(Photo Courtesy of Philstar)

I am very impressed with Timor’s First Lady & Professor Jacqueline Aquino Siapno-De Araojo. Like a typical balikbayan, she together with 5-year-old son Hadomi in tow, arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport more than a week or so ago and was met by her mother. After exchanging greetings, they took a cab and headed to a bus terminal in Pasay City where they boarded a bus bound for her native Dagupan.

Now that is very humbling. No airs! No pretensions or feelings of entitlement! I am absolutely charmed by her humility. I would rather focus on her as a person.

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I read it a few days ago in the Inquirer. It’s a good thing Carlo Ople, a friend reminded me of Our women, their slaves by Susan Ople. The problem here is that women who seek employment outside the country keep on getting victimized by illegal recruiters. They end up working in a distant land, cut off from their family, and what’s worse is they get physically abused – sometimes molested… and they don’t even get paid. It’s literally modern day slavery. Here are two case studies of Filipinas caught in the web of modern day slavery.
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A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Lao-tzu

I first met Joy Rojas in early 2006 when she interviewed me and two of my friends for The Compassionate Friends. Her article came out in the Sunday Inquirer which paved the way for the awareness of my support group. The success of the article comforted so many bereaved parents and eventually inspired me to be a blogger so I could spread the awareness further.

Now I want to give back, and help Joy achieve her dream.

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