Warmth & Words

It’s hard writing how much Bro. Eli Soriano means to me. It will be his 50th birthday in the spirit come April 7 this year. And fathoming feelings of love and gratitude for a person as special as he is is never easy. Most certainly, such depths of emotion do not stem from fanaticism as some may easily and soullessly accuse me of. For if some take a great deal of joy hearing their religious leader greet them in their own tongue once in a while, how much more others whose preacher untiringly answers their scriptural queries and solves their spiritual problems, for free might I add? Nevertheless, this humble piece of writing is not one of contention, but of celebration. And as mentioned, of love and gratitude to a Filipino, a preacher, a leader like Bro. Eli Soriano.   Where It All Began   Thirteen years ago, my uncle brought me to this “magical” place called “Convention Center” in Apalit, Pampanga. In my head, it was the only term I could find to describe a plac...

One thing I'm giving thanks for? Knowing how to do it right. ♫ I know I had a wicked childhood, I know I had a miserable youth ♫ In the busy life of kids at school, summer time gives chance for reflection, introspection, and even reinvention. (Maybe at least during our time when mobile gadgets referred to items that only the armed forces or James Bond could get their hands on.) And being the "home-buddy" that I was, summer breaks from school became just that. Even as a child, we were taught at an early age about God. I've wondered about Paradise, and the question of whether there would be a sea there that I could explore or a sky where I could soar already played in my mind since I was a kid. But I was really disobedient and disrespectful to my parents at times. I cannot recall how many times I've made my mother and grandmother shout my name in piercing pitch and volume. Growing up, I guess I generally didn't know how to fit in so I...

The most popular theory behind April Fool's Day is the change from Julian to Gregorian calendar. 

 Originally, the Roman New Year fell on April 1. When it was changed to January 1st, anyone who celebrated it was laughed and played tricks upon. 

 The moral of the possible history lesson? It's best to base our dates and deeds from the Book of the Creator of time and good works! 

 And that's a fact. Source: Where Does April Fool's Originate?

Viewers exiting from the PICC Plenary Hall from watching Isang Araw. Image from ebtenorio.wordpress.com. Isang Araw , the latest benefit indie by Kuya Daniel Razon premiered on December 1 6 , 2013 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC). Its debut however was at the Sofitel Plaza on November 28th, the night celebrating the veteran broadcaster’s 30th year of service to God and the public. Yet, as the film credits rolled, the indie proved to be a toast in itself.   Against the Plots   The f ilm continues the story of Daniel Baltazar (Daniel Razon), a cop-turned-jeepney-driver targeted by government officials and law enforcement officers for exposing and foiling their hidden crimes. The poster of Isang Araw Lang in 2009. Congressman Ricardo Nepales (Rey “PJ” Abellana) returns with a more vengeful plot to bring down Daniel. Only this time, he teams up with public-fund-drainer, beast-behind-beauty, and scheming wife Annette (J...

What do 7,107 islands stand against possibly 'the strongest storm to form on the planet this year' ? A timely run in the right direction. UNTV , the Philippines Public Service Channel will be offering Community Prayer schedules everyday where people can pray right from their homes or offices. People can join the prayers through their television sets or mobile phones via www.untvweb.com or by downloading the UNTV mobile app. Times for the Community Prayer will be as follows: 04:00 am (in Filipino), 12:00 nn (in Filipino), 08:10 pm (in Filipino), 10:00 pm (in English), 12:00 mn (in English). The media network's primary proponent of social good, Bro. Eli Soriano , initiated the service in cooperation with UNTV CEO Daniel Razon . The idea is attuned with the 33rd Anniversary Theme of Ang Dating Daan or The Old Path: Building a Prayerful Nation Through Broadcast Evangelization. Bro. Eli Soriano and Bro. Daniel Razon are also the leaders of the Mem...

The A Song of Praise or ASOP 2013 Grand Finals Night will be on September 9, 2013 at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum. To God be the glory! It was the eve of September 19 and I had just received a text message earlier in the day that my scheduled promotional for the A Song of Praise (ASOP) Grand Finals 2012 was moved the next morning. Normally, it would’ve been a breeze travelling to UNTV in Quezon City from Pampanga, but this was happening to the Philippines back then: (Read: Hundreds flee as heavy rain lashes Philippine capital ) As soon as I had prepared my things, including a custom-made shirt protector, I left at about 7 or 8 p.m. in hope of getting to EDSA before 5 a.m. Against All Floods   With flooded streets virtually everywhere, public transport was hard. I spent thirty minutes or so just waiting for a jeep to take me to the usual stop for buses that went straight to the North Luzon Expressway. When I got off, it started to drizzle. Unfortunately, my short-term memory l...

Front and Center. Kuya Daniel Razon for the ceremonial jump ball of UNTV Cup's pilot game. In an unprecedented game on the hard court on July 29, 2013, celebrities and public servants from different TV networks and branches of the government, respectively, battled out to win not for their own teams, but for the poor. Taking them to the Smart-Araneta Coliseum is the UNTV Cup. Shooting from the heart of public service on Philippine Television, UNTV pioneered the event to give Php1M in cash to the winning team's charitable institution of choice. A Php500K prize will also be given to the second-runner up.  Each team is comprised of public servants with celebrities mixed in. The seven teams competing in the round-robin series include: Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Congress/ Local Government Units (LGUs) Department of Justice (DOJ) Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) PhilHealth Philippine National Police (PNP) Supreme Court (SC) or Judiciar...