Round Bohol

Bohol is our native land. Capital city is Tagbilaran. My hometown is Calape, four towns before Getafe. Tubigon, Clarin, Inabanga, Loay, Lila, Anda, Valencia, Loboc, Bilar, Sikatuna, Duero, Jagna, Antequera.  Carmen, Sierra-Bullones, Albur, Garcia Hernandez,  Talibon, Trinidad, Loon, Cortes, Baclayon, Panglao,  and Dauis. Maribojoc , Candijay, Ubay, Batuan, Mabini, Corella, Dimiao, Sagbayan,  Balilihan, Sevilla, Dagohoy, Catigbian. Danao, Pilar, San Isidro, San Miguel ug Buenavista, nadugang ang Bien Unido ug President Garcia. 48 ka mga lungsod ning lalawigan sa Bol-anon muhimo ka mulibot kung ikaw mo-excursion...

— “Round Bohol Rock,” by  Yoyoy Villame

A new (funny) version of “Round Bohol” is circulating in the social media.  I chanced upon it last night, and well, it's kind of a delayed reaction, but still, I find it amusing.

ROUND BOHOL Tahh

Hindi dito, hindi diyan, LOON!

Hindi superman,hindi batman,  GUINDULMAN!

Not three,Not two, BATUAN.

Ug matulog ka, ayaw pag-LOAY.

Land of KPOP, South CORELLA.

It's always nice TUBIGON the day with a smile.

Sunod sa Pangako sa'yo, ANDA wings of love.

Para sa pamilya, Para sa ekonomiya, Para SAGBAYAN.

Nakaligo ka na ba sa dagat ng basura? Nagpasko ka na ba sa gitna ng kalsada? Manny BILAR.

Tongue Twister.  I wish to wish DAUIS you wish to wish, but if you wish to wish DAUIS the witch wishes, I won't wish DAUIS you wish to wish.

Kaon ug tarong para sa maayong PANGLAO-was!

Grizzly bear, Snow bear, PILAR bear

Move on na ko, ALBUR-ry all the bad memories.

Ug manglaba ka,ayaw butangig CLARIN ang dekolor kay magputi-puti

UBAY myself......don't wanna live....UBAY myself anymore

You and I.........CARMEN to be.

MABINI-bini sa aking pagtulog...

Dili sakyon kay among BACLAYON.

Son,is it true? Answer me!!  SAN, ISIDRO? Is it true?

Ang basketball, sa basketbolan, Ang tennis, sa tennisan, Ang billiards, SEVILLAran

Dili na kaya ang engineering, Mao tong mi-VALENCIA ug kurso.

Dili na kiss, JAGNA.

Lingaw diri. Naay CORTES ug kaon. Naay CORTES ug dagan. Singing CORTES, dance CORTES

Sa wala pay rice cooker, Naa nay kal-DUERO

What's chikchik mama? BIEN UNIDO fortified.

Tagay diri, inom didto, SAN MIGUEL.

TALIBON kung lumipad,sumabay sa hangin,ako'y napatingin....

Under my umbrella, ella..LILA eh eh.

Unsay tingog sa iring? Eh DIMIAO.

Do you know how? I DANAO.

Libro sa nag-take up ug Law, LOBOC.

Aalis din ako dahil aALICIA.

Napyansahan na ka. You are PITOGO.

SIERRA BULLONES nang tayoy nagkakilala. Martes nang tayoy muling nagkita

Abi kog ""I can't"" ,"" i CAN""DIJAY.

Habulin ng babae,araw man o gabi...DAGOHOY hoy hoy hoy, hoy hoy hoy hoy,

Sige ug dagan, TAGBILA-RUN.

Dili na Christmas tree ni Mom, Kay Christmas TRI NI DAD na.

Bakit CALAPE-t nang lapit sa akin?

Naunsa to? INABANGA ang bus sa kahoy.

Ang araw ay siSIKATUNA sa silangan at lulubog pagkatapos sa kanluran.

Sige man kag tabi ug storya sa tapad ,grabiha CATIGBIAN-na gyud nmo.

We will have an exam. GETAFE-ce of paper!

Abi kog ang tuko, AN TEQUE RA man diay.

I want to ""MARIBOJOC"".Di masabtan? I want her to be my wife.I want to ""Mary hair"".

Lumipas na ang isang taon at isang BUENA VISTA-basta ka na lang nagbago at naglaho.

suGARCIA.....HERNANDEZ,  Won't you come and put it down on me.

Mutya ka BALILIHAN katahom. Tinggas pa sa puti nga baybayon. Gugma ko BALILI HANdumon. Puro kaw Baliling sa katahom"

***

Speaking of Bohol, Juan Lumacang III shares his article for us to ponder. Here it is:

Bohol’s Danger Ahead

(An Open Letter to DENR and Bohol Media Practitioners)

Bohol is a home to many natural wonders, a truly God-given gift to the province and its people. We are known to be protectors and stewards of the environment, espoused thereafter the passage of the Environmental code, a first of its kind in the entire country.

How soon can we realize that the present conditions of the province are not pleasing and favorable to the inhabitants- the brave and hospitable Boholanos?

I am appalled and shocked upon seeing the photos below. These photos are recent pictures of Bohol Limestone Corporation in Garcia Hernandez, Bohol. I am no expert of this, but as a concerned Boholano who has great admiration of the God-given gifts in the province, it made me question the legality of this mining.

I am aware that the present administration under President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has a crusade against mining firms and corporations that had brought devastation to the environment. It was started during the tenure of the former DENR Sec. Gina Lopez. They called a halt on the operations on those firms that violated the mining law. Technically, they cancelled the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) which compels the mining firms to suspend their operations. On this premise, I thought the Bohol Limestone Corporation in Garcia Hernandez, Bohol was made to suspend theirs too.

 The once beautiful mountains of the Garcia Hernandez, source of water and life in the locality, are now flattened into an almost airport-size mining field. What benefits have it brought to the municipality and its people? I sure do know these benefits if there is any, are just a day-long benefits, not a long-term and sustainable one. We must not be blinded.

These past months, I browsed over the internet about recent developments in the province. I read the news and some blogs pertaining to Bohol’s progress. I must say, we are in the right track towards development. But never in a glance I saw these issues to surmise. Media Practitioners are mum about it. I don’t know if it is intentional, I hope not. Thus, I took to the leverage to air this out through social media. Let us see where this leads us.

A portion of the Provincial Government’s Vision states “Bohol is a prime eco-cultural tourist destination with sound environmental condition…”. These words should reverberate in every Boholano including gov’t agencies to forward our goals in keeping a sound environmental condition in the Province. Clearly, the mining in Garcia Hernandez deviates from our common vision for Bohol. Do we need to witness a tremendous devastation before we act? I think not. This is not the time for a wait-and-see system. We all want a safe and sound environment to live in.

 I call upon the DENR through Sec. Roy Cimatu and other concern agencies to look into the situation. It is incumbent upon you to call a halt on the operation of this firm. While this may bring a little good to the people, the destruction will haunt us down in the future. If this firm does not conform to the enabling laws and other regulations, their operation should be stop. We can’t afford a mud flood to come to our province. We are still recuperating from the great havoc brought by the 7.2 earthquake four years ago.

We can’t afford to be derailed once again towards our goals for a better future. Hand in hand we determine the future of our beloved province of Bohol. Together let us not allow that our children be robbed of their future, their wonderful environment, the place we call home. This is ours, we must protect it.

***

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

Yoyoy’s grandson sings ‘Oplan Tokhang’ theme song

Ladies and gentlemen, let us sing together (to the tune of Philippine Geography by the late Yoyoy Villame):

Philippines ang atong country

Si Duterte ang presidente

Si  Leni ang iyang bise

Bato dela Rosa ang chief PNP

Gipangusgan ang kampanya sa droga

Unom  ka-buwan lang ang kontrata

Mga drug lord karun hadluk na

Ang uban wa pa moporma  mao nangatumba.

PO3 Janew Villame sings like the late
 Yoyoy Villame who happened to be his
grandfather.  His new “Oplan Tokhang”
song is used by different police stations
 in Visayas to give message in convincing
 drug users and pushers to give up, stop
 their illegal activities and start a new life.
Leo Udtohan/Chronicle

Si General Talino ang among RD

Gikan kini sab sa PNP

Ming-order gyud sa mga hepe Oplan Tokhang pangusgan kini,

Sa pangampanya sa ilegal nga droga

Double barel kung mapagahi pa

Busa tago kamo durogista kay ang kabaghuan ania na.

Akoang nabalitaan karun

Adunay summary execution

Makalilisang paminawon tungod sa droga init gyud karun

Sa Tokhang nga atong programa

Daghang drug lord nga min-surrender na

ug ang uban nagmagahi pa, unya nanukol mao nadisgrasya.

Ayeyeyeayeyeye

Si  Duterte ang presidente

Ayeyeyeayeyeye

Bato dela Rosa ang chief PNP

Ayeyeyeayeyeye

Pulos gayud  mga Bisaya kini

Ang mag druglord karun hadluk na

Ang uban kanila mingsurrender na..

Daghan gayud ang gahig og ulo

Nagpatuo nga mingsurrender na kuno

Sa police station nanumpa kuno

Arun ang iyang ngalan malimpyo

Bag-o mingbalik sa bisyo

Ang pulis ra diay  iyang gitunto

Pag-monitor nasakpan gyud  siya

Mingsukol sa buy-bust mao nangatumba....

According to our Presidente, the Philippines must be a drug-free country.

That song, Oplan Tokhang, is the (un)official theme song of the “Oplan Tokhang,” a campaign that involved policemen knocking on houses of drug suspects and asking them to surrender.

As the war against illegal drugs took a brutal, and often left a bloody trail across the country, police in Cebu City (soon in Bohol?) have found a novel way of softening suspects up: serenading and asking them to surrender.

With guitars and portable sound systems in tow (sometimes with a hearse to add horror effect), police belt out “Oplan Tokhang,” a novelty song composed by the grandson of Yoyoy Villame PO3 Janew Villame of Clarin Police Station.

Police said they came up with the concept to emphasize how serious the authorities are in weeding out the illegal drugs.

Last January, Villame, a singing policeman, has become a sensation after bus passengers listened to him belting out Yoyoy Villame’s songs at the Dao Integrated Bus Terminal in this city. 

Villame, 37, stunned passengers by plucking his guitar to perform the classic songs of the late Villame.

But he had a different mission: To preach about the danger of illegal drugs. 

Villame was transferring from different buses with his guitar. He was accompanied by Inspector Lamberto Hibaya, 50, who was assigned as his partner to give a very short “lecture” about the dangers of illegal drugs to the passengers. 

After the info-dissemination, Villame told passengers he was not a busker but he wanted to share his music. 

He sang his original composition “Pulis Bol-anon,” a song about Boholano policemen who are crime busters with a message of fighting illegal drugs. The song also warns Boholanos about vote buying. 

Part of the lyrics said, “Kaming  pulis Bol-anon ayaw kami  i-under basin kulang og tulog dili jud mo-surrender. Ayaw  tamaytamaya ...kasagaran nakapatay tungod sa self-defense.” (We are Boholano policemen, don’t underestimate us, even we don’t get enough sleep, we don’t surrender.  Don’t mock us..we killed because of self-defense)

The chorus said, “Kitang tanang Bol-anon, kinahanglan maghiniusa. Batukan nato ang krimen ilabina sa illegal nga droga.  Inig-abot sa election dili na magpailad pa... kanang pagbaligya anang boto tungod lang sa kuwarta.” (All Boholanos should be united. Let us fight against illegal drugs.  This coming election let us not be deceived. Don’t sell your votes because of money)

Passengers said Villame sang like Yoyoy’s. 

"It was such a lovely day to hear him singing. He sounded like Yoyoy Villame. Everyone seemed happy,” said Elvira Romero. The song was also timely and relevant, she added. 

Another passenger said she wants to have a singing policeman in the bus. “Feel nako safe ko. Unya ag singer liwat siya ni Yoyoy Villame, mao sila tinguga, mao nga prununciation... nalingaw... gusto unta ko musayaw pero wala ko pasayawa, (I felt safe somehow. And the singer sounded like Yoyoy Villame. The same voice and diction. I was entertained that I wanted to dance but I wasn’t able to dance),” said Florencia Palma. 

It was Police Superintendent Dennis Agustin, former director of the Bohol Police Provincial Office, who discovered Villame in one of the events at the Camp Francisco Dagohoy. 

“He was the only available. I discovered he was Yoyoy Villame’s grandchild and voice-alike. What a lost opportunity if we would not revived his songs and his legacy. He was a gifted singer, writer, lyricist, poet and artist), said Agustin who wanted to immortalize Yoyoy’s contribution to Filipino music and film.

The singing policeman Janew Villame meets the
 multi-awarded and controversial policeman
 SPO1 Adonis Dumpit at the Bohol Police Provincial Office.
Contributed Photo

He also said that Villame has a talent. “Gusto ko run siya sumikat, malay mo maging artista yan (I want him to be known, who knows he would become an artist),”  he added.   

Agustin said he tapped Villame to break down barriers between the police and the public, especially in the campaign against illegal drugs.  

“Eh part kasi ng police community relations is ma-relax ang mag civilian in the presence of policemen... naalaa mo ba kung ang bata ay makulit e pinagsabihan na ‘ tumigil ka diyan  kasi may police.’ Eh, hindi dapat ganun dapat mapalapit ang police sa community..kami ang immediate na kasama na taga- gobyierno  na nagrerespundie sa mga problema nila (It’s part of the police community relations to make the civilians feel relaxed in the presence of the policemen. Kids who had tantrums were told to stop because there’s a policemen..which should not be.  The police should be closer to the community because we are the immediate companion of the government to respond to the public in times of problem)” he said. 

Villame shared that when he was a kid, he wanted to become a singer just like Yoyoy, the younger brother of his grandfather Jesus.  It didn’t push trough because he became a policeman.  

Villame was married to Venus, 36, with whom he has two kids- Sarah Ella, 10; and Maria Laica, 7. He hoped that through his songs he could help in the campaign against illegal drugs. 

“Thru singing..ipaagi nalang sa kanta nato nga makaamgo sila nga daotan diay musud sa illegal nga droga...” (I hope that through my songs people can realize that illegal drug destroys society), he said. 

Yoyoy Villame, whose real name was Roman Tesorio Villame, was a native of Calape town in Bohol.  He was a bus driver when his boss took notice of his singing talent.  His long list of hits and his entertaining style of music had earned him the title of "King of Philippine Novelty Songs.”

Memorize the “Oplan Tokhang” song and you will never get lost in life.

***

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

Tagna-Tagna 2016

Wake-uppers:

Scene:  At least a total of 85 students of VillaTeresita Elem. School in Ubay town were treated for suspected food poisoning onFriday (Jan. 15), after eating “ampaw” (popped rice). According to schoolprincipal Saturnina Mapute, students complained of severe abdominal pain,headache, dizziness and vomiting. “They are now safe,” she said.

Scene: Spotted in Bohol last week was comedienne Giselle Sanchez.

Scene:  The singing policeman PO3 Janew Villame has become a sensation after bus passengers listened to him with admiration while belting out Yoyoy Villame’s songs at the Integrated Bus Terminal. It’s his way of educating people about the dangers of illegal drugs while trying to keep police-community relations closer. Fact: He is the grandson of Yoyoy Villame, the king of novelty songs.

*   *   *

Astrologers, feng shui experts and die-hard believers of horoscope said that great unexpected fortune will find its way in the Year of the Red Monkey (which will officially start on Feb. 8).

Giselle Sanchez visits Bohol. 

Courtesy: Melinda Mendez-Basalo

2016 is a period of renewed fighting spirit, they added.

White, blue and gold are lucky colors of 2016.

And as tradition is hard to break, VRS is up with its annual “Tagna-tagna” for the 2016. Modesty aside, last year’s “tagna-tagna” was 98 percent credible! Clap! Clap! Clap!

Now, let’s take a quick look at what the notorious and the famous Boholanos have in store for them for the Year of the Monkey.

• Finally, former beauty queen Anna Maris Igpit and her Aussie football player Thomas Taylor will march down the aisle this year.

• The stork will pay former child actress Rebecca Lusterio/Thomas Mejiso, Karen Digal/Doxson Asoy, Chandrina Elluiska Schreurs/Abdul Wallace and Jenissa Laguda Peteros/Dave Maulas a surprise visit .

• A fashion show which is very “bongga”  will feature Boholano fashion artists and couturiers—Shanon Pamaong , Maximiel Tallo, Omie Auza, EJ Relampagos, Jong Magallano, Omie Auza, Henry Baron, Rhigel Dulfo and Tracy Remolador Torres— to display their artistic collections! And another art exhibit for our Boholano artists, too!

• Tableya Princess Dalareich Polot will remain loveless even she’s worth ginto!

•dyRD’s Glee Orcullo will release a new album. It’s a sequel of “Unang Gugma” that will re-open love wounds.

• Poet and community organizer Nestor Pestelos, Direk Maryo delos Reyes and cultural icon Lutgardo Labad will have a busy, busy good year.

•Pinoy Aquaman Ingemar Macarine will make a world-breaking record.

• The Touch of April of Dr. April Lumuthang-Froilan will have a new clinic to beautify the province.

• Something big for Gian Ale will happen this year.

• Something “big” is in store for AR dela Serna....and another student cum model will shine in the modelling world.

• Beauty queen Imaculada Cleofe Leopardas will be the face of a new beauty soap in the market and a popular website.

*   *   *

And now, the blind items:

• A former high-ranking official whose influence is highly visible will make an “important announcement” in the early months of the year.

• The wedding of a couple who announced their engagement in 2015 will either not be pushed through or will be postponed indefinitely. The bride-to-be will cry a river of the shocking news!

• Another big scandal will shake the political scene!

• For the first radio program for kids and about kids will air this year. 

• Great news: Despite financial constraints, an international film festival will be held in Bohol. Perhaps, it will win accolades in international film festivals.

• The crystal ball said that a new talent from Bohol will make name this year. He/she will give honor the province.

•Bohol will produce more topnotchers in the field of education, nursing and engineering.

• A young and flamboyant high-ranking official will “out” himself. You see your true colors. True colors are beautiful. Like a rainbow.

• A young politician will find himself in a headline-hogging controversy.

• A popular radio program will undergo a major revamp. Note: There will a new additional host.

• A popular couple will break up but won’t say why while another couple might reconcile after letting bygones be bygones.

• A beauty pageant will draw controversies. Take it! Take it!

• A beauty queen will make a “controversial” announcement! Dios mio!

• Women who are running in the May elections will have a reason to celebrate.

• The winner for Bohol governor has letters “O” and “E,” while for the Vice-Governor, the winner has letters “O”, “I”, “L”, “E” and “N”.

Note:  I don’t claim to be 100 per cent accurate. As I said, these are all “tagna-tagna” and I could be wrong, you know. He! He! He!

*   *   *

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

‘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 Gugma, Honey, 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.

READ: 'BLUE MOON' DELIGHTS BOHOLANOS' ,  PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER

***

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