Ms. Yoko Ramos

I had been loyal to Globe since 1999. I love Globe.

So, when Globe branched out and created globelines as their sister company (a competition to PLDT) — I thought I was going to have a good deal of service.

I am a Globe Platinum member — which I earned — I am really happy or should I say contented with their prompt and service oriented style of handling my account. But I was wrong.

My monthly bill is about 996 pesos for a broadband connection. It’s internet connection plus a telephone line.

How many times do I have to call the customer hotline to report a problem?

Your conversation with the customer service officer is recorded, they say, so as to protect I guess both parties. Okay, that is fine. But what happens after that? Do the managers or supervisors listen to the recorded conversations and make a report about it or plan an action to address the concerns of their irate costumers?

I have called so many times which was recorded. I have paid my bills on time — but up to this day, 01 October 2008 — my concern had not been addressed or attended to. It has fallen on deaf ears.

Poor me.

It has been 10 months since I made my first report but the problem has been there for a year now! I cannot change or terminate my subscription because I had signed up with their lock-in period of 24 months condition.

Imagine that!

I still have to endure this poor service for another year– another 12 months of bad connection and poor service of Globelines!

Dr. Velasco is a professor at the University of the Philippines.  He is a political scientist, a strategist, and head speechwriter of the President.  He was a former cabinet member.  Now, he is the chairman of the Alternative Fuels Corporation of the Philippine National Oil Corporation.

He has so many feathers in his cap.  One can say that he is a very successful man.  He had been with and was sought after by the powerful political people in this country.  Yet – he has remained humble and simple.

He is a loving husband to Mrs. Eva and a caring father to his sons. 

He has shared his time and wisdom to his people – and I was lucky to be one of them.  He was well loved in PIA and PMS.  He walked the talk and lives by example.  He did not have any bodyguards – only his loyal driver, Buen.  If Buen would be indisposed – he would drive himself.  He is no power tripper.

Doc, as he is known in GMA’s circle, is my mentor.  I am not one of his protégés or his bright students from UP but he gave me a chance to work with him and encouraged me to write.

I miss my life in the Vice President’s office.  There, I was in charge of her schedule and it was not just listing or making schedules of people to meet or appointments to keep.  It was a complete package.  Aside from the list there is another part that I love to make.  It is the part where I am free to tell her or inform her of what to expect to every meeting or appointment she has to make. This process can be tedious at times but I love it (even if she would call late at night to reprimand me about something that went awry or due to typographical errors).  She was a perfectionist with a heart to me, then.  

Given that, I still have not earned my confidence in writing.

It was Doc who made me go out of my comfort zones and told me to explore and be the best that I can be.  He is the perfect boss.  He asked me to contribute an article and so did.  I wrote an article about the President’s pet project – Jatropha.  That was my first ever-published article — and he told me to just keep writing.  And I did — and loved it!

Aside from writing, I was able to join the Philippine Army.  It was hard.  Having to be in so many places at the same time.  I would be late in meetings because I was had to take all sorts of medical exams and the battery of psychological tests.  Whew.  It was an experience.

All these, I owe to Doc.  Thanks for everything, Sir. 

For understanding me despite my stubbornness, and for the wisdom you have taught me.  Life is indeed beautiful and God is great and Love your family.

Salamat po.

But of the ten, the greatest and most important of all — Matthew 22:36 — is “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”

and the second is “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”

Matthew 22:40 “On these two commandments hang all the Laws and the Prophets”

So, why are all these things happening –

Sometime last month, I read in the newspaper that some people are living at the expense of others –
Mr. Neil Cruz of the Philippine Daily Inquirer wrote about people capitalizing and using their situation in order to win sympathy and thus live a better life than the law-abiding neighbor/citizen.

Mr Cruz has been a victim of illegal settlers in the property that his father bought for them — . His father had long since joined the Father in heaven — and Mr Cruz has (I suppose) grandkids by this time — so — I am thinking out loud — will he or can he solve this — problem (if problem is the right word for this). I wish he can have justice.

It is also in the Commandment not to:
steal.
bear false witness against your neighbor.
covet your neighbor’s wife, servant or anything that he owns.

This is just a small part of a BIG picture, which I cannot fathom anymore.

A girl committed suicide — out of poverty. A mother killed her kids and took her own life — out of poverty. Even if the Governor of that Province was in denial — she kept saying that it is not out of poverty in her interviews — that such a thing happened to her area of jurisdiction. A week later, in the same town of Laguna, another housewife killed herself — because of poverty!

Mr. Cruz is not alone.

I have my own problems. My father died and we were not able to grieve. I am still feeling lost about this. After losing a father and having to face this despicable situation, my feeling is just indescribable. He left his property and other worldly/material things unsettled. His two common law wives fought hard for it — they even fought over for my Dad’s dead body which they have no legal right. They have no shame. I wish they could sleep soundly after having done what they did.

My mother and my aunt (my Dad’s sister) told me to let it be — give in and understand. After all he is dead and be respectful.

A person supposed to be a family has hurt me — only to be told by the husband to understand and let it pass. I have been criticized — to my face– about my cooking, my life, my finances, my children and my marriage! Why can I not scream at her and tell her all the nasty things about her — how cruel she can be. Hmmmm. How I wish I can but — It’s not is me. I keep everything to myself. And then I explode.

I already have grandchildren from my nieces — but I feel like a child deep inside. Afraid to hurt somebody’s feeling — even if they have hurt mine.

I am tough on my kids — because I do not want them to be like me. And i am blessed — thank God — for the wonderful and good kids and for a loving and great husband.

I had been living all my life — giving and understanding families, friends, neighbors and people. But why do I feel like bleeding —

We all have our own share of trials and crosses. Life on earth is difficult.

But — If we can all live by the Ten Commandments then I guess — we will be living Heaven on Earth

I have tons of them

should you care to look

Will I get an answer … if so, when?

Ahhhh, such is a cycle

When should giving stop?

When is giving bad?

When is giving abused?

Giving.

Do you give only to someone in need ….

Love is giving.

Love is sharing.

Love is receiving.

Love is true ….

But where are you?

Is love waiting …..

All these will pass.

There is another sunrise.
Spring follows

Hope floats

Like a new book.
I am starting a new chapter.