Quick & Random

Horse-riding (and shamanic healing?) vs. Autism

2009-04-27T01:22:00.003+08:00

I read this article on CNN today which I felt is a perfect subject to revive this blog. According to the article, a young child named Rowan (our child is nicknamed Roan), who has symptoms of Autism, showed immediate improvement when he began riding a horse named Betsy.

According to the parents, the connection seemed immediate and the effect was very noticeable. The tantrums went away, the boy started pointing (a milestone in children with Autism), among others. Now, the boy who is already 7, is alreay learning math and english a year ahead of his peers.

The article made me think, would Roan improve if he learned to ride a horse? How would he react at the site of a horse? Wouldn't he be scared? I wonder. I think it is worth a try. If you are curious about the article, you may read it here.

Fighting for Marilou

2007-11-18T09:05:00.000+08:00

Let us give credit where credit is due. Our government officials are clearly working hard to save the life of Marilou Ranario who was sentenced to death for killing her employer in Kuwait. We hope that all these efforts will not go for naught and that the Kuwaiti Supreme Court, who will start hearing on her appeal soon, will look kindly on her situation. Read the full story at the Inquirer:

RP seeks clemency for OFW on Kuwait death row
By Cynthia Balana
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Vice President Noli de Castro and Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo have sought executive clemency for Filipino domestic helper Marilou Ranario as she appeals her death sentence in Kuwait.
Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Ricardo Endaya said in his report to the Department of Foreign Affairs that all three Philippine leaders had made representations with the Kuwaiti ruler to grant Ranario clemency as the Supreme Court there starts hearing her appeal of the lower court’s decision sentencing her to hang for killing her employer.

Ranario lost the case in the Kuwaiti Court of Appeals. Her employer’s family, however, refused to accept her blood money in exchange for her life.

Autistic young man graduates from college

2007-11-12T05:51:00.000+08:00

I can't help but be happy reading this. The Inquirer tells us of this young man with autism spectrum disorder (ASP) who despite all graduated from the Lyceum University with a degree in communications. This is gives us parents of children afflicted with ASP hope in our children's future. Read the full story at the Inquirer.

Autistic man at college graduation details hopes
By Allison Lopez, Jeannette Andrade
Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines--David Michael Lopez, 22, graduated on April 12 from the Lyceum Institute of Technology in Calamba City in Laguna, earning a degree in communications.

“I wanted to communicate,” Lopez said, explaining why he took the course.

He is one proof that being diagnosed as a person with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is not the end of the world.

Only a trained eye can detect traces of autism in David. He looks like any other young man his age, but his life is a shining example of the triumph of perseverance and years of struggle against ASD.

ASD, as defined by the Autism Society of the Philippines (ASP), is a developmental disability that severely hinders the way information is gathered and processed by the brain, causing problems in communication, learning and social behaviors.

At age 3, David was diagnosed with ASD. But through years of education and parental care, he was able to overcome his problem. David told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that the early intervention of his parents was a key.

“There is no cure, but through education and training, autism can be treated,” he said at the close of the two-day national conference at the Philippine Columbian Association in Paco, Manila, on “A Life Journey with Autism: Hope After Diagnosis.”

Marilou's relatives call for help

2007-09-29T00:08:00.000+08:00

I can't help but quote this news article at the Inquirer entitled "Kin send out call to save OFW on death row in Kuwait". I hope more and more people will know about Marilou's fate in Kuwait and feel the urgency of saving her from death. To quote:

She wanted to lift her family from poverty and decided to work in Kuwait as a domestic helper, leaving a potential teaching career in the Philippines.

But the dreams of Marilou Ranario, 35, may no longer find fulfillment after she ended up on death row in Kuwait for allegedly stabbing her employer to death in 2005.

Ranario’s relatives, her neighbors in the village of Holy Spirit, Quezon City and members of Migrante International are now racing against time to try to save her from being executed.

“Our campaign to save her life is about raising public awareness about the greatest heights of exploitation and injustice Marilou and other OFWs on death row suffer,” Migrante International secretary general Maita Santiago told a press conference on Friday.

Ranario has been scheduled for execution in January or February next year.

Another Flor Contemplacion in the making

2007-09-20T01:43:00.000+08:00

I think many of us still remember the tragic execution of Filipina domestic worker Flor Contemplacion in Singapore. It is sad to note that, unless we are able to do our acts together, we may be having a similar tragedy in just a few months from now.

Marilou Ranario, a 33-year old Filipina domestic helper, was sentenced to death by a Kuwaiti court for stabbing her employer, Najat Mahmoud Faraja Mobarack, to death. She is a teacher from Tubod, Surigao del Sur. According to her sister, she complained of abuse and maltreatment by her employer before the tragic incident.

Marilou was sentenced to death on September 28, 2005. The Kuwaiti appeals court rejected her appeal and upheld the death sentence in February 17, 2007. Her case is now pending with the Kuwaiti supreme court.

The latest news is that there are hopes that her sentence could be reduced after the Philippine Embassy convinced the victim's mother and two siblings to forgive her. The embassy is also now convincing the victim's estranged husband and another sibling to forgive our kababayan.

Of course, nothing is certain until there is an official decision to spare Marilou from the death sentence. Already, OFW groups are now campaigning to avert such a disaster. I therefore urge the multitude of Filipino bloggers to join in the effort to save the life of our kababayan.

An inspiration of an award

2007-08-27T14:47:00.000+08:00

It has been a long time since the last time I got to update this blog. Upon my "return", the first order of business is to thank Maia Jose (also known as Manila Mom) of Cafe Romanza for bestowing upon me the Inspiration Blogger Award. She really deserves the award herself, if only for being so helpful to newbie bloggers like me.

She had this to say about me and this blog:

Gibo of Quick and Random: He writes about how his family faces the challenges of early intervention for autism with their son - handsome Roan. His blog is touching and heartwarming. He also writes about various social concerns.

I am very happy for the nice words. I do hope that somehow my writing, may it here at Quick and Random, or at my other blogs, namely, Pinoy Seminars, Bol-anon, Batasayti and Kontrakablag, I am able to inspire even to the littlest extent some souls out there.

With that, I would like to pass on the award to my greatest inspirations: Eu-Leh of Entrepinoys Atbp., Gcol of Pinoy-Negosyo-Techs, as well as the people behind Mag-negosyo, for their very informative blogs, and Selaplana of Pinoy Blogger and Gwen of Thegrapebunch for being very supportive of new bloggers like me.

I'm on the (G) spot

2007-07-07T01:24:00.000+08:00

Manila Mom tagged me with the meme called “In The Spotlight.” Took me time to actually respond but here it is now, me on the g-spot.

---
Created by Christy of Christy’s Coffee Break, this meme contains 12 questions. You may answer all of them, or just pick the ones you like. The rules and complete list of questions are available at Christy’s site.

When did you start blogging?

Know what, I really don’t know. I created an account on Blogger a long time ago and started posting IT news in there. But I didn’t really understand what blogging meant then and actually deleted the whole thing when I sensed that it was just a cut-and-paste nonsense which no one was reading.

Early this year, I got enticed to start my own blog and to really understand blogging when I read about bloggers receiving checks for their blogs. I know, it’s the wrong reason. I have since learned that the checks are actually hard to earn and have grown to appreciate the beauty of blogging instead. So, even if my blogger account has been there for years, I would say I started blogging this year and loving it so far.

What makes your blog unique?

I would say every blog is unique. I maintain several blogs and definitely they are different from everybody else’s. I guess it is because every person has a peculiar vantage point, has his own unique experience of life, and my blogs, especially Pinoy Seminars and Quick and Random, are really expressions of my peculiarity.

Do your moral values affect the way that you blog, and if yes, how?

I am not a good example of a morally upright person but I try to live by certain convictions. I struggle to go by certain principles in life and sometimes they do show in my blogs. I’ve written about some exemplary persons in my blogs and hope that in my own simple ways I am able to emulate them.

Are you a spiritual person?

If the fact that I truly believe in a supernatural being or a creator is being spiritual, then I am. I am not a perfect individual though and have plenty of sins to qualify me for hell. Still, I strive to live a good life and hope that the good in me will triumph in the end.

What are your feelings on the "blog popularity" issue?

I am not so much interested with blog popularity and accept that I am not really that good a blogger/writer to merit so much attention. I am happy enough seeing some 20 something people read my blog while I join thousands who read those really great blogs out there. Needless to say that blog popularity is earned, much like respect.

What is your best quality?

I am a very sharing person. I like to help out. If you read my blogs, you’ll see that I do try to make them useful to others.

What is your worst quality?

My bread and butter is investigation work. I can be very negative about certain things.

What's your favorite childhood memory?

Eating on top of the table when I was about five years old? Dancing “Rock Lobster” at kindergarten? Going fishing with my father every Saturday one summer during my high school days until I turned as black as a kettle? Laughing it out with my high school class/seminary mates? I really can’t tell which one.

If you were stranded on a deserted island what three things would you want to have with you?

A laptop with plenty of battery supply. A satellite phone to reach my wife and kids. A sign saying “do not disturb”.

The End.

---

Thanks again for Manila Mom for tagging me. After quite a long absence, I still do not know who to tag for this meme. I will therefore open this to everyone who wants to do it. Feel free to answer the questions anyone. :)

The Whiterock in Subic

2007-06-24T15:38:00.000+08:00

I first got to visit Whiterock some ten years ago. All I could remember was that the sea there was calm, in fact so calm that you'd think it was a lake. Last week, I got to visit the hotel and resort again and found that my recollection was correct. I guess that is what makes bathing at Whiterock different, a very calming experience.

Whiterock Hotel and Resort is located at Barangay Matain, Subic, Zambales. It is about 2 to 3 hours drive from Manila, and a mere eight minutes ride away from the SBMA. It offers a whole range of recreational facilities including the "calm" beach, swimming pools, outdoor sports facilities like badminton, volleyball and an obstacle course, a mini-golf drive and putting range, a kiddie park, hammocks, and indoor facilities like billiards, table tennis and videoke facilities.

It was so hot last week and our schedule (it was a team-building seminar for us) was hectic. Still, I found the place very enjoyable. I look forward to returning. Hopefully within the next 10 years. :)

Disturbing our seas

2007-06-15T13:07:00.000+08:00

Update: Despite mounting protests, the seismic survey has started and the damage to people's livelihood has begun, as shown by the frontpage of Cebu Daily News.

Three days from now, on June 18, 2007, marine vessel (M/V) Pacific Sword of the NorAsian Energy Ltd. (NAEL) will sail from Palawan to the Cebu-Bohol Strait to conduct a seismic survey for the offshore oil exploration of the South Block, Service Contract 51.

The strait lies between the southern tail of the island of Cebu and Bohol which host various protected areas declared by the national and local government units, including the Cabilao Island, Sandingan Island, and the Panggangan Island Protected Seascape and Landscape.

The strait, particularly the vicinity of Cabilao Island, is considered a marine passage way and hammerhead sharks and marine mammals abound in the area. It is therefore not surprising that dive sites are a plenty in the area. It is also obviously the main source of livelihood of a multituted of fisherfolks in Bohol.

The official notice issued is nothing but ominous. It states, "(F)or safety reasons, all fishing vessels, passenger ferries and commercial vessels are requested to stay 8.5 kilometers away from M/V Pacific Sword to avoid damage to their vessels and fishing equipment. Likewise, the M/V Pacific Sword will be using an energy source submerged in water that will emit sound energy with an intensity of 200 decibels that can harm swimmers and divers within 10 kilometers of the vessel."

Unfortunately, no such notice can be relayed to the marine life at the Cebu-Bohol Strait. This is the main reason why the Bohol Alliance of Non-Government Organizations (BANGON) and some sensible local government officials, are up in arms. Please help them stop this nonsense.

Save the life of Marilou Ranario

2007-06-15T02:02:00.000+08:00

Inquirer.net bannered today a picture (my apologies for the screenshot) of the relatives of Marilou Ranario, a Filipino migrant worker who had been sentenced by a Kuwaiti court to death by hanging for the killing of her employer, carrying placards saying "Save the life of Marilou Ranario".

The picture got my attention as the surname "Ranario" has a Boholano ring to it, at least for me. This is probably because I had seminary-mates before who had that surname. I have found out of course that Marilou is a 33-year old teacher from Tubod, Surigao del Sur who went to Kuwait to work as a domestic helper. According to her sister, she complained of abuse and maltreatment by her employer before the tragic incident.

Marilou is among the at least 35 overseas Filipino workers presently on death row in foreign countries as reported by the Inquirer. What makes her situation worse is that, it seems her deceased employer's family is not willing to take blood money in exchange for her life. I guess we can only echo the words of her relatives, may the good Lord save the life of Marilou Ranario.

1A.D. for the youth of Payatas

2007-06-07T23:47:00.000+08:00

If you set aside one peso a day (1AD), you will have P365 by the end of the year. Not much but enough for some refreshments in a gathering of around ten to twenty youth in an urban poor community like Payatas. The gathering can be a spiritual encounter, a life-coaching session, a livelihood training, or a just a social get-together. No doubt such activities will help the youth reach their full potential.

With this in mind, a group known us Maundy Thursday Servants is soliciting a peso a day, or P365 for a year, to support their mission of reaching out to the youth of Payatas, The group which is registered as a non-stock, non-profit organization af the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), is composed of religious and lay persons, and youth servants, led by Bro. Roland Jaluag, SJ, as president. Their advisers include Fr. Manoling Francisco, SJ, Fr. Jack Caroll, SJ, and Fr. Nilo Tanalega, SJ.

Join thursday_servants@yahoogroups.com to know more about the group. Donations may be deposited at the Bank of Philippine Islands (BPI) under the account name Maundy Thursday Servants, Inc., account no. 3081-1119-78 (Loyola-Katipunan Branch), or through checks in the name of the organization sent to Loyola School of Theology, Ateneo de Manila University, Katipunan, Quezon City, with telephone nos. 4266101 local 3580. Receipts will be issued upon verification of the deposit or receipt of the check.

I feel this is a good opportunity to "feed" our inner selves. Miss out on some unnecessary things and share without fanfare, even with just a few pesos. I am pretty sure you will be doubly compensated in the future.

Youngest Mayor?

2007-05-26T23:00:00.000+08:00

There is an interesting political twist in one of the northern towns of Bohol. Jose Jono Jumamoy was elected mayor of Inabanga, Bohol in the elections held last May 14, 2007. He is the son of third term mayor, Josephine Jumamoy, who was also elected Provincial Board Member of Bohol in the same elections. The twist? Jono is only 21 years old. Already, a local newspaper is speculating that he might just be the youngest mayor in the Philippines.

More twist. Before you cry political dynasty, know that Jono already has a double degree in Management and International Business at Northwood University at West Palm Beach, Florida. He gave up an opportunity to work in the US even after securing a work permit there and a position at the World Bank. He won by over 6,000 votes against his political opponent.

Inabanga is special to me because it is the hometown of my beloved mother. We've attended a lot of family reunions there. Will the town be seeing brighter days? I really hope so. Take note that Inabanga is also the hometown of Francisco Dagohoy, the Boholano who led the longest Philippine revolt against the Spanish rule.

Sale Sale Sale!

2007-05-25T05:53:00.000+08:00

Will Harvey Stay Home?

2007-05-22T16:07:00.000+08:00

Do you remember this email?

“Dear Fellow Filipino... Over the weekend, we saw the completion of two major political alliances for this coming Senate Elections that has just began here in the Philippines . Now we have two political forces with familiar faces nonetheless on opposite sides of the fences... It is with these in mind that I'd like to share with you what are events this coming May elections that will make me consider leaving the Philippines: 1. If former COMELEC Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano of Hello Garci fame wins in his bid to become Congressman of Bukidnon... 2. If Dancing Queen Tessie Aquino Oreta reclaims her seat at the Senate... 3. If Richard Gomez becomes a senator. x x x 4. If Gringo Honasan wins again... 5. If Manny Pacquiao becomes Congressman of General Santos City... 6. If Lito Lapid wins for Mayor of Makati City... 7. If Chavit Singson becomes a Senator... Now if all of these 7 things happen during this coming elections then don't be surprised if I decide to leave this country that I love dearly... Sincerely, Harvey S. Keh Email harveykeh@gmail.com”

Mr. Keh's letter was heavily circulated before the May 14 elections. It showed his obvious frustration with the Philippine electorate who in the past have been so forgiving and undiscriminating. By the way things are going now, it seems the Philippine electorate has redeemed itself a bit. Garcillano, Oreta, Gomez, Pacquiao, Lapid and Singson lost. Only Honasan remains to have a chance.

Add to that the victories of non-traditional politicians like Fr. Panlilio of Pampanga and "me thinks" Harvey might just be staying home.

A Wedding in the Family

2007-05-11T13:44:00.000+08:00

I went home to Bohol last weekend to attend the wedding of my sister Ynelle to Al, her bf for a few years now. The wedding was held at the St. Isidore Parish Church, a church which our father helped renovate. The mass and the marriage ceremony was con-celebrated by 5 priests including 2 who were close friends of ours. Relatives, friends, and acquaintances were there to witness the ceremony.

For once, there was no crying. I guess people felt Ynelle and Al are a perfect match. As mentioned in the homily, theirs is a "spiritual" love story. They first met in a bible sharing session and their relationship was nurtured by my sister's continuing service as a lector in church while Al worked as a seaman abroad. In fact, most of the marriage preparations were done with the help of fellow church workers, who like us, wish and pray for blessed married life to the two of them.

Funny thing. I, the younger brother, both in age and actual maturity, had to stand as "parent" in place of our father who passed away two years ago. It would have been funnier had our mother, still recovering from a stroke she had also two years go, agreed to "walk" the aisle with my sister on her new shiny wheelchair. That would been dramatic.

Despite my "ceremonial" role, I still found time to take some pictures of the event. It was another chance for me to practice my digital photography skills. Using Sony Cybershot, that is. You can see the pics at Flickr. Please feel free to comment.

PCIJ reports about Bohol barangay

2007-05-01T13:12:00.000+08:00

Avigail M. Olarte writes about life in barangay Magsaysay, Sevilla, Bohol and how little life has changed for the people there through all the years, both in war and in peace. The barangay, which almost a decade ago was the site of constant clashes between the New People's Army (the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines) and Armed Forces of the Philippines, and which has been declared "free" from insurgents, continue to top all poverty indicators for barangays that you can think of.

This serves as a grim reminder to our dear politicians in Bohol, especially those now running for positions in the coming May 2007 elections. We have always wondered why Bohol, with all its resources and woderful tourist destinations, continue to be among the poorest provinces in the country. It's time for them to finally face the issue and to really commit to addressing the problem. Otherwise, we might end up seeing the last of the people's frustration, and the beginning of their anger. Read the full report at pcij.org.

It is time to listen

2007-04-30T17:28:00.000+08:00

Autism Speaks created a music video of the Five for Fighting song, "World", which features images of autistic children and their families. It is a truly moving video. The message is out there, we need to listen. Click here to see and listen to the video/song.

"One in 150 children is diagnosed with autism. A new case is diagnose every 20 minutes. One in 94 boys is on the autism spectrum. Autism is the fastest growing developmental disability in the US (probably the same in other countries like the Philippines). There is no medical detection or cure for autism."

What kind of world do we want?

"A world where no family has to live with autism. A world in which a mom can hear her autistic child say I love you. A world that doesn’t judge an individual with autism. Autism Speaks wants a world where autism is a word in the history books."

Things you can do with vote-buying money

2007-04-28T23:04:00.000+08:00

I have always found problematic the church's often repeated position on vote-buying which says "accept the money but vote according to your conscience".

One, who will your conscience choose if both the administration and the opposition, even independents, distribute money on the eve of the election? Second, who will your conscience vote for when the candidates being carried the political parties were in the first place chosen mainly on basis of how much they can "contribute" to the campaign? Third, even if politicians who distribute money lose, they don't really think that they lost because the people voted according to their conscience. No, knowing them, they'd think they did not spend enough.

Which is why, in the succeeding election, they will be back with even bigger money to distribute. We therefore as a people need to be more emphatic with our rejection of vote buying. Today, I begin a list of what you can do with vote-buying money in order to deliver our message to politicians and to the major political parties. Try these:

Paste the money bills and the usual sample ballot which comes with them on a cartolina with huge bold letters saying "HUWAG TULARAN" and post on your gate
Place the money bills with sample ballots of opposing candidates in an envelop with the words "sinong pipiliin ko ngayon?" and drop in the "kolekta" of the morning mass on the day of the election
When you vote on election day, secretly insert in your official ballot the money bills plus the sample ballot you received, with the name of the person who gave it to you, the time and the circumstance written on the back, and drop in the ballot box
Scan the money bills and the sample ballot and attach the file to an email and send, with explanation, as a chain letter for continuous forwarding until it reaches the email address of the politician's children
Upon receiving the money bills with the attached sample ballot, convince the courier to pose for a "ceremonial turnover" picture-taking and send the picture, with writeup, to the community section of your local newspaper

More to come. I encourage others to do their own list too and tell me about it by posting a comment here. Of course, I understand it will take guts to do any of the things listed here, but until we'd muster enough courage, we will continue to suffer this unclean election then corrupt government cycle over and over again. What do you think?

Camila Gabrielle

2007-04-23T22:53:00.000+08:00

She was named after my mother, her lola Mila. The "Gabrielle" is a consuelo de bobo to me the father. I really wanted to name our second kid "Gibraltar", as in the Rock of Gibraltar. But alas, instead of a son, we got a daughter. We named her Camila Gabrielle.

Sometimes, we feel guilty that our attention is often consumed by our son Roan and we hardly get to play with Camille. Still, you cannot but adore her. She is now a year and 4 months old, quick to her feet, generous with her bedimpled smile, and already showing some attitude, like shrieking to get your attention or to rush you to get things, like water or milk or whatever.

What can I say, we were twice blessed with beautiful kids. Our task now is to provide for their needs, and to shepherd them into the ways of the good and honest. May God help us. :)

Julia's Blog

2007-04-19T09:12:00.000+08:00

We've all heard about the blog posts of students regarding the tragic shooting and death of 32 at Virginia Tech University. Here in the Philippines, blogging jumped into the news also because of Julia Campbell, a US Peace Corps volunteer who went missing around 10 days ago in a barangay in Bananue, Ifugao, right in the area of the world famous rice terraces.

Yesterday, a body was found just 30 meters away from path which tourists usually take, and which appeared to have been hastily buried. In all likelihood, it is the body of the US Peace Corps volunteer. Last night, a tv news program reported about her blog and how it gives us a glimpse into her mind.

Searched for the blog this morning and found it downright haunting. In the heading she dedicates her blog to "those who could not be convinced to follow me into the Peace Corps" and welcomed them to her new adventures here in the Philippines. Her last post is entitled "buhay pa tayo".

From her blog, it appears that she's been here for some time, knows how to speak Filipino, was in her apartment in Legaspi, flooded up to the her waistline, when typhoon Reming ravaged the Bicol area and later on troubled by activities of the famous Mayon Volcano. She even wrote about the visit of her parents who took the time to see what she's been doing here.

No doubt she's a good person. It is so sad that her stay here in the Philippines had to end in death, possibly violent. For those curious, read her blog at Julia in the Philippines. Please don't forget to say a prayer for her after.

When children become adults

2007-04-16T02:35:00.000+08:00

Or more specifically, what happens when autistic children become adults. This is something that us parents will probably agonize on for the rest of our lives.

There is Gabby who was misdiagnosed for years and had to go through school from elementary to high school to college, and then work for years only to get dismissed, before he was correctly diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrom, a form of high-functioning autism. At 46, he has photographic memory, can draw a portrait in less than five minutes, but dreads parties and finds falling in love and telling jokes perplexing.

There is also Mikki who at 22 dances with arms flapping and swinging left and right whenever and whereever she hears bouncy music, drawing stares and sneers from our fellow Filipinos. When she becomes aware of these stares, she throws a tantrum, beats her head and bites the back of her hands which is now heavily scarred. This unkind attention pains her mother who tells us that in Switzerland, where they lived for 14 years, people left Mikki alone, apparently aware of her condition.

There is Gabe, now 20, a library science college student at the Centro Escolar University who was talking in sentences as early as 2 years old but started talking less and less and diagnosed with autism at 3. He then went to a diagnostic program, had therapy sessions, and went to a regular public school in the United States where they lived. Her father said his condition forced them to stay there longer in the US because they realized that the Philippines is 50 years behind in teaching kids with autism and other disabilities.

And there is Francis, a 17 year old with autism, who got away from his mother Aling Ruby at SM Megamall and tried to go into a movie theater showing a Harry Potter film only to get bullied by the cinema security for trying to get in without paying. He was turned over to the mall security who kicked him out of the mall. He drifted for 15 hours around the area while his mother went crazy looking for him.

Despite his condition and all other obstacles, our goal is for our child to be independent and for him to reach his full potential. Already we are seeing good signs. But we are aware that this can very well be a lifelong battle for us, a battle in the sense that there is very little help and understanding out there from Philippine society.

Talk about autism

2007-04-12T08:39:00.000+08:00

As a parent, I needed to know about autism quickly. I found out that autism is a developmental disability that severely hinders the way information is gathered and processed by the brain, causing problems in communication, learning and social behavior. It typically appears during the child's first three years, in roughly 15 to 20 of every 10,000 births, and is four times more common in males than females.

One time I attended a family support session held by the Autism Society of the Philippines (ASP) and the parents there generally agreed that the problem with autism is that the affected children look normal, pretty much like every other kid you know. No doubt this one of the reasons why some parents remain in denial for quite some time, delaying much needed intervention.

For kids affected with autism, language develops slowly or not at all. They use words without attaching the usual meaning them and gestures to communicate to others. They also have short attention span. As to social interaction, they spend time alone rather than with others, show very little interest in making friends and are less responsive to social cues such as eye contact or smiles.

Kids affected with autism have unusual reactions to physical sensations such as being overly sensitive to touch or under-responsive to pain. Their sight, hearing, touch, pain, smell, taste may be affected to a lesser or greater degree. They also do not exhibit spontaneous or imaginative play, do not imitate other's actions and do not initiate pretend games.

As an aid in the diagnosis of autism, Prof. J. Rendle-Short of the University of Queensland Brisbane Children's Hospital, Australia, designed a checklist of 14 behavioral signs and symptoms. No single item is significant alone but if a child exhibits 7 or more of the traits, a diagnosis should be seriously considered. See the checklist here.

To know more about autism, visit the website of the Autism Society of the Philippines (ASP) and this website by a parent who is affected with autism. Illustration above was taken from the ASP website.

Our Roan

2007-04-08T13:55:00.000+08:00

My wife always teases me that one day, she's going to tell Roan my first reaction after I saw him the first time after birth. I was trying not to say it then but I couldn't help but ask my wife "Ba't ganun itsura?"

That was because when I first saw our baby boy he did look dark and kinky. It was only after several peeks at the hospital's nursery room did I realize that my son was quite a looker. And he did grow up to be a goodlooking kid. One time we brought him to the Quezon Memorial Circle and some adoring woman said to my wife, "Siguro foreigner parents nyan, ano". I guess she thought we were the yayo, yaya!

Roan brought us joy we have never felt before. At around nine months, he started to stand and and walk. Or should I say, run. Before reaching two years, he was humming the classical tracks of his favorite CD. I remember one time he even hummed the national anthem from start to finish. I was set to brag that our Roan learned to sing even before he uttered a single word.

Until, we had him checked by a developmental pediatrician. At around two years old, he was still not able to say "mama" or "papa", something which comes naturally to almost every other kid. He also did not have eye contact. He watched television oblivious to anyone else, even if you shout out his name. He used gestures instead of words in telling us what he wants. That was the first time we were told of the possibility of autism.

But God really knows. Years back, I got to know through the Internet the president of the Philippine Association of Speech Pathologists. I got to chat with her one time and I ended up helping her put up a website for their organization. As soon as I learned about Roan's condition, I immediately sought advice.

Thus, unlike other kids with similar condition, Roan had the opportunity of early intervention. He has been undergoing speech and occupational therapy since then and have been making great progress. At four, he already has a rich vocabulary, knows his letters, numbers, shapes and colors, and to say please for things he wants. Lately, he even says hi to people he meets. Now, that's something for a kid with autism.

Sign of the Cross

2007-04-07T07:06:00.000+08:00

Come to think of it, it is quite funny why we make that extra motion of touching our chins after making the sign of the cross. It is funny because, if asked what is that for, it is very likely that very few if not none of us will be able to give a sensible reply. We seem to do it by force of habit, but for no known reason. Or so I thought.

Our recollection master this Holy Week, a young SVD priest assigned to do mission work at the tip-most part of Palawan, finally gave a plausible explanation. He told us that, during the Spanish times, believers were taught to make the sign of the cross by crossing their forefingers and their thumbs to form a small cross and touching that small cross on their foreheads, breasts, right shoulders and left shoulders, after which they were told to kiss the small cross with their lips.

The explanation actually gave deep meaning to what I have been doing mindlessly for years. Kissing the cross represents one of the key teachings of Christ. It reminds us that there are harsh things in life that we need to accept with humility and forgiveness. These are our crosses and kissing them makes us like Him, if only for a little bit.

How not to visit a mall

2007-03-04T00:47:00.000+08:00

It was my first time to visit the SM Mall of Asia. It's been a long time since the mall opened but I haven't really had to chance to see it. What a way to see it for the first time. I went there to scout for an activity we were going to have the next day. So I was more concerned about the floor plan, the entrances, the exits, which way to go, and things like that. Good thing I have pictures to look at again. See them here.

Petty thoughts

2007-02-16T16:53:00.000+08:00

We named our first pet dog Vivian. Yes, after the female lead of that Korean telenovela of the “aja” fame. Vivian, with thick brown hair, was given to us by one of my wife’s officemates when she was just a puppy. She grew up to be a lovely, playful pet.

For one reason or another though, Vivian was afraid of being touched. She would immediately run around once you attempted to hold her. Thus, we were unable to bring her to the vet and have her vaccinated. Eventually, this became the cause of her death.

This playful dog, who likes to run around and tease people passing by, soon became the worry of neighbors. They would later insist that the poor dog be disposed of. One night, she was shot for our neighbors’ peace of mind.

But before Vivian passed away, she left us with two puppies. Originally there were three but we lost one because of disease. Galis actually. In fact, there were times when we thought that the remaining two would die also after having been emasculated by the disease.

With the help of the Bureau of Animal Industry the two puppies survived. They now stand guard at our gate, healthy and strong. We have not named them, unlike Vivian. Still we are happy and consider them part of the family.

About three weeks ago, one of them bore four brown puppies. Lovely puppies. We plan to keep them until we can have them vaccinated at their third month. Then, we’d be glad to give them to interested and responsible pet owners.

Loboc River Cruise

2007-01-31T22:46:00.000+08:00

One of the things you should not miss when you go to Bohol is the Loboc River Cruise. It is an hour or so boat ride upstream the Loboc River, from a point near the Loboc Church, up to what seems to be the beginning of the river, which is a short waterfall people call the "busai", then downstream again back to the point where the cruise started.

You can enjoy the cruise either on board a floating restaurant where eat-all-you can food is served with on-board entertainment provided by homegrown talents singing "welcome, to my native land" in undeniably Visayan accent, for just P250, or on boats big enough to accommodate whole families or groups, for P500.

Along the way, you will get to appreciate the uninterrupted "greenness" of the vegetation on the mountains along the river. The houses on the banks of the river vividly reminds you of the idyllic life in the province, a great contrast to the worries and chaos of city life. The experience is given an exclamation point once you see kids swinging on vines from the banks and plunging into the brownish water for a quick tourist-applauded swim.

At some point, the width of the river itself becomes the feast of the eyes. For those who've seen Cesar Montano's Panaghoy sa Suba, this is where they shot that scene where Cesar paddles his boat on a river so wide with nothing but green in the background. Trust me, the scene is more beautiful than it was in the movie.

At the "busai", where water rush down a short waterfall, townsmen on rafts provide music and entertainment while the boat rides stop for a few minutes. This is a quite a treat from the town which is the home of the famous Loboc Children's Choir. I wouldn't be surprised if on board those rafts are some fathers and mothers of those kids who have been given standing ovations in their performances in Europe and the United States.

Words are not enough to capture the experience. Not even pictures. I invite you to take the ride yourselves and feel the beauty of it. It is so cheap to go there anyway. It is just a P24 peso ride (if I recall it correctly) from Island City Mall, one of the malls in Tagbilaran City.

My first e-Bay sale

2007-01-22T08:45:00.000+08:00

If I am not wrong, I started using the net in 1997. My use then was limited to sending and checking emails, browsing the web, and yeah, a lot of chatting. After a year or so, I was already experimenting with building websites. For our office, for our organization, for whatever. I remember I met someone online who requested me to help build a website for their organization. Built it using MS Word's save as html function. She was pretty happy with it then. Now, years later, here I am experimenting again, this time with auction sites. And, hopefully within this week, I am going to consummate my first sale at www.ebay.com.ph with a PCMIA card that I don't need anymore. Another milestone for a non-techie like me. I wonder what else can I sell there. :)

Birthday thoughts

2007-01-20T06:10:00.000+08:00

I don't exactly have clear memories of my early childhood. I just have this one picture in my mind of a family dinner when I was around 5 or 6 years old. I was up there sitting at one end of the table while everyone else was trying to convince me to eat. Not exactly a spectacular sight now that we have two kids who also have to be "convinced" to even swallow a bit of whatever.

After so many years, things have come around. There was a time when our parents worried to death that we'd fall from tables and cabinets we were not supposed to climb, that we'd choke from the things we were not supposed to swallow, or that we'd slam ourselves against the concrete walls. We didn't have the slightest idea then of whatever danger there was. Now, it is our turn to worry.

Not easy but parenting do remind us of what our parents had to go through to keep us breathing and alive, through all those years. It reminds us of how much love came our way without us giving much thought about it. Come to think of it, it reminds us of the beauty of life, that people out there genuinely cared and continue to care for us.

My thoughts and prayers now are with them, my parents. I wouldn't be here now running after my hyper-active four year old boy and savoring the giggles of our one year old daughter, if not for them. My thanks to them and to the Creator who gave them to me.

The Black Nazarene

2007-01-07T14:25:00.000+08:00

It's January once again and one of the first images we encounter in this time of the year is the picture of the sea of devotees during the annual procession of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo. All this time I thought the icon was just the creative output of some Catholic artist who tried to come up with a symbol which we dark-colored Filipinos can relate to. I guess I was wrong.

At Inquirer.net today, I read that the annual procession really commemorates the first procession to transfer the image from a church in Intramuros to the present St. John de Baptist Church in Quiapo on Jan. 9, 1767. The John de Baptist Church is now also known as Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene.

The Basilica was named after the image of the Nazarene which arrived from Mexico earlier in Manila, in 1607, on board a ship that had caught fire. Reportedly, the image did not entirely escape the blaze, resulting in its charcoal color.

Since then and until now, the image's color somehow helped put in context its meaning to Filipinos, then the prime object of Catholic evangelization by Spanish missionaries in this part of the world.

“Somehow, Filipinos, because of our brown skin, get to identify with the color of the Black Nazarene,” Msgr. Josefino Ramirez, rector of the basilica, was quoted by the Inquirer. “To many of the devotees, He is the Filipino version of Jesus Christ,” he said.

From Inquirer.net:
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines...