Bishop Joel Baylon's Presence

Bishop Joel Baylon’s Presence

Chief and I walked from Makati Shangrila Hotel at the heart of the Makati Central Business District (CBD) to catch the 6pm anticipated mass.

Bishop Joel Baylon was celebrating Mass, as part of the 25th year anniversary celebration of the Greenbelt Chapel.

The Chapel was full and we were standing outside the chapel, together with a couple of hundred other parishioners and visitors around Greenbelt.

Bishop Baylon introduced himself as the bishop of Masbate…. Even describing his youthful activism during the 80s. Just like me, when I joined all those rallies along Ayala Avenue and Mendiola!

47 tomorrow?

Tomorrow am turning 47.

Not sure what Chief has planned for us tomorrow. Maybe, a long drive and a weekend in Tagaytay. Taal Vista Lodge? Actually, I was looking for a nice hotel in Tagaytay for the weekend, but I really didn’t have time to browse through the yellow pages and make reservations.

Friday was extra busy.

An early meeting with Junie and Angie at Starbucks Legazpi Street (really just a few meters from our Greenhome) for the EON@10 Program on Tuesday.

And then rushed off to McDonald’s Quezon Avenue, with Yaan Sarmiento, to catch the 6th Anniversary of McDonald’s Delivery Service. Adi Timbol and Paul Garilao were working together on this media event.

And then, back to Tuscan Bldg for a 1:30pm concall with the Visa client.

Then, dinner at Junie del Mundo’s place. A post-birthday celebration.

Other option for tomorrow, maybe, spend a long lazy evening in Makati Shangrila? Pamper ourselves under the sheets, while watching the sporting events at the Beijing Olympics… and enjoy a good view of the Makati skyline.

And cap it up with a really nice and sumptuous breakfast at the Circle’s Restaurant.

Whatever the plans, just to be present together with Chief would be the best gift of all!

Athletes Presence

For the next few days, 10,500 athletes will make their presence felt in Beijing, People's Republic of China from August 8 to August 24, 2008

They are expected to compete in 302 events in 28 sports, one event more than was on the schedule of the 2004 games. There will 9 new events and these includes 2 from the BMX cycling. I remember Jose Sumalde, the former back to back King of Tour of Luzon back in the 70s who made his presence on the road around the routes of that cycling event. What ever happened to that event? Probably, no more sponsors. I also used to have a BMX bike.

This edition also marks the third time that Olympic events will have been held in the territories of two different National Olympic Committees (NOC), as the equestrian events will be held in Hong Kong. My best friend Bien Perez, who writes for South China Morning Post, (unless he is in Beijing with his wife Arleen) will probably be watching this event in HK?

Wishing the Philippine team the best of luck to go for gold and make the country proud!

Would you believe, when I pressed my thumb at the biometrics this morning, the clock read 8:08! Wow... that is really a lucky number!

Secretary Angelo Reyes

I did a Servant Leader profile on Secretary Angelo Reyes.

Will post my published article soon.

US$ 14 million babies

Knox Léon and Vivienne Marcheline Jolie-Pitt, the twins of Brad Pitt and my favorite action celebrity, Angelina Jolie, are gaining a 14 million dollar presence in the world! And this amount is being given to charity, according to their parents.

And they are just 3 weeks old. Wow!

There are more exclusive photos and interviews of the celebrity couple in the issue of People Magazine. In fact, 19 pages of photos.

Cover image of the magazine issue from www.people.com

I still have Lara Croft presence in our greenhome!

Dolphy at 80

Chief and I were watching the TV special, "Dolphy: The King of Comedy at 80." And I looked back and said to myself, I have not yet scribbled my thoughts and words about the presence of the King of Comedy. How could I have missed writing about Dolphy? Already, I had one student last year, who had written and successfully defended a thesis on Dolphy.

Now, am writing a few words about JOhn Purungtong!

Brawl Presence

Nobody really expected it, but it happened yesterday at Auburn Hills. Yup, there was a bench-clearing scuffle in an WNBA basketball game between Los Angeles and Detroit. The Sparkes won 84-81 victory by the Sparks, ending a five-game road losing streak.


Photo by Jerry S. Mendoza of AP shows players presence on the court and not playing basketball.

Many players and even coaches made their presence felt on the court which was captured live on television and photos going around blogosphere.

The game was done to the last 4.5 seconds when the ten players presence on left on the court changed to a fight or a scuffle which included players and coaches on the bench.

It all begun when Parker and Shock forward Plenette Pierson tangled arms as they were moving down the court. Both players to tumbled to the floor. And all hell broke loose.

Both benches were emptied. Lisa Leslie came to Parker's rescue but was pushed away by Shock assistant coach Rick Mahorn, causing her to fall to the hardwood floor. DeLisha Milton-Jones of the LA Sparks then slapped Mahorn in the back. Players like Parker, Milton-Jones, Mahorn and Pierson were ejected. Shock assistant coach Rick Mahorn is also ejected for pushing Sparks' Lisa Leslie. Shock player Cheryl Ford injured her knee and had to be taken away in a wheelchair

In a story published in the LA Times, WNBA President Donna Orender says, "It was clear emotions were running high. It's unfortunate that when emotions run over the top, something like this had to happen."



Photo by Jerry Mendoza of AP shows Detroit assistant coach Rick Mahorn as he pushes Lisa Leslie of the Sparks to the ground during a scuffle in the closing seconds of the game between the LA and Detroit in Auburn Hills, Michigan last Tuesday.