Little Venice in the Philippines

Below are just some of the photos we had taken during our family bonding last April 28, 2017 at the Bonifacio Golbal City, Philippines.

After eating our lunch at Italianni's Restaurant and after buying bunch of books at the Fully Booked, we then proceed to the McKinley Hill where the little Venice in the Philippines is located.

It's a nice place to visit. Too many local visitors coming into the place, taking photos, eating in the restaurants and buying some stuffs sold in the side walks.

Since there is a shopping center in the vicinity, some people also doing shopping after roaming around the place.

There lots of nice spots in the area for a better angle for picture taking, but we didn't get that opportunity because of the big crowd of people contending the right spots to take their photos.

Because of the hot weather during our visit, we lost our patience to wait our turn.

So, we went inside the building to cold down our body temperatures while sipping some cold drinks.

A little while later, we decided to go back home quickly to avoid the heavy traffic jam on the way to our place.

Traffic was expected to be heavy on that day because of the long weekend holiday (APEC Summit and Labor Day in May 1, 2017).

We praise and thank the Lord our God for a safe journey and for the wonderful blessings He poured and showered upon us.

Lunch at Italianni's Restaurant, Bonifacio Global City, Philippines

This is the restaurant where we took our lunch yesterday after buying a bunch of books from the Fully Booked at Bonifacion Global City, Philippines.

Of all the foods we had ordered, what I liked the most was the Sicilian Chicken salad which contains chicken breast, crispy romaine, mangoes, red grapes and walnuts tossed in creamy anchovy dressing.

Our children loved the taste of the Spaghetti Pomodoro which contains Chopped red tomatoes, sautèed with garlic in a light tomato basil sauce.

My wife ate lots of the Tuffle Chicken and Mushroom which contains Fettucinne pasta with black truffle cream sauce topped with grilled chicken.

The last food I ate was two slices of Pizza Enorme - a 16-inch family pizza with four quarters.

Each quarter carries their own distinct flavors: peperoni, ham and pineapple, shrimps & mushrooms and four cheeses. It's perfect for 4-6 persons.

The last food that was served was the Spinach & Antichoke Formaggio which is composed of spinach, artichoke, mushrooms in a creamy blend of cheeses and served with garlic bread.

What a beautiful and wonderful family day we had yesterday! We praise and thank the Lord, our God for all these wonderful blessings.

Bonding at the Fully Booked, Bonifacio Global City, Philippines

Today's bonding with my family at the Fully Booked, Bonifacio Global City, Philippines.

After about two weeks of waiting for my promise to bring them there, finally today we'd made it.

I and my wife were so happy seeing how happy our children were when we arrived the place.

They then chose the books they would like us to buy for them.

Our eldest daughter chose the whole set of Percy Jackson Novel which contains 5 books.

Our second daughter chose Princesses Behaving Badly in a very hard cover.

For my youngest, since she cannot chose this time, I chose for her the "Secrets of the Millionaire Mind". However, she also likes to read the whole set of Percy Jackson Novel.

Before buying their chosen books, they read briefly some books which were not part of them all, like the one our elder daughter showing above.

That's one of the books we will buy for her as our rewards the next time she will performs excellently again at her school in this coming school year 2017 - 2018.

After buying all the books they had chosen, we then got out the place to find a restaurant to eat our lunch. Our photos in the restaurant where we took our lunch will be posted tomorrow.

Two hours later, we came back to the Fully Booked to read briefly some more books we will buy next time we come to the place.

After spending about two hours reading books, we then go and proceed to the Venice Grand Canal to find out more about the place.

We're all curious what we will find out there for our friends talked about this place positively.

Beautiful photos of my family in this modern version of Venice in the Philippines will be posted in the next post or two.

We then returned home at around 4:30 P.M. and reached home around 6:00 P.M.

We praise and thank God for this wonderful blessing He had given us and His mantle of protection that shield us always.

We're looking forward for another opportunity we could build a happy memories for the whole family.

One of the Bonding Moments on the First Week of January, 2017

It's one of our family's bonding moments during the first week of January, 2017.

It's the night when my wife's siblings' family had to go back to their respective home three days later after welcoming the New Year 2017 at our home.

We were watching the dancing lights with the accompanying music at the Nuvali's huge farm of lights in Sta. Rosa Laguna,Philippines, varying its colors with the tune of the music played.

It's a very beautiful and wonderful display and exhibition of lights synchronizing its changing patters that goes with the tunes of the series of music played.

Everyone was so amazed of how those lights dances with the music which I am sure everyone was familiar with for about 30 minutes.

Shopping at SM Sta. Rosa, Laguna, Philippines

This was the last month's shopping moments at SM Sta. Rosa Laguna, Philippines. It was a day before our children's school year 2016-2017 closing and awarding event.

It's our way of giving them rewards not just for completing the school year, but also for the best performances they had achieved.

Each of them had received "Academic Excellence Award". It's the third and successive same award for our eldest daughter.

However, for both of our second and youngest daughters, it's their first time.

This is our best way to inspire and motivate them to do their best in their school academic and non-academic activities.

So far, this strategy is working very effectively with our children.

Of course, the support system we have established in our home has played a very important roles in the over-all results of their performances in school.

Now, they're looking forward for a much better results in the coming school year 2017-2018.

We're praying to God that everything will be okay, trusting His constant and lasting great blessing in our family.

FAMILY BONDING AT THE RESORTS WORLD MANILA

Family fun time last year, 2016 before Christmas at the Resorts World Manila.

It was really a very beautiful and wonderful experience for all of us bonding again in another beautiful place.

When we were in Bangkok, Thailand, we also used do this bonding thing in a hotel, just to swim in the swimming pool, eat and sleep and then the next day, check out and return home in a very relaxed manner.

However, this time, our minds were not so focused of our enjoyment. We're so worried about our best friend - Prince, staying alone at home.

It was the firs time that we had left him alone for overnight. The next day, we hurried back home curios what happened to him and our home. Fortunately, when we arrived home, everything in was in place, but Prince, didn't do his morning habit, for sure because, he used to do it outside our home.

Though we put somethings inside one of our toilets just to simulate the outside environment, but it's ineffective.

Now, we're not so comfortable to leave him alone, especially after we had heard news from our neighbor that their friend died because of kidney failure.

So, we don't want this to happen to him also. Anyhow, everybody had enjoyed, though not fully, but at least the goal of family bonding was achieved.

Our Children's Academic Excellence Performances for School Year 2016-2017

It's our three beloved children's Academic Excellence Performances for the School Year 2016-2017 at the Holy Redeemer School of Cabuyao.

From left to right, our eldest daughter got three awards (three medals) for Academic Excellence Award, Best in Computer award, and Academic Contest Winner in Ekonomiks "Economics" Award.

Our second daughter in the middle, got two awards (two medals) for Academic Excellence Award and Division Schools Press Conference (DSSPC) Award.

Our youngest, for the first time got her first award - Academic Excellence Award. She's now more determined to strive much harder to get more awards in the next school year.

It was a very fulfilling moment for us parents to see our children to have these achievements.

All their hardworks and the support system we have established in our home, really pays off.

We both supported them, in all their subject activities, such as assignments, homeworks, reviews, tutorials, and etc.

Anything that involves analysis, calculations, such as Mathematics, Science, Physics, Statistics, etc., and Computer stuffs, it's my call.

For the rest of the subjects, my wife took care of them. Sometimes, I also assist her for something that I could also contribute, like writing baby thesis.

There were several times that I need to solve some mathematical problems while on the way to my office. Fortunately, I am no longer driving for more than a year already. So, I could still do it while setting on the bus on the way to my office.

My wife, simply send the mathematical problems to be solved via messenger,and when I finished solving it, I sent is back with the answers through the same medium. She will use it to tutor, normally,our youngest who forgot to ask me help on the subject the night before.

This is the kind of support system we have established in our family. Sometimes, I found it hard because oftentimes, all the three of them needs our helps at the same time.

So, we have to figure out who we have to help first. Even when I am in a business trip abroad, I still do the same thing. We're just lucky that in this generation, we have all the technology that could facilitate quick communications via the Internet. We normally used skype for video conferencing, LINE, Viber and Messenger for other form of communications such as sending text messages and pictures.

Strolling in Tagaytay During 2016 Christmas Season

After one of the Sunday masses we had attended in the Pink Sisters Church, we strolled around the city of Tagaytay just to enjoy the overlooking views and feel the cold breeze of city in the mountain.

We then stopped over to the place along the road to buy something and to take some photos for the family to share it with our friends and to look up to in the future.

It was a very beautiful and wonderful day for all of us enjoying the blessings God has given us.

About an hour or two later, we're heading towards home, but while on the way, everyone was already hungry, so we stop over at the All Day Supermarket to look for foods for our lunch.

Since we could not find the food we like in the ground floor, at the grocery area, then we decided to go up the second floor.

We then remembered that there is a Thai restaurant on that floor. So, we didn't waste more time but, hurried up. When we have found it, we then asked for the menu and ordered the foods we had agreed to order.

Within few minutes, we got our orders and we started our meal with a short prayer led by one of our three beautiful daughters.

So we returned home with our tummy full of Thai delicious foods.

My Wife's 4th Family Reunion 2017

It's my wife's fourth family reunion in four succeeding years (2014, 2015, 2016 & 2017) in our humble home. As you can see in the photo, there lots of girls than boys, i.e., the fathers only of the four families.

One of the fathers is the one taking the this photo. My wife's eldest brother, Joel has two beautiful daughters. Next to him is Jay has only one beautiful daughter, my wife has three beautiful angels and their youngest has one boy and one girl who were not in the photo.

This is the year 2017 family reunion welcoming another New Year.

I could see how happy my wife was seeing all her three brothers and their beloved Nanay Dina Salazar. Everyone is looking forward to the coming 5th yearly reunion, again during the 2018 New Year's evening celebration.

Welcoming New Year's Eve, 2017

It's one of our family photos taken last New Year's (2017) evening party held at our very small and humble home.

Let me introduce to you briefly my family members, from left to right: my wife (Judeen), our youngest (Johannah), our eldest (Inah) and our second child (Judeil) and their loving Daddy (Deil).

We just thought that time it would be better to have the family photo taken on the opposite side of the table. In the last three years - 2014, 2015 and 2016, it was always on the other side.

We'll share to you later at least one of those photos. Still looking where we might had stored them.

Few Days Before New Year 2017

This picture was take few days before New Year 2017 at the Alabang Town Center. This was the day we met Nanay Dina - my wife's mother- who stayed for few days at her Son - Jay, before transferring to our home.

As our post Christmas blow out for everyone, we chose Shakey's for our lunch. It was a fun to see them again after almost a year.

We usually meet at least twice a year in our home during Christmas and New Year. But this time, we met only once, to welcome New Year 2017.

We're praying and hoping, God willing, we will celebrate Christmas and New Year again this coming December, 2017 and New Year, 2018. It's a joy to see my wife happy to see all her family member's during these important occasions.

Eating Bulalo in Tagaytay

Picture taking after our second Sunday mass at the Pink Sisters Church in Tagaytay. Everyone seemed to be hungry for we're a little bit late for that Sunday mass.

So, it's almost lunch time after all those picture takings in the church campus. We then decided to take our lunch before returning home. Everyone had agreed to go to a restaurant serving "Bulalo" (a beef in soup - bone and flesh - cooked with water and vegetables and other delicious ingredients)

After driving for about 20 minutes searching for the restaurant I and my office mates we're having lunch together on the way to our company outing in Batangas, we finally found it.

It's Dinner's restaurant. It's been in business for more than 30 years - since 1984. So, foods are guaranteed delicious. We then look at the menu see what else we could order. After selecting three kinds of foods, waiting for about 20 minutes, foods were served and everyone was so satisfied with the foods and appreciate the beautiful overlooking view of the Taal Volcano.

After eating our lunch we took some photos of the beautiful views of the Taal volcano and then look around to see some junk foods we can buy for snacks when we reached home.

We arrived home after about 45 minutes drive. It took us this long because the traffic flows were not smooth almost everywhere we passed through. It usually took us about 30 minutes only when there's not much traffic.

We're very sorry for our best friend - prince. He could not come with us with this kind of activity. I remember in Thailand, our Parish Priest there will allow us to bring our pet at least once a year for a blessing specifically intended for them. I don't know if it's allowed here in the Philippines.

AT PINK SISTERS CHURCH - TAGAYTAY

These are just the two photos we had taken at the Pink Sisters Church in Tagaytay during one of the cold Sundays of last December, 2016.

We decided to attend a Sunday church mass there for my eldest daughter would like see the Sisters wearing pink clothes. She's very curious for that would her first time to see Sisters wearing her favorite color and because, she would also like to be a Nun in the future.

Just to show our support, there we were, listening to God's words and at the same time, fulfilling our eldest daughter's request for that Sunday.

We're very happy seeing our beloved eldest child feeling happy and fulfilled for her simple wish on that day was granted. Before going back home, so many photo shots were taken in the church campus as shown in the second picture.

Two more Sunday masses followed immediately in the succeeding weeks. However, the third one was not as comfortable as the two previous masses - the weather was a little bit hotter.

Anyhow, all the three masses we had attended to at the Pink Sisters Church provided us a very beautiful and wonderful memories for all of us in the family.

Everyone is looking forward to attend another Sunday masses there again in the near future - hopefully, this coming December, 2017, God willing.

FAMILY BONDING WITH OUR BEST FRIEND - PRINCE

It's our last year's second family bonding at the same park of Nuvali Sta. Rosa with our best friend - Prince.

We brought some foods and water to share among us and another special food for our best friend. While waiting for the setting of the sun, our children were enjoying taking pictures of themselves and the nature and sometimes, with us.

It was another tiring but amazing and blessful day watching my family having fun with nature and with our best friend - Prince.

After about two hours of roaming around the park, we returned home for dinner and then went to sleep about three hours after eating our meals, and of course after our nightly family prayer.

Few days later, we went back to the same park, but this time without our best friend. After going around to the portion of the park which we hadn't gone through yet,

we decided to go to the All Day Supermarket nearby, to look for some foods to eat for dinner. After roaming around at the ground floor for few minutes, we decided to go up to the second floor to see if we could find a much better food to eat there.

To our surprise, we found a Thai restaurant there! All of us were so excited to see what's in the menu, and there you see the food my wife and our three children were longing for more than three years.

For me, no problem. I ate these Thai foods at least once a year during our company's annual meeting in Bangkok.

Oh, what a blessful and fulfilling day for me and my family enjoying the bonding and eating Thai delicious foods.

We praise and thank the Lord our God for allowing us to make a wonderful memories with my family during this ordinary but, for us, a very special day.

Looking forward to having another opportunities and experience of this kind with my family.

My Life's Journey With My Beautiful, Loving and Supportive Wife and Our New Community,

My beautiful, loving and supportive wife - Judeen, who's been with me for about 16 years already. I first met her at one of the bowling venues of the 38th Diplomatic Bowling League (38th DBL) in Bangkok, Thailand wherein once, I took care of as it's President (39th DBL). We played bowling together for few weeks before our weekly tournament which usually starts at 7:00 P.M. every Thursday. The rest is a history, she became my wife and we're blessed with three beautiful girls.

Life then was very challenging raising our three children without anybody helping us at home. Though she is a Nurse, but we had agreed and decided that she will just stay home and take care of our children and I am the one taking care of all our financial needs. With God's help and through the help from our CFC community in Bangkok, life becomes easier and we were nourished spiritually; and in times of our difficulties, we have brothers and sisters in the community who extended their helping hands to lift us up from our situation then.

Time just flies, and I just saw how our lives were transformed physically, emotionally, financially and spiritually. Living in Thailand for about 15 years and in the Philippines for about 5 years now, we saw how God has led our lives in everything. In the first few years in the Philippines, I struggled serving God in the CFC Philippines community and I pray to Him that time will come we will both serving Him again.

About four months ago, we were invited by Bro. Ryan Dumalagan to a Saturday breakfast at Old Wood Restaurant at South Point (Malayan) Campus. One of the important part of that breakfast session was a sharing from a couple (Mr. Ferdie and Mrs. Beth Cartaño). We were so touched and even in tears listening to their life experiences before joining the community and inspired of how God has transformed their lives after joining the community - Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP).

Before the sharing, when the BCBP was introduced to us, I felt God's presence and every word of each song penetrates my heart as if He's saying to me, "it's the answer to your prayer" and I was very happy then, learning that BCBP, like CFC, also begun or sprang up from the same origin, i.e., the LIGAYA NG PANGINOON. So, when the community invited us to join the CLP, we didn't hesitate, we said YES to it. And just few weeks later, we begun our first CLP session. But before going to the venue, I asked my wife if she is really sure of her decision. I told her that I don't like to start anything together that we won't finish. To make the story short, with God's help and guidance, we just completed our CLP last April 1, 2017 without any struggle, and again, along the way experienced again God's intervention during my return from business trip to Bangkok, thinking that I would not be able to reach the CLP venue on time. But, as we all know, nothing is impossible with God - and I arrived just in time. So, I never missed anything on that very inspiring session. God had spoken through the speaker and the sharers. My eyes were in tears again during that CLP session.

Now, we're praying to God that our life journey with Him in this new community would be smooth and trusting Him that like in the old days, when we both serving Him through the previous community, we always felt His presence, assured of His constant guidance and protection and secured His promised blessings as He said "Take care of my house and I will take care of yours".

We praise and thank God for all His wonderful works in our lives and most of all, for His unconditional love for all of us.

God bless us all!

Our Eldest Daughter's Photos During Her JS Promenade 2017

A picture paints a thousand words. An x number of pictures below paint an x thousand words.