Waterfall on a Wall

 Waterfall on a Wall 

"The academe would be dry and silent,

     if the waterfall doesn’t meet the sea." - avr

Dr Abe V Rotor

Waterfall on a Wall, mural painting by the author, 

Living with Nature Center, San Vicente, Ilocos Sur

A teacher is likened to a waterfall,

     it links the sky, land and sea;

catches rain, feeds rivers and lakes,

     keeps Nature’s bounty and beauty.

So does a teacher nourish the young,

     his mind, heart, body and soul,

With lessons in school and of life itself

     that he grows wise and whole.

It talks and sings, in full or in ebb,

     whispers, humbles the bold,

Like Danube, Santa Maria and their kind 

     awe both the young and old.

Wonder if waterfalls don’t exist,

     so with their awesome scenery;

the academe would be dry and silent,

     if the water doesn’t meet the sea. ~   

Take heed of the Indicators in assessing health of older adults.

Take heed of the indicators in assessing health

of older adults.

Researched by Dr Abe V Rotor

Revival of home and school gardening program in support of the 

government's thrust  on food self-sufficiency involving the young and 

senior citizens alike.

Author (right) discusses with then president of ARDF (Agricultural and Rural Development Foundation) Miss Zeny Ubaldo (center), on strengthening the role of senior citizens in  food production and environmental conservation in the presence of Cecille Rotor (right) and guest.

Author (left) examines model of a floating jeepney transport for senior citizens invented by Dr. Domingo Tapiador retired UN-FAO official (right), in the presence of the late veteran journalist Dell H Grecia.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), indicators that can be used to help assess health of older adults. 

These indicators are related to health status, health behaviors and compliance with preventative care recommendations and include the following:

·  Number of physically unhealthy days reported per month (due to illness or injury)
· Frequent mental distress (depression, stress, anxiety or emotional problems

  reported on 14 or more days per month)
· Complete loss of natural teeth
· Current smoking status (smoker or non-smoker)
· Lack of leisure time/physical activity
· Regularly eating fewer than 5 fruits and vegetables per day
· Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 or greater)
· Reported disability (physical, mental or emotional) that limits activity or requires

  special equipment (cane, walker, wheelchair, hearing-impaired telephone)
· Hip fracture
· Receiving a yearly flu vaccine
· Following routine health care / screening procedure recommendations 

  (cancer, high cholesterol)

General health care recommendations in your 70s and older include the following:

·  Blood pressure screening—every 2 years or as recommended
· Bone mineral density test—as recommended to screen for osteoporosis 

  (bone loss)
· Cholesterol screening—every 5 years or as recommended
· Colorectal cancer screening—as recommended
· Dental exam—every 6 months or as recommended
· Diabetes screening—every 3 years or as recommended
· Eye exam—every 1 – 2 years or as recommended by an ophthalmologist
· Hearing test—yearly or as recommended
· Immunizations—yearly flu vaccine, herpes zoster vaccine (to prevent shingles;

  if not previously vaccinated), pneumonia vaccine (as recommended, if not

  previously vaccinated), tetanus (every 10 years)
· Mammogram (women)—as recommended by your health care provider
· Pelvic exam (women)—yearly or as recommended
· Pap test (women)—as recommended by your health care provider 

  (Most women over the age of 65 usually do not need this test.)
· Prostate cancer screening (men)—as recommended by your health 

  care provider
· Thyroid test (TSH)—as recommended by your health care provider

Sources: National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Helpguide.org; Remedy Health Media

International Women's Day and Month (March 8, 2024): Ophelia Alcantara Dimalanta - Doyen of Philippine Poetry

 Ophelia Alcantara Dimalanta, Doyen of Philippine Poetry

In memory of Dr Ophelia Alcantara Dimalanta (1932-2010)

Requiem for a Dying Poet
By Ophelia Alcantara Dimalanta 

                         

Soon you will finally lay

To rest this poet dying

Of a broken quill for already

In the heart of the hearth

Of his mind no longer fire

But ashes flick about randomly.

For he has already been consigned

To the ignominy of little moments,

Shifting along margins of experience

Feet lagging behind senses

And senses dragged behind his will,

Ready to go.  To be puffed out

Like a guttering candle.

He is finally dying well unto his death

Panic coming easy now, afraid

To trip lest he breaks his leg.

To love lest his ligaments tear,

Deaf to sounds darkness makes

Upon an inner centering; sad that

Life has settled into a dreadful,

Cold, cold calm, a scurry of little

Needs, faceless minutiae and

Timorous appeasements and

Upheavals, like skies have become

Too timid to dip riverward and

Clouds afraid to gather into a storm,

Baring but slightly one part,

Touching but gingerly, surfing

Nets of cursory interactives, bios

Anonymous, no collision of parts

To ignite a blinding, no lines

Nor loins burning, no treads on

Grounds plundered into one

Cataclysmic shaking.

No flames charring this limp wood

Into possible deep limning.

The poet as petite is dead

Long live poetry.  ~

  

A rare photo of Dr Ofelia Dimalanta with Dr Abe V Rotor (left) who won two awards for his books, Living with Nature Series the Gintong Aklat Award, and the National book Award. At her left are Fr, Joseto N Bernades OP and Dr Armando F De Jesus, regent and former dean respectively, of the Faculty of Arts and Letters of UST

The late Dr Ophelia A . Dimalanta was all of poet, critic, academician. As poet, she published six books of poetry, namely: Montage, The Time Factor, Flowing On, Lady Polyester, Love Woman and Passional. Aside from collections of poetry, she published a book on literary criticism, The Philippine Poetica, play in two acts, Lorenzo Ruiz, Escribano, five textbooks on literature. 

She was widely anthologized not only in the Philippines but also in the United States, Russia, Germany, Taiwan, Japan, and Thailand. She won almost all literary awards in the country, and among, a lecture grant at the prestigious Modern Languages Association in Chicago, and the prominently, the SEA WRITE award given to Outstanding Southeast Asian Writers. 

She was chosen one of the one hundred outstanding women of the country, as part of the Centennial celebration. As critic, she was a founding member of the Manila Critics Circle which gives out the National Book Awards annually. Professor Dimalanta was dean of the Faculty of Arts and Letters of UST for nine years, while concurrently holding the position of Director of the UST Center for Creative Writing and Studies. Full Professorship at the UST Graduate School.

NOTE: This poem was published in Tomas, the Literary Journal of the UST Center for Creative Writing and Studies, Issue 1, Vol, 1 February 2000

The Return of the Lawin

The Return of the Lawin

Dr Abe V Rotor

The Return of the Lawin, details of a painting by Dr AV Rotor, 2024

       From the blue sky came a tired and weary hawk,

In silence and song, its color gray and white,

This emissary came in a most beautiful sight,

With a message from the Ark, a song of a lark.

But the town was asleep and the air was sultry,

And old eyes blurred and saw instead a kite,

Dangling in the jungle throughout the night,

Until a breeze came in and set it free.

And the children saw the bird, its song they heard,

In joyous mood they all begged it to land

But it flew over their heads 'til it was gone,

Leaving a feather like a flag unfurled.

* Adapted from A Dove Flies by AV Rotor, Sunshine on Raindrops, Megabooks 2000  

My Best Photographs 5th of a Series

5th of a Series

 My Best Photographs 

Dr Abe V Rotor

“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.”

– Ansel Adams

  

“The best thing about a picture is that it never changes, even when the people in it do.” – Andy Warhol

“With creating, we are literally bringing something into existence that didn’t exist before.” – Montana Dennis

“Great photography is about depth of feeling, not depth of field.” 

– Peter Adams

“Photography helps people to see.”

– Berenice Abbott

“Photography has no rules, it is not a sport. It is the result which counts, no matter how it is achieved.” – Bill Brandt

“Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still.”

– Dorothea Lange

 “What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment that’s gone forever, impossible to reproduce.” – Karl Lagerfeld

The photo that you took with your camera is the imagination you want to create with reality.” – Scott Lorenzo ~

The Lighter Side of Human Nature in 5 Parts: Witty Humor - Key to Cheerful Disposition and Longer Life

The Lighter Side of Human Nature 

Witty Humor - Key to Cheerful Disposition and Longer Life

Researched and edited by Dr Abe V Rotor

                                                 [avrotor.blogspot.com]

Activity: Write down jokes you can recall. They should be witty, clean and meaningful. Avoid vulgar jokes. Give credit to the source, if any. Compile them into a collection or book. It could be your masterpiece of a lifetime. ~ 

Part 1 - The Lighter Side of Life - Slip of the Tongue

Part 2 - Witty Humor - Key to Cheerful Disposition
Part 3 - "Marriage is the only war where one sleeps with the enemy." 

              And other jokes about marriage.
Part 4 - Religious Humor and Wit  

Part 5 - My Boss and I: The Lighter Side of Life in an Organization

Tidbit:  Likuan U and Lee Kuan Yew

Part 1 -  The Lighter Side of Life - Slip of the Tongue

Dr Abe V Rotor 

                                          

Dolphy, Philippine legend in comedy

Charlie Chaplin, pioneer in cinema comedy

• Chairs! I mean Cheers!
• How are you to die? You mean, How are you today?
• How do I love three, let me count the ways. (From a favorite English poem by Robert Browning). You mean thee. Wrong spelling may be fatal.
• It was raining cats and dogs, and there were poodles in the road. Puddles, you mean.
• Joseph, the Dreamer came all the way from Canada. Canaan, you mean.
• "Name two pronouns." Inattentive student: Who? Me?
• Genetics: Cross an elephant with a fish. Swimming trunk. Heh! Heh!
• What are your parents' name? "Papa and Mama." Baby talk.
• A quorum is a place to keep fish in. You mean aquarium.
• Elizabeth Aye, Aye Aye! You mean, Elizabeth III.

Mr Bean

• Socrates died from an overdose of wedlock. Of course not; it was hemlock, a poisonous plant. Respect the fodder of philosophy. Again, please - father.
• In mathematics, Persia gave the dismal point. It would be dismal indeed without the decimal point.
• William Tell invented the telephone. Of course, not. It was Graham Bell. And the bell was invented long before him.
• Home wasn't built in a day. So with Greece.
• "Here lies my captain, fallen cold and deed." You may perfect in reciting "Oh, Captain! My Captain!" yet fail to get the audience accolyte just for one mispronounced word. Accolade, sorry.
• A good reader should not rob the people who erected him. (A Japanese commenting on leadership).
• "Ako'y palopalo, burakrak naman ako." Chinese and Japanese mixed up in singing a popular Philippine song. [I am a butterfly (paroparo); and I am a flower bulaklak)]
• All about corn: Mais (mother corn), corny (baby corn), pop corn (father corn), maestra (teacher corn)
• Spouse is not the singular of spice, but mouse is to mice. Child – children; chicken-chickens. Queer English.
• Capillary is a little caterpillar. Parasite is a kind of umbrella. Collective noun – garbage can
• I liquidate you from all blame. The marriage was illegible. She dresses very auspicious. She is related to me by animosity.
• Who likes history? Do you have a copy of “Caesar’s Garlic Wars?” Louis XVI was gelatined. (Gaelic, guillotined). Feminine of history – herstory. Women’s Lib!
• An enthusiastic chef to customers: “Try our new menu. It is a real threat.”
• “I hope I don’t protrude.” A fellow who knows little English was apologetic on learning only ladies were invited to a party. He is, but the right world is intrude.
• A minister wanted to sell six second-hand organs which had just arrived from Germany in order to raise fund for his church. So during the homily he announced, “I have sex organs. They are slightly used…” He didn’t sell any.
• Elderly teacher: "Pedro, I am beautiful - what is the tense." Looking at his teacher innocently, "Past tense, ma'am."
• "Spell egg." "E-egg-egg."  Necktie? N-e-c-ki-ti-hi-he  Elephant?  "e as in elephant, el as in elephant, e as in elephant again, .... I forgot ma'am"
• "Chemical formula of water?" "H2O, ma'am." Teacher to inattentive pupil: "What is H2O?"  "HIJKLMO, ma'am."  
• Psychologist: "Please tell me, it looks like you depressed?"  Patient: "No Doctor, I am the priest."
• And here are some overused double bladed words. noisepaper, tongressman, democrazy "Government off the people, buy the people and poor the people."

References: Living with Nature 3, AVR; Jokes, Quotes and One-Liners for Public Speakers, Prochnow HV and HV Prochnow Jr, 1897, 1931

Part 2 - Witty Humor - Key to Cheerful Disposition 

1.  Authorship 
An English teacher, having read some of John Milton's poetry to her young class one day, mentioned to them that the great poet was blind.  One question asked on the examination the next  day was:

"What was Milton's great affliction?"

On one paper was scribbled, simply: "He was a poet."

2. Statistics

 "What are the chances of my recovering, doctor?" 

"One hundred per cent.  Medical records show that nine out of ten die of the disease which you have, Yours in the tenth case I've treated. The others all died.  So you see, you're bound to get well.  Statistics are statistics."

3. Romance
A shapely young girl had just married a man of wealth who was more than twice her age.

"I don't believe in these May and December marriages," declared a critical friend.

"Why not?" asked the bride.

"Well, said the friend.  "December is going to find in May the youth, beauty and freshness of spring, but what is May going to find in December?"

The bride's logical answer was, "Santa Claus."

4. A Fisherman's Lament
A three-pound pull, and a five-pound bite; an eight-pound jump, and a ten-pound fight; a twelve-pound bend to your pole - but alas!  When you got him aboard he's a half-pound bass.  

FISHERMAN: "I tell you it was THAT long!  I never saw such a fish."
FRIEND: "I believe you."

5.  Age
The young co-ed brought a friend home from college, an extremely attractive curvaceous honey-blonde. 

Introducing her friend to her grandfather, the girl added: "And just think, Beverly, he's in his nineties.

"Early nineties, that is," the old gent added. 

6. Importance of Punctuation
A grade school student was having trouble with punctuation.  

"Never mind, Sonny," said the visiting school board president, consolingly. "It's foolish to bother about commas; they don't amount too much, anyway." 

"Elizabeth Ann," said the teacher. "Please write this sentence on the board: The president of the board says the teacher is misinformed." 

"Now," she continued, "put a comma after the board, and another after teacher."

7. Big Fish Caught
A fellow in a lunatic asylum sat fishing over a flower bed.  A visiting doctor, wishing to be friendly asked.

"How many have you caught?"

Answered the not-so-dumb fisherman, "You are the ninth."

8. Maximum Punishment
A judge in sentencing a criminal recently said, "I am giving you the maximum punishment - I am letting you go free to worry about taxes, inflation, and everything else, just like the rest of us."
-------------------------------

TOASTS 

Drink! for you know not when you come, nor why;

Drink! for you know not why you go, nor where.                      - Omar Khayyam                                             

Here is to Life! The first half is ruined by our parents and the second half by our children.  

Acknowledgement: Speaker's Encyclopedia of Humor by Jacob M Braude; Philippine Literature Today, by Rotor AV and KM Doria

Part 3 - "Marriage is the only war where one sleeps with the enemy." And other jokes about marriage.
(According to Great and Popular Leaders) 

Researched and Complied by Dr Abe V Rotor

1. “Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards.”—Benjamin Franklin

2. "After marriage, husband and wife become two sides of a coin; they just can't face each other, but still they stay together." - Al Gore

3. “Marriage is an alliance entered into by a man who can’t sleep with the window shut, and a woman who can’t sleep with the window open.”—George Bernard Shaw

4. "My wife and I were happy for twenty years. Then we met." - Alec Baldwin

5. "A good wife always forgives her husband when she's wrong."- Barack Obama

6. “Always get married in the morning. That way if it doesn’t work out, you haven’t wasted the whole day.”—Mickey Rooney

7. "By all means marry. If you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher." - Socrates

8. "I had some words with my wife, and she had some paragraphs with me." - Bill Clinton

9. "Some people ask the secret of our long marriage. We take time to go to a restaurant two times a week. A little candlelight, dinner, soft music and dancing. She goes Tuesdays, I go Fridays." - George W. Bush

10. "I don't worry about terrorism. I was married for two years." - Rudy Giuliani

11. "There's a way of transferring funds that is even faster than electronic banking. It's called marriage." - Michael Jordan

12. “Marriage is the bond between a person who never remembers anniversaries and another who never forgets them.”—Ogden Nash

13. "I've had bad luck with all my wives. The first one left me and the second one didn’t.” The third gave me more children!" - Donald Trump

14. Sometimes I wonder if men and women really suit each other. Perhaps they should just live next door and visit now and then.”—Katherine Hepburn

15. “Some mornings I wake up grouchy. Other mornings I just let him sleep.”—Unknown. Marriage humor of great men and women.
-----------
“The most important four words for a successful marriage: ‘I’ll do the dishes.’”—Anonymous

“I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now change your Facebook status.”—Anonymous ~

Acknowledgement: Internet cartoons

Part 4 - Religious Humor and Wit  

Researched by Dr Abe V Rotor

Living with Nature - School on Blog

1. Rewrite the Ten Commandments 
     The editor of the local paper queried the new applicant for the job of rewrite man. "Well," said the editor, "are you good?"
    "Sure was the reply.
    "All right, then fix this, and cut it short," instructed the editor, handing him a list of the Ten Commandment.
    The applicant gave a glance and seemed a little nonplussed.  But then he stepped over to the desk, quickly marked the copy, and handed it to the surprised editor, who studied the paper for only a moment before saying. "You are hired!"
     The rewrite on the paper was, "Don't."

2. Greeting the day with Good Morning
Somebody has said there are two kinds of people in the world.  There are those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good morning, Lord," and there are those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good Lord, it's morning."

3. Breakable mail
There was a very gracious lady who was mailing an old family friend Bible to her brother in another part of the country.
     "Is there anything breakable in here?" asked the postal clerk.
     "Only the Ten Commandments." answered the lady.

4. Snake Salvation didn't work
A snake-handling preacher featured on Snake Salvation  died soon after being bitten by a rattlesnake during the service. 

5.Depressed priest 
A priest went to a doctor for checkup. He looked very sad.
     "Are you depressed? "asked the doctor.
     "No, I am the priest." replied the absent-minded patient. 

6. Good news, bad news
There is the story of a pastor who got up one Sunday and announced to his congregation: "I have good news and bad news. The good news is, we have enough money to pay for our new building program. The bad news is, it's still out there in your pockets.

7. Seemed Appropriate
     The new chaplain wanted very much to entertain as well as instruct his men, and so, on one occasion, he arranged for an illustrated lecture on Bible scenes and incidents.
     One seaman was detailed to play appropriate music between pictures.  The first of these represented Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  The sailor cudgeled his brain and ran through his lists, but could not think of no music exactly appropriate to the picture.
     "Please play up." whispered the chaplain.
     Then an inspiration came to the seaman, and to the consternation of the chaplain and to the delight of the audience, he played, There's Only One Girl in This World for Me.  

8. Dad first
Young Johnny was late for Sunday school, and the minister asked the cause.
     "I was going fishing, but Dad wouldn't let me." announced the lad.
     "That's the right kind of father to have," replied the reverend. "Did he explain the reason he would not let you go?"
     "Yes, sir.  He said there wasn't bait enough for two."

9. Identify Yourself
The young army recruit was a victim of so many practical jokes that he doubted all men and their motives.  One night while he was on guard duty, the figure of one of the officers loomed up in the darkness.
     "Who goes there?" the recruit challenged.
     :"Major Moses," was the reply
     The young recruit scented the joke.  "Glad to meet you, Moses," he said cheerfully,  "Advance and give me the Ten Commandments."

10. Statement of Costs
The painter was required to render an itemized bill for his repairs on various pictures in the church.  The statement was as follows:

• Corrected and renewed the Ten Commandments                                 $50 
• Embellished Pontius Pilate and put a new ribbon on his bonnet             60
• Put a new tail on the rooster of St. Peter and mended his bill                 45
• Put a new nose on St John the Baptist and straightened his eyes          25
• Replumed and gilded thee left wing of the Guardian Angel                     65
• Washed the servant of the High Priest & put carmine on his cheeks      25
• Renewed heaven, adjusted 10 stars, gilded the sun, cleaned the moon 85
• Reanimated the flames of Purgatory and restored some souls               45
• Revived the flames of Hell, put a new tail on the Devil and mended 
•       his left hoof, and did several odd jobs for the damned                      65
• Put new spatter-dashes on the son of Tobias and dressing on his sack 30
• Rebordered the robe of Herod and readjusted his wig                            45
• Cleaned the ears of Balaam's ass, and shod him                                    35
• Put earrings in the ears of Sarah                                                             70
• Put a new stone in David's sling, enlarged Goliath's hand 
•     and extended his legs                                                                          30
• Decorated Noah's Ark                                                                              20
• Mended the shirt of the Prodigal Son, and cleaned his pigs                    15                                                                                                                          Total    $710

Acknowledgement: Jokes, Quotes and One-liners for Public Speakers bu HV Prochnow and HV Prochnow Jr

Part 5 - My Boss and I:The Lighter Side of Life in an Organization

Researched by Dr Abe V Rotor

Human Nature takes us to view an otherwise serious matter on relationship between boss and subordinate in the context of wit and humor, a rationale in solving conflicts, and in handling anger and feeling of inequality. 

I found in my old file an article, Handling Organizational Conflict, written by Professor Angelita C Cruz, a co-faculty member at St. Paul University QC. A footnote reads, "From a seminar given to the top management of Uniwell Technologies Corporation, December 1998." That's 25 years ago today. A rather serious topic then, now an entertaining piece to reminisce serious moments, on reaching the golden years of life.

                      My Boss and I

When I take a long time, I am slow;
When my boss takes a long time, he is thorough;
When I don't do it, I am lazy;
When my boss doesn't do it, he is too busy; 
When I do something without being told, I am trying to be smart;
When my boss does the same, he has initiative;
When I please my boss, I am apple-polishing;
When my boss pleases his boss, he is cooperating; 
When I do good, my boss never remembers;

When I do wrong, my boss never forgets.

Of course, these are not to be taken literally if you wish to stay with your

organization.  There's a limit though.  Somewhere, they say, at the end of a rainbow lies a beautiful world.  Others are just as romantic, there is silver lining of a dark cloud. Live the lighter side of life if you wish to be happy. ~ 

LESSON on Former Paaralang Bayan sa Himpapawid (People's School-on-Air)
738 DZRB AM Band, 8 to 9 evening class, Monday to Friday [www.pbs.gov.ph]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Likuan U and Lee Kuan Yew

With apology to the late Prime Minister who made Singapore a modern city state.  

Filipinos are fond of witty expressions. This is one of them - a road sign along Quezon Avenue near the Lung Center of the Philippines, Diliman, QC. I saw a similar one near the Fort. Creative minds can go far, and trivial, too.

For those who have no inkling of the homonym similarity, Lee Kuan Yew is Singapore's living legend - father of this modern city state. You pronounce his name the same way you read in Pilipino, U-turn.

By the way, somebody has removed the sign. I miss it now whenever I make a u-turn in that busy intersection. ~ 

Filipino Literary Giants: Masters of the Art of Unity and Harmony of Nature and the Human Spirit

Filipino Literary Giants

Masters of the art of Unity and Harmony of Nature and the Human Spirit

 
                                                           Dr Abe V Rotor

This is a memorable photograph of some of our own literary giants: (left to right) the late poet and author of Life Cycles, Sedfrey Ordoñez (Justice Secretary and permanent representative to the United Nations); doyen of Philippine contemporary poetry Ophelia A Dimalanta, Hortencia Santos Sankore, Larry Francisco, and the late national artist and poet Jose Villa.

I have had the opportunity of meeting and working with a number of Filipino writers in the field of communication and literature. Among them was Dr Ophelia Dimalanta, writer in residence and director of the Center for Creative Writing, and also former dean of the UST Faculty of Arts and Letters. As my critic Dr Dimalanta inspired me to write books in poetry, such as Don't Cut the Trees, Don't. 

Justice Secretary Sedfrey Ordonez used to visit the St Paul University Museum where I was faculty curator, and we would write and read poetry together with faculty members and students. He wrote the beautiful foreword of my book, Sunshine in Raindrops.

National artist Jose Villa's style in poetry broke away from the classical-conventional style, like in the field of painting seeking release to impressionism and abstract, a great influence to many writers, I among them.

I also acknowledge the giants in Philippine journalism who were my professors: Ka Doroy Valencia, Dean Jose Lansang, Prof Ernesto Franco, Rodolfo Ragodon, and Amando Doronilla. Special mention to Dean Armando F de Jesus, Dean Magdalena Villaba, and Dr Florentino Hornedo of UST Arts and Letters, and the Graduate School; and Fr James Reuter SJ of the Office of Media Affair. Fr Reuter wrote the inspiring message of my first book in poetry, Light in the Woods.

As a tribute to them, and many others more, I am expressing my deep gratitude and pride as a Filipino. ~