30 Oct Is Her Birthday. 55 Years Of Love & Marriage & 13 Children – 1st Time I Publicly Thank My Wife Ampy For Loving Us All!

 

Still active, my wife Amparo “Ampy” Medina Reynoso is 77 this Sunday (born 30 Oct 1945). In the past weeks, we have been alone together literally in this little apartment, lovely with a small backyard of green grass and trees and flowers – and reviving cold and/or fresh air. I remember to thank God everyday!

(Photo shows Ampy at 72 (15 May 2017, via my Lumix FZ100)

History: We were working in neighboring government offices at UP Los Baños campus: I as Substitute Horticulture Lab Instructor at UPLB, she as Stenographer cum-Secretary to the Director of the Forest Products Research & Industries Development Commission (FORPRIDECOM).

We were meant for each other. I accidentally met her when I visited my girl friends (barkada) at the Revilleza Dorm sometime in 1966. It was love at first sight – on my part.

We were married 18 March 1967 by the Municipal Judge of Bay, Laguna – with 2 witnesses, her married friends at FORPRIDECOM.

This little apartment is made for love – for younger bodies!

Our lovemaking in years past gave us so much happiness and so many children – in the list below, how did I remember all those complete 13 names and exact dates? I did not – with family help, I typed the list on 27 Oct 2021 and saved it on my Lenovo. (What happened to the Stenographer/Secretary? Ampy is into browsing Facebook once in a while, that’s all.)

Cristina Marie, 14 February 1968
Jose Mario, 27 August 1969
Maria Lorena, 06 February 1971
Paul Benjamin, 11 April 1972
Teresa Leonor, 27 July 1973
Cynthia Mae, 08 April 1976
Julio Salvador, 02 July 1977
Jennifer Claire, 06 August 1979
Ernest Charles (+), 22 May 1981
Daphne Cassandra, 21 December 1983
Neenah Bonafe, 20 January 1985
Edwin Dante, 06 April 1988
Graciela Antonia, 13 June 1990

Before I forget, Ampy comes from a large family herself – while the Dionisio & Sixta Hilarios were only 3: Emilio, Frank & Brillita  – that I can easily recall. For the following list of 12, I refer to my essay that I blogged 04 Oct 2015, “Tribute To Remedios ‘Meding’ Medina Reynoso” (A Magazine Called Love, blogspot.com). “Meding” was her mother, “Gabriel” her father, whose children are/were: Elisa, Cora, Ampy, Osmundo (+), Becks, Nits (+), Boogie, Teddy, Raffy,  Louie, Rey and Olive.

So, more or less, we have been happy together for the last 55 years. No, she is not perfect – nobody’s perfect! There was a time she lost courage and asked Nanay Meding’s approval to break up our family – thanks to my mother-in-law, she told Ampy in no uncertain terms: “Pumasok ka riyan – Pangatawanan mo!” (“You got in there yourself – tough it out!”)

I thank Nanay Meding for caring about our family – I was not that loving myself.

Nobody’s perfect. Despite difficulties, we must trust God.

I don’t know why but there is no commandment to love your family. So, from me this:

Love your family much as you love yourself!@517

Why Do I Write, Nay Love To Write In English, When I Am A Full-Blooded Ilocano And Living In The Philippines?

Recently, on Facebook the title of Eric North’s BS thesis (Bachelor of Linguistics, 2013, Cornerstone University in Michigan) caught my attention: “Philippine English, Linguistic Imperialism and English Language Teaching.” A Filipino writer in English, certainly I disagree with “linguistic imperialism” as applied on both sides of the fence.

“Words have power” indeed, but you have to form them from somewhere to become a message. My wide & wild & wizened googling convinced me 25 years ago – I’m 82, thank God! – English is the most powerful language in the world, has the most knowledge. I say: “English is power!”
(“Words” from dreamstime.com, “Knowledge” from quotesgram.com)

I have been a writer mostly in the manner of the American Reader’s Digest, unusually & actively communicating starting 1975 when I began founding & becoming the Editor In Chief of the 3 major publications of the Forest Research Institute (FORI) – monthly newsletter Canopy, quarterly technical journal Sylvatrop, and quarterly color magazine Habitatthat I patterned after the American National Geographic. American Boy!

In one issue of Habitat, I wrote my new theory that I called “Communication for Development(ComDev).” And certainly, forester Filiberto S Pollisco, Director of FORI, applauded my ComDev products. Of this and more, I have written earlier (22 April 2018, GAIA con GAIA, blogspot.com):

With Dr Pollisco at the top and I below, we were setting the pace and tone of communication for the development of Philippine forests and forestry.

American English! On 24 Nov 2021, I regenerated “ComDev” into “CoViD21” – acronym for Communication for Village Development in the 21st Century – emphasizing “village development” (26 Nov 2021, “Regenerative Thinking… Regenerative Agriculture In The Philippines,” Frank And Healthy Minds, blogspot.com). Where else did I catch the concept of “Regenerative” except in English?

Since 2000 when I started blogging (self-taught, I must emphasize), I have uploaded at least 8 million words in my numerous blogs, all in American English (excluding Americanisms) – have I been displaying American linguistic imperialism in my writing as Mr North alleges?

Mr North quotes Mary Bresnahan from “English In The Philippines” (Journal of Communication, 1979):

… colonizing a people who wanted independence presented a situation which was philosophically inconsistent with democratic ideals. In rousing public support, they (American public policy makers) attempted to justify their actions by emphasizing the enlightenment the US presence could bring to the Philippines.

Mr North says, “The very notion of enlightenment described here indicates a perceived status of superiority.” I say, of course!

He further says:

Granted, one could certainly say that English has unlocked Philippine involvement in international politics, business, and economics in a very practical way. However, the most positive outcomes of English in the Philippines have always been a result of Filipinos’ practical resourcefulness and appropriation of the English, not the philosophical enlightenment of the Islands through the language.

Mr North, no stopping: We Filipinos wish to be enlightened! And it is not the English language per se that has enlightened us Filipinos – it has been Filipino intelligence!@517

Lessons Learned From Roman Catholic “Father Acong” About Successfully Building Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs) With Enduring Love

I have been reading & rereading the book “Father Ciriaco Alberto Sevilla, Jr – MSK Trailblazer” (242 pages, published 2010 in Lucena City, edited by Milwida S Reyes). A 12-year-old book – is the content still relevant to come up with a new version? My answer is, “Yes!”

Personally, I want the book to highlight the love for the poor parishioners that Father Acong showed, as he had single-mindedly created 400+ Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs) in the far-flung villages of Quezon Province before he died Oct 2007. If that is not love for the poor, I don’t know what love is!

About the BECs, Msgr Lope C Robredillo, VG, says [“An Overview Of The Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs), From The Other Side Of History, msgrlope.blogspot.com]:

The Second Plenary Council of the Philippines devotes two paragraphs to describe the BECs… “They are small communities of Christians, usually of families who gather together around the Word of God and the Eucharist.”

As Roman Catholic, an editor and with training in selling goods as well as ideas, I want to repackage the book so that the chapter titles reflect the lessons learned in building those 400+ BECs – so that other missionaries can emulate the outstanding example of Father Acong. (With a new book title, to wit.)

You notice that I use the title “Father Acong” instead of the preferred “Father Sevilla” by the editor of the book, who is his blood relative (sister). “Father Sevilla” is too formal, and you do not want to be stiff; you cannot be formal with the village people if you want them to feel closer to you and listen to your words coming from High Above.

Some lessons from that Father Acong book (with my translation):

“Magtungo kayo sa mga tao. Makipamuhay sa kanilang piling. Matuto sa kanilang karanasan. Ang mayroon sila ay gamitin.” (“Go to the people. Live with them. Learn from their experiences. Use what they have.”)

“Si Father Acong ay isang pari na ang buong kaisipan ay buhos sa pagmimisyon.” (“Father Acong was a priest whose thoughts were fully on his mission.”)

“Ang malimit na bilin at turo niya ay magsinop, magrosaryo, magtipid, at laging umasa sa Diyos.” (“His frequent advice was to take care, say the Rosary, save money, and always hope on God.”)

“Una, ang kanyang kabanalan bilang isang pari ni Kristo. Ikalawa, ang kasipagan ni Monsignor.” (“First, his piety as a priest of Christ. Second, the industriousness of Monsignor.”)

“Ang mga prayer leaders ay may pagsasanay buwan-buwan.” (With him, prayer leaders had trainings every month.”)

The following is praise from Bishop Teodoro C Bacani Jr: “Hindi makasarili at walang kapaguran.” (“Not selfish and was tireless.”)

Word On The Streets says, “Today’s challenge is to be a church of the poor – for if we are not, how can genuinely call ourselves a church for the poor?” (wordonthestreets.net)

“Church” is “people,” not “building.” Now therefore, we have to learn from one of the best church teachers in our world: Father Acong – faithful to the end!@517

“Creative Freedom” – UP, Time To Replace Your Symbol Of Academic Freedom!

It occurred to me today, Sunday, 16 October 2022, that changing the symbol of the University of the Philippines System (UP) is long overdue – because the Oblation (smaller but sunnier image) has ever inspired disapproval, even radicalism, and never creativity! This is a creative person writing, self-taught in communication and in digital media – yes, I am a UP alumnus, 1965.

The bigger image is my photograph (taken 29 July 2016) of the fiberglass sculptural piece of Maria Pureza Escaño , which she titles “The Rose Of Marya: Service Through Excellence” (Maria Pureza Escaño, weebly.com). Commissioned by the Sigma Delta Sorority, “Marya” is now a landmark at the UP Los Baños Alumni Plaza. Ms Maria says of it:

Recently, Maria Pureza Escaño was handpicked by the University of the Philippines for her concept and rendition of "The Rose of Marya: Service through Excellence," an allegorical seven-foot fiber glass sculpture celebrating100 years of excellence and service to the community of the women of the University of the Philippines. Commissioned by the Alumni Association of the Sigma Delta Sorority, The Rose of Marya serves as the landmark of UP Los Baños’ Centennial Promenade and was unveiled in March 2012.

The creative sculptor describes “Marya” as a symbol of purity and service and excellence – I, a different kind of creative, now present “Marya” as a symbol of open, individual, wholly dedicated inventive person. And I now recommend that UP change its uncreative male symbol “Oblation” to the creative female symbol “Marya”!

Time for UP to change from “Academic Freedom” to “Creative Freedom” – this UP alumnus is declaring!

I see Oblation’s outstretched hands now as implying, “No, you got it all wrong!” In actual practice, the Oblation has always served as a symbolof negativism, no matter what the sculptor said about it, no matter what the UP President said when it was adopted as the symbol of UP.

Inspired by the “Oblation” symbol, UP officials, faculty and students have always been handily radical and hardly creative in their pronouncements, postures and protests. Of course, UP people are inspired – inspired to disagree and/or denounce and demonstrate against most anything that the government comes up with!

“Marya” is telling us: “Creative Freedom” does not negate “Academic Freedom” – but it makes sure that every idea is worth considering fully: with the body, mind and heart!

Personally, I don’t know Ms Maria Pureza Escaño but her “Marya” has just inspired me to “elevate” her to a higher pedestal – that of being UP’s institutional symbol. Everything is there: elan, energy, forwardness, freshness, imagination, inspiration, passion, positivity!

Don’t be surprised, Ms Maria. I am an alumnus of UP Los Baños, and UP’s 2011 “Outstanding Alumnus For Creative Writing” – historically the first and the one-and-only of UP.

I call the above composition of images “Creative Freedom Vs Academic Freedom” (Oblation image from Smithsonian, smithsonianmag.com).

“Academic Freedom” has always been used by UP more to oppose something, and less to propose something else more productive or more promising – Academic Freedom encourages negativity and discourages creativity in UP – Enough!@517

Doing The Extension Right Is Doing The Farmers Right – ACIAR-Originated LIFE Model Of Extension Proven Successful In Conflict-Stricken Mindanao By UP Mindanao

Even if old, this report is a good simultaneous lesson for the Department of Science & Technology (DoST) and the Department of Agriculture (DA): “Extension is what & how you make it.” What do I mean? Read on!

Here is welcome aggie extension news by Paul Jersey G Leon from the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development, an agency of the DoST: “Bringing Hope To Conflict-Vulnerable Communities In Mindanao Through Agricultural Extension” (14 Jan 2022, PCAARRD.dost.gov.ph):

An alternative agricultural extension model has been giving a ray of hope to six conflict-vulnerable, geographically isolated, and disadvantaged communities in South Cotabato, Maguindanao, and Zamboanga Sibugay. This was the highlight of the paper, “Giving Farmers Uwen Fananafedew: Improving Agricultural Extension Policy In Conflict-Vulnerable Areas Through The Livelihood Improvement Through Facilitated Extension (LIFE) Model,” which was implemented by the team of Dr Emma Ruth V Bayogan of the University of the Philippines Mindanao.

I especially note the qualification “alternative agricultural extension model” – I am thinking right now of the DA’s agency Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) whose model of extension has been truncated to simply training. Unfortunately!

The LIFE Model of extension was a combined implementation of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia; LandCare Foundation of the Philippines, University of the Philippines (UP) Mindanao, UP Los Baños, and DoST.

(The LIFE Model is) an agro-enterprise development program hinged on facilitating farmers’ access to technical innovations, building community social capital, and collaborating effectively with local institutions through facilitated extension.

The LIFE Model has given more than “a ray of hope to the conflict-vulnerable communities” – it has been simplifying farmers’ access to technical innovations, helping build social networks, and overall facilitating the collaboration of local institutions – all for the farmers’ common benefits. “Facilitated extension” means “holding the hands of.” I love facilitated extension!

The project started in 2013 in 3 sites: Zamboanga Sibugay, Maguindanao, and South Cotabato – it expanded to 10 sites in 2017.

According to (the UP Mindanao report), the implementation of the LIFE Model helped improve farmers’ social capital as evidenced by their formation of farmers’ organizations, development of trust and closer bonds with each other, and increased networks and participation in community activities.

The UP Mindanao report was presented during the National Symposium on Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development, where it was given the award “Best R&D Paper (Development Category).”

I see the farmers’ organizations as the medium for increased networks and participation in community activities – such organizations serve as recipients as well as spreaders of knowledge shared via extension. The LIFE Model shares more life-supporting science to conflict-vulnerable areas such as in Mindanao.  

The success of the LIFE Model in Mindanao is evidence that “building community social capital proves effective… (in) facilitating the development of a peaceful and secure agriculture, aquatic and natural resources community.”

Take note, ATI: It cannot be all training. You must do extension, and for extension to be effective, you must build community social capital.@517

 

 

 

“HeArtfully Speaking” By Frank A Hilario

Yes, “HeArtfully Speaking” is my single phrase of praise of Jerry R Yapo’s first book of essays titled “Artfully Speaking.” This 75-page handy volume of 12 heartworks based on 12 artworks is an original, a good read.

Jerry’s book contains 12 essays with 12 art pieces as inspirers of the writer. The titles of the 12 heartpieces are:

“Atop A Carabao” (p4)
“Elbi Is Home” (p10)
“Curve-Spin”  (p16)
“Almost There” (p22)
“A Dog’s World” (p28)
“In Loving Memory” (p36)
“A Summa Story Retold” (p42)
“The Pilot, The Prince, And The Fox” (p48)
“Artfully Speaking” (p54)
“Show Openings” (p60)
“Vertical Living” (p66)
“A Commuter’s Tale” (p72).

In the Preface, Jerry says:

Writing is my creative space and the essay the most congenial genre in my attempt to make sense of life’s defining moments. Such moments looped together propel our lives in a certain direction.

I know the feeling. I have been writing thousands of (digital) essays myself since 2000, with a few extra long ones of 8,000 words or so each. In the last few years, I have trimmed down to exactly 517 words each essay (Frank A Hilario). Each of Jerry’s essays is long, at least 1,300 words – fitting the purpose of the writing.

Here are selections from the book:

Elbi Is Home
Home is where the greenery abounds. Green is the prime color of the university town, and it is that from which the enchantment arises.

Maria(ng) Makiling, the mountain goddess, continues to animate stories not only among the townsfolk, but also among occasional guests and adventurous hikers who have trudged the forest mountain’s challenging trails…

Jerry is fond of dogs. Here is from
A Dog’s World
Maximus, Cicero and Jubaira have been true to their calling as retrievers. Misplaced small garden tools are found. Itinerant farm snakes and house rats are brought to the garage. Misplaced smart phones are shoved to our faces.

Ha, ha!

Here is from
The Pilot, The Prince, And The Fox
The pilot becomes conscious of the little prince in him again. The laughter of the little prince evokes joy in the pilot, prompting him to recover his sense of discovery and wonderment…. The pilot and the little prince have come together. And the fox has paved the way for their being one.

And from
A Commuter’s Tale
Considering traffic as a problem is fraught with possible solutions to address it. But let that be within the purview of national government to address… A paradigm shift may change the way we look at the traffic problem.

Overall, as a reader I must say I like all of the essays. The concept of the whole book is imaginative and lovable.

I have one caveat; the book needs a little editing – this is an editor speaking. Like “Elbi” – for those non-UPLB target readers – should have been explained as coming from the acronym “UPLB” and the town Los Baños, just like “Diliman” refers to “UP Diliman” and the Quezon City village.

So? It’s not a perfect tale – but it’s a perfect try!@517

Oct 5 Is “World Teacher’s Day” – This Teacher Is Saying The World Has To Learn The Universal Meaning & Significance Of Regenerative Agriculture

Today, Wednesday, 05 October 2022 (Manila), is “World Teacher’s Day” – and as a teacher, I know that we have not been teaching our farmers rich orpoor about natural and man-made disasters. With the Internet, there is absolutely no excuse!

(Images: top from istockphoto.com, bottom from istockphoto.com)

The upper image tells us that up to now, 53 years after scientists of the universities UCLA and Stanford accomplished the first long-distance networking of computers in 1969 (Jonathan Hodgeback,  britannica.com), the actual beginning of the Internet, the world looks at teaching in a mechanical way, not connecting things one to the other, like a field suddenly burning.

The Internet came to the Philippines in 1994 (wikipedia.org), and the Hilarios got connected sometime in 1997. Considering what I have learned since attending college for my BS Agriculture major in Ag Edu at the University of the Philippines College of Agriculture (UPCA, now UP Los Baños), graduating in 1965 and continuing my self-study in agriculture and related fields, especially via the Internet:

I have come to the conclusion that Agriculture is the one major field where we can Defeat Farmer Poverty and with us undergoing Primate Change can simultaneously largely help defeat Climate Change!

I have equated my self-imposed work of what I call “Communication for Village Development in the 21st Century (CoViD21)” with the single act of reinventing the rotavator so that in 1 running, it accomplishes a 3-in-1 task:
(1) cultivates the soil,
(2) cuts & mixes soil & plant materials together, and
(3) certainly & consistently distributes the mix all over the field as it happily goes along!

My rotavation innovation will enrich the farmer because s/he does not need to buy any fertilizer it all – s/he creates it on the field automatically – which means zero fertilizer cost in farming, which means the would-be cost goes to the farmer’s pocket. (There is only 1 problem: The innovation needs financing to be realized.)

The rotavation innovation is my single contribution to the worldwide concept of Regenerative Agriculture that Robert Rodale started in 1989 as “Regenerative Organic Agriculture” (rodaleinstitute.org). (Please note that “organic fertilization” is only 1 way towards Regenerative Agriculture.)

With all the above in mind, here now is my considered definition:

Regenerative Agriculture is any principle, process, procedure, or practice applied by man that repeatedly returns, revives, resuscitates, or reinforces the natural ability of the old or newly cultivated field to grow plants and animals as dictated by the laws of Old Mother Nature.

As I see it, Regenerative Agriculture must not simply renew the soil but also the whole field far and wide with growing plants and animals peacefully carrying out their natural relationships.

We can then expect the following outputs or products from our practice of RA:

(1)   Healthy soil

(2)   Healthy crops

(3)   Healthy animals

(4)   Healthy harvests

(5)   Healthy foods

(6)   Healthy farmer incomes

(7)   Healthy villages.

How did they say it again? Regenerative Agriculture shows that certainly, “Health is wealth!”@517

“A Smile Must Be The Best Little Exercise Of The Body” – Frank A Hilario

Today, Sunday, 02 Oct 2022 (Manila), on FacebookI see Nelson Posadas’ sharing above. The original tag reads: “Smiling Cures. Holding a smile for 30 seconds, even if you’re not happy, tricks the brain out of depression and boosts the immune system to cure the body of Disease…”

Try it now – I did, and I am happier. Smile!

Invajy (Mr Posada’s source) has “150 Smile Quotes About Smiling To Put [A] Smile On Your Face” (30 Sept 2022). S/He says:

[A] smile is extremely powerful. Just remember when you come back from work with [off-mood], how your little one’s smile refreshes you and you forget about all other things. And, when you put a smile on your face in reciprocation, it brings a new positivity in the surrounding environment. Smiling reduces stress that your mind, body or soul [feels]. Smiling has countless positive effects on us. It stimulates the brain, awakens the positive vibes, makes you come across as friendly, and brings happiness to the surrounding people. Whether you say “good morning” to a stranger you pass [by] in the mall or wave hand towards your neighbor while you’re on [a] morning walk, adding a… smile to [the] simple [act] of kindness can make someone’s day.

I selected these quotes from Yvajy’s collection:

“A smile is the best makeup any girl can wear.” ~ Marilyn Monroe

“A smile is an instant facelift and an instant mood lift.” ~ Christie Brinkley

“Let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.” ~ Mother Teresa

“You’ll find that life is still worthwhile, if you just smile.” ~ Charlie Chaplin

“Don’t cry because it’s over; smile because it happened.” ~ Dr Seuss

“A smile is happiness you’ll find right under your nose. “ ~ Tom Wilson

“Teeth aren’t pearly, until you smile.” ~ Anthony Liccione

“Smile. It’s the second best thing you can do with your lips.” ~ Jill Shalvis

“Smile more. Smiling can make you and others happy.” ~ Roy T Bennett

“It only takes a split second to smile and forget, yet to someone [who] needed it, it can last a lifetime.” ~ Steve Maraboli

“What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure; but scattered along life’s pathway, the good they do is inconceivable.” ~ Joseph Addison

“A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.” ~ Phyllis Diller

“[A] smile is [a] magnet; it attracts happiness towards it.” ~ Invajy

“It takes a lot of energy to be negative. You have to work at it. But smiling is painless. I’d rather spend my energy smiling.” ~ Eric Davis

“Life is like a mirror. Smile at it and it smiles back at you.” ~ Peace Pilgrim

“Smile in the mirror. Do that every morning and you’ll start to see a big difference in your life.” ~ Yoko Ono

Try smiling now. You’ll be happier. Promise!@517