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My classmate Professor Reuel Molina Aguila.

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This is a belated post about an idol, a high school classmate who's gone through everything in life - Reuel.  He was our class salututorian. He made UPCAT and together with the rest of us; Edita, the validictorian, Joy, Ofelia, Greg, Victor, Charlie, Sue, Hernani, Lito, Chuchi, Ed, Carolina sailed through the challenging UP Diliman brand of free and analytical thinking  university environment. Meanwhile, three of these classmates became firebrands. And one was Reuel. When Martial law was declared in 1972, he took to the hills to fight for what he believed in. It was a tumultuous era for students. Was it just the "in" thing? To rebel? To fight the establishment? In Reuel's case and the rest of many UP and Lyceum students, it was a fight worth fighting for. Soon,   the powerful military tentacles caught up. Reuel and a host of others were incarcerated. Fast forward, today, Reuel Aguila is now a Professor at UP Diliman; Phd candidate. Aside from this, and I was not...
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The Ibanag Family in Retrospect

The Ibanags just like most Filipino groupings are matriarchal. When my mother was younger she wielded a power over me that forced my tongue in check whenever she gave me a scolding or admonition for a real or imagined “wrongdoing”. No one ever talks back. Let alone me. I can not recall if there ever was an instance when I mastered enough courage to explain anything even when there was a chance to do so. But it sure did happen one day when I was already 26 years old and had 2 children. Swell. :-) The elderly are treated with respect in the Ibanag culture. Deference is essential if not required and is lavishly displayed and shown. Proper language and the right tone of voice characterize conversations with the elders. It is not uncommon to take the elder’s hand, bring it to the forehead or kiss the hand to show courtesy and respect. Women are venerated in the Ibanag family. Most of the time they have the last say in decisions involving family affairs. Although Filipinas are kn...
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I love Paris in the springtime

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This is another place I dream of visiting. Actually, the photo bears the replica of the Eiffel Tower. It's a souvenir item given by a friend who was there recently. She tells me that specially at night, this amazing man-made structure oozes with life and light and when you're there on top, gives a fantastic and surreal feeling of giddiness. I can only imagine.
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