Showing posts with label Old Warrior and Other Poems. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Old Warrior and Other Poems. Show all posts

Monday, August 31, 2015

‘Unang Gugma’ is all about poignant love ; ‘Old Warrior’ releases new book

• ‘Unang Gugma’ is all about poignant love
• ‘Old Warrior’ releases new book
 
To start off, what young people today don’t know is that, while the names of the Visayan troubadours Max Surban and the late Yoyoy Villame were making waves in the music industry, there was Boholano singer-composer Emil Loseñada, who made his name in the music world singing Tagalogand Cebuano songs, in--demand for concerts during his younger days in the same way that the likes of Daniel Padilla, Sam Milby and company are today.
 
Emil, who is also known as Milyo Nario, has been in the music industry for six decades yet he remains very relevant in our lives.
 
Emil Loseñada ,Glee Orcullo and Atoy Cosap
 have teamed up to release a new album “Unang Gugma.”
Recently, Emil is now back in the limelight and collaborating with broadcasters Glee Orcullo and Atoy Cosap for their new album Unang Gugma (First Love).
 
Singing is his first love that eventually turned into a lifelong passion. Emil’s top selling albums were Sa Aking Pagbabalik, Its 5am, Ang Iyong Dangal Sayang/Hilo Hilo na Ako,  Matud Mo and Mag-Playing Playing Ta. His major hits were Pasawaya Ko Day (with Dulce), Dolor, Mingbalik AKo, Guhit ng Palad,  Inday, Ikaduhang Bathala and  May Kahati Pala Ako.  Emil also has written songs for other local Philippine recording artists like Max Surban, Willy Garte, Verni Gonzales, Roel Cortez, Butch Ilagan, Del Horest, etc.   His songs were later adapted to films like The Rookies and the Mighty Kids (1987), Ang Nusog at Tatlong Itlog, Bodyguard: Masyong Bagwisa Jr, Boy Tipos and Mga Parung-Parong Bukid.
 
In Unang Gugma, Emil sings Unang GugmaHoney, Uminit Na and Oh Babes.
 
Who knew dyRD’s news anchors Glee and Atoy could sing, too? It shouldn't come as a surprise to us, really, that some of our media friends also happen to be good singers. 

Glee and Atoy are
 gifted with a pretty good singing voice, but can keep an audience glued to the radio just by talking.
 
Glee is no stranger to singing. She showcases her vocal chops when she was a TV host in Cebu City. In Unang Gugma, she writes and sings Ayaw Nagbalik, Bakit Ba and Bakit Ganon Glee sounds as if she’s singing you to sweet slumber with sadness in her heart and caressing you with every word of every line of the songs. Well, all about love and heartaches. Ouch! (Her boyfriend left her for another nilalang, right Sir Peddie B.?—LPU)
 
Atoy has floored listeners with his gentle yet poignant melodies in Unang Gugma. He writes and sings Pahiri , Samtang Nagpitik ning KasingKasing and Kon Sala Man.
 
“The songs we chose for the album are based on our experiences,” Glee told VRS. "Easy listening tunes that most talk about love and heartaches."
 
Unang Gugma album is available at dyRD News Room. You may text/call 0910-135-7858.
 
***
I welcome the month of August with positive notes, high hopes and inspirations. After all, life is beautiful.
 
I have to thank whoever gave me a copy of Old Warrior and Other Poems last year. I opened the book while caught by boredom and I couldn‘t put it down. I was inspired to finish the poems by Dr. Nestor Maniebo Pestelos, a long-time resident of Bohol.
‘Old Warrior’ Dr. Nestor Maniebo Pestelos has released 
his book “Old Warrior’s Poems and the Bohol Quake Assistance Story.”
 
In case you didn’t know, the book’s Foreword will remind you that Nestor didn’t grew up surrounded by books as Emily Dickinson and many other poets were. Neither did he have highly educated parents nor did he have any formal education in poetry. So how do the precise words and phrases seem to flow so effortlessly from his neurons to his pen or to his laptop screen?
 
Dr. Nestor Pestelos earned his Master of management Degree from the Asian Institute of Management under the UNICEF scholarship and pursued successfully a doctorate degree on educational management at the University of Bohol. He organized the Bohol Local Development Foundation (BLDF) to serve as partner of government in implementing programs and projects under the theme poverty reduction and sustainable development.
 
According to Nestor, his poems assumed another dimension as it paved way to build more core houses to benefit those rendered homeless by the quake on Oct 15, 2013.
 
Last month, Nestor has released the book “Old Warrior’s Poems and the Bohol Quake Assistance Story” with Australian-based writer Milwida Sevilla-Reyes, a former classmate of Nestor at the Quezon National High School in Lucena.
 
The 227-page book, twice the size of the previous “Old Warrior and Other Poems,” has added a part two which documents the experiences of BLDF, the non-government organization headed by Nestor. Publication of the new book was made possible through a cash donation by Corazon Maxino Verzosa, a realtor in Metro Manila.
 
Proceeds from the sale of the book will help enable BLDF implement its new initiative, the youth livelihood and drug rehabilitation project.
 
Copies of the book are available at Crescenia Café, Baclayon Food Station, in Poblacion, Baclayon and Darunday Manor in Tagbilaran City. You can call Florencia Gilay-Pestelos at (038)- 540 9327 and 09173041484; Email: fgpestelos@yahoo.com;  Lorena Sensen Balala- 09353635241; and Romulo Pasco- 09173066158; Email: glennmoli@yahoo.com.ph).
 
Oops!!! Before I get carried away, let me share with you some entries (only the printable ones) from Old Warrior and Other Poems:
 
In Old Warrior he writes:
Gone are the trenches
Gone are the nightly vigils
Gone are the songs to occupy poem-bullets.
 
In Silence he writes:
I remember the silence of roses in your eyes
And this longing you wrap it like a shawl
Around your frail body
In rain or sunshine.
 
In Afternoon Rain, he writes:
Yes, as raindrops disappear
And the sky seeks a new reason for being
The afternoon remains puzzled
In these desperate moments of missing you.
 
Anyway, the poems are introspective and insightful.  As I said, it will make you think that life is beautiful.
 
Thank you, Sir Nestor for sharing your poems!
 
***
 
They happen about…once in a blue moon
 
Boholanos living in some parts of Bohol missed out on Friday night's full moon, but some residents of Tagbilaran City had a spectacular view of the 'blue moon' as it lit up the sky briefly.
 
Wet and cloudy weather was to blame in Visayas region, where the Pag-asa said the blue moon began at 6:45pm.
 
The Blue Moon was briefly seen in Bohol province.  Photo  by Leo P. Udtohan


Tagbilaran was also predicted to miss out due to bad weather, but the moon was pictured revealing itself through rain clouds for some minutes before it disappeared.
 
Like other sky-gazers, Glendon Villagonzalo, 14, a grade eight student of Cogon High School enjoyed the unusually brief blue moon.
 
“I thought I could not see the moon because of the bad weather but I am very happy I got a glimpse of it,” said Villagonzalo.
 
Joshua Galleros, 16, a grade six pupil of Booy South Elementary School in Tagbilaran missed tonight’s celestial phenomenon. When he went outside to check the moon, it was covered with clouds.
 
Blue moons aren’t actually blue, but they are as rare as the saying goes.
 
Each month has one full moon. But, every once in a while the cycle of the moon and our calendar match up to give us two full moons in a month. The second full moon in a month is commonly referred to as a blue moon—this July, the first full moon was on July 2, and the second full moon is on July 31.
 
 The famous phrase "once in a blue moon" means rare or seldom.  It’s not because of the color of the moon, but because of how often you see two full moons in one month, according to NASA’s National Space Science and Data Center.  
 
The next blue moon will be in January 2018.



***
Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohan at Twitter /Facebook.

BOHOL CHRONICLE, AUGUST 2, 2015 ISSUE

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Chandrina & Abdul Wallace welcome a girl

Baby Abrianna Isabelle is here!
Chandrina & Abdul Wallace welcome a girl

Wake-uppers:
Tessie with Isabel Granada and Whitney Tyson 
Scene: Prof. Jose Marianito Luspo posted on Facebook: Preparations are under way for the launching of “Old Warrior and Other Poems” a book of poetry penned by Nestor Maniebo Pestelos, a long-time resident of Bohol who has been known more for his various community development involvement both here and outside the province. The launch is slated to be at the Atrium of BQ Mall at 3 p.m.  on May 14 (Wednesday). “Old Warrior and Other Poems” consists of 33 poems written by the author in the past several years that reflect his poetic insights into issues and concerns of a life well lived. Its lead poem, “Old Warrior” is expressive of the burning ideals, frustrations, weariness and continued commitment to a cause he has dedicated himself to since his youth – the betterment of humanity and the transformation of communities.

SceneCoffee? Food? Books? Music? Arts? Wifi? Visit Tambahayan Cafe along Ma. Clara Street, Tagbilaran City beside Cristal E-College, basement of 5 by 5 Convenience Store. Tambay na on May 14 for the soft-opening. The cafe is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Scene: In a sudden turn of events, a town where there is a bamboo bridge will have a new mayor this week. “It gonna rock the town,” says VRS.

Seen: Spotted in Bohol last week were veteran actress Isabel Granada, comedienne Whitney Tyson and Inquirer entertainment columnist Dolly Anne Carvajal at Cuisina ni Tisay (owned by Tessie Labunog-Sumampong) at the Chocolate Hills Adventure Park in Carmen town. Also spotted in Panglao Island last week was Miss Philippines-Tourism 2014 Parul Shah.

***
Beauty queen Chandrina Elluiska Schreurs-Wallace gave birth to her first child last Tuesday, May 6 at exactly 10 p.m. at the Holy Name University Medical Center, Tagbilaran City.

Chandrina, who is married to Abdul Wallace, said her first child weighed 7.6 pounds and measured 50 centimeters.

Hello World! Meet Abrianna Isabelle Schreurs-Wallace.

The beauty queen said she named her Abrianna Isabelle.

Chandrina said that Abrianna Isabelle is her “ultimate treasure.”

News of the birth attracted a small crowd of friends stopping by to pay a visit.

"The father is having one of the happiest moments of his life, like any father, especially when they have the joy of having their first child from such a wonderful wife as Chandrina,"  shared VRS.

"Chan Chan is doing fine. She is smiling a lot. She is as happy as the father," VRS said.

On Tuesday, Abdul’s sister Miss Bohol Sandugo 2000 Mellanie Wallace (based in New York, USA where she works as a nurse) took to Facebook to comment the arrival of her niece.  “Our little angel, Abrianna Wallace! 7.6 lbs , 50 cm. Look at those legs!! Grandma Vicky is the happiest!! I'm a happy Auntie!” she wrote. “ Awww, Mom's finally a granny,” she later added.

***
Today is Mother’s Day! Since I can’t find the best words to express how precious our mothers, nanaynana, mommy, mom, inangina, Mama, et al, here are some stories shared to us by Cecile Abuyabor (of Tagbilaran City) to remind us why our mothers are the best.

Flowers for Mother

A man stopped at a flower shop to order some flowers to be wired to his mother who lived two hundred miles away.

As he got out of his car he noticed a young girl sitting on the curb sobbing.

He asked her what was wrong and she replied, "I wanted to buy a red rose for my mother.

But I only have seventy-five cents, and a rose costs two dollars."

The man smiled and said, "Come on in with me. I'll buy you a rose."

He bought the little girl her rose and ordered his own mother's flowers.

As they were leaving he offered the girl a ride home.

She said, "Yes, please! You can take me to my mother."

She directed him to a cemetery, where she placed the rose on a freshly dug grave.

The man returned to the flower shop, canceled the wire order, picked up a bouquet and drove the two hundred miles to his mother's house.

And here’s another (inspirational) story...

My Mom Only Had One Eye

My mom only had one eye. I hated her… She was such an embarrassment. She cooked for students and teachers to support the family.

There was this one day during elementary school where my mom came to say hello to me. I was so embarrassed.

How could she do this to me? I ignored her, threw her a hateful look and ran out. The next day at school one of my classmates said, ‘EEEE, your mom only has one eye!’

I wanted to bury myself. I also wanted my mom to just disappear. I confronted her that day and said, ‘ If you’re only gonna make me a laughing stock, why don’t you just die?’

My mom did not respond… I didn’t even stop to think for a second about what I had said, because I was full of anger. I was oblivious to her feelings.

I wanted out of that house, and have nothing to do with her. So I studied real hard, got a chance to go abroad to study.

Pestelos’  poetry book, Old Warrior and Other Poems.
Then, I got married. I bought a house of my own. I had kids of my own. I was happy with my life, my kids and the comforts. Then one day, my Mother came to visit me. She hadn’t seen me in years and she didn’t even meet her grandchildren.

When she stood by the door, my children laughed at her, and I yelled at her for coming over uninvited. I screamed at her, ‘How dare you come to my house and scare my children!’ GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!!!’
And to this, my mother quietly answered, ‘Oh, I’m so sorry. I may have gotten the wrong address,’ and she disappeared out of sight.

One day, a letter regarding a school reunion came to my house. So I lied to my wife that I was going on a business trip. After the reunion, I went to the old shack just out of curiosity.

My neighbors said that she died. I did not shed a single tear. They handed me a letter that she had wanted me to have.

‘My dearest son,

I think of you all the time. I’m sorry that I came to your house and scared your children.

I was so glad when I heard you were coming for the reunion. But I may not be able to even get out of bed to see you. I’m sorry that I was a constant embarrassment to you when you were growing up.

You see……..when you were very little, you got into an accident, and lost your eye. As a mother, I couldn’t stand watching you having to grow up with one eye. So I gave you mine.

I was so proud of my son who was seeing a whole new world for me, in my place, with that eye.

With all my love to you,

Your mother.’

***

Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohan at Twitter /Facebook.