Welcome To My World!

Task Force SAVERS (acronym for Special Action Volunteers for Emergency Rescue Services), a non-government organization established in 1991, which is dedicated primarily in training volunteers for emergency rescue services will cease its operations soon due to the lack of enough funding to support its various community programs, projects and activities.

I am saddened by the fate of this organization wherein I am one of the pioneer members since it has been organized. I have been one of the living witnesses how this organization was able to help thousand of people who have been victims of various accidents, sicknesses and other sort of medical emergencies. This organization is not charging or collecting fees from the services it rendered to the public, thus, the reason its funding has depleted as the years go by. Ironically, pledges of foreign and local funding never arrived to save the organization. The organization depends only on the measly contributions and donations given by its members but these did not suffice to support its daily operations such as the maintenance of its ambulance and fire truck.

In a recent meeting called by the Board of Directors of the organization, it has been decided that its operations shall be temporarily ceased until such time that the much needed funding has been received.

What a pity! I cannot help but think what will happen now to those poor people who solely depend on the free services given to them by the organization. But we have to face the reality in life.

We pray that some day, somehow...somebody up there will save the SAVERS.

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Today is the tomorrow I worried about yesterday
And today was such a lovely day,
that I wondered why I worried about today yesterday
So today I am not going to worry about tomorrow
There may not be a tomorrow anyway
So today I am going to live as if there is no tomorrow
And I am going to forget about yesterday.

Today is the tomorrow I planned for yesterday
And nearly all my plans for today did not plan out the way I thought they would yesterday
So today I am forgetting about tomorrow and I will plan for today
But not too strenuously
Today I will stop to smell a rose
I will tell a loved one how much I love her
I will stop planning for tomorrow and plan to make today the best day of my life.

Today is the tomorrow I was afraid of yesterday
And today was nothing to be afraid of
So today I will banish fear of the unknown
I will embrace the unknown as a learning experience full of exciting opportunities
Today, unlike yesterday I will not fear tomorrow.

Today is the tomorrow I dreamed about yesterday
And some of the dreams I dreamt about yesterday came true today
So today I am going to continue dreaming about tomorrow
And perhaps more of the dreams I dream today will come true tomorrow.

Today is the tomorrow I set goals for yesterday
And I reached some of those goals today
So today I am going to set slightly higher goals for today and tomorrow
And if tomorrow turns out to be like today
I will certainly reach all of my goals one day!

Nothing to Fear

There's nothing to fear --- you're as good as the best,
As strong as the mightiest, too.
You can win in every battle or test;
For there's no one just like you.
There's only one you in the world today;
So nobody else, you see,
Can do your work in as fine a way:
You're the only you there'll be !

So face the world, and all life is yours
To conquer and love and live:
And you'll find the happiness that endures
In just the measure you give;
There's nothing too good for you to possess,
Nor heights where you cannot go:
Your power is more than belief or guess ---
It is something you have to know.

There is nothing to fear --- you can and you will.
For you are the invincible you.
Set your foot on the highest hill ---
There's nothing you cannot do.

If Tomorrow Never Comes

If I knew it would be the last time that I'd see you fall asleep, I would tuck you in more tightly and pray the Lord, your soul to keep.

If I knew it would be the last time that I see you walk out the door, I would give you a hug and kiss and call you back for one more.

If I knew it would be the last time I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise, I would video tape each action and word, so I could play them back day after day.

If I knew it would be the last time, I could spare an extra minute or two to stop and say "I love you," instead of assuming, you would know I do.

If I knew it would be the last time I would be there to share your day, well I'm sure you'll have so many more, so I can let just this one slip away.

For surely there's always tomorrow to make up for an oversight, and we always get a second chance to make everything right.

There will always be another day to say our "I love you's", And certainly there's another chance to say our "Anything I can do's?"

But just in case I might be wrong, and today is all I get, I'd like to say how much I love you and I hope we never forget, Tomorrow is not promised to anyone, young or old alike, And today may be the last chance you get to hold your loved one tight.

So if you're waiting for tomorrow, why not do it today?

For if tomorrow never comes, you'll surely regret the day, That you didn't take that extra time for a smile, a hug, or a kiss and you were too busy to grant someone, what turned out to be their one last wish.

So hold your loved ones close today, whisper in their ear, Tell them how much you love them and that you'll always hold them dear, Take time to say "I'm sorry," "please forgive me," "thank you" or "it's okay".

And if tomorrow never comes, you'll have no regrets about today.

Your Friend Is Dead!

Horror gripped the heart of the World War II soldier as he saw his lifelong friend fall in battle. Caught in a trench with continuous gunfire whizzing over his head, the soldier asked his lieutenant if he might go out into the "No Man's Land" between the trenches to bring his fallen comrade back.

"You can go," said the Lieutenant, "but I don't think it will be worth it. Your friend is probably dead and you may throw your own life away." The Lieutenant's words didn't matter, and the soldier went anyway.

Miraculously he managed to reach his friend, hoist him onto his shoulder, and bring him back to their company's trench. As the two of them tumbled in together to the bottom of the trench, the officer checked the wounded soldier, then looked kindly at his friend. "I told you it wouldn't be worth it," he said. "Your friend is dead, and you are mortally wounded."

"It was worth it, though, sir," the soldier said.

"How do you mean, 'worth it?' " responded the Lieutenant. "Your friend is dead!"

"Yes sir," the private answered. "But it was worth it because when I got to him, he was still alive, and I had the satisfaction of hearing him say, 'Jim, I knew you'd come.' "

Pangasinan - Hundred Islands And A Hundred Flavors

Geography
Pangasinan’s area of 5,368.82 square kilometers occupies the northern portion of the Central Plains of Luzon with a east-west configuration that extends into a peninsular form juttling into the China Sea. Its boundaries are Lingayen Gulf, La Union and Benguet on the north, Nueva Vizcaya on the northeast, Nueva Ecija on the east, Tarlac on the south and Zambales and China Sea on the west.

Political Subdivisions
Pangasinan has 44 municipalities and 4 cities which are in turn sub-divided into 1,355 barangays. The municipalities are: Agno, Alcala, Aguilar, Anda, Asingan, Balungao, Bani, Basista, Bautista, Bayambang, Binalonan, Binmaley, Bolinao, Bugallon, Burgos, Calasiao, Dasol, Infanta, Labrador, Laoac, Lingayen, Mabini, Malasiqui, Manaoag, Mangaldan, Mangatarem, Mapandan, Natividad, Pozorrubio, Rosales, San Fabian, San Jacinto, San Manuel, San Quintin, Sta. Barbara, Sta. Maria, San Nicolas, Sto. Tomas, Sison, Sual, Tayug, Umingan, Urbiztondo and Villasis. The cities are Dagupan, San Carlos, Alaminos and Urdaneta.

Climate
The province experiences two pronounced seasons: dry from November to April and wet during the rest of the year. Maximum rainfall is observed in August. Average monthly temperature is 27.91ºC with the highest occurring in May and the lowest in January.

Population
In the 2000 census, Pangasinan including its 3 cities had a population of 2,434,086. The 2000 population count by the National Statistics Office showed a 2.41% increase in the population of Pangasinan from the 1995 records. Dagupan City’s population reached 130,328, San Carlos City has a population of 154,264 while Urdaneta City has 111,582. The capital town of Lingayen has a population of 88,891.

Language / Dialect
English and Filipino are widely spoken and the basic tools of instruction in schools. Pangasinense is spoken in the central part of the province while Ilocano is spoken mostly by the people in the western and eastern towns. Bolinao has a dialect of its own.

Major Industries
Agriculture based industries remain to be the source of income of many. Prominent industries are bagoong making, handicrafts and gifts, toys and houseware making.

  

Description
Owing to its natural land form, the province of Zamboanga Sibugay is blessed with an impressive range of excellent tourist destinations – interesting mountain formations, picture-perfect waterfalls, caves in which dwell thousands of bats as well as stalactites, hot springs, white sand beaches, and fish and sea snake sanctuaries.

Tantanan Bay is the largest fish sanctuary found in the province, encompassing an area of five hectares. Sibuguey Bay bounds the southern peripheries. Endowed with several coral formations that function naturally as fish sanctuaries, it is ideal for snorkeling and diving. Another notable fish sanctuary, situated within the municipality of Talusan, is Takushari. Within the island of Pulo Laum is a sanctuary for the propagation of sea snakes.

Zamboanga Sibugay is endowed with several islets that are ideal for beach resort development. Notable are Pandilusan Island in the municipality of Payao and Litayon Island in the municipality of Alicia. One characteristic that they have in common is their white sand beaches. In addition to these islets, there are also white sand atolls in both municipalities that are submerged during high tides.

Leading the province’s inland tourist attractions are the large caves found in the municipalities of Tungawan and Talusan as well as the Moalboal Cave in the municipality of Titay. Among the majestic waterfalls are Tagbilat, Dalisay, Tugop Muslim, Cobacob, Go-otoc, Malagandis, Basay, and Palina Falls in Ipil.

Political Subdivision
There are 16 municipalities comprising the province: Tungawan, R.T. Lim, Ipil, Titay, Naga, Siay, Kabasalan, Imelda, Diplahan, Buug, Malangas, Alicia, Payao, Mabuhay, Talusan and Olutanga. It has a total of 389 barangays under one Congressional District.

Geography
Zamboanga Sibugay has an approximate total land area of 322,830 hectares accounting for about 37.82 percent of the mother province of Zamboanga del Sur. It is geographically located at 123o 04’ 49.75” longitude and at 7o 42’ 14.89” latitude. To the north it intersects the common municipal boundaries of Kadawit, Tampilisan, and Godad in Zamboanga del Norte. In the west, it is bounded by the municipalities of Siraway, Siocon, and Balinguian, and the province of Zamboanga del Norte. On the south it is bounded by Sibuguey Bay. In the east, the municipalities of Bayog and Kumalarang both in the province of Zamboanga del Sur bound it. It is further bounded on the southwest by Zamboanga City.

Climate
The climatic condition of the province is moderately normal (climate type III). Annual rainfall varies from 1,599 mm to 3,500 mm. Temperature is relatively warm and constant throughout the year ranging from 22o C to 35o C. The province is situated outside the typhoon belt.

Industries
The leading industries are in the areas of bakery, rice and corn milling, food processing, and rattan and wood furniture production. The new players in the field are concrete products, garments, wax and candle factory, and other cottage industries.

Major crops produced include rice, corn, coconuts, rubber, fruit trees, vegetables, tobacco, coffee, cacao, and root crops. Livestock and poultry productions are predominantly small-scale backyard operations.

Population
The 2000 census reported a total population of 49,239 with an annual growth rate at 2.09%.

Dialects
The major dialects are Cebuano and Ilonggo. Tagalog, Ilocano, and other ethnic tongues are spoken as well.