ABC STARS Inspires

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” - Mark Twain A SUITCASE was built to last in the early days. I was an eager young traveler with my family waiting for the bus at the terminal. I sat on the suitcase. That is the oldest recollection of one of my trips to distant Manila. However, I saw in old photo albums that even as a toddler, I was riding the Bicol Express. The coach wagon was splendid. Wow! We were traveling in style. Sadly, there were years when the Bicol Express was kaput so we had to take the bus. During those times every trip took a whole night from sleepy Naga to bustling Manila. Snacks were served making the trip pleasant. I held the cold orange juice packed in a pyramid shaped carton in my small hands with sheer joy. And yes, there was a...

Photo by cc IMAGINE you are thirsty and traveling on a desert, and you see something that might just quench your thirst. Unfortunately it is just a mirage. Oxford dictionary defines it as an optical illusion caused by atmospheric conditions, especially the appearance of a sheet of water in a desert or on a hot road caused by the refraction of light from the sky by heated air. I coined the term ‘modern mirage’ to refer to the virtual reality that we are all too familiar with. Everything has a quality of being ambivalent. To put it simply, this phenomenon can either be good or bad. As I type this piece I am reminded about the strides that have been taken in terms of communication technology. Gone are the days of typing laboriously on a typewriter. While doing this I toggle and research supportive data on the world wide web. This same innovation has preserved countless trees and help in the conservation of the environment. Also, I am grateful to this modern matrix that hel...

Atty. Jesus Antonio Matamorosa Carpio H eaven as depicted in the world of creativity. “Cloud nine” referred to by some. Reality check: it was just the indigo sky full of fluffy cumulus clouds. And, I was seated next to my boss, a former high ranking government official. He was a Director and I was the aide-de-camp. A dmittedly, I enjoyed everything about being a trusted chief of staff. All I had to do was make sure he was well taken care of which means I had to do my homework. The scope of my responsibilities entailed knowledge of vital details. We were frequent flyers. Baggage must be protected as essential documents are kept inside. The time of flight departure and arrival as well as contingencies for delay or cancellation were duly noted. Travel to and from the airport to the destination should seamlessly happen like clockwork. P erks of this duty were rewarding. When you were with a VIP the chances of rubbing elbows with the same crowd was expected. Although later...

Photo by cc LIKE everyone else who bought or was given a camera/camera phone as a gift, I started from scratch. I just knew one thing, you focus the camera, fit the subject in the screen, click and voila- a picture. So I began to explore and experiment in the art of photography and eventually I started getting compliments about the photos I have taken. I have no plans of becoming a professional photographer but I actually received an invitation and became a member of an artistic photography group based in Southern California, United States of America. Here are twelve helpful tips on how to become savvy in shooting pictures: 1. Read Review Research Let’s start simple. Read the product information written in the manual or guide. Review the features of your equipment. Know everything about the product and its specifications. And if you need more pizzazz, research in the internet. Google it. 2. Lighting Light illuminates everything so that everything will be...

Photo by cc A BLAST from the past: I remember way back in high school at the Ateneo de Naga while sitting in a class listening to my History teacher, he said something that was etched to the core of my mind. He was actually reminiscing about how pristine and beautiful the Naga River was during his younger days. The waters of the river was so clean then that if you drop a one peso coin into the river you could still see it at the bottom. Well those were days gone by. A historic part of an era just resurrected every time older people would tell stories to the younger generations. That is certainly not the case right now. The Naga River is greenish brown and murky almost like mud. It could be worse though like the Pasig River but if you drop a one peso coin into the river you will not see it and you will have a difficult time finding it. No sir. If you don’t have the patience looking for it you have lost your money. If there is a cleanliness contest in all places I have been to...

Photo by cc I REMEMBER my late grandfather telling us one time during a meal at the table that we should take time for eating. And he elaborated that it applies in every aspect that we do in life. From home, to school, workplace and every place we are in, time is a factor. Growing up with this culture of time at home prepared me in daily situations and circumstances in my life.

Photo by cc EVERYTHING happens for a reason. Even the fall of a leaf is part of God’s grand design of His creation. Every circumstance is orchestrated. May I invite you to an article of alliteration. Thru this we will try to unravel some mysteries surrounding the biggest Marian devotion in Asia. Our Lady of Peñafrancia seen from a refreshing new perspective. There is a beautiful coincidence that this feast happens in the heart of Bicol. The center of the region which is Naga. If you would examine the eleven-letter-word Peñafrancia you will discover that its center is the letter ‘r’. It will be revealed before the end of this literary piece the significant word which starts with this letter at the center of the word of our topic. There must be a beautiful meaning why the Traslacion bringing the Image of Ina to the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral, from The Shrine happens on a road. Then the nine day novena begins. And again there must be a wonderful reason why the Fluvial Procession...