Inspiring Living

Inspiring Living

A personal essay dedicated to the egroup readers on the 2004 Christmas Holiday against the backdrop of tragedies that have struck Quezon, Aurora and the islands surrounding Indian Ocean and the sudden death of the icon of the underdogs, FPJ. Influenced by the homilies of the Simbang Gabi novena at the Gesu in Loyola and the volunteer work done by mountaineers inInfanta (MFPI) and Gabaldon (Loyola Mountaineers).

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Amidst the difficulties and the tragedies we faced this December 2004,there is hope.It may not be the best period to celebrate Christmas but it is during these moments when we need to hear again the reason for the Christmas season,which is the fulfillment of the promise of redemption.

We commiserate with the residents of Quezon and Aurora who survived the flash flood that hit their provinces, to the families of the over 63,000who died in the tsunami that hit the Asian countries along the coastline of the Indian Ocean and to the legion of fans of FPJ who lost their symbol ofthe underdog.

Experiencing tragedies in this magnitude, sympathy is not enough. Thus we hear about more responsible citizens rendering services and donating relief goods heeding cries for assistance. Those of us in the pleasant company of our family connected online and read emails should go beyond sympathizingand donating. We must inspire those who survived the tragedies to keep on living and to continue dreaming. Let us spot that window where we can implant a reason for them to continue to live.

Spread that light of hope this Christmas. Not to forget that it starts with us.

May pasko pa rin!

-Chito Razon 29Dec04

Is Katutubong Elvis Relevant at this Time?

Is Katutubong Elvis Relevant at this Time?

Why stage a concert party when the east coast is still in the searchand rescue mode and not even in the initial stages of recovery? The mountaineering community at the very least should condole and console with the victims and pester the loggers whether legal or not `til they realize their wrongdoing. Why continue with Elvis even if it is on its 11th year providing the climbing crowd its distinctparty format only they can understand?

Romy Lee should continue with the concert this Friday at the UPLagoon because it is an event that has nearly achieved itsinstitutionalized status in Diliman. The mountaineering icons shouldat least be maintained so ensure their presence tomorrow even if thereare no more forests at the rate we are stripping them off.

Go to UP Friday night. Because it can still be relevant. It willpay tribute to the first batch of rescue volunteers in Infanta andNakar, Dingalan and Gabaldon who if not everyone knows aremountaineers. They risked lives and vulnerability struggling withthe restless spirits wanting to get settled. Katutubong Elvis in acasual way will forge solidarity with those present on theindignation against the rape of our forests.

Who wouldn't want to be in UP Lagoon when the guys who went to theeast were the same ones putting up the fences and shoveling the areafor the named artists who are performing only out of goodwill forRomy. Why, even beer was not arranged as of ingress time because the boys are still recovering. But with a little alignment, beer will beavailable.MFPI is supporting the concert says Casper.

The least we can do is to be therethis year. So when on the spot a singer composes an indignation songagainst loggers, it will at least be heard. Kita kits.

chito. razon 10dec04.

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RAKENROL NAMAN TAYO!!!

Elvis is alive! He lives with our indigenous brothers!! Rock withhim and many other bands this Friday.Please come to the "KATUTUBONG ELVIS" concert this Friday, December10 at 8:00 in the evening at the UP Diliman Lagoon area. Invite yourfriends and loved ones. This will be one heck of a rocking good time.Tickets are reasonably prices at P 100.00 each (available through me,Dennis, or at the UP Mountaineers' tambayan.) We promise a good lineup of bands.Beer (and soft drinks, and food, and so much more) will be sold atthe venue.Partial lineup of bands includes:Asin, Tropical Depression, Pinikpikan, Pan, Makiling Ensemble, Jr.,Kilat, Joey Pepe Smith, Jeepney Joyride, Skabeche, Narda, Brockas,The Mongols, Peacepipe, Romeo Lee and the Brown Briefs, and many,many more kickass bands.Thank you. Thank you very much.For more ticket information, please reply to this email "denshowman"<aap_dlopez@g...>

==================Tuesday, January 13, 2004 12:45 AM

Decoding Da Vinci with Romeo Lee By TOTEL DE JESUS

If there's one peaceful soul out there who has successfully defiedthe laws of high society and nature, it can only be punk musician-visual artist Romeo Lee.In some circles, Lee is popularly known as the lead vocalist of therock band The Brown Briefs. Just recently, he organized the well-attended concert Elvis for President at University of the Philippines-Diliman as tribute to The King -- then again, without alluding to DaKing running for president.With consistent irreverence to pop culture, his solo exhibits havetraversed the unconventional and humorous. His first solo outing wasthe intriguingly titled HIStolee, which was held simultaneously withMichael Jackson's HIStory concert in Parañaque City more than adecade ago. There have been many other high-profile outings since,including last year's kick-ass Lee Almighty (after Jim Carrey's BruceAlmighty) with internationally acclaimed Filipino visual artist andformer UP classmate Manuel Ocampo.Opening the year at Finale Art Gallery in SM Megamall, Lee goes soloagain with MonayLeeSa, which obviously alludes to Leonardo da Vinci'smasterpiece. Lee explores in 36 oil paintings the various aspects ofbeing -- oh, well, Romeo Lee.Mallrats passing by the gallery can't help but notice the new versionof da Vinci's mysterious lady. Students, especially those majoring infine arts, can be seen entering the gallery and immediately gigglingover Lee's paintings. Not that they found them ridiculous but it'sthe kind of glee that only Lee can provide to the young through hisworks.Most noticeable among the works is Sadako Ini, whose subject is takenfrom a character in the Japanese classic horror flick The Ring. Leemanaged to mix the image of da Vinci's lady and Sadako, giving it aVisayan twist. Another is titled Twitty in the Big City, which hasdictator Adolf Hitler being "sucked" by a bird.There are many versions of MonayLeeSa but more conspicuous is the onetitled MonayLeeSa (backview), where the "model's" back is, indeed,depicted with details of the skull, blood vessels, brain section andanything you might see in a head autopsy. More self-explanatorymasterpieces include Lee Chon (after roasted pig), Oil Lee andHealthy Options (after that popular store of all-natural healthproducts).There is an intriguing small painting called NTTHBDIWNHTBDA. It hasnothing to do with texting lingo or a military code that can startanother spectacle at Edsa, but it actually suggests Lee's message tothe legion of fence-sitters in the art world, especially thepretentious lot whose only achievement is having a bloodstreamconsistently saturated with cannabis, nicotine and alcohol, theirhair deliberately grown long and unkempt for all the chicks -- andart critics -- to gush over what is nothing more than an "artist ako,pare" façade.But we're not giving out what those letters mean but you can find outby going to Finale Art Gallery and check out MonayLeeSa, which runsuntil January 18. Because some of the aforementioned pieces are soldalready, Lee promises to include more new paintings -- which, as ofthis writing, are still being conceptualized in his fertile mind.Please send your comments or feedback to newsfeedback@a...TODAY

Luzon East Coast

East Coast of South Luzon

Lost Grounds

Lost Grounds

The loss is more than a loss of destination for adventure lovers. It is a take on centuries of time, resources and worst of all lives. It is a deprivation not only of the affected communities but also of the whole nation.

Polilio, Infanta, Real in Quezon and Dingalan, Gabaldon, Baler in Aurora by land seem worlds' apart. To get to Polilio, you take the Rizal, Laguna route entering Siniloan. Gateway to Gabaldon and Baler is Bulacan and Nueva Ecija just way off Cabanatuan. Looking at the Luzon map, both places are at the east coast of the Philippines connected by the Sierra Madre range and the Pacific Ocean. Linked to Infanta and Baler farther North is Palanan Isabela but little is known about the place as it is not accessible by land. (This may be just the last frontier.)

Once upon a time, both places are alternative destinations to the highly commercialized and populated beaches of Batangas, Cavite and Zambales. In the 90's Quezon and Aurora fit the Lonely Planet's character of a travel adventure: remote, exotic, natural and still accessible.

Then, only trucks, 4X4s can bring you to the east coast. Reaching the ocean takes hours of bumpy ride if not days. With the road infrastructure initiated by the government in the mid 90's, these places have become accessible via almost any type of vehicle. Real has become the favorite of cyclists and motored bikers and trike riders. Baler became popular as the surfing capital made popular by Action Asia and Apocalypse Now. Initially I thought these roads were meant to bring the produce of the remote dwellers closer to the center with these eco tourism benefits just trimmings. Only after Yoyong and Winnie did I realize that these roads were meant to speed up the denudation of the forests. Cut trees can easily be transported to the mainstream and out of the country.

Like most outdoor lovers, we received this tragedy with sadness, despair and even helplessness. Once, our pristine playgrounds that give us natural high have now become danger grounds. One is no longer safe. Even a drizzle can now kill. Little did we know that the flash floods that claimed the lives of 6 "excursionists/campers" in Siniloan in November 2000 was just a foreboding of the damage that has been done to our forests; denudation beyond the threshold which will no longer hold the soils and the water.

Seeing the aerial coverage of the news stations and hearing the personal accounts of friends who attempted to trek through broken roads and ridges in mud and water, the message is clear. There are no more resources for us to relish in our lifetime. All have been lost.

We lost our playground. We have fewer destinations to go to. A small price compared to the livelihood and lives lost. And nothing compared to the loss of time and natural resources.

Has our crusading been totally useless? I hope not.

chito.razon 8dec04

sana po nagustuhan niyo ang sinulat ko.

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From: Kyamer
Date: Wed Dec 8, 2004 6:29 pm
Subject: Re: [palmc] Lost Grounds

Hey Chits,

Good job! Ang tanong sino ba sa e-group na ito ang active na nag-babasa ng mga literary works mo?

Eh article na sa Trailnotes ang ginawa mo, husay mo talaga. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all.

Kyamer

From: "WARREN"
Date: Thu Dec 9, 2004 1:52 pm
Subject: Re: Lost Grounds

Well said po mr. chito razon, but its not too late, the focus right now has shifted to our so called playgrounds, its time for us to step-up,


From: john fortes
Date: Thu Dec 9, 2004 11:25 am
Subject: Re: [mfpi] Lost Grounds

Chito,

Well said. This represents the voices that were never heard. All along, nature is proving us correct. Dont despair or even give up. For as long that there is a single tree and a single mountaineer standing - hope is not lost.

John


From: Noel Galang
Date: Thu Dec 9, 2004 12:03 pm
Subject: Re: [mfpi] Lost Grounds

that was heartfelt, thanks!


From: ruby egido
Date: Thu Dec 9, 2004 12:10 pm
Subject: Re: [mfpi] Lost Grounds

right sir, as long as there are seedlings to plant our mountains, we mountaineers are here will extend our helping hand.


From: marilet dalde
Date: Thu Dec 9, 2004 5:18 pm
Subject: Re: [mfpi] Re: Lost Grounds

no time should be wasted, no time for the arguments who's to blame, let us act now.


Date: Thu, 09 Dec 2004 09:21:28 +0800
From: Rosendo COMPETENTE
Subject: Re: [mfpi] Lost Grounds

tochs, nagustuhan ko po ang sinulat nyo.

sayang nga, dahil di pa ako nakapasyal sa real, infanta at dingalan.

btw, kayo rin po ba si tochsr@gmail.com?

rgds,
dong


Date: Wed, 8 Dec 2004 06:14:55 -0800 (PST)
From: roy manarez
Subject: NAGUSTUHAN KO
To: tochs@pacific.net.ph

Sir Chito,

Hi! Kumusta na? Nagustuhan ko ang email message mo dahil nakikita ko. Nagustuhan ko dahil totoo. Ewan ko ba kung kailan magigising ang mga tao sa paanan ng bundok at govt. natin.

Baliwala na ang bundok na malapit sa Manila. Doon na sila napunta sa malayo. Wala ng clean up at tree planting. Meron man, mas malaki pa rin ang illegal logging at mas malakas pa rin ang govt.

See you sa March 2005.

Keep in touch.

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Go East, Surf and Trek in Baler Aurora Oct 1998
http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Shores/4033/art22.html

Go East May 1997
http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Shores/4033/art5.html