I'm a WatchDOG Dad

Mission accomplished! 

Today, I served as a WatchDOG dad at Isabelle’s elementary school. My day was hectic, a bit stressful but so much fun and very satisfying (I took a shot of 5-Hour Energy to help me go through the day). The best part of being a WatchDOG was seeing my daughter proud of seeing dad around school and being a WatchDOG kid or as she refers as a “WatchPUPPY.” Sitting down and socializing with my daughter’s friends during lunch period was also very valuable. 

I am very impressed on how kids react to my presence. Some will call me by name, “Mr. Bruce” or “WatchDOG” when they see me in the hallway and greets me with a big high-five. There were kids who were eager to get close to me and some who wants to be "clingy" - which doesn't bother me at all. The presence of a male-figure WatchDOG in school provide an extra sense of security and comfort children need every day. I am glad to be able to provide that even for a short time. That alone is reason for me to volunteer again someday.

WatchDOG is the father involvement initiative of the National Center for Fathering. It organizes fathers and father figures to provide positive male role models for students by serving at least one day a year in a variety of school activities assigned by the school principal or administrator. Click here for more information.

The WatchDOGS. Mission Accomplished!

Students Brave Obstacles in Philippines

A report by the World Economic Forum has ranked the Philippines as "poor" when it comes to primary education. Across the country, there are schools that lack even the most basic facilities, including running water and electricity, while others have an average of 70 students per classroom.

In southern Philippines (Layag-Layag, Zamboanga) , some children swim through two kilometers of swamp to get to class, braving harsh conditions as they strive for a better future. (Source: Al Jazeera)

The Lecture Every Filipino Must Watch

I'm from UP so I was very inspired and proud to hear this lecture from UP Economic Professor Winnie Monsod. But I'm also living in the US so the speech also made me think (malaki na pala utang ko sa UP kasi full scholar ako).

Why Nga Ba Taglish Services in the Philippines Are So Dami and So Popular?

I was glancing through a Filipino church's website and noticed on the church schedule a Taglish Service. I checked the websites of other urban churches in the Philippines and saw what used to be the Tagalog afternoon service is now labelled as "Taglish." People (including me) have been using Taglish in churches for a long time, but officially labeling a service as "Taglish" is new to me so please forgive my ignorance or commentary if you go or your church has a Taglish service. I still can't get over the stereotypical story of a kolehiyala's encounter of a popular street food in UP Diliman every time I think about "taglish."

The Kindness of Mang Mel

Good citizens help each other in special times of need. Here's one touching story that caught my attention that demonstrate that truth. I basically spent my growing up years in UP Diliman that's why the story of retired UP janitor, Mang Mel interest me a lot. Naaalala ko tuloy yung mga janitor at maintenance staff sa UP College of Engineering kung saan teacher ang tatay ko na naging mabait sa akin at parang naging tatay-tatayan din habang nasa trabaho ang tatay ko. Ang daming oras ko din yata sa spend sa UPEng since pre-kinder hanggang last day ng tatay nang mag-retire sya nung 1996, thats 16 years.

As Inquirer.net reported, a story posted on social networking website Multiply grabs the attention of the alumni of the University of the Philippines. It is about the plight of Meliton Zamora, the university's janitor who was unable to get his retirement package due to some "miscalculations" in his leave credits. In this interview with INQUIRER.net multimedia reporter Anna Valmero (see above), Garcia recounts how he became a loan guarantor to UP students and his call to resolve issues on his retirement pay.