Foot and Fire

Lei by Gerlie M. Uy c.2018 You're turning a year older today and in no time you'll become a lady. Before that happens, let's play for in no time your heart will fly away. Do you know why you're named Lei? You are specially named Lei because you are a string knotting the family of fresh flowers, dry leaves and fallen berries of white shells, hard buttons and sweet candies of love, hope, faith, and crisp laughters. Your arrival was a happy occasion. So true because your presence means affection. For us, Lei, you are a sweet sweet heart. I wonder when you grow big and smart, will you remain as fragrant as the flowers, as spirited as the shells of the saltwaters, as open as anything you knot together? Do you know why you're named Lei? You're named Lei because you are, Darling, meant to be everything you string, be it a star, a bear hug or a song to sing. You're turning a year older today and in no time you...

  Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) in Valencia, Guimaras. It is our pride to be chosen as the location of research on fisheries in Southeast Asia and we can only wish that it will remain that way because as I can gather, it means that we still have rich aquatic ecosystem. Fingers crossed. ***   I and my friend enjoyed the observation at the SEAFDEC. At the back is the Igang Station and the flags of different Southeast Asian countries. At the time of our visit, we saw milkfish raised in the ocean, turtles which have some rare kind according to the caretakers, sharks, grouper, snapper, seabass and other fishes which I could not recall anymore as of this time. ***   ***    ***   *** When we were there last May 2018, the researchers had the center closed for for tourist and we were told that they are not sure when it will open again and that the closure was only delayed because the...

  The Regional Rehabilitation Center for the Youth (RRCY) in Guimaras has an impressive location and services and plans for further infrastructure. I had the privilege of visiting the center last May 2018 and it was my third time to visit it. The first two visits I had were about 20 years ago when I was still a college student, and I can say that the center has gone a long way in developing from mere semi-concrete halls to concrete, permanent buildings.    RRCY now has infirmary, office/administration building, mess halls, lodging halls, a guest house, prayer hall, basketball court and grounds filled with grasses and trees.  RRCY caters to law offenders who were minor at the time of the commission of the offense but were sentenced to imprisonment. Their sentence is suspended, on condition that they get rehabilitated. So, instead of being incarcerated, they were given the chance to rehabilitate. One teacher I chanced to talk with while I was joini...

Celebrated every May of each year, Manggahan Festival is not fully experienced if one does not experience the Eat-all-you-can offerings of the folks of Guimaras. In this file photo of this year's festival, I am showing you how to get to eat a lot of mangoes in one setting and how to slay each fruit tenderly but swiftly. Sweet with no hint of sourness, plump, and juicy are all marks of this sunny fruit. If you pass up this eat-all-you-can, you can't get away with it. You will have it in your Daiquiri, in your fruit shake, in your lunch table, in your cake, in your candies everywhere in Guimaras. It is even found in your ref magnets. :) :) :) See you next Manggahan!!!