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2020 may be a forgettable year but still, “Thank you”

I had been planning to meet 2021 with the words, “GOOD RIDDANCE, 2020!”

After all, what was there to remember of 2020? The Taal Volcano eruption in January, followed by COVID-19 cases showing up in the Philippines leading to a March lockdown, devastating typhoons, floods, and earthquakes. It seemed like all possible disasters that could happen to the Philippines all decided to show up in 2020. Personally, I have lost track of days. I have not stepped out of my house since March 15. All I know of what is going on in Metro Manila is from the internet and TV. Our world has been turned upside down.

But life also changed (for the better, I think) because of the pandemic. My life became simpler.

  • We had more time as a family to bond because thankfully, my kids’ employers were able to arrange work-from-home schedules. It’s the best of both worlds for us. They get to work from the safety of home; I get to see and talk to them every day!
  • A major change for me was to finally refuse to dye my hair. It began when the salon in my neighborhood closed down. Being locked down, there was no burning need anymore for me to keep on coloring my hair every few weeks. My thinning hair became thicker without chemicals on it. My hair is now a natural silver. My niece says I should say ‘platinum’ (haha, it sounds more sophisticated). I am just waiting a few more months till it is safer for me to visit a proper salon so that the remaining length that still has color can finally be chopped off and I get a great hairstyle in all my platinum glory. I have joined a global Facebook group of women growing out our gray hair. It is a very supportive and loving group. What a journey this is!
  • I have had more time to declutter. Major decluttering! I found a recycling center that schedules pickups of whatever I do not need at home anymore (paper, boxes, glass bottles, damaged appliances, used furniture, and even the ecobricks I make. It’s amazing how decluttering actually makes me feel a positive shift in energy around the home. The less stuff at home, the more space for fresh air to circulate.
  • A big realization also was the amount of money I have saved just by attending online media events. I used to have a car and driver at my disposal each time I went out. I had to take care of the driver’s meals as well as parking fees. Not to mention the depreciation of the car and gasoline expenses. Now that blogger events have moved online, those expenses are gone. Plus, I no longer have travel time. How wonderful to be able to sleep in longer, wear little to no makeup, and still be able to attend the media event.
  • I have been able to attend weekday Masses more frequently. This Sunday-only kind of Mass-goer discovered several online Masses, including The Manila Cathedral masses. The Mass has become extra special for me and I derive a lot of inspiration from the homilies.

There is really truth to the saying that in every situation, including what we think is bad, there are silver linings and there is always a reason. I look at my silver linings for 2020 and say “Thank you, 2020! Thank you, Lord!”…because now I see what is more important. Right on top is my family’s health. This trumps everything else that I may have “lost” by being locked down.

I do not know what 2021 will bring but I am hopeful. Here’s something a friend posted on her Facebook account. It resonated so strongly with me so I asked permission from her to share it here. Let me know how this strikes you.

Happy New Year! May 2021 be so much more healthy, peaceful, and kinder to us all.

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The COVID-19 pandemic allowed me to attend Simbang Gabi in 2020!

I have a confession to make. I have never completed the Simbang Gabi (or Misa de Gallo) Masses in my entire life.

Our eldest daughter beat me to it. When she was still in university, she and some friends from our parish choir slept over at someone’s home to cook Arroz Caldo. They sang during the dawn Mass of Simbang Gabi and served the parishioners with sizzling hot Arroz Caldo afterward. It was something I always wished I could do but never got around to doing. The spirit was willing but the body just would not cooperate.

This COVID-19 pandemic, despite all its negative effects, has brought some good for me, personally. I have been able to spend more time with my children, something that I was hardly able to do since they began working. A bigger grace for me is actually being able to hear Mass more often, even on weekdays. This year, I made a decision to do all 9 novena days of Simbang Gabi.

Fr. Reginald Malicdem, Rector of The Manila Cathedral

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Filipino investors can now invest in Retail Treasury Bonds using PayMaya

PayMaya has widened its financial inclusion. Now, Filipinos can invest in government Retail Treasury Bonds (RTBs) using PayMaya.

What are RTBs?

RTBs are medium- to long-term investments or securities offered by the government specifically to small investors. Unlike other bond offerings where the minimum placement is usually in the tens or hundreds of thousands of pesos, RTBs can be purchased for as low as PhP 5,000 during a bond offering. They are also low-risk because it is the government behind its issuance. Of course, no investment is zero risk but in the case of RTBs, it is considered low since the only time one risks losing one’s investment is if the government defaults on its obligations.

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Pinoy crocheters! Let’s crochet earsavers for our frontliners!

(I will place updates on this post as we crochet and test out the earsavers. Sometimes there is need to adjust the instructions depending on the experience of those using them.)

Yesterday, I came across the Facebook post of a friend. She had reposted someone’s crochet pattern for earsavers for frontliners.

It turns out that there are groups of crocheters who are organizing to crochet earsavers for frontliners.

To be honest, I never heard of earsavers so I had to do some googling. It turns out that earsavers are strips that you place at the back of your head to which you attach the face mask ear loops instead of looping it behind your ears. For our frontliners who have to wear masks for long hours, earsavers literally save their ears from the pain and discomfort of those ear loops.

In the US, most earsavers are plastic and disposable.That does not appeal to me because one, it’s plastic. Two, it is often single-use. I am trying to cut down on plastic waste. So crocheting one appealed more to me. Besides, I had so much thread left over from crafting days and they are actually beautiful two-toned ones.

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The ugly side of credit collection — shaming, harassment, and privacy violations

The recent news about shaming and privacy violations by some online lending apps of borrowers who missed their payment schedules unearths the ugly side of credit collection.

At least 3 lending apps are now under investigation by the National Privacy Commission (NPC) as they were allegedly able to access mobile phone features like the borrower’s phone directory, camera, location, and text messages. Some of these apps even went to great lengths to contact a borrower’s relative, friend, and other contacts, exposing the debtor to public shaming. These actions clearly were in violation of the Data Privacy Act. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to-date has barred 30 illegal online lending firms from operating due to alleged unreasonable and abusive collection practices.

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Remembering Juned Sonido

(Note: I originally posted on my Facebook wall but social media being what it is, the posts eventually will get buried by newer posts. So I decided to copy the posts (and photos) to this blog because Juned is more than just a blogger friend. He was a true friend whose profound insights made me think that he must be a guru-incarnate.)

It is with a heavy heart that I found out today (July 7, 2019) that I lost a great friend who also happens to be one of the co-founders of BlogWatch — Juned Sonido.

This was the last BlogWatch core group meeting that Juned attended in 2017

Juned had diabetes but he never let this get in the way of activities as a blogger or as an advocate. We go back a long, long way to my early days as a blogger. Juned is one of the blogosphere’s pioneers and was a well-known and well-loved blogger among our circles back then. It is just sad that as BlogWatch is about to celebrate its 10th year this November 2019, we will not have one of our co-founders around anymore.

I saw Juned for the last time in March, at an internet governance symposium. I already noticed he had lost weight (he looked gaunt) and had to have a companion with him. His walk was also slower than usual. And yet, there he was…still attending because he was an advocate and wanted to stay on top of current events.

Below are two photos of Juned in action. The first one was taken when BlogWatch covered the ASEAN 2017 events. The second one was taken last February 2018, during the first ever Democracy and Disinformation Conference, where Juned was a panelist.

We will miss you a lot, Juned. I may not have always agreed with your political position but we were always able to discuss these differences as friends. You always understood my position and I respected yours. Now, it’s time to rest, my friend. My prayers will be for you tonight, Juned. Rest in peace. +++

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From blogger to pamphleteer extraordinaire, that was Juned. We have been friends for over 10 years already, through blogger events, advocacy causes, and just plain fun stuff. This album is a tribute to someone the blogging community will sorely miss. I will miss Juned, including the times he’d hitch a ride home and we would continue our conversations about anything while stuck in traffic.

Till we meet again, Juned. Godspeed. Say hi to our blogger and PR friends up there.

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