Saturday photo

"Philip, Philipina, Philippe"... for the Philippines.

It's been a hectic week once again!  But, what else is new?  Nah, not complaining... I'm just amazed that I'm still feeling like I can do a 5k run after that "marathon" I ran this week.  Perhaps, the "pit stops" in this week's marathon were truly refreshing and exhilarating... they added to the energy rather than zapping it.  Good, good!

So, the US Ambassador to the Philippines, H. E. Philip S. Goldberg, visited the University of Santo Tomas last Wednesday as Lecturer in the 3rd installment of the University's Diplomats' Lecture Series.  He spoke to the students about his career as a diplomat, hoping that his example might be of use for those who aspire to become diplomat themselves in the future.  He emphasized the importance of being "curious about things around us" especially those that constitute diplomatic affairs such as political, economic and

H. E. Philip S. Goldberg, US envoy to the Philippines, visiting
the University of Santo Tomas for the first time.

public affairs.  "Accumulating knowledge about these diplomatic activities," he said, "will become very useful in your future career as diplomats."  He said that "an innate curiosity of world affairs" can translate to an overseas role as a diplomat, but that it all "begins from understanding your own country." 

For a diplomatic mission to be successful, he emphasized the importance of "strengthening people-to-people relationship through educational programs, cultural programs and youth programs".  This is why he considers Education USA as one of the major programs of the US Embassy in the Philippines that he works hard for to keep moving forward and benefit the Filipinos, especially the youth.

Of his work as an American envoy to the Philippines, he made mention of the long-standing friendship between the United States of America and the Philippines as his basis in conducting his diplomatic mission in the country.  And he came to his post in Manila with a rich background and experience.

With the challenges of climate change to which the Philippines is very vulnerable, the maritime security-related tension with economic and international political implications in South China Sea and West Philippine Sea, the very promising economic growth that the Philippines is currently enjoying, the challenge of being at the cusp of political transition as the local and national elections loom, and many other interesting transitions in the ASEAN region where

Crystal Clear: H.E. Goldberg, making a strong point on...
international maritime issues, especially the respect of freedom
of navigation. 

the Philippines play an important role, the Ambassador has got his job cut out for him.  Of his appointment to a diplomatic post in the Philippines at such 'exciting times', he was said to be a perfect fit, being one of the US State Department's "best and brightest".  And, indeed, he hit the ground running when he arrived in November 2013 to assume his post after typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) hammered the Visayas, leaving tremendous devastation in the area, and thousands of people needing emergency assistance.  The Ambassador proved equal to the immensity of the task, standing side by side with Filipinos as they combat the daunting challenge.

Having seen first hand how the Filipinos who suffered from Yolanda's rampage bounced back over the last two years, he expressed his admiration for the Filipino's resilience during his Talk.  He also spoke about the "impressive optimism of Filipinos" that is now resulting to a "commendable economic progress" among others, and the "admirable way by which the Philippines is dealing with the South China Sea issue".

As recipient of the Fulbright-Philippine Agriculture Scholarship and having enjoyed the full benefit of the US Department of State's Education USA for five years in Cornell University, located in the beautiful finger lakes region of New York State, I feel duty-bound to support the efforts of the US Embassy in reaching out to Filipinos in friendship.  Not that I don't enjoy it, because I do - tremendously!  And, while I've followed from a distance the Embassy's activities over the years, I think I've never felt this much affinity to the Embassy since Ambassador Goldberg assumed the post at Roxas Boulevard.  I believe in his  sincere and faithful sense of mission to my country, and I'm an admirer of his mind's sharpness... although he can be quite severe in his facial expression - even when he jokes.  Oops!  Hmmm, 'diplomacy'... I need to exercise it some!  :)

Seriously, I'm a fan.   

More power to you, Your Excellency!

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Photo credit:  The first photo was from Mr. Philippe Jose Hernandez, the Assistant Director of the UST Social Media Bureau (SMB).  I took the other two photos.

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Saturday photo

Green and... peace.

The last one-and-a-half days were spent in some peace and contemplation in a leisure

camp in Tanay, Rizal, Philippines.  The camp is some meters above the noisy Metropolis, surrounded by the Sierra Madre mountain range, and overlooking Laguna de Bay.  It's green everywhere with patches that were drying from the heat, but it's peaceful and beautiful enough for a short spiritual Retreat where contemplation is encouraged.  With on-going constructions, the camp is still work-in-progress but, already, it boasts a mix of nature and man-made structures, complementing each other with some harmony.  The design did feel cohesive, flowing nicely from one activity place to another, maintaining access to the beautiful view.   

Overall, it was a good enough place for some rest and respite from tiring city life... but not from the climate change-related heat, which is inescapable, anyhow.

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About the photo(s):  The photo/s was/were taken in a leisure camp called Ten Cents to Heaven in Tanay, Rizal, Philippines.  It's about one-and-a-half hour drive from the City of Manila.

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QOTD

QOTD #23: All about leadership.
==========================================================================
by PAM

"Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm."

         - Publilius Syrus (Latin dramatist and writer of maxims, 1st century A.D.)


It's true, the helm is never as attractive as when the sea is calm... and it is never as a burgeoningly distasteful chore when the sea is at its most tempestuous mood.  I'm really glad and quite proud to say that I took 'the helm' when there was a 'mightily raging storm'. Never mind that the circumstances then merely shoved me into the helm when our ship was being battered by the brutal storm... and I, in fact, hesitated a bit, too, when called to serve.  I thought it was 'suicide' - professionally - to accept the challenge 'cause it can be one's fine moment of triumph or one's brutal unmaking.  I just feel absolutely blessed that, with heaps of

Calm and delightful.

prayers and faith... and a lot of help from my friends, mentors and loved ones, I was able to steer the ship through the monstrous storm to safe waters.  Not that I'm being self-important.  Now, as the ship traverses the calm water under cloudless blue skies and delightful breeze... naturally, there is a horde of 'false captains' on the deck.  Oh, well....

What the 'false captains' are not realizing is... there is a gathering storm again. I let my palm rest on the serene water, and I felt it to my gut.  I hear the menacingly low growl from the water's depth, stirred by a distant wind, made barely inaudible by the sweetly scented air and the melodic sound that the birds above sing.  So, yes, I'm bracing myself.  In the meantime, I'm enjoying the little respite while others try the helm for a size... even when they  know that "you cannot put the same shoe on every foot" (Publilius Syrus).  And, I slowly build my artillery of defense from the storm, drawing the blue print of various plans and defense-offense options as I move about leisurely.  I'll get to 'serious work' when it does come.

I shall be ready then... our ship shall be ready then.  Not sure if the 'false captains' have a clue what's about to hit them though... but then, that's why they are 'false'. ;)  

So, yep, bring it!

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Holding my breath....

...until it fell me.
========================================================================
by PAM


Do you know that feeling when you have way too many things in front of you, begging for your attention to fix them, that, rather than sighing, you hold your breath instead and kept picking the things up one by one, trying to fix them as fast as you can?  And then, you didn't realize that you were out of breath and you just collapsed like a broken doll among the broken stuff on the floor, you yourself needing to be fixed?  Well, for a few months now, that's how I've been

Hello, sickness, my old friend.  Thanks for
rescuing me from my own 'foolishness'.

feeling.  I know.  How foolish of me, isn't it?  Why didn't I just 'breathe steadily' as I picked up stuff to 'fix', right?  That should be the wisest thing to do, except that... breathing slows the work down significantly... and work is far too humongous to afford a slow pace!

What has become of me, I wonder.  I've become a 'slave'.  I've become a slave of my own obsession to get things done... to not have anything in front of me, waiting for my attention by addressing all of them - all at the same time.  And so, I kept trying to accomplish the work of 10 people (maybe more) - with the energy of only one - simply because not all of the people around me share my desire to always get as many things done as possible in a timely manner.  Others are just interested in complaining rather than getting things done.  Others are more interested in counting the hours they spent in the workplace doing precisely just that, counting the hours, rather than how much they were actually accomplishing, if at all.  And still, others spend most of their energy in yakking about the little things they've done, showing them off to whoever might pay attention - mostly for their own selfish benefit - to call attention to and obtain glory for themselves... and I, and the very few others who are as 'foolish' as me, always end up picking up their slack!  Terrific!

Therefore, I feel I withdrew too much from my reserved energy and health... the energy and health reserved for my old age.  Now, I wonder how many years have I taken from my own lifetime by doing what I have been doing.  And, was it worth it?  And, what of the people around me?  Well, they are all walking tall, basking in the glory of our

I should get my life back on track to 'normalcy'...
...and never look back!

accomplishments, celebrating, drinking themselves to death... while my battered self lie among the withered leaves in a field that went parched of neglect.  Oh, how very tempting it is to sigh a big sigh now if it could change anything in my current condition!  But it won't make any difference now.
   
This week, my body decided that it cannot take it anymore, it simply announced that it needed air... and then it stopped working, save for breathing - belaboredly, that is.  I had to haul myself to the hospital to see if the miracles of medicine could be instrumental in making my prayers granted.  It made me feel sad that  every part of my body that the doctors 'poked' hurt.  It puzzled them.  Every inch of my body felt sore... and it probably felt sore for the longest time now, I just kept ignoring it - because I had work to do!  I kept holding my breath until the work was done.  I've been so pathetic... what a sad, sad life I'm choosing for myself - one that I do not deserve at all!

Therefore, what to do now?  One thing is clear, I'd be a complete moron to continue this 'foolishness'.  I owe it to myself to stop this foolishness at once... because I feel that, the next time my body protests, it will just shut down.  No amount of 'medical cajoling' from even the very best of doctors in the country could will it to resume work.  No, it will not just decide to stop working, but it will just 'quit' altogether.  And, when that happens, I have no one to blame but my foolish self... because this last 'episode' showed me that none of the sacrifices is truly worth it.  People do forget... many people do not appreciate good work and they only see your flaws... people do not care - except when it concerns their own interests.    

Then again, people's behavior are not my reasons for doing what I do.  So, I'm very happy, indeed.  I believe I have satisfied my idealism to the fullest in my current work.  I have shown

Allowing something new and colorful to bloom.

everyone in my workplace that anything - anything at all - that the imagination can conjure up could become a reality... that is, if one is willing to set aside personal agenda and personal glory; if one is willing to study diligently and learn (and keep learning) about everything related to one's idea with honest curiosity, plan meticulously and painstakingly towards the goal, and work hard with the brute force of heartfelt commitment in implementing the plan to bring the ideals to reality.  And this could be accomplished more thoroughly and in a timely manner through teamwork.  At the risk of sounding self-absorbed and arrogant, I believe that I've shown an example that might be worth emulating in my current workplace.  It's time for the others to show that they, too, learned from our very good experience, and show interest in picking up the mantle - not for the glory of it all, but for turning idealism to reality as well.  Because, really, where is glory in just assuming the mantle?  Taking up the mantle can only be glorious with concrete accomplishments of lasting impact by the one holding it and his/her team.  Therefore, the hard work comes first... glory comes later, if at all.

As for me, it's time to get my life back on track to 'normalcy', allow something new and colorful to bloom... and flourish... and never look back!

So help me God.  Amen.     
      
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