Posts

Checkpoints that Miss the Point

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Checkpoints that Miss the Point In many checkpoints across the country, it has become a familiar sight: commuters are asked to alight from buses or jeepneys, clutching their bags as police officers wave a stick to “inspect” their belongings. The process, though intended for public safety, often ends up more as a ritual than a genuine security measure. The question arises—does this really make us safer, or does it merely inconvenience the very people it aims to protect? For ordinary commuters, this routine feels like an unnecessary burden. Workers and students already endure long hours of travel, only to be delayed further by inspections that are, at best, superficial. A stick pointed at a bag cannot detect a real threat. If security is the goal, then checkpoints must be conducted with proper tools, trained personnel, and consistent standards. What makes the situation even more troubling is the unequal treatment between public and private transport. While commuters are subjected to sear...
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SOCCSKSARGEN Tourism Summit 2025

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Our Greatest Teacher - Happy Birthday, Mama Emily

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 Happy 51st Birthday to Our Beloved Mother Today, September 21, 2025, we celebrate not only your birthday, Mama, but also the story of your strength, sacrifice, and love that has shaped who we are. You are five decades and one year of grace, courage, and resilience. When Papa was still alive, he always told us: “The only inheritance we can give you is education.” Back then, we didn’t fully grasp what he meant. We thought we were already rich enough because we could eat three meals a day. But life proved to us the depth of his wisdom. When Papa passed away in 2018—a year before my college graduation—he never had the chance to see me march in my toga at MSU. Yet, Mama, you carried on for us. You worked singlehandedly, washing clothes for others, borrowing from lenders, and sacrificing your own comfort just to keep us in school. Papa may have left early, but his SSS pension and, most importantly, your unbreakable spirit sustained us through the hardest years. Many doubted we could sur...
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Cherished memories

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 This old photo reminds us that we had a happy family — even in the midst of challenges, we could still smile and live life to the fullest. In this memorable picture with my late husband, Allan Laya, my son Christian Jay Sope Laya, my younger brother Arnold Navarro Sope and his daughter Ferry Diana Sope, together with our close friends, the Maranguit sisters, we shared smiles as if there were no tomorrow in the timeless waters of Ladol, a glorious beach in Alabel full of cherished memories.
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Miss you, Papa

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 Sa katahimikan ng gabi, bumabalik sa aking alaala ang tinig at halakhak ng aming ama. Subalit higit pa sa alaala, tila may multo akong inaasam—ang pagkakataong muling makapiling siya. Ang aking multo ay hindi ang anino ng takot, kundi ang pangungulila na bumabalot sa aking puso. Sa bawat pagdapo ng hangin, sa bawat kaluskos ng dahon, iniisip kong siya’y muling darating, nakangiti, at yayakapin kami gaya ng dati. Ang aking multo ay ang pagnanais na maibalik ang oras, na maranasan muli ang kanyang gabay, at maramdaman ang init ng kanyang presensya. Ngunit tulad ng lahat ng multo, nananatili lamang ito sa pagitan ng panaginip at pag-asam—hindi mahahawakan, ngunit laging nadarama.
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Success is not about the weight of possessions but about the depth of purpose

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I have come to realize that success is not confined to the shiny symbols of wealth—owning luxury cars, flaunting the latest branded gadgets, or curating picture-perfect travels for social media applause. While these things may signify achievement for some, they are merely fragments of a much bigger picture. They are external validations, fleeting in nature, often mistaken for the true essence of success. For me, real success is rooted in something more profound and enduring—the accumulation of knowledge and wisdom. It is found in the lessons we embrace, the values we uphold, and the growth we experience along life’s journey. Success lives in the classrooms where curiosity is sparked, in the voices of mentors who shape our character, and in the stories shared by elders whose wrinkles are maps of experience. It thrives in the quiet halls of museums where history whispers truths, in the sacred silence of churches where faith deepens, and in the shelves of libraries where ideas transcend t...
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More Than a Duty

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August is Altar Servers Month , and I take this opportunity to look back with gratitude on my more than eight years of serving as an altar server at San Isidro Labrador Parish of Alabel, Sarangani Province. When I first started, it was not a common routine for young people like me. I had to make sacrifices, especially waking up early, and I often had to battle with fear and shyness in front of people. Standing at the altar was not easy—I was nervous about making mistakes and unsure if I was worthy to serve. Yet through God’s grace, I gradually learned that serving was not about perfection, but about offering myself fully to the Lord. Over the years, this ministry has shaped me in ways I never imagined. It taught me humility, discipline, and the importance of being present not just physically, but spiritually, during every Mass. It allowed me to experience the liturgy more deeply, to understand the richness of our Catholic faith, and to witness firsthand the beauty of our traditions. Th...
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