Rainy Season

Finally the rainy season had began. Thanks to typhoon Domeng which according to PAG-ASA will unlikely to make landfall but would enhance the monsoon rain, and for dumping rains all over Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, and Quezon and most western part of the country. I have been praying all along since last May that rainy season will come soon because of the sweltering and hot summer, to ease our burden from the unbearable heat of  the sun.  Thank God, my prayers are answered. Since last night, the rain continues to pour and I was able to sleep well with the windows of my room opened. Now, I would be able to save my electricity bill without using the AC at night. Thank you rainy season, although there are some disadvantages going outside our house because we will encounter floodings on some streets and being wet with our clothes and shoes. At least, rain will give us comfort for having a cold weather.

The Heat is On

There is no stopping the summer heat. Everyday, temperature in Metro Manila and its nearby provinces is getting higher to its level.  Here in our place at Imus City in Cavite the temperature is soaring everyday and the hot weather is really a bothersome and unbearable to all people. I had noticed that summer this year is really very hot compared to last years temperature. Is this the effect of climate change and global warming? To stay hydrated I make it a habit to drink eight glasses of water everyday. Instead of taking my shower once a day, I decided to take a bath twice a day to make myself relieve and refresh my body from the heat and hot weather. Every week, I make sure to buy 2 gallons of Selecta ice cream so we can at least enjoy the cold and freezing state of the ice cream. I wish and hope that the rainy season will come sooner so we can finally enjoy the cold weather and listen to the relaxing sound of the raindrops.

The clouds are very clear this Sunday morning and there are no signs the rain
will wash the dry rice fields along the highway. The summer heat is unbearable
and everyday the temperature is rising.

The sky is very clear outside the church of Mother of Perpetual Help
(Baclaran Church), and you can feel the scorching heat of the sun. 

Summer Fun at Nagcarlan (Green Nature Resort and Leisure Park)

The summer heat is really becoming unbearable.  I would rather stay at home than going out because of the scorching heat of the sun. But last week, my friends decided to have an outdoor swimming so we can relieve the hot weather and went to Green Nature Resort and Leisure Park at Nagcarlan, Laguna. The resort is absolutely beautiful and clean. There is a wavepool which we enjoyed so much together with other visitors of the resort. The swimming pools for adults and children are very clean and properly maintained. The entrance fee is reasonable and there is an ample parking space for your vehicles at the entrance of the resort. There are various amenities of the resort which the visitors can avail.  The room that we rented is very clean including the comfort room and shower room, AC is running well. Generally, we enjoyed so much our one day outdoor swimming. I recommend this resort who is looking for a clean and eco-friendly resort outside the concrete jungle of Metro Manila. 

Kiddie pool with colorful slides

Giant pool slide for adults

Main pool of the resort

 The lazy pool, where you can just relax while submerging yourself to the cold water

Wave pool of the resort

Me and my friends enjoying the cold water at the main pool

Mini waterfalls at the lazy pool

My beautiful friends enjoying the lazy pool

5PM cleaning time of the pool

Cleaning time at the main pool 

Souvenir photo with the group at the entrance of the resort

Entrance of Green Nature Resort and Leisure Park

Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor)

Today, we are commemorating "Araw ng ng Kagitingan" or Day of Valor. It is also a public holiday in the Philippines. Day of Valor signifies the heroism of the Filipino fighters during World War II. It is also known as Bataan Day which commemorates the fall of Bataan. We are also dedicating this day for those fighters and innocent victims of the war.    

 Memorare Manila Monument in Intramuros, Manila which is dedicated

to the 100,000 lost lives during the "Battle of Manila" of Filipino and

American forces against the Japanese troops during World War II.

A marker beside Memorare Manila Monument in Intramuros, Manila

which states the many sites of the massacres committed by the imperial

Japanese Armed Forces in Manila in February 1945.

Christ Is Risen! Happy Easter!

Today, Christians around the world is celebrating Easter. It is also called the Resurrection Day celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  Here in the Philippines, Filipinos traditionally attend to "salubong" through a procession before sunrise that ends in front of the church with the statues of Jesust Christ and Virgin Mary meeting each other. This morning, I attended the traditional "salubong" at Saint James the Greater Catholic Church in Imus, Cavite. It was a blessed and rewarding experienced to see this tradition after so many years I was away from the Philippines. I want to wish everyone a blessed Easter. We need to remember that Jesus Christ took all of our sins and guilt on himself. Every Christian should follow his good teachings and adapt it in our everyday life and activities. Let's celebrate Easter with hope, love, and new life.

The traditional "Salubong" where the statues of Jesus Christ and Virgin Mary

meets on Easter

The statue of risen Jesus Christ on Resurrection Day 

The procession of statues of Jesus Christ and Virgin Mary before dawn

The statue of the veiled Virgin Mary 

The Blessed Virgin Mary venerated by Filipino Catholics

The statue of Jesus Christ venerated by Filipino Catholics

Easter Sunday mass at Saint James the Greater Catholic Church after the "Salubong"

Visita Iglesia 2018

This is my first time to perform Visita Iglesia in my home country the Philippines during Holy Week. Today which is Maunday Thursday, I revisited seven churches which are close to my heart. These churches are big influence of my being a Catholic and had been my refuge during the times of my hardship and trials in my life. As a devout Catholic my faith to Jesus Christ became strong every each day and these churches are the houses of God which I can carry out my devotional prayers. Visita Iglesia is a lenten tradition of Catholics to  visit seven churches to pray the Blessed Sacrament on each church. 

San Agustin Church, Intramuros, Manila 

Worshippers inside the San Agustin Church 

Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene (Quiapo Church), Manila

Worshippers inside the Quiapo Church

Sta. Cruz Church, Manila 

Worshippers inside the Sta. Cruz Church

Minor Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of Immaculate Conception

(Manila Cathedral), Intramuros, Manila

 The National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help (Baclaran Church),
Paranaque City

 Worshippers inside the Baclaran Church

 Our Lady of Remedies Parish (Malate Church), Manila

Worshippers inside the Malate Church

The Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Guidance (Ermita Shrine/Church), Manila

Worshippers inside the Ermita Shrine/Church