Bisita Bikelesia

Advanced Bisita Bikelesia 15 churches on Holy Tuesday usually done on a Holy Thursday

We offer ourselves as an expression of our love and gratitude for suffering and dying for us for our redemption

Acknowledging the almighty

Saying thanks

Asking for forgiveness

Praying for interventions for intentions

1.Our Lady of Pentecost Parish

2. St. Camillius Formation Chapel

3. Congreration of the Passion of Jesus Christ

4. St. Camillius Provinciate Chapel

5. Cenacle Sisters

6. Holy Family Crusade Chapel

7. Sta. Maria Della Strada Parish Church

8. Nuestra Señora dela Paz y Buen Viaje Parish Matandang Balara

9. Parish of the Holy Sacrifice UP Diliman

10. Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Claret

11. Holy Family Parish Kamias

12. Nativity of the Lord Parish Ermin Garcia

13. Parish of St. Joseph Aurora Boulevard

14. Our Lady of Miraculous Medal Project 4

15. Real Monasterio De Sta Clara Katipunan

Kasama ang mga bisitang taga Bacoor, Kubaw, Kamuning

EDSA Myerkules Santo

 Nalusot sa drainage sa tapat ng Megamall

Di naiwasan sa umaapaw na tao sa kalye at bike lane

Pati motor riders bike lane na ang daan sa dami ng sasakyan

Kaya naipit ang likod

Na flat di naman nasemplang

Grabe ang mga bikers na dumadaan nagungumusta nagaalala

Kuya, 'tay bati nila

Sabi ko naman kaya pa

Yun pa lang pagtigil nila ayos na

Nilakad hangang sa Shell para mahanginan

Di kinayanan ng attendant

May singaw daw

Matagal naghihintay kung paano mapapaayos

Pahinga muna o pa charge ng mga ilaw

Hanggang sa . . .

Nilakad na sa Ortigas pabalik sa EDSA para nakauwi na

May anghel na nagpakita tumigil nagalok at inayos ang flat

Russell ang ngalan

Ginamit ang patches at tire repair kit niya

Ayaw magpabayad, tumutulong lang

Taga Corazon San Juan na pauwi na

Nakauwi na din ako

Samantala . . .

Wala ito sa nakitang libo libong tao nagaabang ng sasakyan pauwi mula MOA, Roxas, Taft, Magallanes, Pasay Road, Ayala, Buendia, Guadalupe, Pioneer, Shaw, Mega, Ortigas

Umaapaw, nakapila, nangangarap, umaasa

Lahat pinapara, Grab, habal, taxi, trisikad, bisikleta, UV Express, colorum

Pero karamihan mula alas tres pa naglalakad

May bitbit, may mga bata, naka holding hands

Ika nga, sanay sa mga pagsubok

Makakauwi din pero pagod at sa anong oras

Sa ganitong kalagayan, sana exempted na sila sa pasan at pagdurusa ng mahal na araw

Ang makulay na kwento ko sa EDSA ngayon Mahal ng Myerkules

May konting penitensya ako pero walang wala sa penitensya ng mangagawang pinoy

Bisita Bikelesia Holy Thursday 2022

 Bisita Bikelesia Holy Thursday 2022

Ano ang ambag mo sa paghihirap ni Kristo para sa lamat natin?

Pawis at sakripisyo

At sa kanyang muling pagkabuhay

Mabigyan ng pagasa

Kahit na wala ng resibong ipapakita

"From Death to Life

Jesus Christ, may your death be my life

and in your dying may I learn how to live.

May your struggles be my rest,

Your human weakness my courage,

Your embarrassment my honor,

Your passion my delight,

Your sadness my joy,

in your humiliation may I be exalted.

In a word, may I find all my blessings in your trials."

—St. Peter Faber, SJ, Hearts on Fire

Children's Prayer

"Loving God, we thank and praise you

for all the gifts you have given us.

But in a world of plenty too many people go hungry.

We pray that you may work through us,

so our small acts of love make a big difference

and everyone may have enough to eat."

-Catherine Gorman/CAFOD

16 churches visited traveling 46.2 kilometers in 7 hours (in order of visit)

1. Sacred Heart Parish Barangay Kamuning Quezon City

2. Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral Barangay Immaculate Concepcion Quezon City

3. Diocesan Shrine of Jesus the Divine Word Barangay Kristong Hari Quezon City

4. Minor Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Barangay Mariana Quezon

5. Carmel of St. Therese of the Heart Jesus Barangay Mariana Quezon City

6. Sanctuario del Santo Cristo (Aquinas) Barangay Kabayanan San Juan

7. Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat San Miguel Manila

8. Minor Basilica of San Sebastian Quiapo Manila

9. Santisimo Rosario Chapel (UST) Sampaloc Manila

10. Sta Teresita del Nino Jesus Parish Barangay Sta Teresita Quezon City

11. National Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes Barangay Sta. Mesa Heights Quezon City

12. National Shrine of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary (Sto Domingo) Barangay Sta Mesa Heights Quezon City

13. Saint Paul the Apostle Parish Barangay Bagong Handa Quezon City

14. Hearts of Jesus and Mary Barangay West Triangle Quezon City

15. Sta Rita de Cascia Parish Barangay Philam Quezon City

16. San Isidro de Labrador Parish Barangay Piňahan Quezon City

Easter Vigil at St. John de Baptist Taytay Rizal

Easter Vigil at St. John de Baptist Taytay Rizal

Pasko ng Pagkabuhay

Ilaw, simbolo ng pagasa

Sa muling pagkabuhay ni Kristo

Nanaig ang liwanag sa dilim

Ang kabutihan sa kasamaan

Ang diyos sa Satanas

Inangkin ni Kristo ang lahat ng ating pagkakasala

Ipagpatuloy ang paggawa ng kabutihan

Sugpuin ang kasamaan

Mahal tayo ng Diyos

Mahal ka ng Diyos

Mensahe ng Pasko ng Pagkabuhay ni Monsignor Pedrito Noel Rabonza

16 April 2022 Sabado Diocese ng Antipolo

CinemaWorld Asia. Diversity in Perspective

CinemaWorld Asia

Diversity

Life from a different perspective

Different story said simply

Same story said differently

CinemaWorld films, select collection from international film festivals

Deepen your understanding of your life

May not be your story now

But you may face them tomorrow

Aired on CignalTV and on SkyCable

Insights from European films

1. Child custody is given importance. When they rebel in their adolescent years, both parents chase the child

2. Children leave their ageing parents on their own but rally to redeem themselves in their parents' dying days

3. Most couples have broken marriages

4. Wine is served whenever food is served

5. Adults smoke when under stress

6. Bikes are always a fixture in the streets

7. Women are relatively discriminated in South Central Asia

8. French are very detailed in solving crimes

9. Germans, Polish are still redeeming from the trauma of the past

10. Drugs are part of the North American lifestyle

11. Children demand for their rights from their parents

12. Search for the biological father is a popular situation

13. Conflicts are religion, tradition and culture based

14. Asian stories are poverty related

15. Truth prevails eventually

16. Coming home is the dying's ultimate redemption

In whatever continent the story is created, it ends with a resolution and redemption

Films on conflicts resolved with the truth are among my favourites:

My Words My Lie My Life. Pure White. Blackbird. Abu Ohmar. Mafia and Red Tomatoes. Macando. The Vegetarian. Leander's Final Journey. Courier. Best Things in the World. Verdict. Girl on a Bicycle. King of Belgians. The Father and the Foreigner. Burning Birds. Minute's Silence. Love in Mauritius. Blind Date. Radiogram Arranged. Don't Mess with Klara. Bon Appetit. Daddy Offensive. Hacker

Post Easter Out of Town. Cuenca

 Post Easter Out of Town

There is more to Cuenca Batangas than Mt. Maculot

From Balintawak QC now accessible in over 1.5 hours via the elevated Skyway all the way to STAR but about a thousand pesos in toll fee

Biking around in this small town opens up more interesting attractions but challenging routes with all the abrupt ahons and lusongs

Pedaling casually in the town proper at a slow pace is a delight and a welcome recovery

Thanks to Nelson Malabanan and his accommodating relatives for showing us around 

Not just a sight but a delight to the tummy

The local town folks' genuine interaction and the simplicity of living (except on political choices) is heart-warming to returning city dwellers

Next time around, more determined, with better tuned and appropriate equipment (brakes and gears) and conditioned body, the 4.8 kilometer stretch of series of sharp ascents and descents from the lake Taal shore to the highway of President Jose Laurel of Barangay Halang sitio Tagbakin in Lipa City will eventually be conquered

San Isidro Labrador, salamat sa gabay sa araw na yun

Barasoin Church Bike Ride

 A 58-kilometer road trip from Grace Park Caloocan to Malolos Bulacan and back

A 5-hour back door leisurely ride with a rural air transitioning from busy Valenzuela and Malabon pedaling our favorite mountain bikes

23 January marked the 123th year of the establishment of the 1st republic under Emilio Aguinaldo in 1899

23 January 2022 marked the day we expanded our coverage up to the historic Barasoain Church which usually ends at Bulakan, Bulakan

Honored two national heroes: Gregorio

del Pilar and Emilio Aguinaldo and the Bulakaenos to include our host Alex Alfonso

Lugaw, halo-halo, tokwa't baboy and drinks served to celebrate the milestones

https://www.relive.cc/view/v8qVpRpD77O

Reunited. CinemaWorld Movie

Reunited

The war in Syria breaks a family apart. Mother doctor Rana lands in Denmark, father doctor Muhkles in Canada and the two minor boys Jad and Nidal in Turkey

They are linked via Skype, money provided via money transfer by the father who works in a restaurant in Toronto

As refugees of war, mother goes through difficult government and state protocols to reunite her with her 2 boys who have become impatient and desperate living without face-to-face adults and parents

Mother's patience, persistence, level headedness and absolute love for her family made possible a reunion

The 2 boys' independence, responsible virtues, playfulness as kids, openness with their emotions, fears and threshold for loneliness helped them cope

The joy of a mother seeing her 2 grown ups esctatically happy boys at the Copenhagen airport 2 1/2 years in separation is captured in their eyes, a reward beyond words for all the pains and sacrifices everyone endured

Anyone separated from their parents as kids can relate to the feeling of being reunited

Communication in whatever form is important in binding a family

But nothing beats a personal interface hugging warm bodies

Jad and Nidal are charming and lovable kids, Rana an admirable mother, Muhkles a caring and a patient father

With strong positive values, the children can eventually keep up with another change in their transitioning journey

Reunited is in CinemaWorld filmed as a semi documentary in Arabic, English and Danish

A movie for those who take for granted family, physical presence, freedom of mobility, being a child, connection, education, living in peace in your own country, always telling the truth

Preview: https://cinemaworld.asia/movie/reunited/

Synopsis: https://ff.hrw.org/film/reunited

Review: https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/.../reunited-2020-film...

Happiest Months in the Philippines

The happiest months in the Philippines are not during the Christmas season nor on Easter but in March, April, May.

Everything you need including your wants are offered to you, your family, your friends on media, on the streets, on social media, visuals, in person, house to house by almost everybody.

You are told what you want to hear to the infinity and beyond. You are valued and given importance regardless of your status.

There is  herd employment on the streets on a short term basis. All colours compete for attention setting a festive mood. Catchy tunes are heard in every corner.

Unfortunately this happens only every 6 years. Savor it while it lasts. Because after May 9 prepare for brokenness. The dream ends (except when the candidate with proven concrete results wins).

Bosoboso the 2nd Time Around

 A seasoned biker with a new toy has not seen the Nuestra church even after biking to the sitio several times

Our hospitable and generous host of our Bulacan church rides to Obando, Bulakan and Malolos has not covered East of Manila

Someone experienced trauma on his 1st visit last March and wanted to recover using another bike

Someone simply wanted to revisit after joining us by chance to our San Mateo-Marikina flat terrain loop just last Saturday

When finally, everyone agreed on bike on Wednesday, not Thursday or Friday, it was a go!

Bosoboso officially starting at Petron Katipunan corner Aurora Boulevard ending at the old Bosoboso sitio Nuestra Senora dela Annuciata, a 50-kilometer ride round trip has become a favorite weekday ride

Dreaded initially due to the long stretches of ahon, series of ahons and lusongs and a stretch of winding lusongs, it took some convincing and deception to attempt to complete it the 1st time around

Completing it again added confidence to one’s strength, endurance and skill and to an approval to a favored bike appropriate for the ride

Like life and Holy Week, sufferings must be experienced first before enjoying the joy of redemption

Reaching Shell on the ascent is a relief. Reaching the Nuestra after Shell is a greater relief

On the return, making it to Shell is the start of a thrilling and fast ride back to Cogeo, Marikina and Quezon City

All of us 5 are now back in the safety of our homes now thinking when the next ride to Bosoboso is exploring the auxiliary destinations

Salamat

Best Things in the World, Brazilian movie

Best Things in the World, Brazilian movie in Portuguese on Cinema World channel at Cignal TV and Sky Cable

The student, personal and family lives of two normal young adults took a turn overnight after their father, an academician announced separation from their mother.

While living normal and happy surrounded by friends, Mano and brother Pedro struggle when they find out their father will live in with his favourite male student.

It's difficult for the younger Mano as he has a reputation to protect and is going through some dilemma whereas Pedro is managing his relationship with his girl friend.

Mano faced several trials but the most difficult were dealing with his lady friend, his father and his partner and the suicide of Pedro. His circle of friends though were supportive.

Mano coped by venting his angst, expressing them, dealing with friends, taking on an advocacy, being a leader of himself, chasing his dream and playing music. Brother Pedro, a theater actor dealt his painful separation through poetry and escape.

At the start, Mano was reluctant to engage in sex. Ending, with him redeemed from the trials, he guaranteed that the kiss with his girl will not be disappointing. Indeed it was not.

When we accept our shortcomings and act on them, we will eventually redeem ourselves at the proper time.

How Maro recovered when this Portuguese's teenage boy's world is about to crash

1. Vent out your anger. Do not repress. Time when you are ready

2. Talk to a friend, a trusted senior, brother, your mother, father even your father's lover

3. Express your feelings in music. Something in the way she moves

4. Be a leader of the self

5. Bike around the city

6. Save your brother, save your friend

7. Be tenacious

8. Bounce back. Redeem from you failure

9. Take care of family

10. Engage in an advocacy actively

Best Things in the World, Brazilian movie in Portuguese

Grand Prize, 2011 Cinema Brazil

https://cinemaworld.asia/movie/the-best-things-in-the-world/

Night Ride in Folding Bike

Lingguhan Sikad sa Diliman. Thursday 6:30 PM 17 March 2022 organized by the Tiklop Society of the Philippines.

A night ride of folding bike bikers following an estimated 25 kilometer route starting and ending at the UP Diliman Bahay ng Alumni participated by 27 bikers (unofficial).

Participants rode in Dahon and Brompton bikes among others of different models and makes with a variety of accessories rode by a diverse age group mostly perhaps in their 30's and older coming from QC, Manila, Caloocan. Farthest I recalled was from Montalban, the closest from Katipunan.

Road Leader Shao disclosed the route close to 8 PM which will take the herd to CP Garcia, Katipunan, Luzon Ave. then sneek into Republic Ave, Sauyo exiting to Commonwealth Ave via Regalado Highway.

Navigating through Republic Ave at the narrow 2-lane Luzon Ave brought almost half of the participants to a standstill for about 20 minutes due to a monstrous traffic bottleneck.

Eventually the entire herd met up snaking its way around Republic Ave to Sauyo until De Leon st at Barangay Holy Spirit until the way out to Commonwealth Ave via Holy Spirit Drive.

Taking Quezon Memorial Circle, it was a leisure cool ride back to Bahay ng Alumni past 10:30 PM.

Heavy snacks (Jollibee Hotdog, ube pie, siopao, Come, Sprite) surprised the participants care of an organizer celebrating her birthday with the successful bikers.

The LSD put to test the Dahon Metro, Relive App Huawei phone and power bank and my stamina and presence of mind to keep with with an over 20 kilometer ride at night in a herd in a new uncharted route. Survived also the hot spots swerving from the outer lane of Katipunan to the flyover to cross to Luzon Ave and the second half of the Quezon Memorial Circle crossing the intersections of North Ave, Quezon Ave, East Ave (Thanks to the marshall who saw that we crossed safely )

Riding in a folding bike was just sakto, not competitively speedy nor dragging slow. A 7-speed gear was sufficient to handle the sloping roads from Sauyo to De Leon streets.

Thank you TSP and for the stolen short talks with some participants. Especially for making the adventure enjoyable and safe.

#TSP

My Father's Bike

 Three generations of sons with resentments for their fathers travel together by land to pick up the matriarch who just separated from the patriarch. Coming from three separate households, the son plans to pick up his mother so she could take care of the aging patriarch of the family and manage this family crisis.

The old man, Wlodzi a famous clarinet musician, Pawel, a pianist of  a grand orchestra in Berlin and Maciek, his student son staying with his mother in London, a pop music lover vent out their anger and resentment towards each other in the car, in homes, at the camp, outdoors. Every word uttered by one starts a tirade of accusations.

The grandfather, son and grandson uncomfortably control each other wanting to change behaviors and values at every opportunity. Not even their commonality for love of music but of different genre could bind them together.

Slowly though, through the unfolding of small moments together, the resentments towards each dissolve.

The son Pawel, who spotted his mother in the company of her new lover dropped his intention to bring her back to Wlodzi as he sensed his mother accorded with affection and control, the attention all of the two generations of males did not demonstrate with each other during their growing up days.  Pawel kept this feeling to himself.

The old bicycle stored at Wlodzi’s storage was given to his son given with a warning that once he falls from it, he would take away the bike from him. Towards the end of the journey when slowly the three have started to accept each other’s being’s, Wlodzi gives the bicycle to young grandson Maciek which he brought with him back to London.

Movie closes with Pawel playing the piano with the orchestra in Berlin, interpreting a sad piece passionately inspired perhaps by the turn of events with Wlodzi watching his son’s performance on TV.

Even with all the differences, each one, regardless of their imperfections were reared to stand on their own and not to fall down as symbolized by the small bicycle passed on to Maciek who towards the end confessed that he is expecting a child from his older Literature teacher.

Grandfather and father no longer resented the confession of the student son.

Best Screenplay, 2012 Polish Film Festival

Discovery of Year (Michał Urbaniak), 2013 Polish Film Awards

https://cinemaworld.asia/movie/my-fathers-bike/

May-December Affairs

Two movies on May-December affairs thrilled me with the couples connecting, hurt me when they separate, rejoiced with reconciliation, shocked with unexpected turn of events.

The European films Love in Mauritius in French set in the island and in Paris and Minute's Silence in German set in a fishing village in Baltic tackle the themes on love frowned by norms.

One is fun to watch, the other more profound and hurting. Couples are happy when not in denial, disturbed when pressured for rightness.

In Love in Mauritius, two couples with issues strike it out: the elder woman with his husband and mother and the younger student with his mother. Both go through a period of transition moving on without each other. Eventually, the two discover that they are meant for each other.

Age gap, marital status, lies, and undisclosed facts were overcome by the feelings the two are meant for each other realized over time.

https://cinemaworld.asia/movie/love-in-mauritius/

https://youtu.be/4BbnM-LtYr8

In Minute's Silence, I feel the pain of Christian when as a student to his teacher and as a fisherman and boatman to the residents of a small community, he deliberately represses his feelings. I feel his pain when he cannot even say goodbye in private to his beloved partner and teacher Stella in the company of classmates and Stella’s fellow academicians.

While both Christian and Stella are physically separated pressured by the local community and the accident, Christian discovered a way to be reunited perpetually through the sight of fossilized insects.

No pressure can block the strong drive of the younger lover to make the relationship work even if it means giving up one's life or ways initiated by the young male to put a closure to the relationship.

"Love, Christian, is a warm wave bearing us up." It is a joy but down there are rocks and specimen endangering lives.

A Minute's Silence is a Best Film nominee in the 2016 Munich Film Festival.

https://cinemaworld.asia/movie/a-minutes-silence/

https://youtu.be/fbwUwpQtwS4

Both films shown on Cinema World.

-------

Two movies on May-December affairs thrilled me with the couples connecting, hurt me when they separate, rejoiced with reconciliation, shocked with unexpected turn of events.

The European films Love in Mauritius in French set in the island and in Paris and Minute's Silence in German set in a fishing village in Baltic tackle the themes on love frowned by norms. 

One is fun to watch, the other more profound and hurting. Couples are happy when not in denial, disturbed when pressured for rightness.

In Minute's Silence, I feel the pain of Christian when as a student to his teacher and as a fisherman and boatman in a small community, he represses his feelings. I feel his pain when he cannot even say goodbye in private to his beloved partner and teacher Stella.

While Christian and Stella are physically separated pressured by the local community and the accident, Christian discovered a way to be reunited perpetually.

No pressure can block the strong drive of the younger lover to make the relationship work even if it means giving up one's life.

A Minute's Silence is a Best Film nominee in the 2016 Munich Film Festival.

https://cinemaworld.asia/movie/a-minutes-silence/

https://youtu.be/fbwUwpQtwS4

In Love in Mauritius, two couples with issues strike it out: the elder woman with his husband and mother and the younger student with his mother. Both go through a period of transition moving on without each other. Eventually, the two discover that they are meant for each other.

Age gap, marital status, lies and undisclosed facts were overcome by the feelings the two are meant for each other realized over time.

https://cinemaworld.asia/movie/love-in-mauritius/

https://youtu.be/4BbnM-LtYr8

Both films shown on Cinema World.

Love for a son. Lover for a lover

 Identifying Features. Mother in search of her son crossing the Mexican borders detected as missing said to have died

Mother's love for a child is no other doing whatever it takes to gain her son back. Unsettling discovery

But when survival is at stake, men turn into savage beasts

Grand Jury Prize 2020 Sundance Film Festival

Movie in Spanish with English subtitles

https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/384050/

Lovers. 5 Lovers set in Bologna Italy playing different roles seeking assurances for faithfulness and devotion

Several interesting settings essayed by the same actors: Manager-subordinate in a corporate setting. Bookstore owner-real estate agent. Boutique sales person-Boutique sales manager. Wife-Male therapist. Ghost writer-DJ icon

Humans always have insecurities about themselves projecting them to their lovers

Serious, creative, dismaying reality

Best Feature Film 2017 Crystal Palace London International Film Festival

Movie in Italian with English subtitles

https://cinemaworld.asia/movie/lovers/