How I Got My Student Driver's License from LTO

I finally started my “driving journey” last month when I started the process of obtaining a Student Driver’s License from the Land Transportation Office.

Starting my journey was never easy since I am not that motivated to buy my own vehicle. That is until I gave in to Mrs. Ahab’s persistent pestering, and also after seeing her and the kids being exhausted after a long commute to my parents’ home.

I was able to obtain the Student Driver’s License (a.k.a. student permit) around one month after I applied for classes in a driving school.

So how was I able to do it? Here is my step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Apply for a Driving Class (Theoretical)

The very first step is searching for a good driving school in our area. The first driving school that I talked with is not OK as their fees are quite expensive. Even their practical driving course is priced over 15 thousand pesos for a 7-seater automatic vehicle.

Good thing that I found a better driving school that offers a theoretical driving course (TDC) for 1 thousand pesos. Their practical driving course is more affordable at around 6 thousand pesos for a 7-seater automatic vehicle.

What’s better is that this driving school offers online classes, which is perfect for busy people like me.

So for this step, I suggest that you check out more than one driving school to see which has a better offer or package.

Step 2: Finish the Online Theoretical Driving Class

The LTO requires all driver’s license applicants to attend a 15-hour theoretical driving class. The driving lessons can be face-to-face or online through SafeRoads.PH.

I opted for the online driving class since I cannot afford being absent from work. Also, the online class is flexible enough that I can finish each module at my own pace as long as I finish the whole class within 30 days after I applied for a theoretical driving course in the Driving School.

The topics covered in the online class include traffic laws and regulations, safe driving principles, road signs, and more. The class is just composed of videos for every topic. There was no live or recorded lecture. I had to answer a quiz at the end of each module to prove that I understood the lesson. Also, SafeRoads.PH asks for webcam photos from time-to-time to ensure that I am actually present during the online class.

I took and passed the final exam at the end of the SafeRoads.PH online class before I was given the Certificate of Completion by SafeRoads.PH.

Step 3: Pass the Theoretical Driving Exam

Next, I went to the Driving School to take the Theoretical Driving Exam.

The exam is relatively easy because most of the questions have answers that are just common sense or practical. The exam is also multiple choices, so I just guessed if I really did not know the answer.

The total number of items is 120 and the passing grade is 80% or 96 correct answers. I think “aced” the test by getting 102 correct answers ;-)

The Driving School awarded me the certificate of completion of the theoretical part of the driving course, which finally made me eligible to apply for the Student Driver’s License.

Step 4: Register in LTO’s LTMS Portal

The Land Transportation Management System (LTMS) Portal is the online system developed by LTO to make its service modern and digital.

All Driver’s License applicants are required to register to the LTMS Portal. Make sure that you have a working email address before registering.

The importance of having an LTMS account is the client ID, which is a requirement for application for Student Driver’s License.

The Driving School assisted me in registering to the LTMS Portal.

Step 5: Apply for Student Driver’s License at LTO

This is the final step!

To get your Student Driver’s License you must have the following:

1. Duly accomplished Application for Permits and Licensing (APL) Form, which can be downloaded from the LTO website.
2. Electronically transmitted medical certificate issued by LTO-accredited medical clinic
3. LTO client ID, which can be seen in your LTMS account
4. Original and photocopy of any government issued ID - in my case my passport is sufficient for this requirement.
5. Taxpayer’s Identification Number (TIN) for employed applicants - this info will be written in the APL form.
6. Original and photocopy of any of the following:

Birth certificate issued by the PSA or local civil registry (for areas without PSA)

Philippine ID

Philippine passport

Marriage certificate issued by PSA

My application for a Student Driver’s License was very easy and fast. I went to a satellite LTO office in a shopping mall in our area. The LTO-accredited medical clinic is just beside the LTO-satellite office, so it was very convenient.

So, the very thing that I do is go to the LTO-accredited medical clinic for a medical exam which just consists of an interview and then an eye check-up to see if I have good eyesight and is not color blind. The clinic then electronically transmitted my medical certificate to LTO.

The next step is I went to the LTO satellite office to submit all the requirements, read the Filipino Driver’s Oath loudly, and take my photo and biometrics. I then paid 250 pesos for the Student Driver’s License.

Finally, I got my Student Driver’s License printed on paper just within one hour from the time I took my medical exam. It is so surprisingly fast because I expected government services to be slow. 

So that’s the story on how I got my Student Driver’s License! I will now move to the next phase of my Driving Journey, which is the practical driving lessons.

Well, see you in the next post where I will talk about how my practical driving lessons go.

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If you want more details on the process and requirements on getting a Driver’s License, I suggest that you visit the LTO website.

On Honeytraps and Fraternities

The recent incident of death due to hazing done by a fraternity made me recall that time when I was being recruited in a fraternity during college. One of their selling points is "magaganda yung mga babae dun sa affiliated sorority namin".

"Napa-what the f " ako that time. I mean they are your "sisters" bakit nyo sila ibinebenta or ibinubugaw sa akin just to convince me to join? I did not join because I didn't like the physical and mental torture, and I don't believe in the value of joing a frat. Their tactic of honeytrapping me with beautiful sorority sisters actually turned me off.

They also promised me that their frat will help me advance in my career. They have "connections".

What's annoying is that that frat was persistent. The members stalked me in the campus just to force me to go to their orientation. I was glad that they stopped pestering me when I told them that I will not join their fraternity.

Looking back now and I can say that my decision is correct since I was able to progress in life without relying on a frat or even academic org.

Through the Rabbit Hole to the World of Myne the Bookworm

“DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE”

This is how I described my current state of feverishly looking for anime to watch, manga to read, and light novels to lose sleep over for.

I think my descent began during the 2020's intense COVID19 lockdowns. I rediscovered my interest with anime, which was lost due to the busyness of fatherhood.

I rewatched old favorites (Code Geass, Haruhi Suzumiya) and discovered new favorites (Higehiro, Komi Can't Communicate, Gintama, Violet Evergarden, Tanya the Evil, Reincarnated as a Slime). My interest rekindled so much to the point that I even penned a long essay about my disappointment with Quintessential Quintuplets’ end.

Anime, more often than not, is "bitin" since they cannot make new episodes when the manga is yet to release new chapters. So, I just moved to reading the source manga just to satisfy my insatiable thirst for "what's next". With that, I fell deeper in the rabbit hole.

I then discovered that manga is also "bitin" because the mangaka is so slow in releasing new chapters or the source light novel is yet to release new chapters. The former is what I experienced with "I was Reincarnated as a Slime" with a new chapter released once a month or more. So, I just moved to reading the source light novel just to satisfy my insatiable thirst for "what's next". With that, I fell way deeper in the rabbit hole.

Velgrynd kisses Masayuki (one of my favorite scene in Tensura)

I spent sleepless nights finishing the available Machine Translated version of the Slime light novel. I reached the most current available chapter and I was stuck since there is no more source to move over to.

I searched for new anime or manga but  I discovered that my taste changed somewhat. I abhor shounen manga filled with fan service and action/fight scenes is no longer enough to keep me hooked (sorry My Hero Academia). This is when I discovered Ascendance of a Bookworm anime.

As usual. The anime is "bitin" so I went directly to the light novel and that's the moment I went to freefall into the world of an isekai girl whose singular desire to be surrounded by books in the world where the printing press and mass production of books is yet to be realized.

Ascendance of a Bookworm is about the bookworm Urano who died after being buried by books during an earthquake and then was isekai-ed to a magical world that is still in Medieval Age. Her soul inhabited the sickly body of the 5-year old Myne, who is the youngest daughter of a dirt poor family that cannot afford a comfortable life, much less books! Unsurprisingly, Myne has magical powers that are only common with nobles. Armed with her magical power, knowledge of the modern Earth, and great desire to be surrounded by books, Urano/Myne introduced recipes, inventions, fashion from her former world that pushed her ascendance from a dirt poor commoner to a merchant to a shrine maiden of the temple and into a noble. Her ultimate goal is to create a library and to be surrounded by books forevermore.

Ascendance of a Bookworm is not a typical isekai that already has actions/fight scenes in the beginning. The first few chapters are about a girl trying to invent papyrus, then a clay tablet, and finally paper made from wood. The flow of the story is boring for those who are expecting fast-paced action. The things that typical isekai enthusiasts hate are the ones that I enjoyed. The novel first focused on the life of Myne’s poor family, the daily life of a commoner, the invention of new paper and creating new recipes, discrimination amongst social class, and the magic. As a history buff, the world building kept me engaged.

The result is the sleepless nights as I rushed to read all the available 18 volumes of the Ascendance of a Bookworm light novel. I cried with Myne when she was separated from her true family when she was adopted into a noble family. I celebrated with Rozemyne when she invented the printing press or became victorious against great odds.

Rozemyne "invented" the water pump.

The light novel was well written to the point that I even empathize with other characters and enjoyed reading parts of the novel about them such as Myne’s commoner family trying to maintain their very thin connection to the now noble Rozemyne, Myne childhood friend Lutz forging an agreement with temple attendant Gil in looking over Rozemyne, Aurelia and her struggle to join a new society after leaving her old duchy, Roderick and the joy he found with Rozemyne’s kindheartedness amidst the abuse that he received with his family, the laynobles struggle with life to the point of just focusing on the “stronger” offspring and just leaving the weak ones dead, the treatment of nobles against commoners (which is similar to our world’s rich and powerful treating the poor) and so on and so forth.

I enjoyed Ascendance of the Bookworm so much that this is the only light novel I considered worth my money. I do not hesitate to spend money just to get the latest volume and also to support the author.

This is now a very long post. I guess this is the result of the agony of the long wait for the release of the new volume. Now I understand what the fans of the Harry Potter series felt when they awaited the release of the new book in the past. 

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UPDATE:

I finished reading the machine translated web novel of the Ascendance of the Bookworm. It was a difficult read since many Japanese words were badly translated. But I had to put up with it since I wanted to finish it and know what will happen in the end.

The ending is good.

I even read the spin-off web novel lead by Hannelore of Dunkelfelger. Unfortunately, Miya Kazuki (the author of Ascendance of a Bookworm) stopped updating the web novel. Now, I am just waiting the new volumes of the light novels, which are very slow in releasing the English version.

Weird Dream: Arrested by the Gestapo

Scene 1:

I am in a multi-floor apartment complex looking out through the back window. I guess I am at the second or third floor.

Suddenly, my mother went in through that back window bringing some stuffs (grocery maybe).

I wondered why my mother went in through the back window. How did she climbed up to third (or second floor)? (In hindsight, I think she climbed using the fire escape).

The atmosphere is heavy in the room

It felt that we are doing something illegal or we are afraid of something.

Scene 2:

I am on a street in the long queue of men. I don't know how I got there but a police approached me. His uniform is similar to the Nazi officers. And his demeanor is stiff and demanding.

I remembered that we (the people in the queue) are being asked to provide some metals for the war effort. I only have one piece of nail in my pocket, which I gave to the Nazi police. He was angry with what I was only able to provide.

I begged the police to have to pity on me. That I was not able to scrounge any metal because I was busy working.

"I am a busy working. We are serving the same country. Please have pity" - I said

The dream ended there. I don't know what happened after. Did the police killed the Dream Me? Did he listened to my plea?

It was a weird dream. Maybe I was just anxious. Is it my distrust with the police manifesting in my dream? I don't know.

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End of the Month Roundup: February 2022

February is dubbed by many as the "Love Month". Little they know that the man whose name became synonymous with "love" was actually beheaded in the name of "Divine Love".

(Source: Confessions of a Funeral Director)

I felt being beheaded too this month. The demands for my service kicked into high gear and pestered me throughout the month. I guess the holiday lull is over for our clients. And so they arr back asking us for urgent this-and-that.

Personal Notes

1. The Level 1 Boss who suddenly disappeared last month has reappeared. He dropped the Atomic Bomb by filing his resignation. He will not be with us next year.

I am amazed with his bravery to resign to pursue the path that he desires. I, sometimes, think of doing that, especially when the pressure is high and I am so exhausted. Those times when usual mood is anger. But then practicality steps in. I cannot just throw everything away to chase the star. I have a family to take care of!

2. A subordinate told me of her decision to retire early 3 years from now. The reason for the early retirement is that she found…love.

The conversation with her unexpectedly became personal. I was actually touched that my subordinates trusts me enough that they are open to share their personal life with me.

3. I am feeling the exhaustion again in the last week of February. I guess this is common whenever a month ends.

4. I was so angry with MetroBank last year because they did not waive their Annual Fee. I paid around 5 thousand pesos and decided to ditch their card. I called MetroBank and told them to cancel my card. In the end they phonebanker convinced me to just change my credit card to that with no annual fee. #BankWinsAgain

5. I was surprised that a friend (wala na sa opisina ngayon) supports a presidential candidate who is from a corrupt family. That friend is very vocal against corruption and yet…ambot!

6. A subordinate suddenly had to go back to their home province because his mother had a stroke. Sadly, some of the co-workers mocked his being “deaf” and inattentive because they did not know what he is going through.

In Other News…

February is the start of the campaign period. So my FB friends and contacts, my neighbors, my co-workers are battling it out. This is the mood of the Philippines this month:

(Source: Muzeo)

UKRAINE vs RUSSIA is the trending topic in the last days of the month, eclipsing even the election issues in the Philippines.

It is another history unfolding before my very eyes and may mean the beginning of a global conflict. At the back of my mind are thoughts of how the family survive this just in case the new Axis Powers and Allied Forces slug it out with another World War. Life will be difficult even if the Philippines will go neutral

What is happening now is that oil prices will skyrocket and followed by the prices of basic goods. Mas uunti yung mabibili ng sweldo ko. :-( 

Another incident of impunity and “what are we power for” act. A police officer died just because of the “private time” of the PNP Chief. Nakakasuka na ang kawalan ng honor at morality ng mga nakakataas sa gobyerno.

Interesting Reads

This post from La Grande Armee of Memes & Francophile Themes narrates the situation in Prussia before their war with Napoleon Bonaparte. The Prussians, including the high bureaucrats and royal family, have “great thirst for war” and a “certain hope of victory”. The Prussians’ thirst was quenched but the result is devastation and plenty of defeat at the hands of the Grande Armee.

“The insolent braggarts will soon learn that our arms are in good order!”

Napoleon’s reaction to Prussian soldiers sharpening their sabres at the steps of French embassy. 

A Damaged Culture - This article from The Atlantic speaks about the reason why People Power 1 failed. The problem is not only about Marcos but Cory Aquino not ushering in the reforms that the Philippines direly needs. In the end, she just put back to power the old oligarchs that were displaced by Marcos.

...it is hard to believe that replacing Marcos with Aquino, desirable as it doubtless is, will do much besides stanching the flow of crony profits out of the country. In a sociological sense the elevation of Corazon Aquino through the EDSA revolution should probably be seen not as a revolution but as the restoration of the old order. Marcos’s rise represented the triumph of the nouveau riche. He was, of course, an Ilocano, from the tough, frugal Ilocos region, in the northwest corner of Luzon. Many of those whom he enriched were also outsiders to the old-money, old-family elite that had long dominated the country's politics...

Images of the Month

Not all unity is good. (Source: Ιωσε Κάρλος Ραπαδας)

Unity is not a virtue. Not all unity is good. Even the demons are united to destroy the Son of Man.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is the talk of the town, nay even the whole world. A nation attacked by a superpower. The art from Tarantadong Kalbo pretty much sums up the Goliath and David struggle between the two nations.

(Source: WW II in the Philippines)

During the Battle of Bataan in World War 2, brave Igorots sat on top of American tanks to cut off dense foliage blocking the tanks way and also served as “eyes” and guides of the tank crews.

Quotes of the Month

Dictators are like boils, superficial manifestations of an inner rottenness.  They would never have come to the surface if there had not been the proper conditions in the world from which they came.

Archbishop Fulton Sheen

 

Soviet power, unlike that of Hitlerite Germany, is neither schematic nor adventuristic. It does not work by fixed plans. It does not take unnecessary risks. Impervious to logic of reason, and it is highly sensitive to logic of force. For this reason it can easily withdraw — and usually does — when strong resistance is encountered at any point. 

George Kennan, Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, 1946.

Words of Wisdom

You will hear of wars and rumours of wars; see that you are not alarmed, for this is something that must happen, but the end will not be yet. For nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

- Matthew 14:6-7

When a sieve is shaken, the husks appear; so do one’s faults when one speaks. As the test of what the potter molds is in the furnace, so in tribulation is the test of the just. The fruit of a tree shows the care it has had; so too does one’s speech disclose the bent of one’s mind. Praise no one before he speaks, for it is then that people are tested.

- Sirach 27:4-7

My Thoughts for this Month

Ukraine's experience should be warning to the Philippines. We cannot overly rely to our allies, including those with defense treaty, for the defense of the country. 

We must improve our defensive capabilities: more and better armaments, improvement of military doctrine, shaping up of our soldiers, instilling the sense of patritiosm to the people, and the REMOVAL OF MANCHURIAN LEADERS AND QUISLINGS IN THE GOVERNMENT.

Doing this will make our allies respect us and make potential enemies think twice before attacking us.

Blog Posts in February 2022

I posted about the Evolution Park of Marikina Heights. This park is the one with statues of cows and a monument dedicated to the Filipino soldiers of PEFTOK.

I also posted in the blog my original post about that lazy and cowardly presidential candidate - Philippine Politics: On Cowardly and Lazy Presidential Candidates.

Finally, I posted about my reactions to Violet Evergarden: The Movie.

Here are my post in Pinoy Informer:

Jollibee Party Package 2022: Virtual Party 

Who are the Jollibee Characters?

Mcdo Party Package for 2022 (Party Box)

Anime of the Month

I watched two animes this month, namely, Komi Can’t Communicate and The Classroom of the Elite.

(Source: Wordery)

Komi Can’t Communicate is about a high school girl named Komi, who despite being idolized by her classmates, has difficulty speaking with other people due to anxiety. She got an unexpected assist from a social-outcast classmate Tadano, who is the only person who noticed her difficulties. Tadano became Komi’s very first friend (and maybe more than a friend). The goal of the anime is for Tadano to help Komi gain 100 friends during high school.

(Source: TheBestGameTips)

This anime is over-the-top hilarious and reminds me of my other favorite…”High School Rumble”. Although “Komi Can’t Communicate” has less outrageous and unbelievable scenes than High School Rumble.

It is a refreshing anime that also tackles the concerns of people having social anxiety. I can relate to this anime since I had “social anxiety” starting high school that worsened in college. I wrote somewhere in this blog that I was a loner in college and had no barkada.It actually came to a point that I tried to start a conversation with anyone who happened to be with me at the table in CASAA (the popular canteen in UP Diliman that was burned a long time ago). Well, That sounds creepy but that was how I coped with loneliness or the fact that I didn’t have a buddy during those years. 

Another anime that I binged this month is Classroom of the Elite.

(Source: Amazon)

This is a like Death Note in a high school setting. The plot is about the lowest-ranked high school class trying to outwit other classes to go up the rankings. The main character is Kiyotaka Ayanokouji, who uses his classmates and other people as pawns for his own (not yet stated) goal.

I binged watch this anime so at least it got me interested. I liked the cutthroat competition and the fact that what’s on the surface of each is a just a veneer of their corruption inside (particularly Kikyō Kushida)

(Source: Wallpaper Abyss)

I found this anime quite distressing because of this monologue of the MC in the last episode:

I’ve never once thought of you as an ally. Not you. Not Kushida. Not Hirata. All people are nothing but tools. It doesn’t matter how its done. It doesn’t matter what needs to be sacrificed. In this world, winning is everything. As long as I win in the end…That’s all that matters. – Ayanokouji Kiyotaka

I am familiar with manipulation and people pretending to be good but deep inside they just wanted some favors and benefits. Each one wears a mask to hide something for we do not really trust other people, especially those outside of the family. I know this since I wear a mask too.

Meanwhile, in One Piece Big Mom finally met her defeat at the hands of Law and Kid.

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Putting Thoughts and Emotions in a Letter with Violet Evergarden

I am one of those people who is not a frequent letter-sender. I had no pen pal when I was young and sending letters became passé when I grew up. In fact, I can't recall sending a letter during the years when me and my girlfriend, who is now My Beloved Wife, were in a long distance relationship. We just communicated through SMS during that time when Nokia 3310 is the king of phones.

Thinking about it now made me realize that I should've send her a letter or two during those LDR years. Our SMS message were gone now when our old phones conked out. The letter would've last longer and will be a tangible artifact of our memories.

The only time that I used the post office is when I sent a letter and gift to my girlfriend while I was in Thailand.

I was talking about the old-fashioned letter writing because I finally watched the end of the story of Violet Evergarden.

For those who don't know her, Violet is a doll and her job is to put into written words the feelings and thoughts of her client.

Violet Evergarden was once child soldier and was treated as a mere tool of war. All of that changed when she met Gilbert Bougainvillea, who is the person she fondly called "Major". Gilbert is first person who cared for Violet. He taught her how to read, how to appreciate the beautiful things - in short, Gilbert taught her how to be human.

Unfortunately, tragedy struck during the last military mission of Violet and Gilbert. Violet lost her two arms while Gilbert “died”. The major managed to say "I love you" to Violet before he “perished”.

Violet woke up in a hospital armless and without the man she looks up to. She was given two mechanical arms and Claudia Hodgins, who is Gilbert's friend and owner of a postal company, took her under his wings.

Violet regained her purpose in life by becoming a doll, which is a professional who writes letters using a typewriter. Her job is to put into written words the feelings and thoughts of her clients.

What I enjoyed in the anime is how Violet slowly recovered through the letters that she wrote and the relationship that she forged with her clients and the people around her.

From a girl who doesn't know how to read and write, Violet blossomed into a famous doll who wrote letters for a princess, playwright, opera singer and many more. She who hated herself because of what she did during the war was loved by many.

I said earlier that I finally watched the movie of Violet Evergarden and it brought tears to my eyes. The tearjerker part is the death of her Violet's client Ulysse, who is a child/teen with a grave illness. Violet helped her put into the letters her thoughts and feelings. The letter can only be given to her parents and brother when she died.

I am really a softie whenever I see a death of a child in anime or any show. I guess this is the side effect of being a father.

Violet Evergarden is one of those animes that warmed my heart. I was a fan and I even watched the series and additional episodes. This is why I was also saddened to watch the final movie with a scene that shows the world moving on technologically with the sending of letters becoming obsolete and the dolls becoming irrelevant. I don't know why this anime caught my heart. Maybe I identify with Violet as she struggled through a new life. I felt that Violet is my co-sojourner in this world of crosses.

Of the many anime that I watched in 2021, I can say that Violet Evergarden takes the top spot.

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End of the Month Round-up: January 2022

January did not want to go away without a fight. So, before giving its last gasp, January threw these to me in its last few days:

1. Deadly deadline of many documents. I spent the work hours reviewing this and that documents. I even took home some paperworks that I had to finish before I hit the sack. I guess what I said in the past is coming true: "I will not take home any work unless I am a Level 2 Boss".

2. A Level 1 Boss under my command suddenly disappeared - very much just like Aang when the Fire Nation attacked. He just didn't show up! He said he had health problems. I had no choice then but to deal with his work load and supervise his minions.

3. I am forced to attend two online meetings simultaneously. One meeting goes to the left ear while the other one goes to the right. My brain was confused and made my head ache.

4. A fellow Level 2 Boss messed up and then I was tasked to deal with his mess. His mess is urgent and my Level 4 Boss couldn't stop badgering me because he's frightened of the Level 5 Boss (Mr. Always Urgent). I cleaned up the mess thanks to my Level 1 Boss underling (a.k.a. Ms. Sunshine) and her Team Reliable. However, I had to forgo another good night's sleep.

5. My head ached on the last day of the month because I had to attend an online meeting that started at 9 AM and ended beyond 5 PM.

Despite the above listed woes, January is actually not that mean to me. The truth is that I had an easy first week, when  I managed to do some spring cleaning. And it went downhill from there.

In other news...

I read an article from Esquire about the demolition of Rizal Park Children Playground by the National Museum. It was a sad news because my kids truly enjoyed playing in that playground. Akala ko makakabalik pa kami.

Here is an interesting post about the Battle of Bataan in World War 2  and Battle of Legazpi during the Filipino-American War that I read in FB.

January is also the month when I experienced being denied entry to a church because I did not had my vaccination card. It is amazing that the fear of the virus paralyzed the hearts of some church people.

The election fever is increasing as the month of May. One of the leading candidates, the son of former president, decided to avoid public scrutiny of his platforms and plans for the country. He chickened out from debates and forums. So I wrote a post about his chickening acts.

Interesting Read

The Reluctance of Males to become Men: Failure to Launch - this article talks about the reason why some males refuse to grow up. The answer is that these males don't see any meaning in their life and do not believe of any higher purpose or eternal destination.

Images of the Month

Holy Week Procession in the Philippines during the Spanish Period (from Luis Sorando Muzas)

Holy Week procession in the Philippines during the Spanish Period (source: Luis Sorando Muzás)

Quote of the Month

The path to Auschwitz was paved with indifference.

- Ian Kershaw

Anime of the Month

The Slime Diaries

This is a hilarious take on the isekai series The Slime Diaries. I started watching this anime since I'm done watching the existing episodes of Slime Isekai. The manga is also slow in sending out new chapters.

Funny take on the day to day life in the Nation of Monsters. The citizens of Tempest always find a way to celebrate a public feast every episode.

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Moving Forward from 2021 to 2022

I was writing this during a lull after the festivities of Christmas Eve - the day of gift wrapping, preparing for the Noche Buena, and attending a jam-packed church for the evening Mass. The kids were asleep as well as My Beloved Wife, who is recuperating since she did all the cooking.

Looking at them sleeping peacefully tells me that all the hardships and difficulties that I went through this year is all worth it. They are the reason why I keep pushing forward.

So why the gloomy opening for this blog post? The answer is that we are now counting the hours to the end of 2021. Thus, it is the perfect time to be melancholic and reminisce about the year that was.

Treble Cubs = Treble Trouble

If 2020 is the year when we welcomed the third cub in the family, then 2021 is the year when the third cub joined the two older cubs in making the fun and messes in the house. Triple kids means tripled number of scattered toys on the floor, triple the laundry (good thing we got a new automatic washing machine), triple the kakulitan, and triple the scolding.

It was a difficult ordeal and there were times that I scolded and disciplined them to no avail. Sometimes I think that I am a failure as a father because I cannot go through with them. It seems like my words fall on deaf ears. I always scold them about the same things everyday, I remind them of the same things every single day.

Sounds horrible, right? Well no. Because triple the cubs also means triple the fun and the love.

It is fun to see the third cub learning new things - from learning how to stand on his own, to his first step without holding him, and now running and climbing on his own.

The second cub is the sweetest of all. Her hugs and even her requests to carry her like a baby (even though she's heavy now) melts my heart. How long will this last, I wonder. She grow up very fast.

The first cub is quite hardheaded and persistent in getting what he wants. He pesters me most of the time. This attitude of his is a pain but I know that such hardheadedness and persistence will be helpful to him in the future.

2021 is also the year when the two older cubs are enrolled in online class. I witnessed firsthand how difficult this mode of teaching for small kids. Focus is the problem for the kids. The only positive thing is that I can see the attitude and teaching style of their teachers, and I am not liking what I saw.

Well, these are my kids and I am very happy to have them - with all the mess and fun that they bring. I know deep in my heart that this phase will end and I will surely miss it.

Leading the Pack with more Experience

Year 2020 is the year when I was named as the supervisor of supervisors - in short, head over various units. It was not easy for me, who is an introvert and a pessimist.

I only supervised one unit in the past and now I have to deal with many people from different units. It is more challenging since I have to balance everything. I don't only deal with the producing outputs but also with people - their concerns, their relationships and conflicts, their reactions. On top of these, I have to deal with bosses, some of which have inflated egos.

My baby steps in 2020 became like a toddlers first walks in 2021. I learned a lot this year and the previous years.

Also, I am blessed to have a staff who are capable and professional. They make load much lighter.

Still, I have much to learn and the coming year will surely give plenty of opportunities to learn new things.

Family Trips, Finally

The pandemic situation in the Philippines somehow improved in 2021. The strict lockdowns were removed and people are allowed to travel, not only for work or business but also for leisure. The lockdown has negative effects to the mental health and emotional wellbeing to our children (and also us parents), so we decided to embark on a family trip by going to Woodside Farm & Water Park in Cabuyao, Laguna.

We also joined the neighbors outing somewhere in Nagcarlan, Laguna (I will blog about it later).

Our kids also managed to enter grocery stores, shopping malls, and restaurant this year. The best thing is that we can now attend Holy Mass regularly.

I do hope that the situation improve in 2022 despite the threat of Omicron and the incoming Wuhan Virus variants. 

Return to Anime and Manga

2021 is filled with stressful and exhausting situations. So, to ease the pressure a little bit, I returned to watching anime and reading manga.

My staple, of course, is One Piece that is already near the climax of the Wano Arc.

I also rewatched old anime like Hunter X Hunter (still on hiatus), Gundam Wing, Haruhi Suzumiya, and Code Geass (the ending of which always puts tears in my eyes). I also finished other anime ls that I watched last year like "Violet Evergarden", which ended with a great movie.

I also discovered good anime and manga like Higehiro, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, Arte, Toradora.

The most disappointing anime that I watched this year is Quintessential Quintuplets.

The best find, I think, is Spy x Family (which is about a fake family formed by a spy, an assassin, and an esper).

I think I am back to anime and manga and I will continue to spend spare time with them this coming year.

Aside from anime and manga, I also enjoyed historical documentaries. The ones that I watched this year is about World War 2 and Netflix's documentary about the Age of Samurai. My staple of course are the docu from Epic History TV.

Contest Winner!

One of the highlights for this year is that I won a minor prize of 300 pesos Puregold e-cash from Palmolive. My win is insignificant but  I'm since it is my first time to win from such a contest. I guess I will try joining similar promo contest in the future.

Finally Done with an Long Overdue Project

Finally it is finished! My project in the office that I started more than a decade ago is now done. It is a book and it is now submitted to a printing press. I guess I can now resign and go to greener pastures?

Plans for the Far Future

Speaking of going to greener pastures, I made a plan of how I will accomplish that in the far future. I called it Operation Dunkirk and thought about it during days of despair. It is more an outline than an actual plan but  ido hope that I can accomplish this since I am already feeling the burn-out, boredom, agony, and despair of my current workplace. Or maybe this is just Quarter Life Crisis of some sort? I don't know.

Looking Forward to 2022

My pessimistic self tells me that the coming year is full of stress and despair. However, I do hope that the coming year is studded with happiness (especially from the family) and positivity.

Well, I guess I can just wait and see. I have no choice but to move forward and hope for the best.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone. I hope that your 2022 is brighter than the brightest fireworks that will light up the sky this evening.

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The Pain of the Pinkie is Felt by the Whole Body

(Source: Karolina Grabowska)

 "Ang sakit ng kalingkingan ay dama ng buong katawan" 

This is one of our "words of wisdom" in the Philippines, which can be translated to "the pain of the pinkie finger is felt by the whole body".

This is true, especially when applied to the family. The whole family feels the pain whenever bunso or any of the children is ill. Mommy and Daddy can't sleep taking care of the sick child. Mommy and Daddy are worried. The siblings are somewhat neglected because the attention of Mommy and Daddy goes to the child who is ill.

If the pain of the pinkie finger is felt by the whole body, how much more if half of the body is in pain. This is what we experienced at the beginning of October. Me and My Beloved Wife caught the flu. I managed to get better in less than a week. Unfortunately, My Beloved Wife was ill for two weeks!

I took on the role of My Beloved Wife for two weeks. I cooked and did the laundry. I went to the market. I assisted the kids in their online class while taking care of the baby. I did all these while juggling my office work!

It was tiring. There were times that I prayed hard to God and asked him to give my wife's illness para ako na lang ang nakaratay instead of me seeing her in great pain.

My ordeal is just two weeks. I couldn't imagine the experience of families that have a member who has a grave illness. I am sure that the cross is heavy.

My Beloved Wife is OK now. Although, she still needs rest. We are thankful that we only caught the common flu and not the Wuhan flu.

I don't want to experience the ordeal again but illness is a fact of life and I am sure that any one of us will catch flu or whatever in the future. I can only hope that I have strength to take care of the family when that ordeal comes.

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Fatherly Thoughts: Going Down from Gold to Silver

One of my fervent wishes after I got married is to have a daughter. I have no problem having a son but having a daughter is like having a little princess at home.

After having a son as our first born, the Lord granted my wish and gave me my daughter "Samantha". She is both sweet and maldita. She likes Hello Kitty and unicorns but can play rough with her kuya. Unfortunately, she's getting some of my bad habits and it's like dealing with a smaller version of myself - a mini-me of sorts.

In any case, Samantha is my one and only princess - from infancy even to her adulthood.

I am having this fatherly thoughts after I watched this scene in an episode of the anime Kakushigoto that struck the emotional chord in my heart:

Goto: By the way, what's this gold medal for?

Daughter: It means you're a gold medalist in my eyes.

Goto (thinking): ...but when she grows up and falls in love, I'll become a silver medalist.

T_T

Well, I guess it is true. No matter how much a daughter loves her father there might come a time when another man will be the priority.

The Bible is clear about this. Genesis 2:24 says:

For this reason, a man shall leave behind his father and mother, and he shall cling to his wife; and the two shall be as one flesh.

Well, that passage is not only about the man but also about the woman who leaves her family, the household of her father, then becomes one with her husband.

This is a painful possibility for all the doting fathers out there. Even if our daughters stayed single her whole life, there will come a time that they have to live on their own (either voluntarily or involuntarily when the time of our death comes). Our work as a father is to prepare them for that future even if there's that possibility that we will be the silver medalist in their eyes.

Whatever happens, even when that possibility comes, Samantha will stay as the gold medalist in my eyes.

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Malunggay Wars 2! Feralac vs Moringa Vita

My Beloved Wife knows that breastfeeding is important for the health of our bunso. Physically, breastfeeding gives our baby a good immune system, healthy tummy, and other health benefits. Emotionally, breastfeeding makes the bond between our baby and my wife strong. Financially, it is less costly than buying the expensive infant milk formula.

However, there are times when my wife's milk supply is not enough to meet the needs of our growing baby. To ensure that she has enough milk, My Beloved Wife eats galactagogue food or food that boost the milk supply of breastfeeding moms. 

Aside from eating galactagogue food, she also takes malunggay supplement. There are many brands of malunggay supplement. I talked about some of them in my previous post. Now, she tried a new malunggay supplement brand, which is Feralac.

Feralac

It was difficult to go out during the ECQ lockdowns so there were times that we couldn't immediately buy a malunggay supplement. Good thing that there is Shopee where my wife can buy the malunggay supplements that she needs. 

The malunggay supplement that she ordered from Shopee is Feralac.

(Source: Shopee)

She bought one box of Feralac Malunggay Supplement (30 pieces of 50 mg capsules). The price is 250 pesos per box of 100 capsules.

My Beloved Wife said that Feralac is not working for her. This malunggay supplement is not increasing her milk supply. In the end, she stopped taking it and she just bartered it for Yakult.

Since Feralac is not a good galactagogue (breastmilk booster), she returned to Moringa Vita.

Tai Chi Moringa Vita

Moringa Vita is my wife's tried and tested malunggay supplement. She used it while breastfeeding our first and second child. She is now using it for our third child.

My wife noticed better results with Moringa Vita so she still preferred it than other brands. 

Moringa Vita is available in Mercury Drug and can also be bought online from Shopee or Lazada.

My wife's experience with malunggay supplements doesn't mean that Moringa Vita is better than Feralac. The truth is that other moms have good results with Feralac. This only means that each mother is unique and has different results. So, if you think that the current malunggay supplement that you're taking is not boosting your milk supply, then that means you need to try other malunggay supplements. You can also eat more food that is known to boost milk supply like malunggay leaves, green papaya, and carrots.

For more info about malunggay supplements, please read Malunggay Wars! TaiChi vs Natalac vs Mega Malunggay.

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The Quints and Why I'm Drawn to Rom-Com Animes

I admit that I am sucker for rom-com animes. I remember the times when I spent the night 'til the wee hours of the morning just to watch episodes of High School Rumble and the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

However, it was a very long time a ago since I watched a rom-com anime and it was just a replay of Haruhi's antics. So I was pleasantly surprised when I sampled the first half of the first episode of Quintessential Quintuplets.

(Source: Long Zhi Tian Xue)

Actually, I resisted watching it. I tried watching The Way of the Househusband but it didn't clicked with me. So I returned to the Quints and it is the best decision I did because I truly enjoyed this anime.

Quintessential Quintuplets is about quintuplet sisters who eventually fell in love with their classmate and tutor. The mystery is who among the quintuplets will marry the man of their dreams? Well it's still a mystery for anime-watchers but not for the manga-readers.

One reason that I avoid reading a novel or watching a new series is that it affects my sleep. I kept on saying that it will be my last chapter or episode before I go to sleep until it's 4 am. This is what happened recently so I was able to finish two seasons of Quintissential Quintuplets in 3 or so days.

Quintissential Quintuplets is a Shonen manga that is for teens. However, it pulled a string in me. Well, I guess I am still an isip-bata. Or maybe Quintessential Quintuplets reminded me of my uneventful high school years sprinkled with rare drama. The tensions of the Quints, culminating in a sisters war, is a direct opposite of my high school experiences. Yes, there were crushes, school activities, sports events, the banter between classmates, the fights...all of it not worthy to be featured in an anime, of course.

I ended my high school with a tragedy of sorts. During prom, I danced the night away with a girl from another section who I just met that night. I saw my girl "bestfriend" in tears. Did she cried because I did not partnered with her? Does she have feelings for me? Or maybe I was just assuming? I cannot recall it that much but everything between us changed after that night. After the prom, I courted that girl from the other section. I was flatly rejected just to discover that she had a crush on my classmate who is handsome (well he was our section's representative to pageants). That was the last time I ever courted a girl.

For an immature me in high school, rejection by a crush is a great tragedy. I think it intensified my belief that I am "ugly" or no girl will like me (although I daydreamed that they like me). This is the reason why I was a torpe in college and never had any romantic relationship until that less-than-a-month girlfriend came along and confessed her feelings to me. Well, it ended in tragedy and it kinda soured the final months of my college. Well, we were immature back then and I don’t know how to handle a relationship. Instead of fighting for it (well, was it worth fighting for?) I chose the easy way of ending it, hesitantly. The only positive effect of the tragedy is the creation of this blog to soothe my broken heart.

I guess I can relate with the male protagonists of these rom-com animes - Harima Kenji, Kyon, Fuutarou Uesugi - socially awkward and torpe. One scene when Fuutarou said he is the "garbage" in their group of friends reminded me of the days when I felt that I was alone in my college “barkada”. As the years progressed, I drifted far and far away from the "barkada" until I became a loner.

Just like Fuutarou, I just focused on studies during college and my classmate though that I am smart and tutored them from time to time.

Miku is the best Quint.

Back to the anime, my favorite Quint is the silent-type Miku. There's no surprise there. When it comes to anime, I always root for the silent type like Yakumo of High School Rumble and Nagato of Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

I think she deserves to be the bride of Fuutarou. However, I had feeling that Yotsuba will be victorious or maybe Ichika.

(Source: Akhbar24)

Up until now I feel emotional with Quintessential Quintuplets. My heart felt warm during Miku's confession and that the second season ended without the Quints falling apart. My favorite scene is on Episode 8 when Miku was so happy because Fuutarou guessed rightly that it was her despite having the same face and attire as her sisters.

Fuutarou recognized Miku.

So, why do I watch anime? The simple answer is that it is a sort of stress reliever. I was under the weather these past days because of demanding bosses, unpaid overtime, exacting tasks --- I was feeling so bad that I think of migrating to Canada or New Zealand.

The Quints helped me destress, but now I couldn't help but be stressed about who will be the bride in the end. And the next season is said to be released next year! It is a long wait.

Oh well, I guess I have move to another anime so as to bear the long wait or I just read the manga.

- - -

P.S.

So I cannot stop thinking about the ending of Quintessential Quintuplets so I decided to end everything by finishing the manga. Well, it was a disappointment not because Miku was not the bride but the ending is "meh". The mangaka even gave it a sort of "harem ending".

The mystery bride is Yotsuba and I didn't like it simply because I consider her as the worst of the Quints. 

I consider Yotsuba as the worst Quint because her cowardice is the cause of the pain and sufferings of Fuutarou and her sisters.

She could've told Fuutarou early on that she is the girl that he met in Kyoto 5 years ago. But she chose to hide the truth just because she was afraid of Fuutarou's reaction because she did not fulfill their promise of studying diligently.

Some claim that Yotsuba is the best Quint because she supported Fuutarou during the whole duration of the story. However, the best support that she should've given is in telling the truth. What she actually did is to avoid, evade  and run away during the whole story.

Even though she knew that Fuutarou longs for the girl that he met in Kyoto, she used Itsuki to "release" him from the past. She even pushed Miku and Ichika to go for Fuutarou, even though she knew that Fuutarou is looking for her, longing for her. 

She used her sisters as her cover. She used her Itsuki disguise to kiss Fuutarou at the bell. She claimed that she "supports" her sisters' love for Fuutarou and yet kissed him while in disguise. In the end, her cowardice exposed her sisters to heartbreak.

It is unfair then that Yotsuba is the winner in this story. The victory should've gone to any of the other four Quints because they went out of their comfort zones to show their love for Fuutarou.

My second favorite Quint, Nino, going on the offensive.

- - -

P.S.

I think I've gone full circle in this blog. In the past I only wrote about my petty heartbrokenness and other personal stories of my life. I realized then that no one read such things. So, I decided to make this blog more interesting and draw more audience by writing about my travels. The number of visitors grew and I got minimal compensation due to ads.

Now that I am older and have no time to write lengthy travel posts, I return to my old ways and just write about myself. I know no one will be interested but hey I am just returning to the true purpose of this blog, which is being my stress reliever especially now that the pandemic is affecting me.

I also thought that this blog would be a good way for me to remember my life when I am already a senior citizen.

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