!<br />
<br />
Chris<br />
<br />
P.S. Thanks to Kat Cruz for styling me and to Direk Paul Soriano for making the shoot fun & quick! Always a pleasure working with the best in the industry!Chris Tiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086138922716967040noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725260662450902149.post-35447028404372739912013-04-23T02:44:00.001+08:002013-04-23T02:44:30.079+08:00Mom and I for Poten-Cee Forte<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/P57fK_ChMA4/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/P57fK_ChMA4&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/P57fK_ChMA4&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<br />
After doing the Milo TVC with mom earlier this year, another campaign for mom and I. This time it's for Poten-Cee Forte, a Vitamin C brand that we use at home. Again, we had to persuade her to agree to do it. Lots of speaking lines for her, but no problem for her! This was shot in San Guan gym, reminiscent of my very very first TVC w/ Master Eskinol in 2004.<br />
<br />
What I like about this product is that it contains 1000 mg of ascorbic acid or Vitamin C that can last be an entire day. With my hectic schedule, I usually start getting sniffles and colds whenever I forget to take my daily dose of vitamin C. Another feature is that it has an 8-hour time release formula that releases the vitamins in spurts within 8 hours so that our body doesn't just flush away the excess.<br />
<br />
Hope you guys like the TVC! Hoping for more TVCs with mom or perhaps other family members? Many people find it hard to believe that my mom can look so young and often mistake her for my sister. I think she looks younger here than in the Milo TVC. Her secret? A nice and obedient son!! Haha kidding! It must be the Milo and the Poten-Cee :)<br />
<br />
ChrisChris Tiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086138922716967040noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725260662450902149.post-36952113724968478962013-04-08T22:46:00.001+08:002013-04-08T22:50:12.624+08:00Project: "MILO BEST Grads"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Here's a copy of the TV Commercial for those who haven't seen it yet. This is the 15-seconder. I can't seem to upload the original 45-seconder. So let me just post the link <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6NkGi5GGZQ">MILO BEST GRADS TVC 45sec</a><br />
<br />
This was shot some time early January 2013, in between games 3 and 4 of the PBA Finals series between us (Rain or Shine) and Talk n Text. My scenes were done in one day, for around 13 or 14 hours. My part had to be cut short because it was already 2am and I had training early the following morning. (I usually get 7-8 hours of sleep a day because my body needs to be fresh for training, but this is an exemption)<br />
<br />
It was my first time to do a TVC shoot with my mom. She was very hesitant at first in accepting to do the campaign, but eventually after seeing the storyboard, she agreed. She's very camera shy and prefers to stay behind the scenes. I don't think she has any regrets after seeing the final edit and the idea of being able to inspire other mothers to raise kids well & encourage their kids to get into sports. I think she did great in the shoot and believe it or not, many people mistake her as my sister. Don't you think?<br />
<br />
It was also fun working with Kiefer, Tita Mozzy, Prince Carlos (who studies in La Salle and is already MVP of the Milo tournaments), Tita Olive and of course, the entire production team! Watch out for more of us :) Hope you liked the TVC! #MiloEveryday<br />
<br />
Chris<br />
<br />
Here's the advertorial<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2IgibjJrxgyr_9wL6zdN4yAp3DhTrlG-4XsDVJRwCft1GcuBKMZ8hbjXPBZu7oVw0DOnKOLpU_EjYKgi6qR2-EeLnjCh6__kIWz1DvTAwVE1HEPIiXAQDls5uKFdxRbZodrwP09JlYL8/s1600/AL257+MILO+ADVERTORIAL+yes+mag+9x11_25-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2IgibjJrxgyr_9wL6zdN4yAp3DhTrlG-4XsDVJRwCft1GcuBKMZ8hbjXPBZu7oVw0DOnKOLpU_EjYKgi6qR2-EeLnjCh6__kIWz1DvTAwVE1HEPIiXAQDls5uKFdxRbZodrwP09JlYL8/s640/AL257+MILO+ADVERTORIAL+yes+mag+9x11_25-01.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Behind the scenes photos c/o Paolo Cabanero of Publicis Manila<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF1L3SRBMmIy62RjXwEPBRPFYrPZMUz0hV5gcRIhA9ASB8mNC0ynG2w5cfwrc6rRMDjVb_RWpvGSmfobM1dUdC7sBqhcaMRnvpXX7pboyf-sxJldBYmBx4OknFxaZE2uU3_kF8BAPBjBQ/s1600/62904_611628192187131_403945407_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF1L3SRBMmIy62RjXwEPBRPFYrPZMUz0hV5gcRIhA9ASB8mNC0ynG2w5cfwrc6rRMDjVb_RWpvGSmfobM1dUdC7sBqhcaMRnvpXX7pboyf-sxJldBYmBx4OknFxaZE2uU3_kF8BAPBjBQ/s400/62904_611628192187131_403945407_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Chris Tiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086138922716967040noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725260662450902149.post-55859798021192526502013-03-30T23:59:00.000+08:002013-03-30T23:59:02.084+08:00OraCare Ang Galing Challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/-dtf9olLFco?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
Here's the video that we shot last Feb 28 at the Serendipity Lounge (22nd floor) of Discovery Suites for OraCare's Ang Galing challenge. The first song is Pachelbel's Canon in D. I got the idea to use an apple after watching Jay Chou use it in one of his concerts in Taiwan. The last song is Turkish March by Mozart. Hope you guys enjoy the short video and join the challenge as well :)<br />
<br />
Chris<br />
<br />
By the way, please like OraCare's FB page for updates <a href="http://www.facebook.com/OraCarePH">http://www.facebook.com/OraCarePH</a>Chris Tiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086138922716967040noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725260662450902149.post-50285370665858324172013-03-22T23:06:00.001+08:002013-03-22T23:06:43.057+08:00My Graduation Speech at St. Anthony School, Singalong Manila, March 22, 2013
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 150%;"><i>Here's a copy of my speech which I delivered </i></span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px;"><i>today (March 22, 2013) in the graduation ceremony of St. Anthony School in Singalong Manila. There were 153 high school graduates. Due to the afternoon downpour, the ceremony was consequently moved inside the church just beside the open air quadrangle, where it is traditionally held. I thought I'd post the transcript here so that I can share it with all of you as well! </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">St. Anthony School Director, Rev. Fr Benito B.
Tuazon,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">School Principal, Mrs. Susan S. Canlas<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Academic Affairs Coordinator, Mrs. Azucena
Inalisan <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Student Affairs Coordinator, Mrs. Carmelita R.
Mamorno<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Prefect of Discipline, Mr. Jason Madamba <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Mrs. Mars Belo of CCF<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Mrs. Bernadette Manansala, HR Head<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Subject Area Coordinators<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Alumni Association President, Mr. Virgilio
Centeno<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Dear teachers, graduates, parents, friends:
good afternoon!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">First of all, I would like to congratulate all
of you, graduates of St. Anthony School for having accomplished this milestone
in your lives! Congratulations as well to your parents, who worked extremely hard
to make this day possible, and to the school’s administration, faculty, and
staff for their dedication in imparting their knowledge and wisdom to you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Believe it or not, this is the very first time
I am giving a graduation address. I’ve had many requests which I’ve had to turn
down due to my chaotic schedule, all except this one that Fr. Benny sent. Why?
I was truly amazed with the persistence and resourcefulness of Father. He took
the extra mile to get in touch with me. For the record, he contacted a friend
of his, who contacted another friend, who happened to be the head of the Ateneo
Alumni Association, who sent me an email, which I happened to receive despite
my flooded inbox. And viola! Here I am standing in front of you today. Sometimes
my dear graduates, it helps to be persistent! And I believe this is meant to
be; there are no accidents in God’s plan or in other words, in God's
providence, nothing happens by chance. So thank you again Fr. Benny! It is an
honor to be your guest speaker today. And it is my pleasure as well, because
this brings back fond memories from 10 years ago, when I was sitting in
your place, listening to our graduation speaker.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">[Freedom in University Life</span></b><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Now, let’s talk about university life, which
you all are excited and worried about at the same time! And I can’t blame you.
Surely you have heard people say that college life may bring about unpleasant
moments to which you will have to adapt. But also, you will be on your own,
with nobody to babysit you or tell you what to do or who to hang out with. You
will be “free.” I had the best time of my life in college. I did an exchange
program in France. I started my first ever food stall business in campus. I
joined the basketball team. I met lots of interesting people and beautiful
women as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Freedom in university life is like setting out
on an adventure. Think of Columbus or Magellan. And the most important thing to
know about this adventure is that whether you do it in Ateneo, UP, La Salle,
UST, UA&P (or even Harvard or Stanford for that matter), the name of your
school will not guarantee the discovery of new lands, or the achievement of
success or happiness. You may wonder, so what will help you achieve true
success and real happiness? The answer is: <u>a life of virtue</u>. More
than titles, achievements or financial wealth, it is only when you use your
freedom correctly, in committing yourself to do the good and pursue the truth,
and thereby living a life of virtue, will you really be happy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">That may have sounded a little complicated but
it’s really not that difficult to understand. In simple words, the only way to
use the freedom which university life can give you is to choose to live a
virtuous life, virtues such as hard work, modesty, honesty, perseverance, and
sacrifice. Let me add here the core values of the St. Anthony award such as
charity, humility, simplicity and love for creation. Regardless of the school
you will find yourselves in, the important thing is to develop these age-old and
timeless virtues, which you have already begun to know here at St. Anthony.
Thus the last thing you want when you are in college is to be complacent, and
to think that you have “made it” just by making it into college. If this is how
you think, then you are setting yourself up for failure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Tulad ninyo, nung nag-aaral pa ako, marami din
akong mga tanong. “Why do we have to solve such frustrating and difficult math
and science problems? ‘Di naman natin gagamiting ito sa labas ng paaralan! (I’m
not going to use these after college anyway!)” Tama ba? But then later on, I
understood that they were actually training me to think logically, critically,
and with clarity. I was being trained to be disciplined, to persevere under
stress and time pressure! And whether you believe it or not, I have learned to
apply those things on the basketball court and when I go out battling in the
real world called life!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">[Going Against the Wind</span></b><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Now some of you might ask: “Why is it not okay
to cheat? I’m just ‘double checking’ my work anyway! Besides, everybody is
doing it!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I’d like to share with you a simple advise
constantly repeated by my mom. It goes like this: “Just because everybody is
doing it, it doesn’t mean it is right”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Francis Kong, one of my favorite columnists
and speakers, wrote about how truth is absolute. Here’s a simple analogy he
gave: “If you are at a streetlight and it turns red, what do you do? You stop
because it’s red and you’re supposed to stop. But, when the light turns red,
and you look at the car next to you and it’s moving, you become unsure whether
to stop or to keep moving as well. So what do you do? You become unsure. This
is what we call - relativism.” This is when truth is twisted -- and even
destroyed -- to suit one’s preferences. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Unfortunately, this relativism is now evident
wherever we look. Many times, photos, videos or conversations that portray
violence, sex, adultery are now portrayed so casually. We see them when we are
on the road everyday on billboards, when we flip through magazines, turn on our
TVs, computers, or mobile phones. They are everywhere! Thus, we fall into the
danger of becoming desensitized. Now, what does that mean? To be desensitized
is to become numb. What really is wrong becomes acceptable because we see it
all the time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">A few weeks ago, I attended the blessing and
inauguration of Xavier School Nuvali in Laguna. Father Johnny Go gave a
beautiful homily which struck me! He talked about the Latin phrase Contra
ventum tibi ambulandum est, which was printed on one of the stained glass
windows in the chapel. It translates to “You need to walk against the wind.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">There is a need to go against the culture of
relativism and mediocrity! We have to rebel against them, like St. Francis
Xavier who went against every advice and sailed towards Asia to introduce Jesus
Christ and the Gospel to India, Japan, and the Moluccas. And like Blessed John
Paul II who also went against popular culture of the modern world and condemned
abortion, contraception and the ordination of women, among others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">When I was still a student in Ateneo, I
received a lucrative offer to do a TV commercial for a consumer brand. But the
problem was that I had to go topless. The problem was not that I didn’t have
six-pack abs, because I really don’t… just four (hehe!), unlike Derek Ramsey
(who I think has 8 or more?). But it was against my principle to go topless on
national television. So I declined the offer, but in the end, they allowed me
to wear a body suit. The campaign was done tastefully. I mean, it was a beach
setting to begin with. But with the prevalence of so many half-naked billboards
and ads all around us, we cannot even determine which are immodest and which
aren’t. And because we see them all the time, we tend to imitate them without
realizing that we are dressing immodestly. This is because we have become
desensitized. And we cannot and should not tolerate that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">[Freedom to Love</span></b><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Now, let’s talk a little bit about a topic
that you all love, and that is, LOVE! Maniwala kayo sa hindi, I had my first
and only girlfriend when I was in high school. How many of you have boyfriends
or girlfriends? (No one raises their hands! Ya right!) There’s nothing wrong with
being in a relationship. Love is wonderful! It gives us joy. But it is
difficult and has consequences. One thing that bothers me when I watch Western
movies or TV shows is how casually they portray sex among non-married couples,
one night stands, and worse, teenagers and same-sex couples! I hope you guys
don’t believe that giving your bodies to your partners at this age is
manifestation of true love! Because it isn’t!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">When I was playing in the UAAP for the Ateneo
Blue Eagles, (you guys were probably still watching cartoons then), I had four
years of disappointment and pain because we missed the championship every year.
Year in and year out, I would put in so much time and effort working on my game
to become a better player and a better leader. I made lots of sacrifices and
preserved through the stressful life of a student athlete. And in my 5th and
last year when I was team captain as well, we finally won the much-coveted
championship to the joy of the entire Ateneo community. What made it so sweet
was the fact that we endured so many years of adversity and made so many
sacrifices until our dream became a reality! Not to mention that we also
defeated our archrivals in the finals (whose name I will not mention </span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> )<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Why did I mention that? Because, true love is
about the freedom to make sacrifices for one another: in the case of romantic
relationships, waiting for love to be blessed in marriage. Besides, by
sacrificing, we also develop fortitude of spirit that will allow us to face
challenges head on. Sacrifice, as I have learned in my years with the Blue
Eagles, also makes the end-goal (which is success) more satisfying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">[Bullying]<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I know I’ve been
speaking too long already. But I just had to add this a few hours ago just
after reading in the newspaper about a 2<sup>nd</sup> year high school student
in Batangas who committed suicide because of bullying and more so,
cyber-bullying. He took his own life using a gun. This is truly devastating!! Reminder:
to those bullied, taking your life is never the solution. To the witnesses and
bystanders, please report it right away. Who knows, you might save a life! To
the teachers and administrators, don’t take bullying lightly. To the parents,
write to the school if your son is being bullied AND make sure to set good
examples to your kids because you are their role models. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">So guys, make sure
to use your social media accounts responsibly!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">[Freedom to Love God]</span></b><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Let me end this by giving you a story about a
boy and a barber having a conversation. I got this from a graduating high
school student like you. The boy is named Alvaro and the barber is named Mang
Boyet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Sinabe ni Mang Boyet kay Alvaro, “Alvaro, alam
mo ba, hindi ako naniniwala sa Diyos”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Baket naman po?” sagot ni Alvaro<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Tumingin ka sa labas. Eh kung totoong may
Diyos, baket ang daming naghihirap? Baket ang daming nagkakasakit? Bakit ang
daming namamatay ng walang kasalanan? Hindi ba kung totoo ang Diyos niyong yan
eh isang tawag lang naten at matutulungan niya na tayo”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Sabi ni Alvaro: “Ahh ganun po ba Mang
Boyet…….Mang Boyet, tumingin ka sa labas.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Sumagot si Mang Boyet: “Oh baket, anong
meron?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Sagot in Alvaro: “Baket ang daming mahahaba
ang buhok?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Kase di sila pumupunta saken para
magpagupit.”, sabi ni Mang Boyet<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Tanong ni Alvaro: “Hindi po ba pwedeng gupitan
mo na lang sila kahet ayaw nila?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Syempre hindi.” sagot ni Mang Boyet<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">At humirit si Alvaro, sabi niya kay Mang
Boyet: “Ganun lang din po yun Mang Boyet. Hindi naman tayo pwede pakelaman ng
Diyos kung hindi naten siya hahayaan makapasok sa mga sarili natin. Kailangan
din naten lumapit at mag bukas loob para mapalapit tayo sa kanya” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">If God did not have the chance to enter your
lives, my dear graduating students, then you should now think twice. Are you
giving him a chance to enter your life in the first place? As you begin your
university life, remember to choose HIM first and as you strive to live the
virtues, use your freedom well! Study well, get into sports, live healthy, make
friends, and enjoy the ride! Remember that He is your real Goal. With that,
God will bless you with a happiness that the world cannot give.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Congratulations once again!
God bless you all!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Chris Tiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086138922716967040noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725260662450902149.post-69084140517602551932012-11-12T22:10:00.000+08:002012-11-12T22:10:50.114+08:00The Bully Project
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“Bully” film to
launch anti-bullying campaign<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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The Jesuit Basic Education
Commission (JBEC), in cooperation with Solar Entertainment, is bringing the
acclaimed documentary “Bully” to the Philippines. The film, directed by Lee
Hirsch, will have a limited theatrical run in November, after the by-invitation
premiere on November 13, 6:30 PM, at Robinson’s Galleria Cinema 4. <span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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The film focuses on the alarming
rise in bullying faced by teenage students in America. It chronicles the
experiences of victims in high schools in Georgia, Iowa, Texas, Mississippi,
and Oklahoma, focusing on the cases of Tyler Long and Ty Smalley, both of which
tragically ended in suicide. </div>
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<br /></div>
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JBEC will use this powerful
documentary to launch the anti-bullying campaign, “Not in Our School,” endorsed
by the popular sportsman, Chris Tiu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The advocacy is aligned with the DepEd’s Child Protection Policy which
seeks to defend the student from any form of abuse, including bullying. In
light of recent local and international headlines about bullying, this film can
be a timely wake-up call for all involved: parents, teachers, administrators,
and especially students. </div>
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<br /></div>
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In addition to its theatrical
screening, JBEC is offering several Saturday block screenings in Robinson’s
Galleria for schools who want to show the film exclusively for their community.
In addition, schools can also sponsor campus screenings for a minimal fee. To
enhance its use as a formative tool, JBEC will provide teachers and parents
with a discussion guide to facilitate processing of the complex message of the
movie. Interested schools may contact <a href="mailto:jbec@xs.edu.ph"><span class="Hyperlink1">jbec@xs.edu.ph</span></a> or <a href="mailto:moviesnevents@solar-entertaiment.com"><span style="color: #000099;">moviesnevents@solar-entertaiment.com</span></a>
for bookings.<span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Fr. Johnny Go, SJ, JBEC chair,
hopes this campaign will lead schools to adopt a pro-active stance against
bullying, with each stakeholder committing and contributing to a nurturing and
bully-free school environment that is the right of every student.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We hope this movie can reach as wide
an audience as possible, especially among our students,” he says. “At the very
least, it should heighten awareness of this issue and begin productive
discussions and reflections about a real problem that can no longer be ignored.”<span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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The “Bully” hits theaters
starting November 14. It is rated PG-13 by the MTRCB.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Here are the theaters that will be showing "Bully"</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">1. Robinsons Galleria</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">2. SM North</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">3. SM MOA</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">4. SM Fairview</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">5. SM Sta. Mesa</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">6. SM Marikina</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">7. SM MegaMall</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">8. Powerplant</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">9. Gateway</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">10. Greenhills Promenade</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">11. Sta. Lucia</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">12. KCC Gensan</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Here's the Official Trailer of "Bully"</span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/eUy2ZWoStr0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Here's the video of our "NOT IN OUR SCHOOL" Anti Bullying Campaign</div>
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/98OF0LaudXI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
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Here's our official poster</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSw13hAnhYCBpHNgIK0mGIVXzARamTMwwu1dELs0eq5pH4kJ7Z9FPqTic2XES5dtD0alHh57irDe49m8u4dVnPdVCkaSaS7V2iqmnTBj74y_G6c8AnjXB5ome1D5JsbmEj4koa20L_y80/s1600/Screen+Shot+Chris+Tiu+Poster.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSw13hAnhYCBpHNgIK0mGIVXzARamTMwwu1dELs0eq5pH4kJ7Z9FPqTic2XES5dtD0alHh57irDe49m8u4dVnPdVCkaSaS7V2iqmnTBj74y_G6c8AnjXB5ome1D5JsbmEj4koa20L_y80/s320/Screen+Shot+Chris+Tiu+Poster.png" width="223" /></a></div>
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Please check out our FB page<span style="color: #141414;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="color: #000099;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/TheBullyProjectPh">http://www.facebook.com/TheBullyProjectPh</a></span></div>
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You may also visit our website <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #141414;"><a href="http://www.notinourschool.weebly.com/">http://www.notinourschool.weebly.com</a></span></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Chris Tiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086138922716967040noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725260662450902149.post-80444568686031182642012-06-21T03:32:00.001+08:002012-06-21T03:32:15.374+08:00ECOwarriors Tree Planting in Rizal, Laguna<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigOjHSlBSCTe2L6dqlP03aQtawTVA4FVP6klWZa0twIYMivesAmTQ00oiYrKNLVoRBMBytraF-s_abE6aYKCh7Lo4pWAGuFcRAhXQFHr2Uq5RCcwrTzfpPHzwiR_Wm4MmkN8oNqY1Pm7g/s1600/IMG-20120612-00275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigOjHSlBSCTe2L6dqlP03aQtawTVA4FVP6klWZa0twIYMivesAmTQ00oiYrKNLVoRBMBytraF-s_abE6aYKCh7Lo4pWAGuFcRAhXQFHr2Uq5RCcwrTzfpPHzwiR_Wm4MmkN8oNqY1Pm7g/s320/IMG-20120612-00275.jpg" width="320" /></a>On June 12, Independence day, around 50 young volunteer ECOwarriors from Manila went to Rizal, Laguna to support the local government's various green initiatives. That day, the song entitled "Punongkahoy" was launched and will serve as the official song of the nationwide tree planting campaign of the DENR. After the short program in Tayak Hill, the Pilipinas ECOwarriors volunteers proceeded to plant trees. Hundreds of students, local leaders & BatangRizal members walked up Tayak Hill to show support for their regions aggressive efforts in the preservation & enhancement of our country's natural beauty.<br />
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In order for the Pilipinas ECOwarriors to get to Rizal, Laguna, I had arranged for a bus that could fit around 50 people. Meeting place was at Robinsons Galleria at 530am. Unfortunately that morning, the rain was pouring extremely hard!! But despite that, our volunteers braved the rain and continued on to make it to the meeting point. I really have to salute the dedication and commitment of our volunteers for continuing on and not going back to their cozy beds to enjoy the holiday.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuMrdcpFSaSF7TWysmdxt6lOP969n9ZugdFbrqSHUGYISPvsBS8Z-NT6y1tYTuvNX4mAH_a-7OFZacxaAThuQlRJBwo-hLbNLyNdfsxThT5mp-FIBoiBZi0id2bmBy-PEulB7b7VxAQEs/s1600/IMG-20120612-00254.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuMrdcpFSaSF7TWysmdxt6lOP969n9ZugdFbrqSHUGYISPvsBS8Z-NT6y1tYTuvNX4mAH_a-7OFZacxaAThuQlRJBwo-hLbNLyNdfsxThT5mp-FIBoiBZi0id2bmBy-PEulB7b7VxAQEs/s200/IMG-20120612-00254.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
We stopped over at the Petron station in SLEX for a quick restroom break and to allow them to grab breakfast. Then we proceeded to Rizal. It took us around 2 hours to reach the city hall of Rizal from Makati, where we were met by the BatangRizal organization members. Rizal is the next town after San Pablo. Then, from the city proper in Rizal, the volunteers had to get off the bus and transfer to jeepneys that brought us through the steep and winding rocky roads that led to Tayak Hill. The bus would never make it through those narrow roads. It was about another 15 minutes travel time from the city to Tayak Hill.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJVHJFEVvxttxY7ncRfVIsfbeg6jAt8pvGTQ7iNDpJmAgxWs8_UciICTBrh37XJs5g2dTRxQR-3siKdxPFkggOdXb1rcoPIMeSiEAbBZaX8R2WUXYy4h-BMNs_5hsPW42Eo7ZjhYTKJEw/s1600/IMG-20120612-00257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJVHJFEVvxttxY7ncRfVIsfbeg6jAt8pvGTQ7iNDpJmAgxWs8_UciICTBrh37XJs5g2dTRxQR-3siKdxPFkggOdXb1rcoPIMeSiEAbBZaX8R2WUXYy4h-BMNs_5hsPW42Eo7ZjhYTKJEw/s200/IMG-20120612-00257.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT7JP2j43PyS-Lcv2Hg-UR6X0ooaXVSr7U9MAzRLhzpPWZMPGRHBJhCzWCBI7kHW-gTyB4VUO-Y_VksPdQauDjCy7R9utIY6aIv8SmIeR63CJDxh0vbzvBCyHJRX0IPrFIiGug71tXZnE/s1600/IMG-20120612-00271.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT7JP2j43PyS-Lcv2Hg-UR6X0ooaXVSr7U9MAzRLhzpPWZMPGRHBJhCzWCBI7kHW-gTyB4VUO-Y_VksPdQauDjCy7R9utIY6aIv8SmIeR63CJDxh0vbzvBCyHJRX0IPrFIiGug71tXZnE/s200/IMG-20120612-00271.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnjAySa9N9pVfja48kbCKJu1cPlcGQoe6LUMX5sMLDFVYd8lIOlHbvLQlWTQfZEyCF9B6rMRtJp8FuuQOx_U_KfFAhrbs3sJ85MPSvas2Ouhi_taLgDB16w5oGNKP5X3VjNFIX3kmm7o/s1600/IMG-20120612-00260.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnjAySa9N9pVfja48kbCKJu1cPlcGQoe6LUMX5sMLDFVYd8lIOlHbvLQlWTQfZEyCF9B6rMRtJp8FuuQOx_U_KfFAhrbs3sJ85MPSvas2Ouhi_taLgDB16w5oGNKP5X3VjNFIX3kmm7o/s200/IMG-20120612-00260.jpg" width="200" /></a>From the base, we had to hike for another 10 minutes through the steep slopes of the hill to get to the gathering point. I have to admit that it was really tiring, not to mention that I am in pretty good shape. There, we were met by hundreds of youth supporters, educators and local government officials who were waiting for us in order for them to begin the program. Fellow ECOwarrior Doc Nielsen Donato and I shared a few words with the people. The view was spectacular! You could see the Laguna from the top as well as its various lakes!<br />
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After the short program, we proceeded to plant trees at the other side of the hill. Without us knowing, we had to go back down the hill and walk up to another hill where the site of the tree planting was. Wow! This was a super longgg 30 minute walk through steep, rocky & muddy slopes. Volunteers were exhausted! Some were cramping up in their legs and in their abdomen, I guess partly because of the heat & humidity.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP74fu93xXK758R56Hfz2ninw-uiDApSDVcmXAnHe6Bh4t1RNFkZ-PG7wxi9yyDCoH6TY8XETNGLTh552pV9Robh816vT78LU-_gSQahqGxRf6YAdlX2dMXk8HcNl6m5o8wQDtQe9BUDk/s1600/IMG-20120612-00255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP74fu93xXK758R56Hfz2ninw-uiDApSDVcmXAnHe6Bh4t1RNFkZ-PG7wxi9yyDCoH6TY8XETNGLTh552pV9Robh816vT78LU-_gSQahqGxRf6YAdlX2dMXk8HcNl6m5o8wQDtQe9BUDk/s200/IMG-20120612-00255.jpg" width="200" /></a>Led by the city mayor, we finally reached the tree planting
site. They had prepared 1000 mahogany seedlings to be planted along the sides
of the road that led to the “Landing Point”. They were pretty organized, all we had to do was to remove the pre-grown seedlings from the black wrap, dig a hole, plant the seedling in that hole and replace it with soil. </div>
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Due to time constraints, I estimate that we planted around 400 trees. Then, since we were close to the "Landing Point", we walked further up a bit to check what it was all about. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKPbgz8SeREyoR7aypt9hjeVnaJdaaomJSob_IHHCN6RDor-aB0n9uKHumgQEHA5hHeChKH7p1KN2x-JWghvn5IsW8E-SnhgUfJWO5jjAyGj4mgbmlhUN2iomqsD9YDTzcK2BFo-BK5OQ/s1600/IMG-20120612-00272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKPbgz8SeREyoR7aypt9hjeVnaJdaaomJSob_IHHCN6RDor-aB0n9uKHumgQEHA5hHeChKH7p1KN2x-JWghvn5IsW8E-SnhgUfJWO5jjAyGj4mgbmlhUN2iomqsD9YDTzcK2BFo-BK5OQ/s320/IMG-20120612-00272.jpg" width="320" /></a>The "Landing Point" is a plateau where there used to be an airstrip in the 1940s during World War 2. This was the location where American soldiers would drop off food, ammunition and arms to the Filipino guerrillas to aid them in fighting the Japanese who took over the city. Today, the airstrip does not exist anymore. You can see the breathtaking view of Tayak Hill & Laguna from the Landing point!</div>
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Upon reaching down the hill, we had to make sure that no one was left behind as we were split into smaller groups because not everyone could make it to the top. We did a quick headcount and road our jeepneys back to the city. Man! Were we starving and thirsty!! Immediately, we took the bus and proceeded to San Pablo where a very late lunch was waiting for us in GREENWICH, Ultimart! It was my first time in Ultimart, I thought I was in Makati for a while. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6vQ_z-wn55DnIBbyTtS8t8mQb1s2JjpT7dcLFhFiZJ-KRges53bUGJpPBtdeLc7fomPkKwLndOSYhYRcaxeblmgjeRqXPGX7dOwK3vct9d4qKPM7EXK5yhcvanYW0UztHpNQJZkLp-ss/s1600/IMG-20120612-00288.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6vQ_z-wn55DnIBbyTtS8t8mQb1s2JjpT7dcLFhFiZJ-KRges53bUGJpPBtdeLc7fomPkKwLndOSYhYRcaxeblmgjeRqXPGX7dOwK3vct9d4qKPM7EXK5yhcvanYW0UztHpNQJZkLp-ss/s320/IMG-20120612-00288.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipBX7VEyF6alCPGJEQJT1FX9ApgAowLBuIp9cxhxsmmSr5NExHfI3_inBVMYTMx8iyFfy-E8BAxVg2AZ07ckc0df9cKyR5zgGMdnCVZh6JH-2Hevty_ZLB4lasFLw2IXvtcztAYJquggw/s1600/IMG-20120612-00287.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipBX7VEyF6alCPGJEQJT1FX9ApgAowLBuIp9cxhxsmmSr5NExHfI3_inBVMYTMx8iyFfy-E8BAxVg2AZ07ckc0df9cKyR5zgGMdnCVZh6JH-2Hevty_ZLB4lasFLw2IXvtcztAYJquggw/s200/IMG-20120612-00287.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0hiwiT5yaseF7ytDBFjANduSHdk0tCeqL7qkFxZA2PVtlQ47gsJFaOXumb2dkIvcwSV-pv93kMD2bd8g7f6nGMFc7c35g7E_DBvlsHaCSsiSHIhL_-DOcSoU5qp5eHttJ3cyV6q1cxs/s1600/IMG-20120612-00284.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0hiwiT5yaseF7ytDBFjANduSHdk0tCeqL7qkFxZA2PVtlQ47gsJFaOXumb2dkIvcwSV-pv93kMD2bd8g7f6nGMFc7c35g7E_DBvlsHaCSsiSHIhL_-DOcSoU5qp5eHttJ3cyV6q1cxs/s200/IMG-20120612-00284.jpg" width="200" /></a>We were stuffed with chicken, pasta & the best pizza, my personal favorite is the 7-cheese pizza! YUM!!! Our group practically took up the entire store, which was 2 floors. The staff was extremely accommodating and service was excellent! Thank you once again to Greenwich for making the experience complete!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsTha6VZ4J0H5SIZQEQbgmmrekKG4SvozBSq01uKERMWIGCwvfEbnyiiG0BIDxLjvhIeICWlnAbCsf2nfUBWjoDuSvDYQf1JiiehSL5-6Y2STU7NptWURAoDrGZYTmfjaEIDGO5GODJ0/s1600/IMG-20120612-00285.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsTha6VZ4J0H5SIZQEQbgmmrekKG4SvozBSq01uKERMWIGCwvfEbnyiiG0BIDxLjvhIeICWlnAbCsf2nfUBWjoDuSvDYQf1JiiehSL5-6Y2STU7NptWURAoDrGZYTmfjaEIDGO5GODJ0/s200/IMG-20120612-00285.jpg" width="200" /></a>After our quick lunch at around 3pm, we headed back to Manila. I rode on a van with Doc Nielsen and our ECOwarrior team while the volunteers took the bus. By 4:30pm, I was in Makati and went on to play an Inter-village basketball game. After the game, I got word that the bus had broken down in the highway and they had transferred to another bus that was taking them back to Manila. I got worried for a bit, until I was told that everyone in the bus was okay. In fact, they were having fun playing games inside the bus. This amazed me! Instead of complaining & bitching about the situation (they were up by as early as 430am and had trekked for about 6 kilometers under the heat), our very selfless ECOwarriors utilized the time to bond and get to know each other more by playing games! Mind you, most of them just met each other that day.</div>
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Overall, I think it was a very fruitful, educational and fun experience!! You could see it in the faces of our volunteers! Not only were they able to visit a historical site, but they had done a great deed for mother nature as well :) This is what ECOwarriors is all about. We are not just planting trees for mother earth, but more than that, we are planting seeds in the minds of our young volunteers to love and protect our only planet for future generations to come! </div>
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Chris</div>
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P.S. It's not too late to be an ECOwarrior. </div>
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www.ecowarriors.ph </div>
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http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ecowarriors/356042914419550</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Chris Tiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086138922716967040noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725260662450902149.post-64025600029242053622012-04-08T16:36:00.003+08:002012-04-08T16:36:33.423+08:00EASTER TRIDUUM: PART 3 – HOPE & THE GAME OF LIFE<!--StartFragment-->
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In the past two entries, we reflected on Jesus’ passion and death.
These events are indeed essential in our Christian faith. But St. Paul said:
“If Christ be not risen again, then is your preaching in vain, and your faith
is also vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:14) This is why Easter is the feast of all feasts.
It is the most important day of the Church year. Today, Jesus rose from the
dead, performing His greatest miracle. His resurrection makes His humanity
special, proving He is divine as well.</div>
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Through Jesus’ resurrection, we are given new life and a
renewed hope for salvation! And this virtue of hope is vital in a Christian’s
journey towards achieving his last end – salvation! This spiritual journey can
be likened to a sport, something very close to my heart. </div>
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In basketball, or in any sport for that matter, the most
fundamental quality one must have in order to be successful is a DESIRE or HOPE
for triumph. Without hope, you are already a loser. There will be many
obstacles and challenges that we will have to face before becoming champions.
Just like in our spiritual battle, we will have to overcome temptations and our
bad habits or vices. How?</div>
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Training. In sports, we train regularly not just to be
victorious in one game, but to win an entire tournament. Training requires determination,
the will to work on every detail of your game, our skills, strength, endurance,
agility, etc. We need to live out the spirit of MAGIS, or a lifestyle of
excellence. In our spiritual life, we try to get rid of bad habits (vices) and
practice good ones (virtue). It does not happen overnight. We need to keep
practicing by doing good deeds and making sacrifices. It’s definitely not easy
but here’s a tip. Go and receive the Sacraments regularly to receive graces
from God. These will strengthen us and help us overcome such temptations or bad
habits.</div>
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Consistency. In sports, professional athletes do not just
train hard when a championship match is coming up or when you are about to be
eliminated from a tournament. Rather, they do it consistently over a period of
time (Of course, there are various phases in a training program) so that old
skills are perfected and new ones may be developed. Same goes with our
spiritual life, we don’t just receive the sacraments or go to spiritual
direction when we are ‘lost’ already. We don’t go to confession when our souls
are dead, we go before it can get worse. In the same way, a sick man does not
go to a doctor when he is dead already. </div>
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Humility. This is one of the most important qualities I
learned from being an athlete for many years now. Having an open mind to
correction and improvement from your coaches or peers plays a huge part in the
success of an individual, even if you are the star player. At an early age, we
were also reminded that we must be gracious in defeat and humble when we win
games. We must acknowledge that our success is a result of a team effort, not
ones’ own doing. We must realize that our talent to play basketball, golf or
tennis did not come from our hard work or parents’ genes. But these are gifts from
God that must be shared with others. In our spiritual life, we must always be
thankful to Him for all our gifts. Sometimes we take it for granted and we
forget that we are truly blessed. We thank Him for our families, friends,
education, material possessions, good health, etc. When we stop comparing what
others have and what we don’t, and just be grateful to Him, we become happier.</div>
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The only difference in our sports battle and our spiritual
battle is this. In sports, there’s only one who brings home the trophy or the
gold medal. But in our journey to God, we can all win. </div>
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Therefore, this Easter, let’s share the joy that Christ is
risen and that He loves us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we
can share in His resurrection when we are converted, when we are given new
life. Keep training. Keep converting. Never lose hope.</div>
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Happy Easter!</div>
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Chris</div>
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P.S. If you like this, feel free to pass it to our family
and friends to spread the joy of Easter</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Chris Tiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086138922716967040noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725260662450902149.post-69878605812464893222012-04-07T17:44:00.000+08:002012-04-07T17:44:11.258+08:00EASTER TRIDUUM: PART 2 - SACRIFICE<!--StartFragment-->
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As you are reading this blog of mine, some of you may find
it boring and decide to surf another website for more ‘interesting’ articles,
tweets, photos, videos or what not… all, just in a matter of seconds. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because of the internet and modern day
technology, our attention span is getting shorter and shorter since there are
so many alternatives before us. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Convenience
is a great luxury that our grandparents’ generation didn’t have. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We cannot argue about the added value
that these technologies have brought into our lives, but they pose threats that
can be very dangerous to our existence.</div>
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About a decade ago, we had the iPod that simply played mp3
music files. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was a great
luxury already, coming from mp3 players that could only store 5 to 10 songs. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we asked for more. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had higher versions of the iPod, then
the iTouch, then the iPhone, iPad, and now the iPhone 4S. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This iPhone 4S can do pretty much
everything from video calls, GPS mapping, live chatting, voice recognition,
etc… Wonder what’s the next thing will we ask for? Just when you think it’s got
all the features, something newer and ‘cooler’ is developed to satisfy us
consumers.</div>
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Our lives are so accustomed to convenience. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We want more, more, more and fast, fast,
fast. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We take shortcuts and want
to make money the ‘easy way’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
some, it is more and more power or more and more sexual satisfaction! We can
just never get enough! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One saint
said that this is a major tragedy since we are looking for joy in the wrong
places. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These ‘attachments’ are
fleeting and will not give us the lasting joy that we long for because they
disconnect us from God.</div>
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We want quick-fix solutions to address lingering problems. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A little inconvenience and we get easily
irritable and annoyed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is
manifested in many relationships nowadays that don’t seem to endure trials. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They resort to the easy way out.</div>
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So what do we do now? What does this have to do with Lent?</div>
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Just as Jesus’ self-sacrifice through His passion and death,
God has also given His ultimate sacrifice by sending His only Son to become
fully human only to die on the cross. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Imagine how painful that is for a father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And more so for a mother that is why we
feel especially close to Our Lady of Sorrows these days.</div>
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In this light, we too are called to make sacrifices. They
don’t have to be big ones. I have some friends who have given up eating
‘sweets’ during the entire season of Lent. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some have given up drinking alcohol. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or it can be as simple as being extra
patient in trying to understand a difficult friend. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or doing small acts of kindness to your parents or siblings. This
is also the reason why we fast and abstain from eating meat during Fridays of
Lent.</div>
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This is mortification. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is about self-giving. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We do not make sacrifices for the mere purpose of pleasing
others or appearing ‘holy’ but we do it because of our deep love for Christ –
that is charity. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And in doing so,
people see Christ in us. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>St. Josemaria
said it best when he said that you must experience Christ within yourself—be
His friend—then that overflow of your interior life will communicate itself to
others’.</div>
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Advance Happy Easter!</div>
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Chris</div>
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P.S. Still working on part 3, the theme is HOPE. Will post it tomorrow. </div>
<!--EndFragment-->Chris Tiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086138922716967040noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725260662450902149.post-58960002796412040062012-04-06T18:09:00.000+08:002012-04-06T18:09:45.526+08:00EASTER TRIDUUM: PART 1 – JOY OF REPENTANCE<!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Hello there! It’s been a while since I last blogged. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before I begin, let me just announce that my previous blog chris-tiu.blogspot.com has been hacked and I don’t have access to it as of the moment. That’s why I created a new site. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s really sad because we’ve already established a number of subscribers to that blog for the past 4 years. Hope you can help me spread this to more people this time around.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I am writing this in the midst of a 3-day silent retreat in the city. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Silent retreat means spending time in silence, prayer and recollection: between you and God alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, it means not talking to the other participants, but you can always talk to your confessor or spiritual director. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are around 25 of us—all-male students and young professionals. I can’t find a better time to reflect and share my thoughts to you than in this Easter Triduum, when we remember and contemplate Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Allow me to share my personal reflection on this topic since this is only once a year and I believe you may find it useful as well.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In the contemporary world, our lives can get so much caught up with work, work and work, including schoolwork. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Couple that with the ubiquity of modern-day technology—we find it almost impossible to detach ourselves from communication, information, entertainment, and the like. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll admit that I am one of those guilty of that!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Sad to say, our modern world doesn’t favor reflection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it is during this moment of absolute silence when we can best listen to our Lord and speak to Him, in order to understand fully His divine will and plan for us. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After our first day in retreat, I felt so at home and so at peace. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I actually think I can live here—so simple and peaceful. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Today is Good Friday, the day when Jesus suffered and died on the cross in order to save us. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is on this same day when the first to be proclaimed a saint was a thief! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the cross, the thief said to Jesus, “Jesus, remember me when You come to Your kingdom.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23: 42-43). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This good thief, a.k.a. St. Dismas (or Dimas), was saved because of his faith, repentance and contrite heart!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Our Father God constantly calls us to come back to Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just like in the parable of the Prodigal Son, no matter how sinful or lost we can be, God unconditionally accepts us back as long as we repent. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He even slaughtered the fattest calf and prepared a huge feast for the younger son who has come back home after years of squandering his wealth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Through the sacrament of Reconciliation, God always awaits us to go back to him: we repeat in our lives the story of the prodigal son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Conversion is not impossible with the help of the Sacraments and prayer. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it is only then that we experience the joy of inner peace and lasting happiness—because we experience God, who only wants what is best for us, such that we can exclaim as Pope Benedict XVI said, “I am personally loved by God.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is why Confession is personal, one-on-one, between me and the priest ordained to represent God (because only God can forgive sins), as Our Lord told the first priests, the Apostles, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (Jn 20:23).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we are cleansed from anything that may hinder our complete union with God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My confessor gave a beautiful analogy of a glass window. He said, “If the glass window is stained and dirty, how can the sunlight enter the room? In the same way if our souls are not clean, how can God enter us?”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I entitled this blog, “Joy of Repentance” because being sorry for our sins should be a cause of joy for us—we are going back to our Father God, whom we know is ever-ready to accept us no matter how sinful we have become!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All we have to do is to eat our pride and be humble to say, like the prodigal son in common parlance, “Dad, I’m sorry.” We are just going back home! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is there anything more fun than that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, I understand more clearly why St Josemaria calls the Confession as a sacrament of Joy!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Who could have been the happiest man on that first Friday which we call Good?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The good thief! Our speaker phrased it very wittingly. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“St. Dismas was indeed a thief until the end, because until his last dying breath, he stole heaven and the heart of our Lord!“</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Chris</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">P.S. Watch out for parts 2 & 3 </div><!--EndFragment-->Chris Tiuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02086138922716967040noreply@blogger.com26