OFW CORNER

[Arman]

Calling all OFW alumni. Mga GEI graduates na nasa abroad, your relatives and friends. Reach out. Go online. Greet you, greet us and be a part of our growing site.

[Arman]

Just recieved and read the e-mail sent by igimaster to members of geialumni Yahoo group. A big boost, i would say, specially for this thread. We'll wait for its effect. Again, you've done it Admin.

[Arman]

Greetings po sa mga kaibigan sa Toronto, Canada.Nabanggit sa isang thread dito na may mga ka-alumni tayo na mga immigrant sa Canada, particularly sa Toronto. Na-mention din doon si Isagani Manalo. Don't really know kung nasa Canada na sya ngayon. Ka batch ko sya, year 1973.

[Arman]

CELLPHONE: "Mama, 'pano na'ko neto!", mangiyak-ngiyak na pahaging ni Saysay sa nanay. "O,ano na naman?",tanong ni nanay. Si nanay (Mama ni Saysay) ay di na gulat sa mga ganong daing ng anak. Madaing talaga si Saysay. Nabibilang sya sa bagong henerasyon. Sa mga 'mellenials'o 'online generation'. Ito ang grupo ng henerasyon na karaniwan na laging may hawak o sukbit na cellphone. "Tong cp ko, ayaw nang mag on. Nasira na. Pano na to!" sambit uli. "Anong pano na to? Hoy Saysay, tigilan mo nga ako. Parang pinanganak ka na kambal mo yang cellphone na yan. Itabi mo nga yan!" tugon ni nanay. Tunay na kakabit na sa katawan ni Saysay ang cp nya. Binilhan pa nya ito ng strap kaya laging nakasabit sa leeg pag araw. Sa gabi, katabi ito sa higaan. Fully loaded lagi ang cp. Nasa paanan lang ang charger kaya lagi ding fully charged. Laging naka high bar. "Saysay, palitan mo na ang battery ng cp mo. Gastado na yan. Di na yan magcha charge kahit di mo pa tanggalin sa charger. Di na kaya."ani nanay. Alam ni nanay na battery lang ang dahilan kaya ayaw mag on ang cp ng anak. Mantakin mo nga naman, na buhat pa noong mahawakan nya ang cp na yon (regalo ng Papa nya yon galing sa abroad), lagi na yong naka 'on'. Parang radio o tv na walang patayan.Matatag din naman yong cp. Pero si nanay, nangangamba. Baka daw bumigay ang cp. Kasi, pag tinitignan nya si Saysay pag nag te txt, dalawang kamay ang gamit sa pagpindot. Mabilis. At yong cp, di lang txt ang function. May mms, chat, e-mail, video, music, internet...may...kung anu-ano pa. "Ay salamat, gawa na cp ko. Pa, ok na, ayus na cp ko. New na battery. Pina reformat ko na rin. Dont worry na!", txt sa akin ni Saysay. Nasambit ko sa sarili, 'Diyos ko anak, kung alam mo lang, tuloy na uli ang pag wo worry ko.' Txt uli, galing naman sa nanay ni Saysay,"Papa, ang cp ko, puede pala kitang i-txt kahit bukas ang music nya." Diyos ko, sambit ko uli, sabay kibit balikat. Sabay hawak sa cellphone. Mag i internet na lang ako. Saan pa? E di sa CELLPHONE!

[Arman]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ONCE YOU HAVE READ THIS, YOU WILL UNDERSTAND!
A young man learns what's most important in life from the guy next door.
It had been some time since Jack had
seen the old man...college. girls, career,
and life itself got in the way. In
fact, Jack
moved clear across the country in pursuit
of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about
the past and often no time to spend with
his wife and son. He was working on his
future, and nothing could stop him.
Over the phone, his mother told him, " Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday ". The memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days. "Jack, did you hear me?" "Oh, sorry Mom. Yes..yes I heard you... It's been so long since I thought of him. I'm sorry. but I honestly thought he died years ago." Jack said. "Well, he didn't forget you. Everytime I saw him, he'd ask how you were doing. He'd reminisce about the many days you spent over 'his side of the fence', as he put it," Mom told him. ( to continue...)

[Arman]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME...(cont..)

"I loved that old house he lived in," Jack said.
"You know Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man's influence in your life," she said.
"He's the one who taught me carpentry," he said. "I wouldn't be in this business if it weren't for him...he's spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important... Mom, I'll be there for the funeral," Jack said.

As busy as he was. he kept his word...Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr Belser's funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away....

The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time.

Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension...a leap through space and time. The house was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture....Jack stopped suddenly.

"What's wrong Jack?" his Mom asked...

[Arman]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME...(cont..)

" The box is gone!," he said.
" What box?" Mom asked.
" There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside...All he'd tell me was 'the thing I value most'," Jack said.

It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it...

"Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said. "I better get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom."


It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died. Returning home from work one day, Jack discovered a note in his mailbox. "Signature required on a package...No one at home. Please stop by the main post office within the next three days," the note read.

[Arman]

THANK FOR YOUR TIME..(cont...)


Early the next day, Jack retrieved the package. The small box was old. and looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting was difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention.

"Mr. Harold Belser" it read. Jack took the box out to his car and ripped open the package...There inside was the gold box...and an envelope. Jack's hands shook as he read the note inside.

[Arman]

THANK FOR YOUR TIME..(cont...)


"Upon my death, please forward this box and it's content to Jack Bennett. It's the thing I valued most in my life."

A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, as tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box... There inside, he found a beautiful gold watch...

Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing, he unlatched the cover...Inside, he found the words engraved:


"Jack, Thanks for your time! - Harold Belser."

"The thing he valued most was...my time."

Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office...and cleared his appointment for the next two days.
"Why?" Janet, his assistant asked.

"I need some time to spend with my wife," he said.
"Oh, by the way, Janet...Thanks for your time!"

[Arman]

Maraming OFW chess fanatics ang sumusubaybay sa ginaganap na 12th Chess Olympiad sa Istanbul, Turkey...na kung saan ang koponan ng Pilipinas ay nakikipagtunggali sa 150 mga bansa na kalahok sa naturang olympiad, na bawat isa ay may tig a apat na players. Ang team Philippines ay binubuo ng matitinik na Grandmasters...na pinangungunahan ni GM Eugene Torre. Kabilang din sa team si GM Wesley So, GM Mark Paragua, GM Barbosa, at ang altenate player na si GM Dimakiling. As of this press time, kabilang sila sa mga koponang nasa ika 4 na puesto...na kung iisipin ay napakalaki ng achievement kung ang pagbabatayan ay ang accomplishment natin noong nakaraang olympiad sa Greece. Ang bansa ay seeded 35th...na ang pag akyat sa 4th sa kasalukuyang tunggalian, ay ikinagulat ng mundo ng Chess. Visit www.chessgames.com para sa karagdagang ulat.