When your own counter culture has betrayed you...

last sat while i was with jeanie at an ukay-ukay in sta. mesa, we came accross 3 'rockers' (by saying rockers i mean to say that they're your stereotypical kid who professes to love rock music but is in no way part of a cohesive subcultural niche like let's say punk, metal or emo).

well i'd spare you the whinning that i gave jen after that account but what saddens me is that seeing how being into 2nd hand clothing, and punk, and emo, and skateboarding is now the norm of coolness makes me feel betrayed of the stuff that played a huge role in my teenage years. its so saddening that you're no longer thought of as a freak, nor regarded as un-cool by wearing studds or, thick rimmed glasses or tight t-shirts clothing. the same way that nike shoes are now worn by skaters. or how easy it is now to dress up looking like chad muska or talk about 'emo' or 'holden caufield' or how trendy it is to travel carrying a guitar or sing along to dashboard confessional or see your most hated rap-core/nu-metal crap bands play music that sounds like 'screamo' or kids think that avril lavigne and simple plan are punks is more than enough to make me cringe. and how me and other folks that i know who've played a part in the local punk/emo scene are now forgotten or worse regarded as cheesy know-it-all posers by the kids who've imitated us and turned out as snotty brats who always talk loud and given the chance make you feel uncool because you don't know of a band that's under fat wreck chords is totally dissappointing.

i must be growing old and growing apart from this scene that ought to have died along with the trc label.

i guess this is what happens when your own counter-culture has betrayed you...

I am no genius

Ms Arroyo has announced she would release an extra P1 billion to boost military and police operations against the communists.

I didn't realize that we have that sum of money to start with. It's odd that we have that much altogether but its more odd that such an amount of money could be easily dispensed for buying weaponry, ammunition and the likes. How disproportionate it is that fundamental problems like hunger and affordable education has to go through a red tape of budget hearings and other delays while such a thing could easily be given funding.

Imagine for how many years has the AFP been asking for modernization and that so-called modernization has wreaked havoc for the education sector wherein funds are transferred to military expenditures.

I am no genius but I know that the threat of national security coming from the revolutionary left is but a backlash of misplaced priorities on the side of a government that peddles the interests of the first world and its financial institutions. I am no genius but I know that the economic perspective of the present administration and of the prevailing financial systems that impose their domination on the way we live.

I am no genius, but I have come to a realization that the president prefers to participate in war mongering by obtaining more arms for the already armed and reallocating money for the already under budgeted majority.

I am no genius. But I know that I'd never be on her side.

Looking back at the smile that speaks the 'Good News'



When Grace Bible Church celebrated its 50th anniversary, a survey was published at the Gracean which lists ‘the 50 things about GBC that we should thank God for wherein it listed the Bible-based doctrine; to the Living Circle Ministry; to the church's rich heritage and history.

But of all the entries one thing caught my attention as I walked out of the church last Sunday afternoon, which prompted me to dig out that old copy of the Gracean out of my cluttered drawer and write this piece.

It was the 10th entry pertaining to Kuya Mar Cabiles, which reads:

"10. The smiling face of Kuya Mar, cool and composed..."

True enough he is exactly like that as last Sunday morning I saw him at church back with us to worship. Back from the mission field that was Kabul, Afghanistan. Back with his wife Ate Mida and their son Joshua. Back to shine a smile of encouragement to my weary soul that just came from a rollercoaster of emotions that was undergone from the untimely death of Jolas to a number of things that are now better left unsaid.

So as I shook his hand I began to remember him as he and Ate Mida gave me a copy of William McDonald's True Discipleship as a Christmas gift that I was not able to appreciate at the time because I was way too busy wasting my life in a state of hedonistic backsliding. Nevertheless I kept it, and a few years later I read it and learned from it and in its own little way helped me in bringing me back to the fold.

He was truly an encouragement and his presence at GBC is a delight that I've so often ignore during his stay there. I remember shaking his hand on right after they announced to the congregation that they're going as missionaries to Afghanistan, it was after a tearful conversation with my brother Kuya Benjie. I remember him talking about the doctrine of Eternal Security at Sunday school with Kuya Ponch.

And seeing him now makes me appreciate and feel gratitude towards the Lord for blessing GBC with Kuya Mar who has touched a number of lives including mine.

He and his family is a blessing to my spiritual pilgrimage as a Christian.

Later that morning I was also able to chat with his wife Ate Mida about their life in Afghanistan where they overhear the explosions of bombs and bear witness to the persecution of native Christians as they live life under a Muslim dominated society, and as of now as I have gone through a lot in these past few weeks it was a time of refreshing for me and the church as I was greeted with the truth of their faith most notably seen in the smile of Kuya Mar.

God bless them.

Looking back at the smile that speaks the 'Good News'


When Grace Bible Church celebrated its 50th anniversary, a survey was published at the Gracean which lists ‘the 50 things about GBC that we should thank God for wherein it listed the Bible-based doctrine; to the Living Circle Ministry; to the church's rich heritage and history.

But of all the entries one thing caught my attention as I walked out of the church last Sunday afternoon, which prompted me to dig out that old copy of the Gracean out of my cluttered drawer and write this piece.

It was the 10th entry pertaining to Kuya Mar Cabiles, which reads:

"10. The smiling face of Kuya Mar, cool and composed..."

True enough he is exactly like that as last Sunday morning I saw him at church back with us to worship. Back from the mission field that was Kabul, Afghanistan. Back with his wife Ate Mida and their son Joshua. Back to shine a smile of encouragement to my weary soul that just came from a rollercoaster of emotions that was undergone from the untimely death of Jolas to a number of things that are now better left unsaid.

So as I shook his hand I began to remember him as he and Ate Mida gave me a copy of William McDonald's True Discipleship as a Christmas gift that I was not able to appreciate at the time because I was way too busy wasting my life in a state of hedonistic backsliding. Nevertheless I kept it, and a few years later I read it and learned from it and in its own little way helped me in bringing me back to the fold.

He was truly an encouragement and his presence at GBC is a delight that I've so often ignore during his stay there. I remember shaking his hand on right after they announced to the congregation that they're going as missionaries to Afghanistan, it was after a tearful conversation with my brother Kuya Benjie. I remember him talking about the doctrine of Eternal Security at Sunday school with Kuya Ponch.

And seeing him now makes me appreciate and feel gratitude towards the Lord for blessing GBC with Kuya Mar who has touched a number of lives including mine.

He and his family is a blessing to my spiritual pilgrimage as a Christian.

Later that morning I was also able to chat with his wife Ate Mida about their life in Afghanistan where they overhear the explosions of bombs and bear witness to the persecution of native Christians as they live life under a Muslim dominated society, and as of now as I have gone through a lot in these past few weeks it was a time of refreshing for me and the church as I was greeted with the truth of their faith most notably seen in the smile of Kuya Mar.

God bless them.

Blest be the tie that binds






Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love; the fellowship of kindred minds is like that to that above.



Before our Father's throne we pour our ardent prayers; our fears, our hopes, our aims are one our comforts and our cares.



We share each other's woes, our mutual burdens bear; and often for each other flows the sympathizing tear.



When we asunder part, it gives us inward pain; but we shall still be joined in heart, and hope to meet again.



This glorious hope revives our courage by the way; while each in expectation lives,
and longs to see the day.





From sorrow, toil and pain, and sin, we shall be free, and perfect love and friendship reign through all eternity.




Words: John Fawcett, 1782