Annual Christmas Party 2007…

We are “Annual”. A group of computer science students batch ‘97 from University of the Philippines Cebu College. We call ourselves as “Annual” because we used to have an annual summer outing at Mahayahay Beach Resort at Argao. I cannot remember who gave the name for us but until now we still use “Annual” to call ourselves. We used to have 13 active members but we are down to 5 because some of the members are not in Cebu and others have conflict on their schedules.


Last December 17, 2006 we kept the “Annual” spirit alive by having a Christmas Party of our own. We started the party by having a mini-billiard tournament using the Mosconi Cup format but having 3 teams in the competition. Luckily, Grace and I have won the tournament by having the most number of wins. Hehehe…



After the tournament, we decided to go to Patio Isabel and have dinner.

After dinner, it’s time for exchanging gifts. The unusual thing about our exchanging gifts is that I’ll be giving gifts to all the “Annual” members and in return I’m expecting gifts from all the members of the group. I received a motorbike toy from Thelma, DVD movies and a PlayStation 2 game from Hannah, a mug and Smallville Season 2 from Grace. My twin brother and I agreed not to exchange gifts.


Everyone still wants to play billiard so after dinner we went to Cencias and played billiards while having some beer.

Thanks to ANNUAL for the wonderful friendship that we have. I hope that we will maintain this type of bonding until our hair turns to gray.

Annual People: (alphabetical order)
Catherine Geverola
Hanna Doreen Madjos
Iredan Lydel Yemen Joson
Junel Jig Jimenez
Leah Amor Felicilda
Lloyd Barrion
Mary Grace Solis
Michael Bianan
Rammel Malinao
Rommel Malinao
Thelma Dominado
Vergil Oplado
Yvette Varquez

What a weekend…

I had a great time last weekend. I was hanging out with 4 different set of friends for 4 consecutive nights.

Thursday Dec. 7, 2006. A high school classmate arrived from Canada after 3 years of work. Together with other high school classmates, he treats us to dinner and went to Pod 5 at Banilad Town Center to have some vocal exercise while drinking some beers.


Friday Dec. 8, 2006. I was with my NCR officemates having a drinking session at Fisherman’s Net at JY Lahug. It was a relaxing night listening to classic songs while drinking beers and having a little exchange of ideas. It was past 2AM when we went to Chowking Lahug to have some wanton noodles.

Saturday Dec. 9, 2006. I was with my Taiyo Friends. You can read my post about this night below.

Sunday Dec. 10, 2006. My girlfriend and I were invited to the ELIM Singles Christmas Party at Alta Vista Golf and Country Club. I enjoyed that night meeting old friends from college and meeting new Christian friends at the party. I also enjoyed hearing Christian songs with the ELIM Band.

Life is short. We will be young only once in our lifetime. So if possible, enjoy life!!!

IS-EDP Christmas Party 2006…

The Information System Department (formerly known as EDP Department) of Taiyo Yuden (Phils.), Inc. celebrated their annual Christmas Party last December 9, 2006 at Chikaan La Guardia.

The former employees of the department were one of the guests on that evening. Unfortunately, only 3 out of 8 ex-EDP engineers that were invited were able to attend the party. It was dinner time when Neil, Euphorts and I arrived at the venue. Most of the current employees are newly hired. But even if we do not know most of the guys; we were still able to have fun with them. They were very friendly to the ex-EDP engineers and I would like to thank them for that.

After dinner, the program started even if the department managers were still busy talking about the “pack your things and get out” issue. We were still able to have a smile in our face even if there were serious things that are happening around the department.

Anyway, the software guys were the first to perform, and as expected Jerson was able to entertain everybody with those funny dance moves. For 3 consecutive years, Jerson is the undisputed and undefeated entertainer of IS/EDP department.

The hardware guys followed by doing an a cappella of the song “Breakfast at Tiffany” by Deep Blue Something.


Then, as a tradition, the newly hired employees made a presentation by doing the “Boom Tarat” dance.

And surprisingly, the ex-EDP engineers have a surprise number and we were very surprise to know that we were going to have a presentation. waaahhhh… we sang the “Hilot” song by Scrambled Eggs. This was the same song that we sang during the 2005 EDP Christmas Party at BBQ.Com and the same song that Euphorts and I performed during the 2006 NCR Christmas Party.


After all the presentations, two of the IT Engineers were given the floor to make their special announcements. First was Allen, he was given the chance to talk about his promotion and became the hardware group supervisor. Second was Godwin, he talks about his migration to Canada. They both thank their colleagues for the wonderful things they experience and learn inside the department.

And then, exchanging of gifts followed.

After the Christmas Party, everybody still wants to have fun and decided to go to K1 KTV Bar. Madam Ninfa (former EDP Dept. Manager) was generous enough to share her blessings with us and paid all the bills which include the 2 hour room charge, vodka and all the foods we ate. But before midnight, Madam Ninfa had to go home. Personally, I am grateful that even Madam Ninfa has said a lot of not so good things to us inside the office; we were still able to separate work and personal life. At the office, Madam Ninfa was like a lion that can bite and swallow you as a whole but outside the office she is a good friend.


It was almost 1:00 AM when we decided to go to Fruits and Foods at Mango Avenue to have some beers. With the help of Colt 45, many stories have been cleared. First was the “pack your things and get out” issue, then the stories of Owie, Reynante, Francis and other matters. One advice that I will never forget would be from Euphorts, “Once a lion becomes an angel”, that’s the effect of Colt 45 todo lakas!

5:40 A.M. The sun was up and we decided to have some batchoy at Carlos Batchoy in Capitol area. But unfortunately, the restaurant was close so we decided to have some tapsilog and pochero at a nearby pocherohan.

7:00 A.M. we took some pictures for souvenir, paid the bills and decided to go home.

It was a memorable night for me because it has been a long time since the last time I have been with my Taiyo friends. I am happy that we were able to maintain the kind of friendship that we had when I was still employed at Taiyo Yuden. A type of bonding that everyone can rely and trust each other even with our deepest secrets and problems (which is unusual between officemates). So I am lucky and thankful to meet these Taiyo friends.

Good luck to all of us. I know some things will change but let us not forget that “minsan tayo ay naging tunay na mag-kaibigan” - Eraserheads

Till we meet again. Salamat IS / EDP Department!!!

Saudi Arabo…

I was surprise last night when I got a call from Saudi Arabia. It was from a managing director of an IT company in Saudi Arabia whom I never applied for a job. He said he got my profile from a site where I was able to pass a certification exam. He asked me if I am willing to go to Saudi Arabia and work on their company. He told me that he has two Filipino developers on their team, and coincidently I know those two Filipinos. One of them is Mars, a former officemate from Taiyo Yuden. The other guy is Clark, also from my previous Japanese employer Taiyo Yuden. I was able to talk to Mars for a few minutes and made some “kumustahan”. Before the call ends, the managing director promised me to send an email about the job offer he got for me.

I seek advice form my father coz he used to work in Saudi Arabia for 4 years; he said that the way of living in Saudi Arabia is not suitable for me. Saudi Arabia is very strict in everything from alcoholic drinks, curfew and others. At the end of our conversation, my father still gives me the option whether to go to Saudi Arabia or not.

I have lots of reasons why I must go and work abroad. What are these reasons? Secret… Someday you’ll know… =)

December 19, 2006

For the second time, the managing director of the said company called me and informed me that if I accept the offer then I have to process my VISA before January 15, 2007.

December 20, 2006

Mars and I met at SM Cebu to talk about the offer. I declined. Saudi Arabia is a good country, I just don’t like the way of living there.

Thanks to Mars for the effort and his company for giving me an opportunity to work abroad.

Papa Joe...

Papa Joe is a local DJ here in Cebu who has a radio program called “Talk to Papa” where the listeners can share their problems (mostly love problems) on the air and seek advices from other listeners.

Two weeks ago I received an MSN message from an old friend saying “Hi!” At that moment I already think that there must be something behind that simple “Hi!”, because we go directly to the point every time we send instant messages. I replied with a “Hello” and my assumption is correct, there goes her marathon of questions regarding love and problems in life.

Then on that the same day, another friend of mine approaches me and we had a little talk. And again it’s about personal problem.

On that day, I feel like I am Papa Joe giving advices to my friends, the only difference is that the problems being shared are major and big problems that can change the life and future of my friends, so I was very cautious in every word I say.

I am not a good problem adviser; I am only good at solving problems of my own. But I am thankful that they trusted me even though we are not that close and still they chooses me to be the person to share their problems with.

Good luck to my friends above. Thanks for trusting me. =)

God bless us all.

Salonga School of Music 18th Annual Recital

I was able to attend the Salonga 18th Annual Recital last November 26, 2006 because my twin brother was one of the recitalists of the said event. It was held at Parklane Hotel 3 blocks away from our home.

As we arrive at the venue, I was having a hard time finding a seat coz the venue was full of proud parents and family members who are waiting for there recitalist to perform on stage. After sometime, I was able to get a seat together with a family of four.

The first sets of performers are the Preparatory students. These are the students who are newbie in their chosen musical instrument that they want to learn and, my twin brother was one of them. Even though this is not the first time my twin brother played the drums but he was enrolled at the Preparatory Level. I was amazed watching all the preparatory students playing coz most of them are 5-6 years old. One recital that caught my attention was a duet made by twin sisters, they performed a Barbra Streisand and Celine Dion song “Tell Him”, and for me it was a nice performance coz they hit their high notes very well. I asked myself what these girls would be 10-15 years from now.

After all preparatory students have made there recitals, its time for the Primary 1 students to perform but my twin brother has still not perform on stage. He made a query and his instructor told him that he is going to perform in the legendary level ha ha ha. There is no legendary level in Salonga maybe what his instructor is trying to say that he is going to perform with the more experienced students in the school.

After dinner, it’s my twin brother’s turn to go up on stage and made his piece. He performed one of my favorite songs from Plumb titled “Here with me”. This song reminds me of my band during college, Bang2x and the Crocodiles; we performed this as an opening number during the 2001 U.P. Cebu Promenade held at Cebu Plaza Hotel. Watching my twin brother performed also reminds me of my uncle who is a drums guru during his younger years.

I never expected that his performance would be as great as it was considering that it was his first public performance as a drummer. Everyone was stunned including the school supervisor because he did a nice job on his rendition of that song. After he performed the emcee praised him and called his name twice reminding him to take bow for the audience. :)

It was a memorable day for me because I saw my twin brother harvesting the fruit that he sows. After all those sessions and preparation, now he is somehow ready and has confidence in playing drums in public. Ayos!

Hello world!!!

okay... this is it... i finally decided to get a blog space for myself... this will be my place where i can speak out all the ideas inside my head and a place where i can record the good and bad things that is happening to me so that i will be able to remember and share the lessons to the visitors of this blog.

God bless us all.