C’est La Vie

I read in a tweet this morning that having an enemy is not bad at all because it means that at a certain point in your life, you have stood up for something.

It’s never a nice feeling to wake up in the morning to have ill baggage in your heart towards other people; but it is neither nice to let other people step on you too.

I am really thankful that my papa is still alive to take care of me. One time when an old woman berated me of my stature in life, he was immediately there to fight for me.

I realized that the love from one’s family is the most sincere of all – it knows no bounds. At the time when I got devastated, my mama and papa were there to help me through, as well as my siblings who actively contributed to my recuperation. And they still do.

Life indeed is like a wheel. Sometimes you’re on the top, sometimes you’re at the bottom. One thing I learned also is that, moving forward in life is not a chance of fate but a decision to make. I am glad that after a year of storm, things are now calmer and more peaceful.

I only pray that I could take away the sadness in my son’s eyes. He seems problematic and tiresome every time I see him lately.

Birthday of Dr. Pio Valenzuela Marks My Career Rebirth

I had posts on social media that insinuated how unhappy I was with my job. I used Facebook to flaunt my activities and accomplishments to my online friends who are my co-government employees, to help me create an image that I am a productive person, for I felt that my kiss-ass officemates were more favored by our boss and  a demolition job against me was underway.

I love my job as a writer but our office culture suddenly changed due to the leadership style of our former superior, which was quite difficult to get along with if you’re the type of employee who wears a thinking hat. I surpassed the “dark ages” of our unit when almost all of the seasoned team leaders in our department vanished one by one. Now, our present office chief was my mentor who really knows what he is doing.

Ecstatic as I was for having a new boss, I have been more than helpful to my officemates on our first major event assignment – the celebration of our local patriot’s birth anniversary.

Wreaths At The Triumvirate

At the commemoration of Dr. Pio Valenzuela’s birthday, our team decided to pursue what we did last year – instead of accepting expensive wreaths from various socio-civic organizations (which will just wither at the Triumvirate grounds), we wrote them a letter expressing that monetary cash gifts as additional funds for the Dr. Pio Valenzuela Scholarship Program would be more meaningful and practical.

Even if I was only supposed to write and to do editing jobs in our department, I welcomed additional tasks that supported our team endeavor then. When we needed students to represent the Dr. Pio Valenzuela scholars in our ceremonial fund donation for the scholarship program, I contacted my students for help. When we couldn’t find someone to lead the prayer for the event, I was volunteered by my new boss and I did not decline. Below the platform, I was also monitoring the host’s script while assisting in the program's over-all flow. The event was such a success! The mayor commended our team.

Government Personnel with the Dr. Pio Valenzuela Scholars

This event is meaningful to me. Apart from paying respect to our local hero, Dr. Pio Valenzuela, the event somehow made me feel like I’m a phoenix. My career didn’t die for long. I’m back on track.

6K for Senior Citizens, for real?

A friend asked me a couple of days ago if it is true that the government is giving Php6,000 to all indigent senior citizens. She saw on Facebook the post below, hence the question.

Screenshot from Yalehd Sotnac

 While I was pretty certain that the news was true, I didn’t know its mechanism at the local government’s end. So I called up Ms. Kat of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) at 352-1000 local 1129, and asked her if the inquiry was valid.

According to Ms. Kat, the program is not new and CSWDO has been implementing it for quite some time now. The funding is sourced from the national government.

She clarified though that the amount is not given in one go annually, but Php500 monthly. It is awarded to all indigent senior citizens from age 60 and up, who are not receiving pension of any kind.

Availing of the benefit is quite simple. One must simply submit a photocopy of his or her OSCA ID (Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs identification card) at the CSWDO. After which, social workers will do a home visit and evaluation.

It’s good to know information such as this, but it is even better to know how the program works to enjoy the privilege. 

Good Bye Office Bully

Indeed, the Lord never sleeps. The oppressed should never lose hope because God is always there to give comfort to the abused and the weak.

I have never imagined that I will be a victim of office bullying. For the longest time that I have been working as a professional, I have always deemed myself competent and skilled enough to be my every co-workers reliable partner… until barely-there common sense, insecurity, misplaced ‘loyalty,’ office politics, selfishness, and self-righteousness of some of my colleagues were successfully intertwined by the-one-who-must-not-be-named.

Prior to “that creature” leaving, “it” was voraciously ready to rip every piece of me. My long-valued friendships with my co-workers have ended under its watch, my image to some of the big bosses was distorted and badly tarnished, my supposed overtime pay that I intend to use to feed my children was denied, and I was made to appear as a good-for-nothing employee.

The little UP girl in me was crying, “How could this be? I was one of the key drivers of our department. I worked with my heart and soul for honest to goodness public service. I do not deserve this injustice.”

I gathered some courage to air my concern. It wasn’t easy. I cried a bucket of tears and asked good people around to also pray for me. After a couple of days waiting, I reaped a favourable result.

Now here I am, more empowered than ever.

“Karma” is real – whatever it is that you do unto others will ricochet unto you seven folds. Spread good karma.