Jim Paredes's Blog, page 22

Modernizing life in PHL

HUMMING IN MY UNIVERSE By Jim Paredes (The Philippine Star) | Updated January 27, 2013 – 12:00am

Illustration by REY RIVERA

I like asking “what if” questions, especially do when I encounter inefficiency and old ways of doing things that fail to deliver what needs to be done. Yesterday, I saw on the news how businessmen had to go back and forth to a City Hall for five days to simply get a business permit for 2013. City Hall’s excuse is that they are undermanned. They can only process 1,500 permits a day when there are over 65,000 businesses in the city. Their solution is to extend the registration period. Hello? What is so complicated about adding more staff to accommodate everyone?

Having the privilege of living parttime in Sydney makes my impatience all the more intense when I hear such stories. I remember applying for a business permit in Australia that took all of about seven minutes, even when the guy on the desk cautioned that it would take some time. Little did I know he meant there would be a slight waiting period of a few minutes. I also love the fact that I can pay my bills, renew my car’s registration, declare my taxes, through the net or even through my cellphone.

I am a big fan of modernity and despite my dislike for China’s totalitarian ways, I admire how quickly they build infrastructure or introduce changes. At the same time, I find myself utterly dismayed at how a great democracy like the US can be bogged by internal fighting and let things go to rot.

Surely, there must be a way to make democracy work faster in this age of social connectivity. Surely, there must be a more accurate way to get consensus on opinions of people on issues, to speed up delivery of government services.

Here are my not-yet–too-well-thought out suggestions on how we can improve and enhance our present practice of democracy and governance in the Philippines. I have seen some of them work very well in other countries. Maybe a few people out there can figure out the nuts and bolts of how to do these.

1) Establish a way to get people’s reactions/opinions on issues of the day quickly and accurately.

How? By observing and following social media discussions. There are now over 30 million Filipinos on Facebook, and Twitter is not far behind. It is an informal but accurate way of knowing how people feel about issues and personalities. It is cyber-democratic.

We can also use surveys conducted by reputable organizations (verified and authorized) which can give government and all institutions a clear picture of how their constituents feel about the services they offer. I am not suggesting that survey results be necessarily followed all the time. They should not. But they can give indications about resistance to or approval of certain ideas. This way, legislators can quickly review proposed bills to accommodate these and re-craft them faster. And yes, surveys must be conducted constantly and more often.

China does this all the time and it gives the government an idea of how people feel. Its totalitarian government, for fear of being toppled quickly responds and defuses tension if they have to, even if often in the ways dictatorships do.

Imagine how this can serve a democratic government such as ours. Leaders can respond faster and in a more calibrated manner. It saves a lot of time debating, arguing and speculating whether people approve or disapprove, or will go or not go with proposals and measures. And this need not be used in just a reactive way. A leader can best analyze what he/she needs to do to convince people in supporting currently unpopular but important steps needed by the nation.

2) Promote solar energy nationwide.

In Australia, the solar panels you see on rooftops of homes produce electricity that are fed back to the main grid. The power your house generates is in turn bought by the electric company and is deducted from your own consumption of electricity.

By adopting this here, we will be doing three good things. Firstly, potentially every home and building can be a producer of electricity. Think of how much power we can all generate in this mostly sunny country that can be put to productive use. Secondly, we will prevent the release of a lot of carbon emissions, and thus avoid pollution because we will not be burning fossil fuels to produce electricity. Thirdly, in the medium and long term, consumers will be saving a lot of money.

3) Most if not all citizen-government transactions involving payments for licenses, renewals, taxes, copies of documents, etc. must be made possible online.

Throw in the payment of utilities bills, too. We will all be amazed at how quickly these simple but necessary transactions can be done. It will save time, human energy, gasoline and a lot of other inefficiencies. Most importantly, since it will largely eliminate the need for physical presence, it will surely reduce a lot of bribery and corruption.

4) We must finally and properly segregate and rationalize garbage disposal and collection.

This can be done if every home is provided with two government standard garbage bins. One will be for the disposal of recyclables such as paper, cartons, tin cans, bottles, etc. The other will be for perishables such as kitchen stuff (leftovers, rotting food, e.g.), cut grass and plants and general trash.

It is important that garbage bins are standardized for two reasons: first, it makes collection and disposal easier for the city. Second, homes will learn to produce less garbage since only those in the officially issued bins will be picked up and collected. In Australia, perishable garbage is collected weekly. The recyclables on the other hand are gathered every fortnight. They are not mixed since two separate trucks collect them. Much of the recyclables end up in recycling plants.

5) Lastly, vehicles over, say, seven years old should have roadworthiness certification before being allowed to register.

In Australia, the way this works is, any car over three years old must be inspected by a certified mechanic who will attest that all signal lights, brakes, etc. are all working properly. If the mechanic is ever investigated and found to have made a less-than-accurate report, he loses his license and is fined heavily. The owner of the car will be fined heavily too and the car will not be deemed fit for the road.

This way, no truck or vehicle driver can claim to have “lost his brakes,” which is the usual reason given during accidents. Vehicle owner, driver and mechanic will be accountable. This alone will prevent a lot of mayhem on the road.

And while we are at it, let’s have stringent drunk driving laws and give very heavy penalties for violators.

It’s time we look at democracy and governance like software. They need to be constantly upgraded in this ever fast moving and complex societies we live in. You can’t govern with an MS Dos system or platform when the citizenry already run their lives on OS 10+.

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So you got a new DSLR during the holidays. Start taking great pix right away. Enroll now. My first photography workshop for 2013 happens this Feb. 9, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Bulb Studios, 2231 Pasong Tamo Street, Molave Compound. Cost is P3,920 (VAT inclusive).

If you live in Singapore, I will have a photo workshop there on Feb 23. Call +6582336595 and look for Earla regarding details and reservation.

For information, call 0916-855-4303 or e-mail jpfotojim@gmail.

A great, exciting time to be Filipino

HUMMING IN MY UNIVERSE By Jim Paredes (The Philippine Star) | Updated January 20, 2013 – 12:00am

Illustration by REY RIVERA

I’ve been feeling very upbeat about a lot of things lately, especially about the Philippines. The past three years of P-Noy’s administration have given me encouragement about many things that are largely positive. You dear readers already know that I have been a supporter of Noynoy Aquino from day one of his campaign and up to now. But let me explain why my level of optimism surprises even myself.

When I supported candidate Noynoy it was primarily for three reasons. The first one was, I knew then as I know now that he was/is one honest guy. I knew in my heart that he would not steal from the Filipino people and would not tolerate corruption. He is, after all, the son of Cory Aquino and Ninoy Aquino who both sacrificed a lot for this country. His personal background, especially what his family has gone through, surely would have an impact on his decisions and his behavior as a public official. I told myself then that even if we hardly progress in other ways, at least the level of corruption would be reduced if he became president. I would not be voting another plunderer into office. Honesty was a non-negotiable. I had simple expectations.

During the campaign, I did not feel he sounded exceptionally brilliant, or as intelligent or charismatic as some of the other candidates. He was not a great orator. But he seemed to project himself differently. I detected real empathy, a sense of compassion. And he was comfortable among ordinary people in a way that did not seem put-on at all. He spoke Filipino with great fluency and depth. He had a folksy demeanor that appealed to the poor, which was not toxic, unlike the way Erap’s appeal seemed to me. Wishfully, I hoped that in Noynoy, we might even have a new leader in the template of Magsaysay. That was my second reason.

My third reason for supporting him was that all the other candidates seemed too timid in committing to certain issues like reproductive health, justice, anti-corruption, especially about the filing of cases against GMA, et al. They all sounded like politicians, like the usual trapo candidates who were playing it too safe. I felt that Noynoy had the courage to speak his mind even if it meant angering the Church and the established powers. He could stand his ground. I told myself that at least I knew what promises he would make and I could take him up on them if he did not live up to his commitments.

And by the way things have been going the past three years, it seems P-Noy is bent on keeping most, if not every, promise he uttered in the campaign. And even more.

For too long, we have been listening to ourselves rant and complain about how nonexistent reforms were and how timid our leaders have been in delivering even minute needed changes. Any talk of meaningful change always ended in a resigned sigh and a conclusion that change would probably not be coming soon, not in our lifetime.

P-Noy’s first year, which started with the banning of “wang-wang,” was good and popular but it seemed too early to say what the government could possibly achieve that would be a real game-changer. Could he really deliver on the big items? And though a few good things were happening early on, I kept reminding myself that one, two or even three swallows certainly do not make a summer.

But real changes seem to be truly happening now.

I am amazed at the pace of good things that are transpiring on many fronts. Almost every week now, we read news reports through local and foreign media that puts the Philippines in a good light.

Good news was something so rare before. And in the few times it did happen then, we would readily dismiss it as a fluke. We had a deep pessimism, a cynical inertia that lingered like a weather disturbance, which refused to leave. We were a broken people who did not believe in our leaders, and in ourselves. It seemed easier to just be cynical so as not to be further disappointed than we already were.

But now, there is a palpable optimism in the air and it is contagious. There is just so much good news about a lot of things. We feel the pride when we hear that the Philippines is finally being considered a real destination for tourism and investments in a big way. Lately, the New York Times placed us among the top 20 places to visit, even ahead of Paris and Bangkok. A European magazine dubbed Boracay as the best destination in the world. The tourists are really coming. Our stock market continues to amaze and surprise the world and more importantly ourselves. Our GDP growth is the second highest in the region next only to China. Our credit rating has gone up 11 times, and we are just one notch short of full investment grade. One way or another, all this has to surely trickle down economically by way of jobs, and more people will hopefully feel the blessings soon.

There also is now a greater seriousness and commitment among our legislators to tackle controversial items like the RH and sin tax bills that have recently become law. These were ignored in the past or conveniently passed on from Congress to Congress because weaker leaders were wary of a possible backlash from the Church and losing political capital. But yes, this Congress finally did it! I am even confident we will get the Freedom of Information bill enacted into law.

The wheels of justice could still use more speed. Even so, many were impressed that we were actually able to go though a proper process of impeachment that toppled a less-than-honest chief justice. This should hopefully redound to a more credible SC. There are also many pending cases now filed against big, used-to-be untouchable people.

And who can forget the truly historic moment that saw the MILF and the government signing an agreement for lasting peace and development in Mindanao. This seemed like just a pipe dream not too long ago. But now, the chance for real peace and progress is more real than ever.

There is definitely a momentum of change happening now. And seeing how the President’s high numbers are holding up, one can conclude that there is an enthusiastic constituency cheering him on and supporting him. And with the help of social media, an even greater number of people are now expressing themselves on issues and showing that they care about what’s happening to our country.

As a people, we are experiencing that it is possible to demand both honesty and competence from our leaders. We elected P-Noy who is surprisingly turning out to possess both qualities. It is only right that we now demand the same virtues from all our other officials.

In an election year, this is something we the citizenry must seriously think about, and it should certainly guide the way we vote. Too many times, we have elected crooks, liars and generally dishonest, self-serving politicians who not only continue to insult our intelligence and our sense of decency, but have also managed to get themselves reelected again and again!

These people are clearly throwbacks who now belong to the dustbin of our dysfunctional past. They are officials who were/are on the wrong side of every important issue that needs to be tackled to move our nation forward. They have no place in a country that is enjoying a newly discovered confidence and a desire to finally progress. It is time we make sure they do not ever return to office.

We still have many huge problems to be sure. It will take more than one administration to solve them. But in place of the usual cynicism that keeps us from moving, we are enjoying a wave of optimism. We are on the move. We are on the runway for a takeoff to greatness. I know many have already awakened to an inspired sense of who we really are and the possibilities of what we can be.

It is a great, exciting time to be Filipino.

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So you got a new DSLR during the holidays. Start taking great pix right away. Enroll now. My first Photography Workshop for 2013 happens this Feb. 9, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at 2231 Pasong Tamo Street, Molave Compound. Cost is P3,920 (VAT inclusive).

For information, call 0916-855-4303 or e-mail jpfotojim@gmail.

Just this, just now, just today

Just this, just now, just today

HUMMING IN MY UNIVERSE By Jim Paredes (The Philippine Star) | Updated January 13, 2013 – 12:00am

Years ago, I was able to go to Nepal and found the country to be very exotic. To me, one of the amazing encounters I had was with what the Nepalese call or regard as the Kumari Devi.

The Kumari Devi is a pre-pubescent girl who is regarded as a living goddess and, as tradition has it, is not just the manifestation of Vishnu but has the sole power to declare legitimacy to the King’s reign. This was the time before the monarch was abolished. She was/is regarded as divine. And to see her countenance, one had to offer sacrifice or money and put it inside a bowl in the courtyard before calling out her name. It was up to her whether she felt like responding by looking out of her big window on the second floor, or not. To my complete delight, it was only my voice that she liked to respond to among many who would call out her name that day. Twice she gave a fleeting appearance by the window when I called her. I felt blessed.

Every Sunday, I feel like the Kumari Devi who makes an appearance but in my case, it is through my column. Like her, I wish to surprise, delight, or engage those who wait for my article. But unlike her, my appearance is clearly scheduled and this ends the comparison to the divine representation that she is. I do not have the luxury to refuse or to wait for the spirit to move me. My column must be ready for my readers.

I have kept my column going for a few years now, and I am amazed how I have continued this long even if I am mortified and intimidated just thinking how I am committed to submit at least one column every week for the foreseeable future. That makes 53 more articles just for this year. Whew! This alone could give me permanent writer’s block if I indulged in the thought even for just a few minutes.

Thankfully, I think that through the years, I have begun to finally master one thing that used to stand in the way of getting things done and being happy with myself. I am learning to deal with things one at a time. I have learned to remind myself to stay in the moment. “No thinking too far ahead. No to over-anticipating too many things,” I tell myself often.

In the past, I knew for sure, I could always get things done. I know myself to be reliable and am proud of it. I deliver as expected. And while I could do that, I could never guarantee to myself what shape I would be in by the time I got things done. Often I would be sleep-deprived, over-critical of my work, and too tired and spent.

During my early APO days, I remember how I would prepare myself for a big concert, and would practice to death and anticipate and worry over lyrics, harmonies, vocal quality, presence, audience reaction, flow of the program, repertoire, lights, sound and the other things that are part of a show. I was always super-vigilant and would make sure everything was going right. I often amazed myself at how much energy I had.

In the process though, I would often get so tired and exhausted that I would have a hard time getting into the groove of just simply enjoying myself, my group and the audience when we did the much-awaited concerts. Sometimes my voice would suffer. I would be hoarse on the day of the show due to over-rehearsing, and not doing things right due to lack of sleep. My concentration was on too many things. I was spread out too thinly.

As a result, even when the show was good, I could not relish and enjoy it that much since I was always too focused on what would/should come next. I often had the attitude of just wanting to finish the show and get it over with.

It took me quite a while to learn to relax, and just do my part while trusting all the other people in the production to do their jobs and let things flow and take care of themselves.

When I started to do Zen meditation, I was floored to discover the attitude of letting go and not clinging to results or expectations. It was such a radical thought to me. Sure, it was noble and professional to do one’s best and all that. But yes, it was equally important that I did not burn out, or continue a practice that was not physically, emotionally, psychologically or even artistically sustainable, and enjoyable. And the only way to do things was to be simply present in whatever I was doing. Just this. Just now. Just today. “THIS (whatever I was engaged in) is all there is. THIS is what matters now,” I used to tell myself.

The present was the only thing that was real. The past and present were illusions that were draining my energies because I obsessed needlessly about them. During those days, I felt that even my originality and my enjoyment were crammed in a box. Because I was coming from the past, or fixated on results, I was stuck on how things used to be done. I could not allow myself to have space to be moved by the inspiration coming from the present.

When my father-in-law was dying of cancer, we saw him suffering and it was painful for all of us. He was waiting to die and every day that came and went that saw him still alive made things harder for him. To me, he was over-anticipating dying. He was dying to die.

A few times, I would sit down with him and try to engage him in the moment. Subtly and naturally, I would try to lead him to “just this, just now, just today.” We talked about how he was feeling right now without worrying about the pain that would come tomorrow. I felt I often succeeded in making him aware of the present. We would just talk and be engaged in the moment. No yesterdays. No tomorrows. Just today. It was so simple and uncomplicated. And yes, it was liberating.

I noticed that he would often calm down and even lighten up. We talked about my grandchild Ananda since she always delighted him. We also talked about light and serious things, about who his nurse looked like to feeling God’s presence in the room especially in this moment of suffering. I felt there was much authenticity, truth, beauty and yes, compassion in those conversations.

“What could possibly be wrong with right now,” writer Eckart Tolle asked in his book, The Power of Now. His answer was “Nothing.” He pointed out that the only time the present becomes problematic is when we contaminate it with the past or the future.

I write all this down in the same spirit. What you read is my take on the moment. It is spirit, or the breeze blowing the jasmine of inspiration. One might say, for good or bad, that this is the “state of my writing” right now. I may be better some days and worse on other days. And I am cool with that. This is what it is. Just this. Just now. Just today.

Have a great now!

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So you got a new DSLR during the holidays, huh? Start taking great pics right away. Enroll now. My first Photography Workshop for 2013 happens this Feb. 9, at 1 to 6:30 p.m. at 113 B. Gonzales, Loyola heights, QC. Call 0916-8554303 to reserve or write to jpfotojim@gmail for all inquiries.

Navigating through 2013

HUMMING IN MY UNIVERSE By Jim Paredes (The Philippine Star) | Updated January 6, 2013 – 12:00am

It is now 2013.

Quickly, I watched 2012 fading fast into becoming “yesterday” while watching the fabulous Sydney New Year’s Eve fireworks show on TV. I could feel the euphoria in the air as I watched people partying, screaming with delight and applauding as this part of the world welcomed the New Year.

It is quite interesting how the world gets so excited about New Year’s Eve. It is probably because there is something fascinating about endings and the beginnings that follow it. We observe the hand of time doing magic tricks and we are mesmerized by it. We become one with humanity, acutely watching the turning of the earth on its axis while moving us all from darkness into a brand new dawn. We especially feel the spirit of time animating on New Year’s Eve even if the earth actually does this all the time.

Time is passing. It is doing so all the time. Time is like a limitless ocean continuously moving into the past as it flows through the present on its way to the future (which will someday be a present and a past). And calendars, clocks, birthdays, anniversaries like New Year’s Eve celebrations were created to try to box something eternal into something we can measure and talk about.

We are all bound by time. We enter into the field of time and live our lives in that field, enjoy our childhood, grow up and even die there. And throughout our lives, we measure time by the experiences we have while living a life.

There are many reasons why we need to observe the coming of a new year. If the past year was a bad one, we may feel relieved that it is finally over and we are now looking at a new one that will hopefully be better. If we had a good year, we project hope on the coming year to repeat or even surpass the previous one. While feeling all these, we moderate our expectations by believing in things like astrology and Chinese calendars. It’s almost like we fervently

On the first day of 2013, I told myself that this new time lease on life does not have to be a continuation of the previous year. I don’t have to bring all the baggage that slowed me down or made me less happy to this new year; 2013 can be something completely new, exciting, with hardly a trace of the past, especially those moments when I felt unhappy, useless and angry. The past is dead and gone and I don’t have to continue living it.

What a liberating thought!

A new life, a new sunrise happens every day. Philosopher Heraclitus said that we never cross the same river twice. The present is always new, and our circumstances are not static if we examine them close enough. But what makes us perceive them as not so new is an inertia about the past: we can’t let go.

Strangely, we cling even if we both curse and like the past at the same time. We curse it because we are stuck in its miseries and historicity and can’t seem to transcend them. We repeatedly relive old thoughts, old patterns, old ways of doing things even when we feel trapped in them.

But still we choose living in the past even when opportunities for change present themselves because there is comfort in the known. There is a reassurance in the familiar even if you know it can and often does hurt you. And so people stay stuck in toxic jobs, relationships, patterns of behavior that may not be good for them simply because it gives them at least a sense of the familiar. Very few like to stray away from their neighborhood. After all, who knows what dangers may lie beyond what you can see. Better the devil you know than the one you don’t know, as the saying goes.

Carl Jung wrote: “We cannot live the afternoon of life according to the program of life’s morning. For what was great in the morning will be little in the evening. For what was true in the morning, in the evening will have become a lie.” I often think of this when I wake up at certain times in my life and realize I have outgrown certain things, feelings, truths, ideals and even people. Many of the things I used to like a lot, over time, have lost their charm and attraction. Some of the things that used to seem so important which awakened in me a sense of duty and purpose may at times recede in the background, and even stay there.

There is an element of appropriateness we must consider when it comes to asking ourselves what we must keep and hang on to and what we must let go of. There are things that are important early in life but are unimportant later on. To ignore or deny this can be dangerous, and/or at least make us appear silly, if not to ourselves, then to others. There is something toxic, ridiculous or incorrect in behaving out of place, in being in denial or acting out of sync with one’s age, stature or situation in life.

We already know that time is always moving and that circumstances can and most likely will change. And we too change all the time. The deeper we go into life, the greater the demands on us to have a fuller understanding of ourselves and the world. But mostly, the demand to understand ourselves is more important. Many times, we will be helpless in the face of life’s trials, tragedies and sorrows, but we can always fall back on solid ground if we know and accept our own capabilities and limitations with grace and ease.

It is in this context that I look at living out 2013, as I begin to sort out what I will throw away and what I will keep at this juncture in my life. The direction I wish to take is to immerse myself in new things and creative pursuits, explore new avenues of expression, keep fit, while I bring mankind into a higher, more compassionate state in my own little way. I may sound like a Miss Universe contestant but I do mean to embark in these directions. These may sound like generalities, but I am already breaking them down to practical doables. And yes, I also wish to have fun while doing them.

Life will always be complex but I will avoid being overwhelmed and immobilized. I will need more wisdom in knowing when to meet things head-on and when to bend, duck and detour to navigate the path. I will need to know what truly matters and what doesn’t.

We live in a physical, real world. But the maps and the buttons to navigate it reside in our internal world. Therefore, the cultivation of an internal life is important. This means I must also do a lot more reflecting, meditating to be adept at reading those maps and pressing the right buttons to navigate the 2013 and the rest of life.

I predict 2013 will happen

I predict 2013 will happen

HUMMING IN MY UNIVERSE By Jim Paredes (The Philippine Star) | Updated December 30, 2012 – 12:00am

Illustration by REY RIVERA

Nostradamus was known to sit late at night and make his accurate predictions for mankind. He wrote them in quatrains.

It is late at night as I write these predictions for 2013. This is the only similarity between Nostradamus and I. Like him, I also write late at night. But I have no idea what quatrains are.

With regards to accuracy, I make no claims. I have done this a few times before so I guess my record speaks for itself. But don’t ask or tell me what it says. I have not heard my record speak and I do not want to know what it says.

I do not use Tarot cards or any paraphernalia for divination. But I do claim that all these predictions came to me in a vision — a vision that makes me break out in sweat. It is the vision of a calendar screaming out the deadline for article submission.

Here we go:

1) Owing to the success of his Twitter account, His Holiness Pope Benedict will now open various accounts on Facebook, Skype, Instagram, Streamzoo, Linked-in and other social media. Apparently, he has realized the power of social media. A Vatican spokesperson has predicted that Benedict will be the most modern Pope ever who will use cutting-edge technology to engage the postmodern world with his 16th-century views.

2) Traffic in Manila will continue to increase, so much so that MMDA, anticipating more road rage, will install big video monitors everywhere along EDSA. This is to help pacify motorists. MMDA is hoping these will make people relax while in traffic, and feel like they are just seated in their cars in a big drive-in movie theater.

3) Another Paquiao and Marquez boxing match will happen in 2013. It will be between Aling Dionesia Pacquiao and Joey Marquez. This time, Pacquiao will have a big chance of winning.

4) China and the Philippines will finally solve the Spratlys issue. In a big and bold diplomatic move that will involve Madame Auring and geomancers, the Philippine government will persuasively convince the Chinese that the Spratlys and the controversial shoals, if annexed by China, will result in bad feng shui. But as a gesture of friendship, the Philippines will carry the burden for China. China will immediately withdraw all claims and send P-Noy two pandas as a token of appreciation.

5) Scientists will discover and confirm the real reason behind the increasing number of typhoons that are coming the way of the Philippines. Apparently, it has nothing to do with climate change at all. It seems Mother Nature all along has been quite upset because of the awful names given natural weather phenomena. Because of this, PAG-ASA in 2013 will abandon the already assigned typhoon names like Auring, Brising, Dante, Emong, etc. and instead replace them with nicer ones like Kimberly, Kirsten, Beverly, Holly, Kitty, etc. The weather will improve greatly to everyone’s surprise and delight.

6) A missing Mayan slab of stone will be discovered which will explain why the end of the world did not happen. Apparently, the Mayan gods who have been watching over the world have taken a liking to all kinds of telenovelas. It may have affected the disposition of the gods and made them change their minds since it will still be a few more weeks before these end. And sequels are already planned. Interestingly enough, all these will be confirmed by the CBCP.

7) The US will finally decide to ban all guns. Instead, the Second Amendment, which gives everyone the right to bear arms will be replaced with the right to bare arms. In one masterstroke, gun violence will end and the wearing of sleeveless clothes will help Americans adapt to global warming.

A frenzy of infrastructure construction will happen in 2013. SLEX and NLEX will be connected. MRT and LRT will be merged. A train will link all airports in Manila to Clark. Lastly, St. Luke’s and Veterans Hospitals will become official branches of the New Bilibid Penitentiary.

9) The “Occupy Wall Street” movement which was a big phenomenon in the US and some parts of the world will be adopted as a business strategy by Henry Sy, and his SM empire. It will involve occupying every space left in the Philippines and filling it with malls, drugstores and condominiums but without adequate parking.

10) Accident-prone people will have the option to now surgically implant protective gear inside their bodies that will automatically release air bags upon impact, just like in cars. Helmets will soon be a thing of the past.

11) Now that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has gained respect by launching a satellite into space proving that NoKor is as modern as any First World nation, he will now do the next “impossible” thing. In an unprecedented, audacious, radical and unexpected move, he will order his scientists to study the cutting-edge science of planting rice and vegetables to feed his country.

12) In a bold move, the DOJ will arrest 100-plus prominent people involved in various crimes in 2013. They will be detained in a small, exclusive detention center that will be called Twitter Jail since it will only have a maximum number of 140 characters.

13) Korean superstar Psy will abruptly end his successful career and will disappear for months. But he will surprise everyone when he suddenly reappears again but this time as Kim Jong Un’s missing twin. His influence in North Korea will be far-reaching. This will be evident when the goose-stepping military will do their yearly Patriotic Parade March in “Gangnam Style.”

14) Heart and Chiz will continue to date and their love will blossom. Heart will carry a locket with Chiz’s picture in it to show her love. But Chiz will refuse for the simple reason that he does not want to cause a scandal by being seen in public with a Heart on.

15) Because of the RH Law, many brands and styles of condoms will now be available. There will be the loose fit for hip-hop users. There will also be the glow-in–the-dark, heat-seeking condoms for the visually impaired. Lastly, there will be condoms that will be beautifully designed but riddled with holes. These will target the fashionable but conservative users since it can be a fashion statement while still conforming to CBCP teachings. To the surprise of many, this condom will be manufactured by PAGCOR since it will be a gamble or a game of chance for anyone to use them. This will start a huge debate on which is the bigger sin: using condoms or gambling.

16) Lastly, I predict 2013 will happen.

Taking back Christmas

Taking back Christmas

HUMMING IN MY UNIVERSE By Jim Paredes (The Philippine Star) | Updated December 23, 2012 – 12:00am

Most of the world celebrates Christmas even if the season means different things to different people, societies and cultures. We are aware that throughout Europe and all areas of the world that have been Christianized at one time, there is great celebration everywhere. Even in some Arab societies, the yuletide season is evident in malls and other places, most likely because of their Christian populations. But I have heard of Muslims who do something special on Christmas day like hold family dinners, or exchange gifts, as they go along with the good cheer that pervades all over the world.

The ambassador of Christmas in these non-Christian parts of the world is Santa Claus. Children are mesmerized by this obese man with a long white beard and a positive demeanor who rides a sleigh pulled by reindeers and delivers gifts to people everywhere. It is quite a compelling image actually, and so wondrously magical for Christians and non-Christians alike.

In the Christian world, the attention is focused on both Jesus and Santa, although more and more, Santa seems to be defining Christmas for a great many people. This is brought about by secularization and materialism that is shaping the world.

In my own childhood, the story of the birth of Jesus and Santa’s gift giving were both present, although I felt the Jesus angle more than the Santa one. We were 10 in the family –– middle class, Catholic with few resources. Thus, Christmas was more about the advent wreath and the spiritual preparations that went with the season like Simbang Gabi, the Belen, family get-togethers, noche buena and caroling. The food we enjoyed during the season was better than what we had the rest of the year, with oranges, apples, grapes, ham, cakes and pies on the table. We had cards or gifts for everyone. Often, we made the Christmas cards and gifts ourselves. As I said, we had meager resources but that certainly was no hindrance to our enjoyment of Christmas. It was great family time and it was always fun. And I felt a lightness of spirit, a connection to the child in the manger and its spiritual dimension.

At the same time, I enjoyed the gifts that were strewn my way by relatives, ninongs and yes, Santa, whoever he really was.

I have seen Christmas change through the years. Perhaps it is a function of having gotten older, or because we have moved up the social ladder and are now a bit more affluent. But these days whether for the rich or not so rich, Christmas has come to mean endless traffic, runaway expenses, acquisitions, lots of useless gifts received, binge drinking and partying, and endless social obligations.

All these result in physical exhaustion and a depletion of yuletide cheer and joy. Gone is the rejuvenating spirit that used to light up the holidays. There are actually people who anticipate the season with some anxiety, wishing they could just get it over with. To them, Christmas has lost much of its wonder and meaning. I myself have actually expressed the opinion that perhaps, as a society, we should celebrate Christmas only every other year, if only to be relieved of the debilitating traffic that steals the Christmas spirit from everyone.

There is more and more of this materialistic frenzy in the season’s celebrations rather than the commemoration of the birth of Jesus. In my view, too much of the materialism and too little of the spiritual gifts of the season is what brings the ennui and depression that many fall into during the Christmas season.

I decided a few Christmases ago that I would stop succumbing to the call of the malls and instead listen to the bells of good cheer and universal love. I simply stopped fretting over the obligatory gifts and numerous parties that social pressure foists upon everyone. Instead, I decided to take on a happy disposition, attend a few parties, give quietly and anonymously to some charities, and set aside a few gifts for people I am close to.

It is my way of getting Christmas back. And so far, it has worked for me. I will spend for plane tickets to get the family together and to have those special bonding moments. These are gifts that allow family time to happen and make everyone closer to each other as we celebrate a meaningful Christmas. It allows us to celebrate our love for each other and strengthen family ties. The memories created will live beyond the thrill of the new must-have gadgets or whatever material gift I may lust for. In place of that, we enjoy the special moments of Simbang Gabi and an intimate time at home as we feast on much anticipated food prepared with love and care by family members.

One might describe this as a conscious awakening to discover the Christmas spirit and cheer. I get into the mood of it because I summon the mood. I do not rely so much on the outward environment to put me in the proper feeling. And I try not to be focused on an ideal Christmas. I accept every Christmas as it is. There are times when it is a season of plenty, and other times when it requires a more modest celebration. But what really counts is I can share whatever I have with family and friends.

This Christmas, may you and your family have a share of both Jesus and Santa. But may you have more of Jesus to bring you closer to one another as you appreciate the joy that He has brought to the world.

From my loved ones to yours, have a blessed Christmas!

The separation between Church and faith

HUMMING IN MY UNIVERSE By Jim Paredes (The Philippine Star) | Updated December 16, 2012 – 12:00am

Illustration by REY RIVERA

MANILA, Philippines – As I write this, the RH bill is being debated in both houses of congress and will soon be put to a final vote. The whole RH issue has been bruising for everyone. Both sides of the issue have galvanized their forces for all-out war where each is claiming moral ascendancy. One may say both sides have been bloodied. And both have, at times, behaved badly.

I have had many discussions with proponents of both camps. I admit I am pro-RH. I also admit that I am for women’s right to choose to be informed so they can plan their families and have more control over their own lives. And yes, I have read the bill.

I still do not understand when bishops claim that the bill is pro-abortion when it clearly states it isn’t. Are they stupid or illiterate? Of course not! So why are they saying this, and so many other absurdities that insult the intelligence of many Filipinos, Catholics and non-Catholics alike?

The answer is simple. They fear that the RH bill is the last stronghold before full secularization takes over this bastion of Catholicism that is the Philippines. They fear that soon it will be followed by divorce, abortion, same-sex marriage, etc. They feel they are losing sway over the population. The issue is power.

As many have noticed, the bishops will say anything, do everything — lie, cheat, intimidate, threaten and fool the people to win this war. And they have on their side the politicians who are willing to do cartwheels to nail the so-called Catholic vote. I do not know how this will play out in the end but one thing is becoming clear: more and more Catholics are aghast at the way their Mother Church has handled itself on this issue.

The Church has done more condemning over the RH bill than at any time I can remember. I lived through martial law, the Erap and PGMA eras, and I have not seen a more spirited negative campaign mounted by the Church as this one. In the past, churchmen and women have spoken out and risked their lives in defense of rights and certain moral issues, and I admire them deeply for that. But the Church as an institution never did shout with this level of vehemence as it does now.

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In light of this condemnation gap, I wish to ask the bishops this: Is wearing a condom really a bigger sin than the suspension of human rights of an entire nation involving torture, extrajudicial killings and unprecedented levels of corruption?

Many Catholics are shocked at the behavior of some of their leaders. They see them as not only arguing with flawed reasoning but resorting to name-calling and behaving less than scrupulously by condemning everyone who is not on their side of this issue.

Gone is Christian tolerance and compassion in accepting that people who are not on their side may have arrived at their position after much examination of conscience and prayer. Gone is the humility that accepts the possibility that the Church could be on the wrong side of the issues. After all, it has been wrong many times before.

In place of humble discernment and respectful tolerance is an arrogance and dangerous bravado that makes some of them say the most incendiary and idiotic things, the most recent of which is blaming the devastation of Typhoon Pablo on support for the RH bill.

How is it, dear bishop, that God would choose to kill hundreds of poor helpless people, including women and children, because the country is discussing the RH bill? Isn’t He a God of compassion and love? How does mass murder fit into the paradigm of love? Is it not entirely possible and more plausible that the reason for the typhoon is we now live in a new world of climate change where nature is behaving differently and so typhoons like Pablo and Sendong are now more common and frequent? Aren’t you totally out of line, dear bishop?

What is a Catholic to do when confronted with idiocy and vexation from the leaders of the faith? What is a Catholic to do when he/she believes with all his/her heart, soul and conscience that passing the RH bill is an act of compassion that will help the poor and ignorant in our society exercise more control over their bodies and their lives, a stand the Church sneers at? What is a Catholic to do when his/her leaders are silent in the face of ridiculous assertions of anti-RH politicians who defend plagiarism, lie about facts, and kowtow to the church for no other reason than to preserve and promote their political careers?

And what does it profit the Church if it gains in the political and temporal sphere but loses its reason, and conscience, and many of its educated followers?

Driving my own train

My article this week on Humming in my Universe, Philippine Star December 9, 2012

By Jim Paredes

Grasping at metaphors to try and make sense of my life, I have settled on the image of life as as a journey on a train. My life is a train that keeps going and its fuel is time. I don’t know how much fuel there is on my train, but it keeps chugging along, never stopping.

I look out the window and the scenery is changing all the time. There are days, weeks, months and even years when I bask in the splendor of the greenery, of bountiful mountains and verdant hills, of rich varied landscapes in different hues that inspire and make me feel very much alive.

There are also endless days and nights of desert and flat lands when the rich colors fade into the monochrome of arid sand and lifeless terrain. Or it could be insanely boring endless tracts of nothing but snow so white, I can’t tell where the earth ends and the clouds begin.

For most of life, I go with the scenery hoping that the view will be ‘better’ or more exciting, if I am looking at something undesirable; or that, if it is a wonderful view, that it stays that way.

But at certain points, I wake up to the realization that I am not necessarily just a passenger on this train ride. Could it be that I am the driver of the train? Is it possible that I can choose to decide where this train will go?

When I look at my life, I have a great feeling of gratitude for everything that has happened to me, both the so-called good and bad, pleasant and unpleasant, the beautiful and ugly things that I have experienced. Being a passenger on this journey of life has been truly wonderful and life-affirming.

But I am no longer content wih being a mere passenger on this train. I want to drive the train and bring it to destinations that I want to go to. I want to abandon suggested itineraries, recommended destinations and set out to explore on my own. I sometimes wish to go where the train has never been.

As one goes through life and begins to age, individuation, or the call to be the person one was meant to be, rings ever louder. No longer content to take the beaten track, one seeks to meander down roads not yet taken, or the ones without a clear path.

To be sure, I have done some of that in my earlier years. And at my age now, I continue to want to do more.

I have learned a lot about saying ‘yes’ and ‘no’ to life’s invitations. These days, my ears are attuned to deeper, more meaningful callings, stirrings that suggest new commitments and promises.

The stirrings come in waves. The approaching wave I see now is something I have faced many times in the past, and like a real wave, i have met it head-on. It has washed me to shore, totally powerless and dazed, but yearning for more.

I will go direct to the point. I speak of the quest to know God and life’s meaning. Decades back, when I first heard George Harrison’s song, ‘My Sweet Lord’, I felt it was talking to me about how much I wanted to know and understand God, and all the great questions of life. I knew then that I had crossed a line that few people are comfortable with. I was exploring a spiritual realm outside my religious training. I was having a God experience outside the approved box that religion had put God in. Whoever it was who said that religion is the kindergarten of spirituality is correct. The point is, eventually, one must move out of kindergarten and explore on one’s own.

I don’t know how much fuel is left in my train. But I do not wish to be taken on too many more unplanned trips. I want to deliberately plan the routes to take my train to.

There is still so much to learn, important, life-changing questions to pursue, and the goal is to pursue them.

I often ask myself what I want to do before the ride ends and a multitude of suggestions surface. Many of them are about enjoying more of life, or experiencing what I have not yet done. I must admit that these are, in a way, ‘materialistic’ desires in my bucket list, but I do not belittle them in any way. I would still like to do them. But I also have items on my list that have nothing to do with physical pleasure, comfort or more thrills. They have to do with wanting to make a difference in people’s lives. I want to be able to move the consciousness of people forward to where we can all experience greater and grander versions of what we know about ourselves so far. To put it grandly, I would like to be part of the effort to move the path of evolutionary consciousness on a higher plane.

There are things I can do quite adequately, such as teaching, writing, making music, performing and communicating in special ways. I would like to keep doing these,i but more frequently and more intensely and for bigger audiences.

I like inspiring people. Inspiring others inspires me as well. It’s a healthy symbiosis that ends up blessing everyone involved.

My train is currently running at a pretty good speed as it has been doing for many years now. I don’t know for how long it will keep going before it sputters, loses speed and finally careens to a stop. But hopefully, before it does, I, the train driver, would have taken the train and all its passengers to a higher level of understanding, consciousness and humanity that no one thought existed or was possible.

I have always pursued causes I believe in. But at this age, I know that the world will never run out of problems to solve or cure. One can keep trying to patch cracks, fill holes, or even out things and there is something laudable about that.

But I also believe that there is a viable alternative — to accept the world as it is and make peace with it first, as Nelson Mandela and Mother Teresa did. That kind of peace truly inspires. We can throw away the anger that drives us to change things and instead dwell on the peace that comes from that holy acceptance. And maybe, the inspiration we get from all this is what will really change things in an irreversible way.

A Christmas play list from a Christmas song junkie

Philippine Star published December 7, 2012

By Jim Paredes

One of the best things about Christmas is Christmas carols. It is an understatement to say that as a young boy, I was completely enthralled by Christmas and its many facets, especially the music and songs that pervaded the air during the yuletide season. I still am completely taken over by Christmas carols at my age now.

I remember being mesmerized by the classic songs. I was totally taken by the beauty of ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’, ‘The First Noel’, ‘Silent Night’, ‘Joy to the World’, ‘We Three Kings’ and ‘O Holy Night’. There were also the ‘Carol of the Bells’, ‘O Come Emmanuel’, ‘Hark the Angels’, ‘O Come all Ye Faithful’ which I had memorized in its Latin version, ‘Adeste Fidelis’. These solemn songs evoked the holy splendor of that wondrous night when Jesus was born.

But there were also the plain fun Yuletide songs that had no religious connotations like ‘Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer’, ‘Frosty the Snowman’, ‘Jingle Bells’, ’12 Days of Christmas’, ‘Santa Claus is coming to Town’ and ‘Winter Wonderland’. Never mind if the songs evoked images of winter frost, snow, and ice which I have not to this day experienced in the Philippines no matter how I tried to wish them to materialize. There was something magical about them too. They just brought so much good cheer and glad tidings that infected people with that special feeling of ..well…Christmas!

I have close to 300 Christmas songs in my music player. And all the songs above are there, plus many more.

As a songwriter-singer, I embarked with Danny and Boboy on a Christmas album called PaskonAPO sometime in the early 90s. It was one of the things we wanted to do as recording artists. I actually still want to do another one since the topic of Christmas is inexhaustible. The strange thing about doing a Christmas album is the time you need to write the songs and do the recordings. You start as early as May and you finish it at the latest by October to give the recording company enough time to manufacture the album, produce the cover and to market it. The net effect of this schedule is, you find yourself in a Christmassy mood and frame of mind for practically half of the year. It is surreal but wonderful.

PaskonAPO was a successful album critically and commercially. I am proud that we made certain songs that helped define the Christmas zeitgeist for a lot of Filipinos.

I continue to avidly collect and listen to Christmas songs. I enjoy versions by new artists of classic songs with a twist, and I have fallen in love with newly written materials too. It is not hard to like Christmas songs unless… well… you hear them in disco version!

I would like to share with you some of my ‘new’ finds, more or less. The recorded songs may have been around for some time but I may have just discovered them. Here is a list of songs that have defined Christmas for me in the past 10 or so years.

1) ‘Kumukutikutitap’—Lyrics by Joey Reyes and music composed and sang by Ryan Cayabyab, and found on his One Christmas Album. The song just brings out the wide-eyed kid in me as it evokes memories of being mesmerized by the lights of Christmas.

2) ‘The Holly and the Ivy’- The best version of this uncommon song I have heard is by Maureen McGovern. Simply Beautiful. You can find it in her This is Christmas Time Album. There are too many songs in this Christmas collection that I like.

3) ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’- A very contemporary, very New York take on the song about the beloved man in a red suit. Tongue-in-cheek funny and amusing. Also by Maureen McGovern

4) ’12 Days of Christmas, by First Call. If you haven’t heard of this vocal group, I would venture that you have not come close to experiencing the celestial grandeur of the season. The album is called An Evening in December and it is jaw-droppingly wonderful.

5) ‘Winter Wonderland by Jewel’. Sung in her clear plaintive voice, it has a touch of country Western complete with twang and yodel, and slide guitar which surprisingly works out very well.

6) ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ by the late Luther Van Dross. This song is already achingly beautiful to start with. Luther gives it that touch that makes you sigh and cry away any Christmas ennui you may be feeling. Yuletide melancholia at its tempered best.

7) ‘Angels We Have Heard on High’. Point of Grace is a group I discovered by accident on the internet. I have not heard this song as gloriously sung as this group has done. There is a touch of orchestral pop/rock which brings the song to a magnificently, gloriously higher place

‘Pasko Na Sinta Ko’/ ‘Miss Kita Kung Krismas’—APO’s version of these two songs in a medley arranged by the late Eddie Munji III has stayed with me since the time we recorded it many moons ago. The counterpoints are quite brilliant, if I may say so. If you feel sad this season because a loved one is missing, this is the music to marinate in.

9) ‘Heto Na Naman’, composed and sang by Ryan Cayabyab. A totally infectious song that is mildly cynical about Christmas. It leaves you with an LSS (Last Song Syndrome) that you can’t shake away .

10) Jingle Bells by Barbra Streisand. It’s practically a remake of this universally loved song. I like it because Streisand takes it to a higher level of fun interpretation-wise, and carries it through some vocal hoops with flying colors.

There are so many more songs I can recommend. I particularly like ‘Lata ang Aming Tambol’ by the APO, a rambunctious song about the Pinoy tradition of street caroling. The old Sinatra Christmas album still does it for me. The Christmas classics as done by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is beautiful in an old- fashioned way and solemn. Commercial as it is, The Carpenters’ Christmas songs are still great. So is the song ‘Christmas in Our Hearts’ by Jo Mari Chan.

While I may be a Christmas song junkie, there are some songs that do not move me at all. One of them is the Live Aid song for Africa called ‘Do they Know it’s Christmas?’. The Maria Carey, Cristina Aguilera R&B versions of the classic songs leave me cold, too. And disco versions of the classics just don’t cut it for me.

May these recommended soundtracks of Christmas songs bring you more wondrous delight and cheer this holiday season.

A song for Roger and Eddie

HUMMING IN MY UNIVERSE By Jim Paredes (The Philippine Star) | Updated December 2, 2012 – 12:00am

The author and Roger Herrera: He was very pleasant to have around — no dramas, no sumpong.

It has been a bad two weeks for OPM. We lost two great musical luminaries. Roger Herrera was a super-talented and accomplished bass player, and Eddie Munji III was a guitarist, brilliant arranger and my good friend. I was lucky to have spent a great deal of my career working on various projects with these two geniuses and thus benefitted enormously from their talent and friendship.

Roger Herrera is probably one of the most recorded Filipino musicians of all time. The other is the drummer Jun Regalado, Roger’s longtime partner in music. These two musicians were already recording albums, backing up famous singers since the early ‘60s. During that time, the likes of Pilita Corrales, Bobby Gonzales and Diomedes Maturan, among others, recorded album upon album of Filipino folk songs, popular covers and the like. Their preferred bassist was Roger, and the drummer was Jun.

When I started recording in the ‘70s, more than ever, Roger and Jun were the musicians that arrangers wanted to work with. If my count is right, they played in almost all of APO’s 28 albums. They were versatile, playing in any style and genre. And they were particularly great to have during live shows.

At the time I met him, Roger’s high stature among his fellow musicians was beyond question. They called him “Senyor” out of respect and affection. Even if he was 20 years older than I, I always felt that Roger was very young at heart. For one, he went around on a motorcycle. How cool was that?

He was also always learning new things and played with enthusiasm. I was just a newbie on the scene then who could not even read or write music, but he treated my suggestions and concerns with seriousness. He was very pleasant to have around — no dramas, no sumpong. He was light, friendly, and sessions with him were always smooth and easy. And to top it all off, he played beautifully.

Roger was such a permanent fixture in the music scene, the “old reliable,” that it was a shock to all of us when he passed away quite suddenly. He was still actively playing live jazz in different clubs and no one expected it. Apparently, only his family knew he had been undergoing treatment for a rare form of cancer.

The last time I saw Roger was in 7th High at the Fort, where he played bass with the Maritess Salientes trio. He proudly showed me a bass guitar which he had made. We joked around a bit, posed for pictures, and that was it. The next time I heard about him was when he passed on.

Eddie Munji: Every recording session was memorable.

I first met Eddie Munji before we left on a 57-city tour of the US and Canada in 1974. He was the guitarist/ bass player of the Balikbayan Roadshow that we did with other artists for the Department of Tourism. I was part of a little-known group called the APO Hiking Society.

Common to Eddie and the APO was the fact that we were all young men going to the US for the first time. It was a magical trip, to say the least. Visiting new places, experiencing snow, crisscrossing two countries by land and doing all those shows in all those cities was an unforgettable experience.

When we got back to Manila, Eddie and I shared an apartment in Project 3. We bonded over a common interest in music. He shared his jazz records and taught me a lot of chords. I felt a kinship with him. Soon, he was doing arrangements for APO’s live concerts. It didn’t take very long to get him involved in APO’s recordings and in other projects of Jem Recording, a new progressive music company that Danny, Boboy and I were part of.

Eddie arranged a lot of APO’s hits, including Panalangin, Mahirap Magmahal ng Siyota ng Iba, Siyotang Pa-Class, Awit ng Barkada, Salawikain, Lumang Tugtugin and Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo, among many others. But the project that really bonded us together was the “Pinoy Jazz” album that I, as producer, gave him free rein to do for Jem.

Every recording session was memorable. The musicians we contracted were the best there were, and it was obvious that they were playing music that delighted them so that the recordings weren’t the usual studio sessions. Everyone wanted to show off and they did! Eddie’s arrangements were not only novel but bordered on pure genius. We knew we were creating something really special.

Eddie never went to music school but he managed to learn everything he needed to know, and more. Before he learned to read and write notes, he would memorize songs from the radio by drawing up and down patterns on his bedroom wall to remind him of how the melodies ran. He also liked to read and appreciated intellectual discourse, even if he never went to college.

He was also quite moody and sensitive. Sometimes, he would take forever to finish an arrangement while the musicians waited inside the studio. But for all the trouble, the outcome of Eddie’s work was always worth the wait.

What was rare about Eddie was that he related to his work almost purely on the level of unadulterated creativity. Watching him during recording sessions, it did not seem like he was working to earn money to pay for stuff. It seemed more like he did what he did because it delighted him.

Eddie was a kind, gentle soul. We laughed a lot; he had a marvelous sense of humor. But he was also eccentric in many ways. He liked to just disappear from the scene for various reasons. When he felt that he had slighted you or that he did something wrong, he would disappear. It would be months, sometimes years before he would drop in again. He would come by unexpectedly, once in a blue moon, simply showing up, and we would pick up where we left off, as if we had just seen each other the day before.

He spent the last 10 years of his life in Cardona, far from the recording studios and the live music scene. In this eastern part of Rizal, he worked with school bands, doing arrangements for them. I found out during the wake that Eddie had applied to be the arranger for a school band in Cardona, and easily got the job. When his students looked him up on Google, they were amazed that the man who was working with them was way too accomplished to be doing what he was doing for them.

I last saw Eddie about four months ago. I invited him to guest in my Internet show at radiorepublic.ph. At first I wasn’t sure he would say yes, since it had been years since our last contact. I was pleasantly surprised when he readily agreed to do the show. We talked about him as a musician, and he discussed his approach to arranging songs.

Eddie passed on just three days after Roger did. According to jazz singer Skarlet who called up Eddie to tell him about Roger’s death, Eddie remarked how sad he was to hear it, but after a minute he said, “I will not miss Roger. I still hear his work played on radio every day.”

In the same way, I will not miss Eddie as much since his music lives on. Every time I hear Umagang kay Ganda, I will remember the great work he did with that song. But as a friend, his passing is a great, devastating loss.

Eddie, I will miss your quiet and beautiful ways. We did wonderful things together and I am grateful for that. I will miss your stories, and most of all, I will miss your friendship. Goodbye, Ed. I know you are enjoying your gig up there with Roger. And I am sure heaven is quite pleased to have two of its geniuses there playing divine creations.