Professional Skills vs Academic Knowledge, Travel Goals, Embracing YOU

Are professional skills more valuable to graduates than academic knowledge? Does a higher degree get your foot in the door, or does your past work experience count for more? And beyond this, how valuable are professional skills vis-à-vis work experience or academic credentials?

I am having my first PhD classes this month. Despite my educational credentials and almost similar work experience vs. my partner who is into IT (I am currently in the education industry), our salaries have 8x disparity to his favor.

Education is very important. A degree is a winning ticket to turning lives around economically. More important than the school where you came from, is also the kind of degree you take as well as your character, goals and dreams.

An act of kindness can help you as much as the person you’re helping out.

Bucket List: Japan

Day 1: Tokyo Shinobuya
Day 2: Ghibli Museum
Day 3: Tokyo Dotonburi & Shibuya
Day 4: Shinkansen to Kyoto
Day 5: Kyoto
Day 6: USJ
Day 7: Osaka Castle
Day 8: Airpot to Kanzai

God, when we focus on You things get alright.

In order to love who you are, you cannot hate the experiences that shaped you.

PACEM Eco Park, Antipolo

PACEM is Peace and Care for Earth Ministry
You can see butterfly farms, mini zoo, herbal garden, seashells museum among other things at PACEM.

Interested to visit PACEM? Here are additional details:

From Monday to Friday, from 8.00am to 3.30pmOn Saturdays from 8.30am to 12.00noon.For inquiries pls write or call:********PACEM*********Center for Peace and EcologyAssumption Antipolo Sumulong Highway, Antipolo CityTel.(+63-2)696-3274 or 697-2354
P85/head

Photos and other info, please visit here.

To Label or Not to Label Reflection Paper on Totoy Guro’s Special Education Labels in the Philippines

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Totoy Guro is a blog written by a Filipino teacher. It is a personal space on the Internet where he shares his insights, notes and personal experiences as an educator in the Philippines. The article listing Totoy Guro’s reasons for espousing the use of “labels” for children with special needs (CSN) is a good insight from a teacher’s perspective. Totoy Guro enumerated that using labels for CSN strengthens the teachers’ roles because labels identify the exceptional students’ needs in the classrooms. He also opposed the use of euphemisms for exceptionalities as this prevents people from truly understanding what needs understanding. He said euphemisms promote gossips and unfair labels among children, parents and even teachers. Instead, he recommended public and classroom discussions to educate everyone about exceptionalities.

Reading about students’ exceptionalities and special education (SPED) has opened my mind about the topic. The most experience and knowledge I have about it was a special classroom in my high school where the lone SPED teacher conducted lessons to students with disabilities. These students joined their class the same way regular students would, but gathered daily in the SPED room long after the regular students have gone home. Inside that room was a mystery unknown and uninteresting to me until now. 

Totoy Guro’s piece on using labels gave me an overview of what regular students, CSN, parents and teachers stand about exceptionalities. SPED and exceptionalities are facts of life everyone should accept, deal and live with respectfully of one another. As a parent and future educator, I know that having correct diagnosis of students’ learning disabilities is beneficial for the concerned student, parent and family of the student and most especially, the teacher. It is the start of addressing the necessary accommodations, therapy and changes in order to make the CSN succeed at school.

Totoy Guro has freely used the term label to mean this diagnosis. However, I understand also the possible negative reaction of those who oppose the use of labels for the stigma and wrong connotations they give. The same way that our society today has opted for politically correct phrases and terminologies in order to appease people groups coming from diverse backgrounds and concerns. Adopting politically correct phrases though is synonymous to watering down the issue, if not totally evading it. The problems with using labels then is miscommunication and lack of respect for those who are different from us. Job 6:25 KJV says, “How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?” Right words set us towards the correct path. Arguments divide people, familites and societies. We need and deserve truth all the time, but we need to serve it with love, respect, understanding and encouragement all the time too.

Reference/s

T. G. (2011, September 3). MY LIST WHY “LABELS” FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS ARE GOOD [Web log post]. Retrieved June 19, 2016, from https://totoyguro.wordpress.com/2011/09/03/my-list-why-labels-for-children-with-special-needs-are-good/#comments

Memory backup, Kid suggestions, Ilocos Norte and Pagudpud

Age has turned my topsy-turvy memory in a more chaotic state. Thanks to my daughter, I have needed help.

"Remind me that we need to buy this and that at the supermarket." We go buy at the supermarket and I am gently of what I earlier told her. Her impressive memory and persistence prove to be a useful backup to my otherwise short term memory.

She loves to go to school. There's no problem in waking her up, and getting her ready.

Within reach
While passing urine in the rest room, my preschooler boy remarked, "Why is our light switch placed so high? Creatures like me find it hard to reach!"

"How then should we place it?"

He argued they should be placed low enough for everyone to reach.

Top view of Ilocos Norte

Ilocos Norte with Manong Ador

Part of our emerging family tradition is to spend the New Year's eve in a new place. Partly to avoid the smoke of the fireworks, though we've observed that the smoke is the same anywhere we go.

This time we headed to Ilocos Norte. Took a low price airplane Cebu Pacific on sale seat on our way there and toured around Laoag City. It was sad that it was a weekend when we were there. The city's museum is impressive.

I love it that riding the kalesa is not as pricey as compared here in Manila. Fare is like that of tricycles, which is Ilocos Norte's equivalent of the jeep. P10/ride per head when we went there. Jeeps are reserved for town-to-town trips like when we went from Laoag to Paoay to visit the World Heritage Church there. We also visited a chicha-corn factory.

Corn, garlic and salt are materials abundant in Ilocos Norte, that's why chichacorn rules there!

Afterwards, we took a bus to go to Pagudpud - Luzon's Boracay. If I remember it, the fare from Laoag to Pagudpud is P60/head.

In Pagudpud, we met Mang Ador. A tour guide/tricycle driver. His number is 0948-794 0255. He toured us around Pagudpud, and the nearby towns. He even helped us look for our accommodations. He said that local tourism is a big boost in their livelihood and that the local government is helping them get proper training.

If you're Ilokano, you can read this!

We chose to visit the lighthouse of Bojeador, South East Asia's tallest. It's on top of a hill, so it really has a breathtaking view of the sea below. At summertime, visitors have to walk from the bottom up. We were lucky that Mang Ador's able tricycle took us at the steps of the lighthouse.

On our way, we had lunch and I ate their pinakbet version. I find it a bit salty. Perhaps because salt is so cheap there? Pasuquin's rows and rows of road-side salt stores are nice to see. Mang Ador chose the Bagnet, the pork chop of Ilocos Norte.

I love their green grapes. The seeds make them real healthy. A kilo is P80.

The windmills of Bangui were giants guarding the shore. They make this scary sound that my little boy doesn't like. They say that it supplies 40% of the province's power needs.

On our way back, we took the bus and it was expectantly uncomfortable. It was cheaper. We had no choice. All throughout the 12-hour trip from Laoag to SM North, the bus kept on stopping to load vegetable produce from farmers who had contacts in Manila. From the smell of it, we rode with onions and pepper. The other vegetables didn't smell that strong.

Before boarding the bus, I was able to try their empanada. It's a marriage of lumpiang toge and kwek-kwek. It's either I am not a great fan, or the one I tried wasn't very well prepared.

Adventure Resort in Norzagaray, Bulacan - Entrance Fees and Rates

My brother learned about Adventure Resort while watching a GMA-7 morning TV show. They say it gathers swimming, rapelling, zip lining and wall climbing all in one destination.

Since we're taal Bulakenyo, the place may be a closer summer destination. Sharing with you the rates of their facilities as of March 2012.

Daytime Rates and Other Charges

Entrance:

Adult Php125 

Kids Php100

Cottage for 15 persons+ - Php500

Package promo per head: Swim - zip - rapelling - wall climbing - Php300

Per facility rate:

Php120 - zip line

Php85 - wall climb

Php75 - rapelling

Some guidelines: white shirt only, no maong bottoms. Food may be brought inside, but there's a cafeteria serving short orders. No alcoholic drinks allowed inside, even Emperador Lite.

You may want to also check these links for photos and other details about the resort:

• Bulacan Philippines Tourism
• Bulacan Resorts
• Here In The Philippines

La Mesa Ecopark - Rainforest at the Heart of the Metro

The Philippines ranks third in the world's most biodiversity. I've heard it quite often, but living in the metro doesn't allow this reality to sink in - until I've been to La Mesa Ecopark.

What is La Mesa Ecopark
A joint project by ABS-CBN, Quezon City and MWSS, this huge piece of land used to be a squatters area. If you go there now, you may still see a row of shanties near the perimeter fence along the entrance. Sitting on a watershed, this ecological haven has been rehabilitated and is now open to the public for outdoor fun for everyone.

To do there:

• Have a picnic
Small tables and cottages are available. However, chairs and bigger covered areas are for rent per hour. There really isn't a working system as regards renting these, so be very patient or prepared. There are food stalls available. There's even a Mang Inasal outlet there.
• Walk or jog amidst a nature trail.
There's a path for this. Since it's a rainforest, fallen leaves and plants continuously grow so it's not that clear. Make sure you come into proper fitness attire with energy drink.
• Ride a horse or kalesa.
For P100 per ride, kids would have a blast to ride a real horse or kalesa. The route is around the trail, which I think isn't more than 50 meters.
• View the La Mesa Dam
Take a peek or a snapshot of the dam from the park via the covered area. It's quite a bit of stairs to get there, though.

• Ride down the slide in the playground.
There are playgrounds pocketed among the picnic grounds. Choose a table nearest one if you have kids who love slides and monkey bars.
• Get a massage.
A group of blind masseurs has set up a relaxing tent inside the park. They offer full body massage as well as hand, foot or face massage.

 
• Try the zip line.
For P100/person, experience riding a zip line. No age limit. My 3-year old boy tried it, and enjoyed.
• Climb a wall.
It rained when we went there, so the wall was not available for climbing. I would have tried it because there aren't so many people watching? Unlike in a mall or inside a gym where such activities are offered. The space where zip line and wall climbing is located is at the entrance. It's not inside the park where lots of people are.
• Play paintball.
Maximize the feel of trees and greens all around as you play paintball with your friends.
• Ride a boat.
If water level allows it, there's a lake suitable for boating.
• Go biking.
Rent a bike or a sidecar and tour the whole park.

Entrance fee
QC residents get P10 discount on the entrance of P50 for adults. Bring your IDs to claim the discount.

There were lots of people when we went there. Parking along was a bit tough, therefore looking for the cottage or picnic table. Foreigners go hiking too.

It only goes to show that Filipinos want alternatives to going to malls. And La Mesa Ecopark provides a unique adventure and family bonding at a very reasonable price. What I hope to see are educational campaigns the same way Manila Ocean Park has introduced the bleak state of Manila Bay vis-a-vis the beautiful marine life of the Philippines.

Labels on trees and plants as well as guided walking tours or via electronic jeeps would be a good idea too. Pavillions with meditation spots would work there.

What's best about it
Located some minutes away from the Elliptical Road - Quezon City Hall, it's a rainforest as good at it gets. This reminds us that our country is gifted with rich natural resources and we just have to find ways to tap that sustainably.

DENR's Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife in Quezon City

Inside that cage, perched on the dried log is a Philippine hawk eagle.

Last time I visited the place was when I was 12 years old. Back then, it was still known as the QC Parks and Wildlife.


Why we went there
It was no-school day for the kids because of the Quezon City day non-working holiday. For a change in scenery, we visited the park named after the Philippine president namesake Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife.

It's along Quezon Boulevard, a bit walkable from the MRT Quezon Ave. station if you don't mind sweating. However, you may take any jeep that passes that road and pay the minimum fare of Php8. It's in front of the Philippine Lung Center, and beside semi-private Lungsod ng Kabataan or Philippine Children's Hospital.

A lot of endemic animals may be seen at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife - I think all of them?

What to see inside Ninoy Aquino Parks & Wildlife
For the Php3 for kids and Php5 for adults entrance fee, one may stay and roam around the huge park. I spotted some informal settlers near the forest trail, their houses looked like they are.

Don't expect Avilon Zoo level in terms of quantity of animals, and maintenance. The place is run by Department of Environment and Natural Resources. They have an office at the Visayas Avenue side of the park. That means government institution. You may park on this side, by the way.

The zoo is open until 4PM so we visited that first. However, I was distracted with some tall cages in between trees and found out what they were. The trail led to a series of bird cages that I think are 5-star for animals in terms of accommodation among all the zoos I've seen. Why? Because trees are inside and they are really tall and wide structures. The birds may fly a bit more freely.

This Philippine Hawk Eagle is not inside a cage, intentionally left there for picture loving Pinoys

The foliage in the place almost resembled a rainforest, giving the animals more shelter. Honestly, you wouldn't think you were in the heart of the metro if you're there.

The path also led to a nipa hut of various types of fish, a small pond of numerous turtles. There were unused swamp-ponds, and I was almost at the look out for crocodiles. Though I'm sure there aren't, it seems that's how forest-like the place is.


Overweight crocodile and snake
Inside the main zoo, there are cockatoos, eagles or lawin, Philippine Eagle Owls, Philippine Serpent Owls, bats, monitor lizards or bayawak - theirs looked very old and gaunt, crocodiles, snakes, monkeys.

This is a fine-looking animal, and looks like a Philippine meerkat. Though I'm not sure really.

Treehuts
Picnic areas are available for free, and if you're lucky, there are huge nipa houses where you may stay. They are really big, comfortable to fit 10 people.


Stage Area
There is also a stage where perhaps cultural shows are done. When we visited the park, a meeting of all-men and all-women groups were being held simultaneously. Surrounding the stage are seats enough to fit 100 people.


Man-made lake
From the stage, we were able to see a floating house on stilts on the man-made lake. Ill-prepared, I didn't let the kids wander off there thinking dengue-causing mosquitoes are present.


Who goes there
I was surprised to see lots of SLR-toting people, with made-up models with them. So this is where camera enthusiasts meet?

There were also lots of students in uniform - elementary, high school, college. Families with little babies have picnics too.


What I love best
There were many other mini-zoos around the place, right side of the main entrance. However, I didn't check them out. I was thinking bad guys may lurk and rob us? Or the kids may trip and the ground was not very clean, because of the rain.

There were a lot more that I didn't check. However, I was glad to chance upon the HARIBON with the Manny Pacquiao tarpaulin poster in it. I have read in the Philippine Daily Inquirer that Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife houses a Philippine Eagle because it is blind and therefore it may not thrive in the wild.

They need their clear vision to hunt for food. So the blind, young eagle stays there. It has the biggest cage, though it would be better to make it thrice bigger just to see it fly?

Paradox of the times

Today we have bigger houses but smaller families, more amenities but less time. We have a higher education level and more knowledge but less common sense and competence to judge.

Flawed and fabulous
I am far from being the best mom, my kids model my worst behavior, so I really have no excuse. Yesterday though, my daughter made me so proud. She insisted that she cannot play with the iPod because she disobeyed one of our rules. My, oh my! We are doing something right, after all.



Daughter's being more and more helpful around the house too. Guiding her baby brother wash his hands, play, take a bath. My sister in law once remarked that daughter's so mature she will not be surprised if Lois starts dispensing sensible pieces of advice.

Her teachers notice the consistent maturity and love for learning. They once told me that they were surprised that Lois got a joke that they taught only the two teachers would understand.

Allergic to Cherifer Forter?
Rushed our little boy to the hospital one night over mild fever and red rashes. It was dengue fever season and I have heard scary stories from other parents whose kids were diagnosed late. I even know of a mom who died because of dengue fever.

So when we noticed that Carlos had red rashes on his legs, arms and back, combined with mild fever, I trooped to the Emergency Room. I consulted with other family members too, and they said just to be safe, it may be good to see a doctor.

When Carlos and I got to the hospital, her pediatrician's clinic is closed already so I just brought him to the Emergency Room. Doctor on duty said it was just a viral allergy and not dengue. Asked me to give him allergy syrup and give him a bath to relieve the itching.

Personally, I felt the hesitation of the doctor. I don't know, there's a different confidence our family pediatrician has which soothes me, and I didn't find it that night. I gave Carlos his medicine, but I delved farther. I thought which new things he were exposed to that might trigger the allergy. Then I came towards the culprit: Cherifer Forte and Ped-Cee Ascorbic Acid.

My little boy was perfectly fine before I gave him those medicine. And when I stopped giving him those supplements again, the rashes disappeared. Coincidence? I think not! It's mom wisdom. Not to discredit pediatricians, but mothers know our babies best. Together, we have healthier kids.


Lois' photography
Iphone's ease of use proves magnificent again. Here are Lois' recent shots around the house, guaranteed Photoshop-free:

Moving electric fan - a bit cropped I'd say? Hahahha!

Flower light

Hello Kitty wall sticker

I like this one - Eartha, their fluffy friend sea turtle

How to enjoy a plane trip with young children and Filipino Fish at Manila Ocean Park

A long overdue post, publishing it finally after some spring cleaning of my dashboard blog. Carlos and Lois enjoyed their first air flight. Not much fuss, thank you very much. Food was key, and tiredness. By the time we were flying, they were both sleeping.

For more frequent fly-ers with kids, these suggestions may help:

1. Prepare quiet toys. Don't put them out until you have really ran out of things to distract the kids with. The novelty of the airport and the airplane may provide a lot of interesting things to check and observe. Once you've explored them all, bring out your guns, I mean, those quiet toys - like books, puppets, washable crayons, etc.
2. Crocodile mouth. With all that pressure changes, you may never always have the medicine or the chewing gum solution. A neat tip, do the crocodile mouth. Ok, it may be another animal with a big mouth. Point is to prevent ear popping by making the kids open their mouth wide.
3. Observe your kid. You may be too engrossed on the time, or the luggage you may not notice your kids' cues of tiredness or sleepiness. Children are easier to manage before they approach their emotions' peak.

Manila Ocean Park

Located behind Quirino Grandstand, along Manila Bay is the expansive Manila Ocean Park, a Singapore-an investment if I am not mistaken. We trooped there one Sunday afternoon for some family bonding with the Laguna people. I was not so excited to go in, but I was not left unimpressed.

What I liked most with the showcase was that most of the fish there are endemic. I don't know if this is because they use salt water from Manila Bay, after 5-layers of high grade filters, or because they patronize local marine life? I liked it so much that they have Filipino terms for these popular fish. I wouldn't know Finding Nemo's Dory, voiced by comedienne Ellen de Generes, is a labahita if not for the trip.

I also liked the attention and planning they gave to the facility. They planned on how people traffic is just one way, so there's no missing the shops and restaurants occupying their space. It felt like we were the fish hooked on their bait. Mapapatingin ka talaga, kung hindi man mapabili.

She's not pretending her hands are binoculars, she's just shying away from the camera. :)

Yes, there's a giant lizard at the Manila Ocean Park!

Chains on the seats? Either they don't want the arrangement ruined, or some people steal them?

It can grow up to 12 meters and live for 100+ years. I once heard marine biologist Boni Commandante say that it is possible that from these giant clams or taklobo came the early writing method of our ancestors as found in the Angono Cave archeological site.

If you belong to the Batibot generation, you are familiar with Sitsiritsit Alibangbang. This fish may be called bannerfish, but to us, it's the Alibangbang.

Lion fish or Umay - Umay

Jolly Lois Maya at 4 Months

  

  

  

Ice breaker ideas

Two Truths and One Lie

Mechanics

1. Each participant writes 2 truths and 1 lie about him/her
2. Each participant then takes turns reading aloud the three things about himself/herself.
3. The rest guesses which is the lie.

Last Man Standing

Mechanics

1. Host reads out statements.
2. Participants who do not fit the statement sits down or leave the stage.
3. Last man standing wins.

Last man standing questions (setting: school accreditation orientation):

1. Has been part of a school or any education institution for more than 1 year
2. Has attended at least three professional development activity in the last 1 year
3. Voted for BBM last May 2023 election
4. Already got plans for Christmas 2023
5. Is taking/has taken post graduate studies.

Baby 1 Gallery Photos, Fastidious, Life Measure: CHAZOWN

Granny and Baby


Lois with Granny


Lois with Yays


First Hair Pins

Word Collection

Fastidious: adj. very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail.

Our revenge travel to Japan went smoothly because my husband was very fastidious in planning our DIY 10-day trip.

Measuring Life through CHAZOWN

I wish for everyone to live a full life. So that when we reach the end, we can look back and sincerely say that we have lived well.

Just like in the Bible's Parable of the Talent , we long to hear the "Well done" confirmation.

Now, more than ever, I am focused on achieving this through CHAZOWN which means vision. It's a framework that looks at your past experiences, values and spiritual gifts to determine your current season's mission.

Mine is: Motivating teachers with uplifting stories about real-life experiences.