Emptied Spaces: mindanao bloggers

Action Mindanao was successful in executing it's first activity called "Children for Peace and Development", as an organization last March 17, 2009. With the Support of Col. Erneste R. Aradanas (MNSA) PA, Commander of the 603rd Infantry Brigade fo the 6th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, around 60 students of Petron Camp Abubacar Elementary School (Barra North District) were transported to Davao City to attend the 2 day Educational Tour prepared by AM.

These children are from war torn areas and have never been to any city their whole lives. The Educational tour serves as a socializing and exposure for these children and is just the start of the many activities that will mainly involve them.

From these group of kids, 5 of the brightest amongst them will be chosen for another tour in Manila as a follow up activity and as a reward for their hard work in school. From these exposures, these kids will then be asked to share to their community and school what they have seen and learn to help inspire their fellow classmates and friends.

Action Mindanao is grateful for the support of Globe Telecommunications, Kiwanis Philippines South Distric, Yellow Bus Lne Co., Marit Remondo, Datu Mussolini Lidasan, Gerry Roxas Foundation, Mayor Alexander Tomawis, Bai Sirikit Ampatuan, Cotabato City Tourism Council, Noel Ruiz, Shangri la Lodge No. 196 F.A.M. of the Philippines, Bai Sandra Sema, Happy Raagas. AM's gratitude also goes to Councilor Wendel Avisado for generously providing the children's dinner and breakfast at the Boy Scout of the Philippines Camp.

Currently, a youth camp is being prepared by Action Mindanao, to be held in Baguio come third week of April.

The Three Main Thrusts of Action Mindanao!: Social Peace and Justice, Economic Development, and Environmental Issues.

This is long overdue -- to people who celebrate christmas....I don't, my religion forbids me to do so -- and so the urgency of gift giving during the season is something i don't feel.

I give gifts when I feel like it...but christmas, with malls packed, with people scratching eachother's eyes out, clawing their way to finding the perfect gift was never a motivation for me... I like to find cool stuff to give and live to see the wrapper being torn...

Which reminds me, the phrase madness sale is just apt during the christmas season. Regardless of the sliding

economy, rising tuition fees and gasoline prices, inconsistent church statements, ridiculuos spyware invasions and virus attacks, unaffordable phone gadgets... people just go crazy when they see the red tag with a blazing 50% off marked on it.

No wonder everybody's broke and ugly after... after spending sleepless nights of budgeting the bonuses and the salaries, you finally found the balance of buying everything and being on the fringes of being a rat after...and because you're not the only one eyeing that item in the store, you wake up early and you elbow ur way in to fight for that oh so very nice dress that everybody's seems to want...with local versions of teleserye kontrabidas in the fringes waiting for achance to step up, raise an eyebrow, do a half circle turn and snatch it leaving your nose flared and your eyes watery while you suffer heartburn because you forgot to take your breakfast...

haha! wawa naman...

nah, those stuff don't happen anymore, I think. The scenario is more like this, you go to the store, look for the dress...

oh my gosh...it's not there anymore! but ...but...

you go to the saleslady, inquire about it...

The saleslady shakes her head,

"hurot na siguro ma'am"...

You turn around...
you see a girl grinning...
you hear the one at the counter saying hi, you look back, just becuase you are nosy...
and suddenly you see everything in slo-o-o-o-o-w motion... as your eyes, wide in disbelief, follow the cashier's finger punching and then wrapping the dress you want...

oh yes, the amiga reserved it for her. haha! sa maliba lang.

Backers are needed everywhere these days...even when shopping...

sheesh.

Anyways, Mindanao Bloggers celebrated the Christmas Fever at World Palace..The party is great but the venue's service got a double negative. With the assumption that everybody's drunk, the waiter must have been shocked to be interogated by people who never run out of opinions and things to say, who can be sarcastic and who will definitely get even because of hidden charges they were forced to pay... haha!

It was fun seeing old friends and meeting new faces. It's been while since i've been with fellow bloggers here in Davao. The last time I was with the bunch was at Kangaroo to drink the coffee harvested from the civet's poopoo... hehe. yum!

As usual, I'm late win arriving. Saw Papa Dominic at the hall first, he showed me the right door (egypt must have been too hot as they moved down to someone else's garden room), entered with people staring at the latecomer (yours truly). Blogie was groping for something to say i guess, coz he asked me the first question he asked me when i first exchanged email with him..."relative mo si..." heheh... =P

Saw Doc Charles at the back...waved and came to proceed to sit with him and the gang. err...actually booted him out of the couch...Kuya Lyle was funny... met nurse in cyberspace (nope...walang siyang phone hotline =P)... Being the camwhore that i am, I then proceeded to take my cam and harassed everyone with it.

Ai tama... gi ugom pud day nako ang mic. hahaha!

mga babae dapit sa balete drive