There was also a group get together! We brought food and our willingness to sing karaoke I ate a lot because one brother brought his tasty adobong kambing, sisig kambing and of course papait! Yup, hot rice and those three and to me the other foods just didn’t exist. Lot’s of kakanin too! Puto bungbong and palitaw.

Of course it was a thursday so the usual pagsamba and tupad for me. And this year, the year end prayer was held a little early. All in all a great beginning for the year.

But I felt I was missing something. Somehow this year seems weird like something was missing. I couldn’t put a finger to it. All week I was feeling that way. And then at the pagsamba it dawn on me! Tatay, Sir our beloved Ka Erdy is no longer with us. For me and my generation he was the only Tagapamahala I ever knew. The timely lessons he outlined, the advises and the reminders. I’m still grieving, still sad and still lonely because he’s no longer with us. But time heals for I know he is just sleeping. I wait for the day I shall see him again. He left me, and my brothers and sisters in good hands. Ka Eduardo is now at the helms. Everything is right in the house of the Lord.

So happy new year to all. May it brings us peace, but more importantly may this be the year our loved ones and friends joins us in the only true worship of God and Christ inside the Iglesia Ni Cristo.
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The country’s first Ironman competition – the Cobra Energy Drink Ironman Philippines 70.3-mile race – was struck by tragedy after a 52-year-old competitor, Miguel Vazquez of the Team Alamat relay team, died during the swim leg on Sunday at the CamSur Watersports Complex (CWC).

Miguel Vazquez, the designated swimmer for the Team Alamat relay team, died during the second loop of the 1.2-mile swim phase at the CWC’s man-made Cable Park lake.

His teammate Johann Espiritu was waiting for him to appear and hand him the timing chip to signify his own start in the bike leg, but Vazquez did not show up after more than an hour. Vazquez was later found unconscious near the shore of the said lake, and was brought to a nearby hospital to be revived.

Initial reports pointed to heart attack as the cause of death, and investigations were still ongoing, according to Wilfred Uytengsu, Jr., president of the event’s organizer, Sunrise Events, Inc.

“Miguel was a personal friend of mine,” Uytengsu said in an official statement. “Our deepest condolences to the family who have been informed of this tragedy and we will extend all necessary assistance.”

Uytengsu described Vazquez, husband of GMA Network board member Judith Duavit Vazquez, as a “strong swimmer,” having recently participated in an open-water swim in Batangas.

But in long-distance endurance races such as this, Uytengsu said, “deaths do occur and almost all of them do happen in the swim leg.”

“This is always a risk but whenever this happens, it is deeply saddening,” said Uytengsu, himself a triathlete.

Vazquez, who was president of Permanent Plans, was the anchor of Team Alamat in the relay competitions, where a team of three would divide the task of negotiating the 70.3-mile total distance.

Vazquez was assigned to handle the 1.2-mile swim phase, teammate Espiritu the 56-mile bike stage and Patrick Garcia the 13.1-mile run leg. – Trina Ibarle-Orquiza, GMANews.TV

Michael Jackson

He wanted to be thought of as a person, not just a personality. We know there were people who did think of him as a person.

A nice song.

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In Memory of the 4 Brave Oakland Police Department officers

We remember the four brave Oakland Police Officers who dedicated their life in service of their fellowmen. Denying their time from their families to serve the community, giving their all till their last breath.We are proud of you.

Our prayers and condolences go out the families and loved ones of Officer John Hege, Sgt. Daniel Sakai, Sgt. Ervin Romans, Sgt. Mark Dunakin. May God’s love sustain you in your time of great sorrow and difficulty. Our deepest symphaty for your loss.